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The Dragon Queen walked over to Lilith, and with a gentle wave of her hand, Luna, along with her chair, slid to one side. Meanwhile, the waiter, who was just about to fall, found himself standing by her side, gentlemanly pulling out a chair for her, adeptly opening the red wine, and pouring it into a crystal goblet.

Whether it was the musicians on stage or the bustling waiters, their eyes were now utterly vacant, like puppets being manipulated. Yet, their movements were not the least bit hindered, each action performed with the proficiency of countless repetitions, with nothing amiss visible to onlookers.

“Just a little trick.”

In the face of Lilith’s surprise, the Dragon Queen casually chuckled.

Lilith was astounded. Was this the trivial trick of a demigod? But Cornelia, who was of a higher realm, never seemed to possess such flair.

Was it because she was too naive?

The Queen swirled the wine in her goblet, her gaze lingering on the sparkling liquid, silent as if pondering something. After a moment, she suddenly said:

“I might be quite busy for a while.”
“Hm?”

Lilith, showing an expression that clearly anticipated further explanation, tilted her head: “Busy with what?”

“Dealing with some pests.”

“But… didn’t you say last time you were going to deal with some pests?” Lilith asked, puzzled.

“Yes, but the pests from last time weren’t thoroughly dealt with,” the Dragon Queen showed a hint of annoyance, “So now, those pests have called over a whole swarm of them, which is quite bothersome.”

“I see.” Lilith nodded, though she was unclear about the nature of the ‘pests’ that could trouble her mother. Yet, her intuition told her that even if she asked, she wouldn’t get the answer she sought.

Well, if mom wants to tell me, she’ll do it on her own.

“Is there anything I can do?” Lilith asked obediently.

“I haven’t fallen so low as to trouble my dear daughter.” The Dragon Queen affectionately stroked Lilith’s head, smiling:

“You just need to take care of yourself.”

“Oh.” Lilith pouted slightly.

The Dragon Queen drained the goblet of wine in one gulp, then suddenly stood up:

“It’s time for me to go.”
“Eh? You’re leaving already?”

Lilith was a bit confused. After all the effort to come here, to leave after just a few words seemed somewhat baffling.

“Time is of the essence.”

The Dragon Queen suddenly embraced Lilith tightly, inhaling deeply as if trying to permanently remember Lilith’s scent. The breath she exhaled carried a hint of alcohol, making Lilith feel slightly dizzy.

“Lilith, you might encounter many strange people seeking you out,” the Dragon Queen suddenly whispered in Lilith’s ear.

“They will possess many bizarre powers, will try all means to test you, and call you a sinner, a demon.”

Lilith thought of No. 9 and Lacey, who indeed had labeled her a sinner, a demon, even asking her to atone.

Heaven knows, Lilith had always been a good child in her mother’s heart, the darling in relatives’ eyes, and had never done anything atrocious to warrant atonement.

Thinking this, Lilith felt a strong urge to deal harshly with those causing trouble around the city. It was because of such foolish relatives that her reputation continued to suffer!

“Lilith, listen carefully to me.”

Perhaps sensing Lilith’s distraction, the Dragon Queen suddenly leaned in, her hands gently cradling Lilith’s face, her blue eyes tenderly gazing into hers.

“In the not-too-distant future, you may face a critically important choice. When that time comes, don’t let anyone sway you, not even me. Just follow your heart and make your own decisions.”

“Eh… what… choice?”

“You’ll know when the time comes. But before that, you don’t need to worry about anything. Just follow your heart. If anyone bullies you, punch them and break their nose!”

Lilith blinked, “What if I can’t beat them?”

“Then you have me.” A flash of authoritative gold flickered in the Dragon Queen’s eyes, “I will personally crush every bone in their body for you.”

“Mom’s the best~”
“But I believe in you, Lilith.”

The Dragon Queen ruffled Lilith’s hair, “You will surely overcome every enemy, pass every obstacle, and tread all dangers underfoot.”

“Heh, of course. I am your daughter, after all.” Lilith boasted, swinging her small fists.

“Yes, you are my daughter.”

At this point, a fleeting hint of confusion appeared in the Dragon Queen’s eyes, quickly replaced by a heavy determination.

“I must go now, have fun with your friends,” the Dragon Queen smiled.
“Okay.” Lilith waved, “Goodbye, mom.”
“Goodbye.”

The Dragon Queen also waved her goodbye. As she passed by the waiter, she suddenly said in a low voice:

“Your wine, it’s not very good.”

The waiter, previously with a vacant look, suddenly showed a hint of fear.

“Since you’re greedy, then pay the price.”

The Dragon Queen reached out and made a grabbing motion above the waiter’s head, “A destitute fate, much like that of a gambler, suits you well.”

The Dragon Queen vanished.

As if a switch was flipped, everything in the ‘photograph’ came back to life, and time resumed its flow.

Lilith was puzzled by what her mother had just said, feeling that something was off about her mom, not like her usual self.

But those concerns could wait. What mattered was that, although her mom had left, she forgot to take the red wine with her.

Lilith, eager to try, filled her cup to the brim.

After looking around to ensure her mom had really left and wasn’t hiding somewhere to “catch her in the act,” Lilith tilted her head back and downed the cup in one go.

“Ugh… sweet… darn it… it’s been switched with grape juice…”

Lilith was fuming, staring at the bottle of grape juice, inspecting it from every angle, feeling indignant. So, she drank another big cup.

Hmph, sweet is also quite tasty.

Luna, chewing on the delicious steak, wore a serious expression as she pondered whether she had been sitting here the whole time.

The musicians on stage were also confused, feeling as though they had somehow skipped an entire movement unknowingly.

The waiter picked himself up from the ground, feeling a bit dizzy.

He shook his head vigorously, yet for some reason, his limbs felt weak.

He had barely taken a few steps when he almost lost his balance and nearly fell again.

Instinctively seeking something to lean on, he accidentally knocked over another table’s wine.

“You klutz!”

A man built like a bull stood up abruptly, grabbing the waiter by the collar,

“Do you have any idea how expensive this wine was?”
“Cough, cough… I’m… I’m sorry…”
“Sorry? What good is that? Pay up!”
“I’ll pay, I’ll pay… I have money…”
“Hmph.”

The man snorted coldly before finally releasing the waiter.

“This wine, I brought it myself from my hometown, unearthed from a ruin, a fine brew of a hundred years. I won’t cheat you, ten gold coins and we’re square.”

The waiter broke out in a cold sweat, inwardly noting that just by smelling the wine, one could tell it wasn’t worth ten gold coins. But not wanting to cause any trouble, he chose to keep the peace.

The waiter pulled out a wrap from his bosom, looking left and right, making sure Lilith hadn’t noticed the commotion. He then unwrapped the tightly bundled layers of cloth.

Suddenly, his face went pale.