Demi-human Girls Completion Manual Chapter 1634 - 109: Goblet (Part 3)

Heidlin smiled without speaking, evidently not knowing the answer either. However, in Valentina’s mind, Master Tao spoke softly,

"Those who gain the way have many friends, those who lose it have few. Though they are all trivial, the logic is universal; they can’t possibly not understand. And yet they still insist on this course of action, given what I’ve observed, the name ’Elizabeth’ has reached here, clearly she is not the most foolish of the trivial... When something strange happens, there’s a monster involved, especially in such a tumultuous era; I have a bad feeling about this."

Even Master Tao said this?

During this time, aside from not letting her come out from overhead to bask in the sun, which made her emotions change—impatiently—the rest of the time she was basically arrogant.

Phoenix, trivial; human, trivial; Trolls, trivial; Slime, trivial...

Anyway, everything was trivial; from the start Valentina was irritated by this word, and now she’s almost used to it, nearly integrating it herself, almost describing Nali using Master Tao’s terminology.

"Could it be the chaos you mentioned?"

"Who knows, anyway, just be more careful."

Valentina had a brief internal dialogue with Master Tao, but in front of her, Heidlin was still hesitant to speak. Valentina noticed this and couldn’t help but ask,

"...Is there anything else, Heidlin?"

"Guess, miss."

"Huh?"

Valentina opened her mouth, looking at Heidlin smiling in front of her, momentarily confused. But Master Tao in her mind yawned, muttering,

"This trivial one found a clue to your dead husband, stop guessing, silly."

"Fisher... Fisher? Heidlin, did you find Fisher’s clues?!"

"Oh, how did Miss know?"

Heidlin, somewhat surprised, covered her mouth. Just then, Alagina who approached from nearby also happened to hear their conversation clearly,

"Message from Baline Clan Leader, saying that Fisher has indeed been confirmed alive, and is about to go to Nali to attend his teacher’s funeral."

...

...

At this moment, inside the Golden Palace of Nali, the outer court was very quiet.

In the majestic splendor, is the golden throne passed down through generations in Nali; in front of the throne, a painter crazily lifted the pen in his hand, one stroke at a time, laying thick ink on the paper of the drawing board.

In fact, this is a tradition of the Gedelin family; in the past, whenever Nali’s King was about to have a birthday, they would invite a royal painter to create a portrait for them.

Though times have advanced, and now high-end items like Picture Keepers are more common, as royal tradition, they still prefer this high-end artistic creation.

Queen Elizabeth also follows this tradition, only that she is usually busy with her duties, and every time she participates in the birthday portrait, it seems more like a nap; she dresses extravagantly, wearing her golden crown and holding her golden scepter, but closes her eyes, resting on the throne.

And below, the painter—whose drawing takes hours—must meticulously complete her portrait, only at the end will she be asked to open her eyes to complete the eyes part of the portrait.

"Your Majesty... you may open your eyes now..."

At this moment, the painter below finally breathes heavily, putting down the brush; his face is pale, but his expression remains crazed, staring fiercely at the nearly-complete painting in front of him, disregarding etiquette as he calls to awaken the resting Elizabeth.

Nearby, Dianne who watched all this furrowed her brows, about to rebuke the painter’s rudeness, but Elizabeth on the throne raised a hand, quelling her words.

On the throne, wearing a luxurious gold and white interlaced gown, with a red robe over her shoulders, Elizabeth opened her hollow golden eyes, tightly gripping the scepter beside her, gesturing with her empty hand,

"Continue painting."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The painter excitedly bowed his head, quickly picking up the brush, and started to finish the painting swiftly.

Almost thirty-four years old...

Yet, Elizabeth looked blankly, seemingly indifferent to the upcoming birthday.

She merely wanted to know if the rumors spread by the barbarian general from the east of Kado were true.

Is Fisher indeed in the South Continent?

If not, then where is he?

No matter, soon she would find out.

"It’s done now, Your Majesty! Fin... finished!!"

Elizabeth’s empty gaze gradually returned, glancing at the frenzied painter below, identical to those painters from previous years; she instructed Dianne beside her to bring up the painting.

Dianne lowered her head and stepped forward, taking the painting from the easel, skillfully framing it in the prepared frame; the rest of the storage and preservation work yet unfinished, but first, the Empress needed to review it in case of any dissatisfaction requiring adjustments.

Yet Elizabeth was never difficult with painters, this event was merely a tradition to her.

Before bringing up the painting, Dianne glanced at it, and couldn’t help but softly remark to Elizabeth,

"Your Majesty, it’s the same as in previous years; again you’re portrayed with closed eyes, and the cup in your hand is...

"..."

Elizabeth looked bored at the oil painting Dianne held up; the not-yet-dry oil painting showed Elizabeth in regal attire, majestic yet incredibly beautiful, an exact match of the phoenix-like Nali’s radiant Empress.

However, somewhat oddly, the painted Elizabeth still maintained her closed-eye stance, even though the painter earlier had deliberately asked her to open her eyes for the final part.

Furthermore, below, Elizabeth’s right hand firmly held the scepter, while the other hand was holding a large golden goblet.

Dianne helplessly glanced at Elizabeth’s empty left hand and then looked at the paintings of Elizabeth’s birthday from the past few years hanging on the palace wall; aside from painting technique, style, and the clothes Elizabeth wore in the paintings, they were indistinguishable.

In the portraits, Elizabeth always had her eyes closed, holding a scepter and an inexplicable golden cup.

"Your Majesty, shall I find another painter to redo it?"

Dianne as always, considerate, just like when she ascended the throne and the first painter created such a chaotic portrait, Dianne sought to punish that painter.

But today, much like the first time, Elizabeth just looked at the painting, then lightly smiled and raised a hand to stop Dianne’s actions.

Elizabeth waved her hand, seemingly boredly gazing at the mentally unclear painter below, sighed softly,

"It’s okay, it’s just for show, as long as it’s painted... take him down to rest, hang up the painting once sorted."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Dianne turned to obey, ready to instruct other servants to remove the confused painter, but suddenly, behind her, Elizabeth’s voice rose softly and eerily,

"Moreover, have the arrangements for attending Master Helsen’s funeral the day after tomorrow been made?"

Dianne was slightly stunned, then smiled turning around, softly replied,

"Rest assured, Your Majesty, everything over there has been entrusted to our inner court."

Elizabeth’s hollow golden eyes showed no waves, only seemed to gleam with a terrifying light that could petrify someone; yet, that terrifying feeling vanished quickly as Elizabeth withdrew her gaze, she said,

"That’s good, I want every detail to be impeccable."

"Yes, Your Majesty."