Chapter 195: One Day

For most life forms, becoming a chosen one is a dream come true, granting long life, immense power, and exalted status within the deity's church.

But it also means total binding—even after death, your soul belongs to the deity; if she sees you as a useful tool, she'll reuse you until you're broken.

The Mirror Maiden is a neutral deity, yet still leans toward the evil side. If Daniya truly became fully bound to her, and the deity commanded her to destroy her own kingdom and cities, she would be unable to refuse.

Daniya is willing to sell her soul for a good price, but she doesn't trust the other party in the deal. Dark elves aren't trustworthy—how could a dark elf deity be any better?

Watching Daniya's hesitation and unease, Li En suddenly felt anger and frustration, as if

"As if your own child was being bullied? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I feel the same way."

The snake happily flicked its tongue.

He was certain Li En would accept his terms, because beings capable of deceiving deities—or even stealing divine power—might exist.

But making a deity foolishly fall for it without realizing? That's exceedingly rare.

Breaking a chosen one's contract? What's that? If the snake truly regained even a fraction of its power, it could easily topple the Mirror Maiden from her throne and place the girl there instead—several plans ready at hand.

"After all, Daniya is Li Ensu's child—how can outsiders bully her so freely? I'm asking for little today: just one day. Give me one day of you, and I'll help you deceive the deity."

"What do you mean? Be specific," Li En frowned. Devils and con artists loved vague language, hiding true traps within ambiguous phrasing.

"What a picky customer you are. Hmm, good—otherwise I'd worry you'd be tricked by some cruel woman."

The snake sounded like it was praising him, but Li En sensed its malice. Could Li En really be tricked by a woman?

"Be specific. What exactly does 'one day' mean?"

"Complete, full-day control—you know, when the Heroic Soul possesses you, you still retain dominance. But in necessary moments, you can forcibly override it. Give me 'a full day,' and I'll do whatever I want."

"Absolutely not. Absolutely!"

Li En refused firmly. This was non-negotiable.

He had already realized: the snake's agreement contained a trap from the start. All the cause and consequence of this would fall on him alone!

Li En also understood: the snake didn't want to possess him—it couldn't. Pouring ocean water into a small cup? Instantly over.

But if he voluntarily broke the contract, who knew what the snake might do?

First alter his body, raise his limits, then throw a global celebration to mark his return—by the next morning, when Li En woke up, he'd likely be facing a coalition of gods hunting him down, along with a note left by the snake: "Just kidding!"

"He'd absolutely do it. After all, it's me—if I had just one day, I'd definitely pull a massive prank, scare the whole world, then vanish suddenly, leaving them paranoid and trembling, wondering when I might come back."

Give the snake a full day, and it could tear a hole in the sky itself!

Expect him to behave properly? Is that even a snake?

"Hey hey hey, that's not how you negotiate. Don't you think this girl is pitiful? Her fate was originally to die in torment right after childbirth, never living past twenty. Now she's finally gotten a chance—and some cold-hearted person refuses?"

Hearing Daniya's fate, Li En fell silent for a moment—then, from deep within, he felt rage.

Perhaps it was Su Xing's influence. Perhaps, as the snake said, she was Li Ensu's child after all—how could anyone treat her so cruelly?

"Snake, you don't want her to suffer that future, do you? Give me a condition I can accept." Unconsciously, Li En's tone softened, even lowered slightly.

"Tsk tsk tsk, such a picky customer. But only a 'one day' level of cause and effect can justify this cost. Hmm… let me think." The snake paused, then sharply whipped its tail.

"For the adorable little Daniya, I'll be generous—I'll assign this 'one day' to the next Heroic Soul."

Li En fell silent. The next Heroic Soul? Probably Laike.

Should be fine—he's the Continent's Hero, Daniya's own father. In this kingdom, he wouldn't go wild.

"Fine. Deal."

Li En vaguely sensed this was likely the snake's limit.

The snake rolled happily. Li En felt he'd been tricked again—had the snake wanted this all along?

But now, it seemed too late. He sighed, choosing not to dwell on it, to avoid unnecessary torment.

"Snap!"

The snake's tail suddenly broke off. In the next instant, the severed tail curled, shrank, hardened—and became a small golden ring engraved with a serpent pattern.

"Tell her what I said."

Li En suddenly pulled out the ring. Daniya gasped. Shaliman's eyes widened, every scale on her head standing upright.

"Listen—this is the 'Ring of the Deceiver.' When signing a contract, call upon the oldest Deceiver, and the contract will bind only this ring. If necessary, destroy the ring, and the contract is broken—even a chosen one's pact with a deity!"

From the beginning, deception and contract-breaking were among the snake's powers. Deceiving a deity was no challenge.

"But to maintain the contract's stability, you must wear this ring."

The tiny serpent-engraved golden ring reflected an eerie golden glow under the torchlight.

The oldest Deceiver? Daniya had never heard of such a being.

But looking at the ring, she felt it could truly work—the ring itself seemed to possess the power to "persuade" (and indeed, it did).

"Um… how do you call it?" Calling upon an unknown, ancient entity usually required complex rituals and offerings.

"That's part of it—just touch the ring and silently call it in your mind. Its alias is: 'The Oldest Trickster, Origin of War and Chaos, Guardian of Artists and Con Artists.'"

A deity's name is often a title reflecting its domain, authority, and power—usually a powerful race-god with only two or three names, spoken only in the most sacred rituals.

But the snake didn't just give a long list—it gave more, and it sent chills down the spine.

So many negative, extreme titles—none of them good. What kind of monster was this?

Calling upon such a being, borrowing its power—was that truly wise?

Looking at the serpent ring in her palm, she hesitated. Was it worth summoning this unknown entity for her own selfish desire?

".'The Enlightener of Clowns and Playwrights,' and finally—the most crucial—'Dear Father, help me.'"

Li En spoke each word slowly—and when he finished, he himself froze.

"You really need the last one too?"

"Yes, otherwise it won't work," the snake said cheerfully. Actually, only the last one was needed.

His own descendant calling him—why make it complicated?

Li En took a deep breath. He felt he'd been tricked again.

Perhaps, even without his request, the snake wouldn't have let Daniya suffer.

"No, no, no—without your request, I wouldn't interfere. Only then can you bear this cause and consequence. After all, I can only shift the karmic burden of deceiving the deity onto you—and it's no light burden. Ha. Not too much, not too little—balance requires loss and gain."

The snake laughed happily, then vanished without a trace.

Having spent part of itself, the world's remaining time had likely shortened further. No more wasting time.

Daniya unconsciously touched the ring. Though it emitted no magical aura, she felt a deep, inner sense of peace.

As if someone were standing up for her.

For a child without a father, this strange feeling was nearly impossible to resist.

"Thank you." For the first time, Daniya blushed as she thanked Li En.

Farther away, the knights and sharp-eyed archers drew in a sharp breath.

"A ring! Knight Li En gave the Princess a golden ring—and she accepted it!"

"Shut up! We saw nothing! Understood?"

(End of Chapter)