Monster Girl Development Master

Page 107

As expected, seeing that Zhuang Sen continued to pretend not to hear and remain silent, the councilors could no longer keep up the act. Klose Koffner, sitting to the right of Missy, coughed lightly and posed the real question: "Prince Zhuang Sen, was this military decision your personal decision or the decision of the Falling Star Kingdom? Why did your country provoke such a war?"

Zhuang Sen began, “I believe your country is aware of the conflict I had with the territory of Falau. In that conflict, the Icewind Mercenary Corps of the White City Federation not only entered the country without authorization but also attacked our army without any authorization or notification, causing heavy losses. In particular, their military leader used special bloodline weapons in Deherem, an agricultural town now under my jurisdiction, leaving lingering effects on the region. I believe I have every reason to wage war against White City to punish their illegal interference in my internal affairs, exacerbation of internal conflicts, and illegal testing of weapons of mass destruction. This is also to maintain international peace and prevent them from engaging in similar actions again…”

Zhuang Sen launched into a long, rambling monologue, which Missy and the councilors could keep up with, but the monster girls behind Zhuang Sen had already fainted, especially Lim and Grodie. Hmm, why did Rani faint too?

Zhuang Sen reluctantly stopped talking and switched to plain language: "In short, the reasons for the war claim are very valid, and I think everyone should already know the strength of my army and understand the wonders of rune items. You shouldn't think that I can't defeat those mercenaries in White City?"

Missy paused with the congressman, then spoke seriously: "Then, let's discuss the specific terms of the cooperation."

Chapter 286: Mira's Wedding (3504 words)

A few days later, the tense and exciting negotiations concluded, and Mira's wedding preparations were simultaneously completed. The entire City of Knowledge seemed to have been splashed with silver lacquer and crimson dye; silver-white silk fluttered like a flowing galaxy in the streets and alleys, and crimson roses bloomed like a vibrant sea of ​​flowers on the windowsills. The half-open ancient book crest of the Koffnie family was everywhere—the reliefs on the stone walls shimmered with a warm luster, the embroidery on the flags flowed in the wind, and even the freshly baked honey pastries in the bakery bore this symbol of wisdom. This was followed by luxurious silks paving the cobblestone streets, a flowing banquet filled with the aroma of butter and cinnamon, and precious books distributed free of charge to all citizens. Especially near the Tower of Wisdom, where the wedding ceremony would be held, long, winding queues formed, crowds thronged the free bloodline testing booths, and the limited supply of bloodline awakening potions emitted a faint glow, making Mira and Johnson's wedding a truly joyous occasion celebrated throughout the city.

It was obvious to everyone that the Knowledge Council and the Cophne family had meticulously planned everything. The busyness of the past few days was merely a formality to officially launch their long-prepared plan, and a perfunctory gesture of sending out invitations. Like a carefully crafted thesis awaiting its final defense, all the foreshadowing had been quietly laid.

In the face of the national-level traditional wedding of Celine in the Kingdom of Thousand Towers, all Zhuang Sen needed to do was recite a poem—unlike the Kingdom of Falling Stars, where the test involved dodging stones, the Kingdom of Thousand Towers required answering questions. Although Zhuang Sen believed that no one would dare to ask him any tricky questions now, he was idle anyway, and reciting a poem wouldn't interfere with his other activities; on the contrary, it gave him a unique sense of excitement.

But that's all in the past now. Zhuang Sen has already changed into a brand-new traditional long robe-style wedding gown from the Thousand Towers Kingdom. The deep blue fabric is so delicate, as if it has been bathed in moonlight for centuries; it leaves a silky touch when runnidally through the fingers. Exquisite gold embroidery at the collar and cuffs adds a touch of understated nobility, shimmering with subtle light as he moves. This gown perfectly complements Zhuang Sen's increasingly refined and noble aura. Paired with his fair and handsome face and deep eyes, he exudes a detached and aloof air, like a wise sage straight out of an ancient book illustration.

Meanwhile, Mira, who was always seen in a gothic dress, finally shed her gothic attire and donned a dark red robe. A wide-brimmed, black, pointed witch's hat covered her head, the brim tilted to obscure most of her face, revealing only her delicate chin and finely drawn lips painted with pale gloss. The already serene and ethereal vampire beauty now possessed an even more intellectual and otherworldly mystery, as if ancient spells might drift from beneath the brim at any moment. If Zhuang Sen's attire represented a transcendent and independent spirit that commanded awe from the mortal world, then Mira's appearance at this moment exuded an extraordinary quality that made the mundane world feel ashamed and willing to retreat, like a transcendent and aloof girl who might one day ride the moonlight into the starry sky.

However, once the two of them started moving, the atmosphere they had just created shattered like a crystal ball falling to the ground, even the fragments carrying a cloying sweetness.

Mira proudly wrapped her arms around Zhuang Sen's waist, tilting her head back and peeking her face out from under the brim of her hat, the tip almost poking Zhuang Sen's chin: "How am I? Am I pretty?" The little bit of pride in her tone kept bubbling out like bubbles, almost overflowing from the hat.

Zhuang Sen held Mira's large hat, which was about to slip down to her nose, firmly in one hand, while skillfully rubbing her exposed cheek with the other, feeling the delicate warmth on his fingertips: "Beautiful, when isn't my Mira beautiful~" He then deliberately pinched her puffed-out cheeks, causing Mira to let out a soft hum like a kitten.

Well, the aloofness and otherworldly elegance of just now crumbled instantly, transforming into the daily banter between a lovestruck young woman and a "lustful" young man, with pink bubbles floating in the air.

Yes, that's right. In the traditional weddings of the Kingdom of Thousand Towers, the bride and groom are together from the very beginning. They set off from their homes, hand in hand, to the ceremony venue. Along the way, anyone can come up and ask them questions. Can't answer? There are plenty of little punishments: either the bride and groom have to hug or kiss in public, causing the onlookers to cheer; the more pragmatic ones will ask for lucky money, exchanging copper coins for the newlyweds' blessings; the mischievous ones will make the newlyweds walk back a bit and start over, turning the wedding into a city-wide interactive game, a celebration for everyone.

However, this was a piece of cake for Zhuang Sen and Mira. With Mira, the "Knowledge Tower Master," present, the quiz was a piece of cake. The real "challenge" was yet to come—after the ceremony began, there would be several extremely difficult questions for the groom. If he answered incorrectly, he would have to taste the "dark cuisine" that was a specialty of the Thousand Towers Kingdom before he could move on to the next stage. Just thinking about it made one's scalp tingle.

This process bears a striking resemblance to the traditional wedding of the Fallen Star Kingdom, both containing metaphors for the founding legend. It is said that the Thousand Towers Kingdom was founded by a couple who, while searching for the secrets of the Goddess of Wisdom, established their initial settlement and solved countless problems. However, just as they were about to reach their goal, the wife was unfortunately trapped in an ancient trap. To speed things up, the husband chose to abandon several time-consuming questions with correct answers, accepting punishment by eating special foods. Ultimately, he successfully rescued his wife and received the Goddess of Wisdom's blessing.

The story sounds touching, but after Zhuang Sen spent the last few days researching those "special foods," he felt a chill run down his spine—the taste was like a dark combination of houttuynia cordata mixed with durian and cilantro, first steamed, then braised, and finally stewed in soup. Just smelling it made him shudder, and he "couldn't eat a single bite." Just thinking about it made his taste buds protest.

"Alright, alright, you two, tone it down. You'll have plenty of time for sweet nothings tonight." Lady Leah chuckled, patting their bottoms as her fingertips traced the wrinkles in their robes. "Honestly, I spent so much effort getting your dresses sorted out, and they're already wrinkled. What a mess!"

"Time to go!"

Ange burst in from outside, her pink ponytail tracing a lively arc in the air, followed by Lydia and her entourage, who escorted the two of them to a magnificent float like rare jewels. Eight pure white horses pulled the carriage, inlaid with colorful gemstones, their manes adorned with silver and crimson ribbons that jingled as they moved. Johnson and Mira stood embraced, one tall and handsome, radiating a divine aura, the other intelligent and charming, hidden beneath her hat, as the float slowly emerged from the Couvenne family manor. When the float reached the crowded street, it instantly ignited the enthusiasm of the onlookers; cheers and screams nearly lifted the rooftops, and countless flowers and ribbons rained down from both sides.

and……

Mira snuggled closer to Zhuang Sen, her little nose twitching, and she complained in a low voice as if she were jealous: "Why do I feel like there are more women screaming than men?" She lightly punched his waist with her little fist, with a hint of coquettishness.

Zhuang Sen suppressed a laugh and teased her deliberately, "Maybe my Mila is just too charming, attracting both men and women?"

"I'm not Lydia or Lysander's type," Mira muttered. She was more of an intellectual, literary young woman, not a cool, mature woman; how could she possibly have the power to seduce women? It was Lydia, the knightly older sister type, and Lysander, the spirited young woman, who had the potential to be the ultimate heartbreaker. Lydia, who was driving, seemed to have eyes in the back of her head. Hearing this, she secretly rolled her eyes and precisely interrupted with [Soul Transmission]: "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll 'requisition' your husband tonight!"

Mira's eyes lit up: "Then I won't say anything, and you'll give me your portion tonight?"

“Then you can continue,” Lydia refused without hesitation, her tone tinged with amusement.

"Tch~" Mira angrily buried her head in Zhuang Sen's arms, her hat getting rubbed askew.

Amidst the unnoticed laughter and playful banter, the float officially drove onto the flower-strewn avenue. The next second, countless people holding slips of paper surged forward; some handed the slips to the float, others simply crumpled them into balls and tossed them gently, like a rain of knowledge. Mira reluctantly let go of Zhuang Sen to answer a question, but Zhuang Sen held her even tighter, raising his hand to make the slips of paper on the float float automatically, unfolding as if by an invisible hand, neatly arranged in front of them, saving them the trouble of picking them up.

Mira leaned against Zhuang Sen with a grin, her voice sweet and light as she read and answered the questions in one smooth motion: "Who is the White Lady of the Iris? Queen Marina~"

"The best food in the world? Thousand-layer pagoda honey cake~" Mira blinked and secretly mouthed another answer to Zhuang Sen - "Zhuang Sen essence". Her playful appearance almost made Zhuang Sen lose his composure on the spot. Fortunately, his robe was loose enough, otherwise he would have been embarrassed.

As Mira answered fluently, the float moved steadily and swiftly forward, accompanied by cheers from the crowd. Soon they arrived at the Tower of Wisdom, a towering structure gleaming with wisdom in the sunlight. Lydia gracefully reined in the carriage, opened the door, and amidst the enthusiastic blessings of the crowd, Johnson led Mira into this magnificent building, a symbol of knowledge and wisdom. Chloe Koffner stood in the center of the hall, dressed in her splendid family attire, watching the couple enter, her eyes filled with emotion: "Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, you're getting married. Our little Mira has grown up."

"Auntie~" Mira shyly hid behind Zhuang Sen, her cheeks flushed like ripe apples. Chloe smiled and pointed to the circular platform at their feet: "Come on up, or would you like to climb the stairs?"

Johnson and Mira walked side by side onto the disc. Klose waved her hand gently, and the disc floated up with a "whoosh," rising straight up at a moderate speed, just like a magical elevator. Klose had been hoping to see Johnson's surprised expression, but her wishful thinking was dashed—Johnson held Mira calmly, as if riding the magical elevator was commonplace for him. Clearly, Mira had spoiled this little surprise for him beforehand.

Klose muttered to herself, "This is boring," but quickly perked up. The best was yet to come, and she couldn't let herself be disappointed.

A moment later, the disc slowly slowed down. Zhuang Sen didn't pay much attention until the view suddenly opened up before him, and warm sunlight shone on his face. He then realized that they had already rushed out of the Tower of Wisdom and arrived at the top rooftop. Looking out, the clear, mirror-like sky reflected the bustling city below. Houses were arranged like building blocks, and the crowds on the streets resembled flowing ribbons of color. Missy and the nobles of the Thousand Towers Kingdom stood at the edge of the rooftop, dressed in magnificent robes, watching the newlyweds with the joy of representing all the citizens, and offering thunderous applause.

A flock of white doves and magpies flew by, their wings cutting through the clear sky, three ornately decorated parchments in their beaks, and gently landed before the two. On the papers, written in gold ink, was the same question, the handwriting elegant and solemn: "Your Excellency Johnson Leon, do you take Mira Koffney to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, and for poorer, until death do you part?"

Johnson and Mira smiled at each other, their eyes filled with an intense, almost radiant love, as if sparkling with starlight. They answered in unison, "I do."

boom! boom! boom!

Countless fireworks and cannons exploded in the sky, their dazzling light blooming like flowers, intertwining with cheers and bringing this grand celebration of wisdom and love to a climax. It also gilded the future of the newlyweds with the most dazzling brilliance, leaving an eternal mark under the azure sky.

The author says:

作者的话：进度更新：月票25/50，催更票17/50，打赏2200/5000

Chapter 287: Relics - Eternal Inheritance

The day after the wedding, Johnson received a message from Missy. It seemed that the Knowledge Council had finally reached an agreement to allow him to visit the research on the professional system, but only he was allowed to go alone. Considering that Dantalian was there, Johnson agreed to the request and got into a carriage without a driver.

“I’m so sorry to trouble you, Your Highness.” Mistie, dressed in a purple robe, sat sideways on the cushions in the carriage. Her long, straight legs were bent, and her delicate feet peeked out from under her skirt. A large witch’s hat rested on her lap, covering her full upper body but unexpectedly highlighting the white curve of her slender neck, which suited Mistie’s gentle and serene temperament even more.

Zhuang Sen nodded politely and sat down on the other side of the carriage: "I'm the one who's bothering you, Speaker Missy. But I'm really interested in professionals. How do you manage to make one person use the power of different bloodlines?"

Missy covered her mouth and chuckled. Although her red lips were not visible, the beauty mark at the corner of her mouth was still captivating. "This is a bit complicated to explain. I have some simple information prepared here. Would Your Highness like to take a look first?"

Zhuang Sen nodded, took the materials from Missy, and began to read them intently. Missy, on the other hand, gazed at the boy before her, a strange light flickering in her eyes. She could sense a peculiar fondness she felt for this student's husband, stemming from their brief conversation that night. But theoretically, this shouldn't be the case. Although she had always been engrossed in knowledge and had never had any romantic experience, and was indeed quite old now, surely she wasn't so desperate that she couldn't resist wanting every man she saw?

Although this prince is indeed handsome, young, and capable, he is Mira's husband, the husband of her beloved disciple. She believes she won't have any special feelings for Zhuang Sen unless there are other factors, such as seduction, emotional influence, or mind manipulation. But if it were those things, he would actively create opportunities to approach her and deepen the influence of his abilities. However, the fact is that Zhuang Sen spends almost all his time with his wives. Apart from business negotiations and attending weddings, she has hardly seen Zhuang Sen.

It's really puzzling.

But she, Mystique Noah, the chosen one of the goddess of wisdom, loved these perplexing questions. "Let me see what secrets you're hiding." Her mysterious and alluring purple eyes shone with a light that was less a manifestation of lingering affection and more a fervent obsession with self-pursuit.

……

Zhuang Sen closed the not-so-thick document in his hand. Just as Missy had described, it was a very simple document, giving a general overview of the origins and goals of the profession system, along with some examples. In general, professionals are those who can use a specific type of bloodline ability through physical and mental training. For example, [Warriors] are proficient in most abilities related to weapons and close combat, whether it's the holy light attribute [Light Flame Slash] or the dark attribute [Erosion Slash]. Prince Hans, on the other hand, is a level five bloodline user within the profession system, a special type. That's why Missy rescued him—he was currently an unreplicable experimental subject.

As for how they specifically enabled people to master different bloodline abilities, and how they categorized various professions and their usable bloodline abilities, the above only used the phrase "guided by the goddess of wisdom" to gloss over it. Obviously, this is the real core... Could there be some ancient monster girl behind the Thousand Towers Kingdom?

If that's true, I wonder if his attraction to monster girls would have any effect on monster girls who weren't created by him?

"Any questions?"

Missy's languid voice rang out, and Zhuang Sen turned his gaze to this peculiar book demon, the inferior product that True Blood Duke had stolen the power of the Goddess of Wisdom from: "If there's a question, it's naturally about the guidance of the Goddess of Wisdom. Do gods really exist?"

“If it were before, I would have said with certainty that it doesn’t exist, but now, I can only say that maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t.” Missy smiled and picked up the witch’s hat and put it on. The carriage stopped quietly at the same time. “We’ve arrived. You should confirm your question for yourself.”

Zhuang Sen opened the system panel and glanced at it. One of the arrows pointing in the direction of the three relics was firmly aimed at this area.

……

After getting off the carriage, they found themselves in a manor surrounded by farmland. Clearly, this was outside the city. As for the location... Zhuang Sen glanced at the very conspicuous Tower of Wisdom and easily calculated the direction. It wasn't far from the City of Knowledge.

"This way, Your Highness."

Missy put on a hat, concealing her alluring purple eyes, making her pink lips and captivating beauty mark even more striking. She raised her delicate hand slightly, leading towards the main building.

Zhuang Sen had a vague sense of Missy's demeanor and actions, mainly because he had developed a habit of calling her that since he had so many monster girls at home. So he laughed and said, "You should just call me Zhuang Sen. Speaker Missy, you are Mira's elder, there's no need to be so distant with you."

Missy's beautiful eyes sparkled, and she chuckled, "Then I won't stand on ceremony, Zhuang Sen, you can just call me Missy."

Sure enough, something's not quite right.

Zhuang Sen pondered to himself that he could understand if Missy were a monster girl, but the system clearly stated that she hadn't awakened yet, and her attitude was still lacking. When they first met, if it weren't for her aloof and cold nature and her inability to defeat him, she probably would have pinned him to the ground and beaten him to a pulp. But Missy seemed more like she was deliberately fishing for him...

Sigh, monster girls are so much better; women are just so hard to understand.

Zhuang Sen sighed inwardly, but wasn't worried. It would be difficult for a virgin like Missy to seduce him. Besides, there wasn't much time for that anyway. Soon, the two passed through the manor and entered the main building, then through a secret entrance into the actual underground research base. Emerging from the entrance, Zhuang Sen was immediately greeted by a spacious, clean, stone-paved hall. In the center of the hall stood a massive steel platform heavily guarded, estimated to be at least thirty meters by forty meters. It was surrounded by fully armed guards, wearing the rune suits that Zhuang Sen recognized all too well! On the platform sat a cube, almost the same size as the platform itself, completely protected by glass and connected to numerous pipes.

Putting everything else aside, suddenly seeing such a huge object underground is truly awe-inspiring.

Missy finally saw Zhuang Sen's shock. It was because of her most prized possession that a sense of satisfaction and pride welled up in her heart. With her back to the high platform, she proudly raised her chin slightly and said to Zhuang Sen, "Welcome to the kingdom of the goddess of wisdom!"

Zhuang Sen was genuinely shocked, because the system sent a notification: [Relic detected - Eternal Inheritance, in the process of recovery...]

Chapter 288: The All-Purpose Maid

The Skull of Athena

Missy always referred to the high platform and the cube suspended on it as such—it was like the omniscient and omnipotent goddess of wisdom in mythology, able to answer any question fluently. Even the extraordinary bloodline that was unattainable in the eyes of the world could be solved in front of it as easily as sorting out words. The Professional Plan was born from this.

And all of this is thanks to Missy.

It was she who, following the path of the Thousand Towers Kingdom's heirloom, the "Voice of Wisdom," discovered this true divine artifact in the abyss-like underground palace; it was she who successfully channeled its surging power, even using it to refine and optimize her own bloodline; and it was she who, against all odds, pushed the Professional Plan to take root, reaping the abundant rewards she enjoys today. This is not only the culmination of Missy's proudest research, but also the most solid foundation upon which she walks the world.

Therefore, when she saw the way Zhuang Sen was stunned by the "Skull of the Goddess of Wisdom", the pride and satisfaction that welled up in Missy's heart was just like a mother seeing her child achieve success and wanting to show off this glory to the whole world.

However, Zhuang Sen remained silent, leaving Misty's expectations hanging in the air. But she could understand; the spectacle of such a divine artifact appearing in the world was enough to awe and leave one speechless…

"Speaker Missy! Behind you! Look behind you!"

Ok?

Klose Koffney's scream abruptly interrupted Missy's reverie. What made her heart clench even more was that her keen senses caught a faint, strange sound coming from behind her—the sound was like greased metal rubbing against each other, and behind her was a metallic object...

Missy turned around abruptly, looking at the creation that embodied her pride, confidence, and hard work. She, along with Klose, the guards, the researchers, and the subjects of the study, were frozen in shock.

To the astonishment of the crowd, the colossal object that had stood silently in the underground palace for countless years began to slowly rotate. Its square body twisted, deformed, contracted, and condensed as it rotated, eventually transforming into a figure about 1.7 meters tall: she wore a maid's long dress with a cold, metallic sheen, her curves exquisite, her features as refined and beautiful as the masterpiece of a top sculptor, yet far from being a lifeless sculpture; her flowing spirit seemed to be infused with a vibrant soul.

The goddess of wisdom... has come to life?!

Not to mention those who already had faith in the Goddess of Wisdom because of the environment of the Kingdom of Thousand Towers, even Missy herself couldn't help but feel this horrified thought when she saw the steel humanoid on the high platform whose appearance and figure were close to perfect and whose golden ratio interpreted the ultimate aesthetics!

But just when they thought this was the greatest shock of the day, and perhaps their entire lives, the steel doll on the stage—[Relic? Eternal Legacy]—stepped down from the platform, stopped in front of Zhuang Sen, gracefully lifted her skirt and bowed, her sweet voice devoid of any artificial electronic tone: "Nice to meet you, Master. This is your multi-purpose, convertible maid, currently named 'Eternal Legacy.' Would you like to change the name?"

Before the words were even finished, the system's unmistakable electronic voice rang out simultaneously: [Relic? Eternal Legacy has been successfully retrieved.]

The inheritance system has been fully developed, and restrictions on inheritance usage have been removed.

The Inheritance Anchoring function has been unlocked. You can anchor corresponding types of inheritances through nests, and monster girls can enter these inheritances through nests.

The inheritance purification function has been unlocked, which can restart damaged, polluted, eroded, and out-of-control inheritances as the currently retained template.

[Inheritance...]

A series of prompts flashed by, including many novel and unique functions, but Zhuang Sen's gaze remained fixed on the mecha girl who called herself a maid. She possessed a lively demeanor indistinguishable from a human, perfectly navigating the uncanny valley, yet the metallic sheen flowing over her skin and clothing constantly reminded Zhuang Sen of the cool transformation he had just witnessed. This combination of her appearance and sweet, captivating voice, uttering statements with a mechanical quality, was simply…fantastic!

Although I don't understand how the relic could be a living "person," well done, Ancient Monster Girl! Mecha Maid! Hooray!

Suppressing his inner elation and excitement, Zhuang Sen tried his best to remain calm and asked, "Hello... Do you have any recommendations for your name?"

The mecha maid maintained her impeccable smile and replied in a meticulous tone, "Searching as requested... Search complete, recommended name: Zero? Manor, Izayoi Zero..."

She listed many options, but they all had one thing in common—regardless of the surname, the given name was always "zero".

Ah, this kind of seemingly mechanical and rigid design, yet secretly harboring a stubborn self, is also fantastic! Monster girls really know their stuff!

Suppressing the urge to reach out and touch him, Zhuang Sen said reservedly, "Then let's call you Zhuang Ling. From now on, I'll just call you Ling."

"Understood, the machine's name has been changed. What does the owner need? This machine can provide you with all kinds of services, including warming the bed, cleaning, cooking, tidying, hunting, and management..."

"No need, there's nothing for you to do right now."

"Understood, now in standby mode."

Zero, maintaining a smile, walked to Zhuang Sen's side and behind him, her hands clasped in front of her lower abdomen, her demeanor meticulous, completely centered on Zhuang Sen, like a devoted maid. This scene made the elites of the Thousand Towers Kingdom, including Missy, feel their hearts bleed, their straight spines unconsciously bending slightly, like dogs with their heads bowed on the roadside.

There were just too many "dogs," and Zhuang Sen was worried they might suddenly go berserk, rushing up to kill him and steal his maid. After all, judging from Misty's previously overflowing pride, it was clear how important Zero was to them; she might even be the core of the professional system—after all, her name was [Eternal Inheritance]. Now, the core had suddenly turned into his maid, a scene like a group of sycophants going bankrupt to lavish money on a goddess, finally earning a glance from her, only to have her immediately change into a maid outfit and pounce on him, calling him master…

That's amazing! Absolutely amazing!

But then again, the belongings were originally his own; this is just normal recycling, how can it be called a cult? This is clearly pure, innocent love! True love!

Most importantly, it seems that the Thousand Towers Kingdom can no longer defeat itself?

The Thousand Towers Kingdom's publicly acknowledged strongest fighting force is the Knowledge Council, led by Missy, but Missy is clearly no match for him; even considering the council's coordinated attack, he can still call upon his beloved Dantalian. As for the clandestine professional system... even Core Zero is on his side, so what is there to worry about?

whee.

Zhuang Sen understood this perfectly, and Missy was clearly aware of it as well. Her face was filled with bewilderment and confusion, and she asked helplessly, "Zhuang Sen, is this what you meant by 'visit'?"

The author says:

Author's Note: My computer is having problems, so this is a draft. I haven't been keeping track of the bounty progress today. I'll start counting it once my computer is fixed.

Chapter 289: She still has to say thank you.

Missy's words sounded somewhat resentful, and Zhuang Sen felt genuinely awkward under her gaze, but that was all. In the end, Zero was originally his, and it was Zero who took the initiative to come to him. He was already being kind by not charging Missy a usage fee in return, so there was nothing to be sorry about.

Thinking of this, Zhuang Sen became more self-righteous: "Misty, I never expected that your 'guidance of the goddess of wisdom' was actually my maid."

Even the usually composed and intelligent Missy was speechless, her teeth clenched. With Zero still standing quietly behind Zhuang Sen, what use was any amount of evidence, no matter how logically sound? Ultimately, Missy remained rational, quickly suppressing her resentment and disappointment at being confronted by the minotaur. She accepted reality and prepared to make amends: "Zhuang Sen, I have a request. I hope you can allow the goddess… Lady Zero to continue assisting our research."

Zhuang Sen had guessed that Missy would make such a request. Regardless of Missy's previous introduction, Zero's state before transformation, or even the effect of [Eternal Inheritance], it was clear that the professional system was closely related to Zero. Now that Zero had become his maid and was going to leave with him, would the professional system that the Thousand Towers Kingdom had painstakingly created have to be abolished?