Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2830: Chapter 2831: Minister of Internal Affairs

Shaya showed great trust in Angel, providing detailed answers to every question Angel asked.

However, while Shaya’s intelligence had increased, she still struggled with complex vocabulary.

Therefore, even though Shaya answered Angel’s questions thoroughly, Angel had to half-guess and half-speculate to piece together the general idea of the so-called ”Light.”

The whole story began when Angel left Nightmare Abyss City.

At that time, Angel met Sanders on the top level of the Hanging Jail Stairway, and after obtaining the ”Singularity Scattering Meditation Method,” they prepared to leave the Nightmare Realm.

However, just as Angel was returning to reality, the Queen appeared.

Her presence was so overwhelming that it destroyed the Hanging Jail Stairway, almost catching Angel’s ankle.

Yet, Angel was lucky enough to narrowly escape the clutches of the Queen.

Although Angel returned safely, the impact of this event was far-reaching.

For instance, Angel actually visited the Nightmare Realm very infrequently because the Queen seemed able to track his presence. Facing the potential threat from her, even Sanders advised Angel against going to the Nightmare Realm.

And this was just the impact in reality.

In the Nightmare Realm, the Queen’s tour created a huge impact as well.

Her influence directly collapsed the Hanging Jail Stairway, causing the underground aqueduct of Naraku City to constantly shake and collapse.

And that mysterious wall also showed a slight crack due to the ”earthquake” in the underground aqueduct.

This crack led to the release of something.

And this something was what Shaya referred to as ”Light.”

Shaya’s description of Light is very contradictory. First, she talks about its radiant glow, then mentions it naming itself. This left Angel uncertain whether ”Light” was a living being or just a light.

What is certain is when the Light overflowed from behind the wall and touched the Maneater Flowers.

All the Maneater Flowers exhibited a certain improvement in intelligence, with Shaya experiencing the greatest enhancement, completely transforming.

Moreover, when the Light shone on Shaya, she received a revelation.

This revelation included her new name: Shaya.

Shaya’s explanation concluded here.

As for what happened to the ”Light” afterward, Shaya couldn’t say. After receiving the revelation, she fell into a coma, and when she woke up, the Light was gone, and the crack in the wall had resealed, as if it had never existed.

Shaya was not curious about this, so she was completely unaware of subsequent developments.

However, Shaya’s coma upon receiving the revelation was not merely a simple coma.

According to Shaya, when she awoke, her perceptible range expanded significantly, allowing her to capture more information from the air.

In Angel’s words, Shaya had evolved, her intelligence and strength increasing while also acquiring new abilities.

Angel asked Shaya what abilities she had gained, but Shaya couldn’t specify, merely stating she was stronger than before.

Angel intended to inquire about Shaya’s previous abilities, but ultimately he reconsidered.

Just explaining the ”Light” took a very long time. Every sentence was painstakingly broken down before Angel could grasp Shaya’s meaning.

If Shaya were to provide a more detailed narration, who knows how long it would take. While Angel was intensely curious about the so-called ”Light,” he didn’t have much time for detailed questioning.

Angel decided to first address the most pressing matter at hand—

To inquire about the Infant Spirits and Maneater Flowers, as well as to discuss clearing the path.

Upon hearing Angel’s question, Shaya fell into thought for the first time, though it lasted less than half a second before she nodded: ”Alright, I will tell them to clear the way for Lady Sha Wa.”

Shortly afterward, Shaya muttered something, then several seconds later, she said to Angel: ”I’ve made it clear; they didn’t dare stop Lady Sha Wa anyway.”

Normally, Angel could leave now.

But he was intrigued by Shaya’s ”half-second thought.” What important thing could she be pondering in front of him?

Additionally, Angel didn’t know the specific situation of the Infant Spirits and Maneater Flowers, so he planned to ask further questions.

Perhaps because the questions concerned the Maneater Flowers, Shaya’s answers didn’t require lengthy translations of difficult vocabulary, and Angel quickly understood the specifics.

The red Maneater Flower outside was actually Shaya.

To be precise, it was her avatar bearing Shaya’s will, descending into the present world.

Based on Shaya’s storytelling, Angel could confirm that this avatar shared similarities and differences with the Black Earl’s avatar.

The similarity was that Shaya’s will wasn’t linked to her true body; it would only return to the Nightmare Realm and reintegrate with her body if the external Maneater Flower perished.

Just like how the Black Earl’s main body didn’t know what the avatar was doing, only receiving the memories brought back when the avatar dissipated.

The difference was that the Black Earl’s avatar originated from his own body, being separated from his organs and flesh.

However, Shaya’s avatar didn’t use her own body, but utilized other Maneater Flowers, merely hosting her will within them. Meanwhile, those external Maneater Flowers had their own independent wills. This was why earlier, when Angel hoped the Infant Spirits would clear the way, Shaya had to notify both the Infant Spirits and Maneater Flowers, since the external Maneater Flowers had independent will.

Under normal circumstances, the external Maneater Flowers would act according to their will, while Shaya would remain dormant. Only in special situations would Shaya emerge.

Now, Lady Sha Wa’s appearance was seen by Shaya as a special circumstance requiring her personal attention.

As for the Infant Spirits, they too originated from the Nightmare Realm but were tamed by Shaya and entered into a symbiotic state with her avatar.

The reason for choosing this particular Infant Spirit for symbiosis was its unique ability to create unlimited weaving nets using the silk bandage on its forehead.

Any life that touched the weaving nets would have its energy absorbed by them, ultimately supplying it to the Infant Spirits.

Though, not all energy could be absorbed... Life energy would be excluded. Being undead, the Infant Spirit naturally rejects life energy.

Moreover, bright energy properties would not be absorbed for the same reason.

Because Infant Spirits have the special ability to absorb energy, Shaya decided to coexist with it.

In the symbiotic state, the Infant Spirit can continuously provide the Maneater Flower with the Power of the Nightmare Realm and various energies to prevent the Maneater Flower’s power from declining.

In a sense, this Infant Spirit is actually an energy station for Shaya’s avatar. Or, in the terms from the Holographic Tablet, a special ”power bank”!

After roughly understanding the situation of the Infant Spirit and the Maneater Flower, Angel raised another question.

”Why did you bring your avatar to this world? And why obey that woman in the mirror?”

Clearly, staying well in the Nightmare Realm, why come to the Wizards’ Realm?

It’s important to know that creatures of the Nightmare Realm don’t like staying in a world without the Nightmare Realm’s aura. Leaving the energy of the Nightmare Realm, their strength would plummet. As for the Eternal Night Country and Xinnai Land, those are tasks from ”above,” and they’ve put in great effort to transform it so the aura of the Nightmare Realm can pass through the demi-plane to the Wizards’ Realm, but this only barely maintains their power.

Once they leave the dome, their strength will gradually decrease. Although much higher than most wizards, no one likes to be in a weakened state.

”Minister Mana, who is in charge of internal affairs, initiated a sign, asking us to support the construction of Xinnai Land.”

Hearing Shaya’s reply, Angel was taken aback.

Minister Mana? Sign?

Angel had heard of Minister Mana before; the Owl Doll mentioned Minister Mana, saying she was responsible for supervision and control.

However, while Angel knew of Minister Mana, he didn’t know her exact role.

Now, from Shaya’s words, it’s not hard to know that Minister Mana is actually the Minister of Internal Affairs. This is quite similar to the Mana in reality, who was the Head Maid of Pat Manor before entering the Wilderness of Dreams, also managing internal affairs.

Now that it’s known Mana is the Minister of Internal Affairs, among the ministers Angel has heard of, only Minister Gran remains unknown in terms of specific position.

But why did Minister Mana issue a sign to have Shaya support the construction of Xinnai Land?

And the ”we” Shaya referred to, does it mean the Infant Spirit and Maneater Flower, or are there more Nightmare Realm creatures already descended?

Angel contemplated the wording before saying, ”I’ve been to Xinnai Land. Minister Nuka has done a good job constructing it. Besides, with help from Misty Goldlady, Boiling Gentleman, and others, it seems more than adequate now. Why, doesn’t Minister Mana trust Minister Nuka’s capabilities and continues to issue signs?”

”I don’t know about that,” Shaya replied. ”But since you say Xinnai Land is well-constructed, I’m relieved. Otherwise, if I delay here for too long and there are still problems with Xinnai Land’s construction, I’d certainly be punished by Minister Mana once I return.”

Angel: ”Besides you, who else did Minister Mana issue a sign to?”

Shaya thought for a while: ”Seems like anyone connected to this world got the sign, but who came, I don’t know. But it’s probably not too many; the aura of this world is truly uncomfortable.”

Just like Shaya itself, it didn’t descend with its true form, sending only an avatar and an Infant Spirit to cope. So, in its view, not many would respond to the sign willingly.

Unless Minister Mana personally urged supervision.

In the Nightmare Realm, Shaya is an insignificant figure, only aware of the sign and never having really seen Minister Mana, which is why it dared to only send an avatar to descend.

However, it only dared to speak these words to ”Lady Sha Wa.”

Firstly, it had previously assisted Lady Sha Wa, thinking she wouldn’t be offended by this; secondly, it sensed Lady Sha Wa’s dissatisfaction with Minister Mana’s sign, naturally aligning with his words.

Angel didn’t ponder Shaya’s little calculations; he was considering another matter.

What is meant by ”connected to this world”?

Angel didn’t ask Shaya because with his ”Lady Shava” identity, he naturally should know the answer. However, Angel personally guessed that perhaps the ”connection” refers to the projections of the Southern Domain in the Nightmare Realm and the strong individuals living in those Southeastern Domain projections?

After all, the Nightmare Realm doesn’t only contain projections of the Southern Domain. The Nightmare Realm is a special world, very vast, with projections from various worlds, and the Southern Domain is just one of them.

Angel: ”I’ve noted this matter. But you still haven’t answered why you obey that woman in the mirror?”

Shaya didn’t conceal this either and honestly explained the situation.

After hearing Shaya’s explanation, Angel couldn’t help but sigh. He hadn’t expected the reason to be so simple—

As soon as Shaya’s avatar descended, due to being ”new to the place and ignorant,” it encountered Adanis’s trap and was deceived into the Mirror Domain, subjected to her whims. This hazardous situation arose after signing a contract to intercept lives passing through the corridor; otherwise, it would fall into the Sea of Void Mirror and completely dissipate.

”Since you’ve already signed a contract with her, asking them to make way now would mean the outside Maneater Flower and Infant Spirit will suffer contract backlash?”

Shaya’s will could return to the Nightmare Realm, so there was no need to worry about Shaya. However, Angel was concerned about the outside Maneater Flower and Infant Spirit being ”sacrificed” in such a manner.

”The contract was signed by the Infant Spirit, not my avatar. So, the one who will suffer contract backlash is the Infant Spirit, not me.” Shaya showed a nonchalant attitude towards the Infant Spirit, not caring about its life or death.

”However, since the avatar and the Infant Spirit are now linked, if exiled, the body would follow. But its will is bound with mine, so it can timely detach from the body and follow me back to the Nightmare Realm.”

In other words, the Infant Spirit is basically unsalvageable, and the Maneater Flower, whether the vibrant one outside or Shaya itself, is merely losing a body. The will or soul can return to the Nightmare Realm without issue.

Angel initially thought to ask if there was any way to save them, but realizing that saving the Infant Spirit seemed of little use, decided not to pursue it further.

”Alright, let’s proceed as you suggested.” Angel finished speaking and was prepared to use the Domain Field to exit this scene.

However, Shaya suddenly said at this moment.

”Lady Sha Wa, Shaya has a request.”

Angel raised an eyebrow and looked over, saying flatly, ”Speak.”

”Although the will of the avatar can return to the Nightmare Realm with mine, its will, when detached from the body, would quickly wither due to a lack of energy replenishment from the Infant Spirit.”

Angel: ”So you hope I find a place to accommodate it?”

Shaya’s black petals fluttered up and down, expressing its desire with longing.

Angel thought for a moment: ”It’s possible, but only temporary accommodation.”

After all, the Flower King had saved him twice before: once with the flying skull demon, and the other with the spiritual power shock from that wall.

So, Angel could help Shaya with this.

Finding a place for accommodation is also easy—simply throw it into the Nightmare Realm. Since he can provide a constant supply of the Nightmare Realm’s aura, the Maneater Flower shouldn’t wither.

But the accommodation can only be ”temporary.”

Though his Nightmare Realm also contains some Nightmare Realm creatures, they are entirely devoid of wisdom, purely acting on instinct. The Maneater Flower, on the other hand, has a certain level of intelligence. If it stays too long, it might discover his incompetence.

To avoid being exposed, a short-term stay is permissible, but overextended periods would force him to release the Maneater Flower much like Shaya releasing the Infant Spirit.