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Yaeger stared blankly after hearing the system’s announcement.

‘What just happened? All I did was make a snide joke about the Goddess of Light. Why did her Favorability shoot through the roof? And what kind of relationship status is that? What on earth is going on?’ She had a flood of questions but no answers. ‘Could that one sarcastic remark really have affected her that much?’

Her eyelid twitched as she looked up at the perfectly clear sky.

“Whatever. Better to gain an ally than make another enemy.” She shrugged it off. With the Goddess of Light holding such high Favorability toward her, a lot of future complications could be avoided. After all, the Church of Light in this empire and the Holy Empire shared the same divine origin.

Yaeger didn’t plan to take control of the Holy Empire, but with the goddess on her side, at least she wouldn’t be hunted down.

Just then, the system chimed again.

Ding!

You have received: Divine Blessing.

For a moment, Yaeger blinked in confusion. Then she felt a surge of holy energy coursing through her, clearing her mind and refreshing her spirit.

“So you really gave me something… How generous of you,” she muttered, though she wasn’t even pretending to be modest. In fact, she silently hoped there would be more where that came from.

Naturally, who wouldn’t want more gifts from a goddess? But after a moment of silence, no new announcements arrived.

‘That’s it? Really?’ Yaeger frowned. ‘Come on, Sister Cecilia. You’re the Goddess of Light, aren’t you? Can’t you be a little more generous?’

Clearly, she wasn’t content with just a status effect, especially since statuses usually had time limits. Opening her character panel, she found exactly what she expected: [Divine Blessing].

But when she looked closer, her eyes widened in disbelief. She rubbed them once. Then again. No matter how many times she checked, the details didn’t change.

“This can't be real… Sister Cecelia, do you love me this much?” She blurted it out, unable to contain her excitement.

The blessing wasn’t just strong—it was absurdly powerful. To the Church, it would be nothing short of a nightmare.To the Church, it would be nothing short of a nightmare.

[Divine Blessing] – Status Effect Duration Effect Bonus

“Heh, so anything below divine tier can’t even scratch me? And I get stronger every time I’m hit? Sounds like I’m invincible in the Holy Empire.” Yaeger grinned at the thought, though she knew it was wishful thinking.

If she ran into a real powerhouse—a Legendary or Mythical being—she’d be crushed before she even had time to blink.

“Steel can only be forged from good iron. If I want to stand tall in the Holy Empire, I need real strength first.” She closed the panel and let the grin fade. There was no telling when she would step foot in the Holy Empire, so there was no use dwelling on it now.

With a few moments to spare, she shifted her focus back to the real problem… wiping out the plague completely.

“If this were a normal village, it’d be simple. Isolate the infected, purify the area, and let life return to normal. But this is the docks. There's constant traffic. Before the outbreak, plenty of asymptomatic carriers probably left already, unknowingly spreading the virus to towns and cities far beyond.”

The apostles had picked this place for a reason. It was the perfect hub for wide-scale transmission.

“Thankfully, once the virus enters a host, its ability to spread weakens. Its range becomes limited.”

Even so, if left alone, it would still reach far beyond the docks. That was what truly worried her. She couldn’t just crisscross the entire empire, cleansing every infected town on her own.

“Even if I ran myself ragged across the empire, those apostles would still scatter the plague elsewhere… This is such a headache.” Yaeger groaned, pressing both hands to her temples, wishing she could split into a hundred versions of herself.

“Princess, there you are,” Angelica called out as she approached.

“What is it?” Yaeger sat up, her voice a little tired.

“Lunch is ready,” Angelica replied with a bright smile as she came closer.

“Alright.” Yaeger nodded, rising to her feet and stretching out her back with a satisfied sigh.

“Because of the plague, we don’t have much in the kitchen…” Angelica admitted, a bit embarrassed.

“It’s fine. I’m not picky,” Yaeger replied casually.

Of course, that wasn’t entirely true. Her standards for food were usually sky-high.

They arrived at the dining room, where Angelica’s father was fast asleep. Only the two of them would be eating together today.

Four rustic dishes sat on the table: marinated eggplant, meatloaf, steamed saltwater fish, and a pot of vegetable soup.

Yaeger picked up a piece of fish, carefully removed the bones, and placed it in her mouth. Angelica watched her with nervous anticipation, heart racing. The fish was tender and fragrant, infused with spices that burst across Yaeger’s palate. It tasted far better than expected.

“Delicious,” Yaeger said simply, setting down her chopsticks.

“Really?” Angelica lit up with joy, so delighted that it looked like she had just passed an important exam with top marks.

“Of course. I never lie,” Yaeger said with a smile.

That radiant smile made Angelica feel like her heart was about to leap from her chest.

‘She’s powerful, stunning, kind, and gentle. How could anyone not fall for her?’

Oblivious to Angelica’s flustered state, Yaeger picked up some marinated eggplant and took a bite. The salty, savory flavor coated her tongue and would go perfectly with mashed potatoes.

“Why aren’t you eating?” Yaeger asked after trying each dish, finally noticing the untouched plate across from her.

Angelica snapped out of her daze, cheeks flushing as she lowered her head and quickly began to eat.

They finished the simple meal in no time. As Yaeger took a slow sip of black tea, she looked at Angelica and asked, “Would you be interested in cooking for me?”

Angelica choked and sputtered, spraying tea before scrambling to wipe her mouth, staring at Yaeger in stunned disbelief. In this village, that kind of question was as good as a marriage proposal to an unmarried woman.

“Not interested?” Yaeger asked, sounding a little disappointed.

Chef 1 was already working in the City of Chaos, but the place still lacked warmth. Something about this meal reminded her of a feeling she missed: simple food that brought genuine comfort.

“No, that’s not it! I just… I don’t think I’m good enough for someone like you, Princess!” Angelica replied in a panic, her face growing redder by the second.

“Don’t sell yourself short. You absolutely are,” Yaeger said with a warm smile. How could someone like Angelica not be worthy of serving as head chef in the City of Chaos?

It was clear that there was still a disconnect in how they understood each other.

"Can I… Can I really? Someone like me, from a small village?" Angelica's voice shook as her cheeks turned red and her body trembled with joy.

"Yes," Yaeger replied with a calm nod.

Tears welled up in Angelica’s eyes and streamed down her cheeks. Her heart overflowed with happiness.

Ding!

Angelica’s Favorability has increased by 20,000. Your relationship status is now [???].

Yaeger blinked in confusion at the sudden system message. ‘Sister System, what’s going on with this favorability jump? I seriously don’t get it.' Of course, the system offered no reply.

She shook her head and pushed the question aside. Either way, the favorability boost worked in her favor.

"Princess, I know I still have so much to learn. From now on, please guide me and help me become someone worthy of you." Angelica gently took Yaeger’s hand, her voice soft with devotion.

"I will. Let’s grow together," Yaeger responded with calm reassurance.

‘That settles it. The City of Chaos will have a new home cook. It’ll be at least two more years before she can officially join, but I’ll treat this as a reservation.'

Angelica wouldn’t be able to enter Aqua Blue Star until the two worlds merged.

"Princess, this might be embarrassing to ask… but when will we complete the registration?" Angelica asked in a hushed voice, her head lowered shyly.

Labor registration? Yaeger tilted her head slightly. She wasn’t familiar with the local employment laws in the Jade Empire.

"We’ll do it after three years." Since there were regulations in place, it was best to follow them.

"Absolutely! I’ll look forward to it!" Angelica’s face lit up as she lifted her head, beaming with joy.

"Of course," Yaeger said, gently patting her head. Then something occurred to her. "Angelica, do you enjoy battle? Or maybe, do you like to fight at all?"

"No, not really." Angelica gave a small shake of her head.

"But you don’t hate it either, do you?" Yaeger pressed.

After thinking it over, Angelica gave a slow nod.

"Good. This afternoon, I’ll get you used to combat and start training," Yaeger said seriously, pulling her hand back.

She needed to help Angelica grow stronger before the server merge. Only the most powerful version would remain once the worlds fused. Otherwise, Angelica could be overwritten by another from the countless [Angelicas] that existed.

For the native NPCs, the server merge was a brutal trial of survival. Only the strongest variant would be allowed to exist.

"Yes! I’ll give it everything I have!" Angelica said with determination, clenching her fist tightly. She didn’t question the reason. In her heart, she had already resolved to follow every instruction Yaeger gave her.

"Good." Seeing her quick answer, Yaeger nodded in approval. "Before we start, let me give you a reward."

"A reward?" Angelica blinked in surprise.

"Remember? I promised you one earlier," Yaeger reminded her.

"Ah, that’s right! Hehe, now I’m really curious. What is it?"

"It’s a great one," Yaeger said, standing up from the bench. "But I can’t give it to you out here. Let’s go to your room."

Angelica blinked in confusion as her thoughts spiraled. ‘Not convenient out here… and in my room? Wait, is this reward what I think it is? Oh no! I’m not ready for that!' In an instant, the color drained from her face before returning in a bright crimson flush.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read