Chapter 125: Departure

Wearing the crown, Chen Mo turned and placed little Selena on the throne. Glancing at the noble and beautiful Selena, now adorned with a dazzling crown, Chen Mo pinched her cheek gently. Under Selena's reproachful gaze, he turned around to face the thousands of ministers below.

Dressed in a black robe, Chen Mo's tall figure stood proudly on the high platform. His deep and majestic gaze swept across the faces of the crowd, Andrew, Victor, Amelia, Marcus...

Despite the distance of several tens of meters, under Chen Mo's profound gaze, everyone felt as if they were completely seen through.

Standing on the tall black stone platform, Chen Mo's gaze slowly lifted, crossing over the crowd, following the passage formed by giant stone pillars, and looking forward through the open temple doors. He gazed at the magnificent and prosperous city in the distance, a hint of satisfaction appearing on his face.

"It's time to leave."

Retracting his gaze, Chen Mo said solemnly.

"In a thousand years, I will return again."

Chen Mo's majestic voice still echoed in the hall, but his figure, under the gaze of thousands below, disappeared from the high platform accompanied by a white light.

"Master!"

"Your Majesty!"

"My God!"

...

Witnessing Chen Mo disappear in the white light, no one doubted his divine nature anymore. Although he had left, everyone's faith in him became even more devout.

The gods in the divine kingdom inspire more awe than the god-emperor sitting on the throne. Invisible and untouchable, yet clearly known to exist, overlooking all from the heavens above!

After Chen Mo disappeared, only Selena's small figure remained seated on the throne atop the wide black stone platform.

That touch of sacred white became the only light in the darkness.

The god has departed, and she will replace him, leading them forward.

At this moment, no one doubted Chen Mo's decision anymore. No one cared about her youth; everyone knelt down devoutly, calling out:

"Your Majesty the Empress!"

Little Selena, sitting on the divine throne, looked at the kneeling crowd below with a stern expression. With the dazzling crown on her head and the white dress she wore, she appeared incredibly noble and sacred. The awe-inspiring miracle Chen Mo had just performed deeply affected everyone, instilling a profound sense of reverence in their hearts. This reverence extended to the empress crowned by the god-emperor himself, adding a deep sense of respect and recognition.

However, no one noticed that on the high platform, the stern-looking Empress Selena, sitting on the throne, had a small linen bag in her hand.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, Selena secretly squeezed the bag, her eyes flashing with excitement.

So many candies!

Yes, little Selena had been bribed by Chen Mo with a bag of candies to cooperate by wearing the dress and playing along with the coronation game.

Who would have thought that little Selena, originally just aiming for a bag of candies, would inadvertently become the empress of a vast empire?

The titles of saint, empress, and departure that Chen Mo mentioned meant nothing to Selena; she didn't understand them at all.

At this moment, her eyes were only on that bag full of candies.

Selena initially thought Chen Mo's sudden disappearance was part of a hide-and-seek game. She admired how amazing the lord was to vanish so suddenly, believing he was hiding somewhere to see if she could find him, knowing how much she loved playing hide-and-seek.

It wasn't until she searched the entire palace and castle, unable to find Chen Mo anywhere, that Selena realized he had truly left.

For the first time, Amelia and the others saw the usually cheerful and optimistic Selena cry so sadly. She even threw the bag of her favorite candies that Chen Mo had given her onto the ground.

"Woo~ woo~ woo!"

"The lord lied!"

"He said we were playing a game, but he suddenly disappeared!"

"Liar! I will never eat candies again!"

"Wow!..."

The innocent Selena blamed Chen Mo's disappearance on her own greed for candies.

In her mind, if she hadn't wanted the candies or played the game, the lord wouldn't have left!

She didn't understand why Chen Mo had to leave. He was their lord, their king; how could he abandon his people and leave?

In her young heart, there was no concept of farewell. Every time Chen Mo left for an expedition, he would always return. But this time, it seemed he would be gone for a very long time. Aunt Amelia said it would be a thousand years. Selena was only ten years old; it would take a hundred Selinas' worth of time.

Selena counted on her little fingers but couldn't figure out how long it would be, just knowing it would be a very long time.

Chen Mo held a special place in Selena's heart.

Since she could remember, she lived with her parents and grandfather in the workshop. From her family and the people around her, she learned about their lord, who was as great as a god.

He possessed immense power, able to single-handedly slay dozens of terrifying and brutal werewolves, making him the strongest knight in the world.

It was thanks to his protection and shelter that they could live so happily and peacefully. She could play every day without worrying about being eaten by the fearsome werewolves, and she had enough clothes and food, never having to suffer from cold or hunger.

At the same time, their lord was incredibly wise. His knowledge was as vast as the ocean, and his thoughts as lofty as the sky. Many unheard-of, miraculous things continuously emerged from his hands, showing them one miracle after another.

In their words, their lord was tall, handsome, brave, and mighty. He wore armor, wielded a sharp sword, and rode a tall black warhorse, leading his powerful knights to constantly eliminate werewolves and fight battles everywhere. No lord could stop his advance.

He was invincible, defeating one powerful lord after another and conquering vast territories.

In little Selena's eyes, Chen Mo was the greatest hero in the world, her idol since childhood.

And later, this idol truly stood before her.

When Selena learned that the imposing knight talking to her grandfather was their legendary lord, her heart raced with excitement. She wanted to rush forward but didn't dare, so she stood aside, secretly observing with wide eyes.

The lord was so tall and strong, and his horse was also very tall and big. It almost stepped on little Selena earlier—what a bad horse!

She thought it was already very lucky to see the lord once, but later, the lord took her to the castle and taught her swordsmanship and knowledge.

Although most of the time Amelia taught her, whenever Chen Mo had time, he would personally instruct her, especially in math. Most of her math lessons were taught by Chen Mo. Despite finding the numbers headache-inducing, these were still her happiest moments. She always paid special attention during these times, and a single compliment from Chen Mo could make her happy for an entire day.

Gradually, as she spent more time with Chen Mo, Selena's reverence for him diminished. She found that Chen Mo wasn't as unreachable as she had imagined. She could feel his affection for her and gradually started treating him like an older brother. She would act spoiled around him and sometimes be mischievous when unhappy.

Chen Mo was like both a father and brother to her. He would pamper her most of the time but be very strict when teaching her. He praised and rewarded her when she did well and criticized her when she made mistakes. If the mistake was too big, Chen Mo would even spank her.

Although she cried sadly each time and got angry at Chen Mo, he would always hold her afterward, rub her little head, wipe away her tears, and then give her a candy.

Lying in Chen Mo's arms, feeling his warm and gentle hand stroking her hair and face while eating sweet candy and listening to his soft teachings, she would always snuggle into his embrace, find a comfortable position, and fall asleep with tears in her eyes. When she woke up, she wouldn't be angry at Chen Mo anymore.

Now that Chen Mo, who had always been by her side and had become a part of her life, suddenly left, little Selena found it hard to accept. Fortunately, he wasn't gone forever; he said he would return in a thousand years.

By then, little Selena would have grown up, very tall, like Aunt Amelia. Would she no longer be able to snuggle into his arms to sleep?

Selena didn't want to grow up!

In any case, Chen Mo had left. Selena's position as empress was firmly supported by Andrew, Victor, and the other temple knights. Although Selena had to start learning to manage the empire, Chen Mo's instructions ensured she still had plenty of time to play.

Chen Mo didn't want her childhood to be entirely filled with tedious affairs. She was still young, and there was plenty of time ahead. With Andrew and the others assisting her, she could enjoy her childhood happily. After all, compared to the long lives of vampires, their childhoods were incredibly short and precious.

So, even though she became the empress of the empire, Selena still had lots of time to play around with William every day. She also became fond of horse riding. The tall, strong, and majestic black warhorse that Chen Mo had left behind, enhanced by serum, became her mount. She named the horse "Thunder."

Every day, she would ride it for a while, as if she could find Chen Mo's shadow on horseback.

The bag of candies Chen Mo left her was carefully kept, but she never ate a single piece after that.

Alexander Covinus, who was almost drained dry by Chen Mo, was appointed by Chen Mo to take charge of the empire's intelligence department, completely hidden in the shadows. Only Andrew, Amelia, and Victor knew of his existence.

In the future, he would report directly to the Empress. Of course, until Selena came of age, all matters would be managed by Andrew and the other two.

Under Chen Mo's influence, the world of Underworld was developing in a completely new direction. What would it be like in a thousand years?