Chapter 13-The Manga Pariah's Guide to Self-Salvation
[Couple empire is the most popular couple in a fandom. The couple empire of King of the Demonic Domain is Percy and Sykes.]
"To be honest, I can't quite understand the people's preferences of your world. They are the most hated rivals, and I see no romantic sparks between them," Ye Zheng said tactfully, though she was secretly thinking that if a romance were to blossom between them, it would be humorous and terrifying.
She pointed to several of the most liked comments on the forum and read them emotionlessly.
"OMG, how could Percy casually develop feelings for a girl? It's so OOC."
"Adding a female protagonist to a hot-blooded manga is a mistake. What we like to see is the moving bond between men."
"I have already shipped them! Male-male couples are the most compelling. PerSy is the greatest couple ever."
The girl finished reading slowly, then looked up from her phone with a confused expression.
"From what I know, men are very casual creatures. It wouldn't be strange for one to fall in love at first sight with a lizard."
[No, no, if Percy falls in love at first sight with a lizard, that would be too weird.]
"If we're talking about OOC, isn't it stranger to fall in love with your oppressor and enemy?"
[That you don't understand. A sworn enemy is a sworn enemy~ A sworn enemy can't become a wife~]
The system started singing a song with strange lyrics.
[Sworn enemy couples are eternal classics, and a love-hate relationship is something the audience enjoys.]
[And you, our utterly uncompelling protagonist, you've angered the couple empire fans! They will cling to you like ghosts, and then your popularity and reputation will become as disliked as they were in the original plot...]
The system's voice suddenly stopped.
[Hmm, the popularity value of the character 'Ye Zheng' has already reached over 100?]
Ye Zheng raised an eyebrow, unsurprised. "Is that so surprising? I've always been popular, whether with men, women, or non-human beings."
[But you only appeared for one panel as 'Ye Zheng,' with no lines, and you've already offended a huge couple fandom!]
[You should know that in the original plot, you saved a cat and had several close-up shots, and your popularity was only in the tens... And your popularity as 'Zhao Mei' shouldn't affect 'Ye Zheng.']
The system was confused.
Ye Zheng's gaze lowered, and she stared at the latest hot post on the forum—
[New Character Analysis! Who is this mysterious Saintess who saved the protagonist's group and joined the Crown Prince's faction?]
The post already had several hundred replies, with many people poring over previous content to piece together descriptions and speculations about the Saintess. Its popularity was even higher than the post next door that was condemning and boycotting the official female protagonist.
Ye Zheng sighed, a smile spreading across her face.
This time, "Ye Zheng" did not appear as a damsel in distress to be looked down upon by the male protagonist. She was a benefactor, and also a future opponent. She was shrouded in mystery, looking down on everything with the most enigmatic presence.
How could people not be curious and want to investigate?
At the banquet, the only announcement the Crown Prince made was the addition of the Saintess, Ye Zheng.
But this single piece of news was enough for countless people to ponder over all night long.
As the banquet dispersed, the youths no longer had the light and cheerful mood they had arrived with. Percy, in particular, had a solemn expression like a thick, unmoving inkblot.
He looked up at the bright night sky of the upper district. Countless stars emitted a faint glow, a beautiful sight that was impossible to see in the lower district, which bore all of the empire's heavy industrial pollution.
Lately, the lower district's resistance had been escalating, and there were signs that the empire was wavering. It was said that they were already discussing specific policies to improve the lower district.
Now, with the previously opposing royal family and Sei Curia showing signs of a potential alliance, what awaited the lower district? Was it the empire's appeasement or forceful suppression?
Percy closed his eyes. The thing he couldn't figure out was the girl... did she willingly follow Sykes, or was she forced by the Sei Curia?
He had a premonition that if he were lucky enough to fall asleep tonight, he would see those wet, dark eyes looking down on him in his dreams, appearing both tender and ruthless.
The night was already deep, but the Ye family home was still brightly lit.
As soon as Ye Zheng entered, she was met with her father's face. Ye Fanjing had a look of gratification and excitement and stood up abruptly upon seeing her.
"You are indeed my daughter. Even the Crown Prince has taken notice of you."
"For the ability user tournament, you just have to assist the Crown Prince well, and your father will handle the rest."
Ye Zheng put on a perfectly charming smile. "That would be a lot of trouble for you, Father."
Her mother, Shu Wan, walked to her side, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her joyful expression was tinged with a hint of worry. "I heard that the Crown Prince has a tyrannical personality. What if you..."
Ye Fanjing immediately scolded his wife's words. "The Crown Prince is a perfect heir, the like of which the empire hasn't seen in a century. Who are you to dare to give him advice?"
The middle-aged woman's hand, which was stroking her daughter's hair, froze awkwardly. "I'm sorry, I misspoke..."
Ye Zheng looked at her mother, an S-rank ability user, apologizing humbly to her B-rank ability user father. Even though she had seen this scene since she was a child, she still found it comical.
She held her mother's stiff hand. "Don't worry, the Crown Prince and I get along quite well. There's nothing to be concerned about."
Seeing her daughter's sensible demeanor, Ye Fanjing nodded with satisfaction. "The Crown Prince isn't tyrannical; that's the imposing aura of someone with the power to give and take life! You must seize this honor of being able to assist him."
"I will seize this opportunity," the girl said, lowering her fair, slender neck. No one could see the fleetingly calm and cold expression on her face.
"Hey, Ye Zheng, what on earth are you doing! You said you would get me a spot?" Ye Di limped out of his room, and seeing the harmonious scene in the living room made his anger flare up even more.
Wasn't the Crown Prince supposed to humiliate Ye Zheng? And didn't Ye Zheng promise to get him a spot in the ability user tournament?
Today, he had knelt in the church for a full six hours for Ye Zheng, and his knees were swollen. But now, Ye Zheng had joined the royal team?
Ye Di pointed at the girl, his voice trembling with fury. "I only found out after I finished kneeling that you only needed to kneel for three hours! You tricked me into kneeling for six hours!"
"Look at my knees!"
Ye Fanjing looked at his son's bruised and swollen legs, and his gentle expression toward Ye Zheng instantly vanished. His voice became stern. "Ye Zheng, what's wrong with your brother?"
Ye Zheng was not at all surprised by her father's sudden change of face. In that respect, she had also inherited her father's knack for it.
The girl's face showed hesitation and reluctance, and her gentle dark eyes glistened with tears, as if there was some huge, unspoken difficulty.
"Father, I also hate seeing my brother suffer like this, but for the honor of the Ye family, I had to force myself to do it."
"You know that the royal family and the Sei Curia are considering an alliance to suppress the mob, which is how our family got this opportunity."
"But will this alliance last? What if the situation changes and our family is caught in the middle...?"
Ye Fanjing's expression became serious, and all concern for his younger son disappeared.
"Therefore, while I'm in the royal team, I must work hard to balance the Ye family's position between the Sei Curia and the royal family, so neither side feels neglected."
A look of sudden realization flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes.
"That's right. Although your main focus is to assist the Crown Prince, you must not neglect the Sei Curia."
"Yes, I will continue to work hard for the Sei Curia, but for the ability user tournament, I have to attend the Crown Prince's training activities on weekends..." Ye Zheng said, her face troubled.
Ye Fanjing's gaze shifted to his younger son.
"Ye Di, from now on, you will help your sister by taking on some of her work."
The people of the Sei Curia were no less arrogant than the royal family. Only by having his own son take Ye Zheng's place would the Sei Curia not feel that the Ye family was being perfunctory.
Ye Di shouted in disbelief, "She made me kneel for six hours!"
"As for telling Xiao-Di to kneel for six hours, it was to show the Sei Curia the Ye family's sincerity, proving that even with our cooperation with the Crown Prince, we would not neglect our duty to serve God," Ye Zheng quickly added.
The middle-aged man nodded in deep agreement. "Your thinking is correct."
"Ye Di, from now on, you'll go to the church and pray for the Ye family for six hours every weekend. God will be understanding."
The boy in his flashy clothes looked as if he had been struck by lightning. After hearing his father's decision, his swollen and aching legs gave way, and he fell to the ground in a heap.
"Xiao-Di, you can do it. The honor of the Ye family rests on you," his sister encouraged him gently.
Author's Note:
Wow, two babies tipped me with bombs today, I'm so grateful!
Domestic Abuse
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