The executioner was truly astounded by the scene before her!
This trial assessment revealed no aspect that could be deemed ordinary... rather, there was not a single facet that conformed to normality.
Each operational segment exceeded her expectations, surpassing the realm of what an ordinary individual could conceive!
Such feats seemed beyond human capability; yet, if one were to solely evaluate the outcomes—
Exceptional!
The current operations at the Dead Sea border had indeed reached a flawlessly closed loop.
If the Dead Sea Armed Forces alleviated the burden of dealing with ordinary magical creatures, then this individual's rapport with the taboo practitioners had alleviated the challenges of confronting elite-level monsters.
The crux of the matter was how this individual had cultivated such a close relationship with the taboo practitioners, allowing for informal conversations in the intimacy of her bedroom.
"This does not fall within the evaluative criteria of the trial; I shall focus solely on those assessment standards."
The executioner stepped back from the doorway, her gaze fixed inside with evident unfriendliness.
Her perception of these taboo practitioners remained steeped in impressions of danger, isolation, elusiveness, and the potential for instability.
Had there not been a necessity for contact, the executioner would not have wished to associate with them.
Chu Yan felt a sense of relief and accompanied the executioner and her maid back to the guest room they had occupied before, inquiring:
"What is my score this time?"
He remained uncertain, well aware that the process had deviated from the norm, bordering on the absurd.
"I could bestow upon you a perfect score as a reward for your outstanding performance in a perilous region. Are you excited?"
"A bit excited, perhaps, but I feel there are many areas where I still fall short. Might you, Executioner, consider slightly lowering the score to provide me with a motivation for future improvement?"
What a jest! The Dead Sea border still concealed two immense ticking time bombs.
One was the scion of the black ice dragon line that he had sunk into the sea, and the other was the nun he had bound in Asia.
Typically, no one would concern themselves with the trial scores of young dragonborns; it was common knowledge that these were often predetermined, rendering the competition for a few points futile.
Yet, Chu Yan had suddenly achieved a perfect score, attracting much more scrutiny. Why should he, relying on merit when everyone else leaned on their backgrounds, be able to attain a perfect score?
A careful investigation uncovering those two major issues would be troublesome!
"Yet, I genuinely believe you deserve this perfect score; there is no need for false modesty. Even if some question it, once they see your accomplishments firsthand, all will fall silent."
The executioner felt this sincerely, conveniently granting Tiffany a measure of favor.
"However, a score that is too high might lead to hubris, which would be detrimental to my future development!"
Chu Yan was drenched in perspiration, feeling pressured by the accolades of such esteemed praise.
"Very well then."
Seeing Chu Yan's resolute demeanor, the executioner had no choice but to acquiesce, setting his score at a more conventional "90," categorizing it as [Excellent].
Chu Yan contemplated negotiating further to see if he could lower it just a tad more, perhaps flipping that "9" upside down to become a "60" for a [Good] rating that seemed more suited to the trial's difficulty.
However, overthinking it would likely expose his guilty conscience, so he chose to relent.
"Records are complete; please sign."
The maid, Bird Feather, concluded her documentation of the assessment process and presented the notebook to the executioner.
After a brief review, she affixed her signature beside the rating of [Excellent], thus validating the score.
The maid then placed the document into a magically sealed file.
Reflecting on his initial feelings of "helplessness" upon arriving at the Dead Sea border, Chu Yan now regarded this trial as a considerable relief.
"Then tomorrow, you shall return with me; you can return to the stable comforts of Dragon Flame City and alleviate the fatigue from the trial during your rest."
The executioner spoke to Chu Yan, her tone adopting a slight warmth, as if recalling some amusing incident that sparked a glimmer of anticipation.
If Chu Yan returned, he was likely to encounter Isa upon her return from her mission.
That woman, Tiffany, had taken advantage of her connection with Isa to ingratiate herself with Chu Yan on the territory of the red dragonborn.
Who knew what amusing events might unfold at that time~
...
As night descended.
Chu Yan returned to his room, clarifying the matter of the "bedroom party" with Shanoya, finally grasping the truth.
It turned out that the kind sisters downstairs had come to inquire about the nuns and the arrangements for future resident nobles.
The Dead Sea now harbored too many secrets unfit for exposure; should Chu Yan depart, and a new lord arrive, considering the myriad disadvantages, they were inclined to adopt more radical measures.
To ensure that an "accident" befell the newly appointed noble.
Chu Yan and the sisters were "accomplices," and given their understanding over the past few days, regardless of their willingness to draw close, they at least held an attitude of trust and recognition toward Chu Yan.
They trusted him but were unwilling to gamble on the new lord's reliability.
As taboo practitioners, they were acutely aware of the external perceptions of themselves, much like pure angels observing fallen, grotesque demons.
Only Chu Yan stood as an abnormal exception.
"Have you informed them of my decision, Shanoya?" Chu Yan asked, feeling reassured by this trust, a smile gracing his lips.
"Yes, otherwise, they planned to lay magical traps en route, ensuring that the new lord would perish on the way to his appointment rather than here."
"..." Chu Yan was left speechless.
That indeed warranted prior notification; otherwise, he would have been the one caught.
"I will set out tomorrow; upon returning to Dragon Flame City, I will swiftly apply to become the resident lord here. The mess with the nuns and the black ice dragonborn cannot be left for you to manage alone."
"Heading out tomorrow? Is it so urgent?"
Shanoya had expected him to linger for a few days; why did the executioner come today and leave tomorrow? The last time, she had stayed for a while.
"Indeed! The longer the executioner remains here, the greater the risk of exposure regarding our actions with the nuns."
"True enough."
Shanoya nodded in agreement with this reasoning.
This farewell arrived more abruptly than anticipated; she felt a pang of reluctance in her heart, though her face revealed none.
"Um... Shanoya, there is something I wish to tell you." Chu Yan suddenly became tongue-tied, shy and hesitant.
"What do you intend to say? Speak up!"
Shanoya regarded him curiously, intrigued by his flustered demeanor.
"For a considerable time ahead, we shall not be able to meet, correct?"
"Uh-huh, and so...?"
Shanoya looked at Chu Yan, a wave of happiness washing over her, having already deduced what he would say.
"Although I shall return promptly after completing my application, the travel time cannot be skipped; we will be unable to see each other for quite a while.
So, may I have a glimpse of your rear, Shanoya? I wish to bid it a proper farewell, to see it deeply one last time!"
"..."
Shanoya's expression gradually faded, transforming into a serious and intimidating demeanor.
In the next instant, the lord collapsed onto the bed in a humiliating position, restrained by the knight's joint technique, her full, rounded thighs pressing against his face.
Shanoya wore a face of frustration and anger, yet as she felt the warmth of Chu Yan's breath, a blush crept onto her cheeks, and she discontentedly retorted:
"Here is your chance to say goodbye; make it quick!"