The Paladin in the Abyss

With the guidance of Tijana's Succubus Maid, the group didn't linger in the waiting room but went directly to the Throne Hall.

At that moment, the Throne Hall had been transformed into a military command center. In the very center of the hall, a gigantic sand table was displayed with countless images of Demons and Demon armies, generated by magic, depicting the situation around Oasis Fort.

Next to it was a Crystal Ball, through which a beam of light passed and projected the scenes inside onto a nearby screen, showcasing a battle between Demons and Devils.

Tijana was discussing something with her two six-armed Serpent Demon generals, but when Lancelot and the others entered the Throne Hall, she immediately looked up and her gaze met Lancelot's.

"You've arrived, good," Tijana's voice echoed directly in Lancelot's mind, "Arina will take you to the highest room in the North Tower, where the client is waiting. She insists on speaking with you first before deciding whether to entrust you with this mission."

"Must I accept this mission?"

"You certainly have a choice," Tijana had already withdrawn her gaze from Lancelot, "but I believe you will indeed take it. Go and talk to the client, and it doesn't matter if you really don't want to do it, but do not disclose any information about the client."

Lancelot nodded, and Tijana didn't send any more mental messages. The Succubus Maid named Arina then turned her head to Lancelot and said:

"Lady Tijana has already instructed, please follow me."

"What's happening?" Seeing Lancelot looking like he was about to leave without speaking, Bruto felt a bit puzzled.

"Tijana just communicated with me via mind-link, saying that the client wants to meet us first," Lancelot shrugged, "Let's go see who this mysterious client is."

Exiting the large doors of the Throne Hall, the Succubus Maid led the group into an area they had never been to before. After passing through several corridors and corners, they arrived in front of a large door, flanked by two humanoid stone statues, each nearly twice as tall as Lancelot.

As the Succubus Maid approached the door, the stone statues suddenly came to life. They stepped forward in unison, causing a dull sound on the floor. Judging from the sound, each statue likely weighed more than a ton.

The Stone Gate's arm reached forward, palms facing the group, the message was clear: no further advancement was allowed.

"Wow, those are two stone golems," Kalalin seemed to recognize this odd form of stone persons, "And it's obviously Dwarf craftsmanship."

"What are golems?" asked Lancelot, curious, "And how can you tell they're made by Dwarfs?"

"Because they have beards," Bruto looked at Lancelot as if he was a fool.

"Golems can be made from stone, steel, or even flesh, and then infused with Soul Essence from the elemental plane of earth," Kalalin explained, "Golems have a very high resistance to magic, and their bodies are enhanced—ordinary weapons can't even leave a scratch on them, not to mention their strength that rivals that of Dragons.

But most importantly, they have no free will of their own and are absolutely loyal protectors of their masters."

Hearing this, Lancelot narrowed his eyes, estimating his chances if a battle were to break out against these stone giants.

"Lady Tijana has given them permission to pass," the Succubus Maid shouted to the golems from a safe distance, a distance so far that her call seemed more like a shout.

The golems stood silently in their original positions, not reacting at all. Just when the group wondered if something had gone wrong, the golems suddenly stepped back, clearing the space leading to the door.

"Alright, they should have confirmed with Lady Tijana already," Arina sighed in relief. "Once you go in, there will be a spiral staircase in the center of the room, and some doors on both sides. These doors all have powerful Protective Magic, so please go directly to the room Lady Tijana mentioned."

"Aren't you coming with us?"

"No, her ladyship never allows us to enter," the Succubus Maid said with a hint of a teasing smile. "I'll wait for you here, Sir Lancelot."

Lancelot didn't say anything further. He took a deep breath, allowed True Qi to envelop his body, and carefully moved forward.

As they passed the two terrifying stone giants, the golems were as still as real statues, yet the overwhelming aura emanating from them made everyone intensely nervous. Once everyone had passed, the golems suddenly moved, effectively blocking the pathway they had come through.

"It seems we only have one way forward," Lancelot shrugged his shoulders and laid his hand on the door. "Let's see what's inside."
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With a creaking sound, the heavy Stone Gate was pushed open. The expressions on everyone's faces were a mix of nervousness and curiosity, but the sight behind the door was somewhat disappointing.

Behind the door was a round room, with various scrolls and books scattered all around, and some magical experimental apparatus on the tables. Equipment emanating a faint Spiritual Light was casually thrown around. Lancelot recognized a few items that were very familiar; they were indeed some of the trophies previously taken by Tijana from their collection at the Succubus Palace.

"Could this be Tijana's laboratory?" Kalalin remembered Arina's instructions and obediently stood in place, but his eyes curiously surveyed the surroundings.

"That's not our concern," Lancelot said as he walked toward the staircase in the center of the room. "Don't touch anything. The client awaits us in the room at the very top of these stairs."

Everyone nodded and followed him up the winding staircase.

The staircase was very tall and initially quite broad, but it narrowed to allow just two people to pass side by side. Besides the doors, the walls were adorned with many paintings depicting battles between Demons and Angels. These paintings imparted an unsettling feeling, but Lancelot was not in the mood to study them closely.

After climbing at least fifty feet, they finally reached the top of the staircase. Flickering candlelight came from behind a partially open door, clearly indicating that someone inside was awaiting visitors.

Lancelot stood at the doorway and gently knocked on the door.

"Come in, the door isn't locked," a gentle female voice came from inside the room.

There was something enchantingly charming about the voice, making one eager to see the speaker. Lancelot pushed the door open and immediately saw who it was.

The owner of the voice was a blonde beauty rising from a chair. A book lay open on the table before her, seemingly used to pass the time as she waited.

Lancelot carefully surveyed the client. The woman was as beautiful as an Angel, her beauty no less impressive than Tijana's. She had a pair of sky-blue eyes, which matched the color of her knee-length dress. One might say she resembled an Angel, given her serene and lovely demeanor, but the elegant bat wings folded behind her clearly identified her as a Succubus.

She gracefully bowed to the group, and her pleasing voice echoed again:

"Hello, I am 'Out of Favor.' I suppose you are the mercenaries Tijana mentioned," she said as she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear due to the bow. "May I ask if you are Captain Lancelot?"