Free Web Novel“So beautiful! Much prettier than the photos printed in the newspapers!”
“Saintess! You haven’t returned to the Holy See for so long...”
“Respected Saintess, it’s because of you that I chose the path of a priest.”
“May I please have your autograph?”
The moment Lilian stepped out of the teleportation array, a crowd swarmed her, chattering endlessly.
But she didn’t even glance at them. Keeping her eyes straight ahead, she stepped up the long staircase toward the ancient, solemn spires of the Holy See.
Behind her, the Radiant Knights quickly blocked off the enthusiastic believers and clerics to maintain order.
“Quiet down, quiet down... this is sacred ground of the Holy See! No shouting!”
“Her Holiness the Saintess has her own important matters—do not disrupt the order!”
“Step back! Step back...”
The Holy See headquarters in the Royal Capital dwarfed the Saint Catarina Convent at the southern border by dozens of times in scale. Hundreds of white-topped, gold-edged spires pierced the clouded dusk sky, scattered like stars, encircling the central Grand Temple like mountains guarding a throne.
When Lilian entered the tower, all the noise and the rushing wind outside vanished in an instant—the whole world became silent.
“Oh? Lilian, you came back without letting us know in advance, so I could at least arrange a proper welcoming party for you...”
The voice belonged to an exceedingly beautiful black-haired woman who slowly lifted her head and walked toward Lilian.
Lilian stared at her.
Every move that woman made exuded natural nobility—yes, nobility. Lilian disliked her deeply, yet even now she couldn’t find a better word to describe this woman who approached step by step, whose face and figure could outshine all others.
She stood around one meter seventy-five—slightly taller than Lilian.
Her skin was paler than snow, but not the healthy kind of white—rather, it was the pallor of someone who hadn’t seen sunlight for years. It carried a morbid, decadent beauty. Her hair was long, falling over her chest, black and glossy, slightly wavy, loosely kept, looking fluffy and untidy. frёeωebɳovel.com
She walked slowly, her face expressionless.
But her half-open eyes remained fixed on Lilian the entire time—languid, sleepy, utterly devoid of life or energy.
Yet those dull eyes were like bottomless whirlpools, dragging the one she gazed upon—Lilian—into a pitch-black abyss.
“Lilian.”
The woman’s soft call pulled Lilian back to reality.
Lilian flinched and frowned. “Where is the Pope? I need to see him.”
“Looking for your father?”
The woman withdrew her gaze and yawned lazily. “Your father’s busy these days. Not here. If you’ve got business, you can tell me instead.”
“...” Lilian stayed silent.
“If you’re not going to speak, then don’t disturb my rest.” The woman waved her hand dismissively, shooing her away.
“I want to review the file from three years ago—the one about the Holy See’s reinvestigation of Mount Aisa Town.”
“Mm... after all these years, what do you need that for?”
The woman paused, then shifted her tone. “But you’ve been gone so long—have you even forgotten what to call me, my dear daughter?”
“You were never the kind of mother I wanted,” Lilian said coldly.
“What have I done to make you so disrespectful? You won’t even call me Mother.” The woman’s voice sounded wounded.
“You know what you did.”
Lilian sneered. “A woman who urged her daughter to deceive her father, slander her friends, bully and murder her classmates—can such a woman call herself a good mother?”
“I’ve explained that to you countless times.”
Sitting upon an altar lined with red candles, the woman gazed distantly at Lilian. Her tone suddenly became calm.
“Back then, I trusted the Holy See and your father. But they betrayed me. So I had no choice but to seek justice in my own way.”
“And besides, weren’t you quite happy at the time? Not like now—brooding day after day, holding a grudge for someone already dead, refusing even to come home.”
“People are born unequal, Lilian. Back then, I thought highly of you. But now? You’re deluding yourself—it’s pathetic...”
Her mocking tone ignited Lilian’s fury.
“What, are you going to strike me?”
The woman rested her chin on her hand lazily. “You can’t kill me, my sweet daughter... The old records are all stored beneath the Grand Temple. Go speak to the temple elders yourself. After all, you’re still my daughter, foolish as you may be—they wouldn’t dare stop you. Mmhahaha...”
...
...
Mount Aisa.
Inside a dimly lit cabin.
“...”
Vieya remained silent. The members of Fairy’s Wings looked at one another, the tension in the air growing heavier.
Suddenly—
The witch burst into cackling laughter, a sound like a zombie crow shrieking beside their ears—harsh and grating!
“Gah gah gah!”
“Witch, that’s not funny,” Vieya glared at the hag with venom in her eyes.
“If you can’t stand losing, don’t play,” the witch spread her hands, her tone mocking. “If you’re bad, just practice more.”
Vieya: “...”
“Vieya-sis, your face is red,” Liufir said worriedly beside her. “Do you want some hot water?”
“Gah gah gah.”
The time limit for answering was about to run out!
Divine punishment was coming—the arrogant human girl before her would soon pay for her pride!
“Gah gah!”
Laughing wildly, the witch snatched the tarot cards from Vieya’s hands.
Shuffle!
Her hands moved blindingly fast—six point nine spins of the deck—before she drew one card.
“Gah gah, the Emperor card!”
【Emperor: Break the candle to declare sovereignty! Insert the candle into the ear canal and heed the decree—until the flame goes out.】
Under Vieya’s gaze, the witch snapped the burning candle in half and shoved it into her ear with a pop.
Only when that eerie candle had burned out completely did the witch laugh again.
“See that? This is how you play the game!”
Then she flicked the tarot card toward Vieya.
Staring at the card before her, Vieya froze as if terrified.
Seeing everyone’s pale faces, the witch burst into loud laughter, declaring like an emperor ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) over her little game,
“Looks like you lack the courage to finish. Just like the humans I remember—weak and fond of playing pretend.”
“Overbearing without power, cruel without guts, scheming without wit, plotting without brains. No brute strength to dominate, no perceptiveness to calculate, not even the insight to lick my toes and beg for mercy!”
“‘Mortal enemies of monsters’? Hah! You’re nothing but weak, cowardly vermin—rats in the sewers, fit only to live forever in the reeking darkness where no sunlight ever shines! Gah gah gah!”
