Category: Miss Luo Yan’s Feet Are Buried With Corpses

Witch’s Night: Chapter 5 Gods

A young woman stared blankly at Luo Yan and Hua Qingling, her gaze shifting back and forth between them, her pupils trembling in disbelief.

“Sister Qingling… he, who is he?”

“…A friend.”

Hua Qingling murmured, seeming somewhat uneasy for some reason.

“Yes, I’m Sister Qingling’s friend,” Luo Yan politely extended a hand towards the young woman. “Nice to meet you.”

She had a good impression of this young woman, but not because she was beautiful.

It was impossible to tell anyway. The young woman wore a thick mask and sunglasses, and a large, exaggerated gauze hat, as if afraid of being recognized.

What made Luo Yan even more curious was the clothes the young woman wore.

…An Old Era Lolita-style dress.

Not to mention Luo Yan’s mysterious attachment to dresses since her time in Ghost Town, Little Tini’s dresses were mostly of this style, and the young woman’s clothes evoked memories for Luo Yan.

Many things in Spencer Manor felt quite familiar to Luo Yan, the architectural style, the decorations… and so on. It was hard not to remind her of Ghost Town, where she had lived for an unknown amount of time, and Natalie Manor, which held her memories.

After all, Luo Yan had only left Ghost Town for a few months, but she had been entangled with that illusory yet real fragment of time for a long time in the first half of her life.

Initially, she was only dissatisfied with Lannister’s possible surveillance, but now Luo Yan had decided that the trip was worthwhile.

Regardless of the Lannister nobles’ attitude towards these legacies, at least they had achieved a high degree of restoration.

Compared to Luo Yan, the young woman’s impression of her… him wasn’t so pleasant.

Although her good upbringing allowed her to quickly calm down after the initial shock and anger, and she didn’t lose her composure, no matter what, how dare he get so close to Sister Qingling…

So what if he was good-looking? She had to humiliate him severely!

The young woman gave a proper smile, extending her white-gloved hand to lightly touch Luo Yan’s palm, as a handshake.

“This gentleman, my full name is Chris Tina Elizabeth Lequista, representing myself, my parents, and the heritage of our glorious family. I hope you can remember my name; it’s basic respect for me.”

“Alright, Miss Chris.” Luo Yan replied immediately.

“…..”

Chris’s expression twisted almost imperceptibly. She had never seen such a shameless noble!

Although it was somewhat deliberate, at least… it was in line with noble etiquette!

According to old noble etiquette, when meeting, one had to address the other party by their full name and title, along with a series of cumbersome greetings.

However, most of these had been simplified by now.

Chris’s upbringing limited her humiliation to the scope of nobility, otherwise she would have wanted to immediately take off her gloves and throw them at Luo Yan’s head!

“I must throw these gloves away when I get back…”

Chris took a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

Of course, Chris didn’t show any of these feelings. On the surface, she had only had a friendly interaction with Luo Yan.

“However… I seem to have seen this name somewhere before?”

Luo Yan touched her chin and started searching through her memories.

“Miss Chris is a very popular idol in the Free Federation,” Hua Qingling explained, then looked at Chris and smiled slightly. “Miss Chris, long time no see, still wearing the same clothes.”

“Long time no see, Sister Qingling! It can’t be helped, it would be troublesome if I were recognized.”

Chris immediately beamed, but her smile seemed to stiffen slightly when she saw Luo Yan next to her.

“By the way, Sister Qingling… you haven’t properly introduced this gentleman to me yet.”

For some reason, Luo Yan felt that Chris’s gaze towards her seemed somewhat hostile.

But thinking about it carefully, she had been staying put in Lannister recently, so there was no reason to offend someone she had never met before.

Moreover, she also knew Sister Qingling…

And after being reminded by Hua Qingling, Luo Yan also remembered where she had seen Chris’s name.

…It was in Anna’s fashion magazines.

As a tailor, or rather, a fashion designer, Anna had many fashion magazines in her shop. Luo Yan had also browsed through some out of curiosity, but she hadn’t read much, and she wasn’t interested in them either.

That was why she didn’t have much of an impression of Chris’s name.

“She… he, is actually a friend of my younger sister, staying with me for a while.”

As for Luo Yan’s name, Hua Qingling hesitated for a moment and didn’t say it, because it sounded like a girl’s name…

“Sister Qingling’s younger sister? I remember she’s in that… what’s it called, Yan City…”

“Yes, my hometown. She hasn’t traveled much.” Hua Qingling nodded. “I’ll introduce you sometime; she’s quite cute.”

Cute…

Luo Yan was a little startled. She couldn’t associate Hua Qiling with the word cute at all.

And since Chris hadn’t met Hua Qiling, based on Hua Qingling’s image, she could only imagine Hua Qiling as a more youthful and petite version.

It seemed… indeed quite cute.

“Mm-hmm, I’ll look forward to it.”

Chris nodded repeatedly.

Just then, a woman in a straight formal suit hurried over, stopping breathlessly in front of Chris, panting,

“Mi-, Miss Chris, why did you come here? You must go and prepare immediately…”

“I know, I know. Can’t I even say a word to my friends?”

Chris frowned slightly and said with dissatisfaction.

“Bu-, But… today’s banquet, Chief Magistrate Norian of the Council of Elders will attend in person… It’s very important!”

Hearing this, Chris didn’t react much, but Hua Qingling and Luo Yan exchanged glances.

It seemed that today’s banquet… might be more lively than expected.

“Oh, I understand.”

Chris pouted, but she still knew the importance of the matter.

She looked apologetically at Hua Qingling, her voice immediately softening,

“Sorry, Sister Qingling, I have to excuse myself for a while… After the performance, I’ll come find you immediately!”

“Mm, good luck.”

A standard, gentle, big-sisterly smile appeared on Hua Qingling’s face, but Luo Yan couldn’t help but think of how she drooled and kicked off the covers while sleeping.

The gentle and considerate big sister image that she had left on Luo Yan during their brief interaction in Yan City had been shattered during these few days of living together.

Finally, Chris glanced at Luo Yan almost imperceptibly and turned to leave with the woman in the suit.

“Does she seem to dislike me?”

Luo Yan asked. She was quite sensitive to emotions. Even though Chris hid all her emotions with good manners, Luo Yan still sensed them.

But this dislike… didn’t seem to be resentment or dissatisfaction. It was another emotion that Luo Yan had never encountered before.

A bit sour…

“Miss Chris seems to be a bit spoiled with strangers, but after getting to know her, you’ll find that she’s actually quite a cute girl.” Hua Qingling chuckled. “Speaking of which, it was quite a coincidence that I met her…”

“Oh?”

Luo Yan raised an eyebrow.

“Remember I said before that a thief, famous for his thieving methods, inexplicably paid me a visit, and only took the silver coins I had prepared for the next day’s meal, leaving other more valuable things untouched?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“The next day, I was so hungry that I had no choice but to pick a less valuable piece from my works, intending to sell it.” Hua Qingling recalled the embarrassment at the time, her expression still carrying a hint of helplessness.

“Then I happened to run into Miss Chris, who was out buying clothes. She fell in love with my work at first sight, not only buying it directly at a price far exceeding the market price, but also treating me to a meal at… Linglong Mansion, yes, that high-end restaurant where one meal could cost me a month’s food expenses.”

Luo Yan nodded thoughtfully,

“I see… that really is a coincidence.”

The silver coins happened to be stolen, she happened to run into Miss Chris, and the two became acquainted because of this…

It felt like it had been planned.

“You don’t suspect that Miss Chris stole my silver coins, do you?” Hua Qingling couldn’t help but laugh when she saw Luo Yan’s contemplative look.

“How could that be? First of all, with her noble heritage and status as a popular idol, there’s no need for her to do such a thing. Even if she wanted to, her strength isn’t even at ‘Ruin’ level. How could she steal my silver coins right under my nose?”

Because she often lost money, Hua Qingling kept a close eye on her purse and never let it go.

…Although it was useless, what was lost would still be lost.

“Indeed, impossible.”

Luo Yan nodded in agreement, but within the absolute impossibility… there was always a sliver of possibility.

Of course, this matter had happened a long time ago, and there was no need to dwell on it further.

The banquet was about to begin. Many nobles in the manor were walking in twos and threes, and many servants were bustling about, preparing to go to the banquet hall.

At the same time, there were some indistinct gazes sweeping around, seemingly observing every guest attending the banquet.

Seeing this, Hua Qingling reached out and gently held Luo Yan’s arm, lowering her voice,

“Do you mind this? We should act more intimately when walking together, so as not to arouse suspicion.”

“I don’t mind,” Luo Yan shrugged. “Hua Qiling seemed to want to hold me like this before, but unfortunately, she’s too tall. This posture looks like she’s trying to put me under her arm, so we had to give up.”

Hua Qingling imagined the scene and chuckled.

Indeed… quite comical.

However, regarding her younger sister, Hua Qingling rarely had the opportunity to meet and interact with her. She had gradually changed a lot without her realizing it.

“After the matters at hand are settled, I’ll go back to Yan City for a vacation.”

Hua Qingling put aside her sentimental thoughts and walked towards the banquet hall with her arm around Luo Yan.

Behind them, an imperceptible gaze disappeared.

……

“Magistrate Norian, this way please.”

Count Spencer, the host of the banquet, personally opened the door for Norian, his attitude even bordering on humble.

Although Norian seemed somewhat worn out in front of Luo Yan and Granny Zoya, no matter what, he was undoubtedly the number one person in Lannister, holding the highest authority. Even the elders who opposed him in the Council of Elders couldn’t deny this.

Count Spencer was indeed a so-called noble, but unfortunately, the nobility passed down from a thousand years ago had actually changed quite a bit, only the Council of Elders remained standing.

Before the Council of Elders, even the most esteemed nobles had to lower their heads.

“Thank you, Count Spencer…”

But the current Norian looked somewhat haggard and exhausted. As soon as he entered, he sat directly on the sofa, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples.

Seeing Norian’s appearance, Count Spencer hesitated for a moment and said,

“Magistrate Norian, if it’s inconvenient for you to attend…”

“No, I never change my schedule easily.” Norian opened his eyes and exhaled. “Besides, there was indeed quite a bit of chaos in Lannister before, and many nobles fled in panic… At least my presence at the banquet can put your minds at ease.”

It was precisely because of this that Norian had unusually decided to attend this kind of noble banquet.

Because the news of his decision to attend the banquet had been released, almost all the families in Lannister had immediately decided to attend and sent carefully selected family members to participate.

But unexpectedly, before this banquet was held, Lannister encountered more trouble.

Norian’s haggard appearance showed that he had been troubled by these matters.

“Magistrate Norian, I shouldn’t be asking you this, but now I have to understand some of the situation,” Count Spencer took a deep breath and carefully chose his words, saying what he had already prepared. “There are rumors that Devil’s Minions have appeared in Lannister…”

“The rumors are true, but please don’t spread them.”

Norian glanced at the middle-aged man. He knew at a glance that these questions were asked on behalf of his noble class.

Just a few Devil’s Minions… Even Yan City could handle them. How could these nobles be so frightened that they had to ask him about the situation?

Most of these nobles were fat and oily, good-for-nothing waste who only knew how to enjoy themselves, but unfortunately, the backbone of Lannister was made up of this waste. They were the ones supporting Lannister and preventing it from collapsing.

Hearing this, Count Spencer’s expression became even more serious, and he said in a low voice again,

“Forgive me for asking again, Magistrate Norian, there are other rumors that these Devil’s Minions come from an ancient cult that has been hidden within humanity for thousands of years, impossible to eradicate.”

“—The Church of the End Gods.”

“Indeed, but so what?” Norian snorted coldly, his tone quite displeased. “They are just some insignificant remnants, a group of sewer rats who only dare to hide. Can they actually make you nobles, who also claim to have a thousand-year heritage, feel panicked?”

“There is only one end for them coming to Lannister, and that is to meet their ‘Gods’!”

Witch’s Night: Chapter 4 Eh, Who Are You?!

It must be said, whether in the Old Era or the New Era, what nobles couldn’t change was holding banquets.

Of course, these banquets weren’t for eating, nor were they just for fun.

More importantly… they were for communication.

Banquets provided a platform for communication, and the people who could participate were all dignitaries and nobles.

These people were basically all high-ranking and influential, their every word and action attracting attention. It was often inconvenient for them to communicate privately, as it was easy to be caught out.

Therefore, banquet socializing came into being.

Because of its short history, and the fact that its major families traced their roots back to refugees before the pioneering era, the so-called nobles in Yan City were more like nouveau riche, so there were rarely such banquets.

If there were any, they would probably really be for eating…

Lannister was different.

It was an ancient city with nearly a thousand years of history, built by the first generation of pioneers who responded to Noah’s call. It was the oldest mega-city besides Noah.

The gradually solidified classes over nearly a millennium had given rise to true nobility, who restrained each other with all kinds of cumbersome etiquette and rules, to show their difference from commoners.

But this restraint only applied within the noble class. It could be said… that in the eyes of the nobles, commoners weren’t even considered the same species as them, let alone refugees.

Hua Qingling knew this very well, so she didn’t like to participate in these noble banquets.

However, the invitation was personally issued by Granny Zoya… Hua Qingling had to accept. This was basic respect for a pillar of humanity.

Of course, the invitation didn’t say she couldn’t bring another person, right?

Hua Qingling frequently glanced sideways at the black-haired young man who was a head taller than her, making Luo Yan feel a little uncomfortable.

“Sister Qingling, there’s no need…”

Being looked at like this by Hua Qingling, Luo Yan inexplicably felt a sense of shyness.

“Ahem, sorry, I’m just a little surprised.” Hua Qingling sighed. “I never thought ‘Envy’ could be used this way… No, that’s not right, who would use it like this?!”

“…Actually, basically every Devil’s Minion who has mastered ‘Envy’ has used it this way, but they distorted their own will, causing irreversible mutations to both body and soul.” Luo Yan added.

People who hadn’t used “Envy” always misunderstood it, thinking that this ability could only be used to create monsters.

In fact, demonic powers weren’t evil; they represented the pinnacle of an ability system.

However, this power was easy to lose control of, and coupled with its difficulty to use, one could only resort to the will of the “Witch of Envy” to wield it, thus resulting in distorted outcomes.

The reason why those infected by demons, that is, God’s Chosen, weren’t affected by Primordial Demons when using demonic powers was because their powers originally belonged to them and didn’t need to rely on the will of Primordial Demons.

However, precisely because of this, God’s Chosen usually had short lifespans, and their abilities were extremely prone to going out of control.

These were naturally not problems for Luo Yan. Compared to the recently acquired “End,” her use of “Envy” could be said to be masterful, to the extent that it could be used as a Life Hack.

…If she were this proficient with “End,” Luo Yan wouldn’t have gotten lost in the Void.

Their idle chat didn’t last long. Soon, a luxurious car drove towards them.

This was a vehicle specifically for transporting nobles, here to take Hua Qingling and Luo Yan to the banquet venue—Granny Zoya couldn’t possibly make her distinguished guests walk there.

This was the first time Luo Yan had ridden in such a vehicle. In Yan City, she had only seen that unlucky Young Master Liu (the one stabbed by Red Butterfly) ride in one. Others, including City Lord Lin, hadn’t used them for travel.

There were only three people in the small car compartment, Hua Qingling, Luo Yan, and a tall, silent woman in the front.

Unlike the equally tall Qin Wen, she looked more powerful and had a fierce scar on her face.

Perhaps to avoid suspicion, Granny Zoya had sent a rare female driver to pick up Hua Qingling, but she hadn’t expected to pick up two people.

The scarred woman’s expression was serious, and she would occasionally look at Luo Yan (black-haired young man face) through the rearview mirror, frowning.

Unfortunately, no one had told the scarred woman that it was best not to keep making eye contact with Luo Yan, even though her condition had improved.

After being scrutinized several times by the scarred woman, Luo Yan also noticed the strange gaze constantly falling on her.

So, Luo Yan raised her head, and the pale red eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses met the scarred woman’s serious gaze.

At this moment, the scarred woman’s mind went blank for a split second, and she slammed on the accelerator.

But she quickly came to her senses. Seeing that the car was about to crash into the corner ahead, she quickly slammed on the brakes and jerked the steering wheel.

“Screech—”

With a sharp, ear-piercing screech of brakes, the car narrowly turned the corner.

After the situation stabilized, the scarred woman said in a low voice,

“…Sorry.”

“What happened just now?”

Hua Qingling frowned. Logically, although the person Granny Zoya sent was a female driver, she shouldn’t be unable to handle a civilian vehicle.

In fact, almost all drivers were military personnel, because only the military had the qualification to teach driving skills.

As for driving for nobles… that was something retired veterans did to earn extra money, and this scarred woman was obviously one of them.

“I was distracted,” the scarred woman said in a deep voice. “If I disturbed the guests, I’m willing to accept punishment.”

“It’s not that serious, just be more careful.”

Luo Yan said softly. Her original voice was too gentle, so she could only deliberately lower and soften it to sound more androgynous.

“Since you don’t mind, then I don’t either.”

Hua Qingling nodded. The near-accident just now wasn’t a big deal to her, and obviously, it wasn’t to Luo Yan either.

The scarred woman was silent for a moment, then nodded and said,

“Thank you.”

After this little interlude, and with an outsider present, Luo Yan and Hua Qingling didn’t continue their conversation.

The scarred woman, after that scare, also became much more honest and didn’t peep at Luo Yan again.

As for what she was thinking in her heart, it was unclear.

The banquet venue wasn’t far away, about a ten-minute walk, so this awkward atmosphere didn’t last long.

After the car brought Luo Yan and Hua Qingling to the banquet venue and dropped them off, it left directly.

“…Huh?”

Luo Yan looked up at the location of this banquet and was instantly stunned.

“Is this… Natalie Manor?”

Then she immediately denied it herself.

“No, it just looks like it.”

Indeed, what appeared before Luo Yan and Hua Qingling was an Old Era, Western-style manor. To be precise, it was indeed almost identical to Natalie Manor.

Whether it was the layout or the castle-like mansion, even the servant’s quarters outside the manor were almost perfectly replicated.

“Some of Lannister’s pioneers came from the West of the Old Era, so their descendants also have a special fondness for this style of architecture.” Hua Qingling said in a low voice. “Of course, it’s also possible that they want to subtly express… that as nobles, they have heritage.”

The prominent families in Yan City didn’t have so many twists and turns, which was partly why they were seen as “nouveau riche.”

Seeing Hua Qingling, a sharp-eyed waiter nearby immediately walked over quickly and bowed gracefully,

“Respected ‘Wind’s Favor’ your acceptance of the invitation adds a touch of airy grace to Count Spencer’s manor. The master is very concerned about you and eagerly awaits your arrival. He specifically instructed us to carefully attend to you if we saw you.”

After the elegant and natural string of words, Hua Qingling nodded, indicating she understood.

Luo Yan, on the other hand, was bewildered. She tugged at Hua Qingling’s clothes secretly,

“Sister Qingling, weren’t you invited by Granny Zoya? Why is this Count Spencer… also concerned about you? Also, why didn’t he just call you by your name, but instead used that nickname?”

“…It’s just polite conversation, and it’s not a nickname, it’s a title.”

Hua Qingling gritted her teeth and said in a low voice. “Every ‘Peril’ level ability user has their own title. In such occasions, they usually address each other by their titles.”

“Oh.”

Luo Yan nodded thoughtfully. No wonder when Hua Qiling first met Grifres in Ghost Town, she called him “Soul Spear.”

Luo Yan had always thought it was a nickname.

…Actually, there wasn’t much difference. It was said that this trend was started by a certain Saint.

When that Saint walked among mortals, he had used many titles, such as “God of Black Dragon Flame,” “Dragon King of Ruin and Illusion,” “Hero Chosen by Light,” and so on.

Later, after these were made public by a certain published book, the trend of giving titles to ability users above “Peril” level started.

Until finally, it was embarrassing to say you had reached “Peril” level without having a title.

The waiter politely waited for Luo Yan and Hua Qingling’s whispered conversation (actually, their voices were loud enough to be heard) to end before speaking again in a gentle and refined manner,

“‘Wind’s Favor,’ who is this…?”

“Is it necessary to report?” Hua Qingling said with narrowed eyes.

“Since they are a guest brought by you, of course, it’s not necessary. I just wanted to ask, how should I address this esteemed… gentleman, so that we can properly receive him?”

Even though the waiter was experienced and had received countless guests, he couldn’t help but pause when he said the word “gentleman.”

There was no helping it. Even though Luo Yan had used “Envy” to distort her image in the eyes of others, her demeanor and actions couldn’t be faked.

Moreover, using “Envy” in this way, distorting one’s image also had a limit. It couldn’t completely transform her appearance.

However, the observant waiter had already seen that Luo Yan intended to appear at the banquet as a male.

Since that was the case, regardless of her true gender, she would be treated as a gentleman at this time.

Most of the plots in stories where noble servants judged people by their appearance were unrealistic. The first rule for a noble’s personal attendant was to hide their true emotions.

Even a fake smile had to appear sincere.

While his words were pleasant, Hua Qingling’s tone was somewhat aggressive, but the waiter defused the awkwardness with a few words.

“You can call me Luo Yan.”

“…Luo, Luo Yan?” The waiter’s smile seemed to crack slightly.

Miss, if you want to crossdress, please show some respect… At least change your name, okay?

This was obviously a female name!

“Yes.”

Luo Yan nodded matter-of-factly.

The waiter could only sigh inwardly, then stepped aside, made a proper welcoming gesture,

“Alright, Mr. Luo Yan, ‘Wind’s Favor,’ this way please. The gates of Spencer Manor are always open so that our esteemed guests can visit at any time.”

“…Wouldn’t that attract thieves?”

Luo Yan’s untimely remark was genuinely a question she wanted to ask.

“Uh…”

How could that be? They were usually closed, okay? How could you take polite conversation literally?!

“Duke Spencer’s reputation resounds throughout Lannister. Petty thieves are scared away, so naturally there can’t be any thefts.”

The waiter’s tone was calm and proud, but he was nervous inwardly, afraid that Luo Yan would ask any more strange questions.

“Oh, that’s amazing.”

Luo Yan nodded and didn’t say anything more.

“…”

Why did it feel even stranger that she suddenly stopped asking?

Forget it, he had received many strange guests over the years, and this one was still relatively normal among them.

The waiter thought this but didn’t reveal any of his thoughts on the surface, leading Luo Yan and Hua Qingling into the manor.

“Didn’t you used to do this too? Your maid etiquette is very standard.” Hua Qingling whispered in Luo Yan’s ear. “Why do you seem so unaccustomed to these polite conversations?”

“Natalie Manor doesn’t usually have guests. If there are any… it’s on ‘Redemption Day,’ the day to pray to the ‘Witch of Envy.’” Luo Yan also leaned in and whispered.

“It always felt somewhat unreal, based on your descriptions of Natalie Manor and Ghost Town.”

Luo Yan was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled,

“Perhaps, but to me, the memories are real. Whether it’s Mrs. Natalie or Little Tini, I truly interacted with them.”

Even though she already knew that Ghost Town was just a fragment of memory peeled from the depths of the Witch of Envy’s consciousness by the “Luo Yan” of that time, in order to seal her.

The residents of the town wandered lonely in this fragment for hundreds of years until Luo Yan freed them all.

Hua Qingling looked at Luo Yan’s rare heartfelt smile and couldn’t help but be stunned,

“Beautiful…”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.”

The waiter tactfully distanced himself from Luo Yan and Hua Qingling, who seemed to be whispering to each other.

Respecting every guest’s privacy was basic etiquette for a servant in a noble household.

Besides, which of the guests weren’t important figures? Who could afford to offend them…

Just then, a cheerful voice suddenly came from afar, accompanied by the sound of (da-da-da) footsteps,

“Sister Qingling! Over here, over here—Eh, who are you?!”

Witch’s Night: Chapter 3 – Luo, Miss Luo Yan’s Other Side?

Honestly, Hua Qingling felt the need to salvage her image in Miss Luo Yan’s eyes.

Even if she wasn’t a proper “big sister,” she shouldn’t be a comedic relief character either.

And she had rested enough these past few days; attending a social event wouldn’t hurt.

Since Miss Luo Yan wanted to tag along to that stuffy noble’s banquet, there was no harm in bringing her. It wasn’t her problem if it inconvenienced Lannister.

On the contrary, a boring banquet might be more bearable with Miss Luo Yan’s company.

“Of course you can come. Get ready, we’ll leave soon.”

“…Shouldn’t we inform Lannister?”

“You think they don’t already know?”

“Right.” Luo Yan nodded. “I don’t have anything to pack, I’m ready.”

“Just… like that?”

Hua Qingling looked at Luo Yan in her simple white dress, gesturing with her finger and shaking her head.

“That won’t do~”

Even without dressing up, Miss Luo Yan was beautiful, so beautiful that Hua Qingling almost wanted to give her unflattering makeup to avoid attracting too much attention.

But a noble’s banquet was different; it was full of formalities. An ordinary dress wouldn’t be acceptable.

“You need formal attire, or you’ll be turned away,” Hua Qingling muttered, her eyes glinting with an idea. “Miss Luo Yan, you wouldn’t want to be denied entry, would you?”

“Isn’t this dress formal enough?”

Luo Yan tugged at her dress. She liked these simple dresses and had ordered several from Anna.

Although Anna had seemed reluctant to make them…

“Of course not, this is casual wear, for everyday use,” Hua Qingling explained.

“Is that maid outfit considered formal?” Luo Yan recalled the combat maid dress Hua Qingling had designed. “It seemed quite formal, but I didn’t bring it.”

She hadn’t had time to change; she had left in her ordinary dress.

“…That’s called cosplay.”

“Hm?”

“Don’t worry about it; you can’t wear that to a formal event either.” Hua Qingling pulled out her suitcase, rummaged through it, and took out a neatly folded dress. “Here, this is formal wear.”

Luo Yan unfolded the dress and her eyes widened in realization.

“So this is it…”

“Have you seen it before?”

Hua Qingling raised an eyebrow.

“The Witch of Envy wears something like this,” Luo Yan said seriously.

And she wasn’t joking.

Hua Qingling had taken out a black strapless evening gown, similar to the one the Witch of Envy wore, although the style and the… aura… were different.

Luo Yan thought for a moment, then added,

“And Mrs. Natalie also wore this kind of dress sometimes.”

…Those are some… interesting examples.

Hua Qingling facepalmed. Miss Luo Yan still had a long way to go…

She hadn’t seen Luo Yan right after she left Ghost Town; otherwise, she would realize how much progress she had made.

“Is this for me? It’s… a bit small… and why is the chest area so loose?”

Luo Yan fiddled with the dress, her brow furrowed.

“Because it’s mine,” Hua Qingling took the dress back. “But don’t worry, you’re still growing, unlike my little sister… ahem.”

“Hm?”

Luo Yan didn’t understand, and Hua Qingling continued quickly,

“Don’t worry, I’ve prepared formal wear for you as well. It might be a bit big… I’ll just adjust it a little.”

Hua Qingling rummaged through her suitcase.

“You prepared beforehand?” Luo Yan asked, surprised. “I only decided to come to the banquet at the last minute…”

“No, I made this for my little sister, but when I returned to Yan City, she was already 1.8 meters tall, it was too small… So I kept it, but it should fit you.”

Hua Qingling pulled out another outfit and clapped her hands. “Here it is! It’s been in my suitcase for years, brings back memories.”

“This… this one?” Luo Yan’s eyes widened. “Are you sure this is… for Hua Qiling?”

“Yes.”

Hua Qingling nodded matter-of-factly.

“But… if I’m not mistaken, this is… men’s clothing,” Luo Yan said, a bit amused. “The butler in Ghost Town had several similar outfits, I think they were called tailcoats…?”

“Oh, you know about those?”

Hua Qingling held up the black tailcoat and held it against Luo Yan, nodding in satisfaction.

“Good, when I made this for my little sister, she was only a little over 1.7 meters, not much taller than you. It should fit with some alterations.”

“…”

Luo Yan was speechless.

“What, you don’t like it?” Hua Qingling paused, putting down the tailcoat.

“My clothes probably wouldn’t fit you, and for someone like you, who hasn’t… developed much yet… a more mature dress would be too… early. That’s why I made this for my little sister.”

“It’s… not that I don’t like it, I just don’t know… if it suits me,” Luo Yan took the tailcoat and looked at herself in the full-length mirror. “Wouldn’t it be strange… for me to wear this?”

The Luo Yan who had just left Ghost Town, who had casually strolled around in a flamboyant maid outfit, was now hesitant about a tailcoat.

“Don’t worry, Miss Luo Yan, it’s hard to find clothes that don’t suit you,” Hua Qingling said with a mischievous smile. “But to complete the look, we might need… to make a few small changes…”

“Huh?”

Luo Yan turned around and saw a makeup kit in Hua Qingling’s hand, her smile making Luo Yan feel a sense of unease.

“Don’t worry, Miss Luo Yan… it will be quick.”

“That… makes me even more worried, Sister Qingling.”

…

Meanwhile, in Lannister’s core district.

The bustling crowds and towering skyscrapers were far more impressive than anything in Yan City.

The recent panic was just a minor blip; after the alarm was lifted, life returned to normal.

An inconspicuous dark figure moved through the city, unnoticed, finally landing on the roof of a tall building, slightly breathless.

“A rare failure?”

A mocking voice, distorted and almost unrecognizable, came from behind a small storage room on the rooftop.

But the amusement in its tone was clear.

The dark figure was silent for a moment, then replied in a similarly distorted voice,

“No.”

“Stubborn? I rarely see you so disheveled.” Another, slightly taller figure in the same dark blue nightclothes emerged from behind the storage room, its face completely masked. “Shadow sent us here… not for your personal amusement.”

“…She’s with her.”

“Of course I know that.”

“So… I was also monitoring her.”

“There’s no need for you to monitor her. Lady Illusion will be arriving in Lannister soon to take her away. Our mission is to maintain the status quo, Shadow Guard One Seven Five Six,” the taller figure said in a lecturing tone. “If you were exposed, you should have reported it immediately. I would have handled it.”

The other figure was silent for a moment, then said hesitantly,

“She… discovered me. Her aura is… strange, I couldn’t sense it.”

“‘Luo Yan’? She’s a special case. Shadow personally instructed us to avoid any involvement with her,” the taller figure crossed her arms. “You took a great risk, One Seven Five Six.”

“But, but… the thought of her… being with ‘Luo Yan’…”

The figure stammered, clearly agitated.

“Even so, One Seven Five Six, that’s no excuse for your unauthorized actions,” the taller figure’s voice was cold. “‘Luo Yan’ is a high-risk individual. Until further instructions from above, we must avoid direct contact.”

“I know.”

“Remember that, One Seven Five Six.”

“…Yes.”

“However,” the taller figure touched her chin. “You were discovered, but I have a feeling Lannister will be the one facing trouble… I need to talk to Norian.”

She glanced at One Seven Five Six. “You stay here, don’t do anything, at least not while ‘Luo Yan’ is still in Lannister.”

“Alright, Mother.”

“Hm?”

“Yes, Commander!”

“You must remember, when wearing this uniform, you are Shadow Guard One Seven Five Six, not my daughter,” the taller figure said sternly. “During missions, I am your superior officer, so you must address me as Commander. This is your final warning!”

“…Yes.”

One Seven Five Six nodded sullenly, seemingly upset.

Seeing this, the taller figure’s expression softened slightly.

“Isn’t there a noble’s banquet in Lannister tonight? You’re invited. Go and enjoy yourself.”

“I don’t really want to…”

“She’ll be there too.”

“I’ll go get ready!”

…

If Anna was talented in makeup, clothing design, and coordination, then Hua Qingling was simply on another level.

Although her shop had failed, it wasn’t due to a lack of skill…

…She was simply cursed when it came to money.

Within moments, Hua Qingling had finished Luo Yan’s makeup and adjusted the tailcoat to fit her perfectly.

A few strokes of the eyebrow pencil added a touch of sharpness to Luo Yan’s gentle features.

The light makeup accentuated her facial features, and paired with the sleek tailcoat and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, just like the butler’s…

But even so, it was still difficult to describe Luo Yan as “handsome.”

Her inherent gentleness and softness couldn’t be completely masked, even with these additions, creating an androgynous beauty.

However, the most troublesome part was Luo Yan’s long silver hair.

Although Luo Yan had suggested cutting it off, after breaking three of Hua Qingling’s scissors, they had given up.

So, she had compromised, tying it up in a neutral-style ponytail.

“I did my best…”

Hua Qingling looked at Luo Yan’s reflection in the mirror and sighed.

Even with all her efforts, she couldn’t completely erase Miss Luo Yan’s inherent beauty…

“Actually, there’s no need to go to so much trouble.” Luo Yan had seen through Hua Qingling’s intentions, but she seemed to be enjoying the process, so she hadn’t interrupted her. “I can use a life hack.”

“A… life hack?” Hua Qingling looked at her blankly. “Are you planning to fix the toilet with instant noodles?”

“What?” Luo Yan blinked. “I mean ‘Envy’.”

Her eyes flashed crimson, and a red strapless gown flickered around her, the terrifying crimson eyes on its skirt swirling.

But in the next moment, the vision vanished, before Hua Qingling could even react.

And now, standing before her, was a handsome young man with short black hair, the well-fitting tailcoat accentuating his elegance, a hint of a smile in his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses.

“L-Luo… Miss Luo Yan…?”

“Yes, this is one of the applications of ‘Envy,’ to influence others’ perceptions,” Luo Yan nodded. “After that battle, my control over ‘Envy’ seems to have improved. I can now… distort perceptions.”

Luo Yan herself hadn’t changed; there were no illusions. What changed was how others perceived her.

“So powerful? Even I, a ‘Peril’ level ability user, couldn’t detect it!” Hua Qingling exclaimed, then frowned. “But influencing others’ perceptions… isn’t that dangerous?”

“Dangerous? It shouldn’t be. I’ve used it many times in Yan City. It’s not directly interfering with their perceptions, just… adjusting what they see, and the adjustments are limited.”

The black-haired youth spoke with Luo Yan’s voice. Although his face still retained some of her features, Hua Qingling still felt it was strange.

“Where did you get this… look? It seems a bit… old-fashioned.”

“I based it on the butler from Natalie Manor.”

“…Good thing no one here knows him.”

Witch’s Night: Chapter 2 – The Other Side of Hua Qingling

The first time one rides a lifeline, the sight of a lone train traversing the desolate wasteland is a marvel. People living in mega-cities rarely see the Endless Wasteland; their world is confined within the city walls.

But sadly, over fifty percent of the Wasteland remains forbidden territory, and even the explored areas are filled with danger, civilization and wilderness coexisting in an uneasy balance.

The once-thriving civilization of the Old Era, after the Calamity Tide, was reduced to scattered embers, stubbornly clinging to life.

Witnessing these strange and wondrous sights makes one appreciate the comforts of the mega-cities.

Anna, however, wasn’t seeing the Wasteland for the first time. As a former refugee, she was no stranger to its harsh realities.

But the lifeline was a novelty, a marvel of human engineering. She peppered the Holy Knight-Captain with questions, clinging to his armor.

“Yes, yes, little girl, but I don’t know much about these things,” the Knight-Captain said, glancing at Elise, who had suddenly closed her eyes, seemingly meditating. He sighed and continued to humor Anna. “If you’re interested, I believe the… what was it called… the Cardinal Council’s… one of their departments… will have the answers you seek.”

“Don’t you know, mister?” Anna asked curiously.

“M-Mister? Well, that’s a new one,” the Knight-Captain shifted uncomfortably in his armor. “As you can see, I’m a knight.”

“…Don’t knights know anything?”

“I…”

The Knight-Captain was speechless, looking pleadingly at Elise.

Unfortunately, even Elise found Anna’s chatter annoying and left the Knight-Captain to deal with her.

“These are relics from the glorious Old Era, only those fellows in the Cardinal Council understand them,” the Knight-Captain shrugged. “We knights just use them; we don’t research them.”

“Oh, okay.”

To his surprise, Anna stopped questioning him and sat back down obediently.

At the same time, Elise opened her eyes and resumed looking out the window, her chin resting on her hand.

Holy Knight-Captain: “…”

Oh, my Saint…

However, he was still puzzled by the Saint’s decision to bring this seemingly ordinary little girl to Noah as Yan City’s representative.

Anna was just an ordinary person, not even an ability user.

If it was simply because she was a friend, as her “Elise” persona claimed, it didn’t seem sufficient. The Knight-Captain believed the Saint understood the gravity of the situation.

Of course, he wouldn’t question the Saint’s decision.

The Holy Knights’ duty was to carry out the Saint’s will, and after the Saint’s passing, the Twelve Saints were the highest authority of the Holy Church.

“We’ll be seeing Miss Luo Yan in a few days. How are you feeling?”

Elise suddenly asked Anna.

“Huh?” Anna was caught off guard. She fidgeted nervously. “I… I don’t know.”

She truly didn’t know how to face Miss Luo Yan now.

Yan City hadn’t revealed the full truth, but as their representative to the Grand Council, Anna knew some things.

And knowing these things had left her confused.

She remembered how Miss Luo Yan had tricked her into cooking, then slipped away.

And after that, the news of Luo Yan’s death had filled Anna with guilt.

If she hadn’t gone to cook, if she had stopped Miss Luo Yan, would the outcome have been different?

She had cried, even though she had experienced many such losses as a refugee.

Only after learning that Miss Luo Yan was still alive had her guilt subsided slightly.

And then she learned the partial truth about Miss Luo Yan, leaving her feeling even more confused.

Her excitement on the lifeline had been partly due to the novelty, and partly to mask her anxiety.

Was the current Miss Luo Yan… still the same Miss Luo Yan she knew?

The Miss Luo Yan from those stories, from the incident at the Ember Furnace… She felt… unfamiliar.

Elise saw this and understood Anna’s confusion, but she still found her slightly annoying…

So, she only spoke to Anna after she calmed down.

“Elise, I know you’re an important person, that you know many things, but I’m just… not very smart,” Anna scratched her head. “I only know how to make clothes, and that Miss Luo Yan is beautiful and kind, but other things… I don’t understand.”

“She is indeed a beautiful and kind girl. Knowing that is enough,” Elise looked at Anna intently. “Do you know why I chose to bring you to Noah? Even though Yan City is in ruins, they could have found a more… suitable representative.”

“Wh-why?” Anna asked, also puzzled by this. “It can’t be because… we’re friends, right?”

The Holy Knight-Captain also listened intently, his curiosity piqued.

“What else could it be?” Elise smiled. “I really like the clothes Anna makes…”

The Knight-Captain shuddered almost imperceptibly.

“…The clothes,” Elise glanced at him, then patted a nearby box filled with clothes Anna had designed for her. “Even if Yan City hadn’t agreed, I would have brought you to Noah, if you were willing.

“Of course, there’s another, secondary reason. On this long and boring journey, Miss Luo Yan also needs a companion, doesn’t she?”

“That… seems reasonable.”

Anna nodded thoughtfully (or rather, dazedly).

The Knight-Captain was speechless. The “secondary reason” was clearly the main reason!

To prevent any unexpected incidents with Miss Luo Yan, they had chosen a companion for her, right?

Other candidates, like Hua Qiling and Qin Wen, were unavailable, so only Anna remained.

Poor Anna, played like a fiddle by Elise.

Of course, the Knight-Captain didn’t dare say this aloud, his helmet hiding his expression.

“Little Anna is so cute.”

Elise pinched Anna’s cheek, then resumed looking out the window.

No matter how many times she saw it, the Endless Wasteland was still…

A chilling sight.

…

Unexpected things always happen at the most unexpected times. Like when Luo Yan opened her window to wash her face and saw a rather unusual visitor perched outside.

A thin figure clung to the wall, its dark blue nightclothes making it difficult to discern its shape.

And its face was completely covered by a black cloth, its eyes concealed by some kind of illusion, erasing all distinguishing features.

However… he didn’t seem to notice Luo Yan’s approach, and when she opened the window and their eyes met, he was clearly startled.

Luo Yan looked at the figure and waved.

“Hi?”

“Hi…”

He replied instinctively, then immediately covered his mouth.

At the same time, Hua Qingling’s voice came from behind Luo Yan.

“Miss Luo Yan, who are you talking to?”

Hua Qingling, still sleepy, walked over, rubbing her eyes, her pajamas revealing a bit too much, a large teddy bear clutched in her arms.

Sometimes, prying too much into someone’s private life could shatter their image.

Especially Hua Qingling’s “big sister” image, which had completely crumbled during her time living with Luo Yan.

She liked to sleep in, she was grumpy when woken up, she needed a teddy bear to sleep, and her sleeping posture was… questionable.

She was also completely useless in daily life, unable to do laundry, clean her room, and sleeping until noon (or rather, early afternoon)…

Luo Yan had been taking care of her like a mother, almost like her former life as a maid.

Even her younger sister, Hua Qiling, didn’t know about this. After all, Hua Qingling had already been an adult when Hua Qiling was born and rarely stayed in Yan City.

And whenever she returned, she would maintain her usual “big sister” and elegant noblewoman facade.

Since Luo Yan now knew all her secrets, Hua Qingling had given up on pretending, indulging in her laziness to the point that even Luo Yan thought she shouldn’t be called “Sister,” perhaps “Little Sister” would be more appropriate…

Luo Yan tugged at Hua Qingling’s messy pajamas, then turned and pointed towards the window.

“Look, over there… eh? He’s gone?”

The spot where the figure had been was now empty.

“Was that… an intruder?”

Hua Qingling’s drowsiness vanished, and she pulled a short sword from her teddy bear.

…Don’t ask why there was a weapon inside; when adventuring alone, even sleeping required constant vigilance, and Hua Qingling simply kept her weapon with her most comforting item.

“It felt more like… someone peeping, not an intruder,” Luo Yan recalled the figure’s reaction. “But who would peep on us? Lannister?”

The figure had clearly been an expert at concealment; even Luo Yan, with her heightened senses, hadn’t noticed him until she opened the window.

And after he fled, she couldn’t find any trace of him.

“I’ll question Lannister,” Hua Qingling’s expression turned serious. “They arranged this place.”

“There’s no need, we’ll just ask,” Luo Yan shook her head and closed the window. “But peeping is indeed rude. If Lannister doesn’t want to investigate, we can simply leave.”

After all, the recent chaos in Lannister had been her fault, which was why she had agreed to wait here.

But if they were being secretly monitored…

Even surveillance… if they were honest about it, like Yan City, explaining their concerns about her potential danger, Luo Yan could understand.

But doing it secretly… that was different.

“By the way, Sister Qingling, why are you up so early today?” Luo Yan looked at Hua Qingling, who was clearly still sleepy, her eyelids drooping. “You usually sleep another four hours…”

“Well, I didn’t want to…” Hua Qingling forced herself to stay awake, walked over to the sofa, and practically collapsed onto it. “Grandma Zoya sent me an invitation, to a Lannister noble’s banquet… A ‘Destruction’ level ability user’s invitation… I can’t refuse.”

“Really… did I get one?” Luo Yan pointed at herself.

“Miss Luo Yan, do you really think you would?”

Hua Qingling asked, her expression strange.

“…Right.”

It made sense. Lannister probably wanted her to stay put in the apartment; an invitation to a banquet was unlikely.

Not wanting to cause trouble, Luo Yan had been staying in the apartment obediently.

But this peeping incident… It made her suspicious.

“Does the invitation specify how many people can attend?” Luo Yan suddenly asked.

“You actually want to go? I wouldn’t even bother with those stuffy events even when I was in Yan City…”

“I’m curious. Although there was a banquet hall in Natalie Manor in Ghost Town, you know the situation there… I’ve never been to a real banquet,” Luo Yan smiled faintly. “Things I haven’t seen before… are worth seeing, aren’t they?”

But if you go, the Lannister higher-ups will be in a frenzy, especially Norian.

Miss Luo Yan seems to be learning bad habits… she was so innocent back in Yan City.

Hua Qingling sighed inwardly, then said,

“There’s no limit on the number of attendees. As long as you have the invitation, you can bring as many people as you want, even your entire family—of course, no one who receives such an invitation would do something so unrefined.”

She saw Luo Yan looking at her with a strange expression.

“…And neither would I!”

Witch’s Night: Chapter 1 – Journey to Lannister

“One guard went crazy, two guards were biting, three guards were all alone, four guards went hand-in-hand to heaven~”

“Stop, stop, stop, Miss Luo Yan, please stop humming! What kind of song is that?!”

“I don’t know, I just heard it on the street. I thought the melody was nice.” Luo Yan blinked innocently. “It seems to be a Lannister children’s rhyme? Everyone’s singing it… It’s a story about ten guards.”

“I didn’t hear anything…” Hua Qingling said, her expression odd. “Are the people of Lannister this intense…? Even their children’s rhymes are so morbid…?”

“If you don’t like it, I’ll stop.”

Luo Yan nodded calmly.

Hua Qingling felt a bit embarrassed and waved her hand dismissively.

“It’s fine, aside from the strange lyrics, the melody is quite nice…”

Well, it’s probably because Miss Luo Yan has a nice voice.

Norian and Grandma Zoya, listening nearby, were sweating nervously, vigilantly scanning their surroundings for any unusual phenomena.

Norian was certain he had never heard this so-called children’s rhyme before, having grown up in Lannister, but Grandma Zoya knew its origin…

The melody was identical to the “Song of the Soul” from before, only with lyrics added!

From the forest outside the city to Lannister’s gates, Norian and Grandma Zoya had kept a low profile, not even entering through the main gate, but taking a secret passage.

Such caution was necessary when dealing with an unknown entity like Miss Luo Yan.

Fortunately, Miss Luo Yan had cooperated, not even questioning their actions, obediently following behind them.

She chatted casually with Hua Qingling, like a pair of ordinary friends.

However, their conversation occasionally touched upon some alarming topics.

Like…

“Oh, you mean Mister from Dawn? Well… I witnessed his passing, but he seemed happy. Perhaps for Nine, death was a long-awaited release.”

“The Witch of Envy… I don’t know how to describe her. Her existence is beyond words, but I have to say, facing her directly was the most dangerous moment of my life… And then? I think she died… if a Primordial Demon can even die.”

“Void traversal is so convenient! I’m just not very good at controlling it yet, I tend to get lost. That’s how I ended up in Lannister. I’ll take you on a trip through the void once I get the hang of it!”

“Don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe. I’ve taken people through the void before, the City Lord and Uncle Sun! I just don’t know why they all seem to get… void sickness…”

Well, everyone gets void sickness, unless they’re a spatial ability user with an affinity for the void… And just how strong would that affinity have to be, to bring others through the void safely?

And all of these shocking revelations were delivered by “Miss Luo Yan” in a casual, even cheerful, tone.

Norian and Grandma Zoya had initially been shocked, but they had gradually grown numb.

And even more terrifying, what Miss Luo Yan said was likely true… except for the part about the Witch of Envy?

…That was hard to confirm.

Of course, despite their numbness, this information was still valuable.

Norian silently made a mental note of everything, while Grandma Zoya paid close attention to Luo Yan.

Setting aside their initial fear, Luo Yan’s strength and aura were clearly only at the entry level of “Calamity” level.

But how could someone who caused such chaos in Lannister be only “Calamity” level?

This mysterious girl, shrouded in so many secrets…

And so, this strange group—two adults with hidden agendas, and two girls chatting casually—entered Lannister.

Norian had carefully chosen Luo Yan’s temporary accommodation.

It couldn’t be too luxurious, nor too simple, and the location also had to be carefully considered.

In the end, he chose an ordinary apartment and, after compensating the other tenants, had them vacate for a few days.

…Lannister had made the same decision as Yan City.

Seeing her temporary home, Luo Yan nodded indifferently, seemingly unconcerned.

And she truly wasn’t; her apartment in Yan City had been similar.

“If Miss Luo Yan needs anything, please inform us,” Norian said with a gentle smile, his mustache twitching. “We will do our best to make you both feel at home in Lannister.”

“Thank you for your concern. I’ll try not to trouble you.”

Luo Yan bowed respectfully, and Hua Qingling quickly followed suit.

…Although Hua Qingling held a high position in Yan City, she was currently traveling.

And she was only a “Destruction” level potential; such talent wasn’t rare, and until she actually reached that level, it was just potential.

Therefore, Hua Qingling rarely had the opportunity to meet important figures like Grandma Zoya and Norian, and she was more reserved than Luo Yan.

After giving their instructions, Norian and Grandma Zoya hurriedly left.

They had much to deal with: the aftermath of the Lannister incident, and the arrival of the Fourth Saint.

After they left, Hua Qingling sighed in relief and turned to Luo Yan, chuckling.

“Thanks to you, Miss Luo Yan, I was worried about where I would stay, and now I have free accommodation.”

“Big Sister Hua… also has to worry about rent…?” Luo Yan blinked in disbelief. “I thought you were a ‘Peril’ level ability user…”

Luo Yan had met several “Peril” level ability users: Sun Biwu from Yan City, Grifres and Alyxsia from Dawn, and Rhine…

None of them seemed to worry about such mundane matters.

“I am a ‘Peril’ level ability user, but I’m always broke,” Hua Qingling sighed, her face full of frustration.

“And to get back to Yan City quickly, I spent all my savings on those expensive teleportation arrays. Now I only have a few silver coins left, and I haven’t even received my payment for the last mission yet, I wonder if they forgot…”

This complaining Hua Qingling was completely different from the reliable older sister figure Luo Yan had seen in Yan City, but it also seemed… more real.

As expected of Hua Qiling’s sister; besides their appearance and physique, they were practically the same person.

“By the way, aren’t you a tailor?” Luo Yan asked. “Like Anna, Hua Qiling said she’s quite wealthy now… You’re more skilled than her, you should be earning even more, right?”

Hua Qingling’s expression stiffened, and she looked away, dejected.

“Don’t mention it… Little Anna is rich because she’s good at business, it has nothing to do with tailoring. Actually… the ‘Flower Shop’ she took over… I was the one who bankrupted it.”

According to Anna, Hua Qingling had practically given her the shop out of charity, which was how Anna became so wealthy.

But the truth… was slightly different.

Back then, Hua Qingling had urgently needed to leave Yan City, but she didn’t have enough money.

For certain reasons, she didn’t want to ask the main Hua family for money, nor could she ask Lin Cheng.

So, she had to sell her assets.

At the time, Anna was already a well-known tailor… fashion designer, and unlike Hua Qingling, she had many wealthy clients.

Even Lin Cheng had commissioned her; she had considerable savings.

That’s how Anna ended up with the Flower Shop.

“I don’t know why, but I can never save money,” Hua Qingling sighed, counting on her fingers. “Whether it’s my own earnings, or gifts from others… it always vanishes quickly, one way or another.

“Sometimes it’s unavoidable expenses, other times I just lose it, I’ve even been robbed by the King of Thieves himself… and he only stole the coins I had set aside for my next meal.”

As if Luo Yan had opened the floodgates, Hua Qingling poured out her woes, her resentment palpable.

Luo Yan could only conclude…

—Big Sister Hua was cursed when it came to money.

She hadn’t expected the glamorous Big Sister Hua to have such… relatable problems.

“Big Sister Hua, are you sure you should be telling me all this…?” Luo Yan’s lips curved upwards slightly.

“Huh?”

Hua Qingling was taken aback.

“I’m Hua Qiling’s friend,” Luo Yan winked playfully. “You wouldn’t want her to know that her idol-like sister is actually…”

“…”

Hua Qingling’s face turned bright red, and she covered her mouth in embarrassment.

“These things… It’s best if my little sister doesn’t know…”

The thought of Hua Qiling learning that her sister couldn’t even hold onto her savings… Hua Qingling wanted to die of embarrassment.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell Hua Qiling,” Luo Yan smiled gently. “I didn’t expect you to have such a… relatable side. I’m glad.”

“Ahem… that’s good,” Hua Qingling patted her chest, relieved. “I’ve only ever told you these things. Miss Luo Yan, just like Qiling said, being around you is… comforting.”

She snuck a glance at Luo Yan.

“You really won’t tell, right?”

“Of course, let’s keep it our little secret,” Luo Yan nodded and smiled. “And besides, Big Sister Hua, you’ve helped me a lot in Yan City. I’m very grateful~”

If it weren’t for Hua Qingling’s help, Luo Yan wouldn’t have had access to those classified files, and none of the subsequent events would have happened.

“It was nothing,” Hua Qingling waved her hand dismissively, then paused, her expression turning strange. “By the way, could you please stop calling me ‘Big Sister Hua’? It felt weird when Anna called me that, and now you too… It makes me feel old.”

She wasn’t even forty, even younger than Alyxsia, Dawn’s youngest “Peril” level Cadre.

“Then… I’ll call you ‘Sister,’ just like Hua Qiling,” Luo Yan looked at Hua Qingling, who was half a head shorter than her, finally understanding how Hua Qiling felt looking up at her, and nodded with satisfaction.

Hua Qingling was speechless, then sighed.

“Whatever you want, as long as it’s not ‘Big Sister Hua’…”

…

The vast, desolate wasteland.

Since the “Calamity Tide” ravaged the world millennia ago, most of the land had become like this.

Initially, almost eighty percent of the land had been covered in poisonous gases and strange, maddening phenomena, but over time, the situation had improved.

And after discovering the “Ember,” humanity had been using its energy to restore the ecosystem.

Around Lannister, forests had even begun to grow, although they were inhabited by terrifying, mutated beasts, which were still preferable to the frenzied calamity monsters.

Due to the nature of the “Ember” energy source, most mega-cities were far apart, rarely close enough to support each other directly.

Therefore, to facilitate travel and trade between them, the Free Federation had established “lifelines.”

Similar to the trains of the Old Era, but powered by smaller “Ember” nodes along the route.

And to protect against sudden disasters and calamity monsters, each lifeline required an elite team led by a “Peril” level ability user.

Therefore, the operating costs were high, mainly used for trade, rarely for civilian travel.

For civilian travel, there was the circuit lifeline, which passed through each mega-city once every fifty days.

This lifeline network, like a spiderweb, connected the entire Free Federation.

Besides this, there were also teleportation arrays for faster travel, although they were expensive.

Only the Holy Knights could afford to use them regularly.

Unfortunately, Yan City couldn’t build teleportation arrays yet. The Holy Knights, wanting to reach Lannister, had to take the circuit lifeline, hence the delay.

The lifeline sped across the vast wasteland, Elise looking out the window with her chin resting on her hand, Anna beside her, curiously observing the scenery.

Mister Zero, Her Story: Interlude – The last

“Madam One, this way please, the Saint has been waiting for you.”

A deep voice echoed, and a towering figure in full armor stood before them.

Beside the armored figure stood a girl—or rather, a child—with short, icy-blue hair.

At barely 1.4 meters tall, with a childish face, being addressed as “Madam” seemed almost comical, but no one dared laugh.

Besides the Holy Knight-Captain who had just spoken, several other Holy Knights flanked her, whether as guards or as a precaution, it was unclear.

The newly established “Noah” was still young, and this girl, who called herself “One,” possessed a mysterious power comparable to the Saint’s.

Even if the Saint herself didn’t mind, Noah couldn’t afford to offend this girl.

During the recent “Calamity Infected” expulsion incident, this girl, leading “Dawn,” had successfully retrieved numerous human calamities from various mega-cities, even Noah, their power a miracle unseen in the New Era. No weapon could stop them, not even the relics of the Old Era.

Because of this, when the Saint decided to invite One, Dawn’s leader, to Noah, most of the Twelve Saints had objected, only a few remaining silent.

So, for the first time, the Saint had used her rarely invoked power… the veto.

And so, the invitation was sent to Dawn headquarters, and One arrived alone, without a single escort.

“I’ve been wanting to meet her as well, for a long time,” One nodded slightly.

This seemingly childish girl’s eyes held the calmness of someone who had weathered countless storms, even venturing alone into enemy territory didn’t faze her.

Along the way, all One saw were ordinary people, including the Holy Knights.

Those with unusual abilities, born from disasters, were considered human calamities, rejected by all mega-cities, forced to wander the Wasteland.

One wanted to ask this Saint, who had brought a new future to humanity, why she had made such a decision.

They passed through the bustling outdoor camps, people working tirelessly to build their new homes.

Ahead, on a mist-shrouded mountain, a white palace shimmered, seemingly untouched by human hands.

“Madam One, we can only escort you this far,” the Holy Knight-Captain stopped and turned. “Beyond this point is a restricted area, personally designated by the Saint. These mountains, and the palace you see… were all created by the Saint’s power. We are not allowed to enter without permission.”

“Such rules?” One said with a hint of mockery. “Your Saint is quite… exclusive.”

The Holy Knights gripped their weapons, but under the Knight-Captain’s warning gaze, they stepped aside.

“I hope you and the Saint can reach an agreement,” the Knight-Captain said gravely. “May the Saint’s light shine upon you.”

“If that happens, I’ll make sure to dodge.”

One walked forward, her small figure disappearing into the mountains under the Holy Knights’ watchful eyes.

…

After what seemed like both a long journey and a single step, One reached the white palace.

The palace wasn’t large, radiating a holy, gentle white light, a faint chanting echoing from within.

“Putting on a show,” One muttered, then pushed open the doors and entered.

Inside was a single, spacious hall, filled with a soft, white light.

Intricate, beautiful patterns adorned the walls, seemingly imbued with a mysterious power that soothed the soul and mind.

And in the center of the hall stood a holy throne.

A faint, vaguely humanoid, silver light sat upon it, silent.

“Is this… the Saint?”

One frowned, a sense of familiarity, yet no clear memory.

But this wasn’t unusual. Since the destruction of “Dawn City,” all nine siblings had experienced varying degrees of memory loss, and One’s condition was the best among them.

Just then, a calm, indifferent voice echoed.

“You’ve come.”

“Who?”

One turned sharply, spatial fragments swirling around her.

“Many call me ‘Saint,’ but I believe you wouldn’t like that title.”

An ordinary-looking woman slowly emerged, yet One felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Something stirred in her memory, but nothing surfaced, only two tears rolling down her cheeks.

Why… was she crying?

One stared at the woman as she walked towards the throne, gently touching the silver light upon it.

A faint, almost imperceptible, smile appeared on her lips.

“You seem to have many questions,” the Saint glanced at One. “I will answer… selectively.”

One did have many questions. Upon receiving the Saint’s invitation, countless questions had flooded her mind.

Why had she expelled those with unusual abilities?

Why had she been able to find an “Ember” identical to Dawn City’s?

Why…

So many whys.

But upon seeing the Saint, these questions faded, leaving only one.

Who are you?

Who is the Saint?

“Have we… met before?” One whispered.

She felt as if she were back in the Endless Wasteland, many years ago.

Those hazy, yet warm, days…

Now just fragmented memories, scattered and lost.

“We’ve met… many times,” the Saint nodded. “The end and the beginning of civilizations are a cycle. You are at one end, and I am at the other, but now… we stand together.

“But now… your life flickers like a candle in the wind, about to be extinguished.”

One was silent.

She knew the Saint was right.

Although both were God’s Chosen, One’s condition was far worse than her siblings’.

Even slight emotional fluctuations caused spatial fragments to appear around her.

In severe cases, even spatial rifts.

For a God’s Chosen nearing the peak of human power, this was unbelievable.

And worse, as her life force faded, her control weakened.

One couldn’t imagine the consequences if she lost control completely.

Even as a child, she had easily destroyed a settlement of hundreds.

And now…

Even Noah might not be able to withstand her uncontrolled power.

“It’s none of your concern,” One looked away. “I will leave… on my own.”

She paused, then whispered, “After… everything is… arranged.”

“You asked if we have met. The answer is yes,” the Saint said calmly. “I can also tell you… that besides ‘Saint,’ I once had another name.”

—”Absolute Death.”

“!!!”

One’s eyes widened in shock, the space around her fracturing.

But the silver light on the throne flickered, and the fractured space instantly healed.

One, however, was too shocked to notice, her gaze fixed on the Saint, filled with hatred.

…In her fragmented memories, the hatred for “Absolute Death” hadn’t faded, but intensified over time.

“I am ‘Absolute Death,’ but not… the ‘Witch of Absolute Death’,” the Saint turned away and whispered. “I am no longer the ‘Witch of Absolute Death,’ I am simply ‘Absolute Death,’… her ‘Absolute Death’.”

The Saint’s gaze fell upon the silver light, as if looking at someone else.

“Our story… isn’t over yet.”

After the initial shock and anger, One quickly calmed down.

Although her appearance and physique hadn’t changed, she was no longer the naive child she once was.

“Why are you telling me this?” One asked coldly. “Although I’ve lost many memories… I still remember… you and the ‘Malice of All Worlds’… you planned to destroy this world.”

“I… they never intended to destroy the world,” the Saint glanced at One, her indifferent gaze causing a pang of pain. “Only to destroy this current civilization. And this… has happened many times before.

“For tens of thousands of years, it has never stopped.”

“What are you saying?” One frowned. “Destroying a civilization and destroying the world… aren’t they the same thing?”

“To you, they are,” the Saint whispered. “But to Her… and to them… they are not.

“Because destroying a civilization… is to free this world… from the despairing prison of the ‘gods’… A futile attempt to escape, repeated again and again… an endless cycle of… failure.

“I’m tired of it. I’m willing to stay in this civilization and try to save it, even if the cost of failure… is eternity.”

The Saint turned to face One, her tall figure looking down at her, yet her demeanor wasn’t arrogant, but almost… pleading.

“I need your help, One,” the Saint said seriously. “To exile the ‘Malice of All Worlds’ and the ‘gods’ to a place beyond comprehension… your help is essential.”

“Laughable! You said the same thing to her back then, didn’t you?” One exclaimed, regaining her composure. “Saving the world… it was all a lie!”

One hadn’t forgotten the tears and sorrow of that forgotten person.

“I didn’t lie, I simply… deceived her,” the Saint said calmly. “This time… I’m willing to… join her.”

“Absurd! I won’t fall for your tricks again! I’ll reveal your true nature to the world, let everyone know… the truth about the so-called ‘Saint’!”

One turned to leave.

Seeing this, the Saint sighed. She hadn’t intended to awaken One’s true consciousness.

“At least for now… I still need this ‘Saint’ identity to guide humanity…” The Saint shook her head, looking at One’s back. “How long do you intend to hide, Witch of End? Or rather… ‘Future’ (true name)?”

One’s body stiffened.

And then, she began to fade, as if in a dream.

She slowly turned around, her icy blue eyes like a vast, empty void.

“‘Life’,” she said, “what are you planning?”

…The Witch of End had awakened.

Or rather, One had always been a part of the Witch of End’s consciousness, her memories of the Witch deliberately erased.

Absolute Death was a traitor to the “Malice of All Worlds,” but the Witch of End… was neutral.

Like Absolute Death, after millennia of repeated failures, she had grown weary.

However, the Witch of End didn’t have Luo Yan’s sacrifice as a catalyst, nor Absolute Death’s courage to take that final step.

She had split off a part of her consciousness, becoming the God’s Chosen One, observing this flawed, continuing civilization.

Upon One’s death, this fragment would return to the “Malice of All Worlds,” continuing the endless cycle of failure.

If the Saint hadn’t awakened her by revealing her true name, One would have simply died as One, the part of her that was the Witch of End never resurfacing.

“I am no longer the ‘Witch of Absolute Death,’ but the ‘Witch of Absolute Death’ will continue to exist.”

Facing the Witch of End, whom she knew so well, the Saint didn’t waste any words. She revealed something.

…Or rather, someone.

A beautiful, dark-haired girl lay there, as if asleep.

“This is… your mortal vessel?” the Witch of End asked, surprised. “Do you intend to…?”

“Indeed, since the Witch of Absolute Death will continue to exist, the best solution… is to control her,” the Saint’s voice was calm, as if she wasn’t talking about her former self.

“This is my ‘Artificial Witch’ plan, to ensure that the new ‘Witch of Absolute Death’… will continue to protect humanity after I, along with you and the gods, are exiled to a place beyond comprehension.”

“To control a member of the ‘Malice of All Worlds’… using a mortal vessel…?” The Witch of End looked at the Saint. “I have to say, even among us, few are as… audacious… as you.”

“No, I’m not audacious enough,” the Saint glanced at the white light, then at the Witch of End. “It’s you who are audacious.”

“Suit yourself, I’ll help you if you want,” the Witch of End glanced at the white light, then looked away, seemingly indifferent. “But prepare a good coffin for me first.”

She was the Witch of End, simply forgetting this fact most of the time.

Only in her dream state would that part of her awaken.

And her greatest worry was that after her death, her body would lose control, becoming a disaster.

But if it were Absolute Death…

She would surely find a way to control it, wouldn’t she?

“Is this… a deal? It seems I’m getting the better end of it.”

“…If you think so.”

-Volume 2 End-

************************************************************************

Mister Zero, Her Story: “IF” Side Story – A Rotting Journal 

(Smeared text) June 13th, Record.

Three months have passed since the Calamity Tide returned. The disaster that occurred millennia ago has descended once more, catching humanity off guard…

No, at least we knew.

Because… the Calamity Tide started in Yan City.

An invisible, strange wave spread from the Ember Furnace, driving anyone who touched it into an endless frenzy, transforming them into twisted monsters.

Yan City was destroyed.

Our Yan City, the city of our forefathers… destroyed in an instant.

The “Ember” that gave us hope became a source of terror, devouring lives.

Uncle Lin is dead, and Rhine, the Dawn Captain who invaded, is also dead. Only the old man managed to escape with us.

So this is what it feels like… to be a refugee…

Miss Luo Yan also seems to be dead, but the old man, whenever I mention her, hesitates, refusing to say more.

I suddenly miss her.

And Sister… where is she?

July 6th, Record.

Refugees fleeing from the west brought shocking news.

Noah has fallen.

The Noah Holy Church, which guided humanity in the New Era, is gone, including the Twelve Saints.

What happened…? Why is human civilization on the verge of collapse? This feeling of unreality… where does it come from?

The old man said he would continue our fathers’ legacy, build a new Yan City, a new future.

But… do we even have a future?

August 12th, Record.

The old man is dead.

I killed him.

He cried and begged me to kill him. It was the first time I saw him cry.

I didn’t want to…

But he had become a monster, grotesque and ugly, only a sliver of his consciousness remaining, begging me to end his suffering.

I buried his remains, what little was left of him, a pile of deformed flesh, and placed a wooden marker: “Li Ping’s Grave.”

But a gust of wind swept through, and the grave was gone, I couldn’t even find him…

Few remain from Yan City, and I’ve released several more these past few days.

I also want to die.

October 3rd, Record.

A long and lonely journey…

I’m alone now, everyone else is dead.

I can still see the stars at night. There was an old saying in the Old Era that when people die, they become stars.

But after becoming a monster… can we still become stars?

Just wishful thinking…

Record.

How many days have passed? Or years?

I often see Miss Luo Yan, watching me silently, but I can’t touch her. Are these… deathbed hallucinations?

My hands… don’t seem like hands anymore…

I’m awake.

But I’m crying.

I finally understand…

Miss Luo Yan… why…?

I’m coming, Miss Luo Yan… come closer… please?

---

**

(Author notes)

Phew… Volume Two is finally finished! Although the results are, as always, not ideal, I expected that (laughs).

This is a story about redemption, Miss Luo Yan walking a path towards redemption, both for herself and for this world.

But… what if she fails?

What if she can’t awaken from the whispers of divinity?

What would be the outcome?

The “IF” side story offers a glimpse of this terrifying possibility.

But thankfully, our Miss Luo Yan hasn’t failed yet, at least not yet…

Volume Two, “Mister Zero, Her Story,” reveals Miss Luo Yan’s past and the struggles of the world and human civilization against the Calamity Tide and the gods.

There is no absolute right or wrong; everyone acts according to their own beliefs, making their own choices, eventually reaching their own end.

I don’t want to over-analyze the plot or explain the foreshadowing and easter eggs.

Because I believe every reader has their own understanding, whether they find it enjoyable or poorly written.

Once Miss Luo Yan’s story was written, it no longer belonged solely to me. Every reader has their own unique “Miss Luo Yan” in their mind.

Anyway, that’s enough rambling for now. Due to recent overtime and work commitments, and the discouraging results, I haven’t been able to reply to comments. If you want to chat, you can join the book discussion group~

Please look forward to—Volume Three, “Night of the Witches”!

Mister Zero, Her Story: Interlude – In the Sanctuary

“Noah.”

Humanity’s first and largest mega-city.

The very concept of a “mega-city” originated with Noah’s founding.

Before that, the largest settlements could only hold about three thousand people.

But the nascent Noah, with a population of three hundred thousand, was a beacon of hope for humanity.

Its existence guided the survivors of the New Era in the vast Endless Wasteland.

After years of development and planning, Noah’s Ember could now sustain a population of fifty million.

Compared to that, Yan City’s three million was insignificant.

And considering its remote location, calling Yan City a backwater town wasn’t an exaggeration.

Now, Noah was far larger than when it was first founded. The original district had been designated as the Noah Sanctuary, reserved for Noah’s and the Holy Church’s higher-ups.

Deep within the Sanctuary, at the core of the “Ember,” only the Twelve Saints could freely enter and exit. Anyone else needed strict authorization, requiring the approval of at least three Saints to briefly enter this core area, known as the “Holy Domain.”

The Saint who founded Noah, and the original Twelve Saints, were long dead. The Twelve Saints had been replaced several times over.

As for the Saint, there had only ever been one.

Within a temple in the Noah Sanctuary, a figure in a white robe stood by the window, hands clasped behind their back.

She looked up slightly, as if watching the setting sun on the horizon.

“…It’s getting late,” the woman in white said softly. “What is it?”

“Heh, discovered again.”

The shadow cast by the setting sun twisted and distorted, becoming a faint, dark figure.

“I thought these new toys the youngsters developed would be enough to evade your senses.”

“Get to the point.”

The woman in white didn’t turn, only shifting her gaze slightly towards the shadowy figure.

“So serious,” the shadow pouted. “The Yan City incident is over, shouldn’t you be coming back?

“And besides Yan City, there have been several other false alarms about the ‘Witch of Envy’ descending… probably just faulty equipment.”

“The demon detection devices in other mega-cities were made by your Equipment Department. Should I reprimand them for you?” the woman in white said calmly.

The shadow’s expression stiffened. “Perhaps they just don’t know how to use them…”

“Always making such hasty assumptions, you haven’t changed at all.”

The woman’s tone was calm, her expression unchanging.

“You weren’t much better back then… ‘Dawnbreaker’,” the shadow teased.

“…Please don’t use that name.”

“Then… ‘God of Black Dragon Flame,’ ‘King of Ruin and Illusion,’ or ‘Hero Chosen by Light,’ which do you prefer?”

“You’re being childish.”

A flicker of annoyance crossed the woman’s face, and she looked away slightly.

This was Hua Qingling’s idol, the true identity of Yan City’s Elise, one of Noah’s current Twelve Saints, ranked fourth: “Illusion.”

“But you’re not as fun as you used to be, Illusion.”

The shadow walked over and sat down in Illusion’s chair, casually flipping through the documents on the table.

But after a moment, she gave up; they were just boring official documents and reports.

Unlike back then, when she could always find something interesting in these mundane things.

“People change. I’m not who I used to be, Shadow,” Illusion lowered her head slightly and whispered. “I often think about humanity’s future, how we should guide them, towards a better world.

“I’m no longer that naive, dreamy little girl.”

“…You weren’t back then either. Seventy years old isn’t exactly ‘little’.”

Illusion was actually of the same generation as the Sword Saint Sect Master’s father… Her relationship with Shadow was more like that of close friends with a significant age gap.

“…”

An awkward silence.

“Why don’t you come and have some tea with me?” Shadow said listlessly. “Constantly posing by the window is boring.”

“I’m not posing, I’m contemplating the future…”

“Alright, alright, I know you’re standing on a stool under that robe. If it’s too much trouble to come down, I can just carry you.”

“…If you wouldn’t mind.”

After removing the heavy white robe, a small figure stood by the window.

The world-renowned, revered human pillar, Saint “Illusion,” was only 1.3 meters tall, a veritable shorty.

Even as Shadow lifted her up by her armpits, Illusion maintained her serious, composed expression.

After setting Illusion down, Shadow picked up the tea set and began preparing tea.

“Actually, what I wanted to say is, even with the current situation… convening the Grand Council of Cities is a bit excessive. The impact is too great, and many in the Noah Church are complaining.”

“Let them come and tell me themselves,” Illusion said calmly, then frowned slightly. “Could you get me a stool? The table is too high.”

“Oh, right.”

Shadow quickly put down the tea set and placed the stool Illusion had been standing on under her chair.

“As for the Grand Council… Shadow, don’t forget the Witch of Absolute Death war three hundred years ago.”

Illusion’s expression was serious, although her childish face made it less intimidating.

Shadow paused, then said, “I know, but the world is different now. Humanity has been at peace for too long; they need time to adjust.”

“We are also human, don’t underestimate them. What I’ve seen in Yan City these past few days is more valuable than decades of meditation in the Sanctuary… And stop pouring, the cup is full.”

“Ah, sorry!” Shadow quickly stopped pouring, but the spilled tea had already soaked the documents on the table. “Oops, I seem to have caused some trouble…”

“As you said, they’re just boring documents. I haven’t finished writing my… ahem, never mind.”

“What were you writing?” Shadow perked up instantly.

When it came to gossip, Hua Qiling was a mere amateur compared to Shadow, the true master. Many secrets had been leaked through her.

—Including Illusion’s embarrassing past, which she had compiled and published.

Otherwise… why would Illusion submit such things?

…Probably not, right?

“I think we should be discussing more important matters, like humanity’s future, not such trivial things… And besides, I just misspoke, that’s all,” Illusion said calmly.

“Heh, such a serious woman. I thought you had changed, but you’re still the same.”

“…I don’t want to argue about this,” Illusion changed the subject. “Anyway, the Grand Council is happening.”

“Why are you so insistent on this?” Shadow said, resting her chin on her hand. “I, the Eleventh Saint, have been running around trying to dissuade you, and you still haven’t changed your mind.”

“The matter of the Primordial Demons must be handled carefully, especially now that the Witch of Envy’s descent has been confirmed,” Illusion said softly. “The mega-cities of the Free Federation are too complacent. Even Lannister panicked at the mere hint of a demonic aura. What will happen if they truly face one?”

“Well, Lannister has been focused on trade for so long, we have to understand…” Shadow drawled, swinging her long legs.

Illusion, finding this incredibly irritating, looked away. “But this won’t do. Everyone has to understand the gravity of this threat.”

“Oh, you look like a child who hasn’t even been weaned, yet you act like an old woman,” Shadow said, exasperated. “Do you even know what happened after you announced the Grand Council?

“Panic! The entire human world is in chaos because of your announcement! Only a few mega-cities under martial law are maintaining order; the rest are in complete disarray!

“The Noah Church has been working overtime for three days and nights, and they’re still chugging ‘Focus’ potions!”

Almost all mega-cities were hoarding resources, nearly half had closed their lifelines, and over two-thirds of the communication relay stations in the Endless Wasteland had gone silent.

“Is it really that serious?” Illusion said, skeptical. “I remember… the last time we convened the Grand Council, everyone was quite enthusiastic…”

“…My dear sister, you didn’t even consider this before making the announcement?” Shadow looked at her in disbelief. “Was the situation back then the same as now? Back then, the Witch of Absolute Death had already destroyed over a dozen mega-cities, everyone was terrified!

“We convened the Grand Council, deciding to unite all of humanity to face this world-ending threat. It was a morale booster!

“And now? For most mega-cities, the demons haven’t even appeared yet! Announcing the Grand Council now only causes unnecessary panic!”

Illusion was taken aback; she hadn’t considered this, only wanting to unite humanity quickly.

But her expression turned serious.

“But I believe… even with the inconvenience… this is necessary.

“That tragedy… I don’t want to experience it again, and neither should humanity.”

Seeing Illusion’s childish yet serious expression, Shadow fell silent.

Her thoughts drifted back three hundred years.

Back then, she hadn’t been “Shadow,” just Illusion’s best friend.

In that war centuries ago, not only had the Sword Saint Sect Master died, but over half of the Twelve Saints had also perished.

Illusion was one of the few survivors.

She had seen too much.

Perhaps this was why she was so insistent on the Grand Council, wanting to unite humanity before another disaster struck, before everything became irreversible.

“Alright, since you insist… I can only agree,” Shadow sighed. “I’ll deal with the others, you just focus on preparing for the Grand Council.”

“Huh?” Illusion paused. “What others?”

“Who else do you think I’m here for?” Shadow put her hands on her hips. “The Church officials came crying to me, the other Saints came asking… Do you have any idea how difficult this is for me?”

Illusion was the Fourth Saint. The top three were currently in the Holy Domain, suppressing the Witch of Absolute Death. She was the highest-ranking Saint available.

And with her unpredictable temper (or rather, her unique way of thinking), few dared to speak to her directly.

So, they had to go through Shadow, Illusion’s closest friend.

“Mm… thank you for your hard work,” Illusion nodded. “I should also start preparing for the Grand Council.”

She turned and walked towards her desk.

Looking at Illusion’s small, lonely figure, Shadow felt a pang of sadness.

Yes, Illusion was currently the highest-ranking Saint, but three hundred years ago, she had been the tenth.

Almost all the Saints above her had died in that war, and now, she had few friends, few who understood her.

The world of the New Era was constantly changing, the peace lasting for so long… but Illusion was still stuck in that disaster three hundred years ago, the disaster that almost brought about humanity’s extinction.

I should take her out sometime…

Shadow sighed deeply and turned to leave, melting into the shadows.

But before she could, she saw Illusion taking out a pen and paper.

“Wait, what are you preparing?” Shadow’s melancholic mood vanished as she realized something. “Don’t tell me…”

“Elise has been exposed, I can’t use that identity anymore. I need a new one for the Grand Council, so I’m writing a new backstory,” Illusion said, chewing on her pen. “My father’s name is Lislake, a frustrated law professor, my mother is deceased…”

“…I was wrong.”

“Hm? Wrong about what?”

“Nothing, just… take your time, prepare well…”

Shadow’s previous sadness vanished instantly.

But this… was just Illusion, wasn’t it?

“This is the real you,” Shadow smiled, watching Illusion diligently writing, her expression serious. “Compared to back then, you seem to have changed so much, yet… you haven’t changed at all…”

Mister Zero, Her Story: Chapter 90 – Forgotten

A few days later, Lannister.

Although they were supposed to treat Luo Yan as an ordinary guest, she was still the cause of the recent panic in Lannister; they couldn’t be careless.

Preparations had to be made, and her accommodation carefully chosen and arranged.

So, after several days of delay, Luo Yan and Hua Qingling remained in the forest.

Lannister had sent messengers to apologize for the delay, but according to their reports, Miss Luo Yan didn’t seem to mind.

In her conversations with the messengers, she had been quite agreeable.

And the messengers had gathered a significant amount of information from these conversations, compiling a valuable report.

Ignoring the lengthy descriptions of Miss Luo Yan’s appearance, the information was crucial for Lannister.

Norian even set aside all other matters to focus on this.

Most of Lannister’s higher-ups, besides the Council of Elders, only knew that Norian was prioritizing this matter, unaware of Luo Yan’s true identity, or that she was the cause of the recent chaos.

Therefore, speculations ran rampant.

The most popular theory was that she was an Elder’s illegitimate daughter, but the other Elders, usually Norian’s rivals, remained silent, even subtly suppressing any dissent, further deepening the mystery.

And so, after several days of fermentation, even before entering the city, Luo Yan’s rumored identity had shifted from an Elder’s illegitimate daughter to that of a Bishop’s from the Noah Church.

…Regardless, she was always an illegitimate daughter.

It should be clarified that the Noah Holy Church wasn’t the same as the Noah Church. The Noah Church was the ruling body of Noah, worshipping the Noah Holy Church.

And the Noah Holy Church had few members, consisting of the Saint, the Twelve Saints, and the Saint’s Servants, including the Holy Knights, the War Priests, etc., less than a thousand in total.

The Noah Church, although a religious organization, was actually a powerful ruling body, controlling all aspects of Noah.

The Lannister Council wouldn’t be so concerned about the Noah Holy Church, but the Noah Church… that was a different matter.

Of course, only the Lannister Council and Grandma Zoya, and Hua Qingling, who was with Luo Yan, knew the truth.

Everyone else didn’t even know who they were preparing to receive, or when.

This was Norian’s deliberate strategy, to avoid further controversy.

Although the Saint had given her assurances… who could guarantee the Saint’s guarantee?

Bringing such a dangerous individual to Lannister was risky, and the more people who knew, the greater the risk.

Therefore, maintaining the status quo was the best option.

After several days of preparation, Norian, satisfied, decided to personally welcome Luo Yan to Lannister.

This was an unprecedented act for a city leader. Even Lin Cheng, the City Lord of Yan City, hadn’t appeared when Luo Yan arrived.

Norian, compared to Lin Cheng, was like Lannister compared to Yan City, their status and power vastly different.

“I wasn’t planning on meeting her personally…”

Norian walked beside Grandma Zoya on the forest path, sighing.

In terms of strength, Norian had only barely reached “Peril” level through the use of drugs, mainly for the extended lifespan.

He wasn’t talented, even considered weak. If he were in Yan City, with their limited resources, he might not even reach “Ruin” level.

However, as a city leader, personal strength wasn’t that important.

Being a capable fighter didn’t necessarily make one a good leader. Only two or three members of the Council were above “Peril” level, and they were mostly reliant on drugs.

Norian valued his life. Meeting this dangerous individual meant risking death.

Even if it was just a one in ten thousand chance… it was still a possibility.

“Don’t worry, she’s just a little girl,” Grandma Zoya chuckled. “Quite cute, and very polite. Even this old woman was addressed as ‘Mister’.”

In the past few days, whether for Lannister’s sake or her own curiosity, Grandma Zoya had visited the forest several times.

In her subsequent interactions with Luo Yan, she hadn’t noticed the unusual aura from their first meeting, and the giant beasts, although still lingering in the area, no longer surrounded her.

“What, Grandma Zoya, did you also try to set her up with your eighteen-year-old son?”

Norian’s interest was piqued, his mustache twitching.

Grandma Zoya had a habit of trying to set up any promising young person, regardless of gender, with her youngest son… She had been doing this since he was ten.

“Ahem… I know where to draw the line…”

Grandma Zoya coughed, avoiding the topic.

How could she possibly suggest such a thing?!

More detailed information about the Yan City incident had arrived in Lannister.

Due to Luo Yan, Lannister took this information very seriously, the Council holding several meetings to discuss it.

Ultimately… they reached no conclusion.

But no conclusion was also a conclusion. It meant that the Saint didn’t want anyone interfering; her firm stance had made that clear.

Grandma Zoya wasn’t foolish or reckless, so she pretended to be oblivious to Luo Yan’s unusual qualities, minimizing contact with her.

However, setting that aside… this girl named Luo Yan… did make Grandma Zoya want to introduce her to her son…

Of course, she wouldn’t actually do it.

They walked through the forest, approaching the location where Luo Yan had appeared.

Norian hadn’t brought any guards. Grandma Zoya’s presence alone was more than enough.

“It’s just up ahead… You don’t have to hide behind me, Elder Norian,” Grandma Zoya said, amused by his nervousness.

It was rare to see Lannister’s Chief Elder so flustered…

“I’m just a ‘Peril’ level ability user, and one who relies on drugs at that. Facing such a mysterious and potentially dangerous individual, how can I not be nervous?”

Norian wasn’t pretending to be brave. He hid behind Grandma Zoya without shame.

“Heh, if you were in front of your juniors…”

“Miss Luo Yan!”

Luo Yan’s clear voice echoed before Grandma Zoya could finish her sarcastic remark.

Norian, hearing the voice, discreetly moved further behind Grandma Zoya.

Two small figures emerged from the morning mist, Luo Yan and Hua Qingling walking towards them.

Norian, having met Hua Qingling before, immediately recognized the other girl as their target, Miss Luo Yan.

His gaze was drawn to her, and he was instantly captivated.

No wonder the messenger had spent so much time describing her… she was truly a rare beauty.

As Lannister’s Chief Elder, Norian had seen countless beautiful women.

Even Chris Tina, the Free Federation’s current “national goddess,” he had met several times.

In fact, he was almost tired of seeing her. Whenever there was a major event in Lannister, they would invite Miss Chris to sing.

After all, Lannister had money, lots of it.

But words couldn’t describe the girl before him. Comparing her to Miss Chris would be absurd.

This was a different kind of beauty, as if she was the very definition of “beauty.”

Fortunately, this “beauty” didn’t have any mind-altering effects, at least not yet.

After a moment of stunned silence, Norian regained his composure.

He had anticipated this. He coughed and introduced himself.

“Miss Luo Yan, Miss Hua Qingling, I am Norian, Chief Elder of Lannister. Welcome to Lannister. I apologize for the delay and the… less than ideal accommodations.”

“It’s alright, it’s alright, I know I’m… special. If it’s too much trouble, I can just leave,” Luo Yan waved her hands dismissively.

She had simply been lost and hadn’t intended to enter Lannister.

If she hadn’t encountered Grandma Zoya and Hua Qingling (or perhaps it was fate?), she would have likely re-entered the void to find her way after resting.

…Although, after leaving One’s body, Luo Yan’s ability to sense void nodes seemed to be… malfunctioning. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have ended up in Lannister.

In the past few days, Luo Yan had learned much from Hua Qingling, mostly about Lannister and Noah.

She had also contacted Yan City, although only through Hua Qingling’s limited communicator, and learned about the situation there.

The Yan City incident was over, and the reconstruction was underway.

Luo Yan was relieved, free to head towards Noah.

However… the messenger from Lannister had said someone would come to escort her to Noah, but hadn’t specified who.

Out of curiosity and politeness, Luo Yan had decided to wait.

And having someone to guide her was also preferable; she didn’t want to get lost again…

“Don’t worry, Miss Luo Yan, I’m also acting on someone’s request,” Norian said, his expression relaxing slightly seeing her agreeable demeanor.

“And Lannister welcomes all guests. As long as you abide by our laws, even refugees… are treated with respect.”

“Even refugees…?”

Luo Yan blinked. It wasn’t that she looked down on refugees, but she knew that most mega-cities shunned them.

Even Yan City, which turned a blind eye to refugees sneaking into the Abandoned District, was an exception.

Ultimately, it was a matter of resources.

Even with the “Ember’s” endless energy, resources were still scarce; they couldn’t afford to support more refugees.

Or rather… they could, but they didn’t want to. No one wanted to spend their precious resources on these unproductive “sinners.”

“Of course, this is the pride of Lannister,” Norian said proudly. “Refugees can earn food and shelter through work, and even the lowliest criminal can earn a roof over their head through honest labor.”

Norian wasn’t lying. As a trading hub, Lannister had the resources to accommodate refugees.

Of course, he didn’t mention that refugees’ wages were only one-tenth of ordinary citizens’, and they were usually assigned the most menial and undesirable jobs.

He wasn’t deliberately hiding this, but simply because… refugees were rejected by most mega-cities.

For a city like Lannister to offer them work, even with meager pay, was already a blessing.

“That sounds… nice. I’m looking forward to seeing this mega-city,” Luo Yan said, her interest piqued, then she paused and asked, “But you said you were acting on someone’s request… Whose request?”

“On… I apologize,” Norian started to answer, then hesitated, remembering that the Saint hadn’t said whether he could reveal her involvement. “You’ll find out… eventually.”

What if the Saint didn’t want Miss Luo Yan to know yet?

It was best to be cautious.

“Alright, I’ll wait.”

Luo Yan didn’t press further. She couldn’t imagine who would escort her to Noah.

And since she couldn’t figure it out, she wouldn’t bother.

Norian, thinking he had handled the situation well, stepped aside and gestured towards the city.

“This way, Miss Luo Yan.”

“Although your stay in Lannister will be brief… I still hope you enjoy our city.”

Luo Yan nodded and stepped forward expectantly.

But just then, she felt an inexplicable tremor in her heart, and a faint voice whispered in her ear,

“Finally… found you…”

“I’ve wandered for centuries… a small white flower…”

Luo Yan stopped.

“Who?”

“What’s wrong?” They turned to Luo Yan, Norian’s expression the most anxious.

He was the most worried about something going wrong.

Luo Yan was silent for a moment, then shook her head.

“Sorry, it’s nothing, just my imagination.”

…

Noah, the Sanctuary.

Within the solemn white hall, intricate patterns adorned the walls, the floor, even the supporting pillars.

Several figures were scattered throughout the hall, sitting, standing, or lying down.

Their eyes were closed, as if they had been in this position for centuries.

And in the center of the hall, bound by countless white chains to a dark throne, sat a small, dark figure.

She slowly opened her eyes, black tears rolling down her cheeks.

“I… haven’t forgotten…”

Mister Zero, Her Story: Chapter 89 – Black and White, and Gray

In reality, Yan City, in the midst of rebuilding, couldn’t spare anyone for the Grand Council of Cities.

High-ranking officials like Lin Cheng and Li Ping were too busy, and those below them were needed for the reconstruction efforts.

As for those even lower…

It was pointless.

As a newly established mega-city, Yan City had little influence in the Grand Council.

Therefore, it didn’t matter who they sent.

Choosing Anna… was entirely Elise’s idea, relayed to Yan City through the Holy Knight-Captain.

But when Lin Cheng learned that the Holy Knight-Captain had designated a girl named “Anna,” whom he didn’t know, he was alarmed and immediately investigated.

After the investigation, however, his expression turned even stranger, his gaze shifting between the impassive Holy Knight-Captain and Anna’s photo.

So the Holy Knight-Captain has… this kind of hobby…?

However, this misunderstanding was cleared up when Anna and Elise appeared. Even Lin Cheng could sense the respect shown towards this young woman by the Holy Knight-Captain.

And so, Anna’s attendance at the Grand Council as Yan City’s representative was decided.

After calming down, Hua Qiling also understood Yan City’s intentions.

Yan City was too weak, too insignificant to have any real influence in the Grand Council, even though they were the reason for it being convened.

And having just suffered a near-city-destroying disaster, they were short-handed.

In this situation, sending a random representative was better than assembling a delegation.

However, she hadn’t expected them to choose Anna.

“It seems this ‘Elise’… isn’t simple.”

Hua Qiling pondered, then, seeing Anna’s increasingly nervous expression, she raised an eyebrow. “What, don’t want to leave Yan City?”

“A little…” Anna mumbled. “If Second Sister Hua is unhappy, I won’t go.”

“Go, why wouldn’t you go?” Hua Qiling said, hands on her hips. “Noah! That’s the largest human mega-city, completely different from this small town of Yan City.

“Since you have a chance to see the world, you can’t miss it!”

Hua Qiling paused, her voice softening.

“Just… remember to come back.”

“Mm-hmm!” Anna nodded vigorously, then, as if remembering something, she slapped her forehead. “Oh right, Second Sister Hua, Elise said we have to go to Lannister to find Miss Luo Yan first. Do you have anything you want to tell her?”

“Tell her… I don’t really know…” Hua Qiling’s expression was conflicted. “Or rather, there’s too much I want to say, but you wouldn’t understand…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay, tell me everything, I’ll remember it,” Anna smiled mischievously. “I’m sure Miss Luo Yan also misses you very much, hee hee…”

“Go on, you little rascal,” Hua Qiling said, then hesitated. “Just tell Miss Luo Yan that… ‘Hua Qiling is doing well’… Is that enough?”

“Just that? Don’t you have anything else to say?” Anna asked, holding a notebook. “That’s not even a full page!”

“Heh, I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not telling you,” Hua Qiling crossed her arms. “I’ll go to Noah myself and tell Miss Luo Yan personally when I’m free.”

“Tch, Second Sister Hua is so boring.”

“You little brat, getting sassy, are you?!”

Hua Qiling’s face flushed with mock anger, and she pretended to lunge at Anna.

Anna dodged and stuck her tongue out at Hua Qiling before running off.

Watching her go, Hua Qiling’s anger subsided, and she shook her head, amused.

…It was good to see her back to her usual energetic self. A quiet Anna was strange.

“Hmph, how can I just say one sentence?” Hua Qiling muttered, pulling out a pen and paper. “A message… I’ll just write a letter.”

…

In another hospital ward.

Due to the unusual nature of Qin Wen’s injuries, she couldn’t be moved to a regular ward.

This ward, personally secured by the Holy Knight-Captain (actually Elise), was protected by a powerful anti-demon barrier, comparable to the “Ember’s” space. Everyone entering and leaving was thoroughly checked for any traces of demonic power.

Even with the inexplicable disappearance of the demonic corruption within Qin Wen, the strict security measures remained in place.

Anything related to a Primordial Demon warranted such caution.

Qin Wen sat on the bed, staring blankly ahead.

This had been going on for a while; she hadn’t yet recovered from the trauma.

Just then, footsteps echoed from outside, and a hunched, elderly figure silently appeared beside her.

“Wen’er.”

A deep voice, heavier than usual.

Qin Wen turned stiffly, looking at her closest, most respected relative.

“Master…”

The Sword Saint Sect Master.

No one knew his name; his past, like the Sword Saint sect itself, was shrouded in mystery.

But no one could ignore this unyielding mountain, this sharp sword of humanity.

“Am I… useless?” Qin Wen lowered her head. “I actually became… an accomplice to a demon…”

Regardless of the circumstances, Qin Wen had been the catalyst for this disaster.

Although no one blamed her, she couldn’t use the excuse of being controlled to absolve herself. Her mistake remained.

“Yes, you are useless,” the Sword Saint Sect Master nodded, then his voice sharpened. “But do you intend to remain useless? Did you ever imagine yourself like this?”

Qin Wen looked up, startled by her master’s rare display of seriousness and his harsh words.

“Who are you?”

The old man’s gaze was sharp, like a blade.

“I… am Qin Wen.”

“No, that’s not the answer the Sword Saint sect needs. Tell me, who are you?” He pointed at her. “Where is your answer?”

“My answer…” Qin Wen murmured, her eyes unfocused. “But… who am I? Where… is my answer…?”

The old man watched her silently for a long moment, then sighed deeply.

“Wen’er, you’ve changed a lot since coming to Yan City, but whether this change should be called growth… depends on you.”

He smiled wryly, his expression softening as he gently stroked her hair, just like he used to.

“Before, you only thought with your sword, acted with your sword, but now… you hesitate, you no longer rely solely on your sword, you’ve learned to think.”

“My sword…”

Qin Wen looked down at her hands.

Yes, even when she had betrayed herself, her sword had remained true.

Neither living nor dead, existing only to slay demons.

Just like before, if she sensed even a trace of a demon, she would pursue it relentlessly, never giving up.

But now… she hesitated?

“I’m not unaware of your experiences in Yan City, but I don’t know if these changes are good or bad, because this is your path… you must walk it yourself,” the old man whispered. “Answer me again, Wen’er, who are you?”

Who am I?

How could she answer this question?

Qin Wen closed her eyes.

She recalled her days hunting demons in the Endless Wasteland, and the guilt she felt when she mistook Miss Luo Yan for a demon…

For the first time, she realized that the world wasn’t just black and white, but also shades of gray, filled with suffering and struggle.

So, what had she been pursuing all this time?

Her black and white worldview had shattered, replaced by an endless expanse of gray…

She had begun to hesitate, she had set aside her sword that only saw black and white, abandoning her initial innocence and purity, lost in the gray.

And her master’s words reminded her… that she still had her sword.

Yes, her sword couldn’t distinguish between gray, black, and white, but it could give her the most direct, the purest, answer.

“…I understand, Master.”

A spark returned to Qin Wen’s eyes.

“I am… Qin Wen of the Sword Saint sect, and my sword… will answer this question.”

Several swords materialized, their humming a response to Qin Wen.

“There’s an old saying from a religion in the Old Era, describing a person’s state of mind,” the old man said slowly. “Worldly detachment, worldly engagement, then detachment again, then engagement again.”

“Your training in the Endless Wasteland forged your resolute sword heart, a state of ‘worldly detachment.’ And during your time in Yan City, you learned to think, to make choices… You’ve experienced ‘worldly engagement’.”

“So now, Wen’er, it’s time for ‘detachment’ again. Use your sword, and see the world’s suffering and struggles once more.”

“And when you return to ‘engagement’… the name of the Sword Saint… will resound throughout the world because of you.”

Qin Wen wasn’t excited by her master’s words. Her expression turned serious.

“But Master, can I… truly do this?”

She, who claimed to slay all demons, had been tainted by a demon, almost committing an unforgivable act…

Could such a person… truly live up to the name of the Sword Saint?

“That’s for you to decide,” the old man shrugged. “Leave Yan City. Take your sword, and your thoughts, and I will await your return.

“When that day comes, I can proudly proclaim that I am the master… and the father… of ‘Sword Saint Qin Wen’.”

The old man straightened his back, his expression no longer playful, but filled with pride and expectation.

Qin Wen rarely saw him so serious, but she knew that he had always been this way, simply hiding it beneath a playful facade.

She smiled faintly at him, then stood up resolutely, leaving the bed.

The swords around her vanished, but their sharp aura lingered.

Just like before, Qin Wen looked like a drawn blade.

But unlike before, this blade’s edge was now sheathed.

“It’s time… to start anew.”

Qin Wen’s gaze hardened, and she walked out of the ward, heading towards the exit of Yan City.

She didn’t say goodbye to her master, because she knew that he… her father… would always be with her.

Always.

…

The Sword Saint Sect Master watched Qin Wen leave, his serious expression quickly crumbling.

He slapped his knee and wailed dramatically.

“Oh Wen’er, my daughter has grown up and left me… She didn’t even say goodbye…”

“Alright, alright, old man, she can’t hear you even if you cry.”

An impatient female voice sounded, and a tall, beautiful figure appeared. Elise said, exasperated.

“Don’t call me old man, you old hag, you’re older than me!” The Sword Saint Sect Master glared at her. “I remember clearly, you and my father were of the same generation, and he even pursued you!”

“…I am Elise, thirty-one years old.”

“Stop pretending, you old Illusion hag, I almost had to call you Mom! Oh wait… if my father had actually succeeded… would I even exist?”

“I told you, I’m not Illusion, I’m Elise,” Elise turned away, stubbornly clinging to her persona, even though it had long since crumbled.

“Keep pretending…”

The Sword Saint Sect Master muttered.

“By the way, I heard you attacked Dawn?” Elise raised an eyebrow. “Two ‘Destruction’ level Cadres were injured, and that Rhine, who started the war, is now half-paralyzed. As their elder… wasn’t that a bit much?”

“They attacked Wen’er! If it weren’t for them, she wouldn’t have been targeted by the Witch of Envy!” the old man grumbled. “Besides, my grandfather was their Fifth Mister, so technically, I was just disciplining them on his behalf…”

“…Isn’t it a bit strange for someone your age to keep mentioning your father and grandfather?”

“Isn’t it stranger for you, an old hag, to pretend to be young?”

“I told you, I’m thirty-one…”

“Ugh, just drop the act, old woman.”

Only the Sword Saint Sect Master dared to speak to Elise like this. Anyone else who knew her true identity wouldn’t dare be so disrespectful.

“And that ‘Miss Luo Yan’… what are your plans for her?”

The Sword Saint Sect Master hesitated, then asked.

After this disaster, and considering all the signs, he realized that Luo Yan might not be an ordinary Demonically Infected.

Elise glanced at him and replied,

“I’ll take her to meet the ‘Saint.’ If she’s related to what happened back then… we’ll find out.”

Mister Zero, Her Story: Chapter 88 – Humanity’s Civilization Is Always in Peril

Yan City.

After the communication ended, the Holy Knight-Captain immediately relayed the results to the participants of the secret meeting.

Most of the reinforcements from other mega-cities remained in Yan City to assist with reconstruction, while some acted as messengers, carrying the news back to their respective cities.

However, the team leaders all stayed behind as representatives, waiting for further instructions in the Yan City conference room.

Upon learning that the Witch of Envy hadn’t truly descended, and that the mysterious girl was the victor, everyone was relieved, but their relief quickly turned to anxiety.

Lin Cheng hadn’t revealed the full truth, concealing Luo Yan’s existence and instead attributing the victory to the girl everyone had seen, presumably the “Eldest Mister.”

After all, only he and Rhine knew what had truly transpired within the “Ember’s” space.

And Rhine wouldn’t reveal the truth either, remaining silent about Lin Cheng’s version of events.

Similarly, in Lannister, only the higher-ups and Grandma Zoya knew about Luo Yan’s existence, and combined with the reports from Yan City, they had pieced together the truth.

But due to Elise’s warning, they also kept it secret.

Luo Yan’s existence was, for now, concealed.

Therefore, what worried the meeting participants most was what to do with this mysterious girl.

…Or rather, who would claim her.

Having defeated the Witch of Envy, her strength was undoubtedly above “Destruction” level.

Whether for the Free Federation, Dawn, other factions, or even the competing mega-cities within the Free Federation, a “Destruction” level ability user was a game-changer.

Whispers filled the conference room, every word reaching the Holy Knight-Captain’s ears.

He listened to their increasingly outlandish speculations, his expression impassive, but his head throbbed.

If it weren’t for the Saint’s orders, he wouldn’t be presiding over this troublesome meeting.

As a valiant knight, he should be on the front lines, not playing word games with these “clever” people.

Fortunately, this didn’t last long. Elise’s voice echoed in his mind.

After listening intently, the Knight-Captain’s expression turned serious. He tapped the table lightly with his armored fingers.

“Everyone, please be quiet.”

A force silenced the room.

All eyes turned to the Holy Knight-Captain at the head of the table.

“The Saint has sent a message,” the Knight-Captain said, ignoring Elise’s mental protests. “She, representing the Sanctuary and the Twelve Saints, will take responsibility for the ‘Witch of Envy’ incident.”

The room erupted in murmurs.

The Saint herself was involved?

But thinking about it, a matter of this level could only be handled by a Saint.

Entrusting it to anyone else would be too controversial.

Since the “Witch of Absolute Death” war, the Twelve Saints had rarely appeared in public, only a few making occasional appearances every few decades.

After centuries, they had become legends, even more mysterious than the recently deceased Mister Nine.

At least Mister Nine, due to his leadership of Dawn, had appeared in public from time to time.

“As you all know, this is a serious matter, not just the reappearance of the ‘Witch of Envy’,” the Knight-Captain continued, his expression grave. “It could also mean… the awakening of the other slumbering Primordial Demons, the return of the Calamity Tide that once ravaged the world…

“The Witch of Envy isn’t dead, merely retreated. We don’t know if, or when, she will return.”

He looked around the room, seeing hesitation and calculation in their eyes.

“‘Humanity’s civilization is always in peril’—these are the Saint’s words, words the Noah Holy Church has never forgotten. But now… it seems we are the only ones who remember.”

The world had been at peace for too long, creating a false sense of security.

Everyone seemed to have forgotten that the dormant Primordial Demons hadn’t vanished, that they could awaken at any moment, bringing another apocalypse.

The participants were silent, their thoughts unknown to the Knight-Captain.

“One more thing, due to this incident, and the necessary follow-up actions, the Twelve Saints have decided to convene a Grand Council of Cities, to be held in Noah three months from now,” the Knight-Captain announced.

“A formal notice will be sent to all mega-cities, and other human factions will also receive invitations.”

“There’s no need for excessive panic, but we cannot underestimate the implications of this matter. The Saints will provide further explanations at the Grand Council.”

This preemptive warning was necessary. The last Grand Council had been convened during the Witch of Absolute Death war, a total mobilization of humanity’s forces, to fight the fully manifested Witch.

That war had decimated humanity’s elites, barely managing to seal the Witch away again.

…That kind of full descent was completely different from the current “Witch of Envy” incident.

The mere presence of the Witch of Absolute Death in her true form had destroyed several mega-cities.

And this time, it was just a fragment of her aura.

“That’s all for now,” the Knight-Captain shrugged. “Those who wish to remain in Yan City and assist with the reconstruction can stay. The rest of you, please return and prepare.”

Finally, this ordeal was over… The Knight-Captain’s stoic exterior hid his relief.

Three minutes of this political maneuvering was worse than three days and nights of fighting.

The Knight-Captain was relieved, but the others were worried.

Despite the warning, the announcement of the Grand Council still reminded them of the Witch of Absolute Death war centuries ago.

…That war hadn’t just decimated humanity’s elites, but also indirectly caused the decline of countless mega-cities.

Not destroyed by the Witch of Absolute Death directly, but because their protectors had perished in that war, countless lives lost like grains of sand.

It was a legendary war, sung by bards, a war that birthed countless heroes and stories.

But in its aftermath, only devastation remained.

The mega-cities had to consider the potential consequences of another world war. No one wanted to experience that again.

It might be an opportunity, but the cost…

“A Grand Council…”

Regardless, no one could refuse an invitation from the Twelve Saints of Noah, not even Dawn.

…

Meanwhile, in a Yan City hospital ward.

After learning that Luo Yan was alive, Lin Cheng immediately informed Qin Wen and Hua Qiling.

After a period of recovery, and with the help of a healing priest from the Holy Knight team, Qin Wen had awakened.

She remembered everything that had happened while under the “Witch of Envy’s” influence.

The “Demonic Qin Wen” and the real Qin Wen were one and the same in her memories, every thought and feeling vivid.

Especially the final prayer to the “Witch of Envy,” and the burning of her soul while facing Luo Yan, filled Qin Wen with anguish.

She constantly frowned in her sleep, her troubled mind preventing her from resting, any noise startling her awake.

This had been going on for a while, and Qin Wen now looked haggard, her tall frame gaunt and thin.

However, considering her condition, her survival was practically a miracle.

Ninety-nine percent of her consciousness had been consumed by the “Witch of Envy,” her soul completely corrupted, and the final, desperate act of piercing her own throat had almost extinguished her remaining will.

If it weren’t for the inexplicable disappearance of the demonic corruption, even with the healing priest’s help, she wouldn’t have survived.

Learning that Luo Yan was safe, Qin Wen breathed a sigh of relief.

She felt responsible for forcing Luo Yan to confront the “Witch of Envy,” the guilt a constant torment.

Hua Qiling’s reaction, however, was more subdued. She had had a feeling that Miss Luo Yan wouldn’t die so easily.

Not even the Witch of Envy could take her life.

This news simply confirmed her intuition.

What surprised her more was another piece of news…

“Sister… met Miss Luo Yan…?”

What a strange coincidence!

And why… did she feel such unease upon hearing this?

This news, more than Luo Yan’s “death,” made Hua Qiling’s heart pound, a sudden urge to rush to Lannister rising within her.

But she quickly calmed herself.

Yan City, in the midst of reconstruction, needed her. And with her sister there, shouldn’t she be more at ease about Miss Luo Yan?

Should she?

The image of her sister and Miss Luo Yan, chatting and laughing, appeared in her mind, and Hua Qiling quickly shook her head, dispelling these strange thoughts.

“Hua Qiling, what are you thinking…?”

She slapped her slightly flushed cheeks, trying to regain her composure.

Just then, she saw a small head peeking in from the doorway.

“Anna?” Hua Qiling raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t you come in?”

The small head flinched, and Anna entered, her head lowered, her voice filled with grievance.

“Second Sister Hua…”

“Just call me… never mind, what is it?”

Hua Qiling looked at Anna, puzzled. When had this usually boisterous child become so quiet?

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Anna bowed repeatedly, tears in her eyes. “The Flower Shop… it’s destroyed…”

“Uh…”

Hua Qiling was stunned. She hadn’t expected this.

At the end of the war, Rhine, to force a breakthrough, had summoned a sandstorm that had swept through the core district, heading straight for the Ember Furnace.

Buildings along its path had been destroyed, including, unfortunately, the Flower Shop.

In the sandstorm’s wake, the shop, carefully decorated by Hua Qingling and Hua Qiling, and lovingly tended to by Anna, was now in ruins.

Judging from Anna’s red, swollen eyes, she had been crying for a long time.

But her first reaction was to apologize to Hua Qiling and Hua Qingling, for the shop they had entrusted to her.

“It’s not your fault,” Hua Qiling scratched her head. “The shop is gone, it’s a pity, but…”

Seeing Anna’s tears, she sighed and patted her head.

“Don’t be sad, we can just rebuild it.”

“There’s no need…”

Anna mumbled, lowering her head further.

“Hm?” Hua Qiling paused, her hand still on Anna’s head. “Why?”

“I’m… leaving Yan City soon,” Anna whispered. “Actually, I came here to say goodbye…”

“Leaving?” Hua Qiling was surprised. “Where are you going?”

“To… Noah,” Anna mumbled. “Elise said I should represent Yan City at the Grand Council of Cities… She said everyone else is too busy, and it’s not like Yan City has anything to contribute anyway, so anyone will do…”

Hua Qiling’s expression was a mixture of shock and disbelief.

Of course, she knew what the Grand Council of Cities was, having diligently studied the history of the Witch of Absolute Death war.

It was a historical event, the starting point of countless stories, both heroic and tragic.

And this… Elise… had casually decided that Yan City could just send anyone?

Who did she think she was?!

“You… agreed?” Hua Qiling’s lips twitched. “Didn’t City Lord Lin say anything? What about the Director-General?”

“They said it was fine… I didn’t want to go at first, but with the Flower Shop destroyed, I don’t know what to do…” Seeing Hua Qiling’s almost murderous gaze, Anna quickly added, “And Elise also said that… Miss Luo Yan will be there…”

…So that’s the real reason!