Category: The Night the Witch Me Was Captured by the Holy Knight Princess

Chapter 11: The Witch and the Black Cat

What needed to be done, had to be done. Even without experience, a bit of common sense sufficed. She wasn’t so stubborn as to insist on standing, which would only be self-defeating.

Diye sighed softly, lifting her skirt, then realizing with surprise that the shameful, triangular piece of black lace required undoing the straps to be removed.

She didn’t bother praying for forgiveness. The gods no longer paid her any attention anyway.

“As long as I don’t think of myself as a woman, it’s fine, right? Even squatting…” Diye made the necessary preparations, finally confronting the mystery within the mystery, the shame beneath the shame, the allure veiled by allure.

Diye, who was supposed to remain abstinent her entire life, finally saw a beautiful woman’s ultimate secret. But it was her own.

…

Diye exited the stall, her heart still unsettled.

The feeling constantly reminded her of the fundamental shift that had occurred. Just a simple, insignificant change in posture had eroded much of her gender-based confidence.

Of course, being born a woman wouldn’t preclude confidence. But Diye couldn’t. She, with twenty-some years of life and the experience of battles and a life full of dramatic events, couldn’t maintain the pretense of confidence between the sexes in this situation, where she had to cautiously guard against being peeked at, against being attacked by monsters with intentions beyond mere killing.

Diye passed by the bathroom door, glancing at the feminine bronze plaque. Soon enough, she would have to face this as well.

“If I truly had confidence, I should face my present self calmly, instead of constantly comparing it to the past. What I had then, I don’t have now, or even lack in a negative way. But so what?”

Acknowledging her weakness in this aspect, facing everything head-on, was what a man… Diye blushed, unwilling to even think the word in her mind, was true courage, wasn’t it?

A soft yet captivating meow echoed from the darkness.

Diye turned to see the black cat again at the end of the corridor. Its gleaming eyes seemed to fix on her for a moment before it turned and ran.

“Black cat?”

For some reason, Diye was drawn to the enigmatic feline. She followed in its direction.

Through the corridor, at the end of the passage, she saw the black cat again, running ahead. It would take a few steps, then turn back to look at her, its tail swaying.

Was the cat trying to lead her somewhere?

The night was deep, and Diye’s heart was still in turmoil from the events of the day, feeling empty. Curious where the cat was going, she followed.

Following the cat, which occasionally disappeared into the darkness, she passed through several tunnels. The surroundings were no longer the rock walls of the cathedral’s passages, but bare earth and rock.

Unknowingly, Diye found herself back in the cavern with the magic crystal ores.

“Isn’t this where Master Diluowei brought me earlier today?”

“Hmm?”

Diye looked around, but the black cat was gone.

There didn’t seem to be any obvious path ahead.

“Why did the cat bring me here? Or was it just a coincidence?”

Diye was puzzled. She recalled Diluowei’s guidance earlier.

Diluowei had said that most people don’t awaken their elemental perception instantly; it requires continuous sensing, searching for that spark of insight.

“My elemental perception is average. Since I’m here, I might as well practice it,” Diye thought.

“Hopefully, the earlier experience won’t affect my state of mind.”

Diye’s mental control, especially regarding cultivation, was very strong. She quickly dismissed distracting thoughts and focused on practicing elemental perception as Diluowei instructed.

However, when Diye closed her eyes, it was still darkness, endless, impenetrable darkness.

“How can this be…” Diye’s resolve wavered. “Is my magical aptitude truly incomplete? Although there’s still time, what if it really takes me months to sense the elements? That won’t do.”

Diye couldn’t wait.

The witch selection wouldn’t wait for her.

And without magic, without holy power, her body weakened, even if her swordsmanship returned to its peak, she wouldn’t be able to reach her former strength.

“If I truly had no affinity for magic, it would be fine. But the Goddess of the Night granted me an excellent elemental affinity body, yet I lack the corresponding perception? This is truly frustrating…”

It was like everything was falling into place, yet she couldn’t break through the final barrier.

“Could this be another of Cerise’s cruel tricks?” Diye felt a deep sense of frustration, bending down, her hands supporting her knees.

“I didn’t expect to find such a diligent girl so late at night. Or are you just lost?” a mature, deep, and magnetic female voice, laced with a hint of nonchalance, echoed through the cavern.

From the shadows, a tall, voluptuous witch with a large black hat leaned against the cave wall. Her ample bosom, illuminated by the faint light, formed two silvery curves.

“Who? You are… Master Shartha?” Diye turned around.

Shartha, one arm across her chest, her robe-clad body swaying alluringly, walked towards her. “Does someone need big sister’s help?”

Shartha was slightly taller than Diye, even more so with her witch’s hat.

“Ah, I know you. You were the girl kneeling before the Moonstone earlier.” Before Diye could speak, Shartha had approached, appraising her from various angles, her gaze seemingly comparing Diye’s chest to her own, then looking intently into Diye’s eyes. “Judging by your expression, you seem troubled.”

“Master Shartha, I’m learning magic from Master Diluowei. Although I believe I understand her guidance, perhaps I’m not as adept at learning magic as she expects…” Diye said, shaking her head. She knew Shartha was the chief witch of this underground church. Although Diye didn’t truly consider herself one of them, she still respected such a powerful and wise figure.

“What is magic?” Shartha took another step closer, her shapely legs moving gracefully.

“Eh?”

Shartha inhaled deeply. “Is magic the fleeting breath that brushes past, stirring the heart? Isn’t that also a form of magic?”

“Master Shartha…” Diye was confused, but she could already feel the warmth radiating from Shartha’s tall figure. A scent of magical potions clung to her.

“Magic is also…” Shartha took Diye’s hand and wrote an unknown script on her palm with her finger.

Although Diye couldn’t understand the meaning of the script, the feeling of Shartha’s finger tracing across her palm was almost unbearable. She tried to pull her hand back, but Shartha held it firmly.

“Clearly, the spell I wrote has no power, yet it makes your hand, strong enough to wield a greatsword, tremble? Isn’t this also a form of magic?” Shartha tilted her head, her gaze like water.

“Chief Witch, I… I want to know…”

“Are you sure your strength is inferior to mine?” Shartha asked, her alluring figure closing in, her words cool yet her presence radiating warmth. Diye involuntarily stepped back, unknowingly being pressed against the cave wall.

What was this chief witch, Shartha, doing?

“But why do you keep retreating? Can you explain what kind of power this is?”

“This… I can only say it’s a power that transcends nature, inexplicable yet tangible…” Diye turned her head away, looking at the faintly shimmering crystals.

“Hmm, I’d say…” Shartha’s long eyelashes fluttered slightly. “Diluowei’s expectations of you are not misplaced. I can sense the hidden power within you… and the attraction. Of course, it’s an attraction to the elements.”

“Perhaps there’s still hesitation in my heart. Master Shartha, how do you eliminate distractions during magic training? If you have any methods,” Diye turned back, now very close to Shartha, perhaps the closest she had ever been to a woman’s face.

But she faced her bravely, facing her sweet fragrance, even in her female form. She yearned for true knowledge. She might not be obsessed with magic, but she had a destiny that compelled her down this path.

Shartha’s gaze deepened. Her chest was almost touching Diye’s, but she stopped short, taking a few steps back.

Turning around, she looked at the mesmerizing crystals. “Why do witches obsess over magic? Or rather, why become witches?”

Diye couldn’t answer this question.

“Some witches live in poverty, but frankly, developing an interest in nature and knowledge requires a certain level of education. Many girls, before becoming witches, had decent lives, some even quite privileged.”

“Why risk trial and execution to seek magic? To seek true knowledge?”

“Is it for power and desire?” Shartha turned back, scrutinizing Diye. “Indeed, there are sources of desire in this world. But many witches don’t enjoy fighting, even after they gain power.”

“What power drives them to risk being abandoned by the world, to pursue things considered taboo and terrifying by others? What is the appeal of those things?” Shartha looked at Diye.

However, this question, which resonated with many young witches, left Diye speechless.

She didn’t know.

She had never walked the path of a witch, never considered these questions.

Diye began to worry. Had Shartha seen through her disguise?

Shartha shook her head slightly. “Confused?”

“Why do we become witches? Is it worth enduring the world’s condemnation and the Empire’s cruel punishments? Wouldn’t it be better to be an ordinary woman, following the path laid out for you by the world?”

“I can tell you, Diye, not only can you not answer, but I can’t answer you either, not now.”

“Perhaps, it’s simply because we like it.”

Shartha’s gaze held a dark emptiness. “Drawn to that mysterious power, perhaps it’s the light of escapism when disappointed with reality, or the uncontrollable yearning for something forbidden when dissatisfied with the status quo. Or perhaps, it’s the pursuit of something different from the world’s common sense, something different from what others have instilled in us, preached to us—different explanations, a different world.”

“There’s no reason. Our bodies, our minds, are simply drawn to those mysterious things. Some say it’s the devil’s temptation, but it’s our true selves… emanating from within.”

“Perhaps this is the meaning of our existence.” Shartha walked towards Diye, placing her hand gently on her shoulder. “Not drifting along a predetermined path, not content to merge into a world defined by our predecessors, not letting the truths set by higher beings confine our thoughts, losing… our own ability to think.”

“Miss Diye, what is the world’s true knowledge, magic, the self? Have you ever considered it yourself?” Shartha’s purple eyes gazed intently at Diye.

“Whether it’s learning magic, adventuring, or anything else…”

Shartha’s hand casually brushed Diye’s chin, stirring something within her. She turned and walked towards the cave entrance, her slender waist and rounded hips swaying gently beneath her robe.

“We just want to be ourselves,” Shartha said, tilting her large witch’s hat, standing at the entrance, her profile, as pale as the moonlight, outlined against the darkness behind her.

The world, magic, the self…

Have you ever considered it yourself?

Shartha swayed her alluring figure and disappeared.

Leaving Diye alone, leaning against the cave wall, in the dimly lit cavern.

“Have I ever considered it myself?”

This seemingly simple question plunged Diye into deep thought.

What was the world? Yedi certainly knew.

But was this knowledge her own?

Not necessarily. Although Yedi had believed it wholeheartedly until now, this truth, this essence, came from the Holy Church, from the teachings of the Temple Knights, from the Empire’s official history.

Had she ever considered it herself?

Diye wasn’t afraid of being alone here. Instead, she felt a comforting silence.

A profound silence.

She closed her eyes.

Darkness, endless darkness, descended once more.

“Perhaps I have exceptional elemental affinity, but am I fascinated by magic? Can my yearning for the truth behind these mysterious powers compare to other witches, even the most ordinary peasant woman seduced by darkness?”

“I never had any interest in magic…”

“Forced to learn magic, simply seeking a chance to change my fate…”

“Perhaps I’ve been too arrogant.”

“I am fundamentally different from them. No matter how strong I once was, I never questioned the fundamental nature of the world and the self. So how can I perceive something I’ve already rejected?”

“Magic.”

What exactly was magic?

Was it right to question the established world, to contemplate the self?

“I can’t answer, but I want to know more, to see more with my own eyes, before I make a judgment.”

“I want to know the secrets of magic.”

“I want to know…”

“The truth.”

The Goddess of the Night couldn’t guide those who couldn’t open their eyes in the darkness.

Diye, though her eyes were closed,

In her mind, it was as if she had opened them.

Darkness, still darkness, endless darkness.

Just as she had seen before.

“What’s going on?”

“Are my thoughts still wrong? Why can’t I see anything? Is it because I’m not truly a woman that the Goddess of the Night doesn’t guide me?”

…

“No.”

“I understand.”

“I finally know what I’m seeing.”

“I’m seeing darkness.”

Diye, her eyes still closed, took a step forward, as if aware of her surroundings, walking towards the center of the cavern.

She finally understood why, no matter how hard she tried, all she sensed was darkness.

It wasn’t because she lacked aptitude.

Perhaps she had distracting thoughts, hesitation, but these didn’t affect her perception, but rather her… perspective in questioning and understanding the world.

Diye suddenly realized!

“What I’m sensing is the boundless dark element.”

Perhaps the dark element was particularly dense in this underground cavern, and Diye’s perception of darkness was excessively acute.

The incredibly dense, potent dark element almost completely obscured all other elements in the cavern, which was why Diye couldn’t sense them.

The other elements were hidden within the endless darkness.

Darkness didn’t represent nothingness.

Perhaps darkness could encompass everything. When everything perished, it returned to darkness. And within the embers of darkness, did the rebirth of all things exist? In that case, could everything also originate from darkness?

At this moment, Diye gradually became aware of the omnipresent dark elements, their power, their patterns.

Almost guided by her perception, she tentatively used her mental will to control the dark elements, making them flow slowly, searching for the hidden elements within.

In the pitch-black world, a faint, water-blue light flickered.

A tiny, orange-red spark ignited.

A golden elemental light shimmered…

Gradually, more and more elemental lights flickered in the darkness, various colors, some bright, some dim, some vibrant, some pure…

Floating, surrounding, comforting her, flickering, endless, seemingly transcending the boundaries of the cave walls.

Like a starry sky of elements twinkling just for her!

Chapter 10: A Night in the Witches’ Dormitory

Yoleya, Qinna, and a few others happened to be walking towards them, carrying towels, alchemical lotions, and other items. They bowed upon seeing Diluowei.

“Qinna, Lusha, please find Miss Diye a bed for the night,” Diluowei instructed.

The girls exchanged glances. Qinna spoke up first, “She can sleep below me.”

“Hmm?” Lusha and Philine looked slightly surprised.

“The bottom bunk below me happens to be empty,” Qinna explained.

“Alright, then I’ll leave her to you,” Diluowei said casually.

Diye wanted to say something, but their natural exchange left no room for interruption.

“Miss Diye, come with us,” Qinna said, naturally taking Diye’s arm, just as she had when they first rescued her. Yoleya also happily took her other arm, leading her to the innermost part of the second-floor corridor.

“Here, you can sleep here,” Qinna pointed to the bottom bunk of a bunk bed. The bed was covered with a slightly worn but clean sheet.

“Ah… I… oh…” Diye didn’t know what to say, unable to voice her true concerns.

“By the way, Miss Diye, would you like to join us for a bath?” Yoleya suggested.

“Eh?” Diye quickly shook her head. “No, thank you.”

Although she had experienced much today, the thought of bathing with a group of girls, both facing them and facing herself in that state, was too overwhelming. She couldn’t muster the courage.

After seeing that Qinna and the others had settled Diye in, Diluowei opened the small door at the end of the corridor and entered her private room.

The girls had all gone to bathe, leaving Diye alone in the corner with the bunk beds.

She took a deep breath and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Overnight, she had become as if she were sitting amidst a thousand fragrant flowers. Who would have thought?

She inadvertently noticed the colorful and alluring lingerie hanging between the rows of simple wooden bunk beds, like floral decorations in the witches’ slumbering forest.

Diye turned her head away, embarrassed, but then saw Qinna’s small pink panties and camisole hanging from the head of the top bunk.

A Temple Knight who had sworn off women, not only had fallen in love with her female knight student, who had taken the same vow of abstinence, but would now, for a considerable amount of time, be living in a dormitory full of girls.

Perhaps she had already lost her faith and discipline long ago?

The witches returned from their baths, most of them changed into thin nightgowns, making Diye even more unsure where to look.

Soon, Qinna, Yoleya, and the others returned, also dressed in various nightgowns.

Diye felt a little lost.

As Qinna casually stepped onto the edge of her bed to climb to the top bunk, Diye caught a glimpse of something short and blue beneath her nightgown, besides her slightly tanned legs.

Everywhere around her were flowing nightgowns, glimpses of bare legs…

While feeling out of place, Diye suddenly realized a fact she had been desperately trying to ignore.

At this very moment, wasn’t she also wearing women’s underwear? And it was black lace…

The succubus had chosen it for her! It couldn’t be anything decent.

Thankfully, she hadn’t gone to bathe. What would the other witches think if they saw it?

Perhaps they wouldn’t think much of it, but what about herself?

Wearing such alluring underwear, with a figure so suited to it, being seen by everyone… what a humiliating public trial that would be.

She had no choice but to sleep in her clothes.

The night deepened…

Most of the witches had fallen asleep, the cathedral bathed in a dim blue light.

Only Diye remained awake.

Lusha, the beautiful, martial witch in the bottom bunk next to her, slept so casually and freely, her fair legs spread open.

Yoleya was in the top bunk.

She slept soundly, letting out a contented moan as she turned over. The blanket slipped from her body, and just as Diye was about to avert her gaze, she saw a dark brown scar on Yoleya’s inner thigh, a scar that wrapped around her leg like a thorny vine. Above the scar, there was a brand.

It was… the mark of guilt, burned into her flesh with a red-hot iron during a witch trial.

For a moment, Diye couldn’t reconcile this brand with Yoleya’s cheerful demeanor. It was as if this seemingly romantic and cozy witch dormitory, layered like a mirage, wasn’t as it appeared on the surface.

They were different from her. They must harbor fear towards fighting, towards seeking revenge against the Empire. They chose to train here, none of them escaping, not even showing fear, perhaps having accepted an inescapable fate.

How many months were left? The witch selection was still uncertain.

She had to be chosen. Otherwise, what? Would she let a young witch like Yoleya face the Imperial army?

Based on the current situation, Diye’s martial skills shouldn’t be a problem. She would intensify her training in the coming months, adapting to her female body and modifying her swordsmanship accordingly.

As for magic, although she had excellent elemental affinity, her elemental perception seemed average.

The witch selection would likely prioritize magic over swordsmanship.

This worried Diye. After all, she had started learning magic much later than the other witches, and her perception seemed ordinary…

Gradually, a slight pressure in her lower abdomen interrupted her worries.

She realized a problem.

While bathing could be postponed, this issue couldn’t be avoided.

What was it?

Just relieving herself.

The First Knight, who wasn’t afraid of the tide of demons from the lower planes, was she afraid of squatting like a woman to… relieve herself?

Inwardly resolute and confident, Diye blushed in the darkness, and quite intensely.

Diye quietly got up. She had heard the other girls mention the location of the restroom, next to the bathing area. She had a general idea.

She quietly left the sleeping quarters, descended the stairs, passed through the small wooden door, and walked alone through the dark tunnel.

It was said that monsters once roamed here.

However, for Diye, who had just been imprisoned by a great demon and transformed into a woman, there was nothing left to fear.

Ahead, in the darkness, a pair of gleaming eyes seemed to be watching her.

“Hmm?”

The eyes moved beneath a bonfire. It was a black cat.

Diye felt like she had seen this cat before.

But as she approached, the cat darted into a side passage and disappeared.

Diye walked to the passage. A large wooden door, studded with old iron nails, stood there. Approaching it, she saw a bronze plaque depicting a witch’s hat and a towel in the candlelight.

This must be the witches’ bathroom.

Diye looked towards the end of the dimly lit corridor. Another small, dilapidated wooden door stood there. That must be the restroom.

Drip… drip…

The sound of dripping water echoed from the damp floor as she walked closer.

Reaching the end of the corridor, she pushed open the even older square wooden door.

Inside, it was very dark, like a small maze of thick, broken stone archways and wooden stalls, somewhat resembling the restrooms in a castle, but lacking the convenient facilities Diye was accustomed to.

Diye, for the first time, entered a women’s restroom.

Thankfully, no one was around. She couldn’t worry about it too much. Maintaining her vigilance, she opened a wooden door, stepped onto the stone platform, and entered.

Chapter 9: Deepening Night

“Your wind affinity… is excellent. I can feel the strong pull of wind element within your body,” Diluowei praised, her gaze passing over her slightly blurred fingers and settling on Diye’s chest.

“Is that so?” To be honest, Diye hadn’t been able to fully concentrate.

“Next is water. Raise your arms and place them behind your head.”

“Mm… understood.” Diye hesitated slightly, but inwardly chastised herself for her indecision.

She chose to obey Diluowei’s instructions.

“Different parts of the body react differently to elements. It’s best to find the most suitable area for testing,” Diluowei said. A faint blue light appeared on her fingers as she traced along Diye’s curvaceous body, seemingly about to touch yet not quite making contact.

Diye closed her eyes, treating it like a nun’s medical examination. Although Yedi had rarely been seriously injured and had no experience with nuns’ healing, thinking of it this way allowed her to cope.

However, with her eyes closed, she felt as if Diluowei’s fingers, though not touching her, were brushing against her skin with a certain force. Was that the sensation of elemental power?

Diluowei’s fingers reached Diye’s underarm.

“Master Diluowei, how is my water… affinity?”

“Very… impressive. I’ll examine other areas. Perhaps there are places more attuned to water…” Diluowei bent down, her face, illuminated by the faint blue light of water element, appearing cool and focused.

Diye pursed her lips, her knees instinctively bumping together as she endured the examination.

“Water, truly remarkable.”

“Next, fire element…”

“Earth element…”

“Lightning element…”

“This area is most suitable for testing dark element.”

Diye’s facial expressions shifted with each element—wind, water, fire, earth, lightning, dark.

…

Diluowei brought her small hand to her face, inhaling deeply.

“Yalan Diye, your elemental affinity is exceptional. And, even more incredible, your body has excellent affinity for every element except light.” Diluowei placed her hand beneath Diye’s nose again, almost touching her lips. “Can you feel it? It’s as if everything in the world is drawn to your body.”

However, all Diye could sense was Diluowei’s fragrance.

She ignored Diluowei’s somewhat strange remark. The key takeaway was that she possessed excellent aptitude for magic training.

“Was I truly a Temple Knight? To have such potential as a witch? And compatible with every element but light?”

Diye couldn’t feign joy, even though this was undoubtedly beneficial for her plan. Her heart was conflicted.

“If my examination is accurate, then I’ve never encountered such an excellent elemental affinity body. However, just having a good affinity isn’t enough. This is merely the foundation for magic training. To truly utilize this aptitude, you need excellent elemental perception. This step requires your own effort.”

“Next, I’ll teach you the method for elemental perception. But in reality, there’s no absolute method. It’s quite subtle and requires your own understanding. This is where the significant differences between witches emerge.”

As she spoke, Diluowei stepped back, saying softly, “Now, close your eyes.”

Diye closed her eyes.

“Gradually empty your mind and feel…”

“Master Diluowei, what should I feel?”

“Feel your surroundings, feel the world. Try to think of wind, try to imagine water, and at the same time, feel anything in this darkness that might excite you, pique your curiosity…”

However, all Diye could sense was darkness.

After an unknown amount of time, Diluowei asked, puzzled, “How is it? What do you sense?”

Diye, with a melancholic expression, shook her head. “I can’t feel anything, only darkness, endless darkness.”

“Eh? How can that be?” Diluowei pondered, her chin resting on her hand. “Although most people can’t sense anything the first time, considering your elemental affinities, you shouldn’t have gone this long without sensing any element.”

“Diye, truly, not even a single spark of light, not even the slightest stirring of curiosity?”

Diye shook her head again.

“Are my expectations too high? Although this situation is common, many girls with average aptitude take months, even years, to sense even a flicker of elemental light. Perhaps, you have other thoughts on your mind? Try again,” Diluowei suggested.

Other thoughts?

Indeed, although Diye had resolved to learn magic, the beliefs she held for so many years weren’t so easily changed. She felt a sense of guilt, viewing magic as heresy, an evil power that caused disasters. Diye still held these views deep down.

“No, I must calm my mind, dispel these distracting thoughts…”

“But, am I embarking on a path of no return? Is magic truly a sin?”

Although Diye’s resolve grew, completely disregarding her past beliefs wasn’t easy.

Diye tried repeatedly, but her elemental perception remained shrouded in darkness, not a single spark of light in the endless void.

“I’ll try again…” Diye panted, covered in a thin layer of sweat from her mental exertion.

“Let’s stop for today,” Diluowei said. “Success in elemental perception on the first try is extremely rare, a sign of true magical genius. For most witches, failure is normal and doesn’t necessarily affect future magical achievements. Besides, Diye, you already have exceptional swordsmanship talent. We shouldn’t be too demanding.”

“I apologize for wasting so much of your time,” Diye said, her face slightly flushed.

“It’s fine, take your time. We’ll try again tomorrow.” Diluowei stepped forward, reaching up to pat Diye’s soft, smooth shoulder. Her seemingly calm eyes, gazing up at Diye, held a firm, ethereal blue light, as if encouraging her.

This unexpected yet genuine trust comforted Diye.

Why would a witch, described by the world as selfish, deceitful, and lustful, have such eyes?

Diluowei and Diye returned to the cathedral. By now, the candles in the hall had dimmed and dwindled, the night deepening.

“I’ll take you to your lodgings,” Diluowei offered.

“Mm…” Diye nodded.

They ascended the stairs to the second floor, a mezzanine encircling the main hall.

The second floor contained the witches’ dining area, living area, and, furthest inside, the sleeping quarters.

Rows of simple bunk beds lined the area. As they entered, a mix of feminine scents, from alchemically crafted bath oils and shampoos, wafted towards them.

Diye suddenly realized that “lodgings” meant she would be staying in the girls’ dormitory.

Chapter 8: Affinity Check

Through a tunnel branching off from a small door on the side of the underground cathedral, lay a dimly lit cavern. Faint light emanated from the mineral crystals scattered around the cave walls.

After the apprenticeship rite, Diluowei brought Diye here to begin her magic training.

“These magic crystal ores easily lose their magic power when subjected to external vibrations. Witches with specialized skills are needed to carefully mine them. They are then used or sold to the nearby subterranean gnomes. This is one of the main sources of income for our Underground Witch Church,” Diluowei explained.

“Oh, is this environment more suitable for learning element-related magic?” Diye asked, standing behind Diluowei.

“It’s more accurate to say it’s better for practicing elemental attunement,” Diluowei turned around. “The first step in magic training is elemental attunement. Elements come from nature and are practically everywhere, serving as the source of power for most magic. Different people have varying abilities to perceive and absorb different elemental attributes. We call this elemental affinity.”

Diye listened attentively, but felt a surge of doubt. Magic power comes from nature, meaning it doesn’t come from God? Praying to the Goddess of the Night was merely to gain guidance in understanding elements and magic, not to receive divine power. This was heretical, one of the fundamental reasons the Holy Church condemned witches.

But, to put it blasphemously, magic could be used even when abandoned by her faith, even when receiving no response from the gods, couldn’t it?

“Next, let me see your elemental affinity.” Diluowei walked towards Diye, stopping less than half a meter away.

Such proximity to a girl was enough to make Diye, abstinent for over twenty years, uncomfortable.

“Master Diluowei, h-how do you see elemental affinity?” Diye clasped her hands in front of her, subconsciously taking half a step back.

“There are many methods, the most effective being the use of White Firefly Stone, which is specifically for testing elemental affinity. But I seem to have forgotten to bring it,” Diluowei said, turning her head without a hint of guilt.

“Eh?”

“It’s fine, there are other ways. Let me think…” Diluowei seemed lost in thought, holding up two fingers. “Well, let’s use the tactile test method.”

“Tactile test method?” Diye didn’t know what that was. Although she had no experience with women, she was naturally sensitive, even in the past. She sensed something unsettling.

“The tactile test method is based on the principle of ‘like attracts like, opposites repel’ to detect your elemental affinity…” Diluowei began to explain.

“Wait, Master Diluowei, did you get that backwards?” Diye was confused. Was this small, beautiful silver-haired witch truly reliable? Her silver hair seemed to have a slight bluish tint.

“Call me Teacher Diluowei, remember?”

“This…” Diye lowered her head reluctantly, her heart a mix of emotions. She had been a teacher for several years. Though she kept a low profile, she was highly respected by her students. Even Yedi’s most outstanding student, Qingruo, held her in high regard, showing an unusual warmth for her cold and aloof personality… The word “teacher” made Diye’s thoughts drift and darken. And…

“What’s wrong?” Diluowei stepped closer, her porcelain doll-like face tilted upwards, her light blue eyes more crystalline than the magic crystals here.

“Nothing,” Diye wrapped one arm around the other, shaking her head, dismissing the thoughts.

“Well, I didn’t get it backwards. It’s you, the student, who’s being clever.” Diluowei removed a glove, revealing a delicate, jade-like hand. Chanting a short incantation, a faint light flickered on her two fingers. “I’m talking about elemental attributes. This detection method involves a tester with relatively high magical power concentrating an element of a certain attribute, then making contact with the subject. If there’s no attraction, it means the subject lacks affinity for that element.”

“I see…” Diye nodded noncommittally. Wait, did she say contact?

Before Diye could delve deeper, Diluowei stepped closer, once again within fifty centimeters of her.

“For example, right now, I’ve concentrated wind element on my fingers. I’ll first test your wind element affinity.” As she spoke, Diluowei extended her two fingers towards Diye’s chest, pressing them just above her breasts, below her collarbone.

Having only been a woman for less than a day, Diye hadn’t yet developed the instinctive protective reaction of shame towards sensitive areas like her chest. But now, she began to realize.

Diluowei’s hand was too close to her chest! While there wasn’t the ingrained shame of a noblewoman, she still didn’t want Diluowei to touch or focus on her feminine features.

“Master Diluowei…”

“Hmm? What did you say? Say it wrong again and you’ll be punished. Call me Teacher!” Diluowei’s small, pink lips parted, her voice soft yet firm.

Diye lowered her long lashes, her words catching in her throat. She turned her head away, her eyes tinged with melancholy. “I apologize, Master Diluowei, but I can’t call you Teacher. That title holds a special meaning for me… I’m truly sorry.”

Diye pressed her lips together, offering no further explanation.

Diluowei quietly observed Diye’s profile, sensing a complex resistance in the angle of her avoidance. She fell silent.

“Fine, it’s just a title to me. Call me whatever you like,” Diluowei conceded, seemingly accepting it calmly. “Now, let’s continue the test.”

“Hmm, it seems there’s an attraction,” Diluowei said, feeling the warmth of Diye’s chest.

“Ah? What did you say?”

“I said the water element light on my fingers is being drawn to you. It seems your water element affinity is quite good. Let’s try again.” Diluowei, however, remained serious, continuing her focused examination.

This made Diye feel even more ashamed… Was she, a Temple Knight, less pure than a witch? At least, she should control herself and not overreact, otherwise it would be unseemly.

Diluowei, still focused, slid her fingers downwards. As she applied slight pressure, she seemed to sense an invisible pull.

“Master… Diluowei…” Diye barely dared to breathe, her lips pressed tightly together, constantly reminding herself to control, to restrain. How could a man be as sensitive and shy as a woman?

Diye wasn’t foolish. As Diluowei’s hand moved down, she sensed that the little witch likely had other intentions besides checking her attributes. But then, considering they were both women, she dismissed the thought.

Regardless, Diluowei’s actions had a justifiable reason, so she had to endure, as long as it wasn’t too much.

“Wait! What am I thinking? What do I mean ‘as long as it’s not too much’? This… this kind of thinking, setting boundaries for myself as a woman, where did it come from?”

“I’m not a real woman! Whatever, rationally speaking, as long as she can check my elemental affinity, any method is fine. Isn’t that the correct way of thinking?”

“She’s the girl, a small girl. Why am I acting like I’m worried about being taken advantage of?”

This was… unbecoming!

Diye abandoned the idea of endurance and boundaries, bravely puffing out her chest to cooperate with Diluowei’s examination.

Chapter 7: The Ancient Goddess of the Night

The weight on her chest didn’t seem to be much of a burden during the actual fight. But once the adrenaline subsided, the slight heat of gazes on her body returned.

Diye’s slightly trembling hand gripped the sword hilt. That strike, perhaps, was a bit excessive. But compared to Yedi’s past swordsmanship, it was still far inferior.

“Did she just… use one hand?” Lusha stared at the greatsword embedded in the ground. “Such a heavy greatsword, wielded so swiftly?”

“Such unconventional movements, yet as fluid as flowing water… truly unbelievable,” Philine also shook her head in disbelief.

“What a… close call. Miss Diye’s sword skills are so strong? Perhaps only Master Diluowei possesses such astonishing swordsmanship here,” Yoleya exclaimed, her bright blue eyes wide. The previous Diye gave her the impression of being tall and alluringly decadent, but now, that decadence held a power like suppressed desire.

“Yalan Diye, how is your magic?” Diluowei, at some point, had walked to the edge of the arena.

“Magic?” Diye was momentarily bewildered, shaking her head slightly. “I don’t know any…”

“Then starting today, you’ll learn magic from me,” Diluowei said, her gaze fixed on the greatsword embedded in the rock floor.

“Eh?”

Learn magic so soon?

Although demonstrating some strength to quickly become a trainee witch and participate in the selection was part of Diye’s plan, and learning magic was necessary to compensate for her lost holy power and weakened physical strength, magic itself…

For witches in this underground sanctuary, magic was a casual topic. But in the outside world, it was taboo.

Heresy.

In recent years, the Empire had suffered constant disasters and plagues. In some ways, life was even harder than during the Holy-Demon War. All of this was attributed to witches’ curses, to their wielding of forbidden powers.

And magic was considered the source of this cursed world, a blasphemous, taboo power that offended divine grace.

Diye had already come to terms with this when she made her decision.

However, starting magic training so soon was still a bit abrupt.

After all, just yesterday, she was the Empire’s most devout Temple Knight.

Diluowei, obviously unaware and unable to comprehend this, didn’t wait for Diye’s reply, turning to leave. “Follow me.”

“…” Diye didn’t respond immediately, but considering her plan, she had no choice but to follow.

“Master Diluowei, what about the swordsmanship evaluation…?” Qinna couldn’t help but ask.

“Is there a need for further evaluation?” Diluowei said, glancing back slightly.

Although she hadn’t seen the two strikes directly, just sensing the force of the impact and seeing how deeply the greatsword was embedded in the ground was enough to judge. Among all the trainee witches, Diye was unmatched in swordsmanship.

“Master Diluowei is going to personally train her in magic?” Yoleya stared at their retreating figures, subconsciously tugging on Qinna’s sleeve.

“Miss Diye’s strength… it’s unexpected. What kind of girl did we rescue? Wait… did we really rescue her? Or did we just happen to encounter her?” Qinna blushed slightly.

Diluowei led Diye to the center of the cathedral, looking up at the massive Night Crystal on the altar.

“The Moonstone’s guidance, was it truly that? She’s not only a girl with an unusual destiny, but also a rare swordsmanship genius. If only she had even a little talent for magic.”

Being a witch without knowing magic wasn’t strange in the current Empire.

Disasters and turmoil plunged people into a dark age. Suspicion and hatred towards witches intensified, and the criteria for judging a witch became arbitrary. Some women were labeled witches and tortured simply for refusing to lend something to influential neighbors or for having eccentric speech.

Sometimes, the execution of witches became a form of catharsis, a release of frustration amidst suffering.

In reality, among the many witches hunted and tried, very few actually knew magic.

“Such a massive black crystal, was it naturally formed? I feel an incredible power within it…” Diye stood behind Diluowei, her gaze shifting from the massive Moonstone to the burning silver chalice at the front of the altar.

The ring she desperately desired was right there!

But Diye didn’t act rashly. Both her judgment and her senses told her that the succubus Cerise’s magical barrier wasn’t something she could break now.

The power to unlock this purple flame barrier likely resided with the black cat witch, Shartha, or the petite witch before her, Diluowei. And they would only give the ring to the chosen one.

Diye composed herself, temporarily pushing aside thoughts of the ring to avoid appearing overly eager and arousing suspicion.

She focused her attention on Diluowei.

Actually, from behind, although Diluowei was short, she was quite curvy. Her hips weren’t small either.

“Wait…”

“What am I looking at?”

Diye banished the impure thoughts, but then felt a bit comforted, thinking, “Well, at least my mind still retains a man’s instincts. This means I’m still a man, right?”

“Miss Diye, Miss Diye?”

“Eh?” Diye suddenly realized Diluowei had turned around and was looking at her. Her tall, graceful body trembled slightly.

“You seem… to be easily distracted,” Diluowei observed.

“Ah, perhaps it’s just the strangeness of this place,” Diye offered a strained explanation. However, she was someone who never lied, and now, making excuses made her face flush.

“Mental focus, like elemental attunement, is a key element in magic training. Being easily distracted isn’t good for a witch.”

“Understood, I apologize,” Diye lowered her head.

“Miss Diye, before we begin magic training, we’ll perform the apprenticeship rite,” Diluowei stepped aside. “Face the Moonstone and worship the Goddess of the Night.”

What?

Diye suppressed her urge to question.

“Miss Diye, come forward, kneel here, and pray to the Goddess of the Night who protects and guides us witches. Speak your heart’s desire, abandon ambition, yearn for true knowledge, and embark on the path of magic.” Diluowei gestured towards the place of worship below the altar.

However, Diye stood frozen, her gaze fixed, her body trembling slightly, her heart as if caught between two dividing seas.

Who was Yalan Diye?

He was Yedi, the former Temple Knight, the most loyal servant of the Holy Lord, the most devout believer of the Holy Church. Although all of that was now irretrievably lost.

But was she to kneel before this heretical deity, the powerful and mysterious Goddess of Darkness, just a day after losing the gods’ protection, and beg her to grant her the corrupting, heretical power of magic?

“Miss Diye, what’s wrong?” Diluowei asked, puzzled.

This wasn’t good, she couldn’t hesitate!

An ordinary witch wouldn’t hesitate here.

She had to make a decision now!

Diye’s chest heaved involuntarily, her heart pounding as if questioning her will.

“What am I holding onto?”

“Clinging to this piety that can no longer reach heaven, this self-deceiving loyalty, can it restore my lost dignity?”

Losing this last chance due to stubbornness would leave her with nothing. Forced corruption would become true corruption, a mark of shame recorded in the annals of the gods, or perhaps, an unknown humiliation lost in the river of time.

Witches were already hunted by humans, targeted by monsters, homeless. If she meaninglessly abandoned even her identity as a witch here, she would truly have nothing left.

Wouldn’t that be too lonely?

Diye breathed deeply, the massive black crystal reflected in her eyes like a starry sky.

She stepped forward and approached the foot of the altar.

“If doing this is wrong in the eyes of the world, then I’ll make the choice I believe is right.”

This might not be the right thing to do, but it was the right choice.

Yalan Diye, before the Moonstone symbolizing the Goddess of the Night, knelt sincerely.

“Even though I am not your follower, I know, Goddess of the Night, you are an ancient goddess so powerful that you transcend nature. Kneeling before you is only reasonable.”

Recalling the posture of the other witches during their worship, Diye felt a surge of shame.

As a man, he wouldn’t have knelt like this even before the gods, would he?

But now, she had already done it, so she had to commit fully to avoid unnecessary suspicion.

It was said that the Goddess of the Night had only female followers and only protected women in the darkness.

Then… she had to kneel like a woman.

She was a goddess. Even assuming a daughterly posture and kneeling before a goddess wasn’t shameful.

Diye knelt deeply, her hands supporting her on the ground, bending down, her forehead lightly touching the back of her hands in worship.

She forced her body lower, her hips raised high, imitating what she had seen earlier.

This feminine way of kneeling would surely earn the approval of the goddess who protected women, wouldn’t it?

To borrow someone else’s power, there had to be a price.

But why did Diye’s face still flush with heat?

This was definitely not her admitting to the Goddess of the Night that she was a woman. This was just her, under the circumstances, making the only viable choice!

She couldn’t admit to being a woman, no matter what.

Even though Diluowei was watching her, her beautiful and devout appearance…

But wasn’t this how every witch acted, including Diluowei herself?

“Eh?”

Diye suddenly sensed a faint, sweet fragrance beside her.

Kneeling there, she glanced sideways.

Diluowei was kneeling beside her, eyes closed, worshipping devoutly alongside her.

She then saw, behind them, other witches in simple robes also kneeling, and more witches, their eyes filled with longing, approaching from various parts of the cathedral to join the ranks worshipping the Goddess of the Night.

In the Underground Witch Church, there was no true night or day. Unnoticed, the magical light from the rose windows faded, replaced by true darkness.

Candles ignited around the witches.

Yalan Diye, for some reason, straightened up. She suddenly realized she was at the very front of all the kneeling witches.

The dark Night Crystal reflected her faint figure.

Chapter 6: The Witch Wielding a Sword

Diye breathed, her gaze fixed on the magic circle ahead.

The surrounding witches grew increasingly tense. For a beginner-level test, the summoned monsters were ordinary, meaning their overall strength typically didn’t significantly exceed that of a human soldier. However, the disparity between different summoned monsters could still be considerable.

While this didn’t affect the swordsmanship evaluation, it could pose a significant danger to the test subject.

Isesi, visibly calmer, walked to a stone pillar. From a lizard-skin pouch at her waist, she retrieved a grayish-white crystal, somewhat cloudy and of low quality.

Isesi placed the crystal into the pillar, held her hands together a short distance apart, and lowered her head, chanting an incantation. Ancient and mysterious words, with pronunciations and meanings incomprehensible to ordinary people, materialized between her hands, shimmering with an ethereal light. These incantations arranged themselves in a circle, gradually forming a glowing magic array.

Whoosh!

A pale red magical flame ignited within the stone pillar.

The witches nervously watched the magic circle on the ground.

Diye, too, focused her attention, waiting.

The rock circle gradually emitted light from its carved lines and runes. This light grew brighter, shifting from pale red to orange-red.

The center of the circle seemed to dissolve, revealing an indescribable black mire, from which a small but wiry and solid figure slowly crawled out.

The monster had a thick, pointed snout and disproportionately long, translucent dark red ears. Its small body had surprisingly strong, muscular limbs covered in scars and prominent, bluish veins, a testament to its strength. It gripped a red-hot, broken ram’s horn knife, embers dripping from the blade. A small basket of charred remains hung from its back.

The monster, with its ferocious large eyes and reptilian slit pupils, slowly turned its head, glaring at its surroundings.

For a moment, the surrounding girls held their breath.

“No way…”

“It’s actually that…”

“Seriously? … This is too unlucky, it’s a Hellfire Goblin!?” Even Isesi, who summoned the monster, gasped. Yoleya’s face turned pale.

“This is a Hellfire Goblin!” Lusha warned Diye. “Although it’s a type of goblin, it lives in the deep underground, at the edge of the world and the lower planes. It’s extremely ferocious and violent! It’s one of the most vicious and dangerous species among ordinary monsters!”

“Should we stop the test?” Philine, one of the judges, also became worried.

Lusha waved her hand to stop her, while nervously observing the situation. If anything went wrong, they would immediately act to protect Diye. Even Lusha herself wasn’t confident she could avoid injury in a one-on-one fight against a Hellfire Goblin.

This creature not only possessed several times the strength of an ordinary goblin, surpassing even an adult man, but it was also incredibly savage!

Ordinary monsters were the most common type and generally not very strong. Who would have thought such a dangerous creature would be summoned right away? The witches panicked, feeling sorry for the unlucky, beautiful newcomer.

For an ordinary witch who hadn’t undergone much training, even with some swordsmanship, facing such a “troublemaker, elite” among ordinary monsters was incredibly dangerous!

The Hellfire Goblin quickly focused its gaze on Diye, its eyes seeming to gleam with an innate racial hatred and predatory desire.

“Diye, if you feel overwhelmed, we can stop the test at any time,” Isesi reminded her, relatively calmly.

Diye, under the focused gaze of the many girls, seemed less concerned at this moment.

Perhaps her years of honed battle instincts were taking over.

Without answering, Diye raised the greatsword in front of her with both hands, facing the ferocious monster a few steps away. Her prominent chest, accentuated by the deep blue dress, rose and fell slightly as she assumed a wary yet feminine stance.

The witches felt a pang of anxiety. Some recalled their own experiences of being pursued by witch hunters, powerful soldiers, and monsters.

Goblins, an all-male species, reproduced in a way that went without saying. They were the natural enemies of humanity. And witches, though mostly beautiful and alluring, could fight back. This was why most monsters hated witches even more.

The Hellfire Goblin, tempered by its harsh environment, was exceptionally strong and brutal.

It slowly, slowly raised its ram’s horn knife, approaching its prey, its eyes completely fixated on Diye’s figure. Lust, bloodlust, and the anger of being inexplicably summoned here intertwined. It could smell the witch’s scent—fearful, alluring, a scent that fueled the desire to tear and ravage within it…

Suddenly, the Hellfire Goblin let out a small shriek and charged towards the tall witch with explosive force.

Its speed increased dramatically. Its small body, with strength beyond comprehension, pushed off the ground, leaping into the air, its ram’s horn knife flashing towards Diye.

At this moment, all the witches held their breath, their hearts pounding as if they were experiencing the danger themselves, worried for Diye yet hoping she wouldn’t be hurt.

But then, Diye suddenly shifted her grip to one hand, pulling the greatsword behind her, her chest exposed and defenseless.

“Diye!?”

This seemingly reckless act, almost like giving up resistance, shocked Lusha, Philine, and the others.

“No!” Isesi tried to interrupt the test and banish the monster, but it was too late.

Yoleya and the others couldn’t even scream, their hands covering their mouths in panic.

The Hellfire Goblin was already in the air before Diye, its ram’s horn knife slashing down. Diye’s greatsword was still dragged behind her. The heavy weapon, which could have utilized its length advantage, was now useless, the monster too close!

Suddenly.

Diye abruptly pulled up the greatsword, sparks flying as it scraped against the stone floor.

Clang!

A resounding clang echoed through the hall.

The goblin’s ram’s horn knife was deflected by an irresistible force, flying away and embedding itself deep in the ceiling beneath the second-floor corridor.

Diye, her long greatsword now raised high, spread her legs and twisted her waist, letting the disarmed goblin fly past her.

Slash!

Diye’s greatsword carved a perfect arc, cleaving the Hellfire Goblin in two at the waist.

Perhaps due to the pent-up tension, Diye exerted too much force. After cutting down the goblin, the heavy greatsword slammed into the ground.

Boom!

A wave of force rippled outwards.

“Yahh!”

“Ahh…!”

The small witches instinctively clutched their skirts, crying out in surprise as the air pressure washed over them.

Dozens of meters away.

Diluowei, walking up the stairs, was startled by the sudden commotion.

“Hmm?”

She turned, her silver hair and gothic black skirt fluttering slightly.

Diye, breathing heavily, her greatsword embedded deep in the stone floor, her hand trembling slightly from the impact.

The surrounding witches were all stunned.

Chapter 5: The Swordsmanship Test

The two witches led Diye to a corner of the cathedral. There, the roots of a massive tree, several meters thick, had broken through the wall, its roots snaking across the worn floor.

“Are we really underground?” Diye looked at the exposed rock and soil beyond the collapsed stone wall where the giant tree intruded.

“Yes, there are few places to hide above ground anymore,” Yoleya said.

Diye wondered where the light from the rows of rose windows came from. Perhaps it was also a form of magic? Her gaze fell upon a rose window depicting a winged female demon, her hand outstretched as if tempting mortals.

Had Cerise really left? Diye no longer sensed the presence of the great demon here. No allure or shame was more unforgettable to her than Cerise’s.

Most likely, she had to leave for some reason.

But it was also possible that the succubus, whose desires were beyond comprehension, was still lurking in some corner Diye couldn’t perceive, watching her. Perhaps, seeing the former peak Temple Knight reduced to a witch hiding underground, despised by the world, abandoned by her former god, and hunted by the very kingdom and people she once protected, was Cerise’s true desire.

“Whether she’s truly gone or not, I must carry out my plan. I have to take this gamble,” Diye thought resolutely.

As for escaping, she could have done so when the ritual ended. But in her current state, where could she go? Sadly, this place was the safest. Furthermore, Diye had to obtain the Night Ring. She couldn’t let Qingruo face the witches’ revenge unprepared.

If there was a trap set by Cerise here, it seemed unnecessary. Cerise could have simply transformed her into a female knight and thrown her in here, or even killed her outright.

“You didn’t kill me, wanting to savor a more thorough revenge through my shame? You’ll regret it.”

“Miss Diye, Diye? Are you alright?” Qinna noticed Diye’s distraction and approached her. She truly didn’t know what kind of monster Diye encountered in the dungeon, what she had experienced.

“Ah? I’m fine…” Diye blushed slightly, shaking her head abruptly. This time, it wasn’t from shame, but from inner anger and determination.

“This way, please.”

Qinna and Yoleya led Diye around the tree roots to the darker northwest corner of the cathedral. Here, a rectangular space was enclosed by stone pillars and dark orange wooden railings, the railings adorned with bloodstained parchment magic seals.

At one end of the rectangular area, there was a circular, broken rock magic circle.

A witch in a dark robe, with long purple hair and gold-rimmed glasses on one side, was walking towards them.

“Sister Isesi, Master Diluowei asked us to bring Miss Diye here for a swordsmanship test,” Qinna said respectfully to the witch.

“Yes, I heard. I was going to practice water magic, after all, the selection trial is in a few months. But I’ll help you with this first,” said the witch named Isesi. It seemed her status in the underground church was higher than Qinna’s and Yoleya’s.

“Thank you for your trouble,” the two girls bowed slightly.

“By the way, what level of test should we conduct?” Isesi looked at Diye. “Since Master Diluowei isn’t personally overseeing the test, it should be beginner level. One of you go get Lusha and Philine. They’ll conduct the evaluation.”

“I’ll go,” Yoleya quickly offered.

“Excuse me, how will the test be conducted?” Diye still harbored an instinctive wariness towards magic circles and incantations.

“Miss Diye, let me explain the test rules. Do you see that magic circle? I’ll use it to summon a monster, and then you’ll use your swordsmanship to fight it. This will allow us to evaluate your swordsmanship skills,” Isesi explained, pointing to the circle in the rectangular area.

“Of course, we won’t summon anything too strong, and we’ll be here to ensure your safety. Remember, you can only use swordsmanship. Using magic would invalidate the test. If you feel in danger, call for help immediately,” she added.

“Oh…” Diye understood. She didn’t know any magic anyway.

At that moment, Yoleya returned with two witches dressed in more active wear, tight tops and short skirts. Their skirts were short in the front but had two long tails in the back, somewhat similar to Diye’s attire. From their gait and posture, Diye sensed they had undergone martial arts training.

However, besides these two, Yoleya also attracted quite a few robed witches, some wearing hoods. Hearing about the swordsmanship test, they came to observe.

The feeling of her female body being scrutinized by so many eyes made Diye uneasy.

“Miss Diye, please choose a weapon,” Qinna led Diye to the railing, where several swords of different types, from rapiers to heavy greatswords, leaned against wooden racks.

“Miss Diye? What’s wrong?”

Looking at the various swords, a wave of emotion washed over Diye.

She seemed to recall herself from yesterday.

Reaching out, she touched the blades, closing her eyes, trembling slightly.

This feeling brought her comfort.

A comfort she hadn’t felt since the fall of her family.

“Diye, choose a weapon. Didn’t you have some basic training? Choose one similar to what you usually use. It’s just a test, no need to be nervous,” Qinna encouraged her.

Nervous? Who knew? But not holding a sword in her hand made her feel even more helpless.

What she usually used? Actually, Yedi had used various weapons, from daggers to greatswords and giant axes. He was truly interested in these things, even obsessed. After all, a man who couldn’t indulge in desires needed other interests to fill the void.

For a moment, Diye wasn’t sure what to choose.

Her gaze landed on a dark red, heavy two-handed greatsword. Nodding slightly, she reached out and grasped it.

“Miss Diye…” Qinna became worried, looking at Diye. Although she had a healthy and tall figure, her slender arms didn’t seem capable of wielding such a heavy and long weapon. “This is for training witches to fight against enemy greatsword users. We girls can’t even swing such a weapon…”

Clang.

Without much thought, Diye, driven by her fondness for these steel objects, lifted the greatsword with one hand.

“Eh? Miss Diye…” Qinna was surprised. She was considered strong among the witches, and although she could lift the sword, it wasn’t this effortless. She didn’t expect such slender arms, such delicate hands, to possess such strength.

“…” Diye held the greatsword aloft with one hand, feeling its weight. Her eyes revealed a hint of melancholy. “Has my strength really decreased this much…”

Diye, holding the greatsword at her side, walked into the arena.

The witches on both sides watched her silently, their eyes filled with surprise, yet they remained quiet. They had fled or been rescued and given sanctuary here, and most had undergone similar tests. Many of them worried for Diye.

Most witches didn’t like fighting, even feared violence and dreaded killing. But they didn’t shy away from the training here, because any slightly older witch knew they had nowhere left to run.

Many of them didn’t even know why they were being hunted, what unforgivable sin they had committed to deserve being burned alive. But they knew that coming here meant preparing to fight.

This was their fate.

The evaluator, Philine, whispered something to Yoleya, then turned to Diye. “Miss Diye, is it? Based on our experience, and for your safety, we must remind you that while you may believe you can lift this greatsword, in fact, most of us here can do the same. But wielding such a heavy sword in combat is a different matter. We don’t know what kind of summoned monster you’ll be facing.”

“Are you sure you want to use this two-handed greatsword?” The other evaluator, Lusha, with short blue hair, asked.

Any warrior with basic swordsmanship training knew that although it was a two-handed greatsword, unlike blunt weapons like axes and warhammers, the position of the hilt and swordsmanship techniques meant its weight couldn’t be compared to those long-handled weapons.

Even the heaviest greatsword could be lifted by an average woman, but wielding it freely and fighting effectively required ten or even dozens of times the strength just to lift it!

“I’m sure.”

Diye gripped the slightly thick hilt tightly with one hand, squeezing, squeezing again, as if this firm grip could provide her exposed female body with the support she felt as a man.

This support was indispensable to her at this moment, clad in a long dress with a front slit, beneath which she wore black lace clinging to her frail and powerless body.

However, the surrounding witches watched with solemn expressions and unease. No one wanted the beautiful new witch to suffer an accident right away.

“Diye…” Yoleya’s face was filled with worry, her lips pursed, her small fists clenched.

“Miss Diye, if you’re ready, I’ll summon the monster. Remember, the summoned monster will only attack those within the arena, meaning you, and it will have a strong desire to attack. Be careful,” Isesi said, handing the old, large magic book to Yoleya.

“Sister Isesi, what kind of monster will be summoned?” Yoleya asked worriedly.

“Of course, I’ll use a standard contract. The summoned monster will almost certainly be an ordinary low-level monster. As for the specifics, that’s uncertain,” Isesi shrugged.

“Eh?” Yoleya’s heart tightened. “Miss Diye…”

“So, are you ready?” Isesi asked.

Diye took a deep breath. She wasn’t nervous, but rather, the feeling of wielding a sword against a monster again, this long-lost sensation, moved her deeply, even as a witch.

“I’m ready.”

Chapter 4: The Underground Witch Church

Diye followed the two witches into the cathedral. From the ground floor, the vastness of the hall was even more apparent.

The witches who had completed the ritual dispersed, some leaving, others attending to their own tasks within the cathedral. Many had already begun preparing for magic and martial arts training in the distance.

“Who is she?”

“So beautiful…” In the dimly lit cathedral, small groups of witches stood by the stone pillars, gazing at Diye.

Although the witches here were mostly young and attractive, Diye’s appearance still drew many admiring glances.

“…” Unaccustomed to being watched by women, and now, being observed as a woman herself, Diye felt a little uneasy. She lowered her head, her hands instinctively crossing her arms, as if a newly pubescent girl, treating her prominent chest as a symbol of shame.

However, a young girl’s development is gradual. For Diye, to suddenly possess such ample proportions, not to mention the other changes, this kind of exposure and shame was likely something even real girls couldn’t fully comprehend.

Diye reluctantly followed them to the foot of the cathedral’s altar.

“Master Diluowei, this is Yalan Diye, the one you asked us to rescue,” the blonde witch reported to the silver-haired witch standing by the altar.

Diluowei looked at Diye. Her fair face, beautiful yet expressionless like a doll, but her light blue eyes, like overly still crystal water, conveyed a different kind of emotion.

“Are you injured? Where is the monster that attacked you?” Asking such questions might evoke shameful memories for a girl, but Diluowei’s voice was exceptionally calm.

“No…” Diye involuntarily clutched her arm. “I don’t know.”

The one who attacked Diye was the Succubus Queen, their so-called Goddess’s Servant of the Night. How could Diye reveal this?

“Miss Diye, is that right? Did the monster cause you any serious harm? Do you need healing or any other special assistance?” Diluowei stepped closer, looking Diye up and down. Her slightly deepened breaths, as if sensing Diye’s aura and emanating scent, conveyed the impression of an unfortunate victim, though still beautiful.

“Master Diluowei…” the blonde witch looked troubled. Asking about the details of an attack in public like this was unbearable for anyone. The brown-haired witch turned her head away, as if empathizing.

“N-no need,” Diye blushed, turning her head away and hugging herself tighter. She could almost feel Diluowei’s gaze tracing the curves of her body.

Her knees pressed together. Originally wanting to hide her feminine appearance, she subconsciously adopted an even more feminine posture.

She didn’t want to say anything about being harmed by the succubus, as it might affect her plan.

Diluowei observed her for a moment and said, “If your body is unharmed, then you are fortunate. Recently, many girls have been attacked by monsters around here, but we’ve driven away most of the monsters near the deeper dungeons.”

“By the way, the deeper dungeons are forbidden. You shouldn’t go there again,” the blonde witch reminded her from the side.

Diye nodded noncommittally.

“Well, Miss Yalan Diye, welcome to the witches’ sanctuary.” Diluowei extended her small, gloved hand.

“Thank you,” Diye also extended her hand, but saw Diluowei offering the back of her hand.

Was this that gentlemanly and ladylike etiquette?

A bit of her former sense of honor welled up in Diye’s chest.

Like a male knight, she half-knelt, taking Diluowei’s small hand and symbolically kissing the back of it, which exuded a faint fragrance of silk gloves. Of course, she didn’t actually make contact; this was how abstinent Temple Knights acted, different from ordinary gentlemen.

But Diye still felt a tingling sensation on her lips. It was probably just psychological.

After the greeting, as Diye rose, Diluowei took Diye’s left hand. Since she only reached Diye’s chest, she could easily bend down and naturally kiss the back of Diye’s hand.

“Eh!?” Diye reflexively withdrew her hand. The cool, slightly damp feeling of lips lingered on the back of her hand. This was quite a shock for a Temple Knight who avoided women.

So this was… the touch of a girl’s lips? And from such a porcelain-doll-like girl… This etiquette certainly wasn’t breaking any vows. However, thinking about her own lips, the touch of her upper and lower lips, wasn’t that a violation against her male soul? Diye’s expression shifted from surprise to dejection, her fingers clutching her sleeve, creating small wrinkles.

“Ah…” Diluowei slightly opened her mouth, seemingly surprised by the change in Diye’s expression.

“Um, Master Diluowei, what are the arrangements for Miss Diye?” the blonde girl quickly interjected. In her view, Diye’s strong reaction to physical contact was understandable, considering she had just been attacked by a monster.

Diluowei looked at Diye’s flushed face again, sensing her feminine aura. Although several girls were standing together, it seemed they could only smell Diye’s fragrance. Some women were just like that.

An aura that attracted attention, this was the succubus’s deeper revenge!

“Miss Diye, what are your skills? Magic, swordsmanship?” Diluowei asked. “Witches who come here for sanctuary, as long as they are not disabled or ill, are required to undergo the Church’s training. Every witch, while receiving protection, must also become a protector of everyone, contributing their strength.”

“So, Miss Diye, if you don’t want to talk about your past, that’s fine. Just tell me your specialties or interests.” Diluowei slightly restrained herself from inhaling Diye’s scent. She wasn’t interested in Diye’s background. In this underground church, not asking about one’s origins was a common practice.

Perhaps too many witches had pasts they didn’t want to mention…

“Um… specialties…” Diye’s eyes flickered slightly. It seemed that witches who came here were obligated to undergo training, in order to select the most outstanding one to carry out that plan!

In that case, she didn’t need to think about how to volunteer.

That is to say, considering she wanted to be included in the selection, she needed to display some strength.

As for what she could still use with her current body…

“Swordsmanship… I know a little,” Diye said with a lack of confidence. After all, she hadn’t tried it since becoming a woman.

“Hmm…” Diluowei nodded, but her tone seemed to question whether this busty and curvy woman really knew swordsmanship. “Then, Miss Diye, we need to test your basic swordsmanship. Is that possible now?”

“Yes,” Diye nodded. Although she wasn’t confident in using a woman’s body, she also wanted to understand her current capabilities.

“Yoleya, Qinna, take her to the testing area. Prioritize Miss Diye’s safety above all else.” Diluowei’s small finger pointed gracefully towards a distant corner of the cathedral.

“Understood, Master Diluowei,” the blonde girl, Yoleya, and the brown-haired witch, Qinna, both nodded in agreement.

Chapter 3: The Night Ring

Behind the shadow of the rough stone pillar, Diye’s face was like frost.

Her chest heaved deeply. “Qingruo? Cerise’s next target is really Qingruo!?”

Unlike herself, Qingruo’s holy power was no less than Yedi’s. Her martial prowess was slightly inferior, but her willpower was even stronger. A woman like her, within the Holy Academy, was impregnable to Cerise.

Therefore, Cerise had to resort to other methods.

“I can’t believe such a beautiful woman is going to lead the Temple and slaughter us?”

“Must we fight?”

The kneeling witches, seeing Qingruo’s image in the crystal, found it difficult to muster hatred.

“We must…” the short blonde witch kneeling in the back clenched her fists, gripping her robe.

The Goddess’s Servant in the moon mask stepped forward and continued, “She is the future of the Empire, a woman destined to dedicate everything to the Holy Lord. Assassinating her would be a heavy blow to the Temple Knights, and even the entire Imperial Dynasty.”

For a time, the witches fell into a heavy silence.

Cerise, watching the witches, took a few steps back to the foot of the massive crystal. Her slender fingers lightly touched Qingruo’s armored skirt through the crystal, a gesture that made Diye frown in the distance.

The silver mask appeared somewhat eerie. “However, if assassinating her isn’t so easy, there’s another way… seduction. Use charm magic to make her break her vows and fall. Without her holy power and the Holy Lord’s protection, she’s nothing.”

“Hehehe… if only it were that easy.” Cerise slightly restrained her seductive laughter. “Wouldn’t that be an even more devastating blow to the Empire, to those devout followers who idolize her?”

To actually… Diye, peeking from behind the stone pillar, felt a tightness in her chest. As expected of a succubus, even if she couldn’t defeat Qingruo, she’d resort to such despicable methods. However, seducing that snow-pure woman was probably harder than killing her.

Besides, everyone here was a woman. How could they seduce her?

Of course, even the most handsome and sunny man in the Empire wouldn’t catch Qingruo’s eye. Of this, Diye was supremely confident.

“Servant,” the small, silver-haired witch kneeling at the front asked, “As far as I know, Qingruo Reid** is at the Imperial Holy Academy. How can we approach her?”

The Goddess’s Servant in the moon mask paced, approaching the silver-haired witch on the platform. She tilted her head slightly, seeming to smile even through the mask. Her alluring figure slowly unfolded a moon-white hand.

Strands of black light, like spider lilies, coalesced in her hand, forming a ring. The ring was entirely black, with a seemingly darker gem set within it.

“Use this…”

“The Night Ring. Whenever it gathers enough power of the night, it can transform the wearer into anyone they desire for a certain period,” Cerise said melodiously.

The silver-haired witch, Diluowei, and the other witches all looked up at the tall Goddess’s Servant and the ring radiating a nocturnal charm in her hand.

“Transform into anyone we desire? Wearing this ring, we can infiltrate the Empire’s highest holy and martial academy, the Holy Academy,” Diluowei marveled.

“Oh… what an incredible item!” The witch in the large hat licked her lips slightly. The black cat on her shoulder narrowed its eyes to slits.

“The Night Ring!”

At this moment, Diye’s heart was in turmoil, waves surging within her.

Long ago, she had heard of this ring, but only as a legend. Who would have thought such a ring truly existed?

And it was right before her eyes?

Diye, once despondent and even despairing, suddenly felt her thoughts clear.

This ring, to other witches, might just be a tool for infiltration, but to Diye, it could be a chance to reverse her fate!

If this ring truly had the power Cerise claimed… and she had no reason to lie here.

Then couldn’t she use this ring to return to her original form?

Return to Yalan Yedi, return to being a man!

Diye had never felt such a strong yearning to be a man as she did at this moment.

Although she knew the ring was merely forbidden magic, even if she returned to her original appearance, she wouldn’t truly become a man again. It would be just a superficial change, unable to restore her former power, let alone regain the gods’ favor through transformation magic.

But this was enough.

At least it was a big step forward from her current state. If she could obtain this ring, she could at least return to the Holy Academy, return to her former life, and regain some of her past dignity.

As for what came after, she could plan later.

This was at least the crucial first step in reclaiming everything she had lost!

Provided, of course, that Diye could obtain this ring.

“I must get it!”

Diye didn’t reach the pinnacle of strength by luck. Her reaction speed, decisiveness, and courage in the face of crucial opportunities, at this moment, seemed to flood back into her body.

Although her current curvaceous form couldn’t fully contain this aura, her body heated up, her face flushed, and her fighting spirit rekindled.

“Even without considering the ring, I can’t just sit back and watch them target Miss Qingruo.”

The key was, how to obtain it?

At this moment, Cerise, wearing the mask, channeled a stream of black magic, transforming it into a small black phoenix, which swallowed the ring.

Then, the black phoenix flew to a tall, ancient silver chalice in the center of the altar, in front of the black crystal. The chalice shimmered with purple gemstones.

The phoenix plunged into the chalice, transforming into black flames that burned vibrantly within it. The ring floated within the black flames.

Even from afar, Diye could sense the terrifying power emanating from the black flames. It seemed impossible to take it by force.

Diye turned around, leaning against the stone pillar, breathing deeply. Her soft hips felt the hardness and coldness of the stone, which helped her calm down.

“I can’t take it by force… Without my holy power, even with my swordsmanship and martial skills, I’m not afraid of ordinary demons, but I’m no match for Cerise, and those two witch leaders are formidable as well…”

“In that case…” Diye couldn’t help but lower her head, thinking of the Witch’s Mark on her inner thigh. Shameful, yet also a hopeful thought came to mind. “For now, I’ll join them, participate in the selection as a witch, and seize the ring!”

“Besides, simply taking the ring isn’t the best solution. Cerise might use other methods, send other witches to assassinate Qingruo.”

“If I win the selection, I can approach Qingruo as the so-called assassin, returning to my former life and protecting Qingruo from threats at the same time.”

“Two birds with one stone!”

Diye decisively made up her mind.

The ritual ended.

The Goddess’s Servant of the Night dispersed into alluring streams of magic, leaving behind only the robe and silver mask collapsed on the altar.

The witches, after their final prayers, also rose and prepared to disperse.

“Oh no…” Diye’s heart skipped a beat.

The heavy, dark golden doors of the cathedral were slowly pushed open by several witches working together.

The first to hurry out were the two blonde and brown-haired witches. They were also worried about leaving Diye waiting outside for too long.

“Miss Diye?” the blonde witch asked, her blue eyes shining.

At that moment, Diye was standing right at the entrance.

Chapter 2: Yalan Diye

In the darkness, Diye seemed to hear Cerise’s soul-piercing laughter. Half-asleep, in a daze, she saw Cerise straddle her now delicate shoulders with her shapely legs.

Although Yedi’s shoulders weren’t broad in the past, they contained boundless strength. Now, however, they exuded a disheartening feminine smoothness and delicacy.

Perhaps it was in her stupor, but the pressure of Cerise’s heels didn’t feel so painful. Indeed, this woman didn’t intend to kill her. To Cerise, humiliating her, humiliating her like a woman, brought true satisfaction.

“You won’t succeed, even if… I won’t yield, won’t…” Diye could no longer distinguish whether she had actually cried out or if it was just a dream.

“Hehehehe? Yield? Wouldn’t that be too disappointing? Do you think this is all? My revenge has just begun. I will take away, bit by bit, what you cherish most, in every way…”

Cerise’s voice lingered around her ears, making Diye clench her teeth in hatred, yet her body trembled from the very breath of it. The voice drifted into the distance, as if merging into the abyss behind the scenes.

For a long time, there was boundless silence…

In the darkness, a figure gradually appeared, clad in armor radiating a holy, ethereal light. Though fully covered without a hint of exposure, it still revealed a goddess-like form. She knelt, hands bound behind her back, night-black hair cascading down.

Slowly, she raised her head, her eyes like the deep night sky, revealing a pious yet tragic expression.

“Qingruo… Qingruo!”

Diye jolted awake from her dark dream. She found two figures, one supporting her, the other trying to shake her awake.

“You’re awake?” A girl with short blonde hair, backlit by a torch, looked down at her. Beside her was another girl with brown hair, braided down her back.

“I… Where is this? What did I just say?” Diye felt a thin layer of sweat all over her body as she sat up on the cold dungeon floor.

The two girls exchanged glances. Their hands, not forceful, supported Diye’s exceptionally delicate inner arms. The blonde girl’s small hands seemed particularly soft.

“You seemed to be having a nightmare, murmuring something we couldn’t understand,” the blonde girl said with a hint of concern.

Diye breathed a slight sigh of relief. Right, what she just saw, at least that scene, must have been a dream. Qingruo Reid**, her will was incredibly strong, her holy power no less than her own. Within the Holy Academy, Cerise couldn’t shake her.

“Excuse me, are you Miss Yalan Diye?” the blonde girl interrupted Diye’s worries.

“Miss? Of course not! I…” Diye’s chest heaved. Remembering her reflection in the mirror, feeling her hips sit on the stone slab without any discomfort, as if full of elasticity and tolerance, thinking about how she appeared in the eyes of these two girls, she couldn’t help but lower her head dejectedly. “How do you know my name?”

“Master Diluowei was guided by the Moonstone. A witch named Yalan Diye was attacked by monsters and trapped in the deepest dungeon. Our teacher ordered us to rescue you,” the brown-haired girl said.

“Don’t worry, there are no monsters nearby. We’ve already searched,” the blonde girl added.

Rescued? Though Diye’s heart was filled with despair, she continued to think. How could these two girls possibly rescue her from the succubus? Surely, the succubus left on her own. Where did she go? What was she planning next? Diye had a feeling she was still lurking somewhere, watching her.

“Are you injured?” the blonde girl asked.

Diye shook her head.

The two girls helped Diye to her feet. Unexpectedly, Diye was still quite tall even after becoming a girl, about the same as before, around 1.70 meters, a head taller than the two girls, especially the short blonde one. However, the prominence beneath the white fabric of her chest was even more conspicuous against her height and slender waist.

“Wow…” The blonde girl, whose robe revealed no noticeable curves, let out a voice of envy. “You’re so beautiful.”

“Don’t say anything unnecessary, it’s not safe here. Let’s take her up quickly,” the brown-haired girl said, her shoulder supporting Diye’s armpit, inevitably coming into contact with Diye’s body. Her words were stern, but her face flushed, and for some reason, she deliberately took a deeper breath.

“You… where are you taking me?” Diye consciously felt, for the first time, the sensation of arms pressing against her chest from both sides. He had fantasized about this feeling as a boy, but never imagined his first experience would be from someone else’s arms…

This weakened the force of Diye’s question, but thankfully, both were girls.

“Of course we’re rescuing you!” the brown-haired girl said inexplicably.

“Master Diluowei wants us to take you to her,” the blonde girl added.

“Ah… I can walk by myself…” Yedi used to be introverted, but his speech was fluent. Now, Diye really didn’t know what to say.

Following the two robed girls out of the cell, the dim wall torches flickered, illuminating the tunnel made of rough rocks. Diye followed them through the passage with empty cells, ascending the old, spiral stone staircase.

So, when girls walk, the front dips and the back rises… This was completely different from how Diye walked as a man. Surely real girls were used to this and wouldn’t notice the difference, right?

This difference, however, seemed to strip away Diye’s confidence with each step. This gait might be fitting for a healthy, graceful girl, but what masculinity was left in it?

At the top of the stairs, the two girls pushed open the heavy, iron-bound wooden door together. Diye followed them into an old, towering church.

This looked like the church’s atrium, with statues on both sides. Directly ahead, a dark golden door, inlaid with agate and magic crystals in arcane carvings, shimmered with an otherworldly light.

Diye had some impression of these arcane carvings. They seemed to represent some ancient deity, but definitely not one of the gods worshipped by the Holy Church.

“What is this place?” Diye asked. For her, who had undergone such a drastic change, even a heathen temple held no fear.

“This is the Underground Witch Church. Many hunted witches are rescued and sheltered here by Master Diluowei…” the brown-haired witch said.

“Ah… has the ritual begun?” The blonde witch looked at the closed door, from which came the sounds of women’s prayers.

“What should we do?”

The two robed girls seemed a bit at a loss, looking at Diye again.

“Um, Miss Diye, please wait here for a moment,” the blonde girl said.

She exchanged a look with the brown-haired girl, nodded, and they walked quickly but gracefully towards a side door behind a pillar next to the main door, pushing it open and entering.

Diye was left alone again.

She wasn’t too concerned about the two girls leaving her alone. Perhaps this brief silence was even a relief.

In the dim, silent atrium, Diye couldn’t help but hug herself.

“What should I do…”

She, the former Temple Knight, the strongest in the Empire after the Age of Exploration, who lived a carefree and secluded life.

The glory and freedom of the past… overnight, it had become like this, even with a Witch’s Mark appearing between her thighs.

Did anything else matter?

What did it have to do with her anymore!

No… no way…

She couldn’t just fall apart like this.

“Pull yourself together, you’re Yedi, you have to pull yourself together!” Diye covered her face and said to herself.

However, the softness and heaviness of her chest seemed to remind her: “No, you are not Yedi, you are Diye, a fallen woman whose name alone evokes reverie, a witch.”

“I’m not!”

“I’m not a woman!”

“Who am I? I am myself… no matter what I become, that’s still me!”

Diye’s mental fortitude was already extraordinary, but this sudden blow was simply too much.

But she never thought of resigning herself to fate. She had experienced setbacks before, faced even greater dangers. Otherwise, how could she have reached the peak of the Empire?

It was just that, before today, she had never been abandoned by the gods, never experienced this kind of self-negation and shame that emanated from her very being.

In the dimness, Diye trembled.

From within the old, dark golden door, through the cracks, came the immersive sounds of women’s prayers, seeming to carry soul-stirring waves.

“It’s been so long, what kind of ritual is going on in there?” Diye looked at the door with curiosity.

She looked around, noticing stairs on both sides leading to the second-floor corridor supported by arches.

Diye hesitated slightly, then carefully walked up the steps. Halfway up, she stopped. The lingering tremor from her hips, far larger than she remembered, prompted her to continue, as if making a firm decision.

Under the dim stone arch of the second floor, there was an inconspicuous small door leading to the other side.

Diye walked over and gently pushed. It wasn’t locked. The crack opened slightly, and an unusual, dark, and feminine aura wafted out.

Diye carefully pushed the door open a bit wider and squeezed inside.

This seemed to be a dim, old cathedral.

Diye stood in the shadow of a stone pillar. Looking down through the second-floor stone railing, she saw many robed women kneeling below. Rows of rose windows in the distance cast faint, multicolored light.

Although it was clearly a heretical church, for some reason, Diye felt a strange sense of holiness. Perhaps it was just her current body being too sentimental.

“Are we hiding here just to lick each other’s wounds in the shadows?”

“The Empire hunts us, monsters see us as prey…”

“Are we destined to be abandoned by the world?”

Ahead, a series of high-pitched female voices, filled with soul-piercing power, rang out.

“That voice…” Diye’s eyes narrowed.

She carefully moved under the cover of shadows to behind a thick stone pillar, peering towards the front of the church, using the pillar and railing as cover.

She saw many women kneeling in neat rows, at least a hundred at a glance. In front of them knelt two unusual women, one petite with black clothes and silver hair, the other with a voluptuous figure, wearing a large witch’s hat, a black animal seemingly perched on her shoulder.

Before them, on the dark orange-red altar, stood a large, night-colored crystal like a sacrificial offering.

Beside the crystal stood a woman in a large hood and a moon-colored mask. Though her entire body was wrapped in a black robe, it couldn’t conceal her figure, which exuded an alluring aura.

“Cerise!”

Diye would recognize that female demon who turned her into a witch even if she were reduced to ashes!

The succubus Cerise was actually here.

“Servant of the Goddess of the Night, please convey the goddess’s will and guide us,” the silver-haired girl kneeling at the very front said solemnly.

“What Servant of the Goddess of the Night? Cerise, she’s deceiving these witches again! Cerise, what is she trying to do?” Diye suppressed her emotions with all her might, her delicate hand gripping the stone pillar so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

She had to control herself. Now, she had lost her holy power, and her body, transformed into a woman’s, had likely lost much of its strength. Though she probably retained some martial arts and swordsmanship, she was no match for a succubus, let alone with so many witches present, especially the one with the… black cat on her shoulder, who seemed quite unusual.

Diye tried her best to suppress the heaving of her chest, afraid that her gasps would attract the succubus’s attention. Cerise knew a woman’s panting all too well!

“The Goddess of the Night is incredibly powerful, but she is not omniscient and omnipotent. She cannot guide those who dare not open their eyes in the darkness…”

“Truth would rather gaze at the blood flowing on a dagger than heed the helpless screams in the flames! She guides you to use the magic you have discovered yourselves, not relying on divine grace and mercy. Pick up anything you can wield that can harm those who have hurt you.”

“The Night of Revenge begins today.”

Whoosh!

The “Goddess’s Servant” in the moon-colored mask spread her arms, igniting purple flames within the large, night-colored crystal.

Within the flames, the figure of a handsome, young Temple Knight in silver armor gradually appeared.

“Yalan Yedi! The greatest threat our witches have ever faced—” Cerise’s voice rang out.

“What…” Diye, hiding behind the stone pillar, looked at the heroic young man reflected in the crystal, as if from a past life. “Me?”

Calling him a young man was just due to the cultivation slowing his aging significantly. He was actually in his twenties, which Diye knew better than anyone, because that was her just yesterday.

Such a heroic and vigorous man, yet now she had become a shy and delicate woman, even appearing more mature. Who could understand this disparity?

“But now, this person is no longer a threat,” Cerise said calmly to the witches, but her words were like a sharp knife piercing Diye’s heart.

The Goddess’s Servant in the moon-colored mask looked at the witch with the black cat on her shoulder and nodded.

The tall witch in a dark purple high-slit robe stood up and said to the witches, “Every one of you, whether you survived the flames, were rescued from torture, or fled from the ubiquitous witch hunts, came to this Underground Witch Church to receive shelter and training, all for this plan.”

“Diluowei and I have been wanted by the Empire and can no longer operate in the sunlight. As for you, in a few months, we will select the most outstanding witch among you to carry out this plan.” The witch with the black cat looked at the kneeling witches below. The black cat, with its gold and purple eyes, turned its head, following her gaze.

Yedi’s figure gradually disappeared from the large, night-colored crystal, and more intense purple flames ignited within.

As the flames gradually dissipated, amidst the lingering sparks…

A female Temple Knight, clad in armor shimmering with the light of dawn, yet with night-black hair and a face as clear as morning dew, appeared in the crystal.

“Qingruo Reid**.”

“The new generation’s genius girl of humanity, the nemesis of witches, the future leader of the Temple Knights…” Cerise’s voice echoed through the ancient church, resonating in the ears of every kneeling witch.

“She is your true target!”