The Grotesque Miss’s End Story v2c45

Chapter Forty-Five: The Lonely Luo Ling, A New Ascension

After a brief, heartwarming night, Luo Ling watched Stasha sleep peacefully, a faint smile lingering on her face, and couldn’t help but smile herself.

As a younger sister, she understood what Stasha needed.

Although Luo Ling couldn’t give her everything, offering some comfort was still possible.

Unfortunately…

“Stasha… must have guessed something.”

Luo Ling sighed inwardly. This was beyond her control.

The Puppet Ballad’s disguise and domination were near perfect, but against true emotions… they were powerless.

Luo Ling couldn’t give Stasha back her real sister, only temporarily fulfilling her heartfelt wish.

“It’s… time to leave.”

Luo Ling turned away from Stasha’s sleeping face and activated the final review mechanism, a flood of information pouring into her mind, all related to the Company and the Harbingers.

Much of the information in the Awakened world was inaccessible to ordinary people, even in Victoria. Therefore, the Company and the Harbingers often didn’t bother concealing their actions from them.

But these puppets weren’t ordinary people. They only appeared human, essentially no different from the Puppet Ballad’s fungal threads. Perceiving this information wasn’t a problem.

Therefore, the thousands of puppets scattered throughout Victoria acted as Luo Ling’s eyes and ears, gathering information.

A vast intelligence network, hidden within the world, deeply rooted in the Company’s territory.

Most importantly, this network didn’t require communication between its nodes, minimizing the risk of exposure, and they would never betray Luo Ling.

Even if someone detected a puppet and killed it, they couldn’t trace it back.

This was the Puppet Ballad network’s greatest advantage.

“…Perhaps I could become an information broker?” Luo Ling considered, but dismissed the idea.

She lacked the personnel.

Alyssa was suitable, but she was now the Saint, unable to handle another demanding task.

Elsa…

This little girl would sell herself before selling any information.

Elsa was too young and naive for such a task.

And Linna was a super soldier, empowered by the Puppet Ballad, capable of facing Dangerous Grotesqueries, her combat strength exceeding Luo Ling’s. Wasting her talent as an information broker would be a shame.

Besides, Linna was currently who-knows-where.

And Luo Ling herself couldn’t operate openly. This idea had to be shelved.

For now, Luo Ling wasn’t lacking anything.

After gathering the information, Luo Ling left the system running automatically.

Alyssa, during her solitary evening prayers, would filter the information.

Luo Ling placed a few empowered strands of hair on Stasha’s head.

Although Alyssa was with her, Stasha might still encounter danger.

After using the hair on Odeletta, Luo Ling found this method effective, especially for ordinary people.

Ancient wisdom, though it might involve copyright infringement.

She couldn’t leave too many strands. Too much power would attract attention.

At this level, unless used in front of a high-ranking individual, it wouldn’t be detected.

The power within these strands was temporary, lasting a month, then dissipating, becoming ordinary white hair.

However, the hair given to Stasha belonged to Alyssa, since Luo Ling wasn’t physically present.

Luo Ling closed her eyes, her consciousness returning. Alyssa opened her eyes, her blind gaze filled with affection as she looked at her sister.

Stasha stirred, rubbing her eyes as she sat up, meeting her sister’s gentle gaze.

…Yet, it felt empty.

“Sister…?”

Stasha felt a strange sense of loss.

“Yes, I’m here.”

Alyssa replied gently.

……

Lying on the familiar soft bed, Luo Ling knew Elsa had carried her again.

But she felt… lighter?

Luo Ling sat up, realizing she was alone in bed.

“Elsa?”

Luo Ling called out, but received no response.

The apartment was empty.

“Not in her own bed either…”

Luo Ling touched Elsa’s bed. It was cold.

Luo Ling went to the common area.

The team shared the apartment. Only Eve didn’t live here yet.

Besides their private rooms, there was a shared living room, kitchen, and dining area, rarely used.

Initially, Cen Xiangyun had envisioned them living like a family, but she had lost interest after cooking a few meals, and after Luo Ling’s culinary disaster, the kitchen had been abandoned.

But today was different. The stove was warm. Luo Ling entered the dining area and saw a glass of warm milk and two slightly burnt fried eggs.

A note was placed under the glass, written in clumsy Chinese—clearly Elsa’s.

Elsa had been a vessel for a Grotesquery, ordinary childhood experiences out of reach.

Perhaps because of this, she was more mature than other children her age.

Luo Ling picked up the note, deciphering the clumsy handwriting.

“Miss Luo Ling, I’m going on a mission with Sister Cen! This was planned before you came back, so there’s no spot for you. Rest at home.

“Hmph, Elsa will become stronger too! I’ll fight alongside Miss Luo Ling one day!

“The milk and fried eggs are made by me! It’s my first time, so don’t dislike it! Finish everything!

“—Elsa.”

Luo Ling smiled, picturing Elsa struggling to write the note.

She had worked hard.

Luo Ling sat down, looking at the food.

The apartment was empty, only her remaining.

Saint Alyssa was at the cathedral, Linna was somewhere else, likely in a Kingdom.

Only Luo Ling was free.

“…Everyone’s busy.”

Luo Ling sighed, feeling melancholic.

“It’s good to be busy.”

She drank the milk and ate the eggs.

Although Elsa claimed it was her first time, it wasn’t bad, though not as good as her sister’s… but much better than Luo Ling’s own cooking.

After breakfast, Luo Ling returned to her room.

She still had information from the puppet network, much of it related to the Harbingers.

One entry, marked as “most important” by Alyssa, caught her attention.

“…….”

Luo Ling found herself in a slum.

The Puppet Ballad’s “Read” ability allowed her to experience memories vividly.

She saw a shifty-looking man peering over a wall.

“Sir, there’s no need for you to come personally.”

Luo Ling recognized Educator’s voice.

She saw a tall man dressed as a priest, bowing respectfully.

And before him stood…

A small, childlike figure.

He looked like a five or six-year-old boy, but his expression was solemn.

A monocle covered his right eye, and he wore a scholar’s robe, like a child prodigy.

Despite his appearance, he exuded the aura of an old scholar.

“We’re comrades, no need for formalities.” The boy said, his childish voice strangely world-weary.

“Who… is this?”

Luo Ling frowned. Religious’s position wasn’t low. For him to be so respectful, it could only be one of the three Harbinger leaders.

Philosopher was easily ruled out.

Of the remaining two… Historian had never appeared, while Educator was a middle-aged man.

Luo Ling stared at the boy and realized.

It wasn’t Historian, but Educator.

“…Is this some kind of price?” Luo Ling wondered.

Despite the age difference, the boy’s face retained some of the middle-aged man’s features.

The memory continued, Religious still respectful, “No, I’ll always be your student, sir.”

Educator remained silent, seemingly sensing something.

The shifty-looking man convulsed, his flesh churning, then boiling from the inside out.

He died before he could scream, his body dissolving into a foul-smelling liquid, quickly evaporating.

“Now, for ten miles around, there is no life.” Educator said softly.

He had casually eradicated all life within ten miles.

“This… is a domain formed by an Authority.” Luo Ling’s eyes narrowed, recognizing it instantly.

Educator possessed an Authority, not merely using one. The difference in power was vast. Even mid-order Awakened Ones couldn’t withstand it.

Even high-order Awakened Ones couldn’t escape unscathed.

And ten miles wasn’t Educator’s limit.

…Stronger than the Puppet Ballad, far stronger.

Terrifying.

But why had Educator come here to meet Religious?

Luo Ling checked the timeline. It was before Educator’s seclusion, when the Church of Light was growing.

Due to the fragmented nature of the memory, Luo Ling hadn’t noticed it earlier.

So, this was the reason for Educator’s seclusion.

“Sir, do you have something important to discuss?” Religious asked. “But why… not in the cabin?”

Educator paused, then shook his head. “There are reasons I can’t disclose.”

“Yes, sir.”

Religious understood.

The Harbingers were also secretive. The leak during Artist’s ascension remained a mystery.

“What I’m about to tell you is incredibly important. It must not be revealed to anyone, including other Harbingers.”

Educator whispered, “I’ve had Philosopher use ‘Traveler’ to erase all traces of this area. Even Auspicious Timing can’t scry here.”

“…Okay.”

Religious listened.

Educator had taken every precaution, except for one.

The slain man was now a part of a Silent Demise Grotesquery. Conventional death… was merely another form of existence.

Therefore, even as a dried stain, he still provided Luo Ling with his memories.

“We’ve decided. You’ll be the next to wield an Authority.”

Educator looked at Religious.

“You’ll walk the path to godhood, killing a High-Risk Grotesquery, usurping its Authority, and ascending to a Sequence position.”

His words carried a defiant power.

Religious looked up in disbelief. “Sir, this… this is…”

An Authority!

The ultimate power!

No one could remain calm.

“This is a blessing,” Educator said calmly, “a blessing only for you.”