Chapter 327

Chapter 113 Light and Darkness Part Ten

Zi zi zi…

In a dizzying whirl, my hand suddenly rested on the cool leather armrest of the wheelchair.

The ancient trees with their myriad forms swayed in the moonlight, their withered yellow leaves rustling as they fell. Wet stones were covered in moss. The wheels of the wheelchair rolled over mud and dead leaves, and bird and animal sounds echoed in my ears.

The silver-haired little girl behind me, struggling to push the wheelchair, giggled, “Sister, it’s so nice to be out here… Being underground was so uncomfortable…”

“Sister, look! The moon in Xierjiaya is also very round…”

“Sister…”

Zi zi zi…

A dark figure approached and bent down to stare at me.

“The time has come…”

Zi zi zi…

In an instant, I found myself back in the dim room. In front of me was still the familiar silver-haired little girl, her mouth pouting sadly, tears sliding down her red eyes, dripping down her cheeks.

“Sister, do you hurt?” The little girl choked up, her voice trembling, “Do you hurt? Do you hurt? I don’t have any donuts left… Wailing… I’ll blow on it, blowing on it will make it not hurt…”

Zi zi zi…

Scenes flashed before my eyes rapidly. Buried fragments surged like waves into my vision. In my memory, the lively and cheerful silver-haired little girl smiled. She seemed always by my side, her voice childish yet clear. Her thin flower dress looked like a dancing fairy.

“Sister, what does your home look like… Is it big, really big?”

“Snowy white… Can’t imagine it… It never snows where I’m from… My father and mother raise cows and sheep, many, many, large pastures…”

“Sister, do you like music… I like it too… Should I sing for you?”

“Sister, when will those bad people who recite scriptures every day let us go home…”

“Sister, don’t be sad… When you’re sad, I can’t help but want to cry… But I don’t want to cry… I…”

“Sister, do you remember… You promised me, you said that after we get out, you would take me to the Winter City, show me the empire’s snow and moon…”

“Peyilo sister…”

My head felt like it was being pricked by needles.

Those constantly changing scenes before my eyes, the endless chatter of childhood voices, gradually became disordered amidst the chaos. All the little girls in the scenes, their delicate faces gradually lost their brightness, and blood-red light glowed in their eyes.

“Sister… We’re going to die…”

“Sister…”

“I hurt so much…”

“You didn’t come find me… Why…”

It seemed as if all the past beauties had collapsed, or perhaps these beauties were never real. Countless fleeting illusions began to blur, the air distorted, space collapsing. Unidentifiable black shadows flickered like ghosts before my eyes, whispering, “Gaia… Labishemus… Gaia… Labishemus…” as if it were some terrifying incantation. Then, the fragmented illusions shattered like broken mirrors, disappearing into nothingness.

“I’m so hungry…”

Suddenly, darkness enveloped everything.

In the next moment, the silhouette of a curled-up little girl appeared in my vision.

“Huff—huff—”

I woke up from a dream, breathing heavily and wiping the cold sweat from my forehead. I stepped forward in the void of darkness, extending my right arm, wanting to touch her thin back.

Unconsciously, I muttered, “Elush…”

I still couldn’t recall any coherent memories. Just seeing her made a profound sadness well up in my heart, hot liquid sliding down my eyes, blurring my vision.

“I’m coming…”

My throat felt dry.

The silver-haired little girl only a few steps away, upon hearing my words, trembled as if startled.

She didn’t speak.

“I…”

I cautiously walked forward, my right hand reaching for her back.

Suddenly, the little girl turned around, shaking her silver hair, her ruby-like eyes staring at me expressionlessly.

!

I was startled. My foot instinctively retreated, my outstretched hand retracted, and the words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat.

Seeing this reaction, the little girl paused slightly.

Then she playfully winked at me.

Following that, the innocent and beautiful face of the little doll opened its plump lips to both sides, her eyes curving into crescents, revealing a somewhat eerie twisted smile.

“Hehe.”

I felt a sudden chill.

“Ga—”

In the next moment, a goat cheese appeared out of nowhere, squawking and flying onto the little girl’s shoulder.

“Sister, you’re here.”

She stood in front of me, lifting her little head to look at me, her tone childish and indifferent, like a casual greeting between neighbors after a day, except her smile was even more pronounced.

“I’m so hungry~”

Something’s off…

“You…”

“Sister, you didn’t come as promised.”

Absolutely something’s off…

“That’s because…”

“However, don’t mind, I’m not angry~”

Her tone and attitude…

Were completely different from before…

“Aah… you…”

I opened my mouth, unsure of what to say, my heart sinking.

The little girl waved at me, “Sister, I’m fine! I just… feel a bit hungry… yes, very hungry, especially want to eat something… I…”

As she spoke, the little girl suddenly froze.

Muttering, “That voice in my head is talking again,” her pupils quickly lost their luster. But in an instant, the little girl suddenly became very distressed. She screamed, grabbing her head with both hands, and Captain Gray on her shoulder was startled, spreading his wings and flying into the darkness.

“No! Don’t…”

“My head hurts… Sister… my head hurts so much! Why… Sister, I feel so strange… I want to eat something… but I eat every day… I, I… Aah, hahaha—”

She tugged at her own hair while emitting a chilling laugh. It looked like she had gone mad, startling me so much that my hand instinctively rose in front of me, not knowing what to do, feeling bewildered and helpless.

“What’s wrong with you…”

“What’s wrong with me… I’m fine? I don’t know… I’m just very hungry… I ate them, ate many people… My head hurts… I wanted to find you! But I wanted to eat more… I’m fine, sister, I’m fine…”

“Elush…”

“…Why didn’t you find me!”

The little girl suddenly flew into a rage, her childish voice sounding like a scream, her eyes viciously staring at me.

“I couldn’t help it! I ate many people… I! I always dream about those people, it’s disgusting… Sister, I’m scared… but I want to eat… I’m so scared—”

“Sister, what’s happening to us… I can’t control myself… What did they turn us into…”

“Elush…”

My voice choked, my eyes stinging.

She’s already not normal…

My head is messed up…

“Sister…”

The little girl slowly raised her head, her face contorted in pain returning to calm, staring at me for a long time before laughing.

“I want to die.”

A tear slid down her delicate cheek, dripping onto her upturned lips.

“But I’m afraid to die… Can you help me?”

“Sister, I know you’re the best to me… Kill me, okay?”

I looked at her teary smile, trembling lips, as if something was stuck in my throat, unable to speak.

“Please… Okay? Sister, please… I’m suffering, I’m so hungry… I want to eat… Please… kill me… I’m too scared to do it myself, I hide here, I don’t want to eat them, but I want to eat them so badly, I can’t hold back… Let me die, sister… let me die…”

I shook my head frantically: “No, I don’t want—”

“Kill me!”

The little girl’s face suddenly turned fierce, her red eyes glowing fiercely. She stretched out her tender little hand, tugging at my clothes, screaming desperately: “Kill me!”

“Kill me kill me kill me kill me… I’m not Elush… I don’t know who I am… You’re not Peyilo sister… hahaha… kill me kill me kill me… please…”

Suddenly, her expression froze, staring at me blankly, then pulling out another frightening smile.

“Oh, speaking of which… there seem to be many people outside.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“What do you want to do…”

“Sister, you’re still so kind… If I eat all those people, what will happen to you, sister?”

“…You can’t…”

“I’m a monster~ I’m not Elush.”

He let go of the hem of my clothes, “You will kill me, right?”

Rumble…

The dark space began to shake.

“Hehe.”

Tears still streaked her face, but she smiled sweetly. Her eyes, as bright and clear as pearls, stared fixedly at my face, as if trying to engrave it in the deepest part of her soul and memory.

“Wait! Yiliush—”

I wanted to grab her.

But in the next second, the small figure had already vanished from my sight.

“A!”

My footing lost support, my body plummeting rapidly. I abruptly opened my eyes again.

It seemed like I was back in the chamber…

But the collapse didn’t stop. Stones and dust rained down from above, the deep abyss’s aura filling the entire space. Dozens of meters ahead, in the darkness at the end of the chamber, a pair of crimson lights shone brilliantly.

That was—

“Yiliush!”

She was there!

I was about to rush forward regardless, when suddenly, a dense cloud of dead smoke drifted over and arrived in front of me in an instant.

“Mmm…”

Dead smoke did no harm to me, but I couldn’t help but squint my eyes against the wind.

“Ga—”

The goat cheese cried out somewhere.

Following that, the red light enveloped by the dead smoke suddenly took flight, crashing directly into the top of the chamber with a loud boom. The ground beneath me trembled violently, and I staggered, barely managing to steady myself against the wall.

Once steady, I looked up and saw that a large hole had been smashed through the ceiling of the chamber. Blinding light poured in, illuminating the room. The dead smoke blocking the way quickly dissipated, and at the same moment, I heard the little girl’s slightly tearful voice echoing in my ears.

“Come catch me…”

“Sister…”

…………

Dark clouds pressed down on the city, causing turmoil and unrest.

On the chaotic streets, Sophia stopped to catch her breath and looked up at her father, who was gazing at her with a look of satisfaction.

“You’ve done well. Your father will have this message sent to the palace. Go find Miss Peylo and stay by her side. See if there’s anything you can help with. If you can help, do your best… This might be our Jasielin family’s key moment to rise.”

“Good.”

Sophia’s face lit up with joy.

“Father, be careful.”

“Hmm.”

In front of the grand palace.

Blood and flesh flew across the vast square in front of the palace. Limbs were scattered everywhere. Flames burned, and the tall Winter Orchid fell with a thud.

Puff—

Regert pulled his blade out of a soldier’s chest, and red liquid splashed onto his face.

“Captain, the enemy has retreated!”

“They know that Queen is not here anymore!”

Reckt’s eyes flickered as he looked toward the distant north of the city. Then he gave an order: “Swordsmen of Kanri, heed my command!”

“Follow me… to slay the enemy general!”

“Yes!”

Several figures darted forward like lightning.

On the broad central street.

Among the army retreating from the palace and rushing northward, Old Reckmont glared and angrily cursed at the generals beside him. The old Duke, riding a rhinoceros, looked at them with a half-smile, his eyes flashing with inscrutable light.

After a moment, he whispered to someone beside him, “Go inform the Iron Guard outside the city. The timing isn’t right yet; the plan has changed. Keep them in place… until I give the order.”

“Yes…”

The person responded softly and slipped away.

The old Duke watched Reckmont still cursing, a sinister smile forming on his lips.

“I can’t take the blame for attacking the church… I’ll explain it later to the Church. As long as the Cardinal still oversees Ethenbel, everything will be fine… It’s just going to be tough on you, Old Reckmont.”

“I don’t believe anything can stand against my forty-thousand-strong army…”

Smoke rose along the southern city walls, and the cries of battle echoed.

The high stone walls crumbled, and the few remaining soldiers fought desperately against arrows and fire. Their faces were filled with sorrow, their voices hoarse. But the situation was beyond redemption. The army outside surged forward like a flood breaching its banks.

Below the thick southern city gate, countless armored guards carried battering rams and charged the gate with a roar.

“Break the city—”

Boom!

In the distance, a knight removed his helmet, revealing a young face that bore a resemblance to the old Duke but was much younger.

“After we enter the city, ignore everything… whatever you see or encounter, kill or loot as you wish… this thousand-year-old capital is ours now.”

“Shouldn’t we save your father first?” someone asked.

The man turned his head, his cold, sword-like gaze piercing the questioning general, expressionless.

He slowly drew his longsword from his waist.

“Count Adrien—”

The general, realizing something was wrong, tried to plead, but before he could finish, the man slashed his throat. Blood gushed out like a fountain, and the figure fell off the beast, gasping briefly before dying.

Silence fell around, and no one dared speak.

The man licked the blood from his sword and laughed.

“My father is old…妄图勾结异教徒 is really a sin deserving death…”

As he said this, he turned to look behind him: “My dear friends, what do you think?”

Behind the man, three people in black robes stood side by side, staring straight ahead in silence.

Inside the Grand Cathedral of Saint Zayel:

Margaret sighed deeply.

She looked at the somewhat shy little Elly standing in front of her and nodded slightly. Then, a nun hurried into the room and whispered something in her ear.

The face of the Holy Princess changed abruptly.

She pondered for a moment, then stood up from the bed: “Where is Peylo?”

“She’s, she’s at the main altar…” Elly answered timidly.

“Good.”

Margaret waved her hand, signaling the nuns to follow her, and left the room quickly.

“Perhaps… bringing them together earlier was a mistake…” she muttered as she left, but no one heard her.

Click.

The door closed.

The room dimmed slightly.

Lying on the white bed, Victoria’s face had regained some color. Her right thumb, resting on the edge of the bed, twitched slightly.

…………

On the plain outside the city.

A man wrapped in a gold-embroidered cloak stumbled forward, his bulk making his steps unsteady.

His wide hood almost completely covered his face, except for a small portion of his chin, where a terrible black scar was surrounded by a misty fog. The wound had rotted and pus was seeping out, exposing the bone underneath. His mouth, hidden in shadow, seemed to have disappeared, revealing his white teeth.

He looked up at the towering white city in the distance, faintly hearing the sounds of battle.

The man tightened his cloak, wrapping himself tightly, and continued walking toward the city.

“The opportunity has come…” he said.

“Let me swear with my life to end this grave sin…”

Farther away, several rhinoceros-drawn carriages sped down a winding road.

The carriage in the middle was suddenly lifted, and a golden-haired man stuck half his head out.

“Ahh! This is so boring. How much longer? I can’t wait to see Little Black Coal.”

“I wonder if she misses me? I miss her so much… and Little Margaret, hmm… have they gotten along well? I’m so worried…”

Though he spoke like this, his handsome face showed no sign of worry at all; instead, he seemed very happy.

Then the man turned back and looked into the carriage.

“Hey, say something… anything, just to break the silence.”

“What should I say?”

A slightly lazy male voice came from inside the carriage.

“Haaah…” He seemed very tired, yawning as he spoke, “Angel, can you let me sleep in peace?”

The golden-haired man shook his head immediately: “No. We’re almost there. Pull yourself together!”

“…Has anyone ever told you… you’re actually quite annoying.”

“No. Who dares to insult the Pope?”

After this question, there was a moment of silence in the carriage.

When the man spoke again, his voice sounded even more weary: “Angel, you…”

“Do you miss Little Black Coal?”

“You two have been together for so long. Hasn’t anything happened between you? Come on, tell me about it.”

“…Who would tell you?”

“Eh?” The golden-haired man widened his eyes and pulled his head back into the carriage, “What you said…”

The curtain fell, and the conversation continued between the two.

“No! Can you be normal? And even if there was something, it’s none of your business.”

“I command you under the authority of the Pope, tell me!”

“Angel… this behavior of yours violates the canon strictly speaking.”

“The canon?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re joking…”

“That’s not how it works…”

The rhinoceros-drawn carriage continued on its way toward the city.