Chapter 56: The Moment the Curtain Falls

Brilliant starlight did not merely manifest in the heavens above; its celestial hues were actively polluting the fires of the material world. It all radiated from the Blood Shadow suspended in mid-air.

The Blood Shadow’s silhouette was identical to that of a young girl, poised and elegant as she held a heavy, ancient volume.

By this moment, even the densest Transcendental realized that Lilith, the Ancestor of Incantations, had descended upon the world—even if it was merely an avatar.

“I wondered why it looked so familiar…”

Eliana gazed at the heavy book with profound wariness, quickly surfacing memories buried deep within her mind.

The Grimoire of Forbidden Curses. It was originally sealed within the Truth Academy’s Index of Forbidden Books No. 0—a vault specifically designed to preserve ‘Forbidden: Untouchable-Class’ tomes and ‘Forbidden: Unknowable-Class’ research data.

Eliana had spent her university years in the Metropolis, and that university happened to be one of the branch institutes of the Truth Academy. Consequently, she had seen archived images of the Grimoire of Forbidden Curses. Unless a’Sealed Artifact’ was designated as Unknowable-Class, information regarding it was rarely top-secret.

In fact, if information were kept strictly confidential, certain lost artifacts might be mistaken for ordinary items, leading to even more catastrophic consequences.

The Grimoire had been lost centuries before the Kingdom of York was even established. Few recognized it; even Eliana, with her exceptional memory, had to reflect for a long time to identify it.

This is going to be a problem…

The Grimoire of Forbidden Curses had appeared several times throughout history, each instance sparking sensational disasters.

It had once… ignited the souls of an entire nation. Granted, it was only a small island nation of several thousand people, but the horror was absolute.

According to records, almost everyone who witnessed the event—even those on distant shores who caught a glimpse of that nameless starlight by chance—lapsed into irrecoverable madness.

The madmen called it the “Soul-Blaspheming Starlight.” Within its glow, they saw the desperate futures they were fated to burn in.

The slightest touch meant that even death offered no escape. Even departed souls would be devoured by the starlight, transformed into fuel for the Ancestor of Incantations’ return, never to achieve transcendence. This was no mere legend; it was a historical catastrophe.

And now, another such disaster was unfolding before their eyes.

“I see,” a hint of bitterness flashed across Eliana’s face. “To think ‘The Omniscient Being’ is actually Her believer. No wonder…”

Whether Lilith’s followers should be classified as cultists was never really a question.

Simply because no one had ever found a formal cult centered around Lilith…

Yet judging by various historical accounts, this Ancestor of Incantations was an absolute, dyed-in-the-wool Lady Witch. Every time she appeared, she spread terrifying calamity. Naturally, any faith dedicated to her was classified as a Dark God’s cult.

“I pride myself on being a person of integrity, yet I’ve struck a partnership with a cultist who worships a world-ending witch…” Eliana couldn’t help but shake her head.

If Eliana merely felt bitter, Etheline was feeling genuine, visceral terror.

She could feel the Blood Shadow’s gaze resting upon her.

What terrified her more was that she recognized those eyes—eyes within the shadow that shone like brilliant starlight. She knew them far too well.

Lilith’s avatar was hidden inside Claudia’s body all along… She has been watching me through Claudia’s eyes…

To think she had wanted to steal eyes like those…

What an utterly delusional fantasy.

“Hmm?” Luo Wei looked at Etheline with curiosity.

At this moment, her vision remained in a state of starlight, allowing her to perceive the nature of all souls. Dead souls were almost all a ghostly blue, while living souls varied.

Eliana’s soul was so red it was practically purple, whereas Etheline’s soul was a translucent, fading white.

Does color represent a state, an emotion, or perhaps a personality?

Luo Wei pondered this, but what caught her attention more was that Etheline’s soul looked nothing like her face.

The soul belonged to an ordinary-looking, middle-aged woman—the kind of person you wouldn’t spare a second glance for on the street. Even Claudia had more character than her. That immaculate, beautiful shell she wore was entirely stitched together through “Grafting.”

…Her entire body is made of stinking, rotten flesh, yet she considers this beauty.

Luo Wei attempted to ignite Etheline’s soul directly but found that it required an initial expenditure of her own Candlelight.

Because she hasn’t died yet, do I have to waste Candlelight to kill her before I can get a soul that acts as fuel?

Luo Wei deliberated for a moment, then looked at Eliana and said, “Kill her.”

She had a top-tier combatant standing right next to her; why waste Candlelight to burn her?

The avatar of a Dark God had communicated an indescribable will to Eliana. It was a sharp, piercing killing intent, but it wasn’t directed at her.

Eliana tightened her grip on her sword. She noticed that with the appearance of Lilith’s avatar, the strength previously drained by the Immaculate Eyes was returning. Meanwhile, the terrified Etheline had long since lost all will to fight, simply kneeling on the ground, shivering uncontrollably.

Eliana had heard the rumors of Lilith; she knew this nameless starlight fire was the witch’s power. Killing Etheline would likely add more strength to the Ancestor of Incantations’ eventual return.

“So be it,” Eliana suddenly laughed softly.

‘The Omniscient Being’ had helped Kolun County tremendously. In fact, this infighting between two major cults was likely her handiwork. Even if she was a believer of Lilith, a follower of a Dark God as far as the world was concerned, so what?

At the very least, here in Kolun County, her contributions to the citizens were far greater than anything the Church of the Gods had done.

Eliana swung her sword with a fluid motion, effortlessly severing Etheline’s head before thrusting the blade down to pierce her heart.

Etheline, who valued beauty above life itself, ultimately died in the most hideous manner possible. Her grotesque body slowly burned, consumed entirely by the nameless starlight.

“Candlelight secured! Wrap it up!”

Luo Wei clapped her hands. The Blood Shadow dissipated, and the Grimoire of Forbidden Curses vanished back into Claudia’s body.

All the souls that needed processing had been dealt with. There was no need to maintain the Domain anymore. Wasting Candlelight just to maintain her “cool factor” wasn’t worth the cost, so Luo Wei simply shut it down.

All traces of the nameless starlight vanished in an instant. The flickering stars in the sky returned to their quiet state, and all the Holy Flame streetlamps extinguished simultaneously. When they flared back to life, they were nothing more than ordinary flames.

Everything that had just happened felt like a dream.

However, the mountain of corpses and the sea of blood surrounding them did not lie.

Oops.

Luo Wei had originally intended to use Dominion to stand Claudia back up, chat with the Inquisitor, explain a few things, and ask if her money had been deposited. But…

The previous battle had completely overdrawn Claudia’s body. If Luo Wei dared to control her for a few more movements, Claudia’s body would likely crumble apart right then and there.

This is troublesome…

Luo Wei felt a headache coming on. Her companion was an Inquisitor, and even if she was a confidential informant…

The problem was that Claudia had two identities: one as a Dream Sanctum believer, and the other as a follower of the Witch. Neither was exactly “respectable.” It wouldn’t be unreasonable for an Inquisitor to just finish the job while Claudia was unconscious.

After all, in this world, the actions of cultists were truly abhorrent. If Luo Wei were in Eliana’s shoes, she’d want to swing the sword too.

If I don’t use my genius eloquence or a critical success on a persuasion roll, how am I supposed to handle this situation?

Eliana walked over to the unconscious Claudia. She stood there for a long time in silence, her thoughts unreadable.

Only when the belated Enforcement Guards nervously surrounded the manor did she look up at the leader, Acting Inquisitor Sorensen. She spoke flatly: “I have handled everything.”

“Huh?” Sorensen was stunned.

He looked at the horrific, tragic scene across the grounds and sucked in a cold breath. Her Excellency the Inquisitor… took down dozens of cultists by herself?!

Moreover, these were cultists capable of performing powerful rituals… Their strength could not have been low. There must have been Sequence 7s among them.

He had previously comforted the rookies by saying “No matter the situation, as long as Inquisitor Eliana is there, things will be resolved,” but he never imagined it would be such a ‘one-man army’ resolution!

“Handle the cleanup,” Eliana said, patting Sorensen on the shoulder. She then effortlessly hoisted the heavily injured Claudia onto her shoulder.

“This is…” Sorensen looked at Claudia, his brow furrowing slightly.

His intuition told him this was a Dream Sanctum cultist, perhaps even a Priest. While these rats usually stayed hidden and were hard to detect, after they had used ‘Dream’ abilities, the lingering aura was something he could never ignore.

Eliana’s expression faltered for a fraction of a second before she replied calmly, “An unfortunate maid. She was heavily injured by the aftershocks of the battle. I need to get her to a hospital immediately.”

“A maid… just a maid?” Sorensen paused, then nodded, stepping aside to clear a path for Eliana. “Of course, Inquisitor.”

Perhaps his senses were just playing tricks on him. This was Inquisitor Eliana, known for being ruthlessly impartial—someone who wouldn’t tolerate a single speck of evil. How could she possibly personally protect a cultist priest?

“No, you are the Inquisitor now.” Eliana gave a thin smile, glanced meaningfully back at the manor, and walked past Sorensen.

Watching the former Inquisitor leave, Sorensen turned his gaze back to the manor. He knew that almost all the most powerful people in Kolun County had gathered here tonight for Lord Spengler’s banquet, and he felt a massive headache brewing.

Cleaning up after a cultist incident was already tedious; now it involved the most troublesome elite of Kolun County… Sorensen wanted to resign and run away, even though he’d only just received his promotion and raise.

Wait a minute. Was taking over as Acting Inquisitor at a time like this… actually a good thing?

It felt like Eliana had left a massive pit for him to fall into.

Sorensen sighed, but his expression soon turned grim. He waved to the other Enforcement Guards and began the gruesome task of processing the battlefield.

Eliana did not take Claudia to the central hospital downtown. Instead, she navigated the Lower District with practiced ease until she reached an inconspicuous little clinic.

The clinic’s owner was an elderly doctor who had already gone to bed, only to be jolted awake by a knocking that sounded like someone was trying to break the door down. However, seeing it was Eliana, his expression immediately became solemn.

The old doctor had once been Kolun County’s most prestigious surgeon, but after retiring, he had returned to the Lower District. Being unable to stay idle, he opened this small clinic as a service to the local citizens.

Only a handful of people knew the past of this ‘barefoot doctor’ in the Lower District; Eliana was one of them. Under normal circumstances, Eliana only came here for injuries that even the big hospitals couldn’t handle.

“Her injuries aren’t that severe. They didn’t warrant making me work,” the old doctor said after a brief examination of Claudia.

He had only performed a physical check; he hadn’t checked the brain. If he had, he wouldn’t have said it wasn’t severe.

“Her identity is… delicate,” Eliana said succinctly.

“Fine, then.” The old doctor sighed.

Soon, following the old doctor’s treatment, “Claudia” slowly woke up on the infirmary bed.

Luo Wei had witnessed the entire process, including the changes in Claudia’s information stream.

Doctor, you have the touch of a miracle worker! I’m so glad you’re not just some ‘well-trained doctor’!

Luo Wei took control and sat Claudia up. Eliana had been waiting by her side. Only when “Claudia” opened her eyes did she slowly speak.

“How should I address you… ‘Omniscient Being’?”

Her tone was cold and stiff, reminiscent of an interrogation. Upon closer look, however, one could detect a faint trace of tension behind her severe expression.

And fear.

Confronting a follower of the Ancestor of Incantations—and the avatar that had just appeared—fear was only human.

“……”

Luo Wei studied this Inquisitor, who had just gained significant glory thanks to her intel, and suddenly asked, “Did my money go through?”

“…It has been transferred.” Eliana’s eyelid twitched almost imperceptibly.

After that sentence, however, her tension eased slightly. At least she knew she was still dealing with a living being within the civilized world, not some incarnation of a world-ending witch exiled to the unknown.

“That’s good then.” Luo Wei nodded and stepped off the bed.

“Your injuries…” Eliana said hesitantly.

“It’s fine,” Luo Wei shook her head. “Remember, everything that happened today was your doing. It has nothing to do with me. As for titles, they aren’t important. Just remember to send the money on time from now on.”

Paying wages on time was a virtue all bosses should have, even if some lacked it. As for showing her face…

First of all, her current body was Claudia’s. Why would a cultist be wandering around in public? Furthermore, she wasn’t sure if her cover within the Dream Sanctum could even be maintained. It would be unwise to choose exposure now.

Is money really that important to you? Eliana wanted to ask, but she held back. It was a good thing she didn’t; otherwise, Luo Wei would have definitely answered: “If you think it’s not important, just give it all to me.”

After hesitating for a long time, just as Luo Wei was about to lead Claudia away, Eliana suddenly said, “That book is very dangerous. You cannot possibly be the reincarnation of Lilith.”

Having studied at the Truth Academy, she remembered the taboos regarding the Grimoire of Forbidden Curses more accurately than the unofficial histories Luo Wei had seen. One major risk was that the holder often began to believe they were Lilith’s reincarnation and would attempt to spread the Grimoire’s incantations to the material world.

Eliana was remarkably bold to say this directly to the holder’s face.

Luo Wei blinked. “Of course. How could I possibly be Lady Lilith’s reincarnation?”

She didn’t shy away from the identity of a “follower of Lilith.” In fact, she had anticipated this when she pulled out the Grimoire in front of Eliana. Luo Wei never harbored the delusion that absolutely no one would recognize the book; that was exactly why she rarely brought it out.

“…Take care,” Eliana said softly after a pause. She was truly not a woman of many words. Even if her heart was full of things she wanted to say and countless doubts she wanted to ask, she couldn’t bring herself to voice them.

“Just make the next payment faster.” Luo Wei nodded and hurried off into the night.

Though Claudia’s injuries hadn’t fully healed, as long as she didn’t fall apart while moving, it wasn’t a problem for Luo Wei.

Eliana watched her silhouette vanish and remained silent for a long time.

It was only when the old doctor returned to the bedside with the prescribed medicine that he found the patient gone.

“This… her wounds were only briefly bandaged…”

“It’s fine. She has her own ways of dealing with it.” Eliana shook her head, also standing up to head for the door.

Only the old doctor was left in a state of confusion. “Wait… you woke me up in the middle of the night just for a quick bandage?”

***

For Kolun County, the impact of this night was no less than an earthquake.

The night before, the noble lords had been losing themselves in the drunken revelry of a banquet—only to nearly find themselves ‘dead drunk’ in a literal sense. They were groggily awakened by Enforcement Guards, only to witness the tragic and bloody scene within the manor.

Coupled with the blurry memories emerging from their lucid dreams—even if they were just fragmented, disjointed pieces—the horror was deeply impressed upon them. For a time, the sounds of sobbing and wailing were endless, with Lord Spengler being the loudest of all.

After Etheline’s death, the charm effect she had applied through her various “means” vanished. Lord Spengler realized how shocking the events he had witnessed last night truly were. He had personally watched a cult ritual take place—more importantly, he was the one who had personally invited those cultists…

Only now did Lord Spengler realize that the former Inquisitor Eliana had been right: the Crimson Order was indeed a cult.

More importantly, he was about to face the wrath of Kolun County’s elite. While Lord Spengler was indeed a monopoly capitalist whose wealth was vast enough that even some nobles flattered him, if he enraged all the powerful elite—especially those whose lives and properties had been endangered—Lord Spengler would not meet a pleasant end.

At this thought, Lord Spengler paled and screamed, “I want to see Eliana! I want to see the Inquisitor!”

Lord Spengler knew that only Eliana knew the full truth. As long as he could keep her quiet… no matter the price, even if it meant total bankruptcy, if she would just agree to cover it up…

“First of all, Her Excellency Eliana has already left,” Sorensen, who was still commanding the scene, turned and replied flatly. “Secondly, I am the Inquisitor now. Lord Spengler, if you have something to say, say it to me.”

“You won’t do!” Spengler’s face twisted with rage.

“?” Sorensen mentally projected a question mark. Look here, buddy, I was promoted to this Inquisitor position by your own recommendation. How do you mean I won’t do? If that’s the case, you shouldn’t have promoted me! You should have left all this troublesome work to Eliana!

“Where is she? I need to find her…” Lord Spengler stood up tremblingly, but his legs gave way, causing him to fall flat on his face. He looked wretched—a far cry from his haughty attitude just a short while ago—but he still struggled to pull himself up by leaning against the wall.

He couldn’t wait. If the news became public… forget Kolun County, he wouldn’t even have a place in this world.

Sorensen looked at Lord Spengler and shook his head. “I don’t know.”

He did know, but he couldn’t be bothered to say it. Eliana had just gone through consecutive fierce battles and needed rest. How could she be disturbed by irrelevant people?

“Furthermore, Lord Spengler, regarding this banquet, you must stay here for the investigation.” Sorensen pulled out a file. “By the way, Her Excellency Eliana once submitted a report that was rejected…”

Hearing these words, Lord Spengler slumped back to the floor in despair. “It’s over…”