Chapter 316: Athena Desires Her Master’s Holy Light
At the ruins of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess, dozens of figures prostrated themselves, trembling before the overwhelming pressure.
They chanted their loyalty to the Empress.
The dark clouds, the lightning, the crimson light… it didn’t seem like the work of a benevolent god.
But did it matter?
They knew that Loseweisse had a powerful backer, a being they couldn’t possibly defy, a being before whom even Augustus, the Pope, was insignificant.
What choice did they have but to submit?
Loseweisse, basking in their adoration, trembled, not with fear, but with excitement.
This was what she had always wanted.
Her vanity was immensely satisfied.
She craved admiration and praise. She had enjoyed it as Jie Luo’s lover, but it had vanished with his death.
She had hoped to regain it through Qin Chu, but he, the blind fool, had chosen a lowly maid.
She hadn’t forgotten the humiliation.
But now, she had even more.
She had also learned of her own parentage, a revelation that had shocked her.
The pressure continued for an unknown duration, until those kneeling felt their bodies and minds reaching their limits. Finally, the crimson light behind Loseweisse faded.
The dark clouds dispersed, the lightning ceased, and the faint starlight returned.
The pressure lifted, but they remained on their knees, no one daring to rise.
Seeing these high-ranking officials of the Holy See in such a state filled Loseweisse with a profound satisfaction.
She felt like a true Empress, her power absolute.
“Rise,” she commanded, her voice filled with authority.
They slowly rose, looking at her. While she still looked like the Saintess, her aura had changed.
She still wore her Saintess robes, but she seemed… alluring, seductive, like a captivating demoness, drawing their gaze.
Seemingly sensing their reaction, she smiled.
It was a breathtakingly beautiful smile, filled with charm.
Many felt their hearts racing, unable to meet her gaze.
Then, she closed her eyes, and the seductive aura faded, replaced by her usual innocent demeanor.
But this change only intensified their fear.
Douglas, now acting as her second-in-command, his face filled with a feverish excitement, said: “Do you feel it?”
“We’re merely following the god’s will! Augustus is the true traitor!”
“That bastard controlled Saintess Phyllis, attempting to use her to manipulate Her Holiness.”
“We won’t allow that to happen.”
“We will overthrow the blasphemer, Augustus!”
“Overthrow Augustus!” the Bishops, Archbishops, and Holy Knights chanted, echoing Douglas’s words.
But with the divine pressure gone, their fear subsided, replaced by their usual cunning. While Loseweisse had a powerful backer, and they were bound to her and Douglas by the incriminating evidence they held, they also realized that a young girl like Loseweisse, if she became Pope, wouldn’t know how to rule.
Then, the true power would lie with them.
They formed an alliance, each harboring their own ulterior motives.
“Our most important task now is to find Saintess Phyllis, to rescue Her Holiness’s mother,” Douglas said, after the commotion had subsided.
“Otherwise, Augustus might use her as a hostage.”
“He seems to have a secret chamber. She’s likely being held there.”
Mother?
The term made Loseweisse frown.
She had never known her mother, raised by the nuns of the Holy See.
The word felt foreign to her. While Saintess Phyllis seemed to have been a remarkable woman, Loseweisse felt no connection to her.
She even felt a strange resentment, a thought taking root in her mind: If only I didn’t have her filthy human blood, only the blood of a god.
No matter how talented Phyllis had been, she was still human. Having her blood flowing through her veins felt like a taint on her divine heritage.
…
“My beloved child…”
At the Hero’s Residence, Athena shot to her feet, her body trembling.
Her eyes darted around, her face grim, her voice sharp: “Who’s there?”
“Show yourself!”
She summoned her staff, mana surging around her, the resulting breeze stirring the curtains, casting long, dancing shadows in the moonlight, making the room seem eerily sinister.
But she was alone.
Only the flickering candlelight dispelled the darkness.
She swallowed, the oppressive feeling intensifying. The voice hadn’t been a hallucination.
She didn’t know its source, but she knew it was malevolent. While it sounded gentle, it filled her with primal fear.
Whoosh…
A cold wind swept through the room, and everything within began to decay rapidly: the bed, the floor, the desk… Dark, rotting patches spread across the white walls like veins.
Athena shivered, the voice echoing in her ear, carried by the wind:
“My beloved child…”
“Will you accept my power?”
This time, the words were clearer, the fear more intense, making her scalp tingle. She knew a powerful, terrifying being had noticed her.
This was not a good thing.
She saw a dark green and crimson mist, like fine dust, swirling outside her window, carried by the wind, entering her room. She had initially thought it was dust, but now she saw that it was a swarm of tiny insects, smaller than hairs.
The sight made her skin crawl. She made the right decision, turning to flee without hesitation.
But as she reached the door, before she could even open it, the insects seeped through the cracks beneath, spreading rapidly through the room.
They were everywhere, filling her vision.
She didn’t know who had targeted her, but she knew she couldn’t fight it.
But even so, she wouldn’t surrender.
Gritting her teeth, she extended her hands, summoning a crimson magical shield that enveloped her completely, leaving no gaps.
The insects instantly swarmed the shield, obscuring its crimson glow. She could see them clearly now.
They resembled flies with elongated abdomens, but smaller, with two sharp teeth on their heads.
As they landed on the shield, it flared, incinerating them.
But before she could relax, another wave of insects arrived.
They gnawed at the shield with their sharp teeth.
Crunch, crunch…
The grating sound echoed in her ears, a sharp pain in her head.
Despite its strength, the shield began to crack under the relentless assault, threatening to shatter.
The insects assaulted her senses… and within her mind, a sinister voice whispered:
“Accept my power…”
“Accept my power…”
“Accept my power…”
The voice echoed like a booming gong, then like a soft whisper, a lover’s murmur, then like a beast’s roar.
“Get out… get out…” The pain in her head intensified, and she dropped her staff, clutching her head, screaming: “Aaah…”
The voice felt like it was tearing her soul apart.
She saw dark green threads, like parasitic worms, writhing within her mind, trying to pierce her soul.
Each time the voice echoed, its influence grew stronger.
“Accept my power…”
“My beloved child…”
“Child… power… power… child… child…”
The voice became more distorted, a cacophony of whispers echoing in her mind.
She felt her consciousness fading, her soul being consumed. She would become a puppet, controlled by this unseen entity.
Her thoughts slowed, her mind becoming sluggish.
Stop resisting. You can’t fight it. Accept your fate.
Aren’t you tired of struggling? Perhaps Jie Luo was just deceiving you. And Qin Chu… Qin Chu?
Suddenly, she looked up, a flicker of resistance in her confused eyes.
No, I won’t surrender.
She was Athena, a Grand Mage. She wouldn’t be so easily defeated!
She grabbed a dagger from her storage ring, her eyes filled with a desperate madness.
Without hesitation, she plunged the blade into her thigh.
Had it hit bone?
A jet of blood sprayed across her black robes, staining them crimson.
Then, with a grimace, she dragged the blade across her thigh, creating a deep gash.
Her long legs were covered in blood.
The stench of blood filled the room.
But she felt no pain, only a strange exhilaration. She dropped the dagger, collapsing to the ground, gasping for breath.
The insects vanished, as if they had never existed.
The whispers ceased.
Haha… hahahahaha…
She almost laughed.
She didn’t know what this entity was… but… she had won.
Did you hear that, you fool? I won!
Trying to corrupt my soul? Not so easy.
Bang!
The door burst open, and Qin Chu stood there.
He had been downstairs, preparing for bed with Sylph.
Hearing her scream, he had rushed upstairs. But seeing Athena covered in blood, a manic smile on her face, he was stunned. What happened?
He frowned, his eyes scanning the room cautiously. She was alone.
He stepped forward, glancing at her, then enveloped her in holy light.
The light bathed her, the deep gash on her thigh closing rapidly.
“Athena, what’s wrong? What happened here?” he asked gravely.
The soft, white light dispelled the room’s chill, calming her fear and turmoil.
She hugged herself, her body still trembling slightly. The holy light felt… warm.
She looked up at him, her fear replaced by a desperate yearning. She threw herself into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Mmm…
Qin Chu’s words caught in his throat, turning into a muffled groan.
Her soft lips pressed against his.
Her voluptuous body pressed against him, her warm skin and rapid heartbeat arousing him.
They finally parted, gasping for breath.
Athena’s eyes shone with a desperate passion, her voice a breathless whisper: “Master, please… take me.”
She craved his warmth, his holy light, to cleanse the darkness within her.
What a temptress!
