“You really know?”
“I do.”
“Then tell me already!” Lilith stomped her foot impatiently. “I want to know so badly! I can’t wait another second!”
Wang Yue had intended to tell her, but then a thought gave her pause. If Lilith knew the truth, could she still worship demons? With her extreme, domineering personality, could she truly revere “deities” that were imprisoned and controlled?
Wang Yue thought for a moment before shaking her head. “It’s better if I don’t say anything. Your faith would collapse.”
“Knowing this secret would make my faith collapse?” Lilith’s mouth fell open, her eyes sparkling with even more intense curiosity.
“Yes, I’m certain of it. And once your faith collapses, you won’t be able to borrow the power of demons anymore. You’ll lose all your magic and become an ordinary person…”
Before she could finish, Lilith’s voice cut through the air.
“By the power of the Command Spell… tell me!”
“Can’t you show a little restraint?” Wang Yue covered her face with her hand. “Didn’t we agree you’d only use those for writing names? That’s it?”
“I can’t help it! I won’t be able to sleep tonight,” Lilith pounced on her, grumbling petulantly. “I don’t care what happens later; I have to know this secret right now!”
Under the compulsion of the Command Spell, Wang Yue led Lilith to the Cold Spring Garden. She approached the stone fountain, which was carved in the likeness of a Giant Clam, and spoke a few words of Sphinxian.
With a heavy rumbling vibration, the fountain split open perfectly. In the center of the dried-up hot spring pool, a large tunnel leading deep underground was revealed.
“Oh my god!” Lilith’s eyes lit up with excitement as she skipped toward it. “My dream came true! There really is a secret chamber in the academy! Ahhh! How did you find this?!”
“I dug it.”
Wang Yue lit the tip of her wand and began the descent.
“I never would have guessed! Wang Yue, I always thought you were such a good girl. To think you actually dug through the entire school! I’m so excited! If I chant the Headmaster’s true name right now, would we both be finished?!” Lilith waved her arms wildly, a strange flush creeping onto her small face.
“Try to have some decency.”
“La la la~ Gwendolyn, la la la…”
Though she knew Lilith was joking, Wang Yue felt a sudden, strong urge to give the girl’s backside a good smack. This girl was truly the worst.
The two of them descended quickly along the underground fissure, soon arriving near the basin where the Blue Lake was located.
“Wait here. I’m going to scout ahead.”
Wang Yue used the Chameleon Key to transform. She removed her clothes and approached the Blue Lake for a quick look; the shore was deserted. After returning and dressing, she led Lilith into the small basin.
When Lilith saw the eight Fetal Monstrosities floating within the illusory waters of the lake, her jaw dropped. She muttered something unintelligible before breaking into a fit of eerie giggles.
“So… this is the pathetic thing we worship…”
Lilith’s teeth chattered, yet her eyes shone with a bizarre excitement. She clenched her fists and said, “I can’t stand it! I want to go up there and give those ugly things a kick!”
“Don’t go courting death!” Wang Yue hastily pulled her back.
Having fulfilled the order, the Command Spell’s influence dissipated. If Lilith truly tried to commit suicide-by-demon by kicking a Fetal Monstrosity, Wang Yue would have to stop her with everything she had.
Suddenly, Lilith’s breathing grew labored. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her face turned a deep crimson. She looked confused for a moment before turning to shout at Wang Yue.
“I—I can’t use my magic!”
“I told you not to go looking for trouble, but you just had to use that Command Spell. Now your faith has collapsed, hasn’t it? The demons have revoked your access to magic because you insulted them.”
“By what right?! Those bastards!”
Despite knowing the truth, Lilith’s curiosity still outweighed her fear. She glared fiercely at the Fetal Monstrosities in the Blue Lake.
“Faith is a form of contract. If you want power, you have to establish a connection. You have to use a key to open the door; you can’t just pick the lock.”
“I’ll kick the door down!”
“Let’s just go. Stop acting crazy.”
Wang Yue dragged the thrashing Lilith all the way back to the secret chamber. By the time they arrived, Lilith had finally calmed down. she stared at Wang Yue with suspicion.
“Why are you fine? What’s the difference between us?”
“Because I believe that the life-level of a demon is ultimately higher than a human’s. Therefore, I shouldn’t mock their predicament. Everyone has a run of bad luck sometimes, don’t they?” Wang Yue offered the excuse she had prepared long ago.
“You’re lying.” Lilith stared into Wang Yue’s eyes. “You have a secret, and you’re not telling me.”
“Why would I tell you directly? That would be no fun at all,” Wang Yue retorted with a roll of her eyes.
“True.” Lilith nodded in agreement.
To her, if Wang Yue didn’t resist, the fun was halved. If Wang Yue didn’t react at all, there was no fun to be had. Conversely, a Wang Yue who resisted while having a big reaction was the most entertaining thing in the world—the very state Lilith constantly pursued.
However, she soon realized the gravity of her situation.
“Wait… if I can’t use magic, how am I supposed to do my homework? How do I complete the class assignments? What about the exams? Eek! I can’t be a witch anymore!”
“You’re only realizing this now?” Wang Yue was utterly speechless.
Lilith’s situation was much worse than Prima’s. The little disabled girl could at least still use magic, whereas Lilith was completely cut off. Strictly speaking, she had been kicked out of the ranks of witches; she was no longer trusted. Faith was proof of an individual’s belonging to the collective—a vital standard for distinguishing friend from foe.
“I’ve really become an ordinary person!” Lilith panicked, yet her excitement seemed to grow.
“It’s fine, I’ll protect you,” Wang Yue couldn’t help but let out a small snicker as she reached out to pat Lilith’s head. “I’ll give you an allowance, and you can live in the Quicksand Lowlands from now on. I’ll come visit you on the weekends and take you out to play! Remember, when I’m not around, don’t go out alone. The Crimson zones are very dangerous. You aren’t that ‘super-powerful Witch Lilith’ anymore. From today on, you have to learn how to be ‘Ordinary Lilith’.”
“I’m not going to be your little pet!” Lilith swiped her hand away and lifted her chin proudly. “I still have my Mystic Arts! I was the super-powerful Lilith long before I became a witch!”
Once the excitement passed, Lilith sat on the cold stone floor, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. She hugged her knees, her pale, slender legs peeking out from under her Gothic dress. She wore a pair of blood-red pumps without socks; the faint blue veins were visible through her porcelain-white insteps, making her ankles look particularly fragile.
After a moment of silence, Lilith tilted her head, her scrutinizing gaze landing on Wang Yue’s face.
“Hmm? You’re quite happy that I’ve lost my magic, aren’t you?”
“I am not.” Wang Yue shook her head vigorously.
“I clearly saw you snickering just now!”
“I was merely mocking the injustice of fate.”
“Hmph,” Lilith snorted. “There’s still plenty of time before the Monthly Exam and the Midterm Exam. There must be a way to recover. You have to help me hide this from the teachers. I don’t want to get expelled.”
“I will. After all, someone once said that the elite must shoulder the responsibility of protecting fools. Since I’m such a great elite, I naturally have to protect a little fool like you! Hahahaha!” Wang Yue finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst into laughter.
“Aieee!”
Lilith screamed and lunged at her in a fit of pique.
But with a single flick of Wang Yue’s wand, Lilith was forced back as if the world were playing in reverse. She landed hard on her bottom, her legs forced into a “duck sit” position. Her face was tilted up, and the corners of her mouth were pulled by an invisible force into a stiff, artificial smile.
Most of Lilith’s face remained pale, save for two cherry-blossom pink flushes on her cheeks. Being controlled by Witchcraft was humiliating to the extreme. Her small teeth ground together with a rhythmic creak as she squeezed words out through the gaps.
“You… are… dead… Wang Yue… I promise… once I get my magic back… you’re going to die a miserable death… just you wait…”
