Chapter 41

Talli and the young man stayed together from the afternoon until sunset.

“In a few days, it will be time for the sacrifice,” Talli said, sitting in the pavilion and sipping her red tea. “Dusk, I’ve been thinking all night. Maybe you should go back to the Abyss first, and I’ll go to the center of the world to meet the Arrogant Monarch. This way, even if I face danger, I won’t drag you into it.”

Deritz looked up at the shadows of the trees.

“Do you know what will happen to you after the sacrifice?” he asked.

Talli put down her teacup and nodded.

“Most of the women will be thrown into the wilderness outside the Abyss, to become prey for ancient creatures. Since most of the witches being sacrificed have no magical powers, only a very few can return to the center of the world alive.”

“But even so, it would still be hard for them to meet Deritz. As lowly human sacrifices, they must endure countless hardships and tortures.”

Talli lowered her head. “I don’t know the reason for the sacrifice. I only know that I must survive, and meet Him.”

Deritz glanced at her. She lowered her long lashes, looking a bit sad.

“The sacrifice is just a ritual, a way to communicate between the human world and the center of the world, to prove the loyalty of humans to the Monarch. If the sacrifice is accepted, it also indirectly means that humans have not been forgotten by Him, and to this day, still live under His protection.”

Deritz said, “That’s the meaning.”

“How cruel,” 

Talli’s voice dropped.

To offer the life of a living person to the Lord for such a reason—how cruel humanity could be.

Deritz’s eyes darkened. “Yes. How cruel.”

He had always been cruel.

“Knowing how cruel and dangerous it is, do you still insist on going?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Talli clenched her hands. The scars had healed, and the tender skin looked as if newly born. “If I want to go home, I must meet Him.”

“Why?”

“The vortex at the center of the world can only take me back if it turns. And for it to turn, it requires an absolutely powerful and expanding force,” Talli said. “Someone told me that only the Monarch has such immense power.”

Deritz felt his heart slowly sinking into the cool waters of a lake on a scorching summer day. He didn’t know where it started, but his heart began to numb slowly.

He knew what he was about to hear, and he wanted to stand up and leave. But he maintained his usual expression and asked, “Are you going to kill Him?”

“No.”

Talli shook her head, a hint of self-mockery in her tone. “If I had the ability to kill Him, I wouldn’t have been forced into such a desperate situation.”

“What will you do then?”

“……”

Talli hesitated for a moment before slowly saying, “I heard that if you can make Him fall in love with a human and willingly offer His heart, even the power of a god would crumble to dust…”

She lowered her head, and after a while, a burst of laughter came from beside her.

The young man laughed heartily.

She looked up.

She saw that the blue-haired youth, having laughed for a long time, finally stopped, a slight flush appearing beneath his eyelids. His red pupils glowed like a cold red moon sinking into an icy well, even in the summer, exuding a chilling aura.

He leaned on the stone table with one hand, propping his cheek, and looked at her. “Talli, who told you that?”

“The Crimson Witch.”

Talli heard him mocking her, feeling a bit deflated. “I know it sounds far-fetched… but it’s better than the first method.”

Deritz made a sound of agreement and nodded. “It is indeed more feasible than the first method.”

“Do you know how to do it?”

The corners of Deritz’s eyes lifted, and he didn’t hide the curve of his lips, looking at her with a half-smile.

“I probably know.”

Talli recalled the content she had read in the novel in her past life. “…But, if it’s like this, perhaps Theresa could do it even better than me.”

Deritz said, “She won’t even live to see Him.”

He looked at Talli. “…But you can.”

Deritz finally remembered why He originally wanted to meet the girl.

He just wanted to see her face filled with despair.

All the bonds were false and fleeting things. He had almost become lost in these illusions of connection. If this continued, what awaited him would be the next betrayal.

He wasn’t foolish enough to be betrayed a third time.

The light of summer glimmered on the youth’s hair, illuminating his tall figure and outline, as well as the remaining cold, sinister smile hidden in the shadows. Like a venomous snake briefly retracting its sharp fangs, an eerie and chilling domain surrounded him.

After the sun set in the west, Talli was to go to the master’s study to discuss matters.

Deritz left the pavilion alone.

He raised his hand and tore off the badge from his chest, casually tossing it away. The badge she had placed on him rolled a few times in the bushes, gathering dust and broken leaves, no longer shining brightly.

He left Fred.

Talli, you will of course survive.

Before you see the despair on your face, one that cannot return because of eternity, you will live well in this world, unable to go anywhere.

The old woman, draped in a long veil, controlled the deep purple crystal ball before her. Amidst the fiery magic flames, the crystal ball floated and undulated, as though drifting in the ocean.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew up the curtains. An invisible hand mercilessly grabbed her neck.

The crystal ball crashed to the ground with a loud “clang.”

From within the wind-blown curtains, a tall, black-clad youth emerged. He raised his right arm, his hand clenched loosely, lifting upward.

The Crimson Witch’s body was lifted higher and higher.

She gasped, her face turning the color of earth.

“You seek death.”

The young man spoke with a cold, snake-like smile.

“Lord… You’ve finally returned.”

The Crimson Witch said with great difficulty.

Something “clattered” and fell to the ground, sliding for some distance.

It was the flint she had once given to Talli.

Deritz released his grip, and the Crimson Witch dropped to the ground like a sack, clutching her throat and gasping for air. She looked at the cracked flint on the ground, remaining silent.

“Did you plan to deceive me from the beginning?”

“…I was merely carrying out the will of the world. Lord, fate foretold that you would meet her.”

“You conspired with her to kill me and seize my power.”

“…I told you from the beginning,” the Crimson Witch closed her eyes, looking miraculously calm at this moment, “that she would kill you. It is a sign of fate, with no possibility of reversal.”

Deritz laughed out loud. “The will of the world is mine, and I am the one who controls fate. Crimson Witch, do you think I will be killed by myself?”

The Crimson Witch, holding the crystal ball, did not look at the cold youth. She suppressed the trembling of her body and said, “This is the future I saw.”

“Then, did you see your own future?”

A powerful pressure hung over her head, as if a sword of ^[1]“Sword of Damocles” is a famous metaphor from ancient Greek legend. So when the story says: “A powerful pressure hung over her head, as if a Sword of Damocles were poised…” It … Continue readingDamocles were poised, ready to strike the moment she made a wrong move.

“The child…” She spoke with a trembling, distorted voice. “I cannot see the future of that child. The future of you, me… the world, all lies before my eyes. But only her future, I cannot glimpse.”

“You know what this means.”

This indicates that Talli’s future is not within the realm she can glimpse in this world.

Deritz remained silent for a moment, then suddenly let out a cold, sinister laugh, the sound drifting down like a breeze:

“Well then.”

He withdrew his hand, the curtains fluttered in the wind and gently fell, but the voice clearly pierced through.

“Let’s make a bet, Crimson Witch. Let’s see if, as you say, I can fall in love with a lowly human.”

When Talli came out of the master’s study, it had started to rain again.

It was late summer, and the rain was frequent. The steady rain and the dark clouds it brought drove away the evening glow and the dusk prematurely. Talli looked at the gloomy sky and felt an unsettling unease in her heart.

Master Fred had told her that the sacrificial ceremony would take place in three days.

Talli needed to prepare herself mentally.

She hurried back to her room, but then suddenly remembered that she had forgotten to return the power she had taken from Kristen to Dusk earlier in the afternoon.

She closed the door behind her and called out, “Dusk?”

The voice drifted across the empty room and fell to the floor, unanswered.

Talli felt an inexplicable panic in her heart, as though her unease had been confirmed.

The large room was empty, it was clear there was no one there.

She worried that Dusk might be sulking again, turning into a little fox and hiding. She lifted the blanket to check the bed, under the bed, inside the wardrobe, and in the bathroom.

Nothing.

Dusk was nowhere.

Talli stood by the desk, for the first time feeling lost. Her head felt dizzy as she opened the window, and the damp air from outside surged toward her in waves, as if it were going to engulf her.

…No.

He must have gone somewhere first, doing something.

This little fox had a strange temper and wasn’t the type to report back obediently when he had things to do. Becoming a knight in name probably couldn’t suppress his nature either.

Talli thought to herself, grabbed the goddess’s crossbow and the magic bolts from the drawer, and rushed out of the room.

She first went to the training grounds, but didn’t find any sign of him. On her way back, she stopped by the knight’s brigade association. The person in charge there told her that Dusk had come by in the afternoon to collect his uniform, but hadn’t returned since.

By the time she left the association, the moon was already hanging on the treetops.

Talli stumbled a bit as she descended the stairs, feeling a sense of disorientation.

She continued to call out His name, hopelessly, as she made her way back to the manor.

She hoped a little fox would jump out from the bushes or a branch, stroll lazily toward her, and with a hint of disdain, say, “I was only gone for a short while, and you’re already so anxious.”

But there was nothing.

When she shivered from the cold, Talli finally realized that she was completely drenched.

At the same time, a dark arrow grazed her cheek, cutting off a few strands of her black hair!

She belatedly raised her stone crossbow, loaded a magic bolt, and turned around.

Several assassins from the Fred family’s political enemies were waiting to strike.

Talli then remembered that, with the sacrificial ceremony approaching, Fred’s political adversaries could no longer contain themselves. They couldn’t wait any longer. They wanted to sabotage the ceremony, and the only way to do that was to kill the sacrificial offering.

“Bang, bang, bang!”

Through the rain, the magic bolts pierced through the downpour and accurately hit the enemies’ chests, numbing their bodies and movements!

Although the nightfall made Talli’s vision less sharp, her strong intuition allowed her to narrowly avoid several arrows and hit her targets.

Not long after, the crossbow made a dry click.

There were no more magic bolts left.

Talli had been in a hurry when leaving and hadn’t brought many with her.

She gathered the magic beams in her palm, but didn’t notice the dark arrow that was heading straight for her left side from behind.

“Bang—”

A longsword deflected the dark arrow.

A long arm wrapped around her, pulling her into a warm embrace.

Talli’s heart raced as she hopefully lifted her head. “Huang—”

But the rain dripped from the chin of the blonde young man as he gritted his teeth, holding Talli protectively in his arms. With some effort, he fought off the arrows attacking from the shadows.

“Talli, honestly, it’s so dangerous to be out here alone at night—”

The sound of metal clashing made her ears ring. “If it weren’t for me, you’d almost be dead!!”

Carl turned around, shielding her behind him as he swung his sword to block the assassin’s sneak attack. The assassin’s shoulder was pierced by a magic bolt, and he clutched his shoulder, writhing in pain as he fell to the ground, convulsing in the rain.

With Carl’s help, the battle ended quickly. The rain gradually stopped, and once the clouds parted, the clear, water-like moonlight illuminated the dim scene, hastening the end of the fight.

Carl sheathed his dripping longsword, the blade now clean from the rain. After the moonlight emerged, there were almost no more opportunities for him to act.

He finally let out a sigh of relief, feeling the tension in his chest ease. As if remembering something, he turned to ask the person behind him, “Sister, who did you think was coming just now?”

There was no reply for a while.

He turned around in concern and saw the young girl standing by a small puddle under the moonlight, completely drenched, her face pale, and her hair dripping with water. She seemed cold, her thin hand holding the stone crossbow trembling in the chilly wind, her figure solitary.

“…No,”

Her eyes were distant, not really looking at anyone, or perhaps not looking at anyone at all.

“I didn’t think it was anyone.”

The person she had thought would come, did not arrive.