NOVPUBIn a dimly lit bedroom on the second floor of an ancient castle, where antiquity blends with luxury, tranquility coexists with solemnity, the lamp had not been lit.
The mural decorates the bedroom walls depicting scenes of the Huo Ning Empire. The deep, wood-themed walls and the ceiling exude a rich flavor of history.
On one side of the bedroom, the curtains of a large window were half-open, the castle courtyard and the distant forest remained hidden in the dark night, with only faint moonlight penetrating the window, shining in every corner of the room.
Right in the middle was a spacious four-poster bed; carved solid wood frames, soft mattresses topped with pure white sheets, and covers looked both magnificent and comfortable. At the head of the bed, two large feather pillows lay quietly, inviting the guest into sweet dreams.
This bedroom not only reminds one of the castle’s history and stories but also provides the guest with a comfortable and private space, to enjoy a tranquil night and relax the body and mind.
However...the ambiance is anything but.
Next to the four-poster bed, iron chains were securely fastened to a black oak high back chair; a petite girl was unconscious, her long hair scattered about her shoulders, pale as paper skin, delicate fingers were hanging weakly on either side of the chair.
Her body was also bound firmly to the chair by several iron chains, the shackles like cold, hard snakes wrapped tightly around her ankles, preventing her escape.
The junior priestess among the three female students of the Cerryti Empire, also one of the remaining traitors apart from the Goddess of Destruction, her unconscious form was once again looking innocent and pitiful, as it was during her days of disguise, making it hard to imagine her as an aggressive Resurrection Believer.
It’s as if acting has become second nature to her.
Various physical and magic restrictions were imposed on her. While she could activate her Blood Clan Authority once, inherited attack properties were weak and posed a minimal threat.
No one knew how long this eerie silence has persisted.
In the gloomy bedroom, the sound of a creaking wooden door breaks the silence, ushering in the chilly draft of an autumn night from the cliffside.
The door opened slowly, a tall male figure appears at the doorway, his erect stature casting a long shadow under the dim moonlight.
Carrying a bucket of water in his hand, he walks into the room; each step heavy, clear, accompanied by the light clinking of his armor.
He walks over to the comatose young girl, without any hesitation, he spills the bucket of water on her.
"Ah!"
Water splashes everywhere, causing the body of the Resurrection Church goddess officer to shudder violently. A pair of blue orbs flicker fearfully, accompanied by a fit of coughing.
She instinctively struggles hard, but the tight iron chains binding her held firm, leaving her unable to move.
"You...!"
The Resurrection Church’s goddess officer begins to yell, but halts when she recognizes the Paladin.
The Paladin standing there, witnessing her reaction with cold, cruel eyes, without a trace of pity or hesitation, as though he has transformed into a completely different person, sends chills down the goddess officer’s spine.
He wasn’t like this...in the morning...or the afternoon...
This instant in the darkened room, her bound form on the chair became the focal point of all fears.
The opulent furniture and decorations suddenly begin to feel oppressive, inciting feelings of loneliness in her.
A few seconds later, the massive door is once again pushed open. The heavy wooden door squeaks and creaks loudly.
When the executioner entered, he wore thick cotton and linen gloves, while the priest held an old rag mop.
Their eyes were equally chilling.
Their practiced efficiency and calm demeanors were as though they were preparing to carry out a garbage cleanup operation.
The peculiar scene unfolding before her eyes exacerbated the tense and gloomy atmosphere.
"What...what do you think you’re doing?"
The goddess officer’s legs tremble helplessly. She had a feeling that something was very wrong with these three people!
But the Paladin paid no heed to her shrieks, merely placing the empty bucket beside the goddess officer’s chair.
Nor did the executioner bother looking at her.
A roll of parchment containing medical tools wrapped in sheepskin is spread open on the desk; they were originally stored in the castle.
"In a while, you may bleed quite a bit, but that bucket should be able to hold it all."
The executioner picks up one of the scalpels, observing the thin glint reflecting off its tip, explaining without any hint of emotion.
The goddess officer’s eyes tremble wildly, instinctively glancing at the iron bucket at her feet.
Her face pales drastically, dense droplets of sweat seeping from her forehead. One peek at the seemingly bottomless iron bucket and she dares not imagine the rest.
These three...compared to their daytime personas...seemed like they had been replaced. Compared to the usual gentle and resolute devotees of the Church of the Goddess of Destiny, they seemed more like evil side creatures disguised as clergy!
"Are...Are you truly clergymen of the Church of Destiny?"
The clergywoman from the Rebirth Church was shivering on her lips.
"Praise the Goddess!"
All three of them had terrifying smiles on their faces, turning towards her, they said in unison.
"You, you... Ahhh——!!!"
...
In the bedroom number 201, on the other side of the second floor.
A scream was heard from the next room soon after.
Accompanied by light footsteps, the Great Love Poet ran over with open arms in delight.
"Done!"
The Great Love Poet looked triumphant, lightly and swiftly patting Lanci on the shoulder, as if taking credit for the accomplishment.
"From now on, the job of reforming bad students will be handed over to you, Director Lan Fu of the Student Affairs Office," Lanci praised with a smile.
He felt that the foundation of his school had been further consolidated.
Once everything was ready, he would definitely make the Purgatory Corridor Academy great again.
When the time came, he would once again serve as the principal in the mortal world.
"Huff huff!"
The Poet of Great Love put her hands on her hips and nodded.
"Poet of Great Love, where did you learn all that?"
Hyperion looked at the Great Love Poet in disbelief.
Sometimes he thinks she’s great, sometimes she really seems evil.
Hearing the piercing screams of desperation from the clergywoman of the Rebirth Church next door, Hyperion wanted nothing more than to cover his ears and bury his head, pretending he couldn’t hear.
It seemed his own virtues were being deducted by the second!
After this trip to the Shadow World was over, he wouldn’t dare go to the temple to pray to the goddess again.
"Such a simple thing, shouldn’t you know it by birth? Hyperion, you are the disgrace of the Demon Race,"
The Great Love Poet looked at Hyperion, squinted her left eye in disdain, and criticized Hyperion sternly.
"..."
Hyperion was speechless for a moment.
Even though the Great Love Poet seemed to be criticizing her, it was the first time Hyperion had heard a demon say she was a disgrace to the Demon Race, which made her feel oddly pleased inside.
She hastily repented to the goddess in her heart. She should be feeling heavy-hearted at this time!
Besides, Hyperion was curious why the Great Love Poet was so keen and able to act independently, just like a real creature.
If she hadn’t seen Lanci summon the Great Love Poet with a Magic Card, no one would have guessed that she was a summon. Even the Blood Clan envoy who visited the Demon Academy last time in the Shadow World didn’t notice.
"Alright, Hyperion, our secretary, it’s time for us to have a good chat with this noble lady from the Cerryti Empire."
Lanci’s voice on the side made Hyperion quickly gather his spirits and straighten up in his chair.
Meanwhile, sitting across from them was a young mage from the aristocracy of the Cerryti Empire.
Of the trio from the Cerryti Empire, the female knight, Goddess of Destruction, was already dead, another priestess of the Rebirth Church was being tortured in the next room, and the last one, who was the only one not from the Rebirth Church, was this aristocratic female mage sitting in front of Lanci and Hyperion.
She seemed despondent, leaning back in her chair and tilting her head slightly, allowing her brown hair to fall around her face, her eyes seemingly bereft of sparkle.
She did not seem inclined to speak up or resist in any way.
Anyway, everything will be over in five hours’ time.
Everyone will perish at the hands of the Blood Clan.
Like her Cerryti Empire, no one can be saved.
