“Is that so? It turns out you have someone important to you too, Lady Astral Sage,” Tina said with a smile, pulling back her fist.
“I have only two conditions. First, you are not allowed to tell anyone what happened here. Second, protect Sathya and make sure she becomes the Saintess.”
Tina suddenly smiled gently.
This sudden shift in attitude made the Astral Sage shudder. She had long known Tina to be a naive, sweet, and obedient girl—a soft-hearted maiden who wouldn't even lift a finger when bullied. It was as if this gentle smile was the expression she was supposed to have, while the terrifying figure who had just effortlessly defeated her was nothing but a dream.
“As for anything else, it doesn't really matter. You did say you would do anything, and of course, I won't treat you poorly.”
“Who on earth are you?”
“I'm Tina, the apprentice Saintess, Lady Astral Sage~ You haven't misunderstood anything, have you?”
The Astral Sage tried to stand, but she found her legs shaking uncontrollably. The girl standing before her made her feel a long-lost, primal fear of death.
She didn't dare press any further. She only knew that the deaths of Bishop Sheffield and the seven Inquisitors were definitely connected to this girl.
If she truly was the monster who killed the bishop, why did she spare her, the Astral Sage?
What exactly was her goal?
“You had best keep your promise.”
Tina spoke softly, then instantly vanished from the Astral Sage's sight.
Once she was gone, the Astral Sage stood up and brushed off her dirtied clothes. Only after she was satisfied with her appearance did she stand straight. She realized she seemed to have lost her confidence in flying, stumbling over to a chair to catch her breath.
Just as she thought she could catch her breath, a middle-aged man walked up to her.
“Astral Sage, I rarely see you in such a disheveled state.”
The newcomer was a man dressed in a white suit with a white tie.
His deep, magnetic voice carried a hint of concern, but only the Astral Sage knew that this man was merely putting on an act.
“Lord Principal, what wind blew you here?”
“Just checking in on a powerhouse. Even though I've been retired for over a decade, I'm still sensitive to the traces of battle.” He smiled, sitting across from the Astral Sage. “However, I didn't expect the loser to be you. Look at you, you're still trembling with fear.”
“Ah...”
The Astral Sage shook her head.
“Don't ask any more.”
“Then may I know her name?”
“No.”
After a moment's thought, the Astral Sage decided to keep her promise to Tina. She had a vague feeling that even the man before her stood no chance against that monster.
Hearing this, the Principal stood up. Knowing that the Astral Sage wouldn't tell him anything, he turned and walked away.
“Those who break the academy rules will be punished, even you, Lady Astral Sage. Especially if you are trying to harbor a magical beast...”
...
Tina didn't head back to the clinic right away. Her time was limited, and she had none to waste.
The dormitory building and the clinic were both in the northern campus, about two thousand meters apart. It didn't take long for Tina to arrive.
The Holy Academy assigned different dormitory buildings to different societies.
In most cases, a dormitory building only housed students from the same society, and the Leaflight society was no exception.
However, because of their small numbers, the female dormitory of the Leaflight society was located in a three-story mansion tucked away in a corner.
A spiral staircase in the lobby connected each floor, with corridors leading to different wings in the north, south, east, and west. The northeast, southeast, northwest, and southwest areas served as the society's activity area, cafeteria, sports field, and conference hall, respectively.
Rather than a dormitory, it resembled a stereotypical five-star hotel.
The room near the staircase on the first floor naturally served as the dormitory's management office.
Inside was an old woman who looked to be nearly ninety years old.
She was currently busy with some needlework. When she saw Tina walk in, her stern, wrinkled face instantly softened into a warm smile, making her look several years younger.
“Ah, Tina! Welcome back. My goodness, I heard you ran into some danger. Are you alright?”
“I'm fine, Granny.”
“Oh, thank goodness. If anything happened to a sweet girl like you, I think I would've cried my eyes out. It reminds me of when I was your age, every day I would... cough, cough, listen to me rambling. What brings you here, Little Tina?” She pushed up her glasses, her wrinkles bunching up as she smiled.
“Sathya wanted to change dorms earlier, didn't she? I'm here to sign the paperwork so we can move into separate rooms.”
“What?”
The dormitory matron's eyes widened in disbelief, her smile instantly replaced by shock.
“That was surely just a joke, Little Tina. Don't take it to heart. Yes, you're both just children after all...”
“She decided to cut ties with me and even signed the application for a single room. Now, all that's left is for me to confirm it, right?”
Tina's voice was serious, not sounding the least bit like she was joking.
But this was all an act.
Almost all the dorms were single rooms, but Tina and Sathya had been close since childhood. Sharing a room allowed the two best friends to support each other.
However, Sathya had misunderstood Tina's good intentions and quarreled with her, deciding to move into a quieter single room like the other students.
Tina loved her—loved her so much she didn't know how to express it.
But now, the only thing she could do was distance herself.
She had to leave Sathya to prevent her from receiving even a shred of her love. Only then could she stop Sathya's soul from scattering. Once Sathya's magic core was restored, she would finally confess everything to her.
Sathya was currently bent on dying. She had worked so hard only to hear Tina say “I love you” before she passed away.
Tina could not let her have her way.
On the contrary, Sathya had to live. She had to become the Saintess, the center of the entire world, and perhaps even a god.
Hearing this, worry and concern filled the old woman's eyes, making her wrinkles look even deeper. She tried to persuade and even beg Tina once more, “Little Tina, children always joke like this. In a few days, you'll realize it was just an impulsive moment... Lavertis specially prepared that double room for you two. Everyone loves seeing how well you two get along.”
“But I hate her.”
Tina pretended to be completely serious, speaking in a cold and ruthless tone, “All good things must come to an end. Sathya and I are finished.”
“Little Tina... sigh, why don't you tell her yourself?”
The old woman looked toward the inner room.
A girl in a long robe stepped out from within. Her silver hair was mesmerizingly beautiful, but her cute, nearly expressionless face was filled with sorrow and despair.
She walked forward with trembling steps and smiled. It was such a sorrowful smile, and in the end, she couldn't help but cry.
She could not bear the thought of all those years of love going down the drain. She couldn't believe that Sister Tina, who had once cared for her so tenderly, could now say such cold and heartless words.
Rate on N.U.
