As a blurred figure emerged from the dust, Roel’s and Alicia’s bodies stiffened up.
They could feel an overwhelming pressure crushing down on them as the person approached. The pressure was so great that Roel could hardly straighten his body, and his blood flow nearly came to a halt.
Alicia fared better due to her higher Origin Level, but even so, there was a tinge of bitterness on her face, and she leaned closer to Roel. To her surprise, Roel suddenly let go of her.
“Hm?”
Alicia was confused by Roel’s action, but she was more focused on the commotion in front of her. She nervously looked at the silhouette approaching them as she prepared herself to react to whatever that was about to come.
Finally, the true appearance of the silhouette was revealed under the silver moonlight.
Roel had many guesses about who the executor of the final plan was, but he was still shocked by who he saw.
It was a tall and slender woman, with cascading black hair and golden eyes that glowed like the stars. She was so gorgeous that even Roel, who had seen many ravishing beauties, was awed.
However, she exuded a cold aura that contrasted with her enchanting appearance. There was not the slightest warmth to be seen in her impassive eyes. It was only upon seeing the duo that she finally reacted a little.
“I didn’t think there would be such a miracle. Did you absorb a portion of the Mother Goddess’ powers?” the woman said with a cold voice as she assessed the trembling Alicia.
Her mana began to surge, but before she could make a move, Roel stood forward to face her.
Emotions flickered across the woman’s cold face when her attention finally fell on Roel. She narrowed her eyes and asked, “…Who are you?”
With a respectful bow, Roel replied, “I am Roel Ascart, the proxy fief lord of the Saint Mesit Theocracy’s Ascart House.”
“Ascart…” The woman’s eyebrows shot up. She stared intently at Roel, then suddenly remembered something and said, “Wait a moment. I remember you. You have been to the Abyss.”
“Yes, Lord Ancestor. I was sent to the Abyss twice during my battles with the Savior’s worshipers, and you were the one who saved me. I am deeply grateful for your help. May I know your name?”
“…Carolyn Ascart.”
“!” Roel was flabbergasted.
He would have never expected that the woman would be the first matriarch of the Ascart House. The Arde House was so huge that the blood ties between the main lineage and branch families were extremely thin, but Carolyn Ascart was Roel’s direct ancestor. That would mean that their relationship was closer than he had thought.
This excited him, as this relationship sparked a ray of hope that he might be able to come to a peaceful settlement with Carolyn. If possible, he didn’t want to have a conflict with his ancestor.
Thus, he gestured to Alicia and hurriedly explained, “Lord Ancestor, this child is Alicia Ascart, my foster sister. She is a member of our Ascart House too. It’s by coincidence that she came under the influence of the Black Moon and awakened to the Mother Goddess’ powers, so…”
“Stop. What are you saying? She’s a member of our Ascart House? You’re talking about this avatar of the Mother Goddess?” Carolyn’s face tensed up once more as she turned to Alicia with a frown. “I see. Is that the reason you’re protecting her?”
“Yes.”
“Ha! Hahaha! Are you blinded by your emotions too? Mmhm, I see. You’re indeed my descendant. Haha! Hahahaha…” Carolyn said as she placed her hand over her face and laughed in self-mockery.
“What?”
Carolyn’s mana began to surge as something reminiscent of black miasma manifested around her.
Seeing her unstable emotional state and the evil-looking black miasma, Roel narrowed his eyes. His senses wouldn’t lie to him at such close distance; he could tell what the black miasma was. It wasn’t a type of mana, but the Savior’s aura.
Has Carolyn Ascart, the first matriarch of the Ascart House, fallen into depravity? No, that’s not right.
Roel quickly refuted his deduction.
As the executor of the final plan, there was no way Carolyn could be a Savior worshiper. Furthermore, even though she was emanating an intense aura of depravity, he could sense that her own powers were even stronger than that.
Did the aura of depravity latch onto her from long years in the Abyss? Roel’s face paled as it belatedly dawned upon him the outcome of his attempt at negotiation.
With a maniacal laugh, Carolyn sharply eyed Roel as she said, “You said your name is Roel? I understand where you’re coming from, but the final plan is absolute. It has to be executed. No reason in the world can justify its termination.”
“You’re saying…”
“I have to kill her. The Black Moon is one of the Mother Goddess’ strongest powers. Humankind will only stand a chance with her death.”
“Alicia is a member of our Ascart House, and she isn’t hostile to humankind!”
“Is that so? Then why did you fight with her? Why did you bind her?” Carolyn glanced at the chains on Alicia’s limbs with mocking eyes. “She commanded the Six Calamities to eradicate the monsters created by the Savior. Isn’t this evidence she’s fighting for the Mother Goddess?”
“That’s because her memories were in disarray from her awakening, but she has started to remember the time she spent as a human. I’m going to bring her back. Lord Ancestor, please trust me on this.”
“Trust you? My apologies, but I can’t do that. You are the biggest problem of all.”
“…What?” Roel looked at Carolyn with a confused frown.
Carolyn’s aura turned even colder as the pressure she emanated intensified. She looked into Roel’s eyes and asked, “Answer me, Roel Ascart. Are you a traitor to humankind?”
“Traitor? Of course not!”
“Oh? Can you explain to me why I sense the Mother Goddess’ aura from you, then?”
“!”
This isn’t good!
Roel’s heart skipped a beat as he locked gazes with Carolyn, realizing his own problem.
The Mother Goddess had forged his Indestructible Body with the treasures She collected from different races, and She was the one who mended his soul too. These were not things that an enemy of the Mother Goddess should have.
Carolyn Ascart saw these as evidence that he had forsaken humankind to side with the Mother Goddess.
“Tell me, Roel. You are the Mother Goddess’ worshiper, aren’t you? That’d explain why you’re protecting this girl.”
“No, that’s not it. These auras are from the Six Calamities’ Crown’s Stones…”
“Crown’s Stones? ‘Collector’ Kaldor Arde had Crown’s Stones too, but his aura was nothing like yours. Enough. Don’t bother trying to deceive me anymore. You’ll only further enrage me.”
“…” Roel realized that there was no way he could clear his name. Even so, he still raised his head to face Carolyn, saying, “Yes, I concede that I have ties with the Mother Goddess due to several reasons, but I’m not a traitor. I am willing to swear that on anything, Lord Ancestor.”
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