Chapter 185

185: Childhood Dreams

"Jasmine!"

Evelia ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍cried out in alarm. From her vantage point, Zophi's attack from across the distance had nearly bisected Jasmine at the waist! Thanks to the dynamic vision granted by [Soul Gaze], she could even faintly see Jasmine's heart, still beating despite being cleaved in two.

But ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍in the next moment, Evelia saw countless writhing black mud clumps surge forth from that heart. The Black Mud burst from Jasmine's chest cavity like dancing tentacles, rapidly winding around and covering Jasmine's entire body.

At ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the same time, not far from Zophi, the Pitch-Black Sword that Jasmine had thrown melted into clumps of Black Mud and rushed directly toward her.

Zophi ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍watched everything unfold in silence. His expression was complicated, but he did not step forward to stop it.

"Gurgle! ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Gurgle!"

In the blink of an eye, Jasmine was completely wrapped in a massive amount of Black Mud, forming an oval-shaped cocoon of pitch black. The Black Mud covering it rolled and writhed as if it possessed a life of its own. It was not only unsettling but also extremely disgusting.

Evelia even felt that if she were the one wrapped inside, her first act after getting out would be to jump into a lake.

This thing was absolutely sanity-destroying!

"Boom!"

After about three or four seconds, the black cocoon that had been gradually forming suddenly burst open, transforming into a blooming flower of pitch-black mud. Jasmine's figure flickered in and out of view within it.

However, this time Jasmine had clearly entered her Witch form, dominated by Death Magic. The physical traits of the Gregory lineage had vanished, replaced by the red and black that symbolized death and the abyss.

A tattered black cloak danced wildly behind Jasmine, making her look even more dashing and heroic.

"Come then."

Jasmine slowly opened her eyes and reached forward to grip the empty air. The swaying Black Mud instantly recondensed into that alien Pitch-Black Sword. Holding the greatsword in one hand, she looked sideways at Zophi, who stood before her in silence.

"Let round two... begin!"

……

Lina felt as though she had been dreaming.

In the dream, she had become her childhood self again and returned to the orphanage where she had lived as a child.

However, she clearly remembered her duty, and she clearly recalled what had happened before falling into this dreamscape.

Zophi had unleashed a divine miracle called [Genesis]. That was right, not magic, but a divine miracle!

Given Zophi's strength, even casting Super-Tier Magic would only require quickly constructing the magical formula. There would be no need for so many cryptic and elaborate rituals like those required for [Genesis].

Only power at the level of a divine miracle could require someone who was once among the mightiest to go to such great lengths.

But if one really stretched the definition, Amya's counter gauntlet could barely count as a divine miracle too. However, that skill could probably only reach the level of a divine miracle in the hands of its creator, the Seraph Gabriel herself. Amya still had no idea how far she had to go before reaching that level!

"But... what exactly is the effect of that divine miracle? Is it simply to create an illusion like this?"

Lina frowned as she surveyed her surroundings. She had to admit, this illusion was quite accurate. It was basically identical to the orphanage in Lina's memory.

The church-style buildings, the small flower beds in the courtyard, and the little chapel built on the hillside not far away. Most importantly, there were the children currently attending class in the orphanage classroom.

Lina also glanced at what they were studying and discovered that these were children from the practitioner preparatory class.

The so-called practitioner preparatory class was for orphans who had both the ambition and the talent to become Church practitioners. Under the Holy Church's specialized instruction, they learned content and knowledge related to magic in advance.

This way, when they officially entered the Church and came into contact with magic-related matters, the transition would be very smooth, saving the Church a great deal of effort.

Of course, considering that ordinary people could not know about magic, the Church teachers would also place subtle suggestions on the children. These suggestions would stop them if they were about to let information slip through loose lips.

When Lina was young, she had been a member of this special class. But thinking back on it now, even if the motivation was understandable, having suggestions placed on you since childhood was really quite unpleasant!

The teacher inside the classroom seemed to be explaining the characteristics and traits of other races to the children, and Lina lay by the window outside, listening in with some interest.

Since she did not know the mechanics of this illusion anyway, she might as well explore around and see if she could find any useful clues.

As far as Lina knew, environments like this generally could not be completely identical to reality. There would definitely be some small discrepancies.

And those discrepancies were the key to escaping the illusion!

"But now that I think about it, this feeling of everyone else being in class while I can just goof around outside is actually pretty great! Is this why Evelia and the others insist on going to school to experience life and deliberately skip evening study sessions?"

Watching the children inside the classroom furiously taking notes, and then looking at the miserable expressions on some of their faces, Lina felt absolutely delighted.

As the saying goes, spectators never mind a big commotion. Lina loved this feeling of watching the drama unfold!

Of course, exceptions applied when she was the one becoming the entertainment.

The moment she thought about how she had thrown herself into Jasmine's arms and cried in front of Evelia and Amya not long ago, Lina's mood soured considerably.

It was not that she had any issue with the act of crying in Jasmine's arms itself, but rather... it was simply too embarrassing.

After all, she had told Evelia just this morning that she would never care about Jasmine even if her life depended on it. To be proven so spectacularly wrong in the blink of an eye was honestly rather humiliating...

"Oh ho? Look who I found?"

Just then, Lina suddenly noticed a girl in the corner of the classroom. She raised an eyebrow, and a playful expression immediately appeared on her face.

A white-haired, golden-eyed girl was listening to the teacher's lecture with great seriousness. From time to time, she lowered her head to take notes on the more important points. She looked every bit the model studious student.

This girl was none other than Jasmine as a child!

"Tsk tsk tsk... I never noticed before. Was Jasmine this cute when she was little?"

Looking at the girl in the corner, studying so earnestly, Lina clicked her tongue and muttered to herself in surprise.

In fact, aside from her hair and eye color, this younger Jasmine was exactly her type.

Petite, cute, with an innocent and naive expression. A single push would be enough to taint her with one's own color.

Ahem. But even so, Lina already had Noren now. She could not just go around having improper thoughts!

At most, she could tease her a little, like she did with little Alice at home~