Chapter 192

192: The Girl in the Light

Inexplicable ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍hatred, inexplicable pain. At this moment, they surged forth like a tide, little by little occupying Lina's heart and eroding her consciousness.

It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was no exaggeration to say that if Lina were an ordinary person without magic, in just this brief moment, her mind would have been driven mad by the whispers in her ears and these inexplicable emotions.

Moreover, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍as time passed, Lina could increasingly feel the exhaustion in her body and spirit. Her resistance to the Black Mud was also growing weaker and weaker.

"Hate..."

"Suffer..."

"Scream..."

Tender whispers constantly echoed in Lina's ears. As her mental resistance grew weaker, the clarity of this voice became higher and higher.

Now, she could barely make out that it was a girl's voice, and the age was probably no older than ten.

But... this tender, sweet voice, at this moment, was like the whispers of an ancient god. It little by little stirred up all the negative emotions in Lina's heart and gradually amplified them, attempting to overturn her mind.

This was simply... mental pollution...

Lina gritted her teeth. She wanted to struggle, but the Black Mud around her seemed to have a life of its own, clamping down on her limbs. She could do nothing but watch helplessly as she sank.

At the same time, a heavy exhaustion came over her again. Lina felt the world spinning before her eyes. The whispers in her ears became clearer and gradually took over her brain.

So tired, so uncomfortable, so painful...

I just want... to sleep...

"Shh~ You can't do that~"

In an instant, just as Lina's consciousness was about to completely fall into slumber, a sweet, crisp female voice came through.

Lina struggled to open her eyes. In the originally pitch-black Black Mud, a white light suddenly lit up. Moreover, this white light was constantly approaching and growing larger.

Finally, it completely materialized in Lina's eyes, and Lina could see the true nature of this white light.

It was a young girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old. Her aqua-green long hair hung behind her head like the vines of life. Her pale golden eyes were as deep as the starry sky, with countless specks of starlight faintly twinkling within.

The girl's skin was as delicate and translucent as porcelain. Her complexion was as white as milk. Her entire being was like a doll carefully sculpted by a god, filled with a sense of fantasy and holiness.

But what attracted Lina's gaze the most was the white-gold robe the girl wore.

Most practitioners' robes were a combination of black and white. White-gold could only be seen on high-ranking Church officials at the level of Archbishop or above.

And the young girl before her... with just one glance, an inexplicable thought arose in Lina's heart.

If she came to the Church, she would definitely be the Saint.

She embodied almost all of humanity's fantasies about the identity of the Saint: beautiful, holy, gentle, as dazzling as the sun.

"You... who are you?"

Lina came back to her senses, and her gaze became alert. She never remembered there being such a figure in the Church.

"Who... am I?"

The girl blinked innocently, seemingly also thinking about this question.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember who I am either~"

"Then... why are you here?"

"I am... following this~"

The girl smiled faintly. The next moment, her figure suddenly appeared before Lina. She raised her hand and reached toward the position of Lina's neck.

"What... what are you doing!?"

Lina's face flushed red, and she subconsciously tried to retreat.

But she forgot that she was still trapped in the Black Mud's restraints. No matter how she struggled, she still could not move.

She could only watch helplessly as the girl placed her hand below her neck and gently stroked it.

"Gosh! You shouldn't be able to see this, right? This thing?"

"What thing?"

The girl tilted her head and smiled. A clump of Black Mud jumped out from beside Lina and quickly fell into her hand, transforming into a round mirror.

And in the reflection of this round mirror, Lina could see clearly what the "thing" the girl was talking about really was.

It was a scarlet little bat symbol, lying quietly on Lina's neck, emitting a faint red glow.

The warmth she had felt when she first fell into the Black Mud was probably also the effect of this symbol.

"I remember this seems to be..."

Lina frowned. She remembered what this thing was.

About a year ago, on the night when she and Noren officially confirmed their relationship, Noren had bitten her neck afterward but did not drink blood.

And when Lina woke up the next morning, she discovered that this symbol had appeared on her neck out of nowhere.

According to Noren, this was an exclusive symbol of their Blood Clan royalty. Having this symbol meant she was already a member of the royal family.

Moreover, this symbol would not normally appear. It would always remain hidden beneath the skin.

But, the young girl before her seemed to be quite familiar with this thing.

"You... what exactly are you?"

Recalling that Lola had once said Death Magic had some connection to a progenitor of the Blood Clan, Lina subconsciously asked about the other party's identity again.

"Me? The current me is probably not even a fragment of a soul, I suppose? No memories, no power. I was merely awakened by the aura of this thing, and in the end, I can only manifest before you through the projection of this mental world~"

The girl smiled playfully, but Lina did not find her words funny at all.

"But if that's the case... wouldn't you not even count as a [Ghost]?"

"That's indeed true~ Even if this weren't a mental world, I wouldn't be able to be awakened at all~ After all, my main body seems to have died completely~ This current me... perhaps it would be more reasonable to explain it as a projection of [Memory]?"

A projection of... [Memory]?

In other words, she was a dead person?

Lina now had a whole bunch of questions she wanted to ask. For example, why she could only appear in the mental world, or what her relationship with the Black Mud was, and why she could command this power so effortlessly.

But considering the other party probably knew nothing, Lina still only asked one question.

"Why do you know about this symbol? Do you have any relationship with that Blood Clan progenitor named Tian Cappadocia?"

The Black Mud had an inseparable relationship with that progenitor, and the young girl before her had been awakened by Noren's symbol on Lina's body.

If Lina were to believe there was no connection here, she absolutely would not believe it.

Sure enough, the moment she heard this name, the girl froze slightly. Then a gentle smile appeared on her face.

"Mm! That's right! That's the name! This can be considered the only thing I remember!"

"As for my relationship with her... from the fact that I feel happy hearing her name, perhaps we were quite close? Maybe best friends?"

"Of course... we can't rule out the option of lovers either, you know?"

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