Chapter 193

193: Waking from the Dream, and a New Nightmare

Lovers?

Lina's ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍heart shook. Other than her and Noren, there had actually been a Blood Clan member and a human who fell in love?

And ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍with... a progenitor?

Moreover, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍judging solely from the luxurious Church attire on this young girl before her, her status in the Church during her lifetime could not have been low!

She ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍suddenly felt that things between her and Noren had a lot more hope.

Suddenly, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a thought stirred in Lina's heart, and she asked the young girl before her once more:

"Then what is your relationship with the Church?"

"The... Church?"

A puzzled expression appeared on the young girl's face. She seemed to completely not understand what Lina was referring to.

Right, she had forgotten. This girl did not remember anything else.

"Let me put it another way. Do you remember your former identity?"

"I remember this~"

Hearing Lina's words, the young girl immediately started smiling again. She said to Lina with a hint of pride:

"I used to be a Saint, you know~"

A Saint!?

Lina looked at her with some surprise. Although she had already guessed this in her heart, actually hearing that she was a Saint still shocked Lina to no end.

After all, she had seen the style of the Saint's robes before. They were basically completely different from what this young girl before her was wearing now, aside from the color scheme!

Perhaps... the era she lived in was quite distant from the present. During that time, the Saint's attire had also undergone great changes along with the evolution of Church culture.

This could also explain why she had been lovers with a Blood Clan progenitor.

But since her identity was that of a Saint, finding out who she was would be much easier.

The Church kept records of every generation of Saints.

Thinking this, Lina's mood gradually relaxed.

"Then, Lady Saint, the purpose of your appearance before me is..."

"Mm... it's true. Aside from being attracted by this little symbol, I did indeed have the intention of helping you~"

"Come, come, follow me!"

Saying this, the aqua-green-haired Saint smiled and took Lina's hand, pulling her down toward the depths below.

At the same time, the light radiating from her body grew increasingly brilliant, almost managing to dye the surrounding Black Mud pure white.

"That is... Jasmine?"

After her vision was freed, Lina immediately spotted the young girl below. Her face was contorted in pain, and she was curled up into a ball.

This was Jasmine at eight years old.

As expected, Howard had started Death Magic experiments on Jasmine as early as when she was eight.

"That child is your family, right?"

"She's in a lot of pain right now. But since she doesn't have the mark, I can't appear before her..."

"But it's good that you're here~ Go help her~"

The Saint behind her smiled and gave Lina a gentle push. Lina had intended to go to Jasmine's side immediately, but in the moment before taking a step, she still felt a trace of doubt and hesitation.

"This is nothing more than a false illusion... The real her already experienced this pain long ago. Does my current action really still have meaning?"

Lina seemed to be asking herself, and also seemed to be asking the Saint behind her.

"I was wondering why you were hesitating. So it was this?"

The Saint smiled faintly. She gently placed her hand on Lina's shoulder and spoke to her in a gentle tone.

"Illusion or reality, does it matter?"

"What matters is your heart that loves your family, isn't it?"

"[Love] and [Memory] are both quite magical things in this world~"

"[Memory] weaves the past. The past accumulates emotions. And emotions... condense into [Love]!"

"What's more... how do you know that this beautiful world isn't condensed from [Memory]?"

"[Memory] will forever remain in people's hearts."

"Go quickly, child~ When you have the opportunity to make a choice, you must never, ever let yourself regret it~"

The Saint's words were like a gentle breeze at the start of spring, melting away the final stubborn shackles in Lina's heart.

She nodded firmly, then without any hesitation, fell toward Jasmine below.

"That's the way~"

The Saint took one last look at Lina and Jasmine below. The white light blooming from her body gradually weakened until it was extinguished.

The world was once again occupied by the darkness of the Black Mud.

But this time, Lina could see.

The world before her eyes was still a pure white scene illuminated by the Saint. This was the final gift left to her by this Saint who had long since passed from the world.

……

Pain.

So uncomfortable.

When will it end?

The moment she came to Jasmine's side, Lina once again heard her inner voice.

But this time, she had not used [Mind Reading].

However, she did not think carefully about the reason as she usually would. After all, everything in this illusion had completely transcended common sense. Lina had basically gotten used to it.

I must... I must hold on...

Only if I hold on will Lina not...

Jasmine's inner voice rang in her ears again. A bitter smile gradually appeared on Lina's face.

This Jasmine, even from childhood, liked to take everything upon herself...

"Jas... Sis, wake up~"

"This time, I'll be the one to save you~"

"Huh?"

Jasmine, who had been keeping her eyes tightly shut, trembled slightly. Hearing Lina's voice, she subconsciously opened her eyes.

Then she saw those golden eyes filled with tears.

"Lina? Why... why are you here!?"

Jasmine's expression showed panic. From her perspective, the world was still occupied by pitch-black mud clumps. Only Lina's body emitted a faint white light, allowing her to see Lina's face.

"Father clearly promised me. As long as I became a [Vessel], he wouldn't let you..."

"You idiot!"

Lina could not hold back anymore. This girl really was treating herself like a child.

"You idiot, don't try to take everything on yourself whenever something happens!"

"We're sisters! We can't do without either one of us!"

"I'm warning you! Next time you dare to secretly do something like this behind my back, I'm cutting off our sisterly relationship!"

Having said this, Lina could no longer control her emotions. She suddenly hugged her.

The young Jasmine was a bit confused about the situation for a moment. But she still gently patted Lina's back and spoke to her softly.

"It's okay~"

"After all, a big sister is supposed to protect her little sister, right?"

In an instant, the Black Mud around them receded.

To be precise, it transformed into countless star-like points of light and gradually dispersed.

"Hum~"

A long bell tolled at this moment. A circle of golden ripples spread outward with the bodies of Lina and the other girl at the center.

Everywhere it passed, the illusion collapsed entirely.

Although she did not know the specific principle, Lina knew very well that this was a sign that the illusion's [Main Quest] had been achieved.

In other words, this illusion was about to end.

The next instant, Lina felt the Jasmine in her arms suddenly disappear.

She opened her eyes, but all she saw were scattering points of light.

But it did not matter. Because the barrier that had been buried in her heart had completely melted away. What she needed to do next was return to the real battlefield and support that truly foolish sister who had always borne the burden alone and liked to hide everything from her.

Lina closed her eyes and let her consciousness gradually blur.

……

"Drip!"

My face feels so itchy...

Lina's consciousness had just returned when she felt something like a drop of water fall on her face.

Not only that, but her cheek felt itchy too, as if something was resting on it.

"Hah... hah..."

At the same time, a string of heavy breaths reached Lina's ears. The owner of that voice seemed to be in great pain, because there was a slight trembling at the end of the sound.

"What's going on..."

Lina opened her eyes in confusion. The next instant, her pupils contracted violently.

She saw the most terrifying scene of her life.

Without a doubt.

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