Chapter 226: I Have Fallen in Love with Him - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

Deities, by their very nature, are supposed to sit aloft upon high, overlooking all creation as supreme entities. The term "transcendent" refers to surpassing the ordinary; in terms of both power and the essence of life, they have long since reached the pinnacle of all transcendent beings. While the notion that "gods are merely more powerful transcendent beings" is quite popular among top-tier transcendents, whether from the perspective of drawing upon the power of faith or considering the true form of mythical creatures, the two have long since diverged into fundamentally different species. A seventh-tier saint, the highest rank below that of a deity, has a power difference with a true god that is exponentially greater—perhaps tens of thousands of times—than the gap between a seventh-tier being and a mere mortal. Such entities, even when they occasionally manifest in the world, do so primarily through their divine aspect—like an unfeeling judgmental will—showing no emotional fluctuation whatsoever, commanding awe and reverence. However, at this moment, due to an unprecedented pollution from demons affecting the main body, a portion of the consciousness had to be severed. As a result, within this fragment of consciousness of Beatrice, human traits far outweigh divine ones. This is why, upon reading a portion of Tia's memories, such unrestrained fury emanated from her. Furthermore, the very content of the memory was a colossal trigger. For a goddess who stands high above all—a symbol of beauty and purity who harbors a deep-seated aversion to men—when had Beatrice ever found herself in such close proximity to a lowly male? Even if it wasn't of her own volition or action, merely imagining that the perfect vessel she personally selected had conducted such a blasphemous act in private was nearly enough to drive her to madness. The parts of her touched by the boy now seemed filthy and revolting. It was a purity rooted in her very soul. Moreover, for a god of such stature, having her chosen vessel defiled by a lowly "mistake" was absolutely unforgivable. If not for the urgency of time, she would desire nothing more than to make the young girl and her vessel vanish from the world forever, to rid her heart of its disgust. Yet, the main body was in such poor condition, with even her divine realm situated in the stars suffering unprecedented impacts. Should she miss this opportunity with the vessel, who knows when she could next execute her plan. At this moment, the moonlit apparition formed by Beatrice flickered lightly, and on her indistinct face, an unprecedented gloom and murderous intent were faintly visible. Malice from a deity can utterly shatter a person's soul. Even though Tia possessed the rudimentary power of the fourth tier, before the Moon Goddess, she was devoid of any will to resist. From the goddess' eyes, she sensed the other's anger. She had prepared herself for this outcome, but when she heard those cold, verdict-like words, an almost imperceptible wave of deep despair and sorrow surged through her heart. Mistake. Everyone calls me a mistake. Everyone wishes to rid themselves of me as quickly as possible. Even the goddess I have worshipped all my life regards me with disgust. Now, her heart, already teetering on the brink of collapse, shattered completely, leaving only coldness and pain to envelop her chest. "Final words?" Tia knelt on the ground, her head deeply bowed. "I have none to offer." "As your follower, no matter what, the entire incident is my fault." "I am the one who committed an unforgivable crime, violating Your teachings and boundaries. Therefore, whatever the outcome, I accept it." "Now that I've lost everything and am no longer qualified to serve and follow You, nor do I dare face You, I only hope that in Your mercy and compassion, You might forgive my sins at the end." Clearly, ever since Sister Gretel laid everything bare to her, Tia understood the fate bound to her. In addition, the prolonged torment in the Illusion of Pain, and finally, the dream connected to Lynn, caused the girl—who had once retained some innocence and naïveté—to undergo a profound transformation and metamorphosis overnight. Or perhaps it wasn't maturity, but rather a cold awareness and despair that lingered after facing reality. Gazing at the girl who humbly knelt for forgiveness, Beatrice's expression remained unmoved. Though her words were heartfelt, they had no effect on her. Ultimately, a fundamental conflict existed between them, an irreconcilable relationship. Something akin to natural enemies, though the disparity was even greater than worlds apart. According to Beatrice’s previous radical disposition, she should have annihilated Tia the instant she read her memories. But considering the potential irreversible damage to the vessel, possibly delaying her incarnation by millennia, she restrained herself despite her homicidal intent. Now, the girl's consciousness was waning to an extreme point; a slight nudge would cause her to completely lose control over the body. Though she was filled with vengeful and destructive desires, she had to wait until her incarnation to act. Even though this cursed "error" would then be long gone, the filthy and lowly boy in those memories still lived. She would make sure he understood the severe price for overstepping with the forbidden. Reflecting on this, the Moon Goddess maintained her cold demeanor, but her voice softened slightly. "In that case, I forgive your sins." This, of course, was a lie. For this despicable being, she wished nothing more than to tear her to shreds, yet given that the girl possessed a body Beatrice valued, she couldn't execute that thought. The statement was intended to soothe Tia's despairing heart, letting her cling to a last straw of hope, facing her fate with relatively less resistance. Who says deities never lie? For religion is, after all, the greatest lie in this world. The gentle moonlight slowly spread in all directions, and in the mental realm, the girl's sense of self, already fading to transparency, grew even weaker. She longed to lie down peacefully, surrendering to sleep, to soothe her tormented and fractured soul. Never to awaken again. But before that, she had final words to speak. "Goddess, given my situation, I lack the standing to request anything of You, nor will I use this body to bargain with You. But there are two matters I must relay to You no matter what." Tia pressed her forehead against the cold ground, her voice humble. Her voice trembled, faltered, as if it took immense courage to speak. Upon hearing this, the Moon Goddess furrowed her brows slightly. According to the church's information, the girl had long been under their tutelage, her thoughts subtly altered to the point where she became a puppet, manipulable by Sister Gretel and others. Yet even though it was their first meeting, Beatrice sensed something amiss. It was as if the girl had undergone some vast change in that one night while within the rift of the divine moon. The reason was simple. From her words, Beatrice detected the subtlest hint of defiance. In her past, resistance against a worshiped goddess and the church she deeply depended on was entirely unimaginable. Beatrice stayed silent for a few seconds before calmly replying, "There is no one to save you, nor could there be anyone on your side; you know this, don't you?" "I understand." Of course she understood. Painfully so. The reason for expressing these words was not to stall for time or out of any unrealistic hope. After the church’s facade of kindness was thoroughly dismantled, she was left with no sanctuary, and even her very existence seemed meaningless. Additionally, her only friend was imprisoned by the Inquisition, facing capital punishment, and Lynn was suffering immense injustice, being hunted and pursued. Tia did not expect anyone to rescue her, for such fantasies exist only in novels and plays. She only hoped to deliver her final benevolence to the world before her death. Noting the girl’s current emotion, Beatrice spoke softly, "Speak." "The first thing I beg of you is to spare Louise from the church's wrath. Even if punishment is unavoidable, at least let her keep her life." Someone unfamiliar. Beatrice swiftly brushed aside the name, uninterested in matters that did not engage her. But for now, a simple lie to placate her would suffice. "I promise you," Beatrice responded. Upon hearing this, a slight tremor passed through Tia's body. A moment later, she maintained her prostrated posture and voiced her next plea. "The second matter..." Tia's voice quivered slightly, "Lynn Bartoleon is innocent, regardless of what happens. It is entirely my fault." "I shamelessly approached him, enticing him, and thus committed an unforgivable sin." "Goddess... I hope you can spare his life." Tia's fingers clenched tightly against the cold ground, her spine seemingly bent with defeat. She was so humble, abandoning the last shred of her dignity as a human, her pride shattered into dust, pleading with such a pitiful display in hopes of sparing herself from the Moon Goddess's wrath. Yet, watching this scene unfold, the Moon Goddess felt not a shred of empathy—instead, she smirked in silent derision. It was utterly laughable. The reason for her overwhelming anger was precisely because of that person, Lynn Bartoleon. As for the other person, whose memories were now blurred and faded, seemingly named Sia Asolante, for some reason did not evoke as much aversion, but rather inexplicable fondness. Therefore, all her lethal intent was directed solely at Lynn. To provoke such wrath from a god, how could he hope for mercy? "I promise you," the Moon Goddess replied, gazing at the humbly bowed girl before her, her mouth curled in mockery. This, too, was a lie. But by now, nothing mattered anymore. Upon hearing the Moon Goddess's promise, Tia showed neither expected excitement nor fearful anticipation. On the contrary, she fell into unprecedented silence. Even so, the Moon Goddess slowly lost the last of her patience. Sensing that the girl appeared to have relinquished all control over her body, she raised her hand without hesitation. As pure light radiated from her palm, she seemed to hold a moon in her grasp. Simultaneously, the figure of white moonlight, constructed by the Moon's power, flickered and trembled, and the power and consciousness within her began to flow gently and calmly into the vessel before her. Faced with the overwhelming force, Tia's remaining consciousness flickered like a candle flame in the wind, on the verge of being snuffed out. A chilling sensation spread through her body, as if invisible nerves invaded her, gradually stripping her of control over her body. The girl collapsed softly to the ground, no longer able to support herself. At this moment, she finally locked eyes with the Moon Goddess she had worshipped all her life. In those eyes, Tia seemed to perceive something. "So, it's the same after all." Her expression was hollow, her soul barren, as she murmured to herself. For reasons unknown, the Moon Goddess frowned ever so slightly, but continued her work, infiltrating the girl's body. And Tia offered no resistance, allowing her to proceed unopposed. Yet her words persisted. "Your gaze... it’s just like those nobles who stand high above, boasting of their transcendence." Perhaps even more. Their veins coursed with the noble blood of ancestors, they perceived themselves as a different species from the lowly and impoverished masses, oppressing and abusing them, treating them as lesser beings. If nobles can behave so, what of a deity who considers humanity mere fodder for worship? "How dare you!" The Moon Goddess felt affronted, and rebuked her. However, Tia showed neither fear nor regret, only a tragic, yet defiant smile on her face. From the moment the goddess promised her the first request, Tia had detected her deceit. The second request, even more fanciful. How could such an entity be restrained by mere verbal promises? "I'm sorry," Tia whispered softly, "Truly... I’m sorry." "Until the very end, I couldn't help you." Against a god, she had no power, no means of resistance. Yet even so, her desire for his survival was no false thing. Therefore— "You must live on." Tia wept silently, gazing at Beatrice’s ethereal visage, "This is the last thing I can do for you." In the next moment, as the Moon Goddess attempted to fully seize control of Tia’s body, an unexpected anomaly made her expression change drastically as she exclaimed, "What have you done to this body?!" The white apparition, formed of moonlight consciousness, flickered violently like an unstable flame. She sought to seize the vessel entirely, yet found herself instinctually repelled by something profoundly distasteful. At the same time, her furious gaze turned to Tia’s nearly vanished consciousness. At these words, Tia gently wiped away her tears and lifted her eyes to meet the Moon Goddess. This marked the first time she defied the supreme power overhead. "Nothing." At this moment, Tia seemed to undergo an intrinsic metamorphosis, her demeanor fragile yet unyielding, "It's just a curse." "A curse?!" The Moon Goddess’ gaze revealed shock as well as disbelief. Could a mere insignificant "mistake," one who relied on seals and powers she herself had granted, level a curse against such a grand and ultimate source as herself? Utterly ridiculous!!! Perceiving the goddess's gaze, Tia shook her head gently, "It's not as you imagine." "This curse has no root of power and poses no threat to you, nor can it be detected by seal or mark." "Because it’s a curse born of love." Now, all the emotions and thoughts Tia had suppressed for myriad reasons surged forth, demanding confrontation. Approaching death, she finally dared to scrutinize her relationship with Lynn and embrace the most authentic feelings within her heart. Everything began with his lie and ended with her honesty. "I love him." "Ludicrous!" The Moon Goddess ground her teeth, endeavoring to obliterate this transformed consciousness within the “mistake.” Yet Tia offered no resistance, only spoke calmly, "Even if you extinguish me, the curse remains." "Or perhaps... it isn’t a curse, merely the fundamental right of being a 'woman.' Even under your 'gift' compelling me to 'repel all men,' it cannot override such nature." "I love him and wish for him to live well." "So, to save him, I have etched ‘love for him’ as a primal instinct into every fiber of my being, a biological impulse unnegotiable even when I’m gone." "Even if consciousness is obliterated, and if the body falls under your control, the lingering embers within will never fully extinguish." "Ridiculous!!!" Upon realizing Tia spoke no falsehoods, Beatrice grew more livid. "You think such feeble ploys could prevent me from killing him?!" "Perhaps not. After all, you’re a high and mighty deity. Nothing is beyond your reach," Tia silently chuckled, "But it doesn't matter." "Even if I can't stop you from harming him, if this 'curse' makes you hesitate for even a moment when you face him, every bit of my effort will have been worthwhile." "Because I know very well." "That fellow, he's really something."