142 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

**Chapter 141: Purification** Mirexia's beautiful eyes rippled ever so slightly. Was the suggestion to "hold onto her tightly" simply about making sure she didn't fall off? After all, when flying through the air without a safety harness, carrying someone so large wasn't exactly safe. The surface meaning of the words could easily be taken as such—a reminder intended for safety. Yet, Mirexia couldn't shake the feeling that there was a deeper meaning behind those words. Likely, it was just her imagination running wild. The girl's intention should have been nothing more than instructing her to hold on tight and not let go. "Yes, I'll hold onto you and not let go," Mirexia reassured, understanding this wasn't the time for other thoughts. She tightened her grip on the soft and fragrant girl with cherry blossom hair. The delicate scent of white tea and lavender unexpectedly calmed her heart. With that, Mirexia unfurled her powerful dragon wings, the golden dragon horns emerging from her head. In contrast, Vanessa retracted her [Immaculate Holy Feathers], allowing Mirexia to fully support their weight. As the angelic wings withdrew, a barrage of tentacles and dark mist surged toward them. Mirexia's eyes narrowed, her ocean-blue irises giving way to a red line, fierce as lightning. [Dragon's Eye: Crimson Verity] Through the mighty dragon eyes, all attacks from the Sarōni demon had a visible trajectory marked by a crimson line. Simply avoiding these marked paths ensured complete safety. This was one of the great spells of [Dragon's Eye] called [Crimson Verity], requiring a high degree of soul synchronization. Only certain individuals could master it, and it consumed an exorbitant amount of mana, burning it every second it was active. Consequently, it could not be sustained for long periods. Having been sealed from using her [Soul Art] and [Holy Blessing] for some time, Mirexia had plenty of unused mana, unlike Vanessa, who having cast the high-ranking light magic [Holy Envoy] and summoned the [All-Gods Sacred Flame] briefly, found her mana nearing depletion, relying on potions to maintain it. Although [Holy Blessing] was a powerful asset, its continuous use heavily taxed Vanessa's mana, hindering recovery. Thus, sharing a pair of wings reduced their overall energy consumption. While the situation seemed favorable, with them seemingly holding the upper hand, Vanessa's keen senses told her otherwise; they were actually at a disadvantage. Her mana was nearly exhausted, and they had only one potion left. If they couldn't deal significant damage before the potion was gone, they would eventually fail due to mana exhaustion. Mirexia, with more remaining mana, bore the brunt of the spells, allowing Vanessa to gradually restore her magical power. With this realization, Vanessa took a sip of the mana potion. Hmm, citrus flavored. She had always felt the alchemical potion market was intensely competitive. With the times evolving, potions were now designed not only for efficacy but also flavor. Like a newly developed mana restorative being represented by renowned alchemists, flavors such as peach, citrus, apple, and lime were now commonplace, with flavor formulation becoming a vital part of alchemical studies. Mirexia enjoys the citrus flavor, does she? Vanessa mused silently. Yet, there was something peculiar about this citrus potion—it seemed a bit more concentrated, with a familiar floral undertone. Probably a new blend, perhaps a mixed flavor. Vanessa didn't dwell on it. Mirexia expertly maneuvered through the air, deftly avoiding the countless tendrils and toxins, showcasing her extensive flying experience. Her dragon wings, powerful and adept, shattered and deflected the assailing tendrils, unlike Vanessa's angelic wings. The Sarōni demon, witnessing their approach, grew increasingly volatile, its many eyes firing lasers at the airborne duo. Mirexia adeptly navigated through the laser storm as if she knew precisely when and where to be, her wings vibrating like a grand waltz in mid-air with the cherry-haired beauty in her embrace. The grotesque face of agony twisted further, as it opened its mouth to spew corrosive gas. Mirexia feinted upwards, gaining a vantage point above the tortured visage—a spot beyond the reach of the demon’s toxic breath and glaring eyes—an instinctive weak point of the mindless beast. The anguished face's eyes rolled feverishly, its twisted expression resisting anyone moving to this position, akin to protecting a vulnerable point. Amid the madness, Vanessa detected a hint of humanity in those eyes. The purple-robed man hadn’t entirely lost his consciousness—or perhaps, he used others as vessels, retaining self-awareness despite his monstrous form. How odd to have such an obvious vulnerability, as if implying the Sarōni demon, despite being legitimate underlings of Erunius, were no more than failed experiments. The devotees, after all, served as mere materials to create these failures. “Is that you, Mr. Purple-Robe? Can you hear me?” Vanessa cheerfully called, instructing Mirexia to stop in this safe zone, where the demon couldn’t reach them. Mirexia fluttered her dragon wings, maintaining their position, her eyes on Vanessa. “You’ve persistently questioned my credentials, haven’t you? And you’re right; without compelling evidence, my claim as the goddess’s descendant is difficult to substantiate.” The twisted face clearly didn’t understand Vanessa's intentions, but whatever it was, it wasn’t likely beneficial to him. “Now, I’ve thought of a good idea,” Vanessa gently pinched her chin, a smile gracing her lips as she snapped her fingers to ignite a vibrant cherry-hued flame in her hand. As the flame flared, Mirexia felt an immediate rise in temperature. Despite her high resistance to heat, sweat dampened her hair and her wings felt singed. This—is this the legendary [All-Gods Sacred Flame] from the Holy Church?? Mirexia had only read about its renown in books and history lessons, and it was her first time witnessing the purported flame that symbolized the goddess’s divine wrath against evil, capable of turning even demons to ash. “Appearances can be faked; identity can be faked; but this cannot, can it?” Vanessa admired the fear and dread on the Sarōni demon’s grotesque face. These beasts, bringing endless terror and disaster to the world, would now feel the same fear. “It seems you recognize it, saving me the introduction,” Vanessa chirped as she flicked the flame towards the demon’s forehead. “?!?!” Instantly, the small flame spread across the Sarōni demon’s five-meter frame, engulfing it in radiant, prismatic cherry fire. The demon's mouth unleashed inhuman wails and mournful cries—a sound beyond human comprehension, enough to send shivers down one's spine just by hearing it. The creature instinctively tried to retaliate, only to find itself already consumed by the sacred flame, its power entirely diminished. It was as though a sinner burdened by immeasurable guilt had its power to commit further evil stripped away by the goddess Fanghui. The Sarōni demon no longer had the strength to support its massive frame, and under the burning force of the sacred fire, the black mass of its body disintegrated as if impurities were being cleansed. The black air emanating from it was also completely incinerated. As it burned away, amidst the crackling flames, there seemed to be the cries of innumerable souls. Not cries of sorrow, but of liberating relief. Under the watchful gazes of Vanessa and Mirexia, the massive form of the Sarōni demon collapsed. Yet, before its body could hit the ground and stir up dust, the [All-Gods Sacred Flame] had already burned it completely into nothingness. The filth was utterly purified. The entire process might have seemed lengthy, but in reality, it took less than five seconds for the Sarōni demon to be entirely purified. "Virtue +1000 (eliminated Erunius's subordinate demon)." "Current virtue: 6484." Mirexia looked on in astonishment. The [All-Gods Sacred Flame] reduced a subordinate demon of the dark pillar to nothing? She had only read about the power of the sacred flame in books, and the written descriptions paled in comparison to the awe-inspiring visual display before her eyes. Is this the destructive force of the [All-Gods Sacred Flame]? With a soft sigh of relief, the girl in her arms finally relaxed. Vanessa, having exhausted her mana to eliminate the greatest threat, felt a wave of weakness wash over her. Now utterly spent, she leaned comfortably against Mirexia, no longer able to maintain her earlier tension. Mirexia paused, noticing the sheen of sweat on the girl's pale neck and alluring collarbones, that painted her skin with an enticing blush. Because Vanessa rested her head on her shoulder, Mirexia could feel the girl's heat, unable to distinguish whose sweat it was. Mirexia silently turned her gaze elsewhere. "Virtue +200." "Current virtue: 6684." Hmm? An unexpected notification caused Vanessa, who was resting against Mirexia, to raise an eyebrow. Why did her virtue increase again?? She hadn't done anything this time?! Could it be that simply being with Mirexia, she could gain virtue just by breathing? Vanessa looked up at Mirexia, whose eyes were deliberately averted. Moreover, a subtle blush adorned the blonde's cheeks. Haha~ Pretending nothing was happening while secretly paying attention—it was just like her endearing childhood friend. After all, Mirexia was truly the type of person who could increase virtue just by staying still. With a mischievous thought in mind, Vanessa beamed at Mirexia, deciding to tease her a little. "The followers of Erunius are taken care of. Does His Highness Mirexia intend to keep holding me like this?" "Oh, no other meaning, of course," Vanessa continued, noting Mirexia's slight tremble. "If Your Highness finds this comfortable, feel free to keep holding on. I don’t mind." "Virtue +100." "Current virtue: 6784." Given Mirexia's personality, she certainly wouldn’t keep holding Vanessa—even if she wanted to in her heart. "Do you have the strength to stand?" Mirexia quickly denied Vanessa's teasing, though she avoided making eye contact for some reason. "Well~ that depends on Your Highness Mirexia. I’ll go along with whatever you decide. If you find me comfortable to hold, then I have no strength. But if you find me heavy, you can put me down," Vanessa playfully returned Mirexia's gaze with a coquettishly batting eyelash. This exchange was thoroughly intentional, simply a playful tease of Mirexia, and a chance to accumulate some virtue along the way. "Virtue +300." "Current virtue: 7084." Mirexia, Your Highness, you truly are my lucky star~ Watching her virtue rise brought a glimmer of joy to Vanessa’s eyes. "Let's not tease anymore." Mirexia gently set Vanessa down and retrieved a handkerchief to dab at her face, ostensibly wiping away sweat but really masking her embarrassment. Vanessa's transformation, from before and after, was so striking, it gave Mirexia pause—enough to question if they were really the same person. No wonder Vanessa had never revealed her true identity; her performance was so flawless, it seemed like she could play two completely separate roles. Anyone witnessing this would never link the two identities, let alone consider them to be one person. The disparity was just too vast. It was as though her act was not an act at all, perhaps just an expression of her true self—could this be the real Vanessa? The infamous image of the cowardly tyrant in the capital, was it all a facade? Mirexia found herself unsure which persona was the real Vanessa. However, Mirexia wasn’t especially surprised by this reaction. Given what she knew about her longtime friend’s stubborn personality, even if Mirexia had wanted to continue holding her, she would have had no choice but to let go. Admitting comfort in doing so was something Mirexia would never concede to. The air grew silent for a time—whether from exhaustion or some other reason was unclear. "Mirexia, I know you must have a lot of questions about me. But before I begin to explain, could you grant me one small request?" Vanessa leaned forward slightly, hands behind her back, wearing a gentle and polite smile. "I promise you," Mirexia replied without much hesitation, having likely guessed what Vanessa would ask. "I knew I could count on you, Your Highness. It's the same request I mentioned before." "Please keep everything that happened today a secret." 2025/04/23/21/53 『Bookmark for convenient reading』 Previous Chapter | Index | Next Chapter