Chapter 37: The Night of the Witch’s Hatching

(For the best reading experience, it is recommended to search for “Judgment Day” as background music before reading this chapter~)

The suffocating sensation receded like the tide, replaced by boundless darkness and cold.

Astreia felt herself falling endlessly, passing through one invisible membrane after another.

The strength she once took pride in, the beliefs she held dear, the burning emotions—all of it was stripped away in this process, finally dissolving into nothingness.

“Dear… What should we name our child…”

“Let’s call her Astreia, pure and selfless, a guardian of justice and truth…”

“A girl blessed with holy beauty and the power of the stars…”

Suddenly, the figures of a young couple appeared in Astreia’s mind.

Though their faces were blurred, the familiar tenderness told her without a doubt that they were her parents.

She wanted to step forward and embrace them, but her body felt nailed in place.

She wanted to call out, but not a sound would leave her throat.

All she could do was stand there, a silent bystander.

Then, the scene shattered and reformed.

“Mother, Father, what is this? It’s so ugly, like a monkey…”

A little blonde girl clung to the edge of the bed, curiously studying the wrinkled little thing that had just come out of her mother’s belly.

“Astreia, you can’t talk about your little sister like that…”

“As the big sister, Astreia, you must protect Lina well…”

That’s right… I have to protect my sister.

Astreia still couldn’t move or speak.

But a sudden clarity arose in her heart—she was probably going to die.

They say that only at the brink of death do people see memories of their past.

So it’s true…

The scene shifted again.

Inside the grand hall of the palace, her now middle-aged parents handed Astreia an exquisite Dagger, their weathered faces full of helplessness and regret.

Back then, she had just become a proud Knight.

“We’re sorry, Astreia. We can’t change the views of the Minister and the people toward you…”

“This Dagger was passed down from your mother’s mother. Please use it to protect the Valoran Kingdom for your mother, and support your sister…”

After their instructions, the two mounted their horses, leading the last Elite Troop, riding off to the border without looking back, to resist the Orcs’ invasion.

Astreia watched those two resolute backs, a heart-wrenching impulse surging up inside her, wanting to reach out and stop them.

Don’t go!

If you go, you’ll never come back!

But no matter how Astreia struggled, her body wouldn’t obey.

She could only watch helplessly as her parents’ silhouettes disappeared into the afterglow of the setting sun.

Gradually, she gave up struggling, letting the helplessness swallow her completely.

Her heart sank, bit by bit.

Even if I stopped them, what difference would it make?

After years of war, Valoran’s treasury was already empty, and there were barely any soldiers left to fight.

The ten thousand soldiers at Sunset Fortress made up almost a fifth of the nation’s military strength.

If what Wendy said was true, and the Orcs were pressing in with over a hundred thousand troops this time—

Could General Sera and that just-built cement wall really hold them off?

Probably… not.

I’m sorry, Mother, Father.

I didn’t become the beautiful woman you hoped I’d be, nor did I protect Valoran or my sister…

I couldn’t even protect Wendy…

Astreia’s consciousness began to blur, her body’s outline fading, as if she would dissolve into the endless darkness at any moment.

Just then, a brand new scene appeared, abrupt and vivid.

It was a social banquet in Saint City, where Nobles from all human kingdoms had gathered.

Beneath the crystal chandelier, the Nobles chatted and laughed in small groups, dressed in finery.

Astreia, though, was like an outcast, shrinking alone in a shadowy corner, awkwardly trying to hide herself.

“Excuse me, are you Princess Astreia?”

A clear, gentle voice sounded in her ear.

Startled, she looked up to see a boy whose handsomeness was almost unreal, holding two glasses of fruit wine, smiling brightly at her.

“Y-Yes, and you are?”

“Haha, just call me Wendy! I’m your neighbor, Prince of the Valoran Kingdom!”

“P-Prince?! You… you don’t mind how ugly I look?”

She was so nervous she almost bit her tongue, instinctively wanting to hide even deeper.

“‘Ugly,’ huh?”

The little Prince blinked his charming, fox-like eyes, tilting his head as if thinking seriously.

“Maybe that’s how the world sees it, but for some reason, I’ve always felt that your kind of look is truly beautiful!”

In a corner avoided by the Nobles, a somewhat overly familiar boy and an extremely self-conscious girl awkwardly began a conversation, gradually breaking into laughter.

As she gazed at that distant, precious memory, Astreia’s long-dried eyes began to shed burning tears once more.

So… so I’ve liked Wendy since back then?

But now…

I’m not willing… I really can’t accept this!

We could have been together, so why…

Why is there always something… keeping us apart!!!

“Even though I held back, you still died, huh?”

The seductive White-robed Priestess released her grip, letting the now lifeless, voluptuous body fall into the mud like a broken rag doll.

She shook her head in feigned pity and sighed.

“Tsk tsk tsk, what a useless waste!”

Then, as if she’d remembered something, she mumbled listlessly to herself, “To think I even hoped you’d become a witch. Looks like we still need the Demonic King’s ‘Holy Sword’ to hatch…”

With that, she didn’t spare the corpse another glance, walking over to the vacant-eyed Wendy, ready to take this new toy and leave this boring place.

However, just as she turned her back to the Royal Princess of Valoran—

The sky suddenly went black.

No, it wasn’t the darkness of clouds blotting out the moon.

It was a thick, pure darkness that seemed to swallow even light itself—absolute, inescapable, and without warning, it engulfed the land.

The moonlight and starlight that had been clear just a second before vanished without a trace.

At the same time, a heavy, oppressive thumping sounded behind the White-robed Priestess, as if the heart of some ancient beast was awakening.

“Thump, thump!”

“Thump, thump!”

“Thump, thump!”

The sound grew faster and louder, shaking the very air.

Yet, faced with this bizarre phenomenon, there was not a trace of fear on the Priestess’s beautiful face.

On the contrary, her face twisted into an almost sickly ecstasy, her lips curling up in a twisted grin that nearly reached her ears.

“I knew it! I just kne—”

Squelch!

Her words were cut short.

Blood exploded in the pitch-black darkness.

The Priestess’s excited expression froze instantly, her body convulsed violently, and she slowly lowered her head.

A bloody hole had appeared in her chest.

A slender, pale hand, entwined with ominous dark purple patterns, reached out from the hole, gripping a still-beating heart tightly.

And it was slowly turning, grinding it.

At the instant the searing pain pierced her mind, a lazy, languid sigh sounded in her ear.

“You hit me so hard just now… that really hurt~”