Sylvia looked up.
Through the shattered stained glass, she saw that tonight’s starry sky shone exceptionally bright.
“You’ve finally reached the Sanctuary as well.”
Sylvia lowered her gaze again, turning to Lady Catherine before her, studying her pale blue skin, deep blue eyes, and the ‘Domain’ swirling ceaselessly around her.
However, Lady Catherine paid her no mind.
At this moment, she was locking eyes with Roman.
Both seemed to have something to say, but the presence of Sylvia kept their words trapped within.
As soon as Lady Catherine landed, her eyes fell upon the pure white cloak wrapped around Roman.
Her gaze traveled down to Roman’s bare ankles beneath the cloak.
It was obvious—there were no clothes beneath Roman’s cloak, his body entirely exposed.
But Lady Catherine’s own state was hardly any better.
In her rush to find Roman, she had hastily used starlight as clothing to cover only her most vital spots, then set out without hesitation.
Fortunately, she’d traveled entirely by flight and blinking magic, and the night was deserted, so there was no need to worry about exposure.
What made her heart race even more was that, even like this, Roman recognized her at a glance.
Normally, she was the model of elegance and propriety, a paragon imitated by countless noble ladies.
When had she ever appeared so primitive?
Her divine, pale blue skin was bared to the night, long blue hair flowing freely over her shoulders.
Starlight could hardly be called real clothing—at best, it barely served to cover her chest and act as undergarments.
Truthfully, the effect was barely different from lingerie, a wild and untamed look that seemed more teasing than modest.
Even Luo Xiya would have trouble recognizing her aunt at first sight.
Yet Roman’s face showed uncontainable delight the moment he saw her.
“Child, we…”
Lady Catherine had just lifted her hand when Sylvia’s icy voice cut through the air.
“I’ll give you a warning—if you want to keep your hand, don’t touch him.”
“And if you dare let any part of you touch her again, I’ll cut that part off.”
The good impression Sylvia once held of Lady Catherine had been shattered in the cave earlier.
Rage and resentment surged anew at the sight of her.
Lady Catherine stared back at Sylvia, unfazed by the threat, but a hint of confusion flickered across her face.
“Holy Throne? Why are you by Roman’s side?”
Just moments ago, she’d sensed a Sanctuary aura near Roman and descended recklessly to separate them.
Yet the battle spirit she’d built up evaporated the instant she recognized Sylvia at Roman’s side.
After all, in her memory, the Holy Throne of the Holy Light Church was a trustworthy figure.
Though her appearance here was strange, she instinctively refrained from attacking.
Now it seemed…the other party had come with hostile intent.
Sylvia had no desire to exchange words with this woman.
She spoke directly.
“Roman is the Holy Child revealed by Goddess Fara’s prophecy. I will take him away.”
“Holy Child?”
Lady Catherine’s gaze sharpened.
Had Roman’s identity been discovered after all?
Her spellwork hadn’t deceived the Church after all, but back then, Luo Xiya hadn’t brought Roman to the Holy City for safety’s sake.
Who had uncovered him?
“So you’ve known all along?”
Sylvia’s eyes narrowed, her voice icy.
“In that case, leave now. For old times’ sake, I won’t pursue your filthy deeds further.”
She was deeply irritable.
By nature, she wouldn’t have hesitated to give Lady Catherine a hard lesson.
But the other woman had also broken through to Sanctuary.
There was no need for more conflict.
With Catherine’s Sacred Seal and her years of accumulation, now that she’d become a Domain Transcendent, she was no ordinary Extraordinary.
Years of silent endurance, and now she stood as her equal.
As for how she’d ascended to Sanctuary while still under the curse—it was easy to guess.
Just thinking about it made Sylvia grit her teeth.
Roman had given his life essence and that pure, overwhelming magic to the other, breaking the curse and bringing Sanctuary within reach.
Yet Lady Catherine showed no sign of surrendering, maintaining her full Domain of the Starry Sky and glancing often at Roman beside her.
Of course, a few words from Sylvia wouldn’t send her running.
She only noticed Roman’s fearful, resistant expression, and the gentle look he threw toward her…like a fragile deer seeking the protection of a powerful doe.
It made Lady Catherine realize that she absolutely could not back down tonight.
This child had shared the deepest intimacy with her only moments ago.
He still clung to her, unwilling to leave with Sylvia.
If she yielded now, she’d lose Roman for life.
“Holy Throne, I believe we should discuss this further.”
Having made her decision, Lady Catherine stepped between them, her Domain cutting off all of Sylvia’s connection to Roman.
“Discuss?”
Sylvia felt she’d just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world.
Goddess Fara’s chosen Holy Child, and Catherine wanted to discuss it with her?
Did she wish for more time with Roman?
“That’s right.”
Lady Catherine replied resolutely.
“Goddess Fara is the Goddess of Life. Her teachings have always placed freedom at the forefront.”
“Even if Roman is her chosen Holy Child, I believe you should respect his freedom.”
“I doubt Goddess Fara ever commanded you to bring him back to the Holy City by force, did she?”
As expected of a scholar—Lady Catherine’s words left Sylvia’s own sense of justice on shaky ground.
All across the continent, believers knew that Goddess Fara valued freedom above all, relinquishing dominion over the world and giving it to mortals, then leaving this plane behind for parts unknown.
As Fara’s representative, was Sylvia to strip away the Holy Child’s right to choose?
“Never in history have Saintesses been left wandering, nor Holy Children either. Since Goddess Fara herself has permitted this tradition for a thousand years, that means she approves.”
Sylvia argued, stretching logic to its limit.
Lady Catherine recognized her resolve and said nothing further.
The Domain of the Starry Sky surged to its peak around her, her gaze locked onto Sylvia.
“Heh…”
Sylvia felt her fighting spirit rise as well.
Not only because of Roman, but because it had been so long since she’d met an opponent.
‘Space.’
Sylvia thought silently.
Catherine closed her eyes.
In a blink, her world spun.
When she opened her eyes again, Roman was no longer by her side.