“Married?”
Cress tried to process the word. It seemed to be some kind of vow, a ritual.
The Evil God had married her daughter.
Her first reaction was whether the Evil God was even worthy of Gabrielle.
Her daughter was the God Maiden who had inherited the perfect genes of both her and Olivia—an existence who could even surpass her.
Yet in the next instant she realized Gabrielle had most likely been brainwashed and controlled, which was why the Evil God had arranged the wedding.
That meant the two of them had probably already consummated their union and might have even created new life in bed.
A flood of information rushed through Cress’s mind.
Even her coldly logical thought process glitched for a long moment.
“Gabrielle, were you ever invaded by the Evil God’s [Shadow]?”
“Eh?”
“Once her Authority enters the soul, the victim quickly becomes her plaything. The soul is eroded. Even I would fall.”
A sharp glint flashed through Heavenly God Cress’s eyes.
Gabrielle simply wanted to bury herself under the covers.
“Her Authority is very dangerous. The Holy Body won’t be harmed, but if the shadows erode it… she must have received who knows how many [Gifts].”
If she wanted to pull Gabrielle out of the Evil God’s grasp, it was probably already too late.
Cress poured every ounce of sincerity into her apology.
“I failed to save you.”
“Miss Cress, that wasn’t your fault. No one could have taken me from the Evil God’s hands.”
Gabrielle sounded a little guilty.
“No. The Evil God is not as strong as you imagine. To you, she is not a threat.”
“Eh?”
“You simply don’t understand the power of the God Maiden yet.”
Heavenly God Cress wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
“You still have a long way to go.”
“Above Emperor Rank is God Rank—the realm the Evil God once touched. But you will become stronger than her. Once you fully master the Holy Body, the Evil God will no longer be a threat to you.”
Gabrielle nodded, carefully noting the important information in Cress’s words.
Cress began explaining the events of the past.
She never once directly claimed to be her mother.
Instead, she probed indirectly, asking whether Gabrielle had remembered anything else.
Gabrielle simply shook her head each time, saying she didn’t know.
She explained the ranking system.
Gabrielle was Emperor Rank, and every Heavenly Envoy operated within the “Emperor Rank” domain.
For example, Olivia was at the peak of Emperor Rank, Felina and Murphy were at the lower end, Elsa and Leah were in the middle tier, and the former Silver White Sword Emperor had also reached this level.
This ranking system had apparently existed since Cress’s own era.
The limit for ordinary humans was roughly Saint Rank.
Those who stood at that level were extremely rare throughout history—heroes, kings, or peerless masters hidden among the common people.
Then came Emperor Rank.
Beings at this level were rarely pure humans.
Gabrielle, for instance, was the reincarnation of the legendary God Maiden, while the strongest of the Four Saints, Lady Flame Saint, had drawn power from a divine artifact and possessed a mysterious background of her own.
After that was God Rank.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a rank but a realm.
Heavenly God Cress and the Evil God were the two powerhouses who had reached this realm.
Yet in Gabrielle’s memory, the Evil God had never fully attained God Rank.
Two conditions were required to reach it.
One was an independent power system built upon magic—for example, the Evil God’s [Shadow]. The exact nature of her power remained unknown.
The other was an “Authority.” Heavenly God Cress disdained using magic power, but Isabella could use shadows to perform [Devour], absorbing others’ strength and abilities.
That was her Authority. Because it was incomplete, however, she had never displayed its full potential.
The conversation eventually returned to Gabrielle herself.
Cress didn’t mention what Authority or abilities she possessed. Instead, her gaze drifted to Gabrielle’s abdomen.
“You’re… pregnant?”
“I…”
Gabrielle didn’t know how to answer.
She was pregnant. She had been for some time now.
“I don’t know,” was all she could say.
“I see. I thought the two of you had already done it.”
Cress tilted her head and helped Gabrielle lie back down on the bed.
“Your body is showing signs very similar to pregnancy.”
“I really don’t know.”
Gabrielle shook her head. She knew what would happen if the truth came out, and she didn’t want to find out.
Suddenly Isabella left. She stopped listening to their conversation, as if she had come to a firm decision.
Gabrielle was worried about her state.
During the day, Isabella wasn’t allowed inside the bedroom, which meant their next meeting would have to wait until lunch or dinner.
Still, Gabrielle had no other choice. She didn’t know how to make excuses for Isabella either.
She could hardly say that being pinned down by Isabella and getting pregnant with her child had felt incredibly good and blissfully happy, could she~?
Gabrielle decided she would explain everything to Isabella properly that night.
Throughout the morning, Cress behaved exactly as she had before—sitting quietly by her side, watching over her.
Whenever Gabrielle opened her eyes, Cress would brew tea or bring fruit juice the way Olivia did.
She still occasionally mentioned the Holy Body, explaining how to train it in the future and sharing the tricks to mastering its power.
Until noon.
At lunch, Isabella delivered the meal as usual, but this time she didn’t stay.
She simply turned and left in a hurry.
Watching her retreating back, Gabrielle had a bad feeling.
In the afternoon, Cress left as well.
That night, the meal cart Cress pushed in still carried her signature onion soup.
A few hours after sunset, Cress checked the time, stood up without saying goodbye, and walked out the door.
It was eleven thirty.
She had left the bedroom half an hour early.
At midnight, Isabella entered the bedroom right on time. She closed the door quietly and approached Gabrielle with careful steps.
The only sound in the silent room was the soft rustle of Gabrielle’s nightgown against the sheets as she turned over and looked at Isabella’s face.
It was filled with complicated emotions, like a lovestruck teenage girl trying to find the right words.
To help Isabella be decisive, Gabrielle decided to mention Cress’s upcoming trip.
“Cress is heading to the Church. She won’t be here tonight.”
It was as if those words had woken her up.
“When will she be back?”
Gabrielle’s gaze turned teasing. She had completely read the foolish Evil God’s intentions.
“Master, how long do you want her to be gone~?”
“Mmm.”
“There’s plenty of time. Don’t worry.”
Yet Isabella still looked hesitant.
Gabrielle sat up, her body still a little weak.
“Can you… not tell Cress about the pregnancy?”
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