Chapter 237: Left: Azure Dragon; Right: White Tiger; Center: Mickey Mouse

A few more days passed.

The weather in the imperial capital gradually turned colder, and layer upon layer of fallen leaves had piled up in the courtyard.

After Eleanor’s strict physical examination and Gavi’s repeated confirmations—which rivaled precision instruments—Helos finally earned a hard-won “special pardon.”

She was allowed to get out of bed and move around.

“Whew—”

Helos stood on the lawn of the estate’s garden, greedily inhaling a deep breath of the early morning air, which carried a slight chill.

She felt like a prisoner who had just been released from jail, and even the ordinary flowers, grass, and trees in front of her seemed incredibly dear.

During the days she had spent lying in bed, she felt as if her bones were rusting.

Every day, all she did was drink medicine and sleep, all while enduring Eleanor’s endless nagging. It was even more torturous than working nonstop in the underground workshop on experiments.

“Walk slowly.”

Eleanor followed not far behind her, holding a thick cloak in her hands, afraid that the early winter wind might blow over her little sister, who had just recovered.

She couldn’t stay too close to Helos for long periods now, or she would be affected by the silent oath.

Helos turned around helplessly and showed Eleanor her nonexistent biceps.

“Sister, I’m completely fine. See? I’m so strong I could take down a bull.”

Eleanor rolled her eyes at her in exasperation, then stepped forward and wrapped the cloak tightly around her.

“With your little frame, you’d be lucky if a bull didn’t take you down. Don’t you ever push yourself again, got it?”

“Got it, got it.”

Helos nodded dismissively, but her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the main gate of the estate.

Over the past few days, Christ hadn’t come back.

According to the steward, ever since her brother went to the imperial palace that night, he had stayed there, apparently discussing something very important with His Majesty the Emperor.

Although Julius had told her some inside information, Helos’s heart was still filled with unease.

Professor Graham’s betrayal, the conspiracy of the Chaos Believers, and the huge vortex that might even involve the royal family—all of it weighed on her heart like a boulder.

Just as she was lost in thought, the sound of steady, hurried hoofbeats broke the morning silence.

The estate’s main gate slowly opened.

A carriage bearing the Olivias family crest, covered in dust from the road, drove into the courtyard.

The door opened, and Christ’s familiar figure stepped out.

He looked much more tired than a few days ago.

A few wrinkles had appeared on his elegant noble attire, and faint dark circles had formed under his eyes.

But the azure eyes hidden behind his gold-rimmed glasses were still as sharp as knives, as steady as ever, and reassuring.

“Brother!”

Helos and Eleanor rushed forward almost at the same time.

Julius also stepped out from the shadows nearby, silently standing behind Helos, his hand instinctively resting on the invisible sword hilt at his waist.

Christ looked at the group coming toward him, and a hint of warmth finally appeared on his tense face.

“Let’s talk inside.”

He waved his hand, signaling everyone not to stand on ceremony.

They returned to the familiar drawing room.

The old steward quickly served hot tea and tactfully withdrew, closing the heavy door behind him.

The atmosphere in the room immediately turned solemn.

Christ took a sip of hot tea to ease his exhaustion from the past few days.

He set down his cup, his gaze sweeping across everyone’s face, finally landing on Helos.

“How’s your recovery?”

He asked softly.

“I’m fine now, brother.”

Helos nodded obediently. At this moment, she had completely set aside her usual pride, like a child who had done something wrong.

“That’s good.”

Christ sighed, then said seriously,

“I’ve been at the imperial palace these past few days, discussing matters concerning the Chaos Believers with His Majesty Valerian. The situation is even more complicated than we imagined.”

“What about Graham?”

Helos couldn’t help asking, her voice tinged with a tremor.

“He’s disappeared.”

Christ gave an answer that was expected yet still weighed heavily on the heart.

“That very night, he cut off all contact and vanished from the Alchemy Association underground workshop.”

“Our people searched the entire workshop and the imperial capital, but aside from finding a large number of destroyed documents and experimental data, they came up empty.”

Helos’s fingers clenched tightly around her skirt.

Although she had mentally prepared herself, hearing the news still stabbed at her heart.

That professor who had once taught her alchemy by hand and lavished praise on her had completely abandoned his disguise and become her enemy.

“Agatha has also disappeared.”

Christ continued, his tone growing colder.

“We found some traces at places she frequented, but she’s nowhere to be found. Judging by the residual magical waves at the scene, she’s likely met with foul play.”

This news almost confirmed their identities.

It also meant that this lead had been completely severed.

“So what do we do now?”

Eleanor asked anxiously.

“Are we just going to let them lie low in the imperial capital? Since they dared to lay a hand on Sisi, they must be plotting some even bigger conspiracy!”

“Don’t worry.”

Christ reassured her.

“His Majesty Valerian has already given the order. The Royal Guard, as well as the Shadow Department directly under the Emperor, are secretly investigating other Chaos Believers hiding in the imperial capital. This time, he’s serious. Those rats won’t be able to hide for long.”

On hearing this, Julius, who had been silent until now, suddenly stepped forward.

“Mr. Christ.”

The black-haired youth’s voice was low and powerful.

“Since the imperial family is involved, I request to assist them in the operation. I’m very familiar with the aura of those Chaos Believers. I’m confident I can root them out.”

His eyes burned with a flame of revenge.

This was not only to fulfill the Goddess’s oracle but also to avenge Helos.

He wanted to personally cut off the heads of those who had harmed her.

But to everyone’s surprise, Christ shook his head.

“No, Julius.”

He refused bluntly.

“I don’t doubt your abilities, nor your resolve. But right now, I have a more important task for you.”

“What task?”

Julius was taken aback.

Christ adjusted his glasses, a gleam of wisdom flashing across the lenses.

“I want you and Gavi to continue protecting Helos.”

He pointed at the silver-haired girl, who was still a bit dazed, and said slowly,

“And accompany her to complete her studies at the Royal Magic Academy.”

“Huh?”

Helos jerked her head up, her pale purple eyes wide with disbelief.

“Go… to school?!”

She wondered if she had heard wrong.

Was she serious?

She had just gone through a life-and-death ordeal, almost turned into a monster by cultists, and even her mentor had run off.

Under these circumstances, she would have expected her family to lock her up for tight protection. Instead, they wanted to send her back to the academy, which was full of dangerous memories, to study?

“Brother, are you kidding me?”

Helos pointed at herself.

“Going back to the academy now would be walking right into a trap. What if there are other Chaos Believers hiding there?”

Even Eleanor showed a disapproving expression.

“Yeah, brother. That’s too dangerous. Maybe Sisi should take a leave of absence for a while?”

Facing the girls’ doubts, Christ remained confident.

He smiled, leaning back in his chair. That calm demeanor helped Helos relax a little.

“Danger? Perhaps.”

Christ said flatly.

“But running away is never the solution. If we hide you now, it’ll only make those lurking in the shadows think we’re afraid. They’ll become bolder and try every means to find your weak points.”

“Besides…”

His gaze grew profound.

“Since they’ve set their sights on you, why can’t we use that to our advantage?”

“Use it?”

Helos blinked.

“Exactly.”

Christ explained, “As long as you’re still at the academy, still within their sight, they’re bound to make another move. And this time, we’ll be prepared.”

He looked at Julius.

“Julius, starting tomorrow, you’ll be a regular student at the Comprehensive Research Academy and Helos’s personal bodyguard. You can openly stay by her side every step of the way.”

“As for Gavi…”

Christ glanced at the golden-haired girl standing behind Helos, who had been silent all along.

“Your new appearance saves us a lot of trouble. I’ve already applied for a special permit from the academy; you can attend classes as Helos’s exclusive maid.”

“Of course.”

Christ effortlessly adjusted his glasses, a meaningful curve tugging at his lips.

“To ensure your safety, I also requested some special… care from Dean Finalais.”

“On top of that, the academy’s entire protection barrier has been upgraded. Anything with a chaotic aura will trigger an alarm the moment it enters. And there are mages from the Tower of Truth keeping watch in secret.”

“In other words, the Royal Magic Academy is now the safest—and the most dangerous—trap in the entire imperial capital.”

Helos listened, dumbfounded.

She hadn’t expected her brother to have arranged so much in such a short time.

This wasn’t letting her go to school; it was obviously using her as cheese to lure rats!

But…

Helos glanced at Julius beside her, then at Gavi behind her.

With these two by her side, it seemed she really had nothing to fear.

“Alright.”

Helos sighed and accepted the arrangement.

“Since you’ve already laid it out, I’ll go face those guys again.”

“But…”

She touched the ring on her finger uneasily.

That black ring, which once served as a “switch,” had been cut off by Julius. What she wore now was an ordinary alchemy ring that Eleanor had found again—purely decorative.

“My… curse.”

Helos’s voice was low.

“It’s completely liberated now. I can’t use any magical items; even getting close to something with strong magic makes it fail. Going to school like this… is that really okay?”

What if she accidentally lost control at the academy and knocked out her classmates?

Hearing this, Christ’s expression turned serious.

“About your curse.”

He said solemnly,

“I already heard the detailed account of that night from Julius. That so-called silent oath isn’t simply a negative condition.”

“It can suppress chaos, neutralize holy light, and in an instant, reduce all magic in an area to nothing.”

Christ looked at his sister, a glint of “exploration” shining in his eyes.

“Sisi, have you ever considered that this might not be a curse, but rather… a talent?”

“A talent?”

Helos was stunned.

“Yes.”

Christ nodded.

“Since we can’t solve it for now, and we can’t afford to solve it—after all, it’s your last line of defense against chaos erosion—why not try to accept it and control it?”

“Just like learning alchemy.”

“Think about it. How can you use that ability so that it’s no longer a burden, but becomes a powerful asset?”

Christ’s words struck Helos like a lightning bolt, clearing the fog in her heart.

Use…

That curse?

Turn that silent oath, which had tormented her for over a decade and made everyone see her as a freak, into her own weapon?

Helos lowered her head and looked at her pale hands.

She tried to channel the energy inside her.

There was no flow of magic—only a dead void.

But within that void, she seemed to feel a kind of unprecedented, domineering power.

Since magic is ineffective against me.

Since I can’t use magic.

Then I’ll…

Make all magic fail before me.

Helos jerked her head up, and in her pale purple eyes, a confident and cunning light reignited.

“I understand, brother.”

Her lips curled into a smile that Julius found all too familiar.

“Then I’ll gladly accept!”