“Who do you think you’re calling a thing? And what kind of thing are you supposed to be?”
Lulumia held her breath, her heart filled with indignation. She used the corners of her eyes to desperately search for any possible escape route.
“Don’t bother. This is my mental world. To outsiders, you look perfectly fine. Since you can’t get out anyway, why don’t we have a chat?”
“As a show of sincerity, I’ll introduce myself first. I am Athenas, the Lord of Fairies. Hmm, by human reckoning, I should be about seven thousand years old? Don’t look at me in my current state—neither human nor ghost—but I was once a dashing, handsome man loved by all.”
For some reason, even though this self-proclaimed Athenas had no physical form, Lulumia felt as if he were stroking his chin in vanity.
“You want to ask why I’m here, right? That’s all in the past. Back then, I was possessed by a moment of madness and strayed from the path, so those unreasonable outsiders struck me down and labeled me a demon.”
“They prattled on about justice and goodness and such, and for some inexplicable reason, they sealed me away. They were clearly the outsiders, and I was the local. Why does it matter to them if I fight to the death in my own world? They really are meddlesome. Oh, I forgot to mention—I am the soul sealed within the Seal of Wrath, the thing you people call a demon.”
I can certainly see that, Lulumia thought to herself.
Seeing that Lulumia still wouldn’t speak, the Seal of Wrath drifted closer to her, its voice dripping with mockery.
“What? Nothing to say? I am one of the Seven Great Demons. It’s rare for mortals to even catch a glimpse of me. You should feel honored to have the chance to speak with me.”
Though she really wanted to use her status panel to check this demon’s title, Lulumia refrained, remembering how her Mindfulness Value plummeted every time she opened it.
This demon seems to be a chatterbox… I’ll play along for now to buy some time.
Lulumia swallowed hard and asked tentatively.
“When you said ‘outsiders’ just now, were you referring to the Great Holy Spirit of Water, Lady Estelle?”
“Exactly. Didn’t the Church teach you? The Great Holy Spirits and the Divine Angels are all things from the outside world. They barge into someone else’s home, stir up a mess, seal the owner away, and then just pat themselves on the back and leave. How outrageous… Wait, I have a plan. I’ll guide your magic, grant you power, and endless wealth and honor. In exchange, once you’ve achieved fame and success, you let me out. It’s a win-win for both of us, how about it?”
Lulumia was momentarily speechless.
After all that buildup, the demon’s temptation was only at this level?
She had expected something profound and irresistible. This level of bait wouldn’t even fool a three-year-old.
As if reading Lulumia’s mind, the demon’s voice grew anxious.
“Hey, hey, I’m serious. Without my help, you’ll never become the Great Mage of your dreams in this lifetime. The heroes in those legends only became heroes because, besides having talent, they had backgrounds.”
“Which of those who become Great Mages doesn’t come from a wealthy or royal family? You need money to go to a magic academy and enjoy high-level teaching resources. Besides that, you need countless magic potions, high-grade magical items, and magic weapons for support. Otherwise, how could they become one-in-a-million heroes? Commoners have to struggle for survival from birth; where would they find the spare time to focus on researching magic?”
The Seal of Wrath floated up and down around Lulumia, its voice filled with a sense of “of course.”
“Haven’t you experienced it yourself? If you weren’t the so-called perfect Mana-doll, how could you be qualified to study at that Saint Estelle Academy? You would have been reduced to a toy for some fat noble since birth—we still have time, let’s sit and talk. Here, take a seat.”
As it spoke, the Seal of Wrath manipulated the ivory throne to move behind Lulumia, but she did not sit down.
Only a fool would sit on a throne that looked like it was meant to suppress something.
Luckily, it wasn’t made of gold.
Lulumia frowned. “Are you peeking into my memories?”
“Just a little bit, not too much. There’s a mist around you; even I can’t see the full picture. That’s why I said you’re interesting.” The Seal of Wrath shrugged its non-existent shoulders.
“You’re a sensible person; you should understand that my words make sense. With my seven or eight thousand years of experience, even though your talent is excellent, you would never reach my height even if you worked a thousand or ten thousand times harder than you do now. At the end of the day, there is an insurmountable chasm in knowledge between us. Only with my help can you realize your dreams and reach the pinnacle of the world.”
“Why do I have to reach the pinnacle of the world? Acknowledging that others are stronger than oneself is also a form of strength. I have no reason to become the strongest. If everyone who couldn’t be number one in the world decided to give up on life, there would be very few people left alive.”
“No, you do. You do.” The Seal of Wrath’s tone rose a pitch, as if it were lifting its chin to peer mockingly at Lulumia. “You just don’t want to admit it.”
“You have dreams. You have ambition. Who didn’t dream of being number one in the world as a child? People just slowly recognize reality as they grow up. Now that you’ve gained a new life, of course you’ll pick up those old dreams. Otherwise, wouldn’t living a second life be a waste?”
Then I still don’t need your help. You’re a demon; heaven knows what the price for helping a demon would be.
It’s highly likely I’d end up like those Saints in history who went mad—losing my mind and becoming a slave to desire.
Once again, the demon saw through Lulumia’s thoughts.
“No, no, no, I’m serious. Those Saints lost their minds because there was already a demon living in their hearts. You can’t say that the tyrants and corrupt officials in history only turned bad because they were possessed by demons. It was just their own wicked nature, and the Church was unwilling to admit they had chosen the wrong Saints, so they blamed everything on demons.”
“You won’t believe me if I just talk, so I’ll give you a little benefit first. You can see other people’s Mindfulness, right?”
“So what?”
Lulumia wasn’t sure how much the demon in front of her knew. For instance, it might not know about her life on Earth, or it might not know that besides Mindfulness Values, she could also see other people’s titles. It was better not to expose herself first.
“What is called Mindfulness is a positive and active state of mind. The more you do what you like, the higher your mood, and thus the higher your Mindfulness. The more you do things you dislike or even find nauseating, the lower your Mindfulness will be.”
“Different people’s Mindfulness also manifests in different colors. Evil people usually burn with black flames, while those who claim to be righteous often have flames that appear red, orange, or gold. The higher the flame, the higher the corresponding Mindfulness. You can think back on the people around you and see if I’m right.”
Lulumia thought for a moment. The flames on Ino, the Cardinal, and Sander did indeed match, while the flames on that Red-robed Duke, the Second Prince, and the Fourth Princess were all black. The black flames on the Red-robed Duke and the Second Prince were particularly massive. Those two also gave her the most uncomfortable feeling, a sense of gloom just from looking at them.
Finally, there was the Seal of Wrath before her. Its flames were so terrifying that just opening the panel to observe it caused her Mindfulness Value to drop crazily.
The truth seemed to be exactly what the Seal of Wrath said.
She couldn’t help but ask, “How do you know about Mindfulness Values? I’ve flipped through many books and never seen any mention of Mindfulness.”
“Because it belongs to the system of Ancient Language Magic. Every one of the Seven Great Demons uses Ancient Language Magic. Later generations considered Ancient Language Magic ominous and switched to the new magic brought by the Great Holy Spirits. Those who still insist on using Ancient Language Magic are probably only the long-lived dragons, elves, and the dead—I’m guessing. It’s been too long since I’ve had contact with the outside world; I have no idea what this world has become.”
The Seal of Wrath’s voice was filled with emotion.
Lulumia couldn’t help but feel lucky that she hadn’t asked anyone else about Mindfulness for the sake of secrecy. Otherwise, she might have been branded a heretic.
After a moment of silence, the Seal of Wrath’s voice became full of mockery.
“Your Mindfulness is neither high nor low; it’s stuck at the most useless level. If your Mindfulness were a bit lower, I could teach you true Ancient Language Magic and let you grasp the essence of the world. If it were a bit higher, you would receive the favor of the elements, and your mana would increase faster. But being at such an awkward point… how useless.”
“Have you said enough? Can I go back now?”
“Time isn’t up yet. The Saints are still undergoing their trials. We can talk a bit more.”
The Seal of Wrath’s words paused. In its consciousness, it had its arms crossed over its chest, looking down at Lulumia. Its voice betrayed no emotion.
“So, have you considered my proposal? Shall we cooperate? I’ll help you become an unparalleled Magic Caster, and you find a way to restore my freedom once you’ve achieved success.”
“I refuse.”
Lulumia hadn’t forgotten Ino’s warning. Those who cannot withstand temptation eventually go mad. Only a child would believe every word someone else says.
“Tch, I didn’t expect you to agree—but as long as you still have ambition, there will come a day when you say yes.”
“We won’t meet again anyway, so agreeing wouldn’t matter.”
“We will meet again. You and I are of the same kind. Mindfulness will bind us together; it’s a fated destiny. Moreover, it won’t be long before you definitely agree to my terms… I can feel the Mindfulness of the world changing. With your current strength, it won’t be long before you die.”
“Die?” Lulumia’s heart tightened for a second, but then she immediately relaxed and laughed irritably. “This world is very stable. Stop your alarmism.”
Although the Athenas before her was a chatterbox and seemed harmless, he still gave Lulumia a profound sense of foreboding. Just as Athenas said, if a larger black flame indicated a lower Mindfulness Value, then the black flames on Athenas that could fill the entire world were enough to prove the darkness in his heart.
Athenas began to drift back and forth in front of Lulumia, as if pacing.
“You only think this world is safe because you live in the Royal Capital. Once you take a few more steps outside and see for yourself, you’ll naturally know what the world truly looks like. Without power, you cannot protect yourself, let alone the people who like you and the people you like.”
Seeing that Lulumia still wouldn’t bite, Athenas simply snorted.
“Fine. As a souvenir, I’ll give you a little something good. I was once known as the King of Fire and Space. Fire magic isn’t worth learning much, so take this and use it.”
As the voice fell, a thin thread of pale white light peeled away from the Seal of Wrath and landed precisely in Lulumia’s palm. This thread was as light as flowing light, constantly fluctuating. As Lulumia closed her hand around it, the light instantly vanished, and then her panel began to flicker.
[Learned Magic: “Spatial Storage”, 1/100, Novice]
“Since you don’t believe me, I have no desire to continue talking with you. That is all.”
The words cut off abruptly. The pitch-black, weightless world was like an old television screen being turned off; the image instantly contracted toward the center and vanished. Then, a strong sense of dizziness enveloped Lulumia’s entire body. When she opened her eyes again, the world had returned to the grand hall of the Church.
The Cardinal was leading the Saints in kneeling before the ivory throne. She, along with the other Mana-dolls, stood about twenty meters away from the throne. Unlike the world in the middle of the lake, the Seal of Wrath lay quietly on the ivory throne, with no ominous crimson patterns creeping over it.
Aside from that, the Saints all had a dazed look in their eyes, clearly having entered an illusion as well.
[Lost Title: “Athenas’s Attention”]
[Obtained Title: “Athenas’s Gaze”]
Please, no more of these unlucky titles.
Lulumia clicked her tongue. Everything just now had been too surreal. Even now, she hadn’t fully processed it; it felt like a lifetime had passed.
She took a deep breath and then slowly let it out, repeating this several times before the churning unease in her chest gradually subsided.
I’m going to die?
What a joke. The strength of Ino, Sander, and the Cardinal was terrifyingly high. Not to mention, this was the Royal Capital of the Kingdom of Oenhelm, the place with the strongest defensive forces in the country. Even if the sky fell, it wouldn’t be her turn to hold it up.
That being said, in a situation where she couldn’t determine whether this was a demon’s deception or a kind warning, working hard to improve her strength was always the right move.
As for what she saw today, she would pretend for now that nothing had happened and mention it to no one, to avoid bringing trouble upon herself.
Yes, that’s it.
Nodding with deep conviction, Lulumia wiped the sweat from her forehead and quietly waited for the ceremony to end.