chapter 95

Chapter 95

Mirella also brought the leaves from the Instance back to her room in Game Night.

She, too, saw her own desire.

It was three Black Cats-one old, two young and mischievous-rolling at her feet, showing their bellies.

She gently stroked the air, unwilling to remove the cloth band from her eyes.

“I know you have long since died.”

“But I wish this night could last a little longer.”

It was only when the three Black Cats laughed and played, tempting her toward the door out of Game Night, that she finally removed the cloth band and stared blankly at the empty doorway.

Before entering the Necromancer Game, she lived in a western country where a large number of humans were parasitized by Insectoid Parasites. There, the Black Cats were the family she recognized.

–

She was born in a sheep pen.

From the moment of her birth, she possessed memory and the ability to think.

The woman who was nominally her mother screamed and died the instant she gave birth to her.

With the eyes of an infant, she looked at this naked woman, entwined with a massive male Black Goat. The woman’s Corpse turned cold, pale, and swelled up like a Balloon.

The Black Goat, nominally her father, went mad upon seeing her birth, charged at the wall of the sheep pen, broke its own horns, and killed itself.

She watched the goat collapse before her like a mountain, its bizarre, chilling face painted with sacrificial symbols and Magic Circles in colored pigments.

Cold amniotic fluid flowed down from above, blinding her eyes. She had to open her mouth and gasp for air, but the umbilical cord wound tightly around her neck, as if to strangle her.

Until a warm tongue licked clean the amniotic fluid from her eyes and the cord was bitten off, the suffocation suddenly vanished.

Many “people” gathered around her, arguing fiercely:

“She is human! She is the ominous thing humans have crazily ‘invited’ with this sacrificial method! It would be better if she died. How could you save her?”

“Humans see the Black Goat as a symbol of the devil, always slaughtering Black Goats as sacrifices to the heavens, pleading for the gods’ protection and forgiveness. Now they’re even more frenzied. They even brought so many virgins to mate with goats, just to prove that purity can cleanse darkness, and to give birth to a ‘god’ who could save this place. All they’ll summon is a demon. They will face retribution sooner or later! Bite her to death!”

“They’ve killed so many goats and tormented so many women. Every night I hear agonized wails in the sheep pen! Yes, we should bite her to death!”

The tongue that licked her had barbs.

Then a soft tail rested on her chest, as if to protect her.

After her eyes were licked clean, this “person” let out a weary voice, “She was born the same day as my daughter, who died just after birth. I can’t bear to see her die before my eyes. Maybe she isn’t a demon-maybe she really can save this country.”

Her eyes burned with tears, and at last, she used all her strength to open them.

She saw a Black Cat in front of her, and countless others hidden in the dim night whose features she couldn’t make out.

The cats’ eyes shone in the night, and she could understand their words.

They opened their mouths in astonishment:

“Goodness, her eyes! Is she human, or a goat?”

“Look at those Holy Knights outside the sheep pen, dozing off! They don’t even know this wicked experiment succeeded. How foolish!”

She was saved by a Black Cat and survived her first day.

–

The next day, she was finally discovered by the Holy Knights, who had finished their sleep.

Amid loud cries, countless hands lifted her from the sheep pen and carried her all the way into the Castle of the Royal Family.

“It worked! Our sacrifice to the gods has truly succeeded!”

“Look at her eyes!”

“Take her to the Castle! Let’s see if she can really become the true Saintess!”

She was draped in a white robe and seated on a high chair.

A woman who called herself the Saintess supported her as she wobbled, then guided her to look forward.

Three prisoners knelt below in the Palace.

Each wore heavy shackles and a suit covered in Magic Arrays. Five imposing Holy Knights stood beside each, ready to restrain any monster that might emerge from their bodies at any moment.

The Saintess whispered softly,

“Tell me, among these, who has fallen?”

Her hand slowly rose.

Fallen?

What is it to fall?

She heard voices inside.

Her finger finally pointed at the one in the middle.

In that person’s mind came a rustling, swallowing sound.

“Delicious, bring more Insectoid Parasites.”

“Tasty brain.”

“Want to eat more human brains.”

The Saintess spoke loudly, “Kill him! There is an Insectoid Parasite in his brain!”

The Holy Knights’ swords fell.

From the prisoner’s suit, countless Magic Arrays flared with blinding brilliance, sealing him tightly within.

Bathed in pure holy light.

The man struggled and twisted, howling as he was burned by the flames.

When his body could no longer endure the agony and his head crashed heavily to the ground, tiny insects slowly crawled from his ears and nose.

The insects had wings. When tormented by the fire, they desperately tried to fly toward places without flames in search of new hosts, but were sealed by the Magic Circles.

The insects could only burn alive in the flames, together with their former host.

The Saintess raised her right hand.

“She has possessed the power to save since birth! She will be the next Saintess!”

“Her eyes are so extraordinary! We truly have the gods’ protection!”

“She will become the strongest and purest Saintess!”

“We are saved! We are finally saved!”

Only when this Saintess proclaimed it did her true birth begin.

Church bells rang from all directions, and hymns played.

The nation celebrated, for they had finally nurtured a Saintess.

–

The previous Saintess flipped through the genealogy passed down by generations of Saintesses, her finger pointing at a certain line.

Then she gently tapped Mirella’s forehead.

“From now on, your name will be Mirella.”

“Your mission is to protect this country from contamination by Insectoid Parasites, and to pray for them.”