The Price of Purification

Bang!

With a dull thud, Cardo’s hammer struck the True Ancestor’s skull directly, producing a sound that was oddly satisfying and leaving her seeing stars.

“Does that sound good? A good sound means a good head!”

As the hammer descended, Cardo did not cease her assault. Instead, she twisted the hammerhead, changed her angle, and delivered another blow, sending the True Ancestor flying.

“Goddamn it, you still dare to touch my sister! Weren’t you beaten badly enough a few days ago!?”

“…I dare, so what? Hahahahaha!”

Violently sent flying, she spun in a full 360-degree golden Thomas flair before crashing heavily to the ground. Despite sustaining such immense damage, the True Ancestor showed no signs of weakness, bursting into laughter instead.

Witnessing the True Ancestor’s inexplicable laughter, Cardo was enraged. “You! Why are you laughing!?”

“Why am I laughing? Heh heh… I laugh at Iqiyah’s lack of strategy, and Cardo’s lack of wisdom!”

“From our previous battle, and your search within the manor, I’ve noticed something… Cardo, you can’t move too far from your body, can you?”

“Hm? What are you thinking? Do you imagine I’m some kind of clone or substitute?”

Though Cardo spoke with bravado, Seraphina could discern a trickle of cold sweat running down her forehead.

“Enough with the nonsense, Cardo. I know you enjoy being glib.”

As she spoke, the True Ancestor slowly retreated.

“If your movements truly have no restrictions, then try to walk over from there and strike me with your great hammer!”

“Tsk.”

Despite her stubborn words, the fact that Cardo could not move too far remained an undeniable truth.

“Hey, maids,” The True Ancestor seized the opportunity, giving Cardo no chance to react, and prepared to act. “Bring Iqiyah over to me!”

‘This isn’t good…’

Watching Iqiyah being carried away by the True Ancestor, and utterly powerless to intervene, Seraphina’s heart grew heavy with bitterness.

If Iqiyah were to be possessed by her… if the True Ancestor regained her full strength, Seraphina’s life would enter a twenty-second countdown.

At that point, grand ambitions would be meaningless; everything would be lost!

“Cardo! Unwilling to accept death, Seraphina desperately searched for any chance to turn the tide. That power from last time, can you give it to me again!?”

“No!” Cardo replied. “Do you think this is like Ultraman borrowing power—you can just borrow it whenever you want?”

“While you typically use magic without expenditure, your body is fundamentally still a Level 1 mortal. It simply cannot withstand too much divine power! You’ll have to wait until the embers of the last power have completely faded before you can use it again!”

“So how long will that take?”

“…At least another day!”

‘A day? I’ll be long dead by then!’

‘What now? What can I possibly do?’

Gazing at Cardo and Fulkarn (the True Ancestor) standing in the distance, Seraphina fell into deep contemplation.

‘Fulkarn… I’ve got it! How could I have forgotten this!’

“Hey… Cardo,” Seraphina lowered her voice, attempting to keep it from the True Ancestor’s ears. “If I’m not mistaken, you should be able to suppress the magical effects on me to some extent, right?”

Indeed… perhaps because it seemed insignificant at the time, even Seraphina had overlooked this miracle.

Earlier today, Seraphina had undergone her first purification ever.

At that time, Cardo had used some unknown method to suppress Fulkarn’s physical control over her.

“Of course I can!”

How could Cardo not have considered such an effective move?

“But… if the target magic is too potent, the purification might cause intense stimulation! I’m afraid you won’t be able to bear it!”

‘Intense stimulation?’

‘Oh, right… every time I applied purification to the negative effects of the [True Ancestor’s Blood], Iqiyah reacted like a wild child, with incredibly exaggerated responses…’

‘Oh, right!’

“Cardo!” In an instant, the solution materialized in Seraphina’s mind. “Don’t hesitate! Purify me right away!”

“But—”

“No ‘buts’! I can take it!”

On the surface, Seraphina’s gaze was resolute, yet only she knew the turmoil churning within her.

“Just do it!”

‘Ugh, such extreme pleasure, like Iqiyah’s… one day even I, the instigator, will have to experience it… Mmm mmm mmm ugh ugh ugh OOO ahhh!!!’

Her reaction was no less intense than Iqiyah’s. The moment Cardo extended her hand, allowing light to envelop Seraphina’s body, Seraphina’s form instantly arched violently, bridging the ground like an immense arch.

‘Eeeek!! No no no, I must maintain my consciousness, I can’t… Ugh ugh ugh!! Hold it together, Seraphina!’

Though the extreme stimulation twisted Seraphina into an agonizing contortion, just as she had anticipated, it vastly alleviated the effects of the English magic, causing the warmth in her abdomen to rapidly subside…

‘Ugh ugh ugh, this is all fine, it’s just this incredibly tingly, numb sensation is just too much, ugh ugh ugh…’

In the depths of her subconscious, Seraphina couldn’t help but worry if she, too, would fall into the abyss of craving [Purification], just like Iqiyah…

However… for now, that fate seemed to have been averted.

“Alright, alright, Cardo, that’s enough, stop it now!”

“Oh, oh oh…”

Thus, while the True Ancestor was entirely focused on possessing Iqiyah’s body, Seraphina, with questionable subtlety, completed her ‘self-satisfaction’.

Staggering, Seraphina swayed as she rose, wiping away the involuntary foam from the corners of her mouth. Her gaze then fixed on the True Ancestor in the distance, who was about to insert herself into Iqiyah’s mouth.

‘Damn it, no matter how many times I witness this scene, it still feels sanity-draining.’

‘I need to deal with this quickly!’

Gathering all her strength, Seraphina sprinted towards the True Ancestor, muttering incantations under her breath.

Suddenly, countless rings of light descended from the heavens, encircling Iqiyah and Levian.

“!? What’s happening?”

Astonished by the sudden buffs appearing before her, the True Ancestor whirled her head around, her gaze landing on Seraphina, who was sprinting towards her.

“How did you break free from the English magic so quickly!?”

“Ah, ah… I forgot to tell you, when it comes to that kind of stimulation, I’m quite capable!”

As the buffs took effect, Iqiyah and Levian’s eyes instantly flared with an explosive red glow.

In the next moment, both instantly broke free from their restraints, leaping into the air with the unseen Cardo. They materialized their respective weapons and launched a fierce assault on the True Ancestor below.

****

Meanwhile.

In the northern part of Scarlett Manor, within a magnificent, opulent palace.

“Oh, you’re back, my dear little Knight?”

Deep within the palace, a golden-haired, blue-eyed elf lounged languidly upon a shimmering, heavy throne, her gaze fixed with keen interest on the weary Knight approaching her.

“You’ve been gone so long… did you miss your elder sister?”

“…Don’t try to be chummy, Evra. I don’t have the energy to argue with you right now.”

If Seraphina had been standing there at that moment, she would likely not have recognized the elf on the throne, but she would certainly have recognized the Knight walking across the floor.

Removing her silver helmet, Sevilya Sevillas tossed her head, and a cascade of golden hair instantly tumbled down, swaying behind her like a waterfall.

“Draw me a hot bath; I need a good soak.”

“Don’t be in such a hurry. That bath, I believe, can wait a little longer.”

Suddenly, an ethereal, profoundly maternal voice resonated from behind Sevilya.

Upon hearing this, Sevilya immediately turned. The elf on the throne also rose at once. Both simultaneously dropped to one knee, facing the figure behind Sevilya.

“Goddess… thank you for your protection today.”

“No need for such formalities.”

Despite her words, the Goddess did not permit either of them to rise.

Barefoot, the Goddess walked past Sevilya, her steps accompanied by a suggestive, pink ‘squish’ sound.

“A few days ago… I had a dream.”

Reaching the elf, the Goddess, as if stepping over a mere threshold, lifted her foot and stepped over her body, unceremoniously seating herself on the elf’s throne.

“Countless little babies swam through the air, desperately trying to force their way into my life…”

This was a dream she experienced every night; or rather… it was a manifestation of her divine power.

“But… among them, I saw a familiar figure.”

“Sevilya… it was your elder sister.”

“!?”

Sevilya abruptly lifted her head, her face alight with surprise and delight.

“My… elder sister? The one who was abducted by another deity at birth?”

“Mm.”

The Goddess smiled, her face radiating a sacred glow. “At the same time, I also saw the deity who abducted her… even now, she still occupies your elder sister.”

Neither of them knew that the Goddess had omitted some rather shameful details… such as her humiliating experience of being slapped.

“Not only that, but I also located your elder sister based on the divine power exhibited by that deity, you know~”

“Ah, really!?”

In truth, Sevilya harbored not the slightest interest in her elder sister.

Having never met her since childhood, she felt no affection whatsoever for this sister who existed only in legend.

Currently, all the passion she displayed was merely an act.

“And… as luck would have it, I saw them currently in the hands of one of your failed colleagues.”

With that, the Goddess rose, extended her hand, and aimed it at Sevilya, releasing a boundless radiance.

Scarlett Manor.

As the light enveloped her, Sevilya instantly comprehended the Goddess’s message.

“Hoo-ah… I’m so sleepy, I’m going to bed now.”

Twisting her voluptuous waist, the Goddess descended from the throne.

“…Sevilya… and Evra, take a team and go bring your elder sister back.”

“As for that colleague… and the [Fragment] in her possession… you may deal with them however you wish~”