The Life Goddess’s Domain

The clock rewound a few minutes to the duel between Sevilya and Iqiyah.

“What should we do? Iqiyah doesn’t seem to be able to defeat that guy.”

Seraphina had not intentionally remained silent. Having lost her most crucial skill, and with her own stats only at Level 1, rendering her completely powerless, this battle was no longer hers to fight.

All she could do now was watch from the sidelines, forced into helpless inaction.

‘That Knight already had a certain ‘allure’ similar to the True Ancestor’s. Now her scent is even more potent.’

Utilizing Seraphina’s body, Cardo activated the [All-Seeing Eye].

[Sevilya Sevillas:

Strength: ????

Endurance: ????

Life: ????

Magic: ????]

“Do you see now? All four stats are three question marks, just like Iqiyah’s when she was at her peak.”

“…Are you saying that Sevilya’s current strength is equivalent to Iqiyah’s peak strength?”

“…Not quite.” With her arms crossed, Cardo intently observed the battle unfolding before them. “Previously, Iqiyah only possessed such immense power through the [Fragment] she had nurtured for nearly ten millennia.”

“And the [Fragments]… you just heard it yourself. One of their objectives is to reclaim these [Fragments].”

“In other words, the [Fragments] originate from them, or rather, from the Life Goddess behind them, flowing with the same power as the Life Goddess.”

“And a god’s power… is immeasurable.”

‘Don’t ask, because the answer is always question marks.’

“As her divine attendant, it is only natural for her to wield divine power.”

“It’s just… poor little Iqiyah.”

In the center of the battlefield, the crimson dragon lay upon the ground, thrashing.

Sevilya, already entangled in a fierce struggle, could no longer evade the mountain-like dragon pressing down on her with the same ease as before.

With a resounding crash, Sevilya was crushed beneath the colossal dragon.

Yet, barely a second later, countless silver lights pierced through the dead dragon’s ravaged body.

Suddenly, the entire underground chamber was illuminated as if by daylight.

In the next moment, like an overinflated balloon, the dragon’s body violently exploded.

Innumerable chunks of flesh flew through the air, yet not a single drop of blood followed. Much like Iqiyah, who was desperately clinging to life, the dragon’s body had long since withered and dried.

The ground was instantly littered with the dragon’s shattered remains.

“It’s clear that Iqiyah has already lived up to her reputation by fighting a divine opponent to this extent…”

“Can’t I do anything?”

Seraphina’s eyes trembled.

Her gaze fixed upon the white-haired figure who had fallen with the dragon.

Leaning on her knees, Iqiyah swayed precariously as she tried to stand, only to suddenly collapse onto one knee.

“Ah!”

Spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, Iqiyah was clearly suffering from severe internal injuries.

Her combat prowess now relied not on her physical body, but on her unwavering will to protect her beloved.

“What do you intend to do?” Cardo raised an eyebrow. “Given your physical constitution, you don’t need to participate in the battle. Just moving a few meters closer would expose you to the residual shockwaves, crushing you into a pulp.”

“But…”

Seraphina’s heart ached.

In the past, she had always harbored a utilitarian mindset towards Iqiyah.

She knew that, initially, she was little more than a plaything to Iqiyah, devoid of any deep emotional connection.

However, after several brushes with death, Iqiyah no longer concealed her affection for her.

And Seraphina… she found that at some point, she had stopped thinking of Iqiyah purely for her utility.

In its place were her moist eyes.

Weeping for another—even though she had lived two previous lives, she had never had the chance to display such poignant emotion.

“I want to do something for Iqiyah… I truly don’t want to just stand by and do nothing!”

Repeatedly raising her hand to wipe away her tears, sorrow and guilt intertwined within Seraphina’s heart, tightly encasing her fragile spirit.

“Are you serious?”

Residing within Seraphina, Cardo naturally understood the journey of Seraphina’s heart.

This was why Cardo had always maintained a faint, almost imperceptible, guard against Seraphina.

But now, softened by Seraphina’s tears, that caution crumbled like a biscuit turning to mud, decaying and collapsing.

“Of course!”

Her response was clean, without the slightest hesitation.

“Good! Then we shall do this and that…”

The instant Sevilya approached Seraphina, Cardo stealthily slipped into Sevilya’s body.

Cardo’s intention was not to control Sevilya; she merely wanted to make a gamble—a high-stakes one.

In her current unknown state, ordinary people could not perceive her directly, only infer her presence through subtle behavioral clues.

However, two individuals were different: Seraphina, whom she inhabited, and the True Ancestor.

Residing within Seraphina, Cardo could naturally allow Seraphina to see her. Yet, the True Ancestor’s ability to perceive and be directly touched by her was indeed a peculiar phenomenon.

While Cardo did not understand the underlying principle, she could guess that it was likely a result of the True Ancestor entering Seraphina’s consciousness space and coming into contact with her own consciousness.

Still, ultimately, Cardo had no certainty about the true nature of it.

However, with no other options, taking a desperate gamble seemed the best course of action.

Thus, the moment Sevilya drew near, she quietly infiltrated Sevilya’s consciousness space.

Chirp, chirp, chirp~

Before even opening her eyes, Cardo heard the chirping of birds.

Unlike Seraphina’s completely blank consciousness space, Sevilya’s was a veritable paradise of birdsong and fragrant flowers.

A vast prairie stretched out, encircled by a neatly trimmed hedge. In the center of this hedge sat a small Western-style pavilion.

Inside the pavilion sat two people… well, to be precise, only one person was actually sitting.

She sat gracefully on the low railing of the small pavilion, the Life Goddess gently stroking the sleeping Sevilya on her lap, her tenderness akin to a mother’s.

‘You’ve come…’

Raising her head, the Life Goddess offered Cardo an equally gentle smile.

‘Damn it, this is trouble.’

Turning abruptly, Cardo frantically tried to slip away, but an invisible force tethered her heels, rendering her completely immobile.

“Cardo… do you think my attendant’s mind is a place you can enter and leave as you please?”

As the Life Goddess raised her hand, a pulling force immediately manifested behind Cardo, yanking her forward until she stood directly before the Life Goddess.

“You’ve come here… to make contact with Sevilya’s soul, haven’t you?”

“Precisely.”

Facing Cardo, who was within arm’s reach of Sevilya and could achieve her goal at any moment, the gentle expression on the Life Goddess’s face remained unchanged.

“Please, go ahead~”

Like a mother embracing her child, the Life Goddess opened her bountiful arms to Cardo.

“Don’t wake her, though~”

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll blast your attendant to smithereens?”

Faster than lightning, Cardo swiftly moved, lightly touching Sevilya’s body.

“Not at all, after all… I am the Life Goddess, you see~”

“Every soul flows through me… including yours, Cardo.”

“Don’t even think about it.”

Clenching her fist, Cardo threatened fiercely:

“Since I slapped you once, I can slap you a second time.”

“You god… named the Life Goddess, yet you suck the blood of all life in this world… killing you ten thousand times wouldn’t be enough.”

“Oh my, how cruel, that wounds my heart.”

A smile still graced her lips, but behind the Life Goddess, golden halos began to shimmer in concentric rings.

Against the backlighting, the Life Goddess’s smile lost its tenderness, gaining instead a chilling edge.

“Last time… it was only because I was in slumber that you found an opportunity.”

“But… I assure you, if you ever touch my soft face again… I will absolutely devour your divine soul completely, leaving you unable to reincarnate for all eternity.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Though her words were defiant, facing the goddess’s threat, Cardo felt a shiver run deep into her very soul.

Seizing the moment before the Life Goddess’s anger ignited, Cardo swiftly darted out of Sevilya’s body, making a quick escape.