Chapter 1: First time meeting

Her consciousness gradually blurred, yet before her eyes, a kaleidoscope of past events flickered into existence.

She had once been the youngest Vanguard, a Titled Knight born from one in a hundred thousand!

The Glorious Knight!

That was the supreme honor he and his Companion Spirit Weapon, Glorious, had once possessed, a rare distinction forged through their relentless battles on the battlefield.

However, as he led his Vanguard squad, advancing triumphantly and penetrating deep into the Void Demon army’s heartland to execute a decapitation strike, he was betrayed during that pivotal battle.

A betrayal by his entire squad!

Of the six members, the other five, save for him, ceased their actions at the most critical juncture, leaving him isolated and severely wounded by a Void God.

The decapitation strike failed, yet for him, the nightmare had only just begun.

Upon returning to the Alliance, the five traitors, having conspired, uniformly accused him of being swayed by a Void God, of betraying humanity and the Alliance!

He was utterly powerless to refute their claims.

Within the prison, he was subjected to the most severe punishment for a Spirit Master: the Spirit Sealing Punishment!

His limbs, neck, and heart were all branded with a “Thorn’s Kiss” through arcane means, a cruel torture that would inflict unbearable agony upon any Spirit Master who dared to use their spirit energy.

Yet, even then, his nightmare had not concluded.

The five traitors visited him in prison, their true intent being to coerce him into surrendering his Companion Spirit Weapon.

Pushed beyond his limits, he forcibly manifested Glorious’s Spirit Energy Armor amidst excruciating pain, unleashing a resonance rate of 1000%, a staggering 500% higher than during the decapitation strike!

He had forgotten what transpired after that moment; he knew not whether he had killed the five traitors, nor did he recall how he had subsequently escaped.

He only remembered Glorious bidding him farewell with a shattered smile.

He only remembered that at the very moment his life was utterly drained, Glorious sacrificed her entire being to ensure his survival.

In that instant, he and Glorious merged into one; he lived on, but Glorious vanished forever.

He had become her.

After that, she did not know how long she had wandered, only that she had stumbled disoriented into this rain, which seemed to be bidding her farewell.

The sound of shoes treading on the ground drew closer, eventually stopping before her.

A woman in an elegant gown held a black umbrella, curiously scrutinizing the young girl lying in the rain.

She mustered her last ounce of strength, extending a hand to grasp the hem of the woman’s dress.

She was… unwilling to yield!

The hatred and fury in her heart caused her to unleash the final vestiges of strength within her body at that moment.

Yet, immediately afterward, she succumbed to complete unconsciousness.

****

When she next awoke, she found herself lying on a soft, expansive bed, and glancing around, she observed a bedroom adorned with simple, elegant decor.

Suffering from a splitting headache, she was about to rise when she abruptly discovered her body was confined to the bed, her limbs bound and unable to move.

In that moment, an ominous premonition stirred within her.

Recalling the last memory from that rainy night, she quickly looked down at her body, realizing that her reborn self, now utilizing Glorious’s form, had truly become a woman.

And given Glorious’s physique and beauty…

She dared not dwell on the thought any further!

It was too terrifying!

“Rest assured, no one here would ever stoop to such tasteless acts.”

A beautiful woman entered the room, carrying a bowl of medicinal soup in her hands.

“Who are you? Where is this place? What do you intend to do to me?” she demanded.

The woman placed the medicinal soup on a nearby table before seating herself on the edge of the bed.

“My name is Esbelle Mae Aida; I am the mistress of this estate. You may call me Madam Esbelle or Ms. Aida. Furthermore, strictly speaking, I was the one who saved you, and as for your restraints, they are, of course, to ensure my own safety.”

Aida’s face betrayed no emotion as she earnestly answered each question.

Then, she countered, “Now, it is my turn to ask you: Why are you here? Spirit Race—Lady Glorious, and… where is your Spirit Master? Also, if I am not mistaken, that mark on your body, is that not the Thorn’s Kiss? Why would a punishment meant to seal a Spirit Master’s abilities be upon you?”

Aida’s gaze suddenly sharpened. “Did you kill your Spirit Master? Were you then subjected to the Alliance’s judgment?”

Upon hearing her barrage of questions, the girl did not hasten to reply, nor did she attempt to struggle against her restraints again.

After a lengthy silence, she finally spoke, “I am not Glorious. Glorious is dead, and the Glorious Knight is also dead. As for who is alive now… I do not even know what I am. Human? Spirit Race? Heh… it no longer matters.”

With a sarcastic expression, she turned her head to look at Aida. “You are correct; this is indeed the Thorn’s Kiss.”

She raised her hand, revealing the thorn pattern etched upon her wrist.

“So, what do you intend to do? Send me back to face judgment?”

“Do you not plan to offer a defense for yourself?” Ms. Aida inquired, narrowing her eyes, before opening a nearby computer to check the world news.

“What is there to defend? The entire world believes the Glorious Knight betrayed humanity and the Alliance. Who would ever believe anything I say?”

Concurrently, Aida had gleaned a general understanding of the situation through the news.

Naturally, what she saw were the Alliance’s official statements, along with a death notice proclaiming the Glorious Knight’s suicide out of fear of guilt.

The notice explicitly stated that after betraying humanity and facing judgment, the Glorious Knight remained stubbornly unrepentant, escaping from prison after gravely wounding three Titled Knights.

However, during the subsequent pursuit, seeing no escape, the Glorious Knight launched a desperate counterattack by burning his life force, yet his body could not withstand such overwhelming power and disintegrated along with the semi-sentient Spirit Race being, Glorious, leaving behind only the wreckage of Glorious’s Spirit Energy Manifestation: a broken greatsword.

Following this, the Alliance’s official channels expressed outrage over the severe act of betrayal and regret over humanity’s loss of a powerful Titled Knight.

Aida gazed at the girl on the bed, an amused smirk playing on her lips.

It seemed… the truth of the matter was not as grandiloquent as the Alliance claimed.

“I have read the Alliance’s official announcement, but now I am more interested in hearing… your version of the truth.”

The two women exchanged glances, and after a long moment, the girl, seemingly unable to withstand the intense gaze in Ms. Aida’s eyes, finally yielded, slowly recounting everything that had transpired since her betrayal.

Then…

“What are you doing!” A voice filled with impotent rage echoed through the room.

At that very moment, Aida had already lifted the girl’s skirt.

“You… you really did become a girl! So, are you human or Spirit Race now? Can you even reproduce?”

“I don’t know! Didn’t you see when you changed my clothes earlier? And stop it at once!” the girl retorted, flushed with shame and anger.

Being stared at like this while her hands and feet were bound was utterly humiliating for her.

Aida quickly lowered the skirt, then untied the girl, finally reseating herself on the edge of the bed and feigning a light cough.

“I now know the full story. So… what should I call you now? Glorious? Or…”

“My past name has been discarded. As for the future…”

The girl flexed her wrists, a dejected expression on her face.

She attempted to activate a wisp of spirit energy, but the Thorn’s Kiss, originally black on her right wrist, instantly flashed with a crimson light.

She immediately frowned, a layer of cold sweat gradually appearing on her forehead, and her breathing grew heavy.

Simply using such a minuscule amount of spirit energy, merely activating one Thorn’s Kiss for a single second of crimson light, unleashed a searing pain as if she had been stabbed and twisted.

To her surprise, Aida, at that moment, used a silk handkerchief to gently wipe away her sweat.

“Do not try it again; you are only inviting more suffering,” Aida gently advised.

The girl powerlessly lay back on the bed; she was already severely injured, and though now awake, she had no idea how long it had been since she last ate, leaving her body devoid of strength.

“You just said… only three Titled Knights were injured?”

Aida paused, then nodded. “Yes, that is what the official announcement stated.”

“Miliares (TL Note: A placeholder for a curse word)!”

“Ah, do you wish for revenge?”

Aida suddenly leaned closer, propping her chin on her hand, scrutinizing the girl’s delicate face with keen interest.

“Whoa! What… what are you trying to do!”

Aida, however, ignored her, persisting with her question: “Just tell me if you want to, or not?”

The girl’s lips twitched, and a deep hatred surfaced in her eyes. “I do not need my innocence, nor do I need any reputation. I merely wish to kill those five beasts!”

As if she had received a satisfactory answer, a knowing smile appeared on Aida’s face.

“That is no easy feat. Their combined betrayal indicates a long-planned conspiracy. And betraying you during such a critical battle suggests the backing of multiple powerful forces. This is a scheme targeting you, and perhaps even humanity, the Spirit Race, and the Void Demons themselves.”

However, a cold sneer flickered across the girl’s face. “So what? Even if their power is immense… a life, after all, is but one.”

Aida picked up the bowl from the table; the medicinal soup had cooled for a while, now at the perfect temperature.

She offered it, but seeing the girl’s weakened state, she decided to personally feed her.

Gazing at the beautiful woman so close to her, and feeling that gentle touch, a faint blush appeared on the girl’s cheeks.

Even though she was still a youth, only seventeen this year.

The mature and dignified aura about Aida was a charm she currently found utterly irresistible!

Just as the girl’s mind began to wander uncontrollably, she heard Aida slowly speak, “No matter what you wish to do in the future, no matter what path you choose, you must first recover from your injuries.”

Once the girl had finished the entire bowl of medicinal soup, Aida looked at her and slowly stated.

“And now… the first thing you need to do is… have a name.”

Aida smiled, extending her hand.

“A pleasure to meet you, Mero.”