Chapter 137: How pathetic!

Looking into the distance, that black pillar piercing the sky gradually thinned, until it finally disappeared beyond the horizon.

The entire process took about half a day.

After traveling for most of the day, Elisa was already exhausted, so they had no choice but to stop and rest for a while. Brutus had gone off to find water for the camel—otherwise, their mount might die before they even reached their destination.

Perleti had tried contacting Xiaolu, hoping she could come help.

But until now, there had been no response.

She tightened her cloak against the wind and sand.

Beside her, Elisa held onto Perleti’s little finger and gently tugged it.

“Big Sister… do you think Dad will win?”

She looked up at Perleti, her eyes full of worry.

Perleti froze for a moment.

At this point, Fakenna’s fate was already clear—

Death.

But was she really supposed to tell Elisa, “Fakenna is already dead”?

Looking at the hope in the girl’s eyes, Perleti spoke with absolute certainty:

“He’s already won.”

Then she took out the compass from her cloak.

The red needle pointed steadily in the direction they were heading.

This compass had also been given to her by Ino.

It could point toward any destination Perleti wished to go.

With it, no matter where she wanted to go, it would always show her a path.

“Elisa, are you hungry?”

Elisa looked at the last trace of black smoke disappearing into the vast sky and shook her head.

“No. Elisa ate bread before leaving.”

“Then drink some water. Otherwise your body won’t be able to handle it.”

Perleti took out a water flask from her cloak and slowly helped Elisa drink.

They had been walking for a long time.

Even though she knew they were heading in the right direction, all she could see was an endless desert—without even the slightest hint of greenery.

At times like this, food and water were the most important supplies.

As a witch, Perleti didn’t actually need water.

What she needed was blood.

She only carried water for emergencies.

Like now—

She watched as Elisa slowly drank an entire flask.

“Aren’t you going to drink some, Sister?” Elisa suddenly asked.

“My situation is a bit special. I don’t need water.”

“Is that why you don’t eat much either, Sister Perleti?”

“Not really. I just don’t get hungry easily, so I don’t need to eat often. You should eat more.”

As she spoke, Perleti took out a piece of chocolate from her cloak and placed it in Elisa’s hand, gently patting her head.

Elisa looked down at the chocolate.

Her head lowered, her voice soft as a mosquito’s hum.

“What a liar… just like the adults… all liars…”

“What did you say? I didn’t quite hear you. Can you say it again?”

Perleti leaned closer, trying to hear clearly—

But Elisa pushed her away without hesitation.

“Nothing. I just want to be alone for a while.”

“Alright. I’ll go set up the tent. We’ll stay here for the night.”

After saying that, Perleti walked alone to the leeward side of a slope.

She took materials off the camel and began setting up the tent by herself.

This spot would block the wind and sand—

And also avoid disturbing Elisa.

That child had lost her mother first.

Now her father had left her as well.

Her state of mind must be terrible.

Everything here had been prepared in advance by Fakenna.

Even though it was her first time setting up a tent, her movements were surprisingly skilled.

Footsteps in the desert were very distinct.

Almost the moment the sound reached her ears—

Perleti realized something was wrong.

There were only a few steps—

But they were far too heavy.

Not something a little girl could produce.

At once, she summoned Lumen to float beside her.

She put down the wooden pole in her hand and looked toward the figure slowly approaching.

“Hi~ long time no see, Sister~”

A sweet, coquettish voice—laced with a sticky, venomous resentment.

Josuna stood not far away, smiling like a blooming flower.

One arm was wrapped around Elisa’s shoulders in an intimate hold.

But Elisa herself kept her head lowered, completely motionless—offering no resistance at all.

Behind Josuna, several armored knights stood at a distance, waiting for orders.

“Oh dear.”

Josuna sighed theatrically, her fingertip lightly tracing across Elisa’s cheek.

But her gaze was locked firmly onto Perleti.

“Looks like I’ve been far too lenient with you, Sister. To think I actually believed you would obediently stay by my side… how naive of me.”

She stepped forward slowly, her skirt dragging across the sand, leaving winding trails behind.

“But it doesn’t matter.”

“You’ve lied to me again and again, Sister. I can’t just pretend nothing happened.”

Her smile grew sweeter and sweeter—

But beneath it surged a frenzied possessiveness.

“How about this… from now on, I’ll completely turn you into something that belongs only to me?”

“After all, your trustworthiness in my heart has already dropped to an unforgivable level.”

Perleti looked at her coldly.

There wasn’t a single ripple in her gaze—

As if she were looking at a stranger.

She should have expected this.

With Josuna’s personality, once something slipped out of her control, she would never let it go.

Perleti had simply clung to a sliver of hope—

Thinking that this endless desert would serve as the perfect barrier.

Even if Josuna wanted to find her, it would be like searching for a needle in the ocean.

But reality had slapped her hard in the face.

In less than a day—

She had been found.

Something about this wasn’t right.

Perleti tightened her grip on Lumen.

At this point, there was no need to keep pretending.

Some things had to be said.

“Why…?”

Josuna’s smile froze.

She wasn’t afraid of Perleti hating her.

Wasn’t afraid of her anger.

Wasn’t even afraid of her drawing a blade against her.

The only thing she feared—

Was Perleti’s eyes no longer seeing her.

Becoming someone who could be forgotten at any moment in her life.

Perleti looked at her almost twisted expression.

Slowly, she lifted her chin.

Her gaze carried a faint, almost pitiful indifference.

“How pathetic… little sister.”

Josuna’s pupils shrank violently.

“…What did you say?”

“Take a good look at yourself right now.”

Perleti’s voice was soft—

But like a dagger coated in ice, each word stabbed straight into Josuna’s heart.

“Twisted. Distorted. Willing to do anything to achieve your goals.”

“Tell me—are you still Josuna?”

“Are you still that girl who used to point at the knights in picture books, smiling with eyes curved like crescents?”

She paused.

Her gaze turned even colder.

“You keep talking about saving me—but which one of your actions has anything to do with ‘saving’?”

“All your schemes… are nothing more than your own self-satisfaction.”

“You’ve poured everything into filling the emptiness inside you—trying to make up for the regrets of the past.”

“You never truly intended to pull me out of my fate.”

“You’ve only used ‘saving me’ as an excuse—again and again—lying to me, and lying to yourself.”

“Each time, just to satisfy your own greedy desires.”

Perleti looked at Josuna’s face turning deathly pale—

And spoke each word with crystal clarity:

“The you right now… is no longer the Josuna I knew.”

“You’re nothing more than…”

“…a rotten apple.”