Chapter 216: Who is not innocent?

“Perletti, what is this…?”

The moment they stepped out, Judi’s sharp eyes immediately caught the faint sealing aura wrapped around Perletti’s body.

It was Fluye’s unmistakable method — a seal capable of completely severing the target’s internal magic circulation.

Judi’s brows instantly furrowed.

A mixture of shock and anger ignited within her eyes.

To seal the magic of a Witch of Light?

How was that any different from placing her life directly upon a blade’s edge?!

Seeing the air around Judi begin to heat from rising fury, Perletti quickly stepped forward and gently held her hand, which had grown hot from being clenched too tightly.

“It’s alright, Judi sis.”

Perletti’s voice was calm yet firm.

“I was the one who asked Senior Fluye to do this voluntarily. It has nothing to do with her.”

“But—”

Judi still wanted to argue, wanted to condemn such recklessness.

Yet when she met Perletti’s crystal-clear eyes — eyes without even the slightest hesitation — every harsh word lodged itself inside her throat.

In the end, all she could do was let out a heavy sigh.

She tightened her grip around Perletti’s slightly cool fingers, using more force than necessary, as though trying to pass her worry and strength along through that contact.

“You’re being… far too reckless.”

“You’re treating your own life like a joke.”

Perletti blinked, then revealed a mischievous smile tinged with childish innocence.

“But I am still a child~?”

Judi was instantly left speechless.

Indeed.

Compared to ancient “old monsters” like them who had lived for over a thousand years, Perletti — not even a hundred years old yet — truly was still just a child who ought to be protected.

And yet…

the courage and sense of responsibility shown by this “child” had repeatedly surpassed all their expectations.

She had even become their support in return.

At that thought, the remaining traces of Judi’s anger were replaced by something far more complicated — a mixture of helpless admiration and heartache.

Perletti returned to her room, called over Feiye who had been fiddling with various little trinkets inside, then picked up Seviayla, who had been attempting to disguise herself as part of the room’s decorations.

Together, the group headed directly toward the very top floor of the Tower — Isabena’s residence.

“What exactly is so important that you had to bring this little thing along?”

Judi glanced toward the silver dragon hatchling pretending to play dead in Perletti’s arms, unable to understand.

“You’ll know soon enough.”

Perletti replied with a mysterious smile before pushing open the ancient wooden door carved with patterns of stars and moons.

The room was softly lit.

A soothing aura of starlight filled the air.

Isabena lay alone in the center of the room. Her complexion looked even paler than usual, her aura weak, yet her expression remained peaceful.

Perhaps because of her naturally fragile constitution and long-term weakness, the toll brought about by Xiaomu’s battle appeared far less visibly devastating on her than it did on the other witches.

“Ah, little Perletti has come.”

Isabena slowly opened her eyes, her star-like gaze landing upon Perletti immediately.

Naturally, she also noticed the fresh sealing marks surrounding her.

A soft sigh rose within her heart.

This child… her courage is always this outrageous…

Isn’t she afraid of what could happen if something went wrong?

“So, what brings you here this time?”

she asked gently, her gaze sweeping across the others behind Perletti.

“Sister… actually came mainly because there are some things she wants to ask for your opinion on first.”

The moment the word “sister” left Perletti’s mouth, Seviayla reacted like a cat whose tail had just been stepped on.

Her entire body jolted violently.

She desperately curled herself tighter, silver scales slightly flaring outward, terror flooding her eyes from the deepest instincts of her bloodline.

Legends…

were nightmares engraved into the soul.

The memory of how Masha had utterly crushed the pride and bodies of dragonkind through near-slaughter still lingered as an inescapable psychological scar within her mind.

“If you have something to say, then say it quickly. There’s no need for pointless formalities between us.”

A cold voice came from the shadows in the corner of the room.

Masha’s figure slowly emerged.

Her crimson eyes instantly locked onto the trembling silver lump in Perletti’s arms, the corner of her lips curling into a cold, mocking smile.

“Oh?”

“Isn’t this the little brat from the Violet Radiance Dragon clan?”

“It’s only been a few hundred years. How did you shrink into such a tiny thing?”

Her tone carried utterly undisguised malice and scrutiny.

“Wah—!! M-Masha-sama!”

Seviayla’s tail instantly stiffened straight.

Her voice even carried a sob.

“Y-You’re magnanimous and above such things, right…? There’s no need to argue with a useless little dragon like me…”

“Oh? I wouldn’t be so sure about that~”

Masha slowly approached, lightly licking the corner of her lips.

Dangerous light flickered within those scarlet eyes.

“Speaking of which…”

“Even after all this time, I still haven’t forgotten the warm, thick taste of dragon blood…”

“Mmm. I really would like to taste it again.”

Those words became the final blow that utterly shattered Seviayla’s mental defenses.

She let out a tiny whimper and desperately burrowed deeper into Perletti’s embrace, as though it were the only safe haven left in the entire world.

“Alright, Masha sis.”

Perletti spoke at the perfect moment, her voice steady and calming.

“I came here this time because there’s something serious I want to ask your help with.”

“Ask me for help?”

Masha raised a brow.

The amusement in her crimson eyes faded slightly, replaced with scrutiny.

She looked at Perletti, then at the trembling Seviayla shaking like a sieve in her arms.

She already had a guess.

“You want me to remove the Greed Curse from her, hm?”

“I suggest you give up on that idea immediately.”

“That is absolutely impossible.”

Her hatred toward dragonkind had long ago seeped into her very bones through that massacre.

Even after hundreds of years, it remained as vivid as ever.

Perletti had already expected this.

Or rather—

if Masha could let it go so easily, that would have been the truly strange thing.

“But Masha sis…”

Perletti did not back down.

Her clear eyes met Masha’s directly.

“When it comes down to it, the thing you truly hate is Fate itself — the force manipulating everything behind the scenes — not the dragon race as a whole.”

“The dragons merely happened to be connected to the God of Fate…”

“And just happened…”

“…to become the outlet for your pain and rage at the time.”

“But that doesn’t change the fact that she’s a dragon!”

Masha’s voice suddenly rose sharply, suppressed fury erupting outward.

“But we didn’t even know what was happening back then!”

Seviayla, who had been shrinking back this entire time, suddenly found some unknown burst of courage and shouted through tears.

“The day you descended upon Dragon Valley, not a single dragon understood why disaster had suddenly fallen upon us!”

“All we knew were fragmented words spoken while you slaughtered everyone in madness!”

“But what did that have to do with ordinary dragons like us?!”

“We were simply trying to live! That’s all!”

“And you think only your dragon race was innocent in that tragedy?!”

Masha’s emotions also flared violently.

Dark red magic rippled faintly around her body.

“What about those dead Winged Gods?!”

“Did even one of them know why they died?!”

“They…”

“…barely even left behind proof that they ever existed!”

“And who…”

“…will mourn them?”

“Who…”

“…will seek justice for them?!”