Chapter 24: The Doll-like Maiden’s Schemes

Inside Xiamiya’s private chambers in Snow Lotus Palace,

Warm sunlight streamed through the windows, bathing every corner of the room and creating an atmosphere of tranquility and warmth. A faint, delicate fragrance filled the air, imbuing it with a relaxing aura.

Youka stood in the center of the room, completely nude. Her skin was smooth and delicate, exuding a cold, ethereal beauty.

She was wrapped in a sheer bath towel that clung softly to her skin, appearing both concealing and alluring. Her long, gradient hair, shimmering with gold and silver hues, glinted softly in the sunlight, adding a mysterious radiance to her figure.

The Doll-like Maiden’s silver eyes were calm and profound, hinting at a trace of indifference and ruthlessness.

Despite the fact that the body Youka currently inhabited was merely a puppet, her posture at this moment seemed remarkably lifelike and real. Her physique was fluid and graceful, every detail meticulously sculpted, perfect like a work of art.

A half-finished maid’s uniform, crafted by Youka, lay on the nearby bed. The fabric was fine and smooth to the touch, displaying an elegant black and white palette.

Delicate stitching and intricate patterns showcased Youka’s exquisite craftsmanship; each stitch and thread revealed her meticulous pursuit of perfection. The unfinished sections were casually draped across the bed, as if awaiting her return to complete the masterpiece.

However,

Youka, who had been diligently weaving the garment, suddenly paused her movements and thoughtfully approached the window sill.

After a moment of silence,

Youka produced a small black notebook from seemingly nowhere and began to write in it.

“Ge You-Leipzig…”

Indeed,

The name Youka had just inscribed in her notebook belonged to a certain apprentice Holy Knight. Due to her attire, Youka hadn’t directly accompanied Xiamiya to the Sun Crown Palace, yet she still monitored Xiamiya through special means.

Moreover, if anyone were to stand beside Youka, they would likely be astonished to find her small notebook densely packed with names.

Some names were written in black ink, while others were struck through with a vibrant red line. As for what that red line signified, one could only imagine.

Having finished recording the apprentice Holy Knight’s name, Youka slowly closed the notebook. Within her indifferent, silver-white eyes, a faint trace of displeasure subtly emerged.

“To be insulted so, and merely feel displeasure?”

Recalling Xiamiya’s reaction to Ge You’s insults, a hint of disappointment seemed to color Youka’s tone.

Merely displeasure.

In such circumstances, let alone inciting a desire for slaughter, not even hatred could be evoked.

‘What a strange mistress…’

‘Logically, someone with a tragic childhood, repeatedly betrayed and humiliated, should harbor an intense hatred for this world. She had served many such Palace Lords before. Without exception, after gaining the power of the Starfall Palace, they chose to exact furious revenge upon society, killing all who had insulted them. Though they were ultimately hunted down for being too ostentatious…’

‘But regardless, their actions were befitting of a Demonic God, weren’t they?’

‘Yet this girl, Xiamiya? She still maintained such a kind disposition. Not only did she lack any desire for revenge, but she sometimes even wished to forgive those who had wronged her.’

‘Her heart was so pure, she hardly resembled a Demonic God candidate.’

Lost in these thoughts, Youka closed the window and thoughtfully approached Xiamiya’s wardrobe. With practiced ease, she opened it and retrieved a small box Xiamiya had hidden amidst her pile of pajamas.

Youka accurately entered the password, unlocking Xiamiya’s secret box.

“Is it because of this?”

Murmuring to herself, Youka slowly drew a necklace from the box—a pendant engraved with the emblem of the Goddess of Creation.

Indeed, Youka was perfectly aware that her mistress secretly worshipped the Goddess of Creation and prayed to her.

Not only that, Youka also knew that Xiamiya possessed divine power within her, and was even more aware of her identity as a ‘Saintess’.

In Youka’s eyes, her adorably naive and overly kind mistress held no secrets whatsoever.

The reason she turned a blind eye and feigned ignorance was to allow her mistress a spiritual anchor, preventing her from collapsing under immense pressure. Otherwise, if Xiamiya kept sniffling and crying in front of her, Youka wouldn’t know how to comfort her.

‘Knocking her out with a single strike didn’t seem quite appropriate either.’

****

“The Goddess of Creation’s divine power guides its host to perform good deeds. Is it because of this divine power that my mistress constantly entertains such impractical notions?”

Gazing at the necklace in her hand, Youka mused.

‘Perhaps this was the Goddess of Creation’s true purpose in injecting divine power into a Demonic God candidate? To suppress the Starfall Palace by altering the candidate’s thoughts, thereby preventing the Demonic God from truly resurrecting.’

“Truly bothersome creatures, dead yet still lingering like ghosts. Damn that Goddess of Creation…”

‘It was crucial to remember that intense desires and negative emotions were vital for the Demonic God’s power to grow and awaken.’

‘Greed, bloodlust, destructive urges, lust, and countless others… The release of these desires could draw forth the power deep within a Demonic God candidate’s soul. The more one indulged in desire, the greater the power unleashed.’

‘Similarly, stronger negative emotions like anger, resentment, and jealousy could resonate with the Power of the Dark Abyss within their bodies.’

‘Therefore, setting aside emotions for a moment, if desires were suppressed, it would be extremely detrimental to her mistress’s future growth.’

A flicker of solemnity crossed Youka’s eyes. However, the next moment, Youka closed her eyes with a sense of relief.

‘For her, stripping Xiamiya of the divine power within her might be a good option.’

‘But Youka had no intention of doing so.’

‘After all, until the Starfall Palace’s full power was unleashed, they truly lacked the ability to contend with the entire world. The descendants of the Savior heroes from yesteryear were nowhere to be found, and the strength of this generation’s Three Heroes remained an unknown. The vast Blue Radiance Star might also conceal other formidable experts.’

‘To allow her mistress time for stable growth, using her Saintess identity as a cover was undoubtedly a wise decision. A cautious approach would ultimately prevent any missteps.’

‘As long as her mistress could mature successfully, there would be no need to fear even the Goddess of Creation’s resurrection. The Demonic God, in her prime, was invincible.’

‘Furthermore, “What could such a paltry amount of divine power truly accomplish?”’

‘The guiding capacity of divine power was, in the end, limited. Even that devout Pope from back then had been successfully guided by them into becoming a covetous witch.’

‘Given the meager divine power within Xiamiya, what difference would it make even if it slightly curbed her bloodlust? For sentient beings, desires were boundless.’

‘Couldn’t other desires simply be exploited? Her mistress, it seemed, was quite fond of shiny, golden things.’

Additionally…

As if struck by a sudden thought, Youka lowered her gaze, thoughtfully observing her own ample bosom.

“Speaking of which… my mistress seemed to blush when she looked at my body earlier, didn’t she?”

‘Heh heh, it seemed possessing such a body wasn’t without its advantages.’

Raising a hand, Youka gently kneaded her soft chest. The corners of her lips curled upward slightly, and she licked her lips, revealing a meaningful smile. “It seems this can be put to good use.”

At that moment, an intriguing plan had already begun to form in Youka’s mind.

“As the ruler of the Starfall Palace, constantly striving for purity is hardly a good thing.”

As she pondered the details, the Doll-like Maiden deftly returned the necklace to its box and meticulously hid it back in Xiamiya’s wardrobe, exactly as it had been. She even replaced the clever little markers Xiamiya had devised to conceal it.

‘However, mere lust and greed would not suffice. For Xiamiya to become a true Demonic God, the desires for slaughter and destruction must also be awakened…’

—”Perhaps corrupting a pure soul to absolute blackness would also be quite an experience.”—

To that end,

Firstly, she would need to find a way to address those foolish notions in her mistress’s mind before… Hm??

Yet, just as Youka pondered how she would ‘train’ her mistress in the future, a peculiar surge of aura abruptly entered the Doll-like Maiden’s perception, causing her to slowly turn and look out the window with a hint of surprise, towards the direction of the White Orchid Garden.

“This emotional fluctuation… my mistress, she’s angry? Even… a trace of murderous intent?”

‘Hm? How unexpected.’