Chapter 25: The Withering of Peace

Several minutes prior,

the Demonic God, Xiamiya, had departed from the Sun Crown Palace and sought refuge alone in the White Orchid Garden, situated north of the Holy Royal Palace.

White orchids, symbols of purity and nobility, were revered as Ophelia’s national flower.

Their cultivation was notoriously difficult, demanding stringent growing conditions and significant expense, which made them a rare and precious sight.

Yet, within this solemn and magnificent garden, vast expanses of white orchids bloomed in profusion, exuding a subtle, refreshing fragrance that invigorated the senses. The garden’s landscape was a tapestry woven from various blossoms, where the pristine white of the orchids contrasted sharply with the vibrant green of their leaves, lending an air of elegant mystery to the entire courtyard.

Finding a secluded spot beneath a tree’s shade, Xiamiya settled down quietly. Her figure, veiled by the dappled light, appeared serene and otherworldly. A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, allowing sunlight to spill in shifting patterns across her delicate face. Her gaze seemed lost in the beauty of the white orchids, perhaps seeking a balm for her troubled soul.

In the past, whenever she faced setbacks, Xiamiya would invariably retreat to the White Orchid Garden to ease her inner turmoil.

The breathtaking beauty and soothing aroma of this place always brought Xiamiya a profound sense of peace, allowing her to ultimately forget her sorrows.

Today was no different.

Having spent her days confronting terrifying Calamity Demons, the pressure weighing on Xiamiya was immense. Burdened by accumulated stress, she yearned to use the garden’s exquisite scenery to soothe her suppressed spirit.

Here, there were no citizens of the Theocracy to scorn her.

There were no dreadful Calamity Demons.

Only tranquility and peace.

It was a rare opportunity for her to finally relax.

Savoring the refreshing scent and the comforting caress of the breeze, Xiamiya slowly closed her eyes.

“Hush…”

****

Alas, Xiamiya’s tranquil moments were short-lived.

The very next instant, a female voice, laden with disdain and contempt, shattered the serenity of the White Orchid Garden.

“–Oh, isn’t this Sabuyel’s Child of Curses? Is it really appropriate for a Child of Curses to enter such a sacred place?–”

“?!”

As the words pierced her ears, Xiamiya slowly opened her eyes, a cold glint flickering within them. Her small hands involuntarily clenched tightly around the tender grass beside her.

‘Sabuyel’s Child of Curses.’

This was the moniker most people in the Theocracy used for Xiamiya, and it was the name she detested most.

Sabuyel, a major metropolis in northern Ophelia, was once the Theocracy’s third-largest city, surpassed only by the Capital of Truth and the trade hub of Cuiyue.

Its prosperity and wealth were legendary.

However, from the moment Xiamiya was born into this world, Sabuyel’s fortunes took a drastic turn. The Blazefrost Nation’s increasingly frequent raids began to destabilize Sabuyel’s public order.

Furthermore, a series of extreme weather events crippled Sabuyel’s agricultural output, leading to widespread famine.

Then, a sudden outbreak of scurvy swiftly claimed a third of Sabuyel’s population. To afford treatment, countless residents exhausted their life savings, forcing them onto the streets as beggars.

The instability along the borders also caused a constant influx of refugees into the metropolis, exacerbating its already dire financial situation.

After a decade of such relentless hardship since Xiamiya’s birth, Sabuyel transformed from a bustling city into a sprawling refugee settlement, giving rise to the largest slum in the entire Theocracy.

The year Sabuyel’s decline began was subsequently named the Year of Curses.

Given Xiamiya’s distinctive rainbow-colored eyes and the undeniable fact of her birth during the Year of Curses, the people of the slums began to call her the ‘Child of Curses.’

Initially, this derogatory title was confined to the Sabuyel slums.

However, six years ago, in the year 1005 of the New Era, following the Calamity Beast Incident, Xiamiya’s moniker as the ‘Child of Curses’ spread throughout all of Ophelia.

After all, among the vast population of Sabuyel, only a handful survived the Calamity Beast attacks, and Xiamiya was one of them. Despite her apparent fragility, she had survived the onslaught, and her eyes, like those of the ancient Sin Lord who brought about the ‘End of Days,’ were rainbow-colored.

Innumerable people began to associate disaster with Xiamiya, and the label of ‘Sabuyel’s Child of Curses’ became inextricably linked to her.

****

Taking a deep breath, Xiamiya slowly turned her head, directing her gaze toward the source of the voice.

It was a young woman with short, aquamarine hair. Her features were delicate, yet her eyes blazed with defiance and contempt.

She wore an exquisite noble gown, its intricate lace edges and elaborate embroidery testifying to her prominent lineage and superior status. She stood with an arrogant posture, as if the world bent to her will.

Behind her, two other aristocratic women from the same faction followed, equally adorned in lavish attire, their expressions mirroring her hostility and disdain.

The trio approached Xiamiya, their aggressive demeanor clearly signaling provocation. Their gazes were direct, their tones sharp, utterly disregarding Xiamiya’s status as a Holy Princess.

Facing the unwelcome three, Xiamiya slowly rose, speaking with a solemn tone.

“Miss Beni…”

“Please don’t utter my name. It feels as though my very name has been defiled!”

The noblewoman, Beni, covered her mouth with a fan, speaking with disdain. Beyond contempt, her eyes held a profound enmity.

“To have a Child of Curses speak my name is truly revolting.”

Upon hearing this, Xiamiya’s fists clenched tighter, and a surge of anger began to well up from deep within her.

Ever since she arrived in the Capital of Truth, the epithet ‘Child of Curses’ had clung to Xiamiya like a shadow. In the past, when confronted by those who sought to oppress her, Xiamiya might have simply endured it, allowing them to scorn her.

But now…

‘Please,’ she thought. ‘For over a year, I’ve been dealing with Calamity Demons every single day. I endured those monsters. Why would I cower before a few of you?’

Moreover, her ultimate goal was to become a Holy Maiden. To achieve that, she absolutely had to shed the infamous ‘Child of Curses’ title.

Thus, taking another deep breath, Xiamiya met Beni’s gaze directly and spoke with chilling resolve.

“I am no Child of Curses. Please watch your words, Miss Beni.”

Her tone held neither fear nor inferiority.

“Oh?”

Sensing the unexpected shift in her voice, Beni involuntarily flinched. She seemed taken aback, wondering why this girl, usually a docile punching bag, dared to speak to her in such a manner.

However, surprise quickly gave way to composure, and Beni responded coldly the next moment:

“Are you not?”

“What?”

“What? You deny it? Take a moment to think: Has anything good happened since you arrived in the Capital of Truth? These past years have been rife with disaster. The Second Holy Princess Diana died, and His Majesty the Holy King lies gravely wounded in bed. You barely found a period of peace after going to the Holy Sanctuary.”

“But then? You returned… and the entire Holy Royal Palace was attacked? Was that not because of you, the Child of Curses?! Who else could it be? You brought disaster to the Capital of Truth, just as you once brought disaster to Sabuyel!”

“…”

Seeing Xiamiya offer no retort, Beni sneered and continued.

“Look at your eyes – rainbow-colored? What disgusting eyes, just like the Sin Lord who caused the ‘End of Days’ ten thousand years ago! These are the eyes of a sinner.”

“…”

“What? Still unconvinced? Did I say anything wrong? Even if the High Priest hasn’t officially acknowledged it, your identity as the ‘Child of Curses’ has been tacitly accepted by everyone, hasn’t it? After all, you couldn’t even gain the Snow Qilin’s approval.”

“Forget approval; the Snow Qilin was so repulsed upon seeing you that it fled! To be so utterly despised by the Snow Qilin, and you still claim you’re not a Child of Curses?”

“…”

“His Majesty the Holy King is truly baffling. Why didn’t he just kill you back then? Why bring you back to Truth, bringing the curse with you? Even more absurd, His Majesty actually adopted you as his daughter? Please, anyone with eyes can see you share no blood relation whatsoever. Calling you an illegitimate child is being generous; ‘mongrel’ is far more fitting!”

****

At this moment, Beni seemed to attribute all the misfortunes her Roberitz family had suffered over the years to Xiamiya. She grew increasingly agitated with each word, her language becoming more extreme.

Her two followers were equally unrestrained, spewing contemptuous and scornful remarks.

A year ago, Xiamiya would likely have felt deeply wronged by such accusations, perhaps retreating to cry in secret. This time, however, Xiamiya stood her ground, silently observing Beni’s tirade.

As Beni’s words continued to assault her, Xiamiya’s expression gradually darkened.

“Heh, so I truly don’t understand how you have the audacity to come to the White Orchid Garden. These white orchids were meticulously cultivated by Her Royal Highness, the Second Holy Princess Diana. How can you, the culprit who caused Princess Diana’s death, possibly dare to be here?”

Pointing at Xiamiya’s face, Beni continued her disparaging remarks.

However, just as Beni prepared to unleash more of her pent-up dissatisfaction upon Xiamiya, the long-silent Holy Princess finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper.

“Tell me, Miss Beni, are you in such a rush to reincarnate in the Netherworld?”

A voice so cold it sent shivers down one’s spine emanated from Xiamiya, causing Beni to tremble and instinctively stumble back several steps.

“You? What did you say?”

“I said, if you’re so eager to reincarnate, would you like me to help you along?”

As Xiamiya finished speaking,

the beautiful white orchids surrounding her,

centered on Xiamiya,

began to wither, one after another…