Chapter 29: A Fabricated Confession

Lovelenica’s unease was palpable as she stole a glance at Lucia from the corner of her eye, meticulously observing the shifts in her expression.

Upon hearing Daisy’s words, Lucia’s expression undeniably faltered, a flicker of confusion crossing her features. After all, the front desk lady’s earlier account hadn’t mentioned that Lovelenica’s intention to register as a demon hunter was the cause of the mockery and insults.

After a moment of stunned silence, Lucia seemed to grasp the truth: Lovelenica was not, in fact, a demon hunter. This realization implied that Lovelenica had deliberately deceived her the previous night, claiming to be something she wasn’t.

Lovelenica, keenly aware of Lucia’s shifting emotions, grew increasingly flustered. She had no idea why Lucia was truly here. If Lucia suspected her identity and intended to investigate, then Daisy’s revealing words had undoubtedly solidified the notion that Lovelenica was indeed hiding something significant.

Daisy was a Rank Seven, an adversary Lovelenica knew she couldn’t possibly escape, even if she unleashed the entirety of her current power. Should the formidable strength derived from her blood be depleted, she would revert to her human form, exposing her true identity. And if Lucia possessed sufficient power, Lovelenica would be instantly slain, her immortality rendered utterly useless in the face of such overwhelming force.

‘What to do… Lovelenica… think, quickly, think of something!’

“Yes, yes! I’ve always harbored a dream of becoming a demon hunter!”

Lovelenica’s mind raced, a whirlwind of frantic thoughts. She cast a resolute gaze at Daisy, deciding then and there to confess.

Not her true identity, of course, but rather the fact that she had indeed deceived Lucia.

“Because I’m so young, my family has always been against me pursuing such dangerous endeavors. Yet, my desire to become a demon hunter, to eradicate humanity’s foes, those detestable phantasmagoria, is overwhelming. That’s why I’ve come to the guild today to register.”

Having spoken, Lovelenica then turned her head to face Lucia, feigning a look of remorse as she offered her apology.

“Sister, I… I truly lied to you yesterday. I only wanted to kill the phantasmagoria that took my sister’s life…”

As the words left her lips, Lovelenica’s voice even trembled with a hint of a sob.

“If I had admitted yesterday that I wasn’t a demon hunter, you, Sister, would surely have sent me back, forbidding me from participating in any fight. That’s why I deceived you… I’m truly sorry, Sister.”

With that, Lovelenica bowed her head slightly once more, offering another earnest apology to Lucia.

This was, for the moment, the most plausible explanation Lovelenica could conjure. She had artfully fashioned herself into the image of a child—one whose youth prevented her family from allowing her to pursue a dangerous path, a child brimming with hatred for phantasmagoria yet utterly without the means to act upon it.

With her head bowed low, Lovelenica’s body trembled almost imperceptibly, mimicking the silent, suppressed sobs of profound grief.

Those who had previously scoffed at Lovelenica found themselves momentarily speechless, taken aback by her heartfelt confession. Among them were individuals who had also embarked upon the arduous path of hunting phantasmagoria alone, driven by a similar profound hatred, having lost loved ones to these so-called monstrous entities, yet lacking the qualifications to join the three prominent organizations.

It appeared Lovelenica was not, as they had initially perceived, merely seeking the thrill or coolness of being a demon hunter. Her desire stemmed from a genuine, deep-seated resolve to subjugate the phantasmagoria.

Listening to Lovelenica’s earnest confession, Lucia found herself profoundly moved. Her own parents had met their demise at the hands of those abhorrent phantasmagoria, and she knew, with chilling certainty, that she too would not have survived had her teacher not intervened. Thus, Lucia deeply understood the agonizing grief of losing loved ones and the burning fervor for retribution.

Lovelenica was consumed by an overwhelming nervousness. The tremor in her voice, which had carried a hint of a sob, was partly an act, yet another part had been an involuntary manifestation of her profound anxiety. Her body, too, quivered uncontrollably. With her head still bowed, she dared not lift her gaze, unable to discern Lucia’s current expression or her reaction to Lovelenica’s fabricated tale.

“It’s alright, little sister,” Lucia said gently. “I don’t blame you.”

Suddenly, Lovelenica felt a gentle tug, and then she was enveloped in a warm, comforting embrace.

“I understand your heart,” Lucia murmured softly. “I know your profound yearning for your sister, and I recognize the depth of your hatred for the phantasmagoria that took her life. That is why I cannot fault you.”

Enveloped in Lucia’s embrace, Lovelenica’s eyes flickered with surprise. Lucia’s reaction was entirely unexpected; her casually spun lie had, astonishingly, been taken as truth.

Furthermore, it dawned on Lovelenica that she had inadvertently exploited Lucia’s own tragic past—her parents’ demise at the hands of the phantasmagoria.

Lovelenica’s initial intention had not been to exploit Lucia’s history; she had merely believed that such a fabricated persona would lend more credibility to her story. She had never anticipated it would strike such a profound chord within Lucia’s heart.

Immersed in Lucia’s warm embrace and genuine comfort, Lovelenica was suddenly assailed by a wave of guilt. She had, in fact, so brazenly manipulated Lucia’s emotions… and what was worse, she intended to continue exploiting Lucia, harnessing her power to slay Liliana, all in pursuit of her own freedom. ‘Is this truly right?’ she wondered.

‘No… Lucia isn’t facing a loss of freedom or the risk of eternal torment. I’m merely making a small use of her power.’

‘Besides, Lucia’s own objective is to subjugate the phantasmagoria. Guiding her to slay the Queen of the Bloodline—isn’t that precisely what Lucia desires?’

‘So… a small manipulation of her is surely harmless…’

Lovelenica internally rationalized her actions, convincing herself that exploiting Lucia was justifiable, and in doing so, she managed to assuage the burgeoning guilt within her heart.

After a while, Lucia gently released Lovelenica. She knelt on the ground, taking Lovelenica’s soft, seemingly boneless hand in hers, and looked up into Lovelenica’s face.

“Little sister, my name is Lucia,” she said, her voice kind. “What is your name?”

“I… I am Nikola.”

Though her name was requested abruptly, Lovelenica remained remarkably composed. Registering as a demon hunter inherently required a moniker, and ‘Nikola’ was a name she had meticulously chosen long ago.

“Nikola, I am a nun,” Lucia explained. “I can introduce you to the Church, where you would receive more systematic training, undoubtedly better preparing you to subjugate the phantasmagoria.”

“Eh?”

Nikola was instantly startled. She had never imagined Lucia would extend an invitation to join the Church. This simply wouldn’t do! Her entire plan revolved around operating under a different, freer identity. Joining the Church would not only impose countless restrictions but also create an undeniable overlap with Lovelenica’s original persona. Two individuals could not possibly appear simultaneously without her true identity being definitively exposed.

“Sis… Sister, I…”

Just as Nikola was about to voice her refusal, before she could even utter a single word, Daisy, standing nearby, interjected with a clear note of displeasure.

“Hey! Miss Nun,” Daisy exclaimed, her voice sharp. “You can’t just poach people like that! This girl came here specifically to register as a demon hunter. Trying to steal her away on my turf is utterly unscrupulous, wouldn’t you say?”

“Ahem, ahem…”

Lucia, realizing her actions had been somewhat out of bounds, cleared her throat awkwardly twice. Nevertheless, her resolve to win Nikola over remained unshaken.

“Well, Lady Daisy,” Lucia began, her tone conciliatory. “You see, Nikola is still quite young. It might prove rather challenging for her to directly undertake demon hunter assignments. Perhaps… she could join our Church first, to receive some initial training?”