Chapter 30: The Price of Salvation

Bastet first glanced at Lin, who held a certain expectation, then turned her gaze to Xia Ranxin, who appeared somewhat uneasy before her, and finally let out a soft sigh.

“This trap, young lady, requires you… requires ‘Xia Ranxin herself’ to act as bait.”

The moment these words were uttered, a profound silence descended upon the entire room.

Instantly comprehending what Bastet truly intended to say, an expression of disbelief bloomed on Lin’s face, while Rena, who stood beside her, remained utterly composed, as if she had long anticipated this outcome.

Her demeanor was placid. “As expected,” she murmured. “After all, it is, in the end, still a ‘trap’…

“What are you saying, Your Excellency, Bastet!” Lin, her face etched with anxiety, urged the black cat. “To have Lady Ranxin act as bait—isn’t that intentionally exposing her to danger? Moreover, Lady Ranxin possesses no means of self-defense…”

“However, if we do not proceed in this manner, the Shadow Beast will not reveal itself.”

Bastet’s feline face remained serene; without a hint of emotional fluctuation, she uttered a truth that felt somewhat cruel to both Lin and Ranxin.

“As I mentioned earlier, the Shadow Beast currently fears you, who may have grasped its weakness, and it also fears Rena, who is protected by the Holy Light. This is precisely why it remains in hiding, refraining from targeting the young lady.”

Lin’s eyes were filled with worry, but Bastet, knowing what she intended to say, immediately interrupted her.

“But that is merely a temporary reprieve. One of the Shadow Beast’s primary characteristics is its extraordinary tenacity; it will never abandon a target it has set its sights upon. I believe you heard Rena mention this earlier, did you not?”

Lin remained silent, merely suppressing her reluctance as she nodded, her head trembling slightly.

“It might lurk silently in the shadows for months, even years, until one day in the future, everyone has gradually forgotten its existence.

Then, the moment you or Rena, as her protectors, let your guard down, it will suddenly emerge and strike down its chosen prey.”

Bastet raised her head, her gaze unwavering.

“Therefore, the rumors claim that those marked by the Shadow Beast have no hope of salvation. For even if they are fortunate enough to escape its grasp once, they would ultimately still perish beneath its claws.”

“To truly save the young lady, we must devise a way to kill the Shadow Beast, to solve the problem at its root. You understand this, do you not, Your Excellency Lin?”

“But there’s no need to risk Lady Ranxin’s life!” Lin still found herself unable to agree with Bastet’s proposed solution.

“Are you not a magic instructor? Surely magical automatons, or similar technologies, exist! Couldn’t we simply create a magical automaton that closely resembles Lady Ranxin and use it as bait?”

“Regrettably, that approach is unfeasible.”

Bastet seemed to have long anticipated Lin’s objection; her feline face serene, she shook her head.

“I do indeed know how to create magical automatons. While I lack the personal ability to craft one, given sufficient time and under my guidance, Your Excellency Bai Zhi should be capable of producing an automaton strikingly similar to the young lady.”

For a fleeting moment, Lin’s expression relaxed, as if hope had been rekindled.

“In that case, wouldn’t we…”

“However, this approach presents two new dilemmas.”

Bastet interrupted Lin once more, effectively dousing the spark of hope that had just ignited within her.

“Firstly, creating a magical automaton requires numerous rare materials, and whether such materials even exist in this world remains a question. While it is always possible to find suitable substitutes, this would consume a considerable amount of time.

During this prolonged period, could unforeseen accidents occur? Might the young lady encounter unexpected dangers? No one can guarantee her safety.”

Lin, with a self-aware understanding, closed her mouth. Watching her, Bastet also sighed helplessly.

“…Secondly, even if we were to successfully create a magical automaton bearing an extremely high resemblance to the young lady, whether such an automaton could deceive the Shadow Beast is also questionable.”

Bastet lowered her gaze, her feline tail swaying from side to side—a clear indication that she was calmly analyzing the situation.

“Do you recall what I said earlier? The Shadow Beast’s thought processes resemble those of a wild beast; it rarely engages in deep thought.

Yet, this also implies it possesses the keen intuition of a beast, meaning an ordinary automaton would likely be utterly incapable of deceiving it.”

Upon deeper consideration, it became evident that the Shadow Beast likely shared a subtle, hidden connection with its prey, one imperceptible to ordinary individuals.

It relied on this connection to identify its prey, rendering mere physical resemblance utterly useless.

This notion was easily inferred once Bastet completed her explanation.

“Considering the Shadow Beast’s unusually obsessive characteristic towards its prey, I believe this possibility is exceedingly high.”

As Bastet voiced this nearly cruel conjecture, everyone fell silent, though in truth, they all understood it implicitly.

Everyone plunged into silence for a moment. Bai Zhi, who had long been aware of this ‘trap’ plan, looked at Xia Ranxin with sincere apology in her eyes.

Rena still appeared lost in thought, Xia Ranxin wore an expression of relief, while Lin, on the other hand, was utterly unwilling.

After a brief interval, Lin spoke again.

“But… this is simply too perilous for Lady Ranxin. I, for one, can never agree to such a plan.”

“Then let us consider it from another perspective, Your Excellency Lin,” Bastet urged. “The young lady’s situation has always been perilous.”

Bastet began to earnestly persuade her.

“From the very day she was marked by the Shadow Beast, her life can be said to have entered a countdown. Even my first reaction upon learning of this was, ‘This young lady is doomed.’ To possess even a sliver of hope, as she does now, is a miraculous stroke of luck.”

“But at least if we maintain the status quo, Lady Ranxin would be much safer.” Lin maintained her resolute rejection of the plan. “Since that vile beast fears me, then I shall simply remain by Lady Ranxin’s side, guarding her always.”

“Your Excellency Lin…”

Bastet was about to speak further, but Xia Ranxin took the initiative to interject.

“Lin, I think this method is quite good.”

Lin suddenly appeared crestfallen; even the tone of her voice changed. She softly uttered, “Lady Ranxin,” as if pleading with Xia Ranxin to reconsider her current thoughts.

“On the contrary,” Xia Ranxin continued, “knowing it’s this method has actually brought me a sense of relief.”

Xia Ranxin smiled as she looked at Lin, the stone that had weighed heavily on her heart finally able to be set down.

“After all, in the beginning, I constantly felt like a burden, always dragging everyone down. To be able to be useful in this way, I feel truly happy.”

“Lady Ranxin! You don’t have to—”

“Rest assured, Lin. My mind is perfectly clear right now.”

Xia Ranxin gazed at Lin, her gaze resolute, and she shook her head with unusual composure.

“I would never utter words like, ‘It’s fine if only I sacrifice myself,’ as I might have at the very beginning, for I have come to understand the immense pain such a sentiment would inflict upon those who care for me.

On the contrary, I completely trust you, and I trust everyone here, which is why I agreed to this plan without hesitation.”

As she spoke, she tilted her head, her gaze sincere as she looked towards the black-haired girl beside her.

“Someone surely hasn’t forgotten,” Xia Ranxin continued, “that they once told me, ‘Just ask me for help, and I will fulfill all your wishes’… right?”

“Of course!”

Bai Zhi unhesitatingly gave a thumbs-up, a bright, cheerful smile spreading across her face.

“I will protect you thoroughly! I won’t let you suffer even the slightest harm. It’s a promise!”

Xia Ranxin smiled, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “So, just as I completely trust Bai Zhi, I also completely trust you, Lin.”

Her voice was so gentle that Lin felt herself grow light and airy.

“You will surely protect me, even as I act as bait. This is my judgment. Will you trust my judgment, Lin?”

“…If that is truly your wish, Lady Ranxin.”

Lin’s gaze gradually hardened, and the grip on the hilt of her blade tightened considerably in an instant.

“I shall exert my utmost effort to meet your expectations!”

Witnessing even Lin, who had been the most resistant, now agree to this audacious plan, Bastet nodded with satisfaction and continued.

“Then it is settled,” she declared. “The operational plan against the Shadow Beast is hereby unanimously approved.”

Next came the specific preparatory tasks, for it was paramount to ensure the utmost personal safety for Xia Ranxin, who would serve as bait.

Bastet let out a breath; after exchanging a glance with Bai Zhi beside her, she then looked towards the quiet girl who had spoken little since the beginning.

“Regarding this, the most crucial individual in this entire plan is you, Your Excellency Rena.”