Chapter 70: Will You Still Trust Them?

Peretti’s thoughts tangled like knotted threads.

The rigidity of the Holy Light Church, the greed of the Gluttony Church, the gloom of the Aisakson family, the unpredictability of witches, the savagery of beastfolk—even that elf she had only glimpsed once seemed to be searching for her with unclear intentions.

Before she even realized it, she had already been targeted by so many forces. And none of them harbored goodwill.

What she had always wanted was simple—just to find a safe corner, live quietly as an ordinary person, and not be disturbed.

But reality refused to give her that choice.

One after another, people came knocking on her door. There was no escape.

She knew her own strength. Without the protection of these people, stepping into the outside world alone would only be more dangerous.

Her identity as a witch… was truly an inescapable burden.

Why does this corridor feel endless?

Peretti suddenly snapped out of her thoughts.

It had taken less than a minute to come here—but now, she had been walking for nearly five minutes. The time didn’t add up.

With her limited strength, noticing something was wrong was already her limit. Solving it…

would have to rely on Feiye.

“Feiye, don’t you feel like something’s off about this path?”

“Off? I don’t feel anything.”

The moment she finished speaking—

The corridor was swallowed by thick darkness.

In the distance, Peretti faintly saw a figure standing there.

“…Okay, now I feel it!” Feiye immediately moved closer to Peretti, her tone carrying a hint of pride.

“Yeah, yeah. If you still didn’t notice now, that’d be weird,” Peretti said helplessly, her gaze locking onto the black-robed figure.

The person stood there quietly, as if waiting for her to approach.

Most likely someone from the Gluttony Church.

Showing up right after she dealt with the kitchen—meaning Ilien’s side might already be exposed… maybe even fighting.

Peretti thought for a moment, then relaxed slightly.

Ilien should at least be capable of protecting herself.

She tightened her grip on Feiye’s hand, gathering courage, and walked step by step toward the figure.

“Hey, who are you?”

“Hello, Miss Peretti. I’ve finally been waiting for you.”

The figure extended slender, pale hands from within the sleeves, folding them neatly in front. Her voice was soft like a melody, with a faint trace of hoarseness.

A woman.

Peretti clicked her tongue. “There’s only one path here. You’re blocking it—who else would I look for?”

“…That’s true,” the black-robed girl fell silent briefly, then slowly pulled down her hood.

Revealing—

A girl with short black hair.

Heavy black lipstick.

A pale, almost translucent complexion that felt distinctly inhuman.

The thick robe made her look bulky, but glimpses beneath revealed a frail, almost starved figure.

Her entire appearance was black and white—even her skin carried a lifeless pallor.

She looked young…

but her eyes held the weariness of someone far older.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am the High Priest of the Gluttony Church, and also the attendant of our leader—Lierna. You can call me Na’er.”

“A High Priest who’s also a maid?” Peretti raised an eyebrow.

“Personal hobby,” Lierna smiled faintly. “There’s not much work as a High Priest. I get bored.”

Her lips curved like a crescent of darkness.

“Bad person! If you want to fight, hurry up! Stop wasting time!”

Feiye suddenly stepped forward, her small body tense, glaring fiercely.

Peretti glanced at her in surprise.

Feiye had always been quiet, obedient—never speaking first.

This was the first time she had openly shown hostility.

Seems the poisoning incident…

really crossed her bottom line.

“Wait, wait!” Lierna quickly waved her hands. “I’m not here to fight. I’m here to negotiate.”

“Negotiate?” Peretti placed a hand on Feiye’s shoulder, gently calming her.

“Feiye, be good.”

Feiye lowered her head obediently—but still hugged Peretti’s waist and made a face at Lierna.

Lierna ignored it completely.

“To be honest,” she continued, “it’s rare to meet someone like you—someone under A Ming who’s willing to communicate normally. I’m quite happy.”

“Cut the nonsense. Get to the point,” Peretti interrupted, wary.

“My apologies,” Lierna’s smile faded. “My request is simple—Miss Peretti, stop interfering in the conflict between the Church and the Empire. It’s better for all of us.”

Her tone was sincere.

Too sincere.

And that made it suspicious.

“Why should I believe you? Don’t forget—we’re enemies.”

“No,” Lierna shook her head calmly. “As long as you’re willing, we can become allies at any time.”

Peretti’s heart stirred.

This felt more and more like stalling.

She was about to signal Feiye to act—

when Lierna suddenly spoke:

“You two… aren’t human, are you?”

Feiye’s raised hand froze midair.

She turned to Peretti, eyes full of shock.

“Sister… she seems to know something.”

“…Seriously? Why does it feel like the whole world knows I’m not human?” Peretti clicked her tongue.

After a pause, she relented.

“Fine. I’ll hear you out. Speak.”

“You’re not human to begin with,” Lierna said softly, her voice almost hypnotic. “There’s no need for you to involve yourself in human conflicts. Let them kill each other while you protect yourself.”

“What they can give you—I can give you.”

“What they can’t—I can.”

“Everything you want… I can fulfill it.”

“As long as you stop interfering.”

“First of all,” Peretti cut in, “I don’t think I’m not human.”

“But humans don’t even treat their own kind as equals,” Lierna replied quietly. “Let alone someone like you.”

Her words struck like a needle.

Peretti knew this well—the divide between nobles and commoners.

Nobles looked down on the lower class as a matter of course.

But what Lierna implied…

felt deeper than that.

Before Peretti could respond, Lierna suddenly extended her hand.

“Come with me.”

The darkness around them receded instantly—

revealing a completely different scene.

Peretti’s pupils shrank.

They were no longer in the corridor—

but outside the city walls, in the wilderness.

Lierna had moved them without her noticing.

What kind of power is this…?

A thought flashed—

Is Josuna in danger?

Lierna stood atop a broken wall, beckoning.

“Sister, be careful,” Feiye tightened her grip.

“Yeah… I know.”

Peretti stepped forward cautiously, following Lierna’s gaze downward.

What she saw—

froze her in place.

Dozens of massive vultures perched atop a mountain of bones.

They tore at rotting flesh with sharp beaks, swallowing with grotesque sounds echoing through the empty wilderness.

The bones—

were countless.

Stacked like a hill.

Some skulls still retained delicate features.

They belonged to…

young girls.

“What the hell… is this…?!”

Peretti’s face turned pale.

She grabbed Lierna’s robe, her fingers trembling.

She didn’t want to believe it.

She wanted this to be an illusion.

But the smell—

the sound—

the sight—

were all too real.

She turned to Feiye, hoping—

begging—for her to say it was fake.

Feiye only shook her head.

A small motion—

that shattered her last hope.

“I didn’t fabricate this,” Lierna said calmly. “This is reality outside Falisa.”

“If you hadn’t gone to the library… if you hadn’t met those people…”

“This—would have been your fate.”

She paused.

“The Gluttony Church has never considered you and your sister enemies.”

“If you don’t believe me, go see for yourself. Exit the west gate—within a thousand meters, you’ll find this graveyard humans prepared for their own kind.”

Lierna turned to her, eyes deep and unreadable.

“Now that you’ve seen the true face of these nobles…”

“Will you still trust them?”