Volume 1 Chapter 170
by Need_More_SleepVolume 1 + Chapter 170: She Also Has A Mother
The pitch-black night descended heavily, enveloping the entire imperial capital. Vivian walked alone and quietly along the deserted street.
This was the very heart of the capital, usually bustling and crowded by day, yet turning eerily silent at night. The area had almost no residential zones, only dense commercial streets and various important administrative institutions. The shops had long since closed, the offices were empty, leaving the whole street desolate. Only a few street lamps stood by the roadside, emitting dim, weak light that cast mottled shadows on the ground.
Vivian looked down at the pastries she held in her arms, her fingers tightening slightly. For some reason, her mood felt inexplicably low. The wide, clean street appeared especially empty under the night sky. A gentle breeze brushed past, carrying the unique coolness of the evening.
Her gaze fell upon the white wildflower she held, her expression somewhat dazed.
The florists had long closed by this hour. Unable to buy any flowers, she could only pluck this inconspicuous little bloom from the roadside bushes. Thinking carefully, she realized she had never given Eve even a single flower.
Yet, in those past days, a delicate vase had always adorned her bedroom, forever filled with a variety of fresh flowers meticulously chosen by Eve for her. The bouquet was replaced almost daily, rarely repeating over the course of a week.
Morning sunlight would spill onto those fresh petals, the air always permeated with a faint floral fragrance, carrying the crisp scent of morning dew.
Eve had once gently told her that waking up to beautiful flowers first thing in the morning would make one’s mood better for the entire day. Back then, she had only listened casually, never truly taking it to heart.
Eve’s care for her had always been meticulous, so subtle it was almost imperceptible, attending to even the smallest details with utmost care.
And what about her?
She had never reciprocated with even a trace of gentleness, never given Eve a single flower, not even uttered a soft “thank you.”
The night was deep, the road ahead appearing especially long under the dim yellow glow of the street lamps.
The direction of the cemetery was still quite far. Her steps were unsteady, each one feeling as if she were treading on cotton—light, airy, and devoid of strength. For the longest time, she had never set foot there.
In the past, to avoid suspicion, she hadn’t even dared to glance at it from afar. After all, her current position as the Saintess was precisely bought by personally sending Eve to the execution ground.
“Huh? Is that… Saintess Vivian?”
“It really is! Your Grace, where are you heading so late at night?”
Just as Vivian walked with her head down, following the faint shadows cast by the dim street lamps, lost in her own heavy thoughts, a slightly surprised voice suddenly pulled her back to reality.
She looked up slightly, peering through the dim light. A mother and daughter stood not far away, looking at her with some surprise.
Her gaze settled on the young girl. Her eyes flickered slightly as she searched her memory.
She recognized her, this young girl was a Cardinal Deaconess within the Church. Though not old, she was quite diligent. Having studied hard at the Church Academy since childhood, she ultimately stood out among her peers with her talent and effort, attaining the position of Cardinal Deaconess at a young age.
However, while this achievement was enough to astonish many, it still paled somewhat before Vivian.
After all, Vivian had already stood at the pinnacle that everyone looked up to when she was just over ten years old, becoming the Saintess, the symbol of the entire Church.
Precisely because of this, this young girl had always regarded her as a role model, telling almost everyone, “Learn from Her Grace the Saintess, strive to improve,” her words filled with reverence and aspiration.
Every time Vivian heard this phrase, her heart would tighten violently, as if something were strangling it, making it hard to breathe.
The more she missed Eve, the more she couldn’t escape that heart-wrenching, bone-deep pain. And at such times, the young girl’s adoring words sounded especially ironic, even grating.
To outsiders, she was the pure, flawless Saintess, the symbol leading the Church towards light, the great being who personally exposed the witch’s crimes and eradicated evil from the world.
What people talked about was how she maintained steadfast faith even under the witch’s control, how she bravely broke free from the shackles of darkness and sent that deeply sinful witch to the execution ground.
Everyone praised her enlightenment, hailed her as the Church’s pride, even considered her background and talent to be flawless perfection.
Yet these words of praise had long since soured in her heart, transforming into sharp blades coated in sugar, piercing her soul deeply time and again.
At first, that sweet, sugary coating could numb her, making those memories seem somewhat more bearable.
But when the sugar coating was licked away and the true sharpness was revealed, those sharp, cold realities mercilessly tore at her heart, leaving her bleeding and in agony.
Only she herself knew clearly that everything she possessed now was bought in the cruelest way, she had personally buried the one who loved her most, who was most willing to give everything for her, to ascend to her current lofty position.
Yet, if she could choose again, she would willingly forsake all glory, all status, even wish it had never happened at all, if only Eve could return to her side, if only she could see that person smile gently at her again. What would losing the whole world matter then?
“Where is Your Grace heading?”
“I…”
Vivian instinctively hid the white flower in her arms. She pursed her lips nervously, unsure how to answer.
This road ultimately led to only one place, the road out of the city. And the cemetery lay just outside the city walls, not far away.
Vivian remembered that this young girl’s family seemed to live outside the city. After all, having just become a Cardinal Deaconess of the Church, not everyone had the money to buy a house in the extremely expensive imperial capital.
“I was just bored, out for a walk. What about you? Why are you still here so late?”
Vivian offered a random excuse.
“I just got off work at the Church. There’s been major action within the Church lately, the workload has increased a lot. I only just finished now and was heading home. This is my mother.”
The young girl enthusiastically introduced the middle-aged woman beside her to Vivian.
Vivian looked up at her. The other woman offered her a gentle smile in return.
Though not as beautiful as Eve, the familiar tenderness between her brows still made Vivian’s heart tremble.
“My mother was worried about me getting off work so late, so she came specially to pick me up. Your Grace, where are you walking to? Shall we walk together for a bit?”
“N-no, that’s fine. I’m heading back now…”
Vivian waved her hand. Her eyes flickered with a touch of despondency and envy.
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