“Am I dreaming?” This breathtaking, sacred beauty was unlike any of the heroines in “Carillian Citrus.”

Her infectious charm could easily seep into one’s heart, evoking a sense of worship and longing.

The six wings behind her were a symbol of the blessed angelic lineage, and angels along with holy flames were the emblems of the Varelis family.

She was identical to the illustrations of Varelis he had seen before, with the only difference being the overwhelming, real-life impact she exuded.

“Genuine as can be,” said the light pink-haired girl before him, her every smile and gesture radiating a captivating charm.

“…Did you get resurrected?” After a moment of silence, Winnie took a few steps back, visibly startled.

Seeing a centuries-old entity appear before him, anyone would be scared out of their wits.

“Now, now, as a lady of the Varelis family, you mustn’t be so rude, little Winnie,” Varelis said, her cherry-blossom-colored eyes filled with amusement as she gazed at him.

“A lady?” Winnie was momentarily speechless, then blurted out, “Big sis, are your eyes failing you? I’m a guy!”

“It seems the Varelis family has indeed declined,” Varelis sighed deeply.

“To neglect the upbringing and etiquette education of their descendants to such an extent.”

“Well, obviously. Without parents around, it’s a wonder I didn’t turn out worse,” Winnie muttered under his breath.

In the original story, Winnie had gone completely astray.

For some reason, after the initial shock, Winnie began to relax.

Perhaps it was Varelis’s approachable demeanor, or perhaps a subconscious feeling that she meant no harm, but Winnie started to let loose.

“…”

Varelis continued to smile at him without saying a word.

“What, what are you looking at?” Winnie suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.

“Little Winnie, do you know why you’re here?”

“How should I know? I was about to ask you where the hell you’ve brought me!” Winnie stared suspiciously at the six pure white wings behind Varelis.

“Are you really the goddess Varelis? Not some impostor?”

Varelis didn’t respond but instead waved her hand, causing a few feathers to detach from her wings.

Winnie hesitated, then realized with dread that the feathers were heading straight for him.

Oh no! They’re coming for me!

“Ahahaha! Stop, stop! I give up, please spare me!” The feathers tickled him relentlessly, making him roll on the floor in laughter.

“One must use respectful language when speaking to elders. Such crude words are unacceptable for a lady. Do you understand?” Varelis retracted the feathers, her tone gentle yet firm, like a patient mother teaching her child.

“Who understands that? And what’s with all this ‘lady’ and ‘gentleman’ stuff? Are you talking about those people who always quote classics and speak like they’re reciting poetry? Come on, where’s the fun in that? Do you even understand the art of conversation? You…” Winnie’s face paled as he saw the feathers twitch again.

“What do you want from me? Am I wrong? Being a lady or a gentleman isn’t something I can decide, is it?” For some reason, Winnie’s emotions began to surface.

“Who’s going to teach me about manners and etiquette? There’s no one to teach me even if I wanted to learn.”

“The Church kicked me when I was down, and the people in the capital spread rumors about me. Did I ask for any of this?”

“When I was at my lowest, you weren’t there. And now you show up spouting all this high-minded nonsense?” Winnie knew he couldn’t blame Varelis for his misfortunes, but her presence made him feel like he finally had a relative he could confide in, and his words carried a tinge of resentment.

Varelis remained silent, listening patiently to Winnie’s grievances, before finally letting out a long sigh.

“I’m sorry, little Winnie. I died long ago and can no longer interfere with the mortal world. I couldn’t even help my own descendant. The only reason I can appear here is because you’ve awakened the bloodline.”

“I understand what you’ve been through, but you must keep going… After all, the Varelis family now rests on your shoulders.” Varelis’s voice was filled with maternal love, momentarily captivating Winnie.

“Indeed, these things not only need to be taught but also experienced firsthand.” After a long silence, Varelis spoke again, a mischievous smile creeping onto her lips.

“Very soon, you’ll experience what it’s like to be ‘forced’ into being a lady~”

“After all, every generation of the Varelis family’s saintesses has been a textbook example of a proper lady~”

“Huh? What? What do you mean? Don’t scare me like this!” As his emotions subsided, Winnie was left confused.

“My child, you’ve overcome the first hurdle of fate and successfully made it here to meet me. Your dormant bloodline will now fully awaken.”

“However, this doesn’t mean your path will be smooth. In the future, you’ll face unimaginable challenges and hardships. Walk bravely… I will always be watching over you.”

“But the name ‘Winnie’ really doesn’t suit a lady. Let me think… How about ‘Vanessa’? Vanessa Varelis, how does that sound~?”

“Huh? What Vanessa? Don’t just change my name like that!” Winnie’s expression turned strange. What was this old woman going on about?

“Come, step forward and accept my embrace.”

Before Winnie could react, he found himself inexplicably standing before Varelis.

The flawless, sacred pink-haired goddess opened her arms to him.

“I know the hardships you’ve endured on this journey… You’ve been brave, my child.”

“Keep going, Vanessa. In the name of Varelis, always remember that you are the descendant of the Goddess of Graceful Radiance, the saintess of the Church of Radiance.” Her voice, soothing and nurturing, whispered gently.

“You are the spokesperson of my will.”

But Winnie could no longer hear anything.

Oh no, oh no!

This… this is too much!

I’m… I’m going to drown!

Winnie’s consciousness faded into a pink haze, growing fainter.

—

Where… am I?

After an indeterminate period of darkness, a faint awareness returned.

Winnie struggled to open his heavy eyelids, his vision still blurry.

She propped herself up on the bed, slowly sitting up, and realized she was still in her own room, surrounded by familiar furnishings.

So thirsty… Water, water…

‘Vanessa’ held her forehead as she slowly got out of bed and walked to the table.

She instinctively tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then gracefully picked up the water jug, pouring water into a cup until it was two-thirds full.

She delicately lifted the cup with both hands and took a small sip.

…What?

Noticing something was off, Vanessa froze.

She was extremely thirsty and wanted to drink quickly.

Normally, she would have gulped it down in one go.

What was going on today? No matter how thirsty she was, she preferred to sip it slowly, as if savoring tea.

What’s happening?

Vanessa tried to cross her legs as she usually did, but found herself unwilling to adopt such an unrefined posture.

What’s going on?

Vanessa was getting annoyed.

What if I just chug it?

With that thought, she lifted the cup and tried to drink it all at once, but it felt like her body was rejecting the action.

It was as if someone else was forcing the water down her throat.

She couldn’t swallow a single drop, spitting it all out onto the floor, and was left coughing violently.

“Cough, cough… That was too crude.” A melodious voice, like a nightingale’s song, rang out, startling Vanessa.

“Who… who’s talking?” Vanessa asked, but the voice seemed to come from her own mouth.

No, no, that’s not right…

Vanessa looked down, her pupils contracting sharply.

Lustrous, pink hair, like the finest silk, cascaded over her snow-white thighs.

This hair, these legs, these delicate, jade-like hands, and these… assets… Clearly, this wasn’t her original body!

What’s going on? What’s happening?

Is… is this still me?

Vanessa wanted to rush to the mirror to confirm her current appearance, but even that frantic movement felt impossible.

She could only walk slowly, with measured steps, to the full-length mirror.

“This… is?”

Staring at the dazed pink-haired girl in the mirror, Vanessa felt her breath hitch, and she instinctively spoke.

“Varelis??”

But she quickly realized it wasn’t her.

The girl in the mirror shared Varelis’s features but had noticeable differences in appearance.

The girl in the mirror had soft, pink hair that flowed down to her ankles like the finest silk.

Her cherry-blossom-colored eyes were radiant, as if filled with the essence of spring and autumn, both alluring and pure, untainted by the world.

Her long, shapely legs were as white as snow, making one marvel at their perfection.

Her pink lashes were as delicate as a cicada’s wings, and her beauty was unparalleled, as if a single glance or a fleeting smile could create a masterpiece.

If Vanessa had to describe it, it was like the goddess of beauty from mythology, flawless, with a sacred and pure aura that could infect anyone who laid eyes on her, evoking reverence and worship.

Aside from the hair and eye color, the most striking feature, and the most characteristic of the Varelis family, was the pair of overwhelming assets, a testament to the family’s nurturing nature.

This unparalleled beauty could rival even the likes of Aesphyra, the pinnacle of beauty.