Chapter 31

Completely unaware of the emotional ups and downs that Aesphyra had experienced internally, and not knowing how long she had been tailing him, Winnie’s first reaction upon seeing the silver-haired girl at this moment was:

Holy crap, Aesphyra??

How did she end up here??

Winnie suddenly recalled the earlier increase in virtue, which meant that a destined female lead had experienced emotional fluctuations because of him nearby.

Moreover, that virtue had increased earlier, indicating that Aesphyra had been here for some time.

Crap! He’d been tailed by Aesphyra!

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Winnie suddenly realized.

He had wondered why there was no reaction or movement from Aesphyra, the protagonist, during the major incident at the Holy Church banquet. Turns out, she had been tailing him the whole time??

Sheesh, this girl really didn’t trust him.

But he couldn’t expect her to trust him, and regardless, Aesphyra had stepped in to save him at a critical moment, which left him quite astonished.

Wasn’t Aesphyra always wishing for his early demise? Given his recent behavior of competing with her for Mirexia, he felt that in Aesphyra’s eyes, he deserved to die at least ten times over to atone for his sins.

At this moment, she could have easily pretended to be unaware and not present, watching as he was beaten to a pulp by the fanatic.

Once he was confirmed dead, she could have arrived late, feigning shock and horror.

This way, the detestable blue-haired villain who had been opposing her, competing with her for a woman, and harboring a grudge against her would have met a swift end, and everyone would be happy, right??

In short, regardless of her motives, Winnie was extremely grateful that Aesphyra had stepped in to save him.~

After being sent flying by the holy sword, the [Fanatic] steadied himself, twisted his neck a few times, and stood up again, his crimson eyes filled with a mix of wariness and surprise as he gazed at the silver-haired girl and the radiant holy sword at her feet, ablaze with golden flames.

Even if one didn’t recognize the sword, they could sense its extraordinary nature and the terrifying pressure it exerted on him.

“It seems there are quite a few brats who think they’re clever,” the Fanatic’s voice, muffled and rough as if he had phlegm in his throat, carried a hint of mockery.

Although the sword was special, perhaps a sacred relic forged in ancient times, and it instinctively made him feel a sense of dread, he remained unfazed.

He didn’t believe that such a fragile creature as a human could be his match. In his eyes, the so-called sacred artifacts of humans were nothing more than toys, toys that might pose a slight threat, but toys nonetheless.

Having received the blessing of the Demon God Pillar, he could not possibly lose to a human.

In the open square, the beautiful silver moonlight fell on Aesphyra’s shining silver hair, reflecting a metallic sheen. Her flowing hair, swaying in the wind, resembled a luxurious, high-quality silk.

She leaped down gracefully, her perfectly curved legs clad in black stockings gripping the holy sword as she tossed it into the air.

Landing with a slight bend in her knees, she caught the descending sword with a reverse grip in one hand and performed an elegant and proper curtsy, like a well-mannered young lady.

Aesphyra was always so confident and resolute.

This was the impression she had always given Winnie, perhaps best described as the composure of a protagonist, or maybe it was just an innate quality she was born with.

One had to admit, this kind of charisma was very attractive, especially in moments of crisis when facing a powerful enemy.

Aesphyra was like a shot of adrenaline, instantly providing a sense of security upon her appearance.

No wonder so many female leads fell for her in the original story.

“Oh, Winnie, it’s you. What a coincidence,” Aesphyra turned around, feigning surprise as if she had just recognized the armored figure in front of her as Winnie.

Winnie chuckled inwardly, thinking this little minx was quite the actress. She had been secretly tailing him all along, yet now she pretended to have just recognized him.

“A coincidence? Really?” Winnie snorted. “Aesphyra, don’t take me for a fool. You just happened to show up in front of Radiance’s residence??”

“You’ve been tailing me all along, haven’t you?” Winnie said in his usual, over-the-top tone, even though it was the truth.

“Don’t deny it. I know you’ve been keeping an eye on me since the banquet, right? Ah, what can I say? I’m just too handsome and dashing, the kind of guy who makes people fall for him at first sight. Whatever, since you were drawn here by my good looks and even helped me out a little, I’ll let it slide this time.”

Winnie ran a hand through his hair, delivering this statement in a self-indulgent, over-the-top tone, leaving Aesphyra unsure whether he truly understood or was just being his usual, conceited self.

It was true that Aesphyra had saved his life this time, but that didn’t mean he would stop being his usual, arrogant self. This was part of his character, and he had grown somewhat addicted to it.

“Oh? You’ve figured me out, have you? Then, Winnie, could you give me a chance?~” Aesphyra tilted her head, placing a finger lightly on her lips.

“Tch, haven’t I told you many times? I’m not interested in your type. Give it up.”

“Eh? Not even a little chance?” Aesphyra took a step closer. “Winnie, it might be better for you to be a bit more honest with me. Otherwise…”

“I might end up losing sleep over certain things.”

“Tch, still trying to pry into my private affairs? What’s it to you??” Winnie clicked his tongue.

“Of course, it’s my business. After all, I’m your most devoted admirer,” Aesphyra leaned forward. “Things like you sneaking off to the abandoned academy building for a secret rendezvous at night, I’m very interested in those.”

“?!” Winnie was stunned, unable to even muster his usual, over-the-top retorts.

Aesphyra’s words were already a clear hint, almost an outright statement. If Winnie still didn’t understand, there would be something wrong with his comprehension.

Wait, when did Aesphyra find out about this??

This plan had been kept strictly confidential between him and Mirexia. Apart from her, Mirexia, and the higher-ups of the academy, no one else should have known.

Winnie was completely baffled. He couldn’t fathom how Aesphyra, no matter how resourceful she was, could have possibly accessed someone else’s memories or thoughts??

He racked his brain, trying to recall everything that had happened recently. Just as he was about to give up, the faint scent of roses and lilies from Aesphyra’s hair made him suddenly realize.

That day, when he had disguised himself as Zoe to retrieve the note at the abandoned school building, he had caught a faint whiff of a delicate fragrance on his way back.

At the time, it had been so faint that he hadn’t paid much attention to it. Now, it seemed, it had been this very scent.

No way. No way?!

Could it be that Aesphyra had been there that day??

But that was impossible! He had made sure to check the surroundings to ensure no one else was around.

There couldn’t have been another living soul besides him. Moreover, he had been wearing a cloak that made him nearly invisible in the dark.

Even if Aesphyra had been there and seen him, his figure and face were completely concealed by the cloak. Without lifting the hood, there was no way she could have recognized him.

How the hell did she know??

Winnie was dumbfounded. Suddenly, he remembered Aesphyra’s bloodline setting.

As the sole descendant of the ancient imperial family [Carillian], Aesphyra could use the [Divine Blessing] of the ancient imperial family, the ability to control time and space.

Holy crap.

Holy crap!?

Could it be??

Winnie felt a chill run down his spine.

The silver-haired beauty with the sweet smile now seemed as terrifying and unpredictable as a wild beast in his eyes.

Could it be that she had used her family’s [Divine Blessing] on him??

And then, while time was frozen, she lifted his hood??

This would also explain why he had caught a whiff of roses and lilies on his cloak afterward.

No way?? The [Divine Blessing] of the ancient imperial family, used on a minor character like him who had accidentally stumbled into the main storyline, how much did she think of him??

Realizing the truth, Winnie couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread.

The ability to freeze time, approach him unnoticed, and leave him completely unaware afterward, wasn’t that terrifying??

If Aesphyra had harbored any murderous intent toward him, the Varelis family would have truly been wiped out.

He had thought that as long as he maintained a good relationship with Mirexia, Aesphyra, who was being watched by Mirexia, would have no reason to kill him.

This realization shattered his naive assumption.

It turned out that it was only because Aesphyra had a high moral standard, restraining herself from taking action against him, the original villain, without a valid reason, that he was still alive. Otherwise, Winnie would have already met the Goddess of Graceful Radiance.

Well, or perhaps Aesphyra simply disdained such methods. She would prefer to wait until Winnie was proven to be involved with the Demon God Pillar cult, completely disgraced, and condemned by everyone before taking him out.

After all, letting an enemy die so cleanly would be too merciful. If not handled properly, it could even become a mystery.

She would want him to die in disgrace, to be reviled and cursed even after death, leaving a legacy so vile that future generations would spit at the mere mention of his name.

Thinking about it this way, it seemed he didn’t really need to feel grateful to Aesphyra after all.

“…Hmph, Aesphyra, you’ve been stalking me??” Winnie pointed at himself.

“Eh? stalk you? When? Winnie, where did you get that idea?” Aesphyra tilted her head, her expression suggesting, ‘Everything I said earlier was just casual talk. How did I manage to provoke such a strong reaction from you?’

Winnie was both amused and annoyed. At this moment, he really wanted to unleash a barrage of his usual, over-the-top retorts, but considering that Aesphyra had just saved his life and the terrifying nature of her [Divine Blessing], he wisely chose to back down.

He began to wonder, if one day Aesphyra decided to kill him, would he even stand a chance??

Even if he transformed into Vanessa, he wouldn’t be a match for Aesphyra. Her [Divine Blessing] was the most powerful in the Terraria continent.

If she froze time, he wouldn’t even be able to use his own [Divine Blessing]. He might not even realize what was happening before his feathers were plucked clean.

Damn, that’s terrifying.

“So, since this is indeed the case, Winnie, could you explain it to me properly afterward? Otherwise, I might really lose sleep over it,” Aesphyra tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, speaking slowly and deliberately, like a smiling tiger.

“You two, have you forgotten about me??” Before Winnie could respond, a shrill voice interrupted as the Fanatic lunged forward, his claws glowing with a menacing crimson light.

“Clang! Clang!” Winnie was about to dodge when he saw Aesphyra, without even turning her head, casually raise her holy sword to block the attack. The Fanatic felt as if he had crashed into a mountain and was forced to retreat several steps.

Winnie was stunned.

The Fanatic, who could have easily killed him with physical attacks, had just been sent flying by a casual swing of Aesphyra’s sword??

“Dear sir of the demonic faction, whose appearance leaves much to be desired, no one here is talking to you,” Aesphyra twirled her holy sword with a flourish, holding it elegantly and confidently in her hand.

“If no one is addressing you, you should stay quietly to the side. Don’t you even understand such basic etiquette?”

“Hey, Aesphyra, don’t get careless. This guy’s a Fanatic, one of the stronger followers of Erunes. He’s pretty powerful,” Winnie reminded her.

“…Little girl with the pretty silver hair, there’s something strange about your sword,” the Fanatic said coldly, looking at his deformed claws.

It seemed that Aesphyra’s holy sword had a strong suppressive effect on the followers of the Demon God Pillar.

Or perhaps, one of Aesphyra’s soul abilities, [Hero], had a powerful restraining effect on anything related to the Demon God Pillar.

How else could she be considered the protagonist with cheats? This was a Fanatic, an opponent even a master-level practitioner would struggle to defeat.

“What’s wrong, Winnie? Are you scared?” Aesphyra stood tall, hands on her hips, still wearing that confident smile, as if even if the Demon God Pillar itself stood before her, she wouldn’t bat an eyelid.

Such a smile was incredibly inspiring. Confident people naturally exuded a certain charm.

“Tch, what are you talking about? If you’re not scared, why would I be?? I’m just reminding you not to get careless, or you might end up in trouble,” Winnie, of course, wouldn’t back down in this regard, and snorted.

“Is that so? What I meant was, if you’re scared, Winnie, you can leave first. But you’ll still have to explain everything to me afterward, okay?”

“Tch, do I look like the kind of person who would run away from a fight??”

“You do,” Aesphyra narrowed her beautiful, agate-like eyes like a cat.

“You’re really underestimating me! A mere Fanatic isn’t even worth my attention!” Winnie stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Aesphyra.

“Then, Winnie, be careful, okay?”

“That’s what I should be saying to you. Don’t hold me back, Aesphyra!”