After concluding the previous topic, Lilya, as if suddenly remembering something, tentatively looked towards the open-air recliner beside her that the priestess had just claimed. Violet was leisurely enjoying a princess-special cream egg tart, looking very relaxed.

 

After much hesitation, Lilya decided to speak up.

 

“Violet, the golden-haired girl named Xiao Guang who was with you when infiltrating the Iris Orphanage, who is she? Can you tell me about her?”

 

“Cough, cough, cough!”

 

Startled by the implied reproach in the princess’s words, Violet choked for a moment. The black-haired girl took considerable effort to swallow the egg tart in her mouth and calmly smiled.

 

Fortunately, when hinting at her identity to the princess during the day, Violet had already prepared an explanation.

 

“Xiao Guang… you can consider her as a companion and protector who has been with me until now. She’s the most important family to me in this world, and she’s quite strong.”

 

“The most important family…?”

 

Flickers of envy and curiosity passed through Lilya’s eyes. A clever girl like her could deduce many things from such a statement.

 

“So, you mean the white beam that tore through the sky, the so-called divine punishment when we first met, came from the hands of this Miss Xiao Guang? Violet, Violet, you’ve kept me in the dark so much.”

 

“Hehe…”

 

Violet chuckled, scratching her head, but didn’t elaborate much. After all, too many words might lead to mistakes.

 

Moreover, she had no obligation to disclose everything to Lilya. While they were good friends, there were still private matters between spouses, especially considering her relationship with the princess.

 

Although there’s a saying about “a gentleman being frank and open,” I’m not a gentleman anyway!

 

“Never mind… I’ve been receiving Violet’s help from start to finish, so I have no right to criticize your relationships with other girls or demand anything from you…”

 

“Oh, by the way.”

 

The tone shifted, and the princess’s expression suddenly became somewhat subtle.

 

“When you were infiltrating the Iris Orphanage, did you happen to encounter a boy named Eli?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

The priestess thought for a moment, casually nodded, and then reached for another cream egg tart.

 

“Yes, that’s right. He should have been rescued as well. When we parted ways, I specifically told the child to stay in his room and not wander around…”

 

“He’s dead.”

 

Violet’s hand, reaching for the dessert, froze in mid-air.

 

Gently uttering these three words, like entrusting something fragile and delicate, Lilya took out a meticulously preserved, neatly folded, colorful sugar-coated paper from her ring and placed it on the stone table.

 

Then, facing the stunned and delicate features of the black-haired girl, Lilya softly explained.

 

“Violet, you’ve been to that laboratory too, right? You must have read Leopold’s notes. If I’m not mistaken, Eli was the designated experimental subject intended to become the main consciousness of the vengeful spirit…”

 

“Perhaps due to some innate talent, his soul strength was much higher than that of an ordinary child. This allowed him to withstand the plundering of Leopold’s vengeful spirit for the longest time until my subordinates arrived. But that’s all there was to it.”

 

“Do you know why I went against popular opinion and decided to promote both you and Miss Xiao Guang by two levels? It’s not favoritism or cheating, mind you.”

 

“The entire Iris Orphanage, except for the underground prison where you were, nearly all the children and hostages were wiped out. If it weren’t for you, this remaining part probably couldn’t have been saved. Do you think it’s a significant achievement?”

 

The princess’s light… yet heavy words slowly dissipated in the night sky. After a while, Violet slightly hesitated before speaking.

 

“All the orphans… are dead?”

 

Lilya nodded.

 

Is that so…

 

She should have thought of it earlier.

 

Since the “Eternal Throne” specifically went after children in the capital, using their pure souls to nourish and merge with the vengeful spirits, how could the children in the orphanage escape such a fate?

 

It’s more accurate to say that choosing the Iris Orphanage as their base was based on a similar thought.

 

No wonder Eli and the other orphanage children seemed so lifeless, spiritually drained. They probably had that kind of spiritual connection…

 

Strange, why didn’t she notice such a simple thing?

 

The darkest place is under the lamp?

 

No, it’s not that she couldn’t think of it, she simply didn’t pay attention to such trivial matters.

 

From beginning to end, she never truly cared about the lives of those children. Even the serious efforts to rescue the people in the prison were merely a coincidence combined with a competitive spirit.

 

Was her past self so indifferent and heartless?

 

Violet felt a vague sense of dread, but this negative emotion was difficult to stir up due to the overly stable mental state of the divine being. Soon, she regained her composure.

 

In the end, she and Eli were just strangers who happened to cross paths. They had spent a very short time together. Although his pitiable situation evoked some sympathy and compassion from Violet, it didn’t mean he would leave a lasting impression in the priestess’s heart.

 

Violet had no obligation to save Eli. In fact, she had already extended a helping hand.

 

Even if the priestess hadn’t appeared, the fate of this caged cub would ultimately be either manufactured into a vengeful spirit or killed by the kingdom’s forces during an attack for the same reason.

 

Even if he miraculously survived until the end, would the “Eternal Throne” spare him when it departed?

 

Impossible.

 

Therefore, even though Violet missed the opportunity to save Eli due to a small mistake, the responsibility for Eli’s death cannot be solely blamed on the priestess. Otherwise, it would be a classic case of the proposition that “good people should be held at gunpoint.”

 

Taking a deep breath, Violet continued to devour the egg tart, savoring the sweet taste spreading on her tongue.

 

There was a familiar taste, but with a hint of bitterness.

 

Although she felt regret, now that the incident had occurred, Violet wouldn’t force herself to use resurrection magic to bring the boy back to life.

 

If their relationship was deeper or if they weren’t in the current situation, Violet might have approached it with an attitude of “there’s nothing to lose.”

 

However, Lilya’s swift and thunderous attack, the public operation to eradicate the “Eternal Throne” stronghold, had already caused a stir in the Courage City.

 

The people applauding, those mourning the loss of loved ones, those who hate cultists, and those uneasy and frightened due to turmoil—all eyes are focused here.

 

At a time like this, resurrecting a child whose death has been confirmed in plain view of everyone, how much trouble will it add for Violet, the instigator?

 

Some may feel it’s unjust, others may covet this miracle, and there might even be grieving individuals desperately pleading, using emotional appeals to convince Violet to save their cherished ones.

 

Perhaps one could secretly use magic, then disappear, without anyone knowing.

 

But is that really a good thing for Eli?

 

Human malice is sometimes even scarier than death itself.

 

However, this incident has also sounded an alarm for the Priestess.

 

Maybe her mindset is undergoing subtle changes, becoming calmer but also more indifferent.

 

This might lead her to overlook some seemingly insignificant but actually crucial things.

 

It’s crucial to always be vigilant and aware of the impacts of such changes.

 

After making up her mind, Violet placed that sweet illusion, perhaps the last trace left by someone in this world, into her inventory and tucked it away in some empty corner.

 

The departed are like dust, insignificant.