Soren Academy, renowned as the finest noble academy in the entire Soren City-State, boasts not only top-tier faculty but also gatekeepers who are retired soldiers from the Royal Guard. These men possess the sharp eyes of a falcon and the keen sense of smell of a hound—when necessary. However, most of the time, they prefer to laze around, content to avoid trouble with the noble offspring—after all, a whip on their backs could land them in the city-state prison for a week, with no chance of resistance.
So, when Liu Yu boarded the Fergus family carriage and flashed a pretty face while shouting "Move aside" at the gatekeepers, they let her pass without a second glance.
"Shouldn't we stop her?"
The new recruit, a naive youth, blushed as he stared at the vanishing carriage.
"Stop? With what?"
"But the school rules state that students are not allowed to leave during class..."
"Wake up, kid. Do the rules shield you from whips or get you out of prison? Nobles can do as they please; we commoners can't interfere."
"So we just let it go?"
"Of course, we have to manage. We stop those truly refined and elegant gentlemen and ladies, asking for a permit from the headmaster. But for families like the Fergus, who are clearly in decline yet still put on airs and bully others, we just stay out of their way."
"Beiliya doesn't seem like that. She looks as lovely as a rose..."
The youth received a knock on the head.
"Idiot, let me tell you something: roses have thorns." The older guard grumbled. "Do you know who the sobbing lady who just passed by is? That's Beiliya's sister. Their family can still afford servants, yet they make her sister walk three kilometers under the sun to deliver meals every day..."
"Carlo Prince once met that poor girl and spoke with her, saying that Beiliya's cruelty is a disgrace to the Fergus family's dignity. It's unacceptable, utterly unacceptable..."
Liu Yu, of course, was unaware of this discussion about her.
At that moment, she sat in the carriage, gazing out at the wide streets, the white domes, and the fleeting crowds.
The exotic scenery reminded her once again that she was no longer in her original world.
The city guards, clad in light silver armor, patrolled the streets, and pure white doves flew through the domes.
"Dong... dong... dong..."
The church bells struck twelve.
Pedestrians stopped in unison, bowing their heads in prayer, and even the carriages came to a halt.
Liu Yu heard the coachman's fervent prayer:
"Oh, merciful and great God of Light, thank you for granting us light and freedom, for helping us drive away darkness and evil, for providing us with abundant food and the freedom to live. This world exists because of you..."
The entire city seemed to freeze with the tolling of the bells.
After a while, the carriages moved again, and pedestrians resumed their journey, blending back into the crowd.
This religious fervor, both fascinating and chilling, made her uneasy. The God of Light was the very essence of faith in this world.
She couldn't help but glance at the embodiment of the God of Light before her.
The boy was pale and slender, his body covered in dried blood, yet his innate elegance made him seem neither shabby nor defeated. Instead, he exuded an otherworldly, unapproachable nobility.
"Beiliya?"
The boy seemed to sense her gaze and lifted his head "toward" her.
His eyes were covered with a white lace ribbon, revealing a straight nose and thin, pale lips. The delicate lace on his youthful face didn't make him look effeminate; instead, it added a fragile, snow-like delicacy.
"Beiliya?"
Liu Yu's mouth twitched downward:
For the third time today, she had been mesmerized by a man's beauty.
She rubbed her face, trying to build immunity to the "fairy-level" charm before her, and took out a pastry from the basket:
"Gaia, are you hungry?"
Gaia shook his head.
His lips, pale from blood loss, looked like withered petals.
"You should still eat. The coachman said it will take a while to reach Rovu Medical Hall, passing through the center of Solo City..."
Liu Yu looked out the window, her words trailing off.
The carriage sped through a vast plaza.
The plaza was constructed with large slabs of marble, and in its center stood a ten-meter-tall pure white marble statue.
The statue had wings spread wide, almost covering half the sky.
In his left hand, he held a golden scepter topped with a sun, and in his right, he held a silver crescent moon. His expression was solemn, gazing down with a mix of mercy, love, and sharpness.
In that instant, Liu Yu felt as if all her darkness had been exposed, with nowhere to hide.
"The statue is alive! The statue is alive!"
"The statue is alive! The statue is alive!"
At that moment, a brilliant light erupted from the center of the plaza, a white beam shooting into the sky. Liu Yu instinctively closed her eyes.
The carriage came to an abrupt halt.
The coachman scrambled out, and countless pedestrians, whether in coarse cloth or silk, rushed to the edge of the circular plaza, prostrating themselves:
"God of Light be praised!"
"May the Holy Light bless the earth, bless you and me..."
Liu Yu opened her eyes.
The plaza was packed with people, and countless carriages lined the roadside. They bowed repeatedly toward the central statue, like fervent pilgrims—
She turned to Gaia.
Gaia's expression was peculiar. One hand clutched his chest, as if something had surprised and confused him. Gradually, white light spots began to emanate from his body, identical to the Holy Light from the statue.
No!
It can't be!
Liu Yu's hair stood on end. Her intuition screamed that this couldn't continue, or Gaia...
She lunged forward, slamming into the boy.
"Thud—"
Her full force sent Gaia crashing into the carriage wall with a dull thud.
Gaia reached out, trying to push the soft body away, but instead, he was held even tighter. She wrapped around him like a supple, tenacious vine, the smooth silk brushing against his exposed skin. He frowned:
"Beiliya?"
The white light on his body vanished with that word.
Liu Yu turned to the window: the Holy Light on the statue had also disappeared.
So, distracting Gaia was the key?
She pondered.
The temperature of the glass bead she kept close to her body also cooled, no longer burning her skin.
The worshippers, heads bowed, cried and laughed, their actions bordering on madness.
"Beiliya?"
Gentle breaths brushed against her neck. Liu Yu noticed that the usually reserved boy's brow showed faint displeasure and aversion.
Instead of retreating, she moved closer, tightening her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder:
"Gaia, I'm sorry. I was scared." She sobbed softly, "Something strange just happened, and Beiliya was frightened..."
The fervent murmurs of the worshippers buzzed in her ears like a swarm of bees.
"Do you feel anything strange?"
Gaia seemed distracted. He looked "up" in confusion:
"There's a voice... calling me... very... warm."
Liu Yu's face remained expressionless, though her body trembled:
"Could it be... a devil? I heard devils eventually seduce people. Gaia, let's leave, okay?"
She tried to stand, stumbled, and fell again.
The boy let out a muffled groan, his face paler. The girl sobbed:
"Gaia, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to. I... I twisted my ankle. Let's hurry to the medical hall, okay? This place is... terrifying."
"No, it's not a devil."
Gaia pushed her hand away and sat up. He turned toward the window as if he could see, "Beiliya, listen. They're praying, praying to the God of Light."
"Gita is praying that her daughter will find a good man next spring."
"Mosan is praying that his sow will have a litter next year."
"Sanchev is praying that his youngest son's illness will heal soon."
"..."
But amidst the sea of cries and laughter, where were these prayers? They were all pleading for another miracle.
Liu Yu suddenly thought of a possibility. She asked in astonishment:
"Can you hear the prayers of everyone in their hearts?"
Gaia nodded, then shook his head after a moment.
"No, not all of them—" The young man's long, jade-like fingers hovered just above her chest. "Beiliya, I can't hear yours. Yours is the only one I can't hear."
"I can't hear the voice in your heart."
"…Oh. Gaia, my feet hurt. Can we go to the medical hall first?"
Liu Yu sobbed expressionlessly.
Cheating dog!
He actually has telepathy?!
Nickname:
