2-86 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

In the year that followed, with hands in his pockets, Wenny saw his great-grandmother beckoning to him. Her figure wavered between near and far, leaving him bewildered. Eventually, after a lengthy conversation with the self-proclaimed ancestor—a woman with pink hair—the conversation shifted, and sensing something, she finally felt relieved. She bade him farewell with a smile, then gave him a gentle push back to reality. The push wasn’t harsh; it was more of a nudge. However, his great-grandmother’s strength was overwhelming, sending him right back. “Oh! Cough, cough!” From a state akin to a sleeping pig that wouldn’t wake, Wenny jolted, feeling something foreign in his mouth and throat, prompting a fit of violent coughing as he expelled the remnants of some medicinal liquid. “Am I... at the station?” Even though he’d been pulled back from the brink of death, Wenny still felt weak, too weak to lift his head, only able to glance upward. And there, he found himself in a paradise—a fragrant mix of roses and roses so familiar it was intoxicating. Wenny had no notion of what reaching heaven felt like, but at this moment, as he lay on the warm, tantalizing black silk, he felt he had ascended. The soft, cotton-like warmth of thighs combined with the exquisite feel of silk enveloped him in an illusion that he was in paradise. Indeed, heaven must be just like this. In a world overwhelmed with desires, only the warmth of these maidenly black stockings offered any solace. Surely, he’d already passed on, reached heaven, and been sentenced by the goddess and angel ladies to live eternally in a ‘Black Silk Inferno’ as a punishment for his sins on earth. Oh, such a reward—no, punishment—let it come in abundance, please! Let him endure this greatest of worldly tortures by drowning in the black silk; he’d willingly die for it! ‘Morality +300.’ ‘Current Morality: 8654.’ What? How is it possible to earn morality points even after reaching the inferno?? The morality system must have followed him to the inferno, too! This isn’t right; even if it had followed him... it shouldn’t... “Snap!” Before he could continue pondering, Wenny suddenly sensed the black silk tightening, clenching around his neck. “Oh! Oh oh oh?! Am I going to die again?!” he shouted, face flushed from the constriction. “Wenny, if you keep this up, I might really break your neck and let you die once more,” Aesphyra said with a sardonic smile. “Whoa!? White-haired short nut?? How is it you? Did you die too?? Oh dear, the goddess must’ve lost her sight to let you end up in the ‘Black Silk Inferno’ with me! Isn’t that a paradise for you?” Even in his weak state and blurred consciousness, Wenny, notorious for his antics, couldn’t help but jest as long as he wasn’t truly dead. “What on earth is this ‘Black Silk Inferno’?… Spout more nonsense and I might actually send you there,” Aesphyra threatened with a sinister grin. Despite her threats, seeing him still full of mischief was a good sign; his antics indicated he was on the mend. Though not great in any other aspect, this blue-haired guy’s vitality had a commendable resilience. Besides… Earlier, the situation had been so dire that Aesphyra didn’t have the luxury to consider such matters. Wenny, this shameless fellow, had rested on her lap for this long due to his severe injuries. She couldn’t just kick him off, so she consented, yet he went on to stain her stockings with blood. Recalling this, Aesphyra’s face flushed faintly—a first for her, an intimate encounter with the opposite sex. Had it been someone else, they would have faced amputation, but recalling Wenny’s selfless act to save her, she felt nothing repulsive. “Ah, ah, so I’m not dead?” Wenny finally became aware, touching his head. “Can you release first? Is my head still there?” Finding his head intact, Wenny exhaled a sigh of relief. He had thought he was gone for good. While shielding Aesphyra from the ice blade, he’d felt his abdomen shatter, as though his internal organs were ground up; he’d flown off like a kite without a string, crashing into Aesphyra before blacking out. But wait… If he wasn’t dead, how did he experience that ‘Black Silk Inferno’? Could it be… he was here…? Immersed in the intoxicating black, Wenny looked up, meeting Aesphyra’s gaze, seeing her cold but lovely visage, her amethyst eyes piercing into his soul. ‘Morality +100.’ ‘Current Morality: 8754.’ Oh, so he was cradled by the white-haired short nut, knee-pillowed indeed. Wenny’s eyes widened in realization. Whoa?! Going from the wolf’s den to the tiger’s lair?? What lunacy drove him to dare do this to this green-eyed tigress?! It wasn’t his fault, truly! A unavoidable compulsion, that’s what it was! He’d taken a spell for Aesphyra, the impact threw him there, nearly costing him his life; can’t blame him for that?? “Hey, Aesphyra, I know you’re panicking, but don’t, stay calm! It wasn’t intentional, it was just irresistible force!” Wenny pleaded, then noticed the ancient-looking vial in Aesphyra’s hand along with the glittering pink potion, the scent all too familiar. It was… The potion was half-gone, clearly used up. Wenny soon understood who it had been used on. Of course, he, merely at the mage's level, equipped in mere paper-thin armor with a self-applied ice shield dared face a future demon monarch’s spell—certainly worth a death wish thrice over. Why he survived, Wenny discerned the healing potion Aesphyra held was no ordinary concoction; typically red, varying by concentration, but this one was pink, similar to holy light. This stuff must be costly. Coming from the Fasyris family, Wenny could sense its value. Perhaps it was one of those heirloom potions, a second life only a cherished few are permitted. Wenny fell silent. Such treasures no ordinary person would squander on frivolities, especially following a tense situation. Even if to murder him, wasting the rest of such a potion represented gross negligence. “Cough! I saved you earlier, and then you saved me back,” Wenny mused, catching his breath. “You two seem quite close, entrusting your backs to each other—touching indeed,” a voice interrupted them, belonging to Jiu Lixue, a silent spectator. She wasn’t in a rush to confront them and enjoyed the additional drama. “…” Wenny glanced at Aesphyra, who returned the look. Their shared resolve was clear: trivial matters could wait until the imminent threat was neutralized. ‘Aesphyra, can you hear me?’ “??” Suddenly, Aesphyra heard Wenny call her name, but when she looked over, his mouth hadn’t moved, nor did he acknowledge her, as if he hadn’t spoken at all. But she heard it, no doubt about it. 'Damn it! Do you expect me to keep repeating "are you there" before you reply? If you can hear me, just think your response. This is mental communication. That vixen's senses are incredibly sharp, so to prevent her from overhearing our plans, I used a mental communication scroll!' Hearing this, Aesphyra understood and replied. 'I can hear you.' 'Great, do you have any plans?' 'Huh? Shouldn't I be the one asking that, Wenny? Didn't you come back heroically to save the damsel with a plan in mind or perhaps reinforcements?' 'Do you think I can summon help from hundreds of miles away? I'm not some imperial noble; I can't even call in local militia!' 'So, you’re just here to die then?' Despite the urgent situation, Aesphyra couldn’t help but tease Wenny. It was perhaps because, for once, she wasn't alone but had a trustworthy ally standing with her in the face of adversity. No longer alone. Aesphyra used to think that escaping from such a situation alone was rational, that staying was foolish. But now, regardless of effectiveness, having two people was indeed better than one. 'Die? Oh, don’t say it like that. The reason I was late was that I thought of a solution. It's just that it’s quite destructive, and I was hesitant to use it. After much deliberation, I decided to go ahead!' 'Oh? Wenny thought of something? That's not something that happens often,' Aesphyra teased. 'Spare me the mockery! I’m the idea king of Carmela, brimming with clever tricks! So, if you’re running out of options, remember: Wenny here can turn the tides!' Though Aesphyra couldn’t see Wenny’s expression, she could imagine him with hands on hips, looking triumphantly skyward. ‘Alright then, tell me, what idea do you have to get us out of this mess?’ Aesphyra’s lips curled into a slight smile. ‘White-haired shorty, haven’t you kept a trump card unused?’ Wenny contemplated out loud. ‘….’ Aesphyra did not respond. She was unsure if Wenny had guessed it or just made a wild assumption. ‘You don’t need to answer that; I'm not interested in your secrets. But at this pivotal moment, it’s best to come clean. You were nearly demolished before but didn’t use your ultimate move, which means it requires certain important preconditions.’ ‘Tell me, what do you need to unleash that trump card?’ Wenny inquired. ‘Strange, does Wenny's intelligence only peak during life-and-death moments?’ Aesphyra tilted her head. ‘This isn’t the time for this! If that vixen runs out of patience, we’re both done for!’ Despite having narrowly survived, Wenny, still heavily injured, engaged in mental dialogue while resting his head on Aesphyra’s soft black silk-clad lap, displaying his urgency by nuzzling her. ‘Give me a few minutes,’ Aesphyra stated simply. ‘Exactly how many minutes?’ Wenny asked. ‘Five minutes should suffice.’ ‘But you need to fully attract Jiu Lixue and her minions’ attention,’ Aesphyra added. ‘Completely.’ This would indeed be difficult; both Aesphyra and Wenny knew Jiu Lixue's sharp attention span, which can detect any unusual move from opponents, even when distracted. Thus, Aesphyra emphasized that Jiu Lixue’s attention must be entirely diverted from her. ‘I see, you came to the right person. Distracting is something this Grandmaster of Mental Arts excels at!’ ‘When I tell you to start, then you begin… but before that, give me another gulp.’ After Aesphyra gave him another dose of the elixir, Wenny regained some mobility. ‘Alright, help me up!’ Wenny steadied himself. With Aesphyra’s help, Wenny stood up and stretched amidst the demons’ watchful gazes. The two no longer exchanged words, focusing intently on their tasks, communicating their trust through a single glance. “Oww, it hurts so much! I thought I was a goner, headed for hell. Your Majesty, you’re ruthless, truly ruthless! You hit so hard.” Wenny joked while casually positioning himself to shield Aesphyra from view. However, this wasn’t nearly enough; Jiu Lixue and the demons, knowing Aesphyra posed the real threat, wouldn’t shift their focus easily. “That puts me in a bind, Your Majesty; even if I came with a box of milk, I might not be able to save you!” Wenny groaned, his bloody figure looking almost comedic. The other demons were baffled, staring at this seemingly deranged human. “Oh?” Jiu Lixue watched Wenny with amusement; after teetering close to death, to return and court disaster again was a rare bravery. Having crossed the threshold of death, daring to act as such, was a courage not found in most. She couldn’t help but see Wenny with new regard. ‘Morality +50.’ ‘Current Morality: 8804.’ She was curious to see what these two were plotting. Confident they wouldn’t elude her grasp, she waited patiently. “Oh, why push me to act?” Wenny theatrically lamented. “Originally, I wasn’t planning on it, but since Your Majesty pushed me so far, I must impart some wisdom to you about ‘leaving room for future encounters.’” “So, what are you planning to do?” Jiu Lixue inquired. “Hehehe.” Wenny’s expression lightened. “Since Her Majesty inquires, allow me.” Suddenly, he raised his arms and shouted, “Okay, everyone, look at me! Attention here! I have something to announce!” “Everyone, you must be Queen Jiu Lixue’s confidants, right? Hahahaha.” Despite his injuries, Wenny laughed heartily through the pain. “So, I must ask, how does Her Majesty typically appear before you? Surely solemn, high above, sacred and untouchable?” “What I’m about to reveal could alter your perceptions, perhaps unraveling small secrets of Her Majesty.” The demon officers and the duke’s forces scoffed at Wenny’s apparent nonsense. Jiu Lixue’s expression remained unchanged, her interest piqued while she observed Wenny’s antics. “Don’t believe me? Just wait; you’ll soon see the truth or falsehood yourselves!” Wenny declared, drawing a memory stone from his clothes. “Don’t be hasty, Your Majesty! Preemptively, I must state: this memory stone isn’t the original, just a copy. You probably know whose hands hold the original.” Wenny’s nonchalant smile was infuriating. Though outwardly composed, a familiar memory stone struck an absurd possibility in Jiu Lixue. Could it be...? ‘Morality +200.’ ‘Current Morality: 9004.’ Oh ho, there’s movement, movement indeed! Just as expected, this vixen deeply cared about this matter. Great! So long as she does… "So, Your Majesty Jiu Lixue, even if you act out of desperation and try to kill me now, it will be futile; it won't solve the underlying problem." At the same time, Wenny mentally signaled to Aesphyra. 'You can start now!' This marked the beginning of their plan, unfolding amidst the tension and danger.