Chapter 293 Chapter 87 Cognition
Miss Verafia sat at the table, gazing at the young girl in the mirror. Her gold eyes flickered, and the girl thought not only of the various incidents concerning her but also of the contemplation of her own state of mind.
Verafia originally thought she could treat her past as Lothel with complete indifference… like a Bl, reborn from flames. Regardless of how many incidents the previous life had experienced, the new individual would have a completely independent personality, apart from knowledge and experience.
From Lothel to the current Verafia, although Verafia did not consider herself a split personality, the girl did not feel that she had much in common with the former “Hero”… At most, she had inherited his unfinished hatred.
However, just now, Verafia realized that things were not as she had imagined.
“Lothel… Hmm, it seems that before, to a great extent, I was deceiving myself. No wonder I’ve always felt that guy was reviving…”
Verafia murmured to herself. The girl’s face, which was as delicate and fair as fine jade, turned serious at this moment. She lowered her head, the magnificent color in her eyes shimmering like burning stars, her gaze falling on her outstretched palm.
On the girl’s slender, jade-like, delicately white fingers, a touch of brilliant gold flame ignited. Although not intense, the golden light seemed to shimmer like the only color in the entire world.
Had any mage proficient in elemental arts been present, they would have undoubtedly marveled uncontrollably at the flame’s light in the girl’s slender hand, considering it an artwork from a deity.
However, Verafia gazed at the light in her slender hand, the color in her gold eyes settling. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. She could clearly perceive that beneath the brilliant gold flame light, there was illusion and unstable concepts.
Regarding her past self and her current self, such cognition, if placed in human society, might only be considered a philosophical problem for scholars in the Church or the royal court to study. However, for Verafia, it was a serious matter that needed to be faced.
Just as in the Abyss of Deathly Stillness, when the Black-winged Monarch Anderdun spoke to her, Verafia was, to a large extent, in a competitive relationship with the being named Herafir.
Thinking of this, Verafia’s expression flickered with uncertainty. Her fair, jade-like slender fingers suddenly clenched, extinguishing the flame in her hand.
The girl’s golden eyes shifted, looking at the crystal bracelet that reflected light, which she had placed beside the magic lamp, and the pale bone fragment she had also picked up from the Abyss of Deathly Stillness.
In the light, the dark gold markings on the bone fragment also shimmered slightly, but they were shrouded by the light within the adjacent bright red crystal, which resembled a flamboyant flame.
Verafia suddenly spoke: “Anderdun, you don’t need to hide here. Do you think what you did tonight can be hidden from me?”
The girl’s voice gradually faded into silence in the air, but Verafia’s golden eyes remained fixed on the pale bone fragment not far from her.
Time in the air seemed to solidify. After several seconds, the pale bone fragment placed on the table by the girl trembled slightly, emitting a dark, ethereal glow, and then a harsh sound like bones grinding emanated:
“You found me… I didn’t expect you to have the heart to pay attention when you were drawn into that domain…”
Previously, when Verafia was fighting the Abyss priest Hodrea, the Black-winged Monarch had uttered a sound, attempting to bewitch Ig, taking advantage of the moment when the demonic power collision annihilated the law of concepts.
However, Anderdun had only uttered a vague sound, and Ig mistakenly believed it was related to the “Abyss Brand” on him.
“Hmph, why would I need to wait until then? Anderdun, you know whose body this is, so why are you holding onto such a slim hope?”
Verafia crossed her arms, her luxurious gold eyes fixed on Anderdun’s gradually condensing phantom within the black light. She suddenly raised the corner of her lips and said mockingly: “You can’t possibly think that I took this bone fragment just to more easily devour your demonic power and divine spark, can you?”
The phantom of the Black-robed Monarch looked at the girl. Above the black light, brilliant flame light overflowed. Anderdun suddenly shook his head and smiled:
“If it were you before, of course, there would be no need to keep me… Of course, you cannot be the former Lothel. Otherwise, how could you have been deceiving that young man all along and keeping him by your side? Don’t you think so, Hero?”
Verafia’s gold eyes turned clear, a cold light flashing. However, she did not refute Anderdun’s last remark, which was clearly laced with mockery, but allowed him to continue speaking:
The black light on the Black-winged Monarch’s phantom flickered, seemingly resisting the shimmering flame light around it. He gazed at the girl’s exquisite, artwork-like face:
“Miss Verafia, for you now, I imagine the existence of Lancaster and Herafir is not easy to deal with. How about…”
“Anderdun, you are not qualified to talk terms with me,” Verafia’s voice, tinged with annoyance, came through.
The Black-winged Monarch was choked by the girl’s voice, but he also knew he was dependent on her, and Verafia could burn him to death with a single thought. Thus, he had to forcibly suppress his inner anger:
“Heh, Verafia, you didn’t deny it. However, at this time, it’s obviously not because of Lancaster… Are you looking for me to deal with your true form?”
The Black-winged Monarch’s voice rippled through space. He looked at the girl and suddenly felt her aura becoming more restless. Even beneath the coldness of her luxurious gold eyes, there was clearly a hint of agitation:
“If that’s the case… Could it be that you’re just now struggling with whose identity you are?”
A hint of impatience flickered in Verafia’s golden eyes. Seeing that the girl did not deny it, the Black-winged Monarch let out a loud laugh:
“Haha, Hero, I didn’t expect you to be bothered by such things. Do you think it matters who you are—”
Verafia raised her slender hand forcefully, and a burst of firelight swept out, suppressing Anderdun’s phantom back into the bone fragment, leaving only the unfinished words of his voice echoing in the air.
The girl slightly turned her gaze, her delicate eyebrows furrowed. She had summoned Anderdun precisely to seek his advice on how to deal with this matter.
After all, although the Black-winged Monarch did not truly possess half a fallen divine spark, he had managed to remain undepleted until now, which clearly indicated his extraordinary capabilities.
“Does it matter who I am…?”
Verafia repeated the taunting words left by him and then gently shook her head.
It was completely unnecessary nonsense.
Verafia momentarily regretted her impulsive decision to find Anderdun so early. Not only had she failed to learn his trump card, but she had also been mocked by this demon.
—-
Regarding the romantic storyline, it was originally planned for the next volume. Since it’s being moved up, the protagonist’s corresponding emotions also need some twists and foreshadowing…
(So, this chapter is a bit inexplicable… Please bear with me…)
