<p>Chapter Seventeen: From now on, I shall bear it!</p>
<p>【In just a few days, that human has appeared before me once again.】</p>
<p>【Clearly, he had already been cursed and deprived of life last time; how did he come back? And why has the Black Mist clinging to him dissipated? Does there truly exist someone in this world who cannot be killed by a curse?】</p>
<p>【At the very least, I didn’t detect the presence of the Black Mist at all.】</p>
<p>【He himself is completely unaware of this ability, claiming he was inspired and came here to save someone.】</p>
<p>【I do not believe in so-called inspiration or destiny, nor do I believe that anyone in this world can save me.】</p>
<p>【It should be the case… Yet ironically, in the end, I still proactively tested him.】</p>
<p>【Looking at the ugly, twisted Black Mist in my hand, he seemed to completely forget how painful it was and without the slightest hesitation, reached out his hand.】</p>
<p>【The reason was absurd, for it was my wish.】</p>
<p>【Such a strange human, an incomprehensible human.】</p>
<p>【After a brief hesitation, I once again witnessed life fading away.】</p>
<p>【But this time, it did not take long.】</p>
<p>【Soon, accompanied by burning silver flames, he returned here cleanly, without a trace of the curse’s Black Mist, and politely greeted me, which left me somewhat dazed.】</p>
<p>【For countless years, no one has done anything like this; they only repeated death, adding to my sins.】</p>
<p>【But this human seems to be a bit different.】</p>
<p>——Excerpt from “The Witch’s Diary,” Abyss Year 1249, July 15.</p>
<p>……</p>
<p>When Shaya stepped out of the fiery passage once more, he saw Witch Miss quietly standing not far away, her gaze fixed on him as if she were trying to confirm something.</p>
<p>Then, in her beautiful yet cold eyes, an unprecedented hint of distraction appeared.</p>
<p>Shaya smiled silently, then slightly raised his arms to showcase his abundant vitality, softly saying, “Your Excellency, as you can see, I have indeed not concealed or deceived you.”</p>
<p>The voice snapped the witch back to reality, and her expression quickly returned to ice-cold. She swiftly turned away, seemingly not wanting Shaya to witness her emotional fluctuations.</p>
<p>Beneath her swirling skirt, her pristine bare feet were faintly visible.</p>
<p>She paused for a moment, seemingly to calm her emotions, and then gently took a step forward.</p>
<p>One step, two steps, three steps…</p>
<p>Watching her graceful silhouette, Shaya remained silent, observing her as she slowly walked forward aimlessly.</p>
<p>He could not tell how the witch felt, but he was in quite a good mood, for just moments ago, the system had issued a notification.</p>
<p>【Your level has risen from LV.34 to LV.41!】</p>
<p>【Due to the experience gained exceeding the limit for a single instance, the excess will be deemed invalid!】</p>
<p>【You have gained 21 free attribute points!】</p>
<p>To Shaya’s astonishment, the experience gained had once again surpassed the limit, making it hard to fathom just how powerful the witch truly was.</p>
<p>It seemed that with such a rapid increase in level, there would likely be many more opportunities yet.</p>
<p>This made the way he looked at her change to something more fervent.</p>
<p>However, Shaya did not rush to allocate the free attribute points, as there would soon be another chance for leveling up.</p>
<p>He did not know how much time had passed when the witch finally stopped.</p>
<p>She gently lifted her head, her black hair cascading slightly, and the curve of her pristine neck was elegant and elusive.</p>
<p>Following the witch’s gaze, Shaya looked up towards the palace above; it was dark and deep, with no visible end.</p>
<p>What was she looking at?</p>
<p>Or was she waiting for something?</p>
<p>Shaya was puzzled but did not disturb her; after all, it’s best for a mortal not to try to guess the thoughts of a deity.</p>
<p>After an unknown amount of time, the witch, still with her back to Shaya, let out a very slight sigh.</p>
<p>Then she turned around and slowly assessed Shaya: “You say you are here to ‘save’ me?”</p>
<p>“According to the inspiration in the dream, it is so,” Shaya replied.</p>
<p>“Dream.” The witch gently tasted the word, then shook her head, “Then do you know what kind of existence you are trying to save?”</p>
<p>Although her expression did not change much, Shaya clearly detected a hint of a sigh in her voice.</p>
<p>Just as he was about to speak, suddenly, a low and deep tolling echoed from the dark, deep dome above, enveloping the palace.</p>
<p>Once, twice, three times… twelve times.</p>
<p>After twelve tolls, the sound finally ceased.</p>
<p>Shaya couldn’t help but think that in mystical knowledge, the number twelve represents misfortune, death, and endpoints.</p>
<p>Was this what Witch Miss had been waiting for?</p>
<p>He immediately began to contemplate the connection between that previous remark and the twelve tolls, casting her a thoughtful glance.</p>
<p>But just that glance felt as if Shaya had plunged into the infinite Abyss!</p>
<p>In a fleeting moment, the witch’s delicate and graceful body was enveloped by an even thicker and darker Black Mist, extending countless eerie lines resembling black serpents, wildly and chaotically dancing in the hall. Just one glance contained strong emotions of despair, madness, and evil, intertwined with countless memories that could drive one to collapse, crashing into Shaya’s mind!</p>
<p>Chilling, eerie whispers and screams echoed in his ears, while countless pale hands reaching out from the Abyss swayed beside him, grasping every part of Shaya’s body, wanting to tear him apart.</p>
<p>He covered his eyes, painfully collapsing to the ground; blood tears flowed down the corners of his eyes, his entire body spasmed and tightened with muscle cramps, his mind spiraled into madness, as if some evil being within him was about to awaken!</p>
<p>This was a sign of being tainted by an Evil God.</p>
<p>How could someone labeled a witch by the world, and adorned with the title of great evil, be merely a seemingly harmless individual?</p>
<p>Cold beauty?</p>
<p>In reality, she was an evil god formed from the convergence of countless malevolence!</p>
<p>Unbeholden to the divine!</p>
<p>In his dazed state, Shaya heard a melodious voice from the heart of the Black Mist, as calm and cold as before: “This is my essence, a sinner sealed within the Abyss, an ugly existence cursed; so far, millions of lives have died directly or indirectly at my hands.”</p>
<p>“I am not the deity you imagine; praying to me will only yield death and misfortune.”</p>
<p>“Do you, who are so weak that you cannot even bear to look directly at me, truly have the qualifications to save such an existence?”</p>
<p>Amidst pain and madness, Shaya struggled to raise his head.</p>
<p>From a distance, the witch floated half a person high above the ground, her hands and feet bound by illusory shackles that he had not noticed before, engulfed in endless Black Mist, resembling a cocoon containing death and despair.</p>
<p>The black serpents entwined within the void seemed to form pathways, linking to an endless void, drawing in the black mists that symbolize death and curses, furiously delivering these mysterious substances inward, gradually merging with the witch inside the cocoon.</p>
<p>Her already pale skin appeared even more bloodless under the influence of the Black Mist and the curse.</p>
<p>A flash of pain flickered between the witch’s brows, though well hidden.</p>
<p>She once thought that all of this Black Mist and the descriptions in the book came from the witch herself: an ill-omened curse that could not be erased since the day of birth; even if sealed within the Abyss, it would continue to spread, indirectly causing the downfall of nearly half the Northern Continent.</p>
<p>But the actual situation seemed not to be thus.</p>
<p>From Shaya’s perspective, the scene before him was more akin to a punishment, and the earlier bell tolls perhaps indicated the execution of that punishment.</p>
<p>Perhaps, for the witch, the pain experienced when the curse activated was on a similar level to what Shaya felt… no, judging by the scale and severity of the curse before him, it should be even worse.</p>
<p>After all, Shaya could only hold a small part before dying, but for her, who was eternally undying, she had to bear it all.</p>
<p>It was hard to imagine that for countless years sealed here, the witch must have endured similar punishments from time to time.</p>
<p>What kind of deep hatred must this be?</p>
<p>“System.”</p>
<p>With a thought, a window popped up before him.</p>
<p>Shaya extended his hand and allocated all his free attribute points to stamina, causing the value to soar to 88 points.</p>
<p>As soon as his stamina reached 60 points, another window appeared.</p>
<p>【Would you like to promote to ‘Grand Knight’?】</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>At that moment, Shaya’s physical abilities underwent a complete transformation, rising to the rank of Grand Knight. Based on his allocation of points towards strength, he leapt to become a top-tier individual among them!</p>
<p>Naturally, his life essence had also achieved a qualitative leap.</p>
<p>An average adult has a stamina value of about 5 points, yet Shaya at this moment had far surpassed that standard.</p>
<p>But facing the witch amidst the storm of Black Mist, he still felt as small as an ant.</p>
<p>Shaya clutched his head, his expression manic as he gazed at the scene before him, slowly standing up.</p>
<p>He walked quickly towards the black-dressed woman at the center of the storm. Accompanying his footsteps, the engulfing Black Mist that filled the entire palace seemed to smell blood, surging toward him like a horde of sharks!</p>
<p>Compared to when he first arrived here, the curse he could attract had increased by many times.</p>
<p>Due to his level being raised, his overall strength and life essence had evolved, naturally allowing him to withstand more Black Mist and curses.</p>
<p>It was like bringing a top-tier Vatican knight here; after being cursed by the Black Mist, they would survive longer than Shaya could now, able to attract even more Black Mist and curses.</p>
<p>The difference was, they could hardly escape death, but Shaya could revive and completely obliterate the accompanying Black Mist!</p>
<p>With blood tears streaming down his face, Shaya held his head high, staring into the heart of the Black Mist where the witch resided, gazing at the mist that could take his life at any moment, his eyes shimmering slightly.</p>
<p>In his eyes, these were all valuable experience points.</p>
<p>As he drew nearer to the witch’s location, he extended his hand to shield his face, fending off the rushing Black Mist, feeling his body slowly decay and wither, his life being continuously devoured.</p>
<p>Let the storm grow fiercer!</p>
<p>“Although I am still weak, I am not unable to look you in the eye.”</p>
<p>Shaya’s steps did not falter, the distance between them gradually shrinking, while the Black Mist surged wildly.</p>
<p>The witch, floating in midair, looked down at the staggeringly approaching Shaya, witnessing his stubborn figure ensnared in curses but refusing to halt, her pupils slowly widening.</p>
<p>Her hands, shackled, instinctively clenched tight, knuckles turning white.</p>
<p>“Even if you grant me death and misfortune, I will gladly accept.”</p>
<p>Rather, these are precisely what I want.</p>
<p>Standing before the witch, Shaya tilted his head upwards; his entire being was covered with cracks, resembling a fragile piece of porcelain on the verge of collapse.</p>
<p>Moreover, as the distance closed, the evil Black Mist from the void seemed to find another target, rushing toward Shaya at an unprecedented pace!</p>
<p>Countless black serpents and mists seemed like shackles from the Abyss, wrapping around Shaya’s body; in just a few seconds, they were about to swallow a newly appointed Grand Knight entirely!</p>
<p>It was as if a great river had split into two branches; as one branch’s water volume increased, the other’s would decrease accordingly.</p>
<p>At this moment, the endless Black Mist entwining around the witch had evidently been eased a bit.</p>
<p>Shaya was actively helping to bear the pain for her.</p>
<p>The witch gazed down at Shaya, her gaze trembling, her red lips slightly parted, as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately her expression returned to calm.</p>
<p>Seeing this scene, a nonchalant expression spread across Shaya’s pale face: “As I said last time, you might as well smile more.”</p>
<p>Saying this, Shaya used his last ounce of strength to slowly raise his hand, his fingertip resting against his lips, gently lifting upwards to reveal a smile.</p>
<p>The boy smiled brightly and cleanly.</p>
<p>But he was about to die.</p>
<p>Soon, with the final engulfing of the Black Mist, Shaya’s figure gradually turned to dust and ashes, vanishing within the palace.</p>
<p>Only a declaration-like statement lingered in the air, slowly resonating.</p>
<p>“Moreover… Witch Miss, from now on, let the evil curse that brings you a lifetime of misfortune be borne by me!”</p>
<p>……</p>
<p>After an undetermined amount of time, the violent Black Mist that engulfed the entire palace finally began to subside.</p>
<p>Along with the disappearance of the shackles on her hands and feet, the witch slowly floated down, her complexion pale.</p>
<p>After a brief silence, just as before, she conjured a diary out of thin air, opened it to the latest date, and found a blank space to begin recording the events of the day.</p>
<p>Recalling the moments from earlier, she still felt a bit dazed.</p>
<p>After a while, with delicate white fingers gripping a feather pen, she gently wrote in elegant script.</p>
<p>【In just a few days, that human has appeared before me once again.】</p>
<p>……</p>
<p>【Looking at the ugly, twisted Black Mist in my hand, he seemed to completely forget how painful it was and without a moment’s hesitation, reached out his hand.】</p>
<p>【The reason was absurd, for it was my wish.】</p>
<p>【Such a strange human, an incomprehensible human.】</p>
<p>……</p>
<p>【For countless years, no one has done anything like this; they merely repeated death, adding to my sins.】</p>
<p>【But this human seems to be a bit different.】</p>
<p>Writing to this point, the witch paused slightly, raised her head, recalling her inner journey from earlier. She glanced at the spot where Shaya had disappeared; a hint of complexity flickered in her previously cold eyes.</p>
<p>After a moment, she continued to write.</p>
<p>【It is extremely coincidental that the day he arrived happens to be the day of punishment.】</p>
<p>【To let him know how ridiculous his claim of saving me is, I unreservedly displayed my most evil side before him, even more terrifying than the most horrifying evil god in the world.】</p>
<p>【However… he did not flee in fear but rather, in the gradual decay of body and mind, stepped closer to me, just as he did last time.】</p>
<p>【I am well aware that this process is incredibly painful, yet he managed to endure until the end without breaking in will.】</p>
<p>【Clearly just a weak human, yet when he stood before me, he boldly spoke words of absurdity.】</p>
<p>【He said: “Witch Miss, from now on, let the evil curse that brings you a lifetime of misfortune be borne by me!”】</p>
<p>【It is the first time someone has ever said such words to me.】</p>
<p>【Having lived for so many years, I certainly have means to discern whether the other party is lying… but the problem is, what he said seems to be the truth.】</p>
<p>【Such a strange human, an incomprehensible human.】</p>
<p>【But also the first human willing to voluntarily help me bear pain.】</p>
<p>【However, humans are creatures with good memories; once he leaves, when he recalls the agony of being bound by curses, he likely won’t come back to such a place again.】</p>
<p>【He probably… won’t.】</p>
<p>Having written to this point, the diary came to an end.</p>
<p>The witch waved her hand, causing the diary to vanish and then slowly sat down upon the smooth steps; her somewhat tattered long skirt spread out, concealing her delicate white legs.</p>
<p>During this time, she lightly furrowed her brows, as if engaging in some internal struggle.</p>
<p>Looking at the empty and desolate hall, the witch subconsciously clenched her other fist, attempting to slightly lift the corners of her tightly pressed lips.</p>
<p>Perhaps accustomed to appearing cold and aloof, her expression seemed somewhat stiff at that moment.</p>
<p>After countless attempts, she still failed to smile.</p>
<p>She gently closed her eyes.</p>
<p>What is a smile, and what kind of emotion does it encompass?</p>
<p>Uncomprehended.</p>
<p>Unfathomable.</p>
<p>But recalling the clean smile of that boy, the witch felt she might be a bit closer to the answer to this question.</p>
<p>【In just a few days, that human has appeared before me once again.】</p>
<p>【Clearly, he had already been cursed and deprived of life last time; how did he come back? And why has the Black Mist clinging to him dissipated? Does there truly exist someone in this world who cannot be killed by a curse?】</p>
<p>【At the very least, I didn’t detect the presence of the Black Mist at all.】</p>
<p>【He himself is completely unaware of this ability, claiming he was inspired and came here to save someone.】</p>
<p>【I do not believe in so-called inspiration or destiny, nor do I believe that anyone in this world can save me.】</p>
<p>【It should be the case… Yet ironically, in the end, I still proactively tested him.】</p>
<p>【Looking at the ugly, twisted Black Mist in my hand, he seemed to completely forget how painful it was and without the slightest hesitation, reached out his hand.】</p>
<p>【The reason was absurd, for it was my wish.】</p>
<p>【Such a strange human, an incomprehensible human.】</p>
<p>【After a brief hesitation, I once again witnessed life fading away.】</p>
<p>【But this time, it did not take long.】</p>
<p>【Soon, accompanied by burning silver flames, he returned here cleanly, without a trace of the curse’s Black Mist, and politely greeted me, which left me somewhat dazed.】</p>
<p>【For countless years, no one has done anything like this; they only repeated death, adding to my sins.】</p>
<p>【But this human seems to be a bit different.】</p>
<p>——Excerpt from “The Witch’s Diary,” Abyss Year 1249, July 15.</p>
<p>……</p>
<p>When Shaya stepped out of the fiery passage once more, he saw Witch Miss quietly standing not far away, her gaze fixed on him as if she were trying to confirm something.</p>
<p>Then, in her beautiful yet cold eyes, an unprecedented hint of distraction appeared.</p>
<p>Shaya smiled silently, then slightly raised his arms to showcase his abundant vitality, softly saying, “Your Excellency, as you can see, I have indeed not concealed or deceived you.”</p>
<p>The voice snapped the witch back to reality, and her expression quickly returned to ice-cold. She swiftly turned away, seemingly not wanting Shaya to witness her emotional fluctuations.</p>
<p>Beneath her swirling skirt, her pristine bare feet were faintly visible.</p>
<p>She paused for a moment, seemingly to calm her emotions, and then gently took a step forward.</p>
<p>One step, two steps, three steps…</p>
<p>Watching her graceful silhouette, Shaya remained silent, observing her as she slowly walked forward aimlessly.</p>
<p>He could not tell how the witch felt, but he was in quite a good mood, for just moments ago, the system had issued a notification.</p>
<p>【Your level has risen from LV.34 to LV.41!】</p>
<p>【Due to the experience gained exceeding the limit for a single instance, the excess will be deemed invalid!】</p>
<p>【You have gained 21 free attribute points!】</p>
<p>To Shaya’s astonishment, the experience gained had once again surpassed the limit, making it hard to fathom just how powerful the witch truly was.</p>
<p>It seemed that with such a rapid increase in level, there would likely be many more opportunities yet.</p>
<p>This made the way he looked at her change to something more fervent.</p>
<p>However, Shaya did not rush to allocate the free attribute points, as there would soon be another chance for leveling up.</p>
<p>He did not know how much time had passed when the witch finally stopped.</p>
<p>She gently lifted her head, her black hair cascading slightly, and the curve of her pristine neck was elegant and elusive.</p>
<p>Following the witch’s gaze, Shaya looked up towards the palace above; it was dark and deep, with no visible end.</p>
<p>What was she looking at?</p>
<p>Or was she waiting for something?</p>
<p>Shaya was puzzled but did not disturb her; after all, it’s best for a mortal not to try to guess the thoughts of a deity.</p>
<p>After an unknown amount of time, the witch, still with her back to Shaya, let out a very slight sigh.</p>
<p>Then she turned around and slowly assessed Shaya: “You say you are here to ‘save’ me?”</p>
<p>“According to the inspiration in the dream, it is so,” Shaya replied.</p>
<p>“Dream.” The witch gently tasted the word, then shook her head, “Then do you know what kind of existence you are trying to save?”</p>
<p>Although her expression did not change much, Shaya clearly detected a hint of a sigh in her voice.</p>
<p>Just as he was about to speak, suddenly, a low and deep tolling echoed from the dark, deep dome above, enveloping the palace.</p>
<p>Once, twice, three times… twelve times.</p>
<p>After twelve tolls, the sound finally ceased.</p>
<p>Shaya couldn’t help but think that in mystical knowledge, the number twelve represents misfortune, death, and endpoints.</p>
<p>Was this what Witch Miss had been waiting for?</p>
<p>He immediately began to contemplate the connection between that previous remark and the twelve tolls, casting her a thoughtful glance.</p>
<p>But just that glance felt as if Shaya had plunged into the infinite Abyss!</p>
<p>In a fleeting moment, the witch’s delicate and graceful body was enveloped by an even thicker and darker Black Mist, extending countless eerie lines resembling black serpents, wildly and chaotically dancing in the hall. Just one glance contained strong emotions of despair, madness, and evil, intertwined with countless memories that could drive one to collapse, crashing into Shaya’s mind!</p>
<p>Chilling, eerie whispers and screams echoed in his ears, while countless pale hands reaching out from the Abyss swayed beside him, grasping every part of Shaya’s body, wanting to tear him apart.</p>
<p>He covered his eyes, painfully collapsing to the ground; blood tears flowed down the corners of his eyes, his entire body spasmed and tightened with muscle cramps, his mind spiraled into madness, as if some evil being within him was about to awaken!</p>
<p>This was a sign of being tainted by an Evil God.</p>
<p>How could someone labeled a witch by the world, and adorned with the title of great evil, be merely a seemingly harmless individual?</p>
<p>Cold beauty?</p>
<p>In reality, she was an evil god formed from the convergence of countless malevolence!</p>
<p>Unbeholden to the divine!</p>
<p>In his dazed state, Shaya heard a melodious voice from the heart of the Black Mist, as calm and cold as before: “This is my essence, a sinner sealed within the Abyss, an ugly existence cursed; so far, millions of lives have died directly or indirectly at my hands.”</p>
<p>“I am not the deity you imagine; praying to me will only yield death and misfortune.”</p>
<p>“Do you, who are so weak that you cannot even bear to look directly at me, truly have the qualifications to save such an existence?”</p>
<p>Amidst pain and madness, Shaya struggled to raise his head.</p>
<p>From a distance, the witch floated half a person high above the ground, her hands and feet bound by illusory shackles that he had not noticed before, engulfed in endless Black Mist, resembling a cocoon containing death and despair.</p>
<p>The black serpents entwined within the void seemed to form pathways, linking to an endless void, drawing in the black mists that symbolize death and curses, furiously delivering these mysterious substances inward, gradually merging with the witch inside the cocoon.</p>
<p>Her already pale skin appeared even more bloodless under the influence of the Black Mist and the curse.</p>
<p>A flash of pain flickered between the witch’s brows, though well hidden.</p>
<p>She once thought that all of this Black Mist and the descriptions in the book came from the witch herself: an ill-omened curse that could not be erased since the day of birth; even if sealed within the Abyss, it would continue to spread, indirectly causing the downfall of nearly half the Northern Continent.</p>
<p>But the actual situation seemed not to be thus.</p>
<p>From Shaya’s perspective, the scene before him was more akin to a punishment, and the earlier bell tolls perhaps indicated the execution of that punishment.</p>
<p>Perhaps, for the witch, the pain experienced when the curse activated was on a similar level to what Shaya felt… no, judging by the scale and severity of the curse before him, it should be even worse.</p>
<p>After all, Shaya could only hold a small part before dying, but for her, who was eternally undying, she had to bear it all.</p>
<p>It was hard to imagine that for countless years sealed here, the witch must have endured similar punishments from time to time.</p>
<p>What kind of deep hatred must this be?</p>
<p>“System.”</p>
<p>With a thought, a window popped up before him.</p>
<p>Shaya extended his hand and allocated all his free attribute points to stamina, causing the value to soar to 88 points.</p>
<p>As soon as his stamina reached 60 points, another window appeared.</p>
<p>【Would you like to promote to ‘Grand Knight’?】</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>At that moment, Shaya’s physical abilities underwent a complete transformation, rising to the rank of Grand Knight. Based on his allocation of points towards strength, he leapt to become a top-tier individual among them!</p>
<p>Naturally, his life essence had also achieved a qualitative leap.</p>
<p>An average adult has a stamina value of about 5 points, yet Shaya at this moment had far surpassed that standard.</p>
<p>But facing the witch amidst the storm of Black Mist, he still felt as small as an ant.</p>
<p>Shaya clutched his head, his expression manic as he gazed at the scene before him, slowly standing up.</p>
<p>He walked quickly towards the black-dressed woman at the center of the storm. Accompanying his footsteps, the engulfing Black Mist that filled the entire palace seemed to smell blood, surging toward him like a horde of sharks!</p>
<p>Compared to when he first arrived here, the curse he could attract had increased by many times.</p>
<p>Due to his level being raised, his overall strength and life essence had evolved, naturally allowing him to withstand more Black Mist and curses.</p>
<p>It was like bringing a top-tier Vatican knight here; after being cursed by the Black Mist, they would survive longer than Shaya could now, able to attract even more Black Mist and curses.</p>
<p>The difference was, they could hardly escape death, but Shaya could revive and completely obliterate the accompanying Black Mist!</p>
<p>With blood tears streaming down his face, Shaya held his head high, staring into the heart of the Black Mist where the witch resided, gazing at the mist that could take his life at any moment, his eyes shimmering slightly.</p>
<p>In his eyes, these were all valuable experience points.</p>
<p>As he drew nearer to the witch’s location, he extended his hand to shield his face, fending off the rushing Black Mist, feeling his body slowly decay and wither, his life being continuously devoured.</p>
<p>Let the storm grow fiercer!</p>
<p>“Although I am still weak, I am not unable to look you in the eye.”</p>
<p>Shaya’s steps did not falter, the distance between them gradually shrinking, while the Black Mist surged wildly.</p>
<p>The witch, floating in midair, looked down at the staggeringly approaching Shaya, witnessing his stubborn figure ensnared in curses but refusing to halt, her pupils slowly widening.</p>
<p>Her hands, shackled, instinctively clenched tight, knuckles turning white.</p>
<p>“Even if you grant me death and misfortune, I will gladly accept.”</p>
<p>Rather, these are precisely what I want.</p>
<p>Standing before the witch, Shaya tilted his head upwards; his entire being was covered with cracks, resembling a fragile piece of porcelain on the verge of collapse.</p>
<p>Moreover, as the distance closed, the evil Black Mist from the void seemed to find another target, rushing toward Shaya at an unprecedented pace!</p>
<p>Countless black serpents and mists seemed like shackles from the Abyss, wrapping around Shaya’s body; in just a few seconds, they were about to swallow a newly appointed Grand Knight entirely!</p>
<p>It was as if a great river had split into two branches; as one branch’s water volume increased, the other’s would decrease accordingly.</p>
<p>At this moment, the endless Black Mist entwining around the witch had evidently been eased a bit.</p>
<p>Shaya was actively helping to bear the pain for her.</p>
<p>The witch gazed down at Shaya, her gaze trembling, her red lips slightly parted, as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately her expression returned to calm.</p>
<p>Seeing this scene, a nonchalant expression spread across Shaya’s pale face: “As I said last time, you might as well smile more.”</p>
<p>Saying this, Shaya used his last ounce of strength to slowly raise his hand, his fingertip resting against his lips, gently lifting upwards to reveal a smile.</p>
<p>The boy smiled brightly and cleanly.</p>
<p>But he was about to die.</p>
<p>Soon, with the final engulfing of the Black Mist, Shaya’s figure gradually turned to dust and ashes, vanishing within the palace.</p>
<p>Only a declaration-like statement lingered in the air, slowly resonating.</p>
<p>“Moreover… Witch Miss, from now on, let the evil curse that brings you a lifetime of misfortune be borne by me!”</p>
<p>……</p>
<p>After an undetermined amount of time, the violent Black Mist that engulfed the entire palace finally began to subside.</p>
<p>Along with the disappearance of the shackles on her hands and feet, the witch slowly floated down, her complexion pale.</p>
<p>After a brief silence, just as before, she conjured a diary out of thin air, opened it to the latest date, and found a blank space to begin recording the events of the day.</p>
<p>Recalling the moments from earlier, she still felt a bit dazed.</p>
<p>After a while, with delicate white fingers gripping a feather pen, she gently wrote in elegant script.</p>
<p>【In just a few days, that human has appeared before me once again.】</p>
<p>……</p>
<p>【Looking at the ugly, twisted Black Mist in my hand, he seemed to completely forget how painful it was and without a moment’s hesitation, reached out his hand.】</p>
<p>【The reason was absurd, for it was my wish.】</p>
<p>【Such a strange human, an incomprehensible human.】</p>
<p>……</p>
<p>【For countless years, no one has done anything like this; they merely repeated death, adding to my sins.】</p>
<p>【But this human seems to be a bit different.】</p>
<p>Writing to this point, the witch paused slightly, raised her head, recalling her inner journey from earlier. She glanced at the spot where Shaya had disappeared; a hint of complexity flickered in her previously cold eyes.</p>
<p>After a moment, she continued to write.</p>
<p>【It is extremely coincidental that the day he arrived happens to be the day of punishment.】</p>
<p>【To let him know how ridiculous his claim of saving me is, I unreservedly displayed my most evil side before him, even more terrifying than the most horrifying evil god in the world.】</p>
<p>【However… he did not flee in fear but rather, in the gradual decay of body and mind, stepped closer to me, just as he did last time.】</p>
<p>【I am well aware that this process is incredibly painful, yet he managed to endure until the end without breaking in will.】</p>
<p>【Clearly just a weak human, yet when he stood before me, he boldly spoke words of absurdity.】</p>
<p>【He said: “Witch Miss, from now on, let the evil curse that brings you a lifetime of misfortune be borne by me!”】</p>
<p>【It is the first time someone has ever said such words to me.】</p>
<p>【Having lived for so many years, I certainly have means to discern whether the other party is lying… but the problem is, what he said seems to be the truth.】</p>
<p>【Such a strange human, an incomprehensible human.】</p>
<p>【But also the first human willing to voluntarily help me bear pain.】</p>
<p>【However, humans are creatures with good memories; once he leaves, when he recalls the agony of being bound by curses, he likely won’t come back to such a place again.】</p>
<p>【He probably… won’t.】</p>
<p>Having written to this point, the diary came to an end.</p>
<p>The witch waved her hand, causing the diary to vanish and then slowly sat down upon the smooth steps; her somewhat tattered long skirt spread out, concealing her delicate white legs.</p>
<p>During this time, she lightly furrowed her brows, as if engaging in some internal struggle.</p>
<p>Looking at the empty and desolate hall, the witch subconsciously clenched her other fist, attempting to slightly lift the corners of her tightly pressed lips.</p>
<p>Perhaps accustomed to appearing cold and aloof, her expression seemed somewhat stiff at that moment.</p>
<p>After countless attempts, she still failed to smile.</p>
<p>She gently closed her eyes.</p>
<p>What is a smile, and what kind of emotion does it encompass?</p>
<p>Uncomprehended.</p>
<p>Unfathomable.</p>
<p>But recalling the clean smile of that boy, the witch felt she might be a bit closer to the answer to this question.</p>
