“Heh, heh! You really know how to bluff, Winnie. Looks like you’ve got other treasures on you after all? Something that helped you escape? Tsk, just how many enchanted weapons are you hiding? And to forge this appearance, don’t think I don’t know. This time you used some enchanted item capable of creating illusions, didn’t you?!” Charon immediately declared with certainty.

Yet, in response to his accusations and doubts, the cherry-haired girl said nothing. Her heart-shaped eyes calmly and indifferently stared at him, eyes that usually shimmered like a spring pond, always brimming with gentle, teasing smiles. Now, not even a trace of polite courtesy remained.

The next moment, the pure and holy girl parted her lips and spoke.

“Charon, being human seems to have been nothing but a burden for you. Now that you’ve fully decided to cast off that identity, your actions have become so natural, as if you were born for this purpose alone.” The cherry-haired girl’s voice was like celestial music, beautiful enough to mesmerize anyone. Yet only those who truly knew she understood how serious things were when Vanessa refused to even add the customary ‘Mr.’ or ‘Miss’ when addressing someone.

Amisa was reminded of the Church choir’s sacred hymns, yet no hymn or chant could compare to the few words spoken by this girl. Just hearing her voice felt like having her ears purified.

Fanya felt the same. The moment she saw Vanessa, she recognized her as the ‘Goddess of Radiance’ who had saved her, and the entire academy, during last semester’s invasion of the Demon God Pillars.

After a brief storm of thoughts, Fanya instantly understood everything.

So it wasn’t the ‘Goddess of Radiance’ appearing miraculously after all. It was all the work of this girl standing before her.

That’s right.

The ‘Goddess of Radiance’ who saved the entire academy… was Winnie all along!

Winnie wasn’t with bloodline at all, her bloodline had always been alive!

Fanya suddenly recalled her earlier conversation with Winnie, when she’d asked what he would do if his bloodline awakened. She remembered Winnie’s words after rescuing her, and contrasted them with her own immature taunts and challenges. Shame washed over her so intensely she wished she could dig a hole and bury herself there forever, never to surface again.

Growth means realizing just how foolish your past self was. Clearly, Fanya had never felt this sensation so profound before. Recalling her past self last semester, the one who mentioned Winnie was a fake and challenging him, every single expression now seems pitiful and laughable, like a clown performing on stage.

She is done for. Completely done.

She, Fanya Cassian, the eldest daughter of the Cassian family, had actually dared to question the true saintess’ identity, and even insulted and challenged her!

How could it be?!”

Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!

At that thought, Fanya screamed inwardly, so embarrassed that her ten toes could’ve dug out a three-bedroom apartment on the spot.

No wonder the saintess had indirectly said she should be independent and not blindly follow others!

Looking back now, it was such an accurate assessment.

But truly, she was worthy of being a saintess, seeing right through her biggest flaw at a glance.

And yet, despite being the rightful heir of the Varelis family with awakened bloodline, heir of the goddess’s blood, and the legitimate saintess, she had chosen to hide her identity, endure insults and unfounded accusations, silently allowing others to slander her without revealing the truth or offering any explanation, believing that the innocent would clear themselves.

Fanya’s shame was overwhelming, yet she admired Winnie.

She suddenly recalled the tale of a saintess who, to save the world, had taken upon herself the suffering of all living beings. At this moment, Winnie’s actions resembled those of her ancestor so closely?

How noble. Is this truly what it means to be a Varelis who cares for all under heaven?

Truly worthy of being the blood descendant of the goddess!

However, Fanya was overthinking. The real reason Winnie had acted discreetly and kept her identity hidden was simply because she wanted to stay alive.

“Winnie… no, Lady Winnie! I knew it, I always knew Lady Winnie was truly the saintess!” Amisa sat on the ground, gazing at Vanessa’s figure, her eyes filled with excitement and lingering shock.

“I understand now. All those words Lady Winnie spoke before were test for us. To see whether we could distinguish truth from falsehood, whether we were worthy of her complete trust.”

“Only those who passed would be told her true identity!” Amisa blinked her clear, adorable eyes, suddenly grasping it all. She couldn’t help but marvel at Winnie’s painstaking thoughtfulness, profound strategy, and far-reaching considerations.

“No wonder she’s Lady Winnie!” Amisa felt as if she had just encountered the long-absent sacred saintess of three generations and received enlightenment.

No, perhaps her and Little Fanya’s first meeting with the saintess was imbued with deep purpose and destiny.

Yes, this must be a special mission bestowed upon them by the goddess and the past saintesses!

To have them, in today’s age when Varelis has been declining for a hundred years, wholeheartedly and loyally serving the newly arisen Radiance Saintess!

It had been a century since the last Radiance Saintess, Sophia Varelis, died in battle. The world had been without a saintess for a hundred years.

Everyone believed the Varelis bloodline had ended. Yet the truth proved that Varelis still protects humanity, no matter how fallen or unjust the world became, Varelis will never abandon their duty to save it.

Thus, just when everyone believed there would never be another saintess, though the Varelis line had dwindled and faded, a successor had still arisen, the new Saintess of Dawnlight!

This must be proof that the goddess and the past saintesses had not given up on saving humanity!

At that moment, Amisa felt an overwhelming sense of divine mission descending upon her.

She had a premonition, she was about to testify history.

Although Amisa had wildly over-imagined, she did correctly guess a part of Vanessa’s thoughts: Vanessa had indeed revealed her true self before them because of their trust. Although, to be fair, she hadn’t really had a choice, she had to do it.

“Heh, heh! Winnie, what are you pretending to be now? Don’t think your little tricks make you the goddess’s chosen! Everyone knows your bloodline is fake, you’re nothing but an impostor!” For some reason, being questioned by this pure, radiant cherry-haired girl made Charon’s heart tighten. He felt as if he were standing on trial, being judged by the saintess herself.

Vanessa ignored Charon. She glanced back at Fanya and Amisa behind her. They had both been completely healed by the holy light she released.

Although their injuries were healed, their mana could not be restored.

She clenched her delicate, jade-like hand. Right now, her stamina and mana essence were both full, transformed into Vanessa who had refreshed her status. Her wounds had been healed by her own holy light, and all her stats were fully restored.

“Winnie, you really are something. You went through all this trouble just for this illusion? A man disguising himself as a past saintess, do you really think you can fool anyone? Who are you trying to deceive? Who are you trying to intimidate?” Charon frowned, unsure whom he was really speaking to.

“Senior Charon, you’re wrong,” Amisa said, leaning on her staff. “If you were truly devout, you’d realize this isn’t any past saintess, much less the Goddess of Radiance herself.”

“What are you talking about?”

“In fact, Senior Charon, you realized it long ago, didn’t you? That holy light clearly wasn’t an illusion. Or rather, no level of illusion magic could ever replicate holy light.” Amisa continued seriously.

“Lady Winnie was never an impostor. She is the true descendant of the goddess, the bloodline of Varelis. Her bloodline has always been genuine.”

“!” Charon clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and stared fixedly at the cherry-haired girl before him, who radiated pure white feathers and sacred light.

“How is that possible?!” Recalling Winnie’s past behavior and their constant rivalry, Charon’s eyes broadened. He couldn’t possibly associate Winnie with titles like ‘legitimate descendant of Varelis’ or ‘rightful Radiance Saintess.’

Impossible! How could this guy actually be the true heir of the Varelis family? How could the descendant of the Radiance Saintess be like this? Clearly…

Looking at the radiant girl before him, her elegant, silk-like cherry-colored hair fluttering in the wind, her pure white ceremonial dress adorned with golden embroidery, two ribbons embroidered with crosses trailing down from the hem to either side of her high-heeled boots, her upper armor decorated with silver tassels, her feathered hairpin gleaming brilliantly,

She was now spotless, pure, and perfectly embodying every trait of a saintess described in epic tales.

In contrast, he himself had been corrupted by a demonic weapon, his blood replaced by that of the cursed blade, his entire life now controlled by it, with no idea what lay ahead.

Charon instinctively clenched his fists. He had thought his future would finally belong to him, but instead, he was either controlled by others or by an object.

Why? Why did it come to this?!

Charon couldn’t understand.

Clearly, the one who should be standing proudly on stage, receiving the admiration and worship of all, should have been him, the one with limitless potential!

It should have been that way. His and Winnie’s positions should have remained as they were: he, the genius praised by everyone, the youngest Wrathful Dragon Knight.

And Winnie, he should have been the one overlooked by all, a rat in the sewers!

That was how it began, where the strong grew stronger. He should have kept rising, reaching heights Winnie could never even dream of, while Winnie would remain forever trapped in his rat-hole of a home, rotting away with a few stinking corpses, forgotten by all!

Why… Why have their positions reversed now?!

Seeing the radiant girl standing before him, unconditionally trusted by Fanya and Amisa, Charon’s resentment and jealousy exploded.

He was the one who should be standing in that position!

“You… You’re fake! Do you really think a few cheap illusions can turn you into the true Radiance Saintess?!” Charon roared, charging at Vanessa and swinging his [Bloodied Debt] down at her.

“Like playing dress-up, huh? I’ll tear off every last bit of your disguise!”

“Saintess, look out!” Fanya cried.

But she didn’t need to warn her. Vanessa flipped her hand, and a mithril hammer appeared in her grasp. Holding the handle with one hand and supporting the head with the other, she met Charon’s strike head-on.

“Clang! Clang!” With a deafening clash of metal, Vanessa’s long hair swayed, her high heels scraping two lines across the ground as she was pushed back several meters.

Yet, after stabilizing herself, Vanessa suddenly exerted force. Charon immediately felt as if he’d slammed into a massive, solid mountain, then the entire mountain seemed to thrust toward him.

Charon was driven backward repeatedly by this terrifying force.

What monstrous strength was this?!

Charon believed his strength was already extraordinary. With the boost from [Bloodied Debt], it was even greater. Yet he was being overpowered in sheer strength, something that shocked him to his core.

“So powerful,” Fanya murmured in awe. “Is this… the legendary divine power of the saintess?”

Having suppressed Charon, Vanessa suddenly kicked him hard.

[Bloodied Debt] quickly extended blood vessels to protect Charon. Vanessa’s white high heel striked the vessels, sending shockwaves rippling through them.

Charon was sent flying backward.

“How… is this possible?!” Charon’s eyes bulged. This terrifying strength completely shattered his last shred of hope.

Winnie absolutely couldn’t possess such strength. There was only one explanation.

“[Bloodied Debt]! What are you doing?! Cutting corners like this, do you want us both to die?!” Charon yelled in fury.

“Young Master Charon, you really are an utter fool.”

“What do you mean you’re not cutting corners? Then why is my strength weaker than Winnie’s illusion magic?!”

“Are you truly stupid or pretending? Haven’t you realized her Varelis bloodline is genuine yet?” The voice of [Bloodied Debt] carried newfound understanding and gravity.

“No wonder I couldn’t enchant her earlier. Turns out… she’s the real deal.”

“Looks like even if I let her touch me, I probably couldn’t successfully corrupt her.”

“What… are you talking about?”

“What else? Winnie’s Varelis blood is real, and it’s awakened.”

“No way! Don’t spout nonsense, I know Winnie’s true nature is better than you!”

“That’s why you’re such a fool. Haven’t you realized yet? That male identity might have just been a disguise all along?” [Bloodied Debt] mocked.

###

People don’t know name Vanessa so Winnie is used here.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep