Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 200 - 187 Cute Evil God

Beatrice’s murder declaration echoed around me, but Alianna found her voice growing fainter.

It was as if she had sunk to the bottom of the sea, those voices separated from her by the entire ocean. The only thing echoing in her mind was what the Plague Doctor had once said to her.

"I don’t have time to teach someone without a heart."

Cold. It was like the time when she secretly opened a window as a child, and the cold wind filled the room with snow, the warmth of the fireplace dissipating from around her. Her body began to stiffen, and with subconscious movements, her joints creaked.

A rather annoying sound, her body now resembled a broken doll. A doll, heartless.

The slender feather on her hat, falling with the bow of its owner’s head, looked like a peacock in low spirits, mourning for someone.

"Anna, please say something, don’t you think this is appropriate?" Beatrice’s remarks brought out Nia’s discontent, but the agitated Nia forgot to explain, only arguing with Beatrice.

The topic was passed to Alianna, and both sides of the argument fell silent.

Like squeezing out the last bit of strength, like the final spark of a dying soul.

Alianna’s voice was filled with loneliness and hollowness.

"Maybe... this... is appropriate. The Plague Doctor... simply made the right choice, instead of..." staying with fragile bones.

Aliaanna’s despondency extinguished the rage in Beatrice’s heart, and she looked at her sister who stood alone, no longer having the energy to voice a single complaint. Beatrice gently hugged her, and after a long while, with her lips tightly pursed, she softly murmured beside Alianna.

"Can you truly accept this, my stubborn sister?"

"You said it yourself, Benny, I have no feelings. Everything I feel is just remnants of memories from life, a sweet illusion."

"I lied to you, Anna. Feelings don’t really have clear boundaries. They can be a thought, an action, a sudden impulse, or even, an illusion. If you can’t trust yourself, then please trust me, Anna. I know your heart towards him; I have a heart, I know, that such glittering, crystal-clear thoughts are more valuable than anything. At least in my eyes, you are shining, Anna. No matter the outcome, please don’t leave yourself with regrets. You are already dead, there’s no room left for retreat."

"I still remember that time you climbed through the window, touching the rubble, to caress the azalea that had settled on the roof. My sister, nothing can make you afraid, you have always been the bravest among us, you tried hard to imitate our mother, I have seen all that. Anna, could you be brave once more, for yourself..."

Silence.

"...Benny, cancel tonight’s performance for me." Alianna returned to being the moonlight she once was, shining in the dark night.

"Alright, no matter what, I will be with you."

"I’m going to find Teacher Scholar."

Alianna clearly felt Beatrice trembling, but the arms that hugged her never let go.

——————————

"The Plague Doctor’s ring has the Soul Mark left by Teacher Scholar; Teacher Scholar will surely be able to help me find the Plague Doctor’s location." Alianna passed through the corridor like a gentle breeze, "Benny, actually, you don’t have to follow me."

Beatrice’s body was shaking, but she gripped tight nonetheless.

"We promised to always be together. Not even Teacher Scholar can separate us!"

"We are here." Beatrice’s body became rigid like a corpse.

She looked at the unremarkable wall of bricks before her, her eyes filled with panic as she stared at the Soul Mark in the center of the wall.

Alianna nodded in agreement.

The two were transported to a warm study where a scholar, dressed in a linen robe, was delineating a new scroll.

A flash of light crossed the scholar’s mask, but his movements didn’t pause.

"Anna, and little troublemaker, welcome to my study. Your skills haven’t slipped, and I’m glad of it," he said.

"Pleasure, teacher."

"Ple-ple-pleasure, te-te-teacher..."

The scholar glanced helplessly at the stuttering Beatrice, "If you want to make tea, the utensils are still in the usual place. Do you have an academic question that you need answered?"

"Teacher, do you know the true identity of the Plague Doctor?"

Upon hearing Alianna’s question, the scholar set down his pen and paper, his gaze lingering on Alianna’s veil, unresponsive.

"Teacher, I want to know the location of the Plague Doctor. You can help me. You are the master of teleportation spells. Can you let me see him? See the real him?" she implored.

"Anna, you and the Plague Doctor, you’re not a good match. Your races are the greatest limitation. The Plague Doctor is just a talented child; he has little in common with Plato. And there is not another creature in the world who is in the same situation as you," he cautioned.

"I want to try... regardless, I don’t want to do nothing and just quietly accept the loss," she insisted.

"...Your relationship is like that of a moth to the flame," he observed.

"I have a reason that compels me to risk the burn," she admitted.

"No, what I mean is, it’s Mr. Lyle Butler who is the moth," the scholar clarified as he stood up, tracing the faint traces in the space as he had often done before—a simple, albeit time-consuming task for him.

"I actually don’t approve of your choice, Anna. Even if Lyle accepted you, he has his own world, and you two are doomed to be the two sides of the same coin. In reality, there is no magic that can grant wishes," he explained gently.

"Then I shall seek help from the gods," Nia said, extending her tentacles to snake out of Alianna’s bones. The newly transformed Nia waved at the scholar and then clung tightly to Alianna.

"Nia is the most most most fearsome Evil God! Nia can fulfill Alianna’s wish because Nia likes her very much!" she declared.

Alianna gently stroked Nia’s head, "Thank you for your comforting words, Nia."

"Nia’s words are more than just comfort," the scholar replied, looking at the reborn Nia, her body now humanoid, recalling Eason’s words.

"Morocoy, you should pay more attention. The Witherer has already marked Jordania as an Evil God’s juvenile form. Please be careful, as gods are often linked to calamities."

And to miracles as well.

"Anna, why not give Nia’s approach a try. She and Lyle, they always meet our expectations, and for you, this is especially the case," he suggested.

Listening to her teacher’s earnest words, Alianna’s gaze shifted to Nia, still wriggling on her spine. To her, Nia would always be an adorable little one who never grew up.

Trust Lyle?

"I’m willing to try, please assist me, adorable Evil God," she replied.