Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 737 - 681: Aryan’s Torture

The death had transformed Sister Aryan in many ways; she couldn’t quite say if it was the Liches’ indifference that had stilled her heartbeat, or if the burgeoning power of darkness had eaten away at her faith. Now, cloaked in a renewed fleshly shell, the Lich lady decided to lead a different life after death than the one she led before.

First things first, she shed her nun’s habit. Trying on the shamelessly fashionable attire of the Demon Race, as well as the popular yet, in Aryan’s view, indistinguishable styles of the Elves. No matter the style, Aryan was eager to experiment, admiring her new self in the fitting mirror. With an indifferent gaze characteristic of the dead and a politely curved smile on her lips, she cast off all the wonderful garb and changed back into her nun’s habit.

Aryan wasn’t going to purchase any of these; her personal tastes, while not necessarily hidden, need not be made known to His Excellency Raymond. She said a slightly embarrassed goodbye to the shopkeeper, a dreamweaver of silk, and carefully placed the clothes on its hairy forelegs.

"Sorry to trouble you again, Marika."

Marika was a female Spider Demon, her eight deep purple eyes lacked eyelids, making her stare somewhat frightening, but Aryan, being perceptive of the heart, understood that her friend wasn’t upset.

"Watching my cute model try on my creations is also a treat for my eight eyes. Dear, would you like a glass of apple juice, or to try the Spider Demon’s special meat bait?" Marika offered two cups of juice with another limb, then took out a squirming spindly fleshworm from a little box behind her, used her magic power to mash the fleshworm into pulp, and added it to her own cup of tea.

"Not today, I’m about to exceed my protein intake..."

The Spider Demon shrugged her shoulders and plunged a fang into her cup, sucking the beverage into her mouthparts. "How rare to find someone from Andrey who follows the rules, or is it that your former habits have finally gotten the better of you?"

After a brief respite, the diligent shopkeeper resumed her weaving. "Hmph~ a hollowed-out shoulder cape with a backless dress, why not just go naked, the orders these days are getting weirder... I never imagined that one day I’d be friends with a former Cleric, the one who made your fleshly disguise is truly amazing."

Aryan gave a slight frown, a wry smile on her face. "Is there any logic in that, or is it your peculiar spider thinking again?" 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Just a sigh. Nothing more." Marika reached up to take a newspaper, a fresh issue, "Andrey has been as jumpy as grasshoppers in a web recently, and you’d have a hard time not paying attention. I got the Andrey News you asked me to buy, and today’s content is as interesting as always. Oh, more so than usual."

Aryan thanked her and left the shop with the newspaper tucked under her arm. When the shop door opened again, Marika’s spider eyes were fixated on Aryan’s head as she peeked back in. "Did you forget something?"

"I forgot a friendly reminder. Marika, don’t take the Andrey News seriously, that literary society is filled with troublemakers, they fabricate any rumours for amusement."

"I know, dear, It’s just for fun, entertaining myself."

Aryan headed for the Lich District’s teleportation circle, her visit to Marika’s shop and its new arrivals had taken up quite some time. Picking up the pace, she decided to hurry back to the Church of Holy Light for her regular prayer, the newspaper could wait until later.

"Lucky that Marika saved me a copy, this issue seems to be selling well, I almost missed out."

...

Church of Holy Light.

Under Raymond’s guidance, Aryan and Loveday completed their daily prayers. Loveday still closed his eyes, maintaining his prayer as if he were basking in the afterglow of the divine light.

Aryan leaned back in her chair and opened up the neatly folded newspaper.

From the pulpit, Raymond glanced her way.

"My sister."

"Your Excellency Raymond." Aryan closed the newspaper and bowed respectfully.

"Is that a newspaper?"

"The Andrey News."

The Angel of Light let out a snort, kindly advising the nun.

"Don’t believe what George and his lackeys write, they couldn’t produce a drop of ink even if they were squeezed together. Don’t let false lies obscure your perception."

Aryan nodded in agreement, "I understand, Your Excellency, it’s just for entertainment."

"Hm." Raymond turned back to continue his prayer.

A few minutes later.

"Pfft... pfft... Pffhahahaha!!!" A carefree, disrespectful laughter interrupted the sacred prayer, Raymond turned back in dissatisfaction, seeing his sister writhing on the bench like a maggot, convulsing all over, a newspaper covering her face, experiencing the extreme joy.

Aryan, clutching her belly, regained composure, realizing Raymond and Loveday were looking at her with some embarrassment.

"Today’s news... Pffhahaha... is especially amusing, Lord Raymond." Aryan had been reading about Lyle’s bootlicker tutorial, with the Plague Doctor’s image prominently displayed in the main illustration, and the conversation highlighted and emboldened in a separate box, immediately reminding her of the incident. Imagining Lyle declaring his feelings against his own will to Raymond seemed hilarious, perhaps it was the charm of a contradictory appeal, Lyle, that guy, actually managed to voice such words. An Andrey rising star, formidable indeed!

Aryan cupped her face, her lips seemed to curl uncontrollably upwards, and her uncontainable laughter leaked through her teeth.

She must show the main character, thought mischievous Aryan. She was curious to see how His Excellency Raymond would react – with anger or silence?

Dissenter Aryan had opened the door to mirth.

"Your Excellency Raymond, would you care to take a look at this?"