Saintess? Not Anymore! I'd Rather be a Destroyer-Chapter 142 - 128: Mike

Aurianna’s words spilled out with a sense of deep unease, etched onto her face in the form of furrowed brows. "She’s affecting my soul, and it’s definitely not the good kind," she confessed, her discomfort painfully evident.

Eva, with an icy tone that matched her demeanor, she asked "She’s back?" Aurianna nodded in response.

"I won’t say she’s back, but it’s like she’s devouring my soul," Aurianna admitted, her hand instinctively resting on her chest.

Eva pondered the situation, her lips pursed as she floated gracefully around the room. "This is bad," she murmured, her frown mirroring the gravity of the problem.

A note of worry crept into her voice as Eva continued, "I haven’t seen a soul-devouring technique in ages, and removing them is a difficult task, to say the least."

Aurianna, her gaze fixed on Eva, managed to maintain a surprising degree of composure. "Is there any hope, Eva?"

Eva’s response came with a reassuring tone. "First, I’ll need to conduct some research with the system," she explained, her demeanor calming. "I promise I’ll find a way to undo this."

Aurianna’s gratitude shone through her smile as she looked up at Eva. "Thank you, Eva."

Eva’s next words lightened the mood a bit. "For now, get some rest. It seems that Mike kid will be here soon," she chuckled.

Aurianna nodded and yawned, using her blanket to tuck herself in. "Guess I better rest."

Eva bid her farewell before disappearing from the room. However, as Aurianna settled in for some sleep, an unexpected system notification jolted her awake.

[ Congratulations on absorbing the soul of a Saintess. You’ve managed to weaken the seal on you slightly. ]

[ You’ve acquired the strength skill ’Platinum Body.’

| Your body turns as tough as platinum for a brief period. | ]

[ You’ve acquired the strength skill ’Berserker.’ ]

[ You’ve acquired the strength skill ’Enhance.’ ]

[ You’ve leveled up from 410 to 411. ]

Aurianna’s inner thoughts revealed her dissatisfaction. "That lady turned out to be pretty useless after all. Not even worth enough XP," she grumbled, her disappointment evident on her face.

"I suppose I didn’t benefit from the healing skills because I already had healing and revival skills, bummer. But these skills she has that I received, doesn’t sound like those a Saintess should have. Who knew other Saintesses could be fighters," Aurianna sighed, her gaze fixed on the ceiling.

"What’s more, taking Chatel with me would have been a terrible idea. With her importance, her body could have been rigged with a tracking spell. I can’t risk endangering Vatium and the others by letting her stay with them without knowing how to remove the spell. Eva could have helped but she’s a Saintess so the church would probably know. Besides, her magic aura was dwindling, making her quite useless to me. But at least her soul was delicious!" Aurianna mused with an evil grin, her mouth practically watering at the memory.

_________

Eva sat in her personal space, her gaze fixed on the expansive white screen before her, and voiced a pressing concern. "System, what’s the status of Aurianna and Leila? Can we fix their current condition? Leila’s collapse did not go unnoticed, luckily I separated my body into two to keep an eye on both of them."

The System replied reassuringly, [ You don’t need to worry; I shall attend to the matter.]

Eva’s skepticism was palpable, her arms crossed and an arched eyebrow conveying doubt. "Can you truly guarantee that?"

The system offered a confident reply. [ Yes, indeed. We just need to wait for the right time. There’s a method to purge White Diamond’s soul from their souls. For now, I’ll minimize the damage she’s causing to Aurianna and Leila. So relax, Eva. I’ll ensure their safety. ]

Eva’s relief was evident as she sighed and extended a smile toward the luminous screen. "Very well, I shall place my trust in your words."

With a hint of amusement, Eva remarked, "Though your past remains shrouded in mystery, it’s very clear that you hold a genuine concern for the Diamonds," her laughter filled the room as her gaze remained fixed on the System’s display.

The System responded thoughtfully, [ I would not precisely claim to care for them. My duty is to identify those who are capable of eradicating the Regals.]

Eva merely shrugged, offering a nonchalant response. "Fair enough, then."

____

In the opulent dining room of Aurianna’s grand mansion, the scene unfolded. Aurianna was indulging in a veritable feast, devouring an assortment of dishes with gusto. Her expression radiated pure bliss as she savored each bite.

Her gaze, ever observant, swept across the room and landed on Mike, who now appeared in his human disguise. He waved at her with a friendly gesture.

"You managed to pass the servant test, luckily," Aurianna’s voice resonated in Mike’s thoughts, prompting a nod of acknowledgment from him.

Mike, now clad in a pristine butler’s suit with his brown hair neatly combed back and cream-colored eyes gleaming mischievously. He chuckled with a charming smile. "I’ve always been quite adept at the art of deception," he quipped.

Aurianna, while continuing her meal, fielded Mike’s inquiry with an air of nonchalance. "By the way, I heard about what happened to you the other day. Are you doing alright?"

Aurianna, her demeanor seemingly carefree, raised an eyebrow in response to Mike’s question, "Me? Okay? Why wouldn’t I be?" 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Mike’s voice, devoid of any genuine concern, queried, "I had the impression you had a bit of a heart attack or something. Well that’s what I heard."

Aurianna shot back, her eyebrow arched in mock offense, "Heart attack? Seriously? Doesn’t happen for my age dummy." She gulped down a drink after.

Mike, a hint of mischief in his eyes, playfully retorted, "Could happen if you happened to be born with a weak heart, though."

Aurianna shook her head, dismissing the notion. "Not in my case."

Mike, ever the easy going conversationalist, shrugged. "Fair enough."

Curiosity then got the better of Aurianna as she inquired, "So, where’s that succubus essence you promised?"

With a quick tap on his ring, Mike replied, "Right here."

With a smirk, Aurianna beckoned him over, her choice of words far from flattering, "Hey, boy, with hair like... well, poop, come here."

Mike couldn’t help but be angry inwardly at the comparison, but he chose to let it slide. He approached Aurianna, and their rings made contact as he bowed before her.

"Please, deliver these empty plates to the maids at the door for cleaning," Aurianna instructed with a pleasant smile, though it made Mike slightly uneasy.

"As you wish, Princess," Mike replied dutifully. He proceeded to gather the used plates and, with the aid of an available tray, delivered them to the waiting maids by the door. Once he had completed the task, he returned to his previous position.

Aurianna’s mental gasp resonated through their mind communication as she peered into her ring, a mixture of awe and surprise coloring her thoughts. "Whoa, that’s quite a lot," she marveled.

Mike responded with a cheeky thumbs-up. "I grabbed as much as I could, just wanted to see how much you could handle!"

Aurianna contemplated her next move, her voice filled with concern. "I’ll hang onto this stash until the day before the war. It’s best if I keep it tucked away in my inventory. I can’t afford to raise any suspicions from King Girsal. He’s been itching for an audience with me, but I’ve been playing the ’sick card’ and dodging the requests. But I’m running out of excuses, and he’s bound to get suspicious soon.’

The conversation started to take an awkward turn, prompting Mike to inquire, "So, what’s the plan from here?"

Aurianna shifted her focus, inquiring about their preparations. "Has Vatium got everything lined up?"

"Pretty much," Mike replied, his tone indicating that things were progressing smoothly. "Their stations are being set up and handed out, and Vatium’s is making measures in case the first plan fails on us."

Aurianna nodded thoughtfully, then speared a forkful of cake into her mouth. "That’s good to hear," she said, "Tell Vatium that there’s a Grand Human who occasionally visits King Girsal for trade, so he should tread carefully." she cautioned, prompting a gulp from Mike.

Mike’s composure shifted, his face going from casual to distressed as he gasped in shock. "A Grand Human is here?!"

Aurianna allayed his fears. "No need to worry; she left a few days ago. But I have no clue when she’ll be back," she confirmed, prompting a sigh of relief from Mike.

"Alright, I’ll pass that on to Master Vatium," he said, now wearing a serious expression. "Anything else I should know?"

Aurianna shook her head as she nibbled on a slice of yellow fruit, her expression souring at the taste. "Not at the moment, I’m afraid."

The conversation lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, broken by Mike’s voice echoing in Aurianna’s mind. "So, how’s your progress in convincing your father to let you join the battlefield?" he asked, curiosity lacing his words.

Aurianna pondered for a moment before responding confidently, "Well, I haven’t made much progress. His first decision was for none of his children to join since the Infinite Nation’s fighters aren’t normal. but I’ve got a plan in place."

Mike’s response carried a hint of doubt. "If you say so," he remarked, his smile suggesting he wasn’t entirely convinced of her plan’s effect.

Another awkward silence ensued as Aurianna silently dug into her vegetables and munched on them.

Mike, seemingly eager to bridge the gap, ventured, "So, what’s a princess like yourself do on a daily basis?" He met Aurianna’s puzzled ’wtf’ expression with a sly grin.

Mike’s innocent attempt at conversation was met with Aurianna’s sassy retort. "That’s a pretty basic question, isn’t it? I mean, we all know what princesses do!"

A hint of regret tinged Mike’s voice as he responded, "I was just trying to strike up a conversation, you know," prompting a chuckle from Aurianna.

With an air of calm, Aurianna shared her plans for the day. "I’ve got nothing on my plate right now, so after this meal, it’s back to the books and learning for me."

Mike, ever the observant one, couldn’t help but comment on the dwindling feast before them. "You sure eat alot for someone your size. Aren’t you worried about putting on a few pounds?"

Aurianna’s expression turned stern. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

Mike, scratching his cheek nervously, explained, "I mean, you’ve got quite the appetite, even more than your average person."

Aurianna, maintaining her composure, declared with unwavering pride, "Well, because food is amazing, food is life, food gives energy!" Her passionate inner proclamation contrasted with her outward calmness as she continued to enjoy her meal.

A sudden burst of laughter from Mike took everyone by surprise, the maids and butlers around them staring in disbelief, as if witnessing the impossible.

’He’s laughing at the princess!’ Their thoughts echoed in shock, their faces drained of color.

"Looks like our princess here is a true foodie," Mike chuckled, wiping away a few tears from his eyes.

’He actually said that out loud!’ The maids and butlers were doubly stunned, casting nervous glances at each other.

’Well, there goes another new recruit,’ one of the maids thought with a resigned shake of her head.

In a flash, a gust of wind rushed past Mike, making him shudder as he instinctively turned to see what had happened. Inches from his face, a fork embedded itself in the wall behind him.

Aurianna’s tone turned menacing as she warned, "No one mocks me here, understood?" Mike nodded frantically.

"Crystal clear, Princess Aurianna!" he declared with a deep bow.

’She was ready to skewer me despite us being allies!’ Mike thought to himself, still trembling from the close call.