How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?-Chapter 436 - 156 : I will always be your support

"I met Charon inside the Cube Space, and our encounter wasn't accidental. Even this entire incident wasn't random. Do you remember [Bloodied Debt], and the priest who healed me back then?" asked Vanessa.

"Of course I remember."

"Mirexia, this is how it is." Vanessa told Mirexia everything from beginning to end, including the part involving Priest Foreno, withholding nothing.

After all, Mirexia was the person she trusted most. To her, any secret could be shared with Mirexia without reservation.

Mirexia listened silently to Vanessa. Even after Vanessa had thoroughly explained every detail and underlying cause, she remained silent, as if digesting the immense amount of information.

Vanessa didn't rush to continue speaking. She simply waited quietly for Mirexia to catch her breath and sort through her thoughts.

"So, Charon has secretly been conspiring with [Bloodied Debt]?" After a long while, Mirexia finally broke her train of thought and spoke.

"I think the timeline probably goes like this," analyzed Vanessa. "After [Bloodied Debt] failed to manipulate me, it must have approached Charon instead. From their later conversation, we can infer that after failing to influence me, [Bloodied Debt] sought out someone else, most likely Charon."

"And after [Bloodied Debt] found him, Charon didn't report this to anyone else, nor to the academy's higher-ups. As for what he was thinking then, I can only speculate. Perhaps at that time, Priest Foreno already had some leverage over Charon, so Charon felt he needed to hold onto a bargaining chip to oppose them," Vanessa continued.

Under normal circumstances, Vanessa wouldn't so freely voice her theories to anyone else. After all, she was the central figure in this drama, while others were mere outsiders relying solely on her testimony to understand what had happened.

Vanessa trusted Mirexia unconditionally, just as Mirexia would trust her unconditionally.

"What leverage does Priest Foreno have over Charon?" Mirexia asked.

"I think Foreno must have somehow obtained evidence of Charon's crimes. Do you remember when we returned to the capital during the long break, and Dell and I were fishing in the outskirts when we were attacked by assassins?"~

Hearing this, Mirexia fell silent once again.

"So Camella actually has nobles like this?" Finally, she took a deep breath. "Attempting to harm fellow nobles, even going so far as to collude with an ultimate evil weapon."

"When did Charon become like this?" Mirexia sighed softly, a mixture of sorrow for the fallen prodigy of the Camella Kingdom, anger at his shameless, honorless degeneration, and regret for having misjudged him.

"Perhaps people just change," Vanessa mused after a pause. "Though I never particularly liked him, I was still shocked when I learned he was involved with the ultimate evil weapon and those corrupt elements within the Church."

At this point, Vanessa paused, her voice tinged with a sigh.

Seeing Vanessa's expression, Mirexia's beautiful eyes flickered.

Even though Charon and the Church of Radiance had used such malicious means against Vanessa, even though Charon had always picked on and bullied Vanessa since childhood, Vanessa still felt sorrow for the fall of this once-great talent.

Her childhood friend had always been so kind-hearted, just like a saintess who cared for all living beings.

No, she truly was a saintess.

If the Church of Radiance today were still led by a true saintess, the Church would never have become this absurd.

'Virtue + 100.'

'Current Virtue: 9674.'

"Has the Church of Radiance fallen this far?" Mirexia frowned. Although her father had long warned her in letters to be cautious of the current Church of Radiance, she hadn't expected it to have decayed to such a degree, willing to murder the legitimate descendant of the saintess bloodline, a descendant who seemingly posed no threat at all, and sacrificing countless innocent lives just to eliminate any future danger.

And this was barely a century after the loss of the Radiance saintess.

"Not only that, Mirexia. Do you remember the whole incident last semester with [Bronze Blood]?" Vanessa hesitated for a moment, as if considering whether to drop an even heavier bombshell.

"You mean to say that the [Bronze Blood] incident, where they tried to kidnap me, and later the invasion of Alchemical Divine Pillar Erunes into Carillian Academy, both had shadows of the Church of Radiance behind them?" Mirexia instantly understood Vanessa's implication and recalled her father's letter.

"If nothing unexpected happened, yes," Vanessa nodded. "In fact, they might have even initiated the collusion with [Bronze Blood] themselves." As soon as Vanessa spoke these words, Mirexia's grip on her teacup tightened slightly.

Both fell into silence.

After all, anyone who learned that humanity's greatest protector had become humanity's greatest enemy would feel utterly lost and powerless, unsure of what to do next.

"So, Vanessa, what are your plans now?" Mirexia didn't spend much time processing her emotions. When Vanessa lifted her gaze toward her, Mirexia's sapphire-blue eyes met hers with calmness, deep meaning, and anticipation.

She didn't seem particularly shocked by the Church's corruption, or perhaps, more than the Church's state, she was concerned about what Vanessa herself was thinking right now.

"Mirexia, I've never been someone who likes conflict, nor do I enjoy competing with others, especially for that power-corrupted scepter and holy seat," Vanessa looked at Mirexia and said slowly.

"Seeing it, seeing them driven mad by greed and desire, I only feel nauseated, desperate to stay far away." Vanessa paused, then uttered these words with clear agitation, her elegant voice filled with intense, unmasked disgust.

This was the first time Mirexia had ever heard Vanessa express such strong aversion toward anything.

"As long as they uphold the most basic duties, the duties of humanity, I wouldn't have considered overthrowing them," Vanessa's words weren't overly direct, but the mere use of the word 'overthrow' made her current intentions obvious.

The Church of Radiance, the Radiance Pope, they had gone too far. Her repeated tolerance had only been met with relentless pressure. Forced to fight for survival, she had no choice but to strike back.

"I've always wondered, what exactly did I do wrong? Was my birth a mistake? Not just me, but what about the students who suffered, were injured, or even lost their lives in the Cube Space? What about the innocent civilians? What did they do wrong?" Vanessa voiced her long-suppressed grievances and resentment, her emotionally charged tone naturally drawing others into her current state of mind.

"Is there really someone so arrogant and domineering that they can freely decide who gets to live and who doesn't? If this has become the norm, then the continent of Terraria, and the Church of Radiance, must already be terminally ill."

"When both my parents died, the Church of Radiance sent Holy Radiance Cross Knights to storm my home, seizing all ancestral heirlooms left by our ancestors under the pretext of preventing sacred relics from being defiled and falling into obscurity. They even looted the bodies of my recently deceased parents..." Vanessa's voice struggled, heavy with emotion.

"The entire Church branded me an imposter, and their words turned the whole capital against me. I endured it all in silence, yet they still wouldn't let me go. They even believed all of this was rightfully theirs, that I owed them."

"Sometimes I really want to confront them face-to-face, confront the Radiance Pope himself, and ask, how much more do you want before you'll finally leave me alone? Before you'll give me a path to survive?" Vanessa placed her hands flat on her knees, slightly lowering her gaze. Though she tried her best to keep her tone calm, her voice still trembled slightly. Her words painted the full picture of a meek, long-suffering victim pushed to the edge.

At this moment, she appeared fragile and breakable, like a fledgling bird in need of protection.

Mirexia watched this scene with a bitter heart, feeling deeply guilty for having focused all her attention on state affairs and national duties, never noticing the pain her childhood friend had endured.

'Virtue + 120.'

'Current Virtue: 9794.'

"Mirexia, I really don't have any better options," Vanessa gave Mirexia a somewhat bitter smile. "If there were a better way, I would never have chosen this path."

"You... won't blame me, will you?" As she spoke, Vanessa's captivating heart-shaped eyes gazed at Mirexia, tinged with sorrow and hesitation.

"Then do what you must," Mirexia replied without hesitation. "Vanessa, do what you want. I, and the Kingdom of Camella, will support you as we always have."

These words warmed Vanessa's heart, deeply touching her.

She knew her childhood friend's words meant she was choosing to stand by her side, ready to oppose the Church of Radiance for her sake.

Honestly, Mirexia had no obligation to do this. And it wasn't just a matter of opposing a single nation, it was the Church of Radiance, an organisation that had existed for thousands of years, one that had shaped humanity's core values.

Even though the Church of Radiance had now become a mess, even a centipede doesn't die easily after being crushed. The accumulated resources from generations of saintesses had made the Church's foundation incredibly deep, thoroughly infiltrating every human nation and faction. Even non-human races like beastkin and elves had many followers of the Radiance Goddess.

It was an existence that couldn't be easily shaken. After all, to nearly every human, if the day ever came when the Church of Radiance fell, humanity itself wouldn't be far behind.

Generally speaking, if someone heard another person planning to overthrow the Church, their first reaction would be to think it absurd, impossible, then suspect the person was a demon spy.

Regardless of right or wrong, such a thing was simply unthinkable. The Church of Radiance's influence was far more terrifying than anyone imagined.

Especially for someone as upright as Mirexia, Vanessa had always been afraid that if she revealed such thoughts, Mirexia might see her as a greedy woman, trying to claim the title of saintess through bloodline and seize control of the Church of Radiance for herself.

Fortunately, Mirexia didn't think that way. Instead, upon hearing her intentions, she chose to support her without hesitation.

"Thank you, Mirexia. But if possible, I truly don't want to drag anyone into this, especially not you," Vanessa said sincerely.

"This isn't just your fight, Vanessa. If the Church of Radiance has truly become a breeding ground for evil, then I have no reason to stand by and do nothing," Mirexia said calmly and firmly.

"Besides, you are the true blood descendant of the Radiance Goddess. The fact proves the Varelis family line hasn't died out. It's only right and proper for you to restore the Church of Radiance. If the Radiance Pope continues to occupy that seat, then they are the ones without justification, without righteousness," Mirexia reasoned clearly.

"Thank you, Mirexia. In fact, during this incident, I also encountered factions and individuals within the Church who support me. After discussing with them, we've decided that until I grow strong enough to challenge the [Holy Envoy], I won't reveal my identity or expose my awakened bloodline," Vanessa said, deeply moved.

"That's the best choice," Mirexia agreed.

"If you ever need help in the future, you can always come to me, Vanessa," Mirexia's voice softened. "I will always be your strongest support."

"But—"

"I'm your childhood friend, your closest companion," Mirexia whispered softly. At this moment, the ice princess seen by others revealed her gentle true nature. "If I don't protect you, then who will?"

Vanessa's eyes grew moist at these words. She pressed her cherry-like lips together, silently stood up, and hugged Mirexia.

"Mm, I know, I know, Mirexia~" Vanessa nestled in Mirexia's arms.

After a moment's hesitation, Mirexia hugged Vanessa back, wrapping her arms around the slender back, breathing in the delicate scent of white tea and lavender so close at hand.

The two girls embraced for a long time, each feeling their body temperature rise before finally parting.

Vanessa averted her gaze, not just to hide the lingering blush on her cheeks, but also...

Seriously.

She had never been a crybaby.

Why was today different? Why had she become so emotional?