Golden rays fell gently upon the woman who knelt before the statue, her hands clasped tightly in prayer. A soft, warm light spread from her body, wrapping the hall in a glow that felt like comfort and healing. Around her, people knelt on the floor, whispering in soft whispers as they prayed together. The sacred air made the place feel far removed from the outside world, yet tension clung to every corner. After a long silence, the woman opened her eyes. Seraphina, the Saintess, looked solemn, and her lips pressed into a thin line. She spoke softly, but her words carried weight. "Things aren’t looking good." One of the priests, standing closest to her, immediately leaned forward, worried in his eyes. "Saintess, what is it? Your expression does not look good." Seraphina’s gaze shifted slightly, her expression turned heavy and unnatural. "Things ahead are not looking good." Another priest, his voice trembling, asked carefully, "Was there a revelation?" Seraphina shook her head slowly. "No, there wasn’t. But my heart feels uneasy." Her answer left her followers exchanging worried glances. A heavy silence spread, the prayers around them now faded into whispers. The unease on her face weighed heavily on everyone present. Breaking the silence, Seraphina asked, her voice calm but sharp, "Have you caught anyone behind that vile man?" A priest lowered his head. "The Emperor has sent men, but by the time they arrived, the members of the Ravens had already disappeared. It was as if they vanished into the air." Another added quickly, "The Emperor has issued an arrest warrant to hunt them down." Seraphina’s eyes hardened, and her expression turned grim. "That’s not enough." Her tone was firm, carrying both authority and frustration. "I think we should request help from Headquarters." At her words, one of her followers stepped back in shock. "You can’t do that, Saintess!" His voice was loud, trembling with fear. "If the Paladin army comes, the Emperor of Heizen might see us as a threat. If that happens, things could turn dangerous." Seraphina’s heart sank. She lowered her head, causing her golden hair to slide across her pale face. She knew the Emperor’s stance all too well. The Emperor of Heizen allowed the temples to preach and build places of worship, but his tolerance had limits. Any move that looked like the church trying to gain power or sway the masses against the crown would be punished with a heavy hand. "But if something goes wrong..." Seraphina whispered, clutching her throbbing head. She looked up at the Goddess’s statue with pleading eyes. She pressed her lips and opened as she prayed aloud. "O Queen of Eternal Light... may these foolish humans look beyond their selfishness. May they unite against the shadow of bad omens that draws near." The people behind her raised their heads and echoed her prayer in one voice. "Amen." The word rang through the temple, though the weight of unease still lingered in their hearts. Meanwhile, in the Ruther Estate, silence filled the halls, broken only by the sound of glass crunching underfoot. The grand room was a mess. Pieces of porcelain, shattered vases, and overturned chairs lay scattered across the floor. Duke Martin stood in the middle of it, his expression grim as he looked at his daughter. Her face was pale, yet her eyes were burning with frustration, but her body trembled with the anger that had led her to destroy everything around her. His heart sank with sadness. Around them, the servants stood at a distance, afraid to come close. None dared to speak. The daughter of the Duke, once known for her grace and pride, now looked nothing like a noblewoman. Duke Martin’s eyes shook a bit. He could not hide the disappointment in his eyes. "Where is your grace?" he muttered softly, almost to himself. "Where is the pride you were raised with? Where is the virtue of nobility?" His words hung in the air, but the young woman did not respond. She only stood there, breathing heavily, her hands clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. The anger in her chest refused to settle. Martin’s heart ached even more as he looked at her. The way she behaved now was reckless, uncontrolled, no different from thugs who fought and shouted in the streets. This was not the daughter he had raised, nor the noblewoman who was supposed to carry the dignity of the Ruther name. He closed his eyes for a moment,feeling his shoulders becoming heavy with grief. When he opened them again, his gaze was firm but filled with sorrow. He could no longer see the noble grace in her that he once admired. Thɪs chapter is updated by NovєlFіre.net What he saw instead was a young woman drowning in anger, losing the very essence of who she was meant to be. Elena was his only daughter, the child born from the woman he loved deeply, who had died giving birth to her. That loss had broken Duke Martin’s heart. He never married again and poured all his love and care into Elena. He never doubted that one day he would hand over the Duchy to her. But now, watching her , he could not help but wonder if his excessive love had created this outcome. Despite his words of reason, Elena’s expression did not change. She sat stiffly, her face pale but her eyes burning with anger. Inside, her heart was boiling. "That son of a bitch!" she thought, her nails digging into her palms. "How dare he treat me ? How dare he?" Her teeth ground against each other as fury overtook her. "A mere bastard really thinks he is something. I am going to become the future Archmage, the greatest mage in the world. How dare he humiliate me? I will torture him. No, once I catch him, I will experiment on him again and again." Her rage showed clearly on her face. Seeing this, Duke Martin let out a heavy sigh and spoke carefully. "Elena, you should calm down. It was you who was wrong from the start. You should not have done all that." He paused for a moment, his voice heavy with disappointment. "And more than that, you should not have attached yourself to that boy, who used such shady means to get stronger." His words seemed to strike her, and Elena’s head turned sharply toward him. Her eyes were wide, shimmering with disbelief, and her throat tightened as if she were swallowing back tears. "Father, are you saying I am wrong? How is that possible?" Her voice rose, trembling with emotion. "I did everything right. It’s that bastard who ruined everything. He should have just stayed in his place." Martin’s expression hardened, and his chest ached as if his heart was being pierced. He wanted to scream at her. What is this nonsense? What does she mean, he should have taken the beating lying down? "No... something is wrong with her," Martin thought, swallowing hard. He stepped back, his body suddenly heavy with dread. Finally, he forced himself to speak. "Elena, you are tired. We will talk after you recover. For now, you should rest and heal." He turned quickly and left the room, his steps brisk and uneasy. Outside, he called the guards, his tone sharp. "Keep a close eye on her. Do not let her leave. If she tries to force her way out, knock her down. I am going to bring some people." The guards saluted and took their positions.. Back in the room, Elena opened her eyes and saw faint wisp of darkness flickered into existence around her, twisting silently in the air.