CHAPTER 660

【 CONFUSION 】

—

The slanted sunlight streamed through the window, while the sounds of the bustling streets echoed outside.

Sophia stood before the window, gazing blankly at the beautiful scenery of the elven city outside. A faint trace of melancholy clouded her expression.

She recalled the days she spent in her family’s Castle in Zelouan, the knowledge she had read from its vast library, and the lessons her mentor had taught her about the greatness of nobility.

She had always believed that nobles were honorable and great, merciful and wise.

She had always believed that the Church was just and sacred, and that the Empire was prosperous and strong.

That was how the books described it, how the nobles in Zelouan glorified themselves, and she herself took pride in it,to the point of making it her lifelong goal.

Yet, again and again, images of the decrepit towns she had visited on her journey surfaced in her mind…

The dead infants discarded in a ditch, the grand mansions of the nobles in Morningstar City, the false and detestable smile of Duke Lawson, and the cold indifference of Bishop Santis…

Each one revealed to her a cruel truth—

Perhaps all along, she had always been too naïve, too blinded by her own ideals.

Perhaps she had only seen what others wanted her to see…

Perhaps she had never truly understood the world at all…

Unlike what’s depicted in the books, the world was not as beautiful as she imagined it be, nor as kind as she wished it was.

At that moment, Sophia remembered what Lady Zero Moonlight, the Elven Godwarden, had said to her before she left Grey Haven for Riverside Town:

“You’ve probably never left your castle much, have you?”

Back then, Sophia did not understand why the other party asked her that question.

But now, she did.

Nobles were not the benevolent and respectable lords in the eyes of the common folk.

Commoners were not the people whom the nobles of the Empire felt duty-bound to protect.

Even the Eternal Church was not entirely just or impartial.

Her understanding of the world had been nothing more than a fairy tale, a fantasy shaped by the embellished words of literary books that wrapped her ideals within a fragile, glimmering illusion.

Yet when that fairy tale was shattered, and the bubble burst, all that remained of her ideals was a cruel truth and a completely broken future.

At this moment, Sophia felt completely lost.

She raised her head slightly, looking up at the clear blue sky, at the drifting white clouds slowly moving across the horizon.

The clouds, soft as cotton, shifted and changed continuously, like wanderers without a destination, adrift in the endless blue sky.

For some reason, Sophia felt that she was just like one of those clouds…

Powerless, directionless, uncertain of where to go.

She no longer knew which path to take.

A steady knocking on the door suddenly broke the silence and pulled her out from her daze.

“Miss Sophia, it’s Li Mu. May I come in for a moment?”

A polite yet gentle voice came from outside.

Sophia glanced at the door and said wearily,

“I’d like to be alone. I don’t wish to see anyone right now.”

“At least have something to eat. You haven’t eaten for several days. We made your favorite pastries. Please, eat a little, or you’ll make yourself ill.”

Li Mu’s voice came again.

“No, there’s no need. Someone like me deserves it if I fall sick,” Sophia replied listlessly.

The voice outside went silent.

After a brief pause, faint noises stirred beyond the door.

Then, with a sudden crash, the door burst open from a powerful kick, startling the girl by the window.

She frowned and turned around. But when she saw who had forcefully come in, her expression immediately turned cold.

“I said I didn’t want to see anyone. Why did you force your way in?”

Standing in the doorway was none other than Demacia.

Hearing her words, Demacia suddenly smirked.

A hint of mockery flashed across his face as he crossed his arms and said with a curl of his lip,

“Oh? And who are you putting on that lifeless face for? Where’s that proud and untouchable young Viscountess from before? You used to mock me every chance you got. What happened? Hah, a mere trip to Morningstar City turned you into a wilted eggplant? Weren’t you the one who wanted to inherit your family’s title and rebuild your house’s glory?”

Sophia’s face turned even paler at his derisive tone.

“Are you here just to ridicule me?” she asked, her hands trembling into fists.

“Ridicule? Tch, do you really think you’re worth that much?” Demacia scoffed, shaking his head.

He then gave her a cold glance and sneered,

“I’ve got no time to mock a girl who instantly gives up the moment things don’t go her way.”

“You…!”

Sophia glared at him angrily.

“—What? Isn’t it the truth?”

Demacia let out a short snort.

“We didn’t risk our necks rescuing you just to see you sulking like this. I thought you were one of the few nobles among the humans who actually had a conscience. Sure, you’re naïve, and a bit foolish, but at least you had passion and right ideals… But I didn’t expect you to be this weak. Hmph, with that kind of resolve, you still dream of restoring your family’s name?”

Hearing Demacia’s words, Sophia’s shoulders trembled.

She suddenly lifted her head and glared at him, her eyes burning with fury.

“What are you staring at? Trying to see whose eyes are bigger?” Demacia retorted with a sneer. “Did you think Big Sister Zero would have handed the Goddess’s summoning statue to you for no reason? She and the others despise human nobles more than anyone, even if you have a bit of elven blood in you!”

He glared back at her, his tone sharp and mocking.

“You…!”

Sophia clenched her teeth, seething with anger.

“What?” Demacia shot back. “Sure, I’ve got plenty of flaws, but I’m still way better than you. At least I’ve never given up on my goals. No matter how hard it gets, I push through it with everything I’ve got!”

He let out a short snort.

“Seriously, do you even know why we’ve all treated you so well? Because of your determination, your sense of justice, and the kindness in your heart. And now look at you. The moment something goes wrong, you break down and easily give up. Saying things like ‘I deserve to starve to death’? Pssh—What are you, a child? Do you think acting pitiful will earn you some sympathy?”

His tone was full of scorn.

Sophia bit her lip until it nearly bled, her chest rising and falling rapidly with anger.

“Get out…” she said in a trembling voice.

“Get out? No way. I’m not leaving. I’ve had enough of you moping around. What, you gonna bite me if I don’t go? Weren’t you the one who used to have such a sharp tongue? Come on, where’s that energy now, huh?”

Demacia smirked coldly.

Sophia’s eyes flared with rage.

“I said get out!”

This time, she shouted, startling him for a moment.

But he quickly recovered, lifting his chin arrogantly.

“Why should I leave? This is my inn! My inn, got it? Every business of Amway was built by me, Demacia, from scratch! I’m not some useless noble who only knows how to talk big and crumble at the first setback!”

Sophia’s heart burned with humiliation and anger. Her eyes reddened, and tears began to form at the corners.

“Fine… fine…” she whispered, her voice shaking.

“If you won’t go, then I will!”

Without looking back, she rushed out of the room.

Demacia quickly followed, stepping out the door as she fled down the street.

“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?” he shouted. “Can’t handle a few words? Or are you thinking of doing something stupid? If you’re planning to end it all, at least go far enough away so that you don’t ruin the view! If you actually do something like that, even I’ll look down on you!”

Hearing that, Sophia’s figure wavered slightly, then she ran even faster until she disappeared from sight.

When she was finally gone, Demacia let out a long sigh.

Under Li Mu’s stunned gaze, he muttered,

“Ah, that felt good.”

Li Mu fell silent for a moment, then said flatly, “Didn’t you say you weren’t going to be harsh with her?”

“I wasn’t being harsh,” Demacia replied with a shrug.

“I just couldn’t stand watching her like that. It’s just a little reverse psychology, that’s all. Honestly, even if she’s turned into an NPC now, I doubt my favorability of her can be restored anyway. So I might as well go all in. And if I manage to snap her out of it, then that’s even better.”

Li Mu stared at him, speechless.

“You’re not worried she might actually do something reckless?” he asked, twitching his lips.

“No way. Definitely not,” Demacia said firmly. “She totally hates me. So if I say something like that, she’ll do the opposite just to spite me. That girl’s not stupid—just naive. Deep down, I’m sure she knows what’s going on. She’s just trapped in her emotions. Once she calms down, I’m sure she’ll figure things out.”

Li Mu raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that?”

“Of course,” Demacia said confidently, but then hesitated for a moment.

“….Uh… she wouldn’t really do something drastic, right?”

That thought made him instinctively take a step forward as if to chase after her. But after a second of hesitation, he stopped, opened his chat interface, and quickly called for others in the guild to secretly follow Sophia and make sure she was safe.

Li Mu sighed.

“Sometimes I really can’t tell if you’re incredibly smart or unbelievably dumb,” he muttered, shaking his head before hurrying out of the room.

༺⟐༻

Sophia ran through the streets of Grey Haven, tears streaming down her face.

Her heart was full of sorrow and frustration, mixed with a sense of deep self-loathing.

It was not Demacia she hated—it was herself.

She knew full well that, harsh as his words were, much of what he said was true.

She really had lost her way, and yes, she had been running away all this time.

Although the rational side of her mind told her she needed to pull herself together, her emotions simply would not allow it.

After all, she was only sixteen years old—a sheltered child still untested by the harshness of the world.

She was like a delicate flower raised within a greenhouse, one that had never endured wind or rain.

Thus, she ran and ran, as if she could release all the pent up anger and grief buried in her heart through sheer exhaustion.

Only after running a long distance did Sophia finally slow down.

She sobbed softly, her eyes red and swollen.

The storm of anger within her gradually began to calm down, replaced by an even deeper sense of confusion.

Sophia knew she needed to change, that she had to regain her strength and determination.

But how could she possibly do that?

A fallen nobility, a corrupted church, a despairing populace, and a suffocating society—

The entire Empire seemed like an aging man on its deathbed, or a great ship that had lost its course.

And she was merely a powerless young viscountess without influence or standing. So how could she ever hope to change the fate of her domain and its people?

Her resolve had crumbled, and what little faith she once had in herself was now shattered.

What path was left for her to take?

Without realizing it, the girl had wandered far from where she began.

She now stood in what seemed to be a quiet residential district. The houses were newly built, each reflecting the distinct elegance of elven architecture.

The area was lush and vibrant, resembling a garden more than a neighborhood. Green grass and colorful flowers covered every corner, sustained by what felt like the touch of magic. Even in winter, the vegetation remained lively and strong.

On the streets, elves in simple, traditional clothing walked about.

However unlike Demacia and the others, they wore no ornate equipment, appearing instead in modest and humble clothing.

They lacked the intimidating aura of the “Chosen Ones of the Elven Goddess,” giving off a gentler, warmer impression.

“So is this the elves commoners’ district…?”

Sophia sniffled slightly and murmured to herself.

The sight reminded her of the human commoners she had seen in Riverside Town, and her eyes flickered with complex emotion.

“—Commoners’ district? No, we elves have no such thing,”

A soft, pleasant voice spoke from behind her, drawing Sophia’s attention.

She turned around and saw a female elf dressed as a druid.

Her robe was as fine and intricate as those worn by the “Chosen Ones” but her bearing was even nobler.

When she noticed Sophia’s gaze, the elf smiled gently.

“This is the residential area of the elves who have recently returned,” she said.

“The residential area of the Returning Elves?”

Sophia was slightly taken aback.

Then, recalling certain rumors she had heard among the humans, a look of understanding crossed her eyes.

“So they were the elves who were rescued…” she murmured.

Her gaze drifted toward the elves in the vicinity, where scenes of warmth and life filled her sight.

Children played joyfully. The elderly sat on wooden chairs, leisurely playing a game of chess that had recently become popular throughout the Empire.

The adults worked diligently, each engaged in their duties.

Their eyes shone with energy and hope—so different from the enslaved elves or the downtrodden humans she had seen in the Empire.

Their eyes were not hollow and barely surviving, but truly free and living their lives to the fullest.

“They… seem happy,” Sophia said quietly.

“Of course,” the elven woman replied with a serene smile.

“Under the Goddess’s blessing, all elves live in happiness. Here, there is no oppression. Everyone is equal. If you work hard, you will be rewarded, and your tomorrow will be bright.”

“No oppression… equality for all…”

Sophia repeated softly, thoughtful and moved.

She then raised her head and asked,

“May I ask your name?”

The female elf gently smiled.

“Féng,” she said.

“You may call me Féng.”

Her voice was calm and kind as a spring breeze.

----------------------------------------

〘 PREVIOUS 〙

〘 NEXT 〙

— —

----------------------------------------