CHAPTER 163: CHAPTER 149: GOOD FRIENDS, FOR A LIFETIME_2

She said, "You only need to remember one thing, no matter what’s there, you must keep moving forward."

...

No matter what’s there, you must keep moving forward.

Ave’s ear echoed with this voice, leaving her a bit dazed. When she returned to her senses, the warm morning sun shone upon her. She lay in a soft bed, covered with a quilt, and the room was filled with the fragrance of flowers.

This was her home, the Margaret Clan’s mansion in the Imperial Capital.

"Knock knock knock, knock knock knock——!"

The knocking interrupted her thoughts, and before she could speak, the other person pushed open the bedroom door and rushed to her side anxiously. The single ponytail behind the girl’s head swung back and forth as she ran close, directly pouncing onto the bed, "The sun is already up, why are you still not getting up?"

Her short little arms dragged Ave’s shoulders outward from the covers.

Whose child is this, to be so impolite!

Ave wanted to complain, but when the girl got closer, she blurted out, "Porcelain Doll?"

Compared to their meeting in Ximu Town, the Porcelain Doll’s appearance had hardly changed, only her hairstyle was different. Perhaps for ease in battle, the Porcelain Doll had cut off her single ponytail, leaving only short hair.

"Porcelain Doll? Ave, did you sleep yourself silly? What Porcelain Doll?"

The girl raised her hand to pinch her cheek, using this method to wake her up.

The manor’s maid arrived belatedly, lifting her skirt and rushing into the room, her face worried, "Miss Viola, the young lady is still resting!"

Viola was always full of vigor, she ran quickly and was very agile. The servants of the manor couldn’t catch up to her.

Ave didn’t blame the maid, but she suddenly paused.

Huh?

Who is Viola?

Is that the Porcelain Doll’s name?

It seemed like they had known each other for a long time, familiar enough that Viola could rush all the way into her bedroom without being stopped by the manor’s guards.

In the midst of her thoughts, Viola proudly puffed out her chest. Bathing in the sunlight, she announced to Ave, "Ave, I’ve already passed the selection by the church. From today onwards, I’m a Priest!"

Ave felt she had seen such a scene before.

A girl with a single ponytail stood in front of her window, arrogantly saying something.

But, when did this happen?

Her name is Viola, could she be a young lady from a noble family?

Ave’s pupils contracted as she saw the questions in her mind turn into floating text, displayed prominently in the bedroom.

Red letters, dripping with blood.

A shadow fell upon the letters, the space became like a window filled with cracks, on the other side of the fissures lay unfathomable darkness.

"Ave? Ave!"

Viola called to her several times, and was quickly lifted by the maid, coaxed and carried towards the door. The bedroom door was open, yet Ave couldn’t see the scene beyond.

No, don’t go over there.

Almost instinctively, Ave reached out her hand, although knowing nothing about Viola, she still instinctively wanted to call out to her.

But she lost the ability to speak, only able to watch Viola depart.

Ave thought of Lindong’s words, this was the deep consciousness, fragments of some memory, she couldn’t change what had already happened.

One day, Viola burst into her bedroom.

Ave quickly gathered her spirits, she got out of bed and stared at the blood-soaked text.

Viola passed the priest exam, later becoming a member of the Choir. Every member of the Choir needed to use Holy Word Art to strip away emotions. In upper society of the Imperial Capital, this was not considered a secret, some children from noble families participated in priest exams, the family prideful if they became a member of the Choir.

In the church, that was regarded as a more sacred identity than a High-tier Priest, viewed as the Goddess’s scourge, used to punish blasphemers.

Yet, why did she happen to need to strip away this memory?

Ave looked toward the doorway leading to an unknown destination, this door wasn’t necessarily connected to the manor corridor, this was her deep consciousness, she could decide where the door would lead.

She put on her shoes and stood at the entrance.

Many voices emanated from the darkness outside, all related to Viola, all her memories about her were cast into that pitch-black void.

Ave closed her eyes, listening intently to each word.

"Ave, the teacher praised my talent."

"I’m already ahead of you by several steps, but don’t worry, at worst, I’ll protect you in the future."

"I learned a very powerful warding spell, want to see it?"

"Ave, have you heard of the Choir? Only the most outstanding priests qualify to become a member of the Choir!"

"Ave..."

Suddenly, she opened her eyes and reached into the darkness.

Cold chains blocked her outside, the scene on the other side of the door revealed strange images, a dim corridor, leading to another door with an unknown destination, yet that door was locked with several chains that shouldn’t be here, both sides of the corridor lined with cathedral-style stained glass.

This was somewhere within the Imperial Capital Cathedral, these chains had been added later artificially.

Ave felt her legs were as if they were filled with lead, each step forward required tremendous effort, her body emitted signals of rejection, refusing to accept the sight on the other side of the door.

This was a secret about the Choir.

Less than ten meters of corridor took Ave several minutes, by the time she stood in front of the door she was drenched in sweat. She reached out, grasped the cold chains, these chains didn’t need a key to open, she took a deep breath, and with force, ripped the chains apart.