Chapter 283: I'm Friends with the Undead

  The Sun God wasn't the embodiment of the sun at all.

  Not only did it not belong to the light, it had nothing to do with the Creator God's left eye either.

  Maybe it was the transformed Bennu Bird that betrayed the Life Goddess, or perhaps a massive monster that devoured the Bennu Bird. Either way, it wasn't a natural deity.

  Prince Feiru, as the Sun God's Blessed One, didn't receive holy light that could banish darkness—he got the Immortal Phoenix's flames. That was the proof.

  Luo Wei remembered the wooden box she'd found in the bell tower. The truth had been written there all along.

  "Eyes not outside the heart"—she'd actually witnessed this scene herself.

  Two massive eyeballs floated in the clouds above this continent. Those were the Sun and Moon Gods that people worshipped.

  The sun, moon, and Star of Galan should have been complete, independent entities—just like eyes should be outside the heart, not floating within it. Wasn't that strange?

  The so-called Sun and Moon Gods were just false deities born from fanatical faith. They could only survive by stealing other gods' divine authority and stitching together their own bodies.

  The fallen Life Goddess, the vanished Justice God, the forgotten Wisdom God, other deities with dwindling followers, and the Dark God branded as evil—how much divine authority had fallen into their hands?

  When true gods died, what purpose would these false gods achieve?

  Prince Alfried, as the Church's Cardinal, must have noticed some of these secrets—if faith hadn't blinded him.

  So his interest in her became obvious.

  "Thanks for the insight, Senior. I understand now," Luo Wei put away the letter. "I'll go to tomorrow's banquet alone."

  "Miss Luo Wei, you're not taking us?" Laura asked anxiously.

  Theodore: "If you go alone, what if that bad old man does something to you?"

  "Don't worry, I'll be fine," Luo Wei said decisively. "Going alone is actually safer."

  She looked at the panicked Laura and reassured her: "Laura, you don't need to risk danger with me. I know what you want to ask—I'll ask him for you. Wait for good news."

  Laura: "But..."

  "Junior Laura," Sebastian said gently, "if you go with her, you'll become Luo Wei's weakness. If Prince Alfried threatens her with your life, would you want to see that happen?"

  "I..." Laura hesitated. She didn't want to drag Luo Wei down because of her problems.

  "It's settled then. Tomorrow afternoon at sunset, we'll meet here again," Luo Wei cut through the confusion. "That's enough for today. It's already noon—let's go eat at the academy cafeteria!"

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  "Eat! Good!" Gladys's eyes lit up.

  "Ugh, let's go," Theodore rubbed his stomach. "I'm actually hungry."

  The seven got up from the grass and walked out from under the willow tree's shade.

  "Senior Calansis." Luo Wei hung back and called to Hessel.

  The quiet girl turned around, giving her a questioning look.

  Luo Wei: "I said before that after the competition ended, I'd help you find what you're looking for."

  Hessel's eyes flickered: "You have a way?"

  Luo Wei nodded: "The undead puppeteer who took the All-Seeing Eye—I know where he is."

  Hessel's face tensed, her voice carrying tension she didn't notice: "Where?"

  Luo Wei: "On the roof of the east wing of the main cathedral, there's a stained glass window with willow leaf patterns. Prepare a candle and light it by that window at midnight. He'll come out to see you."

  "Oh, his name is Wordsworth. He's a bit shy, so if he sees you and hides, you can mention my name."

  Hessel was surprised: "He—no, you two know each other?"

  "We do," Luo Wei smiled. "We're friends."

  Friends?

  A flash of shock crossed Hessel's eyes.

  Luo Wei's friendships extended this far?

  No wonder she wasn't afraid of Black Dragons—she even dared befriend the undead. What could possibly scare her?

  After the shock, Hessel sincerely thanked Luo Wei.

  She didn't ask why Luo Wei knew an undead puppeteer. That was her secret.

  She only needed to know that Luo Wei had helped her. That was enough.

  ...

  After lunch, Luo Wei returned to Rose Castle.

  The dorm's bathing facilities were inconvenient. She took off her battle outfit with the hole in the back, changed into a casual dress, and prepared to return to Star Luo Residence for a hot bath.

  She'd originally planned to use the teleportation array, but the moment she lifted the bedsheet, she suddenly remembered what Headmaster Morrison had said—that she used the teleportation array so often, she should know how to activate it.

  Luo Wei felt inexplicably guilty. Never mind, she'd walk back instead.

  It was broad daylight and she wasn't sneaking out—she could leave openly!

  She went downstairs and had just exited the dorm when a familiar voice called from above her head.

  "Luo Wei, this is Professor Tobias. Come to my office."

  An owl perched above the main entrance, its yellow eyes staring at her as its beak opened and closed.

  "Luo Wei, this is Professor Tobias..."

  "Yes, Professor! I'll be right there!" This time, without waiting for the owl to repeat three times, Luo Wei eagerly agreed.

  She was always enthusiastic about things that benefited her.

  Receiving her reply, the owl stopped repeating and flew away with spread wings.

  Luo Wei also hurried toward the elementary building, smiling the entire way.

  Reaching Professor Tobias's private office, she gently knocked on the door.

  "Come in." Professor Tobias's low, pleasant voice came from inside.

  Luo Wei pushed open the door and entered.

  "Good afternoon, Professor."

  She stood by the door and curtsied, lifting her skirt.

  "Luo Wei," Professor Tobias sat at her desk, a slight smile on her face beneath her wide-brimmed hat. She pointed to the chair across from her. "No need for formalities. Sit."

  "Yes."

  Luo Wei walked over and sat down.

  "Luo Wei, you gave me a wonderful surprise," Professor Tobias said frankly. "Although my crystal ball told me you'd lead our academy's team to victory, I was still worried."

  "I understand, Professor. I could hardly believe I could lead the team to first place either."

  Before defeating the Divine College, she'd constantly thought about how to surrender naturally, even though she'd gotten an auspicious "turning danger into safety" reading from her turtle shell divination before the final battle.

  Predicted futures had too many variables. It was perfectly normal for fortune-tellers to feel anxious about their divination results.

  Professor Tobias studied her calm, composed expression and sighed: "Luo Wei, you have an incredibly strong heart. Sometimes I even feel like there's a mature soul living in your body that doesn't match your youthful face."

  Luo Wei's heart jumped, and she spoke slowly: "Time doesn't make people mature—experience does. Maybe it's because I've had richer experiences than others."

  "Remarkable that someone so young has such insight," Professor Tobias praised, then got to the point. "Luo Wei, before the competition I promised that if you could lead the team to a good ranking, I'd give you corresponding rewards."

  "You got first place, so you can choose any five magical items from here."

  She opened a drawer and took out a reddish-brown sandalwood box.

  Seeing Luo Wei's gaze fall on the box's patterns, she smiled: "Remember this box?"

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