### Chapter 227: The Curtain (Part Two)
“Marg…aret?”
A gentle breeze swept through the inky night, the swaying green grass glowing crimson in the firelight. In a daze, I spotted a slender figure with a torch stepping into view and instinctively called out her name, my little face showing a look of surprise.
What on earth is she doing here…?
“It’s been a long time, Miss Silvya.”
The demure Saint stopped a few meters away from Angel, not making any move to come closer. She simply nodded at me, her expression as stern as usual.
The night wind blew, stirring her cloak and skirt adorned with golden embroidery, making the torch in her hand whistle and dance in the flickering light. In the chaos, a few strands of Margaret’s azure hair broke free from her tightly wrapped headscarf, brushing against her cool, expressionless face.
I stared at her, slightly dazed, wanting to say hello, but a strange feeling suddenly rose in my heart. Words hung on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t decide how to say them. Just then, another figure holding a torch silently approached.
“Oh, the beautiful Miss Silvya, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”
It was a man draped in a black cloak.
He and Margaret stood on either side of Angel, maintaining the same distance from me, bowing in a gentlemanly and friendly manner.
“You are…”
The man’s voice sounded quite young, but the odd familiar bird-beak mask on his face made it hard for me to recognize him right away. After a moment, I suddenly caught sight of the corner of a white Pope Knight’s cloak fluttering from behind him.
Ah…
I remember now.
“I recognize you… Birdbeak Doctor?”
I pointed at him in surprise, feeling a bit unsure, so I added, “We met in the Valen Empire, didn’t we?”
“Yes indeed.”
The Birdbeak Doctor nodded and bowed again, a hint of excitement in his voice: “I am Chris Labres, a gentleman by trade and a doctor as a side gig. I was invited by Mr. Carlos over six months ago to investigate the Heretics in Winter City. During that time, I had a brief encounter with you, Miss, and was deeply impressed by your extraordinary beauty—absolutely stunning. I never expected that after six months you would still remember me; it’s quite a shock!”
“Ah…”
So it really is him.
“Since parting from the Empire, I’ve heard tales of your heroic deeds—truly admirable! If I may ask, could I have the honor of sharing a meal with you?”
“……”
I didn’t reply, my mind racing with thoughts of this guy’s sudden appearance here.
“Of course, before that, Miss, you really must return with us.”
Seeing my silence, the man glanced at Angel, who also said nothing, then shrugged his shoulders in mild disappointment and continued, “To speak frankly, Miss Silvya, your current physical state is unstable. The energy within you is in chaos, and it appears you may be experiencing an unknown rejection reaction.”
?
Exceeding force? Rejection reaction?
How does he know this…?
“……”
I remained silent.
The Birdbeak Doctor paused for a moment.
“I’m not sure what you’ve experienced in the Land of Dragons, but from a doctor’s perspective, what you need most right now is urgent treatment and a long period of rest to adapt to this power that seems to have exceeded the human threshold… Ah, don’t brush this off, I’m saying this for your own good. In your current state, if you don’t receive timely treatment, the consequences could be quite severe…”
…Consequences could be severe?
Because I’d turn into a monster girl…?
The feeling of drowsiness intensified, my sluggish brain struggling to think straight. In my haze, I heard the doctor continue, “I’m not trying to scare you, as I’m sure you can feel your discomfort. I want to emphasize that this is just the beginning; without timely and effective treatment, I can’t even guess what might happen next without careful observation. But worry not, I have utmost confidence in my skills; I will provide you the best care possible.”
He bowed to me once more.
“So…”
This is just him not wanting me to leave, right?
I darted my gaze around, frowning for a moment, then my eyes landed on Margaret, who had simply stood there silently after greeting me. I looked over at Angel.
“So I told you not to rush, right?”
The Pope threw his hands up, looking quite helpless: “Just look at your current state, you can’t even stand straight! Am I supposed to let you go? You should listen to Doctor Chris; he’s the best doctor I know. You need a thorough examination… Don’t worry, Margaret will be right there by your side, just like in the Royal City. Her healing miracles will significantly aid your recovery. I can only truly rest easy if you’re in their care.”
As he spoke, Margaret nodded at me.
“……”
I had no reply, slowly stepping back.
Something’s off…
In the moonlit meadow, the flickering torchlight approached one after another from the darkness. Figures in long robes and black cloaks appeared, aligned behind Angel, Margaret, and the Birdbeak Doctor, each standing in an orderly row.
The red glow pulsed ominously, revealing their shadowy faces under the night. I quickly scanned the figures, spotting an old man in a robe among them—one I had recently fought alongside, the one named something like Anse.
He was smiling at me, albeit awkwardly.
Something’s not right…
I kept my poker face and slowly backed away, shifting my gaze to the right of the old man, where a small woman stood, making eye contact with me for a brief moment.
She was an odd sight, one that left a deep impression with just a glance.
She looked to be in her twenties, with delicate features and a doll-like face reminiscent of Sarah’s, but she was clad in simple, rough men’s clothing and carrying a small satchel, along with a long sword sheathed with rusty stains. When she noticed me staring, she pouted slightly and turned away, seemingly unwilling to acknowledge me.
I don’t know her…
I don’t know these people…
But I could tell they were anything but ordinary church members and not part of any Faith Organization. The knights and heroes from the Faith Organization who had once fought bravely to send me into the Land of Dragons were nowhere to be seen after I emerged.
They were gone.
Or perhaps, all long dead…
And now, standing before me, whether it was the old man, the woman, or those clad in black robes, wrapped in cloaks with faces hidden beneath oversized hoods, they all exuded an ill omen… I could smell danger.
This definitely isn’t right…
The gathering flames ahead grew brighter. Apart from those who were already here, I saw clusters of light in the distance on the grassland, slowly inching closer, merging towards us.
“Little Black Charcoal, what’s wrong?”
Angel, at the front of the crowd, was all smiles as he reached his hand out to me: “You look a bit dazed. Didn’t you hear what I just said? Why are you just standing there? Come on, I’ll take you back. Let my people handle the rest; you need to rest properly.”
“No…”
I instinctively shook my head in refusal.
These people were fully prepared…
Why did Margaret and Doctor Birdbeak suddenly show up? Why did they look at me with such guarded eyes? These people… Angel—they were ready ahead of time…
They knew something was bound to happen to me, and they had already set things in motion…
I need to get out of here.
Whoosh—
Ice Mist began to rise beneath my feet, spreading with the wind. I tightened my body, desperately fighting to stay upright.
“Angel… I said I want to first…”
“But I can’t let you go.”
The Pope interrupted my words rapidly, and I saw his smile vanish instantly. His expression darkened quickly, transforming so fast it left me dumbfounded—my foggy brain barely had time to react before he silently signaled to someone behind him.
!
My heart sank, and I immediately turned, intending to use Moon Step to escape at full speed.
In the next moment, the miracle’s light suddenly burst forth on the grassland illuminated by the flickering flames.
