Volume 2, Chapter 35-2 – Is She Still the Same Person?

The fragrance of blood roses filled the entire carriage, while distant mountain ranges stretched layer upon layer toward the horizon.

The starry sky and moonlight of the Abyss still hung high beneath the vault, while Vivian Valentine sat beside the right-hand window of the nightmare carriage, knowing that she was on her way to Lilith School.

Her fingers tapped the armrest from time to time.

Vivian was deep in thought.

She had spent the entire journey thinking.

About that child.

About Stella.

Even if Gehenna wanted to swindle more funding, she would never lie about something like this.

As the gatekeeper of order in the Abyss, the Principal who only ever wanted to get off work early would never fabricate a joke about the Pale Lord having an illegitimate daughter, something that could very well spark a Third Abyssal War, just for the sake of a prank.

So Stella really did carry that woman’s bloodline.

Vilpana.

Vivian stared at her own breathtakingly beautiful reflection in the glass and fell into deep self-doubt.

After so many distant years, hearing about her again without the slightest warning brought the past rushing back into Vivian’s heart, leaving behind a faint sense of melancholy.

She admitted that during those years a century ago, when she had all but given up on herself, her private life had indeed been somewhat… colorful.

The women of the Valentine family had always believed in enjoying pleasure while they could, but that did not mean she had no standards when it came to taste, much less that she lacked any sense of self-preservation.

That was the Pale Lord.

That lunatic who treated killing like breathing and the Abyss like her personal testing ground.

Vivian tried hard to recall every interaction she had ever had with Vilpana.

The few times they had met were either across the round table during meetings of the Electors or at certain social banquets they had been required to attend.

They had never even spoken in private.

Could it have happened under some kind of unavoidable circumstance?

Vivian shifted into another position, her brows knitting slightly.

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Perhaps on some chaotic night, the Pale Lord had taken a fancy to her beauty and used some kind of high-level memory-altering magic?

After all, for a monster on Vilpana’s level, silently doing everything and then erasing every trace afterward would be as easy as wiping chalk from a blackboard.

“…What an ill-mannered demon.”

Vivian cursed softly, yet for some inexplicable reason, her mood improved.

If it really was Vilpana, then Stella possessing such terrifying talent made perfect sense.

The blood of Valentine combined with Pale nothingness.

It was a perfect work of art.

The carriage abruptly came to a stop.

“We’ve arrived, Family Head Vivian.”

Sebas’ steady voice came from outside the carriage door.

Wearing white gloves, he opened the carriage door engraved with the thorn crest.

Vivian adjusted the hem of her dress and gracefully stepped down.

Behind her, Gehenna Jelansika also climbed out of the carriage.

This Principal of Lilith School, the Archdemon who struck fear into countless demons, looked especially… petite beside the enormous nightmare carriage.

Butler Sebas was perceptive enough to bend at the waist and extend one hand, palm upward, attempting to assist the distinguished guest traveling with them.

Smack.

A crisp sound rang out.

Gehenna expressionlessly slapped his hand away.

She did not even spare Sebas a glance and simply jumped down from the carriage step.

Her leather boots landed on the ground, kicking up a small ring of dust.

Gehenna casually smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt.

Immediately afterward, the door of the third carriage opened.

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Several demons in gray robes filed out one after another. Emblems of the Abyss Nexus were pinned to their chests, and their sinister gazes swept across the surroundings.

Behind them, a young female demon with a magical recording device hanging around her neck excitedly jumped down and began snapping pictures of the school gates in rapid succession.

Gehenna glanced at the investigators, then at the reporter adjusting her flash.

“I can understand the old fossils from the Nexus Council sending an investigation team. After all, Mara’s identity as an Ash Drinker was exposed, so those old bastards who are terrified of dying must be unable to sit still.”

Gehenna turned her head, her pale golden eyes settling on Vivian.

“But there’s one thing I don’t understand. Why did you bring a reporter from Prophet Weekly to my school?”

“Because ceremony is important, my dear Principal.” Vivian said as though it were only natural. “I’m going to announce to the entire Abyss exactly who the legitimate heir of the Valentine family is. If a historic moment like this had no flashes and no front-page headline, wouldn’t that be terribly lonely?”

“…Sigh.”

Gehenna let out a sigh.

“I just hope this doesn’t turn into some earth-shattering headline or bring some disaster down on us. Thanks to your daughter, the school’s renovation budget is already running a deficit this year.”

Gehenna’s intuition told her that the reporter Vivian had brought along was definitely trouble.

But at this critical moment, she still needed Vivian’s signature to secure this year’s special school board sponsorship funds.

Until the check was in hand, she decided to temporarily tolerate the whims of this benefactor.

The two of them walked side by side toward the school’s main entrance.

The iron gates slowly opened, revealing a tall figure standing there.

As usual, Katerina wore a pitch-black professor’s robe, her black hair meticulously pinned behind her head.

She did not need to say anything.

Merely standing there with that cool smile was already the friendliest expression she could possibly manage.

“Welcome back to the school, Principal Gehenna. Welcome as well, members of the investigation team. And welcome…”

Katerina paused.

Her eyes were icy as she looked at Vivian as though she were staring at something unclean.

“Welcome as well, Ms. Valentine, our… esteemed member of the school board.”

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Her old romantic rival was standing right in front of her.

No…

She could not exactly be considered a romantic rival.

But the woman who had once slept with Vilpana was standing right in front of her.

Katerina truly found it difficult to put on a pleasant expression.

Unfortunately, the other party had power and influence and was even a member of Lilith School’s board. No matter what, she had to welcome her.

Vilpana’s selfishness, Vilpana’s rudeness, Vilpana’s cold and distant nature.

Katerina could choose to forget all those memories because she had once loved her.

But when she thought that a bizarre woman like Vivian Valentine before her had also loved Vilpana, when she thought of Stella’s face as an illegitimate daughter bearing such a striking resemblance to Vilpana, and then connected that with the dazzlingly beautiful mature woman before her…

Katerina felt the smile on her face was about to collapse.

“This is the Vice Principal you chose?”

Vivian did not get angry at Katerina’s attitude.

Instead, she blinked in slight confusion and turned toward Gehenna.

“She doesn’t seem to like me very much. Is there something on my face?”

“Mm… probably because you’re too beautiful, and she feels inferior by comparison.”

Gehenna lied through her teeth without the slightest change in expression.

She understood Katerina’s little thoughts far too well, but now was absolutely not the time to talk about such things.

“Understandable.”

Vivian nodded in satisfaction.

Katerina drew in a deep breath, stepped aside, and made an inviting gesture.

“Everyone, according to the reception itinerary, I will take you on a tour of the school’s reconstruction results. This includes the newly built greenhouse garden on the eastern side, Professor Sprout’s masterpiece, as well as the recently restored moving staircase area, and…”

“Stop.”

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Vivian interrupted Katerina’s textbook-like introduction.

“I have no interest in flowers and plants, nor do I want to see some moving staircases. Things like that would be dug up as weeds in the Valentine family’s back garden.”

Vivian raised her chin, her gaze passing over Katerina’s shoulder and landing directly on the abandoned old chapel in the distance.

“I came here for serious business.”

Vivian strode forward and walked straight past Katerina without even giving the Vice Principal another glance.

“Now, move aside.”

“I’m going to meet the victor of the Laxia Ritual.”

Katerina clenched her fist.

But in the end, she showed nothing.

Gehenna, however, let out a soft sigh.

Some things opened with great ceremony, only to end as farce.

Some things began as comedy, only to turn into tragedy.

One opening gong after another, one mournful closing song after another, all had long since scattered with the wind.

Only that gentle sigh remained within her heart.

“Sigh… they’re all debts of love.”

Translator Note

So even Vivian herself didn’t know whether she truly had done it with the Pale Lord or not TvT

The victim wasn’t the Pale Lord, but it was actually Vivian? ><