Chapter 179

179: Truth and Love

At ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍this point, a hint of regret appeared on Sauron's face as he continued solemnly:

"It's ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍just a pity, Jasmine, that you were too impulsive. Even if you wanted to kill Howard, you could have at least waited until the black mud had completely accepted your body and elevated you into a Perfect Vessel before taking action. Prematurely combining God-given power with Death Magic allowed you to successfully kill him, but your body suffered irreversible damage in the process. The vessel that should have been flawless is no longer perfect."

"...There's ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍nothing worth regretting. That man violated our agreement. I couldn't possibly let Lina remain under his control. You know that at that time, I had no other choice."

Jasmine ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍responded in an icy tone. Every time Howard was mentioned, a trace of hatred and disgust would flash through her eyes, and this time was no exception.

"But ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I am curious. Compared to me, a daughter you never met and only created to serve as a vessel, Howard was a disciple you raised personally. Shouldn't your emotional bond have been deeper? Yet after he was killed by me, not only did you do nothing, you even seemed to implicitly allow it."

"You ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍ask about that? Of course, Howard was someone I raised, so his death was certainly a pity. But as you said, he violated the promise he made before the Lord, so bringing about his own death through that was merely his own fault."

"Sigh, moreover, back when he proposed using Lina as the price to gain more funding support, I also expressed my opposition. At that time, I clearly told him that the power named [Love] is both a blessing and a curse. Its definition is very broad, but there are people who can sacrifice everything for it."

"Although I cannot understand this emotion itself, I can clearly recognize its power. So I advised Howard not to be impatient, but that stubborn kid... sigh..."

Sauron shook his head with some helplessness. Just then, Lina's voice, clearly trembling slightly, came from beside him.

"So... that incident back then... was really..."

"You should ask Jasmine about that. Compared to me, she experienced it personally and knows much more clearly than I do."

Lina turned to look at Jasmine. And Jasmine, who always doted on her sister, couldn't withstand Lina's gaze. Finally, after a long sigh, Jasmine slowly revealed the truth of that year:

"Howard once said that the person inheriting the position of Saint had to be me, the Perfect Vessel. Only in that way could their next actions proceed more smoothly. Back then, I had already detected signs that they were planning to make a move on you, so that morning I hurriedly found you, wanting to persuade you to give up competing for the Saint position."

"But your determined attitude was truly somewhat unexpected. Helplessly, I could only temporarily leave, thinking to reconsider other strategies. But what I didn't expect was that they had already planned how to deal with you, and directly made their move before the official selection even began."

"So, that cup of wine back then was..."

"...I noticed something was wrong when I saw Howard, that bastard, unusually taking the initiative to toast you. But at the time, I only thought he had put something in the wine he handed you himself. What I never expected was..."

At this point, emotions of regret and anger rarely seen on Jasmine's face emerged. She closed her eyes and continued in pain:

"That was simply a scheme he had designed long ago! He had long predicted that I wouldn't sit idly by! Therefore, the wine he handed you was just a distraction to draw my attention. What was actually drugged was the wine glass the server handed to me!"

"I was in a hurry to stop him, so I didn't pay much attention to the wine glass someone else handed me. After casually pouring a drink with slightly lower alcohol content, I sent it over to you. And by the time I discovered something was wrong through Death Magic's causal reproduction ability... it was already too late..."

"I hurriedly wanted to find you, but was told by a server that you had already left early due to feeling unwell. At that point, I basically guessed what they wanted to do, so without thinking much, I ran straight to your room..."

By this point, the corners of Jasmine's eyes were already slightly red. Just recalling the scene from back then caused such emotional fluctuation. One could imagine how panicked Jasmine must have been at that time.

"I kept praying, praying that I could be faster, praying that that beast wouldn't arrive too early. I was scared... scared that my momentary carelessness would push you into an abyss of no return..."

"Fortunately, I made it in time..."

"The moment I entered your room, the moment I saw that beast's figure, all the doctrines, all the rules, I had already thrown them to the back of my mind. I grabbed a Black Key from the room and killed that man on the spot."

"Perhaps because it was my first time killing someone in front of you? Even though I had done this who knows how many times for Howard, my heart still felt inexplicably panicked at that moment. So, I made another wrong decision."

"Just like when I was young and didn't know how to face your enthusiasm, I ran away, fled to a deserted corner in the suburbs, and cried my heart out..."

"As for what happened after... you can probably guess."

"..."

After listening to Jasmine's description, what followed was already clear.

After Jasmine fled in panic and confusion, Howard took advantage of the situation and used it to deceive Lina's trust.

And Lina, as a result, turned against Jasmine after she killed Howard, and left the Church.

This was the truth of that incident back then.

"Jasmine."

After a long silence, even Lina herself didn't know how to describe her feelings at this moment.

Was it bitterness? Regret? Pain? Or sorrow?

Or perhaps... all of the above?

"Why... why didn't you just tell me all this?"

"Back then, I went to question you. I questioned why you did those things, and you... you could have taken that opportunity to tell me everything!"

At this moment, Lina's tone was less like an accusation and more like a tearful complaint.

"Even if I didn't believe you, you should have at least... at least given me an answer..."

"Why did you choose silence?"

Lina's voice already carried a faint sobbing tone.

"Lina, I..."

Jasmine lowered her head, not daring to meet Lina's eyes.

"I'm not good at expressing emotions in words... but I really... just wanted to... protect you..."

"But what about you!? You protected me, yes, but what about yourself? You knew doing this would hurt you..."

"It's alright."

Jasmine gently stepped forward and wiped away the tears from the corner of Lina's eyes.

"Because you are the most important person in the world to me."

"For you, I can sacrifice everything I have."

"Even... my life..."