Chapter 1591: Exhibition of Power II

Just as panic threatened to spread further, Salvo stepped forward, his voice cutting cleanly through the rising chaos.

"Please, calm yourself, everyone." He raised a hand, then continued in a profound tone, "Trust me, everything will be fine." His voice was steady and resolute, carrying an authority that compelled the soldiers to instinctively straighten their backs.

The paladins moved at once, echoing his command and urging the others to stay calm. Under Salvo’s composed presence, the mounting fear gradually subsided, as though his confidence alone were enough to steady the unfolding turmoil.

Then, a soft murmur rippled through the crowd.

"Look, the Saintess, the Saintess is here..."

"The Saintess has arrived..."

"Is she gonna save us?"

From a distance, a slender figure walked toward the beach. She wore a flowing white dress that fluttered gently in the sea breeze, the fabric light and pure like drifting clouds.

Her long blond hair shimmered under the sunlight, glistening like strands of gold, and a faint, holy aura seemed to surround her with every step she took.

Under the bright sky, she looked like a goddess sent from heaven — graceful, radiant, and untouchably pure, her beauty almost unreal.

From faraway, Lory watched quietly. She crossed her arms, then with a small, practiced motion, retrieved a lollipop from her ring and unwrapped it. The faint crinkle of plastic was quickly swallowed by the wind as she placed the candy between her lips, sucking on it absentmindedly.

Her eyes lit up with anticipation as she watched the dramatic staged performance unfold just for her. She must admit, it does look good.

Salvo stepped forward and extended his hand, his silver sleeve catching the light. "You’re finally here, I hope you can help us," he said, his voice low yet carrying an unmistakable urgency.

Though soft, his words spread across the shore like a command no one dared ignore. One by one, heads turned. Hope, fragile yet desperate, lit the eyes of soldiers and civilians alike as they looked toward the approaching Saintess.

Alinna smiled was a gentle, soft, almost angelic, untouched by the chaos around her. She placed her hand in Salvo’s. "I will do my best," her voice soft but hinted with determination.

Salvo gave her a worried but understanding nod, afterward he led Alinna to the edge of the sea before releasing her hand. From that moment on, she walked alone.

The waves rolled towards her, filled with Bael’s tainted blood. Crimson swirled in the water like visible poison, carrying a stench so strong it lingered in the air.

But every time the filthy water touched Alinna’s dress, the poison was purified in an instant, and the dirty water gradually turned crystal clear. Then, a bright, shining light radiated around him, and soon, the filth in the sea was completely purified.

Alinna’s figure shimmered softly against the sparkling seawater. The wind blew, lifting her long golden hair as if the world itself were bowing in obeisance. When she reached the remains of Bael’s colossal body, she stopped.

At the moment silence fell, even the waves seemed to be still. Alinna brought her hands together over her chest, then slowly closed her eyes. For a heartbeat, nothing happened.

Then Bael’s enormous, terrifying body began to crack, not violently, but with something... beautiful. Slowly, Bael’s corpse transformed into countless crimson petals, floating up into the sky and scattering in the wind.

The sight was breathtaking, like a dream, like a miracle. When Alinna finally opened her eyes, it was as if the world was breathing again. Then, moments later, the silence was shattered by loud cheers.

"Long live the Saintess!"

"All hail to our savior!"

"Praise the Saintess!"

Voices rose in waves, louder and louder, filled with awe, relief, and fervent devotion. Some fell to their knees. Others raised their hands toward her as if witnessing divinity itself.

Above them, a drone hovered, its lens capturing every moment — the fall of the demon, the cleansing of the sea, the Saintess standing radiant amidst it all.

Not long after, the press came rushing in, their hurried footsteps breaking across the sand, eager to seize the miracle and turn it into legend.

From afar, unseen by all, Lory watched in silence, her eyes narrowed slightly, a faint, unreadable smile lingering on her lips. Then, with a lazy flick of her fingers, she waved her hand. ℴ

The air around her rippled, then in the next instant, her presence faded, swallowed by a thin veil of distortion as the camouflage spell wrapped around her completely, leaving behind nothing but empty space where she had once been.

No one noticed, except Zhao Li Xin, of course. His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly as Lory’s figure disappeared from the spot she had previously occupied. For a moment, a glimmer of unease crossed his calm expression, but his heart could sense that she was still there, perhaps concealing herself with a spell or something.

He looked up and saw several camera drones circling the area, recording the situation. This was probably what caused Lory to hide herself, ’good decision,’ he thought. Understanding the situation, his expression returned to calm.

"Zhao Li Xin."

Salvo’s voice cut through his thoughts.

Zhao Li Xin turned his gaze toward him, his eyes returning to their usual calm indifference. Salvo stepped closer, his presence steady and imposing, before speaking in a low voice meant only for the two of them.

"Can you see it?"

Zhao Li Xin tilted his head slightly. "You’ll have to be more specific than that."

A flicker of annoyance crossed Salvo’s face. He let out a quiet scoff, clearly unimpressed by Zhao Li Xin’s continued indifference."Look around you," Salvo said, his voice lowering, edged with cold conviction. "See our power, this is the power bestowed by gods, you should clearly with your eye, see what we’ve shown here today."

His lips curled into a faint, arrogant sneer. "We are the only hope of this world—the new power that will protect it..."

Zhao Li Xin sneered coldly. "Protect... or control?"

"Isn’t that the same?" Salvo raised a brow.

"Not according to King Lucas," Zhao Li Xin replied calmly. "They let people decide their own lives. He never interferes unless he is asked."

Salvo’s expression darkened. "That’s because the Lucients are cowards and selfish. With their power, they could help everyone, stop wars, and heal the sick across the world. But they choose not to. That’s why they hide their princess’s power—because they don’t want to share it with the world."

Zhao Li Xin’s expression turned icy.

If King Marcus had done what they were suggesting, Lory would have never had even that small, ordinary life she once possessed. Being the heir of the Lucient bloodline was already dangerous enough. If Lory’s healing power had been exposed, she would have been forced into constant protection, never free, never at peace.

Worse still, she would be constantly pressured to save others. At her young age, she couldn’t imagine how much this burden would weigh on her mind, let alone what it would do to Lory’s young body. Her mana would be drained from the overuse of her powers, eventually destroying her from within, and in the end... Her fate would be no better than Mevissa’s.

These people were utterly shameless, demanding everything while giving nothing, exploiting others without the slightest regard for their well-being. King Marcus must have understood this long ago. That was why he chose to hide Lory’s healing power, shielding her from the world’s greed. Instead, he poured the kingdom’s wealth into the steady, relentless advancement of medical technology.

Scholars, healers, creators, and the Gifted were summoned from every corner of the land. To them, resources were given without restraint, and upon their shoulders was placed a singular purpose: to sever humanity’s dependence on healing powers, so that healers, too, might one day live as ordinary people, free from the weight of constant danger and unrelenting expectation.

For that... Zhao Li Xin held nothing but deep admiration for King Marcus’s wisdom and benevolence.

"So, what do you think, Zhao Li Xin?" Salvo’s voice cut through the air, smooth yet cold. "Why not join us? Stand with the winning side, and you will have the world beneath your feet."

Gone was the warmth and gentleness he so often wore before the public. What remained was something stark, something far more honest.

Zhao Li Xin regarded the man in silence before lifting his gaze to the vast expanse of blue above. The world beneath his feet... he had stood at that very summit once before. It had given him nothing, no satisfaction, no joy. Only endless vigilance and wars born from envy and greed.

What he truly desired... these people would never understand. But it doesn’t matter; he already held it within his grasp, and he would never allow anyone to take it from him.

His gaze shifted, falling upon Alinna as she approached. She moved with quiet hesitation, her presence soft, almost fragile, like a little delicate flower, the mere sight of her stirring a man’s instinct to shield and protect.

But Zhao Li Xin was no such man. He despised weak women just as much as he despised scheming ones. His expression hardened, open disdain flickering across his face. "Not interested." The words fell lightly, yet carried absolute finality.

Without sparing another glance, he turned and strode away, denying Salvo even the chance to respond. Around him, the soldiers subconsciously parted, opening a path for Zhao Li Xin, as if he were the one who commanded this land.

Alinna frowned, unaccustomed to being ignored, especially by a man. She did not recognize Zhao Li Xin beneath his disguise, yet the disdain in his gaze struck her clearly, as though she were no more than an insect beneath notice.

Then she remembered that King Lucas and his companion had regarded her in much the same way. And there had been that man as well... the famed painter.

A sharp, suffocating blend of anger and humiliation coiled tightly around her heart.

Harland.

She loathed that place. Whether rich or common-born, they were all the same; most did not regard her as anyone special; no one truly cared for her. Only in Harland had Alinna ever felt her presence reduced to insignificance, her very existence so easily dimmed beneath the overwhelming radiance of the Lucient family’s story and legend, especially that of Princess Lorient.