Chương 69: Chapter 68

After being guided through the temple, Nina finally arrived in front of the Saintess's door. A short while earlier, after dealing with the messenger and releasing him, Nina had allowed the personas to return. The moment they returned, they had been filled with anxiety. They were worried that they might have disappeared for a very long time, leaving Nina alone once again. However, after Nina explained what had happened, they quickly calmed down.

The reason they had been pushed away was not because something had happened to them, but because the person controlling the magic suppressor had interfered with Nina's abilities. Now that the suppressor was gone, they could return normally. After hearing Nina's explanation, the personas felt relieved. Everyone except Lucian. Lucian quietly observed Nina. Although she said everything was fine, something was clearly different. She had not shared the memories. It was not that they needed to see what happened.

Usually, whenever something occurred, Nina would simply show them her memories, allowing them to understand the situation directly. But this time... She did not. Lucian's expression became serious. Nina noticed his gaze. For a moment, their eyes met. However, she only smiled lightly.

"If you want, you can stay and watch. Or you can return to the subconscious state." She paused briefly.

"I don't know if something like that will happen again, so I'm going to take control from now on, okay?" The personas nodded silently. Although they were still concerned, they trusted Nina. With that, Nina took control of her body.... The messenger, who had been standing nearby in a daze, slowly regained his awareness. The first thing he noticed was Nina's appearance. She had returned to her original form. Seeing this, he clicked his tongue in disappointment.

"So you can still change your appearance after that little lesson." He leaned closer to her ear.

"I hope that going forward, you understand something." Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. His voice became quieter.

"When speaking with priests of the Holy Temple, you should show proper respect." A cold expression appeared on Nina's face.

"Otherwise..." The messenger smiled.

"Your powers might disappear again." The moment those words left his mouth, Nina's eyes turned cold. For a brief moment, she felt the urge to snap his neck. The killing intent that escaped from her body caused the messenger to instinctively step backward. For some reason, he felt as though he was looking at a terrifying monster. Yet he could not understand why. The person in front of him looked completely ordinary, so he kicked Nina down to gain back his courage.

"Move." Inside Nina's subconscious, everyone was furious. Lily especially looked like she wanted to immediately leave and teach the messenger a lesson. Damien, however, remained quiet. He was focused on Nina. When the messenger threatened her, he had felt a faint trace of killing intent. But that could not have been Nina. Nina was far too kind to naturally produce that kind of reaction. At least, the Nina he knew was. Putting those thoughts aside, Damien joined the others in watching the scenery pass by.

Despite everything that had happened, he had to admit... The Holy Temple was beautiful. The architecture, the decorations, and the atmosphere all carried a sense of grandeur. Nina stared at the large door in front of her. Beyond this door was the Saintess. The guards beside her had already explained the rules. Once she entered, she had to keep her head lowered. She could not raise her face until the Saintess personally allowed her to do so.

Thinking about what waited beyond the door, Nina felt a strange sense of excitement. She was finally about to meet someone she had admired for a long time. One of her favorite characters from the book. A character she had always wanted to see in person. Will to Live increased by 13. Current Will to Live: 30. As Nina reached out and touched the door... A system notification suddenly appeared. Unlike the normal notifications, this one glowed a deep red. Lives Lost: 7. Current Lives: 11. Nina froze.

The personas froze as well. Seven lives. Gone instantly.

"System?" Her voice became serious.

"Host?"

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Exactly as the notification states. You have lost seven lives." Nina's expression tightened.

"I understand what happened. But how?"

"Why?"

"For the host's safety." The System paused.

"I prefer not to answer." Nina's eyes narrowed.

"That doesn't make sense." She remained silent for a moment. Then she spoke again.

"System."

"Going forward, I need to experience the deaths myself."

"The poisoning incident was one thing."

"But this..."

"This is something different." A brief silence followed.

"Understood, host."

"Good." Nina pushed open the door. For a moment, she forgot everything else. The interior of the guest hall was breathtaking. Her eyes moved across the room, taking in every detail.

"Wow..." She was unable to hide her amazement. However, before she could continue looking around, one of the guards spoke.

"Hey." Nina immediately lowered her head.

"Remember."

"Keep your face toward the ground."

"Do not look up until the Saintess allows you to." Hearing those words, Nina began walking forward. Toward the person she had been waiting to meet.