Chương 70: Chapter 69

After being escorted through the Holy Temple, Nina finally arrived before a grand staircase leading up to the Saintess's audience chamber. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs with her head lowered. A calm voice echoed through the hall.

"Raise your head." Nina obeyed. The moment she looked up, she finally saw her. Seraphina Aurelia Valcrest. The Saintess was reclining leisurely upon an elegant sofa, one arm resting against the armrest. Her long pink hair flowed down like a waterfall, complementing the pristine white robes she wore. She was beautiful. No... Beautiful did not feel like the right word. Nina already knew, logically, that Miss Seraphina was extraordinarily attractive. Yet seeing her in person was completely different.

She possessed an almost ethereal beauty. The sort of beauty that made her seem less like a person and more like a divine painting brought to life. As Nina continued looking at her, something suddenly caught her attention. Her eyes... She froze. Miss Seraphina doesn't have only purple irises. One iris was purple. The other was gold. Nina's thoughts immediately began racing. That isn't right. According to the story, she should only have purple eyes. Then... She remembered something Mr.

Hemmensway had casually mentioned. The Saintess had been searching for two people. After learning that one of them had been confirmed to be a girl, Nina had naturally assumed the other person was probably female as well. But now... Everything fit together. Nate Monet... Jeanette Monet... The Monet siblings. Nina's heart clenched. So this isn't the original story. This is the reincarnation timeline. The realization forced her to reconsider everything she had planned.

While Nina rapidly reorganized her thoughts, Seraphina finally spoke.

"I've heard quite a bit about your impersonation ability." Nina looked toward her.

"Yes... Thank you?" Seraphina smiled faintly.

"Are you interested in a job?"

"A job?"

"I need someone to take my place."

"You will impersonate the Saintess and travel alongside the Hero's Party." Nina's mouth twitched. So this is how the world intends to deal with the Nate's disappearance... A fake Saintess. But... This was supposed to be a revenge story. How can someone seek revenge when they barely appears in the story at all? Before Nina could answer, Seraphina spoke again.

"You will receive one gold tael for every day you impersonate me." Nina remained silent. Stolen novel; please report. Meanwhile... Inside the subconscious state, Elias had already begun calculating.

"One gold tael equals one thousand silver taels."

"One silver tael equals one hundred silver pieces."

"That means one gold tael equals one hundred thousand silver pieces." He continued calculating without hesitation.

"If we're assuming that we're taking Nate's role..."

"One hundred thousand silver pieces per day."

"Times three hundred sixty-five days."

"Times five years."

"That equals..."

"One hundred eighty-two million five hundred thousand silver pieces." A smile appeared on his face.

"That's a lot of money."

"We'd finally be able to make a real dent in our debt." Lily folded her arms.

"That is a lot..."

"But if we're constantly traveling with the Hero's Party, that money becomes stagnant."

"We won't have time to expand anything."

"And honestly..."

"One hundred thousand silver pieces a day isn't actually that much compared to seven hundred million." Lucian quietly nodded.

"If we refuse..."

"I don't think we'll leave this place alive."

"You're right," Elias agreed.

"If the Saintess doesn't kill us, the Duke probably will." A brief silence followed. Then Damien spoke.

"What if the money isn't sent to us?" Everyone looked toward him.

"We could have it sent to Miss Abelina."

"She could invest it."

"Expand the existing businesses."

"Work together with the Roosevelt family."

"If she loses money..."

"That's unfortunate."

"If she earns more..."

"Even better."

"Either way, trying to earn seven hundred million silver pieces ourselves isn't realistic." Lucian nodded.

"And while we're traveling..."

"We can focus on earning divergence points."

"If we reach one thousand divergence points..."

"The main mission will be completed." Elias frowned.

"But what actually counts as divergence?"

"If we're following Nate Monet's original route..."

"Would our actions even matter if everyone only remembers the Saintess?"

"If all the achievements belong to her..."

"We might not receive anything." Silence filled the subconscious. After listening to everyone's opinions, Nina finally raised her head.

"I'm sorry."

"I can't do that." Seraphina looked down at her.

"And why is that?" Nina answered honestly.

"I don't possess holy magic."

"I cannot properly impersonate the Saintess."

"So..."

"You refuse my order?"

"No." Nina shook her head.

"I wish to help."

"But I cannot do so under the Saintess's identity." Seraphina's gaze became colder.

"You would negotiate with me?"

"I wouldn't call it a negotiation." Nina slowly met the Saintess's eyes.

"The prophecy speaks of Foreign Stars and Reborn Stars."

"Individuals capable of bringing either prosperity..."

"Or destruction to the world." A faint smile appeared on Nina's face.

"So..."

"Allow me to become your Foreign Star." Seraphina remained silent. Nina continued.

"Announce that I am the Foreign Star spoken of within the prophecy."

"Say that, under the Saintess's guidance, I have chosen to dedicate myself to helping the kingdom."

"I will accompany the Hero's Party."

"I will help shorten their journey."

"And I will use my abilities to guide them toward defeating the Great Evil." Seraphina quietly observed her.

"And what exactly could someone without holy magic possibly offer?" Nina answered without hesitation.

"Your Ladyship only needs to announce one thing."

"That I possess a prophetic ability capable of glimpsing fragments of the future."

"Nothing more." Another silence filled the hall. Then... Seraphina slowly rose from her seat. Step by step... She descended the staircase. Nina lowered her gaze once more. When Seraphina finally stopped before her, slender fingers gently grasped Nina's chin. She lifted it upward until their eyes met. The Saintess's voice remained calm.

"I sincerely hope your claims about the future are genuine."

"If I discover that you possess another faction hiding behind you..."

"I will personally destroy every last one of them."

"You will be left with nothing." She tightened her grip slightly.

"The prophecy."

"The coming disaster."

"These matters are among the Holy Nation's greatest secrets."

"They have never been revealed to the common people."

"So I hoped..."

"You understand the position you've placed yourself in."

"I understand." Seraphina released her chin.

"Very well."

"You may leave."

"My attendants will prepare accommodations for you." She glanced toward one of the nearby guards.

"Bring me the messenger responsible for escorting her." The guard bowed.

"At once, Your Holiness." Nina blinked.

"Did he cause you trouble?" Seraphina asked.

"... Yes."

"I see." A faint smile crossed Seraphina's face.

"We can't have someone like that ruining our future Foreign Star." She turned and began walking back toward her seat.

"Pack your belongings."

"There is no need for lengthy etiquette lessons."

"You will have one month to prepare."

"At the end of the year..."

"You will depart with the Hero's Party."