NOVEL NEXT Chapter 59: • Kneeling Before The Luminous One
Then we finally got there.
It was a huge building—three stories of smooth stone streaked with gold, lanterns hanging everywhere, casting warm, cozy light. Silk banners draped over the balconies, covered in fancy designs that almost seemed to move if you stared too long. The front steps were polished so well they reflected the sky, and a few doormen in neat armor stood by the entrance, looking politely bored.
But honestly? None of that was what made the place stand out.
Nope.
It was all the women. They were lounging everywhere—on railings, stretched across cushions—barely dressed in see-through silks, glittering chains, and thigh straps that caught the lantern light. Their soft laughter drifted through the air as they leaned close to passing men, who looked like they'd just walked into heaven.
This wasn't just rich. This was over-the-top, the kind of indulgence that hung heavy in the air.
We were in the red-light district.
From that moment on, I swore to myself—I was never letting a succubus queen handle our travel plans again.
Lilith stopped next to me, looking completely calm—peaceful even—like we were standing outside some cute little country inn.
She folded her hands in front of her, that blindfold somehow making her smile look even more angelic.
"That's the place, my lord," she said, her voice full of quiet pleasure. "I hope you like it."
… …
One of the attendants pushed the doors open, letting out a wave of warm light and the rich scent of roses and wine.
We stepped inside—and it was like the whole world stopped.
Right past the entrance, a line of women was already waiting. At least a dozen, maybe more, all kneeling gracefully on soft cushions that stretched down the marble hall. Their heads were bowed, hands crossed over their chests. Even their skimpy outfits seemed strangely ceremonial now, their jewelry catching the light like tiny stars.
Then, all together, in soft, musical voices, they spoke:
"We pay our respects to the Luminous One."
Okay, I'll be honest—I was a weird mix of surprised, relieved, and, yeah… kind of proud.
I mean, I'd totally expected Lilith to kick off some kind of personal harem tryout.
But nope. That wasn't it at all.
Instead, I got this: quiet awe, lowered eyes, respectful gestures.
A gentle welcome fit for a moon god.
It shouldn't have made me feel so smug, but… hey, I'm a little shallow. You know that by now.
So yeah. I probably stood a bit taller than I needed to just then.
With my divine senses, I could tell right away these women were all succubi… almost definitely Lilith's underlings.
As the voices faded into silence, one of them moved. She stood up with smooth, practiced grace, like a dancer shifting from one pose to the next.
She had striking silver hair that fell in soft waves down her back, catching the lantern glow like liquid moonlight. Her eyes were a deep, bright pink that stood out against her pale skin. Her figure was full—her chest nearly as dramatic as Lilith's—wrapped in delicate silk that clung to her curves, somehow mixing invitation with authority.
She stepped forward and dropped to one knee right in front of us. Her head bowed low, her voice smooth and musical as she spoke to Lilith.
"My queen… is this really the god you told us about?"
Lilith's smile brightened with something dangerously close to smugness. She tucked a bit of hair behind her ear—a totally human gesture that somehow made her look even more pleased.
"Of course he is," she said, her voice carrying a light, almost mocking tone that suggested the question was borderline insulting.
The silver-haired woman lifted her eyes, narrowing them just a touch. A flicker of doubt showed there.
"Forgive me, my queen… but he has no divine aura."
The room seemed to get colder. Lilith's soft smile went thin and sharp, her head tilting like she was deciding if this kind of disrespect deserved a scolding or something worse.
"How dare you doubt—"
But before she could finish, my patience broke. Or maybe it was just my pride. Hard to say with me.
I let out a small sigh—and let my glamour slip, just a bit.
My hair grew longer, falling around my shoulders and back in a silver sheet that shimmered with faint starlight. My skin turned a paler shade, like moonlight on marble. And my eyes changed—no longer playful purple, but a cold, endless blue that seemed to tug at the edges of reality.
I stared straight at the silver-haired woman, my voice calm and low.
"Have mortals really forgotten their manners over the last five hundred years? Or is respect just that cheap now?"
She flinched under my gaze, her pink eyes going wide before she quickly dropped them to the floor again. Her breath came shallow, shoulders shaking a little.
I let the silence stretch, feeling it wrap tight around her. Then I spoke again, my voice soft but sharp as a knife:
"Watch where you let your doubts grow. You might not like what they turn into."
"N-no, my lord! I was foolish. Please—punish me however you see fit for my disrespect!"
I stared at her for a moment, feeling Lilith practically vibrating next to me, absolutely delighted.
Then I sighed, running a hand through my hair as it settled back to its shorter, mortal black.
"I don't have time for this," I muttered. Then louder, in that bored, slightly irritated tone of someone way too important for this mess:
"Just show me to my room so I can figure out what I'm doing tonight. That'll be enough."
Relief flooded the room. The silver-haired woman jumped up with quick, graceful bows and started leading us deeper into the fancy hall.
Just as she turned to guide us, something flickered at the edge of my vision—a faint violet glow that pulsed twice, then turned into the neat geometric lines of Guardian's interface.
A string of text appeared on the see-through screen, each letter shining.
『Mission parameters adjusted. Locate and destroy the Book of Endings.』