Mist Empire’s Rise: Fake Noble to Fog Queen

But why would the headmaster do this?

Including last year's Day of Descent, when he deliberately replaced the holy water that could burn souls.

Headmaster Morrison's actions seemed to be facilitating the dark faction. Could he be a follower of the Dark God too?

If the upright and noble Headmaster Morrison was secretly a Dark God follower, then Siria Magic Academy would be...

"Tap tap—"

Oh no, Professor Tobias's owl was back!

Luo Wei quickly returned the documents to their original places, gently closed the archives room door, and hurried to the office's stained glass window.

"Tap tap tap—"

Outside the translucent colored glass window, a round plump owl was pecking at the solid window frame.

"Coming, just a moment."

Luo Wei opened a small gap in the window to let the owl fly in.

"Hoo hoo..."

The owl landed on the desk, making soft hooting sounds.

"It's windy outside. I was worried opening the doors and windows would blow the papyrus papers onto the floor," Luo Wei explained, then muttered to herself as she secured the window again, "It must be quite late, I should go on patrol."

During her final patrol of the night, Luo Wei circled the perimeter wall clockwise. When she turned back, dawn was breaking, with early sunlight slanting down. Half of the Sun and Moon Gods statue in the center of the plaza was bathed in pale sunlight.

The Sun God faced west toward the academy gates, while the Moon God faced east toward the cathedral.

From her angle, the Sun God statue stood backlit, with light wrapping around its darkened face.

Walking to the back, the light perfectly illuminated the entire Moon God statue, with the marble's smooth texture radiating a halo of sacred white light.

The Sun and Moon Gods statue - one side dark, one side light.

In a flash of insight, a terrifying theory burst into Luo Wei's mind.

One body with two faces on opposite sides, the Moon God statue reflecting the sun's light.

The two faces coexisted yet faced away from each other, they were opposites of the same whole.

And which was front or back depended on the direction worshippers faced.

The face the believers saw was the front, the unseen face was the back.

The deities widely worshipped by humans were the righteous gods; those feared and despised were the dark gods.

But who said righteous and dark gods couldn't be the same deity?

Just as no one could have imagined that the God of the Dead was once the God of Life.

If even the God of Life had a dark side, what about the other gods? Could the same be true for them?

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Luo Wei thought of Axina with her succubus horns.

Succubi were servants of the God of Evil Desires, while Axina was blessed by the Love Goddess. How could the Love Goddess not know her blessed follower was of succubus descent?

Could the Love Goddess and God of Evil Desires actually be two faces of the same deity?

If that was true, then the Love Goddess Freya's true divine domain should be called Desire.

She wasn't the Goddess of Love, but the Goddess of Desire.

The fog shrouding her mind was blown away by a great wind, and a disturbing light flickered in Luo Wei's eyes.

All this talk of righteous gods and dark gods was nothing but a grand deception. Light could temporarily drive away darkness, but could never eliminate it, because light and darkness had always existed in parallel!

The ancient human paradise was burned in the divine war, and now the Western Continent rotted under the Church's control. Fanatical faith had turned this world into chaos.

Luo Wei would never forget what she saw in the clouds - the Sun and Moon Gods with countless feeding tubes wrapped around their massive thrones, greedily lapping up power.

They weren't like gods, but like leeches.

If people could see what she saw, their holy halos would shatter instantly, and no one would offer them faith anymore.

A tremendous boom echoed across the sky as lightning split the heavens, pouring brilliant golden light through gaps in the clouds.

Thunder on a clear day?

Strange, she thought she saw something flying in that golden light...

But she couldn't possibly see that far.

Luo Wei rubbed her temples - she must be hallucinating from lack of sleep.

She had class at eight, so she turned away and headed to the junior division's magic cathedral.

...

At noon after class, Luo Wei walked toward the school gates with heavy eyelids.

She hadn't been back to Star Luo Residence for many days and wondered how Bella was doing with the tasks she'd assigned. She needed to check.

"Miss Luo Wei!"

Two voices, male and female, called out in unison from ahead.

Luo Wei lifted her eyelids to see Balk and Winnie standing before her.

"Miss Luo Wei, we haven't seen you in so long!"

Winnie had just finished sword practice and still held her iron sword. Upon seeing Luo Wei, she immediately sheathed it and handed it to Balk before rushing over.

"Winnie, it's been a while." A fragile smile crossed Luo Wei's pale face.

"Miss Luo Wei, you don't look well," Winnie said with concern.

Luo Wei's eyelids kept drooping: "Can't help it, this is what happens when you don't sleep well. I was just heading back to Star Luo Residence to catch up on sleep."

"Let me help you!" Winnie quickly supported her, truly worried she might collapse. "Miss Luo Wei, let us escort you back."

"Thank you for your kindness, Winnie, but my coachman is waiting outside. He'll take me home."

"Then I'll help you to the carriage." Winnie firmly held Luo Wei's arm, supporting her as they walked.

"I'm really not that delicate," Luo Wei smiled helplessly, "I'm not a porcelain doll."

Winnie knew about porcelain dolls - they sold them at Escore Dessert Shop, as delicate and fragile as fine china.

"Right now you need even more care than a porcelain doll!" Winnie declared.

Unable to argue, Luo Wei decided to enjoy being taken care of and leaned most of her weight on Winnie.

Though Winnie looked slim and frail from her sword training, she actually had solid muscles and great strength. She supported Luo Wei's weight without even breathing hard.

"Winnie, you must be doing really well in swordsmanship?" Luo Wei asked curiously.

"Not really," Winnie said, looking down. "I'm only second in our class."

"Second isn't good? You're being too modest." Luo Wei marveled.

Balk walked behind them carrying the sword and agreed: "Exactly! Second place is amazing, but Winnie's never satisfied and always says she's not good enough."

Luo Wei sensed something in this and looked at Winnie: "Winnie, what's wrong?"

Winnie said dejectedly: "I was so close, just a little bit more and I could have joined the magic competition."

This... this was truly disappointing.

If Winnie just wanted to be first in class, that would be simpler - she could improve with hard work.

But she wanted to join the magic competition, and the roster was already set. It couldn't be changed now.

Luo Wei didn't know how to comfort her. From her own perspective, she'd rather not participate in the magic competition.

The competition involved interacting with too many people. She feared someone might spot her vulnerabilities on stage - better to just watch from the audience.

"There will be other chances, Winnie," Luo Wei consoled her. "The magic competition is held every year. You can prepare and try again next year!"

Winnie was very upset: "Next year will be even more impossible. After advancing to the senior division, sword apprentices progress much slower than other magic apprentices. No swordsman has ever been chosen for the senior division's magic teams."

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