Chapter 169: Holy Maiden
"Mistress, this is your bedroom."
Matilda’s eyes widened. She had never seen such a magnificent room. It was twice the size of her bedroom, with every item, from the ornate furniture to the silk drapes, radiating with raw spiritual energy. The sheer abundance of power in the air was intoxicating.
"Leave me alone," she said, her voice filled with a newfound purpose. "I’ll be down in five minutes."
Georgia smiled politely and backed out of the room, the heavy door clicking shut behind her.
_
"Die, so the Queen can be in control," Georgia whispered to herself, a pleased expression on her face as she walked away.
_
Matilda walked to the king-size bed and sat, crossing her legs in a meditative posture.
’God Wolf is a threat to my goal,’ she thought to herself.
’He must be removed.’ Matilda closed her eyes and began to absorb the spiritual energy filling the room.
The phantom form of the Blood Queen appeared before her. ’Good child,’ she thought, watching Matilda.
’Continue absorbing. The truth will be out soon.’ The Blood Queen’s form was transparent, observer of the unfolding events.
’Let me help you.’
She extended a finger toward the floor, and a wave of crimson energy erupted from the ground, flowing directly into Matilda’s body.
"Go on, child," the Blood Queen urged before her form dissolved.
Matilda’s eyes snapped open, a frown on her face. "What was that?"
She looked around the room, a sense of unease settling over her. "I thought I heard a voice."
She rose from the bed and felt a jolt of shock. The spiritual energy from the room, along with the mysterious crimson wave, had propelled her to the peak of the celestial rank:
’I just need a small boost and I’ll enter the Divine rank,’ she thought, in mild shock .
’There’s still more energy in this room, but first, I should meet the others.’
Matilda turned and walked out of the room, leaving the rest of the energy behind.
’This child!’ the Blood Queen’s thought echoed in the empty room:
’I thought she valued power...’ The Blood Queen’s presence vanished, her frustration a tangible weight in the air.
____
Matilda descended the grand staircase to find a group of seven people waiting for her. As she approached, they bowed their heads in unison.
"My Queen!" they said, their voices a respectful chorus.
Matilda walked to the throne and sat down. "I am not here to permanently stay," she stated, her voice firm and commanding.
"Not yet. I came here to restore my destroyed soul, and you are going to help with that, right?"
"Of course, my Queen!" Agrona replied, a sharp smile on her face.
Matilda turned to her, raising an eyebrow.
"My Queen," Jabez quickly stepped forward to introduce the two newcomers:
"She is Agrona, the Fourth Death. And this old man here is Ernesh, the Fifth Death."
Matilda nodded, acknowledging them. She stood up, a sense of urgency in her. "Come on, let’s get going..."
Jabez nodded and, with a flick of his wrist, a scroll appeared before him:
"With Vinous here, we have a high chance of success."
Without hesitation, he tore the scroll. A shimmering portal opened, and he, Matilda, Alastor, Andras, Agrona, Vinous, and Ernesh stepped through, disappearing from the throne hall and leaving Georgia behind.
____
The group materialized in a cloud of gray smoke on the grounds of a rocky temple in the Northern regions of the Upper World.
Matilda looked up at the long stairs that led to the temple’s entrance with a frown.
"Intruders!" a voice from above cried out.
WHOOSH!!!
A metal arrow shot through the air, aimed directly at Matilda. Jabez moved with blinding speed, appearing at her side and catching the arrow in his hand.
"What?" Matilda was stunned by the suddenness of the attack.
"How dare you ants attack us!" Jabez yelled, crushing the arrow in his grasp.
"Jabez, the First Death under the Blood Queen," a voice called down from the stairs.
"Who would have thought you would protect an ordinary woman?"
Matilda looked up to see a little girl who looked about ten years old. Behind her stood an older woman with long white hair, dressed in a black habit, her eyes closed.
On both sides of the stairs, five armored skeletons, each wielding a massive grand class swords, appeared.
Matilda’s eyes widened in shock: ’Those skeletons are all demigod rank! And that little girl is a god rank! But that nun—’
Her gaze was fixed on the white-haired woman, who stood with an unnerving stillness.
"My Queen," Agrona explained, "That little girl is known as Faye. She’s a god-rank warrior and the third pillar of the elite Wendigos’ Kingdom."
"Don’t let her looks deceive you," Vinous added, taking a step forward. "She’s more than two centuries old."
He pointed to the woman, whose eyes were closed. "That woman is the Holy Maiden, Mitsubishi. She is a fourth-order powerhouse, and I am the only one here who can face her."
’Fourth-order...’ Matilda was speechless. She was surrounded by powerhouses, yet the strength of this woman felt unimaginable. Curious, she asked:
"What about the skeletons?"
"They are the Third’s slaves," Jabez answered. "She is the most powerful necromancer. That’s why she is the only one we can go to who can restore your soul." He looked up at the figures on the stairs.
"Why are you here, Faye?! This isn’t your territory!"
"Can’t a little girl visit the temple?" Faye asked with a disarmingly innocent smile.
"That will work on others, but not me!" Jabez spat out. He looked past her to Mitsubishi:
"Lady Mitsubishi! The Queen is here to summon your master! Let us through!"
At the word "Queen," Mitsubishi’s white eyes slowly opened, her gaze settling on Matilda.
"Why is her presence faint?" she asked, her tone calm and analytical.
"Stop asking questions," Vinous hissed, his anger flaring. "Your master is the only one who might have the right to question the Queen!"
Mitsubishi’s eyebrow twitched, but she remained silent. Jabez was right; the Blood Queen was an entity of immense power. This woman before her was not the true Queen, but a mere host, yet her deference to the Blood Queen’s authority remained.
"Okay," she finally said.
"Follow me." She turned and began to ascend the stairs.
"Fufufufu... So interesting," Faye giggled, following close behind Mitsubishi.
Jabez watched as the skeletons shattered into dark smoke and disappeared.
"My Queen," he said, stepping aside and gesturing toward the stairs.
"Let’s go."