Who Says All Saints Need To Be Good?

Chapter 23: Evolving

"Oh, that's quite interesting," Carol replied, genuinely intrigued by the mechanics of Aurianna's magic.

After what seemed like an eternity of immobility, Aurianna's body finally twitched, signaling the return of movement to her limbs. With a sense of relief, she rose to her feet.

"Finally, I can walk again!" Aurianna exclaimed, her voice filled with joy and gratitude.

Curiosity sparked in Carol's mind as she observed Aurianna jumping around. 'I wonder if I can evolve by consuming her. Would she respawn? It's better to put my theory to the test,' Carol thought to herself, her gaze fixed on Aurianna.

"You've been truly cruel, Carol, and I won't forgive you for making me through that unbearable pain," Aurianna seethed, brushing off the dust from her clothes.

"Why do you have such an enormous mouth, Carol?" Aurianna questioned, taken aback as she saw Carol standing before her. Carol's mouth stretched to the size of an entire adult's body, looming over Aurianna.

Sensing danger, Aurianna's instinct was to flee, but her body remained stubbornly unresponsive. Before she could fully comprehend the situation, darkness engulfed her. Aurianna found herself swallowed whole by Carol.

She felt her bones snapping, her skin being corroded by acidic substances. The pain was beyond imagination, but amidst the torment, Aurianna couldn't help but wonder why Carol had devoured her.

[ You have respawned. ]

Aurianna awakened to find herself in an entirely unfamiliar location, far removed from where Carol had been. She let out a sigh of relief, though her body continued to tremble uncontrollably.

"Eva, please let me out! Eva! Eva!!!" Aurianna cried out, her voice filled with desperation. She shut her eyes tightly, hoping for a miraculous escape. Upon reopening them, she discovered that she had been transported back to her own room, nestled safely under her bedsheets. Clutching her blanket tightly, she closed her eyes once more, longing for sleep to wash away the agonizing pain she had endured during her training.

_________

Within the grand halls of a magnificent mansion, maids busily went about their tasks, diligently cleaning the walls and windows. They conversed in hushed tones, their voices tinged with eagerness.

"Have you noticed a change in the princess?" whispered Maid 1, leaning closer to Maid 2.

"Yes, she has grown cruel, punishing even the slightest mistakes. If we're lucky, we might escape with just a whipping," Maid 2 whispered back, her tone filled with apprehension.

"That simply can't be our princess!" Maid 1 insisted, a determined expression on her face.

"But she bears the princess's appearance and voice," Maid 2 replied, her nervousness palpable.

"I've already reported it to Princess Blade. She'll come to investigate Aurianna tomorrow," Maid 1 reassured, briefly stepping away from her duties.

_________

In Aurianna's chamber, as the morning sunlight gently streamed through the windows, she lay pale and motionless on her bed. Beside her, Eva, a somber expression on her face, maintained a watchful presence.

"Why were you crying out for me to let you leave the training grounds?" Eva inquired, settling down beside Aurianna and running her fingers through her flowing white hair with a gentle touch.

"I'm sure you already know," Aurianna replied, avoiding direct eye contact with Eva.

Eva couldn't help but let out a slight chuckle. "Carol tried to eat you, huh?" she said, her voice laced with amusement, as she continued to stroke Aurianna's head affectionately.

"Can you believe it? I actually thought she was there to assist me. But she always gave me this eerie feeling," Aurianna remarked, her body still trembling from the harrowing experience.

"Well, what else would you expect from a Death Harpy?" Eva shrugged, a mix of amusement and disdain flickering across her face. 'That crazy lady, always looking out to try her ridiculous theories in her twisted mind without thinking of the consequences. Did she seriously believe that devouring Aurianna would grant her the power to evolve and escape the domain? What a dumbass! Now she has managed to frighten the poor child.'

"I don't think I want to set foot in the training grounds for a while," Aurianna stated with a dry tone.

"Did she truly scare you that much?" Eva asked, genuinely curious, to which Aurianna nodded in response.

"Well then, we'll switch to physical training right here, with some good old dumbbells," Eva declared cheerfully, floating around the room before grabbing Aurianna's blanket and playfully yanking it off her.

"Thank you so much, Eva," Aurianna whispered, her eyes welling up with tears as she looked at Eva gratefully.

"I wonder who's talking bad about me?" Carol sneezed, rubbing her nose while scanning the empty landscape around her.

"And hey, Eva, I've been wondering why my progress has been so slow. Back in the past, it took me a solid twelve years to reach level 200. But now, after over forty years, I'm only sitting at level 72?" Aurianna asked, her face scrunching up in confusion.

"Well, that's because you're a Diamond now. See, let's say an average human needs 100 experience points to level up to level 1. You, on the other hand, would need a whopping 10,000 experience points to achieve the same result," Eva explained.

"So I've become a non-genius," Aurianna slumped onto her bed, dramatically crying and wiping away imaginary tears.

"You know what? It's actually not a bad thing. With your level 72, you can hold your own against folks who are around level 150 to 160!" Eva reassured her.

"Well, that's better than I expected," Aurianna nodded, finding some solace in Eva's words. But after sometime of letting Eva's words sink in she exclaimed, "Wait you said what??!!"

"That's right! Despite your level, your skills are top-notch, surpassing those of ordinary people at higher levels. You're on par with people higher leveled than you," Eva affirmed, nodding thoughtfully.

"Wow, so I'm actually a genius!" Aurianna grinned raising her nose up high. "Maybe Carol making me fight wasn't so bad."

"As you're done admiring your progress do you have anymore questions?" Eva asked.