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Chapter 93
"It's not imdiate, so they'll contact us eventually. But they don't seem to like it very much, do they?"
"Would they have any reason to like it?"
She let out a cold smile.
"Even though I've fallen, I was still an angel. Do you know what angels desire the most?"
"Hmm, don't tell ... a Stigma?"
She didn't answer right away.
After a brief silence, she spoke quietly.
"A place bathed in divine radiance, where one receives God's blind love. A place that all angels desperately long for."
Even archangels, who exist only to follow God's will without ego, are not permitted to enter.
"Stigma are granted only to those who desire them. From an angel’s perspective, how could they look kindly upon a human who, after receiving what they longed for, rejects and despises it?"
She revealed a truth that, if known to the world, would cause shock.
Stigma are only allowed in the Middle Realm.
Angels had longed for them so much, yet the one who received them despises them—how could that not be resented?
Of course, from the saintess’s point of view, it might feel unfair.
"Then, when we set up the teleport gate in the Hael tribe’s territory, I’ll leave you behind."
At my suggestion, she gave my stomach a light thump and turned her head away.
"No."
Up and down, back and forth—it’s not easy to keep up with her.
* * *
A week had passed since lissa arrived at the House of Count Berner.
In that ti, a rumor had begun to spread in the Empire.
It was said that with a special artifact, one could enjoy a beach experience from the comfort of their own ho.
Supposedly, this beach was identical to reality but without any of its inconveniences, and it offered breathtaking scenery rarely seen in the real world.
Those who had visited the place once found themselves unable to forget the convenience and joy it provided.
Even if they managed to leave, they longed to return.
"Hah. Obviously, that's nonsense, isn't it?"
At a tea party, a noble young lady scoffed, causing the other ladies to sparkle with curiosity.
"But wouldn’t it be wonderful if it were true? You wouldn’t have to worry about getting sunburned, and you could enjoy a vast sandy beach without anyone watching."
"That’s true. I heard that the sea there is so clear you can see right through it, and the corals and fish are so beautiful that they don't even run away when people approach."
"I also heard that there are all sorts of delicious things to eat there—sweet fruits and tasty drinks."
Aside from the one skeptical noble lady, everyone was eagerly invested in the rumor.
"If such technology existed, the Magic Tower would have developed it already. Aren’t you all paying too much attention to a baseless rumor?"
A red-haired young lady refuted sharply, but the others paid her little mind and continued their conversation.
"Lady ra, aren't you curious about that artifact?"
"Hoho."
The girl called ra smiled confidently as if she had been waiting for this mont.
"In fact, I already know the truth about that artifact."
"Oh my, is that so?"
"Yes. I happened to visit the House of Count Berner, and Lady Berner had one in her possession."
The young ladies who had never seen it for themselves could not hide their curiosity.
"Really?"
Lady ra relished the attention, basking in the feeling of being the center of the story.
Everything she had seen, everything she had experienced, and everyone she had t there—
"Of course. It was an utterly unexpected but marvelous experience. I attended Lady Berner’s tea party to congratulate her on her upcoming marriage, and by chance, I got to experience it myself."
Her eyes glead with longing.
"It was truly mysterious and enchanting."
"Can you tell us more details?"
"Of course. I've been dying to talk about it."
With great confidence, she shared her experiences with Lady Berner, Countess Cascadia, and everything she had encountered there.
It wasn’t a secret worth keeping, after all.
Soon, other nobles visiting Berner’s estate for the wedding also caught glimpses of the artifact.
As rumors spread among the young ladies of high society, they quickly reached the noblewon as well.
At first, the noblewon dismissed it as nothing more than a child's fancy, a trivial amusent.
But the turning point ca from the youngest daughter of a marquis family.
"Mother, I want a fantasy artifact too!"
"Fantasy artifact? Malisa, what is that?"
"It’s a tool that lets you go to paradise!"
The little girl, overflowing with excitent, eagerly explained everything she had experienced.
The marquise smiled faintly, thinking it was simply another childish exaggeration.
But once the young girl had tasted that thrill, no ordinary pleasure could satisfy her anymore.
"Malisa, pull yourself together. If you’re that eager, why don’t we just visit a real beach instead?"
"I don't want to. It's hard to find delicious drinks or pretty fish there."
There was no need to worry about breathing underwater in that place.
No need to worry about getting sunburned under the intense sunlight.
Besides, since it wasn’t reality, there were even more advantages.
Yet, the joy felt there was no different from reality.
"Hmm…"
The Marchioness let out a sigh at the whining of her youngest daughter, who had been pampered her whole life.
"Alright, let’s buy it. How much could it really be?"
And so, she officially placed an order with the Magic Tower.
However, the response from the Magic Tower was simple.
[A fantasy artifact? If it’s the one we’re making, then probably not. Berner? Well, this is the first we’ve heard of it.]
Rumors started spreading, growing larger and larger.
Especially since the Marquis family itself had issued an official statent searching for it, people strongly felt that sothing was going on.
Within the Pascalia Empire, the demand for a fantasy artifact that unintentionally provided virtual reality continued to rise.
And like wildfire, those who had once visited the Berner family and befriended Lilia Berner recalled the artifact she had shown them, making a big fuss over it.
Eventually, the rumor even reached the Imperial Family.
As a result, the Berner family unexpectedly received a visit from a high-ranking royal.
She was an elder of the Imperial lineage, frail in health and suffering from a rare condition that prevented her from going to the sea.
After her visit, the royal returned in a very satisfied manner.
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As word spread that even a mber of the royal family had been captivated, the fantasy virtual reality artifact began attracting explosive interest within the noble community.
And the ones at the center of all this—Lilia Berner and lissa—could not hide their bewildernt.
"Seriously, is this really sothing to cause such an uproar? Good thing we hid the source of the artifact."
"If I had known it would turn out like this, I wouldn’t have bragged about it…."
As noble families desperately searched for the artifact, they either couldn’t find it in any shops or magic towers, or the ones they did find were of terrible quality.
They started directly inquiring with the Berner family.
Where did they get that artifact?
Could they obtain one too?
From young nobles to those swept up in the rumors—and even those who slled profit—all of them were getting involved.
However, lissa absolutely did not want to attract unnecessary attention.
She neither revealed her presence nor clarified the origin of the artifact.
Thus, at present, the nobles of the Empire believed that the artifact was either a secret, custom-made item commissioned by Count Berner for his soon-to-be-married daughter or that soone within the household had created it.
To make matters worse, even the Magic Tower couldn’t hide its curiosity and started sending inquiries.
The problem was that Count and Countess Berner were currently away from the Empire, handling governntal affairs in another country.
They had promised to return before their daughter’s wedding, but with this situation escalating so quickly, Lilia Berner was left to deal with all the attention alone.
* * *
There were several Magic Towers within the Empire.
And in these towers, high-ranking mages regularly gathered for etings.
Though they called them etings, they were ultimately just sessions for boasting and keeping each other in check.
Normally, they would be showing off their disciples or discussing new magical systems, but today was different.
"Let’s begin."
At the short command, the mages, all draped in heavy robes, slowly lifted their heads.
The suffocating atmosphere made lower-ranked mages gulp nervously.
'So this… is the Magic Tower’s imperial eting….'
'The pressure is unbelievable.'
They couldn’t take their eyes off their masters, seniors, and the elder figures in the room, who exuded a chilling aura.
But they did not belong in this eting.
"We shall take our leave."
One by one, the lower-ranked mages retreated, and the doors to the eting chamber shut firmly.
Mana spread across the room, sealing it completely.
In the suffocating silence—
Shff.
The mages simultaneously pulled back their hoods.
"Phew. It’s hot as hell in here."
"Damn it, we keep doing things just for the sake of appearance."
"Tsk, tsk. Let’s hurry up and discuss matters. I promised my granddaughter I’d take her on a picnic today."
"That old man—these days, he values his granddaughter more than magic itself."
"Of course! Isn’t that obvious? Ha-ha!"
It was almost suspicious whether they were the sa people who had just been putting on an intimidating act.
"Alright, let’s get to the point quickly."
"Our tower isn’t much different."
"Sa here."
The discussion flowed swiftly, and each Magic Tower’s stance was revealed.
Regular etings had long beco a dull affair, and without much happening, they were bound to grow tireso.
Then, one of the elder mages voiced his opinion.
"Let’s put this pointless chatter aside—have you all heard?"
"Heard what?"
"The thing that’s causing a stir across the Empire."
At that, the mages’ eyes sharpened.
"Ah, you an the virtual reality fantasy artifact."
"I’ve heard that it actually exists. What does your tower think about it?"
All eyes turned toward the speaker.
It was no surprise—this wasn’t just so minor noble family gossip.
Even a high-ranking royal had been so impressed that she wanted to send gifts to the Berner family.
Moreover, noblewon who had used the artifact even called it "the gateway to paradise."
"There must be a way to make sothing like that. An artifact that perfectly deceives the senses and induces a hypnotic effect."
"Then why haven’t we made one yet?"
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