Chapter 93
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: The Allure of Paradise
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"I'm telling you, not right now. She'll contact us eventually. But she doesn't seem too thrilled about it."
"Why would she be?"
She let out a cold laugh.
"Even if I've fallen, I used to be an angel. You think I don't know what former angels desire most?"
"Hmm... Don't tell me, the stigmata?"
She didn't answer right away.
After a brief silence, she quietly spoke up.
"The seat bathed in God's blind love. The radiant throne that every angel yearns for without end."
A realm even the great archangels, who exist solely to follow God's will without ego, are denied.
"The stigmata descend only upon those who truly desire it. From an angel's perspective, how could they look kindly on a human who begged for it, received it, and now rejects and despises their own stigmata?"
She revealed a truth that would shock the world if known.
The stigmata are permitted only in the mortal realm.
Angels coveted it so dearly, yet the one who bore it loathed it—how could they view that favorably?
Of course, from the saintess's standpoint, it might feel unjust.
"Then I'll leave you here while I work on the teleport gate for the Haelle tribe."
She poked my stomach with a light tap! and turned her head away at my suggestion.
"No way."
Keeping up with her ups and downs was no easy task.
About a week had passed since Melissa arrived at House Berner.
In that time, a certain rumor began circulating in the empire.
Apparently, using a special artifact let you enjoy a beach paradise right from home.
This beach was identical to reality, yet free of its inconveniences, boasting stunning vistas impossible to find in the real world.
Those who visited even once became entranced by the novel comforts and bliss it offered, unable to tear themselves away—or if they did, they yearned to return.
"Ha. Obviously just nonsense, right?"
The scoff from one noble lady at the tea party made the others' eyes sparkle.
"But if it's real, it'd be amazing. No worrying about sunburn, no prying eyes—just lounging on a vast sandy shore."
"Exactly. I heard the sea there is so clear you can see straight to the bottom. Beautiful corals and colorful fish that don't flee from people."
"I've heard there are all sorts of exotic foods. Sweet fruits, delicious drinks, you name it."
Aside from the skeptic, everyone was buzzing with interest in the rumor.
"If such tech existed, the Magic Tower would've developed it ages ago. Aren't we all getting too worked up over idle gossip?"
The red-haired lady snapped venomously, but the others ignored her, chattering among themselves.
"Aren't you curious about that rumored artifact, Lady Mera?"
"Hehe."
Lady Mera, as if she'd been waiting for this, wore a smug grin.
"Actually, I know whether it's real or not."
"Oh? Really?"
"Yes. I stopped by House Berner recently, and Lady Berner had it."
The girls who hadn't experienced it firsthand couldn't hide their curiosity.
"No way, for real?"
Lady Mera savored the moment, feeling like the star of the show.
Everything she'd seen there, everything she'd felt, even the connections she'd made.
"Absolutely. It was an unexpected delight. I'd heard Lady Berner was getting married soon, so I attended her tea party to offer congratulations. Pure chance, but..."
Lady Mera's eyes gleamed with longing.
"It was truly mystical and enchanting."
"Tell us more—details, please!"
"Of course. I've been dying to spill."
She boldly shared her tale with Lady Berner, her close friend from House Berner, and Melissa Cascadia, the Count of House Cascadia.
It wasn't something worth hiding anyway.
After her, others who'd visited House Berner regarding the marriage had glimpsed the artifact too.
Once the rumor spread among the young ladies at social gatherings, it jumped to the noble matrons next.
At first, the wives dismissed it as mere child's play.
But the shift began with the whining of a young lady from a marquis house, still a child.
"Mom, I want a fantasy artifact too."
"Fantasy artifact? What might that be, Mallisa?"
"It's a tool that takes you to paradise!"
The marchioness smiled faintly at her excited daughter's recounting.
Children's impressions were always exaggerated, after all.
But once hooked on that thrill, the girl couldn't shake it easily.
"Mallisa, pull yourself together. How about we visit a real beach instead?"
"No way. You can't get tasty drinks or pretty fish there."
No worries about drowning underwater.
No fear of scorching sun on your skin.
And countless other perks reality lacked.
Yet the joys felt utterly real.
"Hmm..."
The marchioness sighed at her pampered youngest's tantrum.
"Fine, we'll buy one. How expensive could it be?"
She formally commissioned the Magic Tower.
But their reply was curt.
[Fantasy artifact? Not something we're making. Berner? Hmm, news to us.]
The rumor snowballed.
Especially with a marquis house openly seeking it—surely something was up.
Voices clamoring for the virtual reality fantasy artifact grew louder across the Pascalia Empire.
Like wildfire, those who'd visited House Berner even once to cozy up to Lilia Berner recalled the artifact and made a fuss.
Eventually, the buzz reached the imperial court.
House Berner unwittingly received a visit from an imperial elder.
A frail distant relative of the imperial line, unable to travel to the sea due to illness, came in person.
Afterward, she left utterly delighted—who knows what happened.
With even imperial favor rumored, the fantasy artifact exploded in popularity among the nobility.
Lilia Berner and Melissa, at the center of it all, were at a loss.
"I didn't think it'd blow up like this. Good thing we kept the source secret."
"Should've kept quiet about showing it off..."
Nobles hunting the artifact found nothing worthwhile from merchants or the Magic Tower—just junk.
So inquiries flooded House Berner.
Where'd you get it?
Can I get one?
From eager youths to rumor-obsessed folks to opportunists sniffing profit.
But Melissa shunned the spotlight, neither revealing herself nor the artifact's origin.
Thus, the empire's nobles assumed it was a secret custom job for the count's soon-to-wed daughter—or made in-house.
Even the Magic Tower inquired openly.
Problem was, the count and his wife were abroad on imperial business.
They'd return before the wedding, but with chaos erupting early, young Lilia Berner handled it all.
The empire boasted several Magic Towers.
Mages of sufficient rank gathered periodically for meetings.
Called meetings, but really just bragging and posturing.
Normally, they'd tout disciples or new spell systems.
Today felt different.
"Let's begin."
With that curt word, the robed mages, cloaks drawn dramatically, slowly raised their heads.
In the stifling tension, junior mages gulped.
'This... is the empire's Magic Tower council...'
'The pressure is unreal.'
They couldn't look away from the menacing aura of their mentors, seniors, or elders.
But they didn't belong here.
"We'll excuse ourselves."
The juniors filed out, sealing the chamber door.
Magic barriers bloomed around, locking it tight.
In that suffocating silence.
Whoosh.
The mages flung back their hoods in unison.
"Whew. Hot as hell."
"Damn weight. No need to lug it around."
"Tch tch. Let's hash this out quick. Got a picnic with my youngest granddaughter."
"You old coot, grandkids over magic these days."
"Obviously. Heh heh."
The tension evaporated, leaving one doubting if these were the same people.
"Come on, spill it."
"Nothing special at our tower."
"Same here."
The agenda flew by; routine meetings dragged without incident.
Then one elder mage spoke up.
"Forget the fluff. Heard about that?"
"That?"
"The hot topic buzzing the empire."
The mages' eyes sharpened.
"Ah, the virtual reality fantasy artifact."
"Sounds like the real deal exists. What's your tower's take?"
All eyes converged.
Not just noble kids' hype—the imperial elder was so impressed, gifts were en route to House Berner.
Noble wives called it the "gate to paradise."
"Some artifact fooling all five senses like hypnosis."
"But why haven't we?"