Xuedalai

Elisa's heart surged with wild joy as success came within reach. So long as she obtained the power of Mind Speech, then arranged a scene where Miranda rejected a declaration of love and killed "Richard," only to be killed in turn when she and Paul arrived—this plan, long in the making, would be a complete success.

Elisa knew her teacher well. What Eudora valued was not "Richard" himself, but his strange ability to communicate with the phoenix egg. So long as she possessed the power of Mind Speech, Elisa believed she could wield it far more powerfully than "Richard" had. With that value to exploit, along with an arrangement that gave her teacher a way to save face, there was no need to fear punishment—even if Miranda had to be sacrificed.

"Richard's" pupils had already turned red. Elisa took it for a sign that Mind Speech was being passed on and hurriedly focused her mind, staring fixedly into those eyes. She felt waves of strange spiritual force enveloping her, leaving her wonderfully comfortable. In her daze, she became the master of the Hall of Holy Favor, trampling her former teacher beneath her feet, then crushing the other two great temples and becoming the supreme ruler of Holy Mountain, gazing down upon all living beings like a god. Though her subconscious told her this should be a dream, that incomparable sense of fulfillment made her unwilling to wake, and she sank ever deeper into it.

A voice rang out. "Why did you want to kill Richard?"

"I wanted Richard's Mind Speech..." Elisa answered involuntarily.

"Why did you want to kill Miranda?"

"There is irreconcilable hatred between us. During one mission, I killed her younger sister. Teacher also tacitly permitted our struggle within the rules. The victor is king."

"What exactly does