Trial of Corruption

Holding the potion in her hand, Catherine closed her eyes, feeling its power.

Li Lin kept his word, and Catherine received what she needed a day later. However, this time Li Lin specifically instructed her that the medicine was not for drinking or applying.

This was rather strange. Looking at the black potion in the bottle, it was clearly a liquid, yet Li Lin said it wasn't for drinking or applying to the body... Even if Catherine was clever, she wasn't a mage. She was still too unfamiliar with these strange things about mages. However, Catherine's mind wasn't on the potion at the moment.

Last time it was to deal with the Temple's inspection, but this time it's to fight against the divine messenger... I'm really useless.

Closing her eyes, Catherine silently blamed herself.

As a subordinate of one's master, not only have I been unable to do anything for my master, but I am also constantly troubling my master for help. This is hardly something to be proud of.

However, there's no use thinking about it now. Since the master has already offered his assistance, he absolutely cannot afford to mess things up.

Thinking of this, Catherine pulled the cork off the medicine bottle, and then a strong sulfurous smell seeped out and slowly spread into the air.

Sulfur?

Catherine frowned and thought carefully for a moment, then gritted her teeth and poured all the potion in the bottle onto the ground.

The black liquid flowed down like silk, but instead of spreading, it began to slowly extend across the ground like a snake, then stood upright. Next, the black liquid began to change its form, and finally, a beautiful woman with wings appeared before Catherine. Her eyes, burning like flames, stared at the saint before her with disdain. Behind her, a pair of black wings slowly unfurled, and slender, jet-black whips coiled around the woman's arms, slowly rotating. At the corner of the woman's mouth, a languid, pale pink lip reflected a cold, icy light.

This is a devil!

Catherine instinctively took two steps back, her hands clenched tightly, a holy light spell already poised to be cast in her mind. She knew that demons were the natural enemies of clergy; no clergyman would remain unmoved in the face of them. Moreover, although Catherine had pledged allegiance to Li Lin, she still considered the Magic Empire not evil, and Li Lin a very good master. Therefore, she had never subconsciously associated her work with evil. But now, that situation had clearly changed.

"A saint?"

Noticing Catherine's actions, the succubus let out a disgruntled snort.

"The Arcane Mage dragged me from my palace here just for this?"

As she spoke, the succubus took two steps forward, gazed at Catherine before her, and licked her lips lightly with her tongue.

"So, can we begin? Little girl? I advise you not to do anything that will upset me. Although I don't hate Arcane Mage, I don't like him either... well, strictly speaking, I'm quite afraid of him. But even if I do something to you, that Arcane Mage can't do anything to me, understand? Be good, don't court death."

"..."

Catherine didn't speak, but she had already lowered her hand. Although this succubus's power didn't seem strong, for some reason, Catherine felt a sense of danger towards her. Moreover, since the other party was sent by her master, she vaguely understood why this demon had come.

"Dark Angel are a top secret known only to the Demon Lords of the Lower Planes..."

Recalling what Li Lin had said earlier, Catherine understood what she was about to face.

"Very good, it seems that the Arcane Mage hasn't lost his sight after all; the talent he's chosen is still as brilliant as ever."

The succubus's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and a light that Catherine absolutely disliked shot out from them.

"Now, show me your true form, little girl, only then can we continue..."

Although she sensed something was off about the succubus's gaze, Catherine obeyed her command and revealed her true form. A divine halo emanated from the saintess, and her pure white wings reappeared in the cold, dark space. Her warm, beautiful, and holy appearance was enough to captivate everyone.

"Although I don't like mages, I have to admit they do have some methods. And this reminds me of back then..."

The devil, standing before the angel, simply shrugged, showing no particular surprise.

"To think that Artificial Angel could actually be created... this is truly an unexpected discovery. Perhaps I should have a serious talk with Luoxia. If he could transfer this manufacturing method, then I would have even more in the future..."

The succubus didn't finish her sentence. She glanced warily at Catherine, and only after confirming that Catherine didn't react strangely did she reveal a gentle smile—though it looked as sinister as a viper.

"Alright, little girl."

Approaching Catherine, the succubus extended a finger and placed it on Catherine chin, forcing her to look up at him.

"I think I also need to do a little experiment."

Then, she blew out a thick, dark mist. Catherine felt a sweet, pleasant scent invade her body, and then everything went black as she lost consciousness.

As the Black Mist encroached, Catherine's body immediately collapsed to the ground, powerless. The Black Mist lingered around her, and even her pure white wings began to wither and turn yellow, like leaves in autumn winds.

"Then let's see what kind of value the prey chosen by the Arcane Mage will have."

Gazing at Catherine before him, the succubus chuckled softly.

"And I hope you will become my most loyal subordinate... little girl."

Catherine is asleep.

In the darkness, she felt no response, but in the next instant, a warm, comforting ray of sunlight forced her to open her eyes.

"Here it is..."

Catherine opened her eyes and stared in surprise at the room before her. This was indeed her room, and outside the window, the sun was shining brightly, and everything was lush and green. Catherine sat blankly on the bed, not knowing what had happened. She subconsciously looked at her body and saw that she was wearing her usual pajamas, which seemed to be what she looked like when she woke up early on a typical morning.

What exactly happened? I remember clearly receiving... a...

What?

Catherine frowned. She realized her memory was hazy; she couldn't recall what she was doing before, or what she should have been doing. She had absolutely no recollection of it.

What should I be doing? What should I be doing?

Just as Catherine was deep in thought, her bedroom door suddenly opened, and a handsome, dashing knight walked in.

"My dearest Catherine."

Looking at Catherine before him, the knight smiled warmly. He walked to Catherine's side, and surprisingly, Catherine did not seem to mind at all that he was there, as if it were perfectly natural.

"You just woke up? No wonder, you used up so much power to destroy that evil mage, now you're finally awake."

"An evil... mage...?"

Catherine frowned. She didn't understand what the knight was talking about. Although she knew who he was, he should have already...

"Come on, change your clothes."

The knight took Catherine's hand and helped her up from the bed.

"The people have been waiting for a long time. They've been wanting to see you, they've been wanting to thank you. Hurry up and change your clothes, then go and reciprocate their enthusiasm."

Catherine didn't know what the knight was talking about, but she quickly changed her clothes and, guided by the knight, left her room and went to the balcony outside the castle. As soon as she appeared, a deafening cheer erupted.

"Your Highness, our great Your Highness!"

"Long live Her Highness the Holy Maiden! Long live Her Highness!!"

"Your Highness, the great and merciful saint, thank you for saving us, thank you..."

"I..."

"Did you see that, Catherine?"

The knight gently placed his hand on Catherine's shoulder, gesturing for her to look down at the cheering crowd.

"You saved them, protected them from the evil empire. Many of them should have died in that brutal war, but now they stand here alive. Look at them; many of them have been waiting outside the castle since you collapsed from exhaustion, praying and blessing you. Now, by the gods, you have finally awakened."

Evil Empire?

Catherine was somewhat dazed; she didn't understand what the knight was talking about, but she still subconsciously waved to the crowd—a habit she had cultivated over the years, ensuring she never lost her composure in public, no matter what had happened. However, looking at the enthusiastic crowd below, a faint sense of impatience rose within Catherine.

Did these people risk their lives to protect themselves? Do they deserve it? Why should I protect them?

Of course, Catherine didn't show these questions on her face. After gesturing to the crowd, she returned to her room. At this moment, Catherine also noticed that the servants around her treated her with great respect, even a kind of worship. Everyone showed her their smiles, and a sense of joy was palpable. However, Catherine herself felt no joy at all, and she didn't understand what this meant.

What have I done? What should I be doing? What am I doing right now?

These three questions echoed in Catherine's mind before she returned to her room.

An evil sorcerer... an evil empire...

Catherine shook her head. What did that mean?

"Catherine."

The knight's voice rang out again, so gentle and peaceful.

"Because of you, peace has been restored to the continent. The evil Arcane Mage has been vanquished, and his Magic Empire has been destroyed once again. Now, we can live a happy and fulfilling life. Do you remember? Back then, I promised you that we would get married after this war ended."

Arcane Mage.

This word struck her like a bolt of lightning, finally bringing Catherine back to her memories.

"I remember it... very clearly."

Catherine stood up, turned her head and looked at the knight in front of her. His face was still so resolute, his eyes still so serious, and his smile still so gentle.

Catherine just stared at him, as if recalling something.

"Now, it's finally over, my Catherine..."

The knight lowered his head and reached out to stroke Catherine's cheek. Then, he moved closer to her beautiful face... The next moment, he suddenly looked up, took two steps back, and clutched his throat in surprise—a sharp dinner knife was already stuck in his neck.

"I remember it very clearly."

Catherine stared at him coldly, her eyes flashing with chilling murderous intent.

"You should have died long ago, by my hand. Shouldn't you? Herbert, you're already dead, so why are you still here before me! Get out of my way! I don't need your comfort, and I certainly don't need a useless man like you to bring me happiness! You could never bring me happiness!"

"Catherine... why... why did you do this... I... I took you from that evil sorcerer..."

What's wrong with me?

Catherine walked slowly toward the paladin who had collapsed to the ground. Her fair face was stained with bright red blood, but her expression remained serious and earnest.

"Do I need your salvation, Paladin? Do I need your help? My master gave me joy I'd never known before, and under his guidance, I finally understood what I truly wanted. Love? Yes, as a woman, I naturally crave love. But what I crave is the kind of love that gives me peace of mind, the kind I can rely on forever. Can you do that? You worthless piece of trash? You abandoned me, you weren't strong enough to protect me, you lost me. And what right do you have to deserve my love? My master gave me everything; he is my eternal safe haven, and only he is the man I love most... Herbert, you should never have appeared before me again."

Catherine reached out and drew the longsword from the knight's waist.

"The people's blessings? I don't want that at all. I risked my life for them, sacrificing my body and soul, and if all I get in return is such meaningless cheers and blessings, then what's the point? They do look at me with respect. But I know very well that it's because they want me to bear the obligations and suffering that they should be bearing themselves. That's why they respect me so much. In their eyes, I'm nothing more than a high-status sacrifice! Since they won't risk their own lives, but want me to decide their fates? Then..."

As she spoke, Catherine raised her longsword high.

"They should all die, they're useless... they have no value in living!"

Then, she plunged the longsword in her hand deep into the paladin's chest.

Lightning flashed and thunder roared.

The once beautiful, dreamlike scenery was now flashing with thunder and lightning. Walking down the corridor filled with corpses, Catherine looked around in a daze. Outside, mountains of corpses and rivers of blood were piled up, and there were burning flames and corpses everywhere. Apart from the roar of thunder, there was no sound.

"Master!! Where are you!! Master!!"

Calling out to Li Lin, Catherine stumbled into the now-collapsed Ringwraith City, a city that had once floated in the sky and seemed invincible, now crashing to the ground and shattering. Even the mage tower was beginning to crumble. With each step Catherine took, she could feel the ground beneath her feet trembling and breaking apart.

Finally, she saw Li Lin in the hall.

"Owner!"

Catherine rushed to Li Lin's side, and what she saw was Arcane Mage was severely injured and unable to even stand up. When Li Lin saw Catherine's appearance, a sharp glint appeared in his eyes.

"Catherine? What are you doing here?"

"I came with the Imperial Army, Master, how could you...?"

We failed.

Li Lin sighed slowly, then used his strength to support himself and sat up.

"Catherine, take me away from here immediately! There's a passage behind us. If we can get out, I'll come back again!"

"Yes, Master!!"

Without hesitation, Catherine followed Li Lin's orders. She glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then helped Li Lin up and, at his direction, led him into the dark corridor behind them. As instructed, Li Lin activated a hidden mechanism, and a deep passage appeared before them. Without further hesitation, Catherine quickly led Li Lin into the tunnel. Just then, she suddenly felt Li Lin reach out and touch her chest.

"Master, Master?!"

Catherine was shocked. This was a matter of life and death; how could her master be in the mood for such a thing? But when she turned to look at Li Lin, she saw a cold, icy glint in Li Lin eyes. Then, a deathly aura emanated from her chest, quickly spreading throughout her body. Catherine could no longer control her body; she could only watch helplessly as she stood frozen before Li Lin, unable to move.

"This is your last bit of value, Catherine."

Li Lin revealed a cold, sinister smile and walked up to Catherine.

"Yes, I have failed, and I will die; the Imperial Army will possess my body. But my soul will not die... Now, I will use your body to be resurrected... and you will become my substitute, dying as a result."

I see.

Catherine gazed at the man before her. She felt neither surprise, nor despair, nor sorrow. Instead, Catherine quietly closed her eyes.

"Don't you have anything to say, Catherine?"

Seeing her reaction, Li Lin was somewhat surprised and asked her a question. Catherine simply smiled.

"You gave me life, Master. I will die for you sooner or later. I have long been prepared for this. If my body is truly of any use, then please take it. I am your subordinate and your loyal subject. Everything I have exists for you. I will not utter a single complaint, however you wish to use me."

Then, Catherine opened her eyes.

She gently knocked on the ornate door in front of her, and then Li Lin's voice came from inside.

"Come in."

Pushing open the door, Catherine saw Li Lin sitting on the soft sofa. Beside him, countless naked girls were giggling and gathered around him. Some of them were more beautiful than her, and some were younger. Catherine looked at her own hands, which were rough and wrinkled from overwork.

"What is it, Catherine?"

Li Lin reached out and stroked a girl's buttocks, while simultaneously opening his mouth to accept food from another girl, casually asking her a question.

"Master, I have completed your orders. I have come to ask what happens next..."

"Oh, just go find something to do. You don't need to ask me for permission for everything. Do whatever you want. I'm busy here and don't have time to worry about those trivial things."

"... yes."

Catherine bent down and left the room, closing the door behind her. Soon she heard soft laughter coming from inside, and her own body began to stir with desire and arousal.

But... my master no longer needs me.

Catherine was well aware that she was growing old, and her master no longer needed her. He was tired of her body. And... she was no longer the person she used to be.

I've given so much, and this is all I've received? What will become of me in the end?

What will be my fate?

Is loyalty to my master truly my destiny?

Leaning against the bed, gazing at the handsome man before her, Catherine felt a complex mix of emotions.

"Beautiful Holy Maiden, you are as beautiful as ever."

The man knelt at her feet and kissed her calves.

"I love you, Your Highness. The Arcane Mage no longer needs you, but to me, you are the only true love in my life..."

Catherine suddenly felt her heart skip a beat; that feeling of being in love, which she hadn't felt in a long time, seemed to return to her.

"If you'd like, we can leave here..."

My master has abandoned me; he doesn't want me anymore. So, should I live for myself? Should I abandon my duties as a subordinate?

But then again, why did I become my master's servant?!

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."

The succubus smiled smugly as he watched Catherine being enveloped by the Black Mist.

"Continue to doubt, continue to suffer. This endless nightmare will be the Root of your downfall. Remember, the fall of angels is not simply for their own sake... Do you understand? Do you understand the desires in your heart? When you become aware of your instinctive hopes, how will you react, Miss Saint?"

Her pristine white wings began to wither, the light faded, and a dark color covered them. Catherine let out a meaningless growl, her body twisting and struggling on the cold stone slab, her hands gripping the ground tightly, emitting a piercing scream.

"Very good, it will be soon. Soon, you will understand your own expectations... And after that, you will become my servant... It's quite amusing to have a little toy watching over Arcane Mage."

Watching all this, the succubus's expression grew increasingly smug—then, her eyes widened in surprise.

Just as her wings were completely enveloped in darkness, Catherine suddenly straightened up. Then, beams of Magic Power light burst forth from her back, and the shimmering, dreamlike radiance began to unfold, condense, and transform into new wings!

"There is only one belief I hold..."

Catherine opened her eyes and stared at the succubus before her. Behind her, a pair of Magic Power wings, along with dark wings, unfolded.

"That's something I would give my life for, something I would never complain about even if I were ultimately abandoned."

Then, she made a firm vow.