Chapter 19: Primary mutation crystallization ability
Liang Lai’s fingers brushed the yellowed parchment, and the pages flipped open on their own.
A faint golden light seeped from the title page, condensing into crystalline dust in the air.
The dust formed new handwriting—identical to the original owner’s.
To the awakened me, or the me who is no longer me:
If you see this, the third pair of pupils has begun to awaken. This is not a curse, but the Crown of Heart choosing its master.
You may not know the ‘Crown of Heart.’ That’s normal. The Church’s books don’t mention it. Even Alphonse VII may not know.
Liang Lai’s fingertips grazed her eyelids.
Her second pair of golden pupils, a Saintess trait, lay hidden.
But a third pair? She felt nothing.
Is it because my soul changed this body, delaying the awakening?
The book’s words—“or the me who is no longer me”—suggested the original Third Saintess foresaw a foreign soul taking her place.
The pages turned, stopping at a strange pattern: a humanoid silhouette of tiny crystals, a translucent crown hovering above its chest.
Black, root-like veins extended from the crown, coiling around the heart.
The essence of crystallization is the embodiment of emotion.
Ordinary Saintesses manipulate inorganic crystals. The Crown of Heart’s heir can condense emotions—fear, desire, hatred… even memories.
Liang Lai’s breathing quickened.
This explained why, when saving Duoluosa, the black-robed men’s shadows came alive and devoured them.
Her fierce protective instinct had crystallized into aggression.
The page trembled violently.
Blood-red text appeared in the blank space:
Warning: Each use of Emotion Crystal accelerates the Crown of Heart’s growth. When its roots fully envelop the heart, the heir will—
The text cut off, as if erased.
At the page’s foot, fresh ink scribbled:
Don’t trust the Vatican’s ‘light eclipse phenomenon’ explanation. It’s not pollution, but…
A single, trembling word remained:
liberation
Liang Lai slammed the book shut.
Her temples throbbed, her second pupils burning beneath her eyelids.
A nightingale sang outside.
Drawn by an unseen force, she opened the final page, revealing a ritual:
Moonlight Baptism:
1. Collect cursed tears on a full moon night (must hold strong hatred).
2. Mix with your blood, drip into your left eye.
3. If successful, gain ‘True Vision’—see through all disguises.
A faded note, pointed to by an arrow, read:
Alphonse VII’s heart is empty!
The reason Popes are replaced periodically is their inability to control ‘emotional apathy’ and ‘divine oracles,’ causing their bodies to crystallize, hearts emptying, becoming mere crystal shells.
‘Ascension to godhood’ is a lie!
An ice crystal formed at Liang Lai’s fingertips, turning dark red instantly.
She traced the shimmering words, her second pupils trembling.
Following the book’s guidance, she laid her hands flat on the page.
Emotion crystallizes, materializes…
She closed her eyes, recalling the gut-wrenching fear when saving Duoluosa.
A sharp pain stabbed her chest, as if thorns grew around her heart.
Opening her eyes, a dark red crystal floated in her palm, sealing twisted black mist—her fear.
“Success?”
The crystal shattered.
Black mist became threads, piercing her fingertips.
Her vision flooded with blood, memories surging like a tide:
—Duoluosa, huddled in the Underground Sanctuary, wrists bloodied by chains.
—Alphonse VII before the Crystal Tiara, chest hollow.
—The original Third Saintess, hiding this book in a vase, black lines creeping up her neck…
Cough!
Liang Lai collapsed, coughing blood mixed with crystal shards.
The pages reorganized, revealing new text:
Basic Exercise: Emotional Projection
1. Choose one emotion (suggest starting with protection).
2. Imagine emotions as tangible threads.
3. Lock pupils onto the target.
4. Chant ‘solid’ when releasing.
She wiped blood from her lips, eyeing the white roses on the windowsill.
Recalling Duoluosa trembling in her arms, warmth flowed from her heart to her eyes.
Golden dust fell from her eyelashes, forming tiny crystal armor on the petals.
“Is this… Emotion Crystal’s defensive form?”
The book flipped to a chilling illustration: a white-haired girl pierced by black roots, countless anguished faces linked to their ends.
A note read:
Warning: Each use accelerates assimilation.
At 30% crystallization coverage, you become ‘them.’
Never lose your emotions.
Liang Lai’s fingers brushed the illustration, finding tiny text on the back:
If colorful crystals fall from the air, stop using your ability immediately—the Crown is turning malicious, hunting.
Footsteps sounded outside.
Liang Lai snapped the book shut, but new blood-red words appeared on the title page:
Be wary of Asteris’s shadow. She carries a trace of Claudius. She’s being used. She’s a good kid.
Her crystallized power flickered deep blue in her palm—a warning.
Crack~
A noise came from the door.
Liang Lai, hyper-alert, stuffed the book into the drawer and locked it.
A fluffy white head poked in, followed by a sweet voice.
“Mom~ You’re really here~”
Delucia.
Behind her, Asteris clutched a teddy bear, gazing at Liang Lai with shy, fervent eyes.
Liang Lai stiffened.
Asteris’s shadow moved.
Yet Delucia stood before her, alive.
A Shadowborn’s shadow only stirred when another inhabited it.
Delucia wasn’t in Asteris’s shadow.
So who was?