The golden scales appeared like a sudden burst of shimmering starlight, strands of sacred aura dancing lightly through the air.
The outline of the scales gradually became clearer, flickering in and out of sight, as if some living rhythm was rising and falling within them.
Golden light flowed like a river, instantly illuminating the entire room.
Radiance overflowed, and the brilliant glow was so dazzling that even Viktor felt it sting his eyes a little.
Vega widened its single eye and began observing it carefully.
It could clearly feel that the divine power of the Goddess of Justice was becoming increasingly dense.
Perhaps Gwen had punished those believers, turning their sins into the consequences she herself bore.
Because of that, she obtained the final recognition of the Goddess of Justice.
After all, no matter how you looked at it, she had used part of the Goddess of Justice's divine power to kill those believers.
With the merciless sword, she cut off every evil thought in the world.
That was the true doctrine of the Goddess of Justice.
However, in the words passed down among those cultists, the doctrine of the Goddess of Justice gradually became twisted, and her justice turned into absolute obsession.
It was no longer just about cutting off evil thoughts, but even the universal source that gave birth to those evil thoughts had to be reduced along with them.
And this kind of obsessive justice was something human society could never accept.
Viktor's finger lightly brushed across Gwen's fair back, tracing across the scales on it.
With the contact of their bodies, Gwen's current level rose above her body.
[Lv37]
Sure enough, she had grown much, much stronger.
If this continued, it would not be long before Gwen would become a true fourth-rank Grand Knight.
Viktor withdrew his hand.
Letting Gwen kill those believers had been part of the plan from the beginning.
After being killed, the [Believers of the Goddess] would throw out pheromone-like signals to other believers, like rats.
This information would spread quickly like a plague.
And those believers would swarm in revenge like mad rats.
Once they finally discovered that the one who killed them was not someone else...
But the very goddess they longed for day and night, the one they worshipped at all times.
At that moment, their faith would collapse.
They would no longer be able to maintain the justice they believed in, and their twisted minds would turn into every kind of evil thought.
In the end, they would be erased by Gwen, the one representing justice, and their sins would become her power.
Thus forming the final virtuous cycle.
So…
"The believers of the Goddess want to use Gwen to let the goddess descend into the world. I refuse to allow it."
Viktor looked at the golden scales floating on Gwen's back. Even though the light stung his eyes slightly, he still spoke calmly.
When those evil and obsessive believers were erased by the righteous Gwen, they would turn into power for her to grow stronger.
And along with that, the remaining divine power of the Goddess of Justice would also grow stronger.
As long as it continued like this, Gwen would keep getting stronger.
Humanity would no longer remember those twisted doctrines of the goddess.
The Mage Council would become the only church that believed in the Goddess of Justice.
But it was not prepared for the real goddess.
"There is no need for two identical goddesses in this world."
Viktor's emotionless voice sounded.
Since the Mage Council had been built upon hypocritical scales from the very beginning, the Goddess of Justice they worshipped was also hypocritical.
That wasn't too much, was it?
The real Goddess of Justice would exist in name only, and he would no longer need to worry about Gwen becoming the true Goddess of Justice.
As long as everything went smoothly.
Suddenly, Viktor raised his head.
He sensed an unusual presence wandering in front of the door.
Viktor reached out and lightly tapped Gwen's bathrobe. The robe that had been parted closed again along the edges, covering her snow-white skin once more.
He gently pulled the blanket over Gwen, then stood up and walked toward the door.
At the same time, blazing flames ignited across his white shirt.
The surrounding air instantly filled with scorching heat.
Viktor waved his hand lightly, and under the purification of the flames, a black windbreaker once again covered his body.
Red patterns briefly flashed across the surface of the coat before gradually fading away.
After finishing all this, he happened to arrive at the door. He opened his palm.
The doorknob twisted on its own and the door opened.
Then he saw it.
At the doorway, a white-haired, red-eyed girl was kneeling on the floor.
Her body was wrapped in countless transparent magical threads, outlining tempting curves along her slender yet full figure.
Her arms were tightly pressed to her sides, unable to move.
The girl lifted her face, looking weak and pitiful.
She knelt on the ground and looked up at Viktor.
Her flowing red eyes, however, seemed somewhat sorrowful.
"Please allow me to introduce myself, Mr. Viktor."
The girl stood gracefully inside the room and bowed toward Viktor.
"My name is Priscis Niss. I am the daughter of Count Laurien."
Viktor sat on the chair, his eyes carefully examining the girl before him.
Her etiquette was flawless, and her attitude was very respectful.
Although she seemed about the same age as Aurelian and Erica, she exuded an unusually mature temperament.
Perhaps that had something to do with the upbringing of a count's family.
However…
Viktor supported his face with one hand as he looked at her, a trace of doubt flashing in his eyes.
"As the daughter of a count, coming to see me at this hour."
"What do you want?"
As he spoke, he also glanced at Gwen sleeping on the bed.
The effect of the hypnosis was excellent. This sleep would allow Gwen to rest peacefully until dawn.
His meaning was very clear.
As the daughter of Count Laurien, sneaking alone into the room of a man who already had a fiancee late at night...
And that man was a newly arrived guest. The two sides were not even familiar with each other.
Coming to his door like this, it would be strange if there was no problem.
Priscis sensed Viktor's suspicion. She clenched her hands together tightly, her expression stiffening slightly, looking extremely conflicted.
She stayed silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"I know about you. You are a very powerful mage."
"Only you… only a powerful mage can help me. I hope you can help me.", She spoke very anxiously.
"I am willing to give anything."
Hearing that, Viktor sat up a little straighter.
With a scrutinizing look in his eyes, he carefully observed Priscis.
Feeling his somewhat invasive gaze, the girl gently closed her eyes, yet allowed Viktor's gaze to wander freely across her body.
"Is that so?"
Viktor's voice sounded again, calm yet carrying a hint of amusement.
Priscis's body trembled slightly.
She opened her eyes again, her face slightly red. Her red eyes looked like ripe apples being slowly crushed, squeezing out a few drops of tears.
But she still nodded.
"Y… yes."
"I am willing to pay any price."
Viktor looked at her, his face completely expressionless.
Leaning back in the chair, he asked calmly, "Tell me what you need help with."
Priscis quickly said, "Please save my mother."
"She has been locked in a room by my father, Count Laurien, and he won't let her leave even half a step."
"If this continues, she will die in that room."
She pleaded bitterly, her emotions becoming extremely sorrowful. Her brows furrowed slightly. This time it was not from hesitation, but from begging for salvation.
Priscis's body grew weak. All the strength in her body seemed to be draining away, and she was almost about to collapse to her knees before Viktor.
Her emotions nearly burst out along with her words, and tears flowed from her eyes.
"Please… please help me."
The corner of Viktor's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a teasing expression.
"I can help you. But right now, I have one condition."
Priscis nodded immediately, as if grabbing onto a life-saving straw.
"I… I can agree!"
"Then, let me see your legs."
Viktor's words made the crying girl freeze on the spot.
"W… what?"
It seemed she had never expected Viktor to say something like that. Her tear-stained face stiffened, and for a moment she could not react at all.
Viktor slowly stood up and stared seriously into Priscis's eyes, speaking word by word.
"Lift your dress and let me see your legs."
That aggressive pressure made Priscis step back a few steps.
Immediately afterward, the magical power around Viktor suddenly erupted and tore open the black dress covering the lower half of the girl's legs.
Rip!
Fragments of the black dress were torn apart by magic, revealing Priscis's hollow lower body.
There should originally have been a pair of legs there.
But now, it looked transparent.
Beneath the dress, there was only a pair of black boots standing on the ground, as if they were supporting her body.
Priscis's face instantly turned pale. She hurriedly fell to the ground, clutching the torn dress and trying her best to cover her legs.
However, it was already too late.
At this moment, Viktor was already staring at the girl in front of him with a gaze full of danger.
His voice sounded cold and merciless.
"As expected. How could a normal person be restricted by the random magic trap I set up?"
As soon as the words fell, roaring flames suddenly ignited around Viktor.
Towering flames spread like waves of the sea, forming pillars of fire in the air.
But these flames did not ignite anything. They only burned the surrounding air until it became scorching hot.
The searing temperature began to sting Priscis's skin, and the blazing firelight reflected on her pale face.
Priscis, who had been crying moments ago, now had fear appearing in her eyes.
She instinctively began avoiding the flames.
The flames would not burn her, but the heat would.
The scorching temperature turned into something like poisonous snakes wandering around her body. The burning heat made Priscis feel as if she were suffocating.
Her lungs seemed to be tightly squeezed by a pair of high-temperature giant hands. Only intense burning filled her lungs and throat.
The air grew scorching hot, making it impossible for her to breathe.
Viktor placed both hands in his pockets, and flames burned along his windbreaker.
The fire behind him seemed to transform into a ferocious beast, licking the dry, restless air.
Surrounded by flames, he remained as calm as ever.
His feet stepped on the blazing fire, and fiery light burned at the corners of his eyes.
Yet deep within those blazing eyes flowed endless coldness, like solid ice wrapped in flames, burying even the scorching air in chill.
"Coming to disturb my wife and me in the middle of the night."
His calm voice gradually sounded, mixed with the collision of heat and cold, making it seem somewhat chaotic.
"I'm very curious. Since you know I'm a powerful mage."
"You, a mere wandering soul."
"How dare you roam so freely in front of me?"