On the bright golden wheat, waves of mysterious magical power rose again and again.
The Goddess of Abundance's loving smile, under the blazing red sun, blossomed high in the sky, sending out countless shocking spatial ripples.
Golden light surged upward from the ground like towering waves a hundred meters high, vast and overwhelming, roaring as it flowed against the current.
In an instant, the dazzling light turned into tens of thousands of sharp blades, violently piercing through Count Laurien's shattered, towering body.
Every inch of flesh was swallowed by that terrifying and brilliant golden light.
The scorching red sun hung fiercely in the sky, its raging flames licking at Count Laurien's massive body like wild beasts.
The burning, violent air ignited wildly in the surrounding space, and the space itself twisted under the extreme heat.
Yet before the Goddess of Abundance, everything somehow still felt filled with boundless gentleness.
Even the restless, heated air carried a faint sense of a soft touch.
The land covered by divine power began to show a dense vitality.
Count Laurien's body began to collapse and break apart at a speed visible to the naked eye.
His enormous body released a thick blood-red aura, forming a massive crimson waterfall that shot straight into the sky.
When it reached the top of the mysterious barrier, the blood waterfall violently split apart into sky-covering blood energy, scattering toward the distant Shulben.
The blood-red aura poured into the bodies of the people, nourishing their weak and pale flesh.
Warmth spread over their frail bodies, allowing blood to flow once more beneath their skin.
Their shriveled bodies, as if moistened by fresh air, gradually regained vitality.
Under the overflowing golden light, Count Laurien's broken limbs began to completely dissipate.
His body, vast enough to blot out the sky, shattered into countless crimson ashes, rising continuously into the sky amid the scattered golden light.
At the very end, Count Laurien's enormous crimson eye looked toward Priscilla.
No one noticed that from Priscilla's body, a transparent soul slowly drifted out.
With a gentle smile, it floated toward Count Laurien's shattered body, toward that blood-red eye.
Finally, it embraced the broken body firmly.
The scene filled with golden light gradually returned to calm.
The crimson barrier disappeared without a trace, and even the blazing red sun restrained its previous heat and fury.
The people slowly opened their eyes, coughed lightly a few times, looked around, and felt that everything was normal.
Just now, it felt as if they had all taken a nap.
One after another, the people stood up and looked around, seeing that everything in their homes was no different from before.
Holding their slightly dizzy heads, they glanced at the clock. The hour hand was pointing at "twelve."
'What's going on?'
When they looked up, through the window they saw a blazing red sun, its bright light making it hard for them to open their eyes.
'Wait, it's already daytime?'
'Did we sleep all the way to noon?'
'But why do we feel so tired, like we haven't slept all night?'
"Hurry, hurry, get up! It's noon, stop sleeping!"
"Back to work! Back to work!"
Urgent voices of the residents rang throughout Shulben.
Countless people carried their tools and bags, either heading off to work or going out to harvest rice.
But when they stepped outside, they all saw the magnificent scene before them.
On the streets and ground, tender green sprouts broke through the soil, stretching their emerald bodies under the warm morning light.
Looking out, the vast land was covered with dense, delicate sprouts.
The entire Shulben was enveloped in a rich aura of life.
Through the green shoots, everything was fully displayed before the people.
Seeing this strange phenomenon of life on the roads, the people were instantly filled with excitement.
Even though it was already noon, the drowsy residents were too excited to sleep.
At the same time, however, they felt a faint, inexplicable sense of loss and melancholy.
It felt as if this heaven-sent gift carried a hint of farewell.
But they did not think too much about it.
They could only gladly accept this gift that had fallen from the sky.
———
The golden and sacred hall was draped in a layer of radiant light.
Colorful hues passed through the exquisite rose windows, shining like a rainbow onto the vast golden floor.
This was a solemn and lofty church.
Countless massive golden pillars supported the dome, and the colorful light falling on the smooth surfaces of the structure made it look especially mysterious.
At the very center of the hall stood quietly a statue of a deity holding a wheat stalk.
Light poured down, as if the statue itself revealed a faint smile.
Rows of nuns stood on both sides of the hall, each wearing a flower crown, their expressions solemn and their eyes filled with devotion.
When they all turned their heads together and focused their gaze on the entrance of the hall,
a woman dressed in a nun's robe appeared in everyone's sight.
Her eyes were covered by a black veil.
Although her vision was blocked, her steps were firm, showing no sign of being affected.
Under the watchful eyes of the nuns, she remained calm and walked forward quietly, step by step up the stairs inside the hall.
In front of the statue at the very front of the hall stood a golden platform, upon which lay a golden wheat stalk.
Sunlight streamed down through the open dome, giving the wheat stalk a sacred glow.
The nun stood quietly before the wheat stalk and extended her slender yet strong hand.
Though her arm looked thin and frail, her palm bore deep lines.
It was covered with calluses from long years of farm work.
She gently picked up the wheat stalk. Though her eyes were covered, she seemed able to "see" the golden glow in her hand.
In that warm light, her arm was surrounded by a golden radiance, as if enveloped by divine power.
After a long time, the nun placed the wheat stalk back on the golden platform.
As if she had seen something, she slowly spoke, her voice filled with solemnity and reverence,
"The great Count exchanged his life for the prosperity of Shulben."
"His sacrifice will ensure that Shulben never declines."
From this day on, Shulben would be land truly blessed by the Goddess of Abundance.
The nuns below bowed in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized and full of respect.
The nun turned around, placed her hands properly over her lower abdomen, faced the crowd, and spoke calmly, "With the lord dead, the most outstanding descendant shall inherit first."
"Come, we should handle this matter."
She walked forward on her own. As she passed through the golden corridors, the nuns she encountered followed behind her.
By the time they reached the door, the nuns behind her had formed a line.
The doors opened, and the blazing sun cast down golden light. On the ground, sprouts symbolizing life grew everywhere.
The nun, her eyes covered by thin gauze, slowly raised her head and looked at the sky, murmuring softly to the red sun, "Goddess."
"What kind of existence could bring your compassion back once more?"
———
Autumn leaves filled the sky, red maples and orange hues weaving together, shining with the light of life under the sun.
Golden waves of wheat shimmered gently in the sunlight.
Countless nobles stood frozen in place.
They didn't even realize that the flames of their souls had disappeared, returning them to their original state.
Wearing lead-colored robes, the wrinkles on their faces and their clouded eyes appeared even more obvious under the sunlight.
Feeling the incomparably abundant aura of life, they looked toward the rolling wheat fields, but could not see the end.
Only Aurelian stood in place, raising her head to look at the sky.
Having obtained the power of a necromancer, Aurelian clearly sensed it.
Within that magic, there were two souls.
They were entwined together, then drifted away with the wind.
This time, she did not fear those two souls.
She only felt a vague sorrow in her heart.
Suddenly, the demi-humans let out a unified howl.
Those with deer ears and leopard ears stepped forward one after another.
They lightly crossed the dust, carefully avoiding the tender green sprouts.
They moved through the golden wheat fields, orderly and light, and left.
Only two tiger-kin remained by Aurelian's sides, dutifully guarding her.
The knights of the order all dismounted, stood at the front of the formation, and bowed toward Viktor in unison, showing absolute respect.
At this moment, Viktor stood in the wheat field.
As the wheat waves swayed, his mottled silhouette seemed to be submerged in the golden light, feeling the movement of the wind.
Everything was over.
Viktor lowered his head and looked at his level.
[Lv50]
In less than half a year, he had crossed from the third tier to the fifth tier. At such a speed, no one would believe it.
But Viktor didn't care whether others believed it or not.
Following the shimmering golden light ahead, a patch of wheat field seemed to have been pressed down, sinking into the golden waves.
That was Priscilla.
At this moment, the girl was kneeling on the flattened wheat.
She struggled to support her upper body with her arms and sat up.
A warm red flushed across her delicate face, and a trace of blood color flowed beneath her pale skin.
This time, Priscilla had returned to her original body.
She would never again lose control due to madness.
Because now, she was the most perfect vampire.
However…
She sat among the swaying wheat, crying silently.
Her grievance carried the sorrow drifting with the autumn leaves and wheat, spreading far, far away.
In the end, Priscilla finally understood her parents' purpose.
Yet she was powerless to change anything.
At this moment, everyone finally saw Priscilla, bathed in golden light, under the sunlight.
One of the nobles, upon seeing Priscilla, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins, angrily cursed, "That monster's daughter, why is she still aliv..."
Before he could finish, a chill like the cold wind of the northern lands swept over him, making his whole body shiver as goosebumps covered his skin.
Trembling, he turned his head and saw Viktor's cold, obsidian-like eyes fixed on him.
The sharp aura cut off his words halfway.
A calm voice sounded softly, yet in the noble's ears it was deafening, "Mind yourself."
He awkwardly turned back, shrinking his neck.
He had only ever felt such pressure from Duke Barlow.
And now, after truly experiencing Viktor's power up close, in the hearts of these kingdom nobles, Viktor was someone worthy of all their respect.
Even so, the crowd remained silent.
They simply watched Priscilla crying without a sound, their dissatisfaction expressed wordlessly.
The golden wheat waves rustled loudly, filling everyone's ears.
But suddenly, a shout broke the calm.
"Where is August? King August is missing!"