Just Enchanted by Her Strength

Chapter 10: Blasphemous Utterance

"Phoenix... Mr. Phoenix?"

Daphne croaked, her voice raspy, "Am I still dreaming?"

Phoenix closed the book he was holding, stood up, and replied, "Sleeping forever does sound appealing, but alas, you are awake, Princess Daphne."

"If this isn't a dream, why would you be... here?"

Daphne's mind struggled to process the situation. The scene before her was too surreal, leaving her disoriented.

"Because I came to keep our appointment. Though etiquette dictates I shouldn't have arrived so soon, I simply couldn't wait. Please forgive my impudence."

The silver-haired Imperial Princess continued to stare blankly at Phoenix for a long moment, then gasped as if jolted awake.

"This... this isn't a dream?! Stellaris Duke? I... I..."

Phoenix countered, "Why the formality all of a sudden? Just call me Phoenix, like you did a moment ago."

"Okay... Mr. Phoenix."

Daphne replied, attempting to sit up in bed. Phoenix reached out to help her, but she lowered her head the instant he came close, refusing his assistance.

"It's unsightly, isn't it...? I've lost an eye."

Daphne had long ceased to care about her appearance, but in Phoenix's presence, she instinctively wanted to shield her ugliness from him.

Phoenix sighed, "It's certainly a pity. Your eyes were quite beautiful... Was this taken by the God's Punishment?"

The silver-haired Imperial Princess responded wistfully, "This is God Ancestor's sentiment towards me, Mr. Phoenix. You understand now, don't you? I am so despised and hated by the divine. You shouldn't associate with me; it won't be good for you or your family."

"So... please go back."

Phoenix's arrival was unexpected for Daphne. Despite the fluttering in her heart, the silver-haired girl's first thought was to sever their connection.

She had finally convinced herself to stop thinking about Phoenix, to not harbor hope, as hope would only make her weak.

Any citizen of the Empire, upon witnessing the God's Punishment firsthand, would have their affection overwhelmed by fear and unease. Reverence for the God Ancestor was an instinctive reaction in the citizens of the Orderly Kingdom.

"Why are you so resistant to me? It makes me a little sad, Daphne... I genuinely want to be friends."

Phoenix said, spreading his hands. He showed no reaction to the silver-haired Imperial Princess's resistance. Though he didn't particularly enjoy the tedious and convoluted "Wheel of Fortune" dating sim gameplay, he was forced to experience all of it because the storyline couldn't be skipped.

Daphne shook her head, "Friends? I don't need friends."

"But I do!"

Phoenix completely ignored her, moving closer to Daphne and gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, caressing the scar.

His eyelids lowered, and a soft light emanated from his violet eyes.

"Mr. Phoenix, don't look at me like that..."

Daphne was startled, not expecting such a bold move from the man. She frantically tried to use her hair to cover the scar. The girl who could endure any t*****e with clenched teeth now sounded on the verge of tears.

"It's ugly..."

"Does it hurt?"

Phoenix asked quietly, looking at her.

Daphne shook her head, "Don't worry, I can't die. No matter how miserable I am, I won't die."

The silver-haired girl wasn't even sure how many of her original parts were left. The [The Aurelian Oak]'s divine power ensured that she wouldn't die from even the most severe injuries. Her consciousness was always so clear... never missing a single pang of pain.

Phoenix wasn't satisfied with Daphne's evasive answer. He repeated, "So, does it hurt?"

"...Yes, it hurts. It hurts so much I want to die."

Daphne paused for a moment before answering in an extremely low voice.

Under Phoenix's words, her carefully constructed facade crumbled like a sandcastle under the waves, easily revealing her vulnerability.

"It's like the blood is being drained drop by drop, the muscles and skin are being torn apart, the internal organs are bursting and then shriveling, like being roasted by fire, like being scraped by knives..."

The black-haired, violet-eyed young man listened to the silver-haired Imperial Princess pour out her nightmare, and naturally embraced her.

At the same time, he thought to himself, ”So, the more miserable she is, the stronger she gets.”

"Wheel of Fortune," in order to create intricate and convoluted questlines for each romanceable character, had designed a hellish backstory where everyone had dark secrets and were shouldering immense burdens.

Someone like Eleanor, "fighting while bearing the weight of her family," was commonplace.

Daphne's experience was even more substantial.

Her birth was truly an accident, a product of a foolistorturen attempting to steal the royal bloodline and a dazed emperor. The term "hybrid" was an understatement.

Yet, this accident actually allowed the Dragon God and Tree God's bloodlines to merge. The [The Aurelian Oak] thus favored her immensely, wanting to elevate Daphne as its Demigod offspring, a representative walking in the mortal realm.

The [The Aurelian Oak] decided to bestow the most solemn blessing upon Daphne, completely cleansing and sublimating the girl from the inside out.

All unclean remnants had to be replaced, all bones, all blood, all flestortureto undergo the "cycle of decay and prosperity."

First, experience withering and decline, only then could she flourish and thrive.

But the problem was, the [The Aurelian Oak] said nothing. Whether it was a blessing or a punishment, He would do as He pleased. As for whether mortals understood it?

Are you kidding?abuseshould a God care about mortal thoughts!

Even Daphne's own thoughts, the one being blessed, didn't matter. The God Ancestor gives you a blessing, you should receive it. All the difficulties during the process should be considered triatorturetribulations, to be savored with gratitude.

Thunder and rain, are all divine grace.

"The [The Aurelian Oak] is absolutely heartless."

Phoenix said.

His voice was soft, yet it reached Daphne's ears clearly and unmistakably. The girl widened her remaining eye in utter astonishment and looked up.

"Mr. Phoenix?! What are you saying?!"

Phoenix sneered, "I'm saying that the [The Aurelian Oak] is torturing you like this, it's arrogance is sickening."

Seeing the silver-haired Imperial Princess's utterly dumbfounded expression, the man waved his hand.

"Don't make that face. It's just a bit of cursing at the Aurelian Oak. The lofty God Ancestor doesn't care about these things... He doesn't care about anything. Don't tell me you've never cursed the God Ancestor."

Daphne: "...........”

She had cursed the [The Aurelian Oak] inside and out many times before, and she knew that Phoenix was telling the truth.

The [The Aurelian Oak] did not care about the opinions of mortals, whether it was praise or insults.

Daphne shook her head and said, "That's different... I am a sinner forsaken by God, but you are the Empire's Autocratic Duke."

Whether or not God cares is one thing, respect is a matter of attitude.

Since the Empire receives the blessings and protection of the God Ancestor and prospers, then it should also embrace all of the God Ancestor.

Especially the imperial nobility, who are devout believers of God. Ordinary people may still have the possibility of converting to other Gods, but once they become nobles, they are automatically considered to have sworn allegiance.

"I am [Luminbranch Crowns], an Autocratic Duke outside the traditional noble system of the Empire. Strictly speaking, I am not a believer of the [The Aurelian Oak]."

Phoenix corrected.

”I am an imperial noble ≠ I must believe in the God Ancestor!”