SAINTESS [Chapter 44: Isatia thoughts]

“So, you believe that the strong should protect the weak, correct?” Winnie asked.

“If a strong individual rules over the weak, then it becomes their duty,” Isatia replied slowly, choosing each word carefully after a moment of contemplation. “However, the weak shouldn't stand beside the strong. They lack the capability. The wisest and optimal choice is to remain safely under the strong's protection and avoid causing unnecessary trouble.”

“What do you think?” Isatia asked.

"Me? I've already said it, Isatia, I'm just an ordinary commoner. How could I possibly have any say in such matters? My thoughts are typical commoner mentality. As long as everyone can eat well, stay warm, and live happily, I believe the ruler possesses virtue worthy of their position. That's all there is to it," Winnie said with a smile.

“An ordinary commoner?” Upon hearing this, Isatia fell silent for a moment. “Is that truly how you see yourself?”

“What else?” Winnie gasped wryly. “Compared to you, Isatia, am I not just a simple commoner? Although we attend the same academy, no one would think we started from the same point.”

“To speak an unpleasant truth, the things you worry about, the things you envision, none of them align with my concerns. We belong fundamentally to different worlds. Were it not for this coincidence, we wouldn't have had any interaction afterwards,” Winnie said.

“You might not realize this, but if I hadn't entered Carillian Academy, the payment you gave me earlier for buying medicine would have been the lifelong pursuit I could never attain.”

“For ordinary people, even the mere scraps slipping through your fingers, Isatia, would be the lifelong goal of any average Carillian Academy student.”

“Haha, I guess I've gone off topic,” Winnie said, steering the conversation back.

"You are the last living blood descendant of the Goddess of Radiance, Varelis. You inherit the bloodline of generations of saintesses. Do you really think of yourself as ordinary?" Isatia asked.

“Shouldn't that decision be left to others?” Winnie smiled. “Everyone says I'm an impostor who deceives the world, a villainous young master full of wickedness and ignorance. Isn't that what they call me?”

“Is that how you see me, Isatia?”

“The ones spreading such rumors are far weaker than you. I haven't seen any of them enter Carillian Academy or surpass you in rankings. Why should I abandon established facts and believe a group of ignorant, incapable people who have achieved nothing in any aspect?” Isatia replied calmly.

“Yet, it's unfortunate. Fate is inherently unjust. For a descendant of the Saint, the greatest value and defining trait is Divine Blessing. If the bloodline completely dies out…” Isatia did not finish her sentence.

“Still, who can say whether misfortune might bring fortune? Perhaps this isn't necessarily a bad thing.”

“Hm?”

Sensing Winnie's confusion, Isatia continued to explain. “I don't mean to mock you. Divine Blessing is linked to Divine Authority. Even if mortals obtain the power of gods and reach the peak of existence, they must pay a price for it.”

Winnie understood Isatia's implication. Just as he suspected, Isatia's strange illness stemmed from her Divine Blessing. She had come here seeking a way to cure it.

Initially, Winnie speculated that Isatia pinned her hopes on the Divine Authorities of “Continuance” and “Eternity,” hoping for their aid. But now, he no longer believes that.

Throughout history, countless advanced nations and factions attempted to control and obtain Divine Authority. The Mars civilization was one example. The ancient Carillian Empire was another. But what happened to them in the end? What were their fates?

Isatia was intelligent. She thoroughly understood these things. Her plans were far more complex.

Moreover, Winnie had another question: Why did Isatia understand the Mars civilization so thoroughly? It was normal for her to know more than him, whose history grades were barely passing. But to know even more than Aesphyra? That was clearly unusual. Aesphyra was the one chosen by fate, the destined protagonist, the true leading heroine.

“Isatia, are you saying that if my bloodline hadn't died out, it might not necessarily be a good thing?” Winnie asked.

“Who can truly understand the will of fate?”

“Hahaha, Isatia, I don't think you should see it that way. Think about it, if my bloodline hadn't died, wouldn't the royal family and your father have forced you to bind yourself to me?” Winnie joked.

“Then neither of us would have the most basic freedom to be with someone we love. Do you think that would be good?”

“Fortunately, my bloodline is gone. Otherwise, what happens next wouldn't be up to us,” Winnie said with a laugh.

“If your bloodline hadn't died, then you would possess the qualification to stand beside me,” Isatia said in a flat, emotionless tone.

The words carried a cold, realistic weight, but Winnie understood their meaning.

She essentially meant only a descendant of the Saint had the right to stand before another Saint descendant. Anyone else, lacking the ability and strength, couldn't stand at the same level and face the storms together with her.

“Emperors and kings must step forward in times of crisis to protect their people. This includes, but is not limited to, wars against the demon race, wars against theists of the Demon God Pillars, wars against any invaders, and ensuring the stability of their subjects' lives,” Isatia seemed to open up slightly to Winnie, expressing her views, then paused briefly.

“If someone cannot even meet me on this most basic level, they will only suffer themselves, drag me down, and harm my nation. What purpose would such a union serve?”

“One plus one should equal two, or at least be greater than one, not less than one,” Isatia concluded.

“I see. Isatia, you're absolutely right,” Winnie suddenly felt a flash of clarity.

He began to understand Isatia's criteria for a partner. To attract her attention, one must demonstrate sufficient strength, possibly even surpass Isatia herself.

Her words were brutally realistic. If you couldn't even prove you could stand at her level, what use would you be?

If she wasn't a princess, perhaps she wouldn't care so much. But she was the eldest princess of the Tyrell Empire, the future Empress. She naturally needed someone reliable, someone who could stand at her level, and whose ideologies closely aligned with hers. Otherwise, how could she fulfill her duties as Empress?

This alone eliminated ninety-nine percent of the nobles within Carillian Academy and the Tyrell Empire. Especially those Tyrell nobles, all dreaming of how much benefit marrying the princess would bring their families, gaining beauty, even experiencing what it's like to be emperor.

How could Isatia possibly look upon such people?

Then, who remains in that one percent?

Someone stronger than Isatia, who ranked second in the year, extremely dependable, capable in any situation, belonging to the righteous and benevolent alignment, with values largely overlapping with Isatia's, who else could it possibly be?

Oh, so hard to guess.

Wasn't it obvious that silver-haired nutball?

Winnie finally understood why, in the original story, Isatia willingly joined Aesphyra's harem in the end. Given their characteristics, were they really just missing a fated encounter relationship on a broken bridge to spark them?

This was also why Isatia didn't care at all about the marriage contract, nor minded others mentioning it in her presence. In her eyes, Winnie simply couldn't stand beside her. They weren't on the same level, the same world, completely outside her consideration.

Therefore, even within the deeply buried dungeon shaped by Divine Authority, influenced by its power, Isatia still showed little emotional reaction toward the marriage contract or even physical contact between them. This stemmed from her indifference towards Winnie.

After all, emotional reactions require someone to matter to you, whether you like them or hate them, emotion is the prerequisite.

Isatia neither liked nor disliked him. Any she had was merely as a classmate, as a friend. How could she possibly grant him over a hundred virtue points?

Ah, come to think of it, wasn't this dungeon journey originally supposed to be Aesphyra and Isatia's adventure? Wasn't he essentially stealing Aesphyra's role as the protagonist?

The wall was long, and they walked for quite a while before reaching the highest point of the city tower.

On this towering inner-city wall that reached into the clouds, Isatia fell silent. Winnie didn't know whether she'd fallen asleep, so he shook his body slightly.

“Isatia, we're here.”

“Mmm.” Isatia's response let Winnie know she wasn't asleep, but after that, she made no further movement.

Winnie was puzzled but didn't disturb her. He sensed that Isatia seemed to be surveying the structure of Mars City, remembering every building below.

“I see. It's an astral chart,” Isatia finally said after a long silence.

“Hm? What?” Winnie, upon hearing this, also touched around below. He had vaguely felt he'd seen it somewhere before, somewhat familiar. Thanks to Isatia's reminder, he finally realized it.

Every building in Mars City was deliberate, palaces, temples under construction, and the arrangement of the walls. Viewed from above, wasn't it clearly an astral chart?

No wonder the depth of an ancient civilization was impressive. The Martians' attention to detail rivaled that of the ancient Carillian Empire.

“Winnie, change your position.”

“?Huh?” Isatia's words momentarily stunned Winnie, who then asked, “Ah, oh. Is this position uncomfortable?”

Wait, wasn't that phrasing a bit off?

Winnie frowned, realizing only after speaking that his words might carry unintentional implications. Fortunately, Isatia didn't seem to mind.

“Your head keeps blocking my view.”

“Got it. Should I carry you?” Winnie asked. He no longer worried about offending her or sounding ambiguous. After all, neither had any romantic interest in the other, and now wasn't the time for such concerns.

“Mm.” Isatia nodded.

Receiving the instruction, Winnie gently lowered Isatia, then wrapped one arm around her slender waist and the other underneath her soft, warm knees, lifting her up completely.

The girl's long, silky black hair brushed against Winnie's nose, its fragrance subtle and sweet, contrasting vividly with her pale skin.

At this moment, the cool, composed beauty with long black hair was intently studying the layout and structure of the city below, her consumption of stamina potions seemed intended for this very purpose, enhancing her focus.

To ensure she didn't miss anything, Winnie slowly spun around, allowing Isatia to fully observe the inner and outer cities, taking in every detail.

“Isatia, do you need a recording stone?” Winnie suddenly remembered.

After all, he was regarded as a master of the Recording Stone. Using it, he had secured an astonishing military feat, defeating Julliana, one of the strongest fighters on the Terraria continent, not just once but twice, and in doing so, had provoked Julliana’s fury.

“No need,” Isatia replied calmly. She could memorize the city's layout purely through memory. Better to save the recording stone's storage for more crucial uses.

“Next, we head into the palace.”

“Hm? What?” Isatia's words after finishing her survey momentarily confused Winnie.

“Enter the palace. Thoroughly understand its layout,” Isatia said, gazing toward the inner city, in the direction of the palace. “This simulation must undoubtedly be Mars's royal city.”

“Previously, we entered a palace damaged by over ninety percent, barely ten percent intact, not the complete form of the Mars royal palace.”

“I need to understand exactly how the Mars royal palace looked during its peak,” Isatia said in a flat tone.

Understand the complete appearance of the Mars royal palace?

Winnie was astonished.

Now she wanted to understand the full city layout, now the complete royal palace layout. Combined with Isatia's previous habit of recording and surveying every Mars ruin she encountered, Winnie began to suspect something.

Could the Lanteville family's Divine Blessing be related to history?

That would explain why Isatia always carried a history book, never letting go of anything related to history, and showed such intense interest in all ancient civilizations.

Was she trying to rely on the power of Divine Blessing?

“Then, I doubt our badges will get us inside,” Winnie shook the badge in his hand.

“Let's try.”

As Winnie anticipated, they were stopped at the gates of the inner city.

“Lord Emissary, without the king’s summons, you cannot proceed. Please turn back,” the royal guard of Mars declared coldly.