Princess Alice was not surprised by the death notice issued to her by Roy; her face showed neither shock nor fear, as if she had long anticipated this outcome.
Leaning against the headboard, her pallid jade hand lifted to brush aside the platinum strands of hair by her ear, and she smiled sweetly at Roy, saying, “...I am very aware of my physical condition, Roy ‘King’!”
“...It’s not that I’m boasting, but in terms of the abilities of a witch, I can say I am the most powerful witch in the world. However, I do not take joy in this, because the price I have paid for it is evident—you can see it in my current body.”
“From the moment I was born, I possessed extraordinary spiritual power. I mastered the ‘magic’ that is the hardest for witches to overcome by the age of ten. This powerful spiritual energy allows me to easily traverse the ‘Netherworld’, gaining insights and knowledge there.”
“This is also why I was able to become the chairperson of the highest organization, the Council of Diogenes, at such a young age when the average age is that of the elderly. Part of my knowledge is learned, but a significant portion comes from the insights gained through ‘spiritual sight’.”
Perhaps because she knew her life was limited, and that she had already lived through two-thirds of it, Princess Alice could face the brutal and powerful god-slayer like Roy with a calm heart, unafraid of death.
When a person is not afraid of death, they lose their fear, becoming both brave and reckless.
“My body can hardly leave this place, so I usually live in the form of a ‘spiritual body’. The ‘spiritual body’ has its advantages; I can appear in every corner of this world in an instant, using the ‘Netherworld’ as a springboard to go wherever I wish to admire beautiful scenery.”
After speaking for a long time, Princess Alice's complexion grew even paler. She covered her mouth and coughed a couple of times, gasping for breath.
Beside her, Liliana poured some water from a bottle, carefully sat next to Princess Alice, and brought the rim of the cup to her pale lips, helping her drink.
“Thank you, you must be Miss Liliana, right? Although you appear dignified and imposing, in reality, you are a girl with delicate thoughts.”
Princess Alice expressed her gratitude, then gazed at Liliana with a charming smile. Perhaps it was due to the witch's ‘spiritual sight’ or her own experiences, but with just a few glances, she saw through Liliana's heart.
“I—I am Liliana! But I am a knight, so saying I have delicate thoughts...”
Liliana's face turned flustered. Facing Princess Alice, a senior on the path of witchcraft with immense fame, made Liliana, who was not good at handling such situations, feel even more awkward.
“Hehe~~ This is not something to be embarrassed about. Miss Liliana, you must maintain your current demeanor. This contrast of appearing upright while being extremely sensitive inside will earn you more affection from the ‘King’~”
Seeing Liliana so amusing, Princess Alice teased her a bit more.
“Don't bully Liliana.”
Roy timely interrupted Princess Alice, earning a grateful glance from Liliana.
“Princess Alice, while the ‘spiritual body’ is a very convenient ability that allows you to travel anywhere in the world at any time, it also has significant drawbacks. As a mere spiritual entity without a physical body, you lack senses like taste and touch. Living in this state, you cannot even be called ‘human’!”
Roy's words struck at the heart of the matter, revealing a bitter smile on Princess Alice's elegant face.
“‘King’, you are right. Because I lack the sense of smell, I cannot distinguish the fragrance of perfumes. Because I lack taste, nothing I eat has flavor. I can indeed say that I lack the basic sensations of being human, and even I feel resentment and sorrow over this.”
“...It’s like a blind person. A person who is blind from birth, having never seen the colors of this world, naturally wouldn’t be too sad. But a person who becomes blind later, having once seen the vibrant world, would suffer much more after losing it all.”
“When I was younger, my body was still relatively healthy. I had tasted desserts, was enamored with lady’s tea, and enjoyed the fragrance of flowers. But all of that was lost when I turned ten. My body’s digestive system is poor now; I can only survive through nutritional delivery and cannot leave this house, as that would accelerate my death. My life now is just about getting through one day at a time.”
Princess Alice's tragic life left Erica and Liliana in shock. The two fourteen-year-old girls, at a sensitive age, listened to Princess Alice's life, akin to that of a vegetative state, with eyes filled with pity.
“Don’t look at me with such eyes; it makes me even sadder.”
Seeing the pity in the eyes of the two girls, Princess Alice spoke somewhat uncomfortably.
“That’s right, Erica and Liliana, don’t harbor too much pity for the misfortunes of others. While pity is an emotion that humans must possess, ‘pity’ is also a ‘human evil’, a stain that humanity cannot overcome, and one of the culprits leading to humanity’s downfall.”
Roy reminded the two girls, then turned to Princess Alice, whose beautiful face was filled with a smile yet full of sorrow, and spoke gently, “...No wonder you encountered the God of Disobedience at just over ten years old; that was due to your spiritual power awakening completely. No wonder you resigned from your position as chairperson of the Council of Sages three years later; I thought the so-called physical issues were just an excuse, but it seems they are real.”
“...And no wonder two years ago, Marquis Woban did not seek you for the summoning ritual of the God of Disobedience, because he knew your body could not handle it.”
Princess Alice gently nodded, her smile resembling a wilting flower, beautiful yet sorrowful. “...When you, ‘King’ Roy, came to my residence to find me, I already knew your purpose. The only thing that would require a witch like me would be related to the God of Disobedience; I fear you, like the marquis, wish to summon the God of Disobedience yourself.”
“...But it’s a pity that I made you come here for nothing. With my physical condition, it’s impossible for me to leave this place; I would likely die before the ritual even began. Magic cannot heal the physical damage caused by my powerful spiritual energy; even the powers possessed by Lady Aisha can only heal external and internal injuries, but are useless against the curse-like affliction of my body.”
“You will probably need to seek someone more capable.”
Princess Alice's smile was very joyful, as if she were delighted to have an absolutely irrefutable reason to make Roy, the god-slayer, feel at a loss.
“Ha, while others may indeed be at a loss facing your condition, Princess Alice, I happen to possess an ability among my powers that can resolve the current predicament.”
Roy suddenly stood up and, as Princess Alice felt the situation slipping out of control, he approached her bed, extending his left hand to grasp the princess's delicate chin, gazing at her pale lips as he bent down.
This was the fifth of the seven abilities of the ‘Holy Right’!