The Smiling Death

Knock! Knock!

"May I come in, Headmistress Isabel?"

"Yes, you may."

The door to the office opened, and Alistair stepped inside. His gaze immediately fell upon the headmistress sitting behind her desk.

Her hair had turned completely white with age, yet her face appeared no older than that of a woman in her forties. Time had done little to diminish her mature beauty.

A pair of round, black-rimmed glasses rested elegantly on her face.

However, someone else in the room quickly drew Alistair’s attention.

"Stella? You’re here? I didn’t expect to see you."

Across from Isabel sat a woman dressed in pristine white robes. A cross-shaped necklace hung around her neck, displaying her devotion to the Goddess of Light.

Her midnight-blue hair framed a beautiful, mature face, while a pair of striking golden eyes gleamed with amusement. She appeared to be in her mid-forties, yet age had done little to diminish her beauty.

"Oh my~ Look who decided to show up. Fancy meeting you here, Alistair~"

The moment Alistair heard her familiar playful tone, he shook his head helplessly.

"You’re exactly the same as the last time we met. Even the way you talk hasn’t changed." He sighed. "We’re both old enough to know better by now. Can’t you speak like a proper lady for once?"

Alistair walked over, pulled out the chair beside Stella, and sat down.

"Hey, I only talk like this around people I’m close to," Stella replied casually. "You and Isabel are two of them."

Alistair raised an eyebrow.

His gaze shifted toward Isabel before returning to Stella.

"Seriously? Stella, Headmistress Isabel is still our elder. We were her students, and she was already our headmistress all those years ago. You shouldn’t casually call her by her name."

"For your information, Isabel and I became close friends despite our age difference." Stella crossed her arms. "And do you realize how rude you just sounded?"

Alistair frowned.

"Me? Rude?"

"Yes! You practically called Isabel, a beautiful lady, an old woman. Have some shame, Alistair."

Alistair stared at her incredulously.

"Now I’m the rude one?"

"Obviously. Besides, Isabel is my friend. She gave me permission to call her by her name."

"That doesn’t mean you should actually do it!"

"And why not?"

"Because she was our headmistress!"

"So?"

Isabel silently watched her two former students argue in front of her.

Even after all these years, neither of them seemed to have changed much.

For a moment, memories of their younger days resurfaced in her mind. Back then, these two had bickered over the most ridiculous things as well.

And apparently, becoming respected adults hadn’t changed that in the slightest.

Isabel sighed.

Then—

BAM!

She slammed her palm against the desk.

Both Alistair and Stella immediately went silent and turned toward her.

"Enough. Act like the adults you are."

"Yes, ma’am!"

"Yes, ma’am!"

Their answers came simultaneously.

Isabel adjusted her glasses.

"Good."

She then turned her attention toward Alistair.

"Now, Alistair, why have you come here? And without giving me any prior notice?"

The playful expression on Alistair’s face gradually disappeared.

He nodded and began to explain the reason for his unexpected visit.

---

"This is far more dangerous than I thought."

Isabel’s expression had become completely serious. The playful atmosphere from only a few minutes earlier had disappeared without a trace.

She leaned back in her chair, her fingers intertwined beneath her chin as she processed everything Alistair had told them.

The attack near Eriye Village. Alaric and Soren. The fact that Seraphina had clearly been targeted.

And most disturbingly the mysterious individual who had somehow taken control of Alaric’s corpse after his death.

"Someone out there specifically wants Seraphina dead," Isabel continued. "And we’re practically helpless because we don’t even know who we’re dealing with."

Alistair nodded grimly.

"The man who died—Alaric—was one of the people who attacked the academy airship near Lunaris Haven last year."

Isabel’s eyes narrowed.

"So there really is a connection."

"Most likely."

A heavy silence settled over the office.

Isabel removed her glasses for a moment and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"I’ll restrict Seraphina from leaving Elarith City for the time being."

She looked toward Alistair.

"Unless you’d prefer to take her back home?"

Alistair immediately shook his head.

"No."

His answer came without hesitation.

"I don’t want to force her back home and lock her inside the estate simply because someone is after her. She’s young. She should be enjoying her youth, studying at the academy, making friends, and experiencing the world."

A small smile appeared on Stella’s face.

"You really are a doting grandfather."

She chuckled.

"I don’t remember you spoiling your own son this much."

Alistair didn’t even attempt to deny it.

"Well..."

He smiled shamelessly.

"I won’t argue with that."

Stella covered her mouth and chuckled.

"Poor boy. Imagine your own father loves your daughter more than you."

"That’s completely different."

"Of course it is~"

Alistair ignored her teasing and turned toward her.

"What about you, Stella? Do you know anything about the people behind this?"

Stella’s playful expression faded.

"Unfortunately, no."

She shook her head.

"I don’t recognize Alaric or Soren, nor do I know who might have been controlling Alaric’s corpse."

Her golden eyes became more serious.

"And right now, the Temple has another major problem demanding our attention."

"The Devil Cultists?" Alistair asked.

"Yes."

Stella nodded.

"We’ve been searching for them continuously, but they’ve become disturbingly quiet. We still haven’t discovered where they’re hiding or what they’re planning."

Alistair frowned.

"Those cultists!..."

After their previous activities, suddenly disappearing for such a long period was hardly reassuring.

If anything it made their silence more suspicious.

"You’re right," Alistair eventually said. "The Temple can’t afford to ignore them."

Then something occurred to him. He looked at Stella curiously.

"Wait. If you’re busy investigating the Devil Cultists... Why are you here?"

Stella smiled.

"I came to meet someone."

Alistair glanced toward Isabel.

"The Headmistress?"

"No."

Stella shook her head.

"I came to meet Adelia Evangeline."

Alistair raised an eyebrow.

"Adelia? Why?"

Stella placed a hand against her chest with exaggerated dignity.

"Goodness, Alistair. Look at me. I’ve served as an Archpriestess for many years."

She sighed dramatically.

"I’m not getting any younger. So I’ve decided it’s finally time to choose a successor."

Alistair stared at her.

Then he frowned.

"As far as I know... Adelia isn’t nearly as devoted to the Goddess as you Temple freaks."

Stella’s eyebrow twitched.

"Damn you!"

She slammed both hands against the arms of her chair.

"We are not freaks!"

"Yes, yes."

Alistair waved dismissively.

"You’re all perfectly normal."

"You don’t sound convincing at all!"

Isabel sighed.

They were already starting again.

Stella took a breath and forced herself to calm down.

"Hmph. Whatever."

She crossed her arms.

"Adelia may not possess the same religious devotion as the priests and priestesses raised within the Temple... But she does believe in the Goddess of Light. More importantly... She’s exceptionally talented."

Stella’s expression softened slightly as she spoke about her former disciple.

"Her talent in healing arts is extraordinary. Her understanding of medicine is equally impressive. She has the patience required to care for people, and she’s genuinely kind and compassionate."

A small smile appeared on Stella’s face.

"But she isn’t weak. When circumstances demand it... Adelia can be surprisingly ruthless."

Alistair nodded.

"I know. You don’t need to give me another speech about how wonderful your disciple is. You’ve told me all this before."

Stella narrowed her eyes.

"And I’ll continue telling you until you properly appreciate her talent."

"Yes, yes."

Alistair leaned back.

"So? Did you actually ask her?"

"I did."

"And?"

Stella’s expression became slightly complicated.

"She said she needs time to think about it."

Alistair nodded slowly.

"Understandable."

This time, Isabel spoke.

"The position you’re asking her to inherit isn’t an ordinary one, Stella. Becoming your successor would place an enormous responsibility on her shoulders. She wouldn’t merely become another high-ranking priestess. Eventually, she’d inherit your duties, authority, and influence within the Temple."

Stella nodded.

"I know.That’s precisely why I won’t force her."

Her golden eyes lowered thoughtfully.

"Adelia does believe in the Goddess. She prays to Her as well. Her faith simply isn’t as intense as someone who spent their entire life inside the Temple."

Stella smiled faintly.

"So... I think I still have a good chance."

Alistair chuckled.

"You sound like you’re trying to recruit someone into a business."

"Shut up."

"Haha!"

Stella ignored him and continued.

"Adelia was exceptionally talented even when she was younger. That’s why I personally chose to teach her."

Her expression became nostalgic.

"She learned quickly. Sometimes frighteningly quickly. And despite everything she’s experienced, she never lost that gentle nature of hers."

Stella’s gaze moved toward the office window.

"If someone has to inherit my position someday... I want it to be her."

Isabel quietly observed her old student.

"You seem quite determined."

"I am. The only thing she always lacked was she never tried to be a priestess. Sigh... "I never tried to force anything on her. I only taught her out of a genuine desire to help her talent grow."

Stella smiled.

"The decision belongs to Adelia. If she refuses..."

She gave a helpless shrug.

"...then I’ll simply have to find someone else."

Alistair smirked.

"Knowing you, you’ll probably annoy her until she accepts."

Stella’s golden eyes immediately turned toward him.

"Alistair."

"Hm?"

"Would you like to experience the Goddess’s holy judgment?"

"..."

Alistair calmly looked away.

"No."

"Then behave."

Isabel watched the two of them and sighed once again.

Some things truly never changed.

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