The Yellow-Haired Villain in Soaring Phoenix’s Novels Also Desires Happiness

Chapter 30, The Truth

Above the sky, the blue moon loomed menacingly.

The girl stood in midair, her pink nightgown fluttering in the breeze, her long white hair splayed out, tinted with a faint blue glow.

Before that massive blue moon, which nearly occupied half the sky, the girl looked so small, like an insignificant speck of dust.

However, the moment she appeared, the eerie shadows that had been frantically eroding the academy suddenly froze beneath her feet.

As if time had come to a standstill, those shadows, which had given Professor Plang a terrible headache and lacked any physical form, transformed one by one into grotesque sculptures that were almost laughable.

Terrifying gazes fell from the infinitely distant horizon, and within that colossal will filled with death and madness, there was a hint of… gravity.

“It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

The girl looked up, her red eyes reflecting the blue moon.

The moon was silent, but the jagged shadows formed by the craters and lunar seas grew ever heavier.

“It seems you still don’t like me as always.”

The girl shook her head helplessly, glancing at the grotesque fleshball beside her.

“And you, why is it that every time I see you, it’s always so disgusting? Cupid.”

The fleshball with a single eye began to squirm, and soon that eye transformed into a twisted mouth, producing an unpleasant sound like iron scraping against iron.

“…You… are actually still alive?”

“Ha ha, are you surprised that I’m alive?”

The girl smiled: “But what’s that saying? A girl who loves to sleep always ages more slowly. For a girl like me, who can sleep for decades and is still eighteen in her prime, isn’t it normal to live a few more years?”

“However, Cupid, during the time I’ve been asleep, it seems you’ve been particularly attentive to my academy.”

The girl raised her hand, aiming at the grotesque fleshball, then grasped as if holding something.

In an instant, the fleshball let out a sharp scream, bursting apart with a loud bang, scattering into countless bits of flesh.

“Thinking of escaping?”

A chilling expression appeared on the girl’s adorably chubby face.

“Since you’ve come to pay a visit, you should leave behind a little gift, shouldn’t you?”

The girl lightly waved her pink star wand.

A tremendous roar erupted.

On top of those twelve black towers, a far greater surge of magical power flowed in than when Professor Prang had manipulated it, causing it to emit a scarlet glow as if overloaded.

The first layer of the grand instrument activated under the girl’s command, a new structure rising from the lowest level of the academy, transforming beneath her feet into a sea of silver.

Like an endless stream of mercury.

In the next moment.

The seemingly boundless sea of silver instantly solidified.

Smooth as a mirror.

Reflected in the mirror was a gigantic blue moon, along with the scattered bits of flesh fleeing in all directions.

But those bits of flesh, as they fled, suddenly lost their direction.

The remnants of the god of love outside the mirror had vanished, as if the reflections within the mirror had unknowingly transformed into reality.

The trapped fleshball turned towards the white-haired girl outside the mirror, letting out an angry roar.

“Don’t scream.”

The girl reached out and gently scooped in the mirror.

The fleshball instantly lost its vitality, and then she seemed to have grasped something.

It was a mass of distorted, formless essence.

After weighing it in her hand, the girl couldn’t help but show a look of regret:

“No wonder you became so weak after losing that crowned body; it turns out it was just a small part of your will projected here? Truly, you deserve it, god of love, to be so cowardly, the shame of the evil god is not unfounded.”

Losing interest, the girl casually tossed the distorted formless essence back into the mirror.

She lifted her head and looked once more at the blue moon.

The moonlight was dead and cold, cascading like a waterfall.

Yet the moonlight, which should have been infinitely fast, seemed to encounter some obstruction, becoming a hazy mass of pale blue mist in the reflection of the silver mirror.

That mist drifted above the academy, as if stirred by the wind, reluctant to descend.

“Next, it’s your turn, oh moon.”

The girl’s leisurely voice, like a ballad, reached up to the moon.

Like a blasphemer, reciting disrespect towards the deity beneath the vast sky.

And so.

The silent moon erupted in fury!

Countless shadows flowed forth from the backs of those ringed mountains and the dark lunar sea, like thick drops of ink spreading across this ghostly blue moon.

The spreading shadows formed two inverted crescent moons and one large, curved moon.

The shadows of the moons seemed to outline the grinning face of a clown mask.

And in that profound darkness, blood-red eyes opened, glaring angrily at the insignificant blasphemer!

Boom!

The sky trembles!

The pitch-black firmament, devoid of clouds for thousands of miles, ripples like water struck by an iron ball, sending out visible, invisible waves.

The barrier that separates the worlds seems as if it is about to be shattered by some incomprehensible great force; the moonlight spreads, and the shadows of the entire world seem to stir.

Even the silver mirror beneath the girl’s feet begins to tremble.

And within that mirror, the countless ghostly figures emerging from the land of silence suddenly break free from the shackles of time, distorting into indistinguishable dark limbs, howling as they crash against the very foundation of the academy.

In that moment, the Silent Moon completely abandons its blockade of this realm and begins a reckless assault!

Thus, across the world, many powerful beings awaken from their dreams, casting horrified gazes toward the sky.

“Oh? Are you angry out of shame?”

The girl sighs softly:

“But rules are rules; that world barrier is not so easily broken. What can you achieve by disregarding everything, other than wasting your own strength?

So…”

The girl gazes fearlessly at the grotesque moon, now devoid of any beauty, her expression solemn.

“Go back, Moon. This is my territory, a place you cannot touch!”

As her cold words fall, a grand bell tolls.

The highest clock tower of the academy casts a clear shadow upon the silver mirror.

Like the hands of a clock.

And the twelve black towers standing at the edge of the academy resemble the markings on a scale.

The hand tilts, pointing between five and six.

Then, it tilts even faster.

In just a few breaths, it covers the final distance between five and six.

Invisible rules spread.

Thus, on this morning, unnoticed by all but a few of the most elite beings, the entire world’s time seems to have been cut away for a full half hour.

Six o’clock sharp.

At the edge of the dark horizon, a faint light begins to glow.

It is the dawn.

The bell tolls again.

The girl, appearing even smaller, reaches out her hand as if to grasp that grotesque blue moon in her palm.

“Look, the Silent Moon.”

Gazing at the gradually fading night, the girl coldly declared:

“It’s dawn.”

……

……

“It’s over.”

After watching the sky gradually brighten, the girl let out a sigh of relief at the increasingly dim blue moon.

After all, it was an evil god that almost truly descended; even for her, it was somewhat stressful to handle.

“Fortunately, the price paid is still within an acceptable range for me.”

However, as she tugged at her somewhat loose nightgown, a hint of displeasure still surfaced in her red eyes.

It could no longer be small.

“Next, let me see why you suddenly ran to my academy, Moon.”

As her cold voice fell, the dim blue moon in her eyes vanished, transforming into countless stars.

The stars flickered and shifted, tracing mysterious patterns in the endless void.

The girl gazed at those patterns, pushing forward the trajectory of fate.

“Are you… afraid?”

The first outcome of the deduction left the girl slightly stunned.

The stars continued to flicker.

“Because… the King of Withering?”

The girl’s eyes lowered slightly as she thought of the boy favored by the King of Withering just moments ago.

Yet this glimpse of destiny only deepened her confusion.

The Silent Moon and the King of Withering were both evil gods of the same rank.

Their powers were completely opposite, yet they were interdependent, being sworn enemies while also being the most similar of existences.

By common logic, even if these two were to fight, they should be unable to harm each other.

But why was the Silent Moon afraid of the King of Withering at this moment?

According to the deduction, the King of Withering was indeed recklessly approaching the Silent Moon, and in as short as two months, or as long as half a year, they would completely meet and then erupt into a divine war.

As for the reason, it was difficult to calculate.

Involving multiple deities, being able to deduce to this point was already the limit; beyond that lay a fog, seemingly involving even more elements.

Thus, the girl abandoned the deduction and began to reason.

Sometimes, it is not necessary to see the trajectory of fate clearly to know the truth.

For divine beings of such supreme existence, the reasons that could alter their actions are inherently few.

Thus, with just a bit of insight that transcends this era, it’s not difficult to guess the truth.

Coincidentally, the girl was not lacking in insight.

Therefore, she quickly deduced the most likely situation.

“Perhaps it’s because… the Withering King learned of your weakness from somewhere.”

“That’s why He would recklessly rush towards you, aiming to devour your authority.”

“And you would be afraid, because the Withering King, who knows your weakness, can truly accomplish this.”

“Hence, in pursuit of new power, to avoid being consumed by the Withering King, you would invade the academy, seeking that thing beneath it.”

“I see, I probably understand now, but…”

Gazing at the vanishing blue moon, the girl sighed in melancholy.

“As far as I know, there is only one and a half entities in this world that are aware of the gods’ weaknesses.”

“No, one of the half has long since died.”

“In other words…”

The girl’s gaze flickered, and ripples unexpectedly surfaced in her usually calm heart.

“That thing, could it still exist in the world?”

……

……

“Professor Gran.”

“Don’t talk to me!”

In the sea of flowers, Professor Gran, like Mu En, was torn apart by the girl, indignantly shouted: “I’m not familiar with you!”

“Professor, could you not be so childish?” Mu En twitched her lips.

“What childishness? You’ve put me in this state, and you expect me not to be angry?” Professor Gran glared.

“Wasn’t it Professor Gran who first put me in a bind?”

Mu En sneered:

“Don’t tell me that candy was meant for me.”

“……”

Professor Gran averted her gaze, feeling guilty.

“Alright, I just want to ask you one question.”

Mu En sighed softly and asked:

“What exactly is the situation regarding the Silent Moon invading the academy?”

“Hmm? Why is a student asking so many questions?” Professor Gran asked, puzzled.

“Curiosity.”

Mu En replied expressionlessly, “Isn’t it normal for a person to be curious when faced with such things? To be honest, Professor, my curiosity is about to burst; it’s almost to the point where I feel like I might die if I don’t know the specifics.”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

Professor Gran nodded seriously: “Normal people would indeed be very curious.

But, unfortunately, I don’t know the specifics either. After all, when it comes to things involving evil gods, those in the know usually sign a non-disclosure agreement.”

Non-disclosure agreement…

Mu En frowned: “Then… some unimportant information…”

“What information could I know?”

Professor Gran shrugged from several meters away:

“I only seem to recall that old Plang sighed about this matter, mentioning that it seems to involve a third evil god; beyond that, I know nothing.”

“A third evil god?”

Mu En pondered, then faintly grasped a thread of connection, his eyes suddenly brightening.

“Thank you, Professor Gran. I’ll head to sleep now.”

“Eh? Sleep?”

Professor Gran looked at Mu En, astonished: “How can you sleep at a time like this?”

Ignoring Professor Gran, Mu En closed his eyes.

His consciousness sank into the space of the black book.

The black book, which had hidden itself away in front of that white-haired midget boss, now quietly floated before Mu En.

It seemed to have anticipated his arrival, waiting for him.

“It seems you know my purpose, black book.”

Mu En’s gaze flickered as he asked:

“Then I won’t beat around the bush. The third evil god mentioned by Professor Gran refers to the Withering King, right? After all, the only one I’ve had any interaction with, besides the God of Love, is Him.”

【……】

“Then the reason for the change in the actions of the Silent Moon is also because of the Withering King. The only thing that can completely influence the actions of an evil god is another evil god.”

【……】

“And the changes in the Withering King’s behavior, which I don’t know about, are likely also due to our previous contact. But I’m just a mere mortal; I can’t possibly influence the Withering King. This means…”

Mu En paused for a moment: “The source that led to this series of chain reactions is actually you.”

【……】

“So, black book, at that time, what exactly was written on the page you handed to the Withering King in exchange for power? I refuse to believe it was just an IOU!”

【Sigh…】

Faced with Mu En’s relentless questioning, a faint sigh suddenly echoed in the space.

The black book flipped open, landing on a blank page.

Then, on that blank page, orderly characters gradually emerged.

【Intelligence】.

“Intelligence?”

Mu En was puzzled. “What intelligence?”

The characters shifted.

【The weakness of the Silent Moon.】

“Huh?”

Mu En froze for a moment, then his expression turned to one of horror.

“Weakness? Of the Silent Moon? Wait, wait, wait, you actually know something like this? No, that’s not the point right now. If you tell the King of Withering about the weakness of the Silent Moon, it means…”

These two deities wield powers that are completely opposite yet converge in their ultimate goals. They are each other’s greatest enemies, yet also the closest of existences.

Thus, once the King of Withering learns this intelligence, he certainly won’t be skipping over to make some ridiculous jokes; instead, he will eagerly flay the Silent Moon, crush its bones, suck its marrow, and then completely devour its authority.

That’s why the Silent Moon suddenly invaded the academy.

The Silent Moon sought that thing to gain new power, to resist the King of Withering who was coming at it with a knife and fork!

“No wonder that white-haired midget said that the power I possess isn’t simply granted by the King of Withering, but is divine favor.

It can be used endlessly, symbolizing the manifestation of a portion of a deity’s authority…”

The intelligence exchanged for such a precious thing—how could the King of Withering be stingy?

“But…”

Mu En looked at the black book, still struggling to understand:

“Why do this? At that time, it was only necessary to make a temporary fix; wouldn’t it have been better to use something less important for the exchange?”

【For.】

【To save you.】

The black book turned its pages.

In the next moment, Mu En felt a wave of disorientation.

A scene appeared before his eyes.

Under the pitch-black sky, pure white wings unfurled.

Above, a radiant crown, the compassionate face of the Holy Maiden, holding a holy sword, stood before him.

A heavily injured Ariel leaned on her sword, standing not far away, her face pale.

Further away, Professor Plank was rushing over, his expression filled with anger.

And looking down, from the heart pierced by the holy sword, where blood had already run dry, one could faintly see a heart that no longer beat.

“This is…”

【If it weren’t for the addition of the Silent Moon.】

【The God of Love would not have developed thoughts about that thing.】

New text quickly emerged on the black book.

【Everything would proceed according to the original plot.】

【The invasion of the God of Love will occur a year later.】

【The only difference is that His target is no longer Ariel, but— you.】

“It’s me…”

Mu En’s pupils constricted sharply.

In an instant, he understood the meaning of the suddenly appearing image.

In the original plot, when Ariel faced the crowned saint controlled by the God of Love, she could rely on her protagonist halo and various cheats to hold on until Professor Plank arrived.

But what about Mu En Campbell?

No, he wouldn’t last.

Because Mu En Campbell is not the protagonist.

He has no protagonist halo, nor any cheats.

He is merely a yellow-haired villain despised by fate.

So.

If things were to proceed according to the original plot.

Mu En Campbell.

Would undoubtedly die.

……

【This is… the initial precognitive dream.】

【A future that would inevitably unfold without powerful external interference.】

……