My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger
Chapter 398 - 399: A Monster Of Will

Damon was quiet for a moment.

He needed to give Sylvia a simple answer… but the way she was looking at him—

'Ahh, what a pain…'

He forced a smile.

"Erhm, actually, there is a very logical reason for me calling her Eva. It's quite obvious—her name is such a mouthful… saying Evangeline was a pain, so I just call her Eva…"

Sylvia glanced at him with a deadpan expression.

Then she nodded.

"Sylvia is a mouthful too…"

Damon sighed, gaze falling to his shoulder—where a pair of human lips were perched. Valarie. She was smiling with a knowing expression.

The goddamn old hag looked like she was enjoying herself.

Damon felt the urge to curse.

"…Hmm, wait a minute…"

He smiled at Sylvia, as if struck by inspiration.

"Sylvia, tell you what—let's come up with a cute nickname for you. I'm sure Valarie would love to help out. Right, Valarie?"

The pair of disembodied lips twitched.

"Don't get me involved. I'm just minding my business here..."

She pressed her lips together, muttering,

"Wretched womanizer."

Damon was close enough to hear the whisper—and it made him feel incredibly aggrieved. This really wasn't his fault.

'Fine, you settle this.'

He grabbed the pair of lips and placed them on Sylvia's shoulder.

"Ehmr… Valarie will help come up with a cute nickname."

He didn't even give Sylvia a chance to respond. His form blurred into shadow and glided to the front beside Xander.

Sylvia pouted slightly, lips tightening. She glanced at Valarie—who somehow seemed to be looking at her, even without eyes.

"…What?"

Valarie smirked.

"It's nothing. I just think the wearers of the Armor of Crescent Seer aren't very blessed when it comes to romance…"

Sylvia narrowed her eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Valarie's lips pressed together. Her voice dropped, quiet and slow.

"Valcara had the same problem. Love is quite painful, you know…"

Sylvia tensed. Valcara. That was the teacher of Mugu… and she had fallen for him too. It hadn't ended well.

She remembered—the first time she had seen Valcara was on the bridge leading into the Whispering Forest. The lady in the mist.

Or rather… what remained of her. Even in death, she was still sad.

Sylvia had an inkling of how she felt. Damon had, more or less, rejected her. Played the oblivious role. Blamed her actions on a dark spirit… acting like he had no idea.

"Why does it hurt so much…"

She couldn't help but whisper the words.

Hearing this, Valarie was silent.

"Valcara said those exact same words to me once… and my answer still remains the same…"

She paused.

"I… I don't know."

She sighed, watching Sylvia's downcast expression.

"For Valcara… she couldn't have won. Mugu loved someone else. At first, I thought he was in love wi—"

"He is. I mean… I think so." Sylvia cut her off.

She clenched her fists.

"I know this is pathetic, but I… I think he's in love with Lilith Astranova. I see the way she looks at him, and the way they look at each other, and…"

She raised her head, her expression torn.

"I really want to hate her… but I can't. But I can't bring myself to like her either…"

Valarie could hear the frustration tangled in her voice. She didn't know who Lilith Astranova was, but she got the picture.

"Instead of beating around the bush, why not just tell him?"

Sylvia's eyes turned red, tears welling up.

"I can't. I want to… but I know how it will end. I'm a Seer, remember? I can see the future…"

She tilted her head, chest tightening as she choked back the tears.

"If I go there right now and tell him how I feel, he's just going to tell me all the reasons why we can't be together. And I can't argue against that. Because if he chooses to be with me regardless… he'll be the one in danger."

Valarie remained quiet as Sylvia whispered,

"Do you know 99.9% of female noble-to-male commoner relationships end in bloodshed? I have a skill that lets me dig up all this information. I wanted to use it to argue against his logic, but… I only dug a grave for myself."

Her sad eyes turned to Valarie.

"In 426 of the Doom Calendar, Lady Meri of House Tatin ran away with her commoner love and got married. They had two children. One year after their second child was born… her family found her.

They threw her husband and first child off a balcony as she watched. Then… they boiled her infant alive.

She killed herself two days later."

Valarie was silent.

The world was still too dark.

Sylvia gave her example after example. Horror after horror.

If Valarie had a stomach, she would have thrown up.

"Things have changed over the years. After the Aether Academy was created, commoners mixed more with nobles. But that didn't really change much. Whole villages can still get destroyed just for earning the ire of a noble. Mixed blood might as well be a curse."

"Male nobles have it easier. They can't marry commoner women, but they're allowed to let their bastard children live—mostly as substitutes, because of how hazardous the demon wars are. They also make good cannon fodder. Or expendable political hostages."

Sylvia wiped her eyes quietly, unnoticed.

"The Peasant Revolution changed a lot. At least now female nobles are allowed to talk to commoner men without them getting castrated or lynched…"

Her voice faltered. Her head lowered.

"So I should be glad I can still talk to him… but I wa—I want more. And I hate that I do…"

Valarie sighed, lips pressed tightly together.

"I hear what you're saying. I understand. But this is the world of Aetherus. A world of conflict and war.

If you want something… it won't be handed to you.

Sylvia, you must take what you want—no matter who gets hurt, or whose pride gets shattered.

Look at Damon. If he really loves that Lilith Astranova, trust me when I say—that boy would burn this world to be with her.

Are you willing to do the same?"

She leaned in closer, her voice a cold whisper.

"Don't be Valcara. Don't make her mistakes.

So what if he belongs to another woman? If you can't have him—then no one should even dream of it.

Do you want to be a weak woman… or do you want a piece of that Damon pie?

If you're powerful enough… why should 'no' matter?"

Sylvia's eyes widened.

"…If I'm powerful enough…"

Valarie smiled faintly.

"Yes. If you have the power and the will to do absolutely anything—who can stop you?

The people from your examples… they ran."

Sylvia looked at Damon. Her fist clenched.

Then her gaze turned slowly to the invisible book floating in front of her.

She did have the means.

She just lacked the will.

"…If I have the will… no one can stop me."

"I don't want to hurt anyone… but if I don't act… I'll lose….."

On that day, Valarie Sunwarden created a terrible monster.

She made Sylvia Moonveil realize—she had all the power.

The power of a god sat in the palm of her hand.

All she needed… was the will to use it.

Sylvia turned and began walking toward Damon.

But before she could reach him—a monstrous growl erupted.

The wall nearby exploded into pieces.

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