Chapter 48: Irretrievable

"Number Seven" gazed ahead with a mixture of panic and joy; she was finally meeting Lady Emilia. Yet, it was a meeting that came only after the failure of her mission. Regardless of the circumstances, the fact that the Chain of Purity was no longer in her possession marked a total defeat.

The power of hatred often drives one to madness, and even on the brink of death, Number Seven was no exception. However, when she saw Emilia cradling Xia Yan in her arms, her expression twisted into a mask of pure agony. This was her first encounter with the noble Lady Emilia—a moment that should have been defined by profound awe and trepidation. Instead, she found herself unable to bear the sight before her.

The noble Lady Emilia, embracing that base human!

It was wrong. She was a supreme pure-blood; how could a piece of trash like Xia Yan ever compare to even a fraction of her worth?

Number Seven, who should have been unable to move, dragged herself up from the ground. She lunged toward Xia Yan, clutching a spare dagger. She had to kill him; she absolutely had to.

Emilia looked on, puzzled. With a slight shake of her head, she erected a barrier of light, shielding Xia Yan and repelling Number Seven. Hesitating for a moment, Emilia extended her hand, and a bandage wreathed itself around Number Seven’s body. If she were not treated, she would die instantly, leaving no room for a final conversation.

Vivian’s expression turned icy; she even contemplated killing Number Seven herself. No one was permitted to show disrespect to Lady Emilia, and certainly not a mere pawn.

Thrown back by the light barrier, Number Seven collapsed. Driven by spite, she crawled up and lunged at Xia Yan again. This cycle repeated until she was covered in blood, unable to move even a finger. She fell to her knees, staring at Xia Yan with eyes full of resentment.

Emilia finally spoke. "Number Seven, why do you do this?"

Still consumed by madness, Number Seven shrieked, "Lady Emilia, let me kill him! Please, let me kill him. He must die!"

"Does your desire to kill him override even my commands?" Emilia asked, perplexed. "Even if you were to betray him, surely you should have waited until after securing the Chain of Purity."

"No, no!" Number Seven howled in a delirium. "He cannot be allowed to live! He is a vile, shameless human. He must die; I will be the one to kill him!"

"Why?" Emilia asked, deeply confused. "You were supposed to be loyal. I never imagined you would betray me so ruthlessly, without leaving the slightest room for negotiation." She sighed softly. "If you had sought money, power, freedom, or treasures, and bargained with me using those, I would find it more understandable. What heinous act could Xia Yan have possibly committed to earn such hatred from you?"

Number Seven panicked. "Lady Emilia, you have been deceived by him! Deceived! He has been full of sin from the very beginning. He is a fraud; he must die!"

"A fraud?" Emilia looked lost. "Number Seven, are you suggesting that I am foolish enough to be deceived by a human?"

"No, it’s not like that," Number Seven stammered.

"Xia Yan has not betrayed me. Look—the Chain of Purity he carries. He killed many to obtain it. Do you know why?" Emilia sighed. "Because he made a pact with me. Since he gave his word, he will see it through. This is the code of survival Xia Yan adheres to. It is neither a child’s game, nor a joke, and certainly not a betrayal."

Lily, standing beside Emilia, was equally bewildered. She could not understand why Number Seven would act this way; there was no reason for it. She had always been loyal—the one person who should have been incapable of betrayal.

"Speak," Emilia said, her pupils shifting to a deep, royal purple—a sign of her rising anger. "Give me the final reason you have been hiding all this time."

"I don't understand!" Number Seven screamed in a frenzy. "I was jealous of him, but I realized it had grown into something more. He receives your favor, he meets with you, he personally accepts missions from you, he possesses your contact information, and he has even been held in your arms! I don't understand! You are a pure-blood; you cannot be interested in a human! He is a fraud, a complete and utter fraud!"

"Interested?" Emilia looked confused. "Are you suggesting I have fallen in love with him?"

Beside her, Vivian’s face darkened instantly. She began to demonize, her body erupting with dense dark energy. This was a forbidden utterance, an insult to Emilia that could never be tolerated.

"Die!" Vivian’s voice was no longer calm. The dark energy in her hands surged toward Number Seven, intent on consuming her entirely.

"Enough," Emilia said, displeased, reaching out to block Vivian. "I am the one who told her to speak, though I did not expect such an absurd answer to emerge from her lips."

"My Lady, this is an insult to you!" Vivian raged.

"Enough," Emilia repeated, her tone firm. "Number Seven, listen well. I, Emilia, am a pure-blood of the Demon race. While I may not be the leader in name, in truth, I am the authority. If I were as foolish as you suggest, I would never have gained the recognition of the other two pure-bloods."

Number Seven froze.

"As a pure-blood and an Absolute Awakener, I would never harbor romantic feelings for a human or a demon who has not reached the level of an Absolute Awakener. Do you understand now?" Emilia said sternly.

Number Seven trembled, still uncomprehending. "Then why did you..."

"You are not qualified to know my reasons," Emilia said, closing her eyes. "If you truly wish to understand, you must at least raise your status to my level. Even Vivian does not know my reasons, yet she knows that I always have my own purpose."

Vivian’s enraged gaze remained fixed on Number Seven, as if waiting for a single word from Emilia to tear her into pieces.

"I never imagined that such immense loyalty could become a catalyst for betrayal," Emilia sighed softly. "Because you were too loyal, you lost the ability to judge for yourself. You thought you were smarter than me, that you could manage everything on my behalf. But the reality is otherwise. That is why I stand at the summit, and you do not. Is it not a pity, Number Seven?"

"No, my Lady, it is my fault. I am sorry," Number Seven wept, hating herself. Why had she been so foolish? Why had she not tried to trust Lady Emilia?

Alas, it was too late. There was no chance left to make amends.