Thiendavis – For The Perfect Salvation

Chapter 2: Became Excessively Honest
June 6, 2022.

Before ascending to Thienda, Evie had no surname.

She had no family, no home, living as an orphan in a slum during her childhood.

On an ordinarily eventful day, an astrologer with a deeply hooded cloak asked her,

“Evie, what kind of person do you want to become in the future?”

Faced with this unexpected question, young Evie stared intently at the astrologer and tutted.

“Why does mister ask such questions when someone’s nose is bleeding?”

Evie scoffed at the astrologer sitting at the shabby stall as she spoke.

Just like she said, Evie was currently a mess, with blood dripping from her nose.

Even the handkerchief, which the astrologer kindly lent, was soaked in blood.

That day, twelve-year-old Evie had been brutally beaten by a gang in the back alley.

She got caught after avoiding them to evade paying protection money.

So when Evie grumbled with a disgruntled face, the astrologer awkwardly excused himself.

“When someone narrowly escapes death, they tend to make new vows.”

“You might as well hold a funeral and tell me to die.”

“Even today, our Evie is quite the realist….”

At Evie’s cold reply, the astrologer muttered sadly.

Thus, Evie frowned and sighed deeply.

Despite everything, the astrologer was the only one who treated Evie like a person in this filthy back alley.

Although he never revealed his name or face and even though Evie had no idea why he set up his stall here, she always felt indebted to him, making it hard to refuse to answer.

“I want to become a strong person.”

“A strong person?”

“Look at me; why do you think I ended up like this from the morning? It’s because I’m weak and full of flaws.”

Evie replied sharply, staring down at her battered hands.

“Having no strength, no money, and nothing strong about me is exactly why I’m in this state.”

Glaring at her worthless hands, Evie looked up.

“So, I want to become a person who is difficult for others. Like those who live up in Thienda.”

Evie said this, pointing at the sky.

Up there, a massive continent floated in the air with several islands surrounding it.

Its name was Thienda, the land where noble and high-ranking people lived.

A long, long time ago, the sea submerged the earth.

When destruction arrived in the form of submersion, God, in mercy, lifted the land with His hands.

Then He commanded four dragons that resembled the sky to guard the land floating in the air.

The floating continents created under the blessing of God, where they currently live, are Thienda and Vis or so the astrologer had once taught.

Up high where the sun dominates is the Thienda Continent, and down low where shadows and curses are rampant is the Vis Continent, where Evie lives.

“Mister told me, right? There’s nobility up there. Just watch; I’ll go up there someday.”

Evie stretched her dirt-covered hand toward Thienda.

Her bare fingertips may have seemed pathetic, but the black pupils that shone through sparkled like stars.

“I will become an incredibly difficult person up there!”

…

Eight years had passed since she made that declaration.

Evie, who had ascended to Thienda and was on the verge of becoming a saintess, still felt deep self-pity for her tumultuous fate.

“So, Evie, what is your wish?”

“World domination.”

“Not something so unrealistic, but an attainable goal?”

“I will become a saintess and seize power.”

“In that case, any words you want to say to the Tower Lord?”

“Disappear from my life, you crazed lunatic! … Ah, what should I do?”

After answering smoothly, Evie held her forehead in disbelief at her own words.

The usual Evie would have responded differently to questions about wishes or aspirations or anyone she knew:
―May peace fill the world.

―I wish to convey hope to people by becoming a saintess.

―Thank you so much, Tower Lord, for guiding this humble one.

However, a phenomenon that began last night stripped Evie of her tact.

Thus, with her dark and worldly true feelings revealed, Evie had to touch her forehead for a long time to swallow her disillusionment.

“It seems you’ve become excessively honest.”

It was then that a relaxed voice came from nearby.

The man who spoke wore a butler’s tailcoat under his short reddish-brown hair.

His name was Diez, Evie’s butler who shared his life and death with her.

Diez had immediately identified Evie’s condition the night before.

Evie, too, had confided everything to her butler that morning, and now the two of them were working together to unravel the mystery of this curse.

“Is it impossible for you to hold back your answers or to avoid talking?”

“Yes, my mouth moves on its own.”

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Diez lifted Evie’s chin with his gloved hand.

Then, deeply looking into Evie’s black pupils, he spoke.

“It’s definitely Noche’s curse.”

“Noche? That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time….”

At the butler’s confirmation, Evie smiled weakly.

Noche.

It was originally one of the four dragons that protected Thienda and Vis.

But 300 years ago, Noche rebelled and was killed by the other dragons.

To his last moment, Noche didn’t cease his rampage and, in the end, transformed the blessing bestowed by God into a curse that spread throughout the world.

Thus began the Curse of Noche, the most threatening and malicious calamity from 300 years ago.

“To use such a curse, the cooperation of the Clan of the Night is necessary, but even for a noble, contacting them is perilous. Is there someone around you willing to risk that to curse you, Evie?”

“Other saintess candidates, aristocrats, or men who confessed and were rejected.”

“You have many suspects.”

“Having grown up with nothing, it’s good to have much.”

Evie joked softly at this, causing Diez’s eyebrow to arch downward.

Ensnared by an unidentified curse, yet displaying such a composed attitude?

This aroused Diez’s suspicions, prompting him to ask,

“Are you alright?”

“No, I’m just pretending to be. I cried all night, actually.”

A brief silence passed.

“Screech!”

Diez yelped and withdrew his hand from Evie’s chin.

Evie had bitten down on his thumb when her secret was exposed.

As a startled Diez looked at her, Evie smiled as if she had never done anything, warning him,

“Please refrain from unnecessary questions.”

“You put on airs and then take it out on me…”

Diez muttered, shaking his stinging hand, but Evie pretended not to hear and sighed.

“I’m disturbed… of all curses, why did I have to get hit with this one?”

“The fundamental principle of the curse is the materialization of weakness. In other words, it means your weakness is the exposure of your true nature and the unveiling of your pretenses, Evie.”

“… Thank you for your kind explanation.”

Evie smiled with restrained laughter at the butler’s biting explanation.

However, Diez, seemingly without any malice, calmly continued,

“Getting hit by such a curse just two months before being selected as the saintess—whoever requested this curse must not want you to succeed.”

“Most likely.”

Evie nodded powerlessly in agreement with Diez’s guess.

As Diez said, the next saintess selection would be in two months.

Naturally, the saintess candidates had to be on their guard and careful until then.

Yet due to the curse, Evie had brawled with a great noble and wreaked havoc at a banquet the day before.

Even if she were disqualified as saintess, she couldn’t refute it.

Recalling yesterday, Evie once again touched her forehead as Diez gently inquired,

“But why did it happen with Count Laurel?”

“I was minding my business when that damned… No, Evie. Don’t do this.”

Evie, unknowingly grumbling, quickly shook her head.

‘Damned’ from the refined mouth of a saintess candidate.

Evie clapped a hand over her mouth and painstakingly explained in a composed voice,

“It… it was an unfortunate incident. But if you ask me, the one to blame would be Count Zion Laurel.”

Evie said this, gazing into the distance and reminiscently recalling the events of the previous day.

.
.
.

Yesterday, a sweet minuet echoed in the banquet hall.

The marbled space was splendidly decorated, and the endless supply of drinks and food was enough to awe gourmets.

In this opulent social gathering, the beloved saintess candidate, Evie Ariate, moved about in her sapphire dress, exchanging greetings with the guests.

Smiling brightly, her appearance was adorable.

However, it was just an artfully composed facade, filled with sinister calculations inside.

‘We won’t have such a large gathering for a while. I should make a strong impression today.’

With the saintess selection fast approaching, Evie was diligent in managing her reputation even that day.

The saintess, a symbol of hope, was an honor given to the most outstanding girl amongst those purifying water at the ‘Manyanya Tower.’

Because the underside of the Thiendavis continent faced the void, water depleted quickly.

Therefore, the Manyanya Tower periodically purified seawater to prevent droughts.

The ones performing the purification were special girls blessed by the divine, among whom Evie had the most remarkable talent as a purifier.

While many naturally assumed Evie Ariate would be the next saintess, the outcome was uncertain until officially declared.

‘Ultimately, the former saintess and great nobles will make the final decision.’

No matter how talented one was, if the former saintess and great nobles opposed it, one couldn’t become a saintess.

Essentially, skills merely granted the qualification to be considered, while becoming a saintess depended on one’s reputation and connections.

Evie was well aware of this dynamic in Thienda, thus spending her time adeptly attempting to win favor with the nobility.

However, a sudden exclamation arrested her graceful progress.

“My goodness, is that really Count Laurel?”

With that commotion, the bustling banquet reeled in curiosity.

Nobles engaged in refined conversations or savoring the gourmet offerings all turned to look towards one place.

Following their gaze, Evie turned her head and saw a man surrounded by people.

And unconsciously, she held her breath.

He bore his luminous blond hair as if it were a halo.

His noble stature and shoulders exuded an unassailable dignity, and his handsome face seized attention even from afar.

A man with overwhelming presence, much like a scene plucked straight from a sacred painting.

‘He’s Count Laurel…’

Evie repeated the man’s name, unable to hide her admiration.

Though seeing him for the first time, she already knew quite a bit about him.

Zion Laurel.

The half-brother of Duke Laurel, a grand noble, and the commander responsible for maintaining stability in Vis.

Governing Thiendavis was the Laurel Dukedom’s duty, and protecting the lower continent, Vis, was a fate bestowed upon the younger sons of the family.

Thus, at seventeen, Zion Laurel had been bestowed the title of Count and sent to the lower continent as the commander overseeing Vis.

He perfectly executed his duties and never returned to Thienda.

Even during important events or official leaves, he stayed in Vis, oblivious to his brother’s calls.

Yet, after seven long years, for whatever reason, count Laurel broke his silence and returned to Thienda.

Today’s event was to welcome such a Count back, hosted by Duke Laurel.

‘I’ve heard he’s impressive, but he has everything.’

Evie nodded slightly, thinking of how the world brimmed with inequality—born a grand noble, possessed great abilities, and a face that handsome.

Evie contemplated this while assessing the altered atmosphere of the banquet hall.

Just earlier, the venue exuded the aura of a salon showcasing noble camaraderie, but now everyone’s attention was glued to the Count.

Prestigious nobles twisted and turned just to engage him in conversation, while the relatively lower-status nobles could only anxiously stomp their feet, unable to approach him.

And at the center of this attention, count Zion Laurel maintained a frosty distance with everyone, as though unaware of his role as the event’s protagonist.

‘It seems he’s not of a social disposition.’

Evie momentarily thought that it revealed his flaw but quickly dismissed it as a privilege.

In any case, Evie had no choice but to pause her endeavors due to the appearance of this influential figure.

Approaching nobles now would only garner remarks of nuisance, and attempting to approach the Count would doubtlessly draw glares from the flatterers already around him.

So Evie opted to retreat discreetly.

However, circumstances pulled her in the opposite direction.

For it was then that Count Laurel’s gaze, with no forewarning, came crashing down upon Evie.

Having spotted Evie among the crowd, the Count continued to stare at her.

Rather, glare at her.

As if ready to pounce, as if he had been searching for her.

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