Traces of Lost Faith

Lilith was trying hard to convince herself, attempting to replace the overly intimate word 'adoration' with the more distant 'respect.'

However, before this mental narrative could fully solidify, another thought popped up uncontrollably.

"But... that guy said... he's been paying attention to me. What does that mean?"

"Could it be... he really has been... watching me, just like he said? Otherwise, how would he know about those things I did in secret?"

At this thought, Lilith felt her cheeks begin to burn uncontrollably again, and her heart skipped a few beats.

She subconsciously shifted her body slightly within the soft bedding, as if doing so could dissipate that inexplicable heat and palpitations.

"C-could it be... that instead of Sister... he actually... likes me more?!"

"Is that why he specifically paid attention to me and knows so much? Is that why he said those things this morning, to... get my attention?"

This thought made her catch her breath instantly, and it felt as though all the blood in her body was rushing to her head.

But in the next second, her reason forcibly suppressed this absurd conjecture.

"No, that's not right! If he liked me, then why would he say 'Just like you, I also adore Princess Vivian'? Isn't that a contradiction?"

"Could it be... his real target is still Sister? Getting close to me and saying those things was just to use me as a stepping stone to get to Sister again?!"

At this thought, a surge of anger from being toyed with, mixed with a sense of grievance, welled up.

"But... if he just wanted to use me to get to Sister, he wouldn't have needed to expose that secret in public, right? What good would that do him? It would only make me want to ignore him more, and it'd be harder for me to play matchmaker for him..."

"So... what on earth does he mean?! What is he trying to do?!"

Lilith felt like she was being driven mad by these complex guesses and deductions.

Like a restless little beast trapped in a maze, she tossed and turned under the covers, unable to find the exit that could explain everything.

"No! I can't keep overthinking like this!"

She suddenly sat up in bed and threw off the covers over her head.

Her long red hair was a bit messy from the previous rolling around, and a few strands clung to her slightly sweaty forehead and cheeks.

"I have to find that guy and get a clear answer! I'll ask him to his face what he meant by those words this morning! Why did he say that!"

Once this thought arose, it became incredibly strong.

She couldn't wait another moment; she wanted to get out of bed, change clothes, rush out of the dormitory, and drag that blonde bastard who had disrupted her thoughts all day out to demand the truth!

However, just as her feet were about to touch the cold floor, her gaze inadvertently caught the smooth floor-length mirror on the nearby dressing table.

In the mirror, the image of a girl in a mess was reflected.

This caused Lilith's movements to freeze instantly.

An unspeakable sense of shame instantly overwhelmed her previous impulse.

"I-it's not like I care whether that guy likes me or not... b-but..."

She took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and sat back on the edge of the bed.

"As I thought... it's better to wait until I've rested and my condition is at its best before going."

"After all, the dungeon is dangerous. I need to maintain plenty of physical strength and a clear head."

"So, this is all to prepare for successfully entering the dungeon and questioning him later! It's not for any other reason!"

She successfully convinced herself.

Thus, amidst the worry of the three maids outside—

Creak.

The door that had been tightly shut for most of the day was suddenly pulled open from the inside.

Lilith stood at the door.

She had changed into a comfortable, dark red velvet lounge dress. Though her hair was still a bit voluminous, it had clearly been combed through by hand, and the abnormal flush on her face had mostly faded.

She pursed her lips and raised her red eyes, which had regained their usual spirit, to look at her loyal maids. Using as steady and natural a tone as possible, she said:

"I'm hungry. Renee, go have the kitchen prepare something to eat—make it something hearty. Layla, prepare hot water for my bath. Rena... you, stay away from me. Don't infect me with your idiot virus again."

Having said that, she stopped looking at the maids' eyes—which had instantly lit up and were filled with various complex emotions—and turned to walk toward the small living room. Her back was straight, as if she had returned to being the proud and dazzling red-haired princess.

Only the slight redness at the tips of her ears betrayed the waves in her heart that had not yet fully subsided.

...

Meanwhile, in the Academy Dungeon.

After passing through that narrow passage, Victoria and Silvia followed closely behind Greg's footsteps, officially stepping into the previously unrecorded and unexplored second layer of the Glory Cael Academy Dungeon.

Unlike the first layer, which was composed entirely of natural caves, the scenery of the second layer had changed slightly. In the dim glimmer, there was a faint hint of a strange mixture of artificial intervention and vanished civilization.

The main space was still a series of massive natural caverns with high rocky walls, but the ground was no longer just scattered debris and moss.

Large, scattered square stone slabs paved part of the path, their edges worn smooth by time.

Some of the cavern walls had been deliberately carved flat, and one could even see the faint, long-weathered outlines of reliefs. The patterns depicted were twisted and abstract, making them difficult to identify.

Even more eye-catching were the massive toppled and broken stone pillars. They were clearly not natural formations; their trunks were rugged, and their surfaces were carved with incomprehensible geometric patterns and symbols.

"This place... really is different from the one above."

Silvia spoke softly, her pink eyes curiously taking in the surroundings.

Her gaze was drawn to a massive stone pillar half-buried in the rubble near the exit.

She walked over and reached out her fair fingers, carefully stroking the deep and mottled patterns on the pillar's surface.

"I feel like..."

She furrowed her delicate brows slightly, her tone carrying an uncertain doubt:

"These patterns... they look a bit familiar. I feel like I've seen something similar somewhere..."

Victoria also walked over to take a look. "I think these are probably just some irregular lines. They surely don't mean anything."

Behind them, Greg glanced at the stripes on the broken stone pillar and understood why Silvia found them familiar.

It was because they were very similar to the patterns on the stone tablet held by Professor Audrey, the woman who had kidnapped her.

However, the patterns on that tablet represented the faith of the Mother of Depravity, while the patterns on this broken stone pillar clearly represented the faith of the Mother of Fragmentation.