Chapter 84: Confusion
Erica curled up in her bedding, furrowing her brows and biting her lower lip.
It seemed to be a bad dream.
The magnificent Milan Cathedral, shining white under the sun, stood with its ornate spires reaching upward like white flames touching the sky.
It was a poem written in marble.
But at this moment, the entire radiant white cathedral was shrouded in a dim shadow of black and red, not just the cathedral but all of Italy.
Erica stared blankly in the direction of the cathedral. In front of the most splendid Gothic building in the world stood a petite figure.
A black and red dress...
Twin tails, long and short, draped down like the hour and minute hands of a clock...
Skin so flawless and delicate that it was almost unnatural...
And that... that blood-red eye...
...
"Miss Erica..."
"Miss Erica!!!"
Arianna's gentle voice urged persistently.
Erica curled up even tighter, her brows knitted in distress.
Seeing Erica looking as if she was trapped in a nightmare, Arianna leaned closer, softly brushing away the furrowed lines on Erica's brow.
She gathered up Erica's golden hair, which had fallen over her face and lifted slightly with her soft breaths, gently tucking it behind her ear as she whispered kindly in Erica's ear.
"Miss Erica, it's time to wake up."
To Arianna's surprise, Erica didn't show her usual grumpy mood or low blood pressure from waking up. This time, she obediently sat up.
"How rare. I thought it would be difficult to get Miss Erica up on a holiday," Arianna teased.
Though still looking sleepy, it wasn't too unusual, considering she had just completed physical training on Saturday.
Erica got up swiftly and reached for her standard short skirt and short-sleeved sweater.
"Miss Erica, you should wear this today," Arianna interrupted, holding out a black and red long dress.
"Huh!?" Erica exclaimed in surprise. "Today is more iron-smelting training? I thought it was swordsmanship practice."
"More?" Arianna repeated, puzzled. "Today is indeed iron-smelting practice."
"Miss Erica, yesterday you pulled a prank on Lady Liliana, and Lord Paolo caught you red-handed. He ordered you to undergo an extra session of iron-smelting practice today."
...
???
Erica froze.
"Yesterday... a prank?"
"Yes." Arianna sighed, reminding her, suspecting that her young lady was pretending to be clueless again.
"Arianna, what day is it today?" Erica asked, feeling troubled.
"Sunday," the young maid answered, looking at Erica suspiciously. This time, her pretense seemed more convincing.
"..." Erica stayed silent. Arianna wasn't the type to play tricks, and today certainly wasn't April Fools' Day.
Could it be... the day she spent tirelessly training yesterday had been a dream?
As she pondered this, her memories of yesterday began to blur.
Obediently, Erica changed into the long dress. On her way to the training ground, she made a point to check the time on the electronic display—it was indeed Sunday.
Had she really dreamt an entire day of iron-smelting practice?
What a nightmare.
...
After another exhausting day, Erica returned to her room as the sky darkened. Perhaps because of the "practice" in her dream, she finished her training slightly faster today.
Cuddling up in her bedding, the small girl yawned adorably and buried her head under the covers.
Goodnight.
——
Once again, she was dreaming. The sky, rarely seen so gloomy, was tinged with black and red.
Unlike the [Bronze-Black Cross], the black and red hue was more enchanting, reminiscent of the fabled flowers of the underworld, the Manjusaka.
Due to her knowledge of certain myths, Erica had a deep understanding of various world mythologies.
The same petite girl stood quietly before the world's largest Gothic cathedral.
Curious and confident that nothing could happen to her in a dream, Erica slowly approached.
The girl's face seemed to be under some kind of spell—every time Erica looked away, she forgot what she saw. However, one thing Erica was certain of was that the girl was incredibly beautiful.
At least, Erica had never seen someone so striking. It felt as if just meeting her gaze could ensnare her with a beguiling charm.
Until, finally, that stunning red eye, like a blooming scarlet rose, filled her entire vision.
"Are you... the one I've been waiting for?"
"Huh?"
The voice was lovely, but the question left Erica confused. Although it wasn't strange for a magician or knight to experience a prophetic dream, this one was unusually vivid—it was the first time Erica had experienced something like this.
"Hey, hey, how about you meow like a cat?" The beautiful girl playfully pinched Erica's cheek, smiling.
"What?"
Tick-tock—
The sound of a clock's hand moving echoed faintly, and the world subtly changed in ways unknown.
——
Erica jolted awake, sitting up suddenly.
The abrupt movement startled Arianna.
"Miss Erica, did you have a bad dream?" the maid asked, concerned.
"Not exactly..." Hugging her blanket, Erica seemed lost. "It was a... rather strange dream."
Pfft—
The young maid stifled a laugh.
Erica, annoyed, glared at her. "Arianna! What are you laughing at!"
"Nothing... nothing at all," Arianna teased, her tone light. "It seems our young lady has reached an age where she's starting to dream romantic dreams."
"By the way, would you like to change your undergarments?"
"Get out!" Erica shouted, hurling a pillow at Arianna.
...
Now wearing her practical short skirt for training, Erica still felt a bit flustered.
Although she always played the role of a mischievous little devil, that was only when she was teasing others. When it came to being teased herself, she felt strangely unsettled.
And that dream... it was so odd. She could only remember that scarlet red eye—nothing about the girl's face, but she was certain the girl had been incredibly beautiful.
But... the expressions on the knights she passed seemed odd too, like they were watching a show.
In the training ground, Lord Paolo stood sternly, his imposing presence demanding attention.
"Uncle," Erica greeted with her sword, bowing elegantly, but she quickly sensed something was off.
Why did Uncle look so angry?
"Erica!" The man, whose physique resembled a marble statue of David, his body tempered like steel, spoke with a mature voice tinged with irritation.
"Where were you yesterday?"
"Yesterday?" Erica was confused. "As you ordered, I was practicing iron-smelting."
"I distinctly remember telling you that sword training is not to be neglected," Lord Paolo said, looking down at her.
???
Erica felt completely lost.
What on earth was going on!?
Then she glanced at the electronic screen in the training ground—"Tuesday."
???
"Noooo! Unlucky!!!"
Tuesday.
Erica stared blankly at the electronic screen behind her uncle.
But yesterday... wasn't it Sunday?
As bits and pieces of her memory started connecting in her mind, the girl suddenly turned and ran.
Something had clearly gone wrong with her time, and Erica puffed out her cheeks in frustration.
Damn it! Not only did she get scolded by her uncle, but now it seemed she had done two straight days of iron-smelting practice.
Completely unforgivable!
"Erica!" Lord Paolo's voice rang out sternly behind her.
Erica glanced back, her cheeks puffed up with annoyance.
"Uncle, I'll get to the bottom of this!"
...
Arianna watched in confusion as her young lady stormed out, full of fury.
"Miss?"
"To the Milan Cathedral, Arianna," Erica commanded, opening the car door.
The [Bronze Black Cross]'s vehicle fleet always had an air of weighty luxury, and Arianna's car was a specially modified mid-sized SUV.
Rumor had it that she chose this durable model because she had only recently gotten her driver's license.
"Are you in a hurry, Miss?" Arianna asked gently, tilting her head as she observed Erica.
"Yes," Erica muttered. She was determined to give that mischievous figure a piece of her mind.
After all, she was one of the most talented knights of her generation in Milan, and she couldn't let herself be toyed with like this—it was utterly unforgivable.
There was no need to guess. The culprit was definitely the girl in her dream with the scarlet eyes.
No matter if she was a witch or a Heretic God, Erica was going to teach her a lesson.
...
Wait! A Heretic God!
Erica suddenly realized how reckless she had been, her palms growing clammy with sweat.
A Heretic God was a being that only a Campione could stand against. Even a knight of the highest order couldn't hope to contend with one.
And Erica, at just twelve years old, had only recently been knighted.
Perhaps she should go back and get Uncle Paolo's help... Erica hesitated.
But it was too late.
Roar—
The BMW X5M's engine let out a roar like a lion, and Erica was slammed back into her seat by the force of acceleration.
"Buckle up, Miss Erica," Arianna said, her eyes fixed on the road ahead.
The magically enhanced car shot forward like an arrow from a bow, fishtailing onto the road with a screech of tires.
Erica watched the streets flash by in streaks, unable to suppress the urge to swallow nervously.
Arianna, how are you this skilled!?
Erica's face turned pale as she gripped the side handle tightly.
She was certain she might die on the road before anything else happened.
——
What is a god?
Throughout history and across nations, humans have always given names and myths to deities.
Mighty beings that sometimes threatened and sometimes granted blessings to humanity...
Powerful gods.
In that vast sky above, there were gods as numerous and dangerous as stars.
To manage these gods, humans crafted myths and gave them names, forming rituals to honor them.
By giving a god a name and a myth, humans ensured that these gods would not act beyond the boundaries of those myths.
Such gods, who acted according to the myths that defined them, could be prepared for—humans could ready themselves for the blessings or threats these gods might bestow.
...
But if a god were to act beyond the bounds of their name and myth...
If a god were to return to a time before the myths that bound them were written...
Such a god would be known as a Heretic God.
They would wander the earth, defying the roles their myths had given them.
If the Sun God descended, the world would burn under its heat...
If the Sea God descended, the world would be swallowed by tsunamis...
If the God of the Underworld descended, death and plague would sweep across every corner of the earth...
These gods, who colored the world with their own desires and created chaos in their image—these were the Heretic Gods!
...
Rapidly reviewing the descriptions of gods she had learned from her magical society, Erica prayed.
Please, don't let the one messing with me be a deity. Maybe it's just some witch her ancestors provoked.
Besides, if a Heretic God descended, surely it wouldn't be just her getting pranked.
Thinking back to the girl in her dream... Erica wracked her brain, trying to recall any myths that matched. A deity whose very presence was an overwhelming charm and had power over time? Nothing seemed to fit.
Maybe it really was just a witch.
Uncle... please, please come with me this time.
...
The black luxury car sped toward the center of Milan, weaving swiftly through the traffic.
Soon, the magnificent cathedral came into view.
The weather was clear, and the gleaming white Gothic structure shone brightly under the sunlight, its intricate spires stretching toward the sky.
Erica staggered out of the car, clutching the door for support as she caught her breath.
That was terrifying... Where did Arianna learn to drive? From a manga?
Her magic pulsed within her, helping to steady her breath.
"Arianna... you should head back now," Erica instructed. Arianna had no talent for swordsmanship or magic; her role was simply to manage Erica's daily affairs.
In case of a fight, it was better for her to leave immediately.
The maid nodded obediently and drove away.
Miss Erica's expression seemed different today—this wasn't her usual attempt to skip out on training. She would definitely report this to Lord Paolo.
Recalling Erica's earlier "romantic dream" behavior that morning, the maid suddenly had a sinking feeling.
Could Miss Erica be... involved with someone?
Who could possibly be dating a 12-year-old?
Arianna floored the accelerator.
...
As Erica approached, a flock of white pigeons scattered across the square, their wings fluttering before they landed again not far away.
Thump—
Thump—
The girl's heart raced.
Tourists lingered in front of the Milan Cathedral, and they looked at Erica—dressed in her thin sweater and mini-skirt—with pleasant surprise.
Ba-dump—
Her heart thudded again, and Erica's pupils shrank.
The world was suddenly cast in a strange black and red hue, eerily quiet. In her eyes, all the people walking around had vanished, as if she had been transported to an empty version of Milan.
And the most conspicuous sight was the girl standing with her back to Erica.
A girl in a black and red dress, her slim back exposed, almost begging to be touched.
The girl lifted her head, seemingly admiring the cathedral.
Then, without warning, she turned her head slightly to the right. A pair of stunning, vibrant crimson eyes—like a blooming red rose—locked onto Erica.
"Hello there."
But Erica had only one thought left in her mind.
Oh no, I'm doomed.
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