Sofia’s once deep brown hair and ice-blue eyes had transformed into a profound black, and the once-despised divine aura that surrounded her had vanished, replaced by an alluring presence that irresistibly drew Carlo in. He could distinctly sense the dark, pulsing heart within Sofia’s chest. The noble and pure child of divine grace had wholly embraced the abyss.
Moreover, Sofia gazed at Carlo with a mix of bashfulness and adoration, tinged with a profound reverence. Carlo was confident that even if he ordered her to end her own life, Sofia would do so without hesitation. This effect, created by the Purgatory Fire Seed’s mark and the Enchanting Eyes, was more reliable and steadfast than any soul contract.
“Successfully tempted a child of divine grace to fall into the abyss. Reward: 2000 experience points, 20000 evil points.”
The system’s voice echoed in Carlo’s mind, and the sudden influx of rewards elevated his mood. He placed a gentle kiss on Sofia’s lips and rose with satisfaction.
“Master.”
Kallapos hesitated before speaking.
“Hmm?” Carlo turned to her.
Kallapos’s eyes darted warily toward Sofia, reflecting both caution and concern. “This woman is a seed. You must be cautious, Master.”
“A seed?” Carlo frowned. “What do you mean by that?”
Kallapos elaborated, “A seed sown by the divine. Although it might never sprout under the pressure of light, it remains the greatest adversary to evil.”
Carlo understood that Kallapos was referring to a child of divine grace. “Don’t worry. Sofia has completely embraced the darkness now. She will become the embodiment of evil. What do you think I was just doing? Hmph…”
Indeed, the divine remnants in Sofia’s mind had been devoured by the Purgatory Fire Seed, making the flame grow larger. Even the system confirmed that Sofia had turned to the dark side—there was no doubt.
Seeing Carlo’s indifferent expression, Kallapos said no more. Instead, she felt a pang of fear, relieved that she had been forced into Claudia’s body instead of foolishly confronting Sofia as originally planned. Had she done so, she might have been completely erased by now.
“Oh, by the way,” Carlo said, wrapping his arms around Sofia’s soft waist and savoring her infatuated gaze. “Since you can identify Sofia as a divine seed, have you encountered other seeds before?”
Carlo was eager for Kallapos’s response. He had discovered a quicker path to power than city destruction—tempting more beings like Sofia who were oppressed by heavenly forces.
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Kallapos pondered for a moment before replying, “Two hundred years ago, I encountered one. I cast a sleeping curse on her using a spinning wheel, causing her to spend a full hundred years in dreamland…”
Carlo’s lips curled into a knowing smile: That sounds like a certain fairy tale.
“Is she still alive?”
Kallapos hesitated before nodding. “She should still be alive. Divine seeds possess a power that grants them a lifespan far exceeding that of ordinary people.”
Without hesitation, Carlo said, “Take me to find her.”
“Of course, my master,” Kallapos agreed and then couldn’t help but ask, “Are you searching for divine seeds, Master?”
Carlo stared intently at Kallapos, compelling her to lower her gaze in humility.
“Kallapos, guide me to them. You will receive the rewards you seek.”
“Thank you for your grace, Master.” Kallapos’s face brightened with excitement. “The identity of divine seeds is naturally noble. With their proud nature, they are often reincarnated as princes or princesses, rarely as commoners…”
“So, I just need to narrow my search to royal families?” Carlo mused, finding Kallapos’s suggestion quite plausible. Since some princesses and princes were divine seeds, it was possible many in similar positions were as well, though finding them might be complex.
“In fact, we don’t even need to search actively. Someone will find them for us,” Kallapos added.
Carlo’s eyes widened with surprise. “Who?”
“The Church of Light,” Kallapos said gravely. “They never allow foreign divine seeds to spread their faith on the continent. When they discover the birth of other divine seeds, they immediately send agents to seal their divinity, ensuring they never awaken. They label their actions ‘blessing’ and ‘baptism’… Hmph, they are truly selfish and hypocritical.”
Kallapos’s lips curled with disdain.
Carlo’s eyes sparkled with excitement. This was a brilliant move by Heaven to seize faith, saving him a great deal of effort. His eyes narrowed, and he gave Sofia an even more captivating smile. “Then, once we return Sofia home, we’ll rescue these poor divine seeds. Enemies of Heaven are our friends, after all.”
...
The remnants of the Ice God had been consumed by the Purgatory Fire Seed, and the residual blue power within Sofia was naturally transformed into dark energy by the Fruit of Sin.
Black ice, snow symbolizing death.
Sofia now wielded power greater than that of an ordinary witch. She could summon sharp, cold black ice crystals at will, capable of easily tearing apart a mid-tier knight. Additionally, inheriting the devil’s superior traits, she could grow stronger by absorbing sins, atrocities, and souls.
“You can handle those seven as you wish.”
The dwarves, terrified and desperate, knelt before Sofia, begging with their meager words. Carlo had expected Sofia to tear them apart or perhaps grind them into a pulp, given her heart was as beautiful as a viper’s.
Instead, she spared their lives, merely cutting out their tongues and tying ropes around their necks, like seven whimpering stray dogs.
“They’re such adorable little creatures,” Sofia giggled, watching the dwarves roll around on the ground, their mouths bloodied. She then linked her arm with Carlo’s and gazed up at him with adoration. “Once I return to the kingdom and kill my pitiful and useless father, will you help me wage war against the Church?”
“Be a bit more patient,” Carlo gently caressed Sofia’s smooth, delicate face, speaking softly. “Learn to be a queen first.”
Carlo did not oppose Sofia’s idea of patricide and usurpation; on the contrary, he believed it was fitting. Destroying the Church was not something he could achieve alone; he needed more power. When evil gathers into an ocean, even the brightest holy light will be extinguished.