The Evil God Summoned by the Saintess

Phil regretted it.

Had she known earlier, she wouldn’t have agreed to her father’s request.

Looking at the many nobles below whom she had only met once, or never seen at all, who showered her with blessings and birthday gifts, Phil saw only flattery and insincerity.

She didn’t dislike crowds, but she hated hypocritical masks.

In the Huijin Divine Hall, or when treating people in the mercenary camp, everyone also looked at her and praised her.

Their praise came from the heart, with no deceit, unlike the people here, all with false praises.

Phil could see resentment and jealousy in the eyes of many noble ladies, and in the eyes of noblemen, she saw glimmers that made her uncomfortable.

Because she was the daughter of Mr. Pharos, a genius mage, a holy priest, rumored to have high-standing within the Holy Court, they all wanted to gain her favor.

Underneath the polite demeanor was blatant greed and a desire for conquest.

Very detestable.

Phil suppressed the demonic qi agitation within her body and barely managed to deal with all the nobles. Her gaze scanned the hall repeatedly, but she found that Hilia and others were no longer there.

They had gone somewhere while she was handling the nobles.

Phil lightly bit her lower lip, hiding her disappointment, and found an excuse to leave the banquet, heading to the third floor of the castle.

She intended to go to her usual small balcony to look at the garden below and relax.

Arriving on the third floor, Phil was surprised to see someone on the balcony, standing with their back to her, looking down.

There was no moon tonight; she could only see his dark silhouette through the faint magic lamp.

Phil’s heartbeat slowed for half a beat, her expression flustered.

The familiar black robe and the faint presence emanating from it immediately led her to one possibility.

Phil hurried over, extremely anxious: "H-hello?"

Ross turned around, bringing the same sense of mystery to Phil.

"Is this how you greet a god?"

Phil’s heart tensed, and she quickly said, "I’m sorry, my lord, I..."

Ross raised a hand, stopping Phil from continuing: "Shut up and stand properly."

Phil obediently stood upright.

Ross moved his hand in the air, sketching out an intricate pattern that hovered in the air.

After a long while, the pattern was completed and merged into Phil’s body.

Phil felt the agitation within her calm down and couldn’t help but ask, "What is this?"

"A simple little magic, able to block three fatal attacks for you."

Phil felt that this mysterious rune’s effects were more than just that, but compared to it, she cared more about another matter.

Ross specifically appeared on her birthday to inscribe a mysterious rune for her...

A look of excitement appeared on the girl’s face: "Ro... Is the lord god here to give me a birthday gift?"

But just as she spoke, Ross’s figure began to fade, and he was already gone.

Phil touched her body, felt nothing unusual, looked around and seeing no one, she reached up to her collarbone, pulled her collar open, and glanced inside, finding no pattern.

The rune Ross sketched disappeared after entering her body, leaving no trace or mark.

Phil let out a sigh of relief.

"Legend has it that Lord Ross controls the Abyss and can control the pollution of the Abyss. Even if he blesses me, due to the pollution on me, others shouldn’t notice..."

Thinking this, Phil returned to the banquet hall.

Her original thought of clearing her mind had faded.

Upon reaching the banquet hall, many nobles had begun the ball.

Phil declined many young nobles’ invitations to dance, found Mr. Pharos, and straightforwardly said, "Father, it’s about time, I need to leave."

Mr. Pharos nodded without hindering her: "Mm, leaving is good too. Your friend Hilia discovered a mysterious fragment with pollution in the garden at the back of the castle. It seems to be part of an array. They’re currently searching nearby, you should go find them."

Phil was surprised: "An array node? Who dares place it in the castle?"

Mr. Pharos said, "I don’t know, but I will investigate. I will not tolerate it."

Not skilled in this kind of investigation, seeing her father seemed to have ideas, Phil did not plan to get involved and bid farewell to him.

Following Mr. Pharos’s direction, Phil arrived at the backyard and found Hilia and the four others in the gazebo used for resting.

Seeing Phil approaching, Hilia waved at her: "Phil, over here."

After Phil sat down, Hilia pulled out a box containing a purification crystal and handed it over.

"Happy birthday, Phil. Came in a hurry and didn’t know what to get, so I got you a purification crystal. You’ve been cleansing pollution for others, and the pollution on you hasn’t dissipated for a long time. This can help stabilize the pollution."

As she spoke, Hilia playfully winked: "This purification crystal is blessed by the gods, make sure to always wear it~!"

"Thank you." Phil happily accepted, opened the gift box, and immediately put on the purification crystal.

Just about to say something, she suddenly felt mysterious runes rising within her, activated by the mysterious residual power (divine power) inside her, resonating with the purification crystal she wore.

She froze on the spot until the other girls also brought out their gifts before she reacted.

She felt her heartbeat quicken.

Why would Hilia’s gift resonate with the runes drawn by the Evil God?

She said...

This gift is blessed by the gods?

Could it be...

Phil suddenly recalled last year when attacking the lighthouse, during the excessive pollution absorption, Hilia’s sudden suggestion.

She said to pray to the Evil God Ross.

Phil knew very well that because of Hilia’s suggestion, she had then casually... casually prayed to Ross in her mind for a moment.

At the time, she had no particular thoughts, only thinking it was a little thrilling, then she suppressed the idea deep down.

Yet, Ross really appeared and even helped her with healing.

Phil had always thought it was her problem.

Thinking it was because she, having nothing better to do, secretly prayed in her mind, causing the Evil God to notice her.

But now...

The girl couldn’t help but secretly glance at Hilia, thinking to herself: Could it be... that Hilia had already been noticed by Lord Ross?

Hilia, unaware that her casual words had let Phil see through the truth, was only puzzled by why Phil would occasionally glance at her while speaking.

After exchanging gifts and chatting briefly, Phil called for someone to bring them some snacks.

After having a few bites, Hilia got ready to leave, and seeing this, the others stood up as well, leaving Phil for last: "If you all leave, I don’t know what to do here. Why don’t we leave together?"

Hilia said, "I’m not returning to the Golden Apple Stone Forest Camp for now; I still want to stroll around Letes City."

Earlier, she had just informed Mr. Pharos of the mysterious fragment she discovered and handed it over to him, but Hilia still felt somewhat uneasy.

She didn’t think the Deep Sea Mutual Aid Association would just set up an array to attract the Deep Sea Giant Beast and then do nothing.

What their goal was, Hilia still didn’t know.

The best way is to destroy the array and see how the Deep Sea Mutual Aid Association responds.

If they still have the strength to plan in Letes City after their base has been attacked, Hilia definitely wants to know what they’re up to.