Saint Lady, Please Let Them Go

Chapter 3: Joyful Magic, Fallen Saintess

The Saintess of the Holy Light Church—Sophia Luluan Moonchant.

Ever since I became her, the memories of my previous life had gradually faded.

Even the masculine vigor of being a man no longer existed.

Looking at the exquisitely charming girl in the mirror, with an unshakable allure between her brows and an indelible sanctity in her visage.

The intertwining of these two contradictory qualities formed my current self.

“No matter how many times I look, this Saintess is just so beautiful.”

“If it were me in my previous life, I’d probably have done everything to possess a girl like this.”

Somewhat vainly striking a few poses in front of the mirror—some pure, some wanton—Sophia let out a long sigh.

Thinking back to when I first arrived on the Continent of Tran and became the Saintess Sophia.

Shock, bewilderment.

Dazed and confused.

Every day, I lived like a walking corpse, relying on the original host’s memories, stiffly playing the role of the Saintess.

It nearly drove me mad.

Among those who came to confess to the Saintess, there were countless filthy whims and desires.

The strict etiquette of the Saintess and the Holy Light curriculum made me want to escape.

In the end, I still found my place in this other world.

In my previous life, I was a demonic cultivator reviled by all, yet upon arriving on the Continent of Tran, not only could I not practice demonic arts, but my memories were also fading.

Moreover, in this life, I had somehow become a Saintess revered by all?

It was practically driving me insane.

Not only did I have to endure the lustful gazes of others, but I also had to play the part of an obedient Saintess, fulfilling so-called duties and missions.

In my previous life, I had captured countless saintesses and princesses to use as cauldrons.

Aside from not taking their lives, I did everything—whether proper or not…

Could it be that in this life, it was my turn to face retribution and taste this kind of suffering?

Was I to become a Saintess praised by others’ lips but secretly lusted after, stripped and ravaged in their hearts?

Then devote my entire life’s purity and sanctity to the Holy Light?

I’d rather be killed.

But if I abandoned the Saintess identity and fled, this beauty and the former status of a Saintess would bring me catastrophic ruin.

The Church was both the Saintess’s cage and my feeble sanctuary.

Fortunately, things took a turn.

Within the library of the Holy Light Church, the status of a Saintess granted access to nearly all texts and the Church’s secret archives.

There, Sophia stumbled upon a sealed, forbidden chronicle.

The chronicle mentioned a Saintess who once shook the Continent of Tran—Virginia.

She had created a magical cultivation method involving dual cultivation with beautiful girls.

From then on, she became a notorious female libertine, feared by all.

The Saintess had fallen.

But back then, no one could do anything about her, for Virginia, through this self-created magical secret, rapidly increased her power.

She became the infamous Fallen Saintess.

On the Continent of Tran, gifted cultivators could become mages or spiritual practitioners through meditation or reliance on external objects.

The Saintess of the Holy Light Church had to be a pure maiden capable of wielding Holy Light magic.

Virginia could no longer be a Saintess, but she had set herself free.

Obtaining this chronicle, Sophia treated it as a treasure.

Spending a great deal of time, she used the magical secrets recorded about Virginia, combined with the demonic arts she still remembered, to create a secret manual for herself called [Joyful Magic].

She recorded it on parchment to avoid forgetting.

She refined it while cultivating.

Its core involved intimacy with gifted, spiritually refined maidens, allowing her to absorb the magic imbued with the seven emotions and six desires from their bodies.

This special magic could not only be seamlessly converted into other types of magic but could also be infused into a target’s body, stirring their most primal desires and emotions.

For example, anger, hatred, joy, love…

Sophia called it Joyful Magic.

Relying on it, Sophia could still wield Holy Light magic.

This prevented her from being expelled from the Church like Virginia.

Not only was Joyful Magic superior in quality to ordinary magic, but its cultivation process was also relaxing and comfortable.

It was nothing like the dull, maddening meditation.

The only drawback was—

Joyful Magic had roots in demonic arts, and after reaching a certain level, it would unleash the seven emotions and six desires.

If not controlled, and if no suitable beautiful maiden was found as a partner, it would backfire, turning the cultivator into a beast of desire.

To facilitate her clandestine escapades and avoid being overpowered when sneaking into a maiden’s chambers,

She secretly trained in spiritual energy to strengthen her body.

This made her light as a swallow, capable of climbing walls and slipping through windows.

Otherwise, a Saintess who only cast magic could never subdue a fiercely resisting maiden.

Verna Kanis was already her seventh chosen target.

Before this, due to re-cultivating Joyful Magic, Sophia had dissipated the original host’s magic and had to choose targets with utmost caution.

In truth, targeting the Baron’s daughter yesterday was a risk.

Fortunately, she succeeded.

During the process, because the Baroness lived next door, even in the stormy night, Verna Kanis dared not scream or resist loudly.

On the Continent of Tran, the reputation and honor of a noble lady were of utmost importance.

Moreover, with the decline of Baron Kanis’s lineage, the Baron’s mansion was practically undefended.

This allowed her to succeed so easily.

“But no matter what, the body of the Baron’s daughter… it was truly splendid.”

“Completely incomparable to the previous six targets… My Joyful Magic also doubled in strength.”

“I’ll visit her again the day after tomorrow… Heh heh heh… Tonight, I’ll let you rest.”

A maiden’s capacity to provide Joyful Magic was not infinite and required time to recover.

It was also possible that after multiple times, no more Joyful Magic could be produced.

But Sophia didn’t think Verna would be the latter.

She greatly savored her taste.

Unfortunately, in the chronicle, Virginia didn’t go far.

She rose through women and fell through them.

She fell in love with a female spy prepared by the Church, and at her happiest moment, she was ambushed and killed.

Sophia was now walking her path.

“Even so, I have no regrets.”

Following her inner desires, the once-dazed Sophia, after cultivating Joyful Magic, finally found the feeling of being alive.

Whether called an evil Saintess or a villain, it didn’t matter.

In this second life, I would still be myself!Thus, when she saw Verna come to the Confessional Hall to confide in me, the very culprit, Sophia’s heart was filled with indescribable joy.

She suppressed her laughter throughout, playing along with the role.

Poor Baron’s daughter—she would never dream that the Saintess she trusted and admired was the demon who defiled her last night.

For a moment, Sophia had a wicked urge to reveal her identity, just to see Verna’s face collapse in despair.

But in the end, she restrained herself.

First, she didn’t want to make Verna an enemy or expose her identity.

Second, aside from fleeting pleasure, it would bring immense danger to both of them.

Considering Virginia’s fate, a single misstep could be her downfall.

Making Verna entirely hers was Sophia’s goal.

To enjoy her day and night—what a marvelous thing!

“Hoo—”

Taking a deep breath, Sophia composed herself and transformed back into the holy, aloof Saintess.

As the Saintess of Red Maple City, her duties were numerous.

Sitting in the Confessional Hall, listening to the confessions of the faithful, imparting the teachings of the Holy Light…

Annotating doctrines and promoting Church ideals also required her.

On ordinary days, aside from cultivating, studying, and compiling Holy Light texts, the Saintess also led recitations and presided over various Holy Light ceremonies.

The nearest was the Holy Light Church’s triennial Bathing in Holy Light ceremony.

All clergy in Red Maple City were required to attend.

Under the radiance of the Holy Light, they would reflect and improve themselves, receiving either the Holy Light’s blessings or teachings.

Teachings, to put it bluntly, were punishments.

The purpose was to prevent heretics or those with ulterior motives from infiltrating the Church.

In practice, it was a periodic cleansing and self-inspection.

Anyone who deviated from the Holy Light would face severe judgment.

Even the Saintess was no exception.

To retain her position, she had to once again receive the Holy Light’s radiance and blessing during the ceremony.

If not…

At best, she would lose her position and be replaced by a substitute; at worst, she would be judged as a heretic who strayed from the Holy Light’s path.

“I need to hurry.” The ceremony was three months away, but Sophia felt the urgency.

She had to increase her Joyful Magic to strengthen her disguise.

If discovered, she wouldn’t be far from Virginia’s fate.

To enhance Joyful Magic, she needed to seek out more beautiful maidens.

Though urgent, she couldn’t show it.

By day, she still wore the mask of sanctity, dignity, and composure.

By night, it was the perfect time for her to strike.