A Certain Multiverse's Holy Right

Alice Louise of Navarre, the renowned White Princess, showed no shock or fear as Roy effectively delivered her a death sentence. Her calm demeanor suggested she had long anticipated such a fate.

Leaning against the headboard of her bed, her pale, delicate hand lifted to tuck a strand of platinum blond hair behind her ear. She smiled faintly at Roy and spoke softly:

"…I am well aware of my condition, King Roy! I know better than anyone the limits of my body.

"…I don't mean to boast, but as a witch, I can claim to be the strongest in the world. Yet this is nothing to be proud of, for the cost of that strength lies before you: my failing body.

"From birth, I possessed an extraordinary amount of spiritual energy. By the age of ten, I had already mastered the most challenging forms of witchcraft—feats unattainable for most witches in a lifetime. My immense spiritual power allows me to traverse the Netherworld with ease, gaining insights and knowledge from its depths.

"This is why, at an age when the rest of the Greenwich Assembly is made up of elderly sages, I was able to rise to the position of Chairperson. Much of my knowledge is self-taught, but an equally significant portion comes from my spiritual visions."

Alice's poise came not from bravery but resignation. She knew her life had already passed its peak, with most of it now behind her. When someone no longer fears death, they lose their terror and find a strange courage.

"My body can barely leave this room. That is why I usually operate through my astral body. It offers its own conveniences—I can travel anywhere in the world in an instant, using the Netherworld as a bridge to behold the most breathtaking sights imaginable."

This dialogue further worsened her condition. She coughed lightly into her hand, her frailty accentuated by the pallor of her face. Seeing her condition, Liliana hurriedly poured water into a glass and gently brought it to Alice's lips, assisting her as she drank.

"Thank you. You must be Liliana? Although you appear so stern and noble, you are truly a sensitive and gentle soul."

Alice smiled at her kindly, her gaze piercing yet warm. Whether it was her gift of clairvoyance or her worldly experience, she seemed to see through Liliana at a glance.

"I—I am Liliana!" stammered the knight, flustered under the princess's praise. "But to call me sensitive… as a knight, I…"

Liliana's awkwardness only deepened her embarrassment. Alice's reputation as a witch of extraordinary insight and grace left Liliana at a loss for how to respond.

"Hehe~~ That's nothing to be ashamed of. Keep this side of yourself, Liliana. This outward stoicism combined with inner sensitivity is precisely why you'll win more favor from the King."

Amused by Liliana's reaction, Alice couldn't resist teasing her further.

"Stop teasing Lili," Roy interjected, cutting off Alice's playful banter. Liliana's glance of gratitude toward him didn't go unnoticed.

"Alice, while your astral body does offer great convenience, letting you travel wherever you please, it comes with significant drawbacks. As a spirit form, you lack the ability to taste, to feel—any tactile sensations at all. Can you even still call yourself human?"

Roy's words struck at the heart of the matter, and Alice's serene expression faltered for a moment before she let out a rueful laugh.

"You're absolutely correct, King. I cannot smell the fragrance of perfumes or savor the taste of food. I lack the basic experiences of humanity. Even I sometimes find this existence deeply saddening.

"…It's like the plight of a blind person. Those born blind don't lament the loss of colors they've never seen. But for someone who goes blind later in life, having once beheld the world's beauty, the loss is unbearable.

"When I was young, my health was still adequate. I once delighted in pastries, loved fine teas, and adored the fragrance of blooming flowers. But by my early teens, I lost all of that. My digestive system failed, and I've since relied on nutritional infusions. I cannot leave this house—doing so would only hasten my death. My life is simply existing one day at a time."

Hearing her tragic story left Erica and Liliana deeply moved. At fourteen, both girls were naturally inclined to sentimentality, and Alice's life, akin to that of a living doll, filled them with profound pity.

"Don't look at me with such pitying eyes," Alice said, her voice tinged with annoyance. "It only makes me feel worse."

Roy, watching his knights, spoke with calm authority:

"Alice is right. Erica, Liliana—don't let yourselves be consumed by pity for others. Compassion is indeed an essential human emotion, but it is also one of humanity's great evils. It is a flaw we cannot overcome, a poison that can lead to destruction."

He then shifted his gaze back to Alice. Her beauty, tinged with sorrow, seemed all the more poignant.

"No wonder you encountered a Heretic God when your spiritual energy awakened fully. No wonder you resigned from the Assembly just three years after becoming its Chairperson. At the time, I thought your so-called health issues were an excuse, but it seems they were genuine.

"…And no wonder two years ago, when Marquis Voban held his summoning ritual for a Heretic God, he didn't seek you out. He must have known your body wasn't simply capable of that."

Alice inclined her head slightly, her expression a bittersweet mixture of humor and sadness just like a withered flower.

"When you came to my home, I already guessed your purpose. You need a witch like me for a ritual related to a Heretic God, don't you? Much like the Marquis two years ago."

"…But I'm afraid you've made the trip for nothing. In my current condition, I can't possibly leave this room, let alone assist in any ritual. Magic cannot heal the damage caused by my spiritual energy. Even the divine powers of Madam Aisha can only heal external and internal injuries, but couldn't lift this stubborn illness that is like a curse upon my body.

"You'll have to find someone else."

Her smile was dazzling yet triumphant, as if she relished presenting Roy with an unassailable reason to abandon his plans and suffer a setback.

Roy chuckled. "Perhaps others would be helpless in the face of your condition, Alice. But among my Authorities, there happens to be one perfectly suited to solve this predicament."

Before Alice could react, Roy rose from his seat and approached her bedside. The faint unease in her expression grew as his left hand reached out to cup her delicate chin.

Looking into her pale, trembling lips, Roy leaned forward.

This was the fifth of the seven authorities of Holy Right!