Chapter 570

Chapter 192: Groundless Speculation Entering the Forest

As dusk fell, mist began to rise in the valley.

On the fog-covered riverbank, six kilometers south of Buckhorn Town and northwest of Woodward Forest, there was an occasional flicker of orange flames. Just before twilight, human voices and the neighs of horses could be heard from the other side of the river. A young girl clad in black armor knelt by the riverside, cupping her hands to drink some clear water.

Ravens circled in the sky, cawing harshly.

Behind the girl, four beast-riding cultivators held up torches, their hooves making dull thuds on the gravel. Another young cultivator dismounted and walked toward the riverside. The senior priest holding a parchment map unfolded it and said, “After crossing this valley, we will enter the forest.”

“Father Priest, night is falling soon, and the terrain of Woodward Forest is complex. The ruins are deep within the forest. If we get lost now, what should we do?”

Another cultivator expressed his concerns frankly, “Shouldn’t we release Mafa’s Light here first? We can consider our next move once there’s a response from inside the forest.”

“Absolutely not.” Priest Geoffrey firmly refused, frowning as he put away the map, “If we accidentally alert that old heretic, revealing Archbishop Ansheel’s location prematurely, things will become much more complicated. We have no time to hesitate; we must take the risk.”

The cultivator thought for a moment, “Then we should release a white bird to ensure the direction is correct.”

“That won’t work either. The light of a white bird is too conspicuous, especially at night. It’s like openly telling them where we are. Those two wild dogs from the East have sharp senses and wouldn’t miss it. Before Miss Sylvie approaches the ruins, we need to avoid any direct confrontation with that old dog.”

The young cultivator looked troubled, “But if we do this…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”

Suddenly, a melodious voice came from the side.

The priests turned around and saw the armored girl walking over from the riverside. Her delicate face was still wet with unevaporated water droplets, and her hands were also damp. She shook off the water and said to them, “My raven can recognize directions.”

She then stretched out her slender index finger and pointed it toward the sky.

“Caw—”

In the dappled light of dusk, the raven cawed again.

The three of them involuntarily raised their heads and saw a small black dot approaching from the ridge in the distance, moving incredibly fast. Even from afar, they could hear the wind. In just a few seconds, the dot transformed into a huge crow spreading its wings, landing on the girl’s shoulder with a rustling sound.

“Pepe—”

The crow opened its beak, spitting out harsh human speech, tilting its head slightly, its crimson eyes unblinkingly staring at the cultivators.

“Good boy…”

The girl reached out to gently stroke its feathers, a hint of tenderness in her eyes.

“Fool!”

The bird cawed again, actually scolding someone. The gentleness in the girl’s eyes instantly faded as she knocked on its head, “You’re the fool!”

The crow was displeased, flapping its wings, pecking the girl’s hand twice with its long beak, then turning its head and cawing, “Liar—”

“Shut up.”

The girl said irritably.

However, she didn’t knock the crow’s head again.

The cultivators watching this strange scene were speechless, exchanging glances.

Clearly, this crow was abnormal. It was much larger than the usual messenger crows they had seen, at least twice as big. Moreover, it appeared very intelligent, causing the senior priest to momentarily feel that the bird seemed almost human-like. He felt that the crimson eyes contained emotions, and more importantly, he suspected that the crow’s word “liar” was directed at them.

But such thoughts were quickly dismissed by Priest Geoffrey. It was absurd; it was just a crow.

“Miss Sylvie…”

Priest Geoffrey thought for a moment, somewhat uncertainly, “You mean this crow… has the ability to recognize directions? Ah, I’m not questioning you, but as far as I know, messenger birds are only used by humans because of their homing ability to transmit messages between two places. But now… how do you plan to make it understand where we’re going?”

“Just tell it,” the girl replied nonchalantly.

She ignored the black bird on her shoulder and stepped forward to the white-horned horse, leaping onto its back with a graceful jump. The giant creature snorted, and the girl stroked its neck. Seeing that Priest Geoffrey was no longer speaking, she frowned and asked, “So, where is that dancer’s position?”

“…”

Priest Geoffrey was actually quite reluctant to believe a messenger bird.

But then he reconsidered. Miss Sylvie was such an important figure; even though she was young, she wouldn’t joke about something so critical at this moment. Eventually, he answered honestly, “Deep within Woodward Forest, from here it seems to be slightly west. We found an ancient forest there previously, most of the ancient trees are dead, with many decaying tree houses scattered around, dating back to the Thousand-Year Era when the legendary fairies lived…”

The man frowned in thought, wanting to describe it in more detail, such as the color of the soil and the scent, but he saw the girl patting the crow’s wings, “Did you hear that?”

“Caw—”

The crow cawed again, seemingly responding to her words.

“Go, stupid bird, fly faster.”

As soon as the girl finished speaking, the large black bird spread its wings and flew away with a whoosh.

Priest Geoffrey stood there stunned for a moment, unable to help but exclaim in surprise, “Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

The girl nodded, “Are you ready? We can set off now. Since time is pressing, let’s hurry and not delay.”

At this moment, the cultivator who had gone to the riverside to fetch water returned. He was unaware of the situation and suddenly heard the Church Knight saying they were setting off. As he hung the water bag on the saddle hook, he gave Priest Geoffrey a puzzled look, “Are we leaving now? Not contacting others?”

Priest Geoffrey’s expression was unpredictable.

He was hesitating, feeling that the little girl’s methods and attitude were too childish, expecting a bird to find the place by hearing a few words was simply ridiculous. Yet, her demeanor did not seem to be joking, she was a child the Pope placed great hopes on, the only one who might eliminate the demon. She clearly understood the current situation and would not act recklessly at this time.

More importantly, the man suddenly realized another matter.

He thought for a moment and asked, “Can that crow understand human speech?”

“Not only does it understand human speech,” the girl looked at him with a faint smile.

Her bright smile made Priest Geoffrey, a thirty-three-year-old man with a wife and daughter, feel a stir in his heart.

The man remained silent, eventually nodding.

He then turned back, tightened the reins, and the white-horned horse neighed loudly, raising its front hooves high. He shouted fiercely, “Let’s go!”

Trot, trot, trot…

The hooves thundered, stirring up dust as they galloped through the valley.

Priest Geoffrey led the way, with three cultivators on either side. I ran behind, my body slightly hunched, tightly gripping the reins, listening to the wind rushing past my ears, squinting my eyes to look at the broad back ahead.

Although he had tried hard to conceal it, the subtle change in his expression was keenly sensed by me.

He was lying.

Or perhaps, he was hiding something from me.

I noticed it, just as I had in the tent earlier, but I would not ask him anything further. It would be useless, only complicating the already dire situation.

Even though he was keeping something from me, I did not consider him a villain—this man genuinely hated those heretics. To prevent the public from being affected and to save more lives, he urgently wanted to stop the so-called demon from breaking the seal and worked tirelessly toward this goal.

Through our conversations and tests along the journey, I could see this clearly.

However…

His superiors might not share the same beliefs and determination as him.

Not long ago, I went to the temporary campsite on the mountain, confirmed that everyone in the village was safe, and after a sigh of relief, I calmed down and reviewed everything that had happened in my mind.

From the news of the defeat at Mosley Coast, to the words Bayard spoke to me before leaving the royal city, to arriving in Silgaya but not immediately heading to the battlefield, instead coming to Woodward Forest first, and then discovering severe flooding in the southern region, with food supplies dangerously low. A heavy rainstorm destroyed countless fields in Silgaya, leading to economic stagnation. The once prosperous agricultural nation couldn’t even gather enough provisions for the troops.

Reluctantly, the Church’s First Knight Brigade hastily marched toward the battlefield with only fifteen hundred knights. Due to the heavy rains, the journey was extremely arduous. Many planned routes became impassable due to flooding or landslides, causing us to waste much more time and resources than expected.

And that heavy rainstorm, which nearly covered the entire southern region of Silgaya, stopped just as we were about to leave Silent Castle.

Later, I witnessed the Faith Corps perform a miracle, using divine power to extinguish the fire. The First Knight Legion arrived outside Aletheon City, but it was too late. The Third Knight Legion was almost completely wiped out, with soldiers meeting their heroic end. We reclaimed the city, and Angel immediately ordered the execution of several officials from the Mint Bureau. Following that, Bayard mysteriously disappeared.

After wandering around, I was ultimately sent back here by that teleportation divine relic.

Next, I faced the heretics directly, confronting the clown.

The strange words the clown had said to me—I seemed to have surprised and shocked him with my abilities.

But according to the Church’s account, the clown was one of the few senior members of the Truth Gate who followed the Great Demon in the past. Although he wasn’t a senator, he had killed at least two senators. Such a person hadn’t been dealt with internally and was still responsible for this major operation, indicating a high status within the Truth Gate.

Was he unaware of how minuscule the chances of the experiment were?

After noticing my chaotic power, the clown’s reaction seemed genuinely surprised. He said, “So, this detestable power is your secret,” rather than “It’s you, you’re alive, the experiment succeeded.”

Clearly, he didn’t know how I obtained my chaotic power. He was shocked and showed a strong interest—he thought I was a human with abyssal power, calling me a “twisted, pitiful life.”

During our intense battle, I subconsciously chose to ignore his attitude and the meaning behind his words, but those words stung me, leaving a lasting impression. Only later, when I returned to the small village and the mountain stream, sitting in Lane’s little wooden cabin, did I slowly realize these things.

The clown didn’t know about the “experiment.”

Not only him, but it seemed even the dancer wasn’t entirely clear about it. That woman had also detected the aura of chaotic power, but she merely cautiously asked me “What happened?” and did not pursue it further upon receiving a negative response.

Daniel speculated that the dancer held a higher position within the Truth Gate than the clown, possibly having close ties with the former leader “Great Demon.” The Silgaya operation was largely orchestrated by her. If the experiment was indeed carried out by the heretics, such a woman, upon detecting chaotic power, should have taken some action or said more.

But she did not.

Therefore, I suspect she was also unclear about it, at least not knowledgeable enough to conclude that “someone here might be from the Abyss, possibly an experimental subject.”

She did not know.

The clown did not know either.

Such a massive “experimental project” required significant manpower and resources, yet none of the known figures in the Truth Gate, including senators and leaders, were aware of it.

There was only one possible explanation.

That “clinic” did not belong to the heretics.

Angel was deceiving me.

At the moment this thought crossed my mind, I suddenly recalled the underground prison that had teleported me there. The dark stone walls, the decaying smell, the faint screams—the environment there vaguely resembled the one Iliushu had once created for me with Illusionary Destruction, that sinister corridor.

Most importantly, that place was located on the western side of Woodward Forest, where I was “born” into this world.

Realizing this, I felt a chill run down my spine.

It was impossible…

I still couldn’t bring myself to fully believe my guess. It was too fantastical, making it incomprehensible. What was the Church doing with such experiments? It made no sense, regardless of internal strife. They wouldn’t resort to researching mysterious powers to gain ultimate victory.

There was no need.

It was illogical.

This was just a random speculation, and I truly did not want to believe it. However, once doubt took root, people tend to associate it with their suspicions when certain events occur, uncontrollably.

When I woke up in the lake, I discovered someone was watching me.

Who could be watching me?

The Truth Gate was impossible.

That dancer would either kill me opportunistically or do something else upon seeing my chaotic power. She would definitely act, never lurking and doing nothing when she was discovered, quietly escaping.

She wouldn’t, so the old servant wouldn’t either.

On the way, I asked the priest and learned that at that time, the dancer and the old servant had already annihilated the Church’s forces guarding the forest perimeter and entered the forest to search for the land of dragons. Villagers said they saw golden light the previous evening, likely the light of miracles during the battle.

So, it couldn’t be them.

And they wouldn’t, the clown certainly wouldn’t either since he was already dead.

Now, the Truth Gate only had the dancer and the old servant left.

Then, who was watching me?

Who fled without doing anything upon seeing my chaotic power—it couldn’t be a passerby, someone who could evade my perception and disappear silently.

It had to be someone skilled, at least stronger than Reckt, and I guessed he might have reported something to someone after leaving, like my awakening.

Then, these cultivators appeared.

I didn’t know why, and I was unwilling to delve deeper.

The dancer’s words to me, the old servant’s message, and the clown’s final mysterious response—I didn’t want to think about them anymore. Heretic words couldn’t be trusted lightly.

But…

How could I continue to trust the Church and Angel?

He was lying to me.

Many of them were lying to me.

At this moment, realizing these things, I suddenly didn’t know what to do.

It wasn’t necessarily malicious…

I could only tell myself in my heart that those lies weren’t necessarily malicious, maybe there were other reasons I didn’t know or couldn’t know.

Angel treated me well.

Even when things had deteriorated to this extent, Daniel, Olivia, Karl, they cried out in despair before dying. Despite the irreparable situation, heretics with blood dripping were about to open the Dragon’s Home and release the so-called “true demon.”

Despite the countless lives lost, countless loyal warriors.

But Angel still hadn’t appeared.

Yet, I still wanted to believe him.

Perhaps there were other reasons…

I could only tell myself that.

Because I couldn’t afford to break ties now.

With the demon approaching, I still needed the Church’s unwavering support to tell me what to do to avoid disaster, to save those still alive, innocent civilians, to ensure that the villagers and Grandma Claire wouldn’t be caught up in this cruel faith war.

So at least…

Before eliminating the heretics and the demon, I wouldn’t ask any questions.

No matter who it was, whoever wanted to do anything to me, as long as it saved the people here, I wouldn’t ask.

…

Trot, trot, trot…

The galloping white-horned horse rushed out of the valley, the distant wilderness illuminated by the dusky sunlight, the ancient forest stretching like a vast sea, familiar and serene.

“Caw—”

The raven circled back over the forest, spreading its wings and circling overhead several times before swooping southwest.

“Follow it!”

I issued the command from behind. The monks turned their heads, nodded silently, then lowered their bodies closer to the ground. Their iron hooves pounded as they galloped away. Soon, five figures disappeared into the endless sea of trees under the last rays of sunset.

Special Valentine’s Day Edition

July 6, Public Year 1187.

Order City, Krist Royal Academy.

“It’s so hot…”

The tall girl walking on the tree-lined path seemed like a drooping puppy, listless with sweat on her nose. The scorching sun shone from the west, casting slanted light through the treetops onto the ground. The afterglow had turned yellow, but it felt like a steamer, making the air stiflingly hot.

“You stop shouting, Sarah. I’m begging you.”

Sophia couldn’t help but complain, sweating profusely with a flushed face. Her wet hair clung to her forehead. She held a book in her arms, rolling her eyes at Sarah’s back. “Really, if you hadn’t said anything, it would have been better. The more you talk, the hotter it feels… This damned weather, can’t we just live?”

Hearing Sophia’s words, Sarah ahead of them winked slyly, suddenly perking up. She bounced around, turning to face Sophia and making faces. “I have to say, it’s so hot, so hot, so hot…”

As she spoke, Sarah spread her arms wide, pretending to give Sophia a scorching hug. Terrified, Sophia quickly stepped back and kicked Sarah who lunged forward. “Get away, you pervert! Go hug a man!”

“No, I want to hug you…”

“Damn commoner…”

“I actually like women.”

“Go away, don’t disgust me.”

“Hehe~ Get my loving hug!”

The two beautiful girls were fooling around, attracting countless glances from passersby. Daisy, walking quietly at the back, also watched them laugh. The little girl named Peyalo rubbed her forehead, perhaps feeling a headache from all the attention. She hurried her steps, passing by the two girls while muttering softly, “Stop it, everyone is looking at us…”

“So what if they’re looking?”

Sarah shrugged indifferently, pouncing at Sophia again. “Watch me do this in broad daylight, shamelessly dealing with you, this arrogant woman!”

“Are you crazy?!”

Sophia retaliated angrily, hitting Sarah with the book. Sarah was not about to be outdone, enduring the hit and reaching for Sophia’s hair, pulling too hard, making Sophia’s smooth golden hair look like a mess. Furious, Sophia no longer cared about her noble dignity. She dropped the book and grabbed Sarah’s hand, biting down.

“Ahhh! AHH! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts…”

Sarah immediately begged for mercy, “Let go, you madwoman! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

But Sophia was too angry to be appeased by two simple “I’m sorry.” Instead, she bit harder, her white teeth sinking into Sarah’s hand, saliva dripping down. Seeing this, Sarah scratched frantically at Sophia’s armpit. “Do you think you’re Peyalo, biting everything?”

“Who cares?”

The girl lying on the ground rolled her eyes, feeling annoyed. “Can’t you just fight, instead of dragging me into this?”

But the two didn’t hear her anymore. They started grappling, using every trick to tickle each other. Their bodies twisted like snakes, sometimes enraged, sometimes laughing. In the midst of laughter, Sophia loosened her bite, realizing she couldn’t win. She began to mess with Sarah’s hair and pinch her face.

In the sweltering summer, the girls wore light clothing. Sophia even wore a court dress with a low neckline, revealing her collarbone. After some roughhousing, the dress became crooked and wrinkled. Sarah wore something even more revealing, exposing part of her waist. The male students watching this scene were stunned. Daisy hurriedly stepped in to stop them. “Stop it, stop it, you’ll expose yourselves…”

They finally stopped.

Breathing heavily, they glared at each other and quickly adjusted their clothes. After all the commotion, they felt even hotter, their cheeks flushed, sweat-soaked. They noticed that the male students had stopped walking, standing by the roadside watching them. Sarah pointed and shouted, “What are you looking at! Haven’t you seen pretty girls fighting before?”

“Not seen—”

Someone laughed.

“Seen, but not the famous 1504 fighting at the Lake of Ceylon!”

1504 was almost the most famous dormitory at the Royal Academy. The four girls living there were each beautiful in their own way. Sarah’s lively personality, cute baby face, boyish charm, and charming dimples; Sophia’s arrogance, bad temper, queen-like hair color, occasional haughtiness, and sharp tongue; Daisy’s chest, chest, chest, and more chest; and the stunning Peyalo.

These four beauties were well-known in the academy, often becoming topics of conversation among male students, and frequently objects of their night fantasies. Normal boys hoped to become friends with them, hoping to be friends both day and night.

They wanted to understand the girls’ lives, what they did daily, what they liked, and to talk with them, to become familiar. But most people never had such luck, and could only watch from afar. Today, seeing them play was a surprise, and naturally, they wanted to see more.

“Why did you stop? Keep going! Daisy, come join!”

A male student from afar encouraged them, raising his fist. “Charge at her! I’ll cheer for you when you take down that arrogant woman from the Jasielin family!”

“Hahaha—”

The students’ laughter echoed. Daisy lowered her head, hugging herself, her face as red as a ripe fruit. Sophia glared and prepared to chase after him, but he saw trouble coming and slipped away into the crowd, disappearing instantly.

“How embarrassing.”

The shortest girl, wearing a sun hat, attracted the most attention despite standing quietly. She looked at Sarah and Sophia with messy hair, pushing her hat lower, urging them, “Let’s go…”

She turned and walked away quickly. Daisy followed. Sarah and Sophia glared for a moment, then hurried after them.

“I have a dinner party later, my dress is ready. I planned to change and leave right away, but now with my neatly arranged hair all messed up, how can I explain to Sarah?”

After walking quite far, away from the sight of the livestock, Sophia was still upset. She kicked Sarah again. “Why are you so energetic? Don’t you have a man to take care of you?”

“Tch.”

Sarah patted her leg, uninterested in fighting. “You sound like you have one.”

“Hmph, are you playing dumb or really that naive? Don’t you know boys chasing you line up from the academy entrance to the dorms?”

“So what if they do? Are there fewer than yours?”

“Those are just kids in the academy. How can they compare? Commoners are commoners. They won’t let those high-quality men who can freely enter the palace give you a second glance.”

“Ugh! Such a shallow woman. Your standards for love are only about money and fame. I hope your father forces you to marry an old man with no teeth tomorrow.”

“Did I hit a nerve? Starting to attack me personally?”

“Didn’t you start attacking me first? And why compare this? Who can beat that little one in front?”

Sarah pointed at Peyalo walking ahead.

Sophia fell silent.

“Who’s the little one?”

Peyalo turned around in protest. “Sarah, I’ll tear your mouth off.”

“I’ll tickle you.”

“…”

Peyalo turned away, ignoring her.

The four girls walked along the path towards the dorm tower. Soon, Sophia tidied her messy hair, suddenly laughing. “What are we doing…”

“Right.”

Sarah shrugged. “What are we doing?”

“Today is Saint Brann’s Day.”

“Yes…”

“Saint Brann’s Day.”

Daisy had a wistful look.

Saint Brann’s Day.

Legend has it that eight hundred years ago, the church and ruling class were at odds. A believer named Saint Brann was imprisoned on false charges. In prison, he won over the daughter of the jailor with his sincerity. They fell in love, and the jailor’s daughter took care of him. The ruling class sentenced him to death.

Before his execution, Saint Brann wrote a long letter to the jailor’s daughter, declaring his innocence and expressing his deep affection for her. The letter is said to be displayed in the city’s museum.

On July 6, Public Year 278, Saint Brann was executed. To commemorate his sacrifice for justice and pure love, the church designated this day as Saint Brann’s Day, also known as Valentine’s Day.

Today is Valentine’s Day, a day for couples to celebrate and show their affection.

“No wonder there are so many couples walking together in the academy.”

Sarah sighed. “Sigh, suddenly we feel so pitiful.”

She extended her finger, pointing at each of them in turn.

“One, two, three… four.”

Finally, she pointed at her own nose. “Four women without men, like four stray puppies, heads drooping, walking in the heat, hearts cold. Oh, they are talking, you listen: bark bark bark.”

“Pfft—”

Daisy laughed without a care.

“Daisy, you can’t laugh now,” Sarah rolled her eyes.

“Sorry… huff… it’s just so funny… huff huff…”

Daisy couldn’t stop laughing.

“You’re making me want to cry.”

Sarah was irritated, turning to Sophia. “Are you meeting someone tonight? If you say yes, you move out of 1504.”

“Haha.”

Sophia laughed dryly, then expressionlessly, “No.”

“Oh…”

Sarah sighed again. “Why don’t we, such excellent women, get any dates on Saint Brann’s Day?”

“You seem to misunderstand something.”

Sophia corrected her, pointing at herself and Peyalo. “We are excellent, not you. Understand that.”

“Tsk.” Sarah clicked her tongue, putting her hands behind her head. “We are all lonely women. Let’s not hurt each other.”

“Hmph.”

Sophia ignored her.

After a while, Sarah rushed forward, wrapping her arm around Peyalo. “Hey, what are you doing tonight?”

The young girl tilted her head in thought.

“Reading.”

Sarah’s face lit up. “Ah, I knew you had nothing planned.”

“She doesn’t have anyone brave enough to ask her,” Sophia interjected.

“It’s all the same.”

Sarah shrugged, tightening her grip on Peyalo’s shoulder, leaning in. “You know, why don’t we ditch the books and sneak out? We can find somewhere to eat, drink some wine? Even your place is fine. Sophia hasn’t been there yet. Let’s spend Valentine’s Day together, how about it?”

As for Daisy, she didn’t need confirmation. She always stayed in the dorm after classes, never going anywhere. Sometimes even the others couldn’t call her out, let alone some stinky man.

Sarah looked at the young girl hopefully, but she shook her head. “No, I have classes early tomorrow.”

She pushed Sarah’s arm away. “Don’t stand so close, it’s hot.”

“Just skip class!”

Sarah wasn’t discouraged, continuing to tempt her. “I know there’s a really good pastry shop on Rue Curie. They have honey cakes, cream cakes, doughnuts, and more. Want to go?”

When these words came out, the young girl’s expression clearly showed hesitation.

“But…”

The little beauty frowned, biting her nails indecisively. “I just took half a day off…”

“It’s fine, adding tomorrow makes it two days.”

“Don’t drag others into your nonsense, Sarah.”

“Nobody will think you’re mute if you don’t speak.”

The four girls walked across the lawn, passing by countless couples, arriving at the tower by the Lake of Ceylon. The young girl had yet to agree to Sarah’s proposal. Sarah continued to tempt her. Suddenly, she noticed a unicorn carriage parked below the tower.

It was a very luxurious unicorn carriage.

An elegant carriage adorned with gems, two white unicorns stamped their hooves and whinnied. The driver, dressed formally and in a butler outfit, stood respectfully beside, seemingly waiting for someone. Many students gathered nearby, curious but mostly respectful.

Everyone almost knew who the carriage belonged to.

And they knew whom it was there to pick up.

The girls paused.

“Hey, is this real…”

Sarah was stunned. The carriage had stopped right in front of the dorm building. She hesitated to move forward.

“That’s Queen’s unicorn carriage. Is she inside?”

“Peyalo, it must be here for you.”

Sophia was also shocked. Why would the Queen come to the academy to pick her up? The last time this happened was when the Church’s Holy Maiden did it. Could there be some big event today? But she hadn’t heard anything.

“Uh…”

The young girl, for some reason, blushed slightly.

“Maybe, yes…”

She seemed hesitant about whether to approach. But the butler had already spotted her, running over and bowing lightly. “Miss Peyalo, the master invites you to dinner. He has been waiting for a long time. If you have no other matters, please get in the carriage now?”

Upon hearing this, Sophia saw Peyalo’s face turn even redder. She buried her head like an ostrich. “W-why… I still need to read tonight…”

The Queen invited her for dinner, but she refused, giving the reason: I need to study.

Sophia was stunned.

Why?

Why was she blushing?

She buried her head, looking like a shy spinster, avoiding eye contact. What was she doing?

Hmm?

Sophia was puzzled.

The butler smiled slightly. “Miss Peyalo, don’t make things difficult for me. Otherwise, when the master comes out himself to invite you, I won’t be able to explain it.”

His voice trailed off.

“Oh…”

The young girl responded meekly.

Sophia saw her fidgeting fingers behind her back.

Having spent time together in the academy, she knew some of this girl’s habits, unconscious actions. For example, she liked to bite her nails when thinking and would twist her fingers when nervous, the more nervous she got, the tighter she twisted, now her fingers were turning white.

“Then, I’ll go and clarify…”

The young girl twisted her fingers, looking back at her roommate, mumbling, “You guys, wait for me… I need to go and clarify… I’ll be right back…”

With that, she lowered her head and slowly walked, taking small, hesitant steps toward the unicorn carriage. When she reached it, the curtain was pulled aside, and a hand pulled her in.

Sarah, Sophia, and Daisy stared in disbelief.

Soon, sounds came from inside the carriage, two voices speaking. One soft and weak, almost pleading, clearly Peyalo’s. The other voice was strong and cold, leaving no room for negotiation. Sarah guessed it was the Queen’s voice.

They couldn’t hear what they were saying, nor what they were doing.

But the carriage kept swaying, making everyone puzzled and confused.

The crowd murmured. The three girls from 1504 stood near the tower entrance, watching and waiting. Until the butler waved his whip, the giant beast neighed and pawed the ground, the wheels creaked as the carriage slowly moved away, driven by the Queen’s magnificent vehicle, amidst the eager gazes of countless people.

The little girl named Peyalo was not coming back as she said.

She was taken away by the Queen.

After a long time, when the carriage was no longer visible, Sarah finally regained her senses. She scratched her messy hair, hesitantly asking, “So, what’s going on?”

“What’s going on? Didn’t we say to wait for her? Why did she leave like that?”

“Who knows.”

“Then will she come back later?”

“I’m asking you, who should I ask?”

“… Peyalo has left us behind.”

The girl with a baby face mumbled, her expression suddenly turning annoyed. “Peyalo has abandoned us and gone to celebrate with Her Majesty. What a heartless person.”

Of course, this was just a joke.

But when Sophia looked at Sarah’s face, she found the joke wasn’t funny at all.

“Forget it, let’s not worry about her.”

Sarah felt somewhat dispirited. She had been planning to go to Peyalo’s house and cause some trouble, but now her wishes were dashed. With Peyalo gone and no idea when she would return, Sarah suddenly felt very bored. She stopped talking about going out to celebrate and turned to Sophia, asking, “Are you coming back tonight?”

Her tone suggested she didn’t expect much.

Sophia blinked her eyes.

Originally, she had planned not to return because the dinner party involved drinking, dancing, and more drinking. If she got tipsy, she would want to sleep in her own soft bed to avoid a headache the next morning. But seeing Sarah’s dejected look, she couldn’t help but nod.

“I’ll come back.”

“Really?”

The girl with a baby face was stunned, then suddenly became happy. “That’s great! Tonight, we’ll stay in the dormitory. We won’t go anywhere. Daisy, let’s go buy some snacks and maybe a big cake! I’ll go back first to set up the table. We’ll light some candles. Even without boys, tonight will be romantic!”

“Alright.”

Daisy smiled and agreed.

Sophia sighed lightly. “Go ahead and do what you want, Sarah. Just make sure to fix my hair before the banquet… Otherwise, how can I go looking like this…”

“No problem, leave it to me!”

“Actually, let Daisy do it. You’re too clumsy…”

“What are you saying! Just trust me; I’ll do a great job, and tonight you’ll be the most stunning one at the banquet…”

“Will you be able to do it…”

“Come on, Sophia, Sarah does a great job, whereas I’m not so good at it…”

“You see, even Daisy says the same thing… Trust me!”

“Fine, fine, I believe you this time…”

“Hehe~”

“But don’t mess it up…”

The three girls continued chatting as they walked towards the tower.

Under the blazing summer sun, the twilight filtered through the haze, casting long shadows of the girls under the tower, intertwining behind them.

Special Chapter 2

The white rose-covered outer walls of the Royal Academy stood tall under the setting sun.

The grand gate opened with a loud rumble of chains, and an elegant carriage rolled out slowly. The butler in front hummed a tune, while inside the carriage, a fair-skinned girl with bright eyes glared angrily.

“Victoria.”

The girl’s silky long hair was slightly messy, her cheeks flushed with a slight tinge of pink. Her lips were pursed in a fierce expression, but her innocent and delicate appearance made her look more like a startled kitten than anything threatening.

The blonde woman across from her didn’t even lift her eyelids, treating the girl’s anger as if it were air. Leaning back lazily, she held a parchment, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed as she read intently.

Completely opposite in demeanor, although the woman was also stunningly beautiful, her golden hair was tied up, her brows low, and her expression reserved. At first glance, one would be captivated by her unique aura, and upon closer inspection, any sensible man would find it hard to look away.

At the same time, her cold, almond-shaped eyes would make anyone, regardless of gender or status, instinctively avoid her, bow down, and submit.

She was like a proud lion that commanded respect simply by sitting quietly, even if she didn’t display any aggression.

In such a vast royal city, only the little kitten across from her dared to provoke her.

“Victoria!”

The girl, like a cat, saw the lion completely ignoring her and thus grew even angrier. She slapped the seat and stood up, reaching for the parchment in Victoria’s hand. “Look at me!”

Queen Victoria responded quickly, swaying to dodge the girl’s hand and holding the parchment high above her head. She lifted her eyelids and blinked her golden eyes.

“This is an important contract with the Vallen Empire. Don’t cause trouble. Don’t tear it. Sit back down and behave.”

The majestic lion’s voice was unusually gentle.

Seeing that the queen finally acknowledged her, the girl sat back down obediently, pouting unhappily.

“Why are you doing this to me!”

Her beautiful eyes filled with委屈 (resentment).

“Why are you doing this to me.”

Queen Victoria asked with interest.

“Today, today is… Saint Blain Festival… You… You came to the academy to find me… without telling me beforehand… My roommates were all there… so many people were watching…”

As the girl spoke, she turned her head away, her fingers intertwined, her voice becoming softer, and her ears turning red.

“That’s right,” Queen Victoria said calmly.

She placed the parchment aside and crossed her legs. “So?”

“So… so you can’t… you can’t… treat me like that… you’re still here… treating me… treating me…”

The girl stuttered badly, trailing off halfway, her blush spreading to her neck.

“How am I treating you?”

Victoria leaned forward slightly, continuing to question her.

The queen seemed in a good mood, finding the girl’s current state quite amusing, her lips curving imperceptibly, a hint of teasing flashing in her golden eyes.

“Oh!”

The girl glanced over, catching her eye, and seeing the mischief in her eyes, immediately got angry. “You’re annoying! Every time you do this, it’s so over the top. What if someone sees you hugging me like that? What then!”

“I just don’t want you to run away.”

“But you can’t…”

“Today is Saint Blain Festival. I canceled a lot of things just to have a quiet dinner with you.”

“Mmm…”

Hearing this, the girl pouted and stayed silent, but still refused to speak to her. The queen didn’t mind, as her goal was achieved. The little fool would soon forget about these matters once she calmed down.

After a while, the girl couldn’t help but mutter, “I was planning to read a book tonight…”

“Reading is the least efficient way to learn.” Queen Victoria replied casually.

She almost never read after growing up.

For someone whose mind worked quickly and whose thinking was sharp, reading line by line from text was akin to torture.

“Tsk.”

However, the girl clearly disagreed with her, smacking her lips in disdain, taking a deep breath, her face serious, ready to argue with the queen.

But Victoria didn’t want to waste time on such a boring topic. She quickly changed the subject. “When I arrived, I sent Paolina to your dormitory. He came back and told me that there were many flowers and gifts outside Room 1504, mostly for you. I thought about it and decided to give them to the administrator in your name.”

She looked up at her.

“Alright.”

The girl shrugged indifferently.

Queen Victoria looked at her for a moment, then picked up the parchment again and continued reading.

The girl suddenly remembered that Victoria had mentioned the parchment was an important contract with the Vallen Empire. She tilted her head in thought, realizing she wasn’t aware of this, and asked, “What kind of contract is this?”

“It’s a contract with the palace.”

Victoria didn’t look up, responding calmly, “The construction of the fortifications for Charlais City is about to begin. Since the Vallen Empire lacks expertise in this area, they need support from Isenbell’s defense architects, materials, and labor to strengthen the city walls and build war fortresses to defend against the Shanter army.”

“…”

The girl was stunned, then her eyes widened.

“You…”

Her face showed disbelief, pointing at Queen Victoria, her mouth slightly open, unable to speak. The complex emotions in her heart turned into委屈 (resentment) in the next second, her lips pouting, and her eyes reddening.

“You… You helped them… How could you…”

“How could you do this…”

Facing the girl’s hurt questioning, Victoria still didn’t look up.

Queen Victoria wanted to finish reading the contract and give the girl some time to think on her own, hoping she would figure out the issues herself. However, she heard a soft sob and paused, unable to continue reading.

“I will send copies of all the defense plans to Shanter Castle.”

Queen Victoria smiled inwardly but felt a bit annoyed. As intelligent as she was, she rarely explained things. Smart people prefer to converse with equally smart individuals because they don’t need to explain everything in detail; a simple mention is enough for the other to understand. Such communication is effortless and saves time for more important matters.

If anyone couldn’t understand her in three sentences, Victoria would dismiss them, preferring someone else to speak. If someone misunderstood her, they had to leave and be replaced, as explanations were a waste of time.

The proud queen didn’t fear anyone misunderstanding her, but the misunderstandings of fools meant nothing to her. However, this girl was different. When she cried because she didn’t understand, Victoria felt心疼 (heartache) and had to patiently explain.

“I won’t sign this contract, but others will. Defense works will still be built. War is an opportunity and wealth for some, and someone will always take risks for it, even if such people are close to us.”

“Therefore, I must hold onto this contract tightly, review every clause personally, and prevent anyone from exploiting loopholes until all the fortifications are completed. Charlais City will pay Isenbell the appropriate compensation and collateral. When the Shanter army attacks, they will realize that the supposedly invincible fortress is actually a poorly designed castle in the sky, and those design flaws, your father, Duke Scarlaj, is well aware of.”

“…”

The girl’s mouth formed an “O.”

She had stopped crying when Victoria started speaking. By the time Victoria finished, she understood the queen’s cunning plan, marveling at its brilliance, but couldn’t help feeling embarrassed about it.

“Victoria, thank you.”

Naturally, the girl knew that Queen Victoria went to great lengths for this underhanded scheme because of her. She expressed her gratitude, but the queen reacted indifferently.

Seeing this, the girl felt anxious, reaching out to push her leg gently. “I’m sorry…”

“You don’t trust me.”

The queen spoke, her voice increasingly cold, as if she was angry.

“I… I didn’t…”

“Do you think I would help your father’s enemies?”

“Um, no…”

“You called me Victoria loudly ten minutes ago.”

“Vi… Victoria…”

How could she still hold a grudge…

The girl felt flustered.

“I’m sorry… I misunderstood…”

“Don’t apologize to me, and don’t thank me. I don’t like it.”

“… Alright.”

The girl nodded cautiously.

At this moment, the young knight’s attitude towards the blonde beauty had softened, and she no longer felt any resentment.

After a while, she suddenly remembered something. “Ah, if… if my father lays siege to the palace and can’t pay, what if they default, what then?”

The girl looked worried.

But Queen Victoria smiled.

“Don’t worry,” she said.

“I’ll talk to your father. I know what you’re thinking. If the war consumes too much, and your father can’t pay, we’ll cancel the previous debts. Of course, this might not be enough…”

She paused.

A hint of childish cunning flashed in her pale eyes.

“Then, I’ll formally meet Lady Catherine with you.”

“…?”

The girl was stunned.

One, two seconds…

Five, six seconds passed. When she suddenly understood the queen’s meaning, her mouth formed another “O,” and her delicate face turned red as if it were smoking.

“You…”

She thought this woman was just playing around, but now she realized the stakes were much higher.

“Don’t even think about it…”

“You pervert…”

The little girl couldn’t help but wonder what mindset and expression she should adopt when she meets her mother with Victoria under such circumstances.

After pondering for a while, she decided it was better to pray to the gods, hoping her father would have enough gold to cover the shortfall.

Special Chapter 3

Twilight gradually faded from the city.

The dusk hadn’t fully receded, but night was already approaching. Two crescent moons faintly outlined the dim sky, and red birds glided beneath the clouds, occasionally flying into the heart of the city, darting gracefully between the bustling buildings.

Green trees, lawns, and towering towers with ringing bells filled the streets, where residents of the royal city moved among the crowds. Stalls selling sweets and food lined the roads, and streetlights were lit one by one.

“Come catch me, come catch me~”

On the wide streets or in narrow alleys, children ran and jumped, laughed and played, returning home in groups. The flower shop at the end of the small street was already bustling with customers, its fragrance permeating. Young men knelt on one knee, presenting a bouquet of fresh flowers to the surprised woman in front of them.

Carriages rolled, hooves clattered, and a luxurious carriage passed through the bustling streets, past the crowded flower shop entrance, and through the children’s eager gazes. It disappeared from sight, eventually arriving at the splendid royal palace and stopping in the spacious courtyard.

The curtains were drawn back, and the graceful young lady eagerly stepped out of the carriage, her eyes full of anticipation, looking around.

“Victoria, what are we eating tonight~”

Behind the girl, the young queen of Isenbell declined the driver’s assistance and stepped out of the carriage herself. She didn’t directly answer the girl’s question, glancing at the girl’s excited expression, her lips barely curving.

“Come with me.”

Queen Victoria said, extending her arm. The girl saw this and instinctively took it. They walked past the driver’s respectful bow and amidst the countless eyes of the crowd, stepping toward the palace gates.

“Victoria, you didn’t bring guards today.”

“Today, we don’t need so many.”

“Oh… Are we eating in the palace?”

“Yes.”

“What are we eating?”

“Dinner.”

“What kind of dinner?”

“Dinner.”

The banquet hall of the Isenbell Palace was on the first floor. It seemed a banquet was being held there tonight. The hall was filled with laughter and clinking glasses, and beautiful music echoed. The girl instinctively wanted to walk over, but felt her head being gently tapped.

“We’re not going there.”

Queen Victoria led her through the corridors, climbing the spiral staircase to the third floor of the palace. People bowed and stepped aside as they approached, but the queen didn’t seem to care, maintaining her stern expression as they passed through the lush aerial garden on the third floor, stopping at a pavilion at the end.

This pavilion resembled the one in their former residence No. 3, and several maids stood outside, seemingly waiting for a long time. The girl recognized a familiar face among the maids and greeted her.

“Shalman~”

“Your Majesty, Miss.”

The maid named Shalman and the maids behind her

They all bowed in unison and greeted. When the Emperor and the young girl sat down in the pavilion, she began to give orders.

After sitting on the rocking chair inside the pavilion, the young girl seemed a bit restless. She looked around, tapped her little hands on the marble table in front of her, wiggled her bottom, wrinkled her nose slightly, and sniffed gently.

“How fragrant!”

There was nothing on the stone table, but the girl was referring to the overflowing floral scent in the air.

The entire pavilion was almost at the deepest part of the aerial garden, surrounded by colorful flowers. Red like fire, white like snow, pink, white-pink, crystal-like purple… Some flowers were blooming, some were just buds. The girl recognized some of them, but couldn’t name more. She knew that roses were the most abundant among these flower clusters.

Just like in the Number Three Mansion, the rose vines spread from the garden, climbing down along the intricately carved marble railings, like a flowing waterfall, almost covering the entire wall of the building.

Below the wall was also a garden. The girl remembered that she had passed through there on the night of Victoria’s birthday banquet. She found it stunning when she saw it then, and now, looking down from above, she felt even more delighted. Unable to hold back, she stood up, walked out of the pavilion, leaned against the railing, and peered out to see it more clearly.

“Vicky!”

“Yes.”

“Is this what you said, the courtyard garden you used to take care of when we were little?”

“Yes.”

The Queen’s faint response came from behind. A maid brought over a wine tray and poured her a refreshing drink. Victoria picked up the goblet and walked towards the young girl.

“It’s not really taking care of; most of the work is done by the servants. It’s just that wall…”

She walked beside the girl, leaned on the railing, took a sip of red wine, extended her delicate fingers, and pointed to a small section of the wall on the side of the garden below.

“That flower wall was made by me. Of course, it’s no longer mine now.”

“Oh…”

The girl nodded.

Victoria then pointed to a lush green area further away: “That used to be an orchard of honey fruit trees, but after they withered, it was turned into a lawn.”

“…Yes.”

The girl’s nasal sound was somewhat muffled.

“Further away is my old bedroom.”

This time, the Queen pointed to an even farther place. The girl followed her gaze, seeing that it was quite far back in the palace. There seemed to be a few buildings that were shorter compared to the palace. From here, only the beautiful spires could be seen faintly, while other parts were blocked by walls.

“After my father died, I hardly stayed there anymore. Now that my mother is gone too, during busy times, I occasionally go back there to rest.”

For a moment, I wanted to see your bedroom!

These words circled in the girl’s mouth but were ultimately left unsaid.

Soon, maids started bringing in food. Once the delicacies were on the table, the girl couldn’t look away and ran back to the pavilion, sitting down. Sharman lit the two rows of candles on the stone table. As night fell, the flickering candlelight reflected in the girl’s bright eyes.

There were even donuts!

She didn’t bother with knives or forks and immediately spotted the large platter of donuts in the center of the table. Without any table manners, she reached out, grabbed one, and stuffed it into her mouth, cheeks puffed up as she chewed.

The Queen also sat down, and when her cup was empty, the maid went to refill it, but she waved them off: “You can all leave.”

So Sharman led them away silently.

In this short time, the girl had already eaten four donuts and was working on the fifth while reaching for a large cup of pudding nearby.

Her ravenous eating manner, despite being accustomed to it, still made Victoria frown.

“The Duke of Scalliger has long been renowned in the northern empire, and his wife, Catherine, is said to be elegant and graceful. How could such a daughter come from the Winter Moon family, which has nurtured scholars for a hundred years?”

“Huff…”

The girl didn’t feel embarrassed at all, puffing her cheeks and looking up with a silly smile.

She then noticed that the Queen wasn’t using her fork and knife, only sipping wine in small sips. She looked around the table filled with delicious food and suddenly realized that everything seemed to be her favorite sweets.

So she quickly swallowed what was in her mouth.

“How did you…”

Victoria doesn’t eat sweets; she’s a herbivore who only likes bland vegetables. The girl naturally remembered this, so she felt embarrassed about eating more and couldn’t help but complain.

“Oh, how can you eat like that…”

“I’m not hungry.”

The Queen responded indifferently, her eyes showing no emotion.

“That won’t do…”

The girl looked at the full table of delicacies, frowning in worry.

This might be the first time in her life that she frowned because of a full table of sweets.

“Why are you making so many sweets? I can’t finish them… You don’t need to…”

As she spoke, her voice grew softer because she saw Victoria’s strange expression when she said she couldn’t finish them.

Although she didn’t say anything, the girl felt that the Queen was mocking her.

So she felt even more embarrassed about eating.

“Vicky…”

“What is it?”

“Would you… eat a donut?”

“No.”

“Then… you can’t skip dinner…”

“It’s fine.”

“Could you ask the kitchen to make some more dishes?”

“All the royal chefs are preparing for the banquet in the grand hall downstairs. I’ve already sent Sharman away.”

Victoria paused: “I’ll just watch you eat.”

“…”

The girl felt a bit shy.

Actually, she wanted to say that it would be hard to eat with her watching, but she wasn’t that thick-skinned. Facing Victoria’s direct gaze and seeing her pour more wine for herself without eating, she suddenly felt angry. Her words became: “Drink, drink, all you know is drinking. I forbid you to look at me!”

After the complaint, she suddenly stood up: “Where’s the kitchen? I’ll go get you something to eat.”

The Queen pointed in a direction.

“Wait a moment.”

The girl dropped a sentence and hurriedly ran away, but soon returned, grabbing a donut from the plate. Thinking for a moment, she grabbed another, put it in her mouth, glared at Victoria, and ran away again.

When she truly left, Victoria drained the remaining wine in her cup. She looked up at the gradually brightening stars and smiled lightly.

“Huh, not thinking about which royal chef would dare leave me here…”

That smile spread in the flickering candlelight, radiant and clear.

“She’s such a fool.”

A long time later, the girl returned with two steaming hot dishes.

One dish was stir-fried mixed vegetables, and the other was a large bowl of egg custard. They were placed in front of the Queen with a “ding-dong” sound. She rubbed her nose, rubbing away the black smudges, but the girl was unaware of it.

She felt a bit nervous because of the limited utensils. The egg custard didn’t look good, being runny like porridge, and the stir-fried mixed vegetables didn’t satisfy her taste due to ingredient limitations. So she didn’t dare speak much or look at Victoria’s expression, putting down the dishes and turning away with a disappointed look, head lowered like a child who had done something wrong.

“What is this?”

Victoria picked up a spoon, scooped some egg custard, smelled it, and nodded: “This is egg.”

She then ate it.

The girl watched her nervously.

“…It tastes pretty good.”

After tasting it, the Queen gave it a “pretty good” rating and took another bite, asking: “How did you turn the egg liquid into custard? Did you add anything?”

“No…nothing…”

The girl seemed relieved: “Try eating this one.”

She pointed to the stir-fried mixed vegetables, having prepared it with minimal oil to accommodate Victoria’s dietary habits, but it ended up a bit burnt. The girl hid the burnt part at the bottom of the plate, hoping Victoria wouldn’t notice or taste it, or else she’d be ridiculed.

However, the Queen tasted it right away.

As someone of noble birth, she naturally enjoyed the finest cuisine, meticulously planned by the best chefs like Sharman, each meal using top-tier ingredients. With the mild flavors of vegetables, the taste needed to be refined, and any slight discomfort would result in replacement. How could she not distinguish the taste of a failed dish?

“It’s very delicious.”

But she raised her head and said to the girl.

“Hehe~”

The girl smiled happily.

“Next time, I’ll prepare it earlier, and it will taste even better.”

“Mm-hm.”

The Queen nodded gently.

Looking at the girl’s smiling face, a warm current flowed into her heart. She wiped the black smudge off the girl’s nose with a napkin and pinched her soft cheek playfully while the girl was lost in thought.

“Eat quickly.”

Both of them finished their respective meals.

Special Chapter 4

Outside the fragrant pavilions, the sky was illuminated by stars and the moon, and the city was ablaze with lights.

The Queen drank a lot of wine, almost finishing a bottle. When there was only a little left, the girl started to stop her, hugging the bottle to prevent her from drinking more. The Queen casually mentioned that the wine had already been opened and if it wasn’t finished within three hours, it couldn’t be consumed anymore as it would be wasteful.

The girl thought for a long time and, to avoid waste, finally frowned and helped her drink a little bit.

But it was just a little bit. When the girl left the palace, she was so drunk that she could barely walk straight.

The Queen helped her onto the carriage, and the girl’s face was flushed, leaning weakly against the seat, her dazed eyes seemingly about to spill tears. She rested her head on Victoria’s shoulder, smelling her faintly fragrant scent, feeling dizzy and mumbling softly.

“Vicky…”

“I’m here.”

“You got me drunk…”

“It was you who got yourself drunk.”

“You’re lying… You encouraged me to drink… That was intentional… Don’t think I’m stupid…”

“You could have refused.”

“If I didn’t drink, you would have…”

The girl’s soft words were like sticky candy, sweet and sticky.

“Anyway, you always find a way to make me listen to you…”

“Let’s go back.”

The Queen didn’t want to continue this topic.

“Back where… Do you want to do something bad to me…”

“No.”

“Really?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Promise you won’t…”

“I promise.”

“…Then take me back to the academy… I have classes tomorrow… If I don’t go, the teacher will scold me…”

“Alright.”

Victoria patted her head: “Sleep for a bit, I’ll wake you up when we arrive.”

“Okay…”

The dazed girl closed her eyes, her hand gripping the Queen’s waist loosely, her head rubbing against her shoulder. Finding a comfortable position, she breathed evenly, motionless. But she wasn’t really asleep; she suddenly opened her eyes when she felt the carriage moving.

“Vicky…”

“What is it?”

“You can’t lie to me…”

The girl emphasized with some unease.

“Mm-hm, I won’t lie to you.”

Victoria’s tone was calm and her response quick and firm. Hearing this, the girl smiled and leaned against her, closing her eyes again.

The carriage jolted as it moved.

Inside the carriage, the sleeping girl seemed uncomfortable, her little body twisting, tightly grabbing the Queen’s clothes, occasionally furrowing her brows and murmuring incoherently.

Victoria held her gently, letting her lean on her shoulder, keeping her posture straight to help her sleep more peacefully.

Outside the carriage, the night was bustling with activity.

The girl’s sleep didn’t last long. When she vaguely sensed the carriage stopping, she had sobered up a bit. Although her head was still dizzy and her vision blurry, her consciousness was clearer.

She was supported by Victoria as she stepped out of the carriage. A cold wind made her shiver, and rubbing her eyes, she stood there dazedly, feeling something was off but unable to pinpoint what exactly.

The streetlights’ dim yellow light flickered in the darkness. The girl, disoriented, followed Victoria for a few steps. As her vision focused, she suddenly jolted awake, realizing the problem.

The girl looked up. Instead of the imagined high walls of the academy, she saw the newly built mansion in front of her, with its carved pillars, black iron gates, and the gleaming sign saying “Willow Garden” in bold letters.

Then the girl froze.

“V-Vicky…”

She realized her voice was trembling, her face stiff, her limbs cold and unresponsive. It wasn’t because of the alcohol; in fact, as soon as she realized where she was, the last bit of her intoxication vanished.

Shock, embarrassment, panic, anger—Victoria was looking at her—fear, extreme fear, fear beyond measure.

In less than two seconds, the girl’s mind experienced a roller-coaster of emotions.

“You lied to me—!”

She shouted, taking advantage of the moment when the Queen was stunned and distracted, and ran! While running, she yelled angrily and sadly: “You said you wouldn’t lie to me—”

The small girl, in that moment, felt like she was reliving the escape from the knight’s sword a year ago. She ran as hard as she could, her short legs swinging, like an arrow shot from a bow, “whoosh—” through the silent streets. In a blink, she left her own mansion far behind.

Thump! Thump!

Her heart was racing, and she felt suffocated with anxiety.

Thinking that Victoria had tricked her back into the mansion to do something bad to her, the girl felt her legs weaken. Because she had almost no resistance against such actions, once caught by that woman, she would be like a rag doll, powerless to resist.

The girl thought, absolutely, absolutely, she couldn’t let that happen again. She had to escape before the woman could use her tricks.

This was the last desperate struggle she could make.

She was terrified.

Terrified enough to start using Hisho before even leaving the alley.

Bang—

Underfoot, stones scattered as her petite body leaped high, crossing two streets in a clumsy arc, “thud” landing on a rooftop, stumbling and falling to the ground, rolling several times before stopping. Immediately afterward, she struggled to stand up.

Barking echoed in the night lights. Faintly, the girl heard someone shouting from under the eaves, seemingly spotting her, but at that moment, she ignored those calls. She staggered to her feet, feeling the dizziness surge again, her head spinning, nauseous to the point of wanting to vomit.

Run…

Don’t let her catch you…

The girl urged herself in her mind, but her legs were too weak, barely responsive. Gathering her strength, she took another step of Hisho, her skirt rustling, “bang” jumping onto the roof of the opposite mansion, stepping on broken tiles, swaying as she took two steps. The dizziness intensified, and she leaned on her knees to rest, but before she could catch her breath, a sharp wind sounded behind her.

It’s Victoria…

She’s coming!

The girl was instantly terrified.

She wanted to take another step of Hisho, but before she could exert force, her vision blurred, unable to see the direction or where to land, so she had to leap awkwardly down onto the alley, nearly falling. Gathering her spirit, she ran along the alley, but soon a wall blocked her path.

Breathless, the girl turned around, and the next moment, the golden-haired Queen floated gracefully, hugging her tightly.

“Ahh! You—”

Her body was enveloped in a warm embrace, tensing for a moment, then struggling.

“Why are you running!”

The Queen hugged her tightly, her warm breath carrying a reprimanding tone: “You almost fell off the roof.”

“I was scared…”

“Scared of what? You just went home. What’s scary about that?”

“You lied to me… I want to go back to the dormitory…”

“I won’t do anything to you.”

Victoria held the girl tightly, worried that the drunken girl might jump onto the roof again.

Then, in a dazed and confused state, she injured herself — even though she was well aware that the body-strengthening power of a young maiden was extraordinarily powerful.

“You’re drunk, I can’t leave you alone in the dormitory,” the Queen said softly. She quickly held down the two flailing hands of the girl, pressing her wrists tightly against her sides, preventing her from moving any further.

“I…”

“Stay still, listen.”

“Victoria…”

The girl’s voice trembled as she gradually calmed down.

If she really wanted to escape, with her strength and the delicate limbs of someone like the Queen, she could easily overpower her. If she struggled too hard, she might even break this woman’s back.

The girl was afraid of hurting the other person, and the breath of Victoria at her ear made her cheeks flush, her body weak, and an indescribable feeling surged through her. She leaned into the Queen’s embrace, obediently not moving anymore.

Whoosh—

Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound echoed from the distant night sky.

That sound was piercing, and the girl jumped in fright, her body trembling violently. In her tension, she let out a soft cry and instinctively looked up.

Boom!

Gleaming golden light burst forth like flowers in the dark night over the city, painting everything in a brilliant hue.

“It has begun.”

The Queen released the girl’s wrists and placed one hand around her waist, gently stroking her back.

Whoosh—

Boom!

Whoosh—

Boom!

One, two, three, countless golden lights rose slowly from the northern buildings, exploding in a shower of light. The golden glow intertwined with the moonlight, dyeing the night sky in splendor. The city erupted in a frenzy, the hot cheers echoing from all directions like waves of the sea.

This…

The girl was captivated by the sight.

These were fireworks… no, miracles…

“Every year during Saint Buren Festival, the bishops and monks of the capital perform miracles in the sky at night,” the Queen observed, sensing the girl starting to relax. She tightened her arm around the girl’s waist, as if afraid she would run away again: “This is to commemorate the clergy who died in the meaningless conflict eight hundred years ago. But in later generations, people often see it as a symbol of romance… isn’t it beautiful?”

“… Yes.”

The girl responded softly.

There are also beautiful fireworks here, she thought.

She twisted her body slightly, “Let me go, it’s so hot…”

“I planned to watch them together with you on the balcony.”

The dim alleyway was illuminated by the light. The Queen’s exquisite face seemed to carry an indescribable melancholy, and she sighed softly.

“What a pity…”

“… ”

Noticing Victoria’s mood, the girl instinctively wanted to apologize: “I’m sorr—”

But before she could finish, a gust of wind arose.

She felt her feet suddenly lift off the ground.

“Ahh!”

Unprepared, the girl couldn’t help but scream. The alcohol made her head increasingly dizzy. At this moment, she forgot to struggle and forgot that she could fly, scared to death she hugged the Queen’s neck tightly, shrinking into her embrace, inhaling her comforting scent as they rose into the air under the howling wind.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom—

In the girl’s bright eyes, the dazzling golden light reflected splendidly.

She had just said she wanted to watch this with me…

It turned out she only wanted to watch this…

Looking at the countless golden flowers bursting in the sky, the girl suddenly felt guilty.

“Victoria…”

She wanted to apologize for what she couldn’t say earlier, but as soon as she called out her name, a cold hand covered her mouth.

“Did you forget what I said earlier?”

“… Mm.”

The girl lowered her head.

She remembered Victoria telling her not to apologize because she didn’t like it.

“In fact, this is fine too.”

The Queen’s clear, spring-like words flowed from her ear: “What matters tonight is not where we watch the golden flowers, but who we watch them with.”

“… Oh, you…”

The girl buried her head in her chest.

She couldn’t handle Victoria saying these things, and her cheeks flushed even more.

Whoosh—

Boom!

The light dyed the night sky dreamlike, illuminating the entire city with golden flowers. The girl and the Queen’s figures flickered in the night breeze amidst the dazzling light.

“Pepé.” After a while, Victoria softly called out the blushing girl in her arms.

“Why…”

“Have you been keeping an eye on the war in Zelgaya?”

“Oh…”

Unexpectedly, Victoria asked about this matter. The girl raised her head to look at her, stunned for a moment, then exhaled deeply and nodded slowly.

“Yes.”

“You’re very worried about that old lady.”

The Queen remembered the story the girl had told her.

“Yes…”

“So, if there is news that worries you from there…”

Victoria paused, her voice sinking slightly: “You will choose to leave the capital, won’t you.”

“… ”

The small Pope Knight fell silent.

She did not want to answer this question.

But the Queen already knew the answer.

“If I say…”

She looked down at the slightly shy and anxious face in her arms, her gaze calm.

“If I tell you not to go, would you agree with me?”

“Victoria…”

The girl turned her head away, no longer meeting those star-like eyes.

She wanted to explain something.

Though she wasn’t sure what, it seemed like she needed to explain something at this moment, but she couldn’t apologize. Her hazy mind couldn’t think of what to say, and just when she was struggling, the Queen unexpectedly changed the topic.

“Would you sleep with me tonight?”

“… Ah?”

The girl couldn’t react for a moment.

She widened her beautiful eyes, waited for a while, and slowly returned to her senses. Her cheeks were still flushed, spreading even more. She struggled slightly to show her resistance, mumbling: “No… Let me down quickly…”

“Promise me you won’t go to Zelgaya.”

“Mmm…”

The girl fell silent again.

She couldn’t make such a promise.

“Is that impossible?”

“… ”

Waiting for a while, she didn’t hear the girl’s reply.

“Pepé.”

“Mmm…”

“Come home with me.”

Queen Victoria proposed to the girl again. This time, after a brief frown and hesitation, the girl nodded in agreement.

“… Okay.”

The cool night breeze blew.

In the quiet courtyard of Villa Loh, the flowers and green grass swayed in the wind, like waves.

The Queen held the trembling girl who had nearly shrunk into nothingness in her arms, flying to the balcony of Villa Loh’s west wing, landing lightly on the stone slab.

The miraculous sounds and the splendid lights in the sky had quietly ended without either of them noticing.

Standing on the balcony, the Queen gently put the girl down.

“No more running.”

She said in a commanding tone to the girl who was still entangled in something.

“I… I won’t run anymore…”

The girl’s voice was low and almost inaudible.

“I won’t do anything to you. But…”

Victoria’s golden eyes gleamed with tenderness, a faint smile playing on her lips as she stroked the girl’s soft hair: “If you run away like this again and I catch you next time, I won’t be able to guarantee what I’ll do.”

Facing such a threat, the girl lifted her head, her nose wrinkling adorably.

“You’re threatening me.”

She tried to make a fierce expression, but the expression didn’t fully form before she couldn’t hold back and laughed: “Hmph, I’m not afraid.”

“Heh.”

The Queen also laughed.

She found it intriguing that despite always ending up in her hands, the girl still had this mysterious confidence.

“Victoria…”

The girl with the mysterious confidence blinked her eyes, her fingers twisting behind her back, her toes rising and falling repeatedly, as if finally mustering the courage: “From now on, I will cook many, many dishes for the Pepé family, for you to eat.”

The meaning of this sentence was that even if she temporarily leaves, she will definitely return and cook for her again.

But there seemed to be another layer of ambiguity.

The girl immediately realized this ambiguity, frantically waving her hands: “Ah! No, I mean… I won’t go anywhere… Not either…”

She stomped her foot in embarrassment.

“Anyway, you know what I mean…”

“Uh-huh.”

The Queen looked at her, her lips curling into a smile.

Tonight was probably the night she had laughed the most in a year.

The pale moonlight shone again on the balcony.

The Queen took the girl’s hand and walked towards the brightly lit room. Their shadows swayed behind them, and just as they were about to disappear, they suddenly heard the girl’s muffled voice.

“Speaking of which, Carlos… has he already arrived in the Eastern Continent? I wonder what he is doing now—”

Halfway through her words, came the sound of something hitting her head, a loud “bang”, and the girl’s cry of “Ouch!”

…………

“Achoo!”

In the dimly lit tavern, the bearded swordsman sneezed. He leaned against the bar, rubbing his nose, and couldn’t help muttering under his breath: “Who’s thinking of me at this hour…”

“The little girl you messed with in the Western Continent.”

A voluptuous woman with curly red hair stepped out of the shadows, casually responding as she placed a foamy beer glass in front of the man with a thud: “Here, your Mansitika.”

“Ah, thanks, Lapulia.”

The bearded swordsman thanked her, picked up the glass, and took two large gulps, exhaling a sigh of relief: “Mansitika, the famous wine from the Eastern Continent, it’s been ages since I tasted this flavor.”

“Two silver coins per cup, thank you for your patronage.”

The woman extended her hand for payment. Seeing this, the bearded swordsman was slightly taken aback: “What? We haven’t seen each other in years, and the first thing you do is ask me for money for a drink?”

“Are you trying to eat and drink for free at my tavern?” the woman rolled her eyes. “Look at yourself, do you think you have the face for it? Don’t waste my time, three silver coins.”

“… It was two silver coins a moment ago, you’re raising the price!”

“You ruined my wonderful evening,” the woman impatiently tapped the bar. “Either pay or don’t come here again. If you talk more, I’ll charge you four silver coins…”

“Tsk.”

The bearded swordsman clicked his tongue, rubbing his forehead in frustration.

“Forget it, here you go.”

He reached into his belt pouch, counted out three silver coins, and tossed them to the woman: “In the Eastern Continent, if women are greedy, they’ll eventually be targeted by the Neldrin people and forced into prostitution.”

“That doesn’t concern me, Mr. Carlos.”

The woman pocketed the coins, satisfied, and turned to tidy up the bar: “Heh, the Neldrin people often come to my tavern for drinks. Do you know how much they are willing to pay for a single drink with me? Carlos, tonight is the Saint Buren Festival in the Western Continent, and I never expected to spend it with you, such a fickle man. What a disappointment.”

“Likewise,” Carlos shrugged.

At that moment, the tavern door creaked open, and a massive shadow entered. The swordsman and the woman turned to look, seeing an old woman holding a wine jug, her body thick and unsteady, as if somewhat drunk, sitting down at the bar.

“Gulp!”

She belched loudly, her drunken eyes scanning the two of them, her yellow teeth showing in a grin: “What, did my arrival disturb your little tryst? I’m truly sorry!”

The old woman’s laughter was boisterous, her jowls shaking.

“Oh heavens…”

The red-haired woman rolled her eyes, covering her red lips with a seductive smile: “Grandmother Apfel, you arrived just in time. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know how to continue dealing with this man. Actually, we were already bored enough to talk about the Saint Buren Festival.”

She paused, placing her glass back on the bar, her eyes quickly glancing at the somewhat bored-looking swordsman: “But since we’re talking about it, there’s something I’m genuinely curious about.”

“Haa~”

The swordsman yawned.

“Hey, Carlos.”

The woman tapped the bar again: “You’ve been single for so long, no woman has managed to tame your wandering heart. You’re still alone, aren’t you? Honestly, I’m just curious! Let me ask, have you ever truly liked any woman?”

“Mmm…”

The swordsman drooped his eyelids, propping his chin with one hand, thinking for a moment, and actually smiled: “Heh, yes, there was one.”

“Really? There was one?”

“Mmm.”

“…”

The woman “Oh”ed meaningfully, her expression stiffening imperceptibly. Then she stopped her work, walking up to the swordsman, leaning her upper body over the bar, her breasts flattened by the weight, blinking her eyes, her smile becoming even more seductive.

“Tell me, who is she? Is she pretty? I’m just curious, I want to know which woman could really make you remember her…”

“Yeah, Carlos kid.” The chubby grandmother was also curious, her breath reeking of alcohol as she leaned closer: “I remember your dog-like behavior in the capital back then, tsk tsk… Can you really settle down for a woman? Tell me, who is she, let me hear it.”

“Woman?”

The bearded swordsman pursed his lips, taking a sip of beer, his eyes drooping, full of disdain: “No chest, no butt… Woman? You’re giving her too much credit.”

“Heh~”

The voluptuous red-haired woman covered her mouth and giggled, leaning closer, her big eyes unblinking, looking at the bearded swordsman with a suggestive gaze: “I didn’t realize you were into that kind of thing…”

The swordsman shrugged noncommittally.

The red-haired woman deliberately puffed out her ample chest, half-closing her eyes and asking again: “Where is she? In the Eastern Continent? In the capital? Or perhaps in the Frost City? Could she be a girl from Zelgaya, a dancer from the Silent Fortress?”

The bearded swordsman thought for a moment: “Maybe she’s in another woman’s arms.”

“Pfft—”

The old woman spat out the wine in her mouth.

The red-haired woman’s eyes widened.

“What are you looking at me like that for?”

The swordsman scratched his head lazily, crossing his arms behind his back: “Just because someone likes you doesn’t mean it has to be love. How could I possibly fall in love with a flat-chested, flat-bottomed little girl? What are you all thinking, have you never considered father-daughter affection?”

Said in the swordsman’s lazy tone, this sounded somewhat dismissive.

“Cough, cough…”

The chubby old woman choked and coughed for a while, wiping the corner of her mouth with her hand, then asked in surprise: “Carlos, you little rascal, father-daughter affection? Have you already had a daughter?”

“How could that be!” The bearded swordsman denied quickly. “I was just using an analogy.”

“Does your daughter like girls?”

“I was just using an analogy…”

“Damn it!”

The old woman suddenly slammed the table, glaring at him: “Could it be one of the girls from the Royal Academy? Carlos, if you dare to mess with our academy’s girls, I’ll personally make sure to bring you down!”

“Ugh…”

Creak—

At this moment, the tavern door was pushed open again.

An old man dressed in a gray robe walked in.

The old man looked unremarkable, with slightly dark skin, many wrinkles on his face, deep-set eyes, high cheekbones, and an old, long robe with one pant leg hanging loosely. From the looks of it, he appeared to be a weather-beaten, honest farmer.

However, the arrival of this old man instantly froze the originally cheerful atmosphere of the tavern.

The red-haired woman straightened up, quickly tidying her exposed neckline. The self-proclaimed “grandfather” put down his glass, and the lazy swordsman stood up. These three renowned Pope Knights suddenly acted like well-behaved students in class, all calling out: “Sir.”

“Um.”

The old gentleman nodded slightly, bending down to pat the sand off his trousers.

“Have you all… prepared yourselves?”

Outside the tavern, the night was shrouded in mist.

Apolista’s dust storms raged, strong winds hitting the window frames with a clattering sound.

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