The little girl’s light, soft voice slipped in smoothly: “Hmm! I really want to know, Lin Nuo, didn’t you think last night about handing over my sister and that other girl in exchange for your own safety?”
At that moment, across the long dining table, a certain graceful figure silently stood behind Lin Nuo for quite a while.
Even though maids kept bustling around, she remained completely stunned.
Earlier, when Xiafuya had overheard the conversation between Yulilian and Lin Nuo, her pupils had violently trembled, and she hadn’t recovered for a long time.
“I even asked my sister about witnessing her fiancé pressing her and another girl onto the bed…”
The little girl’s cheerful voice kept echoing in her ears… which means!
The memory of being shaken on the bed—
Wasn’t just a dream!
If Lin Nuo were to turn around and see Xiafuya now, he would definitely wear an expression of utter disbelief.
Because in the original story, the protagonist Feng Aotian was captivated by Princess Amidina’s breathtaking beauty the moment he saw her, and Feng Aotian would never allow any man to lay a finger on a woman she fancied—not even a glance!
It was as if even a second look would cause an explosion!
If Xiafuya knew that Lin Nuo was the one who took advantage of both her and Amidina while she was unconscious, and considering Lin Nuo’s terrible reputation outside…
Even if he had saved her in front of the female adventurers, she would most likely feel uneasy around him, possibly even defensive or hostile!
That was why Lin Nuo had seriously told Amidina last night never to reveal how he had taken advantage of her.
If Feng Aotian found out, it would be chaos right then and there…
Yet, Xiafuya, who had confirmed that she was indeed the one who was ridden and shaken last night, actually showed a flicker of shy delight in her eyes.
Looking at Amidina’s cherry lips beneath her smooth, delicate nose, Xiafuya bit her lip and slowly placed her hand on the spot in her memory where her own backside had been spanked—a bit reminiscent and a bit hard to speak of…
“Rumble rumble—”
The sound of wooden wheels rolling into the great hall echoed.
As the servants pulled back the cloth covering the carriage frame, one by one, golden stone sculptures were revealed, dazzling everyone’s eyelashes with a faint golden glow.
These sculptures all depicted children in blessing poses—one boy and one girl holding a torch with their small bodies, two hands pressed together slightly bowing, and others with wings raised, heads tilted up as if making a wish. In total, there were twenty-three blessing sculptures, each exquisitely carved down to the tiniest details, lifelike as if the purest, most sincere innocence of childhood was wrapped in a layer of golden dust.
The light and shadow fell evenly on their hoods, the cloaks covering their bodies, adding an aura of forbidden mystery to the statues’ already luxurious and delicate craftsmanship.
These were clearly exquisite gifts.
Judging by their peaceful and prosperous symbolism alone, the guests in the hall and the Clemence family’s sculptors, who specialized in casting statues, were dumbfounded, marveling at how wholeheartedly the princess had devoted herself to the engagement with Lin Nuo, the notorious rogue.
“Amidina, what is this?”
Lin Nuo’s father, Kuxiu Clemence, did not speak, but his mother, Mrs. Puli, gasped.
“Duke, Madam, these are a small token of my affection for my fiancé, Lin Nuo.”
Amidina said, “I have a humble request: I hope Noble Young Master Lin Nuo will allow these blessing sculptures to be placed in the castle’s Collection Room for safekeeping and remembrance.”
“You child… It’s just an engagement token, yet you’ve prepared something so formal.”
“Hm? Lin Nuo!”
Mrs. Puli looked at her usually silent, foolish son.
Lin Nuo still seemed completely detached, as if unaware that these were gifts from the princess, admiring the carvings of every skin fold, every eyelash and eyebrow curve, the golden stone blessing sculptures seemingly perfect down to the last detail, radiating a casual ‘this has nothing to do with me’ attitude.
Following his mother’s repeated glances and signals, Lin Nuo finally met Amidina’s gaze:
“Thank you for the gift, Princess.”
“But the Collection Room in Clemence Castle is a place for precious items. I’m afraid placing these here would not be appropriate.”
Tsk…
The guests passing by, overhearing Lin Nuo’s words, couldn’t help but make pitying sounds.
The Clemence family’s notorious rogue was indeed as arrogant and conceited as the rumors suggested.
Xiafuya, sitting at her seat, bored while nibbling on a mille-feuille and watching the busty maids, also showed disdain, clearly disapproving of Lin Nuo’s shallow attitude towards others’ sincerity.
Sure enough, it was a rejection.
Would the sculptures be looked down upon and refused?
Amidina unconsciously clenched her hand tightly.
Although she had expected this outcome and tried to convince herself otherwise, a trace of disappointment and loneliness inevitably flickered in her eyes.
But in the next moment, Lin Nuo gave an unbelievable reply.
“Lin Nuo, do you have other ideas?” Mrs. Puli, who always trusted her son, asked.
“Reporting to Mother, I just think the princess’s sculptures shouldn’t be placed alongside ordinary magical materials in the Collection Room.”
Lin Nuo said, “Since these sculptures are imbued with the princess’s blessing, the Collection Room would be neglectful.”
“I believe it would be more fitting to keep them in the higher-grade Sacred Relic Hall. This would also be my way of honoring the princess’s feelings.”
“Buzz!”
The few nobles who had been secretly mocking Lin Nuo were instantly silenced.
Amidina stretched the nails on her index finger resting at the joint, lifted her head to look at Lin Nuo, and a rare look of being respected and cherished flickered across her cold expression.
The Sacred Relic Hall in Claremont Manor was a much more secure place than the Collection Room.
It was said that only trophies the count had obtained on magical battlefields qualified to be stored there.
Even though Amidina had wanted to place the blessing sculptures there for safe keeping, mentioning the Sacred Relic Hall herself would have been considered very rude and abrupt.
“Princess, I see these sculptures are exquisitely crafted. If you worry about damage, I can arrange for your sister to have access to the Sacred Relic Hall to oversee their care.”
Amidina’s eyes trembled slightly, her long eyelashes fluttering for a moment before her clear pupils focused sharply.
This was also a sign of the other party’s trust and goodwill toward her.
Raising her elegant skirt with both hands, Amidina gave a slight curtsy to Lin Nuo, performing a gentle courtesy: “Thank you.”
But before she could even eat the mille-feuille placed before her, the little girl Yulilian, who had been tugging hurriedly at her skirt, clearly protested:
“¿”
“How come you both just agreed on this without asking me?”
“I still have three months before I come of age! Employing child labor is not okay, hey!”