Iana hurried back along the original path, her heart still pounding wildly from Lillian’s teasing, her face burning as if scalded by boiling water.
As someone who had never been in love before, Lillian’s advances had indeed stirred up a storm in Iana’s heart, but it was impossible for her to be in a relationship with Lillian.
This was not only because Lillian was one of the original story’s heroines, but also because Iana saw Lillian like a daughter.
Moreover, Lillian was clearly infected by that strange creature.
The behavior she was showing now was probably not truly her own.
If Iana took advantage of her in this vulnerable state, Lillian would undoubtedly be heartbroken when she woke up.
Iana could already imagine what Lillian would say to her then.
‘Ia…na, you knew I only liked Ethelrina, so why did you agree to ‘my’ confession back then?’
‘I… I hate you. You destroyed everything of mine.’
If that was said in Lillian’s pitiful tone, Iana knew she wouldn’t be able to bear it.
So, to avoid that kind of situation, Iana could only force herself to hold back.
“Iana, sister, don’t rush off like that.”
Lillian’s silvery bell-like voice came from behind Iana, enchanting like a captivating little fairy, pulling at her heartstrings.
Iana quickened her pace, not looking back as she moved forward.
She could feel Lillian getting closer and closer.
But Lillian seemed even faster.
Iana suddenly felt her collar being hooked by a hand, preventing her from moving forward.
“Really, Iana sister, do you not want to walk with me at all?”
A warm, heavy, and seductive voice whispered into Iana’s ear, a soft touch passing through her thin clothes.
“St-stop it, Lillian.”
“I’m not teasing, I’m just expressing my love for Iana sister.”
Iana took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm and said, “Listen, Lillian. You’re in a strange state right now. You’ve been infected by some special creature. The ‘you’ right now isn’t truly yourself, so I can’t accept you.”
“I won’t let you regret it for the rest of your life.”
“Regret for life? I think if I lost Iana sister, I’d be the one regretting for life.”
Iana felt that speaking to Lillian now was like casting pearls before swine — completely useless.
“You’re not clear-headed yet. When you wake up, we can talk.”
With that, Iana quickened her steps and shook off Lillian.
Lillian stood still, watching Iana’s retreating figure, as if lost in thought.
At that moment, Elia approached Lillian’s side, her expression as excited and joyful as a bee discovering a flower.
“Don’t be discouraged. I believe you two can succeed.”
Lillian looked up at Elia with a somewhat dejected expression and replied, “I want to succeed too, but Iana sister seems to reject my love.”
“Do you think it’s because I’m ugly?”
“How could you think that? A beautiful girl like you… If you came to me, I’d accept you right away.”
“But why does Iana sister keep refusing me?”
Elia blinked and a meaningful smile curved at the corners of her mouth, “Maybe it’s because she hasn’t yet seen her own feelings clearly.”
“But it’s hard to see one’s own heart clearly by oneself. Usually, it takes someone from outside to give a little push.”
Elia’s voice carried a seductive power, “We can help her, can’t we?”
Lillian murmured softly, “Help Iana sister see her own heart?”
“That’s right.”
Elia gently took Lillian’s hand, a faint pink glow flickering at her fingertips.
“Once she realizes she likes you too, everything will become much simpler.”
“Make Iana sister realize she likes me?” Lillian’s tone grew firmer, as if Elia’s words had steeled her wavering heart.
Elia also looked on like a bystander enjoying the drama.
“I’ll help you. You’re not fighting alone.”
“Why? Why would you help me?”
Lillian suddenly came to her senses.
She and Elia didn’t seem to have any special relationship.
“Because I feel a closeness to you. Although I don’t know where the Saint Yola Family is from, the same Saintess Bloodline we share proves there must be some connection between us.”
After a long while, Iana returned to the carriage group.
The first thing to catch her eyes was the ground, smeared with blood and flesh.
Leaning against a nearby tree, she almost vomited the food she had eaten yesterday.
The Knights seemed to have finished dealing with the Monsters and were cleaning up the aftermath.
The Captain was puzzled too.
After sending two Knights to escort Saintess Elia away, the Monsters had stopped attacking in waves.
In just a short moment, they had eliminated all the Monsters and were preparing to set off immediately to transport supplies back to the Holy City.
Iana climbed onto the carriage and noticed that Lillian and Elia hadn’t returned yet.
She looked anxiously toward the forest depths, hesitating whether she should go look for them.
But the memory of Lillian’s burning expression and ambiguous actions made her retreat from the idea.
Lillian and Elia didn’t keep Iana waiting for long.
The two of them—one young and one slightly older—walked over.
After a brief exchange between Elia and the Knight Captain, the two both got on the carriage with Iana.
Iana could understand Lillian getting on since they had originally sat together, but Elia had her own more luxurious carriage.
Why did she decide to squeeze into the same one with them?
Moreover, the expressions on both Lillian’s and Elia’s faces were somewhat off, sending a chill down Iana’s spine.
“Elia, why did you decide to ride in this carriage?” Iana asked with a nervous heart.
Elia smiled faintly, her beautiful smile blooming like a flower.
“You wouldn’t refuse to accompany a beautiful young lady like me, would you?”
Iana instinctively shrank into the corner of the carriage and swallowed hard and replied, “C-could I say I refuse?”
Elia pretended to look disappointed and said, “Even I would be heartbroken if i got rejected.”
“So, Iana, can you bear to make me feel sad?”
Iana felt the bitter pain within, but she couldn’t say it out loud.
After all, this carriage was arranged by Elia and the Knights.
She certainly couldn’t just kick Elia out.
“Then come on up.”