On the carriage, accompanied by a faint scent of lavender, Selis turned to Meilin, who was sitting beside her, and asked:
“Why did you choose to come back with me? Isn’t living with your mother a happy life?”
“No, the happiness I have now isn’t true happiness.”
Meilin gazed out the window at the scenery of Anna Town, somewhat lost in thought, before continuing:
“This happiness is one borne by many people carrying burdens on my behalf, but what I want is a happiness where no one gets hurt. That’s why I have to go back with you.”
“The Rose Knights can help me grow quickly, right?”
Hearing this, Selis’s gaze softened considerably.
“You’ve really grown, Meilin.”
“Hehe.”
“But aren’t you afraid of Isavel punishing you if you go back?”
“Isavel? Hmph, she’s not the Saintess. In my heart, only you are the true Saintess!”
With that, Meilin hugged Selis, pressing her head against her chest and taking deep breaths of the lavender scent on her.
Selis didn’t push her away. She simply stroked the girl’s hair gently twice, a faint smile appearing on her face.
“Besides, my goal has always been to follow by your side. If I’m even afraid of her, how can I complete my goal?”
“Following by my side? That’s quite a big goal.”
“Hmph, if one year isn’t enough, then two years. If two years isn’t enough, then five. No matter how long it takes, I’ll hold onto you tightly and never let go!”
Like a kitten, Meilin said while hugging Selis tightly, and Selis didn’t stop her, letting her be spoiled in her arms.
After a while, perhaps tired, Meilin lay down, resting her head on Selis’s thigh, closing her eyes and falling asleep.
Outside the window, the scenery of Anna Town faded into the distance.
The carriage was silent, with only the sound of their breathing.
……
Rose Knights Training Institute, afternoon.
After training all morning, there was finally a brief rest period this afternoon.
Leanna hurriedly put down her Knight’s Sword and made her way toward the institute’s teleportation array.
Since learning of Meilin’s escape, she wanted to find Selis to resolve the matter.
But Selis’s residence, like Isavel’s, was in the Imperial Capital’s Oracle Hall.
It took her great effort to find out the location of the Oracle Hall from the guards.
Now was her only chance to find Selis!
Standing before the teleportation array room at the Training Institute, she took a deep breath and was about to push the door open when, to her surprise, it opened from the inside.
Isavel, dressed in a black dress, walked out.
Leanna’s heart skipped a beat as she quickly bowed, while Isavel’s lips curled into a knowing smile as she glanced at her meaningfully.
“Leanna? What are you doing here?”
“…As Captain of the Rose Knights, I have an obligation to be familiar with every corner of the Training Institute.”
“I see, that’s quite responsible of you. But…”
As if seeing through the young girl’s thoughts, Isavel deliberately dragged out her tone.
When Leanna looked increasingly uneasy, she feigned concern and said:
“You look so troubled. What’s going on?”
“I… I just didn’t sleep well last night.”
“Ah, that explains it. I thought you were hiding something from me. But as a knight, you can’t lose sleep at night, or you won’t have energy for training during the day.”
“Understood, Lady Isavel.”
After bowing again, Leanna was about to leave.
But Isavel, feeling playful, chuckled quietly. When Leanna reached the corner, Isavel suddenly called out:
“Oh, and gather the entire Knight Corps. I have something to say.”
Leanna’s face paled. The thing she feared most was happening.
But in front of Isavel, she couldn’t say much and could only agree.
However, when she returned to the Training Ground with a heavy heart, she was surprised to find that Meilin had already come back without anyone knowing when.
After inquiring carefully, she learned that Meilin managed to slip past the guards at the perimeter thanks to Saintess Selis’s help—and the reason she returned was also because of her.
Saintess Selis had gone on a little rampage with her.
That’s right—in Leanna’s eyes, it was just a rampage.
It was one thing for Meilin to be reckless, but how could Selis be so irresponsible?
She was a helpless Saintess who actually led Meilin away from the Imperial Capital.
What if they had met some villains?
Who would protect them then?!
And if Selis was acting recklessly, how could Isavel, also a Saintess, not know?
Remember, she possessed Demi-God Level power!
Suddenly realizing something, Leanna’s expression grew even grimmer.
No wonder… no wonder Isavel came right after Meilin returned, and at the same time, Selis was nowhere to be seen.
She must have been placed under house arrest, and probably would face severe punishment afterward.
Leanna knew clearly that as fellow Saintesses, Selis’s authority was no match for Isavel’s.
With her worries weighing on her, the Rose Knights were gathered once again, and Isavel, dragging her long black dress, gracefully appeared on the podium in the Training Ground.
She looked down at the young knights with a smile full of meaning, but her voice was icy cold, like a voice from the depths of hell, chilling everyone.
“Sorry to interrupt your training, but there is something I must say.”
“Once you join the Rose Knights, your lives are no longer your own. You may feel this is unfair, but it is the truth. You are tools gathered to save the world.”
“A tool must have the awareness of being a tool. Running away from the Knight Corps’ garrison out of fear of death is not something a qualified tool would do, don’t you agree, Meilin?”
At the mention of her name, many girls turned to look at Meilin, who was standing there in the first row on the left side.
“I’m sorry…”
Lowering her head, Meilin chose to admit her fault obediently.
“Sorry? I didn’t come here to hear your apologies. And if I’m not mistaken, there are many guards around the Knight Corps’ garrison. It would have been impossible for you to escape on your own.”
In a flash, Isavel was right in front of her.
She bent down, hooking Meilin’s chin with her index finger, looking at her with a slightly seductive gaze, her thin lips parting softly:
“Tell me, who helped you escape?”
Meilin froze when their eyes met, then abruptly turned her head away without answering.
“You’re quite stubborn. Do you think I don’t know who it is if you don’t say? There’s only one person in the entire Oracle Hall who could have helped you escape.”
Isavel chuckled softly and turned to walk toward the podium.
Leanna caught the implication in her words and was about to step forward to plead for Selis when Meilin’s voice rang through the entire Training Institute.
“Don’t hurt her! If anyone’s to blame, take it out on me!”
Isavel paused in her footsteps and turned back to look at her, smiling meaningfully:
“Oh? Looks like you have quite a deep bond with her.”