‘The Saintess… The Saintess isn’t right.’
Theresa sensed this, and her heart grew incredibly conflicted at that moment.
They left the side hall of the banquet.
Out of concern, Theresa whispered a question, “Lady Aililan, are you alright?”
In the next moment, Aililan leaned close to Theresa’s ear, her breath smelling like orchids as she said, “I’m fine, of course… I feel like my state of mind is excellent right now.”
Aililan was impatient.
She grabbed Theresa’s shoulder.
This made Theresa realize even more that something was wrong because Aililan would never behave so rudely.
***
On the other side.
Yarandale and the other maids were momentarily stunned. Why did the Saintess leave so suddenly?
“Maid Leader.”
Several of them glanced at each other.
They were all strictly trained maids and immediately sensed that something was amiss.
Moreover, the Saintess had pulled Theresa away. This, combined with the succubus hidden in the estate, caused their expressions to turn grim.
“That damned succubus…”
“Did they actually strike so silently?”
“Maid Leader, what should we do?”
“Quiet. Stay here and host the banquet. Under no circumstances can you let anyone notice anything unusual.”
“What about the Saintess?”
“I will handle it myself.”
Almost as soon as Aililan left, the maids moved into action.
They saw that Theresa had already been pulled into the Saintess’s bedroom.
“Dielis, I want you to clear the area around the Saintess’s room. I don’t care what method or reason you use; just ensure no one gets close. No matter who comes, you have the authority to kill them.”
“Sasha, follow me.”
The estate remained orderly.
[Due to audit requirements, seventy words have been modified or omitted here.]
“Lady Aililan, you are intoxicated.”
“I am perfectly sober.”
Aililan reached out and began to tear at Theresa’s clothes.
“Lady Aililan, no, you can’t!”
“Why can’t I? Is it possible that you are unwilling, Theresa?”
“It’s not that, I…”
“You like me, don’t you?”
“I… I do like Lady Aililan, but… but I’m not ready yet.”
“Then what are you waiting for?”
Aililan leaned in.
In that moment, Theresa gave up her resistance. However… she truly felt that this was wrong.
Aililan’s current state was clearly abnormal. How could she… how could she take advantage of someone like this?
Theresa suddenly felt a chill on her body. She had already lost her defenses and was fully exposed before Aililan.
*Gasp —*
Theresa groaned.
Her final line of defense was breached. Faced with Aililan’s invasion, she had no strength to resist.
She even heard Aililan’s murmur, asking her to… open the door.
Theresa did not dislike this feeling.
In fact, she was starting to enjoy it.
She wanted to open the door for the Saintess she liked… but she knew this was wrong.
“Lady Aililan, we can’t do this…”
[Due to audit requirements, forty words have been omitted here.]
Just then.
The bedroom door was suddenly pushed open.
“Ah!”
Aililan flinched, nearly losing her composure.
She instinctively clutched her own chest, but she quickly reacted, protecting the completely defenseless Theresa along with herself.
Yarandale shouted, “Saintess, you mustn’t!”
Sasha added, “Saintess, please stop!”
Aililan regained a great deal of her clarity.
Theresa, her body half-exposed, asked, “What’s going on?”
Yarandale said with fear and regret, “A succubus infiltrated the estate. We thought we were prepared, but we didn’t expect the succubus to succeed anyway. It’s all our fault.”
Theresa understood instantly.
She finally knew why Aililan had become like this.
Her heart felt a wave of relief that she had almost tarnished the Saintess’s chastity, but that was immediately followed by a faint, lingering sense of disappointment.
Theresa asked, “What do we do now?”
This question stumped everyone. The Saintess was clearly in a dire state.
Should they find a cure for her?
But the poison administered by a succubus…
The only solution was… Yarandale’s face turned pale. If the Saint of Chastity lost her virtue under their watch… they would all be punished by the Goddess.
“Quiet!”
Aililan suddenly let out a low, cold shout.
“All of you, get out now.”
“But Saintess—”
“Did you not hear me? Also, Theresa, I had no intention of hurting you. I apologize for what just happened…”
Aililan drove them all out.
‘Snake-like Lust.’
‘Almost… I almost lost the right to face the Goddess of Temperance.’
The thought of the Saintess of Temperance caused her head to throb violently.
Aililan groaned.
Immediately after, she took a deep breath.
She began to murmur softly:
“Light falling from pale stained glass,
Gently caresses the dusty path.
The incense-scented icons bow in silence,
Allowing the shadows to crawl upon their robes.
Today, today, what are we praying for once more?”
This was the very song the Saintess of Temperance had used to encourage Aililan, the one she had gifted her with a kiss.
Only faith in the Goddess of Temperance could overcome the desires of the flesh.
Gradually…
Aililan fell into a specific state of mind.
It was an epiphany regarding chastity and her own Virtue. Lust should not infringe upon her will; chastity should dissolve all impurities.
A Virtue belonging to a Saintess…
Or rather, the power of an Authority.
It was unfolding and awakening before Aililan.
In a daze, she seemed to dream of the Saintess of Temperance, Lizberu. Had her sister come to her dream again?
“Lizberu…”
Outside.
Theresa’s body trembled slightly.
She believed she couldn’t just leave Aililan alone, so she asked the two maids to let her in. She swore she wouldn’t take Aililan’s chastity; she just wanted to help Aililan.
‘She likes her…’
‘Is it Lizberu?’
Theresa gave a bitter laugh.
She stopped overthinking, lowered her head, and focused on the task at hand.
‘I am clearly helping the person I like, but my beloved is calling out another girl’s name. In this world of Huangmaos and NTR, isn’t this also a kind of NTR?’
The Aililan in the dream sighed. She felt that today’s dream was a bit too realistic.
But a fake was a fake. How could the real Saintess of Temperance ever try to touch that impure place?
“Sister Temperance.”
“I like you so much, but it’s a pity… the version of you here is fake!”
She finally felt it too — a mysterious power was swirling in her hands.
“Impurity.”
“Begone.”
The holy power of Virtue burst forth, rapidly sweeping away the poison planted by the succubus in Aililan’s body.
That was the first Authority of the Virtue of Chastity that Aililan had unlocked.
The power to dispel all physical filth.
***
The bedroom door opened once more.
“Is the Saintess alright?”
“How is the Saintess?”
The two maids asked with great concern.
Theresa’s face was incredibly flushed. She gently wiped the corner of her mouth and said, “She… she should be fine now. But there is one more thing… I hope you can help me keep this a secret. I’m begging you.”
The two maids agreed.
They wouldn’t dare speak of it anyway!