Chapter 12: Aunt Catherine

Night had fallen, and the lively atmosphere of the banquet gradually faded.

Roman was completely drunk, and Luo Xiya helplessly helped him onto the sofa.

Although none of the guests had laid hands on Roman directly tonight, quite a few had used the excuse of making friends to keep him drinking.

Luo Xiya, thinking that a boy should build up some tolerance, didn’t interfere too much.

In the end, Roman dragged his last thread of consciousness to glance at her before collapsing.

“Mm…” A certain sensation triggered, and Luo Xiya set Roman down with a grim expression and left.

After the guests were seen off, the maids began busily cleaning the drawing room.

“Where did the Lady of the Territory go?”

“L–Lady Elise!!!”

One of the young maids, who had been seeing off the guests at the manor gates, was startled when Elise appeared in the first-floor drawing room without a sound.

“Never mind…”

Shaking her head, Elise knew they wouldn’t know where Luo Xiya had gone, so she looked around the hall instead.

Whatever else they lacked, these girls were at least diligent when it came to their duties.

The hall showed no signs of the banquet whatsoever.

Chairs were neatly arranged, the tabletops spotless, and the floor gleamed like it was brand new.

When she looked over to the resting sofa, Elise’s gaze froze.

Frowning slightly, she stepped forward and looked down.

Roman was curled up on the couch, his knees tucked against his chest.

His silken silver hair was spread across the cushions, and his soft, flawless face was completely at peace.

His long lashes trembled slightly with each breath.

Perfect, harmonious.

His rosy, plump lips curled faintly from time to time, as if enticing whoever looked at him.

As Elise quietly admired Roman’s sleeping face, a passing young maid leaned over and whispered, “The Lady of the Territory left in a hurry earlier and placed him here.”

Meeting the maid’s questioning gaze, Elise thought for a moment before replying, “I’ll take care of it.”

“Yes, Lady Elise.”

Bending down to pick up Roman, Elise held him carefully, one arm behind his neck and shoulders, the other under his knees.

Carrying him felt like holding a down-filled pillow.

She walked up the stairs with him in her arms.

In Elise’s embrace, there was no jostling at all, and Roman suddenly shifted, nestling into a more comfortable position against her chest.

Elise …

She had grown up alongside Luo Xiya, and her figure had developed even more than the Countess’s.

Roman turned slightly and ended up resting his head directly on her soft breasts.

Even through the lace bra, Elise felt a ticklish sensation.

The boy smacked his lips like a child.

As Elise leaned in, she clearly caught the scent of alcohol on him and couldn’t help but shake her head.

Arriving at Luo Xiya’s room, Elise walked in without knocking.

Sure enough, Luo Xiya wasn’t there.

Elise approached the bed and gently laid Roman down on the soft mattress.

Lying on his side, the white flower in Roman’s right eye gave off a faint glow under the moonlight.

Half of his face was bathed in moonlight, the other half shrouded in shadow, purity and corruption oddly coexisting in harmony.

Elise blinked, then reached out with curiosity.

She didn’t dare use any pressure, only softly caressed it.

That flower’s stamen rose and fell slightly under her touch, and then Roman suddenly reacted.

“Ah…”

Roman let out a soft gasp, his face flushing red as his body began to tremble, curling his legs up even tighter.

Startled, Elise quickly pulled her hand away.

Huff…

Elise breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully, she hadn’t woken him.

Otherwise, the surprise for the lady would’ve been ruined.

She brought her fingers to Roman’s nose, and immediately, a warm, moist breath brushed against her fingertips.

A flicker of confusion crossed Elise’s eyes.

A few seconds later, a certain possibility dawned on her, and her eyes widened slightly.

Everyone has their own sensitive spot.

Once touched, the body becomes immediately reactive.

Elise had one too. She just hadn’t expected Roman’s to be his right eye.

Tucking this little secret away in her heart like a newfound treasure, Elise pursed her cherry lips and lifted Roman’s knees, gently tucking him into the covers.

Once the blanket was snugly arranged, she stood up, ready to leave.

Looking at Roman lying in Luo Xiya’s bed, Elise sighed softly in her heart and turned to go.

After leaving Luo Xiya’s room, Elise circled the second floor a few times before arriving at a secluded corner.

She knocked lightly on the door and waited for a response from inside.

“Who is it?” came a cold voice from within.

“It’s me, Miss.” In private, Elise still preferred to call Luo Xiya “Miss” rather than “Lady of the Territory.”

“Elise? Come in…”

She quietly pushed open the door and stepped inside, closing it behind her.

There were no lights in the room, only moonlight spilling in through the window.

Luo Xiya was half-leaning on the balcony, one leg propped on the windowsill, gazing unwaveringly outside.

She held a wine glass in her hand, long since emptied without her noticing.

Without saying a word, Elise walked to her side and silently accompanied her, her eyes drifting toward the bed in the room.

Someone lay there.

A once mature and elegant face had now turned deathly pale. The body had grown thinner and weaker day by day.

“Miss, has Lady Catherine’s condition worsened again?”

Elise finally spoke first.

“Mm… I used structural regulation to forcefully suppress the virus in Aunt Catherine’s body again, but clearly, it’s becoming less and less effective. This time, the remission only lasted a few days before it flared up again…”

“Your ability can only stimulate the body’s potential and restore it to its optimal state. But a person’s potential will eventually run dry, while the virus in Lady Catherine’s body…”

“When that day comes, I’ll be the one to personally end her suffering. And after that, I’ll get revenge for her.”

Luo Xiya spoke calmly, but under the moonlight, her expression brimmed with killing intent.

After using her power, Luo Xiya leaned weakly on the windowsill, clearly exhausted.

Her mood was foul, and Elise shared her sorrow. All traces of their usual grace and composure were gone, replaced by grief and pain.

She had been Luo Xiya’s personal maid since childhood.

Lady Catherine was the aunt who had doted on Luo Xiya the most since she was a girl.

As someone who had always stayed close to Luo Xiya, Elise too had received Catherine’s care and affection.

Lady Catherine had no children of her own, and she treated Luo Xiya like a daughter.

By extension, Elise was cherished just the same.

After Luo Xiya became the Lily Countess and took over her new territory, Elise had even given up her own noble standing to follow her.

She feared that a young and impulsive Luo Xiya would suffer losses in an unfamiliar land.

Since then, she had stayed without ever leaving, helping Luo Xiya solve countless problems.

People should know, Elise was someone only a step away from the Sacred Realm, yet she remained at Luo Xiya’s side without question.

Such was the depth of her love and their bond.

Elise pressed her lips together and softly said to Luo Xiya, “Miss, your Sacred Seal takes a heavy toll when used on others. Let me stay and watch over Aunt Catherine tonight. You should go back to your room and get some proper rest. Only with a strong body can you keep helping her.”

There was no need for excessive courtesy between them.

Luo Xiya stepped away from the windowsill, weary, and embraced Elise before leaving the room.