Chapter 244: Want to drink? That’s great!

The big cleanup of the Rose Pavilion was much more troublesome than Helos had imagined.

Although the villa’s structure was well-preserved, it had been abandoned for who knows how many years.

Dust had piled up thicker than the city walls. When the white cloths were lifted from the furniture, the dust that flew up nearly sent Helos to her grave on the spot.

Fortunately, Julius, being a chosen one, was also a master at manual labor.

He directly used holy light as a dust remover, shining it wherever there was dust, with astonishing efficiency.

And Gavi was worth ten people. Her slender-looking arms moved debris weighing hundreds of pounds as if it were child’s play.

Add to that the College Logistics Department members who arrived later, and Eleanor who came upon hearing the news along with a large group of maids she brought.

Even so, this large group was busy for an entire day until the sun was setting in the west, finally managing to clean the first-floor hall and a few main rooms on the second floor to a livable standard.

“Phew—”

Eleanor collapsed gracelessly onto the sofa that had just been fitted with cushions, still holding a rag she hadn’t had time to put down.

Her sacred moon-white gown was now stained with plenty of dust, and her golden hair was a bit disheveled, but this didn’t diminish her beauty at all; on the contrary, it made her look more real and more adorable.

This Saintess, who had been pampered since childhood, had probably never done this much housework in her life.

“I’m exhausted…”

Helos guiltily handed her a cup of freshly brewed Red Tea.

“You worked hard, Sister.”

After all, she was the only “idle person” here, only able to sit on the sidelines the whole time as a commander—or rather, a mascot.

Helos looked at Eleanor and spoke hesitantly:

“About that woman in the painting…”

“By the way, Sister.”

“Julius has already told me.”

Eleanor took the Red Tea, her expression instantly becoming serious.

During a break in the cleaning, Julius and Gavi had already told Eleanor about Sylvia, exaggerating the details.

Things like “a female ghost crawling out of a painting,” “threatening to drain souls,” and “the Great Slayer of Mages.”

Listening to this, the little Saintess was dumbfounded, her brows furrowed so tightly they could kill a fly.

She put down the teacup and looked at Helos with worried eyes:

“Sisi, are you sure you want to deal with that… that dangerous being? Although Julius says she’s just a remnant soul now, but still—”

“I know it’s very risky.”

Helos nodded, but her gaze was exceptionally firm.

“But Sister, you also know that I need to be able to control my own curse.”

“That Sylvia, although her temper is a bit bad, is after all a spellbreaker from hundreds of years ago. She might be the only one currently who knows how to control that power.”

She took Eleanor’s hand and said earnestly:

“For myself, and for everyone’s safety, I have to try.”

Eleanor looked into her sister’s determined pale purple eyes and was silent for a long time.

She was very worried about Helos’s safety.

But if that Sylvia could really help Helos control her curse, freeing her from the affliction that could affect others at any moment, then that would be for the best.

“Alright.”

After careful consideration, Eleanor sighed, as if making some kind of compromise.

But immediately after, she suddenly lifted her head, a glint of slyness flashing in her azure eyes.

“In that case, I’ve made a decision.”

Eleanor announced, her clear voice echoing in the hall.

“I’ve decided, I’m going to live here too!”

“Huh?”

Helos nearly spat out the tea she had just taken into her mouth.

She widened her eyes, looking at her sister’s serious expression, and couldn’t help asking back:

“Sis, you’re not joking, are you? Are you serious?”

“Of course I’m serious.”

Eleanor pointed upstairs with perfect justification.

“There are so many empty rooms here, we couldn’t fill them even if each person took one. What’s the harm in adding me?”

Helos was a bit exasperated.

“This is the Old School Building! The haunted Rose Pavilion! And I have a curse on me. Is it really appropriate for you, a Saintess, to live here?”

“What’s there to be afraid of?”

Eleanor looked unconcerned.

“Julius is fine, isn’t he? Besides, we can live far apart. I think that room with a terrace on the third floor is pretty good—it’s the farthest from your room.”

Her gaze became tender.

“I’m not at ease with you facing that female ghost alone here. What if she bullies you? With me here, at least I can help you… help you deal with her a bit.”

Although the reason sounded a bit unreliable, Helos still felt the heavy weight of her sister’s care.

She looked into Eleanor’s eyes and knew that once her sister got stubborn, not even ten oxen could pull her back.

After receiving a positive response, Helos slowly sighed.

“…Alright.”

She chose to give up resistance.

She should have expected this outcome.

From childhood to now, wasn’t her sister always like this?

And Eleanor’s request was soon approved—it was even possible that Dean Feinalaisi had already planned this.

After all, protecting these two sisters with special identities together was more convenient for the academy.

However, for safety, Eleanor’s room was indeed arranged on the east side of the third floor, farthest from Helos.

After all, except for Gavi, whose body had been specially modified, and Julius, who had the physique of a chosen one, no one else could fully resist Helos’s “Curse of Silence.”

After a full day of busy work, the setting sun gradually sank, and night fell again.

The Magic Lamp in the Rose Pavilion was lit—of course, in a place far from Helos.

Helos herself could only light candles.

Julius and some maids were busy in the kitchen preparing dinner, while Eleanor and the maids were tidying up the rooms.

Helos sat on the sofa in the hall, looking at the oil painting in the corner, which looked a bit sinister under the candlelight.

She recalled what Sylvia had said during the day.

【Don’t forget to bring some good wine! No one has come to this crappy place for ages, I’m so bored I’m going to go crazy!】

“This old woman… is actually a drunkard.”

Helos rubbed her temples in headache.

Although the Olivias family’s wine cellar stored many fine wines, those were her Patriarch’s treasures. If she dared to steal them, she would definitely have her legs broken when she got back.

And besides, would that arrogant Great Slayer of Mages look down on ordinary wine?

“Tsk, what a pain.”

Helos complained, but then a flash of inspiration struck her mind.

‘Wait a minute.’

‘Wine?’

She didn’t have good wine, but she could brew it!

Don’t forget, she was an alchemist!

Moreover, previously, in order to study [Dawn Dew], she had memorized various wine recipes thoroughly.

If she only used [Branch of Life Alchemy], it probably wouldn’t cause any trouble.

“Gavi!”

Helos suddenly stood up and shouted towards the second floor.

“I’m here, Master.”

A golden afterimage flashed, and Gavi instantly appeared in front of her, holding a feather duster in her hand.

“Go.”

Excitement sparkled in Helos’s eyes. She pulled a handful of Gold Coins from her pocket and pressed them into Gavi’s hand.

“While the shops are still open, go buy some brewing materials for me! And…”

She rattled off a long list in one breath.

“Master, what are you…?”

Gavi was a bit confused.

“Don’t ask too many questions, go!”

Helos pushed her.

“Tonight, this young lady is going to show that woman a thing or two!”

She looked at the oil painting, a confident smile curling at the corners of her mouth.

Want wine, huh?

Well then, I’ll let you taste what a true “special brew” from an alchemist is!

I guarantee you’ll want a second cup after one, and another meal after this one, and in the end, you’ll obediently spill all your skills!