Chapter 4: Saintess Aililan, you don’t want others to know either, do you?

Camp dining area.

The atmosphere at the table became a bit tense.

No one had ever expected that the esteemed Saintess herself would come to a place like this to eat!

Even the roughest knight in daily life suddenly became refined at this moment.

The Chef was even more on edge, afraid that the simple camp food wouldn’t suit the Saintess’s palate. That would be the greatest failure of his entire culinary career.

“Saintess Aililan, perhaps… I should prepare something special just for you!”

“Why would you need to do that?”

“I’m worried you won’t be able to get used to this food!”

“If my loyal knights can eat it, why can’t I?”

The Chef could only smile helplessly.

He had no choice but to bring over a serving of Pumpkin Barley Porridge—a thick porridge made by boiling pumpkin and barley together—and a plate of the usual Pickled Salted Meat.

This was the main food for the knights. As for the servants, all they got was Barley Porridge without pumpkin and some Pickled Vegetables.

With everyone’s eyes on her,

Aililan picked up her spoon and took a bite. The taste wasn’t exactly good, but it was still edible.

She took a second bite.

‘Whoo-hoo—’

It sounded like a cheer erupted from outside the dining area, as if celebrating the Saintess’s humility.

After finishing her bowl, Aililan took the chance to say, “Chef, remember to prepare my share again tomorrow!”

The Chef was startled and quickly shook his head. “No, no, how could that be! We have Refined Flour just for you, and fresh bread. How can you eat such coarse food?”

Aililan simply smiled. All she did was lead by example; her determination to win over the Chastity Knights had never changed.

Aililan then went even deeper among the ranks, often following Sun Knight Renata to patrol the camp and comfort the soldiers. She soon became a familiar face everywhere.

In the shadows.

A pair of eyes, filled with a predatory light, watched where Aililan was.

Vice-captain Pella couldn’t help but mutter, “Our Saintess seems to be getting quite popular lately! Aren’t you going to do something about it?”

Captain Fina Nisi just shook her head and replied ambiguously, “But what I see is her noble character—she’s fulfilling every word she says.”

“Captain, you’re really—!”

“Pella, don’t bother yourself with these things. How did the task I gave you go?”

“Don’t worry, Captain. I only made a slight change to the route. Our Saintess should receive good news soon, hehe.”

The group entered the Mountains.

When they set up camp at dusk,

Renata walked over mysteriously. After making sure no one else was around, she said excitedly,

“Saintess, according to the scouts, we’ve discovered a Hot Spring in the mountains.”

“What? A Hot Spring?”

“It’s absolutely true.”

Aililan couldn’t help but want to clap. “That’s wonderful!”

There were many inconveniences during the army’s long march. Aililan hadn’t had a real bath in at least four days and had only been able to wipe herself with clean water each day.

To suddenly hear about a Hot Spring in the mountains—

Who wouldn’t be excited?

After dinner that evening,

Aililan quietly brought along a few trusted companions—mainly Sun Knight Renata and the newly recruited Rose Knight Milisanel—and set off for the Hot Spring.

No matter what, tonight she had to have a proper bath and then sleep well.

A Saintess sneaking out of camp didn’t seem to attract much attention?

Not long after.

At the steamy Hot Spring.

Renata and the others had thoroughly checked the area and confirmed there was no danger. Then they prepared to stand guard outside.

“Huh.”

Aililan called out in surprise, “You’re not coming in with me?”

Renata’s face changed, a flash of panic crossing her features. She quickly shook her head and said, “Saintess Aililan, how could we possibly bathe together with you? That would compromise your chastity. Please, don’t say such things again in the future. If the people of the Holy Land heard of this, we’d be severely punished.”

Um… Chastity?

Aililan smacked her forehead. How could she forget this was an Orange-tinted Worldview? Even women among women had to uphold their chastity.

And she was the Chastity Saintess. To say something so wild was indeed out of line.

“I understand.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you all.”

“It’s no trouble. Being able to protect you is our honor.” Renata performed a knight’s salute and led the others to stand guard outside.

Renata swore,

If anyone dared barge in and compromise the Saintess’s chastity, she would cut them to pieces with her own greatsword and feed them to the dogs.

But the Mountains were vast and empty.

There were too few of them.

Not far from the Hot Spring, in a dense grove, Captain Fina Nisi licked her crimson lips.

“Pella.”

“I know, I know. I’ll keep Renata and the others busy. I won’t let them ruin your good time.”

Fina Nisi reached out and caressed Pella’s cheek in reward, and Pella closed her eyes, wearing an expression of blissful enjoyment.

Fina Nisi shed her clothes and walked barefoot towards the Hot Spring.

Under the moonlight,

Her graceful figure was fully revealed.

At the edge of the misty Hot Spring, Fina Nisi sat on a smooth rock, dipping her jade feet in the water and gently swirling them, all while casting her gaze at the girl on the other side.

Aililan was washing her golden hair with scented soapberry, a faint fragrant foam floating atop the surface of the Hot Spring.

Suddenly,

‘Splash~’

It was as if something had entered the water.

“Hmm?”

Aililan looked puzzled. “A rock must have fallen from the mountain?” Even with the moonlight, she still couldn’t see the whole Hot Spring clearly.

Oh well!

“La~”

“La~~”

The girl started to hum the Bathhouse Song of the Holy Land.

But soon she realized something was wrong. The surface of the water rippled, moving from far to near.

In the swirling steam, something seemed to be drawing closer. Gradually, a strange shadow took shape.

“What the—Hot Spring water snake?”

The next moment, what Aililan saw was a flash of pale white.

She blurted out, “What the—what a huge, white water snake!” But actually, it wasn’t a water snake at all. As the outline became clear, a flash of terror appeared in Aililan’s eyes.

“Fi—Fina Nisi??”

“Eh? Isn’t this our dear Saintess?”

“Fina Nisi, why are you here?” Aililan instinctively took a step back. In her panic, she slipped and fell into the Hot Spring.

The next instant, she was pulled up.

Fina Nisi grabbed Aililan’s forearm, half-holding and half-embracing the poor, weak, helpless Saintess.

“You, you!!”

“Stay away from me!”

“Ah—Sun Knight Renata, come save me… mmm, mmph…”

Aililan’s scream was stifled before it could escape, as Fina Nisi clapped a hand over her mouth.

That wicked, arrogant blonde leaned down, her full chest pressing against Aililan’s frail ribs, and almost bit Aililan’s ear as she whispered, “Saintess Aililan, you don’t want anyone else to know about us bathing together, do you?”

Damn it!

That arrogant blonde—

Is she threatening me?