As the two faced off in silence, the temperature in the dungeon suddenly plummeted.
The once blazing red walls cooled, returning to a cold, pitch-black hue.
Spots of glowing light appeared out of thin air, drifting gently down to rest on the shoulders of both women.
Milis felt the circuits of her magic power being gradually suppressed, to the point where they could barely respond to her call.
She finally withdrew her confrontational aura, rubbing her forehead with a headache.
She had only intended to grab what she needed and leave, but unexpectedly, she had provoked a truly ‘troublesome’ person.
Across from her, Elise finally relaxed, bowing as she said, “Madam.”
Lady Catherine descended soundlessly, her long hair floating in the air behind her.
She fixed her gaze on Milis and spoke gently, “Little Milis, it’s been a long time.”
Milis’s expression softened, nostalgia flickering in her eyes, a rare sight for someone usually so proud.
“Madam, it’s been a long time.”
After Milis’s Sacred Seal awakened and she was brought to the Holy City, Lady Catherine had served as her mentor.
Later, when Luo Xiya was born, Lady Catherine declined the Holy Throne’s invitation and left the Holy City resolutely.
This had always weighed on Milis’s heart, not out of any grudge against Lady Catherine herself, but rather because of Luo Xiya, for whom she harbored a somewhat biased impression.
She hadn’t entered the Lily Territory through proper diplomatic channels, but instead ‘infiltrated’ under the cover of night, intending to retrieve her things directly and give Luo Xiya a silent warning.
From start to finish, she hadn’t done anything truly dangerous in the territory; on the contrary, she had even helped Annie rid herself of a lingering illness.
Now that Lady Catherine had come in person, any conflict that might have occurred was even less likely.
As the Domain of the Starry Sky faded, Milis pursed her lips and smiled, suddenly throwing herself into Lady Catherine’s arms.
“Mom, it’s been so long.”
Lady Catherine blushed at such an intimate form of address.
After hesitating for a moment, she still reached out and put her arm around Milis’s shoulder.
She didn’t know much about Milis’s origins and had never met her parents.
Back then, Milis had liked to call her “Mom,” and after getting used to it, Lady Catherine had simply let her be.
“Um…”
The words of reproach caught in her throat.
In the end, Lady Catherine could only say, “Don’t be so reckless next time. If you have something to discuss, you can use the proper channels.”
Milis’s gentle smile froze for a moment.
Fortunately, Lady Catherine didn’t notice.
She simply added, “I’ll go talk to Luo Xiya about this. Don’t forget to apologize to her later.”
This time, Milis didn’t bother hiding the look of distaste on her face.
With the tension eased, Elise finally turned her gaze to Tania, asking as politely as she could, “Did Tania do something wrong?”
Being targeted by the Heretic Tribunal wasn’t a trivial matter.
Did she really have that kind of ability?
“It’s mainly the Desmon Family. They’ve never been particularly honest, and lately they’ve become even more brazen. Naturally, the Church won’t show them any more leniency,” Milis replied offhandedly.
Just then, she frowned and leaned in closer to Lady Catherine, her expression unreadable.
Lady Catherine’s eyelids fluttered uneasily.
Forcing herself to remain calm, she pushed Milis away with a smile.
“What are you doing, getting so close?”
Milis raised her brows playfully and said nothing more.
As the long night ended, the three of them emerged from the dungeon, only to find the first rays of dawn already appearing on the horizon.
Lady Catherine’s exhaustion was obvious, and after leaving the dungeon, Elise clearly noticed the dark circles beneath her eyes.
“Madam, did you not sleep well last night?” she asked with concern.
As if her secret had been exposed, Lady Catherine’s plump body stiffened.
She quickly put on a spirited front, smiling, “No, no, maybe it’s just my age. It’s hard to sleep soundly. When I woke up and sensed something wrong here, I came right away.”
If Elise ever found out that she hadn’t been able to sleep because she’d overheard Luo Xiya and Roman through the walls, Lady Catherine would want to go see Goddess Fara immediately.
Elise nodded, not pressing further.
The three of them entered the parlor.
After saying a word, Lady Catherine sat down on the sofa and closed her eyes to catch up on sleep.
Elise thoughtfully covered her with a blanket.
After a moment’s hesitation, she turned to Milis, who still stood silently with her eyes closed, and asked, “Would you like me to find a room for you to rest in?”
The room was quiet, with only Lady Catherine’s soft breathing audible.
Milis remained standing with her eyes shut, completely ignoring Elise.
Is she still upset that I stopped her earlier?
Elise wondered.
Of course, she wouldn’t be annoyed by such childish behavior, if anything, she found it amusing.
The so-called Saintess didn’t seem as holy as the rumors claimed; instead, she had a touch of ordinary humanity about her.
Unconsciously, Elise faded from the room.
Time passed quickly.
The sun crept higher, filling the room with a gentle warmth and driving away the darkness.
By the time the sun was high in the sky and the noise of maids starting their work filled the house, Milis finally opened her eyes.
Still not up?
Milis couldn’t understand it.
This young countess, a transcendent with the Upper Sacred Seal, still clung to such lazy habits?
“Catherine Mom, is the Lily Countess always like this?”
Seeing Lady Catherine rubbing her eyes as she woke, Milis tried to ask as tactfully as she could.
Lady Catherine’s sleepiness vanished instantly at the question.
Of course, she knew why Luo Xiya was sleeping in today, but how could she say that?
“Forget it, I’ll go find her myself.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Milis’s figure disappeared from Lady Catherine’s view.
“Wait!”
Lady Catherine hurried after her.
When she reached the door to Luo Xiya’s room, Milis paused, confirming the aura inside.
She stopped in her tracks, her expression becoming odd and uncertain.
“Ha… Who is it?” came a lazy voice from within.
The door swung open.
Luo Xiya poked her head out, rubbing her eyes, her hair still tied up in a messy fashion.
Unable to stand such a sight, Milis took several steps back.
“And who are you?”
Luo Xiya stared at Milis in a daze for a moment, frowning.
“Seems I’ve interrupted the countess’s sweet dreams…”
Milis curled her lips, her tone flat and mocking.
Seeing Luo Xiya’s open nightgown, the still-wet bodily fluids on her skin, and her flushed, radiant complexion, Milis could easily guess what Luo Xiya had been up to last night.
She was innocent, not an idiot.
Lady Catherine had left her for someone like this?
A transcendent, yet still obsessed with such base men.
For a moment, Milis found it hard to accept the reality.
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