Chapter 45: Love and Like Are Different

“Even if you find out, don’t tell anyone else, okay?”

Extending a finger, Selis made a shushing gesture. Meilin smiled and nodded quietly, whispering, “Of course, this stays between you and me.”

Hearing footsteps nearby, Meilin waved at Selis before quickly slipping alone into the Rose Knights’ celebration banquet.

The ones who came up to the second-floor balcony this time were Nola and her maid, Jenny.

Nola glanced at Selis, frowning slightly. “What’s wrong with your face? Why is there a strawberry mark?”

“Ah, that…”

Covering her cheek, Selis was about to lie and explain when Nola continued, “Did a girl kiss you?”

“Hmm, you noticed?”

“Come on, only someone as innocent as you wouldn’t see it.”

Nola leaned against the balcony railing and looked up at the moon in the sky.

She didn’t press the matter of the strawberry mark on Selis’s cheek but instead brought up Isavel.

“By the way, where’s Isavel? I want to apologize to her.”

“Oh? Why?”

Selis blinked, feigning ignorance.

Nola thought for a moment and said, “You were right—I misunderstood her before. Her training methods aren’t exactly humane, but they do work. If it weren’t for her, those girls would have died inside that fortress.”

“Maybe, she’s exactly as you said—a villainous role she plays only in disguise.”

These days, Nola had come to understand. Her poor impression of Isavel was indeed influenced by the rumors spread by the Empire’s nobles and the harsh training style of the Rose Knight girls.

She had judged Isavel prematurely and wrongly.

Time was pressing. Such life-or-death training was Isavel’s last and only option.

Without it, those girls would have truly died on the battlefield.

Nola knew she was no qualified leader. If it had been her leading those girls, she could never have been as perfect as Isavel.

So, she completely understood her now.

Isavel was a saintess who silently gave without expecting anything in return.

Shaking her head, Selis said, “It’s a pity she’s not here right now.”

“Why not?”

“Because this is a celebration banquet. The Rose Knights wouldn’t want to see a villainous saintess who terrifies them here.”

Nola’s expression darkened as she suddenly felt sympathy for the black-haired saintess.

Deep down, she hoped these girls could survive the cruel reality. To achieve that, Isavel disguised herself as cruel and heartless, making them fear her.

Now, the girls had survived and were holding this celebration, yet the saintess who gave the most bore the hatred alone, disappearing from their sight.

Perhaps, somewhere in a corner, she was still watching over them.

Seeing their smiles would surely bring her comfort.

Just like… Selis—so gentle.

Nola lowered her head and felt like slapping herself twice.

Such a perfect saintess, yet she had once, like those girl knights, spoken harshly to her and even tried every means to hurt her already shattered heart.

She really was no decent person!

While feeling guilty, Nola also envied the goddess a little.

She wondered how the goddess chose. The two saintesses at the Oracle Hall, Isavel and Selis, were both so perfect.

Like darkness and light, they silently burned themselves for this world.

“By the way, remember our bet before? I lost. From now on, if the Rose Knights have any requests, just tell me. I’ll find a way to handle them.”

“Although I don’t have as much power as the Oracle Hall, there are many things the Hall can’t do. Leave those to me.”

Before the Rose Knights went to slay the Abyssal Demon, Nola had a bet with Isavel, the Emperor of Norwich Empire had a bet with her, and she also had a bet with Selis.

If she won, Selis would go on a date with her. If she lost, she would help the Rose Knights.

Now was the time to fulfill her promise.

“Speaking of which, there actually is something I need your help with,” Selis said.

“What is it?”

“When the Rose Knights fought the Abyssal Demon, you saw the scene too. Individually, they’re pretty capable, but the problem is they barely know any magic—their attack methods are too one-dimensional.”

Seeming a bit disappointed in herself, Selis lowered her head and quietly said, “It’s a pity I don’t know much magic either, and Isavel is very busy. The Oracle Hall doesn’t have much connection with the Academies, so could you ask some instructors from the Academy to come teach them magic?”

Invite some instructors to teach them magic?

Nola rubbed her chin. “So that’s it. Of course, I can. There’s a pretty good Magic Academy sponsored by my family. If I talk to them, it should be possible.”

“Thank you, Nola.”

It should be possible. Nola was, after all, the daughter of a noble family, and her father was the current Duke.

Inviting instructors from an Academy shouldn’t be an issue.

If her father tried to make things difficult over this, then she would…

Still pondering, Selis stepped forward and gave her a tight hug after thanking her.

Soft, comfortable, warm… No words could describe how wonderful this embrace was.

Nola’s thoughts were abruptly interrupted; at this moment, she felt as if she had fallen in love, basking in the sweetness of love.

Selis was simply an angel…

After some daydreaming, Nola furrowed her brow and suddenly remembered something. “By the way, Miss Selis, you must be extremely careful of the Norwich Empire’s nobles!”

“What do you mean?”

“They lost the bet with Isavel, so the control over the Rose Knights fell into her hands. Those Empire nobles won’t let this go easily.”

“If they can’t get it, they’ll just destroy it—that’s their favorite method. So, you must be very careful of those Empire nobles.”

She added, “Also, although I have no right to say this, you can’t slack off on training. The Abyss’s seal is weakening. This time low-rank demons descended to the human world, but who knows what will come next.”

“Ah, I’m aware of that.”

Worry briefly appeared on Selis’s delicate face.

“The Abyssal Magic has already crossed the seal and begun affecting this world. A new Monster Catacomb will soon be born. Chaos and disaster will soon unfold in the human realm.”

Abyssal Magic causes new Monster Catacombs to appear. If the local military fails to suppress these dungeons quickly, large numbers of monsters will spill out.

When that happens, the human towns near the dungeons will be engulfed in disaster.

Judging by the rate at which the Abyssal Magic is increasing, Selis estimated that the new dungeon would erupt in less than three months.

All empires must prepare for everything within these three months.

“Lady Selis, so you’re here!”

“Leanna?”

Leanna had just arrived at the second-floor balcony and found Selis. She seemed to have had a little wine; her cheeks were flushed, making her look adorable.

She exchanged a glance with Nola, then pulled Selis back into the celebration banquet.

“Come on, come on, how can our celebration be complete without you?”

Watching Selis walk away, Nola didn’t stop her.

She knew that at this moment, Selis wasn’t hers alone.

“Miss, you saw the kiss on Miss Selis’s cheek and you’re not angry?”

The maid Jenny’s question made Nola raise her brow.

“Angry? Why would I be? That’s just the way those girls show affection. Besides, who wouldn’t like someone like Selis?”

She didn’t believe those girls were truly in love with Selis, nor did she see them as rivals.

After all, love and liking aren’t the same thing.

Those girls were so young—they probably didn’t even understand the difference.

……

The next day, inside the Oracle Hall.

Rubbing her temples, Isavel glanced at the letter in her hand, then looked at Teresa standing respectfully before her, asking with some hesitation:

“So, you want to quit the Rose Knights?”