“What’s the reason?”
Isavel put down the letter in her hand and asked.
“I’m from the Preston Family, a descendant of the gods. My family doesn’t like their bloodline to spread, so once they find out I’m here, they’ll definitely come and drag me back.”
Teresa was truly full of secrets.
Isavel recalled the first time she saw this girl, when she had gathered the Rose Knights.
Teresa had been all alone, her clothes tattered and ragged, looking like she’d just escaped from some disaster.
Now, it seemed she really had fled from the Preston Family.
As for why she ran away, that was still unclear.
“So, you think the Oracle Hall can’t protect you?”
Teresa lowered her head and said nothing, but sometimes silence is its own answer.
She truly didn’t believe the Oracle Hall could protect her.
The core of it all was Saintess Isavel’s cold-bloodedness.
In her eyes, every member of the Rose Knights was a tool. Since that was the case, when her family put pressure on the Oracle Hall, Isavel would naturally abandon her.
After all, the most important quality of a tool is being useful; a tool that isn’t handy has no reason to exist.
Isavel didn’t explain. She just gave her a cool glance, then asked, “Have you thought about your teammates, the others in the Order of Knights?”
“I have. If I stay, my family will definitely come after them.”
“So, are they your burden?”
“No, they’re not…”
Teresa wanted to protest, but after a moment’s thought, she closed her mouth.
Before this cold-blooded Saintess, any explanation sounded like a feeble excuse. Since that was so, there was no need to waste her breath.
“Since you’ve decided to leave, I won’t stop you. But I will tell the others about your decision, and I’ll let them know you left because of them.”
“Of course, you could choose to stay, and we’ll pretend none of this ever happened. The choice is yours.”
Isavel smiled as she burned the letter in her hand to ashes. She neither stopped her nor agreed, simply tossing the decision back to her.
In the end, to stay or go, Teresa would have to decide for herself.
After this, Teresa left the Saintess’ Resting Room. Not long after stepping outside, she ran into Saintess Selis in the corridor.
Selis was leaning against the wall, as if she’d been waiting a long time.
When she saw Teresa come out, she hurried over and grasped her hands.
“I heard everything. I can’t decide for you whether you really want to leave, but I hope that when you make your decision, you’ll think more about your teammates.”
“And, no matter what you decide, don’t feel pressured. The Oracle Hall—or rather, the Rose Knights—will always be your Home.”
Just as Leanna had said, when she was with Selis, even the coldest heart could be warmed by a blazing light.
Teresa nodded and let out a soft “Mm.”
She hadn’t interacted much with Selis before, but in this moment, she finally understood what Leanna had meant.
But…
After leaving the Oracle Hall, she looked down at the back of her hand.
There, a golden Blessing of the Sun had appeared—the mark quietly left by Selis when she held her hands.
She didn’t sense any threat from the mark. On the contrary, it felt like a blessing from the goddess, constantly warming her body and soul.
So, was it really just a blessing?
Shaking her head, Teresa couldn’t understand.
……
Oracle Hall, inside the bath.
Isavel sat in the bath, a towel covering her chest, and sighed. “Can’t you pick a better time to visit me?”
“A better time? Isn’t this a good time?”
Queen Flandre sat at the edge of the bath, resting her chin in her hands, both legs dipped into the water, gently kicking like a child.
The water rippled with her movements, but her gaze never left Isavel.
Luckily, the steamy mist obscured the water’s surface. All she could ever see was Isavel’s smooth, fragrant shoulders and her vague, underwater silhouette.
“Well, what brings you here?”
“Ahem, according to my information, the Norwich Empire has planted quite a few people in the Imperial Capital. They’ve set up an Information Network and have sent out news about a certain young Rose Knight under your command.”
“Teresa, isn’t it?”
“You guessed?”
“The only one worth that much effort right now is Teresa.”
With barely a thought, Isavel could tell what those Norwich Empire nobles were up to.
Teresa was from the Preston Family. They’d leaked her whereabouts to that family, who would then come to the Oracle Hall to take Teresa away—thus weakening the Rose Knights.
Just as Nola had said before, if they couldn’t have the Rose Knights, they’d do everything they could to destroy them.
Reducing their numbers was one way.
“So clever. Then what will you do?”
“I need to know where those Information Network agents are hiding.”
“That’s possible. I could even send someone to deal with them. But… why should I? Or rather, what can you offer me?”
With a sly smile, Queen Flandre’s legs began splashing again, and her gaze grew hotter, her meaning ever clearer.
She wanted some “benefit” from Isavel.
“What can I offer?”
Murmuring to herself, Isavel gave a helpless smile.
Then, before Flandre could react, she grabbed her calf and pulled her right into the bath.
Splash—!
Water sprayed everywhere, and Queen Flandre, still dressed in her royal gown, was soaked in an instant.
The wet dress clung tightly to her, outlining her perfect figure.
After swallowing a mouthful of bathwater, before she could recover, Flandre found Isavel’s arm around her waist.
The black-haired Saintess pressed close to her cheek; they could feel each other’s breath.
Their eyes met. Isavel didn’t hesitate—she kissed her straight away.
Who knew how much time passed before Isavel finally let go, grinning mischievously. “Didn’t you want my body so badly? Now that you’ve seen it, how do you feel?”
How did she feel?
Soft, fragrant, a bit domineering…
Bah! She didn’t see anything!
Queen Flandre’s mind was dizzy, her vision blurry, further clouded by the white mist.
She couldn’t even get a clear look at Isavel’s figure.
Most importantly, her face was crimson red, shame chasing out every other thought.
In this moment, all she wanted was to escape!
So not long after, Renia, standing outside the bath, saw Queen Flandre burst out the door, wrapped in her soaked royal gown, fleeing down the corridor in utter panic.
The two Queen’s Maids exchanged looks, baffled at what had just happened, then hurried after her, faces full of confusion.
Trying to tease her lady and getting teased instead—honestly.
Watching them flee, Renia muttered quietly.
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