Stella’s words were like dropping a heavy bomb into a calm lake, making Via’s heart unable to maintain its peace.
The pink-haired girl stepped back, her eyes widening in shock.
What was the situation?
Why did Stella know she was Mr. W?
“What Mr. W, Mr. Y— I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Stella, are you joking or something?”
“You’re really not admitting it?”
“Admit what?”
“Your family’s kitty has already dragged out the evidence.”
“Evidence?”
Via was somewhat puzzled.
She turned her head and looked at the little yellow cat.
“Meow meow~!”
The little yellow cat dragged the black robe out from under the sofa, carrying it to Via’s front, and proudly lifted its head, seemingly wanting praise.
Via’s cheek twitched.
You bad cat!
She was truly speechless.
After returning home, she had taken off the black robe and tossed it in the corner of the living room, planning to wash it.
But because she was too tired, she fell asleep and happened not to deal with it.
“Via, what do you say this is?” Stella looked curious.
“It’s just a black robe, right? I really like reading comics and enjoy cosplay—this prop is for my imitation.”
Via noticed that although the black robe had been dragged out by the little yellow cat, the mask wasn’t there—that was the decisive evidence proving Mr. W.
She had properly stored that mask away.
“Via, you actually have this hobby?”
“Yeah, I’m usually unpopular, so I can only stay by myself and entertain myself, right?” Via just wouldn’t admit it.
“Entertaining yourself—then, entering the underground black market is also part of entertaining yourself?”
Via fell silent.
Her intuition was right—the mysterious girl she encountered in the underground black market back then was Stella.
The other party had also recognized her identity.
“This is really something. Clearly the daughter of the Perfect Saintess Sylvia, as a saintess candidate of the Holy Land, using a false identity to come and go in Doff City’s underground black market, and even conducting illegal transactions with the Favi family.”
Stella circled half around Via.
“What do you think would happen if the Holy Land knew about this?”
“It wouldn’t…”
Via lowered her head, her pink bangs covering her eyes.
Her gaze changed, filled with icy killing intent.
Stella knew too much—it had already become a threat to her.
She quickly pondered how to handle it.
If these matters were exposed, it would be all harm and no benefit—the Holy Land would definitely launch a major investigation against her.
The best choice right now was to make Stella keep the secret and not reveal it to anyone.
“You’re really stuffed mochi—such a scary look.”
Stella covered her mouth and quickly distanced herself from Via.
“It feels like after I exposed you, you’re really angry.”
“Stella, I’m a bit curious—how did you know all this?”
Via’s tone changed, her expression icy—she was too lazy to pretend her usual soft and sticky appearance anymore.
“Back then, while you weren’t paying attention, I took a strand of hair from you.”
In Stella’s hand was a pink hair strand—without a doubt, it was Via’s hair.
“I think, in the entire Doff City, you’re the only one with pink hair, right?”
“You discovered it was me early on?”
… This wasn’t good.
“Yeah, I’ve been observing you for a while, Via.”
Stella’s eyes seemed to sparkle—she was truly very interested in Via.
“Owen’s death should be related to you, right? Your strength is absolutely strong, not matching the public’s impression. You’re good at disguising weakness to make everyone lower their guard against you.”
“Yeah, I’m also curious—aren’t you at all worried that your actions might bring some disaster?”
Via could activate the Demon King Armament.
She had full confidence in making Stella unable to leave this room.
Making the other party shut up forever would be quite easy.
“Before coming to this dorm, I left a letter with the city lord of Doff City and instructed him that if I didn’t go find him within three hours, to send the letter out.”
Stella sat on the sofa—even facing Via’s gaze full of killing intent, she showed no fear.
“Guess where this letter would be sent?”
“Where?”
Via realized that Stella’s identity might not be simple.
With just one word from this girl, Anima casually agreed to let her enter her dorm, and she could be on good terms with the Favi family, traveling with Lucy.
“The imperial family of the Saint Luo Empire.”
!
“My identity is the Ninth Princess from the Saint Luo Empire, Stella.”
“You’re actually a princess?”
“That’s right, Via. I speculate that you definitely have means to kill me, but you’d also bear a huge risk.”
Stella lifted her head and glanced at the clock.
She was clearly gambling with Via, the stake being her own life.
“There’s still two hours before the letter heads to the imperial capital. Kill me now and start this gamble, Via—I won’t resist.”
“Has your brain gone abnormal?”
Via couldn’t help but comment.
She really hadn’t expected that the Ninth Princess of the empire would act like a gambler with nothing to lose, completely not cherishing her own life.
This was completely different from the other noble children she had seen—truly bold.
“Just say it—what do you want? You could have secretly reported me to the Holy Land, but instead, you insist on jumping in front of me and performing this unpleasant drama.”
“I’ll keep your secret, Via. I think you don’t want others to know you’re doing these things, which is why you used a fake identity,” Stella proposed. “On this point, I can cooperate with you—even use my princess identity to cover for you.”
“The Ninth Princess of the Saint Luo Empire…”
Via didn’t deny this point.
The Ninth Princess of the Saint Luo Empire was indeed a quite convenient identity—with just one word, she could avoid a lot of trouble.
But she also didn’t understand one thing: since Stella was a princess, she must be pampered—whatever she wanted, she didn’t need to say it, and subordinates would naturally offer it with both hands.
What exactly did the other party want to gain from her that was worth risking her life like this?
“What do you need to get from me?”
“That would be—”
Stella smiled faintly, slowly lifting her finger, stopping in front of Via’s face, and giving an unexpectedly surprising yet extremely concise answer.
“You.”
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