Chapter 188 (2): Why Are You So Good at It

During breakfast, Wayne didn’t see Veronica, and Auston and Silvia had left home early. He asked the servants to send breakfast for one to his mansion before walking around the main house on his own, looking for lost treasure in some hidden corner, but he only saw a bored black cat wandering about haughtily, as if it were patrolling its territory.

Monica!

“Keke.” Wayne knelt and beckoned to the black cat, but it raised its hackles and bolted.

His ambush the last time had severely traumatized it. With the memory still fresh in its mind, it refused to give Wayne a chance to pet it.

Wayne huffed. He asked for a black car to take Kristen back to his residence.

During the drive, he grabbed Kristen’s hand and kissed her on the face when she didn’t expect it, shocking her into pushing him away and sitting upright.

There’s a driver here. Don’t mess around!

Wayne didn’t share the concern. The driver had to be loyal to Auston, and he was hoping to send a message to Auston this way. If Auston said nothing afterward, Wayne would consider that permission. Then, when Veronica demanded an answer, he would say that it was her father’s order to keep the precious divine blood close to him.

In the afternoon, Wayne continued his lesson for Kristen in the study. Typical of a young couple, they held each other whenever there was a chance with bubbling passion, never wasting a second not being in each other’s embrace.

Then, the phone rang. It was the third call Veryl had picked up, having turned away the caller the previous two times. He only remembered now that Master Wayne was home.

The first two calls came from the Church of Moonlight. The High Reverend was looking for her tour guide. Whatever questions she asked, Veryl said that he didn’t have an answer. Then the Ministry of Magic phoned in.

The High Reverend, unable to reach Wayne, had demanded that the Ministry of Magic send him to her.

It was effective. As the ambassador appointed by the Minister, Wayne headed to the base of the Church of Moonlight with Kristen in tow. While the library remained intact, the church inside was utterly devastated, and the beautiful landscape with a full moon was no more, replaced by a ruin left in the aftermath of a great battle.

The church had suffered serious casualties in Londan. Almost everyone met an untimely end due to Dorrin and Obed’s scheme.

It was a great headache for Filomina. She had to admit that as an outsider who was appointed the leader, she would’ve had trouble exerting her authority over the locals despite having a higher status. Thus, it actually helped her concentrate her power that the locals had been mostly wiped out. She could transfer her subordinates from the headquarters to quickly establish herself.

Moreover, Vice Minister of Magic Obed’s attack against the Church of Moonlight was a responsibility the Ministry of Magic could not get out of. ‘Traitor’ wasn’t a good enough explanation. The Church of Moonlight could leverage the matter to demand heavy compensation, which was another plus.

However, it was also bad news.

The Ministry of Magic wasn’t the only one with a traitor in their midst. The Church of Moonlight was in the same situation. Dorrin had conspired with an outsider to murder members of the church; there was no whitewashing her. The Ministry of Magic had the right to call itself a victim for the losses it had suffered.

Both their headquarters were locked down, and they almost all died. Why were the victims blaming each other? They should just take a step back and let the matter settle, not pointing fingers.

The negotiation was ongoing with both sides fighting for their interests and making compromises. Filomina had only just recovered from a critical condition. She couldn’t stand involving herself in the messy political parleying, so she made it the headquarters’ business to negotiate with the Ministry of Magic.

She received Wayne in her office. The twins stood guard outside and set up a soundproofing barrier.

By Wayne’s request, Kristen entered the office with him. Although she was a disciple of the Church of Moonlight, she chose to stand behind him. It was an eyesore to Filomina.

After the fight, Wayne had left with Kristen like he was worried about her getting taken from him, making Filomina feel like an outsider. How could he take a girl home when his girlfriend was recovering? What kind of boyfriend would that make him?

Filomina glared at Wayne, but it wasn’t effective. She glared at Kristen instead and saw a great result. The girl lowered her head and couldn’t meet her gaze.

Why are you looking down rather than looking at me?

Filomina’s head rang. She had a feeling that something terrible had happened while she was unconscious. She eyed Wayne and Kristen suspiciously, her gaze shifting between them.

“High Reverend, why did you ask for my presence?” Wayne broke the awkward silence. “If it’s because you want a tour around Londan’s tourist sights, I’ll advise against it. Putting aside your recent recovery, under the circumstances, the Church of Moonlight will require your attention in many aspects.”

Filomina seethed.

High Reverend?

Who was he calling High Reverend? She had told him to call her

Mina

.

She shot Wayne a withering glare and snapped, “You called me Mina with such affection before. Why did you stop today?”

Kristen covered her mouth. Wayne hadn’t told her about that. But... he had his reasons, surely. Representing the Ministry of Magic, he would have no choice but to get on the High Reverend’s good side.

She quickly found him an excuse even though she knew that it wasn’t a valid reason, only something she could fool herself with. Still, she couldn’t help but buy it.

Wayne smiled awkwardly, unsure how he should face Filomina. The atmosphere in the room grew still.

“Give us some room, Kristen. I want a private conversation with Wayne,” Filomina said.

Kristen dragged her feet and kept looking back as she walked out of the office. Once she was out, Filomina went up to Wayne and sat on his lap, breaking into tears.

Oh no!

Wayne paled in shock. Taking out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, he struggled to say, “What’s wrong, Mina? Did the Ministry of Magic bully you? Just tell me, and I’ll curse them for you.”

“It’s not your business!” Filomina sobbed pitifully, taking his hand to wipe her tears with the handkerchief. “You bastard, you made a move on Kristen after saving her because she’s younger and better than I am in every way, didn’t you?”

Of course!

“Don’t be silly. She’s not as beautiful or as graceful as you are.” Wayne clicked his tongue. If he told her the truth today, and Filomina made a deal out of it, the Ministry of Magic would make his life difficult for sure.

It didn’t really matter since the lightning would strike the taller tree that was Auston, but... why would Wayne make an ally an enemy, and for something as trivial as a relationship?

He had no choice but to keep being a scumbag!

Without wasting his breath, he took Filomina’s chin and kissed her passionately. Her eyes widened, her tears no longer overflowing. With a half-hearted push against him, she surrendered herself to the kiss.

Holding her in his arms, Wayne smacked his lips and said, “You must know how I feel about you, Mina. It was an accident that I saved you the first time, but the second time was out of love. I have to say that you were being a little unreasonable earlier. It’s embarrassing for me.”

Eyes dazed, Filomina pursed her lips and grumbled, “Bastard, why are you so good at it?”

She lay in his arms, suspecting that her young boyfriend had practiced his technique on Kristen, but Filomina had claimed him first!

“You’re being unreasonable again. I was wondering why you were so good at it, too, but I didn’t say it.”

He turned around and blamed her instead. Then he grabbed her chin and kissed her deeply once more. He had long figured out her preferences during his misguided courtship.

“Any question?”

“Yes.”

“Then we’ll keep going.”

Wayne demonstrated his dominant side and had a deep conversation with Filomina for ten minutes, resolving her doubt and melting her hardened heart with sweet whispers.

Although there was still a lot to be suspicious about, and she could’ve realized that if she just used her brain, she was too blissed out to think about anything—very much in line with her track record of easily giving herself away.

“Mina, I didn’t take Kristen away because I was wary of you. Why would I when I know you so well? I was wary of the Ministry of Magic.” Wayne lied solemnly. “None of those legendary mages is any good. If I leave Kristen behind, they’ll surely kidnap her. For the interest of the Church of Moonlight, you must protect her in this negotiation.”

Filomina nodded. Even if Wayne hadn’t said that, she had planned to do just that. To be on the safe side, she said, “In addition to the Ministry of Magic, the Church of Moonlight’s headquarters will be eyeing her too. The best solution is for me to take her as a student, awakening the power of her divine blood to make her grow as quickly as possible.”

She paid attention to Wayne’s expression as she said that, only breaking into a smile when he gave a simple nod.

Wayne was sweating under his poker face. Walking on thin ice wasn’t easy, and the ground could collapse under his feet at any time. If that happened, and Filomina made a scene at the Ministry of Magic and hollered at him at the Lando Estate...

He would be the latest laughingstock in Londan!

Let’s not get into it now. I’ll play by ear. I haven’t failed yet!

Wayne knew that he wasn’t strong enough to protect Kristen. A preplanned theft would always be more devastating than a random pickpocket. He had to involve the Church of Moonlight. If Filomina could train her into the church’s Holy Maiden, it would at least be a deterrent to the legendary mages.

Wayne had given it a lot of thought. It was better to depend on himself rather than others. He had to get stronger as soon as possible. And the solution was clear: the obelisk!

If he could find and acquire the second one, he would be able to kidnap old friends without reservation.

“Why are you suddenly so quiet? What are you thinking?”

“Thinking about you, of course. Let’s go to your place tonight. It’s been a while since I last put night cream on you.”

“Hmph, little pervert.”

“Do you like your little pervert?”

“Yeah.”