Chapter 278 (2): Made Fearless by Love

Wayne’s eyes twitched. He said stiffly, “N-no problem. Do whatever you want. I won’t blame you no matter how much trouble you cause.”

“I lied. I won’t be that childish. I’m not Veronica.”

Ottilia held onto Wayne’s elbow and started guilt-tripping him without having learned the trick, saying coquettishly that she would only feel bad for Brother Wayne.

“Ottilia, where did you learn to speak like that?” Wayne asked curiously. “Who taught you?”

“No one. I just said what was on my mind. Maybe it’s the succubus talking...”

Ottilia pressed a finger to her lips. Her crimson nail and the lipstick, combined with her seductive face, stood out in the pitch-black screening room. Sensing Wayne’s quickening breath, Ottilia lowered her head and leaned in, breathing sweetly at him. “Master, a succubus has many instincts. Would you like to study them more deeply?”

No thanks!

If they were going to date, they should be dating properly. Some steps could only be unlocked after several dates, or how would that be any different from giving herself away?

Vera, for example, had insisted on throwing herself at him, but Wayne stopped her every time.

No rush. Be patient and set the rules. Giving herself away easily out of love would only make the other party take her for granted, which would put her at a disadvantage.

Wayne gave Ottilia the same advice that he had given to Vera: do not reward a man every time. Never easily trust a boyfriend’s sweet words.

Men only wanted sex!

Wayne kept making things more difficult for himself since Vera was one of his first loves. It didn’t work very well since Vera was frustrated about falling behind Veronica and Kristen. She just wanted to catch up and overtake them—in both how far they went and the number of times they did it.

She had come first, so she should be at the top of the list.

Ottilia transformed back into a human. Having reapplied lipstick in the restroom, she interlocked her fingers with Wayne’s and said with uncertainty, “What if Veronica saw? She wouldn’t get mad at you, would she?”

“Not only that, but she would also fight you,” Wayne grumbled. “She’s terrifying.”

He didn’t know why, but Veronica had been hostile to Ottilia at their first meeting, and Ottilia shared the sentiment. The two of them had no history with each other and hadn’t even met more than a few times.

Did their auras clash or something?

***

Meanwhile, Londan Head Office of the Windsor District, Church of Nature.

Today, a higher-up of the Church of Nature’s headquarters arrived in secret. Silvia welcomed the guest personally in the High Reverend’s office.

The black-robed woman stepped in, gliding her fingers across the large desk before stopping right before the large floor-to-ceiling window. She looked down at the forest and plains in the distance. Even when she said nothing, her slim figure radiated an incredible presence.

Silvia stood like a sidekick and could only watch as the woman claimed her chair.

Oracle High Reverend of the Church of Nature’s headquarters, Senna Castellana!

“Oracle High Reverend, Silvia Lando, District High Reverend of Windsor, welcome your arrival.” Silvia cursed out the old hag in her mind as she put on a respectful expression.

The woman had taken her desk right after entering her office like she owned the place. This was Silvia’s territory. If Senna angered her, she would sic the Darkness Knight and the Death Knight on Senna once she was home.

“Silvia, you should call me master.” Senna looked at her student with interest, playing with the fountain pen on the desk. With a smile, she continued, “Let me think. How long has it been since we last saw each other?”

“It’s been more than twenty years. I can’t remember the exact period. I only know that I was a girl back then,” Silvia said sarcastically, mocking her for being an old woman.

Senna was a woman at the end of the day and frowned at talks about age, but she was too experienced to be so easily taunted. With an unwavering smile, she reminisced about her past and lamented, “Yes, after our years apart, you’re now a mother, and your children are more than twenty.”

They fell silent, glaring at each other. Although they had kept their insults to themselves, they were cursing up a storm in their minds, greeting each other’s family members with the harshest words.

Silvia cursed until she realized that she was cursing herself by extension, too. She put an end to their long-awaited reunion and said bluntly, “Oracle High Reverend, I have not received official instructions from headquarters. Why did you come to Londan privately?”

“Call me Master!”

After a stretch of stiff silence, Silvia mumbled ‘master’ and said that she would let bygones be bygones, forgiving herself for leaving for her hometown to get married without any warning.

“Don’t worry, my student. Your master has not come to Londan to make things difficult for you.” Senna lowered the fountain pen and insisted on assuming the role of her master. “Headquarters haven’t sent official notification because I’m taking on a top-secret mission. It’s too sensitive, so you’d better not look into it. Learning too much will only do you harm.”

You’re annoying, old woman. I’m sending the Darkness Knight and the Death Knight to tag-team you tonight!

Silvia imagined the two knights cornering Senna while she clutched onto her tattered clothes, shaking. That would be nice—

No, only use pure violence!

The Death Knight couldn’t go the other way, and especially not the Darkness Knight. Just beat her half to death.

Silvia took a deep breath and said, “If it’s confidential, I’ll stop asking. What’s your plan, Master? Are you staying at the head office, or should I arrange accommodation for you?”

“No need for that. I’ll just stay at your place.”

Silvia frowned. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to take the old hag home. She could forgo arranging for a chance meeting in an alleyway since Senna could run into the Darkness Knight and the Death Knight at the door. But the fact that Senna had suddenly asked to stay at her place...

Sorry, they were only master and student. They weren’t that close.

Silvia suspected that Senna was up to something, and the Lando family was in a complicated state right now. She rejected the request and said that she would arrange a residence for Senna.

“No, I’ll stay at the Lando Estate.”

“Is your mission related to my family?” Silvia’s face turned icy. “Who is it? Veronica... or I?”

“Neither.”

Sensing Silvia’s caution, Senna resigned herself to lowering her pride. Times were different now. Her student was now in a position of power, and she had to appeal to her. Thus, Senna chose to tell her about the mission’s targets.

“I came to Londan for two things. First, to mend our relationship...”

“Pfft!”

Silvia couldn’t help but laugh out loud. When Senna scowled at her, she quickly waved her hand. “Sorry, Master. I didn’t expect you to turn so soft. This isn’t who you are. You aren’t trying to set me up, are you?”

I would like to, but I wouldn’t dare.

Senna closed her eyes to compose herself, adjusting to her current relationship with Silvia. She said slowly, “Silvia, I’m no longer the same person. When Veronica pulled out of the Holy Maiden selection, I didn’t go hard on her, did I?”

“That’s because of Wayne. You know that he is the future Nature Knight, so you don’t dare to go after Veronica,” Silvia shot back mockingly. Then her expression changed. “I get it now. You’re here for Wayne.”

“Silvia, you’ve gotten smarter!” Senna said in surprise.

Why are you surprised? Who are you looking down on?

The more Silvia looked at Senna, the more hateful she seemed. Silvia huffed, “Why do you seek Wayne? He’s the next chosen knight. You are in no place to order him.”

Yeah, it’s usually the other way around!

Senna’s face darkened, worried about the changes she was undergoing.

Before Wayne left the headquarters of the Church of Nature, Nature Knight Moula had told Wayne to find a suitable mount. If something went wrong in the Frozen Land, he hoped that Wayne would offer his assistance. Then, Senna became said mount, being ridden in different ways for the next few days.

After Wayne’s departure, Senna would think of him every once in a while. One night, she even had a nightmare that made her heart race, scaring her so much that she didn’t dare to go back to sleep.

Her worst fear came true, though. Something did go wrong in the Frozen Land, and Moula contacted Vice Captain Garvin to ask for Wayne to go to the Frozen Land as soon as possible.

Garvin was going to come to Londan personally, and he reported to the Pope about it during a meeting, saying that he would be away from headquarters for a while. For some reason, Senna chimed in and took on the mission of playing messenger instead.

Seriously, this was the prime time to fight for power. Outside of Garvin, who had little interest in power, none of the Oracle High Reverends were willing to leave headquarters.

The old Senna wouldn’t have left, either, but she still did it. And the closer she was to Londan, the more anxious she became. It was a mix of anticipation for a long-awaited reunion and panic about how things might have changed.

Wayne had left headquarters in June, and it was only mid-July now. One and a half months wasn’t a long wait at all. Senna wondered if her body was broken in some way.

Not only her body, but her thoughts were also expressing their cravings for her faith.

When Senna continued to brood silently, Silvia’s expression darkened, too. “Senna, Wayne’s going to be the Nature Knight. I suggest you not use your little tricks on him.”

He’s the one making significant moves on me!

Senna couldn’t express her grievances. She scowled and said, “Call me Master.”

“Hmph!”

Senna raged, raising her hand to teach her rebellious student a lesson, but then her heart clenched, and she almost couldn’t maintain her human form. She glared at Silvia instead. “Don’t worry. I won’t dare to do anything to him. I’ll be grateful if he doesn’t do anything to me.”

Old woman, you should watch your phrasing!

Silvia didn’t think much of it, assuming that Senna simply wasn’t bold enough to go after the Nature Knight. Then she realized that even if her son weren’t the Nature Knight, the old hag still wouldn’t have been able to do anything.

Do you know the Death Knight? Hmph.

Silvia experienced the joy of having a Death Knight son—the joy of being able to afford recklessness. Then she looked at Senna. Aside from her busty figure, long legs, and incredibly stunning face, nothing was outstanding about her. She was absolutely mediocre.

Silvia put her hands on her hips. Before she could bask in the satisfaction, though, she realized something was wrong with her: her faith was no longer pure.

As the Windsor District High Reverend of the Church of Nature and Nature’s apostle, she could feel proud of her son, but not for her son’s identity as the Death Knight.

Damn it! She had been corrupted by the Darkness Knight and fallen.

Bastard, I’m gonna beat you to death when I’m home!