As she thought, Vanessa’s dark brows knit slightly. She felt like she had overlooked a very important problem, but what exactly it was—she couldn’t recall it for the moment.

Two hours passed. Vanessa belted a bath towel around herself and walked out of the bathroom with her hair wrapped in another towel. The beauty’s crystal-clear skin carried a faint flush from the hot water—fair and rosy, a sight too beautiful to describe.

All you could say was: the bath towel had suffered. Trying to fully wrap those abundant, grand, cloud-wreathed high peaks and mountain ranges was not an easy task at all.

Vanessa put on the soft slippers and sat on the bed to rest for a bit. She saw the clothes Luna had thoughtfully placed on her bed—a light yellow waist-cinched dress. Vanessa compared the size. It fit reasonably well.

And then... there were some thoughtful undergarments.

These were probably Luna’s, at least some of them. Vanessa tried them—and they were still too small. It wasn’t a matter of “a bit tight.”

She completely couldn’t get them on.

What was she supposed to do??

Vanessa sighed, resting her cheek on one hand.

Maybe this was the trouble of being too big? Sometimes she really envied Aesphyra. She never had this kind of trouble. Vanessa felt like when she had time, she should go “politely” ask Aesphyra just how exactly she’d “maintained” herself from childhood to now.

With no suitable undergarments, and forcing these ill-fitting ones risking snapping the seams, Vanessa thought it over and over, and in the end she could only put on the waist-cinched dress directly and go commando.

There was nothing else to do. Anyway, the only people traveling with her were three girls, so it wasn’t a big deal. And she’d always been used to sleeping with nothing on in the first place.

So she put on the waist-cinched dress, let her hair down, went to the vanity, dried and fixed her hair. The indoor light fell across the girl’s glossy, textured, slightly wavy cherry-pink hair—like velvet of excellent quality.

After combing her soft, fluffy hair into place, Vanessa walked to the door and hesitated for a moment. Then she twisted the handle, opened it, and went down the stairs to the hall—only to find the other three had already finished bathing, wearing brand-new waist-cinched formal dresses as they sat on the hall sofa.

Vanessa noticed Luna had also combed her dark hair into a side ponytail. Mm. In a certain sense, it was a very dangerous hairstyle. Paired with that platinum, luxurious dress close to her eye color, showing her lotus-root-white arms and thighs, it fully displayed the noble young lady and refined gentlewoman elegance.

After taking off her student uniform and putting on a more homey waist-cinched dress, Amisha’s vibe looked quite different. Normally, Carillian Academy’s student uniform forcibly pushed her style toward “big-chested schoolgirl.” Once the uniform was gone, with Amisha’s size, anything she wore looked like a strapless banquet gown—especially with her slightly wavy milk-gold long hair. She was so delicate she looked like a doll.

As for Fennia—without the uniform, once she put on a daily-style dress, she looked like the little sister next door, a pure and innocent girl. As for why... it definitely had something to do with that flat plain.

“Lady Saintess, are you feeling better? You didn’t fall while bathing, right?” Seeing Vanessa come down, Fennia immediately stepped forward with concern.

“Miss Fennia, I’m much better. And as for tripping over flat ground... I think that’s something I’m incapable of at any time.” Vanessa sat down. She was still a bit weak, but she was clearly in far better shape than before.

“And you all? How do you feel?” Vanessa asked.

“Thank you for your concern, Lady Saintess. We’re all in good condition. We already used healing arts to restore our injuries almost completely.” Luna explained.

Thinking about it, that made sense. The four people present all had [Saint’s Envoy] as their Spirit Soul. The healing effect wasn’t a joke. You could say they were in a state where as long as they weren’t cut down, they definitely wouldn’t die.

“Everyone. While I was bathing earlier, I suddenly realized a very serious problem.” Vanessa sat with proper, dignified poise in the main-seat sofa, organizing her words with her usual elegant bearing.

“Oh? What problem?” The other three all looked at her with curiosity.

“When we left the dim-cube anomaly space... did we overlook something important?” Vanessa {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} continued.

“You mean...?” Amisha seemed to think of something.

“That’s right. Where is [Blood-Debt]? What happened to that Most-Evil Divine Armament? Was it completely destroyed?” Vanessa said calmly.

“Eh? Wasn’t it?” Fennia was confused. “Didn’t [Blood-Debt] get ignited by your holy flame, Lady Saintess? I remember it got burned to pieces. It has to be beyond saving, right?”

“And when the cube collapsed, there’s no way anyone could’ve saved it, right? So that great evil sword definitely already lost its life. Surviving after being burned by holy flame is completely impossible.” Fennia continued. “It also deserved it. That thing has done so much evil from ancient times to the present.”

“I hope so.” For some reason, Vanessa kept having a premonition that the Most-Evil Divine Armament wouldn’t be finished off so easily.

She hoped this was just an inaccurate guess on her part.

“Lady Saintess has finished bathing and recovered enough, so let’s get to the main topic. There’s no one else here.” Even so, before Luna said that, she took out something like a music box. She opened it, and an invisible cover spread out, covering the entire hall and including all of them inside.

“That enchanted tool is... a Soundproof Box?” Amisha recognized the function of the magic box in Luna’s hand.

“Mm-hm. Even though there’s no one else here, to be cautious, I opened the Soundproof Box. The conversation that follows will only be known by the few of us.” Luna explained.

“I brought you all here to discuss what happens after we return to the academy.”

“After we return to Carillian Academy, we need to unify our story and have an explanation for what happened.” Luna said.

“An explanation?” Fennia thought. “Miss Luna, do you mean about Caron, [Blood-Debt], and Foreno?”

“Yes. And some other things afterward.”

“I think we’re upright and proper—this was purely self-defense. If we’re asked, we can just say it openly. Why hide it?” Fennia said. “Just tell the truth, and that’s that.”

“Right. I think so too. Telling the truth is naturally the best.” Luna stated her view. “The situation we’re in is no different than walking a tightrope. If we can tell the truth, we should. If one day we can’t patch the logic, then when the time comes, even if we want to explain, we won’t be able to.”

“But.” Luna’s tone shifted, and she looked at Vanessa. “We can’t tell the truth about everything. For example, we absolutely cannot tell the truth about Lady Saintess. Otherwise everything will be ruined. I don’t need to explain that to you, right?”

“Mm. Don’t worry. Amisha and I know.” Fennia nodded.

“Good. Then let’s unify our story.”

The only thing Vanessa needed to pay attention to was that Caron was, after all, a high noble of the Camella Kingdom. If the cause of his death was made public, it would have a certain impact on the Camella Kingdom—especially on his family.

But there was no helping it.

If you do evil, you pay the corresponding price.

Besides that, Vanessa would also discuss this matter with Mirexia.

“As for Foreno, we have to speak in riddles.” Luna paused. “Because what Foreno went to do is something Carillian Academy doesn’t know. The Church’s upper ranks—and the Pope—can’t possibly not know. If they find out his death is connected to us, it will definitely raise suspicion.”

“For now, we’ll avoid talking about his death.”

“Also, Lady Saintess Vanessa—before you have the ability to protect yourself, try not to leave Carillian Academy.” Luna said.

“Carillian Academy is, after all, the former territory of the ancient empire, and it’s also the number one academy on the Tyrelis Continent. No matter how bold the Church of the Dawn is, they wouldn’t dare send their subordinates into Carillian Academy to assassinate a student. That would not only be tearing the relationship apart with Carillian Academy—it would also shatter their reputation overnight.”

“So staying inside the academy is very safe. Even Foreno, who had the Pope’s approval, only dared to take advantage of this study trip outside, using demonic space to isolate you and leave you without support before making a move.”

“Mm. I understand.” Vanessa nodded.

After unifying their story, Luna continued giving other instructions.

“Miss Amisha. Miss Fennia.” Luna looked at Fennia and Amisha.

“Mm!”

“In the future, when you see Lady Saintess at the academy, what should you call her?” Luna asked.

“We should call... ah, right. What should we call her?” Fennia suddenly realized this problem.

Would it still be “Vinny” like before??

Fennia felt like it should be. But after learning Vanessa’s true identity, Fennia always felt like those words were scorching hot in her mouth. She stammered and just couldn’t say them.

“Like before... we call her the same way?” Fennia asked cautiously.

“Isn’t that obviously the case?” Luna looked at Fennia’s reaction with amusement and joked. “Otherwise what does Miss Fennia want to call her? Keep calling her Lady Saintess, and then let’s all be sent to the stake by the Church together?”

“Uh, but...” Fennia glanced at Vanessa, turned her head, glanced again, then turned her head back.

She had trouble placing the image of “Vinny” from before together with the current “Vanessa,” because it made Fennia remember all those countless black histories of hers.

Thinking she could fight.

Thinking she was justice’s partner, the Church’s claws.

Publicly talking back to Lady Saintess and mouthing off, declaring a challenge—then getting thoroughly beaten down.

Even if nobody else knew, she’d be ashamed to death for the rest of her life!

And back then so many people had been watching!

“When you meet on campus, when you run into her, both of you need to act like you’re not that close and call Lady Saintess ‘Vinny.’ Do you understand?” Luna said.

“I’ll demonstrate once.” As she spoke, Luna turned her gaze to Vanessa, and her expression instantly became that polite, elegant smile. “Morning, Vinny~”

“Greet her like that. Understand?” Luna said. “Then, to prevent any cracks in your attitude later that might let someone see through you, you two demonstrate once.”

Amisha demonstrated naturally.

Fennia, though, had it rough. After repeating it several times, she still sounded unnatural. It took a long time before Luna finally said she barely passed.

After that, seeing it was getting late, Luna said it was time for dinner. Everyone was hungry. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

“I’ll cook.” Amisha offered proactively. It seemed like only she could cook here.

“Then I’ll help, too.” Vanessa volunteered.

“Oh?” The three of them all looked completely shocked. But thinking about Vanessa’s experiences from childhood to now, it didn’t seem strange anymore.

Because this wasn’t a delicate Saintess raised in a honey jar. Calling her a grassroots Saintess wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

“Mm. I know a little.”

“No need. I’ll do it.” Amisha said. “Lady Saintess, you only just recovered. Rest properly. Little Fennia, and Miss Luna too—you should go back to your rooms and rest first. When I’ve finished the meal, I’ll call you down.”

“The earlier battle... you all worked hard. I didn’t help at all.” This wasn’t Amisha being modest. She wasn’t a knight—she was only a high-tier Sorcerer-class. The earlier fight, because she lacked mana, she’d been down the whole time. Fennia had carried Vanessa the whole way. When Vanessa fell, it was Luna. She really hadn’t helped.

After Luna introduced where all the seasonings and foods were in the kitchen, none of them went back to their rooms. They sat back down in the living hall.

“Oh right, Miss Fennia—during the earlier battle, did you lose your sword?” Luna suddenly asked.

“Ah. Yes.” That sword had been Fennia’s beloved sword, too.

“In that case, I’ll go to the armory here and pick you a new one.” Luna said.

“Really? I can?” Fennia asked.

“Of course. From now on, you’re Lady Saintess’s close bodyguard. How can you not even have a weapon on you?” Luna said half-jokingly. “At this rate, Lady Saintess will have to protect you instead.”

“Uh...” Hearing that, Fennia lowered her head in embarrassment.

Before, it really had been Vanessa protecting her the whole time.

So Fennia didn’t refuse. Who knew whether they’d run into something again next? As a knight, she couldn’t be empty-handed.

With her current strength, it was one thing if she couldn’t help Vanessa. But dragging her down—that was a crime.

So Fennia followed Luna to the backyard, leaving Vanessa alone in the living hall.

“AAAAH!” Just as Vanessa leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes to rest, Amisha’s scream suddenly burst out from the kitchen.

“H-help!!”

“Amisha, what is it?!” Vanessa’s heart tightened. She immediately got up and hurried into the kitchen.