Night Monarch's Cannon Fodder Bride-Chapter 22: Under the Holy Mother’s Gaze

"We meet again," Emmett said as he took a seat on the empty pew beside Severine. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

His remark clearly startled her. Her eyes widened slightly, lips pursed as she blinked at him.

Cute, he mused.

"Senior," Severine gave a polite nod. Her face was calm, but her shock was beyond words.

Why, out of all people, does it have to be Emmett?

She didn’t want to see any main characters from the novel, let alone her prospective fiancé.

"Aunt Isabella asked me to take care of you."

Her barely restrained facade nearly crumbled then and there.

"She is worried about your studies. Though I highly doubt her judgment is correct this time."

Emmett was wearing gold-rimmed glasses that gave him a scholarly air. For once, Severine didn’t feel repulsed by his presence.

"I apologize, Senior. I have no idea she called you."

She did. She just wanted to know how far her mother’s thoughts had wandered.

Emmett placed his one leg over the other. His green eyes crinkled into a smile behind the glass.

"Don’t worry about it. My mother is also the same," he let out a defeated laugh. "There is just no way around them, is there?"

"Hmm."

Severine didn’t speak further, letting the silence engulf them. She assumed that the senior would leave, but he seemed to have other plans.

"When should I tutor you?"

"Huh?"

Severine finally gave the tall Awakener her full attention. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. My mother wants me to teach you, and I never say no to her. So—what timing suits you? Around seven should be fine."

Severine had a sudden urge to yell.

"...No need. I think I can handle it myself for now."

Perhaps Emmett didn’t think anyone would say no to him, but the way he looked at her with strange eyes made Severine shift in her seat.

"What’s your grade?" he asked, partially amused by her guarded reaction.

As the topper of his class, he was always asked for advice.

He was willingly offering his help, and yet the other party was showing disdain. This was really the first for him.

"Rank 1."

Emmett: "..."

Realizing her reaction might have been too stern, Severine softened her voice. "I mean, there is no need to go out of your way. If I need your help, I’ll ask you myself."

Emmett raised his brow before chuckling, "I see."

He took a sip from his bottle.

The citrus scent hit her senses sharply. It clearly wasn’t water. And from the hint of it, she could more or less guess that it was an alcoholic beverage.

Her gaze traveled toward the statue of the Holy Mother and then back to the green-eyed scholar.

There was a peculiar harmony between his cultured appearance and his decadent nature.

Her fingers clutched around the hem of her shirt when she noticed his forked tongue dart out briefly to lick his lips.

Snake Awakener...

According to the theory of evolution, humans transformed from animals.

Despite living differently, they still retained that same life force in their blood. This was also why some tended to act like over-excited monkeys while others preferred to stay like Koyalas.

When the sudden disease hit mankind, humans awakened those hidden life forces to evolve into better beings, thus known as Awakeners.

These Awakeners would get a boost in their physical and mental strength, matching their bloodline, thus gaining the upper hand in a society ruled by power.

And people like Severine, who couldn’t Awaken after sixteen, were nothing but inferior humans. Their role was to serve their future leaders in the making.

She was more fearful of Emmett than Damien. With Young Master Rhodes, it was easier to read his intentions from his blunt remarks.

But D’Arden was as sly as a snake, making it hard to guess what he truly wished.

There was a saying in the academy that anyone with a pretty face had been to D’Arden’s bed.

He would use others, and those girls would still thank him.

Recalling all the things he had done in the novel, one word surfaced in her mind.

Scary...

Only when she left the church did her rapid heartbeat calm down.

When she returned to her dorm room, her phone vibrated inside her pocket.

It was a video call from Alina Hart.

The moment the call connected, the young lady with wide yellow eyes filled the screen.

"Your highness! How are you? Did you miss me? Check this out."

Without giving Severine a chance to reply, Alina changed the camera angle.

A big golden trophy was placed on Alina’s bunk bed.

When both stood in one frame, it was hard to notice which shone brighter, the trophy or her eyes.

"Congratulations."

"Hahaha... You should have seen my last shot. I was so damn cool."

Infected by pure happiness, Severine’s lips curled up as well.

"When are you coming back?"

"What? Can’t live without me?" Alina wiggled her brows and let out a silly giggle. "I know I’m very lovable. Don’t worry, your precious baby will be back by tomorrow afternoon."

"Hmm."

Severine never expected that this meeting would bring another storm into her life.

The golden sun decided to take a vacation. The sky darkened as heavy clouds pressed against the glass windows.

Instead of attending classes, Severine stayed in her room.

Curled beneath a warm comforter, she lay on the lounge near the window. With the curtains drawn, the darkness remained trapped outside.

A cup of coffee on the small table released thin wisps of steam, and beside it lay a tiny rectangular gift box.

Samuel had just delivered it along with the files that needed her urgent attention.

As she signed them in approval, the weight inside her chest lifted bit by bit.

"This should be near the academy," she murmured to herself while her fingers traced the picture of a chemical factory.

The Xing.

It was just a small company, nothing that could get the attention of a bigger corporation.

There wasn’t much about The Xing in her prophetic dreams, yet she vaguely felt a familiar sense with the name.

She set that file aside, among the pile of subjects that needed revision.