Chapter 696: Are you jealous?

"Do we need to tell Monica about the anomaly with that Holy Relic of Light?"

"Mhm. Remind her a bit later. For now, there’s no need to touch it. First, making contact rashly could cause unnecessary trouble; second, as you said, it only amplifies the believers’ pious faith in the Lord, serving as a subconscious guiding influence. As long as we first redirect that layer of faith onto Lyra, then its existence isn’t a bad thing at all. On the contrary, it’ll become our help."

For Kales to reorganize the troops and revise the next step of the strategic plan would take quite some time, and he’d have to spend plenty of effort talking people into it as well.

That was perfect, using the Holy Relic of Light, they could magnify the doubts that had already begun spreading through the army, making those knights accept the idea that Lyra was the chosen one and believe it without reservation.

Hearing Astrid, Lyra nodded in agreement. After a moment, as if she thought of something, she moistened her lips and spoke.

"But... if we tell Monica something like this, won’t she have other thoughts?"

Monica had always been convinced Astrid was the so-called incarnation of the Lord. Now Astrid knew the relic was abnormal yet had no way to eradicate it, wouldn’t that raise suspicion?

"Relax, Lyra..." Watching the land beneath them gradually shrink, Astrid spoke softly.

Monica Angelis’s reasoning is essentially this: because she believes she can do things that ordinary people cannot, she concludes that she must be the incarnation of the Lord.

It is not the reverse claim that, because she is the incarnation of the Lord, she is therefore able to perform what she considers to be miracles.

"..."

Lyra seemed to understand, and yet not quite.

"Astrid means... I got the cause and effect wrong?"

But even so, what difference did it make?

Hearing the pink-haired girl’s slightly puzzled tone, Astrid quickly guessed what was really on Lyra’s mind. The wind-wings at her sides didn’t slow, and her gentle voice blended into the air.

"I’m saying, there’s no need to worry too much about Monica’s loyalty. Right now, the only ones who can do these things are me, and the Light Knight, Lyra."

"In plain words: Her Highness Astrid must have her reasons for doing this. As a believer, she only needs to carry out orders."

Back then, the Pope of Light had exploited precisely this mentality, implanting fanatical doctrine into every believer’s mind, and thus forging today’s Church of Light.

"As long as my ultimate goal doesn’t change, and we maintain the current, Monica will forever be our ally, and our most useful chess piece."

Looking back now, it really was thanks to that magic exchange tournament years ago. On one hand, it gave Lyra the chance to make her name; on the other, it allowed Astrid to successfully establish contact with Monica, the Saintess of Light. Otherwise, without a high-ranking clergy member inside the Church of Light to pave the way, today’s operation would never have been so easy.

"..."

After a brief silence, Lyra murmured.

"Astrid... you really understand her..."

So confident, grasping Miss Monica’s psychology to the letter.

At that, Astrid raised her delicate brows slightly and looked toward Coldwind City not far ahead. Her pink lips parted.

"Lyra."

"Mm? What is it?"

"...Are you jealous?"

Hearing Astrid, Lyra froze, then realized why she was asking.

Did what she said just now sound a little sour?

After a few seconds’ pause, Lyra bit her lip and defended herself in a soft voice.

"Of course not. I’m not that petty!"

She was only amazed at how unexpectedly accurate Astrid was at judging people, that was all.

As for jealousy... at most, just a tiny bit.

Who told that Saintess of Light to look at Astrid with eyes both devout and feverish, like she couldn’t wait to kneel before her, wearing that kind of Saintess outfit that would "give you away" the moment you prayed, performing the most pious rites a believer could offer the Lord.

No, thinking that way just proved she was being narrow-minded, didn’t it?

Watching Lyra’s conflicted gaze, Astrid fluttered her lashes lightly, leaned a little toward the pink-haired girl, and spoke gently.

"I like you."

"???"

The translucent light-wings swayed midair. Their previously steady rhythm seemed to waver for a few seconds because of that one sentence.

"W-why are you suddenly saying that?" Lyra regained control of their speed, her snow-white pretty face faintly reddened by the wind.

"Nothing. I just wanted to tell you, Lyra," Astrid said.

That way, she wouldn’t feel slighted, left to stew in jealous bitterness like a little pink-haired puppy that knew only how to curl up and hide in a corner.

Lyra pressed her lips together, lifted her eyes, and looked into those especially beautiful crimson pupils under the sunlight. She answered in a stammer.

"I-I know."

After a few seconds, she lowered her voice and responded with solemn seriousness.

"Um... I like you too."

Nearly a hundred meters up in the air, the pink-haired girl’s shy words drifted on the cold wind, circling by Astrid’s ear.

....................

That evening, Astrid once again used the Holy Relic of Light to contact Monica, speaking with her about everything that had happened that afternoon.

Kales had made up his mind, he would no longer obey the Pope of Light’s order to block the Valeria Empire’s expeditionary force. But as for what to do next, the red-haired knight commander had yet to make a clear decision.

Should he openly confront the Pope of Light, relying on the expeditionary army’s strength to forcibly set things right? Or should he disband the current group of Church knight orders under his command, split them into smaller units, and go deep into the grassroots to support plague-stricken areas, curbing the further spread of the epidemic within the kingdom?

Monica’s suggestion was the gentler first option: use the forces in hand to reach cooperation with the Valeria Empire and force a remonstration by arms upon Hebrew.

Astrid’s goal was to put the warmongers on trial, including King Velys and the Pope of Light. With the imperial army providing military support, whether they declared independence or overthrew the Emperor, this was a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity, they absolutely could not let it slip away.

Moreover, even if Kales’s aversion to war had piled up to the brim and his fighting spirit wasn’t high, he should remember: when the Pope of Light sent him here to stop the imperial march, it was impossible that he hadn’t left any backup plans.

The other party would certainly have planted many eyes within the Church knight order, monitoring the knight commanders beneath him. Their ambiguous meetings with imperial dignitaries over these past days would inevitably be discovered by those spies, and the relevant news had likely already been sent to Seville City in a letter.

At this moment, so long as Kales chose to refuse the order, in Hebrew’s eyes it would be treason, there was no other possibility.

Since he would no longer deceive himself, no longer willing to fight for false doctrine, only one option remained: break and rebuild, use weapons to practice faith. It sounded like repeating the tragedy from back then, but at least this time, those knights knew what they were fighting for.

Besides, they still had the Holy Relic of Light in hand. One of Hebrew’s major supports was gone; their individual combat strength would drop considerably compared to back at Liya Tower Fortress.

After learning that Kales had made a further decision, not just retreating, but even drafting a letter to cooperate with the Valeria Empire, Astrid expressed approval of Monica’s series of actions. Then she continued discussing the feasibility of Lyra’s "religious idol plan."

"Miss Lyra has already proven her identity this afternoon, and when I guided Kales, I also used that line of reasoning. That’s how I successfully persuaded him to cooperate with the Valeria Empire and stand with the Lord."

"Next, what we need to do is make the other believers believe that Lyra Beckett is someone the Lord gazes upon. In this regard, Knight Commander Kales and I will actively cooperate and make this fact public."

"When the time comes, Miss Lyra must also come to the army. Just like that high-altitude speech that day, conduct a missionary activity aimed at the old doctrines."

They had to move fast, ideally, before Seville City received the news and reacted, the border cooperation would already be established. Only then could they minimize unexpected developments.

And that was precisely Astrid’s request. The expeditionary army had lingered in Coldwind City for too long. It was time to hone their blade and press onward.

After the important matters were settled, the details of how to "package" Lyra fell back onto Astrid. As the founder of the Empire Weekly, Her Highness the Regent was thoroughly familiar with controlling public opinion.

"I’ll stay up and draft a speech tonight. If Lyra’s tired, go to sleep first."

The contact ended. Watching Astrid, dressed in a pure black, faintly sheer nightdress, hold a teacup and sit down at the desk, Lyra’s lips moved hesitantly before she spoke in a small voice.

"I’ll stay with you, Astrid..."

With her mage partner not sleeping, sitting at the desk late into the night writing for her, Lyra felt somewhat guilty and kept wanting to help Astrid in some way.

Hearing that, Astrid turned her head and looked at the pink-haired girl who had removed her hard armor, changed into a shirt, a small skirt, and white stockings, returning to her soft-girl look. She thought for a few seconds and spoke.

"What will you do staying with me, write?"

Though Lyra was excellent at stirring emotions while speaking and quick on her feet, when it came to things written on paper, that was her weak point.

Especially strongly directive text, something even harder for Lyra, who wasn’t particularly good at expressing herself.

"Anything’s fine... pouring tea, bringing water..." Lyra dragged a chair over and sat close beside Astrid, replying softly.

Even if it was just massaging her waist, kneading her legs, rubbing her feet, those were things she could do. Anything was better than going to bed and leaving Astrid alone to suffer.

"For that kind of thing, couldn’t I just call Elise?" Astrid said.

The head maid was on call twenty-four hours a day. Even if Astrid were bathing, she could use her mental power to summon her, and Elise would appear before her in under three seconds, delivering the missing bath soap or a robe.

"..."

That did make sense.

Lyra thought for a moment, then placed her hands obediently on her white-stockinged thighs hidden under her skirt, maintaining the proper, demure sitting posture she’d had as a student. Her lips opened and closed.

"But I just want to be with you, Astrid."

Even if she only sat quietly at the side, watching that snowy, delicate face warmed by orange lamplight; watching those nimble, slender white fingers hold a quill as it flew across the page; watching the fine, sparkling light caught on her upturned lashes and focused eyes, even if she stared off in an utterly meaningless daze, she still liked it.

Lyra probably simply liked that cozy atmosphere. It was similar to the comfort she gained every night before sleep, holding the fragrant, soft, tender body of Princess Astrid after her bath.

Faced with Lyra’s straight ball, Astrid couldn’t find any reason to refuse. She set down her crossed legs, one black-stockinged jade foot propped on the blanket, the other extended forward, braced against the wall behind the desk.

"If that makes you happier, then stay with me," Astrid said.

She could understand it. Back when Astrid, as the Third Imperial Princess, lived in the palace at Capital City, on idle afternoons without noble social engagements, she also liked to sit by the bedroom window in her chambers, watching the black-haired head maid below holding a wooden sword, demonstrating each move and stance to that pure, pink-haired, blue-eyed maid.

Watching Lyra pick up the sword again and again to seek guidance, despite sweat beading at her temples, her pretty face slightly flushed, the pure white knee-high socks on her legs accumulating a few spots of ugly dust, she still refused to give up.

With Astrid’s permission, Lyra narrowed her eyes. Her fingers unconsciously slid over her fair knees. Her two ice-cream-like white-stockinged feet lifted on tiptoe in delight, revealing smooth soles, white with a blush of pink.

Sensing Lyra’s delighted excitement, Astrid was about to take out tea from her gloves when, the moment her awareness touched the items, she suddenly remembered something.

The next second, along with the tea set, there appeared an old crystal that recorded what had once happened.

"I just thought of it, Lyra, help me cut this down a bit."

"...What?"

With a light tap of Astrid’s fingertip, the image played. On a boundless icefield, ranks of Holy Light knights formed a square formation, pushing forward unceasingly.

"This is... the Battle of White Maple Town?"

In every battle, the Valeria Empire had recorders, tasked with gathering battlefield conditions at all times and making corresponding reports.

From a third-person view, seeing that pink-haired knight stand before the recorder, protecting the defensive works behind, Lyra blinked, and her thoughts seemed to return to that day.

To protect the soldiers behind her, she chose to take Heaven’s Tremor, Solar Judgment head-on, and was swallowed by the brilliance.

And then, she successfully broke through to the Arcanist Mage tier, slashing that sword between heaven and earth, destroying The Holy Radiant City.

"The Pure One, Lyra Beckett, her resilience and kindness moved Him. Thus did the blade of arbitration formed from it pierce through false dogma."

"Keep the essence. The rest can be discarded."