Chapter 402 - 189: Mole

Eleanor waited all the way until evening.

She had waited so long she was about to fall asleep by the time Diana returned to the palace.

Meanwhile, day had already broken in the Farm World.

Sean yawned and grumbled, "What took so long..."

Since Eleanor hadn’t returned, he hadn’t slept, either. He had stayed up all night waiting by her bedside and was dead tired.

Another half hour passed before Eleanor finally returned.

She looked at Sean slumped over her bedside, seemingly asleep, and an unexpected feeling of happiness blossomed in her heart. ’Master actually watched over me all night. This is wonderful...’

If it weren’t for important business, she wouldn’t have wanted to wake him.

’If this were Elise, she’d probably be trying to figure out how to get Sean into bed with her, wouldn’t she?’

Eleanor savored the sight of his sleeping face for a moment longer before gently calling out, "Master?"

"Hm?"

Sean groggily opened his eyes. "You’re back?"

"Yes," Eleanor said. "I saw Her Highness the Saintess."

Sean sat up straight. "What did she say?"

"She said..." Eleanor imitated Diana’s detached tone, her hands placed primly in front of her, "I know."

Sean: "?"

"That’s it?"

Eleanor: "That’s it."

Sean: "..."

"She wasn’t surprised at all?"

"It really seemed like she wasn’t..."

Recalling Diana’s calm expression, Eleanor ventured a guess. "I think Her Highness the Saintess might have known all along?"

After all, the real Paper Pianist is biologically female, while the fake one is biologically male. That’s a pretty big difference.

Sean, however, felt that a certain Saintess was just putting on a calm facade.

Because in his memory, the Olivia of the past, the esteemed First Saintess, rarely went out and would certainly never have come looking for him. If she really wanted to see him, she would "order" him to Hesinra Palace for an "audience." In short, she was incredibly arrogant. Unless it was for official business, Olivia almost never came to the Hall of Truth in person, so her knowledge of it was naturally limited. It was highly unlikely she would remember something like a mentor’s name and gender; with her personality, she wouldn’t have cared about such things.

So he figured this wife of his was just maintaining her persona.

’I wonder who taught her that...’

Still, the message had been delivered, and that’s what mattered.

He trusted that Olivia knew what to do about the rest.

"Alright, you should get some rest."

Sean stood up, stretched, and said, "I’m heading back."

"I’m not tired," Eleanor said, glancing at the time. "I’ll go prepare breakfast for you, Master."

"Don’t," Sean stopped her. "You may not be tired, but I am."

Eleanor: "..."

"Forget breakfast. I’m going back to catch up on some sleep. We can talk after I wake up," Sean said. "If you’re not going to rest, feel free to do as you please."

With that, he walked toward the door.

Eleanor quickly got out of bed. "Then I will see you out, Master."

’One must observe basic Maid etiquette, after all.’

However.

Many things in life are ruined by a "however."

It would have been better if she hadn’t seen him out. This simple act of courtesy almost got Sean sent off for good.

The moment they stepped out the door, they ran into Elvire and Elise in the hallway, who were on their way down for breakfast.

Both parties froze simultaneously.

For a moment, Elise thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. She even looked up at the door number.

’Yep, this is Eleanor’s room, all right.’

’But what is this guy Sean doing coming out of Eleanor’s room so early in the morning?’

’He looks exhausted, and Eleanor’s in her pajamas, which are a little disheveled...’

Faced with a scene like this, it was hard for Elise not to let her imagination run wild.

Ordinarily, she would have teased Sean with a suggestive comment or two.

Something like, "Well, well. I was wondering why Mr. Writer didn’t come see me last night. Turns out you’ve found yourself a new flame."

But today, she didn’t make a peep.

Because it wasn’t her place.

The four of them stared at each other for half a second before Elvire’s expression visibly contorted with rage.

"Sean!!"

The furious roar shattered the tranquil morning air.

Birds in the garden trees scattered, flapping their wings wildly to escape the terrifying scene.

Sean was instantly wide awake. He said quickly, "Eli, it’s not what you think! Let me explain!"

"Explain?"

"Does this even need an explanation?"

Elvire’s eyes were spitting fire, like she was ready to tear him apart.

To see her own boyfriend emerging from another woman’s room first thing in the morning... if she were to remain the least bit rational right now, it would be an insult to their relationship!

"No, it’s really not what you think."

"If you don’t believe me, ask Eleanor."

"Eleanor... huh? Where’d she go??"

Sean had wanted Eleanor to help prove his innocence, but when he turned his head, he discovered that the girl who had just been by his side had vanished without a trace. A glance back revealed that the door to Eleanor’s room was shut tight, as if it had never been opened at all.

Sean: "???"

’Fuck, a deserter!’

’Hiding at a time like this... isn’t she trying to screw me over??’

Elvire’s fists were clenched tight. "Didn’t you want to explain?" she said through gritted teeth.

"So explain!"

"Your little lover doesn’t even dare to face me! What else could you possibly have to say!"

Facing Elvire’s accusation, Sean had already cursed Eleanor a hundred times in his head.

’Dammit, that Maid set me up!’

’Once I calm Elvire down, just you watch how I deal with Eleanor!’

Sean had always thought that of the two sisters, only the younger one was mischievous, while the elder, Eleanor, was always quiet and well-behaved. He never expected that at this critical moment, the one to "betray" him would be Eleanor.

Trying to explain a situation like this by himself was useless. Eleanor’s actions had already screamed "guilty conscience" to Elvire. He could talk until he was blue in the face, and Elvire would never believe that nothing had happened.

Sean knew that words were useless now and could not clear his name. He could only resort to a desperate, half-baked idea. "Nothing happened between us! We’re completely innocent! If you don’t believe me, go into the room and smell for yourself!"

Elvire: "???"

’Smell my ass!’

’He cheats on me, and now he wants me to go in and savor the evidence?’

"You scumbag, I’ll kill you!!"

Consumed by rage, Elvire instantly unfurled her wings of flame.

Two pairs of them, in fact.

Her aura surged, approaching that of a Grand Mage!

She was fully prepared for Eleanor to rush out and take the blow for Sean—all the better to send this shameless pair to meet God together.

Sean’s eyes widened. "Wifey, hold on!"

"Who are you calling wifey!"

This time, Elvire was truly furious.

Calling her "wifey" wasn’t going to work!

"VMMMM!"

A torrent of Magic Power, carrying roiling flames, swept toward Sean.

Not daring to take the hit head-on, Sean turned tail and ran.

He yelled as he fled, "Just listen to my explanation!"

Elvire gave chase, hot on his heels. "Then explain! It’s not like I’ve sealed your mouth!"

"But how am I supposed to explain while you’re trying to kill me...?"

"That’s your problem. What’s it got to do with me?"

She didn’t care about anything else. She was just out for blood!

In an instant, the castle echoed with the roar of countless explosions.

In the garden, the servants who were up early to work all looked up.

They saw the topmost tower of the castle erupt in a massive Fireball, as if a terrorist had blown it up with dynamite. Two figures shot out from the flames, one fleeing and one in pursuit. It looked like a scene from a blockbuster movie, leaving the servants staring, dumbfounded.

"What’s happening?"

"Dunno..."

"That person... looks like Mr. Sean?"

Back in the room,

Eleanor leaned against the door, her face full of guilt, silently apologizing in her heart.

’I’m sorry, Master.’

’I didn’t want to do this either...’

But she didn’t dare disobey an order from Her Highness the Saintess.

When she had gone to Hesinra Palace, she and the Saintess had discussed more than just the matter of the Paper Pianist.

There was also the matter of Elvire.

Her Highness the Saintess had asked her, "How are things going between Sean and Elvire?"

She had answered truthfully, "Very well."

Her Highness the Saintess’s expression had immediately darkened. "Well, *I’m* not."

Eleanor: "..."

Olivia had looked at her coldly. "Have you forgotten who you serve?"

"Forgotten who you represent?"

"If you don’t know what to do, I can have Lilith teach you."

"When matters here are settled, I will make a trip over myself."

"And if I arrive to find his heart still belongs only to Elvire, I will punish you and Elise together!"

...