Chapter 1275: 33. Heavyweight Contender

“Currently?”

That word was rather interesting.

“Exactly. Currently. Just because she doesn’t have those feelings now doesn’t mean she truly doesn’t have them. After all, people deceive themselves. As a dragon who is very similar to humans, naturally she can do the same. And once that self-deception reaches a certain point, you can even completely fool yourself.”

Anna spoke with a bright smile. Whether intentionally or not, her gaze settled directly on Ariel in front of her.

“Is that so?”

Ariel’s little face stiffened. “There really are people like that, who love deceiving themselves.”

“So my suggestion......is that we test her a little more.” Anna licked her red lips, finally getting to the point. “The moment we discover something is wrong, we’ll be able to prepare a response in advance.”

“How are we supposed to test her? The two of us already went that far last night, and she still didn’t react at all. What else can we possibly do?” Ariel thought about it seriously......but could not come up with any good ideas.

No matter [N O V E L I G H T] how much a calamity respected rules, she was still a calamity.

It was not as though they could drug her with some kind of **, tie her together with Muen, and observe whether her reaction was truly innocent.

“That’s exactly why I wanted to discuss this with you first.”"

Anna smiled seductively. “The two of us aren’t enough. Maybe the heat simply wasn’t strong enough. So we need someone capable of turning up the heat even more. Since that dragon is so gentle, something at this level probably still won’t make her completely explode......but it should already be enough to test quite a few things.”

“You mean......” Ariel’s delicate body trembled as she realized something.^

“Exactly......originally, I wasn’t planning to contact them. After all, the fewer people there are to share with, the better. But judging from the current situation, perhaps all of us need to make a move together.”

Anna narrowed her beautiful eyes and said:.

“It’s about time the other two members of our alliance contributed their share as well.”

......

......

Forest of Death and Doom, outskirts._

A graceful cloaked figure stood atop a large tree, gazing toward the towering sea of trees not far away that suddenly rose from the ground like a sheer cliff.

Clouds and mist poured downward from above like a waterfall.^

Yet this magnificent scenery did not inspire much desire for appreciation in the figure. Instead, a faint scarlet glow radiated from her eyes, as though she intended to corrode the entire forest reflected within them until nothing remained.

“So this is the Forest of Death and Doom, that dragon’s lair?” An asked.^

“That’s right. This is the Forest of Death and Doom, the legendary dwelling place of the calamity.”

The guide beside her wiped away cold sweat while forcing an awkward smile. “Miss, please don’t go any closer. Another few hundred meters ahead and you’ll officially enter the Forest of Death and Doom. It’s very dangerous.”_

“Didn’t you say that only someone at the Crowned level would attract that dragon’s attention?”

“That may be true, but barging in recklessly still isn’t a good idea. It’s a forbidden land, after all. Who knows whether there are other curses there besides that calamity?”

The guide shook his head repeatedly, fear written all over his face. “Anyway, if you want to go, you can go by yourself. I’m not going. Unless......you pay more! A lot more. At least five times as much!”.

“No need.”

An waved a hand. “Your job is done. Get lost.”

“Eh? Customer, I was only joking. Three times! Three times is enough......two times, all right? That’s already a bargain-basement price......one and a half! I’m practically giving you my life, just one and a half......”

“Get lost!”

“Tch......little girls really don’t know what’s good for them!”

The guide’s expression instantly darkened.

How many people who dared work as guides around the Forest of Death and Doom were actually good people?

This woman was truly bold, refusing to obediently let him extort her.

But......she was so beautiful, with such a soft and delicate appearance. Judging from her bearing, she looked like the young lady of some noble family, yet beneath her cloak she was wearing a maid uniform......she was probably the sort with something wrong with her head.

And the very rich sort with something wrong with her head!

The guide’s gaze swept across several ornaments accidentally exposed at An’s waist, and his eyes instantly grew heated.

Those things were all extremely valuable. If he got his hands on them, he would be rich.

At the very least, he would not need to come out for any more “side jobs” for half a year!

The moment he thought of that, he said nothing further and pulled the dagger from his clothes, preparing to......

Pssh.

The sound of a blade cutting through flesh spread through the air as blood sprayed everywhere.

“Eh?”

The guide’s eyes widened in disbelief......because before he even had time to make a move, the dagger he had drawn seemed to come alive. The blade bent backward like a snake and stabbed straight into his own chest.

“What......you......”

“These ornaments were all given to me by Young Master, and you dare have crooked thoughts about them?”

An tilted her head and stared expressionlessly at the guide. Her posture was clearly so elegant and proper, yet at this moment, there was an indescribable sense of madness flowing around her.

It was almost like......a traveler in the desert searching for the oasis that belonged to her.

She had been thirsty for far too long, so......she was in a very bad mood!

“Lunatic!”

The guide was frightened. He knew he had provoked someone he should never have provoked, and immediately turned around and shot away.

But before he had traveled very far, several streaks of cold light suddenly shot toward him. His body stiffened in midair, then fell toward the ground like a sack of sand.

Caw—caw—

Crows circled through the forest, seemingly delighted at having discovered fresh food.

After disposing of the noisy guide, An continued carefully observing the sea of trees while drawing and writing on a map.

“This place is too large. Searching every corner of it doesn’t seem very realistic......besides, the dragon might not even be here, much less Young Master.”

Scarlet light flickered in An’s eyes as a faint killing intent spread through the forest:

“So......maybe I should just burn the whole place down.”

Once she decided to do something, she did it. Her ability to act had always been one of her greatest strengths. Without another word, she began following certain memories in her mind and arranging a formation capable of burning down the entire Forest of Death and Doom.

Fortunately, just as the formation was nearly complete......

Ding-dong, ding-dong......

The Voice Stone at her waist rang.

......

......

Holy City, prayer room.

“Your Highness the Saintess, I’ve fallen in love with someone I should not love. Every night now, I’m tormented by my own longing, and I’ve even begun having filthy thoughts that I shouldn’t have toward the person I love......am......am I already deeply sinful?”

Inside the dim room, a man knelt before the heavy curtain and prayed. Tears streamed down his face as he confessed his sins without holding anything back.

Because he knew that on the other side of the curtain was the noble Saintess herself. Blessed by the Goddess, he had managed to draw one of only three opportunities for confession available that day, and so he explained every one of his transgressions in painstaking detail.

“No.”

After a brief silence, a beautiful and gentle voice sounded from behind the curtain, like sunlight pouring down, a stream murmuring softly, and a spring breeze brushing across one’s face.

“Love is not a sin. The fact that you love them does not mean that your sins are grave. On the contrary, it proves that you are a real person of flesh and blood, with an unblemished soul.”

“I......is that so?”

“But even if you love someone, you still shouldn’t have filthy thoughts. Those are things you must cast aside. A person must learn to control their desires and seek love through a normal and gentle method. Only then will you truly receive the Goddess’s mercy, and only then will you truly find happiness.”

“I see. I......I understand!”

The man was deeply moved. He felt that he had been redeemed and had found the road ahead. The Saintess truly deserved to be called the Saintess—so compassionate, so pure.

Every word she spoke seemed like a truth of the world, bringing people salvation and guidance.

Truly worthy of the title “Pure Saintess”!

“Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness the Saintess. Once I return, I’ll immediately confess my love to him openly and honestly. I absolutely won’t have any impure thoughts again!”

The man bowed respectfully and withdrew from the confession room with tears of gratitude.

He swore that once he left, he would work even harder to spread word of the Saintess’s noble character, allowing all believers to experience the holy radiance she possessed, almost equal to that of the Goddess herself!

......

On the other side.

After confirming that the man had left, the Pure Saintess, having completed her work for the day, gracefully rose and pushed open the door of the confession room.

“Good afternoon, Your Highness the Saintess.”

“Good afternoon, Your Highness.”

“Good afternoon.”

Liya nodded to each member of the clergy who bowed to her. “May the Goddess bless you all.”

“Her Highness the Saintess really is so gentle......”

Even after Liya had walked far away, the young nuns continued gazing worshipfully at her retreating figure.

“Exactly......gentle, beautiful, and so holy. She treats every believer equally.”

“As expected of Her Highness the Pure Saintess. She’s practically the Goddess reincarnated......”

“You’re right. Her Highness the Saintess is completely untouched by even the slightest impurity......”

......

Clang.

The door closed, then locked tightly.

Liya twisted her body and stripped off the complicated Saintess garments. Then, in a posture that would absolutely have made the people who had just praised her stare until their eyes nearly popped out, she hurried to the desk and began scratching her head in frustration over a messy pile of documents.

“You still haven’t found any trace of that calamity?” Liya asked anxiously.

“You know very well that it’s a calamity. How could it possibly be that easy?”

Lin, who had developed dark circles under her eyes from helping organize information these past few days, glanced helplessly at Liya. She was already too tired to admonish her anymore and simply sighed. “The Church’s intelligence network may be extensive, but it still can’t reach an existence like that.”

“Damn dragon......”

Liya gritted her teeth and stomped her foot in anger, looking nothing like a Saintess anymore. “She could have gone after anyone, but she just had to abduct Muen. Is Muen really that attractive? I just don’t understand!”

I don’t understand either.

Lin secretly rolled her eyes, but still comforted her:

“Don’t worry. That little......Lord Muen has very good luck. I think he should be fine for the time being.”

“For the time being......but it’s already been so long!”

Liya puffed out her cheeks. “And I’m not worried about his life at all. He’s already been taken away for so long—who knows what that dragon might do to him......what if she drains him completely dry?”

You’re probably the one who should be more worried about that.

Lin continued complaining inwardly.

“Your Highness, don’t worry. I’ll continue keeping watch. I can’t guarantee anything in the short term, but sooner or later we’ll discover some trace of them.”

“That’s good.”

Liya breathed a sigh of relief.

For now, she could still obediently remain in the Holy City. But if there was still no news after some more time passed, she would have to go on another “tour” of the continent.

No matter what, she had to get Muen back before that dragon completely drained him......

“Hm......what’s this?”

Liya blinked and picked up the special Voice Stone.

This was the specially made Voice Stone they had created after establishing their unbreakable alliance, specifically to make communication easier.

And if this Voice Stone was ringing, it meant only one thing.

“There’s news?”

Liya’s beautiful eyes widened, revealing a gaze like that of a starving wolf.