novelnext 046. Is there any possibility...?
046. Is there any possibility...?
Perhaps because of the ambiguous situation earlier, Eve felt a little lost. She quickly checked Xinlai's injuries and, after confirming that he was alright, hurriedly took his hand to find Aleya, seemingly not wanting to be alone with Xinlai any longer.
"Eve".
As they were going down the stairs, Xinlai suddenly called out to Eve.
Eve's face flushed, but she didn't turn to look at Xinlai. She simply asked in a low voice,
"what……"
"Is there any possibility...?" Xinlai pondered for a moment.
"Actually, when I drink it myself, holding it in my mouth for a while before swallowing, the effect is about the same as when you feed it to me...?"
"..."
Eve's delicate foot, which she was about to lift, froze in mid-air, and she was stunned for a moment.
Then, she shrank back, clenched her fists, and two puffs of white steam rose from her head. She whirled around, her face flushed with shame and indignation, and demanded:
"Why...why didn't you say anything just now?"
Xin Lai chuckled and scratched his head. "It hurt too much at the time, I didn't think that much about it."
"..."
"you……"
Eve: (｡•ˇ‸ˇ•｡)
What's done is done, everything that needed to be done has been done, there's no point in pursuing it further now...
Eve glared at Xinlai and turned to go downstairs.
As Xinlai watched Eve hiss at him like a puffed-up kitten before storming off, he couldn't help but smile slightly at her cuteness.
The two, one after the other, found Alaya's room under the guidance of the church staff.
"Oh? You're here."
Alaya, who was sitting in the most secluded room of the church, got up from the sofa and looked at Xinlai, who was completely unharmed, and Eve, who followed behind him, with her head down and her face flushed with embarrassment, as she pushed open the door and entered.
A dim kerosene lamp hung from the ceiling, and the four walls were mottled with folk customs. The room contained only an ordinary sofa and a worn-out table.
Given the Church of Light's consistent frugality, this may not be the most dilapidated corner of the church.
"Looks like I owe you another favor."
Xinlai got straight to the point and smiled sheepishly.
Alaya chuckled softly, "Your Highness, you flatter me. It was just a small favor, a casual remark, nothing to do with any favors."
She paused slightly, her eyes sparkling: "It is Your Highness who risked your life to save us and forgave Miss Eve and me for our mistakes. I should be the one who owes Your Highness a favor."
Xinlai raised an eyebrow: "Miss Alaya is as polite as ever... I wonder if you could arrange a carriage for Eve and me?"
He paused, his gaze darkening slightly: "You know, going back now would be like throwing a lamb to the slaughter."
Aleya walked slowly to Xinlai, glanced at Eve beside her, gently smoothed her loose hair, and smiled sweetly:
"Wouldn't His Highness the Third Prince and Miss Eve like to stay a little longer?"
Her words carried a hint of ambiguity:
"Although the church does not allow its members to break the rules, you are only staying here. Even if you want to do something, we will not disturb you."
Xinlai naturally understood Aleya's implied meaning.
He glanced at Eve beside him, but knew that matters of the heart couldn't be rushed, so he could only sigh softly, his voice tinged with helplessness:
"Time waits for no one, Miss Alaya."
"Asgard is in turmoil right now. If I indulge in pleasure, we might be separated by death in a few years."
Alaya nodded thoughtfully, which was taken as agreement with his statement.
She carefully examined Xinlai's injuries again and gave her instructions:
"It would be best for Your Highness to refrain from cultivation in the coming days, so as not to hinder your recovery."
She turned to Eve, a meaningful glint in her eyes:
"Miss Eve, you'd better keep a close eye on the Third Prince."
"Me...?"
Eve looked up slightly, a little guilty, and stole a glance at Xinlai, as if asking a question silently.
"Don't worry, I believe she will," Xinlai said, turning to look at Eve.
Eve, however, looked like a little purple cat caught spying, and immediately lowered her head, remaining silent.
The two exchanged a knowing smile and tacitly changed the subject.
"By the way," Xinlai asked, recalling Aleya's pursuit, "besides Galund, have you offended anyone recently? Or contacted anyone?"
Leaving aside the fact that Alaya was coerced by Galund's concubine, the fact that the Adventurers' Guild put a bounty on her is a matter of much more complicated matters...
Moreover, Eve has also been involved in this matter, which will cause considerable trouble for any faction that investigates it in the future. Therefore, Xinlai has no choice but to be wary of Alaya as well.
Alaya pondered for a moment, then slowly shook her head.
"Besides my father, His Highness the Third Prince, and Miss Eve, I've only had contact with my colleagues within the church."
"..."
Xinlai comforted her somewhat helplessly, "Then take care. If anything happens, use magic to send me a message, and I will come to help you."
They were located within the territory of Simeon, and in a branch church of the Church of Light.
As long as Alaya doesn't wander around, neither Galund nor the person who issued the bounty on her in the Adventurers' Guild dares to easily make a move against her.
Tonight's events were a matter of chance. Galund's concubine forced Alaya to leave the church, which gave the adventurers who had accepted the bounty an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
"Hmm... His Highness the Third Prince cares so much for me, I don't know how to repay him..."
Alaya gazed at Xinlai with bright eyes, leaning slightly forward, as if pondering or teasing.
Eve glanced at Xinlai, then at Aleya, her lips slightly pouting, and turned her head away as if she didn't care.
However, back in the attic just now, when Alaya encouraged her to give Xinlai medicine mouth-to-mouth, it was clear that Alaya and Xinlai's relationship wasn't actually what one might imagine...
But what does that have to do with me!
Eve: ._
Sensing Eve's subtle change in emotion, Xinlai quickly waved her hand:
"Miss Alaya, there's no need for that. I'm helping you as a way of repaying a favor. As for what you owe me, we'll settle that another time."
Upon hearing this, a faint disappointment appeared on Alaya's face, her charm and elegance both captivating: "So be it... Alas, His Highness the Third Prince is still so heartless."
"Is that so? If Miss Alaya is interested in me, it's not impossible..."
hiss……
Why did the flesh on my side suddenly feel pinched, and it hurts a little?
Xinlai turned to look at Eve and found that the little purple cat wasn't even looking at him anymore. She just secretly pinched him with her left hand, clearly warning him not to get involved with other women...
Judging from their expressions, they didn't want to say it outright.
wrong……
Why didn't the soul contract take effect at this point?
Could it be that the recent loosening of the soul contract has rendered him immune to Eve's attacks?!
While pondering, he quickly checked the soul contract and found that it had indeed changed on its own:
1. The witch cannot intentionally harm you, nor can she harm you through inaction.
What exactly is meant by "fucked subjective harm"?
Does that mean that as long as Eve doesn't intentionally cause harm, she can hurt him?!
Are you kidding me? A kiss could lead to this...
Xinlai immediately felt relieved.
Judging from Eve's current state, she's most likely stuck on the same path as him and won't harm him.
Therefore, whether or not the first rule is changed doesn't have much impact.
Xinlai gently slapped Eve's hand away and rubbed the flesh on her side.
Alaya observed their subtle interactions, but said nothing more. She smiled slightly, glanced at the time, and...
"Your Highness, it's getting late. Let me quickly escort you to your carriage."
"Okay, thank you for your help."
The three of them quietly left through the back door of the church and boarded the carriage without making a sound.
"Don't worry, Your Highness. I am, after all, a member of the Church of Light; they wouldn't dare to openly harm me."
Alaya, like a young woman who has arranged everything for her husband, soothes Xinlai's anxiety so that he can go out with peace of mind.
Xinlai lifted the carriage curtain and nodded slightly: "Take care then. I'll come pick you up and take you to my castle sometime."
"Yes, Your Highness, please take care."
"..."
"well……"
Alaya watched the carriage disappear into the billowing dust and couldn't help but sigh softly.
"Your Highness the Third Prince...did you say that last time too?"