Chapter 284: Single glance!
Aether had genuinely believed that the Archpriestess had left the academy, yet here she was, right before his eyes.
‘Gulp’
He swallowed hard, trying to steady his nerves. It wasn’t fear exactly… well, maybe a little—but the presence of the Archpriestess as an opponent complicated matters significantly. How was he supposed to navigate this now?
Meanwhile, the Archpriestess, cloaked in a magical overcoat that concealed her presence from others, gazed at Helena and Finnian with tender eyes, “I’m sorry for the sudden summons,” she said, her voice gentle but carrying an undercurrent of authority.
“N-No, it’s perfectly fine! Archpriestess, we are always ready to serve you, whenever you need us!” Finnian responded, his voice almost rising to a shout before the Archpriestess discreetly created a soundproof barrier around them.
Helena shook her head and looked at the Archpriestess earnestly. “We are your faithful followers, Archpriestess. Please, use us as much as you need.”
The Archpriestess smiled outwardly, but inwardly her thoughts churned with anger. ‘This Bitch!… “Use us as much as you need”? And yet, she’s opening her legs to seduce my beloved!’ The Archpriestess barely contained her fury.
A few days earlier, the Archpriestess had decided to visit her beloved after a month of absence, only to find out that he was not at the academy.
Feeling a pang of disappointment, she had been about to leave when she heard the Saintess was going through some troubles.
And of course, As the Archpriestess, it was her duty to listen to her followers’ confessions and guide them back to the right path. However, the Saintess’s words had struck a nerve:
“He entered my room.”
“He taught me about… love and that there’s another way to create b-babies.”
“He k-kissed my forehead.”
“My h-heart skipped a beat.”
“He helped me with a problem in the bathroom shower.”
“A-And he saw my… d-drenched body.”
“My heart r-aced as it never has before.”
“I-I want to see him… not just for a day, but every day…”
“I’m sad when he’s not around me…”
“It makes my heart ache when he talks to other girls…”
“Am I sick, Archpriestess?”
Those words were enough….. The Archpriestess had understood immediately what kind of ‘sickness’ the Saintess was experiencing….. and how many ways she could kill this bitch for it.
She had barely managed to restrain herself, under the watchful eye of the Principal. Direct action had been out of the question, but indirectly, she had tried to deal with Helena. However, a bluish-black-haired girl had intervened every time, frustrating her plans.
Though she had been tempted to kill that girl as well, she wasn’t so unreasonable or irrational as to take such drastic measures. So, she had left the academy, planning to deal with Helena alone.
What sin had Helena committed that warranted her death?
Of course, Trying to steal the Archpriestess’s beloved… It was a sin beyond forgiveness.
‘She got kissed, helped, and…. he even saw her in her innerwear!’ The Archpriestess gritted her teeth, seething with….. jealousy. Her beloved had never done such things with her… except for that one kiss… maybe two.
Anyhow,
Not that she doubted her beloved’s loyalty; he had proven it when she had forcibly kissed him… Still, it had been a month since he’d seen her, and anything could happen in her absence. right?
The thought of being cuckolded by her follower was unbearable…. She really didn’t want that!!
This was why she intended to end this bitch before the situation escalated further.
However, as she looked at Finnian, she gritted her teeth again. ‘This fool!’ she thought. She had explicitly asked Helena to come alone, yet here Finnian was, tagging along uninvited.
Turning her attention to Helena, the Archpriestess asked calmly, “I specifically called only you. So, why is he here?” She gestured towards Finnian.
Both Helena and Finnian flinched, surprised by the direct question, especially since the Archpriestess had tolerated Finnian’s presence in the past and never questioned him.
Helena’s face turned anxious as she glanced at Finnian, who shook his head, silently urging her not to speak.
However, she felt compelled to be honest, “He told me I should inform him whenever I was going to meet with you, Archpriestess,” Helena confessed truthfully.
Finnian’s face turned pale.
The Archpriestess nodded, her thoughts racing, she wasn’t sure why but now the real question was, ‘What should I do now? Should I delay her death?’ she wondered. But then,
“Archpriestess, today, Aether knocked on my door,” Helena mentioned, her face curious.
Both the Archpriestess and Finnian flinched at the revelation.
Finnian frowned. “Why did he knock on your door—” he began, but the Archpriestess interrupted, her tone serious. “What happened?” she demanded.
“Well, he knocked on the door, but I didn’t open it. Since, you know, you said I shouldn’t see him or talk to him, and I’ve strictly followed that” Helena explained with a smile, though a hint of sadness lingered in her eyes.
Before the Archpriestess could respond, Finnian interjected, “Why on earth was he looking for you? And what do you mean ‘since then’? Have you been seeing him secretly?”
“Well, it’s not like I wanted to hide it. I just felt there was no reason to,” Helena replied awkwardly.
Veins bulged on Finnian’s forehead, and before the Archpriestess could intervene, he shouted at Helena, “You! You let a man into your room?”
The Archpriestess’s lips twitched, ‘Bastard! Let me ask her details first!!’ staring blankly at Finnian.
“Is that wrong?” Helena asked, her gaze doubtful.
Finnian’s veins bulged even more as he retorted, “Of course it is! What if he had done something inappropriate?”
“Finnian,” the Archpriestess called out quietly, yet her voice carried a weight of authority… She didn’t like the way that he called her beloved.
“I can’t believe you let a lowly servan—”
“F.I.N.N.I.A.N!” The Archpriestess’s voice cut through the air like a knife.
The duo turned and saw her eyes were dark and devoid of emotion, “The next time you call him a servant, I will ensure you understand what it means to be one.”
The cold, emotionless words struck Finnian’s heart like a dagger. His face turned ashen, fearing he had crossed a line and earned her ire—a situation he desperately wanted to avoid.
“A-Archpriestess—” he began to stammer, seeking forgiveness, but the Archpriestess turned her attention back to Helena, asking the one thing that truly mattered to her, “Was he sad when you didn’t open the door?” Her voice was laced with a mix of concern and dread.
She hoped it wasn’t as she feared!
Yet,
Helena remembered how Aether had looked when he turned to leave. “Yes… he looked tired,” she admitted, her voice soft.
‘That’s it. She must die.’ The Archpriestess concluded, her resolve hardening.
There was no more room for hesitation.
Helena was encroaching on her beloved’s heart, a sin of the highest order.
The Archpriestess had been the first to recognize Aether’s good heart, so she knew that Helena was somehow slowly making her way into his affections. It was an unforgivable transgression…. a sin among sins.
As these thoughts raced through her mind, she felt a surge of darkness well up within her. She no longer cared for Finnian’s presence; her focus was solely on Helena.
With every fibre of her being, she channelled her power, intending to eliminate this threat to her future happiness. Her hand reached out, inches from Helena’s face, ready to unleash her wrath….. but then,
“Please forgive me, Young Master!!!”
The loud cry shattered the tension, drawing everyone’s attention to its source. They turned to see the manager kneeling before a striking figure…. a white-haired, masked man, radiating an aura of mystery and power.
‘Ba-Dump’
[+10,000 AP]
The Archpriestess’s heart skipped a beat, a sudden rush of emotion overwhelming her.
Helena and Finnian recognized Victor and realized he was causing yet another scene…. Not wanting to get involved, They turned back to their conversation, but Helena noticed something strange. The Archpriestess’s hand was hovering near her face, almost touching her.
“Archpriestess?” Helena asked, her voice laced with concern and confusion.
The Archpriestess snapped out of her daze, quickly withdrawing her hand. She stammered, “Ahem, w-well, there was… some dust. Yes, just a bit of dust,” she said, awkwardly brushing at Helena’s hair in an attempt to justify her actions.
Helena’s expression softened, and she offered a gentle smile. “Thank you so much for your care,” she said warmly, her voice filled with genuine gratitude.
Those words cut into the Archpriestess’s heart like a dagger. Forcing herself to maintain composure, she replied, “I-It’s fine… really…”
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