A saintess? She's just a bad woman.

Page 43

The next day at noon, Santa Karina slept until the sun was directly overhead before she groggily woke up.

Not being embraced by Esther was quite therapeutic for the body.

The distorted doctrines of love that Esther had instilled in her mind had dissipated considerably. After washing her face with a towel and cold water in the bathroom, Saint Karina grabbed a coat hanger, put on her white saintly robe, opened the door, and walked straight out.

Waking up and not seeing Esther made me feel incredibly refreshed, it couldn't be better.

However, there was a priest outside the door. When Saint Karina opened the door, Philomena was not frightened, but Saint Karina was a bit paranoid.

"Your Holiness, did you rest well?"

This female priestess was the one who rang the bell for Esther.

"Not bad...not bad..."

St. Karina, startled, took a small step back and stammered in response.

"Well, His Holiness the Pope said I can move around freely, so I'd like to go out for a bit."

Saint Karina gave her instructions and then hurriedly left.

She walked away towards the exit of the side hall, as if afraid that the woman from her memory, who was almost solidifying into a shadow, would appear.

Philomena could tell that her saintess was escaping the church.

As she walked out, she encountered quite a few people who recognized Saint Karina. They all greeted the newly appointed saintess with utmost respect. For a moment, Saint Karina felt as if she had returned to more than five hundred years ago, still within the Eternal God Cult.

However, she was in high spirits at that time and didn't have that damned collar around her neck.

Although the saint's robe could conceal this extremely humiliating object, the cold touch constantly reminded her of her current status as a prisoner.

Santa Karina bought a sandwich with ham slices from a bakery that was open for business. She finished it quickly and casually threw the wrapper into the trash can.

Because it's the capital, the streets are relatively clean. There aren't piles of trash everywhere. She plans to go back to the palace first, not for the little emperor's milk tea, but to see if the royal library has resolved the issue of the collar and tracker.

Brenda wasn't worried about the safety of the mermaid princess and Melissa, the demon girl, in the palace, because Brenda would make all the arrangements. They wouldn't wander off but would stay in the palace and rooms that Brenda had prepared for them.

The most urgent task now is to resolve the issue of restricting personal freedom.

"My Lady Saint."

Most of the maids in the palace knew Saint Karina, and after yesterday's pilgrimage, their respect for Saint Karina doubled.

The people of the Lorian Empire now mostly believe in the Church of Order, and the Church of Eternity and the title of the Holy Maiden of the Nation only exist in historical anecdotes. Their recent memory is of saving the empire from crisis and stopping the demons.

However, the sense of realism is not very strong. Even if you experience it firsthand, it feels like listening to a hero's biography.

The story of the Santa Marta Sea is even more distant from the capital.

"Take me to the Royal Library."

"Yes, Saint Lady."

After receiving the order, a court maid in a white sleeveless floor-length robe led Saint Karina through a wide, long corridor.

The corridor is not as ornate as the palace. The floor is covered with large black tiles, and the walls on both sides are gray with highly narrative reliefs.

The process of the original God creating the world is clearly listed.

The library was at the end of the corridor, guarded by two dark gold wooden doors. Two maids on either side pulled open the heavy doors, revealing a world completely filled with books.

Two maids stood at the door awaiting instructions, seemingly remembering to enter the library, but Saint Karina didn't want them to follow. Being watched even while reading felt suffocating.

"You guys go ahead and get busy, I want to be alone."

The maids looked embarrassed and were about to object, but Saint Karina spoke first.

"Don't worry, I'll stay in the library. If you don't believe me, just wait outside, but don't follow me. I hate being stared at."

"As commanded." x2

The feeling of being kept at bay by the door finally dissipated. St. Karina took a deep breath, letting the scent of books fill her nostrils. She loved being surrounded by bookshelves and books; it made her feel incredibly safe.

All the noise from the outside world is blocked by the barrier built of paper, and the soul becomes purer.

She weaved through the enormous bookshelves, several meters high, searching for books with the words "God of Order" and "Dispelling Spells".

After searching through dozens of bookshelves, she felt dizzy and disoriented, and her mood became somewhat irritable. Saint Karina felt helpless and lost; finding what she wanted among hundreds of thousands of books was indeed a difficult task.

"Where is the breakthrough point...? Isn't there a lot of books in this godforsaken place? If we can't find it, we might as well just burn this place down."

She began to despair, walking to the table to pour herself a glass of water. Her throat was terribly dry, and her head was spinning—dizzy from the sheer number of books. This library had no search system; she had no idea which book was in which section, and there was no librarian to consult.

The two maids outside are also an option, but they don't seem to be professionals at maintaining the library. Even if they joined, they'd just go from being one headless fly to three headless flies.

If she can't find meaningful and valuable information during this time, her efforts will be in vain.

"hateful--"

Saint Karina vented her anger on one of the bookshelves. A large tome placed high up came crashing down on her. Saint Karina reached out to block it, and unexpectedly, the book didn't hit her.

A slender arm blocked her way, catching the falling book steadily and using magic to suspend it in mid-air, returning it to its original position.

"Impotent rage won't solve anything, Your Grace. This is something you taught me before. I have a copy of the dispelling spell; it's a scroll left by our ancestors, which I can lend you. These books are the Ernest family's treasures, accumulated over a thousand years. If you really burn them, I'll go crazy and rub you into the ruins of the library."

The voice belonged to the young emperor, whom he hadn't seen for three days.

Brenda appeared to have spent the night sleeping in the library, because Santa Karina hadn't heard her come in from outside. Moreover, her attire was far too casual: a white dress that barely reached her thighs, a navy blue coat over it, and light-colored women's slippers on her feet.

Unlike her usual meticulous self, her long golden hair was poorly styled, making her look unkempt and lazy, as if she had just been woken up by Saint Karina's outburst.

"As for why I know you need this, I've actually awakened a new ability: mind reading. This is a gift from the evil god Eris. Thanks to this, I've had to refrain from smashing my inkstone on the heads of those ministers during court sessions recently."

The emperor, whose power was almost entirely usurped, only had to endure the hypocritical faces of his ministers before the morning court session each day. But now he was also forced to endure the malicious schemes and plots they harbored in their hearts, which was indeed quite unbearable.

Saint Karina could clearly see Brenda's mental exhaustion; her eyes seemed to be getting darker, yet she was forcing herself to talk to herself.

As for why the evil god Eris bestowed this ability upon the young emperor, as a god of amusement with the ability to see into people's hearts, it was obviously for entertainment!

86. Unreliable alliances

"However, I really didn't expect that Your Excellency would be so charming that even His Holiness the Pope of the Church of Order was so captivated by you that he had to resort to such methods to keep you here."

Brenda's words were somewhat sarcastic, and she seemed to be gloating.

It's quite amusing that this scumbag woman, who had her completely manipulated, would fall for a romantic entanglement.

After all, her relationship with Saint Karina was far from harmonious, falling far short of the relationship between an ancestor and a saintess.

Of course, Saint Karina was always helping her, and helped her many times, but Brenda always paid a price, from her virginity to her reputation, she paid a heavy price in every aspect.

"If I could, I would wish my charm could be reduced a little."

Saint Karina shrugged.

"I'm really looking forward to Your Majesty's milk tea and tea ceremony..."

"you!"

Brenda's face flushed crimson, a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

These saintly women really should all be educated, lest they go out and harm other women.

"Can I use a scroll to dispel spells instead?"

"That won't do, I'd much rather savor Your Majesty's milk tea~"

Saint Karina refused without hesitation.

Even if she obtained the scroll to dispel the spell, she couldn't escape immediately. Saint Karina was quite certain that Esther would find out the moment she removed the collar.

Escape requires the right opportunity; ideally, Esther should be away from the Lorian Empire, heading to another country.

"Your Majesty, this space is quite spacious, and there are maids guarding the door. How about you make me a special cup of milk tea now?"

"how long?"

"It's not a long time, after all, I have to go back to church tonight, and it won't interfere with His Majesty's busy schedule..."

Having said all that, Brenda really found it hard to refuse.

"How do you make milk tea?"

“Of course there are secret medicines and methods involved, just like alchemists can use alchemical cauldrons to create countless alchemical potions and equipment. I know that these methods have been lost for hundreds of years in the Lorian Empire, but I happen to know how to help His Majesty revive the legacy of his ancestors.”

As Saint Karina spoke, she summoned the Holy Sword, which condensed into the shape of a secret medicine.

Then, she had Brenda remove her earthly shackles and put on the Emperor's New Clothes.

"First, the secret medicine needs to be evenly applied to both headlights to allow for full absorption, and then you can make milk tea."

Saint Karina possesses extensive theoretical knowledge, as well as practical skills.

"Um……"

Blushing, Brenda still thoroughly applied the secret medicine to every part of the two headlights.

Car maintenance is just like a woman applying a facial mask; it's a form of care, and there's nothing shameful about it.

"Next, I'll teach you how to make milk tea. Since this is your first time, you can just make the basic milk tea."

Basic milk tea: Ingredients needed include black tea leaves, milk, sugar, and hot water.

Place the black tea leaves and white sugar in a pot and stir-fry over low heat. Add white sugar according to your preference, and stir-fry until the sugar is completely melted, turns caramel color, and bubbles.

Add boiling water and stir well. Then add milk and stir again. It will smell fragrant. Cook for a few minutes until it turns the color of milk tea.

After that, filter the tea leaves, and your basic caramel milk tea is ready.

"Hmm...it tastes good, the aroma is rich, it's no less than that of Ernest VII."

Saint Karina savored the milk tea and praised it highly.

Of course, milk tea is just the first step, a dessert before the meal. Saint Karina is someone who loves to eat a full meal, so of course she couldn't miss it.

"Perfect timing. I only ate bread today. Your Majesty, you shouldn't mind if I have lunch at the palace, right?"

"It's up to you."

Although Brenda didn't get the impression that this woman was a good person, who cares about the character of the trading partner? As long as the deal can be completed and there is no backlash, that's all that matters.

So, in order to enjoy the sumptuous special lunch prepared for the little emperor, Saint Karina began chanting incantations, constructing a magic circle on the ground. Golden runes leaped and undulated in mid-air, transforming into a beam of light that became part of the magic circle, and a portal appeared in the very center of the circle.

In this world, portals are called "Return Portals," allowing spellcasters to freely travel between places they have visited.

Creating the Gate of Return requires a large amount of magic power and takes a long time. It is best not to be interrupted during the process, otherwise you will write the wrong spell and be teleported to a suspicious and dangerous place.

The principle that a slight difference can lead to a huge error is perfectly illustrated in this spell. Saint Karina's skillful chanting of incantations and construction of the spell raises serious questions about her identity.

Once the spell was complete, the Gate of Return appeared before them. It was a golden door that emitted a blinding light, leading to a world that did not exist in reality, resembling a universe beyond a planet.

"Alright, now follow me. Don't worry about anything. It's just a short trip within the Imperial Palace Library."

Saint Karina took Brenda's hand and led her into the world of nothingness.

The speed of movement within the Gate of Return was rapid, as if the body were traversing a tunnel at the speed of light. After about two or three seconds, when the eyes opened again, the person was already standing directly below the throne.

The library is divided into two worlds, the inner and outer worlds. The palace in the inner world is different from the outer world and other places in the human realm. The forbidden library is also unlike ordinary royal libraries, always giving people a gloomy and cold feeling. Tall gray-blue stone pillars stand above a wide dome, from which one can see the sky above the human realm.

The hall where the throne was located was empty, with only the faint glow of flickering candlelight on the walls.

A blood-red moon slowly emerged from beneath the clouds, while the azure moon gradually disappeared, its outline almost invisible. At midnight, the blood moon would hang high in the sky alone, at which time the seal here would be at its weakest.

There's still plenty of time before midnight, and besides, Saint Karina doesn't plan to stay until midnight; she only needs to stay until evening. The underworld is perfect for enjoying the night while observing the celestial phenomena.

Brenda was forced to sit on the throne, stripped of her clothes, and dressed in the Emperor's New Clothes, her knees forming an obtuse angle with the line connecting her to her private parts. The mysterious saint knelt between her knees, bowing her head.

A warm touch came over me, and my cold back and spine went numb instantly.

Directly in front of the throne are two waterways. The waters of the Eternal River flow quietly in the waterways, and the gentle sound of the water echoes the sound of the other water, together composing a unique symphony for the moonlit night of the underworld.

Brenda closed her eyes, gripping the armrests of the throne, trying to ignore the sound of the water flowing in the third narrow waterway in the same space. The Saintess was currently using her nimble oars to paddle through the water.

The silver oars, both soft and sturdy, stirred the calm river water, creating warm splashes and dynamic ripples. Each time the oars churned the water, the tingling sensation in my back and hair intensified.

Brenda was paddling too fast and felt she couldn't keep up. Some things shouldn't be rushed; they should be done step by step. Saint Karina didn't care about her feelings at all, only caring about acting according to her own ideas and pace.

The warm water flowed faster and faster, and the narrow channel became incredibly slippery as it was constantly washed by the current. Several times, Brenda almost lost her balance and nearly fell into the river.

Santa Karina's superb rowing skills allow her to manipulate every drop of water in the channel with ease, whether it's a rapid journey or a slow float and spin.

That's commendable; it's 114514 times better than the skills of some physical therapists.

The throne of the Forbidden Library was splashed by water from the Third Waterway, leaving behind patches of blooming water stains. The temperature and humidity of the surrounding air suddenly rose, as if a sudden downpour had struck on a summer night.

The warm water enveloped Brenda, and all the distracting thoughts in her mind vanished instantly.