Mia put her hand back under the water, curled her knees, and hugged herself. The ripples spread outward, lapping against the walls of the tub before washing back, as if caressing her spine.
Was someone like her truly worthy of Her Highness Lovene?
She closed her eyes, and Lovene's face drifted into her mind—the golden eyes, the gentle smile, and the slight tilt of her head whenever she looked at her.
Lovene was the Saintess, the holiest symbol of the Church of the Morning Light, and the light in the hearts of all believers.
And she, Mia, harbored a power within her that even she did not understand. If that power ever went out of control, if she ever became a true monster...
What would Lovene do? Would the church accuse her of “harboring a heretic”? Would she lose her status as the Saintess because of her? Would she be punished by the Pope because of her?
Mia fell silent, burying her face in her knees without a word.
She knew that if she told Her Highness Lovene about these doubts, Lovene would surely smile and say it was fine, that she was worthy of her, and that they could be together.
She was always like this, as holy as a legendary angel.
But it was precisely because she was too holy, too gentle, and too kind that Mia could not bear to tell her.
What would telling her even accomplish? She would only smile and say “it's fine,” and then take all the trouble upon herself.
Just like in the cellar, when she could have escaped, she chose to make a deal with the village chief grandmother, trading her own life for Mia's.
Just like when she purified the stone heart, when she could have abandoned those villagers, she sliced her own wrist open again and again until she fainted.
She was always like this, always...
Mia closed her eyes. Water slid down her eyelashes, making it impossible to tell if it was water or tears.
But doing this would only bring disaster to Lovene.
She could never forget the sight of Lovene dying right before her eyes.
Her chest torn open, her heart ripped out, those golden eyes losing their light bit by bit—Mia never wanted to see her that weak again.
As the Saintess's Holy Knight, with ties to the power of an outer god, she was destined never to be with her.
It wasn't a lack of love, but a forbidden love.
Love would make her lose her reason, cause her to make the wrong choices when danger struck, and put Lovene in jeopardy because of her.
She should step back, keep her distance, and be nothing more than her knight, not her...
Though she was highly unwilling, she had accepted this long ago.
Mia raised her hand from the water, her fingertips brushing her lips once more.
That kiss.
After that time reversal, swept away by her emotions, she had forced a kiss on Lovene. Lovene hadn't been angry, only smiling and saying, “It's fine. It's been so many years, and this is the first time you've ever taken the initiative.”
She was always like this, never angry, forever gentle, always giving her an out.
Let that sweet taste be the last.
There should be no more intimate contact between her and Lovene.
She could no longer give herself any... any excuse that might put Lovene in danger.
The water was already growing cold, but Mia still held her knees, curling up in the corner of the bath like a snail retreating into its shell.
The golden lamplight flickered across her face, as if something had passed by outside the door.
Then, the bathroom door was suddenly pushed open.
Without any warning.
“I'm coming in.”
Lovene's voice drifted in from the doorway, light and carrying a playful hint of laughter.
Mia snapped her head up, water splashing onto the floor.
She saw Lovene standing at the door. She had already taken off her holy robes and was wrapped in only a thin bath towel, exposing her fair shoulders and collarbones.
Her hair fell loose over her shoulders, with a few stray strands clinging to her cheeks, a flower-like smile on her face.
“Huh? Your Highness! I-I'm still bathing!”
Mia's voice pitched up half an octave. She instinctively sank into the water until only her head remained above the surface, with a few strands of long black hair and the tips of her bright red ears floating on the water.
Lovene tilted her head.
“Yes. What I meant earlier was that we would bathe together and then go to sleep.”
She stepped inside, her feet leaving a trail of faint footprints on the wet floor. The hem of her towel swayed gently against her legs, and the golden light outlined a hazy halo behind her.
“Huh?!”
Mia's eyes widened. She hurriedly retreated to the very corner of the tub.
Ripples spread across the water's surface, mirroring her racing heartbeat. Lovene had already walked to the edge of the tub, and the snow-white towel slipped off.
For a moment, Mia felt a sudden warmth in her nose.
There should be no more intimate contact between her and Lovene.
But today... she was forced to make an exception.
...
Early the next morning, Lovene was awakened by a glare of light.
It wasn't golden sunlight, but a grayish-white light filtering through the gaps in the curtains.
She sat up. Mia was still asleep on the bed beside her, her long black hair scattered across the pillow, her breathing steady. Lovene didn't wake her. Instead, she slipped on her outer robe and walked to the window.
She pulled back the curtains.
Outside was a thick blanket of white.
The mist had risen.
She should have been able to see the courtyard of the lord's manor, but now nothing was visible. There was only the white of the mist, so dense she couldn't see her own hand in front of her face.
Lovene pressed her face close to the windowpane. She stared at the thick mist for a few seconds and suddenly felt an inexplicable chill, an unsettling sensation as if she were being watched by something.
There was something in the mist.
She couldn't tell what it was—perhaps just a darker patch of shadow—but she simply knew that something in the mist outside was looking in this direction.
The feeling made her scalp tingle, and she quickly looked away.
Just then, Mia woke up.
“Your Highness?”
Lovene let go of her tight grip on the curtain.
“You're awake? Let's wash up and get some breakfast.”
She didn't look back at the white mist outside. Her sixth sense told her that if she kept staring at it, something terrible might happen.
After a quick wash, they left the room.
The hallway was empty, devoid of any maids, and exceptionally quiet, as if it were still night.
They passed the dining room, where the long table was completely empty without even a cup of water. They passed the foyer, where the main doors were tightly shut, and the cold mist seeping through the cracks had spread a thin layer of moisture across the floor.
It seemed the maids hadn't prepared any breakfast.
Mia whispered, “Should I go outside and buy some?”
Lovene shook her head.
“When the white mist rises, do not leave your home.”
She recalled the maid's words from yesterday. There was definitely something in the mist. Entering the white mist now would likely mean certain death.
Footsteps echoed from the end of the hallway, and Clement emerged from another passage. He was dressed in casual clothes, his face carrying the exhaustion of a poor night's sleep.
“You're out as well.”
He walked over to Lovene and lowered his voice.
“It seems none of the maids have gotten up, and the mist outside the window is rather strange. Unless it's urgent, it's best not to go out. Let's just look around the lord's manor today.”
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