Chapter 446: The Game
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 446: The Game
"What a lovely room."
After a few brief pleasantries, Anna began a leisurely tour of the Saintess’s "boudoir."
Her gaze swept over the tidy bookshelves, the cluttered desk, the magic stones emitting a warm glow, and the various solemn decorations that, despite their simplicity, highlighted the Saintess’s exalted status.
Finally, her eyes settled on the most prominent feature toward the back of the room: the massive bed.
It was truly an enormous bed. Even if two people were to engage in a sweaty, physical struggle upon it, there would be plenty of room to spare; if they were simply lying flat, it could likely accommodate six or seven people with ease.
Given her status as the Saintess, having such a bed was only natural.
Anna strolled toward the bed as if merely browsing, her palm slowly stroking the pink sheets and the down comforter as if she were carefully appraising a work of art.
Then, she brought her hand to her nose and took a delicate sniff.
…There was no unusual scent.
Aside from the faint body fragrance emanating from Liya herself, there was nothing else.
This was to be expected. After all, Holy Light could purify anything—any scent that did not belong to the Saintess herself would be erased.
As for any other "residue," it was even less likely to remain in the presence of a Saintess who prized cleanliness.
However…
Anna’s peripheral vision caught the head of the bed… two pillows.
The pillows were embroidered with miniature, "moe" versions of octopuses that looked surprisingly cute. The tentacles of the pink octopuses curved toward each other where the pillows touched, forming a heart shape.
It seemed Her Highness the Saintess possessed quite a "girlish heart."
"This bed is so soft. It must be incredibly comfortable to lie on."
Anna praised it softly, sounding as though she were sincerely admiring the bed itself. Then, she naturally leaned down, seemingly wanting to see what material the mattress was made of.
Her movements were perfectly fluid.
"Senior Anna!"
But just as she was about to bend down completely, Liya suddenly called out to her.
"Would you… would you like something to drink?"
Not far away, Liya held a kettle. Her movements were elegant, but her eyes were fixed intently on Anna.
"Coffee… or tea? The Holy City’s Spring Tea is quite famous and currently in season. I highly recommend it."
"Didn't I say you could just call me Anna?"
Anna gently brushed a strand of hair back. "Tea, then. I’m quite fond of green tea—especially the kind that sprouts in just a month. The fragrance is quite pungent."
"..."
Liya’s hand stiffened, though the smile on her lips didn't waver.
"I think I’ll stick with 'Senior Anna.' After all, you are my senior, and you are a little bit older than me. Besides, it feels more intimate that way—just like how a certain someone says it, right? As for green tea… the Church’s Spring Tea isn't green tea. It seems your taste isn't quite up to par, Senior Anna."
"…True. That makes sense. I don't know much about tea."
Anna’s eyes crinkled into a bright, beautiful smile. Yet, for some reason, the magic stones in the room suddenly flickered.
"Is the mana in the magic stones running out?"
Ariel, standing to the side, noticed the flicker but didn't give it much thought. Her attention was quickly drawn to the tea Liya was personally brewing.
"Please, help yourselves."
Liya’s movements were practiced. The faint aroma of several cups of hot tea soon filled the air, leaving Anna no further opportunity to wander around the room.
After a moment’s hesitation, Anna finally stood up. Under Liya’s watchful gaze, she stepped away from the bed, took a teacup in her slender hand, and began to sip slowly.
...
"Phew…"
Under the bed, Muen was already drenched in a cold sweat.
Though the constant pulsing of his Death Premonition made his heart race and his breathing turn shallow, he forced himself to hold his breath and suppress his heartbeat, even willing his blood flow to slow down.
He knew all too well how sensitive his dear Senior Anna’s sense of smell was.
Releasing one's perception in someone else's room was tantamount to a declaration of war, so Anna wouldn't do that. However, with her terrifying sense of smell alone, no rat hiding in the shadows could escape her pursuit.
Just moments ago, when he saw Anna’s legs—clad in black stockings—through the gap in the drooping bedsheets, Muen felt as if the Grim Reaper was pressing a scythe against his neck.
Fortunately…
The Holy Light instinctively radiating from Liya filled the room, which seemed to render Anna’s sense of smell ineffective.
But Muen couldn't afford to relax just yet. Because… the night was still very long.
Meanwhile, the three beautiful girls were getting along famously, beginning a true heart-to-heart talk.
...
Laughter filled the air, the atmosphere was harmonious, and the conversation between the girls seemed to radiate pink bubbles and a soft glow.
Since all three had been students at the same academy, they had plenty of common ground.
However, as Ariel watched Liya smiling demurely and Anna giggling behind her hand, she began to feel dissatisfied.
This kind of ordinary conversation was exactly what she had imagined, but… there was no progress in the matter she was actually pursuing.
She had already sharpened her blade, yet these two were still chatting about strange academy rumors. They even threw in some gossip about that annoying guy, Muen Campbell!
How could this be allowed?
It looked like… she needed to push the plot forward.
Ariel made up her mind. She clapped her hands to draw their attention.
"Everyone, just sitting here chatting seems a bit boring, don't you think?"
"Oh?" Anna raised an eyebrow cooperatively. "What do you mean, Ariel?"
"I mean…" Ariel gave a mysterious smile. "Why don't we play a little game?"
"A game?"
"Yes." Ariel pulled a pre-prepared deck of cards from her bosom and said excitedly, "Let’s play poker! Of course, ordinary poker is boring, so let’s play something a bit more… stimulating."
"Stimulating?"
"Poker with a punishment mechanism! The loser has to face a penalty. Isn't that fun?" Ariel swayed her head, a mischievous expression on her face. "A very scary penalty."
"This…"
Liya hesitated. She wasn't very skilled at poker; after all, she had spent the last ten years of her life working tirelessly toward the position of Saintess.
Anna, however, seemed very interested. "Oh? And what exactly is the punishment?"
"Well…" Ariel blinked. She hadn't actually thought that far ahead. She just wanted to heat up the atmosphere to make it easier to get closer to them.
At that moment, in a split second when neither Ariel nor Liya was looking, the corner of Anna’s mouth curled into a "little devil" smile that Muen would have found terrifyingly familiar.
"How about this? Since we need a punishment, the loser of each round must fulfill one command from the winner, or answer one of the winner's questions. How does that sound?"
"Truth or Dare?" Ariel’s eyes lit up.
She suddenly felt that this beautiful senior was becoming more and more charming. Truth or Dare—wasn't this the game every "relationship master" with ulterior motives (no, every master who wanted to enter a girl's heart) yearned for?
It was second only to the legendary Strip Poker!
"Something like that."
Anna nodded, then looked at Liya with a slightly provocative gaze. "What do you think? If you don't like it, Liya, we can—"
"Of course, no problem."
Liya pondered for a moment, then tilted her swan-like neck up, refusing to back down. "It’s just a game. I wouldn't want to spoil the senior's fun."
"Hehe, quite right."
Anna narrowed her beautiful eyes, the tear-drop mole at the corner of her eye making her look even more enchanting.
"It’s just a little game, after all."
...