Chapter 457: Stars
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 457: Stars
"Finally, I'm done."
At her desk, Liya stretched luxuriously, having finally finished her work for the day.
Her form-fitting dress traced the perfect curve of her slender waist, while her ample chest seemed ready to burst from its constraints. Unfortunately, there was no one else in the quiet room to appreciate her captivating figure.
The wall clock was nearing nine, and a deep night had already shrouded the Holy City.
The duties of a Saintess were even more taxing than Liya had imagined. This was especially true during her early days in the role, as there was so much to hand over and learn. Today’s meetings and receptions for various factions were merely a snapshot of what her life would be like from now on.
The new Saintess, Liya Angel, was still constantly learning and growing.
"Muen... what is he doing right now?"
With work finished, Liya couldn't help but think of that rogue she hadn't seen for half a day.
She thought of his face, his eyes, his handsome smile, his firm chest, and...
"No, no, I'm the Saintess. How can I let my mind wander to such things?"
Liya’s cheeks flushed slightly as she cut off her dangerous train of thought.
And yet, her fingers inadvertently brushed against her own curvaceous body.
To the outside world, she was the holy and pure Saintess, but who knew... after having had a taste of those forbidden fruits, she truly did harbor a certain longing for such things.
Of course, she would never admit to being lewd. This was merely her devotion to her lover; it absolutely didn't involve any wicked thoughts. Besides, Senior Sister Anna was just as uninhibited in bed as she was.
She had even learned several of her "moves" from her!
"Speaking of Senior Sister Anna... Muen was nowhere to be found all afternoon. He couldn't have gone off to be all lovey-dovey with her, could he?"
The thought of that rogue and Senior Sister Anna being intimate while she was working so hard made Liya puff out her cheeks in a huff. A sudden sense of being supplanted welled up within her.
I was the one who... wait, no, it seems Senior Sister Anna was first...
But that won't do! During the day is one thing, but at least at night...
Liya slapped the desk, preparing to get up and drag a certain scum man back. But the moment she looked up, she caught a glimpse of several flickering lights outside the window, like fireflies.
"It shouldn't be firefly season yet."
Liya’s brow furrowed slightly, suspecting a prank.
But who in the entire Church would dare play a prank outside the Saintess's window?
Could it be...
Realization dawned on her, and her expression softened instantly. She pushed open the window and looked out.
Over a dozen clear, bright points of light were dancing and shifting before her window, looking like stars that had fallen from the sky.
Liya blinked. She noticed the lights were moving in a distinct pattern. First, they formed a "V" shape, then a straight line, then a smiling face, and finally a crying face.
The comical expressions made Liya break into a radiant smile. At the same time, they showcased the operator's exquisite magical control and deep understanding of this minor spell.
Finally, the lights arranged themselves into an arrow, pointing toward a certain direction in the night.
"Honestly, always playing these nonsensical little tricks."
Liya’s tone was reproachful, but her crystal-like eyes were brimming with joy.
Like a young girl who had just discovered something wondrous, she hopped off her chair, discarding the Saintess persona she had maintained all day, and walked out of the room with a light step.
She was going to follow the arrow.
Outside the door, Lin was waiting in silence as usual. Seeing Liya walk out in such high spirits, she let out a helpless sigh.
"Your Highness, all unauthorized personnel have been temporarily cleared from the area."
"Thank you, Lin."
Liya wasn't surprised by Lin's reaction. That rogue must have made all the arrangements before starting his little show.
"No need for thanks. It's my duty."
Lin shook her head, her eyes looking utterly "salted fish"—devoid of any spark.
Her feelings were complicated. After witnessing the convoluted relationship between the Saintess, Muen, and that Miss Anna—and after several failed attempts to untangle the mess—Lin had simply given up on thinking about it.
Fine, whatever. Let the world burn. Do whatever you want, play however you like.
I'm just a tool meant to serve the Saintess anyway.
"I wish you a pleasant evening, Your Highness."
"Mhm, I will."
Liya nodded slightly and bid Lin farewell with a smile.
Then, with a sense of urgency, she stepped into the dimly lit corridor.
As if fearing someone might notice the Saintess wandering around at night, the area Liya was heading toward had all its light-emitting magic stones extinguished under the pretext of "equipment maintenance."
Only a few candles remained, their flames flickering stubbornly, providing just enough light for her to see the path.
As she moved through the corridor, the lights outside the window stayed a few paces ahead of her. Liya followed them, turning left and right through the halls until she reached a secluded spot and pushed open a small door in the corner.
The fresh outdoor air rushed over her, carrying a faint floral scent. Beneath the brilliant starlight scattered across the sky, Liya could just make out the soft silhouette of the Holy Garden in the dark.
The points of light merged into an arrow once more, pointing deep into the Holy Garden, before quickly darting away and vanishing.
"Honestly, couldn't you wait for me?"
Liya stomped her foot in mock annoyance, though there was no real anger in her eyes. She glanced at the empty surroundings, suddenly pinched her skirt, and broke into a light jog.
*
"The best-fitting formal suit in the Holy City... check."
Ariel looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was tied in a simple, high ponytail, and she wore a custom-made man's formal suit. The elegant color exuded a unique sense of nobility, worlds apart from the mass-produced trash from the street shops she’d seen days ago.
She spun around in a daze, feeling that everything was perfect.
"The most beautiful flowers in the Holy City... check."
Ariel picked up a bouquet beside her. Within the meticulously crafted packaging, thirteen different colors of flowers formed a dreamlike palette reminiscent of an oil painting. Each petal looked as if it were carved from crystal, exquisitely beautiful. A faint fragrance wafted out; even though Ariel was used to the omnipresent scent of flowers in the Holy City, she still found it refreshing.
These were flowers Ariel had risked her life to pluck from the Holy Garden. It was said their rarity was on par with the hairs on Bishop Meredith’s head.
"And finally, a heart full of courage..."
Ariel closed her eyes and took a deep breath, clearing all distractions from her mind.
When she opened her eyes, the mirror reflected only her determined gaze and her usual, roguish smile.
"Check!"
Ariel snapped her fingers triumphantly.
Everything was settled.
Everything was perfect.
Before, because she had been caught off guard by Liya’s confession, she had chosen to retreat temporarily.
But that wasn't because she was a coward. It was because she believed such a conclusion required a solemn ceremony.
A temporary withdrawal was only to strike at the girl's heart with even greater force!
And so, she had spent an entire day preparing.
First, she had snuck into the Holy Garden before dawn to pluck the flowers.
Then, she went to the best tailor shop in the city, spending a fortune to hire several of the best old tailors to work overtime to finish her suit.
Finally, after an afternoon of meditation to steel her resolve, there was no longer any hesitation in her heart.
A girl's feelings deserved an even more proactive response!
The true battle begins now!
"Teacher, you'll give me your blessing, right?"
"..."
"Excellent."
Ariel stepped out of her room, facing the biting night wind like a general gripping a sword, ready to march onto the battlefield.
"Wait for me, Liya!"
Ariel declared solemnly once more.
She was fearless.
She was unstoppable.
She would surely... return in victory!
*
"Whew..."
After her light jog, Liya finally came to a stop at the very center of the Holy Garden. The last of the lights had vanished here.
While catching her breath, she peeked around the area.
The night was deepening, and everything was shrouded in hazy shadows. Since Lin had already cleared out any bystanders, it was exceptionally quiet—so quiet she could only hear her own breathing and another familiar rhythm.
Liya’s brow arched. She immediately spotted that familiar rogue sitting on a bench not far away. By the light of a glowing orb hovering over his shoulder, he was intently reading a thick book.
His hair, as golden as sunlight, was as striking as ever. His profile in concentration looked like a marble sculpture, every line touching the girl's heart.
Liya stepped softly, her inner child wanting to give the rogue a scare. But after only a few steps, the man looked up, his deep, lake-blue eyes watching her with a hint of amusement.
"I could smell the Saintess's scent from a mile away. You still want to scare me?"
"Wh... what scent?"
Liya pouted.
"A wonderful scent, of course."
Muen closed the book on basic magic theory and gave a handsome smile, patting the bench beside him. "Sit."
"Hmph."
Liya gave her slender waist a little twist and sat down beside Muen with a huff, deliberately leaving a gap of twenty or thirty centimeters between them.
"What are you doing, calling me to a place like this in the middle of the night with those little tricks?"
"What do you think I'm doing?"
Muen blinked.
"I think you want to do something bad!"
In the darkness, Liya’s face flushed.
She stole a glance at the surrounding flowerbeds and bushes, which were thick enough to easily hide a person. She secretly wondered if this rogue wanted to do that with her here, just like in the books.
The Holy Garden, where someone could stumble in at any moment, combined with her status as the holy and pure Saintess... if they were to use the sky as their blanket and the earth as their bed here, how thrilling would that be?
Just thinking about it...
"Ow."
"Stop letting your mind wander!"
Muen gave Liya a playful flick on the forehead.
"I simply invited my dear Miss Liya to see the gift I have for her."
"A gift?"
"Yes."
Without giving her a choice, Muen pulled Liya close and hooked a finger under her smooth, white chin.
"Come on, be good. Look up."
"I don't need your help, I can do it my—"
Liya gave a soft huff, intending to swat away his teasing hand. But as her gaze followed his lead and landed on the canopy of the sky, she froze.
Stars.
A sky full of stars.
In the deep velvet of the night, brilliant stars were scattered everywhere like diamonds.
It was like a holy, shimmering veil of light filling Liya’s entire field of vision. For a moment, she didn't even know which star to focus on.
"So beautiful..."
Liya whispered unconsciously.
"Isn't it?"
Muen leaned his head in, unceremoniously nuzzling against the soft skin of Liya’s cheek.
"Remember the first time we looked at the stars? Just the two of us, in a deep night just like this. Though, that's a bit redundant—if it weren't night, we wouldn't see a single damn star..."
"I remember."
Liya interrupted Muen’s rambling, murmuring to herself.
"Of course I remember."
The desolate ridges.
The deep mountains.
The long darkness.
The nighttime talks.
Those were images etched into the depths of Liya’s mind, things she would never forget as long as she lived.
The reason she stayed by this man's side, craving his presence and warmth, could be traced back to those first flickers of emotion in that tiny carriage with only the two of them, or beneath that vast, star-studded night.
Of course, if one spoke of fate, it went back even further—to the classroom where the birds sang, or even to that accidental restaurant appointment.
He had said: Come be the teacher for my music appreciation class.
She had answered with utter reluctance: Fine.
And so, everything that followed came to be.
"This is your gift?"
"Yes. I'm giving you the stars."
"A bit stingy, don't you think?"
Liya pretended to be huffy, though her eyes were filled with an inseparable tenderness.
"A natural landscape counts as a gift?"
"A gift from nature certainly counts. I’ve been given a very impressive gift like that before myself."
Muen winked at Liya and rubbed her head mysteriously.
"But... look closer. Is that really just the scenery?"
"Eh?"
Confused, Liya looked up, her clear eyes searching higher into the distance.
"Ah!"
She let out a small gasp.
Behind the brilliant starlight, she actually saw heavy layers of clouds!
A chilly night breeze blew past, carrying moisture from afar, making Liya realize this wasn't actually a clear, beautiful night.
But how could stars appear beneath the clouds?
"I really did intend to invite you to see the stars, but unfortunately, the heavens didn't cooperate. It was clear during the day, but the clouds rolled in tonight."
"But then I thought about it. Spring stars aren't as good as midsummer ones anyway; they probably wouldn't have been much to look at."
"So..."
Muen suddenly looked up and clapped his hands.
"Fall!"
At the sound, Liya’s beautiful eyes widened.
In that instant, the stars across the sky began to fall, one after another, in succession!
They were like spirits from a fairyland, coming to Liya from a vast distance. They twinkled and shimmered, circling her, leaping, and dancing... The starlight enveloped the girl’s figure, as magical as a scene from a fairy tale.
"This is..."
Liya turned blankly to look at Muen. Only then, by the light of the stars right in front of her, did she see his slightly pale face and the fine beads of sweat on his forehead that hadn't yet dried.
"Since we couldn't see the stars in the sky..."
Muen gazed into Liya’s eyes and said softly, as if it were nothing:
"I made these myself."