Chapter 645: Caught Red-Handed
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 645: Caught Red-Handed
"Excuse me, is Muen Campbell in this ward?"
Hmm?
Diaka followed the gentle voice and looked over, discovering a formidably endowed young girl standing not far away, though she hadn't noticed when the girl had arrived.
The girl wore a nun’s outfit that accentuated her graceful physique. Her hands were folded neatly over her lower abdomen, and she exuded an aura as refreshing as a spring breeze. One look was enough to tell she was a person of excellent upbringing.
Unfortunately, her true features were obscured by a faint holy light, making them impossible to see clearly.
"You are... from the Church? What are you doing here?"
"I am looking for Muen Campbell."
The girl stood on her tiptoes, tilting her small head as she tried to peer through the observation window on the ward door. "He should be inside, right?"
"What business do you have with him?"
Diaka shifted her feet, inconspicuously blocking the window, her face full of suspicion.
"Young Master Muen Campbell is currently injured. He is not to be disturbed by outsiders."
"Ah, how rude of me."
The girl seemed to realize her behavior was a bit excessive. After a slight nod, she spoke very politely:
"Actually, I am from the Life Church. I’ve come specifically to provide treatment for him."
"Treatment?"
"Yes. Muen Campbell sustained significant injuries, didn't he? Only the methods of my Church can ensure he recovers as quickly as possible. So, could I ask you to make things easy for me?"
As she spoke, the girl raised her hand, cupping a ball of holy light. Just its proximity made Diaka feel her fatigue beginning to fade.
"Is that so?"
Diaka continued to frown as she scrutinized the girl, but that pure holy light couldn't be faked. In terms of purity, it was the highest Diaka had ever seen in her life; this girl was likely no simple figure within the Church.
A person like this—even if she appeared to be a beauty with a stunning figure, and even if she was visiting at this hour of the night... it was probably impossible for her to have any evil intentions.
After pondering for a moment, the Pure Love Warrior Diaka stepped aside. "Go on in."
"Thank you."
The girl gave a little hop. Though her face was hidden, one could still feel a sense of extremely cute joy radiating from her as she impatiently moved toward the ward.
But just as her hand was about to touch the doorknob, Diaka’s gaze suddenly sharpened.
Wait, something was wrong!
She seemed to have overlooked something!
"Stop right there!"
"Hmm? Is there a problem, Miss Knight?"
"No problem, I just almost forgot to ask."
Diaka held out her hand. "You were sent by Her Majesty, right? Where is Her Majesty’s warrant? Let me check it."
Diaka felt a wave of annoyance at herself. As a member of Her Majesty’s Royal Guard, how could she have forgotten such an important matter?
Her father had always taught her that the closer one was to a supreme being like the Empress, the more one had to follow the rules. One could not act on a whim. Regardless of the other party's identity, only by doing things according to the rules could one avoid making mistakes.
And yet, she had almost let someone through without following procedure. What a dereliction of duty!
However, since this young girl was from the Church, she should have something like the Empress’s warrant, right?
"..."
Upon hearing this, the girl’s movements visibly stiffened.
Diaka saw the holy light shrouding the girl’s face flicker with a hint of panic. Then, the girl spoke in an unnatural tone:
"A... warrant? Is such a thing necessary?"
"Of course! Her Majesty ordered me to guard this place and forbade anyone from entering without her permission. If you want to go in, you naturally need Her Majesty’s warrant!"
"But I’m here to treat Muen Campbell!"
"For something like treatment, a warrant is even more necessary!"
Diaka raised an eyebrow, her voice suddenly filled with uncertainty. "No warrant? Who knows what you’re planning to do? You aren't actually trying to sneak in to do something wicked, are you?"
"..." The girl fell into silence.
Hmm? This reaction?
Diaka immediately became even more vigilant.
Earlier, because of the other party’s status as a member of the Church, she hadn't thought too deeply. But seeing this suspicious behavior now, Diaka’s mind began to race.
Late at night.
A girl hiding her face.
Trying to sneak into the ward under the guise of medical treatment.
And inside the ward was Young Master Campbell, currently injured, weak, pitiful, and helpless...
Once she sneaked in, wouldn't she... be able to do this and that to Young Master Campbell? Wouldn't she be able to do whatever she wanted?
The "philandering little wild cat" Her Majesty often talked about—she must have been referring to this kind of person!
No, I can't let her succeed. As a proud Pure Love Warrior, I must stop this illegal act—
"Sleep."
Liya extended a finger and suddenly gave a light tap.
Diaka’s eyes widened. she hadn't expected this seemingly delicate girl to launch a sudden attack.
True to her status as the Empress’s personal guard, her reactions were lightning-fast. In an instant, her sword was already halfway out of its sheath.
But...
With the empowerment of her status as the Saintess, Liya was no longer the person she used to be. A simple Sleep magic spell cast by her now was ten times more effective than before.
And so, before she could punish the philandering little wild cat, the Pure Love Warrior Diaka collapsed to the floor, falling into a deep slumber.
"My apologies."
Liya pressed her palms together, apologizing to the respected Pure Love Warrior Diaka.
Then, she quickly tucked her into the shadows to the side and impatiently opened the ward door she had been eyeing for so long.
*
"Hmm? Back already? Forget something?"
Muen, sensing the ward door opening again, asked instinctively.
However, the response he received wasn't the Empress’s tsundere and cold voice, but rather...
"Muen~"
A warm, delicate body, so soft that one feared to use too much force, lunged into his arms even faster than the voice reached him.
Muen froze for a moment, wondering if Ariel had secretly cast some kind of illusion on him back on the arena stage, causing him to have such a beautiful hallucination.
But as he caught the familiar scent of the girl’s fragrance and felt the exquisite sensation that almost swallowed his arm, he quickly realized this wasn't a false illusion, but reality.
Which made it even better.
"Liya? Why are you here?"
"Hmph... am I not allowed to come?"
Liya, who had already dispelled the holy light obscuring her face, nuzzled into Muen’s chest, revealing a tender face so cute it made one want to squeeze it.
She tilted her small head up, her cheeks puffed out cutely. Her finger traced across Muen’s chest as she said huffily:
"To think you’d ask why I’m here. Don't tell me that now your eyes only have room for that Empress fiancée of yours?"
"..."
Muen’s breathing grew slightly heavy.
In that instant, facing this question that was clearly a trap, a massive amount of oxygen flooded his blood and rushed to his head. Muen’s brain began to work even faster than it did under Time Dilation.
Thus, in just a split second, the superior instincts he had honed from surviving several "love battlefields" allowed him to find the correct answer.
"How could that be?"
Muen wrapped his arm around Liya’s slender waist and gave her ear a gentle nibble.
"In my heart, there has always been a special place reserved just for my cute little Liya. It’s just that your appearance was so sudden that I was a bit overwhelmed by the pleasant surprise and didn't know how to react."
"Ugh, you're so annoying~"
Although those words sounded very much like the lines of a scum man, the "innocent" Liya still appeared extremely happy.
She threw her arms around Muen’s neck, pressing her forehead against his, and acted spoiled:
"Did you miss me?"
"Of course. I missed you even in my dreams. Just now, I thought your appearance was a dream and almost pinched my own thigh."
"You and your silver tongue."
Liya gave Muen a light nudge and added, "No pinching!"
"Alright, alright, I won't pinch myself."
With such soft, fragrant jade in his arms, how could Muen stay still? "How about I pinch yours?"
"Mmm... still as wicked as ever!" Liya squirmed her body, yet she leaned in even closer, her resistance seemingly a mere formality as she allowed Muen’s wandering hands to do as they pleased.
"Don't like it?"
"I like it... I like it a lot."
"That’s good then."
The soft sensation of Liya’s body offered a completely different charm compared to Celicia.
Where she should be slender, she was thin enough to be held in one hand; where she should be full, she was formidably endowed.
The contrast between the two only served to highlight her beauty.
Furthermore, whenever he looked down, he could see the affection almost overflowing from those watery, innocent eyes that resembled a little white rabbit's.
This was different from Celicia’s restrained, melting-spring-water type of affection. While Liya usually acted quite shyly, in private, she would show a passion more fervent than anyone else's.
Just like right now.
How could anyone maintain their self-control in this situation?
Muen’s mischievous hands applied a bit more pressure, preparing to go deeper.
But...
"Sss—"
The moment he moved, Muen flinched, clutching his chest and gritting his teeth.
"What’s wrong?" Liya asked immediately, her voice full of concern.
"It’s nothing. I just aggravated the wound from the match earlier."
Muen gave a bitter smile. "It just hurts a bit, nothing serious. You don't need to worry."
Under normal circumstances, Muen didn't care much about pain; he had long since grown accustomed to it.
But Ariel truly lived up to her status as a "Soaring Phoenix" protagonist. Without being able to use Black Flame to directly "devour the wound," he finally understood just how troublesome the injuries created by her greatsword were.
As expected of an Ancient Artifact named "Heavenly Fire." With the empowerment of Divine Blessing, the agonizing pain of the scorched flesh and the tearing sword intent reached into his very soul. Even Muen couldn't ignore it; he had to endure it with great effort.
"Ariel is really too much."
Liya pouted, tenderly stroking the bandages on Muen’s chest, her voice full of blame. "It was just a spar. Why did she have to use such a ruthless move!"
"It’s fine." In this situation, it was Muen who comforted Liya, speaking up for Ariel:
"In that situation, neither of us could afford to hold back. It’s only natural that I was hurt by her. I hurt her just as much, didn't I?"
"I know... hmph, I’m just a little heartbroken for you. Mmm... I don't know why Ariel holds such a grudge against you, when you clearly..."
Liya nuzzled Muen’s chest and paused, not finishing her sentence. She hummed, "But it’s fine. It’s a good thing she doesn't know."
"..."
Muen’s mouth twitched.
Was this... really something a "best friend" should say?
Liya, you’ve learned some bad habits too.
Muen immediately gave Liya’s perky bottom a swat. "Bad woman."
"Hmph, I’m not bad at all! I even came here out of the goodness of my heart to treat you!" Liya huffed cutely again.
"Treatment, ah..."
Because he had been so happy to see Liya, Muen only now realized...
The cute, clingy girl in his arms was the genuine contemporary Saintess of the Life Church!
With the Church’s empowerment, when it came to healing arts, there were probably fewer than five people in the world who could surpass her.
Who else in this world was better suited to soothe his injuries in the silence of the night?
"Then... Your Highness the Saintess, how do you plan to treat me?" Muen blinked, asking with a look of pure innocence.
"Hehe, with the most terrifying method, of course. A Saintess has to punish bad people."
Liya flashed an "evil" but charmingly naive grin.
Then, she suddenly sat up and, taking advantage of Muen’s lack of focus, launched a surprise attack of her own—one Muen was usually fond of—and kissed him directly.
【Censored/Modified】
【Censored/Modified】
As their lips met, besides the exquisite, electric sensation, Muen could clearly feel a warm current flowing into his body with practiced ease, rapidly healing his internal injuries.
【Censored/Modified】
【Censored/Modified】
【Censored/Modified】
This was Holy Light. Back in the Lost Homeland, Liya had treated Muen in the same way. Thus, everything felt familiar now. Without even needing conscious guidance, the dense Holy Light was poured into Muen’s limbs and bones.
Liya pressed closer and closer, wrapping her arms around Muen’s neck with increasing strength. 【Censored/Modified】 【Censored/Modified】.
Liya was incredibly proactive and affectionate. The love she had stored up for months blossomed here, as hot as lava erupting from a volcano.
Finally, the kiss broke for a moment. 【Censored/Modified】
Liya’s cute face was now completely flushed, making her even more intoxicating.
But during this brief halftime break, she suddenly 【Censored/Modified】, leaned into Muen’s ear, and spoke in a soul-stirring voice:
"Guess what I’m wearing tonight?"
"I'm not guessing."
Muen 【Censored/Modified】 and laughed:
"Compared to unrealistic guessing, I prefer hands-on exploration."
"Wicked~"
Liya didn't stop him. Her waist went soft, and her face grew even redder, making one want to take a bite. She took the opportunity to half-climb onto Muen.
The two drew closer, the atmosphere in the ward thick with romance. Their hearts were already tightly bound together, so the subsequent actions should have followed naturally, like heavenly thunder igniting an earthly fire, unstoppable.
...
But unfortunately, there are things in this world that can freeze even heavenly thunder and earthly fire.
For example...
"Oh? This is quite an interesting scene."
A voice, cold to the extreme and instantly dropping the room's temperature to below zero, abruptly rang out. It acted like a pause button, forcing the yet-to-be-consummated fire to a grinding halt.
Celicia, who had returned at some unknown point, looked at the scene on the bed and couldn't stop herself from sneering coldly:
"I decided to come back on a whim, and I actually caught a little wild cat wearing white lace, trying to seduce someone else's fiancé in the middle of the night. Heh, how interesting..."