Chapter 646: The Oriole Behind
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 646: The Oriole Behind
The temperature in the hospital room plummeted instantly.
Originally, as Muen and Liya drew closer—even reaching a point of deep intimacy—it was like lightning striking the earth. The blending of soul and flesh and the pink, enchanting atmosphere they released should have made the entire room swelter.
But that spark, that blending, and even that heat were all brutally interrupted.
It was as if an iceberg had fallen from the heavens, wedged forcefully into the mouth of an erupting volcano. No matter how surging the emotions and desires were, they now transformed into the uneasy, half-frozen thumping of Muen’s heart.
Despite the warmth in his arms, he was cold enough to shiver.
"Ce... Celicia?"
Muen stiffly lifted his head from Liya’s ample chest, staring blankly at the silver-haired figure who had appeared in the room at some unknown point. His body trembled, and his hands, which had been buried deep in soft flesh just moments ago, reflexively let go. He hovered there awkwardly, not knowing where to put them.
"You... why are you back?"
"Why am I back? If I didn't come back, was I supposed to just let you be eaten alive by this philandering little wildcat?" Celicia sneered.
At this moment, her face showed no trace of anger, but Muen could clearly see a layer of frost silently condensing across the floor of the ward.
It’s over. She’s furious.
Muen immediately went as quiet as a cicada in winter, not daring to let her rage flare any further.
However, there was still someone in the room who dared to defy the Empress’s authority.
"Who... who are you calling a wildcat!"
Her "spellcasting" interrupted and her heart filled with frustration, Liya sat straight up on the bed, glaring petulantly at Celicia.
Currently, her clothes were a disheveled mess. The hem of her form-fitting nun’s outfit had been hiked up to her waist, tucked into her belt to allow Muen’s "salty pig hands" easier access, revealing glimpses of white lace. The front of her bodice had been completely undone during Muen’s earlier mischief; her "white rabbits" seemed ready to leap out as she glared fiercely at Celicia.
The flush on her pretty face hadn't faded yet. In this state, she looked neither presentable nor elegant, but Liya refused to lose the battle of momentum. She puffed out her chest further, letting her impressive assets bolster her defiance.
"I am not a wildcat!"
"Heh, so the dignified Saintess of the Church is actually a lewd woman who only knows how to use her breasts to seduce men in secret?"
Seeing her like this, Celicia couldn't help but mock her. She huffed, "The Saintess, revered by hundreds of millions, is doing this? Do you have no shame before the believers who worship you?"
"That... that has nothing to do with you! I will guide the believers properly!"
Refusing to be outdone, Liya snapped back, "And I am not some... some lewd woman! You’re the one who’s shameless, peeking at others doing this! You’re the lewd one!"
"He is my fiancé. I can watch however I please. But you, Princess Liya..."
The corners of Celicia’s mouth curled. She deliberately looked Liya up and down, clicking her tongue. "In what capacity did you sneak in here to do such things?"
"I..."
Beside them, Muen quickly closed his eyes and curled up on the bed, playing dead.
It wasn't that he was a coward or irresponsible; he simply knew that at this moment, any statement that seemed to favor one side would absolutely escalate the conflict.
Based on his extensive experience navigating "love battlefields," the best approach right now was to hear nothing, say nothing, and know nothing.
That’s right—he was doing this for the sake of peace, harmony, and getting along.
It was all for the beauty of the world...
Not because he was scared.
"I..."
Fortunately, Liya wasn't like other ordinary jealous women who would run over to demand their lover define their status. After thinking seriously for a moment, she stared into Celicia’s eyes and answered without flinching:
"I... right now, it’s only because of my status that I have to be with Muen in secret. But after I abdicate, there’s no reason I can’t stand by his side openly! That’s right—once I step down, I’ll be just like the Saintess Teacher!"
"Oh? Abdicate? By his side?"
Hearing this, Celicia suddenly revealed a terrifying smile.
"It seems your ambition is no smaller than that other little wildcat’s!"
"This isn't ambition, it’s only natural. Besides, what right do you have to monopolize Muen? Just because of that flimsy piece of paper called an engagement?"
Liya, rarely gaining the upper hand in an argument, hummed triumphantly. "I heard from Ariel that in the beginning, you hated this engagement, didn't you? Why didn't you just tear it up? Why keep it until now?"
"Is that so? Ariel told you about that?"
Celicia’s smile became even more ominous.
"But so what? Whether I tear it up or not is my business. You can consider it a change of heart, but... as long as that contract exists, Muen Campbell is my indisputable fiancé and my unchangeable future husband, both in principle and by law!"
"Ugh... but, but..."
"There are no 'buts'!"
Cold air surged around Celicia as she approached step by step, raising her hand.
"It seems I need to give this little wildcat a lesson."
A terrifying majesty suddenly descended. The air in the room seemed to solidify, making it hard to breathe.
Liya gritted her teeth, and a holy, pure radiance erupted from her body.
"I-I’m not afraid of you! Let’s see who teaches whom a lesson!"
"Wait!"
At this critical moment, Muen finally chose to stand up. He roared like a real man:
"Stop fighting! If you keep fighting like this, you'll..."
"SHUT UP!!"
"...Oh."
Under the dual rebukes of two women brimming with high-ranking authority, Muen wisely went back to being an ostrich.
He had almost defeated the Child of Destiny, Ariel, earlier. But even if the protagonist herself were here, she would be no match for the combined presence of the Imperial Empress and the Church Saintess.
He wasn't a coward.
He was doing it for world peace.
With no one left to stop them, the cold intent and the Holy Light collided. Muen could already envision the academy’s infirmary being leveled to the ground.
But... unexpectedly...
"Wh... what?"
With a cry of surprise, Liya suddenly fell from the bed. Her surging Holy Light dissipated at extreme speed. Immediately after, a flash of profound radiance transformed into solid shackles, binding Liya tightly.
The victory was decided in an instant.
"Heh, Saintess of the Church."
A terrifying Mark of Authority flowed in Celicia’s palm. She sneered, "Even with the blessing of Goddess Emiel, did you forget where you are? If you were in the Church, I might be wary of you. But this is the Empire. What makes you think you can fight me here?"
"Ugh... you’ve already mastered the Imperial Authority to this extent?"
Liya looked regretful. "I was careless."
"A thieving cat is just a thieving cat. Even given the chance, you can't achieve anything great."
Celicia looked down from her height, leisurely observing the disheveled Liya. She rubbed her chin in thought. "I said I’d give you a punishment to remember... what should it be?"
"You... what do you want to do?"
Liya scooted back, her voice trembling despite her attempt to sound tough. "I-I am the Saintess of the Church! You can't do anything to me!"
"True... the Saintess is indeed a troublesome identity. If a certain playboy hadn't seduced women with such difficult statuses, I would have chopped you all up and fed you to the dogs long ago."
Celicia smiled coldly, her gaze sweeping over Muen. Suddenly, her eyebrows arched.
"Actually, I just had a wonderful idea."
"Wh... what?"
"You said it yourself, didn't you?"
Celicia leaned in close to Liya, hooking her chin with a finger. "Peeking at others doing such things makes one a lewd woman."
"You..."
Liya’s poor, delicate body shuddered. "Do you mean to..."
"Hehe, exactly. I’ll let a philandering wildcat like you recognize your own nature as a slut. It’ll help you restrain yourself so you don't do anything shameless in the future."
"Wait, you can't—Mmph! Mmmph!"
Liya wanted to say more, but Celicia didn't give her the chance. She snatched away Liya’s own white lace and stuffed it directly into her small mouth.
"Mmmph... mmmph..."
Poor Liya, her cultivation sealed, could only squirm helplessly like a maiden about to be defiled. Her futile struggles and the shaking of her head only added to the "flavor" for her captor.
"Watch closely."
Celicia stood up. The ice in her eyes had melted into warm spring water. As her gaze shifted, a flicker of a different kind of excitement flashed through them.
She walked toward Muen on the bed, step by step.
"Ce... Celicia?"
Muen peeked his eyes open, glancing at the teary-eyed Liya squirming in the corner. He swallowed hard. "This... this might not be a good idea."
"Call me Her Majesty the Empress."
"Your Majesty... isn't this punishment a bit too..."
"Be quiet."
The Empress gave the order without mercy.
"Just lie there and be good."
"..."
Muen could only lie there obediently. The Imperial Authority still filled the room, and Muen knew his small frame wasn't enough to resist the Empress.
Moreover... he felt a strange, inexplicable sense of anticipation...
Celicia continued her approach. She reached behind her back and gave her dress a light tug.
She was currently in casual wear, far less cumbersome than her formal suits. With that light tug, the dress slid down smoothly.
She stepped out of the garment. A flash of noble purple against her porcelain skin made Muen’s eyes dazzle.
Then, her long legs crossed as she stepped out of the remaining purple silk.
With a groan from the overburdened bed, Celicia pressed herself down onto Muen.
Muen looked up. In just those few steps, the Empress’s eyes had become clouded with desire. She clearly found this act of "NTRing" someone to their face to be incredibly stimulating.
Of course, as the one being "NTRed," Liya could only let out muffled cries of grief and indignation, completely helpless.
Celicia’s fingers brushed over Muen. His internal fire hadn't been extinguished yet, and under this provocation, his breathing grew heavy.
The Empress reached down to grasp him. Her lips curled into a smirk.
"Heh, that little wildcat did a good job preheating you for me."
"Haha..."
"Don't give me that silly laugh. I’ll settle my score with you later."
Celicia tilted her head back slightly. The true Empress looked down upon her subject once more. That pride, swaying like a snow lotus on an icy peak, only made his blood run hotter.
"As for this time, I’ll let you have it easy."
She straddled Muen, her long, shapely legs bent to support her weight... [Content Redacted] [Content Redacted] [Content Redacted].
As if to show off or assert her ownership, Celicia paused at this step, turning her head like a victor to glance at the Saintess in the corner.
Liya was filled with grief and rage, but she was powerless. On her own, she couldn't break the shackles of the Imperial Authority; she could only watch.
Her heart was bitter. Even though time had passed and her status was entirely different, she had once again become a mere spectator.
This scene was... painfully familiar.
Yet she couldn't look away. Like someone admiring a perfect painting, she stared at their movements, as if hoping it would help quench the fire burning within her own body.
"Heh, little hussy."
Celicia cursed under her breath. Soon, she too could no longer endure the scalding heat flowing within her. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her hips.
"Oh..."
With two simultaneous moans of pleasure, the Empress felt as if she had ascended to the clouds, her body becoming weightless.
Was it because she was being watched by that [Content Redacted] Saintess? This time, it was actually... [Content Redacted].
The stray thought flashed by, but Celicia didn't dwell on it. She focused entirely on the sensation.
Her body rose and fell like a small boat in green waves, yet she insisted on maintaining her imperial dignity.
Her majesty was constantly buffeted, but she forced herself to keep that noble air.
[Content Redacted]
[Content Redacted]
[Content Redacted].
In this way, Celicia piloted this ark of life from the green waves into the sky, even reaching above the clouds.
But just as she was about to reach the peak, fully immersed in the pleasure and letting her guard down...
In this room shrouded by Imperial Authority, a shadow flickered imperceptibly.
The Authority... was pried open by a tiny crack.
"Oh my, it seems I’ve arrived just in time."
A giggle, like a little devil’s bell, drowned out the Empress’s sweet moans. Sensing something wrong, Celicia snapped her eyes open, but before she could move, a pair of slender arms wrapped around her waist.
The softness of another woman pressed against her back, and a chilling, sinister wind blew against her ear:
"How does the saying go, Your Majesty? Giggles... I believe it’s called: 'The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.'"