Chapter 627: Invitation
Miss Verafia clasped the corner of her silk dress and raised her golden eyes, speaking to Ig.
She hadn’t intended to say anything… because once she mentioned Herafir’s name, both Ig and Ophi, who knew her true situation, would worry unnecessarily.
However, she also knew that from Mistetinn’s Staff, and her own reaction, they would mostly guess… and even think of worse possibilities, so after a moment’s hesitation, she spoke.
“Herafir?”
Ophi raised her head in surprise, her eyes wide: “Could it be that this staff also belongs to that Flame Goddess, Herafir… Could it be that the Church’s Fire Saint is her?”
Ig didn’t answer, he gently picked up the young girl’s small, tender hand that was clasped in her lap and placed it in his own.
He had asked the girl this question before, but at the time, Verafia had shaken her head and given a cheerful negative answer.
Her fingertips gently shifted in the young man’s warm, broad palm without opening her eyes. Verafia’s golden eyes tilted up, looking at Ophi, her slender eyelashes fluttering as she shook her head:
“No. I am a goddess of the same rank as Herafir, or perhaps, I should call her ‘sister.’ I know her experiences very well; she has never set foot on this continent, and doesn’t even have a trace of memory of this staff.”
Verafia’s slender eyelashes suddenly trembled slightly. Ig, being very perceptive, noticed the girl’s unusual state and gently tightened his grip on her small hand: “Veer?”
“It’s nothing…”
The girl gently shook her head at him, a faint smile appearing on her snow-like delicate face. Her small hand touched Ig’s palm, her brilliant golden eyes looking at him, “I just suddenly thought of something worth noticing.”
“Something that Veer cares about?”
Looking at the young man’s thoughtful expression, Verafia gently raised the corners of her delicate lips, a soft curve forming, and playfully tilted her golden eyes, “However, I can’t tell you that yet, you’ll have to wait until this young lady figures it out~”
“Is that so?”
Seeing the young man’s involuntary smile, Verafia blinked her big eyes and charmingly raised her little face.
However, in Verafia’s heart, she knew that she had deceived the young man. In that instant, a sudden thought had come to her, stirring her thoughts uncontrollably, like the gentle laughter of a beautiful maiden, which she had become familiar with these past few days.
This was her “sister,” the true Flame Goddess Herafir’s light laughter.
Verafia could faintly feel, beneath the smooth skin of her wrist, a real crimson burning sensation… although it didn’t burn painfully, it rather gave her a sense of warmth and closeness.
She suppressed the urge to touch it, making no movement.
Otherwise, her actions might fool the naturally innocent Ophi, but they certainly wouldn’t be able to hide it from Ig who was gently holding her hand… And Verafia hadn’t considered telling him from the beginning that Herafir’s revival within her body was far exceeding his perception.
“What good would it do to tell Ig? A Flame God King would only make him worry and regret even more. If there’s really not much possibility, it’s better to have happier times… I’ll ask for his forgiveness for my lies before I’m consumed by the flames,” Verafia thought to herself, a captivating smile on her lips. She couldn’t show the slightest abnormality and had to remain as cute and mischievous as usual, otherwise, it would surely arouse suspicion.
Ophi, sitting beside her, took the girl’s hand, tilted her small head, and her beautiful frost-blue hair cascaded down, touching her tender, lily-like arm. She suddenly blinked her frost-blue eyes and asked tentatively,
“Verafia, could it be that Herafir has split her avatar and come here?”
“Her avatar?”
Verafia turned her small face, blinked her golden eyes, and shook her head: “I haven’t heard of such a thing… Moreover, Herafir’s understanding doesn’t include a continent.”
There was one more thing Verafia didn’t say. Although, as she had said before, the staff and Herafir’s sword gave her a similar feeling, as if they were a single avatar… but compared to the sword Levantine, which represented destruction, Mistetinn’s Staff seemed to carry a completely different meaning.
“Levantine, that was the sword of destruction born before the world’s creation, alongside the first flame and the goddess of blazing flames. So, this staff…” Verafia murmured softly. She suddenly thought again of Herafir’s light laughter just now.
Although she was reviving within her own body, Verafia knew that the former Blazing God King still had no consciousness… That was like a fundamental emotion of hers, her concern and affection for herself.
Or rather, she and Herafir were intrinsically the same, deities of blazing flames.
Verafia didn’t want to pay attention to her “sister’s” feelings or her concern.
However, as a goddess of blazing flames herself, she could feel, through that trace of crimson flame light that had just appeared, that Herafir had a very close relationship with Mistetinn’s Staff.
Just as she was gently frowning, unable to help but ponder, suddenly, a brief jolt caused her golden eyes to lift. The carriage beneath them slowly stopped. Through the carriage window, Count Sirius’s castle had already appeared beside them, and they could even see the patrolling castle guards.
—
“Miss Verafia, the Count is waiting for you.” The maid who led the way stopped in front of the room door and bowed slightly to her, as if she had been instructed beforehand.
“Alright.” Verafia nodded, took Ig’s hand, and followed the maid into the room with Ophi.
It was not the dignified and solemn hall where the Count handled state affairs, nor was it a grand and magnificent banquet hall, but rather a tea room for leisure and relaxation in the afternoon.
Behind the exquisite solid wood furniture, as if hearing the sound of the door opening, Count Sirius raised his face. Warm golden sunlight filtering through the clear glass brushed past the young man’s blue-pink hair and illuminated his gentle face.
“You’re back, Miss Verafia?”
“Mm.” Verafia nodded vigorously and found a seat close to Sirius.
Count Sirius smiled slightly. The Silver Moon Elf head maid, Irene, stood beside him. He waved gently to the maid who had led the girls into the room, signaling her to serve drinks and snacks for afternoon tea to the two młode ladies and Ig.
Verafia was accustomed to this.
Although Sirius was a true Count, due to his age, many trivial political affairs in the territory were handled by Sir Trist and other court officials, thus he had a lot of free time.
During the half a month they had stayed at the castle, the Count often invited her and Ig here for afternoon tea during his leisure time in the afternoon.
Vearia took a small sip of the black tea served by the młode maid. The rich taste touched her lips and palate, and the temperature was just right. Moreover, as if specially reminded by Sirius, her black tea had more frost sugar added, and the sweetness was perfectly to her taste.
After taking a small sip of tea, Verafia slightly raised her eyes and looked at the handsome face of the Count, who was not far away. During the half month at the castle, she had long felt that Sirius was a very considerate person.
“Miss Verafia, have your outing today yielded any results?” Sirius also noticed her gaze and said with a gentle smile.
“Hmm… I suppose so.”
Verafia tilted her little head and bit off a small piece of cookie with her white teeth, “Ig and I saw a Church Cardinal who came here for an exhibition… Ah, yes, Miss Irene mentioned this morning that Sirius had hurried to meet this Cardinal, and it was said he brought a weapon to combat the frost calamity?”
If it were someone else, such a direct inquiry about important secrets like Verafia’s would easily cause displeasure, but Sirius only shook his head and gave a wry smile:
“I don’t know about that. I arrived with Uncle Trist, and by then, Lord Bro and the others were already standing before the blizzard… However, Cardinal Bro didn’t seem willing to tell me, and I didn’t ask.”
Although he was a secular lord, Count Sirius had no right to force a Saint-ranked Cardinal to reveal his secrets, nor was it his nature to do so.
“However, after I returned to the castle, Cardinal Bro, along with the Bishop of the church, paraded through the city for the residents… It seems Miss Verafia saw him then.”
“That’s right. At that time, Veer and I encountered a demon hunter knight named Kaino from the Inquisition. He led us to the church square.”
Ig looked up at Count Sirius and suddenly said, “Your Lordship, do you know anything about this Knight Kaino?”
“Kaino… that name rings a bell. As a knight of the Inquisition, he seems to have studied under Uncle Trist?” Sirius closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then said with a smile. The young man clasped his fair hands together, placing them under his chin, his pale gold eyes looking at Ig who had suddenly asked, “But Ig, why are you suddenly mentioning his name, is there a problem?”
Ig nodded and told Sirius about his and Verafia’s experiences, including his suspicions about Kaino.
“So, Ig, you have doubts about Kaino?”
Sirius pondered for a moment, then looked back at the young man and said, “However, even from Ig’s words, nothing can be definitively concluded… But don’t worry, I will have someone investigate him later.”
“That’s good then.” Ig said with a smile. He just had a vague suspicion about Kaino in his heart and wanted to remind Sirius.
However, according to Sirius, Kaino was an outstanding knight in the Inquisition and was personally taught by Sir Trist. If, as he imagined, the power of the frost had even infiltrated the Inquisition, that would be an incredible thing.
Therefore, Ig felt that this was probably just a momentary overthinking on his part.
“Oh right, Ig, and the two young ladies, this is for you.”
Count Sirius handed them several exquisitely crafted tickets, adorned with gorgeous patterns.
Ig lowered his head, “What is this?”
Sirius smiled and replied, “Ig, you should know that the Church Cardinals are holding a knight selection… These are invitations to watch the matches.”
