Chapter 112 Tais (Part 1)
Walking along the castle’s corridors, there were no servants coming and going as on previous days, making this ancient, historical castle seem somewhat desolate.
However, this was also inevitable. The events happening around the castle and throughout Vinash City, as long as one paid attention, made it obvious that something was amiss. Even in just a few short hours, many maids and servants had already rushed to resign from their positions to the head maid.
Her slender eyelashes fluttered open before her light blue eyes, and she gently shook her head.
At the Count’s suggestion, the young girl from the Kasha Cult had removed the black cloak representing a “Kasha follower.” At the time, Shiel had tactfully mentioned that such attire might arouse suspicion and fear among the castle’s servants.
Tais did not mind such a matter.
In fact, for the sake of the cult’s mission, she had shed this robe many times. Some occasions were to evade pursuit by the Church and the claws of the Frost Calamity, while others were at noble balls, where she was like a flower to adorn their vanity, quietly observing amidst the opulence mixed with the colors of a cold conspiracy.
The sound of the wind blowing through the gaps in the dome-shaped white stone building gently stirred the hem of her skirt, caressing her silver-white hair. She was undoubtedly an extremely beautiful young girl, and even the maid accompanying her couldn’t help but reveal a look of surprise.
A faint smile touched Tais’s lips. Then, she raised her face, her clear light blue eyes gazing at the sky, which was nearing dusk beyond the sound of the wind. Layers of clouds overlapped, but they could not conceal—
Although Tais had been concealed beneath heavy robes for many years, she was not lacking in youthful vitality and beauty. However, she knew that compared to her identity as a young girl, she kept in her heart a much more important mission.
Is that why she felt sorry and pitied for that childlike Count’s daughter…?
—longing for her tenderness, longing for her innocence.
Tais gently held the golden pendant in her hand. The high-heeled shoes favored by noble ladies tapped on the castle’s corridors, their crisp sound like a pleasant melody.
“Miss Tais, wait!” a clear and pleasant girlish voice called from behind.
She paused her steps slightly, turned around, and saw a girl of such breathtaking beauty that she herself couldn’t help but be moved. The girl, wearing a long white dress with lace-trimmed hem, appeared even more exquisite and cute. Her small white feet, clad in round-toed leather shoes, made a crisp “tap, tap” sound as she hurried towards her.
Her gorgeous, brilliant gold hair, like radiant dawn light, lay quietly behind her slender shoulders. Perhaps due to running, the delicate and sickly girl was slightly out of breath, a hint of blush appearing on her flawless, jade-like fair face. However, her pair of scorching gold eyes, framed by her delicate eyelashes, were looking at her.
They were like flowing, magnificent flames, beautiful and brilliant.
Tais thought to herself, then smiled gently, lowering her head to look at the approaching girl. Her light blue eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Miss Verafia, why have you come? Is something the matter?”
She then looked behind the girl, noticing that the dark-haired young man was not accompanying her. “And, Mr. Ig, he’s not with you?”
“Ah, you mean that Ig. This young lady told him to stay put. I’m not a little girl anymore… Besides, what could possibly happen in Shiel’s castle.”
The girl hugged her arms across her chest. Although she looked like a noble lady, she did not seem like a demure one; rather, she pouted her small lips quite cutely.
Earlier, Tais had informed them of the Kasha Cult’s suspicions about the Frost Calamity and Trist’s conspiracy. Before she left, Shiel, Ig, and another Kasha Cult companion, Laurence, were discussing countermeasures.
Verafia’s words indicated that she had kept Ig behind.
“Um, Tais, can I ask you some questions?” Verafia’s brilliantly radiant gold eyes looked up again, her expression eager.
Tais could roughly guess what the girl wanted to say. She chuckled softly and replied, “It’s my honor to answer Miss Verafia’s questions, but…”
She turned her head slightly, looking at the maidservant beside her, dressed in a black and white dress.
The maidservant had been assigned to her by Shiel, who was worried she might get lost in the castle. Of course, this seemingly caring gesture was, in fact, a sign of distrust, which was not difficult to discern.
Tais, of course, did not mind. For someone like herself, who had declared her identity as a member of the Kasha Cult and was meeting for the first time, it was natural for Shiel to have reservations. Having just a maidservant accompany her was already a risky move.
Verafia understood her meaning. She looked at the maidservant and winked at her. “Um, Miss Maid, could you go down for a moment? I’d like to talk to Tais alone.”
“But, Count Silas instructed me to follow Miss Tais…” The maidservant looked a bit troubled.
“You don’t trust this young lady yet?”
Verafia placed her hands on her hips, feigning anger and furrowing her brow. Seeing the maidservant shake her head repeatedly, she then let out a clear “tsk” and chuckled, saying, “Besides, don’t worry, I’m here. I’ll speak to the Count for you.”
The maidservant hesitated for a long while before reluctantly nodding in agreement.
In Verafia’s approximately half a month in the castle, the maidservant had seen her many times. She knew that this girl, more exquisite and adorable than the most beautiful doll, as if she were an artwork meticulously carved by the Fire Saint on earth, had a rather close relationship with Count Sirius.
Only after the maidservant bowed slightly and retreated did Verafia bounce forward, stepping lightly on the ground. The soles of her small high-heeled shoes made a clear and pleasant “tap, tap” sound, like a light and lively bird, as she ran up to Tais.
“Miss Verafia,” Tais said softly, lowering her head. Her clear gaze fell upon the girl’s flawless, jade-like fair face.
As the current leader of the Kasha Cult, Tais rarely encountered people she couldn’t understand… However, in Count Shiel’s castle, this charming, beautiful, and equally noble blonde girl was one of them.
Verafia’s gorgeous gold eyes blinked, curving into a magnificent golden crescent. Suddenly, she lifted her snowy face and said, “Um, Tais, now that it’s just the two of us, you can tell me, right?”
“With you alone here, naturally, I should follow your wishes. However, I guess… Miss Verafia’s question is still about Sir Trist Horn.”
Tais spoke in a clear voice. Her gaze shifted to the side.
They were on a corridor along the outer wall of the castle. Thick, sturdy stones formed the castle’s heavy and towering walls. The high windows, formed by diamond-shaped stone pillars, were unobstructed by any glass, offering an unobstructed view of the seaport city built around Vinash Castle.
However, Tais did not gaze out at this city, which seemed covered in frosty snow.
The dim, setting sun lingered in the sky, dyeing it dark and gradually weakening, signaling the approaching night. And within that tranquil night, she could glimpse the pure, Frost Blue chill.
Beside her, Verafia also raised her gold eyes and said, “Mm… you know? Then, Tais, can you tell me why you are so certain that Trist has sided with the Frost Calamity?”
—
I feel like constant dialogue might be a bit dry… I thought about it and decided to switch to a different way of explaining.
