CA - Chapter 247

Chapter 247

Even with the country on the brink of collapse, the royal family and nobles' desire for pleasure remained unaffected. The main city of the Shas Principality was rebuilt in just three short weeks, its ruins transformed into exquisite manors. If one didn't venture beyond the city walls, it was as if a war had never taken place.

Although the nobles only paid lip service to the Holy See, they were excellent at keeping up appearances. After the Holy See's contingent arrived in the Shas Principality, they vacated the two largest manors in the main city for them to occupy.

Monica never liked having too many people around her, a habit she maintained even after becoming a Red-robed Archbishop. Late at night, she had even sent her attendant priest away.

The darkness somewhat affected her vision, but it didn't hinder her from grinding an ointment. Outside, the night wind beat against the window, the clamor masking the faint sound of stone grinding fruit and the crisp footsteps approaching from the corridor.

The closed door opened without a sound, and a tall, slender figure appeared in the doorway. She seemed surprised that the room was unlit; her eyes were met with complete darkness, causing her to pause. The hand she was using to close the door froze in mid-air.

Hearing the sound, Monica looked up in displeasure, only to startle when she saw the visitor. She subconsciously hid her hands beneath the table and asked in surprise, “...When did you get here?”

“Just arrived.” Reese walked toward Monica after her eyes adjusted to the dark. Reaching the table, she touched the candle, and a wisp of white flame lit the wick. An orange-yellow glow dispersed the darkness around them.

She leaned casually against the table, arms crossed, her long golden hair spilling onto its surface. Reese glanced down at the glass bowl in front of Monica and asked with a frown, “Why didn't you light a lamp?”

She remembered that Monica didn't like being alone in the dark.

“And…” Reese reached out and tapped the glass bowl twice. The crisp sound inexplicably tensed the atmosphere. “Why are you grinding this stuff again?”

She sighed softly. “Didn't I tell you to just let your subordinates handle this?”

Reese had initially thought the ointment was easy to grind, but after trying it once, she discovered how easily it injured one's fingers. Even if a healing spell could mend the cuts, new ones would quickly appear, and the pain wasn't so easily eliminated.

After discovering this, Reese had forbidden Monica from doing it.

“...I had nothing to do, so I thought I'd make some more.” Monica casually placed her hands back on the table. She had just removed the white gauze from her fingers, and the small cuts had already been mended with a healing spell. Her gaze shifted, and just as she was about to change the subject to draw Reese's attention away, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.

Reese pulled Monica's hand into her own, inspecting her fingers one by one. “There's enough ointment,” she said, frowning. “Don't grind any more.”

Monica watched Reese's serious expression as she inspected her fingers, then looked away. After a moment, she said softly, “It's not enough.”

“Hm?” Reese took Monica's hand and pressed it to her own cheek, smiling. “Isn't it already healed?”

Reese had just come in from outside, and her face was cool to the touch. Seeing how lightly she was dressed, Monica withdrew her hand, picked up her staff, and softly chanted a spell. A faint white light appeared in the corners of the room, and the temperature slowly began to rise.

“You still have many scars,” Monica said, leaning back in her chair and staring at Reese for a moment before suddenly asking, “Have you applied the ointment these past few days?”

Reese nodded, her expression unchanged. “I have.”

Monica watched her for a moment before lowering her gaze. “Liar.”

Her lie exposed, Reese felt not the slightest guilt. She tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear, the warmth of the room making her voice languid. “You weren't here, so I couldn't find anyone to help me apply it.”

She wasn't entirely lying. Applying the ointment was a private matter, and besides Monica, there was no one else she trusted.

It sounded like a flimsy excuse, however. Reese glanced at Monica, who was protesting with a lowered head and silence, and shook her head with a hint of resignation. Her gaze swept around the room before she straightened up and walked toward the inner bedroom.

Hearing the footsteps, Monica looked up in confusion. Reese was standing in the bedroom doorway. She tilted her chin toward Monica and said with a smile, “Weren't you going to apply the ointment for me? Come here.”

Monica met her gaze for a moment, the corners of her lips twitching into a small smile that she quickly suppressed. Picking up the glass bowl from the table, she followed Reese into the bedroom.

The inner room was not large and could only be considered a lounge. But the nobles loved their comforts, so even this lounge contained a bed large enough for three or four people to lie down on. The bed alone occupied two-thirds of the space.

Reese took off her outer robe and casually hung it on a rack. She grabbed a soft pillow and lay prone on the bed, her half-bare back partially concealed by her golden hair.

Her skin was so fair that the scars upon it looked all the more severe and terrifying. Monica's heart clenched every time she saw them. She took a deep breath, set the glass bowl aside, scooped up some ointment with her fingers, and gently smoothed it over the scars.

Her touch was as light as if she were handling something fragile. Reese propped her chin on the back of her hand, turning her head slightly. Her turquoise eyes shimmered, seemingly filled with a warm tenderness. She chuckled softly. “You still haven't told me why you didn't light the lamp earlier.”

“I did, but the wind blew it out,” Monica replied, carefully applying the ointment as she lifted Reese's hair and moved it aside.

“Why not light it again?” Reese’s gaze followed Monica’s movements as she asked nonchalantly, “I remember you used to be afraid of being alone in the dark as a child.”

Monica’s movements paused for a moment. Then, she shook her head slightly. “I’m not afraid anymore,” she said softly.

She had stopped being afraid after she and Reese were separated, because back then, there was no one left to protect her when she was scared.

The smile on Reese's lips faded slightly. She rested her chin on her hand, her gaze distant as she looked in Monica's direction. After a moment, she lowered her eyes. “Is that so,” she murmured. “I never even knew.”

“It’s nothing important.” Monica gestured for Reese to sit up. She then knelt on one knee on the bed, dabbing ointment meticulously onto Reese’s shoulders and collarbone. From this position, she only had to lower her gaze slightly to see Reese’s face, making it easy to spot the fatigue she was trying to hide.

She had departed nearly ten days ahead of Reese, but Reese had arrived in the Shas Principality not long after she did. She must have barely rested on the journey. Monica recalled how, before leaving, she hadn't properly explained her insistence on coming to aid the Shas Principality. Pursing her lips, she began softly, “Back at the Central Church, my decision to support Vogt wasn't directed at you.”

“Nor was I trying to seize any power from you.”

“I just felt that the common people were too innocent.”

After the last meeting, she had heard whispers that she wanted to compete with Reese for power. Monica, of course, paid no mind to such rumors, but she worried Reese might misunderstand.

Monica had been wanting to explain things to Reese, but she hadn't found a suitable opportunity before her departure.

Reese was a bit baffled by her sudden change of topic, but one glance at Monica’s expression was enough to guess most of what she was thinking. Reese shook her head, amused. “What are you worried about?”

“Do whatever you want to do,” Reese said, completely unconcerned. “I’ll be here for you.”

After so many years in the Central Church, Reese's heart had long grown as cold and hard as stone, but she didn't mind protecting the softness within Monica's.

Monica had often heard Reese say those words when they were children. She fell silent for a moment, then set the glass bowl aside. Just as she had always done when she was young, she tentatively rested her forehead against Reese’s shoulder.

Feeling the heavy weight on her shoulder, Reese turned her head in confusion. “What is it?” she asked softly.

“...When will I ever be able to protect you?” Monica asked, her eyes closed and her voice tinged with bewilderment. She was always getting Reese hurt, always making Reese worry about her, when all she wanted was to protect her in return.

Monica’s helpless, lost voice made Reese’s heart melt. An involuntary smile touched her red lips. She reached out to stroke Monica’s hair, then lowered her eyes in thought for a moment before suddenly saying with a grin, “You can protect me right now.”

Monica looked up at her, her expression questioning.

Reese glanced at the candle on the bedside table. With a slight lift of her finger, a flash of white light extinguished the flame, plunging the room into darkness. She casually tossed aside her Space Gem, followed by her ring and necklace. Then she pulled Monica down to lie beside her, comfortably resting her head on Monica’s arm. “You’ll have to protect me well now,” she said lazily. “I don’t even have my staff.”

“If some vampires were to run in here and hurt me, it would be a great loss for the Holy See.”

Reese closed her eyes and said teasingly, “Archbishop Monica, I must ask you to be vigilant.”

Monica stared blankly at Reese, who lay beside her as if she intended to sleep right then and there. Though she knew Reese was only teasing her, she still nodded very seriously. “Alright,” she said in a solemn voice. “I will protect you.”

She promised in all seriousness.

Reese buried her face in Monica’s shoulder and laughed softly. It had been a long time since she had felt so relaxed. “You’re still as adorable as you were when we were children.”

Monica had been just like this when they were young. No matter what Reese said, true or false, Monica would respond with the same seriousness, believing her words without a shred of doubt.

Monica always said she was protecting her, but she never knew how much strength Reese drew from that trusting, dependent gaze. It was that look that had allowed Reese to endure the darkness, that had kept her from being swallowed by the mire.

“Monica.”

“Mm.”

“Monica.”

Monica looked down at Reese. “What is it?” she asked.

“You’re so wonderful.” Reese turned to hug Monica’s waist, murmuring with a smile, “As beautiful as an elf.”

“An elf?”

Hearing the question in Monica’s voice, Reese simply smiled, not intending to explain.

In her heart, Monica would always be the most beautiful existence.

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