3-8 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

Volume Three: Chapter 8 - Caught in a Trap! How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess? "What's the matter?" Wenny raised an eyebrow. "Have you forgotten everything I said before? Or do you think I was just bluffing?" "What did you say? Which specific part is Wenny referring to?" Aesphyra tilted her head, the ribbon at the back of her head tipping to one side with her movement. "Ah, so you really weren't paying attention to my words, huh? You genuinely think I'm just all talk?" Wenny complained, clearly dissatisfied. This little white-haired nut was underestimating him, treating him like a joke, wasn't she? He had invested so much effort, risking his life to concoct Angel's Kiss, yet she was ungrateful, believing he was jesting. "Wenny, what were you trying to do when you wanted to scale my wall? There are neither banana trees nor fish here," Aesphyra teased. "You ungrateful little white-haired nut, are you comparing me to a stray cat?" Wenny snorted. "If I hadn't come, you would soon be nothing but a pile of nut butter or nut fragments." "And yet, instead of thanking me for my heroic rescue, you mock me? It seems I've wasted my time. I should have just let you, this miniature loaf of bread, figure things out yourself." "Oh, should I thank Wenny for taking the time to humor me?" Aesphyra folded her arms, a slight smile gracing her lips. This little white-haired shorty was always so self-assured, as if she had everything under control, no matter the circumstances. Even now, as the backlash of the "Holy Favor" ravaged her, she remained calm and composed, as if these were trivial matters. "Ugh, why are you pretending? Your condition must be terrible, right?" Wenny frowned. "Going into shutdown mode, yet still keeping up this facade... Aren’t you worried at all? Have you found a cure?" "So according to Wenny, should I be perpetually gloomy, worried, lost, and dispirited to be considered normal?" Aesphyra asked curiously. "Whether joyful or worried, desperate or not, the facts won't change. So why spread negativity and drag others down?" "Destiny is inevitable, isn't it? Instead of fumbling needlessly, one should stay calm and wait for change. Panicking will only let opportunities slip away," Aesphyra replied serenely. "Well, well, perfect answer, Master, I've learned something!" Wenny clapped, feigning flattery. "So, have you come across any change?" "Who knows? Maybe, maybe not," Aesphyra replied cryptically. "Listening to you is like listening to... well, more of you." Wenny retorted. "I thought something must have happened with you barely going out these past few days. Turns out you're even calmer than me, making me feel like the clown instead. Maybe our memories got mixed up, and I'm the sick one?" Aesphyra chuckled softly, her laughter's significance unclear. 'Virtue +30.' 'Current Virtue: 9804.' "Come on in, Wenny." Aesphyra, brushing her loose hair from her face, gracefully entered the courtyard. "Is this okay? What if someone sees? It's my first visit here," Wenny remarked, glancing around as Aesphyra invited him into her dormitory. "Isn't it remarkable how you could find my dorm so precisely on your first visit, Wenny?" Aesphyra teased. "Stop framing me like that. You think I'm some kind of peeping tom? I'm a proud mischief-maker from the Camilla Kingdom, with a reputation to uphold!" Wenny snorted. "I meant that with your disinterest in men, wouldn't it bother you to be seen letting one into your courtyard?" "Since you're aware, Wenny, come in. Standing at my gate invites more onlookers, doesn't it?" Aesphyra teased further. "Uh... uh." Wenny, reassured no one was around, quickly hopped into Aesphyra's yard. Though Wenny had entered Aesphyra's room before, this was indeed his first visit, so he had to act like it was all new to him. "Stop gawking, Wenny. The courtyard walls are tall; no one but you would dare climb them. Speak your mind," Aesphyra said, noticing Wenny curiously looking around. "Tch! Your attitude is as annoying as ever," Wenny pouted. "Do you think I'm here to chit-chat? Trust me, I'm not that idle." "You disrespectful little white-haired nut, turning your nose up at me. If I hadn't come, you wouldn't survive. Are you even aware of your savior's worth?" Wenny finally revealed the angel's kiss he had prepared. Seeing the color of the alchemical potion, Aesphyra's eyes slightly narrowed as realization dawned. 'Virtue +100.' 'Current Virtue: 9904.' Ha! This little white-haired nut was spooked, huh? "No need to speculate; it's exactly what you think. Authentic as they come," Wenny boasted, shaking the potion bottle. The liquid inside scattered fine, wing-like white foam—an easy method to identify an angel's kiss. "This is the same type you gave me, though it's likely lower in grade. But it should be enough to cure your remaining ailments," Wenny confidently stated. "Where did you get this potion?" Aesphyra, her gaze meaningful, asked the blue-haired youth. "Don't worry about that. It's a genuine Angel's Kiss," Wenny retorted, eyebrows raised. He had poured his life energy into this; of course, he knew its value. "No matter how difficult to treat your injury, the Angel's Kiss should work. It's a legendary potion with powers of 'revival' and 'healing'," Wenny assured. "Wenny, you didn't visit the Church's headquarters without a heads-up, did you?" Aesphyra jested. "What are you talking about? If I could infiltrate the headquarters, why bother with this school? I'd be invincible by now!" Wenny retorted. "Then it can't possibly be a gift from them, right?" Aesphyra smiled knowingly. "A gift? Ha, they'd never be so generous! Ignoring whether they could scrounge up even one Angel's Kiss, the bandits would be more likely to steal from me!" Wenny scoffed. "True, such important items should be guarded closely," Aesphyra's tone shifted, seemingly unconcerned with the potion's origins anymore. Just when Wenny relaxed, thinking the conversation was over, Aesphyra abruptly asked, "Did you thank Miss Vanessa for the potion?" "I got..." Wenny started, realizing the trap too late. No matter his reply, it seemed wrong. Hastily, he fell silent, noting Aesphyra's gleeful gaze. Darn, almost fell into the little white-haired nut's trap again! Feigning disinterest, allowing his guard to drop, then springing this on him unexpectedly? Crafty! "Mm-hmm~ What did you get?" Aesphyra leaned forward, smiling mischievously. "I, I got what now?? Don't concern yourself with the origin of this potion, and don't ask!" Wenny huffed. "Oh~" Aesphyra nodded, her expression profoundly meaningful, as if she had comprehended everything. Wait, what does she understand now? What's she pretending to be wise about? "So, Wenny, did you take this potion from your home's reserves?" Aesphyra asked, inspecting the potion in her hands. "What does it matter if I did or didn't? I'm the current sole heir of the Ferris family. It's normal to have a few elixirs left by the ancestors in the family, right?" Wenny followed up on Aesphyra's words. Except that wasn't what Aesphyra intended for him to acknowledge. "I see, Wenny, it must have been quite a task for Miss Vanessa to concoct this potion, wasn't it?" "What Vanessa? I told you, I don't know any Vanessa. I brought out my family's priceless treasure to save you, and you're making up some Vanessa?" Wenny feigned dissatisfaction. "Really?" Aesphyra's lips curled slightly. "Then, Wenny, your family's treasure must be quite unique, using neither an Ancient Empire style vial nor an early Tyrell Empire-style glass. Instead, it's a more recent, generic style of potion flask." "Did this potion travel through time?" Aesphyra teased. "No way." Wenny was taken aback. "It's just a glass bottle! How can you tell its style?" "Isn't it simple?" Aesphyra raised an eyebrow. "Anyone with a basic understanding of history would recognize it." What does she mean by 'a basic understanding' — just how knowledgeable is that supposed to be?? 'Virtue +300.' 'Current Virtue: 10204.' What the heck?? Wenny stared wide-eyed at the increase in virtue points. Everyone knows this little white-haired nut is not only miserly, but also frugal in giving out virtue points, always stingy, never handing out more than a few dozen points, as if giving too much would let him gain too much of an advantage. Yet this time, it burst out with 300 points all at once?? Wenny could hardly believe his eyes. "Wenny, is Miss Vanessa doing alright?" Aesphyra asked, her expression serious, closely observing the Angel's Kiss in her hand. Wenny could even notice subtle actions, such as Aesphyra's fingers slightly whitening as they gripped the potion through a disposable glove. "In brewing Angel's Kiss, 'consecrated angel blood' is an essential main ingredient, and from what I understand, a large quantity is needed. The lower the rank, the more is required. For Miss Vanessa to successfully concoct it, a large amount of blood would be necessary." Aesphyra spoke with gravity, intently watching Wenny. "How is she? Is she alright?" What on earth? How does she know all this?? Wenny was puzzled about how Aesphyra learned all this, considering it was a Ferris family-exclusive alchemical potion. How could she know so precisely?? Surely, it couldn't all be from books, right?? This realization left Wenny's expression conflicted, noting Aesphyra's earnest and sincere demeanor. It was evident that she truly cared about Vanessa's condition. Is it inconsiderate to continue denying knowing Vanessa? This little white-haired nut might be genuinely worried, right?? However, just as he showed a fleeting hesitation and inner conflict, Aesphyra, who had anticipated it, caught the hesitation, and her lips curved into a triumphant smile. "Wenny, you do know Miss Vanessa, don't you?" "Otherwise, why hesitate just now?~" Wow! This cunning nut! Wenny nearly laughed out of frustration. Now he realized, he should never have thought that this scheming little white-haired nut was anything close to harmless. See, she got it out of him again! "Ugh, get outta here! Enough with the nonsense, do you want this potion or not? You ungrateful thing! If not, give it back instead of babbling on!" Wenny snapped, reaching out to grab the potion, but Aesphyra elegantly evaded his grasp. Tsk, when it comes to the agility of this little white-haired nut. "Wenny's usual behavior reassures me that Miss Vanessa is surely safe." Aesphyra smiled sweetly. "Thank you for being honest with me, Wenny~?" "I wasn't honest with you, you big-headed nut!" Wenny laughed in exasperation, wanting nothing more than to grab this delightful yet infuriating nut and hang her from a tree, if only he could overpower Aesphyra. She even toyed with his emotions. So all her previous demeanor was an act to bait his reaction? Wenny never imagined that despite guarding his words and not leaking unnecessary information, this astute little loaf still managed to extract information from him.