Chapter 294
“Alright... I’ll step away with Nia for a bit.”
Aivina’s expression showed a hint of concern as she placed her left hand on the shoulder of Shaer, who was sitting on the sofa. She whispered, “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay with you?”
“No need. Just go somewhere I can’t be seen.”
Shaer shook her head.
She didn’t want Aivina to develop any fear of her due to her behavior in the simulation, which could affect Aivina’s attitude toward her.
As for sending Nia away, it was because the first time she had drunk the potion in the simulation and became a “Instigator,” she had nearly driven the mentally fragile Nia to madness. She was worried that this time, the extreme “Counter” might cause unintended harm.
“Okay.”
Aivina nodded, then added, “But if I sense you’re in danger, I won’t listen to you.”
After saying this, Aivina left the study without giving Shaer a chance to argue.
If Shaer were in danger, she wouldn’t just stand by, even if it meant calling on her family’s influence to protect Shaer’s life.
So no matter what Shaer said, Aivina wouldn’t change her mind, which was fundamentally different from Tara.
At this moment, Shaer stopped flipping through the books.
She set down the materials she had been holding, took a pocket watch from the storage, and slipped it into her pocket, her hand resting on it as she closed her eyes, mentally rehearsing the scenes to come.
……
“Miss Xilufa, please wait a moment. The young lady will be here shortly.”
In the reception room, a maid slightly bowed her head and spoke to the brown-haired woman in front of her.
“Mm.”
Lucy nodded slightly, but she couldn’t contain her excitement.
Heaven knows how she had spent her days at the Dedun Manor.
Strange misfortunes had inexplicably vanished... For the next few days, she couldn’t trace the origins of those misfortunes.
But just yesterday, she received a secret letter from headquarters, revealing shocking news.
“The Uniqueness” had manifested—right during the time her misfortunes had disappeared.
It was hard not to connect the dots, including her earlier tarot reading regarding her visit to Boren City.
In the mysterious world of the extraordinary, never trust coincidences.
She was almost certain that the events were linked to “Uniqueness,” and she was waiting and investigating unusual occurrences.
Finally, today, she received an extraordinary piece of news.
The young lady of the Russell family seemed to have captured a high-ranking bishop of the Holy Ascendancy and invited other third-tier extraordinary beings from various factions to discuss a solution.
This was Miss Aivina Russell engaging in a “bidding war” over the handling of that bishop, especially with the influential Goddess of Salvation Church and the Dedun Group, both of whom wanted to claim that bishop for themselves.
This unusual point could be an opportunity.
She had heard that the young lady was very adept at leveraging and integrating her resources for profit, so Lucy wasn’t surprised by Aivina’s invitation.
She just wondered how such a capable and assertive young lady had fallen out with her family.
Knock, knock, knock—
The sound of knocking interrupted Lucy’s thoughts. She turned to see Aivina standing elegantly at the door, nodding at her.
“Lady Aivina.”
Lucy stood up and nodded slightly in Aivina’s direction. She had met her before, so there was no need for excessive formalities.
She had come early this time to see if she could reach an agreement privately, avoiding a “bidding war” with others.
She believed the company would reimburse her for this expense, as the Holy Ascendancy had severely damaged the Dedun Group’s reputation, and they urgently needed to capture a typical example to execute, sending a message to other members.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lucy got straight to the point.
“Lady Aivina, may I ask if the bishop is currently in the manor?”
Lucy inquired, “What do you plan to do with her?”
This was the question she was most concerned about.
“Miss Lucy, you may not be aware,”
Aivina shook her head, her expression neutral, “I’m merely a ‘middleman.’ I didn’t capture the cult bishop—how to deal with her is up to that person. My task is to introduce her to you.”
Her? A woman?
Was she an extraordinary being Lucy knew? First, she could rule out anyone from the Dedun Group or the Goddess of Salvation Church. The remaining candidates could be counted on two hands—could it be one of them?
Lucy couldn’t shake the feeling that Aivina seemed to brighten a bit when she mentioned “that person.”
“Could you introduce me to her?”
Lucy pressed on.
She didn’t think this would make her seem desperate or lacking the demeanor of a third-tier extraordinary being; opportunities had to be seized, and she didn’t care about losing face.
“Please be patient. Once everyone is here, she will naturally appear.”
Aivina shook her head, seemingly unwilling to introduce that person to Lucy in advance.
Even when Lucy tried to subtly inquire a few more times, Aivina remained tight-lipped. By the time Opode arrived, Lucy hadn’t managed to pry any information from Aivina.
Initially, Lucy thought Aivina might have some issue with her, as Aivina had maintained a calm demeanor throughout, making Lucy wonder if she had pressed too hard.
But when she saw Aivina’s noticeably colder attitude toward Opode, Lucy realized that Aivina’s earlier demeanor had actually been quite favorable.
Now, under Aivina’s lead, Lucy and Opode made their way to the main banquet hall. Opode seemed to be looking for an opportunity to strike up a conversation with Aivina, while Lucy felt a bit anxious waiting.
No, she had to take a chance.
Lucy found an excuse to visit the restroom. Inside, she pulled out a rusty coin.
Her available funds were limited, and time was pressing; she hadn’t had the chance to apply for more funding, and she might not be able to outbid the Goddess of Salvation Church.
At this moment, she had to take a gamble to improve her luck.
Ding—
The rusty coin flipped from Lucy’s fingers, tracing a graceful arc in the air before landing on the back of her hand.
The Eye Angel stared back at Lucy, allowing her to exhale slowly.
Steady.
The “Lucky Coin” had responded, meaning that even if she failed in the bidding, she could still gain unexpected rewards, or perhaps bypass the bidding altogether and meet the mysterious extraordinary being early.
Having already gained “luck,” Lucy chose not to gamble further; this time, she decided to stop while she was ahead.
The last chance should be reserved for a critical moment, a trump card for Lucy—though its uncertainty was a bit daunting.
After securing the coin, Lucy returned to the main banquet hall. By now, the invited guests had mostly arrived, and looking around, she recognized many familiar faces—mostly high-ranking members of the Dedun Group, with whom she had done considerable business.
Among them, Professor Ashford was an old acquaintance; they had met several times, as he often represented the Redemption Society to procure extraordinary materials from the Dedun Group, making them partners.
If worse came to worst, she could always borrow some money from the professor—after all, his medical fees were notoriously high.
Clap, clap—
Two sharp claps drew everyone’s attention.
“I believe everyone knows the purpose of this tea party. The bishop of the Holy Ascendancy is currently imprisoned in the manor, and the one who captured her…”
In the center of the main banquet hall, Aivina addressed the extraordinary beings before her, explaining the current situation.
When they heard that another extraordinary being had captured the cult bishop, surprise flickered across their faces, and even the masked bishop of the Goddess of Salvation, Xiu, nodded slightly.
She could tell that Aivina was not lying.
“I won’t waste your time any longer. I’ll go fetch her. You can discuss matters among yourselves.”
After saying this, Aivina stepped past the surrounding extraordinary beings and left the main banquet hall.
Once Aivina was gone, Opode’s mocking laughter echoed in the hall.
“Ha... Who does she think she is, making such a grand entrance and keeping everyone waiting for her?”
Opode raised his wine glass and downed it in one go, a hint of disdain on his face.
He had come this time primarily to see Aivina openly, showing little interest in the bishop of the Holy Ascendancy. After being rebuffed by Aivina earlier, he was feeling quite irritable.
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