Chapter 310
At nine o'clock in the evening, Aivina had returned to her estate. After instructing the old butler to set the wine aside, she led Nia up to the third floor.
When they reached the third floor, Aivina paused, turned to Nia, and nodded slightly. "You’ve worked hard today."
"It’s my duty, Miss," Nia replied, nodding slightly. As she placed her hand on the banister, ready to head downstairs, she hesitated and looked back at Aivina. "Miss, how did things go with Miss Shier? Was everything alright?"
Nia had been on edge all evening, as she was one of the informed parties, constantly aware of her surroundings while keeping a watchful eye for Shier’s whereabouts. However, since the banquet began, she hadn’t seen Shier at all, which heightened her vigilance, making her acutely sensitive to any shifts in the atmosphere.
To her surprise, aside from Lucy and Shier disappearing for a while, nothing unusual had occurred throughout the event—not even a hint of conflict. Not just Nia, but even Opode had noticed nothing amiss; the banquet ended rather uneventfully by the lakeside.
She suspected that whatever had happened was resolved within the estate, but she didn’t investigate further, as Nia had to stay close to Aivina to ensure her safety.
"I’m not sure either," Aivina shook her head. "I’ll go ask her. If anything comes up, I’ll let you know."
"Alright," Nia nodded and then made her way down the stairs.
If everything had ended smoothly, that would be ideal. But if the plan had failed and the "subversive" had escaped, Nia would have to consider advising Aivina to steer clear of Shier to avoid any repercussions.
After Nia left, Aivina walked alone down the corridor to the last room at the end. She gently opened the door and looked inside, pausing slightly.
In her line of sight, Shier lay face down on her bed, seemingly fast asleep, even with her shoes still on. The sound of the door opening hadn’t stirred her at all.
Aivina tiptoed to the bedside, gazing at Shier sprawled there, feeling a bit at a loss. To be honest, she had little experience in caring for others and didn’t know how to adjust Shier’s position without waking her.
After a moment of thought, she knelt beside the bed and carefully slipped off Shier’s shoes and socks, placing her small legs on the floor. She glanced at the blanket that was bunched up beneath Shier and, moving around to either side, adjusted it to cover her properly. Then she noticed Shier’s delicate, pale legs and feet hanging off the edge.
With her legs dangling like that, it would be easy to have a nightmare…
Suddenly, Aivina had a good idea. She walked over to the sofa, mustered all her strength to lift a single armchair, and slowly moved it beside Shier, placing it under her legs. Then she found a blanket and draped it over Shier’s legs.
After finishing all this, Aivina, slightly out of breath, placed her hands on her hips and wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief. She looked at the disheveled bed and smiled, shaking her head.
Seeing Shier so relaxed, she knew that Shier must have executed the plan perfectly.
…
"Mm..."
Around six in the morning, as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains, Shier slowly opened her eyes.
It seemed she had a nightmare, where she was wrapped up tightly, struggling to breathe, and the long-dead Jidi was licking her feet frantically…
What a terrifying nightmare.
Shier gradually propped herself up, pushing aside the heavy blanket that had made her sweat, and the silk throw covering her legs slipped to the floor.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, she curiously looked at the sofa behind her and the blanket that had fallen to the ground.
Did Aivina do this?
After picking up the blanket and placing it back on the sofa, she turned to scan the bed for any sign of Aivina.
Aivina wasn’t there. As Shier slipped on her slippers and prepared to head to the bathroom, she passed by the sofa and saw Aivina sleeping soundly.
Is she trying not to wake me?
A warm feeling spread through Shier’s heart. She slowed her pace as she entered the bathroom, washing her body with cold water. After freshening up, Shier changed into a new outfit and left the room.
As she gently closed the door behind her, a small voice with a metallic hum came from behind her.
"Good morning, Miss Shier."
Startled, Shier whipped around to see Nia standing between the two windows, perfectly shrouded in shadow.
"You scared me to death..."
Shier patted her chest, still a bit groggy, but now wide awake from the fright.
"Sorry," Nia said, lowering her head in apology before quietly asking, "Did the plan go smoothly, Miss Shier?"
"Yes," Shier replied with a smile, nodding. "If all goes as expected, nothing else should happen. It’s all over."
"Really?" Nia seemed surprised by Shier’s response, then nodded. "That’s good… Are you planning to go out?"
"Not in a hurry," Shier seemed to think of something and looked at Nia. "Do you have a moment, Nia? Can we talk privately?"
"Me?" Nia was taken aback. She realized she had never spoken to Shier alone before, so she was surprised by the request, but she nodded. "Sure."
Nia followed Shier to the study on the second floor. After closing the door, they stood facing each other.
Nia didn’t know what Shier wanted to ask, so she remained silent, waiting for Shier to speak.
"I have a question about Aivina. It might be a bit personal, so if you can’t answer, that’s fine," Shier began.
Nia looked at Shier with some confusion. "You could try asking Miss Aivina directly."
If it was something Shier wanted to know, Aivina would likely have no reason to withhold it, Nia thought.
"She’s still asleep," Shier paused for a moment before asking, "If I were to suggest that Aivina come with me to Ansu City for school, would she agree?"
Shier had tried to ask this in her simulations before, but the drunken Aivina had brushed her off. Of course, it might have been because Shier hadn’t been very serious under the influence of the potion.
"Ansu..." Nia murmured the name softly.
The study fell silent for a few seconds before Nia spoke again. "If Miss Shier has sufficient reasons to persuade Miss Aivina, she would agree."
"Oh?" Shier seemed a bit surprised by Nia’s answer and curiously asked, "But doesn’t she have conflicts with her family? Her family is also in Ansu City."
Shier had always been curious about this conflict but hadn’t had the right opportunity to ask. Now that the crisis had passed, she finally had a chance to understand these matters.
Moreover, in her simulations, Shier had often suggested that Aivina seek refuge in Ansu City, and Aivina had always agreed.
The question now wasn’t whether she could take Aivina to Ansu, but rather what the nature of Aivina’s conflict with her family was and whether it posed a threat to their future life in Ansu.
"This matter is quite complex… it’s not solely about her family conflict," Nia shook her head. She fell silent for a moment, seemingly organizing her thoughts. After a while, she continued, "Do you know about the Church of the God of Order?"
"I know a little," Shier nodded.
When Shier said she knew a little, it was truly just a smattering of knowledge. Her impression of the Church of the God of Order was limited to what Aivina had mentioned when they first met in the simulation—things like the Covenant of the Eye of Order and that it was the main faith of their family.
"The Church of the God of Order is considered the largest orthodox church within Ansu, as most of its followers are from the upper echelons of Ansu’s elite, with believers spread throughout the government’s upper and lower ranks."
"And I… was once a member of the Church of the God of Order..."
As she spoke, Nia seemed to recall something, raising a hand to her forehead as her vision blurred, and Shier’s figure became indistinct before her.
In a daze, she seemed to see Shier’s right arm tearing apart, terrifying tendrils emerging from within, reaching out toward her.
"Stop! Nia!"
A voice rang in her ears, quickly shattering the illusions before her. Nia gradually came back to her senses, looking at Shier in front of her.
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