Chapter 389
Xia Er quickly ascended the stairs to the third floor.
The staircase to the fourth floor was equipped with a simple wooden railing that wasn’t even locked; a gentle tug would swing it open.
Xia Er stepped onto the fourth floor, and as soon as she entered the living room, she caught a faint scent of mint.
This was Adele's favorite addition to her potions—though most of the time it served no real purpose, it was simply a matter of personal taste.
A sudden crash of glass hitting the floor drew Xia Er's attention.
She walked straight toward the room where the sound had come from. The door was ajar, so she raised her hand and gently knocked.
Knock, knock, knock—
Perhaps she knocked a bit too hard, as the wooden door swung open slightly, revealing Adele inside, nervously pointing a scalpel at herself.
“Who... uh? Hmm...” Adele was about to angrily demand to know who had intruded into her home, but when she saw Xia Er’s face, her initial bravado quickly faded, and she forgot what she was going to say.
Is this the effect of **Charm**?
To make an extraordinary being lower their guard upon first meeting—this skill would rank among the top three on Xia Er's list.
“Don’t be nervous, Miss Adele,” Xia Er said with a smile. “I’m Xia Er, a friend of High Priest Yulis. I came here seeking your help after hearing her recommendation.”
“Oh, oh...” Adele blinked in surprise, lowering the scalpel in her hand and quickly getting up to fetch a stool. “I’m so sorry, so sorry...”
She didn’t even hesitate, instantly believing Xia Er’s words.
Only a few people knew about her relationship with Yulis, and anyone who could accurately identify Yulis as the High Priest was, in Adele's eyes, someone trustworthy.
Once Xia Er was seated, Adele sat down as well, looking at her with curiosity. “What brings you to me, Miss Xia Er?”
“Well, Professor Ashford told me that there’s a graduate student under Xie Lun named Fred Hopkins. Do you know him?” Xia Er asked, intrigued by the fact that Adele didn’t recognize her.
Fred Hopkins...
Familiar names tumbled from Xia Er’s lips, and at this point, Adele had completely dismissed any notion that Xia Er could be a threat.
Adele nodded and replied, “I know him... he’s my senior.”
“Oh.” Xia Er nodded, continuing her inquiry. “Do you know where he is now?”
“He should still be in the Redemption Society’s lab today; he planned to work through the night.” As she spoke, a hint of melancholy crossed Adele’s face.
Seeing her expression, Xia Er could guess what was on her mind.
Given Adele’s previous experiences, it was likely that Xie Lun’s students had bullied her, and judging by her demeanor, it seemed that one of her research projects had been intercepted by Fred or Xie Lun.
Uh... could it be the research on the pathogen for dehydration?
Earlier, Xia Er had actually gone to Fred’s residence but found nothing. To avoid another dead end, she chose to seek out Adele.
For some reason, Xia Er felt an unusual confidence in persuading Adele, as if anything she said would be believed.
Perhaps it was her own charm at play, or maybe Adele simply had a low resistance to **Charm** and the **Art of Conversation**.
“Thank you, Miss Adele,” Xia Er said as she stood up. “I won’t take up any more of your time.”
“Okay...”
It wasn’t until Xia Er left and closed the door that Adele blinked, tilting her head in confusion. After failing to find anything suspicious about Xia Er, she got up to clean up the shards of glass that had fallen to the floor.
After obtaining Fred’s exact location, Xia Er didn’t rush to find him.
The second-tier **Plague Doctor**, Xie Lun, might also be present, and considering that he could carry poisons capable of infecting the **Crown Guard**, Xia Er didn’t feel entirely confident about confronting him.
However, there was one place where she was absolutely certain she could either eliminate threats or gather a group of allies, while also acquiring some potions.
Deaton Manor.
On a rainy night, Xia Er waved her hand, summoning a carriage.
...
At the entrance of Deaton Manor, two green-chip attendants holding black umbrellas glanced toward the dark uphill path.
At the same moment, they both sensed an overwhelming aura of fear, as if something terrifying lurked in the shadows, making it impossible to look directly at it. They quickly bowed their heads and knelt.
In the darkness, Xia Er held a silver spiritual emblem in her right hand, tucked away in her pocket, and walked slowly toward the manor’s grand entrance.
It was the **Sadana Emblem**.
As she passed by the two green-chip attendants, Xia Er spoke directly, “Take me to see Kitty.”
“Yes!” One attendant, suppressing his excitement, quickly stood up, bowed his head, and walked ahead of Xia Er, slightly turning to the side as he respectfully said, “Please follow me...”
To the two attendants, someone bearing the Sadana Emblem, which was the insignia of the High Priest of the Holy Order, was akin to a visiting bishop. It was their honor to escort such a figure to meet the administrator.
Soon, under the attendant’s guidance, Xia Er passed through the garden and the grand doors, arriving in a resplendent hall. However, she was slightly taken aback when she spotted a familiar figure.
That figure seemed to notice her too, and their eyes met.
“Miss Russell, thank you for your continued support of Deaton Manor. We will...” Kitty, who was leading Aivina, seemed to sense something and paused, a bead of cold sweat trickling down her temple.
“We will continue to strive to provide Miss Russell with better services and goods... please be careful on your way...”
Kitty stopped in her tracks, bowing her head without moving forward.
Aivina and Xia Er exchanged glances but didn’t halt their steps. Only after passing by Xia Er did they nod slightly to each other before looking away.
Nia, who was following Aivina and helping carry things, nudged Aivina’s shoulder with her elbow, urging her to pick up the pace. Aivina, unsuspecting, quickened her steps.
Once they reached the back of the garden, Aivina turned to Nia and asked, “What’s wrong? Was there any danger just now?”
“No... I just had a feeling... that girl was very dangerous...” Nia shook her head, unable to articulate her thoughts.
“A feeling?” Aivina replied expressionlessly. She glanced back and saw Kitty conversing with the girl, then calmly said, “Let’s come back tomorrow morning.”
“Okay.” Nia didn’t know what her lady was planning, but she agreed nonetheless.
Aivina withdrew her gaze.
Kitty must know the identity of that girl; she could ask Kitty for information about her.
Aivina felt her mind was a jumble. She didn’t even know why she wanted to inquire about that mysterious girl, only that her heart had been racing since the moment she first laid eyes on her.
While waiting for the carriage to arrive, Aivina couldn’t help but glance back one more time, but the hall was already devoid of the girl’s presence, leaving her with a faint sense of loss.
Would she ever see her again...?
Perhaps she should have been braver and said hello?
Unbeknownst to Aivina, she would spend the entire night regretting her missed opportunity to greet the girl.
...
Deaton Manor, Kitty’s office.
“Your Grace!”
Kitty suppressed her excitement, kneeling halfway before Xia Er.
Just moments ago, she had locked eyes with the bishop without realizing it, and the genuine fear and familiar aura she felt were unmistakable... this was undoubtedly a genuine bishop of the Holy Order!
She just didn’t know why this bishop had come at such a time... she was about to pull off something big...
Who cares about that!!!
“Esteemed Bishop, please allow me to express my humble respect...” Kitty said, placing her hands on the carpet, ready to prostrate herself and kiss the bishop’s shoes.
At that moment, Xia Er, who had sensed the impending action, slightly retreated and lifted her foot, placing it directly on Kitty’s head, forcing her face into the carpet.
That almost gave this pervert a thrill.
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