After retrieving the document from Kate’s room, Cassandra left in a hurry.
Watching Cassandra’s carriage slowly drive away, Eileen finally let out a long breath of relief.
Thank goodness Cassandra hadn’t come looking for her. Otherwise, things really would have ended badly today…
“Miss Eileen, didn’t you say you wanted to rest? Why are you still standing by the window?”
Atia came over to Eileen’s side and stood on her tiptoes, trying to see what was outside. But she was simply too short. Even when she strained with all her might, she could only barely poke half her head above the windowsill. She couldn’t see anything happening below.
“It’s nothing. I was just enjoying the view of the estate.”
Eileen forcibly pushed Atia’s little head back down, then walked over to the bed on her own and lay down without another word.
Finally, she could get a good night’s sleep…
Atia lifted her head and looked out at the clear blue sky.
Was the view of the estate any different from up here?
“Atia, aren’t you going to rest?”
Sally had arranged Atia’s room in the one right next door.
This villa was so large that there were definitely more than just these guest rooms.
Atia shook her head. “I’m… not that sleepy yet. If you want to sleep, Miss Eileen, then go ahead. Don’t mind me.”
“Alright.”
Eileen didn’t think much of it. She closed her eyes and went to meet Hypnos.
This was Kate’s territory. She wasn’t worried in the slightest that Atia would cause any trouble.
Besides, she and Atia had already gone through life-and-death situations together. Atia’s affection for her was still very high. Even if the entire world betrayed her, Atia wouldn’t.
As Eileen on the bed gradually drifted off to sleep, Atia’s gaze also moved from the window to rest on her.
“Miss Eileen… is truly beautiful…”
She and Eileen had only known each other for a little over a week at most. In that short time, they had experienced so much that she had never really taken the time to properly look at Eileen’s face.
Before, she had only thought Eileen was very pretty. But now that she was looking closely, Eileen’s beauty couldn’t be summed up with just the word “pretty.”
The afternoon sunlight spilled across the bed.
Eileen was lying on her side with one arm resting on the pillow, her fingers slightly curled. Sunlight poured in from the window, flowing along her forehead, the bridge of her nose, and her lips, before gently sinking into the hollow of her collarbone.
She had already changed out of the rough linen clothes and was only wearing a thin undershirt. The blanket covered her up to her waist, and one button at the collar had come undone, revealing a small patch of sun-warmed skin.
Atia leaned against the windowsill, her heart stirring restlessly.
She watched as the sunlight turned Eileen’s stray hairs a pale gold, her eyelashes casting fine shadows across her cheeks.
Her lips were a soft pink, the lower lip slightly fuller than the upper, with a faint, almost imperceptible curve at the corners.
A breeze from outside gently billowed the curtains. A patch of light danced across Eileen’s collarbone before settling back down.
By the time Atia came back to her senses, that breathtakingly beautiful face was already right in front of her.
“How did I…”
Atia almost cried out in surprise, but she quickly clamped a hand over her own mouth.
Thank goodness, thank goodness…
If she had actually woken Eileen up, even jumping into the Scamander River wouldn’t have been enough to wash away her sin.
She held her breath, but still didn’t move away. Instead, she quietly admired that peerless beauty.
If Kate’s beauty lay in her dashing and heroic aura, and Cassandra’s beauty lay in the refined temperament of a top-tier noble, then Eileen’s beauty was like a lotus flower — emerging from the mud yet remaining unstained, bathing in clear ripples yet never becoming seductive.
At a glance, she appeared fresh and captivating. But upon closer inspection, she was as exquisite as a jade lotus, as if every detail had been meticulously carved by the hands of God. One careless look, and one could easily lose their mind to her charm.
Among the demon races of the Demon Realm, there existed a species known as succubi.
Their way of life was to bewitch men’s minds and drain their life essence. It was said that any man who looked at them too long would become dazed and willingly offer himself up.
But that was because succubi were born with innate charm abilities. Eileen, on the other hand, bewitched all living beings with nothing but her appearance.
Not to mention — who had ever heard of a succubus who didn’t even spare women?
“Miss Eileen…”
Chirp, chirp, chirp…
The birdsong outside the window fell like a drop of water into the lake that reflected Eileen’s visage, sending ripples across its surface.
A bold thought suddenly surfaced in Atia’s mind.
Miss Eileen was sleeping so soundly. If she just gave her a little kiss, she definitely wouldn’t notice, right?
Wait, what am I thinking?!
Atia immediately suppressed that dangerous idea.
She and Eileen were only friends. Even though Eileen had confessed to her before, they hadn’t officially confirmed their relationship yet!
Sneaking a kiss while she was asleep… that was way too underhanded, wasn’t it?
But…
Atia’s gaze shifted to the large bed.
Just sleeping together with Eileen shouldn’t be a problem, right?
She carefully lay down beside Eileen. The tip of her nose was surrounded by the unique fragrance that belonged only to Eileen.
It was a very complex scent, yet strangely comforting. The excitement she had felt from staying at Kate’s estate was instantly soothed, and drowsiness quickly washed over her.
She turned over and scooted closer into Eileen’s embrace, then closed her eyes in satisfaction.
If only time could stop forever at this moment…
……
Duke’s Residence.
Inside the grand hall, Kate knelt on one knee as she reported the results of her trip to Duke Navora, who sat in the main seat.
“Your Grace, that is essentially how the trip went. After eliminating the final A-rank magical beast in Crisel — the twelfth one in total — I returned to the capital as quickly as possible.”
“Twelve? Why have the numbers increased again…”
After listening to Kate’s report, Duke Navora’s brows were tightly furrowed.
The frequent appearance of high-rank magical beasts within the Principality had only begun in the past few months.
In the past, A-rank and S-rank magical beasts had been extremely rare. Although they were dangerous, they had also served as stepping stones for adventurers to advance. Kate herself was a perfect example.
Back then, she had single-handedly slain an S-rank Chimera, and the Adventurer’s Guild had immediately promoted her to S-rank as an exception.
After that, whenever news spread of a high-rank magical beast appearing, it would always attract large numbers of adventurers rushing over to hunt it.
Even though everyone knew that hunting high-rank beasts was a matter of life and death, the temptation of achieving fame in a single battle was enough to make adventurers throw themselves forward one after another.
What adventurer didn’t dream of becoming famous across the land?
But all of that had suddenly changed a few months ago.
High-rank magical beasts were now running rampant everywhere, causing immeasurable damage to every nation in the human world.
No matter how many brave warriors longed for fame, they simply couldn’t kill them all.
In desperation, Duke Navora had no choice but to gather the high-rank adventurers within the country to hunt these beasts.
But after several months, not only had the number of high-rank beasts not decreased — they were actually increasing at an alarming rate.
After an investigation, the answer had ultimately been pinned on magic power leaking from the Demon Realm.
“Your Grace, Lady Cassandra has already gone to the Demon Realm to discuss the matter with the Demon King. I’m sure this problem will be resolved soon. Please don’t worry too much.”