No one knew how much time had passed before Carlotta returned to the private room.
The candles that had been lit earlier had already burned out. On the cold and quiet table, the originally fragrant and appetizing dishes had lost their warmth.
She found a waiter and asked softly:
"Hello, may I ask where the person in this private room went?"
"Oh, he has already settled the bill. He told us not to rush to clear the table and to serve you a new set of dishes once you returned."
"...Thank you. No need to serve new dishes. I don't have an appetite."
Carlotta picked up the envelope on the table, bit her lip lightly, and left the private room in a daze. Under the misty night rain of Ragunna, she returned to the Montelli Quarter without saying a word.
Finally back in her room, she pushed open the door, only to see a figure already inside.
"Sister?"
Carlotta widened her eyes, looking at Ciaccona in front of the full-length mirror:
"Why are you wearing my clothes?"
...
On the other side, Porto-Veno Castle.
"You're very punctual."
Inside the vast and quiet castle, Cantarella welcomed Noah to his seat and brewed two cups of hot tea:
"Wait a moment. I'll go get the thank-you gift I prepared for you."
After saying this, Cantarella's figure swayed as she left. Shortly after, she returned holding a gold-and-blue sword with both hands:
"Previously, Fisalia held a sword-drawing marriage proposal and waited for a long time before finally welcoming you, a sword-drawer far more outstanding than imagined."
Cantarella gently placed the longsword on the table:
"Although I now know that your purpose for drawing the sword was not actually me, after experiencing so many things, the debt Fisalia owes you will probably be very difficult to repay."
"This sword is named Bloodpact's Pledge. It symbolizes the unbreakable bond between you and Fisalia. Each family head can only commission one such sword."
"Possessing this sword means you will be Fisalia's eternal honored guest. So... respected honored guest, what would you like me to fulfill for you?"
As she spoke, Cantarella leaned her hands on the table, her ten fingers interlaced to support her exquisite cheeks. Her enchanting eyes blinked gently.
She had already inquired thoroughly. Noah was clearly single and had no relationships beyond friendship with any girls. He was absolutely not the flirtatious scumbag that Changli had described.
For such an outstanding person, since other little girls were still hesitating and unwilling to make a move, she couldn't be blamed for striking first.
An excellent hunter always appears in the posture of prey. Tonight... all the servants in Porto-Veno Castle had been given the night off.
In the dead of night, with a man and a woman alone, as long as Noah dared to make that kind of request, she would dare to agree.
Opposite her, Noah picked up the Bloodpact's Pledge and tried equipping it to the Rover character. However, the panel showed no reaction.
Seeing this, he couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth, feeling somewhat helpless.
Weapons not obtained from summoning had no attribute bonuses for him. Otherwise, why would he need to pull for signature weapons? He could just have identical ones crafted in reality.
Putting away the Bloodpact's Pledge, Noah looked at Cantarella opposite him:
"Really anything is fine?"
"Of course." Cantarella gave an encouraging look, the corners of her lips curving up. As she spoke, the Tacet Mark on the tip of her tongue appeared and disappeared, extremely seductive:
"Anything... is fine~!"
"Then I'll say it."
Noah stopped being polite and directly stated what he wanted most:
"I want the Echo dropped by the previous head of Fisalia."
Cartethyia's Echo set was a 4-4-1-1-1 build. He already had a 4-cost Echo, and through panel fusion of discarded Echoes earlier, he had also synthesized three excellent 1-cost Echoes.
Now, as long as the previous head of Fisalia gave him a double-crit Echo, Cartethyia would be fully built.
Ahaha, just thinking about it was exciting.
Opposite him, Cantarella secretly clenched her fist and cursed inwardly: Insensitive guy.
She had already prepared herself to give everything, yet he actually wanted — the Echo dropped by the previous family head?
Although her inner thoughts were rich, Cantarella's expression remained calm and composed:
"Unfortunately, the previous family head has already passed away. How about... you think carefully and change your request."
"The previous family head has indeed passed away, but the lingering obsession left behind has always been shrouding Porto-Veno Castle, hasn't it?"
As Noah's words fell, Cantarella's delicate body stiffened. She saw Noah casually mention:
"You should know about the changes that happened in the Order today, right? I think that at least for the near future, they won't have time to monitor Fisalia."
"..."
Sensing the subtext in Noah's words, Cantarella's breathing gradually grew heavier. Her ample chest trembled. Noah glanced at it once before shifting his gaze away.
"It seems... you know quite a lot of things. Did the Sentinel tell you?"
Making the corresponding associations and guesses, Cantarella calmed her breathing and looked at Noah opposite her with a grave gaze:
"Then... would you be willing to listen to me tell a more detailed story related to Fisalia's history?"
Noah nodded:
"Skip."
[Companion Story: "Midnight Veil Fantasy" has been unlocked.]
[Completing Companion Story "Midnight Veil Fantasy" grants rewards: Lustrous Tide5, Astrite3200, Shell Credit*80000.]
[Additional Reward: Bloodpact's Pledge (5-star)*1.]
...
Ragunna, Montelli Quarter.
"Sister, that's how it is."
Ciaccona recounted everything that had happened in Freedom Square that day to Carlotta in full detail. The more she spoke, the more excited she became:
"I, Ciaccona, wandering poet, officially announce my opposition to the Order of the Deep. I will continue to spread the truth I know, and they will definitely issue a warrant for me."
"To avoid causing trouble for you, I sneaked back here secretly at night. As for borrowing your clothes just now, well..."
"Because I'll be on the run. Life on the run will definitely make even eating difficult, let alone having extra money to buy clothes. So... hehe, can I borrow two outfits from you?"
"No."
Carlotta refused outright:
"I have plenty of clothes. Wear whatever you want, but — you don't need to flee at all, and the Order definitely won't issue a warrant for you."
She picked up a stack of newspapers placed next to the full-length mirror and handed them to Ciaccona. The latter focused her eyes and subconsciously read out the headline:
"Ragunna Evening News: Shocking! The Sentinel's True Appearance Is Actually a White Horse!"
Just the headline made Ciaccona's eyes widen. Her gaze quickly scanned the content below the headline:
"The Order of the Deep's Archbishop holds immense power... deceived the public into believing in the Threnodian... those who knew the truth were forcibly sent onto pilgrimage ships... The Sentinel's true appearance was originally a white horse..."
"Erroneous faith caused the Sentinel to be trapped... A righteous person took action and rescued the Sentinel from the skies... The truth is revealed, and a new sculpture of the Sentinel's true form is being remade..."
"Justice may be late, but it arrives. In two days, Fenrico will be publicly sent onto a pilgrimage ship... In tribute to all those who suffered injustice for speaking the truth..."
"Harsh doctrines will soon undergo public rectification. All sectors are welcome to participate. Ragunna will usher in true freedom... This report is published by the Order of the Deep."
Every line of text was explosive enough to make the antlered girl's scalp tingle.
After a long time, she dazedly put down the newspaper and muttered to herself:
"Is this real? I only made a slight move — and I actually tripped the giant that is the Order?"
The long-awaited victory came too suddenly. With ten years of great enmity avenged, at this moment Ciaccona only felt her brain buzzing. She felt no joy at all, only confusion.
Her original plan was to struggle against the Order for life, yet this goal had been completed far ahead of schedule. Then... what now? What should she do with the rest of her life?
"Sister... is this real?"
"It is real, but don't worry about that for now."
Carlotta suddenly hugged Ciaccona tightly, wanting only to pour out all the pain in her heart:
"First listen to me. Tall Chestnut is a total jerk."
"Huh? Tell me, tell me!"
Ciaccona set aside her momentary confusion and lack of direction. Her gossip-loving soul burned fiercely as she began listening seriously to Carlotta's grievances.
"You don't know, but Tall Chestnut went to Fisalia to participate in the sword-drawing marriage proposal. It turns out it was to fly up to the skies to save the Sentinel."
Ciaccona: "Huh? The righteous person in the newspaper was actually him?"
"Now that he has rescued the Sentinel, his purpose for coming to Rinascita is complete. He's leaving tomorrow, sob sob."
Ciaccona: "The righteous person was really him?"
"He's purely a jerk who played with my feelings. I will never be sad over a stinky man again."
Ciaccona: "You shouldn't talk about him like that."
Carlotta: ?
Ciaccona: "I suddenly feel that this person actually has many good points."
Carlotta: ??
Ciaccona: "He knew my identity, understood my past, and even helped me expose the Order's truth... Aaaah, do you think there's a possibility that he actually likes me?"
Carlotta: ???
Sister, you seem a bit delusional.
Ciaccona stomped her foot excitedly:
"You just said he's leaving tomorrow, right? Where is he going? How about I go with him? I'm not like you, unable to leave the family. I'm a free wandering poet."
"You can't go!"
Releasing her arms from around Ciaccona, Carlotta furrowed her brows tightly.
Something was off — extremely off.
Shouldn't her strategist be giving her advice? Why did she suddenly start speaking in favor of Noah?
No, she had to stop any signs of anything off.
With a flash of thought, Carlotta came up with a plan. She mobilized the power of capital and began setting up the situation:
"Aren't you curious about the truth behind the Order's changes?"
"Perfect. The Montelli part-time department has a poet position available. It will let you get close to the front lines and investigate the truth."
"As long as you agree, from today onward, you will be the only poet in our Montelli part-time department."
Hearing this, Ciaccona immediately rejoiced:
"Great! From today onward, I, Ciaccona, part-time department poet!"
Part-time department poet, part-time department poet, part-time department poet... Ciaccona muttered this title several times before suddenly realizing something:
"Sister, are you scolding me?"
...