Noelle recalled, "The office was empty at the time. I noticed that Acting Grand Master Jean's bookshelf was a bit messy, so I planned to tidy it up and arrange everything neatly."
"Who knew that during the tidying process, a book fell off the shelf."
"I quickly picked up the book, only to find a photograph tucked inside, presumably used as a bookmark."
"The photo looked somewhat old, but it was perfectly preserved. The edges were barely damaged, showing that its owner had kept it very carefully."
Fischl couldn't care less that Noelle was still covering her mouth, and asked breathlessly, "And then?! What was in the photo?!"
Noelle felt the heat beneath her hand, startled, and quickly removed the hand covering Fischl's mouth, hurriedly apologizing, "I'm sorry, Fischl, I..."
"Stop—! That's not important. Hurry up and continue your story!" Fischl interrupted Noelle's apology, her eyes flashing with excitement. Arkz knew that was the look of an eager gossip who had just gotten a juicy piece of news.
Arkz also nodded and threatened, "Noelle, if you don't keep talking, I'll drag Fischl with me to eavesdrop on Barbara and Acting Grand Master Jean chatting, you hear? ~ ~"
"Ah! Why is it like this, mmm~, I know, I'll keep talking." Noelle let out a mournful cry like a small animal, clearly having her weak spot exposed by Arkz.
"I didn't originally intend to peek, but the book happened to be open right there, and the photo was tucked inside. When I picked up the book, I saw the contents of the photo."
"It showed a young Acting Grand Master Jean and a young Barbara standing together. Behind them stood a pair of young, beautiful man and woman. I didn't recognize the female, but I had seen the male—it was Barbara's father, Bishop Simon Pegg of the Knights of Favonius Church."
"Moreover, the Barbara and Acting Grand Master Jean in the photo were embracing intimately. They looked like they had a very good relationship."
Arkz pressed, "But that doesn't prove anything. Maybe Acting Grand Master Jean and Barbara were just very good friends when they were young. How can you be sure they are biological sisters?"
Noelle mumbled, "I wasn't too sure originally, but I asked Sister Lisa afterwards..."
"Oh~~, so it was Sister Lisa. Then it's not strange anymore." Fischl suddenly understood. Given the librarian's personality and her relationship with Acting Grand Master Jean, it wasn't strange for her to know this and tell Noelle.
As a frequent visitor to the Knights of Favonius library, Fischl was an old acquaintance of the witch Lisa.
As someone Lisa often teased and joked with, Fischl was very confident that no one understood the witch's strange sense of humor better than she did.
Noelle clenched her fist, her gaze firm, and bowed to the two of them to plead, "Sister Lisa told me that Acting Grand Master Jean and Barbara's relationship isn't very good, but deep down, as biological sisters, they truly care for and think about each other."
"Today they finally met, and I hope I can let them have a good talk. Perhaps once they sit down and chat, the misunderstanding between Barbara and Acting Grand Master Jean will be resolved, and they will return to their close sisterly relationship."
Fischl said, "I see. No wonder you tried to stop me from following earlier."
Fischl slapped her chest loudly and promised with great loyalty, "Don't worry, Noelle, I will keep this matter a secret!"
"This secret is known only to heaven and earth, you know, I know, Arkz knows—hmm, maybe we should add Oz as well."
Noelle's eyes widened: "How does Mr. Oz know about this?!!!"
Crack!
A flash of lightning streaked across, and Oz flew out of Fischl's Vision. The master and servant touched their heads with perfect synchronization, both giving awkward laughs.
Oz said, "Miss Noelle, actually, while staying inside Miss's Vision, I can still see and hear what is happening outside."
Oz continued, "However, please rest assured, Miss Noelle, I am not a gossipy bird!"
Noelle's expression was complicated, and she managed a strained smile, "As long as it didn't disturb Acting Grand Master Jean and Barbara's conversation, that's fine."
"Haha, even if Acting Grand Master Jean finds out I leaked her secret, she should forgive me, right? She should, right?"
Seeing Noelle's expression, which looked as if the sky was falling, Arkz immediately delivered another blow.
"Noelle, you are still too naive."
Noelle, Fischl, and Oz all looked over, their eyes conveying the same message: "What do you mean?"
Arkz looked up at the sky and said lightly, "When I ran over just now, I saw Rosaria following them. She was right behind Barbara."
"What!!!" x 3
...
...
Acting Grand Master Jean pulled Barbara's hand and ran all the way into the pavilion. No matter how hard Barbara struggled, Acting Grand Master Jean never let go.
It wasn't until the two stood there stunned in the pavilion for a long time that Acting Grand Master Jean regained her composure and realized what she had just done.
Looking at Barbara's wrist, which was red from her rough grip, Acting Grand Master Jean showed a look of guilt on her face.
"I'm sorry, Barbara, I just..."
However, before Acting Grand Master Jean could finish speaking, Barbara interrupted her apology.
"No need to apologize, Acting Grand Master... No, Sister, did you pull me here because you want to chat with me?"
The usually confident, strong, mature, and steady Acting Grand Master Jean now looked like a child who had made a mistake, hanging her head as she stood before her lovely sister, explaining in a fluster:
"...Barbara, I saw you just now, and you didn't seem very happy, so I was a bit worried... about you."
An inexplicable anger suddenly rose in Barbara's heart, and she thought, "Barbara! Barbara! It's always Barbara! Sister! Can't you just call me 'little sister' once!"
But looking at Jean, who was bowing her head timidly like a child who had done wrong, all her anger turned into helplessness.
Why was Acting Grand Master Jean, who seemed shrewd, reliable, and trustworthy in everyone else's eyes, so clumsy in front of her own sister?
Barbara tiptoed, mimicking the way she comforted the children who came to the church for treatment, and patted Acting Grand Master Jean's head to ease her tension.
However, considering the height difference between Barbara and Acting Grand Master Jean...
Jean watched Barbara excitedly jumping up and down with her hand raised, and inexplicably found it very cute. She thought, "Is Barbara worried that I'm sad, so she's deliberately trying to cheer me up?"
So she stood there quietly, watching Barbara struggle to reach up and jump, until she couldn't help but burst out laughing at Barbara's antics.
"Pfft!"
Hearing Acting Grand Master Jean's laugh, Barbara immediately froze.
Barbara shouted internally, "Sister, you jerk! You are too infuriating!!!"
(Acting Grand Master Jean doesn't understand people's hearts, ha.)
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