NOVPUBIn the lounge of Count Milford’s mansion, flames danced vigorously in the fireplace, casting a faint red glow on the edges of the velvet sofas and chairs, bringing necessary warmth to the towering interior. The crackling flames and the burning of the wood added a touch of dynamism to the silent space.
Miss Hyperion’s hands were resting on her knees, her expression complex, as if she were pondering something.
"May I ask why the Saint of Nirvana urgently left Xi Bei Province?"
Hyperion asked Count Milford her question.
Although she knew that the information from Count Milford would not be inaccurate, she still feared it might be a trap.
"It seems there were some problems in the north of the empire, which led Bishop Asksan of Nirvana to reassign him to the extreme north."
Count Milford also rubbed his beard, puzzled. He found it strange, wondering just how big a problem it could be to have the Bishop of Nirvana transfer the Saint of Nirvana there.
It was almost as though someone was helping Hyperion by drawing all the attention away from her.
Count Milford was sure that the Saint of Nirvana had reached the northern transit fortress of Hezishan Province via the magic power railway line, and was then heading northward.
"If the Saint of Nirvana cannot finish his task quickly, he may not return within seven days. However, even if he does come back in the next few days, I will immediately help you plan a route to the imperial city of Herram that avoids him."
Count Milford added.
He felt that the mission this young priestess bore was too heavy. He wanted her to rest well and hoped she wouldn’t bear any more burdens.
"Phew."
Upon hearing this, Hyperion heaved a sigh of relief. Her tightly wound heart relaxed a bit. Though she felt almost light-headed, she couldn’t seem to completely ground herself.
"Praise the Goddess, please continue to protect Miss Hyperion."
The three clergymen offered heartfelt prayers. In their eyes, this was indeed a miracle brought by the goddess.
It seemed that Hyperion, who had been favored by Lady Saint, a spiritual friend of Mr. Lanci Welfort, was the chosen one, blessed by the Goddess of Destiny.
The new church saintess must be Miss Hyperion indeed.
"Goodbye...Such luck is unlikely to occur a second time, Herram is not going to welcome me and make a way for me."
Hyperion shook her head repeatedly, sometimes a streak of good luck can be frightening.
Life’s luck is finite, he who exhausts it first, departs first. Since meeting Lanci, her luck had been quite good, and it seemed to have gotten even better since their short separation.
Lanci, having sacrificed his merits in exchange for luck, had nothing to fear, but she did.
With their conversation concluded,
Count Milford, leaning on his cane, turned to look out the door of the lounge.
"Regardless, you’ve all worked hard on your journey here. Rest well. Miss Hyperion, your room is on the second floor. In a moment, I’ll have one of the attendants show you there. And Michela, my daughter, she’s probably been waiting near your room since hearing of your arrival today."
Count Milford addressed several members of the Church of the Goddess of Destiny.
When he mentioned his daughter Michela, he appeared somewhat resigned.
"It’s okay. I am now Michela’s cousin. Once we arrive in Herram, I will take care of her as if she were my sister, so please don’t worry, Count."
Hyperion stood up and saluted their supporter, Count Milford once again.
"Thank you, Miss Hyperion."
Count Milford gave a slight nod, touched the bronze lamp to remove the soundproof magic, and then left the lounge with the others.
Upon opening the door, he saw a woman in a deep blue uniform with shimmery silver buttons, a housekeeper, waiting at the other end of further down the corridor.
She gave a slight bow. Count Milford, taking notice of her, turned back to Hyperion, "Perfect timing. The housekeeper, who looks after Michela, is here. She will take you to your room."
Hyperion nodded. After sharing a few words with Count Milford and the three clergy members, she bade them a short farewell and walked over.
The housekeeper greeted Hyperion with a slight bow, saying in a respectful tone, "Please follow me, Miss Milian." 𝓷ℴ𝓿𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
...
Down the hallway, the wall lamps cast a soft yellow light, highlighting the ancient and historical feel of the carved stone walls. Every few lengths, there was a differently styled dark carved wooden door, with occasional slivers of light seeping out from under them.
The housekeeper walked ahead, her pace steady, neither too fast nor too slow, guiding Hyperion to comfortably keep pace with her.
After climbing the staircase to the second floor, she finally noticed a figure standing at the end of the wide corridor.
She was slender, her skin as pale as snow, and her golden hair was elegantly braided into a well-styled bun, adorned with two shining accessories. Her hands, dressed in semi-transparent white gloves, were placed quietly in front.
As they got closer, the girl looked up at her.
Upon meeting the girl’s eyes, Hyperion noticed that her pupils were somewhat vertical, and her ears slightly longer than those of common folk.
Hyperion was familiar with these characteristics.
The girl who had been waiting for her was probably Michela, daughter of Count Milford. She seemed to have a small amount of Demon Race blood, likely only one-eighth or one-sixteenth, far less obvious than the half-demon form Hyperion assumed once her disguise was lifted.
