Chapter 292
Chapter 97: Contradictions and Trust
Regarding how to help Tilysha escape suspicion without exposing herself for now, Miss Vilyric had already been contemplating this issue.
Simply hiding was not an option; she could sense Sigrid’s seriousness about this matter, or rather, the oracle.
From the recent exchanges, it was evident that the Kingdom of Azure was increasingly under pressure from the Abyss. Perhaps many winged warriors were sacrificing themselves unseen every day, forcing the Wing Emperor to consider uniting the forces of various nations.
Although Miss Vilyric thought the content of the oracle was ambiguous—even she, who understood the inner workings, did not know what to do next—winged people undoubtedly had absolute faith in the God of Sky.
Naturally, they would put their hope for breaking the deadlock in that direction.
If this dragged on, despite knowing that Tilysha was innocent, the winged people might, out of desperation, abandon some principles and resort to less noble means for the impending disaster.
After all, kindness does not equate to infinite tolerance; in the face of great calamity, someone must make sacrifices.
While Tilysha was indeed an innocent victim in this matter, Miss Vilyric also believed she had done nothing wrong. However, the winged people, or rather, the Free Wings, equally had their justifiable reasons.
There was no absolute right or wrong; all Miss Vilyric could do was to guide the situation’s development at her own pace.
The most advantageous situation was that Sigrid trusted Miss Vilyric very much, and through several previous probes, she had cleared the priestess’s suspicion even without her knowing.
With that premise, the operation became feasible.
“Sigrid, perhaps she’s a bit scared of you. How about you two step outside and let me speak with Tilysha alone?”
“Alone? That…”
The White Robed Girl hesitated for a moment; perhaps she genuinely trusted Miss Vilyric, or maybe the slight timidness that Little Village Girl displayed touched Sigrid, and in the end, she reluctantly nodded.
“Alright, since you’ve put it that way, let’s give it a try. Seriously… do I really look that scary?”
Murmuring to herself, this prominent figure belonging to the Free Wings then turned and exited the room.
“Xiao Guang, you should step out for a bit too.”
“Master? Why do I have to…”
The Giant Dragon girl froze for a moment, and her already somewhat dissatisfied and wronged expression intensified, turning into a fierce glare directed only at the Little Village Girl, scaring Tilysha into uncontrollable shivering.
“?”
To be honest, this sudden action left Miss Vilyric a bit bewildered.
She hadn’t intended to hide anything from her pet; it just seemed odd to kick Sigrid out while leaving Xiao Guang behind for “alone time.” After all, this little girl looked much fiercer than Sigrid.
Most importantly, she needed Little Dragon Daughter’s help to keep an eye outside to see if those winged people were eavesdropping or up to any mischief.
Given the magnitude of this affair, one could not be too cautious.
“Alright… stop messing around.”
With Sigrid waiting outside, lingering too long could raise her suspicions, so Miss Vilyric coughed lightly and conveyed her thoughts through their bond.
This form of mental communication was far more convenient than speaking; although it wasn’t very clear, as long as both sides had a sufficient understanding, it would be fine.
Sure enough, upon sensing a similar intent, Little Dragon Daughter’s aggrieved expression finally softened. She nodded, shot Tilysha a glare that nearly made her sit on the floor, and then reluctantly left, closing the door behind her.
…Has this little girl been getting clingier lately? It feels like she has to follow me around everywhere, even spending less time in the pet space.
I guess I need to find an opportunity to foster Xiao Guang’s independence; sigh, what a worrysome child…
Miss Vilyric extended a hand to steady the trembling, pale-faced Tilysha and casually cast a low-level focus technique on her.
“Are you alright? Sorry, Xiao Guang can be a bit willful. It’s my fault for spoiling her; though she should be trying to control herself.”
Otherwise, if she truly unleashed the pressure of an adult giant dragon, Tilysha, who was under level 5, would likely be so terrified that her heart would fail her.
Of course, Miss Vilyric would ensure such an incident would never occur.
“Ha… ha… I thought I was going to die… it was too frightening. That look… it felt like I couldn’t breathe. No wonder you’re with Miss Vilyric…”
Gasping for air as if she had just been rescued from drowning, Tilysha gradually calmed down, her face still showing traces of anxiety.
This sky island was already over six thousand meters high; the air was relatively thin, so for an ordinary person like Tilysha, being scared like that could certainly feel suffocating.
However, aside from the fear of having escaped death and the bewilderment of being targeted inexplicably, Tilysha didn’t display any anger or resentment, looking like this little girl had become smarter while still maintaining her original purity.
That put Miss Vilyric’s mind at ease.
Since there were only the two of them left in the room, many things could finally be discussed without reservation.
The Black-haired Girl moved to the simple, cozy bed by the desk and invited the still-pale Tilysha to sit beside her.
Though she looked a bit anxious, unable to resist the priestess’s insistence, Little Village Girl complied but clearly kept some distance from Miss Vilyric.
In that case, the priestess didn’t plan to push her, creating a barely noticeable small barrier before speaking a bit awkwardly.
“I still want to apologize; I didn’t expect that seed to bring you so much trouble. My intention was just to hope it could help you.”
“No, no, no! You can’t blame yourself!”
Surprised by Miss Vilyric’s sudden statement, Tilysha quickly stood up and waved her hands in panic.
After the White Robed Girl helplessly pulled her back to the bed, Little Village Girl bitterly added.
“I know Miss Vilyric meant well; a kind and noble person like you has no reason to frame someone like me. Besides, you saved my life… That must be an important treasure of some sort, and it’s really my fault for not guarding it well. I should apologize for losing your item.”
“This… you truly are…”
Although she figured Tilysha likely wouldn’t harbor resentment toward her, such pure and trusting words, almost like a pristine gem, left the priestess somewhat at a loss for what to say next.
This child really thinks too beautifully of human nature.
“Alright, can you tell me what happened after we left?”
“Mm~”
