Chapter 112: Changing Hearts and First Encounters

Vilyric was just about to say something when her gaze suddenly shifted to a certain angle in the distance.

“It seems we don’t need to go through all that trouble, Edwina. Your sister has quite the sharp eyes to notice us so quickly~”

After glancing around the venue, the black-haired girl clapped her hands and smiled as she pointed to the abundant array of delicious food around them.

“This is a rare opportunity, so let’s not all crowd together. Feel free to wander around and find something tasty to try.”

“Okay, see you later, Miss Vilyric.”

Understanding, Leila promptly nodded and took her sister away for a bit. In a place like this, the Priestess didn’t worry about them being approached by strange individuals or encountering danger.

Just as the old man named Xiou had said, this was the territory of the Wing Emperor. No matter who it was, they had to show some respect, and anyone invited by Aistini was from a noble family—a powerful faction. Their manners couldn’t possibly be measured by the standards of ordinary people.

“Master, I…”

The blonde girl dressed in a gown similar to Vilyric’s opened her mouth, but the Priestess turned around with a smile, her silver-blue eyes sparkling with a hint of fondness.

“Xiao Guang, you should go play for a bit. You’ve always hated long-winded conversations. There’s plenty of delicious food here to enjoy, so feel free to indulge! But promise me, if anything happens, don’t start a fight unless the other party goes too far, okay?”

“……”

As a master-and-pet duo who understood each other well, even without words, Vilyric could guess what the Little Dragon Daughter wanted to say.

Under normal circumstances, if the little one insisted on accompanying her, Vilyric would have let Xiao Guang follow freely.

However, after the incident with Tilysha earlier, the Priestess realized something.

Xiao Guang relied on her too much; this dependency had reached a point where just being temporarily apart from her made the little one anxious and restless.

When they first came to this world, it was somewhat like that too, but it was never severe. Yet as time passed, for some reason, it began to feel increasingly wrong.

During their time in the City of Courage, it evolved to the point where despite Vilyric instructing her not to follow, Xiao Guang defied her orders and chose to sneak along instead.

While this led to uncovering Rebecca’s hidden secret and obtaining the Heart of the Red Dragon that Nastaia had commissioned her to find, that was separate from the current issue. When Xiao Guang had just gone there, she had no idea about Rebecca at all.

Now, in Sky City, the other recent incident showcased an even clearer sign of Xiao Guang’s dependency. She had thrown a fit over simply being told to wait at the door for a moment, even showing hostility towards the harmless and well-meaning Tilysha.

Vilyric could vaguely sense that the Little Dragon Daughter held feelings that transcended the simple master-pet relationship. That’s why she could become jealous and act irrationally.

Vilyric didn’t mind their relationship progressing; while she had no intention of pushing it forward actively, she also wouldn’t resist it.

But the Priestess knew she hadn’t shown any ambiguous feelings towards Tilysha. The level of interaction was far less than the various forms of intimacy she shared with Xiao Guang.

Yet the little one still got upset, and that was not a good sign. Vilyric didn’t want to have to tiptoe around in fear of her pet’s feelings every time she interacted with someone.

At that moment, she suddenly realized this was no longer a game. The changes in her pet were not just superficial stats displayed on a panel.

Nothing remains unchanged forever. Xiao Guang was no longer a cold AI born from programming; as a being with a vibrant soul, she would inevitably develop new thoughts as her experiences grew and her surroundings changed.

Since change was unavoidable, Vilyric needed to pay more attention to this child-like little creature, guiding her in the right direction.

Don’t think this is overanalyzing or a warning taken too far.

Right now, there may not be any problems, and perhaps for a long time, there won’t be. But if left unchecked, this possessiveness born out of dependency could spread and cause unforeseen consequences.

Unpleasant trends should be corrected or cut off at the first signs.

Thus, the Priestess hoped that within a safe range, she could give Xiao Guang more space away from her sight, allowing her to learn independence and ideally cultivate some secondary interests instead of putting all her focus and attention on Vilyric.

The card game from before was quite nice, cough… but gambling definitely isn’t ideal. Vilyric didn’t want Xiao Guang to become a bad dragon who loves to gamble in the future.

Still, the point remains; Xiao Guang was her most important companion who had come to this world with her. Vilyric would do everything to protect and cherish her, and that position was irreplaceable.

Perhaps sensing her master’s strong intentions, Xiao Guang, though looking somewhat reluctant, obediently followed Vilyric’s instructions and temporarily distanced herself.

However, she hadn’t moved far—just to a less crowded area nearby, where she began picking from an array of foods while stealing glances in Vilyric’s direction.

Everything was observed by Vilyric.

Yet she didn’t say much, just a tentative attempt. There wasn’t any need to push too hard; taking things step by step was fine. Most of the time, the little one was quite sensible and obedient.

On the other side, the beautiful figure they had previously noticed was already approaching them.

“Come on, Edwina! It looks like your sister is eager to chat with us!”

“I’m sorry, My sister just has a bit of a quick temper…”

For some reason, Edwina looked a little flustered, her expression noticeably different from how she usually was around them. Though Vilyric noticed, she dismissed it as a special reaction to facing family, not thinking deeply about it.

After all, she still trusted the kind-hearted and helpful Holy Knight, knowing Edwina wouldn’t betray her.

The two stepped forward and stopped at a table displaying exquisite desserts. A young girl in her early twenties, her figure accentuated by an unusual long sword at her waist and a formal gown, had also arrived beside them.

Without Edwina saying a word, Vilyric had already deduced her identity.

Fleidetrika Cecelia, the eldest daughter of the Cecelia Family from the Holy Empire, the Judging Saintess of the contemporary triad of Saintesses, with legendary peak strength, capable of powers rivaling those of transcendent levels when fortified by the artifact known as the “Arbitration Holy Sword.”

As the main combatant among the Saintesses, she couldn’t be underestimated even in a faceoff with the Wing Emperor.

Without a word exchanged, the Priestess began observing her appearance and aura, just as Fleidetrika was doing the same.

The reason for quickly identifying her as Edwina’s sister was simple: these two looked far too alike.

Their faces seemed carved from the same mold, sharing the same golden hair, enviable curves and well-proportioned silhouettes. Aside from Fleidetrika looking slightly more mature, losing some of the softness, one could easily mistake them for twins.

Even the long hair of Fleidetrika, as clear as crystal, mirrored Edwina’s, who had been blessed with the “Kiss of Light,” enhancing her affinity for light.

Wait… that’s not right?

   

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