The dazzling glow from the crystal chandelier poured down like radiant sunlight, reflecting off the girl's silver hair as lustrous as the finest satin, shimmering brilliantly. Her skin, paler than frost and snow, contrasted against the glossy black stockings, combined with her breathtaking appearance that outshone all others—a scene of unparalleled beauty.
If this was the previous life's Vanessa looking at this CG, perhaps she would've been utterly captivated.
But now? Well, this was probably what people called "beauty from a distance."
Other than that, Vanessa also noticed that near the entryway, there was a cabinet specifically for storing items. Inside, neatly stacked, were numerous disposable gloves, many towels for wiping down surfaces, disinfectant alchemical potions, and even a trash bin overflowing with used disposable gloves.
It was painfully obvious—every time Aesphyra left the house, she'd grab a handful of disposable gloves from that cabinet, and the moment she returned home, after taking off her shoes, the first thing she'd do was swap out the gloves, toss them into the bin, disinfect herself with alchemical potions, and only then proceed to wash her hands.
One could only say—she was truly meticulous.
Only after seeing what was stored in that cabinet did Vanessa finally realize that when Aesphyra had casually said the other day that there were plenty of spare girls’ uniforms at home, it wasn't a lie. She genuinely had prepared many identical sets of uniforms, all neatly folded in the cabinet. The one she wore each day wasn’t the same; the one from yesterday had already been sent to the laundry.
Vanessa knew Aesphyra had cleanliness issues, but she didn’t expect her obsession to be this severe.
After inviting her to dinner that day, Aesphyra had probably disinfected herself with alchemical potions the moment she got home too.
“...Wouldn’t this be... bad?” Vanessa suddenly spoke.
“Hmm? What is it?” Aesphyra tilted her head slightly.
“Miss Aesphyra is so particular about cleanliness, yet I’m lying here on the sofa you so diligently maintain, still wearing my boots,” Vanessa said.
“Oh? Is that so? If Miss Vanessa truly feels embarrassed, I could assist you, you know—help you take off those tall boots~” Aesphyra’s smile deepened, unmistakably sincere yet with a dangerous undertone.
“You’re not planning to mess with me, are you?” Vanessa, seeing the corners of Aesphyra’s lips curving uncontrollably upward, suddenly had a bad feeling.
“Of course not. Could it be that, in Miss Vanessa’s mind, I’m that type of person?” Aesphyra’s lips curled into a sly smile as she walked over.
Vanessa couldn’t shake the feeling that this woman had ulterior motives.
Her Armor Fortress could be removed manually or dismissed by will, but in her current state of exhaustion, Vanessa couldn’t control her body enough to retract her mana. She had no choice but to accept help from others.
The mere fact that she was sprawled so gracelessly on the sofa was already intolerable for Vanessa, let alone still wearing tall boots.
In fact, Vanessa herself had obsessive tendencies regarding cleanliness. She was extremely reluctant to dirty clean spaces, which is precisely why she found this situation so unacceptable.
“Then, Miss Aesphyra, could I ask you to please behave properly and refrain from doing anything that would trouble me?” Vanessa arched a brow, still wary that Aesphyra might pull something sneaky.
“Miss Vanessa, what kind of person do you take me for~? But, since Miss Vanessa insists,” Aesphyra readily agreed, yet the smile on her face only deepened.
Vanessa seriously doubted whether she actually listened to a word she said.
Then, Aesphyra lifted Vanessa’s slender ankle and helped her remove her boots. Her movements were, indeed, proper and restrained. Those fair, delicate hands only made contact with the boots throughout the entire process.
It was clear Aesphyra had worn tall boots before and knew precisely how to remove this type of high-heeled, knee-length footwear both efficiently and effectively.
However—
Vanessa watched Aesphyra’s expression as she removed the boots and couldn’t help but feel her scalp tingle.
Aesphyra’s actions were perfectly proper, yes, but her expression changed.
She was intensely focused, her previously restrained smile gradually morphing into one of undisguised delight. Even after removing the boots, the smile lingered. Finally, she licked her lips ever so slightly—as if she'd just peeled away the husk of a sticky rice dumpling and laid eyes on the crystal-clear delicacy within, full of anticipation.
At the same time:
“Virtue +300.”
“Current Virtue: 4824.”
Why did her Virtue increase this much?! What on earth is this woman fantasizing about?!
Seriously!
“M-Miss Aesphyra!” Vanessa’s tone held both embarrassment and frustration.
“Eh? What is it?” Aesphyra tilted her head with innocent confusion. “I followed Miss Vanessa’s instructions, didn’t I? Properly removed your boots, no unnecessary movements at all.”
“...” Vanessa couldn’t refute that. She had indeed only requested that Aesphyra’s movements be proper. She hadn’t specified anything about facial expressions. But to regulate even her expression? That’d be asking too much.
Looking at it this way... wasn’t her own reaction kind of excessive??
No, this was clearly Aesphyra’s facial expression that was the issue, okay?! Plus, that ridiculous Virtue increase had completely exposed her thought process, hadn’t it??
“But, speaking of which, Miss Vanessa, you seem particularly fond of this outfit. When I encountered you in the ruins last time, you were dressed exactly like this. Is it your battle attire?” Aesphyra placed Vanessa’s tall boots by the entrance, then returned to her side.
“...You could say that. Why?” Vanessa couldn’t shake the feeling that Aesphyra had lingered by the entryway a bit longer than necessary, but she didn’t dwell on those small details.
“It’s nothing, just curious—does Miss Vanessa have many identical white dresses like this in her dormitory?” Aesphyra’s eyes glanced at Vanessa’s wing-shaped hairpin. “I must say, this style suits Miss Vanessa. Did you commission it custom-made and have multiple sets produced?”
“No.” Vanessa scoffed inwardly. Where would she get the money for custom-made combat attire? Maybe Saintess Selina would do something so extravagant, but certainly not her.
“Then, if there’s only this one set, Miss Vanessa must’ve been wearing this outfit for quite a while now? Tall boots and white stockings—wouldn’t that be stifling? Isn’t that a bit improper?” Aesphyra sat down beside her, casting a thoughtful glance toward Vanessa’s boots at the entrance.
What the hell does this impolite woman mean by that??
Is she insinuating that Vanessa lacks personal hygiene? That she doesn’t care about cleanliness??
Vanessa inhaled deeply, feeling her blood pressure spike once again thanks to Aesphyra.
“Miss Aesphyra, what exactly are you implying? Isn’t it rather inappropriate to ask such things of a lady?” Vanessa tried to maintain a calm, composed tone despite her simmering frustration.
“Eh? But I was simply curious, Miss Vanessa. This outfit looks stunning on you and suits your style. But wearing it constantly—wouldn’t you get tired of it? You’ve never thought of switching up your style?” Aesphyra blinked with a look of innocent bewilderment. Vanessa felt even her forced, polite smile starting to crack.
“No. I haven’t.” Vanessa emphasized her tone, then turned her head away, refusing to engage further.
After resting for a while, at least her neck could move again.
“Pfft—” Seeing Vanessa’s reaction, Aesphyra finally failed to hold back her laughter.
“Virtue +80.”
“Current Virtue: 4904.”
She even laughed. It was clearly intentional.
The Virtue gain proved beyond doubt that Aesphyra was thoroughly enjoying teasing her.
Obvious enough—the protagonist blessed by fate just wanted to mess with her.
“Speaking of which, has Miss Vanessa’s life been decent recently?” Aesphyra asked suddenly, for reasons unknown.
“Quite decent. And, Miss Aesphyra, had you not been so insufferable, I imagine my mood today would be rather good,” Vanessa responded, her tone carrying subtle irritation, though her inherent decorum remained.
“Is that so? That’s good to hear. I figured as much, considering I haven’t seen Miss Vanessa at that maid café in quite a while. Your life must be back on track, hmm?” Aesphyra rested her chin on her hand, smiling brightly.
This damned little white-haired bread roll—always knowing how to poke the sore spot.
She deliberately brought up the one black mark in Vanessa’s past she desperately wanted forgotten, erased from public memory entirely.
She had thought that incident was merely an unfortunate fluke, something that could be swept under the rug without anyone ever knowing.
But then Aesphyra showed up—the unpredictable variable.
If not for Aesphyra, no one would’ve known about that incident.
Vanessa turned her head away, not wanting to acknowledge Aesphyra any longer.
“By the way, it’s been quite a while—Miss Vanessa, are you hungry?” Aesphyra glanced out the window. The dense black fog had finally dissipated, and the remaining twilight signaled the day’s end.
Ever since the chaos caused by Bronze Blood, who knew how much time had passed. They had fought continuously for so long—any debrief or meeting would have to wait at least a day.
“...Not hungry.” Vanessa pretended to admire the view outside, answering with detached indifference.
“Not hungry? Still, you should eat a little. I’m going to cook now~”
“Not hungry,” Vanessa repeated, expression unreadable, utterly unyielding.
Once Aesphyra entered the kitchen, Vanessa finally registered an unsettling thought.
Aesphyra... can actually cook?
Also... was she truly not hungry?
Of course, that was impossible.
First, she fought the fanatics for so long, then forcibly breached the miasma barrier, unleashed Flame of Divine Benediction, draining both mana and vitality, and after that, was possessed by her ancestor.
After all that, even an iron man would’ve melted into liquid metal, let alone her.
There’s no way she wasn’t starving. The measly food from the banquet wasn’t going to cut it.
Her attention had been too occupied by Aesphyra earlier to notice, but now that she was reminded—the hunger hit hard, insatiable.
Soon, the stove ignited, flames crackling softly, and in no time, the rich aroma of food wafted into the living room, teasing Vanessa’s senses, as her stomach betrayed her with an undignified growl.
Urgh...
Was she really going to sit here and watch Aesphyra eat, while pretending to be indifferent, staring out the window?
What kind of twisted torture was this?
Vanessa bit her lower lip lightly, but outwardly maintained an air of calm.
No—absolutely not—she refused to lose face in front of Aesphyra. She would endure. It’s just food. Hunger wouldn’t kill her.
She was already resting at someone else’s house; to demand more would be unreasonable.
Besides... who knew what Aesphyra’s cooking even tasted like?
It was bound to be awful—she didn’t even need to look to know.
Vanessa told herself that firmly.
But—but the smell—it was so tantalizing. Could it really taste that bad?
No, impossible. It was probably one of those dishes that smelled incredible but tasted horrendous. The aroma meant nothing.
She didn’t know how much time passed, but the sound of the stove extinguishing echoed faintly. Soon, one exquisite dish after another, each exuding mouth-watering fragrance, was placed onto the long, luxurious dining table in the living room.
Vanessa, as before, turned her head toward the window, steadfastly refusing to so much as glance toward the table.
But not looking didn’t mean she couldn’t smell the food.
In desperation, she held her breath, even shut her eyes.
And yet, no matter what she did, her ravenous mind conjured images of countless rare delicacies—tormenting her mercilessly.
The gnawing hunger burned like a raging fire within her gut. The food was right there—and she couldn’t touch it.
Just... endure. Once she recovered her mobility, reverted to her male body, she’d go out and gorge herself.
Nothing. She felt nothing.
...How long had it been? Was Aesphyra done eating? Had she cleared the table?
She should’ve, right? Vanessa already said she wasn’t eating.
But for some reason, Vanessa’s heart twisted faintly.
She was the one who refused to eat... right?
Vanessa inhaled deeply, yet inexplicably, the once-faint aroma grew overwhelmingly potent—as if the food had been placed right before her.
...What? What was happening??
Was she hallucinating from hunger?
Vanessa opened her eyes in confusion—and was greeted by a bowl of glistening tomato beef stew. The chandelier’s light reflected off the fatty chunks of beef and vibrant tomatoes, making her mouth water uncontrollably.
When... did this happen??
Vanessa’s gaze lifted slowly, trailing down from the pristine porcelain bowl... to the sheer, dark stockings of the girl seated before her.
At some point while her eyes were closed, the silver-haired girl had silently seated herself before Vanessa, balancing the dish on her knees.
Yes—delicious food atop even more alluring food.
Aesphyra supported her chin with one hand, smiling brightly, saying nothing.
Was this silver-haired bread roll secretly a cat? How did she approach so quietly?
Vanessa glanced toward the dining table—untouched.
But... she distinctly heard the sound of utensils clinking earlier...
Realization dawned—the noise was a deliberate misdirection from Aesphyra, orchestrated to mislead her, to bait her reactions.
Aesphyra had stealthily crept over, sat down, observed her intently, {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} never uttered a word—just watching, amused—likely for quite some time.