Chapter 8: An Unexpected Reunion and a Secret Defection

Chloe emerged from the palace, the afternoon sun searing her eyes. Her gaze swept across the noble district, where every mansion gleamed with opulent splendor, yet their uniform designs made them seem as if cast from a single mold.

Unlike the bustling, crowded commoner district, the streets of the noble quarter were largely deserted. Theoretically, Chloe should have no trouble locating Xina and the others. She descended the hundred-step staircase that linked the palace to the noble district.

The noble district, though lacking in vibrancy, exuded an undeniable elegance. Outside some of the houses, small open spaces extended, where a single umbrella, a table, and four chairs formed a miniature café. Sometimes, Chloe found herself quite envious of such a lifestyle. ‘No, this is far too bourgeois!’ she thought. ‘And does coffee even exist in this era?’

‘Wait, who is that?’

Chloe’s eyes immediately landed on that distinctive, beautiful black hair. Xina was actually drinking coffee here! ‘So coffee really does exist now… No, why is Xina here?’

Chloe’s eyes widened slightly. A strikingly beautiful, unfamiliar girl sat opposite Xina. Her golden hair shimmered brilliantly under the harsh sun, and her emerald-like eyes were fixed intently on the newly arrived Chloe. Her features were as delicate as a doll’s, yet she radiated an unapproachable aura.

‘What? There’s actually a girl as beautiful as me?’

‘Pah! What’s with this girl? Why is she radiating such intense hostility towards me?’

The golden-haired girl’s crimson lips parted, as if to speak, but Xina excitedly cut her off.

“She’s Duchess Alice Fabian, a noble who lives nearby. She saw me walking by and invited me to join her for coffee and snacks!” Xina introduced her warmly to Chloe. “Alice is just as cute as little Chloe, you know.”

Xina seized the opportunity to hug Alice, only to be pushed away with a single hand. The brown fur cloak tore from the abrupt movement, and Chloe suddenly caught sight of the crimson-gold revealed through the rip.

“Long time no see, ‘God-Chosen’,” Alice said to Chloe, her hand blocking Xina’s face.

‘That familiar voice…’

“What brings you here?” Chloe’s heart gave a start. ‘Why would Alice suddenly appear?’

“An ill wind from the Royal Capital.”

Alice muttered a few incantations, and Xina, who was standing nearby, instantly collapsed.

Seeing this, Chloe immediately helped Xina, whose face had hit the ground, and settled her onto a seat. Then, she turned to Alice, her voice seething with anger.

“Hey! What did you do to her?”

Alice watched the two before her with an amused expression, placing both hands flat on the table. “I merely cast a simple hypnotic spell,” she stated. “You needn’t worry. But to elicit such a strong reaction from you… do you perhaps have some involvement with her?”

Alice’s words were truly unfathomable; Chloe much preferred Wuxu’s straightforward manner of speaking.

‘It seems the Elder Council has already sensed something. If they can stop time, then a global surveillance spell wouldn’t be beyond their capabilities, would it?’

As if reading Chloe’s thoughts, Alice simply raised a finger and waved it dismissively.

“To my knowledge, the Elder Council possesses no magic that can pry into others’ lives. Even if they did, those moral elites would not readily employ it. Besides, I have already left the Elder Council.”

“Left?” Chloe was astonished. ‘Could the Elder Council be like a company, where one could simply resign?’

“—Defected,” Alice stated, her calm tone belying the turbulent truth. “I have severed all ties with those people.”

“What—why?” Chloe’s jaw nearly dropped in surprise. ‘Could Alice have been swayed by the Prince? Alice shouldn’t like old men… Or perhaps heaven knew of Chloe’s arduous mission and specially arranged a powerful, beautiful girl ally?’

“There is no ‘why’,” Alice said, a hint of annoyance in her voice. “In any other case, my defection is a foregone conclusion, yet the Elder Council doesn’t seem to intend to strip me of my Elder status. The fact that I can still use various forms of magic is proof of that. I truly don’t know what they’re thinking.”

“Then what brings you to the Principality of Saint Fros? Are you looking for new employment?” A chill crept down Chloe’s spine. ‘Was Alice sent to eliminate her? Just because she agreed to help the Prince curb the Elders?’

“I came for you, ‘Great God-Chosen’~ How about it, don’t you think I imitate Wuxu quite well?” Alice flashed a wicked grin. “The Elder Council has split into two factions because of your appearance. The Conservatives advocate maintaining the status quo, while the God-Chosen Faction, led by Wuxu, champions assisting you in achieving your great unification.”

‘Assistance? Chloe was flattered. How could she, a mere Traverser, be worthy of such unwavering support from the world’s strongest power?’

“Don’t celebrate too soon,” Alice said, seeming to read Chloe’s thoughts once more. “The Conservative Elders would be thrilled to see you dead; assassins are likely already en route. The God-Chosen Faction, while advocating to find you first before making further plans, essentially views you as a tool. You should be grateful to the gods that I managed to get here first.”

A peculiar glint flickered in Alice’s eyes.

“What are you going to do to me?” Chloe asked, covering her body with her hands.

“First, I’ll have to take you for a bath,” Alice replied with a perfectly straight face.

Carrying the unconscious Xina on her back, Chloe entered Alice’s spacious house.

The interior was remarkably fresh and minimalist, a stark contrast to Chloe’s perception of a girl’s room—typically adorned with pink decor, plush toys, and cosmetics. In the expansive hall, there was astonishingly only a single bamboo table, above which hung a medieval-style oil painting on the wall. With every step Chloe took, the wooden floorboards beneath her feet creaked.

“Don’t be surprised; I just bought this house and haven’t had time to decorate it yet,” Alice added, opening a side door from which a torrent of mist billowed forth.

Chloe peered through the doorway. A hazy mist permeated the entire space—no, to call it a bathroom was an understatement; it was more like an indoor natural hot spring. Small bubbles rose from the water, and the visual steam alone conveyed its scalding heat. Two gargoyle statues, like those Chloe often saw in comics, were perched beside the spring, spouting water from their mouths that cascaded down, continuously replenishing the water lost to evaporation.

“Come in. I imagine it’s been a while since your last bath; you reek of sweat and horse,” Alice said, shedding her brown fur cloak. “Leave that girl outside; I doubt she’ll be bathing anytime soon.”

Chloe gently placed Xina on the ground. Though she felt a pang of apology, there were no chairs available, so Xina would have to remain seated on the floor for now.

Chloe returned to the misty bathroom, where Alice had already shed her crimson-gold robe, revealing a delicate layer of silk lingerie beneath which her graceful figure was perfectly outlined.

Chloe felt as though she might get a nosebleed. ‘What a pity I’m already a girl,’ she mused. ‘Even such a grand sight can’t truly excite me anymore.’

Seeing Chloe’s sluggish movements, Alice impatiently urged, “Hurry up. I’ll help you take off that troublesome robe. The Elder’s Robe can only be removed by magic.”

Alice’s lips moved, seemingly uttering an incantation. As soon as the spell concluded, the Elder’s Robe instantly fell from Chloe’s body, revealing her pale, bare torso.

“Ah!” Chloe’s face flushed crimson; now it was her turn to be embarrassed.

“What’s there to be shy about? We’re both girls, after all. By the way, aren’t you wearing any undergarments underneath? Oh, right, we didn’t design them back then…” Alice sighed, then skillfully unfastened her silk lingerie.

‘Girls are truly wonderful!’ Chloe thought, gazing at Alice’s exquisite figure.

The two submerged themselves in the hot spring, Alice periodically letting out appreciative murmurs.

“Soaking in a hot spring is just divine!” Alice’s face was flushed, a contented smile gracing her lips. “It took me ages to find a residence with its own private spring. These barbarians have absolutely no concept of hygiene. You know, in the Ancient Empire, the government would establish public bathhouses, and people wouldn’t think twice about bathing three times a day.”

“Gurgle, gurgle… I have a question,” Chloe said, sputtering slightly from the water. “Did you defect because of Alena?”

The abrupt question instantly wiped the smile from Alice’s face.

“It seems so. So, what exactly is your relationship with her?”

Chloe pressed on, intent on clarifying Alice’s stance. After all, cooperating with someone whose loyalties were unclear was exceptionally dangerous, especially when their terms of collaboration were so unequal. Chloe possessed only the superficial identity of a ‘God-Chosen,’ whereas Alice could wield the forbidden magic of the Elder Council, and her wealth and connections were beyond estimation.

Alice clasped her hands behind her head, leaning back against a gargoyle statue, her eyes fixed on the ceiling.

“Can’t you just let me enjoy a long-overdue bath in peace?”