Chapter 31: Brother and Sister
Watching Clade being pinned to the ground, Sylvia slowly rose from her seat and walked over to him, looking down at him from a position of superiority.
Of course, such a thing could only be done under the current special circumstances.
Once he stood up, she would have no choice but to raise her head.
“When you entered the underground, no one stopped you?”
Her voice rang out, and Clade's face showed indignation.
“As I thought! Back then, I already found it suspicious how those priests were acting so evasive!”
“They have betrayed the Radiance, betrayed the Lord!”
Sylvia looked at him with amusement.
“So, you forced your way in?”
“Forced my way in?”
Clade repeated the term with a hint of laughter.
“This is a church of Radiance, and I, a Knight of the Tribunal bearing a three-star badge, have the authority to access this underground!”
“Very well, I like the way you speak.”
Sylvia nodded approvingly, but the expression on Kakilis, who was holding Clade down, shifted at this gesture.
He quickly spoke up.
“Knight Clade killed a border demon while accompanying the Earl’s convoy to St. Ruls Cathedral, and intended to deliver the remaining spiritual materials to the underground.”
“He did not intend to offend Your Grace directly!”
Hearing this, Sylvia shifted her gaze to Kakilis, who stood in the back, her face still bearing that faint, ambiguous smile.
“You’re pleading for him.”
“N...not at all.”
The moment their eyes met, Kakilis lowered his head.
But at that moment, Clade gave a disdainful snort.
“No need for false sympathy from a traitor like you!”
“What I do now has nothing to do with you anymore!”
“Evil being, go ahead and kill me!”
With that, Clade looked defiantly at the puppet standing before him.
Yet in Sylvia’s observation, the second son of the Lancaster family had clearly trembled slightly just now, and when his eyes unconsciously glanced backward, a flicker of anxiety and frustration appeared.
Sylvia chose not to comment on it.
“As you wish.”
Her voice gradually calmed, and as her right hand extended, both Kakilis and the other knight holding Clade down closed their eyes in reluctance.
“Pa!”
A soft sound was heard. Sylvia’s hand, shimmering with violet starlight, had already withdrawn, and Clade’s figure collapsed backward.
“Are there any other believers on the ground level?”
The puppet girl asked faintly, and at that moment, both Kakilis and the other knight opened their eyes again.
“…Yes, the youngest daughter of the Lancaster family is praying... that is, his sister.”
Kakilis spoke cautiously, while glancing at the now limp Clade from the corner of his eye.
At this moment, the Radiant Knight who had already undergone his second metamorphosis was breathing steadily, having fallen into slumber.
With each breath, a droplet of crystal-clear drool slid from the corner of his mouth.
“……”
“Thank you for Your Grace’s mercy.”
Seeing this, Kakilis gave a deep bow.
“Alright, I’ve already erased his memories. What you need to do now is bring him to the surface and return him to his family…”
As she said this, Sylvia paused, as if pondering something.
A few breaths later, she continued.
“Bring his sister down as well.”
“Hm?”
Kakilis was clearly taken aback.
“Your Grace, she is still just a child…”
At this, Sylvia spoke with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.
“I know.”
“I have no intention of doing anything to her.”
“Besides, she is also a follower of my Lord.”
“Ah?”
Watching the three leave, Sylvia turned and returned to her seat.
At the same time, a thought stirred in her heart.
Why did it feel like her subordinates, although very respectful, often questioned her orders?
Could it be because she was too kind, too easy to talk to?
A few minutes later, footsteps echoed once more in the corridor—one steady and firm, the other somewhat unsteady.
Yes, unsteady.
Leaning against the back of her chair, Sylvia’s face showed a satisfied smile.
The next second, someone knocked on the door.
“Enter.”
The puppet girl’s voice passed through the door panel and into the hallway.
Then, the door opened. Kakilis, supporting a lavishly dressed young lady, stepped aside. Only after watching her somewhat wobbly steps as she entered the room did he gently close the door.
“Your Highness!”
Seeing the figure seated in the chair, Isabella beamed with joy.
Sylvia gave her a quick once-over, then spoke with slight ease in her tone.
“You’ve recovered quite well.”
“Yes.”
Little Isabella nodded firmly, then said with a hint of confusion in her tone.
“For some reason, after waking up this morning, my body had recovered a great deal. I could even walk for a long time without anyone’s help.”
“This is transcendence.”
Sylvia nodded with a smile.
Although the fragments of extraordinary power had vanished into the Spiritual Realm yesterday, some of the pure spirituality they contained had been intentionally guided by her into Isabella’s soul.
And if the soul was strong enough, it would, in turn, nourish the body.
The reverse was also true.
“By the way, after you finish your prayers, where are you going?”
Little Isabella tilted her head slightly. Though somewhat puzzled, she still gave her answer.
“That detached house in the Eplington District.”
“Good.”
Sylvia nodded.
“Will you still be staying there tomorrow?”
“Yes, I will.”
The blonde girl nodded.
“Clade has some matters that require him to return to the City of Alova. I’ll wait until he’s finished and then return together with him to the Serborn Manor.”
“Oh, right, Your Highness, Clade is my second older brother.”
“Mm, I know.”
Sylvia nodded with a smile.
“We’ve met before—just moments ago.”
Upon hearing this, Isabella’s eyes widened instantly.
At that moment, she thought of her brother, who had just been carried back to the surface, and the extremely vague explanation given by the accompanying knight—
He had accidentally encountered danger in the Court of Radiance.
She then asked with a worried and cautious expression.
“Your Highness, my foolish brother didn’t offend you, did he?”
“It’s alright. Nothing serious.”
Sylvia shook her head.
After that, neither of them spoke further, and the atmosphere turned slightly awkward.
A few seconds later, Isabella curiously looked around the office, then turned her puzzled gaze to Sylvia, who was gently tapping her fingers on the desk.
“Your Highness, where’s that annoying crow?”
“Lakdevo?”
Sylvia smiled, then pointed at the ground beneath her feet.
“Digesting his harvest down below.”
“Alright, you may go now. I’ll probably come see you tomorrow.”
“Mm... It’s okay if I stay at your place for a few days, right?”
“Of course not.”
Isabella nodded vigorously. Then, at Sylvia’s signal, Kakilis opened the door and accompanied the young daughter of the Earl out from the underground.
Watching the door close, the puppet girl placed her hands under her chin and began to contemplate her next steps.
After all, in roughly one day, the angel from the Church of Radiance would be arriving in the City of Alova.