SAINTESS [Chapter 64: Fell for the trick!]

“Eh, you've really hit the nail on the head, Winnie,” Aesphyra said with a cheerful smile.

“Huh? What nail?” Winnie frowned, confused.

"I originally intended to visit Miss Isatia, but, well, Isatia's popularity is just too high. So many people came to see her. Aside from the Tyrell Imperial faction students visiting her, after all, she's their future superior, they have reason and motivation to do so, numerous boys and girls who merely consider themselves acquainted with Isatia also went to visit her," Aesphyra said leisurely.

Well, it's understood for students from the Tyrell Imperial faction to visit Isatia. They're visiting their future boss, so they have justifiable reasons, no matter their actual intentions.

But for students who aren't even part of the Tyrell Imperial faction to visit Isatia just rely on a vague 'acquaintance', their motives are painfully obvious.

Most youths still in the academy aren't seasoned in romance. They struggle to hide their feelings, especially when harboring innocent crushes on a classmate. The admiration and adoration in their eyes are impossible to conceal.

Ah, truly worthy of being an academy, love's sour scent permeates every corner.

The number of love letters Isatia received might not surpass Aesphyra's, but they were far more diverse, she wins hands down. After all, Aesphyra never received nearly as many love letters from girls.

“So what?” Winnie had a premonition. He felt this silver-haired nutball, seeing he was perfectly fine, had gotten bored and came here just to verbally spar with him again.

“Just think about it, so many people used that excuse to visit Isatia. I took a peek, and even carrying a fruit basket, I couldn't squeeze in. The gifts people brought were all kinds of extravagant things. I didn't even know what to bring. She is, after all, the Crown Princess of the Tyrell Empire. When she fell ill, gifts flooded in, many of them extremely valuable. She probably wouldn't even glance at my humble little offering.” Aesphyra smiled, cheerfully displaying the fruit basket she carried.

“So I came to visit you instead, Winnie. Much more practical~”

“You really are...?” Winnie burst into laughter, half-annoyed.

This damn silver-haired nutball, as expected, hadn't changed her ways. She was here to mock him again.

“Scram, scram! Nutball, go back where you came from! This place doesn't welcome you! Shoo, I don't need your visit! So you're dumping the fruit basket nobody else wanted on me, huh? Something you think is too embarrassing to give someone else? What the hell am I to you? A trash collector? Or just some beggar to be brushed off?!” Winnie said, only realizing afterward that Mirexia was still standing beside him, he'd let her hear everything, and glared at Aesphyra again.

This silver-haired nutball really was his nemesis, in every sense of the word.

But upon second thought, Winnie found Aesphyra's words strange. As the young lady of the Galactus family, with the Galactus family's wealth, would she really be unable to give a decent gift?

If she truly wanted to give one, who among them could possibly outdo her?

Moreover, her hidden identity was as a direct descendant of the Carillian family, the legitimate heir to the ancient Carillian Imperial bloodline, and herself the number one campus beauty on Carillian Academy's popularity rankings. Would she really feel inferior and unable to hold her head high before Isatia?

Impossible. Aesphyra was always so confident, graceful and poised, she'd never show a submissive posture to anyone.

Well, except her height was a bit of a sore spot.

So... was she saying this deliberately just to irritate him? Did she actually never go visit Isatia at all?

Wait, why would he even think that? Why would this yuri harem queen skip visiting Isatia to come see him, a guy? What would her motive be?

Besides, it's none of his business who she visits anyway.

As the two bickered, Mirexia, caught in the middle, felt a strange sensation.

Perhaps it was a woman's sixth sense, but she felt that although she was the first one to visit Winnie, when these two started talking, she couldn't get a word in. It was as if the two of them only had eyes for each other, even if they were just arguing.

“Pfft, pfft, Winnie, why is Miss Mirexia the only one here?” Aesphyra didn't react to Winnie telling her to leave. After spending so much time together, she'd mostly figured out Winnie's temperament.

She knew that many of Winnie's words had to be interpreted the opposite way. Sometimes Aesphyra even wondered if Winnie were actually a girl, she'd definitely be the tsundere type, saying “I hate you more than anyone in the world!” while blushing at you.

“What, you're not a person?” Winnie retorted irritably.

“I mean, could it be due to popularity? Winnie, your place and Isatia's are complete opposites. Isatia's is so crowded you can't even squeeze in, while yours is so quiet I thought I'd entered the wrong room,” Aesphyra said with a grin.

“Tch! Popularity, my ass! You couldn't get in where it's crowded, and you complain about places with no one, how picky can you get?” Winnie knew this silver-haired nutball had come here with nothing but mischief on her mind.

“And, am I really unpopular?” Winnie protested.

“Oh? So Winnie, you're actually very popular?” Aesphyra asked with a teasing smile.

“Of course! I have tons of friends, you just haven't met them!” Winnie snapped. “Let me tell you, they're coming soon, any minute now! You'd better make some space quickly! The moment they hear I'm hospitalized, they'll rush over to see me!”

“Oh really? I'll be watching then.” Aesphyra's eyes instinctively drifted toward the door. Aside from the sound of wind, there was no movement.

“...” Winnie felt an instant awkwardness.

Wait, where the hell are his card buddies?

They were always calling each other brothers, blabbering about “the bond between fellow gamblers,” yet now not a single one showed up?

Tch, those bastards, just you wait!

Just then, hurried footsteps approached from outside the room, and Winnie saw a flustered white haired girl burst in.

“W-Winnie! Are you alright? I just heard from the teacher that you were trapped in the Deep Burial dungeon and only just got out, you're in the infirmary!” Shikondell said, carrying a slightly worn but neatly cleaned fruit basket.

“Oh, Dell, you're here?” Winnie blinked, surprised.

Well, the news had spread fast. It was only a matter of time before Shikondell found out.

“Winnie, are you okay?” Shikondell's attention was entirely on Winnie, completely unaware of Aesphyra and Mirexia in the room, as she leaned forward in concern.

“Do I look like someone in trouble? It's nothing, nothing. Don't panic, Dell. Haven't I told you countless times? The most important thing for a man is to be dignified, to remain calm and composed. Don't you understand?” Winnie frowned, giving her his usual lecture.

“But Winnie, weren't you trapped in the Deep Burial dungeon? Isn't that extremely dangerous? It's the Mars Civilization's Deep Burial dungeon after all!” Shikondell worried. “One wrong move and you could become a living sacrifice for those ageless monsters inside!”

“It's fine, fine. See? I came out safe and sound. Just a minor issue.”

“Then... Winnie, you must have encountered danger inside the dungeon, right?”

“Yeah, I did. But clearly, they weren't as tough as me. The moment they clashed with me, they shattered completely, utterly no match at all.” Winnie shot a glance at Aesphyra, his lips suddenly curling into a smirk as he started boasting.

“Eh? Eh?! Winnie, did you really encounter the Mars people who disappeared a thousand years ago?!” Shikondell exclaimed in astonishment.

“Yep, I did. They even wanted to enslave me, bury me alive there. But alas, I was just too skilled. That bunch of backward primitives stood no chance against me. I crushed them completely, sent them running with their tails between their legs.” Winnie stuck his tongue out playfully at Aesphyra as he spoke.

“Huh, huh.” Aesphyra smiled silently.

“Miss Aesphyra, why are you laughing?”

“Nothing. I'm just curious, how is it that the mighty and imposing Winnie inside the Deep Burial dungeon ended up being carried out by a girl?”

“Eh? Carried by a girl?!” Shikondell finally noticed that the room wasn't just Winnie and herself, Mirexia and Aesphyra were both present.

'Virtue + 120.'

'Current Virtue: 4424.'

Hearing this, Shikondell stared at Aesphyra in shock. “Miss Aesphyra, Winnie was carried out by a girl?”

“That's right. Winnie is quite the lucky charm, isn't he? Wherever he goes, girls are always touching him,” Aesphyra said teasingly.

“Tch, what are you talking about? You're just jealous, aren't you? Not only jealous of me, but jealous of Isatia too, receiving love letters from girls until her hands are full, yet you yourself aren't as popular with girls as she is!” Winnie fired back without hesitation.

“Eh? Eh? Eh?.....”

“Also, don't slander me! I was just exhausted at the time, so I had to be carried. Don't misinterpret things into something weird. I think someone like you, always thinking perverted thoughts, sees problems in everything. The situation was so urgent, we didn't have time to think about anything else!” Winnie continued to explain.

“Oh? You were too exhausted to walk, so she carried you... but why Princess carry instead of carry on the back?” Aesphyra asked casually, still smiling.

“T-That's…” Winnie was momentarily speechless.

Not only that, but he felt the atmosphere shift the moment Aesphyra asked that question.

Previously, this topic had been dropped, but now, instantly, both Mirexia and Shikondell's attention was drawn. One looked at him with hopeful, intense eyes, eager to hear his explanation. The other pretended indifference, maintaining some dignity, yet still glanced at him from time to time, their desires and curiosity clearly visible.

What the hell?!

Silver-haired nutball, was this part of your plan all along?!

Just one sentence, and he was trapped in a dilemma. Winnie couldn't help but suspect she had planned this from the start, that all her previous words were just set up for this very question.

Damn it. This topic was supposed to be dropped, but Aesphyra somehow cleverly exploited the fact that the other two girls in the room also wanted to hear the answer, and posed this question.

Now, he had no way to dodge it.

She really did this on purpose, didn't she?!

“Go on, tell us, Winnie?” Aesphyra continued, lips curling. “Why go silent when it's time to speak?”

“Who's going silent? The situation was so urgent, who'd think about the posture? Whichever was convenient, that's what we used!” Winnie pressed his lips together.

“Really? But how could a girl volunteer carry you like that?” Aesphyra continued mischievously. “What were you two even talking about? Can you tell us~?”

The other two girls fell silent.

Only girls understand girls. As females, they both knew a girl would almost never carry a guy in such a manner.

“Come to think of it, when Isatia came out, she whispered something in your ear, didn't she?” Aesphyra narrowed her beautiful eyes, a charming smile playing on her lips. "What did she say? Care to share?"

“Of course, if Winnie feels this is private and doesn't want to say, that's perfectly fine too~?” Aesphyra's words effectively forced Winnie to speak.

With things said this far, if he refused, everyone would assume he and Isatia had some unspeakable secret.

Goddammit, stop steering the conversation like that, alright?!

Winnie couldn't help thinking.

“What privacy? It was just... a few ordinary words.”

“Ah, ordinary words, ordinary enough to make Winnie blush at the time?” Aesphyra tilted her head.

Huh?!

Winnie instantly froze.

Shit?! Is this silver-haired nutball's observation that sharp? She noticed him blushing at that moment?

Come to think of it... did he actually blush back then? No way?!

Unaware to him, Mirexia's expression had turned slightly odd.

Back then, did Winnie blush?

Mirexia couldn't remember.

“I, hey, hey, you, don't make things up! I definitely didn't...”

“Oh? Did I remember wrong? It seems Winnie didn't actually blush at the time?” Aesphyra didn't let Winnie finish, instead sticking her tongue out playfully.

“But Winnie, if you and Isatia truly had nothing going on, and you didn't blush, then why are you answering so nervously? Stammering and stuttering, acting like your thoughts were exposed and you're stubbornly trying to deny it~?” Aesphyra said with a playful smile.

‘Damn it! I'm screwed!’

Winnie realized too late, he'd fallen right into Aesphyra's verbal trap again.

Because he truly didn't know whether he'd blushed or not, but if his relationship with Isatia was truly abnormal, then uncertainty about his own blush would naturally make him panic.