Volume 8, Chapter 17 – The Second Guest

After settling the punishment for Shinku and Fran, Yisi soon welcomed her second guest of the day—originally, she had intended to use the guest’s arrival to gloss over the punishment, but Camilla was very insistent on it. Thankfully, just when she was at a loss, Tiffany, Edith, and Refina arrived at the audience hall. When the three of them heard the whole story, Edith seized up Shinku and Fran with a mischievous look in her eyes, then suggested that Refina and Tiffany be the ones to punish them.

At first, Yisi didn’t think this was a viable option. Shinku and Fran were in a relationship. Letting Pepe punish them would surely involve something the two of them would find unacceptable, just as if a strange woman were to snatch Camilla away now, she would find a way to sink the person into the sea—no, that wouldn’t be enough. She’d have to do something that would make her regret it even more, something that would cause her immense suffering. However, Edith had already guessed that Yisi would refuse, so she added two special conditions.

First, the ones carrying out the punishment would only be Tiffany and Refina; Edith would merely be an observer. Second, the punishment would definitely be in line with Yisi’s intentions—not too severe, but enough to satisfy Camilla. If Camilla questioned the severity of the punishment, she could observe alongside them, guaranteeing an outcome that would satisfy everyone.

In addition, Edith had also whispered in Yisi’s ear that after this punishment, the bond between Shinku and Fran would be even stronger than before. Although Yisi couldn’t fathom what kind of punishment Edith was planning, she had a feeling it wasn’t anything good. Therefore, Yisi specifically instructed that Tiffany and Refina were not to do anything to the two that would affect everyone’s relationship. Edith agreed to this and even suggested that Yisi could watch as well. Unfortunately, due to the presence of the second visitor, Yisi had to meet with them.

The well-lit corridor was spotlessly clean. The summer sun shone through the windows onto the walls, and the reflected golden light was almost blinding. Yisi, while silently complaining about this ridiculously magnificent temple, walked with a clacking of her footsteps, accepting the salutes of the Holy Knights on both sides of the corridor.

This is a huge pain.

Yisi clicked her tongue unobtrusively.

In order to maintain the dignity of a Cardinal in the eyes of these Holy Knights, she had to hold her head high and chest out, presenting an unshakeable demeanor. This way of walking was undoubtedly very tiring. Also, perhaps because her posture was not standard enough, the Holy Knights looked at her with an exceptionally strange gaze, as if they were looking at a curiosity.

“Who is it that wants to see you?”

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“Hm?” A sudden voice made Yisi turn around. “Pepe? Why are you here?”

Because she had been preoccupied with thinking about what Pepe’s punishment was, she hadn’t noticed Pepe’s presence.

No wonder the Holy Knights were looking at me like that earlier. It was because Pepe was with me. Yisi couldn’t help but feel the urge to facepalm. A Cardinal being followed by a pureblood vampire, in a human-supremacist church, was definitely a very strange sight. If Pepe hadn’t been deliberately hiding her figure, and if Yisi hadn’t appeared to tacitly approve of Pepe following her, Pepe might have been seized as an assassin by the Holy Knights on either side. Of course, whether they would succeed was another matter.

“Isn’t Pepe going to carry out the punishment?”

“Hoh. You don’t want me following you?”

Answering a question with a question, Edith casually touched the corner of her mouth, wiping away the traces of blood.

Yisi frowned slightly. To prevent the Holy Knights on either side from hearing, she leaned down and whispered into Edith’s ear.

“The punishment isn’t blood-sucking, is it?”

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“You underestimate me. I said I wouldn’t touch them, and I won’t. I just thought you looked lonely by yourself, so I came to keep you company,” satisfied with her impromptu excuse, Edith’s lips curved up, a hint of madness in her smile. “As for the punishment, my job was done as soon as I told Refina and Tiffany what to do. That level of punishment is too light, and it’s not fun to watch. I’d rather kill time with you.”

“Too light… Just what kind of punishment is it?”

“Want to try? It’s a pain so exquisite that it won’t stop even if you beg for mercy, you know?”

“No, wait, I told you not to let Refina and Tiffany do that, didn’t I? Put yourself in their shoes. Would Edith be fine with Refina being taken away by another woman?”

Yisi stopped in her tracks, about to turn back. Edith sighed.

“Hah, that’s why I said you underestimate me. My tastes aren’t that twisted. Although I’ve only met them a few times, I know that Shinku and Fran are your capable subordinates—and mine, of course—so I wouldn’t do anything to stir up trouble between them. You can rest assured. Tiffany and Refina won’t have any physical contact with Shinku and Fran. The reason I called them was just to have them guard the room and prevent Shinku and Fran from slipping out… or more accurately, to prevent outsiders whose curiosity is piqued by the sounds from peeking.”

“Mmm…”

“You, just how much do you distrust me?”

Yisi’s hesitation made Edith frown.

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“No, it’s not a matter of distrust. I was just wondering if they would accept the punishment Pepe suggested.”

“If you have to consider whether the other party will accept, then few people in the world would want to be punished. Punishment is inherently coercive. Paying the price for one’s mistakes, isn’t that a matter of course? Well, I had already guessed Yisi would think that way, so I asked Shinku and Fran beforehand. After asking if they were willing to accept the punishment I proposed, they even exclaimed that it wasn’t a punishment at all. You can rest easy now, right?”

She still hasn’t said what the punishment actually is.

But Pepe doesn’t lie. Since Shinku and Fran themselves have accepted it, she doesn’t need to think about it anymore. Of course, she was still very curious what kind of punishment would be questioned as ‘not a punishment at all.’ One had to remember, the person who proposed it was the cruel and sadistic Pepe. It was hard to imagine that Pepe would, like her, come up with some painless punishment.

Maybe Shinku and Fran didn’t realize the severity of the situation, and that’s why they agreed to Pepe’s suggestion.

Thankfully, I had Laxy secretly supervise. Otherwise, I’d have to rush back and check on the situation now.

Yisi quietly checked the [Omniscient Map] once more. The punishment seemed to have already begun. As Pepe had said, Shinku and Fran were in the same room, while Tiffany, Refina, and Camilla were guarding the door outside. There was no possibility of contact between them.

Their HP and MP are both full… Just what kind of punishment is it?

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I’ll have to ask them properly when I get back.

Shaking her head and burying her cat-like curiosity, Yisi took a deep breath and answered Edith’s initial question.

“Alright. The person looking for me is Duke Wozwahl’s butler. He’s here to invite me to the ducal estate.”

“Isn’t it a bit too soon to be visiting on the second day?”

“Exactly. Wozwahl must want something from me.”

“Want something from you?”

Stopping in front of a door, Yisi turned to Edith, who was dressed in a black gown, and gave a wry smile.

“They probably want the Tears of God.”