[Vol. 8] Chapter 81: A Friend of a Friend Is Still a Friend
Wait a minute, how did he already know what happened, even before they said anything?
Even if Mister Shui was powerful and well-connected, there’s no way he could predict something like this ahead of time. Unless… he secretly listened to their conversation in the hallway?
Thinking of that possibility, Ayla frowned slightly without realizing it. Still, since this was someone else’s place, she felt it wouldn’t be right to make comments. So instead, she quietly bowed again and sat down on the stone chair that the fox-eared young man had pointed to.
She looked a bit surprised at the hot tea and snacks on the table, clearly just freshly prepared, and waited to talk to Mister Shui, who somehow seemed ready for this meeting even before they arrived.
Wait… was there even anything on the table when they first came in?
But what shocked the scholar even more was what happened next. After politely inviting her to sit down, Mister Shui didn’t sit across from her like she expected. Instead, though he did walk to the seat opposite her and Amy, he simply stood beside the stone stool with his hands behind his back, lowering his head slightly. He stood there like a respectful attendant waiting for someone important.
What… what was going on here?
Even Ayla, who was always calm, was confused. And Amy, someone who was actually part of the inner circle of the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild, was just as puzzled.
She actually knew the true appearance of the so-called "Mr. Shui" standing in front of her beneath his mask. Even though he had a powerful background, he had never acted like a strict or serious person. In fact, he usually spoke casually with others. She had never seen him behave so politely or formally.
From what Amy knew, even the “Diviner,” that old man from the main headquarters, or anyone else in the entire Holy Capital wouldn’t be someone Mister Shui needed to show this kind of deep respect to. After all, everything Mister Shui did didn’t just represent himself. It stood for something much bigger...
And that wasn’t even the strangest part.
There were only three people in the courtyard, so… who was this main seat being saved for? Surely no one could just appear out of nowhere, right?
As the two Lightborn girls sat there with different thoughts but the same sense of confusion, just about to ask what was going on...
A figure suddenly appeared before them, sitting down in the very seat Mister Shui had left empty, perfectly and silently.
“?!”
Ayla and Amy both jumped in shock. Their eyes widened.
That person had actually appeared out of thin air!
There was no warning, no magical energy in the air, and definitely none of the usual signs that came with teleportation magic. It was as if that person had been there all along, just completely hidden until they chose to reveal themselves.
Unbelievable...
Could it be an invisibility potion or tool? That didn’t seem likely either. Even the most advanced ones still needed a moment to activate or deactivate, like pulling off a cloak or wiping off a potion.
But when this person appeared, their hands were already calmly resting on the table. Clearly, they hadn’t made any big movements. And there were no sounds of breathing or a heartbeat to give them away either. So the reason behind this must be much more complicated.
Seeing such an unbelievable ability with their own eyes made the two girls' hearts race. They couldn’t help but think of something terrifying.
If this person had been an enemy, they’d probably already be dead.
Earlier, Amy had doubted the strange things Ayla had described. But now, only a few moments later, the “unbelievable” had become real right in front of her.
As the two Lightborn girls stared at each other, unsure what to say, the black-haired girl in the white robe, who had appeared in such an impossible way, smiled gently and finally spoke.
“What’s the matter? Miss Ayla, weren’t you hoping to ask Mister Shui for help? Well, any friend of Mister Shui is a friend of mine, so there’s no need to be so polite. Please, feel free to speak your mind~”
For some reason, this girl, who had a calm and holy presence, and gave off the feeling of a church priest, emphasized the name "Mister Shui" twice. She even stretched out the sound slightly when saying it, which made the man standing quietly nearby, pretending to be uninvolved, visibly stiffen for a moment. But Ayla, lost in her thoughts, didn’t notice these little details. She just glanced at the friendly, mysterious girl across from her with a curious and cautious look.
“May I ask... who are you?”
Before the girl could answer, Mister Shui, who clearly held great respect for her, quickly stepped in.
“This is Miss Violet, a traveling priestess who has journeyed across many lands. She’s known by many famous titles. I believe, with your knowledge, Miss Ayla, you must have at least heard of her.”
“Huh? You’re Violet?”
“What? You’re Miss Violet?!”
The two Lightborn girls gasped at the same time. Their tones were a bit different, but the shock in their eyes, bright like sapphires, was exactly the same.
Amy immediately frowned and raised her voice a little.
“Hey! Listen up… Mister Shui, this place is blessed by the Fox God, right? Isn’t she rumored to be closely connected to the Goddess? Even I, as a Lightborn, understand how sensitive that could be. You’re a true member of the Spirit Veil Tribe, how could you bring someone like her here, with such a risky identity?”
Despite Amy’s open concern, Mister Shui’s face, partly hidden behind a mask, didn’t change at all. He simply answered calmly.
“There’s no need to worry, Amy. Miss Violet is an honored guest of our Spirit Veil Tribe. She’s fully allowed to be here.”
“Hah? This isn’t just about permission! Don’t you understand? If divine powers clash here, things could—”
“Ahem.”
Just as the guard captain, clearly someone who knew some deeper secrets, was about to say more, Mister Shui quietly cleared his throat. Noticing that his expression had subtly turned into a frown, Amy stopped speaking, though not very willingly.
She knew very well, due to some special changes in the world, the usual rules that pushed back outsiders were getting weaker, and Mister Shui was slowly regaining his true strength.
Especially in this space, which was protected by the Fox God, he could use his full power without holding back. Amy considered herself pretty strong, but compared to Mister Shui, she was nowhere near his level.
Realizing that this usually calm man had actually gotten angry, and seeing how much he respected and cared about this girl, Amy still felt unhappy and confused. But she didn’t dare to speak again.
Meanwhile, Miss Violet herself acted as if she hadn’t heard any of the argument. She simply rested her chin on one hand and gave Ayla a playful look, smiling slightly.
“My name has really gotten around lately, hasn’t it? Oh well~ But now I’m curious, what kind of impression does this little priestess leave on the legendary Lightborn people?”
Ayla lifted her head and looked at the girl across from her, who seemed sweet and harmless. Her expression stayed calm, but inside, her mind was full of thoughts.
Violet.
In the Holy Capital, there were hardly any people left who hadn’t heard that name.