Chapter 450: The Sudden Visitor

“I can’t help but feel Miss Lin got the wrong idea somehow...”

Still baffled, Muen walked toward the church’s exit, his mind echoing with the bizarre words Lin had just blurted out.

He truly had no idea how she’d come up with such absurd notions—yuri, cuckoldry... Please. He was the God of NTR, not the victim of it, and he’d only ever been the one doing the cucking, thank you very much.

Still, it was fine. At least Lin hadn’t discovered the truth and chopped him up before dragging him to the stake to burn alive. If all he had to live with was a little misunderstanding, so be it.

Muen shook his head and pushed those thoughts away.

By now it was nearly noon, and the church corridors bustled with hurried footsteps—priests and nuns moving everywhere at once.

The aftershocks of the previous events still lingered, and the entire Church was unusually busy. Liya, too, had disappeared since early morning.

Muen stepped out the great cathedral doors.

Warm spring sunlight enveloped him, carrying a southern breeze rich with floral fragrance that seemed to open every pore in his body.

He instinctively lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the sudden brightness—but before they could adjust, a breathtaking sight filled his vision.

Amid the pure radiance that bathed the world, a graceful figure stood poised at the cliff’s edge. The wind played with her hem and skirt; she looked like a goddess of beauty rising from the depths of the sea, outshining even the spring brilliance of the Holy City.

When she brushed back her hair and turned with a radiant smile, even the most cowardly man would find the courage to die for her.

“What’s wrong?”

Tilting her head, Anna gazed at her dazed lover, eyes curved like crescent moons.

“You’re too beautiful. I lost my mind for a second.”

Muen smiled, one as bright as the sun itself—making several passing young nuns blush and avert their eyes. He walked up beside Anna and, as naturally as breathing, wrapped an arm around her slender waist.

“Were you waiting for me?”

“Who knows.”

Anna rested her head lightly on his shoulder, her smile gentle and warm.

“Maybe if you’d spent any longer locked in that room with the nun called Lin, you’d have found out whether I was waiting or not.”

“Ahem... Nothing happened, seriously this time.”

Muen coughed awkwardly and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Then he drew her close and pressed a light kiss to her forehead, soothing the rare trace of jealousy in his senior’s voice.

“Are you jealous?”

“I finished being jealous last night, didn’t I? Or do you think it wasn’t enough?” Anna blinked playfully.

“Ahem, let’s... set that aside for now. Where to next?” Muen coughed again, quickly changing the subject.

“There’s a meeting soon.”

“A meeting?”

Muen frowned slightly, then recalled the documents he’d seen earlier in Liya’s room.

“A Church-led summit between the anti–Evil God organizations?”

“Yes. I’m serving as acting Swordbearer for the Silent Bureau. I came to the Holy City to attend that meeting.”

“And also to officially announce your position, right?”

Muen sighed.

“My senior’s only been with the Bureau a few months, and already she’s acting leader. That’s one hell of a promotion speed.”

“Careful saying that, Lord Campbell—the duke’s heir by birth,” Anna teased, her tone then softening into something wistful. She propped her chin on one hand, her expression carrying a melancholy grace.

“I’d like to slow down too, but... time doesn’t wait for anyone.”

“Mm?”

Muen paused, uncertain. “The old man...?”

“Relax. The old one’s body can still hold on for now. But as the future Swordbearer, I have to start living like one. No one will be there to teach me what to do next.”

“...I see.”

Muen stroked his chin, thinking.

“Makes sense. In that case, as the future duke, I should start practicing too—maybe take inventory of how many estates my father owns? I could gift you one or two when I’m done.”

“Forget it.”

Anna shot him a sultry look. “I’d rather not see a junior hobbling around on a broken leg afterward.”

“Don’t worry, I run fast.”

“Do you? You look a bit shaky to me. Your legs seem weak even walking right now. Should I cook you some soup to help you recover? I’ve learned a new recipe.”

“Weak? Me? You weren’t saying that when you were begging for mercy last night! But sure, I’m looking forward to your soup.”

Their teasing continued down the street as the crowd gradually thinned.

Looking ahead, Muen saw a manor-like building at the end of the road.

So they were there already. A pity... he almost wished this walk could’ve been longer.

He sighed softly—but then a clear, childish voice reached his ears.

“Mister, would you like to ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) buy a bouquet of flowers?”

A plainly dressed little girl stood there, her twin braids swaying as she held up a wicker basket overflowing with blossoms. Her big, bright eyes looked up at Muen with hopeful anticipation.

Judging by his refined clothing and demeanor, she seemed to recognize him as a “big customer.” Summoning her courage, she lifted the basket.

“Freshly picked this morning! They’re beautiful—just like this lovely big sister beside you.”

“Sweet talker.”

Anna smiled faintly and glanced sideways at Muen.

“Do I look like someone who only buys flowers for a pretty girl when she’s watching?”

Muen shrugged with mock indignation, pulled out several bills, and handed them to the girl.

“I’ll take them all.”

Her eyes went round in astonishment. The “small change” in Muen’s hand amounted to half a month’s earnings—far more than the flowers were worth.

“Go buy yourself some candy.”

He patted her head.

“Thank you, big brother! You and big sister are perfect together!”

The little girl chirped her thanks and dashed off, empty basket swinging.

Muen couldn’t help smiling as he cradled the bright bouquet, intending to present it to his senior—who suited them perfectly.

But the instant he turned, his motion stilled.

Out of the corner of his eye, he’d caught sight of the street corner.

In the gentle breeze, flowers of equal beauty swayed on both sides of the road, their fragrance filling his nose—the same scent he’d noticed ever since leaving the cathedral.

Muen frowned slightly.

This was the Holy City. Under the Life Goddess Aimier’s blessing, it overflowed with vitality. Beautiful flowers were everywhere. Citizens were free to pick them—so long as they didn’t rip them out by the roots, they would bloom again by the next morning.

Thus, ordinary flowers had no real market value. Only the rare ones in the Sacred Grove, personally tended by bishops, were considered treasures.

So why would anyone bother selling them? And why had he just bought them?

A chill brushed his palm.

The instant Muen realized something was off, a faint rustling reached his ears. The bouquet, wrapped in simple paper, suddenly moved.

A dozen blood-red snakes slithered free from the stems, tongues flickering, coiling upward along the stalks.

Muen’s pupils constricted. He flung the bouquet aside and yanked Anna backward.

“Senior, fall back! Something’s wrong!”

But Anna didn’t move.

Frowning, Muen looked up—only to see her standing still, expression blank. The gemlike sparkle had drained from her eyes. Her lips parted and closed, her voice cold as ice.

“Why... did you throw away my flowers?”

The sudden chill seemed to pierce his skin. The wind’s howl stung his ears.

A whip lashed out from the shadows—its slender body cracking the air like a giant serpent’s tail, radiating murderous force.

Killing intent filled the air.

In a heartbeat, a warm spring outing turned into a deadly ambush.

A horrifying magic coated the whip, the crimson serpents lunging alongside it. Even their dripping venom hissed holes into the ground.

Muen’s hands were already behind his back, gripping the hilt of his pure-white blade.

Veins bulged across his knuckles—but Elizabeth did not leave its sheath.

In his eyes, reflected clearly, was Anna—expressionless, hostile. Yet every trace of her aura and appearance was real. As if to confirm something, black flame flickered deep within his pupils.

“Illusion?”

He muttered uncertainly.

Even under the black flame’s vision, nothing changed. Everything looked utterly real—yet beneath that reality, something faint shimmered, like a hidden curtain of emptiness.

Muen fixed his gaze on that barely perceptible shadow. It was almost intangible—perhaps even an illusion—but the killing intent before him was deadly real.

He couldn’t be sure. It was only a guess. And if he guessed wrong, the price would be death.

Still, he suppressed his reflex to counterattack, letting several strikes brush dangerously close to his vitals.

Then—just as death loomed—everything stopped.

Like a film frozen mid-frame, the world turned into a black-and-white still image.

A weary, ancient sigh echoed beside his ear.

“What did you see?”

“A shadow. But not clear,” Muen answered, studying the still figure of Anna before him—so real that even now it was impossible to tell illusion from truth.

“...And you’re not afraid you guessed wrong?”

“I won’t guess wrong. Because my senior would never hurt me.”

“...Naive.”

The voice paused, then cursed lowly:

“And foolish. To let emotion rule you at a time like this. The correct move was to secure your own safety first—then analyze the situation.”

Muen’s expression grew cold, his tone equally so.

“I don’t know which old man thinks this is funny, but this is the Holy City. A joke like that goes too far.”

“...Hah.”

After a silence came another heavy sigh.

Muen’s vision blurred for an instant. Warm sunlight spilled across his shoulders again, chasing away the cold.

Color returned to the world—but the scene had changed.

He was now standing in a courtyard he didn’t recognize. Not far away stood the same manor from before.

Anna leaned casually against the wall, smiling gently and waving him over, her expression soft and familiar.

The flowers—and the little girl—were gone.

In their place stood two elderly men, wrinkled and white-haired, looking impossibly old.

“Greetings, Muen Campbell.”

One of them removed his hat and bowed politely.

“I am Hoggu Slorevitch, current leader of the Illusion School of the Origin Tower—and also Ailag’s teacher.”