The First Pope - Chapter 16
Chapter 16
The previous two times Olivia had dropped her were also a bit sudden, but at least Cynthia had expected them. After all, whenever she saw Olivia's cold, aloof, and serious demeanor, she couldn't help but want to tease her. It was only natural to be thrown off after angering her.
But this time… Cynthia was utterly bewildered. She was still a bit dazed when her feet hit the hard ground.
The atmosphere between them had been quite pleasant, and she hadn't said anything inappropriate. Why did Olivia get angry after she returned the cup?
The young elf maids were no longer surprised to see Cynthia thrown from the bridge by a gust of wind. They gathered around, laughing. "Cynthia, did you make Her Majesty the Queen angry again?"
"Cynthia, that fire spell you used today was so powerful."
"Do you want to come visit us in the Elf Territory, Cynthia?"
The chirping voices of the young elves pulled Cynthia from her thoughts. The sky was dim, covered by dark clouds, and a light drizzle began to fall. Cynthia took out a cloak and casually draped it over her shoulders. Then she turned, surprised to find that the bridge behind her had vanished.
An older elf appeared at the top of a tree and said to the young elves below, "Her Majesty the Queen has ordered an immediate departure back to our territory."
The young elves were a little surprised. They hastily bid Cynthia farewell, and their figures quickly disappeared into the woods with the older elf.
Cynthia watched the elves' retreating figures, her brow furrowed. She lowered her gaze to her own hand, her eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.
Given Olivia's personality, she wasn't a moody person. The problem must have been with her.
Cynthia clenched and unclenched her fist a few times. Remembering the question Olivia had asked when her expression changed, her eyes flickered slightly.
Olivia's order was sudden. After Polly relayed the command, she turned and cautiously observed Her Majesty the Queen's expression. She saw that her face was cold, but her cheeks were tinged with a faint blush that even spread to the corners of her eyes, startling her.
Olivia glanced at her, displeased. "What is it?"
Polly averted her gaze and asked tentatively, "Are we taking Cynthia with us?" If she remembered correctly, wasn't the Queen's Twin Flower about to bloom?
That expression… Polly thought of the silver-haired God Race member who had caught the attention of many young elves recently. Could she have done something?
Olivia's face darkened. "Why would we bring her?" she snapped.
Polly felt a sense of relief, and her tone became light again. "Although this God Race member is quite special, she's not an elf, after all. It's better not to bring her back with us."
Olivia found Polly's words a bit strange, but she didn't dwell on it. Instead, she said expressionlessly, "Enough. Let's go."
Polly glanced back. Through the elves behind them, she could still faintly see Cynthia's figure. "Her Majesty the Queen, should we still have someone keep an eye on her?"
Olivia paused without speaking, instead giving Polly a look. Polly nodded in understanding and turned to give some instructions to the elves behind her.
Although the elves' departure was quiet, it was noticed by Chelsea and the others outside the forest. Sarah, who was standing guard at the edge of the woods, stood on her toes, craning her neck to look. When she saw Cynthia walk out, she breathed a sigh of relief and ran over. "Cynthia, you're finally out."
Cynthia looked at her in confusion. "What's wrong?"
"The elves left. Chelsea and Betty are discussing where we should go next."
"Aren't we going to the Tallas Mountains?" Wasn't that the destination they had decided on from the beginning?
Although half an hour ago, Cynthia had planned to temporarily part ways with the witches, that plan had unfortunately fallen through because her "ally" had gotten angry and run off.
"Betty seems to have changed her mind." Sarah scratched her head and pulled Cynthia's arm, dragging her toward the witches. "They're all waiting for you."
Changed her mind? Cynthia raised an eyebrow, temporarily pulling her thoughts away from Olivia and focusing on this complicated little group of witches.
Although Sarah's Healing Spell wasn't very proficient yet, the witches' injuries had all been stabilized. They sat in small groups, leaning against the green stones. Their faces were pale, but their spirits seemed decent.
Betty was the first to spot Cynthia and Sarah. She stood up and waved at them, gesturing for them to come over quickly.
A witch who had been seriously injured in the fight against the giant spider glanced at Betty and sneered, "Betty, there's a limit to your willfulness."
She had never liked having outsiders mixed up with their witch clan, and Betty's proposal this time made her even more displeased.
What did the affairs of the God Race have to do with their witch clan?
Being suddenly reprimanded made Betty frown. "I'm not being willful. We survived this time thanks to Cynthia. What's wrong with helping her find her people?"
"Help the God Race find their people? How many of them are even still alive?"
"You…" Betty glared at her angrily. "How could you say something like that!"
Cynthia heard their argument when she was halfway there. After listening for a moment, she realized she was the source of their dispute. Sarah hadn't been with the witches for long, and seeing them argue, she subconsciously hid behind Cynthia.
Eunice, who was resting with her eyes closed next to Betty, opened them slightly. She glanced at the witch arguing with Betty and said coldly, "Be quiet."
The witch dared to talk back to Betty but didn't dare provoke Eunice. She pursed her lips, turned, and leaned against a green stone with her back to the others.
When Betty saw Cynthia approaching, she walked over, pulled her down to sit beside her, and explained her decision. "Cynthia, we just discussed it. We've decided not to go to the Tallas Mountains for now. We're going to help you find your people first."
She knew Sarah had a bracelet that could sense her kin.
Making such a decision was indeed in line with Betty's character. Cynthia thought for a moment, then smiled and agreed. "Alright. Thank you, Betty."
Betty pursed her lips, a little embarrassed, and said with a smile, "I just wanted to help. You saved us this time. You're really amazing."
"And Sarah helped heal our wounds."
Aside from the witch from earlier, the rest of them had no objections. After all, in their view, helping Cynthia find her people was safer than going to the Tallas Mountains.
Her more powerful ally had run off in a huff, so Cynthia could only pick up her previous plan again. Although the witches weren't as strong as the elves, they had at least developed some camaraderie and understanding over this period. It was just that… Cynthia subtly glanced at Eunice and Camille out of the corner of her eye. There were two dangerous individuals here she had to be constantly wary of.
"Actually, finding my people isn't urgent." Cynthia gave a small smile to Betty and Chelsea, who were looking at her, and said softly, "I have something more important I'd like your help with."
Betty asked, "What is it?"
Cynthia's lips curved. "I need some humans."
Humans? Betty was a bit lost. She subconsciously turned to look at Chelsea, and both saw the confusion in each other's eyes.
In contrast, Eunice, who had been idly playing with a dagger, seemed to have thought of something. She lifted her gaze slightly to glance at Cynthia, her gray eyes darkening as she fell into thought.
The sky had completely darkened. After setting a departure time for the next day with Betty and the others, Cynthia pulled Sarah over to an empty spot to sit down.
Sarah, pulled down by Cynthia, thought she wanted to check on her Healing Spell. She raised her hand to show the white light gathering in her palm, but Cynthia only glanced at it before lowering her head, clearly distracted.
This was the first time Sarah had seen Cynthia like this. She lowered her hand and asked with concern, "Did something happen?"
Cynthia stared at her own hand for a moment, then lifted it slightly, gesturing for Sarah to take it.
Sarah obediently reached out and took it, then looked up at Cynthia.
"What do you see?" Cynthia stared at Sarah, observing her expression as she asked.
Sarah paused for a moment, then closed her eyes and answered, "I see a lot of water, and I also see… Chelsea?"
Cynthia: "…"
Sarah opened her eyes and noticed Cynthia's strange expression. "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?" she asked, puzzled.
"I've only ever communicated like this with my family." Sarah touched her hair, her expression a little sad.
Before, if Cynthia had seen Sarah feeling down, she would have thoughtfully comforted her. But now, she was in no mood for it. Instead, she said in a complicated tone, "Does the God Race's innate talent also include revealing one's thoughts to others?"
Sarah nodded.
"…Why didn't you ever tell me?"
Sarah blinked. "I thought you knew."
If she had known, how could she have let someone touch her hand so easily? Cynthia raised a hand to her forehead, feeling a headache over the God Race's talents for the first time.
Seeing Cynthia's expression suddenly turn grave, Sarah was startled. "What's wrong, Cynthia?"
Cynthia sighed inwardly, then quickly composed herself. She lowered her hand, shook her head at Sarah, and said with a smile, "I want to rest."
Sarah studied Cynthia for a few moments. Seeing that she really seemed fine, she stood up. "Then I'll go back and rest too."
Cynthia watched Sarah's retreating back, the smile on her lips slowly fading. She lowered her gaze to her hand, her brow furrowing once more.
What had she been thinking when Olivia touched her hand? Cynthia carefully recalled the moment, then rubbed her nose, feeling a little guilty.
At that moment, she had been staring at Olivia's eyes, somewhat mesmerized, thinking… if only she had the chance to touch those beautiful, spirited eyes.
Cynthia leaned against the green stone, her long silver hair falling to the ground and picking up some dead leaves without her noticing. She sighed helplessly, staring at the dark sky and muttering to herself, "Olivia definitely misunderstood."
She wasn't the type to be driven by lust, so why did that particular thought have to pop into her head at that exact moment?
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