━━━━━━━━━
〖Prison Star Calendar〗
〖Year 187, May 26〗
〖1:26 PM〗
〖Countdown to Confession Death: 25 days〗
━━━━━━━━━
Viviana hurried back to Gudetown under the veil of night and day, arriving within the time frame agreed upon with Albert.
However, the attentive Albert noticed an uncharacteristic scent of “poverty” emanating from Viviana, and beneath her veil, a faint black spot on the tip of her nose, causing him to frown.
“My Lady, forgive my boldness… Have you, by any chance, encountered someone of lowly birth in Sandrift Gorge?”
“Someone of lowly birth?”
Viviana did not immediately grasp his meaning, as she was not as concerned with one’s status as Albert was.
After some effort to recall, she remembered that Banning did appear to be rather impoverished.
Upon thinking of Banning, Viviana instinctively recalled the events in the cave, causing her to instinctively wish to keep his existence hidden from Albert.
“No, not at all… However, there were many people in Sandrift Gorge, such as the Gudetown cavalry and the likes…”
Viviana attempted to gloss over the matter, but unbeknownst to her, the black spot on her nose had already betrayed her.
“My Lady, could that be dirt you accidentally acquired during battle? There is still some on your nose.”
“Dirt? My nose?”
Viviana removed her veil, touched her nose, and discovered something was indeed there.
— (How strange… When did that happen?)
After a moment of reflection, Viviana suddenly realized that Banning must have taken revenge on her while she slept!
—(No wonder people were snickering at me!)
—(I was wondering what they were laughing about!)
Only now did Viviana notice that the “masterpiece” she had left on Banning’s face after waking up in the cave had been meticulously cleaned off. At that time, her attention had been diverted, and she had forgotten about it.
—(Banning… You’ll pay for this!)
Viviana grit her teeth in anger, but in front of Albert, she had to maintain her composure and keep the secret.
“It might have happened during the battle, I suppose.”
Viviana nonchalantly wiped the dirt off her nose, and with no further evidence, Albert accepted her explanation.
“Please be cautious of those of humble birth, my Lady. Only the noble are worthy of your company and conversation.”
“Ah, yes…”
Viviana let the words enter one ear and leave the other, having long grown accustomed to Albert’s “admonitions”.
In Viviana’s eyes, Albert was not a bad person. He was incredibly loyal, highly capable, and possessed formidable personal strength, making him an excellent attendant.
However, she was well aware of the significant flaws in his character and values – his deep-rooted class consciousness and disdain for the lower classes.
Perhaps one day, Albert’s prejudices would bring disaster upon him, but Viviana was powerless to change his perceptions.
.
Upon daybreak, the Cardinal and Obsidian Elders of the Scarlet Family returned to Gudetown. Noticing their enraged expressions, Viviana silently rejoiced at her timely return, narrowly avoiding the brunt of their misplaced anger.
Before the Elders could speak, Viviana already surmised their failure to capture the divination rabbit.
Their furious expressions spoke volumes.
Logically, if the divination rabbit could not foresee its own misfortunes, how could it garner fame in this Prison Star? Yet, why did the rabbit’s divination of the pigeon blood ruby fail? This detail eluded Viviana.
Cleverly avoiding inquiries about the divination rabbit, Viviana patiently awaited the Elders’ instructions.
Cardinal Elder Rodrygo glanced at Viviana, opting not to discuss the rabbit, and said, “Viviana, we’ve found a suitable battlefield for you at the frontlines. Prepare yourself to join us.”
“Understood, Elder,” Viviana calmly accepted the directive, her heart racing with astonishment.
To her delight, she could return to the battlefield without retrieving the pigeon blood ruby.
The battlefield was where she could hone her skills!
“Albert, you won’t be joining us. Your task is to continue searching for the pigeon blood ruby in the territory of the Azure Lizard Lord.”
Albert, however, received a less-than-exciting instruction, never expecting to be separated from Viviana.
“…I obey, honored Elder.” Albert reluctantly complied, his face betraying no emotion in front of the incomparably formidable Elders.
“Moreover, there is an important issue that we must bring to your attention.”
With a slight hesitation in his voice, Cardinal Elder Rodrygo cleared his throat, evidently disturbed by the news he was about to share. His demeanor shifted, and it was clear that the matter weighed heavily upon him.
“From this moment on, the ‘Divination Rabbit Nevina’ has been officially blacklisted by the esteemed Scarlet Family. It is the duty of every family member to report any information regarding the rabbit’s whereabouts without delay. Let it be known that our proud clan will neither forgive nor forget the despicable actions committed by this creature, and we will ensure that it pays the price for its transgressions!”
As Rodrygo spoke with fervor, Viviana couldn’t help but notice the trembling of his clenched fist. It was evident that the divination rabbit had caused considerable harm to the Scarlet Family, leaving a lasting impact that could not be easily dismissed.
“Revenge must be taken for enmity, and kindness must be repaid.”
Finally, Cardinal Elder Rodrygo led them in reciting the time-honored motto that guided their family’s actions and values. As they chanted in unison, Viviana found her thoughts wandering to her dear friend Banning, wondering how he might fit into this unfolding situation.
—(That kiss in the cave… Did I repay his kindness?)
As Viviana recalled the event, her embarrassment waned.
However, a lingering melancholy remained, intensifying her desire to see Banning.
.
Viviana still remembered her plea for Banning to keep their secret.
His response: “Rest assured, I understand it was a last resort. I won’t speak of it.” 𝞸𝓋𝒍xt.𝐜𝒐𝔪
Time was of the essence, so Viviana gave it no further thought. However, in retrospect, she began to worry about potential misunderstandings.
—(Would he think… I’d resort to… kissing… anyone to achieve victory?)
—(But that’s not true… That was my first kiss…)
—(Ah, if only I had told him it was my first…)
—(No, I can’t! It’s too embarrassing to say…!)
—(Ugh, (′;ω;｀)…!)
The more Viviana pondered, the more troubled she became. Eventually, she cleared her mind.
—(If there’s a misunderstanding, I’ll simply explain it to him. Yes!)
Determined, the young girl vowed to seek out Banning and clarify matters upon her return from the frontlines.
Little did she know, their next meeting would not only deny her the chance to explain but also add to the growing list of misunderstandings.