Chapter 267: A New Femme Fatale Appears (4)
Eventually, they reached a fork in the path, and Sistine stopped reluctantly.
"You should head back. They're all waiting for you at home," she said, trying to sound firm despite her evident reluctance to part.
But Shia didn't release her hand. Instead, he started walking toward her house.
"I just visited your best friend. You're not going to invite me in for tea?"
Sistine bit her lip, a mix of embarrassment and frustration on her face.
"You're not here for tea, are you? You just want to…"
She trailed off, unable to say the rest but leaving her meaning clear.
Shia cleared his throat, slightly awkward at being called out.
But his gaze didn't waver, and Sistine's cheeks flushed as she glanced away.
Memories of their last encounter suddenly surfaced in her mind—the intimacy, the exhaustion that left her weak and trembling.
"Don't you want me to come in?" Shia's voice was gentle, teasing.
Sistine bit her lip, her voice barely audible.
"I…I need to practice my swordsmanship," she murmured, trying to sound resolute but faltering.
Practicing swordsmanship was her priority, something she wouldn't compromise on. Yet she knew if he entered her house, the last thing she'd be able to do was practice.
Although Sistine felt a pang of reluctance, she ultimately forced herself to turn Shia down.
"I see," Shia said, his voice as warm and smooth as ever, but tinged with a hint of regret.
The faint disappointment in his expression made Sistine's heart ache even more. She felt as though she'd done something terribly wrong.
Just as Shia turned to leave, Sistine tightened her grip on his hand, refusing to let go.
The moment he turned back, her soft lips pressed against his.
Her breath was light but slightly erratic, carrying a faintly sweet and minty aroma.
The unexpected kiss left Shia momentarily stunned.
Sistine stood on tiptoes, tilting her head up to close the gap. After a brief moment, she pulled back slightly, their noses almost touching.
She looked up at him, her heart pounding in her chest, and solemnly promised:
"Tomorrow... I'll make time."
Elsewhere.
In the villa, Violet sat rigidly on the sofa, her long silver hair tied into a high ponytail that fell gracefully over her shoulders and rested against her chest.
Her 'ample bosom' obstructed her view, leaving her only able to glimpse her knees.
Her legs, encased in white stockings, rested on the carpet with her toes nervously tapping. Her back was ramrod straight, her entire body tense.
"Have some water," Rong's voice suddenly cut through the silence as she walked in, carrying a cup of tea and placing it on the table in front of Violet.
The unexpected sound startled Violet, and she quickly looked up at Rong, her anxiety almost palpable.
Despite Rong's casual demeanor, Violet seemed incredibly uneasy, like a skittish bird. She forced a weak smile, her movements stiff and awkward.
"Thank you."
In that moment, it felt as though their roles had reversed—Violet appeared like a shy and introverted guest, while Rong exuded the calm and grace of a princess.
Violet's long, slender legs rubbed together nervously as she clutched the cup in her hands without taking a sip. She even avoided meeting Rong's gaze directly.
She couldn't shake the feeling that she was an interloper, a shameless intruder daring to provoke the rightful "queen."
In Violet's mind, Rong was the one who had always been by Shia's side first. She had even overheard their intimate interactions before. To her, Rong was undoubtedly Shia's "queen."
And yet... Violet couldn't deny her feelings for him.
Surely, Rong must be furious with her.
Despite that, Rong was still hosting her with such kindness.
'She's such a good person.'
'But what if I've really angered her? What should I do?'
Violet's grip on the cup tightened, her legs rubbing together anxiously.
Though she had shown up like a bold intruder, she now seemed completely cowed.
"Princess Violet, is there a particular reason for your visit today?" Rong finally asked, breaking the silence.
Her calm voice startled Violet out of her spiraling thoughts.
'To provoke you.'
The words almost slipped out, but Violet managed to stop herself at the last second.
She wasn't that awful!
This visit wasn't about stirring up trouble; she genuinely had something important to discuss with Shia.
"I needed to discuss something with Shia," Violet replied awkwardly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she avoided Rong's gaze.
"He's out right now," Rong said evenly. "Why don't you wait here? He should be back soon."
"No, no, that's alright." Violet quickly stood up, her heart racing. She felt too guilty to stay any longer.
"Maybe I'll come back another time?"
She began moving toward the door, but just as she reached it, it opened on its own.
Violet froze, her wide eyes meeting Shia's calm gaze.
Two minutes later, Violet was back on the sofa, holding her water cup tightly. She had relaxed slightly but still looked a little uneasy.
With her initial nerves fading, Violet began to refocus on the real reason for her visit. She straightened her posture, her expression turning serious.
"This time, I've come to discuss something regarding Silvermoon Kingdom's distillation industry," Violet began, her tone formal and businesslike.
Though she felt flustered about her personal feelings, she was here on behalf of her aunt, the Queen of Silvermoon, to represent her nation's interests.
She detailed the issues they were facing with the distillation process, from controlling the temperature precisely to the challenges of storing the distilled liquid.
Shia listened attentively, offering thoughtful solutions to each problem in his calm, measured tone.
For temperature control, he suggested adding a layer of water around the mixture to indirectly regulate the heat or moving the distillation process to high-altitude areas where the boiling point of water was naturally lower.
As Violet diligently took notes, Rong and Nia sat nearby, hugging pillows and listening intently, even though much of the discussion went over their heads.
Violet couldn't help but admire Shia as he spoke.
'He's talking to me.'
'My boyfriend is so knowledgeable and amazing. I'm so proud of him!'
Her eyes sparkled as she watched him, her heart swelling with affection.
Once their conversation wrapped up, Violet's notebook was filled with detailed notes. She looked at it, realizing that these solutions could bring significant progress to Silvermoon Kingdom's brewing industry.
"Shia, in less than two months, it will be the Silvermoon Kingdom's national holiday. My aunt—the Silvermoon Queen—would like to formally invite you to attend the celebrations," Violet said, her tone hopeful but serious.
To strengthen her case, she added, "You could also inspect our distillation techniques and provide guidance on areas for improvement."
Violet's palms were damp with sweat as she nervously awaited his response.
Her gaze was fixed on Shia, a mix of anticipation and worry in her eyes.
At that moment, she felt like a girlfriend nervously introducing her boyfriend to her family—though, in this case, it was her royal aunt.
'Will he agree?'
The usually proud princess now appeared more like a shy, anxious young woman, her heart caught between hope and uncertainty.