Chapter 59: Wake up

After everything was settled, Ashina finally got to enjoy her lamb chops.

"Sigh... I’m so full after dinner. I should bring a portion to Rosalia too—though I’m not sure whether she’s used to human food."

She ladled a bowl of porridge and sliced two pieces of white bread, then picked up the tray. Since Rosalia’s existence had to be kept secret, Ashina had been the one taking care of her these past few days.

"Rosalia’s recovering well," Phield said with a yawn. "She should be able to eat and digest it. Still... I don’t know when she’ll wake up. You’ve worked hard."

"If I’d known, I wouldn’t have beaten her so badly back then," Ashina muttered with a trace of regret as she headed upstairs with the tray.

Phield followed behind her. As he looked up, his gaze inevitably caught on her long, well-proportioned legs, tensing and relaxing with each step. The white stockings accentuated the lines far too well. Her slippers made soft pat-pat sounds against the stairs.

"Ahem—cough. It wasn’t your fault," Phield said, clearing his throat. "She’ll probably wake up like Sleeping Beauty."

"What’s that?" Ashina asked. She had never read fairy tales.

Phield smiled. "Someone only wakes up after being kissed. I’ll tell you the story next time—you’ll understand then."

Ashina’s ears instantly shot upright. She shuddered as if jolted by electricity and whispered, "What a strange story... not that I’m against it, but please don’t tell it during the day."

They chatted casually as they walked, soon arriving at Phield’s room. When they pushed the door open, both froze.

"She’s gone?"

The blanket had been thrown aside. Rosalia was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh no—did she run away?" Ashina immediately stepped in front of Phield, scanning the room warily. With a flick of her wrist, a dagger slipped into her hand. "My lord, be careful. She might ambush us."

Rosalia’s frightening ambush frequency was still fresh in Ashina’s memory.

"Calm down. The contract isn’t reacting," Phield said, frowning but staying composed. "Let me sense her location."

A lord and a Divine Chosen shared an intangible connection of divine power. Even if a contracted Divine Chosen didn’t appear on the minimap, as long as she wasn’t actively shielding herself, the lord could still sense her approximate position.

"She’s... at the cemetery?"

Ashina immediately jumped to the worst conclusion. "She didn’t go digging up graves to eat, did she? Or infecting corpses? Corrupted beings are dangerous. Should we gather the troops, just in case?"

"Unlikely. If she harbored malicious intent, the corruption contract would’ve killed her on the spot," Phield replied. "Let’s go take a look first."

The restraint of a corruption contract was terrifyingly strict—any violation meant total annihilation of body and soul. The Winter contract, by comparison, was far gentler. Even if either side broke it, they would merely suffer severe backlash, not death.

Of course, contracts were mutual. A lord couldn’t deliberately kill their contracted Divine Chosen either.

Ashina carried Phield swiftly to the outskirts of the cemetery.

A faint breeze rustled through the trees. In the quiet of the night, the air felt peaceful and serene. All nearby corruption had already been cleared away. As long as one stayed far enough from the gray mist, the grand manor now looked like a solitary retreat hidden among misty woods.

Rosalia remained in her small-girl form. The wind stirred her black dress, revealing pale, delicate skin that gleamed softly under the moonlight. She looked like an innocent, adorable child, yet her brilliant, star-like eyes brimmed with sorrow.

After a long silence, Rosalia folded the black handkerchief in her hands into the shape of a flower and gently placed it before a gravestone.

"I’m sorry..."

She let out a long sigh.

After paying her respects, Rosalia turned to return to her room—only to find Phield and Ashina staring at her.

"Eh? Mm~ I just came out to get some fresh air. Wow, the manor’s changed a lot, haha." She panicked for a moment, then hastily put on an innocent act, folding her arms. "The night scenery is lovely tonight, don’t you think, Phield?"

"Don’t address my lord by name," Ashina said softly now. "Even Divine Chosen aren’t allowed to do that."

Rosalia puffed out her flat chest, planting her hands on her hips with pride. "Hmph. I’m a noble too—and Phield’s elder sister. Of course I can call him by name."

"...Fine, Miss Rosalia," Phield said, feeling inexplicably amused. "I’m glad to see you awake. Come inside and have something to eat."

"Phield, as a noble with knightly virtue, you shouldn’t so casually invite a noble lady," Rosalia said smugly. "I’m not married yet. I can’t just enter a gentleman’s room."

"Although, like everyone else, you clearly fell in love with me at first sight, I still uphold a noble lady’s pride."

"Still," she added lightly, "you are my lord now. I’ll grant you just a little extra favor."

In life, Rosalia had been a renowned beauty, surrounded by countless admirers. Becoming a Divine Chosen had only made her more stunning. But Ashina was no less impressive, and Phield certainly wasn’t the type to fawn over someone just for their looks.

Besides, in her current form, she was just a small girl—delicate and doll-like, almost too cute.

Thunk.

Phield flicked Rosalia lightly on the forehead.

"Ow—! That hurts, Phield! You’re awful! You bully!" Tears welled up in Rosalia’s eyes as she clutched her head. "I’m not talking to you anymore—for thirty seconds!"

"You’re such a drama queen," Phield said helplessly. "Do you want to eat or not?"

He hadn’t even used any force—there was no way she actually hurt that much.

Rosalia looked at him with pitiful eyes. "...I do."

"And don’t wander around the territory like this again," Ashina added, glancing around. "You’ll scare the villagers."

"I’m so adorable—seeing me is a blessing for them. They could brag about it for a lifetime."

"Brag about what? Your demon tail, or the little wings on your back?" Ashina laughed. "From now on, you can’t go out openly. You’ll need a cloak. If the church or other nobles learn of your existence, it’ll cause serious trouble. I hope you understand."

"That’s no problem. I rarely showed myself before anyway," Rosalia replied calmly. "What noble lady parades herself before commoners like a monkey every day?"

She curtsied gracefully. The playful act vanished, replaced by a mature gaze. Facing Phield, she spoke solemnly, "When you need me to act, give the order. We may have had unpleasantness in the past, but forgive me. We’re on the same ship now—honor and disgrace shared."

"That’s for the best," Phield said, relieved.

"Oh, right." Rosalia added casually, "As your Divine Chosen, I should clarify this in advance. I’m a corruption-aligned Divine Chosen and provide no direct benefit to territorial production."

"But I am a noble," she continued matter-of-factly. "I’ve received proper education and am well-versed in governance. And I have a gift for you."

"A gift?" Phield asked curiously.

"You’ll find out soon." Rosalia smiled mysteriously. "Don’t be afraid—just relax your mind. And you too, little wolf... Miss Ashina. Please don’t be nervous."

...

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