Catherine did not answer Anna’s statement, she turned her eyes toward the ceiling, she then glared at Anna. “Thank you, Madame Anna, for the hospitality. I must leave now.”

Anna was as calm as a mountain, she said, “I’m hungry.”

Anna responded, “Stay safe.”

With that, the bishop rose from her chair and left the room.

---

Anna sat alone in the private room. Only after confirming that Catherine had indeed left, she left her seat and arrived before the linen curtains. She asked with a voice full of concern, “Irene, are you alright?”

Irene was still like an ice block, but it seemed like the ice had been chipped somewhere. She nodded her head to put down Anna’s unease and said, “The pope is lightly injured.”

Anna drew her brows together and felt miserable that her assumption was indeed correct. “Does the pope have any helpers?”

“Yes, but I don’t know their identity.”

Irene’s words were as toneless as a flat plane.

Anna asked, “Was there more than one?”

Irene shook her head.

Anna smiled and said, “Sorry for making you come here. Do you want to rest in my minor realm for some time?”

Irene once more shook her head, taking out a lotus leaf umbrella, she turned and left. Aside from a cool breeze that could not exist in the south, there were no signs that the conversation had taken place.

Anna did not idle in the room any longer. Taking away the food remaining on the table, she returned to her minor realm. She did not greet Ovid immediately after returning as she would usually do, rather, she returned to her room and sank into thought.

She really had only planned to spend the day relaxing after ascending to deaconhood, yet she had unexpected gotten caught up in a battle involving two saints. While she was still pretty naive, she was by no means an idiot.

To the south of the empire, there is the Aeon forest, and even further, the frigid wastelands. The pope could not travel so quickly to the frigid wasteland no matter how desperate he is, so naturally, those collaborating with them should be from the Aeon forest. There exists only two saints in the Aeon forest, the Cal matriarch and the phoenix Ulrika.

The Cal matriarch has a good relationship with Julia and is still in the process of consolidating her power, she could not afford to collaborate with the pope. Ulrika in comparison has a sufficient reason to attack Irene since the two had come into conflict not long ago.

An experienced and ambitious person would at this point choose to use this incident as a reason to strike at the lands South of the empire, as the saying goes, “the best defence is an offence”. However, Anna greatly disliked this sort of intrigue, she rather chose to spend her time to chat with Ovid.

As for the future actions Martha would take… Anna suspects that she would be too afraid of death to strike the other party.

She sighed and wondered why she was pondering over such things in the first place. Although she was Julia’s designated heir, she was still a deacon. Compared to the eagles flying in the skies that are the saints, she is still an ant on the ground.

---

Ovid sat on his bed, nodding off while watching the small lake outside gently slosh about and the elves talk nonsense. The minor realm was like Cai Hua’s and have a day and night period, yet it was still so it was hard to tell how much time had gone by.

He abruptly raised his head and met Anna’s gaze. Sensing her tired smile, he felt it was somewhat usual of the bright maiden. He shifted his legs and made room for Anna to sit on the bed.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Anna was shocked, even more so than when she learnt the pope had come to Straton. She was familiar with Ovid and well aware that the person was mysophobic. She had yet to wash or change out of the dirty clothes she wore to the theatre, in normal circumstances, even if she washed herself really clean, Ovid would still be hesitant to allow her onto the same space as his.

Ovid looked at Anna’s expression and found it somewhat amusing. He patted the newly freed spot and further encouraged her to sit down.

Ultimately, Anna did sit down on the empty spot. Satisifed with her response, Ovid nodded his head and took out a thick stack of paper from beneath his bed.

He had been writing for almost two weeks now, aside from sleep, eating and that one time he went outside, he had spent his entire time holding a pen.

Of course, all the knowledge the sage Glafx had passed down been recorded long ago, so what had he written in these passing downs. Anna suspected it was something involving the large stack of manuals Cai Hua had left with Ovid before he had left, she blinked her eyes in confusion.

Holding the thick pieces of paper, he stayed silent for a long time, then suddenly said, “How about we take a stroll?”

Without waiting for Anna’s response, he shifted himself onto the wheelchair. Rolling through the door and into the courtyard, Anna closely trailed behind him.

The minor realm was indeed small, yet the structure of it was constructed with great care by Cai Hua. From the house, one could see the entirety of the world, from the small stream to the plains. In addition, there was a path made of gravel that led to a small garden where the water gathered. One could clearly see the reflection of many saplings in the water.

Anna casually plucked off a leaf, playing with its structure. She casually said, “I met Catherine today. She came under the tutorage of the pope.”

Ovid replied, “Oh, who’s Catherine again?”

He was particullarly poor at remembering names. Entire books could be memorised by him before he can recall that lady that gave him candy every week when he was younger.

“I suspect she’s the pope’s successor now, but since you forget, let’s not speak of this matter.”

Anna took off her leather shoes and carried the edge of her dress. She walked into the shallow and clear water.

The images of the saplings were disturbed by her, but the surface of the lake soon returned to tranquillity. The green leaves seemed to have surrounded her snow-white feet, creating a beautiful scene.

Ovid looked at her, and kicked off his own sandals and rested them within the pond. He felt the water was slightly chilly, but the fine and smooth peddle were really comfortable.

“I remember Cai Hua said the pond can actually function as a hot spring, how is the water so chilly now?”

“He said the water is cool during the day and hot during the night. The pond can function as a pool during the day and a spa during the night.”

“That sounds interesting when your body recovers, you do want to try it out?”

“I used to swim.”

“Oh? Why don’t you anymore?”

“Tiring.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah.”

“We should visit the owner (receptionist) some times, her cook was really good.”

“Indeed, but won’t you be at Julia by that time? Maybe you should invite her?”

“That’s a good idea!”

“Ah, that was just an offhanded remark.”

“But I’m being very serious about the idea.”

Two pairs of feet laid within the pond. The surface of the water would occasionally vibrate until their voice gradually ceased.

They stood quietly for a long time.

It was different from the tense quiet when Ovid was within Gael’s tomb, or when Anna was sitting in the private room.

This sort of quiet was peaceful, not tense or dreadful.

Anna’s feet would occasionally move back and forth, splashing water onto Ovid’s legs.

After an unknown amount of time passed, Anna felt her feet sore from standing, she sat down next to Ovid on the vibrant grass.

Anna took out a leather-bound book from her pouch and flipped it open.

Ovid noticed the movement beside him. He looked down as asked, “Is that the manual Cai Hua gave you?”

Anna answered clearly, “Yes.”

Ovid shifted up and looked at Anna’s face, asking, “What is it like?”

Cai Hua had told Ovid to avoid the conventional method of meditation on his path toward immortality. If he asked, he could get a manual on the same level as the one in Anna’s hands, but he didn’t. Still, he was a little serious what it was like.

“Comfortable. It’s like drinking warm water.”

If anyone else heard this, they would probably begin coughing out blood. The same path that produced endless blood and sweat was described by her as drinking water?

But Ovid did not feel that way, perhaps his mind was distracted by some other matter.

Anna collapsed backwards onto the lawn, her long and wild hair spilling over the grass while her bare feet splashed around in the water, producing miniature waves. She could only be described as lovable.

Anna stared at the sky and didn’t find the sun. “I’m in a bit of a rush since I have to return to Julia.”

Ovid could not understand her feeling, but said nevertheless, “Julia no doubt favours you, there is no need to hurry. A tranquil heart is best for everything.”

Anna thought about it before giving off a ‘hmm’. “I didn’t expect Julia to actually have plans for me. She never once expressed her intentions.”

After watching Irene and Martha, two of the five saints in the empire fight against the pope, Anna felt a great deal of pressure. Although she had not expressed it infront of Catherine, her heart had been throbbing in fear.

Ovid replied, “They lived a lot longer than any of us, it’s only natural.”

After meeting and killing Glafx, who was a lot stronger than both Irene and Martha, Ovid no longer viewed saints as anything different than ordinary mortals aside from their age. In fact, his worldview was already drastically from than those in this world since he never belonged here, to begin with.

Anna laughed, before saying seriously, “That’s because you can’t be judged by common logic.”

Ovid responded to it by saying, “Then you are more so.”

Anna had crossed the realm into deaconhood in less than a day after seriously practising the manual Cai Hua gave her. Of course, no one can cross realms as Ovid had. From a rational viewpoint, it was impossible to judge who was the stranger one in this regard.

“On this subject, who are the saints in the empire?”

“Aside from the three we already know, there is also Maria, who is the strategos for the theme of Samos and Theodora, who I met only once before.”