CH 426

One day later

…

“Most esteemed princess Claire, I’m sorry I’m late, that was my mistake, please forgive me.”

Everyone was stunned when they looked at this extremely deferential and respectful man that was kneeling on the ground.

The man wore white robes and was around 25 years old. Everyone wouldn’t have been shocked if it was just him, but there were tens of other believers wearing white robes behind him that were all respectfully kneeling and greeting Claire.

Actually, it was quite normal considering Claire was the princess and the highest-ranking commander for this incident. But since investigators weren’t that respectful and Claire wasn’t one to put on airs, so when everyone, especially Lin Xiao, was surprised.

As for what they were doing… you have to start from the beginning.

On the second day after they left, they were all vigilant of an ambush. From afar, they saw a bunch of strange people blocking the road, at first they thought it was the enlightenment society, but it turned out they were from the Holy Light Church!

When they saw Claire, they all immediately rushed over and greeted her.

“Hey, tomboy, who’s this pretty boy?” Lin Xiao approached Claire and quietly asked.

“He’s a Saint from the Deep and Dark City, Nick.”

“Saint?”

“The same rank as Saintess Snow.”

Claire tried not to show anything when trying to explain to Lin Xiao, but was still noticed.

“Who are you? How dare you whisper with Princess Claire? How insolent!”

“Ah? I’m speaking with her, you…”

“Princess Claire, I’m sorry you have to interact with this rude barbarian, from now on, let us protect you.”

“Man, are you even listening to me…”

“Princess, please come with me.”

Nick extended his hand and completely ignored anything Lin Xiao said. At the same time, the other believers surrounded Claire and excluded all the other investigators including Lin Xiao.

Claire awkwardly looked back and smiled but didn’t stop Nick, she actually left with him, but didn’t take his hand and just patted his shoulder.

Just like that, their leader Claire was suddenly taken away by a group that appeared out of nowhere.

“Tsk, that Nick is still such a snob, how disgusting!”

A certain pink-haired girl angrily cursed.

“Rosie, do you know him?”

“The two-faced hypocrite Saint Nick, a well-known pretty boy, of course, I know him.”

Nick was a Saint in the Deep and Dark city dioceses, young and accomplished, gentlemanly and elegant. He was outstanding and courteous and did things thoroughly. He was very popular and was a competent member that the Holy Light Church stationed there.

But there were also a lot of rumors about him.

“He looks good and is liked by a lot of noblewomen, some even said that he was being raised as a lover by some rich women, but that’s still to be determined… I even heard that he went after Claire before!”

According to Rosie, he once tried to confess to Claire and brought a bunch of fresh rare flowers to her house and tried to invite her out. At that time Claire was practicing her archery and when she heard there was someone with flowers at her door, she shot an arrow over in annoyance and hit his bouquet pinning it to a stone pillar which scared Nick away.

“Tsk tsk, how rare, that tomboy actually has people chasing after her?”

“Tsk, what the hell do you know? She’s a princess, there’s a lot of people who like her, okay?”

“So what? She can’t compare to Sister Ying!”

“Indeed, but Nick isn’t you and he doesn’t like married women.”

“What? Is it wrong to like married women? Did you know it feels amazing to take someone else’s wife?”

“Hah? What are you talking about you pervert? You…”

“Lin Xiao, although Caesar’s still asleep, you should still watch what you’re saying, hehe.”

Before Rosie could retort, ShenDai Ying couldn’t just keep listening and sneakily pinched Lin Xiao’s waist from behind.

“Owww… sister Ying, s-stop, we were just joking?”

“Joking is no good either! I’m still pure, how could I be married… and also, would you like me more if I married someone else first?”

ShenDai Ying smiled and it was as if Lin Xiao nodded, she would immediately go marry someone else.

“Uh… I was wrong, I definitely won’t let you marry someone else! P-please stop teasing me.”

“Hey you two, can you watch yourselves… Caesar is sleeping right there, if you two brazenly flirt in the open, are you not afraid of Caesar suddenly waking up and beating you two to death?”

“Of course not, and even if he were to, you would stop him, right?”

“Sigh, what kind of strange relationship is this?”

Rosie couldn’t retort and glanced at Elena then sighed and ignored them.

Claire was taken away and Nick clearly didn’t plan on bringing them along, so they could only walk back themselves with Rosie temporarily taking over the leader position.

Although they were still walking like before, after Claire was taken away onto a carriage and they were left behind to walk, it just made them feel like shit.

What pissed everyone else off more was how that pretty boy Nick treated Lin Xiao! How could they accept that?

The reason they survived was thanks to Lin Xiao coming to their rescue, but with Tom and Jerry as the lead investigators, they all treated Lin Xiao as their savior!

So who does this pretty boy think he is coming and yelling at their savior? If it wasn’t for Nick moving too quickly, who knows what they would’ve done!

But Lin Xiao didn’t really mind and just told everyone to listen to Rosie.

On the other hand, Claire was clearly a bit uncomfortable.

“Princess Claire, you…”

“Just call me Claire.”

“Hehe, since you said that… Claire, you don’t have to worry, I came to pick you up.”

“Came for me?”

“Yes, Snow told me. I met her last night and she told me to wait here.”

When Nick spoke of that, he was happy, but Claire felt strange.

Snow came here to find the black core and save people, but him? He just came to pick her up, she didn’t really know what to say.

But… she couldn’t just turn down his good intentions, he was a Saint after all, so if she just ignored him and that got out, that would affect the royal reputation and affect the church, so she could only choose to endure it.

“The enemy is already taken care of Nick, you don’t have to worry about me.”

“Taken care of? Hehe, I don’t know about that… Claire, can you tell me what happened in Yellowstone?”

“Why are you asking that?”

“I… I just want to help the investigators who made a mark! They protected you, so I have to report to the Pope and give them the honor they deserve!”

“Oh, if that’s the case… then that’s not needed, there’s no harm in telling you.”

Claire calmed herself and realized she was too sensitive, it wasn’t really a secret, so even if she didn’t tell Nick, he would find out sooner or later.

“The plague is actually fake! It’s some strange black magic, Lin Xiao and the others… hm? Wait, where’s Lin Xiao?”

While Claire was speaking she looked back and realized the carriage had already set off leaving the others far behind.

“Um… Claire, don’t worry, I’ll send some people to protect them… continue with what you were saying, the plague is fake, and then?”

“What else is there to say? … Do you want me to leave them behind and leave with you on the carriage?”

“Uh… the carriage has limited space, so I can only bring you along.”

“There’s not enough space? Okay then, I’m going to walk with them.”

“Claire, I… ah? What did you say?”

Before Nick could react, Claire was already shouting.

“Stop… stop the carriage!!!”