As a villain, he could do whatever he wanted.

Page 189

Upon closer inspection, one can also discover a head of long, fiery red hair, which is not coiled up as before, but cascades down the back of the veiled beauty like a waterfall, creating a striking and alluring visual contrast with her black nun's habit, which symbolizes holiness and asceticism.

Faced with this alluring scene, Lius smiled slightly and quietly admired for a few seconds the beautiful figure before him, a figure that would still please him no matter how many times he saw it, fully appreciating this moving picture full of contradictory and forbidden beauty.

He gazed at the scene until he felt satisfied, then slowly withdrew his gaze, exhaled, and a gentle smile appeared on his face. He then spoke first, breaking the silent exchange.

"Ms. Nottica, how have you been lately? Is everything alright?" The boy's voice sounded very calm, with just the right amount of concern. "Is the environment within the church alright? Last time I was hoping to have a good time to arrange things in the church. How is it going now? Is the integration of your two different factions going smoothly?"

"Thanks to His Majesty the Holy Son, everything went very smoothly and there were no major difficulties."

In response to Lius's concerned voice, the red-haired nun in the light and shadow smiled and nodded slightly. The corners of her mouth, which were hidden by her veil, turned up slightly, revealing a gentle and respectful smile.

Taking a step forward and bringing herself closer to Lius, Nottica leaned slightly forward and continued to respond in a soft, melodious voice, as sweet and mellow as the finest mead, "In my opinion, everything is fine in the Church. Thanks to your previous achievements, Your Holiness, everyone in the Church is talking about you. Almost every nun is discussing your extermination of the cultists. They all regard you as an idol and worship you very much."

"Oh? Is it really that exaggerated?" Leus asked with interest.

"Of course, Your Majesty, you may not realize it yourself, but in fact, you have already accumulated a great reputation throughout the entire country. No one is unaware of the achievements you have made. It is because of these achievements that we have not encountered any difficulties in promoting integration within the Church. Those conservative factions that were originally observing or even harboring objections dare not refute you in the face of your undeniable achievements and prestige. It can be said that we have achieved this result today thanks to Your Majesty."

At this point, Nottica's voice carried a hint of heartfelt, undisguised reverence and joy: "The most difficult and busiest period of the church's internal integration work is now completely over, and even I have recently had some rare moments of free rest."

"Oh? Have you had some free time lately?"

This news made Lius nod in satisfaction, his smile deepening. A perfectly timed glint flashed in his deep eyes, causing him to lean forward slightly involuntarily as he continued in a gentle tone:

"Now that the busiest period is over, would you like to take advantage of this rare time of rest and come to my residence?" "Uh, does Your Highness wish to see me?"

“Yes, I want to see you, Ms. Nottica.”

At this point, Lew deliberately paused, letting his seductive words linger in the air for a moment before slowly revealing his true purpose.

“Recently, I have something very interesting to ask for your help, Ms. Nottica.” “Help the Holy Son?” Lius’s seemingly casual invitation was like the most beautiful sound to Nottica’s ears. Her delicate figure in the light and shadow slightly lifted, and her ruby-like eyes, hidden behind a veil, suddenly lit up with a flame-like light, full of excitement and longing.

"Of course! I'd love to."

She responded almost without hesitation, her unwavering loyalty and love, stemming from the depths of her soul, laid bare at that moment. As she spoke, Nottica's body moved, bowing deeply towards the light and shadow of Lius, and in a voice almost like a sermon, she concentrated her feelings between her lips and throat, speaking with crystal clarity:

“I will obey whatever the Holy Son commands, no matter what it is. Everything is for the Holy Son.” “Ha, no need to be so dramatic. Just be yourself and relax.”

Faced with Nottica's selfless and absolutely loyal reply, Lius smiled helplessly, then straightened his expression and spoke to the red-haired woman before him with a more serious tone:

"Now, I'm going to tell you the details, Ms. Nottica. Please listen carefully." With that, Lius leaned closer to Nottica's image and gently recounted a series of events...

Chapter 449: On Emotional Life (Part 7)

As the first rays of dawn shone down, casting dappled light and shadow on the softly carpeted corridors of the Florence House, Helen's door was gently pushed open with a soft creak.

"With a sleepy and very cute yawn, the red-haired bishop rubbed his still slightly sleepy eyes and slowly walked out of the room.

After a night's rest, the fatigue from yesterday's high-intensity training has been completely swept away, replaced by a refreshing feeling full of energy and vitality.

She slept very well last night and even had a sweet dream about taking a walk in the sunshine with her mother.

The dream was so real and so warm that when she woke up, she found a damp spot on her pillow, and her heart was filled with an unprecedented sense of anticipation and drive for the next challenge.

"I must become stronger."

As she encouraged herself in this way, she took light steps and instinctively walked towards the room at the end of the corridor where Lius was.

According to the new plan she set for herself last night, starting today, she will "drag" Prince Lius out of his sleep earlier than usual and do his daily morning training with him, not missing any opportunity to become stronger.

However, when she arrived at the familiar door with its intricate carvings, she was somewhat surprised to find that the door was ajar and there was no steady breathing sound coming from inside, the sound of someone fast asleep.

"Hmm? Has Prince Leus gotten up already?"

She tilted her head in confusion and gently pushed open the door. Sure enough, the room was empty, and the large bed had been made up meticulously without a single wrinkle.

"error?"

With a questioning voice, Helen stepped out of the room and walked a few steps down the corridor. Soon, she saw the familiar figure on the open-air balcony leading to the backyard.

Lius stood quietly in the morning light, his back to her. He had changed into light clothing that allowed him to move around easily. The smooth yet firm muscle lines of his upper body appeared powerful under the morning light. His breathing was steady and long, and the aura he exuded seemed to be completely integrated with the surrounding air, filled with an indescribable sense of harmonious rhythm.

At his feet, there were still some faint white wisps of steam rising from the intense exercise, indicating that Lius had already been there before Helen woke up, having completed a portion of extremely intense basic training all by himself.

"This extraordinary self-discipline and strength instantly extinguished Helen's newly ignited fighting spirit, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head. While she felt a wave of anger, a deeper, more heartfelt admiration welled up in her heart."

"Young Master Leus, good morning."

Taking a deep breath, she walked forward somewhat shyly and greeted him softly.

"Good morning, Helen." Lius turned around at the sound of her voice, a gentle smile on his face like the morning sun. "Did you sleep well last night?" "Yes! I slept very well!" Helen nodded emphatically, then clenched her fist in slight annoyance. "I was thinking that I would definitely get up earlier than you to train today, but I didn't expect... I still lost to you."

The girl's face was filled with resentment.

“Next time! Next time I will definitely get up earlier than you!” Helen declared solemnly, as if making a vow. “Ha, it’s good to have that mindset, but there’s really no need to be in such a hurry.”

Looking at her energetic, competitive, and adorable appearance, Leus smiled helplessly and reached out to gently ruffle her fiery red hair as if soothing a cat with its fur standing on end.

“Helen, you’re still in the growth stage. Sufficient sleep is far more important for your development than an extra hour of training.” His voice was gentle yet full of undeniable care. “Step by step, with a balance between work and rest, that’s the shortcut to becoming strong, understand?”

Coco wanted to say something in rebuttal, but Lius's caring and gentle eyes made her unable to utter any words of refusal, and she could only nod slightly, her face flushed.

"Good morning, elder brother!" Just then, a lively, clear and melodious girl's voice, like a silver bell, suddenly came from the other end of the corridor.

Lia, dressed in an adorable nightgown, was running towards them with light, bouncy steps, like a deer. Her signature long, smooth, and lustrous silver hair, as soft as moonlight, drew graceful arcs in the morning breeze.

"Lord Dui!"

After running up to the two of them, she didn't stop at all. Like a fledgling returning to its nest, she affectionately threw herself into Lius's arms, hugged his arm tightly, and rubbed her cheek happily against his arm, carrying out her daily routine of sweet morning coquetry.

"Halia, you..." Faced with his clingy stepsister's enthusiastic advances, Lius sighed helplessly, a doting smile on his face, as he reached out his other hand to gently stroke her smooth, silver hair.

"Alright, alright, Leah, Helen is still watching. Mind your manners." As he spoke, he gave Helen, who was watching the scene with envy, a gentle warning.

"No way~ Lia loves her brother the most, she doesn't want to be separated from him." Lia twisted her body and hugged him even tighter. "You..." Lius smiled helplessly, and after teasing the little silver cat for a few more minutes, he half-dragged and half-carried this "human accessory" who was almost hanging on him, and together with Helen, who was also looking on with anticipation, they took her to the training ground in the backyard, where they began their lively morning training for the three of them.

The training atmosphere was much more relaxed and enjoyable than last night.

Unlike the previous night, Lius did not subject Helen to intense sparring. Instead, he patiently corrected subtle flaws in her basic sword techniques, acting more like an instructor. Meanwhile, Leah watched the two's movements with great interest, occasionally "bothering" the focused Lius, which drew a series of amused protests from her, the leader of the training ground, filling the training area with laughter.

In a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere, Lius calmly guided Helen's movements, and then, as if suddenly remembering something, he casually and unintentionally said, "By the way, Helen, I received a message from the church last night, saying that Ms. Nottica might come to the mansion in a few days to convey some information about the follow-up to those cultists."

“Read? Ms. Nottica…?”

This very familiar name, yet carrying a subtle sense of taboo, was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, causing Helen's previously focused sword-wielding movements to pause for a fleeting, almost imperceptible moment.

Her azure eyes widened slightly for a moment, then immediately returned to normal, the whole process so fast it was almost impossible to catch.

"Oh, I see."

Taking a deep breath, she quickly composed herself, pretending to be indifferent. She sheathed the wooden sword in her hand, adopting a sword-sheathing posture, and her tone returned to the cool and calm tone befitting a church bishop.

"I understand. Since it's official business, there's nothing we can do about it."

Helen paused, seemingly sizing up her words, then added softly, as if talking to herself, her voice carrying a complex and awkward emotion that she herself was unaware of.

"Although...although we did fight side by side once before,...being under the same roof with that former heretic...I still feel a little...uncomfortable."

"Oh? Are you not used to it?"

In response to Helen's statement, Lius smiled slightly, a meaningful look appearing in his eyes.

Chapter 450: On Emotional Life (Part 8)

"Oh? Are you not used to it?"

Faced with Helen's words, which were tinged with some awkwardness and resistance, Leus smiled slightly, a meaningful glint flashing in his eyes.

"Is that really true, Helen? Is this your true feeling, or is it just an excuse you're using because you're bothered by it? There's no need to hide anything anymore; just speak your true feelings."

As he said this, Leus gently reached out and, with a tender tone, gently stroked the girl's head. "Should I?"

Feeling the gentle touch coming from above, Helen slightly narrowed her eyes, and her whole body twitched slightly in an instant.

Feeling this way, she subconsciously raised her head and looked at Lius's handsome face, which was so close to hers, somewhat at a loss. Her heart started racing.

The warmth from the boy's palm traveled down her head, like the gentlest sunlight, instantly spreading throughout the girl's limbs. Unbeknownst to her, a corner of Helen's heart, which had been filled with hesitation because of the name "Nodica," was quietly melted away.

"Helen."

Speaking to Helen again, Leus continued to stroke the girl's head, his voice as gentle and clear as a morning breeze brushing against her ear:

I know what you're worried about—that your bishop status might restrict your actions. But before you think about these things, you need to understand one thing: this is the Fren family mansion, our home. There aren't so many rules and regulations here.

"Young Master Lius, do you... want me to disregard my own status?" Helen asked somewhat belatedly.

"You could say that. Now that we're practically family—living together, training together, and even able to rely on each other for support—shouldn't we naturally treat each other with even greater affection?"

Helios's words were like the most precise key, instantly striking the softest part of Helen's heart.

"And... Helen, have you forgotten? Didn't you and Bishop Nottica fight side by side once before when we were clearing out those cultists? I remember it very clearly. In that life-or-death moment, you cooperated very well. If it weren't for the trust between you, we wouldn't have been able to resolve those problems so smoothly."

"This is all thanks to you, Young Master Leus; we were merely assisting from the sidelines," Helen said, pouting. "Well... that's certainly true, but it's also a testament to your teamwork." Leus responded somewhat awkwardly to Helen's comment, then composed himself and continued:

"That's it, how about that? Now, Helen, you should understand what I'm trying to say, right? Don't worry so much about those past factional divisions. Since you're no longer in the church and have even cooperated with each other before, there's no need for so many inner constraints anymore, understand?"

Helen pursed her lips at Lius's words, pondering the events of the past once more. Yes... during the battle, we could have trusted each other.

Now that I've returned to a peaceful and comfortable environment, I find myself having to rebuild that invisible, prejudiced barrier.

As Helen pondered this, she took a deep breath, and she already had her own answer in her heart.

Prince Lius was absolutely right; there wasn't actually that much of a conflict between him and Bishop Nottica.

The reason I feel uncomfortable is not because there is anything wrong with Bishop Notica himself, but simply because of the deep-rooted stereotype in my heart. If I continue to cling to this outdated and meaningless concept, then my heart will probably never be able to improve, and I will never be able to become a strong person who can accommodate everything like Prince Lius.

To become stronger, I can no longer allow my heart to be bound by all sorts of rules, as I did before. That's right, that's it.

Having figured this out, Helen felt much more relaxed. Her troubled and confused heart suddenly cleared up. After taking a deep breath, Helen clenched her small fist, as if she wanted to expel all the awkwardness and prejudice in her heart with this breath.

When she raised her head again, there was no longer any confusion or resistance in her azure eyes. Instead, there was an unprecedented, clear light filled with unwavering determination.

Prince Leus looked at Leus, and Helen nodded slightly, a genuine, relieved smile spreading across her face. "I...I understand completely now. Thank you for your guidance. I was...too narrow-minded before." "Ha, it's good that Helen understands. That puts my mind at ease."

Seeing that the girl had finally resolved her inner conflict, Lius smiled with satisfaction. He praised her in a doting tone, as if he were praising a child, and then gently ruffled her hair, causing the red-haired girl's face to flush with a shy yet happy blush.

"All right."

After kneading for a minute, Leus gently lowered his hand and looked at Lia, who was clinging to his arm and watching their interaction with curiosity, and instructed her:

"Lia, it's getting late. Why don't you accompany Miss Helen to the restaurant for breakfast?" "Okay!"

Leah responded softly and obediently, then looked at Helen:

"Miss Helen, let's go. This morning there are special honey pancakes, which my brother made especially for you. They're delicious! Come and try them."

Looking at the enthusiastic silver-haired girl, Helen smiled gently and nodded slightly. "Young Master Lius, let's go together."

"You go ahead, I need to go out and take care of some things."

"Is Brother leaving now?" Leah asked, somewhat surprised, glancing at him slightly.

"Yes, I have something urgent to take care of." Lius nodded and smiled gently at the two of them. "Don't worry, it's nothing serious. I'll be back before dinner."

"In that case, brother, please be careful on your journey. Leah will be waiting for you at the manor."

And so, under the somewhat doubtful yet relieved gazes of the two, Lius straightened his clothes, stepped out of the room, and went to the carriage outside the mansion to head to the previously agreed-upon location…

Chapter 451: Private Activities (Part 1)

Some time later, on a mountain road.

Inside the smoothly moving carriage, Lius had his eyes closed, his body swaying rhythmically with the slight movement of the carriage. He leaned against the soft velvet seat back, seemingly enjoying this rare, peaceful journey that belonged only to him.

The monotonous yet rhythmic clatter of the wheels rolling over the stone pavement, like the oldest lullaby, slowly echoed in the quiet carriage, lulling one to sleep.

However, this tranquility did not last long. "Hehe, accompanied by a playful chuckle, a soft, firefly-like light silently gathered on Lius's shoulder, eventually transforming into a blonde girl in a white dress—the long-unseen System.

"Hey, host, you're really taking it easy. Looking at your calm and collected demeanor, are you plotting some interesting scheme in your mind again?"

She swung her slender, snow-white, and naked legs, and called out to Leus, who was resting with his eyes closed, in a teasing and sweet voice.

"Ok?"

As for Lius, upon hearing the system's voice, he slowly opened his eyes and turned his head slightly to look at the system.

Then, without hesitation, he gently pinched the girl's cute little foot that was swaying back and forth. "Ah."