[97/100 Lives left.]
Jia brushed out the leaves in her hair, tasting the sickness in her throat from the teleportation effects of the duke's cabin.
"This sucks ass."
Chastr
Jia yanked the bloodied arrow out of her chest, watching it heal up and swore.
The fact that she healed up quickly didn't make recovery any less painful.
She could hear footsteps, and she quickly tied the torn piece together, flinging away Prince Lucien's misguided arrow.
"They poisoned me? Really?"
To be fair, she should have been more wary of her brothers, especially the way they kept glaring at her at the dinner table.
She didn't count on all of them being in cahoots with each other.
So the whole family was just straight up evil, huh? If they were bold enough to try to kill her at home, then she should put in the legwork to stop them.
She was deep in thought and didn't notice the prince standing over her, ivory bow in hand.
"Hey, you! Aren't you Adeline Corvus?"
Jia looked up to him with a smile.
"As a matter of fact, I am. Prince Lucien. Could you help me to my feet?
*************************************************************
This time, at the dinner table, she made sure to sit at the head of the table, and after the toast, she paused. Her hands hovered over the ham, holding the cutlery.
"Just thought that you should know that the Prince requested my presence in one week. He is announcing a private dinner as a favor to the Corvus family."
A deathly silence fell on the table as everyone stopped eating.
Jia counters inwardly.
One.
Jia picked up the wine and pretended to drink.
Two.
She sliced a piece of ham and took an appreciative inhale.
Three.
She raised the fork to her mouth.
They exchanged glances, and Draven was quick on the uptake. Pretending to get up and trip, he crashed into the table, flinging her dinner plates onto the floor.
"Oh! What a mess! I'm sorry, Adeline, after all the trouble we went through.
Jia regarded the spilled sauce on the floor and nodded. But her stomach gurgled with hunger pangs.
She started at Draven's plate.
"It's okay. I can have yours, can't I? I've been really starving."
"Wh-what? You want my plate?"
Before he could say anything, Jia took his plate and began to eat as if nothing had happened–it's not like he's going to poison his own food. He was much too cowardly for that.
" Hmm! This tastes so good! You did well, mother." Jia said, slicing another piece of ham, nodding approvingly.
Her oblivious mother clasped her hands in delight.
"Why? Thank you, my sweetheart! And I'm delighted you're meeting the prince. How about this? We could go shopping for new clothes?"
"We don't have the money, Elowan," her father muttered, slicing cleanly a piece of peach on his plate.
"Would we miss an opportunity to return to society, possibly as the Prince's betrothed?"
Lirion's laughter was loud and mocking.
"Ha! Good luck with that. Everyone knows he is besotted with the new Saintess to be."
Jia's hands slowed.
Oh. That's right. In between dying and coming back to life, Jia had all but forgotten this world's protagonist.
"I hear she's as radiant as the sun with peculiar purple eyes and hair as black as night. You don't hold a candle to her, Adeline."
Jia shot Lirion a cold look and resumed her eating.
Lady Elowan laughed nervously and resumed her chatter.
"I could pawn some of my jewelry for a fancy dinner gown. Is that fine, Thornevald?"
" Sure, honey. I will get Felix to escort you."
Jia dropped her cutlery.
"Alright. Let's go."
"Now?" Lady Elowan looked up from her plate.
"Why not, mother? I'm very excited about it."
She was anything but excited, but whatever the hell excuse to get out of the room of murderers.
This was not the end of their scheming. She just had to stay ahead of them.
"Mother?"
"Of course."
They walked out of the room to the courtyard, where a carriage was waiting.
Felix followed behind with fur coats and signalled the carriage driver, who nodded as they got into the carriage.
"Lycan Pawn ho, use please, Eric."
"Yes, Lady Elowan."
*************************************************************
"This street has years rich history in Elyria Kingdom, you know?"
Jia gaped at the brightly lit Street. This was a real-life version of a traditional Japanese festival, except more colourful.
Brightly coloured paper lamps hung from every shop, and the Cobblestoned floors were well-worn but in place.
It was a rowdy mix of patrons from couples to families and friends, some hurrying, some laughing.
The smell of baked goods and sweet meats also filled the air.
"I see you never lost that look of wonder on your face. I used to bring you here as a child, you remember?"
Lady Elowan cupped Adeline's face tenderly with a smile, and Jia felt a tingling of what she didn't understand spread across her chest.
Was this what it felt like to have a loving mother?
Jia gently pried off her hands. The face staring into hers sees Adeline Corvus. She was Jia-Hyun, and her real mother never cared much for her.
From her pocket, her mother brought out a pouch holding coins, dropping it into her hand.
"I will go ahead with Felix to the pawn shop. Why don't you explore and meet me back in the shop in fifteen minutes?"
Jia nodded and watched her mother and Felix leave as she scanned the street.
She walked around, looking at every stall but not buying anything.
A basket of wriggling snakes hung from a stall, and she walked past fast, not watching where she was going.
" Oh!" She bumped into a rough-looking man who looked rough.
"You bitch! Watch where you're….well, well, well!"
His eyes gleamed, and Jia's widened in horror.
This was not a face she could easily forget. One of the men who chased her through the forest.
One of her kidnappers!
On instinct. She ran down the street but realized her mistake. It only led to a dark street where she would not be able to outmaneuver him.
He pulled a knife from his boot and licked it.
"It appears the goddess hasn't deserted me yet. You cost me a lot, whore."
Jia looked around, desperate for something –anything to defend herself.
Her eyes fell on a piece of brick by a dirty barrel. She picked it up.
"Don't come any closer!"
His guffaw was loud as he walked towards her. Jia panicked and lunged the brick at him, but he dodged and seized her by the hair.
She yelped in pain as her scalp burned, struggling to pry out his grip.
"Stop it! Is it money you want? I have enough?"
"This has become more than money. I'll get my lick back whatever way….and I think I'll take it now…"
He held the blade against her throat, and his brownish saliva dribbled out of his mouth down her neck.
"Arrrgh!. Somebody help me!"
"Scream all you want. Nobody's coming for you."
The blade travelled underneath her g. Wasting no time, she kicked him in the balls.
"You bitch!" he cursed.
Jia rushed to her feet and ran out of the alley, but she looked down her thigh and realized blood was gushing out of it. And fast.
Dizziness seized her.
Oh no.
He must have thrown the knife at her when she ran. She fell to the ground as she watched him grunt and crawl towards her, laughing.
"Dia Saber!" Above her, a shaft of golden light pierced him and sent him writhing in agony.
Behind her were armed….no. Priests?
Four of them. They ran towards her assailant.
"Secure him and take him to a holding cell! We saw everything!"
"I can take it from here, thank you."
"Yes, your holiness."
Your Holiness?
A man standing over her in priestly white and golden robes was the last thing Jia saw before she passed out.
She awoke a few minutes later on a deserted street, lying on the thighs of her saviour.
Jia blinked slowly. Even in this light, VR couldn't capture his beauty.
"Priest Revian?"
"Oh. You're awake. I am glad."
Jia inhaled sharply. His scent was cool and floral, and she was draped over him, covered in his robe, half in his lap and against his chest.
His long silver hair brushed her cheek as he moved.
She then noticed his hand was on her thigh.
"Priest… Revian?"
His grey eyes snapped down, wide. "Please forgive my inappropriate touch. You were stabbed," he said quickly. "I healed you, but do not try to stand. The muscle is weak."
His arm tightened without thinking when she shifted, instinctively hauling her closer. Jia's bare thigh slid higher against his robes, and Heat flared.
"I–this is improper," he muttered, ears burning.
A carriage jolted nearby. Jia moved, and his hand landed squarely on her inner thigh.
[+1 Seduction Point]
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