A silence deeper and more profound than usual pervaded the air.
Layered and heavy, it filtered the afternoon sunlight into a uniform, flat grayish-white light that spilled through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows.
Instead of warmth, it only made the dark wooden furniture and heavy carpets within appear more somber.
The scents of cleaning agents and old books in the air seemed to have grown stagnant, and even the dancing dust motes appeared to slow their descent.
Xiaoling had been temporarily reassigned today to assist the Internal Affairs Department with clearing inventory in another area.
Only Furenna was left in the Contemplation Hall.
She had just finished a deep vacuuming of the sofa and carpets and was now kneeling at the edge of the rug.
With a specially designed soft brush and a magnifying glass, she was meticulously examining a minute stain suspected to be tea residue.
This task was extremely demanding on the eyes and patience, and profoundly monotonous.
But it had the advantage of requiring her complete focus on the work at hand, allowing her to temporarily forget the pervasive weakness deep within her body and the various intangible pressures from the outside world.
However, this deliberately constructed, detail-oriented calm was shattered the instant the door was gently pushed open.
Without warning, without a sound, not even a perceptible shift in the air, Demon King Iris simply appeared in the doorway, silent and seamless.
She wasn’t wearing her imposing, technologically-imbued formal attire, nor the simple, activity-friendly robes she had donned during the previous “lessons.”
Today, she wore a deep grey woolen dress of an extremely simple, almost austere cut, with a light, open-front cardigan of the same color draped over it.
Her silvery-white hair cascaded loosely over her shoulders.
Her face bore no trace of makeup, and she carried an air of lazy, homey leisure.
Were it not for those crimson eyes, still profound as an abyss and radiating the unmistakable, intangible aura of the Demon King, she looked almost like a noblewoman with nothing to do on a lazy afternoon, who had wandered here on a casual stroll.
But Furenna’s heart sank heavily the moment she clearly saw the visitor, only to be immediately encased and suppressed by a shell of icy control.
Iris’s appearances were never “casual,” especially not after Furenna had just “entertained” three Heavenly Kings.
Moreover, the Demon King’s state today seemed somewhat… different.
Her usual air of all-encompassing composure was still there, but it seemed mixed with a trace of elusive, almost indifferent scrutiny, or perhaps a deeper, momentarily dormant interest.
Furenna immediately set down the soft brush and magnifying glass, rising swiftly but steadily to her feet.
She smoothed the slight wrinkles from her skirt, took a few steps forward, stopped at an appropriate distance, and bowed in flawless form, her voice clear and composed.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.”
“Hmm.” Iris gave a soft acknowledgment, her gaze sweeping casually across the room before finally settling on Furenna.
Her scrutiny was not like Lilie’s icy precision, nor did it carry the lazy exploration of the other Heavenly Kings.
It was a calm, seemingly ordinary observation, yet Furenna could sense that beneath this calm lay a scrutiny far more difficult to handle than any overt emotion.
“I heard it’s been quite lively around here these past few days.”
Iris walked slowly towards the main sofa she usually occupied, sitting down in a relaxed posture.
She rested an elbow on the armrest, her fingertips lightly touching her jaw, her eyes still on Furenna, her tone flat as if discussing the weather.
“Lalania has been visiting frequently, Lilie has ‘passed by’ a few times, and even the one who dislikes going out in daylight made an exception to come sit for a while.”
“Feelings? These guests must be far more interesting than the walls of the military barracks, no?”
Her question sounded casual, even teasing, but Furenna’s nerves instantly tightened.
This was no simple pleasantry.
This was a separate inquiry, following her “reception” of the three Heavenly Kings.
Furenna understood perfectly: the Demon King would not casually repeat questions.
This was a prompt.
The answer Iris wanted was the “problem” Furenna herself had discovered.
If she missed it, she would face an evaluation far more severe than mere “incompetence.”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, before their departure, both Her Highness Lilie and Her Highness Lalania inquired of this subordinate whether I knew which other Highness Your Majesty would be receiving next.”
“They both seemed rather eager to understand Your Majesty’s schedule.”
Furenna’s answer was concise, stating the phenomenon she had observed factually, without a hint of personal conjecture.
This was the faithful report the Demon King expected.
“Oh?”
A flicker passed through Iris’s gaze, as if this answer was slightly unexpected, but it quickly returned to normal.
“And what about the other one?”
“Her Highness asked no questions whatsoever.”
Upon hearing this, the corner of Iris’s mouth lifted in a faint arc, but she did not press further.
She withdrew her hand from her jaw and leaned back casually against the sofa.
Her crimson gaze drifted towards the window, seeming to speak to herself.
“These creatures… always show such extraordinary patience and persistence over the most trivial matters.”
This statement made Furenna’s heart give a violent jolt.
She knew the Demon King’s “these creatures” included her.
“I asked them why they were so concerned with Your Majesty’s schedule, but both Highnesses merely smiled and offered no reply.”
Furenna added this statement, her voice betraying no emotion, as calm as if delivering an official report.
Iris seemed not to be listening.
Her gaze passed through the floor-to-ceiling window, past the distant layers of cloud-wrapped mountains, and into the more remote void.
There, a massive, illusory crimson moon was quietly materializing, replacing the evening glow and staining the entire world with an apocalyptic, bloody hue.
“Your Majesty.”
Furenna called out softly, reminding her to pay attention.
“I see it.”
Iris responded softly, her voice so faint it seemed it could be scattered by the wind at any moment.
“Here again… these useless creatures.”
A sliver of confusion crossed Furenna’s mind.
She did not understand why the Demon King would use “useless creatures” to describe the unknown entities about to manifest.
But she did not voice her inquiry.
Furenna understood better than anyone that curiosity at such times was often fatal.
Iris stood up and walked to the window.
Standing before the massive pane, she gazed into the distance where the crimson moon was rapidly solidifying.
Her gaze was as deep as an abyss, as if she could penetrate the illusory facade and see some truth hidden behind the blood moon.
“It’s a pity, but I cannot directly tell you what that is.”
Iris withdrew her gaze, turning it towards Furenna.
“This phenomenon is a first for you, but for me, it has persisted for over a millennium…”
“Every time the Crimson Moon appears, it means somewhere in the world, ‘creatures’ are attempting to ‘peer’ into this realm.”
“But those ‘creatures’ are all very stupid.”
“They fundamentally cannot comprehend what this world truly conceals… They can only see some superficial aspects, aspects that hold no meaning for them.”
Furenna listened quietly, without interjecting.
This was the first time the Demon King had explained the reason for the Crimson Moon’s appearance to her, and also the first time she had displayed such clear “displeasure” in her presence.
“What you see is not the true Crimson Moon, but an illusion.”
“It exists to confuse those attempting to peer, to make them believe they have seen the ‘truth.'”
“But how could those foolish ‘creatures’ possibly see through this illusion?”
Iris’s tone carried a hint of mockery, seeming to disdain the stupidity of those “peering beings.”
“If they could see the truth, they wouldn’t resort to such clumsy methods to attempt an invasion of this world.”
“Your Majesty, you mean those peering beings cannot directly invade this world through the Crimson Moon illusion?”
“Of course not.”
Iris turned around, looking at Furenna.
“If they could, this world would have been devoured by them long ago.”
“The reason they choose to use illusions is precisely because they are not yet strong enough.”
“They need to find an ‘anchor point’ within the illusion, one that can connect to the real world.”
“Once they find it, they can gradually infiltrate their power into this world through that anchor point.”
“Then what should we do?”
“Leave them be.”
Iris’s voice remained calm, as if those peering beings were utterly beneath her notice in her eyes.
“They are merely wasting their time.”
“Moreover, their target is not you or me.”
“Then who is their target?”
“Their target is ‘that.'”
Iris’s gaze returned to the window, settling on the Crimson Moon, her tone profound.
“They want to find ‘that,’ and take ‘that’ away.”
Furenna’s heart gave another violent jolt.
She knew what the Demon King meant by “that.”
“Your Majesty, you mean…”
Furenna spoke hesitantly, but Iris shook her head, signaling her not to continue.
“It’s not what you think.”
“‘That’ is not an entity, but a ‘possibility.'”
Iris’s tone became somewhat arcane.
“A ‘possibility’ capable of altering the course of the world.”
“Those peering beings are attempting, through ‘that,’ to distort the ‘fate’ of this world.”
“Altering the course of the world… distorting the world’s fate?”
A flicker of confusion passed through Furenna’s eyes; she did not understand what exactly the Demon King meant by “possibility.”
“You don’t need to understand.”
“You only need to know that your task is to protect ‘that,’ to ensure it is not found by any peering being.”
“This is your mission, and the meaning of your existence.”
Iris’s gaze returned to Furenna, her tone carrying an unquestionable authority.
“This subordinate understands.”
Furenna responded respectfully.
“Good.”
“Now, tell me, what did you see today?”
Furenna knew Iris was asking about her impressions of the three Heavenly Kings.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, this subordinate saw today… the three Heavenly Kings all displayed extremely high loyalty towards Your Majesty.”
Upon hearing this, the corner of Iris’s mouth lifted in a faint, almost imperceptible arc, seeming somewhat satisfied with this answer, yet also somewhat dismissive.
“Loyalty?”
Iris repeated the word, her tone laced with a hint of amusement.
“Are you certain what you saw was merely loyalty?”
Furenna’s heart sank heavily.
She knew the Demon King was testing her.
“This subordinate… this subordinate also saw that the three Heavenly Kings all seemed to be attempting…”
Furenna hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided to voice her truest feeling.
“They all seemed to be attempting… to please Your Majesty.”
Iris’s smile deepened.
“Pleasing?”
Iris’s tone carried a trace of sarcasm.
“Do you think their efforts to please are genuine?”
Furenna fell silent.
She did not know how to answer.
“You don’t know?”
Iris raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Or did you see it but dare not say?”
“This subordinate does not dare.”
Furenna responded in a low voice.
“This subordinate merely feels that their efforts to please seem… not entirely pure.”
“Not pure?”
Iris’s gaze sharpened.
“How are they not pure?”
“This subordinate feels that Her Highness Lilie’s efforts to please carry a hint of… a playful quality.”
“She seems to be enjoying the process.”
“As for Her Highness Lalania, her efforts to please appear somewhat… eager.”
“She seems very keen to gain Your Majesty’s approval as quickly as possible.”
“Regarding Her Highness… this subordinate is temporarily… unable to judge.”
Furenna reported her observations word for word, without omission.
Iris’s gaze lingered on Furenna for a moment before withdrawing.
“Your observation is sharp.”
“That little one, Lilie, is indeed playing.”
“She approaches everything with an air of frivolity, including her ‘efforts to please’ me.”
“She just wants to see how I’ll react.”
“As for Lalania, she is indeed eager.”
“She desires power, a higher status.”
“She believes that by pleasing me, she can obtain everything she wants.”
“As for…” Iris’s tone paused momentarily.
“She is a very complex creature.”
“Her efforts to please are not for the sake of gaining something, but rather to… conceal something.”
Furenna’s heart gave another violent jolt.
She sensed the deeper implication in the Demon King’s words.
“Conceal what?”
Furenna asked hesitantly.
Iris’s gaze returned to the window, to the Crimson Moon, her tone profound.
“Conceal her true purpose.”
“She did not come to please me, nor to seek power.”
“She is merely searching for a method… a method to grant her ‘freedom.'”
“Freedom?”
A flicker of confusion passed through Furenna’s eyes.
“Correct.”
“She wants to break free from her bonds, from all control over her.”
“She wants to become… a truly independent individual.”
Iris’s tone held a trace of appreciation, yet also a hint of regret.
“It’s a pity she has chosen the wrong method.”
“Then what should we do?”
“Leave her be.”
Iris’s voice remained calm.
“She will eventually discover that the ‘freedom’ she seeks simply does not exist.”
“Moreover, she lacks the capability to truly break free from her bonds.”
“This subordinate understands.”
“Good.”
“Now, tell me, what are your thoughts on ‘that’?”
Furenna’s heart sank heavily once more.
She knew the Demon King was asking for her understanding of the “possibility.”
“This subordinate’s understanding of ‘that’ remains very shallow.”
Furenna answered cautiously.
“This subordinate merely feels that ‘that’ seems to be… a kind of hope.”
Upon hearing this, the corner of Iris’s mouth lifted in an arc.
“Hope?”
Iris repeated the word, her tone laced with amusement.
“Do you think ‘that’ is hope?”
“This subordinate… this subordinate merely feels that if ‘that’ can alter the course of the world, distort the world’s fate, then perhaps it is this world’s only hope.”
Iris’s smile deepened.
“What you say has merit.”
“But hope can also be despair.”
Iris’s gaze returned to the window, to the Crimson Moon, her tone profound.
“‘That’ is both hope and despair.”
“It depends on who can control it.”
Furenna’s heart gave another violent jolt.
She sensed the deeper implication in the Demon King’s words.
“Your Majesty, you mean…”
Iris shook her head, signaling her not to continue.
“You do not need to know too much.”
“You only need to know that your task is to protect ‘that,’ to ensure it is not found by any peering being.”
“This is your mission, and the meaning of your existence.”
Iris’s gaze returned to Furenna, her tone carrying an unquestionable authority.
“This subordinate understands.”
“Good.”
“Now, tell me, what are your impressions of this afternoon’s guests?”
Furenna knew the Demon King was asking about her impressions of the three Heavenly Kings.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, this subordinate feels the three Heavenly Kings are all very powerful individuals.”
“They each have their own characteristics, their own distinct charm.”
“Her Highness Lilie is lively and cheerful, full of vigor.”
“Her Highness Lalania is steady and introspective, meticulous in thought.”
“Her Highness… appears somewhat mysterious and unfathomable, profoundly inscrutable.”
Upon hearing this, the corner of Iris’s mouth lifted in an arc.
“Your evaluation is fair.”
“But have you considered why they display these characteristics?”
Furenna’s heart sank heavily.
She knew the Demon King was guiding her to ponder a deeper question.
“This subordinate… this subordinate feels they display these characteristics in order to… attract Your Majesty’s attention.”
Iris’s smile deepened.
“Attract my attention?”
Iris’s tone carried a trace of sarcasm.
“Do you think these little tricks of theirs can truly attract my attention?”
Furenna fell silent.
She did not know how to answer.
“You don’t know?”
Iris raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Or did you see it but dare not say?”
“This subordinate does not dare.”
Furenna responded in a low voice.
“This subordinate merely feels that their displays seem… somewhat deliberate.”
“Deliberate?”
Iris’s gaze sharpened.
“How are they deliberate?”
“This subordinate feels that Her Highness Lilie’s liveliness and cheerfulness seem somewhat… excessive.”
“She appears to be deliberately showcasing her own vitality.”
“As for Her Highness Lalania, her steady introversion appears somewhat… rigid.”
“She seems to be deliberately suppressing her emotions.”
“Regarding Her Highness… her mysteriousness, this subordinate feels, is more akin to a kind of… disguise.”
Furenna reported her observations word for word, without omission.
Iris’s gaze lingered on Furenna for a moment before withdrawing.
“Your observation is sharp.”
“That little one, Lilie, is indeed deliberately presenting herself.”
“She wants me to think she is a carefree, vibrant child.”
“As for Lalania, she is indeed deliberately suppressing her emotions.”
“She wants me to think she is a mature, steady, trustworthy individual.”
“As for…” Iris’s tone paused momentarily.
“She is a very intelligent creature.”
“Her disguise is nearly flawless.”
“She wants me to think she is a mysterious, unfathomable person.”
“But in reality, she is merely concealing her true purpose.”
Furenna’s heart gave another violent jolt.
She sensed the deeper implication in the Demon King’s words.
“Conceal what?”
Furenna asked hesitantly.
Iris’s gaze returned to the window, to the Crimson Moon, her tone profound.
“Conceal her desire for ‘that.'”
“She wants to obtain ‘that,’ and make ‘that’ her own.”
Furenna’s heart sank heavily.
She knew what the Demon King meant by “that.”
“Your Majesty, you mean…”
Iris shook her head, signaling her not to continue.
“You do not need to know too much.”
“You only need to know that your task is to protect ‘that,’ to ensure it is not found by any peering being.”
“This is your mission, and the meaning of your existence.”
Iris’s gaze returned to Furenna, her tone carrying an unquestionable authority.
“This subordinate understands.”
“Good.”
“Now, tell me, what are your thoughts on ‘fate’?”
Furenna’s heart sank heavily.
She knew the Demon King was asking for her understanding of “fate.”
“This subordinate’s understanding of ‘fate’ remains very shallow.”
Furenna answered cautiously.
“This subordinate merely feels that ‘fate’ seems to be… a predetermined trajectory.”
Upon hearing this, the corner of Iris’s mouth lifted in an arc.
“Predetermined trajectory?”
Iris repeated the words, her tone laced with amusement.
“Do you think ‘fate’ truly is a predetermined trajectory?”
“This subordinate… this subordinate merely feels that if ‘fate’ is a predetermined trajectory, then perhaps we are all merely pieces on a chessboard, unable to escape our own destiny.”
Iris’s smile deepened.
“What you say has merit.”
“But pieces, too, have the potential to leap off the board.”
Iris’s gaze returned to the window, to the Crimson Moon, her tone profound.
“‘Fate’ is both a predetermined trajectory and not a predetermined trajectory.”
“It depends on who can change it.”
Furenna’s heart gave another violent jolt.
She sensed the deeper implication in the Demon King’s words.
“Your Majesty, you mean…”
Iris shook her head, signaling her not to continue.
“You do not need to know too much.”
“You only need to know that your task is to protect ‘that,’ to ensure it is not found by any peering being.”
“This is your mission, and the meaning of your existence.”
Iris’s gaze returned to Furenna, her tone carrying an unquestionable authority.
“This subordinate understands.”
“Good.”
“Now, tell me, what are your thoughts on ‘time’?”
Furenna’s heart sank heavily.
She knew the Demon King was asking for her understanding of “time.”
“This subordinate’s understanding of ‘time’ remains very shallow.”
Furenna answered cautiously.
“This subordinate merely feels that ‘time’ seems to be… a flowing river.”
Upon hearing this, the corner of Iris’s mouth lifted in an arc.
“A flowing river?”
Iris repeated the words, her tone laced with amusement.
“Do you think ‘time’ truly is a flowing river?”
“This subordinate… this subordinate merely feels that if ‘time’ is a flowing river, then perhaps we are all but a lone boat upon it, drifting with the current, unable to control our own direction.”
Iris’s smile deepened.
“What you say has merit.”
“But a boat, too, has the potential to sail against the current.”
Iris’s gaze returned to the window, to the Crimson Moon, her tone profound.
“‘Time’ is both a flowing river and not a flowing river.”
“It depends on who can control it.”
Furenna’s heart gave another violent jolt.
She sensed the deeper implication in the Demon King’s words.
“Your Majesty, you mean…”
Iris shook her head, signaling her not to continue.
“You do not need to know too much.”
“You only need to know that your task is to protect ‘that,’ to ensure it is not found by any peering being.”
“This is your mission, and the meaning of your existence.”
Iris’s gaze returned to Furenna, her tone carrying an unquestionable authority.
“This subordinate understands.”
She knew this conversation was not merely about summarizing her experience of hosting the three Heavenly Kings.
It was also a test of her reactions.
“By the grace of the esteemed Highnesses for deigning to offer guidance, this humble one has greatly benefited.”
Furenna kept her eyes lowered, giving the most standard, safest answer, attributing everything to “guidance” and “learning.”
“Greatly benefited?”
Iris raised an eyebrow slightly, a flicker of nearly imperceptible amusement passing through her crimson eyes—an amusement that did not reach their depths.
“Tell me specifically in which aspects you benefited.”
“Lalania’s guidance was likely… quite direct, wasn’t it?”
She steered the topic towards a specific subject.
Furenna had to answer carefully, aligning with the cognitive identity of a “trainee maid” while revealing no personal feelings that could be interpreted as “judgment” or “complaint.”
“Her Highness Lalania… makes clear demands and acts decisively.”
Furenna weighed her words, her voice steady.
“She taught this humble one that service requires understanding the superior’s will, that actions must be timely and forceful.”
“That tea and pastries must suit Her Highness’s taste, and service must be… focused and thorough.”
She avoided mentioning specific services like massage, instead generalizing them as “thorough service,” and describing Lalania’s “directness” with relatively neutral terms like “makes clear demands” and “acts decisively.”
“Understanding the superior’s will, timely and forceful…”
Iris repeated the phrase, her fingertips lightly tapping her jaw, as if finding this summary somewhat interesting.
“And what about Lilie?”
“Her guidance must be quite different from Lalania’s.”
“Her Highness Lilie… is rigorous and precise, emphasizing rules and procedures.”
Furenna continued her answer, her tone still respectful.
“She taught this humble one that matters of service require clear steps, strict standards, and absolute meticulousness.”
“Her Highness observes with extreme acuity, leaving this humble one not daring to show the slightest negligence.”
She summarized Lilie’s characteristics as “rigorous,” “procedure-focused,” and “extremely observant”—similarly objective descriptions devoid of personal color—and emphasized the pressure Lilie induced with “not daring to show the slightest negligence,” which aligned with the normal reaction of a lowly maid towards an inspecting superior.
Iris nodded slightly, neither affirming nor denying, her crimson gaze turning towards the grayish-white sky outside the window for a moment before returning, her tone still flat.
“And what about…?”
“She isn’t as easy to summarize as the previous two, is she?”
“What did she say, and what… guidance… did she offer you?”
This question was even more dangerous.
Iris’s conversation had been full of innuendo and implication, not something that could be encapsulated by terms like “clear demands” or “rigorous procedures.”
Furenna fell silent for a brief moment, as if recalling, then answered cautiously.
“Her Highness… possesses refined taste, and her words carry profound meaning.”
“Her Highness… seemed to place greater value on the intrinsic harmony of things and the connection of all phenomena.”
She transformed Iris’s “test” into instruction on “taste” and “artistry,” using terms like “intrinsic resonance” and “congruence” to vaguely allude to those implicit evaluations concerning “resilience” and “adaptability,” thus answering the question without touching upon the core.
Iris lowered her gaze slightly, her crimson eyes narrowing a fraction as she looked at Furenna, her expression gaining a touch of ineffable depth.
“It seems the three of them have indeed given you a good lesson from different angles.”
“Lalania made you learn about forcefulness and directness, Lilie made you remember rules and precision, and Iris made you ponder something more intrinsic.”
She paused, her body leaning forward slightly.
Though her posture remained relaxed, the intangible pressure subtly increased.
“Then, in your own opinion, after these days of lessons, which style are you more comfortable with?”
“Or rather, which type of guidance do you feel is most useful for your current identity?”
This question delved deeper, almost forcing Furenna to express a degree of “self-assessment” and “preference.”
It was a trap; whichever description she leaned towards could be interpreted in different ways.
Furenna’s heartbeat remained steady, but her mind raced.
She could not show “preference,” as that would expose “inclination,” but neither could she completely avoid the question, as that would appear suspicious.
“Reporting to Your Majesty,”
She raised her eyes, her gaze respectfully fixed on the carpet pattern before Iris, her voice clear and sincere.
“This humble one is dull-witted.”
“Your Majesty has taught that one must strive for stability in all matters, not daring to make the slightest error.”
“The guidance from each esteemed Highness has its own logic, and all are what this humble one needs to learn.”
“When responding to the direct, precise, or implicit guidance of the various Heavenly Kings, this humble one strives to manage, fearing the slightest impropriety.”
“Her Highness Lilie taught this humble one that actions must strictly adhere to norms without error.”
“Her Highness Iris reminded this humble one that service must also be undertaken with mindful consideration, striving for perfection.”
“This humble one believes that as a servant, one must flexibly apply what one has learned according to different situations in order to live up to Your Majesty’s teachings and be thorough.”
She did not directly compare, but instead listed the three types of “guidance” side by side, pointed out their respective uses, and ultimately concluded with “apply flexibly according to the situation.”
This answered the question while also demonstrating her attitude of “studying diligently and striving for thoroughness,” perfectly aligning with the response a diligent “trainee maid” should give.
Iris watched her quietly for several seconds.
The silence in the room grew even deeper, with only the faint, low, rhythmic hum coming from outside the window.
“Apply flexibly according to the situation…”
Iris slowly repeated the phrase, the corner of her mouth seeming to curl into an extremely faint, almost invisible arc.
But that hint of amusement held little warmth of pleasure; it more resembled a calm understanding born of having confirmed a certain conjecture.
“It seems the ‘practice’ during this time has indeed allowed you to make considerable progress.”
She leaned back against the sofa again, her posture even more relaxed, but her gaze did not shift from Furenna.
“At the very least, in how to answer questions, how to wrap your true feelings in a presentable, safe, faultless shell.”
Her tone remained flat, but the words themselves were like a thin, sharp blade of ice, lightly slicing open the calm facade Furenna had meticulously maintained.
Furenna’s heart tightened slightly, but her face retained its trained composure, merely lowering her head a bit further.
“This humble one does not dare.”
“I merely bear Your Majesty’s teachings in mind, striving for stability in all matters, not daring to stray or err.”
“Stability, not bad.”
Iris nodded slightly, the elusive emotion in her crimson eyes seeming to become a bit clearer—a mixture of scrutiny, assessment, and a strange, almost “satisfied” depth.
“In this fortress, especially for someone like you, stability is indeed the foremost priority.”
“However…”
She shifted the topic, her tone still flat but carrying an unmistakable probing quality.
“In your efforts to achieve ‘stability,’ to play the role of ‘trainee maid’ well, to manage the direct, precise, or implicit guidance of the various Heavenly Kings…”
“Have you ever, for even a moment, felt… perplexed?”
Perplexed?
Alarm bells rang loudly in Furenna’s mind.
What did this mean?
“This humble one is dull-witted, I do not know to what Your Majesty refers…”
She responded cautiously.
“Perplexed about…”
Iris’s gaze drifted towards the grayish-white sky outside the window, as if speaking to herself, yet also as if guiding.
“Perplexed about why you are here doing these things?”
“Perplexed about what the purpose of all this truly is?”
“Perplexed about why those ‘esteemed Highnesses’ pay you, a lowly maid, such ‘special attention’?”
“Or perhaps…”
Iris’s voice grew even softer, but each word fell with the weight of ice.
“Perplexed about what ‘that’ truly is, and why ‘that’ is worth so many beings risking themselves to vie for it?”
Each one of these questions, each probing “perplexity,” precisely targeted the deepest doubts Furenna might harbor.
Any one of them, handled improperly, could touch upon dangerous territory.
Furenna’s breath almost imperceptibly hitched for an instant.
Iris indeed knew everything.
She might even know about those implicit conversations with Iris!
Her visit today was by no means a casual stroll; it was a calm yet deadly “interrogation” concerning all her recent encounters!
“This humble one…”
Furenna felt her throat go somewhat dry.
The deep-seated sense of weakness within her body, under the intense mental pressure of this moment, seemed about to surge up, breaking through her suppression.
She had to be even more careful, weighing every single word.
“This humble one is of lowly status.”
“That I have garnered the attention of the esteemed Highnesses is beyond what this humble one should presume.”
“The esteemed Highnesses act according to their own profound intentions, which are beyond this humble one’s ability to speculate.”
“All this humble one can do, and indeed should do, is strictly abide by my station, perform my duties with utmost diligence, and seek… stability.”
She attributed everything to “lowly status,” “strictly abiding by my station,” “performing duties with utmost diligence,” and ultimately set the goal as “stability.”
It was the most humble, most submissive, and also the most uninteresting answer.
Iris listened, then fell silent for a moment.
The silence was not long, yet it felt as heavy as a thousand jun, pressing down on Furenna until she could barely breathe.
She could feel the connection transmitted by the collar at this moment with unprecedented clarity.
The other end seemed like a bottomless calm, yet also as if extremely complex data streams were silently surging, calculating, and analyzing within it.
Iris let out a soft sigh.
The sigh was very light, yet seemed to carry a certain weight.
“Stability…”
She repeated softly, her crimson gaze refocusing on Furenna’s pale, lowered face, her eyes deep and inscrutable.
“Yes, stability.”
“Upon this wasteland, within this tomb-like fortress, for many, stability itself is a luxury.”
“That you possess such awareness is good.”
She stood up, her movements still elegant and composed.
The hem of her grey dress trailed across the carpet without a sound as she moved.
“The sky is growing late today; let us end the conversation here.”
Iris’s tone returned to its usual flatness, as if the conversation full of hidden meanings had never occurred.
“You have done well, Furenna.”
“At least, on the surface, you have shown me what I wished to see.”
“Continue your efforts, steadily perform your duties.”
“After all…”
She walked up to Furenna, coming very close.
That familiar, cold, orchid-like fragrance enveloped her.
She bent slightly, lowering her voice to a murmur, yet each word was chillingly clear.
“This play has only just reached an interesting part.”
“I very much look forward to what kind of ‘ending’ it will ultimately lead to.”
Having said this, she straightened up, and without looking at Furenna again, turned and left the Contemplation Hall, as silently as she had arrived.
The intangible, heavy pressure also slowly dissipated.
All that remained was an even deeper, more suffocating silence in the room, and the lingering trace of that icy fragrance in the air.
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