The Pope’s Wager and the Sleeping Princess

“Miss Ziyao, welcome to the Imperial Palace.”

When Ziyao arrived at the Imperial Palace the next day, Ailin, the maid, was already waiting for her.

“My teacher instructed me to wait for you here.”

It was indeed the Empress’s arrangement.

Following Ailin through the grand gates she had once traversed, Ziyao inquired about Aiya’s current condition.

“How is Aiya doing right now?”

However, Ailin shook her head, indicating she wasn’t entirely sure.

“Her Highness has been continuously sleeping, yet her spiritual state remains stable,” the maid explained. “According to Her Holiness the Pope, Her Highness should awaken within the next few days.”

“Oh, right, Her Holiness the Pope is also in the Imperial Palace today.”

The Pope? That eternal flat-chested old woman?

Thanks to Raphael, the Pope had now transformed in Ziyao’s mind into an eternally ‘flat-chested’ girl who enjoyed slacking off and exploiting her disciples. A flicker of curiosity suddenly arose within her.

“Ailin, what kind of person is the Pope? Is she easy to get along with?”

“Emmm… she’s relatively easy to get along with,” Ailin replied, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “If you didn’t know her identity, it would be truly difficult to guess that she’s actually a Pope.”

It seems this Pope has a rather pleasant personality.

Speaking of which, it seemed all the high-ranking individuals Ziyao had encountered so far possessed amiable personalities. There was no sign of the tyrannical, capricious, or villainous figures she had expected. This was entirely different from her initial expectations upon transmigrating here. Both the Emperor and the Empress were benevolent, and the two Princesses were approachable. Even the First Prince enjoyed an excellent reputation. As for the nobility, Ziyao had only met two juniors from the Duke Rhine family, and their personalities were also exceptionally good.

Perhaps this was the reason for Roland’s strength.

Amidst Ziyao’s wandering thoughts, the two girls arrived at Aiya’s bedroom.

“Teacher, Miss Ziyao has arrived,” Ailin said, knocking gently on the door.

The Empress’s voice quickly responded from within, “Come in.”

Opening the door, Ziyao stepped into the room where she had once slept.

“Oh, this must be the little Ziyao Raphael often speaks of, isn’t it?” The moment Ziyao entered the room, a golden figure lunged forward, embracing her tightly. “Indeed, you’re so comfortable to hold.”

So stiff…

“Pope, please mind your image.” Fortunately, the Empress quickly pulled the golden-haired woman back.

Ziyao took several deep breaths, steadying her emotions. To be honest, she had almost lost control of her desire to attack just now.

But… this is the Pope?

She appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, with neat, long golden hair and blue eyes. If one ignored that ‘wall of despair,’ she would undoubtedly be a super beautiful maiden. Though her true age likely required adding a zero.

“Hahaha, I just can’t control myself when I see cute little girls,” the Pope said, flashing a smile at Ziyao. “My name is Mei, the current Pope. If you don’t mind, you can just call me Senior Mei.”

“Senior Mei, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Ziyao replied with a smile. Although startled at first, Ziyao realized that this Pope was quite friendly. Then again, she was the Pope, after all; some degree of affability was to be expected.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with the Pope, Ziyao shifted her attention to Aiya, who lay on the bed. The blonde girl’s eyes were tightly shut. If not for the gentle rise and fall of her chest, Ziyao might have mistaken her for a doll.

Sleeping Aiya is still so adorable.

“Senior, may I get a little closer?”

“By all means,” the Empress readily assented.

Walking to Aiya’s side, Ziyao extended a finger and gently poked Aiya’s cheek.

Soft. This tender girl was undoubtedly the proudest creation of the Gods.

Sleeping Beauty. Ziyao recalled the fairy tale. Was that slumbering princess as beautiful as Aiya? And who would be Aiya’s prince?

“How about a wager?” the Pope whispered to the Empress on the other side.

“Oh?”

“I bet Aiya will wake up today.”

“Is that a blessing?” The Empress’s interest was piqued.

“Of course not. You, a Shadow Assassin, wouldn’t see it. But I am a professional,” the Pope declared, puffing out her ‘steel-plated’ chest. “When that white-haired girl approached, Aiya’s spiritual fluctuations intensified a little.”

“Are you saying Ziyao is the key?” The Empress raised an eyebrow, a thought that hadn’t occurred to her.

The Pope flashed a mischievous grin. “Aiya must like Ziyao, right?”

“Indeed. Is that a problem?”

“Of course not. It’s no big deal. Even the Gods love girls, so what’s so strange about it?” the Pope said nonchalantly.

But the Empress was utterly dumbfounded.

What did she mean, ‘even the Gods love girls’? Weren’t Gods supposed to be lofty and devoid of personal desires? How could they ‘love girls’?

“You didn’t know?” The Pope gave her a look of disdain, as if at an uneducated person. “You know the God of Water, right?”

“You mean…”

“And that’s not all. The God of Darkness also got involved.”

“…”

So, the Gods were all like this? The Empress felt her worldview shatter. Gods being all yuri… it was too shocking.

While the two elders discussed divine secret histories, Ziyao had already sat beside Aiya and held her hand. The soft, boneless little hand rested in Ziyao’s grasp, and a familiar, delicate fragrance wafted to her nose. Ziyao felt a stir in her heart.

She… she seemed to understand what that prince must have felt. She already harbored affection, and now the girl lay on the bed with her eyes closed, utterly defenseless. Such a girl was most likely to ignite one’s possessive desires.

However, Ziyao was, after all, a person with strong self-control. She forcefully suppressed her inner urges, refraining from any further actions.

She couldn’t take advantage of someone in such a state. Ziyao was a gentleman. Probably…

“So, what are you trying to say?” The Empress looked at the Pope’s mischievous grin, utterly bewildered.

“Want to advance the relationship between these two girls?”

“Don’t even think about causing trouble.”

“Have you heard the story of the Mermaid Princess?”

The Mermaid Princess was a widely circulated fairy tale. It told of a country long ago whose little princess fell into a deep sleep due to a curse from Abyssal cultists. To awaken the princess from her slumber, the king of that country issued a proclamation: whoever could awaken the princess would be granted her hand in marriage.

Many came to try, but all failed. Finally, a mysterious person in a blue robe found the king.

“I can awaken Her Royal Highness,” she said.