CHAPTER 151: TRUE VILLAIN... REVEALED?

She shoved the fish chip into Mel’s mouth. "Eat well."

"Mm!" Mel covered her rosy cheek. "Don’t force it in so quickly... I’ll cry more..."

"Now now, Envy..." Maria stood up, wiping the chip pieces off Mel’s lips. "You must be gentle with our Mel. Look at her now? Almost dirtying herself again..."

Lila gritted her teeth.

"Bad Woman! Stop being lewder than Mel!"

"Oh? Since when have I implied pervertedness?"

"You! Mel...! Come to think of it, how the hell did you get close to this woman? Or did you get wooed by her out of nowhere?"

"Heh heh heh..."

"Hey! Snap out of it already, Mel!"

Even as Lila shouted, Mel’s heart was already drunk with this dream scenario.

In all her honesty, Mel was pretending to be dumb to make Maria’s encounter with Lila more convenient.

It was her first wife’s moment, and she feared that intruding too much would only sour their relationship.

A hint of sharpness returned to her golden eyes as Mel sneakily peeked at both Lila and Maria.

Judging by Lila’s passionate argument about her being the first to receive a ring, and Maria’s aggressive smile as she held back jealousy, Mel covered her lips for a muffled snicker.

Yep! These two would get along just fine!

Her comfort was short-lived, though, as an invisible hand quickly swept up to her breast.

"Hic!"

Holding back a whimper, she received two glares from both sides.

"Oh?" Lila tilted her head. "Someone thinks they’re so smart, huh?"

"I’m inclined to believe as well." Maria nodded, her finger dancing in the air. "Shall we remind her of her place a little, Envy?"

"Of course."

Stop stop stop, why must she be the collateral every time?! This is unfair?!

"Ah!"

Though Mel enjoyed the ’punishment’ of the two afterwards, without even a word of complaint.

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Maria POV

After feeding and ’doting on’ Mel, Lila brought the panting Mel back upstairs for rest, begruidingly at Maria’s request.

As Maria loosened up in the armed chair, she smiled without a hint of exhaustion.

Yet, a darkened thought sunk her happiness, as she briefly glared at the direction of the stairs.

It could’ve been her as well.

Yet as she clutched her drumming heartbeat, Maria licked her lips; her thighs sliding in a silent anticipation.

But no. She was sure she would stay in the room too, and took advantage of the exhausted Mel however she could.

Unlike Mel, and even Lila, Maria admitted she lacked the basic human decency.

But who could blame her? She was too powerful for anyone to voice a complaint.

"That’s why I need them."

She spoke to the air... no, to someone was listening right now.

"I need someone to match my strength, and others who loved Mel just as much as I do."

Because if not, she could not control herself and break Mel apart.

"The Cult was right."

She muttered out, as a figure began to emerge.

"I could be, to some extend, a ’White Demon’."

Because for Mel, she would even gladly destroy the World.

No need to wait for the Witches.

With a mere thought, she could empty the World for her and her Mel alone.

"Is it the reason why you have betrayed us as well?"

Maria tilted her head, as the bartender sat down in a brewing silence.

"Because you’re afraid of me?"

Even as she directly questioned him, the bartender only kept a blank face.

And he only placed a blue crystal on the table; something familiar to the residents of Embervale.

The Blue crystal shone; the power of Pride’s familiars swirling from within.

"This," the bartender spoke, his voice flat and steady. "Was a crystal planted in every corner of Embervale, one that was sold and exported to every corner of the World."

Serving even as mere light sources, the crystal’s usage spread all over Embervale as Lila and Mel previously encountered in the restaurant.

Especially for the Iron Kingdom, who has mined the Crystals as their main source for enchanted weaponry.

The bartender then took a deep breath, as he relaxed his back onto the chair.

His blank face broke for a gentle smile.

"Yet hidden within it lied Miss Nyrel’s little explosion runes, commonly found in those crystals delivered too, especially in the Iron Kingdom."

One word from Nyrel, or rather him now.

And every crystal would’ve caused an explosion.

Not enough for deaths, but enough for countless injuries, and brief major economic clashes from the Iron Kingdom that relied on the Crystal imports.

A scheme so venomous and seamless, that even Nyrel, who has abandoned her Pride, hesitated.

Though to the Saintess, he was sure this was nothing but a child’s trick.

"So let’s talk, Maria Stableheart."

The bartender sighed. "The Cult has been crushed here, but for now... we could’ve a little talk, just between us."

Maria’s heart remained steady, even as her eyes remained smiling.

Having been trained from young age, by this bartender in front of her, she too could control and manipulate her expression at will.

"How kind of you, Mr Lionheart."

She leaned forward, hesitating as she gazed up.

Mel and Lila were currently upstairs, yet Mel’s Silence barrier still remained.

As if she, too, already knew this meetig would take place.

No, rather Maria was sure this was a coincidence.

Her heart bumped for the first time, since she has been in this World.

She was afraid; afraid that her Mel would somehow possess knowledge outside of the ’game’ she knew.

"Oh?"

The bartender stroke his beard, his brow raising with interest. "I couldn’t believe till I’ve seen it, but... even you could hesitate."

The doll child he has taken care of has truly grown up.

Yet... that was precisely the reason he chose to leave her and the church as well.

"Perhaps."

Maria chuckled, as she too smiled at the bartender. "All thanks to you. Even as you retired, I couldn’t have come to this without you."

She took a deep breath, as she muttered out.

"Former Pope, Joseph Lionheart."

The Saintess bowed in a solemn respect.

"I bid you greetings, my father."