Didn't you go to Teyvat to earn money to support me?

"Oh dear." Kazuyo Kamisato chuckled.

Anna turned around, puzzled.

“This mark… is a mark of telepathy, right?” Kayo Kamisato’s slender fingers gently stroked Anna’s face, her smile as warm as a spring breeze, but her words sent a chill down Anna’s spine: “It’s a sneaky little cat.”

Anna paled, but she quickly steadied her trembling legs and whispered, "I don't understand what Mrs. Kamiri is saying."

“Libra, this must be Ryoko’s mark, right? With this mark, one can communicate telepathically regardless of space, even across two worlds.” The silver-haired woman gazed gently at the flustered girl. “Only those he trusts can have this opportunity. You’re still a child, yet you’ve built such a deep foundation of trust with Ryoko without anyone else knowing… There’s no other explanation but that you’re lovers.”

Kazuyo Kamisato has a sharp eye; she noticed early on that Anna clearly cared a lot about the topic of Shen Liang, but she didn't show it at all, and even intentionally or unintentionally avoided the topic.

It seems she didn't want to get involved in the controversy and cause that girl named Kiana to notice something...

really interesting.

"On the surface, you're clearly inseparable sisters and best friends, but behind the scenes... Hehe, don't be nervous." Kayo Kamisato chuckled, "It's not like I'm threatening you."

Anna's face paled, and she finally whispered, "Mrs. Kamisato, I still don't understand what you're saying."

Regardless, she refused to admit it! Anna was certain that Goddess Walter was only guessing!

"Don't be like that, really, Kayo doesn't mind. Anyway, my daughter can't possibly have Ryoko all to herself." Kayo Kayo stroked her long hair and lowered her voice, "Actually, we should be on the same side."

Anna didn't believe it at all, her eyes filled with even more suspicion. "What is Mrs. Kamiri trying to say?"

Kayo Kamisato subtly pulled open the shoulder of her kimono, revealing her smooth right shoulder, where a beautiful scale stigma was imprinted like a butterfly on the right side of her collarbone.

"I won't lie to you, at least not about Ryoko, because whether it's you or me, we can directly ask Ryoko herself if we have any questions, right?" Kayo Kamisato said. "Doesn't that prove that you're on my side?"

Anna suddenly realized.

For Kazuya, everyone here is temporarily untrustworthy, but Anna is different. Just as for Anna, she doesn't really need to be wary of Kazuya. Because someone trusted by Pandora can also be trusted.

Stigmata are a guarantee of character, or in other words, a guarantee of "community of shared interests".

Seeing the beret-wearing girl's gaze soften, Kayo Kamisato secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"What Kayo wants, of course, is for her daughter to be safe from being bullied on this land," Kayo Kamisato said with a smile. "The moment I saw you, I felt that you were cool and gentle, and that you would definitely get along well with my daughter. My daughter doesn't mind sharing Ryoko with others. You can be real, very good sisters—the kind that are different from Kiana."

“Anna and the second young lady, alas,” Anna said softly, her eyes lowered, “it’s not as superficial as you think, Madam Kamiri. It’s just that Anna owes her something, but she truly considers Anna a sister.”

“But you and my daughter should work together, right?” Kayo Kamisato controlled the pace and proceeded step by step. “My daughter is, after all, from another world. She has no roots here and needs Miss Anna’s friendship. And Miss Anna probably also needs some capable assistants to shake up this family’s mindset.”

“Shake…concepts?” Anna’s eyes held a strange look.

"I heard Ryoko say that Earth is a strict society that upholds monogamy, which is not good for you, is it? Even if Kiana can really accept you, can you get rid of the guilt?" she said quietly. "Or are you willing to just be a canary kept in a cage by Ryoko? Forever envying Kiana walking in the sunlight?"

“Anna only…”

"Is it enough to just offer my blessings from the shadows? Is it enough to just be lovers and ask for nothing more?" Kazuyo gently held her small hand against her chest, looking tenderly into her eyes. "Has there ever been fewer things in life that make me resentful? Miss Anna is young and has all the advantages now. If you don't consider your marriage now, will you really have no regrets in the years to come?"

Anna stood still, her beautiful eyes flickering slightly.

At this point, Kayo Kamisato felt that was enough, so she delivered the final blow.

“Even in the worst-case scenario, my Ayaka can still have a grand wedding with Ryoko in our world, walking hand in hand in the sunshine.” She smiled. “But Miss Anna, what about you?”

The chestnut-haired beret-wearing girl stood hesitantly, until she saw the silver-haired woman not waiting for her reply but continuing forward. Only then did she grit her teeth and follow again.

--------------

We finally arrived at the cold storage door where Cecilia was.

Anna was about to arrange for Kagami to change into her winter clothes when she saw the alloy doors open automatically, one by one, with white steam billowing out. Then, a voice that sounded mature yet cute and gentle came over the loudspeaker: "It's okay, you don't need to change. I've already turned off the ice cellar's cooling system. Just come in."

Kayo Kamisato saw that all three metal doors were open, and a blast of cold air hit her, but it was still bearable. She lifted her foot, the sound of her wooden clogs hitting the metal floor crisp and clear, and went straight inside.

"It's inconvenient for Anna to disturb your meeting, so I'll take my leave now." Anna had no intention of seeing the dignified head of the family and hurriedly ran away.

After navigating several snow-white corridors, Kayo Kamisato finally saw a snow-white interior space inside the icehouse. Although she couldn't understand what it was, it was fully equipped with a bed, sofa, and a whole host of electronic devices. Moreover, once she entered this space, the temperature, which was still quite cold even with the cooling system turned off, suddenly warmed up, maintaining a temperature within the range most comfortable for the human body.

In a pristine white room with white walls and floors, there was a small table with a machine resembling an open notebook on it. The "pages" facing the user were glowing. A girl with long, snow-white hair knelt on a cushion in front of the table, intently holding an oval machine and operating something while staring at the "pages."

Her movements were very serious and focused. The large sleeves of her white nun's dress with gold trim were rolled up to reveal her fair and delicate wrists, as if she were playing an elegant musical instrument. Her long legs, wrapped in white stockings with shimmering gold trim, were encased in the nun's dress.

Even though she's working, she looks excessively glamorous.

Kazuyo Kamisato gasped. This style of play... she was a formidable opponent.

From the moment she entered the Schariacs' house, she realized that this place was a den of wolves and tigers. Although everyone was relatively friendly, she knew very well that the Schariacs were actually trying to intimidate her with their aura. Whether it was showing her the castle murals or making her wait for Maria and Cecilia, it was all a form of oppression. Fortunately, she was polite and well-mannered, and did not disgrace the Teyvats.

And now this girl was the same; her stunning beauty made Kagami Kayo feel clearly inferior, and her magnificent attire was even more overwhelming! She was dressed in a plain white kimono, while the other was breathtakingly beautiful; the psychological gap at that moment was inevitable!

At this moment, the girl's pretense of not noticing her was undoubtedly a form of disrespect. Hmph, powerful families are always bureaucratic and arrogant in any world!

But who among them isn't from a powerful and influential family? The tests between nobles are nothing more than a matter of responding to each other's moves. A mere pretty girl isn't enough to throw her off balance! My daughter… my daughter isn't much different!

Shenli Huadai stepped forward, looked around, and spoke softly, "Little princess, may I ask where the head of the Shaniat family is? Huadai has arrived."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute! This is a crucial moment in the game, push it now!" The girl called out without looking up, speaking rapidly, "The monkey initiated a team fight and knocked up four people, I'm waiting for my ultimate, I don't have time! Ahhhhhh, I didn't even get to use my Wind Wall!"

Kaho Kamisato went around to the back of the table with a puzzled look. She saw that the "page" showed a scene of fierce battle. The girl controlled a ronin-like character who was frantically moving through the crowd. Her teammates were all dead and she was fighting five against one. Her hands flew across the countless small blocks so fast that they left afterimages. Finally, she completely destroyed a large red crystal.

The laptop-like machine emitted a loud "victory!" The girl finally breathed a sigh of relief, lazily sprawling onto the floor behind her. Then, seemingly realizing how impolite that was, she quickly got up and looked at the silver-haired woman in the kimono with a smiling expression. "Ah, you must be Miss Hanayo."

Watching her playful and adorable actions, Kazumi found it amusing and didn't care whether she was neglecting her duties because of playing games. "Kazumi is here to wait for the head of the Cecilia family. I wonder where she is?"

"I know~" The stunningly beautiful girl, who looked to be in her early twenties, chuckled. "I am Cecilia. Miss Hua Dai, don't you recognize me? I look quite a bit like Kiana."

Kazumi Kayo instinctively took a step back, almost tripping on the mat. But she didn't care at all, and shakily reached out her hand, looking at Cecilia in disbelief.

Her composure crumbled in an instant.

Chapter 251 The Shura Field of the Elder and Mature Woman

The elders seem a bit off today.

When Shen Liang learned the news from Maria, he didn't even bother taking the elevator and directly activated the teleportation screen to rush into the 29th basement level to try to undo his secret of time travel. He then saw that the three metal doors of the ice cellar were already open.

Upon arriving at the ice cellar, Shen Liang looked at the two older women drinking and chatting happily across a small table, and for some reason, felt a little uneasy.

Cecilia, kneeling in the host's seat, wore a white nun's gown with gold trim, a casual yet still sacred dress. The strapless dress revealed her deep, snow-white skin, and her slender, long legs were exposed, covered by delicate stockings. Her elegant and luxurious long hair hung down to the ground.

Absolutely stunning, Cecilia represented the pinnacle of Western aesthetics that Shen Liang had ever witnessed; she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her title of "Saintess" was largely due to her being not only powerful but also a true embodiment of beauty and virtue.

However, she usually stays in the ice cellar and doesn't go out much. To make things easier, she usually wears that simple white nightgown. She rarely wears a nun's gown; she only dresses like that when she goes out to meet people or do business.

She rolled up the long sleeves of her nun's habit to reveal her slender, fair wrist, and quietly refilled the wine glass for the woman opposite her. Elegant and graceful, she was simply a woman of impeccable manners. This demeanor was nothing like the cheerful, carefree wife who had given birth to Kiana; instead, she resembled the powerful, charismatic, and extraordinary queen that Shen Liang had long imagined—a Valkyrie who controlled her family with ease, a supreme and extraordinary concubine.

The woman sitting opposite her was Kasumi Kayo, dressed in a plain white kimono. As the beautiful Princess Yukitsubaki, whose beauty was also unparalleled in the past era, Kasumi Kayo was able to barely maintain her composure in front of the imposing Cecilia.

Her silver hair, which had been tied up, fell loose, instantly transforming her from a wifely figure into a mature and sophisticated woman similar to Cecilia. She chatted and drank with Cecilia with a smile, her face slightly flushed, but her eyes remained clear, bright, and defiant.

As soon as Shen Liang entered, both ladies immediately came into view, scrutinizing him with the same look.

Although Shen Liang did not know what had happened, he suddenly felt extremely heavy pressure at this moment, even heavier than when he faced General Lei Dian back then!

What exactly did they say?

Could it be that Lia already knows all the mess I've made in Teyvat?

With his mind racing, Shen Liang took a deep breath. Even though he was stiff, he still tried to put on a cute, professional smile. "Um... everyone's here. I... I'll go outside and wait for you guys to finish talking."

He tried to run out, but as soon as he turned around, the metal door behind him slammed shut!

Shen Liang turned his head stiffly like a puppet and saw Cecilia's calm and composed expression.

This is a mechanical alloy door. It takes at least five seconds to close automatically. The reason it closed so quickly is not because Cecilia pressed a switch, but because she directly used Honkai energy to forcefully pull out the two alloy door panels weighing tens of tons and slam them together!

—What a spendthrift woman! This door is worth several million RMB!

He was considering whether opening the teleportation barrier now would be too much of a "runaway" move.

Cecilia tapped her fingers lightly on the table, looking at the uneasy boy, and smiled faintly, "You're a little late today, baby."

Her smile made Shen Liang even more uneasy, and he stood even straighter. He carefully studied Cecilia's expression, and then saw Kazuyo Kamisato's slightly narrowed eyes next to him... How should he answer?

After pondering for a moment, he could only reply in a low voice, "Lady Cecilia, I was a little..."

Before she could finish speaking, Cecilia stopped tapping on the table, and Shen Liang knew without looking up that she was being looked at by an obvious, cold gaze.

“Miss Cecilia…”

"Hmm?" The white-haired woman let out a subtle, cold snort from her nose.

"Sister Lia." Shen Liang could only ignore Shen Li Hua Dai's gaze and submit to the intimidation of the family head, and continued, "I had some things to take care of this afternoon and came back late, but there's still time to prepare the antidote for Sister Lia."

“Honey, you promised this treatment would be once a day, you can’t go back on your word.” Cecilia waved and chuckled. “Let’s start now. You haven’t been here for so long, I feel like I can’t breathe.”

Shen Liang thought to herself, "Bullshit! You were corrupted all those years ago and you're still alive and well. Now you can't breathe if I don't come for a day? You're a PUA doctor, aren't you!"

But he didn't know how much Cecilia knew, so he could only walk over cautiously and sit down obediently next to her, his heart pounding.

"Are you tired from fighting like this in another world?" Cecilia suddenly asked.

Shen Liang was taken aback. He had showered and changed his clothes after the battle, so Cecilia shouldn't be able to tell how tired he was... He felt a surge of indescribable emotions.

"I'm not tired. In another world, I'm the one who bullies others, and nobody bullies me."

The white-haired woman smiled and said, "As expected of my darling, come, sit here and rest for a bit."

Shen Liang was half-forced to be pulled to her side, and then he lay down. Cecilia straightened her kneeling position, giving the boy a comfortable lap pillow.

Shen Liang was somewhat resistant; being pulled onto Cecilia's lap for a pillow in front of Shen Li Hua Dai was rather...immature. But he couldn't resist the white-haired wife, and Cecilia's smooth, soft thighs were indeed very comfortable to rest his head on. His thoughts of struggling only flashed for a moment before he gave up.

He then began to circulate the Transformation of the Sea Moon ability, which required physical contact to activate, and now was the perfect opportunity. In fact, he usually used the Transformation of the Sea Moon as a lap pillow. According to her, Kiana and Sirin also loved to sleep with their heads on their mother's lap when they were little. She could watch her daughters' sleeping faces and sit there for an entire afternoon. However, now that her daughters have grown up, they don't want to continue like that, so she can only find that past warmth in Shen Liang.