The Villain Princess survived the Imperial Riot

"That's all. I'm going down the mountain later. Come with me after dinner. Don't dawdle."

After Hestia gave another warning, she left the restaurant, and Iyana followed her out quietly.

As soon as she was outside, the princess threw the elf against the wall.

Although she was still a young girl, the slender princess was an inch taller than the elf and much more agile, like a silver leopard facing a delicate vine.

"Your Highness..." Lan Fang spoke softly, and Iyana blushed.

"Are you jealous?" the princess teased.

"No, but when I think about it, I envy that child who was born at the same age as Your Highness." Iyana shook her head.

"I am destined to live forever. A short twenty or thirty years does not represent a huge gap. In the long years, it is just a gap between you and me." The princess' tone was ambiguous and suggestive.

"Well...where is Changsheng..." Iyana met the princess's delicate red lips and spoke vaguely.

After a brief moment of intimacy, Hestia held the elf's middle finger and licked it gently, saying, "Go get ready. We'll leave together later. Come to my room tonight, just you and me."

"OK."

Iyana's face turned red again, and she disappeared down the corridor with a mixture of anticipation and shyness.

……

In the Green Vine Area, the Infant Welfare Home, the sound of childish chanting can be heard from the converted classroom, and several boys and girls are sweeping the melted snow in the courtyard.

Wearing a felt hat, riding boots and a dagger at her waist, Chloe, dressed like a New World cowboy, lay listlessly on the balcony. She had a waistcoat and a tan leather jacket, and her sturdy figure looked like a pine tree standing tall and vigorous in the sun.

But her eyelids were drooping, as if she was about to wither in the dry desert.

After the clues to the fungus virus were interrupted in Yunding City, she had nothing to do for more than a month. If she wanted to further investigate the traces of the fungus skeleton believers, she had to go deep into the vast mountains, forests and tundra north of Yunling.

However, the Cocoon Sisterhood's activities were limited to the core cities of Fran and the Kaslat Highlands, and their members were scattered. The total number of Cocoon Sisterhood secret practitioners stationed in Yunling Province was only forty or fifty, and a third of them were moth descendants like her, traveling extensively. Even including those vassals who had received mystical infusions, the Cocoon Sisterhood could mobilize less than half a battalion of the Iron Army in Yunling, and their combat effectiveness was even less comparable.

Therefore, the Cocoon Sisterhood needs to make extensive use of the connections of the secret community, including secular adventurers and mercenaries, until they get more reliable clues, and then they, the moth descendants, will go further to the uninhabited mountains and wilderness.

During this period, she really had nothing to do. She could try her luck at the Perfume Club, but even sisters had to be clear about their accounts. If she couldn't hook up with a baroness or widow who inherited a fortune, the sisterhood wouldn't reimburse her club expenses.

At the beginning of the year, she could still make some money from the Iron Army, the Procuratorate and the Governor's Office under the pretext of doing things for the princess, but as the crisis in Yunling was resolved, she could no longer find such an easy and lucrative job.

While she was bored, Chloe vaguely heard the noisy noise coming from outside the welfare home.

"Ok?"

She looked up and saw the door was open. A black and gold carriage with luxurious carvings was parked outside.

A beautiful girl with silver hair and a bun got off the carriage, her shawl embroidered with gold threads fluttering in the cool wind.

"The Imperial Princess." A graceful and elegant nun appeared behind Chloe, looking like a young woman in her prime. "She is even more beautiful than her portrait, and even more icy... If such a noble girl had appeared before me sixty years ago, I'm afraid I would have been completely captivated."

"Stop making sarcastic remarks! Marilyn! She, she, she, how did she find this place?" Chloe jumped up and down. "She's a vicious dragon. She hasn't made any move for over a month, and now she suddenly shows up at this hidden base. She might be trying to capture the sisters and take them to the villa to purge them as heretics! It's over, there really is a traitor in the sisterhood!"

"But why is your excitement greater than your fear?" Marilyn smiled calmly. "We've been clearing out the zombies beneath the Green Vine District. A quick investigation by the High Knights would have revealed traces of secretive activities. And since they encountered you in the sewers, how could they not have noticed something? If we want to punish the traitor, Chloe, what level of punishment do you think would be appropriate?"

"Huh?" Chloe was stunned.

The traitor was actually me? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

Her momentum suddenly waned, and she looked around: "Or, why don't you just step on my face..."

"You wish." Marilyn poked Chloe's forehead with her finger and said softly, "Come with me to greet Her Royal Highness. The Empire has always been fond of destroying bridges after crossing the river and abandoning the dog after the rabbit has died. We haven't had any contact for over a month, and now she's come to me, I'm afraid she has something to ask for again."

"Hey, isn't that just destroying the bridge after crossing it..." Chloe's voice was a little low. Noticing Marilyn's narrowed eyes, she quickly explained, "I mean, if that evil dragon wants to harm the sisterhood, I, I can sacrifice myself..."

"you like her?"

"Of course not! I care more about you, Luvy, Ann, and all the sisters!"

Chloe frowned. She feared the princess more than she liked her, but...

The princess's jade feet were a real desire. If she could kiss them, she would be willing to take the risk even if she faced being torn into pieces.

White, noble, with perfect proportions and orderly structure, those are not ordinary feet, but supreme feet, without flaw, incomparable even to the highest-ranking sister and mother.

"The order of this era is the only way to perfection. The secret orders of the Tower will develop in their own directions of perfection, which suits your taste as a 'perfect righteousness'." Marilyn smiled, unconcerned. "But nothing is truly perfect. Everything in the universe is constantly evolving. The lack of change is the Tower's greatest flaw."

"I-know-" Chloe didn't care about her sister's lecture on values.

"Come on, come with me to greet His Highness."

Marilyn turned around and walked downstairs gracefully.

The children of the orphanage hid in a small building. Doors opened one by one, and dozens of nuns, volunteers and elderly matrons walked out gradually. Without exception, they were all women.

They followed the beautiful nun in front, their gait slow, graceful and calm. They did not look like quiet and ascetic clergymen, but more like reclusive ladies away from luxury. Even if they were old women in their twilight years, the grace of their youth could still be vaguely seen in their eyebrows and eyes.

The princess stood in front of the door, standing in the wind, not in a hurry to enter. On her side were the burly tall knight captain, the elf secretary, and the black-haired maid who was looking around. Her temperament as a celestial dragon was not overshadowed in the slightest by the approaching women in the courtyard.

"I don't know if the sisters are trying to steal Huiguang's business, or if they are also collaborating with Huiguang."

Hestia narrowed her eyes and stared at the leading nun.

The current Cocoon Sisterhood is very different from what it would be twenty years later. The secret practitioners at that time had stepped out from behind the scenes and no longer needed such a cover.

Marilyn walked to the door, folded her arms across her chest, tightly grasping the radiant cross, and bowed deeply to the princess. "Director of the Orphanage, Sister Marilyn Leron of Radiance, pays homage to Her Highness the Princess. May the Heavenly Dragon's blessings be everlasting, and may the Empire's glory endure forever!"

Volume 80: Bird in a Cage: . Measuring Fran's Material Strength

In the courtyard of the orphanage, the younger nuns looked at the silver figure curiously. The older nuns lowered their brows, but still raised their eyelids inadvertently, and their eyes were fixed on the princess's delicate face.

"Marillien Lelong, you?"

Hestia tilted her head, taking in the beautiful nun before her from all angles.

"Your Highness knows me?" Marilyn maintained her usual smile, looking unfazed by fame or disgrace.

The princess knew that she was not surprising. Before coming to the base of the Cocoon Sisterhood, she had to conduct a thorough background check on all the people here, which was in line with the empire's style.

But she didn't know that Hestia had no interest in investigating the orphanage, and what really aroused her curiosity was the name.

There is a Cocoon Mausoleum in the game that is only open to Cocoon players. There are thousands of white tombstones of different heights standing there. Among them, the tombstone of the sister and mother is the most prominent, and Marilyn Lelong is among them.

However, few players are interested in the stories behind those thousands of names.

"I know a thing or two." Hestia chuckled softly and said, "Sister Lelang, do you want me to stay at the door to exchange pleasantries?"

"I absolutely did not mean to do that. I was just so stunned by your appearance that I forgot what I should do... This was my negligence. Please come in, Your Highness." Marilyn responded calmly and welcomed the princess into the orphanage.

The nursery on this street doesn't occupy a large area, but it's located at the end of a winding alley, away from the hustle and bustle of the main road. It has winding paths and pleasant scenery, and there are no stinking, dirty ditches. It stands out among its anthropomorphic counterparts.

"I've heard that these orphanages are funded by the Church, receiving church grants based on the number of orphans they take in to maintain their operations. This has led some orphanages to blindly take in abandoned babies just to make more money." Strolling up the stairs from the courtyard, Hestia glanced at the children peeking out the window and said casually, "Orphans don't benefit from this wealth in terms of education and living expenses. Instead, they work for the orphanage for free. Even their unclaimed bodies are sold to buyers on the black market."

"Eh—" Viola uttered a low cry, but didn't dare interrupt. She simply thought this must be another urban legend fabricated by some tabloid. Those media outlets that fabricate rumors are truly despicable!

"We haven't heard of it here," Marilyn said calmly. "And the orphanage isn't entirely affiliated with the church. We're also managed by agencies under the Governor's Office. The children's daily education is also based primarily on the Empire's compulsory education."

"So you're pretty loyal."

"Your Highness, thank you for your kindness. Please come in."

As she spoke, Marilyn opened the door of the conference room and invited the princess in.

The conference room wasn't large. Hestia only brought Clara inside. The rustic wooden decor exuded a unique plant fragrance. A round table was placed next to the fireplace, facing the two statues in the alcove.

One is a reserved, faceless female figure, her features seemingly obscured by a divine radiance. This is the First Mother of the Church of Radiance, the vessel through which the infinite radiance descends. Whether the Mother became the Goddess, or the God became the Mother, the true history has long been buried in a shroud of mystery, leaving only the venerable name of the Mother of Infinite Radiance to this day.

The other sculpture is of the God-Emperor. Different from the image of the conqueror and ruler of the empire, the God-Emperor in this sculpture looks like a kind old man. He holds the sun scepter in his hand and wears a linen robe. In the scriptures of the Church of Light, he represents the Apostle of the Rising Sun who spreads light.

This statement was tacitly approved by the empire, so the two shrines had the Emperor's shrine slightly shorter than the Faceless Mother's.

"Hmph, loyalty."

Hestia heard Clara sneer for the first time.

The princess said calmly, "It seems Sister Lelang reveres the Light more than His Majesty the Divine Emperor, who brings prosperity to all living beings. But do you not know that a moth drawn to the light is like trying to catch the moon in a well?"

"All beings are equal within the Radiance, naturally without distinction of high or low. My respect for both the Radiance and the Divine Emperor is equally equal, and this aligns with the teachings the Divine Emperor left behind when he liberated the Skaven." Marilyn turned her head and smiled. "Chloe, why don't you remember to maintain the shrine if it's in disrepair? If you neglect His Highness and displease him, I will truly punish you."

Chloe looked indignant, but she knew the importance of the matter. She immediately went to the shrine and tinkered with it, raising the statue of the Emperor.

"Alright, I'm here for business, not to argue with you about these petty matters. You are Moth Cultivators, so it's good to worship the Divine Emperor. But if you don't worship the Divine Emperor and just go through the motions, I won't punish you."

Hestia didn't bother beating around the bush. She had just acted out that act to appease Clara's faith.

When it came to business, Marilyn spoke first, "So His Highness still remembered our deal. I thought he'd almost forgotten the small achievements of us little women after not being in touch for over a month."

When Hestia heard this, she immediately knew that the other party wanted to take back the benefits that she deserved in the Empire.

Regardless, the Cocoon Sisterhood did provide key clues in the disaster.

All the Cocoon Sisters sought was a piece of land beneath the sun. Only by avoiding the Empire's targeting could they rapidly expand, extending their reach into desolate, sparsely populated areas and hunting down the so-called Fungus Skeleton believers.

"A lackey or a lackey may beg for alms from his master, but I don't like usurpers who make demands without authorization."

The princess' words were like a bucket of cold water poured over the heads of the many women in the conference room. Chloe was filled with righteous indignation, and suddenly she felt that the jade feet were no longer fragrant.

The only moth heir in the field was about to speak up for justice when Marilyn reached out to stop her. Her voice was filled with lazy charm: "Then I wonder, in His Highness's eyes, are we useless weak women like us hawks or running dogs?"

Hestia looked at Marilyn's calm gaze and smiled inwardly.

What a weak woman.

The gorgeous feathered moths depicted in the Witch's Book filled the entire building. This entire block was filled with cocoons she had woven, each cocoon enveloping countless feeble spirits—perhaps the women of the neighborhood—connected by countless threads, and the admiring adoration within the threads made the princess seem to hear waves of lustful whispers.

As a former Cybermoth Master, Hestia was able to judge Marilyn's approximate strength simply by the manifestation of these symbols.

The moth blade branch, the way of unity, the way of kings, the perfect realm, Lian Di's sister and mother.

While the Cocoon Sisterhood wasn't particularly adept at combat, they shared a common realm and power. Currently, the meeting room was occupied by a single person, but if a conflict arose, Clara would immediately face a dozen or so Cocoon Sisters of the same realm.

Needless to say, every woman in the neighborhood is a vassal of the sister and mother, and every cocoon is the incarnation of the sister and mother.

If you want to kill one, you have to kill them all in a short period of time.

However, the princess was not worried at all. Instead, she held Marilyn's cheeks with a smile and pulled her beautiful neck towards her.

Marilyn was stunned, but she immediately smiled, did not resist, and moved closer to the princess.

Hestia jokingly said, "You are very beautiful. Whether you are an eagle or a dog, you will only know after you use it."

There was a burst of shock and anger in the crowd. Even though the silver-haired princess was extremely beautiful, feelings were feelings and desires were desires. She was just an evil dragon with an extraordinary temperament. How could the cocoon girls tolerate their sister and mother suffering such humiliation?

"If Your Highness finds the Cocoon Sisters' handling of the worms and free will unsatisfactory, then we can only ask Your Highness to seek out more capable individuals." Marilyn's attitude was gentle yet resilient, as calm as ever. "The sisters will retreat into the gutter like little bugs and not come into Your Highness's way."

Hestia didn't comment, but calmly said a word: "Three-word knot."