I'm in Mota, and they all want me to confess my feelings!

A colossal tower suspended high in the sky, the silent struggle between true and false gods, and the girl who has wandered in loneliness and despair for more than ten years...

He slowly sat up from the bed, his gaze falling on the cat's eye stone in his palm.

Morning light streamed through the window and fell on the surface of the gemstone, refracting a flowing and dazzling halo.

"...Kathishia."

He whispered the name again, as if in doing so, he could still be connected to that encounter beyond that frequency by a thin thread.

Afterwards, he carefully put away the cat's eye stone and placed it close to his body.

This was the second gift Koleta gave him.

As the saying goes, courtesy should be reciprocated.

So... what should I give the Second Miss in return?

Thinking of this, Duanmu Yan couldn't help but feel ashamed. Although he had known Koleta for some time, he didn't even know what she liked or what her birthday was.

Thump, thump, thump—

Just as he was lost in thought, a soft, rhythmic knocking came from outside the door.

Duanmu Yan quickly collected his thoughts and looked towards the door: "Who is it?"

"Good morning, Mr. Duanmu." A respectful, unfamiliar voice came from outside the door. "As Miss Koleta instructed, breakfast has been prepared for you."

Duanmu Yan immediately got up, changed his clothes, and opened the door to welcome the guest.

A neatly dressed butler stood outside the door, followed by several servants.

He gracefully pushed the food cart slowly into the room: "This is a traditional breakfast in Laguna. I hope it suits your taste."

Duanmu Yan glanced at the lavish meal and then asked, "Where is the Second Miss?"

"The second young lady went out before dawn. She specifically instructed you to rest well during this time and not to worry about work."

……

……

After finishing his breakfast, Duanmu Yan did not stay at the Motari mansion any longer.

Of course, if he wishes, he can continue to enjoy the hospitality here.

It's such a rare holiday when you don't have to work, wouldn't it be a shame not to go out and explore?

He strolled to the pier in Laguna, leaned against the railing, and gazed at the surging waves, thinking to himself, "Should I take this opportunity to visit Seven Hills? I've heard the gladiatorial matches there are quite exciting..."

But what if the second young lady goes too far and can't contact him if something happens?

No, no, let's forget about it.

He turned around and looked up at the sky.

Perhaps because it rained all day yesterday, the sky looked exceptionally clear and blue.

Duanmu Yan glanced at the people who were focused on fishing by the dock, and a thought suddenly popped into his mind.

How about... we go fishing in the Rijoli Islands?

Just then, a somewhat familiar, slightly timid voice rang out softly nearby.

"Excuse me... could you give me a ride to the Rijoli Islands?"

This voice is...

Phoebe?

P.S.: I've lived my life on thin ice. Do you think I'll ever get Yuno?

Book 1: Chapter 55 The Nun and the Fish

"The Rijjoli Islands?"

At the dock, the ferryman looked at the girl in front of him with a hint of doubt—she was dressed in standard religious attire, and her demeanor was out of place with her surroundings.

Everyone knows that the Rijoli Islands have never been under the jurisdiction of the religious order, and the islanders have a deep-seated prejudice against the order, with missionary work being strictly prohibited.

Almost no religious order members would voluntarily go to that place.

That is why, when the merchant realized that the speaker was a priest, his tone was tinged with confusion and wariness.

"What are you doing there, a member of a religious order? Don't you know... that the people there don't have a good impression of you?"

Phoebe gently rubbed her slightly cool fingertips, pursed her lips, and after a moment looked up, replying earnestly, "I know. But I have to go."

"Phoebe?"

A familiar voice reached my ears.

Phoebe looked up, slightly surprised, at the newcomer: "Mr. Duanmu?"

Duanmu Yan smiled slightly at her: "I just heard you're going to the Rijjoli Islands?"

“Yes,” Phoebe nodded gently. “The Order received a report that the Whale of the Sea has been behaving strangely recently, so they sent me to investigate.”

"The Whale That Traverses the Sea?" Upon hearing this name, Duanmu Yan's brows immediately furrowed.

Phoebe noticed his reaction and quickly asked, "What's wrong, Mr. Duanmu? Is there some clue?"

“A clue? Not really…” Duanmu Yan sighed and shrugged helplessly. “To be more precise, I almost got killed by that guy.”

"what?"

Phoebe opened her mouth slightly, her face filled with astonishment and disbelief.

In her understanding, the whale that swims upstream has always been regarded as a symbol of gentleness and tranquility in the ocean, and she has almost never heard of it actively harming people.

But now, it has actually attacked Mr. Duanmu?

"This... how is this possible?" Phoebe covered her lips slightly, her voice filled with obvious disbelief. "I've never heard of a whale attacking someone."

“But that’s just how it is,” Duanmu Yan said helplessly. “Does Phoebe think… I’m lying to you?”

"No, no!" She quickly shook her head, her cheeks slightly flushed. "I'm just... so surprised. Because something like this has never happened before."

Having spent time together before, Phoebe had already developed absolute trust in Duanmu Yan.

How could someone who would share pizza with me and thoughtfully prepare gifts for the children in the orphanage be a bad person?

Phoebe likely held this simple thought in her mind.

She then lowered her head, as if lost in thought, and murmured softly, "If that's really the case... then I absolutely have to go."

Though her voice was soft, every word reached Duanmu Yan's ears. Before she could speak, he smiled and extended an invitation: "In that case, Phoebe, why don't we go together? It just so happens that Miss Koleta gave me a long vacation, and I'm planning to go to the Rijoli Islands to relax."

"Eh? Is Mr. Duanmu going too?" Phoebe looked at him with slight surprise.

"Of course." Duanmu Yan crossed his arms, a confident smile playing on his lips. "I still have a score to settle with that big guy."

Upon hearing this, Phoebe's expression immediately turned worried, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on her staff: "Mr. Duanmu! There might be some misunderstanding... Perhaps the Whale of the Sea was forced? So before we find out the truth, could you... please don't hurt it?"

Seeing Phoebe's almost pleading expression, Duanmu Yan finally couldn't help but laugh out loud: "What are you talking about? When did I say I was going to kill it? I've heard the legend of the Whale that travels upstream. It suddenly became abnormal, and it's obvious that there must be a mastermind behind it. My goal is to find the culprit."

Hearing this, Phoebe breathed a slight sigh of relief, but then felt uneasy again because of her misunderstanding: "So that's how it is... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have misunderstood Mr. Duanmu..."

"Sigh, it's so heartbreaking—" Duanmu Yan deliberately clutched his chest, feigning a pained expression. "How could the kind and lovely Phoebe think of me as so cruel? Do you really think of me as such an unreasonable person?"

"No, no! Absolutely not!" Phoebe panicked and waved her hands repeatedly, a hint of guilt flashing in her eyes. "I just... I just..."

Perhaps because of the unspoken suspicion in her heart, she stammered for a long time, but couldn't come up with a complete explanation. She could only stand there helplessly, her cheeks gradually turning red.

"……sorry."

Duanmu Yan secretly observed her and felt that if he continued to tease her, she might really get teary-eyed.

—Although he did want to see what Phoebe looked like when she cried, maybe she'd be quite cute.

However... let's stop here.

“Alright, since Phoebe has apologized so sincerely,” he softened his tone and smiled slightly, “then I forgive you.”

“Really?” Phoebe suddenly looked up, the gloom in her eyes vanishing and replaced by a bright light.

"Of course it's true. But—"

"but……?"

"I have one condition," Duanmu Yan said, feigning seriousness. "Next Pizza Day, I want to eat Hot Sea Pear Pizza."

"no!"

Without much hesitation, Phoebe flatly rejected his offer.

"You don't find this kind of pizza in Laguna!"

Duanmu Yan was startled by her sudden determination.

He never expected that Phoebe would be so uncompromising when it came to pizza.

"No matter what Mr. Duanmu says, I absolutely disagree with this 'heretic' food that goes against the traditions of Laguna!"

Phoebe puffed out her cheeks, her iris-purple eyes staring straight at him without flinching, leaving no room for compromise.

"I can agree to any other condition except this!"

It has to be said that the people of Laguna are surprisingly persistent in protecting their traditions.

Duanmu Yan rubbed his hair, tilted his head, and looked her over: "Really, you're willing to accept any conditions?"

“Mmm-hmm!” Phoebe nodded again seriously, her eyes sincere.

"That……"

Duanmu Yan stroked his chin, carefully examining the girl in front of him—she was like a pure white sheet of paper, making one unable to resist the urge to defile her.

"Let me think about it carefully before I say anything."

……

……

Near the dock, Coleta held a steaming cup of coffee and listened quietly as her subordinates reported on the Fácsbin family's assets.

Suddenly, her gaze swept across the sea and stopped on a ship about to set sail in the distance—on the deck stood a figure she knew all too well.

That is……

Duanmu?

Where is he going?

and many more……

The girl next to him, is she Phoebe from the religious order?

What are they going to do?

Volume 1: Chapter 56 The Incompetent Potato

Rijoli Islands.

Located in the sea northwest of Laguna, the island group is rich in fishery resources, and its seafood supplies almost all the city-states of Lina Shita.

Due to historical reasons, the archipelago has long been outside the jurisdiction of religious orders and still maintains the traditional customs and lifestyles of the Thousand Islands period, which are quite different from those of Laguna.

"Are they members of a religious order?"

"What are the religious order doing here? They can't be here to collect taxes, can they?"

“Impossible. We have never paid taxes to the religious order.”

"If they really dare to come, I'll give them a good beating!"

Phoebe became the center of attention the moment she arrived on the island.

The gazes from all around were a mixture of curiosity, wariness, and undisguised rejection.

The hushed discussions spread like a tide, occasionally interspersed with a few unfriendly speculations.

Phoebe lowered her head and pursed her lips slightly.

She was naturally naive, and faced with this situation, she didn't know what to do. She just held her staff and forlornly hid behind Duanmu Yan, trying to avoid those piercing gazes.