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

"The reason? It's very simple."

Floro leaned closer to him, her round, adorable face almost touching his nose, and she stared intently at her reflection in Duanmu Yan's eyes.

"Didn't you say you wanted to help me—"

"Have you moved on from that heavy past?"

Volume 1: Chapter 145 Cantreira Wants to Continue Her Bloodline

Duanmu Yan finally agreed.

So what if?

What else can I do?

But as for the second young lady...

I suppose I need to explain a little.

But now, he has to go to Portivino Castle to talk to Cantrela about Katishia.

"Alright, whatever you want. If you don't mind or have any objections."

Duanmu Yan looked at the girl in front of him, feeling a thousand helpless feelings, yet he felt as if he were entangled by invisible threads, unable to move.

Who told him to make such a promise back then?

Once a promise has been made, it's like pressing your fingerprint on a contract; you must fulfill it.

Seeing that he agreed, Floro's smile deepened: "Then I look forward to the future we'll spend together. Will we be able to play the same melody as before this time?"

"..."

It seems she's had another episode.

In short, the past is the past. Regardless of whether Floro actually saw herself as a meal replacement, since she promised to help her out of the shadows of the past, she must keep her word.

Duanmu Yan sighed softly, as if exhaling all the helplessness in his heart.

He reached for his coat and slowly draped it over his shoulders, his movements languid. "I have important business to attend to right now and need to go out. As for you... well, do whatever you want. Oh, by the way, there's some food in the fridge. If you're hungry, just heat it up yourself."

"If you don't like it, there are phone numbers for nearby restaurants on the table. You can order whatever you want and just put it on my tab."

As he spoke, he walked towards the door.

"How thoughtful of you." Floro chuckled softly and waved at his retreating figure. "See you later."

……

……

Light streamed through the colorful stained-glass windows, like tiny shards of glass, casting dappled shadows and shimmering light in the dim room.

A few dim lights were lit in the room. Cantrela stood alone in front of a crucible, holding a long-handled stirring spoon and stirring the bubbling liquid inside.

Occasionally, she would stop what she was doing, pick up the prepared medicinal herbs, gently drop them into the pot, and then continue to focus on simmering them.

She was certainly not brewing any poison—although, in a sense, the pot of stuff could be considered poison.

After all, even something as pure as water can cause poisoning if consumed in excess in a short period of time.

"Although the taste is very close to what I remember."

"But I always feel like something is missing."

Cantrela murmured softly, her pale purple eyes misty with a hazy light, giving her an ethereal, dreamlike quality.

Then, there was a slight knock on the door.

Cantrell didn't even look up, her voice languid and casual as she replied, "Come in."

As soon as he finished speaking, the door was slowly pushed open, and a figure came into view.

"Sebastian, what is it—" Cantrella subconsciously uttered the butler's name, but as the figure gradually approached and came to her, she suddenly realized as if waking from a dream that the person was not the butler, but Duanmu Yan.

Her eyes widened slightly, revealing a hint of surprise.

However, the surprise did not linger on her face for long. Soon, the corners of Cantrell's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a faint smile like morning mist.

"I never expected that our young guest would actually venture into the deep-sea jellyfish's castle. Won't your second young lady be furious about this?"

Cantrell tilted her head, a sly glint in her eyes, and deliberately dragged out the last syllable.

Duanmu Yan: "..."

If Cantrell hadn't mentioned it, Duanmu Yan would have almost forgotten about that incident.

He actually sent that kind of message to the second young lady while I was asleep.

“Miss Cantrella, you’re an adult, and besides, you’re the head of the Fesalie family,” Duanmu said with a hint of helplessness. “How could you play such a prank?”

"Oh dear, it seems you've discovered my little trick, little guest?" Cantrell quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes crinkling with amusement, like a kitten that'd just gotten its fill of fish. "So, did you come here specifically to interrogate me?"

"No, that matter didn't bother me at all," Duanmu Yan waved his hand, his expression calm.

On the contrary, the news even aroused the second young lady's sense of crisis.

If it weren't for Cantrell's brilliant move, I might not have been able to take the second young lady's virginity so easily.

"Oh?" Cantrela raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of disappointment flickering in her eyes. "I thought you'd be being questioned by Coleta right now."

Duanmu Yan's lips twitched involuntarily, as if gently pinched by an invisible hand: "...Miss Cantrella, you wouldn't be doing this on purpose, would you?"

"What if I say yes?" She lightly touched her lips with her fingertip, her gaze deepening. "Want to know why?"

"Well, there has to be a reason, right?"

Cantrela suddenly leaned forward, her pink tongue lightly brushing against the corner of her lips. Her purple eyeshadow and teardrop-shaped patterns made her look both dangerous and alluring.

Her long, purple hair cascaded down like a waterfall, shimmering softly under the lamplight.

She leaned closer and whispered in Duanmu Yan's ear, her warm breath brushing against his face, making him feel as if his bones were melting.

"Because the Fesalie family has always valued bloodlines very much."

"And your bloodline—a powerful being capable of resisting the whispers of the Ming Clan and devouring the Black Tide—is naturally someone I need to consider."

Cantrellella reached out and lightly brushed her hand across his chest: "So, do you understand now?"

This woman is definitely lusting after my body!

Sigh, is this the hardship of being handsome?

First he was harassed by Floro, and then he was targeted by Cantrella. What a boring and tedious life.

Seeing that Duanmu Yan was blushing and couldn't say a word for a long time, Cantrell suddenly covered her mouth and chuckled: "Alright, I was just teasing you. The way you looked, it was like I was really going to eat you up."

She gracefully took a few steps back, creating some distance between herself and Duanmu Yan, then twirled a strand of hair between her fingers: "Speak, what brings you here today?"

"..."

Sure enough, in front of Cantrella, I was the prey.

This is probably the composure of a mature woman.

That won't do. We need to gradually adapt to and figure out Cantrell's offensive rhythm to avoid being led by the nose by her all the time.

But for now, let's talk to her about Katishia.

"It's about Katishia."

Duanmu said.

Volume 1: Chapter 146 Marrying into the Family of Fisalie

Kathija.

A saintess of the Hidden Sea Order, and a Resonator appointed by the Lord of the Year.

—At least in most people's eyes, she was such an extraordinary being.

But for the Fesari family, and especially for Cantrella, the truth may not be as simple as it seems. Like an undercurrent hidden beneath a calm lake, it could stir up trouble at any moment.

"So, you used that stone slab to re-enter the sealed Sonora and met Katishia?"

Duanmu Yan recounted his experience in the church that day to Cantrellella without reservation.

The latter gently stroked her fair, jade-like chin, pondered for a moment, and then looked up at Duanmu Yan: "Then do you think there was anything strange about your contact with her this time?"

Duanmu Yan shook his head slightly, his tone tinged with confusion: "There's nothing strange about it, but Katishia's memories of the details of that great battle twenty years ago are almost nonexistent. As for whether she is a Resonator of the Lord of the Year or a Resonator of the Ming Style, she has no memory of that at all."

"And Katishia's age..."

At this point, Duanmu Yan paused briefly, then looked up and met Cantrela's gaze: "I remember Miss Cantrela, you once said that you had met Katishia once, right?"

"Yes, we met briefly at the carnival, but it was just a brief encounter."

"That's weird."

"strangeness?"

"Because Katishia looks exactly the same as she did twenty years ago, still a naive young girl."

"Is that so?" Cantrella frowned slightly, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. "In that kind of place, you lived alone for twenty years, yet your age didn't increase with the years? Although the lifespan of Resonators is much longer than that of ordinary people, few Resonators can achieve this ability to remain young forever."

"Really?" Duanmu Yan asked, his eyes filled with inquiry. "But I've heard that the Feisali family possesses a secret elixir of eternal youth, hasn't it?"

Upon hearing this, Cantrela's expression became subtle. She leaned forward gently, extended her slender, jade-like fingers, and lightly lifted Duanmu Yan's chin, allowing their gazes to meet in the air.

"Oh, so you've heard these rumors. The Fesalie family does have such a secret medicine, but the ability to maintain youth... isn't quite as perfect as the rumors suggest. What's up? Do you want to try it? How about joining the Fesalie family?"

"As a token of my sincerity, you may use all the resources within the family, even..."

She whispered in his ear, her voice as soft as the wind, carrying an indescribable allure.

"including me."

Cantrell launched another fierce offensive against him.

There's nothing we can do about it.

As the head of the Fesalie family, Cantrela exhausted almost every method she could think of to fight against the Ming Shiki that loomed over Lina Shita like a dark cloud.

However, she has never been able to find an effective way to deal with the lingering shadow over this land.

Now that she has finally glimpsed a ray of hope in the abyss of despair, how could she easily give up this hard-won dawn?

If the Ming Shiki cannot be resolved in one's lifetime, then why not continue the powerful bloodline?

After all, one day, darkness will fade and daylight will arrive.

"Compared to that little girl from the Motari family—oh, I misspoke, I meant a teenage girl—the charm of a mature woman far exceeds your imagination."

"However, the Fesari family places great importance on bloodlines. You may have to marry into the family."

Upon hearing this, Duanmu Yan couldn't help but sigh softly, a hint of helplessness showing between his brows: "Marrying into the family? Forget it then, I still yearn for a free and unrestrained life."

"Really? That's a pity." Cantrela gently licked her lips, the tongue tip shimmering with a faint, mysterious glow. "However, I can let you experience it beforehand. Maybe then you'll change your mind?"

Who can bear this?

Duanmu Yan couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.

But...

Who told me to be "single-minded" towards the second young lady?

Although she has too many female confidantes, at least for now, no substantial relationship has occurred.

Therefore, it cannot be considered a betrayal of the second young lady.

"Ahem—" Duanmu Yan coughed lightly, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "Miss Cantrella, let's get back to the main topic. Regarding that stone tablet, I don't know if it's due to the influence of Leviathan, but every time I try to resonate with it, I get disturbed."

"The reason I was able to enter Sonora last time was probably because of Phoebe."

“Phoebe? Oh, I’ve seen that girl. Compared to the distractions in the minds of the others in the order, she was as pure as a clear spring. However, this purity may face a more cruel test on the day she learns the truth.”

Cantrell sighed softly, her tone tinged with worry: "But you said you were able to get into Sonora because of Phoebe, what do you mean by that?"

Duanmu Yan frowned and shook his head: "To be honest, I'm also clueless. But perhaps it was her pure and unwavering faith that strengthened my resonance with the power left behind by the Lord of the Year, thus breaking through the Leviathan's blockade."

"So, the reason I came to you this time is to ask if you have any way to enter Sonora without contacting Phoebe."

"After all, every time she goes to Sonora, she has to go to sleep with Phoebe, which will inevitably affect her life and work to some extent."

"Sleep?" Cantrela caught the slightly ambiguous word and a playful smile appeared on her lips. "Looks like you're not as unmoved as I thought. Does Koleta know about you and that young priest?"

Duanmu Yan looked embarrassed: "...That's not the point."