You've found the Gusha-hime Knight, so put your hair up in a bun!

Although Cecilia was unaware of these secrets, she knew that Otivia had done something so outrageous that the only option for a marriage alliance would likely fall to the eldest princess.

Chapter 179 Otivia Wants to Become Human (Part 2)

After all, she was the future principal wife, and like Cecilia, she came from the Knights. Therefore, Cecilia naturally felt more in agreement with Zeno.

With that in mind, Cecilia pondered for a moment and then kindly asked, "You seem to have something on your mind. Is there anything I can do to help you?"

Oh?

Upon hearing this, Zeno, who was walking in front, raised an eyebrow and looked back, revealing a smile: "We are both supreme experts, why are you being so polite to me?"

Cecilia answered without hesitation, "If there are no unforeseen circumstances, I believe that Shiloh will ultimately choose you as his marriage partner, so it is only right to be polite."

"Wow, you're really good, Cecilia."

Although Cecilia's politeness was merely a formality, Zeno found her words truly comforting.

Since the other party was already so sensible, Zeno lowered his guard a bit. After hesitating for a moment, he asked casually, "Xi Luo, you must like you quite a bit, right?"

Cecilia was taken aback, not sensing any jealousy from the other person; it seemed like it was just a casual question.

After briefly recalling her time with Shilo, Cecilia unconsciously crossed her legs and said with a slightly flushed face, "Ahem, I guess... right."

Zeno perked up, turned around, and asked seriously, "Don't you think you're too masculine and therefore not interested?"

"……what?"

"Uh, that's not what I meant."

Zeno realized there was some ambiguity in his words, cleared his throat twice, and explained, "As Shiloh's future wife, I have to fulfill the duties of a wife, don't I?"

"Hmm, that's true."

"From what I've observed, among the women around him, only you and I seem to have some similarities, which is why I wanted to get to know you."

Cecilia never expected that she would be able to share her dragon-slaying experience with the princess, but having gone through so much, she was able to teach without changing her expression.

"Let me tell you, this is what happened..."

While Zeno and Cecilia were exchanging experiences, in the Imperial Study, Rodel's expression was somewhat somber, his fingers unconsciously stroking his teacup.

Xi Luo sat opposite him, sipping her refreshing, high-quality tea and waiting silently.

Rodel had actually realized that Shiloh had asked him to move aside because he had something else to tell him, but he didn't expect the kid to drop a bombshell on him right away.

"I never imagined that my ministers would become such lackeys of the abyss."

To avoid a change in fate, Shiloh did not reveal the assassin from the original timeline, but only explained that recently, a minister had colluded with the demons to carry out an assassination attempt.

The palace of the Odrecia Empire is under the protection of the purifying power of the God of Light. Normally, if any abyssal power were to appear, it would be exposed before it even gets close.

Although Shiloh's reasoning was somewhat unconventional, his remarkable record of saving three cities in succession forced Rodel to take him seriously.

"There's no reason to guard against thieves for a thousand days. The only way to deal with these traitors is to take the initiative..."

After some discussion, the plan was finalized, and Shiloh took his leave of Rodel and left the royal study.

After Shiloh disappeared, Rodel stroked his beard, glanced out the window, shook his head, and sighed, "Alas—my daughter, this is all I can do for you... Questioning Cecilia in that situation was not a wise move. What were you thinking...?"

Stepping out of the royal study, Shilo walked along the smooth stone path towards Zeno's palace, preparing to go home with Cecilia.

Based on the message Cecilia sent, it's clear that the two of them get along quite well.

click-

The sound of crunching dry branches and fallen leaves made Xiluo stop in his tracks.

The voice was soft and nimble, and it conjured up an image in Xi Luo's mind of a slender foot wearing small leather shoes and pure white socks.

This silent and unassuming appearance was something Xi Luo was used to, and he would often turn around afterward, revealing a warm and gentle smile, and reach out to pat her little head.

This time, however, Xiluo only paused briefly before continuing on his way.

A slightly anxious gust of wind blew by, and then Xiluo's sleeve was grabbed by jade-like fingertips, whose slender fingers were visibly turning white.

Feeling the slight tremor in his fingertips, Xi Luo sighed and asked without turning his head, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Otivia, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, clutched tightly at Shiloh's sleeve, as if afraid that something important would be lost. She lowered her head, pursed her lips, and trembled uncontrollably.

Otivia remained silent, seemingly waiting for something, but this time, Shilo was destined not to give her the response she wanted.

"If there's nothing else, I should go."

Having said that, taking advantage of Otivia's inattention, Shiloh forcefully shook off her fingertips and strode forward.

Suddenly, her fingertips felt empty. Otivia's heart seemed to plummet from a great height, a tremendous emptiness and weightlessness washing over her, almost choking her and rendering her speechless.

don't want--!

Otivia's shattered heart let out a mournful cry, and a trace of panic finally appeared on her expressionless, delicate face. She staggered forward and grabbed Shilo's arm.

The feeling of resistance halted Shiloh's steps, forcing him to turn and look at Otivia.

Upon meeting those clear, pale golden eyes, Xi Luo immediately understood what the other person was thinking.

She was thinking

"You know why I did that, right? You shouldn't not know, you should know!"

This semi-acknowledgment that he could see through the taciturn woman's thoughts made Xi Luo somewhat annoyed. He frowned and said, "If you don't speak, no one will know what you're thinking."

But you're different! You should know that—

"Including me, it's the same."

……

Otivia's eyes widened slowly, filled with disbelief and a silent sense of suffocation.

Her hand, which was tightly gripping Shiloh's, began to tremble. Otivia felt as if she were about to be swallowed by the tide, as if it were about to bury her completely in the cold seabed.

Otivia didn't speak, but shook her head very slightly, as if she was trying her best to deny something, but Shiloh was unmoved, pressed down on her wrist, and slowly pulled his arm out.

Shiloh's strength was far beyond Otivia's. Seeing that the other's hand was about to be pulled out of her palm, the taciturn girl panicked and cried out, "No—!"

The uncontrollable shouts silenced all the birdsong around them, leaving only the soft sound of leaves slowly falling from the treetops and hitting the ground.

This was probably the loudest sound Otivia had ever made since birth. She gripped Shiloh's arm tightly, her pupils constricted, and her breathing became rapid.

Seeing this, Shiloh slowly moved his hand away and then asked, "So, what are you trying to say?"

Otivia bit her lip, raised her eyes, and looked at Shilo with some helplessness, whispering, "What...what did I do wrong?"

Hearing this, Shiloh laughed in anger and tried to pull his hand away again without saying a word, but this time Otivia hugged his petite body tightly and wrapped her arms around his, making it difficult for him to break free.

After struggling for a while, Xi Luo realized that if he used more force, he would inevitably hurt the other party. In the end, he could only sigh and say coldly, "Let go. We have nothing more to say."

Otivia looked up, bewildered. Forgetting all about maintaining a semblance of harmony with Shilo, she rattled off a rapid-fire monologue: "You're still angry about the engagement, aren't you? You should know I was worried someone would target you because of the marriage, so I—"

"That is indeed the most beneficial and rational approach on the surface."

Shiloh did not deny that this approach could indeed alleviate some of the covert threats from the powerful families who wanted to marry into Otivia's family, but...

"In that case, then—"

"But what makes a person human is the existence of emotions."

Shiloh interrupted Otivia, his smile masking a coldness that Otivia felt nonetheless.

“A lot happened back then. My sister’s illness, my health… At that time, I thought that even if my fiancée couldn’t provide me with much help, she could at least support me, even if it was just to hug me and have a private talk with me all night… After all, I didn’t want to show my vulnerable side in front of my father and mother, and you, as my fiancée at that time, should have been the most suitable person.”

Xi Luo shrugged, a hint of self-deprecation on his face: "But I never expected that the way you ultimately chose was to openly break off the engagement. Even if I can understand your thoughts, so what? A wounded heart is still wounded, and it will take a lot of effort just to mend it."

Seeing the mockery on Shiloh's face, Otivia felt a sharp pain in her heart, but her rational behavior made her say something like a machine: "But, I'm doing all this for your own good, aren't I?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Otivia suddenly realized that this was not a good way to communicate. After all, Shiloh's expression darkened instantly upon hearing these words, and his arm, which had previously lost its strength, tensed up again.

Otivia was startled and tried to grip his hand tighter, but Shilo didn't force her to pull away. He simply looked into her eyes and said calmly, "Otivia, are you really... still human?"

Eh?

Otivia froze on the spot. Shiloh's words were like a desolate wind that swept into her heart, revealing a huge emptiness within it.

The wind and waves crashed against the hollow walls of the cavity, making a hollow "thump, thump" sound that was so empty and sad.

Tick

Tick

The cool dew rolled down and dampened Otivia's collar.

Otivia was bewildered by the sudden blurring of her vision and the sticky wetness on her face, not understanding what was happening to her.

Xi Luo's expression stiffened slightly as he looked at the bewildered girl whose pale golden eyes were brimming with large tears with a complicated expression. He quietly clenched his fist.

Otivia, who was shedding tears, was also someone Shiloh was seeing for the first time.

I must be quite something to make this expressionless girl cry like this.

Silo thought to himself with a self-deprecating smile. Although he wanted to harden his heart and leave directly, the last trace of affection he had for his childhood sweetheart still compelled him to reach out, take out a handkerchief, and gently wipe Otivia's cheek.

“I know you’re targeting Cecilia to make her more subservient to me. But there’s no need for that, and besides, I don’t like it… It’s a matter of emotions, you wouldn’t understand, and you don’t care to understand, do you?”

Shiloh's movements were gentle, but the words that came out of her mouth carried a hint of sarcasm.

Otivia stared at Shiloh with wide, tearful eyes, completely oblivious to the tears streaming down her face.

Seeing the tears that kept welling up even after she wiped them away, Shiloh shook her head, forcefully stuffed the handkerchief into Otivia's hand, then turned and left without looking back.

Otivia stared blankly at Shiloh's departing figure until he completely disappeared from her sight.

thump

Otivia's body went limp and she fell backward, landing heavily on a bench by the roadside, completely exhausted.

Ha ha……

Otivia's flat chest heaved slightly, making her look somewhat strained.

Otivia thought that Shiloh was right. Feelings only affect one's judgment and are useless; they should be discarded.

Otivia believed that she had abandoned such things since birth and was a naturally rational person.

But... what exactly is this feeling...?

My chest...it hurts so much.

My heart... feels so bad.

My throat feels blocked.

All four limbs were completely powerless.

是病吗

It is denied that the body is perfectly healthy, and that royal blood is incapable of suffering from ordinary diseases.

Similarly, there was no trace of any curse.

What is going on?

"Cough-cough-!"

Otivia suddenly started coughing violently. Because her throat was blocked, the air rushed through her body, making her cough quite badly, and even some snot came out of her nose.

Suck--

Otivia felt a sharp stinging sensation in the tip of her nose, which caused tears to well up in her eyes.

The fact that this everyday act of "shedding tears" can cause cardiovascular disease seems to be a question worth exploring...

Fun fact: Cardiovascular disease can cause weakness in the limbs.

The definition of limb weakness is weakness and lack of strength in the hands and feet, resulting in a temporary loss of mobility.

Mobility refers to the ability to—damn, what am I thinking…

Otivia slumped on the bench, staring blankly at the sky, her thoughts a jumbled mess.

Chapter 180 The Second Princess's Advice, Otivia's Advance (Part 2)

Just as Otivia was wiping away her tears, Shiloh arrived at the entrance of Zeno's palace and saw Cecilia walking out chatting happily with the other party.

Seeing the two of them looking like best friends, Xi Luo smiled and said, "Looks like you two are having a good chat."

Zeno nodded, then went to Shiloh, naturally reaching out to straighten his collar, and said, "After all, we were colleagues in the Knights, so we naturally have more in common... What did Father talk to you about? He didn't make things difficult for you, did he?"

Feeling Zeno's gentle touch, Xiluo suddenly felt a little uncomfortable. After hesitating for a moment, she took her hand, pressed the back of her hand against her smooth forehead, and said, "Why the change in style today? This is not like you."