As a villain, he could do whatever he wanted.

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"Actually, it's quite simple to explain. When I met with Her Majesty the Pope later, I said that in order to strengthen the ties between our family and the church, I requested that Bishop Helen come to our residence for an inspection, which might take six months or even longer. During this time, at my request, Helen, you were forced to change into some clothes that were appropriate for aristocracy, in order to bring the family and the church closer together. Do you understand now, Helen?"

"Ah? To visit Prince Lius's home... to stay and investigate?" Faced with Lius's statement, Helen's eyes widened slightly. She seemed a little surprised for a moment. After a few seconds of stunned silence, she gradually came to her senses and began to seriously consider the possibility in Lius's words with a thoughtful expression.

The bishop was invited to stay and observe at a noble family's home, as well as to strengthen ties with the Church... Hmm. This is quite common in the kingdom; many noble families have members with close ties to the Church, and cooperation between the two is beneficial to both. If it were you, Prince Leus... making this suggestion would be perfectly reasonable.

“Right, besides, Aunt Anne has been living in our home for quite some time now, so she has had connections with the church for a long time. Now, if we arrange for Bishop Helen to come and inspect as well, no one will object.” Lius nodded and continued to speak with a smile to the red-haired girl in front of him.

“However… if I go to Prince Lius’s residence, although it may satisfy some of my personal desires, there’s the church. As a bishop, if I leave at this time, there are many things I can’t deal with immediately. I feel that I can’t ignore the church for my personal desires; that would be too irresponsible.” After thinking for a while, Helen pursed her lips and replied somewhat dejectedly.

"Don't think like that, Helen. Our home isn't far from the nearby church. You can go back anytime you want. Just think of it as a change of pace, staying in a new place for a while. It won't interfere with anything important." Looking at Helen, Leus once again revealed a warm, ambiguous smile, gently patting the girl's shoulder as he continued to present his plans:

"Besides... living with us is a great opportunity, isn't it? For example, Helen, don't you want to further improve your own abilities?"

"One's own strength?"

Upon hearing this, a longing gleamed in Helen's eyes, and she leaned directly against Lius, her hands unconsciously gripping the hem of his robe, as if trying to alleviate the intense desire within her. "To strengthen myself... Young Master Lius, you... do you mean you want to help me, to make me stronger?"

"Of course, although the church has a wealth of books and teachers who can teach you a lot of knowledge, in terms of combat, no matter how much experience they have, they are still no match for orthodox mages and warriors. I believe that even if you continue to study in the church, Helen, you will not be able to improve much. The most effective way to improve your strength is to have someone of equal strength accompany you in training, so that you can continuously become stronger."

Lius's words flowed calmly yet powerfully, reaching Helen's ears and instantly igniting a strong desire within her. It was as if a stimulant had been injected into her heart, and she quickened her pace with each word: "Young Master Lius...you wish to accompany me in training?"

Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, the girl looked at the blond boy in front of her again, her forehead trembling with excitement, and asked him a question.

"Of course, although I am indeed stronger than Helen, as long as we can suppress our power a little, we are actually about the same in terms of combat experience and skills. This was evident in the battle with that monster last night."

At this point, Lius gave Helen another gentle smile and slowly said, "Back then, I thought that if I could train with you, Helen, my strength would definitely improve more quickly. Now that I have this opportunity, I'm bringing up this idea again. I just don't know if you'd be willing, Helen."

"I...of course I'm willing! It's an honor to train with you, Young Master Lius. To be honest, after witnessing your power, I was deeply impressed by your strength and dreamed of being taught by you one day...I never expected you to bring this up with me now. It's truly amazing. Thank God, thank the gods. This is wonderful."

With an excited voice, Helen kept uttering excited words. Her eyes, which had been somewhat shy, were now filled with anticipation for the future. Her hands, which were holding the hem of Lius's clothes, kept shaking with excitement, causing Lius himself to sway uncontrollably along with the girl's movements.

"Hey Helen, calm down. I know you're excited, but try to control yourself a little. If you keep swaying like this, I'm going to fall over. Do you want to fall on top of me like last night?"

"Ah...huh, Mr. Leus, I'm so happy. Ha—I've lost my composure for a moment, and I'm letting go now." Hearing Leus's voice, Helen calmed down a bit. She pursed her lips, and with a smile that hadn't quite faded, she gently loosened Leus's clothes. Her face flushed with excitement, she cast her excited gaze at Leus's face, with an air of wanting to "devour" him completely.

Faced with such a gaze, Lius couldn't help but swallow slightly, then reached out and stroked the girl's hair again, letting her sit in the hammock, and spent this uncontrollable period of excitement with her.

"Calm down...Bishop Helen, calm down." With these gentle words, the two remained calm for a while, until the blush on Helen's face faded a little. Only then did Lius slowly remove his hand and smile at her again.

"So, are you completely calm now?"

“Yes, Prince Leus, I have calmed down completely, please rest assured.” Helen looked up at Leus and nodded slightly in reply.

"So now, may I come with you to the forest to see Her Majesty the High Priestess?"

“Alright, let me help Young Master Lius straighten his clothes, and then we’ll set off immediately. I was too excited just now and messed up Young Master Lius’s clothes. They need to be straightened.” With that, Helen gently bent down and leaned against Lius’s legs. After exhaling slowly, she stepped forward and began to straighten Lius’s belt and hem, which had become a little loose.

Hmm, and the moment the girl touched him, Lius narrowed his eyes slightly, somewhat surprised by this sensation.

Helen said she was going to help me tidy my clothes, but in reality... it wasn't just her gently touching my clothes.

Beyond the friction of the fabric, there was the pressure of Helen's soft, tender hands and the constant kneading of her arms. This sensation came from Lius's lower abdomen, followed the blond boy's legs, and slowly spread up his entire leg, deeply focusing Lius's consciousness upon it.

Normally, Helen would display immense strength that seemed disproportionate to her size when dealing with enemies, but now, in front of Leus, she moved with the gentlest of gestures, as if afraid of hurting the boy before her. Her small hands were in a massaging motion, occasionally pounding, as if she were serving Leus in this way, releasing the fatigue that had accumulated within him.

"Hehe... How is it, Young Master Leus? Isn't this 'adjusting clothes' action... quite comfortable?"

A soft laugh came from the girl's mouth, sounding distinctly mischievous, as if she were playing a prank on the blond boy in front of her, with a tone that was almost like coquetry. This made Helen's movements faster and more forceful, constantly easing the tension in Lius's muscles.

Lius was somewhat surprised by the girl's "enthusiastic" and bold demeanor.

She was just a pure girl who would blush and steam at the slightest touch, but now she had taken the initiative to get close to him, pressing herself against this very misleading position, and making such a shameful move. All of this was completely inconsistent with Helen's previous serious and proper demeanor.

Could it be that... his invitation to Helen to live together and his offer to train with her touched a tender corner of Helen's heart, causing her goodwill to reach a critical point, so she "repays" him in this way?

In this situation, Liss could only draw such a conclusion.

It must be said that, despite a strange sense of conquest and transgression, what Leus wanted to know more was why Helen would suddenly have such thoughts. Was it a spur-of-the-moment decision, or... had she always harbored such a desire within her?

“Helen, you… I can tidy my own clothes, you don’t need to go to all this trouble.” Just as Leus was about to speak, Helen gently pressed her finger to his lips, interrupting him and shaking her head with a smile.

"Hehe, it's alright, Young Master Lius. You already tidied my hair earlier, so it's only right that I do it now." In response, "Young Master Lius, please don't move around. Leave everything to me. Now close your eyes and rest peacefully."

As she spoke, with an innocent yet ambiguous smile, Helen slowly lowered her fingers, returning them to Lius's thigh to continue her massage. Then, lowering her voice, she added:

"Furthermore... if we are to live together in the future, I should be prepared for a close relationship with you, Young Master Lius. Therefore, doing these things now... is perfectly reasonable and without any problem. Consider it a practice run. Moreover, I also want to... repay your kindness, Young Master Lius, so please don't refuse anymore. Let me continue to... tidy your clothes."

"Um...is this Helen's own idea...?"

Faced with Helen's earnest and unwavering words, Leus paused slightly, then decided not to reply further. He simply relaxed his body, letting the girl express her gratitude. Feeling her gentle tone, he slowly uttered his response:

"Whatever you want... Helen, just try to be quick and don't let anything else get in the way."

"Hmm! Since you've agreed, Young Master Lius, it seems I'll have to keep pushing! Young Master Lius, enjoy my massage!"

With a hint of excitement in her voice, Helen's lips curled into a smug smile, seemingly no longer bothering with pretense. Taking advantage of the moment while adjusting her clothes, she moved behind Leus and began massaging his back and shoulders in various ways. With her fair arms, strong enough to defeat a thousand armies, she gently served the blond boy before her, every movement exuding a charming yet innocent allure.

"As Prince Leus massaged her, he glanced at Leus and saw a blush rise on the girl's face again. This time, it wasn't from shyness or nervousness, but from a feeling called 'love' welling up from the depths of her heart. This made the red-haired girl's heart race, and her mind drifted into a hazy yet sweet reverie, immersed in this ambiguous atmosphere..."

Chapter 341: A Young Girl's Pouting (Part 4)

Some time later, in the forest, in the lotus-covered tent where Rosalind was.

"So...Young Master Leus, you mean you want Helen to accompany you on a period of observation to bring you closer to the Church."

“That’s right. This is something Helen and I discussed together. She also wants to know about all aspects of my life, so please give your permission, Your Highness. I will be very grateful to you later.”

With a serious expression on his face, Lius addressed the white-robed pope before him, accompanied by the red-haired girl beside him.

Meanwhile, Helen, sitting beside Lius, also displayed a serious and earnest demeanor, gazing with a firm look at the female pope before her, who resembled her in a familial bond, and nodded vigorously to Rosalind.

“What Prince Leus said is correct. This is my wish. I wonder if Your Highness would be willing to let me accompany Prince Leus… As for myself, there are many things I would like to learn from him. I hope Your Highness will grant me permission.”

Seeing Helen's pleading expression, Rosalind frowned slightly, seemingly puzzled by her sudden request. She then looked at Lius, as if pondering the rationale behind the request, appearing unsure of what to do.

At this moment, Helen, the "Pope," sensed Rosalind's continued silence. Unable to bear it any longer, her unease and panic intensified, causing her to swallow hard. She then made up her mind, suddenly reaching out her small hand to grasp the back of Leus's hand resting on the chair, and tightly clasped it together with his.

"Um?""?"

Faced with the girl's sudden and bold move, not only Rosalind but also Lius beside her were surprised and looked at Helen with an unexpected gaze.

"Helen, you."

Helen, ignoring the astonished looks from Rosalind and Leus, felt the slightly rough yet warm texture in her hand, slowly exhaled, and finally spoke to Rosalind in a firm tone:

"Your Holiness, I know this is somewhat abrupt, and I know you may not be able to decide so quickly, but... this time, it is my strongest desire, an emotion I have never felt before in my life. I have a premonition that if I don't grasp this now, I will never be able to experience this feeling again. Therefore, I hope... I hope to be allowed to accompany Prince Leus, to fulfill this somewhat abrupt wish of mine, may I? Your Holiness..." Faced with Helen's words, Rosalind, after her initial surprise, revealed a serious glint in her eyes. After a moment's thought, she slowly opened her lips and asked the red-haired girl before her her question:

"Have you really thought these things through seriously?"

"Yes... I've thought it through completely and I'm prepared to bear whatever the consequences may be." Helen nodded firmly and made this promise.

"You just said that a strong feeling has arisen in your heart and you want to hold onto this feeling. Now I ask you, what is this feeling? And why does it arise for Prince Lius?"

"Well... I can't really explain what kind of feeling it is, but I just feel a bit sticky and uncomfortable, which makes me very concerned."

Faced with Rosalind's question, Helen pursed her lips and answered, then composed herself and continued speaking to the Pope in a serious tone:

"Although I don't know the true meaning of this feeling, one thing I do know is that... this feeling was given to me by Prince Lius. It was the series of experiences between him and me that awakened such feelings and desires in me. Therefore, I want to hold onto this feeling firmly while it is at its strongest." A believer cannot escape his feelings. Isn't this also one of the tenets of God?

"!"

Upon hearing the words "the creed of the gods," Rosalind's expression immediately changed. She seemed surprised that Helen had used the creed of the gods to persuade her, and it was as if she was recalling things about the god they worshipped. Her expression became more devout.

Finally, after a few seconds of silence, Rosalind regained her usual noble and dignified demeanor, looked at Helen in front of her, then at Lius beside Helen, and gazed at their clasped hands as she slowly exhaled.

“Young Master Leus.” “Ah… I am here.”

When Rosalind suddenly mentioned it, Lius glanced at her and immediately gave his reply, focusing his gaze on Rosalind and meeting her eyes.

"Young Master Lius, are you... able to take good care of Helen?"

"I...of course I can. There are plenty of rooms in the house, and I will take good care of Helen. I will provide whatever she needs. If she needs companionship and help, I will stay by her side and help her with all her problems." Looking at Rosalind, for some reason, Lius felt a surge of excitement in his heart, which made his words more intense.

Helen glanced at him, her blush deepening with embarrassment, and her grip on his hand tightened as the boy spoke.

As for Rosalind, observing the two of them, she sighed again, as if sensing something. She then nodded, looked at Lius with a serious expression, and slowly opened her lips to say:

"Remember your words today. I don't want to see Helen suffer any harm, whether physical or emotional. You must take good care of her, understand?"

"Yes! I understand, I will definitely take good care of her, Your Highness."

Amidst his inner turmoil, Lius nodded firmly, reiterating his assurance. At the same time, he felt a strange sense of shame, especially when he saw the red-haired girl beside him, who was holding his hand, her face flushed, looking at him with a shy yet relieved smile. This feeling of shame intensified.

"It feels like...meeting the parents. Rosalind's words just now were like entrusting her daughter to me. Could it be that she has already sensed something? She almost called me 'Mother-in-law' just now...thankfully she didn't actually say it, or I would have been so embarrassed." With these thoughts in mind, Lius fell into deep thought. Helen, who was next to him, cheered when she heard Rosalind give in and rushed to Lius's side, rubbing against him while cheering.

"Great! That's wonderful! Her Majesty the High Priestess has agreed! Thank you, Her Majesty the High Priestess! Hehe, Young Master Leus...we can train together from now on. I have many things I'd like to ask you, and many thoughts I'd like to share with you. Please forgive me if I trouble you too much!"

"Ah, alright, alright, Helen, don't get so excited... Her Highness the Pope is still here, calm down, calm down." Facing the enthusiastic and lovely red-haired girl in his arms, Lius awkwardly tried to soothe her, while occasionally glancing at the white-robed woman opposite him, observing her reaction.

As for Rosalind, faced with the two's intimate interaction, she simply maintained her previous slightly furrowed brow, seemingly somewhat helpless but also powerless to change the situation. She could only temporarily ignore Lius and Helen, clapped her hands lightly, and signaled to the people outside the tent that the discussion was over and they could move on to the next step.

“Bishop Notica, please come in. Regarding the cooperation with the Church… you should have a general understanding now, so please discuss it with me.” “Hmm, excuse me, Pope Rosalind.”

With that, Nottica entered the tent, gave Helen and Lius a gentle smile, and then sat down beside them, discussing the future of the church with Rosalind opposite her.

Chapter 342: A Young Girl's Coquettishness (Part 5)

After some time, when they came out of the tent, everyone had their own different expression on their face.

Helen and Lius were the first to emerge. They had been listening to Rosalind and Nottica's discussion almost the entire time, without offering any comments or thoughts.

Overall... the negotiations went relatively smoothly, after all, Lius had secretly arranged the situation beforehand and had gained a certain degree of control over Rosalind and Nottica.

Now that Rosalind has been successfully persuaded to cooperate with the church, things are much easier with Nottica. Even without her personally bringing it up, she will immediately understand the current situation and cooperate with Lius's plan to achieve cooperation between the two sects.

"At this point, Rosalind and Nottica had a general understanding of the situation, and the discussion entered a rather tedious phase: each side made their own demands and conditions in exchange for corresponding benefits from the other."

This was commonplace for Lius and Helen, who also knew this segment was boring. So, after exchanging glances with Helen, they took the initiative to leave the tent, leaving Rosalind and Nottica to discuss it alone, while they returned to the forest outside the tent to rest for the time being.

Helen slowly stepped out of the tent, taking in the fresh air around her. A complex emotion crossed her face. On one hand, she was still feeling shy after spending time with Lius, and on the other hand, she was shocked and surprised by the proposal made by Pope Rosalind.

"To cooperate with those heretics in the long term... to establish a more rigorous search and defense against cultists, is this really possible?" What's wrong with it? This cooperation won't harm either of your sects, isn't it a good thing? Since Her Majesty the Pope agreed before, Helen, you don't need to hesitate any longer, do you?

At this moment, Lius approached Helen from behind, smiling as he spoke to the red-haired girl, and gently patted her shoulder.

Helen's face flushed even more at Lius's words. She stared hesitantly at the approaching blond boy, seemingly confused for a moment, and her mouth trembled slightly as she spoke:

“But… previously, Her Holiness the Pope had always said that those heretics were even more despicable than cultists, and were the greatest enemies of our church… but now she’s saying we should cooperate with them… This leaves me somewhat at a loss. Prince Lius, why do you think this is happening? Why did Her Holiness the Pope suddenly change her tune? Could it be… that she has betrayed her former beliefs?”

"You can't say that. Although Her Majesty the Pope does have some flaws and unpleasant aspects, when it comes to loyalty to the Church, she is absolutely number one. That's something I know for sure."

Recalling Rosalind's recent experiences, Leus shook his head slightly and said this, then stroked Helen's hair again and continued to explain:

"Actually, Helen, you don't need to react so strongly to this. People always change, and not everything can be done correctly. For example... the relationship between you and me. We were strangers before, but now we've developed to such a close level. Do you think you've betrayed your former self, Helen?"

“Well…it doesn’t seem so. My relationship with you, Young Master Lius, is perfectly normal. There’s nothing wrong with it.”

Helen glanced at Leus's words, a slightly shy expression on her face, and responded in kind. Leus, in turn, smiled with satisfaction and continued to comfort the red-haired girl before him:

"Look, since you've expressed this view, Helen, it shows that people's hearts are always changing and will change according to different realities. Just like the Pope's attitude towards heretics. At first, you were enemies, but now, after cooperating, you've realized that cooperation can make the church more prosperous, so you've developed a more lenient attitude towards heretics. This is all very normal. Helen, you should understand now, right?"

"Hmm, it changes constantly depending on the actual situation?" Hearing Lius's words, Helen pursed her lips thoughtfully, seemingly considering the meaning behind Lius's words. Then, she slowly exhaled, revealing a serious look, and nodded slightly to the blond boy in front of her:

“I understand. Just like my relationship with you, Young Master Lius, we should maintain the same attitude towards heretics. I understand all of this. Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Young Master Lius.”

“Good that you understand. So… how about now? Now that you’ve accepted this reality, Helen, as the bishop, shouldn’t you take the initiative to express your opinion?”

Looking at the red-haired girl who had regained her composure, Leus smiled slightly, realizing the time had come, and asked her this question.

"Hmm? Offering to do it? Young Master Lius, is there something you'd like me to do?"

The girl blinked slightly, seemingly not quite understanding at first, while Lius, no longer concealing anything, directly revealed his inner thoughts:

"As for Bishop Nottica... Yesterday I wanted you, Helen, to go and express your gratitude, but you didn't agree because of the differences between the two sects. Now that the cooperation has been officially established, Helen, you don't need to dwell on those inner obstacles anymore, right?"

Following Lius's words, Helen once again showed a thoughtful expression, her delicate lips slightly pursed, as if she had fallen into a subtle dilemma once more.

The silence lasted for a short while. Although Lius was initially worried that Helen still had some concerns, the girl eventually regained her composure, let out a slight breath, and nodded slightly to the blond boy in front of her.

“I…I understand. Now that Her Majesty the Pope is no longer so hostile to heretics, I shouldn’t continue to look at her with such disdain…I should also thank Bishop Nottica properly. I understand that. Please don’t worry, Prince Leus.” “Have you really completely let go of your reservations?” Leus continued to ask.

“Hmm… While I can’t say I’ve completely let go, I’m prepared for Bishop Notica… Sigh… If possible, I hope you, Prince Leus, can accompany me when I go to express my gratitude. On one hand, it will put my mind at ease, and on the other hand… I also want to make my final decision in front of you, Prince Leus, and have you as a witness to this change of heart. Is that alright?” Helen raised her head slightly and looked at Leus with expectant and earnest eyes. Leus smiled and nodded, taking the initiative to reach out and hold the girl’s delicate and smooth hand.

"Of course, after all... we're living together now, so as companions, I'll accompany you to the ends of the earth and stay by your side forever."

"To be with you forever? Such a promise is really too much for me, and you don't need to be so serious, Prince Leus." Feeling the warm touch in her hand and the enchanting smile on Leus's face, Helen's heart raced a little, and she swayed a little awkwardly in front of Leus.

As for Lius, he held Helen's small hand even tighter, almost pulling the girl's entire body in front of him. He seemed to be enjoying the time spent with Helen, and his affection for her intensified as he felt the delicate and lovely expression on her face.

"Alright, alright, Helen, you don't need to say anything more. Just enjoy it. For a lovely girl, you should naturally give your whole heart. Just like you showed before, Helen, you took the initiative to hold my hand in front of Pope Rosalind. Now I'm going to repay you properly. You can't object."