Sunlight streamed through the skylight into the room where Christine sat on the rosewood floor.
As one of the church’s seven most popular Vestal Candidates, her current appearance starkly contrasted with this morning’s mass—she now wore a sleeveless light pink dress held up by two delicate straps.
Her slender fair arms were bare to the air; her delicate shoulders peeked faintly through cascading golden hair.
Her petite feet, sheathed in white stockings, rested heels-down on the floor while her toes playfully curled upward slightly, revealing a tempting hint of cherry-pink soles for any onlooker.
The golden-haired girl’s posture was utterly unguarded—her legs not fully closed, offering anyone entering a clear glimpse of the pure white fabric beneath her skirt.
Right now, she felt less like the Vestal Candidate symbolizing the church’s chastity and asceticism, and more like a fairy perfectly blending innocence and allure.
But Christine didn’t care.
She was simply waiting for Baron Hale.
Curious to see his reaction the moment he stepped in—summoned by Maria, only to find her dressed like this, completely unguarded.
Would he shyly look away and remind her from afar to lower her hem? Or approach slowly with a lecherous grin, just like the rumored playboy?
With that thought, Christine stretched her slender waist and slowly extended her legs outward, still waiting.
She was so languid—just like the afternoon sun.
...
“Viscount Hale, please show some urgency. We only had half an hour left when we left.”
Hale, walking beside Maria down the street, didn’t bother replying.
Too lazy to argue with the nun. *She* was the one who’d dragged her feet—preaching to Lofu after lunch about how such relationships between men and women were “abnormal,” and so on.
He had no idea if Lofu listened, but Maria had rambled on far too long. Without that delay, they’d have arrived much sooner.
Whatever. Even if he argued, she’d just blame *him* for “corrupting” Lofu and forcing her to “correct” her views.
Hale only wanted to wrap up Saint Louis’s current mess and slip away.
After that? However turbulent or chaotic Saint Louis became—it wouldn’t concern him.
Maria, seeing his silence, grew quietly irritated.
*How stubborn. We’re moments from meeting Lady Christine—the pure white dome of Ron Cathedral is right there.*
She trailed behind him, muttering occasionally. Hale barely acknowledged her.
When he did, it was just the perfunctory trio: “Mm.” “Oh.” “Yeah.”
They entered the square before Ron Cathedral, crowded with faithful visitors.
In Saint Louis—where land prices were so astronomical the entire nation could be bought with its total value—only high nobles, the church, and merchants with cross-continental trade networks owned plots this vast.
Hale and Maria still drew glances.
But they quickly slipped onto the clergy-only path guarded by the Silver Knights, vanishing from public view.
As Christine’s personal attendant, Maria was well-known here. Staff noticed her walking with Hale and exchanged curious looks—but asked nothing.
They passed through the cathedral’s rear garden and reached an elegant two-story pavilion.
A sharp sense of déjà vu struck Hale. *This was where Christine’s route truly began.*
After selecting Christine as the first heroine, players saw this pavilion: a breathtaking golden-haired girl in white, leaning on the railing as breeze swayed gardenias and ginkgo leaves below.
That very scene—plus needing to clear three other heroines’ routes first—usually tipped off prepared players: *This heroine hides something. Something big is coming.*
Hale felt the same subtle unease he’d felt choosing her route back then.
Timeline-wise… this really *was* the early stage of Christine’s route.
Could it really be this coincidental?
Among heroine routes, Christine’s start was notably early—unlike Siman’s, where the opening began after she’d nearly graduated and joined the White Knights as a squad leader.
“Viscount Hale, please ascend alone. Lady Christine never misses an appointment—she’s waiting for you upstairs.”
Maria’s reluctant words snapped him from his thoughts.
Hale nodded, heart pounding with nervous anticipation.
No choice now. He knew this visit was risky—might pull him straight into Christine’s perilous storyline.
But… just one meeting should be fine, right?
...
Hale adjusted the bow tie Lofu had tied before they left, then slowly climbed the outer staircase twined with morning glory vines to the second-floor terrace.
A wooden door stood before him. In Christine’s route, players opened it to step *out*.
Now, he had to push it open and step *in*.
He pictured it: the Vestal Candidate seated at a table, waiting with a steaming cup of fine black tea from the Kingdom of Bazel.
In-game, cooking mattered—foods granted buffs; some characters even needed dishes for major breakthroughs.
Christine’s signature dish? Bazel Black Tea. Removed negative status effects. Temporarily boosted resistance to sleep, dizziness, and crowd-control debuffs.
Hale brainstormed greetings to end the chat fast, avoid attention, make her lose all interest in him.
*Check out her legs?*
A lewd remark? Solid plan. Guaranteed to tank a girl’s affection—especially a Vestal Candidate’s.
He placed his hand on the doorknob.
*The second I see her, I’ll stare right at her legs.*
Affection drops? Fine. He still gets to look. Win-win.
*Win!*
Below, Maria watched anxiously. *What’s he hesitating for? Trying to impress Lady Christine? Actually hoping to romance her?*
*Enough already.*
Under her tense gaze, Hale pushed the door open.
Then—a strange sight met Maria’s eyes.
Hale didn’t step inside. He froze in place.
His expression looked… off.
*No way.*
Sure, Lady Christine’s holiness made her seem untouchable—but Hale had seen plenty of beauties, right?
*Could even a playboy like him, who flits among noble ladies, find her beauty truly unmatched?*
*Heh. Now you see. Lady Christine is one of a kind.*
Maria felt a flicker of pride.
And Hale? He *did* feel it—Christine was different.
The Vestal Candidate before him wore this unexpected outfit, striking such an alluring pose.
*So hot!*
