Chapter 56: The Fallen Saintess (52)
(City of Lunarian- Outskirts)
(Private Building- Meeting Room)
"It is a pleasure to finally meet the princess of the dark elf tribe," Saintess Marie whispered sweetly as she sipped a cup of tea.
The saintess wore an expensive white robe with a priceless sapphire necklace wrapped around her neck.
Her otherworldly beauty was hard to look away from. It seemed as though her facial features had been carved directly by the gods themselves.
"The saintess of the Varion Church… it is truly an honour," Elisa replied with a gentle smile.
She was currently wearing a large oversized brown cloak that covered most of her slender physique.
Elisa hadn't bothered to cast the illusion spell so the saintess only saw her dark elf appearance and not her human disguise.
Claire stood silently at the entrance to the room while keeping a careful eye on the situation.
She wore a silvery grey mask that hid her facial features and a set of white armour beneath her robe.
A longsword was attached to her hip and ready to be unsheathed at a moment's notice.
She did not plan to take part in the negotiations between Elisa and Saintess Marie since her presence would be a distraction.
"I must admit… I was quite surprised to discover that you turned the 'blade' into a loyal dog," Saintess Marie mocked with a strange glint in her eyes.
"Likewise… it was quite shocking to find out that the successor to the Varion Church was aiding the foreign races," Elisa retorted with a twisted grin.
"The pope would be devastated to discover that his successor… would be working with the enemy... like a filthy traitor…"
Saintess Marie chuckled darkly as she leaned back against the wooden chair.
Her silvery hair swayed from side to side as she watched the dark elf sitting across from her.
Princess Keya Liadi… or as she was referred to for many years… the former saintess Elisa.
Saintess Marie's golden eyes shone with purity and righteousness as she stared at the holy aura that filled Elisa's body.
It clashed with the seed of darkness hidden in her heart.
Two opposing forces were intertwined and yet… there was an odd sense of harmony.
Still there was one question that Marie wanted to know… How did the former saintess earn the loyalty of the 'blade'?
Once she had discovered Claire's identity, it had been a simple matter to investigate the female knight's background and discover the kind of person that she was.
Claire Blanlyn was the strongest among the younger generation of paladins.
She had a tough no-nonsense personality and only devoted herself to the teachings of Lord Varion.
How could she ally herself with the dark elves?
Curiosity burned inside Saintess Marie's heart, but she forced down those urges since now was not the time for questions.
"May I see the list of targets?" Saintess Marie politely asked.
Elisa nodded and reached inside her cloak to pull out a thin sheet of parchment paper with a list of names.
Saintess Marie took the paper from her thin fingertips and casually read the list of names.
High ranking nobles, powerful merchant clans and even a member of the royal family…
The names written down on the list included individuals whose influence and power were far reaching across the continent.
"Hmm… I must compliment you Princess Keya… your information network is truly impressive…" Saintess Marie spoke calmly.
"Unfortunately, this list is partially incomplete. Even your little rats would have trouble sneaking into the church."
"As a token of my sincerity… please accept this humble gift…"
The saintess pulled out a piece of paper from the center of her voluptuous chest and handed it over to the dark elf princess.
Marie gently shook her chest from side to side and stared at the princess as she waited to see her reaction.
Elisa reluctantly took the paper and refused to look at Marie's seductive display. She quickly scanned the list and her brows furrowed.
Marie had provided a list with the names of several high-profile members of the Varion Church who had somehow escaped Elisa's spy network.
If this information was correct, then the corruption lurking inside the Varion Church ran even deeper than what Elisa had assumed.
"The fight for succession is nearly over and my fiancé will undoubtedly emerge victorious," Saintess Marie suddenly spoke.
"Hasn't his brother prince Damien allied with the northern duke?" Elisa curiously asked.
"That pathetic man? His alliance is merely the last desperate card in his losing hand. However, for us this represents an enormous opportunity," Saintess Marie softly whispered.
"The empire is now in chaos which is the perfect time for our rescue operation to begin. I will lead the inquisitors on the bright side…"
"And I will lead the elves in the darkness…" Elisa finished her sentence.
"Oh my! It truly is a pleasure speaking to someone with a moderate amount of intelligence," Saintess Marie clapped her hands together in joy.
Her golden eyes shone, and Claire could feel the threads surrounding her body respond to the saintess' excited emotions.
The female knight took a few deep breaths to calm herself down and slowly counted to ten in her mind.
This was not the first time that the mental bond between the pair had resulted in mood swings or unwanted mental images.
Over the next hour Elisa and Saintess Marie finalised their plan that would begin in two day's time.
The operation relied on taking their enemies by surprise, so it needed to be implemented as soon as possible.
"Well that sounds lovely… it is once again a real pleasure to meet you Princess Keya and I look forward to seeing the fruits of our collaboration," Saintess Marie raised her cup in appreciation.
"No matter your motives… thank you for helping me rescue my people," Elisa sincerely spoke as she nodded politely.
She knew that Marie was not doing this out of the goodness of her heart but frankly it did not matter as long as her people were saved.
Elisa rose up from her seat and walked towards Claire who was standing patiently by the door.
The former saintess adjusted her cloak to hide her features and then stood on her tip toes to whisper in Claire's ear.
"Shall we go my dear knight?" Elisa teased softly as she blew into Claire's ear.
The female paladin tried her best not to blush furiously as she escorted Elisa out of the room.
Claire glanced back and saw Saintess Marie staring at the two of them with an expression that was almost… wistful.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
HopelesslyRomantic
HopelesslyRomantic Hello my dear readers,
Gosh... I'm so excited for the upcoming chapters! There are a few twists left in this arc!
Thanks for reading :D
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone