Every young girl has had her romantic dreams, and Wendy was no exception.
As a child, she had flipped through yellowed fairy tale books under the candlelight of her chambers, looking at the stories of princes and princesses meticulously depicted by the artists.
The brave prince would overcome all obstacles to rescue the princess trapped in the high tower, and then the two would live happily ever after.
She had once fantasized about whether she might also meet such a prince—handsome, brave, and gentle—who could appear at her most desperate moment and lead her out of her plight.
Greg’s appearance had once made her feel as if that fantasy was becoming a reality.
To say she had no feelings for Greg would certainly be a lie.
It wasn't just because Greg was the most handsome man she had ever seen. More importantly, the Dark Night Order he established had taken her in, giving her a place to stay and allowing her to truly realize her value.
Furthermore, even a powerhouse like Lady Allie trusted him unconditionally, and he had even seen through the conspiracy looming over the Empire long ago.
All of these factors combined made Wendy feel both admiration and affection for him.
So now, even though she knew the Lord Bishop might have said certain things to achieve a goal, leading Sister Sarah to misunderstand, Wendy couldn’t help but ponder another possibility—what if?
What if the Lord Bishop actually has feelings for me too?
Wendy wasn't narcissistic, but she had considerable confidence in her appearance.
She even began to uncontrollably fantasize about what she should call him if the Lord Bishop really was interested in her…
In public, she would call him “Lord Bishop,” but once they were home, could she call him by his name?
And how many children would be appropriate? Two? Three?
She had heard that dragons could produce a large brood at once, but since they were humans, two seemed more appropriate—one boy and one girl would be just right.
And where should they settle down after retiring so they wouldn't be easily disturbed?
The mountainous areas of the North seemed nice; the scenery was beautiful, and it was sparsely populated, perfect for a quiet life…
“Wendy? Wendy!”
Sarah’s voice pulled her back from the mental brainstorm that had already progressed to choosing a place to settle down.
Wendy snapped back to her senses only to see Sarah looking at her with a puzzled expression through the iron bars.
“Why did you suddenly space out? I called you several times and you didn't react at all.”
Wendy’s cheeks burned slightly as she harshly scolded herself in her mind: Wendy von Leinfeld, what on earth are you thinking!
There are so many outstanding women around the Lord Bishop; how could it ever be your turn?
You just need to do your duty and support the Lord Bishop silently from behind.
Wendy took a deep breath to calm her heart, then gave Sarah an apologetic smile. “It’s nothing, Sister Sarah. I just… missed him a little as well.”
Seeing Wendy’s blushing face and darting eyes, Sarah became even more certain of her suspicion. She shook her head with a smile.
“Alright, alright. I won't disturb you while you read the letter. Finish reading it first, and if there’s anything you want me to take back, tell me later.”
Wendy nodded, lowered her head, and focused her attention on the letter in her hand.
On the surface, Greg’s letter was full of concern and longing. He asked about her health, urged her to eat well and rest, and even included phrases like “No matter what happens, I will always believe in you.”
Even though Wendy knew this was definitely not the content the Lord Bishop truly wanted to convey, those words still made her cheeks flush uncontrollably.
Her heart raced and her fingertips trembled slightly; it was as if the words themselves carried a warmth that left her feeling flustered.
Sarah, watching Wendy’s shy and joyful expression from the side, couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: What a pair of pure-hearted young lovers.
To understand the Lord Bishop’s true intentions, Wendy quickly forced herself to calm down. She began to read every word of the letter carefully, searching for the real message hidden between the lines.
Soon, by extracting words from specific positions and recombining them, she obtained a sentence. Its general meaning was: “Everything is just as I expected.”
The corners of Wendy’s mouth curled upward slightly.
As expected of the Lord Bishop; this entire matter was indeed under his control from start to finish.
She was about to write a reply using the same cipher format, but as she re-examined the letter, she noticed another possibility—there seemed to be more than one way to combine the hidden codes.
She tried a second combination, and the resulting sentence meant: “Do you know the identity of the mastermind?”
Wendy’s hand holding the letter paused slightly.
Two ciphers: one was an affirmation, and the other was a question.
However, Wendy was almost certain that the former was what Greg intended to convey.
This was because the Lord Bishop had known her true identity for a long time; he had even guided her so that she, who originally knew nothing, gradually learned the truth of it all.
Therefore, it was impossible for Greg to ask her if she knew who the mastermind was.
So, what was the meaning of the second cipher?
Was it a smoke screen intentionally created by the Lord Bishop to prevent the message from being intercepted and cracked?
The more Wendy thought about it, the more likely it seemed. As expected of the Lord Bishop, he always thought one step further than everyone else.
Amidst her admiration, Wendy quickly wrote a reply based on the cipher she had confirmed. She folded the letter and handed it to Sarah.
“Sister Sarah, please deliver this letter to Greg for me.”
Sarah took the letter, tucked it away carefully, and nodded. “Mm, don't worry. I’ll make sure it reaches his hands personally.”
She stood up, brushed the dust off her skirt, and turned to leave.
After a few steps, she looked back at Wendy through the iron bars and said, “Wendy, I’ll continue trying to persuade Father during this time. I’ll do my best to get him to change his mind. So, you mustn't give up hope; Greg is still waiting for you!”
Wendy looked at her, a wave of warmth rising in her heart, but it was accompanied by a pang of bitterness.
She knew that her father had been completely sidelined and cornered politically by the alliance of the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister, so Sister Sarah’s efforts were unlikely to bear fruit.
Still, she nodded and managed a smile. “Mm, thank you, Sister Sarah.”
Sarah smiled and turned toward the cell door.
But just as her hand was about to push open the heavy iron door, an inexplicable sense of déjà vu flashed through Wendy’s mind.
That feeling told her that simply doing this wasn't enough; she needed to make one more preparation.
Wendy didn't know why she felt this way, but her previous experiences had proven that these flashes of déjà vu were always correct. In the end, compelled by a sudden whim, she called out to Sarah.
“Sister Sarah, could you please do me one more favor?”
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