CHAPTER 52: HOLY MAIDEN’S PAST

Losiya made no further moves. She stood silently before Veronica, her gaze fixed on her. "Have a seat," Veronica said, her eyes meeting Losiya’s briefly before looking away.

However, Losiya did not "let her off the hook." Her hand, holding Julian’s, grew even colder as she continued, "Are you speaking to me and Julian?"

This strategy of retreating to advance, pushing relentlessly, made it very difficult for Veronica to believe that the person before her was her own frivolous and arrogant daughter.

If she admitted it, she would essentially publicly acknowledge Julian’s legitimacy, and Losiya would gain another advantage, as almost everything she had said earlier could then be dismissed as nonsense.

"Hmm," she murmured softly, and then said nothing more.

Veronica’s quick "surrender" stunned Losiya on the spot, making her even begin to doubt if this unusually agreeable mother before her was truly herself.

Suspecting that some trick lay in wait for her, Losiya led Julian to slowly sit down on the sofa. All the words she had prepared in her mind were now completely jumbled.

Just as she was wondering how to open her mouth next, Veronica spoke before her.

"I misspoke this morning, I apologize."

After a few seconds, Julian finally came to his senses. Was Veronica talking to him?

Even if her apology still had a hint of condescension, the Grand Duke was indeed apologizing to him.

Julian cleared his throat, wanting to have a serious talk with Losiya’s mother, the Archduchess, but Losiya squeezed his fingers, making him swallow his words.

"Are you speaking to Julian?"

Lady Catherine, listening nearby, couldn’t help but frown, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Alice, on the other hand, looked at her young lady with a mix of amusement and annoyance.

"Aren’t you afraid of the Archduchess losing face with such a strong approach?"

But then she thought about how much her young lady had done for Julian, an unprecedented amount. It was simply like a big cat gradually testing a seemingly benevolent tiger.

Thinking this, Alice couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration and longing.

After all, Losiya was the Grand Duke’s daughter and could attempt such things, unlike her, with her low status. If she dared to defy the Archduchess even once, she probably couldn’t even defend herself.

Veronica glanced at Losiya, and then at Julian behind her, who was staring at her with a look of confusion.

"Yes."

Now it was Losiya’s turn to fidget. Had her mother taken the wrong medicine? She had suddenly become as easy to talk to as an aunt.

"Shouldn’t an apology be made directly to the person?" As Losiya said this, she couldn’t help but swallow.

Even she couldn’t help but feel proud of her boldness.

Veronica was silent for a moment, then stood up intently, facing Losiya.

Then, she actually slowly walked up to Julian and seriously apologized to him.

"I said some very bad things to you this morning, I’m very sorry."

Julian watched Veronica stand up in an instant and accepted her apology.

Seeing Veronica kindly gesture with her hand, Julian did not hesitate to extend his right hand and take hers.

Veronica held Julian’s hand, unconsciously narrowing her eyes. As magic surged, her thumb caressed the back of Julian’s hand.

Losiya saw this and her eyelid twitched. She silently stepped between the two of them.

"Mother, are you distracted?" she couldn’t help but say with a laugh.

However, Veronica, after a moment of frowning and daze, came to her senses. She gave Julian a meaningful look, then nodded, indicating that she had indeed been distracted.

Losiya returned to Julian’s side and suddenly let out a small laugh.

"What’s wrong?" Julian turned his face to her, asking curiously.

"My mother actually stared at you, completely dazed," Losiya whispered playfully into Julian’s ear.

In her impression, Veronica had always been a harsh and self-disciplined person, sometimes even cold and completely unlike a woman. In her mind, her mother and father also had a superficial relationship, and over the years, they barely exchanged words.

She never expected this woman to be so mesmerized by a man.

As expected of her Julian.

Losiya had even felt a little jealous of Lady Catherine before, but now, after believing that her mother was staring at Julian and even touching him, she found it more amusing. This showed how unlike a woman Veronica must have been in Losiya’s eyes...

It was fortunate that Veronica was lost in thought and did not notice Losiya’s unusual reaction, otherwise she would certainly have been amused.

Julian looked at Losiya’s suppressed smile, and the faint anxiety that had risen earlier was also suppressed. He didn’t say anything more to Losiya.

However, just as he was about to pick up the cup on the table and drink some water, he suddenly felt a chill run through him.

In the water within the glass, Veronica was silently staring at him.

Putting down the glass, Julian looked at Veronica, who had sat back down.

There was nothing unusual; she was having an important conversation with Lady Catherine.

Perhaps he was too nervous just now? Julian reassured himself.

A short while later, Veronica called Losiya over to her side again.

"Are you still not going this time?" she asked directly.

The annual Holy City Ceremony is a grand event for the entire continent. If the Papacy intends to promote something, they will organize and publicize the ceremony even more grandly.

For example, this time, the Papacy’s awakened highest-level holy Mark arbiter Saintess directly confirmed her willingness to participate in the exchange meeting for young superhumans.

The highest-level Holy Marks are roughly those most fundamental laws, like Myris’ "Judgment," which simply means "flames that can cut through everything."

Such an existence, like a Holy Son, might not appear on the continent even once in a hundred years, and their appearances are always so unimaginable.

For example, Myris was once just a local girl growing up in a remote village, with no exceptional qualities whatsoever.

However, during a demonic invasion, the village couldn’t withstand it and blood flowed like rivers.

When the Papacy’s knights arrived, they did not see hordes of demons and corpses everywhere.

Instead, they saw a golden-yellow sea of flames capable of incinerating all things, and a "New World" that had cleansed all impurities.

Myris lost everything after that, except for her awakened highest-level holy Mark. But she was safely brought back to the Holy City by the knights and was personally bestowed the title of the Papacy’s only Saintess by the Pope in front of the entire continent.

It’s difficult to describe whether Myris’ experience was a blessing or a curse, but what is certain is that she is incredibly powerful, unimaginably so.

Furthermore, from childhood to adulthood, apart from her Papacy duties and apprehending heretics, she had never participated in discussions among superhumans.

Her agreement to participate in this exchange meeting therefore carries a very subtle meaning.