"Miss Robin, greetings," a young girl in white said politely, approaching the group and offering a slight bow. "May I inquire if you have a moment? Lady Prophet has a matter of great importance to discuss with you."
The mention of "Lady Prophet" caused all three of them to pause in surprise.
Robin and Elysia's immediate reaction was, "What could she possibly want with me?"
Meanwhile, the Dragon Lady, Yu Lin, simply wondered, "Who is that?"
This was hardly Yu Lin's fault. It was no exaggeration to say that the Prophet was the most reclusive member of the White Eagle Eight, second only to the Hermit. While the Hermit's low profile stemmed from the nature of his unique abilities, the Prophet's seclusion was entirely by choice.
She maintained a strict policy of non-interference in nearly all White Eagle affairs, from the previous war with the Sakura Nation to the recent disturbances caused by the Eldritch Concord. Despite her title, a simple warning from the Prophet could have spared the White Eagle significant losses. Yet she remained entirely passive, taking no action whatsoever.
Elysia had heard that, in stark contrast to the rest of the White Eagle, the Prophet's territory was exceptionally safe, boasting a crime rate nearing zero.
For example, if a robbery was predicted to occur at a specific time and place, the Prophet's subordinates would already be lying in wait, ready to apprehend the perpetrator before they could even commit the crime.
Or, if a cultist from the Eldritch Concord attempted to infiltrate the Prophet's territory, the Prophet would know their exact route and arrival time. The moment the infiltrator approached, a group of grizzled veterans who had been lying in ambush for hours would burst from their hiding places and mow him down with a hail of bullets.
It gave the impression that the Prophet was like an old turtle, fiercely guarding her own small patch of land and indifferent to everything beyond her borders.
Of course, that was precisely the responsibility of the White Eagle Eight. After all, the nation itself was formed by eight "kings" who each ruled their own territories before uniting to create the White Eagle Free Federation.
Robin couldn't judge whether the Prophet's methods were right or wrong. But why would this reclusive figure suddenly invite her to meet? That was undeniably strange.
"Are you free lately?" Of course she was. The concert preparations were still underway, and the bulk of the work was being handled by her manager. Robin had plenty of time on her hands.
Should I go? Robin wondered.
The young girl in white stood patiently, quietly awaiting Robin's answer.
Elysia spoke first. "May I come along?"
The girl in white immediately replied, "Of course, Lady Elysia."
That settled it. With Elysia, who held a similar status, there was no way this person would dare cause trouble. And even if a fight broke out, Elysia could easily handle herself.
With this in mind, Robin nodded. "I'm free now."
Finally, they decided to bring Yu Lin along. As the Dragon Lady tasked with protecting Robin, she couldn't possibly let her Bird Sister leave with this stranger alone.
Well, the "stranger" didn't include Elysia.
The Prophet's territory was located almost at the opposite corner of the country from Elysia's. By the time the four of them disembarked from the plane, several hours had passed.
After a quick lunch, they were chauffeured to the Prophet's residence.
During their journey, Elysia, ever the social butterfly, naturally struck up a conversation with the young girl in white. "The Prophet—what kind of person is she?"
To Elysia's surprise, the girl shook her head, not to refuse an answer, but to admit, "I don't know. I've never met Lady Prophet."
"Huh?" Elysia exclaimed.
After the girl explained, Elysia learned that the Prophet didn't reside in the White Tower, nor had she ever even visited it. Instead, she lived in a flower field, a place strictly off-limits without the Prophet's express permission. The young girl in white had never set foot in this forbidden garden.
As for how the Prophet issued her commands, she did so through electronic means—text messages and phone calls. The girl had suddenly received a text message that day, instructing her to travel to Florida and invite Robin to a meeting.
No explanation, no reason given—just a simple directive that the girl immediately obeyed.
The same held true for everyone in the Prophet's territory. Tasks were assigned via text message, allowing her to remotely manage the entire domain.
This situation had left the White Towers in the area vacant for extended periods, gathering dust. Since no one needed to work there regularly, people were free to do as they pleased until they received a text message with instructions from Lady Prophet, which they would then carry out.
Hearing this, Elysia couldn't help but marvel inwardly, "As expected of the White Eagle Eight. Is this ability a bit too outrageous?"
With constant surveillance and prophecy covering the entire territory, the area must be as transparent as glass to Lady Prophet. She likely had a crystal-clear understanding of everything about to happen everywhere.
Finally, after another thirty minutes of driving, the group left the bustling city center and arrived at the outskirts. Before them stretched an immense flower field, its boundaries barely visible.
As the car came to a stop, the young girl in white announced, "I can only take you this far. You'll have to proceed on foot from here. Lady Prophet has been waiting for you in the heart of the flower field for quite some time."
The moment Elysia stepped out of the car, a faint, sweet fragrance permeated the air, suffusing the entire sky. A profound sense of peace washed over her, instantly relieving her fatigue and leaving her feeling refreshed.
"Is it because of these flowers?" Elysia wondered inwardly. She took the lead, with Robin following in the middle and the Dragon Lady bringing up the rear as they ventured toward the heart of the flower field.
Perhaps because the area saw so little foot traffic, there wasn't even a semblance of a path. The ground was carpeted with a dense sea of flowers, forcing the trio to wade through the blossoms. Yu Lin fared best in her long pants, but Elysia and Robin had opted for short skirts and bare legs.
Robin, in particular, struggled. Her high heels made traversing the uneven terrain an ordeal.
The only consolation was that these strange, unidentified flowers lacked thorns or sharp edges. Instead, their soft, plush petals brushed against their legs like gentle cotton swabs, creating a ticklish sensation akin to someone deliberately teasing their skin with cotton.