Hiyakura widened her eyes, looking incredulously at the maid in front of her.
Her lips quivered slightly, her voice filled with shock and confusion:
"Shiro?!"
The person in front of her, dressed in a neat maid's outfit, was none other than Shiro, the maid who had once collaborated secretly with Hiyakura.
At this moment, Shiro stood there gracefully, hands crossed in front of her abdomen, a gentle smile on her face, as if she were simply engaged in a ordinary greeting.
Shiro slightly inclined her body, her voice soft and polite:
"Yes, Miss Hiyakura, we meet again. I am so glad to see you once more."
Her tone was gentle, as if they were reuniting at a comfortable afternoon tea rather than in this place filled with danger and tension.
However, what Shiro was doing sharply contrasted with her gentle tone.
Kidnapping, imprisonment—these actions all radiated danger and malice.
At that moment, Jasmine suddenly asked:
"Hiyakura, are you familiar with this maid?"
There was a hint of confusion in her voice.
Hiyakura did not respond immediately.
She clenched her teeth, her brows tightly furrowed, her eyes still reflecting disbelief.
She seemed to be struggling to digest the situation before her, unable to believe that a former ally would do such a thing.
Seeing Hiyakura's silence, Jasmine shifted her gaze to Shiro and coldly spoke:
"Are you a member of the Apostle Sect? What do you want from us?"
At this moment, the situation had become clear.
The mission Violet received was nothing but a carefully designed trap.
The other party's goal was to lure them here and then capture them.
As for the ultimate goal, it remained unknown.
Upon hearing Jasmine's question, Shiro's smile became even gentler: "Dear Jasmine, I'm truly sorry. To be honest, you hold no special value to me. The reason I brought you along was merely a secondary consideration."
Shiro's tone brimmed with apology, as if she did not intend to target Jasmine.
However, this statement sounded particularly harsh and insulting to Jasmine.
"You scoundrel!"
Jasmine shouted angrily, her voice filled with rage and resentment.
Just then, Hiyakura finally regained her composure. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice: "Shiro, weren't you partners with Tao Yao? Why are you doing this?"
Upon hearing "Tao Yao's" name, Shiro visibly trembled.
Her expression suddenly turned cold, her tone laced with suppressed anger:
"I won't allow you to mention her! If it weren't for you, how could she have disappeared?"
Hiyakura fell silent at those words.
Her eyes showed deep disappointment and guilt.
She did not refute it because it was indeed true.
Even now, she could not understand why Tao Yao had been so kind to her.
It was exactly because Tao Yao bore the burden of that fairy fire in some unknown manner that she was able to survive until now.
Whenever she thought of this, Hiyakura's heart was filled with gratitude and guilt.
Shiro continued, her voice filled with complex emotions:
"Hiyakura, I'm really jealous of you. The more Miss Tao Yao liked you, the more I hated you."
"Sometimes I even think how great it would be if you didn't exist."
"Don't you agree, Hiyakura?"
Upon hearing this, Violet and Jasmine both widened their eyes.
Violet began to struggle violently, her gaze filled with fear and anxiety, as if wanting to say something but unable to speak due to her mouth being covered.
Jasmine also sensed the danger of the situation.
She warned sharply, "Stop, you absolutely mustn't act recklessly! We need to report our schedule to the academy regularly. If you dare to act out, you won't escape either!"
Upon hearing Jasmine's warning, Shiro's smile widened instead.
She gently shook her head, her tone still warm but carrying a hint of barely detectable sarcasm:
"Dear Jasmine, do you think I care about those things? Now that we've come this far, do you really think I'm scared of any consequences?"
Her voice was soft, as if soothing a child who didn't understand.
However, her gaze was as cold as ice, a stark contrast to her gentle tone.
"Besides, do you really think I didn't consider these details?"
Shiro elegantly turned around to face the increasingly struggling Jasmine and Violet.
Her movements remained graceful and appropriate, as if she were engaged in an ordinary conversation.
"However, I can assure you."
Shiro continued, "If Miss Hiyakura is willing to obediently listen, I can guarantee your safety. At least for the time being, I won't cause you any harm."
Upon hearing this, Jasmine's eyes flashed with a hint of caution.
She stared at Shiro, her voice filled with suspicion and anger: "What exactly do you want us to do?"
Upon hearing this question, Shiro let out a gentle sigh.
Her expression appeared somewhat helpless, like a patient teacher facing a disobedient student.
"Jasmine, didn't I already say? This matter has nothing to do with you; you're merely secondary."
Shiro's voice remained gentle, but her tone carried a hint of warning, "If you keep talking, I will find it very distressing."
Saying this, Shiro elegantly walked toward Jasmine.
Her movements were soft and swift, as if performing a simple ceremonial act.
However, the next second, she suddenly stretched out her hand and swiftly covered Jasmine's mouth with a piece of fabric.
Jasmine gasped in surprise but was soon muffled, only able to make indistinct "mumbling" sounds.
Seeing this, Violet began to struggle even more violently, emitting the same muffled noises.
The scene immediately fell silent.
Except for the faint whimpers from Jasmine and Violet, only Hiyakura's heavy breathing could be heard.
Hiyakura watched everything, her eyes brimming with complex emotions. She took a deep breath, struggling to keep her voice calm: "What do you want me to do?"
Upon hearing this question, Shiro displayed a satisfied smile. She elegantly turned to Hiyakura, her tone relaxed, as if discussing something trivial:
"Don't worry, Miss Hiyakura. It's a small matter, nothing difficult for you."
Saying this, Shiro pulled out a crystal radiating an unusual glow from her pocket.
The crystal sparkled under the dim light, shining like it was alive.
Seeing the crystal, Hiyakura's pupils constricted sharply.
Her voice carried disbelief: "Memory crystal?"
This crystal was indeed very similar to the one Little White Lotus had used before, but with subtle differences.
Its shape was more irregular, the surface covered with complex patterns.
Even more striking was the internal glow that seemed to be swirling, as if something was sealed inside.
Upon hearing Hiyakura's words, Shiro raised an eyebrow slightly:
"Memory crystal? That's a nice name; let's call it that."
She gently stroked the surface of the crystal, continuing, "Since you know what this is, it'll be easier. I don't need to explain its function to you."
She held the crystal up in front of Hiyakura, her expression turning serious:
"This memory crystal contains data from a previous civilization. However, the magical power contained within is too strong, rejecting me. I cannot obtain the information I need from it."
Upon hearing this, Hiyakura's eyes flashed with understanding: "So, you want me to help you?"
Shiro nodded, a look of approval on her face:
"Correct. You are a fairy; only you can withstand such immense magical power."
Her voice became softer, taking on a hint of temptation: "As long as you agree to follow my instructions, there won't be any problems."
However, just as Hiyakura was hesitating, Shiro suddenly turned and walked to Violet's side.
She drew a small dagger glinting with a cold light from her sleeve and gently pressed it against Violet's throat.
"Otherwise…"
Shiro's voice remained gentle but her gaze turned cold, "I can't guarantee I won't do something crazier."