Chapter 258 - 251. Thorny Roses
"I’m--"
The Saintess pressed her lips to stop her own outburst. No, she shouldn’t be the one who lost control; she should stay dignified and charming.
She took a deep breath and leaned back against her chair to achieve relaxation. Relaxing her shoulder, she reached out to take her cup and wet her dry throat slightly, letting the warmth calm her nerves. When she opened her mouth again, her face already returned to the calm and elegant visage she usually wore.
"I merely said I wasn’t sure. Surely you know there’s a lot of words going around that it’s hard to know which one is the truth and which is a mere rumor," she smiled sweetly, charmingly, with a dash of silly naivety of a sheltered princess living in a gilded palace.
"Yes, you are right about that," Bassena also decided to turn down his aggressive tone, leaning back into his chair and tapping on the armrest. "Which is why I’m rather perplexed."
The teacup paused midair as her arms stopped moving. She tilted her head and looked at Bassena inquisitively.
"When I said that our guide was in trouble, logically, someone who lived in the Temple, who supposedly dedicated themselves to the well-being of guides, would have asked about the guide’s condition, or offered help for the guide," Bassena said, stroking his chin and narrowing his eyes. After pausing for a few seconds, the amber eyes flicked to stare at the Saintess, brow arched in challenge. "You did neither."
The teacup found itself on the saucer rather harshly, with a clanking sound that could be heard clearly within the pavilion. The hazel eyes stared hard at the rippling surface of the tea instead of the handsome esper. "What...are you trying to say?"
"Hmm," Bassena muttered with a slight sneer in his low voice. "Perhaps what my guide said is true after all,"
"What--"
"That the Temple truly does not care."