Chapter 473 (1): Loser Will Take Their Pants Off. Are You In, or Are You a Coward? - Darienne

Manor of the Holy Maiden of Darkness.

The living room was well illuminated by a scintillating chandelier. The golden radiance looked like a smattering of stars in the night sky. Because the lady of this house was Anastasia, Wayne’s white moonlight, he had spared no expense on the renovation and furnishing. The overall setup and coloration reflected his aesthetics and taste in every way, which could be summarized as the art of abundance.

The sofa in the living room alone was a good representation. With streamlined, graceful curves, the seats and the back were entirely wrapped in soft, velvet textile that was smooth to the touch. While soft, it had a sturdy body to it, able to trap anyone, whether they were sitting or lying down. Sukra, the Holy Maiden of Death, had nothing but praise for it.

The manor was particularly lively tonight. Four Holy Maidens gathered in the confinement of the living room. It was a spectacle.

Sukra, dressed in a white sleeping robe, lay on her side on the sofa with one hand propping her head up, a novel and a few packs of snacks lying open before her. Nothing about her spelled graceful, but fortunately for her, she was pretty enough that she looked good even when scratching her feet.

Hey, your thighs are out. Cover them up! x2

Oh, right. You must have come with an oracle, too. Speak. How far inside has the progress bar reached? x2

Corte and Galen looked at Sukra derisively. Back in Palis, they had found Sukra a dependable, faithful follower who was courageous and willing to make sacrifices. Her graceful behavior and learned temperament further enhanced her charisma.

But now? The Goddess of Death had to have given the same oracle!

The supreme goddesses promoted their Holy Maidens to Wayne so readily. The rapid change in the status quo unnerved Galen due to the education she had received since she was young. On the other hand, Corte adapted quite well because of her naturally carefree disposition. Seeing Wayne sitting on the sofa across, she solemnly approached him.

He was murmuring sweet nothings to his white moonlight with his arm around her when he sensed someone sitting down beside him. “You’re doing too much. I’m not sure if you’ve come for your oracle, or if you’re just using it as an excuse to carry out your plan.”

“To tell you the truth, both,” Corte said with a serious nod.

Wayne had no words. He saw Vera in Corte, which made him take a further liking to her. His goodwill for her was different from his affection for Vera, though. Patting her on the shoulder, he said considerately, “Again, since we’re friends, I won’t take advantage of you. I’ll consider you having completed your oracle.”

“That won’t count,” Corte complained. “The goddess has to be the one to consider the mission complete. If you really see me as a friend, you should do this favor for me.”

“No can do. As you can see, I have a girlfriend. I can’t cheat on her.”

“You have girlfriends. Many of them...” Corte mumbled. Then she got an idea. “I’m not trying to steal from your girlfriends since I don’t need you to take responsibility. As long as you don’t take responsibility, it won’t count as cheating. Give it a try.”

“Um...” Wayne got scared into diving into Anastasia’s embrace. She smiled and patted his head reassuringly.

She didn’t mind the two new Holy Maidens. While she carried the title of the Holy Maiden of Darkness, she was in truth Wayne’s vassal. From the perspective of her faith, she held no animosity for Corte and Galen.

From a personal standpoint, though, she hated that there were more rivals added to the mix.

Anastasia was infinitely tolerant when it came to Wayne. She accepted all his strengths and flaws, so she never showed her grievances. While coaxing him, she looked at the center of the living room curiously.

A black figure and a white figure confronted each other. Aside from the opposing colors, Vichy and Darienne were both wearing suits, their hair tied into high ponytails. They also shared the same icy, expressionless look. It was as if they were looking into a mirror.

The difference was that Vichy was what she looked like and maintained the same poker face even in private, while Darienne was aloof in public but a hot-headed card addict in private. As a sore loser, she would even bet on her divine artifact for a rematch. If she lost more and exhausted all her chips, she would flip the table and make sure no one had any chips.

Speaking of which, Darienne had lost many nights to Wayne in card games. If she paid it at once, someone would literally be dead by the end of it.

However, she never even tried to pay him. Her skin was truly thick.

“Vichy, I didn’t expect you to be alive...” Darienne said sarcastically. “I heard that the Goddess of Darkness gave an oracle and ordered Her Holy Maiden and chosen knight to serve a pervert in the mortal realm, so you are the knight. Tsk, I wonder if you still maintain that poker face of yours when you ride a man.”

The drama unfolded. Everyone was sneaking glances at the two knights. Even Sukra had lowered her novel to watch and popped a handful of snacks into her mouth.

Vichy wasn’t going to rise to the provocation. No matter how Darienne taunted her, she remained calm. It was only after her superior gave her a silent order that she shot back, “Why are you here tonight, Darienne? To carry out the Goddess of Moonlight’s oracle?”

Darienne fell silent... for but a second. The card addict shamelessly put her hands on her hips and declared, “Yes, I’ve completed my oracle. Wayne’s pretty skilled. I figure it’s because he’s been practicing with you. It must be hard work to serve him both in public and in private. You can rest now.”

Vichy scoffed. The Goddess of Sun and the Goddess of Moonlight had underestimated Wayne. Her superior was not a pervert—he might look like one, but he wasn’t one. Putting the other places aside, in the manor of the Holy Maiden of Darkness, Anastasia was the only woman Wayne had an intimate relationship with. Sukra had been trapped on the sofa, while Vichy had been assigned the duty of protecting the Holy Maiden and guarding the door when necessary.

It was a high-paying job with little responsibility. She considered herself half retired.

She was going to talk back, but, worried that she would say something wrong, she messaged Wayne and asked what she should keep secret.

Her superior had worked hard to present himself as a pervert to the goddess, repeating the act day in and day out. She couldn’t foil his plan just because she couldn’t control her mouth.

She got the response that she should say whatever she wanted to say as long as it would knock Darienne down a peg. Wayne would take responsibility if anything went wrong.

Vichy calmed down immediately. She could tell that her former and current superiors had slept together. Wayne’s attitude toward her had changed from questioning her loyalty to not caring about her allegiance. Whether she chose the right hand or the left hand, both belonged together.

Vichy’s poker face cracked with a hint of a sneer. “Congratulations, Darienne. You have completed the oracle. The Goddess of Moonlight will reward you properly. I’m guessing that the next oracle will tell you to keep working hard and stay strong.”

“Ha, as long as you don’t get in the way.”

“I won’t. My oracle isn’t like yours. My mission is to protect Mr. Wayne. I’m his knight, and he’s my master.”

“???” x3

Corte and Galen stared at her in surprise. They had thought that it was absurd for the knight to warm Wayne’s bed, but the Goddess of Darkness had even given the knight away? Wasn’t that too generous?

Darienne was the most surprised. Worried that her goddess would give her away to Wayne as well, she hurriedly said, “Don’t be ridiculous. The Goddess of Darkness... wouldn’t do that.”

What does the Moonlight Knight know about the Goddess of Darkness? Vichy thought. She had seen what she shouldn’t share, and she knew how decisive her goddess was. Maintaining the sneer on her face, she said, “I don’t know where you heard that from. My master takes good care of me and respects my dignity as a woman. The fact that you can complete the oracle... It’s probably out of pity. He gave it to you once because he felt sorry for you.”

Darienne glared at Galen darkly. “Where did you hear the information—bah, the rumor?”

Galen wordlessly jutted her chin at Wayne. That was the source of the rumor.

Darienne was speechless. The mockery from Vichy was humiliating. Since Vichy hadn’t bedded Wayne, either, she had no reason to tolerate the cutting remarks. “Don’t look down on me. You know Wayne. Since he respects you, he must respect—”

She stopped herself. It was true that both she and Vichy were pure, and she could end this conversation by mentioning that. However, she had talked herself up earlier, and clarifying the truth now would undermine her.

On the other hand, if she continued to fake it, making Vichy lose her purity in the name of faith and loyalty, wouldn’t she be able to flaunt her purity to Vichy and trample on her dignity?

What a good plan!

“Wayne respects me as he does you. But unlike you, I’ll give everything for the goddess. Through my tireless effort, I completed the oracle.”

She puffed out her chest proudly.

The bizarre move astounded everyone. Vichy frowned at her and said, “Congratulations on getting what you want. Also, you’re truly shameless. No proper knight would be proud of something like that.”

“What do you know?” Darienne gestured at the room at large and huffed. “Between the three churches, the Holy Maiden of Darkness has completed the oracle, Knight Vera of the Church of Sun has completed the oracle, and I, of the Church of Moonlight, have completed the oracle. The three of us have reached a deuce.”

“But soon, as soon as tonight, Galen will complete the oracle through her shamelessness, and the Church of Moonlight will be far ahead. The Church of Darkness is losing big time.”

“Glaring at me won’t change anything. Galen is lewd. She can do anything once she puts her heart into it. Wayne won’t be able to resist her!”

(는_는)

Are you hearing yourself? Galen despaired.

The Moonlight Knight that she knew had been a virtuous woman who swore to fight against sex, gambling, and addiction. Galen had admired that knight, but she greatly regretted it now. Wayne was right. It was all an act. Darienne was truly an unorthodox chosen knight.

“So? What are you getting at?”

Vichy frowned. Based on what she knew about her superior, Galen wouldn’t complete the oracle no matter how lewd she got. Even if she did, the goddess had personally advocated for Darkness, getting far too ahead in the game. Even if the Goddess of Moonlight followed suit, it would at most be a deuce.

Also, forgive her bluntness, but she knew that Darienne was boasting. She hadn’t completed the oracle.

“Talk is cheap. Let’s play cards!”

“Huh?!”

***

Darienne set up a card table in the living room. Everyone except for Anastasia had taken a seat, Sukra included.

Since the Holy Maiden of Death had been tied to the sofa and enjoyed little freedom away from it, though, the sofa had been moved to the table.

Her instinct told her that the card game tonight would be an entertaining one. Slacking off didn’t prevent her from amusing herself. Working a little harder every once in a while didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.

Anastasia dealt the players their cards with a smile, ignoring Darienne’s warning. All this time, Darienne had suspected Wayne’s luck in card games to be tied to Anastasia. The Holy Maiden had been dealing the good cards to him every time. It was only because Darienne didn’t have proof that she seemed like a sore loser making a fuss.

That has to be it!

At the table, Darienne rubbed her hands together in obvious anticipation so hard that she might as well be starting a fire from the friction.

Ten minutes later, Wayne had the most chips before him, followed by Sukra. It wasn’t about techniques; she was just lucky. After them were Corte and Galen. Blessed with beginner’s luck, they didn’t lose too badly.

Darienne, who fancied herself a skilled player, and Vichy, who had been practicing cards recently, did the worst despite all the time they put into the craft.

(º﹃º)x2

Who am I? Where am I? Why must I think about those questions?

Darienne had no chips. She gaped at Wayne over his large pile and barely suppressed the urge to flip the table. “As expected of me. I have the whole table under my control.”

Vichy scowled. She couldn’t accept being lumped together with Darienne.

There was no bad blood between the two knights. When Vichy went missing and was presumed dead, Darienne even went through a depressive phase.

If they had any beef, it would be because Vichy, having debuted earlier and thus being stronger than Darienne, often beat Darienne up one-sidedly in the early stage of the conflict between light and shadow.

Later on, Darienne became stronger and grew confident that she could get back at Vichy, but she still ended up defeated. She was beaten every time she started a fight. The frustration led to her penchant for curses, and she gradually became shameless.

Indeed, Darienne had once been an aloof woman of few words, just like Vichy, but the constant losses made her who she was today.