The girl's face was pale as paper, her teeth biting hard on her lower lip with such force that she almost broke the skin, leaving a very deep blood mark on those slightly pale thin lips.
Her five fingers clenched tighter and tighter, her nails tearing the paper and digging deep into her palm.
"What's wrong? Why is your face so pale?"
Ariel was startled and quickly grasped Celitia's hand, forcibly prying open her fingers to rescue her palm and the paper that was crumpled beyond recognition.
"Are you feeling unwell sowhere? If there's a problem, don't tough it out—you must tell !"
"I'm fine."
Celitia took a deep breath, letting her suddenly turbulent emotions settle back down.
"Looking at the note's content, I guess this illusion's completion requires us to make a choice."
"Then of course we choose to destroy the conspiracy," Ariel said without hesitation. "Switching babies would be a deep injury to both mother and child."
Celitia remained silent.
She and Sophia reaching this point had indeed involved many twists of fate.
Since she had already accepted all this, perhaps maintaining the status quo was the better choice.
But...
Celitia couldn't help wondering what things would have been like if those mistakes hadn't happened back then.
Lady Herbert wouldn't have suffered her husband's suspicions and died early from depression. Given how much Olar was doted upon, they might have doted on Sophia equally.
And Sophia wouldn't need to bear responsibilities that were too heavy for her.
"She" would have gotten a healthy, normal environnt, growing up under her parents' love and care, not suffering so many years of neglect and abuse.
Marianne and Gorman wouldn't have been deceived for over ten years, never able to recognize their biological daughter.
Perhaps at so banquet, she and Sophia would still et again, getting to know and love each other in a different way.
Without needing that secret to beco an unpredictable bomb in their hearts.
Yes, if... these were all ifs.
But since they were in an illusion, why not make these "ifs" co true?
To gaze from countless possibilities at that different future landscape.
Since she was already dreaming, maintaining reality's status quo would be too boring.
"Lily?"
Ariel's voice awakened Celitia. She patted her shoulder with confusion: "Are you hesitating about sothing?"
"No."
Celitia shook her head, having decisively made her decision: "I agree with your opinion. Let's work together to stop this conspiracy."
"Oh..."
Ariel felt that just now, Celitia seed to have considered very, very many things.
A decision she could make without thinking beca complex when it reached Celitia.
Did she know sothing about this illusion segnt?
Though quite curious, Ariel ultimately didn't ask.
Better to clear this first.
As Celitia's words fell, the strange light screen that had originally shrouded the entire bedroom and blocked them from leaving gradually dissipated.
The distant scenery appeared faintly visible outside the window.
Ariel pulled open the curtains, opened the window, and looked out, slowly frowning.
It was a garden with spring flowers of various colors blooming all around. Gravel paths extended deep inside, and rows of houses could be vaguely seen in the distance.
"I feel this scenery is sowhat familiar, like I've seen it sowhere before."
Celitia also looked up and out the window, observing the outside scenery for a long ti, confirming she had no impression of it: "Where?"
"This should be... Countess ilenn's villa, located in the outskirts of Cassia."
Ariel thought for a long ti and said hesitantly:
"Mother and Countess ilenn are good friends. I've accompanied mother there several tis."
"ilenn?" Hearing an unexpected na, Celitia frowned. "So this ti is related to Countess ilenn and Benita?"
Benita was an illegitimate daughter with an unknown father, so from this point there could indeed be many problems.
But it was a bit different from what she had guessed.
"Perhaps. This ti it's actually a story neither of us knows, quite different from last ti."
Ariel thought for a while: "Anyway, let's go out first and see if we can find soone to inquire with."
The blocking light screen had dissipated, and the hint paper had also disappeared.
The two successfully left the room and walked along the corridor toward the outside.
A maid happened to walk into the corridor from outside, coming face to face with them.
"Ah, I recognize her. That's Countess ilenn's personal maid Eva, who has served the Countess for many years." Ariel whispered in Celitia's ear: "But she looks much younger now than in my mory."
Celitia also lowered her voice: "Then you go inquire with her."
"Hello, Sister Eva."
Ariel took the initiative to approach and greet the maid Eva.
Eva looked up with confusion: "Who are you?"
"We are..." Ariel wasn't good at lying and got stuck on the spot.
Seeing Ariel couldn't answer, Eva's expression beca even more confused, with a hint of wariness showing through.
This foolish saintess!
Celitia quickly tugged at her, pulling Ariel behind herself.
She gave Eva a gentle, vulnerable smile, as pitiful as a little white flower by the roadside.
"Sister Eva, we're newly arrived maids who aren't familiar with this place, so we're still a bit nervous. Could you please tell us what we should pay attention to?"
Celitia's smile was quite deceptive, and Eva imdiately relaxed—how could such a gentle, vulnerable girl be a bad person?
"So you're new arrivals. Don't worry, the Countess isn't a harsh person. You just need to do your daily work well and serve your masters properly."
"That's wonderful, thank you Sister Eva. Are there any other things we need to pay attention to?"
Celitia showed her another gentle smile, making Eva feel even more affectionate toward her.
"Hmm... there is sothing special recently. Since the Countess is getting closer to her due date, she's been quite anxious, so she invited Her Majesty the Queen to co.
The Countess and Her Majesty the Queen are truly good friends—they even got pregnant one after the other... This ti they said it was to support each other.
Although Her Majesty the Queen is always gentle, the current situation is special, so you must be careful not to offend her."
Celitia and Ariel exchanged glances, both showing surprise in their eyes.
So back then, Marianne had given birth at ilenn's villa?
So the child-switching ntioned in the note referred to Marianne's and ilenn's children?
Sothing wasn't quite right... Perhaps this ti it had nothing to do with reality and was just a fictional illusion?
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