The ball did not last particularly long. Once the members of the Rose Legion had finished making contact with the various guests, the gathering finally came to an end.
During this process, Olivia had roughly determined how many people belonged to the Rose Legion.
Those who constantly wove through the crowd, engaging in conversation with different individuals, were clearly members of the Rose Legion. Olivia committed each of their faces to memory.
Before long, the banquet concluded, and the guests filed out, departing one by one.
Just as Olivia stepped out, lifting the hem of her dress, she saw Esme approaching her with an invitation: "Miss Stella, I have two tickets for the Balman Theater. Would you be willing to join me for a play?
"These two tickets expire today, and I currently have no other companions to share them with. Would you like to come and see it with me?"
Olivia was a bit surprised. She hadn't expected Esme to extend an invitation so quickly.
Was it because her performance earlier had been so effective that Esme felt her potential for joining the Rose Legion was much higher than the others, leading her to accelerate her move?
The more Olivia thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
However...
Her face showed a hint of hesitation. "I have just returned to Kaliron and still have some matters to attend to. It might not be very convenient for me to see this play."
She wasn't actually intending to refuse; she simply sensed that Esme was determined to invite her and wouldn't give up after a single simple rejection.
This was something she judged from the other woman's micro-expressions.
Back when she was frequently within the magic mirror's range of influence, she often questioned it to understand the inner thoughts of those she spoke with.
Over time, she had learned how to judge a person's inner thoughts based on their expressions.
While it wasn't as precise as the magic mirror's prompts, it was rarely wrong in most situations.
Esme said with a smile, "Unless you are exceptionally busy, my suggestion is not to miss this play. It tells a story about human nature, expressing that everyone should possess their own inherent value."
Olivia pretended her eyes had lit up, then showed a look of uncertainty. "That sounds quite interesting. Could you tell me more about the general plot?"
Seeing that the young lady before her had taken the bait, Esme smiled.
She immediately began to recount the plot of the play, watching as Olivia's interest grew increasingly profound.
'You truly are someone naturally suited to our organization's philosophy. Miss Stella, oh Miss Stella, I believe we will become companions very soon.'
Esme felt she had Olivia wrapped exactly around her finger, her eyes filled with the confidence of one who holds all the cards.
She had no idea that, in reality, it was Olivia who had her completely under control.
In the ensuing conversation, Olivia feigned being captivated by the story and ultimately accepted Esme's invitation exactly as expected.
She boarded Esme's carriage and headed to the theater with her.
What followed was naturally an event that left both parties satisfied.
...................
By the time they left the theater, the sky had already darkened.
Olivia took Esme's carriage back to the Elijah Chamber of Commerce, where she stepped down and bid her farewell.
"Miss Stella, I feel that our souls resonate deeply. I look forward to our next meeting."
"As do I."
After their goodbyes, Olivia returned to the Elijah Chamber of Commerce.
The employees, seeing their young mistress return, flocked to her, escorting her deep into the building.
Not everyone in the merchant group belonged to the church; some truly believed that the Elijah Chamber of Commerce was just a normal business and that Olivia was indeed their young mistress, Stella.
However, even those who were members of the church took their cues from Olivia.
For this operation, Olivia was the primary lead, and everyone had to follow her arrangements.
Even though she was currently only a sensate, her possession of forbidden artifacts like King's Domain and Elemental Praise meant her strength far exceeded what her class rank suggested. Thus, there was no need to send higher-ranking individuals to accompany her.
Most transcenders probably couldn't even defeat her...
Olivia didn't ask for too many people, only requiring enough to ensure her identity wasn't exposed. She had brought along four subordinates.
One pilgrim and three initiates.
The pilgrim was a full nun named Madeline West, a girl with somewhat round cheeks who loved to smile and found it easy to get along with others.
Seeing Olivia return, she asked curiously, "Sister Olivia, how did it go?"
"It went smoothly, of course," Olivia smiled. "Though wearing such a lavish dress all day still feels a bit awkward."
"It went smoothly, of course," Olivia smiled. "Though wearing such a lavish dress all day still feels a bit awkward."
Madeline said beamingly, "I think this dress suits you perfectly. You have no idea how beautiful you are; I thought an angel had descended upon Kaliron."
"You certainly have a way with words." Olivia shook her head with a laugh, then added, "Madeline, prepare some clothing suitable for an outing tomorrow."
"An outing? No problem." Madeline nodded, then asked curiously, "But Sister Olivia, how do you know an outing will be necessary tomorrow?"
She knew Olivia's general objective, but the initiative shouldn't be in their hands; it should be with the Rose Legion.
"Your curiosity is quite robust... I simply guessed," Olivia laughed.
Yes, it was all a guess.
Just as she could guess someone's inner thoughts through their facial expressions, she could also guess their general goals.
Of course, whether it was accurate remained to be seen, but being prepared was never a mistake.
She glanced at Madeline.
Although this full nun was overly curious, she was a devout clergy member. Olivia had confirmed this through the magic mirror before the mission, which was why she had brought her along.
Once Madeline left, Olivia changed out of her heavy dress in her room at the merchant group and then used King's Domain to teleport directly back to her home on Annus Street in the South District.
As soon as she returned, Olivia's eyes narrowed as she keenly sensed something was wrong.
There was a simple warning ritual in her home, one she had left behind while practicing ritual layouts. Right now, that ritual was telling her that someone had been inside.
Who was it?
Who would sneak into her home while she was away?
Olivia's expression tightened as she directly asked the magic mirror for the answer.
Rate on N.U.
