In the Name of Empress-Chapter 373 - 258: Tonight, the Blue Moon Is Like Water (Part 2)
Alina clenched her fists, dominated by anger.
Moments later, her blood-stained fist slowly relaxed.
When she gets angry, she only stays angry for a while.
Power is the true capital of speech.
She doesn’t even have the qualification to be Sofia’s opponent.
But once the wheels of fate start turning, those caught within it gradually lose themselves, and the original flow of the river of destiny changes.
Possibly identical or completely different.
Sofia is not the incarnation of a goddess; she does not decide!
Alina’s eyes shone dazzlingly, like the stars.
She suddenly stood, her consciousness seeming to roam outside her body, alone gazing at the starry sky.
She seemed to have an insight.
She vaguely touched upon a thread of Astrology’s true essence.
Not deduction, not observation, but immersion in the long river of destiny, bathing in the stellar power of fate, constantly strengthening oneself.
When Astrology is cultivated to its peak, it’s the Great Prophecy Skill.
Alina’s gaze fell on Roland and Sif, she smiled slightly and quietly left.
The banquet continued, but her part had ended.
There are still many things to do next; she will not be lost, she will look up at the starry sky and comprehend her path from the vast universe.
Tonight is the last night for the [Faceless] Alina, as dawn awakens the earth, she will return to the journey of seeking destiny and continue advancing on the path of a Divination Master.
With the end of revenge, she will embrace a new world.
Looking up at the starry sky, humans are so small. Whether Sylph or Sofia, under the vast starry sky, they are just ants.
Open its arms, embrace not only the stars, but the whole universe.
Alina left early, not even waiting for the dance to end or saying goodbye to Roland and Sif.
She believes they won’t mind such trivial matters.
At this moment, these two only have eyes for each other, even if everyone around them were to leave, they wouldn’t notice.
...
In the dance floor, enjoying the fullness of being held by broad hands around her waist.
Roland’s hand was firm and warm, reassuring.
Before Roland, she doesn’t need to exhaust herself scheming or wrestling; she can completely relax, enjoying the soothing rhythm brought by the magnificent dance, and elegantly step along, absorbed in it.
The noisy world seemed to vanish from her ears.
She could only hear the sound of the dance and Roland’s breath.
Between them, no need for too many words, just a gaze to complete the exchange.
The counterattack in the power struggle to seize control of Xidai wasn’t easy.
Though it didn’t take long, from start to finish they were at a disadvantage; any negligence could lead to downfall.
If Marco wasn’t so extreme, and there were a few more people they could trust, they might not have had any chances.
A superpower like Jin Yuan must be broken from within.
If Marco were replaced by Alina, they wouldn’t fight this battle at all. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎
The climax of the dance arrives, less than a minute from ending; Sif couldn’t help but voice her inner query.
"Roland, do you have any special means to restrain Alina? Like a Master-Servant Contract or Proof of Oath?"
Roland nearly laughed at Sif, his lips involuntarily curved up, "Sorry, I really don’t have that."
"Then how do you control her?" Sif’s expression was normal, but inside she was a bit anxious.
"She is my friend, why control?"
Roland calmly said, "At Alina’s most desperate time, I gave her hope; if she can betray friendship because of that, is there any trust left in the world?"
Sif took a deep breath, adjusted her breathing, her most worrying concern still occurred.
Roland, this guy usually cunning, now so muddled.
She gently hinted, "I never doubt her character, nor the friendship between you."
Sif didn’t notice, when speaking of friendship, her tone inadvertently intensified.
"But her status changed; she is now the Supreme Leader of Jin Yuan Kingdom, she must consider national interests. Your friendship with her may not, but certainly will, be placed behind."
"As you’ve told me, a politician is first a political figure, then a person."
Roland couldn’t help but laugh, Sif had learned to use his words against him.
Indeed, that’s what he said.
Seeing Roland laughing so carefree, Sif’s hand on his shoulder couldn’t help but grip tighter, strong power surging through her palms.
Roland gritted his teeth slightly; of course Sif wouldn’t actually hurt him, but the focused power was like a needle pricking his shoulder.
Sif is very angry.
Risking her life to fight this battle, she certainly doesn’t want to collect chestnuts for Alina from the fire.
She really wanted to ask Roland if he fancied the gentle, affectionate, and pitiful Jin Yuan girl, but she held back.
She certainly doesn’t want to spoil her perfect image in Roland’s heart.
An elegant lady will never put her beloved in a dilemma.
Facing Sif’s unspoken question, Roland softly said, "Sif, Alina knows what we want. As long as she stands on our side against Sofia, that’s enough. Everything else should be handled according to normal diplomatic relations between countries."
"Taking such a huge risk, if it’s only about gaining an additional ally, it’s not worthwhile. If it’s about gaining more assurance against Sofia, then it’s very worthwhile."
Sif’s anger melted like snow under the sun.
Roland spoke very clearly.
He didn’t help Alina seize power, but he disrupted the potential Vladimir-Jin Yuan alliance.
If Marco consolidated his power, he’d likely share land with the Vladimir Empire and contest the ocean with Sussex.
He definitely has such ambition.
Sofia’s strength was undisputed; if Jin Yuan Kingdom stabbed them in the back, how could they continue?
Roland’s actions were ultimately for her.
Sif’s cheeks blushed like frost leaves, vivid like wine in a glass, tender and enchanting.
"S-Sorry, I shouldn’t have been angry, but I am really worried about you..."
Worried I’ll be entranced by the Jin Yuan woman?
Roland teased with a smile, "How could I be angry, you care about me."
If there seemed to be ambiguity with Alina and Sif had no response, he would feel disappointed.
Sif cares about Roland, Roland cares about Sif’s caring.
They actually think about the same thing.
Sif raised her head, her eyes as bright as the stars.
The dance ended, and the Magic Lamp slowly went out, plunging the venue into darkness, yet no one screamed or moved chaotically.
This was a little interlude at the ball, creating a romantic small space for lovers.
Only a minute.
Missing it means losing it.
Many young people were just missing breaking the thin barrier of proximity; what they needed was this little concession.
The resplendent hall was exceptionally quiet in the dark.
Yet amidst the quiet came the sound of restlessness.
Some boldly embraced or even kissed their dance partners, of course limited to lovers.
If the relationship wasn’t in place and someone tried to misbehave in the dark, they would be scorned by everyone, even expelled from the circle.
Xidai is a place where clique culture thrives; being expelled from the circle means social death.
Upper-class elites constantly lack not the opposite sex, but partners who can be soulmates.
So they won’t mess around.
Those who can embrace here are true couples.
Roland’s breathing was somewhat rapid.
The last bit of reason in his brain told him to quickly abandon reason and be decisive.
He followed his heart and leaned down.
Just as he leaned down, he happened to touch a soft cheek.
The touch was quicker than he expected.
Roland and Sif’s hearts trembled simultaneously.
They both clearly recognized the earlier point of contact.
Clearly, he/she thought the same thing.
Unable to see in the dark, Roland’s lips grazing the proactively approached cheek, paused briefly then moved downward along the cheek to find the same fervor.
Pressed tightly together without a gap.
Heartbeat like striking drums, urgent and crisp.
Roland steeled his heart, launching a charge.
He planned to seize this romantic atmosphere, breaking through the teeth’s defenses.
However, he miscalculated.
He applied a little force, and what he touched was not the teeth but rather the similarly cautiously stretched tongue.
They thought exactly the same.
Taking advantage of the dark, breaking through defenses, reaching the blissful shore.
In this moment, some misunderstandings vanished into smoke; there was no longer any barrier between them.
Before closing her eyes, Sif’s peripheral vision cast outside the window.
A crescent Blue Moon quietly hung at the horizon, seemingly smiling.
Tonight, the moonlight was truly beautiful.
