On the other side, Angelica lay on the simple bed, pursing her lips. She understood full well what was taking place over there.
Yet this was the path they had chosen for themselves; in truth, she had already prepared herself for it.
She understood that the reason her mother was so proactive was nothing more than a desire to protect her, seeking to delay her turn as much as possible.
But how long could that really be delayed? In the end, it was something that could not be avoided.
To tell the truth, Angelica wasn't actually resistant to this. With the other party being so good-looking, she wouldn't really be at a loss either.
It was just that it felt a bit awkward and embarrassing, that was all.
In the latter half of the night, Isabella walked over to the simple bed, lifted the blanket, and slid inside.
Awakened by this movement, Angelica instantly opened her eyes, and then she heard her mother's gentle, slightly weary voice:
"Sleep!"
Angelica softly responded, moving her head forward slightly to bury her face into her mother's chest.
Suddenly, Angelica's nose twitched, but in her dazed state, she didn't overthink it.
Soon, she drifted off to sleep once more. For some reason, she slept exceptionally peacefully tonight.
The next day, after Eros finished washing up under Isabella's service, he left the room to go to the dining room for breakfast.
Isabella followed closely behind Eros with her hands folded over her lower abdomen. As for Angelica, she was currently in the room tidying the bed and cleaning up.
Tilting his head to glance at Isabella's tightly stretched bosom, Eros said with a hint of apology in his tone:
"None of the maid uniforms in the estate come in a size as large as yours, but don't worry—I've already arranged for someone to tailor one for you. It won't take long."
Isabella gave a soft nod: "It's fine, Your Highness! I can manage."
Seeing Isabella enter her role so smoothly, the corners of Eros's mouth curled slightly upward.
Arriving at the dining room, Estelle, who was already sitting inside waiting, caught sight of the maid following behind Eros in an instant.
A trace of surprise appeared in Estelle's beautiful eyes, while Undine on the side chuckled:
"Mom, don't you think Evelyn looks remarkably like Empress Isabella?"
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Although it was an unfamiliar name, combined with the subsequent words, Estelle easily understood that the Evelyn her daughter spoke of was the maid following behind Eros.
Estelle nodded, agreeing with her daughter's observation:
"She indeed looks very much like Empress Isabella."
Saying this, Estelle's gaze drifted toward the copy of the Intil Morning Post placed on the side, where a certain news article prominently stood out:
"Yesterday at 2:00 PM, Empress Isabella Received Grand Duchess Catherine at the Triumph Palace!"
Beneath this news article was a colored illustration depicting Empress Isabella standing alongside a gorgeously dressed noblewoman for a photograph.
After taking in the image, Estelle shifted her vision back to Evelyn's face.
Even she had to admit that Eros's maid truly bore a striking resemblance to that Empress.
Eros sat down at the dining table, while Isabella stood respectfully by his side, beginning to assist him in arranging the utensils and napkin.
Perhaps because an outsider was present, neither Estelle nor Undine spoke much during this breakfast.
After finishing breakfast, Eros leaned in beside Estelle, looking over today's Intil Morning Post alongside her.
With just a single glance, Eros caught sight of that report regarding Isabella receiving the Grand Duchess.
This left him somewhat surprised. Isabella receiving Catherine yesterday afternoon?
But had Isabella not already been stolen out by him yesterday in the early morning?
Then who was this Isabella in the newspaper?
With a slight thought, Eros roughly understood what was going on.
Most likely, the Imperial Royal Family had concealed the news of Isabella's disappearance. As for why they concealed it, did one even need to think about it?
An Empress disappearing suddenly without warning would surely draw a thorough investigation from the Church. But would the Royal Family be willing to let the Church investigate inside the imperial palace?
Quite clearly, they were unwilling. Thus, they could only swallow their frustration and suppress the news, having someone else pose as Empress Isabella to create the facade that nothing had happened at all.
This discovery caused the corners of Eros's mouth to curl up slightly.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Natalia stood in the hallway waiting with a somewhat tense expression, her heart filled with unease and apprehension. She didn't understand why a prominent figure would suddenly want to see her.
Just yesterday, after she turned in the Full Moon Bracelet, her superior suddenly conveyed a message to her.
They said a prominent figure wanted to see her and told her to prepare herself to face an Exalted One tomorrow morning.
Upon hearing this news, Natalia was truly startled. She couldn't understand how someone like her could attract the attention of such an entity.
Had she received an audience from such an entity in the past, she would have felt immensely honored, for an Exalted One was an existence closest to the Goddess, an existence representing the Goddess's will.
Being received by an Exalted One was, to a certain degree, equivalent to being received by the Goddess Herself.
For a believer, what could be more honorable than receiving the personal gaze of the deity they worshipped?
Without a doubt, nothing!
Yet the present Natalia was different. Ever since discovering that Ayesha was the vessel for the Goddess's descent, her faith in that great Goddess had begun to waver.
Although she didn't want to admit it, those blasphemous words from that detestable Night remnant had indeed successfully shaken her faith.
Therefore, she was somewhat afraid—afraid that upon seeing that Exalted One, the other party would discern her shaken faith at a single glance.
She had also thought about fleeing, but in the face of such an existence, could she truly flee?
Thus, she could only bite the bullet and come, hoping only that the other party wouldn't place that much importance on her.
Suddenly, a door at the end of the hallway opened, and out stepped a noblewoman wearing a long dress with intricate, elaborate patterns.
With an elegant and serene posture, the noblewoman walked over to Natalia, speaking with a soft, warm smile in her tone:
"Go on in. The High Priest wants to see you!"
Natalia took a deep breath, suppressing the uneasy emotions in her heart, and stepped into the room.