Making off with Phoebe's white stockings

The inner sanctuary was silent for a full three seconds.

Phoebe's face turned red at a visible speed.

She instinctively raised her hand to cover the area of her thigh where the Tacet Mark, her voice trembling slightly. "This... how could this be? How could Imperator send down such a divine decree..."

"Miss Phoebe, are you questioning Imperator's will?" Kexi's expression was as serious as a bishop preaching a sermon.

"I didn't! I just..." Phoebe shook her head frantically, her long golden hair swaying back and forth, "I just felt that this oracle was really... really a bit..."

"Some what?"

"It's not quite right..." Phoebe's voice trailed off, her face flushed crimson.

Kexi sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly, her tone carrying just the right amount of disappointment. "So be it. Maybe I'm not worthy of power. Maybe those I want to protect are destined to die before my eyes because I'm too weak. It's alright, Miss Phoebe, I don't blame you, I only blame myself."

He stood up, gave Phoebe a slight bow, and turned to walk towards the door.

The steps were slow, each one heavy.

"Etc."

Kexi's lips curled up slightly at an angle that Phoebe couldn't see, then quickly flattened.

He turned his head, his face showing just the right amount of confusion. "What's wrong?"

Phoebe bit her lower lip, her hands gripping the holy emblem so tightly her knuckles turned white. She lowered her head, her eyelashes trembling slightly, as if engaged in a fierce internal struggle.

"You... you're telling the truth? Is it really an oracle from Imperator?"

"I swear on my honor in the Montelli Family." Kexi placed her hand on her chest, her expression solemn as if she were about to die.

In any case, his reputation with the Montelli Family was almost ruined after what he did.

Phoebe took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind.

"Well... okay then. But, you can only kiss on my clothes."

Kexi almost lost her composure.

He was prepared to be slapped out, but Phoebe actually agreed.

"They're so easy to fool!" He even felt a pang of guilt, but quickly nipped it in the bud.

Phoebe closed her eyes, turned her head slightly, and moved her hand away to make room for the area above her thigh where the Tacet Mark had been.

Her eyelashes trembled, and her knuckles, gripping the holy emblem, were gleaming white.

Kexi stepped forward, bent down, and gently pressed his lips to the spot on her Tacet Mark covered by white silk.

[bite--]

The system notification tone stopped after playing only one syllable.

[Prompt: Obstacle detected. Please kiss the Tacet Mark directly; kissing through clothing is ineffective.]

Kexi: "..."

Your mother.

Kexi straightened up, her expression returning to its solemn and devout state.

"Miss Phoebe."

Phoebe cautiously opened her eyes. "Is it... all done?"

"Not yet." Kexi shook her head. "Imperator told me that power can't be transmitted through a layer of fabric. It has to be in direct contact with the Tacet Mark."

Phoebe's face instantly turned bright red, and even her neck turned pink.

"But... but my Tacet Mark there..." She couldn't finish her sentence, instinctively wrapping her arms around herself.

"I know this request is indeed too much," Kexi's voice became very soft, as if afraid of startling a frightened fawn, "But Miss Phoebe, those people I want to protect, they are really important to me. If I don't gain power soon, next time I might not even have the right to stand in front of them and take a hit. Please, help me."

His voice trembled slightly when he said the last two words.

This isn't acting.

Phoebe stared into his eyes for a long time.

Those eyes seemed to see right through people, yet they also seemed so innocent and unguarded.

"... Okay. But turn around first."

Without saying a word, Kexi turned around and faced the wall.

There was a rustling sound behind her, very faint, but clearly audible in the quiet inner chamber. It was the sound of fabric rubbing together, and Phoebe's suppressed, rapid breathing.

"Don't look back," Phoebe's voice trembled.

I won't look back.

The rustling sound lasted for a few seconds, followed by Phoebe taking a deep breath.

"Okay... you, you can turn around now."

Kexi turned around.

Phoebe clutched the white stockings she had taken off tightly in one hand, while awkwardly pressing down on the hem of her skirt with the other.

Her face was flushed red, and she stared at the ground, completely unable to look at Kexi.

"Hurry, hurry up," she forced out, biting her lip.

Kexi stepped forward and bent down.

[Ding, Resonance Synchronization -- Phoebe.]

[Task 2 Progress Update: 5/12.]

Kexi straightened up, then immediately covered her face and turned away.

"That... it's over, you can leave now." She had her back to him, her voice muffled, and the tips of her ears were so red they looked like they were about to bleed.

Kexi took an envelope out of her pocket and handed it over.

"Miss Phoebe."

"Um?"

"This is for you."

Phoebe blushed and turned around, her gaze falling on the envelope.

Another letter addressed to me?

Kexi took a step back and smiled. "Go back and look at it later. Let me say a few words first."

He cleared his throat, his voice suddenly becoming serious, and his eyes, which usually held a hint of playfulness, were now filled with sincerity.

"Phoebe, you are the purest light in the church. Every time I see you, I feel that the world isn't so bad after all. You asked me why I came to church again—because I want to share my faith with you in this sacred place."

Phoebe was stunned, and her face flushed again. She seemed to understand what "belief in religion" meant; it wasn't just simple religious belief.

"Okay, that's all I wanted to say." Kexi winked at her. "See you next time."

He walked toward the door, and as he passed Phoebe, he casually grabbed her discarded white stockings and stuffed them into his pocket with an extremely natural motion.

Phoebe's eyes widened: "You—"

"Keep this as a souvenir." Kexi waved without turning her head.

"Give it back to me!" Phoebe took two steps after her, but Kexi had already opened the door to the inner hall and dashed out.

Inside the outer hall, Selina was waiting.

Two clergymen stood guard at the entrance to the inner sanctuary, one on each side, their expressions like those of guarding a ticking time bomb.

Seeing Kexi burst out of the door, the two of them widened their eyes again. Just as they were about to scold her, they heard Phoebe's embarrassed and anxious voice coming from inside the inner hall.

"Young Master Kexi! Give me back my stockings!"

The two clergymen turned to look at Kexi, their expressions shifting from anger to shock, and then from shock to distorted contortion.

Kexi straightened his collar without changing his expression, nodded slightly to the two of them, and looked solemn and unapproachable.

"What is bestowed by divine decree cannot be reclaimed. This is the rule."

After saying that, he strode towards the church door.

Selina followed behind silently, her expression numb, clearly her psychological defenses completely shattered by today's series of events.

Her gaze unconsciously fell on the white stockings that peeked out of the pocket as Kexi walked, her eyes twitched, she took a deep breath, and looked up at the sky.

I'm just so tired.