Silence spread.
Carlotta stared fixedly at the photo on the screen, setting aside those two nauseating lumps of flesh, the man lying on that woman's lap was unquestionably Ray.
'No, what was going on?
Why was Ray with that Cantarella woman again?
Didn't she know that Ray was her man!?'
Admittedly...
Ray had mentioned before that he might need to see Cantarella again about Cartethyia.
At the time, no matter how unwilling or dissatisfied Carlotta had been, for the sake of the greater good, she had swallowed her grievances and ground her teeth.
But now
Carlotta felt like a fool.
Her intention had been for Ragunna's sake, but this woman was using that as an excuse to openly sleep with her man, and was even provoking her!
Even someone as elegant as her was finding it hard to control her emotions right now.
As for Phrolova?
She didn't matter anymore.
At least, not for now.
The one who currently made her gnash her teeth with hatred was that despicable, cunning deep-sea jellyfish!
And Phrolova?
The young woman narrowed her eyes slightly, a mocking smile curving her lips.
She knew that bastard's nature better than anyone.
His side had never lacked female companions.
Yet even so, the frustration in her heart right now was probably only slightly less than Carlotta's. It was like two boats tossed in a storm, with Carlotta's taking the harder hit.
'Tch, why am I feeling a bit upset?
I'd already given up on that guy, hadn't I?
So why...'
Phrolova abruptly turned her head away, as if unwilling to let those tumultuous thoughts occupy her mind any longer, nor to face this vexing scene before her.
She didn't choose to continue entangling with Carlotta. Instead, she silently turned and quietly went back to the living room, settling onto the sofa.
Her gaze, empty and silent, looked out the window into the far distance, perhaps hoping to find an answer there that could bring her peace.
Carlotta, too, set Phrolova aside for the moment and began typing back at Cantarella.
[What are you doing? Why is Cat's Eye with you?]
[I warn you, wake Cat's Eye up right now. Don't touch him with your filthy body!]
[Or else, I won't let you off!]
...
...
Porto-Veno Castle.
Cantarella hummed a soft, unfamiliar tune, her fingertips brushing like feathers over the peaceful, sleeping face of the young man on her lap. His breathing was steady and long, as if he had let down all his defenses.
Every now and then, a faint, gentle smile would involuntarily bloom on her lips, a smile that held a hint of indescribable tenderness and playfulness.
Cantarella murmured softly, her voice as light as a dream.
"Such a kind person."
"None of this trouble in Ragunna should have anything to do with you."
"I never expected you'd care so much..."
The terminal at the corner of the desk vibrated silently, its screen lighting up with Carlotta's clearly angry messages.
Cantarella lazily glanced over the words, a flicker of slyness in her eyes, and her smile took on a playful, mischievous quality, like that of a child who had just gotten away with a prank.
"The young lady of the Montelli family seems truly angry."
"Unfortunately, they're just empty threats."
She tilted her head slightly, her hair falling over her shoulder, and suddenly a rather amusing thought came to her.
"In that case..."
Cantarella lightly licked the corner of her mouth, a gleam of cunning in her eyes.
She leaned down slightly, her movements intimate and ambiguous, and gently kissed the young man's cheek, leaving a mark there that belonged only to her.
At the same time, she raised her terminal, precisely capturing this ambiguous moment.
In the photo, her lips happened to be pressed against his face, her lashes lowered.
"Let's see if you, a standard Montelli, can still maintain your elegance in a situation like this."
...
...
Carlotta's fingertips felt slightly cold. The intimate photo on the screen stung her eyes.
Cantarella's accompanying words only added fuel to the fire in her heart.
[Oh my, angry?]
[Too bad. He seems to really enjoy being with me.]
[Compared to the inexperience of a young girl, perhaps Ray prefers the charm of a mature woman?]
"...That despicable woman."
An impulse surged within her, nearly making her rush straight to the Fisalia family's estate, confront Cantarella face to face, and bring back that defenselessly sleeping man but she knew she couldn't.
For the sake of her family, and for Ragunna, she had to endure.
But that didn't mean she would silently accept all of this.
[I'm warning you! Stay away from him!]
She typed the line with force, yet she knew full well how ineffectual a warning through a screen was.
Cantarella's reply came quickly, carrying an air of effortless ease.
[Oh dear, but I've already touched him.]
[Ray's body... mm, even firmer than I imagined.]
[Since you can't handle him alone, wouldn't it be better to let me help share the burden?]
Though there was no photo this time, those suggestive words were enough to paint an anxiety-inducing picture in the young woman's mind.
Carlotta bit her lower lip, the tips of her ears burning uncontrollably.
[Answer the phone. Now!]
[I'll say it again. Cat's Eye belongs to me. He belongs to the Montelli family!]
[Are you trying to start a war between our families!?]
After a moment of silence, the terminal lit up again. Cantarella's unhurried reply appeared.
[My, such harsh words. As if there was ever any real peace between our families.]
[Besides, you can say that when you actually become the head of the Montelli family.]
[And, Miss Carlotta, you should know that love can sometimes be a form of warfare.]
[Only in this round, it seems I have the upper hand.]
[Alright, let's leave it at that.]
[After all, our precious time together shouldn't be wasted on pointless arguments.]
Carlotta's face turned pale with anger, but even so, there was nothing she could do about it now.
And Phrolova?
She still sat there, turning a blind eye to all of this.
Or perhaps...
she just didn't want to see it.
...
...
"Strange, why do I suddenly feel a chill down my back... is it my imagination?"
At the same moment, deep within the sealed Sonora.
Ray had once again sensed the frequency fluctuations emanating from the stone tablet. Leveraging this resonance, he had successfully broken through Leviathan's seal and returned to the Avinoleum Theological Seminary.
It seemed his speculation was correct, whether it was Phoebe before or Cantarella this time, being in contact with someone deeply connected to the Sentinel could significantly improve the success rate of resonating with the tablet.
But for some reason... on this return to the seminary, he felt an indescribable unease lingering in his heart.
It wasn't that anything was amiss in the surroundings.
It was just... an inexplicable chill seeping into his heart like tiny ice crystals.
"Ray."
Just as he was lost in thought, a sweet voice came from behind him.
He turned and saw the golden-haired young woman standing there.
Sunlight gave her a soft, radiant halo, and her eyes reflected fragments of gold, capturing the unique spirit of a maiden.
"Cartethyia."