My Family in the Novel?

Chapter 142: First Act 13: Night Punishments

"Ha….!"

Elena's sigh echoed in the quietness of her room as she replayed the events that unfolded at the cafeteria.

A mischievous smile formed on her lips as she recollected the subtle annoyance and visible distress on Ian's face when she teased him about their relationship in front of Tristan and the others.

"Fufu, looks like even Ian gets annoyed sometimes. It was worth teasing him"

Elena mumbled to herself, finding a peculiar satisfaction in having stirred up a reaction from the usually composed Ian.

However, her amusement was dampened as she shifted her gaze to her thigh, still bearing a faint red mark from Adrian's retaliatory pinch in response to her teasing.

Elena couldn't help but admit to herself that she might have gone a bit too far with her bold and open banter.

Adrian's quick and effective comeback served as a reminder that even she, the master of teasing, wasn't invincible against well-timed retaliation.

"But... couldn't he have held back a bit?"

Elena pondered; her playful demeanor momentarily replaced by a thoughtful expression

Elena, with a deep understanding of Adrian's affections, was well aware of the connections he shared with Aria and Louise.

She recognized the profound place each of them held in Adrian's heart.

Initially, there might have been a tinge of reluctance on Elena's part when she first considered the idea of sharing Adrian, but she soon realized that Adrian was a man capable of bringing happiness to each of them individually.

Adrian's love for Elena was something she cherished, and she appreciated the care he extended to the other girls.

She understood the importance of his multiple relationships, recognizing that his seemingly endless stamina in bed necessitated companionship from others.

Elena accepted this aspect of their life together, knowing it was a vital part of Adrian's nature.

However, when Adrian introduced yet another girl to their group, Elena couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy and frustration.

Despite her rational understanding, emotions still stirred within her.

This prompted her to playfully tease the others about their relationships, dropping hints that were open enough to be noticed.

Though nothing concrete had been revealed, the mere suggestion of a connection between Adrian and the new girl added an element of tension.

Elena's actions served a dual purpose. On one hand, it was a playful tease to the other girls, and on the other, it was a subtle warning to Euphemia.

Elena wanted to make it clear, without explicitly saying it, that she wasn't willing to let anyone else get too close to Adrian.

The secrecy of their relationship was a delicate matter, one that could have severe consequences if exposed to the public eye.

Only time would reveal how Euphemia interpreted Elena's signals and whether she understood the unspoken message.

"3 is more than enough"

Elena stood before the mirror; her gaze fixed upon her reflection as she assessed herself.

Running her fingers gently over her cheek, down to her neck, and then to her ample breasts, she took stock of her physical attributes.

Her curves were perfection, and her bosom, endowed with ample fullness, could captivate the attention of any man.

In the descriptions of the goddess, she found solace and pride, considering herself the embodiment of beauty.

As the saintess, Elena held a unique position—a figure revered as the incarnation of the goddess by people across the continent.

To them, she was a walking goddess, a living representation of divine grace.

The admiration and reverence bestowed upon her were evident in the way she carried herself.

Elena was well aware of the effect her presence had on those around her, and she embraced the role of the saintess with both literal and figurative grace.

However, beneath this outward display of confidence and poise, Elena harbored a sense of possessiveness when it came to her relationship with Adrian.

While she could understand and accept the idea of Adrian marrying two more women in his lifetime, any addition beyond that number seemed excessive in her opinion.

Aria and Louise were already the two women in her mind whom she considered suitable for sharing their lives with Adrian.

Any notion of expanding this circle further was met with strong resistance from Elena, as she believed that such a limit was essential to maintain the sanctity of their unique bond.

Satisfied with her appearance, Elena nodded in approval and rose from her chair.

She gracefully moved to her cabinet to retrieve her cardigan, fully aware that strolling outside the dorms in her overly seductive nightgown wouldn't be appropriate.

Elena recognized the importance of maintaining a certain level of modesty, especially considering her public image.

"Adrian likes stuff like this right?"

As she slipped into her cardigan, Elena cast one last gaze upon herself in the full-body mirror. Despite being hailed as the purest woman on the continent, she couldn't help but acknowledge the paradox of her existence. Her very aura seemed to exude an air of allure and seduction, a trait that stood in stark contrast to the image she portrayed during religious ceremonies and her time in the church. Elena felt a twinge of gratitude for the baggy priestess robes she often wore, as they provided a shield against the unintentional allure she carried.

'I wonder how Aria will react fufu'

"Beca" she called out beyond her door.

Beca already understood why her saintess called her.

"Haah… Are you visiting there again?" Beca, her personal escort and Templar knight, responded with a heavy sigh audible beyond the door. She knew all too well the stubborn nature of her dear saintess.

"Yes, hehe," Elena replied happily.

"Just do as you please, but please do return on time. I might really get fired at this rate," Beca warned.

"Fufu, don't worry, Beca. Even if the bishop kicks you out, I'll reinstate you to be my Knight Templar."

"Do you even have the money to pay me, Saintess?"

"Of course," said Elena proudly.

Beca sighed upon hearing the saintess's answer.

She was well aware of Elena's penurious reality.

Beca wondered when Elena would learn that all her funds came from the Pope and the bishop herself.

Elena didn't even have her own bank account, so, in reality, the saintess lacked any actual cash or assets.

'Please dear goddess, don't let the bishop randomly visit during this time'

....

As Elena did some final touches on her attire and face, preparing to head out, she suddenly found herself unable to move.

It felt as if something was tightly grasping her from behind.

"W-who?"

"Well, aren't you pretty tonight, Elena?"

Recognizing the voice, Elena was surprised.

"I-Ian?"

"How did you get here?"

Slowly, dark mist dissipated, revealing a cloaked man hugging Elena from behind.

"Looks like you prepared well for your punishment," said Adrian as he hugged Elena tighter, kissing her neck.

"Ah!"

"I-Ian, wait! Why are you here? And what do you mean by punishment?"

"Well, you've been a pretty bad girl this morning, and bad girls need punishment, right?"

"Huh....???"

Elena gulped in both confusion and excitement as Adrian's hands slowly went for her ample breasts.

"Saintess, is something wrong?" Beca called out from beyond the door.

"I-it's nothing, Beca!"

"Ahmn!" a pinched sound escaped her mouth as slight moans accompanied the surprising turn of events.

…..

Inside Adrian's room.

As Louise continued helping Analise with the preparations in the room, Aria couldn't shake off the unease that lingered in her mind.

Louise had noticed her troubled expression, and even though Aria tried to dismiss it, she couldn't deny the nagging feeling that something was amiss.

"Hmm, did something happen, Aria?"

Louise inquired, her gaze fixed on the anxious Aria in the corner.

Despite Aria's attempt to appear normal by adding runes and magic circles to her wand, in prapration for the upcoming dungeon exams.

Louise could easily discern that there was more to the situation.

"I-it's nothing" Aria replied hesitantly, still engrossed in her task of adding runes to her wand.

"Really?" Louise pressed further, sensing that there was an underlying issue.

"Yes"

With that, Louise decided not to pry further and returned to helping Analise with the room preparations.

However, Aria couldn't shake off the feeling that something unsettling or undesirable was happening behind her back.

"Louise," Aria called out once again.

"Nnn? What is it?" Louise responded.

"Don't you think Adrian is taking longer than expected?" Aria asked, a hint of anxiety in her voice.

"I guess, now that you've said it, that's true. Usually, Alchemy class ends around 10 in the morning or 12 in the afternoon as the extra time during the days is meant for them to experiment or create potions."

Louise, who spent months being together with Adrian during their lunch hours, was aware of their similar class schedules.

"I'm sure the young master has his reasons" chimed in Analise, who had finished cooking the final dish.

"It smells good," commented Louise before returning to the topic Aria had brought up. "Aria, you should also stop playing with your wand now. My spirits are telling me that any more Ignaz runes might make it explode."

"Is that so?" said Aria as she stopped what she was doing.

Although she was still curious about where Adrian was, she chose to ignore the nagging feeling she had, assuming he would probably be back soon.

…..

That was what they thought until it was already late at night.

The moment Adrian opened the door to his dorm room, he was greeted by the sight of three, no, four women who were staring at him with daggers in their eyes.

The amount of chill he felt looking at them made him want to close the door again.

"Where were you?" asked Aria. It was just one question, but Adrian felt like he would die if he answered in any wrong way.

"Well-...."

Even Louise and Analise were looking at him in the same way.

Meanwhile, there was a floating lady just behind Aria, whose green eyes seemed to indicate that she wanted to tear him apart.

'Meralda?'

Meralda was looking at him while holding a seemingly black chain in her hands.

Adrian was both confused and aware of what was going on, but the only thing on his mind right now was

'Shit…!'

….

Meanwhile, a lady with pure satisfaction and bliss written on her face was smiling while sleeping on her bed.