Bad woman, am I pretending to be bad?

With a mocking laugh, Charlotte walked to the fireplace, picked up a thin match, and gently struck it to light it.

The bright flames danced, the afterglow reflecting on her face, making her features appear even more hazy and beautiful. She did not bend down; she simply released her fingertips, letting the flames fall into the pile of coals, transforming into a pool of passionate flames.

"If it is indeed as you hope, why didn't she meet with you even once afterward to exchange greetings? Perhaps you don't even occupy a small place in her heart, so even if she got away, she had no intention of caring about the feelings of a little sparrow."

"Perhaps it has nothing to do with the situation, but rather that she simply doesn't want to see you."

This is blatant bullying, and Charlotte herself is the mastermind.

Winnie froze.

Her pale pink lips were slightly parted, as if inviting a kiss, but the words she wanted to say and the emotions she was holding back seemed to be stuck in her throat, preventing her from making a sound.

Charlotte felt ashamed as she watched the little sparrow's behavior.

perhaps.

After a long while, Winnie lowered her face, twisting the hem of her skirt with both hands, like a girl admitting to doing something wrong, or a deer resigned to its fate.

"Even so, I will repay this debt of gratitude, even if it's just wishful thinking, even if Watson doesn't care at all..."

Her voice was somewhat hesitant, as if she were about to cry.

Well, no matter what, this is a bit too much. At least the little sparrow lingered on Watson's branch, and the girl she cared about would always hold a place in her heart.

Charlotte picked up the black tea that had gone cold a while from the coffee table, took a small sip, and put it back on the table, letting the ripples spread across the surface.

“Poor girl, the culture of the Kingdom of Plantagenet is open and romantic. Watson has told me many wonderful stories from her travels. You are just another one of the many things she casually recorded, ordinary and common.”

"People from there always love to use poetic language to evoke emotions, regardless of whether it will touch the hearts of others. She was not as kind and selfless as you might imagine. She gave her life willingly to fight for fairness and the interests of the people. She wrote letters to prepare for her departure, as if the story was all expected."

A blonde beauty holds a porcelain cup upside down, but the water inside doesn't flow; instead, it remains still and stagnant within the vessel.

Do you think she foresaw her fate? Where do you think her confidence came from?

The little peacock has connections from the past and a firm resolve, while the little parrot has already embarked on its beloved path. Only the little sparrow was born too ordinary; without guidance, she might never come into contact with the other side of the world or understand the extraordinary existence.

Charlotte didn't want that to happen. Without the bird's companionship, she would inevitably feel lonely. If she could guide the extraordinary path and bind the little sparrow's wings in this way, so that the sparrow could also help her and stop her from wallowing in feelings of inferiority, she could also experience the joy of raising a bird herself and relieve the boredom of having no one to rely on.

More importantly, in this uneven land, in this backward era, she couldn't forever watch over her birds to ensure their safety, especially Winnie, who possessed beauty but lacked strength. To be honest, she did care about the person in front of her, and some—

A small worry.

Since it was a pet she used to amuse and comfort herself, how could she let others have it? So, she used the most direct facts to prove to Winnie the existence of extraordinary power.

Falling is not permitted here.

The potential energy of gravity dissipated briefly under the influence of the law, and the brown-haired girl stared blankly at the upside-down porcelain cup, her pupils slightly contracting, her fingertips unconsciously gripping the folds of her skirt.

The tea in the porcelain cup defied logic, remaining still at the bottom of the inverted cup, the floating tea stems even visible, pinned to the amber surface by an unseen force. The crackling of the fireplace suddenly seemed distant; she heard her own breathing flowing past her ears, like a pebble falling into a deep well, until—

Hey.

Charlotte's knuckles tapped on the rim of the porcelain cup, the crisp sound startling the dazed fledgling.

"This is the other side of the world, a realm that ordinary people cannot reach."

She turned the glass towards Winnie, and a drop of water defied gravity to climb up the glass, leaving a long, narrow wet streak.

"The abilities of extraordinary individuals can reshape the rules, no less than changing cognition, manipulating nature, and even creating miracles, to achieve—resurrection."

"Back to life..."

Winnie murmured repeatedly, her voice almost inaudible, yet filled with an indescribable longing.

Charlotte raised her lips in a slight smile, a hint of mischief flashing in her eyes. She knew she had successfully piqued the little sparrow's curiosity.

Setting down the porcelain cup, the tea inside immediately returned to normal, as if everything that had just happened was merely a fleeting illusion.

As she was reading, the little sparrow suddenly grabbed Charlotte's wrist, the slender knuckles digging painfully into her palm. Tears seemed to be rolling down her cheeks, leaving dark spots on her linen scarf.

"That Watson!"

Her lips trembled, and when the tea stalks in the cup stirred again, Winnie realized her transgression. As she pulled her hand back as if electrocuted, Charlotte grabbed her slender wrist.

“Yes, Watson, she did give her life for those suffering people, but her extraordinary abilities can also bring them back.” Leaning down close, the arbitrator’s breath brushed against the girl’s trembling earlobe, bringing her a fleeting warmth.

With a single sentence, Watson demonstrated her selfless dedication. No matter how playful she was, she couldn't ruin the image she had cultivated. After all, this was the foundation for stirring emotions and providing amusement; she wanted the birds to be heartbroken and distressed, not for herself to be embarrassed.

"Perhaps it was because of her strong will and the fact that she still had someone she cared about in her heart that the spirituality that should have dissipated was not completely lost, allowing me to be lucky enough to preserve it."

Charlotte lowered her eyes and sighed softly again, subtly suggesting the possibility of reconciliation.

"As her pen pal, I am certainly reluctant to part with such a girl with whom I once shared everything, but my limited abilities leave me with nothing but sighs for the time being."

"Then, madam, why are you telling me all this?"

Releasing her fingertips, she gently patted Winnie's slender shoulder, as if comforting a frightened little bird.

"Because of that chance encounter, I saw your confusion and reluctance. So, even if I can't do it myself, I want to give you hope, a possibility. Two people encouraging each other is always more effective than one person walking alone. Winnie, I ask you, do you want to become extraordinary?"

"Even if not for Watson, but for yourself, you can escape mediocrity and pursue what you desire."

Winnie's slender body trembled slightly under Charlotte's palm, like a butterfly caught in a spider's web. The firelight from the fireplace also flowed through the Arbitrator's light-gold hair, casting the shadows of her eyelashes like thorns trapping a fledgling.

“What do I need to give up? Extraordinary power also comes with a price, otherwise, Ms. Ousha, you wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to advance step by step.”

It is a rhetorical question based on reason.

Once the timidity faded from her brows and she stopped focusing on Watson, the brown-haired woman seemed like a completely different person. Just as the detective had expected, her little sparrow had indeed grown significantly after her death.

This change in attitude was so obvious that Charlotte even felt a little jealous of the person she was playing.

Her fingertips traced the pale blue veins on the girl's wrist, pressing crescent-shaped white marks into the skin.

"Becoming extraordinary inherently carries the threat of losing control. They listen to delirious ravings day and night, falling into the abyss under the temptation of the spiritual. Just embarking on this path is enough to pay the price."

“I was one of the lucky ones, as was Watson. However, the kindness hidden beneath her cunning face ultimately led her to her end. She was both fickle and passionate, both capricious and innocent. And the path of the extraordinary should not contain superfluous kindness, so she died.”

Listening to the faint voice, Winnie recalled that short but fulfilling month, the intimate kiss between Watson's lips, the books she opened for her, the peace of mind she brought, and the little things she prepared for her. Winnie silently bit her lip.

The beautiful woman before him said nothing, but she had already laid her choice bare: yes or no, willing or unwilling. Therefore—

"Madam, I want to become an extraordinary one."

Not for Watson, but for herself, she needed to improve her family's lives. She abandoned her past weakness and knowingly stepped into danger, just like back then, knowing she couldn't do it, she still resolutely participated in the assistant's interview.

Moreover, it wasn't just the old detective's account after that case that suggested a connection; even her own intuition hinted at a strange sense of familiarity with the person in her eyes.

"Alright, I will teach you everything I know."

With a slight upturn of her eyes, Charlotte added more firewood to the fireplace, hoping the warm temperature would dispel the lingering chill of the morning.

Perhaps her senses had become dulled recently, preventing her from noticing Winnie's unusual behavior. She felt that her goal had been achieved and that she could now observe Winnie's movements from the sidelines, watching the little pet in the gilded cage with a detached and amused perspective.

As the view gradually widens, the platform, caressed by the sea breeze, reveals a doctor bathed in the rain, accompanying 'Salome,' whom he met for the first time yesterday, as they wait together for the rumbling train to arrive.

"Eliza, how does it feel to stroll through Tingen in the morning?"

Sitting quietly beside the dark-haired girl, Isabella softly inquired about her feelings about the journey, as the promise made last night would be fulfilled today.

"The fog was thick, the sea breeze was fishy, ​​but it was also incredibly real."

Woo!

The hoarse whistle suddenly echoed in every corner of the platform. The first train of the morning arrived, the huge, monster-like steam tank dragging more than twenty carriages, sparking bursts of bright yellow light.

"The tour is over, I'm going back now, Isabella..."

With a slightly deep voice, Eliza wanted to say goodbye and express her gratitude to the gentle doctor, after all, they might never meet again. However, as she turned around, she saw the beautiful woman in front of her gently raise the train ticket, spread her five fingers, and hand it to her again.

"What a coincidence! It seems we'll have some more time to travel together, because my destination is also the City of Ten Thousand Capitals—"

With a gentle smile as radiant as morning flowers, she said:

Florence.

Chapter 120: Love Grows Over Time?

Huffing and puffing...

The train's wheels rolled over the rails, creating a cluster of dazzling sparks before gradually slowing down with a hoarse whirring sound, and slowly came to a stop at the newly built station.

The flimsy metal doors tightened inward as the conductor spoke, and travelers carrying large and small packages stepped out one after another. They were in a hurry, and it was unclear whether they were wanderers longing for the capital or returning home after a long absence.

“Oh, please watch out, Eliza…”

The drizzle from last night has subsided, but a thin layer of water remains in the potholes along the stone road, so be careful.

Black women's leather shoes stepped over the threshold first, followed by a brown-grey leather coat and a checkered knee-length skirt. This simple outfit did not conceal the woman's charm; on the contrary, it made her delicate eyebrows and tall figure even more striking.

Without any heavy luggage, she only brought a handbag and a few essential items, so she was able to put her arm around her friend's arm and set off together into this city that was both familiar and unfamiliar.

This wasn't intimate, but it maintained a suitable social distance; after all, just yesterday they were complete strangers.

"Isa...Bella, may I call you Bella?"

Unlike the gentle sea breeze in Tingen, the air in Florence is always dry, and the dense crowds can make it hard to breathe. Fortunately, Eliza has long been accustomed to this environment.

The elegant lady's hat, veiled under her hair, exuded a luxurious and refined air with each step. The black-haired beauty, watching the two holding hands, couldn't help but recall the hazy scene of their first meeting the night before.

Despite only having met her once as an audience member, out of kindness, he couldn't ignore the sick person and even put pressure on the troupe leader and a nobleman for her sake.

The long, ruffled dress swayed gently, just like Eliza's mood at that moment. She was being cared for and instructed by others. As the lead actress in the opera, she had naturally had similar experiences many times, but the person in front of her was so gentle and pure, like a gift from the god of spring.

Can she trust this doctor? Can she shed her facade of virtue and dignity and confide the truth to him? Tell him that beneath this young and beautiful exterior lies an ugly, delusional hysteria?

Charlotte noticed the slight tremor in the knuckles of her fingers hooked around her arm. She frowned, her voice still calm, but with a hint of concern in it.

“Of course, but Eliza, did you take the medicine I gave you last night? I can’t confirm your symptoms or the cause yet, but the soothing warm tea should help you get a good night’s sleep.”

"Ah."

She fell into the deep pool as lightly as a feather. Looking at the concern in the former's eyes, she couldn't help but raise her lips and smile faintly.

"I slept soundly all night, thanks to you, Bella."

Looking into the distance, the calls of morning vendors and the hushed conversations of travelers are faintly visible in the pale yellow mist. Their outlines are discernible, yet they remain indistinct, even with the illumination of the neighboring coal lamps.

"The air pollution here seems to be more serious than described in the reports."

The initial discomfort subsided, and the *Tinggen Morning Post*, which had mentioned the smog in Florence, noted that since industrialization intensified, similar weather events had increased from about fifty days twenty years ago to around seventy days currently. In response, many insightful individuals have established organizations such as the "Coal Smoke Reduction Association" and the "Flue Gas Reduction Association," and one of the proposals in February reportedly suggested the formation of an "Air Pollution Investigation Committee"...

"Bella, is this your first time in Florence?"

"No, I lived here for a while a long time ago, but back then the climate wasn't this bad and the smog wasn't this thick."

Her voice was somewhat ethereal, as if she were lost in some kind of memory.

In fact, the splitting of her thoughts into three separate streams put a considerable mental burden on Charlotte, making it difficult for her to distinguish between primary and secondary matters. Fortunately, the matters on her main body side were temporarily settled, allowing her to take a good look at the overall picture of this capital city.

Compared to the low-rise row houses in Tingen, here the buildings are high-rises, and the church with its pointed bell tower stands in the distance, appearing particularly majestic under the mist. The shops along the street are also arranged quite neatly, without the cramped feeling of small places. But the most eye-catching things are the towering chimneys and the motorboats that circle the city.

Has steam technology strayed too far from its roots?

Withdrawing her gaze, Charlotte led the way, half-shading the girl behind her while also raising a stern look to warn others of the excessively intense gaze.

Even with a veil, Eliza's elegant long dress and beautiful figure still attracted some covetousness. Indeed, even outside Tingen, there is still a gap between the rich and the poor, and there are always many impoverished vagrants.

"I'm sorry for the trouble."

"No, it's just that I haven't fulfilled my promise to enjoy the morning view together. Besides, if I can't accept your status as a big star, Eliza, wouldn't I be unable to be a qualified friend?"

It was a lighthearted jest, but also a subtle revelation of his true nature.

"Bella, you'd better adapt well. After all, I have no intention of giving up, whether it's opera or... you."

Upon hearing this, Eliza slightly turned her head and leaned more of her weight on the other person's shoulder—a deliberate gesture.

Fate is a mysterious thing. She fell ill and needed treatment, and a doctor appeared. In more than ten years of her life, she had not been able to find a suitable friend, but in just one night, she felt at ease by his side and couldn't help but want to rely on him.

They answered each other in unison, walking together in perfect harmony. The hustle and bustle of the street seemed to be kept out of each other's world, until the sound of horses' hooves broke the silence.

“Miss Farlinger, the head of the family has prepared a welcome-home banquet.”

The well-dressed man bent down and dismounted, bowing deeply before the dark-haired beauty, displaying utmost humility. Clearly, he was a servant of Lady Farlinger.

Without speaking immediately, Eliza raised their hands, which were still half-linked, and asked in a rare, light tone.

“Bella, have you arranged accommodation in Florence? Dickbadov’s mansion is quite large, and he wouldn’t mind adding a lady’s bed.”

For a reserved noblewoman, this was an invitation that couldn't be clearer, even somewhat shameless and blatant.

However, Charlotte had no such intention.

Everything has its limits. If we see each other every day, we lose the surprise of reunion and the novelty of that moment that stirs our hearts.