?Chapter 1709 The Girl Who Escaped


    Wynter knew she was close to coaxing out more information, but she chose not to push further. It was crucial to avoid raising suspicion.


    Instead, she smoothly changed the subject. "I saw two vis earlier. They looked pretty luxurious on the outside. Are they even better inside? I''ve never been in a vi before."


    Martin replied with a sense of pride, "Those were built by the n leader. They''re really fancy inside, too. Our n leader is great! None of us need to work regr jobs. We get paid as long as we follow his instructions!


    "The ceremony tonight will be in the vis. I''ve only been there twice myself, but you''ll get your mind blown soon!


    Then, his gaze shifted to Dalton, taking in his polished suit. "That guy doesn''t look like someone short on money, though. He''s all dressed up and good-looking, too."


    Before Dalton could respond, Wynter quickly interjected, "Don''t be fooled by appearances. His whole outfit is from bargain sales-39.9 dors with free shipping! I can get him to order one for you if you want one.


    "Sure, he''s good-looking, but he''s just my sidekick. If I haven''t seen a vi before, you can bet he hasn''t, either." Dalton chuckled lightly at her quip. His refined demeanor and tailored suit, however, only made him look even more expensive.


    She was, however, particrly interested in the quality of the water in the spring. Nevertheless, it was clear that the Ritual of Devotion Martin was talking about involved that specific stream, and they wouldn''t be allowed near it anytime soon.


    None of the three showed any sign of their true thoughts.


    At this point, Balmond''s personality proved useful. He excused himself with the excuse of needing to use the bathroom.


    Martin didn''t bother to stop him. After all, the paying guest was Wynter, and keeping her happy was all that mattered.


    Wynter knew exactly what Martin was after, so she didn''t hand over all the money at once, merely giving him a thousand dors.


    Martin called his wife, Carm Deux, over to entertain them. "You can sit in my yard for a bit. We''ll call you for the feast when the ritual starts!"


    Martin was surprisingly hospitable, offering Wynter and Dalton some peanuts and almonds, and even brewing tea for them. In Colifernia, drinking tea was a given, and the tea set was quiteplete, all made of ceramic.


    Wynter wasn''t concerned about the tea-after all, no poison could affect her. What she did worry about was Dalton''s sensitive body.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Hence, when Martin handed them the tea, she quickly took it herself. "Thank you, sir. But my boyfriend''s stomach isn''t great, so he can''t drink tea on an empty stomach."


    "Oh, how unfortunate! This tea is made from the spring water from the mountain. You can smell it doesn''t it smell wonderful?" Martin, sensing an opportunity to make more money, eagerly responded.


    Wynter knew exactly what he was after and smiled lightly. "It really does smell great."


    As she spoke, she tilted the cup at a slight angle while taking a sip, deliberately spilling the tea onto her ck backpack.


    The ck serpent immediately tensed up and hissed, "Ugh, this water smells foul."


    Foul water? Wynter narrowed her eyes. While she hadn''t smelled anything unusual herself, it was definitely a sign to avoid drinking it.


    Sitting next to her, Dalton simply rotated his cup twice, as if inspecting the water. The faint curve of his smile carried a touch of mischief.


    However, Wynter wasn''t aware of his reaction.


    She was about to try gathering more information from Martin when suddenly, a shout could be heard from a distance. "Go find her! Where has she gone?"


    "The more she grows, the more disobedient she gets! Doesn''t she know the ritual requires her to be at the riverbed?"


    "That girl is such a troublemaker!"


    Wynter paused at the shouting. She turned her head slightly and asked Martin, "Who are they looking for?"