Following Sylph for a short distance, they soon arrived in front of a shelf.

  "Strange... The footprints disappear here, almost as if the person walked straight into the shelf," Sylph frowned, puzzled. This was the first time she had encountered such an odd situation.

  "Let me take a look." Kenley stepped forward.

  He examined the storage shelf, which was filled with baskets, fruits, and other miscellaneous items. At first glance, there was nothing particularly suspicious. However, Kenley knew that in most games, when a puzzle was set up for players, there was always a conveniently placed clue to help them solve it.

  Just then, his eyes lit up. He suddenly noticed a cup that was perfectly aligned with the shelf, almost blending into it. He reached out to grab the cup, intending to do something, but before he could, Sylph pulled him back.

  "What are you doing?" she demanded.

  "I'm unlocking a mechanism," Kenley replied with a frown.

  "Are you trying to steal something again?" Sylph's sense of justice flared up. Earlier, she could believe Kenley was just looking for clues, but now that they had found one, he was still trying to take things.

  Such a na?ve young girl... Kenley sighed inwardly but could understand her point of view. Judging by her age, she was at that stage where she still believed in the bright and noble side of the world. She had probably read countless stories of dragon-slaying heroes, leaving her with an overwhelming sense of justice. And while Kenley found it exasperating, he didn't want to shatter her idealistic view of heroes.

  However, he also had a mission to complete. At any moment, Kerr could return, and considering how some quests had hidden time limits, he couldn't afford to waste this opportunity while the house was still empty.

  "I know what I'm doing," Kenley stated before reaching for the cup again.

  Sylph had had enough. She grabbed Kenley by the shoulder, trying to stop him.

  But Kenley wasn't about to be held back. Ignoring her protests, he firmly twisted the cup.

  With a loud click, the entire shelf shifted, slowly rotating to reveal a hidden passage.

  Sylph, still gripping Kenley's arm, stood there utterly stunned, her eyes wide with shock. She had never expected things to turn out like this.

  "See? It's not what you thought at all!" Kenley said, exasperated, before stepping forward to enter the passage.

  "You—!" Sylph's face turned red with frustration and embarrassment, but refusing to admit defeat, she quickly rushed ahead of him and entered first.

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  Just then, Kenley's expression changed."Watch out!" he shouted.

  In an instant, he tackled Sylph to the ground. A razor-sharp arrow whizzed past, barely grazing the edge of her clothing!

  With a loud thud!, the arrow embedded itself into the wall right above their heads.

  Cold sweat broke out on Kenley's forehead. He hadn't expected such a simple secret passage to be rigged with traps. Without a rogue in their party, detecting hidden mechanisms like these was much more difficult.

  At that moment, Kenley was completely unaware of the awkward position they had ended up in.

  His large hand had accidentally grabbed onto Sylph's coat, pulling it open and exposing a vast expanse of her smooth, snow-white skin. Not only that, but his gaze unintentionally landed on her chest—though not fully revealed, the sight was enough to make his pulse race.

  Sylph's face, already flushed with embarrassment, only added to the strangely alluring atmosphere. Kenley's legs had pinned Sylph in place, and a certain part of him was pressing directly against her stomach. The two of them stared at each other in stunned silence, while Sylph's face turned so red it looked like she could boil water.

  "S-Sorry!" Kenley blurted out, immediately scrambling to his feet. He spun around, deliberately avoiding her gaze.

  Damn it... He had just accidentally glimpsed Sylph's exposed body. In elven society, such an act was nothing short of blasphemy. Violating the sanctity of a newly-adult elven maiden—let alone a princess—was a crime punishable by death. He didn't even want to imagine the consequences.

  Meanwhile, Sylph remained on the ground, her lips slightly pursed, her face still flushed, saying nothing. Kenley had no idea what she was thinking.

  After a moment of silence, he cleared his throat and said,"We should hurry up and finish the mission."

  "Mm." Sylph tugged her coat closed and nodded lightly, her gaze fixed on the ground.

  —

  When Kenley and Sylph finally emerged from Kerr's house, they were met with Tia's suspicious stare.

  There's definitely a story here.

  Tia's instincts told her something had happened between them, but she chose not to pry. Instead, she stepped forward and asked,"Master, how did the mission go? I kept watch the whole time—Kerr hasn't returned yet."

  Kenley exhaled slowly, regaining his composure, and nodded."It's done. Next, we head to Lytalia's house."

  The group set off in silence. Kenley drove the carriage without a word, but Tia's curious eyes kept darting back and forth between him and Sylph. Eventually, she couldn't hold back any longer and cautiously asked,"Sylph?"

  Sylph nearly jumped in surprise. She patted her chest, trying to calm herself, and stole a quick glance at Kenley before replying,"What is it, Tia?"

  Tia gave her a knowing smile before changing the subject."We're heading to Lytalia's house next. According to Master Smith, there's a magical trap door there. Since you're an Elementalist, you must have a way to deal with magical traps, right?"

  Sylph let out a small sigh of relief. So that's what she wanted to ask… She quickly smiled."Of course! A magic trap? That's nothing to me!"

  Tia's eyes lit up with admiration."Sylph, you're amazing! Look at me—I barely did anything during the mission. All I could do was stand guard outside." Her voice grew softer, a hint of disappointment creeping in as she lowered her head.

  Sylph's heart ached at the sight. She quickly reassured her,"Tia, don't say that! You have so much potential. I believe in you! Even though you've become a vampire, you'll still find your own place in this world. The Mother Goddess still loves you."

  "Thank you, Sylph." Tia beamed, her smile as sweet as ever.

  Seeing Tia's bright expression, Sylph gradually pushed aside the chaotic thoughts swirling in her mind. She couldn't help but sneak another glance at that frustrating man. What is this idiot even thinking? He's been quiet the whole time, acting like a damn rock.

  Kenley, on the other hand, was silently relieved. Since Sylph hadn't mentioned the incident in front of Tia, it meant she had chosen to forget it. And if that was the case, then the best thing he could do… was forget it too.