Chapter 352: Games and Costs
Sandra had given birth to his child before, though not a goblin hybrid.
Even so, she had given him a child.
If Gloria were to bear his child too, that would mean both mother and daughter had given him children.
The thought of such a relationship felt both complicated and a little thrilling.
Li Meng looked in the direction of the pavilion.
Then he walked toward the pavilion.
That night, as it grew late, the guests at the ball began to leave.
The outer courtyard bustled with activity, and the streets outside the Earl's mansion were jam-packed.
Guests' beast-drawn carriages were already waiting outside for their owners.
When the full moon hung high in the sky, the enormous Earl's mansion finally quieted down.
"Could that woman have stood me up?"
Sitting idly on a stone bench in the courtyard, Li Meng looked bored.
The courtyard outside was eerily silent.
The person he had been waiting for still hadn't shown up.
"Hmm, someone's coming… no, it's not her…"
Suddenly, Li Meng's eyes lit up as he turned toward the depths of the courtyard.
But what he saw made him purse his lips slightly.
The person approaching wasn't Gloria but someone else entirely.
Seeing the graceful figure entering the pavilion, a flash of surprise crossed Li Meng's eyes.
This woman was beautiful—extremely beautiful.
Tall and slender, with a voluptuous figure, her waist formed a perfect S-curve.
She was the epitome of allure in Li Meng's eyes.
However, she wasn't wearing a noblewoman's gown.
Instead, she was clad in a white-and-gold priestess's robe, marking her as a member of the temple clergy.
"Could it be that my identity has been discovered?"
The presence of the High Priestess from the temple made Li Meng suspect his identity might have been exposed.
"Excuse me, are you Lord Li Meng?"
The High Priestess who had entered the pavilion smiled faintly and sat casually by the stone table.
Li Meng scrutinized her and nodded slightly.
"I'm Efrideet, the High Priestess of the Garrison Fort's temple, and also Gloria's friend."
Friend?
So, this woman was Gloria's close confidante?
"Does that mean Lady Gloria stood me up?"
Gloria hadn't come, but her close friend had.
Li Meng couldn't help but wonder if he had been ghosted.
Efrideet chuckled softly and shook her head.
"Gloria wants to play a game with you. If you win, I'll take you to Gloria's bedroom."
As she said this, a faint blush appeared on Efrideet's face.
She hadn't expected Gloria to go so far in playing games with a young man.
"If you lose, however, I must ask you to leave."
A game?
Li Meng felt exasperated.
All he wanted was for Gloria to have his child.
Why did it have to be so complicated?
"What kind of game?"
Curious, Li Meng asked.
Efrideet smiled faintly and pulled out a deck of tarot cards from her robes.
"There are seven cards here, each representing a heroic figure. If you can guess which card corresponds to Gloria's favorite hero, you win. Among these seven cards, Gloria has enchanted the one depicting her favorite hero.
"So, if you can find the enchanted card and correctly identify the hero on it, you win."
At this, Efrideet smiled, her gaze lingering on Li Meng, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"Additionally, one of these cards has been enchanted by me. If you can correctly identify my enchanted card and its hero, tonight, I will also be yours."
Hearing this, Li Meng's expression turned odd.
Was she really staking herself in this game with her close friend?
"You're a temple priestess, aren't you?"
Efrideet easily understood the underlying meaning in Li Meng's words.
She chuckled softly and nodded.
Li Meng knew the temple in the Papal Kingdom upheld a strict monogamy policy.
As a High Priestess, Efrideet would typically have a husband—or one who had passed away.
"No matter. It doesn't change what I intend to do."
Since she said it herself, Li Meng wasn't going to refuse.
After all, the woman before him was breathtakingly beautiful and perfectly suited to his tastes.
A woman offering herself was not to be turned down.
"Let's begin, then!"
Efrideet smiled faintly and placed the seven cards side by side on the table.
Li Meng lowered his gaze to the cards on the table, his expression thoughtful.
Each card emitted a faint magical aura.
The magic in each card likely carried hints about the heroic figure it depicted.
Although Li Meng wasn't entirely sure, Xiao Bai was an all-knowing companion.
"Xiao Bai, what do you see?"
[This is the Southern Continent, the realm of humanity. Thus, all seven heroes depicted on these cards must be humans.]
[Gloria is a Water King-level Archmage, so her favorite hero must also be a water-element Archmage.]
[There are many water-element Archmages in human history, but only one is renowned enough: the Water God-level Archmage, Megan.]
[Efrideet, as a High Priestess, would only favor a hero connected to angels.]
[Angels can only manifest in this world through vessels, which is known as angelic possession.]
[Angelic possession is fundamentally no different from demonic possession, except that angels occasionally provide their vessels with power without causing harm.]
[The legendary Archangel Gabriel is an example of angelic possession and is one of the most legendary figures in the Papal Kingdom's history.]
After Xiao Bai's explanation, a grin spread across Li Meng's face.
He reached out and placed his hand on one of the cards.
"The legendary Water God-level Archmage, Megan."
Hearing this, Efrideet's eyes lit up.
Could this young man have truly guessed Gloria's favorite hero?
With a hint of doubt, Efrideet flipped the card.
Sure enough, it bore the image of the Water God-level Archmage, Megan.
Efrideet's eyes shimmered with amazement.
This young man had actually won.
Li Meng's hand moved to another card.
"Madam, should I say it aloud?"
Seeing the young man's hand resting on the card she had enchanted, Efrideet hesitated.
She smiled faintly and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.
"Are you doubting my integrity? I may be a woman, but I always keep my word."
Li Meng's lips curled into a smile as he withdrew his hand.
"The legendary Archangel Gabriel."
Efrideet froze, her face briefly showing panic.
The Archangel Gabriel was a figure of legend, his deeds largely unknown.
Even within the Papal Kingdom, very few people knew of him.
Efrideet hadn't expected this young man to know about Gabriel.
"Madam, it seems tonight you'll be joining Lady Gloria in keeping me company!"
Hearing this, Efrideet blushed deeply.
She stared at the young man before her, speechless.
Seeing Efrideet's stunned and flustered expression, Li Meng felt secretly delighted.
She hadn't believed he could win—neither Gloria's challenge nor her own.
Yet the outcome had proved her wrong, forcing her to honor her promise.
She had lost and surrendered herself to him for the night.