Helena’s passionate and straightforward nature was very different from the reserved restraint deep in the bones of Eastern women. However, Lin Wan’er could fully understand Helena’s behaviour. She knew how deep Helena’s feelings for Ye Chen ran. Seeing Ye Chen arrive here with three women, even without any real sense of crisis, Helena would surely feel the urge to compete.
Nevertheless, Yun Ruge and Song Ruyi were still somewhat unaccustomed to the situation. They felt that Helena’s directness towards Ye Chen made their own presence here rather like unwanted third wheels.
Ye Chen also felt a little awkward. He vaguely sensed that something ambiguous might have happened between him and Helena, but at that time he had lost his memories. He could only guess from Helena’s later reactions and certain details in her bedroom. Afterwards, both of them had tacitly chosen not to mention it, so he never pressed for details.
Seeing Helena today being even more proactive than before, he felt that living here with these several women in the days ahead might prove far more troublesome than he had imagined.
Under Helena’s guidance, the group entered the interior of the royal polar villa. The house had clearly been meticulously cleaned and decorated. Compared to the last time Ye Chen visited, it now appeared much more refined, without the feeling of long disuse.
In the living room, a bright fire already burned in the fireplace. The crackling and popping of the firewood echoed through the room, creating an especially cosy atmosphere.
Helena invited everyone to sit on the sofas beside the fireplace, then smiled and said, “This villa has five bedrooms in total: three upstairs and two downstairs. Mr Ye’s room is the master bedroom on the ground floor. The three ladies’ rooms are on the first floor. In a moment I will take you upstairs to have a look, and you can decide among yourselves how to allocate them.”
Song Ruyi grumbled inwardly, “This Northern European empress truly has no sense of shame. She openly arranges for her own room to be on the same floor as Mr Ye. Even if one of the four of us were to stay on the ground floor with him, it should logically be Miss Lin. How does it fall to her?”
Lin Wan’er had no objection to the arrangement. Instead, she turned to Song Ruyi and Yun Ruge and said, “Miss Song and Miss Yun can choose first in a while. I really don’t mind where I stay. Just leave whichever room you don’t choose for me.”
Yun Ruge and Song Ruyi both knew Lin Wan’er’s background and felt deep respect and awe towards her, so they quickly replied, “Miss Lin should choose first. The two of us are fine with anything.”
Helena, seeing that all three had accepted staying upstairs, felt a small surge of triumph. She smiled and continued, “Ladies, when I arrived I had people prepare plenty of ingredients. Because I didn’t want to disturb everyone, I didn’t keep any servants. Also, considering that our living habits and food preferences differ, in the coming days we may need to prepare meals together.”
Yun Ruge raised a hand and said, “Your Majesty, I have practised inedia for many years and only require drinking water.”
Song Ruyi also raised her hand and added, “I practise inedia as well.”
Helena looked blank. “May I ask what inedia means?”
Ye Chen explained, “The two of them, like me, are cultivators. Our bodies no longer need food to supply energy.”
Helena did not understand cultivation. She only knew that Ye Chen possessed many mysterious and powerful abilities that, in Western terms, could be called supernatural, but she was unclear about the specifics.
However, hearing Ye Chen mention cultivation today, although she didn’t understand it, she felt happy inside. To her, it meant Ye Chen had decided to be open with her about this secret, which brought them a little closer.
Thus, she looked at Ye Chen and said softly, “So Mr Ye’s power comes from cultivation. It must be a supernatural force unique to the East, achieving the same ends by different means as the magic and witchcraft of Western legend.”
Song Ruyi muttered, “Magic and witchcraft are just things from films and fairy tales to fool children, aren’t they?”
Seeing a trace of disdain in Song Ruyi’s attitude, Helena was not upset. She simply smiled and replied, “I dare not say whether they exist in reality, but since such supernatural forces exist in the East, it wouldn’t be surprising if something similar existed in the West.”
Ye Chen asked with interest, “Over so many years, has your royal family never had related legends or records?”
Helena answered honestly, “There are legends and records, but many date from the Middle Ages, so it’s hard to verify their truth.”
