Chapter 228: Lily?

She had considered the possibility of being captured before, but she never expected it to actually happen.

Her head throbbed.

Why does a simple healer like me always end up dealing with things way beyond my ability?

"Come with us, Miss Airmid," Quinn said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

With one positioned in front and the other behind, the two had completely blocked her escape.

Was that really necessary?

She was an unarmed medic—there was no way she could outrun them, let alone escape.

Could she possibly be faster than an arrow?

With a resigned sigh, Airmid raised her hands in surrender and obediently followed Quinn to the back door.

That was when she noticed the enormous eagle perched atop the gate.

Her gaze lingered on the creature.

So this is Quinn's giant eagle…

She had heard rumors that the Wings of Demacia had a powerful avian partner, but this was her first time seeing it in person.

And it was huge.

This was no ordinary bird—it was practically a monster.

Before she could dwell on it further, Quinn brought two fingers to her lips and let out a sharp whistle.

Immediately, Valor, who had been standing watch, took to the sky and soared toward them.

Airmid had no idea how Quinn communicated with the eagle, but as the massive creature rapidly grew larger in her vision, unease crept into her chest.

Then, in one fluid motion, Quinn gave a slight nod, and Valor descended.

The eagle's talons clamped onto Airmid's shoulders, piercing through her clothes.

A sharp sting shot through her skin.

Before she could react, her feet left the ground.

Her body lifted into the air, and the Sumo Familia's estate quickly shrank beneath her.

The cool evening wind rushed past, and from the direction Valor was flying, it was clear they were headed toward the Pleasure District.

A bitter chuckle escaped her lips.

So this is how I visit Pleasure District for the first time…

Though the once-infamous district had long been shut down, its reputation still lingered.

As a proper lady, Airmid couldn't help but feel a twinge of embarrassment at being taken there—especially in this fashion.

Not that she had a choice.

All she could do was watch helplessly as she was carried toward the former headquarters of the Ishtar Familia.

The moment she arrived, familiar faces filled her vision.

These were the same adventurers who had stormed Pleasure District not long ago.

Wait… it's only been about an hour since they attacked, right?

How did they all get caught so quickly?!

She had known they weren't exactly the best adventurers, but this was ridiculous.

Even a bunch of blindfolded pigs playing hide-and-seek should have lasted longer than this!

I was a fool to expect anything from them.

"Look who we have here—what a rare visitor."

Airmid was still surveying the area when a familiar, provocative voice chimed in from behind her.

She turned her head and saw Renata, standing with her arms crossed, her expression amused and playful.

It felt like seeing Valis.

A chill ran down her spine.

Is she planning to do something to me?

"It's just a misunderstanding, I think I can explain—"

Quinn, Vayne, and the others still had unfinished business with the Sumo Familia and hadn't returned with Valor.

Which meant that Airmid was someone important—important enough for Renata to personally instruct Quinn to have Valor pick her up and deliver her.

Otherwise, she would have been bound and dragged back to Pleasure District like the rest, lined up for public display.

Had Airmid and the Sumo Familia been paraded through the streets, the reputation of the Battlefield Saint would have been utterly ruined.

Renata, however, had no interest in destroying her. The true target was the Dian Cecht Familia. Airmid was a valuable asset, one she hoped to win over once Dian Cecht fell.

Compared to the expensive but mediocre pharmacists the Janna Familia had been recruiting, Airmid was far more useful.

"If you want to explain yourself, save it for Janna-sama and the other Goddesses." Renata waved her hand dismissively. "No need to waste your breath on me."

At her signal, several Amazonesses, led by Aisha, surrounded Airmid and ushered her forward.

Inside the familia's headquarters, a grand hall opened before them.

At its center, a short flight of stairs led up to a spacious platform, where a round table sat.

Seated around it were three goddesses, lounging in boredom.

At the start of the battle, they had been somewhat anxious.

But the fight had ended far too easily.

The so-called opposition crumbled in no time, their resistance laughable.

Once they saw that they wouldn't even need to interfere, the three lost interest and waited inside for the inevitable outcome.

Unexpectedly, the first guest to arrive was Airmid.

Morgana, who had been resting idly, immediately leaned forward, intrigued.

A stamp collector herself, she had long memorized the names of Orario's most notable adventurers.

And while she had been eyeing Sol Familia for some time, she was certainly greedy for talented warriors from other familias as well.

Recruiting them, however, was no easy task—especially since she was still new to the city. Otherwise, she would have already made her move.

Now, with the Battlefield Saint delivered right to her doorstep, how could she not take a closer look?

Morgana's mind was already whirling with schemes on how to lure her into her familia.

If only Kayle and Janna weren't around.

Those two will definitely ruin my fun.

"I didn't expect the Dian Cecht Familia to be involved in this attack," Morgana mused, lifting Airmid's chin with a teasing smirk. "It seems the Pleasure District's profits really are irresistible."

Their eyes met, and Airmid immediately sensed the predatory gleam in Morgana's gaze.

She stiffened, subtly shifting her body backward.

She had heard rumors about deities having diverse tastes.

And Morgana, an open advocate of freedom, might very well extend that philosophy to her romantic preferences.

Something about this feels off…

She had barely moved an inch, yet her small retreat only seemed to fuel Morgana's amusement.

The slight tremor in Airmid's posture made the goddess all the more interested.

Though Morgana had toned down her more devilish tendencies since arriving in Orario, some things were simply in her nature.

"My original intention was simply to earn some valis," Airmid said, forcing her tone to remain composed. "To recover my familia's financial losses. I had no intention of making an enemy of you."

She still wanted to keep her distance from Morgana, but above all, she needed to protect the Dian Cecht Familia's reputation.

If she could redirect Morgana's attention to the real issue at hand, that would be even better.