As Daphne concentrated her mind, a translucent phantom right hand began to condense and form at the point where her line of sight landed, silently emerging right behind Grivia's heel.
At this moment, Grivia was looking straight at Daphne with a solemn gaze, gathering magical energy in her staff and about to unleash a powerful spell. She didn't notice at all the little thing that had quietly appeared at her heel.
—At least I should cripple one of her legs first...
Grivia silently determined the direction and target of her attack in her mind. She decided to first disable the mobility of this half-blood vampire to make it easier for the subsequent interrogation.
But just before the ice magic was to be released, Grivia suddenly felt a sharp tug backward on her left heel.
This was the first time that Her Ladyship the Saint had been tampered with during the process of casting a spell. Usually, when she went out to participate in battles, she would cast spells from a distance under the protection of the Templar Knights. She never had to worry about being approached by the enemy and had no experience or means to deal with a sneak attack.
The balance was lost in panic, and the process of arranging the runes was interrupted. The magical energy condensed at the top of the sea crystal staff instantly exploded at the origin.
For the first time, Grivia experienced the feeling of being slapped in the face by her own ice magic. Fine ice shards and snowflakes burst forth towards her face. Once the nearly 10-centimeter-high, gorgeous platinum stiletto heels lost their balance, it was extremely difficult to regain it. She thus fell forward and plunged headlong into the cold air and ice fog floating on the ground.
"Clatter"
The necklace adorned with gems slipped from Grivia's smooth and slender neck due to her fall and bounced all the way to Daphne's feet. The cracks on the surface of the dull gem deepened by another inch.
Daphne shakily bent down to pick up the amulet necklace that originally belonged to her, and then looked up to sneak a peek at Grivia's current situation.
Her Ladyship the Saint, noble and aloof, had fallen face down. The staff covered with ice shards had fallen in front of her. The flowing platinum hair was studded with tiny ice crystals.
The high slit on the side of the skirt that extended to the thigh was completely lifted up and covered her back. The two long and slender legs that were usually hidden under the skirt were fully exposed. The non-flesh-colored white silk stockings beautifully shaped the legs.
It was just that now Her Ladyship's slightly upturned little butt was also exposed, and the left high heel had slipped off her foot and fallen to the side, looking a bit unseemly.
The ice-attribute magical energy that was detonated due to the interruption of the rune arrangement had condensed into a jagged and uneven layer of ice on the ground. Ordinarily, falling on such an ice surface covered with small ice picks would likely result in being pierced all over with wounds. However, the dress blessed by Vanitaya was not so easily pierced. Moreover, Her Ladyship the Saint also had a pair of magnificent "cushions" on her chest. Under the pressure of her weight, they formed an ellipsoid shape that looked rather smooth and bouncy, which absorbed a great deal of the impact for her.
But that area of a young girl was, after all, sensitive and fragile. Even someone as proud as Grivia couldn't help but let out a cute little moan.
The Ice-Hearted Saint was afraid of the cold.
Even if Grivia didn't say it, Daphne, as the godfather who had nurtured and raised her, of course knew about it.
It was quite unusual for a prayer priest of the Blazing Sun Church to use ice magic. Daphne had insisted that Grivia learn and use ice magic as much as possible to train her.
Now that she had been hit full-on by the ice-attribute magical energy she had condensed herself, Her Ladyship the Saint probably wouldn't be able to get up for a while.
Daphne hadn't expected that the effect of a simple Mage Hand could be so good. She had never seen Grivia looking so embarrassed before. Even when she was still a young saint facing the malicious hands of the vampire disguisers, she had never caved in.
Looking at the expression of both shame and annoyance on Grivia's usually cold-as-ice face, for some reason, Daphne felt a bit...
Secretly gleeful?
Yes, that's right, secretly gleeful.
She was no longer the Pope. She no longer needed to always maintain a solemn and majestic image in front of others. After shedding the heavy burden, she was in a relaxed and happy mood and could finally show her true nature to her heart's content.
"Serves you right!" Half out of revenge and half out of venting, Daphne made a face at Grivia who was lying on the ground. "Who told you to be so hasty to start a fight after just a few words? You brought this on yourself!"
"Goodbye~ Stay in your own ice shards~" Daphne giggled and turned around, ready to run away.
But the joy of "victory" temporarily made her forget how frail this new body of hers was. After just two steps, Daphne's legs went wobbly again, and she collapsed on the ground, unable to stand up again.
Supporting her weak and powerless delicate body with her arms on the ground, Daphne gasped for breath as she stared unfocusedly at the blurry black porcelain floor. She had a bad feeling.
She had just arrogantly provoked someone and then crashed and burned. If she was caught now, wouldn't she be made to pay back double?
Sure enough, Her Ladyship the Saint, who was extremely angry due to the humiliation, immediately overcame the cold and pain and slowly got up from the ice shards. She calmly lifted her foot and stepped back into her high heel, and gracefully adjusted her dress.
"Personal grudges. I finally understand the meaning of this term. Thank you."
Then, she picked up her staff.
A slender figure was approaching slowly from behind, pressing down like a mountain on Daphne's gradually cooling heart.
"Who did you just say deserved it?"