Chapter 128: Innocent or Pretending

"Keene, I’m certain she’s just pretending to be naive to lower our guard!" Tina whispered in his ear. "Don't forget, she is one of our enemies. Since she wants to act like she knows nothing, let's play along and force her to drop the act!"

Jia Zhengjin was well aware that Tina could sometimes be mischievous. Despite her sweet and obedient demeanor toward him, she often displayed a playful side.

However, Jia Zhengjin found it hard to believe that anyone could be so ignorant as to not even understand what a kiss was. How else could she have grown up to this age? Even if she had never eaten pork, she had surely seen a pig run, right? Had she never encountered such things in books? He was skeptical.

So, he played along with Tina, nodding. "This is a special custom of ours—a ritual specifically for women to show gratitude to their leader!"

"Oh!" Christina’s eyes widened in realization. "I see!"

Tina glanced down at Jia Zhengjin, who was seated, her eyes telling him: *She's definitely faking it!*

Jia Zhengjin winked back: *I think so too!*

Tina signaled with her eyes: *Should I test her?*

Jia Zhengjin nodded.

After their silent exchange, Jia Zhengjin turned to Christina. "Very well, Christina, you shall teach Tina the art of meditation here. I will have Perlin stand guard outside so no one disturbs you. Once you have taught Tina how to meditate, I will rescind your status as a prisoner of war and release you to return to the City of Light immediately!"

"I will do my utmost to teach her!" Christina nodded gracefully. "However, Lord Keene, while I am glad you would rescind my status, I am in no hurry to return to the City of Light. There is an inner demon here that I must overcome!"

"An inner demon?" Jia Zhengjin was stunned. "Are you referring to Alex?"

"No!" Christina faltered at the mention of Alex’s name, then shook her head. "For an ascetic priest like me, this is a serious inner demon. My teacher once said that a priest must face their inner demons and conquer them, for it is a test from the God of Light. If I cannot overcome this, I cannot continue on the path of asceticism, nor can I progress any further."

"Then what is this inner demon?" Jia Zhengjin asked, puzzled.

"It is the delicious food you forced me to eat," a blush crept across Christina's face. "As an ascetic priest, I am meant to live a life of austerity without worldly distractions. But ever since I tasted those delicacies, my heart has known no peace. I find myself constantly longing for those flavors, unable to free myself. Until I overcome this, I must remain here! May the God of Light protect me!"

"..." Both Jia Zhengjin and Tina were left speechless.

***

Once Jia Zhengjin left the residence, Tina pulled Christina aside. "Can you teach me meditation now?"

"Certainly!" Christina nodded gently. "Meditation is actually quite simple. The first step is to sit in a cross-legged position, just like this."

"Oh!" Tina immediately imitated her posture and sat down cross-legged.

"That’s not quite right; your feet should be positioned like this." Christina reached out to correct her posture, then continued, "The second step is to empty your mind of all thoughts."

"How do I empty it?" Tina asked, confused.

"It means thinking of absolutely nothing!"

"But then I’ll just fall asleep!" Tina replied.

"That doesn't matter!" Christina said. "Meditation is about emptying the heart; in fact, sometimes one can enter a meditative state through sleep!"

"Then why, after sleeping my whole life, have I never learned to meditate?" Tina asked.

"That is because you were merely sleeping, not telling your heart that you intended to meditate!" Christina explained patiently.

"But you just said I shouldn't think of anything while meditating! If I tell myself in my heart that I am going to meditate, isn't that already thinking?" Tina blinked, utterly baffled.

"..." Christina was immediately tied in knots, looking somewhat flustered.

Fortunately, she persisted with her instruction. After navigating many confusing detours, she finally succeeded in guiding Tina into a state of meditation.

Once Tina personally felt the spiritual energy rising within her body, she finally understood what true meditation was and how to cultivate it.

After one round of meditation, Tina could truly feel that her spirit had changed! Furthermore, her internal mana—or perhaps, her spiritual energy—seemed to have increased slightly.

"It really works!" Tina was astonished and filled with gratitude toward Christina. "Thank you!"

"Helping others is the sacred duty of a priest!" Christina replied with a smile, then blinked and added, "Um... Miss Tina..."

"I am married, to Keene!" Tina said with a smile. "You should address me as Madame or Lady!"

"Oh!" Christina nodded lightly. "Madame Tina, now that I have taught you the method of meditation, you need only persist in practicing it daily. Could you, in return, teach me some of the customs of the outside world?"

"Are you truly so ignorant of all etiquette?" Tina asked curiously, her eyes full of disbelief.

"I only know the most basic greeting rituals," Christina said. "And I only learned those from books."

"Did the books not record any other customs?"

"The Church rarely has books on such topics."

"You were able to fall in love with Alex; if the books recorded such things, how could you not know about anything else?" Tina flatly refused to believe her.

Christina looked perplexed. "Topics of love are recorded in historical texts! What does that have to do with etiquette?"

"Then what do you know about love?" Tina asked, staring directly into her eyes.

"Based on what I read in books, combined with my time spent with Alex, love is simply when a man and a woman develop mutual affection and then stay together," Christina replied. "Once they understand one another, they are joined in marriage under the blessing of the God of Love. Is that not how it is for you and Lord Keene, Madame Tina?"

"That’s all?" Tina’s eyes widened. She realized that Christina’s gaze did not seem to be lying.

"Is there supposed to be more?" Christina looked baffled, but immediately added, "Madame Tina, we are discussing etiquette, not love, are we not? Could we return to the topic of etiquette?"

Was she truly completely ignorant, or was she just putting on a show? Tina’s mind was in a whirl. On one hand, she couldn't believe a woman her age could lack so much common sense. On the other hand, she felt that Christina’s eyes were incredibly sincere, showing not a hint of deceit.