Yarra's Adventure Notes-Chapter 1295 - 81: Can’t Tell You

"Hmm?" Pannis’s heart sank, but he maintained a calm exterior, saying, "What do you mean? Why do you think I’ve deprived you of the pleasure you deserve?"

"Haven’t I? Oh, Pannis, there’s no need to play dumb at this point." Catherine sighed softly, "Before we entered the small conference room just now, that sentence Grandpa Snape didn’t finish because you cut him off—do you really think I overlooked it? Even if I overlooked that sentence, do you think I could ignore the question that the chairman of the Goblin Business Association, whom you intimidated, swallowed back? What exactly is that plan of yours that everyone has been hesitant to speak out loud?"

"Ha ha, ha ha." Pannis scratched his head, chuckling dryly, his eyes darting around as he spoke rapidly, "This, that, ha ha ha, it’s really just a misunderstanding, ha ha, right, just their misunderstanding, ha ha, in fact, there’s no plan at all, they’re just guessing wildly."

"Well, I’ll give you time, I’m not in a hurry. It would be better if you came up with a more convincing lie first, one that even you can believe, before telling it to me," Catherine said with a teasing smile, twirling a rattle leisurely between her fingers and staring at Pannis’s face: "But don’t forget what you just said yourself, about supporting each other, helping one another. That’s exactly what family should do, and it’s also where the pleasure of being a family lies. These were your words of advice to me just a moment ago. Surely you haven’t forgotten them in just a minute."

"Uh." Pannis opened his mouth, but found himself at a loss for words, only mustering a wry smile after a while, "It seems I’ve been played. From the start, you’ve been deliberately leading me to say all that just to block my own excuses."

"Hehe, I told you shortly after we met, I come from a family of nobility." The knight girl raised her glass to Pannis, downing the remaining wine in one gulp before continuing with a charismatic smile, "Manipulating hearts is a skill that nobles master from birth. Guess whether I did it on purpose or not."

Pannis sighed, continuing to smile wryly; at this moment, he felt that anything he did besides smile wryly would be superfluous. The knight girl didn’t press him, simply enjoying his helpless expression with a smile, eventually going as far as to snatch the half-finished wine from his hand, and casually placing her own empty glass in his hand as she savored the delicious wine.

Silence, a palpable silence spread between the two, with only the faint noise from downstairs reaching their ears. Several minutes later, Pannis sighed again, placed the empty glass on the railing of the staircase as if making up his mind, and said, "You’re right, I do have a plan."

"Hmm, it seems my guess was right." Catherine showed no surprise, nodding, "About the Undead?"

"Yes, about the Undead," Pannis admitted, "If the plan goes smoothly, it could solve the threat of the Undead once and for all. Not only that, but it would also benefit Annie, Little Deer, and Old Field."

"It seems like it’s another grand plan," Catherine remarked thoughtfully, "And it’s related to Grandpa and the other two? My curiosity is piqued. Can you tell me more about the plan?"

"That’s why I’ve kept it from you," Pannis hesitated for a few seconds, shaking his head, "It’s a very secretive plan that Flare and I devised. To be on the safe side, no one except the two of us knows the specifics of the plan. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but since I made a promise to keep this plan secret, I can’t break that promise. So even if you know there is such a plan, I still can’t tell you the details, and I hope you can understand."

"So it is," Catherine sighed with regret. "Since it’s a covert plan, indeed, the fewer who know, the better. There’s nothing we can do about it then. We can only hope that everything will proceed smoothly."

"I think so too," Pannis said with a forced smile. "If the plan goes well, it will be good news for everyone, except for... no, never mind."

"So, is there anything we need to do to help?" Catherine placed her hand on Pannis’s shoulder and leaned in close to his face, so close that Pannis could distinctly smell the enticing fragrance emanating from her hair. Face to face with the knight, she said earnestly, "Don’t forget what you just said—we’re family. Between family members, supporting each other is not only right, it’s a joy. So if there is anything we can do, don’t deprive us of this happiness."

"I..." Catherine’s sincere request almost made Pannis reveal the truth, but it was only almost. After calming his emotions a bit, Pannis smiled and shook his head: "Not at the moment. If there’s anything that does require your cooperation, I’ll inform you in advance. For now, let’s all pretend we’re unaware of this matter and continue living as normal."

"I see," Catherine moved away, restoring the distance between their faces. She seemed to flash a look of disappointment, but upon closer inspection, there were no signs of any abnormal expression. She simply nodded lightly and said, "Since you say so, I’ll be at ease. I hope you’ll keep your own promise, just as you have kept your promise to Her Majesty Flare."

"Of course, I will," Pannis replied, his tranquility betraying no hint of his emotions. He stared absently at the guests coming and going downstairs, and suddenly, his eyebrows raised, he stroked his chin and said, "I’ve spotted a few interesting individuals. You see them too, don’t you?"

"Yes, those people clearly do not fit the identities their attire suggests," Catherine readily shifted the conversation away from the somewhat oppressive topic: "It seems they have sneaked into the venue."

"At an event like this, there are still people capable of sneaking in, huh." Pannis scoffed: "Looks like the guards are quite accommodating."

"Yes, I think so too," Catherine nodded: "They seem to be journalists from major newspapers, purposely let in by slackening security so they can slip in. Then, using their pens, they spread the atmosphere of a victory well within grasp. Heh, is this also a part of your plan?"

"No, no, no, it has nothing to do with my plan," Pannis shook his head. "My plan is isolated. Although I can’t let you know right now, I promise, it won’t be long before I can tell you all about it."

"Then I’ll wait eagerly," Catherine replied, as if she had foreseen something, not a hint of joy in her demeanor, only a slight nod.

"Rattle," the closed door behind them opened.