Chapter 4: Sailulu and the Soulless One

“Not going to eat?”

Sailulu sat down beside Loki.

It seemed the word “personal space” didn’t exist in her mind; her whole body was nearly pressed against Loki’s side, yet he had no room to pull away, so he could only let the bold girl do as she pleased.

“You haven’t had breakfast yet, right? Don’t worry, I didn’t put anything weird in it… After all, if I really wanted to do something to you, I wouldn’t need to use such tricks.”

Damn, she’s got a point.

Loki couldn’t refute her.

The mere fact that he could only let Sailulu do as she liked at home, and aside from a few words of protest couldn’t actually resist her, was proof enough.

Fortunately, she hadn’t done anything too outrageous so far, and if things stayed that way, Loki could accept her presence.

“You made this?”

Loki couldn’t help but picture the girl in an apron—

“Bought it on the way.”

She smiled.

“Were you just imagining me in an apron? No need to go through all that trouble, just tell me and I’ll put one on for you right now, okay?”

“No need.”

“So you really were imagining it?”

“I surrender.”

Loki decisively raised both hands.

“Eh—really—”

Sailulu deliberately drew out her voice, tilting her head and staring into the young man’s eyes.

At such close range, the familiar scent of jasmine rushed unimpeded into his nose, mingled with the fragrance of the body wash Loki himself used.

Loki took a sip of tea to steady his nerves.

“You used the bathroom too?”

Sailulu twirled a lock of hair around her finger.

“Mhm, worked up a bit of a sweat on the way here. So? Do you think I smell good?”

“Smells amazing.”

“Hehe, I’ll take that as a compliment… Also, I borrowed your bath towel too.”

Her face flushed slightly as she spoke, pressing her hands to her lower abdomen, the treasure chest at her chest swaying gently with the motion.

“That slightly rough texture, it’s almost like you were touching my body with your own hands… Ah, I wasn’t doing anything weird while imagining it, okay? Absolutely not.”

Don’t just use your words to mess with my mind, Sailulu.

“Then why didn’t you try my underwear too?”

“Oh, can I?”

“Of course not.”

You actually want to wear it?

Loki opened his mouth, but didn’t say anything more, choosing instead to take a bite of the warm sandwich and let chewing replace words.

The aroma of ham, egg, and wheat burst in his mouth; simple, honest flavors that helped him relax and faded some of the blush on his cheeks.

“How’s it taste?”

Sailulu asked softly, her face full of anticipation.

“Not bad.”

Loki answered honestly.

It was just ordinary, but good.

But even that was enough to make Sailulu’s eyes and lips curve into beautiful crescent moons.

“That’s better praise than I expected.”

“Do I seem like the harsh type?”

“Well, you don’t trust me at all. Do you know how hurt I was when I saw that look of resistance on your face when I opened the door?”

“I just made the same face anyone would.”

“So, has any other girl ever made you breakfast?”

“You’re the first.”

“Hehe, is that so.”

She let out a rather silly, cute laugh, her fair face and slender ears tinged pink.

“Then I’ll make you breakfast every day from now on… How’s that? Of course, it won’t just be breakfast and simple sandwiches. After all, besides fighting, I learned to handle plenty of household chores at the Church.”

“Sure. If you want to, I have no objections.”

Loki gently swirled his teacup.

“It’s just, I might not be home often, so I probably won’t get to enjoy it much.”

“Because of work?”

“Work.”

“Playing bait for that stuck-up lady knight?”

Sailulu cupped her cheeks.

“That’s… hmm?”

Loki immediately sensed a faint tension in the air.

He looked up.

Although the girl’s face still wore a gentle smile, no matter how he looked, he couldn’t see a trace of amusement in her eyes.

But what really caught Loki’s attention wasn’t that.

She really seemed to know him well.

The “stuck-up lady knight” just mentioned… was definitely Christine.

The cooperation between Loki and Christine was a little-known secret.

Both of their identities were sensitive, and unless necessary, neither the Church nor any other force wanted to provoke them.

Even if someone knew, they’d choose to turn a blind eye—after all, the two hadn’t done anything bad, and in fact had solved plenty of problems for all sides.

Loki just had to stand there and he’d attract all the dirty, annoying flies like a rotting fruit.

Christine was the flyswatter, responsible for swatting them all down.

The reason Loki made such a tempting bait, besides old grudges, was because of his very unique identity.

A “Soulless One.”

In this world, people gained power through the “Sea of Souls,” allowing them to use magic or martial skills.

At the source were the “High Lords” who ruled over the domains of the Sea of Souls.

These “gods” were worshipped by the creatures of the material world, acting as bridges to channel the power of the Sea of Souls into reality.

But this blessing was far from perfect; those who gained power were inevitably influenced by the High Lords, resulting in unpredictable mutations.

The more they craved power, the worse it became.

But Soulless Ones were different.

To the High Lords, they were thieves, robbers, and shameless freeloaders.

They could use the Sea of Souls’ power recklessly, without faith, without risk, owing nothing to the High Lords.

Loki was one of them.

It wasn’t until the Hand of Truth was severely damaged that Loki was identified as a Soulless One—and then, naturally, he became the target of countless High Lord fanatics.

They were cultists, the fallen, the blasphemers, the corrupted… humans twisted in soul, mind, and flesh by the Sea of Souls’ influence.

To them, Loki’s very existence was blasphemy, and calling him the “Enemy of the Gods” was no exaggeration.

A hint of pride appeared on Sailulu’s face, as if she’d just found some embarrassing magazine under Loki’s bed.

“Other than some ‘private’ things, I might know you even better than you know yourself, Loki.”

She traced circles on the young man’s thigh with her finger.

“Forget about that woman who only uses you as a tool. From now on, just rely on me, okay?”

“But I have hands and feet.”

Loki indirectly refused Sailulu’s offer.

Being kept by a rich woman might seem like a blessing, but if her true motives weren’t simple, it was another story.

And Sailulu was far from simple.

The Saints of the Holy Church weren’t just its public face—they were also the judges, holding the power of life and death.

So Loki couldn’t believe every word Sailulu said.

Besides, she should’ve been one of the people who hated him most.

“Really? Really, really, really don’t want to?”

Sailulu just looked at Loki with a half-smile, pressing her soft, fair thigh against him.

“If you come asking for my help later, it won’t be so easy, you know?”