Chapter 18: She Wants to Be the Savior

Today was the day to leave Chanda Town. The halfling priest Xiao Ya waited alongside her newly acquainted companion for the church’s carriage.

She was a bit unsure of her new companion’s profession.

A swordsman? Indeed, the white-clad figure wielded a longsword, and her exquisite swordsmanship looked like a performance by a dancer invited by the royal court for a grand occasion.

A mage? It wasn’t just the graceful sword skills—her new companion could also form a few hand seals and unleash something resembling magic.

An alchemist? She also had considerable knowledge about concocting pills.

Xiao Ya always felt her companion possessed other skills as well.

Yes—fairy, cultivator.

Her companion used those two words to describe herself.

At the gates of Chanda Town, many adventurers bid farewell to Xiao Ya’s companion—the woman swordsman dressed in white gauze.

Since the bear goblin incident, she had made a name for herself, becoming the most famous adventurer in Chanda Town and even the surrounding areas.

And Xiao Ya understood the purpose behind her companion’s actions…

“Hm, you’re Lin Qiyou and the halfling priest Yake Ya?”

A carriage engraved with the church emblem rolled to a stop, and the coachman called for them to board.

“Let’s go.”

Lin Qiyou said this to Xiao Ya and, while climbing into the carriage, didn’t forget to offer polite farewell words to the adventurers behind her.

Xiao Ya watched Lin Qiyou’s confident and courteous demeanor, listening to the elegantly phrased words, and thought that this was exactly how a qualified noble should be.

Indeed, Lin Qiyou was no ordinary person.

If it weren’t for her connections to the church, someone like her would probably never have any dealings with someone as radiant as Lin Qiyou.

Inside the carriage, Xiao Ya and Lin Qiyou drew back the curtains, both watching the town gradually fade into the distance, each feeling their own emotions.

“Unconsciously, it’s been a year since coming to this world, hasn’t it?”

Lin Qiyou muttered, and sharp-eared Xiao Ya caught it.

“Are you a visitor from beyond the heavens?”

Xiao Ya asked.

“Yes, I’m a visitor from beyond, from another world.”

Lin Qiyou elegantly twirled her wrist, wearing a playful expression.

Seeing this, Xiao Ya thought this woman was simply too beautiful!

Despite being face-blind when it came to East Asian features, she could immediately remember Lin Qiyou’s face at a glance.

Her black hair was smooth and neat, her white clothes spotless, her face comparable to the goddesses from stories. The teardrop mole beneath her left eye added a touch of charm to her purity.

No wonder, no wonder—only someone like her could have any connection with a hero’s strategist!

“Are you treating me like a child?”

Xiao Ya shrugged; being mistaken for a child was far too common for a halfling.

“Then you just don’t believe me.”

Lin Qiyou smiled kindly, closing her eyes to rest. She muttered, “Hmm, the destination is the Rose Kingdom…”

The goal was Aoki…

Lin Qiyou had once drunkenly said she had been searching for Aoki for hundreds of years.

Elves get old after hundreds of years, but you humans still look about twenty even after that long?

Xiao Ya thought that sounded a bit exaggerated.

The road was bumpy; Xiao Ya gripped the window ledge tightly. In contrast, Lin Qiyou sat cross-legged, astonishingly steady.

“Eh, look over there, so cute!”

A few young foxes frolicking stole Xiao Ya’s attention and heart. She patted the carriage window, her happy gestures contradicting her earlier denial of being a child.

“Foxes?”

Lin Qiyou didn’t even open her eyes; her long, curved eyelashes fluttered as she said, “I hate foxes the most.”

“Why? They’re so adorable.”

Xiao Ya asked, puzzled.

“Hmm… I forgot?”

Lin Qiyou opened her eyes, an endless confusion in them. Unable to recall, she shook her head and said, “Anyway, what I hate the most is—”

…

……

“Foxes!”

The fairy’s voice rang out.

By a lake near the sect, Lin Qiyou and Aoki sat beneath a tree, talking about past events.

“If it weren’t for me back then, that fox would have exploded long ago.

I really don’t understand your thinking, stuffing it full of pills?”

Aoki looked at Lin Qiyou with a trace of mockery, prompting her to pinch her waist and wrinkle her nose.

“Out of kindness! You’re not allowed to say that anymore!”

“You even tied a death knot for it—no wonder it hated you so much back then.”

“Say that again?”

Lin Qiyou stepped forward, grabbed Aoki’s collar, and shook his body back and forth.

Her movements were a bit rough, but her face showed no malice.

Some time passed since Lin Qiyou and Aoki made their agreement.

From initial awkwardness to now choosing times to meet, chat, and play, everything felt like a dream to Lin Qiyou.

It was strange.

But Aoki didn’t find it particularly strange.

From Lin Qiyou’s perspective, this was a broken promise, a bold attempt, and a successful secret relationship that fooled her father.

But in reality, everything was under the control of the Lin Family Patriarch.

The Lin Family Patriarch had recently discovered that Lin Qiyou’s feelings for Aoki were merely illusions caused by the spirit vein transplant.

Therefore, to ensure the spirit vein transplant could continue safely, the Lin Family Patriarch allowed Aoki to have appropriate contact with Lin Qiyou.

Of course, “appropriate.”

Aoki didn’t really care. Soon enough, he would finish this rather uneventful simulation.

Then, he would settle accounts and grow stronger in this fantasy world.

He planned to find an opportunity to take down the rare Saintess Yuelan.

He could never allow her to conduct the hero selection; the future of the continent would be unspeakably grim.

The Demon King would completely conquer this land.

In that case, Yueqi and those who sacrificed themselves would never rest in peace.

Last time, Aoki successfully uncovered the secret of the wood elf Cuìhuā, but unfortunately, every time he left the simulation to return to reality, he no longer saw Cuìhuā.

He understood that Cuìhuā was deliberately avoiding him.

The good news was that Cuìhuā was vulnerable to threats; she feared punishment from Saintess Yuelan and thus didn’t publicize her awakening.

The bad news was…

What he wanted wasn’t just that.

He needed to recover more and continue choosing completely different awakening times to see if he could get lucky enough to meet Cuìhuā again.

Stopping Yuelan was urgent!

“Hmm hmm hmm hmm…”

Lin Qiyou hummed nearby, as if truly returning to childhood.

Aoki thought this was somewhat funny.

The estrangement had only lasted just over two years; nearly ten years had been good times.

A gentle breeze blew. The fairy sat on the ground, having unknowingly slipped off her shoes. Her small feet, clad in white socks, were crossed together as she hugged her knees, gazing up at the cloudless sky.

“Are you envious of them?”

Lin Qiyou brushed her hair back and spoke. Aoki’s eyes drifted from her ear to the sky, where a bird flew overhead.

What was she envious of?

Freedom?

Aoki smiled and shook his head.

“Why wouldn’t I be envious?”

He didn’t know when it started, but Lin Qiyou always had one wish and thought.

She liked to provoke Aoki.

Not out of lust, but because she wanted to hear him beg for help with his own mouth.

What she wanted was for Aoki to look at her helplessly and send out a signal for rescue.

Just like she did many years ago—she wanted to be Aoki’s savior.