Looking down at the girl cradled in her arms, Aphrodite was overwhelmed by the absurdity of the thought that “the Core has transformed into a person.”
“Aphrodite-sama!” Bella hurried forward.
Her eyes quickly scanned Aphrodite from head to toe, confirming she was unharmed, before finally resting on the unfamiliar girl clinging tightly in Aphrodite’s embrace.
That pure, peaceful sleeping face, that unguarded posture of reliance—it was like a tiny thorn piercing the deepest, most hidden corner of Bella’s heart.
She forcibly suppressed the surge of discomfort, maintaining a calm facade.
“Are you alright, my lady?” Bella’s voice returned to its usual cool tone.
“Ah? Oh… I’m fine.” Aphrodite snapped back to reality, awkwardly shifting to try and loosen the girl’s arms wrapped around her, but the girl only whimpered softly in dissatisfaction and pressed her small head deeper into Aphrodite’s neck, tightening her grip.
Aphrodite gave up helplessly. “It’s just… a bit confusing. This thing… uh, this person, no, this Core—what exactly is going on?”
“In my opinion, such an ominous presence should be dealt with as soon as possible.” Bella’s voice was calm and steady, but a cold glint flickered deep in her eyes.
Clearly… clearly that spot should be hers! Only she had the right to approach Lady so unreservedly! What right did this thing that appeared out of nowhere have?!
“No, no, I still need her to figure out what’s happened.” Aphrodite shook her head.
“Since my lady has already made arrangements…” Bella lowered her eyelids, her thick lashes hiding the turmoil beneath, “Bella will, of course, obey your every command.”
“Oh dear, why are you angry again?” Aphrodite keenly picked up the displeasure in Bella’s tone.
Bella almost always deliberately spoke like this when she was upset.
“I’m not angry.” Bella immediately denied it, her voice remaining calm, but her head bowed even lower.
“You say you’re not, but that’s just because you’re angry.”
Bella’s body stiffened ever so slightly, the embarrassment of being called out making her ears flush faintly red, yet she stubbornly pressed her lips together: “I’m not.”
“I really can’t do anything with you.” Aphrodite gave a helpless smile at Bella, who was still taller than her by over half a head.
Then she began to mobilize the energy she had just replenished within her. A soft platinum glow lit up at her fingertips, gently enveloping the sleeping black-haired girl in her arms.
The girl’s body was softly lifted by this gentle force, slowly floating about half a meter beside Aphrodite, as if pulled by invisible threads, resting securely in midair.
“Bella,” Aphrodite softened her voice, a hint of coaxing in it, “crouch down a bit.”
Bella blinked in slight surprise. Although she didn’t understand what Aphrodite intended, a habit long ingrained left her without hesitation.
She slowly bent her knees and crouched down, bringing her eyes level with Aphrodite’s.
This difference in height required her to tilt her head up slightly—a long-lost feeling quietly washing over her.
“Come here.” Aphrodite spread her arms wide, a warm smile on her face, inviting a hug.
“My lady, you really are…” Bella suddenly understood Aphrodite’s meaning and leaned forward on her own accord, gently resting into Aphrodite’s open embrace.
Aphrodite immediately closed her arms, holding the girl who had accompanied her for so long tightly against her chest.
She could clearly feel Bella’s body gradually relax from its initial stiffness until she was fully nestled in reliance against her.
One of Aphrodite’s arms wrapped around Bella’s shoulders and back, while her other hand rhythmically stroked Bella’s long hair, fingertips occasionally brushing over the softness atop her head.
“I’m sorry, Bella,” Aphrodite’s voice carried a trace of apology, then she sighed softly, “I can’t hold you in my arms like before. After all… you’ve grown a bit too big now.”
“Now I’m so much shorter than you, I have to make you crouch just to hug you.” Aphrodite teased herself, glancing at her current form.
“It’s fine, my lady.” Bella buried her face in Aphrodite’s neck, greedily breathing in the comforting, unique scent belonging to her, “Bella just needs this… just being able to stay by your side, to be held like this… that’s enough.”
Most of the displeasure in Bella’s heart instantly faded away.
“How about now,” Aphrodite lowered her head, her chin gently brushing Bella’s hair, “do you feel a little better inside?”
“Mm…” Bella nodded firmly in her arms, then was silent for a moment. “My lady, am I… still your family?”
“Of course.” Aphrodite answered promptly. “You silly girl, why do you keep asking the same questions you’ve asked before? No matter what happens, you will always be my family. That will never change.”
Bella said nothing more, just buried herself deeper in the warm embrace, feeling the steady heartbeat and reassuring warmth.
‘Always just family…?’ Bella silently chewed over those words in her mind.
After a long while, Aphrodite suddenly remembered something important she needed to confirm with Bella.
“By the way, Bella, about me having dealt with the Beast Tide… do you have any clue? The Church seems to have records, but I don’t recall much myself.”
“Hm?” Bella shifted slightly in Aphrodite’s arms, lifting her head with a hint of confusion in her eyes. “My lady, don’t you remember? The last few times you returned here, didn’t I mention the trouble with monsters gathering nearby that might need your personal attention?”
“Ah?” Aphrodite paused, then suddenly realized, “Was it that time?”
No wonder she’d felt an odd familiarity when entering the forest—it turned out she really had been here before! She hadn’t paid much attention last time she handled it.
Plus, with Goleya suddenly being urgently recalled, she had rushed off in a hurry, leaving those memories fuzzy. Now, at Bella’s mention, fragmented images floated up in her mind.
“Then why did I become the ‘Candidate Saintess’?” Aphrodite quickly asked next.
“My lady?” A clear worry flashed through Bella’s eyes. “What’s wrong? You seem to have forgotten a lot.”
“Uh… it’s a… small special reason,” Aphrodite evaded, her eyes flickering. “I’ll find a proper time later to explain everything to you.”
She certainly dared not reveal what had happened over there just yet.
She needed to wait for the right moment—otherwise, knowing Bella’s nature, who knew what kind of crazy things she might do after hearing it.
“But my lady, becoming the Candidate Saintess was clearly part of your own plan.”
Aphrodite froze completely! She had no recollection of this at all! Even before losing her memory, she wouldn’t have arranged such a plan.
Though… now that she thought about it calmly, the plan did have its merits.
With the title of Candidate Saintess, she could openly approach the Church’s upper echelons to gather intelligence and make use of their resources…
But that was back when she was still desperately striving for the revival of the Demon Clan!
Having finally escaped that cursed life, she definitely didn’t want to go back and relive it.