Chapter 5: Long-Eared Spicy!

I thought my suffering was finally over. 

Getting picked up by a kind-hearted witch in my weakest moment shouldn’t that count as a stroke of luck?

But fate had other plans. 

A deadly threat followed close behind.

“I’m not… a demon…”

Too weak. 

Even my defense sounded powerless.

Village Chief Muxi’s voice was cold and merciless, brimming with killing intent.

“If you’re not a demon, then why do you reek of demonic energy? Don’t even think of denying it. I studied at the Spirit Arts Academy. I know that aura is like the back of my hand.”

“I don’t know…” Wu Xiaomi stared bitterly at the ceiling. 

“Maybe… because I once made a deal with her?”

“A… deal?” Muxi’s gaze softened ever so slightly. 

He caught sight of the shackle around Wu Xiaomi’s ankle, and suspicion gave way to faint belief.

“Are you insane? You made a deal with a demon?”

“To save someone.” 

Wu Xiaomi’s voice was dull and lifeless.

“I prayed to the gods… all the gods I knew. None of them answered. So in the end… I turned to the forbidden.”

“You sacrificed yourself to some unknown, dangerous being just to save someone?” 

Muxi’s expression gradually eased.

“I’m going to ask, and you’re going to answer. Don’t lie. Lies come at a price.”

“Okay…”

Muxi’s eyes lit up, losing their pupils entirely, only whites remained.

He stared straight into Wu Xiaomi’s face.

Must be some kind of lie-detecting ability.

“Who was the demon you made a deal with?”

“I don’t know. She called herself the Witch of Lust.”

Truth.

“What did she want in return?”

“For me to become her proxy.”

Still true.

“She didn’t mention any other conditions?”

“None.”

“Why did you come to Harvest Village?”

“My home… was destroyed. When I woke up, I was already in the Misty Forest. Nanalia saw I was weak and carried me back here.”

“You have no intention or desire to harm Harvest Village?”

“Absolutely none.”

Having asked the most critical questions, Muxi’s eyes returned to normal.

He looked exhausted, panting heavily, but seemed relieved.

“Sorry. As village chief, I have to eliminate any potential threats. I’m responsible for everyone here.”

“I understand… Why do you… hate demons?” Wu Xiaomi asked.

“Truth is, I don’t. But Harvest Village is in crisis, we can’t afford any surprises.”

“The Saintsource Crystal?”

Nanalia had mentioned the village’s troubles on the way over.

And besides, this was part of Wu Xiaomi’s main quest objective.

“The Saintsource Crystal was stolen. Who knows why those beast-faced tribesmen took it… Maybe to launch an attack, maybe just to see how it tastes.” 

Muxi wiped sweat from his forehead.

“Either way, without the crystal’s protective barrier, all the nearby villages are in danger.”

Maybe I can help? 

After all, it is my quest target.

That was the thought but then again, this is a fantasy world.

I’m just a regular person, and a sickly one at that. What help could I really offer?

“Your condition is probably due to a depleted spirit source,” Muxi said, pulling out a bottle of blue liquid from his waist pouch.

“This is a spirit-source replenisher. It should help a bit.”

Wu Xiaomi struggled to sit up and gulped down the potion.

Blueberry flavor?

The liquid warmed her stomach, spreading to her fingertips in a soothing wave.

Much better now.

But still… She could barely walk. 

The fatigue lingered.

“That was a mid-grade spirit-source replenisher, and you didn’t even vomit it up.” 

Muxi stroked the beard on his chin in astonishment.

“Just what the hell did that witch do to you…”

Wu Xiaomi blinked innocently.

No idea.

She was just as confused.

“Anyway, leave it at that. This stuff is rare. Focus on recovering slowly.”

Muxi turned and left the room.

But as he opened the door, he found Nanalia crouched outside, ears perked and pressed tightly against the wood.

“You heard everything?”

“I heard a frail, pitiful girl, who just lost her home, got a sword shoved against her neck and interrogated like a criminal!” 

Nanalia glared furiously at Muxi. 

“Chief, I understand your position, but couldn’t you have been a little gentler?”

“I’ll be sure to next time.”

Clearly, Muxi didn’t take it to heart. 

He left without a hint of emotion.

“You okay?”

Nanalia supported Wu Xiaomi, her sparkling violet eyes brimming with concern.

What a turn of fate, just days ago, Wu Xiaomi had been the one taking care of Xiaozhi. 

Now she was the one being looked after.

“Do you live here all by yourself?” 

Wu Xiaomi glanced around the courtyard.

The shrine was located in the village’s bustling market district. 

There were only two rooms: one was Nanalia’s bedroom, the other housed a divine statue.

The statue was a chubby fox, one little paw holding a bundle of wheat, the other raised and empty as if it had once been holding something.

“Yup, just me,” Nanalia pouted. 

“I have to sweep up fallen leaves every day, clean the statue, burn incense… Super boring!”

Boring, huh?

That gave Wu Xiaomi an idea.

“You saved me. I want to repay you.”

Standing in front of Nanalia, she looked up slightly at the girl who was just a bit taller, eyes serious.

“I’d like to help find the crystal and I can help clean the shrine too.”

“Oh? Really?” 

Nanalia stole a quick glance at the statue, visibly excited. 

“Wouldn’t that be kind of… disrespectful?”

“I’ll do it with a heart full of gratitude and sincere reverence. As the Spirit of Harvest and Fertility, I doubt she’d hold it against someone trying to repay kindness, right?”

“That makes sense!” Nanalia punched her palm with renewed energy.

“Then as the shrine maiden of Harvest Village, I. Nanalia, hereby accept you as my apprentice! Until you’re fully healed, you’ll assist me with shrine duties!”

Yay~!

“But… I did make a deal with a demon once. Wouldn’t that be considered… sacrilegious?” 

Wu Xiaomi asked nervously.

“You did it to save someone. Anyone with a functioning brain wouldn’t blame you for that.”

Nanalia patted Wu Xiaomi’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry~ Unless you’re directly in front of that one, in any other case the Spirit of Harvest is really gentle.”

That one?

Heh, there’s no way it could be the witch I made a deal with, right?

I mean, no way I’d be that unlucky…

“And now, you’re officially my apprentice!” Nanalia planted her hands on her hips, tail swishing energetically.

“Besides shrine duties, I’ll also teach you some shrine maiden combat techniques.”

She offered that on her own.

Even though Wu Xiaomi’s plan was to stick around the shrine and eventually ask Nanalia how to grow stronger, having Nanalia bring it up first still left her both touched and a little ashamed.

This girl… was too innocent, too kind.

Wu Xiaomi made a silent vow:

—If she could grow stronger, she would help retrieve that crystal. 

Not just for the sake of her quest, but to live up to this kindness.

“Alright! First, let’s pay our respects to the statue!” 

Nanalia took Wu Xiaomi’s hand.

The two girls knelt before the statue.

Wu Xiaomi bowed her head.

Then lifted it again.

“Uwaaahhh?!”

Nanalia cried out in shock, staring at the top of Wu Xiaomi’s head.

“What is it?” 

Wu Xiaomi scratched her scalp, confused. 

Her head felt a little itchy.

“You’ve got long ears now!”