“Granny said, you must have a strong conviction to maintain your sense of self between life and death, in order to successfully transform into Necromantic Form.
Only then can you succeed.
You managed it in just a few days—your will must be truly unforgettable.”
This was what Lisa said during our afternoon chat, when the topic of Necromantic Form came up.
Necromantic Form is the only way to destroy the Shrine.
Granny Kagasha lingered in the mortal world for decades, waiting for someone to inherit her mission.
Now, an outsider had accomplished in mere days what Lisa herself hadn’t managed in over twenty years.
Lisa couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional.
Hearing this, Zero rubbed her hands together in embarrassment.
“I’m not really sure how it happened…”
That was a lie.
In her heart, she knew perfectly well—so long as she kept thinking about the pink-haired, thunderous girl, she could succeed.
But that was her own secret technique; even if others tried, it wouldn’t work for them.
There was no point in saying it out loud—it would just be embarrassing.
Their afternoon conversation was just idle chatter before parting.
Lisa said it in passing, and Zero simply listened.
But after returning to the inn and lying down, the girl’s heart grew hot.
She felt she ought to say thank you to Ella, or maybe say sorry, or perhaps say nothing at all—after all, Ella was beautiful, kind, and generous, and wouldn’t mind such a small matter.
Zero struggled with this for a while.
When she looked up, she realized she was already standing at the girl’s door, as if she’d sleepwalked there without noticing.
She instinctively wanted to go back, but her feet felt rooted to the spot.
Strictly speaking, there was nothing going on tonight, so she had no reason to go in.
But…she missed her.
At that moment, inside the room, Ella wasn’t doing so well.
Why was Zero outside?
What was she planning?
And why did it have to be now of all times?!
“Ayla, why is your heart beating so fast.”
Leah curled her lips with a little hum, deliberately rubbing against Big Rice Cake.
“It’s not the first or second time. Why are you still so nervous.”
It was soft, it was comfortable—but at this moment, she had no mind to enjoy it.
Someone was about to come in!
Ella could hear her own pounding heartbeat, could hear Saintess’s gentle, laughing voice, and also the creak of the doorknob being turned.
She felt a little like she’d died.
Otherwise, why did every sound seem drawn out, everything moving so slow, so slow…
“Because I’ve accelerated your thoughts, so we can have a talk before things become irreversible.”
The voice in her mind spoke, this time in the tone of a gentle, mature lady.
“There’s no deal that can’t be made. Why don’t you hear my price list first?”
This time, Ella didn’t immediately refuse.
Then she heard the mature voice say: “First, like those pitiful Sirens, offer up everything, and I can make them lose consciousness—you can do anything you want…”
Ella didn’t wait for Her to finish before refusing.
If you give up everything and get something you can’t even enjoy, what’s the point?
Besides, didn’t She used to talk about feelings?
Now that the market’s in Her favor, She calls them “pitiful Sirens.”
Aren’t You the God of the Sea Demon Clan?
Is it really okay to speak so poorly of Your own followers?
“I am not anyone’s god. The Sirens are just a group of lucky ones who happened to encounter me.”
Is that so?
Ella thought of the various idols the Sirens had prepared for their sacrifices, all carved with that twisted, bizarre figure—looking like some deep-sea creature.
“I have no specific form. They took it upon themselves to give me one, the most exalted image in their eyes. I don’t care. You don’t have to, either.”
No need for that, please just get to the point.
“The second option, and the cheapest: silently recite my name in your heart, and I’ll delay her entry by thirty seconds.”
Thirty seconds?
With the original twenty-seven seconds, and after more than ten seconds already passed, there were about ten seconds left—so that makes forty seconds in total.
That’s enough time to separate Big Rice Cake and put on some clothes.
The rest would rely on wit and quick talk.
Ella bit her lip and said in her heart: That one, please. What’s your name?
The mature voice turned mysterious and distant, as if falling from the stars, “My name is Yiselis.”
Alright, help me, Yiselis.
“Understood. However, what you’re offering is far too little.”
The distant voice became charming again.
“I’ll grant your wish, but as for the method—”
Ella’s heart skipped a beat.
At that moment, she suddenly recalled all kinds of fables from her past life, about devils who would grant your wish, but never in the way you wanted.
A girl bad at sports wishes to win first place at the athletic meet tomorrow—the devil breaks all her classmates’ legs.
A devoted young man, gravely ill, doesn’t want his parents to send their child to the grave—the devil kills his parents first, so the white-haired go before the black-haired.
So, how would her own little wish be fulfilled?
There was no answer.
Only the sound of new footsteps echoing in the corridor outside.
***
Today, she’d done so much—helped the residents of Harbor City plan their lives, and had done pretty well, right?
It was a shame she hadn’t received any praise afterward.
If she used this as an excuse to go chat with her now, would she be praised?
This thought grew stronger and stronger in her heart.
Celes finally couldn’t help it and climbed out of bed.
Was it really okay to go this late…?
She didn’t have to go in, just check and ask if she was asleep.
Yes, that should be fine.
But as soon as she opened the door and stepped into the hallway, she caught sight of a petite figure standing at the girl’s door, just about to turn the doorknob.
Celes was shocked and blurted out, “Zero, what are you doing?!”
She even forgot to lower her voice.
On top of Ella, Leah heard this and was so startled her hands tightened, pressing Ella so hard she couldn’t breathe.
“They…they’re at the door?”
Yes, tricked again.
The old one hadn’t left, and now there was a new one.
Ella’s heart was filled with grief—she should have known an evil god wouldn’t be so kind.
I’m so foolish, truly!
But now that things had come to this, the thirty seconds she’d paid such a heavy price for had to be put to good use.
“Leah, let me go, there’s still time.”
“Time for what? It’s over, if they come in, they’ll definitely see us hugging.”
“Yes, so you need to let go first…”
Ella had to persuade her for quite a while before she finally managed to get her off.
She didn’t even have time to catch her breath or curse herself for being tempted by an evil god—letting there be not just one person outside, but two…
“What are you all arguing about? I can’t sleep anymore, not that I could in the first place…Eh? What are you doing at Little Ayla’s door, are you planning to go in?”
It was the Little Witch’s voice.
Done for, now it was three.
Ella took a deep breath and looked at Leah, whose beautiful face was full of the words “What do I do now?”
She pressed her fragrant shoulder and said, “Calm down! Think carefully! Why are you here?”
Saintess blushed.
“Of course, to convert you.”
“I mean, what’s your official reason!”
Finally, Leah remembered.
She came for the Light, for justice, for her most beautiful first—
“Goddess of Light above, please grant me the power to purify, let evil—”
“Do the prayer later.”
Ella found two sets of pajamas at the corner of the bed and tossed one over.
“Put your clothes on first!”
In the scramble, the two of them put on each other’s clothes by mistake, but there was no time to worry about that.
They didn’t even have time to button their collars.
Just as Vina called from outside, “Let’s go in together~”, the door swung open.