Chapter 61: Whoa, Me

When she was once the Demon King, Ella had said that if a person had talent, they should hone their skills to the level of a grandmaster.

For example, her own Necromancy was unmatched among the entire Demon Race.

Now, three months after becoming a soft, adorable beauty, Ella had mastered a brand new skill.

Identifying people by the sound of their footsteps!

If there was no sound at all, it was Zero—of course, you couldn’t hear her, you’d have to hug her to know.

If there was a light, playful rhythm, it was Vina—the little witch liked to hop when she was up to mischief.

Calm and steady footsteps belonged to Celes; she was always so composed.

But tonight, the footsteps were a bit hesitant, a bit proud, and carried a hint of heaviness—mainly because of her size.

Without a doubt, it was the second-largest Saintess in the team.

“Leah.”

Ella habitually turned over, pretending she had just noticed her.

“What brings you here?”

“Why are you turning that way?”

The Saintess’ voice came from behind.

“I’m over here!”

Oh, right.

She liked to come in from the front.

Leah took off her shoes and crawled onto the bed, lifting Ella’s blanket as she went.

“What are you spacing out for? Take it off!”

This bossy attitude left Miss Pink Thunder a little dizzy.

“Are we joining the church again…”

“What are you talking about!”

Leah’s pretty face blushed slightly, and she explained in a low voice, “Last time, we only did it for a little while. I told you the duration would be short. The effect is already gone, so we have to do it again tonight.”

So soon?

Well, all right then.

No need to turn on the light.

By the moonlight, they slipped out of their pajamas, and soon the softness pressed down.

They wrapped their arms around each other’s waists.

This was at the Saintess’ request—she said it helped fully absorb the aura of Light.

“Leah, if it only lasts for a certain time, does that mean we have to sleep hugging like this every so often?”

“Yes.”

Ella spoke in a soft, gentle voice, “Isn’t that a bit much…”

Leah gave a soft humph and pressed her grand justice buns closer.

“What’s so bad about it? It’s not like you don’t enjoy it every time.”

“Guh…”

She really couldn’t argue with that. She did feel quite good, after all.

With such a beautiful girl hugging her tightly, soft and fragrant, and so big…

But a good girl can’t just admit it like that, right?

That wouldn’t be pure anymore.

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m only doing this to help purify evil from you. It’s my duty as the Saintess of Light.” Leah tensed her pretty face to hide the faint blush. “Just like today, when I was preaching outside—oh, right!”

As if she had suddenly found a good excuse to change the topic, the Saintess perked up:

“You have no idea how much the Goddess of Light favored me today! I hadn’t walked more than a few steps at the market when I ran into someone who cut their hand while gutting a fish. There were lots of people around. All I had to do was walk over and say a prayer, and his wound was healed. The eyes of everyone there lit up.”

Ella quietly pouted her cherry lips, thinking, The luck the Goddess of Light gives you is making someone cut their hand while gutting fish?

That Goddess sure isn’t picky about details—just like the Demon King.

Leah was delighted with how things went today, getting more excited as she spoke.

“They always said places without a church were wild and ignorant, and that I should be extra careful and never try to preach alone. But it wasn’t a big deal at all. It was pretty easy.”

Ella listened in silence, occasionally replying with a soft “mm.”

It wasn’t agreement.

It was just that whenever the Saintess got excited during her storytelling, she would squeeze her, and that instinctively made Ella let out a sound.

It was simply a reflex of the grand justice buns.

“You didn’t come with me today, but tomorrow you have to. You need to be there to help me come up with ideas.”

Leah hugged Pink Thunder’s slender waist tightly.

“You bad girl, you’re the one with all the sneaky tricks!”

Hearing this, Ella was speechless.

“If they’re sneaky tricks, aren’t you worried using them for preaching will affect the image of the Saintess of Light?”

“Not at all,” Leah replied confidently.

“They’re your ideas, not mine.”

After she finished, the Saintess couldn’t help but giggle.

Ella bit her little tiger tooth.

At that moment, she suddenly remembered who she was—the notorious Demon King.

This annoying little brat, growing up so well, dares to hug me naked and act so cocky.

Even without my once-mighty body, does that mean I can’t deal with you?

A surge of wicked fire rose in her heart.

Today, I remember who I am! Take this!

“Hmm?”

Leah sensed the little movement beneath her, let out a proud hum, pressed her grand justice down hard, and lifted her radiant thigh to squeeze in, performing a holy little rub—

Ow, ow!

“Oof…”

Ella gave in again.

After agreeing came the comfort, and after comfort came sleepiness, and then her eyes closed.

“Go to sleep. It’s almost the next day.”

The Saintess gently bit her ear.

“Good night.”

Half-asleep, Ella thought, If you hadn’t come over, Demon King would be having her second dream by now!

The two girls, hugging each other, breathed more and more evenly.

Lost in their churchly embrace, they didn’t notice that, on this night, at the stroke of midnight—the third day before The Seven-Day Ritual would begin—a nameless gaze swept across the entire Harbor City.

But the sacred Light blocked out the darkness’s prying eyes.

Zzzz

In the next room, the blue-haired girl tossed and turned in her sleep, making restless noises.

She dreamed she was walking down a narrow path with no end in sight, surrounded by an invisible coldness, like the depths of the sea—dark, icy, suffocating, with mad whispers echoing in her ears.

Someone was watching her.

Or perhaps, whatever it was, it wasn’t human.

In the room next to hers, Vina was also sleeping fitfully, caught in a similar dream.

Meanwhile, outside, in the alley behind the workshop.

Zero’s investigation tonight focused here, but she hadn’t found anything yet.

She planned to wait until everyone was asleep before sneaking inside to take a look.

Just after midnight, the girl shivered, and with a swift motion, drew a dagger from her tight suit.

“Who’s there!”

She sensed the prying in the darkness—a top assassin’s counter-surveillance instinct.

But what was watching her wasn’t from the real world. In the still air, a nameless gaze pierced the void and landed on her.

A cold, oppressive tide surged over her, and mad whispers sounded in her ears.

Shlick—!

A flash of silver in the darkness—Zero swung her dagger with all her strength, severing the gaze with “death.”

Instantly, all the oppression and whispers vanished.

With a crack, her weapon, which had accompanied her for so long, shattered into several pieces.

Even with the finest Royal Craftsman handiwork in the Kingdom, it had only lasted a moment in this confrontation.

Endless exhaustion flooded her mind.

The girl collapsed to the ground, and in her last moment of consciousness, she saw several cloaked figures gathering around her.

Then, darkness.

“She passed out.”

“My god, she actually managed to… all on her own…”

“Stop talking. The ground’s cold—get her inside first.”

“Careful, be gentle. You two go boil some hot water.”

“Who’ll get a clean blanket?”