“You’re saying something, but I don’t understand.”
Dexilensi pretended not to understand, reopened a book, and quietly began reading again.
“I just hope I can stay here. I hope you won’t be too hard on me. I really want to be friends with all of you~”
Dexilensi always said the sweetest things.
Asterys and Delucia exchanged glances and smiled at the same time. But neither of them planned to expose Dexilensi; after all… the fun was in letting her keep up the act~
Dexilensi had been behaving very well these past couple of days, whether eating or sleeping.
On the third day, when Liang Lai was watching her alone, Dexilensi planned to nap for just an hour or two.
She was anxious, hoping that if she really fell asleep this time, she might even sleepwalk.
Liang Lai sat by her bedside, looking at her with a gaze that was both full of pity and determination.
“Be good and sleep. If you really didn’t do it, Mother will apologize and make it up to you. But from now on, you have to sleep tied up with a rope, or else… it will affect the other Sisters.”
She gently rubbed Dexilensi’s head.
Dexilensi was momentarily stunned, then somehow became a little embarrassed.
She pulled the bed sheet over half her face to hide her flushed cheeks.
Ever since what happened a couple of days ago, Liang Lai had kept her distance, never once touching her head.
“Mm, I understand, Mother, but there’s no need for you to apologize. Whatever Mother does is right… It really is my fault for sleepwalking and scaring the Sisters,” Dexilensi responded considerately.
Liang Lai’s heart ached once again at that reply. She stroked Dexilensi’s head again. “Alright, go to sleep. Your Sisters said you’ve been sleepwalking these past two days. Mother… believes you.”
“Mm!”
Dexilensi smiled, revealing two small tiger-like teeth.
With Liang Lai’s gentle reassurance, Dexilensi drifted off to sleep. This time, she fell asleep quickly—after all, she was truly exhausted… two days without a full night’s rest had worn her down.
Dexilensi was woken up by a sudden shout. When she opened her eyes, she saw Liang Lai gripping the collar of her shirt behind her, pulling her back with force and immediately pulling her into an embrace.
“You scared me to death!”
The Saintess’s startled cry carried a hint of lingering fear as she gently patted Dexilensi’s back, venting her frustration.
“If you had leaned forward just a little more, you would have fallen from the upper floor! So close, so close… Luckily, I was right behind you, watching what you were about to do. If I’d been any farther away, I wouldn’t have caught you!”
Huh?
Dexilensi was completely dumbfounded.
She had actually sleepwalked all the way to the window edge and almost jumped out? Well… that was certainly an unexpected surprise!
A mad, terrifying grin spread across her lips.
Why hadn’t she thought to use this self-destructive method to win Liang Lai’s sympathy before? Who would really sleepwalk and jump straight from the third floor? That could easily kill someone; any fall headfirst was a guaranteed death!
No normal person would do that… but she, Dexilensi, was no normal person!
“Mother! I almost fell from upstairs just now? How scary!”
Dexilensi cried as she threw herself into Liang Lai’s arms.
Liang Lai held the child gently, patting her back softly.
She had seen everything clearly—Dexilensi had pushed the window open straight ahead and had half her body out the window as if she were grabbing something… just a little more forward, and the girl would have fallen. To act so thoroughly in her play-acting… surely she wouldn’t really go that far?
Liang Lai was almost ready to trust the child in her arms now.
But to reassure the others, she had to keep testing, enduring these days.
Two more days passed, and finally on the sixth day, all the children and Liang Lai waited with bated breath.
Dexilensi was surrounded by a group of children, sleeping on a large bed.
But today, she absolutely could not fall asleep.
Dexilensi was incredibly tired, feeling like she could just rest her head on the pillow and sleep, but she knew she absolutely could not sleep, so she forced herself to stay awake.
So sleepy, so sleepy, but can’t sleep, can’t sleep, can’t sleep… Dexilensi repeated in her mind. Luckily, her willpower was strong enough to keep her awake.
Just get through today, just get through today and it’ll all be over…
With that thought, Dexilensi finally made it half an hour.
Right, that’s right—use the trick from when she actually fell asleep—climb out the balcony window and jump! Although it was the third floor, if she fell carelessly but didn’t land headfirst, survival was possible, though paralysis was also a risk… but! She had to try! If she didn’t grasp this warmth and got kicked out… she’d rather die!
With that thought, Dexilensi paced once inside the room, then slowly walked toward the window.
Click~
The window was opened.
“De—”
Dexilensi heard Liang Lai’s call behind her, but it lasted only a second before being cut off. Dexilensi was certain it was Delucia who interrupted it.
Now, all she had to do was overcome her fear of death, half her body out the window, and it would be done.
Overcome the fear of death?
How amusing~
A barely noticeable smile curved on Dexilensi’s lips.
She, Dexilensi, was least afraid of death! She had suffered enough over the years; the only two things she could do were to struggle to live and to die!
With that thought, Dexilensi didn’t hesitate to lean half her body out.
She felt herself lift into the air, falling directly down.
If she adjusted her posture midair and protected her head… below was the Lawn.
Even if she fell, it would be better to land on her lower body first—it would be easier to treat. As long as she didn’t injure her brain or spine, everything else was manageable.
However, just as Dexilensi assumed the protective posture in midair, she suddenly felt her waist grabbed.
Ah~
It must be Liang Lai coming to save her!
Dexilensi opened her eyes just in time, but her body stiffened for a moment.
Because the person saving her wasn’t Liang Lai at all, but rather Delucia’s “Shadow” — the Shadow Tentacles that had slipped inside Asterys’s shadow.
At this moment, Delucia was in her Shadow Tentacles form, tightly coiling around Dexilensi’s waist and pulling her back up.