“I—I was born without a mother, my father died when I was one, my grandfather died when I was two, my grandmother when I was three, and my older brother died when I was four…!! My entire family is dead, sob sob sob…”
Motifiel burst into tears.
“How can I be so miserable?!!”
The five girls beside her were stunned.
She’s basically a walking corpse! Since her birth, someone in her family dies every year.
No, no, that’s not the point—the real question is, how did her expression change so fast?! Suddenly, she dropped to her knees, then immediately started wailing about her suffering?!
While they were shocked over here, Motifiel continued pouring out her woes on the other side:
“Then I became a child born but never raised by a mother! Everyone around bullied me, and in the end, even the dogs on the street would come up and kick me!”
The five kids beside her exchanged confused looks: “?”
You’re even hated by dogs?
However, her exaggerated performance successfully convinced Liang Lai.
“Oh! Poor child!”
Liang Lai’s eyes already glistened with tears as she pulled Motifiel tightly into her arms.
“That’s just too tragic… So how did you lose your eyesight?”
Huh?
Motifiel, who could see everything clearly, fell into thought.
Her eyesight… how did she go blind? She certainly couldn’t say she had no pupils but could still see clearly—this wasn’t normal. So she hastily came up with a fabricated reason:
“Ah, well, that year I had a high fever. I almost didn’t make it, but fortunately, I’m lucky. When I opened my eyes again, I found I was blind.”
Hmm, that should be believable, right?
Yes, Liangcai believed it again, even shedding tears.
The five kids nearby: “Wow, her whole family almost got wiped out.”
“It’s okay, child. From now on, come home with me. You won’t have to wander or beg anymore. I can provide you with food, clothes, and shelter. You can live a normal life, warm and well-fed.”
Liang Lai released Motifiel and offered an enticing proposal.
“Come home with me, no more wandering, alright?”
Motifiel was ecstatic upon hearing this, but outwardly she maintained an expression of gratitude and being overwhelmed with favor.
“R-Really? I can go home with you? I can see… I can smell that you smell nice. You must be from the Church… You’re really willing to take in someone like me, a Lung Mist?”
As soon as she said this, Motifiel immediately regretted it.
Ugh, why did she say that? What if after thinking it over, Liang Lai decided she was right and refused to take her in? What would she do then?
Yet Liang Lai firmly grasped the child’s hand beside her.
“How can you say you’re Lung Mist? You haven’t even tried. And even if you tried and thought you weren’t good at it, that just means it’s not your strength. You can do other things. Don’t think you’re useless just because one thing didn’t work out.”
Huh?
Motifiel froze.
T-That…
Suddenly she remembered the ridicule from her companions.
This woman… her words are special somehow. They warmed Motifiel’s heart.
She lowered her head, covering her chest.
“Alright, you just need to come home with me peacefully. I’ll take care of everything else. You only need to tell me whether you want to come home.”
“I want to!” Motifiel blurted out without hesitation.
How could she not want to! Right in the heart of the Church’s inner region! Hehe~ Who would’ve thought the first Shadowborn to break into the inner circle would be her!
Motifiel rubbed her hands together anxiously inside.
The five kids nearby were dumbfounded.
Again, another kid picked up? How come there are so many unexpected incidents lately?
Dolosa covered her face, already resigned to fate.
Just go with the flow.
After all, no matter how many precautions are taken, they can’t stop Liang Lai from bringing stray children home.
Asterys and Delucia also looked at Motifiel worriedly, like watching a ticking time bomb.
Illucy clutched Liangcai’s robe and secretly observed Motifiel several times, her eyes filled with unresolved concern.
She was worried that after this child came home, Liang Lai would spend less and less time accompanying her.
Dexilensi’s expression was the funniest—her eyes were wide like a frightened cat.
It was her first time witnessing Liang Lai bringing a stranger child home.
She was still struggling to accept it and hadn’t fully processed it yet.
“All right~ You all keep playing~ I’ll talk with this little friend here. When you’re done, we’ll go home.”
How could they keep playing now?
“Mom, let’s go home. This little sister looks like she needs a change of clothes. She’s dirty and wet. She must be uncomfortable,” Illucy gently shook Liangcai’s hand twice.
Liang Lai turned to look at Illucy.
This child was always so sensible and well-behaved—it tugged at one’s heartstrings.
“It’s okay, Little Xi. I know you still want to play. Didn’t you have something to buy? Go finish that, then we’ll head home.”
Illucy stubbornly shook her head.
“No, Mom, let’s go home first.” The other kids nodded in agreement.
After what happened, no one was in the mood to play anymore.
Liang Lai sighed in resignation.
“All right then, let’s go home first today. When there’s time later, I’ll take you all out again. Consider it compensation for today…”
“No no no, no need, Liang Lai. I think we have plenty of fun at home, don’t we?” Dolosa waved her hand dismissively.
Though Dolosa had grown philosophical about Liang Lai constantly bringing stray children home, she still hoped Liangcai would stay home more.
The best solution was to go out less, stay indoors more, and avoid those pitiful children outside.
The others nodded along, even Dexilensi. After seeing Liang Lai’s talent for collecting children, Dexilensi admitted she was truly scared.
Four kids were already hard enough to deal with; now another one… it was just making things worse! Could her assassin life really continue?
The group marched home in high spirits.
On the way, Liang Lai resumed her usual questioning.
“What’s your name? How old are you?”
She looked at Motifiel.
This little girl was about the same height as her, maybe even a little taller, but her face was very young-looking. She seemed about seventeen.
Motifiel hesitated, then finally revealed her original name:
“My name is Motifiel. I’m… eighteen years old this year.”
Motifiel?
What an ominous name—roughly meaning “bringer of death.” Well, it really suited her, considering someone in her family died every year since she was born.
That thought was pretty scary. Liang Lai shrank her neck.
But it was fine. She had a clear conscience and no fears. She had done more good deeds than her age in years.
No retribution would ever touch her.
Death wouldn’t claim her! Especially now that she was a powerful Saintess!
Thinking this, Liang Lai relaxed considerably.
But this child was really that old?
“Oh wow! You’re the oldest among my kids, huh?” Liang Lai said.
Huh?
Motifiel instinctively looked back at the others.
If she wasn’t mistaken, those two little girls looking like lolis were Twinborn of Shadow, right? Their skeletal age clearly showed they weren’t minors—they were adults! So how could she possibly be older than those two?
Then Motifiel suddenly looked enlightened.
Sure enough, these kids also had secrets.
She’d have to be careful after going home—not letting the others notice anything.
“Oh.” Motifiel withdrew her gaze and obediently responded.
“But you still have to call them ‘older sisters’~” Liang Lai ruffled Motifiel’s head.
“Since you can’t see, just remember our voices. Let me introduce myself first: I’m Liangcai, the Church’s Third Saintess.”
Oh, she already knew that. Motifiel’s heart was calm, but her face showed shock.
“You! You’re a Church Saintess?! Oh my god! Someone like you is really willing to adopt me? Wuwuwu~”
Liang Lai was startled by the child’s reaction.
Something felt off but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
Then she introduced the other kids.
“This is Dolosa, your big sister. Come on, Dolosa, say something so Motifiel can hear your voice.”
Dolosa suppressed an eye-roll, speaking flatly:
“Hello.”
But the next second, she frowned, suddenly recalling something. She stroked her chin and began scrutinizing Motifiel.
“That’s not right, Motifiel. You should be able to see, right? Just now, when you jumped out to stop Dexilensi and me from fighting, you accurately said there were two of us. If you couldn’t see, how did you know there were two?”
The moment those words came out, cold sweat broke out on Motifiel’s back.
Damn! How is this woman so observant?!
A bead of cold sweat formed on her forehead.
Anyway, she had to bluff her way through—under no circumstances could the Saintess beside her detect anything unusual.
“I lost my sight from a young age, so my hearing and smell are especially sensitive. Just by listening to footsteps and the sounds of fighting, I can tell you’re two people.”
“Oh.” Dolosa dragged out the syllable skeptically, scanning Motifiel’s body with suspicious eyes.
Motifiel felt uncomfortable under the golden-haired girl’s gaze but dared not look away—if she did, she’d expose the fact she could see the hostile look.
Liang Lai sensed the awkward atmosphere and quickly introduced the next person.
“This is Asterys, your second older sister. She and your third sister, Delucia, are biological siblings.”
“Hello, Motifiel. I’m Asterys,” Asterys greeted.
Delucia, as usual, was enthusiastic. She grabbed Motifiel’s hand and swung it up and down twice.
“My name is Delucia, Asterys’s sister! From now on, we’re family! We must live well together, be kind! Harmonious! Always family!”
Liang Lai was pleased with Delucia’s enthusiastic speech and gave her a thumbs-up.
Motifiel’s face was full of deadpan as she internally scoffed, Who wants to be family with you hypocritical humans?
But outwardly, she put on a look of surprise and gratitude, covering her mouth.
“Thank you! Sister Delucia! I’ll treat everyone as my family from now on!”
“Uh…”
Everyone around fell silent for a moment.
They all recalled Motifiel’s words: “My whole family is dead.”
“Well, that’s not necessary.”