“It seems you really don’t remember.”
The girl’s smile slowly faded a bit. She tilted her head, scrutinizing Liangcai’s face as if trying to spot a flaw.
“Hmm… Your eyes can’t lie. How boring. I thought we could reminisce a little.” She suddenly sighed, her tone carrying a hint of real… disappointment?
“But, I suppose the time has come.”
But in the next instant, she was back to her energetic self, even circling Liang Lai, her gaze shamelessly sweeping up and down, clicking her tongue.
“Still, that Saintess Robe suits you much better than those tattered old clothes you used to wear. Looks like the Holy Court is treating you well, isn’t it, Sister Liang Lai?”
Sister?
That form of address struck Liang Lai with a strange sense of dissonance.
She suddenly wondered—could this girl be a friend of the body’s previous owner? Or perhaps a blood-related younger sister?
But they didn’t look alike at all.
The body she now occupied and this girl before her didn’t share even a single feature, not even the color of their hair or eyes.
Liang Lai hesitated no longer and decided to subdue this suspicious character first.
She raised the Badge, and Holy Light began to gather.
“Don’t be so hasty~”
The girl moved with astonishing speed.
In a flash, she was right up against Liang Lai, her cold fingertips gently pressing on Liang Lai’s wrist, the one holding the Badge.
Liangcai startled, ready to shake her off with force, but heard the girl’s voice—barely a whisper, yet clear as day—quickly say:
“Aren’t you even curious why the Energy here nullifies the Holy Court’s power? Aren’t you curious why the Dustfolk have nightmares? Aren’t you curious about the things written in your Diary, about the owner of this body… whether it’s you who’s lost her memories, or the Otherworld Soul? And, who you really are.”
Liang Lai froze in mid-motion.
Sensing her hesitation, the girl’s lips curled again into that sly smile.
She edged even closer, warm breath nearly brushing Liangcai’s ear.
“How about coming with me? I know a place. Maybe you’ll find a clue about the ‘answer’ you’re seeking? Treat it as a welcome gift from an Old Acquaintance, perhaps?”
“Why should I trust you?” Liangcai’s voice was dry.
“Because I know everything about your past!” the girl replied quickly in a low voice, then leaped away, narrowly dodging the Holy Light that Liang Lai reflexively swung at her.
She was like a startled sparrow, but her face still wore that infuriating, all-knowing smile.
“Hey, don’t be mad~ Just kidding~ But aren’t you at least a bit interested now?”
Liang Lai stood in place, ripples of emotion stirring within her.
This unfamiliar girl not only knew the Holy Court’s secrets but also the story of this body’s original owner.
Even though she hadn’t inherited the former owner’s memories and couldn’t judge the truth of the tale.
So, who was this person? And what did she mean by “Old Acquaintance”?
Countless questions crowded Liangcai’s mind as she looked at this bright-smiling, odd-acting, mysterious girl.
Liang Lai felt completely lost, as though she’d wandered into a fog she couldn’t escape.
When the girl saw her silence, she pressed in again, that annoyingly familiar attitude making it seem as if she was sure Liang Lai would follow her.
“Come on, come on~ Sister Liang Lai, trust me, you won’t be disappointed! That place is way more interesting than here!” As she spoke, she tugged on Liangcai’s sleeve—not with much strength, but with a strange, irresistible persistence.
Liang Lai took a deep breath and tried to pull her wrist from those cold fingers.
But the girl, this self-proclaimed “Old Acquaintance,” pressed with surprising strength, holding back Liang Lai’s power just as it was about to erupt.
“Let go.”
Liang Lai’s voice turned cold, the dignity of a Saintess emanating from her, a gentle light flickering around her and the air trembling faintly.
Truth be told, she’d never truly lost her temper before, but this girl was simply too much.
Yet the girl didn’t seem to feel any pressure at all. Instead, with their faces so close, she cocked her head, those bright purple eyes shimmering with pure curiosity—and perhaps a hint of mischief? Not only did she not let go, she even traced her fingertip lightly along the inside of Liang Lai’s wrist, the touch icy and abrupt, making Liang Lai’s hairs stand on end.
“Oh, don’t be so fierce, Sister Liang Lai.”
She pouted, her tone whiny but her eyes perfectly clear. “I just wanted to chat with you. It’s so dull out here in the middle of nowhere. Isn’t it dangerous for you to carry out your Task alone? Why not… take me with you? Once you finish your Task, you can bring me back to the Court of Purity~ How about it?”
Faced with such an unreasonable person, Liang Lai felt a wave of helplessness.
Use Holy Light? The girl’s agility was uncanny just now.
Try physical force? She was pressed so close that any big movement would only make Liang Lai look awkward.
Talk sense? The other party was clearly playing the fool.
Use crystallized abilities? What if she accidentally killed the girl? Liang Lai’s powers seemed pretty strong… Though this girl was certainly suspicious, it didn’t feel right to kill her!
“I’ll say this one last time—I don’t know you, and I’m not going anywhere with you. Leave now, or I’ll consider this a challenge to the Holy Court. You’ll bear the consequences.” Liang Lai tried her sternest tone to make her final warning.
At last, the smile faded from the girl’s face. She released Liangcai, stepped back, put her hands on her waist, and looked at Liangcai with a gaze bordering on accusation.
“Wow~ You’re so heartless~ Using me and then tossing me aside?”
Liang Lai: “How did I use you?”
“Used me… used me for emotional value!” the girl declared, completely self-assured, nodding hard.
“Didn’t I shock you just now? Didn’t I confuse you? Didn’t I make your heart race? Isn’t that precious emotional value? Shouldn’t you pay me for that? My request isn’t much—just let me see your home!”
Liang Lai was nearly amused to laughter by her absurd logic.
She’d dealt with so many old men and women coming to the church for free eggs, but she’d never met anyone so incorrigibly unreasonable as this.
“What a strange person…”
She didn’t want to tangle any longer, so she turned to leave.
The Task wasn’t done yet, and she had no time to waste here.
But as soon as she took a step, she felt a sudden weight on her leg.
Looking down, she saw the girl had thrown herself to the ground, wrapping her arms tight around Liang Lai’s calf, clinging like a koala. Her face even nuzzled against the Saintess Robe.
“I won’t, I won’t, I won’t! If you won’t take me, I won’t let go!”
She started to whine, her voice choked with sobs, but her eyes stayed perfectly dry, not a tear in sight.
“Do you know how long I’ve been wandering alone out here? Ever since I was driven out, I haven’t eaten well, haven’t slept well, every day afraid of being caught by bad people! I just want to rest somewhere safe—how can you be so cruel, Sister Liang Lai? I ended up like this all because of you! You promised—you promised you’d take me away!”
She even started wailing loudly, her cries echoing off the desolate cliffs.
Liang Lai was completely stiff.
The urgency of her Task and the “human-shaped pendant” latched to her leg… She could feel her temples throbbing, a headache pounding in waves.
Damn it, is my first Task really going to turn out like this?!
“You… just get up first!”
She tried to stay calm, but her voice was already tinged with a slight tremor of collapse.
She suddenly wanted to go home and watch the kids fight.
It used to give her a headache when they quarreled, but now… she found it oddly endearing.
“I won’t! Unless you promise to take me home!”
The girl clung even tighter, even wiping fake tears and snot on her robe… though it was probably all an act.
“This isn’t a shelter! And your origins are suspicious—how could I possibly bring you to the heart of the Holy Court?” Liang Lai tried to reason, though it felt like talking to a brick wall.
“I can tell you who I am!”
The girl looked up, her eyes sparkling with no sign of actual crying.
“Just ask me~ Ask and I’ll tell you. I’m very honest.” Liang Lai stared down at the “sticky candy” on her leg, feeling completely powerless.
She could forcibly shake her off, but the girl’s earlier speed and her comments about the Diary and Otherworld Soul were like thorns in Liang Lai’s heart. Ignore her?
Was she really supposed to drag this person all the way back to the outpost? Just picturing that scene made her scalp tingle.
She rubbed her aching temples, sighing, her tone full of fatigue and resignation: “…Just let go, we’ll… talk.”
“Really?”
The girl’s eyes lit up, but she still hugged tight.
“Promise you won’t run? And you won’t hit me with that badge?”
“I promise.” Liang Lai forced the words through clenched teeth.
Only then did the girl beam, quickly releasing her hold and bouncing to her feet.
She even brushed the dust from her robe, her agile movements nothing like the tantrum-thrower from moments before.
“See, wasn’t that easy?” she complained.
It made Liang Lai feel like she’d been the unreasonable one, not the girl.
Liang Lai straightened her wrinkled robe, trying to keep her voice steady. “Alright. First question: what’s your name?”
“Morgana,” the girl answered instantly, puffing out her chest.
“You can call me Nana, or Mo’er, or even Nanako? Call me whatever you like, I’m easy~”
Liang Lai mentally filtered out those odd nicknames and continued, “Morgana, what are you? How do you know… those things?”
She was careful not to mention the “Diary” or “Otherworld Soul” directly.
Morgana blinked, looking innocent and harmless.
“Me? I’m a Witch~”
She said it so naturally, so righteously.
Liangcai’s heart sank with a jolt.
A Witch! So she was a Witch after all! No wonder her actions were so bizarre, and her powers impossible to sense.