Chapter 93: The Guidebook is Back

After briefly explaining the arrangement that she would be monitored to Sophia, her reaction was quite calm.

Sophia crossed her hands over her chest, looking like an innocent little flower. “I understand. I am already very grateful that you were willing to bring me back. I can understand your concerns.”

Her tone was sincere. “I will follow your arrangements and won’t cause trouble for anyone.”

Hati nodded with satisfaction. “Mm, good attitude.”

Sophia turned her gaze toward Lin Shu, staring at her fingers. “Lin Shu, I didn’t burn you just now, did I? I’m truly sorry.”

Lin Shu said nothing, watching her with her arms crossed.

‘She isn’t using that title anymore.’

‘But can she really stay this calm knowing she’ll be watched by the Sacred Race?’

‘Could it be that I really overthought it and misidentified her?’

‘But who would use such an intimate form of address for someone they’ve only met a few times?’

Hati called out to Lin Shu, “Let’s go. We need to go meet up with Angela’s team.”

The two had just stepped out of the small wooden cabin when they heard a sudden commotion in the distance.

“Ani! Ani! Come back!”

“Waaaah! Sister…!!”

It was Ani’s voice.

Lin Shu and Hati both looked toward the source of the sound at the same time. In the distance, Ani was struggling desperately, shaking off a villager who was trying to hold her back. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and tears covered her face. Without even pausing to wipe the tears away with her sleeve, Ani ran off toward a certain direction, stumbling as she went.

Lin Shu’s heart sank.

‘No way. Looking at this reaction, does she know about Asha?’

Another angel sister followed behind them, looking panicked and helpless.

“What happened?” Hati stepped forward to ask.

“May the gods guide you, Captain Hati.” The angel sister immediately bowed and said, “I was simply following Lady Angela’s orders to see if any villagers needed help. A villager asked me to perform a prayer for a girl who unfortunately passed away. He said the girl’s name was Asha and that she died during a monster attack. I didn’t realize the little girl had been quietly following him and overheard our conversation. The deceased seems to be her older sister. The little girl apparently didn’t know before, so… she had an emotional breakdown.”

‘Damn, just as I thought.’

Hati’s brow furrowed. “Let’s go after her. That little sprout is so emotional right now, I’m afraid something might happen.”

“Alright,” Lin Shu agreed with a nod. “Since we were involved in the incident, let’s see if we can comfort her.”

However, before they could even follow her, Ani came running back at full speed, clutching a large pile of items tightly in her arms.

A villager chased after her anxiously. “Ani, stop!”

Seeing this, the other angel sisters stepped forward, trying to block her path. But Ani was small and agile; she quickly slipped through the gaps in their blockade and ran straight for Lin Shu.

“Sister…! Ah!” She was running too fast, and her foot caught, sending her tumbling to the ground.

The items she had been clutching scattered across the dirt—several books and a bag. The bag fell open, spilling out various colored flowers, leaves, and several crystal stones.

Hearing the commotion, Angela also walked over. “May the gods guide you, child. What is the matter?”

Ani, who had never seen an angel of the Holy Church before, turned bright red. She scrambled to pick up the items on the ground. “S—Sorry.”

Lin Shu stepped forward of her own accord, helped her pick up the fallen items, and handed them back.

Seeing a familiar face, Ani’s expression softened slightly, and tears began to drip from her face once more.

“Were you looking for me?” Lin Shu asked, keeping her voice as soft as possible.

Ani nodded vigorously. “Magic sister, I heard them say… that you and the angel sisters are going… going to kill those monsters, right?”

“…Yes.”

Ani cried out in a broken voice, “They lied to me! They were all lying to me! Sister said she was going to show me magic and went out to find more materials, and then she didn’t come back for a long time… I—I thought something must have happened… but I didn’t think it would be this! It’s all my fault. That day, I pestered her because I wanted to see the new magic she learned, and that’s why she said she was going out to find things. I’m the one who killed my sister!”

Ani held out the items in her arms toward Lin Shu, her voice trembling from her breakdown. “These… these are magic materials. This is everything related to magic I could find in my house. Sister usually used these materials to perform magic. Please, I’ll give all of this to you! Help me… help me get revenge for my sister! Once you kill those monsters, I—I’ll…”

Ani’s eyes suddenly became dull and hollow.

Hati saw that the girl’s emotional state was wrong and quickly grabbed her shoulders, giving her a shake. “Hey, don’t think about doing anything stupid. If your sister came back and saw you, she absolutely wouldn’t want you to be like this.”

Ani didn’t reply, she just sobbed.

Other villagers gathered around at this point, their expressions tense and guilty. They hurriedly apologized to Angela. “We are truly sorry. We didn’t watch her closely enough, and we didn’t hide the truth well. Her sister was her only family. This child couldn’t accept it for a moment and ended up offending everyone.”

Angela waved her hand slightly, signaling that it was no matter. She looked at the agonizing Ani and said gently, “Let her stay.”

Lin Shu noticed there was still one book on the ground that hadn’t been picked up. The cover of that book looked extremely familiar. She reached out and picked it up. Written clearly on the cover was: “Magic Crash Course: From Entry to the Grave.”

‘…No way.’

This book was exactly the same as the one she had first encountered at Tepus’s manor when she first started learning magic!

‘Is this some kind of mass-produced textbook from the Spirit Tower?’

‘Wait, if this book exists…’

Lin Shu flipped the book open. Just like the one she had seen before, it was filled with spells and casting materials ranging from low to high rank.

“Hey, Hati, I have an idea,” Lin Shu said, closing the book.

“Since those strange monsters are sensitive to magic, they might be attracted to it. I can try to draw them out.”

“What are you trying to do, Lin Shu?” Hati became instantly alert. “You’re not thinking of acting as bait, are you?!”

“Mm. The fluctuations produced by high-level magic are much stronger. Maybe we can lure a few of them out, then let one escape so we can follow it back to their nest.” Lin Shu explained her plan as she thought it through.

“Then you have to stay right by my side. I need to keep an eye on you.” Hati put her hands on her hips.

As she listened to their conversation, Ani chimed in timidly, “B—But… the high-level magic… my sister didn’t have the materials for those in what she left behind. Those materials are too precious; we couldn’t afford them. And my sister hadn’t learned those spells yet.”

Lin Shu gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s alright. I don’t need casting materials.”

She reached out her hand and chanted the simplest “Glow” spell. A soft white light emerged from Lin Shu’s fingertips.

Looking at that tiny bit of white light, Ani froze.

Everyone around them, including Angela and all the sisters of the Sacred Race, focused their gazes on her, their faces filled with shock.