There was no helping it, so Wei Yang simply spread her hands.
Who could blame her? She had indeed promised Ah Li before that she would continue to help out as a nun. Since the agreement had been made, she had to keep her word. Thus, she accompanied the jubilant Ah Li to the church.
Namei seemed to care quite a bit about the relationship between the two, so she followed them to the church as well. However, she turned down Ah Li’s invitation to be a nun for a day.
“I… am not worthy of being a noble nun,” Namei replied as she refused. Naturally, Ah Li did not force the princess of Jiuzhou.
In the changing room, Wei Yang kicked Ah Li out. After agonizing for forty-one minutes, she finally made up her mind to put on the undergarments, followed by the nun habit and the fishnet stockings.
Wei Yang felt that it was far too tight.
Ah Li suggested that she could take it off so that she could check and adjust it for her.
Wei Yang gave Ah Li a fierce punch.
Walking into the church hall, Wei Yang decided to stay in the small dark room. She did not want to appear in front of everyone dressed like this.
As she passed by the senior nuns, she saw Anna again. She could not help but smile awkwardly, realizing she might have misunderstood the woman before.
‘Huh, the one in front of her is…’
For some reason, Namei was actually standing before Anna with her eyes closed and her hands pressed together in a standard prayer posture.
‘I really didn’t expect this little princess to be the type who likes to join in the fun. She probably wants to experience what it feels like to pray in a church. But it’s useless. Someone should have told her the truth beforehand.’
Ah Li had told her about that matter — the reality of the prayers.
The nuns would chant special spells about divine protection for those who came to pray or confess. In reality, however, the nuns were almost always just chanting low-level light spells. It was merely a show to comfort the visitors, as it was impossible to disturb the gods for every little thing.
So, the incantation Anna was currently chanting for Namei had to be a fake… right?
Wei Yang sensed that something was wrong. The scale of the mana being evoked from Anna’s body could not possibly be a simple light spell.
‘What exactly is this girl trying to do?’
Regardless, her intuition told Wei Yang that she had to interrupt her, or something would definitely go wrong.
Wei Yang raised her hand, and after condensing a small amount of pink-purple divine power, she aimed it at the back of Anna’s neck and lightly flicked her finger.
On the other side, just as Anna’s incantation was nearing completion, her neck was suddenly flicked hard by something. Startled by the sharp pain, her chanting was forced to a halt, and the mana particles instantly scattered.
“Who is it!?”
She turned around angrily, but she did not find anyone suspicious.
Anna gnashed her teeth in fury. She had been so close — just a little more and the curse would have been complete!
At that moment, Namei, who was in front of her, opened her eyes upon hearing the shout. Her hands shook with anxiety.
“Did something happen, Sister Anna?”
Anna hid her displeasure. The remaining amount of mana in her body would not allow her to cast the curse again. But even so, she intended to hurt this detestable princess of Jiuzhou as much as possible.
“…Your confession was rejected by the God of Light. He does not accept it. That is all.”
Namei froze there, at a loss for words.
“Eh? Wh-Why? I was sincerely repenting…”
“It makes sense. People like you probably think that as long as you repent, you will be forgiven. But that is impossible. Because you are a princess, anyone would forgive you, but God will not. To God, your power and status are not worth mentioning.”
Namei could not help but tremble all over. Her body felt weak, and her vision gradually began to blur.
She understood. She understood it all.
Anna was right. It was only because she was a princess that everyone humored her and treated her with such tenderness. It was only because she was a princess.
Something began to well up in her eyes.
The people around them noticed that something was wrong and crowded around, asking what was happening and why the princess was crying.
But this only made Namei feel more pained and helpless.
A princess — that was the only way everyone ever addressed her.
They would always…
“Hey, are you crying, little mermaid?”
A familiar voice reached her. Namei saw a blurred figure pushing through the crowd, drawing closer until she grabbed her and pulled her to her side.
Before leaving the church, Wei Yang cast a cold glance at Anna. The petrification effect of the Medusa Sapphire activated, turning Anna’s pinky finger into stone.
Ignoring the ensuing noise and commotion, she quickly led Namei away from the place.
They walked out of the church and arrived at a riverside before Wei Yang finally let her go. Namei took a few steps back to create some distance, her left hand clutching her right shoulder as she whispered her thanks.
“Thank you for helping me out.”
Wei Yang shrugged, sounding indifferent.
“Actually, I can understand why she holds such hostility toward you. After all, your purpose in coming to Huyin Town is to snatch the pearls that belong to them. Putting that aside, why were you crying just now?”
Namei turned away, leaning against a nearby magical stone pillar.
“Little Wei Yang, I have never been treated with sincerity by others. Even if I do something wrong, no one will condemn me for it. Even if guilt torments me, no one will punish me. I do not understand. Is this the suffering one must endure as a princess?”
Wei Yang poked her cheek, looking a bit puzzled.
“Is that the reason you’re crying? It really doesn’t seem like you. Aren’t princesses supposed to be very strong-willed?”
Namei felt a bit angry and puffed out her cheeks gloomily.
“That is a stereotype. Even princesses can be the fragile type, and there can be idiotic ones too. I get angry and sad because I am me. Emotions are not a gift that comes with status. No one can understand that. No one.”
Wei Yang rested her chin on her hand, looking at Namei’s profile.
“Why would you think that? That’s a bit too absolute.”
Namei turned around, her eyes meeting Wei Yang’s cyan pupils.
“Little Wei Yang, you do not understand. The label of ‘princess’ was stuck on me the moment I was born, and a life restricted by status is nothing but darkness. Even if someone wants to light a lamp for me, it will soon be swallowed by the long night. Even hoping to see a single firefly is nothing more than an extravagant wish.”
Wei Yang remained silent for a moment before finally sighing.
“To be honest, you really irritate me. You only view Galio as a tool, don’t you?” Wei Yang stepped closer to Namei, not avoiding her gaze. “Others are not tools. They aren’t born with specific roles and tasks because everyone has a heart. A pessimistic person like you views Galio as a tool while simultaneously longing for sincerity. You’re right. It really is an extravagant wish.”
Hearing this, Namei pouted, feeling a flicker of sadness from being rebuked.
“…Is it really okay to say these things to someone who just cried? Aren’t you afraid I’ll go jump into the river in a moment?”
“But this is what I want to say. This is me, the complete me. So, little Namei,” Wei Yang reached out her hand to her, her expression softening considerably, “start with me. Show your true heart to me.”
Namei stared blankly at her sincere eyes. But in the end, she lowered her head.
She could no longer look Wei Yang in the eye.
“I can’t. A negative person like me shouldn’t stay by your side. If I do, it will definitely affect your mental state. I was just complaining a bit. It’s normal. I’ll be fine.”
“If you leave everything for yourself to digest, then what about your own mental state?”
Namei was stunned.
Yes, what about her own mental state?
If she was always alone, she would surely reach her limit.
Wei Yang rubbed her neck helplessly, thinking that it still wasn’t working.
“Forget it. I suddenly have something I want to do, so I’m leaving. You complain that no one can understand you, yet you refuse the help of others. In my eyes, you really are a dummy.”
Before her loneliness could set in, she took one last look at Namei.
“These words are also just the ramblings of a dummy. Don’t mind them.”
After Wei Yang left, Namei stood in place for a long time, unable to calm down.
She needed to think, and she needed time.
What was the answer?
She placed both hands over her left chest, feeling that intense heartbeat.
[Everyone has a heart.]
Namei finally realized what it was that she needed.
Her life, her soul, her existence, her heart —
She wanted them all to be filled by that person.
Looking at the figure that was gradually growing smaller, Namei did not want to part ways like this.
She had been left behind, and now she had to catch up.
“Little Wei Yang!” she shouted loudly toward that back. “Where are you going!?”
Namei had made up her mind. No matter where she went, she would definitely follow.
As long as she was by her side, anywhere was —
A faint voice carried through the wind.
“I’m going to your house to steal the dragon girl away.”
Namei suspected her ears had misheard her.
What did that mean?
A dragon thief!
“You should just steal me instead! Why are you stealing my dragon!?”
“Let’s do it!”
“She won’t do! I will!”