A long time passed before Wei Yang finally calmed down.
Fortunately, the effects of the divine technique vanished after her long crying fit. Wei Yang returned to her original petite size, and that strange sensation disappeared along with it.
She wiped her eyes, only then realizing that Ah Li was gone. Wei Yang looked around the room in confusion and noticed a delicious scent wafting in from the other room.
‘Is she… making breakfast?’
It made sense. The sky outside was already bright; it was time for breakfast.
She found her dress by the bed and put it on. Wei Yang felt helpless as she sensed the gaps where the fabric had been stretched out, allowing cold air to constantly seep in. She huddled into herself, realizing there were no windows in this house, making it impossible to see the environment outside.
Upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn’t that there were no windows, but that they were all covered up. In particular, a small door leading to who-knows-where was firmly sealed with many heavy chains.
When she stared at that door, her left hand trembled uncontrollably. Following her gaze, she noticed a horn-shaped pattern imprinted on the back of her left hand. It was Gabriel’s Horn, the artifact gifted by Heng’e, which had been engraved onto her hand as a contract.
*Creak—*
“Ah, I heard you stopped crying… Are you okay now?”
Wei Yang turned toward the source of the voice. It was Ah Li, wearing an apron and clutching a spatula.
“It’s hard to say. I guess I’m fine… Wait, what are you trying to do? Don’t tell me you’ve locked the front door too!”
A flash of panic crossed Ah Li’s eyes, and she quickly changed the subject.
“I made breakfast. Come eat some.”
‘So suspicious…’
Wei Yang grumbled inwardly, and Ah Li clearly picked up on her suspicion.
“Well, you can rest easy. It’s safe to eat, okay? Normally, I really would want to make a move on you, but your current state is pretty bad, isn’t it?”
Wei Yang was stunned. Was this girl actually the considerate type?
*Grumble—*
She had intended to refuse, but her stomach was far too disobedient. Facing the breakfast, dairy products, and porridge Ah Li set out, Wei Yang eventually gave in.
Filling her stomach was the right move. Although the other girl might have poisoned it, Wei Yang decided to trust her this once.
It definitely wasn’t because the appearance and aroma of the breakfast were simply too enticing.
After finishing breakfast, Ah Li changed into her nun’s habit.
“I’m going to work at the church. Do you want to come and help?”
Wei Yang took a step back and shook her head.
“Seriously? Don’t you want an explanation for what happened in the garden last night?”
“I know there are still many things that haven’t been cleared up, but let’s have a good talk tonight. Because of us, a mana explosion occurred in the garden. Today, many townsfolk will surely think it was destruction caused by the Nightmare, so they’ll come to the church to pray for safety. It will be a busy day, and I can’t be late.”
Wei Yang thought about it and could only nod. After Ah Li finished cleaning the dishes and left first, she also departed from the small, dark house.
‘I wonder how that purple-haired girl I tied up is doing and if Lu Ran has been keeping a good eye on her.’
Using the spare change Lu Ran had given her, she bought a lollipop from one of the few shops on the street that was still open. Thinking about the tragedy that had just befallen her body, even the sweetness of the lollipop couldn’t bury that lingering sense of sadness.
Half an hour later, she finally reached her destination. Wei Yang tapped on the door nonchalantly.
*Knock, knock, knock.*
After waiting in the wind for a long time, the door finally opened.
Inside the house, Lu Ran had stayed awake all night to watch Xiao Zi and prevent her from escaping, but the Angel had not returned by dawn. Although she was worried to death, she forced herself to think of positive outcomes.
Rather, Lu Ran didn’t dare imagine a situation where something had happened to the Angel. If that were the case, she would be alone once again.
No, she couldn’t accept it. She didn’t want that.
She was a selfish person; she absolutely did not want Wei Yang to leave her side. Because of that selfishness, she wanted to become ordinary, to be saved, and to find a way to keep living even if it was disgraceful.
She didn’t want to die.
Lu Ran was special to Huyin Town. If Jiuzhou truly intended to start a war, the only person who could stop that white dragon was Lu Ran.
It was all because the Curse she had awakened had that specific effect. It could ignore the gap in strength between two people, forcibly initiating a ritual where she would perish along with her target. One could say that Lu Ran was Huyin Town’s final trump card against Jiuzhou.
But Lu Ran didn’t want to die. She didn’t want to be that special. It would have been better to be more ordinary without this Curse. Being ordinary was her greatest treasure.
Things like raising a cat, walking a dog, or the daily routine of laundry and cooking—she dearly loved that precious kind of life.
The High Priestess of the church, Ah Li, knew this. Many townsfolk had petitioned to push Lu Ran forward to blow herself up along with the visitors from Jiuzhou, using her lone sacrifice to ensure the survival of many more.
To avoid the conclusion of Lu Ran’s sacrifice, Ah Li could only go around searching for mana to absorb and devour. However, the performance of her Curse was poor, and her progress was extremely slow. At this rate, it would take at least another few decades of devouring mana to become a powerhouse on par with the white dragon, but Huyin Town didn’t have that much time.
Even knowing this, Ah Li continued to do it.
As the only nine-tailed fox in Huyin Town, it was her responsibility and mission to save and protect everyone. The townsfolk were counting on her, and she had to give her all to respond to those expectations.
‘But if that’s the case, doesn’t it mean that High Priestess Ah Li has always been lonely?’
It was like a gardener tending to flowers and plants. Ah Li would protect and care for the blossoms, but she wouldn’t expect the flowers to empathize with her. Therefore, no one could truly enter Ah Li’s heart. Lu Ran often thought that it would be wonderful if someone could understand Ah Li. And the only candidate for that role was the Angel.
Only when facing Wei Yang did Ah Li reveal her truest self.
‘But I’m so jealous. The Angel should be my person… I’m really just too cunning.’
As long as the Angel was there, everything could be resolved. She wouldn’t have to use her Curse to die along with the white dragon anymore.
‘I’m different from Ah Li and the Angel. In the end, I am not a warrior.’
The horizon was already turning a pale white. She glanced at Xiao Zi on the bed; the girl had found a comfortable position and was already fast asleep, snoring away.
‘I want to sleep too… So sleepy, but the Angel hasn’t come home yet. I can’t sleep.’
Lu Ran went to the bathroom, filled her hands with water, and splashed it onto her face. The icy water made her shiver, but fortunately, her sleepiness mostly dissipated. She slapped her cheeks hard to drive away the last remnants of drowsiness.
‘Okay, keep it up! I have to listen to the Angel and not let her get hurt.’
While cheering herself on, Lu Ran worried about the Angel.
‘I wonder what she’s doing. It’s almost time for breakfast… Sigh, I’m so worried. She can’t skip breakfast.’
She boiled some water to fill her own stomach, planning to cook once the Angel returned. Lu Ran looked forward to their mealtimes together more than anything else; she certainly couldn’t let the Angel eat a breakfast that had gone cold. That would break her heart; it was an unforgivable act.
As she thought, her mind grew even dizzier. Lu Ran had never tried to pull an all-nighter before, so she had already reached her limit.
*Bang, bang, bang!*
Just as she was about to drift off, there was a knock at the door.
‘The Angel is back! The person knocking at this hour must be her, there’s no mistake!!’
Lu Ran rushed to the door and swung it open.