After the princesses left, Lu Ran finally asked the question that had been weighing on her mind.
“Lady Wei Yang, why did you come back wearing a nun’s habit?”
Wei Yang looked down at herself. She was indeed wearing a black and white nun’s habit.
“…I’m doomed.”
“What’s doomed?”
“I forgot Ah Li!”
Wei Yang stood up with a start, nearly knocking her chair over. She had promised Ah Li she would go to the cathedral to help this morning, but after getting caught up in Namei and Lulu’s situation, she had completely forgotten about it.
“I have to get to the cathedral immediately. Lu Ran, you stay here and rest. If your head feels uncomfortable, just lie down. Don’t move around.”
“But — “
Wei Yang interrupted her, two lines of hot tears streaming down her face.
Truly, the wind sighs and the Yi River is cold; the hero departs, never to return.
“Say no more. Little Lu, if I don’t return tonight, remember to come to the cathedral and collect my corpse.”
A bunch of question marks practically popped up over Lu Ran’s head.
Wei Yang pushed the door open and left, her silhouette appearing incredibly tragic.
***
The St. Eri Palace Cathedral was exceptionally lively today. By the time she ran to the cathedral entrance, panting for breath, she was stunned by the sight inside the moment she pushed the doors open.
A small tin might hold twenty or thirty sardines, but at this moment, the cathedral looked like a sardine tin that had been scaled up several times.
It was like going to a seafood buffet alone—a literal sea of fish on the plate.
Wei Yang carefully squeezed her way inside, only to be grabbed by a hand and pulled into the side aisle.
“You’re here?”
Ah Li’s voice rang in her ear. Wei Yang turned her head and met those resentful eyes.
“Uh, I…”
“Explanations are just excuses. Did you stand me up because you went on a date with your little girlfriend? Poor me, I’m so heartbroken, sob.”
Wei Yang guiltily looked away.
But Ah Li didn’t let her off and continued her pursuit.
“We’re especially busy today. Do you know why?”
“W-why?”
“Because some little brat turned Sister Anna’s pinky into stone. Although it wore off after 30 minutes, the townsfolk were terrified. They thought it was a curse from Jiuzhou or a punishment from the gods. Anyway, there are all sorts of versions of the story going around.”
“S-so?”
Ah Li pulled a miserable, grieving face.
“So they all came to pray. They’re praying that they won’t turn into stone themselves.”
Wei Yang’s lip twitched as she lowered her head, feigning innocence. Ah Li shifted her gaze, looking at Wei Yang with a subtle expression.
“So, how do you plan to compensate me?”
‘Compensate?’
Wei Yang didn’t know. Did she have to show her belly like Lulu did?
‘No, no!’
“I’m at your disposal. As long as the request isn’t too excessive, I can satisfy it.”
However, she regretted the words the moment they left her mouth.
Ah Li’s eyes were sparkling with a brilliant light.
It was like a cat seeing a teaser wand, a fox seeing a chicken coop, or the Jade Rabbit seeing a smutty book.
“Really?”
“Uh… as long as it’s not too much.”
Wei Yang closed her eyes in despair. But since she had already said it, a promise was a promise.
“Thank you for your generous sacrifice~ We’ll talk about it tonight then. I’ll be counting on you for today’s work.”
Over the next few hours, Wei Yang deeply experienced what it meant to reap what one sows.
Inside the confessional, she listened to all sorts of confessions, repeating the same universal phrase over and over again.
“The God of Light will bless you. As long as you pray with sincerity, you will not come to harm.”
By the time she finally reached the end of her shift, Wei Yang felt as though her throat was about to start smoking. She collapsed onto a cathedral pew, watching the sunset light filter through the stained-glass windows, unwilling to move even a single muscle.
After finishing the last of her work, Ah Li walked over and reached out a hand.
“Good work. Let’s go.”
Wei Yang repeated the phrase ‘a word once spoken cannot be retracted’ over and over in her heart.
***
Ah Li’s home was still pitch black. She clapped her hands, and the white-glowing beetle flew out from some corner, illuminating the entire space.
Wei Yang sat down on the sofa in the living room and got straight to the point. Before the compensatory gift, there were more important matters to clear up.
“First, explain what happened in the garden last night. Were those chains coming for me your doing?”
Ah Li shook her head.
“No.”
“Then why were you there?”
“I felt a fluctuation in magic, so I went over to absorb some. Regarding the mastermind, I suspect Anna.”
Wei Yang recalled the spell Anna had almost cast on Namei at the cathedral earlier that day.
“But she shouldn’t have that much mana. It was obvious after I interrupted her this morning that she couldn’t cast that spell again. Her mana capacity definitely isn’t high.”
“Exactly,” Ah Li said, rubbing her aching right shoulder. “So she must have an accomplice. I’ll keep a slight eye on her lately.”
Wei Yang threw her hands up, remembering something else.
“By the way, you said the Tamamo Bell was stolen?”
Ah Li’s expression became a bit awkward.
“Yes.”
“What are the chances of Anna being the culprit?”
“Zero. I didn’t sense the bell’s presence on her.”
Wei Yang felt it was all such a hassle. If they had that artifact, many things could be solved easily.
“Speaking of which, since you nuns are so busy, why haven’t you considered capturing that Nightmare?”
She was careful not to reveal the information that the Nightmare’s true identity was Namei.
Ah Li sighed and leaned forward slightly. Her nun’s habit gapped at the collar because of the movement, revealing her collarbones and a generous amount of snow-white skin.
“Do you know where magic comes from?”
Wei Yang raised a hand in refusal.
“If you have something to say, just say it. Don’t ask questions. You’re clearly just talking to yourself anyway.”
“Fine~ One of the sources of magic is negative emotions. Anger, fear, sadness—the stronger these emotions, the higher the level of mana particles in the air.”
“So what does that have to do with you not catching the Nightmare…”
“It has a lot to do with it, because I need it to create panic to raise the average magic level of Huyin Town. That way, I can absorb more magic to grow stronger until I can contend with the White Dragon. For the greater good, this is a necessary sacrifice.”
Wei Yang was somewhat confused because she didn’t sense any affection for the townsfolk in Ah Li’s words. It gave her the feeling of a gardener tending to plants and flowers.
Pruning branches and leaves was necessary for the plants to grow better. But it was only to make them grow successfully; Ah Li didn’t have what one would call “love” for them.
‘…Well, it doesn’t really matter.’
“Dear, you don’t have anything else to ask, do you? Then, regarding today’s compensation…” Ah Li licked her lips. “I’ve thought of what I want.”
Alarm bells rang in Wei Yang’s mind.
“What do you want?”
“Didn’t you say it this morning? I’m at your disposal, and as long as the request isn’t too excessive, you’ll satisfy it.”
Ah Li went over to a nearby cabinet to rummage through it. The fabric of the nun’s habit traced the curves of her body as she moved. Her waist was slender and her hips were full; the garment swayed gently at the crook of her legs, occasionally revealing the soft indentation behind them.
“Ah, found it. A bath towel. Dear, come take a bath with me.”
Wei Yang was stunned.
“Huh?”
“A bath,” Ah Li said matter-of-factly. “It’s just two people soaking in hot water together. Is there a problem?”
“Can I refuse?”
“But you promised,” Ah Li wheedled. “Surely a dignified Lady Angel wouldn’t go back on her word?”
Wei Yang really wanted to find a pit of fire to jump into.
“…Fine. But we had a deal. Just a bath. No touching!”
“Of course, I promise.”
Wei Yang looked at her suspiciously, feeling that this promise wasn’t very credible.
But the words had been spoken, and there was no turning back.
‘Tonight, the sorrow of years has yet to reach home. Whether I remain pure tomorrow… that is the question.’