Chapter 54: Arrival at the Royal Capital  

“Little White.”  

“What’s up?”  

“How about I slow the horses down, and you run alongside the carriage?”  

“…Are you nuts? Trying to exhaust me to death?”  

Bai Yue Ling sat inside the carriage, wondering why Aiya was acting so strange today. 

She seemed oddly fixated on making her sweat.  

And it wasn’t just Aiya—Ying Ye was acting weird too.  

Ying Ye held a bag of potato chips, her slender fingers delicately picking one up as she smiled warmly and offered it to Bai Yue Ling: 

“Little White, have a chip. Ahh~”  

“I-I can eat it myself, no need to feed me.”  

“Then how about a massage?”  

“N-no, I’m fine… ugh~”  

For some reason, Ying Ye had suddenly become overly attentive, as if the effects of her Dark Fall had vanished, reverting to the gentle, caring big sister she once was.  

Could it be… Ying Ye’s conscience finally kicked in, and she decided to properly cherish her adorable Little White?  

Bai Yue Ling happily wiggled her hips. 

She didn’t know what had changed in Ying Ye, but she was relieved—she’d dodged another curled feet crisis, and Ying Ye hadn’t brought up the ring again.  

Just then, a soft whimper interrupted.  

“Ugh… my head hurts… how long was I out?”  

Trineph sat up, clutching her head, realizing she was lying in the carriage. 

The occasional suggestive gasps around her made her glance over instinctively.  

She saw Bai Yue Ling slumped in Ying Ye’s arms, looking blissful as Ying Ye’s hands roamed and kneaded her body, her expression full of tenderness.  

So that’s the kind of relationship Little White and Ying Ye have… Trineph instinctively clutched her priestess robe, scooting further away from the pair.  

“You’re awake?” Bai Yue Ling greeted her. 

“We’re on our way to the Royal Capital now. Uh, Aiya, when are we supposed to get there?”  

Aiya’s voice came from outside: 

“Since we lost two Windstrider Horses, we’re using regular ones now, so we’re slower. We’ll try to reach the Royal Capital by sunset tomorrow.”  

“No rush,” Trineph said softly. 

“Meeting you all has already used up all the luck I’ll ever have in this life.”  

She closed her eyes, quietly sensing the new power flowing within her, and gasped in surprise: 

“I… I’ve reached level 21 and switched from Priest to Fallen Priestess.”  

Though the power was steeped in darkness and corruption, the opposite of light, she had undeniably grown stronger.  

“Shh!” Bai Yue Ling pressed a finger to her lips, winking. 

“This power is our little secret. Don’t tell anyone, okay?”  

“Got it,” Trineph nodded.  

With a gentle wave, a slender vine extended from the carriage wall. 

Unlike normal vines, it had a faint inky-green hue.  

“To gain power, there’s always a price… Even if it means betraying the light, I have no regrets.”  

The flicker of Obsession-laced dark mist in Trineph’s eyes vanished. 

With another wave, the vine returned to a normal emerald green.  

“Unless it’s absolutely necessary, I won’t use this power in front of others.”  

“Oh~ You catch on quick,” Bai Yue Ling nodded approvingly. 

Since Trineph clearly understood what she was doing, there was no need for further explanation.  

Come to think of it, watching the light fall to darkness did feel pretty thrilling.  

A gallant holy knight, a pure and devout priestess… who would be next? 

Maybe a sultry nun big sister?  

As if sensing Bai Yue Ling’s fantasies drifting to other women, Ying Ye smiled faintly and increased the intensity of her massage.  

“Eek~ Wait, go lighter!”  

Unable to handle Ying Ye’s “thoughtful” massage, Bai Yue Ling scrambled out of the carriage, meekly sitting beside Aiya.  

“Aiya, thanks for helping me earlier.”  

“No need to thank me. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be punished by the Goddess.”  

“Yeah…”  

Bai Yue Ling sighed softly. Who knew what the Goddess of Judgment was thinking?  

All she wanted was to use Dark Fall to survive the onslaught of big sisters, but somehow, she’d provoked one of the world’s most powerful big sisters—the Goddess of Judgment herself.  

Being tormented for stealing the goddess’s Chosen? Please, no—  

Bai Yue Ling shivered, hugging her chest, and asked, 

“Aiya, being caught between me and the Goddess of Judgment… does it make you uncomfortable?”  

“…No.”  

Aiya gazed at her, her clear eyes shimmering with resolve: “I’d rather be your knight than the Goddess of Judgment’s.”  

“…”  

Bai Yue Ling’s heart twinged, leaving her speechless for a moment.  

In her recent cycles, she’d been desperately fighting to survive, ruthlessly taking revenge on big sisters, and had almost forgotten what genuine emotion felt like.  

Now, this pure and earnest holy knight was giving her the same feeling she had during her first cycle.  

Back then, she didn’t have to worry about curled feet and simply enjoyed blissful days with her big sisters.  

Sure, she was a scummy flirt juggling a dozen relationships back then…!  

After Aiya’s near-confession, she seemed stirred as well.  

She gently took Bai Yue Ling’s left hand, gazing at her lovely face as if wanting to say more.  

Then, her fingers brushed the ring on Bai Yue Ling’s hand, and her calm sword-like brows furrowed.  

“Little White… what’s with this ring?”  

“I…”  

“Who gave it to you?”  

“It’s, uh…”  

Bai Yue Ling broke into a cold sweat, blurting out, “Stop the carriage! I need to pop back to the Otherworld Travelers’ world to grab some food!”  

***

After traveling toward the Royal Capital for a day, the four girls finally arrived.  

“We’re here,” Aiya announced as the carriage slowed.  

Bai Yue Ling poked her head out the window, seeing the moat glimmering under the sunset, its surface calm and serene.  

The carriage passed through the city gate, revealing a bustling medieval-style street. 

People came and went, shops thrived, and the clamor of carts and horses mixed with the lively melodies of bards and the shouts of newsboys hawking papers—a vibrant scene starkly different from the real world.  

The Royal Capital, at last.  

Bai Yue Ling sighed softly. 

She’d had many fond memories in this main city—and plenty of painful ones too.  

The fond ones, naturally, were her romantic nights with big sisters.  

But the painful ones weren’t tied to the Third Princess. 

She’d only clashed with the Third Princess in her last cycle; in earlier ones, she’d never even met her.  

There was, however, one person she’d crossed paths with in nearly every cycle, entangled in love and hate—and that person was right here in the Royal Capital.  

Just then, a loud trumpet blared from the street.  

“Blood Era is recruiting! If you’re a PK enthusiast, join our Blood Era entrance exam! Top performers might even get a signed autograph from our leader, Blood Rain! Don’t miss this chance…”  

Hearing that voice, Bai Yue Ling’s body quivered, and she dove back into the carriage.  

“Quick! Head to the Forest Church in the southwest! We need to drop Trineph off first!”