Chapter 17: Deceiving the truth

Iserin was thinking about something.

Whether or not she should push open the door to Mowan’s house and walk inside.

She had originally planned to leave Mowan alone for a day and only come back to chat with her the following evening.

That way, she could maintain a sense of novelty with Mowan without making the girl feel like she was being distanced.

If she stayed with Mowan all the time, Mowan would not develop feelings of longing for her.

First of all, Iserin had to admit that she was indeed deceiving the young girl’s True Heart.

But Iserin felt no guilt.

After all, Mowan was just a member of the Demon Race.

A… somewhat special member of the Demon Race, so special that no amount of effort spent on her would be considered excessive.

Right now, Mowan’s voice from inside the house echoed clearly in her mind.

She didn’t push the door open immediately to catch her in the act, not because she was considering Mowan’s modesty, nor because she was worried about whether she could handle such a scene.

Instead, she was considering what she needed to do to obtain Mowan’s True Heart.

Previously, Iserin didn’t think that simple physical intimacy would be enough to capture Mowan’s True Heart.

However, now that Mowan had done this twice in just five days, she needed to re-evaluate the ambiguous boundaries between them.

The purple-haired Demon Race girl’s desires inside were more restless than expected.

Perhaps she could take a more aggressive next step.

She wanted to make Mowan understand that she needed her.

But how could a flawless Saintess reveal a crack, making Mowan believe she could fill it?

Iserin looked back on her life.

She racked her brain to design a breakthrough point for herself.

Finally.

She made a decision.

She turned and walked toward a clothing store on the street.

She bought two gorgeous dresses based on Mowan’s measurements, both of which were not very practical for long-distance travel.

Iserin also specifically instructed the shop owner that she wanted over a dozen more outfits like these designed within a week.

Iserin tried on the new clothes herself first; although they were a bit tight, she endured it for the sake of the plan, switching to the other after a few minutes.

Finally, she held the two dresses in her palms, feeling the warmth of her own body temperature lingering on the soft fabric.

Iserin flashed a faint smile.

Holding the two dresses in her arms, she walked back toward Mowan’s house.

This time, she no longer heard Mowan’s unbearable gasping from the Ring.

But the girl wasn’t asleep yet; she was tossing and turning on the bed, seemingly bored to death.

Iserin pushed open the door to Mowan’s house and walked into her room.

“Hah!”

The sudden appearance of a figure at the door startled Mowan.

She quickly grabbed the quilt to cover herself.

When she saw clearly who it was, her racing heart immediately relaxed.

“Saintess.”

Seriously, why does she always come in without knocking?

I thought a thief had broken in just now.

Even so! Even if the person was the Saintess!

Mowan still felt a bit embarrassed.

She wasn’t wearing any clothes; underneath the quilt, she was completely naked.

Mowan looked at the clothes Iserin was holding, and her cheeks turned bright red again.

She felt like Iserin knew what she had been doing ten minutes ago.

Otherwise, what was the meaning of Iserin bringing these two dresses in?

“I knocked and there was no response, so I just came in.”

But she didn’t hear any knocking at all!

Or maybe Iserin’s knocking was too quiet?

“That… alright. Saintess, it’s so late. Is there something you need?”

Mowan indeed wanted to see Iserin, but definitely not right now—any time before or after this would have been fine!

“I brought you two dresses.”

“For me?”

Mowan’s tone was questioning.

They wouldn’t be used to offset her pay again, would they?

“Yes. They were originally meant for Croll, but she said she didn’t like them.”

Mowan glanced at the two dresses in Iserin’s arms.

They looked fitting for the noble status of a Princess.

“Can you really give them to me?”

“Mhm, put them on and try them.”

Iserin walked up to Mowan and placed the clothes on top of the quilt.

Mowan curled her toes tightly.

“Um… could you wait outside for a bit?”

“I won’t look.”

Iserin turned her back to Mowan and walked to the door, but she simply wouldn’t leave.

Mowan bit her lower lip.

In the end, she couldn’t bring herself to ask the Saintess to leave again.

She lifted the quilt and rustled as she changed into the new clothes Iserin had given her.

It seemed… they fit perfectly?

Furthermore, there was a faint fragrance on the clothes, very similar to the scent on Iserin’s body.

Mowan felt as if she were being embraced by Iserin; her whole body felt warm.

Smoothing out her slightly messy purple hair and carefully tidying her bangs, Mowan finally spoke.

“I’m finished.”

Iserin turned around.

A purple-haired girl wearing a Princess gown stood properly before her.

The bright pink bows on the hem made Mowan’s flushed cheeks look even more delicate.

Iserin gazed intently at Mowan.

From a normal person’s aesthetic perspective, Mowan’s beauty was a gift from the heavens.

Though not stunning at first glance, she was extremely pleasing to look at.

“You look very beautiful.”

Iserin gave a sincere compliment.

“But, these… weren’t they supposed to be for the Princess?”

“They are yours now. From now on, the clothes I collect will all be yours. I won’t give them to Croll anymore.”

“Saintess, did you… have a fight with Her Highness the Princess?”

This kind of talk really didn’t sound like it came from Iserin’s mouth.

Mowan felt that the current Iserin was indescribably strange.

“No. How could I ever fight with anyone?”

“Then why did you come all this way so late just to give me clothes?”

“Because I’m disappointed in Croll. She is not an obedient child.”

Mowan raised her hand and touched her ear, remembering what Iserin had said to her last night.

She suddenly felt that all of Iserin’s actions until now had become reasonable, and the sense of dissonance she had just felt vanished instantly.

Did Iserin feel that she was more obedient, which is why she gave her the clothes?

“You will stay here forever, won’t you?”

Iserin asked Mowan again.

She really cared about Mowan’s response to this question, confirming it time and time again, asking Mowan tirelessly.

“Yes, I will. I won’t go back to the Demon Race. No matter what happens, I won’t go back there.”

Mowan lowered her hands and gripped the hem of her skirt.

“As long as you don’t chase me away.”

Or worse, try to kill me.

Otherwise, Mowan felt that she would spend the rest of her life here.

Iserin approached Mowan.

She raised her hand and caressed Mowan’s face, her fingertips gently tracing Mowan’s jawline.

“Very good.”

Then, she raised her other hand and cupped Mowan’s cheeks with both hands.

Lowering her head slightly, she pressed a kiss onto Mowan’s forehead.

“Do you like the clothes?”

“I like them,” Mowan answered with a red face.

Why… why was this happening?

What on earth happened?

Why would the Saintess kiss my forehead?

Even if it’s just the forehead… this is crossing the line, isn’t it?!

The corners of Iserin’s mouth curled up slightly.

“I knew you would like them, because you have always been very obedient. You won’t reject me. Tomorrow morning at ten o’clock, meet up with the Princess in front of the Church. Protect the Princess. It’s a two-day mission, then come back safely.”

Before Mowan could react, Iserin went on to explain Mowan’s task for tomorrow.

Mowan nodded blankly and agreed.

“Okay.”

“Goodnight.”

Iserin let go of Mowan.

Mowan followed Iserin out of the room, standing in the living room and watching as Iserin walked out of the house and closed the front door.

That glimpse of her white back remained in Mowan’s sight.

Mowan’s heart was a chaotic mess.