The turmoil of the night finally settled without real danger under Anqi’s concealment.
And as the Qualification Review of Valo’s eligibility to hold a Holy Relic concluded, Valo officially became the holder of Purity Protection of Askara.
From then on, she could freely use Holy Relics. Even if she obtained new ones, she would not need to undergo additional reviews.
Even holding a Holy Relic while refusing to eat beef would not be a problem, because the Qualification Review was a lifelong responsibility system.
The ones taking the blame were her two daughters.
But at this moment, Valo had no time to care about that.
The Clock Tower at noon was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
After a morning of training, the students could finally press pause, chatting in groups as they headed toward the dining hall.
Valo’s infirmary had long since returned to peace. No more students would fake illness, run over crying about stomachaches, then lie in bed just waiting for her to coax them with a gentle ‘there, there.’
However, today the infirmary had gained an unavoidable uninvited guest—Anqi.
The Saintess of the Church was seated inside as a “guest,” dressed in a loose white-and-gold uniform completely different from the Hidden Sea Church’s nuns.
Pure white wings occasionally stretched and fluttered. Her long legs in white stockings tapped lightly in rhythm with her breathing.
With her hands resting over her chest, the Saintess maintained a radiant, immaculate posture as she watched Valo work as the health teacher all morning.
At that moment, Valo was dealing with the last student of the morning—Emma of the Blood Tribe, who had snuck into the Clock Tower.
The pink fool rushed into the infirmary with a mournful face and nearly exposed herself the moment she opened her mouth.
“Mo—gah!”
Fortunately, Anqi was simply too dazzling, and with a single glance from Valo, Emma forcibly corrected herself.
“Miss Valo, I cut my finger at work. Could you please help me treat it?”
She sat down, stretched out her hand, and glanced uneasily at Anqi, who was smiling at her.
Like a bat from the gutter seeing sunlight.
Valo felt a kind of exasperation at her incompetence. You are already disguised as an Apprentice Nun. What are you afraid of? Just act naturally.
“The Saintess is here too… hehe, Miss Valo, I didn’t expect you and the Saintess to be so close.”
What do you mean “didn’t expect”? That wording will give us away, you fool!
“Ahaha… I suppose so. I was just chatting with the Saintess.”
Sensing the “kind gaze” from the girl behind her, Valo could only force a smile to cover for her teammate.
She skillfully wrapped several turns of medical bandage around Emma’s finger and watched as the timid pink fool hurriedly left.
But… “close,” was it?
On the surface, her relationship with Anqi did look as beautiful as that of a model mother and daughter. In reality…
Ever since she agreed to Anqi’s condition and let Anqi temporarily become one of her daughters, she had lost every bit of initiative in front of her.
She was completely in her daughter’s grasp.
Soft footsteps approached. A familiar fragrance lingered at the tip of her nose.
Valo, seated, suddenly felt both shoulders pressed down by Anqi’s hands. The girl’s breathing followed by her ear.
“I didn’t expect you to know an Apprentice Nun from our Hidden Sea Church. Haven’t you already infiltrated our Church’s interior, Mother?”
“Truly, I must not underestimate you, Mother.”
It sounded like a warm, teasing joke between daughter and mother. But before Valo could explain, Anqi continued with a light laugh—
“So, based on how popular you are at the Clock Tower, I think it’s necessary to more carefully and seriously understand your every move.”
The hands that had rested on her shoulders slowly slid toward her neck, gently stroking her skin.
Slightly cool, yet incomparably soft and smooth, the touch soon trailed across her collarbone and chest. Then came a soft click.
Looking down, Valo discovered that the girl embracing her had just, with utmost tenderness, fastened—
A collar around her neck.
This version of Anqi in this timeline has this kind of hobby?
“Anqi, this is…”
“The Eye of the Goddess. I simply altered its appearance a little and put it on you, Mother.”
Leaning forward as if admiring a work of art, the girl observed Valo’s current posture.
“A necklace would have been nice, but a collar suits you much better right now, Mother.”
“When I’m not by your side, the Eye of the Goddess will accompany you in my place. Through its power, I can see your every move. That way I can cherish… mm, protect you at all times.”
Not protect. Anqi, you just let that slip.
“And I’m not trying to humiliate you. I truly think your image matches a collar quite well. Besides, as long as you don’t say anything, who would think it’s a collar?”
Anqi’s hands slid down to embrace her waist. Her face pressed close against Valo’s shoulder as she lightly nipped her ear and whispered, “Let’s treat this as a little secret between mother and daughter, shall we?”
Seeing Valo tremble like a sensitive little animal, the girl’s lips curved in satisfaction.
“Please do not try to tell my two ‘older sisters.’ And don’t attempt to remove it to avoid me. From this moment on, I will be watching your every move.”
“As a special Holy Relic, the Eye of the Goddess can be remotely controlled even when it’s not by my side. You wouldn’t want to be turned into Valo by holy light, would you?”
That truly left one at a loss.
For a time, Valo could only let Anqi hug her from behind, playing with her like a large pet—rubbing her cheek, scratching her chin, occasionally kneading her lower abdomen.
She said she acknowledged her as a mother, but Anqi was clearly training her like a pet.
She, the dignified Villainous Demon King Valo Rante II—when had she ever been treated like this?
Even her already twisted, darkened daughter Kaika had never dared to “love” her this way.
Thirty years on the east bank of the river, thirty years on the west—never mock a struggling mother. Turn around and fight this bird woman head-on!
Only beginners would do that.
As a master of micro-management, after successfully claiming Anqi as her daughter and activating the Anqi Route, Valo now had only one thought: it doesn’t matter.
Training, confinement, persuasive manipulation…
Though this timeline’s Anqi was somewhat cunning, and her handling of her Villainous Demon King mother rather peculiar, as long as Valo continued to endure and play along…
Sooner or later, Anqi would lead her into the “good ending” she had been hoping for.
Speak of it, and it arrives.
Perhaps taking her silence as submission, the considerate Saintess did not continue humiliating her.
Instead, she released her and stepped lightly to stand before her.
Bending down, she admired the sulking expression Valo had put on—undoubtedly delicious in the girl’s eyes.
Then, like a daughter—and like a master—she issued a command.
“So it seems you truly wish to acknowledge me as your daughter, Mother. Very well. I will grant you the greatest tolerance and opportunity.”
“On the Clock Tower’s next rest day, you are not allowed to go anywhere.”
“That day, I will send someone to escort you to the Hidden Sea Church headquarters. At that time, I have some good news for my wholeheartedly virtuous mother. Please look forward to it.”
The satisfied girl did not notice that Valo’s silent gaze had suddenly sharpened.
Hmph. Compete with her in wits? Who is playing whom is yet to be decided.
Isn’t this the perfect hand delivered right to her?
Their current mother-daughter relationship; Anqi’s attitude of training her; and the agreed time and place ahead…
With these elements combined, she might just step into the ending she most wished to see on the Anqi Route.
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