Chapter 16: It’s like being in love

The first day of being idle.

Mowan tried to clear her head, focusing on the solitude that used to be so rare for her.

But with no one to talk to for so long, she felt as if something was missing.

She rested at home until the afternoon.

Mowan still decided to go out for a walk.

Her first choice of destination was the inn where Rosa and her party were staying.

Mowan changed into her traveling clothes and set off.

She arrived at the inn and found the room where Rosa had been staying.

She knocked on the door.

No one responded for a long time.

Mowan went down to the first floor to ask the attendant, only to learn that Rosa had checked out that morning.

Mowan left the inn, a sudden sense of emptiness filling her heart.

Rosa and the others had already set out.

Unless it was a major event that required a lot of time, their party generally didn’t stay in one place for more than three days.

Rosa and the others had likely received a mission from the Church and had already left for the execution site.

Perhaps Iserin would know where they went.

Mowan thought to herself.

Her feet unconsciously began walking in the direction of the cathedral.

“Hello, My Lady. Are you here to see the Saintess?”

“Eh?”

Mowan looked up at the Nun standing guard at the entrance.

It was the same Nun she had spoken to the night before.

She hadn’t expected the other woman to remember her.

“Shall I go inform the Saintess now? The Saintess never refuses to receive sincere believers.”

“No, there’s no need. I just… came to pray for a bit.”

The Nun smiled slightly and nodded.

“May the Chief God bless you.”

Why did I lie?

Mowan walked into the cathedral, feeling baffled by her own inexplicable behavior.

But on second thought, it seemed inappropriate to specifically disturb the Saintess’s work just to ask about her friend’s whereabouts.

Then why did she come here?

It was impossible for her to actually be here to pray.

Was she really hoping for a chance encounter with Iserin?

Fine.

Mowan admitted it.

She was hoping that Iserin just happened to be free, just happened to have something to discuss with her, and then she could ask Iserin where Rosa had gone.

Perhaps even that wasn’t important.

She simply wanted to talk to Iserin.

After all, even if she knew where Rosa went, could she really go chasing after her?

Mowan gazed at the Sun God Statue in the center of the hall.

This deity was depicted as a shirtless man, holding the Sun in both hands, his eyes filled with compassion.

Mowan was also familiar with the Human legends of the Sun God.

Legend had it that during Antiquity, before the concept of gods existed, the Sun God was a Divine Messenger from an Otherworld.

He broke through the restrictions of the World Rules to bring the spark of light to Humanity.

However, the other races of this world rejected fire and tried every means to kill this outsider, the Sun God.

Only the Humans realized how great fire and light were.

Humans placed their faith in the Sun God until finally, the young man ascended to godhood, bringing eternal light to the mortal world.

In short, that was the gist of the story.

Regardless, Mowan didn’t believe it.

The Demon Race used fire as well.

Every civilized race knew how to use fire, so why would they reject it?

It was utter nonsense.

Mowan spent a full half-hour lost in random thoughts inside the cathedral, yet she still didn’t get the chance to run into Iserin.

As expected…

It was impossible to be that lucky every time.

Mowan lowered her head and looked at the Ring on her right hand, stroking it gently.

Should I… wait a bit longer?

She didn’t have anything to do today anyway.

Just as Mowan was thinking this, a pure white figure appeared in the corner of her vision.

Mowan looked up in surprise.

The great Saintess was leading several Nuns from one side of the corridor to the other.

Mowan’s gaze followed Iserin until she disappeared from sight once more.

Although the whole process only lasted a dozen seconds, Mowan felt satisfied.

She let go of her lingering obsession and left the cathedral.

Finally, she looked back at the cathedral once more.

The Nun guarding the entrance nodded and smiled at her.

The Nun’s words echoed in Mowan’s ears: “The Saintess never refuses to receive sincere believers.”

Was it because my heart’s desire to see the Saintess was sincere enough that I succeeded in our chance encounter?

I’m not a believer of the Saintess, but my heart is indeed sincere.

I am the Saintess’s sincere friend.

***

After returning home.

Mowan hoped that Iserin would come to find her tonight.

But unfortunately.

Her expectations went unfulfilled all night.

As the faint morning light of dawn shone into Mowan’s bedroom, she rubbed her eyes, her tail behind her lazily brushing against her back.

Iserin hadn’t come.

Perhaps that chance encounter during the day yesterday had exhausted all her luck.

At this thought, Mowan felt a bit disappointed.

She had even transformed into her Demon Race form, preparing to face Iserin in her truest state.

Knock, knock, knock!

The sound of knocking came from outside.

Mowan put on her clothes and her hat, tucking her tail back into her pants and wrapping it around her thigh.

She walked to the front door and opened it just a crack.

However, the person standing outside wasn’t the white figure she had imagined, but the delivery man from yesterday morning.

“Good morning, Lady Mowan. Here is the food you ordered.”

“Oh, just leave it on the steps.”

“I wish you a pleasant day.”

Mowan watched the delivery man leave.

She sighed softly.

She shouldn’t hold onto unnecessary expectations; Mowan felt like a fool.

She moved the food inside.

Compared to Rosa, Iserin was certainly more beautiful.

Although Rosa was also cute, Mowan never had any stray thoughts about her, nor did she feel an itch in her heart if she didn’t see Rosa for a day.

Compared to Rosa, Iserin was indeed more… alluring.

Mowan didn’t know how to describe the feeling.

Even though Iserin was the Saintess, Mowan felt that Iserin possessed an inexplicably flirtatious aura.

Of course, in bright and public settings, Iserin remained very holy and solemn.

Iserin only appeared overly alluring in private, in places where the Sun’s light struggled to reach.

Rosa had a loud voice, while Iserin’s words were light and soft, yet not weak.

Iserin’s speech was incredibly penetrating; Mowan remembered almost every word Iserin had said to her so far.

But even so, she shouldn’t be acting like a fool, hoping for Iserin’s company, right?

It was as if she were in love.

But if she were in love.

Mowan would definitely choose a woman.

She liked women in her past life, and that wouldn’t change in this one.

When she was a fifteen-year-old Demon Princess, many women of the Demon Race had pursued her as well.

But at that time, she was high and mighty, and feeling that she was still young, she had rejected them all.

After the age of fifteen, Mowan had come to the Human nations.

She didn’t dare to fall in love with a Human; she didn’t believe any Human could calmly accept knowing their girlfriend was part of the Demon Race.

Except for Iserin…

No, no.

Why was she thinking about her again?

However, for Iserin, the shock of “I am Iserin’s girlfriend” would probably be greater than the shock of “I am a member of the Demon Race.”

After all, Iserin was the Saintess, someone who served the Church and was a Divine Messenger who had dedicated her body to the gods.

She wasn’t allowed to be in a relationship.

Mowan scratched her head and sat at the dining table to open the paper bag.

People often say that when one is warm and well-fed, their thoughts turn to carnal desires.

That probably describes my current state.

Time skipped ahead to nightfall again.

Mowan sat on her bed and let out a long sigh.

Iserin most likely wasn’t coming tonight either.

Mowan picked up her demon tail and squeezed it.

It was a numb sensation, not nearly as sensitive as when Iserin stroked it.

It was like trying to tickle oneself. Mowan tossed her tail aside.

She had never considered herself a shy lady.

Three years ago, when she was still the Demon Princess, she did whatever she wanted when she was alone in her room.

Right now, she just wanted to do something that made her happy.

Mowan crawled under the covers, and before long, she kicked her clothes out from under the corner of the blanket one by one.

Eighteen…

Eighteen years ago was the year I was born, and it was also the year mother turned nineteen.

For the Demon Race, getting married at eighteen isn’t actually considered early.

Other members of the Demon Race are all married with children by this time.

I’m the only one left here, reduced to doing this kind of “handiwork” alone.

How tragic for a dignified Demon Princess to fall to such a state.