The angelic girl before her radiated a holy brilliance that easily won the favor of others, but Lulumiya was no child who believed whatever others said.
Not to mention anything else, just the incident with Amy alone had cost her dearly because she trusted too easily.
She had seen with her own eyes the way Amy had decapitated someone—the blood-drenched figure under the moonlight, the cruel smile that bloomed with savage delight.
There was no way that could be faked.
Only someone who truly found joy in killing could display such pleasure.
To follow a person like that was to never know when death might come.
“Why?”
Eno almost dropped her jaw in surprise.
With her status, there were countless magic automatons eager to follow her, yet the girl before her rejected her without hesitation.
Why?
Don’t you know best yourself?
Do you want me to say out loud that you’re a demon?
Lulumiya griped inwardly.
She wouldn’t do anything to anger her opponent, so she could only complain in her heart about her rotten luck: barely out of the tiger’s den, and right into the wolf’s lair.
She spoke with righteous firmness.
“I don’t like being controlled. I am my own master.”
“Haha,” Eno covered her mouth with a light laugh.
“Magic automatons are born to serve their masters. Even the Divine Angels brought by Saint Istelle select a Hero they acknowledge. To hear a magic automaton say she’ll be her own master—you must be the first. Is there a problem with your magic programming? Should I send you back for maintenance?”
She didn’t seem angry.
This was the perfect chance to slip away.
If she didn’t check the printing press soon, she was doomed.
Stealing a glance at the girl who laughed in amusement, Lulumiya expressionlessly turned over and got out of bed.
“Thank you for saving me. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving—I have important things to attend to.”
“Don’t move. Stay where you are.”
Eno’s tone suddenly shifted to one of command.
In an instant, Lulumiya felt as if she’d plunged into an icy abyss, her entire body freezing up so she dared not move a muscle.
Eno walked over to Lulumiya’s side, her gaze sweeping up and down with great interest.
“I know you’re short on money, so I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse: I’ll pay off your Debts for you, so you don’t have to worry about being dismantled and recycled. How about it?”
Lulumiya blinked.
Did she really need to ask?
“No.”
Lulumiya refused again.
The psychological shadow this woman cast on her was no less than Amy’s—especially those blue eyes, which seemed to smile and not smile at the same time, always reminding Lulumiya of that night’s eerie and bloodthirsty expression.
Even if she looked like a good person now, who could guarantee she wouldn’t reveal her true nature later?
After all, before kidnapping her, Amy had also seemed like a good person.
This one was even more terrifying—one sword stroke was all it would take to separate head from body.
As for her own Debts, if she worked hard with her memories from her previous life, she’d pay them off sooner or later.
“Not even if I pay off your Debts?”
Eno was completely out of ideas.
Her shoulders slumped, but the next moment, as if realizing something, her eyebrows arched slightly and she studied Lulumiya.
She noticed that the girl in front of her wouldn’t meet her eyes.
Every time their gazes almost met, Lulumiya’s breath would catch and she’d immediately look away.
Only then would her shoulders relax a bit.
That was a sign of fear.
Thinking back to the way Lulumiya had desperately scrambled away when she woke, Eno finally realized: Lulumiya’s repeated refusals stemmed from a fear so deep that even the promise of paying her Debts couldn’t dispel the psychological trauma.
I really took that joke too far.
She should have realized—any magic automaton who could negotiate with smugglers under those circumstances was hardly programmed by the book.
She’d naively thought Lulumiya was just a traditional magic automaton and teased her, but ended up leaving a wound that might never heal.
Lulumiya might never forget, and would lose control whenever faced with similar situations.
Eno clicked her tongue in annoyance.
As the Immaculate Saint Son, she was always responsible for the consequences of her own actions.
She stood up and adopted a maturity beyond her years.
“This isn’t something you can avoid just by saying you don’t want it. I’ve decided to keep you here. Soon a Servant will come help you change. Once you’re ready, go to your Aiton Magic Workshop—I’ll go have a talk with your owner.”
***
If “man is the fish and others the knife,” then right now Lulumiya was the fish.
Once in a den of thieves, she had no grounds for negotiation.
She wanted to slip away, but when she peeked out the window, she saw that her bedroom was deep inside the palace, with Knights everywhere outside—escaping was a fantasy.
After that, things moved so quickly it left her dizzy.
Eno was clearly a woman of action.
As soon as she left, straightening her pale blue hair, it was only a few minutes before two Servants in Church attire entered the bedroom and dressed Lulumiya in a platinum ankle-length dress and over-the-knee white stockings.
Her silver hair was tied into a loose ponytail with a huge black ribbon—it sounded crisp and professional, but the result was decidedly ladylike.
Lulumiya barely recognized herself in the mirror.
The girl reflected back at her was the very image of elegance and gentleness.
“How did Miss Lulumiya convince Lady Eno to let you stay at her side?”
As Lulumiya pondered, a Young Nun walking with her through the Church’s White Jade Corridor asked out of curiosity.
She’d taken over the Servant’s duties, tasked with escorting Lulumiya to the magic workshop where she’d been made—Eno had already gone ahead.
How should I know?
Lulumiya grumbled inwardly, but since the nun was so gentle, she didn’t let her mood show.
“I’m not sure either.”
“Hmm… That’s strange. Lady Eno has turned down so many magic automatons. People in the Church always thought Lady Eno didn’t like magic automatons.”
The Young Nun tilted her head, her habit-covered chest heaving with the motion. Lulumiya watched, worried the buttons might burst off at any moment.
“I have a question.”
“What is it, Miss Lulumiya?”
“Don’t you think she’s scary?”
“Scary? Lady Eno’s title is the Immaculate Saint Son—how could she be scary? While there are some who criticize her lineage, Lady Eno’s piety has been recognized by Saint Istelle herself. There’s nothing improper about it.”
“Ah, judging by your expression, you probably don’t know yet. Lady Eno is half human, half Bloodkin—the first in the history of the Church. When she sees blood, she transforms, but it only looks frightening. She doesn’t lose her mind like a real vampire.”
“Many who have seen Lady Eno’s Bloodkin form think she’s even more handsome in that state. People who say she’s scary have no taste at all.”
Worship glowed in the Young Nun’s eyes.
She’s a fan of Eno.
Lulumiya made her judgment.
She couldn’t help but grumble inwardly that the nun was just like the man who liked dragons in the old story: if she ever saw two heads roll to her feet, she wouldn’t think Eno was handsome anymore.
“Miss Lulumiya is so lucky to be chosen by Lady Eno. If only I were a magic automaton…”
The Young Nun clasped her hands in prayer.
Lulumiya couldn’t help but retort inwardly, Just wait until you’re really a magic automaton sent to be dismantled—then you won’t be so happy.
All along the way, Lulumiya let the nun’s words go in one ear and out the other.
Eventually, she remembered all the words that had flashed madly in her lower left vision when she’d tried to escape, so she opened her Proficiency Panel for a look.
Her Positive Thought Value had dropped to 10.
That wasn’t right.
She hadn’t done anything bad; it must have dropped so much because she’d seen so many corpses and people being killed before her eyes.
Frowning, Lulumiya speculated that Positive Thought was about maintaining a positive mental state, not “justice points”—it was a broad definition.
But even with it at 10, she didn’t feel unwell or evil.
Ten was probably still within the acceptable range.
She wondered what would happen if it reached zero.
She shifted her gaze to the Young Nun—and paused, surprised.
After opening the Panel, the Young Nun was surrounded by an effect: a ring of burning flames that enveloped her entire body, radiating a pale blue glow.
What was this?
To figure out the flames’ effect, Lulumiya looked at random passersby.
She found that everyone’s flames differed in color and size—some burned three meters high, others were barely visible.
She’d guessed it might be “Life Flame,” with taller flames meaning longer life, but that didn’t fit: most children had small flames, while youths and elders varied.
Nor could it be a sign of magic power, since her own flame was no taller than that of a thief being dragged away by guards—almost the size of a baby’s.
Impossible to understand for now.
She’d have to test it later by eliminating variables.
The flames surely had some meaning.
Before she knew it, Lulumiya had arrived at an unusually gorgeous building.
The guards at the door, seeing their neat attire, let them in without question.
Before Lulumiya had time to take in the spacious Main Hall, a voice tightened her skin with tension.
“Yo, you’re here.”
The speaker was Eno, dressed in a white cleric’s robe and knee-high boots.
She squatted in front of Lulumiya, smiled, and tapped her cheek with a finger.
“Come on, give me a kiss.”
“Ohhh, Lady Eno~~ How wonderful~!”
The Young Nun covered her face in ecstasy, but Lulumiya’s expression was stiff—every time she saw Eno, all she could think of was that blood-smeared face under the moon.
Noticing the blood drain from Lulumiya’s face, Eno pretended to sigh in regret.
“Sigh, little Miya isn’t affectionate at all. Never mind, there’s plenty of time to get close today.”
With that, she turned to the Young Nun.
“Thank you.”
“N-no, it’s not hard at all! Serving Lady Eno is my honor.”
The Young Nun fidgeted nervously.
Eno smiled back as if used to this, and then the two parted.
Eno pressed Lulumiya’s shoulder, motioning for her to follow.
The two of them ascended a lavish spiral staircase.
Lulumiya knew this path all too well.
Her heart began to race, and if not for Eno’s constant, watchful gaze, she would have already turned and run.
This was the way to the office of the Magic Workshop Owner, Lane.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything for you.”
Noticing Lulumiya’s tension, Eno gently patted her head.
“Trust me.”