Varo felt that her sincere and pure mother-daughter bond with her sentimental Hero daughter, Finney… might have run into a bit of a problem and required some technical adjustments.
For example, at the chapel that day, she thought she could wait until Finney finally gave in and came out of the secret room.
Instead, she ended up accidentally falling asleep because the morning sun was just too warm.
During her nap, Finney had quietly slipped away.
If the apprentice nun cleaning the chapel hadn’t told her the Hero was elsewhere, Varo would have continued to wait there like a fool.
In the time that followed, although Finney’s daily routine hadn’t changed and she hadn’t run away from home, Varo couldn’t find a single opportunity to see her.
When the Clock Tower let out, she couldn’t find Finney’s figure at the gate.
When she helplessly returned to the dormitory, she found that Finney had already arrived home early and locked her bedroom door.
Thinking she would intercept her during her morning routine, Varo woke up early while yawning, only to find…
Finney’s bedroom door was already wide open, and she was nowhere to be found.
Fine, fine. If subtle won’t work, we’ll just have to use brute force?
Because she was in the middle of her Qualification Review, Varo, who was staying in the dormitory, couldn’t wander around.
Saintess Anqi, who was supposed to accompany her today, hadn’t shown up either.
So, after thinking for the whole morning like a standing marmot, Varo decided she had to change her strategy.
To survive the “Hero Daughter Judging the Demon King Mother” script that was bound to appear in the future, she had to grind enough Favorability with Finney during the Qualification Review.
Making her precious daughter unable to strike—that was indeed the mainstream strategy for Finney’s route.
But as a grandmaster of galgames, Varo could find a different path—so what if the Female Hero strikes?
Come on, hit me anywhere, right here (unbuttons her collar).
Getting hit without the main perspective dying—that was also a way to counter a Bad Ending.
She would eventually have to cut ties with her identity as Finney’s mother anyway. As long as her stats were high enough, any mechanic was just a minor obstacle.
Thus, Varo turned her gaze toward the Holy Relic currently in Finney’s bedroom, the one she hadn’t worn to the Clock Tower—the Phoenix Raiment.
By courting the Holy Relics of others to obtain buffs was her best hope of surviving her daughter’s judgment at this stage.
And, as far as Varo knew, the Phoenix Raiment just happened to have certain buffs like that.
What a coincidence. It was as if an invisible hand was controlling the rhythm.
The next moment.
Varo walked into Finney’s bedroom, her gaze sweeping toward the interaction box for [Phoenix Raiment: Chiluan].
[…]
W-Why was it silent? Where did that “sister” vibe from two days ago go, when they were calling each other “Big Sister” and “Little Sister”?
‘Uh… Big Sister, your Little Sister is here to pay her respects?’
Varo tentatively tried to communicate in her heart.
As a result…
[Chiluan gives you a passive-aggressive remark about your irresponsible motherly behavior: Oh, why didn’t Little Sister go have fun with that new winged daughter today? You’ve got a new daughter and forgotten the old one, I see~]
‘Damn, the passive-aggressive tea flavor is strong, almost like a vintage blend.’
Fortunately, this Holy Relic was just a bit catty and wasn’t speaking in riddles.
To continue the conquest, she just needed to play along with the topic of her daughter, Finney. For example…
‘It was Little Sister’s mistake, but Finney is avoiding me now, and Little Sister doesn’t even have a chance to explain to her~’
[Chiluan complains: Hmph, isn’t it because you’ve been fooling around with beauties all day, Little Sister, and forgot to care about little Finney’s feelings?]
[Little Finney is the Chosen One, the destined Hero, already burdened with a heavy load~ And your identity as the Demon King has long put her in a difficult position. Unable to decide between duty and family, choosing to escape is only natural.]
Did that mean Finney was actually worried about her during these past few days of the Qualification Review?
Varo had only seen a Female Hero who, because “she took a Holy Relic despite being a Villainous Demon King,” was ready to kill her own kin for the sake of justice and then commit suicide.
That was why she had thought of taking a gradual approach, alternating between hot and cold.
Wait… so unlike Kaika, Finney was the type who preferred to be stuck together all day?
Instead, she had held four twos and two kings, yet played her winning hand like garbage.
Finney’s [Justice Value] being stuck at a fluctuating 50% was the best proof of this.
Taking her hands off the keyboard and doing nothing was also a strategy. It turned out she should have just done nothing from the start.
Varo threw herself onto the bed, which still carried the lingering scent of Finney’s body, and performed a spiral sliding kowtow—paying her respects to the mother-type Holy Relic.
‘I hope Big Sister won’t hesitate to teach and help me!’
‘Please! If Big Sister doesn’t help, I…!’
[Chiluan helplessly chooses to forgive you.]
[Favorability: 10%]
[Chiluan states: She doesn’t know how to persuade the current little Finney either. Perhaps only tangible actions to prove your sincerity as a mother, Little Sister, can shake little Finney’s absolute resolve as a Hero.]
[Chiluan scrutinizes you: It is the same for her. The Phoenix Raiment is a Holy Relic that protects cherished ones with its own body. So, do you, who call me sister, have the same resolve?]
[Chiluan has presented a requirement]
In Varo’s vision, within the [Nurturing Panel], the Phoenix Raiment’s progress stopped at 10% Favorability, and the Holy Relic’s next trait was also in a locked state.
According to the game settings, she would have to “complete the Holy Relic’s expectations and goals” to unlock traits and buffs.
But she had heard the Phoenix Raiment’s words clearly: this mother-type raiment hoped she could prove herself and protect her daughter.
She was supposed to protect the Female Hero, Finney? For real?
Setting aside whether the powerful Female Hero actually needed protection, what could a loli Villainous Demon King like her—who struggled to even get up after being pushed down—possibly do that would count as protecting the Female Hero?
Would there really be such an opportunity?
The next moment, a knock at the dormitory door interrupted Varo’s thoughts of asking for a solution.
The moment she opened the door, she was met with the bright, holy smile of the Skywing girl.
“Good evening… Lady Varo.”
It was Saintess Anqi!
It was indeed Anqi’s turn to accompany her today, but it was already sunset.
Could it be that the Saintess had snuck out of the Church again, wanting to take her out to play?
Varo immediately wanted to refuse—she wasn’t an idiot.
The Phoenix Raiment had just told her to reduce her intimate contact with other girls as much as possible, and she still needed to court the Holy Relic.
So even if it was a bit of a pity, Varo could only express: Let’s try to stick to business from now on.
‘I’m afraid Finney will misunderstand.’
However, Anqi’s next words and her reason for coming surprised her.
“I’ve brought you some wonderful news, Lady Varo~”
Varo didn’t know if it was just her imagination, but at this moment, with her back to the sunset, the Saintess appeared “shining,” as if… she were in a very excited state of mind!
But the girl’s following words immediately caught Varo’s attention.
“Haven’t you and Finney been having some friction lately?”
“Hehe~ After my ‘persuasion,’ Finney is finally willing to have a good talk with you~ Could you please come with me? Finney is waiting for you at the Clock Tower.”
Finney changed her mind!?
First came joy! But then, a few doubts slowly surfaced in Varo’s mind.
Since her dear daughter had changed her mind… then she should have come back to the dormitory to reconcile with her.
Why didn’t she come back? Why did she have Anqi deliver the message instead and set the location at the Clock Tower?
Wait… her Hero daughter’s style shouldn’t be so indecisive. Could it be that she was too hesitant, so she took Anqi’s advice?
However, while she was reflecting, the interaction box for the Phoenix Raiment had already appeared within the [Nurturing Panel].
[Chiluan is urging you: Little Finney is hesitating! This is the chance, sister. What are you waiting for? Don’t you want to reconcile with little Finney?]
This forced Varo to make a quick decision. “Then I’ll have to trouble you to take me to see Finney.”
She rushed into Finney’s bedroom, draped the Phoenix Raiment over herself to bring it along, and then quickly followed the Saintess, who hadn’t waited for her at all.