Indeed, it’s undeniable…
Just from making eye contact with that thing outside, nearly all the light energy in my body had evaporated completely.
Not only that, even after stabbing myself with the Holy Sword, those whispers that seemed to come from ancient times still lingered in my mind.
It was as if something was luring me, tempting me to fall into some kind of irreversible distortion.
But the problem was, I hadn’t even suffered any visible injuries—how was I supposed to treat myself? And with that terrifying thing still right outside, shouldn’t the priority be figuring out how to avoid it before even thinking about treatment?
Looking at Mu Xuan’s somewhat confused and serious yet adorably silly expression, Millie couldn’t help but let out a soft giggle.
“Your Eminence Mu Xuan, that thing is just like me. It seems to be restrained by some kind of force, so it can’t get in here.”
“Huh? Why didn’t you say so earlier!” Seeing Millie covering her mouth to stifle a laugh beside her, Mu Xuan’s ahoge bristled straight up.
Damn it, if I’d known, I wouldn’t have worried so much!
She rubbed her still-aching head again and gave it a shake, trying to rattle those lingering whispers out of her mind.
Seeing this, Millie gently picked up Mu Xuan, her cold hand softly pressing against Mu Xuan’s forehead.
!?
“I can walk by myself!” Mu Xuan immediately struggled in Millie’s arms.
It’s just this weird contamination, not like I’ve broken my hands and feet and can’t walk!
“But… Your Eminence Mu Xuan, you were just trembling the whole time…” Millie said with a gentle laugh as Mu Xuan kept wriggling.
Upon hearing this, Mu Xuan finally settled down a bit. Honestly, things weren’t looking good… Those whispers in her head hadn’t stopped, and countless rings were spinning before her eyes.
Still…
“Can you at least hold me a different way…?”
Mu Xuan’s face turned red, her voice barely more than a whisper.
As an old single from southern Chu, Mu Xuan had never even princess-carried a girl before… and now she was the one being carried like this.
Seeing the shy white-haired bundle in her arms, Millie’s smile grew even warmer.
“Nope~ Your Eminence Mu Xuan, holding you like this is more comfortable for both of us~”
“Besides, Your Eminence, you’re already so cute, and carrying you like this just makes you cuter~”
Cute, my foot! I’m a man, for crying out loud!
Muttering resentfully to herself, Mu Xuan saw the mischievous smile bloom on Millie’s face and knew it was impossible to get her to change her hold.
With no other choice, she tilted her head and buried her face in Millie’s chest, trying to guide the last bit of light energy inside her to purge the contamination.
“Your Eminence Mu Xuan, don’t move around~”
By the time Millie’s voice reached her again, Mu Xuan realized she was already lying on the bed.
It’s just treatment, so why does it matter where it happens? Was all this fuss really necessary?
Still, lying in bed was a lot better than lying on the cold, hard floor.
And Mu Xuan was quite curious about what sort of treatment Millie had in mind.
However, when Mu Xuan opened her eyes and looked at Millie, she instantly shivered.
Millie’s nun habit was bulging, several black tentacles slipping out from beneath it and waving slowly in the air.
“What are you… trying to do…”
That’s not funny at all!
“Of course, I’m helping Your Eminence Mu Xuan get rid of the contamination~” Millie’s face had turned a little red as she spoke.
No way! You’re going to use those tentacles to purify the contamination? And what are you blushing about?!
Watching Millie, her face flushed as she slowly approached, Mu Xuan couldn’t help but shrink back.
“Eek—”
After a round of indescribable operations, Millie sat on the edge of the bed, breathing heavily.
The tentacles had withdrawn, and she looked somewhat drained.
“Next time… try to go easier…”
Mu Xuan stared at the ceiling, dazed and utterly spent.
Terrifying!
Even though she’d tried her best to suppress her own light energy, when those tentacles—like shadows—plunged into her mind, Mu Xuan still couldn’t help but react.
The tentacles kept churning inside her head, almost making her lose the ability to think entirely.
Still, as terrifying and unspeakable as the process had been, it had worked.
Her mind was still a little hazy, but those soul-crushing whispers were gone. And the sensation of tentacles swaying through her consciousness, now that she recalled it… actually wasn’t so bad?
Hiss… What the heck am I thinking!
Her face flushed bright red in an instant as Mu Xuan came to her senses.
Shaking her head, she sat up quickly and looked at Millie with concern.
Because of her own reflexive outburst, the surge of light energy must have hurt Millie quite a bit. Even though Millie possessed the Rule Horror Core, Mu Xuan was still worried about her condition.
After all, purging such terrifying contamination, even with resistance, couldn’t be easy.
But just as Mu Xuan sat up, she met Millie’s teasing expression.
“How are you feeling, Your Eminence Mu Xuan?” Millie’s lips curled in a gentle smile.
Mu Xuan’s face reddened even more as she stammered, “I-it’s fine…”
Wait! What do I mean by fine?!
Realizing her blunder, Mu Xuan’s ahoge stood up again.
“I mean, are you okay?”
“Of course I’m—” Before she could finish, Millie suddenly coughed.
Then, black blood started to drip from her eyes, which were wrapped in black bandages.
Seeing this, Mu Xuan couldn’t believe she was fine.
She hurried to remove the bandage around Millie’s eyes, but Millie grabbed her wrist.
“Don’t…”
Mu Xuan refused to give in, and with a determined move, tore the bandage away from Millie’s eyes with a “rip.”
Instantly, thick black blood gushed out.
Where Millie’s eye sockets had once been pitch black, there were now two fleshy buds squirming relentlessly. Each twist sent forth more of the black blood.
Mu Xuan’s expression grew serious as she pressed down on Millie’s hand, which was trying to cover her eyes. “Was this caused by the contamination from that thing outside?”
“…”
Millie didn’t speak, but her slight turn of the head gave her away.
“Sigh… What am I going to do with you…”
“You know how terrible that thing’s contamination is… I can at least balance it with the light energy inside me, but your Rule Horror Core actually amplifies the contamination…”
“So why did you rush to treat me…”
Mu Xuan wanted to continue, but Millie suddenly smiled. Then, countless tentacles burst from beneath her, and before Mu Xuan could react, they flung both Mu Xuan and the Holy Sword out the window.
The change came so fast that Mu Xuan nearly didn’t react. Rubbing her aching backside, she looked up just in time to see Millie’s body undergoing a horrifying transformation.
Her entire body twisted into an unnatural shape. The fleshy buds in her eye sockets had grown into a single tentacle, twisting her head viciously and letting it droop from her neck.
Then, a giant hand came crashing down, instantly smashing the church and burying Millie within.
“Because… It is about to awaken, and Your Eminence still has far more important things to do…”