Anqi felt like a deserter.
Despite the rare chance to play by the sea and having her mother apply sunscreen with a somewhat suggestive touch, she had ultimately excused herself early, claiming her “identity could easily be exposed.”
She didn’t even show her face at the evening barbecue party, using the excuse that “the Skywing Race rarely eats meat.”
The next day, she simply hid in her room at the Hidden Sea Church Branch, refusing to see anyone.
When she finally came to her senses, Anqi realized that ever since she had made that excuse to leave the beach, she had been completely avoiding her mother.
‘This… this can’t be helped!’
Who told her mother to say so many things that disturbed her heart while applying that sunscreen?
She had intended to use this mission of retrieving Holy Relics to reflect on herself and eliminate thoughts unworthy of a “Saintess.”
Ideally, she wanted to sever the mother-daughter relationship that had only ever been a temporary arrangement…
But her mother hadn’t just followed her; she had even whispered an understanding “Mama’s Manifesto” into her ear.
What was the point? In truth, except for the phrase “no need to end our mother-daughter relationship,” Anqi hadn’t processed a single word at the time.
Her mind was filled with the sensation of her mother’s petite body sitting on her and the heat radiating from her.
Not to mention her mother’s application technique—it looked like she was getting revenge, but it was clearly an act of seduction.
Even the grand speech about “being a good mother” was automatically translated in the girl’s ears: ‘Mama still wants to be trained by you, to be pinned down and devoured.’
In that brief span of time, Anqi had lost count of how many times the thought of a counterattack had crossed her mind: ‘Is the sunscreen fun, Mama? Who do you think you’re tempting with this nonsense!’
If Demon King Valo Rante II’s actions were truly just a test for her as the Saintess of the Hidden Sea Church, then Anqi was confident she could withstand the temptation.
But she knew all too well that the Demon King truly just wanted to be a good mother.
All the inner conflict and stiffness came from her own restless, twisted, and wicked thoughts toward her mother.
This was exactly why Anqi felt she was failing as the Saintess of the Hidden Sea Church. As a Saintess, she had developed improper feelings for her excellent mother.
Knowing full well that these dark emotions were wrong, she still couldn’t stop herself from dwelling on them. Knowing a sin and still committing it was far worse than an accidental mistake.
Fortunately, the next day brought a reprieve.
The delayed Elven airship was scheduled to land that evening. Her mother, saying strange things about “storming the Top-secret Aerospace,” had volunteered to join the Sister Superior to meet the flight.
This allowed Anqi, who was hiding in her room, to breathe a sigh of relief: she could avoid her mother for one more day.
But excuses eventually run out, and she couldn’t hide forever. Just as Anqi was planning to go to the Goddess Statue in the main hall of the neighboring chapel to pray for Penance in peace…
A soft knock sounded. After she gave her permission, a figure she had become familiar with over the past few days entered the room.
It was Emma, an apprentice nun from the Clock Tower who was affiliated with the Hidden Sea Church.
The usually strict Sister Superior had a high opinion of Emma, feeling that although she was a bit slow, she was diligent, hardworking, and would do whatever it took to achieve a goal.
‘Like a simple and loyal dog.’
Was that meant to be a compliment or an insult?
“Hehe—Saintess, the Sister Superior and Teacher Valo are out today, so I’ve brought you your breakfast.”
After placing the tray on the table, Emma didn’t leave immediately.
Instead, she leaned against the wall with her hands behind her back, silently watching Anqi eat her meal half-heartedly.
Then, with a simple smile and a blink of her crimson eyes, she suddenly asked Anqi a heavy question.
“Saintess, has your relationship with Teacher Valo been a bit strained lately?”
“Ah, haha… What do you mean, Emma?”
Anqi set down her utensils and forced a polite smile, but she was immediately drawn in by Emma’s next words.
“Maybe I can help you get back on good terms with Teacher Valo!”
This Emma really did look like a pink puppy. And… she didn’t seem quite as “slow” as the Sister Superior had suggested.
……
Since they already knew each other, Anqi and Emma quickly became friends. Anqi didn’t refuse Emma’s enthusiastic offer to help her patch things up with her mother.
After all, the person involved is often blind, while the bystander sees clearly.
Emma didn’t have a clear superior-subordinate relationship with her like the Sister Superior—there were many ranks between an apprentice nun and a Saintess.
Nor was her relationship with Emma as direct as the one she had with her mother.
Anqi felt that if it were Emma, she might actually be able to help calm the dark thoughts in her heart and return to a normal mother-daughter relationship.
If possible, Anqi naturally didn’t want to sever their bond; for the Skywing Race, the word “Mother” represented something they had never possessed.
So, taking advantage of the day the Sister Superior and her mother were away, Anqi and Emma went to Aerospace City to have some fun and relax!
They first visited the children’s section of a clothing store, where Emma made a bold claim with a simple laugh.
“Did you know, Saintess? Actually, almost all of Teacher Valo’s clothes are child sizes!”
Everyone at the Clock Tower actually knew that, but Emma was the first student brave enough to say it out loud. Anqi truly admired her for it.
Then, the two went together to pick out underwear—Aerospace City had many styles that weren’t available in the Imperial Capital. While trying on a cat-themed set, Emma suddenly turned to look at Anqi.
She said with a serious face, “Saintess, I have a question!”
“Uh, go ahead.”
“Don’t you think that if Teacher Valo wore this, she’d look even more lewd than usual?”
Anqi took a deep breath. Her position and rationality as a Saintess told her to correct Emma’s improper remarks: ‘Emma, as a nun of the Hidden Sea Church, you shouldn’t speak so recklessly.’
Yet, emotionally, the girl was already visualizing her mother kneeling on her bed in that outfit, meowing.
‘Is this pink puppy doing this on purpose?’
Moreover, Anqi felt that Emma seemed to know her mother very well and was quite close to her. Was her relationship with her mother… even more intimate than her own?
With that small doubt lingering in her mind, Anqi and Emma returned to the church branch in the evening, carrying bags of all sizes.
Spending a whole day without having to face the faint, lingering seduction hidden beneath her mother’s gentleness—combined with Emma’s deadpan delivery of her mother’s embarrassing past—really did help calm Anqi’s conflicted feelings.
She even felt the courage to face her mother and begin a “more normal mother-daughter relationship!” It seemed Emma’s claim about “helping” that morning hadn’t been a lie.
Just as Anqi was about to express her gratitude to Emma, she glanced sideways and noticed something.
The crimson sunset cast a soft glow over the receding shoreline, and the faint shadow of a crescent moon began to emerge as day turned to night.
Emma wasn’t even looking at the path ahead; she was staring right at her with those crimson eyes. Who knew how long she had been staring? At the moment their eyes met, Emma spoke first with a smile.
“Saintess, did you relax today? Have you figured out how to get along with Teacher Valo?”
“Huh? Oh…” Startled at first, Anqi then nodded and gave a bitter smile, lacking much confidence. “I’ll find a chance to talk properly with Mama later.”
Before she could finish, Emma, still carrying her many bags, continued as if Anqi’s answer didn’t matter.
“I still have a few ultimate moves that can make your relationship with Mama even better!”
“Since Mama and the Sister Superior won’t be back until very late tonight, why don’t you come to my room in a bit and let me tell you all about it?”
The pink puppy with short white hair and light pink highlights slowly stopped walking. She blinked her crimson eyes, showing an expression of simple anticipation.
“I can make your relationship with Mama very, very good—even better than before.”
‘Even better than the relationship between me and Mama. Sigh… it’s truly enviable. However…’
The sound of the sea breeze momentarily drowned out the simple little puppy’s nearly inaudible mutterings.
‘Since it is the Demon King’s order, I can only give her up to you, Saintess Anqi.’