In the end, it was Mowan who couldn’t bear having her tail gripped by Iserin any longer.
She spoke first to break the eerie atmosphere.
“Lady Saintess, didn’t you say you had important matters to discuss with me?”
“Yes, but before that, I needed to learn more about you.” Iserin released Mowan’s tail. Then, she spoke to Mowan with a meaningful look, “After seeing your reaction, I can feel at ease leaving the Princess in your hands.”
“Eh?”
What reaction?
“As a member of the Demon Race, being willing to hand over your tail to someone else signifies either absolute trust or submission. Yet, while I was toying with your tail like that, you didn’t show the slightest hint of resistance. Doesn’t that mean you are willing to follow my arrangements?”
“If you put it that way… of course I trust you, Lady Saintess.”
Mowan paused for a moment.
“After all, you said in your letter that if I were willing to give my True Heart to you, you would return the same kindness to me.”
Mowan was tactfully suggesting that her willingness to let Iserin touch her tail wasn’t an act of submission.
Mowan would certainly never submit to Iserin; she never would.
It was the Demon Race that had abandoned her, not the other way around.
Even taking another step back, even if she completely cut ties with the Demon Race, she was still a person of Earth and Huaxia, not a person of Visa.
She wouldn’t submit to the Saintess like a believer of the Viza Church.
To this day, Mowan finally understood what her own beliefs were; she was never a religious believer.
That was why she couldn’t swear those superstitious oaths, nothing more.
“Mhm. Given your performance, I have decided to grant you some further favorable treatment. I will give you a bit of extra preference. I will ensure your happiness and your safety. If you wish, I can even introduce you to a life partner.”
“This… this… that’s not necessary!”
Mowan waved her hands dismissively.
“It might not be necessary now, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be later. Mowan, I am very happy that you chose to settle down here. I hope your heart can stay here.”
Iserin pointed toward her own chest.
It could refer to “here” as in this house, or it could refer to Iserin’s heart.
Mowan felt a bit dazed.
She couldn’t help but think toward the latter, even though she knew Iserin must have meant the former.
“I will definitely stay here.”
Mowan answered with absolute certainty.
Her heart was already staying here, unless Iserin betrayed her and chose to execute her in public by revealing her true identity.
“Very well. Tomorrow, come to the entrance of the Church. The Princess is a willful child. When she goes out on adventures, she often can’t bring too many guards because involving too many people makes it easy for the King to notice her movements. It would be for the best if an expert who is familiar with monsters and specializes in Monster Toxins protects her.”
“Understood.”
“How much remuneration do you expect for a month?”
“This… let’s stick to a per-mission basis. Then, I’ll ask for payment based on the difficulty of the task.”
Iserin stood up and smiled.
“I thought you wouldn’t want payment. After all, we are friends.”
Mowan’s eyes widened.
Even among friends, you can’t just expect free labor!
Mowan always felt that the closer the friendship, the more important it was to keep clear accounts—not in a stingy way, but in a way that maintained mutual respect and courtesy.
“I have my own standards. I only take what I believe I deserve. I won’t ask for an exorbitant price, Lady Saintess.”
“Heh… what I mean is, I don’t lack money, but I do lack a True Heart.”
Mowan froze for a moment, only then realizing what Iserin meant.
She bit her lower lip, feeling extremely frustrated with herself.
How could she have thought about being taken advantage of?
As a Saintess, would she really be short of money?
If she didn’t ask for pay, the Saintess would surely force the reward on her anyway!
Just as Rosa said, she really lacked experience in dealing with people and didn’t understand social graces.
“Remember to arrive on time tomorrow at ten.”
“Okay.”
Iserin walked past Mowan toward the door.
Mowan felt a bit dejected.
Once again, Iserin left at an awkward time, leaving her lingering on the thought of her.
Mowan followed behind Iserin and saw her to the front door.
“By the way, don’t come too early. The Princess likes to sleep in. She will only be late; she won’t be early.”
“Understood.”
Mowan nodded in agreement.
Iserin left a trace of a smile behind and then disappeared into the street outside.
Closing the door.
Mowan returned to her room, lay on the bed, and crawled under the covers.
Her long, slender tail retracted into her pants, playfully wrapping around her thigh.
Mowan hugged her pillow and rolled over.
She couldn’t sleep.
After sleeping for half an hour in the bathroom and then chatting with Iserin for a while, Mowan’s brain was currently in a state of total excitement.
“True Heart.”
The words Iserin said before leaving echoed in her mind.
The reason Iserin gave her special care and hoped she would offer her True Heart was simply that she wanted her to turn over a new leaf.
She didn’t want her to return to the Demon Race’s territory to inherit the throne of the Demon King, but rather to live in the Holy City as a citizen of Visa.
She hadn’t planned on going back anyway…
The inheritance of the throne wasn’t her concern.
It wasn’t as if her father was infertile.
He could easily marry another queen, sire a Demon Prince or a Demon Princess, and pass the position to the next generation.
Mowan sighed.
She wondered if she could truly become friends with Iserin.
Was she really qualified to be friends with the Saintess?
Iserin was like an angel.
Her beauty was so ethereal and otherworldly that even Mowan didn’t dare to entertain any improper thoughts.
The tail on her thigh crawled up a bit higher.
Only then did Mowan remember her own identity.
Why wouldn’t I be qualified?
I am a princess, after all—a Demon Princess! Although I’ve been ousted, the blood of the Demon Race royalty still flows through my veins!
Moreover, it’s not like I’m a hundred percent incapable of having improper thoughts about Iserin.
Recalling what she had done in the bathroom, Mowan’s face suddenly turned red.
Now that she was in a “sage mode” state of mind, what was she pretending for?
Who was the one using the Ring Iserin gave her to heat things up so enthusiastically?
But friends… shouldn’t have those kinds of thoughts, right?
Mowan shook her head.
She didn’t have improper thoughts about Iserin; she just happened to think of Iserin at that specific moment.
With her mind wandering, Mowan eventually drifted off to sleep.
When she woke up the next day, it was still very early.
The sky was just beginning to brighten.
She sprawled out like a star on her large bed.
So comfortable.
Having her own home, her own room, and her own bed was truly comfortable.
For the past three years, she had lived a nomadic life, sleeping on single beds—small beds where she would fall off if she turned over.
Speaking of a nomadic life…
Oh no!
She hadn’t told Rosa she was leaving.
Everyone in the Azure Crystal Party had the habit of waking up early, and Rosa would definitely come to her room to call her for breakfast.
If Rosa found out she had already checked out, would she think Mowan was planning to break off their friendship?
Mowan jerked upright in bed.
She hurriedly retracted her tail into her body, hid her horns, and transformed her pointed ears into human ones.
She threw on some clothes and jogged all the way back to the inn where she had stayed before.
Finding the room where Rosa stayed.
Mowan knocked on the door.
Shortly after, the door opened, and the blue-haired girl inside revealed a look of surprise upon seeing Mowan.
“Morning, Mowan. Coming to see me so early, is the work at the Church okay?”
“The work at the Church?”
“Mhm. Last night, the Lady Saintess found me. She said you had been recruited and appointed as a priestess of the Church, specifically to accompany the Saintess to heal the sick and save people. From now on, you’ve left the Azure Crystal Party.”
“Uh…”
“Isn’t that right?”
Rosa tilted her head, watching Mowan intently.
“I suppose so. For now, I’m helping the Saintess with some things. After all, the Saintess and the Princess are close.”
“Isn’t that great then? What’s wrong, running here to see me first thing in the morning? Did you miss me?”
Rosa chuckled softly.
“Mhm…”
Mowan nodded.
However, she felt her conscience pricking her because, in reality, she hadn’t been missing Rosa.
Yesterday, she had even briefly forgotten about her, thinking only of moving into her new home without notifying her good friend.
Yet, Iserin had actually gone out of her way to find Rosa last night and had even fabricated a story to help her say goodbye.
Mowan thought to herself.
While it was very thoughtful, she should have at least… consulted me first.
Hiding it from me and telling Rosa I left the Azure Crystal Party feels like she’s completely blocking off my way back.