Volume 2, Chapter 41 – The Observer

Translator Note

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Under the influence of certain psychological shadows, Miss Bai Yanluo couldn’t help but retreat repeatedly upon seeing this woman with furry fox ears. A trace of fear emerged on her face, which was covered in dust and blood.

“You scammer! Why are you here?!”

Hearing Bai Yanluo’s questioning, the fox woman with platinum-blonde hair arched her eyebrows playfully. In the next instant, she leaped up and landed slowly in front of Bai Yanluo. She reached out a finger and playfully tilted the other woman’s chin upward.

“Calling me a scammer is a bit much, don’t you think? You should call me Sister Noya or Boss. Don’t you agree, Little Zou?”

The woman named Noya spoke with a tone full of mockery, and her actions were even more teasing. Upon hearing those words, especially the nickname ‘Little Zou’, Miss Bai Yanluo’s expression instantly became complicated. She hurriedly retreated to put some distance between herself and Noya before snapping sharply, “Don’t call me that!”

“Hmm?” Noya took out a fan from her waist and elegantly used it to hide her teasing smile. “But I didn’t call you the wrong thing, did I? I’m using your real name, Miss Bai Xiaozou.”

The moment those words were spoken, Bai Yanluo, who had been full of dignity and murderous intent just moments ago, suddenly lost her aura. She bit her lip in frustration, yet she did not deny Noya’s words. After all, Bai Xiaozou was indeed her original name before she became the Earth Apostle.

Back when she had first become a Hero, she felt her real name was too cute and lacked any sense of intimidation. ¹ 白小奏 (bái xiǎo zòu). bái = white, xiǎo = small/little, zòu = to play/perform. Combined it would mean something like “white little performer”. To make her title match her status, she followed Archbishop Nick’s suggestion and adopted the name Bai Yanluo, ² 阎罗 (yán luó), the King of the Underworld which sounded a bit more ‘overbearing’. It also symbolized Bai Yanluo saying goodbye to her weak past self. That name had been used ever since.

Now, almost all members of the Church knew that the leader of Sunlight was the Heavenly Apostle Bai Yanluo, but they had no idea her real name was Bai Xiaozou. After a long time, being called ‘Bai Xiaozou’ by an old acquaintance triggered a sliver of her original nature hidden deep in her heart, making her act somewhat timid.

“Don’t, don’t call me that!”

“Fine, fine, the customer is god, so I’ll do as you say.”

“Ugh, I feel like you’re tricking me…” Bai Yanluo’s eyes were filled with wariness. She scanned the countless bookshelves around them with a suspicious gaze, terrified that there might be another trap hidden somewhere that would screw her over for no reason, just like in the past. After observing for a moment, Bai Yanluo looked strangely at the smirking Noya. “Your shop is in the capital of Red Lotus Leaf, isn’t it? Why is there an identical shop here in Oros?”

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Regarding this question, Noya fanned herself with a meaningful look before turning her head to look at the world map on the wall. “I just wanted to open a few more branch stores.”

“Tch.” Seeing Noya’s playful attitude, Bai Yanluo knew there was no point in asking further, so she got straight to the point. “I won’t waste any more words with you! I’m in a hurry to save the Chosen Maiden! I need some recovery scrolls! Also, teleportation magic scrolls! And do you have any saint tier detection magic in stock?!”

Seeing that Bai Yanluo wanted to shop, Noya’s expression became increasingly amused. After taking out a nearby magic scroll catalog and a ledger to look through them, Noya tilted her head and carefully examined Bai Yanluo’s attire. Then, one of her fox ears drooped down as she let out a performative sigh.

“As for stock, while items suitable for a sword god are rare, I naturally have them. However, the price is a bit high, Miss Bai Xiaozou. Looking at you now, I’m afraid you can’t afford it.”

Bai Yanluo had anticipated this problem. “Yes, right now, I indeed cannot afford it.”

“Then, I’m sorry, I can’t give them to you.”

“But! I can help you condense magic power crystals using holy magic like before! I can use those magic power crystals to pay off the debt!”

“Oh?” Noya raised an eyebrow slightly, but soon shook her head under Bai Yanluo’s disappointed gaze. “Sorry, I have plenty of magic power crystals right now; I don’t need any. So—”

“Then, I’ll buy on credit! You know who I am anyway! You can just go to the Ashurmos Church headquarters to ask for the money later! I won’t back out on it!”

“Well, I know your credibility, Miss Bai, but…”

“But what?”

“This shop has a strict no-credit policy.”

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“You! Can’t you make an exception just this once?! I need to recover quickly to find the Chosen Maiden!! It’s a dire emergency, okay?!”

“No,” Noya replied with a decisive tone.

“You, you… we’re old acquaintances! Would it kill you to be flexible?!”

“No.”

“You!” Miss Bai Yanluo felt like she was about to be moved to tears by anger. Seeing that the silver-haired girl’s blue eyes were already shimmering with tears, Noya shook her head helplessly.

“Fine then, I’ll give you a chance. Let’s just do a barter. Do you have anything valuable on you that you can exchange?”

“Hey! I’m in this state! Do I look like I have anything valuable?!”

“Hmm, well, that’s up to you.”

Hearing this, Miss Bai Yanluo couldn’t help but clench her fists. A terrifying surge of holy magic rippled slightly around her body as she looked down at her current equipment with indignation. Unfortunately, what could Bai Yanluo possibly have of value when she had been almost completely plundered?

Wait. It wasn’t that she had nothing of value. Wasn’t her own body valuable? She was still a virgin…

Thinking of this, Bai Yanluo pressed her hand against her chest in a sort of desperate gamble. However, before she could speak, Miss Noya seemed to have already guessed her thoughts and spoke with a look of disgust. “I don’t need a bed-warming maid. Forget it.”

“You, you!!” Hearing the other woman’s merciless rejection, Miss Bai Yanluo felt a massive sense of grievance. At the very least, she was a heartthrob in the Ashurmos Church! After becoming a sword god, her appearance had become increasingly perfect. Now, her pursuers within the Church were as numerous as ox hairs! Someone like her was actually being rejected?!

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‘Ugh! This wasn’t fair!’

“Then what exactly do you want??”

“Hmm…” Noya rested her chin on her hand, striking a thoughtful pose. A moment later, under Bai Yanluo’s puzzled gaze, a sky-blue light rippled slowly around Noya. In the next instant, a contract scroll appeared in Noya’s hand and was handed over to Bai Yanluo.

“How about this? Since you’re so pitiful, I’ll show some mercy. Sign this maid agreement, and I’ll give you the items.”

“This… a soul contract? And for three years?! That’s going too far!”

“Oh? Is it? Then forget it…” Saying that, Noya didn’t waste any more breath and turned to walk back into the shop.

Seeing Noya leave so decisively, Bai Yanluo grew anxious and rushed forward to grab Noya’s hand. “Wait, wait, wait! I’ll sign! I’ll sign, okay?!”

Hearing the silver-haired girl’s voice, which carried a slight sob, Noya, who had her back turned, couldn’t help but reveal a devious smirk. Thus, Miss Bai, desperate to save her friend, signed the ‘indentured servitude contract’ and left Noya’s magic bookstore in a frantic rush with a pile of magic scrolls.

Watching Bai Yanluo’s figure quickly disappear over the horizon, Linxi, who had been silently cleaning for a long time, walked toward her mother with a bit of gloom. A trace of pity appeared on her small face. “Mama, you really…”

“What’s wrong, little Linxi?” Noya rubbed the girl’s head dotingly.

The girl sighed helplessly in response. “We clearly already found the Chosen Maiden, so why didn’t you tell her?”

“If I told her, would she still have been willing to sign?” Noya looked playfully at the contract in her hand. “Being able to have the Heavenly Apostle as a maid… this is something so many people dream of. Tell me, if I put this contract up for auction, how much money could I make?”

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“Umm, Mama, you’re so mean.”

“Heehee, it’s a small thing, a small thing.”

“But,” Linxi sighed again and looked toward the direction where Bai Yanluo had left with some confusion. “Mama?”

“What is it?”

“Even though Yanluo is in such a miserable state, the pressure of her aura is still terrifying. It seems she’s still stronger than many seventh tier beings, right?”

“That’s how it is. After all, the gap between the eighth and seventh tiers is quite massive.”

“But…” Linxi looked at her mother, who was currently fantasizing about a life of counting money. “But if that’s the case, Mama, why did you tell that harem scumbag back then that he had a sixty percent chance of defeating a demon king tier?”

“Well, that’s because, actually…”

“Actually what?”

Hearing her daughter’s cute voice, Noya smiled slightly. She turned her head slowly and looked meaningfully at the statue of the Goddess placed on the desk nearby.

“The Lady Goddess told me to say that~”