Because they had woken up an hour earlier than usual, the roommates were all huddled together on the cushioned seats of the carriage, trying to catch up on their sleep.
Wang Yue closed the carriage window. As the young girls breathed softly, the temperature inside the carriage gradually began to rise. However, it was still quite cold; they huddled together like a litter of kittens, sharing their warmth.
Wang Yue felt no sleepiness at all. She sat bolt upright, her expression grave.
“Master, aren’t you going to sleep for a while?” Dorothy’s voice came from beside her.
Wang Yue shook her head.
“Then… can I borrow your lap? Without a pillow, my neck really hurts,” Dorothy pleaded.
“Hmm? When school started, you slept just fine without a pillow. I remember it clearly,” Wang Yue exposed her lie in a heartbeat.
“I was too embarrassed to say anything back then… Please let me!” Dorothy wheedled.
“Fine, fine. You can use it as a pillow. Just stay quiet; the others are sleeping,” Wang Yue conceded helplessly.
Dorothy wriggled over and rested her head on Wang Yue’s lap, letting out a comfortable hum.
Wang Yue lowered her lashes, her gaze falling on the young girl’s small head. It felt strange—she never thought the term “lap pillow” would ever be associated with her. Her thighs were soft yet elastic; when pressed together, they formed a snug valley so tight that even water wouldn’t leak through.
At that moment, a portion of Dorothy’s head was nestled into that very valley. Her face was turned toward Wang Yue’s lower abdomen, her hair was a bit messy, and her rosy cheeks and delicate ears were visible.
A cute little maid.
Wang Yue gripped Dorothy’s shoulder, feeling her body heat through the layer of her clothes. Before long, she felt the light, rhythmic breathing against her leg.
Besides Wang Yue, Veronica was the only other person in the carriage who hadn’t fallen asleep. With the help of the hair-growth potion, her hair had completely grown back. It was simply styled, with a single lock tied by a hair tie adorned with cherry ornaments.
She leaned against the carriage cushion with her eyes closed, but the voice of Audara Ias echoed in her mind.
“Veronica~”
“Eek! You nasty octopus!”
“Shh, don’t make a sound. Let’s communicate in our hearts.”
“Go away!”
“Don’t be a stranger. We’ve already had such a… ‘deep’ exchange. I know exactly what your brain fluid tastes like… Slurp~“
“Go away! Go away! Don’t talk to me! You perverted octopus!”
“Don’t you want to make up with your friend? I can help you. I am omniscient and omnipotent.”
“…”
Veronica’s eyes shifted behind her lids, seemingly hesitating.
“Don’t worry, I won’t control you anymore. I’ve already failed; I’m sealed. Now, I’m just a pathetic little octopus. Look at me! Look at me!”
Veronica cracked her eyes open a sliver and looked at the seat across from her.
In the glass jar beside Wang Yue, the octopus—which had previously been bloated, ugly, slimy, and crammed tightly against the glass—suddenly shifted. With a poof, it transformed into a tiny, palm-sized Octo.
Veronica’s eyes widened. She thought… it was actually a little cute. It hit her right in her sense of “moe.”
Audara Ias was a master at manipulating the human heart.
Wang Yue caught sight of this scene and immediately reached for the carriage window, intending to throw the glass jar out.
“Don’t! You ungrateful wretch!”
“What kind of trick are you pulling now? Trying to act cute?”
“Acting cute? I, the Great Audara Ias, would never stoop to performing for a lower lifeform! I merely changed my form.”
“Is that so?” Wang Yue was skeptical.
If the Housemother hadn’t strictly emphasized that pets couldn’t be left in the dormitory, she wouldn’t have brought the octopus along. Now it seemed like a potential liability; throwing it away would be for the best.
However, Audara Ias was a vital source of information. She didn’t want to lose that channel. Her roommates all knew about the octopus, and through cross-examination, she figured she could manage it.
This conversation took place through mental communication, so the interior of the carriage remained silent, save for the long breaths of the sleeping girls.
Audara Ias, I’m curious. What exactly are you looking for in the Academy? Wang Yue asked internally.
“Looking for something? You hateful humans, that is my home!” the octopus suddenly roared.
Home?
“…”
Did you just let that slip?
“…”
The octopus fell silent.
Wang Yue remained suspicious of this information. It was possible Audara Ias had leaked it on purpose to scramble her thoughts.
***
The carriage arrived at Crowsnest Town.
Wang Yue reached down and gave her little maid’s ear a gentle tug.
“Mmm…” Dorothy let out a lingering, sweet moan.
“We’re here.”
“Ugh.” Dorothy transitioned from a slumped pile of mush back into a human shape. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, looking much more refreshed.
Wang Yue felt her school uniform; it was warm and damp. “You actually drooled? You can forget about ever getting a lap pillow again.”
“I’m sorry! Waaaah…”
The dormitory members climbed out of the carriage one by one. Finally, Lilith jumped down with Prima on her back.
“The school notice said we’ll be staying in Crowsnest Town for two days and returning to the Academy on Monday. We need to go to an inn and rent rooms immediately. There are too many students; if we’re late, we’ll be sleeping in a stable.”
Wang Yue took the lead, her roommates trailing behind her. A group of young girls ran toward the town entrance.
They managed to beat the crowd to the largest inn in town and booked three double rooms and one single room. Wang Yue took the seven keys and turned around.
“Room assignments: Dorothy with Prima, Matcha with Dina, and Veronica with Cerceybe. I’ll take the single room. Any objections?”
The roommates nodded in succession.
After distributing the keys, they headed up the stairs to the second floor, where the three double rooms were located side by side. Wang Yue’s single room was on the first floor.
Dorothy keenly sensed that her Master had something on her mind. Her Master usually presented herself as a mature, calm young girl who acted quickly and without hesitation. But today, she seemed indecisive.
Sensing it wasn’t her place to pry, Dorothy went to the room to look after Prima.
Wang Yue’s expression darkened slightly. She opened her door with the key but didn’t light a candle. She simply stood by the window, motionless. The cold wind blew in, and the shadows seemed to saturate her.
A moment later, a small crumpled ball of paper was tossed in through the window.
She leaned down, picked it up, and smoothed it out. Written on it was the Church’s rendezvous point.
“It’s finally here,” she exhaled slowly.
To avoid drawing attention, she changed into a hooded cloak. She had anticipated this and prepared the clothing in advance.
A slender young girl, her face hidden by a hood, walked quickly along the walls. After weaving through several turns, she arrived at a narrow alley. She ventured deep inside until she reached a small door in the wall.
Following the instructions on the note, she knocked four times. The door opened, and the familiar scent of snuff drifted out.
A low voice emerged from the darkness. “Are you enjoying your time at the Academy?”
Wang Yue remained silent, having no intention of making small talk. In any case, now that the parasite was gone, the Church had no way to control her. Except…
That particular matter felt eerie; she still considered it a hidden threat. Until she completely understood how that “thing” worked, she decided to proceed with caution and play her role as a spy—and perhaps squeeze out some benefits while she was at it.
The air shifted as a massive body moved toward the doorway, the smell of snuff growing even stronger.
“The Bishop is very displeased,” Tarantula’s voice rang out again.
“And?”
“You haven’t shown a proactive attitude. As of now, you haven’t produced a single result.”
The voice was very close now, just a short distance away.
“Sir, I’m a peasant. I farm and raise cattle. You’re asking me for results, but to be honest, I don’t know how to get them,” Wang Yue said, putting on an honest act.
“Then let me teach you. That little witch who is so close to you, the one named Dorothy… Exploit her trust. Lure her out to a secluded place and hand her over to us.” Tarantula’s voice was low and raspy, carrying a tone that brooked no argument.
