“What should I do? What should I do? Holy Sword, can you help me think of something?”
Xuefei paced back and forth alone in her room, but this time it wasn’t her usual boredom. She pursed her little lips, as if she might burst into tears at any moment.
The sky grew darker by the minute, the sun already sinking behind the western mountains, and Xuefei’s anxiety multiplied exponentially.
At that moment, the Holy Sword spoke up.
“I’m sorry, I can only offer strategies with a high success rate. But Hero, you can believe in miracles.”
“Believing in miracles is less reliable than believing I’ll regain my sense of self after getting pregnant. Hmph!”
Realizing her behavior was too “cute,” Xuefei quickly adjusted her expression—though the Holy Sword had already recorded it perfectly.
“Can’t you speak in anything other than this cold tone?”
“Not at all. You can have me use a male voice, a female voice, or any timbre you like. For example, the doting big-sister voice that Hero prefers the most…”
“No, no, no!”
Xuefei shook her head like a rattle, terrified the Holy Sword might turn into another Leia. But in truth, she was just scared of what treatment she’d receive tonight.
Pregnancy, of all things!
Even if she regained her sense of self, the inherent traits of an Evil Dragon would prevent any betrayal… After all, Evil Dragons were utterly loyal to their spouses, far beyond what humans called “oaths of eternal love sworn across mountains and seas.”
And then… laying eggs.
Xuefei imagined herself in a warm, soft nest, watching evil dragon eggs emerge one by one from her body, overflowing with maternal love!
She couldn’t bear to think about it.
The yellow rune on the Holy Sword flickered faintly.
“Hero, don’t worry. If you’re brainwashed, I’ll remind you in time to help you regain your sense of self.”
“But what if that doesn’t work?”
“Then there would be no other possible solution…”
After the Holy Sword finished speaking, silence fell between them. Xuefei slumped powerlessly onto the bed, her little hands idly drawing circles on the sheets.
This mood lasted nearly five minutes.
At that moment, darkness quietly draped over the sky, signaling the start of the final countdown.
When Head Maid Laer found her and announced Lady Leia’s summons, it would be one of the most fatal moments of Xuefei’s life. And exactly when that summons came depended entirely on Lady Leia’s whims.
“Hero, you are the only one with memories from the First Playthrough who still sides with humanity. If you lose your mind, it would spell disaster for the entire world—perhaps even the end of all divine rule.”
“Don’t pin this on me. What does it have to do with me?” Xuefei muttered so softly that even the Holy Sword almost missed it.
She wasn’t some paragon of justice bursting with a sense of responsibility, nor was she a so-called savior. All she cared about was herself.
Maybe everyone only cared about themselves, in the end?
But why was Leia like this?
For my sake, she devoured the Evil Dragon and even the Gods. That went beyond mere willpower—it required an obsession bordering on madness.
“Don’t abandon me.”
A voice called to her, an idea fermenting in Xuefei’s mind.
Had she fallen for Leia long ago?
Truth be told, she’d always felt a little something for the girl who chatted with her every day.
But for tactical reasons and necessary social maneuvering, it had to be part of the plan to subjugate the Evil Dragon.
Abandoning Leia was never her true intention.
From a results standpoint, without sacrificing Leia back then, the Hero Party would have been wiped out.
“I’m sorry…”
“Pardon, Hero? What did you just say?”
“Nothing.” Xuefei raised her voice, wiping away a tear while lamenting how easily girls cried. She stood up.
Her face darkened, her thoughts inscrutable. The Holy Sword, unable to gauge what internal struggle its master had endured, spoke again in its mechanical, synthesized voice.
“Hero, have you come up with a solution?”
“Of course~”
At that moment, Xuefei picked up the Holy Sword and caressed every weathered inch of its blade. Her eyes seemed to gaze into the past—the past filled with trials and suffering.
A few minutes later, seemingly satisfied at last, she returned it to its wooden case and gently closed the lid.
~~~
“What? Period cramps?”
At the pinnacle of the Evil Dragon Palace, Miss Evil Dragon’s incredulous voice echoed.
“Yes, Lady Leia. My… my stomach doesn’t feel well…”
Before the throne, Leia eyed Xuefei with a peculiar gaze, like an Evil Dragon scrutinizing its possession. But today, this “possession” seemed to be acting in a way she hadn’t anticipated.
Xuefei felt she was just one step away from truly becoming Leia’s possession.
So she decided to back off and dodge for now. At the very least, she needed to find some excuse to refuse and fob it off—that was the top priority!
She wasn’t so naive as to believe one night could turn the tide.
Leia propped her chin on her hand, crossing her legs clad in black stockings. From this angle, Xuefei caught a fleeting glimpse of something hidden.
“Your period’s right now? That’s quite the surprise. After all, you’ve never had cramps before, have you?”
“Maybe… maybe I’m just a late bloomer~,” Xuefei replied with an awkward smile.
“What a letdown, Little Xuefei. I thought you’d come to me proactively for something fun.”
“I know Lady Leia’s been preparing for this for a long time, but… but it hurts. Tonight would be really uncomfortable!”
Leia didn’t reply. She switched her crossed left leg for her right, her scarlet eyes reflecting the image of Xuefei kneeling before her. There wasn’t the slightest hint of hesitation—it was as if she were genuinely telling the truth.
To conceal her true feelings, Xuefei had honed her composure to show no fear in Leia’s presence. She could even fake an expression of gritted endurance through the pain.
Xuefei was certain that back in her original world, she’d be the next Oscar winner!
“I see,” Leia sighed, her face etched with concern and heartache. “In that case, I’ll have to give you more time. I was really looking forward to seeing what you’d look like pregnant.”
“Hehe…”
Seeing Leia apparently letting her off the hook, Xuefei kept a calm facade, but inside, her heart was soaring, ready to launch right out of her body!
Had it worked?
Had she convinced the Evil Dragon? That Leia?!
What was she supposed to do? Leia was looking more and more appealing…
Suddenly, that doting gaze began to captivate her soul. Now, in Xuefei’s mind, Leia was utterly supreme!
Speaking of which, she smells so good…
She recalled the flower crown she’d given Leia that afternoon. Even now, the Evil Dragon carried the fresh floral scent, as if she’d just stepped out of a garden.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll head out now!”
“Wait, Xuefei.”
Just as Xuefei was about to make her escape, her heart skipped a beat—Leia was touching her shoulder.
Turning around, she faced Leia’s mischievous grin, which struck her young heart like a thunderbolt.
“I’m sorry for overlooking this, so Little Xuefei’s body really does need my personal examination~”
“Ah… ah?”
Xuefei froze. Time itself seemed to halt.
Leia’s scarlet pupils grew entranced as she caressed Xuefei’s soft, flawless cheek and planted a kiss on it.
“No need to worry. Even if it hurts, I, Leia, will share the burden with you~. So let’s hurry to the bedroom?”
“But… didn’t you say…,” Xuefei stammered, her wide eyes brimming with utter bewilderment—everything about them was huge.
“Didn’t you say… we weren’t doing it?”
“Who said anything about doing that sort of thing with Xuefei?” Leia’s gaze darted evasively for a moment before fixing on Xuefei’s alluring little belly. Through the white dress, the cute little navel was perfectly visible. She covered her mouth and let out a soft chuckle.
“I’m just going to give you a massage on the bed. That’s hardly something indecent. Unless… Xuefei wants it even more than I do?”
“Eh…?”
~~~
