Free Web NovelA week later.
It was still that same small bedroom on the second floor of No. 66 Nicks Avenue, the same warm morning sunlight filtering through white gauze curtains.
But today, Vieya was not lying in bed. The sheets were neatly folded by her own hands.
She took out some of her old, smaller-sized clothes from the wardrobe and changed into them.
After being a slime girl for such a long time, Vieya had finally gotten used to it; wearing cute little-girl clothes no longer embarrassed her. In fact, she sometimes even avoided others and secretly twirled twice in front of the full-length mirror.
Early that morning, after breakfast, Vieya saw her daughter studying under the watchful eyes of her two magic tutors, Aislin and Anna.
“Healed up already?”
Anna glanced sidelong at the white-haired little girl humming a tune and petting a cat in the sunlight, slightly amused. “Hmm, all dressed up like that—are you going on a date?”
“It’s not a date. I’m just happy that I can get out of bed and walk again.”
Vieya stood with her hands on her hips, emerald eyes sparkling in the sunlight. Her moon-white hair was tied and hung down to her chest, swaying gently. “And besides, I plan to make up for all the things I didn’t get to finish before. So, I’m going out today.”
Yes.
She still had to take care of those two small creatures placed beneath the convent’s statue.
“Going alone?” Aislin turned, a bit worried. “Should I come with you?”
Vieya shook her head and smiled. “No need. The city’s safe right now. And besides, I don’t really look like this...” She tapped her own youthful cheek, then smiled brightly. “Don’t worry, I’m a /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ dependable adult—just like you two!”
“Meow?” The black cat was lazily lying under the warm sunlight, opening her eyes halfway to look at the white-haired girl. She thought such a warm morning ought to be spent napping under the sun, not running around.
She’d been living comfortably these past few days. Almost all chores could be dumped on the silver-haired elf, leaving her to do nothing but nap and sunbathe.
“Then could you bring back some dried fish for me? We’ve been out of it for days.”
“No.”
Vieya smiled and stroked the black cat’s warm head. “I still haven’t settled the score for what you did while I was bedridden!”
“Meow!” The cat’s fur stood on end. She flailed her paws, trying to flee.
Thwack!
Vieya caught her by the tail and gave her head a light smack.
“Meow! I’m dying! Meow! I’m dying!”
“Don’t run, you stupid cat! Who told you to scratch my foot with your tail?”
“I was just checking if your legs had regained sensation!”
“Did I ask you to check?”
“I’m a caring, loyal cat—ow, meow! Don’t make me go out, my tail hurts... meow...” fгeewebnovёl.com
“Mama?” Jasmine paused what she was doing and looked toward the noise.
In the courtyard, the sunlight poured through the branches, scattering shifting shadows across the ground—like a kaleidoscope of spring.
The white-haired girl chased the bouncing, dodging black cat around the yard as if driving a donkey, until the round, plump cat was finally herded out of the courtyard.
The mewling pleas grew distant, and both cat and Vieya disappeared.
“Jasmine, don’t get distracted.”
“...Okay.”
“Now, let’s talk about the key points in optimizing the spell circuit.”
......
Vieya had chased the cat outside the courtyard and, at first glance, saw a four-horse carriage parked in the distance.
The black horses with horns on their heads were known as black phantoms—the fastest breed in the world, elite warhorses bred by humans. Apart from their large appetites and inability to reproduce, they had virtually no flaws.
And here stood four of them, snorting and stamping the ground. Each stood over two meters tall, muscles taut as cords. Feeding just one of them a day would cost several gold coins’ worth of fine grain.
It was hard to imagine what kind of tycoon could afford to keep four at once.
A figure stood beside the carriage—dressed in custom black body armor, heavy battle boots, and with shoulder-length jet-black hair. A golden insignia was embroidered over the chest.
If not for the calm surroundings and the absence of armed thugs, she could’ve easily been mistaken for a mafia boss.
She looked exactly like those bloodstained crime lords from the Hong Kong gangster films Vieya remembered—only even more intimidating!
“Star... Hero?” Vieya said uncertainly.
“Hello there, Miss Vieya.” The two-meter-tall mafia-looking woman removed her sunglasses and leaned casually against the massive, menacing carriage, smiling faintly.
Out of all the Heroes Vieya had met, this one clearly enjoyed life the most. As soon as the carriage door opened, soothing classical music drifted out. An old-fashioned record player spun slowly; on the walnut table stood a tall glass filled with sherry. The sunroof above was half-open, thin streams of incense smoke curling upward.
Vieya sniffed faintly, almost imperceptibly.
“Since Miss Vieya already knows my name, I won’t waste time introducing myself.” The woman smiled, offering an invitation. “But you seem interested in the wine—care to join me inside for a chat?”
“Um... better not.” Vieya felt uneasy before this towering woman. “I still have something else to do...”
“Heading to the convent? I can give you a lift,” the woman said.
Vieya hesitated. “Wouldn’t that be too much trouble?”
“Not at all. You’re this city’s savior—it’s the least I can do.” She paused, then smiled. “You can call me by name. I’m Lumi.”
Lumi.
That name felt completely at odds with the person.
Inside the carriage—
Vieya sat properly on the left side, holding the black cat. Lumi crossed her legs, holding a wine glass in one hand and pulling open the drawer beneath the walnut table with the other. “There are clean glasses inside, and other drinks too. Take whatever you like.”
“I... I haven’t drunk in a long time.”
Vieya swallowed hard. The woman’s presence was overwhelming—just sitting there felt like a mountain pressing down on her.
Ugh, why are there so many big, intimidating women in this world?
Suddenly, she remembered the leader of Fairy’s Wings.
Also huge... also terrifying. The coconuts on her chest were about as big as Vieya’s head.
Unlike the anxious little white-haired girl, Lumi seemed quite intrigued. This tiny puffball of a child sitting before her had actually unleashed those earth-shattering sword strikes.
She had personally visited the canyon carved by those sword winds thousands of miles away.
She’d asked herself honestly—could even she, a veteran Hero with vast combat experience, have escaped those slashes intact?
Hardly.
No wonder she was called the Holy Sword’s master—she truly bore traces of her predecessor’s unmatched brilliance.
Lumi sighed inwardly.
People really couldn’t be judged by appearance.
“Miss Vieya, those three villains you confronted alongside Her Holiness the Saint—besides the two Demon Kings you sealed beneath the convent, how much do you know about the third one?”
“The third one?” Vieya scratched the cat’s chin and shook her head. “I didn’t notice much at the time. Those few sword strikes drained me heavily, and I only managed the cleanup by sheer will.”
“However,” she added after a pause, “Lilian probably knows more about that mysterious one. Sigh...” Her voice sank. “I just hope she’s doing all right.”
