Chapter 36: To Escape the Devil’s Grasp
Exhausted from shouting, the flushed little idol leaned against Lena’s shoulder, watching the moonlight on her fingertips, a thought crossing her mind to stay like this forever.
She laughed bitterly. She must be crazy. Lena had taken possession of her body and soul, and now she was concerned about Lena’s mental state.
Wasn’t this a perverse rebellion?
But reality was far crueler than fiction. Not only did Angel think she was sick, but Lena also thought Angel was a bit foolish.
Wasn’t this a classic case of Stockholm Syndrome?
No wonder she would become that compassionate bodhisattva in the future. This Saintess always returned good for evil, a white lotus who couldn’t bear to see anyone suffer.
Heh, idiot.
“Why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face?”
The naive, young Saintess touched her face, finding nothing, and snapped, “So, are you going to agree or not?!”
Agree or disagree.
A difficult question.
Lena had to admit that Angel had guessed part of her psychology, but she didn’t want to appear easily seen through. As Angel had said, it was a bit of tsundere pique.
Moreover, Angel seemed to have seen through the old wounds Lena carried.
She did have something on her mind, something big: rebirth and revenge. This secret couldn’t be known by anyone.
But whether by coincidence or fate, both Agnes and Angel had sensed her secret. Although they didn’t know the specifics, their offers of help made Lena uncomfortable, like stepping on a tack.
“This is like you’re proposing to me.”
Lena lowered her eyes, like a shy bride before her husband.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Angel sat back down on Lena’s slender legs, grinding against them slightly in retaliation. “Although I don’t understand what you’re planning, as long as it’s within my power, I’ll consider things from your perspective.”
These words sounded like a confession, and Angel blushed in hindsight.
She just wanted the devil to be nice to her, not to bully her all the time. Did that count as a confession?
They weren’t even friends!
“A-anyway! The contract clearly states that even if I wanted to harm you, I couldn’t. What are you worried about?”
“Do I look like someone afraid of death?” Lena looked at Angel, sighing. “I just…”
“Just what?” Angel pressed.
I just don’t want to accept help from someone I once considered an enemy.
Wasn’t it strange?
Someone who wanted to kill her in her past life was now trying to help her.
Even after how Lena had treated Angel, she was still willing to help. The Saintess’s overflowing compassion was truly baffling, choosing to help a dying person like her.
“Just treat me like a fool!”
Angel dropped the topic, changing the subject. “What do you think about Alice and Emma? Is there anything special about them?”
Lena gladly took the opportunity to change the subject. “They are important.”
“But I don’t see how. Do they have some kind of secret?”
“Well…”
Lena hesitated.
If she told Angel that these two would cause bloodshed in the future, even almost killing the Saintess, she didn’t know how Angel would react.
She would probably think Lena was crazy.
Angel was dissatisfied. “Keeping secrets again, talking to you is so tiring.”
“No… I can only tell you that they are important, indispensable talents in practice. One plus one is greater than two, that’s the gist of it.”
Lena said helplessly, hoping Angel would understand.
Angel nodded, seemingly understanding. “I think I get it…”
“Good…”
Lena was mentally exhausted. If she could do it again, she would definitely strangle this kind-hearted Saintess on the spot.
A white lotus heart was a dangerous thing, and the kind Saintess would eventually learn a painful lesson from her compassion.
“Ah, it’s getting late, I can’t miss the last prayer today!”
Angel’s sleepy yawn was abruptly cut short. She stood up hurriedly, bidding farewell.
“Should I wait for you?”
Lena also looked sleepy, her expression languid and casual.
“Since I’m already here, returning empty-handed isn’t my style.”
Since I’m already here
“…You’ll wait here?” Angel frowned.
“It’s not impossible.” Lena closed her eyes, sitting upright, her sleepy voice carrying a pleasant magnetism, like a small violin. “The popular idol’s girlfriend waiting outside the monastery for her to finish work. Hmm, a perfectly reasonable explanation.”
“N-nonsense… who’s… your girlfriend…!”
Angel stammered, quickly walking away.
Lena opened her eyes, just in time to see the beautiful shade of pink under the flickering streetlights.
Angel’s flushed earlobes swayed in the wind as she hurried away.
Angel didn’t know why she was running so fast, but distancing herself from that annoying beast of a person might calm her racing heart.
Leaning against her knees, her lungs burning, Angel took deep breaths, trying to regulate her breathing, so no one would notice anything amiss when she entered the monastery.
“Good evening, Angel.”
“Ah, good evening, Sister Theodore.”
The nuns passing by weren’t surprised to see Angel.
Angel’s public image had always been impeccable. Aside from yesterday’s absurd coming-out incident, in everyone’s eyes, she was a kind, gentle, and responsible young lady from a fallen noble family.
Although the Cavendish family’s glory had faded, their influence was no less than the Falmouths’, even surpassing them in some aspects. This also gave Angel a good reputation in the monastery, often receiving care from the nuns.
“It’s quite late. You’re not willing to miss even the last prayer?” Sister Theodore asked with a smile.
She had a good impression of this Saintess Candidate.
Hardworking and diligent, although a bit clever, she was much cleaner than the other candidates vying for the position in the monastery.
“Mm…”
Angel nodded in response, not mentioning her tardiness.
She politely bid farewell to Sister Theodore, then began the long prayer that would last until the early hours of the next morning, something Angel was already accustomed to…
The quiet environment of the monastery was perfect for meditation, but Angel had no object of faith, so she simply went through the motions, kneeling and pretending to pray devoutly.
In the eyes of others, she looked incredibly pious, but only Angel knew how much she was slacking off.
After all, she could earn a decent amount of holy redemption money just by sitting here for a while. Why not?
Money earned from slacking off was still her own money!
Angel firmly believed this…
…
Emptying her mind, letting her thoughts wander, her body gradually felt lighter, her knees no longer aching, as if she were floating in the clouds, and on the white clouds stood a figure…
Hmm, the face looked familiar…
“Lena!” Angel called out the name, her voice echoing in the quiet environment.
Uh…
She immediately regretted it, the strange looks from those around her making her feel embarrassed.
Was she kidding? Closing her eyes, she saw Lena’s image, opening her mouth, she spoke Lena’s name. Was she infected with the “Lena virus”?
“Damn devil, truly haunting.”
Angel muttered under her breath.
Blushing, her earlobes pink and delicate, she lowered her slightly aggrieved gaze.
“Is she still waiting there? It’s so late, and it’s quite cold at night…”
Wait! Why was she concerned about Lena again?!
That pest!
She should freeze to death!
Angel refused to admit that she had unconsciously started to care about Lena, just like Lena refused to ask Angel for help, choosing to bear the burden of fate alone.
They were similar in some ways, yet vastly different in their actions.
At least, this concern for Lena wasn’t love.
Angel could guarantee that…
“I’m saving myself… Yes, to escape the devil’s grasp.”
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