Because of how Aesphyra deliberately set up her earlier question—twisting both options to sound identical—Vanessa only realized what she had actually said after the words had already left her mouth.
“Oooh~ So that’s how it is. You do still care about me after all, huh?” Aesphyra’s fox-like grin made her look exactly like a predator that had just tasted something delicious—utterly pleased with herself.
“Miss Aesphyra!” Vanessa glared at her in a flustered mix of shame and frustration, clearly blaming her for setting such a verbal trap and making her slip up.
“Tsk tsk, this won’t do, Miss Vanessa. Making such a cute expression... That’s basically seducing me, you know? I might not be able to hold back and ‘eat you up’~” Aesphyra leaned her head in closer.
Virtue +100
Current Virtue: 4524
Vanessa froze for a second—the warmth of Aesphyra’s breath was suddenly right in front of her face. And that flawless, breathtaking beauty—those violet eyes like polished amethyst—gazed down at her with such affection, her cheeks instantly flared crimson, and she swallowed nervously, little by little.
W-What is she planning to do?!
From the way Aesphyra was leaning in... could it be...?
But if she really intended to do that, what could Vanessa even do? She couldn’t move her body at all right now.
Was... was she really about to just give in like this?
Absolutely not! That would be her first kiss! And it wasn’t anything like the way she imagined that moment happening!
The thought of her first kiss being snatched away by this shameless, lovesick playgirl... She didn’t even dare to picture it!
But... but what if Aesphyra forced her to go along with it?
Not to mention, Aesphyra had just saved her life—if it weren’t for Aesphyra using Divine Favor at the last second to warp her away, things would’ve spiraled completely out of control.
No... not just once—Aesphyra had saved her more than once now.
If this were just a matter of returning the favor...
No! Feelings are feelings, gratitude is gratitude—they’re not the same thing! That doesn’t justify this!
Vanessa clenched her eyes shut in defiance, biting down lightly on her lip. Her cherry blossom-like lashes trembled, her tiny, subtle expressions revealing the tension and rejection coursing through her.
It was almost like she was already mentally preparing how to fight back if Aesphyra actually kissed her.
But... time passed—and nothing happened.
Vanessa hesitantly cracked her eyes open, cautiously poking her metaphorical head out like an ostrich testing the waters.
When she looked up, Aesphyra had already leaned back at some point, showing not even the faintest hint of the... intentions Vanessa had panicked over.
W-What the hell? Was she... just overthinking it??
Vanessa suddenly had the overwhelming urge to cover her face with her wings in pure embarrassment.
“Pfft—Miss Vanessa, you really are adorably innocent~” Aesphyra teased, eyes glittering with mischief.
“Well, I could never compare to you, Miss Aesphyra—the master seductress who flirts with anyone in sight.” Vanessa turned her gaze away coldly.
Maybe there was just something about Aesphyra’s presence that completely restrained her... Otherwise, Vanessa truly couldn’t understand why she always let this woman toy with her so easily.
It was the same whether she was in her male body... or female body.
“Ehh? So that’s always been your opinion of me, Miss Vanessa? Even though I’ve made my feelings toward you perfectly clear... Besides, I’ve never carried another girl like that before, you know?”
“Of course, if Miss Vanessa has even the slightest reluctance, I’ll respect your boundaries. But still~”
“One day, Miss Vanessa will say yes—willingly, from the bottom of her heart~” That smug little pure-white ragdoll of a cat smiled with absolute confidence.
Despite how small she looked.
“Miss Aesphyra, you’re as presumptuous and inappropriate as ever. Let me be blunt—there won’t be such a day. I’m not interested in girls. Even less so in you.” Vanessa had no choice but to keep playing the part of the aloof, disinterested straight girl to get rid of her.
“But... I do still appreciate you helping me out earlier. If there’s ever anything within my abilities that doesn’t cross the line or violate my morals, I’ll return the favor.” Her voice softened slightly at the end.
“Oh~? I’ll look forward to it, then.”
“But speaking of which... Miss Vanessa, aren’t you curious at all?~” Aesphyra asked with a subtle, knowing tone.
“And Miss Aesphyra, aren’t you curious how I ended up here? Or how I transformed into a six-winged being and fought the Demon God Pillar?” Vanessa naturally knew exactly what Aesphyra was hinting at. She was asking how she had warped them both to this deserted grassy field in mere moments. Vanessa simply turned the question back on her.
“Of course I’m curious. But... is Miss Vanessa planning to tell me?”
“That depends. Is Miss Aesphyra willing to share her own secrets with me first?” Vanessa shot back without giving a direct answer.
“If Miss Vanessa would share hers with me, I’d be delighted to share mine~”
“What a coincidence. I was thinking the same thing,” Vanessa replied with a meaningful smile. “If Miss Aesphyra is willing to open up to me, I might just do the same.”
The implication couldn’t be clearer—Vanessa had no intention of prying into Aesphyra’s secrets, just as she’d told her in the ruins before. She didn’t care for them, nor was she curious.
And Aesphyra’s thoughts weren’t much different. After all, this was Vanessa’s secret to tell. If she wanted to share, she would’ve already. Unless she opened up willingly, Aesphyra had no plans to interrogate her.
The reason Vanessa phrased it this way was because she knew Aesphyra wouldn’t reveal anything serious. So there was no harm in saying it.
“Ahh, I see. So Miss Vanessa does want to share secrets with me, hmm? Alright then, I’ll tell you all my secrets~” The conversation should’ve naturally ended there—after all, keeping their respective secrets was an unspoken understanding between them.
But what Vanessa didn’t expect was for Aesphyra to actually agree so easily, catching her completely off guard.
“I’ll tell you everything there is to know about me. As for your secrets, Miss Vanessa, you can share them whenever you feel ready—or not at all, that’s fine too.”
“Truth is... I am—”
“Wait! Hold on!” Vanessa’s composure instantly cracked as she frantically cut her off.
She hadn’t expected Aesphyra to trust her so much—to genuinely dare reveal everything.
But she already knew most of Aesphyra’s secrets... What was the point of hearing them again??
Besides, if Aesphyra really told her everything, there’d be no turning back.
Vanessa had a bad feeling. If that happened, their relationship would become complicated, to say the least.
Think about it—if Aesphyra completely opened up to her, how could she just stay indifferent?
It was Aesphyra’s way of expressing absolute trust—showing Vanessa she was someone worthy of it. That she wouldn’t lie or deceive her.
Of course, Aesphyra might still hide key details... But what if she didn’t?
And considering Vanessa already knew Aesphyra’s secrets... if they matched perfectly, how could she refuse to share hers in return?
Even if Aesphyra claimed it came with no strings attached, everyone knew there was no such thing as a free lunch. In this world, the things that seemed free often carried the highest price.
Seeing Vanessa flusteredly stopping her, Aesphyra’s lips curved into a faint smile. Everything was going exactly as planned.
Under certain conditions, sincerity was the deadliest weapon.
The key was that the other person had to be a genuinely kind, morally upright individual.
And by “morally upright,” that meant the type who would risk themselves to save a complete stranger—pretty much the pinnacle of moral standards.
Someone like that, accidentally learning another’s secret, would never reveal it. Especially when that person proactively entrusted them with °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° such vulnerable truths.
Bound by the chains of morality, Vanessa would be even less likely to expose anything after receiving such unreserved trust.
And more importantly—it forged intimacy. Sharing one’s secrets like this shortened the distance between them in an instant.
As for whether she’d actually be telling the whole truth? Naturally, Aesphyra would never lie to Vanessa. If Vanessa truly wanted to hear, she’d reveal everything, word for word.
But Vanessa chickened out before she even got that far—refusing to let Aesphyra speak another syllable.
If Vanessa still had her strength or magic, she probably would’ve covered her ears with her wings to avoid hearing whatever came next.
Messing with karma like that... especially when it involved the protagonist? She wasn’t stupid. Get tangled in karma tied to the main character, and good luck ever escaping.
Learning Aesphyra’s secret gained her nothing—besides, she already knew it inside and out. If Aesphyra said it aloud, Vanessa would just be shouldering unnecessary responsibility.
Why burden herself over something she already knew?
Vanessa never imagined the tricks she once used on Mirexia would one day be turned against her, in exactly the same way.
Call it karmic retribution.
“After this incident... I imagine Miss Vanessa’s situation will get a bit tricky?” Aesphyra remarked in a leisurely tone.
Vanessa didn’t need an explanation—she knew precisely what Aesphyra meant.
Publicly speaking, the Saintess family line was believed extinct. Yet now, someone with the perfect traits of that bloodline—Vanessa—had appeared in broad daylight. Naturally, the Radiance Church would notice.
The common folk might believe it was a divine miracle—a manifestation of the Goddess or a Saintess. And in truth, they wouldn’t be wrong.
But once this news reached the ears of the Church’s higher-ups, they would investigate relentlessly.
Unless some powerful insider covered it up and framed the event as divine intervention—which was nearly impossible.
It seemed Aesphyra, unlike other heroines, had some grasp of the Church’s true nature and internal politics.
As the protagonist, it was only natural. Before even enrolling at Carillian Academy, Aesphyra had access to the personnel records of the Camella Cathedral.
“This’ll cause quite a headache for Miss Vanessa, trying to stay hidden within Carillian Academy.”
“I have no intention of involving myself with them,” Vanessa answered after a moment of cold silence. “Everything I did was for personal reasons—not because I wanted fame or power.”
“But just because you think that way doesn’t mean others will,” Aesphyra warned. “The higher their position, the more paranoid they become. Even the tiniest threat—they won’t overlook it.”
“Thank you for the reminder, Miss Aesphyra. I’ll keep it in mind.”
“If you ever need my help, just say the word~” Aesphyra offered with a radiant smile.
“No need. I’d rather not owe you more favors.” Vanessa wasn’t the type to like being indebted to people. If it was a close friend like Mirexia, it was one thing. But anyone else—even those she was merely acquainted with—she avoided owing them anything.
She’d already repaid Aesphyra’s earlier favor. But the recent debts? Still unpaid.
Vanessa feared that if this continued, she’d owe Aesphyra so much, she wouldn’t know how to repay it.
“Besides, this isn’t something you can handle alone, Miss Aesphyra.”
The Radiance Church was a colossal force—nations couldn’t even rival them, let alone individuals. Even Aesphyra, as the protagonist, stood no chance until she grew stronger.
“So I should take this as Miss Vanessa testing me, hmm?~”
“Don’t you dare try to shoulder my burdens. I won’t be grateful for that, Miss Aesphyra.” Vanessa turned away coldly.
“If Miss Vanessa had just a bit more ambition... If she was interested in the Saintess title, I could—”
“Don’t say such nonsense. I have no interest in the Radiance Church or the Saintess position. I never will. If I could, I’d avoid them for the rest of my life.” Vanessa interrupted sharply.
“Is that so...” Aesphyra watched her with a quiet smile, eyes lingering for a long moment.
“People can never predict their future. Thoughts change. Life circumstances shift.”
“If Miss Vanessa ever changes her mind—and finds herself needing help—you’re welcome to come find me~”
“Oh? Miss Aesphyra intends to help me seize the Saintess throne?” Vanessa’s tone was laced with mocking amusement.
“How can that be called seizing? You’re the final descendant of the Fasylis bloodline—the purest, the rightful heir. The one acknowledged by the Goddess herself, blessed by divine favor, and savior of the people.”
“The Saintess throne... who else but you?”