After returning to the residential district, Mrs. Nashi was visibly relieved.
“I didn't expect an unexpected situation to arise today. My apologies, Lord Phelan,” Mrs. Nashi apologized to Phelan, who was constantly taking notes in the group.
“It is fine, Mrs. Nashi. It wasn't your fault, and this actually serves as excellent data—at least for now.”
As Phelan spoke, he glanced at Leticia in the crowd, then jotted down something else on his recording board.
Leticia merely stared at the recording board in Phelan's hand, remaining silent.
She knew Phelan had been watching her.
From the moment they encountered Bishop Karl, the magic in his hands had barely stopped.
If she had called out Bishop Karl's identity just now, or done anything she shouldn't have, Phelan would likely have restrained her in an instant.
Yet, Leticia did not find this strange.
After all, she was the Saintess of the Holy See.
Even if she stood beside Lin Ling now, she was still someone whom the demons would find difficult to fully trust.
Shortly after, the rest of the group dispersed, returning to their respective duties.
However, Mrs. Nashi remained standing in place.
Once the crowd had mostly scattered, she turned around to look at Lin Ling.
“My apologies, Miss Saintess, for causing you such an unpleasant experience.”
With that, Mrs. Nashi bowed her head to Lin Ling.
“Whoa! Mrs. Nashi, what are you doing?!”
Lin Ling was startled by her action and hurriedly stepped forward to support Mrs. Nashi.
“I clearly told you last time that I don't like this.”
Putting her hands on her hips, Lin Ling turned her face away, puffing out her cheeks in a mock pout.
“If you do this again, Miss Saintess will be truly angry.”
Since Phelan's disguise had not been removed yet, the rabbit ears on Lin Ling's head swayed gently along with her movements.
What should have been an authoritative gesture suddenly lost all intimidation factor with the addition of the rabbit ears.
Seeing Lin Ling like this, Mrs. Nashi finally let out a soft chuckle.
“Very well, Miss Saintess. I won't do it again.”
“That's more like it.”
Lin Ling nodded in satisfaction.
Then, Mrs. Nashi turned her gaze to Leticia, who stood beside Lin Ling.
“And this is...?”
Mrs. Nashi caught the scent coming from Leticia.
Although she carried the same scent of sunshine as Lin Ling, there was also another, less pleasant scent mixed in.
It was like light that had been covered in dust for a long time.
Or like the cold scent left behind where a venomous serpent had coiled.
This scent made Mrs. Nashi somewhat uneasy.
However, seeing Leticia standing beside Lin Ling without showing any hostility, Mrs. Nashi did not display much antagonism either.
“Ah, this is Leticia.”
As Lin Ling spoke, she seemed to remember they were still disguised.
She cleared her throat quickly.
“Anyway, she's Sia.”
Leticia bowed slightly to Mrs. Nashi.
“Pardon the intrusion.”
Her movements remained incredibly graceful.
Observing her overly pristine etiquette, Mrs. Nashi nodded gently in return.
Just then, Lin Ling suddenly pressed her hands together and leaned in close to Mrs. Nashi.
“If possible, could we watch everyone at work?”
“Please, pretty please?”
Seeing Lin Ling with her rabbit ears, pressing her hands together and looking up with pleading, pitiful eyes,
Mrs. Nashi fell silent for a moment.
Then, she completely succumbed.
“Since you ask, of course you may. Please follow me.”
With that, Mrs. Nashi took the lead, gesturing to guide them to the experimental field.
Following closely behind, Lin Ling looked back at the others, her face practically screaming “mission accomplished.”
She even flashed them a thumbs-up.
Seeing Lin Ling's somewhat uncharacteristic expression, Phelan immediately began writing.
“—When requesting favors, Miss Saintess tends to employ tactics that leverage her physical appearance.”
“—Suspected correlation to her current physical disguise.”
Dashi, on the other hand, looked utterly astounded.
“So that's how it's done! Miss Saintess, I have learned a valuable lesson today.”
Tears of enlightenment welled in Dashi's eyes.
Mrs. Nashi walked ahead, her gentle smile unchanged.
Yet, for some reason, Dashi suddenly felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
Soon, Mrs. Nashi led the group to a relatively small experimental field.
Several stone pillars carved with magic-conducting runes stood around the field.
A faint Holy Light Stasis domain hovered above the field, creating a barrier that separated the soil from the high concentration of magic outside.
The crops in the field were not particularly lush.
In some spots, green sprouts were only just beginning to peek through.
A few beastkin were busy working in the field.
Some were checking the soil, others were recording the state of the magic suppression stones, and some were carefully clearing pebbles away from the newly sprouted crops.
Watching the scene before her, Leticia's pace slowed instinctively.
She had seen many gardens.
The gardens of the White Tower, those of noble estates, and the meticulously manicured flower beds in front of the Capital Temple.
Those places were all beautiful.
But those plants were merely decorations.
The plants here were different.
They were tiny, even fragile.
Yet, everyone around them watched over them with absolute earnestness.
As if they were looking at a long-awaited beacon of hope.
“You two may observe from within this field. If you don't mind, you're welcome to try your hand at it.”
Mrs. Nashi looked at the two girls who carried the scent of sunshine.
Although the other one hadn't revealed her identity, someone with that scent of sunshine couldn't possibly be a bad person.
“I want to! I want to!”
Hearing that she could try it, Lin Ling's eyes lit up instantly.
She was about to grab some tools and step into the field.
But Phelan, standing beside her, grabbed her by the collar.
“Miss Saintess, please do not cause trouble. This kind of work is not suitable for you.”
With that, Phelan began dragging Lin Ling back.
“Uwah! Why?!”
Lin Ling's feet dragged along the ground, leaving trails behind her as tears of disappointment welled in her eyes.
“Miss Saintess only wanted to experience the development of the Demon King's Castle's agricultural civilization!”
“Tripping on even a small pebble in the field poses a fatal hazard to Miss Saintess. I cannot allow you to take such risks,” Phelan explained.
“I can be very careful!”
“According to my records, Miss Saintess's definition of 'very careful' is highly inconsistent.”
“Phelan, you're so mean!”
Dragged back to the edge of the field, Lin Ling squatted down, looking exactly like a rabbit forbidden from entering a vegetable patch—which, in a way, she currently was.
The rabbit ears on her head drooped sadly.
Seeing Lin Ling like this, Leticia couldn't help but ask softly,
“Do you really want to go in that badly?”
“Of course!”
Lin Ling looked up, her eyes filled with longing for the field.
“This is a crucial opportunity to experience manual labor firsthand.”
“And it looks like a lot of fun.”
Phelan looked down and wrote.
“—Addendum: Miss Saintess displays a clear tendency to view agricultural labor as a form of entertainment.”
“Stop adding addendums!”
After protesting, Lin Ling turned her gaze back to Leticia.
Then, she took Leticia's hands in hers with deep solemnity.
“Leticia, you must experience it for both of us.”
Leticia blinked in surprise.
Lin Ling looked at her, her tone incredibly serious.
“What the soil feels like beneath your feet, you must tell me.”
“Whether the tools are easy to use, you must tell me that too.”
“And if there are any amazing farming techniques, you absolutely have to tell me.”
“This will make up for Miss Saintess's regret of not being able to step into the field herself.”
Leticia gazed at Lin Ling.
After a brief pause, she nodded gently.
“Alright.”
Thus, Lin Ling and Phelan were left at the edge of the experimental field.
Meanwhile, Leticia followed Mrs. Nashi and stepped into the experimental field.
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