October 20, New Calendar 1453.
The morning sun was bright and clear.
Sophie sat by the window on the first floor of the inn, staring blankly at the cup on the table.
She didn't have a stiff neck.
This meant that Miss Hero hadn't been acting like a tsundere, pretending to coax her to sleep while secretly crawling into her covers at night!
Damn it, she had really been looking forward to that.
The cup contained a serving of water.
This water was really just water.
And that was the even worse part.
When she had stretched her arms and stepped out of her room, she had been greeted by the innkeeper’s pitying gaze and this cup of water.
He must have heard the commotion from the body slam last night.
Was there even any room left for Miss Hero’s reputation to sink further?
It was so lonely.
Especially in Solitude; a person alone felt even more isolated.
Sophie picked up the water and gulped it down in one go.
The bitter water went down her throat, and her heart ached.
Damn it.
Scrub Taunt was clearly supposed to be used on enemies; why did it judge Miss Hero as an attackable target?
Did the system think Miss Hero was a scrub?
Impossible.
It must be that the game system itself was a scrub.
Just as Sophie was pondering what to eat, a slightly hunched but still tall figure walked into the inn.
The innkeeper poked his head out. “Mr. Modi?”
As the owner of an alchemy shop, Modi had a very good reputation among the commoners of Silvervein City. Citizens often went to his shop for a cup of talisman water when they were sick, as it was much more convenient than lining up at the temple to wait for divine grace.
To Modi, the populace was naturally the core base of the church, and he was happy to maintain his image as a man of the people.
Sophie saw Modi walk in and knew he was looking for her, but she didn't do anything.
Her stomach was still empty.
“Lady Saintess,” Modi whispered in a low voice, “could we find a quiet place...”
“You stayed up all night again?” Sophie glanced at the dark circles under Modi’s eyes and waved her hand. “Don't be in such a hurry. Let me figure out what to eat first...”
“Yes, what are we eating?” The black-haired, barefoot girl appeared in the seat next to Sophie, patting Sophie’s back with a serious expression. “Disciple, what are we eating!”
Sophie: “...”
Call me disciple one more time and I’ll starve you to death.
Seeing the Moon Goddess appear, Modi immediately pressed his right hand to his chest and bowed to Miaoyue.
Then, having come prepared, he pulled a small silver tray from his storage bag.
On the tray was a freshly made cream dessert, garnished with candied berries and sprinkled with a fine layer of Moon Salt around the edges.
“Lady Goddess, this is for you.”
“Yay, yay!” Miaoyue happily took the plate, then accepted a cup of milk jelly, a cup of hot milk, and two pieces of Moon Salt shortbread that Modi handed over.
Sophie’s eyes widened.
“What about mine?”
Modi: “Yours?”
“My breakfast!!!” Sophie looked at the breakfast in Miaoyue’s hands with dissatisfaction. Miaoyue immediately shielded her plate, looking at Sophie warily.
Sophie retracted her gaze and looked at Modi.
Modi: “Tsk.”
Sophie: “Did you just click your tongue at me?”
“No, Lady Saintess, you misheard.” Modi bowed respectfully and then took out four slices of white bread, a bowl of morning soup, and a portion of pan-seared steak, placing them in front of Sophie.
“Since Lady Saintess hasn't eaten yet, you may have my portion,” Modi said.
Fortunately, he had prepared two sets of meals to prevent the Moon Goddess from finishing her dessert stomach and moving on to her breakfast stomach.
He just hadn't expected the Saintess to be such a glutton as well.
It seemed he would have to carry three portions of food with him in the future—or maybe four?
“I want to drink milk too...” Sophie looked longingly at the hot milk Miaoyue had already finished, then dejectedly began to gnaw on her bread.
Next time, she would make sure the Bishop let her inspect Miaoyue’s meals before they were delivered.
Little Yue was still at the age where she was growing; eating this much wasn't good for her. As her teacher, Sophie had to look out for her.
Modi bowed to Sophie again, tapped his staff on the ground, and cast a Mirage.
Once isolated by the illusion, outsiders would only see the scene Modi had prepared in advance.
Modi spoke: “Lady Saintess, the matters regarding the sect’s assets, trade routes, high-value products, available funds, fleet procurement, and the reorganization of the chamber of commerce that you ordered yesterday have been preliminarily organized.”
Sophie’s eyes lit up as she chewed on her bread.
It was here.
Her New Moon Far-Trading Chamber of Commerce.
Her plan to make money legally.
Her intelligence network.
The grand beginning of her no longer having to live off her sister's handouts.
Sophie sat up straight, trying her best to strike a profound and mysterious Saintess-like pose.
“Go on.”
Modi didn't speak immediately. He just tapped his staff, and two New Moon Cultists waiting outside the door carried the ledgers and placed them on the table.
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