The evening breeze whispered gently. Stars dotted the clear night sky, forming a glittering river of stars flowing toward a tranquil and beautiful horizon.
Alas, Derek had no heart to admire it.
Whoosh—
He yanked the room’s curtains shut completely!
Derek had learned his lesson from last time.
The trees outside were far too dense—they might hide a certain peeping tom named Xinzel Yuka. He had no intention of letting his privacy be violated.
Now, only Teresia remained.
Derek exhaled a heavy breath.
For everyone’s safety, he had to deceive Duke Wudewen’s eyes—pretending to accept Teresia as his own.
In truth, it only required locking the door and letting Teresia spend one night in his room.
Yet, for some reason, unease still gnawed at him.
Though Teresia had agreed, the Holy Lady’s airheaded innocence made him nervous. Who knew what trouble she might stir up?
Amid his worries, a soft knock sounded.
“Come in.”
The door opened. As expected, it was Teresia.
The moment she stepped inside, a sweet fragrance filled the room.
She seemed freshly bathed. Her damp golden hair shimmered with a soft luster. Her milk-pale skin looked even more delicate than before, and a faint pink flush bloomed across her cute face—like a sweet, tempting fruit begging to be tasted.
Teresia closed the door respectfully. But the moment it clicked shut, she sprang to life. “Master Derek! I’m here!”
*Wow. She’s this excited?!*
Derek was stunned.
Her shout carried the vibe of “Your lord has arrived!”
He, who had been waiting quietly in the room, suddenly felt more like a maiden about to be plucked.
*Weird. Why did that thought even cross my mind?*
*Have I been trampled by this innocent lamb so many times I’ve habitually seen things from the trampled perspective?*
*No. Though I hope for peaceful coexistence with Teresia, as a man, I must keep my dignity. Otherwise, I’ll always feel like she’s taking advantage of me.*
“Teresia, do you know why I called you here?”
“I do!”
Teresia beamed with confidence—a sight that baffled Derek utterly.
“Master Derek must have a plan! Or a secret mission! You want my help, right?”
She clenched her tiny fists, her beautiful eyes sparkling with eagerness.
Well… she wasn’t entirely wrong.
But Derek sensed a gap between her understanding and his intention.
He did need her cooperation—but Teresia seemed solely captivated by the thrilling idea of a “secret mission,” like a child spotting a fascinating new toy.
“That’s right. Exactly so.”
“Ooh!”
*Holy Maiden: Motivation MAX!*
Derek felt a flicker of fear.
He’d called Teresia to spend the night—to sleep beside him. Why was she so fired up?! Did she plan to drain him dry?!
*No, no. Letting this airhead barrel ahead like this is a disaster!*
*Better drop a hint while I have the chance…*
“I’ll share a secret. Memorize it. And never tell anyone you heard it from me.”
Seeing Derek’s solemn expression, Teresia nodded earnestly.
“On the surface, the Doranbar Kingdom seems peaceful. But beneath… dangerous currents swirl. An evil organization called the Witch Cult is spreading chaos worldwide, taking innocent lives.”
Derek decided to leak a little plot—preparing Teresia to fight the Witch Cult later.
“The Witch Cult?”
Teresia had never heard the name.
“You know of Witch Claudius, right?”
“I do!”
Of course she knew the infamous Witch Claudius!
She was the root of Saint Vaye’s destruction!
“The Witch Cult exists solely to resurrect Claudius. Its followers are fanatics—a plague upon this world.”
“I understand… but Master Derek, why tell me this?”
Teresia was utterly confused.
Witch Claudius felt worlds away. Her dream was simply to stay by Derek’s side forever… and *ganfan*!
*Obviously, I’m foreshadowing so you’ll crush them when you meet them later. That’s how I escape this villain’s fate!*
But Derek couldn’t say that aloud.
“Teresia, if things continue like this… one day, you *will* face them…”
Carefree Teresia instantly panicked. She grabbed Derek’s sleeve. “Master Derek, I’m scared!”
Her cowardice shattered Derek’s resolve.
*This is who I pinned my hopes on? This spineless Holy Maiden?!*
*It’s over. I’m doomed!*
Derek realized his transmigration might have been a mistake.
In the original plot, Teresia spent six harsh months alone in Light Village after Kana’s death, until meeting her aunt Bisca Shalier. That suffering forged her strength.
Now, by saving Kana, he’d avoided enmity—but Teresia, clinging to Kana’s presence, had matured slower emotionally. Meanwhile, her body had bloomed early from constant *ganfan*.
*Will her strength weaken because of this?!*
*Sigh. Regretting it now is pointless. I’ll just have to fix what I can.*
“Don’t panic, Teresia. Believe in yourself. You’re extraordinary.”
Derek gripped her shoulders, locking eyes with her.
Ignoring her hesitation, he force-fed her a spoonful of inspirational soup.
Startled by his firm grip, Teresia froze.
His earnest gaze. His unwavering words. A warm current surged through her heart…
All her life, she’d helped her mother with chores, aided village elders in the fields, and traded labor for scraps of grain to ease her mother’s burden.
To others, she was just an ordinary girl from Light Village.
Yet Master Derek saw her as *extraordinary*—a word that had never belonged to someone like her.
But hearing it now, her blood surged with newfound strength. “I understand! I’ll work hard!” she declared fervently.
Then, noticing Derek’s handsome face inches away, her heated blood flared hotter. Her cheeks and body flushed. She lowered her head with a hint of shyness. “Master Derek… what do we do next?”
…
Relieved she hadn’t been scared off by the Witch Cult talk, Derek relaxed slightly.
He had no idea how this night’s foreshadowing would reshape her future.
Hearing her question again, he froze.
Because calling her here…
Had never been about anything important.
But this unimportant thing was deeply awkward.
Still—they were about to get down to business…
“We… should sleep.”
“Huh?!”
A gasp—tinged with shock and shyness—filled the room.
