Though Rebecca had arrived at Nona Cathedral discreetly, and Kami had brought her back without fanfare, her striking appearance made anonymity impossible. By the next day, word had spread like wildfire—thanks to the nun who’d escorted Rebecca to Kami’s room—about the breathtaking girl Kami had rescued. Soon, the entire Norna Faith congregation swarmed to catch a glimpse.

“Ugh…” Rebecca cracked open her window for air, only to snap it shut again, her forehead lined with dark veins at the sight of onlookers gawking like she was a zoo exhibit.

“What’s wrong?” Kami asked, brushing her hair.

They’d shared a bed last night, but unlike Lilia—who’d clung to Rebecca all night—Kami had simply lain beside her, calm and ordinary. Nothing intimate had happened. Still, sleeping beside such a radiant girl wasn’t unpleasant. For once, Rebecca hadn’t lain awake worrying about finding the Demon Potion to break her Binding Spell.

“Outside… so… many people…”

Kami paused, then covered her mouth, giggling. “Looks like you’ve drawn quite the crowd.”

“…” Rebecca couldn’t deny it.

“Ugh, my hair’s splitting again,” Kami sighed, abandoning her brush. She stared enviously at Rebecca’s golden locks—impossibly smooth, never frizzy or dry. “How do you keep yours so perfect without even trying?”

“…” Rebecca stayed silent. *Of course it’s perfect. Demon physiology is flawless. Split ends? Dandruff? Impossible.*

“Have you thought about your future, Rebecca?” Kami tied her hair up, already planning an afternoon trip to the barbershop. “You’ve been away from human society too long. You barely speak in full sentences. Maybe you should enroll in school, or stay here—our teachers are excellent. Or…” Her eyes sparkled. “Join the Norna Faith!”

*School?* Rebecca almost scoffed. Her knowledge surpassed anyone in this world—she even carried wisdom from another life. If anything, she’d only need lessons in human social graces. But she had no desire for crowds. Her priority was breaking her father’s Binding Spell before her eighteenth birthday. When the first full moon rose on her eighteenth year, she’d be trapped as a woman forever… *Though joining the Norna Faith? That could be… fun.*

“Join… Norna… yes…” Rebecca nodded.

“Huh? You agree?” Kami blinked in surprise. After yesterday’s probing, she’d assumed Rebecca—raised by demons for over a decade—would feel no reverence for the faith. Yet she’d accepted instantly. *She was taken as a child. She probably doesn’t even know what the Norna Faith is…*

“…Because… Kami… asked…”

“You silly girl,” Kami chided, finally securing her hair. She reached over and ruffled Rebecca’s perfect locks, messing them up with playful spite. “If I asked you to do something bad, would you follow too?”

Rebecca blinked slowly, playing dumb.

“Fine, fine! I’ll fetch my teacher to perform your initiation!” Kami grabbed Rebecca’s hand and pulled her outside. The moment they stepped into the corridor, every eye locked onto Rebecca—whispers of “so lovely,” “adorable,” and “I want to hug her!” followed them like a tidal wave.

Rebecca ignored the starry-eyed nuns. Her mind was elsewhere.

The Norna Faith was the world’s dominant religion. Though the Kasmo Empire’s throne held political power, the Church forced concessions on nearly every front. Rebecca knew the royal family must despise them. But as a believer? This identity would grant her freedom to move through human lands.

Kami led her through the cathedral’s corridors and courtyards to a small cottage.

“Teacher~! I’m here~!” Kami called at the door.

“Finished copying the Discipline Codex?” a melodic voice replied from within.

Kami slipped inside, grinning. “Nope! You said three days, remember?”

“Don’t you dare get someone else to write it for you again! Do you realize how dangerous it was, sneaking into the Dark Forest with those reckless boys?”

The room mirrored Kami’s own—simple, sparse. At its center sat a woman weaving at a loom. She appeared no older than Kami, but her calm, wise eyes betrayed centuries of experience.

“So this is the girl you rescued from the Dark Lord’s palace?” The woman didn’t pause her weaving. Her slender fingers danced over the threads as her sapphire eyes studied Rebecca warmly.

“…Hello… Sister…” Rebecca murmured.

“Huh?!” Kami froze.

The weaver paused, then burst into laughter. “Oh, what a sweet child!”

“Rebecca, this is my *teacher*! She’s over forty—you can’t call her ‘Sister’!” Kami groaned.

*Of course I know,* Rebecca thought, feigning innocence. *Yesterday’s nun said she’s the Holy Maiden—the second-highest authority in the Kasmo Empire’s Norna Faith. And every woman loves being called young…*

“No, no, Kami!” The Holy Maiden set aside her shuttle and pulled Rebecca to a chair. “I’m eighteen! Just one year older than you. Forty? What nonsense!” Her fingers brushed Rebecca’s robe. “Hmm? This is Blood Dragon Serpent hide. Only found deep in the Dark Forest. This alone could buy a shop in Rucadan.”

“Blood Dragon Serpent?!” Kami gasped. She’d thought Rebecca’s plain robe was just rags.

“When Kami told me about you, I was puzzled,” the Holy Maiden continued, stroking Rebecca’s hair. “Now I understand how a human girl survived so long in the Demon Lord’s palace. With beauty like yours, he’d never harm you. But you’re lucky Kami acted when she did—lucky the Dark Lord was away. Had she waited a few more years…” She shuddered. “He devours girls on their eighteenth birthday.”

*Devours?* Rebecca nearly snorted. *Father only devours sweet potatoes. Mother still scolds him for the meteor-shower farts after feasts.* The rumor? A century-old smear campaign. The old Pope had kidnapped girls for himself, then pinned it on the Dark Lord. *Typical Norna Faith spin.* But Rebecca was pragmatic. She’d use this institution, just as she’d used others. The dead Pope’s lies meant nothing to her.

“Don’t worry, child,” the Holy Maiden cooed, embracing the “Sister” role. “I’ll protect you now.”

“Teacher!” Kami interjected. “Rebecca wants to join the Norna Faith! Perform the initiation!”

“Oh? Of course!” The Holy Maiden touched a finger to the Nona Knot pendant at Rebecca’s throat. “From this moment, you are one of us.”

“…That’s it?” Kami gaped.

“Yes. That’s it.”

“Are you kidding?! It needs to be *grand*!”