"Thank you, Your Highness the Holy Maiden. Thank you, Your Highness the Holy Maiden."
Once she understood everything, Nana could no longer control her emotions.
Excitement, ecstasy, grievance, gratitude... countless emotions intertwined, turning into scalding tears that poured from her eyes.
As she wept, she slammed her forehead hard against the ground, making a "thump, thump" sound; it seemed this was the only way she could express the overwhelming gratitude in her heart.
At this moment, the fact that Castorice was the Holy Maiden of the Holy Spirit Cult was no longer important.
In her heart, as long as she could let her parents rest in peace, Castorice was the greatest benefactor of her life.
Watching Nana leave excitedly with Elder Lin, her eyes red and her face covered in tear stains, silence returned to the room once more.
Fei Yan, who had been silent as if blending into the surroundings, finally made a move.
She covered her mouth and let out a silver-bell-like chuckle, her scarlet pupils flickering with a playful and mocking light.
"Hehehe... You've learned the way of ruling subordinates well, my little Castorice."
Fei Yan's voice carried a hint of lazy amusement.
"With a simple sentence, you've turned a potential enemy into a most loyal dog. This girl's talent is decent; she'll likely be utterly devoted to you from now on."
In the room, a lingering breeze from the girl's departure remained in the air, along with a faint scent mixed with tears and dust.
"Ruling subordinates... I suppose so."
Castorice's voice was very soft, as if she were merely talking to herself.
She picked up the cup of tea on the table, which had already grown slightly cold, but she didn't drink. She just watched the tea leaves slowly unfurl in the water, her purple eyes reflecting not a single ripple.
She shook her head.
That wasn't some calculated tactic for ruling subordinates.
She simply wanted to do it; in that instant, her humanity had caused her to feel a fleeting moment of pity for the girl named Nana.
She had never been a good person.
But occasionally, showing a bit of harmless kindness could be considered accumulating a bit of ethereal virtue.
Besides, Nana's talent was indeed good.
To be able to maintain that deep-seated hatred and obsession with family in an environment fostered by the distorted doctrines and bloody methods of the Holy Spirit Cult was itself proof of a resilient Mind and nature.
If this resilience were used in Cultivation, her achievements would far surpass those of the madmen who only knew slaughter.
More importantly, she was someone she knew.
Even if it was only one-sided.
Today, she had granted Nana's parents peace; this favor had been deeply nailed into Nana's Soul.
From now on, even if Nana still hated the entire Holy Spirit Cult, her gratitude toward this Holy Maiden would forever outweigh that hatred.
A chain of absolute loyalty had already been forged.
Not long after, Elder Lin returned to the room in a hurry.
Right behind him, Nana's figure appeared once again.
She had changed out of her old Saint Robes and put on a clean Maid Uniform.
The tear stains on her face hadn't dried, and her eyes were still red and swollen, but her entire spirit was like a different person compared to before.
The bone-deep fear and numbness had vanished, replaced by a kind of piety and determination.
With a "thud."
Nana knelt heavily on the ground. This time, there was no hesitation or coercion in her movements; it was a complete submission from the bottom of her heart.
Her forehead touched the ground as she sobbed, saying brokenly:
"Thank you... Thank you for your mercy, Your Highness. From now on, Nana's life belongs to you... Nana is willing to serve you like an ox or a horse, and will not hesitate even in the face of ten thousand deaths."
"Just be a good maid; I don't need oxen or horses here."
Castorice finally set down her teacup, which made a crisp clinking sound.
A very faint smile appeared on her face as she looked at Nana kneeling on the ground and said:
"You've experienced both sorrow and joy today, and your mind is agitated; your mental state isn't good. There's nothing for you to do here for now. Go back and rest first, then come back tomorrow for your duties."
She could clearly perceive that Nana's spirit had gained a great sense of liberation because her parents' Souls had found peace, but she had also fallen into deep grief because of the eternal separation.
This kind of complex emotional intertwining was not a good thing for a Soul Master.
"Yes... Nana takes her leave."
Nana showed no disobedience.
Every word from the Holy Maiden was like a divine oracle to her.
She kowtowed heavily once more before slowly rising and respectfully backing out of the room.
As Nana left, the atmosphere in the room changed instantly.
That imperceptible smile melted from Castorice's face like snow, and the air seemed to drop several degrees.
She raised her purple eyes and looked at Elder Lin, who had been standing respectfully with a bowed waist.
"Elder Lin, what did that Hall Master of Illustrious Virtue say?"
Elder Lin's heart skipped a beat.
He hurried to lower his head even further and reported respectfully:
"Reporting to Your Highness, the Sun Moon Empire's side... has been settled. Hall Master Jing Hongchen has agreed that when the new semester of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy begins, Your Highness will join the academy directly as a transfer student."
He paused, seemingly organizing his words, and continued:
"Furthermore, he promised... to reserve a spot for you on the... Preparatory Team for this year's Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Soul Duel Tournament."
"Very good."
Castorice's fingertips tapped lightly on the tabletop, making a rhythmic "tap, tap" sound. Every beat felt like it was tapping on Elder Lin's heart.
"It seems that Hall Master Jing Hongchen is quite an easy person to talk to."
Hearing Castorice's seemingly smiling yet mocking evaluation, Elder Lin's head almost buried itself in his chest, and a layer of cold sweat had already broken out on his back.
Easy to talk to?
That Hall Master of Illustrious Virtue, a giant in the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Engineer world and a Class 9 Soul Engineer, Jing Hongchen, was he someone easy to talk to?
Had it not been for the Supreme Cult Master personally sending a message through the highest levels of the Sun Moon Royal Family to issue a direct order to Jing Hongchen, he probably wouldn't have even given him a chance to meet, let alone allow someone from the Holy Spirit Cult—especially the Death Saintess, whose identity was so sensitive—to join the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy that he cherished like a treasure, and even give her a spot to represent the academy in the tournament.
The power play and pressure involved were far beyond what words could describe.
Elder Lin grumbled in his heart, but dared not show any of it on his face. He could only brace himself and continue:
"Your Highness is wise. It's just that... although Hall Master Jing Hongchen agreed to your enrollment, he also proposed a corresponding condition."
"A condition?"
Castorice's finger tapping on the table stopped.
"Yes."
Elder Lin felt the pressure double, and he swallowed hard.
"He said that the Preparatory Team spots for the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy are never given to the incompetent. If you wish to obtain this spot, you must... prove your strength is worthy of this honor."
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