Sanctuary Paradise

Chapter 884 The Nun's Little Secret
Late at night, on the Blackthorn flagship, in the deck area.

A howling wind swept across the massive deck, and looking up, the sky, which had been incredibly bright just half a day ago, was now pitch black.

As a massive fortress navigating interstellar space, the World Fortress itself does not have a concept of day and night. The lighting inside the fortress is adjusted to suit the physiological rhythms of the contractors.

"Phew... I feel much more sober after a couple of night breezes. That Randy guy, even when he was so drunk, he still tried to get people to drink more."

At the edge of the deck, Xin Lailai, who was gazing at the night view, let out a long sigh of relief, feeling her muddled mind clear up considerably.

Let's meditate here until we set off.

After admiring the view of the fortress from the edge, Xin Lailai nodded slightly. Just as she was about to sit down cross-legged and meditate until dawn, a gentle voice, somewhat surprised, suddenly came from the side:
"Lord Black Sword?"

"Hmm? Your Highness the Sister would actually come to a place like this in person?"

Xin Lailai turned her head and glanced at the blindfolded nun who had walked out of the spatial portal beside her, a look of surprise on her face.

"I just come here occasionally to relax, since I can see the area where you usually hang out, Lord Black Sword, from here."

The blindfolded nun spoke gently, and like Xin Lailai, she came to the edge of the deck, letting the evening breeze make her simple nun's habit flutter. Looking down at the faintly visible platforms in the distance, she whispered:

"Standing in this position, I can clearly see how many people come back alive each time, how many people emerge from the shadows..."

As the blindfolded nun spoke, she looked at the armor plate where the assembly area was located. The black cloth covering her eyes moved slightly, as if she were lowering her gaze.

Upon hearing what the other person was saying, Xin Lailai didn't say much. She simply looked at the armor plate where the contractors were gathered, just like the other person, and watched the contractors who revealed different expressions. Her eyes flickered slightly.

"Lord Black Sword, thank you so much this time."

After a long while, the blindfolded nun standing next to Xin Lailai suddenly spoke, her gentle and melodious voice carrying a sense of antiquity and ethereal beauty.

“Normally speaking, when faced with an unexpected event like the outbreak of abnormal characteristics, it is not incomprehensible that all contractors would be wiped out.”

"In fact, my eyes did indeed glimpse a great deal of death the instant darkness fell; it was the dying cry of those who should have perished in this disaster."

"But Lord Black Sword, you have successfully changed this fate, leading them with your actions and helping them seize the glimmer of hope that they should have missed."

"Therefore, I am truly grateful to you for saving them from death."

The blindfolded nun murmured, looking up at the pitch-black starry sky. Her gentle demeanor made one wonder what her gaze looked like at that moment.

"Your Excellency is too kind, Sister." Faced with the blindfolded nun's gratitude, Xin Lailai simply shook her head, her dark pupils reflecting the figures in the distant assembly area, and said:

"I just did what I was supposed to do. The ones who truly saved them and helped them survive the fire were themselves."

"As for myself... Lord Black Sword, you are indeed an excellent pioneer."

The blindfolded nun smiled gently at Xin Lailai's answer and teased her in her gentle voice:
"Someone like you, if you weren't already in love, would probably have many nuns smitten with you. By all accounts, you perfectly fit the criteria for a partner that many nuns would choose."

"Ahem, Sister, you actually make jokes like this?"

"Although we rarely have free time on weekdays, our lives are actually much richer than the rumors suggest. After all, while our physical bodies cannot move freely, our Fire Seed incarnations are not subject to that restriction."

The blindfolded nun smiled and said, looking much more relaxed than when she first arrived.

"Perhaps Lord Black Sword doesn't believe it, but in fact, we sometimes go out to relax, and even spend half a day agonizing over the choice of a certain piece of clothing."

"I've really learned a very serious secret. Is it really okay to talk about this? My mouth isn't as tight-lipped as you might think, Sister."

Upon hearing this, Xin Lailai's face first showed a slight surprise, then she chuckled softly and teased him in a relaxed manner.

"Hmm... I don't usually mention it to people, but when I'm by Lord Black Sword's side, I always feel a lot more at ease and reassured."

"Or perhaps, even if you yourself don't realize it, Lord Black Sword, you seem to possess a charm that makes the nuns lower their guard?"

"Uh, is that so?"

The blindfolded nun chuckled as she spoke, and Xin Lailai's face showed a hint of surprise upon hearing her description.

Make women feel attractive.

This statement might sound a bit unbelievable coming from someone with a genuine charm rating of 90, but in reality, his popularity with the opposite sex isn't even as high as Ling Yuzi's.

It wasn't because of his appearance; according to casual conversations he overheard, women, including Xingnu and Yanyu, whom he had met before, all shared the same opinion about him: they could hardly feel any romantic feelings for him.

'Hmm… Black Sword Master? This just doesn't feel right. I can't muster any romantic feelings when I'm with him; it feels more like talking to a superior.'

"Ah, you mean the Black Sword master? I feel like I almost forgot my own gender when I'm standing next to him..."

'How should I put it? Although there are distinctions in his words, his eyes... I can't sense at all that he treats people as the opposite sex? Or rather, when I'm next to him, I don't feel any attraction as a woman at all...'

The above are the evaluations of him by the girls he had met in the past. Although most of the information was collected by Lingyuzi, it can still show what the situation is like in terms of his popularity with the opposite sex.

Therefore, this was the first time for Xin Lailai that a non-zero-plus member of the opposite sex had openly expressed feeling some kind of attraction from him, which was why he had seemed so concerned just now.

Or, assuming their supposedly negative luck with women hadn't failed them, then what truly attracted the blindfolded nun might not have been their personal charm, but rather—

"Hmm... if I had to describe it, the feeling... is that whenever I'm by your side, Lord Black Sword, I subconsciously worry about your well-being?"

"It's like, if we don't pay close attention to you, you might accidentally get seriously injured because of someone else?"

The blindfolded nun pondered for a moment before answering softly, and Xin Lailai's eyes also revealed a look of understanding upon hearing this.

So, is it because I completely immersed myself in the role?
According to their understanding, those who can become nuns are all saints, possessing extremely strong empathy, a willingness to sacrifice themselves for others, an unwavering will, and the wisdom to accurately discern the good and evil in others.

For such a person, with his complete empathy and exceptionally clear sense of good and evil, it's as if he naturally hits the bullseye of the person the other wants to save. This is the source of the unique attraction they have for the nuns, as described by the blindfolded nun.

“I see. Thank you for your answer, Sister. I understand the situation now. If I’m not mistaken, the attraction you mentioned is probably due to my personal talent of ‘complete immersion’.”

After clarifying her thoughts, Xin Lailai nodded slightly and spoke frankly to the blindfolded nun with great composure.

“Completely immersing yourself…no wonder, this does explain it.” Upon hearing this, the blindfolded nun paused slightly, then showed a hint of understanding, but finally chuckled and teased:
"From this perspective, Lord Black Sword seems to be a dangerous person who could easily cause the nuns to regret their lives if they are not careful. Perhaps I should report this matter to the higher authorities and have the seniors observe Lord Black Sword as a high-risk individual."

"..."

You wouldn't guess that this usually quiet and gentle nun is actually quite lively and outgoing in private.

"Hey! Why don't you just go for it? That way, I can experience the pleasures of the nuns with you, right?!"

"..."

Very good, he now suddenly understands how Bell felt when he was teased.

"So, Lai Lai, isn't my suggestion great? Such a gentle young lady, it'll definitely be fun to play with her..."

"Stop, Lingyu, you'd better not say anything more for now. If you keep talking, I'm afraid I'll feel guilty every time I see her in the future..."

After promptly stopping Ling Yuzi's incessant rambling that could make one's vision go black, Xin Lailai's expression twitched slightly. She silently shifted her gaze away from the blindfolded nun to prevent Ling Yuzi from having any more 'wild ideas' based on what he saw.

"Lord Black Sword, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I was just thinking about something..."

Xin Lailai gently rubbed her temples and waved her hand, indicating that there was no need to worry about her side.

I don't know why, but I always feel that ever since the DanMachi world ended, Reiko has become more and more open and uninhibited...

Although they themselves don't think about things that truly cross their bottom line, well, that's precisely why they often leave people bewildered, creating a deep sense of powerlessness—wanting to complain but not knowing how.

"Is it because of the influence of the symbiotic origin? But if that's the case, why am I..."

"Hmm, I think you've changed a lot too, Lai Lai. Haven't you noticed? You've started to take the initiative to stand at the forefront of everyone's group now, haven't you?"

As Ling Yuzi finished speaking, Xin Lailai was taken aback. She instinctively wanted to refute him, but when the words reached her lips, she didn't know how to say them.

Indeed, upon closer reflection, it's clear that since he decided to pursue his own desires, he has indirectly become much more proactive in various matters.
Or rather, all of this is the result of his decision to confront his true self... Hmm? Wait a minute?!
"Wait a minute, Zero, you're not going to say that those thoughts in your head are also your..."

"Yeah, since you've decided to face what you want to do head-on, Lai Lai, then everyone else has to follow in your footsteps!"

"However, being the strongest isn't that important to me. What I really want to do is taste all of Lai Lai's and these girls' flavors~!"

Within the soul space, Ling Yuzi answered as if it were a matter of course, while Xin Lailai, upon hearing this, lowered her head, looked at her palm, and her expression twitched violently twice.

What should I do if I suddenly feel like slapping my past self? I need help urgently.

"Fine, since this is what Lingyu wants to do, then we have no choice but to do it this way."

Finally, Xin Lailai seemed to accept reality and sighed helplessly.

Although she knew perfectly well that the other person was not actually interested in other people's bodies at all, and only wanted to prove that the 'Lai Lai Feast' was the 'most delicious' and that's why she kept saying those thoughts every day, the thought that she might have to be on the dinner table often in the future made Xin Lai Lai's mood suddenly become very complicated.

then--

"It was agreed beforehand that we could only eat one whole body at a time during each world progression, since these bodies are still quite valuable!"

"Yeah! I knew Lai Lai was the best!"

So what if she's eating herself? It's just a pica, after all. And to be honest... seeing how much the other person adores her body, Xin Lailai even feels a little bit satisfied deep down.

"Tsk, something feels off..."

"Hmm...is it because it's a bit too perverted to feel happy about something like this?"

Now that you mention it, it does seem to be true...

"It seems like Lai Lai is beyond saving..."

"...I think you are the least qualified to say that to me."

"Rui~! I'll tell you, I'll tell you! Lai Lai is a pervert, Hentai~!"

"Tsk, I refuse to believe I can't deal with you, you little ghost! Tai, take this!"

Inside the soul space, the girl made a face and shouted at the black-haired youth with a smile. Xin Lailai, who had been holding back for so long, also laughed and cursed as her veins bulged, and rushed forward to wrestle with the other party.

Meanwhile, in reality, the blindfolded nun looked at the black-haired youth with his head down beside her, a hint of doubt appearing on her face.

For some reason, she always felt that the feeling coming from the other party was very subtle. Even though they seemed to be spacing out, she always felt that the other party was doing something strange.

"How could that be? Lord Black Sword must have just been thinking about something that touched his emotions, right?"

After several outrageous conjectures popped into her mind, the blindfolded nun smiled and shook her head, dismissing the ideas in her head. Instead, she softly hummed a melodious tune, stepped into the spatial portal, and disappeared from the spot.

Although she didn't know what the black-haired youth was thinking, she was certain that he wasn't immersed in any sad emotions.

For her as a nun, finding someone to open up to and talk to so much was an extraordinary joy, especially since the other person was Black Sword, who was quite a topic of conversation within the nuns' circle.

"Once we tell Tina and the others the news today, they'll be so envious, right?"

Sister Chris smiled as she thought about it, even anticipating the envious looks from her companions.

In fact, she did not lie to the young man about the nuns' lives; in fact, she was quite conservative in her account.

After all, if people knew that the nuns, who are so sacred in the eyes of ordinary people, are actually just a group of young girls who gossip, have fun, and enjoy eating, drinking, and playing, it would probably shatter many people's illusions.

……

(End of this chapter)