"Oh? And what's wrong with that? Little Princess, you're already a member of the Ability Bureau. Besides, my heart is as vast as the ocean. I'm never afraid of the truth being exposed, so naturally, I won't blame you for anything."
Cipher proudly patted her ample chest and lifted her chin without the slightest concern.
Meng Xingyao was immediately rendered speechless.
Not for any profound reason.
It was simply because Cat Sister's "heart" really was quite vast.
At a distance of less than a meter, she could clearly see those two "slimes" bouncing slightly from the impact.
Meng Xingyao: (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)
Noticing where her gaze had landed, the crafty cat raised an eyebrow and suddenly leaned closer.
"Oh? Is the Little Princess jealous? Don't worry. You're already very cute as you are. There might still be room for development."
"Ah... wait, that's not what I meant?!!"
Meng Xingyao finally snapped out of it and immediately sat upright.
Her face flushed bright red as she glared fiercely at Cipher.
"Cat Sister, can you please be serious for once?! How could I possibly reveal your secrets to the Ability Bureau?!"
Cipher lazily raised a finger and tapped her forehead.
"Little Princess~You're the naive one here. I've been completely serious this entire time."
Meng Xingyao covered her forehead and let out an unhappy snort.
Meanwhile, Cipher leaned comfortably against the headboard, one leg crossed over the other.
The posture perfectly accentuated her long, elegant figure.
Seeing that carefree expression still plastered on her face, as if she had no understanding of the situation's severity at all, Meng Xingyao nearly exploded from frustration.
Her brows stood upright.
Her fists clenched tightly.
"I'm already worried enough as it is! So why do you keep teasing me?! Even if I trust you...If your situation really is..."
Her voice gradually faded.
Like smoke dispersing in the wind.
Even her gaze slowly lowered.
Just as she had said.
After everything they had gone through together, Meng Xingyao no longer had any doubts about Cipher.
But a God.
A God from another world.
That was a completely different matter.
Looking at the troubled little princess, Cipher's eyes softened slightly.
"Little Princess...Are you worried about me?"
"...Of course I am! So could you please take this seriously?!"
Looking at Meng Xingyao's anxious expression, Cipher sighed softly and shook her head.
Honestly, she couldn't understand it.
What exactly was this girl struggling over?
Was such a simple issue really worth losing sleep over?
In Cipher's eyes, the answer was obvious.
The little princess was still young.
Too inexperienced.
Unable to properly weigh the situation.
Or perhaps...
She was hiding another concern entirely.
Regardless, Cipher had already decided.
She was going to settle this matter tonight and stop this girl from tormenting herself.
"Little Princess. I'm genuinely happy that you're worried about me. However, like I said before, you don't need to agonize over this. You have your own circumstances. This cat won't pry."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"And besides...As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. If my identity truly carries such significance in the eyes of Ability Users, then you don't need to shoulder everything yourself. Your current strength is impressive. But at the end of the day, you're still just a young girl."
Hearing those words, Meng Xingyao felt as though she had been pulled back to the Anime Convention.
The shattered wand.
The chaos.
The noise.
The overwhelming sense of helplessness.
All of it resurfaced at once.
She lowered her head.
It's true...I'm still too weak. There are too many things I can't control.
Still...
Looking at the Cat Sister before her, who was only slightly older in appearance despite being considerably larger in other areas, Meng Xingyao couldn't help muttering:
"Hmph. Cat Sister, you don't look much older than me either."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Cipher smiled faintly.
"Don't forget. I'm a Demigod. In theory, my lifespan is practically endless."
"Eh?!"
Meng Xingyao's eyes widened immediately.
Immortality.
While gods in novels often possessed such traits, hearing it confirmed directly by an actual Demigod felt entirely different.
Almost unreal.
Her gaze unconsciously drifted toward Cipher.
The form-fitting outfit perfectly outlined her curves.
Her figure was graceful and alluring.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
Dangerous.
Meng Xingyao tilted her head slightly.
Curiosity filled her eyes.
Noticing that stare, Cipher's brow twitched.
She slowly looked up at the ceiling and spoke in a meaningful tone.
"Whether something is a lie or the truth...Neither is more important than a sincere heart."
Her gaze returned to Meng Xingyao.
The blue within her eyes was clear and unwavering.
"If you're willing to believe me...Then there's no need to dwell on this matter."
With a light laugh, she waved her hand casually.
As though she had already entrusted the final decision entirely to the little princess.
Yet inwardly, another thought surfaced.
Perhaps she really should investigate this Holy God Church more carefully one day.
After all, this world certainly wasn't lacking stories involving gods.
But what puzzled her was something else entirely.
Why did the little princess care so much about her identity as a Demigod?
What Cipher didn't realize was that Meng Xingyao's greatest concern wasn't the Ability Bureau at all.
It was Flame Heart.
As Flame Heart's close friend, she found herself trapped in an impossible dilemma.
She understood better than anyone how deeply Flame Heart hated the Holy God Church.
That hatred wasn't superficial.
It was engraved into her bones.
Into her blood.
Like an old wound that never truly healed.
And what troubled Meng Xingyao even more was the possibility that Flame Heart's feelings toward otherworldly gods might be far more complicated than she imagined.
If Flame Heart learned the truth about Cipher...
Even if the two had absolutely no connection.
Even if Meng Xingyao personally intervened.
The resulting conflict would still be like a boulder crashing into a calm lake.
Ripples would spread.
Then waves.
Then perhaps an unstoppable storm.
But if she chose to conceal the truth...
That secret would eventually become a blade.
One capable of severing the trust she treasured most.
In the end, Meng Xingyao clenched her fists.
Silently making a vow.
She would become stronger.
Strong enough to protect both of them.
Strong enough to stand beneath the coming storm and keep the winds from reaching either side.
Strong enough that conflict would never have the chance to take root.
I'm a Special Grade Esper too. One day...I might be able to stand beside Flame Heart. Beside the strongest Ability User in the Dragon Kingdom.
...
Midnight.
The matter was finally settled.
At least for now.
The two returned to their ordinary routines.
Though there was one small difference.
At this very moment, inside Cipher's bedroom, the curtains swayed gently in the night breeze.
Moonlight filtered through the gaps, scattering silver patterns across the floor.
Cipher narrowed her eyes and looked toward the bed.
"So. What does the Little Princess plan to do now?"
Her playful gaze landed on the figure curled up beneath the blanket.
Loose pajamas.
Messy hair spread across the pillow.
She looked like a small animal that had accidentally wandered into a trap.
Meng Xingyao didn't even bother reacting to the teasing.
She simply turned over, presenting her back to Cipher.
Moonlight spilled across her shoulder.
Her voice sounded lazy.
Yet strangely stubborn.
"Didn't you tell me to focus on resting? So just to be safe...I'll sleep here tonight."
She paused.
Then added matter-of-factly:
"Besides. My butt still hurts because of you. You should take responsibility."
Cipher: Σ(°△°|||)
"Good heavens. Little Princess. Was this always your character setting?"
The figure on the bed stubbornly refused to turn around.
She even pulled the blanket tighter around herself.
Only her slender neck remained exposed beneath the moonlight.
"I already warmed the bed for you."
The blanket shifted slightly as she spoke.
Her tone remained perfectly calm.
As though discussing tonight's dinner menu.
Yet Cipher's sharp eyes caught it immediately.
The tips of Meng Xingyao's ears were bright pink.
Almost glowing.
Although she couldn't understand why this girl had suddenly become so bold...
After everything that had happened today, Cipher decided to indulge her once.
Just this once.
Thus, she picked up her toiletries and headed toward the bathroom.
But just before leaving, she suddenly paused.
A mischievous smile curled across her lips.
She quietly approached the bed.
Then bent down beside Meng Xingyao's ear.
Her warm breath brushed lightly against it.
"No sneaky little hands tonight. Otherwise~I'll have to punish the Little Princess again."
After delivering the final blow, Cipher immediately walked away with a satisfied smile.
Completely unconcerned about the aftermath.
Meanwhile, beneath the blanket...
Meng Xingyao's entire face instantly turned crimson.
Whether from embarrassment, suffocation, or something else entirely...
Even she wasn't sure anymore.