Three days had passed.
The human capital had still not found the Discarded Hero.
To be more precise, they had not found Lin Ling.
Ever since the lingering Hero Contract reaction in the summoning hall vanished, the Church had sent out several search parties.
They inspected the summoning circle.
They questioned the knights on duty that day.
They reviewed the contract termination records.
They even employed tracking magic.
But the results were always the same.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
The girl they had deemed a “low-tier Hero” seemed to have evaporated from the capital.
At first, Bishop Karl was extremely anxious.
After all, even though Lin Ling was too weak to seem like a Hero, she was still someone brought to this world through the Hero summoning circle.
If she died within human territory, it might be easy to explain.
But if she fell into the hands of the demons, that would be trouble.
No matter how low her stats were, the title of Hero itself carried weight.
Furthermore, the summoning records showed she came from another world.
An Otherworldly Hero, a discarded product, missing, and traces of demon teleportation.
No matter how you looked at those terms together, it didn't bode well.
Consequently, Bishop Karl had not slept well for three consecutive nights.
Until the morning of the fourth day, when a soldier hurried into his study.
“Lord Bishop.”
Bishop Karl looked up. “Is there news?”
The soldier hesitated. “It’s not news regarding that low-tier Hero.”
Bishop Karl frowned. “Then what is it?”
The soldier lowered his voice. “It’s Her Eminence the Saintess.”
The quill in Bishop Karl’s hand stopped. “The Saintess?”
“Yes.” The soldier bowed his head. “It seems Her Eminence is asking about that Otherworldly Hero.”
Bishop Karl’s expression shifted slightly.
The person he least wanted to disturb had been disturbed after all.
The Saintess of this world.
Leticia.
She was not someone who could be easily fooled.
She was not summoned from another world; she was the Saintess truly recognized by the Church in this world.
Blessed since childhood.
Born with powerful holy-attribute magic.
She held the symbolic significance of purifying demon miasma, comforting the populace, and maintaining faith in the Church.
She was a presence placed on a pedestal by both the Kingdom and the Church.
She was also the person they could least afford to displease.
Bishop Karl rubbed his temples. “How did she find out?”
The soldier answered in a low voice, “There have been rumors in the palace recently that the Church summoned another Otherworldly Hero who looks like a Saintess. Some even say that Hero also has white hair and blue eyes and wears holy raiment. Her Eminence likely heard these whispers.”
Bishop Karl’s face darkened completely. “Who spread this?”
The soldier bowed even lower. “It is unclear.”
There were many people present on the day of the summoning ceremony.
Knights, priests, recorders, and kingdom officials.
It wasn't surprising that news had leaked.
The real trouble was that this news had reached Leticia’s ears.
Bishop Karl stood up. “Prepare the carriage.”
The soldier immediately complied. “Yes, sir.”
As Bishop Karl walked out of his study, his mood was foul.
Lin Ling’s disappearance was already troublesome enough.
Now he had to manage the Saintess’s temperament first.
He wasn't afraid of Leticia’s rage.
What truly gave him a headache was that Leticia never needed to get angry.
She only had to show a hint of displeasure, and the entire Church would be thrown into a state of tension.
...
The White Tower where the Saintess resided was located on the east side of the capital.
It was far from the noisy markets and the complex power struggles within the palace.
The tower was surrounded by silver-leaf flowers.
In the early morning, the dew on the leaves reflected the sunlight, looking like scattered fragments of holy light from a distance.
As Bishop Karl entered the White Tower, his footsteps instinctively lightened.
A maid opened the door for him.
Inside the hall, a faint fragrance drifted.
Pure white curtains hung from high above, swaying gently.
Leticia sat by the window.
She wore a pure white holy dress, its hem spreading like clouds beside her chair.
Her silver-white hair fell smoothly over her shoulders, the strands shimmering with a pale luster in the morning light.
Her skin was white to the point of being translucent, like white jade soaked in holy water, without a single trace of worldly impurity.
On her exquisite, almost inhuman face, were set eyes like clear glass.
Calm.
Distant.
Void of much emotion.
Yet, because they were so clean, people were afraid to look directly at them.
Just by sitting there, she looked like a beam of light descending into a holy sanctuary.
There was a cold and pure sense of divinity in her features.
It was as if the dust, conflicts, desires, and filth of the world could never truly touch her.
Bishop Karl lowered his head. “Your Eminence.”
Leticia looked up slightly. “Bishop Karl.”
Her voice was soft, like falling snow. “I heard the Church summoned another Saintess.”
Bishop Karl’s heart tightened.
As expected.
He immediately bowed. “Your Eminence, that is merely a false rumor.”
Leticia watched him silently. “A false rumor?”
“Yes.” Bishop Karl’s tone was respectful and swift. “An Otherworldly Hero did indeed appear during the summoning ceremony. But she was no Saintess. Her appearance and cleric attire were merely somewhat similar.”
Leticia did not speak.
She simply lowered her eyes slightly.
Her long eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes.
The air in the hall seemed to grow a bit colder because of her silence.
A bead of cold sweat formed on Bishop Karl’s temple.
He knew Leticia’s temperament very well.
She wasn't volatile, and she rarely scolded others.
However, she utterly loathed the word “substitute.”
She hated it even more when people used the title of Saintess to refer to anyone else.
To her, being the Saintess was not just an identity; it was a uniqueness bestowed upon her by the gods.
Thus, Bishop Karl quickly added, “Your Eminence, please rest assured. There has only ever been one Saintess in this world. It was you in the past, it is you now, and it will only ever be you in the future.”
Leticia finally looked up, her glass-like eyes watching him quietly. “Then, what of that Otherworldly Hero?”
Bishop Karl answered cautiously, “She was merely the result of a failed summoning. Her stats were extremely low, she was only Level 1, and she lacked any skills or Saintess authority. The Church has already terminated her Hero Contract.”
Leticia’s expression remained unchanged. “Where is she?”
That question caused Bishop Karl to pause for a moment.
Even though it was only a brief second, Leticia noticed.
She asked quietly, “You do not know?”
Bishop Karl lowered his head. “She has gone missing.”
Leticia’s gaze fell upon him. “Missing?”
“Yes,” Bishop Karl said, choosing his words carefully. “Our preliminary assessment is that it may be related to demon teleportation traces. But please be at ease, Your Eminence; she herself poses no threat. Even if she was taken by the demons, she cannot cause any impact.”
Leticia raised her hand slightly, and a maid immediately placed a teacup in her hand.
She didn't drink, only looking at the pale gold tea within. “An Otherworldly Hero with an appearance similar to the Saintess is taken by the demons, and you believe this has no impact?”
Bishop Karl felt a chill down his spine. “Your Eminence...”
Leticia said calmly, “What is her name?”
“Lin Ling,” Bishop Karl replied. “Her otherworldly name is Lin Ling.”
Leticia repeated it softly. “Lin Ling.”
Her voice was peaceful, yet Bishop Karl felt an inexplicable sense of danger.
After a moment, Leticia set down the teacup. “I do not like these rumors.”
Bishop Karl immediately bowed. “I will see to it that they are cleared up.”
“Tell them,” Leticia said, looking out the window as the silver-leaf flowers swayed gently in the wind. “There is only one Saintess.”
Bishop Karl said respectfully, “As you wish.”
Leticia did not look at him again. “You may leave.”
Bishop Karl felt as if he had been granted a great pardon. “Yes, Your Eminence.”
As he exited the White Tower, his clothes were already slightly damp with sweat.
Sunlight fell on the tower steps, but he felt no warmth.
The Saintess already knew of Lin Ling’s existence. This was not good.
If they continued to search for Lin Ling, the news would only spread further.
If she really was in the hands of the demons, continuing to investigate might put the humans at a disadvantage.
More importantly—the Church could not risk further displeasing Leticia for a failed Hero.
Bishop Karl stood at the bottom of the steps, silent for a long time.
Finally, he whispered an order to the priest behind him: “Stop the search for Lin Ling.”
The priest was stunned. “Lord Bishop?”
Bishop Karl said coldly, “A low-tier Hero whose contract has been terminated is not worth continuing to waste resources on.”
“But the demon teleportation traces...”
“It is precisely because of those traces that we should not pursue this further.” Bishop Karl turned and walked toward the carriage. “Prepare the magic crystals.”
The priest hurried to follow. “Magic crystals?”
“Yes.” Bishop Karl lowered his voice. “The capital needs a new Hero. A Hero who can truly be awakened, controlled, and become a combat force.”
He paused, his eyes turning dark. “The demons’ recent movements are unclear, and the First Prince is pushing harder and harder. Instead of wasting time looking for a discarded product, we should awaken a new Hero as soon as possible.”
The priest bowed. “Yes, sir.”
Bishop Karl sat in the carriage, and the door closed.
As the White Tower faded into the distance, he took one last look at the pristine structure.
Leticia still stood by the window, her white silhouette framed by the morning light—holy, distant, like an untouchable statue.
Bishop Karl withdrew his gaze. “Lin Ling...”
He whispered the name once, then coldly closed his eyes. “I hope you are already dead. It would be better for everyone that way.”
...
Meanwhile, at the Demon King's Castle.
Lin Ling was squatting on her room’s floor with a row of stones laid out in front of her.
On the left was Rock Iron Ore. On the right were detection crystals. In the middle was a pile of semi-finished products she had just made.
Pale white domain cores floated in the air, with deep blue magic flowing slowly inside them.
One, two, three.
They were carefully embedded into ordinary ores, then covered with a weakened version of Holy Light Stasis.
Finally, they became pieces of slow-release domain ore that steadily released magic.
Lin Ling wiped the sweat from her forehead. “The twelfth one.”
Phelan sat nearby, recording the data. “Twelfth slow-release domain ore, structure stable. Release speed is approximately ten percent lower than the eleventh piece. Outer shell intact. No cracks in the internal domain core.”
Lin Ling immediately puffed out her chest. “See? Practice makes perfect.”
Phelan looked up. “Do not get overconfident. The seventh one almost cracked.”
Lin Ling: “...”
She muttered quietly, “But it didn't crack, did it?”
Phelan said calmly, “Almost is still a risk.”
“Fine, fine.” Lin Ling waved her hand. “I’ll be careful.”
She was no longer the Lin Ling of the first day who had almost blown the experimental field to the sky.
Three days had passed, and she had mastered a relatively stable production process.
First, absorb a small amount of magic to form a miniature Holy Light Stasis. Then, inject magic in increments, waiting for the domain boundaries to materialize. Afterward, embed the domain core into Rock Iron Ore. Finally, carve the magic-conducting lines and cover it with a weakened Holy Light Stasis.
The whole process sounded complicated, and it was indeed complicated to execute, but at least it was no longer a matter of improvising like the first day.
Phelan had even organized a set of steps for her with a ridiculously long name—
“Prototype Type-I Process for Low-Mana Cultivation Slow-Release Domain Ore.”
When Lin Ling heard the name, she was silent for a long time. Her only comment was, “It’s such a mouthful, I can’t even understand it.”
Phelan accepted the critique.
Over the last three days, Lin Ling had spent most of her time in her room making slow-release domain ore.
Everyone felt this was the safest option.
Protective barriers were set up outside her room. Baroque sent guards to rotate shifts every day. Aliviel stopped by occasionally to check if she was acting recklessly. Phelan was responsible for recording everything. Niya was in charge of delivering meals. Cecil was responsible for mocking her whenever he passed by.
The Demon King, Ivelia, personally inquired about the progress once a day.
Lin Ling was touched at first, but then she realized these people were actually afraid that in a moment of excitement, she might secretly shape another massive Spirit Bomb.
This filled her with indignation. “What kind of image do you all have of me?”
At the time, Cecil had answered with a smile, “A Miss Saintess who gets lost, is a bit of a ditz, can create miracles, and also creates a lot of trouble.”
Lin Ling couldn't argue, because it sounded quite accurate.
“Miss Saintess!”
The door was pushed open, and Niya walked in carrying a tray.
On the tray was a small pot of tea and two pieces of soft bread.
Lin Ling’s eyes lit up instantly. “Niya! My mental recharge has arrived!”
Niya had grown used to her strange phrasing and placed the tray on the table with a smile. “It’s freshly baked today. Another batch of grain was harvested from the experimental field.”
Lin Ling immediately set down the ore and lunged for the table.
Phelan looked up. “Clean your hands first.”
Lin Ling’s movement froze. She silently pulled back and used purification arts to wash her hands before picking up the bread.
She took a bite. “Ah~ so good. I can feel the world’s progress every day now.”
Niya sat beside her, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled. “The slow-release domain ore Miss Saintess made is amazing. The experimental field is growing exceptionally well now. Lord Phelan said that if it remains stable for a few more days, we can start preparing the second field.”
Lin Ling said indistinctly through the bread, “That’s good. Once the second field is running, the production of soft bread should increase even more.”
Niya nodded vigorously. “Mhm. The kitchen staff are all very happy. Yesterday, a few members of the patrol team even received a small piece of soft bread.”
Lin Ling was surprised. “They’ve already started distributing it?”
“It was just a very, very small piece,” Niya added quickly. “But everyone was so happy.”
She recalled the way those demon soldiers had carefully cradled the soft bread, and her voice softened. “Some soldiers said they hadn't eaten anything this soft in years.”
Lin Ling looked down at the bread in her hand. That small piece of softness suddenly felt a bit heavy again. But this time, it was a weight that made her want to keep going.
She took a bite and swallowed it earnestly. “Don't worry. There will be more in the future.”
Niya looked at her. “Mhm.”
They were quiet for a while, and then Lin Ling suddenly reached out and poked Niya’s little horn.
Niya stiffened completely. “M-Miss Saintess?”
Lin Ling blinked. “I’ve been meaning to ask. Will this horn grow bigger?”
Niya’s face turned red instantly. “I-It will!”
“Then will it look very majestic later?”
Niya covered her little horn. “I suppose so...”
Lin Ling reached out again. “Then can I touch it once more?”
“No!” Niya retreated with a red face.
Lin Ling looked pained. “Niya has grown up. She’s started rejecting Miss Saintess.”
Niya protested quietly, “You aren't supposed to just touch someone's horn...”
Lin Ling was dead serious. “This is academic observation.”
Niya: “It is not!”
Just then, a familiar voice came from the doorway. “Lin Ling.”
Lin Ling froze. Aliviel stood by the door, arms crossed, smiling dangerously. “Are you bullying Niya again?”
Lin Ling sat up straight immediately. “No. I am engaging in a friendly exchange regarding demon physiology.”
Niya whispered, “Miss Saintess wanted to touch my horn.”
Aliviel smiled faintly. “Oh? I have horns too, Miss Saintess. Would you like to touch mine?”
Lin Ling: “...”
She looked at Niya with tragic indignation. “Niya, you’ve learned how to tattle.”
Niya hid behind Aliviel and whispered, “It’s the truth.”
Phelan added calmly from the side, “Indeed.”
Lin Ling looked at him. “Lord Phelan, why are you showing up at a time like this?”
Phelan ignored her question and looked down to record her recent behavior. “Lin Ling attempted to touch Niya’s horn under the guise of academic research; she was rejected.”
Lin Ling lunged at him. “Don't record that!”
Aliviel grabbed her by the back of her collar. “Alright, Miss Saintess. If you keep acting up, today’s second piece of bread is confiscated.”
Lin Ling fell silent instantly and sat down properly. “I have deeply realized my mistake.”
Niya couldn't help but giggle.
Aliviel sighed. “You really are something.”
Over the past three days, Lin Ling had gradually realized one thing.
If she really wanted to run away, no one would probably lock her up like they did on the first day. The barriers weren't meant to trap her. On the contrary, the barriers outside the room were there to protect her.
The guards walked past her room occasionally because they were afraid she would perform another dangerous experiment that would swallow her up. Everyone in the Demon King's Castle was terrified that Miss Saintess might accidentally trip in her room and lose her single point of HP and die, so the carpets were of the softest variety, made from the hides of magical beast giant bears that Baroque had personally hunted in his territory.
Lin Ling seemed to have grown accustomed to this feeling of living in the Demon King's Castle.
She looked down at the row of slow-release domain ore beside her. White light patterns flowed slowly across the surfaces of the stones, and pale blue magic was quietly released from within.
They would be sent to the experimental field, buried in the soil, and allow more crops to sprout, grow, and ripen. They would allow more people in the Demon King's Castle to eat soft bread.
Perhaps before long, everyone wouldn't have to eat only one meal a day.
Perhaps Ivelia could have hot soup and soft bread every day too.
Perhaps Niya would grow a bit taller.
Baroque’s expression might become less fierce.
Aliviel wouldn't have to constantly risk going out to scout supply routes.
Phelan might write a bit less of her dark history.
And Cecil... Cecil would probably still laugh at her. That change might be difficult.
Lin Ling couldn't help but smile as she thought about it.
Aliviel saw it. “What are you smiling at?”
Lin Ling shook her head. “Nothing.”
She picked up the next piece of Rock Iron Ore, a faint white light appearing at her fingertips. “I just feel like... this place isn't so bad.”
Aliviel watched her for a moment, her smile softening. “Is that so?”
Lin Ling nodded. “Mhm. Even though it’s easy to get lost in the Demon King's Castle, and Lord Phelan always records strange things.”
Phelan tapped his recording board with his pen and said faintly, “What I record are facts.”
Lin Ling immediately pointed at him. “See? That’s exactly what I mean.”
Aliviel burst out laughing, and Niya joined in.
The atmosphere in the room was relaxed and warm.
Outside the window, the Demon King's Castle was still shrouded in thick magic. The black earth remained vast. In the distant human capital, preparations were being made for a new Hero.
But Lin Ling knew nothing of that at this moment.
She simply sat in her room in the Demon King's Castle, munching on soft bread while making the stones that could change the fate of the demons’ food supply.
The white light on her fingertips flowed quietly as the Holy Light Stasis slowly took shape.
Without her even realizing it, had this Demon King's Castle already planted a seed called 'home' in her heart?
Rate on N.U.
