[Vol. 8] Chapter 141: Skimming the Surface
She knew that “The Humble Humbold” most likely wasn’t a match for that white-haired, holy bird girl. From the way it reacted when the girl appeared, and from the outcome of their first clash, there was no doubt about it.
But... that didn’t mean the two were too far apart to fight. Shadow had originally thought their battle would drag on for quite a while. She never expected that this sacred being under the Primordial Light Goddess would end things so quickly and violently, tearing the enemy apart with raw, brutal force, leaving behind nothing at all. It was savage and wild, more like a predator from the jungle than a noble divine beast.
Even though the girl used feather blades instead of claws, the result was the same. There wasn’t even a hint of wanting to catch the enemy or interrogate it for information. What kind of divine beast acts like this?
If Miss Shadow hadn’t seen the glowing halo of holy light behind her in advance, she probably would’ve mistaken her for some servant of a bloodthirsty war god...
Still, as one of the most elite Shadow Guards, Shadow had extremely strong mental discipline. She quickly recovered from the shock and, after thinking for a moment, decided to step forward and try greeting this feathered savior.
“Thank you, Divine Bird Lady, for saving me. Also, although it’s just a guess, I think this invasion might not be the only one—”
“......”
Before Miss Shadow could even finish her sentence, the white-robed girl, who had just torn the enemy into pieces, turned her head to look at her. Her beautiful eyes, clear and flawless, shone like golden sunlight and casually glanced in Shadow’s direction. That single glance was enough to make Miss Shadow instantly stop talking.
As if by instinct, Miss Shadow frowned slightly and looked away, avoiding direct eye contact.
After all, how could a mere mortal dare stare directly at the sun hanging high in the sky?
The bird-girl didn’t seem to care about Miss Shadow’s odd reaction. Stepping on the damp soil of the dark forest floor, she began walking slowly toward her.
From under the flowing robe that looked like it was woven from feathers, her smooth, fair legs and delicate feet were partly hidden, partly revealed. A pair of glowing, semi-transparent stockings made of light, shaped like wings, wrapped gently around her legs. Her five rounded, pearl-like toes would light up the ground with shimmering sparkles every time they touched it, and the light lingered long after.
It felt as if her whole body was made of pure light, something completely different from everything in this world. Even the tiniest trace of her presence left behind a mark on the earth that couldn't be erased.
As that divine, almost goddess-like being drew closer, close enough to strike at any moment, Miss Shadow instinctively tensed again, but in the end, she didn’t raise her guard or prepare for a fight. Instead, she put her weapon away and quietly stayed in place.
This was a trial set by the goddess. And from how easily this divine bird-girl had crushed “The Humble Humbold,” even if Miss Shadow was at full strength and used her ultimate move, “Blade of Shadow,” her chances of winning were nearly zero.
Since there was no chance of victory, it was better not to waste energy guessing the girl’s intentions or preparing for a hopeless battle. It was smarter to show clearly that she meant no harm.
The girl walked slowly, step by step, until she finally stopped just a short distance in front of Miss Shadow, nearly face to face.
Now that she was this close, Miss Shadow was a little surprised. Even though the girl looked so radiant and divine, like a sun in human form, she didn’t give off much pressure in her human shape. From under her mysterious robe, whatever it was made of, there was even a soft, gentle scent, like orchids. It was surprisingly pleasant.
If you didn’t look into her eyes, this girl formed from the divine light of the sacred bird didn’t seem that different from a normal person.
She looked pure, like a young lady raised in a sheltered home who didn’t know much about the world. Just based on her gentle aura, if you ignored the violent and terrifying way she had dealt with her enemy moments ago, it would be hard to imagine how incredibly high her true status really was.
“Your Divineness… um?”
Because they were standing so close, Shadow had just opened her mouth to say something when the strange divine bird girl suddenly leaned forward, and before Shadow could even react, she gave her a soft kiss on the cheek!
That gentle touch of her cherry-pink lips was like a dragonfly landing briefly on water, quick and light. But the soft feeling, along with a mysterious ripple that spread through Shadow’s whole body like a small shock, left her completely stunned. Her brain froze, unable to process what had just happened.
“!?”
Fortunately, her elite training as a Shadow Guard quickly kicked in, snapping her out of the surprise and slightly strange atmosphere. She jumped back several steps at lightning speed.
“W-What are you doing!?”
In that instant, countless chaotic thoughts flashed through her mind. As one of the top agents in the royal intelligence group of the Human United Kingdom, Miss Shadow had served the Queen for nearly three years. She had carried out over a hundred missions and encountered all sorts of strange people and bizarre situations.
Many of her targets had their own unusual quirks. Some of them, for example, were women who had no interest in men and instead preferred beautiful women as partners...
In fact, this wasn’t even that rare. The higher a lifeform’s rank or power, the more common it was. Powerful beings often had dominant personalities and weren’t as controlled by natural urges toward the opposite sex. For them, partners were more about mental or emotional satisfaction, or maybe fulfilling their desire to control and possess.
That’s why, in many species, it was usually the more delicate and attractive females who caught the attention of these higher beings.
And the divine bird girl standing in front of her was, without a doubt, the strongest and highest-ranking being Miss Shadow had ever encountered, whether in terms of power or status. Could it be that she…?
Shadow suddenly felt nervous.
Not because she hated or rejected the girl, nor did she have a problem with this kind of same-gender affection. After all, the divine bird had just saved her, and in terms of looks, strength, and background, she was beyond extraordinary. If someone like her really did take a liking to an ordinary human like Miss Shadow, it might even be considered an honor.
But as the Queen’s Shadow Blade, Miss Shadow had never once thought about finding a partner, let alone someone whose very existence was beyond anything worldly. Besides, they had just met, and already she was being this forward? Wasn’t it a bit too...
As Miss Shadow Guard stood there, overwhelmed with thoughts, unconsciously raising a hand to touch the part of her face that still held a faint warmth and scent, unsure of what to say—
The snow-haired bird girl, who had just made the bold move, simply tilted her head with a blank look, then pointed at the confused Miss Shadow. Her voice was soft and halting, like a baby still learning how to speak, as she slowly muttered in the Holy Empire’s language.
“Just now… there was… bad stuff… I cleaned… healed it quick… sorry…”
“…Huh?”