Survival Guide After Accidentally Kissing a Demon - chapter 39

Stepping out from the Teleportation Array in Valniesnow Town.

As soon as they returned to the Holy Island, the students couldn’t wait to take off their thick cloaks and toss them into the hands of the servants.

Beili had originally planned to quietly endure the heat all the way back to her attic room, but the Black Lamb in her arms was bleating from the warmth.

Because this cloak had been specially enchanted with cold-resisting magic during its making, even when she opened it up, the Black Lamb was still so hot that it kicked her with its hooves in protest.

Beili grabbed the restless little hoof and looked up at her surroundings.

During the holidays, there were plenty of Noble students dressed in splendid formal attire.

Their clothes were studded with precious gems, and they wore exquisite jewelry.

No matter how lavishly and luxuriously they adorned themselves, it was all perfectly normal and taken for granted by them.

With that in mind-

Beili breathed a sigh of relief, took off her cloak as well, and stored it in her right wrist’s Spatial Bracelet.

The Spatial Bracelet had been bought for her by Madam Constance.

A fine golden chain linked to a heart-shaped ruby, it could hold many items and allowed her to access them at any time-very convenient.

The tightly wrapped black cloak had just come off when a chorus of subtle exclamations immediately arose around her.

Countless gazes landed on this beautifully dressed, unfamiliar Young Woman in a gorgeous red dress.

Some eyes were filled with amazement, some with envy, and some with undisguised jealousy.

If Madam Constance were by her side to support her, Beili could have continued to maintain her composure under these stares.

But now, she was all alone.

So, the beautiful and unfamiliar Young Woman’s face fell, and she suddenly quickened her pace, swiftly disappearing from the students’ view.

……

Back in the attic room.

Beili made sure the door and windows were tightly shut before placing the Black Lamb on a chair.

She crouched down, her deep red gaze level with the lamb’s, then tentatively spoke: “…Ashera?”

The petite Black Lamb curled its limbs and sat quietly on the chair, watching her without any response.

“Ashera, I know it’s you.”

Beili said again, then leaned in, her red eyes fixed intently on the Black Lamb, not missing the slightest change in its expression.

Unfortunately, the Black Lamb still didn’t respond.

Not even a bleat.

The little lamb just looked at her quietly for a while, then rested its pitch-black head on the chair, seeming a bit bored.

“Come out, I have something to ask you.”

Beili poked its nose with her fingertip, lifted its ear, and even pinched its tail.

But no matter what she did, it didn’t react.

The little lamb was almost falling asleep under her prodding and squeezing.

“Ashera-”

Beili raised her voice a little, grabbed the Black Lamb by the scruff of its neck, and lifted it up.

Its short legs dangled slightly, and the Black Lamb looked at her with half-open eyes, drowsy and innocently confused.

Her ruby-like eyes narrowed slightly as she stared at the lamb for a while, hesitating as she guessed-

Could it be that it only looks similar, and is actually just a little lamb?

Or perhaps Susanna had already, without realizing it, established a connection with the Demon, Ashera.

Maybe this Black Lamb was actually created by Ashera with a wisp of Mana, staying by Susanna’s side as a kind of ‘monitor’?

If it’s the former, then so be it.

But if it’s the latter, it would mean Ashera’s true self could sense her presence and hear her call, but… but just didn’t want to respond?

The cautious and ingratiating smile she’d been wearing finally couldn’t be maintained, and gradually faded away.
Beili pressed her lips together.

“Ashera, if you don’t show up soon, I’ll send your little Black Lamb to the academy cafeteria.”

She threatened calmly.

The Black Lamb looked at her innocently.

After a moment of silence, Beili decided to give up for now.

“Madam Constance was right, you really don’t smell very good. Let’s give you a bath first.”

She muttered, then grabbed the Black Lamb by the scruff of its neck and carried it toward the bathroom.

The Black Lamb was placed in a wooden basin. Before it could even protest with a bleat, a large amount of hot water poured down over its head.

Beili scrubbed and rubbed the Black Lamb thoroughly, even piling a little mountain of foam on its head, then wrapped it up like a mummy in a towel.

Throughout the whole process, the Black Lamb, aside from occasionally bleating, was quite obedient.

It closed its eyes and let Beili do as she pleased.

Only when the water clinging to its wool had been mostly absorbed and stopped dripping did Beili set it on the windowsill to dry in the night breeze.

The Black Lamb lay down on the windowsill, drowsy.

Its pitch-black fleece swayed gently in the night wind.

……

The bathtub was already filled with steaming water.

Beili stepped into the tub, and the warm water immediately embraced her body, washing away the fatigue of the day.

The bathroom was filled with steam, and a faint scent of lavender lingered in the air. As her body gradually relaxed, she closed her eyes and let out a long breath, savoring the rare peace.

Rubbing her slightly sore calves, she recalled her shopping spree in Valniesnow Town earlier that day. She took out several magical tools she had bought from her Spatial Necklace and laid them out one by one on the wooden rack beside the tub.

Since most powerful magical tools required the user to expend a large amount of Mana, Beili had deliberately chosen a few that did not consume Mana.

Moreover, not too many tools could be brought into the Hunt Banquet. According to previous rules, at most three magical tools could be carried.

These three magical tools already included one’s personal weapon.

So after careful selection, she decided to keep three items-

The Invisibility Cloak, the Miniature Crossbow, and the Tracking Ladybug.

The Invisibility Cloak would allow her to hide in the Hunt Banquet grounds, the powerful Miniature Crossbow would let her launch sneak attacks while concealed, and the Tracking Ladybug could be used to locate the remaining hunters.

So Beili’s plan was-

Leave the fighting to Cyril, let Susanna assist Cyril in battle and act as bait.

As for herself, she would stand in the corner and make good use of the Invisibility Cloak, staying far away from the others, and use the Miniature Crossbow for sneak attacks as discreetly as possible.

Leaning on the edge of the bathtub, Beili fiddled with the magical tools on the rack while pondering her plan.

Suddenly, the bathroom door was flung open by a force.

“…!”

She reflexively drew her exposed shoulder back into the water.

She looked warily from the edge of the tub toward the bathroom door, only to see the small figure of the Black Lamb at the bottom of the doorway.

In Beili’s astonished gaze,

the pitch-black fleece, still damp, clung together in strands. The Black Lamb sneezed as it slowly walked into the bathroom.

Its gaze fell on the dazzling array of magical tools on the rack.

It seemed not at all curious about these items glittering with magical light.

With its black nose, it gently nudged the rack, turning out a burgundy velvet pouch embroidered with the Constance Butterfly Family Emblem.