Chapter 21: I’m So Useless, Sorry

“She’s still so pretty…”

Meng Linna gently combed Na Naya’s hair.

Unconscious, Na Naya looked like a delicate sleeping beauty.

Quite cute.

Her cheeks felt soft to the touch.

If she kept touching…

Meng Linna slapped her own face to snap out of it.

She barely overcame her strange urges.

“Ah, I got lost staring again.”

No one else was around.

Meng Linna couldn’t help mumbling her true feelings.

Since the healing was done, time to leave.

If Na Naya woke up and saw Meng Linna saved her, she’d get suspicious.

An A-rank Water Spirit?

A D-rank faith warrior beating it?

No one would buy that.

Na Naya, already distrustful, might use her system to pull some Eastern soul-searching spell.

Then poor Meng Linna’s soul could scatter.

Her body might end up dissected at the Tribunal.

Saving Na Naya had to stay secret.

She couldn’t explain defeating the Water Spirit.

Especially not using spells beyond her rank.

And, crucially, she’d accidentally taken Na Naya’s only loot.

Not on purpose.

But she’d absorbed the Water Spirit’s cube completely.

Even after beating the boss, the room wouldn’t spawn minions.

Meng Linna set Na Naya down, ready to slip away.

“Plan’s totally wrecked. But at least the potion works…”

She tucked away the last bottle of Marigold Potion.

She hurried out of the ruin the way she came.

She’d wanted to hunt minions for pocket money.

But Na Naya could wake any moment.

Losing her life for chump change wasn’t worth it.

“Was gonna report the new ruin for a reward…”

No dice.

Nothing gained.

Well, not entirely.

Back at the Adventurer’s Guild, Miao Miao Niya waved like a lucky cat.

“You look conflicted. Want a Miao Miao Special?”

In Yanan, money was everything.

Everyone hustled.

The Miao Miao Special was Miao Miao Niya’s side gig.

She made milk tea during work breaks and sold it to adventurers.

Supposedly tasty.

But such bourgeois stuff was out of reach for broke Meng Linna.

“No… fine, give me one.”

She almost refused.

But the heavy pouch at her waist reminded her she wasn’t *that* broke.

Plus, she needed to talk to Miao Miao Niya.

A milk tea wouldn’t hurt. Not that she wanted it!

“Knew you’d want one today.”

Miao Miao Niya pulled a cup from under the desk.

“Five copper coins.”

“It’s not even fresh? Pre-made?”

Meng Linna handed over the coins.

“Cheaper than I thought, though.”

Five coppers? No complaints.

Yanan’s prices were steep.

Water in the capital was two coppers a bottle.

Here, it was three.

“Usually it’s fresh. But I sensed you coming and prepped one!”

Not wrong.

The cup had condensation.

It was fresh enough.

“So you’re unloading inventory on me? Miao miao.”

Miao Miao Niya licked her paw, dodging the question.

“Knew it.”

Meng Linna took a fierce sip.

“How’s it taste?”

She wanted to say it was good.

But knowing Miao Miao Niya was clearing stock, she snapped.

“Honestly, mediocre!”

Miao Miao Niya just smiled.

“Liar.”

“You’re too confident in your tea.”

Meng Linna set it down.

“Anyway, I’ve got adventurer questions…”

“Mhm.”

Miao Miao Niya nodded, neither confirming nor denying.

“So, a friend of mine… Uh, I want to learn new divine spells. Know any ways?”

“Learn divine spells?”

As a pro receptionist, Miao Miao Niya ignored the “friend” excuse.

“You’re a nun. Try the church.”

“That’s the problem.”

Meng Linna looked sad.

“You heard Na Naya. I did bad things to her. The convent deemed me a failed nun. Learning spells from the church is impossible.”

Learning spells was a cover.

She already knew most divine spells.

She just couldn’t explain how.

“Right.”

Miao Miao Niya tapped her head.

“Easy fix. Ask another nun. Pay a bit, and no one refuses to teach.”

“Easy for you to say. Are there even other nuns in the church?”

Yanan, the medical city, clashed with the church.

Doctors researching corpses were seen as desecrating.

Church relations were poor.

Few clergy stayed.

The only active guild nun was Na Naya.

“If you must, ask Miss Na Naya.”

Miao Miao Niya used her “Cat Paws” skill, smirking slyly.

“No way that’s happening. Give me another option.”

Miao Miao Niya looked curious.

“But I heard you two got along last mission. Didn’t you save her in the dungeon?”

“Not really saving. She could’ve gotten out herself. I just followed. Our relationship didn’t improve.”

Meng Linna grumbled about her uselessness.

Why’d she hurt Na Naya back then?

“Pretty useless, huh.”

“I’m so useless, sorry.”