Chapter 70 : The Rain Still Falls

Pathetic. She was so pathetic.

Stumbling out of the cathedral, she saw the unconscious guards strewn along the path.

Tifna had done this? From the very beginning, she had planned to let her go.

There were gentler ways to tell Tifna the truth, that her brother was truly gone, his body now inhabited by her. But Milly had chosen the most direct, most hurtful way.

Pathetic. She was so pathetic.

She clutched the cloak Tifna had given her. Even this, Tifna had prepared for her.

The image of Tifna’s broken form in the cell flashed in her mind. Milly stumbled, nearly falling.

No… don’t think about it anymore. There was no going back.

Yes, no going back. Where could she go now?

To the unknown demon territory?

But she was a human transformed into a demon, not a native. Would they accept her, a transformed demon, as one of their own?

Or would it just be another round of rejection, another place where she was an outsider?

Where could she go?

The sound of hooves echoed in the distant night. She saw the flicker of torchlight.

The night patrol. If they found her, she would be dragged back.

The cloak hid her body well, but her tail was too long, the tip peeking out, swaying with each step.

It was quieter now, not as restless as before. Was it influenced by her mood?

The torchlight grew brighter. The patrol was heading her way. Milly shrank into the shadows of a corner. As they passed, they didn’t see her.

She remained curled in the corner, long after they were gone.

Where should she go now?

Or rather, was there anywhere left for her?

Milly looked up at the night sky. It was beautiful, twinkling, reminding her of her childhood, lying in the grass, chewing on a blade of grass, and gazing at the stars.

She had never missed those carefree days so much. There had been sad times, but at least she had always had a warm, safe harbor, a place where she belonged.

Could she ever go back? Back to the home that was truly hers?

Home…

Leave this world, and go home.

The two lines of text that had been interrupted by Tifna slowly reappeared in her mind, sharpening from a blur into clarity.

“The Church.”

“Stacy.”

What did it mean?

Was there something she needed in the Church? And Stacy… did she have to kill her?

Kill Stacy, take her blood to the Church to find something, maybe a holy relic? Or use the holy relic to kill Stacy, and then she could leave this world, and go home?

Why now?

A bitter smile touched her lips. Going back to the Church now was suicide.

The Pope had said she would be executed at noon tomorrow. If Tifna hadn’t let her go, she would have been on the pyre, in front of everyone.

But, if she were on the pyre… a figure flashed in her mind.

Tch… why was she thinking of her?

Was it a subconscious belief that if she were about to be burned, that woman wouldn’t just let it happen? After all, she still needed her.

In such a dire situation, the only one who might save her was that pervert.

Milly laughed at herself. She must be crazy to even think of that.

Where should she go now?

She looked at the city, shrouded in darkness. Stacy had said the morning market was interesting. She remembered that morning, escaping from Stacy’s house. Back then, she didn’t need a hood. She could run freely, without caring about anyone’s gaze.

The morning in Starlight City was lively, interesting. At night, it was beautiful.

In this city, no, in that house, there had been good memories.

But they had nothing to do with her anymore.

“Just get out of the city, just leave, that’s all that matters…”

Milly whispered, her voice torn apart by the night wind.

…

“City-wide alert! Demon spy! White hair, red eyes! Has wings and a tail!”

A loud cry pierced the morning mist. The sound of hooves on cobblestones echoed outside the alley. Milly, startled awake, instinctively clutched her cloak tighter.

It had only been one night, and the city-wide hunt had already begun.

Tifna, who had let her go… no, Milly shook her head. It didn’t matter anymore.

Last night, she had run a long way toward the city gate. Just before dawn, she had to hide.

Her wanted posters must be all over the city by now. At this point, whether her tail was hidden or not was meaningless.

The moment she stepped out, she would be recognized. And there were many who wanted to catch her—adventurers, guards, Church knights, and ordinary citizens hoping for a reward.

She had to hide during the day.

Before dawn, she had found a good spot—a filthy alley in the outer district. The contrast with the inner city was stark. The outer city was much simpler, and you would never see a trash-filled corner like this in the inner city.

But it was the perfect hiding place for her.

Curled up in the depths of the alley, she waited for nightfall.

She looked up at the sun. Just wait for it to set. But the sky was gradually darkening. A cool drop fell on her face.

Was it raining?

Just her luck. No shelter here. But if she went out, the whole city was looking for her.

It’s okay, it won’t last long. Just endure it, she told herself.

At first, it was a light drizzle, but it soon turned into a downpour.

Heavy raindrops fell, chilling her to the bone. Her wings were soaked and heavy. Her tail was tucked tightly under her cloak.

Her wet clothes clung to her skin, the cold seeping into her bones.

By nightfall, the rain hadn’t stopped. The sound of footsteps echoed from the alley entrance. She couldn’t go out.

After a full day in the cold rain, her body temperature had dropped. Her fingers were numb.

But she had to get out. Just get out of the city.

As night fell, she pushed herself up, stumbling. Her knees gave way, and she fell into a puddle. Muddy water splashed into her eyes, stinging. She curled into a ball.

“Get up, you have to get up… it’s night, you have to get out.” Milly pushed herself up, leaning on the wall.

The street swayed in the rain. No… it was probably her vision.

She was close to the city gate. Just get there, just leave, and she could forget everything.

“Thud!”

She had only taken a few steps out of the alley when her legs gave way and she collapsed. Her pathetic figure was reflected in the cold puddle.

Was it the rain? She felt so weak. She dug her fingers into the cracks of the cobblestones, trying to push herself up, but she had no strength left.

In her blurring vision, she saw a figure, a familiar figure standing in front of her.

“Sta… Stacy…”