Chapter 17: A New Name and a Familiar Form

“Phew, that’s a relief, that’s a relief.”

Xiamiya’s heart, which had been burdened by a monumental weight, finally eased as You abandoned her dreadful notion of altering her body.

However, at the same moment, Xiamiya seemed to recall something else, her eyebrows subtly arching.

“Oh, that’s right.”

With that, Xiamiya’s curious gaze once again fell upon the puppet maiden.

“Speaking of which, You, could I… could I give you a new name? I should have that right, shouldn’t I?”

“Of course.”

With her hands gracefully clasped over her abdomen, You adopted an elegant stance, as if she had already fully embraced her role as a personal maid.

“You may bestow upon me any name that pleases you,” You respectfully stated.

****

In truth, almost every generation’s Starfall Palace Master would choose a new name for You after forming a contract with her.

Consequently, since the start of the Demonic God’s trial, You had accumulated no less than one thousand three hundred and twenty-one different names. Her original name had long since faded from her memory.

The puppet maiden, for her part, cared little for such things.

A name, after all, was merely a designation, a trivial matter.

However, after signing the contract with Xiamiya, the cherry-haired maiden hadn’t requested a name change. Thus, the puppet maiden had temporarily continued to use ‘You,’ the name given to her by the previous Starfall Palace Master.

Yet, she couldn’t help but ask,

“Why the sudden desire to change my name?”

“Hm? Uh, well, it’s nothing, just… single-character names are quite rare in Ophelia. As my maid, it’s better for your name to be a bit more conventional, don’t you think?”

Xiamiya scratched the back of her head, her reply rather sheepish.

Naturally, this was merely an excuse.

The idea of giving You a new name had long been brewing in Xiamiya’s mind.

While she might not have wished to be some damned Demonic God, she was now the Starfall Palace Master. By all rights, everything within Starfall Palace belonged to her, and its Grand Steward was certainly no exception.

It was hers, yet she was using a name given by someone else—her previous master?

It felt rather odd.

Since she was now the current master, surely the name should be changed, too?

Such was Xiamiya’s reasoning. As she grew more familiar with You, this thought intensified. Yet, considering herself a half-baked, counterfeit Demonic God whose actions often disappointed You, Xiamiya had never dared to suggest a name change, fearing You’s potential resistance.

Thankfully, it seemed her worries were unfounded.

“Well, if you have no objections, then I’ll give you a new name?”

“Yes.”

You nodded respectfully, her silver-white eyes betraying not a hint of resistance.

Thereafter, Xiamiya raised a hand to her chin, assuming a thoughtful pose, and began pacing back and forth across the room.

“Enmm, what should I name you? Enmm…”

“……”

‘You’ is a name I’ve grown accustomed to, it seems…’

“……”

“Oh! I’ve got it! How about ‘Youka’!”

Xiamiya’s eyes lit up with inspiration, and she clapped her hands together excitedly.

“Hm? ‘Youka’?”

“That’s right! Youka! From now on, you’ll be called ‘Youka’!”

Pointing at the puppet maiden Youka’s nose, Xiamiya placed one hand on her hip, declaring with a triumphant swagger.

****

Several tens of minutes later, in Xiamiya’s master bedroom within Snow Lotus Palace.

After Xiamiya had hastily departed upon receiving a message, the spacious bedroom was left with only the puppet maiden, standing silently before a mirror.

Watching the direction Xiamiya had left,

You—ah, no, Youka—tilted her head with a complex expression, softly muttering her ‘new name’ to herself.

‘Youka, is it?’

Hmph.

Heh heh.

‘Sometimes, I truly don’t understand what goes on in my master’s little head.’

Youka.

In the ancient language of this world, the name meant ‘Goddess from Heaven.’

‘I am a servant of the Demonic God, the Grand Steward of Starfall Palace. Is it truly appropriate for my master to give me such a name?’

“Never mind. If Master likes it, any name will do.”

As she spoke to herself, Youka sensed a familiar presence and slowly turned her gaze behind her.

There, at the main entrance to the bedchamber, a maiden in an exquisite black trench coat leaned silently against the doorframe, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

“Xianming?”

Observing the white-haired maiden, Youka spoke with an air of indifference.

“Entering the master’s room without permission is a grave act of disrespect.”

As the words left her lips, a terrifying pressure abruptly erupted from Youka, crashing down upon Xianming.

Feeling this dreadful aura, even Xianming, who now possessed the strength of the Heavenly Realm, couldn’t help but tremble.

However, determined to maintain her cool demeanor, she managed to keep a placid expression before hastily waving her hand.

Though their Grand Steward usually maintained an indifferent attitude towards everything, she became exceptionally formidable when it concerned the Demonic God’s commands. Xianming had no desire to provoke her anger.

“No, no, no, Grand Steward, I would never dare to defy the Demonic God’s divine decree! I haven’t entered the Demonic God’s domain; I’m merely standing before the sacred entrance to this door!”

As she spoke, Xianming tapped the external marble floor with her long boot, signifying that she had not trespassed into the ‘forbidden zone.’

“So, it doesn’t count as disrespect.”

After silently observing Xianming’s feigned inscrutable smile for a few seconds, Youka ultimately accepted her explanation.

“Fine.”

“Sigh, but honestly. I truly envy you, Grand Steward. To be able to freely enter and exit the Demonic God’s bedchamber, to constantly feel that delightful aura.”

Xianming sighed with emotion, secretly inhaling Xiamiya’s scent wafting from the room.

A blush imperceptibly crept onto the maiden’s face.

Her gaze towards Youka was filled with undisguised envy.

“Speaking of which, why did the Demonic God leave so abruptly just now?”

“I heard the priests’ treatment has temporarily concluded. She went to see her nominal royal father.”

“I see. Truly befitting of the Demonic God; her role-playing as an ‘obedient daughter’ is quite impressive.”

Xianming explained to herself.

Following this, the white-haired maiden curiously scrutinized the puppet maiden’s new body. Upon seeing the almost flawless physique, even Xianming, a Calamity Demon, couldn’t help but reveal a hint of admiration.

“Wow, it’s quite beautiful, Grand Steward. Absolutely delectable, in fact.”

“I don’t deny it.”

“Hm? What’s wrong, Grand Steward? You don’t seem very satisfied.”

“Satisfied? How could I be satisfied?”

Raising a hand to look at her slender arm, Youka’s calm tone subtly conveyed a sense of disappointment.

“It’s far too different from what I expected.”

“Indeed.”

Their Grand Steward’s obsession with her body was no secret within Starfall Palace.

“Was it the Demonic God who chose it?”

“Of course, only the Master has the right to choose my body and appearance.”

At this, a hint of helplessness involuntarily surfaced in Youka’s eyes.

“But sometimes, I truly don’t understand what Master is thinking, to choose such a delicate and seemingly fragile body… Doesn’t she know this will only cause her more trouble?”

“Hmph, heh heh.”

“What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing, nothing at all. I just feel that you, Grand Steward, receiving such a body, is rather to be expected.”

Regarding Youka’s new body, overall, even Xianming, who wasn’t particularly intelligent in Starfall Palace, felt no surprise.

The only thing that did surprise her was that this time… it had become so beautiful.

“Grand Steward, don’t be so gloomy. If you think about it, no matter which incarnation, no matter how the Demonic God’s temperament changed—even if the Demonic God herself lost her human form—the bodies she chose for you were always of this type, weren’t they? Either beautiful, or handsome, or adorable… In short, always close to a human form.”