Chương 141: The Inspector's Lap Pillow Service

The cool night breeze ruffled Xingxian's pale purple hair, clearing her mind somewhat from the confusion caused by the previous upheaval.

She lowered her head and looked at the pale-faced, exquisitely beautiful black-haired girl with red eyes in her arms, breathing evenly—or rather, the true face of the dark knight "Silent Shadow" who had just exuded a terrifying aura.

Although a flood of questions still churned in her mind, her duty and instinct as an inspector of the magic kingdom forced her to pull herself out of her shock and calmly consider the situation before her: Regardless of the true identity of this "Silent Shadow," the aura of ethereal energy emanating from her, belonging to an apostle of the Void Realm, is undeniable.

Even if she eventually shows unexpected goodwill and disarms, we must not let our guard down. Until we have fully ascertained her true identity and purpose, we must treat her as a potential threat.

This was not based on personal likes or dislikes, but rather on the requirement that she do so as an inspector.

Xingxian's eyes sharpened again. Holding the light-footed girl in his arms, he looked around and finally chose to lead her to a relatively secluded and clean bench in a nearby corner.

Then, she carefully tried to lay Jiying flat on the bench, moving as gently as possible to avoid disturbing her.

The moment Jiying was put down, the white cardigan that had been covering her slipped down slightly, revealing the girl's smooth shoulders and back and her black strapless top.

Upon noticing this, Xingxian's cheeks flushed slightly. She let out a soft gasp and quickly helped Jiying put her cardigan back on before letting her lie down again.

After settling Jiying in, Xingxian knelt on one knee beside the bench, extending her right hand, which was gloved with pearl white, with a faint wisp of magical light gathering at her fingertips.

She first carefully checked Ji Ying's physical condition and confirmed that she had only fainted due to exhaustion from excessive consumption of her spiritual energy, and had not suffered any fatal injuries.

The once powerful and terrifying aura of ethereal energy had become extremely weak, almost imperceptible.

Then, she gently touched Ji Ying's forehead and wrist with her fingertips, trying to more clearly sense the nature and intensity of the residual ethereal energy in her body.

Although that ethereal energy shared the same origin as the Void Realm Apostles in her understanding, it seemed to carry an indescribable purity.

Or rather, it contains no impurities?

This feeling deepened the confusion in her heart.

Nevertheless, reason told her that even if the other party seemed harmless at the moment, she had to take necessary control measures.

Xingxian slowly stood up, her slender fingertips dancing lightly in the air. Several magical threads, shimmering with a faint purple light, quietly extended from her fingertips and wrapped around the unsuspecting sleeping girl on the bench.

Instead of choosing the oppressive posture of pinning Ji Ying's hands behind his back, she seemed to be taking protective measures to prevent him from unconsciously waving his arms in his sleep.

Two silk threads gently yet firmly wrapped around Ji Ying's slender wrists, bringing them together and placing them against her lower abdomen.

Two other silk threads gently bound her ankles in a similar manner, restricting her from making large-scale kicks.

Finally, a wider, pale purple band of light deliberately avoided the more vulnerable and sensitive areas such as Ji Ying's neck and waist, encircling her chest and abdomen. Its end was silently fixed to the metal edge of the bench, preventing her from getting up smoothly even after waking up.

This band of light was less of a restraint and more of a soothing seal, intended to suppress the ethereal energy she might unleash upon awakening, rather than roughly binding her.

Furthermore, when these magical threads come into contact with Jiying's body, they do not exhibit the ability to cut or bind as they would when dealing with enemies. Instead, they act more like a continuous marking and sensory medium, allowing her to keep track of the "captive's" state at any time.

After completing all this, Xingxian sat down at the other end of the bench, maintaining a distance from Jiying that allowed them to clearly observe each other.

It also allows for a quick response in case of an accident.

Her gaze never left the sleeping black-haired, red-eyed girl.

Her thoughts surged like a turbulent tide, never calming, as she replayed the breathtaking battle that had just occurred in her mind again and again— The black knight's bizarre magical abilities, incongruous with his massive size; the chilling blade that could easily tear through magical barriers; and finally, that unbelievable spatial leaping ability that seemed to blend into the shadows— Furthermore, why did he stop at the very moment his final, potentially fatal blow was about to succeed?

Why did he suddenly remove his indestructible heavy armor and revert to his petite, delicate, and defenseless girl form?

"Is this... really an Apostle from the Void Realm?" Xingxian asked himself again and again in his heart.

She tried desperately to find answers from all the knowledge and information she had acquired about the Apostles of the Void Realm, but sadly discovered— The being before them, who called himself "Silent Shadow," exhibited behavior patterns, power characteristics, and even an unexpected true form that completely contradicted the characteristics of any known apostle of the Void Realm.

During her not-so-short career of patrolling and in the records of the Magic Kingdom, she encountered countless apostles from the Void Realm who were cunning, cruel, bloodthirsty, and took pleasure in destruction and plunder.

They may disguise themselves and deceive, but they would never show mercy to a magical girl when they have an overwhelming advantage, let alone disarm themselves after the battle and put themselves in such a vulnerable position.

Unless—this is itself a more sophisticated and absurd disguise?

No, that's impossible. No Void Apostle would risk their life to try and gain the trust of magical girls, except for—the one right in front of them.

The night breeze, carrying a cool dampness, rustled the leaves of the trees in the park, and time slipped away little by little as Xingxian pondered.

She looked at the sleeping figure on the bench, that delicate face that appeared somewhat pale in the moonlight, and whose brows seemed to be slightly furrowed even in sleep.

The girl seemed to be troubled by some unsettling dream, and occasionally she would utter a few unintelligible, slightly aggrieved words.

This unguarded and endearing appearance gradually melted away the unbreakable vigilance and wariness that belonged to the patrol envoy in Xingxian's heart.

She began to doubt whether her previous judgment had really been wrong.

Does the Magic Kingdom's doctrine that "all Void Realm Apostles are mortal enemies, requiring no trial, and should be killed without exception" still apply when facing this special being?

Perhaps it was out of some subconscious concern, or perhaps it was a desire to observe and perceive the faint energy fluctuations emanating from the other person more closely.

Or perhaps she simply felt that it was rather inhumane to let such a petite girl sleep on a cold, hard wooden bench.

Without realizing it, Xingxian moved slightly closer to Jiying, her gaze towards him hesitant.

As Ji Ying gently shook her head in her sleep due to slight discomfort, her dark side ponytail brushed against the bench, and the back of her head lightly bumped against the cold chair back with a soft thud. Almost out of a conscious instinct that transcended rational judgment, she reached out her right hand to catch the other person's head from hitting the chair back again.

When Xingxian's fingertips gently touched Jiying's cool, soft cheeks and smooth, black hair, her heart skipped a beat.

A strange sensation came from her fingertips, leaving her momentarily at a loss.

But the instinctive urge to take care of this "special prisoner" overwhelmed all hesitation and rational warnings.

Xingxian hesitated for a moment, a complex and unfathomable light flashing in her usually cool and sharp silver-gray eyes, before she finally made a move that even she found somewhat unbelievable— He carefully lifted Ji Ying's head from the cold, hard bench, and then—slightly adjusted his own posture, placing his thighs, which were still in high boots but had an excellent feel, under Ji Ying's head.

Jiying rested her head on Xingxian's soft thighs, seemingly finding a more comfortable position immediately. Her slightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and her breathing became more steady and even.

Xingxian's body stiffened slightly due to the intimate contact, which was far less than the normal social distance. She could clearly feel the girl's hair rubbing against the skin of her thigh, as well as the girl's warm, even breath spraying onto the side of her leg.

This feeling is both unfamiliar and—wonderful.

After the initial stiffness and slight awkwardness passed, Xingxian looked at Jiying, who was sleeping peacefully with her head resting on his lap, and reached out his hand again as if possessed.

This time, her movements were gentler and more natural.

With her fingertips, she carefully brushed aside the few strands of black hair that were slightly damp with sweat that had fallen across Ji Ying's forehead, revealing her smooth and full forehead.

Then, Xingxian's hand involuntarily began to gently stroke the top of Jiying's head, the movement carrying a sense of comfort and tenderness that she herself found unbelievable.

Her gaze softened, and the sharpness and scrutiny in her clear, silver-gray eyes gradually faded, replaced by a more complex and indescribable emotion.

"Who are you, really?"

She silently asked herself this question over and over again, but she could never find the answer.

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