### Chapter 6: Targeted
Even though I only leaked a tiny bit, my legs couldn’t stop shaking.
My mood was like a volcano, full of energy and ready to erupt at any moment, triggered by the surging tide of my monthly visitor.
At that moment, I absolutely hated being a girl.
No time to waste!
I gritted my teeth, lifted my hood to reveal my almost entirely covered face, and felt the tears of humiliation welling up in my eyes.
Since the duck was already in the pot, I had no choice but to say a few words to get through this ceremony that was driving me to the brink of madness.
Clearing my throat.
“Um… hello everyone, I am the new Pope Knight…”
With my voice trembling as I struggled to hold back a surging wave of emotions, the crowd erupted again.
“Pfft… Is this the Pope Knight? She’s so tiny!”
“Wow—she seems like a really cute girl, her voice is like a little animal~”
“Why’s she hiding her face though?”
“She looks a bit nervous? Hahaha—”
Ignoring the chaos of laughter below, I kept rubbing my legs, trying to shove that feeling back down as if I could hold it in like I was trying to pee. Unfortunately, it was no use.
“Little Black Charcoal, what’s wrong? Stick to the lines Carlos gave you, stop improvising!”
A slightly panicked Angel whispered from behind me.
What? Carlos gave me lines?
When did he tell me? I had no memory of that at all. They better not be pranking me!
But wait, as annoying as those two could be, they wouldn’t joke around in a situation like this. Thinking back, Carlos did say something to me this morning, but I was too busy being mad at him to pay attention. It went in one ear and out the other.
Now regretting was useless; I had to swallow my pride, struggle to say a few more words, and then get out of dodge before things went irretrievably south.
But in reality, things rarely go the way you envision. The more you hope for a good outcome, the greater the chance of it ending in disaster.
“Um, please, everyone—”
Just as I was trying to remember my lines, a sudden warmth surged between my thighs, playfully trickling down my legs.
My sturdy defense line named ‘underwear’ finally crumbled in this moment of weakness.
Boom—
A sound echoed deep inside me, like something had broken.
At that moment, I suddenly recalled my father’s teachings from miles away.
In life, there are many irreversible things. Since you’re alive, you need to stride forward and never look back. Only those who have suffered greatly have the right to prove that enduring suffering is utterly pointless.
Suffering is just suffering, and it will only bring you pain.
And wise as I was, I didn’t hesitate in that crucial moment; I decisively chose to avoid the suffering.
Boom—
A flash of blue light appeared in an instant, followed by a loud crash. The spacious terrace burst forth with thick ice shards, completely covering the two people standing on it.
The sudden chaos made the crowd below scream, and the place promptly descended into madness. On the terrace, Angel stood there with his mouth agape, staring at me as if he’d seen something shocking.
“…Little Black Charcoal, your shyness is quite a unique style… you…”
Angel tried to continue, but I shot him a look that screamed “don’t even think about it,” sending him scurrying back like a frightened squirrel.
I knew it wasn’t right, but when emotions hit, they hit hard and fast. I couldn’t control it. So, I shot a look at the Pope, silently telling him it was best to say nothing. If anyone made me feel like an idiot now, I’d turn them into an idiot in no time.
When a girl doesn’t want to reason, you either comfort her or shut up.
Angel wisely chose the latter.
At that moment, the clerics standing at the terrace arches rushed out, clearly anxious.
“There’s an assassin!”
“Quick, protect the Pope!”
Seeing this, Angel waved his hands.
“I’m fine; it was just an accident. Go down and calm the crowd; tell them today’s ceremony has ended successfully.”
“Yes—”
The clerics quickly obeyed and dashed downstairs. Angel stared at Little Shay, who had sprinted away like grease on a slip-n-slide, now a mere shadow in the distance.
Looking back at the massive ice shards embedded in the wall, he had no idea how long it would take for them to melt, nor did he dare to ask.
…
Thus, the grand awarding ceremony of Nalanda officially came to an end.
Amid the cheers from the citizens of Emerald City, the Pope personally placed a medal around Miss Silvya’s neck, marking the birth of the youngest Pope Knight in history. — “The Church’s Annals”
This news would soon spread across all the major human cities.
Nightfall approached.
To celebrate the birth of the new Pope Knight, the city of Emerald City lit up like a celestial garden, raving all night long.
The bustling markets echoed with music, and every corner came alive. After dinner, everyone strolled along the cobblestones in groups, filling the night with chatter and laughter. The air was rich with delightful sounds that intermingled with the vendors shouting about their delicious snacks.
Beneath the glow of countless lights, the Baroque-style buildings donned shimmering starlit robes, transforming the streets into a dazzling galaxy. Amidst all this, a small figure in a white dress and mask, covering most of her face, blended into the lively scene.
I had snuck away from the banquet.
I simply couldn’t vibe with the social rituals of medieval Western gatherings. In my past life, I was doing something similar out of obsession every day, but in this new life, it felt unnecessary, so I avoided it like the plague.
Even though I was technically the center of attention, it felt like my presence didn’t matter at all. Of course, even if it did, I was still running away. In a few days, I’d be leaving for the Valen Empire, and I needed to eat all the delicious food Emerald City had to offer before I left.
As for other matters, I’d leave that headache to Angel and Carlos.
It had been a few days since I last devoured some life, so everything smelled divine, and I wanted to eat everything. Holding a massive skewer of meat in one hand and a sweet-smelling, round fruit in the other, I had a big grin on my face, oblivious to the grease smudging my mouth, lost in humming along with the music wafting from the street vendors.
Just like how I could easily get angry, this body was also easily satisfied, filled with a delightful emotion called happiness.
It was a feeling I hadn’t experienced in ages.
“Boss, what is this?”
After finishing the meat skewer and feeling a bit unsatisfied, I turned to the street vendor on the side who had set up a stand with a fruit that resembled grapes but was much larger and unfamiliar.
It sparkled and looked juicy; it had to be sweet.
“Oh, little girl, you’re not from around here, are you?” The vendor lady greeted me with a warm smile. “This is one of our specialties in Nalanda, called the Fragrant Fruit, also known as ‘Honey Ball.’ Eating this helps keep your skin healthy and hydrated. Only our climate can grow this. You should try it; it’s super sweet!”
She picked one and handed it to me. The flesh was tender and tasted heavenly, bursting with a unique aroma.
I adored this flavor.
Digging into my dress pocket, I pulled out a handful of coins, taking one to give to the vendor.
Angel hadn’t lied to me. After the ceremony, he promptly took me to the Holy Church’s St. George Coin Exchange for registration, and afterward, he directly deposited a million Valen coins in the account.
The St. George Coin Exchange is not the only one in the world, but it is the most trustworthy and largest. It gathers the best money changers globally, ensuring you won’t receive inferior coins or counterfeits. The Valen coins circulating in the Valen Empire are the finest and most valuable coins in this world. The exchange rate with Ethanbel’s Canri coins is 1:2, and with Silgaya’s Emerald coins is 1:4. That means one million Valen coins is equivalent to two million Canri coins and four million Emerald coins; it’s the same concept for silver and copper coins.
Estimating according to the living standards and prices of this world, that one million Valen coins would be worth multiple billions in RMB.
When I learned this, my eyes turned into crescent moons from smiling so hard.
I, Silvya, was rich.
Thinking back to my time in that little village, the copper coins circulating there were so poorly made they probably weren’t legitimate coins at all—most likely counterfeit made by some noble lord sneaking past the Holy Church.
I wanted to send some gold coins to Grandma, but I was informed that no one would bother to register at the coin exchange in such a remote village, so that plan was on hold for now.
With a large cluster of Fragrant Fruits in hand, I reveled in the unique charm of this otherworldliness, endlessly munching on the fruits, completely unaware of the pair of eyes lurking in the shadows, fixed on me.
