A Night of Revelations and Comfort

In Raymond’s impression, the mental state of the S-rank individuals he had encountered was, without exception, somewhat unstable. Chances were, this one had issues too.

“Um, could you listen to me first?” Raymond paused, cautiously probing. “To be honest, the association doesn’t have the authority to handle security incidents, and even I can’t do much about it…”

“Is that so?”

The icy voice added a chill to the air.

“Don’t be hasty, please. Could you tell me what happened first?”

Ming Yu fell silent for a moment.

“If I remember correctly, most of the fresh blood in the Sea Beast Hunter ranks comes from the church orphanage.”

“Tonight, I encountered a child covered in blood, stuffed into a travel bag, and abandoned in a dark alley.”

“According to the enforcers, he was from the church orphanage and was accidentally killed by a senior student…”

“I don’t know how you feel about this, but I can only say that I’m in a terrible mood right now. I was the one who found him, so I can’t just ignore it.”

Ming Yu hung up the communication, gazing at the distant students trickling out of the school gates, her emotions a tangle.

It must have been the end of evening study.

She temporarily dismissed the idea of taking Little Nightingale to school.

Suddenly, Ming Yu’s gaze flickered, shifting downward to the girl’s fair face.

At some point, Little Nightingale’s hand had become icy. Ming Yu could feel it since she had been holding it.

She wasn’t sure what the girl was thinking, assuming it was just her youth and exposure to the darker side of human nature causing physical discomfort.

Ming Yu sighed and crouched down, her free hand gently cupping the girl’s face.

“Little Nightingale, the environment in the church school isn’t as bad as you might think…”

“Only the orphanage children receive such treatment. Viktor, a few other friends, and I have all faced prejudice, envy, and ridicule…”

“You’re different from us, and different from them too… I’ll stand behind you, be by your side, and shield you. This is the promise I made to your father. So, don’t be afraid of the school; this is just an… accident.”

Ming Yu controlled her emotions, not letting her anger show, and tried to present her most gentle side to Little Nightingale.

Little Nightingale needed to study and enrich her life with knowledge. In this regard, Ming Yu couldn’t offer any help, only try to create a good environment for her.

Little Nightingale didn’t respond.

For a moment, she seemed like a startled fawn, retreating back into her silent, closed-off state.

“Meow~ (。_。)”

A soft meow broke the silence.

Sometime during this, the human gleam in the cat’s eyes had faded, replaced by innocent naivety.

“Let’s go home. We can come back another time.”

Ming Yu felt a pang of regret, mixed with helplessness.

Had she said something that hit a nerve?

Little Nightingale’s state seemed off, and Ming Yu planned to find a way to comfort her once they got home.

Sigh, understanding a young girl’s thoughts was truly complex…

Ming Yu held Little Nightingale’s hand as they walked, their shadows merging under the streetlights, each carrying their own unspoken thoughts.

The atmosphere on the way home was eerily calm.

The city’s night scene flashed by, a dazzling array of lights stretching endlessly.

They arrived at the residential zone, exited the monorail station, and headed to the supply station.

Ming Yu hadn’t forgotten about the cat food, slowly making her way to the nearest supply station and pondering Little Nightingale’s situation along the way.

“Beep beep—”

A communication request chimed in her earpiece.

“Hello, this is Raymond. I’ve obtained the information you requested and will send it over now…”

“I hope you won’t act rashly…”

It was the vice president of the association branch.

As expected, those in power only talk about how difficult things are. Once she applied pressure, they promptly took care of the matter.

Ming Yu disconnected the call and cast a holographic image, browsing through the files Raymond had sent.

A few minutes later.

She was at a loss for words.

The main culprit was Fujiwara Shōta, the great-grandson of Fujiwara Tachima, a councilor, and the nephew of Fujiwara Yūkawa, a deputy chief of the enforcement bureau.

There were three accomplices, all with parents connected to the Fujiwara family.

Fujiwara Yūkawa…

An old acquaintance.

Unfortunately, she had almost succeeded in eliminating him and letting him accompany An Ran in death.

When the time came for her to die, she would take them all down to hell with her.

A family should stick together.

As for now, Ming Yu couldn’t let her guard down.

Little Nightingale was still so young and only had her to rely on.

As she walked, Ming Yu kept an eye on Little Nightingale’s expressions, trying to glean any useful information to understand her thoughts.

After observing her for a while, Ming Yu still couldn’t decipher anything. Little Nightingale remained stoic, showing no signs of emotion.

After picking up the cat food, Ming Yu walked a bit further, returning to the apartment. She led Little Nightingale to the sofa to rest, then started preparing dinner.

Compared to staying home, going out seemed to accomplish nothing, just a pointless outing that ended with some bad luck and a bag of cat food.

Removing her mask and coat, Ming Yu revealed her exquisite features and slender figure.

Occasionally, she would be taken aback by her current appearance, finding it a bit unsettling.

But she had no choice; she had to adapt to this body until she could return to her original form.

During dinner, Little Nightingale remained silent.

After showering, Little Nightingale still didn’t speak.

By bedtime, Ming Yu had given up hope, wishing that a good night’s sleep would ease Little Nightingale’s inner turmoil.

“Goodnight.”

She gently patted Little Nightingale’s nose and smiled, turning to leave.

Just then, Little Nightingale reached out and grasped Ming Yu’s wrist, her white teeth nibbling her lower lip.

“Ming Yu… Sister…”

In an instant, the cold mask on Little Nightingale’s face melted like ice, as if a stone had been thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

Ming Yu turned her face slightly, catching a glimpse of Little Nightingale’s expression, and her heart skipped a beat.

‘So adorable…’

‘No, no, what am I thinking?’

She swallowed hard, slowly turning back, her eyes filled with curiosity.

“Is there anything else?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“I remembered something unpleasant, and it made me feel uncomfortable…”

Little Nightingale’s voice was soft and sweet, making one feel relaxed and drowsy.

Hearing this, Ming Yu sat down beside her.

“You can tell me anything you want to share.”

“…Okay.”

“So, what is it?”

Ming Yu didn’t rush, speaking softly and gently, asking about the reason for her discomfort.

After a moment of hesitation, Little Nightingale murmured:

“Can you stay with me tonight…”

“Ming Yu Sister…”

Little Nightingale released Ming Yu’s wrist, slowly leaning in and curling her arms around Ming Yu’s slender waist.

“Is that okay…”