"Archbishop Aishala, isn't this a bit inappropriate..."
"Hurry."
"Oh, oh, okay..."
This was the first time Syl had ever tried being carried on the back of a little loli who was a head shorter than her, yet it was exceptionally steady.
As a Tier 5 Glorified One, even if Aishala's physical strength wasn't high among her peers, it was still incomparable to what Syl possessed right now.
Syl lay on Aishala's back, her hands hooked around Aishala's neck, and her legs wrapped around Aishala's front.
Feeling Aishala's soft and warm little body, Syl felt her own breathing become slightly heavier.
Aishala's hands were currently supporting Syl just slightly below her buttocks; noticing the change in Syl's breathing rhythm, she asked:
"Does it still... hurt?"
"No... it doesn't hurt!" Syl replied hurriedly.
You need to stay calm, Syl. She is a Tier 5 super-expert! The strongest fighter of the Church of the Goddess of Hope! You can't beat her!
If she had the skills of a Casanova, perhaps she could, but Syl clearly didn't. Without the Casanova, Syl was completely blind when it came to matters of the heart.
After hearing Syl's reply, Aishala crouched down slightly, then leaped, jumping onto the rooftop with Syl on her back.
This made Syl wonder what the point was of her struggling so hard to climb down, only to twist her ankle in the process.
Just let it all end. Quickly.
Furthermore, Syl noticed that when Aishala exerted force to jump, not even much water splashed up from the ground.
However, when Syl used her Dragon Loli form to jump, the commotion was like a pile driver slamming into the ground, somewhat reminiscent of Alex Mercer's jump from Prototype.
Syl rested her head on Aishala's shoulder, looking at Aishala's delicate neck, feeling somewhat listless.
In this capricious world, only the fragrant and soft Archbishop could make her feel a little more at ease.
Unfortunately... the Archbishop was a member of the Church of Hope...
Syl did not know which side Archbishop Aishala would ultimately stand on in the future when a conflict between her and the Church of Hope inevitably arose.
That day would come sooner or later.
At least having a mental warning in advance would be good...
Thinking this, Syl prepared to probe Aishala.
At this moment, countless translucent tentacles glowing with golden light extended from beneath Aishala's black robe, moving rapidly; they were smoother and faster than running, though a few tentacles had turned completely black.
Feeling the sensation of the strong wind mixed with rain hitting her face by her ears, Syl pondered for a moment before calling out:
"Archbishop, Archbishop..."
"Hmm?" Aishala turned her head slightly, glancing at Syl, who was lying on her left shoulder and was mere inches away.
"If Sister Sharon finds out we're this close, won't she be angry?" Syl asked, feigning fear.
Aishala asked back expressionlessly: "Why, do, you, think, so?"
This expression from Aishala made Syl feel that things were slightly ominous. It seemed Aishala didn't particularly like her asking about Sharon.
After a brief hesitation, Syl still voiced her inner confusion:
"I always feel like Sister Sharon doesn't seem to want to see me and the Archbishop getting too close..."
This could be seen from how Sharon had ruthlessly driven Aishala out of the room when she previously came to Syl's room.
When Sharon went to meetings herself, she would call Aishala, the strongest of the Church, to protect Syl, but once she returned, she would simply cast Aishala aside.
The Archbishop was a veteran tool.
At this moment, upon hearing Syl's words, Aishala slowly brought her tentacles to a halt.
"Don't say, such things, to, others." Aishala looked at Syl with a serious expression and instructed, then thought for a moment and added, "Except, to me."
Hearing this, Syl's eyes brightened slightly.
Listening to Archbishop Aishala's words, Syl always felt that her standing in Archbishop Aishala's heart seemed rather extraordinary.
And for some reason, Syl vaguely sensed a piece of information within Aishala's words.
Archbishop Aishala... did not hold any trust for the other members of the Church either.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have told Syl not to talk about this matter to anyone other than her.
Syl shrank her neck, looking a bit cowardly, and nodded, agreeing:
"Okay, I promise not to tell anyone else."
"Hmm." Hearing Syl's response, Aishala nodded, then continued to manipulate the tentacles and began to crawl rapidly toward the direction of the Church of the Goddess of Hope.
From the perspective of an ordinary person, it was just a black shadow flying through the air, but if any Transcendent were unfortunate enough to witness this scene, their already mostly digested ravings would likely intensify.
Syl did not continue with this topic; she had obtained enough information. Syl could almost conclude that this cute Archbishop, who was so good to her, would continue to be good to her in the days to come.
When Aishala brought Syl back to the church, there was no one left in Hope Plaza; the torrential rain, mixed with thunder, was washing over the city.
As they approached the plaza, Aishala had already signaled the tentacles to crawl from the rooftop to the ground, then retracted them.
Because there were two Paladins standing at the entrance of the church, Aishala likely stopped early out of concern that her tentacles would exacerbate their mental infection.
Aishala walked into the church through the main entrance, carrying Syl on her back.
Seemingly due to some skill or Transcendent item, the Paladins acted as if they didn't see the two, offering no greeting, and their gazes never shifted from what was in front of them.
It was already ten o'clock, and the church was empty. Syl folded up her umbrella; the wet umbrella and the rainwater dripping from her robe soaked a small patch of the red carpet.
Just when Syl thought Aishala would put her down and let her walk, Aishala continued carrying Syl and headed upstairs.
This wasn't the empty rainy night outside anymore; it was still possible for others to see them. If she were seen being carried by Aishala like this, Syl reckoned she would die of embarrassment.
"Archbishop... Archbishop... my foot doesn't hurt anymore, I can walk on my own..." Syl squirmed uneasily, looking around nervously.
But Aishala turned a deaf ear to Syl's words, simply carrying Syl to the top floor and walking to the front of Syl's room door.
Opening the door, Aishala walked in with Syl on her back and closed the door behind her.
Only then did Aishala walk to the chair by the fireplace, set Syl down, and then go to the fireplace to light the dry wood inside.
The firelight illuminated Syl's face and warmed her body slightly; she took off her soaked black robe, threw it to the side, and hugged her arms, rubbing them as if she were a bit cold.
"Later, then, take a bath." A light flashed in Aishala's hand, and a bottle of potion appeared; she walked over to Syl, crouched down, lifted Syl's right leg, and took off her shoe.
"Eh, Archbishop, I can do it myself." This action gave Syl a start; she struggled hurriedly, but her right foot still couldn't exert any strength.
"Don't move around." Aishala gently held Syl's fair, tender arch; Syl's delicate toes curled tightly due to nervousness, resembling little pearls.
Such perfect bare feet made some people want to lick them, or use them for other unspeakable things.
However, Aishala simply popped the cap off the potion bottle with one hand and earnestly helped Syl apply it to the red, swollen area on her foot.
The emerald-green potion, after covering Syl's ankle, slowly seeped inside, as if there were no barrier of skin.
And Syl gradually felt her right foot's mobility recovering.
Not until Aishala had applied the entire bottle of potion did she stand up, put the empty bottle into her robe, and head toward the washroom, seemingly to wash her hands.
Before leaving, Aishala opened her right hand toward Syl; the phantom shadow behind Syl slowly disappeared, and the slight pain in her right foot only then made itself felt.
However, this pain was already at a level that could be completely ignored.
Was that just now... [Divine Art: Self-Sacrifice]?
Only then did Syl understand what Aishala had been doing the whole time... Aishala had used Divine Art: Self-Sacrifice to bear the pain of her right foot for her the entire way.
Syl felt her nose sting a little.
Ever since arriving in this other world, apart from the friend the original body had known from the very beginning, Sigma, Syl had never felt this kind of warm, cared-for, and protected feeling.
And Archbishop Aishala's silent, unheralded protection made it hard for Syl to calm down.
She had to say something.
Syl stood up and walked toward the washroom.
The door to the washroom was not closed, and the sound of running water could still be heard inside.
Syl walked straight in and saw Aishala washing her hands at the basin; she walked directly behind Aishala.
Aishala had long since noticed Syl's movements, but only when Syl walked behind her did she look up in confusion, looking at the mirror in front of her and at Syl in the mirror.
"What is it?" Aishala asked plainly.
However, Syl in the mirror opened her arms, embraced Aishala directly from behind, and rested her chin on Aishala's shoulder, their faces pressed against each other.
A drop of rainwater also dripped from Syl's still-dripping hair, sliding down Aishala's neck and into her robe.
The atmosphere began to turn a bit strange, and a rare expression of confusion appeared on Aishala's poker face.
And if Syl wasn't mistaken... her face seemed to have flushed just a little bit?
"Thank you, Archbishop Aishala."
Syl looked at Aishala in the mirror, and under her confused gaze, used her mouth to "say" the words, enunciating them one by one.