Truly Beastly and Beastly / A Person Should Be More Open-Minded (For Real)

"Agreement? What agreement?" Theresa tilted her head curiously.

"Once we leave the village, we'll move to another place, cut ties with the past, and start a new life."

"How about we change our names then? You can be called Theresa, and I'll be called Xia Ling, okay?"

"Theresa ..." Theresa's eyes flashed with a hint of confusion. "It's a strange name, but I like it very much."

"So, to get used to this role beforehand, how about we address each other like this when no one else is around?"

"Okay, Sister Xia Ling ~" Theresa said sweetly.

"So sweet... my lovely Theresa." Xia Ling smiled, feeling healed.

"Then, Theresa, you'd better remember this..."

"No matter when, no matter what you hear, please be sure to..."

"Believe me."

Chapter Eleven is truly beastly and utterly cruel!

In the Shiomi River, Yae Shrine Lord held a sharp katana and was breathing heavily.

His physical abilities weren't particularly strong. While he could handle the Honkai zombie relatively easily, his physical abilities were definitely a hindrance when facing Honkai Beast.

However, the reason he was still able to control the Yae Shrine and slay the monsters the villagers talked about was not because of his physical abilities.

It was the knife in his hand.

The Spirit Blade Cherry Blossom Blizzard is a spirit blade that has been enshrined in the Yae Shrine for generations, and only members of the Yae Shrine are allowed to use it.

However, even the Yae Shrine Lord usually doesn't use this sword. Most of the time, it is kept under strict protection in the shrine, and it is only used when these demonic beasts are being hunted.

For ordinary Honkai Beast, a simple swing of the blade is enough to instantly cleave them in two, unlike the mess they're in today.

As for the reason why the Yae Shrine Lord was in such a sorry state today...

"You piece of trash! You've practiced swordsmanship for so long, yet you're so scared when facing a monster that you can't even hold your sword properly!"

Sheathing his spirit sword, the Yae Shrine Lord turned back and glared angrily at the trembling Xia Ling.

"With your level of skill, how will you ever inherit the shrine!"

"Yes, I'm sorry, Father..." Xia Ling's voice trembled with tears, "But... I was really scared..."

"Fear? Hmph, fear is something that can be overcome. In that case, during this period, whenever there is a demon-slaying request, you'll all come along!"

The Yae Shrine Lord took a deep breath and calmed himself down. "After you go back these next few days, you need to train harder. Within a week, I want to see you personally kill a humanoid demon beast."

"Yes, Father, I will try my best..."

Xia Ling maintained her previous expression, still looking like she was still shaken.

However, she was secretly overjoyed.

Although Xia Ling's main weapon is not this kind of katana, she still has some knowledge of these weapons. In addition, with the muscle memory of this body, she certainly wouldn't be performing as poorly as she is now.

The reason she acted this way was because she needed to lay the groundwork for her later plans.

Following the still furious Yae Shrine Lord, Xia Ling successfully finished her exorcism request for the morning and began practicing basic sword-wielding techniques inside the shrine.

However, seemingly in pursuit of efficiency, the plot progression arranged by Hi-maru clearly did not give Xia Ling much time to build up.

That very afternoon, a group of villagers approached Yae Shrine Lord.

"Lord God!"

"Lord God, it has been three months since it rained. Please hold another sacrificial ceremony!"

"Lord God, we just held a sacrifice last month, why hasn't it rained yet!"

Inside the shrine, a dozen or so village representatives crowded together, arguing about why it hadn't rained, while the Yae Shrine Lord sat opposite them, listening silently.

As the next successor of the shrine, Yae Sakura was naturally qualified to listen in.

"It must be because the girl who was sacrificed last time wasn't a virgin, and she angered the gods!" A seemingly "respected" old woman said sternly. "We encountered the same thing ten years ago. Only by offering a sacrifice of a priestess's bloodline could we appease the gods' wrath!"

Xia Ling, standing to the side, clenched her fists.

Although I got a little angry when I read this part in the original work, experiencing it firsthand made me even angrier.

Xia Ling silently memorized the old man's face.

Although none of these people in the dream are real, it shouldn't be too much to vent one's anger after the plan is over, right?

After all, I, Xia Ling, am not one to hold grudges (laughs).

"I see."

After a moment of contemplation, the Yae Shrine Lord stood up.

"Then let's use Rin as a sacrifice. She has been ill for a long time and it's hard to cure her. If she can make a contribution to the village, she will probably be happy."

It seems the villagers' goal was to force the god to make such a promise. After the god agreed to offer another sacrifice, the villagers quickly dispersed.

Seeing the villagers leave, Xia Ling gently tugged at Yae Shrine Lord's sleeve.

"Wait, Father, are you really going to..."

"Sakura, this is Rin's duty," Yae Shrine Lord said calmly.

"Get ready, you will be in charge of the sacrificial ceremony in two days."

"Wait, Father, why me?"

"Aren't you afraid to wield a knife? Once you've killed someone, you won't be afraid anymore."

The Yae Shrine Lord glanced at Xia Ling, who looked somewhat frightened, and shook his head slightly.

"Besides, Rin would be very happy if you took her to see the God."

"..."

Xia Ling pursed her lips and remained silent for a long while.

Then, as if giving up something, my body relaxed.

"Then, Father, could you please not make me do it myself..."

"No."

"If you don't even dare to lay a hand on Rin, who is unarmed, how can you lay a hand on the monsters outside?"

The questioning from the Yae Shrine Lord was deafening.

"Yes, Father."

Seeing that Xia Ling finally gave up struggling, the Yae Shrine Lord nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, go practice your sword."

Watching the Yae Shrine Lord finally walk away, Xia Ling gritted her teeth and swung her sword with much more force.

"What a bunch of * St. Freya's foul language* beasts, but thankfully we managed to fool that old man."

In the original work, it was because Yae Sakura expressed her desire not to let Rin die that the Yae Shrine Lord later severed Rin's Achilles tendon to prevent Yae Sakura from taking Rin away, and the ritual was started ahead of schedule.

However, directly giving in here would seem deliberate and unreasonable, since Sakura and Rin have a very good relationship. Not pleading for Rin at all would make it seem even more unnatural.

At this point, we need to rely on the groundwork laid earlier.

Xia Ling cleverly transformed her desire to "not want to kill her sister" into her desire to "not want to do it herself." The Yae Shrine Lord, who had just been tricked by Xia Ling that morning, would naturally associate it with the fact that Xia Ling couldn't even hold a sword steadily.

In this way, his understanding of the sentence will change from "not wanting to kill" to "not daring to kill".

Compared to the former, the latter, though a bit cowardly, didn't need to completely incapacitate Theresa like in the original work.

Although Theresa's inability to move around here doesn't really affect the overall situation, Xia Ling thinks it's better to forget about severing her Achilles tendons. If her friend were treated like that in front of her, she might just abandon the plan and explode at the other side.

At the same time...

I doubt anyone would be wary of a little girl who doesn't even dare to kill a human.

Xia Ling revealed a chilling smile.

Chapter Twelve: Be More Open-Minded (Seriously)

In dreams, time always seems to pass by inexplicably quickly.

In Xia Ling's physical perception, she felt that only a few hours had passed, but in the dream, two whole days had gone by.

Whether it was because time flowed naturally in the dream or Hi-maru didn't want to give her more time, in any case, before she could make any more arrangements, time had already come to the time before the sacrificial ceremony.

Fortunately, Xia Ling had anticipated this. In the limited time available, she chose to spend more time with Theresa. Besides trying to build a relationship and see if Theresa could remember her, she also had her own selfish motives.

After all, regardless of whether this is successful or not, once we get out of here, we won't be able to see this limited edition, adorable Theresa again, so we definitely have to take advantage of the moment and stick it on a few more times.

As the officiant of the sacrificial ceremony, Xia Ling was extremely busy on the day of the ceremony. The sacrificial ceremony was not just about offering sacrifices; the activities such as presiding over the ceremony and setting up the altar were all very particular.

At the same time, Xia Ling also learned why Yae no Yae Shrine Lord) in the original work did not hesitate to sever Rin's Achilles tendons in order to prevent Rin from being taken away by Sakura.

Because Sakura might indeed possess this condition.

The altar in Yae Village is located between Yae Village and the shrine, with Bamboo Sparrow Slope on one side and Shiomi River and Empty Garden Bamboo Forest on the other.

The villagers' reverence for the gods prevented them from approaching the altar, and the place where they observed the sacrificial ceremony was dozens of meters away from the altar.

With only Yae Shrine Lord on stage, if Yae Sakura had really taken Rin to hide in the mountains, both Bamboo Sparrow Slope and Empty Bamboo Forest would have been heavily affected by Honkai Beast. Given the condition of these villagers, it would have been impossible for them to risk their lives to chase after her.

Since the sacrificial ceremony does not require carrying a spirit sword, there is no possibility that the Yae Shrine Lord would enter the mountains to search for someone.

If they wanted to intercept them before they entered the woods, not to mention whether the villagers would dare to approach the altar, the initial distance of just a few dozen meters would be enough for Yae Sakura to run into the forest with Rin.

Seeing this, Xia Ling also felt a bit irritated.

"Damn it... It's so easy to escape from the sacrificial site. I wonder if the preparations I left behind were enough to lower the guard of the Yae Shrine Lord..."

Suppressing her unease, Xia Ling finished setting up the altar, then returned to the shrine to bathe and change clothes in preparation for presiding over the sacrificial ceremony.

Some time later, Yae Shrine Lord arrived at the shrine at the exact time the ritual was about to begin.

"The ritual is about to begin, Sakura, are you ready?"

"I'm sorry, Father... I... I still have a little..."

"Heh... I knew it, you still don't dare to make a move."

Yae Shrine Lord showed an expression of not expecting it.

"But it doesn't matter, I've already made arrangements. Just go ahead and do it, Rin won't resist."

"!"

"Father, Rin..."

"I originally intended to sever her tendons in her hands and feet, rendering her unable to move."

Yae Shrine Lord glanced at Sakura: "But it's a pity that Rin's body is too weak right now. I don't know if it's the medicine, but her condition has deteriorated rapidly recently. If we really do this, she may not even make it to the start of the sacrificial ceremony."

"So, I just asked the village doctor for a medicine that would make her feel weak all over, and I gave it to her."

At this point, Yae Shrine Lord asked calmly, "Now that things have come to this, Sakura, you don't still have any psychological burden, do you?"

"After taking that medicine, even if we don't have her perform the ritual today, Rin's body won't last a year. Just do it, consider it an early end to her suffering."

"Alright, the ceremony is about to begin. Hurry up and change into your sacrificial clothes, then come over and preside over the ceremony."

After saying that, Yae Shrine Lord left on his own.

"Phew... Calm down, calm down."

Taking a deep breath, Xia Ling told herself to calm down.

"It doesn't matter. This is just a dream. As long as we survive this day with Theresa, the mission will be complete. Compared to Rin's fate in the original work, this is already very good."

"That bastard... just you wait!"

In the afternoon, the sacrificial ceremony began as scheduled. Xia Ling, dressed in a shrine maiden's outfit, started the process of the sacrificial ceremony.

If one ignores the nature of human sacrifice and Theresa's gradually dimming eyes as she is bound to the altar, the ritual is indeed smooth and pleasing to the eye.

Soon, it was time for the sacrificial ceremony.

Picking up the sharp longsword from the altar, Xia Ling lowered her head slightly and approached Theresa.