Zhao Bai believed this had to be a protective mark left behind by the shrine maiden, one that would only take effect when Theresa was in danger.
"Headmistress, your stigmata has gone berserk. You probably encountered something especially terrifying. Extreme fear triggered an extreme backlash, which is why you grew fox ears."
"These are obviously rabbit ears. Why do you keep calling them fox ears?"
"Headmistress, if you insist on that, the woman who gave you that stigmata will cry."
Zhao Bai seemed to know something, and Theresa fell silent as well. Like any child waiting for a doctor's diagnosis, Theresa's heart was filled with fear. But because of the honor and sense of duty that came with being the headmistress, she had no way out. She could only let Zhao Bai stroke her back and examine her body.
"This is a little troublesome."
Zhao Bai lightly tapped the stigmata, but there was no sign of the berserk state subsiding.
He cast a puzzled glance at Judah.
Normally, it should have transformed into the Oath of Sakura by now, changing from a European Christian cross loaded with Soul Steel spears into a cherry-blossom-colored sword rack steeped in Far Eastern style. The spears should have become two-meter-long nodachi as well, but nothing had changed. Its light was still sacred gold, the spears were still spears, and even the chains had not changed in the slightest.
That was somewhat illogical.
Judah let out a faint tremble, its cross swaying slightly as though forgiving Zhao Bai's ignorance.
You understand Judah better than Judah itself?
That seemed to be what it meant.
But Zhao Bai had imagined all of that. Judah was always a steadfast and gentle weapon; it would never say anything so cutting.
"What exactly is going on?"
Theresa's long ears, which