2-66 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

### Volume 2, Chapter 66: Let's Make a Deal "Are you that bored, that you have to amuse yourself with me? Worried I might not eat horse hooves?" Vinnie retorted, not impressed. "Well, who knows? This might be your chance, Vinnie. You could rush back to your dorm and change into a girl's uniform. Maybe this cutie will have a good enough mood today to accept you," Aisifis replied, grinning with mischief. "I think you've been munching on poisonous mushrooms and it's gotten to your head," Vinnie snapped back. "Keep pretending all you want. You've already assumed I can't sit up there, but if I could, you'd be singing a different tune." "Vinnie, your words wound me. It's as if you're suggesting I always trick you and make a fool of you," Aisifis remarked, feigning sadness. Vinnie let out a dry laugh in response to her theatrics. It was an understatement to say she toyed with him like a monkey; by now, she was at a point where she played him like a dog. "Our academy doesn't have many students left. We're among the last batch to leave. Let's hurry and set off, or we'll be late." With that, Vinnie climbed into the carriage. This woman loved to be in the spotlight, to the extent of riding directly on the horse rather than sitting inside the carriage. Ah, the privileges of the protagonist. With a gentle neigh from the unicorn, the carriage set off. "Vinnie, setting out this late, is there something you prepared for this journey?" Although Vinnie was in the front carriage and couldn't see her, he could still hear Aisifis's voice from atop the unicorn. They were high in the air, and Aisifis was using a basic spell to protect their voices from the noise. "Prepared? For what?" Vinnie was puzzled. "You're setting out this late, weren't you fully preparing at home?" Aisifis probed further. "Uh..." Vinnie scratched his head. He hadn't really prepared anything. He'd only recently received the task scroll. The reason for his late departure was that he was simply lazy and didn't want to queue up for the task. He waited until the crowd thinned before taking on the practical task. "Of course, do you know who I am? I definitely have done my homework," Vinnie replied, not wanting to lose face in front of Aisifis. "Though I have to admit, you might be more specialized in this." "Oh? So, what do you know about Lake Village?" Aisifis continued. "Lake Village? Sure, it's northwest of the empire, next to a small border town." "And then?" "And then?" "The historical background of Lake Village, the local customs, the demographics?" "Uh... I'm not in charge of census data, why would I know those details?" Vinnie retorted. "Alright, then how about the creature, the Serpentine Beast? How much do you know about it?" Aisifis asked. "Oh, the Serpentine Beast, yes, I've heard of it. As the name suggests, it's a snake... a demonic snake..." "Okay, I see, Vinnie, you haven't researched this task at all, have you? You just impulsively decided to take it on?" Aisifis deduced from his response. "That’s not entirely true. I know a little bit," Vinnie tried to defend himself. "You know the place is called Lake Village, but you wouldn't know the specific direction. If the carriage driver takes you the wrong way on purpose, you might not even notice." "There's no way the carriage driver would be that petty, right? You're just being paranoid," Vinnie argued. "Anything can happen on the road. Being fully prepared prevents unforeseen disasters. If you're too reliant on luck, you might end up as an abandoned corpse in the wild," Aisifis said seriously. Vinnie fell silent, then quickly shifted to a more ingratiating tone. "Ah, yes, that's true, but isn't that why we have you, big sister?" "Hehehe, it looks like I'll be relying on your help again, big sister. We are quite a pair, after all. Fate seems to agree, always bringing us together, right?" Vinnie chuckled, rubbing his hands together. "Let the capable do more work." "Were you not just complaining about how unlucky it was to draw me as your partner?" Aisifis teased. "Haha, you must be joking, big sister. I was just grumbling in a bad mood. Don't take it to heart," Vinnie laughed it off, unfazed. Though partnering with Aisifis was indeed less than ideal, Vinnie, as a seasoned slacker, prioritized grades above all. Completing the task perfectly was the key. With Aisifis leading the group, he could relax and not hinder her performance or output. That was valuable in itself. "So, Vinnie, are you planning to be a passive participant for this assessment?" Aisifis teased. "Well, it just highlights your skills, doesn't it? I won't even need to make a move; the battle will be over," Vinnie chuckled. "I'm looking forward to seeing you in action!" "This would mean I've helped you once more, right? Isn't this the fourth time already? I'm curious to see how you'll express your gratitude," Aisifis chuckled softly again. "As for that," Vinnie frowned, "Well, the debt keeps piling up. I might have no choice but to offer myself in return!" He struck a pose of grand self-sacrifice to tease Aisifis. "No need for such a thing, but..." "But what? Honestly, big sister, if you have other demands, I really can't meet them. You know my family has fallen on hard times; we're broke. I've got nothing left," Vinnie said with an exaggeratedly helpless tone. "You're all alone?" "Yes, you know the Fasyris family is down to just me, it's well-known," Vinnie lamented. "Oh? Is it really just you?" Aisifis added a layer of intrigue. "Certainly, everyone knows that." "But not all well-known things are true," Aisifis noted, a sly smile on her lips. "This one definitely is. Our home is so barren that even thieves avoid it." "Vinnie, let's make a deal. If there are other female members of your family, you'll help me win them over, okay?" "What?" Vinnie froze, quickly realizing what Aisifis was implying and who she was interested in. "I've helped you so many times; you can't refuse to help me with such a simple request, right?" Aisifis smiled, playing with her gloved fingers. "Can we come up with something else?" Vinnie pouted. "So, you admit there are other women in your family?" Aisifis pressed, raising her voice playfully. "When did I say that? Stop over-interpreting. There's only me, really. I swear, if I'm lying, you can have my name spelled backwards," Vinnie replied, thoroughly exasperated. Why did it feel like she was always trying to trap him with his own words? It was exhausting. "My point is, my family really only comprises me. There's no one else, so your request is entirely moot. You should consider asking for something else rather than saying I didn't repay my debt later." "No need, just this. You only need to agree to it, Vinnie," Aisifis insisted, clearly set on this path. Ah, this little minx. Fine, I'll agree. After all, I'm telling the truth. There's nothing I can do if a certain stubborn nut doesn't believe me. I mean, how could I assist Aisifis in wooing Vanessa?? Helping someone court your own alter ego? That's a tricky matter. "Alright then, that's what you want. Just know if no such person exists, the deal's void," Vinnie conceded. The Fasyris family indeed has only him now, and no matter how creative Aisifis's imagination might be, she'd never suspect that Vanessa and Vinnie, so different in gender and personality, could be the same individual. "Great~ so let's pinky swear, and if anyone breaks it, they have to swallow a thousand needles." "How? Let's skip it and save you a pair of gloves," Vinnie glanced outside the carriage. "It's fine, just reach out, and we'll do an air pinky swear." "Isn't that childish?" Vinnie shook his head in disbelief but complied, knowing he wouldn't lose anything from the promise. "Back to the topic, what do you know about the Serpentine Beasts?" Aisifis inquired. "All I know is they are serpents, demonic ones. That's about it," Vinnie replied. "It's not that simple. In fact, the Serpentine Beasts are followers of the Demonic Clan. Only three demonic clans rear them: the Naga, the Night Witches, and the Succubi," Aisifis explained with her wealth of knowledge. "Naga? Night Witches? Succubi?" Vinnie mused, catching a particular keyword—Succubi. But then he thought, so what? Is there a problem with Succubi? No problem at all. They are just another demonic clan, aren't they? Nothing noteworthy, right? Yet, somewhere in his mind, the mention of Succubi triggered a memory, like he'd encountered someone strongly associated with them before. Impossible, right? How could he have met a Succubi? He doesn't even have an impression of their appearance. They couldn't have possibly crossed paths. Moreover, the Serpentine Beasts aren't exclusive to Succubi. Since they're snakes, it could very likely be the Naga at fault. Although it seems implausible given the current civil strife among the demonic clans over the throne, the Naga should be preoccupied with battling other clans. Even if not at war, they'd have to guard against other demonic incursions on the tumultuous Northern Continent. Vinnie reckoned it might just be a case of a Naga's neglected pet seeking food in human lands. That could be plausible. Vinnie had thought the task assigned to elite students like them would be formidable, yet it seemed like it might just be exterminating a few serpents. Especially with Aisifis leading, it should be a breeze. "Which demonic clan do you think is more likely causing the disruption?" Vinnie asked. "Unsure. Without seeing the specific details and with only written intel, any judgment would be biased," Aisifis responded. Vinnie didn't say much after that. Honestly, life on the carriage was quite comfortable, with ample provisions and a pleasant setting. They could eat whatever they craved. Having had her fill of basking in glory atop the unicorn, Aisifis returned to the carriage. Days passed in the blink of an eye. Their unicorn carriage arrived at the Southern Continent, and they disembarked smoothly with their luggage at a small town in the Kingdom of Camella. The Cari Lamin Academy's unicorn carriage was only meant to bring them here. From this point on, they'd have to make their own way. Aisifis planned to take a luxury carriage for the remainder of their journey. Vinnie didn't object to that idea; however, his wallet protested—and loudly at that. While he was fretting, Aisifis, with a teasing grin, caught on to his predicament and quipped, "If you call me 'Mom,' Vinnie, I might just cover your expenses." "No thanks, my mom's not that petite," Vinnie shot back, sneaking a glance at Aisifis's chest. Aisifis responded only with a smile. 'Demeanor +50.' 'Current Demeanor: 7454.' Oh, how she managed to put herself in a corner this time. To stay in sync with Aisifis, Vinnie reluctantly joined her choice, enduring the pain of boarding a luxury carriage together. Thankfully, the journey allowed them separate rooms, and the unicorn carriage provided ample space, sparing them prolonged private interaction. Otherwise, Vinnie might find himself at the receiving end of Aisifis's teasing yet again. A few more days passed, and their journey concluded as they disembarked in a border town in the Tyrell Empire. Upon arrival, Aisifis immediately dashed into town for some unknown reason, leaving Vinnie perplexed. Although their task was at Lake Village, a border village of the town, the white-haired whirlwind shot off into town. What could she be up to?