The Defeated Saintess Is On A Journey To Tame The Evil God Book 01 Chapter 06.03 - Whale Song

After leaving the cemetery, Xing Mo took a carriage back to the Northern District, and then aimlessly wandered the streets.

September in the Citadel saw significant fluctuations in temperature. Mornings were cool, but by noon, it was hot enough to soak formal attire in sweat. Therefore, most gentlemen and ladies tended to avoid walking the streets as much as possible, fearing the changing temperature might harm their health.

Xing Mo, however, didn't mind this. She liked to wander the streets by herself.

Whenever there was nothing to do, she would go out for a stroll.

Moreover, since there was a gentle drizzle at this time, she bought an umbrella from a roadside grocery store. Then, with the umbrella in her hand, she walked leisurely in the drizzle, listening to the rain's melody.

At the same time, Xing Mo kept thinking about Steam Man, trying to piece together the truth about the creature from the clues she got so far.

A ghost that can appear in different places in a short span of time, and can even sneak into the academy without being noticed...

How did he do that? Did he fly? If that were the case, there should be witnesses. But there were no such reports at all.

Did he use the underground water pipes? That could explain his two appearances in the White Tower District. However, Nevirabeta Magic Academy and the Citadel are separated by a strait...

"There aren't enough clues..." Xing Mo muttered.

Lost in thought, she suddenly realized she already passed through Splash Street, where Miriam's apartment was located, and entered Flame Street on the outskirts of the Northern District.

It was a fairly remote street, where regular carriages and steam railway routes didn't pass through, thus seeing little flow of people.

Many nobles and affluent merchants liked to purchase properties in this area, occasionally visiting here for vacation to enjoy the unique tranquility of the Northern District.

Of course, it was the kind of tranquility only reserved to the wealthy.

Walking along Flame Street, Xing Mo let her mind wander.

When she was passing by a quaintly decorated shop, she suddenly caught sight of the signboard at the shop's door from her peripheral vision. It read Ocean of Flowers.

As if some dormant memory had been awakened, Xing Mo stopped and looked at the shop.

This was a café, modest in size yet adorned with quaint elegance. The signboard above the shop's door, with the words "Ocean of Flowers" written on it, looked like a small blackboard, with a white flower drawn in chalk.

This shop... why does it seem familiar?

As she pondered this, Xing Mo placed her hand into her pocket, where she unexpectedly found a black card.

She fished out the black card from g´her pocket and looked at it, and found an address written on it in gilded letters: Northern District, Flame Street 69, Ocean of Flowers.

Oh... it's the café that the miss I met at the breakfast shop recommended to me...

Xing Mo looked up at the sign again, looking pensive.

Have I been carrying this card all this time?

I think the miss said that if I can come talk to her if I want to get something off my chest.

Seeing as she didn't have anything to do, Xing Mo put down her umbrella and opened the door of the Ocean of Flowers café—

Jingling—

The sound of wind chimes rose, and a delicate fragrance of flowers wafted over, making Xing Mo feel like she were bathing in a spring breeze.

Inside the café, the first thing that caught her eye was the counter, where a small vase with two small white flowers stood.

"Welcome, can I help you?" A maid behind the counter greeted Xing Mo. She had ice-blue eyes and supple pink hair tied into two low ponytails, giving her an air of warmth and wisdom.

"Um... hello?" Xing Mo took out the small card, "The owner of this place gave me this card and told me... if I have any troubles, I can come talk to her?"

The maid took the small card from Xing Mo, looked at it, and then smiled: "She prefers to be called proprietress."

She returned the card to Xing Mo and pointed to a corner of the café: "The proprietress is over there, writing something. I'll bring you your coffee shortly."

"Okay, um...how much is it?" Xing Mo went for her wallet.

"No money needed. We don't have a menu here." The maid winked an ice-blue eye.

Xing Mo was taken aback, feeling strange. Don't you need revenue to keep the café open?

However, sensing there might be more to it than meets the eye, she decided that it was best not to pry further and simply thanked before making her way toward the corner of the café.

At the corner of the café, Xing Mo found the proprietress—

—she was seated at a table, drinking coffee while jotting down something in a notebook.

Hearing Xing Mo approach, she gestured with her eyes for her to sit across from her, then continued writing.

Xing Mo didn't disturb the proprietress, but sat down quietly and waited politely.

After about five minutes, the proprietress raised her head from the notebook and smiled at Xing Mo, saying: "Have you encountered any troubles? Ms. Xing Mo?"

Xing Mo blinked her eyes: "How do you know my name?"

She even used the name Xing Mo had before she became a girl! Instead of her current alias "Xing Sheng"!

The proprietress smiled: "Many people know your name, so what's one more?"

"It's not that… it's not okay..." Xing Mo found this statement peculiar.

The proprietress closed the notebook, took a sip of coffee, and then stared at Xing Mo with blood-red eyes: "So, what's troubling you?"

Xing Mo hesitated for a moment, not sure whether she should tell the proprietress about Steam Man. On the one hand, it was an eerie subject, possibly scary to others. On the other hand, Xing Mo doubted someone running a café would understand such supernatural matters.

And she was running a café in the Northern District. What if she was told that "the terrifying Steam Man is in the Northern District" and was scared her off?

While she was contemplating, the proprietress seemed to see through Xing Mo's thoughts, saying with a smile: "It's regarding Steam Man, isn't it?"

"How did you know?" Xing Mo blurted out.

"It's written all over your face." The proprietress pointed out, "The missing Bellkeeper returned to the Citadel, accompanied by a little Evil God. And while she's busy and at her wits' end, the entire Citadel is in a state of chaos due to Steam Man's machinations."

"You are trying to come up with a solution, yet September's mist continues to thicken."

After the proprietress finished speaking, Xing Mo's jaw dropped, and she nearly stood up.

How does she know so much? From my true identity, to Aurora's existence?

Who is she? Why does she know so much?

Seeing Xing Mo so astonished, the proprietress gracefully picked up her cup of coffee and took a sip, her eyes resting on Xing Mo.

In the bright lighting of the café, the girl's blood-red eyes seemed to sparkle like stars or like lights shining at night.

Meeting those blood-colored eyes, Xing Mo swallowed and uttered carefully: "Who... are you?"

"A girl who runs a café." The proprietress stated.

"I'm asking about... your real identity..." Xing Mo sighed.

She had never heard of such a being—hiding in a café yet knowledgeable about all kinds of secrets and things—in the Citadel

The proprietress put the cup of coffee back on the saucer and said softly: "A friend."