Morning.
The dawn mist wrapped around the slumbering streets like a thin veil of dust, while dewdrops from the previous night clung to the leaves of low shrubs.
The slightly crooked eaves of houses layered hazily in the fog, and the copper weathervane atop the pointed church steeple was just pierced by the first light of day, casting the shadow of its rusted cross onto the damp cobblestone path.
This was the Goddess Church of Olie City.
The young nun Kasha stretched lazily after stepping outside, ready to begin her daily chores.
The church stood at the westernmost edge of Olie City, its back facing the outskirts. Just beyond the rear gate, a winding path stretched about twenty kilometers, leading directly to a small rural village.
Today, Kasha was heading to the countryside to fetch fresh milk and eggs for the church’s kitchen.
Well… Kasha was the daughter of a rural dairy farmer, drawn to the bustling life of the city, which had led her to the church.
But the cost of living in the city was exorbitantly high, and with the Goddess Church housing so many, daily meal expenses were no small matter… Seizing the opportunity, Kasha had proposed her family’s farm as a stable supply source for the church.
With some effort, Kasha pushed open the church’s heavy doors.
To her surprise, someone was already waiting outside.
Two strikingly beautiful young women—one a tall, golden-haired elf, the other a petite and exceptionally adorable red-haired girl.
"We’re here for morning prayers," Liyana said cheerfully, while Mo Lini nodded in agreement beside her.
"Oh… is that so? Please, come in."
Kasha let the two inside.
It wasn’t uncommon for impoverished wanderers to attend morning prayers at the church, where they could receive a free meal afterward.
But these two didn’t look the least bit destitute, and Kasha had never seen them before.
Perhaps they were just curious visitors.
Then Kasha noticed the thick, exquisitely bound book in the elf’s arms.
It turned out to be a storybook—Kasha caught a glimpse of the cover, which bore the title of a well-known fairy tale, The Tale of the Genie.
How odd… She had read that story before, but was it really that thick? Kasha silently wondered.
After entering, Liyana and Mo Lini took seats in the very last row, near the edge, and listened attentively as the nun at the front recited the scriptures.
"Thank you, Liyana, Mo Lini. I appreciate your help," Musen’s voice echoed from within the storybook.
"No trouble at all," Liyana replied dismissively, waving a hand.
The scripture had been drastically altered from its original form.
"If we disguise it as a fairy tale picture book, it’ll definitely lower people’s guard," Liyana had explained very seriously at the time. "Think about it—if someone’s holding a scripture or a spellbook, they’d be met with suspicion… But if it’s just a storybook, at most, people will find it a little strange."
"Ha…" In the end, Musen had been convinced by Liyana.
Truthfully, he didn’t care much either way. After all, he was just a book—he had long since made peace with his existence, and it made no difference what kind of book he was.
"Besides, a fairy tale book looks perfectly natural in Mo Lini’s hands!" Liyana quickly ruffled Mo Lini’s hair before pulling her hand back.
Mo Lini: "Mmmph—"
After several days of restoration in Olie City, Musen had transformed from a tattered old scripture into a beautifully bound fairy tale book. The cover was edged with leather and reinforced with small metal plates, while the interior pages were crafted with special materials provided by Aina—paper that was fireproof, waterproof, and nearly impossible to tear…
"The Tale of the Lamp Genie"…
Liyana had chosen this story for the cover with careful consideration.
However, the pages inside remained completely blank.
Even Musen had to admit that with this new form, the body he manifested felt noticeably lighter.
Liyana yawned as the nun on the podium recited a lengthy passage—she had woken up a bit too early today.
Mo Lini listened attentively but understood little, her small head nodding as she grew drowsy.
The fairy tale book glowed faintly, though no one else could see it.
Liyana had brought Musen here because he claimed this method could strengthen his faith-based power and gather energy.
Bored, Liyana began admiring the young nuns in the front rows… purely as an aesthetic appreciation, of course. She had a girlfriend now, after all.
Maybe she could find a way to bring a nun’s habit back for her little lioness to wear?
Liyana’s mouth watered at the thought.
About half an hour later, the morning service ended, and the nuns rose to leave for breakfast.
Liyana and Mo Lini also prepared to exit the church.
Kasha watched them go, puzzled. They hadn’t done anything unusual—just attended the service, not even staying for breakfast.
Perhaps they were truly devout followers of the goddess.
Kasha didn’t dwell on it.
After breakfast, she hitched her old, skinny horse to the carriage and left via the small path behind the church.
……
"Aina… should we stop? Liyana and the others are back."
"Why stop? They can’t detect what’s happening inside our room anyway."
Shadows flickered, casting swaying silhouettes against the smooth wall by the bed.
The early bird—Aina—got her breakfast.
In truth, Xia Lun and the others had woken up before Liyana left. Despite going to bed late, they still rose early…
And Aina had been at it ever since, continuing until now.
Ever since arriving in Olie City, their days had been like this.
It was… truly decadent.
Xia Lun knew it was wrong. As a man, an adventurer, he should have dreams, ambitions—he shouldn’t wallow in indulgence… Yet he couldn’t refuse Aina’s demands, and time after time, he found himself reluctantly pulled into her embrace, descending into paradise.
"Ambitions? Xia Lun, what more do you need?" Aina scoffed when he brought it up. "Fame, power, authority—even this world itself. I can give you anything. What else is there to pursue? What dreams do you still have?"
Xia Lun opened his mouth but had no answer.
"Have you misunderstood something, Xia Lun?" Aina gazed into his eyes. "The tale of the hero has ended, the title of 'hero' is now just a relic of the past... What we're doing now isn’t some thrilling adventure—it’s a journey to reminisce about the past. And the most important thing about a journey is joy."
Xia Lun leaned back against the headboard as Aina placed a hand on his shoulder and commanded, "So, entertain me, Xia Lun."
"As you wish, Your Majesty the Demon Lord."
A moment later.
"Ah—I was wrong... Xia Lun... I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that... I won’t dare do it again..."