Chapter 306

Chapter 306: Chu Yuanqing, "Mother Ellie."

Under the tree outside the wall.

Chu Yuanqing looked down at the unfamiliar yet familiar Sister.

Although Charlotte had quietly mentioned that Sister Ellie was almost 40, the person under the tree looked much younger than her age.

Ellie had beautiful features and delicate skin. She stood tall and serious, her back straight, with curves that showed the beauty time could not take away, even in her nun’s attire.

The nun’s eyes were special, a mix of coffee and reddish-brown, resembling honey, but more like the romantic color of toffee, with a softness that melted hearts.

Unfortunately, her blind gaze lacked sparkle, creating a hollow sadness that made her warm eyes seem melancholic.

The gentle breeze swayed her veil and her golden-brown hair, which resembled the color of a songbird, shimmered in the light.

Chu Yuanqing stared blankly, looking at this older sister who appeared only 25 but had a remarkably mature presence, while the sad whispers of Charlotte echoed in her ears:

"■■■■, little Carol, Elise, and…■■■■ also sacrificed."

The curse made the last name unclear, but intuition pointed to this nun, who was like a mother to her, stirring gentle ripples in her heart’s lake.

Time turned back, and the world restarted.

Those past tragedies have faded away in the reflection.

She was able to endure 17 years under the curse of the Sea of Truth, still filled with hope, because she knew her beloved ones could live happily in a peaceful world.

So, even though she already knew and had even forgotten about the other person,

When she saw Sister Ellie with her own eyes, her emotions bubbled like fizzy soda, wrapping her heart with dense bubbles, exploding with sweet joy, making the Lantern Gem on her chest shine with pure white light.

Sister Ellie was swept up by this wave of feelings and asked, confused and surprised:

"Charlotte, you brought friends back this time?"

Charlotte had just been feeling discouraged when Sister Ellie found her, like a child who had failed at hide and seek. But after hearing these words, she felt like she had gained some ground back, showing a cute smile, and said:

"Well, her name is Chu Yuanqing, and she is someone I like."

The Last Diva easily proclaimed her coming out statement, smiling brightly as she held Chu Yuanqing’s hand, jumped down from the wall, and landed gracefully. She confidently introduced:

"Sister Ellie should be able to sense it, right? Little Qing is as lovely as I am! Come and touch her face and hair; she will surely be very happy!"

Sister Ellie caught Charlotte, who had come close to her, and, almost like she could predict the future, gently pinched her cheek. But she still didn’t want to apply too much pressure. With a laugh and a sigh, she began to stroke the girl’s hair softly, saying in a gentle voice:

"Welcome home, Charlotte. I am very glad you came back to see me."

After the nun spoke, she turned to look at Chu Yuanqing and continued:

"And this lovely young lady, although I know it’s a bit forward to ask since we just met, may I touch your face?"

Chu Yuanqing looked a bit confused. She was gently pushed forward by Charlotte’s encouragement and softly replied:

"Of course."

Sister Ellie smiled softly, her gaze lowered, like a crowned Madonna in a church, her toffee-colored pupils sparkling in the light. Her palms gently touched the face of the Pure White Witch, bringing a cool and summery feeling.

Chu Yuanqing could feel her fingertips glide over her features, lightly touching her bone structure with a comforting touch, brushing over the corners of her eyes and forehead, caressing her skin, evoking a strange sense of nostalgia in her heart.

Perhaps this is a way for the blind to judge appearances.

After a minute of touching, Sister Ellie quietly said, confused:

"Well, beautiful bone structure, delicate skin, harmonious proportions, and a charm that captivates the soul even without seeing your face; it’s no wonder Charlotte has fallen for you."

"But… it’s really strange. I haven’t seen you before, yet there’s always this strange and nostalgic feeling."

As Sister Ellie spoke, she savored the unfamiliar emotion inside her. She looked like a loving mother seeing her wounded child, unable to resist her feelings of affection. After hesitating, she finally asked:

"Chu Yuan… Qing, am I right? Can I give you a hug?"

Chu Yuanqing hadn’t felt the warmth of a caregiver’s love for a long time. Her heart suddenly ached with a strange pain, yet she instinctively held back her weak feelings and spoke softly, her gaze downcast.

"Yes, if you want to."

Sister Ellie gently held the shorter person in her arms, stroking Chu Yuanqing’s white hair with her palm, her movements tender and careful, as if counting the hardships and pains the other had endured, offering a loving and sorrowful prayer.

It was strange, feeling so familiar when they clearly did not know each other.

But just like hearing Charlotte’s baby cries, she felt a connection with Chu Yuanqing that seemed like a gift from the divine, instinctively understanding the heavy burdens she carried, feeling sadness and guilt.

Chu Yuanqing closed her eyes; she couldn’t remember if Sister Ellie had held her before, but it felt so comfortable, so warm, and so familiar, the air filled with a scent like rice fields, soft as a dream.

Even though she had long passed the stage of needing comfort, being cared for was still something to be thankful for.

Charlotte watched this scene and quietly took a photo, wearing a smile like an enchanting fairy.

After a long time,

Sister Ellie let go of her hug, showing an apologetic smile as she softly said:

"I’m sorry for saying something strange on our first meeting."

Chu Yuanqing calmed her feelings and looked at her adoptive mother, replying earnestly:

"It’s alright, I also find Sister Ellie very kind; maybe… we were family in our past lives."

Sister Ellie thought the child Charlotte brought back was very cute, and after hearing that, she had an impulse to hug her again. She held back her urge to spoil her and changed the topic:

"By the way, I heard from Charlotte that you and she have that kind of relationship, right?"

If that’s the case, it would be no different from calling her mom.

"Um… yes, that’s true."

Sister Ellie, upon hearing Honey Qing’s answer, showed a happy smile. As an elder, she gently patted her head and said softly:

"I hope you can be more understanding of this child’s stubbornness. In the future, may you be together happily for a long time."

"When you get married, I will be your witness."

Chu Yuanqing fell silent.

Did Sister Ellie think about their future in that way too? Before she died, did she feel fear or regret? Or perhaps… did she hope they would have happiness?

That day, she fought to erase the concept of "salt," crushed the Pure White Forbidden Zone, and battled the King of Salt, choosing to inscribe an epic with her soul to carry the end of the twilight of the gods, destroying the world’s cause and sins, in exchange for all of Levatin’s power.

But it was already too late.

The soldiers who went to the front lines and the people who did not seek shelter in time all turned into pure white salt blocks in the wind, shattered and broken from the attack the day before.

Chu Yuanqing remembered that many people had died, and she began to regret not defeating the King of Salt on the day she got close to the forbidden zone.

At that time, she felt frustrated and sad, even hating her own hesitation. If she hadn’t worried about not being able to contact her loved ones in the future, she would have inscribed an epic with her soul to gain all of Levatin’s power, and this tragedy would not have happened.

Being weak is a sin, being cowardly is a sin, and greed is the same.

From that day on, the warmth in my heart was swallowed by the cold, becoming as hard as iron.

Therefore, I will not make the same mistakes again.

Whether it is the Calamity God or the Sea of Truth, no one can take away what she cherishes.

This perfect ending that was achieved by giving everything must not be broken by any force, even if the one trying to overturn it is myself.

Chu Yuanqing smiled gently and asked softly,

"If that day comes, can I call you Mother?"

Sister Ellie held Chu Yuanqing’s hand; her mood was clearly wonderful, and even though her tone remained mature and steady, it still ended on a cheerful note:

"Actually, you can do it now. I would be very happy to have more lovely daughters like you."

Chu Yuanqing looked at the other person’s happy face, feeling shy, and quietly said,

"Mother Ellie?"

Sister Ellie happily hugged Honey Qing, and compared to the previous hug that felt like a blessing from a saint, this one felt more like cuddling a little animal. She said contentedly,

"Mm~ So cute!"

"Soft and sweet, and so well-behaved. It feels like Little Qing is even more lovable than Charlotte."

Chu Yuanqing felt a strange sense of familiarity; this hug reminded her of Charlotte’s reaction when she discovered she had become a girl, just without a hint of suggestiveness.

But soon, she quickly realized something was off and earnestly corrected herself:

"No, no, Charlotte is cuter."

Upon hearing this, Charlotte became even more embarrassed and angry. She teasingly pinched Honey Qing’s soft waist and complained,

"Liking new things and being tired of old ones is not a virtue, as you, Sister Ellie, said!"

Sister Ellie let go of Chu Yuanqing and pinched Charlotte’s cheek, seriously teaching her a lesson:

"Charlotte, do not bully Little Qing, okay?"

"She is different from you, who is naughty, likes to play tricks, and sometimes throws tantrums. You can tell she is very honest and the kind of child who could be easily troubled by you."

Charlotte looked at Sister Ellie in shock, starting to wonder why her time to protect herself at home was so short. Then she glanced at the innocent Pure White Witch—the true cause of her problems—and puffed out her cheeks.

How can someone come in and take Sister Ellie’s love right away?

Even though… even though in the first playthrough, Sister Ellie liked Little Qing the most, now she has no memories and has changed gender, so this outcome feels quite unfair!

Chu Yuanqing held Charlotte’s small hand to prevent her from throwing a tantrum and changed the subject by asking,

"Well, Sister Ellie, it seems that Charlotte’s sexual orientation does not surprise you at all?"

"You need to call Mom."

Sister Ellie first corrected the name, then explained with some uncertainty:

"Well, I can’t say I wasn’t surprised, but Charlotte has always been very free, and if it’s Little Qing, there’s always a feeling that she would like whoever it is, whether they are a boy or a girl."

Sister Ellie’s belief is simple; to her, the difference between heterosexuality and a contact list is just whether they can reproduce normally.

But compared to being unable to give birth, abandoning a child is the real sin.

So, as long as Charlotte likes it, that’s what matters; her life belongs to her, and how can she be bound by her own preferences?

Not to mention, deep down, she has an inexplicable fondness and compassion for Chu Yuanqing.

Charlotte swallowed her jealousy, hugged Sister Ellie’s arm, and happily said:

"This time I brought some other friends along; let’s have dinner together tonight!"

Chu Yuanqing just nodded in agreement when she suddenly realized something and took out her phone. She looked at the WeChat interface showing 99+ messages and felt a chill as she understood there was a big problem.

The Pure White Witch nervously replied to the angry little idols in the group chat, then tugged at Charlotte’s sleeve and said:

"Charlotte, let’s not wait until night; let’s go together at noon. Little Xuan and Miyuki have been waiting for us at the hotel for a long time."

"And I still need to find time to arrange training tasks for Xiaoxiao."

Charlotte turned around and smiled; she said:

"Then let’s have everyone come to our home. The dining table here is very big so the kids can eat together."

Chu Yuanqing thought for a moment and said:

"That dining table can seat over twenty, and since the kids are small, we can squeeze in, but if Xiaoxiao and the others join us, there will be 11 people just on this side. The table surely won’t be big enough."

Sister Ellie’s lips curled up as she reached out and found Honey Qing’s head to pat it, happily saying:

"It’s okay, the weather is so nice today, let’s have a picnic together on the lawn! What does Little Qing like to eat? I can make it for you."

Chu Yuanqing felt a bit like a child, but seeing her adoptive mother’s happy face, she stole a glance at the shopping bags set aside, hanging in the air with a few musical notes, and honestly chose some of her favorite foods.

Charlotte watched this scene and decided not to feel jealous; she would save up these feelings for the evening to give them all back to the annoying Pure White Succubus!

Chu Yuanqing did not know Miss Saintess’s bad intentions; she sent the little idols the address and reminded them about the situation here.

So, half an hour later, both groups of little idols arrived at the small church.

But what was quite funny was that, perhaps because of a shared understanding among the witches, the shining light over the town created a subtle chemistry among everyone.

Among them, the situation of the lovely daughter was the most abstract.

Chu Wang Shu had a cute chibi Charlotte standing on her head, one on her shoulder, three in her arms, and three different versions of The Last Diva hidden in her backpack, along with lights and bubbles, and musical instruments made of shining materials.

Piano, cello, violin, tuba, guitar…

Many instruments were decorated with cute stickers, and some even had cartoon versions of The Last Diva on them. They gathered around the lovely daughter, bouncing happily as they formed a complete band, joyfully playing music.

Chu Yuanqing heard the noise from hundreds of meters away. She looked at her daughter, who seemed helpless and a bit embarrassed, and couldn’t help but laugh.

Charlotte, seeing this scene, excitedly took out her magic camera to capture the fun moments that ordinary people couldn’t see. She took pictures from many angles, enjoying her daughter’s embarrassed expressions, and happily commented:

"Little Shu is so adorable."

Chu Wang Shu saw the troublemaker and angrily complained to her mom for a long time before the nearby band disappeared, leaving only a sticker of Charlotte stuck to her bag.

Yes, this sticker could even move and randomly turn into an adorable little otaku character.

Kirimi Miyuki, Xie Qingxuan, and Tang Liuli also had the strange things around them disappear, gaining their freedom.

As for Chen Yining and Ji Shuzhu, the childhood friends…

Because of the wonderful phenomenon created by Miss Saintess, which was always changing in many ways, the chibi version of Charlotte didn’t stay here long and vanished without a trace.

Liang Xiaoxiao probably had the scent of the Pure White Witch on her, and on her head sat a pixelated Miss Saintess.

This little creature occasionally sniffed Xiaoxiao’s hair, as if it had found a catnip toy, and held on tightly.

But after they arrived at the church, it looked at the Pure White Witch with its head tilted, and pixelated red hearts popped up above it. It quickly walked over, wanting to jump onto Honey Qing for some affection.

Charlotte immediately pulled her pixelated self back and hid it in her pocket, feeling a bit shy. Didn’t these shining moments secretly show how much she liked Little Qing?

Although she could happily confess her feelings without hesitation and always express her love.

But if she let it go, soon Honey Qing would be covered with all sorts of herself, which would be far too embarrassing and needed to be stopped!

Chen Yining glanced at the dazzled Miss Choreographer next to her, looked at the culprit Charlotte, and already thought of her as a monster like Chu Yuanqing.

How much magic would it take to make these Sparkling Blessings permanent? It seemed too exaggerated no matter how she thought about it.

Chen Yining was very skeptical that the Calamity Seed could even hatch there. Even if a Grade E Disaster Beast was forced in, it would be drowned and purified by those bubbles and musical notes.

Unfortunately, even a top city like Tokyo does not have such a barrier.

So, even without asking, one could guess that the other party must have gone to great lengths to create this barrier to protect their hometown, which is a special method that cannot be widely used.

If it weren’t for that, there wouldn’t have been so many casualties in this attack.

From this, it could also be seen that Charlotte’s identity might be quite special.

Chen Yining’s thoughts quickly faded away, and like everyone else, she walked into the church, blending in as a guest.

After that, the little idols introduced themselves to the children inside the church, courtyard, and living areas, getting to know each other for a while, and the atmosphere was especially warm.

First, the children in the church rarely see so many beautiful big sisters.

Second, since everyone had been informed in advance by Chu Yuanqing that this was an orphanage, nearly everyone brought small gifts or snacks as a meeting gift, which quickly boosted the favorability rating.

But after playing for a while, considering the time, everyone went together to prepare lunch.

Sister Ellie chose a few idols from her childhood to help in the kitchen, while the others either played with the children or spread out a picnic blanket on the lawn.

About two hours later, at noon, the picnic blanket in the shade of the trees was covered with sandwiches, apple pie, baked potatoes, burritos, campfire bacon, and pizza… all kinds of food perfect for a picnic.

Listening to the children’s laughter, Sister Ellie walked back to the little church alone. She sat in front of the statue of the crowned Virgin Mary, bathed in light coming through the stained glass windows, with a calm smile.

Esther, in her silver hair and red eyes, sat beside the nun. She turned to look at her old friend, her delicate face, as beautiful as AI, showed complex feelings and she whispered softly:

"Long time no see, Ellie."