Mo Wan opened the door and let Rosa inside.
As soon as Rosa entered, she grabbed Mo Wan's shoulders. She looked anxious.
"How did it go? Did the [Saintess]... do anything to you after that?"
Mo Wan blinked. She wondered how Rosa knew what the [Saintess] had done to her.
Then she realized that Rosa had been right there during the oath. Rosa knew she had stayed silent.
"No. But... the [Saintess] revoked my [Honorary Knight] title."
"Sigh..." Rosa frowned and let out a soft sigh. "There was no other way. Honestly, you are lucky the [Saintess] conducted the ceremony today. If the Pope found out you abandoned the faith in such a holy place, you might... never have left the church."
"Yes..."
Mo Wan nodded.
Actually, her current situation was not much different from being stuck in the church.
The ring the [Saintess] gave her would not come off. She did not know if it had a [Surveillance] function, but with the power of the [Saintess], she could definitely find Mo Wan whenever she wanted.
"What do you plan to do next? You lost your [Honorary Knight] title. In the future, we might not be on the same path anymore."
Mo Wan stayed silent.
She had not thought about this possibility before going to the church.
Once they became official [Honorary Knights], Rosa and the others were state employees. Their salaries were paid by the kingdom's [Knight Order].
Of course, Rosa and the others could still take local [Quests] to earn extra [Gold Coins].
"Wait, I have an idea. If we get a combat mission from the church, we can hire you as an outside mercenary. We can pay you a commission then."
"Is that allowed?"
Mo Wan looked at Rosa with her large black eyes.
"Of course! We have fought together for years. We survived countless crises because of your [Healing Magic]. You are in trouble now, so there is no reason to leave you behind."
But that was just Rosa's opinion.
What did the other teammates think?
Her position as the priest in the [Azure Crystal Squad] was already minor. If she lost her [Honorary Knight] status, would they really be willing to give up part of their state salary to pay her a commission?
"It is fine, Rosa. Do not worry about me too much. I lost my title, but... I met a princess. I do not think I will have trouble finding work in the future."
Mo Wan raised her hand. She showed Rosa the ring.
"What is that?"
"It is... a gift. I helped heal her injuries, so she gave me this. She said I can use it to enter the palace and see her."
Mo Wan lied.
She just did not want Rosa to worry too much.
She knew Rosa was a good person and a true friend. Rosa always took care of her. Rosa would use her own salary to buy Mo Wan food or give her clothes.
As expected.
Rosa finally smiled when she heard Mo Wan had a new opportunity.
"That is great."
Rosa felt much better. She sat on Mo Wan's bed and leaned back on her hands, looking up at her friend.
"Maybe this is better for you. I always thought you were talented, Mo Wan. You just do not have much experience dealing with people. Everyone ignores your hard work and misses your best qualities."
"I was thinking about it before you came back. Even if the [Saintess] let you go, you cannot be a knight anymore. What would you do? If you joined another team and worked with strangers, would they treat you badly? I do not think you would fight with them, but I think you would just accept whatever they said to keep the peace. In the [Azure Crystal Squad], you deserved a higher commission, but you always stepped back. You put yourself in a low position. What if you met bad people next? They would just exploit you even more. I was so worried."
"Luckily, when one window closes, fate opens another door."
Rosa let out a long breath.
Mo Wan was moved by her sincerity.
Actually, the main reason Mo Wan acted that way was to keep a low profile. She did not want anyone to realize her magic came from the [Demon Race].
Most magic was the same for humans and demons. Only [High-Tier Skills] showed a clear difference.
"Thank you, Rosa."
Rosa stayed in the room for a long time. She talked with Mo Wan about the past.
Since Mo Wan did not get her knight certification, she would have to part ways with Rosa. They were no longer on the same path.
The sky turned dark.
Rosa prepared to leave. She reached the door but turned back. She could not help but ask the question in her heart.
"Mo Wan, what do you actually believe in? If you do not fight for [Vesa], who are you fighting for?"
"I..."
Mo Wan did not expect that question.
She touched her chest. She looked conflicted.
Who was she fighting for?
The [Demon Race]?
But they had abandoned her. Her own father had personally ordered her exile.
Rosa watched Mo Wan. She really wanted an answer.
"I do not know... I am lost. I thought I could say the oath to [Vesa] before I went to the church, but I just could not do it."
"I see. It is okay. I believe in you. Even if you do not follow the faith, I know you are a good person."
Rosa realized Mo Wan was not going to tell the truth. She did not push further.
She said goodbye and left the room.
The door clicked shut. Mo Wan fell back onto her bed.
Sometimes Mo Wan thought about her past life as a human. She should be on their side.
But when she looked at her life in this world, it was different.
The culture of [Vesa] was nothing like Earth. To her, [Vesa] felt like a foreign country she was visiting. She was human, but she did not feel like she belonged here.
The [Demon Race] was where she grew up. It was her home in this new world.
Even though they kicked her out and she promised never to go back, she still missed it.
In the quiet of the night, she still thought about her beautiful past and her homeland.
"Sigh..."
'I need to figure out how to survive first.'
'I cannot miss home if I do not have food to eat.'
[Saintess Iselyn] had ended the conversation so quickly. She said Mo Wan had to help the princess.
When would that happen? Would she come find Mo Wan? Or should Mo Wan go to the church tomorrow?
Mo Wan touched the [Spatial Ring].
She channeled [Mana] into the ring. It glowed with golden light. The light gathered in her palm, and a small cloth [Money Pouch] materialized.
Mo Wan sat up. She opened the bag to count her [Gold Coins].
But there was nothing inside!
The bag was empty except for a folded piece of paper.
'The [Saintess]... she scammed me!'
Mo Wan felt both angry and amused. The [Spatial Ring] was worth way more than ten [Gold Coins]. She did not think the [Saintess] would care about such a small amount.
She opened the note. She wanted to see how the [Saintess] planned to mess with her.