27. Hesitation is a sign of insecurity; insecurity is a sign of affection.

The change in image is certainly important, but Nilu also needs to slightly disguise her attitude. After all, if Nilu continues to carry herself with that domineering CEO aura wherever she goes to sign up for the selection, it won’t be long before she becomes conspicuous. Therefore, after her new image, Nilu’s attitude also needs to shift a bit, and the direction of that change… in my view, doesn’t require much thought.

Just like Nilu’s current appearance of “returning to her old self,” if her attitude also reverts, this delicate girl’s demeanor and character would not only serve as a disguise or a means to select the new Saintess, but would also be the highest standard! So…

“Nilu, just act like you did before from now on.”

I offered Nilu a further reminder about her disguise.

“Then will you like me more, Mr. O’Keefe?”

Her timid gaze was filled with anticipation as Nilu cautiously stood on her tiptoes to look at me. Yes, this is the vibe! The feeling of Nilu in her former maid identity—it’s just so authentic!

As for Nilu’s question…

“Hahaha… you’re doing well. With this, no one in the church will connect you to the previous Nilu~”

“You’ve wavered~”

“Uh…”

“It seems that perhaps I should maintain this way from now on~”

She’s reverted again…

It seems I need to correct myself: although on the surface Nilu appears so fragile, there truly isn’t a shred of genuine emotion—it’s all just the current Nilu putting on an act…

The disguise is complete, and after that, we didn’t wait any longer. We immediately armed ourselves and headed to the “registration site” we had visited once before, with Nilu in her “fragile state.” After all, as the Order of the Church progresses with the selection of the Saintess, our initiative—or rather, the deterrent power of Ikusis as the “former Saintess”—is gradually diminishing. To avoid our situation becoming exceedingly passive, now is not the time to leisurely enjoy comfort.

At this moment, in the city.

As we made our way to the registration venue, the largest Order Church in the city, we were bombarded by the overwhelming propaganda for the “Selection of the Saintess” from the church along the way. Coupled with the emergence of more scripts due to our ongoing actions, we learned more about the “selection.”

I whispered to Kephiel and Nilu, “The selection of the Saintess starts from the grassroots level and gradually moves up. In theory, any resident within the church’s territory can register, but of course… it can only be women. Men would just be seen as perverts if they tried.”

“Although anyone can register, and women with credentials, theoretically considered ‘clergy,’ can even receive bonus points, the actual selection and standards for this event are still quite limited. At least, I can think of one thing: they only accept young girls. After all, they are selecting a ‘Saintess,’ not a ‘Shaman.’ So, Nilu, you’ll need to adapt as things unfold.”

Kephiel quietly added, “There are probably some underhanded dealings involved. After all, such things are not uncommon in the Great Ying Empire, and even the royal sister has a hard time managing them smoothly, let alone in a place like this.”

I guessed correctly about Kephiel, as even my script had bluntly informed me of the content: [Nilu encounters difficulties in the Saintess selection]. It could even interfere with Nilu, the big boss, in her actions. How could this “selection” possibly go smoothly? My concern was not the plan but Nilu. Nilu, you must “hold back” and maintain your current disguise!

Soon, we arrived at the registration venue for this Saintess selection—the Order Church branch. Compared to the chaotic scene of people jostling for space before, the church branch today was much less crowded. Aside from a few late-arriving girls still registering, most were onlookers, gossiping about each girl with a “Saintess dream” who was signing up, speculating on their chances.

What a hassle… but we had no choice, and from now on, the plan would rely more on Nilu’s improvisation. Although I knew Nilu’s boss identity, I couldn’t help but worry about her at this moment.

After all, Kephiel and I could only stand at a distance like other onlookers, trying to keep a low profile.

As I watched, Nilu’s “acting” was almost on par with Queen Louise IV. She seemed to revert to that timid maid from before, every move exuding a timid and cautious aura like a little rabbit, resembling an innocent girl who had never ventured out alone to do such things.

Not to mention ordinary actions, even when she received the “registration form” from the clergy, she deliberately held it upside down, drawing a wave of mocking laughter from the onlookers, questioning, “Is that girl even capable?”

“Divine fool, don’t forget, that’s her acting!”

At this point, Kephiel offered a strange reminder.

I had a rough idea of what Kephiel was trying to say, but to avoid a complicated explanation, I pretended not to understand.

“What do you mean, Kephiel?”

“Nothing… nothing at all…” Feeling a bit “impure,” Kephiel quickly changed the subject. “I just wonder if Nilu can really pass this smoothly…”

“I’ve considered that. We came here for this very reason. I will keep an eye on the results of Nilu’s registration for the selection using ‘prophecy.’ It would be best if she can pass the first round without incident. If anything changes, we’ll have to resort to any means necessary. At that point, Nilu will have Jias command her.”

Whether it’s a smooth pass or a violent breakthrough, I have ways to ensure Nilu “levels up.” However…

Was it to be expected? Some things never go as smoothly as I hoped.

Amidst the noise from the church branch, a strange commotion arose! The next moment, when Kephiel and I looked over, a figure that could be described as… striking? Or perhaps “luxurious,” “golden and glittering,” had pushed through the crowd of onlookers beside us and swaggered into the church branch.

Many onlookers, suddenly shoved aside, were naturally displeased. However, before they could voice their complaints, several individuals dressed in clergy attire, likely staff members, followed closely behind and silenced any dissenting voices among the onlookers without exception.

As my gaze settled, I finally saw the figure that had swaggered in at the beginning—a golden-haired girl with braided pigtails. From her attire, she seemed to be a member of the church, but that golden robe of hers was truly a bit too glaring for my eyes.

As for the purpose of this girl’s intrusion, before I could even glance at the script, it was already laid out clearly before us.

She looked at the ordinary girls, including Nilu, who were currently registering, and then disdainfully waved her hand.

“Don’t block the way! Where’s the person in charge of registration? I’m here to sign up, so all of you get out of my way!”

I rubbed my forehead and held onto Kephiel’s hand to prevent her from doing anything rash.

Tsk, Nilu’s “registration” was indeed not going to go smoothly.