“A condition?” Adele murmured, curious about what Ain’s condition would be.

However, the Evil God Ain seemed to interpret this as a threat, as if Adele was saying, “A condition!? Hmm? You dare to have conditions!?”

The once-hateful, now seemingly pathetic Evil God Ain, immediately melted, softening into a slime barely resembling “girl version Victoria,” with discernible eyes and a nose. Or perhaps, a “Shimokitazawa wild hammerhead snake.”

Adele was taken aback for a moment, then seemed to realize her mistake and quickly waved her hands, saying, “Ah, um, please continue!”

“As long as it’s not too excessive, the Enforcement Bureau and I can consider your request after discussion!”

After Adele’s reassurance, the Evil God Ain gradually reformed her human body, simulated human vocal cords, and continued, “I... I don’t want to devour this world anymore.”

Having been thoroughly defeated, the Evil God Ain realized that with her abilities, she could never reach the level of that being... Or rather, if she ever had such aspirations, someone would surely stop her. And then, Ain would likely face utter destruction, losing everything.

This was a corner of the “world’s truth” the Evil God Ain had deduced. It was also one of the reasons why she was so terrified of Adele. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

“I know... you might not believe me.”

“And you’re not likely to let me go...”

“Si-Since that’s the case... why don’t we change the terms.”

“I don’t expect you to release me. I’ll do my best to awaken Victoria’s soul...”

Only the Evil God Ain, also a soul, could enter that place – a person’s “spiritual world.”

In most cases, a person’s “spiritual world” manifested as a house, where their soul resided. In fact, the previous struggle between the Evil God Ain and Victoria was like someone outside trying to enter a house, while the person inside desperately resisted.

Victoria’s soul had been resolute, preventing the Evil God Ain from invading her spiritual world and controlling her body. Until the battle with True Ancestor Ron.

To save Adele, Victoria had relinquished her spiritual world’s protection through a contract, giving up her soul’s dwelling.

Adele listened attentively, and Ain continued, “In exchange, I only need a quiet place to read...”

At first glance, the Evil God Ain’s request seemed harmless, even admirable, since few people these days could settle down to read. But one mustn’t forget that books, or “knowledge” as products of human spirit, could be consumed by the Evil God Ain as nourishment.

So, in other words, the Evil God Ain might be thinking, “I just need a quiet place to eat and slowly regain my strength.” And this was obviously unacceptable to the Enforcement Bureau. They wouldn’t allow the Evil God Ain any chance to recover her power. This was their responsibility to the entire Human Race, to the whole world.

Seeing Adele frown, the Evil God Ain hurriedly waved her hands, adding, “I’m not, not trying to recover my strength...”

“I’ve just realized some things. If this world has no place for me, then let me immerse myself in the world of books.”

“My past method of devouring was just savage consumption, forcefully stuffing knowledge /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ into my soul. It certainly enlarged my form, but the more I devoured, the emptier I felt inside.”

“I can’t remember how long it’s been since I’ve calmly sat down to read a book, to feel the thoughts of another soul, to create resonance between our souls...”

“In the beginning, I just wanted to understand that world...”

“But why, in the end... did I completely lose myself?”

The Evil God Ain’s tone became sorrowful, even touching Adele slightly. If this was a disguise, Adele would accept it. But it likely wasn’t.

In reality, the Evil God Ain was currently experiencing a “shattered Dao heart.” As a natural soul, her Dao heart had been shattered by “Adele’s soul.” Having let go of her obsession with power, she began to reflect on her past, realizing the terrible things she had done out of greed. She realized that her initial wish was simply to enjoy the resonance of souls.

In fact, the Evil God Ain’s true form was a tiny bookworm in the other world. You could often find their slimy trails, like water, within the pages of library books. Those were marks of their diligent reading, often bringing a knowing smile to the faces of those who encountered them.

Now, Ain wanted to rediscover the joy and satisfaction she felt as a “little bookworm.” So, her request was simple: a slightly larger containment cell and a new book delivered regularly, according to human reading speed. She would read slowly, without using any savage devouring abilities.

In this way, the entire cultural crystallization of the Human Race might be enough for the Evil God Ain to read until the end of time. Even until the end of the world, she might not be able to consume even a fraction of it.

Adele sensed sincerity in the Evil God Ain’s words. And she believed these conditions were completely acceptable. If Teacher Victoria... could truly be saved because of this.

After pondering for a moment, she looked up at the “girl Victoria version” of the Evil God Ain. “I’ll explain your conditions to my superiors.”

“I think they won’t refuse your request.”

And what Adele left unsaid was: She definitely wouldn’t.

In the monitoring room, Director Yashi, arms crossed, had a profound look in her eyes. She had witnessed the entire exchange between Adele and the Evil God Ain, listening to their conversation.

This wasn’t a violation of the girl’s privacy, but a security measure, an unspoken rule accepted by everyone within the Enforcement Bureau, under the watchful eye of authority. Adele should have anticipated this and wouldn’t feel any resentment.

Yashi wasn’t sure about the opinions of the other council members. But she would definitely approve the Evil God Ain’s request. It was the cheapest way to contain the Evil God and ensure her emotional stability.

But she was still curious about the Evil God Ain’s “unexplained fear” of Adele. Whether it was herself or True Ancestor Lislotte, the Evil God Ain had at most only looked them in the eye, implying she considered them equals, not worthy of her subservience. So why did Ain feel Adele was worthy?

“...”

Compared to the Evil God from another world, Adele was becoming increasingly unreadable to Yashi.