HP: Becoming a Maiden Heartthrob

Before St. Mary's Church closed, Nalilian and Kersten arrived at the church door.

The church has a unique carriage roof with a vaulted roof inlaid with round wooden ornaments, and the wooden panels are carved with flowers, strange beasts, the Four Gospels and a mermaid holding a comb and a mirror.

Nalilian looked up and spoke after a moment, "Although I always scoff at religious superstitions, I am always amazed by the beauty they can portray."

Kersten looked at her.

"I used to think artists were drawn to religion to create works like this, but now I think that's not entirely true. Having faith is truly different," she said, the church reflected in her eyes. "After all, believing in a God fills your heart with the most beautiful and truest expectations, allowing you to devoutly depict the beauty you pursue."

She said, smiling and looking at Kerston, causing Kerston to look away and look towards the church, humming.

He then added, "If only you could be so devoted to learning."

Nalilian snorted and turned away.

When Kerston looked over again, she was already clasping her hands together in a salute to the church.

He kept looking at her.

They walked into the church. Dim light came in from the colored glass windows, reflecting off the large and small wooden objects. There was no one in the church. In the center of the church was a statue of the Virgin Mary. The low chanting of nuns came from behind the statue, giving people a sense of time interweaving.

Nallylian sat on the bench with Kersten and muttered, "It's her loss that Mom isn't here."

She likes to believe these the most.

Thinking of this, she clasped her hands together and prayed silently.

Instead, Kersten looked at her lips and read her prayer—

"I hope my loved ones, the ones I love, can live in this world without worries or troubles."

“May they live a happy life.”

"I would give my soul and my life, though it were as lowly as dust to you."

"I only ask that you show them some favor."

After praying, she leaned on Kerston's shoulder.

"You didn't believe in religion before," Kersten said in a dry voice.

"I don't believe it," Nalilian said, leaning on his shoulder and looking at the stained glass windows in the church, "because I know God won't bless me."

"But I pray for you. Even if there is a one in ten thousand chance, I am willing to believe it."

At this moment, Kerston felt angry and bitter. He closed his eyes, took out the wooden spoon and handed it to her.

"What is this?" Nalilian looked at the wooden spoon in his hand.

Hearing her voice, Kerston curled his fingers slightly, "A wooden spoon, given to me by the little boy just now." He wanted to take his hand back.

"It looks very unusual," Nalilian picked up the wooden spoon and looked at it before he took it back.

"What's so special about a spoon?" asked Kersten.

"But these vines are all hearts," Nalilian touched the handle of the spoon.

“Featured,” Kersten said.

"Old-fashioned," Nalilian poked his palm with a wooden spoon, and then he held it and couldn't pull it out.

She gave up, rolled her eyes at him, and let go of the wooden spoon.

Kersten put away the wooden spoon.

The two of them sat there for a while. Kerston didn't hear her continue talking. After waiting for a while, he whispered, "We should go back."

But Nalilian did not respond to him.

Kerston turned his head to look over and found that she was leaning on his shoulder with her eyes closed and her breathing steady.

She fell asleep.

He turned his face to the top of her head and covered her hand which was resting on the bench. It was cold, and he held it tightly in his palm.

How could he let her sacrifice herself?

*

When Nalilian woke up, she was in her room. She sat up and saw her luggage, and she was sure that she had returned to the hotel she had booked in Carmarthenshire.

At this time, her stomach began to growl.

So hungry.

She scratched her hair, got up and opened the door. As soon as the door opened a crack, she heard noisy sounds outside.

"The place you chose, Assistant Professor Ende, is too luxurious. Do we have enough funds?"

"Assistant Instructor Ende is a wealthy man, would he care about such a small amount of money?"

"Could we have something better tonight, Assistant Professor Ende? We don't even have access to the Floo Network here. We've been on the train all day and we're starving."

She followed the sound down the stairs and saw a group of tall and strong boys surrounding Kerston and talking in a buzzing voice.

And Kerston looked up at her among the crowd.

"What are you looking at, Assistant Coach Ende?" Connolly was the first to notice his gaze, followed his gaze, and then paused.

"Who's that?" Quigley saw it too.

On the oak escalator, a girl with long black hair and a simple white dress looked down at them quietly, the light falling on her cheeks like an oil painting.

"girlfriend?"

A question interrupted Connolly's daze. He looked over and saw Moran winking at Kerston.

"Sister," Kerston said, which made most of the team members look excited.

"Sister?! Sister!"

After getting Kerston's affirmation, they rushed over.

Then, Nalilian saw the group of older boys running to the bottom of the stairs, looking at her eagerly, and shouting "Sister! Sister!"

Like a group of dogs begging for food but being blocked outside the door.

Nalilian looked at Kerston in embarrassment.

Kersten then said, "Her name is Nalilian."

Then their cries changed to "Na Lilian! Na Lilian!"

Nalilian frowned and looked at Kerston.

Kersten continued, "Her boyfriend will be arriving tomorrow."

Now everyone was as quiet as a chicken, and returned to his side, bowing and saluting, "Good evening, Miss Nalilian."