Starting from the Collapse World, I became the behind-the-scenes boss

Shihen personally poured a cup of fragrant tea for the shrine maiden and gently comforted her.

The boy's internship in the far northeast still has several days left, so he has plenty of time to slowly train... no, I mean, teach Yae Sakura the survival rules of this era.

Holding the teacup in her hands, feeling the warmth emanating from the delicate porcelain, Yae Sakura felt somewhat at ease and asked, "Lord Hen just said that I am the mortal enemy of the Church of Destiny?"

"Hmm. During the public trial of the Saintess, she publicly announced that she had fallen in love with a certain fox-eared priestess, thus taking all the blame." Shihen glanced at Yae Sakura and explained, "So, in that archbishop's eyes, you were probably a bad woman who seduced the Saintess into depravity."

If he finds out you're still alive, he'll stop at nothing to capture you and tear you to pieces.

In the dozen or so Kallen Fantasy series, the fox priestess, who is the only officially designated villain, has died in hundreds of different ways.

If Bishop Otto were to capture the real person, he would be delighted to turn his fantasy into reality.

By then, Yae Sakura will probably become Hyakue Sakura.

Yaezakura: “…”

She felt like she had been unfairly blamed.

However, if it were for Kallen... even if the other party were truly a god-like figure, she would be willing to raise this rebellious blade to the heavens.

Gently grasping the slightly hot demon sword at her waist, the shrine maiden's eyes flashed with a flame-like red light.

“In this day and age, the Church of Destiny controls two-thirds of the world. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Archbishop is an emperor who reigns over all the kingdoms.” As if seeing through the priestess’s thoughts, Shihen said leisurely, “You alone are absolutely no match for him.”

As a Stigmata Awakener, Yae Sakura's base stats are not low, even surpassing most A-rank Valkyries, but her combat skills... are you comparing a self-taught Far Eastern village girl to a Valkyrie who has received elite training?

It's no exaggeration to say that anyone who can get a coaching position at the Destiny headquarters could easily earn a title like "Sword Saint" or "Gun Saint" outside.

After all, destiny is never short of money.

Even in terms of power, the Destiny Organization is undoubtedly the world's number one, and it has no trouble attracting talent.

Although these sword saints are no match for an ordinary B-rank Valkyrie in a real fight, their understanding of combat techniques is still worth learning from.

Moreover, even in terms of combat intensity, the modern simulation training room, combined with various combat missions, means that the Valkyries will face far more battles in six months than a Priestess will in her entire life.

"……I see."

Yae Sakura looked down at the stone table in front of her.

"Then, Miss Sakura, would you like to consider working for me for a while?"

Turning the teacup in his hand, observing the delicate patterns on the celadon surface, Shihen spoke softly, his tone gentle as a devil's whisper.

Chapter 120 Yae Sakura's Swordsmanship Training

Inari Shrine, behind the mountain.

Standing in a clearing in the woods, Yae Sakura held her breath and focused her attention, carefully observing every movement around her. Even her long fox ears stood up, not missing a single sound.

call out--

A faint sound, almost like the fluttering of butterfly wings, rang out.

Her relaxed body tensed up instantly, and the shrine maiden raised her crimson demon sword horizontally.

Keng!

A sharp clang of metal clashing suddenly rang out as a silver-white Tang sword landed on the demon sword.

The two swords clashed, creating countless sparks. Just when Yae Sakura thought she could block the attack, the Tang sword suddenly flipped and flicked, its silver blade already positioned across her shoulder.

The other party had already calculated her every move.

"Not bad, you've made progress."

With a flick of his finger, he turned the Tang sword into countless points of light that vanished. Shihen took a step back and smiled.

At the beginning of the training, the shrine maiden couldn't even see his shadow until the moment the blade touched her body, at which point she finally understood what was happening.

Although Shihen had not seriously studied the assassination techniques inherited from Sakura of the previous civilization era, it was not difficult for him to replicate some of their power.

This would be perfect for Yae Sakura to practice with at this time.

"But it still couldn't stop Lord Hen's sword."

Sheathing her sword, Yae Sakura sighed with a hint of disappointment.

In a whole day, the best she could achieve was merely seeing the boy's blade.

"This is just the beginning, Miss Ying should be more patient." With a smile, Shihen comforted her, pointing to the pavilion not far away, "Miss Ying has worked hard in her cultivation, why don't you have some snacks and tea to rest?"

Yae Sakura glanced at the black-haired boy beside her, who remained calm and composed, and nodded slightly, panting.

As they sat down in the pavilion, Shihen once again poured tea for the girl.

A qualified boss should always show concern for his subordinates.

Looking at the smiling young man before her, Yae Sakura pursed her lips, but couldn't help asking, "With Lord Hen's strength, even in the Stigmata Space, you should be able to defeat the Corruption Herrscher on your own, right?"

Having coexisted with the other for five hundred years, she knew very well how much power the Corrupting Herrscher possessed in that state.

Even with the strength the boy has shown so far, dealing with the Corruption Herrscher wouldn't be too difficult.

Not to mention, this strength is just the tip of the iceberg for the young man.

The other form of the other party, with white hair and white eyes, was so terrifying that even looking at his back felt like a fantasy.

"The Holy Maiden once said that what matters is not only the result of a matter, but also the process of achieving the goal, which is equally worth remembering."

Shihen smiled calmly.

Although he could defeat the Herrscher of Corruption, it was absolutely impossible for him to obtain the final Key of Corruption.

The boy lacked the kind of love that could move the other person.

However, even if Shihen himself has no love, he can still borrow the love of others.

Therefore, Yae Sakura must be awakened.

"...Lord Hen, it's just the two of us here."

The shrine maiden said softly.

At a time like this, you don't need to pretend to be a follower of Karen anymore, right?

"Sorry, I'm used to it."

Shihen said this without any sincerity.

"Did you deceive those girls the other day in the same way, Lord Hen?"

Yae Sakura's tone was melancholic.

She has gradually come to discover the true nature of the boy.

“Miss Sakura, don’t just look at things superficially.” Shihen held up a finger and shook it. “At least, their outcome was good, just like yours, Miss Sakura.”

Even Mei, who longs to become an Avenger, has a life that is far better than the original timeline.

At least, the girl was no longer bullied at school, and she also learned that her father was innocent, and even understood the unspoken love he had for her.

From these perspectives, Mei should practically present him with a banner of appreciation.

Yaezakura: “…”

Just a second ago, you said the process was more important.

"If I hadn't agreed to join you in the first place, what did you intend to do with me, Lord Hen?"

After hesitating for a moment, Yae Sakura couldn't help but ask.

Just as the boy said, she was indeed very grateful for his help in the Sacred Mark Space.

On the other hand, she finds it hard to accept the boy's deception.

Sigh, the outside world is too complicated. I really want to go back to the Sacred Mark Space and stay home.

The priestess suddenly felt exhausted.

“If Miss Sakura refuses, I will have no choice but to lock you up.” Shihen said frankly, taking a sip of tea with a helpless expression. “I’m sorry, I have reasons for having to do this.”

The mastermind behind the scenes will never be exposed unless he actively betrays the group at the end.

"If it's about keeping a secret, wouldn't silencing me be a more straightforward way?"

Yae Sakura asked with a complicated expression.

When she thought the boy was a bad person, some of his good qualities suddenly became apparent, making her unable to help but feel hopeful.

"I'm not some kind of demon." Shihen shook his head, picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and put it in his mouth, a smile naturally appearing on his face. "Miss Ying, wouldn't you like to try these pastries? It's said to be a century-old shop with several generations of craftsmanship."

Although the price is quite high, the taste is indeed not bad.

Fortunately, the boy was not short of money at the time, otherwise he would not have bought the entire shrine.

Land in Changkong City is not cheap.

Upon hearing this, Yae Sakura picked up a piece of pastry and chewed it carefully, nodding in agreement: "It is indeed much better than what I ate at festivals when I was a child."

Even with the added bonus of childhood memories, the deliciousness of these pastries is undeniable.

It can only be said that the skills of professional craftsmen are something that ordinary people from the mountains and countryside cannot replicate.

“Festivals…” Upon hearing this word, Shihen’s tone became more interested. “The festivals in Miss Sakura’s time must have been very lively, right?”

"It wasn't a good time, but the festival was certainly lively. Every year around that time, people from several villages would come..."

As the waning sunlight shone on her, Yae Sakura sipped tea and ate sweets while recounting long-forgotten memories.

The biting north wind softened as it passed through the forest, and a smile slowly crept onto the girl's lips.

Such days don't seem so bad, do they?

Looking into the boy's bright, black eyes and feeling the sweet fragrance lingering on his lips, the shrine maiden couldn't help but think to herself.

While the shrine maidens were enjoying their lives, the eldest daughter of the Raiden family was not so content.

Inside the kendo dojo, facing a box of mercury placed before her, Mei could only manage to create ripples on its surface with all her might, falling far short of condensing it into a sphere.

"What exactly is going on?"

Looking at the constantly fluctuating surface of the mercury, Mei gritted her teeth, her face full of resentment.

Even though it's the same box of mercury, why can't she even condense it into a ball when she practices alone?

What's the difference between this and when that bastard Shihen was there?

With a helpless sigh, Mei could only pick up the phone next to her and skillfully open her email.

There are still no unread emails.

Where did that bastard go?!

The girl frowned, feeling an urge to smash her phone.

She clearly agreed to be her swordsmanship coach, but then suddenly left an email and disappeared. What's going on?

That guy, I'll definitely teach him a lesson next time!

With a bitter expression, Mei tossed her phone aside and continued to control the mercury, causing it to ripple.

As the boy said, to gain superhuman strength, one must have unwavering patience.

One day, she will be able to cover the other person's face with stickers.

Chapter 121 On this day, the boy was betrayed.

As night falls, the Inari Shrine, nestled in the mountains, is completely silent, with the hustle and bustle of the world blocked out by the layers of trees.

After a simple yet substantial dinner, the shrine maiden watched as the young man took out some books and began copying and writing. A hint of curiosity flashed in her eyes: "Lord Hen, are you deciphering coded messages?"

"ciphertext?"

The pen paused, and Shihen looked up, a hint of confusion on his face.

“I read it in a book. To keep things secret, people hide the real information in a long, unnecessary paragraph that only professionals can understand.”

Yae Sakura explained.