Watching the somewhat guilty-looking girl, Tail suddenly understood why Lynelle had just used that unknown secret technique to alter her appearance.
If Cirrus wasn't lying, then this 'she-demon' who had all the Heliobi in Fyxestroll Garden trembling in fear was clearly connected to Lynelle.
Leaving aside whether they'd face retaliation from Cirrus and the others, just being chased around by a bunch of Heliobi calling him 'Mama' was something Tail knew he couldn't handle—and Lynelle probably felt the same.
Still, Tail didn't expose Lynelle right then.
Instead, he asked curiously, "Who's this newcomer? What did she do to you all? And… why do you say that after being eaten by her, you start craving a mother's love?"
"How should I know!" Cirrus snapped back irritably.
"She just showed up a few days ago. At first we thought she was some new warden the Xianzhou had brought in."
"But then, Heliobi who went to provoke her were publicly grabbed, lifted up, and tossed right into her mouth."
"Being eaten wouldn't be so bad on its own. Even though we Heliobi aren't masochists, our immortal nature means we don't really care—whether we're trapped in the garden or inside a stomach, it's all the same."
"But then, half a day later, those first few Heliobi she swallowed were spat back out completely intact… and they…"
"…had turned into what you just saw."
"Whether it's because their wills were too weak or she has some special method, any Heliobus that enters her belly ends up like that in less than half a day—pitifully desperate for a mother's love…"
"But, the more I listen, the more it sounds like…" Tail wore a thoughtful expression.
"…this is just you all being weak. Getting caught, being assimilated by her will in under half a day… has life in Fyxestroll Garden made you all too soft?"
"Hey, you—!" Cirrus's ghostly flames visibly 'flushed red' with anger.
"We just didn't want to be caught alone! Now that we've gathered together, you think we're still afraid of her?"
"Just let me get my hands on her—both her and that 'Mama' she's always going on about will face the ultimate humiliation from our Heliobi race, ya hear!"
"?"
That immediately rubbed Lynelle the wrong way.
The 'ultimate humiliation' part—if she got to pick the members of some 'queen squad' herself, she might even consider it.
But being utterly humiliated by Heliobi… well, then she'd have no choice but to unleash Corruption-chan.
So the girl decisively gave the feather in her hand a light pinch.
Instantly, not too far away, a purple-haired girl who had been searching for food practically lit up—in the physical sense.
Meanwhile, Cirrus was still rambling, trying to persuade Tail to join its "Heliobi Community of Shared Destiny," completely unaware that danger was quietly closing in.
"Listen, that weird female demon who popped out of nowhere might be the doing of the current General of the Cloud Knights."
"Haven't all those visitors to the garden said General Jing Yuan is shrewd and full of schemes? Maybe he's trying to eliminate the Heliobi threat by releasing her into Fyxestroll Garden…"
"Jing Yuan? Who's that?"
A somewhat puzzled female voice cut Cirrus off.
"I don't know any Jing Yuan. I only listen to Mama, okay?"
Then, massive clusters of green flames abruptly erupted around them.
The spatial ability of the Phase Flame had locked down the entire area. At the same time, Corruption-chan teleported in through the flames.
"I wondered where the biggest flames I sensed earlier had gone… so you've all gathered. That's perfect—saves me the trouble of hunting you down one by one."
"Rather than snacking on those bland little Heliobi, it's better to take all of you out at once."
"That way I can record some interesting abilities, and also stop you from turning into those mother-obsessed weaklings… I really don't want Mom to suddenly gain dozens more daughters…"
"Y-you—don't get cocky!"
Cirrus, realizing its proudly assembled Heliobi collective was being completely disregarded, was on the verge of breaking down.
"Who ends up consuming who isn't decided yet! I refuse to believe the combined will of Fyxestroll Garden's most powerful Heliobi can't overwhelm you…"
Before Cirrus could finish, Corruption-chan abruptly appeared right in front of it.
In that instant, everyone present faintly saw the originally petite, cute girl—about Lynelle's height, with blue-purple hair—transform into a massive, phantom-like silhouette of a monarch insect.
Then, just like Kanna snapping up a cicada by the roadside, she swallowed the still-yelling Cirrus in one gulp and let out a cute little burp.
"I already said I'm not trying to assimilate you all—I just want your abilities… It's not like I have some sharing fetish; why would I want dozens of daughters competing for affection?"
Corruption-chan muttered in a voice almost too faint to hear, then glanced at Tail, who was still floating nearby, dumbstruck.
Whoosh—
Tail instantly retracted into Huohuo's body at a speed Huohuo had never seen before.
"D-don't look at me! This lord is already spoken for!"
"So fluffy… must be great to pet…" After labeling Tail in less than half a second, Corruption-chan's gaze swept over the group before immediately fixing on someone whose appearance had changed quite a bit.
"Mama!"
"Didn't I tell you to call me 'big sister' in front of others…?" Lynelle helplessly caught the girl lunging toward her.
"Also, haven't you caused a bit too much commotion in Fyxestroll Garden…? If I'd known, I would've brought you here myself from the start."
"It's not my fault! Who knew they had that weird trait? If I'd known the more fragmented Heliobi would get assimilated instead, I would've gone straight for the big ones from the beginning…"
Corruption-chan nuzzled against Lynelle, then looked up, slightly troubled. "Mom… uh, I mean, Lynelle Big Sister… whose form is this? It feels kinda hard against my head."
"Shh— Are you trying to get us killed?! You can't just say things like that, especially on the Xianzhou…"
Lynelle quickly covered Corruption-chan's mouth, afraid a Cloud Knight Marshal might suddenly appear and deliver a skull-splitting punch.
"Mmm… so, the 'she-demon' who turned Fyxestroll Garden upside down… is actually your daughter, Lynelle?"
It was only then that Huohuo spoke up, sounding impressed.
"No wonder the general sent you to clean things up… it really is a case of matching expertise to the task…"
"Ahem… that's right." Seizing Huohuo's words, Lynelle blinked and looked toward Guinaifen and Sushang, conveniently pinning everything on Jing Yuan.
"Anyway, since this is a secret operation directly arranged by the general, please keep it to yourselves, okay?"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.