You call this a love game?

Full of prejudice, completely disregarding other people's thoughts, and forcibly imposing his own ideas on others, this seems to be the true nature of a father.

If asked which is more important, books or bread, Sakura Kyoko's answer would definitely be bread, because she's very hungry.

But if it were up to the father to choose, even if he were starving to death, he would probably only choose books, choose his way of saving the world, and put those things aside for the time being, even if his family was starving to death.

"I really didn't mean to steal it..."

After a long pause, all she could manage to utter was this weak explanation, an attempt to justify her actions.

"So you stole the bread for your sister?" Bai Yu asked.

Sakura Kyoko nodded, then realized that the other person probably couldn't see her, so she quickly hummed in agreement.

"My little sister is only five years old. She was crying because she was hungry. My mother gave us the last bit of rice porridge and drank cold water herself..."

Her voice became softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.

Talking about one's own sad stories is always painful, especially when the whole family can't even afford basic food and clothing.

Bai Yu tapped lightly on the wooden wall of the confessional, making a 'tap-tap' sound.

Sakura Kyoko looked up and heard him say, "If you want to fill your stomach, our church is short of someone to clean up."

"Huh?" Sakura Kyoko didn't react for a moment, her mouth slightly open, like a stranded fish.

"Two meals a day included, weekly salary of ten thousand yen." Bai Yu's voice carried a relaxed smile. "Of course, if your father agrees..."

After all, it would be somewhat inappropriate to send the daughter of a priest to work in another church, especially since she is a minor; it would be tantamount to employing a child laborer.

Even if he were reported, nothing would happen, since the church already bears some of the responsibilities of an orphanage. On the contrary, some people would think he is kind, can't bear to see others suffer, and is willing to give him a job to make a living, since not everyone can find a decent job these days.

However, Sakura Kyoko's eyes lit up instantly. She leaned forward abruptly and pressed her eyes against the small hole to look in this direction.

"Really? Me? I can do anything! Mop the floor, do laundry, organize the Bible... I can even water the flowers!"

Bai Yu couldn't help but laugh as he listened to her somewhat incoherent words.

"Don't be so nervous, but—"

He gently fanned his nose with his hand. "You need to take a shower and change into clean clothes. You can't work here in these clothes. If someone sees you, they'll say I'm abusing child laborers."

Sakura Kyoko looked down at her clothes, which were covered in mud, and her face immediately turned red.

"But I don't have any other better clothes..."

She didn't have many clothes to begin with, not to mention that not long ago, because she needed to eat, she sold those clothes cheaply to "people who needed them more," barely getting a meager living allowance in return.

"It's alright, the church has plenty of nun's clothes. They might be a bit too big, but they're still better than what you're wearing now."

“Um… Father,” she suddenly sat up straight, her voice becoming serious, “Could I get an advance on my salary? I want to buy my sister a piece of cake… just a small piece!”

She quickly added, using her thumb and forefinger to gesture a distance the size of a coin.

"May I ask why you bought a cake for your sister?"

After all, the family can't even afford to eat and stay warm, so suddenly wanting to buy a cake is a bit too extravagant for them right now.

“Because it’s my sister’s birthday today, I didn’t want her to go hungry anymore, so I went out to steal some…” Sakura Kyoko explained with her head down, then forced herself to cheer up and said with great enthusiasm, “But it’s good that I met you, Father, you are a very good person. I repent for what I did before. If you don’t want to, that’s fine too. I’m already satisfied as long as I can fill my stomach.”

Bai Yu stood up, pushed open the door to the confessional, and sunlight shone in from outside, drawing a golden line on the floor.

He reached out his hand to Sakura Kyoko, who was still sitting inside, and said, "Let's go buy some now, and get a bento for your sister too. I bet she's starving."

Sakura Kyoko froze for two seconds, then jumped up excitedly as if she had passed the imperial examination, almost bumping into the door frame.

She rushed out of the confessional, a leaf still clinging to her hair from when she fell. Bai Yu reached out and removed it for her. She chuckled shyly, her eyes crinkling into crescents.

"Oh, right." As they reached the church entrance, Bai Yu suddenly turned around. "Don't call me Father anymore, it sounds weird. My name is Bai Yu, what's yours?"

Sakura Kyoko blinked, then suddenly straightened her back and made the sign of a cross in front of her chest in a very serious manner.

"Yes! Father Shiraha!" She couldn't help but laugh, revealing a sharp canine tooth, and said sweetly, "My name is Sakura Kyoko, just call me Kyoko~"

Shiraha led Sakura Kyoko out of the church. The midday sun shone warmly on the two of them. Kyoko squinted her eyes, like a cat basking in the sun, and took light, quick steps.

"Father, shall we really go buy a cake now?" She tilted her head back, her eyes sparkling, as if afraid he might suddenly change his mind.

"If you call me Father again, the cake will be gone." Bai Yu deliberately put on a stern face, but the curve of his lips betrayed him.

"Ah! I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" Sakura Kyoko quickly waved her hands, hesitated, and tentatively called out, "Shiro... Shiroha... sir?"

Bai Yu sighed, "Fine, whatever makes you happy."

Sakura Kyoko grinned and jogged a couple of steps to catch up with him. "Hehe, I'm sorry, Father~"

As she left the church grounds, the shops on both sides of the street gradually became bustling, and various restaurants came into view, with stalls extending from the shops emitting an enticing aroma of food.

The aroma of baking from a distant bakery wafted over, and the sweet scent made her stomach rumble in agreement.

"Hungry again?" Bai Yu glanced at her.

Sakura Kyoko clutched her stomach, her ear tips turning slightly red. "N-no! It's...it's my stomach singing!"

Who eats a basket of xiaolongbao and then gets hungry again in less than an hour?

Sakura Kyoko didn't want to leave Shiraha with the impression that she was a glutton; she needed to use this job to earn money for her sister's birthday cake!

Bai Yu didn't expose her, and went straight to a dessert shop.

The glass display case was filled with all sorts of cakes and pastries. Sakura Kyoko's face was almost pressed against it, and the tip of her nose pressed a small dot against the glass.

"Choose one," Bai Yu said, pointing to the shop window.

Sakura Kyoko's eyes widened. "Really?"

Seeing Bai Yu nod, she immediately pointed to the smallest piece of strawberry cake in the corner, "This one! My little sister loves strawberries the most!"

The cake was only the size of a palm, and the strawberries on top were even a little wilted, like a failed attempt made by an apprentice to be sold at a discount, but Sakura Kyoko's expression was as if she had seen a treasure.

"That's it?" Bai Yu raised an eyebrow. "Don't you want to look at anything else?"

"No need!" Sakura Kyoko shook her head vigorously. "This is enough, really."

Bai Yu didn't say anything more, and while paying, he casually grabbed an extra box of chocolate cookies.

Kyoko Sakura held the cake box in both hands, walking very carefully, as if afraid of dropping it.

"Next, let's go buy some ingredients," Bai Yu said.

"Ingredients... Father, do you want me to help with the cooking?" Sakura Kyoko blinked, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "I'm not very good at cooking. I've only helped my mother a few times, so..."

Bai Yu couldn't help but reach out and tug at the girl's soft cheek, explaining, "I'm not asking you to cook, it's for your mother. You can't just eat your fill and let your mother go hungry, can you?"

Holding the cake in her hands, Sakura Kyoko did not dare to make any rash moves, even though Shiraha pulled her cheeks until they were red.

"I...I didn't mean that...I just..." Sakura Kyoko stammered, trying to explain, but seeing the smile on Shiraha's face, she thanked him with relief, "Thank you, Father! I will definitely work hard! I won't let you down!"

"I never said I had any expectations of you. Just be yourself." Bai Yu patted her head. "But you have to promise me one thing."

Sakura Kyoko immediately stood up straight, her expression as serious as if she were receiving a military order. "Speak!"

"Don't steal anymore. Come to church when you're hungry, and we'll feed you."

Sakura Kyoko paused for a second, then suddenly lowered her head, her bangs obscuring her eyes. Her voice was muffled, "...Mmm."

Bai Yu was about to say something when he felt his sleeve being gently tugged.

Sakura Kyoko looked up, her eyes a little red, but her smile was brighter than the sunshine. "Father, you're so kind! You're such a good person!"

"You've said that twice today." Bai Yu smiled helplessly. "Let's go, your sister will starve if we dawdle any longer."

Kyoko Sakura nodded vigorously, carrying the cake and following him lightly.

As she passed a convenience store, she suddenly stopped and stared at the cashier counter for a few seconds.

"What's wrong?" Bai Yu turned around.

"It's nothing!" Sakura Kyoko jogged to catch up with him, her face beaming. "I just feel... I'm really lucky today."

Yes, you're really lucky.

Although she was caught stealing by the convenience store owner and scolded by her father, she was already very content to have met such a wonderful priest.

Looking at the shop owner who was idly playing on his phone, Sakura Kyoko decided that she would find another opportunity to apologize to him.

Chapter 87 Sakura Kyoko's Family

Bai Yu, carrying a shopping bag full of groceries, turned around and saw Sakura Kyoko standing on tiptoe, her eyes fixed on the roast chicken in the butcher shop window.

The girl's nose twitched slightly, like a kitten smelling a dried fish.

"Want some?" Bai Yu deliberately waved the bag in front of her.

Sakura Kyoko snapped back to reality and shook her head vigorously. "No, no! I was just looking..."

Before she could finish speaking, her stomach growled in protest, and her face instantly turned bright red. She frantically tried to cover her stomach, almost dropping the cake box in the process.

Bai Yu chuckled and took a warm bun from the bag, handing it to him. "Have something to eat first, then we'll cook dinner when we get back. Your mother should be home, right?"

“Yes, yes!” Sakura Kyoko nodded vigorously, as if she were pounding garlic.

She took the bun from Bai Yu's hand, held it in her palm, and nibbled on it in small bites, her eyes narrowing into slits with happiness, not even bothering to wipe the oil stains from her mouth.

In such a blissful moment, she completely forgot that just a few hours earlier, she had almost thought she was going to die.

It should be noted that Bai Yu was still wearing the same clothes as before. The bloodstains from Qiu Bi were not very noticeable on the black robe, but his face and the crevices under his fingernails were completely cleaned.

As for the dead Cupid, no one cared.

What could be more important than filling your stomach?

As she turned the corner, Sakura Kyoko suddenly exclaimed "Ah!" and pointed to the roadside.

"Father, look!"

A calico cat was lazily sunbathing on the wall. When someone approached, it lazily lifted its eyelids but continued to doze off.

“It looks just like the one in our church backyard!” Sakura Kyoko gestured excitedly. “The one that always steals the offerings.”

Bai Yu raised an eyebrow: "You know that?"

“Of course!” Sakura Kyoko puffed out her chest. “I used to sneak over the wall all the time…”

He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, hurriedly correcting himself, "I meant, I meant that..."

"You often climb over the wall to steal offerings?" Bai Yu asked with a half-smile.

Sakura Kyoko's head drooped lower and lower until she finally buried her face behind the cake box, leaving only her hair, which looked like bursting flames, showing.

Bai Yu reached out and flicked her forehead. "If you want to eat something, just say so. Don't be like that greedy cat."

"Ouch!" Sakura Kyoko clutched her forehead, replying softly, "Okay..."

If she had a choice, she wouldn't want to steal food. The wild strawberries in the backyard weren't enough to fill her stomach; in fact, eating too many would make her feel uncomfortable, and her mouth would be filled with the sour taste of wild strawberries.

Thinking about what she had gone through during this period, Sakura Kyoko cherished the sudden happiness she was experiencing even more.

She didn't understand why Bai Yu was so good to her; perhaps he agreed with her father's teachings?

But she was just naive, not stupid.

Despite her father's best efforts, he couldn't convince the congregation of his new doctrines. She couldn't possibly convince other priests and gain their approval with just one side of the story. At least, she didn't have that ability yet.

Regardless of his motives, she will remember the kindness he shows her for the rest of her life; she could never be ungrateful.

Bai Yu, meanwhile, stared blankly at the newly added point of divinity on his panel.

He has a little divinity at the beginning, attends one Mass, and just prayed for Sakura Kyoko again. Now he has three points of divinity and is getting closer and closer to his goal of becoming a god.

He had just checked the calendar; it was about a year before Witch's Night. According to the normal timeline, Mami Tomoe should have already become a magical girl.

In other words, it's impossible to get there before the car accident and save her from becoming a magical girl.

After all, compared to becoming a magical girl and having to fight witches every day, risking death at any moment, he would rather let the girl live as an ordinary person, at least carefree and without any worries.

Unless all five magical girls are gathered, even with the exact same lineup as last time, he might not be able to guarantee that he can kill Witch Night.

So why not just keep it a secret from them in the first place? He can bear all the pain and all the wounds alone. If it doesn't work the first time, he can try again. As long as enough people die, he will eventually find the witch's weakness and defeat her.

He didn't let Kyubey seduce Sakura Kyoko simply because he wanted to gain some favor with her first.

If Sakura Kyoko is willing, he will still make her a magical girl when the time is right.

Since it is known that Homura can reincarnate, and she is too weak to reliably obtain the Seed of Grief, we need to find her a good helper.

As for Mami Tomoe, it's not easy to get in touch with her for the time being, since she's not a magical girl.