Avira was kissed.
Her hands were pressed against the edge of the pool, her entire body pinned beneath, and then the Demon King slithered over her like a water snake, kissing her passionately—more intensely than any kiss Avira had ever experienced before.
“Demon King… Demon King… De…”
A sense of suffocation and scorching heat came with her accelerating heartbeat.
The sweet fragrance from the Demon King’s kisses made Avira’s Moon Mark grow burning hot, and right now, she only hoped she wouldn’t succumb to this power.
Thus, resistance turned into struggling, and her voice became adorably cute.
“Wuu—!”
When the Demon King finally released her, Avira went limp all over and sank downward. Fortunately, the dragon girl caught her in time and pulled her into her arms.
However, Avira didn’t feel lucky at all.
Because this had exposed all of her body’s weak points to the Demon King.
“Demon King… my lord…”
“Sorry, I couldn’t hold back.” Ophitia chuckled.
“Wuu…”
“You’ll do anything for me, right~? Just think of it as making my body and mind feel good~”
Avira was originally furious beyond measure; she even considered just blowing up this idiot Demon King right then and there!
But then Avira thought it over. If the Demon King had become dependent on her, didn’t that mean the Demon King had fewer obsessions with her true self?
The Saintess Power she wanted, ruling the world—Avira could deliver better results than her past self without exposing her identity.
That desire could be satisfied.
And the body of Avira that she craved could be compensated for with Avira’s own body.
That could also be satisfied.
Therefore, her fake identity’s position in the Demon King’s heart would surpass her true self’s, making the Demon King forget about her existence.
Avira was confident she was stronger than her past self.
Moreover, if she could get close to the Demon King through these seemingly dirty means and build a good relationship, she could become the Demon King’s loyal subordinate on the surface while puppeteering her from the shadows as the true mastermind controlling everything.
Avira’s first mental surrender had already been given to the Demon King long ago; this was just repeating the process.
It was merely a kiss—what was there to fear? Just a bit of bodily hardship!
But before Avira could say anything, the Demon King caressed her softness, her eyes burning with flames of desire.
Fortunately, Avira immediately pretended to slip, breaking free from her embrace. She turned around and covered her important parts.
“Demon King, you still have important matters to attend to…!”
“What matters?”
The Demon King’s face was full of pleasure; she didn’t look like someone who had cried just moments ago. Her touches on Avira had also been mere teases.
Avira panted for breath. The Moon Mark on her chest emitted Demon Essence at the same frequency as the Demon King’s, like a servant craving her master’s favor. If Avira hadn’t turned her back to the Demon King and desperately used magic to block her perception, the fact that she bore the Demon King’s mark would surely have been exposed!
She didn’t want to be turned into the Demon King’s familiar!
“Haven’t you gone to the Gold Vault yet…? There’s power there that belongs to you—it’s very important to you!”
“…”
But upon hearing this, the Demon King’s expression was like that of a king lost in wine and revelry who was told they still had state affairs to handle.
“If the legendary Hero gets her hands on the Holy Sword and gains that power, wouldn’t that be a disaster?”
“But my subordinates haven’t arrived yet,” the Demon King retorted. “Wouldn’t it be dangerous for me to go alone~?”
Avira nearly died of frustration. “Demon King, they won’t be stronger than you. Besides, how could the defeated underlings of Tilves compare to the monarch of the Demon Race?”
Realizing her attitude lacked sufficient loyalty, Avira nodded slightly.
“I will protect you, Demon King.”
“You…”
“And if the Demon King has no other matters, then I shall take my leave first.”
There was a hint of sharpness in Avira’s humble demeanor.
She stepped out of the bath, her body feeling heavy, her steps unsteady.
“What if I get the seal? Will Vera reward me?” The Demon King propped her head up on the edge of the pool, her fair slender waist bending into a graceful arc. Dewdrops and the surrounding white mist just happened to veil her ample chest, stirring the imagination.
“This humble one believes the Demon King must obtain that power tonight, but what would the reward be?”
“Vera can reward me by warming my bed.”
Avira only felt her head spinning dizzily. Lena and Lace were both so dim-witted, but the Demon King somehow felt a bit different from before?
Yet Avira couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was different.
“This humble one is overwhelmed by the honor…”
The Demon King nodded with a grin. “It’s a deal.”
Watching Avira’s departing figure, Demon King Ophitia sank to the bottom of the water. Her expression shifted from melancholy to excitement to calm.
When she resurfaced, wrapped a bath towel around herself, and stepped out of the bathroom, a sly glint flashed in her eyes.
“Hee hee.”
“Avira, you really have my mark on you~”
After leaving the bathroom, Avira wiped her body dry, simply changed into a dress, and immediately returned to her own bedroom.
She turned on the light and immediately dispelled her disguise…
The silver parts of her long hair became even more beautiful, like silk, but a few strands of black hair appearing at her temples seemed to foretell something.
However, Avira’s attention wasn’t on her hair at all…
The girl in the full-length mirror had skin like congealed cream, cute and dainty like a blooming lotus.
But at this moment, her beautiful azure blue eyes had unknowingly turned into crimson vertical pupils!
Just like a demonkin.
—She had begun demonizing!
“Wha… when?”
Avira couldn’t imagine where things had gone wrong just now.
————
Rainwater seeped through the cracks in the stained glass windows, winding into a dark river on the stone floor. In the moonless night of the church, the white candlelight reflected two figures in the puddles.
“Priest, please don’t stop me. I must save Princess Avira—she’s family. Why should I abandon her?”
The girl’s silver hair shimmered with fervent light, like a flowing galaxy under the night sky, her voice like a nightingale.
She wore a white dress with a few pieces of armor attached to the skirt folds, the fabric clinging to her waist and outlining two alluring curves.
The old man called the priest extended his pudgy hand and stroked his sagging white beard.
“Maryvian, there’s no need for us to save Princess Avira. As the Second Princess, you are far superior to her in swordsmanship, magic, leadership… Have you considered what a loss it would be to our resistance if you died trying to save her?” The priest’s every syllable seemed wrapped in thick honey, as if reciting scripture.
“Child, the Emperor God warns us: long-sighted vision is like a torch, shortsightedness leads to peril. She has lost her value. The so-called Phoenix bloodline hasn’t manifested in 16 years—you should understand.”
“She’s a flawed product, while you are the rightful heir to the throne. You have your fiancé, the Hero, and you are destined to shine in a bright future.”
Maryvian bit her cherry lips, clenched her fists tightly, her ponytail trembling with her shoulders.
The hand gripping her longsword suddenly grew as resolute as her gaze. Looking at the priest, contempt emerged in her beautiful azure blue eyes:
“I admit, I wasn’t good to Sister Avira before, but she saved us! How can someone who can’t even protect their family become a qualified queen?”
“Farewell, Ace Priest.”
With that, Maryvian’s figure vanished into the rainy night, leaving only the sound of dripping water from the eaves.
Not even a full day and she’s already going to fall!