Chapter 32: You Can Leave Anytime

Avira’s eyes suddenly reverted to human ones. After removing her horns, she looked just like a real human.

Atia was visibly moved. She didn’t say anything, but Avira had already achieved half her goal.

She didn’t think highly of humans, but that didn’t mean she didn’t need human allies.

Someone like Maryvian, who was connected to the protagonist, was someone Avira would keep at arm’s length.

But Atia was different. This woman was a true powerhouse in every sense.

The Wind King’s blessing made her cavalry troops move like phantoms, with arrows that had extremely high accuracy and could even boost precision… What Avira admired most was that this ability could be shared across an entire army.

Aside from the Dragon Clan, the Demon Race had no choice against Atia’s archer cavalry but to overwhelm them with sheer numbers of corpses.

Even the Evil Demons’ long-range magic barrages struggled to contain these exaggerated soldiers.

If Avira could put this ability to use, future battles would be much easier.

Seeing Atia’s lips purse slightly, Avira smiled and said,

“I’m human. My goal is to use the Demon Race to eliminate the evil in this world on my behalf, then rule over the Demon Race. So, we should be on the same side.”

“I’ve taken the Hero’s Holy Sword. Like you, I don’t trust the Holy Church, that War Emperor, or the Knight Order.”

“…” Atia remained silent.

She seemed utterly indifferent, but Avira knew she had started weighing her options.

Avira had to make her understand that the real harm had come not from her, but from the Great Sage.

Her hints had been clear enough. Now, she just needed to wait for the results.

“So, your true identity… is Avira Augustus, the princess… You’re Maryvian’s younger sister?” Atia’s voice was flat.

“It’s older sister.” Avira was speechless.

“You said earlier that thirty percent of them were saved?”

“Of course.” Avira continued to guide her. “And there’s someone who looks just like you among them. She turned into a Low-Level Evil Demon. At first, I even thought I’d remembered wrong.”

After delivering that line smoothly, Atia finally couldn’t hold back. She lifted her head and looked at Avira. Two tear tracks stained her face, her hair covering her right eye, but for the first time, a spark flickered in it.

“Does she… does she have light blue hair, long hair, and a white butterfly bow!?”

Avira nodded and pulled out the butterfly bow she’d hidden in her sleeve beforehand, placing it in Atia’s palm through the bars.

Finally, Atia’s body trembled as if struck by a memory, clutching the bow tightly.

“You can leave. Because I’m human, I won’t do anything to my own kind.”

Avira smiled.

“You should know that everyone in the Royal Palace was let go by me.”

But Atia didn’t care at all. It seemed like she cried it out before tremblingly saying,

“Take me to her… Please, can you take me to see her?”

With that, Avira’s plan was nearly complete.

She pulled Atia up from the ground and transferred her to a nearby residence that was barely habitable for humans. No monsters disturbed the place, but dozens of Evil Demons lurked in the surrounding bushes to prevent Atia’s escape.

Half an hour later, Avira brought the person over.

It was a Low-Level Evil Demon with light blue long hair. To ensure neat attire, it had been dressed in armor similar to Berika’s. Thanks to its fine figure, the slender waist and long legs were outlined by the leather armor and stockings, giving it an unexpectedly beautiful look.

Its once fair skin had turned to pale purple without any human vitality, and its eyes were pitch black, corrupted by Demon Essence—seductive and demonic.

The two met in the living room.

Atia rushed forward. She hadn’t touched the meal prepared by the Demon Race, as if she’d been waiting for this exact moment.

She hugged her sister’s body, choking back sobs as she said,

“I’m sorry, Selin… I never should have let you escape from under Catherine with me. I’m sorry… It’s all big sister’s fault for letting you end up like this.”

Humans were creatures who loved to compromise.

Despair after learning the truth was often easier to mend—that was instinct.

The deaths of over a thousand comrades as close as family had become her despair, but rekindling that tiny flame required just an extraordinary breakthrough.

It was like falling from millionaire to debtor, then returning to a normal life of rice, oil, and salt.

In the end, it was all about “compromise.”

Even someone like Atia wouldn’t refuse.

“Wu…”

She was still crying, sobbing, but her strength kept her from making a sound.

Who would have thought the battlefield-charging cavalry captain could cry like this? Of course, this wasn’t the first time.

Yes, she remembered.

Her heart had gone through several twists: from pride to despair, then recalling scenes of life with her blood-related little sister.

In the end, this world felt different from what she’d imagined.

Be it the Demon King, these famous generals, or Moon Heaven King Berika—they all cried.

She had pretty much figured it out by now.

—Her sister Selin was a Low-Level Evil Demon.

Low-Level Evil Demons were emotionless war machines. Even if it looked exactly like Selin, it remembered nothing and was aware of nothing.

Perfect. Next came the final phase of the plan.

“Avira, does Selin still have any awareness now?”

“No.” Avira stated firmly. “I’ve ordered it to obey your commands. And outside, you call me Vera.”

“…Mm.” Atia nodded.

Avira’s lips curved slyly.

She took out the Crystal Core she’d gotten from Berika earlier.

The core that turned humans into Evil Demons was also highly valuable nutrition for the Demon Race. It required Berika to expend massive amounts of magic power, leaving her unable to fight at full strength for a month. Of course, producing them was a burden even for the Demon King.

“It’s impossible to turn Selin back into a human, but if she consumes this and evolves into a regular Evil Demon, she might remember.”

“What do I need to pay, Vera? No… Lady Vera?” Atia’s eyes were fixed intently on the Evil Demon’s Crystal Core.

And Avira simply placed the Crystal Core directly in her hand!

“I told you, I don’t need you to do anything. You can leave anytime.”

—

Darkness and eerie miasma filled the corridor. Two rows of deep blue bonfires lit the only path ahead, while the clank of shackles echoed. The human girl dragged her steps slowly toward the end of the road. She stopped before the massive door, gently pushed it open, and entered the ancient, mysterious ritual chamber.

In the flickering flames, upon seeing the Crystal Dragon King Ophitia standing at the center of the magic array, she dropped to one knee and bowed devoutly and obediently.

“Demon King, I am Atia Fairchild.”

“Hm? What do you want?” The Demon King didn’t turn around. She gazed at the indentation in the center of the room, where some eerie ritual magic seemed to be brewing.

What shocked Atia was that this Demon King was even more beautiful and gentle than the legends claimed. Had she been influenced by certain people?

“Demon King, this time, I’m here to respond to you…” Atia’s voice grew more solemn.

“I am willing to fall and become part of the Demon Race, to join your ranks.”