The Great Sage’s failure was entirely expected. As someone familiar with the past, Avira still had full confidence in securing victory in this battle. It was just as Ophitia had said—the only thing to weigh were the risks.
Thus, following Lady Ophitia’s suggestion, she chose this simpler method. The Great Sage was too arrogant; she didn’t even consider this a real fight. In truth, she was easier to deal with now than she would be five years later.
In fact, it wasn’t a battle at all, because Avira had already devised countless ways to kill her before it even began.
Of course, killing her wasn’t Avira’s main goal.
“Cough… cough cough…”
The Great Sage coughed as she crawled backward. She still hadn’t grasped the harsh reality—she had lost. Of course, her fate wasn’t that straightforward.
Avira grabbed her by the throat and slammed her to the ground. Then, while Molly still believed she had a slim chance and struggled in resistance, Avira charged a punch straight into her stomach, watching her crash into the wall. For her, it was probably just a bit painful.
She flailed about like a headless fly, utterly unable to escape Avira’s grasp. Any flicker of hope for getaway was swiftly crushed.
Finally, Molly lay sprawled on the ground in abject misery, her body covered in wounds. Yet Avira didn’t stop her injuries from healing on their own.
—Normally, one wouldn’t interfere because healing magic, a precious skill, only accelerated mana consumption. Using it recklessly in battle was tantamount to slow suicide.
But the Great Sage was different.
【Hourglass of Mercy】
Rather than a seal, it was more like the special ability of the Demon King sealed in that era.
A power that forcibly pulled life back from the underworld. Though it consumed a great deal, it also represented 【Healing】. Of course, Avira had never obtained this hourglass herself. In the previous storyline, the Hero had used its power to heal the masses and raise the dead, turning brutal battles into wholesome family games.
Naturally, it differed from the Resurrector’s supportive abilities; the Hourglass of Mercy excelled more at healing.
“I don’t want things to get complicated, Molly. Hand over the seal.”
“Is that so…” The Great Sage had been sneering coldly, but suddenly, Avira’s Silver Feather pierced through her right hand.
“Ah!”
“I didn’t give you a choice.”
“Do you know what the consequences of killing me are? Ah! Urgh…”
“Of course I do. Then I’ll kill them one by one.”
“You…!”
The legends painted Saintesses as kind-hearted, naive fools. How had Avira turned into a demon? Molly had never imagined a Saintess could fall this far, but now she realized it might not just be rumors.
Yet she had no reason not to hand over the seal.
As long as she had it, she couldn’t be killed, no matter how much mana she lost.
But when a sword materialized in Avira’s hand, Molly decided to compromise.
“Avira!”
Her attitude remained haughty, as if her pride compelled her to act this way.
“I can hand over the seal. I can give you what you want. I can return Oleniya to the Demon King and restore your legitimate Saintess status. If you don’t want to go to the Holy Church, I can help you deal with that too!”
She forced these words out amid her shame; to her, this was the ultimate humiliation.
She frowned slightly and retrieved the seal from her storage pouch.
It was a small metal orb covered in intricate components, like countless miniature locks desperately containing the ominous presence within.
Avira reached out to take it—
But Molly suddenly clutched her wrist!
“Avira, you’ve still fallen for it!”
The Great Sage unleashed electric arcs with all her might. She could normally render any creature unconscious in an instant, but it only caused Avira a momentary hesitation—as if the figure before her were a colossal beast, not a frail girl.
But that one instant was enough!
Her other hand snatched the golden crown.
【Gravity Acceleration】
The Great Sage poured her remaining mana into her hands, turning them into afterimages. This allowed her to place the mind-controlling crown on Avira’s head.
【Law Crown】
Anyone fitted with the Law Crown would forever obey her commands and actions. Long ago, Molly had discovered that even if it controlled behavior, strong convictions could briefly break free, making them unpredictable.
That was why she later used only Undead as puppets—turning them into mindless soldiers who followed orders without thought.
In the end, the Law Crown was placed on Avira’s head.
“Heh heh…”
Normally, the locking chains would clamp tightly around Avira’s skull. Then, the crown would activate magic attuned to her mana frequency, bind to it instantly, and release hypnosis.
Next, Avira would become her puppet.
What to do now?
Kill her, or order her to carry Molly away to the Church?
Unfortunately—
The crown failed to activate as imagined. It exploded on Avira’s head like a long-broken toy.
Shards rained onto Molly’s despairing face. This time, she knew she had lost completely.
Because Avira had already taken the 【Hourglass of Mercy】.
Now, if Avira truly wished to kill her, it would be simplicity itself.
“No, don’t come closer! Stop! I’m the Great Sage, humanity’s strongest magus. You don’t want to make an enemy of all humanity, do you?!”
“It’s over.”
Avira shook her head.
She drew the Ritual Dagger. This dagger could bind a soul to its flesh, making it ideal for her Undead magic. At its core, it fixed souls in place.
That was exactly what Avira did.
She had ordered Lace in advance to gather corpses of the Demon Race’s Undead.
Then, she had the dagger absorb all their remnant souls.
Now, having devoured too many Demon Race remnants, the dagger did far more than just fix souls.
Molly sensed something was wrong and staggered to her feet.
“Great Sage, I think you’ve misunderstood something.”
“Damn it, what are you going to do…?”
“I’m not afraid of the Holy Church, nor do I believe anyone in this world can help me.”
An image of a Dragon Girl flashed in Avira’s mind.
Well, except her~
The next second, she plunged the dagger into the Great Sage’s heart.
“Ah—!”
Molly’s eyes widened in shock. The searing pain tore a pitiful scream from her, making her want to curl up right then. But it was too late now.
“No, no, no…”
Soul fragments poured from the dagger upon contact with Molly’s body. Purple-red light engulfed her. The being once hailed as the Great Sage was torn and devoured like prey amid wails and screams until silence fell.
The dilapidated church ruins returned to their original state.
