Chapter 127: Catherine Was Serious

“Are you joking?”

“I’m serious.”

Catherine said, “I probably can’t go back to the Knight Order. This war has made me realize a lot. While I can’t define evil, the humans are definitely not kind.”

This wasn’t the first time Freyna had heard the Sword Saint express dissatisfaction with the Holy Church. After all, she was someone who did things her own way. But it was the first time she had said it so earnestly right in front of her.

“Are you denying the Holy Church, or denying humanity?”

“Denying the Holy Church.”

Catherine touched her head. “I’m human.”

“Everyone has their own sense of justice in their hearts. I’m not a pure idealist either.”

“So, stay with the Demon Race. Don’t you want to know what the Holy Church will do once it loses our protection?”

“…”

“I know, Catherine, you’re saying this for my own good. You’ve become much gentler than before.” Freyna smiled gently.

“Let’s talk about something else.”

Catherine sighed. “We’re almost there.”

They went from the first-floor corridor to a spacious hall, up the spiral staircase to the second floor, and along the corridor with its light-filtering stained glass windows. The door to the innermost room stood wide open.

But Freyna always felt that everything happening today was full of dissonance—not just the Hero.

The Saintess, Avira, had truly been turned into one of the Demon Race under the Demon King’s control.

If she could save Avira now and send her back to the Holy Church, perhaps this stubborn life still had a chance.

In truth, Freyna had been very tense before coming.

The brainwashed Avira might face her in an entirely different manner. Perhaps, in her consciousness reshaped by the Demon King, she already saw humans as enemies—like a little demon with a face full of contempt and mockery, controlled by the Demon King to carry out orders right in front of her, executing one cold killing task after another with emotionless, ruthless eyes.

Perhaps reality was even crueler than she imagined.

She might not even have her own consciousness, completely turned into the Demon King’s slave and weapon to satisfy strange desires, or perhaps a girl mentally broken by the Demon King’s pathological possessiveness and abuse.

However, when she arrived, the scene before her left her utterly speechless.

A silver-haired girl as beautiful as an angel sat elegantly on the sofa. The Demon King Ophitia lay quietly on her lap, wrapped in black stockings, her eyes closed as if she had been enjoying Avira’s gentle strokes like a kitten just a second ago, curled up on her body. Avira had her eyes closed too, her hand continuously caressing Ophitia’s wings and tail.

She murmured, “Stupid Demon King, people are almost here. Get up!”

If it had been a cold, emotionless voice, Freyna might have held onto her impression. But Avira’s voice carried a pampering tone mixed with a hint of joy, even a tantalizing reluctance that was hard to resist. Overall, it looked just like the sweet interactions between a young couple in love, making Freyna’s heart itch a little.

Hearing the voice, Avira opened her eyes.

She could have heard the footsteps and sensed the approaching magic, but with her attention fully on Ophitia, she widened her eyes in surprise. At the same time, Ophitia rolled over on her, twitched, covered her mouth, and yawned.

Then she went back to sleep.

Avira froze.

Freyna did too.

She glanced at Catherine, her face full of disbelief—these two’s relationship was really that stiff?

But Catherine didn’t continue pulling her along. She nodded slightly and closed the door.

“I’m glad you could represent the Holy Church…”

“Avira, were the words you said at the wedding true?”

“…”

A hundred dragon eggs flew through Avira’s mind.

First off, she didn’t even remember what she had said at the wedding. Moreover, this Freyna, like many humans and demons, seemed to have a deep misunderstanding of their relationship!

She had interacted with this person named Freyna before, which made the already troublesome character relationships even more convoluted. So, to avoid trouble, Avira nodded.

“Yes.”

“As expected, the Demon King is the one you’ve been waiting for. You weren’t wrong back then…”

Freyna gritted her teeth.

“So, you’ve always known the Demon King would attack Tilves and planned to use this chance to take revenge on humanity?”

If the previous words had left Avira confused, these ones made her wonder if she and Freyna were even in the same spacetime.

She finally remembered—she had said at the wedding that she and Ophitia were truly in love.

From the time she transmigrated until now, Avira had been trying to build an image of an evil betrayer to avoid getting into trouble. But now, almost all members of the Hero Squad had betrayed humanity and joined her side.

Avira hated troublesome uncertainties. She acted decisively and conservatively, even giving up some possibilities. She noticed Freyna was starting to show hostility toward her and couldn’t help but sigh—those who had a bad relationship with her before had now become her subordinates, while Freyna was about to become her enemy.

“That’s right, Freyna.”

According to her plan, Freyna should now fully see her as a member of the Demon Race and treat her with the proper attitude as the Demon King’s wife and queen who held great power in the Demon Race.

But Freyna blurted out on her own:

“Have you lost your memory?”

“Huh?”

“You’re still the old you, but every time I ask about your past, you shut down. You’re not this heartless, Avira. Have you lost your memory?”

“…”

“You never resisted the pain the world brought you, never asked for help even when beaten black and blue. I once asked you why, and your answer was that you had someone waiting for you, that you made a promise with her.”

Ophitia stirred.

“It would be impolite to keep asking, Miss Freyna.”

“Sorry…”

Freyna realized she was getting off track and began talking to Avira about the Seal.

Her general meaning was that the current Demon Race weren’t mindless killers, and the Holy Church was willing to cooperate with them.

Freyna’s plan was to use two Seals to redeem Avira. This would not only fulfill the Holy Church’s goal but also save Avira, which was what she wanted to see.

But Freyna hesitated to voice this final purpose. As Avira had said, she was now married to Ophitia. If she could be exchanged for just two Seals, the Demon King would become the most laughable ruler despised by the world.

Finally, she gritted her teeth and made her decision.

“Avira, your Demon Race is short on reliable fighters right now.”

She placed her hand on her chest.

“Please let me join the Demon Race.”