It felt a bit off, didn’t it?
Ophitia looked at Avira.
Though she had never met the angel before her, she gave off a presence that transcended ordinary friendship or a superior-subordinate relationship. She had said a lot, all roughly amounting to serving the Demon King and the demon race, and making herself worry. Yet Ophitia vaguely felt that Avira was “coaxing” her.
She had a bold guess.
Avira also noticed that the Demon King’s state was off. That gaze had lost its sense of unfamiliarity, as if she had seen through everything. Avira had thought Ophitia was smart before, but she hadn’t assumed she could see through her identity, even in this illusion where memories were temporarily lost.
“Avira, did we know each other before?”
Avira panicked.
Ophitia was questioning her, and it was deliberate!
She pretended to be familiar, carrying a hint of accusation, launching an attack on Avira’s mind. She was clever—more dangerous than Avira had imagined.
This was bad.
The Holy Sword had once said that if Ophitia awakened before the ending arrived, this trial would end in failure.
No, it wasn’t just failure that simple.
If this trial truly failed, the real-world Demon King might lose control, unable to restrain her desires, plunging Avira into an abyss of no return.
And even more dangerously, Ophitia’s solo trial wasn’t easy. Now, it was as if Avira was helping her complete it… which was also what the real Ophitia meant.
Thus, if her identity was exposed, all her efforts these past few days would be for nothing.
“Your Majesty the Demon King, we’re just using each other for our own needs.”
“Is that so? But I feel like your stance is with the demon race, yet you’re evading something.”
“I’m only doing this for myself. Your Majesty the Demon King is the same, isn’t she?”
“Is that so…”
Sweat beaded in Avira’s palms.
Though her words hadn’t dispelled the Demon King’s doubts, Ophitia was a measured person. She seemed to be backing off a bit.
After a standoff of half a minute, Ophitia gave Avira a deep look:
“You have no hostility toward me at all. Is it all an act?”
“Why would Your Majesty the Demon King think that? I think you’re overthinking it.”
“I… alright.”
Ophitia lowered her head in shame, nodding slightly as she admitted her mistake.
“I just feel like there should be someone very important by my side. I’ve forgotten who she is. I thought it was Amber at first, but when she stood before me a month ago, I knew it wasn’t her.”
“I remember nothing. I only know that she and I have a promise. I must see her.”
Avira was completely at a loss for words this time.
She seemed to have heard those words somewhere before.
Fortunately, the Holy Sword reminded her: “Saintess, Lady Ophitia will inevitably recall you during her trial. It seems your importance to her is etched into her bones, deep in her soul.”
Only then did Avira relax.
“Then I’ll help Lady Ophitia find that person. Don’t worry.” She gave a gentle smile, like a mother or a virtuous wife. She removed Ophitia’s hairpin, gathered her loose hair, and put on a new one.
Ophitia was stunned. She opened her mouth but said nothing.
Avira saw the blush gradually rising on her face.
“Alright, alright, Your Majesty the Demon King. You should focus on your ambitions, not these random thoughts.” Avira reached out and, while the Demon King wasn’t paying attention, pinched her cheeks: “I’ll come again tomorrow morning. No need to wait specially for me. Farewell.”
Then she left.
On her flight back home, Avira remembered that during this past month, she had participated in the Knight Order’s recruitment. As someone who had to become the Saintess, she couldn’t show any intimate relations with the Demon King now. Instead, she needed to be active to push history forward and complete the trial sooner.
According to the current Knight Order’s system, the group here was merely a military organization under the Holy Church. In truth, only the Church’s higher-ups led it. However, among the Church, there were four troublesome figures.
They were known as the [Emperor God’s Blades], left behind by the Emperor God.
With the Emperor God’s balance lost, these women were about to become active and crusade against the demon race invading the land from the Moon. They would be the demon race’s strongest enemy yet.
Though it was called Ophitia’s trial, Avira didn’t feel relaxed at all. But for Lady Demon King, it was all worth it… No, no, she wouldn’t think that.
The image of the Demon King blushing appeared in Avira’s mind, making her heart pound.
The Demon King still needed her, even now.
Upon flying back to the village, the scene before her shocked Avira.
The once idyllic paradise was now crammed with knights, uniform blue banners fluttering in the air.
Leading them was a golden-haired female knight in white armor and a blue cloak. She reminded Avira of Catherine, but unlike that Sword Saint, this knight lacked casualness and had more solemnity. She seemed like a tougher type than Catherine.
“Saintess, tip: She is one of the [Blades], Karen.”
Avira smiled wryly to herself, wondering which expert in this village had drawn the Blades here. They clearly looked ready to set up camp.
However, when Avira returned home to prepare food for Aina, she realized something was wrong.
This village was so remote; it was hard to believe the Knight Order would come here looking for someone.
What fully woke Avira up was Aina.
At the dinner table, Aina said timidly, “Sis, these people seem to be looking for someone very strong. They say she’s dangerous and must be found…”
“Ah, could it be?!”
Avira remembered the Knight Order recruitment test from not long ago.
The written exam was a giveaway, but personal info, physical fitness, and skills were key. Normally, passing meant becoming an apprentice swordsman, paying for training, then taking the official Knight Order exam to join a branch as a minor knight.
Avira had figured she didn’t need training. With her basic swordsmanship knowledge, she could take exams step by step and climb up on pure skill.
She had been waiting for her apprentice knight medal, but instead, the Knight Order’s Blades arrived.
After racking her brains, Avira finally recalled… the guy she had casually sent flying during recruitment—could he have been a high-ranking member of the Knight Order?
It seemed she had slipped up. She hadn’t expected them to track her straight to the village.
She patted Aina’s head: “Good girl, sis will handle these humans right away~”
“Okay!”
Avira locked the door tight and headed straight for the street.
She hadn’t gone far when she bumped right into Karen. Since Avira hadn’t retracted her wings, Blade Karen perked up, her gaze fixed on Avira’s appearance without shifting.
“You’re looking for me?” Avira said coldly.
At the same time, the village’s commotion stopped. More and more knights approached, lining up behind Karen.
“At the Knight Order recruitment a week ago, were you the one who easily defeated Marude?”
Karen asked in an official tone.
“It was me.”
“He is the Knight Order’s Grand Master.”
“…”
Karen nodded. Though Avira hadn’t answered, she already had her conclusion in her heart:
“The beautiful angel named Avira, please come with me to the Holy Church now.”
