Oka opened the door.
The girl who entered had silver hair.
Oka knew her.
Atia, formerly a member of the Catherine Knight Order, was now the queen of Krenbel and known as the leader of the mercenary knights.
She had learned about this girl from her mentor. They were what Tilves called evil barbarians.
That said, Krenbel’s ability to hunt the Demon Race surpassed Tilves. Rather than getting entangled with Tilves in a fight to the death, they had clashed fiercely with the Spider Queen.
“Miss Atia, why are you here!”
The Great Sage had clearly said that she had been killed by the Demon Race!
Oka had seen another side of the Great Sage. On the surface, she was gentle and considerate to everyone, but Oka had witnessed her killing without expression.
“I’m here to get you to surrender.”
“Did Lady Avira send you…” Oka anxiously pinched her fingers.
“She did give me that task, but actually, I came to find you on my own initiative.”
With that, Atia transformed. Her skin turned as pale as a monster’s, black spiral horns like ram’s horns grew from her head, an arrow-shaped tail emerged from behind her slightly exposed body, and her pupils shifted to a dark gold.
She changed from a stern and proud knight into a seductive evil demon.
“You… you’re a demon?!”
“Strictly speaking, I only became a demon recently.” Atia sat beside her and crossed her legs.
Oka could no longer describe her feelings with just the word “surprised.”
“I know you’re hesitating. Joining the Demon Race as a human must not feel great. Actually, many people from Krenbel are demons now. I am, and so is my little sister.”
“Lady Avira likes the Demon King, and I like my sister. I swore to give her happiness for life.”
“Lady Avira really does like the Demon King!”
Recalling today’s events, Avira had originally intended to refuse her joining.
But once the Demon King expressed an opinion, she would support it unconditionally.
Oka suddenly wanted to ask why they liked demons.
But then she remembered the demon sisters who had supported her while she healed demons. It had felt so warm and comfortable.
If one could come to like demons, it didn’t seem so unforgivable?
Because…
Though they were completely different races, their emotions were purer and more endearing.
Atia smiled. “After today, do you still want to go back to the human side? Oka, the Demon Race is the true home for us abandoned ones.”
“I, I…”
Before Oka could hesitate further, Atia took out a crystal core emanating miasma.
She placed the crystal core in Oka’s palm.
“I won’t force you. The rest is up to you to decide.”
With that, she turned and left, leaving Oka staring blankly at the crystal core in her hand.
—
Under the Demon Race’s garrison, the mountains had become the foremost fortress. Deeper in lay the wilderness areas not fully controlled by the Demon Race, along with some insignificant border towns—precisely the Great Sage’s sphere of activity.
Avira had sent subordinates to scout once before.
On the mountain-encircling road, Avira and the Demon King were heading to the most dangerous front line.
There, they had detected the Great Sage’s trail.
If possible, they would join forces to eliminate that threat.
“Avira’s meaning is that the Great Sage is currently escorting the Hero, and the Hero Squad is heading to the Holy Church. Apart from Oka staying with the resistance army… Avira, do we really need to be careful of those guys?”
“Lady Ophitia, please be extremely cautious of the Hero Squad members. They possess power unmatched by ordinary people. Leave Oka to me to handle.”
“Then, I’ll leave it to you. I completely trust Avira~”
“That’s more like it.”
“Are you angry?”
“Master, I’m not angry.” Avira said softly, but she suddenly realized her tone had been a bit stern.
Indeed, she was a little angry.
Do you know how heartbroken a wife feels when her own suggestions are denied?
Good thing I’m faking it, or the real wife would definitely bite your arm—and that hurts!
Avira always thought that during those years as a familiar, she had been absolutely obedient to the Demon King.
But in reality, she had merely aligned her stance with the Demon King’s, so denying some of the Demon King’s views was normal.
For example, what to eat for breakfast or what time to wake up.
Only now did Avira realize this. It seemed her acting skills had deteriorated a bit.
And the Demon King had probably noticed.
With no other choice, she said:
“I’m angry, Lady Ophitia.”
“How should I make it up to you, my dearest wife?” Ophitia said with a playful grin.
“Lady Ophitia, you’re not asking why, but jumping straight to compensation?”
“If I’ve let you down, how could a wife make so many excuses~”
Avira blushed and lowered her head.
This idiot!
“Lady Ophitia, can you protect me?”
She gazed out the carriage window, her thoughts unreadable even to Ophitia.
“Protect…?”
“Yes, Lady Ophitia, actually, I feel like I’ll die within five years.”
Ophitia’s eyes widened suddenly at Avira’s words.
Each heartbeat brought her pain, making it hard to ask the next question. After steeling herself mentally, Avira’s voice grew even colder:
“Lady Ophitia, actually, I’m under a curse. I don’t know how to lift it, but the curse tells me I’ll definitely die within a few years.”
“Avira…” Ophitia trembled.
“Demon King, I’ve remembered some things. Actually, I had an important person before.”
“Mmm.” Ophitia’s trembling didn’t stop.
“You probably can’t understand, Demon King.” Avira smiled bitterly. “Because I hate her. I despise that person who was so important to me, but she did nothing wrong. I just purely hate her, even though she saved me once.”
“That must have been a very sad past.” Ophitia didn’t know how to respond; she felt like her heart was on an execution platform.
A few minutes later, watching Avira gaze at the highland mountain scenery outside the carriage, she asked:
“Avira, do you still hate her now?”
“I… actually, after leaving her, I realized she was just doing it for herself. And she might improve too… so, I, I don’t know.”
At this point, neither dared look the other in the eye. Avira stammered, saying nothing more.
In the end, Ophitia pulled Avira into her embrace.
“I will protect you forever, Avira. This time, I absolutely won’t let you down.”
For some reason, Avira suddenly felt very warm.
She had an impulse to devote everything to the Demon King, even though this idiot seemed to be hiding something from her. Just as she was about to lose herself in the Demon King’s arms, a heat from the back of her hand jolted her awake.
The Holy Sword?!
Right after came a voice from within her heart, identical to Ophitia’s.
“Saintess, I have detected the Demon King’s sorrow. Detected the Demon King has fully fused the first seal. Detected the birth of more Demon King faith… Ability acquired: [Mind Pollution].”
Mind Pollution? The Demon King’s skill?!
Avira’s delicate body trembled. She tried to rise but was held fast by those arms, forced to sink into the embrace.
Ophitia smiled faintly:
“Thank you, Avira. I feel myself getting stronger again.”
