When had Oka become so obedient?
It seemed like just yesterday she was a little girl full of confusion and resentment, yet today she had already hit it off with Atia. Avira had indeed asked Atia to help persuade Oka, so did that mean Atia surprisingly had a talent for sweet-talking people?
Over these past few days, Atia had been utterly devoted to her. She helped Avira monitor the Demon King and pass along all sorts of information. She was an indispensable piece of the puzzle in the contingency plan.
“Oka, are you settling in okay here?” Avira asked.
“Sister Avira, I think it’s pretty good here,” Oka replied nervously.
Atia smiled awkwardly.
“As per your instructions, she treated many of the demon race. They’re all very grateful to Oka and even visited her personally. Oka performed wonderfully and earned the praise of many demons in just one night.”
“I see. Then I don’t need to worry anymore.”
Avira felt indifferent. From beginning to end, she had never understood the point of getting along with the demon race. She still preferred chatting with humans—it made her feel more at ease.
Atia maintained her smile, hands clasped behind her back.
“By the way, Sister Avira, what do you think of the demon race?” Oka suddenly asked.
It wasn’t just Sister Avira.
She was facing a similar choice herself.
Atia had told her that the Demon King and Avira were a loving, perfectly matched couple—but they were the Saintess and the Demon King!
Could love really make all those barriers irrelevant?
Oka needed to confirm this.
“I hate the demon race,” Avira stated flatly.
“Then what about the Demon King? Don’t you like the demon race?”
Though she was fighting for the demon race now, it was also true that Avira had once battled them and endured many painful wars. After fighting on both the human and demon sides, Avira had grown indifferent.
But the Demon King was different.
The Demon King was willing to protect her. She had said she wouldn’t let her down this time.
Avira’s heart itched uncomfortably. The more she thought about Ophitia’s condition, the more uneasy she felt—as if Ophitia was terribly important to her.
These were things she never should have dwelled on.
Avira clenched her fist.
“I don’t like the Demon King.”
It’s all that guy’s fault that I ended up like this.
Damn idiot.
The more Avira thought about it, the angrier she got. She took a deep breath and calmly said to the two of them,
“Don’t forget the task I gave you.”
“Huh?” Atia was baffled. She didn’t remember Avira assigning her any task.
“Catherine sent word. She’s located the Great Sage for me, so we’re about to go subjugate her. That’s why you two have to protect the Demon King. It’s very important!”
“But…?”
Oka didn’t understand. If she hated the Demon King so much, why not just leave—or be even more selfish and act alone? Why have them protect the Demon King? Were they enemies?
Avira’s next words left the two of them stunned.
“Ophitia doesn’t like people getting too close to her, so keep that in mind. And if she gets hurt, absolutely do not let her keep fighting. Oka, I’m entrusting this to you.”
Oka nodded in understanding.
So that’s why she wanted me to join—to heal the Demon King…?
I see. So the Demon King and the Saintess have that kind of relationship!
Once Avira had left, Atia said to Oka with a sigh,
“As you can see~”
“She says she wants to dominate the Demon King, but in reality, she cares about her more than anyone.”
“It shouldn’t be long before the Saintess accepts her true feelings.”
—
The summer day after the rain brought a brief freshness, but soon the air grew stiflingly hot again.
Yet the girl knelt on the cold stone floor, her beautiful body bound by magical ropes, utterly immobile. Whispers of the Void echoed throughout the church, as if judging this woman for her heinous sins.
The Great Sage stood at the center of the church, looking down at the sinful girl with a cloyingly sweet, melodious voice.
“Maryvian, we meet again.”
As she spoke, the Great Sage clasped her hands in pious prayer, though the statue behind her twisted into a grotesque expression.
Maryvian’s lips twitched. Her magic power had been completely drained, leaving her physically exhausted and barely able to speak.
At that moment, an elderly man in black robes circled in front of her, clutching a cross and praying.
“Ace Priest, is it true that Maryvian attempted to assassinate you?”
“Yes, Great Sage, it’s true!”
The priest called Ace shouted in an equally affected voice.
He wore a golden crown over his eyes, resembling some church insignia.
Maryvian recognized that crown. She had seen it on that controlled dragon girl.
This priest, who had once accompanied the Hero Squad, now wore the same artifact as that zombie-like being. His movements were as stiff as Oleniya’s, like a marionette straining its joints.
And even stranger—
Just a few days ago, she had clearly killed the priest!
She should have realized it then—why had the priest, burned to death by the Great Sage, come back to life?!
The Demon King’s orders, the promise to save Avira—it had all slipped through her fingers.
“Maryvian, why would you do this?!”
Suddenly, voices echoed from all around the church.
“You helped the demons kill the priest—he was our teacher.”
“We were wrong about you after all.”
At the Great Sage’s side stood three young adventurers… or rather, members of the Hero Squad.
Aside from the Hero, who had been sent to the Holy Church, and Reviver Oka, who had been captured alongside the resistance army’s blacksmith, everyone was present.
They were the Thief, the Defender, and Crimson Lotus.
Before the Demon King’s assault, they had heeded the Pope’s prophecy and gained powerful forces at a critical moment—forces with immense growth potential.
“Once we subjugate the Demon King, we can deal with you later. Maryvian will receive the punishment she deserves. Sorry… I don’t want to do this either. You’re so lovely, yet you’ve been tempted by demons and swayed by personal gain.”
The Great Sage twisted her wrist and produced a golden chalice.
She tilted it gently, and golden liquid poured from it, drenching Maryvian’s head.
“Aaah—!”
Maryvian immediately felt a pain as if her soul were being ripped out.
The last traces of magic power in her body were absorbed by the golden liquid, which then flowed onto the ground.
At that point, the Thief stepped forward. She was a slender girl with brown hair.
“Great Sage, isn’t this a bit too much…? She’s human, just like us. She may not have the Hero Squad’s power, but she doesn’t deserve punishment like this!”
The Great Sage raised an eyebrow and turned to the Thief, her alluring waist bending into a graceful arc as she covered her mouth and laughed.
“Miss Thief, you do love to joke. But that’s quite adorable too.”
“Humanity’s crisis is imminent. The Demon King has already absorbed one Seal. She’ll regain more power, more memories, until she becomes the 【Strongest】. And yet our Hero hasn’t even found the Holy Sword~ It’s all Maryvian’s fault.”
“What…?”
“Because of her failure, all of humanity must bear the consequences. So, perhaps it’s best to just dispose of her~”
