Vieya drew a slow breath.
The instant she connected to the flow of authority coming from the two Demon Kings, the mark on her chest grew burning hot.
It was supposed to be the complete Hero’s Seal—but ever since she beca a sli girl, it had turned incomplete. The golden Hero’s insignia remained only on one side, while the other half had changed into dark red lines of unknown aning, carrying a chilling, sacred malice.
Normally, it was the golden part that reacted. But this ti, it was the dark red half that seared against her skin.
Vieya wasn’t surprised. Back when the Hero’s mark had first reacted alone while the red half stayed silent, she had already ford a theory—
That the other side might be linked to Demon Kings. And Flaviel herself had once cheerfully admitted that she was the one responsible for it.
“Mhm~ Don’t think you can ever escape from the palm of my hand~”
If Flaviel were here, Vieya could already imagine that smug smile on her face.
As the flow of authority diverted from the two Demon Kings steadily poured in, the heat across Vieya’s chest intensified. She dared not relax, quickly steadying her mind, pushing aside all distractions, focusing wholly on control.
At this mont, the two Demon Kings were like vast, surging rivers. Each had just branched off a tributary and was guiding it into Vieya’s own current.
Hm.
Elizabeth let out a faint sound of surprise.
She noticed that the white-haired girl’s condition wasn’t much better than their own. It was like looking at land recovering from drought—cracked, parched, only recently starting to regain signs of life.
It seed this white-haired girl wasn’t as effortless as she appeared. So... she wasn’t holding back out of arrogance—she was still recovering from overexertion in that last battle.
Elizabeth licked her lips. So the white-hair wasn’t invincible after all.
If she played her cards right, there might still co a day to turn the tables.
Heh...
Unlike Elizabeth, who still had the energy to plot, Jiele Xiyin was struggling badly. Her old wounds had never fully healed, and the last sword strike had only worsened them, leaving her body in miserable shape.
Now, during the separation of authority, she had to concentrate every ounce of focus she had to avoid backlash.
Ti passed, minute by minute.
Behind a thick pillar, the black cat crouched with uncertain eyes of gold and red, torn between hope and fear. She hoped Vieya would finish quickly and get them out, yet worried that in her rush, Vieya might lose balance in controlling the power transfer—and hurt herself again.
“ow... risking your life like this... couldn’t you have waited a few more days, ow...”
The cat sighed inwardly. If Vieya got hurt again this ti, she was certain she’d be punished the mont they got ho. Hmph, the little Demon Princess wouldn’t flay her alive only out of rcy...
“Stupid white-hair, always bullying ,” the cat muttered under her breath, her golden-red pupils darting across the cathedral.
Then—
A dark figure appeared behind the statue of the god. Cloaked in shadow, but clearly watching Vieya.
The cat’s heart lurched. Instinctively, her body tensed into battle stance, a low growl rumbling from her throat like a small beast ready to strike.
“owrrr...”
“Hm?”
The shadow turned, its gaze settling on the growling, claw-flexing cat. It gave a puzzled little hum and muttered,
“A stray cat? If it leaves a ss here and soils the holy carpet, the Bishop will be furious.”
“ow!”
“Maybe I should put so scraps outside, lure it away—no, that would be wrong. Feeding stray animals when people outside are starving... such blasphemy would send straight to the tribunal for judgnt.”
He sounded like he was scolding himself.
“owrrr!”
The cat leapt, launching herself toward the shadow hiding behind the statue. If there was an unstable elent, she’d eliminate it imdiately.
As for collateral damage—
Sorry, she was just a cat. Her head wasn’t big enough for complicated thoughts.
Thud!
The cat’s vision blurred as she collided with sothing soft and yielding—then looked up straight into a pair of familiar erald-green eyes.
“ow?”
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Vieya was holding the cat by the scruff. After the contract with the two Demon Kings completed, she’d slowly co back to her senses. The next mont, sothing slamd into her chest, nearly knocking her off balance.
“ow! There was a weirdo behind you! I was trying to protect you, ow! Eliminate the threat, ow!” the black cat said, eyes wide with genuine fear.
“‘Weirdo’?”
Vieya turned sharply—and saw a priest standing beneath the statue.
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Thy na; Thy kingdom co; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,”
the priest intoned, tracing a cross upon his chest before speaking to her.
“I know not why a lady such as yourself would bring unclean beings onto sacred ground. May the Father above forgive your sin.”
Vieya paused. “Apologies for interrupting your worship. I’ll take my leave.”
With that, she lifted the two cages holding the bat and the spider in one hand, the heavy black cat in the other, and turned to go.
She had no desire to get entangled with Church personnel—nor to cause a scene here.
After all, she’d just borrowed their god’s sanctuary to negotiate with Demon Kings. To stir up trouble on their territory right after would be... improper.
So—
Whatever this man’s reason for being here, whether innocent or not, she chose to let it go.
Ignoring mode: on.
“Miss, those unclean beings carry the Seven Sins. They must be purified before they can leave the sight of the True God, Miss—”
The priest hurried after her, calling out, but his steps were too slow—he couldn’t even catch up to the short-legged “little girl.”
Vieya stepped through the cathedral’s doors and into the sunlight—and imdiately spotted Rania waiting not far away.
“Eh...” Rania’s eyes flicked over the cages and the cat, pausing for a beat before she spoke softly, “...Was it successful?”
Though she clearly disliked monsters, since Vieya had already made her decision, Rania wouldn’t press. She only reminded her to stay cautious—and not end up like her teacher, deceived by a monster’s sweet words.
“It went fine.”
Vieya nodded, blinking, ignoring the hidden aning in the violet-haired girl’s tone. Instead, she asked curiously, “I just ran into soone inside. Do you know anything about that?”
“What?”
Rania froze. “Soone? Who? Did they threaten you? Hm, you’re standing here fine, so maybe it’s nothing serious... but there shouldn’t be anyone there. I’ll go check.”
She smacked her fist into her palm and strode briskly into the cathedral.
Vieya shook her head. What a foolish student.
She set the black cat down and lifted the two cages. “How are you feeling? It’s my first ti doing this—might’ve been a little rough. Didn’t drain you dry, did I?”
“...Heh.”
Elizabeth let out a quiet laugh—her voice seed both near and far. “Drain us dry? You flatter yourself. But... as for and the spider, what now? Are you sending us back, or are you ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ planning to keep us chained up like dogs?”
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