《The Guidebook for Villainesses》


 Chapter 1 - A Kind Woman

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>Wawaa


    <strong>Editor: </strong>WilsonWilson


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    <strong>0. </strong><strong>A Kind Woman</strong>


    Her mother was right.


    Lara should have listened to her mother when she told her to choose another man besides that prince. If she were to pick the name of a stupid woman who had ruined her own life because of a man, then Lara would pick her own name without any hesitation. A round tear mark had spread over the letter that began with ¡°Dear Mother¡±.


    ¡°Dear Mother¡±; The words that she had never once said ever since she grew up. Lara thought to herself that this letter would be herst will. Today was the day that she had died, and, somewhere, her mother would listen to the news of her daughter¡¯s death.


    Will she be sad?


    Will she cry?


    Lara would never know.


    Lara had been ignoring her mother for too long, this would be her first andst letter to her. She was regretting everything¡ªloving the prince and giving him her whole life, bing a doll full of lies and pretending to be nice, and eventually, dying without even getting to rebel properly.


    [Seeking forgiveness, Lara]


    Lara scribbled her name on top of the letter.


    Tears flowed again. She quickly raised her head and red at the ceiling, it was a useless act. Hot tears flowed through the corner of her eyes, passed by her temple, and went to her ears.


    ¡°Saintess, you need to go out now.¡±


    The knightmander approached her and reached out his hand to her.


    ¡°¡­Wait a minute.¡±


    Lara wiped her tears and organized the paper on the desk, along with the pencil she was holding. She did something that could have been done by a servant as if she was trying to avoid her death by dying the time. Seeing Lara, who even tried to organize the ink bottle herself, the knightmander urged her.


    ¡°You¡¯re running out of time.¡±


    Lara stared at his hand and gently put her hand on top of his.


    ¡°Can you deliver this letter for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What about Prince Sidhar?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s waiting for you outside.¡±


    The knightmander grabbed her hand and led the way. When she came out of the hallway and looked out the window, she could see an altar in the middle of


    the vast square. Countless people gathered in front of the altar, spitting out screams of madness.


    ¡°Consecrate the saintess!¡±


    ¡°Kill her!¡±


    ¡°Throw her to the demon!¡±


    Their voices shook the square. The demon wants the saintess. It suddenly appeared and burned half of the Western Hautean in one day. It was terribly strong and cruel. The people who were horror-struck constantly prayed in front of the royal pce and the temple¡ªasking to be saved, wailing that they didn¡¯t want to die.


    Then, a rumor began to circte from someone.


    ¡°Everything will be solved if the saintess is offered to the demon.¡±


    There was no need for the temple to take action.


    Lara¡¯s sacrifice was a matter of course because she was the saintess of Hautean. Because she was a noble, benevolent, and kind woman like an angel. Because that was how she was made to be.


    Kind? Me?


    Lara looked back on her life andughed while twisting her lips. Those people were being fooled. The saintess was a fake. There was no such thing as a saintess in thisnd in the first ce. She was just a delusion created by Prince Sidhar, who coveted the throne. She was just a mere supporting actor in the screeny that the temple had devised and directed with Prince Sidhar.


    Lara strode down the dark hallway and halted her steps. At the end of the hallway, golden hair drenched in the sunshine stood out outside the wide-open door.


    ¡®It¡¯s the main actor.¡¯


    Sidhar Hautean¡ªthe man Lara loved so much.


    Their eyes met.


    He looked gaunt at first nce. Despair could be seen on his dry eyes and grief was on his rough lips. Of course, one needs to be that good at acting to be the main character of the story.


    ¡°Son of a b*tch.¡±


    With an urate and correct pronunciation, Lara uttered a vulgar curse at him. The knightmander shuddered. The saintess he knew was so elegant and noble that she was never the one to speak such vulgarnguage.


    Lara left the knightmander who was frozen in the shade of the dark hallway and came outside.


    It was a damn sunny day. Her white dress fluttered softly. Her long, charming hair was loosened like a skein of thread, flowing up and down.


    ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°What would happen to you after I die? Are you going to be a prince who is sad after losing his lover? Or¡­ are you going to be an epic hero who ovees his grief and defeats the demon?¡±


    Lara asked him with her teeth clenched.


    A moment of irritation passed by the prince¡¯s face, which seemed like he was about to shed tears in sorrow. His eyes moved slowly. Looking at the crowd gathering like dark clouds in the distance, Prince Sidhar slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°My dear, my love.¡±


    ¡°Until the very end¡­¡±


    As she was about to shout something out of anger, Prince Sidhar knelt toward her. Very slowly, as if he was asking the people to look at him. He knelt on the cold ground andy down with his hands on the floor. It was a low position, always done by the ves. And as if that was not enough, the prince bowed deeply towards Lara and even kissed the tip of her dress. The buzzing noises stopped. The square was filled with silence.


    The great royal family kissed the feet of the saintess to save the kingdom. He left a tearful kiss at the feet of his lover who tried to sacrifice herself for the kingdom.


    ¡­That¡¯s what everyone thought.


    ¡°Lara, we¡¯ve talked about this.¡±


    Because they could not listen to what the prince talked about.


    ¡°Just shut your mouth and die. You¡¯re not even a saintess. You¡¯ve been living in luxury as the lover of the prince and as the one and only saintess. Wasn¡¯t that enough already?¡±


    ¡°Sidhar.¡±


    ¡°I love you. I told you that every time you wanted it. I love you. You¡¯re really beautiful. Perfect. Should I say it even more?¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°Be nice. You know that I can drag you like a dog. Lara, you have done well all this time. Now that it¡¯s time for you to die, you should also die like a saintess. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡±


    She had already had enough. Nothing good woulde if she kept on enduring. She did not even have any more tears to be shed. Lara took a deep breath. She gave strength to her trembling fingertips and dominated her throbbing heart.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    She was smiling. Though it was not the usual elegant smile, she tried hard to smile nheless.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have betrayed me.¡±


    Lara dug up herst remaining courage. Her hands, which were buried in her long, heavy dress, moved quickly. Her white fingers wrapped around a ck ss bottle. It was the ink bottle.


    ¡°Lara!¡±


    Sensing the ominousness, Prince Sidhar shouted and tried to make a move. But it was already toote. As soon as Lara drank the ck liquid in the bottle, ck and red blood poured out of her mouth. The same happened to her nose, ears, and eyes. Her body melted from the inside.


    ¡°Call, call the priest!¡±


    Prince Sidhar¡¯s face, which was covered in the blood that Lara had vomited, was horribly distorted. Watching his mask, which was close to perfection, be shattered to pieces was a much better pleasure than she had imagined.


    It hurt. It was so painful that she could not even scream. It felt like her whole body was burning and her soul was torn to pieces. But it was fine. Because she knew this was not the end.


    Lara.


    Or Laviore Ria Bailey. The one and only saintess in Hautean, and the eternal lover who was chosen by the prince. The woman, who wasplimented by everyone to live happily for a long time, like the main character in a fairy tale.


    That was how she died.


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    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:-https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 2 - The Girl Who Had Changed Too Much

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>Wawaa


    <strong>Editor: </strong>WilsonWilson


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    <strong>1. The Girl Who Had Changed Too Much</strong>


    After her death, Lara didn¡¯t know whether everyone had lived happily ever after, or suffered and walked the path of destruction. She was not curious about it, nor could she even ask anyone, and most of all, it was none of her business anymore.


    After a long bout of terrible pain, Lara opened her eyes and found herself soaking in the hot tub in her room. Thest sensation she had felt before she died was a tremendous pain that was enough to melt her guts. And so, before she could evene to her senses, she had convulsions all over her body.


    Ssh!


    Her thin arms and legs floundered in the bathtub, not even affording to scream. After swallowing plenty of fragrant water, Lara crawled out of the bathtub on all fours with tears and snot pouring out.


    Huff. Huff.


    The water was hot, the steam was blurry, and the floor was cold.


    Her fingertips trembled.


    When shey down and scratched the floor, Lara had felt another sensation, one that was different than pain¡ªthe sensation of rubbing the smooth tiles, the damp water, the slipperiness of the fragrant oil, and the scent of lilies lingering at the end of her nose.


    She hade back.


    The realization struck Lara like lightning.


    This was the bathroom attached to the room she used as a teenager. This breathtaking scent of lilies was also popr at that time. Her nails were round, and the ring mark that had remained like a tattoo on her finger was nowhere to be seen. Even the smudges of ink that were on her fingers seemed to be missing.


    She hade back to the past.


    Lara stood up slowly against the bathroom wall. She was still dizzy from the aftermath of the pain, but she forced herself to get up and walked in front of the mirror. When she wiped the foggy mirror that was full of steam with her palm, a girl with familiar features was looking at her.


    ¡°Hah.¡±


    She let out a dry chuckle.


    ¡°I will give you a second chance.¡±


    Lara heard that voice on the day it was decided that she would be sacrificed.


    When she was pouring out tears of resentment and sorrow at the prince, questioning the reason she was abandoned and betrayed, the voice appeared and whispered affectionately.


    ¡°I will give you a chance to turn back everything and make it right.¡±


    Lara had no way of knowing whether it was the words of the divine god or the temptation of the nasty devil. In fact, it was more like it didn¡¯t matter to her.


    She was sad, desperate, and above all, madly enraged.


    ¡°Please give me the chance.¡±


    So Lara epted the chance.


    She took the second chance without knowing what she needs to offer in return, and without knowing whether the existence was that of the divine or the demonic.


    She did not care even if she lost her soul. She was fine even if she needed to suffer for eternity.


    If only she could turn back the time.


    ¡°I will do everything.¡±


    She would never cling to the prince again. No matter how sweet his voice entices her, she won¡¯t listen. She will spit at his face and scoff at his slick serpent-like tongue.


    And more importantly, she had to correct all her mistakes.


    Lara, who was ignorant, did whatever the prince asked her to do. Without knowing that the prince and the temple had conspired with the dark wizards, she sided with them. She yed a part in banishing the innocent princess, and she stirred up bad blood between the empire and the king of thewless zone, so much so that they had waged war against each other. She kept the good people away and kept the bad people close. She only chose what she wanted to hear.


    The viiness with a fa?ade of a saintess. It was only natural that those who were beside her became unlucky. And now, Lara decided to live a second life to make everything right.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Laviore Ria Bailey.


    Amazingly, Lara was born with the same face as her mother.


    Her father, Marquess Bailey, was the most good-looking guy of the century with his white hair, light blue eyes, pale skin, and grim-looking face.


    On the other hand, her mother, Marchioness Bailey looked cold and fierce. Lara was the spitting image of her mother, she looked like a girl who was too difficult to approach.


    She used to hate it.


    If she looked like her father, she would have grown up hearing that she was as beautiful as an angel. She would have the prince¡¯s love all to herself. Why did she have to look like her mother and go take the easy path the hard way?


    Or at least, that was what she used to think.


    Lara was young and immature.


    So she considered his father, who often brought pretty clothes and expensive essories for her, as a good parent who loved her. And she believed that her mother, who was busy and inattentive, to be a bad parent and did not love her.


    Because she did not know anything back then.


    Contrary to his good look, Marquess Bailey was a greedy, despicable man. It was a piece of cake for him to use his child as a tool to realize his desires.


    ¡°Be nice.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t open your eyes like that. Always look down. Don¡¯t make any noise when youugh.¡±


    ¡°Wear a white dress. Don¡¯t show your skin. The prince likes a well-behaved, quietdy.¡±


    Lara did as her father told. She tried to be the nicest and most decentdy in the world. Only then would the prince look at her. She dyed her hair and eyebrows so they would be blurry. She took much trouble straightening her curly hair every day. She powdered her skin to be pale and white, and she drew her eyes drooping.


    After starving herself to get a thin body, she always wore a white dress. Even if there was an emergency, she would never run, and she always talked as if she was whispering. She could not even get mad or me anyone. She didn¡¯t covet or desire anything.


    That was how she lived while losing herself.


    ¡°That was crazy.¡±


    Lara looked in the mirror while holding a twisted smile. The girl who was once called an angel was gone. Her reflection in the mirror was so different that she felt like she was looking at someone else. Her slightly nted upward eyes looked arrogant and sharp like a cat. Her jaws were lean, but the tip of her nose was round, making it difficult to guess her age. She would look like she was angry if she didn¡¯t smile because of her stiff mouth and slightly protruding lips.


    Curly hazel hair, intense scarlet eyes, and provocative eyes were all her original look.


    ¡°Mdy! Are you still not done?¡±


    As Lara carefully observed herself in the mirror, a maid with a loud voice called her from outside the bathroom.


    It was Konny.


    Among all the maids who attended Lara, she was the only one who hated Prince Sidhar. Konny was very unhappy when Lara became the prince¡¯s puppet. And when Lara decided to follow Prince Sidhar to the royal pce, Konny cried and held on to her not to go.


    ¡°Mdy, if the prince really loves you, he won¡¯t force you to be ady that fits his preference from head to toe. I know I¡¯m crossing the line, but this is really weird. I¡¯m seriously so worried about you!¡±


    Because Konny was a girl who could not lie and was always honest in everything, she gathered her courage to tell only the truth.


    But on that day, Lara burned with rage.


    She turned her back on Konny, who had been like her friend since her childhood. She chased away the kind maid who was crying and clinging to her.


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    When Lara opened the bathroom door and came out, Konny stretched out her lips and sighed.


    ¡°Mdy, you soaked yourself for too long.¡±


    The way she spoke was not very sweet, but she acted fast. Konny wiped the remaining water off Lara¡¯s body with arge towel and quickly dressed her up.


    Konny spoke sternly.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s still summer. But I already told you not to stay in the bathtub for too long. You are going to catch a cold. Huh? Mdy, why are you shaking? Are you not feeling well?¡±


    The aftermath of the pain remained and made her body shiver. Lara tried to smile but it did not work out. Her stiff face twisted as if she was going to cry.


    ¡°Are you cold? I knew this would happen! Should I bring your gown?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, mdy? What happened? Did someone say something to you? What¡¯s wrong with your face?¡±


    Konny asked anxiously. Her round eyes reflected her sorrow for Lara.


    Yes, this is how she was like.


    If Lara had a dark expression, then Konny would easily notice it, she woulde asking what was wrong and who had done it.


    Konny was the only maid of the House of Bailey who really liked Lara. Lara wanted to apologize to Konny, but it would make Konny more worried. So, she just stretched out her arms and hugged her. Konny¡¯s small body, which had been moving tirelessly, came into Lara¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Mdyyyy?!¡±


    It was the first time Lara had done anything like this. Now that she had hugged her, Konny was much smaller than Lara had thought. She had always thought that Konny looked like a squirrel, but she really was as small and soft as a squirrel.


    Lara quickly thought of something more fitting than saying she missed her.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    She whispered.


    After saying that to Konny¡¯s ear, she hugged her tightly.


    ¡°Urgh, mdy, I can¡¯t breathe.¡±


    Now that she was holding Konny like that, she came to the realization that she really had returned to the past. Her shivering had also gradually subsided. Lara only let go of her arms after Konny¡¯s face turned red.


    ¡°Have you just read a flirtatious novel? What¡¯s wrong with mydy today?¡±


    Konny made a fuss saying she got goosebumps. But even though she criticized her and asked the reason why Lara suddenly did that, Konny was smiling with her face flushing red.


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    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 3

    <strong>Trantor:</strong> Wawaa


    <strong>Editor:</strong> WilsonWilson


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    It was a hot summer. The cicada¡¯s cry was loud. While brushing her wet hair, Lara approached the window and opened it.


    A warm breeze blew in.


    The being who sent Lara back to the past did not tell her exactly at what point in time she would go. She knew it was before she entered the royal pce, but she had to rely on spection for the exact point. Since her eyebrows and hair were not dyed yet, it must have been before she had a rtionship with the prince.


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mdy.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the date today? What happened to mying-of-age ceremony?¡±


    Lara asked. She was born in summer and her portrait was sent to the prince after the ceremony.


    ¡°It was a mess. Lord Bailey was busy forming a faction, Lady Bailey did not evene, and none of mdy¡¯s friends attended, only His Lordship¡¯s guests filled the party¡­¡±


    That meant it had not been long since hering-of-age ceremony had been held.


    Have they sent my portrait?


    Have I met the prince?


    Lara, who was calmly racking her brain, turned her head toward Konny.


    ¡°What about my mother?¡±


    There was impatience in Lara¡¯s voice. Her mother left the house around this time. It happened so long ago that she could not remember the day. It might have already been toote.


    Marchioness of Bailey was infamous for not getting along with her husband, Marquess of Bailey. If one were to choose the couple with the worst rtionship in the Hautean social circle, anyone would point to them. Even though they lived in the same house, they did not even see each other. The husband who looked down on his wife and the wife who despised her husband¡ªthey were the embodiment of a broken family.


    They began to officially live separately starting from Lara¡¯sing-of-age ceremony. To be exact, it was right to say that Marchioness of Bailey left the manor and began living alone.


    ¡°Konny, what about my mother? Where is she? Has she left already?¡±


    ¡°I heard she is leaving soon.¡±


    ¡°Soon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the servants will start loading the wagon after breakfast.¡±


    It was today.


    Her memories flooded in all at once. On this day, even though Lara knew her mother was leaving the house, she had turned a blind eye and just stayed in her room. Because she thought her mother had abandoned her. Lara shouted to her that she would never call her mother again and even dered they were strangers from that day onwards.


    Just because her mother lived separately from her.


    Her mother had endured as hard as she could. Being away from her father did not mean that her mother was abandoning her. It was thanks to hundreds of letters from her mother that Lara was able to endure in her right mind until before she died. It was just a short letter asking about Lara¡¯s well-being and telling Lara how she was doing, but despite that, her worries towards Lara can be felt in each word.


    Why didn¡¯t I know that?


    Every time she recalled that her first reply to her mother was her will, Lara came to hate herself. If she had known this, she would have asked God to return her to the time before her parents got married. She could tell her mother not to marry that bastard because he was a son of a b*tch and not to give birth to someone like Lara. She would tell her to just live alone, go far away, and be happy.


    Even though that would mean that Lara would not have been born, her mother would have been much better off like that. She would not have had to suffer the misfortune of having to live in the same house with a husband that she loathed, nor would she have to worry herself and endure that kind of life because of her child. She could have lived a free and wonderful life, more than anyone else. Because her mother was the coolest and most capable woman Lara ever knew.


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mdy.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to mother.¡±


    ¡°Right now?¡±


    Lara jumped up from the chair and grabbed the hem of her skirt with one hand. Then, she walked out of the drawing-room with a quick step.


    ¡°Mdy, wait for me!¡±


    Konny hurriedly followed behind Lara.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    When Lara came outside, the servants who had finished their meals gathered and were loading the wagon.


    ¡®I have to meet mother.¡¯


    Lara took a deep breath. Her palms were slippery with sweat. Her lips that used to be fine even when she swallowed the poison, were all dried up. She was wondering whether this was a good thing or she was just making trouble. Lara wiped her palm on her skirt and looked at the other side of the main building.


    ¡°Mdy, Her Ladyship ising.¡±


    Lara¡¯s mother, Isadora Bailey. Isadora walked fast with her thin brown hair neatly tied up. Heavy fatigue could be seen on her sharp face. With a heavy briefcase in one hand, she hurriedly ordered her secretary who followed her closely.


    Isadora was the same in Lara¡¯s memory. The top wealthy merchant in Hautean, who was more well known with the nickname ¡®Thousand Gold Isadora¡¯ than Marchioness of Bailey. Her mother was always busy. In Lara¡¯s memory, Isadora was always holding documents in one hand. There was never a day where she slept early or overslept.


    When the scale of her business reached the empire beyond the Kingdom of Hautean, Isadora¡ªwho used to be amoner¡ªhad been misunderstood as having bought her husband with gold because she wanted to be a noblewoman.


    ¡°¡­Mother.¡±


    Lara murmured.


    Her voice was so small that it did not even reach Konny who was next to her, let alone Isadora.


    She was afraid.


    Although Lara was always the one who turned away and hated her mother, she was afraid that her mother would react the same way. If she could, she wanted to beg for forgiveness for all the mistakes she had done in the past. But thinking that her mother did not know anything, she felt even more guilty.


    In the meantime, Isadora had already arrived in front of the carriage. Isadora threw her heavy bag into the carriage, grabbed her skirt, and put one foot on the foothold. Looking from behind, she did not seem to have any lingering feelings left.


    ¡®No.¡¯


    Lara decided not to hesitate any longer. If she let her mother go like this, she would regret it once again.


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    Lara began to run. Like Isadora, she grabbed her skirt and ran without hesitation towards her.


    ¡°Mdy!¡±


    Konny was surprised and called out to Lara. All the servants who were carrying the luggage were looking at her. Isadora was almost on the carriage.


    ¡°Mother, wait!¡±


    Lara arrived before the door closed when Isadora had just lifted her right leg from the foothold. In a hurry, Lara did not even realize what she had grabbed. She only thought to block the door from being closed.


    Of all things, she just had to grab Isadora¡¯s right foot with both her hands. The soft socks and hard shoes were in Lara¡¯s hands. Clinging to her mother¡¯s foot, Lara¡¯s face flushed red in an instant. It was an absurd moment, even for Isadora, whose leg was caught. As she tried to get into the carriage, she turned her head back to check Lara¡¯s face and lifted her thin eyebrows.


    ¡°¡­Lara?¡±


    What are you doing now?


    Why are you here?


    Why are you holding on to my leg?


    Lots of questions could be seen on Isadora¡¯s face.


    I was wrong.


    Please don¡¯t abandon me.


    I will get my act together and listen to you.


    So please don¡¯t go and stay with me.


    Lara was going to say that. She thought that was the correct answer. But at that moment, she suddenly had another thought.


    Should I really hold onto her?


    Is this the correct thing to do?


    This was something that mother has been thinking about for a long time, so is it okay to act as I please like this?


    Has there ever been a moment where mother was happy in this house?


    Lara shook her head. No matter how hard she thought about it, this did not seem to be the correct answer. She had sworn to change. She was determined to correct the wrong things. Even though she was lucky to return to when she was 19 years old, she was still an adult who had already lived for 28 years.


    So she had to find a better way.


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    There was something that Lara really wanted to say to her mother after she came back to the past. She thought about when and how to bring it up, but there was no need to think about it anymore.


    The perfect time was now.


    ¡°Get a divorce from father.¡±


    Lara said.


    How unhappy it must have been for two people who hated each other to need to live in the same house and had to face each other every day. Lara knew how terrible her father was. And now that she knew her mother¡¯s choice was right, she wanted to help her mother get away from her father. At the very least, she did not want to be a shackle to her mother.


    So she said it firmly.


    ¡°Get a divorce.¡±


    Isadora did not give her answer. She was just squinting and observing Lara¡¯s face for a long time.


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    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 4

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


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    The carriage was filled with a heavy silence. The horses¡¯ hooves could be heard clearly. Neither Lara nor Isadora rushed to talk first. Lara put her hands on her thighs and held her fingers together. She did not expect to be sitting alone with her mother in such a small carriage as soon as she came back to the past.


    It was difficult and ufortable. What was worse was that she came back after ten years, the years they had spent distancing themselves like strangers were that long.


    Her throat was as hot as if she had swallowed fire. There were so many things that Lara wanted to say, but at the same time, there were also so many things that she could not say.


    Mother, I¡­


    I was so head over heels in love with the prince whom you opposed so much that I ended up deceiving the whole kingdom.


    I changed my look and pretended that I was the saintess. I was swayed with the gold and power that was in my hand.


    And I dedicated everything to that shitty prince.


    You told me to beg for my fault because it was not toote yet.


    You promised me you would protect me no matter what happened.


    But I just scoffed at your attempt.


    I was so arrogant, I acted as if I were the Queen. I yelled at you, telling you not to stick your nose in my business.


    I was so foolish. I was not even aware that I would be offered as a sacrifice.


    I even died before you. I was probably the worst daughter in the world.


    Lara was heartbroken because she had so many things she wanted to say. She did not know how to beg for her mistakes.


    As the silence grew longer, her lips dried up, and opening her lips grew harder and harder.


    She¡¯s my mother.


    But why is it so hard to approach her?


    When Lara gave strength to her eyebrows and lifted her head, she could see her mother, Isadora, let out a heavy sigh.


    ¡°Whew.¡±


    Isadora always looked up confidently and had a look as if it would prate people. But somehow, at that moment, instead of looking at Lara¡¯s eyes, her attention was at Lara¡¯s hands on her thighs.


    Somehow, maybe.


    Lara thought.


    Maybe mother is like this because she also feels awkward facing me.


    Isadora was not good at expressing herself. Her cold expression and tone had always led to misunderstanding. This had caused Lara to think of her mother as a scary and stern person. Although, apparently, her mother was affectionate and responsible.


    Isadora would not easily turn her back on someone to whom she had opened her heart to. She was tougher on herself than others. Although she did not express it in an affectionate way, Isadora had always been on Lara¡¯s side. She stayed the same no matter what wrong Lara had done. Even when everything was irrevocably messed up, her mother was the only one who reached out to her until the end.


    Lara now knew about her mother¡¯s true feelings.


    When she thought like that, her lips, which were all dried up, had finally opened.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get a divorce with father?¡±


    Lara also wanted to ask why Isadora got married to someone like her father, but this was more important for the time being.


    Isadora smirked.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I get a divorce from your father?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Because I wanted to take responsibility for my choice.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I have had enough with that man from a long time ago. However, I gave birth to you, so I was determined not to leave the house at least until you became an adult.¡±


    That was a very unexpected reason.


    While Lara, who could not think of anything to say, was silent, Isadora opened her mouth again.


    ¡°I understand the reason you prevented me froming to youring-of-age ceremony. You have felt betrayed by your mother abandoning you and leaving the house.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Me?¡±


    ¡°You raised your voice to me, telling me not to show up in front of you ever again.¡±


    Lara was dumbfounded and speechless. Not because her mother was wrong, but because it reminded her of the fact that she really shouted like that in the past. However, that was not the end, as she remembered saying worse things.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Lara barely managed to squeeze out her voice.


    Her scarlet eyes shook slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡±


    As Lara was facing her mother like that, it seemed that the thoughts that she had gotten together became endlessly weak.


    Her mother was so young, so beautiful, and so impressive.


    ¡°Mother, I have a question.¡±


    ¡°Ask it.¡±


    ¡°If God showed up in front of you and told you he could send you to the past, at which point would you like to go back?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Isadora hesitated and replied briefly.


    ¡°¡­Because there¡¯s something precious here.¡±


    Isadora turned her head and looked out through the window that she just opened.


    ¡®What¡¯s that precious something?¡¯


    Lara wanted to ask.


    Even though she already knew, she wanted to get a confirmation. But she felt so emotional that she could not even open her mouth.


    The carriage was running toward the city center. Isadora had almost arrived at her destination. A hot breeze came in through the small window. Lara was not able to bring out her true feelings until the awkward meeting was almost over.


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°¡­I love you.¡±


    Lara had tears in her eyes even before she said those three words.


    She wondered how far back did she have to go just to say it.


    This time, Lara¡¯s confession made Isadora lose her words.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Even after arriving at her destination, Isadora sat in the carriage for quite some time. Then, with much difficulty, she told Lara toe to her whenever she had a hard time. She also told Lara that she did not have to obey her father anymore because she¡¯s already an adult. And she told Lara to do whatever she wanted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Lara said to her mother briefly.


    The things that she would do in the future were things that she really wanted to do.


    It was a relief that her mother left home. From now on, Bailey¡¯s manor would be very noisy. Either her father would copse from high blood pressure, or Lara would be beaten and get kicked out. Lara did not want her mother to get involved. She nodded calmly, assuring Isadora not to get worried.


    After returning home, Lara entered her room and did note out for a while. Now that she knew exactly which point she was at, she needed to organize what she had to do moving forward.


    ¡°Mdy!¡±


    Lara, who sat silently in thought, could hear the bustling noise outside her room.


    ¡°What are you doing? The artist is already here. You have to get ready quickly.¡±


    Her maids were calling her.


    Which ornaments should be used for the dress, which hairstyle should Lara do, what makeup style would look good on Lara¡ªseveral maids were brainstorming together in front of the wardrobe. Lara opened the bedroom door and slowly stepped out into the drawing-room. The maids had prepared white dresses and gloves, bluish veils, and lilies.


    This was an unforgettable scene. The day Lara¡¯s portrait was painted and given to the prince after hering-of-age ceremony. She wanted to look like the purest woman in the world, so she met the artist with the clothes and essories that she chose after thinking about it for a month.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this beautiful?¡±


    Without even knowing her feelings, Lara¡¯s maids smiled and approached her. The dress had white feathers like an angel¡¯s wings. And when the small pearl button was put on, the cor covered everything so that her corbone would not be revealed, let alone her chest. Thece that came down to the back of the hand was a flower pattern that looked calm with small leaves.


    Because she wanted to look good to the prince.


    Because her father told her that this was the prince¡¯s preference.


    ¡°Mdy, take a seat. I will tie your hair neatly and cover it with the veil. I will use white powder on your face and I will draw your eyes so it will droop all the way here. You wanted to look kind, right? Your lips can¡¯t look too red so I will go with light pink.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    Lara said.


    She walked up with her messy hair loosely drooping and sat in front of the dressing table.


    ¡°Throw everything away.¡±


    ¡°Mdy¡­?¡±


    Lara¡¯s voice was cold.


    The maids shut their mouths and read her countenance. They exchanged looks among them, wondering why theirdy had suddenly done this.


    Konny approached Lara and asked her.


    ¡°Mdy, what¡¯s wrong? Is there something not to your liking? Just yesterday you said you were so excited that you could not sleep.¡±


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Go to my closet and get me a red dress.¡±


    Konny could not answer right away. It was not because she did not understand Lara¡¯s order, but because she was flustered and did not know what to answer.


    Lara swept her hair and said once more.


    ¡°Bring me a red dress. Not the one that slightly looks like red, but the one that is as red as blood.¡±


    ¡°Mdy, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Konny was surprised and asked back. The other maids also looked like they could not understand Lara¡¯s attitude. That was a natural reaction. If it was like how it had been, Lara would have been under a happy delusion this day. She would have been sitting in that white dress and got her portrait painted. The artist would praise her for looking like an angel, and the prince who got her portrait would ask Marquess of Bailey to visit his manor.


    That was the original order.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let my eyes droop. Don¡¯t use white powder on my face. Just let my hair loose. Leave my lips natural.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Yes.¡±


    ¡°Serve the painter a meal first. Tell him that I¡¯m sorry and ask him to wait for a while.¡±


    No question could be asked anymore. The maids kept their mouths shut and started moving to carry out Lara¡¯s orders. The eyes of theirdy, which had no expression, noughter, and not even any warmth, felt so unfamiliar.


    Without realizing it, they shook off the chills and started moving their feet.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 5 - Demian

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Konny brought the only red dress Lara had.


    The noblewomen in Hautean did not wear red dresses. It seemed like they had made a promise together, they considered red to be a favorite color for women who were not in an honorable position. They mocked those who wore red color for being lowly in status,cking in noble features, and being rural in nature.


    Lara wore that red dress and released her curly hair. Her cat-like haughty eyes were emphasized by ck lines, and she did not apply anything on her skin. Instead of gloves that cover her entire arms, she wore several thin bracelets.


    That was enough for Lara.


    ¡°Excuse me¡­ Lady Laviore?¡±


    When Lara was all ready, she went out to the drawing-room. The artist who was waiting in front of the canvas stood up with a surprised look. He was an artist who was paid a lot to paint the portrait. It was told he also painted portraits of royalty. So his skills were indisputable.


    Lara shed a twisted smile and said.


    ¡°Paint me like this.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t distort it or add anything to it. Just paint me the way I look right now.¡±


    The artist nodded in the confusion of the moment. He did not have the confidence to draw the portrait differently. The girl who appeared before him had such a firm charm that it seemed that changing the mood would ruin the painting. After Lara sat on the sofa, the artist began to paint her portrait.


    The diligent Konny brought a ss of cold water for Lara. With the ss in one hand, Lara was quietly lost in her thoughts. Her portrait for the prince was painted after a few days of hering-of-age ceremony. Prince Sidhar is a man of firm taste, he will not pay any attention to a badly groomed girl in a red dress with a fierce look. He might even think that the Marquess of Bailey was not blessed with a good child.


    Lara was 19 years old now.


    As she was 28 years old before she died, she had gone back approximately ten years. She hade back at the perfect timing. She was not toote, nor was she too soon. It was before the prince knew her, so if she had just avoided him, she did not have to be involved with him for a while. She had a lot of things to be solved before then, there was also someone she had to meet. Without moving, Lara sat and recalled things from the past one by one.<b> Demian</b>


    Sometime before Lara¡¯sing-of-age ceremony, her father had asked her.


    ¡°Who do you want to marry?¡±


    ¡°The prince.¡±


    Lara¨Dwho was young and ignorant¨Ddid not know what her answer meant politically. The Marquess of Bailey was pleased. He wanted to be a man of power, and he believed that if he had made his daughter the wife of the prince and became the faction leader, then he could someday be a duke.


    ¡°Crazy.¡±


    By now, her father would have seeded in bing a close aide to Prince Sidhar. It was around this time that nasty nobles began to frequent this manor.


    ¡°He must be thinking about how to usibly wrap me up so I would look good.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Mdy, did you say something?¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±


    After the portrait sketch, Lara and Konny rode in a carriage and returned to the city center. She wanted to find someone. When Lara came back to the past, she had someone she really wanted to meet again.


    Demian Rhode Drake.


    As far as Lara knew, the man who was known as the best fighter in the world had been enved for a while in an arena in Hautean. The man was called the ¡®King of Ouws¡¯ because even the knights of the Empire could not defeat him. After being crowned king by the ouw warriors, everyone added ¡®Rhode¡¯ to his name. He had many other titles besides that. There were several Lara knew, including ¡®thest Barbarian¡¯, and ¡®the demon yer¡¯. Most importantly, he was someone who became unlucky because of Lara.


    It was when she had learned that there was a greatbat ve in Hautean and that the ve had crossed from Tarragon Empire.


    ¡°He must be a spy sent from the Empire. He hides his identity and pretends to be a ve to steal the information of the nobles in Hautean.¡±


    It was a lie.


    Lara lied without even knowing that it was a lie. Because the prince asked her to do that. Demian was falsely charged for something that he did not even do because of Lara. He ended up as a ve in Prince Sidhar¡¯s prison and fought on behalf of the prince.


    ¡°He did not worship God. He was able to confront the demon because he used power from the wicked!¡±


    That was all a lie too.


    As if it was not enough that Demian was forced into the dangerous battlefield, he had to live a life of being emunicated and hunted by the temple and Empire. The word ¡®enemy¡¯ would not be enough to describe their rtionship, but he did not me Lara until the very end.


    ¡°I have a question.¡±


    He always asked her.


    ¡°Will you stop hating me if Ie back bringing victory this time?¡±


    Lara said she would.


    Demian believed her words and went out to the battlefield to fight for Prince Sidhar and Saintess Lara.


    He asked again.


    ¡°Will you really stop hating me if Ie back bringing victory again this time?¡±


    Once again, Lara said she would.


    Demian went to the battlefield, and once again, he returned with a big victory.


    Such things repeated several times. Demian, who was exhausted and wounded, asked her for thest time.


    ¡°Why do you hate me so much?¡±


    Lara could not answer him.


    She could not even tell him that she did not hate him. She just couldn¡¯t help it because Prince Sidhar made her do it.


    That was theirst meeting.


    That night, Demian smashed the prison door as if it was a toy and left Hautean. His colleagues at the battlefield helped him escape. They crossed the border and settled in a barren mountain region, and they called that ce awless area.


    He was an existence that Lara could not erase, that was left with heavy guilt in her chest.


    ¡°¡­Demian.¡±


    Lara whispered.


    She needs to find him.


    After a moment, the carriage that carried her had arrived in front of the arena. It was a ve arena that was rumored to be the most popr among the wealthy young noblewomen these days.


    Woaaahhhhhhhh.


    Even though Lara only got off at the entrance, that shout that came out of the building shook her eardrums. Konny, who was looking around, ran to Lara¡¯s side and let out a strong snort, she was ecstatic with joy.


    ¡°Mdy, I¡¯m so excited.¡±


    Konny could not hide her excitement. Konny mumbled, she thought she would never be able toe to a fun ce like an arena because of her modest and conservativedy. She felt as if the sun rose in the west.


    In fact, this was also Lara¡¯s first timeing to an area. The only ces she had ever been to were the royal pce, the temple, the school, and her house. Who would have thought she woulde to a ve arena. Along with the Night Ball, this ce was a symbol of misdemeanor and deviation for the young noblewomen. The young noblewomen who hang out in the ve arena were condemned as unsophisticated nobles. So a lot of young noblewomen who visited the area wore veils or hats to cover their faces.


    ¡°Are you really going in?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°What if we get caught by Lord Bailey? We will get in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    ¡°Really? Are we going to be fine?¡±


    ¡°I will make sure that he won¡¯t even want to scold us just because of things like this.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Konny looked at Lara with a face asking for an exnation.


    Lara did not exin in detail.


    Instead, she grabbed her red dress and walked confidently into the arena.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 6

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°It¡¯s huge.¡±


    Lara took Konny into the building and had a look around. Though this ce was shaped in the form of a Colosseum, it was not a real arena. Inside, there was a nice restaurant and a beautiful ss greenhouse. The floor of the arena was covered with soft grass.


    Rich young noblewomen were able to choose a young and good-looking ve here and sponsor him. They could buy nice clothes for him, feed him good food and call a professional hairdresser to trim his hair in a fashionable style. Then, the ves would have a duel while praising their sponsor¡¯s name. Therefore, this arena was prohibited not only from murder but also excessive violence.


    The ves would spout cheesy lines and fought sloppily as if they had nned the fight. All they had to do was show their manly and cool appearance. If there was a particrly handsome or strong ve among them, his price would skyrocket. And to own such a ve was considered to be a great pride among the young noblewomen.


    Entering the building, Konny pointed her finger to the portrait of a ve attached to the top of the bulletin board, she shouted with a slow voice.


    ¡°Mdy, take a look at the mighty warrior of the month. He¡¯s so good-looking! Is this portrait real?¡±


    ¡°Konny, you should go out more and date someone. Don¡¯t just stay at home.¡±


    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking¡­¡±


    Konny pouted andined.


    Even though she said that to Konny, Lara also did not take her eyes off the board Konny had pointed to. Her scarlet eyes quickly scanned dozens of posts on the bulletin board. Who owns which ve, who will have a duel this week, and which ve is going to have his contract expire soon.


    Konny cautiously asked Lara, who stood still and was reading each document tenaciously.


    ¡°Are you going¡­to buy a ve?¡±¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What? For real? ve¡­ No, wait. Mdy, but why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m searching for someone.¡±


    Konny might have thought that herdy suddenly acted like a rogue as soon as she became an adult, but for Lara, this was very important.


    Her eyes that were scanning the bulletin board moved faster. Demian was a war ve from the Tarragon Empire. And after wandering around, he ended up in the Hautean Kingdom. Lara did not know why such a great man like him became an arena ve, but he had definitely lived here as the mighty warrior of a noblewoman for a while.


    ¡°Found him.¡±


    Lara took a piece of paper off the bulletin board.


    Unlike other ves who showed off their charm with impressive flowerynguages on their introductions, Demian¡¯s introduction contained only simple personal information. It meant he was a ve who just entered the arena. Perhaps Lara could be his first masterdy.


    Lara folded the paper that contained Demian¡¯s introduction and kept it. When she was about to enter the stadium where the auction was held¨D


    Bang.


    A sound could be heard.


    It was the sound of something heavy scratching the rough stone floor.


    It was followed by the sound of someone cursing while giving punishment, as well as the rolling of the wheels.


    Bang.


    It was heavier this time.


    She could also hear the sound of chains being dragged up. Lara stopped and stood there. Then, she turned her head to the source of the sound. Her eyes moved on their own ord, without any thought to stopping.


    A man was sitting in a transfer prison made of thick bars of iron.


    Bang.


    The heavy sound¨Dwhich resonated to the floor where Lara had stood¨Dwas the sound made by the broken iron wheels of the transfer prison whenever it crossed the thresholds of the building. The warden and soldiers moved the prison in sweat, while the ve who was trapped in the prison sat leisurely and watched them.


    Somehow Lara felt he was familiar.


    His ck hair had covered his face so Lara could not see his eyes. His body, which was covered with his dirty clothes, was as skinny as sticks, so much so that he did not look strong at all.


    Fair skin, big hand.


    ¡°¡­.Ah.¡±


    Without realizing it, Lara took a step toward him.


    She might have gotten a little closer if Konny had not grabbed her arm. The man turned his head at that moment. Chillingly blue eyes and red lips were revealed. His gaze was cold and his lips were twisted.


    She found him.


    Lara knew who he was, and she could recognize him at first sight.


    He was Demian


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Konny pulled Lara¨Dwho was distracted by him¨Dclose to her.


    ¡°Mdy, what¡¯s wrong? Let¡¯s head inside.¡±


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Go ask the warden if that man is up for the auction today.¡±


    ¡°What? Whew, why such a skinny ve? Can he even hold a weapon properly?¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll go ask the warden.¡±


    Konny drooped her shoulder and approached the warden. Despite speaking like that about Demian, as she was probably scared of him, Konny did not evene close to him.


    It was a wise move.


    That man looked helpless at first nce, but in reality, he could defeat all the men in this arena with his bare hands. Not only that, even sorcerers would not be able to overpower him.


    Why did no one know?


    Why did no one feel his violent temper, as if his heart had frozen? At that time, the man turned his way towards Lara. His messy hair ran down to one side, revealing his blue eyes. His eyes looked like clear seawater under the sun, and it had the color of the dark blue sea under the shade.


    A deep blue color¨Dlike the Blue Hope Diamond that would ruin its owner¡®s lives.


    He looked straight at Lara with his lips twisted. A mock that could not even be called a smile lingered near his mouth.


    And once again.


    Bang.


    A loud sound could be heard.


    It was the sound of the transfer prison¨Dwhich was made of heavy iron bars and padlocks¨Dcrossing thest threshold. He was still making eye contact with Lara. Even after being taken to the ve waiting room, he kept his eyes on her until the very end.


    ¡°Mdy!¡±


    Konny approached Lara and tapped on her shoulder.


    ¡°Ah¡­ You scared me.¡±


    ¡°What are you looking at absent-mindedly? That ve just came in this morning so no one knows what¡¯s going to happen to him. Maybe that¡¯s also the reason why his introduction is so simple. Some said he could not be sold because he is too violent. Meanwhile, some said he could not be sold because he is too weak.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°They will clean him up first. If he looks good, they will let him be in this arena. Otherwise, he will be sent to the mine.¡±


    After looking at Demian, who was carried like a beast, Konny murmured, saying that he was pitiful.


    Pitiful?


    Lara did not think so.


    Demian Rhode Drake.


    He must have been taken here on purpose. He let himself get caught because he wanted something.


    Otherwise, there was no reason for that man to be a ve in Hautean.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 7

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    It was a different world when they went inside. The young noblewomen, dressed up splendidly like peacocks, were walking and giggling in a group. They had a seemingly endless chatter, talking so fast that no one could even understand what their conversation was about.


    ¡°Oh no.¡±


    Konny mumbled.


    When Lara turned back, looking as though she was asking Konny what¡¯s the matter, Konny whispered to her with a sullen look.


    ¡°We should havee with a group too! The otherdies have at least three or four maids following them. They even have a personal escort. Mdy is probably the only young noblewoman¡­who wore casual clothes with only one maid.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Lara looked around to check the fact.


    When she looked closely, Konny was right. The number of maids serving the young noblewomen was a problem. Additionally, their dresses were more noticeable, too; fancy and luxurious banquet dresses embellished with jewels,ces, and ribbons showed off their glow here and there.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    The dress Lara was wearing was only red in color, but it was actually more like a casual dress. There were barely anyces, let alone jewels. The design was simplified due to its intense color, making it more sophisticated rather than luxurious. The same went for her shoes. What Lara was wearing was loafers with low heels.


    ¡°Pfft.¡±


    A burst ofughter could be heard.


    When Lara raised her head, among the youngdies who were gathering next to the central fountain, a girl with bright tinum blonde hair pointed to Lara with the tip of her fan.


    Then, they whispered among themselves.


    A high, loudugh spread quickly and could be heard everywhere. Anyone could tell that they were mocking Lara. They wore the most luxurious and expensive dresses in this hall and sat over the central fountain as if to show off.


    ¡°Red dress?¡±


    ¡°Tacky. And what¡¯s wrong with her hair? I guess she just came after cutting firewood.¡±


    ¡°I have never seen her before. Where did that bumpkine from?¡±


    Their nces resembled that of wolves that had found the prey that they liked. Lara realized that she was prey for those girls today.


    ¡°Mdy¡­ let¡¯s leave for today ande again next time.¡±


    Konny, who was always quick-witted, grabbed Lara¡¯s dress. The Lara that Konny knew was an innocentdy who was weak to this kind of teasing or bullying.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°I am not fine. Let¡¯s at least go out and buy a dress. You are rich, mdy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Lara really did not care. To put it bluntly, even if those girls came in a group and grabbed Lara by her hair, she would not be scared.


    ¡°They were just cute.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°What can they even do to me? All they can do is just whisper from afar. That¡¯s just a cute temper. They have never done anything bad nor have they experienced it themselves.¡±


    ¡°Mdy¡­¡±


    ¡°Konny, don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not even a kid anymore.¡±


    When Laraughed it out like it was not a big deal, Konny replied with a serious look.


    ¡°You are a kid. You are only 19 years old. I don¡¯t know who decided the standard, but you don¡¯t automatically be an adult the day after theing-of-age ceremony. And besides, no matter how old you are, you can still get hurt by what others say.¡±


    Oh yeah. I¡¯m 19 years old.


    When Lara was unfamiliar with her younger age, a host in a red suit appeared from inside the hall and spoke out.


    ¡°It is starting soon!¡±


    Rumble


    A heavy, huge door began to open behind him.


    There were all kinds of youngdies there¨Dthe one who was at loss for what to do, the one who pulled her friend¡¯s arm with a shriek, the one who received her wallet from her maids, the one who pushed her way and arrogantly took the lead. Lara reached out to Konny as she saw the other girls entering the seats for the audience under the guidance of the host.¡¯


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Really? We¡¯re going in for real?¡±


    ¡°We havee all the way here. We can¡¯t just go back without doing anything.¡±


    Lara did not have a hobby of showing off her male ves that were put in pretty armor. But that man¨DDemian Rhode Drake, it was a stroke of luck that Lara met him as soon as she came back in time. It was her opportunity to correct the biggest mistake she had made.


    She would be his sponsor.


    She would give him whatever he needs and she would do whatever she could to help him. She was scared of him but she would not avoid him. If she could relieve the guilt that strangled her every time she thought of him, any price that she had to pay was not a waste. Demian was Prince Sidhar¡¯s natural enemy, which meant that he was Lara¡¯s absolute ally.


    The looks on her eyes became firm.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Can I have your attention, please?¡±


    It was the host earlier.


    Standing in the middle of the field, he gave an announcement to the audience with a megaphone in one hand.


    ¡°The new ves are preparing to be shown to you. Don¡¯t go back right after the match. Show us your good discernment!¡±


    The field heated up.


    The youngdies who came in a group whispered among themselves while the youngdies who came alone had their maids check their wallets while covering their faces with fans.


    Who will take over the most attractive ve?


    Who will pay the highest price?


    Who will be the most notable Master Lady in this arena?


    ¡°Let¡¯s start the first match! The mighty warriors of the best clients of our arena; Miss Swavy and Miss Dvonn, willpete in the honor of their Master Ladies!¡±


    Wooaaaahhh.


    A loud cheer erupted as if to shake the field. One would think that thedies would be elegant and coy when they watched the battle, but they were surprisingly aggressive.


    ¡°Who will be the mighty warrior of this month? Master Lady¡¯s kiss for the winner and sharp whip for the loser!¡±


    Soon after, the two mighty warriors stood facing each other in the middle of the field. Lara sat in a corner of the audience seat with her chin cupped in her hands. At her side, Konny clenched her fists and made a fuss on whose mighty warrior was more attractive.


    The match was a fake.


    Anyone could tell it. Maybe even the security guards who protected this field also already knew. The mighty warriors wore decorative armor over stylish suits and fought as if they were dancing with pretty and shiny fleuret. The attack was light and the defense was shy. They seemed to just be researching how to show their Master Ladies a good look.


    ¡°It was rigged.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The mighty warrior of Miss Dvonn will win.¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯s wearing expensive clothes with an expensive sword.¡±


    It was as Lara said.


    The match ended with the mighty warrior of Miss Swavy losing his sword and sinking to his knees. As if he was angry, he punched the floor of the field and deeply bowed toward the audience seat where his Master Lady was sitting. The same went for the winner. The mighty warrior of Miss Dvonn approached his Master Lady and knelt, offering the sword of the loser. Then, he gave a deep kiss to her skirt.


    ¡°Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!¡±


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. What do I do? Oh my God! Mdy, did you see that?¡±


    The one that got the kiss was thatdy, but why is my maid making a fuss?


    Unlike Konny who was amused, Lara was not interested in the match at all. With a sullen face, she sat with her chin cupped in her hand and watched the match proceed without saying anything. After the game of the day was over, it was time for thest event.


    The host made an announcement.


    ¡°Look here!¡±


    It was the new ves.


    Four men wore the same clothes and were dragged out to the stage in the middle of the field. Lara slightly bit her lips.


    It was him.


    Demian Rhode Drake.


    Standing together with the sturdily built ves, his skinny body looked even smaller. He was tall and had long limbs, but his back was slouched, and his posture was unstable. Just washing out the blood and dust from him was not enough. His shaggy hair covered most of his face, making his cold eyes unable to be seen. So, he looked like a ve with a disease.


    The other three ves were all of sturdy build and energetic. They puffed their chest out and raised their chins to appeal their charms to the youngdies. On the contrary, Demian managed to bnce himself after stumbling and looked around continuously in a slouchy position.


    ¡®Demian.¡¯


    Lara said his name once in her mind.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start the auction!¡±


    Basically, the ves would belong to the youngdies who paid the highest price. The contract was usually renewed in a six-month term. In the case of a popr ve, the youngdies who wanted to own him even offered a deal under the table. All three except Demian received simr prices. The ones who bought them were youngdies who had just be adults and were allowed toe to the arena, just like Lara.


    Thest one was Demian.


    The host made an announcement.


    ¡°He¡¯s a man of extraordinary looks in Hautean! He may look worthless on the outside because he didn¡¯t eat much. But if you feed him well, he will be different! He¡¯s tall and even has big hands. Moreover, this ck hair! Have you ever seen such ck hair in Hautean?¡±


    He was a good businessman.


    But no matter how hard of an effort the host had made, the youngdies were indifferent.


    ¡°He¡¯s too thin.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s slouchy. What¡¯s wrong with his posture?¡±


    ¡°Did they really clean him up? Why is he so messy?¡±


    ¡°It was just a waste to give him good clothes.¡±


    Even Lara agreed with that to some extent.


    Because Demian looked far from attractive at the moment.


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes? Why, mdy?¡±


    ¡°Buy him.¡±


    Lara whispered.


    Startled, Konny put her face close to Lara.


    ¡°Mdy! Why him?¡±


    ¡°I want to get close to him.¡±


    Konny¡¯s expression grew strange. As if she had forgotten that she was grateful to Lara that she could finally fulfill her wish ofing to the arena, Konny made a fuss, putting her hands on Lara¡¯s forehead as if to take her temperature.


    ¡°Mdy, no matter how curious you are about a man¡­ a ve is a no-no. You should go to the Night Ball instead.¡±


    ¡°Konny, do you even know what type of ce the Night Ball is?¡±


    ¡°Of course. A ce to find a sweetheart to heal your loneliness just for the¡­¡±


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    As Lara told her off sternly, Konny quickly apologized.


    ¡°How much should I buy him?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Just make sure you buy him.¡±


    ¡°Just leave it to me!¡±


    Konny took Lara¡¯s wallet and raised her nose, pretending to be haughty. Then, she opened only two fingers and smirked towards the host.


    ¡°Oh! We got 2 gold here!¡±


    The problem was that no other youngdy was trying to buy Demian after that.


    The field was quiet.


    ¡°Sold for 2 gold!¡±


    Konny managed to buy the man who would be the king of ouws with just 2 gold.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 8 - Fatal But Shocking. Incredibly Envious, But Wanted To Speak Ill Of

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Demian¨Da war ve with no parents and no name. His 24-year life was full of struggles. He fought to eat, he fought to sleep, he fought to learn, and he fought to grow up.


    At a certain point, he found out that he was talented in fighting. He was stronger and faster than others. He could imitate a skill that others had learned over months just by watching. He learned to fight by wandering around the battlefields in the Tarragon Empire. He learned the spearmanship of a noted knight, the strategy of a respectful admiral, and the swordsmanship of a mercenary that was worth a hundred men. Sometimes there were people who recognized his talent. But Demian did not settle down anywhere, he knew that hecked something.


    There was no excitement in his chest.


    He did not get drunk even when he drank. He was not attracted even when he saw a beautiful woman. He did not care about money, power, or honor at all. There was nothing he desired, nothing he wanted to do, and nothing he wanted to achieve. He lived without much thought. If someone gave him money, he would follow that person and wield his knife for that person. If someone messed with him, he would not have a second thought and just started fighting.


    ¡®But I didn¡¯t expect someone would buy me for 2 gold.¡¯


    Even though Demian deliberately slouched and had posed himself strangely, he was still visibly tall and had long limbs. When he used to keep his hair tidy in the past, women always followed him. He just covered his hair in case something too bothersome happened.


    But who would have thought I would be treated like this.


    2 gold¨Dit¡¯s not even enough to buy a useful long sword, he was at a loss for words. After returning to the room assigned by the concierge and waiting in there for a long time, a maid approached him. It was the maid of the woman who bought him for 2 gold.


    ¡°H-hey, you there, I mean, your name is¡­¡±


    The maid stood far away and barely talked to him.


    She must be scared of me.


    Demian was used to it. He was used to those who belittle him, feared him, or indulge in him.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    He said.


    It was a low, deep, and dark voice. It was also rough and cracked. The maid gulped so loudly that it could be heard by anyone in the room. She quickly spoke her words.


    ¡°I, I see. You are now the mighty warrior of mydy¡­ So take this!¡±


    A heavy box was delivered. Demian paid attention to the fact that there were four workers who brought that box. They barely managed to put the box down when they patted their backs, saying that they thought they were going to die carrying that box.


    Demian was about to ask what was in that box, but the maid screeched and ran away.


    ¡°See you next time!¡±


    Demian slowly got up. He straightened his slouchy back and naturally stretched his tense shoulders. After sweeping up his shaggy hair with one hand, a man with apletely different atmosphere emerged. Demian easily raised the box left behind by the workers and put it on the table. Then, he opened the lid without hesitation.


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    Real weapons and armors were in the box. Not decoration fleuret or a tight suit, but armor and weapons made of real iron. Even at a nce, it was obvious that it was an expensive weapon made by a fairly talented cksmith. As if telling him to eat and gain weight, sandwiches that were full of meat and other various assorted meats were beautifully packaged on one side.


    ¡°That woman¡­¡±


    He tried to recall the woman who was sitting next to her maid. The maid was the one who offered 2 gold during the auction, but it must be that woman who ordered her to buy him. Demian, whose eyesight and memory were far better than others, began to recall the situation at that time in great detail, it was as if he was painting a picture in his mind.


    A red dress, and scarlet eyes that carried excitement, and hair that looked fragrant as if it was a wet tree that was torn vertically.


    He remembered.


    When he was annoyed and thought of running away after killing everyone in the prison, she was the only woman in the arena who stared at him on alert.


    It was weird.


    When he thought of her, his heart rumbled. His chest was aze like a thundercloud and sank. A dry me burst out of his heart.


    It was really strange.


    He wanted to know her name. He wanted to ask why she came to the arena, despite looking like she had no interest in it at all? Why did she stare at him with such wary eyes? Why had she only sent her maid instead ofing in person after winning the auction on him that no one wanted to buy? Why did she feel so familiar even though this was their first time meeting?


    Why did she look at him as if she knew him?


    He was going insane with curiosity.


    He wanted to meet her right now.


    He had never felt this way before.


    That woman was digging up inside his head with her bare hands. Then, a fire was ignited in his heart that he did not even know existed. His body was getting hot, but his spine got the chills.


    He needed to know her.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã<strong> Fatal but Shocking. Incredibly Envious, but Wanted to Speak Ill of</strong>


    The next day, Lara sat in the drawing-room with the painter who came to paint her portrait. She was observing her maids who were cleaning the room. In her previous life, she was the idol of her maids.


    There was no better employer than someone who was gullible, naive, and generous.


    ¡°Mdy, you¡¯re like an angel.¡±


    ¡°The prince will be the happiest man in the world. Because he is receiving the love from someone as kind as mdy.¡±


    ¡°I really like mdy. Don¡¯t forget us when you be a Queenter. Okay?¡±


    Lara would listen to words that were sweet enough to melt her ears. Those maids were the ones who spent the most time by Lara¡¯s side from morning to night. They were quick-witted and skillful at lying.


    ¡°Mdy is so kind and elegant.¡±


    ¡°Mdy is really beautiful and lovely.¡±


    ¡°I really like mdy. Mdy is the best.¡±


    ¡°Mdy is all I need.¡±


    It felt like all the pretty words in the world came through the mouth of those maids.


    So she was deceived.


    She was bound to be deceived.


    Whenever she was in a good mood, she handed out jewelry to them, she raised their sry and she promised them to enter the royal pce together. When she knew that a maid could not be thedy-in-waiting in the royal pce, Lara thought they would understand her.


    ¡°That stupid thing! She ruined it. I was really looking forward to it since she said it as if she was sure that we would enter the royal pce!¡±


    ¡°I feel bad for the prince. He has to live with such an ignorant b*tch as the saintess. How frustrating would that be?¡±


    ¡°Is she really a saintess? All she knows how to do is just to sit still and pretend to pray.¡±


    ¡°If something like her could be a princess consort, even I can do it.¡±


    Lara was shocked when she found out their true feelings. Her face heated up and her heart beat like it was going to explode. If there was a rat hole, she at least wanted to hide her head and cry. It was like that back then.


    ¡°Mdy, we have finished cleaning up.¡±


    Lara was lost in thought when her maids approached her and gently bowed their heads.


    ¡°Get out if you¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°¡­pardon?¡±


    ¡°Get out. You said you¡¯re done.¡±


    The maids were flustered and looked at Lara.


    Before this, when they told her they were done with cleaning, she would tell them toe and sit down with her, she would then give them a share of snacks. Sometimes, she handed over pocket money and kept them with her on purpose so they would not have to do dirty work in another ce.


    Lara said.


    ¡°What are you doing? Everyone except Konny, get out. Don¡¯t just hang around here.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Mdy.¡±


    Has mdy always been that expressionless?


    She was not an attractive beauty but she had a sweet personality. She was so naive, just like a fool. It was so easy to use her.


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with her all of a sudden?¡¯


    The maids exchanged their thoughts with their looks and left the room.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 9

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Konny snorted and approached Lara.


    ¡°Mdy.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Do you feel upset with the other maids?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth.¡±


    Lara meant it. It was only in the past that she was hurt and sad. Now she merely did not feel anything. She thought she would be angry when she met them again, but when they were in front of her, she could only smirk.


    Humans are all selfish; they envy those who are better than them and look down on others who are worse than them. They prefer insulting someone behind their backs rather than praising others. Those maids were just the embodiment of human nature. Lara felt at ease when she realized that fact.


    But now, she has a concern much more important than that. Because now that her mother hadpletely left the house, only her father, Marquess of Bailey, and Lara were in the manor. At first, she tried to follow her mother out of the manor. But no matter how she thought about it, the Marquess would never let her go gently.


    Lara was a young noblewoman who had aing-of-age ceremony recently, and a daughter past marriageable age was treated as a political asset in the society of Hautean, among other things was Sidhar Hautean. Sooner orter, the Prince will visit this house. Even if Lara¡¯s portrait was not to his liking, he still needs Marquess of Bailey.


    Lara put on every effort to look pretty to him during her past life, thinking that she could finally meet the prince that she had a crush on. A week before the meeting, she got a massage and acquired a tailored white dress. On the other hand, Prince Sidhar was just gathering his power in order to be the heir of the throne.


    It was best not to bump into him, but the situation could not be avoided.


    Then if that was the case, she had better be a woman that the Prince would never show interest in. Her power was too weak to confront him now.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°If I tell father I want to move out of this house, will he give his permission?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°He might even detain mdy. It is possible if it¡¯s him. Now that Lady Bailey has left the manor, his mood is a disaster.¡±


    Without realizing the fact that he was insulting his master, Konny shook her head. Lara liked this aspect of Konny. Throughout her previous life and this life, Konny was the only maid who did not tter her, nor did she speak ill of her.


    ¡°If I just run away, the knight will for suree to catch me, right?¡±


    ¡°Lord Bailey wants to make mdy the Queen. There¡¯s no way it would be that easy for mdy to gain independence from him.¡±


    As the painter finished the portrait, Konny approached Lara with ab and brushed her hair. Her hair resembled her mother, in which it was fine, thick, and curly. No matter how often she had brushed her hair, it would quickly be disheveled. So, Konny always brought ab in her apron.


    Lara was just sitting, enjoying the touch of theb with her eyes closed like a cat. Then, Konny said to her.


    ¡°But mdy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°When will you go meet that ve again? A day has passed.¡±


    Konny snorted again.


    Konny, who was smitten with the charm of the mighty warriors that she saw yesterday at the field, was pestering Lara to go to the arena whenever she had the opportunity to do so.


    ¡°Who even goes to the arena every day? People would go there once in a while when they¡¯re bored.¡±


    Lara¡¯s purpose was to help Demian, not to be the cringe-worthy Master Lady.


    Arena, ve, man.


    With her eyes closed, various clues followed one after another in her head. She thought and thought again about how to get out of the clutches of her father and the Prince. What is the most effective way to retaliate against them?


    Man, sponsor, checkbook.


    A good idea was almost at the tip of her thought.


    Her past self, which was so obedient to her father and the Prince, scattered like a mirage, and her present appearance in the red dress became clear.


    Demian, ve, scandal.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Lara opened her eyes.


    Her father, the Marquess of Bailey, was a man who valued honor, power, and the gaze of others. Therefore, he thought the business of Isadora was lowly. For him, a noble should not be a merchant. The wealth of the House of Bailey practically came from her mother. Nevertheless, her father still refused to acknowledge the credit.


    The same went for Prince Sidhar. He wanted a proper woman who could raise the prince of his name. A woman loved for her kind heart and elegant look so that anyone can praise him. What kind of woman do the two men hate inmon?


    It was simple, an extravagant and prodigal troublemaker who is constantly the talk of the town. Lara¡¯s scarlet eyes that resembled the sunset, shone brilliantly. An ordinary troublemaker would not be enough. Her father was greedy and cunning. She had to be a viiness so corrupt that even her father would not be able to handle her.


    I have lived a life as a viiness with the fa?ade of a saintess. And so, this time, I will show them what a real viiness is.


    ¡°Great.¡±


    Lara turned her head and looked at the mirror. She pulled the corner of her mouth and smiled.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara had enough money, the pocket money she had saved up so far was as much as 2,000 gold. She bought Demian for two gold, so 2,000 gold was enough money to buy 1,000 of Demian. Just in time, Lara got a message saying her mighty warrior would have his first match in the arena.


    ¡°We will watch the match first and then go to the designer then.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we go to the designer first?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because it feels like mdy will wear just whatever mdy wants. Recently, mdy has been wearing only shabby casual clothes.¡±


    ¡°Just you wait, Konny.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Because I will make you beg me toe back to my casual clothes.¡±


    The carriage carrying Lara and Konny ran towards the arena. That day, the main hall of the arena was crowded with young noblewomen talking in groups. They were all dressed in thetest trends in Hautean¡ªdress with the cor upright and the sleeves and hips puffed out.


    ¡°Mdy is the only one¡­¡±


    ¡°Who is shabby?¡±


    ¡°Nevermind, it was nothing.¡±


    Lara took Konny straight to the audience seat. This time again, the young noblewomen were pointing their fingers at her and mocking her. In the past, she used to behave properly and checked her attire, as if reacting to each and every one of those gazes.


    ¡°But not anymore.¡±


    ¡®Who cares?¡¯, crossed her mind.


    No matter what others think of her, she did not even want to try to react to them. It was not her fault that they had a narrow view of things and were closed-minded. After taking off her shoes, Lara sat spread over with her both legs on the sofa. Then, she sat leaning on the armrest and rested her chin.


    ¡°Mdy, is that positionfortable?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I will keep it a secret.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    The young noblewomen who were ring at Lara whispered amongst themselves with their mouths covered with fans. Lara did not have to listen to them to know what they were talking about. They must be gossiping about how shabby Lara was as a young noblewoman.


    ¡°The match of the day!¡±


    The host appeared.


    Holding a megaphone, he looked around the audience and grinned.


    ¡°The mighty warriors of Lady Laviore and Miss Dvonn willpete in the honor of their Master Ladies!¡±


    What? Who?


    Lara tilted her head.


    ¡°Miss Dvonn¡¯s mighty warrior is¡­ Mdy! The man who rubbed his lips onto the skirt of a youngdyst time!


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    He¡¯s going to get in trouble.


    With her hand that was resting on her chin, Lara rubbed her dry lips.


    The mighty warrior of Miss Dvonn will fall helplessly like a paper doll. Because what he had been doing so far was not fighting, but acting. Demian is someone who only knows to fight. Moreover, he¡¯s a monster who is beyond the standard.


    ¡°Should I stop him¡­¡±


    ¡°The mighty warriors areing!¡±


    Lara¡¯s monologue was buried with the host¡¯s voice.


    The mighty warrior of Miss Dvonn did not look much different than he was at thest match¡ªstylish suit, decorative armor, and thin fleuret.


    On the other hand, Demian.


    ¡°Oh no.¡±


    The field, which was filled with shouts and uproar, had quickly calmed down.


    Demian was walking out.


    Every time he took a step slowly, his muscles moved violently. He wore a leather band diagonally on his bare upper body, and protective gear to protect one side of his shoulder and chest. He wore ck leather pants, and every time he moved, his knee protective gear and metal belt nked.


    He was thought to be skinny, but his whole body was a muscle.


    No one said anything, not even the sound of a gulp could be heard.


    Even Konny, who was so excited to go to the arena, was distracted by Demian. So much so that she opened her mouth absent-mindedly.


    He was not slouchy, he did not cover his face with his hair, he did not even look around nor did he act clumsily. His blue eyes were full of violent temper, and each of his steps was smeared with hunger. Theposure that was revealed on his pale face was sensuous.


    At this moment, the only ones still in their right mind in the arena were Lara and the host.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 10

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°I should stop him.¡±


    Thinking that the mighty warrior of Miss Dvonn could be badly injured, Lara leaned forward.


    ¡°It¡¯s showtime!¡±


    The host did not stop the match.


    Rather, he quickly sent the starting signal in case someone stopped the match. The mighty warrior of Miss Dvonn ended up facing Demian¡¯sbative spirit head-on without time to prepare himself. What was really unfortunate was that the mighty warrior of Miss Dvonn was a man who was ignorant of battles. He could not even feel the violent temper flowing from Demian¡¯s body. He did not know whether the man in front of him was a rabbit, a lion, or a monster, he was just busy flexing himself.


    ¡°I will dedicate the victory of this battle to my Master Lady, the morning dew of Dvonn.¡±


    He showed his manner in a stylish pose. Normally, cheers and admiration would havee out from the young noblewomen. However, the audience seat was still quiet, as if someone just threw a wet nket.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    As if being possessed, they were all looking at Lara¡¯s mighty warrior, Demian. Even Miss Dvonn had her eyes fixed on Demian, not her mighty warrior.


    Crooked posture, a cold gaze, nearly topless armor, and a beautiful face that was reminiscent of a demon. No one knew how a muscle could exude such deadly beauty. Even the vibe that was given off between Demian and the ves, who were just acting to fight, was different. Everything was shocking.


    ¡°Oh no.¡±


    Lara murmured.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, mdy?¡±


    ¡°I hope he won¡¯t get too hurt¡­ He won¡¯t kill him, right?¡±


    ¡°Are you worried about your ve, mdy?¡±


    ¡°No, other people¡¯s ves.¡±


    The match started.


    The mighty warrior of Miss Dvonn took a step forward as if he was dancing towards Demian. He knew how to handle his fleuret, the problem was the movement was only for the sake of looking cool. The tip of the thin fleuret was about to strike Demian on his ribs.


    ¡°¡­huh?¡±


    Everyone doubted their eyes. Demian kicked the other mighty warrior on the stomach with his long legs.


    Whack.


    Without having any time to scream, the mighty warrior of Miss Dvonn flew back with his eyes wide open. There was not much to say, Demian just lifted his leg and kicked him. He did not even use his sword. Even the young noblewomen, who secretly showed their excitement, held their breath this time.


    The winner must give the honor of the victory to his Master Lady. Usually, along with a cheesy line, the winner would kiss the Master Lady¡¯s handkerchief or hem of her dress. Sometimes, with the permission of their Master Ladies, the bold ves would even walk up to the audience¡¯s seat and kiss their Master Ladies.


    No way.


    Lara thought that would not happen. There was no way a ve from another country would know about the aristocracy of Hautean. But Demian was searching for Lara, he seriously took the loser¡¯s sword and began to search the audience for his Master Lady.


    The host who had found Lara first shouted loudly.


    ¡°Ah, there she is! Lady Laviore Bailey, the Master Lady of the mighty warrior with dangerous charm!¡±


    The workers, holding magic lights in their hands, rushed to Lara and shone the colorful lights on her.


    ¡°It¡¯s the moment of birth to the arena¡¯s entric!¡±


    Everyone looked at Lara. She sat barefoot on the chair with her long hair hanging out randomly. She nced provocatively. Demian stared at her with a fierce face. It seemed like he would pull his sword out and put it on her neck at any moment. He smirked with his red lips. When his white teeth were slightly revealed, he licked it with the tip of his tongue.


    He started walking towards Lara.


    His long legs strode at the floor of the field. With the sword of the loser in one hand and the sword of the winner in the other, he approached Lara while staring only at her eyes persistently.


    ¡°Oh, so confident! The mighty warrior is on his way to dedicate his victory to his Master Lady!¡±


    Although the host was shouting about something, Lara did not hear him. She was too fixated on Demian, who was walking towards her. And in the blink of an eye, he stood right in front of her.


    She did not know what to say.


    She wanted to tell him that she tried to free him, but she did not think it was the right word for the moment.


    Demian talked to her first.


    ¡°Master Lady.¡±


    His voice was so low that her heart skipped a beat. Konny, who was hiding behind Lara, began to get hups. All the young noblewomen who were scattered in the field were also focusing their eyes and ears on Lara¡¯s side.


    ¡°I will dedicate my victory.¡±


    Demian said while revealing a fang.


    As if he was mocking Lara.


    Thud.


    The sword of the loser fell to the floor. He did not dedicate it gracefully but threw it like a piece of trash.


    ¡°Your name?¡±


    He asked.


    Lara did not answer.


    Without no one knowing how Demian interpreted Lara¡¯s action, he threw his own sword to the floor.


    Then, he got down on one knee. Lara swallowed her breath briefly. Everyone in the field held their breath. Leaving Demian who was looking up at her on one knee, Lara slowly lifted herself from the chair.


    Then, Demian reached out and grabbed Lara¡¯s wrist tight.


    Both of their hands were hot.


    Their warmth mixed through their skin. They could not take their eyes off each other.


    ¡°¡­Your name?¡±


    He asked again.


    It might be her delusion, but this time, his voice was slightly softened.


    Lara thought about it. She did vow to either be a viiness or a prodigal daughter, but she did not mean to involve Demian in her scheme. For it was enough for only her to be disgraced. She just wanted topensate him as much as she had wronged him in her past life. She did not want to use him like this.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Although she said it with a small voice as if she was whispering, it was elegant and could be heard clearly. The smile on Demian¡¯s mouth grew stronger. Lara gently turned Demian¡¯s wrist and pulled out her hand. Then, she held his hands hard. Demian¡¯s eyes were dazzling blue. She thought that it looked dangerous, but it was also beautiful at the same time.


    Lara leaned down.


    She bent and grabbed his shoulder with one hand. She breathed a shallow breath on his lips as he got closer.


    ¡°I am sorry.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°I will kiss you.¡±


    Demian¡¯s eyes sank thickly.


    He did not smile. He did not nod, nor did he give permission.


    Instead, he pulled her hands toward him.


    Lara kissed him lightly on the border between his upper lip and the corners of his mouth. It was such a cautious contact that she did not feel anything. But in the eyes of others, she would have seemed bold enough to kiss the ve on his lips.


    ¡°Ohhhhhhhh!¡±


    The host cheered.


    The young noblewomen who filled the field could not hide their shock, they screamed and became chaotic.


    I did it.


    Lara was satisfied.


    Just kissing a ve in such a public ce would make her be treated like a prodigal troublemaker in the social circle of Hautean. It would be only a matter of time as the news would get to her father.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    As she tried to move away, Demian said to her.


    ¡°My name is Demian.¡±


    He had a rough voice.


    Why did he tell me his name when we are in such a position?


    As Lara nodded and tried to turn away, he grabbed her hand.


    Lara lost her bnce, fell into his arms, and quickly got her lips taken away from her.


    Not knowing whether it was a smile or a warning, bloodthirstiness or desire¡ªall sorts of things poured in through his lips.


    His hot tongue pressed down and rubbed on her lips. Lara got flustered and ended up opening her mouth, it was then when Demian twisted his head roughly. He interlocked their lips diagonally and licked the inside of her mouth for what felt like an eternity.


    It made her dizzy to the point where she felt like fainting. His arms that were tied to her body were firm. Both of them had their eyes open.


    Crazy.


    Konny¡¯s scream, the host¡¯s cheers, the young noblewomen¡¯s horrible shriek,motioning from all over the ce. Now Lara knew that there was no turning back.


    Mother, what should I do?


    I was just nning to make a small scandal, but I think I ended up bing the lewdest woman of the century.


    With her body hardened like dried squid, she was barely able to pull her lips away. And when she did, sheughed.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 11

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The daughter of Marquess of Bailey, who used to be a model student, kissed an arena ve!


    Dozens of girls were itching to break the news, moreover, they all had three to four maids and guards. As such, the rumor had spread faster than the wind. Perhaps before the end of the day, all the nobles in the capital would conclude Lady Laviore Baile to be a lewd woman.


    ¡°Whew.¡±


    Compared to the scale of the ident that she just made, Lara¡¯s heart was calm. Even Lara herself thought that she would be antsy and anxious, but it turned out to be nothing much. As expected, the answer was not to hesitate but to think about it aftermitting to it.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Lara entered the room that was assigned to Demian.


    Maybe because it was a ce where the nobles came and went, but the facilities were good, even though it was just a ve¡¯s room. The bedroom and bathroom were separated, and in front of the partition was a luxurious sofa dedicated to the Master Lady. Lara did not sit on the sofa. She stood in the middle of the room with her arms folded, looking at Demian in a defensive position.


    ¡°Why did you do such a thing¡­¡±


    No. It was Lara who brought her lips first, he only gave his response. And although his approach was a bit aggressive, he might not want the contact in the first ce anyway.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Demian asked her.


    He sat on the sofa that was dedicated to the Master Lady and sat loosely like a beast. He still did not take off his armor. Lara who had nowhere to look, looked slightly over his shoulder.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Lara, who was about to say something, just kept her mouth shut. She did not want to talk to him about their kiss. Actually, there was nothing to talk about. She wanted scandal, and without knowing anything, Demian made the most perfect ending that she wanted.


    So, rather than be angry, shouldn¡¯t she thank him?


    Lara¡¯s action had also raised a question.


    It was baffling for Lara to not be angry even though Demian took her lips and mixed his tongue with hers as he pleased. Every time she swallowed her saliva, it felt like his tongue was still in her mouth.


    Lara felt a dull pain left in her heart, the problem was it came as a thrilling pleasure.


    So one can still feel pleasure even if they do something like that with someone they do not love.


    Lara concluded so.


    This is normal, I¡¯m sure everyone is the same. Perhaps that guy is a superb kisser.


    She searched for him because she wanted to make atonement for what she had done to him. But they ended up kissing when they did not know each other. It was something that she could not even imagine in her previous life.


    As Lara remembered, Demian lived alone throughout his mid-30s. There were no rumors about him, so it was unlikely for him to have a lover. He stayed alone even after he became the king of thewless area.


    Lara once doubted that Demian might love her since he was someone who went to fight in the terrible war so as not to be hated by her. So it wasn¡¯t just her, but almost everyone had misunderstood him. But now she could not know the truth, because the Demian in front of her was not the same as the Demian back then.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I will pay the price for you.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°So that you can be free.¡±


    ¡°Your reason?¡±


    He was a man of very short words.


    Prince Sidhar was a man of lengthy words, so much so that he did not even give a chance to talk back. But Demian was the type to simply cut his words short and wait for Lara¡¯s reaction.


    Anyway, reason? Does he need a reason to be free?


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    Lara realized she did not ask him the most important question.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    This time, Lara asked a question and waited for him. Demian did not open his mouth easily, though he did not ignore her question. He was just lost in thought for a very long time with an expressionless face.


    When he finally opened his mouth, his answer was¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I want. I have never decided anything like that.¡±


    ¡°What do you¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what it means to be a ve.¡±


    Lara was speechless.


    After listening to him, Lara opened her little mouth and shut it up again. She wanted to ask him what he meant, as there was no such person who did not know what they wanted. Even a ve at least had basic desires and a goal to achieve. However, suddenly, her appearance was reflected on his face.


    A doll that was full of lies, made by her father and the prince; it was the fake saintess. In her past life, Lara did as she was told without knowing what she really wanted.


    What¡¯s the difference?


    That man who was born a ve, who wandered around and lived on the battlefield, and herself, who was born a noble but had no free will


    Hideously, they resembled each other.


    ¡°Do you want to live?¡±


    ¡°Do I want to live? Aren¡¯t I living because I¡¯m alive?¡±


    ¡°Then, do you want to die?¡±


    ¡°If I die, then it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    ¡°Is there any ce that you want to go?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Lara felt like she was suffocating. Holding her hands tightly together, Lara kept asking him. What did he want to eat, what did he want to have, was there anyone that he wanted to meet, was there any skill that he wanted to learn. Lara even asked him if he wanted to be in love, or if he wanted to hold a woman, or if he wanted to start a family.


    Or maybe there was someone he wanted to take revenge on.


    ¡°No.¡±


    But there was none.


    There was really none.


    While giving Lara the same answer over and over again, he looked totally unfazed. Rather, with just his tone of voice, it was as if he was questioning Lara why she was asking such boring questions. Eventually, Lara quickly realized that his man was not normal.


    ¡°Why did youe to Hautean?¡±


    ¡°Someone asked me toe here.¡±


    He responded tly.


    ¡°He said I can make a lot of money if I be an arena ve.¡±


    This was a lie.


    He was sincere about everything, but not in hisst answer. Previously, Lara was the one who used to lie, but now he was lying to her.


    ¡°Why did you kiss me?¡±


    She could not help but ask that question now. When her lips were taken away, he was very aggressive. Like a hungry lion. If the two people were lovers in love, people might conclude that he was deeply in love with her.


    Lara¡¯s scarlet eyes fell in his blue eyes, she did not shy away from his gaze anymore.


    Demianughed cheerfully.


    ¡°Because I wanted to do it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Do you need a reason?¡±


    ¡°You said you don¡¯t have anything that you want. But why did you want to kiss me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re different.¡±


    Demian swept his rugged hair with one hand. His red tongue could be seen with his hot breath through his slightly opened lips. He looked at Lara¡¯s face as if he was licking it.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Laviore Ria Bailey.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s my name.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you be my Master Lady for the next six months? Don¡¯t you think I could be quite the ve? One that you could be proud of?¡±


    His voice was filled withughter.


    Like a child who just discovered a funny game, he put emphasis on the word Master Lady.


    ¡®What kind of ve is this?¡¯


    Lara was dumbfounded.


    A ve who sat arrogantly in front of a noble andmanded her to be his Master Lady.


    Was he like this too before?


    Did he start living in the arena after bing the mighty warrior for a young noblewoman, whom he just met, without any unnecessary hesitation?


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lara did not have any ns to tell him everything from the beginning, he probably would not even believe her. Thus, Lara decided to ept Demian¡¯s offer. And as they get closer, Lara would slowly make him aware that she was the enemy of Prince Sidhar, and she would listen to whatever he wanted.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 12

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Feel free to let me know anytime if you want to go out or if you need something¡­¡±


    Then, Konny who was waiting outside the door called Lara with a loud voice.


    ¡°Mdy! Someone from the manor is here, he said His Lordship was very angry. He told you to get your portrait drawn again. What do we do? He also told you toe home right now¡­¡±


    Did I get caught?


    Lara sighed.


    Still, she thought she couldst a few more days, but her father seemed to have checked the portrait. Nevertheless, it seemed that he still did not know about what had happened in the arena.


    Lara gazed at Demian, rubbing her lips with her fingers.


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°After what had happened today had¡­spread, father could ask someone to get rid of you.¡±


    ¡°If your father knew that we kissed, he would get rid of me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Lara, who did not want to say the word ¡®kiss¡¯, if possible, tried to beat around the bush, but it was no use. Every time Demian said the word ¡®kiss¡¯, he persistently followed Lara¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It might be dangerous to stay here. The more people talk about the incident, the bigger the rumor would get. People will misunderstand and think that we are in a very deep rtionship, the same goes for my father.¡±


    ¡°A very deep rtionship.¡±


    ¡°You get me? Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Was it Marquess of Bailey?¡±


    Demian slowly stood up.


    As he stretched his tall body, Lara took a step back without her realizing it.


    ¡°Is your father an expert of swords? Is he an owner of swords? Or probably a master?¡±


    ¡°No. His swordsmanship is just ordinary.¡±


    ¡°Then, is he a sorcerer? Is he an owner of a tower, or a leader of a sorcerer sect?¡±


    ¡°No. He is not a sorcerer. He is just an ordinary noble. He considers honor and reputation as important.¡±


    ¡°Does he have knights loyal to the family from generation to generation?¡±


    ¡°No such thing. House of Bailey has never been amander of the border.¡±


    Demian tilted his head to one side. His ck hair spilled over his white forehead.


    He asked a question full of wonder.


    ¡°Then, how can he kill me?¡±


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t die. If your father is an ordinary noble, he can¡¯t kill me no matter what it takes.¡±


    ¡°He can make someone else do it, he can poison the bread you eat, or he can send an assassin while you sleep. Hautean is the country of nobles. As a ve, you can never stand up to my father.¡±


    As she said so, Lara felt a strange awkwardness. She felt like she was saying something wrong. This man, Demian Rhode Drake, was a powerful man who could stand his ground even against the Empire¡¯s finest knights. But how can Lara, who did not know much about him, make such a conclusion about his death?


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Demian approached her.


    With his back slightly bent, he tilted his head to one side and looked into Lara¡¯s face.


    ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡±


    Heughed with the corners of his mouth twisted, it was a fierce-looking smile. Now that she saw him, Lara realized that this man did not seem to know how to smile softly. She was still not avoiding his gaze. Demian reached out and grabbed a handful of Lara¡¯s hair. Through his long fingers, her thin hair gently ran down. As she watched her hair being yed around in between his thumb and index finger, Lara said in a calm voice.


    ¡°I have to go back now.¡±


    ¡°Master Lady.¡±


    He bowed close.


    Without realizing it, Lara took a big step back. His lips crept close to her face and quickly became further.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me like that. My name is Lara. Or just call me¡­ Young Lady Bailey.¡±


    Demian smiled and raised his hands. Without Lara realizing, her wallet was already in his right hand. As if it was a matter of course, he took the checkbook out of her wallet in a confident manner. A ve who took care of his own sponsorship money. Lara did not know what to criticize first.


    ¡°¡­Buy clothes first.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s your order.¡±


    Demian smiled and nodded.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara¡¯s n to go to the dress designer was canceled because of the frantic kissing incident. As Demian took all the money in her wallet, she did not even have any money to pay for the dress deposit. Leaving behind the regret that she could not order extreme and shocking clothes, Lara left Demian¡¯s room and headed for the entrance of the arena. If she had known this would happen, she would have stopped Demian when he took all the money in her wallet.


    Demian was interested in Lara. Even Lara, who was slow when it came to men, could tell that much. Having been born a ve and lived a life without wanting anything, he confessed, ¡°you¡¯re different¡± with a look that could not be exined with words.


    It did not seem like it was love at first sight nor did it seem like he wanted physical pleasure from her.


    No, it was not such a sweet feeling.


    To put it bluntly, it was like the obsession and sense of kinship that a mutant¡ªwho thought he was the only one in the world¡ªfelt when he met another mutant.


    ¡°Mdy, what should we do now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°We should not go to the arena today¡­ I apologize for urging you toe here. You¡¯re not going to get in more trouble because of me, are you? Right? I heard His Lordship was very angry.¡±


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, father won¡¯t do anything to you. At worst, he will raise his voice and give you a warning.¡±


    ¡°What about mdy?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll be grounded?¡±


    But it would be different for Demian. Marquess of Bailey would soon be told that Lara and Demian hugged each other on the floor of the arena and shared a sloppy kiss.


    He would be angry.


    He would give a scornful reaction.


    He would not admit that it had happened, saying that it was ridiculous.


    After killing Demian and making it as if nothing had happened, he might keep Lara under restraint and monitor her.


    How should I respond then?


    I did not want to run away and hide.


    Because I did not do anything wrong.


    I won¡¯t even cling and beg to him while crying. I don¡¯t have anything that I want from father anymore.


    Should I scream and fight him back?


    Should I insult the family using foulnguage, ones that father hated the most, and sneer at him for being the Prince¡¯s pawn?


    Or should I run out to the ballroomte at night and go into a random hotel with a man I had just met for the first time?


    Wearing a low-cut red dress, as if saying ¡°look at me¡±.


    It won¡¯t be difficult to find a man to apany me to the hotel entrance with just a few gold coins.


    Anything was fine.


    Reputation doesn¡¯t matter to me.


    Just imagining her father¡¯s distorted face made Lara feel better.


    Lara would drag him to the bottom so that he could never use his daughter again. Then, she wouldugh out loud and break up her rtionship with his father. That was her revenge against her heartless father who took the lead in offering his daughter as a demon¡¯s sacrifice, in addition to selling his one and only daughter to the trashy Prince.


    ¡°That sounds fun.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? What is it, mdy?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    When they went outside, several carriages were waiting at the entrance of the arena. Before returning home, the young noblewomen gathered in groups to talk and made the next appointment. Workers, escort guards, and maids also worked diligently to help their masters return home.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    When Lara appeared in that noisy ce, the murmurs had suddenly stopped.


    Everyone looked at Lara.


    The young noblewomen, their maids, workers, and even the escort guards.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 13 - The Fallen Angel

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Oh my goodness.¡±


    The silence was broken slowly.


    Several people¡¯s whispers could be heard. Their eyes nced at Lara and they secretly gossiped among themselves.


    ¡°Just look at her shameless face, I¡¯d be too embarrassed to even look at someone in the eye.¡±


    ¡°If she was someone who cared about something like that, she wouldn¡¯t have kissed a ve there.¡±


    ¡°Is she Young Lady Bailey? My friend said she¡¯s a really well-behaved model student. What made her do a 180?¡±


    It was okay up to there. If Lara was in their position, she would also have said simr words. But the words that followed after that were very ridiculous.


    ¡°Did she sleep with him?¡±


    ¡°Of course, didn¡¯t you see that ve¡¯s face and body? I¡¯m pretty sure she bought him so she can use him at night. Just look at her now, I bet she just enjoyed her sweet time with him.¡±


    ¡°She must be out of her mind. Is she a beast or something?¡±


    It was not bad. If their gazes were swords, then their tongues were birds. The criticisms and gossip about her will fly with their tongues and go everywhere in Hautean, rumors are bound to be exaggerated and overstated. If this happens a few more times, she¡¯ll be called an irredeemable brat.


    Lara has already lived in the mouth of countless people in her past life. At that time, she was anxious and tired every day because of the obsession that she should not do anything that would get her on the wrong side of other people. She had to look like a perfect saintess, and that no one should know that she was a fake.


    She could only have a kind face, say kind words, and do kind deeds. She could not evenugh to her heart¡¯s content, nor could she even express how much she hated someone. Even her breathing was an act.


    Because she had to getpliments.


    But when she faced the gossip that was pouring toward her head-on, it was not painful, nor did it make her feel distressed, it did not even make her tremble in fear.


    It felt hollow.


    ¡°Mdy.¡±


    Konny grabbed Lara¡¯s clothes and whispered to her to go faster. She seemed worried that Lara might be hurt.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    She meant it when she said she was fine.


    Lara turned around and looked at Konny once. She turned her head again and looked at the young noblewomen who were murmuring about her. She felt the need to pour fuel on the fire so they would spread the scandal about her with passion and sincerity.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. They must be painfully jealous because I managed to buy the coolest ve in the arena. What can they do? They were the ones who had no eye for ves. If they want to curse at me behind my back, let them do so.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like my ve will be ugly when they gossip. The more they do that, the more famous I will be.¡±


    Lara did not lower her voice. It looked like she was talking to Konny, but it was actually intended for them. If they had any sense, they would also realize that.


    ¡°They could not even say a word in front of me.¡±


    The young noblewomen who were whispering looked at Lara with a stiff face.


    ¡°If they¡¯re jealous, just say it to my face.¡±


    After saying herst words, Lara took a step toward the entrance. She looked like her mother, Isadora¡ªlooking chic and sharp. When she raised her chin and lowered her eyes, she looked like an arrogant cat or a fierce lynx.


    A straight waist, a wide stride, and a rxed smile around her mouth. Lara walked confidently through the crowd that was divided into two sides. This was a losing battle for the one who envied. In that sense, Lara was confident not to lose.


    Her carriage had arrived.


    It was not the carriage that Lara originally rode, but the one sent by her father. Marquess of Bailey sent knights on the carriage to watch his daughter, but in the eyes of other young noblewomen, it only seemed that a real knight came to pick up Lara because she was from a house of high status.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Lara returned to Marquess of Bailey¡¯s manor with the frightened Konny.<b> The Fallen Angel</b>


    Contrary to what she was worried about, Marquess of Bailey was not so angry. He seemed to think that the portrait could be redrawn.


    ¡°I fired the painter. Throw away that vulgar dress, too. I have already called another painter and dress designer, so make sure you get up early tomorrow morning.¡±


    Lara did not answer him.


    She was just sitting motionlessly and staring at her father¡¯s face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever go to the arena again. Once people start talking about it, it¡¯s only a matter of time before you lose the reputation that you have built so far. I¡¯d rather you go to the reading club or embroidery club.¡±


    Lara still did not answer him.


    Marquess of Bailey ought to be wondering about his daughter¡¯s attitude, which was not as obedient as usual, but he just kept on saying what he had to say.


    ¡°You have to be at the temple in the morning in three days. Prince Sidhar will be there. Wear a modest dress, cover your face with a veil, and pretend that you¡¯ve been praying all night in front of the statue of God. I have bribed the priest there and he will get the story straight.¡±


    Aftering back to the past and knowing everything, facing her father, Lara realized that he was such an incredible person. Not only did he dig up his preferences thoroughly so that his daughter would catch the Prince¡¯s eyes, but he also grasped the Prince¡¯s movements and followed him ordingly.


    He even bribed a priest to lie with him.


    ¡°You¡¯re so diligent.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Lara just nodded.


    In the past, she would have been very happy and vowed to be a woman who suits Prince Sidhar¡¯s preference. But now she saw things that she did not see then, and that made her think a lot. Her father, Marquess of Bailey, had a very well-managed appearance that overshadowed the fact that he was middle-aged.


    If it were not for his fancy, aristocratic look, people would think he was a saint somewhere. His face was so kind that anyone could show goodwill if he had only kept his mouth shut. But all that came out of his mouth was dirty and vulgar worlds.


    What¡¯s more ridiculous, he was genuinely known as a man of good nature outside of the house.


    ¡°Do you get me?¡±


    After conveying his instructions for a while, he fixed his eyes on Lara and asked. With extremely business-like eyes that showed no affection at all. He probably would have the same look when he treated the servants, butlers, or even the beast that he kept.


    In the past, she used to mistake him for expressing interest and love whenever he supervised her each and every movement.


    How foolish was she.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡±


    He asked.


    Now he seemed to have noticed that Lara¡¯s atmosphere was a little different from usual. He frowned on his neatly trimmed eyebrows and crumpled his upper lip with a look of annoyance.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    Lara said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get married to Prince Sidhar.¡±


    She said clearly.


    Her father seemed to regard her deviation as more insignificant than the pping of the wings of a fly. So, she decided to speak frankly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I hate Prince Sidhar.¡±


    ¡°Stop joking around, just a few days ago¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know him. I¡¯d rather die than marry him. Dating a tramp and living on the street is probably better than getting married to him.¡±


    ¡°Laviore.¡±


    ¡°You also know that he is actually a terrible egoist and is human scum. Do you really intend to sell your daughter to such a man?¡±


    Lara did not smile.


    She was not even excited. She spoke calmly and firmly so that anyone could know that she meant what she said. But Marquess of Bailey did not listen to her. He just let out a short sigh, raised one hand, and waved it. It meant, go back to your room and stop bothering me.


    ¡°Stop acting childish.¡±


    Acting childish?


    Rather, Laraughed.


    Father regarded my desperate confession as merely being childish?


    ¡°If you want to spout nonsense, go back to your room and write it in your diary. I thought you were all grown up, how can you say such thoughtless words¡­ Do I look like I have a lot of free time in your eyes?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    You don¡¯t look like you have a lot of free time, but you also don¡¯t look like a father to me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you be an ungrateful wench.¡±


    Marquess of Baileymented.


    For the first time, Marquess of Bailey showed great fatigue. Lara realized that he did not say that to her, but to her mother who had left home. It must have hurt his pride, people must have been whispering about him a lot. The man whom Thousand Gold Isadora threw away as if she was dumping an old shoe.


    It must have been for a simr reason that her mother left the house in broad daylight.


    Still, Lara could not stand seeing her father talk about her mother like that. Lara rose from her seat. When she was about to tell her father not to talk about her mother recklessly, a careful knock could be heard.


    Knock knock.


    The close attendant of Marquess of Bailey came in.


    ¡°My Lord.¡±


    There was no need for a long exnation.


    The hardened face of the attendant, the way he nced at Lara while walking toward the Marquess, the shock buried in his nce¡ªeverything was telling one fact. The attendant knew about what happened in the arena. He was going to tell the Marquess about the fact that Lara kissed a ve. The scene passed by very slowly in Lara¡¯s eyes.


    The attendant approached the Marquess and began his report politely. He tried hard not to use vulgar words, but he had no choice but to say the words ¡®kiss¡¯ or ¡®ve¡¯ if he were to tell the Marquess about the rumor going around.


    Marquess of Bailey did not believe what the attendant had just said. So he asked him to repeat his report, and he had to hear the same thing twice.


    His face, which was full of deep fatigue and a little displeasure, was distorted.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    It was horrible and disgraceful. His red eyes convulsed.


    Just like an amateur who could not control his anger and did not know what to do, Marquess of Bailey asked Lara with a cracked voice.


    ¡°What is he¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It is the truth.¡±


    This was better.


    Rather than being anxious and waiting for the moment his father knew about the truth, it was better for him to know about it all at once.


    ¡°I slept with the ve.¡±


    Lara proudly straightened her back and raised her head. She was far from the modest daughter that the Marquess had hoped for.


    With a face asking what was wrong, Lara looked clearly at the Marquess of Bailey. She even smiled impudently.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 14

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara once had a thought.


    If Lara did not be a good daughter as her father wants, if Lara became a bad daughter and hurt his pride, how would he react? Would he try to control Lara by force, or would he quickly abandon Lara and ignore her?


    Marquess of Bailey was the former.


    p!


    What Lara had expected happened.


    The Marquess had be frighteningly angry and was unable to control his anger.


    p!


    He raised his hand and pped Lara in the face, it was so strong that it made a loud sound. Moreover, he did it twice. The startled attendant quickly averted his eyes and went outside. That was not the end. He hit and hit his daughter¡ªwho winced and staggered¡ªon her head over and over again.


    Until Lara fell to the ground and stumbled beneath his gaze.


    ¡°Go to your room. Don¡¯t take a step outside until I give you my permission. Don¡¯t even eat. Get down on your knee and beg for forgiveness until the problem is solved.¡±


    Lara could feel something bloody in her mouth.


    It seemed that her lips were cracked. Her head rang to the point of dizziness, but Lara did not groan even once. Rather, she opened her eyes wide and made sarcastic remarks sharply.


    ¡°Then, will the problem turn out to be something that did not happen?¡±


    ¡°Laviore!¡±


    Marquess of Bailey was so furious that he did not know how to get angry. He had to make sure several times that the girl standing in front of him was really his daughter. He wondered how a person can change so much in just a few days.


    As if she was under a dirty curse.


    ¡°Laviore Ria Bailey! Remember who you came from, I will not tolerate disobedience.¡±


    Lara was confined.


    All her maids were chased away. Let alone eating, no one was allowed to talk to her. Soldiers were ced outside the door so that Lara could never escape. And that night, Marquess of Bailey threw a pocket full of gold coins to his attendant and ordered Lara¡¯s ve, who was in the arena, to be killed without leaving any trace.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Rumors spread quickly that Young Lady Bailey indulged in sensual pleasures with an arena ve, and that they kissed and got physical in a public ce.


    The noblemunity in Hautean was small.


    In addition, Marquess of Bailey recently became an aide of Prince Sidhar, while Marchioness of Bailey abandoned her husband and left the house, making the interest in him higher than ever. Meanwhile, as soon as the Marquess¡¯ one and only daughter became an adult, she got into major trouble. Whenever two or more nobles gathered, all they chatted about was the House of Bailey.


    As imagination was added to the curiosity, all the scandals had ended up like a novel.


    Laviore Ria Bailey.


    There must be a good reason why a girl, who was such a modest model student when she attended the academy, became a prodigal daughter as soon as she held hering-of-age ceremony. Someone was convinced that the feud between the Marquess and Marchioness of Bailey was the cause.


    Someone spected that the ve who kissed her might be a fallen noble somewhere.


    In the arena, a feud broke out between the group of girls that insulted Lara and the group of girls that said they also would want to try kissing a ve as charming as Demian, consequently making the arena rowdier than ever.


    The fallen angel.


    Such a nickname was given to Lara for fun, and soon everyone called her like that.


    She had only changed a few little things.


    She just wore a red dress and frequented the arena.


    She just ran after her mother and suggested to her to divorce her father.


    Instead of begging for the Prince¡¯s love, she just rejected any contact with him.


    While Lara was locked up in her room, so much has changed.


    The big change was that Marquess of Bailey¡¯s n was disrupted. The small change was that after much consideration, Konny, the maid who was encouraged by Lara¡¯s deviation, visited Marchioness Isadora Bailey.


    Her mother was the only warrior who could save her from her father¡¯s ws.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Mdy.¡±


    Someone was calling for Lara.


    ¡°Mdy¡­ Open your eyes, how long are you going to sleep?¡±


    It was Konny¡¯s voice.


    Lara, who had been sleepingte, forced her heavy eyes to open at the sound that had tickled her ears. Seeing the brightness of the room, the sun seemed to be high up in the sky.


    It had already been three days since she was locked up in her room. Originally, she would have rushed to the temple from dawn at his father¡¯s suggestion and sat there pretending to pray, to attract the attention of the Prince. However, after finding out that his daughter had caused a scandal with a ve, Marquess of Bailey ordered her not to take a step out of her room until the rumor subsided.


    It was a boring time.


    A day or twoter, Lara¡¯s patience had run out.


    She was thinking about whether she should threaten tomit suicide, or if she should bribe the soldier. Whatever it is she had to do, Lara was determined to leave the house when this situation was over.


    Moreover, she could not even eat anything but water.


    It was fine because Lara was used to starving, but when she was about to get annoyed because of how frustrated she was, Konny showed up.


    ¡°¡­Konny?¡±


    How did youe in here? I didn¡¯t think father would give his permission.


    When Lara asked with her eyes, Konny smiled brightly and answered.


    ¡°Madam is here!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Lara thought she heard it wrong.


    As Lara sat in her bed half asleep, blinking nkly, Konny grabbed her hand with a flushed face and shook it up and down.


    ¡°Madam is here. I told her that His Lordship pped you in your face and locked you in your room! Did you know what Madam said? She really made my heart beat fast¡­¡±


    ¡°What did mother say?¡±


    ¡°Madam mmed down the table, and with a frown on her face, she got up from her seat and reached her hand out to her secretary!¡±


    Konny took a moment, made the grimmest expression she could do, and said slowly.


    ¡°Bring me the divorce document.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    She could not help but ask again.


    Knowing that her mother said that, Lara was wide awake and brought up her full attention.


    The Isadora Bailey whom Lara knew was a woman of few words and was also careful with what she had said. She was someone who would never create vulnerable points or make big fights just because of impulsive remarks that were stained with momentary anger.


    Mother, who had always been careful, decided to divorce father like this?


    Konny, who was excited, was chattering in front of her. It was a bunch of ramblings, but Lara knew perfectly what Konny was saying. When her mother instructed her secretary to bring the divorce document, her secretary rushed to prepare the document. Konny said admiringly that it was fast as if the document had been prepared in advance.


    Then, they rode the carriage at full speed to meet the Marquess of Bailey.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right now. Madam will solve everything. Mdy, you must be hungry. I have brought you soft soup and bread. It¡¯s lukewarm, so you can eat it right away.¡±


    Konny put a tray on the table.


    The smell of savory soup and freshly baked bread was fragrant. She did not even realize how hungry she was because she had gotten used to starving. But suddenly, she became very hungry.


    However, now was not the time to be eating.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Mdy?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s mother?¡±


    ¡°Huh? She is¡­in His Lordship¡¯s study.¡±


    Lara stormed off from her seat.


    She was still in her pajamas, but she ran out of her room regardless. In the hallway outside her room, two soldiers, who were supposed to watch her, stood helplessly.


    ¡°Mdy!¡±


    ¡°Move.¡±


    The soldiers did not stop her.


    They did not have any choice.


    Because Lara¡¯s mother, Marchioness of Bailey had given her order through Konny for the soldiers to step away from Lara¡¯s room immediately. They were obliged to obey orders from both the Marquess and Marchioness of Bailey.


    Lara pushed her way through the soldiers and ran. The Marquess¡¯ study was on the third floor. The sound of her footsteps running up the stairs rang busily in the quiet manor. When she came upstairs, the raw air filled the hallway.


    As Lara had suddenly moved after she had just woken up, she was out of breath and turned dizzy. But despite all that, Lara still walked firmly and stood in front of the Marquess¡¯ study.


    ¡°Mdy.¡±


    It was her mother¡¯s secretary.


    He stood in a neat position, holding a thin file.


    ¡°My mother¡­¡±


    When Lara was about to open her mouth, a loud voice could be heard from the Marquess¡¯ study.


    ¡°Are you in your right mind?! You¡¯re a marchioness! No matter how lowly you came from, you¡¯re no different from a noble now¡­ As thedy of the house and the role model of the family, what are you saying now? A divorce document?¡±


    It was Marquess of Bailey.


    He was getting a lot angrier than when he pped Lara in her face. His voice was coarse and trembled. On the contrary, Isadora¡¯s voice was as icy and cold as a block of ice.


    ¡°I¡¯m in my right mind. And I¡¯m setting the perfect example now.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be associated with people like you anymore. I want a divorce. Before we be enemies, let¡¯s at least go back to being strangers.¡±


    ¡°Isadora!¡±


    ¡°As if it was not enough that you confined my daughter who is a full-fledged adult, you even hit her? You should be d that I¡¯m not setting your study on fire. I don¡¯t know who¡¯s the lowly one here. I will take Lara with me.¡±


    The Marquess was silent for a moment.


    Lara knew that was her father¡¯s way of resisting. He had a habit of using silence to press against his opponent.


    But there was no way Isadora did not know about it.


    ¡°Sign this paper.¡±


    She seemed to throw the divorce documents on the Marquess¡¯ desk without giving him a chance to fight back.


    Lara could hear the fluttering sound of the paper.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 15

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Divorce me. That¡¯s the most husbandlike thing you can do now.¡±


    The air in the study turned sharp like broken ss. The secretary spoke to Lara¡ªwho tried to get inside and protect her mother¡ªin a calm voice.


    ¡°It is all right.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Mdy, just go back to your room and pack your things.¡±


    He gently stretched out one arm and pushed Lara on the shoulder. He was telling Lara to go back downstairs.


    Lara looked at her mother¡¯s secretary full of doubt.


    ¡°Trust Lady Isadora.¡±


    His words were very strange. His tone seemed blunt like her mother, but he sounded friendly. He was a stranger whom she felt awkward around but was reassured with him.


    ¡°Mother¡­¡±


    ¡°Just get your important things. Then, I will go downstairs with Lady Isadora soon.¡±


    Oh, I see.


    Lara realized why he can be so calm and rxed. He had faith in her mother, he believed and followed her, he respected and was loyal to her. He thinks that Isadora can stand up to the Marquess of Bailey. On the contrary, he looked at Lara as if she were a child. Although she was already an adult, he was still being careful with her, as if she was an adolescent girl.


    Lara could no longer listen to the conversation in the study. She did not know whether it was because her father lowered his voice or because the two were not saying anything.


    She trusts her mother.


    Her father could never be a match for her mother. That was a fact that even Lara knew.


    ¡°Mdy, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Lara was pushed back by Konny and returned to her room. While Konny was packing her things, Lara sat on the sofa and ate the warm soup.


    She felt weird.


    It felt like she was floating in the air.


    On the first day she went back to the past, Lara remembered what she had unknowingly brought up in her mother¡¯s carriage.


    ¡°Get a divorce from father.¡±


    Her mother made no response whatsoever. She did not say whether she would get a divorce or not. She just stared at Lara as if she was trying to find out the real intention from Lara¡¯s words. Lara wondered why her mother would not get a divorce in her past life, but now, she wondered why her mother suddenly wanted to get a divorce.


    The answer was simple.


    Because Lara told her to do so.


    Something hot rose in her chest.


    In her previous life, Lara¡¯s mother did not divorce the Marquess of Bailey until the day Lara died. They hated and ignored each other, but they did not get a divorce. Lara realized that it was because of her.


    ¡°She was afraid I would be angry and resent her¡­ That¡¯s why she did not do it.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Mdy, did you say something to me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Lara shook her head and got up.


    There was still more than half of the soup left, but she stopped eating because she had lost her appetite. If she had a chance to meet the past herself, she wanted to p her in the face until she came to her senses.


    ¡°I am so d Her Ladyship came. I did not expect that she woulde here as soon as I told her that mdy wanted to leave this manor.¡±


    ¡°Konny, what exactly did you tell mother?¡±


    ¡°I told her that not only did The Marquess hit and starved you but that he also confined you.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell her about the reason father did that?¡±


    ¡°She already knew about that.¡±


    Konny smiled with a bright face.


    ¡°She already knew that the ve¡¯s name is Demian and that mdy had bought him with 2 gold.¡±


    Lara immediately closed her mouth.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The air in the carriage was hot.


    Before she left, Lara did not know how hot it was because it was still in the morning. But once she had packed up and got on the carriage, the air outside became hot. Wearing the red dress that she wore on her first day after going back to the past, along with a hat with a brim, she sat across from her mother.


    Meanwhile, Konny¡ªlooking nervous¡ªgot into the second carriage with Isadora¡¯s secretary. Because Lara said how she wanted to take Konny, the brave maid followed her master and got to change her workce.


    In the gently wobbling carriage, Lara¡¯s mother, Isadora burst intoughter.


    ¡°2 gold, huh?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Isadora asked a question and Lara asked her back. She did not understand the meaning of the question her mother asked.


    2 gold.


    Lara, who was agonizing over what it had meant for a while, recalled Demian¡¯s face and hurriedly opened her mouth again.


    ¡°Mother, about that¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Isadora did not listen to Lara¡¯s excuse. In fact, she did not have any intention to scold her. She asked her daughter what she was most curious about when she heard the news.


    ¡°I heard he was such a shabby ve that no one bid on him, but you were the only one who showed interest in him. Moreover, just in a day, he showed up looking so charming that it was as if he was a different person entirely.¡±


    Not only that, he even blew away his opponent with a single kick.


    ¡°How did you know about his value?¡±


    Isadora was most curious about that.


    The Lara whom she knew was someone who had never been to such a ce and had no interest in such people. But one day, she had suddenly changed like a different person. She told Isadora to divorce her father, went to the arena, recognized a ve¡ªwhom no one knew of his value¡ªand bought him dirt cheap with her pocket money. Moreover, she even got beaten up by her father while standing up to him. Isadora heard that she did not shed a tear at all.


    She was the same now.


    Lara found it difficult to deal with her mother, but she was not afraid of her. She was able to face her mother confidently, but gently at the same time. The reason for herte answer was not because she did not know how to answer it, but because she was carefully choosing what to say.


    Lara had such a cold and firm gaze.


    In Isadora¡¯s view, it was the eyes of a sessful person who rose through the ups and downs of life. It was also a way for the person with pain to cover up their wounds.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what happened.¡±


    Lara blinked her eyes slowly. Shadows cast over her scarlet eyes, making them as red as the sun. Isadora waited patiently. No one is going to disturb them while they¡¯re in the carriage, anyway.


    Lara¡¯s worries deepened.


    She was wondering from where to where should she tell her mother. She did not want to lie to her. But she also did not want to tell her mother that she went back to the past. The worst thing she didn¡¯t want to do was to tell her mother what she had experienced in her previous life.


    Lara, who was silent, made her decision and opened her mouth.


    ¡°I used to admire the Prince.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you did.¡±


    ¡°Now I know you¡¯re right. Prince Sidhar is a man who can do anything to get the throne.¡±


    ¡°Lara?¡±


    ¡°Father is also the same. He¡¯s willing to give anything to the Prince as long as he can get the dukedom. He will trick people into believing that I¡¯m the nicest daughter in the world and drag me to the Prince. He will cut off my will, freedom, and desire, and wrap me up like a doll.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°That is my reason. I was going to be the lewdest woman of the century and make him give up on me. If I be a troublemaker that anyone will bad-mouth, he won¡¯t give me to the Prince, and he¡¯ll also try to break up ties with me.¡±


    Isadora listened carefully to Lara.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get away from father. I will do it thoroughly so that he will never use me to satisfy his greed again.¡±


    ¡°Do you really need to be a notorious troublemaker to do that?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t fight him with a sword and it¡¯s toote to build my power to fight him back. As far as I can tell, this is the quickest and simplest move.¡±


    Lara did not want to run away.


    She was not in the wrong, so she did not want to live in hiding.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Isadora said


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I understand now.¡±


    Lara lifted her head and looked at Isadora.


    Her mother was smiling. Looking at Lara with a light smile, she blinked her scarlet eyes that looked just like hers.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you weren¡¯t really in love with that 2 gold ve, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Of course.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what other people think, as long as you¡¯re confident and have someone who believes in you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mother.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Isadora was wearing a bright gray jacket and a red skirt, it was oversized and falls into the casual category of clothes. Isadora took her wallet out of the pocket of her zipped skirt and pulled out some checks.


    It was 2,000 gold.


    ¡°Take this.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Mother, this is too much.¡±


    ¡°You left almost all of your stuff behind. You will need new clothes and shoes. And you will need money if you want to go here and there. You already know how high the prices in the capital are, right?¡±


    She knew. Even a flower sold on the street is expensive in the high-end shopping district, city center, and entertainment district where the nobles gathered around.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m a mother, I don¡¯t agree with your ways. There¡¯s no way I can stay calm when my daughter is being bad-mouthed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°But I know you have a n.¡±


    How can this be?


    Lara, the one who made the trouble, was more surprised than her mother who came to deal with that same trouble.


    That¡¯s it? Let alone get a scolding, she did not even nag at me. I thought that she would at least say something like ¡®don¡¯t do that ever again in the future ¡¯.


    After noticing Lara¡¯s feelings which were filled with doubt, Isadora said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared over the small stuff. You¡¯re an adult, you¡¯re already at an age where it¡¯s perfectly fine to kiss a man. So what if he¡¯s a ve?¡±


    Isadora snorted. She told Lara that even though everyone was hushing up about it, there should be at least hundreds of women in the capital who enjoyed that kind of lifestyle.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°My first kiss was with a bartender, I was fifteen then.¡±


    Lara was awestruck.


    ¡°If I try to control your every move, what makes me different from your father?¡±


    Isadora was speaking calmly, but Lara found a subtle smile hanging over her mother¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Cherish yourself. If you do that, I wouldn¡¯t object to any rumors that you make.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±


    At that moment, Lara thought of how much of a relief it was that she went back to the past.


    And without any warning, Lara¡¯s tears came out of nowhere. The tears never came out when she was hit by her father, or when she found out that she was back in the past. But when she was with her mother, the tears rose to the point that it was difficult to hold it in.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    Isadora watched the tearful Lara without saying a word.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­about everything.¡±


    ¡°What are you sorry about?¡±


    I¡¯m so d I went back in time and got to talk to my mother like this.


    It¡¯s a relief to know that my mother didn¡¯t give up on me and left me alone, that she was actually watching over me from afar.


    Lara buried her face in herp and burst into tears, weeping quietly in fear that the sound might leak out of the carriage.


    Isadora put her hand gently over Lara¡¯s head.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 16 - Master Lady

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara took Konny to Isadora¡¯s manor by the river. She did expect she would be kicked out of her father¡¯s house after getting into trouble, but she did not expect that her mother woulde and rescue her like a knight in shining armor by bringing Lara to her house.


    Befitting her nickname¡ªThousand Gold Isadora¡ªLara¡¯s mother owned a tremendous amount of real estate. The ce where Lara will live in the future is said to be the most beautiful and sturdiest house among them.


    A shining river flows in front of the manor, and a winding esnade continues along the white sandy shore, behind it was a low incline and a dense forest. Suitable with its status as a luxury manor, the road was wide and the security was good. The employees were also talented people who were chosen by Isadora and her secretary.


    ¡°Wooaaaahhhhh.¡±


    Konny got off the carriage, forgot about her shame, and admired loudly.


    A blue roof on a white wall and decorative windows with colored ss that had shone splendidly. In addition to the main building and annex that were connected through a long hallway, a lodge used by the employees, and also arge garden, the building had also provided a horseback riding range, along with its very own stables.


    ¡°Wooaaaahhhhh.¡±


    Konny expressed her admiration once again.


    On both sides of the stairs leading to the main building, there was a fountain, flowing like a stream, adorned with statues of shepherds with ss bottles pouring out clear water.


    ¡°I think this is better than His Lordship¡¯s manor. Right, mdy?¡±


    The Marquess¡¯ house wasrger, but this house was probably more expensive.


    Lara nodded to Konny, then turned around and looked at her mother¡¯s secretary. The secretary, who guided Lara to this house on behalf of the busy Isadora, was looking down at Lara with a face that was hard to read.


    ¡°My name is Sebastian.¡±


    He introduced himself btedly.


    Come to think of it, Lara did not know his name until just now.


    Before this, their paths had not crossed, but now they will live together in her mother¡¯s house.


    ¡°Mdy, you can stay in the main building. My family and I live in the annex of this house. Sometimes Lady Isadora¡¯s aides also stay there whenever theye to the capital.¡±


    ¡°What about mother?¡±


    ¡°Lady Isadora was going to live here, but due to herrge amount of workload, she has been staying at a hotel to save time onmute.¡±


    As soon as Sebastian finished his words, the door opened from the inside.


    ¡°Wee!¡±


    Several employees showed up and greeted Lara with a bright face. Then, they hurried to unload the wagon.


    ¡°Mdy? Is this all your luggage?¡±


    ¡°Oh no¡­ We hurriedly emptied two dressing rooms after hearing that mdy ising. But seeing your luggage, it won¡¯t even fill a wardrobe.¡±


    ¡°Mdy can just buy new clothes!¡±


    Konny ran over and helped them.


    When the cute, sweet maid greeted them first, they weed Konny with a friendly smile.


    Sebastian reached out to Lara and said.


    ¡°I waste in giving you my greeting. Wee, mdy. I will guide you to your room.¡±


    It was like a dream.


    Lara stood in front of the entrance to her mother¡¯s house, holding Sebastian¡¯s hand and gazing far into the sparkling river.<b>Master Lady</b>


    Early in the evening, Lara headed to the arena with Konny. No matter how hard she thought about it, there was no way her father would leave Demian alone. At first, she nned to only send someone to check for his safety, but she thought it would put her mind at ease if she went and met him in person.


    ¡°What if he¡¯s dead, mdy?¡±


    Probably having the same concern as Lara, Konny took a quick step as soon as they arrived at the arena.


    ¡°If he was dead, they would have contacted me. Whatever the case, I¡¯m his Master Lady.¡±


    As Lara entered the building through the entrance, she saw a group of girls talking noisily in the wide hall.


    In Lara¡¯s eyes, it was not so different from before.


    But in their eyes, Lara was a very different person from before.


    ¡°Young Lady Bailey is here!¡±


    The girls¡¯ gaze secretly followed Lara.


    Konny hunched her shoulders and walked behind Lara.


    ¡°Mdy, don¡¯t you care at all?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°The otherdies are looking at you. I feel ufortable and anxious just standing behind you.¡±


    ¡°Ignore them.


    Lara really did not care.


    Compared to the past, the girls¡¯ cute jealousy could be easily overlooked.


    As Lara passed through the arena hall and headed to the ves¡¯ lodging, someone approached her and talked to her loudly.


    ¡°Young Lady Bailey!¡±


    It was the arena warden.


    As soon as he found Lara, the warden beamed with smiles, unable to hide his joy. In order to somehow impress her, he even bent his back and groveled before Lara, unfitting for his big size.


    ¡°Good evening, mdy. I have been waiting for you forever, I was unable to send someone to your house so I have always been¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Whew¡­ Young Lady Bailey.¡±


    The warden nced at the girls gathered across the hall behind Lara¡¯s back.


    Then, he spoke with his voice slightly softened.


    ¡°First of all, your ve is safe. His skills are good, but we have also deployed additional security personnel in order to protect the arena yer.¡±


    ¡°Was there an attack?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Ehem! Let¡¯s pretend this conversation never happened. We don¡¯t have any ns to pry into the underlying truth.¡±


    The warden knew it was the work of Marquess of Bailey.


    However, it was a small wonder for a Marquess family to destroy the arena in the blink of an eye, so he did not want to make an issue out of this.


    ¡°More importantly, the challengers are raising amotion.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°In three days, dozens of people said they would challenge your mighty warrior. Not only the ves from this arena but also the ves from our rival business are lining up and asking for us to set a date for their match.¡±


    Demian¡¯s story seemed to have spread not only here but also in the vicinity of the arena.


    ¡°It is the Master Lady¡¯s authority to allow a match and the mighty warrior must follow his master¡¯s order. So I have waited eagerly for you toe. What should I do? Should I set the date?¡±


    He asked.


    The warden really seemed to have been eagerly waiting for Lara toe. He was actively appealing about the advantage of a match in order for Lara to somehow ept the challengers¡¯ request.


    ¡°Up until now, your mighty warrior didn¡¯t seem to be the popr type, so he appears more charming to other young noblewomen.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s possible if it¡¯s Demian.¡±


    ¡°Did you pay 2 gold for his price? Some young noblewomen are offering a huge price to buy him through us.¡±


    ¡°Someone wants to buy him?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the highest price is at 300 gold.¡±


    Wow.


    Lara opened her mouth. Konny opened her mouth wider behind Lara.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    He asked with his shoulders moving up and down as if asking Lara to quickly permit the match. However, he would not get the answer that he wanted. Lara only slightly smiled and brought up an unexpected answer.


    ¡°I will discuss it with Demian.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I will discuss the match with my mighty warrior. I¡¯m nning to only let him y the match that he wants.¡±


    The warden could not believe that Lara wanted to have a discussion first with her ve. He looked at Lara with strange eyes, but she did not care and only informed him.


    ¡°I¡¯m going out with him today. So, let¡¯s talk about this matter next time.¡±


    What Lara wanted was a bizarre scandal, not a strong ve.


    If she allowed the match to happen, Demian would be recognized as the strongest mighty warrior in Hautean and he could raise his price, but then something simr to the past could happen. More and more nobles will covet Demian, and eventually, he would attract the attention of Prince Sidhar and be put in his prison.


    She would not let that happen this time.


    Lara wants Demian to have his own freedom.


    ¡°Hmph! 300 gold? Not a chance, isn¡¯t that right, mdy? They don¡¯t even know the amount of pocket money that mydy instantly got from Her Ladyship!¡±


    ¡°Konny, why are you making a fuss?¡±


    Ignoring the warden¡¯s desperate request to talk again next time, Lara walked lightly and stood in front of Demian¡¯s room.


    But even before she knocked, the door had opened.


    It was Demian.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    He smiled with his one cheek twitched.


    It was a fierce-looking smile.


    Just look at this. He really doesn¡¯t know how to smile softly.


    Lara looked carefully at his face and whispered in his ear.


    ¡°Demian, I¡¯m sorry but¡­ Please kiss me on my cheek.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I want to show it to some people.¡±


    Lara was still conscious of the girls¡¯ fixed gaze on her. Demian rolled his eyes only to follow Lara¡¯s attention. Then, he frowned as if he was showing disapproval.


    ¡°Is it enough on your cheek?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    He took a big step out of the door.


    When Demian appeared, the buzzing became louder. He reached out and gently wrapped his hand around the back of Lara¡¯s ear to the back of her neck. Then, he lowered his head and put his face close to hers.


    Their eyes became close as if it was almost touching.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lara wanted Demian to kiss her cheek quickly. Then, she nned to hug him around his neck and get into the room. Whatever they did inside, the girls would be talking with all sorts of lewd imaginations.


    But he did not move.


    Right before his lips touched, at a distance where they could feel each other¡¯s breath, he just stared at her face.


    ¡°Demian?¡±


    ¡°Did someone hit you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got cuts on your lips. And why is your cheek swollen?¡±


    He asked in a savage voice.


    Before the flustered Lara could even reply to Demian¡¯s sudden question, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up.


    ¡°Demian!¡±


    Then, they went into the room.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 17

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Marquess of Bailey left the disposal of Demian to the solvers who would dispose of just anything as long as money is involved. Though they were neither professional assassins nor were they war mercenaries, they did live on dirtymissions from the nobles. So as long as they were crazy about money, they would keep their mouths shut.


    An arena ve that lived like a parasite who was buttering up the young noblewomen was nothing to them.


    That was how it should be.


    The first one to find Demian was a gangster who was disguised as an arena worker, but his throat ended up getting cut with the knife that he brought. The second time, there were three visitors disguised as errand boys. They were going to surround Demian, spray him with anesthetic, and then cleanly take his life. But they were the ones who ended up swallowing the anesthetic and passed away without knowing when or how they died.


    The third one was an expert.


    He hid in the shadows of the arena building in the middle of the night and secretlyunched an assault. He prepared poisoned weapons and crossbows, and evens to be on the safe side. As Demian easily defeated the previous two attacks, he took his move carefully. He did not look down on his opponent, nor did he lose his concentration.


    And yet, he still failed to kill Demian. As soon as he went inside Demian¡¯s room through the window, what he faced was a ck shadow moving at an invisible speed. After the three attacks failed in vain and losing five solvers, they finally sent a message to Marquess of Bailey, informing him that they would forgo hismission.


    Just in time, the warden of the arena, who could not afford to lose a popr ve in vain, deployed guards day and night at Demian¡¯s lodging. It was a wonder for soldiers to risk their lives and be on sentry duty to protect a ve. Of course, Demian only snorted at such things.


    ¡°I was unscathed, just as I assured you. But, why are you wounded?¡±


    ¡°Demian, about this¡­¡±


    ¡°Who did it?¡±


    He was not up for a long conversation with Lara. Aftering in with her and sitting her down on the sofa, Demian walked and grabbed a knife.


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with the knife? If I tell you who did it, are you going to stab him?¡±


    ¡°No, I will kill him.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°Did your father do it?¡±


    He hit the nail on the head.


    Lara could not deny him. Shortly after, she saw Demian burst intoughter with a face full of a murderous spirit, simr to that of a demon.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that I wouldn¡¯t kill him just because he¡¯s your father.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think like that.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my problem.¡±


    Lara could not figure out why he was so angry.


    Demian was her ve, but it just happened because the two met that way.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Worry about you before you worry about me. My father will not give up on both of us.¡±


    ¡°Then, what do you want me to do?¡±


    He asked.


    Before Lara knew it, Demian had already put the knife on the table.


    ¡°Are you really going to be my mighty warrior for six months?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Even for things other than fighting in the arena?¡±


    ¡°Anything.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you now.¡±


    ¡°But I want to know the reason.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I can¡¯t exin it well to you. I promise I¡¯ll let you know when I can give you a proper answer.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fine.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Just until a little while ago Demian was filled with so much bloodlust that it had made Lara¡¯s skin sting, but he had capriciously changed his attitude and gave a long yawn like a lion in the daytime. He was so defenseless that even Lara, who was looking at him, ended up releasing the tension on her shoulders.


    Lara was determined to correct all her mistakes in this life. If she keeps Demian by her side for six months, there will be many things she can do for him, from getting a good weapon to finding someone who will be hisrade. And after six months, she will send him to wherever he wants to go.


    After organizing her thoughts, Lara talked to Demian about her purpose ining to the arena.


    ¡°I want you to go outside with me.¡±


    ¡°Outside?¡±


    ¡°We will go to the Night Ball.¡±


    As Lara¡¯s rumors had blown up big time in the arena, her next ce was the ball. She should not stop here just because she had managed to leave her father¡¯s house with the help of her mother. Marquess of Bailey is cunning and persistent. He would do anything to get his daughter back and dedicate her to the prince.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have a shy dance in the ballroom. Then, I¡¯ll have you apany me to the entrance of the hotel downtown.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be the most reckless woman in Hautean.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Demian nodded casually.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Demian was very cooperative. He did everything Lara asked him to do, not even asking for a reason.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    To go to the ball, Lara needed clothes that would look good on Demian. So she took Demian to a boutique in a luxury shopping mall.


    ¡°Wee!¡±


    Lara¡¯s choice was the most popr banquet dress boutique nearby. Of course, there were many customers. Demian was dressed in shabby clothes, but he was more attractive than any other man in the boutique. Lara had already be a well-known person in Hautean, so as the two entered the boutique, they immediately drew the attention of the customers and the owner.


    ¡°We are going to the Night Ball.¡±


    Lara deliberately said so while standing in the middle of the boutique.


    She was the first noblewoman to be so confident, saying that she would take her ve to the Night Ball with a grin and daring gaze. Moreover, what she ordered was not a normal dress.


    ¡°Take this.¡±


    Lara put three bills on the table.


    It was a 100 gold check.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think of me as a noble. Show me a special and striking dress.¡±


    Unless it was a big event, such as a royal ball,ing-of-age ceremony, or engagement ceremony, no noble of high degree could fit a new, expensive dress for every banquet. Especially since the Night Ball was amon asion held anywhere every night, the young noblewomen who were reluctant to expose their identity deliberately bought and dressed in in, appropriate dresses.


    But Laviore Ria Bailey, the only daughter of the House of Bailey, suddenly appeared, put down the check, and asked for an extreme dress to be worn with her ve.


    The staff became busy.


    They took Lara and Demian to the VIP drawing-room inside the boutique and set up severalrge full-length mirrors. Then, they chose the fanciest and most striking ready-to-wear outfits and spread them out for Lara to see.


    Konny was more excited than Lara.


    ¡°Mydy hates white. Besides, it looks too hot.¡±


    ¡°Oh! No. Look at this, It is white but this is allce.¡±


    ¡°No one would know if it¡¯sce or not in the dark, please show something else other than this.¡±


    Konny stepped up to choose the dress instead of Lara, who sat on the long sofa and ate the wee fruit with Demian.


    ¡°This looks too cute, it¡¯s too childlike. Mydy is mature and charming.¡±


    ¡°Should I decorate it with real flowers instead of ribbon?¡±


    ¡°What if it falls off and mydy steps on it while she is dancing? I¡¯m sorry, but please show us something else.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Then, how about this?¡±


    The boutique owner, who had been rejected by Konny a couple of times, pulled out a dress very cautiously. The other dresses had long and heavy skirts, but this one looks exceptionally light.


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    Lara, who had left everything to Konny without saying anything, finally opened her mouth.


    ¡°I want to have a good look at the dress.¡±


    ¡°Mdy, do you like this one? I will hold it, so pleasee in front of the mirror.¡±


    The dress that the boutique owner pulled out with a nervous feeling was something that no noblewoman in Hautean would ever wear. It was sleeveless, but it had long gloves that came up to the elbow. With revealing shoulders and loosely slipping chest line, its style was very tempting. There was no need for a corset. The part that tightened the waist had good sticity, so even though it was tight, it did not look ufortable.


    Recently, dresses that puffed up the hips withyers of underpants were trending in the society of Hautean. But what Konny was holding was a thigh-length skirt that followed the silhouette of the body without any puffing up. And below it, there were thin strips of fringes, and whenever the wearer moved her legs, the fringes would shake and bare skin could be seen through it.


    In short, it was a dress perfect for dancing.


    Although the fabric and decoration were so luxurious that the price was expensive, it was something that no noble would wear. The boutique owner was anxious because she did not think it was right to hand a dress too extreme to Young Lady Bailey, no matter how controversial she was.


    Konny also thought the dress was a bit too much.


    But then, Demian, who was just sitting on the sofa and having finished all the wee fruits, suddenly opened his mouth.


    ¡°Wear that.¡±


    ¡°Wear this?¡±


    ¡°You said we¡¯re going to dance? The other dresses were heavy. I don¡¯t think you can even move properly in them.¡±


    That¡¯s a very practical reason.


    He was right. Lara¡¯s goal today was dancing. Lara nodded and asked Demian.


    ¡°Demian, can you dance?¡±


    ¡°I can follow it once I see it.¡±


    Of course, a genius is also a good dancer.


    Can he really copy it once he sees it? Social dancing is not that easy.


    ¡°I will choose your clothes.¡±


    ¡°Have it your way.¡±


    Lara did not take long to choose Demian¡¯s clothes.


    Lara said exactly and firmly what she wanted.


    ¡°Show me shirts with low necklines down to the chest and tight-fitting leather pants. I want the boots toe up to the shin, a tie that can be tied loosely, and I want the lining to be red. And a coat that can be hung on the shoulders¡­¡±


    ¡°Lara, it¡¯s hot.¡±


    ¡°I will buy the coat next time.¡±


    ¡°Just tell me to strip off.¡±


    ¡°I will strip you off in the middle.¡±


    The boutique owner who was listening to her with concentration looked up in surprise.


    The same went for Konny.


    You want to strip whom off in the middle of where?


    Lara talked indifferently to them as they asked her with their eyes.


    ¡°Just look at his muscles, it¡¯d be nice to brag about it. Demian is more attractive with his clothes taken off rather than when it was worn. All the women will envy me and all the men will envy Demian¡¯s body.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Lara.¡±


    Demian giggled.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 18

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The Night Ball.


    A party that was held every night by the nobles and the upper ss in Hautean. A yground that exists only for pleasure. Sometimes it opens its doors to the public as if to show off, sometimes it opens its doors secretly only for those with invitations. Lara had only heard rumors about the ce, she had never been to a Night Ball before because she thought it was a ce that she should never go to as a fake saintess.


    If the arena was a crooked yground for the young noblewomen, then the Night Ball was a more deteriorated yground than that.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s here.¡±


    Konny hung from the carriage window and looked around.


    The yellow lights that lit up the surroundings were lined up along the narrow tree-lined avenue.


    Following the avenue, an outdoor banquet hall with magical lighting that created a dreamy atmosphere appeared.


    ¡°Mdy, are you really going to go in there?¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°The lighting is erotic.¡±


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°The shadow is erotic, and even the music is erotic. I¡¯m pretty sure even the food will taste erotic.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    The ball was held in the manor of an actress who had retired many years ago. During her active career, she was famous for having repeated marriages and divorces six times.


    ¡°Demian, listen here.¡±


    Lara made an earnest request to Demian in the carriage.


    ¡°If anyone talks to you, tell them that they should ask permission from Master Lady. There will be people who will try to pick a fight with you and people who will try to seduce you. Somehow there might even be people who will attack you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Make sure you¡¯re always by my side. Okay?¡±


    Demian stared at Lara in wonder.


    It felt like Demian was looking at her as if she was a little cat meowing, worrying about a giant beast. Lara quickly cleared her throat and kept her mouth shut.


    ¡°So all I have to do is go inside there, dance like crazy, and get drunk. Then lift you up, go back to the carriage and shout ¡®Let¡¯s go to the hotel¡¯ out loud. Right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Demian opened the carriage door in a rxed manner.


    The carriage was still moving, but he grabbed the wall with one hand and pulled out like an acrobatic stunt.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous!¡±


    Konny shouted, but it was of no use.


    With his ck hair waving, Demian jumped out of the moving carriage. All the people who were hanging around the entrance to the banquet hall looked at him. As their attention was focused on one ce, the people inside also turned their attention this way.


    Demian had a natural talent for drawing attention. He made art, even though all he did was jump out of a carriage.


    As he smirked, he reminded people of the demon that appeared to corrupt humans.


    The carriage slowly stopped.


    Demian stood in front of the open door and went inside the carriage. Lara wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. She jumped out of the carriage using Demian¡¯s body as support.


    Her long wavy brown hair, undecorated and untied, rustled down in the night breeze and fluffed like the clouds. The corners of her eyes were drawn in deep ck and her lips were colored in red. Every time she moved, the fringes on her skirt scattered, revealing her smooth legs.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She walked like an arrogant cat.


    She raised her chin and looked over her surroundings with bold eyes.


    A mixture of surprise, curiosity, jealousy, criticism, admiration, and amorous nces flew into her.


    In a little while, there would be no one in that ce who did not know that she¡¯s the daughter of the Marquess of Bailey.


    Because she would be the one and only noblewoman in Hautean who danced with her shoulders all exposed and fancy fringes hanging from her thighs to her knees.


    Lara¡¯s red eyes were headed towards them.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    She thought she would enjoy it.


    She thought she would blend in just like how she did at the arena. She thought she would be no different because everyone else also yed around like this. But, far from enjoying it, she felt stuffy instead. As soon as Lara entered the outdoor banquet hall where the Night Ball was held, she tried hard not to frown.


    Stenches wereing from people. The banquet hall was filled with people who screamed and fought after being drunk, those who clung to someone and told them dirty jokes, and those who caused a scene. That was not all, someone ordered food that he would not even eat and threw it on the floor, someone else bullied the workers and maids.


    As Lara entered the banquet hall, lewd gazes followed her from many ces. It was the kind of gaze that scanned through her shoulders, chest, waist, and legs.


    Inside the venue, some men and women let out embarrassing moans and satisfied their lust as if they were asking people to look at them. There was also a man who waited for a chance beside a woman who was dead drunk, and likewise, a woman who stole the wallet of a drunken man.


    The floor was dirty with garbage and the chair was sticky. Cigarettes and alcohol, which were no better than drugs, rolled around each table.


    There was nothing fun or exciting anywhere. This ce was unfit to be called a banquet. It was even more baffling that these people were the upper ss that represented Hautean.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know this was such a ce?¡±


    Demian approached Lara, who ended up frozen at the entrance when she was the one who came in confidently as if she would dominate the society of the night with just one appearance.


    ¡°Rx.¡±


    He tapped Lara gently on the shoulder.


    When his hot hand touched her cool skin that was exposed to the night breeze, she became more rxed.


    Lara sighed secretly and said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can enjoy this ce anymore.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I just¡­ don¡¯t think this kind of ce is right for me.¡±


    ¡°Should we go back?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. Let¡¯s stay a little bit and go back quickly.¡±


    That¡¯s right. Anyone would be the lewdest woman of the century if it was that easy.


    Lara thought she could reign over their heads with an extreme dress and attractive ve.


    She was mistaken.


    It was a naive and foolish thought. She was not ashamed of herself for wearing different clothes than anyone else, but for taking it easy.


    Lara admitted it with a humble heart.


    She needs to find a smarter way. If the Night Ball was a ce like this, she did not think she would ever get used to it. This was not a ce for people to enjoy and be happy, this was a ce for people to ruin themselves.


    In Lara¡¯s eyes, none of the people in the banquet hall looked happy.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Do I need to dance like that?¡±


    Demian pointed to a couple with his finger, it was a lover who was drunk dancing.


    Lara nodded.


    After having a good look, she realized that she had seen that face before. The woman dancing in the middle of the banquet hall was Young Lady Dvonn, whom Lara had met at the arena. There was also Young Lady Swavy who was searching for her partner nearby.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    As Demian had assured, he briefly watched the others dance. Then, he leaned close to Lara and wrapped her waist in one hand. Originally, it would have been necessary to approach each other politely, greet each other, and then ask for permission to dance, but it did not matter to them.


    The music flowed. It was a lewd, yet intense tango.


    A satisfactory smile bloomed around Demian¡¯s lips.


    As he supported Lara¡¯s waist and leaned over her, Lara quickly wrapped her leg around his thigh.


    The long fringes of her dress were scattered.


    Without even looking around her, Lara could feel that most of the people in the banquet hall were looking at her.


    Perhaps Demian felt the same.


    This was Lara¡¯s second life, she was famous in her previous life, so she was used to getting people¡¯s attention. But as for Demian, he just seemed to be born without any shame.


    After passionately performing a strange dance that was neither good nor bad, the two walked around like lovers and pretended to drink alcohol in the banquet hall.


    This was all to make it clear to anyone that Lara, a barely legal woman, had lived a wild life filled with drinking and pleasure.


    ¡°Young Lady Bailey is a strong drinker. I heard that it has not been long since you graduated from the academy. Does it run in your family?¡±


    Young Lady Dvonn talked sarcastically.


    Lara replied casually.


    ¡°Is there anyone here who has not touched alcohol at all until they became an adult? Before pushing your conservative standards on me, look back on your past.¡±


    Demian snickered.


    The whole situation just seemed fun to him.


    ¡°I know we don¡¯t discriminate in the Night Ball, but a ve is too much. Why don¡¯t you meet someone who is up to your grade?¡±


    This time, Young Lady Swavy approached and picked a fight with Lara.


    Even though they looked down on Demian like that, it seemed that they desired Demian, seeing at how they looked at him with a lewd gaze.


    Lara grabbed Demian¡¯s tie with one hand, pulled him close to her, and spoke with her face close.


    ¡°If you¡¯re jealous, just say so. If you don¡¯t have money, ask for it.¡±


    This time, Demianughed out loud.


    Lara, who sensed that he was genuinely having fun, secretly asked when there was no one around.


    ¡°What was so funny?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re angry.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Lara, you have been mad for a while. You had this face every time someone came to annoy you.¡±


    ¡°What face?¡±


    Demian proceeded to make a nasty face and tried to imitate Lara


    ¡°Youdies chose the wrong day to pick a fight with me.¡±


    Lara was speechless.


    She touched her face with her fingers. She knew that she was stiffer than usual, but she did not know how obvious it was.


    Demian brought his lips close to her ear and whispered.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°At this rate, you won¡¯t be the top troublemaker in Hautean like you want. I don¡¯t think it would be hard for your father to fix a few scandals.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t control the eyes and mouths of these many people.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the noble society in Hautean, but when you¡¯re the only daughter of the Marquess family, won¡¯t it be worth it to make a move even if you need to put up with the scandal?¡±


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re afraid of¡­ But if all you want is to be kicked out of your family, then, Lara¡­¡±


    ¡°Keep going, I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to take all the bad reputation to yourself.¡±


    Demian smiled.


    It was a dangerous smile.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 19

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Demian slowly moved away from Lara and looked away. For a moment, Lara was under the illusion that his blue eyes had seemed to deepen.


    There was a man nearby.


    He scanned Lara¡¯s body up and down with a red face, looking quite tipsy. He repeatedly put one hand into his pants, shaking and pulling it out. No one knew if he was a noble or not. It did not matter how high his position or how great he was.


    Demian just moved.


    He walked with his long legs and stepped over the table where the man was sitting.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    Then, he grabbed the man by his cor with one hand and lifted him up. His heavy body was elevated helplessly. The man, who could not breathe properly, squealed and screamed, but none of it was audible. Demian grabbed him close by the cor and spoke mercilessly.


    ¡°How dare you.¡±


    His voice cracked fiercely. It was a horrifying low note, lingering in the banquet hall of the night.


    ¡°Filthy.¡±


    The crowd became noisy and gathered there. Some people called the guards after being startled.


    Demian.


    Lara¡¯s lips moved slightly. She did not stop Demian. She let him do as he moved¨Cas he pleased. It did not look like anyone could stop him, anyway.


    Wham


    Demian only punched the man, but he lost his consciousness. His teeth came out and blood came out of his mouth. It wasn¡¯t enough with just that, Demian tore the man¡¯s clothes with force and dumped them on the ground. Then, he put the man on the table as if to disy him.


    The noisy banquet hall became as quiet as a mouse.


    Someone could be heard gulping.


    ¡°W-who¡­¡±


    ¡°You there.¡±


    Demian wiped his bloody fingers on the tablecloth and pointed at some men with that hand. It was a group of youngds from the upper ss. They were a bunch of hyenas who frequented the Night Ball every night and only went after drunken women.


    Again, as usual, they sat next to a woman¡ªwho was drunk and could not control her body¡ª and kept giving her a drink. When they were about to carry her and go to a secluded ce after she had lost her consciousness, Demian called them.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    Then, he moved and approached him first. He strode with his long legs and his opponents were right in front of his face with just a few steps.


    ¡°What¡¯s with this bastard? Who brought him here? Where are the guards?¡±


    ¡°Move. What¡¯s a ve scum doing here?¡±


    Demian did not answer back. He just stood there, turned his head, and made eye contact with Lara. It was as if he was forewarning her of what he would do from now on.


    Then, he threw his fist at them abruptly.


    Wham. Wham. Wham.


    It could not even be called a fight. It was just a unteral assault. What was worse, Demian only wandered around, punched and kicked a few times, without breaking into a sweat, but the men were all bleeding on the floor. Their faces were torn and their limbs were broken.


    At this point, people were screaming all over the banquet hall. As if a wolf had been released into a rabbit cage, they scurried out of the banquet hall to escape Demian.


    Demian looked around for more prey.


    Then, a few men who were high on drugs came at him with knives. They screamed like beasts and wielded their knives saying that they would kill him. Demian easily incapacitated them. He hit the knife with his hand and took it away. Then, he lifted them up and threw them away, too.


    ¡°Aargghhh!¡±


    Crash


    The table copsed with a loud noise. Almost everyone left the ce in a sh except for a few who were dead drunk.


    ¡°Mdy, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Konny, who was waiting for the two people in the carriage, came running and stood next to Lara.


    ¡°Are you okay? What happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    She really was fine, nothing had happened to her. Even Demian¡¯s face was fine, he was just looking at the disgraceful backs of the people who fled the scene.


    But he was a ve.


    Someone who could be sent to the execution ground without any trial for doing this kind of thing to the nobles.


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    Lara asked. Demian turned to her and smirked.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do this? What were you thinking¡­ No, we don¡¯t have time to be doing this. Hurry, escape from here. Get out of Hautean and return to the Empire. I will provide you with travel expenses if you¡¯re short of money.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to be executed?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    What¡¯s okay about this?


    In a hurry, Lara approached him closely.


    The soldiers who heard the news btedly flocked to the ce. They were the soldiers hired by the owner of the manor.


    ¡°Demian, I will stop them here. So run away.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Demian!¡±


    Lara pulled Demian¡¯s hand.


    Then, he sped Lara¡¯s fingers, brought them close to his mouth, and kissed her fingertips.


    ¡°Lara, I¡¯m your mighty warrior. I¡¯m here to fight on your behalf. If you don¡¯t like whatever it is in this banquet hall, I will wipe them all out. So, buy something delicious ande to jail.¡±


    After that, he waved and clenched his fist, letting out a cracking sound.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    By the time the watchmen rushed in, the situation had already been sorted out. Demian stood motionless, and those who rushed to kill him were all lying down. From a distance away, the bystanders hid and took a peek.


    The report was very simple.


    ¡®A mad ve showed up at the banquet hall and tried to kill the nobles.¡¯


    The watchmen were dispatched, wondering if that would really be the case, but they decided the report was not wrong after checking the scene.


    Demian did not rebel. He was dragged out like a beast in a thick chain. His upper body was revealed when his shirt was torn during the fight. The bystanders¡¯ eyes moved along with his body. It was the moment when Lara¡¯s words to strip him off were unintentionally realized.


    ¡°You have toe with us.¡±


    The watchmen also approached Lara.


    They bowed politely, saying that she was Demian¡¯s Master Lady and a key witness, so it was unavoidable.


    Lara was led to the investigation room. Her heart pounded, she could not believe that she was in the investigation room. She was an exemry student who had never even been called to the lecturer¡¯s office to be disciplined or nagged at when she was a student.


    ¡°Good afternoon, mdy.¡±


    The busiest watchman in the capital, the investigator who was in charge of the nobles, seated Lara on the sofa in his office.


    He was a man with a terrible impression. His tone was harsh and his look was threatening. If he were to be put with a criminal, no one would know who was the criminal and who was the investigator.


    ¡°Are you Young Lady Bailey?¡±


    He asked.


    Lara tried to look brave. She found it ridiculous that she was nervous even though she did notmit any crime. She took a long deep breath without the investigator knowing. She drooped her shoulders and lifted her chin.


    Then, naturally, her mother and Demian came to her mind.


    Mimicking her mother¡¯s confidence and Demian¡¯sposure, Lara opened her mouth calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m Laviore Ria Bailey.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with the ve that we captured?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my mighty warrior.¡±


    The investigator frowned and sighed, he shook his head towards her.


    ¡°We did not ssify the arena ve as a warrior. They were just¡­something like prostitutes.¡±


    It was clear that he thought of Lara as a pathetic, immature noblewoman. His attitude was polite, but the look in his eyes could not fool her. Lara¡¯s dress, which was nothing short of a dancer, yed a major role in giving him such prejudice.


    ¡°Thank you very much for telling me about that.¡±


    Lara made a sarcastic remark.


    He pulled out some documents and wrote them down at high speed. Then, he handed over the documents and a pen to Lara.


    ¡°Sign here, please.¡±


    Again, the content was very simple.


    It was written, ¡®Laviore Ria Bailey will give up her ownership of the ve Demian and agree for Demian to be given a just punishment for the crime hemitted.¡¯


    ¡°What¡¯s a just punishment?¡±


    ¡°Death penalty.¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to sign this document. He¡¯s my person, and I have no intention to let him die.¡±


    ¡°It seems that you don¡¯t really know about this, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I know well enough that you can¡¯t force me to sign this document. I also know that even if the criminal is a ve, you can¡¯t make a prompt decision as long as the ve still has an owner.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? About that¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me meet him.¡±


    Lara tore the documents handed over by the investigator in half and put them back on the desk. At the thought of things being a bother, he frowned right away.


    ¡°He is dangerous.¡±


    ¡°No, he isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Nothing good wille out if people were to find out you were in such a banquet hall.¡±


    ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡±


    ¡°Whew¡­ Then, pleasee back again tomorrow afternoon. I can¡¯t allow that now because it¡¯s already toote. I have sent someone to your house to inform them about the incident so they wille to pick you up soon.¡±


    It was a useless kindness. Rather than kindness, it was more like he wanted to get rid of Lara from that ce quickly. The investigator wanted the House of Bailey to quickly take Lara. So he sent someone to Marquess of Bailey even before she came into the investigation room.


    ¡®The Marquess did a bad job in raising his child. If this troublesome girl is his only child, then he has to choose her husband well.¡¯


    As he thought so, Lara who was sitting on the sofa, got up and moved.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going out on my own feet, I don¡¯t need anyone to pick me up or see me off.¡±


    ¡°Please wait here, your father will send someone from your house. Wouldn¡¯t the Marquess be furious if he found out that his precious daughter had gone out on the street alone at night?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t even live in that house anymore.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Lara did not want to talk anymore. What¡¯s the point of talking about her family history with the investigator? She just wanted to get out of that ce quickly before her father really sent someone. If something went wrong, she could be dragged like a beast and be confined at home.


    ¡°I wille back again tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Please wait! You need to go back to your father¡¯s¡­¡±


    Lara, who was about to leave quietly, turned her head and looked at the investigator.


    Her gaze was sharp.


    ¡°I decide where I will go. Don¡¯t you think this is too much of an intervention?¡±


    Only then did the investigator keep his mouth shut.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 20

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    When Lara came outside, the attendant and soldiers sent by the Marquess of Bailey were already waiting for her.


    Father is very fast when ites to things like this.


    Lara told the Marquess¡¯ attendant¡ªwho approached her and bowed his head¡ªwith a firm face.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going back to my father¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Mdy, you have to follow us.¡±


    ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°You have to.¡±


    ¡°Did he order you to bring me back even by force if I defy you? Of course father would do that. Did he not ask you to cover your face so you would be unseen?¡±


    The attendant and soldiers looked at her with embarrassment.


    But they did not back off.


    They were ordered to bring Lara back even if they had to kidnap her, so they intended to use force on her if she said no one more time.


    ¡°The Marquess ordered you to return quietly and keep a low profile¡­¡±


    ¡°Just go back if you don¡¯t want to see me scream, insult my father and make a disturbance here.¡±


    The attendant hesitated and had no choice but to gesture to the soldiers.


    Then, the soldiers sent by the Marquess grabbed Lara¡¯s arm and dragged her with force.


    ¡°Let go of me¡­¡±


    No matter how hard she exerted herself or declined, it was no use. It was the same when she struggled or held out with her weight. Lara was dragged like a puppet. She bit her lips so hard that it bled.


    Do I really need to scream here?


    Even if I scream here, is there anyone who would help me?


    Her captured arms were in pain as if they were going to be dislodged.


    As she put strength all over her body, she felt like her blood was rising upside down.


    The Marquess did not give up on her.


    When she left home with her mother, he was not able to stop them because he was scared out of his wits with the sudden divorce documents.


    Many soldiers were on night duty at the watchmen station, but none of them tried to help Lara. Since she was dragged away by her father¡¯s people, they might think it was best not to interfere in other people¡¯s family affairs.


    Lara was determined to bite her tongue. She thought that they would not be able to force her if blood was spilling from her mouth. After that, she put strength on her mouth and bit her tongue.


    ¡°Urgh¡­!¡±


    Lara deliberately let the blood flow outside without swallowing it.


    She could sense that the attendant and soldiers were flustered.


    Red blood flowed from her mouth and down to her chin, now was the time to scream out loud.


    ¡°Oi.¡±


    But then, twodies appeared and blocked their way.


    ¡°Stop there.¡±


    It was Young Lady Dvonn and Young Lady Swavy who had just finished the investigation as witnesses and on their way home. They made their appearance, reeking of strong alcohol. The way they were dressed in disheveled clothing, heavy makeup, standing badly with their arms folded and yawning was far from being modest noblewomen.


    ¡°How can I help you?¡±


    Marquess Bailey¡¯s attendant was quick-witted.


    He knew well that bad things would happen if he messed with the wrong nobles, and he wanted to take Lara away without causing as much trouble as possible.


    ¡°Let go of her hands, you bastard.¡±


    But it seemed that the two youngdies who stood in his way did not have such thoughts.


    ¡°How dare¡­a mere attendant drag a noblewoman away?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Let go of her hands. She¡¯s the one and only precious daughter of the Marquess¡­ Can¡¯t you see blooding out of her mouth? Do you all want your hands to be cut off?¡±


    ¡°My apologies, but the Marquess¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the elegant Marquess of Bailey ordered his precious daughter to be dragged like a dog by a mere attendant? Huh?¡±


    Young Lady Dvonn¡¯s voice was loud, way too loud.


    Standing at the entrance of the watchmen station, she screamed as if to let the people in the area hear her.


    ¡°Marquess of Bailey beat his daughter, imprisoned her¡­!¡±


    ¡°Lady!¡±


    ¡°And kidnapped her?!¡±


    The attendant looked around anxiously.


    It was alreadyte at night, so there were not many passersby, but there were still people around because they were in front of the watchmen station. The people inside the station peeked at them, wondering what¡¯s going on.


    The attendant said with a stiff face.


    ¡°My apologies, but I¡¯m busy so I will take my leave here.¡±


    ¡°I told you to stop. Are your ears clogged? Can¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    Following Young Lady Dvonn, Young Lady Swavy also raised her voice.


    She even walked staggering, threw herself at the soldiers who were dragging Lara, deliberately bumped into them, and screamed.


    ¡°Aaarrghhh!¡±


    It was a scream that was loud enough to numb someone¡¯s eardrums.


    Then, Young Lady Dvonn became furious, she pointed to Young Lady Swavy who fell down, along with Lara who was captured.


    ¡°Oh my God! How dare a mere attendant beat nobles! Watchmen! What are you doing? Are you okay? Did you get hurt?¡±


    ¡°Ouch¡­ My leg, I think it¡¯s broken!¡±


    Young Lady Swavy, who fell down while making a fuss,id down at the entrance of the watchmen station. It was obvious that she was exaggerating, but no one dared to say anything.


    ¡°Let go of her hand.¡±


    Young Lady Dvonn warned the soldiers for thest time.


    She reeked of alcohol so strong that it could make someone¡¯s nose numb, but her big and clear eyes did not look drunk at all.


    ¡°Marquess of Bailey¡¯s soldiers will be rumored to have kidnapped, beaten, and abused vulnerabledies. Even if the Marquess were a noble of high status, he would not take care of each and every one of your lives.¡±


    The grips of the soldiers who grasped Lara¡¯s forearm loosened.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The sounds of horse hooves rang in the quiet night streets. The streets were empty, but an unexceptional leisure carriage moved along the riverside. Lara was sitting in it, facing Young Lady Dvonn and Young Lady Swavy. She wiped the blood off her chin with a handkerchief from the two.


    ¡°I thought you were a big deal with the way you acted, but you could not even rebel properly against your father?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°How can you just be dragged away by the attendant obediently? If you act like that, one day, your father can force you to marry a man that you don¡¯t even know well.¡±


    ¡°Young Lady Dvonn.¡±


    ¡°My name is Eunice. She¡¯s Ximena.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Lara.¡±


    ¡°I know. Anyone in Hautean who does not know Laviore Ria Bailey is a spy.¡±


    Eunice Dvonn and Ximena Swavy, as usual, came to the Night Ball intending to drink and enjoy themselves all night. But they did not expect Laviore Ria Bailey toe to the banquet hall and bring ¡®that ve¡¯ as her partner.


    At first, they were obviously annoyed.


    Being the model student who always gotpliments, not only did she invade their territory, she even managed to get an attractive ve at once, so their eyes were zing with fury to somehow find her weakness every time they saw her.


    But it was weird.


    The more they observed Laviore Ria Bailey, the more they realized she was someone full of contradictions. Despite owning the most famous ve in the arena, she was not interested in the match. Despite kissing with her ve in such a public ce, she did not even get along with him very often. She wore the red dress that others scorned as being tacky, but it looked really good on her. Let alone tacky, she just looked sophisticated in it.


    The more they looked at her, the more curious they became of her.


    They were curious whether Young Lady Bailey was just as the rumors had said. So, as they approached and picked a fight with her, her contradictions were all the more apparent. Her gaze was arrogant, but her tone was polite, her outfit was fancy, but her voice was calm.


    They thought she came to the Night Ball to enjoy it, but she was rather disappointed.


    There was a reason why Demian went on a rampage. Eunice and Ximena realized that the people he beat were the ¡®problems¡¯ in the banquet hall.


    ¡°If you want to be the viin, you have to do something bad. Steal someone else¡¯s things, beat someone, destroy something. Why are you acting so cool alone in a ce filled with viins?¡±


    When Eunice brought that up, Ximena asked Lara.


    ¡°Young Lady Bailey, are you perhaps doing this on purpose? Is the Marquess forcing you into an arranged marriage for his convenience?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something that everyone dreams of. Even though not many people dare to put it into action¡­¡±


    Ximena continued with a face that said she had already expected that.


    ¡°That was not enough if you want to get away from your family¡¯s pressure. I¡¯m not bragging, but let me tell you about my story. When I found out that my father who was addicted to gambling had begun to touch my share of inheritance left by my grandfather, I poured oil into his bedroom and set it on fire.¡±


    This time, Eunice continued after Ximena.


    ¡°I did more than that. When I found out that my mean mother was actually my stepmother who seduced my father and kicked my biological mother out, I bought prostitutes with her money and threw parties every night. To be fair, I held them in my father¡¯s bedroom too.¡±


    Oh my God.


    Euniceughed out loud as Lara looked at them at a loss for words.


    Then, after she choked and coughed a few times, she talked to Lara with a serious look.


    ¡°Young Lady Bailey, we have been fighting for years. Now our parents have moved on with their lives as if we were never their children, but back then, they used to break our limbs and even tried to rehabilitate us by confining us in the temple prayer room.¡±


    ¡°They made a fuss, saying that we were possessed by demons and that we needed to be exorcised.¡±


    Ximena let out a sigh.


    Then she took a look at Lara and said.


    ¡°We have already heard that Marquess of Bailey beat, starved, and confined you. We go to the Night Ball every night, so we hear all sorts of things. There was actually no point in trying to keep your employees quiet.¡±


    ¡°Just call me Lara.¡±


    ¡°Lara, you may think this is a bit ridiculous for a piece of advice, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not ready to throw everything you have away and fall into the gutter, then as a noble-born daughter, it¡¯s going to be really hard to leave your family.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, you¡¯re the one and only daughter of the Marquess.¡±


    Ximena told Lara a realistic story.


    She said after being ostracized by her family, no ce treated her as a noble. She was just a rich, recklessdy who knew how to enjoy herself. The men were not polite when approaching her. Thedies, who she thought were her friends the day before, looked down on her and pretended not to know her.


    It was alsomon for her to be kicked out of the entrance to the banquet hall or threatened not to hang out with the other nobles¡¯ daughters.


    They were pathogens and heresies in the Hautean aristocracy.


    ¡°We¡¯re just the daughters of a Baron and Viscount, but we were already treated that badly¡­ What will happen to you, then?¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 21 - Truth or False

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    They were friendly.


    The more Lara listened to Eunice and Ximena¡¯s story, the happier she became.


    Before she met them, she was being dragged away by the people that her father sent. She was so mad that she could spit nails. But now, she felt like she was going to keep smiling, so she ended up putting strength in the corners of her mouth.


    Eunice Dvonn and Ximena Swavy were the girls that Lara got to know only in her second life. All the rumors about them being delinquents and troublemakers didn¡¯t tell the full story.


    They were just lost, they weren¡¯t bad people.


    It might look like they were scaring and warning Lara, but even now, they were still worried about her. They said that they could not even tell her to leave her family and be troublemakers like them, but it was also wrong to just tell her to endure her life with her father. All they could do was worry about her and tell her to brace herself.


    Actually, Lara did not mind if she had been dragged away just as she was. There were plenty of ways for her to get away, she could act like a crazy bitch, or she could even threaten tomit suicide. It was nothing when she recalled the fear and pain of that time. She had already killed herself once, after all.


    Still, she was d she met these people. Before this, she did not even know there were such friendly people around her.


    Lara nodded.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Eunice Dvonn and Ximena Swavy had no reason to help her at all.


    They were willing to lie on the ground just because they could not ignore the situation. Lara in the past would not have done that. She would be afraid of getting caught up in the incident and be the talk of the town, so she would probably be too busy running away.


    But it was different now.


    Lara was grateful to the two people.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Eunice, Ximena. Both of you have given me a big wake-up call. Now I know howme I have been acting all this while.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Ximena asked Lara again.


    ¡°What wake-up call?¡±


    ¡°I should have thrown something away first, but I have been turning a blind eye to it. That¡¯s right. Things can¡¯t go that easily.¡±


    ¡°Lara, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I have to throw my family away.¡±


    Lara said.


    While smiling, she said she would abandon her status, as if it was nothing. Then, Eunice and Ximena, who had been chattering so far, suddenly kept their mouths shut.


    They looked shocked by Lara¡¯s unexpected remarks.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°As both of you know, my mother is Thousand Gold Isadora. She was amoner, but she was the daughter of a wealthy merchant. I was born after she met my father, who is someone of high status, but poor.¡±


    ¡°I heard they don¡¯t have a good rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they will get a divorce soon.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If they do, my mother will have to go back to hermoner status. So I will also follow my mother.¡±


    If being a prodigal or a troublemaker was not enough, then she would just throw away her status.


    Lara sat with her back straight.


    Her red eyes shone clearly.


    ¡°I will put down all the privileges that I have enjoyed as a noble and I will throw away the status andst name that I got from my father. I think that is just right.¡±


    Marquess of Bailey would be alone until the end of his life. He would grow old in solitude, holding his obsession with power that would slowly disappear in a house without his wife and child. He would suffer alone for the rest of his life.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After getting a ride from Eunice¡¯s carriage, Lara returned to Isadora¡¯s manor. In front of the house, she met Sebastian, who had just finished preparing for departure and was about to ride his horse.


    ¡°Mdy?¡±


    ¡°Sebastian, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To pick you up¡­ No, actually, what is going on?¡±


    He ran over and examined Lara¡¯s face. He looked carefully here and there to see if there were any injuries.


    ¡°I heard it from Konny. There was an incident in the ballroom¡­ I was on my way to pick you up with the bail.¡±


    ¡°Bail?¡±


    ¡°Konny said, the ve was put in the watchmen prison because he fought with the nobles while trying to protect you.¡±


    It oddly sounded right, but also wrong at the same time.


    When Lara smiled with a vague look, Sebastian let out a sigh and drooped his shoulders.


    ¡°Madam Isadora was worried.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Weirdly enough, she was worried, but with a smile.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°She said it¡¯s the first time her daughter got into trouble and that she needed to pick you up at the watchmen station. She even got the carriage on standby and dashed out running¡­ But there¡¯s a VIPing to the hotel, so she told me to go on her behalf.¡±


    ¡°Sebastian.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mdy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I worried you.¡±


    Her mother must have been worried, but Sebastion had also looked very flustered. His hair, which had always been neat, was slightly messy and he spoke faster than usual. When Lara apologized honestly, Sebastian, who had been silent for a while, burst into a softugh and said.


    ¡°Seeing how mdy gets into trouble every time you go out, you certainly resemble Madam Isadora.¡±


    Is that apliment?


    Lara could never tell.<b> Truth or False</b>


    The ve of Young Lady Bailey was taken by the watchmen for making a disturbance against the nobles at the Night Ball.


    There were several victims.


    Some had broken limbs, and some men had all their front teeth fall out and had to have dentures. He even fought against soldiers with weapons and shields, but he was captured without any injury with a smile on his face. There was also a rumor that he kissed his Master Lady, Young Lady Bailey before getting on the patrol wagon.


    There was a lot of spection as to why he did it.


    There was spection that someone might have been drunk and asked for a duel. There was also spection that the drunken nobles feltpetitive with him and came at him first.


    But among that was another reason, one that most people believed.


    It was said that the ve loved Young Lady Bailey too much and that he beat down all the men who tried to harass her.


    ¡°Nonsense.¡±


    Lara was at loss for words.


    ¡°Some said that you were obsessed with me, that you hate it when I¡¯m out in public, that you will throw your punch first if anyone shows interest in me, and that you will take me to the Empire and live in hiding¡­¡±


    ¡°Did no one say anything about how Young Lady Bailey¡¯s beauty is deadly enough for the ve to forget about their status barrier?¡±


    ¡°¡­Some even said that.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    Demianughed out loud.


    Despite being confined in the cold, narrow prison, he looked bored because he had plenty of free time.


    Konny pushed the bag in her arms through the bars.


    ¡°This is a sandwich from the most famous restaurant in the city. Do you know how long I have been standing in line just to buy that? There are also spicy chicken skewers and potato snacks in that. I thought alcohol would be better than milk, so I brought it too.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Konny.¡±


    ¡°I also want to thank you. For protecting mydy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    They really hit it off well.


    They have be so close that Konny even asked Demian in detail about his favorite food and what she should buy next.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°More than a dozen people are iming you should be executed.¡±


    ¡°Not that much.¡±


    ¡°The investigators are waiting outside that door. Fortunately, I¡¯m a noblewoman so I¡¯m allowed to meet you privately like this.¡±


    ¡°Lara, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any ns?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t die here.¡±


    There he goes again.


    Lara wanted to know where Demian¡¯s groundless confidence came from.


    ¡°Is it something that I¡¯m not supposed to know?¡±


    If Demian was doing this without any countermeasures, Lara was going to attack the prison for him. It was possible with money. She would hire a group of mercenaries who could keep secret to raid the prison and get him out.


    Demian took a big bite of the sandwich that Konny gave and chewed it. Then, he said casually.


    ¡°I have been granted immunity.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°The Crown Prince of Tarragon gave me immunity when they achieved victory in war.¡±


    Who gave what?


    Lara looked at him with a suspicious look.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth. By now, the investigator or whatever would have known that my name is Demian Drake.¡±


    Demian once gave the Crown Prince a great victory on the battlefield in Tarragon. He even saved the Crown Prince¡¯s life in the battle. The Crown Prince was delighted and granted him a surname with the immunity. ¡®Drake¡¯¡ªthe dragon of the battlefield.


    In the Empire, It was very rare for the Imperial Family to give a surname to a ve, so not many people knew about this.


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    Even Lara did not know about this. She heard that Demian was given the name ¡®Rhode¡¯ when he became the king of thewless area, but she did not know that the Crown Prince of Tarragon gave him the surname ¡®Drake¡¯.


    The name of a dragon was given to a ve.


    ¡°Wait a minute. So if you have a surname.¡±


    ¡°It means that I¡¯m not a ve.¡±


    ¡°What? Then, why have you been a ve so far?!¡±


    ¡°Because it was too much of a hassle for me to exin about it.¡±


    Lara¡¯s face turned pale. Konny right away muttered ¡®crazy guy¡¯ to Demian, then covered her mouth with her hands.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 22

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make much difference to me. Whether I¡¯m a ve or amoner, I will still die on the battlefield.¡±


    It did not make sense.


    Lara felt like she was about to faint from the chills going up and down her spine at the moment.


    Demian was a ve.


    Even in herst life, he continued to be treated as a ve until he fled to thewless area. Never once did he talk about the surname or immunity he received from the Crown Prince of Tarragon. She was the only one who changed after returning to the past. What was going to happen had happened, and the world was the same, no matter which timeline.


    That means Demian was not a ve in the past, and that there was no reason for him to be imprisoned when she put a barrier between them.


    ¡°¡­Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡±


    Lara really wanted to ask him.


    She regretted it like crazy.


    She should have had more conversations with Demian then. He could have just fled back then, but he did not.


    He deliberately got caught.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know you.¡±


    Lara mumbled.


    Looking straight into Demian¡¯s eyes with a pale face, she tried to find his appearance from the past.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be asking you that.¡±


    After finishing the big sandwich in a sh, Demian said to Lara.


    ¡°You have always looked like you knew everything about me. But why do you feel unfamiliar with me every time I tell you the truth?¡±


    ¡°Demian,¡±


    Lara asked Demian.


    ¡°Why did youe to Hautean?¡±


    He did not answer Lara this time.


    Before this, he used to at least answer with a lie, but now he just shut his mouth up.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Things have turned out to be really ambiguous.


    The investigators judged Demian to havemitted an unforgivable crime. But after finding out he was not actually a ve and was granted immunity from the Crown Prince of Tarragon Empire, they left the prison with a white face.


    Hautean was a small country.


    It was a small, powerless state that, even though it did not have to obey thews of the Empire, it still had to live walking on eggshells around the Empire. Diplomatic friction could arise if they had executed themoner whom the Crown Prince of Tarragon treated specially.


    They could neither release nor imprison Demian


    In addition, as soon as the next morning came, the secretary of Thousand Gold Isadora came with arge check and asked how much his bail was. The Chief Watchman had no choice but to leave the matter to the superior office.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Sidhar Hautean was the eldest son of the King.


    His appearance was fine, and his abilities were very good. Befitting his background as royalty, he was elegant and honorable. Moreover, he was impably adequate in academics, swordsmanship, and religion, so the people of Hautean naturally thought he would be the next King.


    Of course, that was how it would have been if his younger sister, who was better than him, had not been born.


    When Prince Sidhar realized that he had to fight for the throne with his younger sister, who was ten years apart in age, the first thing he remembered was the seat of Princess Consort that he had left empty so he could use it one day.


    ¡°Lavrov¡­ What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Laviore.¡±


    ¡°Laviroy Bailey?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Laviore Ria Bailey, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Why did her parents give her such a confusing name? I thought a cute name was more of a trend at that time.¡±


    ¡°Marquess of Bailey tends to obsess over aristocratic things. He must have wanted to show off his elegance with a long and difficult name, and also a middle name.¡±


    ¡°Her nickname is Lara?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    The old aide approached and handed a painting to Prince Sidhar.


    It was Lara¡¯s portrait.


    It was iplete, but it was a great painting still. The painter¡¯s sketching was so amazing that they felt like they were looking at her in front of them. She was ady with sharp eyes, a defiant gaze, and a captivating atmosphere.


    ¡°I heard that the Marquess of Bailey is desperate to make his daughter the Princess Consort, but why is this portrait still iplete?¡±


    ¡°She recently left her house.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I heard the Marquess couple are in a divorce dispute. Her mother took her daughter with her.¡±


    ¡°Is she a fool? She should have stuck with her father. Her father is a noble and also an aide to the Prince.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because she¡¯s still young.¡±


    Prince Sidhar clicked his tongue with a face, saying that she¡¯s pathetic. He crumpled Lara¡¯s portrait and swayed it around.


    ¡°I can¡¯t make her the Princess Consort right now. I should choose a woman who can help with royal authority as much as possible. How could he send me such a foolish woman? Marquess of Bailey is too greedy.¡±


    Prince Sidhar lost his interest because Lara had a look that was far beyond his taste and did not seem to be smart.


    But his old aide did not seem to think so.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Marquess of Bailey has a high status and his wife is the Thousand Gold Isadora¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, Thousand Gold Isadora?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s an aplished merchant, who will be able to feed a big city with the value of her business and real estate.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Prince Sidhar¡¯s eyes turned to Lara¡¯s portrait again.


    He picked up the crumpled picture and put it on his desk. There were already dozens of portraits piled up there.


    ¡°But they¡¯re getting a divorce?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Who wants it?¡±


    ¡°The Marchioness.¡±


    Then, it would be difficult for them to divorce easily.


    Prince Sidhar recently knew that Marquess of Bailey was not in a very good financial condition.


    ¡°If his wife is that rich, he would not have wanted to let her go.¡±


    ¡°He would probably ask for alimony.¡±


    ¡°Will they need to undergo a divorce trial then¡­¡±


    Tap. Tap.


    The Prince tapped on the table with his finger.


    The sunlight from the window shone on his gleaming golden hair.


    ¡°Marquess of Bailey is too good of a card to be thrown away. He behaves well, so he has gotten good reviews from the elders. I can¡¯t just let my aide be a poor divorcee.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, what do you intend to do?¡±


    ¡°Tell the Marquess to request for arge amount of alimony so that the Marchioness would withdraw her divorce application. And send one of the noble elders with a good reputation to mediate their rtionship. She won¡¯t be so arrogant to stay with her decision when the Prince himselfes forward asking them to reconcile.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Invite Lady Laviore to the banquet that will be held soon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°In the end, she would be grateful to me.¡±


    The Prince ran his finger through Lara¡¯s lips in the painting. When he pressed his nails against her stubbornly closed lips, a mark appeared as if she shed a smile. The Prince looked carefully at the mark.


    After that, the old aide brought up a question that he had almost forgotten.


    ¡°Oh, what should we do with that ve? The Chief Watchman is asking for your opinion.¡±


    ¡°Just let him go. Givefort to the nobles suitably. What¡¯s there to be proud of for nobles to be beaten up by a ve?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    It was time for the battle for the throne to officially begin.


    Prince Sidhar did not want to cause even the smallest friction to happen with the Empire. He ended up releasing the ve without even bothering to ask for his name.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Demian was released from the prison in less than a week after being captured. Lara went to his prison with Konny twice a day with some snacks. Thanks to that, they seemed to know almost all the restaurants in the capital city.


    He said he would go back to the arena.


    When Lara asked why he would return there when he¡¯s not even a ve, he said that he liked that ce because it had fed him for free, gave him a ce to sleep, and even gave him money. Lara was dumbfounded. She thought that she would either get her mother¡¯s permission to bring him home soon or save more money and get a nice house in the capital.


    ns for him piled up in Lara¡¯s head, but something more urgent had happened.


    Marquess of Bailey had sent a message.


    It was a long, long letter. The letter which was mostly unnecessary rhetoric meant that he would not divorce Isadora if she did not hand over most of her wealth as alimony.


    Isadora did not even read the letter and threw it into the dustbin.


    When she heard the letter summary from her secretary, she coldly called Marquess of Bailey ¡®dishonorable bastard¡®.


    That was within her expectations.


    But there was even more undesirable news from the Royal Pce.


    One of the noble elders, who was close to Marquess of Bailey, visited Isadora and politely delivered the Prince¡¯s order to reconcile with her husband.


    ¡°He¡¯s giving me a warning that he will turn me into a beggar.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°It means that as long as the Prince is on his side, it would be difficult for me to easily get a divorce from him.¡±


    Lara was having breakfast with Isadora.


    Lara was already full because she had eaten more than usual. She fiddled around with the fork, as if she had lingering regrets about the food. Suddenly, she stopped moving.


    ¡°Prince Sidhar?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Why would he interfere in someone else¡¯s family affair?¡±


    ¡°My husband¡¯s power and my wealth. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because he wants political funds.¡±


    This was a winning battle for Marquess of Bailey.


    Until now, it was known that he had no reason to get a divorce, so the divorce of the two would be handled as desired by the Marquess, who was the owner of the family and had the support from the Prince.


    Isadora, who asked for the divorce, had to prepare the alimony.


    Lara recalled that around this time, his father, Marquess of Bailey was on the verge of bankruptcy.


    ¡°In the end, because of money¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. I will take care of this problem on my own.¡±


    ¡°What? Mother!¡±


    ¡°Let your parents take care of their own problems. It can¡¯t be helped if we can¡¯t get a divorce.¡±


    It was a lie.


    Lara quickly noticed Isadora¡¯s lie.


    Unlike in the past, her mother wanted to divorce her father by all means. However, after the Prince stepped up to interfere and threaten her, even though she was very angry, she did not let it show.


    The grilled vegetables in her mother¡¯s ce were being gracefully chopped.


    ¡®I need to solve this problem.¡¯


    Lara squinted her eyes.


    More than anything, she wanted to free her mother from that bloody House of Bailey. Just in time, all the bad things Marquess of Bailey had done came into Lara¡¯s mind one by one.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 23

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    After Isadora returned to the hotel, Lara came out to the garden in front of the main building and walked slowly.


    ¡®What should I blow up first?¡¯


    A vicious and dirty reason that even the Prince could not take his side. The greater her father is criticized, the easier it will be for her mother to get a divorce.


    He was a filthy noble, the public opinion of him being a good-natured person was wrong. Not only has hemitted numerous crimes, which also include corruption, he also led a disgusting private life. There were so many things Lara knew that it was hard to choose.


    Lara realized that fact toote in her past life.


    Marquess of Bailey was conspiring through the back door with the Temple of Glory, ck money and dirty deals had already been exchanged between them for years. He drove a wedge between prestigious nobles and sold fabricated information in order to establish his power. Feeling inferior to his wife who was far more capable than him, he messed around with poor young women who fell for him only for his face and status.


    ¡®I will blow up each and one of them, one by one.¡¯


    To do so, she must gather evidence first and foremost.


    Lara could not do it without any solid evidence. She needs to gather evidence so strong that her father would never be able to make any excuses. She will use everything she knows so that her mother can divorce her father without having to spend a dime for alimony.


    After strolling through the garden, Lara turned around to return to the entrance of the manor.


    ¡°Mdy.¡±


    Sebastian, who was about to follow Isadora to work, found Lara and walked towards her.


    ¡°Are you going for a walk?¡±


    ¡°I need to gather my thoughts.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an invitation for you.¡±


    Sebastian offered the invitation card politely.


    Leaf patterns and red wax on a white envelope. Lara¡¯s face hardened as soon as she saw the invitation card, it was all too familiar to her. It was the envelope and wax that the royal family used to send personal letters to the nobles.


    Lara forced a twisted smile on her face.


    She knew Sebastian was looking closely at her face, but she could not control her facial expression.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Is it an invitation to a banquet?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    A banquet for Prince Sidhar will be held soon.


    Though it was not an official royal event, arge banquet was to be held for the nobles who supported the Prince. The nobles called it the spouse selection banquet to single out the candidates for the Princess Consort.


    In her past life, Lara did not attend the banquet.


    Following her father¡¯s opinion, she pretended to be a woman that could only be met in the temple prayer room or library, rather than a banquet hall. It was a wise n, as Prince Sidhar did not choose anyone at the banquet.


    ¡®There was an assassination attempt on the Princess at this banquet.¡¯


    Lara did not know the details because she had not witnessed it herself, but at this banquet, Prince Sidhar¡¯s younger sister, Princess So, almost died at the hands of the assassins.


    One thing for sure; it was the work of the ck sorcerer.


    The royal family was furious and showed a strong attitude as if they were going to kill all the ck sorcerers¡¯ forces. However, ironically, it served as the momentum for Prince Sidhar to work together with them after witnessing their hidden skills before his eyes.


    The princess did not die at this banquet.


    The knights who were protecting the princess sacrificed themselves to protect her. After the Princess fell on the floor, eight knights surrounded and held her in their arms and directly took the ck sorcerer¡¯s attack.


    They all died as a result.


    ¡®I need to save them.¡¯


    Lara was determined to save them all.


    Political gain or rtionship with Prince Sidhar is of course important. But there was life in front of her that she could save with just a single warning. She could not just watch from afar when she already knew what was going to happen.


    After looking at Lara¡¯s hardened face, Sebastian told her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go if you don¡¯t want to. It is not even an important event. We can just make up a story, saying that you¡¯re deathly sick.¡±


    ¡°I will go.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I will go to the banquet.¡±


    Sebastian flinched.


    He knew from Isadora that Lara had a crush on Prince Sidhar for a long time, but not long ago, she started to hate him. Therefore, he was worried that running into the Prince at the banquet would break Lara¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, the Prince is not interested in me anyway. Besides, I have other purposes for joining the banquet.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°I want to show something to father.¡±


    That was Lara¡¯s second purpose.


    Her first purpose was to save the Princess and the knights, the second one was to humiliate her father.


    Marquess of Bailey would surely attend the banquet.


    The father who stood by Prince Sidhar and tried to make him king, and the daughter who made contributions in rescuing the Princess when she was in danger.


    The people will make a fuss about the father and daughter in the House of Bailey, who both supported different candidates for the throne. Her father will tremble with her betrayal.


    Lara decided that she would not stand as a victim, but as a viin in this life.


    ¡®Only then would it be fair.¡¯


    Lara finished organizing what she would do with the invitation card that Sebastion gave her.


    Then, she took a step closer to him and said to him,


    ¡°Sebastian, I have a question.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°If the cause for divorce is father, then mother should be the one receiving alimony, not giving it, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Mdy.¡±


    Sebastian took off his hat and swept up his hair.


    He was put on a spot.


    For him, Lara is still as fragile as a little girl, so he could not easily talk about it when Lara brought up the topic of her parent¡¯s divorce.


    ¡°About that¡­ Well, yes.¡±


    ¡°If they reach a satisfactory agreement for their divorce, they can divorce without interference from the royal family or temple and without going to the noble court, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an adult now, so I can decide who I want to live with and neither side can force me to do that.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    That was enough for Lara.


    Lara would make sure that her father would have no choice but to sign the divorce documents willingly.


    Sebastian swept away his anxious heart when he looked at Lara smirking.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara decided to meet Eunice and Ximena first.


    They have be rapidly close after the incident the other day. They agreed without hesitation when Lara asked them to apany her to order the dress that she will wear at the banquet.


    ¡°Lara!¡±


    The twodies arrived earlier than the promised time.


    ¡°Look at these!¡±


    Eunice walked into Lara¡¯s room with a red face and put down the luggage that she had in both her hands.


    Following Eunice, Ximena walked in with a big box.


    Lara asked them with her eyes wide open.


    ¡°What are those?¡±


    ¡°I went through a boutique that I always frequent. It¡¯s a good thing that you look good in primary colors.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The dresses. When will you finish ordering it and when will you finish waiting just for it to be done? There are many prettier ready-to-wear clothes these days.¡±


    Eunice approached Lara and made her stand up.


    Then, she took out a dark, vivid blue dress from the luggage that she brought and put it against Lara¡¯s body.


    ¡°As expected, my eyes are perfect.¡±


    ¡°Eunice.¡±


    ¡°Ximena! Give me that.¡±


    Ximena opened the lid of the box and pulled a hat out of it.


    It was a summer banquet hat decorated with colorful feathers andce.


    But the brim was not that wide to cover the sun. A thince was added to the brim, which covered the forehead and hung slightly from the eyebrow, making it more of a decoration rather than for outdoor use.


    ¡°You¡¯d better wear a small hat to emphasize your voluminous hair. But at the same time, you need to be mour¡­ You should wear it like this to be cool.¡±


    ¡°Lara, you bish. You really look good in primary colors.¡±


    The twodies were very excited.


    After matching all sorts of dresses, underclothings, shoes, and hats, they picked the blue dress, small brim hat, glossy shoes, and also a ckce parasol and gave them all to Lara.


    ¡°¡­Wear this?¡±


    ¡°Wear this and let¡¯s get out to order more clothes. Rather than an ufortable and big dress, casual but powerful clothes look better on you. If you want to be the talk of the town, don¡¯t ever wear an ordinary dress.¡±


    Eunice¡¯s views were reliable.


    The young noblewomen frequenting the arena have so far led the fashion of the young people in Hautean. Eunice and Ximena have stood at the peak of being fashion leaders. Lara wore her dress just like how the two people told her to. Konny ran over and helped her get dressed.


    Konnie said in admiration to Lara, who stood in front of the full-body mirror after finished her preparation.


    ¡°It weirdly looks good on you!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Rather than pretty, you¡¯re more like cool. I mean, I have told you this before. Angel-like clothes do not look good on you, mdy. It was so funny because it looked like you were covered in a nket.¡±


    As expected of Konny. She would never say something like herdy is the prettiest in the world, even as lip service.


    When Lara nodded, Eunice and Ximena approached her with trembling looks.


    ¡°Hey, your maid is no joke.¡±


    ¡°I like that she¡¯s honest.¡±


    Afterward, they got into Eunice¡¯s carriage and headed to the mall.


    Eunice and Ximena summarized the shop they have to go to and the designer they have to meet instead of Lara who knew nothing about luxury shopping.


    ¡°Do you have money?¡±


    Eunice asked. Then, Ximena frowned as if she just listened to something that did not make sense.


    ¡°Are you afraid that Madam Thousand Gold Isadora did not give any money for her one and only daughter to go to the banquet?¡±


    ¡°Hey, who knows about that? Usually, the merchants teach their children to be their sessors from an early age. They intentionally give little pocket money so their children would know the importance of money¡­¡±


    Looking at the two quarreling as soon as they got on the carriage, Lara said with a vague smile.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get pocket money from mother. But her secretary.¡±


    It happened that morning.


    When Lara decided she would attend the Prince¡¯s banquet, he took her wallet and filled it with checks.


    ¡°You will need a dress to go to the banquet. Madam Isadora said that if she had to give the money for alimony, then let¡¯s just use it to our heart¡¯s contents.¡±


    No, I will make sure mother does not need to give alimony.


    Lara refused and said that she was fine without the money, but Sebastian went to work straight away, making her wallet on the verge of exploding today, too.


    It was 2,000 gold.


    It seemed that her mother and Sebastian had set a standard of 2,000 gold every time they gave Lara pocket money.


    ¡°I have a lot of money.¡±


    Lara said.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 24

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    When Eunice, Ximena, and Lara got together, theyughed and joked saying that they probably should make a gathering of the troublemakers of Hautean. What¡¯s interesting is that Eunice and Ximena spent money so well that they were treated as the best customers in the world by the merchants.


    They arrived at a tailor-made boutique in the luxury shopping district.


    ¡°Young Lady Dvonn! Oh my, Young Lady Swavy is here too!¡±


    Soon after, the designer came running barefoot, got in between Eunice and Ximena, and crossed arms with them.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you came here! I was afraid that you¡¯d had enough of my dresses!¡±


    The designer was so outgoing. His smiling face was filled with kindness.


    Eunice giggled and pointed behind her.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. Don¡¯t tter us today, we brought you a more spectacr customer today.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    The dress designer¡¯s attention btedly reached Lara who was getting off the carriage.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Young Lady Bailey?¡±


    He looked at Lara with his mouth open.


    Lara¡ªwho wore a bright blue dress that fluttered whenever the winds blew, a ck umbre, a hat decorated withces¡ªapproached the designer and greeted him.


    ¡°Hi?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe the daughter of Thousand Gold Isadora will wear my clothes!¡±


    He screamed.


    ¡°Come in, I will make you whatever you want!¡±


    Thousand Gold Isadora was every merchant¡¯s dream in Hautean. Needless to say, her daughter, Lara, was a huge customer for them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±


    Lara reached out her hands to Eunice and Ximena.


    Eunice shouted.


    ¡°We¡¯re not kids. Why should we hold hands? It¡¯s so embarrassing.¡±


    However, both of her hands were soon held by the strong Ximena. Eunice got stuck between Lara and Ximena and went into the store with her fingers sped.


    ¡°Is there a type of dress that you want, mdy?¡±


    The designer asked. Then, the threedies answered at the same time.


    ¡°Something fancy.¡±


    ¡°Something fabulous.¡±


    ¡°Something crazy.¡±


    Lara told Konny not long ago.


    She would show up in a shocking dress that would make Konny beg Lara toe back to wearing ordinary dresses.


    Now it was the time to keep that promise.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After ordering dresses, underclothings, hats, and shoes, Lara took Eunice and Ximena to a fancy restaurant nearby. Not only have they bought clothes for her, but they¡¯ve even helped her to choose more clothes, so she was going to treat them to dinner as a thank you.


    The twodies did not stay still even in the restaurant.


    There were a lot of upper-ss people who came to eat there, and Eunice muttered that it was just in time.


    It was early in the evening. It was a time when there were a lot of people watching for the barely legal young noblewomen to get together and drink their heads off. But Eunice did not care. Sitting in the center of the restaurant hall, she ordered the most expensive and strong wine and drank until the nape of her neck turned red.


    Ximena said to Lara that just being with them had already branded her as a troublemaker.


    Lara answered that that was exactly what she wanted.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Now that she has prepared the dress, it¡¯s time to go see Demian. Leaving the drunken Eunice to Ximena, Lara went to the arena on her own.


    The arena was quiet because there was no match going on. Except for the security guards and a few wardens, few people came in and out. Lara stood in front of Demian¡¯s door, taking deep breaths twice.


    Unlike in the past, they got off on the right foot, but it was still nerve-wracking for her to meet him. As soon as Lara, who was ready, raised her hand and tried to knock, aughing voice was heard inside.


    ¡°Come on in.¡±


    How did he know that I¡¯m here?


    As soon as Lara opened the door and went inside, she asked Demian.


    ¡°Were my footsteps that loud?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°But how did you know I was here?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m waiting for you.¡±


    He was really good at saying something misleading.


    Lara went to a chair and sat there, it was a little bit away from the sofa where he was sitting. It was neither too close, nor was it too far away.


    Demian just stared at Lara¡¯s actions.


    ¡°I¡¯m here today to make a suggestion. You might think it¡¯s bothersome¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°There will be a huge banquet on the Tender River soon. It¡¯s a banquet hosted by nobles supporting Prince Sidhar, but the Princess will also attend.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°There will be an assassination attempt.¡±


    Lara told him about what would happen at the banquet.


    ¡°ck sorcerer will appear and attack the Princess.¡±


    Demian did not take his eyes off her.


    It felt like the air in the room became a little hotter every time he blinked.


    ¡°So?¡±


    Demian asked.


    Lara¡¯s suggestion was from now on.


    ¡°I was invited to the banquet, and I want to bring you as my escort. They must have already known that you¡¯re not a ve, so it is not impossible for me to bring you there.¡±


    ¡°You want me to rescue the Princess?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Then, the Princess will give you a big reward. She is still young, but she¡¯s someone who thinks on arge scale and is a smart person.


    ¡°Why should I do that?¡±


    Demian did not seem interested, it was as if he did not want to do it.


    He sat nonchntly and just looked at Lara persistently.


    ¡°Because,¡±


    Lara chose her words carefully.


    It would be nice if she could just say that one day Prince Sidhar will covet Demian¡¯s skills. He will somehow get his hands on Demian and try to use him. To avoid the Prince, he would better be the savior of the Princess who stood at odds with the Prince.


    ¡°Because the ck sorcerers are the bad guys.¡±


    What Lara chose was general justice.


    ck sorcerers acquired powerful powers through contracts with demons. What they wanted was demon worship, carnage, war, and chaos.


    Lara continued with a perfectly ordinary reason.


    ¡°So strong that you and the righteous me would need to join forces to save the Princess.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to do that? Do you want me to save the Princess who will be in danger and destroy the bad ck sorcerers?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then.¡±


    Demian easily agreed.


    He did not seem to believe Lara, but seeing that he just moved on without asking anything, he must have thought that it was nothing.


    That¡¯s a relief.


    Lara smiled unconsciously.


    She would make him a hero. Not a ve who would be chased away after being taken advantage of, but a hero who was respected by anyone.


    That was Lara¡¯s first atonement for Demian.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    It waste at night.


    Demian stood by the window and watched Lara¡¯s carriage move further away. He seemed rxed and easy-going when he was with Lara. But when he was left alone, he looked like apletely different person.


    His gazes were cold and his heart beat anxiously.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    She knows me.


    He still did not know how that was possible, what¡¯s certain was that Lara knew about him. He was suspicious from the first time he saw her.


    Someone ordinary could not feel Demian¡¯s murderous spirit, but only Lara kept her guard on and walked on eggshells around him in the arena. She recognized his skills at a nce even though he pretended to be a stupid ve and gave him expensive weapons that were not used in the arena.


    When he told her that he had been granted immunity from the Crown Prince of Tarragon, she felt Demian was unfamiliar, as if she had never seen him before and she looked like she had never heard about the immunity before.


    Still, Demian was half in doubt up until there. He thought that was not possible because she was not in his memory.


    But Demian realized it from the conversation a while ago.


    Lara knew Demian.


    She told him to save the Princess from the attack of the ck sorcerer.


    ck sorcerer as strong. Someone that was sent to assassinate the royal family, in particr, must be specialized in the battle against a great person. Even talented knights could not find and punish ck sorcerer who was preparing to attack while hiding themselves. This was because magic was a long andplicated process, but once it was used, it was difficult to counterattack it.


    Of course, all this was not applied to Demian.


    Dark magic did not work on him.


    How did Lara know I can easily defeat the ck sorcerer?


    And how did she know there would be ck sorcerer at the banquet?


    ¡°Haa.¡±


    Lara was very suspicious, but his heart was beating for her again. He did not know himself. Demianughed because he was unfamiliar with himself.


    When Lara was not around, he was engulfed in anger like a starved and frozen monster. But when Lara was around, he was drowsy like a stuffed lion in the middle of the day.


    So he could not leave her.


    He could not even be far away from her.


    The terrible sense of loss that had dominated and tormented him all his life had disappeared when he was with Lara.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    It was a name as soft as the tongue in his mouth.


    He thought of her from morning to night. He kept waiting for when she would visit him. He paid attention to the ridiculous arena schedule and kept his ears to the ground whenever someone passed by the door.


    Demian had never experienced anything like this before.


    For him, women were just difficult andplicated. He never had a rtionship that was more than just arade.


    But Lara was different.


    She was special, very special.


    Despite looking like she was hurtful, she showed guilt whenever she saw him. While being polite and caring about others, the viiness fa?ade really looked good on her.


    He would never get tired of looking at her.


    Demian¡¯srades would yell at him if they saw him now, saying that a miracle had happened. If they had found out that he¡ªwho had always kept a distance, not only from women but any human generally¡ªshowed such great interest in someone, they might seek out a religion btedly.


    ck sorcerer, huh?


    Lara asked Demian about his reason foring to Hautean.


    But he did not answer her back then.


    ¡°Demian, the ck sorcerers have their eyes on the Hautean Kingdom. I heard that they are already deeply rted to the nobles there. ck magic does not work on you. Can you find out what happened there?¡±


    Because he was a spy sent by the Crown Prince of Tarragon.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 25 - First, a Villainess Does Not Avoid Attention

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????<b> First, a Viiness Does Not Avoid Attention</b>


    Maybe because it was her second life, but time went by very quickly. Lara met Eunice and Ximena almost every day while waiting for the banquet. They spent time going back and forth between Lara¡¯s house, arena, boutique, and restaurant.


    ¡°Lara, if you keep talking like that, people will misunderstand you as being nice.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°What kind of troublemaker would talk elegantly and politely?¡±


    Ximena wanted to correct Lara¡¯s tone before the banquet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re satisfied with being a half-assed troublemaker. But I thought you wanted to be an out-and-out troublemaker that would make your father furious and cut all ties with you.¡±


    ¡°Even a viiness can speak politely. Isn¡¯t it better this way, rather than shouting like Eunice?¡±


    When Lara refuted Ximena¡¯s remark, Eunice shouted at her.


    ¡°These bishes, why are you dragging me in?¡±


    ¡°Eunice.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to learn to swear? Then, I will teach you as much as you want. First, practice with fortis. Fortis, intonation, and rude expressions are important in swearing. And make sure you sound natural. You can¡¯t be like, ¡®okay, one, two, three! I¡¯m going to start cursing from now on.¡¯ That¡¯s a no-no, being natural is the best.¡±


    ¡°What a good thing you¡¯re teaching her.¡±


    Ximena shut Eunice¡¯s mouth. Then, she smiled at Lara and said.


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something more important than the way you talk.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Your expression.¡±


    Lara listened carefully to Ximena¡¯s advice


    Even Eunice, who had been listing unusual words to teach Lara about swear words, nodded with a serious face.


    ¡°Expression and gaze are more effective than any words you can say. You¡¯re way too calm. It¡¯s good that you always ignore people no matter what they say, but that makes you look so calm and elegant.¡±


    ¡°Then, what should I do?¡±


    ¡°You should ignore and look down on them. Ridicule and spite them. If that¡¯s difficult, could you at least be prepared to drag them by their hair?¡±


    I see.


    Every single word that Ximena said was right.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    It was the day of the banquet.


    Lara ate lunch with Isadora¡ªwho was worried about her¡ªto reassure her. After that, she took Konny to the dressing room and stayed there.


    ¡°Mdy¡­¡±


    Konny opened the dress box and gulped. Then, she said,


    ¡°This is a crazy dress.¡±


    ¡®I think that¡¯s exactly what Eunice ordered.¡¯


    Lara smirked and nodded.


    The ck top and red skirt would intensely catch the eye of the beholder. The top was designed to reveal the back of the neck without shoulders nor sleeves. And it used hard materials like armor, giving it a seductive yet strong feeling. The ankle-revealing red skirt wasvishly made with severalyers of see-through and light fabric.


    Perfectly adorned with ck shoes and a ck ne, Lara stood in front of the mirror and asked Konny.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°You look like a puppet for the Demon Lord.¡±


    Leaving behind Konny¡¯s nonsense opinion that was neither apliment nor an insult, Lara got on the carriage and headed to the arena.


    The arena warden greeted Lara, looking like he had almost passed out.


    He said that not a single noble has hired the arena¡¯s mighty warrior to be an escort knight so far. He repeatedly asked if Lara would really take Demian to the banquet hall.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Lara brought Demian to her carriage.


    He was wearing an escort knight uniform specially prepared by Lara.


    Demian¡¯s superior look shone even more because he was dressed like any other royal guardian knight.


    ¡°Our destination is the outdoor banquet hall along the Tender River. When Ie in, a few people will probably look at us and talk about us. Just ignore them all.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not polite to have an escort guard in a banquet hall with the royals. But I will stand firm, I¡¯ll say that my father tried to kidnap me and that I¡¯m not going anywhere without you.¡±


    ¡°What if we get kicked out?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s even better. We will make a fuss and then just spend some time nearby. All we have to do is save the Princess.¡±


    Demian nodded without saying anything. He wanted to ask Lara a lot of things, but he decided to endure it. He thought it was not the right time to question such things.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    Demian muttered.


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    The entrance to the river was filled with carriages. They were noble carriages decorated with expensive magical lights.


    The sun was setting.


    As it became dark, hundreds of magical lights glittered along the riverside. Tender River was wide, slow-moving, and had plenty of water. Pic boats specially arranged for the banquet, moved leisurely on the river.


    It was high time for the banquet.


    It seemed that the royal family had not arrived yet.


    By the time the invited nobles were almost there, Lara took Demian¡¯s hand and got out of the carriage.


    As she told Demian, she thought that only a few nobles would show interest in her. Marquess of Bailey was said to be emerging as a rising power, but whatever trouble his daughter got herself into, it would not be a big deal for the old nobles.


    So she thought it would end with a bit of criticism from her peers.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    But as soon as she entered the banquet hall, she felt enormous pressure as a great number of gazes fell on her.


    Everyone nearby was looking at her.


    After a while, most of the nobles in the banquet hall had turned their attention towards her. As they were nobles who were ustomed to gossip, it was not often for them to be focused on someone for a long period of time.


    They looked carefully at Lara¡¯s face, hair, attire, manner, andpanion. Lara now realized that everything about her was being judged by them.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Demian gently swept her palms and put his fingers in between Lara¡¯s own.


    ¡°Raise your head.¡±


    His voice magically moved Lara¡¯s body.


    She was used to the stares.


    In the past, she was taught not to make eye contact and to just let them flow. Like herbivores who have no will to fight, she was taught not to lower her tail, but her gaze.


    But not anymore.


    Lara raised her head proudly, as Demian said.


    She straightened her back and stretched her shoulders.


    She opened her eyes properly with her chin up.


    She walked with a sneer on her mouth and moved arrogantly and confidently.


    ¡®Who are you to judge me?¡¯


    She expressed that with her whole body.


    She made eye contact with every single person who looked at her.


    When someone pointed a finger at her, she threw a sharp sneer at him.


    When someone gossiped about her, she gave him a piercing look.


    This was a war of nerves.


    She would not drink until she forgot herself and swore around like Eunice, nor would she go in and out of the watchmen station for making extreme troubles like Ximena.


    Lara had her own way.


    She once had a past when she was chosen as the demon¡¯s offering in order to save everyone.


    When she recalled the moment her gut melted after taking the poison, the current situation was nothing.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 26

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    As Marquess of Bailey rose rapidly as an influential man on the Prince¡¯s side and rumors circted that he was trying to make his only daughter the Princess Consort, the nobles began to show interest in a girl named Laviore Ria Bailey.


    In their opinion, she was a very good candidate for Princess Consort.


    She¡¯s the only daughter of the Marquess family, her father is rumored to be a good-natured person, and even though her mother was amoner, she was a merchant with enormous wealth. In their eyes, Laviore Ria Bailey was a sessor to the Marquess family and also a conglomerate heir.


    However, the rumors about Lara herself were not good.


    It was not long ago, she made love with the arena ve and made a disturbance at the Night Ball. This time, she dared to appear at the banquet to choose the Princess Consort with a man. Moreover, her outfit. They did not express it, but they were genuinely surprised.


    Lara¡¯s dress was an outfit that broke themon sense of Hautean nobles. It was like watching an actress on the stage. The same went for her hair that fluttered around whenever the river¡¯s wind blew. Unlike other women, who would either tie up their hair, braided it, or twirled it and decorated it with jewels, Lara appeared with her voluminous hair hanging down without any decorations.


    ¡°Laviore.¡±


    It was around that time that Marquess of Bailey found his daughter.


    He approached Lara with an awkwardly stiff face. It seemed that he wanted to be angry, but was unable to raise his voice because there were a lot of people watching. Lara smirked when she felt the gaze of her father who was approaching her fast, along with the people who were still focusing on her.


    She had waited for this moment.


    When she returned to the past, she reyed several scenes in her mind every night over and over again. Either Marquess of Bailey reaches a new low in front of a lot of people and bares his real face, or Prince Sidhar crawls on all fours and begs for help.


    She really wanted to see that.


    Just imagining how refreshing and thrilling it must be had already made her satisfied.


    So, father, I want you to know that this is just the beginning.


    Lara sped Demian¡¯s hands with strength. Then, even before Marquess of Bailey could talk, she quickly beat him to it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask mother for alimony. I have heard that you¡¯re on the verge of bankruptcy, but what you¡¯re doing is a bit disgraceful.¡±


    All voices were hushed.


    Lara¡¯s voice floated through the noise of the banquet hall, like oil floating on water. Her voice clearly stuck in everyone¡¯s ears.


    ¡°You look pathetic.¡±


    Marquess of Bailey¡¯s face slowly changed. He must have felt like his blood was pouring upside down. He did not know what to do because of his daughter¡¯s sudden unfamiliarity, but he could not just leave her alone, so he was on the verge of madness.


    Lara was not worried.


    Her father would never raise his voice or beat her in front of so many people.


    His reputation was one of the assets that he had built up outside so far.


    ¡°Laviore.¡±


    Marquess of Bailey barely opened his mouth.


    He was going to turn a deaf ear to Lara. He tried to ignore everything Lara said as if it were nothing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home. The big house feels so empty without you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try so hard, you look pitiful.¡±


    It was not just the people¡¯s attention, but they were actually gathering around the two people now. The Marquess was anxious. Not knowing what Lara was going to say, he took a step closer to her.


    ¡°Don¡¯te near me. Are you going to hit me again?¡±


    ¡°Laviore.¡±


    ¡°Not only did you hit and confine me, but you¡¯ve also tried to kidnap me. Now I can¡¯t even go anywhere without an escort.¡±


    The silent people murmured little by little.


    I wish Eunice and Ximena were here. The two would have stood in the middle of the crowd and loudly criticized father.


    Unfortunately, they could note because they did not receive an invitation card.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about. What did I do wrong to you¡­¡±


    He seemed sincere.


    At first nce, he was no different from an ordinary father who was flustered by his daughter¡¯s defiance. Half of the people who were gathered there felt sorry for Marquess of Bailey.


    Lara made her move then.


    She approached Marquess of Bailey and red straight in his face. She whispered so that only he could hear her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that I know nothing. I¡¯m not a kid who would think that it was night just because you covered my eyes.¡±


    ¡°Laviore Ria Bailey!¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re right about one thing. Reputation could copse in an instant.¡±


    Marquess of Bailey¡¯s hand flinched.


    Lara noticed that he was trying to p her in the face just now. However, he moved naturally, like water, and swept his face down with that hand. Then, he pretended he was puzzled with an upset look. He let out a sigh and turned his back on Lara.


    ¡°You really do look like your mother.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    When Lara was pleased to see the Marquess of Bailey drifting away, Demian whispered in her ear.


    ¡°Lara, royalty ising.¡±


    She wondered why her father stepped back so nicely. Apparently, it was because Prince Sidhar and Princess So had arrived.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara moved away from the center of the banquet hall with Demian. Most of the attention that was focused on her had also left with the arrival of the royal family.


    ¡°You said that we were going to save the Princess. But why are we moving further away from her?¡±


    Demian asked.


    He and Lara were at the edge of the banquet hall, on the deste riverside.


    They could see the nobles buzzing around the Prince and Princess in the distance.


    ¡°I need to avoid Prince Sidhar.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°My father is trying to make me the Princess Consort. Nothing good wille out if he gets used to my face.¡±


    ¡°If you be the Princess Consort, won¡¯t you be the future Queen?¡±


    ¡°Just give that kind of thing to a dog or something.¡±


    When Lara showed her hatred, Demianughed with his shoulders moving up and down.


    ¡°So, when will the ck sorcerer appear?¡±


    He asked.


    Lara did not know about that. It was her first timeing to that banquet.


    But she knew where they wereing from.


    ¡°The boat¡­¡±


    She heard that the ck sorcerer was hiding on a boat and appeared when the Princess came to the river.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know which boat?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Demian nced down at Lara.


    She knew the exact date and ce as if she was the one who put in the assassination request, but she did not know who the assassin was or the time of the incident.


    ¡°Are you going to be fine without any weapons?¡±


    Lara asked, her eyes looking at Demian were filled with worry.


    ¡°Do you think I will lose?¡±


    ¡°No, you will win.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you so worried about?¡±


    Actually, even Lara did not know how she felt.


    When faced with others, her feelings were so clear. But in front of Demian, especially, her mind wandered off. Every time Demian in the past came to her mind, she felt scared and sorry. But she felt unfamiliar with herself who was happy with the honest and friendly attitude Demian was showing now.


    ¡°Lara, Master Lady.¡±


    He talked to Lara as if teasing her.


    ¡°Tell me what you want. You canmand me like an arrogant goddess, or you can seduce me like a deadly viiness. Anything you want wille true. ¡°


    Demian reached out his hand.


    Lara held his hand tightly and took a deep breath twice.


    My mighty warrior.


    There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do for you either.


    Lara raised her head and whispered to his ear.


    ¡°Please defeat the ck sorcerer and be the hero of Hautean.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara¡¯s n was simple.


    She would stay by the river with Demian. And when the ck sorcerer appeared, Lara would send him to the Princess.


    That was all.


    Demian will be the hero who had saved the young Princess from the evil ck sorcerers. Anyone who had great discernment might try to grant him a peerage and hold on to him in Hautean.


    But things had flowed strangely.


    The young Princess was running towards Lara.


    Behind her, the royal knights followed her and called her in an urgent voice.


    ¡°Sob¡­ Sob!¡±


    There were only knights beside the Princess as it was a banquet hosted by the nobles who supported Prince Sidhar. And they were responsible for the safety of the Princess, not her political advisors.


    Was she bullied? Or was she ridiculed?


    Lara looked at the Princess.


    Her distorted face was filled with tears.


    She sped her mouth with her little hand and tried to hide that she was crying, but everyone who was looking at the Princess knew she was crying.


    The 14-year-old Princess was too young.


    Lara did not know what to do. She was just waiting for the ck sorcerers to show up. But suddenly the Princess came running to the corner where she stood with tears scattered about. The Princess was moving anxiously.


    This ce was a riverside, and the ground was sand. It was neither hard nor t enough to be running around with pretty shoes. If the Princess fell here, it would be a perfect opportunity for the ck sorcerer.


    ¡°¡­Demian.¡±


    She tried to step aside.


    She had a thought that maybe this was the moment. Then, Lara heard a shortugh from her back as Demian slightly pushed Lara.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Lara was pushed a couple of steps forward and she ran head-on into the running Princess.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 27

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°¡­Princess!¡±


    The Princess was fourteen years old. She was a little girl first, and a member of the royal family second.


    Lara could not push away the child who was crying and running into her arms. So she instinctively opened her arms wide and hugged the Princess tight. She was pushed by Demian and even needed to grab a running child, so she couldn¡¯t maintain her bnce anymore.


    Lara fell down on the spot with the Princess in her arms.


    At that moment, the ck sorcerer appeared.


    She did not know whether he had appeared during their hug, or if he had appeared before that. But she could feel the heat with the sound of bubbles boiling from the ornate boat. Lara turned her head slowly. It felt like the heat was burning her back, and that her hair was burning.


    A huge de of me that started on the ship cut through the water and flew straight toward Lara.


    Swoosh!


    The steam blocked her view, people were screaming, and the Princess in her arms was trembling convulsively.


    ¡°Protect the Princess!¡±


    It was the Princess¡¯s knights.


    ¡®Ah, this is why they were all dead.¡¯


    Lara had the Princess in her arms, along with eight knights who surrounded her.


    At that moment, Lara felt as if she had peeked into a scene from the past. But it was different now. No one would die, because she was with Demian.


    He moved slowly. His movements that could slightly be seen through the steam were rxed. Maybe that was how it looked like in Lara¡¯s eyes only.


    Demian settled between Lara and the ck sorcerer.


    A huge de of me came close as if to swallow him.


    ¡°Demian!¡±


    It was Lara¡¯s voice.


    Demian took a shield from one of the Princess¡¯s knights, held it in one hand, and threw himself at the de of me.


    Bang!


    A loud sound could be heard, it was as if an earthquake had just happened. It was an explosion loud enough to tear the eardrum. The de of me, which was the size of a house, did not get to cross where Demian stood.


    He stopped the magic with only one shield, his skin only got tanned, but he was not hurt at all.


    ¡°That boat! The ck sorcerer is in that boat!¡±


    Someone shouted.


    Demian had no intention of letting the ck sorcerer, who had failed the assassination, flee. He threw away the broken shield and jumped into the ship where the ck sorcerer stood. It happened so quickly, so it was hard to even follow his movements with the naked eye.


    The ck sorcerer was disguised as the boatman. When he tried to swallow something to kill himself after failing the assassination, Demian reached out and grabbed his throat.


    ¡°Urrg¡­ggghh!¡±


    Then, the knights began to move.


    They quickly regained theirposure and examined the safety of the Princess and the Prince, befitting their positions as the knights of the royal family. After confirming that the royal family was safe, they searched the area to check if there was another ck sorcerer.


    It was a mess.


    The river, which had been simmering under the influence of magic, smoked cloudy water vapor. The boat on which the ck sorcerer stood had tilted halfway, and a huge and bright mark remained in the ce where the magic passed. Not to mention the tables and decorations, all the people who were close to the magic jumped into the river, screaming as their clothes caught on fire.


    But Lara was perfectly fine.


    Lara, the Princess, and the knights who were behind Demian did not get hurt.


    ¡°Who in the world was that man?¡±


    A knight asked. They were all looking at Lara.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Marquess of Bailey¡¯s daughter, the only daughter of the newly rising influential man who supported Prince Sidhar, risked her life to save the Prince¡¯s political opponent, Princess So. She did not just save her, but she even threw herself to protect the Princess from the ck sorcerer. Moreover, her mighty warrior even captured the powerful ck sorcerer.


    The father and the daughter were supporting different sides of royalty!


    The nobles had no idea where their rtionships had gone wrong. They even spected that Thousand Gold Isadora was the supporter of Princess So, not Prince Sidhar.


    Lara.


    Someone muttered her name.


    They heard that she was a model student, but had recently be a troublemaker. They heard that the Marquess had raised his daughter in a very strict manner from an early age to make her the Princess Consort.


    But recently, not only has she fooled around with men indiscriminately, she¡¯s even led an extravagant and profligate life.


    ¡°Are you¡­Young Lady Bailey?¡±


    Lara quickly came to her senses.


    A frightened voice could be heard in her arms.


    It was Princess So.


    Perhaps she was too shocked that she had forgotten she just cried, but the Princess was no longer shedding tears. However, her cute face was all messy with tears and soot, breaking the hearts of those watching.


    ¡°¡­Princess.¡±


    Lara could not separate herself from the Princess.


    The Princess¡¯s hands that were sped at the hem of her clothes trembled. She tried hard to be calm, but the trembles that could be felt from her small body were significant.


    Their surroundings were really hot, but the Princess¡¯s body was cold.


    ¡°Come with me, let¡¯s go somewhere safe.¡±


    ¡°Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°Of course, your knights will also protect you.¡±


    Lara got up first and helped the Princess.


    Even though she had staggered, the Princess stood up, holding Lara¡¯s hand tightly, and barely raised her head.


    Then, she instructed herdies-in-waiting.


    ¡°Please bring her knight too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Princess.¡±


    ¡°They are my saviors. Serve them properly, withoutcking anything.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Princess.¡±


    As expected of a royal. Despite trembling with fear, she was a natural in giving orders. Lara walked toward the carriage, escorted by the knights, with the Princess who relied on her.


    Standing in front of them was Prince Sidhar, who had an expression that was hard to read, and Marquess of Bailey, who was flustered and frozen. The Prince asked the Princess whether she was hurt anywhere. The Princess said that she was fine and thanked the Prince for worrying about her. Marquess of Bailey tried to say something to Lara but just ended up shutting his mouth up.


    Both men looked at Lara. Neither Prince Sidhar nor Marquess of Bailey moved. They just had their gaze fixed on Lara. The Prince¡¯s snake-like gaze, and the gaze from Marquess of Bailey who felt unfamiliar with his daughter.


    Lara did not shy away.


    She responded defiantly to their gaze as she did when she first entered the banquet hall. Their persistent staring match ensued. Someone seemed to have said that she dared to be arrogant in front of the Prince. It was Marquess of Bailey who turned his gaze first.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    This time, the Princess grabbed Lara¡¯s hand.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    So Hautean was a member of the royal family who was ten years apart from Sidhar Hautean. Upon birth, she became a great joy to the royal family. Not only was the Princess cute and lovely, but she was also kind and smart. It was only natural that the Princess received love and expectations from the people around her from an early age.


    As a result, she could have grown into a spoiled personality, but the rumors about the Princess were all about her good deeds.


    Every time the weak Queen got sick, she took care of the Queen herself with her cute little hands. Every morning, she visited the King at his office to greet him. Every time her youngdy-in-waiting made a mistake and cried, she secretly treated her with desserts. She¡¯s even built separate amodations for her knights.


    She spoke for the weak and loved the people.


    It was endless.


    Over time, people naturally came to think of this; It would be nice if the Princess ruled over Hautean. The Prince was not bad, but the Princess was special.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Princess So bowed her head to Demian.


    As the royal bowed her head, thedies-in-waiting and knights who did not dare to just stand stiff, bowed their heads together. Demian only rolled his eyes to look at Lara and then greeted the Princess politely.


    ¡°I was just fulfilling my duty to protect my Master Lady.¡±


    No, you weren¡¯t.


    Larained with her eyes, but he ignored her.


    ¡°Both of you are my saviors. My father will reward you handsomely¡­ But I also can¡¯t just stand still.¡±


    Princess So continued speaking softly. It was a mature way of speaking for a 14-year-old. However, she was still holding Lara¡¯s hand with one hand.


    ¡°Is there anything you want?¡±


    The Princess asked.


    Demian looked at Lara once again with only his eyes rolled. Then, he slightly smiled and shook his head.


    ¡°My Master Lady has already given me everything that I want.¡±


    No, I didn¡¯t!


    Larained with her eyes again.


    Everything she had nned all went up in smoke.


    What she wanted was to make Demian the hero and she would stay at the back and remain a viiness. At this rate, she felt like she was going to get an award for being a brave noblewoman who saved the Princess.


    I can¡¯t let that happen. I have worked so hard for this.


    ¡°Princess.¡±


    Lara began to speak in a rush.


    ¡°That would be difficult.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I also have a conscience. I can¡¯t help but be honest with you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t throw myself to save you.¡±


    Princess So blinked her round eyes and looked at Lara. The same went for herdies-in-waiting and knights.


    ¡°My shoes hurt and the ground was a mess. When I lost my bnce and stumbled, the Princess ran toward me. I grabbed you because I was afraid you might fall, but I did not mean to protect you from the ck sorcerer.¡±


    She considered that was an appropriate exnation. Perhaps the knights also thought like that.


    ¡°It was Demian, my mighty warrior, who stopped the ck sorcerer. If you want to give a reward, give it to him.


    Blink.


    Princess So blinked, took her eyes off Lara, and looked at Demian.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you again, but I was just trying to protect my Master Lady. So I don¡¯t deserve to be rewarded by the Princess.¡±


    He said the same thing again.


    The Princess looked up at the two in confusion.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 28

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Why did you do that? Do you have any idea how great a royal reward is? If you were lucky, you could have received a peerage or a royal sword!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    ¡°There are already a lot of people who don¡¯t like you because of the assault case. If you be the Princess¡¯s savior, all of that can be solved in¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    Demian was unenthusiastic.


    No matter how Lara persuaded him, it was no use.


    Princess So eventually decided to give some prize money and a small gift to Demian and Lara. Lara refused adamantly, but after thedies-in-waiting said that there were a lot of people watching and that it would not be good for the Princess if she did not at least give some reward, Lara finally agreed with difficulty.


    ¡°Laviore Ria Bailey, Lara.¡±


    The Princess said Lara¡¯s name many times to remember it.


    The moment Lara let go of her hand, the Princess blushed and felt shy. She knew the Princess would not die, but she still felt d. She felt d that the Princess was not hurt and that her emotions would not get hurt with the death of her knights.


    In her past life, when Prince Sidhar, who was blinded to the throne, banished the Princess outside the border infested with magical beasts, Lara suffered from so much guilt that she could not sleep at night. It was the Prince who banished the Princess, but the thought that she could not stop him was really painful.


    A bystander was no better than an aplice.


    Lara actively helped the Prince when he overthrew her, so that made her the perpetrator too.


    She was d she could help the Princess this time.


    Although she failed to make Demian a hero, this was already satisfactory to her.


    Leaning against the soft seat in the swaying carriage, Lara opened her mouth.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Why did you push me to the Princess?¡±


    ¡°Because it was you who wanted to save the Princess, not me.¡±


    ¡°What did you talk about with the ck sorcerer on the boat?¡±


    Demian stared at her with a look asking about how she knew about that.


    Lara said again.


    ¡°When you grabbed the ck sorcerer¡¯s throat before he killed himself, you said something to him.¡±


    ¡°¡­I asked him about his motive.¡±


    ¡°Then, what did he say?¡±


    ¡°Chaos.¡±


    Lara nodded with a look as if saying she had already expected that.


    She felt very tired.


    She did not say anything, but not only did she meet her father and the Prince at the banquet, but she also ran into the ck sorcerer and saved the Princess, so it was only natural that her tension subsided at once.


    Her eyes closed by themselves.


    Lara murmured in a sleeping voice whileying down on the carriage chair.


    ¡°Even though you didn¡¯t get a peerage¡­ I will make sure you will get an excellent sword. Please wait a little bit.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±


    ¡°Good job for today. Go back¡­and take a good rest.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She mumbled herst word so it could not be heard properly.


    But Demian still understood everything Lara wanted to say.


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    He covered Lara with his coat. Then he shut his mouth so that she could sleep in peace.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    It was already midnight when they got home.


    Arriving in front of the most beautiful house among the luxury houses along the riverside, Demian carefully stepped out of the carriage, holding Lara¡ªwho did not wake up¡ªin his arms.


    Isadora, Sebastian, and Konny came out to the front of the manor and waited for him.


    ¡°Mdy.¡±


    Konny shouted softly.


    They have only heard fragments about what had happened at the banquet. When they saw Laraing out of the carriage in Demian¡¯s arms, their faces hardened, thinking that she was hurt.


    ¡°She¡¯s just sleeping.¡±


    Demian had to let them know that Lara had returned unharmed even before he greeted Isadora.


    ¡°First of all, her room.¡±


    Isadora made her move first.


    She opened the door herself, walked into the manor, and led Demian to Lara¡¯s room, which was located on the second floor of the main building. Then, after checking that he hadid Lara down beautifully on the bed, leaving only Konny in the room, they all came out.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re Demian.¡±


    Isadora said.


    ¡°I have something to say. Follow me.¡±


    Then, she took the lead.


    Demian moved to a drawing-room, far from Lara¡¯s room, led by Isadora and Sebastian.


    ¡°Whew¡­¡±


    Isadora offered a seat to Demian and sat across from him. Then, she let out a heavy sigh.


    She thought she was going to get a heart attack.


    She was working in the hotel as usual. She got the invitation to the banquet but chose not to attend. She was afraid that she would run and hit her husband with money as soon as she saw him.


    She was worried about sending Lara alone.


    But she thought that everything would be fine. It was just a banquet, and she doubted there would be any danger there.


    However, when she heard that a vicious ck sorcerer had appeared and that Lara was involved in the incident, she felt like her world had copsed.


    ¡°Everyone says you¡¯re incredible.¡±


    Isadora said.


    Demian did not answer her and just slightly bowed his head. It was his token of appreciation for thepliment.


    ¡°You¡¯re from Tarragon Empire?¡±


    ¡°I am a war ve.¡±


    ¡°I have heard that you aren¡¯t a ve anymore.¡±


    Isadora had already finished investigating Demian¡¯s identity long before their current meeting. Ever since she heard that Lara bought a man for two gold in the arena, Isadora called Demian ¡®2 gold¡¯ and got someone to report about Demian¡¯s every move.


    But he was really mysterious.


    Why in the world would such a powerful man be treated like a prostitute next to Lara without any purpose?


    ¡°May I ask what your purpose is ining to Hautean?¡±


    Isadora asked.


    Since he saved Lara, she will listen to whatever he wants. But, if he were to stay with Lara in the future, she had to know what his purpose was.


    Demian agonized.


    When the Crown Prince of Tarragon sent him to Hautean, he said that he wanted this mission to proceed in the utmost secrecy. He at least did not want people to find out that the Crown Prince and the Empire had anything to do with the mission.


    However, he did not say not to make allies in trying to uncover the identity of the ck sorcerers.


    ¡°I¡¯m tracking down the ck sorcerers¡¯ forces.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m investigating about the ck sorcerers who are hiding in the Hautean Kingdom, and about what they¡¯re trying to do here.¡±


    ¡°Are you from the temple?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Who ordered you to do this work?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡±


    Isadora¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    She looked at Demian as if she was inquiring about him. And suddenly, she began to talk.


    ¡°It is nothing to me to investigate how you lived in the Empire, who you were close to, what you did to free yourself from very.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t put Lara in danger. If you¡¯re a man of such danger, I will give you enough reward and you have to leave this ce.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God¡­ It was only a few days ago that I was called by the watchmen, now I¡¯m threatening a man to get away from my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Madam Isadora.¡±


    As Isadoramented with her lips twitching, Sebastian cleared his throat and stopped her.


    ck magic, huh?


    Isadora looked over Demian¡¯s face very meticulously.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I could spend my whole life making the Emperor a beggar if it¡¯s for Lara.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know.¡±


    It was the Thousand Gold Isadora speaking.


    Demian knew her words were by no means exaggerated.


    Therefore, he could swear.


    ¡°If Lara is in danger, I will absolutely protect her, regardless of my mission.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Even when you need to betray your client?¡±


    ¡°Laraes first now.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Isadora tapped the handle of the chair with her finger.


    She kept her mouth shut and pondered for a long time. Then, as if she had made up her mind, she got up from her seat and said.


    ¡°I need to hire you.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 29 - The Emergence Of A Divorce Expert

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    After finishing his conversation with Isadora, Demian ran fast at night through the dark streets and moved to the royal pce prison to meet the captured ck sorcerer.


    When Lara asked Demian what he had said to the ck sorcerer, he could not bring himself to tell the truth, but he had something to confirm.


    ¡°Chaos.¡±


    That was what the ck sorcerer said.


    But after that, he continued with an unbelievable remark.


    ¡°We will kill the saintess.¡±


    The saintess?


    Demain considered his words as lies.


    It had already been more than 100 years since God left thisnd. No matter how much the Temple of Glory refused it, those who knew had already admitted it. It was easy to see just by looking at the fact that it was almost impossible to find a priest who could use God¡¯s power.


    How could there be saintess in such and?


    In the deep dawn, Demian appeared in the royal pce prison.


    He moved silently in the darkness. His senses that were trained on the battlefield could feel the presence of dozens of soldiers. Demian did not think the King of Hautean would kill the ck sorcerer. The King loved thete-born Princess, but it was very difficult to capture a ck sorcerer. So he would try to keep him alive and use him as long as he can.


    Demian climbed up the steep wall, opened a window, and entered the prison.


    The ce reeked of blood.


    The ck sorcerer was tied to the torture rack with his mouth and limbs subdued. He was unconscious after being tortured.


    ¡°Oi.¡±


    He did not wake up.


    Demian could not help but to pinch the ck sorcerer¡¯s pain spot, making him jump, and opened his eyes wide.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    ¡°Shush. Be quiet if you don¡¯t want to be tortured more. The soldiers wille.¡±


    Demian did not say whether he would release him if he cooperated or kill him painlessly.


    The ck sorcerer would not believe him anyway.


    Instead, he asked about what he was curious about.


    ¡°There¡¯s a saintess in thisnd?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Demian asked him again.


    ¡°How did you know about that?¡±


    ¡°The demon told me.¡±


    The ck sorcerer did not intend to hide about that.


    Maybe he thought he was going to die anyway, or maybe he was confident that Demian could not stop the ck sorcerers from killing the saintess.


    ¡°We will kill all the women that we suspect to be the saintess.¡±


    ¡°Does that include the Princess?¡±


    ¡°Yes, since So Hautean was one of the strong candidates¡­¡±


    Then, Demian could feel the presence of a few people, together with the noise of chatter in the hallway outside the prison.


    Demian agonized briefly.


    A demon¡¯s puppet could never be reformed. As soon as they made a contract with the demon, they were already dominated, depriving them of both their rights to their lives and souls. Those people would surely betray anyone if their lives were to be spared. In a worst-case scenario, those who wanted strong power could have approached him and helped him escape.


    Demian hated it when things got annoying.


    There was no need to spare his life when even he dered that he would kill all the women he suspected to be the saintess.


    Demian did not think for too long.


    His body moved fast. A sharp sword left a sh of light and took the life of the ck sorcerer.


    Demian took a nce at the ck sorcerer who was breathing hisst breath and walked out the window.<b> The Emergence of a Divorce Expert</b>


    A message came from the Marquess of Bailey.


    He invited Lara to talk with him.


    Lara received his message while she was contemting what to wear between the dress Eunice bought her and her newly tailored dress.


    ¡°He really doesn¡¯t know when to give up. How could he ask me to go there? I¡¯m not crazy enough to do that.¡±


    Lara snorted and tore up the message from the Marquess. Konny approached her and said.


    ¡°Mdy, it¡¯s raining today, so it would be ufortable to wear a long skirt.¡±


    ¡°Then, I will wear this one.¡±


    Lara chose the knee-length dress bought by Eunice.


    With pale yellow outer and ck lining, a strongplementary contrast was made whenever the skirt swayed.


    Konny nodded with satisfaction as she tied ck silk as the belt.


    ¡°You look good.¡±


    ¡°Now all I have to do is put on the gown.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean gown?¡±


    ¡°This just arrived.¡±


    Lara ced a box delivered from the boutique on the table and opened the lid. There were summer gowns in various colors in the box. She did not know exactly how many yearster it would be, but there would be a time when the trend that started from the Empire swept the society of Hautean.


    A dancer in the Empire began to wear an indoor gown as outerwear. The thin fabric followed her silhouette and fluttered whenever it moved, capturing women¡¯s hearts and quickly bing a trend.


    While acting as the fake saintess, Lara really wanted to wear the summer gown. The way it was see-through while softly fluttering was so pretty and fascinating. She bought it secretly only to hang it in the closet without even a chance to wear it.


    She thought it was not tidy enough to be worn by a saintess.


    She wondered why she did that back then.


    ¡°Wow! Mdy, it is quite pretty for pajamas.¡±


    From the see-through fabric to the flower patterns of primary colors, the designer that Eunice and Ximena introduced made the gown perfectly as Lara had requested.


    ¡°It¡¯s not pajamas.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not? What about this part?¡±


    ¡°I can use this to cover my clothes if I don¡¯t want them to get dirty or crumpled. If it¡¯s raining all of a sudden like today, it can keep my temperature in moderation when the weather is cool. Besides¡­ it¡¯s pretty.¡±


    Konny nodded quickly as a sign that she agreed and dressed Lara in the gown.


    ¡°I¡¯m deeply touched. You have always been looking for long white clothes, like a curtain ghost. Finally, you have found something that suits you.¡±


    ¡°Curtain ghost?¡±


    ¡°You have never heard of it? It was a ghost that lives behind the curtain. It was said that at night, it wille out and try to hurt someone sleeping. There was also a saying that it stands by our heads and looks down at us all night.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a ghost story like that? I think it¡¯s not that scary if it just looks down at us.¡±


    ¡°I heard the curtain ghost is scared of fire. So we need to sleep with amp on our head¡­¡±


    ¡°Konny, stop reading weird books.¡±


    ¡°Her Ladyship¡¯s secretary lent it to me. It¡¯s Hautean traditional ghost story. It¡¯s a really famous series.¡±


    ¡°Sebastian?¡±


    What strange taste he has.


    Lara opened her cat-like eyes wide.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After encountering Lara at the banquet, Marquess of Bailey looked rather shocked by Lara¡¯s actions, but he was notpletely driven to the corner yet. She needed to put him on the edge of the cliff for her mother. Only then would he sign the divorce documents.


    Lara moved without a break.


    ¡°Sebastian!¡±


    When she headed out, Sebastian was about to get on the carriage after getting ready for work.


    He turned around to find Lara and greeted her politely.


    ¡°Good morning, mdy. Did you have a good night¡¯s rest?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to keep you worried.¡±


    ¡°I think I heard you say the same thingst time.¡±


    He smiled faintly.


    ¡°Demian would have gone back to the arena. Sooner orter, he will move into this house. I n to set up his amodations in the annex¡­¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Why?¡±


    Lara asked him.


    She knew nothing about the conversation that Isadora, Sebastian, and Demian had.


    Sebastian added a brief exnation for Lara.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to be your real knight escort.¡±


    ¡°Demian?¡±


    ¡°Those who have noticed his skills will soon begin to contact him, so we should hurry up and take the lead. The contract will be ready by today. You will meet him in this house soon.¡±


    Lara dropped her jaws.


    ¡°He¡¯s quite stubborn. If you meet him today, persuade him to do as we suggest.¡±


    ¡°Demian is being persistent?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re negotiating his sry now.¡±


    Sebastian said with a strange smile around his wrinkled eyes.


    ¡°Madam Isadora is trying to pay him arge sum of money for his sry, but he said he doesn¡¯t need it. So we¡¯re having a hard time negotiating his sry.¡±


    What the¡­


    ¡°I was surprised to know that there is someone in this world who would refuse money from Madam Isadora.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know, right?¡±


    Lara smiled awkwardly.


    What a strange man he was.


    It was hard to understand his behavior in her past life. But when she came back and met him, it was even more difficult to understand.


    He had no problem taking money directly from my wallet. But why won¡¯t he take the sry that my mother had offered?


    I need to ask him when we meetter.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 30

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara had been putting it off for a while because Demian¡¯s story came out unexpectedly, but she actually had something to say to Sebastian.


    ¡°Sebastian, I have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°I n to disclose about father¡¯s corruption so that mother can get a divorce easily.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    His grayish-brown hair, which was oiled and neatly fixed, was slightly disorganized.


    Looking at his face, he looked like he was in a bind, so Lara told him first before Sebastian could say anything.


    ¡°Father has been providing drugs to the Temple of Glory for years.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a drug that is not only banned in both the Empire and Hautean but also in most countries on the continent. Because it¡¯s made by ck sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°Mdy, wait a second.¡±


    ¡°We have to blow it up now, while the whole country is noisy with the appearance of the ck sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    Sebastian reached out to Lara. His face hardened and looked pale.


    When Lara grabbed his hand, Sebastian took her to the carriage.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Sebastian started talking only after the horseman made the carriage depart.


    ¡°How did you know about that?¡±


    ¡°Is that important?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡±


    What should I make up to answer that?


    I can¡¯t just tell him that I came back in time and that this is my second life. I will have to make a good excuse.


    ¡°That conceited Temple of Glory will do anything if it¡¯s a request from father. So I just kept an eye on them because they look suspicious.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡±


    ¡°The rtionship between father, the Prince, and the temple is closer than ever. If they make up their mind, it¡¯s not that big of a deal for them to make a saintess.¡±


    Lara skillfully mixed facts, lies, and assumptions.


    Sebastian looked at her with a nk look. He took off his hat, put it on his knee, and slowly started talking.


    ¡°Actually about that¡­ Madam Isadora already knows about it to some extent.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    She did not think that her mother would not know anything.


    But she did not expect her mother to already know about it at this time.


    ¡°Both Madam Isadora and I already know that Marquess of Bailey ismitting an unforgivable crime. But the Marquess¡­is your father, so we are just pretending that we don¡¯t know anything in order to not bother him as much as we could.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    ¡°Madam Isadora is worried about you. She¡¯s afraid that if something goes wrong with Marquess of Bailey, the aftermath will reach mdy.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m the obstacle once again.¡¯


    Lara could not hide her sigh.


    How heavy was I as the shackles to my mother?


    She waited until her daughter became an adult before leaving the house, she endured it even when she wanted a divorce, and she¡¯s even turning a blind eye when her husband ismitting a crime.


    ¡°Sebastian, what do you think I should do?¡±


    ¡°Is my opinion important?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You¡¯re the closest person to my mother.¡±


    After hearing Lara, Sebastian looked deeply troubled. The wrinkles around his eyes flinched.


    ¡°Mdy.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Madam Isadora has suffered for a very long time as a member of House of Bailey. They ostracised her, saying that she¡¯s a lowly merchant, amoner, but they have no problem using her money.¡±


    Lara¡¯s face hardened.


    She knew about that fact, but she still felt angry about it.


    ¡°But she endured everything. Even though there were a lot of people who told her that it¡¯d be better if she brought you to live far away, she persevered calmly.¡±


    ¡°Because of me¡­¡±


    ¡°Mdy, you¡¯re the one and only future of House of Bailey.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    The sound of the horse¡¯s hooves was loud. It was a quiet road, so the horseman was speeding up.


    Sebastian grinned and said.


    ¡°Madam Isadora wants to make you the Marquess.¡±


    Lara did not know about that. She became speechless and calmed down her restless heart for a while.


    She did not know her mother had such a n.


    The Marquess?


    Her father had no other children than Lara, she was the only heir to the House of Bailey.


    But that was not what Lara wanted. Marquess of Bailey¡¯s hands were already too filthy. It would not be happy nor would it be rewarding to inherit such a family.


    Moreover, Lara had already decided to sever ties with her father.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the Marquess of Bailey.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I want to throw everything away.¡±


    Lara¡¯s voice was cold.


    Sebastian silently nodded and put his hat back on.


    ¡°Fine. I will try to convince Madam Isadora.¡±


    He shed a wide smile.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Ever since the assassination attempt on Princess So, The perception of the ck sorcerer was worse than ever.


    Therefore, Lara thought that now was a perfect time.


    If only she could get her hands on solid evidence that Marquess of Bailey had a connection with the ck sorcerers, then not only would Marquess of Bailey divorce with her mother, but also be banished with nothing left for him.


    What should I do?


    It was not good to approach her father and the temple from the start. They would risk their lives to escape, they could even kill everyone involved and destroy all the evidence.


    Sebastian did not want Lara to face them in person.


    He said that he would take care of sending someone to the temple, so Lara should see if any rumors were circting about the ck sorcerer among the nobles.


    ¡°Please always be careful.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will keep that in mind.¡±


    Sebastian was worried that Lara would get in trouble again.


    Even when he turned the carriage around to take her to the manor, he kept on warning her not to go anywhere by herself. Lara told him not to worry because she already had a promise with her friends today.


    Then, with a strange look, he asked Lara, ¡®Are you talking about Young Lady Dvonn and Young Lady Swavy?¡¯


    Lara told Sebastian that Eunice and Ximena were not as bad as their rumors. He made her feel touched when he said, ¡®I trust your choice.¡¯


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Lara!¡±


    Eunice and Ximena rushed frantically to Lara¡¯s house as soon as they got her contact.


    ¡°Are you not hurt? I heard you got burned. I can¡¯t believe there was a ck sorcerer there. But why were you even there? Did you wish to run away forever after living an up and down life? Are you out of your mind? You¡¯re totally out of your mind!¡±


    ¡°Eunice, calm down.¡±


    ¡°I know you want to stand against your father. But how can you side with the Princess? What are you going to do when Prince Sidhar bes the Kingter? I was much better than you when I set fire to my father¡¯s bedroom. You¡¯re seriously¡­¡±


    ¡°Ximena, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    It was hectic when both of them nagged at the same time.


    Lara tried her best to make excuses, but Eunice and Ximena only lowered their voices after pouring out all the nagging they had prepared.


    ¡°Because of you¡­ Whew, we seriously feel like our life spans have been reduced.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Lara, who had been listening to their nagging for so long, went out in the carriage only when Eunice¡ªwho was tired from hunger¡ªstarted looking for food.


    Then, she asked what she was curious about in the carriage.


    ¡°You know, Eunice.¡±


    ¡°What, what?¡±


    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a ck sorcerer in the capital who distributes drugs¡­ Have you heard of it?¡±


    ¡°You want to meet a ck sorcerer?¡±


    Eunice shrieked and shouted.


    Eunice, who was painting her lips in the moving carriage with gestures close to an acrobatic, ruined her makeup because of Lara¡¯s outrageous remarks.


    ¡°You crazy bish! Get it together. I know we¡¯re the most reckless damsels in Hautean but meeting a demon is not right. That¡¯s wrong! I still don¡¯t want to die. I extremely cherish my body. That¡¯s why I only drink alcohol that¡¯s good for my body!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right, Eunice always drinks ripe wine only.¡±


    Ximenaughed and chimed in, but Eunice told her not to ask about that.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even go to the temple and you want to meet the ck sorcerer? You¡¯ll be tortured if you get caught! Do you wish to die early?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Laraughed and handed over her handkerchief. Then, she said to them.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you not because I want to meet a ck sorcerer, but just as a precautionary measure in case I meet one. I wonder if you have heard anything about them.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, you demon!¡±


    ¡°Okay, I will just figure it out myself.¡±


    Lara was just trying her luck because Ximena and Eunice were infamous for having big ears, but as expected, their responses were intense.


    In Hautean, a ck sorcerer refers to an immoral person who borrows and uses forbidden power from the demon.


    Furthermore, the demon and its followers were considered as great evil that must be defeated in the Temple of Glory.


    Demian, who stopped the ck sorcerer to protect Princess So, could be a hero. If only he had not said that he had done so on impulse while trying to protect Lara, he would have been the escort knight for the royal family, instead of for Lara.


    Lara wished she could meet the ck sorcerer that was taken to the royal pce¡¯s prison, but that was impossible.


    I need to get the evidence. Where should I go to meet them? Should I put amission in the mercenary guild without Sebastian knowing?


    When Lara was thinking about such things, Ximena, who was wiping the red line on Eunice¡¯s cheek, vaguely smiled and said to her.


    ¡°Lara, I have heard something before¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell her!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s no big deal. I¡¯m not even sure about its authenticity.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Eunice shrieked and shouted again, but Ximena rubbed her friend¡¯s face and firmly finished her sentence.


    ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a ck sorcerer under the bridge selling a great aphrodisiac.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I heard it¡¯s disgustingly expensive but people are desperate to get the drug. They said regardless of gender, with just one sip, you can spend the night and keep going beyond the climax¡­ What? Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°How did you know about that?¡±


    ¡°Of course because¡­ Hey, I didn¡¯t take it. Really, I only heard about it! These bishes! I can perform fine without using such a drug, okay? I¡¯m totally fine, huh?¡±


    No one said anything.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Lara and Eunice shrugged at the same time.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 31

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Aphrodisiac?


    Do I really need to look into this?


    Lara kept thinking.


    No matter how hard she thought about it, it seemed like a rumor or fraud, but it felt suspicious topletely ignore it.


    Why is he the only one whom I can ask for such a favor? We used to be the saintess and king of thewless area.


    Aphrodisiac?


    Lara stood in front of Demian¡¯s room and took a deep breath again.


    After returning to her past, she got used to everything else, but she was still nervous about meeting this man alone.


    ¡°How are you?¡±


    The warden passed by Lara, giving her a nod with a smile.


    At this point, the warden had be ustomed to her visits, so much so that he did not make a fuss even after seeing her.


    But the arena guests were not like that.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to get a hole in my face.¡±


    It felt like the back of her head was burning with a mix of curiosity, jealousy, fondness, and contempt.


    The news of Lara and Demian saving Princess So¡¯s life circted throughout Hautean.


    Before this, she only got the attention of thedies, but now everyone¡¯s attention was on her.


    Click.


    Once again, Demian opened the door and showed his face before Lara knocked.


    Seeing that his hair was wet, he seemed to have been outside and got rained on. His shirt was damp with water sshed here and there.


    Before Lara could say anything, he held out his hands and gently wrapped her neck with his palms.


    ¡°Demian?¡±


    ¡°Should I kiss you on your cheek?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Lara wondered what in the world he was talking about, then realized that it seemed he remembered her request fromst time. Lara rolled her eyes and looked around, then she nodded with a bitter face. Demian looked like he was having fun with how Lara acted.


    ¡°What about other ces besides the cheek?¡±


    ¡°The cheek is enough¡­ No, actually, just do it on my lips.¡±


    She was already rumored to be prodigal. A kiss on the cheek would not have much effect.


    Lara wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes. Her thin gown spread out and swayed softly.


    Demian gave a light kiss on Lara¡¯s lips.


    It was a short and in kiss that made Lara¡ªwho would be nervous if it had involved tongue¡ª felt vain.


    Their moist and soft lips interlocked without any gaps and then moved away leaving only deep regrets.


    Regrets?


    It was a strange feeling.


    It was not the first time she had kissed a man, but after the kiss with Demian especially, her heart throbbed, leaving her feeling like she was in pain.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    He opened the door and pulled Lara inside.


    She thought he would be packing, but everything still remained the same.


    He did not really have anything to pack, but she thought he would at least take his weapon and clothes.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to ept what my mother suggested?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    He shook off his wet hair once and sat leisurely on the sofa.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to get paid?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s giving me too much money for something that doesn¡¯t even count as work.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not work, then what is it?¡±


    ¡°My specialty.¡±


    Demian gave such a weird answer.


    Unable to find what to say, Lara looked at him with eyes expressing that she could not understand him at all.


    ¡°I already promised to be with you for six months anyway. If I get paid by your mother, it would be a double contract.¡±


    ¡°Why are you being fussy about things with our rtionship¡­¡±


    ¡°What is our rtionship?¡±


    Demian asked.


    His eyes were gleaming.


    Lara noticed that he was looking forward to her answer.


    I have to live up to his expectations.


    A short answer came out of her mouth.


    ¡°A rtionship where we go to buy aphrodisiacs together.¡±


    Swoosh.


    The sound of rain was loud.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    It rained more and more as the night fell.


    It was already damp in the summer, and with the addition of the rain all day, Lara¡¯s originally curly hair became even wilder.


    Ximena said the man who sold the aphrodisiac appeared under the bridge. Under the bridge here meant the red-light district built along the lower Tender River.


    Lara went there with Demian.


    She probably could not hold on to the seller at once, but she thought she could at least get some information about him.


    ¡°So this is the famous nightless city.¡±


    Konny snorted again.


    Clinging to the window, Konny murmured, ¡°I was always at home, but recently I got to go to the arena for the first time. I was not enough with the Night Ball and the Watchmen Station¡¯s jail, now I even get toe to the red-light district.¡±


    ¡°Mdy, if I could finally go to the casino, I would have no more regrets in this life.¡±


    ¡°I already told you not to follow me.¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t send you to such a dangerous ce alone!¡±


    ¡°What are you so worried about when Demian is with me?¡±


    ¡°All the more reason I should go with you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°A man and a woman should not go out together every night. I¡¯m sure Her Ladyship also wanted me to follow you.¡±


    Konny has be a straight arrow.


    When Lara mumbled, Demian let out a lightugh.


    They were riding in the carriage slowly down the road decorated with colorful magical lights to get to the bar most visited by the nobles in Hautean these days.


    Demian said that he still could not believe about the man who sold the aphrodisiac.


    At first, he thought Lara was joking, so he did not even talk back.


    ¡°Hah, he must have made a contract with the demon with his life on the line. But after learning ck magic, all he did was make and sell aphrodisiacs¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me such a question with such a dumbfounded face. I was also flustered.¡±


    Lara and Demian had a conversation.


    The sound of the rain was so loud that it was noisy even though they were sitting in the carriage.


    ¡°Demian, stop being stubborn and juste to our house. Sebastian said he would set up your residence in the annex building.¡±


    ¡°Later.¡±


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°When your mother gives up on paying me.¡±


    This man is so stubborn.


    While Lara was mumbling to find something to say, Demian made her flustered by saying that he would still protect her even without money.


    ¡°Mdy¡­isn¡¯t it there?¡±


    Konny, who was attached to the window, snorted and whispered. Using her small hand, she rubbed the window that was all steamed up and pointed in one direction.


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    Lara murmured.


    There was an alley lined with expensive carriages to match the fancy red-light district.


    There was a luxury bar lit with yellow lights there.


    There were dozens of carriages waiting.


    The ce where the family crest was ced was covered with ck cloth and the windows were all covered with curtains. Even the horsemen were wearing masks.


    ¡°Mdy, I think there¡¯s an aphrodisiac there.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°I think there are more than aphrodisiacs there. You¡¯re not trying to get in there, right?¡±


    Konny asked.


    She looked like she would tie Lara up and take her home if she said she would go in.


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to watch.¡±


    This time, Lara clung to the window.


    Demian sent a signal to the horseman and the carriage was ordered to stop at one side of the alley.


    The family crest on their carriage was also covered and curtains were hung on the windows.


    The horseman pulled down his hat and moved under the roof of the carriage to escape the rain.


    There were a lot of customers in the bar. It was a ce full of alcohol, gambling, prostitution, and drugs.


    Lara, Konny, and Demian clung side by side to the small window and persistently stared at the peopleing in and out of the bar.


    ¡°Can¡¯t see.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t see.¡±


    Demian and Lara uttered words one after another.


    Not only was it raining hard, but the customers were hiding in the carriages, making it hard to figure out their faces.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go¡­¡±


    When Lara, who had be frustrated, was about to ask Demian to just go inside, someone knocked on the carriage¡¯s window.


    Knock. Knock. Knock.


    It was a man in ck.


    Wearing arge raincoat, he looked around nervously before approaching the carriage and standing in front of the window. His face could not be seen. When the suspicious person appeared, Konny got nervous and bent down to the floor. After exchanging gazes with Demian, Lara opened the carriage window asrge as the size of one finger crease.


    The man said.


    ¡°How much?¡±


    What does he mean by how much?


    Lara blinked quickly.


    The man approached the carriage to sell something secretly and abruptly asked her how much she would pay.


    Dark alleys, carriages with covered family crests, a suspicious man and his goods.


    Lara smirked and said.


    ¡°300.¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait a minute.¡±


    The man moved fast.


    Through the rain, the same behavior was repeated in other carriages.


    ¡°The auction is in progress.¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡±


    Demian almost burst out into ridicule.


    The man came back in no time.


    It seemed that the nobles in other carriages could not bid higher than Lara.


    Looking around like he did when he first came, the man stood under the window and pulled out a potion bottle.


    Then, with his other hand, he spread out his hand through the gap on the window.


    ¡°Pay first.¡±


    This guy knows his business.


    Demian muttered.


    Lara handed the money to the man and received the potion.


    She thought she should buy it first to know whether it was a real aphrodisiac or not.


    But the moment she looked at the small, cold, ss bottle in her hand, she stopped breathing with a hardened face.


    It was a ck ink bottle.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 32

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Her heart sank within her.


    The ck ink bottle, the knightmander who urged her, the high altar, and Prince Sidhar came to her mind one by one. Before her death, Lara bought poison from an alchemist, one that could melt her guts even with just a single sip.


    The alchemist, oddly, sold his poison in a small, round ink bottle.


    It was the exact same bottle that Lara was holding.


    ¡°Lara?¡±


    Demian checked her expression.


    As if he had a hunch that something was off, he reached out and took the medicine bottle.


    Then, Lara raised herself up.


    She mmed the carriage door open and grabbed the potion seller, who was counting money, by the cor as she got caught in the pouring rain.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    He was flustered and quickly pulled himself away.


    But Lara did not let him go. Her long hair and pretty dress quickly got wet in the rain.


    Lara stared silently at the man that she caught.


    She could not see his face.


    He meticulously covered himself with a hood so that only his mouth and chin were barely visible.


    But then again, it was 10 years ago, so even if he showed his face, Lara might not recognize him.


    She could not remember his look in detail because she did not encounter him many times.


    Lara told him.


    ¡°I will double my payment.¡±


    ¡°Huh, w-what?¡±


    ¡°This time tomorrow, one more bottle.¡±


    ¡°Okay, just let me go!¡±


    The man shook Lara¡¯s hand roughly and quickly ran away.


    Lara looked at his back, not even thinking about shaking off her wet hair.


    ¡°Mdy! You¡¯re going to catch a cold!¡±


    She might have stood there for a while if Konny hadn¡¯t nagged and pulled her back in the carriage.


    Then, Demian got up.


    ¡°I will be back.¡±


    Though Lara did not say anything, Demian realized that he had to track down the seller, and thus left the carriage quietly.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The sound of the rain was loud, making it easy to follow him. Even if it wasn¡¯t raining Demian wouldn¡¯t have been caught, so he moved at ease anyway. The man who sold fake aphrodisiacs for 300 gold to Lara looked quite happy. He walked and hid, then walked and hid again, to count his bills while grinning.


    He was very suspicious.


    It did not seem like he noticed that Demian was following him, but he kept looking around and walked with his shoulders hunched as if he was being chased by someone. After repeatedly turning around and around in the back alley of theplicated red-light district, the man arrived at a shabby row house.


    He ignored the door on the first floor, turned to the back of the building, and went into the basement through the side door. It was a very small door, one that Demian would not have known if he hadn¡¯t been paying attention.


    It was like a venttion opening.


    When he approached closer and put his ear up, he could hear someone¡¯s voice faintly from inside.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Don¡¯t kill me!¡±


    ¡°T-there was a rich woman at the end. I¡¯m telling you the truth! I will give you everything. Please¡­ don¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°Master, please spare me!¡±


    It was the man¡¯s voice.


    Even when talking to Lara, he stammered with uneasiness, he kept checking his back as if someone was chasing him, and as soon as he arrived at his hideout, he begged the person inside to spare his life.


    What a poor man.


    It seemed that the man was a subordinate to a suspicious person and had been caught trying to sneak away some of the 300 gold Lara gave him.


    Someone¡¯s underling, huh?


    Demian knew of people who used an underling while keeping a hideout like this and keeping themselves private.


    The ck sorcerers.


    He wanted to go inside and investigate, but since they were in the basement, he couldn¡¯t see any windows. They might have dug a tunnel inside. But he could not just wait there.


    ¡®This is why she promised him twice as much tomorrow.¡¯


    Demian was amazed.


    He did not know what Lara¡¯s ability was. He also did not know how she knew about himself. And it was obvious that she did not know the aphrodisiac seller was the ck sorcerer¡¯s underling at first.


    But she realized something and got confused after grabbing the potion bottle.


    And at that moment, Lara made an appointment with the man by saying she woulde back again tomorrow. She was a very unpredictable woman. The more he stayed around her, the more curious he became.


    ¡®Whew.¡¯


    The ck sorcerer was right in front of him, but instead of thinking to catch the ck sorcerer, Demian became curious about Lara.


    If the Crown Prince of Tarragon had known about this, he would havemented that he had chosen the wrong person to be a spy.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara sat in the carriage and waited for Demian. When her confusion subsided, things in her past life became clearer.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe the saintess came to buy something like this¡­ I knew the world was going crazy, but I guess it¡¯s totally going to cease to exist now.¡±


    ¡°You must have known that the demon is after me. I¡¯m buying this just in case.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that? You¡¯re the daughter of the Marquess of Bailey though. Ah, is it Duke now? He must have felt happy with that title now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any intention to have a conversation with you. The money is here. Keep your promise.¡±


    ¡°Well, I will sell just anything to anyone as long as I get the money.¡±


    Alchemist Valentine.


    The ck ink that Lara drank when she died was clearly a poison that he made.


    She paid a fortune to buy the ink back then.


    Valentine became an apprentice of a ck sorcerer as a child, but he could not sign a contract with the demon even after bing an adult, and so his master abandoned him after that. Lara knew about his past because the ck sorcerer, who was his teacher, was the drug manufacturer who had been in contact with the Marquess of Bailey.


    The ck sorcerer was a vicious woman.


    Not only did she abuse Valentine violently, but she also ran after him as he fled for his life. It was to silence him with death. Valentine led a life of repeatedly running away, hiding, and fleeing. When he was about to go mad, he met the saintess Lara.


    Perhaps he did not care anymore about anything.


    ¡°Saintess, if you really are God¡¯s daughter, you need to listen to me. There¡¯s a ck sorcerer in Hautean. And your father is selling the drugs made by that ck sorcerer to the priests.¡±


    She should have grabbed his hand back then.


    She should have listened to what he said and thanked him for the courage to report. She should have protected him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. My father is an honest man.¡±


    Lara did not believe him.


    Until then, she had a strong belief in the Marquess of Bailey. If her father said that he did not do it, then she would have 100% believed him.


    ¡°Lying is a grave sin. Keep your silence and reflect on yourself.¡±


    Valentine was greatly disappointed.


    Despair would be more appropriate. He cried out, ¡°You¡¯re God¡¯s daughter, you¡¯re the saintess. How could you do this?¡±


    Then, he disappeared into the streets and didn¡¯t show up for a while.


    It was not until the time she almost died when Lara knew that Valentine had be an alchemist who was mad about money. He made and sold drugs and poisons to the corrupted nobles and priests.


    He came back after bing the same viin as his master that he really hated.


    Lara med everything on herself.


    He was not originally that kind of man.


    He reported his master¡¯s crime and the Marquess of Bailey¡¯s corruption to the saintess because he wanted to stop them frommitting any more sin.


    Even if it was his only lifeline, he still wasn¡¯t a viin then anyway.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of me.¡±


    Lara mumbled.


    Her head was throbbing.


    She thought it would be over if she got revenge on her father and the Prince, and made atonement for the mistakes she had done to her mother and Demian. So she didn¡¯t interfere with other people¡¯s situations. That was also the reason she refused the reward from Princess So.


    But her unexpected past popped up like an awl and broke her heart.


    She thought this to not be right.


    Lara slowly took a deep breath. There must be a good reason why the great existence chose her and sent her back to the past.


    He said that this was her chance to get everything right.


    She had to change it.


    She was going to help Valentine.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 33

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    After Demian came back, Lara heard from him about Valentine¡¯s hideout.


    Her prediction was right.


    Valentine still could not break away from his vicious master. He made fake potions, sold them as aphrodisiacs, and dedicated all the profits to his master.


    ¡°So, he¡¯s a panhandler.¡±


    Lara concluded that the future alchemist was a panhandler. She waited for him the next day, at the same time, with the carriage parked at the same ce.


    It continued to rain even after a day.


    Konnyined with a sigh, saying that theundry didn¡¯t dry because it was too humid. Demian was looking out of the window without saying a word.


    Valentine showed up a littlete. Dressed in arge raincoat, he began the auction, moving back and forth from carriage to carriage.


    Demian mumbled.


    ¡°He¡¯s limping.¡±


    Lara clung to the window and looked at the ce Demian pointed at. As he said, Valentine was walking with a critical limp.


    ¡°He must have gotten hit a lot.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯sing this way.¡±


    Lara¡¯s carriage was thest one.


    Valentine approached the window, knocked three times, and asked the same question.


    ¡°How much?¡±


    Lara turned her eyes and looked at Demian. Then, he nodded without hesitation and asked Lara.


    ¡°Should I catch him?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    He opened the carriage door.


    The sound of the rain, which also sounded loud inside, filled their eardrums even louder.


    Demian grabbed Valentine by the back of his neck and lifted him up. He pushed Valentine in with the damp rainwater through the open door.


    Valentine was too flustered to even scream. He was dragged into the carriage like luggage and came face to face with Lara.


    Demian closed the door and asked Lara.


    ¡°Should I cover his mouth?¡±


    ¡°No. He can¡¯t scream.¡±


    Lara said calmly.


    If his master found out that he caused a disturbance, he might end up with more than just a broken leg.


    Just as she said, Valentine did not scream.


    He only sat back in the corner of the carriage, looking alternately at Lara, Demian, and Konny.


    Lara opened her mouth first.


    ¡°Valentine.¡±


    ¡°W-who are you?¡±


    ¡°You should ask me first how I know your name.¡±


    ¡°Why are you doing this? Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m someone who could go to the watchmen station with the aphrodisiac that you sold me yesterday and tell them to investigate it because it was made by a ck sorcerer¡¯s apprentice. I can even hand you over to them.¡±


    Valentine¡¯s face turned pale.


    One ought to feel sorry for him with the way his whole body trembled, but Lara still talked to him in a dull and calm voice.


    ¡°Did you learn ck magic?¡±


    ¡°N¡­no.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. I know your master is a ck sorcerer.¡±


    He trembled as if he was having a fit.


    He looked at Lara with his mouth moved slightly. As if asking how she knew about that with only his facial expressions.


    ¡°Why did you make this potion?¡±


    ¡°To¡­to earn money.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°My father is sick and my mother has left the house. So my siblings are starving back at home¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡±


    He seemed to have a habit of lying. How many people has he deceived so far, to the point that whenever he opened his mouth, lies poured out smoothly?


    Lara pointed out the truth once again.


    ¡°You were a guttersnipe. So your master picked you up and raised you. You have no talent that you can¡¯t even make a contract with a low-level demon. That¡¯s why you¡¯re panhandling every day.¡±


    ¡°Who in the world are you, mdy?¡±


    He asked.


    It was a trembling, yet powerful voice.


    It was as if he was thinking that since he was caught, he should at least know about Lara¡¯s identity before he died.


    Lara took a nce at Demian and said to Valentine.


    ¡°I will be your employer from now on.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Valentine was not easily persuaded.


    It was understandable. She showed up in a suspicious way, forced him to get in her carriage, did all his background checks, and used all that to threaten him.


    He held out, saying that he would never ever be her subordinate.


    He would never change his mind if Lara hadn¡¯t said this.


    ¡°I will deal with your master.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? What do you¡­¡±


    ¡°I will reveal every single detail of your master¡¯s crime so she would never do it again.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°You are already nning to run away. You think that you might be abandoned anytime. So when there¡¯s someone like me who wants to help you, then you get out of there as soon as possible.¡±


    Even though Valentine was a grown-up young man, he was still beaten by his master every day.


    Taming was a scary thing.


    What he feared the most in the world was being abandoned by his master and then silenced by death.


    ¡°So if you, I mean, when you be my employer¡­ What should I do?¡±


    ¡°Just do whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, but there¡¯s nothing I¡¯m good at. Master always said to me that I¡¯m good for nothing. She was wrong to pick me up, I¡¯m just something for her to wreak her anger upon¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me ask you one thing.¡±


    Their carriage began to get out of the red-light district under the bridge. As he moved further from the familiar ce, Valentine¡¯s face became more rxed.


    Lara asked him.


    ¡°When you are free from your master, what do you want to do the most?¡±


    Valentine, who was sitting with his head bowed down, raised his eyes.


    When he saw Lara¡¯s eyes looking straight at him, he unknowingly opened his mouth and answered the question.


    ¡°Business.¡±


    ¡°Then do that.¡±


    Lara nodded.


    Valentine was just amazed by Lara.


    He rambled that he was just following Lara in her carriage in an unguarded moment, but he could not tell whether this was a dream or reality.


    He felt like he had to shake them off right away and go back to his master. But at the same time, he felt that if not now, this opportunity would nevere again.


    After that, the words Valentine managed to bring up were surprisingly about his worries for Lara.


    ¡°Hey, be careful. My master is really scary.¡±


    ¡°My escort knight is way scarier.¡±


    Lara was confident.


    In return for her trust, Demian grinned and mumbled.


    ¡°Thanks, Lara.¡±


    They moved quickly and returned home.


    Then, they informed Isadora of all that had happened.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°He sold aphrodisiacs?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°They found a ck sorcerer?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Isadora asked again every time she was briefed on what Lara found out.


    It was inevitable because it was such unbelievable information.


    ¡°Mdy said that she wants to use this as a weapon to make it easier for you to divorce Marquess of Bailey.¡±


    ¡°What? I mean¡­ She investigated this so I can get a divorce with my husband?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s really extraordinary.¡±


    Sebastian marveled at and admired Lara.


    However, Isadora said that as a mother she could not help but worry about the negative impact on Lara when it was disclosed to Hautean that Marquess of Bailey was deeply involved with the ck sorcerer.


    She was hesitating.


    Sebastian tried his best to persuade her, but she was adamant.


    ¡°Is divorce the only answer? I would rather report this case to the royal family or the temple and ask them to dispose of this matter in secret. Then, it can end without Lara getting hurt.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. The Temple of Glory has long colluded with them and the royal family will never hide about this incident. Rather, they would exaggerate the report about this incident. After all, this is a good opportunity for them to keep the temple in check.¡±


    ¡°What about letting my husband pay for his crimes, but we don¡¯t get a divorce?¡±


    ¡°Mdy said she wanted to throw away everything she inherited from the Marquess of Bailey.¡±


    Sebastian tried to speak as objectively as possible.


    He thought he should not interfere in other people¡¯s family rtionships. So he was going to stop persuading with just conveying what Lara said and leave all the decision-making to Isadora. If only Isadora hadn¡¯t said anything that he could not possibly agree with, he would have bowed politely and stepped back as usual.


    ¡°What have you done to that young kid¡­¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    He asked back in surprise. Then, he gushed in a slightly out-of-character agitated tone.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you¡¯re probably the only one in this world who thinks mdy is still a young kid. She¡¯s all grown-up now.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still a baby in my eyes.¡±


    ¡°Mdy is not just a young kid. She¡¯s more like an adult kid.¡±


    ¡°Is that an insult?¡±


    ¡°What I mean is she¡¯s wise and fearless. Such a person is the scariest.¡±


    Lara had a deep and careful, but bold look. It was a sudden change that happened one day, but it happened anyway.


    There was no way her mother, Isadora, did not realize that.


    Sebastian was serious.


    ¡°If mdy said she would throw her family away, then she means what she said. If she said she wants both of you to get a divorce, she means it. I¡¯m telling you once again, she¡¯s already an adult. Even if you¡¯re her parent, you should not make assumptions and judge what she¡¯s feeling.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Tap tap.


    Isadora tapped her desk steadily. It was her habit that popped up whenever she was deep in thought.


    Lara was young. She was still young until just recently.


    She was so weak and emotional that she cried and disinvited Isadora from hering-of-age ceremony when she was informed that Isadora would leave Bailey Manor.


    But why did she suddenly change?


    It seemed that Lara just went through something serious, but it was frustrating because she could not figure out what that was. It didn¡¯t seem that she would answer even if Isadora asked about it.


    Tap tap.


    After much consideration, until the tip of her fingernail was tingling, she managed to make a decision.


    ¡°Sebastian.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Call Demian.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Attack and capture that ck sorcerer. Tell Demian to gather the evidence from her hideout. Our tradingpany¡¯s mercenaries are in the capital, tell them to go with him.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the wolves?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going straight to the watchmen station to file a formal report about this.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Sebastian bowed politely.


    Leaving Isadora¡¯s office at a rapid pace, he ordered a servant to call Demian, while quickly getting into the carriage to go to the ce where the tradingpany¡¯s mercenaries were.


    Then, as soon as he took a seat, he took out his notebook and began writing Valentine¡¯s exclusive employment contract, as requested by Lara.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 34

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Things were moving really fast.


    Loitering around could leak information, so it was advantageous to proceed quickly. When the servant that was sent by Sebastian arrived, Demian was looking around Valentine¡¯s quarters with Lara. Valentine burst into admiration, saying that he had never seen such a nice house in his life.


    Konny, who was following him, shrugged for no reason.


    Lara introduced Valentine to his quarters, but at the same time, she was being conscious of Demian. She kept on showing what was good if he lived in the quarters. In other words, Demian should quickly agree to the wage negotiations and move in there.


    Demian just looked at Lara, as she was being cute.


    Then, the servant arrived and conveyed Isadora¡¯s order.


    ¡°Madam Isadora has sent the tradingpany¡¯s mercenaries. She said that it would be better to raid the ck sorcerer¡¯s hideout as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Mercenaries?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re waiting outside.¡±


    Demian did not need any time to prepare. He only put a sword on his waist without changing his attire.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°If I deal with the ck sorcerer for you, can you answer a question?¡±


    ¡°What question?¡±


    ¡°Give your word that you will be honest no matter what. I won¡¯t ept lies nor silence.¡±


    Demian¡¯s voice was no different than usual.


    A low, heavy voice that was rxed and impassive. But somehow, Lara felt nervous.


    She tensed up and nodded after a moment of hesitation.


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Demian smiled satisfactorily.


    He turned his back on Valentine, whose legs began to tremble with anxiety, and headed to the ce where the mercenaries awaited him.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Isadora¡¯s mercenaries called themselves ¡®wolves¡¯.


    They were all different in appearance, skin color, gender, and age groups. But they were allrades. They got along by respecting each other, sometimes making fun of each other, and at times ignoring one another.


    ¡°Finally there¡¯s something that I can do in this boring Hautean!¡±


    ¡°I know, right? I couldn¡¯t sleep at night thinking about Madam Isadora¡¯s money that was wasted into your trap.¡±


    ¡°Into my trap is much better than into your ass. Is it because I only eat greasy food these days? It¡¯s very moist. You wanna see?¡±


    When a wolf stuck out his lips and pretended to kiss the air, the wolf next to him pped his lips.


    They giggled and chattered on their horses. They were in attire that was close to casual attire to be called armor, and close to work attire to be called casual attire.


    ¡°But who in the world are we supposed to bring? Do we have to get help from someone else just to deal with a guy?¡±


    ¡°ck sorcerers are dangerous. Don¡¯t let your guard down.¡±


    ¡°Madam Isadora assures his skills. So let¡¯s just wait and see.¡±


    Demian arrived not long after the servant went to inform him.


    ¡°I like it that he¡¯s fast.¡±


    The mercenaries chuckled.


    ¡°Oi, newbie! Take the lead!¡±


    Demian just smiled. He skillfully returned the mischievous joke made by the mercenaries.


    A joke like that did not give any effect to him, who had a lot of experience on the battlefield.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, seniors.¡±


    The mercenaries teased him, saying that since he looked delicate they thought he would be weak, but he was actually quite manly.


    It was deep dawn. It was sote that the lights of the red-light district were fading off one by one.


    Demian quickly retraced the path he used when he followed Valentine.


    As they went deep into the alley, the mercenaries¡¯ momentum also changed. They put one hand close to their weapons and moved while controlling their breathing. No one said anything. ck sorcerers were cunning and discreet, they were used to fleeing and living in hiding, so they needed to be caught off guard.


    Demian stood in front of the row house where Valentine ignored the entrance, turned to the back, and disappeared.


    ¡®Stop.¡¯


    Demain naturally raised one hand and used a hand signal.


    The hand signal, which meant back, down, silence, and wait was quicklypleted with his gesture. The move looked so familiar that the mercenaries unknowingly moved as Demian told them to.


    They went back to the back of the row house and ducked down. Then, they stood in front of the small door and waited for him.


    Just like that day, Demian waited with his ears close to the door.


    No sound could be heard inside.


    He didn¡¯t even feel any human presence. He suspected that she had fled after feeling suspicious because Valentine didn¡¯t return, but it didn¡¯t seem so because the hideout was left without being burned out.


    ¡®Wait here. I will go first.¡¯


    Demian delivered his message with a hand signal.


    The mercenaries exchanged nces a few times and nodded.


    He walked without making a sound.


    He bent his back, neck, and waist, lowering his posture and moving like a cat.


    The ck sorcerer¡¯s hideout was in the basement. Demian tore off the door at once and walked on tiptoe under it.


    ¡®Watch on.¡¯


    ¡®Wait.¡¯


    The mercenaries exchanged hand signals and listened carefully with worried faces. They were all nning to go down if even a small scream was heard from the basement hideout.


    But it was weird.


    No sound could be heard for a long while after Demian went down. They became uneasy because it was so quiet.


    The mercenaries who had been guarding from a little distance away had gathered nearby.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go down.¡¯


    ¡®Wait.¡¯


    ¡®Dangerous.¡¯


    ¡®Advance.¡¯


    They fought using hand signals.


    They kept their mouths shut because they promised not to make a noise, but their hands were busy moving, saying that they could not stand it anymore with frowns on their faces. They didn¡¯t know why the person who invented hand signals did not make a signal for cursing that it made them this frustrated.


    It was clear that the newbie who went down first fell into the ck sorcerer¡¯s trap. They reasoned out such a conclusion. Madam Isadora specially ordered him to go with them, so they could not just let him die like this.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯


    Along with thest hand signal, the mercenaries moved toward the entrance to the basement hideout. They each held their weapons and a specially made shield in case they were attacked with ck magic.


    But then, a man walked up from the basement entrance.


    It was Demian.


    He was only slightly disheveled and frowning, but he was neither injured nor was he dirty. The same look when he went down.


    Moreover, there was a body on his shoulder.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    The mercenaries put down their weapons.


    ¡°She killed herself.¡±


    Demian clicked his tongue as though he was annoyed and put the body on the floor.


    The mercenaries were speechless.


    The body that Demian brought was the ck sorcerer.


    The ck tattoo on her whole body recorded the demon¡¯s name and the oath made with the devil. Her fingers had turned ck due to her having been handling poison for a long time.


    Demian was fine, but not the dead.


    Her clothes were torn and scorched, and there were many wounds here and there.


    Moreover, one of her hands was twisted in a bizarre way. Anyone could tell at a nce that Demian had overpowered her roughly.


    ¡°What happened down there?¡±


    Someone asked.


    Demian answered roughly, pointing to the basement.


    ¡°I went down, but she was casting magic so I just snapped her arm off. I guess she was nning to blow up the hideout if something went wrong. To prevent her from casting magic¡­¡±


    ¡°What? She was casting magic, but you just approached her?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s what I did, but she killed herself.¡±


    ¡°Crazy.¡±


    It was unbelievable, but they could not help but believe it because the evidence was right in front of them.


    They said no wonder he used the hand signals that were mostly used in the battlefield too naturally.


    ¡°I heard he was a war ve. Did he have experience in fighting the ck sorcerers?¡±


    When someone muttered like that, the others just nodded.


    ¡°Madam Isadora ising with theggards there.¡±


    The watchmen soldiers rushed from the entrance of the red-district alley. Isadora was with them. From now on, it was their job to gather evidence and grasp the situation.


    After finishing his duties, Demian looked at the mercenaries and uttered a few words indifferently.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, seniors.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 35

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    A second ck sorcerer was found in Hautean.


    Seeing Demian in her hideout, the ck sorcerer immediately tried to blow up the basement, she sprayed her own blood and even chanted the demon¡¯s name. But Demian was too fast, he rushed in, broke her arm, and destroyed the spell before the ck sorcerer could finish it. The ck sorcerer tried her best to break free, but as soon as she realized that all her attacks were useless against Demian, she drank the poison that she made and killed herself.


    A great deal of evidence poured out of the hideout.


    She took abandoned children with the promise to feed them, but she actually taught them ck magic. She made potions using the demon¡¯s mana and sold them to the priests. Not only were there traces of her doing business with poison and drugs, but there was also human trafficking. It seemed that shemitted all kinds of crimes while hiding in Hautean.


    Isadora gathered all the evidence and presented them to the King. The knights of the royal family were dispatched for fairness in the investigation. Needless to say, the Temple of Glory turned upside down as the names of the priests who had brought drugs from the ck sorcerer began to be mentioned.


    ¡°How dare they!¡±


    The King was furious.


    All of Isadora¡¯s reports turned out to be true ording to the knights of the royal family.


    The royal family issued an order to capture all those involved. Feeling anxious, Marquess of Bailey rushed to the Temple of Glory to ask for protection, but the temple decided that it was time to sever its rtionship with him. A few young priests took the fall for the temple. At the behest of the higher rank priests, they pointed to Marquess of Bailey as their broker and the ball waster passed on to Prince Sidhar.


    ¡°We need to punish the Marquess.¡±


    Instead of saving the Marquess of Bailey, the cunning Prince tried to show that he had nothing to do with the incident by condemning him louder than anyone else.


    ¡°Although the Marquess did not harm anyone directly, it is clear that he is an aplice. We need to make an example of this incident and warn the nobles of Hautean not toy a hand on such a dirty matter.¡±


    The typical cutting tie.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°It was because of that woman.¡±


    Marquess of Bailey thought that all of these were traps set up by the cunning Isadora.


    ¡°I was stupid to give a noble name to a lowlymoner. How dare she? She didn¡¯t even know who made her that rich.¡±


    Isadora was able to expand her tradingpany because of her incredible skill. But the Marquess of Bailey attributed it all to the noble name he had granted her.


    There was a lot of criticism against him outside. The loudest one was from the nobles who were close to him as politicalrades.


    ¡°Filthy traitors. The foolish lot who neither know loyalty nor justice.¡±


    On that day, the envoy of the royal family arrived in the Marquess¡¯ manor.


    ¡°Taking into ount the years of being a prestigious noble in Hautean, you are given an opportunity to plead guilty. Prostrate yourself before the King and confess. That is the only repentance you can make.¡±


    The Marquesspletely lost his rationality and soon began to vent his anger like a madman.


    ¡°Isadora!¡±


    This was all because of that woman.


    Isadora. That bloody woman. The woman who ignored and looked down on him throughout their marriage.


    ¡°Just wait and see. You and your daughter will never be safe.¡±


    If his life was going to end here, their lives should too. That¡¯s what a blood-rted family was like.


    His determined face was distorted like a demon.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The next day, Lara was out at the shopping district to personally pick the curtains for the guest who had entered the annex and for the one who wille in soon.


    ¡°It¡¯s great that the rain has stopped.¡±


    Lara chose a curtain with a doubleyer of dark blue fabric and whitece.


    As soon as she saw it, she was reminded of Demian¡¯s blue eyes and didn¡¯t even grab anything else.


    Eunice and Ximena were also with Lara.


    They said that shopping for autumn clothes was supposed to be done before autumn, so they brought Lara to order a riding suit.


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re in a good mood.¡±


    Eunice said teasingly.


    Lara tilted her head and asked back.


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°You just keep smiling all the time. Is it that good that the rain has stopped?¡±


    Lara doubted Eunice and looked in the mirror. Strangely enough, the corner of her lips curved up.


    Ximena approached Lara and said with a smile.


    ¡°Of course she would be in a good mood.¡±


    ¡°Do I really look like that?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, isn¡¯t she lucky? I knew some information about the ck sorcerer who sold the aphrodisiac, then I told Lara about that, and apparently, the aphrodisiac seller was the ck sorcerer¡¯s apprentice¡­ It was excessive luck, rather than a coincidence.¡±


    That was because she already knew some parts of the full story, but Lara just nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, I was lucky.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Have you tried the aphrodisiac?¡±


    ¡°Why should I use that?¡±


    ¡°You have your stunning mighty warrior. If you add it in alcohol and drink it with him¡­¡±


    ¡°Ximena!¡±


    When Lara shouted, the two people giggled as they enjoyed teasing Lara.


    ¡°Hey, if you aren¡¯t using it, give it to me.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Eunice? I was the one who told her about it. She should give it to me.¡±


    ¡°Is it effective? Did you not ask him about that?¡±


    Flustered, Lara exined that she didn¡¯t ask because she thought it was fake anyway.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a waste? You bought it for 300 gold. Is the alchemist going to live in your house now? Can we meet him if we go there?¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to meet him?¡±


    ¡°Discount for employer¡¯s friends¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    When Lara shouted suddenly, Eunice and Ximenaughed louder.


    ¡°Just kidding.¡±


    ¡°We have picked everything, so let¡¯s go out for something delicious. It¡¯s on me.¡±


    While the two people who had finished fitting changed their clothes, Lara prepared to go out, hand-fanned on her heated face.


    ¡°Bad bishes.¡±


    When she went out to catch Valentine with Demian, she didn¡¯t feel anything, even while talking about the aphrodisiac. But she didn¡¯t know why she felt embarrassed after everything had ended.


    ¡°Please stop by again!¡±


    After greeting the shopkeeper, the threeughed and chatted while moving to the carriage.


    Rrrr.


    The sound of rough carriage wheels could be heard.


    Lara and her friends were deciding on the menu before leaving. They didn¡¯t even care that a wagon was rushing nearby, as it was daytime and they were on a wide roadside. But that carriage came close and stopped as if it was waiting for them. Suddenly, fourrge men jumped out of it.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    The men were wearing thin armor under baggy work attire.


    They had long swords around their waists, but they were holding a blunt dagger.


    Whack!


    ¡°Aaarghhhh!¡±


    Ximena copsed on the road after being hit on the head and stomach. Eunice screamed as loud as possible.


    ¡°Hurry up. Grab her!¡±


    ¡°Eunice,e here!¡±


    Lara grabbed Eunice and pushed her behind her back.


    She instinctively realized that she was their aim.


    ¡°I will follow you, but instead let Eunice go.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    One of the men smirked and nodded.


    However, as soon as Lara tried to get on their carriage, they hit Eunice¡ªwho was clinging to Lara not to go¡ªon the side of her head with iron gloves.


    ¡°Eunice!¡±


    Lara struggled as though she had a fit.


    Eunice¡¯s head was bleeding.


    Ximena was lying face down on the street and lost consciousness.


    ¡°Don¡¯t me us too much. We are just trying to make ends meet.¡±


    ¡°Let go! Let me go! You son of a gun¡­¡±


    Lara kept screaming and making a fuss even after getting on the carriage. They put a gag in her mouth. Then, they tied her hands and feet together so she couldn¡¯t rebel.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 36 - Second, A Villainess Never Forgets A Grudge.

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????<b> Second, A Viiness Never Forgets A Grudge.</b>


    No one expected that a father would threaten his daughter¡¯s life to escape the situation when he was in crisis.


    Lara was kidnapped by Marquess of Bailey. Being cornered, he chose to hold his only daughter hostage. He believed the main culprit of this incident was his wife, Isadora. Lara did a lot of unusual things, but he did not suspect that his obedient daughter would have dared to betray him.


    ¡°Strip his name off and banish him.¡±


    He heard that the King made such a decision this morning.


    Although he was pointed out as the broker for the ck sorcerer, Marquess of Bailey neither directly manufactured the drugs nor did he harm people. Thus, they struck a deal for that much punishment.


    But the Marquess still thought it to be an excessive punishment.


    He was more shocked to know that his name had been stripped off and was banished from the capital than when he knew he had been chosen as the tail to be cut off.


    His ancestry was everything to him.


    Marquess of Bailey could not stand not being a Bailey.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The ce where Lara was taken to was the Bailey manor¡ªand in her room at that.


    She was not even that surprised. She just spat blood with a face that already expected this would happen. Rather than being surprised that the kidnapper was her father, it was more surprising that he had made such a stupid choice. Putting him in a corner to get a divorce from her mother seemed to have driven him to the brink and made him feel desperate.


    Did I go too far? Should I just do it moderately?


    Looking around, she could not see where the kidnappers had gone, the straps that had restrained her mouth and body had also disappeared.


    Then, Marquess of Bailey came in.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    Lara looked cynically at her father¡¯s face, which had turned into someone else in just a few days,


    He used to be considered a handsome man with a mncholic and good-natured ambiance. But now, he had a nervous and sharp impression.


    ¡°Why do you look like that? Don¡¯t tell me that you expect the corrupt temple or the cunning Prince to be loyal to you to the end?¡±


    ¡°Laviore.¡±


    ¡°So naive.¡±


    Lara smirked.


    The tip of her lips was chaffed and torn by the gag. The blood had clotted and it hurt every time she opened her mouth. But Lara did not stop talking.


    ¡°If you want to rise in power by selling your daughter, you should have handled things more thoroughly. Even though I didn¡¯t even do much, you are already in the gutter.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. How can you say that to me?¡±


    It was an obvious deterrent. Lara was even bored with it now.


    ¡°I¡¯m your father. How can you spout such thoughtless words to the parents who gave birth to you?¡±


    She could do it.


    If she could, she would like to show all the things her father has done to her in her past life. She really wanted to know if he could say that even after he knew what he had done.


    When she knew they needed a sacrifice for the demon, at least Prince Sidhar pretended to look troubled. At that time, the Marquess of Bailey, who had Saintess Lara on his side, had formidable power. The suspicions toward him did not fade away due to the banishment of So, so Prince Sidhar thought it would trouble him more if Marquess of Bailey suddenly realized his instinctive love as a father and condemned the Prince.


    But Lara¡¯s father was more aggressive than anyone else in making her the sacrifice.


    ¡°Laviore, just consider this as you returning the favor.¡±


    ¡°I was the one who gave birth to you as a noble, gave you that name, and made you a saintess.¡±


    ¡°Keep your dignity until the end.¡±


    ¡°Human life has always been limited. Your breath will cease, but your name as the daughter of Bailey will go down in the history of Hautean. That is the only way humans can live forever.¡±


    The great saintess who sacrificed herself to save the kingdom, and the greater father who raised the saintess.


    That was Marquess of Bailey¡¯s original n.


    But father.


    What to do? I don¡¯t owe you anything. The one who gave birth to me and loves me is mother.


    So I¡¯m going to make you the sacrifice in this life.


    The sacrifice for the perfect revenge.


    The kidnap turned out great.


    She was angry about getting kidnapped, but it was a relief that she got a chance to say everything that she wanted. Lara began to pour out all the terrible words that she could not tell him and that had left her heartbroken in herst life.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point if the only thing you did was give birth to me? If that¡¯s what being a parent is like, a beast is better. Answer me, do you even see me as a human?¡±


    The more she talked, the more words came out.


    The anger that she had endured all this time was boiling over.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see you as a human anymore. After treating me like a tool, you want me to treat you like a father? Do you think that I¡¯m crazy enough to do that?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°Am I creepy? Do I look like I¡¯m out of my mind? That¡¯s great. I learned all of this from you.¡±


    ¡°Even a beast doesn¡¯t treat its parents like this. I won¡¯t treat you like a human anymore. If you took after me, you would have been noble-like. Why do you have to take after your mother¡­¡±


    Lara could not stand it when her father talked about her mother.


    She was as angry as the amount of guilt she felt for her mother.


    ¡°What? ¡­Noble?¡±


    She was so angry that her head became hot.


    She red straight at the Marquess of Bailey and shouted.


    ¡°You still can¡¯t throw away that noble title, despite being poor. You didn¡¯t even think to ovee that, and instead, you sacrificed mother. You dressed well and fared richly with the money earned by mother. And instead of being grateful and treating her properly, you felt inferior to her ability. Pathetic!¡±


    ¡°Laviore!¡±


    ¡°Jealousy, envy, ipetence, helplessness¡ªnot wanting to admit any of that; your one and only specialty was to assert authority!¡±


    Lara screamed at the top of her lungs at the Marquess of Bailey. Then, she gritted her teeth and said.


    ¡°You¡¯re disgraceful and cowardly. I despise you. I detest Bailey. Go to hell.¡±


    He will hit me now.


    As soon as she clenched her teeth with determination, she was pped.


    p! p! p!


    Marquess of Bailey pped Lara in the face over and over again.


    Feeling that his anger still did not go away, he grabbed Lara¡¯s hair, dragged her, and threw her on the floor. As she fell down, she crashed into a cab. The cab¡¯s ss broke and sharp debris poured out.


    ¡°No matter what¡­¡±


    His voice was cut off.


    Like someone whose tongue is stiff, he swallowed his saliva several times and tried to move his dry mouth.


    ¡°No matter what you say, the rtionship between parents and their children is a heaven-sent gift! Even though the one who made your body was your mother, the blood that flows through your body belongs to Bailey. It¡¯s all from me!¡±


    Lara could not believe that she used to follow and obey this kind of person.


    Lara, who fell to the floor, shook her shoulders andughed.


    ¡°If the blood in my bodyes from you¡­¡±


    She grabbed a long, sharp piece of ss, raised her head, and red at the Marquess of Bailey.


    ¡°I will just let it spill.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Lara did not hesitate.


    Holding the ss with one hand, she shed it tightly against the other wrist. She already knew that too much anger dulls the pain. As her flesh tore long, a great deal of blood spurt out from her thin wrist. She shed it so deeply that her bones could almost be seen.


    Marquess of Bailey looked down at Lara with a pale face.


    ¡°Are you¡­really Laviore? How can you change like this overnight?¡±


    The red blood streamed down her wrist to the floor.


    Lara extended her wounded arm forwards so the Marquess could see it properly.


    ¡°Take it all.¡±


    She did not cry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even leave a single drop.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 37

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara¡¯s room was stained with blood.


    It used to be full of white and elegant things, but now it was disastrous.


    The attendant, who had been called by the Marquess, sprayed hemostatic agent on Lara¡¯s wrist and put on the bandage with his hands shaking.


    ¡°Isadora has no choice but to ept my offer. Because she¡¯s stupid.¡±


    Marquess of Bailey stood in front of a door, far from Lara. He was talking to himself while smoking a strong cigarette.


    ¡°If I just wait, she wille in with her head down. Both you and that woman are emotional, so you can¡¯t make heads or tail of something and keep on acting your way.¡±


    Lara could tell without asking about it.


    Her father must have sent a message to her mother. If she wanted to save her daughter, restore everything.


    One might wonder what the point of restoring everything was when the knights of the royal family hadpleted their investigation, but Lara could see why he did this from what he was muttering about.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hand over the House of Bailey to her¡ªto that lowly merchant who knows nothing but money¡­¡±


    Everything was because of that damned ancestry.


    After his father¡¯s name was stripped off, there would be only her mother and Lara in the House of Bailey. The King will try to bestow a suitable reward upon Isadora, the major contributor to this incident. If the King recognizes her mother¡ªthe richest person in Hautean¡ªas an official Marquess instead of her banished father, wouldn¡¯t anyone speak highly of the King for making a wise decision?


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After hearing a scream, the owner of the riding suit boutique ran out in surprise and found Eunice and Ximena, who copsed after being assaulted by the kidnappers.


    They were in bad shape.


    Their heads were torn and bleeding, and their faces had be swollen.


    Ximena, who was hit in the stomach with a fist, could not straighten her back for a while even after waking up. The boutique owner urged them to go to the doctor and told them to go report the incident to the watchmen station. But as soon as they came to their senses, they ran at full speed in the carriage and went to Isadora.


    ¡°Lady Isadora!¡±


    There was no need for a long exnation.


    A carriage and men that appeared all of a sudden, assault and kidnapping.


    Eunice burst into tears, saying that they both had immediately lost their consciousness, so they didn¡¯t know where Lara was taken.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have stopped them from taking Lara¡­ I should have asked the carriage to be on stand-by first before going out. No, I was wrong to call Lara out¡­!¡±


    Isadora was with Sebastian in the office of her hotel.


    ¡°Lara¡­¡±


    Isadora¡¯s face lost its color all at once.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am!¡±


    Sebastian helped Isadora who was staggering.


    She sped his forearm and took a deep breath twice. Then, she quickly issued an order.


    ¡°Call a doctor. Both of you need to be treated first. Sebastian, contact the knights of the royal family and let them know about this.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°What about Demian?¡±


    ¡°He has gone back to the arena.¡±


    ¡°Call the wolves, tell them to bring Demian and to go to Bailey manor.¡±


    Sebastian went around the hotel to pass on Isadora¡¯s order with a voice loud enough to make the hotel resonate.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure my husband did it. Because he knew I was the one who reported about him.¡±


    Isadora left Sebastian at the hotel formunication and set off personally to Bailey manor with her carriage.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Demian, who had returned to the arena after being away for a long time, was just sleeping himself out when the wolves suddenly came and informed him that Lara had been kidnapped.


    He made no response whatsoever.


    As soon as he got up, he grabbed a weapon, kicked the closed door, and ran out.


    ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    The mercenaries also ran after Demian.


    Shocked by the ruckus, the arena warden came running. But Demian¡¯s room was already empty.


    ¡°Quick, faster!¡±


    Before leaving, Isadora said to the wolves.


    If they had to kill the Marquess of Bailey, so be it.


    If they had to kill everyone in the house, so be it.


    They did not have to worry about the consequences.


    She would take responsibility for whatever happened, so she asked them to save Lara at all costs.


    Isadora said with a pale face that she would break Marquess of Bailey¡¯s limbs even if a single cut was found on Lara¡¯s body.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara was thinking that if she knew this would happen, she would not have avoided Prince Sidhar, instead, she would have jumped on him as soon as she met him and bit him like a mad dog.


    She nned to attack the Prince slowly after preparing everything.


    But she put it off because she needed to deal with her father. Now it seemed that she was going to die without paying him back anything. Sometimes Lara could hear the sound of the soldiersing in and out, but she did not ask for their help.


    They were probably bribed by her father anyway.


    Lara went to the edge of the bed and sat still.


    That was the cleanest ce in the room as the whole floor was filled with blood. She did not even want to get close to the sofa because that was where her father sat.


    What should I do?


    It was dark outside.


    The room was dark even though the attendant who treated Lara left five candles andmps on. She could not even rely on the moonlight as the shutter outside the window was locked.


    The thin summer curtains shook slightly as the weak wind leaked from somewhere.


    The curtain shadow was erged due to the candlelight.


    Funnily enough, Lara recalled what Konny had said.


    ¡°It was a ghost that lives behind the curtain. It was said that at night, it wille out and try to hurt someone sleeping.¡±


    ¡°I heard the curtain ghost is scared of fire. So we need to sleep with amp on our head¡­¡±


    Fire, huh?


    Lara thought she needed to take her words back when she told Konny to stop reading weird books. One thing she realized after going back to the past was to remember every word Konny had said. Lara got up from the bed and approached the window. Then, she reached out one hand and grabbed the long, thin curtains.


    She was lucky that the rain had stopped.


    The curtains were dry and fluffy.


    It was a curtain for summer, so it would burn better because it was thin.


    It wasn¡¯t just the curtains. Even the nket and tapestry were the same as the day she had left the house. Especially the clothes piled up in the dressing room that was connected to her bedroom.


    Once again she recalled Konny saying that her dress was funny because it looked like she was covered in a nket and that her dress was like a curtain ghost.


    Somehow my maid might be a genius.


    Lara nned to give Konny a suffocating hug again when she came back.


    Marquess of Bailey could not ept the fact that Lara hadpletely changed even when she had a different tone and acted differently. She could tell by the fact that he only locked her up in the room, but didn¡¯t restrain her movement. He might believe that if he had kept her locked up for days and starved her for a few meals, she would cry and apologize for her faults.


    ¡°This is why you keep on being outwitted, Marquess of Bailey.¡±


    Because you did not want to admit the fact that your daughter had changed.


    Lara moved quickly.


    She first ran to the dressing room and pulled out all the white dresses Konny hadughed at.


    The clothes were heavy.


    She used to wear the dress well back then even with such a skinny body, but she didn¡¯t know why it felt so heavy now.


    After taking out all the white dresses, she threw the nket and tapestries that were on the bed onto the floor. Finally, she ripped off all the long curtains on the window.


    She was sweating profusely and out of breath.


    She felt dizzy because her heart was beating so fast. But Lara did not stop. She even felt a strange feeling of joy.


    ¡°Scissors.¡±


    Where is it? It must have been in the dressing room for the maids to cut the threads.


    Lara ran back to the dressing room and quickly found a small pair of scissors. Then, she plopped down on the floor.


    The long white dress was like a symbol for when Lara was the fake saintess. Her father always forced her to only wear that dress. Lara began to tear the clothes that made her so angry by just looking at them.


    The sound of the fabric tearing was loud. Fine dust floated around as the threads snapped.


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    Even when she could not stop sneezing, she did not stop tearing the clothes.


    ¡°Flipping saintess can just go die.¡±


    She really wanted to tell her past self that.


    Why the hell did you do that?


    Lara, you fake saintess.


    You¡¯re just a one-time tool.


    You were just a stupid, exploitable prey. You were just an emotional ve that was perfect to exploit because you were an easy target.


    ¡°The flipping House of Bailey can go die. Get stuck in the gutter forever!¡±


    It truly gave her the creeps and made her feel disgusted when her father said that all the blood flowing through her body came from her father. Lara meant it when she slit her wrist. She wanted to give it all back to him at the risk of death.


    Lara was her own person, so it disgusted her when her father treated her like a subordinate.


    ¡°Sidhar Hautean, just wait and see. I will make sure to give you back ten times the misery I felt.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 38

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara was sure that Prince Sidhar¡¯s soul would give off a bad stench.


    He was a man who could tell Lara ¡®I love you¡¯ ten times a day.


    You¡¯re beautiful, you¡¯re perfect, you¡¯re different.


    My lover, God¡¯s gift, my everything.


    Every word he whispered reeked of poison. He trapped and slowly poisoned his opponent with his fond gaze and gentlemanlike tone, turning them into helpless prey.


    ¡®Just wait and see.¡¯


    Lara could not back down from here.


    It was not easy for her toe back to the past, it was impossible to take one¡¯s own life with just ordinary courage.


    She still had a lot of things to be done. More than anything, now she had people who cared for her. When she first came back and said that she loved her mother, she thought her mother would be pleased. But Isadora looked like the sky was going to copse. She might not have looked different from usual to others, but Lara could tell.


    The tears in Isadora¡¯s eyes.


    How lonely had she been?


    As her only daughter fell into a vain delusion, misunderstood and turned away from her, she must have been secretly frustrated and sad alone.


    It was the same when she hugged Konny tightly. The heart of the maid who was smaller than Lara was beating frantically fast at that time. Even though she said it gave her the chills, Konny certainly looked touched. Recently, she sneakily came up to Lara and walked arm in arm with her.


    She could not believe there were such good people around here, yet she did not even realize it. And why didn¡¯t she know about it? Sebastian was someone who was at her mother¡¯s beck and call.


    There were more.


    There might be a victim somewhere she did not remember, like Valentine.


    Lara¡¯s hands got faster and faster.


    Now that she had gotten the hang of tearing the clothes, she had gotten better and better. When the elegant dresses were torn and thrown away like rags, they soon became rubbish.


    The dusting out of the fibers piled up around like snow.


    Lara thought of Demian.


    ¡°¡­Demian.¡±


    She swore she would do anything for him. But let alone giving him a hand, she had only received help from him.


    It was not enough, no matter how hard she tried.


    He was always indifferent even when he was offered arge amount of money and a ce to rest. It was the same when he was offered an excellent sword.


    Lara said that she would make him the hero, but even that was shifted onto Lara.


    Demian did not want anything from her.


    He was already a perfect warrior. Even without Lara¡¯s help, he would reign as king of thewless area over time.


    Demian, what should I do for you then?


    Lara¡¯s worries deepened.


    After roughly ripping the dresses and curtains apart, Lara rose from her seat and held themp. There was not a lot of oil, still, it should be enough to create a spark.


    Her heart skipped a beat.


    Lara took a look at the clothes and curtains in her room, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Whew¡­¡±


    If the existence who sent her to the past was the God, Lara hoped he was watching all this from somewhere. Lara wanted him to know how broken the world was and how many people were suffering from it. She hoped he realized that a father was trying to kill his daughter, that the apostles of God were imbued with the longing for power and physical pleasure, and that the demon worshippers were trying to reign over thend where God had left.


    ¡°If not¡­¡±


    If the existence who sent her to the past was a demon, she did not want him to just wickedly watch from behind, but to show up before her eyes.


    Then, she would tell him this.


    Give me strength. I will give you whatever you want.


    She wanted to beg him to lend her strong powers so that she could live her second life stronger than anyone else.


    After a long deep breath, Lara opened her eyes. Then, she threw themp on top of the pile of clothes.


    ¡°I just want it all to be over and the clothes to catch on fire easily.¡±


    Maybe herst prayer was effective.


    Hot mes erupted as the oil poured out. Even though it was a very small amount of oil, the me burned violently as soon as it reached the dry clothes. The dresses burned much better than the curtain. Acrid smoke formed where the mes touched and quickly filled the room.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see who will win.¡±


    Lara whispered. Her red eyes were filled with mes.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The bigger the fire, the hotter it got.


    Lara ran to the bathroom and crouched down in it, covering her nose and mouth with a damp cloth. Smoke leaked through the crack on the door. She would not be able tost long. But it was also the same for those out there.


    The bandage around her wrist was stained with blood.


    As she had spilled a lot of blood at once, her head felt dizzy even though she was sitting down. At first, she was angry and did not even realize that it hurt. But after a while, it hurt so much that she trembled and sweated.


    However, it did not hurt anymore. Maybe it was because she was too agitated. Even when she touched the bandage, let alone pain, she did not feel anything.


    Was I born with good health? Or had my sense dulled?


    Lara was sure that she was sensitive and weak before she had died, so it was odd when she could not feel the pain. She wondered if her body had be stronger because she had died once ande back to life.


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Lara realized something was off.


    There was no way she could be fine because she had shed herself so badly. She clearly felt the edge of the ss touched her bone. Not only the injured wrist, the hand that held the piece of ss had also been cut and was bleeding.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    But there was no wound on her hand.


    There was still clotted blood here and there, but the wound was gone.


    As if she was possessed, Lara began to unwrap the bandage around her wrist. The attendant wrapped the bandage around her wound so many times that it took her a long time to unwind it. Feeling frustrated, Lara sniped off the bandage with the scissors that she used to tear the dresses.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    The hideous wounds have healed.


    There was still a trace left, but it was literally just a trace.


    Even as Lara watched, it kept on healing, and soon, recovered entirely.


    ¡°What¡­ Cough, cough!¡±


    Lara was so surprised that she opened her mouth and inhaled a lot of smoke. She covered her mouth and nose with a damp cloth once again.


    ¡®Was it because I have died once?¡¯


    Lara was confused.


    How is this possible?


    She clearly cut her wrist and surprised the Marquess of Bailey and his attendant.


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Lara murmured.


    Of all the things she had been through after going back to the past, this was the most confusing.


    ¡®Will I live like an imperishable corpse and die again on that day 10 yearster?¡¯


    She wanted to ask, but there was no one to tell her. She didn¡¯t even know who the great existence was.


    ¡°I need to hide this.¡±


    Lara moved instinctively.


    Recing the bandage that she had cut, she tore dry clothes in the bathroom and tied them up where the wound was supposed to be. She wrapped a few more bandages on top of it because there should be bloodstains there.


    The smoke from the room almost filled the bathroom. Lara knew there was not much time left now.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°We need to break the door!¡±


    The soldiers moved busily.


    They had to break open Lara¡¯s door, which had been tightly locked outside. This was because the fire had reached the entrance and they could not hold the lock by hand anymore.


    ¡°Laviore!¡±


    Despite being the one who kidnapped, imprisoned and beat her, the Marquess shouted her name out loud.


    Lara did not think her father was worried about her. Making her mother kneel down was only possible if Lara was alive.


    ¡°It will copse!¡±


    The chandelier fell, causing problems with the ceiling and floor.


    The soldiers tried to save Lara, but she was in the bathroom, where it could only be reached by crossing a room full of mes.


    ¡°Laviore! I know you¡¯re inside. Come out now!¡±


    ¡®Why don¡¯t youe inside and save me then?¡¯


    Lara wanted to say so.


    She wondered what expression the Marquess would make. There was no way he woulde in and save her. He might just avoid looking at her likest time.


    It became harder and harder to breathe.


    Lara thought it was time to go outside.


    Her choice to escape was not the hallway outside the door, where Marquess of Bailey and the soldiers were struggling to extinguish the fire, but the window that had been half burned down. When she opened the bathroom door halfway, the heat came up to her. She felt as if her face was burning.


    Lara was covered with a cloth soaked in cold water.


    She was scared, anxious, and shaking all over.


    But she had not forgotten the fact that even this painful moment was the second life she had hoped so much for.


    Therefore, she could go through it.


    Moisture dripped from the wet clothes.


    Lara ran without hesitation, mes sprang out at her.


    Lara did not avoid it and closed her eyes tightly. She was out of breath, but she could not breathe.


    It felt like her stomach would catch fire if she opened her mouth.


    The floors and ceilings were on the verge of copsing.


    Nevertheless, Lara ran without stopping. A lit piece of wood fell overhead and the bedpost fell over her, but she managed to reach the window.


    ¡°I will get out of here.¡±


    Lara threw herself out of the big window.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 39

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Bailey manor was on fire.


    Demian was the first one who realized it.


    Despite riding the same trained horse, Demian¡¯s horse was running at a much faster speed. As soon as he saw the white smoke rising from afar, he uttered cuss words quietly.


    He rode the horse like crazy.


    He had never run so desperately like that on any battlefield.


    ¡®How dare he.¡¯


    Marquess of Bailey¡¯s face, whom he encountered at the banquet with Lara, came to his mind.


    Demian had met nobles like him on the battlefield many times.


    Those who were only obsessed with getting the honors after the battle, rather than boosting the morale of the soldiers, the oue of the war, or honoring the fallen. Those who considered the lives of the thousands of soldiers as a tool for their honor, or just a scapegoat.


    Demian had killed many nobles like them on the battlefield. He killed them all regardless of whether they were enemies or allies. The reason he attracted the attention of the Crown Prince of Tarragon was because of the rumor that a crazy ve had only killed themander on the battlefield.


    Marquess of Bailey was like those nobles that he killed.


    ¡®Lara.¡¯


    After putting his horse in front of the locked main gate, Demian crossed the wall with only a few leaps.


    Then, he rushed to where the smoke rose.


    The manor¡¯s employees were running about in confusion.


    The servants and soldiers were carrying water buckets upstairs.


    Demian looked up at the room on fire from outside the building.


    ¡®That must be Lara¡¯s room.¡¯


    Lara was an extreme woman.


    When there was something she clearly wanted, she would do it by any means necessary. Which means she would set fire to her room to escape from this house without batting an eye.


    Demian moved fast. In just an instant, he climbed up a tall tree in front of Lara¡¯s room. The mes had shot outwards, but Demian did not hesitate. When Demian was hanging from the tree and about to enter the room full of mes through the balcony, he saw something running fast.


    It was just a silhouette at first.


    A faint shadow pierced through the smoke and headed his way.


    The shadow mmed through the half-burned window and jumped out.


    It was Lara.


    ¡°Lara,e here!¡±


    Demian instinctively threw himself at her with his arms open.


    Lara¡¯s room was on the second floor, but it was as high as three stories. If she fell from that height, she could have been seriously injured.


    Demian managed to grab Lara and hugged her, wrapping her head with his two arms.


    There was a smell of acrid smoke.


    ¡°Demian-!¡±


    Demian fell to the ground at the same time Lara screamed.


    It was such a great shock that Lara, who was in Demian¡¯s arms, groaned in pain.


    Hugging each other like one body, they could only stop after rolling over a few times on the ground.


    ¡°Demian¡­ Demian!¡±


    Lara grabbed him and shouted.


    She called his name with a cracked and hoarse voice after coughing so much inside the house.


    ¡°Wake up, Demian!¡±


    Her hair, which looked as fragrant as wet wood, was ckened all over and was in a mess with ck ashes.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine.¡±


    As soon as Demian opened his eyes, he scanned through Lara thoroughly and mumbled while still lying down on the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill your father.¡±


    He was fine.


    Because of the extreme shock, Demian could not get up right away. Nevertheless, he was safe without any serious injuries. Only then Lara dropped down to the ground, looking relieved.


    It was not long before the wolves mercenaries ran towards them. As soon as they arrived at Lara and Demian, they shouted suddenly.


    ¡°Rookie, you good?¡±


    ¡°You nutjob! Looking from afar, I almost pissed my pants.¡±


    ¡°Mdy, are you out of your mind?!¡±


    Even so, they helped Demian get up and checked to see if there were any injuries.


    Then, they surrounded Lara to protect her.


    They heard a shout from inside the manor.


    ¡°She jumped out!¡±


    ¡°Catch her! Get down there and catch her right away!¡±


    Marquess of Bailey ordered the soldiers after finding out that Lara had escaped.


    ¡°Mdy, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    One of the wolves grinned and pointed at the back with his thumb.


    ¡°Because Madam Isadora ising right now.¡±


    Lara turned her head and looked at where he was pointing. Just in time, the carriage that brought Isadora had arrived at the manor.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Demian was determined to kill Marquess of Bailey.


    But it seemed that he would not get the chance to do so.


    After Demian rescued Lara, who jumped out of the window, Isadora arrived. Then, of all times, Marquess of Bailey also walked out of the manor.


    Isadora ordered the wolves to catch that son of a b*tch right away. The wolves were loyal to their boss¡¯ order.


    p!


    A p could make such a loud noise.


    Those who were there were thinking of the same thing.


    p!


    Every time Isadora swung her hand, Marquess of Bailey slowly backed away.


    His cheeks were swollen, and the delicate flesh around his eyes was torn. At first, he was mad about getting beaten, but now, he was at a loss, like a beast that ran away with its tail curled up.


    He felt more shame than pain.


    p!


    Isadora did not seem to want to stop.


    What was worse, not a word had been said since she faced Marquess of Bailey.


    She just began to p her husband as soon as she saw him, and now, even other people had kept their silence.


    p!


    It was the same for Lara.


    When Isadora got off the carriage, Lara could not move. Because her mother¡¯s face was full of tears.


    It was the first time.


    In Lara¡¯s memories, her mother was someone cold and strict.


    Tears dripped from Isadora¡¯s pale face. Then, she screamed like a beast and held Lara in her arms.


    Isadora was trembling.


    She hugged Lara tightly and mumbled, asking whether she was okay, or if she had gotten any injuries.


    I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m not injured.


    Lara wanted to say that.


    But the moment she looked at her mother¡¯s messed up face, she also burst into tears. She was scared and anxious, she thought she was fine, but she was actually not.


    Lara cried out in her mother¡¯s hug.


    p!


    Both Marquess of Bailey who was getting beaten and Isadora who was doing the beating were staggering.


    The mercenaries, who were looking at her with worried faces, exchanged looks.


    They thought it would be better to stop her.


    p!


    At this rate, Isadora would copse first before Marquess of Bailey.


    She had lost her energy now that it did not sound as terrifying as it was at first. She was just going to keep hitting her husband until she lost her rage.


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    Lara had no choice but to step up.


    She approached Isadora with a face that was messed up with tears and ck ash.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Isadora did not agree with Lara.


    ¡°You are not.¡±


    ¡°Mother¡­¡±


    ¡°No daughter in the world can be fine after being betrayed by her father like that. Especially since you are the only family left for him.¡±


    Lara tried to say something, but she burst into tears again and just kept her mouth shut.


    Finally, Isadora talked to Marquess of Bailey.


    ¡°I hope that, someday, when you die¡­ there will be no one near you. Dying alone in a cold, dark street without anyone¡¯s sympathy. Painfully and miserably.¡±


    That was the end.


    Marquess of Bailey was not Lara¡¯s father and Isadora¡¯s husband anymore.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 40 - Monthly Lara

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????<b> Monthly Lara</b>


    In recent years, there has been no bigger controversy than this in Hautean society. Digging deeply into the case revealed family affairs much more provocative than any other popr novel. When the daughter reported about her father¡¯s corruption for her mother, the father kidnapped his daughter and threatened to kill her. Then, the daughter set fire to escape her father¡¯s house.


    People lost their minds over Lara¡¯s name more than Marquess of Bailey¡¯s crimes or the drugs found in the Temple of Glory. The girl, who was kind enough to be mentioned as a strong candidate for the Princess Consort, became the top viiness in Hautean, and in the end,mitted immorality.


    Of course, the faulty with the Marquess of Bailey, that was absolutely true. But still, many people criticized and were ufortable with Lara¡¯s actions. They condemned her, saying, how could a child abandon her parents first.


    Isadora finally got a divorce from her husband. She even offered a huge sum of money to the royal family to get Lara¡¯s and her name to be removed from the House of Bailey¡¯s family register.


    The King neither object nor did he approve of her request.


    He must have thought that it would be a waste to remove an easy-to-use noble family with his own hand.


    The King only approved half of Isadora¡¯s request.


    Their names were removed from House of Bailey¡¯s family register, but some possibilities were left. So that when Lara wanted to change her mind and take over the family, or when her future husband needed a peerage, the King himself could pretend to show his mercy and give the name back.


    ¡°He¡¯s no longer a Bailey.¡±


    Instead, the King hurried to take Marquess of Bailey¡¯s name and gave an order for him to be banished. He was not telling him to live just outside the capital, but to get out of the border altogether. The Marquess was chased out empty-handed, without a name, as well as his family, property, and identity. There was no one on his side the day he was banished.


    Nobody even remembered his appearance from behind when he wept while getting further from Hautean.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The cicada¡¯s piercing cry reached its peak.


    Thest stage of heat was in full swing. The sky rose noticeably and there was a brief chill at dawn.


    Eunice and Ximena did not go home and just stayed at Isadora¡¯s hotel. They did not want to go home, and they hated it even more to be in the hospital. They got permission from Isadora to stay in the hotel¡¯s VIP room while getting their treatment.


    ¡°Wee, Lady Lara.¡±


    As Lara entered the hotel lounge, the hotel manager approached her and extended his arm to her.


    Lara put her hand on his arm and smiled shyly.


    ¡°Do we have to do this? It¡¯s a bit cheesy.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the escort?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I heard they don¡¯t even do this at a banquet these days.¡±


    ¡°Hotels are different. This is a ce where people pay to be served. Having an escort is just the basics.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not paying anything.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, get your hands off me.¡±


    Laraughed out loud at the manager¡¯s clever joke.


    She was wearing a knee-length mint dress and a soft light pink gown.


    The guestsing to and fro the lounge nced at her attire.


    ¡°Where¡¯s mother?¡±


    ¡°I will tell you where she is if you call her mom.¡±


    ¡°Manager, I¡¯m already an adult.¡±


    ¡°My son is over thirty, but he still calls his mom as mom.¡±


    ¡°Did he call you dad?¡±


    ¡°Nope, just old man.¡±


    Laraughed louder.


    Herughter echoing through the spacious lounge was as clear and lovely as a bell.


    ¡°Your friends are waiting over there.¡±


    Eunice and Ximena were waiting for Lara.


    They were sitting in armchairs in the lounge, showing their wounds to the doctor.


    Eunice had the side of her head torn apart and Ximena had bruises on her face and stomach. The wounds should be hurting but they keptughing and chatting throughout their treatment.


    ¡°My junior is here.¡±


    Ximena, who had finished her treatment first, got up and opened her arms to Lara.


    Then, she spoke in a voice filled with a hint of a smile.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Should we, the girls who set fire to our father¡¯s house, hug?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I will especially allow you to call me your senior.¡±


    Lara stood there and looked at Ximena with a dumbfounded face.


    Eunice was giggling andughing.


    The doctor nagged her not to move because her wound might get infected, but she could not stopughing.


    Lara sighed and told them.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to visit you. Can you at least pretend you¡¯re sick? You got injured because of me. Why are you making me feel so flustered even before I get to feel sorry?¡±


    ¡°Why are we injured because of you? We¡¯re injured because of those damned kidnappers.¡±


    Eunice shook her hands, saying Lara was being ridiculous.


    Lara really wasing to visit them, holding flowers in one hand.


    Eunice, who saw the flower, mumbled with a disappointed face.


    ¡°You should have brought us booze¡­¡±


    She was such a consistent friend.


    Isadora¡¯s hotel was spacious and luxurious.


    There was also delicious food and a beautiful garden.


    But for Eunice, this ce was no different from the ce where her friend¡¯s mother lived. Moreover, that person was the Thousand Gold Isadora. No matter how much of a troublemaker Eunice was, she could not drink and enjoy as usual while being treated by a doctor sent by Isadora.


    She whined that she had to involuntarily be a kind patient for a while.


    ¡°So, the conclusion is that you just want to drink and enjoy yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Now I know why your mighty warrior called you the morning dew of Dvonn.¡±


    When she first saw their mighty warriors battle at the arena for the first time, Eunice¡¯s mighty warrior called her that.


    The morning dew of Dvonn.


    It meant that she went drinking all night every day and going home in the early morning dew.


    Eunice opened her eyes wide, saying she did not expect that Lara would remember such a thing.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    They went to the arena together for the first time in a while. The warden ran out to the entrance to greet them. He said that, as Eunice and Ximena, who were the big customers in the arena, did note for a while, the sales were on the verge of dropping.


    The warden opened the VIP seats for them before the match even started to talk and have funfortably.


    Lara asked to be excused and went to meet Demian.


    Today was the day he agreed to bid farewell to his life in the arena and move into Isadora¡¯s house.


    He had finally broken his stubbornness.


    I¡¯m sure he¡¯s packing his luggage by now. If he still hasn¡¯t done anything, should I help him?


    The corners of her mouth kept on twitching.


    She used to smile secretly for the past few days with the thought that she had finally freed her mother, but thinking that she could take Demian home now, the corners of her mouths danced.


    Lara had so much she wanted to do for him.


    She would prepare a good bed for him to rx in after living a hard life on the battlefield. She would dress him in good clothes and let him eat good food. She would support everything he wanted to achieve.


    Until now, he had lived the life as a ve without any desire, but in the future, she would let him live a life where he could have possessions and dreams. So that one day, when the day he would leave her sidee, all his memories of her would only be pleasant and happy.


    There was another piece of good news.


    Princess So bestowed the sword of the royal family to Demian after much consideration.


    Before this, it was inevitable because they refused any rewards. Now, he deserved the award because not only did he attack the red-light district and get rid of another ck sorcerer, but he also rescued Lara from being kidnapped.


    Lara assumed that was also the King¡¯s apology for not fully epting Isadora¡¯s request. Because the King¡¯s permission was needed to bestow the sword of the royal family.


    Even in Lara¡¯s eyes, the sword from the Princess was great.


    The silver pattern faintly engraved on the de of the sword was beautiful.


    It was a sword with a sense of weight and moderation. It seemed antique, but there was no old or rusty part.


    The sword, which was found by an explorer in an unknown cave, was dedicated to the royal family by thete King when he ascended the throne.


    And, after a long time, it was given to Demian.


    Lara brought the sword to Demian¡¯s room, which had been set up in the annex building. She nned to bring him the sword and surprise him with it.


    ¡®He¡¯ll be happy, right?¡¯


    Lara hoped so.


    She could not imagine him smiling brightly, but she wanted him to at least like it.


    ¡®Is he sleeping?¡¯


    Demian noticed Lara¡¯s visit even before she could knock.


    That was how it had been so far. So, this time again, she stood in front of the door without knocking and waited for him to open it.


    ¡°¡­Demian?¡±


    But there was no response.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 41

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    It was weird.


    Usually, at this time, he would be taking a long nap alone in his room.


    Just in case he was only sleeping too deeply, Lara raised her hand and knocked on the door.


    Knock knock.


    He did not answer. She could not even feel any sign of people inside.


    She knocked louder, but it did not work. It seemed that he went outside. But for all she knew, let alone friends, he did not even have anyone that he knew in Hautean.


    Where did he go?


    When will hee back? If I just wait in the arena, I can eventually meet him, right?


    Lara hid her disappointment and went back to where her friends were waiting.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Unaware that Lara hade to the arena to find him, Demian was at an inn on the outskirts of the capital of Hautean. Hautean was a small country, so it did not take long to get to the outskirts of the capital. Even if he went back after finishing his business, he would be able to arrive at the arena by dawn.


    Creak.


    The old door opened and let out a precarious sound.


    Demian gave a nce at the dangling hinges, then came inside and sat down at the bar.


    ¡°Goodman.¡±


    The innkeeper was sitting on the floor peeling potatoes at a breakneck pace.


    His skill of thinly peeling the skins while slowly turning the potatoes with a small pocket knife was unusual.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    The innkeeper noticed who Demian was without even looking at his face. A mischievous smile spread across his bearded face.


    ¡°You have be so famous nowadays. As far as I¡¯m concerned, your work is not to make a name for yourself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern.¡±


    ¡°If you happen to be a Marquess while doing your work, set up a store for me in the main street so that I can eat and live well.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡±


    The innkeeper knew everything about the situation in the capital.


    He stood up with a grin and roughly rubbed his muddy hands on his pants.


    ¡°Do you know what your ownerdy is called among the outsiders these days?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Lara?¡±


    ¡°Bailey lottery.¡±


    Demian snorted after listening to the innkeeper.


    He knew why she was called like that, but he didn¡¯t even feel it to be worth saying because it was a pathetic reason. Though that was not the case for the innkeeper.


    ¡°Your ownerdy is someone generous enough to go out with a ve. She¡¯s also a conglomerate heiress and whoever bes her husband will get a peerage title for free¡­ Wouldn¡¯t anyone desire that?¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s the reason she¡¯s Bailey lottery?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just a figure of speech.¡±


    Demian no longer smiled.


    When he stood up from his seat as a sign to settle their business quickly because he had no time, the innkeeper came out of the bar and guided him to basement storage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk too long. It tires me as I¡¯m getting older.¡±


    It was ordinary basement storage.


    Demian went inside, moved some potato bags as if he was ustomed to it, and lifted an oldmp in the corner.


    Then, the innkeeper began to chant a long spell.


    There was a faint glow in his palm. It was magical power, mana that was hard to find now. Unlike the ck sorcerers Demian was chasing, he was using pure natural mana.


    The faintly shining mana soaked through the oldmp.


    Then, a light shed from themp. It was like the magical light that was widely used in Hautean or a gasolinemp.


    As the innkeeper chanted a long spell and breathed a heavy sigh, a man¡¯s voice came out of themp.


    ¡ºFinally, I¡¯m hearing from you.¡»


    It was a heavy, manly voice. But the tone and the content were not.


    ¡ºIt¡¯s been a long while, you bastard. Didn¡¯t I ask you to contact me whenever something happened, you bastard?¡»


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡ºSay what? You¡¯re only making contact after catching two ck sorcerers.¡»


    The owner of the voice heard in themp seemed very angry.


    The innkeeper giggled and murmured that he was such a consistent man, as he thought of the man¡¯s smiling and cursing face.


    ¡°Continue your conversation then.¡±


    Then, he closed the storage door and went outside to stand guard.


    Demian waited for the door to closepletely, then he slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°Acerus.¡±


    Acerus Elin Tarragon¡ªthe Crown Prince of Tarragon.


    The very person who gave the surname ¡®Drake¡¯ to Demian, who used to be a ve, and sent him to Hautean as a spy.


    ¡ºIf you¡¯re going to act as you please, don¡¯t just call me by my name, call me Your Royal Highness Crown Prince properly, you bastard.¡»


    ¡°What a hassle.¡±


    ¡ºWhy the hell did I try to befriend a bastard like you?¡»


    ¡°That¡¯s none of my business.¡±


    Demian did not give a damn about Acerus¡¯ whining.


    Realizing that Demian really could not be bothered with their conversation, Acerus let out a heavy sigh beyond themp.


    ¡ºYou¡¯re the savior of my life, Demian.¡»


    ¡°Not again¡­¡±


    ¡ºSo I will let it slide 80 more times from now on, and then I will really get mad at you.¡»


    This time, Demian could not helpughing.


    Where did the specific number 80e from? It urred to him that the Crown Prince really had nothing to do.


    ¡°Acerus.¡±


    ¡ºI¡¯m listening.¡»


    ¡°The ck sorcerers are looking for the saintess in Hautean.¡±


    ¡ºSaintess?¡»


    ¡°The temple did not say anything about that. The demon yakked that a saintess had appeared in Hautean. Demons have always acted recklessly when ites to a saintess. So the ck sorcerers are keeping an eye on Hautean.¡±


    ¡ºCrazy¡­¡»


    The reason why Demian was the first one to enter Valentine and his master¡¯s hideout was to avoid the content being leaked to Isadora¡¯s mercenaries.


    Valentine¡¯s master also said the same thing before she died.


    Demian thought that rather than just waiting for the third ck sorcerer to appear, it would be better to contact Acerus first.


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    He asked.


    Acerus did not respond for some time as he was lost in thought. Then, as the lights of themp slowly faded, he told Demian.


    ¡ºI will take a look at the movements of the temple here, Demian.¡»


    ¡°Keep going.¡±


    ¡ºIf it¡¯s possible, find the saintess before the ck sorcerers.¡»


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡ºThe war against the demons is not far away. We need to secure anything that we can use.¡»


    It was annoying and bothersome, but Acerus was right.


    Demian could not help but nod.


    ¡ºCan you not just nod your head just because it¡¯s annoying, you bastard? Give your answer directly. It¡¯s frustrating because I can¡¯t see your face.¡»


    ¡°Conversation over.¡±


    Demian blew the light on themp out.


    The faint flickering light disappeared with a click sound.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Whew¡­¡±


    Let¡¯s think of this as pulling out a thorn.


    Lara was holding a short needle in one hand.


    From there, she slightly bent the thumb of the other hand and pierced the flesh between the fingernails and bone with the needle.


    Blood quickly formed.


    Lara, who was looking at the blood oozing little by little, flinched her eyebrows at one point.


    After a while, the pain¡ªwhich was weak, but painful enough to be bothered about¡ªdisappeared without any trace.


    When she wiped the blood with a handkerchief, the mark that was pierced with the needle was already gone.


    What is going on?


    The most probable answer was that she was already dead, so she would not die anymore.


    Then, am I going to die on the same day ten yearster?


    She was not like that after she came back to the past.


    This was also not the first time she got hit by her father. The marks when she got hitst time remained for several days.


    But what has changed?


    Is it because I changed the past and cut ties with father? Because I cut my wrist and let the blood spill?


    Or because I prayed to the existence that was probably either God or demon? Can that even be called a prayer?


    ¡°This is so frustrating.¡±


    She was grateful because her wish was fulfilled. But she hoped someone could tell her about what kind of mysterious phenomenon she was going through.


    It waste at night.


    It will be dawn soon.


    As she kept thinking and struggling, she thought her head had gotten hot. So Lara opened the window wide.


    ¡°Mdy, why are you still up?¡±


    When the light did not go out in Lara¡¯s room, Konny came in and asked what was going on with concern.


    Lara hid the bloodstained handkerchief along with her needle and smiled casually.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t sleep. Maybe because it¡¯s hot.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to get cold soon. These days, cool wind blows even at dawn. Whew, even Valentine could not sleep and just wandered around, so I forced him to go in.¡±


    ¡°Valentine?¡±


    ¡°He said he had been sleeping during the day and awake at night for a long time. Meanwhile, everyone in this house is so diligent that they wake up early in the morning and go to bed early in the evening. I guess it¡¯s not easy for him to adjust to a new schedule.¡±


    ¡°Is he still avoiding people?¡±


    ¡°Yes. he even stutters when he is flustered. I don¡¯t think he will get better soon.¡±


    Valentine lived as the disciple of a wicked ck sorcerer for so long that he did not get along with people. It was hard to approach him in a friendly manner because he kept avoiding eye contact, stuttering, cowering, and avoiding people.


    But Konny was an exception.


    Valentine quickly ssified Konny, who was like a squirrel, as harmless.


    It was instinctive. One day, he started treating Konny like his mother bird and followed her around. Sebastian also murmured that he would have Konny bring the employment contract to Valentine to be signed when it waspleted.


    ¡°As expected, my Konny is amazing.¡±


    ¡°Not really. I didn¡¯t really do much, but Madam Isadora raised my sry too much. I feel guilty¡­ So I¡¯m wondering if I should at least clean the windows starting tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Just hang out with Valentine.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not work.¡±


    ¡°Then, should I cut your sry?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Konnyughed and ran away while leaving a smart remark that it was money from Madam Isadora anyway so Lara had no right to do that.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 42

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The cool wind blew as it heralded the beginning of dawn.


    It looked like it¡¯s going to rain again soon. Lara breathed in the damp early morning air while leaning against a window. Even though the wound on her body recovered quickly, it did not mean she would not get hurt at all. When she jumped out of the burning window, Lara thought that she would break at least a leg.


    But, Demian appeared right at that time, his flustered voice was clear in her ears.


    It was a thunder-like shout. It must have been unbearably painful to fall with Lara in his arms, but he did not even groan. Even at that moment, Demian was worried about Lara, not himself.


    The man who fought for her in both her first and second life


    Her heart kept beating anxiously. When she thought of Demian, she felt deep guilt and an unavoidable thrill altogether. When he asked her why she hated him so much, why couldn¡¯t she say that she did not hate him?


    It was not even difficult, all she had to say was one word.


    ¡°Because I meant it¡­¡±


    She was a good liar, but, like a fool, she couldn¡¯t say anything when she wanted to tell the truth.


    She did not hate Demian.


    She meant it. Not only did she not hate him, but she also admired him.


    She liked him.


    The tale of his heroism had always been an object of envy to her. Whenever Demian took victory on the battlefield, her heart was full and she did not know what to do. She even waited when he woulde back. How nice it would be if she had told him all about her feelings honestly.


    She would rather Demian take advantage of herself and throw her away.


    She did not know what he was trying to achieve, but since Lara had decided to be his sponsor, she would rather Demian took advantage of her and left her coldly.


    At least then, they would have broke even, even if it was just a little bit.


    In the distance, she could see the annex building in darkness. As Konny said, Valentine seemed to be having a sleepless night. Only his window glowed with lights.


    But the lights soon faded too.


    Valentine seemed to have finally decided to lie in bed.


    I should go to bed too.


    The air in the hot and humid room was now quite cool. Lara moved to close the window.


    But another light could be seen on the first floor of the annex building.


    Valentine was on the third floor, so it must be someone else. And the lit-up room was the room that Lara had prepared for Demian.


    ¡°Demian?¡±


    Lara left the window she was about to close, wore a gown on her pajamas, and went outside. Passing the long corridor that connected the main building to the annex, there was a wide-open door, emitting dim light.


    Lara walked in front of the room.


    ¡°Lara?¡±


    It was Demian.


    He dropped his heavy luggage in the middle of the room, holding amp in one hand.


    He was still dressed in his outdoor outfit as he just arrived.


    ¡°W-where have you been? I went to the arena early, but you weren¡¯t there. So¡­¡±


    Suddenly she felt a heavy sense of shame.


    She didn¡¯t say anything different, but her face turned red.


    It was because of the thought she had while waiting for him.


    ¡°The Princess bestowed the sword of the royal family. I wanted to give that to you.¡±


    Demian stood in the middle of the dim room and gazed at Lara, who was still standing at the door.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He asked.


    She was speechless again. The room was cool thanks to the early morning air a little while ago, but now sweat came out of her forehead.


    ¡°Why did you save me?¡±


    Lara, who barely managed to find something to say, asked carefully. It was a random question, but she was curious.


    Demian replied as usual.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m your escort guard.¡±


    ¡°Then, what about the first time we met? Why did you kiss me? Why did you choose me to be your Master Lady?¡±


    ¡°You want to know about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I want to know. You promised me you would tell me about it when you could exin it.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Demian put themp he was holding on the table.


    The curtains, furniture, and decorations that Lara worked hard to pick for him were revealed little by little every time the lights moved.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    He reached out his hand.


    Lara hesitated.


    She had a feeling that if she went inside, somehow, it could not be undone anymore.


    If she took a step forward, a lot would be changed. She used to be so terribly entangled with this man in her past life that she thought they were an ill-fated rtionship, but now she was approaching him herself.


    What will happen to us in the future?


    Her heart, which had been pounding to the point of pain, throbbed. It was the pain that bothered Lara every time she kissed him. She was fluttered and scared.


    But all that hesitation vanished into thin air as soon as she caught Demian¡¯s eyes that were looking at her.


    Blue with darkness.


    Lara was sucked into it.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara, who was standing in the dark hallway, slowly stepped into the room.


    Demian¡¯s gaze moved along her silhouette, which became clear due to the dimmp.


    She was nervous enough that her skin felt like it was pricked. She felt like all the hairs on her body stood on end. A cold breeze came through the open door, riding through her forearms, making her get the chills.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    Demian reached out to her.


    Lara took his hand and sat on the edge of the bed as he led her.


    ¡°You promised me before.¡±


    Demian let Lara sit on the bed and slightly stepped back. Then, he started talking while leaning against the window.


    ¡°If I dispose of that ck sorcerer for you, you will answer my question honestly.¡±


    Lara remembered.


    On the day he attacked Valentine¡¯s master, he gave a condition for Lara to absolutely answer one question. She did not know what he was going to ask that made her this nervous, but she promised the same thing this time.


    ¡°I will answer your question honestly.¡±


    Even though it waste, Lara wanted to say thank you for saving her, but she did not think it was the right time to bring it up.


    Demian looked down at Lara, who was being nervous, with a facial expression that was hard to read. He stared at her scarlet eyes for so long that he seemed persistent.


    Then, he asked Lara all of a sudden.


    ¡°How did you know about me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°You recognized me from the beginning. I don¡¯t have any memories of someone like you, but you were the only one who knew me.¡±


    Lara could not answer his question.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t mistaken. I have be more certain by spending time with you. Originally, I was going to stick around for six months and then ask you about it before leaving, but now, you have promised me to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Answer me, Lara.¡±


    What should I answer?


    Her mind went nk.


    How did he know?


    Was my behavior that suspicious? I should have approached him more carefully.


    All kinds of thoughts ran through her mind back to back.


    The question Demian asked Lara was his suspicion about her.


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    He said again.


    ¡°The ck sorcerer who tried to assassinate the princess, Valentine¡¯s master¡­ And even the incident regarding Marquess of Bailey. At first, I thought you had the power to foresee, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.¡±


    Lara barely managed to nod.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°You have promised me.¡±


    He was right.


    She clearly made the promise¡ªto be honest, and not to answer with silence.


    After rubbing her stiff eyes with one hand, Lara barely opened her mouth.


    ¡°Is that¡­your question?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°How did I know you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°If I tell you the truth, are you going to believe everything?¡±


    This time, he nodded without saying anything.


    Demian meant it.


    No matter how shocking or weird whatever Lara said, he might be determined to believe everything.


    But how can I exin that I have turned back time from 10 years in the future?


    Moreover, I have made you suffer, alienated you, and made you live a miserable life.


    ¡®Can you forgive me?¡¯


    That was what Lara actually wanted to ask.


    She wanted to tell him everything she had done. She was desperate for his forgiveness. Because she still hadn¡¯t forgiven herself.


    But she thought that was not right. It was shameless of her to ask for forgiveness even before confessing to her mistakes.


    She was determined again.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    After a breathtaking silence, Lara opened her mouth.


    ¡°Your name is Demian Rhode Drake.¡±


    Demian did not answer her.


    He tried not to interrupt her so she could speakfortably. He might look blunt and impudent, but he was a good man.


    ¡°And this is my second life.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 43

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara thought that Demian would despise her after she had told him the truth, that small consideration broke her heart.


    ¡°In my past life, I framed and exploited you for a very long time. And as if that was not enough, I forced you to the battlefield to kill a lot of people.¡±


    There were many more, but she would have to stay up all night to confess all of them.


    Lara¡¯s eyes were filled with tears.


    Lara paused, trying not to cry and to manage her emotion. Then, she firmly continued again.


    ¡°All because I was Prince Sidhar¡¯s puppet. I did what he told me to do because I was crazy about him.¡±


    Demian¡¯s blue pupils dted, his eyes grew more and more intense.


    Lara thought that his eyes seemed to pour into her.


    ¡°Then, in the end, I drank poison andmitted suicide. I don¡¯t know why¡­ but I came back to life again not long ago.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    I¡¯m sorry I keep telling you a story that even a dimwit would not believe.


    I¡¯m sorry that I used you like that.


    I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t make atonement properly even aftering back.


    Lara didn¡¯t even know what she was muttering about. She just thought that she should beg him for forgiveness for her mistake.


    ¡°I never hated you. I didn¡¯t hate you. I¡¯m really sorry that I didn¡¯t answer your question until the end.¡±


    I shouldn¡¯t cry.


    Lara bit her lips to the point of it bleeding. She did not deserve to cry.


    ¡°That was always on my mind¡­¡±


    But then, Demian let out a small sigh.


    He just sighed, but Lara, who was paying all her attention to him, shuddered as if she had been hit by an arrow.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡±


    His voice was low. It was neither scary nor sharp. There was no sign of reproach or anger towards her.


    In a softer voice than usual, Demian said to Lara.


    ¡°Was that your dream?¡±


    ¡°¡­Demian.¡±


    He never believed what Lara said. That¡¯s why he reacted like this.


    ¡°I was a wicked woman. I used you of being a spy from the empire. I even condemned you, saying that you were more evil than a demon. I also framed you to be a human shield on the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°You have be unfortunate because of me.¡±


    The tears that she kept enduring had finally fallen. After confessing everything in front of him, she felt even more ashamed of her past.


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of me¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop it.¡±


    A big hand covered her face.


    Lara realized that it was Demian¡¯s palm only after her vision had beenpletely obscured. He came closer to her and wiped her tears with a clumsy gesture.


    ¡°Is it because your eyes are big? There are so many tearsing out.¡±


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Haa. What should I say about this?¡±


    Demian was smiling. It was a cynical smile.


    ¡°It is difficult to believe.¡±


    ¡°I know, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I will believe you. Because I have promised you to do so.¡±


    Lara blinked her wet eyes.


    He will believe me?


    Even though Demian had said so, Lara could not believe it. So, she asked him.


    ¡°You believe what I say?¡±


    ¡°Is there any other way?¡±


    ¡°You can me me, get angry, and leave me.¡±


    ¡°You want me to do that?¡±


    She wanted that at first. She would rather he get angry and me herself. On the other hand, the closer she got to him, the more she wished he wouldn¡¯t leave her.


    ¡°If it¡¯s such a painful story, don¡¯t tell me. Even if I promised to believe you, it¡¯s hard to understand and ept everything. It sounds to me like you¡¯re saying you had a terrible nightmare.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not foresight, but a precognitive dream? ¡­But then again, I have seen people who died and came back to life on the battlefield. Such miracles can happen, or maybe it was something like a curse.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really wanted to apologize to you, that¡¯s why I tried to be your sponsor.¡±


    ¡°Stop it. Haa¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have asked that question. I can¡¯t believe our rtionship was all from your guilt.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    While Lara became speechless and hesitated to find something to say, Demian said the same thing again.


    ¡°Do you feel sorry when you see me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you need to make atonement? You want to give me a good weapon and make me a hero?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I want to do that. I was going to grant you whatever you wanted.¡±


    ¡°After you get rid of all your guilt like that, what will happen after that?¡±


    ¡°I will ask you to leave¡­ Because you¡¯re going to be a king. I just want you to have only good memories of me.¡±


    ¡°Haa.¡±


    Demian gave a twisted smile. He murmured that the more he listened to it, the more dumbfounded he became.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in the weapons the King gave, and I hate the bothersome role of a hero. Now, what are you going to do?¡±


    Lara barely gave her answer.


    ¡°Please use me to achieve your goal. I don¡¯t mind whatever you do. I will never betray you this time.¡±


    I have used youst time, so use me this time.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Demian shut his mouth tightly.


    There was a stifling silence between the two. No one opened their mouths.


    Lara was looking at Demian, but he was not doing the same. His eyes, which followed Lara persistently, had now left her and was now looking through the darkness outside the window.


    ¡°You asked me why I became your mighty warrior, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Lara, I¡­¡±


    Themp swayed. The lights were of a warm color, but Demian¡¯s face reflected in Lara¡¯s eyes resembled that of the bitter cold.


    ¡°Am looking for the saintess.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After a sleepless night, Lara visited the Temple of Glory before even the sun had risen.


    ¡°Mdy, didn¡¯t you say that you won¡¯t go to ces like temples anymore? I¡¯m so sleepy¡­ Do we have toe at this time?¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. I have to do this if I don¡¯t want to hear how I¡¯ve be nice again.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Konny nodded as a sign that she understood. She even mumbled that it was much easier to live as a viin than as a model student.


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°The records about the saintess.¡±


    Before God had left thisnd, saintesses sometimes appeared to perform miracles or to represent God¡¯s voice.


    Lara rushed to read the records of the saintess in the Temple of Glory.


    Demian said that he was looking for saintess.


    It was a story told by the ck sorcerers. To them, revtions from a demon was akin to a revtion from God.


    A real saintess, huh?


    And of all people, Demian was looking for a saintess.


    It felt like a nail had been nailed to her chest.


    Lara kept on dwelling over what Demian said at dawn. Everytime she did that, her face became more stiff and her eyes were filled with tears, but she could not help but to think about it.


    ¡°I was just looking for a woman who was easy to use. Because I had to get involved Hautean¡¯s high society. I thought that, as a young and charming ve, it would be easy to approach the society.¡±


    That¡¯s why he chose me.


    Contrary to her heart, her mind quickly understood it. He had previously be the mighty warrior for a young noblewoman and stayed in the arena for a while.


    ¡°I even got to deal with the ck sorcerers because I was with you. Moreover, it¡¯s easy to get information, and no one is even suspicious of me.¡±


    Even though I didn¡¯t intend for it, I did help him. That¡¯s a relief.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to find the saintess and take her to the Empire. That¡¯s my promise with Acerus.¡±


    I could not believe that he was really a spy from the Empire.


    It was so confusing.


    The things she had so far believed to be true were swaying from the bottom up.


    In the past life, it was Prince Sidhar who told Lara that Demian was a spy from the Empire and had her use him.


    So the Prince wasn¡¯t lying. Rather, he was telling the truth back then?


    Demian was convinced that Lara would hide his identity. Of course, she intended to do so. The thought of making atonement for her wrongdoings remained the same.


    But a saintess, huh?


    Lara recalled meticulously what she said to him at dawn.


    She confessed almost everything, but she did not mention at all that she was a fake saintess. Nor did she mention that she had a near miraculous healing power.


    I¡¯m not a saintess.


    That was impossible. If God really existed, he would not have chosen Lara, who had deceived people and spread misfortune by posing as a fake saintess.


    In her past life, no real saintess had appeared.


    She did not even remember hearing how the ck sorcerers had received such revtions from the demon.


    It was changing.


    The world she knew was now turning into one she did not know.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 44

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Mdy, wait here.¡±


    Konny approached the priest on duty on Lara¡¯s behalf and asked where the records of the saintesses were.


    ¡°Lithographic stone no. 6 through no. 22 are all records of the saintesses.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, priest.¡±


    Konny returned and told Lara the location of the lithographic stones.


    The Temple of Glory in Hautean had a vast site that wasparable to that of the royal pce. Only after a long walk could the two of them stand before the lithographic stone no. 6.


    The huge lithographic stone was full of inscriptions.


    ¡°Whew, I¡¯m going to lose my eyes while reading this.¡±


    Konny, who followed Lara reading the records, grumbled with her lips pouting.


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Be on the lookout for someone. I will read the records.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mdy!¡±


    The sun wasing up in the distance. It was so early in the morning that there was no indication of a person being around.


    Lara read and read the contents of the lithograph until sunrise. The same went for the next day and the day after that.


    She didn¡¯t even think about reading the records back when she posed as a fake saintess.


    The corrupt temple that wanted power turned blind eyes to a fake saintess. And after they imed her to be true, no one ever doubted her identity.


    ¡°The key to call God.¡±


    Lara murmured in the carriage the day she returned from reading the contents of the final records.


    A saintess was a messenger representing the voice of God, additionally, she was also a medium for calling God to the earth for humans.


    And so, saintesses were always hunted by the demons.


    It was an old relic so there was no way to know if it was urate information. The contents were more like legends or tales, rather than records. Even though it was recorded in the temple, it seemed that even the priests did not believe it as it was.


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s not me.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Not what?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Lara became more certain after reading the records.


    How could she represent the voice of God when she had never even met him. Lara was not a saintess. There was no way she was one.


    If the existence who chose her was an absolute ruler of the world, he would be a demon, not God.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After their conversation at dawn, which remained as burdens to both sides, Lara did not visit Demian for a while. After she stopped going to him, the two rarely met despite living in the same house.


    Throughout both of her lives, it was the first time where she could not understand someone to this extent. To Lara, sometimes Demian felt so strange that he did not feel like the Demian Rhode Drake that she used to know.


    While deliberately keeping a distance to organize her thoughts, a party invitation reached Lara.


    It was from Eunice.


    ¡°Goodbye summer party?¡±


    Lara was about to write a reply saying that she would attend the party without even reading the invitation.


    But Konny, who opened the invitation card instead of Lara, tilted her head and said.


    ¡°But it¡¯s a partner party.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Lara took the invitation card from Konny¡¯s hand and began to read it properly. The card was filled with Eunice¡¯s cute, round handwriting.


    But not the content.


    [Dear daughter of Isadora, Lara


    This summer was so long.


    A season had already passed since we cleared up the misunderstandings about each other, and have thus developed a deep rtionship with each other.


    A summer such as this will nevere again.


    Though we will continue to make new memories in the future, my tender heart does not want to send off our first summer away. And so I would like to hold a small goodbye party. I look forward to your attendance.]


    The content was fine so far.


    Lara, who finished reading the P.S. part at the back, made a groaning sound as she folded the invitation card.


    ¡°She¡¯s driving me nuts¡­ Should I decline?¡±


    ¡°Why? Is it a must to go with a man?¡±


    ¡°She said if I¡¯m going toe alone, just don¡¯te.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go then.¡±


    ¡°Then she said that if I don¡¯te, it¡¯s the end of our friendship.¡±


    ¡°What does she want you to do then?¡±


    Tell me about it.


    It seemed that Eunice and Ximena wanted to meet Demian, but he was so busy these days; he went out at dawn and only came in the middle of the night.


    ¡°Mdy, do you have no man that you know?¡±


    ¡°Demian, Valentine, Sebastian.¡±


    ¡°Mdy¡­ You¡¯re really no fun.¡±


    I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the right person to say that to me.


    When Lara looked at Konny with a dumbfounded face, the bold maid pouted out her lips with a face asking Lara why she looked at her like that.


    Konny was not exactly wrong either.


    Lara did not have any men close enough to ask to go to the party with.


    ¡°Valentine still can¡¯t talk properly with me, Sebastian is busy, and Demian¡­¡±


    ¡°You had a fight with him.¡±


    ¡°No, we didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Anyone can tell that that¡¯s the case.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, nope.¡±


    ¡°Okay then.¡±


    What should I do?


    She could just attend alone because it was a party held by her friend, but she did not want to.


    Lara did not want to lose her hard-earned notoriety.


    At first, she started it to stay away from her father and the Prince¡¯s interest. But now, she had to remain a viiness for her own safety.


    Because the ck sorcerers were scouring Hautean in search of the saintess candidates.


    She should not look nice.


    She should not look innocent either.


    Sacrificing herself for others was also a no-no.


    She had to be a selfish and stubborn troublemaker who fooled around with any man indiscriminately.


    Lara knew well that miracle that happened to her could look like God¡¯s will in someone¡¯s eyes. This absurd healing power should especially be kept secret.


    At least in Hautean, it was better to be a woman who was different from a saintess.


    ¡°I still have a few days left. I can just get anyone in the meantime.¡±


    Lara wrote a reply to Eunice saying she would attend the party.


    But contrary to her expectations, finding a partner was harder than she thought.


    She could not just take someone she did not know. When she went to one of the men that she knew, he sneaked away as soon as he saw her.


    ¡°Valentine!¡±


    ¡°W-w-why?¡±


    ¡°I heard you already got your contract from Sebastian. Did you sign it?¡±


    ¡°I, I just got it. I will read it carefully tonight. He told me to read it at least three times.¡±


    ¡°Do you¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t go somewhere like a party!¡±


    Valentine ran away before Lara could say anything.


    It was obvious that Konny had already tipped him off.


    Am I that scary?


    Lara looked at herself reflected on the ss with a sour face.


    ording to Konny¡¯s expression, Valentine was a mouse. On the other hand, Lara and Isadora were predators of the cat family. He said he was very grateful to Lara for saving his life, but repaying her kindness was one thing, and being close to her was another.


    When she first heard it, she justughed it off, thinking it was ridiculous, but when she saw Valentine running away quickly, she wondered if it could really be a different matter.


    It can¡¯t be helped.


    Having given up on Valentine, Lara went to Isadora¡¯s hotel and knocked on the door to Sebastian¡¯s office.


    ¡°Sebastian, I have a favor to ask of you.¡±


    He was willing to do most of Lara¡¯s favors.


    But as soon as she saw hundreds of documents on Sebastian¡¯s desk, Lara just held her tongue.


    ¡°Mdy? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. It seems that I¡¯m interrupting you.¡±


    ¡°No. I mean, not really¡­ But you came at the right time. Would you please sit here and help me with this?¡±


    He sat Lara down and let her check the figures on the hotel¡¯s sales books and reports to see if they were correct.


    It was not difficult but it took a long time.


    Lara sat without moving and focused on the documents that Sebastian had handed out.


    In the middle of it all, Isadora came to Sebastian¡¯s office and saw Lara working hard. With a pleased look, she gave her pocket money before going out.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 45

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    A few dayster, Eunice¡¯s banquet was just around the corner.


    Lara, who was choosing a dress with Konny, muttered to herself, saying that had she known this would happen, she would have just turned her down.


    ¡°Should I buy a man?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Buy who?¡±


    ¡°I mean, why not? Don¡¯t men usually hire red-light district women when they need to go to partner parties?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re nning to bring a prostitute? But Princess So is at the party!¡±


    Oh, yeah.


    Lara looked troubled as she had forgotten about the fact that Princess So would be attending Eunice¡¯s party.


    Princess So epted the private invitation¡ªwhich she would not normally ept¡ªbecause Eunice was Lara¡¯s close friend.


    Even Eunice, who sent the invitation card simply out of obligation, looked disappointed. All her ns to fill the hall with strong liquor, sexy music, and erotic lighting went up in smoke.


    Eunice booked sweet drinks and cute cakes for the 14-year-old princess with a gloomy face.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ¡°I will just dress up as a man.¡±


    ¡°No way. You¡¯re smaller than me.¡±


    ¡°So you hate small men?¡±


    ¡°Talk to me again once you¡¯re a man.¡±


    Kony pouted at Lara¡¯s stern refusal.


    Lara¡¯sst choice was to go alone without a partner.


    And to make up for her partner¡¯s absence, she decided to wear a more gorgeous and vibrant dress than anyone else so that the empty space next to her would not look lonely.


    She would wear a dark purple sleeveless dress and a see-through ck gown, with a tiara decorated with dozens of crystals on her head.


    As if that was not enough, she also had arge fan made of decorative feathers in her hand.


    She drew the outer corners of her eyes intensely and filled her lips thickly.


    ¡°How do I look?¡±


    ¡°You look so scary that no one will ever talk to you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    Lara finally decided to wear that dress. When she was about to take it off, Konny asked her.


    ¡°Then, who will be the Princess¡¯ partner?¡±


    ¡°Usually, either her father, or brother, or rtives¡­or maybe her knight?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think His Majesty would attend the party. The prince is known to be a model student so it¡¯s probably not him. Does she have any proper rtives? Is she going to attend with her knight? They would look cute like an uncle and his little niece, but¡­¡±


    Ah, I see.


    Lara raised her head.


    The Princess also still doesn¡¯t have a partner.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think a 14-year-old would want to attend a party with her knight, right?¡±


    Of course. She was now old enough to know what she needed to know. Not only knights, but she would also hate it to attend the party with her father or brother.


    However, she is known for her reputation for being an angel, and as a princess, she can¡¯t just take any man with her. So she can¡¯t help but attend with a stern knight.


    I don¡¯t think that¡¯s right.


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Is there any men¡¯s tailcoat in this house that I could wear?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Konny blinked her eyes quickly.


    The smart maid, who perfectly read Lara¡¯s intentions without having Lara say anything, screamed as she ran out the door.


    ¡°I will go look for it!¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    So Hautean had been in a bad mood since morning.


    She asked her brother, Prince Sidhar, to attend the party together, but she was rejected very coldly. People thought that Sidhar Hautean was a caring and loving Prince, but So noticed to some extent that he was actually a cold and twisted man.


    So just wanted to go to the party of the young noblewoman that she longed for.


    Since it was a partner party, she was just hoping that if she took her brother¡ªthe man most liked by the young noblewomen in Hautean¡ªthey would be nice to her.


    Sidhar looked scornfully at So.


    He seemed to think that she was an immature, thoughtless little girl.


    ¡®Should I just not go?¡¯


    Would it be rude if I have already said I would attend but I then not actually go?


    ¡®Should I go alone?¡¯


    Is there anyone else going alone?


    What if they think it¡¯s weird that a high-ranking Princess came alone without a partner?


    There were many noblemen who would take her hand, but So was a Princess. If she chose someone, politics would intervene in that ce. Even though she was a young Princess, she was aware of that.


    But she did not want to go with the knights who were as old as her father. That would be too embarrassing.


    So wanted to cry. The Princess was fourteen years old and she had never been to that kind of party.


    The party where young noblewomen drank and danced confidently. Regardless of their status or political stance, a ce where anyone can hang out together if they were on the same wavelength.


    All So ever did in the royal pce was studying.


    In addition, the party was hosted by Lara¡¯s best friend, Eunice Dvonn. So when she got the invitation card, she replied that she would attend without even hesitating.


    So wanted to meet Lara.


    She could not forget her warm embrace.


    So grew up in the hands of a nanny instead of the weak Queen. After growing up, she never remembered being embraced by anyone in that way.


    At the moment her life was in danger, So¡¯s clearest memory was not the terrifying assassin attack, but Lara¡¯s face, her voice, and the way she embraced her with her whole body.


    With a calm face, Lara asked if she was okay. And when So insisted on holding her hand, she did not turn her down and just let her be.


    Lara said that she just happened to be there and rescued the Princes, but So did not think so.


    ¡°Your Highness, I will tie the ribbon.¡±


    After tying the navy ribbon around the bell-shaped pink dress, So with her cute, fluffy hair stood in front of the mirror.


    ¡°You look cute.¡±


    Thedies-in-waiting were pleased.


    So did not stop from looking at the mirror.


    Usually, she would just show indifference no matter how pretty the dress she wore, but today she looked at herself so much to the point where the mirror wore out.


    ¡°Do I look good?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Your Highness, you are very lovely.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t I look like a kid? Don¡¯t you think this looks tacky?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? What do you¡­ It¡¯s definitely not like that.¡±


    The quick-witteddies-in-waiting exchanged nces secretly.


    Then they smiled sweetly and said to So.


    ¡°You look like a youngdy. No one would think that you¡¯re 14 years old.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    So knew that herdies-in-waiting were lying for her. But she still nodded with a more relieved look.


    ¡®I will go alone and take my leave quickly.¡¯


    If Lara is there, I should talk to her. I¡¯m going to gather up my courage and ask her to visit my pce.


    When So was making such a pledge, the knight¡¯s stern voice could be heard from outside the door.


    ¡°Your Highness, Laviore Ria Bailey is requesting to have an audience with you. She asked if you already have another¡­¡±


    Who again? Who¡¯s here?


    Without confirming again, So talked with a loud voice.


    ¡°Tell her toe in!¡±


    Thedies-in-waiting, who had been smoothing out the ribbon wrinkles, looked up in surprise at the Princess¡¯ voice.


    Perhaps ashamed of her loud voice, So cleared her throat and cast her eyes down haughtily.


    Then, she said to the knight who opened the door.


    ¡°She¡¯s not a Bailey anymore. So next time call her Lara, the daughter of Isadora.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡±


    ¡°How are you, Princess?¡±


    It was Lara¡¯s voice.


    So wanted to greet Lara with a gracious manner befitting that of a Princess.


    She was going to ask Lara why she came to her pce. She also wanted to say to her that she was not interested in the party, but as she was bored, she wanted to try to go there.


    But the moment she saw Lara in front of her, her jaws dropped unconsciously.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Lara was standing at the entrance, wearing a ck tailcoat with a thin tie and red fedora.


    Her long hair was tied naturally in a ponytail, and her eyes were emphasized with heavy makeup. It was like seeing a demon wearing a tailcoat.


    ¡°¡­Lara?¡±


    While So stood gazing nkly at Lara with her mouth open, thedies-in-waiting who came to themselves first spoke on behalf of the Princess.


    ¡°Lady Lara, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to ask for permission to escort the Princess.¡±


    There was no need to even ask for permission.


    So could not bring herself to convey her feelings. So she kept nodding her head, while clenching her fist with her small hand.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 47

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°What? You son of¡­¡±


    Demian uttered a harsh curse at themp.


    ¡ºYou have eighty times left.¡»


    ¡°Did it hurt their pride when the first thing the demon talked about was the arrival of the saintess? We know exactly where that information came from, and yet they announced it as the revtion of God?¡±


    Demian was furious more than he was dumbfounded.


    Through the ck sorcerer that he had met in Hautean, he confirmed that it was the demon that made it known about the arrival of the saintess, not God. However, the Temple of Glory in the Empire was deceiving people as if God had given them the revtion.


    It had been over 100 years since they stopped hearing God¡¯s voice.


    ¡ºThe temple made an excuse, saying that they wanted to wait until they found the saintess before disclosing that information to avoid confusion¡­¡»


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to be in Tarragon for the time being. I have a strong premonition that something troublesome will happen.¡±


    Though Demian was going to go back as soon as he found the saintess, he did not think that he should do that anymore.


    Hearing Demian¡¯s refusal to go back, Acerus let out a sigh and mumbled.


    ¡ºGood for you.¡»


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡ºYou¡¯re free.¡»


    ¡°Be born as a ve then.¡±


    ¡º¡­¡»


    Acerus kept his mouth shut.


    Themp¡¯s light flickered.


    They knew that they had not much time left to talk, nevertheless Acerus and Demian did not say anything for a moment.


    The first to break the silence was Crown Prince Acerus.


    ¡ºHow¡¯s Hautean?¡»


    ¡°Now that I have got rid of two ck sorcerers, the rest of them are all hiding. I think I will have to approach So Hautean.¡±


    ¡ºSo Hautean? The Princess?¡»


    ¡°Yeah. ording to them, the Princess is a strong candidate for being a saintess. They will for sure show up around her sooner orter.¡±


    ¡ºHow are you going to approach her?¡»


    ¡°Of course through¡­¡±


    Demian suddenly stopped in the middle of his sentence.


    Acerus, who had been waiting for Demian¡¯s next remark with high anticipation, burst into a fit of anger.


    ¡ºWhat? Why? What is it? How are you going to do it? Hey, a bastard who stops in the middle of their sentence is the worst bastard in the world.¡»


    ¡°I will take care of that.¡±


    ¡ºOi, you son of a gun!¡»


    ¡°Conversation over.¡±


    Acerus¡¯ loud grumbling voice disappeared with the sound of a click.


    Demian put out the magic light on themp by blowing it off and returned the warehouse to its original appearance before walking outside.


    ¡°Goodman.¡±


    ¡°Good work.¡±


    The innkeeper raised one hand and waved it roughly, signing that there was no need for any greeting.


    Leaving him behind and out of the inn, there appeared an end-of-summer-sunset. The deep scarlet sunset spread from the end of the world. The dark clouds and red sunset contrasted strongly.


    It was a bewitching sky.


    Like Lara¡¯s eyes.


    Demian climbed up the horse to go back, but he could not give a signal for departure.


    His gaze continued to remain in the burning sunset.


    He had to get her help to approach So Hautean.


    Lara.


    The woman who felt guilty for him and approached him to make atonement for her wrongdoings. Despite him being in front of her, she missed the Demian Drake¡ªthe one that he did not know¡ªin her dream.


    Somehow¡­


    She might be the saintess.


    At first, he thought Lara was crazy. He wondered if someone could be so deeply seized with guilt through a nightmare. But he acknowledged that her dream had some foresight. Because no one knew that Demian was a spy sent by Acerus.


    Demian put aside the possibility that she was the saintess.


    Lara neither served God nor did she have a trace of God. She could neither hear God¡¯s voice nor could she use God¡¯s power.


    ¡°You have be unfortunate because of me. Please use me to achieve your goal. I don¡¯t mind whatever you do. I will never betray you this time.¡±


    He was genuinely upset when she said that.


    He did not know why. He did not even want to know the details.


    Lara did not have to feel guilty towards Demian, he was not the Demian that she knew.


    He did not have any intention to receivepensation for the misfortune that he did not even experience. Demian did not live that way. Although he was born a ve and lived on the battlefield, he was not cowardly enough of a human to be content with exploiting a feeling that did not belong to him.


    ¡°Crazy bastard.¡±


    Demian ridiculed himself.


    ¡°I could not even leave her side.¡±


    He knew Lara was avoiding him.


    Because he said something he did not mean to relieve her guilt.


    And now he could not even leave, he had to get Lara¡¯s help to solve his mission.


    But why did that fact make him this happy?


    This has been expected from the beginning. At the first meeting, where they only had eye contact, he felt pleasure that was close to euphoria. Lara may have thought that she had met the Demian in her dream, but it was the opposite for Demian. He always looked at the world like it was a y. The people were like mere actors who spoke and moved as written in the script.


    He was the sole audience in this wide world.


    Even when he talked with other people or made eye contact, it meant nothing to him. He felt like it was a fantasy that would disappear after the y had ended.


    But there, only Lara saw him as a real person, not as her audience.


    She walked barefoot down the stage and reached out to him who was in the audience¡¯s seat. At that time, he felt like his two floating legs had finally reached the ground. He realized then that the stage was broken. And that the world that he only considered as an object, was all organically connected and alive.


    ¡®Lara.¡¯


    Demian the ve was not acknowledged by anyone until he managed to kill hundreds of people on the battlefield. He just fought without knowing who was his enemy, who was his ally, which one was justice, and which one was injustice.


    He survived by eating rotten meat and searching the pockets of the dead.


    After bing good at fighting, he was called to a more dangerous and violent battlefield by those who wanted to take advantage of him. They believed that the mere fact that Demian was a ve meant that he would risk his life for them if they gave him enough meat and alcohol. He became a man who did not want anything and did not dream of anything because the world was a terribly strange ce for him.


    The only person in Demian¡¯s life who treated him equally was Crown Prince Acerus.


    But he was the son of the Emperor.


    The heir to the great Tarragon Empire which covered half of the continent.


    Those loyal to Acerus always frowned and clicked their tongues whenever Demian was around him. They were antsy to get rid of him from the Crown Prince¡¯s side.


    Acerus was the first one who could not stand that situation anymore. He sent Demian to Hautean, a small country on the frontier, leaving him with a difficult mission toplete.


    And he said this to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you leave here and do note back for good. I want you to meet a girl and fall in love. I will erase all the records of you in the Empire. And then, I willpletely forget that I had a warrior named Demian by my side.¡±


    Demian onlyughed at him for that nonsense.


    He said that it would never happen and that he was born to fight so he would die fighting.


    Acerus was angry at Demian.


    ¡°Please get attached to life. Why do you think you have survived all those battles?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m strong.¡±


    ¡°Because there¡¯s still fate that you haven¡¯t met with yet, you foolish bastard!¡±


    Who is he to call me a fool?


    Despite saying that to Demian, Acerus was also fighting to the death without getting married yet.


    Demian thought out of the blue that he had to go to Lara.


    Looking at the sunset, he wanted to meet Lara right now.


    He would have to say it while looking at her eyes that resembled the sunset.


    Don¡¯t be sorry to me because I¡¯m not the Demian in your dreams. Don¡¯t think of other men through me.


    Otherwise, I would feel like killing that bastard.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Konny informed Demian that Lara went to Eunice¡¯s party.


    She also said that Lara was put on the spot because she did not have a partner to go to the party after fighting with Demian. They did not fight and it did not seem like Lara was really put on the spot because of that, but Demian did not make excuses and just asked about the venue of the party.


    With a bright face, Konny told him the location of Eunice¡¯s vacation home.


    Demian rode his horse there.


    He heard Konny¡¯s shout telling him to at least change his clothes, but he just ignored her.


    It was gettingte at night.


    It looked like it was going to rain ever since a few days ago so the sky looked unusual. The dark clouds repeatedly swallowed and spat the moon out.


    Was the rain going to be a simple shower? No.


    This was a sign of a typhoon.


    As if provoking him, the unpredictable wind disheveled Demian¡¯s hair, rising high in the sky.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 48

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    It was a perfect party.


    Lara¡¯s friends looked happy and Princess So was excited.


    With delicious food and cheerful music, it was also quite fun to pretend to be a man in a tailcoat instead of wearing an ufortable dress. The young noblewomen who were flustered by Lara¡¯s male attire at first approached her one by one and imed her hand in dancing. Lara danced with a girl in a yellow chiffon dress and also a girl in a blue satin dress.


    Instead of getting drunk with alcohol, Eunice and Ximena were getting drunk with So¡¯s loveliness.


    Lara thought it was a perfect party.


    Until Sidhar Hautean came.


    The voice of the attendant announcing the arrival of the Prince and murmur of astonishment flooded the party hall.


    ¡°Prince¡­?¡±


    Eunice looked at Lara and So with a sour face and soon moved toward the entrance.


    It was to greet the guest as the host.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to react when I know that Your Highness is visiting this shabby ce.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Young Lady Dvonn.¡±


    ¡°If you coulde inside and shine this¡­¡±


    ¡°Haha. I made you ufortable, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m just here to pick up my dear So because I¡¯m worried about her. A 14-year-old needs to sleep early to grow tall.¡±


    He was like a model of a friendly and gentle brother.


    The women who flocked toward the entrance to see the Prince poured out a sigh of admiration.


    How can the Prince be so sweet?


    Princess So must be very happy. How good would it be if I have a brother like him?


    Their whispers only sounded like mosquitoes¡¯ wings to Lara.


    ¡°I have to go.¡±


    It was Princess So¡¯s sullen voice that brought Lara to her senses.


    ¡°Princess?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s difficult to deal with. He didn¡¯t even listen to my request to be my partner, yet here he is¡­¡±


    Lara raised up one eyebrow.


    When So was very anxious because she still could not get a partner, he did not even listen to her. Yet he still came because he needed to pass himself off as an older brother who was worried about his younger sister to the nobles in the party hall.


    That was characteristic of him.


    If Lara were to choose things in her past that did not change in her second life, it would be her father and the Prince. He was exactly like what Lara knew. He hasn¡¯t changed a bit.


    Why did she feel relieved?


    She thought she would cry and beat her breaking heart when she saw Prince Sidhar, but she did not. She felt better when she realized that he was the same human that the past Lara had known. And because she knew she could deal with him even when she was alone.


    Blood circted at her fingertips at high pressure, hardening with the tension. So looked up at her with a puzzled face.


    ¡°Princess, how was today?¡±


    Lara asked.


    So replied with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°I had so much fun. Lara¡­ Thanks for being my escort.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    Lara held So¡¯s hand and moved toward the entrance of the party hall where the Prince was waiting.


    Prince Sidhar looked up.


    He gave a friendly smile to So. Then, he lowered his head slightly and reached out to So.


    ¡°So, did you have fun?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    So looked a little stiff. Lara found out that this little Princess had some idea of who her brother was.


    ¡°Young Lady Bailey. Ah, no. You¡¯re now the daughter of Isadora. Thanks for escorting So.¡±


    ¡°It was nothing.¡±


    Lara¡¯s tone was calm and polite but her voice was stiff without any warmth.


    Prince Sidharughed and said.


    ¡°You look good in men¡¯s attire. I have always thought that you¡¯re feminine¡­ but did your tone also be stiff because you¡¯re taking the role of a man here?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Lara immediately denied him.


    ¡°I¡¯m the kind of person who is only nice to people that I like.¡±


    And that was not you.


    Lara slightly lowered her head and made brief eye contact with So.


    Her round and cute face was filled with joy.


    So sped Lara¡¯s hand once and bobbed a curtsy to Lara.


    The moment Prince Sidhar made his appearance, the main character of the party hall was him. He caught everyone¡¯s attention. The music was cut off and no one danced. But only So and Lara gave no thought about Prince Sidhar. They answered his questions and greeted him politely but to both of them, the fact that he was there did not change anything.


    Sidhar Hautean who was quick-witted quickly realized that, and in the meantime, he had to smile more softly than usual to maintain his friendly mask.


    ¡°Thank you for today, Lara.¡±


    After saying goodbye to Lara, So reluctantly held the Prince¡¯s hand.


    The expression of slightly touching would be more appropriate than holding.


    What good siblings they are.


    Lara smirked.


    ¡°Come to think of it, Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I want to express my regret for the tragedy that happened to your family. I wish I could be of some help. Pain is said to be relieved if you tell someone about it. So if you need a friend, feel free toe and see me anytime.¡±


    He was a good speaker.


    If Lara did not know who he really was, she might have been moved to tears.


    In fact, Eunice and Ximena were opening their eyes wide and poking each other in the ribs.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    Lara¡¯s face got colder.


    She knew why he was being so kind.


    It was because of her mother, Isadora. Lara also knew how she was treated in the Hautean society these days.


    But, what to do?


    My mother and I will never support you.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After their short conversations, Prince Sidhar got in his carriage. He did not lose his firm mask until the end. When Princess So was going to get on the carriage, he even helped her so that she would not feel ufortable in her dress.


    He greeted each and every noble who saw him off and called out all of them by name.


    What a friendly monarch.


    Lara stood a little far away and watched him drift away in his carriage.


    Eunice did not want to do it but had no choice but to see the Prince off with the other guests.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Ximena approached and whispered in Lara¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Why do you hate the Prince so much?¡±


    ¡°Because I have a good reason to do so.¡±


    ¡°Because of your father?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Even without her father, she wille to hate him someday.


    Lara, who took her eyes off the carriage, said as she entered the party hall.


    ¡°The Princess is not even here anymore. Are we still going to keep this atmosphere?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Ximena called out Eunice with a loud voice.


    ¡°Oi, morning dew.!¡±


    She was just called by her nickname, but Eunice immediately understood what it meant. She asked her servants to bring back the alcohol that they were ordered to clean up.


    ¡°My friends.¡±


    Then, she came running with a big smile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy the adult party!¡±


    The gracefully lit magic lighting quickly turned into an erotic color. The band, which yed only four beats dance music for the young princess, started to y slow and lewd music. The lovers danced with their bodies tightly together and strong alcohol piled up on the table.


    Lara tried alcohol©¤something that she usually does not drink.


    ording to Eunice, it was alcohol that could make you happy with just a shot. She wondered how strong it was for Eunice to say that, but when she finished a shot, her body temperature rose and her whole body became drowsy.


    Lara put her red fedora on the table, took off her stuffy jacket, and hung it on the chair. Then, she asked Ximena, who was sitting next to her from before.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your partner? What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°I sent him off because the time was up. I would have to pay him more if I wanted to extend the time.¡±


    ¡°¡­Did you buy him?¡±


    ¡°I know him well. He said he needed money to pay for the school fee and wanted to get a job at a dirty bar so I helped him. From then on, hees whenever I need a partner.¡±


    ¡°What a good person.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is. He¡¯s just poor.¡±


    ¡°Not him, but you.¡±


    Ximenaughed with a dumbfounded face. She said that she had never heard such apliment in her life. She scoffed at Lara and told her to tell Ximena¡¯s father the same thing.


    ¡°Ximena.¡±


    ¡°What, you bish?¡±


    ¡°If we ever fight, how do you want us to resolve it?¡±


    ¡°What? Why would we fight?¡±


    ¡°Things happen in life. There could be a day where we fight.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I have never lost in my life¡­ Do you want to fight with me?¡±


    Ximena filled Lara¡¯s ss with more drinks. Then, sheughed and said.


    ¡°Even Eunice had never won against me. How dare you, you who just became a troublemaker for less than a season,e at me?¡±


    ¡°Eunice?¡±


    ¡°You lose if you cry. She cries a lot. If someone cries next to her, she will also automatically cry. So embarrassing.¡±


    They burst intoughter.


    Their moods that were down with the unexpected encounter with Prince Sidhar became better again.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to fight me,e at me with all your strength. I¡¯m not going to let you slide just because you¡¯re my friend. Don¡¯t hurt me unless you¡¯re ready to sacrifice half your hair, you bish.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Lara, if you end up in a fight with someone, just tell me and Eunice. We won¡¯t forgive you if you get beaten up.¡±


    As Lara burst intoughter with trembling shoulders, Ximena stood up and looked at her.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Shall we dance?¡±


    Ximena was wearing a dark wine-colored dress, and her lips were of the same color.


    When Lara saw Ximena reaching out to her with a sensuous smile, she raised herself up.


    No, she was about to raise herself up.


    Suddenly, a man in ck appeared between the two and gently pushed Ximena¡¯s hand away.


    It was Demian.


    He reeked of the heavy night breeze©¤a humid breeze. The cool outside air followed him and gave people the chills.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    He grabbed Lara¡¯s hand and raised her up.


    ¡°It¡¯s my turn now.¡±


    Demian¡¯s voice was rough. He said in a hot, low voice as if it wasing from his chest, and not his neck.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 49

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Have a good time.¡±


    Ximena sent Lara off with a smile on her face. She whispered to Demian about the location of the back door and even told them to quickly get out of there. Because if they got caught by Eunice they would need to hang out with her all night.


    They came out to the garden through the back door that Ximena informed them about.


    Demian¡¯s hand was cold. Lara¡¯s hand was hot, making her wonder what he had been doing outside that made his big hands cold.


    Demian did not say anything. And Lara had nothing to say, so she just stayed quiet.


    They crossed the garden, holding hands without saying anything. As they moved away from the magical lightings that were focused on the party hall, the darkness of the dawn was surrounding them. Lara looked at the back of Demian¡¯s head as he walked ahead of her. His ck hair was scattered in the night breeze.


    Why did hee?


    She also wanted to ask him what was going on. But at the same time, she did not want to.


    Lara realized that Demian was walking aimlessly, without a clear destination. After walking across the garden, and when Demian stood in front of his horse, Lara began to talk.


    ¡°But I came with the carriage.¡±


    ¡°Just tell him to go.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because you wear pants.¡±


    Is he saying that since I wear pants, I should ride the horse instead of the carriage?


    Lara couldn¡¯t understand Demian¡¯s logic at all. But she did not want to decline his offer.


    ¡°Do you want to ride at the front?¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°Get on the back.¡±


    Only then did Demianugh. He smiled lightly and climbed the horse first. Then, Lara took his hand and climbed on the back of the horse.


    ¡°Hold on tight.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to hold tight as long as you ride slowly¡­¡±


    Lara could not finish her sentence. The horse suddenly started to move. Lara hurriedly hugged Demian¡¯s waist. He increased the speed and ran through the lonely night streets.


    ¡°Demian!¡±


    He did not answer.


    Lara put her face close to Demian¡¯s back, trying hard to avoid the wind. Before she knew it, her loose hair flew all over the ce.


    The horse that was carrying two people ran fast down the quiet street.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Demian took Lara to the inn outside the capital, the one he used as the ce tomunicate with the Crown Prince.


    When Demian, who left at sunset, came back again at dawn, the innkeeper did not even bother to hide his crumpled face. Meanwhile, he rxed his expression and smiled kindly at Lara.


    ¡°Wee.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be kind.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Lara hesitated into the store. As Demian kicked the door when he came in, a precarious sound came from the old hinge. Her gaze stayed on the old hinge, all while the innkeeper stared at her.


    ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°My owner.¡±


    ¡°What? You crazy¡­¡±


    The innkeeper pointed at Lara and asked who she was. After answering his question, the innkeeper looked at Demian and swore at him. Seeing as how Demian had never given a proper exnation, Lara let out a sigh and sat down at the bar.


    ¡°I¡¯m his employer. I¡¯m paying his sry and he¡¯s escorting me.¡±


    ¡°Why this crazy bastard?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°But still.¡±


    Demian smirked. He sat next to Lara and looked at the innkeeper. He suggested to Lara to eat there because the innkeeper was a good cook.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry foring at thiste time.¡±


    Lara apologized on behalf of Demian. It¡¯s time for all the other stores to close their businesses and take a break. No matter how close they were, Lara still thought that she needed to apologize.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m usually awake at night and sleep during the day.¡±


    He¡¯s like Valentine.


    Lara nodded. The innkeeper went into the kitchen and started cooking, not even bothering to ask them what they were going to eat. As if he did not need to take orders. Demian looked in the direction of the kitchen and said to Lara.


    ¡°You have to eat what you¡¯re given.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be good.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why are you dressed as a man?¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you looking at me?¡±


    Demian squinted his eyebrows. He was stubbornly looking straight ahead. Even when Lara looked at him, she could only see his side profile.


    ¡°Are you mad at me?¡±


    Lara asked him.


    Demian did not answer immediately. He closed his mouth for a moment and thought about something. Then, he leaned on his chair, looked at the ceiling, and let out a heavy sigh. After that, he broke the silence.


    ¡°I¡¯m angry.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t get angry.¡±


    ¡°I will apologize to you, so can you look at me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Is it because he will get mad if he looks at me?


    Lara guessed so. She assumed that, since Demian was unexpectedly considerate, he purposely avoided eye contact with her because he was afraid he would get angry when looking at her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. For not putting myself in your shoes and just pouring out my feelings. It was a matter of course that you think my story is just a dream.¡±


    Lara kept talking and looking at Demian while he kept looking elsewhere.


    ¡°I won¡¯t talk about that anymore. But¡­ I hope you won¡¯t decline the sword from the royal family, since it¡¯s a reward for you from the Princess.¡±


    Demian let out a sigh again. Lara¡¯s voice got smaller.


    ¡°The same goes for the money that my mother is giving you. Because you¡¯re my escort¡­¡±


    Without looking at each other, there was no way to know if he was listening properly. Lara approached Demian in frustration, getting a little closer to him. She shoved her face towards him and said.


    ¡°Look at me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Why?¡±


    She was angry, beyond frustrated. Lara reached out and pulled Demian¡¯s arm. He flinched.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    Demian¡¯s persistent gaze returned to Lara very slowly.


    His eyes were a shining blue. He seemed like he was really angry. Lara unconsciously let go of his arm that she had grabbed. It was still summer and was not even cold, and yet she got goosebumps. Lara, who was intensely anxious, was about to ask him why he looked at her like that.


    Then, Demian said.


    ¡°Look elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I feel like kissing you.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    What is he saying now?


    Her heart throbbed. Lara did not know how to answer and just looked at him with her mouth slightly open.


    ¡°Don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    Demian said as if giving her a warning. He could have looked somewhere else, just like what he had done before, but instead, he kept telling Lara to look away. Not only did he not know how to smile properly, but he also did not even know how to speak kindly.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Lara muttered.


    ¡°I won¡¯t look away.¡±


    Demian got up from his chair. The sound of the chair dragging away was loud. It was a sound that did not ring in the ears, but, rather, the body.


    Lara stared silently at him approaching. She raised her cat-like eyes and did not shy away. Demianughed savagely at her challenging gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯re driving me crazy.¡±


    Crash.


    The chair fell and made a loud sound. But this time, the sound did not bother her very much. In just an instant, Demian¡¯s face came in front of her and their lips were pressed against each other.


    Demian pulled Lara¡¯s face towards his with both hands, turning his head and digging into her lips.


    He was out of breath.


    Lara¡¯s head was tilted back. She instinctively grasped his wrist, trying not to fall over. Demian bit her lips with his and dug up the inside of her mouth with his tongue. Every time he stimted her mouth, it drenched itself sweetly. Throbbing pain and pleasure came at the same time. Lara¡¯s body temperature was rising from her lower abdomen. A low moan came from the inside of her neck.


    Demian had no thought of stopping. He swallowed all the saliva in Lara¡¯s mouth, turned his head the other way, and dug deeper into her.


    Now it was hard to even breathe. Lara gave strength in her hand that was holding Demian¡¯s wrist and pushed him away. Then, she quickly took a short breath. Her heart was beating so fast that she could not pull herself together.


    ¡°Haa¡­¡±


    He was smiling. He looked at Lara¡¯s eyes, with a face that looked terribly satisfied.


    ¡°I told you not to regret it.¡±


    Then, their lips were pressed together again.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 50 - Fake Saintesses

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Demian made Lara stand. Then, he held her waist in one arm and forcefully grabbed her as though to lift her. Every time Lara moaned, their kiss became intense. It was a persistent and fierce kiss as if he would not want to miss every single breath of hers. Even though it was not their first kiss, they could not resist it. When Demian, who lost his rationality, tried to bite Lara¡¯s lips and snatched her tongue, a te flew in.


    ¡°You crazy bastard!¡±


    Normally, he could just avoid the attack by just slightly turning his head, but Demian was hit hard on his head by a te thrown by the innkeeper. The savory potato and cheese dish fell on the floor.


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing in someone else¡¯s shop, you womanizer?¡±


    ¡°Why are you hitting me?¡±


    ¡°Why? What do you mean why?¡±


    The innkeeper was furious. Demian stood silently and listened to his nagging. After a round of storms passed by, Lara was led back to her seat by the innkeeper. Then, she was served thest food.


    ¡°This is only for you, mdy.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the food.¡±


    ¡°Raise your standards for men.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lara murmured that she never had any standards for men in the first ce, but she would try anyway.


    The food was delicious. She did not even know she was hungry, but the more she ate, the more hungry she felt. Demian had nothing to eat because he was hit on his head with the te of his share of food. He sat next to Lara and stared at her eating the potato dishes.


    ¡°Would you like some?¡±


    ¡°You will get in trouble with the innkeeper.¡±


    ¡°What we were talking about earlier¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget it. Just do as you want.¡±


    Demian¡¯s voice was rxed. It was obvious that he was in a good mood. His gaze was drowsy and one corner of his lips pushed up his cheek.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Just do whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°I mean, do what?¡±


    Lara asked with her eyes wide open. Demian, who enjoyed watching her scarlet pupils dte, muttered in a voice that was filled withughter.


    ¡°Anything.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°I will also do as I want.¡±


    Lara wondered if she should ask what Demian would do, but she just kept quiet.


    Demian took Lara¡¯s hair and yed around with it. At the same time, he kept peeking at her lips. Then, he admired Lara¡¯s movement of scooping up the potato and putting it in her mouth, as if it was the most amazing and talented thing in the world. His sharp, cold, and crescent-shaped smiling eyes were as beautiful as if the moon hadid down there.


    What¡¯s wrong with this guy?


    Lara¡¯s mind swelled up like dandelion seeds. As if it would scatter and fly high in the sky just by blowing it.


    I will just stay still. If I ruin this moment with hasty words, I would regret it to the utmost degree.<b> Fake Saintesses</b>


    Why me? Why did the great existence choose me out of all those people and send me back to the past? I don¡¯t think I would be the only one who regretted my life. Wasn¡¯t I chosen not because I was special, but rather because I was just lucky?


    After returning home at sunrise, Lara was nagged by Konny, who had just woken up, before finally sleeping until the afternoon. Then, she kept thinking about her kiss with Demian. It was not her first kiss, it was not even her first experience with a man, and even when she came back to the past and met him at the arena, they already started their rtionship with a kiss.


    But something was different. When their lips touched against each other, she felt that the act of kissing she had known so far had now beenpletely denied.


    In her previous life, Lara had kissed Prince Sidhar several times. The Prince always kissed Lara as if he was doing a good deed. He always made sure to do it in the presence of people at that, as if to show it off. As Lara craved for the Prince¡¯s love, the number of times he touched her decreased.


    Lara loved the Prince, so she was delightfully content by the reward-like contact he made for her. Holding hands, hugging, and somehow even kissing all felt the same.


    Would it feel the same even when we make love?


    Lara was a fake, but she was still a saintess. So when the Prince wanted the both of them to keep their chastity until they got married, she happily epted it. She was brainwashed by the Prince¡¯s sweet nothings and turned a blind eye to everything else. She thought that what the Prince said was proof of his love. Lara loved him and mistook that as being the only form of love there is.


    It was all nonsense. Lara realized that toote.


    In her previous life, she did not realize that until she was about to die. And now every time she thought of herself at that time, she felt like she was going crazy with how pathetic she was inside out.


    ¡®Pure love, my foot.¡¯


    How easy it must have been to deceive me?


    A woman whose desire was castrated by her own father. A fool who did not know what pleasure was or what she wanted.


    Love looks the same to everyone, but it actually has a thousand faces. Lara peeked into one of them through Demian¡¯s eyes at the innst morning.


    It was a terribly dangerous gaze. There was no such thing as rationality in it. There was no logic nor was there guilt. There was no fear, not even a sense of moderation. A self-destructive desire that would not let go of the feelings of that moment, even if one needs to burn their body and sacrifice all the blood left in their heart. It was only that.


    She had never seen anything like that before. The love Lara knew was not like that. Love was all about effort. At least, it was like that for her. Love was making an effort, trying hard, giving up, and letting go all at once.


    But Demian was different. He let go of himself.


    On their way home from the inn, Lara asked Demian why he kissed her.


    ¡°Because I couldn¡¯t help it.¡±


    It was not the answer she wanted, but she felt like she had heard the answer.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Princess So sent a letter to Lara. It was about wanting to meet her whenever she had time. That was so just like the Princess. She could specify the date and time, but instead, she carefully asked when Lara could spare her time.


    When would be good?


    Since the typhoon ising soon, it would be better to meet after the weather is clear. A typhoon wasing to mark the beginning of autumn. Dark clouds gathered at a rapid pace and covered the sky. Soon, a drop or two of rain began to fall.


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Close the window.¡±


    The windows rattled little by little as the wind grew stronger. Konny walked with short and quick paces and locked the window.


    ¡°Valentine¡¯s going to get rained on. He said he was going to the doctor earlier. I should have given him an umbre.¡±


    Konny stomped and worried about Valentine. Knowing that one day, the currently clumsy Valentine will be an alchemist who is obsessed with money, Konny¡¯s actions just looked cute to Lara.


    ¡°Konny, Valentine is not your son.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just uneasy because it feels like he will get a blow no matter where he goes.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not your son.¡±


    ¡°I know!¡±


    Konny pouted her lips. She said that this much worry was normal between friends andined that herdy was too cold-hearted.


    ¡°Are his legs all better now?¡±


    ¡°I heard, as long as he¡¯s not going to be a knight or a mercenary, he won¡¯t have any problems in his daily life.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Lara took a pen and a piece of paper and put them on her desk to write a reply to Princess So. Konny sat close to Lara, who was thinking about what to write.


    ¡°Mdy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Is the Princess cute?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s cute. Lovely, too.¡±


    ¡°Does she look like an angel, as the rumor goes?¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you curious?¡±


    ¡°Lady Eunice¡¯s maids bragged about the Princess a lot. At the goodbye summer party, Mdy held the Princess¡¯ hand and danced like the Demon Lord. They think that the first love of our Princess was taken away by Demon Lord Lara¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Demon Lord?¡±


    ¡°Sidhar, the warrior, came to rescue the Princesste at night. But since Demon Lord Lara was more good-looking, the Princess¡¯ face was wrinkled, as if she just chewed on bugs.¡±


    Lara looked at Konny with a look of uncertainty about what to say.


    ¡°You guys are having so much fun, huh?¡±


    ¡°Come on, mdy and your friends are not the only ones who know how to have fun.¡±


    Lara had no idea whether that was apliment or an insult. Konny made Laraugh when she said that Lara might have another chance to wear a tailcoat and asked Lara if she had any intention of dressing up like Prince Charming.


    ¡°Konny, do you want to meet the Princess?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m really curious about her. I heard she¡¯s as cute as a doll. Mdy was not cute at all when you were young.¡±


    ¡°Then, next time I go to the Princess pce, I¡¯ll take you with me.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah¡±


    Konny jumped with joy. She¡¯s a maid who took good care of a grown man as though he were her son, so she will also like Princess So. Lara thought it would be really cute if the squirrel-like Konny handed out a sandwich next to the rabbit-like So.


    Lara began to write her reply.


    [Dear Princess So.]


    She said that she would visit the Princess a few dayster on a sunny autumn day.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 51

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The next night, the typhoon finally came. The windows rattled all night and everyone had a hard time sleeping. The wind was so strong that there was no one on the street.


    After the strong wind came rain©¤thundering rain. More rain fell in this short window of time than it had all summer. The water level of the Tender River began to soar, prompting the residents in the low-lying ground to evacuate. It was a scene of chaos. The wind blew, the clouds rained, and the copsed debris floated around. Konny murmured in fear that it had seemed like the world was about to copse.


    That night, a ck sorcerer and his followers stormed into the Hautean Royal Pce and attacked Princess So.


    And yet So was not sleeping. The wind noise was loud because of the typhoon and she just got a reply from Lara. So was so happy that she took Lara¡¯s letter to her bed and read it over and over again. She put it on her pillow and read it whenever she could not sleep.


    It was sheer luck for the Princess. As soon as she heard the attack, instead of screaming, So quickly got out of bed and ran to the secret aisle. Outside her room, the knights risked their lives to stop the ck sorcerer. Thedies-in-waiting, wearing the same gown as the Princess, fled in different directions and soon alerted the whole Royal Pce about the situation.


    So managed to save her own life. If the Princess had fallen asleep and escaped a littleter, she would have lost her life that night.


    The Princess¡¯ pce was ruined. The ck sorcerer that appeared this time was a very cruel man. When his followers killed themselves by spraying blood in the Princess¡¯ pce, he used powerful ck magic using that blood as a sacrifice. After killing seven knights, 38 soldiers, fourdies-in-waiting, and six workers, the ck sorcerer decided to kill himself after saying this.


    ¡°A saintess has appeared in Hautean and my lord will tear it up and swallow it! There is no God on thisnd! O Vc, lord over thisnd!¡±


    Starting with Princess So, the same thing happened here and there. A ck sorcerer and his followers appeared and attacked the women who were being suspected of being the saintess.


    Six people were killed and two escaped death. Those who survived were the daughter of a nobleman and the wife of a farmer. No one knew which of them was the saintess. The problem was that the incident did not end there.


    ¡°My daughter is the real saintess! She has been extraordinary since she was a child. We knew this would happen one day!¡±


    ¡°My wife is the real saintess! What was the reason that our farm was harmless during thest typhoon? Because God has chosen my wife!¡±


    Except for the Princess, the other two began to im to be the saintess. It went without saying that the Kingdom was in turmoil.


    ¡®All of these did not happen in my past.¡¯


    In her past, when Lara was the fake saintess, neither the demon nor God had given such revtions. That was the reason she was able to be the fake saintess for so long.


    It was different now. It was already hard to believe that the saintess that could only be read in records had really made an appearance, but now even ck sorcerers showed up to get rid of the saintess.


    Saintess, God¡¯s vicegerent.


    She did not know anything when she looked up close. Now that she became the third party and looked at it from afar, things that seemed just and beautiful at that time were all ugly and made her nauseous. Lara watched it all with a cold, calm gaze.


    ¡®Who is it?¡¯


    It could have been one of them, and it could have been herself.


    A few dayster, the saintess candidates left their homes and gathered at the Temple of Glory. Surrounded by solemn-faced priests, they walked with a benevolent look on their faces, pretending to be graceful.


    The first candidate who was the daughter of a nobleman adorned herself with her father¡¯s wealth and prestige. She wrapped herself in a heavy, white dress that the royal family would wear at weddings, and covered her face with a veil as long as three carriages. There were traces of veil every time the daughter of the nobleman passed by, which resulted in people making a joke that a saintess was the perfect person to clean the street.


    The second candidate was the farmer¡¯s wife. She implemented an opposite strategy. The farmer¡¯s wife who had just reached her middle age appeared in in white cotton cloth with an apron and a hair towel. She looked shabby against the daughter of the noblewoman. Instead, she appeared with a basket full of her own crops in her arms. It was to show that her farm was perfectly fine during the recent typhoon that caused huge damage to most farms.


    On the day the two women marched down the street to the Temple of Glory, all citizens rushed outside and watched the scene.


    Who is the saintess?


    Was it Princess So, whom the King had hid, or the daughter of the nobleman, who was said to have had extraordinary nature since she was young? If not them, then was it the farmer¡¯s wife, who had experienced miracles on her farm?


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Things have turned out to be interesting.¡±


    As soon as he heard the news, Demianughed briefly. He also nodded lightly saying that he had already expected this would happen.


    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a real saintess among them?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a possibility.¡±


    Despite saying so, Demian did not look like he really meant it. Lara, who was looking at Demian¡¯s face, squinted and asked Demian.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°The young princess will be safe for a while, right?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ The King must have been surprised by the attack.¡±


    Her meeting with Princess So was postponed without any future ns. Konny was very disappointed but it was inevitable for the Princess¡¯ safety. For the time being, So was protected deep inside the pce to avoid the attack from the ck sorcerer. Visitors and going out were prohibited.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Just wait.¡±


    Demian looked rxed. He said he needed to get the saintess before the ck sorcerer does and take her to the Empire. And despite there being several people who showed up and were suspected to be a saintess, he showed no interest.


    Demian said to Lara, who was wondering about that.


    ¡°It¡¯s the temple¡¯s job to determine whether they were real or not. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a saintess among them. Anyway, things have turned out to be interesting. Let¡¯s see how well they read God¡¯s mind.¡±


    Reading God¡¯s mind?


    As Lara saw it, it seemed far from possible.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    If Demian moderately ignored the saintess candidates, Eunice openly mocked them.


    ¡°If that thing is a saintess, then am I a fairy?¡±


    When Lara asked her if she knew about the daughter of the nobleman who imed to be a saintess, Eunice spoke with fervor, while spilling her drink.


    ¡°Do you know what kind of bimbo she is? If you go to the night ball three times a night, you will for sure meet her in one of them. She¡¯s a hopeless troublemaker.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    When Lara asked back in surprise, Eunice nodded quickly and continued.


    ¡°When she dates, two-timing is essential for her. Regardless of whether the man in question is her friend¡¯s lover or a married man, she would mess around with anyone she couldy her hands on. When she drinks, she will make sure to beat the guy on that table that day.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess you could also call that her talent.¡±


    Ximena also seemed to know about the daughter of the nobleman.


    ¡°If she¡¯s a saintess, Eunice is a fairy¡­ Then, I¡¯m a daffodil? Or a lily?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s that bad?¡±


    Lara asked with a smile. Then, Ximena pointed at Eunice andughed.


    ¡°When was it again? I think when we attended the academy. Eunice dragged that bimbo by her hair many times. She talked about me behind my back saying that Ximena Swavy has no mom. But one time, she got caught by Ximena.¡±


    ¡°If God were the Almighty, there¡¯s no way he did not know how much of a b*tch she is¡­ No matter how uninterested he is in the human realm, why would he choose her out of all these women? It seems to me that her parents are trying to use their daughter to get money or power.¡±


    Eunice¡¯s words made sense. Lara nodded quietly, lost in her thoughts. Then suddenly, she had a question.


    If the existence who sent her to the past was God, instead of punishing her for being a fake saintess and conducting wrong behavior, he gave her a miraculous second chance.


    What¡¯s the big deal about going to a dance party and meeting some guys? Isn¡¯t that being kind enough?


    Lara murmured while looking out the window.


    ¡°Maybe God is much more generous than we think. It¡¯s unbearably dirty and bad in our eyes, but in God¡¯s eyes, it¡¯s nothing more than a fly pping its wings.¡±


    ¡°Lara, no matter what, it¡¯s not her. Absolutely not.¡±


    ¡°Ximena is right. If she¡¯s the real saintess¡­ I¡¯d rather convert!¡±


    With Eunice¡¯s shocking remark about conversion, everyone shut up and turned their attention out of the window. They were sitting by the window of a cafe high up in the building. They could see the building of the Temple of Glory rising in the distance. There were quite a few people on the street. It was the people who were waiting for the street march of the saintess candidates that was held at the same time every day.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 52

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Look over there. There are so many people who are swayed by rumors of unknown origin. So much so that at least one touch of the saintess¡¯ dress would erase their sins, would heal their sick family, and would make their wishese true.¡±


    Eunice was being sarcastic. She was even angrier at the fact that they were using those poor people¡¯s hopes for their personal desires rather than the immoral past of the saintess candidate. Ximena agreed with Eunice.


    ¡°If this is how it¡¯s going to be, I¡¯d rather they reveal the real saintess quickly. What is the Temple of Glory doing right now?¡±


    ¡°They must be thinking hard about this matter.¡±


    Lara thought that the priests in the Temple of Glory were now in a state of disarray. They needed to find out who the saintess was as soon as possible and dere that God¡¯s vicegerent has descended to thisnd so that they can establish the authority of the falling temple. But the priests have long lost the power of God so they have no way of finding out who the saintess is.


    ¡°Here shees.¡±


    The main character of the march today was the farmer¡¯s wife. When the front door of the temple opened wide, an ordinary woman dressed in white cotton cloth with an apron and hair towel walked out.


    People cheered loudly as the saintess candidate walked out into the street escorted by the temple¡¯s knights. The farmer¡¯s wife went about the cheering crowd, hugging them one by one and kissed them on the cheek. Some were crying with emotion and others were praying on the floor. Eunice who was looking at the scene murmured with a sour face.


    ¡°Even someone who is not a saintess would believe that they are one if they do that ten times.¡±


    The power of the crowd was great. There was no way the temple would not know about it.


    ¡°So what happens to our cute Princess? In my opinion, Princess So is the real saintess.¡±


    So was still hiding deep inside the royal family. Even the ck sorcerers who carried out massive attacks had not shown up for days. Now that all of the candidates for the saintess were protected by either the royal family or the temple, there was no way for them to easily approach the candidates.


    After finishing thest dessert, the three got up to go home.


    ¡°Lara, do you want a ride?¡±


    ¡°I have my own carriage.¡±


    ¡°This heartless bish¡­ I¡¯m just too anxious to let you go alone!¡±


    Eunice shouted. Perhaps because of the memory of Lara being kidnapped when they were together, Eunice used to insist that the three of them must move together in a carriage when they go home.


    ¡°Lara, Eunice just wants to go home with you. She cannot be honest so I hope you under¡­¡±


    Ximena spoke on behalf of Eunice¡¯s sincerity.


    ¡°Shut up. It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯m right.¡±


    ¡°No, you aren¡¯t!¡±


    Looking at the two people who, as usual, started to quarrel, Lara shrugged and said as if she could not help it.


    ¡°If you like me so much, well, we can go meet my mother together.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I have a dinner n with my mother.¡±


    Thousand gold Isadora was really awesome, but it¡¯s a little scary when she¡¯s your friend¡¯s mother. Isadora was Hautean¡¯s top wealthy merchant whom even the King could not touch recklessly.


    ¡°Bye!¡±


    ¡°Say hello to her!¡±


    Lara waved lightly at her friends, who were quickly moving away.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara heard simr words everywhere on her way to the hotel to meet her mother.


    ¡°What in the world is the temple doing?¡±


    All eyes were on the Temple of Glory. That was the main topic when more than one person got together. It was natural for questions to turn into doubts and soon into distrust,


    ¡°Actually, does the Temple of Glory even know who the real saintess is?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°Why else would they keep silent until even now?¡±


    The longer the silence of the templests, the louder the voices of doubt. Even more so when the people¡¯s expectation for the saintess grew.


    ¡°It¡¯s frustrating. I¡¯d rather the demon or whatever that the ck sorcerers worship to show up and tell us which one is the real saintess!¡±


    ¡°You rascal! What if you get caught for saying that?¡±


    ¡°Those people who worship the demon know about it, but why not those who serve God? It is weird.¡±


    The Temple of Glory could not admit that God had abandoned them. They have hidden and denied that fact for more than 100 years. The appearance of the saintess was actually a great opportunity for them to build back up the copsing religious body.


    However, paradoxically, the appearance of the saintess had be the deterrent for undermining the values and reputation they had kept.


    ¡®Is even this what God had intended to do?¡¯


    Lara could not tell.


    ¡°Mdy, wee.¡±


    Her mother¡¯s hotel remained the same. When Lara got off the carriage, the manager who came out to meet her showed her the way to the restaurant. A special room was set up for the two. Lara sat up facing her mother, Isadora.


    It was noisy outside the window. It was an ironic thing to happen. Even outside the window of the special room where the two were sitting, a fake saintess was seen marching on the street.


    ¡°Mother, what¡¯s your opinion?¡±


    ¡°Opinion for what?¡±


    ¡°The saintess candidates. Who¡¯s the real deal?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about that. Of course, I think both are fake.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Lara blinked her big eyes twice. Isadora¡¯s tone was very firm, and she did not seem to doubt that all of the saintess candidates were fake.


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°Because God is silent.¡±


    ¡°If a saintess appears, does that mean that God will tell us directly?¡±


    ¡°Rather than that¡­ Shouldn¡¯t there be at least a huge miracle that anyone can notice? Either save the dead, foretelling the future, or use the power of the now-defunct God.¡±


    While Isadora said so, she gracefully cut the appetizingmb steak. Lara gulped down her dry mouth as she looked at her mother.


    What should I do? I didn¡¯t save the dead, but I did go back to my past and stayed alive. I can¡¯t predict everything in the future, but I do remember a few big events. I don¡¯t know what the power of the now-defunct God is. However, no matter how much I hurt myself, I got better automatically.


    No way.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think so.¡¯


    Lara shook her head without making it obvious. The idea that it could not be her and the idea that it might be her fought in her head. A finely choppedmb steak appeared in front of Lara, who was thinking hard.


    ¡°Here you go.¡±


    Isadora put two pieces of meat on Lara¡¯s te.


    ¡°Do you want to order another one?¡±


    When Lara stared nkly at the meat and gulped down, Isadora seemed to misunderstand that it was because she wanted to eat it. Lara shook her head lightly as a sign that she did not want to. Then, she quickly put themb that Isadora had given to her in her mouth.


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°What happens if Princess So is the saintess?¡±


    Isadora answered Lara¡¯s question with a rxed look.


    ¡°At first, the power of the king will go beyond the influence of the temple. Then, when the temple thinks it can¡¯t stand it anymore, they will ask the royal family to look after the saintess.¡±


    ¡°What if the royal family refuses?¡±


    ¡°Then, the temple will dere war on the royal family and Prince Sidhar will see that as an opportunity. It¡¯s very likely that the Prince¡ªwho is willing to betray the King to take the throne¡ªwill sell Princess So to the temple.¡±


    It was a perfect prediction. Lara dwelled on what Isadora said and soon nodded.


    ¡°Prince Sidhar will not manipte the Princess as a puppet saintess, will he?¡±


    ¡°Lara, Princess So is lovely and cute¡­ But she¡¯s not such a pushover. There are wise teachers beside the Princess. Otherwise, why would the King want that young Princess as the next King over his fully grown son?¡±


    I see.


    Lara berated her past who fell into the trap that could be defeated by the young 14-year-old Princess. Then, Lara asked herst question.


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°What would you do if I were a saintess?¡±


    The knife, which was dancing fiercely in Isadora¡¯s hand, stopped moving. She lifted her gaze that was fixed on the steak and looked Lara in the face. Then, with a frown on her face, she asked Lara.


    ¡°Lara, do you want to be a saintess?¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 53

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Pardon? No, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to be honest.¡±


    It felt like Isadora would actually make Lara a saintess if she told her honestly. Only after Lara said no three times was she able to get through Isadora.


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    Isadora let out a sigh of relief. Then she subtly twisted the corners of her lips and said.


    ¡°It¡¯s better not to do such troublesome work. Now that so many people are cheering for the saintess, it seems like a position that has a lot of power and influence¡­ But in a little while, they will also realize.¡±


    ¡°Realize what?¡±


    ¡°If the saintess in question grants someone¡¯s wish, other people will also cling to her and ask her to grant their wishes too. If she listens to someone¡¯s request, other people will get mad. Later on, when she saves someone, she will get resentment from the whole world.¡±


    I see.


    ¡°That¡¯s what a saintess is.¡±


    Lara slowly lowered her big eyes. Isadora¡¯s calm voice and the cheering crowd outside the window were strangely mixed.


    ¡°Not only will the saintess be politically used between the royal family and the temple, but she will also have to take the lead in dangerous and hard work.¡±


    Why does it remind me of my past the more I listen to it?


    ¡°God is the almighty so it¡¯s enough for him to just be a witness up there, but a saintess is a human so it will be painful all the time.¡±


    ¡°Living for others¡­while ending up losing herself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Princess So is not a saintess. I¡¯m sure the royal family already knows about that.¡±


    It was not So that she was worried about, but herself. However, Lara just nodded.


    ¡°What in the world is the temple doing?¡±


    Isadora, who was grumbling, held the knife and identally scratched the te. It was a surprisingly sharp sound. She slipped down the steak she had been cutting and took a sip of wine. Then, she rolled her eyes with a haughty face and looked at Lara.


    Lara looked out of the window, pretending not to hear anything, with a nonchnt face for her mother. Isadora said to Lara.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Do you still have pocket money left?¡±


    She still had a lot of pocket money. Lara was going to say that mother did not have to give any pocket money to her because she still had enough. Then, she found her mother looking at her with an anticipated face. She closed her mouth once and opened it again. Then she said with a slight smile.


    ¡°Mother, please give me some pocket money.¡±


    Isadora¡¯s face has be noticeably brighter.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    A few more dayster, public opinion leaned toward the farmer¡¯s wife. The nobleman with his daughter also tried hard, but he could not ovee the story of someone who had already experienced miracles. Furthermore, as people began to testify how arrogant and debauched the daughter of the nobleman usually was, it triggered a huge bacsh from some people.


    By the time rumors of the fake saintess¡¯ ugly past spread out of control, people had called on the temple to investigate them. Not only the daughter of the nobleman but also the farmer¡¯s wife. Some bold people also said that Princess So, who was hiding in the royal family, should also be brought to the temple for investigation.


    Their argument seemed reasonable at first nce. The saintess was an existence that we would believe and follow, so she needed to prove that her past was clean.


    It was ridiculous©¤For those who put on the mask of a saintess even though they were not one, and those who said such and such about the saintess¡¯ qualification even though they were not God. It was no wonder that Lara¡¯s attitude as she watched them became more cynical.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    It waste at night. Lara was walking along the riverside trail in front of the manor with Demian. As if there had been no typhoon, the river flowed quietly. Except for the height of the water, nothing had changed.


    She had a lot on her mind.


    ¡®Am I a saintess or not?¡¯


    A few hours ago, Lara took a letter opener without Konny knowing and made a small wound on the back of her hand.


    It was a very small, shallow wound. A bit of blood came out, but the wound healed before the pain could properly be felt. Unless God had done wonders, it could not be exined the reason she had returned to 10 years ago and acquired a body with a horrifying healing power.


    She wanted to ask.


    ¡®Why me?¡¯


    She wanted to ask the great existence if there was a standard for choosing people, what was so special about her that she was chosen. To be honest, she did not want to be a saintess again. Everything her mother said was right. It was so hard even when she was a fake, it might be unbearable if she became a real saintess. On the other hand, she had this thought.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to know.¡¯


    It did not seem bad to livefortably without knowing anything. Being loved by her mother, enjoying a party with her friends every day, and dating a man like Demian.


    How should I live my life?


    No.


    ¡®How do I want to live?¡¯


    Lara, who was walking slowly along the white sand shore, stopped walking when she reached an out-of-the-way corner. When Lara stopped walking, Demian, who was walking in stride beside her, had also stopped walking.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°If you find out who the real saintess is, are you going to take her to the Empire?¡±


    ¡°I should.¡±


    ¡°What if she says no?¡±


    ¡°I have to convince her.¡±


    ¡°But if she still says no, what are you going to do then?¡±


    Demian, who thought about it for a while, grinned and said.


    ¡°I will have to think about it then.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ what if the current situation, where we don¡¯t know who the saintess is, keeps on going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Acerus will give me another order.¡±


    Demian looked at Lara¡¯s face after giving his answer. Then, he said with a smirk.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go if you tell me not to.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you tell me not to go, I won¡¯t go anywhere. I can just send the saintess alone. Even if Acerus orders me toe back, he can¡¯t do anything if I decline.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you his subordinate?¡±


    ¡°Subordinate, my foot.¡±


    Demian let out a low sneer. Come to think of it, this man is the savior of the Crown Prince of Tarragon who saved him on the battlefield. It meant that the two were very close. Lara did not know that before, so she was very surprised when she found out about that.


    ¡°Why does the Crown Prince need the saintess? Is it something you can tell me?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason why I can¡¯t. Some people already know about it.¡±


    Demian came closer to Lara. Then, he spoke in a heavier voice than usual.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the war against the demons.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Acerus is gathering military strength to prepare for war. Hautean is not included because this country is too weak. If it¡¯s a country that can be overturned by just a few ck sorcerers, when the real demon shows up, far from giving help, this country will only get in the way.¡±


    ¡°You take the saintess because she¡¯s helpful, and then throw the rest away.¡±


    Her mouth was bitter. Her heart ached as if she had swallowed a bitter pill. Demian¡¯s voice sounded colder than usual.


    ¡°What the demons want is the domination of this continent. If it¡¯s taken away, not only Hautean, but the entire continent will be their breeding ground. Humans will be treated as their livestock and will then go extinct.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Lara, of all people, could understand that. She had experience witnessing a demon who appeared in Hautean before she died in her past. She heard he was a high-ranked demon even in the demon realm and was ssified in the level of the demon lord. The demon burned half the western part of the Kingdom in just one day. With only two of those things, this country would disappear from the map without even getting to scream.


    ¡°It¡¯s such an important thing. How can you not go even if I tell you not to? Shouldn¡¯t you go and protect the Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°It has nothing to do with me.¡±


    ¡°Are you allowed to say that?¡±


    ¡°Lara, you better not expect loyalty from me. Although I¡¯m doing this mission because Acerus asked me to do it¡­ But even if I decline, he won¡¯t punish me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not expecting loyalty from you.¡±


    Lara, who hesitated a little, nced at Demian and said.


    ¡°You still have yourrades back in the Empire. The people who would never stop waiting for you toe back.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 54

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°What?¡±


    Demian asked back in surprise.


    ¡°Did that alsoe out in your dream?¡±


    Demian hadrades in the Tarragon Empire. Ouws without nationality or affiliation. They were warriors who met on the battlefield and followed Demian as if he were a King. Demian seemed quite surprised that Lara knew such a thing. Believing that Lara¡¯s past was her dream, his shock was even greater.


    Lara hesitated. She had decided not to tell him about her past life, but it was a mistake. Besides, she did not know what to say when he asked her back like that, and above all, Demian treated Demian Rhode Drake, whom Lara met in her past, as a non-existent person.


    It was not necessary to make him understand. Lara admitted that it was her karma that she had to embrace her past alone. She had no intention of using the information from her past to control others¡¯ lives.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I said something wrong. I have decided not to talk about that anymore.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry because you don¡¯t believe me. If I were in your shoes, I would also think I¡¯m crazy. And I don¡¯t want to make you disobey the orders from Crown Prince Acerus just to make you stay here. That¡¯s the very thing that has nothing to do with me.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean it?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s important. There is nothing more important than that in this world.¡±


    ¡°Not for me.¡±


    Sincerity was only beautiful in fairy tales with a happy ending.


    ¡°You have too much on your mind.¡±


    Demian muttered. They once had a conversation simr to this. Lara looked at Demian¡¯s side profile, who was standing next to her while sweeping his hair up with one hand. She recalled what happened in her past life.


    ¡®When was it again?¡¯


    It was when Demian, who came back after winning the umpteenth fight, came to find Lara. He said he wanted to meet Lara specifically, not Prince Sidhar.


    Lara, who was the fake saintess, could not do anything without the Prince¡¯s permission. She could neither meet anyone nor could she go out alone. So she thought about declining his request, but she left her room out of curiosity.


    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±


    There was armor, a huge sword stained with blood and flesh, and a battle ve smeared with wounds and blood. It was Demian.


    In spite of herself, Lara retreated a couple of steps from him.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t call a saintess¡¯ name like that.¡±


    ¡°God wouldn¡¯t be that narrow-minded.¡±


    I heard he is a ve, but this man is so confident.


    Lara was amazed by Demian. She wanted to know about him. He looked messy and terrible, but he had a strange heart-beating charm.


    ¡°Lara, how long are you nning on staying in Hautean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Hautean¡¯s saintess. I will be the Princess Consort soon. I will never leave this country.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean it?¡±


    She was about to say yes, but something else came out of her mouth.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Even then, Demian looked at her and said.


    ¡°It¡¯s important. There is nothing more important than that in this world.¡±


    What did I say then?


    She thought she said something along the lines of that was for you, not me. A puppet was not allowed to be free. It was Demian who was in the prison, and Lara was the one outside. But she always thought she was the one who was trapped.


    After reminiscing, Lara murmured with a bitter face.


    ¡°You are always like that. You keep telling me to say something that I don¡¯t want to and forbid me from saying something that I want to.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I have always been frustrated because I can¡¯t figure out what you¡¯re thinking. I wanted to ask you why you didn¡¯t leave me¡­¡±


    A cool breeze blew. The weather was not very cold, but the strong wind reduced the body temperature. As she got goosebumps on her forearms, Lara shrank slightly.


    Demian did not say anything for a while. Not knowing what he was thinking, there was no expression on his face that was looking at Lara. Then, he spoke in a low suppressed voice.


    ¡°Lara, I¡¯m not the Demian that you knew.¡±


    His voice was firm.


    ¡°When you look at me, don¡¯t look at the Demian in your dreams.¡±


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°I know the dream feels realistic enough to dominate your head and I know you loved him¡­ But remember that has nothing to do with me who is in front of you now.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean love? It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    Lara raised her head. Her scarlet eyes prated Demian¡¯s eyes. As if she had heard something wrong, Lara shook her head and quickly continued.


    ¡°How can I be so bold as to love you, I mean, him¡­ It¡¯s not like that. I told you, I felt guilty. I want to make atonement for my mistakes¡­ That¡¯s also why you were angry the other day.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Demian reached out and cupped Lara¡¯s cheeks. His palm was rough and cold.


    ¡°Just because the man in your dream has the same name and look as me, he and I cannot be the same person.¡±


    His face was unfamiliar.


    ¡°Because the time, memory, and emotion we have are different. The time that you spent with him is not with me. How you fell in love with him also is not rted to me.¡±


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°What you said to him, your gaze, your promise¡­ Your desire to make atonement for everything when you meet again, all of it is not mine. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong to me and I didn¡¯t sacrifice anything for you.¡±


    He looked terribly bitter. He was like a beast who hid his wounds and stepped back.


    ¡°You miss him.¡±


    No, I didn¡¯t.


    Lara wanted to say that, but her voice did note out. She slowly took a deep breath, feeling that Demian¡¯s palm, which had touched her cheek, was getting lukewarm little by little.


    ¡®I miss him?¡¯


    Demian Rhode Drake?


    ¡°No way.¡±


    She loved Prince Sidhar. It was a long one-sided love. As she grew her delusions alone, she blindly chased the Prince¡¯s shadow without knowing that the bait-like love he threw at her was a lie.


    But she did her best. She tried to do whatever the Prince told her to do and to do whatever he wanted. Not knowing that she was quickly withering away, she gave everything away.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be. It¡¯s a shameful memory, but I loved the Prince then.¡±


    Lara held Demian¡¯s hand with one hand. Then she took his hand off her cheek and lowered it down.


    Demian said again.


    ¡°Then, think of me as Demian in your dream and think about what you want to say the most right now.¡±


    Demian¡¯s voice was magical. It prated her heart, not her ears. Lara, who nodded slowly, quickly blinked her eyes.


    ¡°If you were him¡­¡±


    She was speechless again. You could just say sorry or ask for forgiveness, but somehow she could not say anything. She felt pressure on her chest making her feel suffocated.


    The mighty warrior of the saintess, Demian.


    She had done him a great wrong. As he listened to whatever she said, she was triumphant and ruled his mind like a King. She found the utmost sincerity and devotion that she could not receive from the Prince. At that time, she was terribly satisfied with the fake status as a saintess for the first time. Because she could own him.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Demian¡¯s voice sank heavily in Lara¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Are you sure this is all about guilt?¡±


    It felt like he had poured cold water on her chest. Lara bit her parched lips and struggled to remove the hand he had caught.


    ¡°Are you sure you wanted to say that you don¡¯t hate him and that it bothered you the whole time?¡±


    No.


    That was not it.


    ¡°I bet you wanted to say that you love him and that you wanted to beg him not to leave.¡±


    ¡°Stop it!¡±


    Lara shouted. She loved Prince Sidhar. She had wanted him for a long time. However, her love slowly faded away after realizing the Prince¡¯s true nature and was abandoned soon. Lara could not admit that fact for a while. She could not even leave the Prince¡¯s side because she could not forgive herself for choosing Prince Sidhar while hurting her mother and many others around her. She endured and endured even though there was only obsession and hatred left.


    At that time, her heart was already looking at someone else. She mistook it for longing, wrapped it up as sympathy, and deceived herself to think it was a sense of guilt. When she had actually fallen in love with Demian.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 55 - Broken Heart

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The tears that Lara tried to hold back had fallen. A small stain was left on the white sand. With her head down, she wiped her face with the sleeve of her clothes. But no matter how hard she wiped it, her tears kept falling.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Demian who finally made her cry, let out a heavy sigh.


    ¡°I want you to forget everything, but you can¡¯t, right?¡±


    ¡°Demian¡­¡±


    ¡°Do as you please. It¡¯s okay to love him and it doesn¡¯t matter if you miss him.¡±


    Lara shook her head. She could not say anything because she was crying, but she denied it with her whole body. However, in Demian¡¯s eyes, even that gesture seemed like Lara was confused after btedly realizing her feelings.


    ¡°For God¡¯s sake.¡±


    It was more than just a coincidence that he looked into her feelings, which even the owner ignored. Perhaps anyone would have thought so. The Demian Rhode Drake in Lara¡¯s dream could have always escaped her grasp, but he still hovered around her to the end.


    The same went for Lara. she could have forgotten everything and made a fresh start, but she did not.


    A rtionship where they were looking at each other, but they could not get close to each other, unable to confide their feelings. They were in love with each other.


    ¡°At first, I thought you were suffering from nightmares, so I thought I should open your eyes to reality¡­ But now I could only hope that it really was a dream.¡±


    ¡°Do you¡­believe me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.


    He believed her. He had no choice but to believe her. Demian had decided to think that this woman had either experienced some miracle or was under a terrible curse.


    ¡°Finding me and kissing me¡­ That must be what you wanted to do to him too.¡±


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Stop crying.¡±


    Demian was angry, but he could not get angry. It provoked him, but somehow, maybe this was also hismon point with the other guy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do when you cry.¡±


    He reached out his hand. When his rough hand popped out in front of her, Lara grabbed it with her two hands. His hand, which was cold until just now, felt warm. Even such an insignificant change in temperature made her feel sad. Lara once again distorted her face as if she was crying.


    Demian looked at her and opened his mouth.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    But he could not bear to finish his sentence and just kept his mouth shut with a stiff face. He could not figure out what to say to soothe a woman who was struggling with her whole body to swallow her tears, a woman who could not even see properly from the tears falling from her eyes.


    Demian chose silence. He could neither say that he wanted to approach her despite there being no path in front of him, nor could he say that the Demian in Lara¡¯s dream, too, could not leave her because he loved her madly.


    A crying woman was against thew. But all thews in the world were useless to this woman¡¯s tears.


    The wind by the riverside scattered Lara¡¯s hair. Demian approached Lara and put his cheek on top of her soft head. His chest touched her face, quickly bing wet.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Lara whispered. Demian decided not to ask what she was sorry for. He could tell without even asking. For now, he just wanted this woman¡¯s crying to end just a little bit faster.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡±


    He certainly told her not to cry, but there were even bigger drops of tears from Lara¡¯s eyes.


    Demian¡¯s world kept getting wet. Lara¡¯s tears were absolute. His world was terribly dry, getting cracked and broken every day, but now, Lara had filled it with tears.


    Demian thought.


    What can I do to stop this woman from crying?


    Should I say I would do everything for her?


    Should I rip Sidhar Hautean to death?


    Or should I be the Demian Rhode Drake in her dream?


    Should I get whatever she want?


    The hero of the battlefield, the undefeated warrior. Those who held swords gave him nicknames as they liked every time they encountered him. They said in unison that there would be no one in the world who could beat Demian.


    But Demian realized it. He could fight even if the demon lord descended, but this woman¡¯s tears made him a captive on his knees.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡±


    Because I feel so helpless when you cry.<b> Broken Heart</b>


    After sitting by the river and wedding tears all at once, Lara looked at the Tender River, which flowed indifferently. Demian picked up two pebbles that were a little smaller than an egg, wiped them on his clothes, and put them into her hand. It was cold and smooth. Lara put the stones around her eyes that were heated after crying.


    ¡°How does it feel to be heartbroken?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for a joke.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go back to the past? I think he¡¯d be happy to ept your confession.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it so easily. Just because it¡¯s none of your business¡­¡±


    Lara, who stopped in the middle of her sentence, burst outughing. Now even she was treating the past Demian and the present Demian differently. Lara took a short, deep breath and calmed her agitated chest.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Do you know? Soon, you will catch the demons and their worshippers.¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Someday, yourrades will crown you a king¡ªthe king of the ouws. Thend is now unimed, butter you and yourrades will upy thatnd and call itwless¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    ¡°Just listen and let it flow. Because the future is changing. It won¡¯t be until yearster that you will be called the demon yer or thest Barbarian.¡±


    She was relieved to tell him everything. Lara was determined to confess everything to him.


    ¡°When you were fighting for me in Hautean¡­ I mean, before you left. No demon appeared in this country. You killed all the ck sorcerers.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Because Demian Rhode Drake was someone who would do anything for the fake saintess.¡±


    Demian closed his mouth. Lara, who was sitting on the sand, looked straight at him and said.


    ¡°I was also a fake.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    When herdy, who went for a short walk, came back with swollen eyes and a pale face, Konny red at Demian.


    ¡°What is this? What¡¯s wrong with mdy¡¯s face? Huh?¡±


    No matter how she asked, neither of them gave their answer. Konny quickly kicked Demian to his room. Then, she brought a sweet dessert and put it in Lara¡¯s hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit weird to have this when summer has already passed¡­ But please try this. It¡¯s a dessert made with ground ice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    ¡°Right? When I said I liked cold desserts, Valentine made me an ice grinder.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just slow-witted, but he¡¯s kind. He¡¯s also skillful with his hands. I wish he could also be nice to you soon.¡±


    That was not going to happen. Lara saved Valentine¡¯s life, but the wound he was holding was not easy to heal.


    ¡°There are things in this world that only Konny can do. One of them is taking care of Valentine.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? If that¡¯s the case, then there must be things that only you can do, mdy. I mean, there must be a lot!¡±


    Is that so?


    Come to think of it now, not just Lara, but any other woman would have meant nothing to Prince Sidhar. He just needed a stupid, obedient woman.


    The same went for her reversion. At first, she thought that the great existence had done this miracle because he felt sorry for her. But no matter how hard she thought about it, there seemed to be another reason. Suddenly she was given healing powers and there was a revtion about the appearance of the saintess.


    Was it the demon¡¯s trick? Or is it a divine punishment? No matter how hard she tried and struggled, will she still end up with the same ending as her past?


    She thought she had changed a lot of things so far, but maybe she was wrong. The people who were deceived by the fake saintess, the appearance of the ck sorcerer, the demon worshippers, and Demian who would not leave her side. What did not change still did not change.


    When she scooped the dessert that was given by Konny and put it in her mouth, the cold ice melted away. It was a taste that brought her to her senses.


    ¡®Something that only I can do¡­¡¯


    ¡°¡­Konny.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mdy.¡±


    ¡°Can you call the carriage? I have somewhere to go.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going at this hour?¡±


    ¡°The Temple of Glory.¡±


    She needed to see God.


    The priests said the temple was the house of God. If I go and force him toe out, I will for sure get to meet him.


    ¡®Whatever happens, happens.¡¯


    Lara decided not to avoid it anymore.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 56

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    It waste at night. Lara managed to enter the Temple of Glory without being seen. Thanks to her cleverness, Konny borrowed an identification card from one of the employees working in the manor. Using the card, no one knew that Lara was the daughter of Isadora.


    Lara entered the temple and stood in front of a lithographic stone filled with records of the saintess. The lithographic stone was a very old relic. The newest one would be at least 100 years old, meanwhile, the oldest one would have been there for hundreds of years. At first, she could not believe the content, life was not some kind of traditional fairy tale after all.


    ¡®If I am the real saintess.¡¯


    Saintesses were God¡¯s vicegerent and the medium for calling God.


    ¡®If you really do exist.¡¯


    Saintesses marveled with the virtue of divine authority and setw and justice right on thisnd.


    ¡®You must be listening to my voice.¡¯


    Lara stood in front of the lithographic stone and clenched her fist.


    ¡®Answer me. Tell me why it should be me.¡¯


    At that moment, a scene struck her head like a bolt from out of the blue.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    It was a day in her past©¤the day Lara visited the temple long after she became a fake saintess. Although she was pressured by the prince to be a saintess, she did not believe in God nor did she like the atmosphere unique to the temple. So she was always in the royal pce.


    That day, Lara was forced toe to the temple by order of her father and the Prince. She sat alone in a spacious prayer room, with her body covered in a heavy, white dress. It was quiet and dark, save for a dim candle that lit up the edge of the prayer room. In the center of the room, there was a statue, depicting the image of God. And in front of that statue, there was a small fountain, making the sound of water dripping little by little. Her father and the Prince left her in the prayer room and did not show up for a long time, as they were making ns with the high-ranking officials of the temple to take the throne using the fake saintess.


    She was bored and lonely. She was nervous and tired. After realizing that there were no people in therge prayer room and that there were only statues that represented various gods, Lara¡¯s back tickled, as if someone was watching her.


    That was the reason. Because there was no one. Because she thought there was no such thing as God. Because she still did not get punished despite pretending to be a fake saintess and deceiving people.


    Lara got up from the chair and approached a statue standing in front of the prayer room.


    Drip. Drip. Drip.


    The sound of water dripping sounded like a heartbeat. Lara approached the statue as close as she could reach it, and looked closely into the face of God. She heard it was made by stonemasons a long time ago, but it was as beautiful as if it waspleted yesterday.


    What kind of God is it? What¡¯s his name? What does he rule? What does he teach?


    Even though he looked cold without a facial expression, somehow Lara felt warmth through him. Everything seemed mysterious, from his androgynous face, which may be a man or a woman, to his slightly drooping eyes, to his lips that seemed to say something.


    Why did I do that?


    Lara just could not understand. No matter how young she was at that time, she could not have done that out of curiosity. All she could say was that she was bewitched.


    Lara approached God. The statue stood still with his two hands held out slightly. Lara put her body in between his hands and leaned slightly against God¡¯s chest. The touch of the cold hard stone could be felt through her dress. She felt as if the stationary statue was pulling her in like a ma.


    While in God¡¯s embrace, Lara stared at his face. Then she kissed his cold lips. She stole God¡¯s lips.


    It was an incredibly thrilling experience. It was an unforgivable action of immorality and an intense sense of freedom. Lara¡ªwho had been controlled fromughing and walking for a long time¡ªfelt an indescribable pleasure at that moment.


    No one will know. Who cares?


    Laraughed with her lips moving up and down as she saw the faint smear of her lip mark on the statue. After picking up her disheveled veil and going back to her seat, everything in the temple¡ªwhich felt scary and awkward at first¡ªseemed different. She felt as though it would not feel so bading to the temple from now on.


    It became a secret that Lara kept to herself for a long time. She had never told anyone and she had never been caught by anyone.


    That day, she felt like a viiness who seduced God and corrupted him.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    After finishing her reminiscence, a distorted smile came to Lara¡¯s lips. A cold sweat broke all over her. Her gaze turned to the main hall of the temple, where the prayer room was located.


    The statue would still be there. Lara walked quietly to the prayer room, leaving Konny, who was looking around in the distance. The priests who were guarding the temple at night asionally turned their eyes on her. However, there were a lot of believers who came to pray even at night, so she did not raise much doubt.


    The prayer room was exactly as she remembered. A dim candle lit up the edge of the prayer room, and a small fountain was installed in front of the statue which she kissed.


    Drip. Drip. Drip.


    The sound of water dripping regrly like clockwork could be heard. Lara walked confidently into the open prayer room. Then, she approached the statue without hesitation and raised her head straight.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of anything.¡±


    She had already died once and now it was her second life. She knew this life was a precious opportunity that would never happen again. Thus, she could not live with her eyes closed as if she knew nothing like before.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    Don¡¯t tell me I was chosen because of that kiss.


    She suddenly remembered the event that she hadpletely forgotten, but she believed that was not the real reason. But as if to ridicule her thought, God spoke to her.


    <Are you living your second life without any regret?>


    She was so surprised that her legs gave out. Lara, who had been stumbling, managed to stay bnced and stood properly. She looked around quickly, but there was no one but her in that spacious prayer room. Lara¡¯s trembling eyes reached the statue. The cold statue glowed with a faint light.


    ¡°Are you really¡­God?¡±


    <Some people call me that.>


    ¡°Then are you the demon?¡±


    <There was a time I was called like that.>


    God¡¯s voice was very mysterious. Lara did not listen to him through her ears, as he spoke directly to her in her head. She could not tell whether he was an adult or a child, a woman or a man. It seemed like he was smiling, and it also seemed like he was angry.


    ¡°Then what should I¡­what should I call you?¡±


    <I have lost such a thing as a name. Everything you people put on me was just a modifier that disappeared without value.>


    ¡°Tell me. Am I the saintess that you chose?¡±


    <Aren¡¯t you the one who chose me?>


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    <You chose me as your God. You woke me up from my long, deep slumber with that insolent kiss.>


    Lara could not understand. Had she knew this would happen, she would have studied theology harder. She regretted that she paid no attention to the study because she thought she did not need it even when she was a fake saintess. Lara sped her sweaty hands and barely managed to ask her question.


    ¡°Is it because I kissed you?¡±


    <You¡¯re the first saintess to choose God that way. Perhaps it was the same for other Gods.>


    She did not want to admit it. Lara did not want to be a saintess. She needed to tell him to take it back.


    ¡°My apologies but please reconsider it. There are many people in the world who are better than me.


    <Why do you say that?>


    ¡°I just want to have a normal life.¡±


    <I see.>


    Then, God asked her.


    <Then, would you like to go back to your first life?>


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 57

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    <Since going back to your past life means going back to the moment when you swallowed the poison, you are obviously going to die.>


    Lara could not say anything. Telling her to go back to her first life¡ªthe time of regret and pain¡ªmeant that if she did not ept her fate as a saintess, he would take back the miracle that had been handed down to her.


    ¡°That¡¯s cruel.¡±


    God did not answer. Lara did not know whether his silence meant that he was admitting to being cruel or he felt that it was not worth answering to Lara.


    ¡°You know I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    She could not go back.


    ¡® I need to get a hold of myself.¡¯


    Lara looked directly at the statue in front of her and imagined him as a human being just like her, not as an almighty being. A human who had feelings, regretted the past, and repeated mistakes. Only then could they have a proper conversation.


    ¡°Please tell me. Will I die on the same day ten yearster?¡±


    <I don¡¯t know about that. It¡¯s my first time turning back time.>


    ¡°I saw my wound heal by itself. Am I not going to die no matter how badly I get hurt?¡±


    <The wound will disappear. But it doesn¡¯t prevent death. The same goes for pain.>


    ¡°Can¡¯t I heal others with your power?¡±


    <Heal others? I¡¯m not that kind of God.>


    ¡°Then what kind of God are you?¡±


    Once more, God did not say anything for a while. Lara waited patiently. She was worried that a priest or visitor would appear in the prayer room, but now was the time to focus on God¡¯s words.


    <I¡¯m the forgotten God.>


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    <The God that you people have forgotten.>


    God was speaking in the same tone. But to Lara¡¯s ears, it sounded like he was angry. He seemed upset and resentful.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    <To right the wrong.>


    ¡°What do you¡­¡±


    <Close your eyes. I will show you what happened to the world after you died.>


    Suddenly, the scenery in front of her changed. Everything in front of her became blurry as if it had been rubbed with half-dried paint, and it soon became a different ce.


    Lara was standing in the square in front of the royal pce, not in the temple prayer room. Her body was like a haze. It was so light that she could not feel her weight and it felt like she could fly anywhere.


    ¡®So, this is God¡¯s eyes.¡¯


    Lara realized by herself. She was looking at the world through the eyes of God.


    ¡°Lara!¡±


    Prince Sidhar screamed. He was covered in ck blood. In front of him, a woman swallowed poison and died in a terrible way. She was Lara in the past.


    The misery of this world began there. After Lara, the fake saintess, swallowed poison and died, the demon who had lost his sacrifice became angry and descended to the square in front of the royal pce. It was a massive demon of fire. All those who shouted to kill the saintess and offered her to the demon were burned to death by the demon¡¯s fire. The people whom Lara loved and those who loved Lara became a handful of ashes and disappeared. The same went for the beautiful royal pce and the streets along the Tender River.


    Prince Sidhar managed to escape the demon because he was with the ck sorcerers. However, he grew to despise the weakness of mankind when he saw the kingdom he was trying to rule over destroyed and burned by a mere demon.


    A human was nothingpared to a demon, consequently, the human country was nothingpared to the world dominated by demons. So the Prince dedicated his soul to the demon and became his servant. The kingdom was offered to the demon. Hautean soon became the base for devil worshippers. In the war against demon forces, the fall of Hautean was recorded as the most painful defeat all across the continent for many years.


    The world was on the verge of downfall because of this. The demon worshippers who fought sporadically and were scattered throughout the continent gathered together in Hautean as their base. It was a huge army of demonic beasts, ck sorcerers, and demons. They proudly formed an army and moved to thewless area.


    Thewless area was a battlefield that the demon worshippers must go through before going to Tarragon Empire. And King of Ouws, Demian Rhode Drake was there.


    Thest Barbarian and undefeated warrior; the Demon yer.


    But Demian was already ruined then. Because the woman he loved with his life and soulmitted suicide in a terrible way.


    ¡°Lara-!¡±


    Tears of blood flowed from Demian¡¯s eyes. His dark blue eyes, which Lara had always looked at as if she was enchanted, were stained with dark red blood.


    ¡°Get a hold of yourself! Even if you do this, she won¡¯te back alive!¡±


    No matter how hisrades begged and were angry at him, it was useless. Demian went out to the battlefield, like an emotionless doll, with a sword and shed Prince Sidhar¡ªwho had be the demon¡¯s servant¡ªto death first. Then, he continued to move forward without a break, ripped out the heart of the demon that upied Hautean, and covered himself with the blood.


    Demian was quickly broken. His beautiful body that had swallowed the demon was destroyed and twisted. His ck hair turned white, he grew ck wings and horns, and his desire to kill continuously boiled up. Demian indiscriminately began to kill the humans and demons at random. The process of such a beautiful man bing a demon was so devastating and tragic that it was hard to even look at him.


    Demian became the demon. There was no love in his heart. He did not recognize hisrades, and there was no justice left inside him. He became the demon lord who hated all living beings.


    When the entire continent copsed into a war against the demon forces, Tarragon Empire became the ce where the humans remained and resisted until the end.


    Crown Prince Acerus of Tarragon had long prepared for the war against the demon and had won several significant victories. Not only was he called humanity¡¯s hero, but he also had the Empire as his strong support. However, the people who were tired of the long war quickly lost their hope. More and more people betrayed the Empire and surrendered to the demon.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give up! Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re human!¡±


    But he did notst long either. Acerus, who held hope and resisted to the end, lost his will when he encountered Demian, who became the demon, on a burning battlefield.


    They fought and Acerus was defeated. The Crown Prince¡ªwho called the ve his friend and trusted him until the end¡ªwas decapitated by the hands of his demon-turned friend.


    That day, the hegemony of the continent waspletely lost to the demon worshippers. The humans began to be bred like livestock. They were either used as the subject of experiments for the ck sorcerers or as meals for the demon. Even the demonic beasts that had been trapped in the remote areas stormed out of their original area. They made the humannd their new territory and increased their poption.


    Demons, demon worshippers, and demonic beasts. Under them were the livestock and ve-turned humans who had quickly be extinct.


    It was the downfall of the world which was triggered by Lara¡¯s death.


    <Have you seen it all?>


    Tears flowed from Lara¡¯s eyes. She cried without even realizing she was doing so. Her heart ached so much. Demian¡¯s look was stuck in her head. His eyes, which turned dark red with tears of blood, had hardened, and his poor appearance that could not stop fighting even with twisted limbs broke her heart.


    ¡°Why¡­did you show me that?¡±


    <It¡¯s the world after your death.>


    She wanted to say that whether the world was destroyed or not had nothing to do with her, but she could not. Demian¡¯s ruined appearance was stuck in her eyes like a tattoo. She did not know he loved her that much. Because he had never told her.


    Why did you do that? You should have just quickly forgotten about someone like me. Or you should have asked me to run away with you. You should have asked me to stay with you until the day of destruction, without giving a care to the demons at the end of the world.


    People were dying and the world burned to ruin. There must have been mother and Sebastian, Konny and Valentine, Eunice and Ximena in there. What should I do now?


    When she returned to the past and lived her second life, Lara vowed to live her own life away from the shadow of her father and the Prince. She thought it would be over once she paid back the love she had only received from her mother and atoned for her mistakes to Demian. She happened to rescue So and Valentine, but that was all. She had never thought of changing the world.


    Lara¡¯s world was very, very small, consisting of herself and only a few people she loved.


    That was all. She was never interested in the world. Even if she hated Prince Sidhar, she never thought of standing on the other side of him to fight a war and intervene in history. She knew demon worshippers would ruin the continent, but she had never thought about fighting them. That was the work of the heroes¡ªthe work for someone like Demian or Acerus.


    But if she did nothing, the people she loved would die. Everyone will be unhappy. Because they belong to the world. Because they¡¯re Lara¡¯s world. Eventually, Lara would also be unhappy.


    <You said that you would do anything.>


    God said. When she begged for a second chance, Lara clearly swore so. She begged, saying that she would do anything, saying to give her a chance.


    <I gave you the chance to turn everything back and make it right.>


    ¡°I¡¯m weak. I¡¯m not that strong. I¡¯m just an ordinary person.¡±


    <At first, even the heroes in times of turbulence were those who rose to protect the one they loved.>


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    <Lara.>


    God¡¯s voice sounded affectionate. There was also a little warmth. She raised her head to see if she had heard something wrong, but the only thing that had caught her eyes was only a cold statue.


    <One person¡¯s choice can change history.>


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 58 - Third, It’s Tiring Being A Rich Villainess

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    God¡¯s voice grew farther and farther.


    <If you find my name, I will answer your call again.>


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡±


    <I will be waiting.>


    God left the prayer room. And with that being his final word, God no longer responded to Lara¡¯s call. Lara could clearly feel that God¡¯s eyes had drifted away from her.


    Drip. Drip. Drip.


    She could finally hear the sound of the dripping water now. Even God¡¯s energy that had dominated the prayer room had now disappeared. The flow of time that had previously been stopped began again.


    ¡°Anything¡­¡±


    Lara¡¯s voice rang low in the silent prayer room. Contrary to her feelings that were seething with giddiness, she sounded calm.


    It was a relief. There was no time to cry and despair. There were things that must be done for her mother and Demian, for her loved ones. Konnie was right. There were things in the world that only she could do. She could not be a hero in times of turbulence, but she could be the hero for one person, and she could turn someone into a hero.


    One¡¯s choice changes history. History is like water, so if the direction is turned even a little bit, it will dig the ground by itself and make a new path.


    After tightly holding onto her chair for a while, Lara was able to leave the prayer room.


    <b> Third, It¡¯s Tiring Being a Rich Viiness</b>


    Demian was not sleeping. He was lying on his bed in his room, fiddling with the royal sword that Princess So had bestowed him. It was a good sword. It was a good thing that he was not obsessed with weapons, since, for someone greedy, they would throw themselves at the sword with interest.


    It was said that an adventurer offered the sword to the King. Demian did not believe that straight away. Perhaps the King took away what the adventurer found. Thend of Hautean belonged to the King, and the sword was found in a cave in Hautean, so he must have insisted that the sword belonged to him.


    He did not know what it was like at the time of its discovery, but maybe because it was stored in the warehouse without anyone using it, the weapon did not reek of blood. The King of Hautean must have given Demian the sword without knowing the value of it.


    For the sword of the royal family, its appearance was modest and it was not cast with any spells. It was said that relics that help its master with magic were often found among the relics of the past. This sword, on the other hand, may have felt shabbypared to that.


    But Demian thought that it was a jackpot. He was d he listened to Lara. Now he understood why she wanted to give him a sword so badly.


    There was something about this sword. It was just that it had not been revealed yet. The ominous energy felt from the sword, and this heavy presence proved that the sword was by no means just a piece of de ware.


    ¡°In any case, she¡¯s an amazing woman.¡±


    Just as when Demian was busy admiring Lara¡¯s foresight, someone quickly walked toward his room. Suddenly the door burst open, it was Lara.


    ¡°Lara?¡±


    Far from knocking, she entered Demian¡¯s room without hesitation. Then, after closing the door with a loud m, she spoke in a firm voice.


    ¡°It is me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the real saintess.¡±


    Demian put the sword down on the edge of the bed, stood up, and approached Lara. But Lara suddenly rushed to Demian¡¯s bed and picked up the sword he had put down. Then, she sliced her forearm with the sword.


    ¡°Lara!¡±


    Demain pulled Lara¡¯s body. He moved so fast that fortunately, Lara only had a very small wound on her arm.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Look carefully.¡±


    Lara put her arm in front of his eyes.


    ¡°Look.¡±


    ¡°What the hell am I supposed to¡­¡±


    Demian could not say any more. The wound was not even deep enough for blood to flow out. And yet, the torn and bloody wound on Lara¡¯s arm was healing, leaving no trace in its ce. In the short time that Demian had red, Lara¡¯s wound hadpletely disappeared.


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m the real saintess. Now, can you believe me?¡±


    ¡°Since when did this happen?¡±


    ¡°The first time I found out about this was when my father kidnapped me. It was also weird back then. I jumped out of the fire and got hit by my father, but I was fine. Not even a scratch.¡±


    ¡°Haa.¡±


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    Lara asked him.


    ¡°Are you going to take me to the Empire?¡±


    ¡°If you say you don¡¯t want to go, we aren¡¯t going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. If you tell me not to tell anyone about this, I will keep my silence until my death.¡±


    Demian gave his reply without even thinking about it. He did not even hesitate, as if that was just natural for him. Lara¡¯s heart was hot and numb. When she thought of the ruined Demian, she kept crying. But Lara did not reveal her feelings at all. Instead, as he once said, she asked with a confident and arrogant face.


    ¡°Am I still your masterdy?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then, please investigate the fake saintesses. The ck sorcerers too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Give me a little more time. I will take you to the Empire.¡±


    Lara would prevent the tragedy that would ur in Hautean. To do so, she must fight Sidhar¡ªthe Prince who ruled her past.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara decided to discuss part of this matter with her mother after a night of agonizing over it. She could not tell her everything, but at least, she had to let her know that she was the saintess. Her mother was the most important person she had ever met after going back to the past, and her mother was the one she could rely the most on when something happened.


    ¡°Sebastian!¡±


    Early in the morning, Lara found Sebastian on his way to work and approached him.


    ¡°Can I go with you?¡±


    Lara asked. She was already prepared to go out. Sebastian politely reached out to Lara.


    ¡°Please get in.¡±


    Lara got on the carriage first, followed by Sebastian, who sat across from her. Sebastian was putting down a heavy briefcase next to him, and the bag was not properly closed because of therge number of documents in it.


    While waiting for the carriage to depart, Lara asked Sebastian.


    ¡°Sebastian, is mother very busy these days?¡±


    ¡°Madam Isadora, well¡­ She is the same as usual. Why? Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    How will mother react when she finds out that her daughter is the real saintess?


    Lara thought that her mother would never be happy about that fact. She might even be mad and ask to withdraw all the money she had donated to the temple so far.


    ¡°When you make that face, I¡¯m sure something has happened. I guess it¡¯s something you can¡¯t confide in me.¡±


    ¡°What face am I making?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re squeezing your lips, your eyes are slightly droopy, and you¡¯re clenching your teeth. Usually, you will make a big decision after that.¡±


    ¡°How can you read all of that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. After serving someone who looks exactly like you for a long time¡­ I could read your face automatically. Shall I say it¡¯s mind-reading that¡¯s limited to one person only?¡±


    Sebastianughed pleasantly. His dignified voice eased Lara¡¯s tension little by little.


    ¡°My mother is busy. I feel ufortable because it feels like I keep bothering her.¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, she is upset because you¡¯re so self-reliant.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Behaving like a spoiled child, begging for pocket money, making trouble¡­rebelling sometimes. That is normal. You¡¯re the type of person that won¡¯t share their burdens. You don¡¯t even talk much. For parents, it¡¯s not really a good personality.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°Please refrain from telling stories about me to Madam Isadora.¡±


    Sebastian squinted his eyes andughed. Lara, who was nowpletely rxed,ughed after him.


    ¡°Mother is the best business magnate in Hautean. As her daughter, I can¡¯t be too spoiled.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡±


    Sebastian slightly pointed at his bag full of documents and shook his head.


    ¡°Madam Isadora may soon be the best on the continent.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Really?¡±


    ¡°There is a limit due to Hautean being in the border area. But if she could, she would like to move headquarters to the Empire¡­ She won¡¯t move because you¡¯re here.¡±


    She did not know Isadora¡¯s business was that good. While Lara¡ªflustered by her mother¡¯s wealth¡ªtried to find something to say, Sebastian cleared his throat and said.


    ¡°It¡¯s also a secret that I said this.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 59

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The carriage ran fast and arrived at Isadora¡¯s hotel. The manager, who quickly rushed out after knowing about Lara¡¯s arrival, took her hand and guided her to the top floor where Isadora was at.


    ¡°Mother, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Isadora woke up, washed up, and was sitting at her desk, working before her hair was even dried. Next to her were maids moving like her hands and feet. They were maids who dried and tidied up her hair and looked after her appearance. Lara sat in the chair only after they had finished their work and went outside.


    ¡°What about breakfast?¡±


    ¡°I already ate.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. I haven¡¯t even had breakfast yet.¡±


    ¡°I have no appetite.¡±


    She tried to act indifferent as much as possible, but she could not deceive her mother. Although it was a fact that she knew after she came back to the past, her mother seemed to have a superhuman ability to recognize Lara¡¯s mood, condition, and the honesty of her words.


    Isadora stepped away from her desk and approached Lara.


    ¡°Lara, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Her mother¡¯s voice, which always sounded cold and scary, now felt extremely affectionate. In a sh, she sounded formal, but Lara knew that it was full of worries. She wanted to say how it was nothing serious and that she thought she was the real saintess. But in spite of herself, Lara reached out to the approaching Isadora and hugged her mother.


    ¡°Lara?¡±


    Her heart that had been toughened all night after meeting God became warm. Lara put her forehead in her mother¡¯s embrace and left her body to the warmth.


    Isadora just stood there still. She patted softly on Lara¡¯s shoulder and waited unhesitatingly until her daughter spoke out first.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for behaving like a spoiled child.¡±


    ¡°You should do it more often.¡±


    ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m the saintess.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s no big¡­ What?¡±


    Isadora asked back in surprise. The face that looked exactly like Lara was hardened with shock.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What did God say?¡±


    ¡°He said that I¡¯m the saintess.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°He asked me to find his name. And that I need to right the wrongs.¡±


    ¡°Why should you do that? What about the temple? What are the priests doing? There are so many people in this world who are dying to do something like that. Why would you¡­¡±


    Isadora, who was spitting out words, crumpled up her face and looked out of the window. Then, with only moving her lips, she silently uttered a few curse words. She lowered her head and looked carefully into Lara¡¯s face for a long time.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±


    Isadora said firmly. When Lara looked up at her with a look of asking what that meant, she said more firmly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do it if you don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s the temple¡¯s fault that God was forgotten. Those nosy pricks will work hard to correct the wrongs in this world.


    ¡°I will keep it a secret for a while.¡±


    ¡°For a while?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will reveal my identity when the timees. I mean, when the one who wants to wield the saintess as a weapon disappears.¡±


    ¡°When is that?¡±


    ¡°After the owner of the next throne changes.¡±


    Lara would change the owner of the throne. Lara thought that the heir to the throne should not be Prince Sidhar, but Princess So.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Isadora knew a lot more than was initially thought¡ªthe situation Hautean faced, the rtionship between the temple and the royal family, and even about the fact that the war against the demon worshippers would happen in the near future. Rather than saying that she knew a lot of things, it was right to say that there was nothing that she did not know. That was because Isadora was a merchant who dealt with goods on the continent.


    ¡°Lara, do you know who the Crown Prince of the Empire is?¡±


    ¡°Acerus Elin Tarragon.¡±


    ¡°Acerus is a heroic man. His tale of heroism yed a greater role than the consort n¡¯s power in defeating the opposition forces and bing the Crown Prince early.¡±


    After Lara confessed that she was a saintess, Isadora came home with Lara and called Sebastian to cancel all her schedules that day. Then, she took Lara to her empty room.


    ¡°I was honestly surprised when Demian told me that he had a surname given by the Crown Prince and that he had been granted immunity.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Lara, Tarragon is a very big country. You may not realize that because you have never left Hautean.¡±


    On one wall in Isadora¡¯s room was arge map of the continent, showing the trade route for her tradingpany. She pointed her finger at a huge yellow-painted ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s Tarragon. Even if you put together 20 countries the size of Hautean, it would still be no match for the Empire¡¯s territory.¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    ¡°If Acerus told Demian to find and bring the saintess in Hautean, it must mean that Demian is powerful enough to single-handedly defeat Hautean¡¯s army and run away with the saintess, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you knew about that¡­ but, Lara.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°There will be a war in Hautean soon.¡±


    Isadora¡¯s face was dark. Her daughter, whom she thought young like a baby and knew nothing, had grown this much. During the years when Isadora was busy running her tradingpany, Lara became an adult by herself.


    ¡°Lara, follow Demian to the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t let you get involved in the war. There¡¯s a rumor going around, saying that Prince Sidhar has joined hands with the ck sorcerers. If he had joined the demon worshippers to take the throne, he would not leave you, the saintess, alone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m prepared for that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not enough. It¡¯s too dangerous here. I¡¯d rather you go to the Empire with Demian.¡±


    ¡°What about you? If it¡¯s dangerous for me, it will be dangerous for you too.:


    ¡°There are people in Hautean that I have to protect. They¡¯re my responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Then, I won¡¯t go either.¡±


    ¡°Lara!¡±


    ¡°There are people I love in Hautean. They¡¯re my responsibility too.¡±


    Neither Lara nor Isadora had any intention of yielding. If Sebastian had seen the two now, he would shake his head, saying that the two simr-looking people were both equally stubborn.


    Isadora continued to exin.


    ¡°When the ck sorcerers first appeared, they named Princess So as the only strong candidate for being the saintess. Up until then, the King would have hoped that the Princess would be a saintess.¡±


    Only then, he could use the power of the temple to raise the Princess to be the next King.


    ¡°But one day, all of a sudden, women who had nothing inmon were attacked all at once for being the saintess candidates. Moreover, the two survivors began to im out loud that they were the real saintess.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it was caused by someone on purpose?¡±


    ¡°And who might that be?¡±


    ¡°It must be Prince Sidhar.¡±


    Lara closed her eyes and calmed her seething heart. If Isadora¡¯s guess was correct, then the Prince was a really constant man. Instead of looking for a woman like Lara, whom he could easily brainwash, the Prince used two saintess candidates as his puppets.


    ¡®Why did he do that?¡¯


    Why did he judge that fake saintesses are more helpful than one real saintess?


    No one knew who the real saintess was yet. To say that the fake saintesses would be helpful, their actions were too clumsy.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Sidhar is nning to kill So.¡±


    Lara opened her eyes wide. Suddenly, all the dots were connected. Prince Sidhar was someone who valued his reputation and cared about what others said. He thought that everyone in Hautean should look up to and respect him. If So suddenly dies one day, many people would suspect him. His past efforts of pretending to be an affectionate brother would alle to nothing.


    But now, the ck sorcerers have appeared in time and tried to assassinate So, saying she was a strong candidate for a saintess. Sidhar must have nned this since then, perhaps even before then. He held hands with the ck sorcerers at the back, pretended to be a brother who was worried about his sister at the front, and even made the fake saintesses. All of this was to kill and get rid of So Hautean.


    ¡°If he gets rid of the Princess and the fake saintesses all at once¡­¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t be called into doubt. Because So will die as a saintess candidate, not a sessor to the throne.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you said that there will be a war?¡±


    ¡°There are people in Hautean who support So more than you think. They will never ept the result. Eventually, there will be a civil war and Prince Sidhar will use the ck sorcerers to drive them out.¡±


    Lara, who was listening to Isadora, raised her head.


    ¡°Mother, are you supporting Princess So?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. As a merchant, I don¡¯t think I should intervene in politics.¡±


    ¡°But, how did you know all this?¡±


    ¡°Because both the Princess and the Prince are reaching out from both sides.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Those who support the Princess and those who support the Prince are all approaching me. Lara, it costs a lot of money to fight a war. They want my money.¡±


    Lara muttered.


    ¡°Then, they will be approaching me soon.¡±


    In her past life, Sidhar did not start the war because of Lara¡¯s efforts. She became the saintess, gathered the support of the temple and the people, and dedicated it all to him. But now that Lara was not around the Prince, he would resort to taking extreme measures.


    ¡°Lara, do you really want to change the owner of the throne?¡±


    When Isadora asked, Lara nodded firmly. In order to prevent the tragedy that this country will face, the first thing to do was to destroy Sidhar Hautean. There was no other way.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 60

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    One day, a letter arrived addressed to Sidhar Hautean. At first, he thought it was just an ordinary love letter. Because he was a popr Prince. But as soon as he opened the envelope, he noticed that the letter was cast with secrecy magic.


    It was a letter from the ck sorcerers. Sidhar Hautean had been closely rted to the ck sorcerers for quite some time. It was his n to hold a riverside banquet and reveal So¡¯s position to the ck sorcerer. He also guided them to So¡¯s pce for the raid.


    ¡®That persistent thing.¡¯


    So had neither died nor kneeled down to him. He knew she was stubborn, but he did not know how brave she would be.


    ¡®This is all because of father.¡¯


    It was years ago at a banquet that he had realized that the King was nning to hand down the throne to So. Up until that point, he firmly believed that there was no one else better suited to be King in this country except him, so that day had clearly stuck in his mind and was never to be forgotten.


    Was it at the end of the year or the beginning of the year? It was a big banquet hosted by the royal family. There were many nobles and there were many women beside him. Then, a man said in a sarcastic voice, as if for him to hear. He said that, as a member of the royal family, all the Prince had was his face, just because he was popr with women did not mean that he would be the King. He added that all the influential people in the Kingdom were bowing to young Princess So.


    It was beyond belief. He thought of it as mere jealousy of a loser who lost his woman to him. So he held his fiancee in his arms and danced in front of him on purpose.


    He knew before the banquet ended that the guy was right. The most aplished schr in Hautean was following So like her shadow and was whispering in secret. The most outstanding knight in Hautean swore allegiance to So and protected the Princess. The most prestigious nobles in Hautean hovered around So.


    As soon as he realized all that, Prince Sidhar felt the chills as if someone rubbed a de against the back of his neck. The throne, which he naturally thought was his, moved further away. It was just unbearably insulting for him. And of all people, to that young girl.


    From then on, Sidhar made a secret n.


    He brought the family of the schr who was So¡¯s master to ruin. He framed the knight who swore to protect So. He joined hands with the husband of the woman who handed out donations in So¡¯s name and attracted the ck sorcerers.


    The Prince was a cunning man. He knew that holding hands with the ck sorcerers could be a big problem should someone betray him, so he shared the crime with the temple. The was tightly woven so that no one dared to betray.


    Those sitting in the dirtiest and highest chairs in the Temple of Glory joined hands with the Prince. He secretly gavend and opened the way for the ck sorcerers¡ªwho were ostracized wherever they went¡ªso they could hide in Western Hautean.


    Had the dumb Marquess of Bailey not fallen, he could have approached the throne more easily.


    ¡°What are the saintesses doing?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re memorizing the prayer.¡±


    ¡°Were they good?¡±


    ¡°My apologies. The daughter of the noblemancks concentration and the farmer¡¯s wife does not know much about writing¡­¡±


    ¡°So worthless.¡±


    Prince Sidhar handed the letter to his old aide. His aide, who was akin to his hands and feet, nced at the letter sent by the ck sorcerers.


    ¡°So, they were asking if they could make more fake saintess.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s like increasing the amount of trash that needs to be disposed of. There are a lot of good pawns to use, but I can¡¯t believe they chose those kinds of women.¡±


    ¡°Because they didn¡¯t have enough time. It was probably because they were greedy so they tried to find women that were easy to manage.¡±


    ¡°It was a great opportunity to get rid of So¡­ Tsk.¡±


    It would have been nice if she died with the other women, but So survived persistently. If it¡¯s not this time, there may not be another chance to kill her without suspicion.


    ¡°Your Highness, it seems true that a saintess has appeared in Hautean, so I think we still need to keep an eye on her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not So.¡±


    So was not the saintess. At first, he was a little nervous because he thought she was, but the ck sorcerers were mistaken.


    ¡°Those dimwits.¡±


    They said the demon delivered these words to them.


    ¡®A woman who woke up after stepping on death.¡¯


    ¡®Experiencing the miracle of God.¡¯


    ¡®The one who will save the world.¡¯


    Who is the saintess? What are those vague criteria? Why does God say nothing? Do we really have to be afraid of God who does not punish us even when we are putting out the fake saintesses?


    ¡°How¡¯s the preparation going?¡±


    Sidhar asked. The old aide bowed deeply to him.


    ¡°It takes a lot of money to gather troops. It will be good if we have a good cause, but we¡¯re doing this in secret¡­ It¡¯s still not enough, even after gathering all the assets that we have.¡±


    ¡°What about the nobles?¡±


    ¡°I have recruited those who can hold their tongues, but it¡¯s still not enough.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s about money, we can just take it away.¡±


    It was hard to take away reputation or trust. But it was not hard to take away money or home. The Prince was not married yet, and he had heard that the daughter of the richest woman in Hautean had just be an adult.


    ¡°Did you say it was Laviore? I never thought I¡¯d have to approach that kind of woman. I feel like a male escort.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Go through everything about the daughter of Isadora.¡±


    The position as the Princess Consort should be a good deal for her entire asset. Sidhar was confident


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The weather was neither hot nor cold. It was too chilly to be wearing summer clothes, but it was still too hot during the day to be wearing long sleeves.


    ¡°So when I took out the thin robe, it was suddenly really windy today. The hem of my clothes was pping so much that it made me annoyed. It felt like I had be a human g.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go buy new clothes.¡±


    In Lara¡¯s view, that was just an excuse. It seemed that Ximena wanted to buy new clothes regardless of her current ones. Lara just decided to think so. After turning the carriage in the direction of a shopping mall where the dress boutique fathered, Lara first asked Ximena.


    ¡°Ximena.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What prodigal and bad things should be done for a woman to be regarded as totally hopeless by anyone?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about really bad things? There are lots; Stealing from others, insulting good people, beating the weak, destroying others¡¯ lives¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better if there would be no victims.¡±


    ¡°What a difficult question.¡±


    After thinking about it, Ximena asked Eunice.


    ¡°What do you think about that?¡±


    ¡°Just drink.¡±


    ¡°What the¡­¡±


    ¡°Why? There will be no victims, people will shun you, saying you¡¯re a drunkard and addicted, and those who sell liquor will make money.¡±


    That would work to some extent, but what Lara wanted was something that would give her more powerful notoriety. Something akin to a rascal who was profligate and extravagant.


    Rumors about her have also subsided over time and have now be less of a topic in society.


    ¡°Why did you ask?¡±


    Eunice asked. Ximena was looking at Lara as she was also curious.


    ¡®It¡¯s fine to tell them, right?¡¯


    Lara let out a big sigh and confessed.


    ¡°Prince Sidhar¡¯s aide began to approach mother. They asked if my mother wanted to make me the Princess Consort. They also secretly asked for donations.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Crazy¡­¡±


    ¡°Prince Sidhar¡¯s men will be investigating my surroundings©¤whether I¡¯m true to the rumors or not. You know that my notoriety is a bit waning these days. I¡¯m just worried.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s shitty, seriously.¡±


    Eunice and Ximena uttered loud swear words in the carriage. They knew well how much Lara hated Prince Sidhar.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. Just get married.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t be flirting with a married woman.¡±


    ¡°With whom?¡±


    Eunice shut her mouth. She could not ask Lara to marry any man, so it was probably hard to be married right now. This time, Ximena said.


    ¡°Just decline him straightforwardly. Every time he meets you, ignore him, ridicule him, and quietly insult him.¡±


    ¡°Then, what if I¡¯m executed for l¨¨se-majest¨¦?¡±


    ¡°Insult him just enough for it to not be l¨¨se-majest¨¦. Just enough so that when the Prince gets angry, he looks narrow-minded, but if he does not, it would offend him.¡±


    ¡°Is that going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°It will be good for you because you will get to resolve your pent-up anger, you know, because of your father. Even just hating and declining the Prince that everyone likes will be enough to build your notoriety. I think that¡¯s fair enough.¡±


    That made sense. Eunice also nodded, saying that it was a good idea, and even added her opinion to Ximena¡¯s remarks.


    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s really annoying about this? It¡¯s not that big of a deal to others. But it will drive the person directly involved crazy.¡±


    How great it would be to have such a small rejection pile up and break the prince¡¯s mask.


    ¡°The Prince is human after all. Teasing him makes him irritated, provoking him makes him angry. Lara, you¡¯re overestimating the Prince. He¡¯s good at managing his reputation, but he won¡¯t be that perfect.¡±


    ¡°Then, what should I do?¡±


    ¡°First of all¡­¡±


    With a mean face, Ximena told Lara a lot of things. Eunice came up close to overhear them and giggled.


    ¡°That sounds like a lot of fun.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s going to work.¡±


    Lara was skeptical.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 61

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    It worked.


    Shortly after, Prince Sidhar began to show his interest in Lara. At first, he sent his aides. They gave all sorts of excuses to meet Lara, such as holding amemoration party and celebration party. Lara returned all of their invitations without reading them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this stuff because it¡¯sme.¡±


    It was such an insincere refusal that anyone could tell she was not interested in the Prince.


    Whenever she happened to see the Prince from afar, Lara took Demian¡¯s hand and leisurely left the ce. When the Prince showed any interest, she visibly expressed her disgust, turned her back, and disappeared in a carriage with other men.


    Eunice and Ximena also did not just sit still. They spread the word secretly in society.


    ¡°Why would a Prince go after a merchant¡¯s daughter? It doesn¡¯t look good. It¡¯s disgraceful.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all because of Thousand Gold Isadora. I¡¯m sure everyone thinks so. Who doesn¡¯t know about Bailey lottery these days?¡±


    ¡°I guess money is good after all.¡±


    Of course, the rumor did not cause Prince Sidhar to give up on Lara.


    A few dayster, a letter from Prince Sidhar arrived at Lara¡¯s house with a carriage. The white carriage that the royal family rode was full of red flowers.


    ¡°Mdy, what¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°He must be in a hurry.¡±


    Lara looked at the carriage with cold eyes. The royal attendant approached her in an elegant manner and handed her the letter. As she could not just tear up and throw away the letter sent by the royal family, she stood there and insincerely cut open the envelope. Then, after scanning through the content, she called the attendant who was about to leave.


    ¡°Stop there.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Go and tell the Prince. My apologies but I can¡¯t ept his invitation.¡±


    The attendant looked at Lara as if she just said something that did not make sense. There had never been such a case where a royal invitation was declined like this. This was highly impolite. Moreover, Lara just abandoned her name as a Bailey not too long ago, so she was amoner in terms of status.


    ¡°Mdy, it may be presumptuous of me to say this but¡­¡±


    ¡°It is presumptuous, so don¡¯t say it.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead and tell him. The daughter of Isadora is already invited by Princess So, so she cannot obey the Prince¡¯s call.¡±


    It was a clever excuse. If she epts Prince Sidhar¡¯s invitation now, she will be breaking her promise to the Princess, so she¡¯s politely declining the Prince.


    ¡®Is that how it works?¡¯


    While the attendant wandered with a puzzled face, Lara¡ªwho was staring at the carriage¡ªreached out to Konny.


    ¡°Give me a handkerchief.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with all these flowers? Mydy is allergic to pollen¡­ Oh my God, look at how red her nose has be!¡±


    She did not have any allergies. She probably won¡¯t even have any problems rolling naked on a flower bed. But Lara buried her nose in the handkerchief and rubbed it hard on purpose. Then, she sneezed loudly and showed her red nose.


    ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m allergic. Take that carriage back.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    ¡°I really hate flowers.¡±


    The attendant had no choice but to return to the pce.


    After the flowers, Lara was showered with gifts. A very famous dress designer from the capital visited Lara. She said she would make Lara the most gorgeous autumn dress in Hautean. She even said something ridiculous like how the Prince¡¯s bright blonde hair and Lara¡¯s clear scarlet eyes would look great together.


    ¡°Why should I wear the dress you made?¡±


    ¡°There will be a party weing the saintesses soon. It¡¯s arge-scale party hosted by the royal family. You have been invited, haven¡¯t you, mdy?¡±


    ¡°I see. I¡¯m not going.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Did you know that the fake saintess used to call my friend a bimbo without a mom when she attended the academy?¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t study theology hard, but I don¡¯t think God would have chosen someone like that. I might grab her hair if we happen to meet at the banquet.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Well, I mean.¡±


    ¡°When the temple reveals who the real saintess is, I will attend the party. So go back for now.¡±


    ¡°But this is a gift from the Prince. You¡¯re not going to decline, aren¡¯t you? Get it together! He¡¯s the Prince.¡±


    ¡°Will I be a traitor for refusing a gift from the Prince?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    The designer had no choice but to return empty-handed. She tried her best to persuade Lara, but when the daughter of Isadora asked her if she thought Lara could not buy a dress with her own money, she surrendered with both hands up.


    Isadora¡¯s daughter, Lara¡ªthe woman who did not budge even when the Prince gave her attention, invitation, letters, and gifts.


    At first, the nobles did not pay much attention because they thought Lara acted like that because she already had a lover. But as time went by, they felt like something was strange. Lara ignored Prince Sidhar as if he were a horribly ill-mannered and unattractive little boy.


    Until then, the best man in Hautean was definitely Sidhar Hautean. He was the Prince that the girls had dreamed of. Furthermore, he was known for his perfect blonde hair, friendly personality, and gentlemanly manners, as if he was taken straight out of a romance novel, so it was only natural for Lara¡ªwho hated him¡ªto be the one who seemed abnormal.


    ¡®What in the world is wrong with the daughter of Isadora?¡¯


    A lot of people had such a question. How dare a mere merchant¡¯s daughter, who was a prodigal rascal, to treat the Prince of this country like he was a gue. All this happened while a banquet was being prepared to wee the fake saintesses in the royal pce. And one day before the banquet, another attendant came to Lara. This time, it was the attendant for Princess So.


    ¡°The Princess wants to invite you to the pce.¡±


    ¡°The banquet will be held soon. Is that going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°She said she would like to meet you before the banquet.¡±


    As he had heard the story of Lara hating and declining Prince Sidhar¡¯s invitation, Princess So¡¯s attendant looked at her with a nervous face.


    ¡°Okay. I will get ready now.¡±


    Unlike his concerned face, Lara had a bright smile on hers.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara took out the dress that she was going to wear to Eunice¡¯s party before. It was the dress that she liked because Konny had said that she would look so scary in it that no one would talk to her.


    ¡°What if the Princess bes afraid of you because of your dress?¡±


    ¡°The Princess is strong-minded. She doesn¡¯t judge people by their clothes. She didn¡¯t judge mest time, did she?¡±


    When Lara asked her, Konny smiled and fixed her dress.


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy for a 14-year-old to act like that. Sometimes, I think our country will be ruined soon. But with the Princess as our King, this country willst long.¡±


    ¡°Where did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°Valentine said it. He said that there would be no future in this country unless the Princess bes the King.¡±


    ¡°Valentine?¡±


    ¡°He said guys like Sidhar pretend to be nice only in front of the people, but they are actually ying wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing¡­¡±


    ¡°Konny, don¡¯t ever say that after we enter the royal pce. You could¡­¡±


    ¡°Vanish without a trace. I know.¡±


    It was useless to warn her even with the most frightening words. Konny was very excited to finally meet Princess So. She carefully packed the sandwiches¡ªthat she might or might not be able to give¡ªand put them in the basket. Then, she held the basket tightly in her arms.


    ¡°You¡¯re too much. You have never made such a fancy sandwich for me.¡±


    ¡°Wow, how can you be so childish to be jealous over food? I packed this for us to eat together.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. I saw you put a letter in that basket.¡±


    ¡°Mdy, being too quick-witted won¡¯t make you popr.¡±


    Just look at this brazen maid.


    Lara red at Konny with an absurd face. Demian, who was sitting next to her in the carriage, just smirked.


    When Lara asked So if she could bring Demian and Konny with her, she dly agreed. So¡¯sdies-in-waiting also came to like Lara after the escort incident, so there was no objection.


    But when she arrived at the Princess Pce, the atmosphere was strange. From the attendants to the knights, everyone in the Princess Pce was walking on eggshells with an awkward look. They looked at Lara with eyes that wanted to say something whenever she passed by. When she greeted them, they did answer, but they did not say anything else.


    Lara¡ªwho followed thedies-in-waiting and arrived at the outdoor banquet hall in the backyard of the Princess Pce¡ªcould only find out the reason after meeting So.


    ¡°Lara!¡±


    Lara could see Prince Sidhar behind So.


    I see. So you are here.


    Prince Sidhar, hisdies-in-waiting, and his knights took control of the backyard of So¡¯s pce. As Lara did not want to meet him no matter what he did, he ended up making a surprise visit to So¡¯s pce.


    Lara¡¯s lips were twisted.


    Sidhar stared at Lara. He was wearing the mask of a loving brother, despite his eyes looking emotionless.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 62

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Wee!¡±


    Lara hugged Princess So who came running into her arms. Then, she whispered faintly into the Princess¡¯ ear.


    ¡°The Prince is here?¡±


    ¡°He suddenly came in uninvited.¡±


    So also whispered in Lara¡¯s ear. Their whispers were not heard by anyone but each other. They exchanged nces for a moment and approached the banquet table.


    ¡°Greetings to the Prince¡±


    ¡°Wee. I wonder if I¡¯m interrupting my sister and your fun time.¡±


    ¡°You are not, Your Highness.¡±


    If she could do as she pleased, she would yell to the Prince that if he already knew he was interrupting, he should just get out of their way. But Lara just calmly sat in the chair that the attendant took out. The banquet table that was supposed to be peaceful had be so cold. Prince Sidhar naturally spoke to Lara and expressed his affection several times, but Lara only answered in a short answer type.


    A harsh wind blew on the table. The quick-witteddies-in-waiting quickly exchanged nces. Their nces brought the meaning that they should feed the guests quickly to reduce the awkwardness. They rushed to the kitchen, nagged at the chef, and began to bring out the meals.


    ¡°The hotel food is delicious but So¡¯s chef is also pretty good. Enjoy your meal.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The atmosphere was prickly. It seemed like a creaking sound was about toe out of the air. The faces of thedies-in-waiting who carried the meals were filled with awkward smiles, it wasparable to wearing masks.


    ¡°Hmm, Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Princess. Go ahead.¡±


    Lara¡¯s tone was softened only when she answered So.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the saintess too? No matter how hard I think about it, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s me. I have never heard of God¡¯s word or something like that¡­ What do you think?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the saintess.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Why? Everyone thinks I might be the saintess. Not long ago, even father, I mean, His Majesty, the King was also showing a little bit of suspicion toward me.¡±


    So asked quizzically. As he, too, was curious, Prince Sidhar also stopped moving his knife and looked at Lara¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    A saintess was God¡¯s vicegerent, so she should either have a noticeable miracle, be able to use God¡¯s power, or hear God¡¯s voice. She could have said that. Just like Isadora did to Lara. But Lara made eye contact with So and said with a haughty look and a deep smile.


    ¡°I believe in you.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?


    ¡°You said you are not a saintess, so I will think so, too.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Lara.¡±


    ¡°Because the Princess is not a bad enough person to deceive other people by holding their beliefs hostage.¡±


    Lara¡¯s tone was calm, but So¡¯s face quickly turned red. The young princess blinked her big eyes and did not know what to do. Then, she thanked Lara for believing her in a really slow voice.


    After that, the ordinary meal kept going. The meal was great, and Lara was able to remain calm enough not to have an upset stomach despite Prince Sidhar being before her eyes.


    ¡°Should I bring out the dessert?¡±


    Ady-in-waiting naturally approached and talked to them. She was thedy-in-waiting that attended to Princess So. She had ck hair, a round face, and a soft tone. Lara did not intend to have dessert with Prince Sidhar, so she was about to say that she would not have dessert due to her already being full. But thedy-in-waiting¡¯s face was so familiar.


    ¡°I¡¯d like a cold one, please.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lara.¡±


    So, Prince Sidhar¡¯s follower was with Princess So.


    Lara naturally turned away from the maid and looked at So.


    The Princess seemed to know nothing. Thedy-in-waiting who was attending to her with a friendly face was the follower of the Prince who had been watching Lara in her past life. Her every move was reported to the Prince by thatdy-in-waiting. She even checked all the letters that Isadora had sent first before handing them over to Lara. Lara remembered thedy-in-waiting¡¯s face again.


    ¡°Lara, let¡¯s go to my room after eating dessert.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Princess.¡±


    Prince Sidhar watched them talk with a peaceful look.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Then, suddenly, he interrupted them and spoke straight to Lara.


    ¡°Shall we take a walk? I have something to talk about. It won¡¯t take long.¡±


    What would happen if I rejected the Prince¡¯s offer here as well?


    This was the royal pce and Lara was a guest. If he gave an order, she could not decline him. If she caused trouble, it would also bother Princess So.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    After signaling to Princess So¡ªwho was anxious¡ªthat she was okay, Lara epted the Prince¡¯s suggestion.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk.¡±


    She did not even remember what the dessert tasted like. It was not because Lara was nervous, but it was because So was anxious.


    ¡°Princess.¡±


    ¡°Lara¡­¡±


    ¡°My maid really likes you. She must have been happy to see you even from afar today.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°She said she wrote a letter for you. Why don¡¯t you hand the letter over to yourdies-in-waiting and ask them to read it for you?¡±


    So understood what Lara was saying. She meant that she would be back within the average time to read a letter if the Princess stayed in her room with Konny.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Thedies-in-waiting took So inside. Konny was following suit with a face that looked like she was about to faint.


    ¡°Then, shall we? It¡¯s better to leave your escort behind. Royal conversations are precious and cannot be told to anyone.¡±


    Prince Sidhar put down his napkin and got up first. Lara gave a look at Demian, asking him to stay there. Then, she got up.


    ¡°Shall we?¡±


    The Prince naturally approached Lara and held out one hand. It was a gesture that looked friendly. All his movements were smooth, as it showed that this was what a gentlemen¡¯s escort was. But Lara did not take his hand. She rolled her eyes and nced at him, then she turned around with a look of disinterest.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Lara moved at a speed that was neither too fast nor too slow and got into a moderate distance with the Prince. Then, she looked at him, giving him a nce that was asking him why he was still not moving.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a fascinating woman.¡±


    ¡°I know you have heard a lot of rumors about me.¡±


    ¡°Really? What rumors?¡±


    ¡°Do I have to say it myself?¡±


    Lara smirked. Of course, the Prince just ignored Lara¡¯s nce.


    Prince Sidhar walked fast until he moved far away enough from the banquet hall. After some distance, he walked slowly.


    ¡°Bailey lottery.¡±


    Prince Sidhar said.


    ¡°That¡¯s what people are calling you.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Some people said that once they manage to capture Thousand Gold Isadora¡¯s heart, they can hold the wealth that she has umted over the years in one hand. They also said worthy assets are much better than the title of nobility in name only.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. My mother is not such a pushover.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also what I thought.¡±


    The Prince stopped walking. Then, he turned halfway toward Lara and looked at her with serpentine eyes and a calm face.


    ¡°If only your mother had not kept sending huge donations here and there in So¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°The orphanage, academy, hospital, and even the slums¡­ Your mother¡¯s money was used to raise So¡¯s name. They all said in unison; ¡®As expected of the angelic Princess, So is the only one who loves the poor and the sick.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Where she spends her money has nothing to do with me.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried because your mother¡¯s money is being used politically. Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    The Prince asked. His way of treating Lara as if she was a bimbo who could not understand anything was the same as ever. If she blinked and tilted her head as if she knew nothing, the Prince woulde to despise her.


    But she did not want to. With a sharp smile on her lips, Lara defiantly met his eye contact.


    ¡°Is my mother¡¯s money that great?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. So great that people are saying her money could change the heir to the throne.¡±


    The Prince started walking again and came close to Lara. At that moment, his shirt grazed Lara¡¯s exposed forearm. She got goosebumps all over her. It was all too much and that she felt like a snake was creeping on her. Lara breathed in quickly and slowly exhaled.


    This was an observation. The Prince was a person who enjoyed twisting people around his finger by using the distance between people and the distance between words. This was his habit. Sometimes he could even do it naturally without intending for it to happen.


    The Prince leaned toward Lara. it was just a moderate distance where he could look friendly while still keeping his courtesy. The distance where their skin did not touch, but their clothes brushed against each other and their shadows ovepped. In the past, whenever the Prince did that, she did not know what to do because her heart beat fast and she felt butterflies in her stomach. But not anymore. Now, she felt as if a snake was strangling her.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 63

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    So as not to make the Prince offended or feel wary, Lara could just avoid him by naturally moving her body. Just changing the direction and asking him to go back, or lowering down her eyes while slightly smiling could have disturbed the tension he had created.


    But Lara did not do that again this time. She frowned openly, took a big step back, and moved out of the territory he had created. The Prince observed her persistently.


    ¡°It¡¯s weird.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Even if my mother passes on her assets to me, I have no intention to share it with others. But why are there so many people who are greedy over it?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, please let them know. The daughter of Isadora has no intention of sharing her assets with her future husband. I¡¯m sure you already know what my father did with the money he got from my mother. No matter how foolish I am, would I make the same mistake?¡±


    Prince Sidhar could not figure out whether everything Lara had said was sincere. He did not even know how far she knew. He was just constantly doubting and testing¡ªwhether Isadora was supporting So or not, whether the reason she sent her daughter was to make the rtionship with the Princess favorable or not, and whether the King was behind them or not.


    ¡°I want to be your friend, Lara.¡±


    After thinking, Prince Sidhar had a friendly smile again. Then, he reached out one hand and asked Lara for a handshake.


    ¡°Loosen up your guard. I may be a royal, but I¡¯m not authoritative, you know.¡±


    Lara nced at his hand.


    She knew. He was not exactly an authoritative royal. When he pretended to be authoritative, it was when his hidden evil nature got caught.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe the rumors about you, Lara. It¡¯s a bad habit to judge someone by what others say about them. I think you¡¯re a confident and wise woman.¡±


    ¡°Prince.¡±


    ¡°Dear beautiful and charming Lara, it¡¯s about time you ept my goodwill. I¡¯m about to get used to being rejected.¡±


    That¡¯s too sad. The Prince muttered and let out his signature sweet smile.


    ¡°My apologies.¡±


    Lara did not smile. She did not even hold his hand.


    It did not matter if Prince Sidhar regarded her as his enemy with this matter. The Prince whispered words ofpliment in a gentle voice to seduce and soothe her. As soon as she heard his voice, Lara wanted tough out loud. She did not undergo that terrible pain and return to her past just to hold his hand. She could do anything to bring him down. But not just one thing.


    ¡°Put away your hand.¡±


    She would never reach for the Prince again, even with lies.


    ¡°What?¡±


    His mask, which had been steady throughout the banquet, was broken for the first time.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hold hands with just any man.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°Especially, the hand of a man who approaches me for my mother¡¯s money. I definitely don¡¯t want to touch it.¡±


    She could hear Prince Sidhar¡¯s pride crumpled. His sturdy mask has gotten a fine crack on it.


    ¡°The Princess must be waiting for me. Let¡¯s head back now.¡±


    As he looked at Lara who turned away from him, he clenched his hand that he had held out. This time, it took quite a long time to fix his distorted face.


    Don¡¯t beg for me. That was what Lara meant.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Sidhar went back with such a frightful face¡­¡±


    So was anxious and slurred the end of her sentence.


    ¡°Did you see him?¡±


    ¡°I could tell even from a distance. He always looks warm-hearted, but he sometimes has a really scary face.¡±


    Princess So sent everyone out as soon as Lara entered her room. When thedies-in-waiting looked at her anxiously, she told them to leave the door open and told the knight to guard the hallway.¡±


    ¡°Lara, be careful of Sidhar.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s scary. He doesn¡¯t look like that on the outside but¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, Princess.¡±


    When Lara grinned as a sign that she was okay, So also barely managed to follow suit.


    Now she had to confirm it. She knew So was a clever and lovely Princess. But Lara did not know if she really wanted to be the King. For So, the throne may just be a heavy load that her father wanted to pass on. Above all, the Princess was only fourteen years old. To only support her by her side and watch her grow up, there was a low-rent enemy near her.


    ¡°Princess, may I ask you a cruel question?¡±


    Lara opened her mouth as calmly as she could. There was no one in the room except the two of them, so now was the right time.


    ¡°Pardon? What kind of question?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to be the King of Hautean?¡±


    So kept her mouth shut. The young Princess was very surprised, but she did not show her feelings. Because she had already be someone who was used to holding it in. However, she had yet been able to wear a mask as sturdy as Prince Sidhar¡¯s, so she looked at Lara with an awkwardly stiff face.


    ¡°Did Sidhar¡­ask something like that?¡±


    ¡°I declined Prince Sidhar¡¯s suggestion. I really hate him.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°He wanted to be my friend so I turned him down. I¡¯m always careful when making a friend.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°I even turned down his handshake. If I were arrested for l¨¨se-majest¨¦, you need to save me, Princess.¡±


    So, who was very nervous, burst into Laughter after hearing Lara¡¯s serious confession.


    ¡°I have never seen anyone refuse his kindness like that.


    As expected of a royal. Lara realized that So was looking at her as if she was analyzing her. Of course, it was not a bad analysis like what Prince Sidhar did, it was more like an observation of goodwill.


    After that, So asked Lara back.


    ¡°If I say I don¡¯t want to be the King, can I survive? Will I be able to live happily ever after while still receiving love from my parents and my masters?¡±


    That was impossible. So would either die or be banished with everything taken away. When Lara could not say anything, So smiled faintly.


    ¡°I want to live.¡±


    ¡°Princess.¡±


    ¡°I want to live here, the ce that I love, with the people whom I love. I don¡¯t want to run away and hide. So if Sidhar doesn¡¯t give up, I will have to fight for my life.¡±


    So was too clever a kid. The masters who taught the Princess said in unison that So has the possibility to be a monarch who will rewrite the history of Hautean.


    ¡°Lara, I will be the King.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Princess.¡±


    ¡°My masters always say this every day. They told me to get Lara, the daughter of Isadora. If Thousand Gold Isadora takes my side, she will be of really great help.¡±


    ¡°Princess.¡±


    ¡°But if I say so, I will be no different than Sidhar.¡±


    It was true that So was smart and patient beyond her years. But the Princess was fourteen years old and was also still a pure adolescent girl. She could not say anything about asking for support to the throne in front of someone she wanted to be friends with.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Lara nodded. She sped So¡¯s small hand and whispered in her ear.


    ¡°I will be the one to talk about it instead of you.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on your side.¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­true?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    So teared up. The Princess could not bring herself to say thank you nor could she bring herself to say sorry, holding Lara¡¯s hand was the only thing she could do. Whileforting So, who had kept her mouth shut and sobbed quietly in fear of her voice being heard outside, Lara said.


    ¡°Princess, you will definitely be the King of this country.¡±


    And Sidhar Hautean will be kicked out of the border.


    While helplessly watching his younger sister sit on the throne that he had longed for, he would be banished with nothing to his name. The man who had dedicated Hautean to the demon and led the destruction of the world should not sit on the throne. As her mother, Isadora once said, any man was fine, but not the Prince.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 64 - Party Animals Are Here

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    <b>Chapter 15. Party Animals are Here</b>


    When there was no progress in recruiting Lara, Prince Sidhar first joined hands with the two saintess candidates¡ªthe nobleman¡¯s daughter and the wife of the farmer.


    They were fake saintesses who were set up by the Prince. So when the Prince visited the temple, they knelt in front of him and uttered their prepared line,


    ¡°God will choose you.¡±


    A powerful image reached the hearts of the people of Hautean with a significant meaning. The way the saintess, whom they believed and followed like God, took the Prince¡¯s hand and swore allegiance to him was no different from God¡¯s direct deration that the monarch of Hautean was Prince Sidhar. While looking at that sight, Lara was once again convinced that the Prince had joined hands with the ck sorcerers to create the fake saintess.


    Demian returned to his roomte at night after investigating the fake saintess and ck sorcerers. In his room, Lara said to Demian.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a little different now. Those fakes have joined hands with the Prince.¡±


    They were eatingte-night snacks prepared by Konny.


    ¡°I have never seen such fakes like them.¡±


    ¡°How were they?¡±


    ¡°The nobleman¡¯s daughter is excited, saying that she will seduce the Prince and marry him. The farmer¡¯s wife is thinking about getting a good deal and running away sooner orter.¡±


    ¡°I already expected that.¡±


    Demian said that it was such an interesting snoop. The nobleman¡¯s daughter, who, before bing the saintess, had been ying around profligately every day. As a result, she could no longer stand the lonely night and seduced the young priests. The wife of the farmer stole the bribes that had entered the temple, delivering them to her husband.


    ¡°I still haven¡¯t found the base for the ck sorcerers yet. But there were some weirdos attached to the temple.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Mercenaries in priest robes, spies pretending to be workers, and maids trained to be assassins?¡±


    They were people put up by Prince Sidhar. Lara clicked her tongue and said.


    ¡°That¡¯s just too much.¡±


    ¡°The farmer¡¯s wife caught on faster than the nobleman¡¯s daughter. She seems to know that she won¡¯t be able to be a saintess any longer. She¡¯s already got her things packed up, so she¡¯s probably nning to run away at night after the banquet.¡±


    ¡°She probably knows that she¡¯s being watched.¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡±


    Demain thought for a while with his finger rubbing his chin. Casually, he said.


    ¡°The Prince is nning to use the ck sorcerer to attack the saintess weing banquet.¡±


    Lara, who was mumbling with dessert still in her mouth, frowned sharply.


    ¡°Attack? The royal banquet?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Who in the right state of mind would¡­¡±


    ¡°Sidhar won¡¯t miss the chance that he could use at the banquet. It¡¯s a perfect chance to put Princess So and the saintess candidates together and kill them. I don¡¯t know about anything else, but he will definitely try to kill So. If I were him, I would take this chance to get rid of the King as well.¡±


    Lara had lost her appetite. When she put down her fork, Demian picked up thest remaining dessert and put it in his mouth.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably prepared with powerful magic.¡±


    ¡°Can we stop him with only the guardian knight alone?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask. What are you going to do now, Saintess Lara?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡±


    ¡°Go ask your God.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really feel like talking to him.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a very good conversation partner. His head was always in the clouds when I asked him questions. He only talked about what he had to say and then he quickly disappeared.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how God is.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°There are some men who say that sometimes on the battlefield. When humans need him the most, God only watches from afar. When he needs something, he randomly shows up, suddenly leaves his revtions andplicated work, then runs away.¡±


    ¡°I really agree with you.¡±


    Lara got up and approached the window. The night breeze was quite cold. And because the house was by a river, it also felt like the wind was blowing strongly.


    ¡°Demian, if one day, people found out that I¡¯m a saintess and I¡¯m being hunted by the demon, don¡¯t think about getting revenge.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He asked back. When Lara turned around, Demian¡¯s face was horrifying. She grinned as she looked at him.


    ¡°Why are you making that face? I¡¯m just saying. Saintesses have always been hunted by the demon, after all.¡±


    Demian still could not rx his face. His distorted eyes wriggled. She meant to say not to be too sad or angry and to live happily ever after even if she had died. Lara left the window and approached him. Then, she reached out her fingers and slowly rubbed between his eyebrows and forehead.


    ¡°I¡¯m always wondering why you always have such a scary face. This part is too tight. You look scary when youugh and I think you will also look scary when you cry.¡±


    ¡°I was just born like this.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. Where in the world would a baby be born with such a scary face? You have lived on the battlefield for too long that your face has hardened.¡±


    Lara stayed like that until his expression had softened. Despite living recklessly, his skin was smooth. Even his eyebrows were even. Needless to say, his sharp nose and red lips were beautiful.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Smile.¡±


    Though she said that, she did not think he would smile. As Lara had expected, Demian raised his head and looked at her with a frown.


    Lara said to him.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Promise me that you will tell me if, one day, you have any desires to be fulfilled.¡±


    Demian stayed silent.


    ¡°Something that you want to have, somewhere that you want to go, something that you want to do, or someone that you want to meet¡­ Anything is fine.¡±


    She would make it happen. For him to be happy.


    Every time Lara made eye contact with him, she was distressed by the image of the ruined Demian. Demian¡¯s eyebrows, which had been twisted and wriggling, had now been straightened out. Lara felt it with her fingertips, not her eyes. After being lost in her thoughts, she came to her senses and made eye contact with him again.


    Demian smiled slightly.


    ¡°Demian?¡±


    A fierce smile as ever. But he did not look as angry as he used to be. He entangled Lara¡¯s hand with his own. Then, he told her.


    ¡°Fool.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If I have something that I want, will you make it happen? Since you¡¯re a saintess, will you do anything for me even if you have to bother God?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to bother God though.¡±


    ¡°Fool.¡±


    Demian kept calling Lara a fool.


    ¡°If it¡¯s true that the demon wants the saintess, then I will be their opposer.¡±


    ¡°Demian!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the same as I was in the past that you had told me¡­ But I won¡¯t leave you no matter what. Because I have to protect you and fight for you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°Desire?¡±


    Demian smirked again. His face that had been stretched out was dangerously distorted.


    ¡°Do you know what happens when a man who has never felt desire in all his life, wants someone for the first time?¡±


    His hand was hot. She felt a stabbing pain in her chest.


    ¡°He bes a madman.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ what do you want?¡±


    ¡°A woman.¡±


    Now, moving away from her fingertips, the rising temperature had moved to her abdominal area. Lara held Demian¡¯s hand and slowly opened her mouth.


    ¡°What kind of woman?¡±


    ¡°Fool.¡±


    He drove a wedge in.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara shared the fact that Demian had been investigating with Isadora and So.


    Since So was still young, it was the nobles who mostly consulted with Lara. As they were so close to the Princess that she had called them her masters. They could not repress their astonishment when they heard that Prince Sidhar had ordered the ck sorcerers to attack the banquet. They said that it was treason, should it be true, and that they needed to gather evidence.


    Unfortunately, the banquet could not be canceled. However, they could not just sit helplessly and suffer without doing anything, and so this banquet would be a golden opportunity for them to capture the viin and get their hands on decisive evidence.


    It was an operation that could kill someone if they failed. However, So strongly agreed more than anyone else, so the preparations went smoothly.


    It was like walking on thin ice. On the surface of the water, people who were delighted with the arrival of the saintess kept talking about the peace of Hautean, and below the surface of the water, they put their swords into each other¡¯s vital points.


    The ck sorcerers who were on board with Prince Sidhar moved secretly in Western Hautean. They were ready to attack the saintess weing party under the connivance of the Prince. The fake saintesses were busy preparing for the banquet, not knowing that they had been chosen as a sacrifice to get rid of the Princess. Meanwhile, Hautean¡¯s most expensive dress fabrics and essories continued to enter the temple.


    Princess So had also secretly gathered her power. Among them, there was the Grand Chambein of the royal family, as well as the long-time guardian knights of the nobles and royal family. Of course, Thousand Gold Isadora was also with her.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 65

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°I thought the Prince would no longer turn his eyes this way unless he was crazy.¡±


    The day of the banquet had dawned. Eunice, who rushed to Lara¡¯s house early in the morning, tore apart an invitation card with her hands. It was an invitation from Prince Sidhar to Lara.


    ¡°I thought you already told him you don¡¯t want to be his friend? You said you snapped at him and even asked him to remove his hand, didn¡¯t you? So why is that prick still pestering you?¡±


    ¡°Because of money.¡±


    ¡°Lara, I think it¡¯s because you¡¯re not ruined enough. You will have to be a totally incurable hellion like us for the Prince to give up on you.¡±


    ¡°That will be useless.¡±


    Lara shrugged. At first, she nned not to attend the banquet. Because she had already coldly declined Prince Sidhar¡¯s invitation and she also didn¡¯t want to get involved with the fake saintesses. But when she found out that there was going to be a massive attack on the banquet hall, she could not just sit back and wait.


    Lara was allowed to attend the banquet on the condition that Demian apanied her. She promised to be protected by guardian knights next to So in case of emergency.


    ¡°Konny, how do I look?¡±


    After getting ready, Lara asked Konny.


    ¡°You look like a hungry vampire.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    Lara was wearing a bright red velvet dress with a fancy fan in her hand. With every step she took, her skirt split on both sides, revealing the ck lining. Her long hair was hung to one side, and a ck floral pattern was drawn on the nape of her neck. The outer corners of her eyes were painted thick like a cat and her lips were filled in pale pink.


    Arrivingte, Ximena looked up and down at Lara¡¯s clothes and nodded satisfactorily.


    ¡°I like it.¡±


    Ximena was also formidable. She wore a dress decorated with ck feathers and green glitters and tied her hair high. It was the same for Eunice.


    Lara asked them.


    ¡°Do you have to go? You don¡¯t really have to go, do you? Just give an excuse like you¡¯re sick or something¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up. We can¡¯t just send you to such a dangerous ce like that alone.¡±


    ¡°Eunice.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Ximena.¡±


    Lara advised them to just stay at home because something dangerous will happen at the banquet. But instead of listening to Lara, Eunice and Ximena came to find Lara early in the morning and insisted that they would be together starting from the entrance.


    ¡°Promise me not to do anything dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I got you.¡±


    ¡°Stay with the knights. Don¡¯t ever go next to the fake saintesses. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I got you.¡±


    It was already afternoon when they finished their preparation. Lara headed to the pce with her friends.


    There were already numerous nobles gathering. It seemed that all the luxury carriages in Hautean were gathered there. Among them was the march of the saintess candidates, a spectacle worth seeing. They appeared on the royal pce in carriages without roofs provided by the temple. The two people, covered in long veils, sat separately in two carriages. People on the streets sprinkled white petals on the saintess candidates.


    Do they know that the Prince who made them saintesses was going to kill them today?


    Who would feel more unfair between Lara, who had to choose to die after sacrificing her 10 years, or those two people who were tricked to death by the Prince without knowing anything?


    ¡°Wee.¡±


    The inside of the banquet hall was already full of nobles who came early. When Lara and her friends got out of the carriage, the attendant of the royal family ran out and served them as a guide.


    In the banquet hall, no one was allowed to carry a weapon except for the royal guardian knight. So Lara asked So to hide Demian among the Princess¡¯ guardian knights. Demian, who was standing still in armor, found Lara and smiled with his eyes slightly lowered.


    The banquet has begun.


    The King, Queen, Prince, and Princess made their appearance. The murmurs of the nobles decreased in an instant, they bowed gracefully toward the King and ced one hand on their chest.


    ¡°All rise.¡±


    It was very rare for the royal family of Hautean to gather in one ce like this. The King, who did not like banquets, along with the Queen, who had a weak constitution, all gathered to wee the saintess who appeared on thend.


    ¡°Introducing the saintess candidates!¡±


    The door of the banquet hall opened and two women walked in side by side, apanied by dozens of priests. It was the daughter of the nobleman and the farmer¡¯s wife. They were wearing white dresses, which came up to the neck. Their dresses flowed long without sticking to the body and there was a fine flower pattern around the sleeves of the arm. With white gloves, white shoes, and a long veil, they were perfectly the same as Lara was in the past.


    ¡°It¡¯s the curtain ghost.¡±


    Eunice mumbled.


    Ximena bit her lips to avoid bursting intoughter.


    ¡°Wee.¡±


    The King gave them a brief wee greeting and the saintess candidates bowed gracefully. Then, they were weed by the nobles at their appointed seats.


    Lara wondered when the attack would take ce. Lara took a deep long breath. Cold sweat seeped into her nervous palm. She did not know who was the ck sorcerer in disguise or who was the assassin in disguise. She was not even strong enough to stop them with her power like Demian.


    But Lara knew a few things that no one else knew. Thedy-in-waiting¡ªwho followed and attended for So¡ªwas a spy nted by Prince Sidhar, and the ck sorcerer must have prepared something in this banquet hall.


    Where was it? Lara, who was secretly watching over with her fan open, narrowed her eyes.


    So¡¯sdy-in-waiting approached the Princess and whispered something. Then, So looked at the saintess candidates with an unwilling face and moved towards them.


    The scene seemed very slow to Lara¡¯s eyes. Princess So was also a saintess candidate. It was only polite for the daughter of the nobleman and the farmer¡¯s wife to go to the Princess to greet her. However, thedy-in-waiting suggested that the Princess approached and greeted first to send the Princess to the candidates.


    Lara was so d she remembered thatdy-in-waiting¡¯s face.


    As So took a step, thedy-in-waiting stepped back quickly, turned her head toward Prince Sidhar, and looked at him. Feeling the gaze from thedy-in-waiting, Prince Sidhar finished his greeting toward the saintess candidates and naturally moved away from the table.


    ¡®Ah.¡¯


    Now Lara got it. Not only the time, but the location had also already been decided. She folded the fan she was holding and approached So quickly.


    ¡°Princess.¡±


    Lara blocked the Princess¡¯ way to the saintess candidates.


    ¡°Lara?¡±


    So turned her head and looked at Lara. A sense of relief spread across the Princess¡¯ tense face.


    What should I do? How can I naturally move the Princess and the saintess candidates to the other side?


    Just then, Lara heard someone say ¡®Bailey¡¯s immoral daughter¡¯.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    It was not long after the banquet had begun. In the ears of Eunice and Ximena, who wereing back to Lara after greeting the Queen, an annoying voice could be heard.


    ¡°Who invited those people?¡±


    It was the saintess candidate. The daughter of the nobleman, wrapped in a white dress, told the people gathered around her.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know this was a banquet where anyone coulde. But then again, God loves all human beings without discrimination.


    She purposely said that out loud for people to hear her. She even said something about everyone and their mother. Eunice tried to go to the saintess candidate, but Ximena grabbed her friend¡¯s wrist and shook her head.


    ¡°Hold it in.¡±


    But that was not the end. When Eunice and Ximena did not react as violently as usual, the saintess candidate left her seat and came their way. Then, she whispered with a sneer on her mouth.


    ¡°Birds of a feather flock together, huh?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you hanging out with a kid without a dad because you don¡¯t have a mom? You guys look good together. She¡¯s that girl, right? Bailey¡¯s immoral daughter.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Ximena Swavy, you still can¡¯t throw away your habit of only befriending trash. I guess you can also call that your talent.¡±


    ¡°Watch your mouth.¡±


    ¡°You guys should watch your mouths. If we fight here, what would people say?¡±


    It was annoying, but she was right. A saintess was still a saintess, no matter what she did.


    Eunice¡¯s lips trembled. She growled saying she would not let her get away for insulting her friends. Ximena let out a sigh and was about to open her mouth to stop Eunice, who was very angry, when she heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°Did God not tell you it would hurt badly if you were beaten by a kid without a dad?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    It was Lara.


    Quick on her foot, Lara approached the saintess candidate. She grabbed her hair with one hand. Then, she jerked her hair down and dragged her along.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    The saintess candidate screamed in a painful voice. Drinks poured out on her with a crashing sound. Her beautifully adorned hair quickly became disheveled, her white dress stained red.


    ¡°Say it again. Bailey¡¯s immoral daughter huh? Did God teach you that? Are you really a saintess? Do you think it¡¯s okay to just say anything you want?¡±


    ¡°Aargh! Let go! Let me go!¡±


    ¡°At least a dog would look cute when it barks. What about you?¡±


    ¡°Arghhh!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re really a saintess, God would save you. Make a miracle!¡±


    Lara did not let go of her hair. The fight between the two stirred the whole banquet and drew everyone¡¯s attention to them. The priests rushed to stop their fight. The farmer¡¯s wife, who remained at the table, opened her eyes wide and left her seat to watch the noble¡¯s fight.


    From royalty, nobles, priests, knights, and even the workers, everyone was staring at Lara¡¯s demeanor towards the saintess candidate.


    ¡°Lara, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Unable to bear the sight anymore, Eunice clung to Lara. Ximena also was at a loss what to do in between them.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 66

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Demian was looking at Lara. Lara was looking for Demian. Before long, their eyes met. There was no need for words, for he had always been looking at her.


    Lara moved her lips.


    ¡®Table.¡¯


    Demian nodded and moved quickly. Lara¡¯s gaze, bodynguage, and the direction as to where her body was pointing at, everything was pointing to one ce. It was the table where the saintess candidates were sitting until a while ago©¤the table at the top right in the center of the banquet hall. Lara moved to get the saintesses out of this ce and Demian read her intentions.


    Stopping So¡¯s steps, moving with So, suddenly causing a fight to pull one fake saintess aside, and thus moving another fake saintess.


    She¡¯s such an interesting woman. Having been standing still among the guardian knights, Demian suddenly sprinted towards Lara. Seeing him, the rest of the knights moved along with tension all over their bodies. The disturbance caused by Lara was so intense that no one blocked Demian¡¯s movement.


    ¡°Look at that!¡±


    A guardian knight shouted. ck smoke was flowing from under the table where the fake saintesses were sitting. After having been hidden by the tablecloth, the ck smoke leaked out little by little.


    ¡°Everyone, run away.¡±


    ¡°Get back!¡±


    The table split in half with a crackling sound. A violent earthquake-like vibration began under the table and shook the banquet hall. And then, it exploded.


    Boom-!


    Everything happened in an instant. There was no way to escape. People near the table were swept away by the aftermath of the explosion. They were either blown away some distance or fell to the floor and were covered in wounds. The same went for the royal guardian knights.


    It was much more powerful magic than expected. It was not an assassination, but a massacre. Lara did not know if this was what Prince Sidhar intended. However, the ck sorcerer who nned this must have not only tried to kill the saintess but also everyone around her.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    The nobles began to scream. Some people ran away screaming, and others pushed or stepped on others to get away from the explosion.


    When the table split, Demian hid his body behind the pir, then lowered his position and began looking for the ck sorcerer as soon as the explosion urred. It was pre-prepared magic, so the sorcerer must be watching from a distance.


    A ce where one could see the explosion best in the banquet hall, and where one could quickly pull out in case of emergency.


    ¡°Found him.¡±


    Demian started running. No-one stopped him because he was wearing the same armor as the guardian knights. Demian ran across the chaotic banquet hall and into the hallway where the anteroom was. He smiled violently as he saw the back of the ck sorcerer running away.


    The panicked ck sorcerer turned around the pir and went inside the anteroom. He quickly started chanting and fired several magic spells at Demian. It was a magic arrow made of ck smoke. But Demian blocked the arrow with his bare hand. An ordinary person would writhe in pain and die with just one shot, but Demian struck it down with his palm, just like chasing a fly.


    ¡°What? What the hell? Who the hell¡­are you?¡±


    The ck sorcerer gnashed his teeth. He chanted and conjured another spell. This time, a beast of ck smoke appeared and pounced at Demian.


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    Demian found the beast irksome. He grabbed its mouth and tore it to both sides. Then, he threw it right on the floor. The ck smoke scattered and the magic faded away in vain.


    ¡°Who are you? Who the hell are you?¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re that guy? The one that magic doesn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Demian did not listen to him until the end. He threw himself at the ck sorcerer who tried to run away in a hurry. Then he grabbed his neck with one hand so that he could no longer chant spells and whispered slowly.


    ¡°I will kill you if you try tomit suicide.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    There were many people injured. People were bleeding and falling all over the ce, calling for help. The aftermath of the explosion made it difficult to see the surroundings. The hazy smoke and acrid smell clouded everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Princess, where¡¯s the Princess?¡±


    Her ears felt numb. Lara went through the smoke and searched for Princess So. She could not hear the Princess¡¯ answer because of people¡¯s screams.


    On one side, the ck-haireddy-in-waiting who was Prince Sidhar¡¯s follower appeared through the smoke and was looking for the Princess with her voice raised.


    ¡°Princess! Princess, where are you? Answer me!¡±


    Lara got chills on her back. Demian clearly said it. If he were Prince Sidhar, he would never miss this opportunity. Even if he failed to kill all the saintesses all at once, he would at the very least not let So live.


    ¡°Princess!¡±


    Thedy-in-waiting found the Princess. So was crouching on the floor and thedy-in-waiting ran toward her and hugged her as if to protect her.


    Lara flung her body. There was a fluttering sound from her red velvet dress. Lara pushed thedy-in-waiting away with her body and quickly hugged So.


    ¡°Lara, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Eunice and Ximena came running. The guardian knights who discovered So also pulled out their weapons to protect them.


    ¡°Mydy-in-waiting¡­ Mydydy-in-waiting¡­¡±


    So trembled.


    Thedy-in-waiting who fell down after being pushed by Lara held a knife in one hand. It was a sharp blue-edge dagger. Red blood dripped from the de.


    ¡°Princess! Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not me¡­¡±


    It was Lara who was stabbed.


    ¡°Lara!¡±


    ¡°Bish, hold yourself together!¡±


    Eunice and Ximena screamed in tears. They shouted for help, asking people to get a doctor.


    Being stabbed was painful enough that it was impossible to say that she was okay even as a lie. She felt like her stomach was burning. She felt extremely dizzy after pouring blood all at once. But Lara could not lose her consciousness. She whispered to So while pressing down on the wound with one hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Lara!¡±


    ¡°Hurry¡­ We need to go somewhere alone. Princess,e on.¡±


    ¡°B-but, your treatment!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. I will exin everything to youter. Just bring me to your room without telling anyone¡­ Hurry.¡±


    Tears dripped from So¡¯s big eyes. The Princess was surprised and confused, but she nodded in tears.


    The banquet hall was a mess. There were almost no casualties but many were injured. Fortunately, none of the fake saintesses died. The farmer¡¯s wife was crying on the floor with her head wrapped in her hands. The daughter of the nobleman stood in a daze with her hair scattered while looking at the table she was sitting at.


    ¡°Attention to the royal guardian knights! Close the gate! Don¡¯t let anyone go outside until you find the criminal!¡±


    The angry King¡¯s orders rang out in the banquet hall. Before long, all the gates in the royal pce were closed.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 67

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The first to be caught was thedy-in-waiting who wielded a dagger at So, followed by the ck sorcerer who caused the explosion. It was Demian who caught the ck sorcerer, but he handed him over to the royal guardian knight before he could even take off his helmet. He slipped out of the ce just like that.


    The King closed the banquet hall and investigated everyone, including So¡¯s aides. In that process, the mercenaries in priest¡¯s robes and spies pretending to be workers were also arrested.


    But no one testified that the mastermind of the attack was Prince Sidhar.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Lara!¡±


    Isadora rushed to So¡¯s bedroom. She sighed with a pale face when she saw Lara lying in bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You were just stabbed. How can you say that? Lara, what in the world are you¡­¡±


    Lara, who was lying on her side on So¡¯s bed, checked that no one was in the room except Isadora and gently got up.


    ¡°Look at this.¡±


    Lara revealed the tear on the dress. It was covered in blood, fortunately, it was camouged with her red velvet dress.


    Isadora¡¯s worried gaze reached Lara. But there was no wound. Although she obviously said she was stabbed in ce of the Princess, her body was fine. Only her dress was torn. Only dried-out blood clots were spread out here and there.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯m a saintess.¡±


    ¡°The God¡­ I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°He gave me healing powers only usable for me. I can¡¯t heal others.¡±


    Isadora stumbled and sank into the chair. With one hand on her forehead, she murmured to God, ¡®Good job¡¯.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to be that reckless. Somehow, before I knew it, my body moved first.¡±


    It was a lie. The moment Lara wrapped her arms around So, she clearly thought that it was better if she was the one getting stabbed because she could heal fast.


    Isadora did not seem to believe Lara. she wanted to get angry and scold her not to do such a thing again, but it was difficult to say it recklessly because there were many people outside.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Does the Princess know about this?¡±


    ¡°She knows. It could not be helped.¡±


    ¡°What about your friends?¡±


    ¡°They know too.¡±


    Eunice and Ximena saw her getting stabbed, but as soon as they brought her to the room, her wound disappeared, so Lara had no choice but to tell them the truth.


    Isadora sighed again.


    ¡°Demian managed to catch the ck sorcerer. Even thedy-in-waiting who attacked So and a few others were caught but¡­¡±


    ¡°None would have named Prince Sidhar.¡±


    Lara sighed. If not because of her dizziness, she wanted to quickly get up and go out to find out what happened. Nevertheless, she was still dizzy because she lost a lot of blood.


    ¡°What happened to the Prince?¡±


    ¡°He was acting like he was the angriest out of all of them while shouting that he must capture all the ck sorcerers who are hiding in Hautean.¡±


    ¡°The fake saintesses?¡±


    ¡°The priests hid them and took them to the temple.¡±


    That was for the better. Lara told Isadora.


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Prince Sidhar will try to kill the fake saintesses. They know they are fake, but at the party held by the Prince, and at the table where the Prince asked them to sit, there was an explosion¡­ If they don¡¯t want to die, they will make an attempt to leave the Prince.¡±


    ¡°They will still die even if they leave.¡±


    ¡°Before the Prince makes his move, I need to meet them.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    It was told to the public that Lara was receiving treatment for her injuries at Princess So¡¯s pce. However, she was sneaking out of the Princess Pce every night and trying to make secret contact with the fake saintesses in the temple.


    The two fake saintesses were extremely frightened and initially refused to meet anyone. Unable to even trust the priests, they just screamed in their rooms.


    ¡°Go away! You¡¯re trying to kill me again, right? Saintess or whatever, I won¡¯t do that ever again!¡±


    The farmer¡¯s wife was especially frightened. Lara already told her several times that she was neither a priest nor was she the Prince¡¯s follower, but it was no use. Fear had paralyzed her rationality, thus making her refuse to listen to anything.


    After three days had passed, the farmer¡¯s wife, who had been suffering from fear of death, took the bribes she had collected and ran away at night with her husband. For them, it was their struggle for survival.


    But as soon as they fled, they were found dead in a secluded alley outside the capital. As if they had been robbed, all the valuables they had stolen had disappeared. It was the work of Prince Sidhar.


    The only fake saintess left was unable to eat or sleep after hearing the news. She was scared to death. She was fine with being thrown away. She was fine with being kicked out far away. Everything was fine, as long as her life was spared. Now she did not know who to be wary of. There was no way to know who to trust.


    Lara came to her, who was hiding in her room while sobbing and screaming. Then, Lara stood in front of the door and said.


    ¡°Your parents are being protected by my mother.¡±


    ¡°W-who are you?¡±


    ¡°The one that you insulted for not having a dad.¡±


    Lara could not tell if she was crying or shaking, but she kept hearing voices from inside.


    Lara said calmly.


    ¡°You must be thinking that you¡¯re safe in the temple, but there are Prince Sidhar¡¯s followers in here. I¡¯m sure you have noticed that.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°Tell the King everything.¡±


    ¡°If I do that I will die! Either die on the hand of the Prince or die at the scaffold, I will still die either way!¡±


    ¡°Promise me you will tell him everything honestly. Then, I will help you live away from Hautean with your parents.¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡±


    The fake saintess did not believe Lara¡¯s words. She seemed to think that Lara would grab her hair and lead her to the royal pce as soon as she opened the door and stepped outside her room.


    ¡°Oi.¡±


    This was thest warning. If she refused again, Lara would bring Demian in and break the door.


    ¡°Think again who saved your life at the banquet, b!#$h. What would have happened if I hadn¡¯t pulled your hair there?¡±


    There was a limit in how many times Lara could bribe the priests. Her identity could be revealed if she came more. As Lara sounded frustrated and irritated, the fake saintess opened the door and came out. Her swollen face was a mess. Her hair was scattered like a ghost, and it was hollow under her eyes.


    ¡°Are you sure¡­ my parents are safe?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°A, am going to die?¡±


    ¡°No, just put forward the worst guy in front of you.¡±


    Lara was able to take the fake saintess out of the temple to the royal pce. Even the fake saintess btedly realized that was the only way she could live. They sneaked out of the temple, rode the carriage, and moved straight to the royal pce.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The fake saintess prostrated herself before the King while crying and begging.


    ¡°I¡¯m a fake. It was also a lie that there was a ck sorcerer who pointed me out as the saintess. It was a self-fabricated scenario plotted out by my father and Prince Sidhar.¡±


    The King was in shock. He was a gentle and indecisive monarch. He hoped So would be the next King, but he did not want to believe Sidhar tried to kill his younger sister.


    ¡°Is that true? How dare you¡­posing as a fake?¡±


    ¡°I was wrong. Your Majesty, please forgive me. I could not help it because the Prince told me to do it!¡±


    ¡°The Prince told you to do it? Can you take responsibility for what you just said?¡±


    If she wanted to cover up her own faults, she could use someone who hasmitted a bigger one. The fake saintess followed Lara¡¯s advice.


    ¡°He told me not to worry because there was no such thing as a real saintess. He told me that if I did well, I could be the Princess Consort one day. He said he would make my father a duke. I just¡­did what I was told to do without knowing anything. I didn¡¯t know the Prince would try to kill the Princess. I¡¯m telling you the truth!¡±


    ¡°Is anybody there?¡±


    ¡°He said he would be the King, he didn¡¯t say anything about the Princess. It¡¯s either a little early orte. I thought I just had to pretend to be a saintess and support the Prince¡­¡±


    ¡°Bring the Prince now!¡±


    The angry King screamed and gave orders to catch Prince Sidhar.


    ¡°It was the Prince who told me to sit at the table and hold on to the Princess when she came. I didn¡¯t expect there would be an explosion. I beg for your forgiveness, Your Majesty. Please forgive me! Spare my life! I will do anything if you let me live!¡±


    At that point, the mercenaries in the priests¡¯ robe also told the truth one by one. They had no loyalty to their employer and they knew that theter they confessed the higher their chances of death would be.


    ¡°We have been ordered to help the ck sorcerer approach the table where the fake saintesses would sit. We didn¡¯t know the table would explode¡­¡±


    They were all employed by the Prince¡¯s aides. All the circumstances, all the testimony pointed to Prince Sidhar.


    The royal guardian knights were ordered to catch the Prince. They surrounded the Prince¡¯s Pce with a face stiffer than ever.


    ¡°Listen here, Prince Sidhar!¡±


    The King ordered them to drag the Prince like a sinner. If the Prince rebelled, they were allowed to use their weapons.


    ¡°Come out here and kneel down to His Majesty!¡±


    The Prince¡¯s Pce was quiet. Even his knights and aides who were supposed to be protecting him were nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Get in! I permit the execution of anyone who tries to protect the prince or aid in his escape!¡±


    The knights pulled out their weapons. With the King¡¯s knights trampling on the pce with muddy feet, they opened the door to the Prince¡¯s room by force. The Prince¡¯s followers ran out with torches in their hands and set the pce on fire. They were soon dragged out and decapitated by the knights.


    ¡°Find the Prince!¡±


    The Prince¡¯s pce was on fire. Sidhar¡¯s house¡ªone of the most beautiful buildings in Hautean¡ªwas engulfed in red me.


    Traitor, immoral son, demon worshipper, back-stabber, sacrilegious, crook, murderer, filthy swindler.


    Now all thesebels would be in front of Prince Sidhar¡¯s name. When all the atrocities he hadmitted were revealed and exposed one by one, all the people in Hautean would spit on his trace and insult his name.


    Lara was looking at the scene. ck smoke soared high into the sky. As she looked at his burning pce, she remembered the altar that had been set up to burn herself alive before she died.


    Sidhar Hautean, the perfect Prince. I swallowed poison with my hands. Should I see what you will do?


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 68 - You In The Lamp

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    At that time, Sidhar Hautean fled wearing a shabby cape, leaving behind his old aide who had always stood by him at the pce. Then he ran west with the ck sorcerers.


    The dog that lost the fight. Prince Sidhar could not believe his situation had turned out that way.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    On a running horse, he thought about what could be the main reason for all this.


    Killing So was a walk in the park. That was how it should be. His opponent was a 14-year-old child, and he even had the fake saintesses set up to be good sacrifices. Even if things went wrong and failed, he thought he could get rid of or cover up all the evidence. But it all went wrong. Everything was in tatters.


    ¡®Lara.¡¯


    This was all because of her. The woman who horribly hated Prince Sidhar¡ªwhom everyone loved¡ªand treated him as her enemy.


    What is the reason? Why does she hate me so much? We haven¡¯t had any contact so far. Why in the world? Why did she always look at me with eyes full of resentment? Why did she show up at the banquet hall and block So¡¯s way?


    Lara was like a trap made to hunt Prince Sidhar. She was like a snare that could neither be ignored nor skipped. He felt like he had met his natural enemy for the first time in his life. For someone who had always felt like the predator, Lara made Prince Sidhar feel like prey, while simultaneously giving him an intense feeling of curiosity.


    Lara, the daughter of Isadora.


    Prince Sidhar¡¯s mask was broken. A smile as soft and firm as a saint was shattered. He crumbled away, ruined, and turned vicious. Intense hostility infested his gentle eyes, and cursed words flowed from his mouth, which had only poured out sweet words, along with harsh breathing.


    It would not end like this. There was a hideout for demon worshippers in the west. Prince Sidhar was going to join hands with them and take over the throne. Then, he would tell those fools who the real owner of thend was.


    That woman would be great as the spoils of war. Lara. He would dress her in a cheap, red dress befitting someone of her nature and make her kneel before him to beg.<b> You in the Lamp</b>


    After the Prince abandoned everything and fled, the weight of the throne leanedpletely toward the Princess. Now So established herself as the heir to the throne. The King promised to hold a sessor announcement banquet for the Princess when the autumn and winter season had passed and the warm spring came.


    The capital was noisy every day due to the banquet hall¡¯s explosion, the search for the fleeing Prince, and the ck sorcerer and fake saintesses incident. It was a festival for those who supported So, but the captured criminals suffered torture day by day in the royal pce¡¯s prison.


    Those who were involved with the Prince either hid or fled. The Temple of Glory also suffered greatly and went into a long silence.


    So kept Lara¡¯s secret. She did not tell anyone that Lara was the real saintess. Lara¡¯s friends, who felt anxious every day as to whether the 14-year-old girl would be able to keep the secret, could only feel great relief long after the incident.


    Lara stayed at So¡¯s pce while acting as a fake patient for 10 days. When she thought the time hade for her to be able to avoid some doubt, she returned home.


    ¡°How fortunate I was to wear a red velvet dress that day. God must have given me foresight.¡±


    ¡°Can you please shut up?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so chatty when you almost died?¡±


    Lara came out of So¡¯s pce with the help of Eunice and Ximena. She was just pretending to be sick, she actually only had a backache because she lied down too much.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a nice day.¡±


    The sky was blue and high. Lara was praised by the King as the hero who saved the Princess¡¯ life. He even gave a promise to grant her whatever she wanted. He also made an extreme offer to give her a new peerage title as she had abandoned her father¡¯s family name.


    The woman who saved Princess So¡¯s life twice. Now all the nobles in Hautean knew for sure whose side Lara and Isadora were on. But, apart from that, Lara¡¯s notoriety had risen to the point where it could no longer be raised.


    Eunice said while shaking her head.


    ¡°Everyone is only talking about how you grabbed the saintess¡¯ hair with one hand and shook it up and down.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a fake anyway.¡±


    ¡°Some said a witch in a red velvet dress grabbed the angelic saintess violently, some said you went round the banquet hall while holding the screaming saintess¡¯ hair, and some said you insulted God out loud, asking him to descend.¡±


    ¡°What? That was too exaggerated.¡±


    ¡°Congrats. You have established yourself as Hautean¡¯s troublemaker.¡±


    Grabbing the fake saintess¡¯ hair was a spontaneous act. She was disgusted when she heard how the fake saintess talked to Ximena and she wanted to get them out of the ce where the incident was supposed to happen.


    Lara said with a smirk.


    ¡°I learned that from Ximena.¡±


    ¡°Learned what?¡±


    ¡°That when you grab hair to fight, the first one to grab has the advantage. She told me not to get caught, and to just think about grabbing hard and to pull the hair down as soon as I grab it.¡±


    Ximena only told Lara to do that if that happened one day. Ximena mumbled, saying that she did not expect that Lara would use it for real.


    ¡°What good things have we told the saintess all this while.¡±


    Eunice recalled the past one by one and frowned.


    ¡°We turned the saintess into a troublemaker¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you ufortable because I¡¯m a saintess?¡±


    When Lara asked the question, Eunice shook her head and took a deep breath.


    ¡°I am just¡­thinking if I should convert my religion.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    Actually same here.


    Lara muttered.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara was still notpletely relieved even after the Prince was driven out far away. She was sure that he would join hands with the demon worshippers in the West.


    Lara searched for God¡¯s name as soon as she had time. She started studying theology¡ªwhich she had never done in school¡ªand went in and out of the temple to read old records. But there was no name that stood out to her. There were dozens of beings defined as Gods in the Temple of Glory and all of them used to appear only in very old legends.


    Feeling frustrated, Lara even visited the temple prayer room and stopped a priest who was passing by and asked about the statue that she kissed.


    ¡°What do you mean by name? Names are only for humans. God is just God.¡±


    The priest told her that there were no records of the forgotten God.


    Later, she went into the royal library and looked for old books. She even asked Sebastian to buy forbidden books for her. But she still could not find it. She felt like she was ying a never-ending game of hide-and-seek.


    ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hey, Demian.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    It was one day in the midst of autumn. Lara, who was out by the river with Demian, asked.


    ¡°What should I do to find a record of the forgotten God?¡±


    ¡°Is it difficult to find?¡±


    ¡°It is. Old relics or hidden records¡­ Maybe I should look for something like that.¡±


    ¡°Items like that are all in the Empire.¡±


    ¡°I know. Hautean is a small country on the border, so there¡¯s nothing to look for here. But I can¡¯t go to the Empire right now.¡±


    ¡°Lara, I know the perfect guy that you can use.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Acerus.¡±


    Lara, who was standing by the river and looking at the autumn sky, turned her head and looked at Demian.


    ¡°The Crown Prince of Tarragon?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°How can I dare to use the Crown Prince of the Empire?¡±


    ¡°You have me.¡±


    Demian was smiling like a viin.


    ¡°Usually, those who are sitting at the top would just give orders to their underlings. This means they can easily find something like that.¡±


    She could not refuse. Because he was right.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 69

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara rode on Demian¡¯s horse to the outskirts of the capital to go to the inn that she visited with him a while ago. The inn had a solitary impression, it was located in a remote location and had a shabby exterior. So the only guests were travelers or peddlers taking a break for a while because they did not have the energy to go to the capital at night.


    ¡°Is the magicmp really there? In the basement of the inn?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do if people find out it was there? I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s a magicmp there¡­ I thought relics like that were all gone a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°The Empire is not an empire for nothing. Being the Crown Prince, he would have no problem in using three or four relics for personal use.¡±


    It was a great shock to Lara to be able to have a conversation with someone far away using a magicmp. After the disappearance of sorcerers together with God¡¯s power, all magic that was left in Hautean was simple illumination magic©¤ones that could be made as long as there was the blueprint.


    ¡°We need to tell Acerus and the innkeeper that you¡¯re the saintess. Are you going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    Lara was about to tell Demian that it was okay because Crown Prince Acerus was thest human hero, but she quickly shut her mouth. She did not think that Demian needed to know about the terrible future that God had shown her. Instead, she came up with something more pleasant to hear.


    ¡°Because he¡¯s someone that you trust.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an honor.¡±


    Demian stopped by the cksmith on the way to buy a new hinge. It was a sturdy hinge that was even well oiled.


    ¡°Are you going to fix the door?¡±


    ¡°He threatened to leave once the door fell.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re quite sweet sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean it?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, just sometimes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡±


    ¡°If the Crown Prince finds out that I¡¯m the saintess, is he going to get mad and order you to bring me to the Empire immediately?¡±


    Demian promised not to take Lara anywhere if she did not want to. So until now, he had not even told Acerus that he had found the saintess.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to swear a little bit.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just let it slide.¡±


    A cursing Crown Prince. Lara looked like she was about to smile, but she just nodded.


    As soon as they arrived at the inn, the innkeeper saw Demian and straight-up frowned. But when he found Lara, he approached her with a kind smile.


    ¡°Wee.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°I told you not to pretend to be kind.¡±


    Demian grinned and sat down at the bar. Then, he took out the new hinge and showed it to the innkeeper.


    ¡°Gift.¡±


    ¡°Is that a trap?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s up to you whatever you want to think it is.¡±


    The innkeeper did not get rid of his doubts about the hinge Demian had bought. Demian took the hinge and threw it onto the counter.


    ¡°Fix it now.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I did my best to buy this¡­¡±


    ¡°Did youce it with poison?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    Neither courtesy nor consideration could be found in their conversations. However, there was a friendly feeling to each other in their rough and coarse tones, so Lara just smiled listening to their conversations.


    The innkeeper asked Lara.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    ¡°No, I already ate.¡±


    ¡°Then, what brings you here?¡±


    This time, Demian answered his question. He gave a look at the basement and said.


    ¡°Turn on themp.¡±


    The innkeeper did not say anything for a while. His movements of wiping the table with a dishcloth and tying the loose apron again were very natural.


    Demian said again.


    ¡°She¡¯s the one whom that yboy is frantically searching for.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I swear.¡±


    ¡°On what?¡±


    ¡°My life.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Follow me.¡±


    The innkeeper led the way. Lara bowed politely to him and went down to the basement.


    It was an ordinary basement with piles of potato bags. Demian, who followed Lara down, rolled up his sleeves and moved two potato bags at once to one side. Then he lifted an oldmp in the corner of the basement.


    ¡°Gosh, even this kind of thing is happening.¡±


    ¡°Oh well, you live and learn.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    The innkeeper clicked his tongue at Demian. Soon, he closed his eyes and chanted a very long spell. They werepletely iprehensible words. It was like a nativenguage from a foreign and distant province. When the innkeeper had finished, the oldmp dimly lit up.


    ¡°It¡¯s like magical lighting.¡±


    ¡°It has the same principle.¡±


    Answered the innkeeper.


    The innkeeper nced at Demian before leaving the basement. When he closed the door and disappeared, Demian shrugged.


    ¡°He could just stay, but he always goes outside like that.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s a good man.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably the only one who thinks like that.¡±


    While they were having a short conversation, the light from themp flickered slightly. Soon, there was a voice that only Demian was familiar with.


    ¡¸You bastard. If you cut our conversation short likest time, I¡¯ll really¡­¡¹


    ¡°I have brought the saintess.¡±


    ¡¸¡­Not mind. Saintess, how are you?¡¹


    Demian said he would curse. He really did.


    The voice was manly and heavy, but his tone was like an adolescent boy. When Lara nced at Demian as if asking him if the voice was really the Crown Prince of the Empire, he frowned and nodded.


    Lara managed to hold back herughter and spoke to themp.


    ¡°Hello, Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ He¡¯s right? Thank you. But saintess, hmm¡­ Are you really the saintess?¡¹


    ¡°I¡¯m also hoping it¡¯s not me.¡±


    ¡¸That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s right. I guess¡­¡¹


    Acerus sounded really flustered. The voice that was heard from beyond themp was getting longer and longer. It sounded like he had something to say but he was frustrated because he could not bear to do it. Demian, who was unable to remain a spectator, spoke out.


    ¡°She¡¯s indeed the saintess.¡±


    ¡¸How did you know that?¡¹


    ¡°If you¡¯re that suspicious,e and see for yourself.¡±


    Acerus mumbled something in a very small voice. Lara thought that it was probably a harsh curse.


    ¡¸Saintess.¡¹


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡¸I¡¯m the Crown Prince of Tarragon, Acerus.¡¹


    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m saintess¡­ Lara.¡±


    Lara almost followed him and cursed in spite of herself. She got goosebumps all over her body when she said she was the saintess with her own mouth. It did not happen when she was the fake, but it was weird and embarrassing when she really became the saintess.


    ¡¸Saintess, I will be straightforward. I want you toe to the Empire as soon as possible.¡¹


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡¸Because we¡­ Pardon?¡¹


    ¡°I will go to the Empire. But not now.¡±


    ¡¸What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡°God asked me to find his name. But it is hard to get a proper clue here.


    ¡¸God did not know his own name?¡¹


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Another curse was heard over themp but Lara wisely pretended not to hear it.


    ¡°So, Your Imperial Highness, I would like you to examine the relics and records that are in the Empire.¡±


    ¡¸That crazy- I mean¡­ Yes.¡¹


    ¡°There¡¯s a statue of that God in front of the prayer room here. All the other God statues are holding either their symbolic weapons or books, but he is the only one with his arms slightly forward holding nothing.¡±


    Lara further borated on the characteristics of the statue that she remembered. Acerus listened carefully. Then, he epted her request without much hesitation.


    ¡¸Okay, I got it.¡¹


    ¡°Please find God¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡¸I will investigate that for now. If I find out who your God is, you muste to Tarragon.¡¹


    ¡°Does that mean you believe that I¡¯m the saintess?¡±


    ¡¸I don¡¯t believe in you, but that bastard, Demian.¡¹


    Lara looked at Demian with a surprised look. He just shrugged and smiled.


    ¡¸Saintess, I¡¯m sorry, but could you please leave for a moment?¡¹


    Acerus wanted to have a private conversation with Demian. Lara agreed and greeted the Crown Prince before going out of the basement. The innkeeper was fixing the hinge with gloves on.


    ¡°Are you done already?¡±


    ¡°We decided to go into detailster on. It seems that themp will go out soon.¡±


    The innkeeper nodded and returned to the kitchen after repairing the hinge. Soon, there was an appetizing dish in front of Lara. It was a steaming bowl of vegetable soup and well-cooked chicken.


    ¡°Help yourself.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Are you really the saintess?¡±


    ¡°Probably so.¡±


    ¡°God is so wicked. You¡¯re at the age where you should be busy dating and having fun, but instead, he made you the saintess¡­ Tsk tsk.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it.¡±


    While Lara was eating with a smile, Demian returned. He strode over and sat next to Lara. Then, he talked to her with a subtly displeased look.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°He gave two conditions.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°First, you won¡¯t reveal to the public that you¡¯re the saintess until he wants to.¡±


    ¡°I already expected that.¡±


    ¡°Second¡­ allow him to talk to God when he needs it in the Empire someday.¡±


    While chewing bread, Lara suddenly froze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the two of them would make good conversation partners.¡±


    A conversation between the foul-mouthed Crown Prince and God who had his heads in the clouds. Lara frowned. She was already tired when she thought of bing a mediator in their conversations.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 70

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    While Acerus examined the relics and records in the Tarragon Empire, Lara and Demian decided to question the ck sorcerer and his followers that were captured in Hautean.


    They were under heavy surveince in the royal pce¡¯s dungeon. It was a ce where Lara could not easily ess even if she was the hero who saved the Princess. However, thanks to So, and guided by the guardian knights, she was able to enter the dungeon with Demian.


    ¡°This way. The Princess said that you two might be able to get a new clue from them.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°They are dangerous, so don¡¯t get too close.¡±


    ¡°Okay. What about the ck sorcerer?¡±


    ¡°We have kept him from being able to use magic, but still, be careful.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will keep that in mind.¡±


    As the heavy iron door opened, the cold and stagnant air peculiar to the underground came rushing in. Lara was intensely anxious and walked into the dungeon. Beyond the door was a narrow hallway. And at the end of it was arge prison cell blocked by thick iron bars.


    ¡°Stand here.¡±


    Demian told Lara to stay in a dark corner. Lara could see the people in the cell, but they could not see her.


    Demian strode alone and approached the prison cell at the far end. There was a ck sorcerer losing his consciousness while being hung from the wall. The traces of torture was strikingly vivid. He did not seem to be able to live long in that condition anyway.


    When Demian approached him closer, the ck sorcerer raised his swollen eyes.


    ¡°Urgh¡­ You!¡±


    He recognized Demian¡¯s face at once. He twisted his broken and bloody body around, struggling to escape somehow.


    Demian said.


    ¡°Let me tell you something. I have no feelings for people like you. I don¡¯t even really hate the ck sorcerers.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    ¡°It means that I understand the psychology of you lot who cling to the demon because you want to be strong. Everyone is like that when they live on the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You could not help it. Because you were born weak and cowardly.¡±


    That was neither persuading nor approaching in a friendly manner. That was just a provocation.


    Lara looked at Demian with that thought. The ck sorcerer probably felt the same way as her.


    He said, even more furious.


    ¡°Who the hell are you? Howe a human is invulnerable to ck magic? Where are you from? Reveal your identity!¡±


    Demian did not answer his question. He merely asked the question that he was about to ask.


    ¡°Is your master¡¯s name Vc?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking that, if I talk to you, can that Vc or whatever listen to us?¡±


    The ck sorcerer stopped moving. He opened his eyes wide and scanned through Demian.


    ¡°He¡¯s a great being. A mere human cannot just say his¡­¡±


    ¡°So he can¡¯t.¡±


    Great being, huh?


    Lara recalled her God while listening to the conversation between Demian and the ck sorcerer.


    The ck sorcerer said.


    ¡°On the day my master descends in Hautean, all you worthless humans will kneel down to him.¡±


    ¡®Vc.¡¯


    Lara made a mental note of the demon¡¯s name. She was going to ask her Godter.


    Demian, who had been listening to the cursed words from the ck sorcerer with a sour look, asked with annoyance.


    ¡°Shut up. Tell me where your hideout is.¡±


    ¡°We are everywhere!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in the west. Tell me where in the west it is.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ Do you think I will tell you that?¡±


    ¡°I can persuade the King to send troops to the west. That, too, wouldn¡¯t be good for you lot. If you let only me know, I will go alone, so tell me where it is.¡±


    The ck sorcerer closed his mouth. Demian also did not seem to expect him to reveal his hideout.


    ¡°Let me ask you one more question.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re trying to figure something out from me, you¡¯d better quit right now.¡±


    ¡°Why Prince Sidhar?¡±


    It was an unexpected question. The ck sorcerer paused. Lara, who was standing far away, paid close attention.


    ¡°He¡¯s weak. He¡¯s neither a strong leader nor does he have outstanding power. He¡¯s just a loser full of twisted narcissism with an inferiorityplex.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way the demon would have chosen such a man. Surprisingly, they have an eye for humans.¡±


    The ck sorcerer raised his head and looked at Demian. Then, he grinned.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t choose the Prince. We knew he was useless from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°He came to us. He chose my master, kneeled before him, and begged him to lend his strength.¡±


    ¡°At what cost?¡±


    The ck sorcerer did not answer. That was it. He just grinned and kept his mouth shut. He could neither torture someone who was already dying nor could he kill the prisoner of the King.


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    To Demian, who clicked his tongue and turned around, the ck sorcerer mumbled for thest time.


    ¡°You fools know nothing.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara¡¯s expression was dark. She did not expect the ck sorcerer to answer his questions easily, but it troubled her mind that she did not get anything at all.


    Lara came out of the dungeon, got on the carriage, and asked Demian.


    ¡°What did the Prince offer the demon in return?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking because you don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Yes, I really don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°He must have offered himself.¡±


    Lara blinked her eyes. That was not mentioned in the conversations between the ck sorcerer and Demian.


    ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Demons like humans.¡±


    What does that mean now?


    Lara looked at Demian, wondering. He waited until the carriage left the royal pce and spoke quietly.


    ¡°Demons like almost everything about humans¡ªculture, body, emotion, sense¡­and even weaknesses. They want everything they don¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If Sidhar was a strong Prince without weakness, the demon would not have been interested. What they want is neither territory nor throne.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°His life.¡±


    Lara took a short breath. Her scarlet eyes were staring at Demian¡¯s face.


    Demian continued.


    ¡°Demons want life as a human. If the Prince went west to join hands with the demon worshippers, chances are high that his body will be taken away by that Vc or whatever.¡±


    ¡°A¡­sacrifice?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Chills went up and down Lara¡¯s back and neck. When she heard Demian, she recalled her death. She was to be sacrificed to the demon of massive fire. Then, when Lara put herself to death, the demon who lost his sacrifice became intensely angry and burned the kingdom to ashes.


    ¡°Is there a case where the demon chooses his own sacrifice?¡±


    ¡°There is.¡±


    ¡°In what situation?¡±


    ¡°When there is more than one demon who wants the sacrifice.¡±


    Lara flinched. Demian looked at her with a look asking her what was wrong.


    ¡°Lara?¡±


    ¡°How do you know about that so well?¡±


    ¡°I have seen such cases on the battlefield a few times. Why?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Lara shook her head. She could not bear to say that the reason she had to suffer was because she was so popr with such great existences.


    When she got home, she saw Konny dozing off on the sofa in her room mid-cleaning. Lara walked with her heels up so as not to make a noise. She carefully put down her coat and nned to go out to the drawing-room so Konny couldfortably take a rest. However, Demian, who was tactless, appeared with noisy footsteps and talked to her.


    ¡°I will be right back.¡±


    ¡°Shush!¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­Oh, mdy?¡±


    Lara btedly covered Demian¡¯s mouth with her hands, but Konny was already rubbing her eyes and got up. Demian smirked and gave a short kiss on her palm. Startled, Lara pulled her hand off, causing him tough out loud.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 71

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°That guy seriously¡­¡±


    ¡°Mdy, when did youe home? Aarghh¡­ I¡¯m so sleepy.¡±


    Konny looked really tired. Her eyes were red and she kept yawning whenever she talked. After Demian left the room, Lara tried to persuade Konny to sleep.


    ¡°Konny, just go to bed early. Are you not feeling well?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°Come here.


    Lara measured the heat with her palm on Konny¡¯s round forehead. It was warm because she just woke up, but she did not seem like she was ill.


    ¡°Mdy, isn¡¯t that the palm that Master Demian kissed?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to wash my face.¡±


    She was very thorough. Disregarding Lara¡¯s bewilderment, Konny ran firmly to the bathroom and washed her face.


    ¡°Whew, I¡¯m getting a hold of myself now. I couldn¡¯t sleep at allst night, so I guess I have been sleeping without even realizing that I¡¯m sleeping.¡±


    Lara wondered if Sebastian lent Konny a book again. She asked with a smile.


    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you sleep? Were you reading the Hautean traditional horror storybook again?¡±


    ¡°No, I have been talking to Valentine all night¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing the sunrise while talking to a man. I was just lying down on my bed, but it was already morning before I realized it.¡±


    ¡°Konny!¡±


    Lara screamed in the midst of Konny¡¯s rambling, making her raise her head in surprise.


    ¡°Are you in that kind of rtionship with Valentine without me knowing?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Are you guys¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Konny looked at Lara with her round eyes wide open and soon screamed louder than her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡±


    ¡°Konny, it¡¯s fine. I understand.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not fine! Valentine was in his room and I was in my room! All we did was talk all night! Why is your mind so unhealthy, mdy?¡±


    Because your words were misleading.


    While she was mumbling, Lara lifted one eyebrow and asked Konny.


    ¡°Your room is in the main building and Valentine¡¯s room is in the annex building¡­ How can you talk all night?¡±


    ¡°Oh, about that. Valentine made me a magic receiver.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The ck sorcerers live in hiding away from each other. So they created receivers that let the users talk to each other even from afar. It looks like amp. But inside it¡­¡±


    Lara opened her mouth and stared at Konny. Her maid did not seem to have any idea how great of an experience she just had.


    ¡°I know It¡¯s fascinating, but you should have also seen him show off! How arrogant is that kid who used to crouch down every day.¡±


    He deserves to be arrogant.


    If Valentine could make a long-distance magic receiver, it would mean that people could talk to someone far away without the use of a relicmp and sorcerer.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    With a frightened look on his face, Valentine had been called to the drawing-room. Since the master who abused him since he was young was a woman, Valentine had a habit of crouching his shoulders and gradually walking on eggshells whenever he saw a woman.


    That also applied to Lara. As soon as Valentine saw Lara sitting on that sofa in the drawing-room, he visibly and loudly swallowed his saliva. Then, like a hedgehog with its thorns standing out, he came into the room while being wary of her.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine with Konny. Why not me?¡±


    When Lara muttered her dissatisfaction, Konny said with a face as if questioning her why she would ask something so obvious.


    ¡°Because you look scary, mdy.¡±


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s such a relief. He doesn¡¯t run away anymore.¡±


    When Valentine was first brought to the manor, he used to avoid Lara and Isadora even from afar. Therefore, it could be said that it was a great development for him to be able to sit face to face with Lara.


    So that Valentine would not feel ufortable, Lara did not drag the conversation long. She immediately brought up the business.


    ¡°Make one for me too.¡±


    ¡°M-make what?¡±


    ¡°A long-distance magic receiver.¡±


    Valentine looked at Konny with resentment. Konny quietly turned her head and gently pushed the dessert in front of him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It costs a lot of money.¡±


    Valentine began to stutter over the principles of the long-distance magic receiver©¤or magicmp©¤that he had made for Konny.


    ¡°In the old days, there were many elemental sorcerers, so they put magic onmps and cast spells on them¡­ But now all those sorcerers are gone. S-so¡­ alchemy is, I mean, after drawing a magic blueprint on a hard gem and processing it¡­ using the refraction of light.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    I don¡¯t understand anything he was saying.


    Lara cut off Valentine in the middle of his words and asked him straightforwardly.


    ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°A diamond.¡±


    ¡°Only that?¡±


    ¡°H-how far away is the person you are going to talk to?¡±


    ¡°Very far.¡±


    ¡°T-then it has to be really big. Really really big.¡±


    ¡°Does it have to be a diamond?¡±


    Valentine nodded. He said that the receiver he made for Konny was not made of hard jewelry like diamonds, so it would break after using it only once or twice. Valentine mumbled in a small voice after that, exining why it should be a diamond. But Lara could not understand even half of what he said.


    ¡°So, in conclusion, it must be a diamond. And the bigger it is, the better.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I will get it for you. Please make one for me.¡±


    Lara was confident. Her mother was the Thousand Gold Isadora. Getting a few jewels like that was a piece of cake for her.


    As Lara stood up to go out, Konny quickly poked Valentine¡¯s side.


    ¡°Valentine, Valentine!¡±


    ¡°H-huh?¡±


    Valentine bent down with a puzzled face and put his ears around Konny¡¯s mouth. Then, Konny whispered to him cheerfully.


    ¡°Ask her to open a store for you.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You said you wanted to do business.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Valentine raised her head. Lara heard everything but pretended not to hear it and asked him naturally.


    ¡°Tell me if there¡¯s anything you want. If it¡¯s something I can do, I will grant it.¡±


    ¡°Well, t-then¡­ a store.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Please open a store for me. A small store is enough. A small store to sell aphrodisiacs¡­ I mean, invigorating drinks and stuff. If possible, I would like the location to be on the street frequented by the nobles, and to have reliable staff, and¡­¡±


    It was going to be a shop selling simple but not really that simple a thing.


    Lara dly nodded.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Isadora was not even surprised anymore. After all, Lara always says something shocking every time shees to visit her.


    ¡°Okay¡­ this is better than when you told me you were the saintess.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Diamonds. How many big ones do I need to get?¡±


    ¡°The bigger the better, the more the better.¡±


    If Valentine made several long-distance magic receivers, it woulde in handy for Lara¡¯s visit to the Empire soon. Isadora pondered for a moment. The sound of her tapping her finger on the desk could be heard.


    Lara looked at her mother with a slightly nervous expression. She thought that since this was different from when she asked for pocket money, she might be rejected. But instead, Isadora said something random.


    ¡°I need to buy a mine.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I was concerned about this because of the high price of gemstones. But since this happens to be good, I can just buy a diamond mine.¡±


    Lara only asked for diamonds, but her mother bought a diamond mine.


    ¡°Sebastian.¡±


    Isadora loudly called in her secretary, Sebastian. Then, with his help, while searching for the perfect mine to buy, Isadora sent someone to the jewelry auction to get as many diamonds as Lara needed.


    Lara thanked her mother for getting two diamonds the size of a baby¡¯s fist and immediately brought them to Valentine. He said with a pale face that the diamond did not have to be that big and then immediately locked himself in his room.


    While Valentine was making the long-distance receivers, Lara looked for records of God with Demian. In the royal family, the enraged King gave his orders. Hundreds of soldiers rushed west to pursue the disappearance of Prince Sidhar.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 72

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°It¡¯s raining.¡±


    It was a dark and rainy night. Apanying the misty rain was a thick fog flowing down the river. Themp-adorned road that stretched throughout the horizon had gotten wet. Lara put on a long cape and climbed on the horse. Waiting for her to get on safely was Demian, who was looking at the gently flowing fog.


    ¡°Did he find it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    They got a message from Crown Prince Acerus. To be exact, he asked the innkeeper to arrange an audience with Saintess Lara and Demian.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They left the manor through the hazy fog and moved toward the outskirts of the capital. The streets were quiet because it was sote at night and even more so because of the rain. The soldiers who stood guard also just stayed in one ce, barely moving around.


    The innkeeper was waiting for them with only a faintmp on at the entrance.


    ¡°Hello, mister.¡±


    ¡°Wee.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry foring at such ate time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not time for me to sleep anyway.¡±


    The innkeeper came out of the door and took the horse¡¯s reins from Lara¡¯s hands. Raindrops formed on his moist gray hair. Entering the inn, they took off their capes and went straight down to the basement. The innkeeper cast a long spell and the oldmp soon turned on.


    ¡°Acerus.¡±


    When Demian opened his mouth first, the subdued voice of the Crown Prince came out of themp.


    ¡¸Is the saintess there?¡¹


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡¸Haa¡­ First of all, hello.¡¹


    Acerus sounded really tired.


    ¡°Hello, Your Imperial Highness. I guess something is going on. Are you okay?¡±


    Lara just asked what he was doing out of courtesy. She was dealing with the Crown Prince of the vastest country on the continent. But the moment Lara kindly asked how he was doing, Demian briefly clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    And Acerus began to sing the blues.


    ¡¸I was thinking of assigning about 300 people to fulfill your request, but I don¡¯t think the temple should know about this. So I gave a pile of gold to people who could secretly do long-term work and ordered them to start right away.¡¹


    The quiet basement was filled with Acerus¡¯ voice.


    ¡¸But neither relics from 100 nor 500 years ago had records of such a god. I even stole the records that the Temple of Glory hid¡­ Wow, what have I done?¡¹


    ¡°So?¡±


    The Crown Prince is talkative.


    Lara thought that it was better to let him reach the conclusion quickly so she asked Acerus to continue. Then, he continued to exin more excitedly.


    ¡¸You said that he¡¯s a God that¡¯s not holding any symbolic item, right? Just an ordinary God with his arms open. What¡¯s fascinating is¡­ that there was no such statue in the temple prayer room here. And I have searched all the existing prayer rooms, mind you.¡¹


    ¡°Pardon? No such statue?¡±


    ¡¸No, not at all.¡¹


    It was strange. Did that mean the statue that Lara chose only existed in the Temple of Glory in Hautean?


    ¡¸It is weird, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Acerus asked in a tone that was sneakily whining. Lara was about to nod, but then recalled that she was talking to him only with her voice. But when she tried to answer him, Demian, who had been standing silent until then and only listening, suddenly intervened.


    ¡°Hurry up and get to the point. Before I turn off themp.¡±


    ¡¸You son of a¡­ That¡¯s not what I mean.¡±¡¹


    Acerus barely swallowed his half-put-out curse and spoke to Lara in a subtly subdued voice.


    ¡¸There was one.¡¹


    ¡°There is?¡±


    ¡¸Yes, it was in God¡¯s House.¡¹


    In the Temple of Glory in the capital of the Tarragon Empire, there was a house where God stayed when he came to this world. It was a ce that was long regarded and protected as a sacred ce by the Temple of Glory. Acerus said that he found the God statue that Lara had talked about in there.


    ¡¸He¡¯s the God of Fate.¡¹


    Lara closed her mouth and stared at the dimly flickering light of themp. As to not miss anything Acerus said, she even killed her breath to focus on Acerus.


    ¡¸He came down to thisnd a long time ago and lived with humans. One day, he suddenly disappeared.¡¹


    Although Acerus continued to call Lara saintess, he did not show more courtesy to her than necessary. Rather, he acted naturally, as if dealing with a friend of a friend. However, there was no tiredness or yfulness in his voice in the following moment.


    ¡¸Saintess, please.¡¹


    He spoke politely and earnestly.


    ¡¸Pleasee to the Empire.¡¹


    Demian looked at Lara. he asked with his eyes what she was going to do. If Lara said she would go, he would take the lead. But if Lara said she would not go, he would turn off themp.


    A short silence followed. Acerus did not beg for her answer. Demian also stood silent and waited for her decision.


    Lara took two deep and long breaths. Then, looking at the dimly flickering light of themp, she abandoned her hesitation.


    ¡°I will go.¡±


    ¡¸Ha¡­¡¹


    After a while, excited with the thought that he had received a promise from the saintess, Acerus gave a bizarre cheer beyond themp.


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    ¡¸If I could do as I please, I would like to set up an envoy and send them along with the armed forces, but we have to hide your existence as the saintess for the time being.¡¹


    ¡°Demian is enough. I will find my way there. I just don¡¯t want to stand out.¡±


    ¡¸As expected, you¡¯re wise. Should we talk about the schedule again tomorrow at this time? Themp is so antique that no matter how talented a sorcerer is on standby, we still can¡¯t talk for long.¡¹


    ¡°Oh, regarding that.¡±


    Lara had no intention of hiding from Acerus about Valentine¡¯s long-distance magic receiver. So she opened her mouth lightly.


    ¡°My alchemist made a long-distance magic receiver¡­¡±


    ¡¸What did you just¡­¡¹


    Their conversation was cut short.


    Themp¡¯s critically flickering me was extinguished without being able to convey all of Acerus¡¯ voice.


    ¡°What a ridiculous guy.¡±


    Demian smiled and muttered.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t end it this time but he¡¯ll probably still swear at me.¡±


    Somehow they felt like they could hear bombastic swear words over themp.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After thanking the innkeeper, Lara first climbed up the horse. Demian told him that they woulde back at the same time tomorrow.


    ¡°Take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°See you tomorrow.¡±


    The way back was quiet. As the rain stopped, the fog became even more intense. They did not even know whether they were running onnd or running on water. Lara looked at Demian¡¯s face, not knowing what he was thinking about.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°What kind of ce is the Empire?¡±


    Demian could not answer immediately. Thinking that her question was too abstract, Lara tried to choose another word. Then, Demian broke his silence and suddenly opened his mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s aplicated ce.¡±


    ¡°In what sense?¡±


    ¡°War is constant and there are frequent attacks by demonic beasts, but the ruler does not change.¡±


    Compared to the Tarragon Empire, Hautean Kingdom was a quiet and peaceful ce, said Demian with a mix ofughter. Considering that he had lived on the battlefield all his life, Demian¡¯s expression while talking about the Empire was not very bad.


    Lara asked again.


    ¡°Do you think of the Empire as your hometown?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know where I was born or who my parents are. How can I think of it as my hometown?¡±


    ¡°You may think so because you have lived there for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Hometowns are ces thate to your mind when you¡¯re lonely and sad.¡±


    ¡°Is there a ce like that for you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Is there any ce that you think you have to go back to someday?¡±


    ¡°Battlefield.¡±


    Lara was speechless after listening to his unexpected answer. She knew Demian had been living on the battlefield for a long time and that one day he would go back there. But she did not know he thought of the terrible battlefield as his hometown. When Lara closed her mouth with a stiff face, it was Demian¡¯s turn to ask her.


    ¡°I thought you wanted to hide the fact that you¡¯re the saintess and that you really hated going to the Empire. But why did you change your mind?¡±


    ¡°Because of you.¡±


    Lara said.


    How she wished she could ask God to show him everything she knew. How much Demian sacrificed for her in her past life, how the world changed after her death and why he became a demon.


    ¡°What do you mean because of me?¡±


    Demian smiled and asked. Instead of answering his question, Lara decided to ask something else.


    ¡°How did you meet Crown Prince Acerus?¡±


    Demian¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 73

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡±


    Lara slightly smiled. Her shining eyes were as big as a cat¡¯s. Demian sighed and swept up his hair with one hand.


    ¡°On the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°I already know about that.¡±


    ¡°The demon kidnapped him, so I chased him and rescued him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    It was the first time she heard it. She could not believe the Crown Prince Acerus had been kidnapped by the demon. That was why he was so obsessed with the war against the demon forces.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°So you were the hero who rescued the empire¡¯s damsel in distress from being taken by the demon lord.¡±


    ¡°I have heard that about a hundred times in the Empire and now I¡¯m used to it. At that time, I was younger and my hair was pretty long¡­¡±


    ¡°What? You had long hair?¡±


    ¡°I even got weird misunderstandings.¡±


    Demian frowned as he was genuinely annoyed. Rather than those weird misunderstandings, Lara was even more curious about the younger Demian with his long hair fluttering in the wind.


    ¡°I think you would have looked sexy.¡±


    ¡°Is that apliment?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a sexy man is charming.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Lara.¡±


    Demianughed out loud. Surprised by its owner¡¯sughter, the horse neighed.


    The fog clung to Lara¡¯s hair and made it wet. Her wavy hair was soaked with dew and became more curly. Lara swept her hair with one hand and looked at Demian¡¯s straight hair with envy.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    When she returned home, Konny was hanging out with Valentine without sleeping again. As she hung out with Valentine¡ªwho slept during the day and was awake at night¡ªKonny¡¯s sleep schedule ended up all over the ce.


    ¡°Konny, hurry up and sleep. You can wake upte, so have a good sleep.¡±


    ¡°I was just about to go to bed.¡±


    Konny smiled with a cute face and ran to her room.


    Lara¡¯s whole body was wet because of the fog. Even wearing a cape was of no use. She rubbed her wet face with her fingers and then rubbed her hand again on the hem of her clothes. Then, Demian held her hand. His fingers were cold and damp like her. The same went for his eyes.


    ¡°Demian?¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Once I take you to the Empire, my mission with Acerus will be considered done.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    Demian looked at Lara without even moving. It was dark all around, but bluish light stayed only in his eyes.


    Her fingertips trembled. Demian lightly scratched Lara¡¯s finger with his fingernail. When Lara put her finger together, he grabbed her hand again. Tension lingered in his fingertips.


    ¡°Ask that question again.¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    Demian did not answer, but Lara quickly noticed what he was saying. So she asked again without thinking long about it.


    ¡°Is there any ce¡­that you think you have to go back to someday?¡±


    Demian¡¯s fairplexion shone like the moon. With his long outer corners of eyes slightly folded, light shone from his blue eyes, and his red lips gently pulled up, he whispered to Lara.


    ¡°You.¡±


    It was a smile that Lara had never seen before. Lara stared at Demian nkly as if she had lost her words. He, who had always worn a savage smile because he did not know how to smile properly, was smiling like the moon in the night sky. Mist formed into dew on his thin eyshes. He looked like a twinkling fairy of the night.


    Lara approached him one step closer without realizing it and swept his eyshes with her other hand. Water droplets were on it.


    She had to say it. She had a thought that she had to say it now.


    ¡°I like you.¡±


    In the past, she thought that words had no power. Lara had given all of her pure love to the Prince so she thought all she had left was distrust and hatred. Only burnt ash remained in her empty heart, seeming like it would scatter away by the slightest wind. She thought she could never love again.


    ¡°I like you.¡±


    So she had to say it. Because something that seemed impossible had happened. Because a miracle happened. Because she came back to the past and met him again. Because she realized who the man she really loved was.


    ¡®It¡¯s crazy. What is this feeling?¡¯


    She wanted to smile, but she felt like crying. She just said that she liked him but it felt like she just said that she loved him. She did not know those three words could shake up a person into a mess like this. She did not even hear it from him, it was she who blurted it out. She liked him even more because it felt good saying those three words.


    There was a flood in her chest. It was like an overflowing river or a swollen flower. Her heart might explode if it pounded even faster than here. Just like a bursting flower, it released its fragrance and seed to its fullest. She did not know how she managed to hide, ignore, and put up with it until now.


    She liked Demian. She really liked Demian. She could not stand not saying it.


    ¡°I liked the past you. I longed for him and I missed him. I was obsessed with him. I wanted him.¡±


    Someone who was within reach but she could not do so. She knew the Demian in the past and the Demian in the present were no different. Even if he denied it, he was still the same person to Lara.


    ¡°You¡¯re just one person to me. It is you. Both of them are you.¡±


    She realized that she should have said this, not just saying sorry. Lara realized that Demian¡¯s hand was heating up at a high speed.


    Darkness sank on his smile that was as gentle as the moon. It was dangerous darkness. Demian¡¯s breath was rough. He scratched Lara¡¯s palm gently with his finger.


    ¡°Go in.¡±


    Demian said. In a low voice, he told her to enter her room.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Lara asked back. When she raised her head and looked at Demian¡¯s face, he sharply contorted his eyes.


    Why is he smiling like this again?


    It was a savage smile like before. Lara did not avoid Demian¡¯s gaze. She was not afraid of him. Even when he came back from the battlefield and she saw him covered in blood and flesh, even when she saw him kill people with an indifferent face, she had never avoided him. Even when he became the demon lord covered with the demon¡¯s blood, she was extremely upset, but she did not think that he was scary.


    ¡°I want to kiss you.¡±


    Lara¡¯s scarlet eyes shone provocatively. Her eyes, covered in pure darkness, were as red and fragrant as a pomegranate.


    ¡°You said you wanted me.¡±


    Lara let go of Demian¡¯s hand first. She put her palm on his cheek and touched the tip of his lips with her thumb.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    And she got a little closer. They were close enough that Demian¡¯s lips were touching the tip of Lara¡¯s nose.


    ¡°I like you.¡±


    She wished she had known how to seduce a man in advance. She wished someone had taught her something like that. She had all sorts of dirty rumors surrounding her all this time, but Lara actually knew nothing about men. She did not know anything about how to capture Demian¡¯s heart. She had never felt this way before.


    And so she could neither measure nor calcte it. Lara simply looked at Demian¡¯s blue eyes and closed her eyes first. Then she put her lips on his lips.


    ¡°I like you.¡±


    Lara had no idea that her actions were driving himpletely crazy.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Demian had never trusted his patience. He was born and lived on the battlefield and sometimes regarded himself as a beast crazy for fighting. So he was not angry even if someone said he was a ve bastard that was no different from a beast. Everything in the world was insignificant in his eyes. He just thought of them as things that tried hard to live, when in the end, they would all rot and disappear after they died anyway.


    But not this woman.


    Lara dominated him arrogantly, heated him up, and drove him crazy. She had been like that from the very first time he saw her. He waspletely captivated by her sharp eyes. She shook him up to his soul and told him to always endure and to wait.


    He thought that there was no way he could endure. When Lara kissed Demian first in the arena, all he wanted to do was to leave far away with her in his arms, leaving behind Acerus¡¯s request and everything.


    It was ridiculous and bizarre. At that moment, Demian had already imagined kidnapping Lara and taking her to the end of the world.


    But he endured it. He persevered. He was careful because he did not want Lara to run away from him and he was afraid that Lara would avoid him. It was the same when he found out about her past and the miracle she had been through. He was angry that the Demian whom Lara had missed was not him, but at the same time, he was actually able to understand him more deeply than anyone else.


    Demian Rhode Drake would have stayed with Lara on purpose. Prince Sidhar was nothing to him. No matter how harsh the Prince threatened him, it was clear that he would let his words go in one ear and out the other. Demian Rhode Drake was just crazy about Lara. Because Lara was there, because she asked him to fight, and because he loved her.


    He endured and waited. He just desperately hoped and hoped that she woulde to him.


    ¡°I like you.¡±


    The moment Lara said so, her eyes that were covered in darkness and as red as a pomegranate erased Demian¡¯s world.


    Her lips were provocative and seductive. There was a subtle warmth in her eyes that resembled that of a cat¡¯s. Her breath, voice, and everything were all too sweet. His back muscles tightened. He could feel an exhrating feeling everywhere he came into contact with Lara. Even when he won a dangerous battle or even when he defeated a demon whom he did not think he could ever ovee, his body was not this hot.


    You say you like me.


    ¡®How long do I have to endure?¡¯


    His body moved first before he had even finished his thoughts. Demian held Lara¡¯s body tightly and swallowed her lips.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 74

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Demian had never had anything like patience. He was originally a beast©¤just waiting while pretending to be a human. There were no such things asws or ethics for a beast. Such a thing was meaningless in front of this woman.


    My arrogant ruler.


    As he persistently dug into her small mouth, a small moan came out. Hating to lose even that single tune, Demian licked Lara¡¯s lips over and over again. Her small body trembled. Lara¡¯s soft fingers gripped Demian¡¯s cor. Heat rose and fell from their close bodies.


    They were so absorbed in the kiss to notice that they were already in the building. Demian hugged Lara and lifted her up. He could find her room even if he walked with his eyes closed. As they entered the room, a sigh came out of Lara who was hanging on his neck.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    Lara said.


    ¡°Close your eyes.¡±


    Laughter erupted from his stomach. It was a sneer headed towards himself. Demian closed his eyes like an obedient beast as soon as Lara gave him an order.


    Lara put her two feet on the floor. The sound of her taking off her shoes could be heard, followed by the sound of her cloak being pulled down. The sound of wet clothes brushed past and also the sound of dry clothes grazed against. All these sounds were sensual.


    Lara¡¯s hair touched Demian¡¯s finger. He was so eager to catch it that it was difficult to control himself. Still, Demian endured. He endured until a smoky scent came from under his breath.


    Open your eyes.


    Though Lara did not say it, Demian heard her voice all the same.


    He opened his eyes, able to see Lara¡¯s silhouette in the dark. She approached him with her back against the light, without even a single thread present on her body.


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you.¡±


    Lara said. Her eyes were red. With a light behind her back, even her silhouette was red. The red moon that drove the beast crazy had risen.


    ¡°But I¡¯m scared of you.¡±


    Demian reached out. He touched her. He felt like he was going to cry. Two lives, one at which Demian could not remember, throughout the past and present, had led to the greatest joy that had ever embraced him. He was so afraid of not ever being able to let go once he had touched her.


    Now I can¡¯t go back to the life where I don¡¯t know you. I can¡¯t go back to the life where I cannot touch you. For that is too cruel.


    My fateful lover. Now I can¡¯t run away.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Demian probably did not fall asleep. When Lara got out of her bed and put on her clothes, he opened his eyes and looked at her back.


    Lara went out and looked at the sky just before the sun rose. The heat of her body has yet to cool down, making it rather humid in the cape. She could feel his touch all over her body. Her lower abdomen was itchy so she kept sighing. Still, she tightly held the hem and walked fast.


    ¡®Demian.¡¯


    She would protect him. Being a saintess? She could do it. She had already done it once. Perhaps there was no woman on the continent who could act as a saintess better than herself. She had even deceived the whole world for ten years just for a man. For Demian, she could do anything even worse than that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Temple of Glory.¡±


    Lara headed to the temple in the carriage to meet God.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    As soon as she entered the prayer room, she took off her cape and sat on a chair.


    ¡°Pleasee out.¡±


    Her voice cracked and she sounded blunt. She was going to call him again, but she stopped quickly. How could she be the saintess when God did not even tell her his name, she could not even heal others, and God did not even lend his power. The more she thought about it, the more crossed she felt. Perhaps that was the reason why Lara looked at God¡¯s statue with a disdained look.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re the God of Fate.¡±


    <Who said that?>


    She heard the voice of God. When Lara raised her head, the statue began to shine dimly.


    <Fate.>


    ¡°You said that you would answer me when I found your name. Didn¡¯t youe out because the name I found is right?¡±


    <Yeah, I remember.>


    Has his memory gone bad because he had lived too long?


    Lara looked at the statue with suspicious eyes.


    <There was a time when I was called like that.>


    ¡°Do you mean there was a time when you were called with a different name?¡±


    <Lara, what do you think fate is?>


    ¡°Life and death.¡±


    <You¡¯re so simple.>


    Godughed. It was a clearugh.


    Lara blinked quickly, she was more surprised by the fact that God hadughed than the fact that God just teased her.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the Temple of Glory in the Empire soon. I heard that your house is in the sanctum there.¡±


    <House¡­ I don¡¯t remember such a thing.>


    ¡°Then, tell me this at least.¡±


    I think God has memory loss. That¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t know his name and doesn¡¯t know whatever I ask him. That¡¯s also why he has his head in the clouds.


    Lara gave up her expectations and asked.


    ¡°What is Vc?¡±


    <What?>


    ¡°That¡¯s a demon¡¯s name. Many ck sorcerers in Hautean serve him. Tell me what to do to defeat him.¡±


    <Vc?>


    God was surprised and soon pleased.


    <He¡¯s a vampire.>


    ¡°Vampire¡­ Do you mean a bloodsucker?¡±


    <He¡¯s a very old demon. He likes anything young and beautiful and enjoys staying close to humans.>


    ¡°What should I do then?¡±


    <Vc is a very fussy demon. It¡¯s unlike him to choose a sacrifice, so don¡¯t worry too much.>


    The God of Fate said that there was no need to worry unless the demon named Vc choose a sacrifice and ascended directly. But then, Lara recalled the ck sorcerer in the dungeon of the royal pce. He was a follower of Vc. He did not despair of failure ahead of his death andughed at Lara and Demian, saying that they knew nothing.


    Yeah, but there¡¯s a little something called ¡®just in case.¡¯


    Lara asked God again.


    ¡°But what if that demon does choose his sacrifice?¡±


    <Then the demon will be a disaster once he has ascended. You have to stop him.>


    ¡°How?¡±


    <Find my name.>


    ¡°Do you have another name?¡±


    <Then are you going to call me fate?>


    So what if I call you that?


    She wanted to say that, but she thought that God would get angry.


    ¡°The saintesses on our records could use amazing powers, but why can¡¯t I do anything?¡±


    <Because you know nothing about me.>


    God said with full disappointment. He seemed to beining for Lara to quickly find out about his existence.


    <Don¡¯t be impatient. When the timees, everyone will know.>


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    God¡¯s voice was drifting apart. Lara quickly brought up herst question.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone in the Empire who wants to talk to you. Will youe out if I call you at the temple?¡±


    But God did not answer and quickly disappeared. The dimly shining God statue also returned to its original form.


    He¡¯s also hot-tempered.


    Having just sprung to her feet, Lara plopped down again.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 75

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Demian had never had anything like patience. He was originally a beast©¤just waiting while pretending to be a human. There were no such things asws or ethics for a beast. Such a thing was meaningless in front of this woman.


    My arrogant ruler.


    As he persistently dug into her small mouth, a small moan came out. Hating to lose even that single tune, Demian licked Lara¡¯s lips over and over again. Her small body trembled. Lara¡¯s soft fingers gripped Demian¡¯s cor. Heat rose and fell from their close bodies.


    They were so absorbed in the kiss to notice that they were already in the building. Demian hugged Lara and lifted her up. He could find her room even if he walked with his eyes closed. As they entered the room, a sigh came out of Lara who was hanging on his neck.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    Lara said.


    ¡°Close your eyes.¡±


    Laughter erupted from his stomach. It was a sneer headed towards himself. Demian closed his eyes like an obedient beast as soon as Lara gave him an order.


    Lara put her two feet on the floor. The sound of her taking off her shoes could be heard, followed by the sound of her cloak being pulled down. The sound of wet clothes brushed past and also the sound of dry clothes grazed against. All these sounds were sensual.


    Lara¡¯s hair touched Demian¡¯s finger. He was so eager to catch it that it was difficult to control himself. Still, Demian endured. He endured until a smoky scent came from under his breath.


    Open your eyes.


    Though Lara did not say it, Demian heard her voice all the same.


    He opened his eyes, able to see Lara¡¯s silhouette in the dark. She approached him with her back against the light, without even a single thread present on her body.


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you.¡±


    Lara said. Her eyes were red. With a light behind her back, even her silhouette was red. The red moon that drove the beast crazy had risen.


    ¡°But I¡¯m scared of you.¡±


    Demian reached out. He touched her. He felt like he was going to cry. Two lives, one at which Demian could not remember, throughout the past and present, had led to the greatest joy that had ever embraced him. He was so afraid of not ever being able to let go once he had touched her.


    Now I can¡¯t go back to the life where I don¡¯t know you. I can¡¯t go back to the life where I cannot touch you. For that is too cruel.


    My fateful lover. Now I can¡¯t run away.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Demian probably did not fall asleep. When Lara got out of her bed and put on her clothes, he opened his eyes and looked at her back.


    Lara went out and looked at the sky just before the sun rose. The heat of her body has yet to cool down, making it rather humid in the cape. She could feel his touch all over her body. Her lower abdomen was itchy so she kept sighing. Still, she tightly held the hem and walked fast.


    ¡®Demian.¡¯


    She would protect him. Being a saintess? She could do it. She had already done it once. Perhaps there was no woman on the continent who could act as a saintess better than herself. She had even deceived the whole world for ten years just for a man. For Demian, she could do anything even worse than that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Temple of Glory.¡±


    Lara headed to the temple in the carriage to meet God.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    As soon as she entered the prayer room, she took off her cape and sat on a chair.


    ¡°Pleasee out.¡±


    Her voice cracked and she sounded blunt. She was going to call him again, but she stopped quickly. How could she be the saintess when God did not even tell her his name, she could not even heal others, and God did not even lend his power. The more she thought about it, the more crossed she felt. Perhaps that was the reason why Lara looked at God¡¯s statue with a disdained look.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re the God of Fate.¡±


    <Who said that?>


    She heard the voice of God. When Lara raised her head, the statue began to shine dimly.


    <Fate.>


    ¡°You said that you would answer me when I found your name. Didn¡¯t youe out because the name I found is right?¡±


    <Yeah, I remember.>


    Has his memory gone bad because he had lived too long?


    Lara looked at the statue with suspicious eyes.


    <There was a time when I was called like that.>


    ¡°Do you mean there was a time when you were called with a different name?¡±


    <Lara, what do you think fate is?>


    ¡°Life and death.¡±


    <You¡¯re so simple.>


    Godughed. It was a clearugh.


    Lara blinked quickly, she was more surprised by the fact that God hadughed than the fact that God just teased her.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the Temple of Glory in the Empire soon. I heard that your house is in the sanctum there.¡±


    <House¡­ I don¡¯t remember such a thing.>


    ¡°Then, tell me this at least.¡±


    I think God has memory loss. That¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t know his name and doesn¡¯t know whatever I ask him. That¡¯s also why he has his head in the clouds.


    Lara gave up her expectations and asked.


    ¡°What is Vc?¡±


    <What?>


    ¡°That¡¯s a demon¡¯s name. Many ck sorcerers in Hautean serve him. Tell me what to do to defeat him.¡±


    <Vc?>


    God was surprised and soon pleased.


    <He¡¯s a vampire.>


    ¡°Vampire¡­ Do you mean a bloodsucker?¡±


    <He¡¯s a very old demon. He likes anything young and beautiful and enjoys staying close to humans.>


    ¡°What should I do then?¡±


    <Vc is a very fussy demon. It¡¯s unlike him to choose a sacrifice, so don¡¯t worry too much.>


    The God of Fate said that there was no need to worry unless the demon named Vc choose a sacrifice and ascended directly. But then, Lara recalled the ck sorcerer in the dungeon of the royal pce. He was a follower of Vc. He did not despair of failure ahead of his death andughed at Lara and Demian, saying that they knew nothing.


    Yeah, but there¡¯s a little something called ¡®just in case.¡¯


    Lara asked God again.


    ¡°But what if that demon does choose his sacrifice?¡±


    <Then the demon will be a disaster once he has ascended. You have to stop him.>


    ¡°How?¡±


    <Find my name.>


    ¡°Do you have another name?¡±


    <Then are you going to call me fate?>


    So what if I call you that?


    She wanted to say that, but she thought that God would get angry.


    ¡°The saintesses on our records could use amazing powers, but why can¡¯t I do anything?¡±


    <Because you know nothing about me.>


    God said with full disappointment. He seemed to beining for Lara to quickly find out about his existence.


    <Don¡¯t be impatient. When the timees, everyone will know.>


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    God¡¯s voice was drifting apart. Lara quickly brought up herst question.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone in the Empire who wants to talk to you. Will youe out if I call you at the temple?¡±


    But God did not answer and quickly disappeared. The dimly shining God statue also returned to its original form.


    He¡¯s also hot-tempered.


    Having just sprung to her feet, Lara plopped down again.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 76

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    When the night came, Lara took out her cape to talk to Crown Prince Acerus. They decided to discuss Lara¡¯s trip to the Empire at the same time as yesterday, so she wanted to go to the inn quickly.


    But Demian was not there. When Lara realized that his room was empty, she snooped around the annex and found him.


    ¡°Demian!¡±


    ¡°Lara?¡±


    Demian entered the garden through the back door of the annex. Then he approached Lara, who was waiting for him in front of the stable.


    ¡°Why are you sote?¡±


    ¡°Something happened.¡±


    ¡°Something? Is it something you can¡¯t tell me?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Lara was asking why he waste but he only kept smiling. It was suspicious for the man to smile when he doesn¡¯t normally smile. However, thinking that she should not keep Crown Prince Acerus waiting, Lara ignored her doubts and climbed up the horse first.


    ¡°Hurry up. We¡¯re going to bete.¡±


    The innkeeper did not sleep again while waiting for Lara and Demian. Whenever he met Lara, he kept making food with a very kind face, but she thought it was probably because she kissed Demian at the inn.


    ¡°You can juste alone. What¡¯s the point in bringing this guy along?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want toe either.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t.¡±


    Their conversation was always like that, but Lara could see that they trusted and liked each other.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡±


    After the innkeeper lit up themp with a long spell, he went out of the room and left them both alone. This time Lara lifted themp herself. She wanted to greet Acerus first. However, as soon as the light turned on, Acerus¡¯ urgent shout could be heard from themp.


    ¡¸Long-distance magic receiver!¡¹


    ¡°Hello¡­ Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry.¡¹


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Demian was holding hisughter in the back. Acerus was frustrated because he could not curse at him as usual.


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness, don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯m thinking of taking two of them to the Empire.¡±


    ¡¸Can¡¯t you¡­bring the alchemist here?¡¹


    ¡°He¡¯s not my subordinate.¡±


    Technically, she was his employer, but the truth was that Lara did not even know what was written in Valentine¡¯s contract.


    Acerus mumbled in a disappointed tone.


    ¡¸When can you leave then?¡¹


    ¡°When the long-distance magic receiver isplete and when we¡¯re ready to depart.¡±


    ¡¸When is that?¡¹


    Acerus asked and Lara contemted for a moment. Valentine was working hard but the receiver was not an item that could be made so quickly. Then, Demian, who was standing silently behind her, suddenly interrupted and said.


    ¡°Stop being clingy.¡±


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    ¡°I will bring her there myself so stop calling her. It¡¯s a hassle to go out every night.¡±


    ¡¸You son of a¡­¡¹


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡¸Person. Son of a person.¡¹


    ¡°I will let you know when the schedule is set, so don¡¯t rush us and just wait. We will also take care of the escort team.¡±


    ¡¸Be careful.¡¹


    Acerus was serious when he told Demian to be careful. They exchanged some information through themp. Demian talked about Prince Sidhar, the ck sorcerers, and the demon Vc. Crown Prince Acerus talked about a group of demonic beasts appearing in the Gorgon Mountain Range. Finally, Acerus greeted Lara in a princelike voice again.


    ¡¸Saintess, I will eagerly await your arrival in the Empire.¡¹


    ¡°See you in the Empire.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    While Lara and Demian were at the inn, two carriages arrived at Isadora¡¯s riverside manor.


    They were much more expensive than the nobles¡¯ jewel-decorated carriages. They were made from rare, nonbustible wood, and the wheels and support beams were all made by the best craftsmen in Hautean. Horses that were sturdier and stronger than most war horses drove the carriages. Magic lighting was added for the interior and metal was added to the exterior to withstand lots of attacks. Even the King would not ride a carriage this strong. Additionally, there were two such carriages.


    It was Isadora and Sebastian who got off the first carriage. Meanwhile, the mercenary wolves that belong to Isadora¡¯s tradingpany got off the second carriage.


    ¡°Where are the kids?¡±


    ¡°They are not home.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Call Konny and Valentine.¡±


    When Isadora made a gesture, the wolves moved in unison and brought Konny and Valentine to the drawing-room on the first floor.


    ¡°Everyone is here, right?¡±


    After a while, a meeting had begun, one that only Lara did not know of.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    So cried and sent a letter. She said she would make sure to keep Lara¡¯s secret so Lara did not need to worry about that. She just wanted Lara to go safely ande back quickly.


    The Princess begged her father, the King, to give some privileges to her savior. Lara and her party were allowed to travel freely to and from the border of Hautean and she was given the identity as the delegation to the Empire so she could use it in case of an emergency.


    When Lara stopped by the Royal Pce to say thank you, So, whose eyes turned red, sniffled for a long time in Lara¡¯s embrace.


    ¡°I will study hard. And I will be a sessor that you could be proud of.¡±


    It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going forever. I¡¯m just going for a short time, but why is everyone making such a big fuss over it?


    Lara smiled and hugged So tightly.


    A few dayster, Lara got the news that Valentine hadpleted the long-distance magic receiver. She did not hesitate and decided to leave at the time when midnight changed to dawn.


    ¡®I need to hurry up and leave.¡¯


    There were still years left before the war with the demon worshippers began. What Lara wanted was perfect preparation. As the human hero, Acerus was preparing to fight them with the Empire on his side, Lara¡¯s purpose was to help him so that mankind could win the war against them.


    ¡®How long will it take?¡¯


    Maybe a year or two? She wished she could just stay for only a few months. Was it better to just tell Acerus everything she had experienced in the past? Since she was the saintess, he might believe her.


    She would protect Demian and make Acerus a hero. Lara would give them all the information she knew and led the war to their advantage. She would find God¡¯s name and make him help humankind again. So that the terrible future did note.


    Time went by quickly. The night when Lara had decided to depart for the Empire hade.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara wore travel boots,fortable clothes, and a cape with a suitcase in one hand. She also brought a dagger for self-defense, emergency funds, and a few fake cards to bypass identification. When she looked outside, the light was already out in Demian¡¯s room. It seemed that he had finished getting ready and was already in the garden. Lara looked around her room.


    After leaving her father¡¯s manor anding to this house, Lara lived apletely different life than before. Most of the changes were intentional, but sometimes there were incidents©¤ones that could not be avoided, like fate.


    But she did not regret it. After returning to the past and living a second life, she never regretted any of her actions or any of the new rtionships she had formed.


    From now on, she had to live a life that she did not n. She was not afraid. Lara had be stronger and Demian was next to her. She took a deep breath and went outside.


    Isadora was out in the garden with Sebastian to see Lara off. But there were others in the garden.


    ¡°Mother?¡±


    The atmosphere was weird. She knew that Isadora was worried about her travel route so she produced an expensive carriage. She already expected to be escorted by a few mercenaries because Demian alone might not be enough. However, the sight reflected in Lara¡¯s eyes was very different from what she had thought.


    At first nce, there were two ck carriages that seemed excessively strong and the horses used were at warhorse level. And instead of workers, muscr mercenaries were in the coachmen¡¯s seats. They were all mercenary wolves that belong to the tradingpany


    ¡°Mother?¡±


    Lara asked again. Isadora said while slightly avoiding her gaze.


    ¡°All the wolves here follow Lara. I believe in Demian¡¯s skills, but we still need to be prepared just in case.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    ¡°Until you enter the capital of Tarragon, use ourpany¡¯s trading route. That way you can get help in the middle.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    The wolves¡¯ voices were loud. It was such a powerful voice that managed to ring the quiet manor. Lara looked at them with astonishment and asked Isadora.


    ¡°Is this why you gave me permission?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No wonder you gave me permission so easily.¡±


    ¡°What did I ever do?¡±


    Isadora feigned ignorance.


    She ended up shouting and throwing a tantrum, asking why she could not even send one escort for her daughter who was going on a long journey.


    ¡°But there¡¯s more than one.¡±


    There were twelve of them in total. Each and every one of them was a big shot at the level of a mercenary captain. She wanted to go without getting other people¡¯s attention, but with the way it was now, anyone would misunderstand that an esteemed person was traveling.


    As Lara greeted the wolves, she heard someone dragging arge suitcase from behind and approaching her.


    ¡°Konny?!¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 77

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Konny?!¡±


    Lara screamed. She decided to leave early in the morning on purpose because she was afraid Konny would cry and make a fuss about following her. But Konny, whom she thought was asleep, approached her after she had perfectly prepared for the trip.


    ¡°If you leave me behind, I will resent you for the rest of my life.¡±


    Isadora smiled to herself and called Konny.


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    Then, Konny replied loudly, putting down her bag and raising one hand.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    ¡°Take care of Lara.¡±


    ¡°Consider it done!¡±


    Lara¡¯s sigh deepened. Then, what was the point of all the ns she had struggled to make over the past few days and the farewell that she had exchanged?


    ¡°Konny, it¡¯s going to be a dangerous and difficult journey. You mighte across a bandit, there might even be demonic beasts, and the ck sorcerers mighte after us. Do you still want to follow me?¡±


    ¡°Mdy.¡±


    Konny¡¯s resolution remained unchanged.


    ¡°You¡¯re my family. When I had nowhere to go, you kept me by your side and cherished me like your sister. You¡¯re not an honest person, so I have to be there for you!¡±


    Lara had be speechless.


    This time, Valentine dragged a huge suitcase in front of Lara.


    ¡°Valentine? I¡¯m fine with Konny. But why is Valentine following me?¡±


    Valentine crouched down and looked at Isadora. Then Isadora quietly turned away from Lara and made excuses one by one.


    ¡°You said you were going to open a store for him. Valentine said that he wants to make money. He wants to earn enough money that willst his whole life.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°To do that, of course, he has to go to the Empire. How can he earn a lot with just one store in a small country like Hautean?¡±


    ¡°Mother¡­¡±


    ¡°I have decided to set up a store for him in the middle of Tarragon¡¯s capital.¡±


    No way. Lara looked at Valentine with her eyes asking if that was the truth. He nodded continuously with a pale face.


    ¡°I, I¡¯m going to the Empire and make a lot of money.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with everyone?¡±


    Thest one toe out was Demian. He burst out intoughter when he saw Lara standing in the garden with a devastated face. Then he lightly greeted the mercenary wolves.


    The two carriages were loaded with luggage and the passengers rode in. Lara, who had hesitated until the end, was thest one toe.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Just before Lara rode the carriage, Isadora approached her and stroked her daughter¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    She knew how worried her mother was about her. Those who did not know she was a saintess thought she was going to study abroad in the Empire, but Isadora knew that Lara was going to help the war with the demon worshippers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Lara whispered in Isadora¡¯s ears.


    ¡°The God of Fate will protect me.¡±


    ¡°Can I trust him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s quite capable.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    Isadora opened her arms. Lara jumped into her mother¡¯s arms and shared warmth by rubbing her forehead and cheeks for a long time.


    ¡°I will be back.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    Lara got into the carriage. The two carriages moved away with the sound of heavy wheels. Isadora stood in front of the manor and looked at it for a long time with her arms folded.


    ¡°I always thought she was just a child. But one day, she suddenly became an adult and left me.¡±


    ¡°Technically speaking, she didn¡¯t leave you.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Sebastian approached Isadora and put a gown on her shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting cold. Ma¡¯am, let¡¯s go inside.¡±


    ¡°Sure. We need to take a good rest today. We will be twice as busy starting from tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Thousand Gold Isadora. Her scarlet eyes that looked just like Lara¡¯s shone clearly.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After being recorded in history, the Tarragon Empire was the country with thergest territory on the continent. To the east bordered three allied nations. To the west was the Gorgon Mountain Range, which was considered one of the most remote areas on the continent. In the north was the enemy country that had been at war for a long time. And in the south were small countries that lived under the shadow of the Empire, Hautean was among these small countries.


    Tarragon¡¯s people were proud of the Empire, calling it the best man-made work. They believed that the Emperor was a gift sent from heaven. The same went for the Crown Prince, the sessor.


    ¡°The weather is already dry.¡±


    ¡°Do you want some water?¡±


    ¡°I have a dry booger inside my nose. If I dig it out, my nose will bleed, right?¡±


    ¡°Goodness gracious!¡±


    The Crown Prince Acerus¡¯ aide was the best man of talent from the Imperial Academy. However, his job these days was to read old storybooks and fairy tales from morning to night.


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a God of Fate, it¡¯s not written anywhere. Maybe you¡¯re wrong.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s written in the relics.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only things like time, hope, and war.¡±


    ¡°Go wet a handkerchief with water for me. I think I should dig it up.¡±


    ¡°For God¡¯s sake!¡±


    The aide put the book aside and went out to the hallway. He could be heard saying, ¡®His Imperial Highness has to pick his nose. Go wet a handkerchief.¡¯ and soon after, thedies-in-waiting held back theirughter and disappeared.


    ¡°You bastard. Do you really have to say that openly? ¡®His Imperial Highness needs a wet handkerchief.¡¯ Can¡¯t you say it like this?¡±


    The aide did not listen to Acerus¡¯ints. He just sat in his ce and kept on reading the old fairy tales.


    ¡°When will shee?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Someone.¡±


    ¡°Did you get another girl?¡±


    The aide put down the book loudly and asked. It was also a threat saying that he would not let him go if he dated another girl and created chaos again.


    ¡°Whew, I¡¯m bored of waiting. I hope shees soon. I want to talk to her every night. I should just make a pretty house for her in the Imperial Pce.


    ¡°You must be crazy.¡±


    ¡°Even her voice is amazing. It¡¯s been a while since my heart was beating this fast. What does she look like? What kind of charm does she have? What about her personality? I can¡¯t even be bored while imagining her.¡±


    ¡°Crazy.¡±


    ¡°Do I look like a crazy guy?¡±


    ¡°Is that even a question?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the saintess, you bastard.¡±


    When Acerus smiled insidiously, only then did the aide sigh.


    ¡°If someone hears you, they will think you have fallen in love after only listening to her voice.¡±


    ¡°That almost happened. It¡¯s fascinating. Usually, a person¡¯s voice will get distorted when you hear it through themp, but the saintess is different. Her voice echoed and rang through my ear and made my heart itchy.¡±


    ¡°Hah! God should also let her know that you¡¯re a perv.¡±


    ¡°Cease your nonsense!¡±


    Well now, who¡¯s the one spouting nonsense here?


    The aide looked daggers at the Crown Prince.


    Acerus giggled. He put his legs on the desk and leaned against the chair. Soon after, thedies-in-waiting appeared with a twitch on their faces and handed Acerus a wet handkerchief before going out.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, pfft! Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    ¡°Get out. I feel ignoble.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    Instead of picking his nose, he wiped his face with the wet handkerchief. Then, he leaned back on the chair after feeling refreshed.


    ¡°This won¡¯t do!¡±


    ¡°What now?¡±


    Acerus, who had been quiet for a while, suddenly sprung on his feet and grabbed the aide by his cor.


    ¡°Go investigate.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Lara, the daughter of Isadora.¡±


    ¡°Who is that?¡±


    ¡°The name of the saintess.¡±


    Acerus smiled widely. His face is full of slyness.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she has a nice heart because she¡¯s a saintess. She may have a talent for reciting sacred poems or she might have majored in theology. She could be a woman who grew up in the temple from an early age, or maybe she could make a miracle herself.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t stand it because I¡¯m so curious. Do some background checks.¡±


    The aide thought. Who was the most pitiful? His own self, who needed to make this crazy guy the Emperor, or the saintess, who was involved with this crazy guy.


    ??????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 78 - Valac (1)

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????<b> Vc (1)</b>


    ¡°You¡¯re not a Prince anymore.¡±


    The demon worshippers lived in a vige unit group in a deep canyon in western Hautean. Prince Sidhar put his trust in them. And for the first time since he was born, he had to eat with his hands, pick up firewood, and even wash the dishes.


    He could not believe he had to hear such words from them. At first, he was angry at them and told them not to spout nonsense. He yelled at them, saying he was from a royal family that was different from the demon worshippers and it was thanks to him that they were able to get a hideout in the west.


    However, the demon worshippers did not listen to the Prince. He could not get through to them. They only told him to go back to his house, then lifted him up and threw him away. The same went for the ck sorcerers. They pretended to cooperate with the Prince¡¯s n in Hautean, but after returning to their hideout, they just ignored him.


    Sidhar was about to go crazy. He thought about going out of there and going somewhere else, but there was no one who would ept him, who was already branded as a traitor. The nobles who supported the Prince had either already fled far away or paid for their wrongdoings under the King¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Oi! Take this!¡±


    One day, when autumn reached its peak, a woman approached Prince Sidhar, who now had a scrawny figure and a darkplexion. She held out a sack.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°What a stupid andzy guy. Hurry up and take this!¡±


    ¡°Careful of what you say!¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself.¡±


    The heavy sack was thrown away to Sidhar with a loud thud. Prince Sidhar stared at the woman as if he would kill her, but he could not rebel as he knew she was a fairly respected ck sorcerer among the demon worshippers.


    ¡°Offer it to Lord Vc!¡±


    The ck sorcerer said so and disappeared. Prince Sidhar was obliged to walk up to the ce they called the altar with the heavy sack.


    ¡°Damn it¡­ Filthy demon¡¯s servants.¡±


    The road to the altar was very rough and the steep stairs were littered with rocks. Should one not hold the sloppy handrail properly, one might fall off the bottomless cliff.


    Prince Sidhar climbed the stairs on four feet, carrying the sack thrown by the ck sorcerer on his shoulder. His palms were grazed and his legs were shaking. His body gave off a bad stench, as he did not even remember when was thest time he washed. He did not even know when was thest time he felt full from eating. His body was devastated and only anger and a proud temper remained in his heart.


    ¡®Would it be better if I fall from here and die?¡¯


    Prince Sidhar sat leaning against the handrail and breathed heavily. Could he die painlessly if he fell down the valley with no end in sight?


    At one point in time, the throne was right in front of him. Hautean was a small country but it was a country with dignified history and culture. The nobles were rich and the people were innocent. It all belonged to him. It was just within his reach.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    The Prince screamed. He shouted at the valley about the things he had lost. Sidhar¡¯s shout echoed in the dry valley.


    On his way to the demon¡¯s altar, the man who was once called the perfect Prince cried on his stomach. Whenever he crawled up the stairs one by one, he spitted out bloody saliva and muttered to himself with words mixed with anger and curses.


    At first, it was a curse without any subject. But by the time he finished climbing the high stairs, he was concentrated on only one person. The woman who rejected everything about him.


    ¡°Lara¡­¡±


    When Prince Sidhar reached the demon¡¯s altar, the sun was already setting. He threw the sack down in front of the altar andy on the ground. People¡¯s screams and explosions could be heard from afar. The King¡¯s soldiers, who had been searching around for a few days, seemed to have finally discovered the base of the demon worshippers.


    ¡®Just die. This guy or that guy, just die.¡¯


    A twisted smile shed on his face. It did not matter who won. He was already as good as dead. If those down there fought among themselves and died without leaving anything behind, he would feel relieved.


    ¡®This bloody world. I wish a demon woulde down and sweep everything away.¡¯


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The valley in the western part of Hautean, which was used as a base for the demon worshippers, was technically close to the northwest, not the west. Not far from the valley was an old road from Hautean to the Empire, which was mainly used by peddlers to avoid bandits.


    Lara spread the map in the carriage and put her head together with Demian.


    ¡°ording to the wolves, besides being dangerous, this road is too rough for a carriage to go through. Even if it takes a few more days, it would be better for us to take a proper road.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not push ourselves too hard today and spend the night in a nearby vige. It¡¯s nice using the trader¡¯s road. There¡¯s an inn every three days.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I learned how to look at a map. Now we¡¯re around here, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lara wondered what this man had thought of that made him answer her without any sincerity. She lifted her head up from the map to look at Demian who was sitting across from her. But Demian, whom she thought was looking at the map with her, was just looking at herself.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    Demian¡¯s arched eyes resembled the shape of a half-moon. A smile crept into the corners of his long, curved eyes. It was a savage, yet drowsy smile.


    Holding the map, Lara¡¯s hand twitched. A subtle force entered the tip of her finger. Feeling the edges of the map crumple, Lara hurriedly released the strength from her finger.


    ¡°Your eyes look erotic.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If Konny is here, I¡¯m sure she would have said that.¡±


    Demian had no idea what Lara was talking about. That was a matter of course. He could not see what kind of face he had.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. The wolves would get suspicious.¡±


    Less than a day after leaving Hautean, the wolves concluded that Demian had a crush on theirdy. They did not know how that happened, but they regarded Demian as a pitiful guy who was in an unattainable one-sided love.


    ¡°Let them be.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and leave. I want to have a meeting with myself.¡±


    ¡°How can you have a meeting alone?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to do as I say anyway. I know you are not thinking of anything now.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re even reading my mind.¡±


    Demain reached out and took the map that Lara was holding. Then he put it randomly on the chair and pulled her arm gently.


    ¡°Why¡­¡±


    Their lips touched. It happened so suddenly that Lara could not even think of closing her mouth. Demian¡¯s tongue came into her mouth while she was off guard.


    The carriage was shaking. No matter how well paved the road was, it was different from the city. Lara hung on Demian¡¯s arm in the shaking carriage and kissed him deeply. When she came to her senses, Lara¡¯s fingers were already digging into Demian¡¯s hair.


    Lowughter came out of his lips which were interlocked with hers. Demian wasughing.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°For goodness sake¡­¡±


    ¡°You have to be careful when you¡¯re with me.¡±


    Lara was about to deny him and tell him to stop, but their lips interlocked again. He hugged Lara with one hand, raised his fingers, and firmly swept her waist. Her back trembled. Lara bit his lips with a sweet moan.


    ¡®No.¡¯


    She would be in big trouble if this kept going. Lara managed toe to her senses. The heat of the night she shared with him had not yet left her body. She almost hung on to him without knowing where this was or who was outside.


    ¡°Let me go.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    Only then did Demian let go of Lara. His eyes showed signs of disappointment.


    ¡°Yeah. You should not be hungry.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to say it in a weird way, just don¡¯t say it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too weak.¡±


    What is he talking about?


    Lara looked at him with her mouth opened.


    Weak? Which part of me is weak?


    When she asked with her eyes, Demian smiled and said.


    ¡°Your flesh is weak, your bones are thin, and it feels like you¡¯re going to explode if I hold you wrong. You should at least gain weight.¡±


    Oh my goodness. What is this man talking about?


    Lara pointed at the carriage door silently. This time, Demian nodded his head gently, opened the door, and went outside. Knowing that he moved freely like a monkey even in a running carriage, the people outside did not respond much. Hanging on the carriage wall, Demian told the wolves.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat, seniors.¡±


    The wolves smiled, they signaled to stop at the carriage that was ahead. Then, the horses lightly neighed and the running carriage stopped.


    ¡°Mdy! We¡¯re going to eat here!¡±


    Even after hearing Konny¡¯s lively voice, Lara still sat in the carriage for a while to cool her red face.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 79

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The mercenary wolves were amazed at Lara. They kept smiling whenever they saw her, saying how she could look so much like Madam Isadora. She even looked like her when they saw her from the back.


    Lara liked it when they said that. It was nice to hear that she looked like her mother. Every time she heard that she would make it obvious that she felt good.


    ¡°Look at that. Even her smile is the same.¡±


    A wolf giggled and imitated Lara¡¯s expression. His eyes were haughty and drooping coyly, and he had a strange expression with only his lips twitching.


    ¡°Ourdy is a bit scary but she did not smile that scary.¡±


    ¡°Konny, stop it.¡±


    Lara let out a sigh and muttered.


    Since they ran out of the food they brought when they left, they set up a bonfire and cooked simple food.


    ¡°We can sleep in the vige tonight. It¡¯d be better if we can arrive before the sun goes down. Would that be too difficult?¡±


    Lara asked the wolves. Looking far away at the horizon, the oldest man among them said.


    ¡°We will have to run at full speed to get there before sunset. You will be more tired, too.


    ¡°Then, just go as usual.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re really tired, we can take a two-day break in the vige. Since the next vige is quite far, you either have to run at full speed or sleep on the streets.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Why would I be tired just sitting in the carriage? You should rest and take it slow¡­¡±


    A warm conversation kept on going. The wolves had now roughly figured out what Lara was like.


    ¡°Looking at her face, she seems like a cold and pickydy¡­ But she¡¯s subtly affectionate.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean subtly? Just say that she¡¯s kind.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­¡±


    Lara, who was listening to their whispers, sighed once again.


    ¡°I can hear you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my!¡±


    Theyughed out loud. Lara alsoughed after them.


    The food was delicious. At the beginning of the trip, Konny loudly shouted that she would be responsible for everyone¡¯s meals, which includes Valentine, Lara, Demian, and the mercenary wolves. However, Valentine¡¯s skills were much better than Konny¡¯s. Even among the mercenaries, there were people who cooked better than her. The frustrated maid sat close to Lara and learned how to make fire.


    It has already been five days since they left home. They would soon reach the border of Hautean.


    ¡°Seniors, let¡¯s go now.¡±


    Demian first climbed up the horse. The wolves were excited every time he called them seniors politely.


    Lara was so amazed to see Demian getting along well with the wolves. The Demian Rhode Drake whom she knew seemed to be a ruler from his birth. She had never imagined him lowering himself to please someone or being nice to his superiors. But he naturally melted into the background among the mercenaries. There was no sense of ipatibility between them. It was as if they had been on the same side for a long time.


    Demian knew how to intervene in their harsh conversations. From Lara¡¯s eyes, it seemed like they were fighting, but that was an expression of intimacy between them. Sometimes when Lara was in the carriage, she could hear unusual cuss words that she had never heard before, but they just giggled as though they found it funny. It was a great pleasure for Lara to observe this unfamiliar side of Demian.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    After finishing her meal, Lara extinguished the bonfire with Konny. As Valentine was very sleepy during the day, Konny moved to Lara¡¯s carriage.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move now!¡±


    After closing the carriage door, Konny came inside and sat down. Then, sitting in the coachman¡¯s seat, Demian gave the signal to go.


    ¡°Mdy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Lara stroked her full belly and looked out the window. Konny pulled something out of her skirt¡¯s pocket.


    ¡°Eat this.¡±


    Two wild apples slightly smaller than Lara¡¯s fist came out of Konny¡¯s pocket. It was red and ripe.


    ¡°Where did you get that?¡±


    ¡°Master Demian secretly brought it to me.¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°A while ago. He said he picked it up nearby for you.¡±


    He said he would look around before eating. It seemed that was when he picked up the apple. Konny took out a clean handkerchief and wiped the apple. Then, she put it in Lara¡¯s hand and said.


    ¡°I heard the wolves talking at the inn. They said it was their first time seeing such a young man fight that well. They were really curious about where he was from and how he had been living.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Yes, so I told them everything.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a man that you bought for 2 gold at the ve arena! Only you got the man that no one even looked at!¡±


    For goodness¡¯ sake, Konny.


    Lara¡ªwho was drunk on the sweetness of the apple that Demian brought¡ªgrumbled.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The ce where Lara and her party stayed that night was a small vige on the way to the border. There was no inn there for guests who had a long way to go, there was only a house that rented rooms while receiving a small amount of money. When the outgoing Konny gave them a handful of silver coins, the vigers gave warm meals and new nkets for the party.


    It was a pleasant night. Considering that it was a journey to the person who would be the hero to win the uing war against devil worshippers, it was quite a romantic journey.


    The wolves were pleasant and Konny was still excited. Valentine still had a hard time with Lara, but sometimes he tried to smile awkwardly when he made eye contact with her.


    Above all, Demian was next to Lara. From morning till night, excluding when they were sleeping, he was always by her side.


    ¡®Am I happy right now?¡¯


    Lara suddenly thought of that while lying in bed.


    So I could still be happy even without a fancy dress, a huge house, and people¡¯s praise and envy. How nice would it have been if I had known this in my previous life? If I had known that there was no size in happiness.


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°¡­For what?¡±


    Konny approached her and organized her nket. The touch of the small but skillful maid was filled with a lot of affection. Lara buried her face half in the pillow and said.


    ¡°Foring with me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that.¡±


    Konny was shy. As Lara raised her eyes and stared at her, Konny wrinkled her nose with a slightly red face. Then, she chatted in a very small voice.


    ¡°How can I just watch you go to the Empire without me? I heard that ce is iparable to Hautean. The arena must be bigger and the lighting in the red-light district should be more erotic, right? I heard from the girls in the tradingpany that there¡¯s a store where men dress up as women and sell liquor!¡±


    ¡°Did you insist on following me because you wanted to see that?¡±


    ¡°Geez¡­ It¡¯s just a figure of speech. Hurry up and sleep.¡±


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious. Am I not even allowed to be curious?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. Come up and sleep here.¡±


    Lara moved her body to make room. Though the bed was not very big, the two smalldies could still sleep together. Lara could not bear to see Konny sleep on the floor on her nket, and so she eventually gave up half of her bed.


    ¡°How can I sleep with you?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so uptight about it? Do I snore?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Come up. It¡¯s cold.¡±


    Konny no longer refused. She came up to the bed with her nket and pillow. Then, sheid down with an immobile posture next to Lara. Then, she whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to brag about this tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°To whom?¡±


    ¡°Master Demian.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he will be really jealous.¡±


    Konny was sure Demian would be jealous. She said that these days he would probably be jealous of the doorknob that Lara held. She muttered that she would brag and tease him all day tomorrow.


    Lara fell asleep with Konny¡¯s voice as a luby. She was tired even though she had just been sitting in the carriage. Lara, who had never traveled like this before, quickly breathed at an even pace after closing her eyes.


    That night, intruders appeared in the vige.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 80

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>Wawaa


    <strong>Editor: </strong>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Although it was small in size, because it was a vige facing the trader¡¯s road, the residents of the vige were not very wary of outsiders. As there were a lot of merchants who gave them money when they lent their houses, they tended to wee them when someone visited the vige. So even when they saw torch lights appearing from the other side of the vige in the middle of the night, they were not wary and just thought it was another guest visiting.


    But they were actually demon worshippers.


    A few days ago, the King sent soldiers to catch Prince Sidhar, who hadmitted treason. Searching through the Western Hautean, the soldiers found the hideout for the demon worshippers and a fierce battle soon followed.


    Unfortunately, most of the soldiers sent by the King were wiped out. A small number of surviving soldiers ran back the way they came to convey the news to the capital.


    In a simr manner, the demon worshipper¡¯s hideout was not intact and suffered great damage. After thinking that they could no longer hide there, they split and took refuge. Some of them ended up in the vige.


    ¡°W, what? Wha¡­ Arrghhh!¡±


    It was a dark night. The demon worshippers were originally those who had mainly been invading and looting. They did not have the option to rent any rooms with money. Dozens of demon worshippers began killing vigers with two ck sorcerers at the lead. They were going to take away all the food and money in this vige and run away.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    But Demian and the wolves were in the vige. All of the wolves were capable of dealing with demon worshippers and Demian was something of a natural enemy of ck sorcerers.


    They were sleeping in a group in the living room on the first floor. Even though they were in the vige, they had never let their guards down. As soon as the first scream was heard, Demian woke up with his eyes wide open. The rest of the wolves also followed suit.


    ¡°Hush.¡±


    They went out one by one, taking only simple protective gear and weapons without saying anything. Four wolves guarded Lara¡¯s room. The rest ran out of the door after Demian.


    ¡°Gentlemen, hurry up and escape. The vige is being invaded¡­ Leave this ce!¡±


    The man who lent them the house appeared on a pony and warned them. The demon worshippers who invaded the vige began looting. Screams could be heard here and there.


    ¡°Four of you follow Demian and deal with them. Two of you patrol around the house and stand guard. The rest will be fighting in the front here.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The wolves did not contemte for a long time. They were all skillful in battle.


    Demian was the first to take action. In his hand was the royal family¡¯s sword given by Princess So. A dazzling light emanated from the red jewel embedded in the sword¡¯s handle.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The demon worshippers, who had been looting freely, faltered in surprise at Demian and the wolves who had suddenly appeared with weapons.


    Demian did not say anything. The same went for the wolves. The vigers, who gave them meals and a warm bed, were covered in blood and copsed on the road. Some were dying, but most of them were dead.


    ¡°Just kill them all!¡±


    They shouted.


    ¡®Yeah, there¡¯s no need for words on the battlefield.¡¯


    Demian swung his sword. He stood in the middle of the demon worshippers, even though he was definitely over here just a little while ago. Whenever he swung his sword, the demon worshippers screamed like crazy. Their limbs were cut off and blood sttered everywhere. Demian was a merciless grim reaper. Wherever he stood, everyone he touched died.


    ¡°This way!¡±


    The wolves tried not to disturb Demian and chased after the rest of the demon worshippers. Soon the ck sorcerers were found. Two ck sorcerers were preparing their magic, muttering their spells with blood all over their bodies.


    ¡°Demian!¡±


    The wolves called Demian out loud. Then, they threw all the weapons they were carrying at the ck sorcerers to prevent them frompleting their spells.


    ¡°The great lord of the demon realm, Vc of Blood!¡±


    ¡°Aarghhhh!¡±


    After somehow dashing at an incredible speed toward one of the ck sorcerers, Demian hit his neck and stopped his incantations. And with the other ck sorcerer being caught by the wolves, the ck magic that they were chanting was only half sessful.


    Even after being exposed to halfplete magic, Demian did not appear to have any scratches. He moved again to deal with the rest of the demon worshippers. Except for those who quickly fled far away, most of the attackers knelt before him.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    The wolves who dealt with the ck sorcerer got up. The surviving vigers grabbed their family¡¯s bodies and wailed.


    ¡°Heaven will punish you for this¡­ You demon worshippers.¡±


    Someone muttered.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara was not sleeping deeply. She did fall asleep as soon as she had closed her eyes, but she was woken up by Konny¡¯s loud snoring.


    ¡®She must have been really tired.¡¯


    With the growling sound next to her ears, she could not sleep even though she was tired. Lara pulled up the nket to prevent Konny from catching a cold.


    At that time, an ear-splitting, desperate scream was heard outside. Lara got up in shock. Konny opened her eyes wide and looked at her, asking what had happened.


    ¡°Konny, did you close the window?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


    ¡°The outer window?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I locked them all.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move from here.¡±


    ¡°M, mdy, where are you going?¡±


    Konny hugged Lara¡¯s waist. She hung on her tightly, saying not to go out because it was dangerous.


    ¡°I won¡¯t. I¡¯m just going to ask what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°I will ask for you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better if I go.¡±


    Another scream was heard. This time, together with the sound of weapons shing. There was no time to quarrel. As soon as Lara let go of Konny¡¯s hand and was about to go outside, the wolves¡¯ voices were heard outside the door.


    ¡°Mdy, we¡¯re protecting you. Don¡¯te out.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°The vige is being attacked by demon worshippers.¡±


    ¡°What about the vigers?¡±


    ¡°For now¡­ Don¡¯te out until we¡¯re finished outside.¡±


    So they¡¯re dead.


    Lara got goosebumps on her forearms. Her heart beat fast and her feet staggered slightly.


    ¡°Mdy.¡±


    ¡°Konny, get me my clothes.¡±


    They quickly picked up their clothes. Then, they waited while feeling anxious. The time went by slowly. Whenever they heard someone screaming, Konny sniffled little by little. Her heart, which had been beating fast, was now about to hurt.


    ¡°Mdy, you need toe outside.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The mercenaries called for Lara and she quickly went outside. She wondered if something had happened to someone, so her face was pale.


    ¡°We found the Prince.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Prince?


    Lara doubted her ears for a moment.


    ¡°Prince Sidhar was among the demon worshippers.¡±


    Oh my God. Why is he here?


    The wolves who read Lara¡¯s expression cursed on her behalf.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara once thought that she wanted to kill Prince Sidhar with her own hands. She thought that she would feel better if she could let go of the resentment in her heart even in such a cruel way. But she could not. It was not because she did not have the courage to kill him, but because those who loved her would be heartbroken. She came to think that there was no need to waste her life hating him.


    When she heard that the Prince had run away and disappeared, she wanted him to leave far away and not appear in front of her at all for the rest of her life. She thought it would be nice if she could forget him forever without having to meet or hear any news about him.


    But why are you appearing in front of me again?


    ¡°Why is the Prince here?¡±


    Lara asked with a pale face. She could not let her voicee out properly.


    Prince Sidhar was so miserable that it was hard to recognize him. His whole body was covered with blood, his hair was shaggy, and his body let out an unbearable stench. The wolves also said that they had no idea that he was the Prince at first. When they took him, they thought that they had seen his face somewhere.


    The Prince barely opened his swollen eyes. Then he let out a groan while looking at Lara.


    ¡°Laviore!¡±


    The Prince burst into tears and vomited blood. Dark red blood flowed nonstop. When Konny saw him, she let out a scream with a small voice.


    Prince Sidhar was seriously injured. They did not know who did it to him but the Prince¡¯s body was full of traces of beating and abuse. There were old traces, and there were new wounds that had also just urred.


    ¡°He might die if he¡¯s just left like this.¡±


    One of the mercenary wolves whispered in Lara¡¯s ears. Lara nodded slightly. Even in her eyes, Prince Sidhar¡¯s condition seemed serious.


    ¡°Send him to the capital.


    Lara said firmly. She no longer wanted to kill the Prince herself, but she also did not want to treat him. She turned away from the Prince with a cold face.


    ¡°If there¡¯s a carriage or cart in the vige, put him there and send him to the capital with the surviving vigers. So that His Majesty can punish him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll die on the way.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped then.¡±


    The wolves nodded silently. They also thought Lara¡¯s decision was right. Whatever the condition he was in now, Sidhar Hautean was a traitor and an immoral son. But at that time, Prince Sidhar, whom they thought had lost his consciousness, grinned and said.


    ¡°No, Laviore. If I die¡­ You¡¯re all going to die too..¡±


    Lara did not respond to him. She did not know what kind of lie he was spouting to deceive and use people. So she just tried to ignore him and turned around.


    ¡°He¡¯s in me. The lord of blood, Vk¡­ Urgh!¡±


    If the Prince had not brought up the demon¡¯s name, she would have never looked back. Lara stopped her steps.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????

 Chapter 81 - Valac (2)

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????<b> Vc (2)</b>


    ¡°The demon¡­is inside me.¡±


    A desperate sobbing came out of Prince Sidhar¡¯s voice. He was crying. Bloody tears flowed out of his ripped eyes.


    ¡°Please believe me. Vc will be born¡­ after eating my body. Because I¡¯m his sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°Laviore, please! Why in the world¡­do you hate me so much? I didn¡¯t do anything wrong to you.¡±


    The Prince seemed genuinely curious about it. Even when he was in front of death¡¯s door, he still looked at Lara and wanted to know the reason.


    Lara did not have any intentions to tell him the truth. When Lara closed her mouth tightly, Sidhar muttered in a pathetic voice.


    ¡°Save me. You can¡¯t just watch this country fall into ruin either. Right? If¡­ if I die, he will consume my body and awaken himself!¡±


    ¡°Is that the truth?¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ I¡¯m begging you. I don¡¯t know what I did wrong to you, but please save me. You have to save me. You have to save me to stop the demon from waking up!¡±


    Demian appeared then. As soon as he saw Prince Sidhar, he took out again the sword he had sheathed. Then, he cut the Prince¡¯s clothes, reducing them to rags and throwing them away.


    ¡°Oh¡­ No.¡±


    The wolves stepped back without realizing it. Prince Sidhar had a freakish pattern engraved on his body. It was not a tattoo nor was it a drawing. ck lines slithering like thin snakes stuck to his body and sucked his flowing blood. Anyone could tell it was a pattern carved by the demon.


    ¡°Haha¡­ If I die, you will die too! You have no choice but to save me!¡±


    When the desperate Prince shouted, Lara pped him in the face. A brutal sound came out. No one expected that. The Prince looked surprised. He looked at Lara with his eyes wide open, with one hand around the pped cheek.


    Lara said.


    ¡°Give me a break.¡±


    ¡°What?


    ¡°The demon will not appear after eating on your body and this country will never fall into ruin with you.¡±


    The surroundings became quiet. The wolves, Demian, and Konny all closed their mouths and only looked at Lara. Her pale face shone coldly. They could see a nasty anger in her red eyes.


    ¡°If you¡¯re born as a Prince, you should at least try to live like a Prince at least once in your life. If I were you, I would just kill myself rather than let the demon engrave something like that on my body.¡±


    Wimp.


    Lara red at him with contempt.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Along with the wolves, Lara helped the vigers hold a proper funeral. The vigers said they were fine and that Lara should just leave, but Lara¡¯s party could not just leave the people who just lost their families in front of them.


    Prince Sidhar¡¯s wounds were critical. As the wolves said, if they just left him, he could have died within a few days. The Prince was treated. After stitching his torn flesh, he soon cked out after swallowing strong herbs. When the blood flowing from his wound stopped, the demon¡¯s pattern that wriggled and swallowed its sacrifice¡¯s blood also subsided.


    ¡°If you go to the capital, my mother will help you. I heard that this is a vige where our tradingpany always stays. So don¡¯t worry and go to my mother.¡±


    ¡°Mdy¡­¡±


    ¡°Go.¡±


    The surviving vigers left their ruined vige. Heading to the capital with the money Lara had given them, they turned to Isadora for refuge.


    ¡°We will take the Prince with us.¡±


    Lara did not reveal Prince Sidhar¡¯s identity to the vigers. She thought there was no need to cause chaos in Hautean by informing them of this fact.


    If Vc woke up from Prince Sidhar¡¯s body, it might be really dangerous to this country. Lara was going to take him to the temple. She thought only her God could solve this problem.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Several times since then, Lara and her party encountered the demon worshippers who have scattered out. When they found a small vige, they looted the goods andmitted murder. They wandered around and attacked travelers. On the outside, Lara¡¯s party did not seem to have a lot of people, so the demon worshippers attacked them, thinking they were easy targets but they were often wiped out by the angry wolves.


    The journey that started out romantic had now felt brutal. The party had to be on high alert while moving and whenever they found the bodies of vigers or travelers that were attacked, they would be silently angry.


    A few dayster, the party finally arrived at the Tarragon Empire. Since it was such arge country, there was nothing particr even at the border. Konny grumbled, realizing only when she entered the city that this was thend of the Empire.


    ¡°Wee.¡±


    When they showed their identity card to the city guards and went inside, they saw people moving busily. It was a lively city. On the wide street, there was a line of merchants who opened stalls. Travelers and merchants came around, looking for cheap inns here and there.


    ¡°This way, mdy.¡±


    With the wolves who were familiar with the way, Lara could enter the inn straight away without wandering around the street.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s been a while since you have been here, I thought you¡¯d nevere here again. What do you like so much about that small country?¡±


    The young innkeeper recognized the wolves and happily asked for a handshake. He thought it was strange that they had not settled in Tarragon for trading matters. But it did not matter, for as long as they paid well they would be given the best room at the inn.


    After a while, Valentine appeared in Lara¡¯s room while she was unpacking.


    ¡°Mi, mdy.¡±


    Throughout the journey, he stayed in a different carriage from Lara to look after and monitor Prince Sidhar.


    ¡°The Prince woke up.¡±


    ¡°Put him back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but you still have to feed him¡­¡±


    ¡°Will he die if we don¡¯t feed him?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°Then feed him half a bowl of soup and put him back to sleep.¡±


    Valentine nodded quickly, not forgetting to nce at Lara with a face that showed he was scared to death.


    He saw Lara pping the Prince on the cheek. He also heard her say to treat the injured and unconscious Prince just enough for him not to die.


    What a scary person.


    Valentine did whatever Lara told him to do. After leaving the Prince to Valentine, Lara went to find Demian.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a temple here. Can youe with me?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The two left the inn and came out to the streets. The sun was setting but the streets were still crowded. The merchants who wanted to sell off their remaining goods havepetitively raised their voices. All the innkeepers came out in front of the door and waved their hands, saying they had empty rooms.


    The temple was not too far away. The temple was not asrge as the one in the capital of Hautean. It was more of a praying room than a temple.


    ¡°But still, there are God statues here.¡±


    ¡°Is that him?¡±


    ¡°No. He¡¯s not here.¡±


    All the God statues ced on one side of the prayer room were different gods. She came, just in case, but the God of Fate was not there.


    ¡°Just call him out.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s noting out.¡±


    ¡°What a picky God.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. He¡¯s a God after all. If we can just call him anytime, anywhere, it would be a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Then we will have to go all the way to where Acerus is.¡±


    Perhaps because it was a small and shabby temple, but there were no priests or believers. The two sat side by side on the chairs in the quiet prayer room.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    Lara carefully looked around. Having meticulously confirmed that there was no one nearby, she said in a low voice.


    ¡°The Prince is weird.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure¡­ But I don¡¯t think he¡¯s the Prince Sidhar that I know.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 82

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara continued with Demian listening.


    ¡°Prince Sidhar is a member of the royal family down to the bone. It¡¯s weird¡­when he begged to save his life.¡±


    ¡°It might be because he¡¯s afraid of the demon.¡±


    ¡°The Prince I knew would rather have told the demon worshippers that the demon was in his body. Then, he can reign like a King among them.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°The Prince only kneels in front of others when he already finishes calcting that his actions would increase his worth.¡±


    Demian squinted his blue eyes. Now that Lara mentioned it, everything she said made sense.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    When the mercenary wolves said they captured Prince Sidhar, Lara felt a deep sense of discrepancy as soon as she saw him.


    The Prince, who had lost his power, must have been a useless burden to the ck sorcerers, so she could understand why they abused him. However, she could not have imagined that Prince Sidhar would havepletely abandoned himself to such a threat.


    Sidhar Hautean was someone who wanted to sit on the throne even if he had to kill his younger sister and father. In addition, in the world shown by her God, he admired the power of the demon and did not hesitate to be one of their followers. But now he begged with tears on his face just because the mark of sacrifice was engraved on his body?


    It was as if she was looking at another being that is using the Prince¡¯s appearance.


    Even after returning to the inn from the temple, Lara left the Prince alone for a while. It was the same for the next day. She left the Prince to Valentine and the wolves and focused on relieving fatigue from the trip.


    The wolves took turns monitoring the Prince. After hearing that the demon might have descended into the Prince¡¯s body, they said in front of the Prince himself that it would be best to just keep him in a vegetative state.


    They did it on purpose. Still, the Prince neither rebelled nor attempted to escape. He was obedient like a submissive prisoner. He took the sleeping pill made by Valentine and slept all day.


    On the day when the party decided to leave for the capital of the Empire again after resting for two days, Lara came to find the Prince.


    ¡°Thanks¡­for saving me.¡±


    The Prince said. Lara stood far away, looking at him contemptuously as usual.


    ¡°How did it happen?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How can you be the sacrifice? Are you out of your mind? I know you are a coward but do you really want to be a King even if you have to sacrifice yourself?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡±


    ¡°Then, tell me what actually happened. Did the demon choose you?¡±


    Lara asked.


    The Prince¡¯s expression was natural. The ends of his eyes drooped with grief, his body flinched whenever he felt pain in his wound. Every part of him felt like a human being, but he did not feel like the real Prince Sidhar.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The ck sorcerer told me to offer something to the altar, so I just carried it up¡­ But when I came to my senses, my body was already like this.¡±


    ¡°What kind of demon is Vc?¡±


    ¡°Laviore, he¡¯s a very powerful and terrifying demon. I don¡¯t know why he made a mark on my body¡­ But it¡¯s clear that if I die, he will be born from my dead corpse!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I know you hate me¡­ but protect me. Please.¡±


    A ray of clear tears flowed down the Prince¡¯s eyes. Although he was a mess, he was still a beautiful man©¤like the perfect Prince right out of a fairy tale. When he shed tears with such a face, he looked like the main character of a sad story.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As if it was unavoidable, Lara sighed and nodded.


    ¡°Your life is so full of ups and downs. It¡¯s really¡­like a tragedy.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the capital of the Tarragon Empire. Once we get there, we will find a way to remove the mark from your body.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious? Are you¡­going to help me?¡±


    ¡°After that, of course, I will send you back to His Majesty the King. Because it¡¯s only right for you to be executed as a traitor, not as a demon¡¯s seed!¡±


    Lara was furious. Then, after closing the door loudly, she went back to her room.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡­She only pretended to go back.


    Lara gestured to Valentine who was standing in front of the door. Valentine looked nervous. A long-distance magic receiver, made of diamond, the size of a newborn child¡¯s fist came out of his arm. It was the finished product.


    Then, they quietly went downstairs to where Demian and the mercenary wolves were gathered.


    ¡°T-turn it on?¡±


    ¡°Valentine asked carefully.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lara nodded.


    Valentine made two of the long-distance magic receivers or magicmps. If two people took one each, they could talk from afar just by chanting the spell. Lara secretly turned one of them on in the room where Prince Sidhar was locked up and brought the other one.


    Valentine muttered the designated spell on the receiver. Then a subtle light came out of themp and the Prince¡¯s voice could be heard.


    ¡¸¡­This is fun. As expected, humans are interesting. How long has it been since I¡¯ve enjoyed myself?¡¹


    The wolves choked on their breath. Their eyes were quivering, they covered each other¡¯s mouths so they would not make any sound.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t like his status as a Prince but he was actually a traitor who ran away¡­¡¹


    All of them, including Lara and Demian, listened to the Prince¡¯s rxed monologue from the receiver.


    ¡¸At least I won¡¯t be bored.¡¹


    Then, silence followed. He was either sleeping because of the medicine or only pretending to be asleep. When Lara signaled with her eyes, Valentine quickly turned off the receiver.


    ¡°Fuhh¡­


    The wolves looked at Lara with eyes asking for an exnation. They had already heard from Demian that it seemed like something else was wearing the Prince¡¯s shell, but they still did not know exactly what it was.


    Lara told them.


    ¡°It¡¯s the demon Vc.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What did you say? Demon?¡±


    The wolves were surprised. Fortunately, they did not make any loud noises. Lara nodded and exined to them.


    ¡°We all knew that Prince Sidhar had joined the group of demon worshippers with the ck sorcerers. But for them, the Prince must no longer be of any use. I¡¯m sure he was treated like an outcast.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why his body was full of wounds.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how he ended up as the sacrifice for the demon Vc. It could have been done by the ck sorcerers and the demon worshippers or the demon must have liked him personally.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because he¡¯s a Prince?¡±


    ¡°I heard that demons are not very interested in human power or territory. All they want is human life itself.¡±


    ¡°Life?¡±


    ¡°A short and dramatic life¡­ones that demons cannot have. Something like aplicated rtionship, love, or obsession.¡±


    ¡°Huh, their preferences are really perverted.¡±


    It was a long way off for humans to understand demons. Even Lara did not know exactly what the demon liked about Prince Sidhar.


    ¡°Vc is a vampire.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s an ancient vampire. He likes to be close to humans.¡±


    ¡°Why did the Prince have to bring something like that with him?¡±


    Sidhar Hautean was no longer a Prince. No one knew whether his soul remained there nor not. It must be the demon Vc who controlled the Prince¡¯s body now.


    ¡°Then, what should we do now?¡±


    Demian asked, looking annoyed. Among Lara¡¯s group, Demian was the only one who had fought a real demon, and he knew how difficult it was to deal with one.


    Demian and the wolves were firmly determined. If Lara ordered it, they were ready to immediately run and decapitate the demon.


    But Lara believed there would be a better way than that. If they fought here, there would be casualties. Furthermore, the demon was currently very cooperative and was willing to follow whatever she said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s figure out what he wants first.¡±


    Lara remembered. The demon wanted the saintess. It was Vc who told the ck sorcerers to find and kill the saintess in Hautean.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 83 - Call My Name

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    After that, Lara carried the receiver everywhere and listened to the demon¡¯s monologue. Sometimes she induced an interrogation herself and sometimes she ordered the wolves to instigate his anger.


    Lara realized. For some reason, the demon Vc was not letting them off the hook but was instead lowering himself down because he could not use his strength.


    ¡®I need to find out why.¡¯


    There must be a reason. Although she had already lived for 10 years in the future, she did not know much about demons. The demon that appeared in Hautean back then waspletely different from Vc. The demon could attack or leave them any time, but he just kept pretending to be Prince Sidhar.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The party set out again for the capital of Tarragon. Once they entered the Empire¡¯s territory, they no longer ran into demon worshippers. On the surface, they seemed like very leisurely travelers. During the day, they moved at an appropriate speed andfortably slept whenever they found an inn or vige.


    There was no shortage of supplies because they had a lot of money. Whenever Konny took out and shed a gold coin from the pocket with a calm face, the mercenaries whispered ¡®like master, like maid¡¯ to each other.


    Lara could now even take naps in a moving carriage. Demian got off his horse and took over the coachman¡¯s seat of the carriage that Lara rode.


    But contrary to their rxed look, they were all on edge. Everyone was wary of Vc, the captured demon who was imitating a prisoner. They did not know what the demon would do with the Prince¡¯s outward appearance. It was also a mere guess that he was unable to use his powers, so they had to keep their eyes open until it became clear. Lara continued to listen to the demon¡¯s monologue.


    ¡¸I¡¯m hungry.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m really hungry¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Humans are still eating terrible food. They haven¡¯t made any improvements at all.¡¹


    The demon was very hungry. He chewed and swallowed some food brought by Valentine but as he was a vampire, it did not seem to fill his stomach. He wanted blood, yet Lara and her party did not even catch a rabbit for him. Because, though eating meat was fine, sucking blood was too terrible.


    ¡¸What an interesting memory.¡¹


    ¡¸So that was the first woman who rejected him. What an innocent bastard. He did not even know howplicated a woman¡¯s heart is.¡¹


    As they kept leaving him alone, he became more and more talkative. At first, whenever Lara listened to the demon¡¯s monologue, Konny trembled with fear. But after about 10 days, she had a hard time holding back herughter while sitting next to Lara.


    ¡¸The human¡¯s city. The human¡¯s Empire. I¡¯m sure it has changed a lot. What should I watch first? What kind of humans should I seduce? It¡¯s not fun to live like a King, so should I live like a beggar?¡¹


    ¡¸I thought this brat was royalty. Why is he so weak? Has he never held a sword before?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m hungry.¡¹


    While moving toward the capital of the Empire, Lara was able to get some clear information about the demon.


    ¡°He¡¯s a chatterbox.¡±


    One day, when the capital was just around the corner, Lara approached her group that was sleeping in the forest. She spoke to them with Konny sitting next to her, nodding intensely.


    ¡°Is he sleeping now?¡±


    ¡°Valentine put him to sleep.¡±


    ¡°So, uhh¡­¡±


    ¡°He came out here to y.¡±


    The mercenary wolves shut their mouths at once. Flustered, they were speechless and hesitant with their words. Eventually, they muttered their unspeakable words only in their minds.


    ¡°Haa¡­¡±


    Sighs flowed out.


    Because he had lived too long, because he was too strong, because he was too great of an existence. What the demon did was y. Not conquest nor revenge, but entertainment. Even though so many humans died in the aftermath of his short ytime, the reason he came out here was still to y.


    ¡°Let¡¯s kill him.¡±


    The wolves said. They were all looking at Demian. As Demian was the only one who had ever fought the demon, they were asking for his advice.


    But Lara opposed it.


    ¡°He¡¯s into human y so he¡¯s being obedient now but he¡¯s still a demon. If you rush in, some of you could die, or worse, we could all die.¡±


    ¡°Mdy!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take him to the temple.¡±


    She had to leave him to the God of Fate. When she asked him what kind of demon Vc was, her godughed joyfully as if it was a ridiculous question. He did say that she needed to prevent him from descending, but he also said that he could solve the problem if she found his name.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°How long do we have left?¡±


    Lara asked. Demian, who sat opposite to the bonfire and looked at the distant horizon, said slowly.


    ¡°You will see the night view of Dandelion tomorrow night.¡±


    Dandelion was thergest city in the Tarragon Empire. The capital was just around the corner. Visible white breaths could be seening out of Lara¡¯s mouth. Winter was starting.<b> Call My Name</b>


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you sleeping?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Even though that was his answer, Acerus was not sleeping. He sat without moving while fruitlessly trying to open his eyes wide and continued to read the report brought by his aide.


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The saintess won¡¯t magically be another person.¡±


    The aide grumbled. He investigated the daughter of Isadora, Lara, at themand of Acerus. A woman who once had a confusing name¡ªLaviore Ria Bailey, but had now abandoned her family name and surname and became ¡®Lara¡¯. God¡¯s vicegerent, the saintess.


    At first, his aide also expected Lara to be a good and calm woman like the saintesses in the story. As Acerus said, he also thought it was highly likely that she was a devout and religious person who was raised in a conservative environment. And even if that was not the case, he expected that she would be at least a dignified and elegant woman.


    ¡°How can this be?¡±


    Acerus let out a heavy groan. The aide was able to fully understand the Crown Prince¡¯s feelings this time. As soon as he received the report, he doubted it several times, wondering if something was wrong.


    The daughter of Isadora was a viiness. But not just any viiness, she was a troublemaker that was well-known in Hautean¡¯s high society. She was known to be prodigal, extravagant, and have evenmitted immoral acts. The rumors of her going in and out of hotels with the ve that she bought were nothing. When he heard that she grabbed the hair of a saintess candidate in the middle of the banquet hall of the royal family and shook it up and down, he doubted that God might have identally chosen the wrong saintess.


    It might be the same for Acerus too. In the eyes of the aide, the Crown Prince was also a troublemaker. But he had a tendency to despise other troublemakers.


    But Acerus was strange. After reading the report over and over again, he suddenly shrugged his shoulders andughed like a madman.


    ¡°Hahahahaha!¡±


    ¡°For God¡¯s sake.¡±


    The aide showed his disgust and fell far away from the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Do I still look like a madman?¡±


    ¡°Are you really asking me because you don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help butugh, you bastard. Our saintess¡­is the viiness of the century!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡±


    ¡°Know what?¡±


    ¡°These actions of hers are deliberate. It¡¯s all to hide the fact that she is a saintess. I can tell right away. Haa¡­ This is amazing. Oh, I feel butterflies in my stomach. Have I caught a disease?¡±


    ¡°How did youe to that conclusion?¡±


    ¡°If she had clearly revealed that she is a saintess, every Tom, Dick, and Harry would cling to her and treat her harshly. The demon worshippers would continue trying to kill her.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why she pretended to be a viiness on purpose! Gosh¡­ How painful must it have been for her? My heart is about to break.¡±


    ¡°Ahah.¡±


    The aide also agreed with Acerus and nodded. Acerus sprung to his feet and put his hands on his waist.


    ¡°I can do better.¡±


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t say things like that. You¡¯re making me uneasy.¡±


    ¡°I should do my best to assist the saintess so that she won¡¯t feel ufortable.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Assist what? Don¡¯t do useless things!¡±


    ¡°Fortune has smiled upon us. The saintess has a rich mother, right?¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°An immature heiress from a backwater country¡­who came to the Empire to buy the title of nobility! How is it? Isn¡¯t that interesting? Isn¡¯t that viiness-like?¡±


    The aide contemted.


    If he hit the Crown Prince and ran away, would that count as treason or not?


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 84

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°It¡¯s the first snowfall.¡±


    The air in the carriage was stuffy, so Lara opened the window. It was snowing heavily. Konny held one hand out of the window with her mouth open. A precious snowke fell on Konny¡¯s small palm. It dissipated as soon as it touched her skin, leaving moist water in its ce.


    ¡°These snowkes are really big, mdy.¡±


    The snowkes wererge, the city wasrge, and even the entrance gate wasrge. There was no inspection, but as the road was blocked because of the snow, carriages still lined up and moved just as slowly.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be quite a sight tomorrow if it snows all night like this.¡±


    The wolves were also quite rxed now. When they entered the city, they felt like the fatigue they had endured all this time had caught up to them all at once.


    Dandelion was bigger than what they heard. Thend was so huge that they could not see it all at just one nce. It was filled withplex buildings, the roads were intertwined like spider webs, and there were people everywhere.


    The tallest buildings in Hautean were the Royal Pce, the temple, and Isadora¡¯s hotel. But in Dandelion, there were even more buildings that were even taller than those in Hautean. Public carriages carrying dozens of people wandered in a line. People were so busy that one could spend the whole day just observing them.


    ¡°Just 8 silver! Luxury bag by an artisan! On sale for only 8 silver!¡±


    ¡°How dare you¡­Get out of my way! Do you have a death wish? Or are you still wet behind the ears?!¡±


    ¡°You bragging that you¡¯re old? Huh?!¡±


    It was noisy andplicated. They had just passed the entrance gate but it was already so hectic. Lara felt like her ears were tingling even though she was still in the carriage.


    Compared to this ce, Hautean was a quiet and elegant country. She now understood why schrs called Hautean a noble state on the border area.


    ¡°Whew, is it because of how big this country is? The people¡¯s voices are loud too. Should I close the window?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    When Konny was about to close the window, Demian, who had been insisting to sit only on the coachman¡¯s seat, approached them on his horse.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Unlike the other people who tightly wrapped themselves in cotton and fur coats, he was still wearing only light travel clothes and a cape.


    ¡°Did you call me?¡±


    ¡°Where are we going¡±


    ¡°Since everyone is tired¡­ First of all, we¡¯re going to my mother¡¯s hotel.¡±


    ¡°Then, I will take Acerus to where you will be going.¡±


    ¡°Are you going right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have to go meet him first.¡±


    Lara was a little surprised but soon nodded. Demian came to Hautean at the order of the Crown Prince Acerus so there would be a lot to report and a lot to talk about.


    ¡°I¡¯m nning to go to the sanctum tonight. For some reason, I think God will be anxiously waiting for me. Even though he would pretend that was not the case.¡±


    ¡°Already?¡±


    ¡°The sooner, the better. Besides, I¡¯m not that tired.¡±


    Demian seemed to be thinking about something for a moment. Then, after telling Lara to wait at the hotel, he quickly rode off on his horse.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Lara and the rest of the party headed to Isadora¡¯s hotel in Dandelion.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The hotel was very big.


    ¡°This hotel¡­belongs to my mother?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That one too?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Since when?¡±


    ¡°It will have already been 20 years soon.¡±


    Lara stood in front of a huge and elegant-looking hotel. Rather than a hotel, it was more like a small castle. There were several such buildings alongside it. It seemed like all the most luxurious carriages on Dandelion street entered the hotel. The hotel¡¯s general manager said he had been contacted in advance, so he came out to wee Lara.


    ¡°The hotel¡¯s name is¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Lara¡¯s Garden.¡±


    The general manager was smiling brightly, but on the other hand, Lara¡¯s face hardened. The heat that started from the back of her neck spread to her cheeks.


    The name of the soon-to-be 20-year-old hotel was Lara¡¯s Garden. It was such an obvious name that anyone could tell that Isadora was the owner.


    ¡°Mdy, you¡¯re embarrassed, right?¡±


    Konny smiled brightly.¡±


    ¡°When you think that Madam Isadora suggested naming the hotel Lara¡¯s Garden¡­with that solemn face of hers, hehehe!


    ¡°Stop it, Konny.¡±


    ¡°I heard she also has businesses in the Empire¡¯s weapon and shield industry. Don¡¯t tell me the sign of the store is ¡®Protect Lara¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Konny!¡±


    ¡°Hehehehe!¡±


    When she stood nkly, looking at the huge hotel, she suddenly remembered what Sebastian had said. Hautean was too small, so Isadora wanted to move headquarters to the Empire, but she would not move because Lara was in Hautean.


    ¡°I miss her.¡±


    Lara muttered.


    If Isadora was here, she would not care whether there was a demon in Prince Sidhar¡¯s body or not, she would just grab him by the cor, p him, and tell him not to bother her daughter.


    ¡°As you ordered, I have purchased a diamond mine that is filled with high-quality diamonds. When you have time, I will bring you there.¡±


    ¡°What? Already?¡±


    ¡°Was it Master Valentine? I heard he wanted to open a pharmaceutical store. I did not know howrge he wanted it to be though, so I prepared by size.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Yes.¡±


    ¡°We left the top floor empty for you, so you can use it as much as you want.¡±


    ¡°Can I do that?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s your house. Why are you asking for permission? Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The general manager was energetic, yet elegant and stylish. Isadora has opened many businesses, yet she never shows up in person, only sending her representative. So the manager said he wanted to show what he¡¯s got. He held Lara¡¯s hand and led her into the hotel.


    ¡°Mdy is here!¡±


    The uniformed guards in front of the main gate greeted her with a nice smile. As she entered the hall that was shining all the way to the floor, silver rays gushed out of the chandelier above her head. All the busy workers stopped walking and looked at Lara with curiosity.


    ¡°This is not right.¡±


    Lara mumbled. She was wearing dusty travel clothes, leather boots, and thick padded clothes wrapped around her whole body. Her hair was messy and she could not even wash her face properly on that day.


    What? Is she really the heiress?


    She felt like she was hearing such a murmur from somewhere.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    As soon as Lara arrived at the hotel, she asked for Prince Sidhar to be detained in a safe ce. The general manager told her not to worry and took him to the mercenary wolves¡¯ quarters.


    ¡°About 200 wolves are working in Dandelion.¡±


    ¡°That many?¡±


    ¡°There are more mercenaries who are not affiliated with the tradingpany. It¡¯s alreadyte today so I will leave him like that for now and contact the Imperial Pce tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I will do that.¡±


    Since Demian said he would bring Acerus, Lara was going to wait for him.


    ¡°Why did mother never tell me about this? I don¡¯t think even my exiled father knew how much money mother had.¡±


    ¡°Well. If I were Madam Isadora, I wouldn¡¯t tell you about it.¡±


    ¡°In case I would be arrogant?¡±


    ¡°No, in case it would be dangerous for you.¡±


    The general manager smiled and winked. The top floor of the hotel that Lara would use was a special room for Isadora who would someday visit the Empire. The room was only opened when Sebastian sometimes stopped by the Empire.


    ¡°Mdy, have you had dinner?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°Then, please wait a little bit.¡±


    The general manager walked quickly out of the drawing-room. Despite how big his strides were and how fast each of his steps was, it was amusing how there was barely a sound of a footstep.


    ¡°Mdy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better take a shower. You smell like a shoe.¡±


    Shocked by Konny¡¯s criticism, Lara entered the bathroom and took a bath. When she was done, a splendid dinner was prepared in the drawing-room. All of them were Lara¡¯s favorites. Especially the softmb steak and grilled vegetables that she always ate in Hautean.


    ¡°My mother¡­¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    The bridge of her nose tingled. Her body was now 20 years old and her soul was much older than that, but after a month of leaving home, Lara was going to cry because of how much she missed her mother. She quickly picked up the fork and knife to swallow the tears that almost came out of her eyes.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 85

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Demian Drake. After looking at his face, the Crown Prince¡¯s knight put on a stern look. Having a messy appearance and wearing a sloppy outfit, the knight nced up and down at Demian and said to him with a look of disapproval.


    ¡°Appointment?¡±


    ¡°None.¡±


    ¡°Go back. No matter how generous His Imperial Highness is to you, we cannot let you in at such ate hour.¡±


    The word ¡®ve¡¯ was yet to be omitted in the middle of his name, but Demian still acted like he did not know what they were talking about.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get in trouble though.¡±


    ¡°You bastard¡­!¡±


    The knight who noticed Demian¡¯s smirk tightened his grip on his spear.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°This ve bastardes as he pleases at thiste hour and dares to demand to meet His Imperial Highness.¡±


    ¡°Chase him away.¡±


    Someone who appeared to be the superior of the knight appeared and sneered at Demian.


    Demian was in conflict. It was easy for him to knock these two down. However, it was a serious crime to hurt the Crown Prince¡¯s knights. If he could cover it up with his immunity, he would just overpower them and go in, but he hesitated because he did not know which side was greater.


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    The knight pushed Demian¡¯s chest with a shield. However, he was not pushed back. Even though he had a beautiful face, a slender body, and pale skin, Demian was not knocked over at all. The knight¡¯s hand was like a pot lid and the shield he held was made of cast iron. On the other hand, Demian was dressed in simple travel clothes without any protective gear.


    The knight who had his pride scratched raised his voice.


    ¡°I told you to get lost.¡±


    In the past, there was an incident that had involved the Crown Prince¡¯s knights, one that left them with asting scar that could never truly heal. It was an incident in which their liege, Acerus, was kidnapped by a demon right in front of them. It would have been better if someone had died or had been injured, but the cunning demonughed at the knights and ran away with Acerus alone.


    At that time, it was the ve Demian, who entered the demon¡¯s nest and saved the Crown Prince.


    The knights were grateful to Demian, but they failed to manage their damaged pride. They only thought he was quite good despite being just a ve, but they could neither respect nor serve him. He could not be their superior just because he saved the Crown Prince¡¯s life.


    ¡°I already told you I have something important to tell him.¡±


    Demian stared at the knights. As the tussle was prolonged, all the waiting knights gathered there.


    ¡°Just go to him and tell him something for me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I brought the girl.¡±


    It was a misleading sentence. The knights red at Demian with eyes that said ¡®as expected¡¯.


    ¡°I thought so. What else is there to order a lowly ve?¡±


    Some people murmured openly.


    ¡®Should I kill them all?¡¯


    Demian was in conflict again. Acerus was the one who called him a friend and had him at his beck and call. Demian was actually not interested in whether the country was destroyed or not. If Acerus had not forcibly held him, he would have disappeared as soon as the war was over.


    ¡°Oh, Demian!¡±


    Fortunately, just before the fight, Acerus¡¯ aide ran from the other side of the hallway. He was on his way home after working overtime, but as soon as he saw the knights being noisy in front of a messy man, he knew that Demian had arrived and rushed quickly.


    ¡°Oh my! I told you not to do this. Do you want to see His Royal Highness get mad again? Demian has a really important mission¡­¡±


    ¡°Aide, we¡¯re knights.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know.¡±


    ¡°We cannot let a war ve into His Royal Highness¡¯ pce at thiste hour.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s wrong with you all? You are well aware he¡¯s not a ve anymore. His Royal Highness personally gave him a surname! Everyone, rx. I will take him in. There would be no problem, right?¡±


    The aide was an outgoing person. Although he did not manage to relieve the knights¡¯ hurt feelings, he managed to take Demian inside safely.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s pce was also quiet because it was alreadyte. Knowing that this spacious building turned into a battlefield for officials during the day, Demian greeted the aide who saved him from a difficult situation.


    ¡°You¡¯re working hard.


    ¡°Oh, well.¡±


    ¡°Is he still the same?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Still as annoying as ever.¡±


    Demian smirked. When he smiled, his violent temper that had been poking his flesh faded like a lie.


    The aide let out a sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. No matter how much I try to persuade them, their prejudice against you won¡¯t go away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m fine.¡±Even though Demian said he was fine, the Crown Prince¡¯s aide knew that was not necessarily the truth. If he wanted, he could just kill them all and run away. So, Demian just carelessly gave his answer. Both Acerus and Demian were the people that the aide wanted to stay far away from.


    ¡°Next time, I will personally pick you up. I¡¯ll be tired, but at least it will make me feel at ease.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no next time.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°This is thest time that I will ept Acerus¡¯ request. You also won¡¯t have to suffer like this in the future.¡±


    ¡°De, Demian. Hold on. What do you mean? Huh? Hold on!¡±


    No matter how much the aide tried to stop Demian, it was useless. Demian pushed the aide¡¯s hand away and stood in front of the Crown Prince¡¯s room. There were knights there too. The eyes behind the helmets shone furiously. There was none of them who did not know Demian¡¯s face.


    A war ve¡ªa consumable resource that was raised to kill enemies, most despised by knights. A beast that killed anyone whenever the owner changed. That was Demian¡¯s existence to them.


    ¡°Open the door.¡±


    Ominous energy wriggled from the knights¡¯ bodies. They could not tolerate this arrogant ve at all.


    ¡°Oh my! I, I will open it. I will do it.¡±


    The aide intervened in between them and opened the door.¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness! Pleasee out!¡±


    ¡°Why are you still here?¡±


    Acerus was about to go to the bedroom. Despite it snowing heavily outside, he was only wearing his pants, revealing his upper body bare as it is. As soon as he saw Demian, his chest muscles soared.


    ¡°Demian?¡±


    The aide moved faster than light. He quickly mmed the door so that the knights would not see the next scene.


    Acerus ran with his arms wide open and hugged Demian as hard as he could. He had a silly smile on his face.


    ¡°Demian! What the hell? Why are you alone?¡±


    ¡°Acerus.¡±


    ¡°The saintess! Why didn¡¯t you bring my saintess?¡±


    Who are you calling your saintess?


    Demian frowned. Then after forcefully pushing Acerus away, he patted off his disheveled body.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Acerus came out of his pce with Demian and went to the hotel where Lara was staying.


    ¡°The demon Vc is in the body of the Prince who ran away aftermitting treason in Hautean. And now he is in the hand of my saintess? And for unknown reasons¡­ he is pretending to be a weak and pitiful person?¡±


    Acerus was smiling furiously. His face revealed deep anger.


    ¡°He came to y in the human realm because he is bored?¡±


    ¡°Calm down.¡±


    ¡°How can I possibly calm down now? He came to y? This isn¡¯t even their yground. Hundreds of people die every time theye out to y¡­ What?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what demons do.¡±


    ¡°Ha! I¡¯m d he thinks that being a King is no fun. If they had enjoyed war games, the continent would have been destroyed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    A cold snowke fell on Demian¡¯s face. Acerus, who was on a horse side by side with him, suddenly became anxious and asked.


    ¡°What about the saintess?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Is she too kind that she would tell us to treat demons with love?¡­ Will she be asking us to abandon our weapons and hug our enemies on the battlefield? If she¡¯s like that, I¡¯d be so flustered.¡±


    Lara?


    Demian snorted.


    ¡°If she were born as the daughter of the Emperor, she would have been a much better sessor than you.¡±


    ¡°Ha! As expected!¡±


    Acerus smiled pleasantly, saying he already expected that. The demon that he was worried about eventually appeared, and he was so frustrated that he was about to go crazy thinking that the humans would not even want to deal with them. Now he wondered if those frustrating Gods were finally doing their work.


    ¡°It¡¯s here.¡±


    A huge building that was built 20 years ago by Thousand Gold Isadora in Dandelion, the capital of Tarragon.


    ¡°Good for her.¡±


    Acerus said.


    When Demian asked what he meant, he sincerely said it again this time.


    ¡°Because she has a rich mother.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Having an Emperor as your father is not that good of a thing to have, you know?¡±


    Demian was not someone who wouldugh easily, but after hearing that, even he ended upughing out loud.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 86

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara was eating. She got up from her seat with a weing face when she saw Demian opening the door anding in.


    ¡°Demian! You¡¯re early, I thought you wereing tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Acerus.¡±


    The door opened once again. Acerus looked very nervous. He was so cunning that he was nicknamed Freshwater Eel among the Imperial Pcedies-in-waiting, but on this cold day, he was nervous with cold sweat dripping on his forehead.


    Acerus was a man with defined facial features and strong charm. His height was simr to Demian¡¯s but he had arger frame. His skin color was dark, his eyebrows were ck, and he was full of scars. At first nce, his face looked violent.


    However, Lara remembered the conversations she had with him using the magicmp, so she was able to greet him with a smile without being nervous.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Hah, hello.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with the etiquette of the Tarragon Empire. Can I keep it simple?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow etiquette or whatever. As a saintess, you have no reason to bow to anyone except His Majesty in Tarragon.¡±


    Is a saintess that great?


    Lara nodded to Acerus while giving him an awkward smile. It was only then when he finally moved his feet into the room.


    ¡°Let me officially introduce myself. I¡¯m the Emperor¡¯s sessor, Acerus Elin Tarragon. Thank you so much foring all the way here.¡±


    Acerus padded over and grabbed Lara¡¯s hand, he then tried to kiss the back of her hand. However, Demian quickly approached and gave a strong hit to the Crown Prince on the back of his head. Until then, he had only watched and stood still. Then, he got in between Lara and Acerus and blocked their greetings with his body.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    Asked Acerus.


    His head did not feel hurt but he still looked at Demian with a dumbfounded face.


    Demian had a nk expression on his face. He neither smiled nor did he frown. He just reached out his hand and handed it to Acerus.


    ¡°Kiss here.¡±


    ¡°What, you crazy bastard?¡±


    ¡°Not Lara.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°If you do it to her, I will kill you.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ You bastard? You, hey you¡­ You punk¡­ Huh? Oi! You bastard!¡±


    No proper words were spoken, but everyone there knew what he meant.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Upon hearing the news that the Crown Prince had secretly visited, the manager tried to prepare a simple meal, but Lara had to politely reject his offer. She had something important to deal with right away.


    ¡°Prince Sidhar is wanted in Hautean. But if I send him there, I feel like something bad will happen while I¡¯m away. So I had no choice but to bring him here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good decision.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you for a bit longer, but I¡¯d like to ask you a favor.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can say anything.¡±


    ¡°I want to go into the sanctum.¡±


    The sanctum, otherwise known as the House of God, was the only ce that had the statue of the God of Fate. Even in the Temple of Glory in Dandelion, there was no such statue to be found. So Lara had to enter the sanctum to meet God.


    ¡°I heard that it is a ce where not just anyone can enter. I have to hide my identity as a saintess until we know whether the temple is trustworthy or not, so please help me enter the sanctum secretly.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°At first, I tried to go there by any means myself¡­ But now that you havee all the way here, please help me.¡±


    ¡°Great. Then, let¡¯s move now.¡±


    Acerus was impatient. He was already out into the hallway before Lara reached for her coat. Thinking that she could not keep the Crown Prince waiting, Lara hurriedly moved.


    The Temple of Glory in Tarragon¡¯s capital was located at the foot of a high mountain. Lara entered the temple with Demian under Acerus¡¯ guidance.


    The sanctum was at the top of the temple area, it was a house that was perched on the edge of a cliff. No one knew how it was built.


    ¡°Is it there?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    They went to the front of the sanctum as unnoticeable as possible. As they got closer, the solemn atmosphere unique to the temple flowed. The priests guarding the sanctum approached them, wondering why there were visitors at thiste hour, but they quietly retreated after checking Acerus¡¯ face.


    ¡°This way.¡±


    Upon entering, there were thousands of candles in different sizes surrounding the statue. This was a ce where God stayed for a while. People called this ce the House of God, but they did not know who he was.


    Lara approached the statue. It was a much more beautiful and borate sculpture than the one in Hautean. The image of God was engraved on a stone that was as smooth and shiny as a jewel. Above it was the candle of the sanctum, giving off a faint light. It felt like the statue coulde alive at any time.


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    Lara spoke to God.


    <You¡¯re finally here.>


    The God of Fate answered.


    <Have you found my name?>


    God asked.


    Instead of answering, Lara quietly shook her head. Silence filled the sanctum.


    <Lara, I have been waiting for you toe.>


    It was a strange feeling. Lara stood in front of the statue and had a conversation with him, while Demian and Acerus stood at the entrance of the sanctum far away. They could hear God¡¯s voice. They could also feel God appearing as if he was waiting for Lara, unable to hide his delight as soon as Lara spoke to him.


    There was a strange affection for Lara in God¡¯s voice. It was like the affection of a parent looking at their child, and it was also like the feeling of an artist who was looking at the best work of their life.


    On the other hand, Lara did not change. She was still with her usual expression, tone, and gestures.


    <Lara, when a demones to this world and umtes karma, God is justified to intervene. Vc is ying it safe at the moment.>


    The God of Fate was smiling. Even Demian and Acerus could tell that he sounded happy. No one knew whether he was having fun talking to Lara or whether he was smiling because of how pathetic Vc was.


    Lara asked.


    ¡°Will demons umte karma when they use their strength?¡±


    <When Vc harms you, I will bestow upon you a fire that will be able to burn him.>


    Lara¡¯s prediction was right. ording to God, whenever Vc or any other demons came to thend and used their strength, they would umte a certain amount of karma. And God said that he would give as much of a miracle as the umted karma so that humans could fight against the demon.


    That was the reason the demons had not descended directly on thisnd. They created ck sorcerers and demon worshippers to cause indirect effects.


    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡±


    Acerus was so excited that he ended up cursing. But then, he immediately pped his mouth with his own hand.


    <Come here often. It¡¯s nice to see you at my house.>


    The God of Fate only spoke to the saintess. He did not say a word to Demian or Acerus. He only let them hear his voice but he was not interested in them at all.


    Lara asked herst question.


    ¡°Where can I find your name?¡±


    <You called me life and death. Sometimes I¡¯m born from nothing, sometimes I snatch away great things. I am fate.>


    Lara let out a sigh. Demian realized that she muttered that God was having his head in the clouds again. Even that sight made Acerus thrill and punch his chest with tears.


    ¡°I wille back again.¡±


    Lara said in a sweet tone. It felt as if the energy of God in the statue had nodded.


    The candles that filled the sanctum shook once. It was an amazing sight in a ce without a single wind blowing. When the fire returned to its original state, God had already left.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 87

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    After finishing her conversation with God, Lara, who had been standing in front of the statue, turned her back without hesitation and walked toward Demian.


    ¡°Did you hear it all?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness, did you hear it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, saintess.¡±


    Acerus was about to shed tears. When he was about to open his mouth to bring out the praise he had prepared in advance, Demian grabbed Lara¡¯s hand and pulled her.


    ¡°You came all the way here from Hautean. He should let you rest.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Oh no, I was not thinking straight. Saintess, please take a rest until your fatigue is relieved.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°I am not.¡±


    Despite Lara¡¯s insistence, Demian clearly objected. What¡¯s more, the problem was that even Acerus agreed with him.


    ¡°I will take the Sidhar demon or whatever with me. For now, I¡¯m going to treat him as the Prince of Hautean. I will still lock him up though. So don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t be released.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    Lara lightly bowed her head to Acerus. Even though it was fine just a few moments ago, as soon as she finished her conversation with God, her body was ridden with rapid fatigue. It seemed that she had loosened up. Lara slowly blinked her heavy eyelids. She thought she should sleep until tomorrow afternoon after going back to the hotel.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Acerus returned to the pce without calming his excitement. He promised Lara that he would hold a grand wee party that could even make Dandelion excited someday, but Lara immediately refused.


    It was already dawn when she came back to the hotel.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sleepy¡­¡±


    Lara was about to copse. Before going to the temple, she took a long bath in hot water and even enjoyed her dinner. It was impossible to endure any further after that.


    Demian held her in his arms. Lara hung from his neck and drooped down. As she became sleepier, her words became slower.


    ¡°Hurry up and go¡­to yourrades.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they have been waiting for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Knowing that guys are waiting for me, I¡¯m not happy at all.¡±


    ¡°Go. Everything here will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­ Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You can bring them all. I¡¯m rich. I will¡­feed them all.¡±


    ¡°They eat so much that they¡¯re practically mooching off you though.¡±


    Laraughed, then let out a sigh. Then she fell asleep with a smiling face. Her chest went up and down evenly. A steam of breath came out of her slightly parted lips.


    Demian stood still in front of her bed with Lara still in his arms. The eyes that looked sharp and chic when they were opened were tempting and lovely when they were closed. His dry mouth was now watering. After looking at her sleeping face for a long time, he approached the bed with a long breath.


    ¡®Lara.¡¯


    Demian put Lara on the bed and kissed her lips gently. He had a lot on his mind. He could not believe that the only woman who managed to keep him in this world was God¡¯s vicegerent. She was also the saintess whom the God of Fate cherished so much at that.


    What in the world is about to happen?


    For Demian who thought demons and gods were useless, he was not pleased at all with Lara getting near to them.


    After looking at Lara for a while in the dark room, he went outside only after the dawn sky had slightly brightened.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    As soon as the next day came, Acerus¡¯ aide and knights visited Lara¡¯s hotel. They treated Prince Sidhar politely but at the same time moderately ignoring him. It seemed that only the aide knew that he was the demon Vc.


    ¡°The priests wille out of the temple and take a look. How many people know about the demon¡¯s pattern on his body?¡±


    The aide asked. Lara replied that all of her party knew.


    ¡°We could lock him up in the Temple of Glory but then the knights will have to carry weapons into the temple so we decided to just hide him in the Crown Prince¡¯s pce.¡±


    Actually, they did that because they could not trust the temple. But the aide and Lara feigned ignorance about that part and exchanged conversations.


    ¡°We will also contact the Royal Pce of Hautean. Sa¡­Lady Lara, you havee a long way, so you should at least go sightseeing in Dandelion.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me!¡±


    After having been talking in a businesslike manner, the aide suddenly became surprised and waved his hands politely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m just doing what I¡¯m supposed to.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°You can contact us whenever you need anything. Of course, it doesn¡¯t seem necessary at all because your mother is the Thousand Gold Isadora¡­¡±


    The aide gave a vague smile. He felt like he was sitting on thorns. There was more than one person who red at him from afar.


    First of all, why is that small maid looking at me with such scary eyes? Why is the manager ncing at me persistently? Also, why do all the mercenaries look so scary?


    ¡°He¡¯s from the Imperial Pce?¡±


    ¡°Is he the Crown Prince¡¯sckey?¡±


    ¡°I dare you to say nonsense to mydy.¡±


    They all have fierce eyes that made the aide, who had encountered many bad-tempered knights when he worked by Acerus¡¯ side, scared out of his wits.


    ¡®Moreover¡­¡¯


    The one that affected the aide the most was what Acerus told had told him before leaving


    ¡°It seems that my dear Demian has a crush on the saintess.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s real. I¡¯m sure. I swear on my wonderful chest muscles.¡±


    ¡°I guess¡­the world is about to be destroyed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a love that won¡¯te true anyway. Can¡¯t you at least watch your tongue? You cold-hearted bastard.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that scary human has a crush¡­ A one-sided love of that inhumane human¡­ it feels like all the world¡¯s cute one-sided love that I know of is being insulted.¡±


    ¡°Instead, his desperation will eat at him to his death.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°That crazy guy will only live for the saintess now. He would not care about God. Whether the world is being destroyed or not, or even if the demon appears and rips my head, he will only look at the saintess.¡±


    ¡°He loves her that much? Is his love that deep?¡±


    ¡°I already know that he is extraordinary¡­ But of all the women in the world, why does it have to be the saintess? I¡¯m shocked too. I¡¯m feeling depressed today, so don¡¯t talk to me.¡±


    It was true that the Crown Prince had often said crazy things but what he said then was real. The aide was well aware of how much Acerus cared for Demian. Persisting on the fact that Demian was his savior, years had passed since the Prince asked the ve to be his friend and stuck by his side like a leech.


    What will happen when a man who knows nothing but fighting finds love? No. what if a man who has nothing in the world thinks that he should at least have something in the world. Of all things, that something happens to be the saintess who had miraculously appeared in the world, and hispetitor is the almighty God.


    ¡°Lady Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°We are all nice people.¡±


    The aide smiled, looking friendly.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°So please take good care of us.¡±


    Lara was flustered. Crown Prince Acerus was also a burdensome man and she thought that even his aide resembled him in that aspect.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    It snowed all night. Due to the sudden cold weather, the snow did not melt and only piled up. Therge snowkes that Konny admired had covered the world and turned it into a vast snowfield.


    ¡°Mdy, I¡¯m going outside with Valentine. Do you want to go with us?¡±


    Konny appeared in a thick coat and asked her. As she looked like a squirrel preparing for winter, a smile formed on Lara¡¯s face.


    ¡°You two can go together. I don¡¯t think Valentine wants to go with me.¡±


    ¡°No! We don¡¯t have money.¡±


    ¡°Am I your sponsor?¡±


    ¡°I heard the prices in Dandelion are high. Valentine needs a lot of things to prepare for his business¡­¡±


    Aftering to thergest and most developed city in thergest and strongest country on the continent, Konny thought that it would be a little unfair for Lara to be stuck in her room without even looking around.


    Lara got up and asked.


    ¡°Valentine, is it okay if Ie with you?¡±


    Valentine¡¯s face became stiff because he was still nervous when he saw Lara. but he nodded without hesitation.


    ¡°I heard¡­yesterday. The store is ready. Thank you, mdy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothingpared to what Valentine has done for me.¡±


    ¡°No. It, it¡¯s not about that.¡±


    Valentine shook his slouchy body around. It seemed that he was acting awkwardly. Lara just stared at him, not knowing what he was trying to say that made him act like that.


    ¡°Valentine?¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 88 - Demon Slayer

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Konny felt frustrated looking at Valentine, she hit her chest with her fist and said.


    ¡°He said thank you for saving him!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°He said thank you for saving him from his mean master! He has never properly thanked you. He also said thank you for taking care of him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±


    Konny spoke and Valentine nodded. Even though it was Demian who saved him and Konny who took care of him, Lara still decided to ept his thanks anyway.


    ¡°How can you be so grateful for something so little? Valentine, you will be the best alchemist on the continent.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Did I not tell you? I will be your sponsor. Tell me if there¡¯s anything you want to learn. And if you need anything, tell me about it too.¡±


    ¡°C, can I do that?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I should at least invest that much for someone who will be the best alchemist on the continent.¡±


    Lara also joked that she might have inherited the tendency to be a merchant from her mother.


    ¡°You made an ice grinder for Konny and a long-distance magic receiver for me. At this rate, maybe someday you will be able to create a long-distance travel magic device, the ones that only appear in legends.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a little, that¡¯s almost close to impossible¡­ I mean, even the elemental sorcerers of old kept failing in magic that transcends space.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just something I blurted out.¡±


    When Lara smiled and took out her wallet, Konny raised her arms and shouted hurrah.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah!¡±


    Lara¡¯s wallet was filled with cheques as Isadora did not want her to be demoralized wherever she went.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The streets were filled with snow but there were still many people out and about. Since carriages could not be properly operated, it seemed that there were more passers-by.


    Even Lara, Konny, and Valentine had to give up moving in a carriage. If they kept moving using a carriage, they would end up spending a longer time in the carriage than sightseeing outside. They agreed to walk all the way to the nearby shopping district before going back. In just a day, snow had piled up above their ankles. Every time they walked, a crunching sound could be heard.


    ¡°Valentine, walk carefully. If you slip, you are going to break your head.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Why are you staggering like that? You¡¯re making me nervous!¡±


    Lara took the lead, followed by Konny and Valentine. The bored mercenary wolves followed them as escorts.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, the sabbatical month in Dandelionsts for a month from today.¡±


    The wolf who was guiding the way in front of them said, pointing his finger somewhere.


    When Lara looked at the ce that the wolf pointed to, several stores with their signs covered with ck cloth caught her eyes.


    ¡°What do people do during the sabbatical month?¡±


    ¡°They stop doing their jobs to pray to God and take care of their families who have worked hard throughout the year. In the past, the Temple of Glory announced the monthly period, but now, it¡¯s customary to rest on your own.


    ¡°Then, will this big city stop for a month?¡±


    Lara asked. She had heard of the sabbatical month in the Empire, but she did not know how the people actually put it into practice.


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    The wolfughed and pointed to another store that was still working hard.


    ¡°Only those who want to do it. Merchants rarely close their stores, so usually, it¡¯s only the soldiers or knights¡­ People like us who don¡¯t have work in winter use the sabbatical month as an excuse to rest.


    It was an interesting custom. The people of Hautean also believed in God but there was no tradition like a sabbatical month.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the war.¡±


    The wolves took turns exining to the curious Lara.


    ¡°Tarragon is a country that is always at war so they regard the time spent for family as important. They have a mindset that, once they go out, they would either die or news about them would be cut off.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a sad tradition.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s about to die off.¡±


    With the asional house with ck cloth covering their entrances appearing just as she was about to forget about it, Lara let out white steam of breath.


    ¡°Who started it first?¡±


    Who could it be? The son of a father who could not return from the battlefield? Or is it the wife who had to send his husband away to the battlefield?


    The wolves told Lara, who was walking while she was deep in thought.


    ¡°It was God.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I heard you went to the sanctumst night, that¡¯s the house where God used to live. It is said that God saw the humans he saw every day leave for the battlefield, only to never return. And so, he created the sabbatical month.¡±


    Somehow it sounded usible. Because the God of Fate who chose Lara had a humane charm.


    ¡®Do you even resemble that aspect of humans as you lived with them?¡¯


    Lara lifted her head and looked at the cliff where the sanctum was at.


    ¡®Were you sad that humans kept dying? Is that why you¡¯re trying to prevent the end of the world? Even though the humans had forgotten about you?¡¯


    The sanctum was hidden by a tall building and thus could not be seen. But, somehow, she felt like God was staring at her.


    Fate, Life and Death¡ªone of his many names. He said that was just a modifier that disappeared without value, so he asked her to find his real name.


    ¡®Just wait and see. Once I find your name, no matter how almighty you are, I¡¯m going to make a lot of wishes that are too burdensome to grant.¡¯


    Lara pledged so.


    A cold wind blew and ruffled her hair once. It was a cold but gentle wind. Lara brushed her hair with her hand and moved on.<b> Demon yer</b>


    While Demian was away to meet hisrades, Lara was contacted by Crown Prince Acerus. He asked Lara to make some time for him so they could meet. He tried to maintain security by sending his most trusted aide to ry his message, even though he could have just sent a waxed letter.


    Lara said that it would be much better for the Crown Prince toe to the hotel than for her to go to the Imperial Pce.


    ¡°Mdy, you have a guest.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°The, the, the¡­¡±


    ¡°Konny, why are you stuttering so much? You learn something weird after only hanging out with Valentine every day.¡±


    Konny was surprised to see the Crown Prince of the Empire, but on the contrary, Acerus was the one who was more nervous. He stood in front of the door, wiping off his sweat with a handkerchief.


    Lara came out herself and opened the door.


    ¡°Hello, Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°Saintess, hello.¡±


    Acerus politely greeted Lara. The aide who was standing with him also quickly bowed his head.


    ¡°Come on in.¡±


    There were two drawing-rooms where Lara had stayed. She guided them to the smaller drawing room which was located on the inner part of her hotel room, where the sound could never leak out.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Demian?¡±


    ¡°He went to see hisrades. He left when I fell asleep so I couldn¡¯t ask when he¡¯d be back.¡±


    Lara thought that it was a matter of course. Even in her previous life, Demian¡¯srades waited for him in the Empire for a long time. After finding out that Demian was acting as Lara¡¯s great warrior, they came out of the border to persuade him and even helped in the war against the demon worshippers.


    They followed Demian like a King. So Lara believed that they would still gather somewhere to wait for his return.


    ¡°But saintess, they¡¯re not in the capital¡­¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    However, Acerus said that was not the case.


    ¡°The war ves-I mean the barbarians, they cannot adapt here. It¡¯s disgraceful but Tarragon has a culture that despises them for a very long time.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that? I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all heroes of the war.¡±


    ¡°Since they greatly contributed to the war, all ve documentation about them was destroyed. But¡­ I can¡¯t control the people¡¯s perception of them.¡±


    ¡°They fought for Tarragon but they can¡¯t even enter the capital?¡±


    Lara did not me him. She did not ask him in bad faith, she was just surprised and asked back. But after listening to her, Acerus¡¯ eyebrows drooped and he mumbled his lips like a child that was being scolded by an adult.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to apologize to me.¡±


    ¡°Saintess, excuse me, but may I say something to you?¡±


    It was the aide to the Crown Prince. Until then, he had only been calmly sitting and listening to their conversations. But then, he carefully raised his hand to say something.


    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°First of all, of course, they have the freedom to live in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and they don¡¯t even have ve marks on their foreheads. If they just feign ignorance and live here, no one will know.¡±


    ¡°So then why can¡¯t theye into the capital?¡±


    ¡°Because they call themselves Barbarians.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°When they are asked about their hometown, origin, or parents, they always answer like that. They¡¯re Barbarians. Even if they are asked what their job was, they would say they¡¯re Barbarians. I know it¡¯s their identity, but Tarragon¡¯s people think the Barbarians are low and ignorant war ves.¡±


    The aide also seemed frustrated. He said that if Demian and hisrades had a little flexibility, things would not have happened like this.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that they can¡¯t lie because they¡¯re too nice. Rather, they will tell the truth and see their opponent¡¯s reaction. After that, if they don¡¯t like their reactions, they will fight.¡±


    They were Barbarians, a warrior that was worth a hundred. They could not have lost.


    ¡°It was worse on the battlefield. They would hit amander because they don¡¯t like him beingzy. And when a superior siphoned off military expenses and frequented the entertainment district, they just killed him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that was also the case for Demian.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    No matter how bad the general was, he was a general of the Empire. But status or power did not mean anything to Demian. So he killed him. As they watched him, the knights got scared of him, and eventually, they became jealous of him. They hated him but they still envied him.


    Lara slightly cast her eyes down. Whenever she didn¡¯t smile, her face looked angry, and she looked colder with her eyes pointed downwards.


    ¡°Why are you talking such nonsense?¡±


    Comined Acerus to his aide. Lara said to him after thinking.


    ¡°Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe in me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Then, I will make a prediction.¡±


    Lara said.


    ¡°Without the Barbarians, you will not win the war against the demons.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 89

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Although Lara sugar-coated what she wanted to say by stating that it was a prediction, what she said was a clear fact. In the future that Lara saw, Acerus was defeated. When Acerus, thest human hero, copsed, the world fell into the hands of demons and quickly walked the path of destruction.


    The aide seemed like he was not easily convinced. He looked at her with suspicion in his eyes, then looked at Acerus again.


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness?¡±


    However, Acerus was nodding heavily as if he just heard the most serious and severe story in the world. He asked cautiously.


    ¡°Saintess, can we win with the Barbarians?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell. However¡­¡±


    Lara properly opened her downcasted eyes and looked straight at Acerus.


    ¡°You have an opportunity to fight with the best demon yers.¡±


    ¡°Did you say¡­demon yer? Can they be like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lara said confidently. This was also a fact. In the future that she went through and the future that she watched, Demian and the Barbarians were always at the front lines in the war against the demons. In Lara¡¯s opinion, the realst front line of humanity was not Acerus¡¯ Imperial army but the warriors of thewless zone called the Barbarians.


    Acerus made up his mind. Then, he nodded his head and said.


    ¡°I need to make a special troop made up of only Barbarians.¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness! That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The knights will protest. What do you mean special troop? Even if you select talented soldiers who have been training for more than 10 years, it would still feel out of ce.¡±


    The aide was pessimistic. He judged that if a special troop was made with only the Barbarians, they would mix among the Tarragon¡¯s knights like water and oil. After feeling left out, there would be a problem eventually.


    The aide¡¯s judgment was not wrong. The Barbarians were basically unwilling to understand politics. They did not even want to admit that half of the war was in politics. They openly refused when their superiors gave them strange orders. On the battlefield where top-down decision-making was the basics, Barbarians were a difficult existence to everyone.


    They felt confident with them and they felt insecure without them. Even though they were the most reliable in the world when they fought with them, the moment the Barbarians turned their back, the knights and soldiers instinctively took a step back.


    Acerus knew it too. He was not a Crown Prince who sat on a high throne and only gave orders, but amander who directly jumped into the battlefield and fought.


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about creating a special troop and having the Barbarians as their superior.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°They would be operated separately.¡±


    ¡°But, Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    ¡°We will talk about this again when Demianes back.¡±


    The aide¡¯s eyes shook anxiously. He nced at Lara, then approached Acerus and whispered in his ear.


    ¡°He said this was thest time.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t take any more orders from you, this was thest time¡­ He will never do it again.¡±


    Acerus looked at his aide in surprise. The aide continued with a perplexed look on his face.


    ¡°Even on the day he returned from Hautean, I saw him arguing with the knights at the entrance. So I went and took him in.¡±


    ¡°These bastards¡­¡±


    Acerus was furious. Then, he quickly looked at Lara and apologized.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Lara was smiling subtly. She realized she had one more thing to do before the full-fledged war broke out.


    She did not know that Barbarians were treated like that in the Empire. No one ever said anything about that, same with Demian. He never confided to Lara about his past, the treatment he got, or any dissatisfaction he felt.


    The people of Tarragon would not change their minds all at once. Prejudice against one¡¯s identity had deep roots. But at least without improving this situation, it seemed impossible to ask them to go to the battlefield to fight.


    Lara said.


    ¡°Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Barbarians are not born to be your ves. They are warriors born to fight.¡±


    ¡°Saintess.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to treat people like ves only because they are of different races or have different ways of thinking, you have to bear it when the demons treat humans as ves.¡±


    Lara calmly said. But her voice sounded more firm and cold than ever.


    ¡°The demons will also think the same way. Humans die earlier than demons and are weak, so we will be treated as ves or livestock. What¡¯s the difference from the Empire¡¯s view of the Barbarians? It seems the same to me.¡±


    Acerus raised his head, his eyes shaking violently. The aide had been opposed to her ideas, but now he looked at Lara with a nk face as if he had been hit in the back of his head.


    The saintess in front of them was different from the saintesses they had read on the records.


    Lara, the saintess chosen by the God of Fate. She was not affectionate, sweet, nor was she sacrificial. She was cold and sharp. She revealed their shameful faults and made them ufortable. She coldly pointed out the mistakes they wanted to hide.


    ¡°The human realm will face the worst crisis they have ever faced since the creation of this continent. How are you going to win the war without them?¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    On his way back from the conversation with the saintess, Acerus bowed his head in the carriage without saying anything.


    The aide looked at him anxiously. He knew that the saintess was a great being, but Acerus Elin Tarragon was the Crown Prince. He was the next Emperor to inherit thergest country on the continent. Ever since he became an adult, he had never been scolded like this, not even by his father the Emperor. The aide was worried about how he would react.


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    ¡°Urgh.¡±


    Acerus shook his shoulders. Then he wrapped his face in both hands and spat out a heavy monologue.


    ¡°I was scolded.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I wanted to getplimented though.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I observed the demon and talked to him all night yesterday to getpliments. That Vc or pollock or whatever his name is.¡±


    ¡°You did.¡±


    ¡°But I was scolded.¡±


    What¡¯s wrong with him?


    The aide slowly moved back. Somehow he did not feel good. There was one thing he realized after bing a subordinate of Acerus.


    ¡°I felt crappy when my dad scolded me¡­¡±


    This guy always says crazy things at times like these.


    ¡°But she¡¯s so cool. My heart is pounding fast. I must be sick somewhere.¡±


    You¡¯re indeed sick. Sick in your soul.


    The aide once againmitted l¨¨se-majest¨¦ against the Imperial family in his mind today.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara did not know who gave Demian the title ¡®the Last Barbarian¡¯. However, she could understand why he was thest Barbarian.


    After Demian became the King of thewless zone, the Barbarians were no longer the Imperial Army¡¯s war ves.


    King.


    Demian was not made a King by lineage, he was made a King by the people.


    While Lara was contemting on how to correct the prejudices ingrained in the Imperial Army, Demian traveled out of Dandelion and was running towards the western mountain range to find hisrades.


    As he took Lara across the border of the Tarragon Empire to Dandelion, he sent a message to hisrades. By now, everyone knew he was back. They might wonder why he came back so quickly. He told them that he would probably be away for about two or three years, so they might nag him for returning too quickly.


    Lara said Demian became the King of thewless zone in the future she saw. He burst intoughter.


    ¡°Crazy guys.¡±


    Hisrades, the Barbarians, were people who did not understand the status system of the Empire. They said it was ridiculous to divide and segregate people into Imperial families, nobles,moners, and ves when they were all just weak people.


    ¡°After saying all that, you guys end up making me a King. Crazy guys.¡±


    Demian was heading toward the Gorgon Mountain Range in western Tarragon. Hisrades said they would move there for demonic beast hunting. After leaving Dandelion and running towards the west, he heard a familiar sound on a deserted mountain path.


    ¡°Ooooiiii!¡±


    Oi, oi, oi, oi.


    An echo rang. The birds were surprised and flew high in the sky by the shouts that rang around the entire mountain.


    Demian stopped his horse in a hurry. Heforted the horse that held its front hoofs high, unable to hide its excitement and quickly looking around. Demian could feel the presence in the mountain. Several men were running toward him at high speed.


    As soon as Demian got off his horse, he pulled out his sword that he wore around his waist. Then, he lowered his posture.


    ¡°There he is!¡±


    There were three men. As soon as they ran down the mountain, they surrounded Demian in three directions. Then, they asked seriously.


    ¡°Did you lose?¡±


    Demian replied.


    ¡°I never lose.¡±


    ¡°Can I check if it¡¯s true?¡±


    ¡°If I say no, does that mean that you¡¯ll surrender?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not right.¡±


    ¡°Then,e at me.¡±


    The three men smiled savagely. It was a smile that resembled Demian. They smirked and burst intoughter. Then, they firmly secured their weapons. Fierce determination poured out of them.


    At that time, Demian said.


    ¡°I found a girl that I love.¡±


    They all lowered their weapons.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 90

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Their fighting spirit, which heated up like a wild beast for a battle of dominance, scattered in vain. They stared at Demian with their weapons hanging down.


    Their faces were telling him not to spout nonsense but their eyes were wide open. Then, they scoured Demian from head to toe.


    ¡°No matter how I look at him, nothing has changed about him. He¡¯s still the same.¡±


    ¡°Just because he has a woman whom he loves, his eyes won¡¯t be three and his mouth won¡¯t be two.¡±


    ¡°But he still looks totally the same.¡±


    They whispered and chattered amongst themselves.


    When meeting arade who had been separated for a long time, they would confront them with weapons and check each other¡¯s skills as soon as they met. That was the Barbarian¡¯s greeting. If the aforementionedrade¡¯s skill improved, they would rejoice. If therade¡¯s skill worsened, they would fight until their skills returned to the original. That was the Barbarian¡¯s camaraderie.


    It was even more special for Demian who was called the undefeated warrior. Now it has be a habit for them to ask whether he lost or not whenever they met him. Since he became an adult, Demian had never lost. But now there was something more important than that.


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    He found a girl that he loved. This was something that could make the sky convulse and thend overturn. They looked at Demian with suspicion in their eyes.


    The sword that Demian had pulled out was sheathed back around his waist again.


    ¡°Domino, Lampion, Oscar.¡±


    After Demian left for Hautean to do a favor for Acerus, the remaining Barbarians could not adapt to Tarragon¡¯s city life and entered the Western Gorgon Mountain Range. They had no choice, they were not weed anywhere except on the battlefield or the demonic beast hunting grounds. Fortunately, there was no problem in making a living by hunting the demonic beasts. It was also much morefortable there than inplicated cities or battlefields.


    Lampion, the strongest of the three Barbarians, said as he brushed away the grass on his pants.


    ¡°After we got the message that you wereing back, we made and won a bet on who could hunt the fastest. Five people would be too many and one seems insincere so only the three of us came to greet you here.¡±


    Lampion was someone who was weak to superstition. He didn¡¯t mention the possibility of two or four peopleing because he considered even numbers to be ominous.


    This time Domino said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back. I¡¯m tired of fighting for Tarragon. You have to see how exciting the demonic beasts in the Gorgon Mountain Range are.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡±


    Demian tly refused. He was the best Barbarian and considered themrades but he had no intention of leaving Lara¡¯s side.


    ¡°Because of the woman you love?¡±


    Domino asked. Even though they weren¡¯t the ones who asked, Oscar and Lampion red at Damien more intensely. They looked as if they would rush to him if he did not answer quickly.


    Demian answered without hesitation again this time.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Oh no!¡±


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    ¡°It seems he¡¯s serious!¡±


    They were confused. If someone else had said that, they would have pounded their fists all over his body, telling him to stop joking. But Demian had a serious face. When he gave his answer, he neither hesitated nor was he shy about it. He did not even ask for their understanding because he had a woman to protect. He was just notifying them because it was only natural for him to be by her side.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Domino nodded first. Lampion and Oscar followed suit and put their weapons aside.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if it is because of woman.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Lovees first.¡±


    Barbarians did not serve a king by nature. They were free fighters who never settled down and only wandered around. They did not believe in God and they did not makews.


    Although the Barbarians were exceptionally strong warriors, their numbers continued to decline. It was partially because of casualties while searching around for battlefields but it was also partially because of their extreme caution in creating families.


    Barbarians would love only one woman in their lifetime. It was their belief. If the woman they love did not ept their feelings, they would live alone for the rest of their lives. There were not many women who would be willing to ept them, who always wandered around, searching for battlefields. The number of Barbarians was bound to decrease rapidly, so when a Barbarian confessed that he loved someone, they would work together to make his lovee true.


    After putting aside all of their weapons, Oscar puffed out his chest and said.


    ¡°Swear it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Demian nodded dly.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The number of Barbarians who migrated to the Western Gorgon Mountain Range reached the thousands. Domino, Lampion, and Oscar were the best warriors among them, and they came to meet Demian because they were tired of hunting demonic beasts.


    Originally, their goal was to take Demian back to the Gorgon Mountain Range. But now they were running towards Dandelion. Whether they wanted to go back to that annoying city or not, it did not matter, for the woman that Demian loved was there.


    ¡°What kind of woman is she?¡±


    Listening to Lampion¡¯s question, Demian recalled Lara¡¯s face. Then he replied with a smile.


    ¡°A scary woman.¡±


    Then, Oscar and Domino looked at Demian with a pitiful face.


    It did not take long to get to Dandelion. Demian arrived at the ¡®Lara¡¯s Garden¡¯ hotel with hisrades three days after his departure.


    Even in broad daylight, it was biting cold. The four horses exhaled white steams of breath and grunted. The snow did not melt and there was the sound of ice breaking everywhere.


    Demian was guided inside by a staff member who recognized him. With their sloppy attire, their whole body covered in dust, and shaggy hair, they immediately attracted the people of the hotel¡¯s attention.


    Lampion did not care and followed Demian inside confidently but Domino and Oscar were a little stiff. Especially among them, Oscar, who was flexible enough to be called a chameleon, urged Demian and said.


    ¡°That woman won¡¯t kick you out because of us, right?¡±


    ¡°No such thing will happen.¡±


    ¡°Is she a noble or someone with high status? Why is she in such a luxurious ce?¡±


    ¡°This hotel belongs to her mother.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That woman is the hotel owner¡¯s daughter.¡±


    Oscar looked at Demian with pity. He awkwardly patted hisrade, whom he had not seen in a long time, on the shoulder.


    ¡°I will do my best.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±


    Lara¡¯s room was on the top floor of the hotel. It consisted of a private office, a meeting room for the hotel owner, two drawing-rooms, a study, a dressing room, and several bedrooms. As soon as they entered, they busied themselves looking around the room with an awestruck look.


    ¡°Demian?¡±


    Then, Lara appeared. She was wearing a light gray dress and a red coat. Her hair was tied with a ribbon and she had heavy eye makeup. The sound of her shoes echoed on the hard floor.


    ¡°You¡¯re early?¡±


    Lara approached them with a smile and asked.


    ¡°Who are these people?¡±


    ¡°They are myrades.¡±


    Demian said, pointing to Domino, Lampion, and Oscar in order.


    ¡°Domino, Lampion, Oscar.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Lara looked at them and gave a sincere smile. Her sharp cat-like eyes were subtly smiling. There was a joy that could not be hidden in her eyes. She had no fear or hesitation. As if she had been waiting only for this moment, Lara approached them closely and said.


    ¡°Nice meeting you. I¡¯m Lara.¡±


    The three were flustered. They did not expect her to wee them. They nced at Demian, wondering if she did not know what a Barbarian was, but a smile simr to Lara¡¯s bloomed on his lips.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The Barbarians must be made into demon yers so that they could be treated as heroes of the Tarragon Empire. Lara informed Acerus of her decision. He was also pleased that there would be nothing more he could wish for if that was something that he could do.


    It would be difficult, but it would not be impossible. Lara thought it was almost impossible for her to personally be a hero unless the God of Fate suddenly gave her a mighty ability one day.


    ¡®But I can make them heroes.¡¯


    So when Demian returned, she was going to persuade him so she could meet hisrades. Even if she had to reveal that she was a saintess and whine to the God of Fate, she would try to make them warriors who were chosen by God and heroes who fought for humanity.


    But as soon as she greeted them with pleasure, she heard something strange.


    ¡°Demian said he loves you.¡±


    It was Lampion. After preparing to ask them to be the saintess¡¯ escort knight, or God¡¯s warrior, or demon yer, Lara became quiet.


    ¡°Barbarians must love only one woman for the rest of their lives. Demian chose you and swears that his love willst forever.¡±


    ¡®What is he talking about?¡¯


    Lara asked Demian with her eyes. Then, he looked at her and gave her a deep smile.


    This time Domino and Oscar spoke in turn.


    ¡°We are here to help his lovee to fruition.¡±


    ¡°We will do anything for you. Please ept Demian¡¯s love.¡±


    Lara felt dizzy. The words she had prepared suddenly did note to her mind. After hearing that they would do anything to help theirrade¡¯s love, now she understood why in her past lives they had allowed Demian to live as Lara¡¯s ves for so long without taking him back to thewless area.


    Because Demian loved Lara.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    What am I supposed to say?


    While Lara hesitated as she looked at them, Konny, who had gone to prepare refreshments for the guests, opened the door and entered the drawing-room.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 91

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    As usual, Konny tried to say something to Lara with a bright face, but when she saw the four warriors standing like stone statues in the middle of the drawing-room, she quickly shut up. Then, nimble on her feet, she headed to the table, a ce that was as far away as possible from them.


    There were drinks, fruit, hot tea in expensive crystal sses, and six delicious cookies on the tray Konny was holding.


    No one said anything. Lara hesitated, not knowing what to say. The three Barbarians just stared intently at the little maid who suddenly appeared.


    Konny thought that she would need to serve a whole cow to feed those people, not tea and cookies. The teacup was the size of their nostrils and the cookie was the size of their fingers. She figured that she should ask how hungry they were now. However, the atmosphere seemed serious for some reason. So Konny approached and talked to Demian, whom she was at least familiar with.


    ¡°Master Demian.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Should I just tell the kitchen to prepare a meal?¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Konny.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe.¡±


    The simple maid rejoiced, thinking that her guess that they were terribly hungry was correct. Then, she swiftly walked away from them and went out of the drawing-room. Seeing her acting like a small animal that was avoiding a wild beast roaming from afar, Lara just smiled.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard the words ¡®I love you¡¯ from Demian yet.¡±


    She never thought that she had to hear those three words. Demian was not a talkative man, but at the same time, he was not stingy with his expressions. On the contrary, he would convey his feelings so directly that he would strongly shake Lara¡¯s self-control and blow her away.


    However, Demian¡¯srades did not seem to think so. Domino, Lampion, and Oscar said to Demian in turn.


    ¡°Is that true? You punk¡­ You made a swear even before confessing?¡±


    ¡°Do it now. Do it here. Say that you love her!¡±


    ¡°Did we just confess to her for you? And on our first meeting?¡±


    Demian had a confused look on his face, it was as if he was asking them what was wrong with that. When he nodded with excessive confidence, the three Barbarians put their big hands on their heads.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The three Barbarians were able to receive a generous meal thanks to the clever maid, Konny. They did not get one cow each, but they did finish one duck each. It was also due to hunger that they could eat so much, as they haven¡¯t eaten a proper meal after moving such a long way.


    Lara headed to their lodgings with Oscar, who had finished eating first.


    ¡°Is this really okay?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I mean, not only have you fed us, you¡¯ve even provided a ce for us to sleep¡­¡±


    Oscar was awkward with Lara and he felt troubled with her goodwill. He was a man with a slightly different personality from the Barbarians that Acerus and his assistant had told her.


    ¡°Oscar, I think it would have been fine if you lived in Dandelion.¡±


    ¡°How did you know? Myrades are so entric so I have always been in charge ofmunicating with the Imperial Army.¡±


    ¡°You must have worked hard for that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me started. Lampion is famous even among Barbarians for not being able tomunicate. So there were times when I told him to just keep his mouth shut and to just use hand signals. For Domino, now that he is in his middle age, he has a lot of worries and patience¡­ But it was no joke when he was young.¡±


    Lara remembered well the characteristics of therades he spoke of. It was a good thing. The first Barbarians she met were pleasant and nice people. Moreover, she was lucky enough to meet someone she canmunicate with like Oscar.


    She needed to build a good rtionship with them first. She could dere that she would ept Demian¡¯s love and convey her intention through him, but as Lara wanted to build a rtionship directly with them, she was going to ask if they needed anything. But, as Oscar was impatient, he talked to her first again this time.


    ¡°Back in Hautean, did Demian act carelessly? Did he act that way to just anyone? When he left, I heard that he saw a ve hunter and that he let himself get caught on purpose. Did he keep pretending to be a ve there because he was toozy to exin?¡±


    Lara nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Oscar was restless, he felt as if he hadmitted a crime.


    ¡°That crazy guy! I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not ves.¡±


    ¡°I know that, too.¡±


    ¡°Tarragon took the liberty to make the ve documents. So that they could use us on the battlefield. Thenguage and writing were different in the past so I heard our fathers signed it without knowing what it was.¡±


    ¡°Oh no¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not even Tarragon¡¯s people.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I know what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Crown Prince Acerus seems to think of us as his subjects because we fought for Tarragon. But Barbarians have no nationality, we are not interested in status or power.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it seems so.¡±


    ¡°If we thought that the enemy had justice and cause in that war, then it would be Tarragon that would have had to fight us.¡±


    Oscar said anxiously, fearing that Lara would hate them. She understood his feelings. How unfair have they have been treated in the midst of so much discrimination and prejudice?


    ¡°Why did you side with Crown Prince Acerus and Tarragon? I don¡¯t think Barbarians are the type of people who would be swayed by money.¡±


    ¡°Because back then, the northerners joined hands with the demon worshippers to win the war.¡±


    So demons are their enemy.


    Lara was able to get several clues from her conversation with Oscar.


    In her past life, she had only been told that they were ouws in thewless zone. So she misunderstood that they were just a group of criminals and deserters gathering to achieve power. But now she knew. They were Barbarians. It could not be exined in other words.


    She heard from Acerus¡¯ aide that they would always answer ¡®Barbarian¡¯ when they were asked about their origin, upation, or parents. Now she understood all those words. This was why a conversation was so important.


    Lara made up her mind to be a chatterbox.


    ¡°Did Demian behave like that even when he was young? I heard that he had no parents or hometown to go back to. How did he be a Barbarian?¡±


    ¡°Did he not tell you?¡±


    ¡°He never talks about himself.¡±


    Oscar hesitated. He seemed to be contemting whether he should be telling her something that Demian had not yet told her himself.


    Lara did not pester him. The Barbarian¡¯s lodging was just around the corner, but she naturally turned around and led him to the hotel¡¯s central garden.


    After a brief thought, Oscar groaned and told the story of Demian¡¯s past.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°It¡¯s an old story.¡±


    A Barbarian picked up a child on the northern battlefield. At that time, the man was deeply heartbroken by a woman in the north who did not ept his love. He cried and roamed around the battlefield every day.


    The child he picked up was strange. Wandering around alone in the middle of the battlefield, the child neither cried nor showed fear when he saw the dead.


    Even beasts and diseases avoided the child. Flies and bugs, which usually infested the corpses, did not even approach the child. The child¡¯s white cheeks did not cool down even when he was just wearing rags in the cold winter.


    The Barbarian said he felt a strange sense of fate at that time. He wondered if his love did note true because he had to take in and raise that child. With that thought in his mind, he approached the child and talked to him.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Surprisingly, the child did not even know who he was. He was good at speaking but he knew nothing.


    ¡°What about your parents?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any.¡±


    The Barbarian lifted the child up and carried him on his shoulder. The child did not rebel. While hanging on the thick and bulky arms of the Barbarian, he quickly fell asleep, without even asking where he was going.


    Listening to the story, Lara muttered in surprise.


    ¡°So he was not born a Barbarian¡­ But he was raised a Barbarian.¡±


    Oscar nodded and continued.


    ¡°But the way that old man raised Demian is a little¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°He told Demian that, since he was born on the battlefield, he needed to live and die on the battlefield. He carried Demian to all kinds of battlefields. He did not even settle down until the day he died.¡±


    ¡°He has already passed away?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He died on the battlefield, so Demian was with him on his end.¡±


    ¡°Did Demian think of him as his father?¡±


    ¡°No way. He just called him by his name. Rather than a father-son rtionship, he said they were already like equalrades from the beginning.¡±


    I see. That¡¯s why Demian said he neither had parents nor a hometown, he believed he would one day return to the battlefield.


    Lara blinked her eyes quickly. She bit her lips once before opening them.


    ¡°That Barbarian had no regrets. A whileter, the northern woman ended up epting his confession. He did well with her and even had a son together. The woman said he looked like a family man when he carried the child around.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°His son is Lampion, the one that you saw earlier. He inherited his father¡¯s name. He treats Demian like a brother, he also has a sense of rivalry with him. He will rush to fight Demian when he has the chance. Be careful.¡±


    Oscar grinned.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 92

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    As soon as Acerus brought in the demon Vc, he sent a military carrier pigeon to Hautean.


    Even though Hautean was a small country, he still thought that the King of Hautean should at least know the fact that the rebel prince was in Tarragon and that a demon had possessed and pretended to be him. By the time he thought he had to wait a little longer to get an answer, the news he had been waiting for had finally arrived.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so fast.¡±


    ¡°Because the bird is fast. It has wings.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, jackass. The King of Hautean gave his answer fast this time. Usually, the King would gather his retainers, have meetings for about 10 days, then ponder about it for about another 10 days before writing back.¡±


    ¡°I guess he must be impatient. Like a certain someone I know.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s cold here.¡±


    The King used a military carrier pigeon. As the note sent by the King of Hautean was very short, a small piece of paper rolled up and came into Acerus¡¯ hand.


    [Soon, we will send a delegation qualified to act as the King¡¯s deputy.]


    It was a really, really short letter. Acerus wondered how they could suddenly send a delegation without saying whether to protect or kill the Prince. Still, he liked it this way. As the delegation will be the King¡¯s deputy, it would be easier to consider the delegation representative as the King.


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We have my saintess so they would have no choice but to cooperate. Hautean is such a small country, I thought they would be of no help when the Great Demon Wares, but this would change the story.¡±


    ¡°How would it change anything?¡±


    ¡°If I take the whole delegation hostage and threaten them¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, you will get scolded by the saintess, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding, dumbass.¡±


    Acerus smacked his lips as if he was disappointed. Next to him, his aide grumbled, saying that he knew that Acerus was not joking.


    Acerus burned the note in the firece. Then, in a report to be delivered to the Emperor, he wrote one more line that a delegation qualified as the King¡¯s deputy woulde from Hautean.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°Sidhar, Vc, pock, or whatever his name is.¡±


    Ever since Vc came into Acerus¡¯ hands, the Crown Prince has visited the demon quite often. He even put a watchman with the demon. As he had heard that demons were ying it safe because they were afraid that it would provide justification for God to intervene in this world, he hesitated no more.


    The demon Vc was confined in a room made to amodate guests of honor in the Crown Prince¡¯s castle. Even though the facility itself was good, all the exits were blocked and there were a lot of staff members monitoring the room. It was like a prison.


    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±


    Acerus smiled softly. Even a soft smile would look energetic and manly on his masculine face. It also strangely suited him well. There was a joke that if Acerus smiled like that for a while, Tarragon¡¯sdies would be struck with a new fad of lovesickness.


    Vc, who took over Prince Sidhar¡¯s body, smiled back at him.


    ¡°Hello, Crown Prince Acerus.¡±


    They had be quite close. This was all thanks to Acerus¡¯ efforts. He treated his opponent thoroughly as Prince Sidhar. Acerus praised him highly as a tragic Prince who was forced to rebel because he could not see the country going under but was kicked out after being defeated.


    ¡°When can I leave this ce?¡±


    Vc asked. Acerus let out a long sigh with a sad face.


    ¡°There is a reliable priest from the temple, but he¡¯s away for a prayer service in a temple in the countryside. I don¡¯t trust the other priests. As you know, the Temple of Glory is no longer a shrine of God.¡±


    ¡°Right. They are just stuffed beasts. The difference is¡­they are trapped in their own stable. I can onlyugh every time I see them.¡±


    Vc¡¯s ridicule was real. Acerus was able to easily notice that without difficulty. He heard that he was an old demon, but because he had lived as a demon for a long time, it did not seem like he could imitate humans perfectly.


    ¡°Moreover, the Temple of Glory is very busy these days. I wonder what they are up to¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re busy?¡±


    ¡°You already know, don¡¯t you? The saintess has appeared.¡±


    Acerus deliberately spoke fast like a person excited by the story of the saintess.


    ¡°How long has it been since God¡¯s vicegerent appeared? Now that the saintess has appeared, so will the demon. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    Vc¡¯s eyes rolled slightly sideways before returning to their ce. Vc was not flustered and spoke to Acerus with a smile that looked quite natural.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will appear someday.¡±


    ¡°Right? I¡¯m really worried. We don¡¯t know anything about demons so I don¡¯t know how to prepare to deal with them.¡±


    Acerus let out a heavy sigh. He realized that Vc¡¯s human impersonation became more natural over time. Perhaps in a little longer, even those close to Prince Sidhar would not be able to find any awkwardness in him.


    Then, should I agitate him?


    Acerus muttered to himself.


    ¡°I heard there are demons who like humans. How I wish such a demon would appear in front of me.¡±


    Vc rolled his eyes. This time, he did it swiftly. There was a deep interest in the eyes that were looking at Acerus¡¯ face.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ as long as they can help me. I will hide their identity, support everything so that they can live among humans, and give them whatever they want.¡±


    ¡°For the demon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really curious about the existence of the demon.¡±


    That¡¯s why I¡¯m hanging out with you like this even though I¡¯m so busy, dickhead.


    Acerus spoke in his heart.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara had a dream. It was a dream in which the God of Fate appeared and begged her toe to the sanctum to visit him. With that mysterious and sacred voice of his, he whined that he had something to say, and because of that, she shoulde to the sanctum and listen to him.


    ¡°It was such a vivid dream.¡±


    As soon as she opened her eyes, Lara chuckled.


    ¡°What kind of dream?¡±


    Konny asked, drawing back the curtain. Lara said, trying to pull herself together in the nket.


    ¡°God asked me to visit him in his house.¡±


    ¡°I guess he has no friends.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Is that so?¡±


    There were dozens of known Gods worshipped in the Temple of Glory. If all those Gods were with the God of Fate, there was no way that he would be friendless.


    ¡°I will go and ask him.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to the temple?¡±


    ¡°God appeared in my dream. How can I just ignore him? For today, I just have an appointment with Crown Prince Acerus. So I will stop at the sanctumter.¡±


    ¡°Mdy, can I go out with Valentine then? We will be back by evening.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Konny was excited and shrugged her shoulders. Valentine was converting part of his shop into aboratory, where afterpletion, he was going to build a few more long-distance magic receivers.


    ¡°Demian, are you awake?¡±


    Lara went to Demian¡¯s room and called out to him. But, rather than Demian, Lampion was the one who came out. He opened the door with a sleepy expression on his face. He flinched hisrge body after looking at Lara and smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Did you all sleep in?¡±


    ¡°Well, we ran here all night long¡­¡±


    ¡°I want to tell you to rest more but I¡¯m afraid Crown Prince Acerus is waiting.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lampion readily nodded. Then, with messy hair and a greasy face, he brutishly put on a coat and came out with a weapon. Lara told him to get ready quickly so they would not bete but he seemed to have understood that she meant toe out quickly.


    Fortunately, Domino, Oscar, and Demian still looked moderately organized. The three people who came out btedly frowned at Lampion one after another.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Acerus came out of the Crown Prince¡¯s castle and greeted them.


    ¡°Wee!¡±


    Although he omitted the word ¡®saintess¡¯, Acerus served Lara the most politely among her group.


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness, thank you for inviting me here.¡±


    ¡°No, it must have been troublesome for you toe here. By the way, you brought three more Barbarians here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you have met them before, right?¡±


    Acerus smiled awkwardly. He greeted Domino, Lampion, and Oscar, but Oscar was the only one who answered.


    ¡°Hello. How have you been? It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°Are Domino and Lampion still like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s better to just keep their mouths shut. I gave my greetings thrice so let¡¯s move on.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ You cunts are still the same.¡±


    Acerus, who had been talking without hesitation as usual, looked at Lara. However, her gaze was facing somewhere else.


    All the knights who wore the armor helmet of the Crown Prince¡¯s castle were staring at them. No matter how hard they tried to hide it, it was useless. Their disapproving gazes toward Demian and the Barbarians, their unpleasant attitude, everything was so clearly embedded in her mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Demian approached her and whispered. Lara shook her head slowly.


    ¡°It is not okay.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Barbarians, they would have probably died an untimely death on the battlefield.¡±


    Lara¡¯s voice was loud. All the eyes of the knights guarding the Crown Prince¡¯s castle gathered to her this time. Vicious energy flowed from them.


    ¡°The hell are you doing?!¡±


    How dare they stare at the saintess?


    Acerus screamed in surprise. All the knights bowed down to him and admitted they had done wrong.


    Instead of understanding and moving on, Lara raised her chin arrogantly and spoke to the Tarragon¡¯s knights.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stare at me like that. If you¡¯re jealous, just say it.¡±


    She smirked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a sin to be weak.¡±


    Acerus got the hups.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 93

    TW // Mention of suicide


    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Inferiority was a strong motive for hatred. The knights might have felt terribly helpless when they saw the Barbarians. No matter how hard they tried, they could never catch up with their skills.


    Now having been disliked by the knights, as soon as Lara arrived at Acerus¡¯ castle, she sat in the drawing-room and pouted her lips with a grim face.


    ¡°Hehehe.¡±


    Lampion kept smiling at Lara, Oscar was restless because he was worried about her, and Domino looked at her with admiration on his face, albeit he did not smile as openly as Lampion did.


    Demian told them.


    ¡°I told you she¡¯s a scary woman.¡±


    Despite their peculiar reactions, the most shocked among them was the Crown Prince Acerus. After continuously ncing at Lara, he talked to her©¤but only after his hups had stopped.


    ¡°I¡­I have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The demon Vc¡­ I have been working hard to be close friends with him.¡±


    ¡°Yes- what?¡±


    ¡°I think he can help us.¡±


    Acerus looked at her with ¡®give mepliments¡¯ written all over his face. Lara asked him back.


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not yet perfect at mimicking humans. I threw some bait and he fell for it after contemting for just one day.¡±


    ¡°Bait?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I told him that I wished there were demons who liked humans¡­¡±


    A cunning demon like Vc fell for such a simple bait?


    Lara looked at Acerus with disbelief.


    ¡°All of a sudden, he started writing a script and acting on his own.¡±


    ¡°What acting?¡±


    ¡°Acting like he¡¯s dying.¡±


    It was an interesting story. Acerus briefly exined to Lara what had happenedst night.


    ¡°He said himself that the demon would wake up if the Prince dies. He must have thought that he should at least make the Prince die first. It¡¯s like he¡¯s bound to the lie that he told you before, back when he wanted you to save him.¡±


    ¡°So, he¡¯s plotting suicide.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The Prince is branded as a traitor and is even being imprisoned here. So he must have decided that no one would suspect anything even if hemits suicide.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s watching him?¡±


    ¡°The best and most experienced of my knights are watching him in secret.¡±


    At this point, Lara had no choice but to reconsider her prejudice about demons. She thought demons were all arrogant and narcissistic and that they would not be swayed by humans. But now, looking at Vc, it seemed that demons also had a human side in them.


    ¡°We can also just kill him.¡±


    Lara said. Caught off-guard by such wordsing out of a saintess¡¯ mouth, Acerus opened his eyes wide for a moment. But as he calmed himself, he muttered, ¡®as expected.¡¯ And with a deep smile on his lips, he said to her.


    ¡°Of course that¡¯s possible. We have the best Barbarians here.¡±


    Acerus judged that they were capable of dealing with a demon with Demian and hisrades. It might even be possible with Demian alone. Even if Vc ignored the karma he would build and God¡¯s intervention and released his full power, they still had the best knights of Tarragon and four Barbarians with them.


    However, Acerus believed that a more efficient method had to be taken.


    ¡°But we don¡¯t know anything about demons yet. We have to use him.¡±


    ¡°Crown Prince Acerus.¡±


    ¡°Years ago, the demon who abducted me in the north had the form of a woman. She did not even use magic or curses, and yet I could not keep up with her in regards to physical strength and speed. So I lost to her every time.¡±


    Acerus suffered serious damage to his pride. He was a proud knight of the Empire before he was the Crown Prince. However, the demon overwhelmed Acerus with her strength and speed without even using her magic or demonic abilities.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know her name, her power, nor her purpose.¡±


    ¡°And you want to pry that knowledge out of Vc?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I definitely want to get revenge. If Vc gives me information about her, I will advance to the north right away.¡±


    It was an unexpected appearance for him. Acerus¡¯ lust for vengeance was bordering on obsessive behavior for the demon who had kidnapped him. Lara saw a glimpse of darkness in the Crown Prince, who had always seemed bright.


    ¡°Then, there are two beings that we are convinced of being demons. Vc thoroughly used the demon worshippers to exert his influence so he has yet to build up karma. And as for the demon in the north¡­¡±


    ¡°If she had used her power, wouldn¡¯t God have given his blessing to you?¡±


    Listening to Acerus, Lara slightly closed her eyes before immediately opening them right after. When she set fire to her room and escaped from the Marquess of Bailey¡¯s manor, she recalled the fact that her body had a miraculous healing power.


    ¡°It was in summer.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°That demon must have used her power in summer. I¡¯m sure.¡±


    This time, Acerus looked surprised. He said he had received reports of something strange happening in the northern battlefield at the time.


    ¡°There¡¯s a contagious disease.¡±


    ¡°Contagious disease?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The disease infected the enemies too so I didn¡¯t think much of it¡­ But I guess she was pulling a trick at that time.¡±


    That¡¯s why God gave me healing powers back then.


    Lara realized that fact.


    ¡°Did God give you a blessing? What is it?¡±


    Acerus could not hold back his curiosity and asked. Lara looked around and found a bread knife on the table. She thought that she could show her healing powers by making a small wound with the knife.


    However, Demian had been listening to their conversation without saying a word. He quickly moved and grabbed the bread knife and threw it against the wall. The small knife prated the wood and prated all the way to the handle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±


    Demian said. He was slightly frowning. Lara could just directly say what her power was, she did not have to hurt herself to show it. She just smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s a healing power.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Even if I get wounded, it disappears quickly. I can still die, but I can heal myself even when my sides get stabbed.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous, right? I¡¯m a saintess, so I should be able to heal others. I guess God must have been in a hurry to give me power.¡±


    Lara thought the reason was that karma was not umted enough. But Acerus¡¯ train of thought was different.


    ¡°I guess the God of Fate really cares about you.¡±


    So it can also be interpreted like that.


    Listening to Acerus, Lara smiled again this time.


    Lara said that she would leave it to Acerus to get information from Vc. As Vc was friendly to him, it would be more difficult to let a stranger do the work.


    ¡°I will hunt the demon in the north.¡±


    Lampion dered to hisrades. He could not understand the conversations between Lara and Acerus but he noticed that they were nning to subdue the demon hidden in the north. So he intervened as if he had been waiting for it. However, Acerus quickly refused.


    ¡°She¡¯s mine!¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Finders, keepers.¡±


    ¡°You son¡­¡±


    Acerus looked at Oscar with a face asking for help. He felt like he would blow out if he talked to Lampion. But Oscar, whom he trusted, crossed his arms as if asking why he was saying something that obvious.


    ¡°Can you win with just your knights?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯te back as a loser and beg to us while crying. Just leave it to us.¡±


    ¡°Wha- dude?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a sin to be weak. We will fight for you.¡±


    Oscar grinned. He was called a chameleon because he was flexible and very social despite being a Barbarian. This was a moment that made people realize he was also a great Barbarian.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After talking to Acerus, Lara got up to go to the Temple of Glory.


    Originally, the sanctum was not open to just anyone. However, as Acerus ckmailed the priests with his power and gave Lara permission to enter, she could go to meet the God of Fate at any time.


    ¡°Thank you, Crown Prince Acerus.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re wee. Let me know if you need anything. It is of great pleasure to be able to help you. I mean it.¡±


    ¡®Why is he being so nice to me? Is it because he needs the saintess for the Great Demon War?¡¯


    With that thought in her mind, Lara said thank you again. She was about to turn around after saying her greetings but Acerus pped his forehead as if he had forgotten something and spoke to Lara.


    ¡°Hmm, by the way, saintess.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I have received a reply that a delegation from Hautean will be sent here. Do you have any idea who will be the representative?¡±


    ¡°A delegation?¡±


    ¡°As the King¡¯s deputy.¡±


    Is there even anyone suitable?


    Lara had no idea. If Prince Sidhar did not turn out like that, it would be either the Prince or the Princess. But now that So has be the one and only heir to the throne, she would not be able to move rashly. If that¡¯s the case, an influential noble would have to fill in. However, Lara knew little about the power structure within Hautean.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Lara tilted her head.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 94 - You Are My World

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    That night, Lara went to the sanctum alone. Demian acted as her escort and guarded the entrance outside the sanctum. It was to ensure that no one interfered with the conversation between Lara and God.


    Lara grumbled to the God of Fate, scolding how he came into her dream to call her. Then, she asked if she was given her healing power because of the demon hiding in the north that had been spreading contagious diseases.


    <Lara, to protect this world from extinction¡­ Your death is the one thing that must not happen under any circumstances. Didn¡¯t I show you what would happen if you die?>


    Lara hid her surprise and nodded. Suddenly, her body was hot as she recalled Demian who was ruined after her death. The more she thought about it, the more her heart ached.


    Lara said she wanted to turn all the Barbarians into demon yers this time. Like the holy knights who could borrow the power of God a long time ago, she asked if he could give his blessing to them.


    The God of Fate was put on the spot.


    <In order to do that, the demon has to cause at least a catastrophe.>


    So, it¡¯s impossible.


    As soon as Lara was about to give up, God told her an expedient.


    <Even if it is not necessarily harming humans, you can make the demon use its strength. Think carefully.><b> You are My World</b>


    As the demon possessed his body, Vc gradually started to recall Prince Sidhar¡¯s memories. However, there were some things that he could not understand no matter how he thought about it.


    For a human being, this bastard wore quite a decent mask. So why did that woman named Laviore hate him so much?


    No matter how much I search through his memories, I don¡¯t think this bastard did anything particrly wrong to that woman.


    ¡°Urghhhh¡­¡±


    Vc had the most dramatic performance of his long demonic life. Dark red blood gushed out of his mouth. Then, the demon¡¯s pattern engraved on his body squirmed like a snake and sucked the blood that flowed out.


    The pattern on his body was rough, it wasn¡¯t even properly drawn. And even if he sucked blood, he did not even feel full. It was no different than drinking his own blood. But this process was absolutely necessary.


    ¡°Aargghhhh!¡±


    Vc screamed in excruciating pain. Then the knights outside rushed to him, opened the door, and called the doctor out loud.


    ¡®Can I die now because there are already eyewitnesses? Should I wait for Acerus toe? That would be better if I want to talk to him alone, right?¡¯


    Vc decided to suffer a little more. While he was struggling and vomiting blood, Crown Prince Acerus rushed in after being contacted.


    ¡°Prince Sidhar!¡±


    ¡°Urgh, Crown Prince Acerus.¡±


    ¡°Hang in there! What is this? If you die¡­¡±


    The demon will wake up.


    Vc smiled with great determination.


    ¡°Bring the doctor! Get the antidote¡­ Damn it. Where did the Prince get the poison?¡±


    It was not poison but just in water. But who cares? Vc thought this was the right time, he slowly stretched out his limbs into Acerus¡¯ embrace. Then, he stopped the heart of the body he was upying.


    ¡°No!¡±


    Acerus screamed in despair. Soon after, Vc, the demon, opened his eyes in the body of the Prince.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Days had passed since Lara had been living in Dandelion and rumors circted that Thousand Gold Isadora had sent her daughter to the Empire¡¯s capital to pass on her business.


    Lara¡¯s Garden was used by the wealthiest people in Dandelion so socialites who witnessed Lara at the hotel had spread out her sightings here and there.


    Lara paid no mind about all of that. Dandelion was a huge city and Tarragon was a bigger Empire. The number of nobles alone was dozens of times higher than that of Hautean. Lara just thought that their interest in a mere merchant¡¯s daughter would not go long.


    But contrary to what she was expecting, the nobles were very interested in Lara. To be exact, they were interested in who Thousand Gold Isadora would hand over her business and property to. In addition, thedies-in-waiting and knights had spread rumors that Lara was in and out of the Crown Prince¡¯s castle.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I live quietly?¡±


    Laramented. She barely did much, but in the blink of an eye, she was a famous person again. Since her mother was such a great person and she met the Crown Prince so often, she already expected the rumors to some extent, but it had spread faster than she anticipated.


    The mostmon story was that the daughter of Isadora approached Acerus to be Crown Princess Consort. Next was the story that Crown Prince Acerus approached the daughter of Isadora for her property. There was also a story that Lara was working quietly to buy herself a title with money. All kinds of rumors about her circted in Dandelion.


    ¡°I¡¯d better not meet him for the time being. The situation¡¯s already a mess even before I reveal that I¡¯m the saintess. Once the people find out that I¡¯m the saintess, they might say it¡¯s a sign of destruction even when I just sneeze.¡±


    ¡°Good idea.¡±


    Demian dly nodded. At Lara¡¯s request, he handed one of the two long-distance magic receivers made by Valentine to Acerus. After he was told not to meet Lara in person for the time being and to talk to her through the receiver only, Acerus looked as desperate as an abandoned puppy.


    Acerus said to Demian that the saintess was the saintess of all of us, so why was Demian trying to dominate her all to himself? Then, his aide advised Demian that it would be better to break ties with the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Demian, will Vc really give us information about demons? Won¡¯t he be betraying his own kind? I don¡¯t know if I can really trust him.¡±


    ¡°Acerus will take care of that.¡±


    ¡°Do we really need to take the army to subdue the demon in the north? What if there is another dispute with the enemy?¡±


    ¡°Acerus will take care of that too.¡±


    Demian came down to the hotel¡¯s restaurant with Lara to eat. shy meals prepared by the chef were spread out on a white table. Lara was wearing a dark purple dress and a silver fur coat.


    ¡°Tell me honestly.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t really care if the demon reigns and the worldes to an end, do you?¡±


    ¡°I do care.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    Chicken steak that had been generously dipped in red sauce disappeared into Demian¡¯s mouth. He looked straight at Lara, the color of her slowly moving lips was redder than the sauce. And with the corners of his mouth tilted like the moon lying down, Demian spoke.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°In your first life, did I look like I was not interested in anything in the world?¡±


    ¡°No. I wouldn¡¯t say you had no interest, you did be a King after all. You just did a lot of things that I couldn¡¯t understand.¡±


    Demian¡¯s eyes were fixed on Lara¡¯s face throughout the meal. He looked at her lips when she was chewing food, her eyes when she was talking to him, and her fingertips when she was cutting meat. Due to that, Lara, who kept losing her words, breathed in briefly and asked him.


    ¡°Why do you keep looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Because you amaze me.¡±


    ¡°Why? What amazes you?¡±


    ¡°Lara, you only need to give me an order.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°If you give me an order, I will follow it. Whatever it is, I will do as you say. Did you forget? Lara, I¡¯m a warrior fighting on your behalf.¡±


    Lara ced her knife on her te. Demian¡¯s voice continued to be heard.


    ¡°Waiting for information regarding the demons? Just leave that to Acerus. If you tell me to go to the north right now and fight the demon, I will do it.¡±


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to win the war against the demon? Do you want to make Barbarians their only rival?¡±


    He asked. Then, before Lara could even answer, Demian said something shocking.


    ¡°If you want, I can even be the King of the Barbarians right now.¡±


    Crazy.


    Lara muttered.


    ¡°Not to save the world, but for me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be the King?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I will do whatever you want.¡±


    Demian whispered.


    The sweet red wine disappeared into Demian¡¯s mouth. His Adam¡¯s apple protruding from his long neck moved up and down, licking the liquor left on his lips with his tongue thereafter. After finishing his meal, Demian put down his ss and leaned his back against the chair. Then, he persistently followed Lara¡¯s gaze with his deep eyes.


    She felt like there was hot candy stuck in her throat. The weather was cold outside but Lara wished that she had something cold to drink.


    The one who needs to be the hero to save the world says that he will fight solely for my sake. What should I do?


    ¡°Do you love me?¡±


    Lara asked.


    ¡°So much that I can even save the world.¡±


    He replied.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 95

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara¡¯s fingertips trembled. She could hardly continue her meal. Her heart was beating so loud that it felt like the food was going to jump out.


    When Demian looked at her mouth, it felt like they were kissing. When he looked at her hands, she was thrilled and felt as if they were holding hands tightly. When he looked into her eyes, her heart rang and swelled, her body temperature rose, and it all made her feel the heat.


    Lara took a sip of the wine and rolled it in her mouth. The lukewarm wine disappeared into her hot stomach.


    Demian kept looking at her. Even though he was not talking, she could hear his voice in her ears. It was a voice that spoke of love, she could tell just by looking at his eyes. Through Demian, Lara first found out how a man looked at his partner when he fell in love. And she realized. He had the same look in his eyes when he looked at her in her past life.


    She did not know how she could have ignored such a beautiful man for so long. She knew what those intense gazes meant. She knew what was growing in his dry and empty mind. His body temperature was high, but his touch was ming hotter still. He was talking love.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    You always say you will listen to whatever I want. Yet you don¡¯t even know that makes me sad.


    ¡°I want a lot of things.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I am a greedy woman. There are a lot of things I want to do, a lot of things I want to have, and a lot of things I want to achieve.¡±


    Demian was interested. He tilted his head towards Lara, his deep blue eyes shed with joy.


    ¡°Tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°I want to make the Barbarians heroes. I want them to be the victors of an honorable fight on a battlefield that they desire. And I want to spread the word to the people that they have saved the Tarragon Empire, and that everyone should bow down and thank them.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°I want to prevent the demon from toying with humans for their entertainment. I want the demon worshippers and ck sorcerers to disappear into the darkness. So that the terrible history of sacrificing humans to please the demon does not repeat.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°I want all my people to be happy.¡±


    Demianughed. He had a certain look on his face as if implying that he had already expected that. While leaning on the chair, he leaned forward and approached Lara.


    ¡°Think about it again. There¡¯s nothing in it for you.¡±


    Everything Lara said was for others. It was for the world, the God of Fate, Barbarians, and the people around her. Demian pointed that out.


    ¡°So it is for you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You said you want to do everything. But everything is just for me.¡±


    Demian ced his hand on the table and showed his palm. Lara ced her own hand on top of his as if she had been put under a spell. Her small hand could not cover Demian¡¯s big hand, she trembled over it.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Demian raised his finger and scratched Lara¡¯s palm. He dug in between her fingers and rubbed her sensitive skin. He yed with her palm with his short nails and counted the shallow wrinkles on it. He raised his fingertips and tickled her wrist.


    ¡°Tell me what you want.¡±


    He whispered.


    ¡°Because that¡¯s also what I want.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    For the first time in his life, Domino was really into hotel life. Delicious food that was perfectly cooked, hot bathwater, and a clean and fluffy bed. Everything was satisfactory.


    ¡°My body now bathes in luxury and can no longer live in the mountains.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit.¡±


    ¡°That woman Demian loves must be an angel.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°A rich angel.¡±


    Lampion burst intoughter, he did not affirm or deny Domino¡¯s words. Whileying down on the sofa in a fleece gown and chewing dried meat, Domino suddenly brought out the thought that came to his mind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you can see why the Tarragon people treat us like uncivilized people?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°If they have been living this kind of life since they were born, reading books or drawing every day¡­ then all they have ever caught is probably a bug that¡¯s smaller than their finger.¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°I kind of understand them.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to bear in mind what the weaklings say.¡±


    ¡°You should model yourself after Oscar, dude. The world is changing. The Barbarians do not have many people left. Our children will now have to learn to live among those people.¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap. Barbarians are strong and willst forever. I will make sure that will happen.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so like your father?¡±


    ¡°Is that an insult?¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s apliment?¡±


    Domino burst intoughter and looked at Lampion. In the precious time where they could be taking a bath, taking a rest, and eating delicious food, Lampion pulled out his weapons one by one, meticulously groomed them, and then pulled out his coat.


    ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go out with Demian.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Get up quickly. Let¡¯s go out.¡±


    Domino muttered that he felt like he was talking to himself before raising himself up.


    ¡°Why do I have to go out?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t, there will just be the two of us.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Oscar is not here because he went to the Crown Prince. Demian and I can¡¯t just go out together. Hurry up and get dressed.¡±


    Lampion took no refusal. When Dominoy down on the sofa and showed no signs of getting up, he raised him up by force and put his coat over him.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be just the two of us.¡±


    ¡°You b*tch.¡±


    Domino was not able to ovee Lampion¡¯s pestering and eventually had no choice but to change clothes. No matter how harsh he grumbled, Lampion did not even pretend to listen to him.


    ¡°Why are we going out? Does Demian have something to do outside?¡±


    ¡°No. I asked him to go out.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°To make things work out with the woman.¡±


    Lampion spoke with confidence. He stuck out his chest and tapped it with his wrist, saying that it was only a matter of time before Demian ended up with Lara if he did what he was told.


    ¡°I think if you just keep your mouth shut, that would be the most helpful.¡±


    Domino ruffled his hair with his thick hand.


    Lampion was trying to get Demian and Lara together in his own way. Once, he suddenly went outside and used all the money he had to buy a cheap ring.


    Oscar scolded him saying that the ring was so old-fashioned and that a ring given by other people would be meaningless. If it were not for him, Lampion might have run to Lara¡¯s room and thrown the ring on her palm.


    Another time, he came in with arge teddy bear made of wool in his arms. When Demian asked him with a grim face if that was game he got from a hunting session, Oscar and Domino had a bellyugh.


    ¡°What are you going to buy again today? Can¡¯t you just please stay still?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that crap. A Barbarian must help a fellow Barbarian¡¯s love.¡±


    ¡°I mean, I didn¡¯t say I won¡¯t help him.¡±


    ¡°Just shut up and follow me. Your senses are dull now that you have grown old.¡±


    When dealing with someone you could not get through to, you either did not talk to them at all or just did what they wanted. Domino unwillingly walked and went outside, thinking that he had to endure it as the older one.


    ¡°You got slower now that you¡¯re old, Domino.¡±


    Demian was waiting for them outside.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The hotel manager advised them to go on a carriage because the weather was cold but the three Barbarians hurriedly got on the horse, saying that it would be too stuffy in a carriage. They headed to the street where the most expensive restaurants in Dandelion were located.


    ¡°Why food?¡±


    Domino asked. Then Lampionughed, saying he was confident this time.


    ¡°There are women who don¡¯t like jewelry or flowers, but there are no women who don¡¯t like delicious food.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°In between a man and a woman, when you share something delicious, you will be more affectionate. Additionally, the sense of distance between the two will also disappear.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°One bite for you, one bite for me¡­ If you don¡¯t want to eat it, I will finish it all. Just like that, hehehe!¡±


    ¡°Do you think that makes sense?¡±


    Domino asked Demian this time. Then, Demian answered with an unenthusiastic face.


    ¡°He must be the one who wants to eat delicious food.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Lampion spoke of there being a dessert shop that was very popr with women on the high-end restaurant street. He told them to buy all kinds of desserts sold there for Lara.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a useful idea.¡±


    For some reason, Domino defended Lampion.


    Demian thought all of it as useless. Lara ate the finest desserts every day. The hotel manager already treated her as a King because she was the sessor. Still, Lampion¡¯s effort to y cupid to Lara and Demian was funny. So, Demian withheld himself from telling him that Lara had already epted his feelings.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 96

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    After passing several intersections, Lampion stopped in front of a white building.


    ¡°It¡¯s here!¡±


    Luxurious carriages lined up in front of the building. Women gaudily dressed like peacocks took their lovers¡¯ hands, got off the carriage, and entered the store with a giggle.


    ¡°There are couples everywhere.¡±


    Unfazed by the couples, Lampion shrugged. On the other hand, Domino pulled back with a pale face.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going in.¡±


    ¡°Coward. Are you really scared of that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m really scared of going into a shop full of lovers.¡±


    ¡°Stay here then. Demian and I will be back soon.¡±


    Lampion confidently spoke. He went in front of the shop and got off his horse. He and his horse breathed out white steam at the same time.


    ¡°Demian, are you okay? Lampion has always been thoughtless so it¡¯s understandable why he acts like that. But, you¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel anything?¡±


    ¡°Feel what?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Seems like I¡¯m the weirdo here.¡±


    Demian really did not feel anything. Even when he looked at the shop full of lovers, he felt nothing.


    Demian got off his horse and walked in front of the shop with Lampion. Then, they blended in with the crowd of lovers and entered the shop. They lined up to buy dessert. Their actions were natural, but they were not natural in the eyes of the people looking at them. Their height was taller than the average man, they had broad shoulders, dark hair, light skin, and despite their thick clothes, their extraordinary bodies could still be felt; all of this had caught the people¡¯s attention.


    Regardless of gender, everyone in the shop was looking at them. Just in time, Lampion grumbled, saying it was hot, and took off his coat. Gasps could be heard here and there. His thin shirt looked like it was about to burst. With every breath Lampion took, his thick pectoral muscles went up and down.


    ¡°Excuse me, are you knights?¡±


    A brave youngdy smiled and talked to them. Demian ignored her without answering back. He was not interested in the attention they showed. But Lampion smiled and said.


    ¡°We¡¯re Barbarians!¡±


    Lampion¡¯s loud voice was full of pride as a Barbarian.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    While Demian was in the dessert shop with Lampion and Domino, Lara was talking to Oscar, who had just returned from Acerus¡¯ castle.


    ¡°How was Vc?¡±


    ¡°It is said that both of them acted with all their might.¡±


    Oscar looked like he did not know whether he shouldugh or cry.


    ¡°Vc screamed as Prince Sidhar that he was about to die. In turn, Crown Prince Acerus begged him not to die. After going on like that and screaming all night¡­ It was all concluded this morning.


    Lara also had a simr look to him.


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°It is said that as soon as Prince Sidhar died, Vc acted as if he had just woken up from that body. Then, he said this to Crown Prince Acerus.¡±


    Oscar bit his trembling lips once, barely maintaining a serious expression, and said.


    ¡°Mankind, worship me.¡±


    Lara bit her lip.


    Oscar said once more.


    ¡°If you do, I will be your friend.¡±


    She tried not tough, but that was impossible. She seemed to be able to understand why the God of Fateughed as though it was absurd as soon as he heard Vc¡¯s name.


    Looking back, it was very coincidental. Lara thought about why Vc, the demon, chose to swallow poison.


    Obviously, he had done so because it was a good way to fake his death. But when Prince Sidhar¡¯s face came to mind, she felt weird. He was the one who was directly in front of her when she died, it was neither refreshing nor was it unsettling but it was not disappointing either.


    How should I say it? D¨¦j¨¤ vu? Feel out of ce?


    She wondered if this was what people in the past called fate.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Anyway, is Acerus going to worship him?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask that much¡­ But it seems to be going pretty well.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Vc had already given away the name of the demon hiding in the north.¡±


    After having been walking side by side with Oscar in the hotel garden, Lara stopped dead in her tracks. She asked with her red eyes twinkling.


    ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡±


    ¡°It is¡­¡±


    When Oscar was about to whisper to Lara the demon¡¯s name, Konny came running, calling for her in an urgent voice.


    ¡°Mdy, mdy!¡±


    ¡°Konny?¡±


    ¡°Mdy, we have a problem!¡±


    Lara wanted to ask Konny why she was making a fuss but Konny¡¯s face was serious. Lara approached Konny with a resolute expression and asked her.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Master Demian and the Barbarians were imprisoned!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Oscar was more surprised than Lara. He approached Konny closely and asked her.


    ¡°Why? Did they knock someone down? Did they send someone flying? Was someone¡¯s bone broken? Were someone¡¯s teeth pulled out? Or¡­did they kill someone?¡±


    Konny muttered how Oscar knew about that. Then, she clenched her fist and told Lara.


    ¡°They wrecked a shop.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°They threw the workers there and they even threw the soldiers who came after receiving the report. They were tied with ropes but they cut it off with force. They were barely caught with an iron.¡±


    Lara blinked slowly. Oscar groaned next to her.


    Konny asked Lara carefully.


    ¡°They were searching for the person in charge. What should I do?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Thew enforcement knights. They are so annoying! They acted so arrogantly to me and to Master Demian, they were just¡­ I mean¡­¡±


    So, they treated him like a ve.


    Lara tapped Konny on her shoulder. It meant that she understood even if she did not exin it in detail.


    But Konny did not stop talking. She thought that it was the virtue of a maid to tell on to her employee, so she kept shouting with a red face that was filled with rage.


    ¡°They asked me who my master was¡­ They told me ¡®how you could just release those beasts.¡¯ They scared me, telling me to be ready. Mdy, hurry up. Go and scold them!¡±


    Lara had a rtively calm face. But not Oscar, he kept sighing because he did not know what to do. He said he would find out what had happened. But Lara stopped him.


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mdy!¡±


    ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Konny, who was huffing and puffing, suddenly put strength on her shoulders and took the lead. Lara followed Konny and shook her head to tell Oscar to stay back.


    She could endure everything else, but she could not stand for it when Demian and hisrades were treated with contempt. Especially as long as she was in Dandelion, she would never let such a thing happen. The sound of her shoes rang in the Lara¡¯s Garden hotel.


    When Lara went out to the lobby, she saw an employee being in hot water. He was epting the documents handed over by thew enforcement knights.


    ¡°It¡¯s them.¡±


    Konny pointed to the knights. Four knights stood side by side with a blue insignia over their armor worn by Dandelion¡¯sw enforcement. They seemed to be acting quite intimidating. Lara could tell by looking at their postures, voice, and manner of speaking. They were arrogant, authoritarian, and were threatening their opponents.


    ¡°Are you saying that the best hotel in Dandelion has such lowly things as the guests?¡±


    ¡°If the rumor spreads, do you think the nobles wille here? If you don¡¯t want the hotel to go bankrupt, you should have more carefully chosen your guests. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    ¡°Tell the person in charge toe out quickly. A shop waspletely smashed! People are hurt! Do you know how many nobles there were?¡±


    The employee nodded frantically. He looked around to look for the manager. However, what caught his eyes was not the trustworthy manager, but Lara, the daughter of the hotel¡¯s owner who had recently shown up at the hotel.


    ¡°Mi- mdy.¡±


    The employee hesitated for a moment. Lara was still a youngdy. Would she be able to deal with these terrifying knights? Wouldn¡¯t it instead be better for him to take action to protect thedy? While he was contemting such things, Lara took the documents from his hand. Then, she turned to the knights.


    ¡°Wee.¡±


    Lara was wearing a dark purple velvet dress that was almost ck. With her thick eye makeup, her tone was calm and cold. She looked young but she did not look clumsy nor did she look friendly. Rather than a smile for her guests, she only showed signs of difort. She said to the knights.


    ¡°If youe to someone else¡¯s house, be polite.¡±


    Then, she grabbed the documents and ripped them apart very slowly. The sound of paper tearing was long. The knights¡¯ eyes were stuck in the torn documents and did not move. Lara threw the ripped documents to them and said.


    ¡°Bring it back. This time, with proper etiquette, reveal your unit and name, and tell me your objective. Isn¡¯t that the right order?¡±


    ¡°What did you¡­¡±


    The knights red at her with a surge of anger.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°The daughter of Isadora, Lara.¡±


    Thew enforcement knights did not seem to know who she was. So Lara kindly informed them once more.


    ¡°I¡¯m the daughter of this hotel¡¯s owner and the friend of the Barbarians that you caught.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 97

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The enragedw enforcement knights left, saying they woulde back againter. After that whole fiasco, Lara was able to hear from the manager about what had happened in more detail.


    ¡°It¡¯s some kind of dessert shop in the downtown area. They were chased out as soon as people found out they were Barbarians. The staff who kicked them out said that the store¡¯s reputation would decline and that they would be hated by their customers.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°At first, they stood their ground. They questioned why they couldn¡¯t buy it since they were already going to pay for it. So they just stood there¡­¡±


    ¡°Were they dragged out?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The shop¡¯s staff used violence first. So Lampion smashed the shop out of rage and Domino beat people up.¡±


    ¡°What about Demian?¡±


    ¡°He pped his hands out loud¡­¡±


    The manager slightly lifted his eyes and read Lara¡¯s face. Lara twitched her lips.


    ¡°Mdy, what should we do? Should we ask Crown Prince Acerus for a favor?¡±


    The manager asked. In his opinion, the fastest and cleanest way to deal with the situation was to leave it to Acerus. If the Crown Prince gave the order, Demian, Lampion, and Domino would be able to return safely to the hotel right away. Compensation for smashing the shop and problems rted to the injured people would also be simple to solve. He¡¯s the Crown Prince after all. But Lara had no intention of getting his help.


    ¡°No.¡±


    She shook her head.


    ¡°I will take care of it.¡±


    In Lara¡¯s opinion, if the problem was dealt with that way, nothing would ever change. The Tarragon Empire would continue to despise the Barbarians and if the Barbarians were released due to their personal friendship with the Crown Prince, the knights would hate them more and more. That was not the result Lara wanted.


    ¡°Where is Oscar now?¡±


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s packing nkets, coats, and underwear to bring to the prison.¡±


    Lara thanked the manager and went to Oscar.


    He was randomly stuffing the three men¡¯s luggage into arge bag.


    ¡°Why did I follow them all the way here? I should have just ignored the news that Demian was back¡­ I should have just stayed in the mountains. Why should I care if those bastards fight or starve to death? Those damn Barbarians! Why the hell am I so unfortunate?¡±


    ¡°Oscar.¡±


    Lara spoke to him.


    ¡°Would you mind waiting a moment? I will go with you.¡±


    ¡°To the prison? Even if you go, you won¡¯t be able to see anything good.¡±


    ¡°It would be even worse without me. I have something to prepare, so please wait for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Yes? Prepare?¡±


    Oscar asked back, feeling puzzled. He had a face that was asking what there was to prepare. He thought that only a nket and a pair of clothes were needed because of the prison¡¯s low room temperature.


    Laraughed softly.


    ¡°Because this is my second time being a supplier for a prisoner.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Experience is the key to anything.¡±


    Oscar did not immediately understand Lara¡¯s words. He was bewildered and followed her out of the hotel. He saw that Konny was standing at the entrance and was waving her hands.


    ¡°Mdy! We¡¯re all ready!¡±


    Arge wagon was loaded with all sorts of luggage. Oscar looked at the scene with a puzzled face.


    ¡°What is all this?¡±


    ¡°nkets, pillows, towels, pajamas, beddings, socks, earplugs, underwear, dried meat, dried fruit, sandwiches¡­ And chocte.


    Chocte?


    ¡°Chocte in the prison¡­¡±


    Regardless of whether Oscar was flustered or not, Konny moved diligently. She thanked the workers who loaded the luggage over and over again and told the coachman to go to the watchmen station. Then, when the carriage for Lara came, Konny gestured to Oscar.


    ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The prison managed by Dandelion Law Enforcement was an ordinary-looking building. It was not so run down despite being a prison. However, since the people that were captured that day were the fearsome Barbarians, thew enforcement knights imprisoned them in the most heavily guarded dungeon.


    They couldn¡¯t have helped it. If they had just locked them up somewhere, they were afraid that they would end up seeing the Barbarians breaking out.


    ¡°Who are you again?¡±


    Said the manager, who made a puzzled face as Lara entered the watchmen management office. Oscar felt deep sympathy for him and nced to the side.


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about visitor records, I wrote it down when I came in.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Yes, this one. But¡­ What¡¯s that wagon?¡±


    ¡°My friends are in prison. I¡¯m worried they will catch a cold so I want to give them private food.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I heard that as long as it¡¯s nothing like weapons, liquor, drugs, money, or anything made of metal, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Well, that¡¯s true. But that¡¯s too excessive.


    The flustered manager gazed into deep space, lost and wandering around.


    ¡°You can inspect them inside out. Feel free to exclude anything suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, mdy.¡±


    ¡°I know that the person captured inside is the hero who saved the life of the Crown Prince on the battlefield. Do I have to spread this news around?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ All right.¡±


    While the managers inspected the items Lara brought, she brought Oscar and Konny down into the dungeon.


    Demian was lying on the wooden bed of the prison. He was asfortable and natural as lying in his own bedroom. Lampion and Domino were sitting on the floor,menting their circumstances.


    ¡°I held it in really well, but they touched me first. How can I know the shop¡¯s table would be so weak? I just touched it slightly and it broke down.¡±


    ¡°Then, should I say this to them? The fault lied in the guy who flew away after I threw him.¡±


    ¡°Dude, hitting someone is still wrong.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you¡­¡±


    Domino was outside the shop. When he saw Lampion being hit by several people, he was blinded with rage and charged inside. Seeing Lampion not taking his side, he beat his chest, saying he was hurt.


    ¡°Demian!¡±


    Lara appeared at that time. Demian looked at Lara and raised his body. Lampion and Domino waved their hands to greet Oscar, who had been following Lara¡¯s back.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    While Lara looked at Demian to make sure he was not hurt, Lampion and Domino joked to Oscar that he should get out, hit someone, and join them. But they were savagely insulted in return. Lara reached out and gripped the thick iron bars.


    ¡°Demian, would you like to inform Crown Prince Acerus about this?¡±


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Demian seemed like he did not mind. He got up from his seat and walked over to Lara. He took her hands from the iron bars and wrapped them in his.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    Lara leaned close to him. Then, she spoke in a very low voice so that the guards watching from afar could not hear her.


    ¡°Just wait for a while.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Before saving the world, I must first save you all.¡±


    Demian looked at her. He raised his eyebrows, then lowered them shortly after. Just as he was about to ask Lara what she was thinking, the door opened from the top of the stairs and Konny appeared with the workers.


    ¡°Mdy! That shameless manager confiscated chocte because of it being a luxury item! I bet he¡¯s going to secretly eat it!¡±


    Along with Konny¡¯s loud tattling, the items brought by the workers, including nkets, pillows, beddings, underwear, food, and earplugs were brought into the prison one by one under the guard¡¯s supervision.


    ¡°What are those?¡±


    Lampion and Domino hung side by side from the iron bars with their mouths wide open.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The watchmen did not report the incident to Acerus. The reason was that it was not important enough to be reported to the Crown Prince.


    They did not even release Demian. He just smiled and pped but they refused Lara¡¯s request to release him, saying that he also had to be investigated to clearly cover the dispute.


    What to do? There were many ways to get them out of prison. Lara could solve it by herself without the help of Acerus. If she applied for a trial and followed thew, the staff¡¯s mistake might be pointed out. But it would take a very long time.


    There was also a way to cover up their crimes with money. She could just give enough gold for the shop owner and victims to be satisfied.


    She could also visit the God of Fate and beg for his help. Since he was friendly, he might be able to give a rather flustered revtion. And if he first needed to build karma even for that, she could go to Vc and provoke him.


    Or she could even abandon Tarragon. She could turn her back on the Empire and go to thewless zone. She could stay silent until the Great Demon War broke out and grow her strength there.


    Lara could do anything. There was nothing she could not do for Demian. After turning back 10 years, Lara firmly vowed that she would do anything for him. Demian had risked his life on dozens of battlefields over the years for her. His sacrifice was Lara¡¯s karma. He was her destiny. Demian Rhode Drake¡ªthe King of Ouws in her past life¡ªwould be called the King of the Barbarians in this life.


    In the carriage returning to the hotel, Lara spoke to Oscar.


    ¡°How many Barbarians are there in the West?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little over 2,000 people. However, our people are scattered here and there, so no one knows the exact number. It¡¯s hard to figure out because we live on our own.¡±


    ¡°Did someone order you to hunt for the demonic beast?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s just our job. The Empire¡¯s officials give money to hunters to control the number of demonic beasts.¡±


    ¡°What happens if the Barbarians do not do the work?¡±


    ¡°The demonic beasts usually give birth every six months, so the number will increase significantly after about a year. It might evene all the way down to the border.¡±


    ¡°Then, the knights will be dispatched.¡±


    ¡°Yes. from what I know, before we started hunting, the knights were regrly dispatched.¡±


    Oscar looked at Lara with a perplexed face that questioned the reason why she asked such questions.


    ¡°If I ask which one will you hunt between the demonic beast and the demon, what is your answer?¡±


    ¡°The demon of course. Barbarians train all our lives to fight stronger opponents. Now that those demon worshippers are quiet, we can¡¯t help but hunt the demonic beasts.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    Lara nodded. Then, she gave him a piece of paper and said.


    ¡°Write a letter to yourrades. Tell them to let Tarragon¡¯s knights deal with the demonic beasts. We will go to the North and hunt the demon there.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I will feed you all until then.¡±


    ¡°All 2,000 people?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lara was confident. She was actually thinking of this as an investment, not an expenditure.


    2,000 demon yers. There would not be any other heroes more expensive than them in the Great Demon War.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 98

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    While Oscar grumbled over what to write to hisrades in the West, a demon and a human sat face to face, feeling out each other¡¯s minds in the Crown Prince¡¯s castle.


    Acerus tried not to be nervous. He stretched out his shoulders and sat confidently across from the demon, but he could not stop his face from stiffening up.


    ¡°What should I rece your meal with?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that. For now, just tell me what you want.¡±


    Vc arrogantly rejected Acerus¡¯ favor. He ridiculed Acerus by saying human food did not even taste good when he put it in his mouth and he did not even feel full when he swallowed it.


    ¡°I want revenge on your race in the North.¡±


    Acerus told him the truth. Rather than being caught trying to deceive Vc with a clumsy lie, he decided to be honest about the information that everyone knew. Then, Vcughed out loud.


    ¡°I know what that half-breedhas done to you. Lilith has been able to use hallucinations freely since she was born. That¡¯s the specialty of that half-breed. You must have been in the hallucinations she instilled.¡±


    Vc looked delighted. He was speaking with Prince Sidhar¡¯s face and voice but he was a much more unpredictable and outspoken demon than the original body¡¯s owner.


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    Acerus was in pain even when he was only thinking about that time. And even knowing that Vc was watching him with great interest, Acerus picked up the cup on the table and gulped down the cold water. Only after drinking the cold water that made his heart shiver was he able toe to his senses.


    ¡°Yeah, so I¡¯m going to get revenge.¡±


    ¡°In what way?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hunt down that demon and tear her to death.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a demon too. How can you say you are going to tear one of my race to death in front of me? Isn¡¯t it better not to talk in such a cocky tone while I¡¯m still here?¡±


    Vc seemed to be in a very good mood. As he watched Acerus trying hard to observe him, he smiled with a face as if he was having so much fun.


    ¡°Human beings can¡¯t read a demon¡¯s intentions. You¡¯re just a mayfly who will barely be able to live until 100 years. How are you going to challenge a demon who has lived for 1000 years?¡±


    ¡°Why do you keep appearing in the human realm?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fun here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You revere the strong one and reign over the weak one. That ideology resembles ours. But it¡¯s also interesting that you never admit that fact.¡±


    Vc pointed his finger at the map of the continent hung on the wall.


    ¡°It¡¯s fun to see you fighting over that smallnd. Love, jealousy, hate, and loathe; it¡¯s all so thrilling. Is it because you have a short life? You humans always risk your lives on things that are useless and worthless.¡±


    ¡°Is that also the reason Lilith came to the human realm?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not like that. That half-breed was born between a human and a demon so she must havee here to find her roots.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Acerus was taken aback. Looking at Acerus¡¯ confusion, Vc seemed to have been enjoying the situation.


    ¡°I heard that she was born between a subus demon and a human man.¡±


    ¡°How could that be? Is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Because of that, Lilith likes humans, but at the same time, she hates them. While destroying humans, she alsoes to hate herself.¡±


    Vc had a sense of disdain for Lilith. Whenever he talked about her, a clear feeling of contempt was revealed on his smiling face.


    ¡°If the demons hate Lilith so much, why do you just let her go? You said you don¡¯t have any bond with your own race.¡±


    ¡°Hmph¡­ It¡¯s better to let humans handle something like that. It¡¯s so trivial that it would make my hands dirty.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why this great being is trying to help you humans. You should be thankful.¡±


    ¡°Ha! I can¡¯t believe therees a day when I, the sessor of this Empire, the one representing humans, gets to say thank you to a demon¡­ Where in the world are the many Gods? What are they doing to bring such trials to us humans?¡±


    Bang! Acerus became emotional. He got angry and punched the grip of the chair. Vc smiled more deeply as he saw Acerus like that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a demon who hates humans that much. If you promise me a few things, I¡¯ll let you catch Lilith.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    Acerus looked at Vc with a corrupt face. Then, Vc nodded his head and whispered.


    ¡°First, after hunting Lilith, let me drink her blood.¡±


    ¡°What? How can¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that better than drinking human blood? I won¡¯t be satisfied even with the blood from hundreds of humans. But only one demon is enough.¡±


    ¡°I see. I got it.¡±


    ¡°Second, protect me so that I can have fun in your country and keep my identity a secret. I like the life of this traitor Prince. It¡¯s so full of ups and downs.¡±


    ¡°Great. What is the third one?¡±


    Acerus asked. Vc said with madness in his eyes, not knowing how Acerus was looking at him and thinking that he had achieved everything he wanted.


    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a guy who¡¯s invulnerable to ck magic. Give him to me.¡±


    It was Demian who Vc was aiming for.


    Acerus had been acting perfectly up to that point. But the moment he heard those words, for the first time, his eyes really shook. Fortunately, Vc did not notice. He was so excited that he was drunk on that good taste.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he interesting? I didn¡¯t expect there would be such a thing in the human realm. I must eat him.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara was contacted by Acerus. She thought that maybe he had heard that Demian and hisrades were imprisoned, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Acerus confided to Lara about all of his conversations with the demon Vc.


    ¡°The demon wants Demian? Why?¡±


    ¡¸He didn¡¯t tell me the reason¡­ But it¡¯s obvious why he wants Lilith¡¯s blood.¡¹


    Acerus said with a little hint of impatience.


    ¡¸It seems that demon bes stronger when he eats another demon.¡¹


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡¸Vc now is weaker than Lilith. No doubt. That¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t even want to meet her.¡¹


    Acerus was sure.


    ¡¸But seeing him begging for Lillith¡¯s death to get a drink of her blood, I¡¯m convinced that would be the key to make him strong.¡¹


    Then, what about Demian?


    The moment she heard Acerus¡¯ words, a scene vividly popped into Lara¡¯s mind.


    It was the world after Lara¡¯s death, as shown by the God of Fate. Demian pulled out the demon¡¯s heart, covered himself with its blood, and gradually became a demon himself. Since then, he was an undoubtedly powerful demon lord in that post-apocalyptic world.


    Lara suddenly had goosebumps all over her body. She became as dizzy as she was in the past before she turned back time. The events after that got mixed in her head.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After she finished talking with Acerus, Lara could not sleep and walked around in her bedroom. Demian was a strange child found in the middle of the battlefield, he was said to have abat power beyond human abilities from birth. His body was invulnerable to ck magic. He has no desires, feelings, or dreams that a human should have.


    ¡®Demian.¡¯


    Rather than being unable to adapt to human society, he was just not interested in humans themselves. In Lara¡¯s view, before meeting her, Demian saw everything in the world as an objectpletely different from him.


    ¡®Demian Rhode Drake.¡¯


    Lara wondered why she never doubted it. He only ever showed a human appearance with emotions when it was rted to Lara. And even in his life before death, even though Acerus was the one who called him his friend, even though Acerus poured out his one-sided feelings on him, Demian killed him without hesitation.


    Lara wandered through her bedroom, cing her hand on her heart that was beating painfully. Then she shook all her hesitation off and put on her coat.


    As she went outside, she was stopped by the employees who were on night duty.


    ¡°Mdy, at thiste hour¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the temple!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call the carriage.¡±


    It was a deserted night so the carriage carrying Lara was able to head to the temple smoothly. As soon as she arrived at the temple, she ran towards the sanctum. The priests guarding the entrance did not arrest or block her as Acerusmanded.


    Lara entered the empty sanctum and stood in front of the statue. She felt deep sadness and pain just looking at the face of God. Before this, it had only felt beautiful and reverent.


    ¡°I need to know.¡±


    She, of all people, had to know. She decided to save the world for Demian and for her loved ones.


    ¡°Please tell me.¡±


    God replied.


    <Your lover is not a human being.>


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Lara did not copse. She neither shivered in fear nor did she wallow in despair, all she felt was sadness.


    She loved Demian. Even if he was a being that was hated by everyone in the world, she loved him unstoppably.


    And that was terribly sad.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 99 - Barbarians Love

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    If he was not a human, what was he? Could it be that he was a demon? Lara knew that it was a reasonable spection, but she did not want to admit it that easily.


    There was love in Demian¡¯s heart. He cherished Lara, sacrificed his life for her, and strived for her happiness. He also showed favor and kindness to those around Lara simply because he loved her.


    How could such a being be a demon? Something was wrong with this. If he was a demon, it might be that humans had the wrong understanding of a demon¡¯s existence.<b> Barbarian¡¯s Love</b>


    Seeing the Barbarians in the prison, thew enforcement knights thought that it went very well at first. They considered it would be an opportunity to give hell to the arrogant ves. They thought it would be enough to lock them up for a few days and let them realize their positions.


    It was obvious that the Crown Prince would order them to release them soon anyway. The victims of the thrashing of that dessert shop would make someints, but there was nothing they could do when the Barbarians were the savior of the Crown Prince and fellow soldiers who fought on the battlefields.


    But that was not the case. A few days after locking up the Barbarians, anxiety began to grow among the knights, they thought that their judgements might be wrong.


    The Crown Prince did not order them to be released and the captured Barbarians did not try to go out of the prison. It was so weird, nothing went as they thought.


    First of all, Demian remained silent and did not even use his immunity. He did not even say a word to thew enforcement knight who came down to investigate him. Far from testifying, he did not even give any excuse. So did the other two Barbarians. Theyined about the unfair treatment they had received because they were Barbarians, but let alone beg, they did not even ask to be released.


    Rather, they seemed to have enjoyed prison life. They had no choice but to do so. A woman showed up once a day and provided them hotel-grade meals, clean towels, and snacks.


    Daughter of Isadora, Lara. She not only fed the three Barbarians but also served snacks to thew enforcement soldiers and knights who monitored them. It varied from Dandelion¡¯s most delicious chicken skewers, Dandelion¡¯s most traditionalmb steak, to Dandelion¡¯s most luxurious desserts.


    Lara became a celebrity among thew enforcement members. From the drunkards that were caught every night, petty thieves, thugs, and even scammers, most people in thew enforcement prison knew who she was. She was no different than the soldiers and knights guarding the prison.


    As time passed, thew enforcement soldiers came to wait for the time Lara came to visit Demian. At the same time, they began to feel the pressure for capturing them.


    ¡°Mdy, I found a famous restaurant again! Look at this, thedies in the kitchen told me that the bread in this bakery is really good. They told me to line up early in the morning, so I already sent Valentine there. Did I do good?¡±


    ¡°Valentine? I thought he¡¯s busy preparing for his business?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m helping him from one to ten. The problem is not the preparation of the business, the staff, however¡­¡±


    ¡°Staff?¡±


    ¡°Valentine is someone who can¡¯t even wee a customer, rather, he only hides behind the door. He might even tell the customer not toe near him. As the boss is like that, we need tough and adamant staff. But it¡¯s hard to find someone reliable.¡±


    Even in Lara¡¯s opinion, that was the problem. Valentine had renovated the store and used it as hisboratory. The items that Valentine made and sold were not ordinary by any means, and Valentine himself was also someone who was hard to get along with. So it would be difficult to hire just anyone.


    ¡°Not you.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Konny, you¡¯re my maid. I won¡¯t send you to anyone.¡±


    As Lara spoke seriously, Konny¡¯s cheeks were flushed and she screamed whileughing.


    ¡°Whew! Mdy, that was so cheesy!¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Towards the end of the morning, Valentine bought a bunch of delicious bread as Konny requested. He no longer ran away or took a step back like he used to when he ran into Lara.


    ¡°Hello, mdy.¡±


    Valentine greeted Lara with an awkward face and bowed his head. She greeted him with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I heard you¡¯ve been busy these days.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Ah, yes, but I still have time to make the receiver. All I need are the diamonds¡­¡±


    ¡°The items wille from the mine soon. If you need anything else, just tell me.¡±


    Valentine conveyed his thanks. Lara waved her hands, implying that she was the one who should say thank you. But he went back, muttering that he would pay back her favor by earning a lot of money.


    ¡°What do you mean favor? You don¡¯t have to pay it back¡­¡±


    ¡°Mdy, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Konny rushed Lara and told her to ride the carriage.


    When Lara¡¯s carriage arrived in front of the watchmen station, the soldiers guarding the prison approached her.


    ¡°Hello! You are working hard today!¡±


    They smiled pleasantly in spite of themselves when they watched Konny greet them warmly in a loud voice. Then, when Lara appeared with her cold, arrogant face, their expressions quickly froze following hers.


    ¡°I brought sweet potato cheese bread today! I heard all natives of Dandelion know about it. Have you tried one?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this¡­ It is really tasty!¡±


    ¡°I thought so! Can you hold this for me? This too, it¡¯s heavy. Oh, I¡¯m sorry but hold this one too.¡±


    As if put under a spell, the soldiers carried the bread and drinks that Konny gave away. Lara¡¯s lips flinched as she looked at the sight. Then, guided by the knights, she went down to the dungeon.


    Demian was waiting for her. He stretched his arms through the bars. Lara walked up to him without hesitation and took his hands.


    ¡°Did you have a good dream?¡±


    ¡°Oscar just came here.¡±


    No wonder Lara had not seen him since morning. It seemed that he went to visit the prison.


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°He said that he got a reply.¡±


    ¡°From the West?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Demian leaned his head against the bar. Then, he looked down at Lara¡¯s face and stroked her hair slowly.


    ¡°They areing.¡±


    The Barbarians wereing. The Barbarians who were living and hunting for demonic beasts in the West Gorgon Mountain Range were moving. If so, the news would have been passed on to the Tarragon Imperial Family by now.


    It was very important to control the number of the demonic beasts so that they did note down the mountain range. So the Empire either had to convince the Barbarians to return to the West or dispatch their knights there.


    ¡°Lara, what are you going to do now?¡±


    Demian asked. His blue eyes were full of interest. Lara said firmly.


    ¡°I have to make them realize that the Barbarians are not Tarragon¡¯s ves.¡±


    This was just the beginning. Lara smirked.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    That evening, Acerus found out about the incident at the dessert shop.


    ¡°Which crazy bastards¡­ What? They told the Barbarians to leave?¡±


    ¡°Not only did they kick them out, they even used violence first. But as the Barbarians are powerful, they were no match for them. So thew enforcement knights who arrived at the scene only saw the merchant horribly being beaten up ¡­ The Barbarians should have been locked up.¡±


    The face of the knight who reported the incident did not look good either. They shunned Demian but at least they knew what was right and what was wrong. Even though he said that thew enforcement knights had no choice but to do that, his expression was bitter.


    ¡°Hah! The knights that I trust and cherish are now screwing me over! Damn it, what a great fuckin job. Look what you¡¯ve done! You ass-faced, piss-drinking, piece of goddamn fucking bullshit!¡±


    Although Acerus had a righteous personality with a lot ofughter and enjoyed joking around, he was basically gifted with the qualities of a King. He was even a knight hardened by rough training and brutal warfare. So, once he got angry, it would be hard to stop him.


    ¡°Why the hell did you do that? Do you know how much I regret it after the Barbarians left thisnd? Do you think they risked their lives to fight because they adore you? Even a wandering wild dog would not do that to its life savior! You¡¯re worse than a dog!¡±


    ¡°My apologies.¡±


    There were many who did not understand why the Crown Prince was being so angry just because several Barbarians were imprisoned. For them, it was something that would soon be forgotten anyway. Punishing Barbarians and releasing them was not that big a matter for them.


    ¡°I will tell them to release the Barbarians immediately.¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Just forget it! Do you think releasing them will solve this? If you have eyes, read this!¡±


    Acerus threw the report he was holding at the knights.


    It was a report that the Barbarians were leaving the West border and moving towards Dandelion. Acerus btedly realized how serious saintess Lara was taking this matter. And he scoffed at himself for being idle. He called Demian his friends and he clearly knew how unfairly hisrades were treated, but he stood by with optimism that time would solve it.


    Instead of chastising him, the saintess decided to act directly.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 100

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    [The Barbarians are moving.]


    The officials guarding the Western border sent a carrier pigeon in horror. They were asking Acerus for orders to prevent the Barbarians from leaving the Gorgon Mountain Range. They argued that the Barbarians should be captured even if it had to be done by force.


    A Barbarian could rece dozens of soldiers. Among them, a particrly strong Barbarian could rece ten knights. Two thousand Barbarians could rece twenty thousand well-trained Imperial troops. Maybe even more.


    After settling down on the Western border, the empire no longer needed to dispatch knights twice a year nor did they receive reports regarding demonic beasts appearing at the border.


    Acerus fell into anguish. It was not difficult for him to head to the watchmen prison, fire the knights in question, and free Demian and hisrades. Even now, the whole issue could be solved with a single order from him.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not what the saintess wants.¡±


    If Lara wanted something like that, she would have contacted Acerus as soon as Demian was put into prison. They even had a conversation over the receiver just a few days ago, but still, Lara did not say anything about the matter.


    ¡°Oi, how do you think I should handle this?¡±


    Acerus asked his aide, he was reading a mountain pile of material brushed on one side of the table. The aide answered tly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can handle it just fine.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How do I understand the deep meanings of great people? As simrly great people, Your Imperial Highness should know how to handle this.¡±


    ¡°You punk, whose side are you on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on my own side.¡±


    No one gave him the right answer.


    Acerus was impatient, he grabbed the receiver to talk to Lara. But she did not respond.


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You should dispatch the knights first. The problem will get bigger when the demonic beastse down the mountain range. It¡¯s not like you can easily persuade the Barbarians with words.¡±


    ¡°Hah¡­¡±


    ¡°And please stay neutral.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You are not the King of the Barbarians, you are the Crown Prince of Tarragon. If you keep fighting for the Barbarians like this, the wrath between the two will only deepen.¡±


    Acers¡¯ head cooled down. His aide was right.


    ¡°The knights of this country have also risked their lives on numerous battlefields for hundreds of years. You should not just abandon them just because of the Barbarians.¡±


    Then, what do you want me to do?


    Acerus drooped his shoulders.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Having been at war for a long time, Tarragon did not just simply expand its territory. A wide, straight road was essential for the movement of horses, soldiers, weapons, and supplies.


    ¡°Nowhere on the continent is there a country with roads as developed as Tarragon.¡±


    ¡°True.¡±


    ¡°This is all the result of war.¡±


    ¡°So what? The roads are well paved and it¡¯s easy to move around. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Dude, I¡¯m saying that I like it because it¡¯sfortable.¡±


    They were Barbarians.


    One of the Barbarians was holding a letter sent from Oscar. The barbarian grabbed the small piece of paper with his thick fingers. He stared at the small text on it and murmured.


    ¡°So, Demian loves a woman to death but she does not ept his feelings. So he needs help from all of us. Do you think this makes sense?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    The Barbariansughed out loud at once. They were all wearing cloaks made from the fur of a wolf-type demonic beast caught in Gorgon. The white manes gleamed magnificently in the sunlight.


    ¡°It looks like there is some big fight going on. An enemy strong enough that all of us have to go fight has appeared. And since Oscar was the one who sent it, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s being serious.¡±


    ¡°That prick is close to the Emperor¡¯s son. He must have received a favor or something.¡±


    ¡°But still, did he expect us to believe that Demian is in love? He should have just said that a Demon Lord has appeared in Dandelion.¡±


    ¡°Hehehehe!¡±


    Theyughed out loud again. Breaths of white steam flowed from the horses¡¯ and Barbarians¡¯ mouths and scattered into the air.


    ¡°Demian, that hopeless punk did not even blink an eye when he saw the baby chicks my wife was raising! Those cute chirping things! Do you know what nonsense he spouted back then? He asked how long he would have to raise that chick before he could eat it. He scoffed, saying he would rather go out and hunt!¡±


    ¡°That cold-blooded dumbass.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s all? My wife said that she knew a smartdy and she would introduce her to him. But he said he hated women because they¡¯re annoying!¡±


    ¡°What a prick.¡±


    ¡°Love, my ass! If that really happened to Demian, I will go to Dandelion and be his subordinate!¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡±


    ¡°Same here!¡±


    Their waves ofughter grew louder this time. They looked back at the letter from Oscar once again. Then, they came to the same conclusion.


    There was a big fight in Dandelion. That was why, three guys, no, four guys could not handle it so they called all two thousand Barbarians. Only that conclusion could exin the letter.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°My wife told me not to go around starving.¡±


    ¡°You can starve a little.¡±


    ¡°My wife fell in love with my thick thighs. She told me to take good care of it so it won¡¯t be thin!¡±


    ¡°Fuck that. What are you saying in front of a lonely, single man?¡±


    The road to Dandelion was a series of boredom. They had always lived on rough battlefields so they became very bored during times of travel. So, whenever they pitched tents at the camping ground, they mainly yed arm wrestling or bet on who got to hunt.


    ¡°Someone please catch a deer today. I¡¯m sick of birds.¡±


    ¡°A wild boar also would be fine.¡±


    They were having a discussion on where to camp, what to have for dinner, and who would go hunting.


    ¡°But what is this smell?¡±


    One of the Barbarians sniffed his nose. There was a delicate smelling from somewhere. It smelled savory and oily, full of spices and seasonings.


    Growl.


    A loud noise came from the stomach of the Barbarian who first sniffed the smell. He rubbed his stomach with one hand and turned the horse¡¯s head in the direction the smell wasing from as if he was possessed.


    ¡°Oi, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Oh? What is this smell?¡±


    The closer they got, the less they could put up with the smell. It was impossible to find a restaurant in the wilderness where there were no people, so someone must have set up a camping ground before them.


    ¡°What? Are there chefs somewhere moving in a group or what?¡±


    The Barbarians were tired of their wilderness diet that continued on for a while. There was a limit to buying and packing food in the city. They wanted to eat something hot and savory or sweet and oily.


    Two thousand Barbarians turned their heads in turn. On the way to Dandelion, they found quite a lot of people moving around with tents spread out in a wide-open space along a small river stream.


    They were a tradingpany. One could tell by just at a nce. Arge wagon was lined up by the waterside. There were many mercenaries escorting the luggage, and including the workers and assistants, there were over a hundred people in sight.


    It seemed like a rich merchant. The Barbarians thought so.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Seeing two thousand warriors suddenly appear, a man approached them and asked. He was a middle-aged man who wore a neat suit and coat even while he was camping.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but please stop here. The workers are afraid.¡±


    He said so and strode towards the Barbarians by himself. Then he took off his hat and asked, revealing his face.


    ¡°What do you want from us?¡±


    But there was no need for an answer,


    Grumble. Growl. Smack.


    Almost at the same time, there was a great sounding from the Barbarians¡¯ stomachs. There were also those who red at food with their big eyes and swallowed their saliva.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re hungry.


    The man said.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    Having said that, the man walked to one side of the camp and approached a woman standing in front of the bonfire. She was a woman with neatly curled up wavy brown hair, her squinted eyes were of a scarlet red resembling that of a bonfire. It was Isadora.


    ¡°Madam.¡±


    ¡°Are they Barbarians?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are.¡±


    The man was Sebastian. The workers seemed a little frightened when therge warriors in cloaks of beast skins swarmed. But, since they were Barbarians, Sebastian and Isadora thought there was nothing to fear.


    ¡°It looks like there are roughly¡­two thousand of them.¡±


    ¡°Are they hungry?¡±


    ¡°Yes, even I could hear their stomachs growling.¡±


    ¡°How can we feed all two thousand people?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they can bring the ingredients themselves.¡±


    ¡°Handle it.¡±


    Isadora nodded. Sebastian thought this was good.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go with them to Dandelion, Madam.¡±


    ¡°Are they going the same way?¡±


    ¡°This is a straight road. What else is going toe out at the end?¡±


    ¡°Do I have to feed them all?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to do that? It¡¯s rare to have a chance to meet so many Barbarians peacefully. The demon has already descended and mdy is the saintess, so we have nothing to lose by making friends with the Barbarians.¡±


    Sebastian whispered.


    ¡°They are strong.¡±


    Isadora nodded.


    ¡°If they want to fight for Lara, forget two thousand, I can even feed twenty thousand of them.¡±


    ¡°Wise words, Madam.¡±


    Isadora moved first. She strode from the bonfire to the front of the vacant lot where the Barbarians were gathered. Then, she looked straight at them and said.


    ¡°I am Thousand Gold Isadora.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 101

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Snowy weather infested the area yet again, but unlike other years, this year¡¯s snow was particrly frequent. And as there was a lot of snow, there were many incidents that happened. The nagging from the manager, reminding the hotel staff to be careful not to slip on the snow, followed them all morning.


    The mouths of the busybodies in Dandelion were also busy moving.


    ¡°I guess that woman is Isadora¡¯s daughter. She still looks young though.¡±


    One of the hotel guests mumbled upon finding Lara justing out of the restaurant. The woman beside him covered her mouth with her gloved hand and whispered.


    ¡°I heard she threw away the Crown Prince and chose the ve.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because she¡¯s still young.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with age?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still at an age where it wouldn¡¯t be awkward to call her a girl. No matter how attractive a man is, why would she choose a Barbarian?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Even if she has to be a concubine, the Crown Prince is still the better option.¡±


    ¡°Come on, you¡¯re only looking at one side. If I were the daughter of Isadora, I wouldn¡¯t even take the position as the Crown Prince¡¯s concubine.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That girl will definitely be able to enjoy everything that she can enjoy with the Barbarian as her lover. Then, she would buy a nobleman of high status and marry him.¡±


    Most of the people around agreed with the woman who spoke at the end. In fact, it was because there was a story that Isadora wanted to be a noble. So, after leading a wild life in her youth, she bought a handsome Marquess in Hautean and got married to him.


    Not knowing whatever they were talking about her, Lara left the restaurant after eating. Suddenly, she picked her ear with her little finger.


    ¡°It feels like someone is bad-mouthing me.¡±


    Konny shut her mouth and took a step slightly farther away from her.


    ¡°I¡¯m clean, you know?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    It had been a long time since Demian, Lampion, and Domino entered the watchmen prison. In the meantime, Konny became a gourmet expert at Dandelion and Lara became a little more famous.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t they release them, mdy?¡±


    ¡°Because the users are still mad at them.¡±


    ¡°Is that even a valid reason?¡±


    ¡°Even the knights got beaten up, so it¡¯s a matter of pride. Since Tarragon is thend of knights, the atmosphere is more rigid than Hautean.¡±


    Kony still could not understand it.


    ¡°But at least they will release Master Demian today. Although I don¡¯t know if I should say that I¡¯m d.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Lara got contacted by the watchmen station. They said they would release Demian alone. They, too, must have contemted a lot about it. Demian had immunity, yet did not use that immunity to get out of the prison. Moreover, he was not guilty of anything other than pping his hands.


    ¡°They must be thinking of this as a point ofpromise.¡±


    Lara saw this as their gesture of reconciliation. However, without reflection, the hand held out by the perpetrator should be seen as a different kind of intimidation, not a handshake of reconciliation.


    ¡°It¡¯s deception and trickery.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Konny.¡±


    Lara got on the carriage first. Her dark blue dress fluttered every time she moved.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Several soldiers were sitting in front of the watchmen prison. They made a bonfire in the vacant lot and grilled bird meat. When Konny got off the carriage, they waved to her brightly.


    ¡°Hey, Konny!¡±


    ¡°Hello, uncles!¡±


    ¡°Today we caught some birds for you. It¡¯s been a while since I have used a bow. I think my arm is going to fall off.¡±


    ¡°How did you know I like fowl?¡±


    Konny smiled and sat down among the soldiers. Then, she winked at Lara who btedly got out of the carriage.


    ¡°Uncles, do you guys hate Barbarians too? Why do you hate them so much? They went to the battlefield and fought for you. Shouldn¡¯t you be grateful?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful¡­ Of course, I am.¡±


    The soldiers turned the skewers over with bitter faces.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s a difficult situation. It¡¯s also understandable why the knights hate Barbarians¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°They took away our glory. The Barbarians were born strong without much effort. Such guys suddenly appeared and shed the knights¡¯ glory that they had built up bypeting with swords all their lives.¡±


    Konny looked like she did not understand him. She bit the skewers and was annoyed by such nonsense. The soldiers quickly grilled new skewers for the cute maid.


    Lara went into the prison and ruminated over Tarragon¡¯s history.


    After many years of warfare, the most important people in Tarragon were the knights. In return for risking their lives to fight for the Empire, they were promised high honor and power. Tarragon was a ce where no matter how honorable nobles were, they were still behind a war hero.


    It had been that way for hundreds of years. Children born healthy and strong inTarragon would raise their swords to be knights. Because knights were the best. Because they were the hero.


    Then, Barbarians appeared. Strong opponents that the knights had painstakingly fought over using their whole bodies fell like mere fallen leaves in front of the barbarians. They were like lions in a wild dog habitat. Victory, admiration, and evenpensation belonged to the Barbarians.


    Until then, the knights believed that the glory of victory belonged only to them. Although it was a dangerous and cruel ce, they believed that the battlefield was a sacred ce where they could prove their worth.


    The Barbarians stole it. Doubt became anxiety, anxiety changed into tension, tension turned into envy, and eventually, it became hatred.


    When faced with inherent limitations that they could not catch up with no matter how hard they tried, they decided to harass the Barbarians with their advantages.


    It was the existence of their country, their overwhelming numbers, and their status system.


    Lara hurried down to the dungeon. Thew enforcement knights tried hard to hide their ufortable expressions and opened the door to Demian¡¯s prison.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Demian called her. He stood tall in the prison watching what thew enforcement knights were doing.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m releasing him.¡±


    ¡°After all this time?¡±


    ¡°Because the investigation is over.¡±


    ¡°The investigation could have been over in just a few words but you managed to prolong it for so long.¡±


    The knights did not answer. This was because they also realized that something was wrong with the matter. The Barbarians left the Western border and the Crown Prince was furious. However, there was no order to release them. They did not know how things were going so it was only natural for their anxiety to grow.


    ¡°Demian Drake, you may go back now.¡±


    When the knights opened the prison door and tried to pull Demian out, Lara said to them.


    ¡°You really know nothing about the Barbarians.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°His tworades are in the prison. Do you think Demian will go out happily?¡±


    At Lara¡¯s words, the knights looked at Demian¡¯s face. It was as she said. Demian was not moving a step from where he was standing.


    ¡°I guess thew enforcement knights don¡¯t know about it, you guys haven¡¯t been to the battlefield after all. The Barbarians never abandon theirrades. If this was a battlefield, it would have been the same for you too.¡±


    Konny appeared with a lot of snacks in arge basket. Sunlight poured from the entrance of the stairs, making Lara¡¯s shadow grow long and covering the wall.


    ¡°It¡¯s called loyalty.¡±


    While the flustered knights were stammering, Lara approached the prison and closed the door.


    ¡°Listen here. If this problem is not dealt with fairly, Barbarians will never be Tarragon¡¯s ally again.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are to decide that?¡±


    The knights asked with their eyes filled with dissatisfaction. Lara did not even bat an eyelid. Rather, Konny came down with the basket and red at the knight.


    Just then, Lampion and Domino, who had been silent so far in the prison next to Demian, spoke one by one.


    ¡°Thatdy is our guardian.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in charge of us.¡±


    The two Barbarians smirked and said.


    ¡°So talk to thatdy regarding our matters from now on.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After Lampion and Domino fell asleep, Demian was the only one awake. The prison door was half-open. He did not go out so the knights just left it open.


    It was a vague political act in order for them to have an excuse. They were saying that they had left the door open so it was Demian who did not want to go out. Every time the soldiers guarding the prison looked at the half-open door, they made a very ufortable face. Demian continued to feign ignorance.


    Humans were really fun.


    Demian has been thinking about that a lot these days. The knights of the Empire looked at the Barbarians with feelings of hatred and contempt but it was also mixed with feelings of envy and longing.


    Demian has lived his life thinking of himself as a Barbarian. Because the one who picked him up and raised him was a Barbarian, he continued to live the way he was taught. He was found on the battlefield so he would die on the battlefield. He vaguely thought so.


    But not anymore. Demian¡¯s thoughts were nowpletely different. After having no dreams and no goals, now for the first time in his life, a path was created and a destination was set.


    He would live for Lara. For that, he could be the king of ouws just like in her past life or even be the spearhead at the Great Demon War.


    ¡°Lights off!¡±


    It waste at dusk. Thest patrolling officer turned off the lights and sealed the entrance. Now no one woulde down to prison until the sun rose. Demian, who was lying in darkness, slowly opened his eyes. He had to go to Lara.


    Lara, who visited the prison during the day, whispered in Demian¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Sneak out at dusk.¡±


    Lara did not tell him where to go, she would probably be waiting outside. Demian got up. He made sure that Lampion and Domino were asleep and quietly walked out of the prison.


    Let alone footsteps, there was not even the sound of his breathing. He moved like a shadow. He easily opened the door that the soldiers believed had been tightly sealed. Then, avoiding the soldiers on patrol, he leisurely escaped out of the watchmen prison.


    As he walked in the direction of Lara¡¯s hotel, he saw a familiar carriage.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    The door opened and Lara reached out her hand, Demian smiled lightly and took her hand. Then, he climbed into the carriage.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 102

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The coachman gave Lara and Demian a ride to the forest outside Dandelion. As it was snowing, the cold weather meant there were few people on the street. Only the sound of their carriage was heard on the empty road.


    Lara stopped the carriage inside the forest. She grabbed Demian¡¯s hand and told the coachman.


    ¡°Please wait for us here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mdy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cold so rest inside the carriage.¡±


    Lara was wearing a heavy coat and a thick cape. She made Demian wear the same cape. Then, they walked into the deep forest.


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m being kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Lara smiled. Whenever the two stepped on the snow, a crunch sound could be heard.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Where no one is.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s already no one here, Lara.¡±


    ¡°Where there¡¯s no star or moon.¡±


    Lara¡¯s voice sounded like a song. Demian decided not to ask more questions. A sweet heat rose from the hand he grabbed. He wanted to touch her fingers, he wanted to tickle her wrist and sweep her shoulders. He wanted to listen to her beating heart and breathe along to that beat. As he was having such thoughts, Lara suddenly talked to him.


    ¡°I have a question.¡±


    ¡°Ask me.¡±


    ¡°Who gave you your name?¡±


    Lara asked. She was walking across the dense forest of trees. A small snowke that fell through the branches flowed down her cape.


    Demian replied.


    ¡°Me.¡±


    ¡°You named yourself?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it like that. It just came to my mind one day. It was just like someone¡­told me of a past that I don¡¯t even remember.¡±


    ¡°I heard you saw the demon in person in the North.¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°How did you feel?¡±


    Demian recalled the demon he encountered in the North. White hair fluttering like a ghost, speed and strength that humans could not keep up with, and she even had the appearance of a beautiful woman.


    Originally, it was only normal for predators not to disguise themselves as one. But this demon was strange, while hunting, she enjoyed distracting humans by using the form of a beautiful woman.


    ¡°I was angry.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I only had the thought that I had to fight her and win. I feel bad for Acerus for saying this, but I just ended up saving him while I was dealing with her.¡±


    ¡°Did you win?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    This time, Lara was surprised. She stopped her steps and looked back at him, her pale face looking somewhat flushed. Demian put his palms to her cheeks and melted her icy figure. Lara asked again.


    ¡°Did you kill her?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because she swore to obey me.¡±


    ¡°Why¡­ Who and why? What did the demon¡­do to you?¡±


    ¡°She said she would obey me.¡±


    ¡°So you spared her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Demian did not tell anyone about it, he had forebode that something troublesome was about to happen. Instead, he told the Northern demon not to run wild and she did what he told her.


    Lara raised her head and looked into Demian¡¯s face. Her red eyes stared intently into his dark blue eyes.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    It was a voice full of conviction.


    ¡°I like you.¡±


    ¡°Lara?¡±


    ¡°Do you know how much I like you?¡±


    ¡°Lara, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Even if you tell me to die here and start over, I can do it. I can drink that ck potion again. If you end up like what I saw¡­ I can start over ten times, no, twenty times.¡±


    Demian¡¯s face shone bright, then darkened again. The moon¡ªrevealed through the clouds¡ªwas ying hide-and-seek above them. It snowed, then stopped, and then snowed again.


    Demian put Lara¡¯s hand inside his clothes. Then, he pulled her waist tight and hugged her.


    ¡°Are you testing me to see what I can do for you?¡±


    Lara¡¯s eyes shook wildly. She calmed down in Demian¡¯s arms and took a long deep breath several times. Then, she told him as if she was notifying him.


    ¡°You could turn into a demon someday.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°In the future I saw¡­ You were a demon lord and led this world to destruction.¡±


    Demian could not understand her. However, upon hearing Lara¡¯s next words, he refrained from denying her.


    ¡°It happened after Imitted suicide.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°It was said that demons be strong by eating other demons. I think the reason that Vc is after you is because he knows who you really are.¡±


    ¡°I can deal with him.¡±


    He said in a low voice. Of course he would. ording to Acerus, Vc was weaker than Lilith. And Lilith was weaker than Demian.


    ¡°If you be the demon lord, I must kill you in the name of God.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°So I kept thinking. What should I do to prevent you from bing the demon lord? Do I just need to live and not die? If nothing I do can stop your destiny¡­¡±


    Lara grabbed his cor and pulled him closer.


    ¡°Did you know? Have you already noticed that you¡¯re not human?¡±


    Demian nodded slowly. It was impossible not to know. Only his appearance was the same as other humans, everything else was different. He did not know since when, it was probably before he became an adult, but Demian has lived his life without thinking of himself as a human being. So he came to see everything in this world separately from himself.


    ¡°I thought it was weird. People catch a cold when the weather is dry and get food poisoning when eating spoiled food. But I have never been sick in my whole life.¡±


    ¡°Not even once?¡±


    ¡°Never.¡±


    There was something else. Demian confessed the out-of-ce feeling he had felt all this time.


    ¡°I never shed tears.¡±


    That was a question as big as love for Demian. He said he did not remember ever feeling love for anyone or anything before meeting Lara, the same went for the feeling of sadness.


    ¡°When arade dies during a war or when someone witnesses a tragic scene¡­ A normal human would cry.¡±


    There were many different forms of sadness, such as silent tears, howling and throwing a tantrum, or breaking down and weeping on your knees. But Demian did not cry. Let alone crying, Demian had never been heartbroken.


    ¡°There are a lot of things I don¡¯t have.¡±


    Demian did not feel the normal desire as a human being not because he was a ve but because he was never even human.


    But not anymore. He had changed. Lara looked into Demian¡¯s eyes. The deep blue color captivated her and did not let go. She peeked into the infinite mystery thaty within.


    ¡°You have love.¡±


    At Lara¡¯s words, Demian nodded his head. He said he knew that the feeling he felt for Lara was what people called love.


    ¡°You also have desires.¡±


    Love also manifested itself as desire. Especially the love between a man and a woman. Even at this moment, Lara¡¯s body was constantly responding to Demian¡¯s body temperature and movement. Her body was antsy to get closer, so, too, was his.


    ¡°I won¡¯t kill you.¡±


    Lara¡¯s words of wanting to go to a ce where there were no stars or moon were sincere. She knew that the God of Fate could watch over her anytime, anywhere.


    She could not avoid God¡¯s eyes just because she entered the deep forest but at least she could convey her own will that she did not want to be found out.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you are a demon. Even if you¡¯re destined to be the demon lord, it doesn¡¯t matter. There are more important things than your identity or the fact that I¡¯m a saintess.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°I will never let the man I love fall into tragedy twice.¡±


    She wasted one life to realize that she actually loved him. She would never make the same mistake again.


    ¡°Demian, do you love me?¡±


    ¡°So much that I can destroy the world.¡±


    Lara opened her mouth slightly.


    Haah.


    Her hot breath flowed through her thick lips. The heat that had warmed her heart escaped through her mouth.


    Lara realized that she was so crazy over Demian that she could not go against her feelings even knowing that he was a demon. The God of Fate had chosen the wrong saintess. Lara was not someone who was just and heroic.


    Even at this moment, she could avoid God¡¯s eyes or do anything to deceive God just for this man.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Demian¡¯s voice was like music. Sensual and addictive music that she had never heard of before. Even if he repeated the same things all night long, she would not get tired of it.


    ¡°If I be a different existence and be the demon lord that destroys the things you love¡­¡±


    Demian did not deny it, he did not tell Lara that such a thing would not happen. He only said this.


    ¡°Kill me with your hand.¡±


    ¡°Demian!¡±


    ¡°Then, you won¡¯t have to start your life again.¡±


    Demian whispered.


    ¡°Now I know. That karma that I umted after I became the demon lord and destroyed the world¡­ That¡¯s what sent you back. So¡­ If I die in your hands, I can save you and the world.¡±


    That was not going to happen. Even if that was the case, it could not have been possible.


    If I had to kill you, I¡¯d die with you.


    Lara told herself.


    When she looked up, Demian was smiling.


    He shed a pleasant yet slightly toothy grin before gently lowering his head to look at Lara¡¯s face. Then, he gave her a deep kiss on the cheek and said,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Demian¡­¡±


    ¡°Even at this moment, I¡¯m much happier being the man you loved in your past.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 103

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    After wandering through the forest, in a ce gued by the absence of the moon and the stars, Lara and Demian began to notice the worsening snowstorm. As white snow piled up on their capes, it was only then when they returned to the carriage


    They were silent. After telling the coachman to take them back to the hotel, Lara sat on the carriage seat and closed her eyes. Demian clutched her hand tightly, his grip momentarily strong enough to prevent blood from circting.


    There was no gap between their fingers. It was still a cold winter but haze bloomed from their now ticklish palms.


    After returning to the hotel, Lara went straight to her room. Demian walked silently as he followed her. They walked down the hallway, opened the door, entered their room, and closed the door again. The process felt so long to them.


    ck.


    The door closed. The room was dark because Lara had turned off all the lights before leaving. Her fingers trembled as she stood still with the door closed. Demian stood behind her and let out a low sigh. Lara whispered to him with her back turned against him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one here.¡±


    Before she finished speaking, he stretched out his arms and wrapped them around Lara¡¯s body. A thrilling pain and dizzying pleasure arose from her waist©¤the same area that he had held. Her cape and coat flowed down at once. His rough and hot breath touched the back of her neck.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Demian¡¯s voice was distorted. Lara could feel the irregr breathing from his chest. She leaned on him and untied the knot of her dress with her own hands.


    Hah.


    An unknown sigh lingered in the air.


    Demian¡¯s hand touched Lara¡¯s fingers that were loosening the knot. He held her hand from behind, slowly lifted it up, and kissed in between each finger.


    At that sudden moment, Lara wanted to see Demian¡¯s gaze. She slightly turned and raised her head to the side. She looked at his face.


    Then, she quickly regretted it. A maddening blue. A beautiful demon that she could no longer ignore had sacrificed his life to seduce her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if this is a challenge to God.¡±


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Close your eyes.¡±


    Demian was born with nothing and wanted nothing. No one understood him and he signified nothing.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Demian said.


    Now Lara was his everything. She was the only one in his world.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The next day, Lara got a message from Acerus. The delegation from Hautean was expected to arrive at Dandelion soon, so he suggested meeting them together.


    Lara eagerly epted. She was curious as to who wasing as the representative, moreover, she thought she could hear news about the people she left behind in Hautean.


    Lara often wrote letters to her mother, Isadora. But unless she used a military pigeon, any matters of importance were prone to leaking due to how far apart they were. So far, all the letters Lara had sent have been short news telling Isadora not to worry because everyone in Tarragon was doing fine.


    Lara sometimes missed her mother when she was alone. She did not realize it when they were close but, now that they were far away, she became more desperate.


    After returning to the past, she was determined to be a better daughter to her mother. But now, she wondered what use would that determination be if they were so far away like this.


    However, Lara did not have the confidence toin about how difficult it was or how scared she felt. That was actually much more difficult to do than filial piety.


    She could always pretend to be okay even though she was not to please her mother. However, she could never say that she was anxious or scared to death. The moment such words came out of her mouth, she knew that her mother would be more hurt than she was.


    While preparing to go out, Lara was lost in thought, thinking of her mother. She opened the door to her closet and pulled out a dark chocte-brown dress. Then, she wore a dark scarlet jacket on top of it.


    ¡°Konny, put my hair up.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cold though? Your neck is going to freeze.¡±


    ¡°Do it anyway.¡±


    While worrying that Lara might catch a cold, Konny pulled Lara¡¯s hair and turned it into a bun with amazing skill.


    ¡°Wow! Mdy, now that you¡¯ve styled your hair like this, you really look like Madam Isadora.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I also hope that if I get marriedter and have a daughter, she will look like me. Then, we can match our hairpins and pajamas.¡±


    ¡°If she takes after your husband?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ His nose should be sharper than mine.¡±


    Konny said while pointing to her t nose. Lara thought that her nose was round and pretty but Konny did not seem to think so.


    ¡°Konny, even if you get married, you will still live with me at my house, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Is there another job that is easier and has a higher sry than here? You don¡¯t know how fortunate I am to be your only maid. If I had apetitor, I would have kicked her out.¡±


    ¡°What a lie.¡±


    Despite what she said, knowing how affectionate Konny was, Lara burst intoughter.


    ¡°Mdy, there are people who saw Master Demian out in the morning. They are going to be whispering about that.¡±


    ¡°Just ignore them.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going back to prison after sleeping in the warm hotel¡­ He must have hated going there.¡±


    ¡°Are you worried?¡±


    ¡°What if he catches a cold? It¡¯s cold in prison. I¡¯m going to bring pickled ginger today. I wish I could put a stove in there.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you can.¡±


    ¡°I think I saw Master Lampion and Master Domino sniffling.¡±


    While Konny was worried about the imprisoned Barbarians, a polite knock was heard outside.


    ¡°Mdy, your guest has arrived.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going out now.¡±


    Acerus had arrived. As soon as it turned into the afternoon, he came to the Lara¡¯s Garden hotel by carriage. After getting ready, Lara approached his carriage.


    ¡°Hello, Sa¡­¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Acerus was about to call Lara saintess before quickly closing his mouth. Lara smiled slightly and grabbed his hand to climb into the carriage.


    Acerus did not arrive using the Imperial carriage, it was a long-distance travel carriage for ordinary nobles. And what he was wearing was not the usual splendid full-dress uniform for the Crown Prince, butmon cotton clothing and a coat for traveling.


    ¡°Are you here alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I feel bad for the delegation¡¯s representative¡­ But I have a reason to deal with this meeting informally.¡±


    ¡°Informally?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I got the news that the delegation from Hautean arrived outside Dandelion with the two thousand Barbarians who departed from the Western Gorgon Mountain Range.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Lara was surprised and asked.


    ¡°How can there be such a coincidence?¡±


    Acerus also smiled with a cornered face.


    ¡°So I¡¯m going to meet them in private first.¡±


    ¡°The Barbarians?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I wanted to be their friend¡­ But the Crown Prince, Acerus Elin Tarragon cannot just simply side with the Barbarians. The Imperial Family has to move only for the benefit of Tarragon down to the bone.¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    ¡°But, no matter how I think about it, feigning ignorance is cowardly.¡±


    Acerus said seriously.


    ¡°So I¡¯m not going to meet them as the Crown Prince but as a knight who fought shoulder to shoulder with them.¡±


    ¡°Crown Prince Acerus.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to let them hear what has happened to Demian and his friends through someone else¡¯s mouth.¡±


    He looked bitter.


    Lara liked this point about Acerus. A young, strong, just, and passionate Crown Prince. Those were the characteristics of a Prince that only came out in stories. If the world could move in the right direction as he believed, it would be a perfect story. Since he was such a person, he remained as a hero who fought for humans without letting go of the copsing world.


    If Lara was a wandering minstrel who used Tarragon as her stage, she might have created a heroic epic featuring Acerus.


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    Acerus said with a smile.


    Lara couldfort him. She could say that his sincerity would help him or that one day everyone could live peacefully together. But Lara chose to shut her mouth. She did not think it was up to her tofort him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Their carriage ran quickly with several escorts and went out of Dandelion¡¯s walls. The Barbarians stopped in the field beyond the Western road.


    It was spectacr. Two thousand warriors each wearing a beast¡¯s silver-colored fur like cloaks, standing next to their huge warhorses that they had brought along with them. The Barbarians seemed to be trying to settle down there without thinking about entering the city.


    If a stranger had witnessed the scene, they might have reported that two thousand intruders were camping outside the city.


    Lara got off the carriage and approached the camp with Acerus. There, she met someone unexpected. It was her mother, Isadora, who was taking care of two thousand Barbarians and her one hundred employees like a King.


    Her words did note out well. As Lara paused and hesitated, Acerus turned to her with a quizzical nce.


    ¡°Saintess?¡±


    ¡°M, mother?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? What did you just say?¡±


    Lara mumbled as if she was in disbelief. Confused, Acerus asked her again.


    Isadora raised her head and looked at Lara¡¯s side. She was wearing a dark chocte-brown coat over red travel wear. As well as silver fur that was given to her by the Barbarians.


    ¡°Lara?¡±


    Isadora opened her eyes wide. The people, who gathered next to Isadora, and Acerus, who was escorting Lara, and all the rest of the party were looking at them.


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    Lara smiled brightly and ran towards Isadora.


    Oh my God.


    Lara ignored the muttering that she heard. She was separated from her mother for just one season, she did not even know why she was crying. She thought, perhaps it was because of her mother running towards her and rejoicing like a child as soon as she saw her.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 104 - The Saintess Said

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The two women who looked alike hugged each other warmly.


    ¡°That¡¯s her daughter.¡±


    ¡°Sure enough.¡±


    A happy smile settled on the faces of the Barbarians. There were also people who sighed as they thought of the family that they had left behind. So while Lara and Isadora were catching up, Acerus approached the Barbarians.


    ¡°Long time no see. I have something to tell you so Ie here alone for now. I will give you a public wee next time, so let¡¯s start with¡­¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s the opponent?¡±


    Acerus was flustered. As he was about to ask back because he did not understand the meaning of the question, a middle-aged Barbarian standing in front of him said with a ferocious smile.


    ¡°Who is the enemy? Your weak knights could not deal with them. Isn¡¯t that why you had that brat, Oscar, to call us all?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Nope?¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not me who called you.¡±


    ¡°Then, who?¡±


    ¡°The woman Demian has a passionate crush on.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    The Barbarians gave strength on their chins, pushed their faces back, and lowered the corners of their mouths. It was even more spiteful when they made such a face as a group. Acerus could not shake the awful feeling he had that he would be the carrier pigeon to notify of Demian¡¯s crush.


    Acerus had been contemting for the past few days. When the Barbarians arrived in Dandelion, how would he exin what had happened to Demian and hisrades?


    This was not a big dealpared to the daily conflicts at the border. Even now, if he could, Acerus wanted to order Demian and hisrades to be immediately released from imprisonment, then, he would call all those responsible for the matter, and he would yell at them. But that saintess with a haughty face warned him not to deal with the matter like that.


    ¡®I can¡¯t figure her out.¡¯


    Acerus had always prided himself as someone who knew women¡¯s hearts quite well. The reason he was once called Dandelion¡¯s best womanizer was not because he used his position to date any woman but because he liked to talk to women and hear their deepest stories.


    But he could have never figured out what was inside that cold-hearted saintess. What she was thinking, how she would act now, whether she was friendly to him or not¡ªhe knew nothing about that; it made him scared. But at the same time, that point of hers was also very impressive.


    ¡®Is it because God is a God after all?¡¯


    Maybe the God of Fate was trying to bnce this tilted world through that saintess. Even if she did not use the power of God, summon light, or turn the ground over, she still had the power to move the people.


    Acerus thought that perhaps he was the best subordinate to be handled among all those people.


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to be honest.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Lampion took Domino and Demian to a shop. It was to buy a present for Demian to give to his crush.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°But the people of Tarragon, knowing those three were Barbarians, tried to kick them out of the shop. There were some exchanges of cussing and punching. Because of that, Lampion, Domino, and Demian took all the me and were put in prison.¡±


    At first, the Barbarians looked like they could not understand what Acerus was talking about. But the longer he spoke, the yfulness on their faces slowly faded.


    A Barbarian asked.


    ¡°You tried to kick us out? Because we¡¯re Barbarians?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Acerus apologized cleanly. He was a man who knew how to apologize for the mistakes of his people. But his apology did not mean it did not happen.


    ¡°Crown Prince Acerus.¡±


    A middle-aged Barbarian standing in the front said.


    ¡°We fought for Tarragon. We were paid like mercenaries, but we still tried to be loyal to your country.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°If we have to be treated that way just because we are Barbarians, we will never fight for Tarragon again in the future.¡±


    ¡°I know that too.¡±


    ¡°Not only that. We could be your enemies. Tarragon is not a Barbarians¡¯ country. If that happens, I will fight harder than anyone else. I can weave the necks of your knights that you are so proud of and drag them around.¡±


    ¡°That too¡­ I know.¡±


    ¡°But why didn¡¯t you release them? You¡¯re the Crown Prince.¡±


    At his question, Acerus took a heavy breath and looked at Lara. and again, he spoke frankly.


    ¡°The saintess did not want that. If I deal with the matter like that¡­ she thinks that the problem would never be solved.¡±


    ¡°The saintess?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. it was actually not Oscar who called you here, but the saintess.¡±


    ¡°Who is that?¡±


    ¡°Thatdy.¡±


    Acerus raised his hand and pointed to Lara.<b> The Saintess Said</b>


    Lara kept her head down in Isadora¡¯s arms for a very long time. As she was focusing on her mother¡¯s touch patting her back and shoulders, she felt like the worries that had been umted had melted away.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Isadora asked. Lara muttered that she was okay and asked how her mother got there.


    ¡°As soon as the Royal Pce suggested sending a delegation here, Princess So actively rmended me. The nobles opposed it¡­ But they became quiet when the King told them that they should send the most influential person in Tarragon.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Isadora smiled.


    ¡°The duty of a delegation is nothing. Hautean has decided to abandon Prince Sidhar.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°God wants to order my daughter as his vicegerent. As her mother, I can¡¯t just remain a mere spectator.¡±


    Lara raised her head. She might be tired of the long trip but Isadora still looked at the distant Dandelion fortress with a piercing look.


    ¡°Lara, don¡¯t be discouraged.¡±


    Lara was not discouraged, yet she still nodded anyway.


    ¡°The ces where people live are just the same anywhere. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. The same goes for the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Tell me if the Emperor or if the Crown Prince is bothering you.¡±


    What are you going to do if I tell you?


    Lara asked with her eyes. She heard the answer from someone else, not Isadora.


    ¡°They will see with their eyes open how the continent¡¯s top tradingpany closes its doors and leaves the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Sebastian!¡±


    Lara called his name out loud out of joy. Then, Sebastian approached her and patted her on the shoulder with a friendly touch.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard by yourself, now that we¡¯re here, you don¡¯t need to worry about anything.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case¡­¡±


    Why did everyone think I was having a hard time alone?


    Lara tried to say that she was veryfortable and free with the consideration of the Crown Prince Acerus, but Sebastian talked first before her.


    ¡°And since there are people who want to see you, I especially brought them here.¡±


    Is there someone else here?


    Lara was all over the ce. It was fascinating enough that the delegation departing from Hautean met Barbarians on the way to Tarragon and moved together, but it amazed her more that the delegation¡¯s representative was Isadora, her mother. Moreover, she did not evene alone.


    When Lara asked Sebastian to tell her who they were, Isadora pointed to a carriage.


    ¡°Come out now.¡±


    The carriage door opened. There was a hasty and fussy sound from the carriage. Then, wrapped in thick travel clothes and heavy capes, Eunice and Ximena ran towards Lara. Their noses had turned red as though they had a cold.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°You bish!¡±


    Lara opened her mouth wide. It was an unexpectedpany. Eunice and Ximena ran toward her while sniffling. They hugged Lara tightly and stamped their feet as they screamed.


    ¡°Hey, do you know how much I held back when I wanted to send you a letter? It¡¯s my first time having a secret that was so hard to keep! I didn¡¯t even feel like this when my father cheated, I even hesitated whether to tell my stepmother about it or not!¡±


    ¡°Eunice?¡±


    ¡°Madam Isadora persuaded the adults. She helped me dispose of my grandfather¡¯s inheritance. My father opposed me going. But when I told him I would be going with Madam Isadora, he could not even say a word and was just busy acting subserviently. I was so happy to think about living far away from that human¡­ Moreover, when I think that you¡¯re here.¡±


    Ximena sniffed in her runny nose that flowed down to the tip of her nose andughed.


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of having a friend? My friend is the saintess chosen to save the world. We¡¯re willing to be at least your footrest.¡±


    Tears welled up. When Lara did not say anything and just stood still biting her lips, Eunice teared up looking at her and began to cry first.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t cry. I caught a cold so all I have from my nose to my chest is snot¡­¡±


    ¡°Disgusting, Eunice.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you bad bish.¡±


    Eunice rubbed her eyes with her palm and quickly held Lara in her arms. Ximena hugged Lara and Eunice at once. She fretted, telling them to stop crying because she was embarrassed.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice that they¡¯re close.¡±


    Sebastian was just pleased with them. When he smiled and stroked his mustache, Isadora smiled back and said.


    ¡°Take good care of them so they will have enough money to study abroad.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Send someone to the hotel and ask them to prepare lodging and everything for them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±


    ¡°Now, shall we go meet the Crown Prince?¡±


    Isadora turned to the Crown Prince Acerus with the Barbarians. Perhaps they were responding to something serious. The Barbarians, who had seemed simple and carefree, now had such vicious energy.


    At that time, Acerus noticed Isadora looking at him. He turned his head toward her. They exchanged silent bows to each other at the same time.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 105

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    If the Barbarians entered Dandelion, they would be able to talk freely in front of delicious food and good liquor, all inside a warm room. But they did not seem to have any intention of doing so.


    All they wanted from Acerus was one thing. It was to bring their imprisonedrades here right away. Then, they said that they would leave Tarragon without looking back.


    I should have brought Oscar. Or I should have at least brought that well-spoken aide bastard.


    Acerus regretteding all the way there alone. No matter how private the meeting was, it was impossible to persuade these many people alone.


    Then, an unexpected savior appeared to him. It was Isadora. She strode towards him and told the Barbarians.


    ¡°I already told you everything on the way here. You have to be God¡¯s warriors from now on. Stop theme demonic beast hunting and fight the demon worshippers.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between that and fighting for Tarragon?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a difference. Whether the reward is money or honor¡­¡±


    ¡°Money is better.¡±


    The Barbarians huffed and snorted their noses. Even Isadora could not deny that point, so she quickly changed her words.


    ¡°There¡¯s a difference in who will grab the reins. So far, the Tarragon Empire has forced you to fight, but now, you can take a high tone against them.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not really interested in that. Because we¡¯re different from them.¡±


    The Barbarians looked firmly angry. Isadora, who had been silent for a while, put one hand on her waist and pointed to Dandelion with the other.


    ¡°The one who Demian has a crush on is my daughter. And she¡¯s the saintess chosen by God. If something like a demon appears anywhere in the future, those kids will have to solve it alone. Knowing that, will you still not help them?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    The energy of the Barbarians, who had been raging with anger, quickly dissipated. They asked Acerus if what Isadora said was true and he nodded in the confusion of the moment.


    The Barbarians began to mutter amongst themselves. They were surprised three times all at once; once at the fact that Demian really was in love, twice at the fact that his crush was the daughter of Isadora, the generous merchant who fed them throughout the trip, and thrice at the fact that her daughter was the saintess.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped then.¡±


    They rxed their muscles and nodded. Then, everyone murmured without exception.


    ¡°Barbarian helps Barbarian.¡±


    Even if it was for fighting the demon, loyalty withrades came first for them.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Rumors spread throughout the city that 2,000 Barbarians were gathering as if they were protesting in front of Dandelion¡¯s Western gate. For people who did not know much about them, they were just an interesting sight to see, they snooped in front of the Western gate day after day. For the nobles, they were just busy running their mouths.


    The most ufortable ones were the knights and the soldiers. They were the ones who saw and directly experienced the power of the Barbarians. Even if the number was only 2,000, it still could not be ignored. If the Barbarians were determined enough, they could reduce Dandelion toplete ruin and run away.


    At this point, people started to wonder why the Barbarians rushed to the capital of Tarragon to protest all of a sudden. They have always wandered around the battlefield, after all.


    Then, the story that started from the people¡¯s mouth began to be passed down by word of mouth, weekly magazine, and the newspaper extra.


    ¡°It all happened just because of one dessert shop?¡±


    ¡°Did they not pay? Did they have body odor? I mean, no matter what¡­ Kicking them out was too much.¡±


    ¡°The most important matter is who struck first. A fight doesn¡¯t start unless someone strikes first.¡±


    That was not all. Word got around that the shop workers, those present, and even the soldiers and knights who arrivedte could not capture those three even if they worked together so they had to resort to using irons.


    ¡°They must be really strong.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ Aren¡¯t they dangerous? And there are 2,000 people like that out there now?¡±


    ¡°The border is still at war. Why are they doing that? Who will catch the demonic beasts in Gorgon?¡±


    ¡°Look! This is terrible! The Imperial family has decided to send a demonic beast subjugation expedition to the Western Mountain Range.¡±


    After having been silent, The Imperial family finally made their move.


    Tarragon was called an Empire because it has thergest territory on the continent, and Dandelion was thergest city among Tarragon. And the tallest building inside thergest city on thergest territory was by far the Emperor¡¯s castle.


    When the Crown Prince reported the incident, the Emperor was very angry. He was not angry that the knights mistreated the Barbarians, nor was he angry that the Barbarians rebelled against the Empire. He was angry because the great knights of Tarragon had be cowardly.


    ¡°You idiots!¡±


    The Emperor of Tarragon was old. He spent his youth on the battlefield, and after returning from the battlefield, he ascended to the thre, marriedte, and had a childte.


    When the Emperor¡¯s hair turned as white as snow and his strong body began to grow barren like branches, people forgot his youthful days which were full of passion and energy.


    But he was still an Emperor.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you fight without the Barbarians? Are you going to let the demonic beasts invade the border and attack our people? How can sword wielders be so apathetic? Did you even know that Tarragon was an Empire built by the courage and sacrifice of those who wielded steel in their hands?¡±


    The Emperor was old but he was still in excellent health. Among his brothers, he was the one who made the most achievements on the battlefield and put on the Emperor¡¯s crown.


    ¡°Never depend on the Barbarians again. Anyone who reaches out to them, I will punish them myself! Tarragon can be protected with the power of Tarragon. Send a demon subjugation expedition to the Northern border and send a demonic beast subjugation expedition to the Western Mountain Range. If anyone runs away in fear, behead them on the spot!¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t do this right, you¡¯re no longer knights of Tarragon!¡±


    Acerus, who was well aware of the Emperor¡¯s fiery temper, tried to resist, saying it was too harsh of a measure, but he just shut his mouth.


    ¡°You foolish fool, I have made you my sessor¡­ But you can¡¯t even handle this one thing properly. You even made ite to me.¡±


    ¡°Why is that my fault?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    The water in the ss shook at the Emperor¡¯s roaring shout.


    ¡°Recruit applicants from the capital watchmen station and put them in the beast subjugation expedition. Take all the knights of your castle to the Northern border and arrange for them to take part in the demon hunting. Depart before spring arrives ande back before summeres. And¡­ get married in the fall.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Acerus, who had been sitting quietly with his head down like a child who listened well, asked with a loud noise.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing well. Why the sudden marriage?¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Can¡¯t you just do what you¡¯re told?¡±


    Now he understood why thedies-in-waiting of the Emperor¡¯s Pce were so desperately looking for obscure earplugs. Acerus froze like a frightened puppy in front of his angry father.


    ¡°What did the King of Hautean decide to do to the traitor Prince?¡±


    ¡°He told us to deal with Prince Sidhar ourselves because he¡¯s no longer a Prince of Hautean.¡±


    ¡°Did you also exin that he became a demon?¡±


    ¡°Yes. ording to the delegation¡¯s representative, Hautean had already roughly guessed it.¡±


    ¡°The representative of the delegation is Thousand Gold Isadora?¡±


    ¡°Yes. However¡­¡±


    As Acerus hesitated to answer right away, the frustrated Emperor trembled his white eyebrows. Acerus, who saw it and remembered that his father¡¯s patience was just as bad as his own, spoke quickly.


    ¡°All 2,000 Barbarians call Thousand Gold Isadora mother!¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    What Acerus said was true.


    ¡°Mother! We will take care of our food. Why did youe to see us again?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right. We¡¯re not beggars.¡±


    ¡°But we did freeload like beggars.¡±


    The ce where the Barbarians spread tents and camped as if protesting was the field in front of the Western gate of Dandelion. They were indebted to Isadora, who appeared with huge amounts of food and ingredients every evening.


    It was Oscar who first started calling her mother. He contemted what to call the mother of Demian¡¯s beloved woman and began to use the title ¡®mother¡¯ with the intention of being friendly. However, he never imagined that it would spread like a trend to 2,000 Barbarians in just a few days.


    ¡°Madam, you must be happy to have a lot of sons.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Sebastian.¡±


    Sebastianughed and quickly moved away. Lara smiled with an awkward face and checked on Isadora¡¯s mood.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re spending too much money¡­ Because of me.¡±


    Isadora reached out her hand. Lara naturally approached her and linked her arms with her mother.


    ¡°Lara, listen carefully.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why is the Emperor just sitting by when I¡¯m making a lot of money here? I¡¯m not even one of Tarragon¡¯s people.¡±


    ¡°Is it because you supply weapons and protective equipment to the battlefield?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I pay much more taxes than Tarragon¡¯s nobles.¡±


    The knights of Tarragon paid very little tax, and the nobles paid a small amount. It was the merchants who paid a lot, and foreign merchants at that. When politicians and schrs assessed Tarragon, they first looked into the history of war. But when Isadora assessed Tarragon, she looked at the flow of money.


    The knights who did not pay taxes did not directly help increase the cash flow of the Imperial family. It was a benefit bestowed upon them, but also the reason that made the Imperial family poor. The power of the nation at war rested with the knights. However, in a country without war, the wealthy tend to hold power. And when the war was over, there woulde a time when merchants would hold more influence than the knights and nobles.


    Isadora said to Lara.


    ¡°Have you ever thought about why I frantically make so much money?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I have never.¡±


    Lara¡¯s thinking was just that her mother was someone who liked to work. Of course, she was not wrong either. Isadora liked to work and see herpany grow, her workers increase, and her fortune build up, she felt a thrilling sense of aplishment. But her biggest reason was something else.


    ¡°I want to make sure that no one in this world will dare to treat you badly.¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    ¡°Lara, do you love Demian?¡±


    Isadora asked.


    Her mother¡¯s face was very simr to a mirrored version of Lara. Her sharp eyes, her mouth, and her firm tone were not friendly and it was easy to misunderstand her. But she was such an affectionate person.


    ¡°What if I say I love him?¡±


    ¡°I will make sure that the Barbarians are treated properly even if that means I have to fight the Emperor.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 106

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Fight the Emperor?


    Lara quickly grabbed Isadora¡¯s arm. Just because her mother was a plutocrat and the mother of a saintess, it did not mean she could stand up to the Emperor, who was no different than the owner of thend.


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    ¡°Lara, why are you fighting the demon alone? You need to know how many are on your side first.¡±


    My side?


    Lara blinked her eyes.


    ¡°Hey there, mother!¡±


    From afar, Oscar ran towards Isadora while shouting.


    ¡°They¡¯re released!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean released?¡±


    ¡°Demian and the two idiots! They¡¯re released now!¡±


    Said Oscar with a smile. He did think it would work but he did not expect them to be released this quickly. He added that this was all thanks to Lara and Isadora.


    ¡°How?¡±


    Lara asked. Oscar rubbed his lips and exined.


    ¡°The dessert shop and the people involved in the incident went to the watchmen station and asked them to release the Barbarians. They said that they were at fault too.¡±


    ¡°After all this time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious that they got scared. They¡¯re scared of us camping here, but they are also scared of bing victims to the Emperor¡¯s criticism should they be med for the Barbarians bing Tarragon¡¯s enemy.¡±


    ¡°What cowards.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Demian?¡±


    ¡°There he is.¡±


    Oscar pointed one hand behind him. Three horses were approaching at full speed. Riding on top were Demian, Lampion, and Domino.


    Demian was the first to get off the horse. He effortlessly jumped off the horse and walked straight towards Lara. Then, he bowed his head and greeted Isadora.


    ¡°How are you?¡±


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    Isadora scanned through Demian. He was just in prison but he wore fine attire and did not seem too skinny. His face was perfectly good looking and his abilities were outstanding, making him a perfect match for Lara. He did not have the personality to be taken advantage of like a pushover and he was not the type to enjoy tormenting others.


    Above all, it was obvious that he loved Lara like crazy.


    And that was what Isadora liked the most. He did not seem too bad as her daughter¡¯s romantic partner. Havinge to such a conclusion, Isadora said to Demian.


    ¡°Just call me mother.¡±


    This kind of development was so sudden. While Lara, who was about to wee the three people, hesitated and got flustered, Demian smiled at Isadora and said.


    ¡°Yes, mother.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    [The Barbarians are angry and will no longer fight for Tarragon.


    Thew enforcement knights have realized their mistakes and have issued an apology. But the Barbarians, infuriated as they were, did not ept their apology.


    Realizing the severity of the situation, the Imperial family has asked a foreign merchant to bring the Barbarians to Dandelion after long consideration. They are working under the table to make them the people of Tarragon.]


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s what it says.¡±


    Demian raised the corner of his lips to one side. Knowing that it was his style of smiling, Lara put down the weekly magazine she was holding and asked a little louder.


    ¡°Are you really not going?¡±


    ¡°Not going.¡±


    ¡°Even though Crown Prince Acerus is your dearest friend?¡±


    ¡°Not that dearest.¡±


    If Acerus had listened to Demian just now, he might have burst into tears. Hearing that Demian hade out of prison, he came to the hotelte at night with his aide andined all night long.


    ¡°I was scolded by my dad! You bastard, huuh? I will be 30 anytime soon. Do you know how shitty it feels to be scolded by your dad like a kid when you have reached this age? Do you even know? And I even got punished! He told me to go to the North and catch the demon. He looked like he would kick my ass if I whined to you for help!¡±


    Dandelion was noisy with the news of the two subjugation expeditions from early in the morning. One would go to the Western Gorgon Mountain Range to hunt the demonic beasts and the other would go to the Northern border to hunt the demon. And themander of the subjugation expedition heading North was Acerus, the Crown Prince of Tarragon.


    ¡°Mother, what kind of person is the Emperor of Tarragon?¡±


    Lara asked Isadora, who was sitting and eating to her right. She was cutting vegetables impressively decorated on a wide te.


    ¡°The Emperor of Tarragon?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°He was a passionate fool when he was young, but after getting married, getting a child, and being involved in politics for 30 years, he became a passionate snake.¡±


    What type of snake is passionate?


    Lara tilted her head. Demian once again smiled by raising the corner of his lips to one side. Then he told Isadora.


    ¡°That was the most appropriate evaluation of the Emperor I have ever heard while living in Tarragon.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡±


    Isadora smiled at Demian. When the two people¡ªwho did not know how to smile properly¡ªsmiled with only one side of their lips and cheeks, the atmosphere became brutal. It was as if they were fighting. After the waiters put down the tes, they hurried back to their original position as soon as they saw the two people.


    ¡°The Emperor is someone who looks far away.¡±


    Isadora finished eating first and continued talking to Lara.


    ¡°Apologizing to the Barbarians right away is nothing for him. He could soothe the Barbarians by listening to whatever they want, or he could give a harsh reprimand to thew enforcement knights. But if things repeat a second time, then repeat for a third time again¡­¡±


    ¡°Will the knights bezy?¡±


    ¡°They will put off their own responsibilities.¡±


    The Emperor was a man who never forgot that Tarragon was a country at war. If they weaken, they would be attacked. The power to make the Empire what it is today came from the sword. That was what he believed.


    If this was a peaceful era, he might have been called a tyrant, but that was not the case. As such, The Emperor was able to make Tarragon thest hope for a human encampment.


    Demian skilfully cut the meat and vegetables on Lara¡¯s te for her as she was lost in thought. Looking at the food divided into uniform bite-sized pieces, Isadora shed a smile.


    ¡°I have to go to the Imperial Pce today. No matter how small Hautean is, there¡¯s still a process in diplomacy. Being the King¡¯s deputy is really annoying and bothersome.¡±


    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°What about you two?¡±


    Isadora asked Lara and Demian about what they were going to do that day.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to visit myrades.¡±


    Demian answered sincerely. The 2,000 Barbarians have entered Dandelion and were scattered here and there to see the capital.


    ¡°What about you, Lara?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to hang out with Eunice and Ximena.¡±


    ¡°Okay. where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know. Eunice said she had a n but she didn¡¯t tell me about it.¡±


    Lara and Isadora thought that Eunice was probably nning to order dresses that were in style with the Tarragon nobles.


    After the meal, Isadora left for the Imperial Pce with Sebastian and Demian went out to meet his scatteredrades with Oscar. Lara went to the room where Eunice and Ximena were using together.


    ¡°Girls?¡±


    She knocked several times but neither of them answered.


    ¡®Are they still washing up? Did they oversleep or something?¡¯


    As Lara frowned and put her ears close to the door, Konny coughed slowly behind her back.


    ¡°Mdy, you look like a perv. Don¡¯t eavesdrop.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    When Lara was just thinking about whether to just open the door and enter, the door suddenly opened. It was Ximena.


    ¡°Our dear Lara is here.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Come on in,e on in. Konny! Youe in too.¡±


    Ximena seemed very excited. Her voice was higher than usual, her shoulders moved up and down. She and Eunice kept smiling with their eyes.


    ¡°Lara! You came just in time. Change your dress into this and wear these shoes. This is your hat and¡­ the coat! Where¡¯s the coat?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s here.¡±


    Eunice gave Lara a heavy dress in her arms. Konny followed Lara in on impulse and helped the threedies wear the clothes they wanted.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡±


    While dressing ording to Eunice¡¯s instructions, Lara could not hold back her curiosity and ask.


    ¡°Lara, do you know what Tarragon¡¯s nobles call Hautean?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°A country of nobles, a country of culture, a country of elegant dancers.¡±


    Come to think of it, she remembered hearing something simr before. Lara nodded and tied the dress knot tightly.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? We¡¯re the best talk of the town who make and spread the trend in Hautean.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right. Before he passed away, my grandfather had a habit of saying this. Ximena, just like how big fish must swim in deep waters, humans also need to go somewhere bigger to be bigger.¡±


    What does that have to do with this?


    Lara burst intoughter with a face saying they were out of control.


    Lara wore a bright yellow top and a shiny ck skirt. Eunice wore a dark red dress that went from a lighter shade to a darker shade from top to bottom. Ximena wore a bright pink dress and a coat decorated with ck feathers.


    Lara, Eunice, and Ximena were all set and stood in front of the mirror. Then, they looked at Konny at the same time.


    ¡°Wow, mdies.¡±


    Konny smiled broadly.


    ¡°Please pretend you don¡¯t know me outside.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    Eunice beamed a satisfied smile on her face.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 107

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Where in the world are we going where we need to put so much effort into our outfits?


    Asked Lara several times. Eunice and Ximena did not answer, only giving her a smile in ce of an answer. They just got on the carriage and moved a great distance toward an unknown ce.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Soon afterward, they arrived at a dessert shop in the Dandelion luxury shopping district.


    It was the ce where Demian and hisrades were kicked out for being Barbarians and where they resorted to violence. It was said that Lampion destroyed the shop, but by the time Lara and the gang arrived, it had already been fixed. The shop was packed, rich customers stopped their carriages and went inside in pairs. The shop was decorated with fancy and bright lights. The employees were dressed in nice clothes. The shop was so sessful that everyone passing through the street peeped through the shop at least once.


    Lara clung to the window with her shoulders giddy with excitement. She kept losing control of the corners of her mouth so it was difficult to control her expression. Eunice poked Lara on the side.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s going to be fun, right?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. I can hear your snorting.¡±


    Eunice opened the carriage door with her shoes on. Ximena pulled out a ck fan the size of a tray. Lara managed to hold herposure but she followed her two friends with a lot ofughter around her eyes.


    ¡°Wee,dies!¡±


    ¡°Wee!¡±


    Not enough with fancy dresses, they were even wearing expensive ornaments. The threedies who had unique vibes got off in front of the dessert shop.


    Eunice said with a smile.


    ¡°This shop is lousy.¡±


    Ximena chipped in.


    ¡°I¡¯m here because I heard this shop holds a high standard for their customers. Doesn¡¯t seem so though, so disappointing.¡±


    Lara almost developed cramps in her stomach, trying to hold back herughter. They entered the shop under the guidance of the workers who had be stiff. When one of them told the employees to bring whatever the most expensive one is, Laraughed again. After sitting down, Ximena covered her face with her fan and whispered to Lara.


    ¡°Now tell me who it is.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The people who bullied your lover, just tell your big sis. I will dust off their souls.¡±


    ¡°What? What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know that. Hurry up and tell me. I can¡¯t just take anyone and harass them. We¡¯ll just get another innocent victim then. My dear Lara can¡¯t bear to see such a thing because only her mask is a viiness.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who it is.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped then.¡±


    Ximena leaned her back against the chair and sat in an arrogant position. Her pink dress spread out and she slowly waved her ck fan.


    The shop was crowded and the table where Lara and her friends were sitting was close to the center in therge hall. As they were dressed up in fancy and intense outfits, it was only natural for them to catch the eyes of other customers. If Lara had not been familiar with such gazes, it would have been very ufortable.


    But this was nothing to her. Lara opened her arrogant eyesnguidly and whispered to Eunice.


    ¡°Everyone must have fallen for you,¡±


    Euniceughed out loud. She replied.


    ¡°Crazy bish.¡±


    Soon after, the dessert they ordered came out. The nicely dressed employees put a bite-sized dessert on a pretty te and put it down one by one. The dessert itself was not bad. They could see why this shop was the most famous dessert shop in Dandelion.


    However, Ximena nced at the ce with no interest and opened her mouth.


    ¡°Can I¡­¡±


    She was about to tell them spitefully that she wanted to speak to the manager. But, suddenly, there was a hugemotion outside. Exmations that were close to screaming, heavy footsteps that sounded like the army was moving, and the roar of the well-spoken aide.


    ¡°The promised glory of thisnd, Acerus Elin Tarragon! His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince!¡±


    Get out of the way, shut your mouth, and lower your head.


    The voice of the aide was clearly heard in the ears of Lara and her friends in the store. Ximena, who raised her nose and was about to cause trouble, stood up first.


    ¡°Hey, why would the Crown Princee here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear anything about this? I thought you¡¯re close to him.¡±


    ¡°Nope. He is close to Demian.¡±


    Lara also wondered why Acerus came to the shop. He had to be busy preparing for the Northern expedition.


    Eunice reluctantly stood up and said with a face of disapproval.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel good.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°He beat us to it. Why else would the Crown Princee here? You said he¡¯s your lover¡¯s friend.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Lara thought that was impossible. Even though Acerus was an extraordinary member of the Imperial family, there was no way the Crown Prince himself came to the dessert shop to get back at them for Demian.


    ¡°Herees the Crown Prince!¡±


    As if to ridicule Lara¡¯s expectations, the loud voice of the aide came into the shop. The confused workers gathered on one side, bowed their heads, and bent their backs. All the customers in the shop also got up from their seats and bowed as much as they could to greet him.


    Lara and her friends were also obliged to bow their heads.


    Step, step, step.


    The sound of Acerus¡¯ military boots resonated inside the quiet shop.


    ¡°Hahaha,¡±


    Acerusughed. Somehow she had an ominous hunch. When Lara slightly lifted her head and looked toward the entrance, Acerus¡¯ aide turned to the opposite side. She could see that he was cursing. It seemed that he was saying ¡®fucking lunatic¡¯ or something like that.


    Without even knowing that his aide wasmitting sphemy, Acerus said.


    ¡°The shop is lousy.¡±


    Eunice¡¯s shoulders were stiff.


    Acerus said again.


    ¡°Oi, I want to speak to the manager.¡±


    This time, Ximena¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Can a Crown Prince act like this?¡±


    Eunice asked in Lara¡¯s ear. Lara replied.


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Acerus harassed the dessert shop¡¯s manager until his face was as pale as marble. He asked him if he was the culprit who kicked out the Barbarians, he dared him to ask all the customers to leave because he¡ªa member of the Imperial family¡ªhade. He asked him to bring the precious desserts that the Barbarians could not eat. He acted childishly.


    Lara pretended to be a stranger, turned away from him, and tried to leave the shop. But as Acerus uselessly had good sight, he found her.


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Then, he strode over to her with a joyous face.


    ¡°Why is heing this way?¡±


    ¡°Do we have to greet him? Do we have to pretend to know him too? No, right? This is my first time meeting an Imperial family member. Does the Royal family and Imperial family have different greetings? Nope. Is the etiquette in Tarragon different from Hautean? Huh?¡±


    Whispered Eunice standing next to Lara while a terrified Ximena hid behind her.


    ¡°I also don¡¯t know.¡±


    As Lara mumbled that, Acerus stood in front of her and opened his mouth to say ¡®Saintess.¡¯ Then he hesitated and bit his mouth. He seemed perplexed, not knowing what to call her. They were not on a friendly footing where he could call her by name. For him, the saintess was a saintess, not his friend.


    Besides, if he made a mistake here, it could do great damage to Lara. Because he was the Crown Prince.


    He was also well-aware of how much attention he got from the people of Tarragon as the unmarried Crown Prince. The rumors about the suspicious rtionship between them were already spreading here and there. He did not want to add fuel to the fire.


    ¡°Hmm, uh¡­¡±


    Acerus vaguely opened his mouth and searched for his aide with a face asking for help. However, his aide had already quickly left the shop when his superior ran wild. Everyone in the shop was now looking at Acerus and Lara.


    ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°She looks very scary¡­¡±


    They could not dare to point their fingers at the Crown Prince so they sneakily talked about Lara. Lara and her friends caught the other customers¡¯ attention from the time they entered the shop so their curiosity only grew.


    ¡°I am!¡±


    Funny enough, it was not his aide who saved Acerus from the crisis, but the impatient Eunice.


    ¡°Eunice Dvonn.¡±


    Eunice wore a red and ck ombre dress with the ck fading into red toward the end of the skirt. Among the three, she had the fairest skin. She did not even put on any other makeup, but just red lipstick. Her overall look reminded people of a real vampire.


    Eunice was so nervous, her whole body became stiff and her voice came out monotone. However, reflected in other people¡¯s eyes, Eunice looked like the most wicked woman in the world who had the gall to open her eyes wide and smirk in front of the Crown Prince.


    Eunice reached out one hand to Acerus. Wearing a ring with arge stone and several thin rings, her fingers fluttered in front of Acerus¡¯ eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m Acerus.¡±


    The Crown Prince grabbed Eunice¡¯s hand and lifted it slightly. Then, he bowed his head and kissed her fingertips. He said with all his heart.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    No one opened their mouths.


    What kind of situation is this? Why is the Crown Prince thanking her? Who are they?


    Gazes full of curiosity shot like arrows.


    Lara poked Eunice on the side. Then, Eunice opened her mouth reflexively.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I came here to vent my anger. I don¡¯t feel so right before going to the battlefield.¡±


    I see. So he¡¯s here to vent his anger.


    After having been stiff due to tension, Eunice¡¯s shoulders were finally rxed.


    The Imperial family is not that big a deal. They¡¯re no different from us.


    Eunice stared at Acerus with an intimate and loving gaze as if looking at an old friend.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 108

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Together with Eunice, Acerus wreaked havoc in the dessert shop until he felt satisfied. He was the first one to leave, followed by Eunice, then Lara, and then Ximena, with smiles hanging from their lips.


    ¡°These three girls are important guests of mine so please take good care of them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    Acerus¡¯ aide bowed politely and took a seat in front of the carriage. He took Lara and her friends by the hand and helped them climb into the wagon one by one. Lara asked the aide in a low voice.


    ¡°Is it okay even if weird rumors spread around?¡±


    ¡°It is okay.¡±


    The aide nced at Eunice, smiled, and said.


    ¡°This is not his first time, so it really is okay. But rather than our dear Crown Prince, I think the one you should be worried about is your friend.¡±


    This time, Lara smiled and said.


    ¡°Eunice will be okay too.¡±


    Eunice was not someone who would be intimidated by such rumors. Perhaps she would be proud that she got to add a big shot to her colorful romance experience.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s carriage was wide and fancy. Lara sat next to Ximena and Eunice sat next to Acerus. The four of them looked at each other with ambiguous smiles, but as soon as the door closed and the carriage departed, they all burst intoughter.


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­¡±


    Lara could not stop herughter and asked Acerus.


    ¡°Why did you do that? Aren¡¯t you going to get scolded by His Majesty? I thought you were going to remain neutral until the end.¡±


    ¡°I was going to do that.¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°When dad told me to go to war, I couldn¡¯t control myself anymore. So, I decided to be rebellious. I was like, ¡®fuck it, they were being nasty to my friend, so I will be nastier.¡¯¡±


    The knights showed their superiority in the wrong way, so Acerus thought he would step up and do the same thing as he was superior to them. Eunice rejoiced after hearing him and suddenly got excited. She pped Acerus¡¯ arm and said.


    ¡°I see! You did a great job! Whew, I¡¯m so relieved now! If Your Imperial Highness hadn¡¯t shown up, I would have untied my hair and made a fuss like a crazy bi¡­¡±


    Shocked at herself, Eunice moved away from Acerus. Then, she hit her hand.


    p!


    The sound was very loud to show how hard Eunice hit her hand.


    ¡°My apologies. It¡¯s a bad habit of mine¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡±


    To his surprise, Acerus quickly grabbed Eunice¡¯s red hand. Then, he put it close to his mouth, pouted out his lips, and blew air out of his mouth.


    ¡°Huff.¡±


    The carriage was filled with silence. Eunice, whose hand was held, Acerus, who blew air out of his mouth, and even Lara and Ximena, who witnessed the scene, were all embarrassed. Acerus shouted btedly.


    ¡°Sorry! It¡¯s a habit of mine!¡±


    I see. It¡¯s your habit.


    Laraughed quietly. Ximena could not dare to call the Crown Prince of another country a madman, so she just covered her mouth andughed.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After dropping her friends off at the hotel, Lara talked a little bit more and had an important conversation with Acerus in the carriage.


    ¡°I n on making an early reveal of you being a saintess sent by God.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? When?¡±


    ¡°After I leave for the battlefield, a banquet will be held in the Imperial Pce to pray for victory. I n to do it then, but if you have any other opinions, I will listen to you carefully.¡±


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t the banquet being held before you leave?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an annual event so we have to do it on the same day asst year¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Then why announce it at all?¡±


    ¡°Because I might die.¡±


    Acerus spoke as if it meant nothing.


    ¡°If I was defeated by the demon and lost my life, or if I get a wound beyond recovery, the people would get anxious. The position as the sessor of the Emperor carries anxiety greater than power.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be relieved with you. Humans are very weak, sometimes we need to be given the belief that God is taking care of us.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lara nodded. She agreed if it was for such a reason. In fact, when Acerus said her identity as the saintess would be revealed when he wanted, she thought he was trying to use the symbol of saintess politically.


    To establish himself as the Crown Prince and to justify everything he did, Lara as the saintess could have been a tremendous weapon for him. But Acerus said he would reveal Lara¡¯s identity specifically to relieve the people¡¯s anxiety. Moreover, he would do so after he left the capital and was on the battlefield. It was not known whether this was the Emperor¡¯s suggestion or due to Acerus¡¯ insistence. However, Lara thought it was a decision made by a good leader.


    ¡°Make sure to win ande back.¡±


    Lara looked at Acerus. He smiled brightly like a child. He rambled that since he was cheered by the saintess, he could easily win even if the demon lord appeared.


    The demon Vc woulde to apany him in this expedition as Acerus¡¯ secret advisor. Since the northern demon, Lilith used tricky hallucinations, Vc¡¯s advice was desperately needed to avoid the Imperial army getting tricked.


    ¡°If I have the chance, I want to kill him along with Lilith.¡±


    ¡°Vc is sneaky.¡±


    Vc was a demon who pretended to be Prince Sidhar and took the opportunity to reveal who he was. He was a demon who could even act like he was dying to take advantage of humans. The chance that Acerus wanted would not be made easily.


    ¡°Vc wants Lilith¡¯s blood. If he eats it and bes stronger, then we may not be able to handle him anymore.¡±


    Acerus gave a goodugh and said that if that happened, he would grab Demian¡¯s legs and beg him.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°This way.¡±


    Thousand Gold Isadora was a very disparate being in the Tarragon Empire. Even though most of her business was carried out in the Empire, she was still from the small and weak country of Hautean. She was a noble and then became amoner again. However, considering her influence, she was someone that should be paid attention to more than any other noble in the Empire.


    The Emperor¡¯s attendants came to meet Isadora and treated her politely. But they showed a slightly different attitude to her who came as the representative of the delegation. All the manners and etiquette that were to be done to nobles were omitted. Instead, they were friendly to her, as if dealing with the Emperor¡¯s rtives.


    When outsiders had an audience with the Emperor, they were able to enter the audience chamber only after checking their identity and belongings and undergo a diagnosis of any infectious diseases. But Isadora was immediately guided to the Emperor¡¯s dining room, skipping the entire process.


    The Emperor grinned.


    ¡°Come in. I ate first because I was bored of waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Your Imperial Majesty.¡±


    Isadora greeted politely.


    He said that he ate first but he only ate a small amount of water and fruit. His gray hair flowed down his wrinkled forehead. The Emperor swept his hair with hisrge and skinny hand. Suddenly, he asked Isadora.


    ¡°Do you still not want to be one of my people?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    It was a long time ago. The Emperor once rmended Isadora to leave Hautean and be one of Tarragon¡¯s people. But even then, she refused at once, just like she did now.


    ¡°You¡¯re so firm that I can¡¯t get attached to you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I feel for Your Imperial Majesty.¡±


    ¡°But you earn all your money here.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m here to help you?¡±


    Isadora sat in the seat guided by the attendant. The tablewares were all elegant antiques and the appetizers were fruits that were difficult to find in the winter.


    ¡°Whew¡­ I should have had my son a little earlier. If I have a son around your age, I would have him marry you. Then I would have been able to livefortably without suffering from this old body.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your appreciation, but I¡¯m sure your son is not my cup of tea.¡±


    ¡°Then is that asshole, whose only good aspect is his face, suited to your taste?¡±


    ¡°I got married when I was too young. At that age, don¡¯t people decide their partners by only looking at their faces?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that my face is not that good?¡±


    ¡°Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.¡±


    ¡°But at least you made a good decision dumping him.¡±


    ¡°I think so, too.¡±


    ¡°I heard your daughter looks like you.¡±


    The Emperor asked mischievously. Isadora gathered her lips sharply and loosened them.


    ¡°Even though I gave birth and raised her, I still can¡¯t figure her out. It¡¯s so fascinating.¡±


    ¡°My brat is like that too.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes she feels close to me like she¡¯s my other self, but sometimes she feels farther away from me, even more than strangers.¡±


    ¡°Same goes for that brat, too.¡±


    ¡°You must have had it worse than me. You¡¯re not raising your son as your son, you have to make him the Emperor.¡±


    Isadora talked dryly as if she was throwing her words out, she mixed a hint of a smile only when she said that. The Emperor¡¯s grumpy-looking face had also rxed.


    ¡°Just eat.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.¡±


    Since then, they ceased talking altogether and enjoyed the long dinner. The attendants and aides¡ªwho thought a lot of discussions would take ce there¡ªseemed rather flustered. They were ustomed to the Emperor¡¯s bad-temper but they did not know that Thousand Gold Isadora was someone who treated the Emperor of the Empire so fearlessly.


    After eating, they walked slowly through the quiet hallway of Imperial Pce.


    ¡°Why did you think the God of Fate chose your daughter?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s special.¡±


    ¡°In what way?¡±


    ¡°She just became an adult this year¡­ But sometimes I feel like she has lived for a very long time.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°She feels guilty for everything in this world. Shall I say it as a sense of responsibility? She¡¯s at an age where it¡¯s only normal to act a little selfish, but, even if it seems like she¡¯s doing whatever she wants¡­ That¡¯s not the case.¡±


    As Isadora¡¯s words got longer, the Emperor¡¯s mouth stretched and his wrinkled eyes drooped.


    ¡°She¡¯s a good kid. She naturally gathers people, induces them to move in a good direction¡­ What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Hehehehe!¡±


    The Emperorughed with his shoulders trembling. Isadora frowned and looked at him.


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Even Thousand Gold Isadora is nothing much. You have be very talkative, bragging about your daughter.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 109

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty!¡±


    ¡°But never mind that, Isadora. The king of Hautean has never taken a step outside that small country, what measures can he take during the great demon war? Just tell him toply when we ask for helpter.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The appearance of the saintess will be widely announced to the world at the banquet to pray for victory. The temple minions might throw a fit but that¡¯s none of my business. It¡¯d be good if God could give her a halo or something, but that¡¯d be difficult, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°He said he could exert influence only when karma umtes.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s just use magic to make up for it.¡±


    There were a few sorcerers who were known to have disappeared next to him. For the Emperor, faking God¡¯s halo is child¡¯s y.


    ¡°Did you make the Barbarians your sons?¡±


    The Emperor¡¯sst question was about the Barbarians. When Isadora smiled and nodded, the Emperor remained silent for a while. He told her,


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too affectionate.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The Barbarians are good guys, but they never stay with us. In terms of friends, they are like wanderers. They make as many memories as they can together, but then leave us alone, saying that we can¡¯t be together..¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Isadora looked at the Emperor.


    The Emperor was worried about her daughter. There were only a few things that the Emperor did not know among the events that happened in Dandelion, he also knew what kind of rtionship Lara and Demian had.


    The Emperor asked Isadora what would happen if Demian left and abandoned Lara one day. Demian was a Barbarian, so he might follow hisrades to go far away.


    It was a concern that anyone could be worried about. Anyone but Isadora, however.


    Demian loved Lara. There was no way he would betray and leave Lara, but even if it happened, as a mother, Isadora would not just turn a blind eye. The same went for the God of Fate. Crucially, Isadora was not the type of mother to interfere with her child¡¯s love affair.


    ¡°The kids will take care of that on their own. I have never seen a case that went well when the parents interfered with their children¡¯s rtionship. If you¡¯re confident that you have properly raised your child, you have to believe that they¡¯re going to have a proper romantic rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re even trying to teach me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a little different. Your son¡¯s rtionship will be the future of the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯tfort me. It offends me.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Isadora nodded firmly. The Emperor, who was walking ahead of her, smiled with his hands behind him.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Acerus and the expedition force left Dandelion. Next to him were the knights of the Crown Prince¡¯s castle and the elite troops who were camped inyers. The demon Vc disguised himself as the Crown Prince¡¯s aide and followed the expedition force as a secret advisor.


    On the days before leaving, Acerus clung to Demian and Oscar andined all night long.


    ¡°If I die, you must visit my grave once a year. Do you get it, you arsehole? You can¡¯t make friends closer than me. Or else, I will be a ghost and haunt you every night.¡±


    ¡°Crazy bastard.¡±


    ¡°If you get married and have a child, make sure to bring your child to my grave to greet me. Your child has to call me godfather! If you have a boy, you have to name him Acerus and if you have a daughter, name her Acerina! Get it, you punk?¡±


    Acerus, who liked to drink, took out all his treasures and continued to drink until he was drunk. The deeper the night, the worse Acerus¡¯ drunken behavior had gotten. His aide wrote down everything Acerus said. He said he would read it tomorrow morning, but the aide ended up not being able to stand it anymore and ran away.


    When Lara said she¡¯d pick up Demian in her carriage that night, Eunice was bored and said that she would follow her out. After seeing the treasures that Acerus had collected, she fell in love with them at a nce. She ended up sitting down there and lifting her ss.


    Eunice shouted that the Imperial family¡¯s drinking taste was the best in the world. She had found a kindred spirit in Acerus and they drank until morning.


    ¡°Long live Your Imperial Highness!¡±


    ¡°Long live Tarragon!¡±


    On the day Acerus left for the North, numerous citizens of Dandelion came out to the street and saw him off. Lara stood far away with Demian and looked at Acerus¡¯ back. On that day, Acerus¡¯ back seemed wide.


    I hope youe back safely.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The banquet was just around the corner. The following days were busy, it took so much preparation the surrounding atmosphere was hectic. Lara moved nonstop with the people sent by the Emperor, they fitted outfits, nned formations, and put greetings together.


    Eunice and Ximena, who were at first excited to tour Dandelion with Lara, picked out clothes and shoes with a serious face a few dayster.


    The nobles of Dandelion had considered the banquet to pray for victory held on a winter day, which marked the end of the year, very important. On this day, the high Imperial Pce waspletely open to the public. For a country in a warring state like Tarragon, it was difficult to find events more meaningful than the banquet.


    Knights who were not part of the expedition force, many nobles, and some wealthy people were invited. Even the people who could not enter the Imperial Pce took off the ck cloth hung on their doors and came out to the streets to hang out with others and share food.


    Lara had been busy preparing for the banquet all morning. She left her room wearing a long ck dress. The lining of her dress was thick and glossy and the outer appearance was light and see-through. Hundreds of ss beads were decorated like jewels in between the lining and the outer fabric. When she stood under the light, the dress glistened mysteriously like the night sky.


    ¡°Wow..¡±


    Konny scanned through Lara from behind and sincerely admired her.


    ¡°This must be the best discernment of the Empire.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Since the clothes were made by the people sent by the Emperor, wouldn¡¯t it reflect his judgment of you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think someone busy like the Emperor would have personally chosen my dress. The designers must have been skillful.¡±


    ¡°I heard Madam Isadora is wearing an ordinary ceremonial dress. I have rmended her to wear the same dress as yours several times¡­ But she just smiled.¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s busy.¡±


    ¡°What about Lady Eunice and Lady Ximena?¡±


    ¡°They said they would go with mother first. It would be rude if the delegation enteredter than His Imperial Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re the main character, you¡¯ll be thest one to appear?¡±


    Konny shouted excitedly. Lara justughed at the innocent maid¡¯s words. The reason Lara appearedter than the Emperor was to match the timing for the halo produced by the sorcerers. If she did not stand in the appointed ce at the appointed time, the wrong person might be the saintess.


    When she opened the door and went outside, Demian was already waiting for her. Leaning against the wall, he was wearing a ck formal suit and a white shirt lightly tinted blue.


    The one who would be the talk of the town at the banquet was Lara, the saintess, but Demian and the Barbarians would definitely get everyone¡¯s attention before her identity was revealed. This was because the Emperor invited the Barbarians to the banquet.


    Of course, very few Barbarians attended. Demian volunteered to escort Lara and the sociable Oscar and some older Barbarians decided to go to the banquet as the Emperor¡¯s guests.


    When she saw Demian dressed up in a wonderful outfit, Lara sighed. She said,


    ¡°If you usually dress like that, every woman will line up for you.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to be famous?¡±


    ¡°No. I want you to look only at me, talk only to me, and follow only me all day long.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want.¡±


    Demain smiled and reached out his hand. Lara held his hand and went to ride the carriage.


    ¡°Sigh I just got goosebumps.¡±


    Konny stepped two steps back after hearing the mischievous conversation between the two. She crossed her arms and rubbed her shoulders.


    Numerous nobles of Dandelion took carriages to the street to attend the banquet to pray for victory. The carriages that looked simr yet slightly different lined up and headed to the Imperial Pce. Every year the banquet to pray for victory was held, the nobles of Dandelion chatted about the tale of Acerus¡¯ heroism and his splendid history with women. Because of the Emperor¡¯s fussy personality, they did not think that he would let the Crown Prince choose his bride. They were very curious about which family¡¯s youngdy would capture that fussy Emperor¡¯s heart.


    Besides that, some people paid more attention to political and diplomatic issues. They insisted on keeping a close eye on the three countries¡¯ alliance that was against the Empire and insisted that arge army be sent to the North to iste the East. and among them, those with the fastest information and calction were most curious about what information should be leaked to whom and what should be moved to make money.


    At the entrance to the huge hall where the banquet was held, a nobleman muttered.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Thousand Gold Isadora.¡±


    The surrounding group of nobles all turned their heads toward the direction where the nobleman looked.


    Isadora, wearing a dark green top, a dark blue skirt, and a silver fur leather cape on top of it, was surrounded by the Barbarians.


    ¡°That¡¯s the delegate from the King of Hautean, right?¡±


    ¡°There was a rebellion in that country not long ago. The Prince disappeared and the remaining daughter became the sessor.¡±


    ¡°It seems that even a rebellion can happen in that country the size of a fingernail. Quite interesting.¡±


    ¡°I think in exchange for including Hautean into Tarragon¡¯s kingdom, it seems that she came to negotiate to take the Princess as Crown Prince Acerus¡¯ wife.¡±


    ¡°But I heard the Princess is young.¡±


    ¡°How young is she?¡±


    They did not even know how old the Princess of Hautean, So, was. Compared to Tarragon, Hautean was such a small country, so small that there was no reason to pay attention to that faraway royal family.


    At that time, Eunice and Ximena approached Isadora who had just arrived. They just happened to listen to them and walked with strength on their eyebrows and jaws.


    ¡°Geez¡­ So shitty. Is there anyw stating that the future dream of a small country¡¯s Princess needs to be a Crown Princess? What¡¯s wrong with them? They don¡¯t know how smart our dear Princess So is. Being a Crown Princess does not suit her at all.¡±


    As Eunice grumbled, Ximena nodded violently.


    ¡°If Lara had heard that, she would have made the evilest face in the world with her fierce eyes. Like this.¡±


    Ximena said that and imitated Lara. She raised one eyebrow up, with her eyes looking down and the corner of her mouth raised to the opposite side of her eyebrow.


    ¡°Even though she¡¯s a saintess, she has a cool yet evil face. She¡¯s so awesome, I tell you.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 110

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The banquet would begin soon. Tarragon was a huge Empire and Eunice and Ximena were the nobles of a weak country. In addition to that, they both had no reputation whatsoever and were not properly known to the nobles there. It was only natural for them to be nervous. Eunice stood at the entrance of the banquet hall and gulped out loud.


    ¡°Now that I¡¯m here, it¡¯s really no joke.¡±


    Compared to the Emperor of Tarragon¡¯s, the banquet hall of the Hautean Royal Family seemed like a vige hall.


    This year¡¯s banquet hall, opened to the public by the Emperor, was not only wide enough to the point where one could not see the end properly, but it also had dozens of chandeliers and hundreds of magical lightings. The lights embroidered the building splendidly even in the middle of the day, making people feel overwhelmed just by looking at it.


    The same went for the interior of the building. Various weapons, statues of heroes, and myth-recorded paintings that symbolised the Tarragon Empire came together to the now-magnificent ceiling.


    There were also many nobles. It was indeed an overwhelming number. No matter how splendidly they dressed, they did not think they would stand out among those people at all. Since there were so many people, it felt like an open square rather than a noble banquet.


    Eunice muttered with a face saying that she was fed up with the situation.


    ¡°He said this ce makes you feel like a sitting duck. In a crowded ce like this, there must be wild dogs and sons of b*tches walking around pretending they were normal. We have to stick close to Madam Isadora.¡±


    ¡°Who said that?¡±


    ¡°Acerus¡­ I mean, the Crown Prince.¡±


    Eunice was about to call the Crown Prince by his name before she stopped herself. Ximena, who was quickly approaching Isadora, stopped walking and pulled Eunice¡¯s forearm roughly. Then, she whispered into Eunice¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t tell me¡­ How far did you go?¡±


    ¡°Where would I go? I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°I heard you went to the Crown Prince¡¯s castle to drink and didn¡¯t return to the hotel that day, you crazy¡­¡±


    An extraordinary curse poured out of Ximena¡¯s mouth. Eunice did not deny her friend¡¯s words and just smiled.


    ¡°That could easily happen when a young man and woman were left alone and got drunk.¡±


    ¡°Is it over with just a one-night stand?¡±


    ¡°What? Of course. I want to live in peace. Even if I were given the seat next to the Crown Prince, I won¡¯t take it. How can I live when it¡¯s that suffocating?¡±


    ¡°For real?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too bad though. Still, there are still so many men with huge pecs in this world so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Crazy bish.¡±


    They whispered in a small voice, heard only by each other. They stopped chatting only after standing next to Isadora.


    ¡°Fuhh¡­¡±


    Isadora was looking at the high tform on the inner part of the hall with a hardened face. Her scarlet eyes were full of worries. She must be anxious about Lara¡¯s future, who would soon bebeled as a saintess by these many people. Eunice and Ximena also calmed down and looked only at one ce with her.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, bow!¡±


    The Emperor appeared then.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara stayed in the waiting room, used only by the Imperial family. She was to appear with perfect movement with no less than perfect timing.


    ¡°We will make the halo twice. First, when you appear, and second, when you stand next to His Imperial Majesty. Don¡¯t ever forget it. You must be at the appointed ce. The aides will open the way. Then, your body will shine during the twelve beats of your heart and it will gradually decrease while going up the tform. And¡­¡±


    Lara listened and listened to the exnation with a serious face. Just like her, even the sorcerers were nervous. They went back and forth in the room checking the magic spell whenever the Emperor¡¯s aides checked the time and looked around.


    ¡°Saintess, this way.¡±


    The aides gestured to Lara. befitting their status as the Emperor¡¯s acolytes, they were people whose emotions were not revealed in their faces and eyes. However, Lara knew. None of them thought of Lara as a real saintess. They just thought that the Emperor made the symbol called the saintess to createfort for his subjects ahead of the great demon war.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Demian approached her and reached out his hand. Lara stood up holding his hand and walked out to the hallway where aides and knights were fiercely on guard. Lara¡¯s fingertips were as cold as ice. Demian looked at her with a surprised look.


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I thought you would do this without blinking¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also what I¡¯d initially thought.¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of Crown Prince Acerus.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that bastard?¡±


    ¡°He said that I have to be someone who gives courage to all those people¡­¡±


    Lara had lived numerous days as a saintess in her previous life. However, until now, that title had never felt so scary.


    Thest bastion. The belief that God loves and cares for humans. That was what a saintess was. The words that Acerus had said before he left for the battlefield did not leave Lara¡¯s ears all throughout the preparation for the banquet.


    ¡®Can I do it?¡¯


    She came all the way there with the determination to change the future for her people, rather than thinking of protecting the world. But now, she really had to be the one who saved the world.


    God¡¯s vicegerent. A symbol of a miracle.


    ¡°Those people will definitely love me just because I¡¯m the saintess. Why then, did I not know how scary and burdensome it was?¡±


    People would put meaning to her actions, even to something as minuscule as a mere blink. Each and every word of her¡¯s would have an influence. She couldfort someone just by breathing and everything she came close to would have power. The Emperor wanted to put Lara by his side to prevent the influence from heading to the corrupted temple as much as possible.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Demian gently swept her back.


    ¡°You have me, you have yourzy God, and you also have your mother. There¡¯s the 2,000 Barbarians, your friends, the young princess who is waiting eagerly for your news in Hautean, the skillful maid, the genius alchemist, and there¡¯s also the Crown Prince who follows the saintess like a madman.¡±


    ¡°When you list it like that, it really is no joke.¡±


    Lara managed tough.


    She never wanted to be a saintess. She did not even remember being happy after being a saintess. That did not mean that she respected, obeyed, and followed God. Lara thought that she was perhaps the most disparate being in the world.


    ¡°Please get ready.¡±


    A cold-faced aide nced down at Lara and pointed at the door. The eyes of the aides were filled with distrust, the eyes of the knights were mixed with worry and contempt, and the eyes of the sorcerers were filled with pity for her.


    It was a fascinating thing. When she was a fake saintess, she was respected by everyone, even when she did not do anything. But now that she was a real saintess and had decided to do everything, she received distrustful looks. Lara stood there and took a long, slow breath. A faint warmth had been conveyed from Demian¡¯s hand. Her hands were cold, but as Demian¡¯s hand was warm and dry, she now felt a sense of pleasantness.


    Soon, the door opened.


    Between the doors, Lara could see the tform where the Emperor stood. He called her name, his voice so loud that the wide hall resounded with a hefty rang.


    ¡°The great God has sent his vicegerent. Wee the saintess!¡±


    The door was wide open. A huge wooden door, simr to the castle gates, had opened silently. Lara¡¯s stiff body moved automatically. When the sorcerers were about to cast their spells, the people were shocked.


    ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°That is the saintess?¡±


    When Lara appeared, the whispers grew louder and louder. She did not think they would ept wholeheartedly with a single word from the Emperor, but the distrust for God that had umted in the nobles was deeper than she thought.


    The story of God abandoning the humans, of his absence in thisnd, and of the priests no longer being able to use God¡¯s power©¤it had long been famous in the Empire. It was understandable that they regarded the existence of a saintess with the equivalent of a crook.


    ¡°What is the Emperor up to¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it another war¡­¡±


    Numerous spections came and went. No one was openly pointing fingers at the Emperor for fear, but all kinds of insults and lies were created where he was not present. Demian¡¯s low monologue flowed into Lara¡¯s ear as she broke through the sharp noise and moved her feet toward the appointed position.


    ¡°What kind of God is the God of Fate? If he already made her the saintess, shouldn¡¯t he give her some kind of miracle? Anyhow, all Gods are ipetent and selfish.¡±


    The God of Fate, bound by karma and unable to do anything, would be the most frustrated being at this moment. So Lara was determined not to me him or whine.


    Lara proudly raised her head in the sharp gazes pouring on her.


    Then, she felt a familiar energy somewhere. A being that was kind but cold-hearted, and had seemed to be endlessly good but had a frightening darkness to him. It was the God of Fate.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Lara¡¯s God was looking at her. Not looking at her from a distance, but right near her. Unlike before, when only she could feel his existence, he exuded a tremendous presence so that everyone there could know. God spoke to all of them from above Lara¡¯s head.


    <Listen.>


    It was a very dreamy and mellow but heterogenous voice that gave people chills.


    <Don¡¯t doubt my child. Don¡¯t even test her. You do not yet have the right to do so.>


    The formerly buzzing banquet hall became as silent as death.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 111

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    This was a miracle. Those who directly heard the voice of God put their hands together without a word. Some mumbled prayers and others stumbled and copsed.


    The Emperor¡¯s aides, who had been following closely behind Lara for fear that she might make a mistake, stopped far away and gasped for breath. And the sorcerers, who tried to put a halo on Lara¡¯s back, forgot all the spells they had memorized.


    Even the Emperor and Isadora were surprised. Isadora muttered, ¡®Good job,¡¯ as she swept her cold chest with anxiety. The Emperor¡¯s face was reddened by the unexpected appearance of God.


    <You will see a miracle today.>


    From Lara¡¯s feet, and from wherever she looked, a swarm of radiant lights spread out. Having seemed to be alive, a pattern of pure white light, resembling that of snow, bloomed like a flower. The light grew into a vine and moved with her with every step she took. The vines of light climbed up the pirs, lit the chandeliers, and soon reached the ceiling.


    The whole world shone radiantly with the light of God.


    <Treat the saintess as you treat me.>


    The God of Fate said. Now, some even knelt down and prayed.


    <Then, God will return to thisnd.>


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Humans are so amazing.¡±


    The northern demon, Lilith, spoke in a rough, cracked voice.


    In the mountains where a blizzard was raging, standing on the ruined hillside, Lilith nced at the sight of the starting avnche. Then, she spoke to Acerus, who was bleeding and kneeling down in front of her.


    ¡°It would have taken several times as much courage to challenge an enemy that you were once defeated to. What are you fighting for?¡±


    ¡°I¡­fight for thisnd, for humans!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You¡¯re fighting for your own glory. If you were truly fighting for the future of thisnd, you shouldn¡¯t have carried that stinky vampire around.¡±


    Lilith pointed to the demon Vc with her finger. Vc was also covered with blood. While the expedition force knights engaged in a fierce battle with the army of mad demonic beasts, Vc fought against Lilith by Acerus¡¯ side.


    It could not be helped. If Vc had not aided him, Acerus would lose. Vc growled, revealing his long-growing fangs.


    ¡°You¡¯re just a half-breed but you sure have a lip on you. Why are you using your power so recklessly? Because of you, those arrogant Gods will wake up!¡±


    Rumble.


    The mountain cried, a violent avnche had started. A pile of snow swept through like a mob. Trees turned upside down and the mountain flowed down everywhere. It was Lilith¡¯s doing. She caused a huge avnche at the same time as she faced Acerus and Vc.


    ¡°Because of this, I¡¯m going to die here anyway. Whatever happens in the future is none of my business. You¡¯re just a weak vampire, and yet you cling to a human like a parasite. What did this human promise you? Did he say he would give you a position of power?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get hung up on such trivial things. I don¡¯t make a move as foolishly and recklessly as you do.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who¡¯s being foolish here. Do you think thepetitors in the demon realm who despise you will stay still when they see this situation?¡±


    ¡°They¡­are not here!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will tell them everything. A weak vampire tried to reign like a King in the human realm, in addition, God¡¯s vicegerent appeared. I will tell them toe here to fight. Soon, the mostpetitive demons of the hell troops will arrive.¡±


    ¡°Lilith!¡±


    Vc was very angry. He had always been sneakily rolling his eyes to look for a chance to lie, but this time, his anger was sincere. Even as his limbs were bent and as he vomited blood, he approached Lilith and stabbed a long nail into her body.


    ¡°Stop it.¡±


    Acerus staggered up. He, too, was not in good shape. Blood constantly flowed out of his long torn wound.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to finish her.¡±


    Acerus stood up and walked. With his sword dripping with blood, he approached Lilith and stared at her eyes.


    It was prejudiced for demons to spill poison everywhere, that they could not talk like demonic beasts, and that they reeked of a disgusting and dirty stench like that of a monster. But Lilith¡¯s eyes were incredibly clean. Her white eyes and ck pupils were like that of a human child¡¯s.


    She also had human feelings.


    ¡°Lilith, do you hate humans?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking something so obvious.¡±


    ¡°You came all the way here looking for your blood rtive. But when you met them, you found out they were so weak that you ended up despising them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing. Did you look inside me?¡±


    ¡°I heard demons worship the strong and obey them¡­ Then, aren¡¯t you the most cowardly in the world?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, trash. Aren¡¯t you the typical ass kissing piece of dog shit that bow to the strong but hate and torment the weak, you bastard?¡±


    Acerus lifted his sword. His body was full of wounds, only his eyes were burning.


    Just before he struck the sword, Lilith said.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t only hate humans. Two beings made me, one was human and the other was a demon.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s mouth was torn long. She revealed her white teeth and red gums and spoke with a face full of madness.


    ¡°Do you know how hostile the Gods reigning in the heavens are? Now that I have given them enough justification, they will somehow try to exert their influence on thisnd. If that happens, the demons in hell won¡¯t just stay still. They wille up. That¡¯s what karma is. If it¡¯s pierced a little, it will flow out of control, turn into a river, then, an ocean.¡±


    ¡°You are trying¡­to start a war?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Lilith of the North stayed on humannd for quite some time. At first, she was just looking for her roots and tried to satisfy her curiosity about humans at the same time. However, as time went by, she realized that she was just a unique variant. She realized that she could not belong anywhere, that she was a monster, and that she was not weed by anyone.


    ¡°I want the demon and human who made me to forever fight each other, hate each other, and die.¡±


    Rumble.


    The mountain cried louder. The uncontroblyrgendslide devastated the surrounding area. Birds flew up and frightened beasts ran away in confusion.


    Acerus said.


    ¡°Even so, you will die without seeing anything.¡±


    ¡°I think dying in the hands of those who seek revenge is the ending that suits me the best. Son of man, go ahead and cut my throat with that sword of yours.¡±


    Lilith¡¯sughter was getting louder and louder. Vc yelled at Acerus to stop hesitating and kill Lilith. Realizing that the louder Lilith¡¯sughter, therger the scale of the avnce, Acerus eventually stabbed the demon in her chest with all his might.


    Then, he had a thought; Lilith might have wanted tomit suicide. Even now, she might be able to easily defeat Acerus and Vc and run away. As if to support his theory, the dying Lilith muttered.


    ¡°May the Demon Lord¡­¡±


    The northern demon died.


    The demon Lilith, who kidnapped Acerus, gave him unforgettable shame and despair, and remained in his heart as an object of hatred, had finally died.


    Lilith was a powerful demon. Even though she faced both Acerus and Vc at the same time at first, she hardly used her power. Acerus spected that it was the demon¡¯s instinct not to give God justification to act.


    However, as time passed, he started to feel a strange and out-of-ce feeling in Lilith. Even though she could have immediately gotten rid of Acerus and Vc, she seemed to have been observing them for a reasonable amount of time. Then she suddenly used all of her powers to wreak havoc on the entire mountain.


    ¡°I have been wondering why she lived in seclusion in this quiet mountain for so long¡­¡±


    Acerus copsed helplessly. He was almost dead. He heard the voices of the knights looking for him from afar.


    He had to strike Vc quickly now. He had to kill the seriously injured Vc before returning to have a perfect ending. But his body was so heavy that he could not even open his eyes.


    Acerus lost consciousness andy about on the hillside. Just before his memory was cut off, he felt like he saw Vc crawling towards Lilith¡¯s body.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    A bunch of lights flew like snow and danced. Lara walked like a weightless person in it. The ck dress that wrapped around her body and the ss beads that were embedded in it shone mysteriously with the lights.


    The sorcerers did not have to put a halo on Lara¡¯s body. On every step she took, God¡¯s symbol appeared. And on everything sheid her eyes on, particles of light gathered.


    It was beautiful but chilling. Everything about her represented God.


    All the nobles in the Empire bowed their heads to Lara. A wave of people swayed after her. Some knelt on their knees, others deeply bowed their waist. No one had the confidence to dare lift their heads in front of the child of God who had miracles all around her body.


    Lara thought.


    ¡®This is so embarrassing. I want to die now.¡¯


    She did not want something like this. She thought it was enough with just some symbolism. The ones who would fight the demons on the battlefield were the Barbarians, knights, and soldiers, not her.


    However, the God of Fate did not have the term ¡®moderate¡¯ in his dictionary. He appeared as if he had waited for the right time. Afterying a radiant flowery path in front of her, he shrugged, asking forpliments.


    Anyhow, this was too much.


    ¡°Now he¡¯s working properly.¡±


    Demian¡¯s voice was also filled withughter. After taking Lara to the tform where the Emperor was standing, he put his face close to her ear and whispered briefly.


    ¡°Tell them to get up.¡±


    Demian told Lara to give order to the thousands of nobles who were bowing their heads toward her.


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    The Emperor stared hard at Demian¡¯s face. Demian acted as if only Lara was there even though the Emperor of the empire was in front of him. When Lara was properly seated on the tform, he walked leisurely to return to hisrades with the corners of his mouth slightly up.


    ¡°That arrogant guy¡­¡±


    The Emperor said.


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s arrogant, but he¡¯s right. I feel good to see those high-nosed nobles bow their heads together after such a long time. You¡¯d better tell them to get up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.¡±


    After whispering a short conversation with the Emperor, Lara told Tarragon¡¯s nobles.


    ¡°Get up.¡±


    Her calm and firm voice filled the banquet hall.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 112 - Miracle

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Even though the saintess had granted her permission, the nobles hesitated and could not easily raise their heads.


    Directly hearing the voice of God had an enormous effect. They did not dare make eye contact with Lara nor did they ramble about her carelessly. Those who doubted or despised her trembled their lips in fear.


    Lara knew better than anyone that this was not an effect that wouldst forever. Over time, someone who suspected her legitimacy would appear again among them. Once the rumors about the saintess¡¯ appearance spread around, there would also be people who snorted and questioned whether the attendees had all hallucinated or not.


    Still, she had to say what she had to. Lara exchanged looks with the Emperor once again. It was time to utter the words that she had prepared.


    ¡°The war against demons will begin soon on this continent.¡±


    No one opened their mouths. It was a matter of course. The audience was already confused with the appearance of the saintess, then, they heard God¡¯s voice, now, they were informed that the demons woulde. They did not know which part they should be surprised by.


    ¡°ck sorcerers¡¯ hideouts have been found all over the world and the number of their victims is increasing. And as the number of the poor and sick increase, so will the number of reckless demon worshippers.¡±


    So we have to stop them.


    Every noble understood Lara¡¯s words. They were just busy calming their startled feelings and btedly put their brains to work.


    Lara said onest time.


    ¡°The God of Fate has chosen the Tarragon Empire as thest shield.¡±


    Protect thisnd and God would be with you. The promise of the saintess was nothing less than a promise of God. It was also the Emperor¡¯s promise.


    As Lara looked at the Emperor, he nodded vigorously. Then, with his loud voice ringing all throughout the banquet hall just like when he introduced her, the Emperor loudly announced.


    ¡°It¡¯s always been like that. There has never been an easy fight. We were challenged every time and defended thisnd with victory. Tarragon¡¯s name will be engraved on the history of victory!¡±


    His voice was so loud that one would not believe that it came out of the old Emperor.


    ¡°God did not abandon us! Look, the saintess is in front of us now! Who will be the first one to lift the g of God? Who will fight with me?¡±


    Originally, the sorcerers were supposed to shine a halo from behind Lara and the Emperor. However, as if he had been waiting for this moment again, the God of Fate intervened.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    ¡°Holy¡­¡±


    The light exploded. The lights that stretched out from under Lara¡¯s feet had colored the ceiling and reached the chandelier, before exploding all at once. And soon, the whole world became dark.<b> Miracle</b>


    ¡°It was too much.¡±


    Lara said firmly. Demian could not stopughing.


    The fancy group of lights followed Lara until the end of the banquet. And because of that, Demian kept bursting intoughter, forsaking his tendency to not be able to smile well. It was too much that even Isadora told the night sky off, saying it was chaotic.


    After giving her greetings to the Emperor, Lara returned home even before the banquet was over. After that, she changed into ordinary clothes and secretly visited the sanctuary to nag the God of Fate. There, she heard amazing news.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Lilith is dead¡­¡±


    The demon Lilith died by Acerus¡¯ hands.


    ¡°Did you know about it?¡±


    Lara asked Demian. He did not seem surprised at all when he heard her. He looked as if he already knew about it.


    ¡°Of course I knew. Otherwise, how else would the God of Fate umte that much karma?¡±


    ¡°¡­An avnche. I never even imagined that.¡±


    That was what Lara was most surprised about. The God of Fate said that it was a disaster at the same level as a powerful earthquake.


    Fortunately, the disaster happened in a mountainous area, deserted from human life. And as the number of soldiers killed by Lilith¡¯s army of demonic beasts was much higher than those buried under the avnche, the avnche did not harbor many casualties. But the God of Fate said that more karma was umted because of the avnche, rather than because of demons directly killing people.


    ¡°It is only humans who made themselves the sole metric for karma.¡±


    Lara muttered what the God of Fate had said. Demian agreed with her and nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s a different story if it¡¯s a disaster. Forget the animals and nts, the whole region will change. And it¡¯s because of this change that the Gods will think of it as a much bigger shift in karma.¡±


    ¡°So this is what he meant by saying that I can make use of the demon¡¯s power even if it is not necessarily by hurting people.¡±


    News of Lara, daughter of Thousand Gold Isadora, being the once-in-one-hundred-years saintess had already spread throughout Dandelion. And because of her fame as the saintess, Demian and Lara had to leave the ¡®Lara¡¯s Garden Hotel¡¯ and stay at a luxury inn.


    Numerous extra news flew around and notices were posted. Newspapers and magazines were released earlier than their set schedule. Some came out into the streets as if they had waited for it to either defend or criticize the Temple of Glory. The books that recorded the words of God, the history of the temple, and of prayers were sold like crazy.


    The Temple of Glory reacted most intensely. From the highest-ranking priests to the higher-up who dominated the temple, all of the temple staff rushed to ¡®Lara¡¯s Garden¡¯ hotel.


    If Lara had not brought Konny and Demian along and avoided them in advance, a difficult situation would have happened.


    The priests failed to take the saintess to the temple. They ended up going straight to the Emperor. They strongly criticized the Emperor, saying ¡®how could such an important thing be done without the temple¡¯s knowledge¡¯ and ¡®this was a measure that ignored the Temple of Glory that had been protecting the House of God until now.¡¯


    The Emperor did not answer. Lara knew that the Temple of Glory had corruption in its roots and that the current temple body was no different than a cowardly peddler, but she did not know that it had such a bad rtionship with the Imperial family. She let out a sigh saying that her position had be difficult.


    ¡°What are you worried about? You have God who protects you day and night.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can call him anytime I want and beg him to help me.¡±


    ¡°I like that better though, as much as it offends me.¡±


    ¡°Are you jealous of God now?¡±


    ¡°If he was a human, I would have already thrown a punch at him.¡±


    Lara almost spat out the water she had been drinking from. She hurriedly put down her cup and squinted at Demian. Then, he said shamelessly.


    ¡°He¡¯s tied up by mere karma. Maybe even I can win against him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that. You don¡¯t even know if God is a man or a woman.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a he.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°He reeks of a man¡¯s odor.¡±


    Lara just shut her mouth because of Demian who randomly insisted that the God of Destiny was a man. Konny, who took out dried fruit and put it on the te, talked to them in a lively voice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. God must be a woman!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Demian asked. Konny asked him why he would ask something so obvious. Then, she answered with confidence.


    ¡°Because God is wearing a skirt.¡±


    It was not a skirt, but just a robe that came down to the toes. Lara and Demian smiled softly. No one told her the truth.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The snow that had continuously been fluttering finally stopped, and the cold wave had reached its peak. All the streets of Dandelion were frozen. People walked with their shoulders curled up. Schools were closed and children entered their houses and gathered by the fire.


    Despite the cold weather, the Lara¡¯s Garden hotel was suffering from an untimely reservation war. Due to the fact that it was the hotel where the saintess stayed, the wealthy people of Dandelion flocked there and stood in line. They asked to be allowed to stay for just one day, even if they had to be in a small room.


    But unfortunately for them, there were a number of Barbarians already staying at Isadora¡¯s hotel. Not all 2,000 Barbarians stayed, but many of them hovered around Isadora at her hotel. The fact that Lampion, Oscar, and Domino were there had also contributed to the hotel¡¯s poption of Barbarians.


    People tried to ridicule Isadora¡¯s decision for choosing the Barbarians instead of the nobles and wealthy people. But when they realized her daughter was the saintess, they quickly shut up. Then, they began toe up with different interpretations.


    God must feel sorry for the Barbarians. It seems that the saintess is going to use the Barbarians as war ves in the great demon war. The Emperor must have asked her to solve the problem with Barbarians. Maybe the Barbarians are using the saintess.


    Grandiose semantics continued.


    Be it a sneeze or a yawn, Lara¡¯s foresight of people making a fuss by adding God¡¯s name to whatever she did was exactly right.


    ¡°Do you know which ce in Dandelion is the most crowded these days?¡±


    Ximena asked. Even though she wore gloves, her hands were still cold. She melted them with the hot teacup. Then, Eunice answered her tly.


    ¡°Must be the temple.¡±


    Even though the Temple of Glory was seething with corruption, people still visited the House of God because of the saintess¡¯ appearance. Even after being raging mad at the Emperor for leaving the temple out and monopolizing the divine, the priests became quieter as the visitors to the temple continued to visit.


    Eunice had several extra newspapers in her hands that the hotel workers picked up from outside for her every morning.


    ¡°Look at this. There¡¯s a story about the Barbarians. It says here that the leather that the Barbarians wear is pretty much the price of a house.¡±


    ¡°But they just handed the leather to Madam Isadora as if it was just a rabbit¡¯s front paws.¡±


    ¡°These humans¡­ Maybe they don¡¯t know the price of the item.¡±


    This time, Ximena took the paper from Eunice and said.


    ¡°Crown Prince Acerus seriously injured on the Northern subjugation.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Eunice asked back loudly in spite of herself.


    ¡°Look at this. He won the battle against the demon, but was found unconscious¡­ He has urgently returned to the capital for treatment.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 113

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    As Ximena¡¯s words got longer, Eunice¡¯s face gradually turned pale.


    ¡°Really?¡­How bad?¡±


    Eunice asked back in a trembling voice. She looked like she was going to run out screaming right away, so Ximena deliberately spoke casually for Eunice¡¯s sake.


    ¡°What are you worried about? He has the best doctors in the Empire, the hidden sorcerers, and even the saintess who can now use God¡¯s power to her heart¡¯s content. The most useless thing in the world is to worry about the powerful. Let¡¯s go out and finish our walk.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡±


    Eunice raised herself up, trying hard to smile and nod. Ximena folded in half the extra news that Eunice was secretly holding and threw it into the trash can.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Acerus was badly injured. Lara and Demian were able to hear detailed stories from a messenger who had arrived to them first.


    If Lara knew this would happen, she would have followed him. Or she would have asked God for a favor. The Emperor threatened not to lean on the Barbarians because he knew they would not settle in Tarragon, but what was the point in that if something went wrong with Acerus.


    Lara hade to the Crown Prince¡¯s castle in advance even before the subjugation expedition had arrived. After hearing that Acerus¡¯ wounds were deep, Lara anxiously came to check on his condition as soon as possible. Demian followed her on her visit, but unlike Lara, Demian felt very rxed. He entered the castle without its master, and as if it were his own house, Demian satfortably and ate snacks.


    ¡°Demian, when will he arrive?¡±


    ¡°I heard they were going to enter the capital this afternoon, he¡¯ll probably be here soon.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯lle here right away, right? He just came back from death¡¯s door, no matter how strict His Imperial Majesty is, he won¡¯t tell his son to report to him first, right?¡±


    ¡°The aides or knights will do such things.¡±


    ¡°But aren¡¯t you worried?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Lara thought that he¡¯d at least be a little worried, but Demian looked very rxed. She knew he might be the demon lord, but she also knew that he was notpletely heartless. So, Lara asked without holding back her curiosity.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you worried? Is there something to back him up?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. I just believe everything will be fine since Vc is with him.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that demon?¡±


    ¡°Acerus is the only one here who took Vc¡¯s side. Would he just let Acerus die? Moreover, he¡¯s from an Imperial family. If Vc uses Acerus well, he can get anything.¡±


    ¡°Vc said he was weaker than Lilith. Could he have been of any help?¡±


    ¡°It will be fine.¡±


    Demian, who tried all the snacks on the te one by one, picked up the most delicious one and put it in Lara¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°If you¡¯re so worried, ask God.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    Appalled, Lara shook her head. She had been avoiding the God of Fate since thest banquet.


    ¡°I will use God¡¯s power only when it¡¯s really urgent. I will check on Crown Prince Acerus¡¯ condition first.¡±


    If God wanted to, he could appear and talk to Lara or just speak to her directly with only his voice, but Lara still wanted to keep their distance as much as she could.


    ¡°And¡­ He¡¯s too much.¡±


    Because of the natural disaster caused by Lilith, the God of Fate unexpectedly gained quite a lot of karma so he wanted to do this and that for Lara.


    When God said he wanted to create the Order of Holy Knights for Lara, she thought of the Barbarians right away and said that it was not a bad idea. But when he said he would put wings on Lara¡¯s back, she was genuinely surprised and escaped from the sanctum as if she was running away.


    Unlike the nervous Lara, Demian sat leisurely and waited for Acerus. Then, he heard several people¡¯s bustling footsteps.


    ¡°He¡¯sing.¡±


    Lara sprung to her feet and opened the door herself. From the other side of the hallway, knights from the Crown Prince¡¯s castle were bringing arge stretcher.


    ¡°Saintess!¡±


    The knights looked at Lara with earnest eyes.


    ¡°This way,e on!¡±


    Acerus was pale. His then-healthy brown skin was so pale that it almost looked bluish. His arms that have turned skinny after going to the northern expedition, stuck out of the stretcher.


    While Lara and the knights moved Acerus to the bedroom, and while the doctors and thedies-in-waiting were busy preparing for his treatment, Demian moved silently to find Vc.


    The expedition force had made a great contribution by seeding in killing the demon, but much of the jolly atmosphere had subsided due to theirmander¡¯s injury. The aides and other people in charge went to see the Emperor, and the rest dragged their tired bodies home.


    Vc was walking gently into the Crown Prince¡¯s castle. Demian hid in the shadow of a distant pir and observed him.


    Vc¡¯s steps were noticeably light. In the past, it seemed that the demon was trapped in Prince Sidhar¡¯s body. But now, it was like the demon Vc had stolen Prince Sidhar¡¯s face. He was quite decent in his acting and pretending to be sad, but he could not deceive Demian¡¯s eyes.


    His excited heels, the subtle corners of his mouth that went up, and his eyes that looked around.


    ¡®So he got stronger.¡¯


    Demian could feel the energy of a strong individual flowing from him. If Acerus had been that injured, he would not have been able to stop Vc. He must have eaten Lilith and be strong.


    He used to be so weak that Demian would not be worried even if he was close to Acerus. But from now on, he thought he should pay attention to what he was doing here.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The Emperor announced that, after the Crown Prince had left for the northern expedition, he had now returned after defeating the demon with the subjugation forces. It was a victory for humans and the great Tarragon Empire, and The Emperor¡¯s subjects were enthusiastic. A strong and just leader was the protagonist of the story©¤a story that they loved the most.


    Tarragon was already overwhelmed with the saintess¡¯s appearance. Now that the Crown Prince had returned as a hero, the people unanimously praised that Tarragon¡¯s future would be full of glory.


    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡±


    However, Acerus was strongly rejecting the power of God. He said with a firm will on his pale face.


    Lara could not understand him. If she asked for a favor from the God of Fate, he could have returned Acerus to his normal state immediately. So she asked him to go to the sanctum with her, but he firmly rejected her suggestion.


    ¡°Then I will go alone. God will do me a favor.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡±


    Lara was frustrated. ording to the doctor, Acerus suffered so many wounds that it could be said that it was a miracle he managed to return alive. When the doctor said that he had to be bedridden for at least one season¡¯s cycle to move like usual, Lara recalled the God of Fate, who wanted to grant whatever her requests were these days.


    But Acerus did not listen to her.


    ¡°Saintess¡­¡±


    ¡°Keep talking.¡±


    ¡°Lilithmitted suicide.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Lara was surprised and asked back. Demian, who was standing by the window, also approached Acerus and listened.


    ¡°All of this was Lilith¡¯s scheme. She already knew about everything¡ªhow we would ambush her ce, and how God will be justified to influence thisnd. And¡­ She was delighted that her n was a perfect sess.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    Demian asked. Acerus smiled bitterly at him and said in agony.


    ¡°She said that the Gods are hostile and the demons are jealous. Now that God has appeared in thisnd along with the saintess, the demons cannot just let it happen. And because of that, they will appear here¡­ She said that is how demons and Gods umte karma and walk the path of destruction.


    ¡°Shemitted suicide because of that?¡±


    ¡°She hated both humans and demons. But what Lilith hated the most seemed to be herself, who was born of both sides.¡±


    Acerus shut his mouth for a moment to endure the paining up from his wound. Lost in thought, Demian did not talk for a while.


    At that time, Lara muttered as if talking to herself.


    ¡°The demon of fire¡­¡±


    There were some unforgettable scenes in her head. One of them was the demon of fire that appeared in Hautean. Until his heart was pulled out by Demian after Lara¡¯s death, the demon of fire was the most powerful demon on thisnd. He was also the demon who was the most obsessed with Lara, the saintess.


    She did not know his name. If she asked the God of Fate, he would let her know, but now, there was something more important than that. Lara approached Acerus and asked.


    ¡°Is that why you refuse to be treated by God?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Acerus said that the deeper the God of Fate intervenes with human matters, the more likely he would provoke demons. He also said they were already preparing for war.


    ¡°Did Vc say that too?¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°If he has be strong after eating Lilith, why won¡¯t he leave? Why does he stay with us all this time?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    This time, Acerus¡¯ face was subtly distorted. He sighed and frowned to express that Vc was a pain in the neck.


    ¡°Vc seems to be bullied in hell.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling that demons are no different from humans. They hate Lilith and call her a half-breed, they hate Vc for sucking other people¡¯s blood and acting like a parasite.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the reason why he¡¯s staying with us?¡±


    ¡°If a demon stronger than Vc appears¡­ In the end, he would need to join hands with us.¡±


    Acerus¡¯ original n was to kill Lilith and then Vc together. However, Lilith¡¯s fighting power was stronger than expected and he lost consciousness, missing the opportunity.


    ¡°So he ns to follow us around and eat up the dead demon¡¯s blood every time we hunt for one.¡±


    Demian said. Lara nodded and agreed with him, Acerus also thought so.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just kill him now.¡±


    Demian thought there was no need to fight with a needle stuck in the back of his head and argued that it would be better to get rid of the demon now. Of course, Vc was a needle only for him but a spear for others. However, Acerus expressed opposition to Demian¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s still useful.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°I heard there are factions among the ck sorcerers and the demon worshippers. It is only natural that they serve different demons. Vc said that he will give me that information.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We know nothing about demons. Vc will be a spy, and he will sell out their weaknesses.¡±


    ¡°That smart-ass demon.¡±


    Demian spat out swear words in a low voice.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 114

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    After Lara and Demian went back, Acerus¡¯ doctor gave him a strong sleeping pill to help him sleep well until tomorrow morning. Suddenly, Acerus woke up in the middle of the night. He opened his eyes wide.


    The bedroom was quiet. The doctor anddies-in-waiting caring for Acerus tried to avoid waking him up so they stayed in a small drawing-room connected to the bedroom.


    Hwiii.


    A cold wind blew outside. The double-locked window rattled.


    ¡°Vc.¡±


    Acerus muttered. A cold wind blew in the bedroom. Vc jumped in from outside the window and quickly closed the shutter. Then, he approached the bed where Acerus was lying.


    Horrible emotions rushed through Acerus¡¯ head, showing disgust in his face. Although he knew his body was abnormal, Acerus could not hide his intense rage and growled.


    ¡°You son of a b*tch¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that your way of saying thanks?¡±


    ¡°I will kill you. I will tear you apart and throw you into hell.¡±


    Muttered Acerus, clenching his teeth whileying down. Vc tilted his head to one side as if he could not understand him.


    ¡°I heard that a human should return the favor to their life savior¡­¡±


    ¡°Life savior? Don¡¯t paraphrase what you did to me like that. You insult me, I will do no such favor for you.¡±


    ¡°But I saved your life?¡±


    Vc pulled the curtains back and came over to sit down on Acerus¡¯ bed. The face of the demon with a subtle light glimmered in front of him.


    ¡°Acerus, if it weren¡¯t for me, you would have died on the spot that day.¡±


    Vc said. Acerus closed his eyes. With Vc in front of him, it was difficult to control his anger. He thought that he would rather have died back then.


    After stabbing Lilith¡¯s heart, Acerus copsed on the spot. After waking up, he thought he survived because he was lucky. But the moment the doctor said, ¡®Did a demonic beast bite you? There are teeth marks on your arm,¡¯ because Vc was a vampire, Acerus recalled his face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t crave human blood. You didn¡¯t even be a monster or demon.¡±


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    ¡°You just became connected to me.¡±


    Vc smiled pleasantly, he looked really happy. He did not even know how desperate Acerus was, and was just extremely satisfied that the leader of the human realm had be his vassal.


    ¡°I will help you. I will do my best to help you be the hero of humans. And when the great demon war breaks out, I will tell you all the information I know.¡±


    Vc whispered. It was a sweet voice.


    ¡°If you want, I will keep this secret to the end. I can even treat you with pity like a captive. I¡¯m a generous demon, after all.¡±


    ¡°I told you to get lost, before I kill you.¡±


    ¡°You must be kidding, right?¡±


    Vc chuckled.


    ¡°Acerus, you will never kill me.¡±


    What he said was true.


    ¡°Because if I die, so will you.¡±


    When the vampire liege died, the vassal would also die. Acerus could not kill Vc, rather, if someone tried to kill Vc, he needed to step forward and protect him.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara had a disturbing dream. She did not remember any of the contents, she only clearly remembered God following and gazing at her. As soon as she woke up and opened her eyes in the morning, she muttered in a cracked voice.


    ¡°You know that I can¡¯t go there. It¡¯s too crowded.¡±


    Because news regarding the appearance of the saintess had quickly spread, not only from Dandelion, numerous people from nearby cities flocked to the capital to see Lara. And most of them rushed to the Temple of Glory, so there was no way that Lara could secretly visit the sanctum.


    ¡°If it¡¯s urgent, you can just say it right away. You keep asking me toe because it¡¯s not urgent, right?¡±


    The God of Fate did not answer. Lara was satisfied with the fact that her guess was right and got up from bed.


    It waste in the morning. Lara could not sleep and had to wake upte due to the cold wind blowing all night.


    ¡°Mdy, you¡¯re awake now!¡±


    Konny approached with a warm towel. While Lara wore her slippers, the diligent Konny ran to her side and massaged her cold exposed shoulders with her warm hands.


    ¡°Thanks, Konny.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me for this much. I know that I¡¯m such a great maid.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the only maid in the world who serves the saintess. When the schrs write a history book or somethingter, maybe someone will add a line or two about me. Something like, ¡®There was a loyal maid next to the saintess Lara.¡¯


    ¡°Is that your wish?¡±


    ¡°No. My wish is to save money quickly, retire early, and build a red brick house on the beach in Hautean.¡±


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to live in Hautean. Don¡¯t you like a big city?¡±


    ¡°This ce is too big! I was going to go ice fishing with Valentine, but oh my gosh! They said I have to go a long way even by carriage. I just gave up by then.¡±


    Lara burst intoughter. She could not believe the timid Valentine went ice fishing. It would be fortunate if he did not turn pale and copse.


    ¡°Even Valentine is acting weird these days.¡±


    ¡°How weird?¡±


    ¡°His shoulders are full of energy. When his customers were about to talk about the saintess at the store, his whole body would move up and down. He would be clearing his throat awkwardly¡­¡±


    After rubbing her face with a warm towel, Lara raised her head and looked at Konny.


    ¡°What¡¯s with him?¡±


    ¡°He must be proud of serving you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t tell him to keep it a secret, he would have written about it in front of his store. The store by the saintess¡¯ no.1 subordinate.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go nuts.¡±


    When Lara muttered, Konnyughed until her shoulders trembled.


    ¡°¡®Shut up! No.1 is me!¡¯ He was so sad when I said that to him¡­ Hehehe! He¡¯s really fun to tease.¡±


    Lara considered going to Valentine¡¯s store. He could not find a worker that he liked, so he might get restless. And because of that, Lara thought to help him as much as she could. After changing into thick cotton clothes, Lara came down the inn. The innkeeper approached her and asked.


    ¡°Are you going out? What should I do about your meal?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. My maid will take care of the cleaning, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my. I got paid a lot so I ought to do something¡­¡±


    ¡°It is really fine.¡±


    Lara barely showed her face. Choosing a small luxury inn was also to avoid any hassle.


    ¡°What about thepany I brought?¡±


    ¡°His friends came early in the morning and went out with him.¡±


    Demian was gathering the Barbarians scattered all over Dandelion. He said that, if what Lilith said about the demons were true, while the demons were preparing to reveal themselves in this world, it would be cowardly to just wait for them to appear. So Demian took it upon himself to gather up the Barbarians and search for the demon worshippers themselves.


    Lara got on the carriage after being seen off by the innkeeper. Konny excitedly sat across from her with a basket in her arms containing milk and a wrapped sandwich.


    Valentine¡¯s store was located in a workshop alley a block away from Dandelion¡¯s downtown area. Looking from the front, Valentine¡¯s store looked small, but there was arge warehouse and a house inside, so it was actually quite spacious. He was making long-distance magic receivers out of diamonds that Isadora had gotten, along with products to disy at his store.


    ¡°Valentine!¡±


    Konny knocked on the door with her small fist. Then, Valentine appeared with a swollen face and opened the door.


    ¡°Konny, why are you here at this hour? Oh¡­ Mdy!¡±


    Seeing Lara, Valentine stepped back in surprise. Konny helped whileughing at him staggering from surprise. Valentine thought that he was no longer afraid of Lara anymore, but that did not seem to be the case.


    ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    When Lara entered the store, Valentine moved in a rush. Heid a nket on a fluffy sofa and poured a cup of warm tea for Lara. Then, he stood next to her and stammered over his words.


    ¡°One more pair of long-distance magic receivers¡­will bepleted soon. Madam Isadora sent me a fairlyrge diamond so its range could probably be asrge from here until the border.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Lara asked with joy. If the receiver could be used that far, Lara and Demian could have one each. So when Demain and hisrades went to deal with the demon worshippers, she could even respond quickly by listening to their news in real-time.


    ¡°Yes, umm, and¡­¡±


    Valentine hesitated. He seemed to have something to say to Lara, but he could not easily bring it up. Lara first asked him, who was chewing on his lips and groaning.


    ¡°If you have anything you want to say, just say it.¡±


    ¡°Umm, about that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    ¡°Mdy¡­ do you really think¡­ I can be¡­the best alchemist?¡±


    His voice was as small as the sound of dragonfly wings. When Lara looked up at his face, she could see his reddish neck and ears despite the cold weather.


    How should I exin this?


    Lara hesitated for a moment. She could not just say that she had been through the future©¤a future where he was the best alchemist and ck-market merchant. But while she was contemting, Valentine misunderstood her silence and whispered with a dejected look.


    ¡°I know you were just saying things back then just to encourage me. I¡­ just, I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±


    Lara quickly cut him off. Then, she put strength on her eyebrows and said firmly.


    ¡°You¡¯re already the best alchemist. I was about to say that.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°You made long-distance magic receivers. Do you know how surprised Crown Prince Acerus was when he saw this? He looked like he would cling on my leg if I didn¡¯t introduce you to him.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Valentine asked with nk eyes. Lara smiled haughtily at him.


    ¡°Of course, I postponed it to ater date. I want to monopolize the receivers for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Are¡­ are you being serious?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I swear to God.¡±


    Actually, she did not need to swear or anything. Even without thinking about what happened in her past life, Valentine was already the best alchemist. He was just too insecure and scared for now.


    ¡°Oi, feelin¡¯ good, huh?¡±


    Konny poked Valentine¡¯s side mercilessly. He pped like a fish but kept ncing at Lara. Then, he muttered to himself.


    ¡°I will make sure¡­¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing!¡±


    Valentine moved awkwardly. Lara got up after finishing her tea, she looked around the store and was amazed. Though stuttering, Valentine exined his products one by one. Even though he stayed up all night making and researching new things, his eyes were sparkling.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After Lara returned, Valentine opened his store and frowned at the snow that began to fall again.


    ¡°It¡¯s snowing again.¡±


    Valentine had never seen so much snow in Hautean. Tarragon was a country with many things¡ªpeople, resources¡­and data.


    With the money Isadora funded, Valentine purchased all books rted to ancient artifacts and records on the ck market, not even refraining from reading banned ck sorcerers¡¯ books. He was locked up in hisb every night and preupied with only one thought.


    How can I make a better product for mdy?


    It was not difficult to build a long-distance magic receiver. However, the diamond that Isadora brought him this time was too big and a great hem to be used only as a receiver.


    So he thought about it.


    If I can transfer sound, maybe I can even transfer objects. Furthermore, if I could even transfer people, wouldn¡¯t it be easier for mdy?


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 115

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    While Valentine was preupied with his research, Acerus devoted himself to recovery. Though he was recovering at an abnormally fast pace, nothing was informed to the outside world. The Crown Prince¡¯s doctor was a man of few words and did not express doubts about the orders he received.


    Meanwhile, the enthusiasm of those searching for the saintess did not cool down, leading to a tough situation.


    Lara could not return to Isadora¡¯s hotel. After she almost got caught by the priests when she secretly visited the sanctum to talk to the God of Fate, she had a sphemous thought; would it not be better to steal the God statue?


    Heavy snow poured once again on thest day of winter. And despite their familiarity with snow, even the citizens of Dandelion irritably spat outints of the unusually heavy snow.


    ¡°Mdy! Come out!¡±


    At a small inn, on the outskirts of Dandelion, Demian came to Lara.


    It was the first day of spring, and Lara was in the middle of enjoying her long-awaited rxation time. The innkeeper hummed to himself and hung a white cloth embroidered with petals at the entrance.


    Demian entered the inn wearing simple leather armor instead of a long cloak and flopped down next to Lara.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Lara asked. Demain¡¯s face was a little stiff. From what others see, he had a face that was as indifferent as usual, but Lara recognized the subtle difference. She whispered to him.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°It seems that the ck sorcerers have begun to show their faces.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    It was expected, but still, Lara did not feel good. The fact that the ck sorcerers began to show off their strength and power after having been hiding in the dark meant they were being ordered by the demons.


    ¡°But they won¡¯t be able to cause any idents as they wish. The fact that they still have to walk on eggshells around the Gods has not changed.¡±


    Tarragon was a country with a very well-developedmunication system connected along borders and important bases. In addition to military carrier pigeons, many other sorcerers were also secretly dispatched, just like how Acerus contacted Demian when he was in Hautean. So the Emperor was able to receive reports on what was happening in the provinces faster than anyone else.


    ¡°They¡¯re building a base.¡±


    The ck sorcerers were gathering power. It was a process in which demon worshippers gathered and became troops, led by a powerful ck sorcerer.


    ¡°So, they¡¯re preparing for war.¡±


    Lara muttered.


    In Lara¡¯s previous life, the ck sorcerers had built a base nearby Hautean. But it was a long timeter from the current point in time. Back then, no avnche had urred because Acerus did not go to subdue Lilith, and the God of Fate did not even appear.


    Acerus said Lillith looked very satisfied even though she was dying. Perhaps it was because she expected all of this. As the demons incited by Lilith began to put their hands out on thisnd, the clock of war ticked ever so faster. And should it be held true, Tarragon needed to prepare for it as well.


    The Emperor took the imperial army and began a major reorganization. Training methods and weapons had also changed. At thest minute, the Emperor might have to deal with demons himself, so he had to use apletely different tactic.


    Lara thought about something else.


    ¡°We have to keep the order.¡±


    ¡°What order?¡±


    ¡°We mustn¡¯t let the demons take advantage of God¡¯s mistake. Instead, we must follow the order of God punishing the demons for their wrongdoings. If things go wrong, the clock of war will be out of control.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Lilith¡¯s words of how hostile the Gods are have been weighing on my mind. I don¡¯t want the demons to provoke the Gods¡­¡±


    The gate had been opened, and it was impossible to block it now. The humans were stuck in the war between demons and Gods, and in order for them not to be used and abandoned, it was necessary to imprint themselves as the subject of this fight.


    ¡°We must be the first to strike.¡±


    ¡°We have to hit¡¯em first.¡±


    Lara and Demian said so at the same time, smiling briefly at each other shortly after. Then, Demian held Lara¡¯s hand and kissed the back of her hand.


    ¡°We can attack first with only the human army, and without the power of God or saintess. To let the demons know that their opponent is us, and to warn the Gods not to meddle in.¡±


    ¡°Did you read my mind?¡±


    ¡°I have always been listening to your mind.¡±


    Demian smiled and got up. He was confident. Demian could unquestionably stand up to real demons, for him, demon worshippers were not such great enemies,


    ¡°I¡¯m going to only take the Barbarians this time.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I should ask your mother for help.¡±


    Various preparations were needed to move quickly. Rather than the Emperor of Tarragon, Demian decided to go to Isadora.


    ¡°I need to pack my luggage too.¡±


    Lara followed suit and got up. Demian asked where she was going but she reassured him by only saying not to worry.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Due to the possibility of the Gods¡¯ being hostile, someone was needed to soothe them. Lara thought that was the role that the God of Fate wanted from her.


    Deep in the night, Lara appeared in front of the sanctum, wearing a long robe. Even though it waste, the front of the sanctum was crowded.


    It was spectacr. The snow had stopped, and the sky was full of stars, illuminating the dark night. Down on the ground, countless people had filled the air withnterns. Lara moved slowly between them and approached the sanctum.


    Then, someone appeared and gently blocked her.


    ¡°Lady Lara.¡±


    He was the knight of the Emperor.


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°His majesty is in front of the sanctum.¡±


    After parting from Demian, Lara sent a message to the Emperor.


    Isn¡¯t this enough now? If Your Imperial Majesty intends to abandon the Temple of Glory, it is better to just give it to me.


    The Emperor sent Lara an answer and told her to meet him in front of the sanctum.


    ¡°Wee.¡±


    The Emperor reached out his hand in front of the sanctum. When she saw him dressed up like an ordinary old man, Lara smiled.


    ¡°You really look like your son.¡±


    ¡°Is that an insult?¡±


    The Emperor was displeased, but gave a lightugh all the same. Lara held his hand and made a big turn around the sanctum. The knights skillfully moved and protected the surroundings so that their conversations would not leak out.


    ¡°What are you nning to do by getting a hold of the temple? These guys are no longer the servants of God. They¡¯re just crazy about gold, meat, liquor, and pleasure.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no more hope for them.¡±


    The Emperor despised the Temple of Glory.


    ¡°Did you know what happened recently? A child told a little lie in a rural vige. He was a child whose parents had died an early death and was hungry for love. It seemed that he did so because he got attention when he lied.¡±


    ¡°Keep going.¡±


    ¡°The child lied about there having been demonic beasts appearing in the forest. The vigers became tired after being deceived several times by his excessive lies. So, they sent him to the Temple of Glory. They told the temple to punish him.¡±


    ¡°Then what happened?¡±


    ¡°They cut his tongue.¡±


    After having been leisurely walking while holding the Emperor¡¯s hand, Lara stopped walking. Then, the Emperor gave her a little force and pulled her hand. Then, they continued to walk leisurely.


    ¡°They said that, if the child¡¯s parents offered some money, they would not punish him. Rather, he would be blessed under the pretext of guidance. But because the child was a poor orphan, there was nothing he could offer to the temple.¡±


    ¡°How old was he?¡±


    ¡°11 years old.¡±


    It was such a young kid. Lara identified with the Emperor¡¯s loath for the temple. She also understood the hearts of the vigers who became tired of the child¡¯s lies. But the child could have sufficiently been set on the right path with discipline and guidance, she could not believe that the child was punished like that. Who in the world gave them such authority?


    ¡°It was when I ascended the throne. I was energetic and thought that I could tear up the temple and embrace it. So I suggested that the High Prieste to my coronation and give me a congrattory speech.¡±


    ¡°Did he refuse?¡±


    ¡°The High Priest asked for the Temple of Glory in Dandelion. He wanted me to let him announce the temple as thend of God. But he would only write his name on the documents. He said he would hand it over to his sonter.¡±


    She understood why the High Priest wanted to have thend of God. What he wanted was notnd to devote to God, but private property in every way.


    ¡°So what did you do?¡±


    ¡°I cut off the subsidies to the temple. They are those who belong to God, so they should live as simple as possible. I didn¡¯t even give them a single penny.¡±


    Then, the Emperor said that they began to demand money from the believers.


    Since then, people have had to pay significant sums of money to the temple for their services. Be it to bless a newborn child, perform a funeral for the dead, light a candle in the prayer room, or to receive guidance from a priest.


    ¡°I have known from the get-go that the Gods had already left thisnd. Unless it was an evil God, no God would ever consider such priests as their children.¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty.¡±


    ¡°I hate the Temple of Glory.¡±


    The Emperor said. While they were talking, Lara and the Emperor had already finished touring the perimeter of the sanctum and were walking towards the crowded entrance again.


    ¡°So do I.¡±


    Lara said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There is probably no one in this world who hates the Temple of Glory more than I do.¡±


    Lara was smiling sharply. Her scarlet eyes that were exposed outside the robe had gleamed with the torches. Throughout her two lives, she deeply felt how greedy and selfish the temple was.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a saintess chosen to serve the temple or to boost their glory.¡±


    Rather, she was a saintess chosen to point out their faults and dig up their sins.


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, please allow me to turn the temple over.¡±


    Lara¡¯s voice was very cold. Her eyes were distant and her tone was firm. Although she knew that the person she was talking to was the Emperor whomanded the continent, she did not hesitate in the slightest.


    The Emperor bowed his head and looked into Lara¡¯s eyes. His lips twitched, creating a crooked smile.


    ¡°Sure. You¡¯re Isadora¡¯s daughter after all.¡±


    Saying that, the Emperor mentioned how he had forgotten about that fact for a moment and smiled along with Lara.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 116

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Hundreds of candles were always burning in the sanctum called the House of God. It was the duty of the sanctum priests to keep the candles from extinguishing. They opened the door of the sanctum only to the rich or to those with high status, filling their pockets with gold coins.


    With the news of the appearance of the saintess, numerous people flocked to the sanctum. As such, the priests were put in a very embarrassing situation. They were afraid of the bacsh they would receive were they to openly ask for gold coins in front of these many people. So, the trick they came up with was to make roads of candles.


    The priests decided to open the doors of the sanctum wide and light all the roads leading to it with candles, then, they would sell the candles. They had also prohibited lighting foreign candles not made in the temple.


    Lara stood still on the road. Then, she took off her robe and dropped it on the floor.


    ¡°It¡¯s the saintess!¡±


    The knights shouted loudly.


    On a dark night, the saintess stood on a candlelit road. The Emperor was nowhere to be seen, but his knights escorted her with stern faces.


    ¡°Saintes¡­¡±


    ¡°Saintess, it¡¯s the saintess!¡±


    The nobles, who recognized Lara¡¯s face before anyone else, bowed their heads at her. The poor stuck out their neck to take a glimpse at her face.


    A child was crying at the end of the road. He wanted to light a candle for the saintess, but as his mother was poor, he could not even buy a candle.


    The child, wanting to at least hold a candle, reached out to a dying candle on the floor. But he was pped hard by a priest who saw him. Not enough with hitting the child, the priest even scolded the child, he said that, if he stole God¡¯s things, both he and his mother would die getting divine punishment. The child cried, his tears full of sorrow, and his poor mother restlessly begged him to stop crying.


    Lara walked in front of them. Then, she raised her hand in front of everyone and pped the priest hard.


    p!


    It was so loud that the quiet air of the sanctum was broken at once. The priest who was pped was so surprised that he did not even know what had happened.


    ¡°What in the¡­¡±


    The priest, who btedly raised one hand and wrapped his cheek, opened his mouth vacantly. His cheek was tingling and burning. Everyone was looking at him. Soon, intense shame poured in.


    The one who hit the priest was a young woman with a cold impression. Her thin, abundant brown hair, white face, and clear and deep eyes were impressive. Everyone who whispered amongst themselves had kept their mouths shut. Even the sad and crying child stood bewildered and looked at Lara and the priest.


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    Lara asked.


    ¡°Did God ask you to panhandle?¡±


    There were gasping sounds here and there.


    ¡°A gold coin for a candle? The price of that cheap candle is the same as a worker¡¯s 10-day sry?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you. Did God ask you to panhandle?¡±


    Lara asked again. Not knowing what to say, the priest trembled and stood far away. He wanted to retaliate because he was ashamed and angry, but he could not because there were so many people watching.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to endure.¡±


    Lara smiled. When she opened her red lips, a puff of white breath leaked out.


    ¡°If you feel you have been treated unfairly, you can hit me too.¡±


    ¡°Where did such an arrogant thing like thise from¡­¡±


    ¡°Such an arrogant thing?¡±


    Lara took a step forward. The priest was surprised and stepped back. He distorted his face even more when he realized that he had backed down like a coward at a small threat from a young woman.


    ¡°Step back!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe a priest willmit robbery and violence in the name of God¡­¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to fire you.¡±


    Something that should not have happened in front of God¡¯s house had happened. A woman pped the priest in the face. She pped him so hard that it was heard not only by the people gathered nearby but also by those who were far away.


    Moreover, the woman uttered harsh words to the noble priest by saying hemitted panhandling and robbery, and finally, she fired him.


    ¡°Drag out this crazy woman!¡±


    The priest shouted out loud. His voice rang loudly in the quiet sanctum.


    Lara was staring at him with an unchanging expression. Behind her, the Emperor repeatedly cleared his throat and huped awkwardly as he tried not tough. The temple soldiers approached to drag Lara out.


    ¡°Stop! She, she is¡­¡±


    A noble who recognized Lara caught the soldiers with a pale face. Then, he shouted with a shriek.


    ¡°She¡¯s the saintess!¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The Temple of Glory was turned upside down. All the priests living in the temple ran outside and rushed to the sanctum.


    But they could not meet the saintess. The vacant lot in front of the sanctum had already been filled with people gathering to see Lara. She looked down indifferently at the priest who was kneeling down in front of her with his hands held together.


    ¡°I was just trying to make God¡¯s house even more precious. All the gold coins offered by believers will be used for the believers. How can you say robbery? As someone who serves God, I will never¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m blind and deaf?¡±


    ¡°Saintess!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be upset. You won¡¯t be the only one fired.¡±


    Lara¡¯s voice was calm and her eyes were cold. There was almost no intonation in her tone. The saintess in Tarragon was very different from the saintess of legend that they had imagined.


    ¡°If any of the priests here dare to rob andmit violence in the name of God, I will kick them out without leaving a single person behind.¡±


    Lara spoke without any emotion as if she was reading a boring liberal arts book. She looked around slowly.


    ¡°Choosing the real priests is a simple matter.¡±


    Someone would use her of being reckless and hasty. They might say that no matter how much they have sinned, the saintess was supposed to embrace and forgive everyone with love. They might also say that she should take her time, persuade them with kind words, and lead them to the right part.


    ¡®I don¡¯t have time.¡¯


    However, Lara decided that it was not her role.


    Demon worshippers, along with ck sorcerers, were gathering forces under the name of their demons. The clock of the great demon war would turn faster and faster. If she took her time to preach leisurely, the humans might enter the path of destruction without even a proper counterattack.


    Lara did not mind being called the viiness of the century and not the saintess. She did not even mind if people said that God chose the wrong person. If she could save them, she could even do more.


    ¡°If you have served God with all your heart, you will be able to use divine power from now on. Because God is back.¡±


    Lara said.


    ¡°The rest is fired.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The saintess appeared in the Temple of Glory and said that she would fire all the priests who could not use divine power.


    The priests protested fiercely against her order. They argued that it had been a long time since God and his divine power had left thisnd, and that it was not because of theirck of faith, but because God did not allow them to use their power.


    However, even among the corrupt priests, a small number of priests who had honed themselves without losing faith could suddenly use divine power. And because of this, the corrupt priests¡¯ arguments were shunned.


    Exceeding exception, hardship took ce. Not only did the Emperor apud the saintess¡¯ reformation, he even lent her the authority to issue orders to the Emperor¡¯s knights.


    ¡°It¡¯s the order of the saintess! Confiscate the property of the dismissed priests and banish them out of the capital!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the order of His Imperial Majesty! Find the nobles who had colluded with the Temple of Glory and bind them up!¡±


    The Temple of Glory in the Tarragon Empire had long been called the most prestigious ce on the continent. Tall buildings,rge territory, and gold coins that piled up in the warehouse had given them greater power than faith.


    The High Priest could not even light a candle with divine power. He tried so hard to protect the properties he had collected, and in the end, he was taken to prison.


    While the Emperor¡¯s knights turned the temple upside down, Lara kicked out the High Priest and entered the abode he used.


    Prayers were in full swing outside. The priests who were able to use the power of God fell down in front of the sanctum in tears. More people sang in praise of God. Candles that could only be lit by bringing gold coins were now in everyone¡¯s hands. The beautiful lights had brightly lit up the dark night and swayed as if it was dancing.


    ¡°A miracle happened.¡±


    A child muttered. Following the child, everyone uttered the word miracle.


    ¡°I guess the world will get better.¡±


    Someone else muttered. He brought a box of cheap candles and distributed them for free.


    Miracles sometimes have the face of a close neighbor. Those who held candles together and transferred the embers turned their eyes toward the sanctum©¤the sanctum that had turned quiet yet again.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 117 - Anything Might Happen (1)

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    <There¡¯s a saying that God feeds on faith.>


    The God of Fate spoke to Lara on her night visit to the sanctum.


    With a long candle in hand, Lara was walking around the sanctum, lighting the candlelights that had gone out. Most of the priests were fired and there was no one to manage the sanctum candlelights. She thought it would be better to either reduce the number of lights or move the God statue.


    ¡°So did you feel good? Because people suddenly gathered and prayed to you?¡±


    <I¡¯m a God who doesn¡¯t need faith. But the others are different, they¡¯re all thanking you.>


    Back in the banquet hall, The God of Fate said; if the people took good care of the saintess, the Gods would return to thisnd someday. They remembered his words and spread them around. So those who visited the temple searched for almost all the Gods in the records.


    Lara had a lot of questions about the Gods.


    ¡°Do I have to build a lot of karma to meet them?¡±


    <Not for all of them.>


    Somehow his voice was mixed withughter. Lara looked at the candle wax that fell on the floor and looked up.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    Lara asked.


    <This is my house. And most of what you are curious about is recorded in old artifacts. It¡¯s not difficult to answer your question, but I think it¡¯s better to find out yourself.>


    God was right. Finding and using already existing records had nothing to do with karma. Lara nodded and lit up all the candles surrounding the sanctum. Then, after bidding good night to God, she went out of the sanctum.


    Now it was time to find artifacts that the priests had hidden and stored for a long time. It was hidden by the most greedy and insidious people on the continent so it would be fun to find one by one.<b> Anything Might Happen (1)</b>


    While Lara was reforming the temple, Acerus was steadily locked up in his bedroom and devoted himself to recovery. He had been frustrated for a while after learning that he had been Vc¡¯s vassal. Surprisingly, the one who managed to raise him up from bed was Lara¡¯s friend, Eunice.


    ¡°Come again? Who¡¯s here?¡±


    ¡°Lady Eunice Dvonn from Hautean.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Lady Eunice Dvonn is¡­ How many times have I told you not to drink with a girl alone? Huh? You¡¯re a beast with self-control smaller than my fingernails¡­¡±


    The aide constantly grumbled, he was fed up with the situation. Even if Acerus was the Crown Prince, the aide looked like he would hit him if things went awry. The aide had seen many women who had spent the night with Aceruse visiting without notice and gave themselves airs as if they would be the Crown Princess.


    ¡°What should I say this time to send her back? Should I say that Crown Prince Acerus is having a good time with another woman? Or that Crown Prince Acerus has be a eunuch after fighting the demon¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell her toe in!¡±


    Acerus gave a shriek.


    If the aide could, he wanted to send Eunice back using the second reason. However, when he saw Acerus¡¯ reaction being a little different from his usual one, he kept his mouth shut.


    Acerus had been lying idle without washing or shaving for the reason being that he was a patient. Now, he finally got up and headed for the bathroom. Then, he came back from washing and shaving in an instant and called hisdy-in-waiting and changed his clothes.


    The aide asked.


    ¡°Were you dumped?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be having this kind of reaction otherwise¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop bullshitting and bring her inside.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean bullshitting¡­¡±


    ¡°Do I look good?¡±


    Acerus asked hisdy-in-waiting out of the blue. Thedy-in-waiting who was putting a shirt on him held back her smile and barely nodded.


    ¡°Yes, Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    ¡°Am I smelly?¡±


    ¡°A little, Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    Acerus was at his wit¡¯s end. He asked thedy-in-waiting to bring his perfume. But thedy-in-waiting rebuked by reminding him of the time when he said he would get a rash if he sprayed something like that, and that all the perfumes were removed at his order.


    ¡°I¡¯m Eunice Dvonn.¡±


    Eunice appeared then. Guided by the aide, she walked into Acerus¡¯ bedroom. Her long hair was neatly pleated and she held a gift for her visit in one hand.


    ¡°Wee.¡±


    Acerus said solemnly. He straightened up his shoulders, stuck out his chest, and had his hands sped behind his back. Knowing that was Acerus¡¯ basic posture to show off his pecs, the aide closed the door and left the room with thedy-in-waiting with curse words on his mouth.


    ¡°I heard that your wound was serious, so I took the liberty to visit you. Your Imperial Highness¡­ are you okay?¡±


    Eunice asked.


    Acerus seemed to have a hard time to even stand still. He was in a basic pose to show off his pecs but his body was trembling and he looked like he was about to copse.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, this much injury is nothing. A warrior shouldn¡¯t be afraid of getting hurt.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re the Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°You, of all people, should be afraid of getting hurt. You¡¯re the one who should shoulder the Tarragon Empire. Weren¡¯t you taught that your body is not yours alone?¡±


    Nagging words poured out of Eunice¡¯s mouth. Acerus looked at her curiously.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Eunice, are you worried?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I think you are.¡±


    ¡°No way. You¡¯re a warrior. You shouldn¡¯t be afraid of getting hurt. That much injury would be nothing to you.¡±


    ¡°Because my body is not mine alone.¡±


    Acerus smiled proudly, returning what Eunice had said. He had a face as if daring her to nag at him again.


    Eunice¡¯s lips curled.


    ¡°As a delegate of Hautean, I wish you a speedy recovery. I will take my leave.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°My business here is over.¡±


    ¡°Well, mine is not yet.¡±


    Acerus grabbed Eunice¡¯s arm as she was about to go out. Then, he spoke in a solemn and low voice.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk for a moment.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to say.¡±


    ¡°Did I do anything wrong that night? I don¡¯t really remember, but didn¡¯t we¡­hit it off?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡±


    Eunice asked. Acerus smiled contentedly when he realized that, unlike him, she remembered what had happened that night.


    ¡°Eunice, so we¡­¡±


    ¡°It ended just as a one-night stand.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Why should we repeat something that you can¡¯t even remember? I¡¯m already satisfied, so let¡¯s forget about it at this point. Let¡¯s not get all clingy.¡±


    Unlike Acerus, Eunice did not seem to have any regrets at all. She even warned him not to hang on to her.


    Acerus grabbed Eunice and said.


    ¡°I remembered. You said you liked my pecs.¡±


    Eunice¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Why do you only remember that?¡±


    ¡°I was taught to forget insults and remember onlypliments.¡±


    ¡°Who taught you that?¡±


    ¡°My dad.¡±


    What the hell did the Emperor of this country teach his son?


    While Eunice was stunned, Acerus spoke again.


    ¡°We did things out of order. I will ask for a proper rtionship this time, would that be okay?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? There¡¯s no such thing as a proper order between man and woman. Who decided that?¡±


    ¡°Then what do you want me to do? If you¡¯re going to tell me not to get clingy, why are you even visiting me in the first ce?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you that I¡¯m here on behalf of the delegation?¡±


    It was such a strange thing. Acerus had so much dating experience that he was called the best yboy in the Empire, and Eunice was a person who enjoyed free rtionships so much that there was no one she had not met in Hautean. When those two met, everything creaked from the beginning to the end.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 118

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara was able to quickly take control of the Temple of Glory with the full support of the Emperor. Her method was somewhat coercive but the effect was certain.


    The news was being delivered not only to the Temple of Glory in Dandelion, but also to all temples around the continent. Since God had returned, the real priests should be able to use divine power.


    While Lara was cleaning the temple, Demian nned to gather the Barbarians and search for the bases of the demon worshippers. The Barbarians were very pleased with Demian¡¯s suggestion, they said that they were already feeling under the weather and were contemting returning to the hunting ground.


    Meanwhile, Valentinepleted another pair of long-distance magic receivers. Lara took one and gave the other to Demian.


    ¡°Mdy, do we live here now?¡±


    Konny came into the temple with her luggage and looked around. It was the abode where the High Priest had stayed. As the saintess, Lara owned everything in the temple, including the abode of the High Priest. Whatever belonged to God also belonged to her.


    ¡°After the war, I will turn this ce into a sanctum, too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Might as well be a God who likes money.¡±


    The High Priest¡¯s abode was filled with expensive antiques and works of art. Lara looked around the abode with Demian.


    ¡°What are you searching for?¡±


    ¡°Secret passageways or secret storages¡­ Or something like a safe.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there ought to be something like that.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and look for it.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you call the High Priest and ask him directly?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s locked up in prison. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll answer us easily anyway.¡±


    The High Priest¡¯s abode was built on a steep rock wall. In every way, it was a structure that seemed to have a secret space in the basement. When Lara asked the priests, she heard that there was an old library, a wine cer, and a graveyard for the former High Priests in the basement.


    Which of the three has a secret space?


    ¡°Prolly¡¯ the wine cer.¡±


    ¡°It is probably the wine cer.¡±


    Lara and Demian said at the same time.


    ¡°I should read all the books in the underground library. I wonder, what in the world are in those books that made him hide them and keep them all to himself.¡±


    ¡°There must be some artifacts in the cemetery too. You¡¯d better look into it with Valentine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    Lara walked fast.


    The entrance to the basement was deep inside the abode. The High Priest did not leave the key to anyone, so the door was tightly locked. Lara stood in front of the door, she stared at Demian, and then the lock, alternating between the two.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I know you can open this without breaking a sweat. As far as I know, you¡¯re someone who can even toss a bull with your power.¡±


    ¡°Just tell me to open it.¡±


    Demian smirked and grabbed the doorknob with both hands. As he slowly concentrated his strength, the lock made of thick and heavy iron collided. A sound of something dislocating could be heard, it was the sound of the iron scratching each other. Lara raised and covered her ears.


    Demian ripped off the knob with a short shout. Then, he gave the door a good hard kick. It was an iron door about as thick as the span of Lara¡¯s hand. After breaking and forcing the door open, Demian shrugged to Lara, who looked at him in admiration.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°Your eyes are saying thanks.¡±


    For the safety of the saintess, ess to the abode of the High Priest to outsiders was strictly prohibited. Since the Emperor¡¯s faithful knights were guarding outside the abode, Lara and Demian were able to go down to the basement with ease of mind.


    When they went down to the basement, they found stairs made of stone, faded silver candlesticks, and old murals that were too difficult to recognize. The basement was much deeper than Lara expected. Cold and heavy air wrapped around the body, and the sound of their footsteps echoed through the wall. The road was asplicated as a maze, and they might get lost in the basement with just one mistake. After passing several crossroads, Lara stopped and said.


    ¡°We should go back. At this rate, both of us might get lost. We have to be prepared to find the way and¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s okay?¡±


    ¡°Where do you think this is? The House of God is right above us. You can just ask God to take you out.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t overuse God¡¯s power like that.¡±


    ¡°Then, we just have to be careful so that we don¡¯t get lost.¡±


    Demian scratched the wall with a dagger and left a trace.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    ¡°For what now? And my eyes are not saying thanks this time.¡±


    After that, Lara took the lead. She chose only one direction whenever there was a fork in the road so as not to be confused. After wandering in the basement maze for such a long time, they first found the cemetery. It was a stone chamber where the coffins of the previous High Priests were kept.


    ¡°They¡¯re arrogant.¡±


    There were several stone chambers in therge cemetery. And just like a temple, in them were stone coffins and stone statues, each carved with the appearance of the High Priests. Aside from the stonemasonry, there were also artifacts that originated from the priest¡¯s respective lifetime.


    ¡°I guess they wanted to be a God.¡±


    Lara¡¯sment was no different from Demian¡¯s.


    The stone statues all looked simr. It was closer to depicting a God rather than depicting a human. The sun decorations were cast like a halo on the back of the neck, and the symbols held and the inscriptions on the tombstones were all reminiscent of God.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep going for now.¡±


    Demian held Lara¡¯s hand and passed by the cemetery. They left the wide cemetery and entered the basement maze again. After going back a long way, they chose a different direction at the crossroads this time. They even passed amodations that were believed to have stayed by the basement manager, armory, and spaces that were presumed to be prisons.


    After wandering for a long time, Lara and Demian finally found the old library.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Lara let out a low sigh.


    There were not many books. There were only around hundreds of books on the bookshelves, with one or two seemingly very important books stored separately in locked-up wooden boxes.


    ¡°They¡¯re ck magic books.¡±


    Lara muttered. Everything that should not be in the temple was there¡ªA study on ck magic, the origin of ck magic, research data on ck sorcerers, information about the demons they served, the purpose of the demon worshippers, and the unidentified power they used.


    That was not all. Lara took an old book out of the box and hurriedly read the cover. Then, she muttered a curse word without realizing it.


    ¡°Bat-shit crazy.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°This book is about making fake divine power with ck magic.¡±


    ¡°Crazy guys.¡±


    The books in the locked boxes seemed to be rted to the secret the temple wanted to hide.


    Thest ce to check was the wine cer. Lara and Demian predicted that there would be a real secret space in the wine cer, and their guesses were exactly right. There was a narrow stone chamber deeper than the cemetery or library. It was the secret space of the High Priest, which, for the regr priests, was only known as an old wine cer.


    Lara found two God statues there.


    ¡°No way.¡±


    One was the God of Fate that she knew well. A smile of unknown meaning, a beautiful face, caring arms as if he would hold anyone in it, and a mural painted at the back, depicting the rising sun in a field full of flowers.


    The other statue was of apletely different God. He had sharp horns, huge ck wings, a smile that looked subtly cruel even though they had the same face, and a mural depicting hell behind him.


    On behalf of Lara, who lost her words and stopped, Demian read the inscription on the wall.


    ¡°Life and death, good and evil, light and darkness were essentially one.¡±


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Thus, God was perfect. He made thisnd by mixing the Gods realm and hell, and made humans by mixing demons and Gods.¡±


    ¡°Look at this.¡±


    There it was, the name of the God¨Cthe God who loved humans so much that, because he forgot his duty, was brought to the point of destruction.


    Lara pointed to the tombstone with trembling hands.


    ¡°Abraxas.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 119 - Anything Might Happen (2)

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    God¡¯s words were true; most of the answers Lara sought would be hidden in temples. She found the name of God in the secret space of the High Priest¡¯s abode, she was able to dig into the secret of the temple in the old library, and numerous artifacts poured out of the cemetery. And save for Abraxas, the God of Fate, all the names of other Gods were there.


    ¡°The High Priest¡¯s kept all of this a secret so they could use their followers¡¯ faith to rise in power¡­¡±


    Hiding the truth, creating fake legends, using ck magic to rece the missing power of God.


    ¡°How far were they corrupted?¡±


    Suddenly, Lara¡¯s previous life came to mind. When the war with demon worshippers officially began, the Temple of Glory was angrier than anyone else and screamed that they had to be punished in the name of God.


    However, unable to use the power of God, they could not provide practical help other than by agitating people and sending them to the battlefield.


    Lara was also a fake saintess, so she did not think they were suspicious at that time. She just thought it was the temple¡¯s job.


    ¡°Even good and evil coexist in God¡¯s heart, what more can be said for the imperfect human? I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the demon worshippers and the priests join hands.¡±


    ¡°Lara, call God.¡±


    Said Demian.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Now that you know his real name, ask for your present. That cunning God¡­ He must have sent you here on purpose.¡±


    Demian had a point.


    Can I call God here?


    While Lara was hesitating, Abraxas, the God of Fate, appeared and talked to her when she did not even call for him.


    <Are you disappointed?>


    This time, Demian did not seem to hear his voice. Lara did not know which of the two statues to look at, so she stood in the middle of the stone chamber and asked.


    ¡°What does it mean that you forgot your duty and were destroyed?¡±


    <It is just as it is. God is a being, fair and perfect, and yet a being that I could never be. For this, I was destroyed.>


    ¡°Because you love humans so much?¡±


    Lara¡¯s spection was true, God had feelings just like humans. He was very sad now, the voice of God echoing in Lara¡¯s head was terribly lonely.


    <I made a saintess for humans. I wanted to give her everything, be it eternal life, or even this world. I fell in love with her. But the weight of the world shall only be fair, it should not have been leaning toward her, toward a single human. As much as I loved the saintess, the world was also heading for destruction.>


    ¡°Abraxas.¡±


    <After that, the demon lord was born.>


    The will of the world wanted the demon lord to correct the tilted weight and to kill the saintess who had captured the heart of God.


    <Lara, a demon lord is born to kill the saintess.>


    God¡¯s hand reached Lara. His warm, soft hand stroked her head. His sad but friendly gaze rested on Lara for a moment, then moved towards Demian.


    Demian looked at Lara, who was talking to God, with his arms crossed.


    <He is fated to be the demon lord.>


    Lara did not answer. It was fortunate that only she could hear the voice of God. Demian was the demon lord of this time and she was the saintess of this time. If she had to kill Demian as the saintess, Lara would rather die with him.


    In her past life, Demian lost both this world and his own life because of his love for Lara. And because of her love for him, Lara could not turn her back on him just because he might be a demon lord.


    Their feelings had already crossed their limits. Lara would do anything for Demian. This was not guilt. An imperfect human could only be perfected through love.


    It was fine, Lara did not despair. If Demian became the demon lord once more and led the world to destruction, she could go back to the past and start over from the beginning. She could love him all over again.


    ¡°Give me my present.¡±


    Lara said. She deliberately said with a nonchnt face and a voice that was not different from usual so that Demian did not notice.


    ¡°I found your name. Good and evil, light and darkness, life and death, the destroyed God, Abraxas. You said that the more I got to know you, the more powerful I would be, like the saintesses in the legend.¡±


    <I will give you a fire that can burn the demon.>


    God said.


    <Keep this in mind. The power you usees from me. Thus, it must not exceed the size of the sinsmitted by the demon.><b> Anything Might Happen (2)</b>


    After returning from the basement, the two remained silent for a while. Lara agonized over Demian¡¯s fate and he was silent out of consideration for Lara, who was lost in thought.


    It was already deep into the night. No one was awake except for the knights guarding the abode outside. Lara took Demian into the bedroom that Konny had cleaned up. Then, she suddenly asked.


    ¡°When are you going to leave?¡±


    ¡°As soon as possible. It will be easier to attack before they build their power.¡±


    ¡°Listen carefully.¡±


    Lara searched the High Priest¡¯s desk and found a map. It was a map that recorded the location of temples throughout the continent.


    ¡°My memory is not very urate. Foolishly enough, I was not interested in anything in the world in my past life. I was just busy filling in my selfishness.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°If I knew this would happen, I would chase the Prince around and get the information about the war in detail¡­¡±


    ¡°Lara, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I will tell you roughly what I remember. I don¡¯t know where and how the massive battle that was stirred up by the demon worshippers started. But I know that the ck sorcerers intervened in the conflict between the Tarragon Empire and the Eastern Union.¡±


    Demian¡¯s face became serious. He stared at the Eastern Union border, which Lara pointed with her finger.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know the order. However, I do remember that a herd of demonic beasts appeared in Western Gorgon, and that demon worshippers constantly sought out thewless zone.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about thend that I took over and became king at?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That ce has always been the fiercest battlefield.¡±


    Lara¡¯s finger was pointing to thewless zone this time. She kept saying.


    ¡°You always won.¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    ¡°No matter who you fought against on any battlefield, you always came back with a victory. Remember, you were an immortal warrior, an undefeated king.¡±


    Demian nodded. Lara¡¯s words sounded like a pledge to herself.


    ¡°So bring me victory.¡±


    After killing all the demons that will appear in thisnd, let¡¯s go to hell together.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Demian¡¯s sleeping face was beautiful. His beauty was devastating, her heart ached for no reason when she looked at him still. As she kissed the shadow of his long eyshes and swept his near eyebrows, it was already dawn.


    Lara could not sleep all night. The word of God that the demon lord was born to kill the saintess remained in her mind, causing her to not sleep at all. Perhaps Demian led an unhappy life because he could not kill the saintess, and instead, fell in love with her.


    Demian spent time with Lara who stayed upte. Then, he held her in his arms and fell asleep, drunk on her body temperature.


    His body felt warm under the nket. His skin was soft, and if she brought her nose against his body, a sweet odor flowed, making her mouth water. His chest went up and down evenly, and when she put her ear to it, she felt so happy that it did not feel real. Even if deep despair and a mountain-like tragedy waited outside the door, that night with him had made her like an endlessly reckless child.


    I can start worrying tomorrow. Because loving you is more important now.


    Lara¡¯s long hair ran down her shoulder and touched Demian¡¯s face. Demian woke up to the tickling sensation and slowly opened his eyes, smiling softly before doing so.


    Lara.


    Demian said as if he was sleep talking.


    Lara rolled up her hair on Demian¡¯s face. She put it behind her shoulders and lowered her head to kiss him.


    Her swept-back hair fell all at once. A smooth, white back and a softly curved nape were exposed. Demian pulled his arms out of the nket and hugged Lara¡¯s waist, gently stroking her back. His fingers, touching her bare skin, moved delicately as if striking a musical instrument.


    The sun would rise soon. Lara kissed him deeply and looked out at the window where dawn had faintly risen.


    It was still dark but it would soon brighten. It did not please her. She thought it would be good not to have the sun rise today. Lara got out of the bed and closed the half-open curtain.


    The room got dark again. Only the candles scattered subtle light, swaying dangerously as if they were going to go out. Returning to bed, Lara gathered her long hair to one side and told Demian.


    ¡°Don¡¯t wake up.¡±


    Demian reached out to Lara while lying down. He wrapped his hand around Lara¡¯s neck and rubbed his fingers behind her ears where it led to her hair. Lara¡¯s thin hair curled up between his long, rough fingers.


    Demian¡¯s fingers moved along her ear as he came out of her hair. As if painting along the round line of the earp, he moved very carefully.


    Demian said.


    ¡°If you tell me not to wake up, I won¡¯t wake up forever.¡±


    Lara grabbed his hand and took it off her ear. Then, sheid her fingers between his andy down narrowly as if she was about to touch his body.


    ¡°Then, don¡¯t wake up forever.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°When the morninges, I will let¡­¡±


    Lara could not conclude her sentence. Demian raised his head and swallowed her lips. Trapped between his lips, Lara¡¯s lips were pressed gently, and a sweet sigh came out between them.


    It was okay.


    Lara thought so at that moment. It was okay for him to be the demon lord, and it was okay even if he killed her. She was confident that she would not regret dying with him. If she could keep this man in her arms and enjoy the time she had, then, for now, everything would be fine.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 120

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Demian left Dandelion with the Barbarians. Lara did not go out to see him off, thinking that he would immediately win and was soon toe back, he also didn¡¯t want any of her farewells anyway.


    Lara locked the entrance to the underground maze she discovered with Demian, returning it back to its sealed state. As The Emperor entrusted everything in the temple to Lara, anyone who wanted to enter had to get her permission.


    Due to having most of their priests fired, The Temple of Glory had nowcked a lot of workers. The Emperor could send in soldiers to fill in as guards, but there was no one to manage the temple. Lara asked Isadora for help and her mother readily epted in response.


    Following her request, Sebastian arrived.


    ¡°Sebastian?¡±


    Lara asked, flustered. The role she asked to be filled was one of a manager to organize the ledgers and records of the temple visitors.


    ¡°Madam Isadora asked me to help you with your work for the time being.¡±


    ¡°But how can she send you, Sebastian¡­ What will happen to her without you?¡±


    ¡°Madam Isadora does well on her own without me. But I can¡¯t say the same about you, mdy.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t deny that.¡±


    ¡°I also sent someone to Valentine. But he wakes upte, so he probably won¡¯t arrive until the afternoon.¡±


    Valentine was going to investigate old records, the library, and the artifacts underground. Lara judged him to be eligible for the job and that the experience would also aid in his research.


    The busy days went by. Lara was so busy that she did not even have time to think of useless things. When she opened her eyes, there was a pile of work to be done. When she closed her eyes, she promptly lost consciousness and fell asleep.


    The winter months had felt so unusually long. One day, when the cold receded and when the energy of spring could be felt, Ximena and Eunice visited Lara, with Ximena bearing incredible news to tell.


    ¡°Eunice¡­ with whom?¡¯


    ¡°The Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°Did what?¡±


    ¡°Slept with him.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°She said his pecs are his style. On the first day, they somehow became like that after drinking. But the second time they met, they fought like cats and dogs, and then it just happened. From the third time on, they meet up only for that purpose¡­¡±


    Lara stared at Eunice with an incredulous look on her face.


    ¡°Beasts¡­¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have said it better myself.¡±


    Disregarding what her two friends said, Eunice was distracted by the dessert Konny brought. Eunice picked up a cookie and put it in her mouth before snorting and said.


    ¡°Hey, do you know? About the dessert shop that kicked out the three Barbarians.¡±


    ¡°Did you bonk with him there?!¡±


    ¡°What? You crazy¡­ This is not about that. I heard business there is really good nowadays.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a ce visited by the saintess. People are going crazy going on a pilgrimage there. After you pped the priests, people have been waiting in line in front of the shop since early in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. Are you really in that kind of rtionship with Crown Prince Acerus? Are you meeting him for his body? Are you in your right mind?¡±


    ¡°Why? Can¡¯t I meet him for that reason?¡±


    After hearing Eunice being so confident, Lara wrapped her head around her hands in frustration.


    ¡°Do you realize that he¡¯s the Crown Prince of Tarragon?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Eunice.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we just enjoy a quickie.¡±


    ¡°Does he¡­agree with that?¡±


    Lara asked seriously. Being the Crown Prince¡¯s lover was a dangerous position. As Eunice said, even if it was a rtionship where they would enjoy for a while and break up neatly, no one else would think so.


    When Lara asked Eunice if she would continue to meet him, Eunice replied that she would stop meeting him straightaway. But somehow, there was no sincerity in her words, so Lara could not believe her. When Lara kept looking at her suspiciously, Eunice changed the topic again.


    ¡°By the way, I met Prince Sidhar there. I heard he was eaten by a demon, he really looked like he was someone else entirely.¡±


    ¡°Prince Sidhar? You mean the demon Vc?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He seems to be getting along well with Acerus. Even though Acerus has a doctor anddies-in-waiting to take care of him, he still wants to personally take care of Acerus. I thought he was an exclusive Imperial family attendant or something.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Lara asked. Eunice was excited by her sess at changing the topic and began to say one by one what she witnessed in Acerus¡¯ bedroom.


    ¡°When Acerus is annoyed, he epts it. When Acerus vents his anger on him, he epts it. When Acerus is hurting, he feels restless and anxious.¡±


    ¡°Vc?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he was as sincere as a mother who takes care of her children.¡±


    Something was out of the ordinary, Lara thought that she should meet Acerus. After sending Ximena and Eunice back, she immediately went to the Crown Prince¡¯s castle where Acerus was located. Just in time, Acerus¡¯ aide wasing out of his bedroom.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Lara was first to recognize the aide, his face brightened the moment she called out to him. Then, he walked quickly toward her.


    ¡°The miraculous saintess! Have I ever told you that it¡¯s an honor to meet you this close? I don¡¯t think I have¡­¡±


    ¡°Miraculous saintess? What kind of childish nickname is that?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯te up with it. Just go out to Dandelion¡¯s streets. That¡¯s what all the people have been calling you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too childish.¡±


    ¡°If I dare to give you advice, the more childish your title is, the more memorable it is.¡±


    Lara raised her head and exhaled a long breath toward the ceiling. The aide only knew one side of the story. Lara really hated to be a saintess who remained in many people¡¯s memories for a long time. All she wanted was to do what she had to do as quickly and as secretly as possible and to be forgotten in people¡¯s memories and erased from any records.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor for my family to escort the miraculous saintess.¡±


    An indescribable joy lingered on the face of the aide. He was just happy regardless of whether Lara trembled with embarrassment or not. Then, Lara pointed to Acerus¡¯ room and said.


    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that the yboy patient has a demon nanny. Mind exining it?¡±


    ¡°Do you mean Vc?¡±


    The aide lowered his voice. When he looked around and confirmed that there was no one in the hallway, he whispered slowly in Lara¡¯s ear.


    ¡°I have been curious about it for a while. The demon suddenly began to take care of His Imperial Highness¡­ Please find out what happened.¡±


    ¡°Open the door.¡±


    The aide walked and opened the door even before answering Lara.


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness, the saintess is here.¡±


    ¡°My saintess?¡±


    Why am I your saintess?


    Lara endured her thoughts and walked into Acerus¡¯ room.


    Acerus was sitting on the bed. His body was in a clean bandage. There were painkillers and disinfectant treatment kits on the table, there were also strong liquor and two sses on top of the tray. Lara meticulously looked over Acerus and his surroundings¡ªhis clothes, bed, chair.


    ¡°Wee. I was actually nning to see you soon. I was told that I can move little by little now. Now that Demian has left for the expedition, you will need someone to escort you¡­¡±


    ¡°His Imperial Majesty already paid attention to that so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    Lara¡¯s attitude was formal and her tone was firm. Acerus looked at her with an awkward face and hesitated to talk.


    ¡°About Lady Eunice Dvonn¡­ I also don¡¯t know how our rtionships became like this¡­¡±


    ¡°The rtionship with the body as the focus?¡±


    ¡°No! Umm, really, that, it just happens that we fight every time we meet¡­ When we fight, we always drink, and the next thing we know, it already turned out like that.¡±


    ¡°Crown Prince Acerus.¡±


    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±


    Acerus looked at her with a miserable face, like a child who was scolded. It was clear that he thought Lara would me him for his rtionship with Eunice. However, Lara was not interested in the matter at all. There was something else she was curious about.


    ¡°What did Vc do to you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking why your wounds are already healed.¡±


    ¡°No, the doctor said I should continue treatment until summer.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. Your bandages are clean despite it not being new, the disinfectants are dried up with the lid open, the room is full of traces of you walking here and there, and despite the Crown Prince being seriously injured with strong liquor present in the room, there are barely any traces of a caregiver having been here.¡±


    The longer Lara spoke, the more restless Acerus became. If his aide was there, he might have pped his hands with excitement.


    ¡°Saintess.¡±


    ¡°Eunice said this to me. The demon Vc is devoting himself to taking care of you. Even the aide said the same thing. The demon Vc is taking care of you like a child.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever try to fool me. If I ask God, I will know right away.¡±


    ¡°He bit me!¡±


    Acerus replied in a hurry. He was worried that Lara would rush to God and ask, so he closed his eyes tightly and confessed without caring what might happen.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have be his vassal. If he dies, so will I. So no matter what Vc does, I can¡¯t harm him¡­¡±


    ¡°What? You will die if Vc dies?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    That was absurd. Acerus was a man who should be the human hero. Lara knew how big the role he yed was in the great demon war, she could not just let this go.


    ¡°What about the opposite situation? Does it have no effect on Vc?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that how it works?¡±


    ¡°Then, why does he care about you?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I know, right?¡±


    Acerus opened his mouth nkly.


    As Eunice and the aide said, Vc had been extremely devoted to Acerus these days. Not only did hee to his room every night to make sure that his wound was healing smoothly, sometimes he voluntarily patrolled around the Crown Prince¡¯s castle. Acerus recalled Vc saying that he would listen to whatever he wanted.


    Acerus initially thought the reason why Vc had been acting so weird was because he was amazed at his first subordinate. But as he talked to Lara, he realized something was very strange.


    Lara said.


    ¡°As far as I can tell, if you die, so will Vc.¡±


    ¡°Saintess.¡±


    ¡°It remains to be seen who will be the vassal to whom.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 121 - Because The Moon Was Up

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The demon Vc had been in a very good mood the past few days. Not only had he sessfully settled in the human realm, he even took the body of the treacherous Hautean Prince and made the Empire¡¯s Crown Prince his own vassal.


    Drinking Lilith¡¯s blood and absorbing her power was also a great achievement. Now, even the demons in hell would not be able to insult him as puny vermin. Except for a few infamous demons, the others might be quite worth fighting for.


    ¡°Hehehehe!¡±


    He also enjoyed the merry life in the Crown Prince¡¯s castle¡¯s distinguished guest room that he got after threatening Acerus. Initially, Vc came all the way to thisnd because human life looked fun, but now, his life here as a demon felt much more exciting.


    War would inevitably break out, and thebative demons that bothered him in hell would be the first to emerge. Humans were stronger than Vc had expected anyway, he could sell information about them to Acerus at a high price. Based on the information he sold, he could secretly follow a demon and drink their blood one by one whenever it was in. Someday, he might even be a demon as strong as a demon lord andmand hell.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m a genius.¡±


    While Vc was fiercely praising his cleverness, he heard a loud noise from outside.


    ¡°His Imperial Highness? Why all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Hurry up!¡±


    ¡°This way! Hurry!¡±


    It was the voice of Acerus¡¯ aide and knights. Vc often saw them, so he could tell who they were just by their voices.


    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯


    Vc, who was lying in bed and idling around, jumped up and went out the door. Then, he followed the aide into Acerus¡¯ room. The door that had always been tightly closed was now wide open. All the knights who were supposed to be guarding the door were not in their posts. Vc snooped around and heard the aide shouting.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Your Imperial Highness? You¡¯re the great Crown Prince of Tarragon! You¡¯re my one and only liege! Pleasee down!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness! You¡¯re not just an ordinary individual. You¡¯re the future of Tarragon itself!¡±


    ¡°I got dirty. I¡¯m not who I used to be!¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I have to die¡­¡±


    ¡®What?¡¯


    Vc¡¯s eyes widened as if they were about to tear apart. He quickly rushed into the open door and found Acerus critically standing on the window frame. Acerus¡¯ room was high, if he fell out of the window, he would either die or at least be injured close to death.


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness!¡±


    The aide wailed. He could not even get close to Acerus for fear of him letting go of his hand from the window. The aide could only beg him to change his mind from a distance away.


    At that time, Acerus and Vc¡¯s eyes met.


    ¡°You disgusting demon¡­ Because of you!¡±


    ¡°Acerus!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill myself!¡¯


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°I will take my own life!¡±


    Acerus screamed at the top of his voice and released his hands from the window. His body leaned slowly.


    Vc had no more time to think. He ran with great speed as if exploding. He grabbed Acerus¡¯ legs and pulled him inside so he would not fall. He clung to Acerus¡¯ legs and begged him.


    ¡°Acerus, no! You must not die!¡±


    Acerus looked at the demon. Everything about him¡ªfrom his bewildered face, trembling voice, and humiliating posture¡ªsupported Lara¡¯s theory. Acerus thought if he was bitten by a vampire, he would be a marite ve to the vampire. However, that did not seem to be the case. Whatever happenedter, the situation now was not too bad.


    Acerus smirked.


    ¡®You¡¯re dead meat now, you scumbag.¡¯<b> Because the Moon Was Up.</b>


    Lara now knew that she had a fire that could burn down the demon Vc, she did not know how to use it yet but at least she would be able to overpower Vc. So if Acerus could not find out what Vc had done to him, she would lock him up in the dungeon and try to threaten him. However, in an unexpected and childish way, Acerus managed to notice Vc¡¯s secret.


    ¡°You were right, saintess. He¡¯s nervous that I¡¯m going to die so he can¡¯t get too far away from me for even a second. When I threatened to end it all, shouting that I was ashamed to be a demon¡¯s servant, he acted like he would tear down the sky for me if I asked him to.¡±


    Said Acerus with a sour face.


    ¡°Hah¡­¡±


    Dumbfounded, Lara was speechless. It was clear that her God, Abraxas, felt simr emotions. His statue in the center of the sanctum oozed out an extremely deplorable gaze.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Demian contact you? At this point, I think Vc will not only tell me the names and abilities of the demons but also their weaknesses.¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Please let me know when he contacts you. Vc is now under my control.¡±


    ¡°But be careful, Your Imperial Highness, if the fact that your life is connected to a demon leaks out, it will spell out big trouble for us then.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will keep that in mind.¡±


    Acerus gave a sincere nod at Lara¡¯s request. Then, he slightly pointed to the statue and asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t God¡­ going to bring up a miracle or something like that again? I heard that it was very shy while I was away. Everyone only talks about how you appeared with glittering light on your back at the banquet.¡±


    This time, Lara said with a sour face.


    ¡°He¡¯s not even an idiot¡­ No way he would do that again.¡±


    ¡°I want to see it though.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Afterward, Acerus returned to the Imperial Pce, saying that he could not dare to interfere with the conversation between God and the saintess.


    Lara faced the statue alone.


    Abraxas¡­ After learning his secret in the secret underground space, Lara kept thinking.


    ¡®The demon wanted the saintess.¡¯ These words had been handed down for a long time, perhaps they represented the rtionship between the saintess and the demon lord.


    It was a tragic story. God came to love the saintess, the world began to copse because God forgot his duty, and eventually the demon lord was born. The reason why God destroyed himself and left thisnd was because of guilt. His leaving the saintess would stop the clock of destruction. And if that was so, then in Lara¡¯s past life, what elerated the clock of destruction again was Demian, who had fallen in love with her and fell into despair after her death.


    ¡°Abraxas.¡±


    When Lara called him, warmth lingered in the cold statue. The presence of God, clearer than ever, enveloped the surrounding area.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Demian was leading the group on his horse, and suddenly, he looked up at the sky.


    ¡°Are you going to catch a bird?¡±


    Just behind him, Lampion asked. Then, all the Barbarians around him looked up at the sky.


    ¡°But there¡¯s no bird.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of bird meat. I miss Isadora.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell your wife.¡±


    ¡°If my wife eats the food Isadora gives, she would like Isadora more than me.¡±


    The Barbarians chatted leisurely while riding their horses. They were running towards the Eastern Union border. Demian decided that it was their destination.


    One of the past events that Lara remembered took ce there, and ording to the Emperor¡¯s sources, traces of demon worshippers had suddenly increased on the eastern border recently.


    ¡°The sun is setting.¡±


    ¡°The road ahead is rough. Let¡¯s sleep early today and run far tomorrow.¡±


    Domino and Oscar approached Demian and told him their opinions, they naturally regarded Demian as the decision-maker of the group and followed his decision. Demian nodded and stopped his horse.


    Fortunately, prosperous farms were lined up along therge fields. They also received a fairlyrge amount of subsidy from the Emperor so they could go anywhere and restfortably with the money.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The people of the farmhouse weed the Barbarians greatly. Before Oscar could even give them his gold coin pouch, they opened the door wide, telling them toe. Due to therge number of Barbarians, they could not all be put to sleep in the house, but they were given permission to use any building with a roof.


    ¡°This is weird though.¡±


    It was not because the people of the farmhouse were naive. Regardless of status, the deep-rooted prejudice against the Barbarians did not change.


    They were afraid of demon worshippers who recently began to appear here and there. So they were just relieved and happy that the strong Barbarian warriors passed by there.


    ¡°Demian, I heard they¡¯re going to vacate a house. Do you want to go in and sleep?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a look around.¡±


    ¡°What? Should I go with you?¡±


    ¡°Nevermind.¡±


    Demian refused Lampion¡¯s offer and climbed his horse again. The sun had already set and hisrades were preparing to sleep after filling their stomachs with simple food.


    ¡°Go to bed first.¡±


    Demian¡¯s horse ran fast over the field. Since he had always acted so arbitrarily from a long time ago, no one stopped or chased after him.


    Demian went up to a high ce along the rough road that Oscar had spoken of. Then, he stopped on a hill overlooking the farmhouse at a nce.


    The moon was tilting above his head. It was a pale, white, and soft moon. The edges of the moon were unclear due to clouds and fog, but it was still spreading in the night sky as if it had been rubbed with a finger.


    Demian searched his pocket and took out the long-distance magic receiver Lara gave to him before he left. Themp that Acerus had used was quiterge and heavy, but thetest design Demian had was now much smaller than his palm. It was more simr to that of apass or a ne than amp.


    Demian took out the receiver and quietly chanted the spell. Then, a reddish light began to hover from the fingernail-sized diamond.


    ¡º¡­Demian?¡»


    Lara¡¯s voice rang in his ears. Even though she was far away, it felt like her face was in front of him. She must be talking with her pretty scarlet eyes wide open and her small lips moving very little. She was not the type to go to bed early, so maybe she was still working diligently.


    Demian was appreciating Lara¡¯s voice and recalling her face, he did not speak for a moment. Lara talked again from beyond the receiver.


    ¡ºWhat¡¯s going on?¡»


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡ºSo you¡¯re just calling me?¡»


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Lara let out a sweetugh like a sigh. Demian listened to herughter and raised his head to look at the moon.


    Ah, now I know.


    Demian now understood why the moon looked so pretty today. Looking at the blurred edges of the moon, as if he had been bewitched by its beauty, he also understood why he was not listening to Oscar and his worries of the rain tomorrow.


    Another name for the moon was longing. Demian had only been gone for a few days, but he was already going crazy because he missed her.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 122

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara¡¯s voice from beyond the receiver had a strange echo. It was like a droplet falling on still waters. It shook his soul in a round shape, disappearing without a trace when he tried to find it.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Demian lowered his gaze. This time, he looked away from the receiver and turned to his empty hand. Whenever he reached his hand out, Lara¡¯s pretty fingers naturally approaching and interlocking with his long fingers together. It remained like an afterimage in his mind.


    ¡ºDemian, God gave me something weird. You remember, right? He said he¡¯d give me a fire to burn the demon.¡»


    ¡°I remember.¡±


    ¡ºI have no idea how to use it. I¡¯m not even a sorcerer and I can¡¯t even use alchemy like Valentine.¡»


    Lara calmly talked about what happened this afternoon. Even though she had experienced something amazing and absurd, her voice was so calm that Demian had to eagerly imagine what had happened to her.


    ¡ºIt was a me when it first appeared, but then it turned into a human shape. God said it used to be called the giant of fire. But it¡¯s too small to be a giant, so I don¡¯t know what to say.¡»


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡ºYes, it¡¯s small. Really small.¡»


    ¡°You said giant, so it must be taller than humans, no?¡±


    ¡ºNope.¡»


    ¡°It¡¯s smaller than a human? Is it smaller than Konny?¡±


    Demian recalled Konny, the smallest adult woman he knew. But after giving out a briefugh, Lara said that it was not even that size.


    ¡ºYou¡¯re wrong. It¡¯s as big as my palm.¡»


    How big was Lara¡¯s hand?


    Demian thought.


    Was it this big? No, was it this big?


    Looking at his hand and measuring the size of Lara¡¯s hand gave him a different pleasure.


    Her white, straight fingertips had round fingernails the color of


    pale pink. Her slender fingers, like a person without a joint, always had a faint scent. Lara had a habit of sweeping her thick hair to one side, and because of that habit, her fingers always smelled of her hair¡¯s fragrant oil. When she swept her hair like that, her white, round shoulders and slightly tilted neck could be seen. She was very beautiful like that. Lara was so tempting that Demian could not stand it without touching her.


    Demian flinched his fingers. The afterimage of Lara¡¯s fingers interlocking into his fingers disappeared in an instant.


    ¡°It¡¯s as big as your palm?¡±


    He clenched his fist slightly.


    ¡ºYes, for real. It¡¯s as big as my palm. I heard he¡¯s a piece that came off the giant of fire¡­ But let alone a giant, I think I should call it a fairy. Anyway, Konny really likes it.¡»


    ¡°Konny?¡±


    ¡ºYes. It lights up candles when it touches it¡­ The stove turns on, and the room heats up when it walks around.¡»


    Lara¡¯s voice was mixed withughter.


    Giant of fire?


    Demian had never heard of it, but listening to her, he could imagine what it looked like.


    ¡°If it¡¯s helpful, then that¡¯s a relief.¡±


    ¡ºNow tell me. Why did you call me? I don¡¯t think you¡¯re sleepy¡­ Where are you right now?¡»


    ¡°We¡¯ll reach the East soon.¡±


    ¡ºThere¡¯s no trouble yet, right?¡»


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡ºDid you call me because you wanted to hear my voice?¡»


    Lara asked. Demian had been answering her questions well so far, but now, he dyed his answer for a while. Then, he looked up at the sky again and said.


    ¡°Because the moon is up.¡±


    The moon, shrouded in thick fog, shone a dazzling light above his head. This time, Lara was silent for a moment. Then, sheughed and teased him with a mischievous voice.


    ¡ºBut the moon is up every day.¡»


    ¡°Then, it must mean that I miss you every day.¡±


    A smile rose on Demian¡¯s face, its shape resembling that of the moon.


    ¡ºYou¡¯re romantic.¡»


    Romantic.


    Once again, Demian had a feeling that had never existed within him before. He brought his clenched fist to his chest. He had never felt love, excitement, hatred, or jealousy since he was born, but he met a woman, and became apletely different being.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Demian returned to hisrades after finishing his call with Lara. He could not easily fall asleep even after lying down. When he closed his eyes, he remembered Lara¡¯s face, and when he opened his eyes, he heard her voice. His heart was hot like a sick person. He was ted, always tossing and turning.


    Demian remembered the first day he first met her. He had no idea of his origin nor of his identity at that time, but he was neither curious nor was he anxious about it. Since he was born, breathing, and living, he just thought that someone did give birth to him. He did not think he would have any regrets even if he suddenly died one day after living so freely.


    His life changed after meeting Lara. As soon as his eyes met with hers, time seemingly passed slowly. The same scene continued to repeat like a broken clock. It was not untilter that he knew that Lara was aware of who he was.


    Demian wanted to know about Lara¡¯s previous life. He had hoped that he also had memories of that time. His wound would be deep from being rejected and shunned, but it was okay, because it was Lara. He was able to endure it. Rather, he wanted to reveal the reality of the guilt she felt and let her know that it was not her fault alone. It was clear that the faulty within himself, his own terribly self-destructive self.


    He was madly satisfied that the man Lara loved so much that she wanted to turn back time was him, but he was unbearably angry that he could not share the memories of that time.


    Lara said that she could go back even several times and start all over again for Demian. He could die smiling right now for her.


    Fated to be the demon lord. What¡¯s up with that?


    ¡®Demons eat other demons to be stronger. So if I eat all the demons that descend on thisnd and be the demon lord, I can go to hell?¡¯


    To avoid Lara¡¯s world from being destroyed, Demian should be the demon lord and protect the gates of hell. Perhaps that was what God wanted in the end. Demiany down in his seat and thought of that for the first time.


    Dark clouds covered the moon. The moonlight that lit the night, albeit hazy, disappeared without a trace. Damp fog began to trickle down from the cloudy, ck sky. The air became heavy and Demian¡¯s chest became stuffy. It was a very sudden change. Although the clouds only covered the moon, everything on the ground that had once shone beautifully now contained ominous darkness.


    Demian got up. It seemed that Lampion could not sleep as well.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Sleeping in the same warehouse building as Demian, Lampion raised himself up with a crackling sound.


    ¡°I feel weirdly unpleasant.¡±


    Then, he quickly looked around. Before going to bed, Lampion confirmed the number of hisrades and definitely counted an odd number, but now, it added up to even.


    ¡°Damn it! We¡¯re an even number. I already told them to stoping in!¡±


    ¡°Keep quiet.¡±


    ¡°These punks, they¡¯re just ignoring me¡­¡±


    ¡°I hear a scream.¡±


    Demian raised his finger and put it to his mouth. Lampion closed his mouth, despite being angry still. Then, he bent hisrge body and walked like a cat. He opened a window and paid attention to the outside.


    Demian was right. Lampion could hear people screaming from not far away, his face hardened in an instant.


    ¡°The farmhouse buildings are all far apart. There were a lot of guys who wanted to sleep under a roof today, so we had to scatter. Why today of all days¡­¡±


    ¡°What about Domino?¡±


    ¡°He said he would sleep outside.¡±


    ¡°What about Oscar?¡±


    ¡°The farmers treated him to dinner and he told me that he would sleep inside the house.¡±


    ¡°By now, both of them must have noticed and woken up.¡±


    It was better to be scattered, hisrades would not be so easily beaten. They had a lot of experience in fighting demon worshippers and ck sorcerers, so they must know how to respond. Demian took out the sword on his waist. Then, he whispered to Lampion.


    ¡°Wake up the sleeping Barbarians and gather in one ce. Move to a vast area if possible and be prepared for magic.¡±


    ¡°Okay. What about you?¡±


    ¡°I will find the sorcerers and kill them.¡±


    This ominous fog was clearly an act of the ck sorcerers. If the ck sorcerers were killed, the power of the Barbarians would be enough to defeat the demon worshippers.


    Flying out of the warehouse, Demian¡¯s face formed a sharp sense of bloodlust. His lips twitched and a wet breath flowed through his teeth. Excitement wrapped around his body, resembling madness. It was a predatory night.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 123

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The reddish light surrounding the long-distance magic receiver gradually faded. Lara was in the middle of a huge fancy bedroom, wearing red pajamas. She sat on a sofa decorated with ck silk and golden handles. The sofa wasrger than that of a decently sized bed.


    Pale moonlight poured over Lara¡¯s head. She sat in a drowsy position, her long hair loosened on the shiny ck silk sofa. It was like a work of fiction.


    ¡°Wow¡­ Mdy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡°Why? I was going to say that you suit that sofa the best in the world¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an insult, right?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Konny strongly denied her.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Even though you¡¯re like that, you¡¯re still cool. When I watch you, I feel like I¡¯m a maid who serves the demon lord, you know? Sooner orter, I may have horns on my head and ck wings on my back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will get a tail first.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like that¡­¡±


    Konny nced at her bottom and made a sad face. Lara smirked and got up from her seat to draw the curtains.


    Should I go to bed early today?


    Lara had been falling asleepte these days, and now, the time to wake up was gettingte. There were many people looking for Lara, but since she did not meet them, the number of people waiting increased.


    ¡°They said the saintess is weird.¡±


    ¡°Who said that?¡±


    ¡°Everyone. They grumbled that even though the long-awaited saintess had finally appeared, they couldn¡¯t even see her face.¡±


    ¡°Is that something to grumble about?¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re a saintess, you deliver God¡¯s words in the prayer room, hold hands while meeting people outside, and spread warm stories here and there¡­ They must be thinking that you should do that.¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re the saintess.¡±


    ¡°Well, now the priests can use God¡¯s power again. Tell them to take this opportunity to go out and let people know their faces and spread warm stories here and there.¡±


    ¡°You have to be the one to say it, mdy. If I go out and say that, I will get beheaded.¡±


    It was obvious what people expected from the saintess. She should show miracles, make people sure of the existence of God, and give hope that life would continue somewhere even after death. The saintess should tell people that the world was safe and God was merciful, she should instill expectations that the uing future would be better than yesterday. She should also make people believe that good people were blessed and that evil people were punished.


    However, despite Lara turning the temple upside down, she did not engage in any significant external activities. She did not even get out of the High Priest¡¯s abode and sanctum. Although she was called to the Imperial Pce once in a while, she tried to conceal her appearance as much as possible.


    In the meantime, Lara had only met Konny, Valentine, the Crown Prince, her mother, and her friends.


    ¡°I think even the priests want it to happen too. They think that if you go outside and spread the word of God, the temple will be able to regain its past glory in a clean state.¡±


    ¡°Who said that?¡±


    ¡°Valentine!¡±


    Konny proudly said. Lara nodded, saying that she knew it. Valentine learned too much about the history and corruption of the temple as he began to wander in and out of the secret space under the abode.


    ¡°He¡¯s a smart guy. He said that he could be the greatest alchemist in the world if things keep going like this and that it¡¯ll only take him a few years.¡±


    ¡°Tell him he already is a great alchemist.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about! People want you to tell them just like what you said to Valentine. Then, they will be moved like that simple Valentine and believe everything you say.¡±


    ¡°How can people just believe it just because it¡¯s from the saintess. Even as a saintess I could still be lying. Even though a saintess was chosen by God, I¡¯m still just a human being¡­ The more influential people are, the more objective they should be.¡±


    Even though Lara was muttering at Konny, the words she said were close to a monolog. Lara was about to get up and go to bed, but instead just flopped on the sofa and leaned against the backrest.


    ¡°Miracle my foot¡­ Do they think miracles are a puppy thates when you call for it?¡±


    Fwoosh!


    At that time, a palm-sized me rose in the candlelight, it lit the center of the table and soon turned into a human shape. It had two arms and two legs on a small body. The small human ran out of the candle and jumped onto the table with a crackling sound. Then, it opened its arms and mouthed toward Lara.


    It was the giant of fire that God introduced to Lara. To be exact, it was said that it was a fragment from the giant of fire.


    As she told Demian, the giant of fire was as big as Lara¡¯s palm. It was bustling around the table and busily gestured its arms and foot toward Lara.


    Konny held her hands together in front of her chest and told Lara.


    ¡°So small¡­and cute.¡±


    ¡°What is it saying?¡±


    It had no eyes or nose. Of course, it had a mouth-like orifice. It did imitate the shape of a human, but it did not know how to speak. As a result, Lara could not understand what this human-shaped me wanted to say.


    It continued mouthing something. It waved its hands around and tried to exin something.


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mdy.¡±


    ¡°Can you bring a bowl of oil to the Master Giant?¡±


    ¡°Yes, mdy!¡±


    Konny ran excitedly and soon put oil in a small bowl. Then, she pushed it out toward the human-shaped me that was walking around with a crackling sound.


    ¡°Master Giant, eat this.¡±


    The giant of fire dropped his shoulders.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara¡¯s God, Abraxas, gave the fire that he had promised to the saintess after finally finding his name.


    <This is a fragment from the giant of fire. Long ago in God¡¯s realm, it was responsible for punishing wrongdoings and was to purify dirty things. It will be the most suitable power for you as the saintess.>


    But once Lara was able to summon it, she did not know where to use it. Above all, she had no confidencemanding such a small and cute being to burn the demon out. She felt like she should not tell it to kill the demon, but instead, she should embrace and raise it.


    <Although it is just a broken fragment, it is a giant that has reached God¡¯s realm. If it had not been destroyed, it might have one day been called ¡®hellfire.¡¯ Please take good care of it.>


    This thing is such a terrifying fire?


    It very much did not feel real for Lara.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Even her mother, Isadora had a simr reaction to Lara. Coming to replenish her daughter¡¯s new home, her lips twitched as soon as she saw the giant of fire toggling on the handle of the soda.


    ¡°The giant of fire.¡±


    ¡°Giant¡­¡±


    Isadora cleared her throat twice in the face of the giant of fire. It was evident that she was holding back herughter, so Lara sighed and added her exnation.


    ¡°It was called the giant of fire in God¡¯s realm. I don¡¯t know for what reason such a great existence became this small fragment¡­¡±


    ¡°Good boy.¡±


    Good boy?


    Lara, who had been calmly exining, turned her head toward Isadora. The giant of fire had moved from the sofa¡¯s armrest to the back of the sofa. It looked up to Isadora and opened his mouth in a round shape.


    Isadora tore the notebook she always carried and cut it into small pieces before putting the pieces in its mouth one by one.


    Fwoosh.


    ¡°Good boy.¡±


    Fwoosh.


    ¡°Good boy. You¡¯re eating well.¡±


    Lara¡¯s dumbfoundedness led to her being speechless, she looked at Isadora silently. Isadora cleared her throat again and told her.


    ¡°Because paper catches fire easily.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know it¡¯d eat something like that¡­¡±


    ¡°What have you given it so far?¡±


    ¡°Oil.¡±


    ¡°Same thing then, more or less.¡±


    Isadora smiled.


    ¡°Can I touch it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little iffy. It sits well on my palms or shoulders, and sometimes it sleeps on chairs or nkets¡­ Sometimes it burns just anything. Yesterday, it almost burned Konny¡¯s hair.¡±


    Lara approached the giant of fire and reached out her hand. It puffed out as it was pleased and crawled up onto Lara¡¯s palm. Then, it hugged her thumb and sat down with its legs poking out of her palm.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Isadora twitched her lips again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get hurt. But even if I do get hurt, I get well soon so I can just touch it. But there¡¯s no guarantee that it¡¯ll be safe for others¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s still young.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You can tell that it¡¯s still a baby. Babies usually can¡¯t control anything skillfully. This guy is just clumsy.¡±


    Thinking about it again, Lara¡¯s mother seemed to be right. Lara put the giant of fire, who began to doze off on her palm, on the cushion and sat down facing Isadora.


    ¡°Is the hotel still a mess?¡±


    ¡°The Barbarians have left for the Eastern border, so it will be back to normal soon.¡±


    ¡°What if your guests stoping?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worried about something weird. Do you know how Dandelion is now? Pilgrims will appear on every street you have been to because it was where the saintess used to walk.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really¡­burdensome.¡±


    ¡°The Emperor was the only one who was excited. He said he¡¯d give me a peerage title, but I refused. And then, he said he would give me territory. After I refused that too, he said he¡¯d personally act as a matchmaker for my marriage¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    She knew that her mother, Isadora, was quite close to the Emperor of Tarragon, but she did not know that they were close enough for him to act as a marriage broker. Lara was surprised and opened her big eyes wider, then she looked at Isadora.


    ¡°Are you going to get married?¡±


    ¡°You hate it?¡°


    ¡°I like it!¡±


    This time, Isadora was surprised and looked at Lara.


    ¡°You want me to get married again?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You only do work every day. Work for the tradingpany or work for me¡­ If not that, work for my friends.¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s now prohibiting you from trying again just because you failed in your marriage once. If there¡¯s anyone who loves you, I¡¯m all for it.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 124

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Isadora was flustered, she said with a sour face.


    ¡°Do you know who the man the Emperor wants to introduce to me is? He¡¯s ten years younger than me. Besides, he¡¯s never married before!¡±


    ¡°What does that matter? He just has to be a good and upright man.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even said anything about epting his introduction yet but the Emperor is already setting the wedding date. That idiot geezer is seriously¡­¡±


    ¡°Just meet him once. No way the Emperor will choose someone strange for you. The Tarragon Empire needs to present itself well both to me and you.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s a Duke!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    This time, even Lara was surprised.


    ¡°That man is a Duke, one of the only four Dukes in the Tarragon Empire. His duchy is bigger than that of the Hautean Kingdom, and he¡¯s also a distant rtive of the Emperor, so he has the right to session.¡±


    The Emperor risked his life to make Isadora part of his entourage. So he even chose the retainer he cherished the most as her partner for remarriage.


    Still, how could the Emperor choose a Duke? A Duke in the Tarragon Empire had more power than the Eastern Union and the King of the Hautean Kingdom. Even the position of a Duke by itself was already burdensome, but on top of that, he was even a rtive of the Emperor.


    Lara said cautiously.


    ¡°I guess he really wants to tie you to the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about this. It will get hectic around the Emperor when the war breaks out, he¡¯ll stop bothering me then.¡±


    ¡°Before that, it seems like something else is going to get hectic first¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Can I even talk about this?


    Lara pondered for a moment. She thought that even the people involved had no intention to hide about it anyway, so she just casually confided in Isadora.


    ¡°Eunice is dating Crown Prince Acerus.¡±


    ¡°What? Who is doing what with whom?¡±


    ¡°Eunice and the Crown Prince¡­¡±


    ¡°How long has it been going on for?¡±


    ¡°A while. She said it was before Crown Prince Acerus left for the northern expedition.¡±


    Lara pondered again whether or not to tell Isadora that Eunice and Acerus were meeting solely for each other¡¯s bodies. But she thought that even though Isadora was her mother, she could not tell too much of someone else¡¯s private story. So she decided to shut her mouth at that point.


    But Isadora grabbed her forehead with one head and pointed out something Lara had not thought of.


    ¡°She¡¯s out of her mind. Does she think the Emperor does not know about that?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the Emperor. Do you really think he doesn¡¯t know what kind of woman the only heir he has is meeting with? By now, Eunice¡¯s appearance, personality, family, and of course¡­ everyone around her and her past actions must have been made into data and reported to the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think your friend is an inadequate woman, I like Eunice¡¯s personality, too. But Lara, Acerus is the Crown Prince. The Tarragon Imperial family is the most exclusive ce on the continent and has been inherited by perfect bloodlines.¡±


    The criticism and condemnation towards Eunice from Hautean¡¯s noble society was nothingpared to that of the Empire¡¯s. Tarragon was the best country on the continent, and Acerus was their future. So, of course, they wanted no less than the perfect Crown Princess.


    A high status, beautiful appearance, a good and upright heart, a healthy body capable of producing the next heir, high knowledge, and strong charisma to lead the Empire in case of emergency¡ªthey would want it all. So that the Imperial family, whom they should respect, would not be a target of ridicule and gossip.


    Eunice was a sweet and good friend, but she did not suit the position of the Crown Princess. Isadora got up from her seat with a stiff face and said to Lara.


    ¡°I¡¯m against it.¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    ¡°Those kids are my responsibility from the moment I agreed to Eunice¡¯s request to follow you to the Empire. I have a duty to protect Eunice.¡±


    The Emperor wanted Isadora to settle down in the Empire so he encouraged her to remarry. He even said differences in nationality and status should not be a problem between a man and a woman. However, as long as he was the Emperor, he would not just let his one and only heir be with a country bumpkin from a small country on the outskirts.


    ¡°Unless Eunice loves the Crown Prince to death¡­ I think it would be better to break up before things escte.¡±


    ¡°Even Eunice knows about that.¡±


    Lara recalled Eunice¡¯s reaction. She enjoyed her rtionship with Acerus, but it did not seem like she loved him to death. Moreover, upon learning that the Emperor¡¯s entourages were investigating her secretly, Eunice might end her rtionship with Acerus, cursing that he and his father were clingy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Lara said.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit Eunice to y the role of a tragic female lead who gets thrown away after falling in love with someone in power.¡±


    Rather, it was Acerus that had to be concerned. In Lara¡¯s view, his feelings were sincere to some extent.


    ¡°Mother, think nothing of it. I will talk to her. Both Crown Prince Acerus and Eunice¡­are grown-up. They will understand.¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    Isadora nodded her head reluctantly.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    At night, Lara got a message from Acerus. It was a very coincidental timing. Originally, she was going to meet Eunice first, but Acerus said that he had something to say to her and that he had requested a meeting.


    ¡°His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince wants to see the saintess. If you wish to choose a time and ce convenient for you, we will bring him there.¡±


    ¡°Where is he now?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just meet him now. Lead the way.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    The messenger sent by Acerus politely led Lara to the carriage. Then, he took her to the Crown Prince¡¯s castle.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    At the same time, Acerus was putting on an inspiring performance as a patient so that no one would know about his abnormally quick recuperated body.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness, you have to move slowly. Rehabilitation will take a long time, so don¡¯t be impatient.¡±


    Since returning from the north, Acerus¡¯ daily life had be very monotonous. He was just lying on the bed all day pretending to be a patient. Of course, he was secretly meeting Eunicete at night and was monitoring the demon Vc. But most of the time, he would scream on the bed of the pain he was feeling orin that the medicine was bitter.


    ¡°Urgh, it hurts!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it for today. The wound might get infected.¡±


    Acerus sat on afortable chair with a frown on his face, smelling of strong herbs. The knights who were supporting him left the room, feeling bad for their liege.


    ¡°Have they left?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After being in a bent position next to Acerus, the restless aide straightened and patted his back with one hand. Then, he grumbled.


    ¡°What kind of tomfoolery is this? Just announce that the saintess healed you.¡±


    ¡°No! If I do that, all the injured and sick people will visit the saintess. Not only am I not helping her, I¡¯m even causing her trouble.¡±


    ¡°If you take even just a hundredth of your feelings for the saintess and think of His Imperial Majesty the same, you will hear that you¡¯re the most filial son in the world¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Gross.¡±


    ¡°How can you say a son¡¯s feelings for his father are gross? His Imperial Majesty will be disappointed if he knows.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even if I¡¯m not worried about my dad, he still has the whole world worrying for him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Stop nagging and contact a painter, find someone talented. It doesn¡¯t matter how much money it costs.¡±


    ¡°Why a painter?¡±


    The aide asked. Acerus was not only ignorant of painting and art, he was not even interested at all. His sudden order to bring a painter made the aide suspicious.


    Acerus muttered with a serious and earnest face.


    ¡°She¡¯ll hate it if I ask for her portrait, so I can¡¯t just ask for one, right? I¡¯m just going to keep it for myself¡­ But I can¡¯t just call a painter and keep a hold of someone busy. Is there anyone who draws well without a reference, just by listening to exnations?¡±


    ¡°What? Who are you going to draw?¡±


    ¡°Who else?¡±


    ¡°No way¡­ Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    ¡°Hey, listen to me. Let¡¯s say the saintess¡¯ portrait was drawn. What if the painting shines all sacred-like? God won¡¯t punish me because it¡¯s sphemous, right? I can¡¯t believe I will get to keep a portrait of the saintess¡­ Just thinking about it makes me feel overwhelmed. Isn¡¯t this something that has never happened in history?¡±


    The aide groaned and nodded. It was already strange for him to follow the saintess like an idol, but for the Crown Prince to secretly draw and keep the saintess¡¯ portrait¡­ There was indeed no one like him in history.


    ¡°I can hand it over as a national treasureter, right?¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    ¡°Whooo! my heart is pounding. Do demon worshippers worship demons with these feelings?¡±


    Yes, you will definitely hit it off with all the weirdos in the world.


    The aide showed a faint smile.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 125

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The messenger sent by Acerus brought Lara to the castle.


    ¡°The saintess is here.¡±


    ¡°Bring her in!¡±


    Acerus jumped from his seat and greeted Lara. Like someone who got caught gossipping, the aide could not make eye contact with her and left the room with an awkward smile.


    Lara came inside and sat opposite Acerus, she said.


    ¡°You said you had something to say, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was thinking of contacting Demian.¡±


    ¡°Is it urgent?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s important.¡±


    Lara nodded and took out the long-distance magic receiver she was wearing around her neck and calmly cast a long spell. A red light emanated from the diamond embedded in the middle of the ne.


    Acerus had already used Lara¡¯s receiver once, but his eyes were still filled with deep curiosity and admiration. At that moment, he became more curious about the identity of the alchemist that Lara had.


    ¡°Has Vc given you some useful information?¡±


    While waiting for Demian¡¯s answer, Lara asked. Acerus asked her how she knew and told her what Vc said.


    ¡°When I talked about the eastern border, he said he didn¡¯t know. But after knowing the characteristics of the Eastern Union and the demon worshippers who appeared there, he told me his spections about this and that.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°If it was a hot-headed demon, Vc was sure a city would have already been turned into a wastnd by now. But seeing how this demon had only been growing his power rather than actually using it, he seems to be a sneaky and gullible demon.¡±


    ¡°Vc must know him.¡±


    Lara smirked. Acerus also smiled after her. Then, Demian¡¯s voice came out of the ne.


    ¡ºLara?¡»


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Acerus!¡±


    When the impatient Acerus spoke first out of joy, Demian muttered a swear word.


    ¡ºDamn it.¡»


    ¡°You son of¡­ If you think I can¡¯t say anything because I¡¯m in front of the saintess¡­ you¡¯re right¡­ But still, you scoundrel! You don¡¯t have much left for me to let you off.¡±


    ¡ºAround 80 times?¡»


    ¡°Less than that!¡±


    ¡ºI still have a long way to go.¡»


    Demian¡¯s voice was a little excited, it did not sound like he was drunk nor was it because he was in a good mood. Acerus did not notice it at all but Lara noticed that he was a little excited.


    Lara spoke.


    ¡°Where are you now? Have you arrived at the border?¡±


    ¡ºNot yet. We were attacked on the way there¡­¡»


    ¡°What? You were attacked? How did they know where you were passing by? Was there an information leak? Huh? Say something!¡±


    ¡ºShut up. How do you expect me to speak when you¡¯re talking this much?¡»


    Acerus was flustered.


    After his rebuke toward Acerus, Demian said to Lara.


    ¡ºAll the demon worshippers were killed, but the ck sorcerers ran away so we¡¯re chasing after them. ording to what we checked on the way¡­ They have been focusing their attacks on remote farmhouses. Because the residents don¡¯t even know how to send a messenger or use a carrier pigeon.¡»


    ¡°What will they get from attacking a farmhouse?¡±


    ¡ºThey¡¯ll capture people and brainwash them with hallucinations. The grain in the warehouse will be used for food. And asionally, livestock will be offered as sacrifices to hold rituals.¡»


    ¡°What ritual?¡±


    ¡ºThe ritual where the demons lend their powers to the ck sorcerers.¡»


    For the demons to use their powers would cause the Gods to intervene. To avoid that, they would use the expedient they came up with. Just as Abraxas exerted his influence through Lara, the demons lent powers to those who performed rituals by offering sacrifices.


    Lara blinked her eyes.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡ºDon¡¯t worry about me.¡»


    Perhaps because of the influence of the subsequent battles, Demian sounded out of breath.


    ¡ºBy the way, Acerus, what are you two doing at thiste hour?¡»


    Demian asked. Finally getting the right to speak, Acerus spoke solemnly.


    ¡°Look closely at the ck sorcerers. The spells they cast over and over again, or the symbol they use for rituals¡­ Look at that.¡±


    ¡ºWhy?¡»


    ¡°Vc will tell us what demon is there. It¡¯s good to know his weaknesses or have countermeasures.¡±


    ¡ºI can just kill him.¡»


    ¡°Oi! You may be able to do that, but it¡¯s not the same for us. At least do it for others!¡±


    ¡ºA skull covering its eyes.¡»


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡ºIt is a symbol of a skull covering its eyes.¡»


    Even though Demian begrudgingly spoke as if it was troublesome, the demon¡¯s symbol was a very important clue. Acerus jumped up and looked at Lara. She held the ne and told Demian.


    ¡°I will get back to you.¡±


    ¡ºBe careful.¡»


    After contacting Demian, Lara got up, following Acerus.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Where to?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to Vc, right? I will interrogate him.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t!¡±


    Acerus blocked the door with his body. Then, with a desperate heart, he told Lara.


    ¡°No matter how much of a brat he is, he¡¯s still a demon. It¡¯s dangerous. If you could just stay here, I will go and find out by myself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear Demian¡¯s voice? He was growling with his violent temper because I¡¯m bothering youte at night. Please save me.¡±


    ¡°Crown Prince Acerus.¡±


    ¡°No matter how much you¡¯re loved by God, I can¡¯t let you face the demon.¡±


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Saintess!¡±


    Although Acerus was restraining Vc, there was still a possibility that he would harm Lara. In addition, thinking that if he put Lara in danger and wouldter be retaliated by Demian, Acerus intended not to let Lara encounter not only Vc but also his shadow.


    However, Lara also had no intention of stepping back. For her, this was over-protective. Lara let out a light sigh and reached out one hand in front of Acerus.


    ¡°Come out.¡±


    Fwoosh.


    It was the sound of fierce mes blooming on Lara¡¯s palm. The small me quickly stretched out and stood like a human, making arms, legs, and a face. It was the giant of fire.


    ¡°Oh my God!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. God gave it to me.¡±


    ¡°May¡­ May I ask what is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the giant of fire that God gave me. It has the power to burn the demon away.¡±


    ¡°Whoo, whoo¡­¡±


    Acerus breathed heavily like someone with heart trouble. At the same time, he continued to look at the giant of fire.


    ¡°With all due respect¡­ Can I touch it once?¡±


    Because of its high heat, Lara was about to say that no one could touch it but herself. However, the giant of fire, who was showing off its dignified posture on her palm, suddenly raised the me and became angry.


    ¡°It said not to touch it.¡±


    ¡°Hoo¡­ My apologies.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be upset. Other people can¡¯t touch it either.¡±:


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Even on the way to Vc¡¯s room, Acerus muttered.


    ¡°As expected of my saintess. I can die peacefully now that I have seen a miracle in front of my eyes.¡±


    Lara turned her head as if she had not heard him. The giant of fire kept secretly reaching out to Acerus as if it wanted to burn his hair.


    ¡°This is his room.¡±


    Acerus stood in front of Vc¡¯s room.


    ¡°My apologies. I apologize in advance.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Without giving Acerus the time to prepare himself, Lara grabbed the doorknob and turned it at once.


    Vc, who had beenying around, jumped up from the bed. When he saw Lara opening the door without knocking, he thought for a moment about how to react. He did not know whether to rely on Prince Sidhar¡¯s memory or to treat Lara as a saintess as seen and heard.


    However, Vc did not even have to worry about that. Lara talked to him first as soon as she entered the room.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d help with anything, right?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There is a group of demon worshippers led by the ck sorcerers at the border with the Eastern Union. They will drive a wedge between the Tarragon Empire and the Union in order to wage war.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re using the symbol of a skull covering its eyes. Tell me who that is.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Why should I listen to orders from a mere saintess? Get the f**k out before I rip off your good-for-nothing head and drink all the blood from your body¡­¡±


    Vc was furious and approached Lara to threaten her. His eyes turned red and his fierce-looking teeth turned like a beast. As if he would rush to Lara and gnaw away her flesh right away, he lowered his posture and showed his violent temper.


    Lara was not afraid. She just spoke indifferently to the giant of fire that was sitting on her shoulder.


    ¡°That ridiculous demon is threatening me. Burn him down medium rare.¡±


    Fwoooshh!


    Explosive heat poured out of the small giant¡¯s body. Even after being surprised by Vc¡¯s aggressive behavior, Acerus could note close due to the enormous heat.


    All the furniture in Vc¡¯s room quickly turned into ash, and the chandelier over his head melted and flowed down like water. Everything else was fine, but only Vc and the things around him were damaged.


    ¡°Aaaarrggghhh!¡±


    Vc could not believe it. It was painful. It was not a normal fire, it was not even a fire made with magic.


    The body he took belonged to a human. Should the human body he inhabited be burnt, his soul as a demon should not be affected. However, this was different. It was a terrible fire that seemed to wholly burn the soul.


    ¡°Stop! Stop! Please stop!


    Lara ordered Vc, who was struggling with pain.


    ¡°Then, make an oath of obedience.¡±


    She walked in with an indifferent face. On her shoulders, the giant of fire was smiling arrogantly.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 126 - Our Saintess Is Not That Kind Of Saintess

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°If I die, so will Acerus! The Crown Prince of humanity will die!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Lara smiled. Her red eyes reflected the frightened Vc.


    ¡°I¡¯m not from Tarragon. I¡¯m sure you know.¡±


    Vc shouted.


    ¡°Lies! You¡¯re lying!¡±


    Ash was flying little by little from Vc¡¯s body. If he held out a little longer, not only the human body, but also his soul would have disappeared.


    What the hell is this crazy saintess? Why did God choose this flipping wicked woman as a saintess? Where is Acerus? If Acerus is here, he would stop her!


    Acerus appeared in front of the confused Vc¡¯s sight.


    ¡°Acerus! Acerus!¡±


    Vc pointed to Lara and yelled at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Hurry up and kill this woman! Kill this crazy saintess and get rid of her! Or you will die too! We¡¯re going to die!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather die in the hands of the saintess than be your dog.¡±


    ¡°You son of a b*tch!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a son of a man!¡±


    Fwoosh.


    The giant of fire burst intoughter. The mes danced, it wrapped around Vc¡¯s convulsing body like a snake and opened its red mouth to swallow his soul.


    ¡°Obey me.¡±


    Lara said for thest time. It was the only calm voice in the room full of confusion and madness.


    The amount of ash scattered from Vc¡¯s body increased. Now, not only his skin but also his entire body was copsing. Fingers disappeared from his burnt hands and ck ash flew away.


    The giant of fire faithfully listened to Lara¡¯s request. As God had assured, it was a fire that could burn down demons.


    Finally, the demon Vc knelt down.


    ¡°I¡­I will obey you.¡±


    ¡°Swear on your name and soul.¡±


    ¡°I swear on my name and soul that I will obey you!¡±


    Vc put his forehead on the floor and fell down under Lara¡¯s feet. Then, he crawled on all fours and kissed the tip of her toes. It was a humiliating oath.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    When Lara woke up in the morning, the spring rain was drizzling down, moistening thend of Dandelion that had been frozen throughout the winter.


    Lara got out of bed. She nkly recalled what happenedst night.


    Vc answered anything she asked. He was frightened of Lara¡¯s heartlessness. He was also horrified by how she did not even bat an eyelid, and instead, smiled even when he threatened her with Acerus¡¯ death.


    The giant of fire from God also yed a part, but what terrified Vc the most was the uncertain fear he had that the saintess seemed to be crueler than a demon.


    Lara threatened Vc to get as much information as she wanted. After leaving him to Acerus, she returned to her abode to fall asleep.


    ¡°I have changed a lot.¡±


    ¡°What has changed?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I could get into a deep sleep even when Vc did such things with Prince Sidhar¡¯s face¡­¡±


    ¡°Mdy, what happened?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Lara came out of the nket. Konny put a gown on her body and said.


    ¡°Did you know? On a night when the moon is fickle to change, the beasts, soaked in madness, will go hunting. When ites to beasts, what¡¯s more dangerous than a full moon is the wet moon that calls for rain. It¡¯s in the book of ghost¡¯s lore that Master Sebastian lent me. ¡±


    ¡°I see. No wonder.¡±


    Lara nodded her head with a half-asleep face.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°There were a lot of people out of their mindsst night.¡±


    Demian, who was excited to be in a battle after a long time, Lara, who tortured and threatened a demon, Acerus, who still took Lara¡¯s side even at the risk of death, and the demon, who kissed the saintess¡¯ foot¨Cthey were all out of their minds.


    ¡°It was because the moon was up.¡±


    When Demian said it, it was heart fluttering and romantic, but when she said it with her own mouth, it sounded like a curse. Lara smiled lightly.<b> Our Saintess is Not That Kind of Saintess.</b>


    Demian arrived at the eastern border. Be it during battles big and small, he never lost, and the news soon reached the ears of the citizens of Dandelion. There was also news of the Barbarians, whom he led, defeating the demon worshippers who were looting private houses several times while moving to the east, consequently bing heroes.


    ¡°Did you hear that? The Barbarians keep winning.¡±


    ¡°I heard he killed the vicious ck sorcerers that use livestock and humans as sacrifices with a single strike.¡±


    ¡°As expected of the Barbarians.¡±


    ¡°I heard all the demon worshippers who have private houses were kicked out of the eastern border. The Eastern Union guys are in a hurry!¡±


    The citizens of Dandelion were delighted and bragged as if the Barbarian¡¯s victory were Tarragon¡¯s victory. Even though they knew the Barbarians hated the Empire, they still acted like that. They instinctively found it easier to turn a blind eye to the ufortable truth than to expose it.


    Spring was in full swing. Flowers overflowed on all the streets of Dandelion. Children from poor families picked baskets of flowers and sold them on the street. And people were sneezing because of the yellow pollen.


    One day, Ximena noticed that Eunice had been followed by someone for a while. Though the slow-witted Eunice did not know anything, she still told that fact to Lara.


    ¡°Followed?¡±


    Screech.


    Lara scratched the te with a knife. Unpleasantness was reflected at the end of her pointed eyes.


    Ximena hit her chest, saying she was frustrated, and told Eunice.


    ¡°You bish, I told you to end it quickly. Who else do you think would stalk you? It must be the Imperial family!¡±


    ¡°Why would the great Emperor put a tail on a mere outskirt-living young noblewoman like me¡­¡±


    ¡°Is there only the Emperor in the Imperial family? Why would it be called the Imperial family? Because it¡¯s a family! I¡¯m sure there are a lot of uptight old folks handling these things!¡±


    The longer Ximena nagged, the more annoyed Eunice¡¯s face gradually grew.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like I said I¡¯m going to marry the Crown Prince, and it¡¯s not like I¡¯m pregnant or anything¡­ I heard that there are dozens of women who have been dating Acerus so far. Why are they being so crazy only to me?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s better to deal with it before it happens than to respond to it after it happened.¡±


    Thest sentence came from Lara¡¯s mouth. When Lara calmly pointed out after having been quiet all along, Eunice pouted and grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m actually going to stop seeing him now. I think Lady Isadora has noticed.¡±


    ¡°My mother?¡±


    Lara feigned ignorance and asked her, Eunice quickly nodded in response.


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of anyone else, I¡¯m only scared of Lady Isadora. I¡¯m going to call it quits before I get in trouble.¡±


    Isadora was actually not someone who would scold Eunice for such a reason but Lara just decided to shut up. Eunice grumbled about there having been no one aspatible as Acerus so far so it was a shame.


    ¡°Oh, then, was it the Imperial family that had been investigating me?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°The sophisticated Tarragon Imperial family elders won¡¯t faint because of me, right?¡±


    ¡°Geez, no way.¡±


    Ximena waved her hands in dismissal. Lara also nodded and added.


    ¡°Eunice, if you¡¯re going to break up with him, don¡¯t mind such a thing. Whatever they think of you, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s the big deal about drinking, dating, betting, and hanging out in the arena? Who wants to be the Crown Princess anyway? I¡¯m going to enjoy my life in my own way. Why can¡¯t they just let me live my life?¡±


    Eunice kept grumbling.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Eunice was not lying when she said she would break up with Acerus. She met him a few dayster to say goodbye to him. It was a short and neat breakup. No one knew how Acerus reacted to breaking up because Eunice did not tell them.


    However, she said that he asked her what the reason was. So Eunice said honestly.


    ¡°I told him that his family is not good enough for him to be my partner.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t people usually say something like ¡®I¡¯m too insignificant to be your partner.¡¯ or ¡®I have aplicated past.¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Is it my fault that we broke up? No, it¡¯s his fault!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little disappointed.¡±


    Ximena muttered.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s such a clean goodbye.¡±


    As if forgetting that she was the one who told Eunice to end it, Ximena looked more disappointed than Eunice was. Even though she knew it was a rtionship that would note true, they were still a pretty good couple.


    In truth, Acerus was not in a very good condition. Lara was told by his aide that Acerus was constantly working during the day and only fell asleep at night after getting drunk with strong liquor. He would also get angry at the wall or visit Vc randomly to vent his anger.


    Acerus had met many women, but it was the first time he broke down helplessly after getting dumped. Even his aide was amazed.


    Even so, Acerus could not even defy the Emperor or persuade Eunice, he was so busy that he could not afford to do so. As soon as the wound he had suffered from Lilith roughly healed, the Emperor ordered him to resolve the dispute with the Eastern Union.


    Dozens of carrier pigeons flew into Acerus¡¯ castle in a day. The Eastern Union was barking at the Empire like a crazy dog.


    They criticized Tarragon for secretly sending the Barbarians to threaten the East and how the country called the best Empire on the continent would wage war in such a violent way.


    The demon worshippers kicked out by Demian were turning the Eastern part of the continent into a wastnd. It was a strange situation. The fights were done by Barbarians but Tarragon was the one getting criticized and the damage was suffered by the Eastern Union.


    ¡°Lara, how¡¯s the temple?¡±


    ¡°Could be better.¡±


    ¡°I heard the number of priests has increased.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing.¡±


    After all the corrupt priests were dismissed, there was only a very small number of people who survived the Temple of Glory. However, as time passed, more and more people were able to use divine power and the empty temple was gradually regaining vitality.


    It was less than a tenth of the numberpared to the past, but, albeit weak, all of them were able to borrow God¡¯s power. Lara was just happy that there were more workers that she could order around.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 127

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Valentine came to Lara¡¯s room. For the past few days, he had walked fluttering like a pinwheel. He also had not been listening to Lara when she advised him to take a rest, nor to Konny when she told him to take better care of his meals. All of it was the result of only focusing on relics and records found underground.


    ¡°Mdy, umm¡­ If I just say it, you might not believe me¡­ I think¡­¡±


    ¡°Just say it. I will believe everything you say, Valentine.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, about that¡­¡±


    Valentine blushed and twisted his body. Konny waited for his next words with Lara, and eventually, she screamed.


    ¡°Oh, so frustrating! Can¡¯t you just spit it out?¡±


    ¡°I, I made a magic circle for long-distance travel.¡±


    ¡°I see. So you made a magic circle¡­ Wait what?¡±


    Lara smirked. Konny did not understand what he was saying at all.


    ¡°Magic circle what?¡±


    ¡°My, my apologies! Entrusting me with the relics underground would have meant to interpret the old records, but I was blinded by greed¡­ The ck magic book that I have never seen before¡­ I kept looking at the records of elemental magic that I thought had long since disappeared¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait a second. Valentine?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me one more time? What did you make?¡±


    Lara sprang up from the chair. Valentine faced her scarlet eyes from the front and opened his mouth as if possessed.


    ¡°A magic circle for long-distance travel.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God.¡±


    A magic circle for long-distance travel was a miraculous device that allowed someone to travel a long distance in one go after setting up two magic circles at the designated ces.


    If someone else had said that, Lara would get angry and tell them not to lie. If they want tomit fraud, at least do it with something believable. It might be better to just say that a dragon appeared in the sky and was vomiting fire.


    However, Lara knew that Valentine would not lie to her carelessly, because she was Valentine¡¯s savior and patron.


    ¡°It¡¯s true. I know it¡¯s hard to believe, so to show you, mdy, I set up magic circles in the basement of this abode and in my workroom. But¡­ because it was dangerous, at first, I moved an inanimate object, then nts, then yesterday, I even seeded in moving pigeons and rabbits.¡±


    ¡°Valentine.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, because I can¡¯t just take anyone to do the experiment, I¡¯m going to do it myself. So, mdy¡­ please.¡±


    Valentine bowed his head toward Lara.


    ¡°Pleasee and see if the magic circle I made works properly.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Lara nodded vigorously. She could do anything at Valentine¡¯s request.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go right away. I want to be the first person in the world to see Valentine¡¯s great work.¡±


    ¡°Me too, I want to go too! ¡­I can go too, right? Valentine!¡±


    Lara, who had always been calm, rushed out to the hallway. Konny ran after her, pulling Valentine¡¯s hand.


    The magic circle Valentine made was in the basement of the abode. It was an old study, a ce sealed by the High Priests to hide the traces of ck magic in the Temple of Glory.


    Lara and Konny went down to the basement and stood in front of aplex painting. It was the magic circle drawn by Valentine over a long period of time.


    A smoothly processed stone was ced on the floor. It was a stone that reflected everything around it like a mirror. On top of it, numerous lines, symbols, and unknown characters were strangely intertwined to form arge circle, like a carriage wheel.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡±


    Lara asked. Konny shook her head excitedly and circled around the magic circle.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand anything written here. I think my brain will get bigger just by looking at it.¡±


    ¡°What should I do now?¡±


    Valentine told Lara to stand a step away from the magic circle.


    ¡°I will go to my workroom, activate the magic circle there, and then transport myself back here¡­¡±


    ¡°But then me and Konny will have to wait a while, right?¡±


    It would take a long time for Valentine to go to his workroom. Even if he rode a carriage, it would not be that short of a time.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I don¡¯t have any intention to take away your time¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    Lara reached out to Valentine.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±


    ¡°Par, pardon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take too long. Let¡¯s just use the magic circle here and go to your workroom together.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it also dangerous for you, Valentine? You said you¡¯ve seeded with rabbits and pigeons.¡±


    ¡°Even so¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you forget? I¡¯m the saintess. If the magic goes wrong, God will save me. The one you should be worried about is not me, but yourself.¡±


    Lara felt sorry that she kept looking for God only at times like this, but she really did think so.


    Valentine hesitated and came into the magic circle. Konny was cheering for him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    Valentine chanted a long spell.


    Lara expected to get magical side effects such as dizziness or vomiting. It was natural for her to have such expectations as the distance where they should ride a carriage was shortened to a blink of an eye. But she did not feel anything. As soon as Valentine finished chanting the spell, they both were already in a different ce.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Mdy, are you okay? Huh?¡±


    It was the workroom behind Valentine¡¯s shop. Lara stood nkly with her small mouth opened and looked around. Valentine wondered if Lara had any problems so he took a closer look at her condition. The magic was sessful and there were no problems with Lara.


    ¡°Valentine.¡±


    Lara called him. She looked excited until a while ago, but she had a calm voice as usual again.


    ¡°Keep this a secret for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Oh, yes.¡±


    ¡°I will do whatever you want, so can you¡­ install this somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Of course!¡±


    Valentine smiled proudly and said.


    ¡°I can do anything you request, mdy.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    On the day when spring flowers were in full bloom, the three countries under the Eastern Union officially sent a protest message to the Tarragon Empire.


    Their im was simple. The Emperor of the Tarragon wanted war so he used the Barbarians to drive demon worshippers to the east. They strongly criticized the Empire¡¯s territorial ambitions by saying that the Empire was trying to dere war after making the Eastern Union a mess.


    However, the Emperor was angry at the Eastern Union¡¯s delegation. He questioned their true intentions, saying that the Barbarians were not of Tarragon¡¯s people and that what they were doing had nothing to do with the will of the Empire. He also praised the Barbarians for punishing the demon worshippers and that they should be called heroes.


    Everyone was curious. If it was not for the Emperor¡¯s orders, then whom in the world were the Barbarians fighting for?


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s for mdy.¡±


    Konny shrugged and spoke. Valentine nodded, saying that he strongly agreed.


    Lara was going to deny them, but then she remembered the conversation she had with Demian through the receiverst night. So she just kept her mouth shut.


    ¡ºLara, what do you want me to do now? Just give me your orders.¡»


    Orders?


    Lara told him not to joke around.


    ¡ºI¡¯m not joking. I¡¯m your mighty warrior after all.¡»


    Demian wasughing. Domino, Lampion, and Oscar wereughing together next to him. They said that they would attack the ck sorcerer¡¯s hideout soon, where they would be able to get evidence that the Eastern Union and the demon worshippers secretly joined hands. Then, the Emperor of Tarragon would dere war against the demon, and as the Emperor of an Empire, he would then notify the royal family of each country of cooperation.


    ¡°Have you figured out what you wanted yet?¡±


    Lara asked Valentine. She expected him to ask for a bigger and better workroom than the one he had, or probably something like a rare relic. But he really wanted something unexpected.


    ¡°I want to see the giant of fire.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind¡­ I mean, I really want to see that mysterious being at least once.¡±


    This was all because of Konny. She had met the giant of fire several times and every time she would stamp her feet excitedly saying it was small and cute. After that, she would run to Valentine and brag about meeting a fairy.


    ¡°Konny¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say much! I only said that it¡¯s the cutest being in the world, even cuter than dogs, cats, and chicks¡­¡±


    As Konny continued, Valentine¡¯s face was dimly flushed.


    Lara agonized for a moment. Even though it¡¯s a giant, it¡¯s not narrow-minded enough to get sulky about this. She reached out on one hand while thinking like that.


    ¡°Pleasee out.¡±


    On Lara¡¯s palm, a spark arose like flints bumping into each other, and soon, a ball of fire the size of a fist appeared. First, two legs were formed, then, the arms popped out. Its round,rge head was filled with its eyes, nose, and mouth.


    ¡°Ohhhh¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    Valentine and Konny burst into exmations at the same time. The giant of fire looked up at Lara with a puzzled face and soon felt the hot gazes of the two pouring toward it.


    Fwoosh!


    Sparks rose from the giant¡¯s shoulders. It put its hands on its waist and raised its head, it also inted its small chest to grow in size. Then it opened its mouth and spat out mes as if it was spitting. No matter how you look at it, it was a gesture that looked down on the other person.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how you say hello. Where did you learn that from?¡±


    Lara said sternly.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 128

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The giant of fire, a fracture of what was once a great existence, and with its great existence also came with great pride. But as it had to live with humans henceforth, the giant of fire had to do away with its old attitude.


    The giant of fire quietly trembled at the sound of Lara¡¯s more terrifying voice. Humbly bending its waist, it gathered the embers it had spat out at Konny and Valentine, and pretended to re-attach them to its body.


    ¡°I think it learned that from someone, but who could it be?¡±


    Lara slightly furrowed her eyebrows and muttered. All the people the giant of fire had ever met with were herself, her mother Isadora, Acerus and the demon Vc, and thest ones were Konny and Valentine. It was probably not Valentine because they just met for the first time today, it would not be the demon Vc because he swore to obey Lara and even went on his knees, and Isadora was never someone to do that. If so, the only suspects left were Acerus and Konny.


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    Lara called out Konny¡¯s name. Konny slyly turned her head away and feigned ignorance.


    ¡°What in the world did you teach it?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I taught the giant of fire the cutest thing ever.¡±


    ¡°Konny!¡±


    ¡°There are also others!¡±


    Konny did not mind Lara¡¯s criticism, she had too much experience as a maid to sumb to just this level. She also knew that Lara was not actually mad and was only pretending. So she quickly and repeatedly stuck out and puckered her lips towards the giant of fire.


    The giant of fire paid attention to Konny¡¯s actions. It soon burst into mes and nodded enthusiastically.


    ¡°What are you trying to do¡­¡±


    Lara was in the middle of telling it not to do something useless when she suddenly closed her mouth. The giant of fire grabbed her earlobe with one hand, stuck to her cheek, and pushed its lips in. Though there was no kissing sound, the subtle heat still extended from her chin to her cheek.


    ¡°Did you see it, Valentine? It¡¯s terribly cute!¡±


    Konny repeatedly patted Valentine¡¯s shoulders and did not know what to do. Valentine continuously muttered something under his breath, surprised that the giant of fire could learn and acquire something from humans.


    Kissed on the cheek, Lara flinched her lips without saying anything and slightly turned her head away.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The Eastern Union consisted of three small countries: Sias, Lafort, and Mortan. They announced that they formed the union to keep the increasingly strong Empire in check. But in reality, they took advantage of their powerful mutual enemy, the Empire, to obsessively steal information between themselves and strengthen the sovereignty of their own individual countries.


    The Emperor of Tarragon taught his son, Crown Prince Acerus:


    ¡°When dealing with the north, you must do your best to fight them. The southwest, including Hautean, does more harm than good. Intimidate them, but don¡¯t fight them. The Eastern Union is a swindler that can only talk big, never listen to them.¡±


    It was advice meaning to always be wary because listening to what the Eastern Union said could lead to falling in the sneaky trick they had nned.


    ¡°Greetings to Your Imperial Majesty, the high sky of the Empire.¡±


    The delegation representative dispatched to Tarragon was the son of King Lafort among the three Eastern Union countries.


    ¡°I¡¯m Nichs.¡±


    Nichs was older than Acerus. At first nce, his body was plump and short, and his face looked well over 40. Since the King of Lafort had not let go of his crown even at an old age, there were many stories within Lafort that Nichs¡¯ son would be the next King instead of him.


    Nichs was known as the most diplomatic person among the leading members of the Eastern Union. His warm impression, friendly attitude, and personality that suited anyone because of his love of liquor and women yed a role in enhancing his evaluation.


    However, the Emperor knew very well that there was a cunning fox lurking behind his bear-like face.


    ¡°As you know, the Barbarians are not the people of Tarragon.¡±


    The Emperor insincerely scanned through the letter of protest from the Eastern Union handed over by Nichs. Then, he asked.


    ¡°Am I intimidating the East by moving the Barbarians?¡±


    The Emperor of Tarragon was a man of tremendous power to the point where he could be called the owner of the continent. Nichs did not dare to antagonize the Emperor, he just bowed politely and answered.


    ¡°That is not what I meant. If Your Imperial Majesty wants to get your hands on the East, it is possible enough to do so without having to create such a problem for us.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°But, Your Imperial Majesty, many different interests are entangled in the Eastern Union. Some people respect and fear you, but some people consider you apetitor they dare to ovee.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to give a lengthy exnation to something that goes without saying. Do you think I talk like this because I don¡¯t know much about the union?¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, you have to call back the Barbarians.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The Barbarians said that they¡¯re hunting the demon worshippers but, in fact, what they are doing is resulting in the encouragement toward the war between the Eastern Union and the Empire¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about Barbarians.¡±


    The Emperorughed. Nichs expected the Emperor to get angry at this point. When the Emperor started to get angry, he would t-out lie and pretend to beg the Emperor. He intended to induce the Empire to abandon the Barbarians. However, the Emperor stared at him while smiling and stroking his beard.


    ¡°The Barbarians don¡¯t listen to me.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not my subordinates.¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re the subordinates of the saintess.¡±


    Nichs raised his bowing head.


    The Eastern Union has dispatched many spies to the Empire and had been receiving news from these spies for a long time. Among them, of course, there was also news about Lara, the saintess, who had recently be the biggest topic in Dandelion.


    ording to intelligence, the saintess stayed close to the Barbarians. At first, Nichs thought it was only to use her strength as a saintess for the discrimination and unfair treatment that the Barbarians received, but after hearing from the Emperor, he thought that might be possible. If the Barbarians were the subordinates of the saintess, did that mean that their purpose was really only to eradicate the demon worshippers?


    After thinking that far, Nichs shook his head without realizing it. He knew the Emperor was watching him closely but he could not help it. The Emperor was not just an Emperor for nothing. There was no way the young saintess, who had just be an adult, could have done this at her disposal when the Emperor himself was openly holding out.


    He could not get his mind around it. After managing to organize his thoughts, Nichs hung a soft smile around his mouth and told the Emperor.


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Please allow me to meet the saintess, I beg you like this.¡±


    ¡®Just look at this guy.¡¯


    The Emperor loosened his wrinkled lips.


    Nichs was requesting to meet with the saintess without rubbing the Emperor¡¯s fur the wrong way. However, rather than the Emperor, the one that he should not irritate was Lara, the saintess.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Upon hearing the news that Prince Nichs of the Kingdom of Lafort wanted to meet her, Lara said with a face full of annoyance.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡±


    ¡°Saintess¡­¡±


    ¡°Look. you can tell just by looking how busy I am.¡±


    Lara had her desks and chairs scattered in a huge prayer room, handing out work to dozens of priests one by one. There were a lot of other things to understand, including the location and number of temples in each country, the number of believers, the name and status of the dispatched priests, and other things.


    After hearing that all of the fallen priests from Dandelion had been fired, arge number of priests from each temple wereing up to the capital to meet Lara. Some of them suspected the identity of the saintess, others criticized and ndered the saintess.


    ¡°Just go tell him; I already know that the Eastern Union has been secretly joining hands with demon worshippers so stop trying to butter me up and just tell me what they really want.¡±


    The one who came to meet Lara was Acerus. He showed infinite respect to Lara, who managed to do what he wanted to do but could not¡ªsaying her opinions in a cool way in front of the Emperor.


    ¡°Nichs is the son of the King of Lafort, but he is also the maternal nephew of the King of Sias. The King of Lafort¡¯s first Queen was a Princess of Sias, she¡¯s still alive, but the King and Queen of Lafort are on bad terms so it¡¯s been a long time since she stepped down from the Queen¡¯s seat.¡±


    ¡°So Nichs isn¡¯t in a good position.¡±


    ¡°His goal is to unite the union as a nation and rule it.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the King of Sias and Mortan think the same way?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why we call the Eastern Union a mess.¡±


    Looking at the hard-working priests with nk eyes, Lara led Acerus to one side of the prayer room.


    ¡°As long as they actively participate in the great demon war, I don¡¯t care if the Eastern Union merges into a Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Same here.¡±


    ¡°Which country has the best King among the three countries? No, it¡¯s better if it¡¯s a King who¡¯s the best at self-distinguishing. He should at least be good enough to resist the temptation of demons.¡±


    Lara asked. Then, Acerus approached and spoke very quietly in her ear.


    ¡°You can be the one to decide that.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make the country chosen by the saintess the ruler of the East.¡±


    Acerus smiled brightly at Lara.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 129

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Only after being turned down twice by the Emperor was the Prince of Lafort, Nichs, allowed to meet with the saintess.


    At first, Nichs believed that the reason the Emperor treated him unfairly was to insist on his authority. But when he looked closely, he found out that the saintess that appeared in Dandelion was not the kind to meet just anyone, as such, she was very exclusive in her appearances.


    ¡°How old did you say she was?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s turning 21 this year.¡±


    ¡°So, she¡¯s a kid.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s from the Kingdom of Hautean and quite notorious.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Her notoriety is quite cute to a degree, but she has made a few scandals. Not only has she brought a ve into her bedroom, she even messed around wherever she liked, she¡¯s like a woman of the street. There was also a rumor where she pped a fake saintess in front of the King, of which she then proceeded to grab and shake her hair around.¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to be anything special?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m mentioning this because Hautean is an old-fashioned country.¡±


    When Nichs heard his subordinate¡¯s exnation, he burst intoughter.


    ¡°Well, well¡­ I was worried about how to coax someone faithful and virtuous enough to be chosen by God, but it seemed like I made a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to buy her off?


    ¡°Her mother is the Thousand Gold Isadora, will she even weaken with just mere money? No, I¡¯m going to suggest something that she can¡¯t even get with money.¡±


    Nichs came to the Empire scared to deal with the sly Emperor. However, things seemed to have worked out easier than he thought.


    ¡°I will first have to tell her how much fun the ves in the East y, how good they are at night, and of the many various pleasures they know.¡±


    Nichs smirked and rubbed his hands.


    ¡°Choose young and handsome guys and put them all into priest¡¯s clothes.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara decided to do Acerus a favor.


    For temple work, as long as she gave her orders, the passionate priests would take care of it on their own. And because of that, she thought it was now more urgent to get her hands on the East.


    Lara was smart, but she did not know in detail about the political situation of each country. So before she met Nichs, she received all sorts of advice from Acerus and Isadora about the Eastern Union.


    A few dayster, a luxurious invitation arrived from Nichs.


    ¡°Hees to meet the saintess but he¡¯s holding a banquet¡­¡±


    It was a banquet to catch Lara.


    Nichs was bold, he publicly held a banquet even though he knew that the Emperor was watching him. It was said that he was famous for his widework of contacts. Despite being the Prince of Lafort, he seemed to know enough people to host a banquet in Tarragon.


    But war was looming at the border, and Lara heard of the resulting tension circting in the border area. Despite this, Nichs acted leisurely as if he was not afraid at all.


    Lara thought Nichs would naturally do a background check of her. Her infamy, which had been umted little by little since she was in Hautean, had been a hot topic that anyone in power had heard of at least once.


    Then, how will Nichs try to appease me?


    Since the Emperor revealed that the Barbarians were the subordinates of the saintess, Nichs would want to make sure of the uracy of the statement. After confirming the facts, the Barbarians might be expelled far away, or this time, they might drive a wedge between the saintess and the Empire.


    ¡®It¡¯s not with money and power. He¡¯ll think I¡¯m a little girl so he won¡¯t try to persuade or threaten me. Then, what¡¯s left is¡­¡¯


    Lara stood in the middle of the drawing-room and was agonizing over the invitation, she called Konny loudly.


    ¡°Konny!¡±


    ¡°Yes, mdy.¡±


    ¡°Call Eunice and Ximena for me.¡±


    Konny ran outside excitedly, she said she was bored because Lara had only been wearing boring clothes these days. After sending off the errand runner, Konny opened the closet door wide and fell into a happy dilemma.


    Eunice and Ximena did not keep Lara waiting long. As soon as they met the errand runner Konny sent, they got onto the carriage without asking any questions. They arrived at the temple before afternoon.


    ¡°What? Banquet? What banquet?¡±


    Eunice suddenly asked. Lara handed Eunice the invitation from Nichs and folded her arms.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s trying to seduce me.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The immature youngdy who tried to enjoy life a little as soon as she became an adult but suddenly became a saintess and felt disgusted with the constrained life.¡±


    After hearing Lara¡¯s exnation, Eunice distorted her face strangely, so did Ximena.


    ¡°What the hell does that mean? Is that you?¡±


    ¡°That is the kind of person Prince Nichs would imagine the saintess as.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ He¡¯s notpletely wrong.¡±


    When Ximena smiled, Eunice nced at her and asked Lara.


    ¡°So you want us toe with you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Do you want us to stop you from falling into his n or help you pretend to fall into his n?¡±


    ¡°Thetter, obviously.¡±


    Lara smiled and made a gesture. The door rattled and Konny came in, pushing a wheeled hanger. There were three heavy dresses hanging on it, all in ck and red.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara arrived at the banquet hall organized by Nichs with her friends. Even though it was early in the evening, colorful magical lighting lit the building splendidly.


    When the carriage Lara rode in arrived in front of the building, well-dressed attendants rushed to open the door and bowed deeply.


    Eunice whistled. Everything was exotic. Lafort¡¯s music, Mortan¡¯s food and liquor, and Sias¡¯ beautiful ves were dizzyingly harmonized. It felt as if a different world had unfolded only inside this building. It was such a special banquet that even Ximena and Eunice, who had been to and from Hautean¡¯s night ball, were amazed.


    ¡°I think I should give some high praise to him.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°You said it hadn¡¯t been long since he came to Dandelion. Being able to prepare such a banquet within that duration proves that Prince Nichs is a man of great ability.¡±


    Eunice whispered to Lara. Ximena also stuck close to the two and muttered so quietly that the attendant could not hear them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so old-fashioned. If you fall into his n too easily, he will get suspicious. Look down on him in moderation and be surprised in moderation¡­ You¡¯d better be interested in something very unexpected.¡±


    Lara nodded.


    ¡°Oh! Saintess, here you are.¡±


    Nichs appeared then. He was a man with a stubby height, round body shape, indulgent smile, and a soft voice. Overshadowing his middle age, he had shiny skin, a clean face with no beard, his eyebrows and hair were neatly arranged, and not a single strand of hair was scattered.


    ¡°I prepared this banquet with the hope that the saintess will visit Lafort someday. Of course, I have also prepared the culture of Lafort¡¯s long-time ally, Sias and Mortan as a preview.¡±


    Nichs¡¯ attitude was very polite. He was not ufortable at all in showing a submissive attitude to Lara. Although Lafort was a small country, as a Prince, he did not have to grovel before the saintess, who was amoner.


    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Prince Nichs.¡±


    When Lara responded to his greeting, Nichs smiled and grabbed her fingertips.


    ¡°When I get back to Lafort, I will have to brag for three months that I escorted the saintess.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean my story is circting in Lafort too?¡±


    ¡°Of course. If the border had not been blocked, by now the pilgrims¡¯ procession to Dandelion would have continued for a long time.¡±


    Lara smiled faintly. She was told that he was a formidable man. His speech skills were indeed great. While praising the saintess, he could even point out the tension flowing on the border at the same time.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what you¡¯d like, so I just prepared a lot. This banquet is for the saintess and your beautiful friends. So I hope you enjoy it freely.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Keep this a secret from His Imperial Majesty.¡±


    Nichs winked. He had a gentle and pleasant attitude. Lara smiled at him and looked at the people who filled the banquet hall. Most of them were nobles of the Eastern Union who visited Dandelion as part of the delegations.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­¡±


    The guests could not hide their surprised eyes when they saw Lara and her friends. The saintess, wholly different from what they thought, was walking across the hall.


    They imagined an elegant and neat beauty, but instead, a fancy and provocative woman appeared. What¡¯s more, Lara did not care about the overflowing food and drink in the banquet hall, but intently stared at the ves who yed instruments in white priest robes.


    They were young and beautiful ves. Fair skin, beautiful features like a drawing, shiny hairs, and delicate fingers moving seductively. The ves nced at Lara and then quickly turned away from her. They pretended to read their music sheets and then nced at her again through the ss.


    The sound of stringed instruments filled the banquet hall, and the sound from those thin strings attracted the heart of those listening. The ves¡¯ performance was excellent and their appearance was the best.


    In particr, a red-haired young man was especially noticeable. He continually yed with his amazing skills in the center of the stage. White skin, thick red lips, thick double eyelids, softly droopy eyes, and red energy hovered him strangely. Every time he smiled, a mole on the bridge of his nose flinched.


    Seeing him, Eunice gulped the air in a hurry, and Ximena approached Lara closely and linked her arm with her right arm. Then, she brought her face close so that her lips touched her earlobes and whispered.


    ¡°Our saintess must be happy about this.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 130

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    When Nichs heard that the saintess was into the performance of the ves, heughed and said that he knew it.


    Nichs thought that just suddenly shoving in a handsome male ve to the saintess was too much of a brazen move, so he put in the addition of music that Lafort was proud of. Listening to music was saintess-like and an elegant hobby, so it would be okay even if the performer was an enchanting ve¨Che had his reasons after all.


    ¡°Serve her strong liquor. She seems to be on good terms with her friends so pay more attention to her friends than to her. And also, prepare a lot of gifts¡­¡±


    Nichs was already itching to get his hands on the saintess whom even the Emperor could not control. In Nichs¡¯ view, the power held by the saintess in the Tarragon Empire was enough topete with the Emperor¡¯s sessor.


    ¡°Hmm, Your Highness.¡±


    Nichs was contemting what kind of y he should introduce to that cute young saintess with a cold impression next time. Suddenly, an associate from Sias approached and said to him.


    ¡°Will it be okay? We are not even sure of his identity.¡±


    ¡°Who cares if we aren¡¯t sure? As long as he seduces the saintess, I can give him whatever he wants.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying this because we don¡¯t know what he wants. I also feel uneasy about him being brought by a ck sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re from Sias, so this might seem unfamiliar to you, but this kind of thing ismon in Lafort, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°A ck sorcerer is a human too. If we stay in a good rtionship and listen to each other¡¯s wishes, then there would be no better friends than them.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I was worried for nothing.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one knows that we have joined hands with the ck sorcerers.¡±


    After saying so, Nichs put his hands on his bulging stomach and smiled a satisfied smile.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Eunice and Ximena had such fun. They acted like a fish in the water, saying that they had found a yground they liked after a long time. They requested dance music from the performers and danced in a group with the nobles from the East. They also started gambling once they got drunk.


    By the time the sweet and strong liquor Nichs had ordered ran out, the Eastern nobles yed with Eunice by putting fruit skewers on their heads and calling each other by their fruit names.


    By the end of the banquet, the sun was already rising. Lara put her two sleeping friends in the carriage first and wasst to leave the banquet hall.


    ¡°Saintess.¡±


    A ve called her. He was the red-haired ve who had the best performance with just a string instrument.


    ¡°I want to know your name.¡±


    The ve smiled with a slight wrinkle on the bridge of his nose. His bright red hair seemed to smell like wine. He probably drank a lot so his eyes were wet. If Eunice was sober, she would probably gulp out loud.


    Lara did not answer him at all. She did not evenugh off or scold the arrogant ve for not knowing his ce. She just stared at him. Then, she slightly moved her small lips and said indifferently.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    As soon as Lara found the demon who was mixed in with the performers in Nichs¡¯ banquet hall, she felt like her heart was freezing cold. Though he acted like a ve ying an instrument, he was certainly a demon, and she could tell at just a nce. Unlike Vc, that demon revealed his existence right away, he did not disguise himself using another person¡¯s body, like Vc with Prince Sidhar. Moreover, he was very beautiful and enchanting.


    Vc was upying Prince Sidhar¡¯s body, and Lara had never met Lilith, so Lara did not know of Vc¡¯s or Lilith¡¯s appearance. But even if she knew their real faces, she did not think they would be more beautiful than this demon in front of her.


    If that face was made to seduce humans, he deserved to be praised. Because it was a really sessful result.


    ¡®His performance was great too.¡¯


    Lara was well aware that she was not well versed in the arts. But be that as it may, his performance was so heart-moving even to her. Whenever the demon¡¯s fingers brilliantly moved, she felt a thrilling pleasure through her eardrums.


    As Eunice stared so hard at the demon¡¯s face, Ximena even joked that it would be too extreme if she suddenly changed her taste from a Crown Prince to a ve.


    The East consisted of three countries with the separate union leadership that epassed them. And now, they have joined hands with a demon. Just as she was wondering which of them had teamed up with the ck sorcerers and became a pawn of the demon, he appeared right in front of her eyes.


    Lara clenched her cold hands in the moving carriage. After revealing the identity of the demon and dealing with him, she must choose a leader who would unify the three countries.


    ¡°Eunice, wake up!¡±


    While Lara was immersed in her thoughts, the carriage had arrived in front of Isadora¡¯s hotel. Ximena barely managed to get sober and tried waking Eunice up, who was lying on the carriage chair¡­ violently.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived. Get up!¡±


    ¡°Hngh, Acerus¡­¡±


    ¡°This bish!¡±


    ¡°F**k off, you scumbag¡­¡±


    Ximena burst outughing after listening to Eunice¡¯s sleep talk, saying that she did not know if Eunice mumbled Acerus¡¯ name because she could not forget the Crown Prince or if she was saying it out of frustration for his clinginess.


    After dropping them off at the hotel, Lara said to the coachman who was about to move the carriage towards the temple.


    ¡°Please bring me to the Crown Prince¡¯s castle.¡±


    The coachman looked at Lara¡¯s cold, frozen face and quickly drove the carriage. Since it was early, there were not many people on the streets so it did not take long to reach Acerus¡¯ castle. Lara rushed through the knights bowing their heads at her and mmed the door to Vc¡¯s room open.


    ¡°Oi.¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    Vc had just gotten up and was sitting in front of a mirror. He was in the middle of shaving his beard with a sharp razor when he identally slit his cheek. Vc quickly pressed his face with a towel to stop his wound from bleeding.


    ¡°Knock before youe in!¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°Pleasee in.¡±


    Vc¡¯s wound healed quickly. He put his face close to the mirror. After making sure that the scar had disappeared without a trace, he hesitated to get up and nced at Lara.


    Fwoosh!


    Suddenly the giant of fire appeared on her shoulder. It was stretching out with its short arms.


    ¡°Urgh! Can you not let ite out? I already swore obedience¡­¡±


    ¡°How can I believe in a demon?¡±


    ¡°Even though I¡¯m a demon¡­ I don¡¯t break an oath.¡±


    ¡°Then, show me your skills. Maybe one day I will believe you.¡±


    Lara rushed into Vc¡¯s room and sat casually on the sofa. Then she asked Vc, who moved on the very edge of the room to avoid the giant of fire.


    ¡°Red hair, pretty face, good instrumentalist, and good at seducing people. Seeing how he wields the Eastern Union, he seems cunning but cautious and he also seems used to pretending to be human.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°His eyes are the color of wine in light.¡±


    Since Vc was quick-witted, he quickly understood what Lara was saying.


    ¡°Did you meet a demon? Is a demon here? Where is he? When did hee?¡±


    ¡°Answer my question. I will ask you first, then, I will go back to the temple and ask God. If you don¡¯t answer me properly, I will burn you down for real this time.¡±


    ¡°I mean, why don¡¯t you just ask God then? Why do you keep torturing me?¡±


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    Lara did not ept Vc¡¯s grumbling. After seeing her raise her voice and the giant of fire bursting in mes, Vc pressed his body against the wall and answered with a sullen face.


    ¡°I won¡¯t know who he is if you just say it like that¡­ Demons like to seduce and y with humans. So he could change his hair color by magic, the same goes for his face. You said he¡¯s a good instrumentalist and seems used to pretending to be human.¡±


    ¡°You know him?¡±


    Lara asked quietly.


    Thousands of demon names came out of Vc¡¯s mouth. One demon could not move out of the demon realm because he was busy with hell¡¯s work, one demon would not be able to pretend to be human because of his strong self-esteem, Vc also said that it would be difficult for one particr demon toe to the human realm because he was particrly weak.


    Then, at one point, Vc looked straight at Lara and muttered.


    ¡°Paimon.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Paimon. But¡­ You said to me before, a symbol of a skull covering its eyes was found on the Eastern Border.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the symbol of Vassago!¡±


    ¡°Is he strong?¡±


    ¡°Is that even a question¡­¡±


    Vc looked terrified. He felt great pride in his own strength after absorbing Lilith¡¯s power. But now, he screamed impatiently as if he was about to run away at any moment.


    ¡°They are candidates for the next demon lord! Even with ten Liliths, it¡¯ll still be difficult to fight against them!¡±


    Candidates for demon lord?


    After listening to Vc, Lara¡¯s eyes narrowed. As Lara knew, the person who would be the next demon lord was Demian, but the fact that there was another candidate meant that there waspetition among the demons.


    This had never happened in her previous life. The future she twisted reached hell and changed the behaviors of the demons. The reason the present was so different from Lara¡¯s past future was probably because she became the real saintess and found God¡¯s name.


    ¡°Is it possible for them to descend at will?¡±


    ¡°Someone must have offered sacrifices to them. They must have offered something extraordinary, something that an average human could not have imagined! The ck sorcerers are crazy people, they would have done anything to increase the value of their sacrifices.¡±


    For example, observing the fake saintess for a long time to see if she was real or not.


    ¡°What demons like are not just some ordinary humans. We like very special people or things with stories.¡±


    If those two were put together, will it be a human with a special story?


    Lara murmured with a sneer.


    ¡°I must be very expensive.¡±


    There were two demons. The name of the demon that came from Lafort with Nichs was ¡®Paimon,¡¯ and the name of the demon that Demian was tracking in the East was ¡®Vassago.¡¯


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 131

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara made a conclusion¡ªthe patience of the demons was more ridiculous than she thought.


    Acerus was about to sleep when he heard that the saintess hade. He rushed to Vc¡¯s room and smirked at him when he saw him stuck to the wall. After hearing that a demon had appeared at the banquet that Nichs had prepared, Acerus looked for his armor and weapons.


    ¡°We have to kill them right now! How dare they bring a demon to the Empire!¡±


    ¡°Crown Prince Acerus, wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°No, we can¡¯t put this on hold. They may still be doing something to the people of Tarragon. I will take Vc right away and fight with my life¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to! What did I do wrong?¡±


    Acerus was running wild and Vc refused to take action, saying he was scared. Lara nced at both of them, then, she blurted out.


    ¡°Eunice talked in her sleep and cursed at Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    ¡°Hurry and pick up your¡­ What?¡±


    ¡°She said you¡¯re a scumbag.¡±


    Acerus flopped on a chair. He soon asked Lara with a face like an abandoned puppy.


    ¡°Is Eunice okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The Imperial family¡­did not harm her or something like that, right?¡±


    ¡°If they did so, my mother would not have stayed still.¡±


    Eunice was okay because there was Isadora. Acerus nodded with a face of relief and said in a calmer voice.


    ¡°Saintess, I think you should ask God.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think I should do that this time.¡±


    ¡°No matter how hostile a demon is¡­ If they start to take action like this, they won¡¯t be able to stop the intervention of the Gods.¡±


    Leaving behind a worried Acerus, Lara got up from her seat.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Despite not being able to sleep, Lara¡¯s mind was strangely clear. It seemed that she had gone beyond fatigue and had reached the stage of awakening. She went down to the secret basement of the abode, holding in one hand the strong coffee that Konny had handed to her.


    Valentine was not in sight yet as it was not the time for him to get up. Lara walked for a while through the empty hallway and arrived at a pce with two stone statues. The stone statues carved the two appearances of Abraxas.


    ¡°A demon had appeared in Dandelion. His way of approaching me was cheap, but I know he is manipting the Eastern Union.¡±


    The sound of Lara¡¯s shoes echoed in the quiet underground stone chamber. She sat in a small wooden chair¡ªseemed to be brought by Valentine¡ª and ced her cup of coffee on the table. Then, of which of the two statues, she said to the horned god, who stood in front of a mural of hell.


    ¡°Red hair, good instrumentalist, and unbelievably beautiful. Had a pair of wine-like eyes and had a knack for pretending to be human.¡±


    <It is Paimon.>


    God immediately told Lara the name of the demon who approached her. His voice came from the stone statue Lara was looking at. It was a very subtle difference, but even though they had the same face, the stone statue she spoke to had a cruel smirk, while the other statue had a benevolent smile.


    ¡°I heard that the demon that Demian was tracking uses a symbol of a skull covering its eyes. Traces of altars set up by the ck sorcerers to offer sacrifices were found everywhere.¡±


    As Lara continued her exnation, God again revealed that the demon¡¯s name was ¡®Vassago.¡¯


    ¡°Can I deal with both at once? I¡¯m not quite ready yet. How can a demon appear in Dandelion at the time when Demian took all the Barbarians with him¡­¡±


    <Lara, don¡¯t worry too much. You can deal with him by yourself.>


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m dealing with him, I¡¯m just borrowing your power to get rid of him. As Vc said, Paimon is a demon so powerful that he can be ssified as a candidate for the demon lord. If I get rid of such a being myself, it would just be giving the demons an excuse to meddle in this world.¡±


    Lara thought and thought again. It would be nice if humans could kill the demon only with their own power. But even if that was not the case, if possible, they should stop at a level that did not overuse the power of God. That was what she as a saintess would need to do.


    Preparing for the great demon war but preventing it from bing an all-out war. Minimizing damage. Coordinating Gods and demons not to interfere in this world.


    Lilithughed as she died. She said the Gods were hostile and the demons were said to be the overly jealous type. The breath of the Gods and demons flowed through the gap that Lilith had pierced.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind even if it¡¯s just a very small clue, so please, just give me anything. I will have to at least try something. Just because I¡¯m a God¡¯s vicegerent, I don¡¯t always have to do what God tells me to do.¡±


    Abraxas was silent for a moment and gave Lara a clue. This time, his voice was heard from the beautiful stone statue standing in front of the mural painted with paradise.


    <Use Vc.>


    ¡°But Vc is weak. He said he became a little stronger after eating Lilith, but as soon as he heard Paimon¡¯s and Vassago¡¯s names, he looked like he would run away to the ends of the world. How can I even use that scaredy-cat?¡±


    Lara¡¯s voice was mixed with a little whining. In front of others, she only looked firm as if nothing in the world could shake her, but her honest feeling kept popping out in front of her mother, Demian, and her God.


    God¡¯s gaze was felt from the statue. It was a gaze of warmth as ifforting her.


    Warmth, huh?


    Lara contemted and suddenly opened her mouth.


    ¡°Can the giant of fire burn down a demon lord candidate?¡±


    <Someday, it will be possible, But it¡¯s still too young.>


    Abraxas said. The giant of fire suddenly appeared on Lara¡¯s shoulder and was pointing one hand at the stone statue. The giant stomped its small feet, opened the round part that looked like a mouth, and made a gesture with it toward God.


    ¡°How big does it have to grow? What should I feed him to grow? It¡¯s not the type to eat its own kind like a demon, is it?¡±


    <When it¡¯s time to grow, it¡¯ll grow on its own. If there¡¯s anything it needs to eat, it will eat on its own. That is what fire is.>


    When God said so, the giant of fire climbed down Lara¡¯s arm and sat on herp. Then it pointed the two stone statues one after another with one hand and pretended to put them in its mouth.


    ¡°You can¡¯t. It¡¯s just a stone carving of God. You¡¯re not supposed to eat it. Are you hungry? I will go up and find something for you.¡±


    Lara smiled and looked at the giant of fire as if it were cute.


    <What arrogant young blood¡­>


    Abraxas did not seem to think of it as cute at all. Even after finishing her conversation with God, Lara could not fall asleep easily. She eventuallyy and copsed in bed only after night came. And she thought.


    Is there any way to make Paimon obey me, just as Vc is doing?


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Mdy, it¡¯s already morning¡±


    When Lara woke up from her sleep, her mind was refreshed. She ate a lot of nutritious foods that Konny prepared, and after checking if the priests were doing well or not, she came back to the abode.


    There were many things to do. After learning about the appearance of demons¡ªtwo demon lord candidates at that¡ªAcerus kept talking about the war and Vc nned to flee.


    But Lara thought that it was not time yet. Even if the war began, it would only start at the date and ce decided by themselves.


    ¡°Valentine, have you made everything I asked for?¡±


    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s kind of shabby because I made it in a hurry¡­ But it¡¯s working properly. I also wrote down how to install it in detail here.¡±


    Lara asked Valentine in advance to install the magic circle for long-distance travel and had decided to put it on the Eastern border where Demian was located. To do so, Valentine needed the same stone he had installed underground of the abode. He stayed up all night over the past few days and devoted himself to the work.


    Lara decided to ask for Isadora¡¯s help to carry thepleted magic circle to the Eastern border.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t fully trust the Emperor¡¯s knights. I think it¡¯s better to ask for mother¡¯s help.¡±


    ¡°I think so, too. Mdy, why don¡¯t I¡­go to the border instead?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t. Valentine, please focus on relics and documents that you have not yet interpreted here.¡±


    ¡°I will do my best, mdy.¡±


    Valentine bowed his head toward Lara.


    Isadora readily epted Lara¡¯s request and entrusted the job to especially talented and trusted wolves. It needed to be done secretly and as soon as possible. The wolves tapped on their thick pockets and started right away that day. It was a long way to the East but they would be able to get there in the shortest time.


    As time went by, the flowers in full bloom began to fade.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Mdies, you have gotten presents.¡±


    Late in the morning, Eunice and Ximena came to Lara¡¯s abode to eat breakfast together. When there was a little disturbance outside, Konny went outside to check and came in with bright-red cheeks. She said.


    ¡°The red carriage is full of present boxes! There are also presents for Lady Eunice and Lady Ximena. I secretly opened a few, and it¡¯s full of liquor, essories, and dolls.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡­ An incredible man drove the carriage.¡±


    ¡°Incredible man?¡±


    ¡°He looks erotic. It feels like his eyes would have a liquor scent.¡±


    Eunice sprang to her feet and ran outside. Ximena followed Eunice and Lara walked out thest.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡±


    They were all presents from Nichs, the Prince of Lafort.


    Nichs was having a tense tug-of-war battle with the Emperor of Tarragon. The tension at the border had reached its peak, and criticism that the war between the Eastern Union and the Empire became an established fact was dominant. He was somehow trying to drive a wedge between the Barbarians and the Empire, and even though the Emperor knew about it, he was feigning ignorance like a sly old fox.


    Lara came out and sighed when she saw the mountain of present boxes and the face of the demon Paimon getting off the carriage.


    Lara had been at Isadora¡¯s hotel for the past few days to escape from Nichs¡¯ and the demon¡¯s approach. However, she could not keep dying the temple work, so she returned to her abodest night. Somehow the demon found out about it and appeared with presents.


    ¡°Saintess.¡±


    Paimon bit his thick lips for a bit and smiled with his eyes down shyly at Lara. His voice was raspy and low. The husky bass was stimting as if it was scratching the eardrum.


    ¡°May I say my greeting to the saintess?¡±


    Paimon knelt down on one knee toward Lara. He covered his mouth with one hand and put it back on his chest and greeted Lara politely in Lafort style.


    Lara watched as he gently pressed his lips with his palm and let out a wet sigh between his slightly opened lips. It was all on purpose.


    ¡°Master asked me to deliver this.¡±


    Paimon politely handed Lara an invitation. When Lara slightly frowned as she was looking at him, Konny quickly ran. She snatched the invitation and opened it wide. It was an invitation to a recital.


    ¡°What is the banquet this time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a night recital.¡±


    ¡°Why is there a recital at night?¡±


    Eunice grinned. It even said that he would send people to attend to them before the banquet began.


    Attendant, huh?


    The enchanting demon, Paimon, looked at Lara and her friends and smiled with his eyes.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 132 - The Seed Of The Demon Lord

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????<b> The Seed of the Demon Lord</b>


    The second banquet Nichs prepared for Lara began at midnight. The venue was a theater in Dandelion and the guests were very few nobles amicable to the East.


    As soon as Lara received the invitation, she informed Acerus of the matter. Then, she overpowered Vc who had initially refused to attend, and dressed him in a fancy coat.


    ¡°Why should I go to a banquet with a saintess?¡±


    ¡°To drive a wedge.¡±


    ¡°Between whom?¡±


    ¡°Nichs and Paimon.¡±


    Vc looked at Lara with his mouth open.


    Lying and causing hostility were a demon¡¯s specialties. Throughout their lives, they always had lies in their mouths. It was their hobby to mock and annihte humans with deception, it¡¯s what they do best.


    ¡°A human is going to y a trick on a demon? It¡¯ll be a relief if you don¡¯t get caught lying and arrested.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how good I am at lying¡­¡±


    After trying to persuade Vc, Lara closed her mouth and stared at him. Then, she spoke to him with a cold smirk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything and just obey me.¡±


    ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    ¡°If you do as I tell you, I will make you stronger than you are now.¡±


    ¡°How can you do that? You¡¯re just a saintess!¡±


    ¡°A sip of Paimon¡¯s blood should be enough, right?¡±


    Vc stopped grumbling and suddenly opened his eyes wide. The blood of a demon lord candidate was on a different level from the blood of a demon like Lilith.


    ¡°I mean, what can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°What you have to do is very simple.¡±


    Lara continued to exin slowly.


    ¡°Paimon wants me, the saintess. And since you will be standing next to me, he will find you very irritating. Don¡¯t just wait without doing anything, you should approach him first.¡±


    ¡°I will die then!¡±


    ¡°Just tell him the truth as it is. About the story of Prince Sidhar. The story of how you tried so hard to seduce the saintess from Hautean but she did not fall for it. After being captured in the Empire, you gave up eating the saintess and were enjoying your life next to the Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°Will he believe that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all true so he has no choice but to believe it.¡±


    Lara did not think Nichs would have just waited for the Emperor¡¯s answer in Dandelion. He would have looked into the rtionship between the Emperor and the saintess and would have also investigated the rtionship between Acerus and Barbarians.


    What Nichs wanted was to drive a wedge between the saintess and the Emperor, ultimately making the Barbarians and the Empire turn their backs on each other. That way, he could turn the arrow of the conflict at the border to the Empire¡¯s direction.


    Lara decided to teach him a better way than that at this banquet.


    ¡°I heard that Nichs¡¯ father is the King of Lafort but he has no intention of handing the throne over to his son. His mother was a Princess of Sias, but she hated her husband, so she divorced him and went back to her hometown.¡±


    Nichs devoted everything to the union to solidify his unstable position. He could not be a King, so he decided to be the head of the union.


    ¡°Then, what if the Eastern Union bes a kingdom? With the Empire at its back, if the once-abandoned Prince turns the union into a kingdom, then the Prince will not just be the head of the union, but the King of a new nation.¡±


    Lara muttered.


    Vc could not close his open mouth.


    Who¡¯s the real swindler here now? Nichs? Definitely not.


    God¡¯s vicegerent in front of him now looked much more sneaky.


    After finishing her preparations, Lara wore a blood-red ne and said.


    ¡°What if I tell Nichs to stop his pathetic act of sticking to a demon and seducing the saintess? What if I tell him to just lie down and cry in front of the Emperor and ask for help in unifying the East? What if he could receive my support as the saintess, along with His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and the barbarians¡¯ support, who are currently at the border?¡±


    ¡°Do you think Paimon will just stay quiet if you say that?¡±


    ¡°That would be even better. Nichs will get more anxious if Paimon does not listen to him.¡±


    ¡°What¡­do I have to do?¡±


    ¡°Be a double-agent.¡±


    Lara opened the door. She walked out wearing a fancy beaded dress that made a clinking sound.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara appeared at the banquet hall with Vc. She sat in the reserved seat for honored guests and listened to Paimon¡¯s performance. He was ying a huge harp on the stage and was barely covering himself with a smoothly flowing cloth like the Gods of legend.


    He wore a see-through ck cloth on his head and thin rings were worn on his ten fingers. With makeup on, Paimon¡¯s lips were as red as his eyes.


    Eunice and Ximena sat with Nichs on the honored guests¡¯ seats opposite to Lara.


    Nichs was a smart man. When Lara did not show any significant reaction, he decided to target her friends.


    Nichs especially put a lot of effort into Eunice. Knowing that she had been Acerus¡¯ lover until recently, he acted as if he would do whatever she wanted, just like a kind uncle.


    ¡°This is driving me crazy.¡±


    Vc¡¯s hands trembled. He did not know what to do whenever Paimon¡¯s gaze reached Lara and him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he has already figured it out. A demon will recognize a demon after all.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. If you keep getting distracted, I can just throw you at Paimon as bait.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, damn it!¡±


    As Vc¡¯s tension reached its peak, Paimon¡¯s performance also built up to a climax. Lara still looked sour to know that he was a demon but the other guests were amazed and were all in a state of trance. After the performance, Paimon approached Lara.


    Lara nced at Vc and said.


    ¡°He¡¯sing.¡±


    Vc was staring at Paimon with a pale face, just like a prisoner who was punished to death by hanging.


    The two demons¡¯ eyes met. Lara watched the scene with an exciting face.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s here.¡±


    Looking at Vc, Paimon¡¯s red eyes shone as if they were oiled. There was a mixture of madness and ridicule in them.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Valentine!¡±


    Konny narrowly came down the stairs and appeared underground. She stacked up a lot of food on a big tray, there was so much that it was hard to think that it was for one person.


    ¡°You starved yourself again, didn¡¯t you? I checked everything. Let alone bread, you didn¡¯t even drink the milk!¡±


    Konny¡¯s powerful voice rang loudly in the underground secret hallway. Even though it was a maze-likeplex road, Valentine had already memorized and told Konny how to easily find her way inside, so she walked in without hesitation.


    ¡°I have warned you. Now I¡¯m really going to tie you up and feed you. Don¡¯t you know you look like a pinwheel when you move? Mdy is so worried¡­¡±


    Konny arrived at the ce where Valentine was researching the magic circle for long-distance travel. Recently, he was always there so she thought it would not be different this time.


    But there, the magic circle was shining by itself.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Konny was surprised and hurriedly put the tray on the table. When the magic circle was active even without Lara and Valentine, she suddenly got scared,


    What if a ghostes out? I hope it¡¯s not a demon. What if the dead high priests be vengeful ghosts and chase after me because we searched the basement as we liked?


    Konny became scared and muttered Valentine¡¯s name.


    ¡°Valentine¡­ I¡¯m scared. Where are you? You stupid ass. I¡¯m really¡­¡±


    Light exploded on the magic circle. Konny closed her eyes tightly and flopped down on the spot. At that time, she heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°What are you doing there?¡±


    It was Demian. Konny looked at Demian with an incredulous look on her face. She pointed her trembling fingers at Demian¡¯s face and screamed in spite of herself.


    ¡°How can you juste out like that? I was so surprised that I almost died! I haven¡¯t even been in a rtionship yet!¡±


    ¡°Am I at fault for your poor dating skills, Konny?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me beforehand? If it weren¡¯t for you, Master Demian, I would have stabbed you with a bread knife!¡±


    Demian smiled and came down from the magic circle. His gaze went to the tray that Konny put down, he pointed to it.


    ¡°Can I eat that? I haven¡¯t eaten good food in a while.¡±


    ¡°Help yourself.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Konny.¡±


    Demian looked a little thin. His hair grew a little and there were wounds everywhere. Before leaving, he looked a little rxed by Lara¡¯s side, but when he came back after a long time, he looked like a sharp beast. Demian smiled and talked to Konny, who was quietly reading the room while still giving food to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to eat you up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell mdy about this.¡±


    ¡°Lara would be on my side.¡±


    ¡°No? Mydy is on my side, you know? Do you know who she¡¯s seeing right now? A very erotic-looking man came and invited her to a nightly banquet. I have never seen such a pretty man in my life. His lips are so thick like a¡­¡±


    Tap.


    Demian put down the bread he was holding. He did not even eat much but he already lost his appetite.


    ¡°Erotic man?¡±


    His atmosphere was unusual. His blue eyes subsided in a dark sense.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 133

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Oh, dear.


    Konny slipped one hand up and covered her mouth. Then, she darted her eyes and studied Demian¡¯s face.


    ¡®Is he angry? I suppose he is, right? He¡¯s not thinking that mdy is cheating on him, is he? Should I exin it again properly? Won¡¯t that sound like I¡¯m making excuses?¡¯


    Konny¡¯s head began to be filled withplicated thoughts. Demian was a very dangerous man, he might kill people out of jealousy. In this case, it would be okay because it was a demon and not a person, but still¡­


    The word ¡®simple¡¯ was not enough to describe him. In Konny¡¯s view, Demian was a man with a few screws loose. In that respect, Valentine was not much different.


    ¡°About that. Actually¡­¡±


    After thinking about it, Konny was trying to exin something additionally for Lara. Demian picked up the bread he had put down and took a big bite,


    ¡°The venue?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the venue?¡±


    Somehow, she felt like she had experienced this situation once in the past. Konny hesitated and drooped her shoulders. Then, she pointed her finger over her head and said.


    ¡°First of all, go up and change your clothes. You¡¯re not going to meet mdy like that, are you?¡±


    Demian looked down at his clothes. He was wearing leather armor dirty with dust, soil, and ck stains. Every time he moved, dry soil fell off his cloak, and Konny frowned because of it.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara¡¯s abode in the temple was a ce where ess was strictly restricted. Even the priests who were ordered to fulfill their duties could not enter at will. If they wanted to meet the saintess, they always had to contact Lara in advance and make an appointment.


    Few people in particr knew about the secret space underground of the abode. Only Lara, Konny, Isadora, Valentine, and Demian were the ones who knew.


    ¡°This way.¡±


    So Demian was able to get out of the basement and roam around Lara¡¯s abode at will without anyone else¡¯s notice.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I just go like this?¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to disgrace mdy¡¯s name? Don¡¯t you know how important the work she is doing right now?¡±


    Konny took Demian to the dressing room. She dragged him, put him in a chair, and brought scissors. Then, she organized his messy hair with her amazing skills and gave him a trim.


    ¡°Lady Lara wore a shiny bead dress and went to the demon¡¯s recital today. If need be, she would shake the beads around and destroy the mood of the concert¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so like Lara.¡±


    ¡°It was my idea though¡­¡±


    Konny giggled.


    Demian wore a gray shirt, a dark navy velvet dress suit, and a ck tie to top it off. When Konny asked how it looked to him, he just answered with a shrug.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going, you have to at least look like the most handsome man in the world! Do you know how much sex appeal that red hair is oozing? Lady Eunice said¡­Whenever he smiles, the mole on the bridge of his nose flinches. She wants to kiss that mole because it seemed like a dot in the middle of a target.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    Preparations were quicklypleted. Demian smiled with gratitude to Konny, who in turn, looked at him with a proud face.


    ¡°Thanks, Konny.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it! Smile like that! Go and defeat that red hair!¡±


    ¡°Sure, I wille back with a victory.¡±


    The meaning of Konny¡¯s word, ¡®defeat,¡¯ seemed a little different from what he thought, but Demian just nodded.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Paimon¡¯s gaze did not remain with Vc, it was only for a moment that he stared at him. If Lara was any less observant, she would not have even noticed.


    ¡°Saintess.¡±


    As if he could not even see Vc, Paimon only caught Lara in his eyes. A voice that seemed to be cracking but strangely erotic squeezed out of his lips.


    ¡°Did you like the performance?¡±


    The performance was indescribably great. Lara had no choice but to admit that point. It was so beautiful even to someone like her who did not know much about music.


    The night¡¯s recital was held at the theater. Various foods and liquor were ced on the table in front of the stage, the attendants holding trays slowly came and went into the hallways between the audience seats.


    Lara sat in the honored guests¡¯ seats and took the ss that Paimon handed over. With one knee on the floor, he held the ss with both hands and politely held it out. His long clothes flowed on the floor. His long fingers moved like dancing.


    Half of the people who enjoyed the banquet were ncing their way. The fallen saintess and a seductive ve¡ªthat was what they looked like in their eyes.


    Paimon, reflected in Lara¡¯s eyes, seemed to be absorbed in the role of ves. It was not a skill he practiced a day or two. Lara had heard that popr ves lived more luxuriously than most nobles in Lafort, and that was exactly the case for Paimon.


    But rather than acting as a ve of Lafort, Paimon attended to Lara as if he was her own ve. Lara naturally epted his presence as if she was familiar with all this, regardless of the eyes of the people looking at her.


    As the banquet was in full swing and as Lara talked to her friends for a while, Paimon approached Vc and said.


    ¡°Shall we talk?¡±


    Paimon¡¯s eyes were shiny. When he was dealing with Lara, his eyes that were as deep as liquor seemed to smell like oil. Vc replied, barely pressing his pounding heart.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°A shell of a Prince? That¡¯s pretty good for a disgusting vermin. You even managed to get this close to the saintess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡±


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be the demon lord if you eat the saintess? No matter how you fill a vermin with diamond, a vermin will still be a vermin.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Paimon bowed politely to Vc and took the lead in walking. Vc creaked like a broken doll and moved along with him.


    ¡®So it has started.¡¯


    Lara, who was ncing sideways at them, smiled with the corner of her lips moving excitedly. Vc was being dragged like a scared dog. He looked at Lara with a face asking for help, but she deliberately ignored him. It was nothing. If he just told Paimon the truth as it was, Paimon would say something on his own or give him his orders, and Vc just had to tell that to Lara.


    If he could not even handle that much work, he should not be called a vampire, but a leech.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Paimon took Vc to the waiting room behind the banquet hall stage. Dozens of performers were resting on one side of the waiting room. But when Paimon appeared, they moved outside to avoid him. Vc had not realized it when they were performing on stage, but when he looked closely, their eyes lost focus. It was a characteristic of those who had just be demon worshippers.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have any problem until I took over the Prince¡¯s body. But then, I got caught on my way to the Empire¡­¡±


    Vc told the story of Prince Sidhar, which Paimon did not even ask. His lengthy exnation was followed with a plea.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat the saintess and I don¡¯t even have any intention to interrupt you. Just pretend you didn¡¯t see me and let me go.¡±


    Then, he continued.


    ¡°I came out here because I really wanted to y. Even if I stay in hell, I am destined to be eaten by some demon someday.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that a vermin could use its brain.¡±


    A deep sense of contempt came out of Paimon¡¯s voice. He tantlyughed at Vc.


    ¡°A demon is staying next to the saintess like a parasite, and now, said demon is saying that he just wanted to y. Who would even believe him? Do I look that stupid?¡±


    Paimon¡¯s eyes were overflowing, leaving behind a wave, like liquor that had been poured in water. Evil energy flowed out of him. Vc took a step further from Paimon and shouted with a frightened face.


    ¡°Even the saintess knows.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Even she knows I¡¯m a vampire! She still keeps me by her side despite knowing. I couldn¡¯t eat her up!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Vc did her best to squeeze his brain.


    What should I say to make Paimon understand and avoid getting scolded by Lara?


    Then he suddenly thought of a good idea and poured out words like a rapid-firing gun.


    ¡°The saintess likes demons!¡±


    ¡°Crazy¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth. It does sound like I¡¯m saying something crazy¡­ But Lara is not the kind of saintess you know. That woman is crazy! She goes nuts when ites to demons! I should have noticed earlier but it was toote.¡±


    ¡°I call bullshit.¡±


    ¡°That crazy saintess captures demons with the power of God and raises them like they¡¯re her pets! I¡¯m second in her collection.¡±


    Paimon was confident that he would ignore whatever bullshit Vc spouted. Everything he said would be a lie so he thought it would be okay to think the other way around.


    But this was a little unexpected.


    The saintess collects demons because she likes them? Even when demons collect humans regardless of gender and age because they like humans, they will be criticized as pervs. But a saintess is doing so? And she¡¯s even using God¡¯s power?


    Paimon could not believe it. So he grabbed Vc by the cor with one hand and lifted him up. The hand he used was a clean and unstained hand that was used to y musical instruments, but he effortlessly lifted Vc up as if holding a doll.


    ¡°Urgh¡­!¡±


    Vc felt afraid. His long fangs popped out of his mouth. Paimon smiled as if it was ridiculous to see Vc like that.


    ¡°A saintess that collects demons? Do you think those frustrating Gods will leave her alone?¡±


    ¡°Urgh¡­ It¡¯s true. You also know how those Gods have such peculiar habits!¡±


    ¡°Bullshit! If you¡¯re the second collection, what¡¯s the first one? Lilith is dead, so don¡¯t even think about saying her name.¡±


    ¡°Look around the saintess. There¡¯s something you missed.¡±


    Vc trembled in fear but seeded in nting doubt on Paimon.


    Vc was a demon very famous for his opportunistic personality even in hell. As his power was weak, he had been sticking to the strong ones here and there. Thus, Paimon believed that if he intimidated him moderately, he would blow everything out.


    ¡°Go and continue to be a pet dog for the saintess, I need to use you to get information about her. If you run away, I will chase you to the ends of hell and chew you from head to toe.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The two demons returned to the banquet hall with nonchnt faces as if nothing had happened. Vc walked gracefully like Prince Sidhar, Paimon followed him and put fruits and liquor on the tray to bring to Lara.


    Demian appeared then.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 134

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Demian opened the front door of the banquet hall widely. Even in the dark hall, he immediately found Lara and approached her without hesitation. The heavy sound of his shoes rang like hitting a drum.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Paimon muttered. ck hair as dark as the night, red lips that went up to one side as if he was scoffing, and a sharp madness flowed out of his blue eyes. He was definitely a human being¨Cin all ways but force.


    ¡°Did you see that?¡±


    Vc whispered with a gloomy face. He had a timid face, a deep sigh, and a tone as if he was whining by revealing his resentment to the fullest. Vc¡¯s voice fug into Paimon¡¯s head.


    ¡°It is the seed of the demon lord.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the first one.¡±


    Vc had deep doubts about Demian¡¯s identity even before he ascended to Prince Sidhar¡¯s body in Hautean. How can a human who was unaffected by ck magic exist?


    So he tried to get the ck sorcerers under hismand to find out who Demian was. However, his n failed because Demian was much stronger than expected. Somehow, he was captured by Lara and fell into Acerus¡¯ hands. By the time he had absorbed Lilith¡¯s power, he was convinced.


    The seed of the demon lord.


    Demian Drake was a man who was born human and would be the demon lord. That was also the reason he could get the swear of obedience from Lilith. Vc, who ate Lilith and stole her memory, since then regarded Demian as a demon, not a human being.


    Paimon was staring at Demian. His red eyes shook madly. He, who pretended to be a ve naturally enough to be close to perfection among humans, lost hisposure for the first time and revealed his real self.


    Even in hell, Paimon was a demon strong and old enough to be considered as a demon lord candidate.


    If he faces Demian Drake, who will win? And will God, who cares very much about the saintess, just wait and see the demon¡¯s fight in the human realm?


    Vc¡¯s heart trembled as if it was convulsing. When he released his clenched fist, his palm was wet with cold sweat.


    Demian turned his head their way.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Saintess.¡±


    Lara nced at Nichs¡¯ hand that was held out to her, he was politely asking for a dance. Meanwhile, Eunice was already fascinated by Lafort¡¯s liquor that Nichs had brought in particr and Ximena was dancing with the ves.


    An elegant dance song was yed. After disappearing with Vc, Paimon had not yet appeared. Lara put her finger slightly on Nichs¡¯ palm and took a step. The bead dress chosen by Konny shook with a jingling sound.


    ¡°Hautean is said to be a country of elegant nobles. I was wondering where your extraordinary discernment came from. Apparently, you¡¯re a noble from Hautean.¡±


    ¡°If I have to say, I¡¯m not a noble anymore. I have abandoned my family name.¡±


    Even while revealing her status as amoner in front of a member of a royal family, Lara¡¯s attitude was confident. It was as if she was a royal and Nichs was amoner.


    ¡°Hahaha. Won¡¯t you visit Lafort one day? It¡¯s not as good as Hautean, but there are also many good things in Lafort. His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Tarragon is too great of a person to enjoy the arts so I don¡¯t even dare to rmend it to him.¡±


    Lara found Nichs¡¯ clever speech interesting. Whileplimenting Lara, a native of Hautean, he brought up Lafort and even subtly defamed the Emperor. He had a friendly tone and the words he said sounded like a joke but his eyes were serious, making her suspicious of his intentions.


    Lara could have danced to his tune here. Mixing lies and truth and exchanging words as if gambling, it would be a good experience for her too.


    But Lara was a saintess¡ªa person who received the protection and support of the greatest being in the world. In short, Lara did not have to change the subject while walking on eggshells like that.


    ¡°I do want to go to Lafort someday.¡±


    When Lara muttered with a chic face, Nichs smiled warmly. However, when he heard her following words, he was astonished.


    ¡°I mean, after Lafort unifies the East.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Prince Nichs, how much do you believe in the union?¡±


    Nichs was taken aback. He only thought of Lara as a 21-year-old immature saintess who was yet to grow out of being a child. But a terrifying question poured out of her mouth.


    ¡°Do you think the Eastern Union is valuable enough for you to give up the throne of Lafort?¡±


    ¡°The union¡­is bound by a pledge. The situation in the East is different from that in Hautean¡­¡±


    ¡°The North was devastated by just one demon. If the same thing happens in the East, are you confident that you can stop it?¡±


    ¡°The East is strong.¡±


    ¡°Does that strengthe from Lafort?¡±


    Lara¡¯s eyes shone clearly under the light.


    Though the Eastern Union had Lafort at the center of their territory, their military power came from Sias. Therefore, the King of Mortan maintained a closer rtionship with Sias than Lafort. Lara was pinching that very point.


    ¡°If there are three friends in a group, there must be two of them who are closer to each other. Where do you think Lafort stands in the hierarchy?¡±


    Nichs could not readily answer. Because Lafort was the one who was left behind.


    What in the world is this saintess? I thought she was just an immature youngdy who just wanted to y. But she has a tendency to be a swindler.


    Nichs, who barely calmed down the confusion, smiled by habit and asked.


    ¡°Why are you saying this? You¡¯re not going to say that all of this is God¡¯s will, are you?¡±


    Lara contemted for a while and spoke out.


    ¡°If it¡¯s hard to get the throne of Lafort, what about Sias?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    This time, Nichs was genuinely surprised and threw down Lara¡¯s hand that he was holding in spite of himself.


    As the King of Lafort tried to hand the throne over to his grandson, rather than his son, Nichs, Lara was asking why he did not rather go to Sias, his mother¡¯s country, and take the throne there.


    ¡°Saintess, what are you¡­¡±


    When Nichs tried to vent his anger toward Lara, the front door of the banquet hall was wide open. Bright lighting came in the dark hall and slowly disappeared. People¡¯s gazes poured toward the central hallway. A man stood with his back against the red light and looked the saintess¡¯ way. Then, he walked up and approached her.


    ¡°Demian?¡±


    Lara¡¯s eyes have widened significantly. She turned toward Demian, leaving Nichs alone in bewilderment.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The mercenary wolves who belonged to the tradingpany moved to the East, they carried with them the magic circleponents for long-distance travel that Valentine invented. After hearing Lara say that it was an urgent matter, they ran at full speed day and night to Demian.


    Demian was camping at an old ruin near the border and was confronting the East. Oscar tried to dissuade him by saying that the magic circle was dangerous, but he threw him aside and put his foot first on the magic circle. In just a blink of an eye, Demian arrived at Dandelion and ran straight to Lara.


    ¡°I heard you came here to deal with the demon alone. I came here because I¡¯m worried¡­¡±


    Demian smirked. Someone was staring hard at the back of his head. It was a stare with such a great determination that his skin stung. If they were outside and had weapons in their hands, they would have already rushed toward each other.


    As Nichs was standing nearby, Lara could not tell Demian about Paimon. She just gestured to Demian¡¯s right back with her eyes. He slowly turned his back and looked back.


    It was the red-haired. The demon with wine-like red hair and red eyes was grinning toward him.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    Demian opened his mouth. With his eyes fixed on Paimon, he asked Lara.


    ¡°Should I catch that for you?¡±


    Lara could not answer, it was because Demian had moved even before she could do so. Wherever he went, he left behind a dent on the floor. Demian and Paimon rushed into each other regardless of who attacked first.


    Smash!


    Paimon ran over, breaking the chair in front of him like a toy and throwing the debris at Demian.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    ¡°Aaarghhhh!¡±


    The banquet hall quickly became a mess. The space, which was filled with elegant music, was now chaotic with the screams of the nobles.


    ¡°Your Highness, you should shelter yourself.¡±


    ¡°This way!¡±


    Lafort¡¯s knights, who had been ced for the safety of the guests, escaped outside with only Nichs, disregarding anyone else.


    Lara stood tall on the spot. Demian would never let her get hurt and she also had the giant of fire so she did not feel the need to run away.


    Paimon did not use magic. He did not use the demon¡¯s attribute power either. This was because he did not want God nor the saintess to intervene. He dealt with Demian only with his physical ability.


    Demian ripped a thin metal pir off from the wall, he swung it and rushed to Paimon. Paimon blocked the pir with his bare hands before crushing it. Their movements were so fast that one¡¯s bare eyes could not keep up with them.


    It was a trivial matter for chairs and tables to break. Everywhere they fought, the floor caved in and the wall copsed. If they were left as they were, the theater could be destroyed. People were in chaos and tried to flee from any direction.


    ¡°What are you doing? You need to run away from this!¡±


    Vc ran to Lara, who was standing around and watching their fight. He already took care of Eunice and Ximena.


    ¡°Hey, if you stay here, you¡¯re going to die!¡±


    ¡°You bish! I don¡¯t want to be the dying prawn in the midst of a battle between whales.¡±


    Sharp debris flew from the wooden pir thrown by Paimon. Eunice screamed and hid behind Vc. He eventually took off his jacket and covered Eunice and Ximena¡¯s heads with it. Then, he dragged Lara and moved to the emergency exit.


    When they went outside, the nobles were screaming and running to their respective carriages. However, the road was blocked by carriages that tried to leave first, and so the nobles could not even escape the scene and just screamed towards each other.


    Crack!


    The sound of the theater pir copsing could be heard and acrid smoke came out from inside. It seemed that a fire had broken out from the copse of a candle ormp.


    The fire quickly spread and pungent smoke rose from each window. Fortunately, it was deep in the night so there was no one inside except for those who were enjoying the banquet.


    ¡°Let¡¯s run away quickly. Please? Do you want to die early? God may protect you, but not me! I can¡¯t waste my long demon life here!¡±


    ¡°Vc.¡±


    ¡°I want to live a long life!¡±


    ¡°Who do you think will win?¡±


    Lara asked. Vc was terrified and Eunice and Ximena were totally freaking out, but only Lara had serene eyes. She was thinking about something else.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think will win?¡±


    ¡°Is that important now?¡±


    ¡°Answer me. It¡¯s an order.¡±


    Vc bit off his lips. He repeatedly opened and closed his mouth several times while looking at the theater building, which began to roar as if it were about to copse. Then, he spoke with little conviction.


    ¡°As long as Paimon does not use magic or any of his powers, I think it¡¯s worth a shot¡­¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Laraughed silently. As she turned around and looked at the copsing theater, the bead dress slightly shook, making a clear sound.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 135

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Victory was not easily determined. As Vc said, Paimon was a powerful demon. As soon as he saw Demian, he did not hide his ambition to defeat him.


    A couple of pirs copsed with a cracking noise, and the theater building began to give in to the side. The people who evacuated away from the building did not know what to do and could only get very anxious. The sounds of an earthquake and thunder were happening at the same time. The smoke soared so much that it was so hard to see ahead.


    Lara gave in to Vc¡¯s irritation and moved far away from the theater. She bit her lips gently as she watched the theater that copsed like a sandcastle get swept away by the waves.


    ¡°The fire will spread to the next building.¡±


    Ximena approached Lara and said anxiously. As the building copsed, mes sparked around the streets, including the square in front of the theater.


    It had been a long time since midnight passed, and it was still too early for the sun to rise. By the time the watchmen soldiers arrived, the fire would have already spread to nearby buildings. It would be irreversible. Lara eventually decided to respond to the heat that tickled her palm from before.


    ¡°Come out.¡±


    When Lara opened her palm and lifted it, the excited giant of fire popped out.


    Fwoosh!


    A sound fiercer than usual was let out. Unlike usual, when it burned crimson red like a brazier or firece, the body of the giant was close to a dark red.


    The giant of fire looked only at Lara¡¯s eyes, regardless of Eunice and Ximena, who were mesmerized by it, and Vc, who was stepping back quickly. Then, it pointed to the copsed building with one hand. It was a gesture of asking for permission.


    Lara nodded.


    ¡°Go and eat it. Don¡¯t leave even a single spark.¡±


    The hellfire, the giant of fire that had just begun to grow up, flew up to where Lara pointed.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not a human.¡±


    Paimon burst intoughter. His white and beautiful porcin-like face was full of wounds, his red hair was stained with ash and dust, and the cloth that was narrowly covering his torso had been totally torn off, leaving only his lower body part barely covered.


    ¡°I thought you were a human¡­ but I was mistaken.¡±


    Paimon smiled, distorting his eyes. It was unclear whether he was crying, smiling, or being angry.


    Demian thought it to be Paimon¡¯s real face. His facial expressions and emotions went wrong like a maniac.


    ¡°Tell me. Who gave birth to you? Was it subordinate to hell or are you a filthy half-breed? I have never heard of a non-human inhabiting a human body.¡±


    Demian did not answer Paimon¡¯s question. He shut his mouth without any expressions on his face and only focused on attack and defense.


    Paimon was strong without even using his magic and attributed power. Demons¡¯ martial arts were very different from that of humans, making them difficult to deal with.


    No matter how much he pretended to be human now, Paimon¡¯s body was a demon. Everything, including his skeleton, muscle strength, dynamic visual acuity, and reflective nerves was inevitably different from a human¡¯s.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering me? I guess I should only leave your heart and mouth behind¡±


    Paimon lifted the wreckage of the tattered building with one hand and held it like a spear. Then, he threw it at where Demian was moving.


    Demian leaned back to avoid Paimon¡¯s attack and struck back the flying debris. He squinted his eyes and looked around him. The fire that started on one side of the audience¡¯s seat had quickly engulfed the whole theater. The mes burned brightly in front of the stage where they fought.


    Which will be faster¡ªthe copse of this theater or the fire filling the interior?


    Like Paimon, Demian was not in a very good condition. His velvet suit was torn in a mess and his neat hair was burnt and messy. To make matters worse, red blood was oozing from a long cut.


    As if he was sure of his victory, Paimon smiled and asked.


    ¡°Are you looking for a way to run away?¡±


    Hot fire soared above their heads. If they did not run out of the theater quickly, they could be hit by the remains of the building. But neither of them worried about that. Demian opened his mouth and said.


    ¡°I heard a demon bes stronger by eating another demon.¡±


    His voice was cynical.


    ¡°If I am indeed a demon, I¡¯ll have to eat you up and get stronger.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I thought you were a pretty great demon, but after fighting with you, you¡¯re not that all that much.¡±


    Demian¡¯s lips soared sky-high. Standing with his back against the chaotic mes burning red in the dark hall, his sensual face was even provocative in the eyes of the demon Paimon. Demian¡¯s blood-drenched lips parted open, revealing his teeth slightly.


    ¡°Demons aren¡¯t really envious of the Gods, yet you¡¯re just jealous of humans.¡±


    ¡°Stop that nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Though something like that is hard to admit, but if it wasn¡¯t for that, is there any reason for you toe all the way here and do this shit?¡±


    That was an obvious act of mockery. Demian treated the demons in Hell, including Paimon, as petty beasts who were jealous of weak humans and kept trying to steal their lives.


    Paimon was angry and growled back.


    ¡°For a saintess¡¯ mere ything, you¡¯re good at talking. But how can your object of obedience be a saintess? Even a dog wouldugh at that.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being a ything?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you be a servant of this great demon instead?¡±


    ¡°Bullshit. Don¡¯t you darepare Lara to a low-down beast like you.¡±


    ¡°One more word¡­¡±


    ¡°My body, mind, and soul belong to Lara. if there¡¯s an afterlife, all of my life after death is hers. So, no matter how envious you are, don¡¯t covet me. You don¡¯t even deserve to be her ything.¡±


    Demian grinned and shook his fist. Behind him, the stage ceiling copsed with a rumble. ck ashes and dust rose up, making it difficult to see even an inch ahead. Still, the two could clearly feel each other¡¯s existence. They could feel where their opponent was, what he was doing, and where he was moving.


    Paimon had to win there. What had already happened could not be undone. He knew that the human mask he had been working hard to protect had been broken. So, he had to chew and swallow the heart of that being that was neither a human nor a demon to break even.


    Demian saw through the heart of such a being.


    ¡°Come on.¡±


    They moved at the same time.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After Demian and Paimon fought a fierce battle, the giant of fire Lara sent ate up all the fires in the theater without leaving any embers.


    The giant of fire came out of the theater that had turned into ruins with a satisfactory face. It went around Lara once and disappeared.


    Demian was nowhere to be seen, so was Paimon. The watchmen whoter rushed in had controlled the surroundings and began investigating. However, they could not find any traces of Demian and Paimon. The chief of the watchmen recognized Lara as she was about to climb the carriage and approached her to ask questions.


    ¡°Saintess, can you tell us¡­what in the world happened in the theater?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better ask that to the Eastern Union delegation.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°It was a party hosted by them. I¡¯m just visiting because I heard there¡¯s a recital¡­ I¡¯m also curious about what happened.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    The chief¡¯s face hardened. Depending on how Lara¡¯s sentence was interpreted, it could have meant that the Eastern Union delegation tried to harm the saintess.


    ¡°Oh,e to think of it¡­¡±


    Before getting on the carriage and closing the door, Lara said.


    ¡°The ve with the red hair attacked my escort knight. When I came to my senses, Prince Nichs had already fled and disappeared.


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    The chief clenched his fist and bit his lips. He had high self-esteem as a knight of the Tarragon Empire and could not dare to allow the Eastern Union to put the saintess who appeared in the Empire to be in danger.


    ¡°I will report this to His Imperial Majesty as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    After politely bowing her head, Lara closed the carriage door and leaned against the chair. The carriage began to move slowly. The sound of the coachman whipping in the horses could be heard.


    Lara was not worried about Demian, she knew that he woulde back on his own. No matter how powerful Paimon was, he would not be able to knock Demian down. While she was massaging her tense shoulder with one hand, Vc spoke to her.


    ¡°You are really¡­incredible.¡±


    ¡°In what sense?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you even manage to put the me on the Prince of Lafort.¡±


    ¡°Putting the me on him? Let¡¯s get things straight, Paimon being a ve to Prince Nichs is a truthful fact. I just pointed that fact out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the same thing.¡±


    Vc shivered as he looked at Lara with a frightened face.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 136

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The dark sky was riding from afar, turning into a bluish color. After first dropping Eunice and Ximena off at the hotel, Lara took Vc and headed towards Acerus¡¯ castle.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Imperial Pce.¡±


    Even though it was still too early to meet the Crown Prince, as it was an urgent matter, the coachman agreed to Lara¡¯s request and drove the carriage. Vc buried himself deep in the carriage chair and exhaled a long breath, saying that he could now return home. Then, suddenly, something heavy hung on the wall of the carriage.


    Thud!


    The carriage was tilted slightly to one side and got on track again. Startled, Lara and Vc got up from their seats and looked out the window. Outside the carriage, the coachman was loudlyining to someone.


    It was Demian. After jumping into the running carriage and hanging on the wall, he roughly offered a word of apology to the coachman.


    ¡°Sorry for surprising you.¡±


    ¡°Make some kind of sign or something!¡±


    ¡°I will do so next time.¡±


    There was a hint of a smile in Demian¡¯s voice. Lara feigned ignorance when Vc muttered ¡®crazy guy.¡¯ Then, she opened the door from the inside. Demian jumped into the carriage, he smelled of acrid smoke.


    ¡°Did you get hurt?¡±


    Lara urgently asked when she realized there was a long cut on Demian¡¯s forearm. When she rolled up his torn clothes, the blood had already stopped. Though his injury was not serious, she was not expecting him to actually get hurt. Lara lightly bit her lips and raised her head.


    ¡°I got hurt on purpose.¡±


    ¡°On purpose?¡±


    ¡°That way, the red-haired demon will be able to keep track of me.¡±


    Demian smiled pleasantly.


    ¡°Did you win?¡±


    Vc asked him this time. He knew he would be scolded if he intervened, but his curiosity could not hold him back from asking.


    Demian generously answered Vc¡¯s question.


    ¡°I almost won.¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°I pretended to run away.¡±


    Anxious, Vc kept asking.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Then, Demian wriggled his eyebrows and stared at him.


    ¡°Why should I tell you that?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Demian, why did you do that?¡±


    This time, Lara asked on Vc¡¯s behalf, who was scared and was crouching down. She judged that Demian could overpower Paimon and her judgment was right.


    ¡°If I catch him now, there would be nothing to gain.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°You said that your God needs karma to give you this and that, but karma cannot be obtained from a human, but a demon.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°I n to push him to his limits and make him use magic. After extracting all the karma allowed from him, I will catch him alive and give him to you.¡±


    Demian said sweetly. Vc opened his mouth and Lara shut her mouth tightly.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After running fast and arriving at the Crown Prince¡¯s castle, Vc, Lara, and Demian shook Acerus up to wake him up from his sleep. They exined in detail what happened in the theater and had a long conversation about what to do in the future.


    Demian was supposed to be at the border, so when he suddenly appeared in Dandelion, Acerus got very confused. But after Lara stated that they should devise the Eastern Union as the mastermind of this matter, he agreed and rushed to the Emperor.


    ¡°How dare they!¡±


    The Emperor was furious, or more urately, pretended to be. The Emperor sent his knights to the theater where the incident took ce to investigate the incident while ordering them to detain every single person from the Eastern Union¡¯s delegation.


    Prince Nichs protested that it was a misunderstanding, but no one in Dandelion believed him. After all, the red-haired ve who suddenly attacked the escort of the saintess was a Lafortian performer he brought, he also disappeared like smoke after the incident.


    Even his associates from the Eastern Union who came to the Empire with him whispered behind his back and handed Prince Nichs over to the Empire. Most of them were nobles from Sias and Mortan. They suggested it would be better to prove the innocence of the rest of the people and go back to the East.


    After being trapped in the detention room, Prince Nichs ruminated over and over again what Lara had said.


    What should I do now?


    There was only one key point. If the Emperor of the Empire had made this happen due to his greed for the territory of the Eastern Lands, he was going to resist to some extent and run away.


    But what about the opposite?


    If the Emperor just needed a well-behaved neighbor, Nichs could kiss the Emperor¡¯s feet and beg for help, even at the risk of humiliation. If he could get the unified throne in return, he could even lick the Emperor¡¯s soles.


    ¡®Can I be a King?¡¯


    At first, he thought it was just nonsensical alienation, but as things turned out like this, he kept thinking about it. His father, the King of Lafort, had no intention ofing down from the throne until his death. Having been betrothed at a young age to his mother, who was the Princess of Sias, and having had Nichs, he was still young and healthy.


    ¡®As long as my mother is part of the royal family of Sias, I also have the right to session.¡¯


    Nichs could not be the King of Lafort, but it was not the case in Sias. His mother, who had a burning hatred for Lafort, divorced her husband before Nichs was even a grown-up. She returned to her hometown in Sias and had long reigned in high society.


    ¡®That won¡¯t be all. The saintess was apletely different person than what I expected¡­ I have to bear in mind again what she said from the beginning. There must be a hidden deep meaning behind it.¡¯


    Lara¡¯s words suggesting him to be the monarch who unified the East rather than remained as an errand country for the Eastern Union were engraved in Nichs¡¯ mind like a permanent tattoo¨Cit could not be erased.


    What is the oue the saintess wants? What is she moving for?


    ¡°After first proving my innocence¡­¡±


    Nichs, who was deeply troubled, suddenly saw the candle swaying violently as if it was about to go out.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    ¡°Nichs.¡±


    It was Paimon. A thick bloody smell emanated from him, along with the pungent smell of smoke. His whole body was covered with wounds. Nichs, who had never seen such an appearance of a demon before, got up from his chair and trembled convulsively.


    ¡°What in the world happened?¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how difficult the situation is now? All of this may be mere amusement for you, but we¡­¡±


    ¡°I told you to shut the f**k up. One more word and I will rip your mouth open up to your ears.¡±


    An unusual force flowed from Paimon. He seemed genuinely angry. Up until now, no matter how unpleasant it was, he had only ridiculed the humans by saying it was like watching a vermin¡¯s talent show. But now he was shedding bloodthirstiness and threatening Nichs.


    Nichs shut his mouth and nodded.


    ¡°There is a really great prey here. Next to the saintess¡­ Go out and investigate the ck-haired one with blue eyes that the saintess carries around. What his name is, where he came from. And how many of those things are by the saintess¡¯ side.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I think it would be better to eat him first and then rinse my mouth out with the saintess. He ran away swiftly so I missed him¡­ But he won¡¯t be safe next time.¡±


    Paimon licked his lips with his tongue as he mumbled. His torn and swollen wounds healed instantly.


    Nichs was afraid of Paimon. He always said that he would soon be the demon lord, so he was very curious about the identity of the saintess¡¯ escort, the one who made Paimon like this.


    He was wrong when he thought the saintess would be an immature child. Perhaps she was already fully prepared for the war against demons. And what if she already knew everything about the East¡¯s situation?


    God¡¯s vicegerent. Suddenly that word came to his mind. Someone who acted on behalf of the will of God¨CThe saintess was the embodiment of that. Nichs barely suppressed his trembling chest and opened his mouth.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Am I not imprisoned now? If I go against the Emperor, your amusement will also end here. The Empire has been at war with demon worshippers for a very long time. They¡¯re not pushovers.¡±


    ¡°Should I rip your mouth open?¡±


    ¡°If I go out now and pry into the saintess, we will be the public enemy of the Empire. First of all, we have to prove that we¡¯re innocent, then I will carry out your¡­¡±


    ¡°Humans are so funny.¡±


    Paimon sat down on the chair that Nichs had been sitting on in a drowsy posture. His face looked rxed but the wooden handle he was holding was crumpled like a piece of paper.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even realize which side you should be more afraid of, you¡¯re even talking about it recklessly. I will have to rip your soul out of that tacky body.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°I will get you out of here, so find out about the thing that¡¯s attached to the saintess.¡±


    Paimon¡¯s eyes slowly turned dark red. Nichs was in a cold sweat, trying not to make eye contact with him. He knew how all the ves who moved with him changed after seeing those eyes.


    ¡°Right now.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 137 - The Saintess Likes Gifts

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????<b> The Saintess Likes Gifts.</b>


    After returning to their abode with Lara, Demian immediately went down to the underground maze to check the magic circle.


    ¡°Acerus is curious.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still a secret.¡±


    ¡°The sorcerers may faint with their eyes open when they see this. Following the long-distance magic receiver, Valentine even made a magic circle for long-distance travel.¡±


    ¡°Shh, I told you it¡¯s a secret.¡±


    Lara was nning to secretly install Valentine¡¯s magic circle on the Eastern border and the capital of Hautean. It had already been installed at the ruin on the Eastern border that Demian and Barbarians upied, so as soon as Valentine made one more magic circle, Lara would ask the wolves to take it to Hautean. The location was decided to be the riverside manor owned by Isadora.


    ¡°Look at this first.¡±


    Lara sat Demian down and brought a paper on one side. On top of it was a drawing of a skull covering its eyes.


    ¡°On the altar you discovered, were the demon worshippers wearing this symbol?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this one.¡±


    ¡°Vassago.¡±


    ¡°Is that his name?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Most of the altar was iplete and their ceremony fell through because of us.¡±


    ¡°Then, he must still be in hell.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s looking for a chance toe this way, but don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°How can I not worry?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to catch that too.¡±


    Demian smiled and said. Lara could not help but smile at his light way of speaking, it was as if he was just talking about bringing a pretty butterfly somewhere.


    ¡°I think I need to go over there for a while. I threw Oscar into the wall when he blocked me froming here. He must be very upset.¡±


    ¡°You guys get along well.¡±


    ¡°Am I not already getting along with him well enough?¡±


    ¡°By throwing him into the wall?¡±


    ¡°As long as he doesn¡¯t get a nosebleed. He doesn¡¯t like getting one because it¡¯s embarrassing.¡±


    Demian smiled lightly and stood on the magic circle. With a long spell, he slowly disappeared.


    Lara had a short wash and changed her clothes while waiting for Demian. Konny nagging about how staying up all night being bad for her health followed her like a spring breeze. She listened to Konny¡¯s voice in one ear and passed out the other. Lara came back to the basement only after having a simple breakfast. And there, she found Lampion with a pale face as if he had witnessed a ghost.


    ¡°Lampion?¡±


    Lampion suddenly raised one hand and pped himself as hard as he could while screaming.


    ¡°This is a scam! This is an illusion! This is just a dream! This is a lie! This is an ominous nightmare! Wake up! Wake up right now, o¡¯ brave Barbarian!¡±


    Lampion¡¯s voice was so loud that the underground maze rang loudly.


    The next one was Oscar. Oscar was a little better than Lampion. He showed his frightened face in a four-legged position above the magic circle, but as soon as he saw Lara, he jumped up and greeted her as if nothing was wrong.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Well, hello.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t like that because I¡¯m scared. I just don¡¯t trust magic. I¡¯m totally not scared.¡±


    Thest one was Domino. In a short time, he took a bunch of wildflowers near the ruin where the Barbarians were staying and gave them to Lara, who stood in front of the magic circle. Then, he barely caught his gasping breath and said.


    ¡°Huff, huff¡­ This is from Demian. Even though we were the one who plucked it, anyway, this is from him.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Lampion asked me to tell you, if someone bothers you, don¡¯t forget to write down their names in your notebook.¡±


    ¡°Will he scold them on my behalf?¡±


    ¡°He said he can just put the notebook in Demian¡¯s pocket¡­¡±


    Lara burst intoughter with a loud voice.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The Barbarians could not be away for long as the Eastern demon worshippers gathered together to keep a lookout for them. But when they returned, Lara gave them a lot of delicious snacks. Finally, she got out of the underground maze and went up the abode with Demian, who appearedst.


    On that day, after taking a little rest, Demian and Lara immediately went to visit Isadora and had lunch together.


    When Isadora heard Demian say that he had to go see Lara¡¯s mother first, she gave him pocket money with a very satisfied face. Lara saw Demian pack the gold coin pouch with a satisfied look. Dumbfounded, she asked him.


    ¡°Are you here to get pocket money from my mom?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°How much did you get?¡±


    ¡°2,000 gold.¡±


    After eating with Isadora, they returned to the abode and memorized the road of the underground maze. It would be a big problem if someone found that ce so Demian discussed together with Valentine and worked on a n to either use artifacts to cast a spell on the maze or to totally block the entrance and enter through other ways.


    As a result, it was already night. Lara stared at Demian, who was lying down on her bed and stroking his stuffed stomach.


    ¡°Why did you eat so much?¡±


    ¡°Konny keeps telling me to eat this and that.¡±


    ¡°Did you have to eat it all?¡±


    ¡°I have to listen to Konny.¡±


    That¡¯s true.


    Lara nodded and approached Demian with her pajamas pping. Then, Konny called for Lara in front of the door.


    ¡°Mdy,e out for a second.¡±


    ¡°Konny? Why?¡±


    ¡°Someone is here.¡±


    Who¡¯sing at this hour?


    Lara turned to a slight frown and turned her head. Demian also half-raised his body and squinted his eyes as he was lying in her bed.


    ¡°Which bastard dares to¡­¡±


    ¡°I will go out.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Demian had no intention of letting Lara go alone. He jumped up and handed Lara a long gown, then opened the door.


    ¡°Konny, who¡¯s here?¡±


    ¡°His Highness, the Prince of Lafort.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He wanted me to tell you that Nichs came to hear some advice from the saintess.¡±


    Demian looked at Lara. Lara had finished adjusting the long gown and lifted the corner of her mouth slightly.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Nichs waited for Lara in a small drawing-room inside her abode. He looked much calmer than he thought he would be. Seeing his sunken eyes, he did not seem to have slept well since the theater incident, but other than that, he was no different from usual. Lara opened the door without knocking and entered the drawing-room.


    ¡°Saintess.¡±


    ¡°Take a seat.¡±


    There was no need for greetings. The two agreed so silently.


    Demian came inside along with Lara. He crossed his arms and leaned against the door. Though he had no weapons with him, Nichs knew that he could take his life without leaving a trace if he wanted to.


    ¡°Is it that man? The one¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a Barbarian. He fought on par with demons.¡±


    No wonder.


    Nichs nodded heavily. He looked desperate.


    ¡°Saintess.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Can you catch a demon?¡±


    ¡°I can.¡±


    Lara said without any hesitation. As if that was nothing to her. When she said so and turned her head to look at Demian, he nodded.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since Paimon appeared. I knew that the demon worshippers had prepared something with the ck sorcerers for a long time but I did not know they would bring out a real demon.¡±


    ¡°You knew, yet you turned a blind eye to it. That¡¯s a sin. It wouldn¡¯t have happened if you had stubbornly blocked them from the beginning. Don¡¯t try to justify yourself by saying that you didn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°When I think about Hautean¡­ Now I know Lafort¡¯s decision was wrong.¡±


    Nichs confessed a lot of things to Lara.


    Simr things had happened for a long time in Lafort, just like with the ck sorcerers Lara met in Hautean. The ck sorcerers distributed drugs and made money in the red-light district while joining hands with corrupt priests and nobles to collect wealth and offerings. The difference was that Hautean defined them as absolute evil and tried to defeat them, on the other hand, Lafort joined hands with them and tried to use them.


    ¡°The ck sorcerers in Lafort wanted the Eastern Union.¡±


    They bloomed like infectious diseases and gnawed at the three Eastern countries little by little. When Nichs came to his senses, most of the leading members of the union had already be subordinates of the ck sorcerers.


    ¡°Who called out to Paimon?¡±


    ¡°The King of Sias.¡±


    ¡°And the offering was¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorcerers.¡±


    Lara closed her mouth for a moment and blinked. She expected human sacrifices but she did not expect them to use the sorcerers.


    The sacrifice needed to bring out a demon should be valuable. The disappearing elemental sorcerers were well worth the reward.


    ¡°Please get rid of Paimon.¡±


    Nichs got up from his seat and bowed his head to Lara.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I have been thinking about your words. I kept thinking about why you would give me a huge mission to unify the East, even though I was pushed out of Lafort¡¯s session structure.¡±


    Nichs¡¯ eyes shook vigorously.


    ¡°My apologies for being dull. You were worried that the East as a whole would fall into the demon¡¯s grasp, you tried to stop him and gave me a chance¡­¡±


    Lara remained silent. Nichs raised his head and begged.


    ¡°I just realized that I¡¯m participating in a holy war!¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I reflect on myself for trying to judge you recklessly only by hearing your notoriety. To get rid of those dirty demons, I didn¡¯t even realize that you hade down to the darkest bottom!¡±


    Prince Nichs seemed to have fallen into a great illusion. While Nichs was shivering and feeling heartfelt alone, Lara secretly rolled her eyes and looked at Demian. He was looking down at Nichs with a look as if he was seeing bizarre things.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 138

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Lara made a n, but it was not that grand. Because Demian would be the one to catch Paimon. But since Dandelion had arge poption, it was not possible to wage war with the demon in the middle of the city. As such, two traps were ced through Nichs and Vc.


    First, after having visited Lara, Nichs pretended to follow Paimon¡¯s order and was to deliver information about Demian; the fact that he was the saintess¡¯ lover, an outstanding Barbarian, and arade of the Crown Prince.


    Second, Vc thenter secretly visited Paimon and leaked information that the saintess would soon leave Dandelion and go to the Barbarians on the Eastern border.


    Since Paimon was a smarter demon than Vc, he would doubt Vc¡¯s information over and over again and try to confirm it. At that time, the Emperor stepped up.


    ¡°The Eastern Union will have to apologize a hundred times for trying to harm the saintess, and in the center of the Empire, Dandelion, even. They will have to make appropriatepensation. Otherwise, I will dispatch my troops right now and send them to the Eastern border along with the Knights of the Temple. My patience has risen up to here!¡±


    The Emperor said so with the war in mind. Paimon had no choice but to believe Vc¡¯s information. There was nothing strange about the saintess joining the Barbarians before the Knights of the Temple moved. So he appeared at the date, time, and ce Vc said.


    A wide ins area appeared when they headed East from Dandelion. Tall trees and small rocky mountains were scattered along the way, and an ordinary but sturdy-looking carriage rattled along the road.


    Two men wearing ck helmets were escorting on horseback in the front and rear of the carriage, Vc in the front and Demian in the back. They were wearing ck helmets because Vc was frightened that Paimon might catch him in the act. It might look shabby being called the saintess¡¯ party, but it did not matter, because Paimon would recognize their identities even if they covered their faces.


    After midnight, when all was dark and quiet, the one they had been waiting for appeared.


    ¡°Let me see. Two ythings for the crazy saintess.¡±


    Paimon stood alone on the deste road. Unlike when he pretended to be a ve, he wore light armor and had a short sword in one hand.


    He licked his lips andughed.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to eat to my heart¡¯s content today!¡±


    Paimon ran straight toward the carriage. The hard stone ground dented wherever he stepped, sttering into pieces. Bowing his flexible body like a bow, he jumped high andnded on the roof of the carriage. Then, he ripped open the roof with his bare hand.


    ¡°If I drink the blood of the saintess, will it make me feel like toying with God? Should I try¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    A very low male voice could be heard in Paimon¡¯s ear. It was Demian. He was riding a horse from the back of the carriage. And suddenly, he stood in front of Paimon with his sword drawn.


    ¡°Keep your bad manners in check.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, you will regret it.¡±


    As Demian spoke, Vc retreated far with the speed of light. Then he nodded his head.


    Even though Paimon realized during thest fight that Demian was by no means an easy opponent, he did not even consider him an opponent who he could not defeat. The victory was, of course, his, a demon. And after defeating Demian, he nned to eat both Vc and the saintess.


    After a fierce battle on the roof of the carriage, Demian and Paimon moved to the deste in. Every ce they passed by, the ground was dug up and trees fell, revealing rough soil ground. Behind the half-broken carriage, Vc stood shaking one leg to soothe his anxiety.


    ¡°Crazy¡­ Crazy things!¡±


    When he took Lilith¡¯s power, Vc had no doubt that he would walk on a solid path in the future. However, after meeting the saintess who was scarier than a demon, his status fell into a mere ve. In addition, another ve candidate over there was rebelling recklessly at his unexpected future.


    ¡°Get down and beg! I¡¯ll give you a less painful death if you do!¡±


    Paimon shouted.


    Demian did not answer, Vc began to look at Paimon with a pitiful face. It remained to be seen who would be the one to lie down and beg.


    ¡°Come to hell with me. I will make you a guard dog!¡±


    Demian did not answer again this time. He closed his mouth as if he was justzy to answer and narrowly avoided Paimon¡¯s attack. Then, he grabbed Paimon by the cor and hurled him down on a wide rock. He did it so powerfully that the ground rang even on the road where Vc had stood. Dark red blood sttered from Paimon¡¯s mouth. He suffered internal injuries that could not be easily healed.


    Paimon could not admit it. Even though he did not use magic and power attributes, he was still a demon of the demon lord¡¯s ss. Regardless of how Demian had a demon¡¯s soul, he was no different than a human being.


    ¡°What¡­did you do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m beating you.¡±


    Paimon misunderstood that Demian would have used some expedient. He was much stronger than theirst encounter at the theater, the saintess must have begged for God to give her a blessing.


    Paimon had no idea that Demian went easy on him at that time. He was thrown onto the solid ground several times even before he could control his internal injuries. It was only after destroying the surroundingnd that he was afraid of losing there.


    Run away or fight¡ªthere were only two roads.


    He could not run away. It was better to die than to run away. Even if he was criticized in hell, it was better to use all his strength to knock Demian down. As long as he won, he could make excuses somehow.


    A golden haze rose from Paimon¡¯s body. It was a light simr to gold¨Csomething that could overwhelm the person who looked at it. It did not shine brightly but it prevented people from taking their eyes off it. It was magic.


    ¡°You¡¯re hasty¡­¡±


    Demian snorted.


    ¡°¡­God will be happy if you use your power.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Even if I don¡¯t use my magic here, there will be other demons who will eventually use their own powers too someday.¡±


    ¡°You have no faith.¡±


    ¡°Faith? What do you mean? There¡¯s no such thing for us demons.¡±


    A huge wing made of golden haze popped out from behind Paimon¡¯s back. His head was covered with a crown resembling horns.


    ¡°The only one that is great is the demon lord!¡±


    Rumble.


    The ground turned upside down. An earthquake started from where Paimon was standing and had approached Demian in a blink of an eye. Dust and heat soared at the same time. The half-broken carriage was scattered around, leaving behind only debris. Vcy face down behind a rock, covering his head with thergest board among them.


    ¡°Demian, be careful!¡±


    Why am I cheering for him?


    Vc was annoyed even when he shouted.


    Paimon¡¯s magic was powerful. A tremendous vibration spread around him. The ground cracked and ck smoke soared. ck hands protruding from deep in the ground wrapped around Demian¡¯s body and tried to pull him down through the wide gap. The ck hands appeared with hot heat. It was hard to see an inch ahead because of the dense smoke and enormous wind.


    Paimon believed that Demian would have fallen into the cracks of deep hell. However, as the strong wind pushed out the smoke, Demian was seen standing intact inside the gap.


    ¡°What¡­ No way!¡±


    He had no scratches, let alone wounds. He was just frowning and muttering how much of a hassle this was. He even swept his tangled hair with one hand and spat out the sand in his mouth.


    ¡°Oi.¡±


    Demian said.


    ¡°Juste under me.¡±


    Paimon became speechless, his silence soon exploded with anger. He could not believe it, he was a demon of the demon lord¡¯s ss and his magic belonged to the powerful side among demons.


    Paimon, who had been talking well so far, closed his mouth tightly and hardened his expression. A golden gaze stretched out of his body. In addition to magic, Paimon prepared everything with his life; his magic and power attributes.


    He attacked Demian with all his power.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°A gift for you.¡±


    Demian said.


    Behind Demian was a demon walking in, staggering. The demon¡¯s long hair that flowed attractively was torn off and shortened, and his white and smooth skin was covered with wounds and dirt. As his face became messy, the charming mole on his nose bridge was nowhere to be seen. His lips were burst and split, blood had clotted in its ce.


    ¡°Saintess, I want to be your servant.¡±


    Paimon, who had be skinny in one night, knelt down in front of Lara.


    ¡°I will offer my allegiance. I hope you will believe me.¡±


    Lara¡¯s eyes shook slightly. She, who did not lose herposure in any of her affairs, twitched her cheek and turned her eyes away.


    ¡°Please rebuke me for the mistakes I have made so far.¡±


    When Lara looked at Demian, he smiled. And when she looked at Vc, the guy took a step away from Demian with a tired expression on his face.


    ¡°I want to give up my life as a demon and be your subordinate.¡±


    Paimon said slowly. He was kneeling on one knee at Lara¡¯s feet. He lowered his head deeply as though touching his knee. His tearful voice contained sorrow.


    ¡°Why not go back to hell?¡±


    Lara asked. It seemed that Paimon had been brutally beaten by Demian. The question was why he wanted to be a ve of the saintess instead of returning to hell?


    This time, Vc replied instead of Paimon.


    ¡°If he goes back to hell, he¡¯ll be ripped to death.¡±


    Vc exined that since Paimon was helplessly defeated by Demian and even overused his power attribute, he had done the equivalent of backstabbing the demons who did not want the Gods to intervene.


    Lara thought there would be not much difference between having one or two demons. Even Vc, who seemed useless, could be ordered around. So as Paimon was stronger than him, he would be more useful. As long as they did not get caught being demons.


    No, it did not matter if they did get caught. Lara did not be a saintess to be respected anyway.


    ¡°Give me your word.¡±


    Lara said.


    ¡°You will obey and serve only me until the day of your extinction. You will use all your fate for my work.¡±


    ¡°I swear.¡±


    Paimon bowed his head and kissed Lara¡¯s toes. Lara sat on a ck silk chair, Demian stood behind her as though protecting her as a demon kissed her toes.


    ¡®Oh my goodness.¡¯


    Konny, who secretly peeped through the door to see if she had to prepare ate-night snack, and Acerus, who had been rushing to visit, closed their mouths and stomped their feet at the same time.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 139

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡®I need to capture this moment with a drawing!¡¯


    Acerus squeezed his overwhelminglyrge chest with one hand and wondered how to preserve the scene that was unfolding before him for a long time.


    Even if he were to ask a talented painter to draw, he was not confident in exining it well. No matter how outstanding the painters were, it was unlikely that they could properly draw the scene in his eyes. If so, he should somehow engrave the scene in his head without even missing any trivial thing. He thought he might be able to memorize everything if he kept staring over and over again.


    Acerus stuck closer to the door gap. In the process, he even pushed Konny who was standing next to him.


    ¡°Good for them.¡±


    A powerless murmur leaked from Acerus.


    ¡°Why is my dad the Emperor?¡±


    Yeah, why are you the Crown Prince?


    The Crown Prince casually said something that could easily make the Emperor get high blood pressure and copse. Seeing him, Konny was worried about the future of the Empire for the first time.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After a long conversation with Paimon, Lara judged that hell was not far away.


    In her life before she died, or until Vc ascended to Prince Sidhar¡¯s body, for Lara, hell was just a very far and difficult ce. It was the deep abyss or the end of the demon¡¯s realm that humans could not dare to step into. She believed that was the reason why even a weak demon like Vc could not bring his body and had to borrow Prince Sidhar¡¯s body, and why a powerful demon like Paimon would need so much sacrifice, karma, and time to ascend.


    But it was not like that.


    ¡°It depends on what the offering is. It seems that those who followed Vc thought they could just offer any humans or beasts¡­ But every demon in hell has a specific sacrifice that suits them.¡±


    In Paimon¡¯s words, ascension could only be achieved by offering a sacrifice that was rted to the demon.


    ¡°That was the reason why my followers offered the elemental sorcerers that had long since disappeared.¡±


    Most of Paimon¡¯s power attributes were focused on magic. He was able to ascend on thisnd at the expense of the rare elemental sorcerers.


    ¡°Even so, the human¡¯s realm is different from hell, it¡¯s still a ce where the influence of the Gods works much stronger. So aftering here, I could not use all my strength.¡±


    He was frustrated, like a warrior fighting with one hand tied. Paimon grumbled, saying that he would not have easily lost to Demian if he could use all of his strength as he could in hell.


    Demian did not respond to his words and only gave a faint smirk. He did not think it was worth it to talk back.


    Lara was lost in thought. Up until she received Paimon¡¯s oath of obedience, Lara had just thought that Vc being her servant was a unique case, something akin to luck ovepping with coincidence. But just like with Vc, even Paimon considered himself as her servant. A possibility arose in her mind.


    A demon ate another demon to be stronger. The throne of the demon lord would be taken by the strongest of them. Demian was said to be fated to be the demon lord. However, Demian did not eat the demon he had captured, but wrapped it beautifully and gave it to Lara as a gift.


    Abraxas¡¯ first name that Lara found out was the ¡®God of Fate.¡¯ In addition, he said he had a past in which he was called a ¡®God¡¯ and at the same time was called a ¡®Demon.¡¯


    Lara¡¯s eyes sank darkly. Her scarlet eyes, which were dim like a sunset, were very red for a moment. Her long eyshes fell down likebs. Even though she was just lost in thought, she had the illusion that the air around her was getting heavier.


    Paimon, who was prostrating before Lara, slightly lifted his head. Then, he courageously opened his mouth.


    ¡°Saintess.¡±


    Lara¡¯s eyes that were looking very far away were fixed to Paimon again. He looked at Demian and Vc once before asking Lara.


    ¡°Why do you collect demons? Is this¡­all God¡¯s will?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°God doesn¡¯t force me to do anything. I receive gifts from him, but I¡¯m not giving him anything.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s much more generous than you think.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    Paimon muttered that it could not be. The Gods he knew were just boring beings living as ves to thews they established without even an ounce of flexibility.


    They were arrogant things that would take out a sword first if their pride was touched, they would rather die than to bow down.


    What in the world is this saintess¡¯ identity that she is favored by God even though she has demons as her servants?


    Paimon was sincerely curious.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Last night, a natural disaster urred on the outskirts of Dandelion. The wide roads and ins were dug up horribly and ck smoke continued to leak out of the overturned ground. The quietnd, which was nothing more than a wastnd, was cracked open, exposing the underground.


    A lot of people thought it was an earthquake. Last night, a great earthquake urred outside Dandelion, turning the ground upside down. Even those in the city felt the vibration, so it was only natural that the vast ins were destroyed.


    However, some people questioned that opinion. Why did the earthquake only happen there? This was more like divine punishment. The grounds of about one vige were overturned and ck smoke rose from the cracks day after day. The vigers wanted to look inside the cracks but they did not even dare try because of the smoke and heat.


    The incident soon reached the Emperor, he said it was all the trick of the ck sorcerer sent by the Eastern Union.


    Following the theater fire, a disaster happened on the outskirts of the capital. From the nobles of the Tarragon Empire to the powerless people, the hearts of everyone living in Dandelion was boiling with anger.


    The people rallied together and raised their voices, saying the Eastern Union should be punished.


    How dare they challenge the stronghold of the Empire?


    The hostile nobles took out their armor and weapons and the knights in the Imperial Pce called for war with one united voice.


    It was at that time when the saintess appeared.


    Saintess Lara, who appeared with Crown Prince Acerus¡¯ escort, stood there for a while, staring at the horribly dug-up ins.


    Her wide robe and long hair fluttered in the wind. Though her expression was invisible from afar, people believed that she was very sad. Not long ago, she nearly died at the hands of the ck sorcerers. The saintess rarely showed her face in public, so considering her public personality, the people thought that she came out because she could not stand what the ck sorcerers had done.


    Of course, not everyone thought so. There were bound to be people in the world who watched any scene differently because their minds and eyes were twisted.


    ¡°Why does the saintess only stay still every day? God gives her miracles. She knows how bad the ck sorcerers are, why is she just sitting still like a doll?¡±


    ¡°I heard the saintesses long ago healed the sick with prayer and made miracles in ces where disasters urred.¡±


    They enjoyed it when their twisted gaze got attention. And even if there was one sympathizer, they moved to incite the remaining majority.


    ¡°Has anyone ever seen¡­the miracle that the saintess has caused?¡±


    ¡°The Emperor must have seen it, with the nobles.¡±


    ¡°Hey, stop it. The saintess kicked out the wicked priests and allowed the priests to use the power of God again.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Do you know how much the Emperor wanted to put away the Temple of Glory? If I were the Emperor, I would have made a saintess and told her to change the temple first.¡±


    ¡°What if someone hears you?¡±


    ¡°The Emperor has sorcerers, I¡¯m sure. Even the countrymen from the Eastern Union live with ck sorcerers. Does it really make sense for the Emperor to not have one? Reflecting a halo on someone is just a piece of cake for him.¡±


    ¡°What? So it¡¯s not a miracle?¡±


    ¡°This is why you shouldn¡¯t be ignorant. You have to doubt everything that the higher-ups say and listen to them upside down.¡±


    There were only a few people who said, but despite that, it did not mean they did not have anyone to take their side.


    The number of priests emunicated by Lara in Dandelion alone reached the thousands. The priests still could not believe that the wealth and fame they had never doubted to be theirs were thrown into the trash at the words of a young girl who imed to be a saintess. They argued that there was no God in thisnd, that the saintess was an illusion created by the Emperor, and that it might not be only the Eastern Union that joined hands with the ck sorcerers.


    ¡°Have you heard of that rumor?¡±


    ¡°What rumor?¡±


    ¡°In Hautean, the saintess¡­¡±


    The emunicated believers thought they had to bring the saintess down to regain their original positions. When the negative rumors about the saintess came out just in time, they thought this was the right time and began to add words. The whispering was just like the sounds of rats in the gutter.


    Even though she knew, Lara stood with a calm face. Sometimes she even heard the word ¡®reprobate daughter¡¯ or ¡®lewd woman¡¯ but she just squeezed her lips and shed a short smile. On the contrary, Acerus, who was standing next to her, was restless and wiped out his cold sweat.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Crown Prince Acerus.¡±


    ¡°Saintess, those¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Even if I dance with God here, they will still keep whispering about things like that.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m angry.¡±


    ¡°They have to make others dirtier than themselves to hide their own dirtiness. Even if they know it wasn¡¯t the case at first¡­ Later on, they really will believe it. People with bad feelings really believe in their lies. What¡¯s really bad is those who use those people.¡±


    ¡°Are there really people like that?¡±


    ¡°There are a lot.¡±


    Following blindly could also be a blind hatred. Lara recalled the faces of the spectators who shouted loudly to offer her as a sacrifice to the demon in her life before her death. They were all the people who cared for, loved, and believed in Lara, the fake saintess.


    ¡°It¡¯s really not that difficult to ask to restore this ruin to its original state. God will find it strange but he will not turn down my request.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to waste Demian¡¯s hard-earned karma on this.¡±


    Lara said firmly.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 140 - Yearning

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Nichs stood like a shadow behind Lara. He could not close his mouth when he saw Paimon escorting her.


    Paimon had always paid a lot of attention to his grooming to make his beautiful face stand out. There were even separatedies-in-waiting dedicated to him in Lafort. But now, someone like him was serving Lara. He had his long hair cut very short and wore in outdoor clothes.


    ¡°Sit down.¡±


    Though it was Nichs¡¯ room, Lara acted like the owner. Paimon reflexively pulled up a chair for Lara to sit on. Then, a wide foot cushion wasid out so that she could put her feet upfortably.


    Nichs hesitated and sat opposite Lara. His gaze did not fall away from Paimon.


    The great demon who called Nichs a vermin was now a ve to the saintess. When Lara slightly frowned at the warm tea and soft bread on the table, Paimon rose at the speed of light and brought cool drinks and hard cookies for her. After that, he moved to the corner and stood still like a doll to avoid revealing his presence.


    ¡°What in the world¡­ I mean, what has happened?¡±


    ¡°Paimon is no longer an ally of the Eastern Union. He will take care of all the ck sorcerers in Lafort.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°So, Prince Nichs, dere on behalf of the Eastern Union; all of this was a scheme devised by demon worshippers to make thisnd hell, and in the future, the three Eastern countries will join hands with the Empire of Tarragon in order to subdue them.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s going to be a lot of opposition. The enemies of the East aren¡¯t demon worshippers, it¡¯s the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, Prince Nichs.¡±


    Lara gulped down the cool drink. Cold water droplets formed on her fingers and soon disappeared.


    ¡°I did what you asked me to do. I captured the demon, and His Imperial Majesty promised to give a hand in unifying the East.¡±


    ¡°I know that I have received great grace from you.¡±


    ¡°Then, you should repay me with something worthy of my grace.¡±


    Lara confidently demanded.


    She could have killed Nichs. It was actually nothing to hold him ountable for everything Paimon did and execute him. In fact, the Emperor also rmended that method. After killing Nichs, they would sweep away the East and make thend into a subordinate state.


    But Lara decided to give him a chance.


    Nichs made up his mind and bowed his head toward her.


    ¡°Please enlighten me.¡±


    ¡°The Barbarians will stop the demon worshippers who have built up their own forces on the border. With Paimon¡¯s help, you will go back to Lafort and get rid of all the ck sorcerers hiding in the East. Then, take power with what you did as justification.¡±


    Lara said as if it was not a big deal. But despite her rxed way of talking, she predicted Nichs to be the core of the typhoon that hit the East.


    ¡°It will be difficult with Paimon alone.¡±


    She spoke onest time to Nichs, who was still unsure.


    ¡°Then I will send the best warrior on the continent with you.¡±


    That was Demian.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me to stay apart from you again? Thanks to the magic circle, I thought we could finally be a little closer. But now you¡¯re telling me to go to the East with Paimon¡­¡±


    ¡°The Prince is a coward and Paimon is not familiar with humanity¡¯s power struggles. You¡¯re strong and smart. I know that the three Eastern countries are nothing to you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the border.¡±


    Demian looked totally speechless. He was told to go to the East with the two people he could not stand. Whatsmore, Lara nned to use the magic circle to join the Barbarians on the border.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why are you acting like a child today? Should we change if you don¡¯t want to go? I can go to the East and you remain on the border¡­¡±


    ¡°My question is why do we have to be apart? Let¡¯s just leave the border to myrades and go to the East together?¡±


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°War is not a date.¡±


    Lara¡¯s voice was mixed with a hint of a smile. Demianughed with a face that said it could not be helped. Then, hey down on the bed.


    ¡°Paimon won¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no choice for a ve. Would he have cared about that when he sacrificed humans or used them as ves?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m going to do that too.¡±


    Laraughed like a viin.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to order him around until he begs for my help and then send him back to hell.¡±


    A few dayster, the Emperor released Nichs out of detainment. This was because Nichs revealed that he was also a victim and was only used by the demon. The Emperor pretended to believe what he said and set up an investigation team in the name of digging up the shadow of the demon in the East. The mighty warrior of the saintess, Demian Drake, had decided to take the lead in the investigation team.<b> Yearning</b>


    Lara was in a deep sleep. She had not been able to sleep properly on time for a while. When she woke up, she breathed a satisfied sigh at the drowsy freshness she felt after a long time.


    It had been a long time since she didn¡¯t want to go out of her nket. It was even more so after entering this abode that was used by the high priest. It was too big, too spacious, and too luxurious. It was fancy and beautiful, but to Lara, showing power with material objects seemed cheap.


    Isadora was very supportive of Lara¡¯s decision, she could not just see her beloved daughter suffer at a home that did not suit her preference so she redecorated the high priest¡¯s abode from scratch. Now, the ce was no longer the abode of the high priest but the house of the saintess.


    With a thick and light nket wrapped around her body, Lara rolled halfway on the huge bed. Demian¡¯s shoulder was in front of her. They talked until dawn and ate a lot ofte-night snacks that Konny gave them. And they were tossing and turning to digest the food. Then, they eventually opened their eyes only when it was almost afternoon.


    As Lara opened her eyes, Demian woke up together with her. He wrapped his fingers around her hair.


    ¡°Get some more sleep.¡±


    His subdued voice was mixed with a little whining. Asking Lara to sleep more was no different than asking for more sleep for himself.


    ¡°Demian, you have to wake up.¡±


    There were many things to do. Before Demian left for the East, Lara had to instruct Paimon on what he had to do, she also had to meet the Emperor to discuss what was going to happen.


    ¡°You¡¯d better get up before Konny gets angry.¡±


    ¡°Konny doesn¡¯t get angry at me. She likes me.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°Konny¡¯s criteria for distinguishing people are very simple.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Whether that person is beneficial to Lara or not.¡±


    As they had a silly talk, she felt awake. Her stiff eyes rxed smoothly and her voice became as normal as usual. Seeking the intense sunlight leaking through the curtains, Demian spoke slowly.


    ¡°After saving the world¡­ Should we run away somewhere?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t. Mother will be sad, and I have to bring Konny with me, I¡¯ll also have to take responsibility for Valentine, and¡­ I don¡¯t think Eunice and Ximena will just let me do that.¡±


    ¡°Why do you have so many dependants? I only have myself.¡±


    ¡°I will tell Domino, Lampion, and Oscar what you just said. To Crown Prince Acerus too.¡±


    Lara removed Demian¡¯s fingers from her hair and pushed his body away with her two feet. Demian said with a sigh and augh at the same time.


    ¡°Well, I thought that was quite a romantic confession.¡±


    ¡°What? Running away from here and living far away, only the two of us?¡±


    ¡°Is it not?¡±


    ¡°Save the world first before saying that.¡±


    Lara lightly grabbed Demian¡¯s hand and put it down. She got up with a nket wrapped around her body like a cocoon.


    There was not much time left until her appointment with the Emperor. Lara hurriedly washed up and changed her clothes. A carriage sent by the Emperor was waiting for her in front of the abode. The Emperor¡¯s knights approached and reached out. It was an impably polite attitude.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to serve the saintess.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The carriage belonged to the Imperial household and the escort was a close aide to the Emperor. While Lara was on her way to the Imperial Pce, she recalled some stories about the Emperor of Tarragon in the carriage.


    Isadora called him a sly guy, Nichs seemed afraid of the Emperor, and Acerus condemned him for being a hopeless crook.


    The Empire was the best on the continent even before the current Emperor came to power. Therefore, it was not particrly wrong to say that he was called a great Emperor because he was born with so many things.


    Still, Lara never considered the Emperor to be an easy man. His achievements on the battlefield as a young man were so great that it was hard to find any predecessors to his aplishments even if one searched through the history of the continent. The Emperor in his youth had to subdue demonic beasts while defeating fierce power struggles, territorial disputes, and challenges of each country at the same time.


    Old and sick as he may be, The Emperor did not do what he did in order to merely step down and transfer his power to the Crown Prince. Rather, he was cleaning the Eastern and Northern regions simply for the sake of the empire. Perhaps the Emperor was still fighting fiercely. But rather than on the battlefield, he was fighting in that high position of power.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 141

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°This way.¡±


    Lara arrived at the Emperor¡¯s castle and got off the carriage. An aide around the Emperor¡¯s age approached and guided her.


    As spring flowers fell, the weather began to get hot. While looking at the lush green leaves, Lara walked to the ce where the Emperor was waiting.


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Come on in.¡±


    All theplicated procedures that had to be gone through to have an audience with the Emperor were omitted. Lara stood in front of the antique and heavy-looking door that had opened after the Emperor gave his permission.


    ¡°Wee.¡±


    The Emperor was eating. Even though the weather had be quite hot, he was wearing a thick cloak on his shoulder. Luxurious but not fancy shirts, fluffy slippers, and grayish-white hair that was haphazardlybed could be seen.


    The man who looked big like a giant at the victory banquet had now looked friendly like a local herbalist grandfather. The tea that the Emperor drank smelled like a pungent herb.


    Was the rumor true that he was in poor health?


    Lara¡¯s gaze stayed on his teacup for a while.


    ¡°It smells terrible, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep these days. The doctor is doing everything he can to put me to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Is it a sleeping pill?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s supposed to calm my heart but it¡¯s just a pure scam. If my heart can feel at peace by drinking something like this, I will produce it inrge quantities and distribute it all over the continent. So that humans will no longer scream and fight.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I want to have it too.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t. It¡¯s expensive.¡±


    The Emperorughed wickedly. Lara did not entertain his joke but sat in the seat prepared for her. She gestured to the attendant. The attendant who had a warm impression approached her and poured the same drink that the Emperor was drinking into Lara¡¯s teacup.


    ¡°My my, such impudence. How dare you give what¡¯s mine without permission?¡±


    Without responding to the Emperor¡¯s silly joke, Lara picked up the teacup and had a sip of the tea. Then, her eyebrows, forehead, and lips were distorted at the same time.


    ¡°It¡¯s not good, right?¡±


    The Emperor smirked.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I said I won¡¯t be giving it to you.¡±


    Then, shouldn¡¯t you just say that directly?


    Lara did not dare to spit out the tea and barely swallowed the bitter drink. It was like water that was boiled with tree roots, soil, burnt ashes, and soap all at once. Looking at Lara grumbling without being able to change her expression, the Emperor drank the tea peacefully.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°If I were able to live even a day longer, I can drink something even stronger than this.¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how many people I have killed to sit here? I want to sit down for as long as possible.¡±


    Lara did notugh at the Emperor¡¯s mean yet humorous words. So did the attendant next to him. If his aide had been here, he would probably have been the same.


    The Emperor was sick. The rumor which was thought to be false was true. The Emperor¡¯s fingers trembled slightly while holding the teacup. There was also an awkwardness in the simple movement of putting down the ss after drinking the tea. His right eyelid drooped further down than the left, making him look ufortable. Whenever the Emperor took a deep breath, there was a rough sound from his chest.


    Lara recalled what she had experienced in the past. When she was acting as a fake saintess, she was an immature youngdy who was not interested in the world. And yet, she still remembered when the most powerful man on the continent died.


    There was a deep regret over the Emperor¡¯s face even while pouring out mischievous jokes. He put down the teacup he was drinking out of and spoke heavily.


    ¡°I will probably die soon.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You will live a long life.¡±


    Lara refuted what he said. There was no sign of difficulty or hesitation in her words. As if she was questioning what kind of nonsense he was spouting, she said it very clearly.


    ¡°You will be fine for the next 20 years.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°I know because I¡¯m a saintess.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. No matter how omnipotent God is, the human lifespan is¡­¡±


    The Emperor stopped mid-sentence andughed. Lara quietly drank her tea, not saying anything more than that.


    The Emperor would soon copse. Before the end of this year, he would suddenly copse and be unconscious, being in a life-or-death situation. That was what Lara remembered.


    The Emperor thought that Lara had lied to cheer him up.


    ¡°What do you think of my son, saintess.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯ll be a heroic Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see him as a man?¡±


    ¡°I know he¡¯s a man.¡±


    ¡°Wicked.¡±


    If Acerus had said he loved the saintess, he would have helped at all costs. The Emperor smacked his lips out of regret and asked again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need a stepdad?¡±


    ¡°Did mother refuse your matchmaking?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t. She did meet the Duke. In just a day, they became very good business partners. She asked for permission to set up a branch on his duchy. They really hit it off in that aspect.¡±


    I knew it.


    Laraughed lightly. the Emperor took that opportunity and suddenly asked.


    ¡°Tell me about Eunice Dvonn.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Thedy whom Acerus cannot live without. He must have been firmly dumped¡­ It¡¯s already shameful enough that he was dumped, but he even cried a river. He¡¯s really killing me. I want to know how great thedy who abandoned my excellent son after ying with him is.¡±


    Lara was speechless. With a still smiling face, she only moved her lips and asked.


    ¡°He cried a river?¡±


    ¡°After getting to be a parent, I can know when my child cried. Even if he doesn¡¯t weep or shed any tears, I still get this feeling, like, ¡®That punk is crying and throwing a fit.¡¯¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, they had a clean break up¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you know that Acerus has secretly assigned an escort for Young Lady Dvonn?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Did you also know about the fact that he ordered people to cover the mouths of the nobles when it was noisy due to her scandals in Hautean?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°As soon as the Imperial family started investigating Lady Eunice, he invaded the elders¡¯ meeting and ckmailed to kill them. Do you know about that?¡±


    Now Lara really had nothing to say. She just shut her mouth. She knew to some extent that Acerus liked Eunice, but she did not know that it would be to that extent. In the first ce, Lara was more of a friend to Eunice than she was a friend to Acerus. So when Eunice said that she was okay, she did not care much. But it did not seem like it.


    ¡°He said he¡¯s going to live alone.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The only sessor of this huge Empire said that he will live alone for the rest of his life without having children.¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my brat, but he¡¯s a crazy brat.¡±


    The Emperor smirked. He continued after swallowing a sip of tea that was left in the teacup.


    ¡°Until now, I have only just been whining, so just let it flow. This is what I really want to say.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°The emunicated priests are moving with the ck sorcerers to drive out the fake saintess. That¡¯s the news.¡±


    The Emperor¡¯s familiar tone subsided. He spoke to Lara in the magnificent voice of an Emperor.


    ¡°You¡¯re what they¡¯re aiming for.¡±


    It was ridiculous. When Lara was a fake saintess, they believed that she was the real one on their own without much effort. But when she became a real saintess, she was still used as a fake saintess even when she showed a miracle and let them listen to God¡¯s voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just one or two people. And it¡¯s not only Dandelion, the local cities and other countries have gotten involved too. Thosezy priests are moving fast¡­ they are gathering people to drive out the fake saintess and to rebuild the Temple of Glory.¡±


    The Emperor reached out to the attendant. Then, the attendant who was standing behind him put a piece of paper in the hand of the Emperor.


    ¡°This has been spreading around.¡±


    The paper came to Lara¡¯s hand. It was a piece of paper with very small letters on it. Lara read the writing with a slight frown on her forehead.


    [Cry, the entrance of the abyss will open and the demon lord will ascend to thisnd. ck smoke, boiling rocks, and the red moon that desires the sun will blind you.


    The witch of greed, revolt, and rebellion will inherit the power of the demon lord and dwell in your child. Thus, the world will fall.]


    It was a prophecy. A familiar face was seen in the faintly revealed picture under the ck letters. Ady with curly hair and an oval face; it was Lara. A sharp sneer popped out of her mouth.


    [Only the Martyr of the Night will stop him. Close your eyes and seek the truth. Only those who struggle will be honored.


    [May the Sickle of the Martyr cut off the witch¡¯s heart and fall into hell with him. Thus, the world will ovee its fall and be created anew.]


    There was also a picture at the bottom. This time, it seemed a little more clear. It was a skull that covered its eyes with a cloth.


    It was Vassago.


    The demon was acting as a savior under the name of ¡®Martyr of the Night.¡¯


    ¡°What is¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s bullshit.¡±


    The Emperor gestured to the temple and said.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go ahead and tell on them?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I should.¡±


    It was a long time after their prior meeting, and it seemed like she had to run to her God and pester him.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 142

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    As soon as Lara obtained Paimon¡¯s obedience, Vassago appeared.


    Unlike Paimon, Vassago did not appear in front of her, nor could he even get out of hell yet. But despite that, he could still use his followers to exert this much influence. Honestly, Lara was amazed at the ck sorcerer¡¯s strategy in gathering the emunicated priests to make them demon worshippers and to drive the saintess¡¯ public image into that of a witch.


    After leaving the Imperial Pce, Lara returned to the temple and went straight down to the underground maze. She walked toward the ce with the two God statues.


    The old and gloomy underground maze suddenly became bright and pleasant. The newmp shone consistently and the wind blew finely. The stone walls that had copsed in several ces were cleaned up and several doors were installed in the open hallway. It was a coboration between Konny and Valentine. The then dungeon-like maze was bing a cozy hideout.


    After passing through several hallways, Lara entered the room with the God statue. Her God was looking her way, perhaps he had expected that she woulde. The gaze Lara felt was clear.


    Between the two statues, Lara said to the benevolent God statue, which depicted paradise.


    ¡°Should we write a prophecy too?¡±


    <For what?>


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of disgusting. Let¡¯s make something much more usible than this and spread it around, but rather than in the human realm, let¡¯s spread it around in hell. The era of the great demon lord who will chew and swallow youpetent demons in one bite wille. So just wait and calmly rinse out your throat ¡­¡±


    The more Lara grumbled, the smaller the shaking urred in Abraxas¡¯ gaze. He seemed to be smiling.


    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡±


    Even Lara¡¯s voice was filled with a hint of a smile.


    ¡°Have you gained a lot of karma?¡±


    Lara asked. She sounded like a private loan shark who came to find the money she had entrusted. God could not erase the smile from his voice again this time.


    <Is there anything you want?>


    Lara¡¯s gaze, which was facing the God statue, went slightly down and stayed on the paper containing the demon¡¯s prophecy.


    ¡®Demon lord will ascend¡¯


    It was probably referring to Demian, a candidate for the demon lord on the ground. And the witch of greed, revolt and rebellion, who inherits the power of the demon, would have been a reference to Lara herself.


    ¡°Abraxas.¡±


    <I¡¯m listening.>


    Lara lifted her red eyes and looked alternately at the two God statues and the murals painted behind them.


    ¡°I want the truth.¡±


    Lara¡¯s voice had a low echo. Perhaps because she was in an underground space, and perhaps her voice was subdued to hide the trembling.


    ¡°Am I really a saintess?¡±


    Lara briefly swallowed her breath and closed her eyes before asking God.


    ¡°Am I really the vicegerent for your God side, and not the vicegerent for your demon side?¡±


    <Lara.>


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    Abraxas was a God, but he was also a demon. Perhaps he was the God of demons. Or he could be an illusion created by humans. He defined himself as a ¡®forgotten God¡¯ and Lara did not miss it.


    ¡°God is someone who should be fair to the world. When you fell in love with the saintess so much that the bnce of the world tilted, you told me that you created the demon lord to correct the tilted weight of the world.¡±


    Lara ruminated over and over the story, and she had one question.


    ording to the records, the saintesses had always been hunted by demons every time. Therefore, the first saintess who Abraxas loved would have also fallen prey to the demon lord. And after the death of the saintess, it was only right for the world to regain its bnce, and the second and third saintesses would not have been needed.


    However, the saintesses continued to be born and were continuously hunted time and time again. What was the reason? Lara long pondered to find the answer.


    ¡°I suddenly thought of this. You¡­may have changed their fate to avenge the demon lord and the world who killed the saintess you loved.¡±


    Lara¡¯s voice had no hesitation. God was silent.


    ¡°Those who were born with their fate as saintesses were called demon lords and those born with their fate as demon lords were called saintesses. You killed them over and over again so that the tragedy that happened to the first saintess kept repeating itself with the victim and perpetrator reversed¡­¡±


    Perhaps the grieving God forgot his duty and continued his selfish revenge against the will of the world.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it you who desperately need a vicegerent, and not the demons? Because now they could not ascend or exert influence directly as they used to.¡±


    <Lara.>


    ¡°So, tell me. Now that you have enough karma to tell me the truth. Am I the saintess of God or the saintess of the demon? If not¡­¡±


    This was the reason she cherished and cherished the karma she got from Lilith and Paimon. Lara wanted the truth. She wanted to hear the secrets of the world directly from God.


    <You¡¯re¡­>


    A subtle light leaked from the two God statues that symbolized Abraxas. Lara heard the voice of God, feeling that the two God statues were looking at her at the same time.


    <Thest saintess.>


    The first saintess was born with a mission to guide humans to paradise. But she monopolized God¡¯s love for her and lost her heart to the hands of the demon lord.


    The God who lost the saintess fell into immeasurable grief. He tried to fight against the will of the world to find back the saintess and he tried to abandon his position as God to get the saintess back.


    God was going mad, he was drowning in sorrow. The world without the saintess meant nothing to him. As God¡¯s heart left, the world began to die little by little. Fairies ceased to exist, magic disappeared, and the power of God that surrounded the world was taken away.


    Hell was getting closer. The sneaky demons noticed that the human realm they were looking for was just around the corner. This was their opportunity. The demons, who had been trapped in hell for hundreds of years, had a desire to someday climb into God¡¯s realm. But they first had to conquer the human realm, the bridgehead to the God¡¯s realm.


    The demons first created demon worshippers using ck sorcerers. They brainwashed and dominated humans, colored their souls dirty and ugly. Thus, the will of the world was forced to create a fake saintess to correct the bnce on behalf of the crazy God.


    Among humans, those with outstanding faith were chosen. They could have made a miracle happen, and they had long been called saints or saintesses and fought with demon worshippers.


    And all of them failed.


    As Lara said, God came to be angry with the actions of the will of the world. And so he took a part of his body and made the demon lord to punish the fake saintess.


    ¡°Please tell me.¡±


    Lara asked.


    ¡°Am I a saintess chosen by you, or am I another scapegoat made by the will of the world?¡±


    God said.


    <You were made by the will of the world. A sacrifice, made to appease me.>


    A great sadness of unknown depth flowed from within him. Lara realized that she was thest saintess created by the will of the world to appease the crazy God.


    ¡°Show me.¡±


    Lara¡¯s voice was slightly cracked. She softly held the God statue¡¯s hand. As God looked at her through the statue, she told him.


    ¡°The first saintess.¡±


    Suddenly, Lara¡¯s vision was mixed up. She felt as if she was floating, as though her body had fallen and was sinking into deep water. Lara noticed that Abraxas wanted to show her memories of the first saintess. So she rxed her shoulders and left her body to him.


    A temple made of white bricks could be seen on a beautiful hill. The roof was as blue as the clear sky and a bell rang clear from a tall tower. It was a mystical ce. Water with silver glitters fell from the empty air and fairies were sliding in it, flowers that forgot the season were in full bloom, and a translucent lion of God attended the saintess.


    The first saintess lived in a house created by God, looking only at beautiful and pretty things.


    It was a familiar ce. Lara noticed that it was the sanctum she often visited. It was so magnificent and beautiful at the time when God and the first saintess stayed. But now, only traces remain.


    The first saintess was ying with the fairies, she looked back.


    ¡°Abraxas.¡±


    Her light brown hair was gently curled. Her hair was a color that looked like it had been torn from wet wood. As the wind blew and gently swayed her hair, fragrant petals fluttered and fell from her hair. Her red lips smelled like peaches, and her sweet scarlet eyes suppressed deep affection.


    It was a feeling far from a devotion towards a God. The first saintess had the same face as Lara, and she truly loved God.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    The saintess got off from the fairies and approached Abraxas. He said.


    ¡°The Gods keep whining so I think I will have to go up for a while. I have been staying in this world for so long that it¡¯s gotten noisy up there¨Cin many ways.¡±


    ¡°Do I have to wait long?¡±


    ¡°I will be back soon.¡±


    The first saintess nodded. But Lara did not believe Abraxas.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    The saintess had a foreboding of a long wait.


    ¡°Come back safely.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°I will wait here.¡±


    The first saintess slightly raised her head. God¡¯s appearance was reflected in her clear scarlet eyes.


    The vision came to that length. After returning to reality, Lara held her breath for a moment before saying.


    ¡°So you could note back. Because the saintess died while you ascended to the God realm.¡±


    God did not answer.


    ¡°Did you think that if you made me look like her, you would treat me like her and prevent the destruction?¡±


    There was still no answer from God.


    Now she got it. Lara, who should have been born as a demon lord, appeared with the face of the saintess and was given the role of bringing the mad God back to sanity. In the process, she had to die once. After returning to the past, she was determined to save the world and jumped into such a dangerous path.


    Despite all this being done by God and that damned will of the world, the innocent saintesses still worshiped them and have continued to die.


    ¡°Demian¡­¡±


    Tears welled up in Lara¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Because he¡¯s your other self, he has no choice but to love me.¡±


    <Lara, he¡­>


    ¡°That¡¯s why he has the same face as you. Tell me. Would Demian have loved me even if he was not your other self? Even when I came back to the past and met him again, he said he fell in love with me as soon as he saw me. It was the same in my previous life, too. He said he could not resist it¡­ like it was fate.¡±


    Tears fell down her face. Lara saw Abraxas¡¯ face reflected in the eyes of the saintess in the vision.


    Pale skin, hair as ck as the night sky, blue shining eyes, and wickedly red lips.


    It was Demian.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 143

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Aftering out of the basement, Lara did note out of her room for a while. Konny knocked on the door several times with something for her to eat, but it was useless.


    ¡°What should I do? She¡¯s been starving all day long¡­¡±


    Demian found Konny stomping her feet in front of the door and approached her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Lara?¡±


    ¡°She said she had something to think about.¡±


    Would it be better not to disturb her then?


    When Demian stood at the door and rubbed his chin with a serious face, Konny quickly added.


    ¡°As soon as she met His Imperial Majesty, she went down to the basement. She hasn¡¯te up for a while ever since.¡±


    ¡°The basement?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but after she came up, she went into her room and hasn¡¯t said a word until now¡­¡±


    So she met her God.


    Demian was able to guess that fact without difficulty.


    ¡°Lara, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Demian stood outside the door and talked to Lara. Her room was very quiet. Konny looked at the door and Demian with drooping eyes, alternating between them. Lara did not seem to be sleeping. Worried about her, Demian opened the door and tried to enter, but a very subdued voice was heard.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Konny is worried.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just want to be alone for a while. Please.¡±


    Demian did not force open the door to Lara¡¯s room. She said she wanted to be alone in this house, and no one could interrupt that time. Instead, he stood in front of Lara¡¯s room and waited for a long time. Until the time would change and the night was over. Until Lara opened the door and came out.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    It was early dawn. The dark sky turned blue, and Lara had been deep in thought all night. When she opened the door and came outside, Demian had been sitting in a chair brought by Konny and stared hard at her room.


    His eyes were too clear for someone who just pulled an all-nighter.


    ¡°Demian? What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I have been waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°What kind of foolish act is this? There are so many other rooms in this house¡­¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    He smiled and said.


    ¡°There¡¯s no ce in this house for me to be without you.¡±


    What a fool.


    Lara blinked quickly. She held Demian¡¯s hand, raised him up, and hurriedly held him in her arms. Otherwise, she felt like crying.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Over time, the day came for the delegation from the Eastern Union to return to their ownnd. They had to return while being surveilled like criminals being kicked out. Prince Nichs headed to Lafort with Demian, the mighty warrior of the saintess.


    Paimon¡¯s rebellion was stronger than Demian¡¯s. Heined that he did not want to be separated from Lara, he did not want to be away from Lara for even for a moment. After seeing him, Vc hinted that he was scared of being caught and torn to death by another demon lord candidate.


    On the day they left, Lara came out after shutting herself away for a few days. She held Demian¡¯s hand and told him.


    ¡°Demian, I will make you a hero.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Demian had a look asking her ¡®where did thate from all of a sudden.¡¯ He thought Lara was joking. However, Lara recalled the oath she made with her heart after returning to the past.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I decided to do in this life. So don¡¯t say anything and just do what I tell you to do.¡±


    ¡°Of course, saintess.¡±


    ¡°First, drive out the ck sorcerers and demon worshippers in Sias and help Prince Nichs be the sessor to the throne of Sias. After that, announce that demon-worshipping forces are dominating Lafort¡­¡±


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to be the hero of the East?¡±


    Demian asked. He was wearing armor and a cloak that Isadora purchased at an expensive price, and a royal sword bestowed by the King of Hautean around his waist. When he was told to wear it, he grumbled, saying it was cumbersome. But when he finished preparing, he gave an overwhelming feeling like a ck knight that appeared only in legends. His shoulders were decorated with red epaulet, symbolizing the saintess Lara. And his waist was covered with a leather weapon band mainly used by Barbarians.


    Lara replied to him.


    ¡°No, not just in the East. I hope you can be the hero of the whole continent. So that one day, when you take over thewless zone with the Barbarians, instead of being called the King of Ouws, I want you to be called a heroic king who saved the world from destruction.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m going to live there too.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Demian nodded. Then, he gave a deep kiss to her cheek and whispered.


    ¡°Forget being king, I can even be an Emperor if you want.¡±


    Lara raised her head. His lips that touched her cheek naturally covered her lips. She wrapped her arms around Demian¡¯s neck and left her body to his body¡¯s scent. It was a kiss full of sorrow. Demian did not know how to get away from her at all.


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    Lara called his name.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Come back safely.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°I will wait here.¡±


    Her chest was hot. Love, which used to make her feel only sweet and pleasant feelings, was now painful and bitter.


    Lara stood on the hill where the sanctum was and watched Demian leave. She stood there for a long time.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The long-standing spring season had finally passed, and the beginning of summer began with the sound of thunderous rain. It snowed a lot in the winter and it rained even more in the summer.


    Demian went to the East. Contrary to Lara¡¯s advice, he waited and did not immediately dispose of the demon worshippers. It was Paimon who took action first. He ordered the ck sorcerers who followed him to rebel in Lafort.


    The three Eastern countries were then shocked by the rebellion of the ck sorcerers in Lafort and were confused. Demian took that chance and took Nichs to Sias. Then, he borrowed Sias¡¯ military power to overpower the traitors in Lafort.


    Nichs became the head of the Eastern Union, and at the same time, a hero who saved Lafort from the demon¡¯s grasp. Of course, it was thanks to Demian¡¯s performance, the mighty warrior sent by the saintess.


    Nichs appealed to the three countries¡ªLafort, Sias, and Moltan. He shouted that the opponents they had to fight against were ck sorcerers and demon worshippers, and since the Barbarians on the border were blocking the demon from ascending under the order of the saintess, they should work together.


    Besides being diplomatic, Nichs had such a widework of people that even the Emperor and Lara acknowledged. To the general public, he appealed with tears pretending to be a righteous member of a royal family, but behind the scenes, he met with very powerful people from each country and persuaded them that the continental territory would revolve around the saintess.


    The great demon war.


    War was a tragedy, but for some, it was a great opportunity. The powerful people in the East immediately fell into their thoughts. What, where, who, and how much to bet on to gain more benefits. The lead may have already been taken away by the Tarragon Empire, but should the runner-up not be the East? To do so, one country would be better than three divided countries.


    That was how the East merged.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be flooded at this rate. It pours out for three days, clears up for one day, pours out for three days, and clears up for one day. When theundry is dry¡­ It gets wet. When theundry is about to dry¡­ It gets wet again. This is getting on my nerves.¡±


    It was a huge rainy season, enough to cool down even the summer heat.


    Konny hung from the carriage window and looked outside. It was raining so much that rainwater was flowing down from the carriage roof as if the bank had burst.


    ¡°We have arrived!¡±


    The coachman shouted louder than usual. The sound of the rain was so loud that his voice could not be heard clearly. As soon as Lara got off the carriage, she ran quickly.


    ¡°Mdy! The umbre.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Hurry and run!¡±


    Konny quickly followed with an umbre but Lara was already running so far ahead.


    They arrived at the Lara¡¯s Garden hotel. The hotel lobby had always been crowded. But due to the pouring rain piercing out of the sky, silence flowed and the usual hectess was nowhere to be found. Lara tapped her wet skirt to shake off the water and entered the hotel. Sebastian had been waiting for her at the entrance, he approached her with a quick step.


    ¡°Mdy, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always the same. The item requested by mdy is said to have been safely installed in the riverside manor in Hautean. The wolves in charge of transporting it decided to stay in Hautean to protect the manor.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°And I have obtained all the diamonds you asked for. I will deliver it to Valentine on my own, so mdy, you can conclude the negotiations with His Imperial Highness Acerus.¡±


    ¡°How much should I get?¡±


    ¡°How much do you want to get?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need money or anything. Territory and titles are also a nuisance¡­ I think I should get a license for free trade throughout the entire Empire.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a great merchant¡¯s mindset.¡±


    Sebastian looked at Lara with a proud face.


    ¡°Where¡¯s mother?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s having fun.¡±


    ¡°Again?¡±


    ¡°She has gotten into parentingte and now she cannot get out of it.¡±


    ¡°It seems that I have done something unnecessary.¡±


    As Lara sighed heavily, Sebastianughed and patted her shoulder.


    ¡°But it¡¯s okay because she¡¯s enjoying it. You¡¯re helping me a lot for work, mdy.¡±


    Lara went up to the top floor of the hotel with Konny. The outside air was so damp that moisture would stick in one¡¯s eyebrows, but a pleasant atmosphere hovered around inside. The carpetsid out in the hallway were fluffily arranged and a warm air flowed slowly.


    Lara entered the drawing-room and searched for Isadora.


    ¡°Mother, where are you?¡±


    Isadora was sitting in front of arge desk by the window. Though there was a pile of documents that had not yet been processed, Isadora was not working. Her hand that was holding a pen was drooping on the desk and her tired-looking eyes were full of sleepiness.


    Lara¡¯s mother was dozing off. She stood there and blinked her eyes still. Sebastian, who followed her, cleared his throat.


    Isadora was not alone. Now, the giant of fire that had grown as big as a young puppy was sitting on Isadora¡¯sp, dozing off with the same posture and expression.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 144 - Barbarians Know Love

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Isadora felt Sebastian and Lara gazing at her. Barelying to her senses, she spoke as if giving an excuse.¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s warm¡­¡±


    Looking at her mother raising her hand naturally and petting the giant of fire, Lara just smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice that it¡¯s not humid.¡±


    ¡°Right? It¡¯s warm and fluffy just being with it. If it keeps raining like this, my body will shrink even if the weather isn¡¯t cold. But thanks to the giant, I can take a long nap.¡¯


    ¡°I have a lot of work due to Madam Isadora cking off.¡±


    ¡°I will raise your sry.¡±


    Isadora blocked Sebastian¡¯s whining with a wage increase and rose from the chair with the giant of fire in her arms. Sebastian hummed pleasantly when Isadora said that she would raise his sry and went outside.


    The giant of fire leaned against Isadora¡¯s arm likeundry and did not think of getting up. Every time it breathed, a small me fluttered and then subsided.


    ¡°This guy has been sleeping a lottely.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still growing. Kids grow a lot when they sleep.¡±


    ¡°Did I do that, too?¡±


    ¡°You have no such thing as growing pains. You were so good at holding back your pain that I wouldn¡¯t even know if you were sick.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite foolish.¡±


    ¡°That part of you resembles me.¡±


    ¡°Is there a part of me that doesn¡¯t resemble you?¡±


    As Lara asked with a smile, Isadora looked at her with a bewildered face. Lara, who had difficulty getting along with her mother even after returning to the past, had now acted as if she were treating a friend with a big age difference.


    Isadora sat on the sofa opposite Lara with the giant of fire still in her arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m a simple person. I get angry when I¡¯m angry and Iugh when I¡¯m happy. Do you know what Eunice and Ximena say whenever they meet me? They¡¯ve been going crazy because they don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking these days¡­¡±


    ¡°But I think I¡¯m on the simple side. And you shouldn¡¯t say that. Since I was young, I have always wondered what you were thinking at the moment.¡±


    ¡°I bet I wasn¡¯t even thinking about anything.¡±


    ¡°Same goes for me right now.¡±


    The mother and daughter sat face to face and talked for a while. From petty chatter to the Empire¡¯s trend, to the Eastern Union, to Barbarians on the border, then to Eunice¡¯s free-spirited love history, constant stories flowed out of their mouths.


    ¡°I guess there¡¯s a strange rumor going around after Crown Prince Acerus broke up with Eunice, he¡¯s living alone like a monk practicing asceticism.


    ¡°You mean the story of how Eunice Dvonn is a shackle-like woman who can hush down Acerus Elin Tarragon¡¯s flirtiness?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But¡­ after hearing the rumor, I guess Crown Prince Acerus¡¯ ex-lovers tried to harass Eunice. They must have felt jealous.¡±


    ¡°Harass Eunice?¡±


    ¡°They ordered thieves to steal her things¡­ Whenever they meet her at the banquets, they make fun of her and bully her. A few days ago, they said that all the escorts Eunice carried were prostitutes brought from Hautean.¡±


    ¡°How cute.¡±


    ¡°They also said that Crown Prince Acerus hasn¡¯t been in his right mind after being bewitched by a bumpkin temptress.¡±


    ¡°They must have nothing to do. I hope someone can grab their hair and drag them to clean this hotel.¡±


    Isadora snorted. Lara also smiled still and said while looking at the giant of fire who just woke up and stretched its short arms and legs.


    ¡°I heard that Ximena grabbed someone¡¯s hair.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Someone stepped on Eunice¡¯s foot and made her trip and fall. Ximena is not someone who would just stand back and watch. I heard she grabbed her hair and shook it up and down until her wig fell off¡­ Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    Lara realized that Isadora was staring at her.


    ¡°Who would she have learned that from?¡±


    ¡°Not me.¡±


    ¡°Me neither.¡±


    The giant of fire rubbed its face with its short arms to defeat its sleepiness and looked at the mother and daughter alternately. When it opened its eyes, the warm energy became stronger.


    Lara took off her coat and shoes and sat down with her legs raised on the sofa like Isadora. Then, the giant of fire moved to Lara from Isadora¡¯s knees and sank down.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be ill-mannered.¡±


    ¡°Who raised it to be like this?¡±


    It was raining heavily outside. A warm and cute existence sat on Lara¡¯s knee to dry the moisture. As time passed, Konny appeared with arge tray. Isadora and Lara¡¯s favorite snacks were served on the table.


    ¡°How was I when I was young?¡±


    ¡°You were a really naughty kid. For a kid, you had a really picky taste. You hated every nanny you had, so much that you cried.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°You were so good at talking, and you weren¡¯t even talkative.¡±


    Though the topic warranted disapproval, a faint smile grew on Isadora¡¯s face.


    ¡°If I knew that God would be greedy, I would have raised you in my arms more. No matter how busy with my work I was, I should not have left you to the Marquess and nanny.¡±


    ¡°Why is it your fault?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    When Lara mumbled that she grew well even if she were alone, Isadora asked.


    ¡°So what kind of trouble are you going to make this time?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Children alwayse to visit their parents like this and imitate good children before they do something bad. I¡¯m not that old yet, so don¡¯t treat me like a bad-tempered olddy and be honest.¡±


    Why can¡¯t I ever deceive my mother?


    Lara hesitated and spoke at once as if she had made up her mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go catch someone.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°A demon.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°The border.¡±


    Isadora shut up for a moment. She looked like she did not know how to treat her daughter, who said she was going to catch the demon as if she were going to rescue a street cat.


    ¡°Will it take a long time? Is it not dangerous? Who are you going with?¡±


    Demian was dispatched to the East so there was no one reliable to protect Lara. Acerus was a Crown Prince so she could not order him as she pleased. Isadora was worried, but Lara smiled and said.


    ¡°It won¡¯t take too long. I can ask other people to do the dangerous parts. And I will go with Valentine and Vc.¡±


    Lara said that she would go catch Vassago, the one who was after her and was spreading fake prophecies.


    After the prophecy began to get popr, there was no ¡®appropriate¡¯ or ¡®medium¡¯ in the gazes the people gave toward Lara. people either called her a ¡®great saintess¡¯ or a ¡®cunning viiness.¡¯ Numerous misunderstandings produced spection and were epted as the truth. The demon¡¯s prophecy that the Emperor had shown Lara wandered around here and there as if it was a revtion from God. From the poor and under-privileged people to the greedy rich people, quite a few people began to doubt the saintess.


    Lara looked at it all with a calm eye. She did not smile at those who blindly followed her and she did not get angry at those who despised her. She just watched them silently.


    She was just wondering if all of this was a direct order from Vassago, or if it was nned by the ck sorcerers and demon worshippers who followed him.


    The more obvious the trick was, the better it worked. People were much simpler than they thought and they were more enthusiastic about ndering than praising others. When the target was a young saintess who was only in her early 20s, it would be easier to talk away.


    If they recklessly undermined the saintess who appeared with light, it would be obvious that a bacsh would ur. So, they made it soints would creep out from the bottom.


    Why do we need a saintess? Nothing has changed, not in poverty, nor pain, nor fear. What has she done for us? Isn¡¯t a saintess just someone chosen by luck? She¡¯s not a spokesperson for the marginalized. Why should we praise and respect such a woman? It¡¯s tremendous luck to be chosen by God, so it¡¯s only natural for her to sacrifice herself for us. The saintess is just doing what she has to do, so why do we have topliment her when it¡¯s already difficult for us to live? On second thought, there¡¯s nothing much to sacrifice. In a world where fake things lord over, a saintess is also no different. We never know. Perhaps she¡¯s a viiness or a witch who¡¯s acting as a saintess.


    They whispered like that.


    After having a downpour so hard that it was enough to worry about flooding, the rain had finally stopped. As the wet weather began to subside, so too did summer begin to pass, this time feeling shorter than ever.<b> Barbarians Know Love</b>


    ¡°Eat this.¡±


    A rough hand full of wounds popped up in front of Lara. On the hand was arge and appetizing apple, but the hand of the person holding it was so big that it looked like a round jujube fruit.


    When Lampion suddenly appeared and offered an apple, Lara, who was standing with her back against the bright sun, pretended to be coy and asked sharply.


    ¡°Is it the first crop of this year?¡±


    ¡°So picky!¡±


    Lampionughed out loud and put the apple in Lara¡¯s hand. Then, he gave strength to his shoulders and went back to hisrades with a runny nose.


    Even though it seems like summer had just passed a few days ago, the trees had already bore apples. Recalling the unusually cold dawn wind, Lara took a big bite of the apple.


    Crunch.


    Next to Lara, Konny swallowed her own saliva. She said as if she were pestering her.


    ¡°Mdy, is it delicious? Huh? Has it already ripened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not good.¡±


    The apple was not delicious. Lara smiled awkwardly and spat out the apple behind Lampion¡¯s back.


    After that, Domino appeared and gave Lara a yellow chrysanthemum. And at night, Oscar came running and handed her a hair essory, she did not know where he got it.


    ¡°Konny, do they still not know that Demian and I are lovers?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think so.¡±


    ¡°Nobody told them?¡±


    ¡°Oh, dear. What about you? But why would you tell them that?¡±


    Konnyughed and made a fuss. She made a pretty crown by arranging the yellow chrysanthemum brought by Domino into Oscar¡¯s hair essory and putting it on Lara¡¯s head.


    On the day when summer ended and autumn began, Lara came to the Eastern border by using the magic circle for long-distance travel in the underground maze. It was the ancient site chosen by the Barbarians, who had fought several fierce battles with demon worshippers.


    Originally, Lara was only going to bring Valentine and Vc, but she could not leave Konny when shey down in front of her room. So, her party increased by one.


    Vassago still had not ascended to the human realm. His followers must have offered enough sacrifices in the meantime, but seeing that he was still not ascending, he seemed to be a very cautious demon.


    ¡°This is not the time to hang out like this.¡±


    Early in the morning, those who attacked one of the hideouts of the demon worshippers captured a ck sorcerer in it. As soon as the hideout was discovered, the ck sorcerer tried tomit suicide, but she was caught up by Vc who had experience in that field. She was taken in a very healthy state without even getting to bite her tongue.


    Lara walked slowly to the warehouse where she was locked up.


    ¡°Saintess!¡±


    Vc, who was watching the ck sorcerer, jumped up and made way for Lara.


    ¡°Did she say anything?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing. She¡¯s going to bite her tongue as soon as the gag is released, so unless she¡¯s brainwashed¡­¡±


    Lara nodded. The ck sorcerer that was captured this time was a young woman. Vassago¡¯s symbol and words worshiping him were written down in the hideout and the hair of the dead was collected to make an idol.


    Lara asked.


    ¡°Do you like Vassago that much?¡±


    The woman, who was staring at Lara with red-colored eyes, struggled with a growling sound like a beast. Soon after, unbelievable words came out of Lara¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Shall I make him ascend?¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 145

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    After biting the gag, the ck sorcerer¡¯s mouth ripped and musty blood seeped out. Vc clicked his tongue and said.


    ¡°I captured her without any wounds, but this stupid sorcerer¡¯s still going wild and getting herself hurt.¡±


    Then, Lara said to the ck sorcerer.


    ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of cooperating, blink or nod. You¡¯d better not refuse. You may want to bite your tongue and die but I know a lot of ways to keep you intact.¡±


    Though her exnation was long, Lara¡¯s attitude was lukewarm. No matter what the ck sorcerer decided, it was not much different. No matter how hard the ck sorcerer struggled, Lara did not even react to her and said what she wanted to say.


    ¡°I know how you feel when you worship demons, but how long do you want to wait for that cold-hearted guy? He¡¯s not ascending no matter how much you offer the sacrifices. You know what? You underlings that act passively are not attractive. You have to move on your own without being told what to do to prove your usefulness.¡±


    A bit of ridicule from her tone and an attitude as if it was troublesome for her. Lara was opening her mouth out of obligation.


    ¡°Do you know that Vassago is a candidate for the demon lord of this generation?¡±


    At first, the ck sorcerer did not seem to listen to Lara no matter what she said. But after listening to that, her eyes flinched noticeably.


    ¡°Do you know the sacrifice that he needs is a ck sorcerer? So far, you have only offered either people or innocent animals, then, you request him to ascend right away, right? You haven¡¯t even thought about offering yourself.¡±


    Cling!


    Cling!


    The chains wrapped around the ck sorcerer¡¯s hands and feet shook violently.


    ¡°I¡¯m a saintess, but I¡¯m not the saintess that people think of. I think you probably know that better than I do.¡±


    Lara unfolded the crumpled prophecy in front of the ck sorcerer. It was a prophecy that undermined the saintess, written by them under Vassago¡¯s revtion. For the first time since they gleamed with madness, the woman¡¯s eyes shook anxiously.


    ¡°Let¡¯s exchange what we want.¡±


    Lara said.


    ¡°Be the sacrifice. Then, I will make Vassago ascend.¡±


    The ck sorcerer, who was mumbling as if she was biting the gag, bowed her head. She rolled her eyes and fell into thought. Lara could tell that much without having to check, she told her that she would give her plenty of time to think. After Lara stepped back, Vc approached her and whispered.


    ¡°If she bes a sacrifice, she will die¡­ Will she cooperate?¡±


    ¡°She will do it.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how worshiping works.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°A demon who feeds off his own pride like you wouldn¡¯t know, but that¡¯s what worshiping is. It¡¯s reckless that they are willing to give up not only their own lives but also other people¡¯s lives. Why else would demons imitate religion instead of making their worshippers be like a state or army?¡±


    ¡°Haa¡­¡±


    ¡°Now she¡¯s going to ask.¡±


    ¡°Ask what?¡±


    Vc was genuinely curious. His master seemed to be a saintess only on the outside, and he really wanted to know what she was thinking. It seemed like it was the same for the captured ck sorcerer.


    The ck sorcerer contemted with her head down, then she raised her head and blinked at Lara.


    ¡°Release her gag.¡±


    When Lara gave out her orders, Vc approached the ck sorcerer with an uneasy look and loosened the gag in her mouth. The gag was dampened by blood and saliva and spilled on the ground. Vc could not stand it and took out his handkerchief to wipe his hands.


    The ck sorcerer was still staring at Lara.


    ¡°Saintess¡­ Lara.¡±


    A hoarse voice came out of the ck sorcerer¡¯s mouth, like a boy in puberty.


    ¡°When His Lordship ascends, you will all be torn to death. You¡¯ll be a handful of blood and seep under the ground! The luxury and glory that you¡¯ve enjoyed so far will disappear¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Are you going to cooperate?¡±


    ¡°What a fool! You talk carelessly when you don¡¯t even know how terrifying a demon lord is! The God you serve won¡¯t even be worthy enough to be his mouthwash!¡±


    ¡°I got it.¡±


    She could just say that she would cooperate but she kept saying something else. As Lara was bored by the ck sorcerer, she approached her closely and said.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be the sacrifice, right?¡±


    ¡°I have a question.¡±


    ¡°Took you long enough to ask.¡±


    ¡°What are you up to? How can a saintess help the ascension of the demon lord¡­¡±


    It was natural for the ck sorcerer to express her doubts. Of course, Lara did not intend to exin honestly.


    ¡°Look carefully.¡±


    Instead, Lara put Vc in front of the ck sorcerer and ordered him with a gesture. Then, Vc revealed his teeth to the ck sorcerer. His ordinary-looking fangs grew long and popped out like a beast. Red energy lingered around his eyes and there was a strong smell of blood.


    The ck sorcerer looked at Vc in disbelief.


    ¡°A¡­ a demon?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m a great noble from hell.¡±


    ¡°Not a ything for the saintess?¡±


    The ck sorcerer shouted like a scream.


    ¡°What are you thinking? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re carrying a demon around¡­ Are you trying to be the demon lord?¡±


    Lara did not answer this time either.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    What are you going to do by ascending a demon? How are you going to deal with the situation if something dangerous happens? Are there any good ways to make demons obey you?


    The Barbarians had never asked her such things, not Domino, not Lampion, not even Oscar. They just epted it and refrained from interfering with Lara¡¯s work. Their main concern was just letting Lara know that Demian was the coolest Barbarian in the world.


    ¡°Lara!¡±


    As autumn officially began, Lara and the Barbarians gradually got used to and got closer to each other. Lara realized that the Barbarians were just ordinary people without anything special, and the Barbarians found that Lara was a much more honest and simple person than they thought.


    ¡°Lara,e here!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°The altar is ready!¡±


    ¡°Already?¡±


    Lara asked Oscar to create an altar simr to those used by ck sorcerers in a closed ce outside the ancient sites. Oscar took Lampion and Domino, and with their incredible power and strength, they built a usible altar by stackingrge logs like stairs.


    ¡°I often see it so I know how it looks like.¡±


    ¡°You really worked hard.¡±


    ¡°Not really. Do you need anything else?¡±


    ¡°When it¡¯s midnight, the ritual will start. Please step back from a distance and run to me if anything happens.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Though he wanted to, Domino was not permitted to watch the ritual from a close distance. If he did, there was a possibility that Vassago would ascend to the wrong person.


    ¡®So what?¡¯


    Lampion reacted as such to Domino. He looked forward to Vassago¡¯s arrival, and to the fight between the demon and the Barbarians. He wanted to see how strong Vassago was.


    Lara focused on decorating the altar until midnight. She hung a huge tapestry with Vassago¡¯s symbol and drew a summoning circle on the altar using the blood of a beast. The old book that Valentine found underground had a lot to do with demons and hell, so she got a lot of help from him.


    Lara¡¯s undone long hair, coupled with her rubbing her sleepy eyes and delicately drawing the demon¡¯s symbol, resembled the witch that Vassago spoke of through the prophecy.


    ¡°Is, is it going to be okay?¡±


    Valentine asked with a terrified look. Then, Konny patted him on the shoulder and said.


    ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t know how great of a demon that samba is or whatever, but he¡¯s not a match for mdy.¡±


    It was almost midnight. Lara set up a fiercely burning torch and began the ritual. There were only Lara, Vc, and the ck sorcerer to be sacrificed there.


    ¡°Vc.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The tightly tied-up ck sorcerer was lifted on the symbol painted with red blood. She was drunk on madness. She continued to mutter words of unknown meaning, saying that she was able to summon the object she was worshiping with her own body. Her mouth was torn apart and covered with wounds, yet she stillughed with a weird face. Looking at her, Vc rubbed his arms while saying that he just got goosebumps.


    After getting ready, Lara looked at the dark sky with a short dagger in one hand. Numerous stars were swirling over her head. As she stared at the night sky that seemed to be in the shape of a vortex, she thought that, somewhere high over there, her God would be looking at what she would do.


    Abraxas¡­ He might be sad.


    Lara tasted death once in her previous life. It was painful, but she was able to endure it because she was the one who chose her own death. The same goes for when she was busying herself, and how she would correct her mistakes after returning to the past.


    While facing the faults that she wanted to hide, Lara was still able to move enthusiastically. She thought it would be different this time. It was all right to be criticized or to jump into dangerous things. It was fine to have more people to take responsibility for and to take on troublesome tasks. Because it was her choice.


    But all of that was the result of the mad God and the will of the world controlling her fate as they liked.


    ¡®I won¡¯t be swayed anymore.¡¯


    Lara decided to throw her fate away. Saintess or demon lord, both were fine either way. She did not want to surrender herself. Given birth to and taken away by death,ing back and bing a saintess again. What was this all about?


    She would do her best to prevent destruction, but she would not be a pawn that would move as God or the will of the world told her to. If necessary, she would even hold hands with the demons. She would dly be covered with the skin of the demon lord rather than the saintess.


    Abraxas¨CShe would get away from him and take control of her fatepletely.


    Lara cut her own palm with the short dagger. Red blood flowed and fell down. Her wound quickly healed and disappeared without a trace, but residue of her red blood remained on the altar where Lara stood.


    ¡°Come out.¡±


    If it was her blood, born as the demon lord but had to be a saintess, she would be able to grab and drag out at least one heavy demon.


    Lara said.


    ¡°Come out right now.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 146

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Vassago was infamous as an insidious and prudent demon even in hell. His castle was surrounded by sixyers of walls, and unlike other demon lord candidates who owned many army corps, Vassago was famous for moving out with only a few aides on his side.


    There was a hypothesis that, if a demon was to eat a saintess, that demon could reach the Gods¡¯ realm. As such, pursuing the human realm was the fate of the demons.


    One day, it was reported to hell that a saintess had appeared in the human realm. There were demons who had persistently developed influence on the human realm through ck sorcerers and demon worshippers, and some of the impatient ones had rushed in after hearing the news.


    When it was reported that Lilith had caused a disaster and brought about the intervention of the Gods, a rather radical argument to cause an all-out war was bolstered.


    Vassago was an unusual demon. He was not very interested in the duty that demons regarded as fate. There was no desire to dominate within him, which he believed was instinctive. All he wanted was a perfect monarch.


    ¡°The powers of the demons are unbnced and hell is still imperfect. We seek to make up for that deficiency through battle and blood. It¡¯s like a really childish beast.¡±


    For Vassago, even if worthless demons ascended to the humans¡¯ realm, it would be fortunate if they did not go extinct due to the intervention of crazy Gods. He had always been spitefully telling them to get a grip.


    What hell needed was an impable demon lord. A strong, beautiful, arrogant monarch that no one could ever ovee. For such a demon lord, Vassago was confident to be his servant and submit like a ve.


    Vassago, the maverick from hell.


    He was summoned by a saintess.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Vassago, who ascended into the body of the ck sorcerer, seemed genuinely surprised. He burst intoughter at Lara, saying of his obliviousness on how it felt to be dragged by the hair.


    Lara shrugged and said.


    ¡°I heard that you are the maverick from hell. I have two bbermouth demons with me, you know?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Vassago came down from the altar and dusted down his body. He seemed fine even though he would feel imprisoned due to being forcibly summoned to a human¡¯s body.


    ¡°Will you fight with me?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, if I win, I will make you a witch and use you to humiliate the Gods.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Lara mumbled.


    ¡°But if I win, I will use you as my servant and order you to polish my shoes every morning.¡±


    In Vassago¡¯s eyes, Lara looked like an ordinary human being with no power. She did not seem like a sorcerer nor did she seem familiar with battles. But be that as it may, God did not seem to have given her a tremendous miracle to beat a demon all at once. Because if that was the case, there was no way he would not notice. Then, what made this young saintess be this confident?


    Vassago looked around. There was a parasite-like vampire nearby and several humans standing in the distance armed with weapons. However, none of them would have been able to be his opponent.


    ¡°Who should I fight with?¡±


    Vassago asked.


    Lara replied with an expressionless face.


    ¡°Fire.¡±


    The torch she had lit suddenly rose violently, casting a huge, red shadow. It was the giant of fire.


    Vassago¡¯s pupils expanded significantly.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Are there six torches there because it¡¯s a demon summoning altar?¡±


    Lampion muttered timidly, having counted the number of torches several times.


    ¡°It¡¯s ominous no matter how I look at it. Why does it have to be six? We can do five or even seven.¡±


    ¡°There he goes again.¡±


    ¡°Domino, look over there. The sky is weird too. It¡¯s ominous and really weird.¡±


    Lampion¡¯sints made sense. Even Domino said that he had never seen such a sky before. It was not a typical night sky in which stars gently spread faintly in the dark sky, but a sky in which sticky darkness seemed to flow down, swirling and devouring the stars.


    ¡°It¡¯s ominous.¡±


    While Lampion kept murmuring how ominous the sky was, Oscar approached him and covered Lampion¡¯s mouth with hisrge palm.


    ¡°Keep quiet. It¡¯s started.¡±


    The altar where Lara performed the summoning ceremony was on a stone pagoda in the corner of the ruins. Although all sides were blocked by walls, the ceiling was open, so they could still see the swaying shadow of the torch from afar. They did not know what Lara was doing there. However, they were only thinking that she was summoning a demon and would make him obey her. If things went wrong, they would run to rescue her.


    The shadow of the torch had been swaying, it rose enormously and disappeared in an instant. Domino suddenly became restless because of it. Lampion shook his legs and asked Oscar.


    ¡°Should we go now?¡±


    ¡°But she told us not toe before she calls us.¡±


    ¡°But the light is off!¡±


    ¡°She said not toe recklessly. The demon might ascend into our body!¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m still nervous! Let¡¯s send one of us to take a look. If the demones into his body, just kill him.¡±


    ¡°Are you even my friend?¡±


    A small war of words happened between Lampion, who insisted they go to Lara out of worry, Domino who was hesitating, and Oscar, who was stopping the two. Of course, it was all useless.


    ¡°Uh¡­ She¡¯sing.¡±


    They did not think they had waited for very long, but Lara was already walking towards them. Only the sounds of her footsteps were heard among the quiet grass, like gravel rolling on the water.


    Lara was not alone. There were two more demons with her. Vc, who followed closely behind her like a secretary, and another demon who followed behind with a moderate distance away. He was covered with the ck sorcerer¡¯s shell but somethingpletely different walked along with her.


    Lara approached the three Barbarians and said.


    ¡°Thank you for your help. Everything has ended well so you can sleepfortably now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s¡­¡±


    Domino, Lampion, and Oscar¡¯s eyes went to the new demon.


    Vassago was a strange demon. Unlike Paimon, who was fatally beautiful, he had an atmosphere that was difficult to express in words. Something that was not supposed to be there seemed to be inside the body of the young female ck sorcerer. Even though they were making eye contact, it didn¡¯t feel like they were looking at the ck sorcerer. Rather, it felt like they were looking into space.


    Vassago looked at the three Barbarians and soon put his hands in front of him and bowed deeply to greet them. It was a very polite and courteous gesture.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°But why¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m offended.¡±


    Domino, Oscar, and Lampion agreed that they had never received such an ufortable greeting in their lives.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Vc lived in hell and was treated like a flea and aphid. Lilith was despised and called a half-breed because she was mixed. Paimon was known as a candidate for the demon lord due to his reputation in hell, but not many demons actually expected him to be the demon lord because he was vain and impulsive.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to say it myself but I¡¯m one of the most likely candidates for the demon lord. I¡¯m in one of the top five in hell.¡±


    Vassago stood in a polite position opposite Lara and was talking to her. His body was a young female ck sorcerer, but now he looked like apletely different person. His messy hair had gotten shorter and was neater, and his hunched body was straightened out.


    Lara asked him.


    ¡°What if newses out that I made you obey me?¡±


    ¡°Then you will be a candidate for the demon lord instead of me, Master.¡±


    ¡°Even though I¡¯m not a demon?¡±


    ¡°Race does not matter. ording to the ancient records of hell, there have been several cases in which humans have be the demon lords.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s revealed that I made Paimon, Vc, who ate Lilith, and even you obey me?¡±


    Vassago slightly raised his head. A strange light grew in his eyes, it was more of a joy.


    ¡°I can assure you, Master, you will be one of the two candidates for this generation¡¯s demon lord.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know how to use powerful magic, nor can I use curses or attribute power.¡±


    ¡°A demon lord is determined by power.¡±


    There was little to no tone in Vassago¡¯s voice. He was like a straightforward schr.


    ¡°That power is not only the power of the demon lord but also the power of the soldiers who follow them.¡±


    In short, it should be enough even if the demon lord had a lot of strong subordinates. Vassago bowed his head deeply to Lara once again.


    ¡°As long as the hellfire is in your hand, Master, there will not be many demons who can resist that fire. It¡¯s the fire of destruction.¡±


    Lara¡¯s gaze touched Vassago¡¯s eyes. He was such a strange demon. As soon as Lara summoned the giant of fire, he gave up the fight and knelt down to her.


    The giant of fire did not even have a chance to show its skills. The fuel that Isadora fed it throughout the summer to raise him had the potential to turn asrge as a small mountain, but the battle had already ended without even a single spark.


    ¡°So, there¡¯s something you want from me.¡±


    Lara realized. Paimon called Vassago an unplumbed old demon. But in Lara¡¯s view, although he was not such a difficult opponent, he wasn¡¯t acting like a demon.


    ¡°Say it.¡±


    ¡°Master.¡±


    Vassago came a little closer to Lara. the giant of fire sitting on Lara¡¯sp burst into mes as though he was growling. Regardless, he approached her still, and said with a face soaked in madness.


    ¡°Please save the hell. If you do that, Master, I will be your faithful ve and take the lead in the dirtiest and most dangerous of your business.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Hell needs a King. At this rate, hell will be first to be destroyed.¡±


    Vassago was certain.


    ¡°Master, I will do whatever you want. I can betray my race and stand on the side of mankind. I can even make you the Emperor. If you ask for my life, I will cut off my head and offer it to you. If you want my honor, I can leash it and give it to you.¡±


    ¡°Vassago?¡±


    ¡°The demon lord is not a position the Gods create as they please, it¡¯s a position established through sacred battles and through the obedience of the defeated.¡±


    Vassago¡¯s voice sank heavily in Lara¡¯s ear.


    ¡°As the great monarch of hell was treated as God¡¯s toy, the demons lost interest in the sacred battle. The demons have a desire to leave hell and rise to the Gods¡¯ realm because there is no real demon lord to obey and follow.¡±


    Since demons were said to have a never-ending lifespan, it was not surprising that Vassago knew the secrets of the world. However, Lara did not expect that he would ask her, the saintess, to be the demon lord. What Vassago wanted was the demon lord who would protect hell from Gods.


    Lara thought.


    What will happen to Demian if I be the demon lord? If one of us has to be the demon lord and the other has to be a saint or saintess, wouldn¡¯t it be better for Demian, the fragment of God, to be the saint?


    If Lara ascended to the throne of the demon lord, she would not covet or lead the world to destruction, nor would she make a fuss about eating the saint, nor would she be swayed by God¡¯s hands anymore.


    ¡®Don¡¯t you think so?¡¯


    Lara closed her eyes and asked. There was a deep sadness in Abraxas¡¯ gaze that did not leave her side from some point on.


    ¡®I will have to leave him.¡¯


    Lara decided that if they were fated to have no other choice but to be in love, then even that fate would be cleanly cut off.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 147

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Mdy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s this kid I thought of as just, like, a needy younger brother who needs a lot of care. But somehow, he keeps looking cool. Does that mean I like him?¡±


    Konny asked seriously. Her cute round face looked worried. Her voice was always mixed withughter, but this time, it also showed hesitation. Lara woke up pressing down her heavy eyes. She thought that she had been asked a difficult question as soon as she opened her eyes in the morning. Then, while trying to chase the sleepiness away, she suddenly asked back.


    ¡°He looks cool?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then, not yet.¡±


    Perhaps Lara¡¯s answer was unexpected, but Konny looked at her with a slightly surprised face.


    ¡°Not yet? So I don¡¯t like him?¡±


    ¡°I think you will like him soon though¡­¡±


    Lara was sleeping in a bed made loosely of wood. Since there were no proper bedrooms in the ruins, the Barbarians cut down trees and made Lara a bed. It was a good bed, it was strong and wide.


    Lara roughly removed the nket. She got out of bed and stretched her body.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible for someone to look cool even though you don¡¯t like them. In my opinion, love is¡­ when your heart aches when you¡¯re not with him. You cry for no reason and you always think about him before you go to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Love is a sad thing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily like that. It¡¯s sad, but strangely, you feel happy. Otherwise, why would people call love a crazy thing?¡±


    It was a sunny day. The sky rose far up to a high ce and sprinkled a blue light. Lara let out a long sigh as she looked at the high blue sky. Her eyes were hot. Her chest felt cool yet stuffy at the same time, tingling as if an anesthetic was applied to a painful wound.


    Lara smiled helplessly at her overly healthy body, she thought that it would have been better had she been sick. But it did not seem so in Konny¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Mdy, you cried all night.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I saw you crying while trying hard not to make a sound. You even kept trying to soothe your swollen eyes with cold water at dawn. I know you¡¯re trying not to make the people around you worry, but don¡¯t try to hide it from me.¡±


    ¡°Konny.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my family. You¡¯re the only one I have in this world. I know what you¡¯re doing is difficult and great, but when you¡¯re going through something sad, I want you to just be sad to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    When Lara looked at Konny nagging at her, she suddenly recalled when Konny totally opposed Prince Sidhar in her past life.


    My dear Konny.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot who only knows me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot. I was the smartest maid around when I worked at Bailey¡¯s manor, you know?¡±


    ¡°Who said that?¡±


    ¡°The other employees.¡±


    ¡°Well, they lied because you¡¯re cute.¡±


    Konny looked at Lara with a shocked face. Konny organized therge nket with her small hands. She pouted her lips as she saw Lara smiling mischievously.


    ¡°I hesitated a lot whether to contact Master Demian or not. If I were to tell him that you¡¯re crying, I think he would run over to you like a bull from Lafort ¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯s doing something important.¡±


    ¡°For Master Demian, you crying is probably more important, mdy.¡±


    Konny talked back to Lara. She looked as if she was about to put up a ¡®Do not disturb¡¯ sign in front of the door had Lara not told her why she cried all night. At that moment, Lara resented Valentine, who taught Konny how to use the long-distance magic receiver.


    ¡°Does Valentine know?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°That I cried¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course! You know that he doesn¡¯t sleep at night. He patrols in front of your room every night because you¡¯re on a dangerous battlefield¡­¡±


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    ¡°So you should just get some rest today. The swelling has subsided but your eyes are still red. If you go out just like this, everyone will ask why you cried.¡±


    ¡°The Barbarians?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ Not them.¡±


    ¡°Who else is here besides the Barbarians? The demon Vassago?¡±


    When Lara asked with a smile, Konny pouted even more.


    ¡°Well, the only people here are those who are bad at reading the room.¡±


    ¡°So, when are you going to confess to Valentine?¡±


    ¡°Confess what?¡±


    ¡°You said you like him. The one who likes first should confess first.¡±


    After organizing the nkets, Konny took out the clothes for Lara. Then, she suddenly stepped back as if she had seen a ghost.


    ¡°Konny, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean confess?¡±


    Konny screamed.


    ¡°He¡¯s just a silly little brother! He¡¯s clumsy at everything so he needs a lot of care! You¡¯re the one giving me my paycheck, mdy, but he¡¯s the one I take care of more!¡±


    ¡°Geniuses usually need a lot of care.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t need a genius! I like simple and diligent people who earn little by little every month! Someone who can unclog the sewer, carry the wheat sack, and fix the legs of a chair!¡±


    ¡°Valentine is going to be super rich soon. He¡¯s decided to sell the long-distance magic receiver to the Crown Prince. I¡¯m not sure about simple, but he is diligent. I¡¯m sure he can make a sewer that will never clog and a chair that will never break.¡±


    ¡°Mdy¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I want to contact Master Demian.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re terrible.¡±


    Konny snorted and went outside to prepare a meal. Lara barely held back herughter and changed into the clothes Konny had taken out. She wore the top first and then the pants. Finally, she tried to wear the long vest, but something came out of it.


    It was the long-distance magic receiver.


    ¡°Konny¡­¡±


    The round diamond was in her hand. Valentine made the receiver in the shape of a ne so she could use itfortably. It was a medium that allowed Lara and Demian to talk when they were far away.


    Demian might be waiting for her contact. They were so busy dealing with important things and there were a lot of eyes looking at them that they could not contact each other at any time. But he would still be thinking about her all the time.


    Lara loved Demian, she could even die one more time for him. She did not think that her love was false or manipted, and the same goes for Demian.


    ¡°I trust you.¡±


    Lara spoke to the jewel of the ne. Even though Demian was not listening, just talking to him alone becameforting for her.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    From that day on, Lara had gotten very busy. Vassago, who decided to betray the demons for the survival of hell, actively helped to subdue the nearby ck sorcerers and demon worshippers who were living in hiding.


    Most of them were worshippers of Vassago, but Vassago himself only snorted at them. He ridiculed them because they looked pathetic to follow him like an idol even though he had never asked them to worship him.


    ¡°I have made a contract with a few ck sorcerers and lent them my power¡­ But I have never ordered them to create a group to worship me. I love hell, so I have no interest in the human¡¯s realm. The same goes for humans, of course.¡±


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯re the cause. How many offerings have they made to make you ascend and how many crimes have theymitted¡­ Someone has to take responsibility.¡±


    ¡°If you think so, Master, I will punish them myself.¡±


    Vassago acted like a very loyal subordinate. When it came to Lara¡¯s order, he was ready to lie down and bump his head into the ground and even die for her. Moreover, he carried out all her orders without even staying apart from her. Valentine looked at Vassago with a fearful yet envious look.


    Autumn was reaching its heights. It was the day when they attacked the hideout of demon worshippers and celebrated their victory for the umpteenth time. Domino sat next to the bonfire with arge bottle of liquor. Lara appeared in front of him.


    ¡°Domino.¡±


    ¡°Saintess.¡±


    ¡°Just call me by my name.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I will get attached to you.¡±


    Domino threw the drunken Oscar and Lampion anywhere he could and brought Lara near the bonfire. He sat at a slightly nted position behind her as if he were guarding her.


    ¡°Are we going to the West now?¡±


    Domino asked. Lara looked back at him with a surprised face.


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Now that we are done with the small fry here, shouldn¡¯t we deal with the small fry on the other side?¡±


    Lara nodded. As she remembered, there was a time when the power of demon worshippers fluctuated near the western Gorgon Mountain Range. She did not know the exact date, but within a few years, that area would be a wastnd.


    That area was closer to her hometown, Hautean, than Lafort, Sias, and Moltan. It was closer to thewless zone, which would someday be Demian¡¯s territory. As it was so far away, they might not even realize the season changing into winter.


    Domino muttered.


    ¡°Everyone will be very happy.¡±


    ¡°Because you are all going back to Gorgon?¡±


    ¡°Because our families are there.¡±


    While talking about family, Domino¡¯s face had a smile that Lara had never seen before. It was the smile of a cold man who seemed friendly but pitiable.


    ¡°You must have been very worried. You wouldn¡¯t be able to contact your family freely¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We left behind some warriors there. And if they are given clubs, even the women can catch one or two demonic beasts.¡±


    ¡°We need to move quickly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°No. I want to bring you to your family as soon as possible.¡±


    Despite Domino¡¯s insistence on it being fine, Lara did not miss the excitement cast like a shadow around his eyes.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    It was the day when they departed for the West. Lara immediately packed up after handing over the demon worshippers and ck sorcerers she had captured to the Empire. The Barbarians were also busy moving to wrap up their long journey and go to the West, where their families were waiting.


    ¡°Vassago.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ¡°My shoes?¡±


    ¡°I have thoroughly cleaned it here.¡±


    The people there had gotten used to Lara walking around the ruins with an expressionless face and handling the demon like her ve. Oscar roughly threw his things on the wagon and took out his map. The guide would lead the way but he checked it once more because it was his habit. At that time, Domino approached him.


    ¡°Oscar.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I have something to say. Follow me.¡±


    Oscar folded the map and raised his head. He thought there was only Domino but Lampion also stood behind his back with a runny nose.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Be quiet and follow me. Be as inconspicuous as possible. We¡¯re going to draw lots.¡±


    ¡°I mean, why?¡±


    ¡°Without letting the saintess know, we are going to get Demian¡­¡±


    Domino, Lampion, and Oscar¡¯s eyes were closely intertwined. They wandered around silently and moved to the corner of the ruins. Then, they drew lots with serious faces.


    ¡°Of all people¡­¡±


    Lampion was chosen.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 148 - Abraxas

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????<b> Abraxas</b>


    The round diamond exuded cold energy on Demian¡¯s palm. After sparkling variously based on the angle of light, the diamond soon disappeared into Demian¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem like someone who likes essories but you really cherish that ne. Is it a keepsake from your parents?¡±


    A knight from Sias asked. Demian smiled and shook his head.


    ¡°I have no parents. The one who made this is a guy.¡±


    ¡°Then why¡­¡±


    ¡°This ne is part of a pair.¡±


    It meant that the other one was with his lover. The knight from Sias made a sound and beat his chest.


    ¡°Do you love her?¡±


    ¡°Is that even a question?¡±


    ¡°How much do you love her? Are you going to marry her?¡±


    ¡°Marry?¡±


    Demian, who had been answering indifferently, hesitated for a moment and closed his mouth. He contemted and kept his mouth closed for so long that the knight who asked the question became embarrassed.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have asked the question¡­¡±


    ¡°I have never thought about it.¡±


    ¡°About marriage? But you have a lover. Why haven¡¯t you thought about getting married?¡±


    ¡°Well, because¡­¡±


    Lara was not a woman whom he could have to himself. For a moment, Demian unknowingly strained his face at the thought.


    Lara was a saintess. She was the only daughter born by Thousand Gold Isadora and was Hautean¡¯s and the Tarragon Empire¡¯s lifesaver. On top of that, she was also the savior of the world chosen by the God of Fate.


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    A curse instinctively popped out of Demian¡¯s mouth. The knight who was talking to him from one subject to another to get close to him quickly had his face turn pale.


    The knights from Lafort, Sias, and Moltan were terrified by the inhumane military power of Demian Drake, the mighty warrior of the saintess who came from the Tarragon Empire. They wondered why there was a madman on the battlefield when Demian first entered the battle.


    Not surprisingly, the first enemy Demian had to deal with was the head of a long-standing group of demon worshippers in Lafort.


    On the battlefield full of dark smoke and various ck magic, Demian walked alone into the battlefield with an irritated look. Then, he dragged the body of the head out.


    He probably got lucky.


    The knights who witnessed the scene believed that Demian won by sheer luck and those who failed to witness the scene did not believe the news and thought it was just a false rumor. However, even on the next battlefield, and even on the one after it, Demian strode along with his longsword and killed the head of the enemy and dragged him out every time.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of that annoyed look you have when you handle things, people don¡¯t respect you, they¡¯re just afraid of you. You should smile and wave a little. You should also say something regardless if you mean it or not, something like you support the unification and peace of the three Eastern countries¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Demian got worked up over nothing when Nichs nagged at him. After that, Demian began giving orders to Nichs, regardless of whether Nichs¡¯ men were looking at them or not.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you handle the matter quickly? I thought you were a member of the royal family. If your subordinates like to just sit around, kick them or something.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so impatient? You looked like you were the most rxed when you were next to the saintess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m wasting my time because of you.¡±


    ¡°This is so unfair for me¡­¡±


    Nichs muttered. He was doing everything as fast as he could, so much so that his anxiety prevented him from sleeping. But the man who was the mighty warrior of the saintess scolded him for not being able to do it faster. That was also just because he wanted to quickly go back to the saintess.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather have a drink with Paimon than talk to you!¡±


    ¡°Shut up and get out.¡±


    Nichs went out with an upset face. The remaining knights looked at Demian, who kicked a royal out like a dog, with full respect.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Demian was staying in the border city of Lafort and Sias. The fierce battle between demon worshippers and union forces had also entered a lulled state to some extent.


    At this rate, it was only a matter of time before Nichs became the King of Sias. When Nichs returned with the Imperial army, Sias went with the easy path and chose to side with him instead of going with the difficult path and choosing to fight him.


    Lafort¡¯s morale was now extremely low. It was because of traces of demon worshippers being found everywhere. If they kept denying it, Lafort would be a public enemy of the union. Then, Moltan would continue to look around and sneak closer to the winner.


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    A young maid set down a towel, pajamas, and heated milk down by Demian¡¯s bedside with a frightened face.


    Perhaps she had just be an adult, but she was a maid with a pretty face and a clear voice that rang like a bell. Her thin dress was worn up to her knees, revealing her white calves. There were signs of corsets on her slender waist. Her long hair was coated with fragrant oil, smelling fine. Makeup was clearly put on her face. Even after greeting Demian, she did not go outside, and instead, nced at him.


    Demian twisted his lips and said with a smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who ordered you to do this, but go tell him; If he does this one more time, I will cut his limbs and throw him into a hungry demonic beast¡¯s cave.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°If you came in by yourself with no one telling you to do this¡­ You¡¯d better get a hold of yourself. There¡¯s nothing beneficial for you to live like this.¡±


    The maid¡¯s hands were trembling. Since she did not talk, Demian did not know who made her do it or whether she voluntarily stepped up. He took a gold coin out of his pocket and threw it at the maid.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need any attendants.¡±


    ¡°My apologies, my lord.¡±


    The maid barely managed to let the words out of her mouth and hurried outside.


    Thud.


    It was the sound of the door closing. Soon, midnight would pass and dawn woulde. Cold air came from outside the window, it had been a long time since autumnst came. Demian took off his shirt and threw it without care before sitting down by the window. Then, he took off his ne and stared at it.


    Lara did not contact him, she also did not answer his call. Somehow he had an ominous hunch. Demian had been talking to her every night since a few days ago.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    The receiver was filled with reddish lights. Demian slowly called Lara¡¯s name twice.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    There was no answer. She would not have been in danger because she would be with the Barbarians. It was also unlikely that Abraxas would have let her be in danger in the first ce.


    What in the world is going on?


    Demian sat there in the same position until dawn and called for Lara. The receiver emitted lights several times but the voice that he missed was nowhere to be heard.


    Demian eventually put on the shirt he had taken off again. Then, he ran to Paimon¡¯s room, which was close to him.


    ¡°Paimon!¡±


    Paimon was nowhere to be seen. Despite being a demon, he had a strong sense of vanity, so he only wanted something elegant and luxurious. But his splendid room was empty. From clothes, shoes, bags to essories, Demian could not see any of the things that Paimon used all the time. Demian grabbed the knight, who had been waiting outside the door to monitor Paimon, by the cor and asked.


    ¡°Did Paimon run away?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? No, he went into his room before midnight and never came out.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? He¡­ Oh, oh no!¡±


    When the knight saw the empty room, he was surprised and ran inside. Looking closely, the window was fixed closed from the outside.


    Did he run away? Did he return to hell after feeling dissatisfied being stuck in a human¡¯s sp?


    Demian judged that would not be the case. Paimon pledged obedience to Lara, he heard that it was an oath with absolute power. There was no doubt about it too since it was guaranteed by God himself.


    At that time, an unfamiliar trace came into Demian¡¯s eyes while aggressively investigating the vacant room on the brink of destroying it all. It was a trace of a small animal with ws hanging from the outer window frame and scratching the window. The windows were high up and the walls were smooth with nowhere to step on, so it must have been a beast with wings.


    It was either a bird or bat.


    Seeing that the upper window frame was torn instead of the lower window frame, it must have been a bat.


    ¡°Vc.¡±


    Demian muttered before pushing the knight and running outside.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Demian ran to a temple in the city. Since it was a small and shabby temple, there was no proper God statue or prayer room. Demian entered the temple and looked at several sculptures in front of a candlestick.


    Where is Abraxas?


    Demian searched for the God of Fate with his eyes. The sculptures were much smaller than his forearms and their old and decaying state meant that there were many worn or broken parts. Demian knew nothing about God, he was not confident in telling Abraxas apart from such small and simr sculptures. So, he shouted out of nowhere.


    ¡°Abraxas!¡±


    God did not answer. Whenever Lara called, God appeared in a hurry as if he had waited for her. The God who always listened to her was not in the temple.


    Demian gritted his teeth and said.


    ¡°Come out right now. If anything happens to Lara, I will not forgive you even if you are God.¡±


    ck energy was mixed in Demian¡¯s blue eyes. Only his rough breathing filled in the dark temple.


    ¡°Abraxas.¡±


    The candle shook violently. It critically burned and rose high as if it had been poured with oil.


    In just an instant, the candle was extinguished.


    There was only ck darkness in the temple where the light disappeared. Demian stood there still and waited. When his eyes got used to the darkness, a pale moonlight leaked through the open window. God was there, in the shadow of the moonlight.


    It was Abraxas, the God of Fate.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 149

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Everything was quiet. With ck hair that seemed to have drawn out darkness and a face resembling the moon, Abraxas¡¯ presence was overwhelming enough to dominate the world to which Demian belonged. But on the other hand, it was also blurry enough to naturally melt among the shadow of the candlelight.


    Meeting God in person at such a close distance was like a miracle. But it did not matter to Demian, he would still act the same even if the being in front of him was not Abraxas, even if it was something more than that.


    Back when Demian had followed Lara to the sanctum, Abraxas was in the form of a statue. When he looked at it, Demian felt ufortable and uneasy.


    <Say it.>


    Hating such a strange feeling, Demian did not wait any longer. He suddenly asked questions.


    ¡°If you really are Lara¡¯s God, of course, you should know everything. What¡¯s the reason Paimon suddenly disappeared? Why can¡¯t I reach Lara?¡±


    Abraxas was silent. God stood in the pale shadow of the moon, staring at Demian.


    Demian felt worse and worse. If he could, he would grab Abraxas by the cor. But he did not. He had to raise his patience to the maximum level so that he would not disrespect the God who cared about Lara.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    When Demian once again opened his mouth to God, Abraxas walked out of the shadow. The hem of his long clothes scattered like fog before bing shorter, the same went for his hair. His body had been energized, but it was unbreathing, unlike living people. His ck hair swayed slightly on his forehead.


    Blue eyes, a tall and slim body, and red lips that naturally twisted, giving the impression that he was mocking his opponent.


    God was in the form of Demian. Two people who looked the same stood three or four steps away and faced each other. Demian closed his mouth, Abraxas stared at him still.


    Was this the cause of the unidentified difort?


    Demian learned the cause of the difort that was filling his heart.


    <You¡¯re a fragment of mine.>


    Even their voices were the same. If anyone else was there, they would have struggled with the goosebumps that came upon their skin.


    ¡°Bullshit.¡±


    <Demian.>


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to mislead me with nonsense. There¡¯s only one thing I¡¯m curious about from you.¡±


    Demian gritted his teeth toward God, who was looking at him with the same face.


    ¡°Tell me what happened to Lara.¡±


    Abraxas realized that no words could persuade Demian. It was a matter of course. Since there was only Lara in Demian¡¯s world, he would not change his attitude or dy his priority even if Abraxas told him about the secrets of the world.


    <I will show you.>


    ¡°Show what?¡±


    <This was Lara¡¯s life.>


    Abraxas reached out to Demian. God¡¯s palm was no different from that of humans. While the movement attracted his attention, Demian¡¯s world turned upside down.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara was a lovely girl. Although she was misunderstood a lot because of her sharp tone, angry gaze, and unkind personality, in Demian¡¯s eyes, young Lara was the most lovely and frail child in the world.


    She looked ten years old. Lara, who was short, had small hands, and did not know how to hide, stood wiggling her fingers in front of her scary father.


    ¡°Smile.¡±


    The young Marquess of Bailey put little Lara in front of the firece and asked her to practice her facial expression.


    Lara thought that she had to do whatever her father told her to do. Unlike her busy mother, Marquess of Bailey spent a lot of time at home.


    The pure Lara was brainwashed by Marquess of Bailey¡¯s daily mumbling.


    ¡®Isadora is actually nothing. You are my child so you have to follow me. I¡¯m the only one who takes care of you.¡¯


    ¡°Smile. Smile like a woman and act cute. At the same time, you must not lose your elegance. Be a woman with a calm behavior and attractive eyes.¡±


    Marquess of Bailey just said what he had to say, as if he was oblivious to the fact that Lara was still a young child.


    ¡°Father, I¡¯m not having fun¡­ so why do I have to smile?¡±


    ¡°Because only then will people feel like giving you anything.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    ¡°Think of it as your duty.¡±


    Demian knew Marquess of Bailey was a bad noble and a bad father, but he was still angry. He watched Lara wriggling her small hands and sticking out her lips with a disgruntled face. She was lovely enough to die for.


    Lara could not look straight at Marquess of Bailey. She was not an obedient child. She looked elsewhere so as to somehow not smile, or she would say that she had a sudden stomach ache and go back to her room.


    That day, Marquess of Bailey eventually failed to make Lara practice her smile. Lara returned to her room andy down in a nket. Sheined for a while about what she could not bear to say in front of her father. She had a diary with her name on it and it was written like a letter, it was full of longing for her mother and dissatisfaction with her father.


    ¡°You know? Does mother really not love me, just like what father said? Is that why she works outside every day and doesn¡¯te back home? If I be a kind and pretty woman, will mothere back home and stay with me? Just as father said?¡±


    Demian was annoyed by his situation of not being able to say anything to Lara. He wanted to let her know that she was wrong and that her mother loved her the most in the world.


    Isadora was just busy. She was responsible for too many people. She did not know her husband, Marquess of Bailey, was such a trashy father.


    Abraxas said that he would show Demian Lara¡¯s life. After having changed a lot of things after living two lives, what Demian was looking at now was Lara from her childhood; the only past that had not changed for her.


    It was time to show her different past.


    ¡°Be the saintess.¡±


    After bing an adult, Lara became a saintess as her father said. She did not hear God¡¯s voice nor did she receive any blessings from God, but when the Prince and the temple joined hands, it was a piece of cake to make a young noblewoman a fake saintess.


    It was around this time that Lara began tomit the mistakes she regretted the most in her first life. He used Demian, banished the innocent Princess Sote, and sided with the corrupt temple together with Prince Sidhar.


    Demian could not help butugh at himself who was living and breathing in Lara¡¯s past.


    He was crazy. Lara thought that Demian was a ve despite not actually being one. Nheless, he did not tell her the fact. Because he was afraid that Lara would let him go. He was afraid that she would tell him to go back to the Empire. He was afraid he would be worthless if he was not a ve.


    Even then, he was already in love with Lara. It started from the moment their eyes met on the first day they met. Lara was like an irresistible force to him.


    Her eyshes wrinkled like a cat¡¯s whiskers, and underneath them were her wonderful eyes, resembling the bright sun. Her voice was like water while her breath was like fire.


    Love was a disaster. In Lara¡¯s past, Demian Rhode Drake was a man who put those words into practice. It was his first love too, so he did not know what to do. He had no thoughts on rescuing Lara from Prince Sidhar¡¯s clutches and running away with her or talking to her and clearing up their umted misunderstandings.


    He just did whatever Lara told him to do. If she told him to fight, he would fight. If she told him to kill, he would kill. If she told him to go, he would go. If she told him toe, he woulde. He was just a ve.


    The mighty warrior of the saintess. Even then, the only person who could move him was Lara.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±


    One day, Lara asked him. Even she, who asked the question, said it without much thought. When Demian saw her looking around with a surprised face to see if anyone had heard her, he was so angry.


    ¡°Because you didn¡¯t tell me to leave.¡±


    Lara looked at him with a poker face. By this time, it had been a while since she had lived as a fake saintess so she had be proficient in hiding her innermost thoughts.


    Lara asked again.


    ¡°Is there anything you want from me?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing.¡±


    He could not say anything like, ¡®I love you, so I want you to love me.¡¯ Because the Demian at that time thought Lara was in love with Prince Sidhar. He was just satisfied with his unrequited love. He would devote his time, ability, potential, and even life to Lara before dying. He thought that action was love.


    That was the only love that he, who was born broken, could do.


    It was the same even after leaving Lara. Demian settled in thewless zone with hisrades and fought against demon worshippers.


    He could choose not to fight with them. The Barbarians were not a friend of Hautean nor the Empire. Whether the demons appeared or not, they could just turn a blind eye to it. There was no reason for the Barbarians to deal with demon worshippers at the risk of their lives at the beginning of the war.


    However, Demian fought nonstop in the middle of the battlefield. As long as he was still breathing and could move his limbs, he tried so hard to send even one more to hell. The Barbarians scorned him for being a madman, but they silently gripped their weapons when he said the woman he loved all his life was the saintess.


    Saving the world was a piece of cake if it was for Lara, Demian thought so. It did not matter should his limbs be broken, should he be cut countless times, and even should his life be put at risk. Still, he did not stop fighting.


    Demian realized that he was getting stronger and stronger. After a little more time, after driving the demon¡¯s forces out of Hautean and locking them in thewless zone, he felt like he could protect her forever.


    But Lara died. The woman he loved all his life died. Moreover, she died alone in a ce he did not know, by things he did not know, and at a time when he did not know.


    Demian lived isted in the middle of the battlefield, he heard the news of the saintess long after it happened.


    The demon who demanded the saintess as the sacrifice, the humans who supported the saintess to be a sacrifice, the Prince who willingly threw the saintess as the scapegoat, and he himself who did not know all this.


    Demian heard something breaking into pieces in his body. The Barbarians pped him on the cheek and shouted for him to get a grip. They wailed. They said to him that his actions would not bring the woman back into thend of the living. However, Demian felt that his mind was clearer than ever.


    His broken heart led to his soul being set free. The causal link that had bound him up until now was broken. An exhrating yet floating feeling came at the same time as the excruciating feeling of pain he felt from his trampled heart. He felt as if he was ascending to the sky.


    A world without the woman he loved was of no value to him. If it was to recover Lara, it was nothing for him to destroy the world.


    He would break thend into pieces so that no one could live there anymore.


    Demian realized that he was crazy.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 150 - For Lara

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Demian¡¯s view was flipped over. After returning to reality from the past, he slowly closed his eyes. Then, he quickly opened them again.


    How could Lara live again?


    He was always curious about it. Demian wanted to know more about how she could think of living again when it was so difficult and hurtful. He was more curious about that than her past. Was it because of regret? Was it because of longing? Or was it because of revenge?


    Lara said that she returned to fix her mistakes. But Demian thought that was not all.


    Lara would have wanted to live. Happily. She would have wanted to enjoy a normal and happy life with her loved ones. Thus, when one day she faced the moment of death again, she would not have wanted to leave the same regrets she had then.


    Even though Demian was the saintess¡¯ lover, he did not believe in God. He did not even think that Abraxas was a perfect existence. Even when God mentioned Demian being a ¡®fragment¡¯ to him, he just thought that God was making a trick to use humans. But now he could not deny it.


    Demian watched himself go crazy in Lara¡¯s past. He tore out a demon¡¯s heart and became the demon lord. The ones who defiled the world were the demons and their worshippers, and the one who destroyed the world was Demian himself.


    The fragment of God. Returning to reality from Lara¡¯s past shown by Abraxas, he looked at Abraxas and said.


    ¡°It seems that the past me already knew.¡±


    Abraxas nodded.


    <Since you¡¯re a fragment of God, you must have realized it without anyone telling you. If you be the demon lord, you can give Lara one more chance.>


    Demian was angry. His voice was lowered and he continued as though growling.


    ¡°What price¡­¡±


    Her scarlet eyes came to mind. A firm gaze, a calm tone, and a stubbornness to always take everything alone.


    ¡°¡­did Lara pay?¡±


    Demian asked. Abraxas answered his question without hesitation.


    <You¡¯re the one who paid the price.>


    ¡°But WHY is she still being used by you in this life even though she¡¯s be a saintess? Why?¡±


    <Because Lara wanted it.>


    Abraxas looked very sad. Water with deep gloom fluttered in his blue eyes. Whenever Abraxas opened his mouth and said Lara¡¯s name, Demian thought he was holding his tears.


    <Demian, you should not have fallen in love with Lara.>


    An alter ego that God made from his body. When Abraxas was going out of his mind, he made Demian, his alter ego. Among the many things that made up Abraxas, Demian was created solely for destruction, love andpassion were excluded from him. He was a perfect executor who was unshakable by any emotion and did not fall in love with anyone. It had to be like that.


    <Because that was how you were made from the beginning.>


    ¡°Bullshit!¡±


    <But you fell in love with Lara. As soon as you meet her, as soon as you make eye contact with her¡­ That¡¯s how you ended up. You repeat the same mistakes I made when I was going insane and destroyed the world you were supposed to protect>


    The moment Demian fell in love with Lara, Abraxas realized their future would turn into tragedy.


    It was around that time that he came to his senses and began to fulfill his duty as God. He looked back on the world he had turned away from and found things that had disappeared. But it was already toote for many things. While he was recovering from his broken self, Lara was already in a rampant mess.


    <You must choose.>


    Abraxas said.


    <Between this world and Lara, there is only one thing you can protect.>


    Then, the answer that Demian could give was decided.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The ne that had emitted a mournful red light every night had finally called down. Now, Demian¡¯s voice calling to Lara could not be heard. Lara held the long-distance magic receiver with one hand and hung it back around her neck.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    Aftering a long way, Paimon knelt in front of Lara with a messy look.


    ¡°I hope everything went well in the East.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think Prince Nichs and the Imperial Army¡¯s power alone will be enough. The demon worshippers are scattered around, and all the ck sorcerers who were active in Lafort were either captured or killed by Demian¡¯s hands.¡±


    ¡°What about Vassago?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s finishing up.¡±


    Vc used a bat to contact Paimon in the East. After being told toe back to his master right away, Paimon left the East without contemting for long. As long as he had pledged his obedience, he had to follow Lara¡¯s orders.


    But when Paimon arrived across the border, another demon lord candidate, Vassago, was crouching on a stump in the sunny yard wiping Lara¡¯s shoes. He waved at Paimon as if he was pleased to see him.


    Lara asked Paimon.


    ¡°Is there a God in hell?¡±


    ¡°God¡­ I have never thought about that. Most demons die while fighting. If we survive, we can live a very long time. Us demons serve the demon lord, but we don¡¯t think of him as a God.¡±


    ¡°What would it be like if a God appeared in hell?¡±


    ¡°Then us demons would want to test how strong the existence called God is.¡±


    Paimon replied with a devilish answer. When Lara nodded, Paimon carefully asked.


    ¡°Why do you ask that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious why you lot are trying to ascend into the Gods¡¯ realms.¡±


    ¡°Well, what did Vassago say?¡±


    ¡°He said it¡¯s because hell is about to copse.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s wrong. But I think there is another reason.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Because demons want to be human.¡±


    It was a little unexpected this time. Lara looked at Paimon with surprised eyes, he opened his mouth and said, with a self-ridiculing smile on his lips.


    ¡°Demons have strong pride and will never acknowledge that fact¡­ We think it¡¯s not an elegant way of thinking. We have envied humans for a long time. That¡¯s why we keep pretending to be human and being on edge to keep mingling in thisnd.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with ascending into the Gods¡¯ realm?¡±


    ¡°Because that way, they will look at us. There¡¯s nothing in hell. There are no flowers or sunsets, no love or sadness, not even countries or families, and not even shining cultures.¡±


    ¡°So you want something like that.¡±


    ¡°Even if we have a long life span and great power, us demons are no different from humans in the aspect of coveting something we don¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re honest.¡±


    ¡°Because being honest is elegant. Lies are vulgar. In that sense, I think Vassago made a noble choice in being honest with master from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I heard he asked you to be the demon lord.¡±


    Uncontroble expectations rose on Paimon¡¯s face. At first nce, there was an innocence that was no different from a child on his face¨Can ignorant and destructive purity that was close to wickedness.


    Lara wanted to tell these immature demons how tiring and tragic it was to live as a human being.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    You must have not experienced the sadness of losing your loved one, the regret left for your family, or the dreams you can¡¯t achieve.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be the demon lord.¡±


    I will be that hell.


    That was the only way to protect Demian and the world where her loved ones lived.<b> For Lara</b>


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Lara saw Konny cry so loudly for the first time. At first, she just repeatedly refused but she finally burst into tears and began to pour out resentment to Lara.


    ¡°If you can go to the battlefield, why can¡¯t I? If it¡¯s dangerous to me, then it¡¯s also dangerous to you.¡±


    ¡°Konny!¡±


    ¡°Even though God is narrow-minded and has a small heart, would he ever let the only maid of the saintess die? If need be, the Barbarians can protect me! Moreover, there are three demons next to you!¡±


    The maid with a loud voice paid no care toward the three demons that were looking at the scene right in front of her. She did not even care about Valentine, who became sullen because she did not call his name. She just clutched Lara¡¯s clothes tightly.


    ¡°I want to go too. I already told you that I should be next to you. Mdy, you think you are really perfect and mature. But you¡¯re not like that at all.¡±


    ¡°Konny¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re clumsy at whatever you do so I have to take care of you every day. Why are you even walking on eggshells around other people? If someone doesn¡¯tpliment you for being good or for acting cool, your worries will grow like mountains and your face will turn like a wicked witch!¡±


    Vc was listening to Konny¡¯sint and bit his lips hard. Paimon whispered to Vassago, asking if that was really true. Vassago replied that there was no way his master was like that.


    Lara thought about how to send this stubborn maid back home.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t just demon worshippers in Gorgon, there are demonic beasts there too. All the enemies you have seen so far have either looked like humans or were humans. Imagine a demonic beast as big as the carriage with many legs and drooling slippery poison.¡±


    ¡°Is the demonic beast that disgusting?¡±


    ¡°Do you think they only have multiple legs? They are also hairy andy a lot of eggs. They smell so bad. When you turn it over when they¡¯re dead, the legs on their stomachs will¡­¡±


    Konny¡¯s face became pale as Lara¡¯s words got longer. Lara was just going on about the characteristics of bugs as she thought of it, but she got goosebumps imagining it.


    ¡°But, mdy, you can¡¯t even catch cockroaches!¡±


    ¡°Konny, we won¡¯t be separated forever. I¡¯m telling you to go to my mother and tell her my schedule so she doesn¡¯t worry. If it¡¯s not you, who else will do that? After you do so, bring Valentine and Crown Prince Acerus to the West. We can meet there.¡±


    This was cheating. Until now, Konny had been yelling as if she would not leave Lara¡¯s side no matter what, but now, she had drooped her shoulders.


    ¡°So I should tell Madam Isadora¡­and follow you afterward, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°You have to wait for me.¡±


    ¡°I will be going slowly.¡±


    ¡°I will be back as soon as possible.¡±


    Konny sprang up on her feet and let go of Lara¡¯s clothes. The new shirt she was wearing was now crumpled.


    Lara sent Konny off with a smile.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 151

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Konny and Valentine stood on top of the magic circle and bowed their heads to Lara. Only after saying that they would return as soon as possible three more times did the two finally teleport with a sh of red light, returning to the abode¡¯s basement back in Dandelion.


    Lara stood still with her arms folded while watching them go. Then, she slowly opened her mouth.


    ¡°Vc.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Disassemble the magic circle.¡±


    Konny would cry. She would cry and get angry, and then cry and get angry again. It was clear to Lara¡¯s eyes even though she did not see it. Even while resenting Lara, she would still want toe to her somehow and would pester those around her. Konny was that kind of child. She was sweet and thoughtful. With a childlike face, she always took care of Lara like her own sister.


    Konny was the closest family Lara had save for Isadora, so she could not take Konny with her. Putting aside the danger, Lara could not help cutting their only method of reunion because she knew Konny would never agree with her decision.


    After being kicked out of Hautean and the Tarragon Empire, along with the North and the East, there was now only one ce for the demon worshippers to escape to¡ªGorgon. The western part of the continent, a ce called the demonic beasts mountain range.


    After destroying the magic circle, Vc returned to Lara¡¯s side. She was ready to depart and was already on the horse. Hiding her long hair in a ck cape, Lara said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The three demons bowed their heads at the same time.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    A red light exploded from the magic circle in the basement of Lara¡¯s abode in Dandelion. After the light that had gently filled the basement maze disappeared, Konny and Valentine stood side by side on the magic circle.


    ¡°Whew, I can¡¯t get used to this no matter how many times I use it. I have no problem using the receiver though. Is it because I¡¯m scared?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scared?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m scared! Magic is sending me from that side to this side. That is not natural! What if something goes wrong and I turn to dust or disappear forever?¡±


    Of course, there was a possibility that it would happen as Konny said, but Valentine did not say it. There was something more important to attend to.


    ¡°Konny,e down here.¡±


    ¡°Why? We¡¯re busy. We have to run to Madam Isadora.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up ande down. I have something to check.¡±


    ¡°And I have to hurry to go to mdy.¡±


    Konny grumbled but still came down from the magic circle and stepped aside to one side of the basement. Valentine then put his bag down on the magic circle and followed Konny outside of the magic circle.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it weird?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s weird?¡±


    ¡°Why did mdy only send us here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­she loves me so much?¡±


    ¡°But it didn¡¯t make sense when she told us to bring Madam Isadora and Crown Prince Acerus to the west. She was the one who told you to go back because it was dangerous.¡±


    Just before she was about to say something, Konny suddenly closed her lips tightly. Her eyes shook anxiously. Valentine immediately cast a spell without saying more.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    But the magic circle did not work. It was just a while ago that the two arrived. In a short time, the magic circlepletely broke down and did not function. Konny said in a trembling voice, clenching Valentine¡¯s shirt sleeves.


    ¡°Do, do it again.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Valentine cast the spell again and again. However, his bag on the magic circle did not disappear. The red light that appeared every time the magic circle was activated also disappeared.


    ¡°No way! This is Mdy¡¯s doing, I¡¯m sure! No wonder she kept trying to separate from us¡­ You idiot Konny, how could you really listen to her!¡±


    Konny screamed and flopped down. She cried and begged Valentine with a face saying that she knew this would happen.


    ¡°Valentine, you¡¯re a genius. Can¡¯t you fix this real quick? I have to go to Mdy, please.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because they broke the one on the other side.¡±


    What do I do now?


    Valentine thought fast. It took a long time to restore the magic circle. Even if he made one as soon as possible, someone had to move and install it over there. Rather than doing that, it would have been better to go to where Lara was right now.


    Valentine clenched his trembling hand. He was a timid and introverted man, but he knew well what decisions to make at times like this.


    ¡°Konny, you go to Madam Isadora.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I will go to His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince.¡±


    Konny started running first. It was fortunate that she memorized the basement maze thoroughly. If she had lost her way there when she was in such a hurry, she might have cried because she was so angry.


    Valentine ran after Konny. Each of them took a carriage and moved out in a different direction.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Isadora was confirming the interest she was supposed to receive from Nichs after providing military funds for the Eastern Unification war.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be rich at this rate.¡±


    She just provided money spent on bringing three countries together. Even after spending that much amount without even batting an eyelid, Isadora imagined her future of being a richer business person.


    She imagined Lara in a bright red dress and a golden carriage, dominating the world with money. In that world of imagination, Isadora was looking at Lara, who blushed lovingly and said, ¡®Thank you, mom.¡¯ A satisfied smile shed on Isadora¡¯s face.


    ¡°Why are you smiling so scarily? Is there something that¡¯s making you angry?¡±


    Sebastian asked, his voice was mixed with a joking tone. Isadora realized that Sebastian deliberately talked to her to tease her. After handing over some documents to him, she said to him,


    ¡°The man the Emperor introduced to me wants to invest in our tradingpany. What should I say to refuse him?¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to refuse him?¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯s the Emperor¡¯s man.¡±


    ¡°Just ept his investment. Then distribute the profits for as little as a dog¡¯s nostrils to him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worse than I am.¡±


    ¡°You taught me that business is not for a kind person.¡±


    Sebastian always had the answer to talk balk to her. Regardless of whether Isadora looked at him with a flustered face or not, he only took the documents from Isadora after saying everything he wanted to say.


    ¡°Come to think of it, didn¡¯t you get any contact from Lady Lara? It¡¯s been a while since she¡¯s been to the border.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s so good at doing things on her own that even I don¡¯t want to worry¡­ I mean, it¡¯s quite frustrating at this point.¡±


    ¡°Call her first.¡±


    ¡°Buy the most expensive horse in Dandelion for the wolves. And tell them to go to the border.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Pack some food and send it to Lara.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s autumn after all.¡¯


    Isadora muttered. It¡¯s the season when there were a lot of delicious foods so she had to buy some apples and all sorts of delicious foods and send them to her daughter. Sebastian smiled softly and said.


    ¡°How boastful.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Then, Konny arrived. The door opened with a crashing sound. Isadora and Sebastian were surprised and looked at the door. Konny had frizzled hair and a face stained with tears. As soon as she came inside, she screamed at Isadora.


    ¡°Madam, mdy is weird!¡±


    ¡°Konny? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Mdy forced me to go to you and suddenly¡­suddenly she disappeared! Valentine even said that the magic circle that he made could no longer be used! Mdy broke it over on her side!¡±


    Isadora sprung on her feet.


    ¡°Konny, do you know where Lara went?¡±


    ¡°To the West¡­ Sob, she said she was going to the West. She told me to bring Madam Isadora and the Crown Prince to that side¡­ But without the magic circle, it will take us a month to go from here to there!¡±


    Even though Lara was far from the West, she had three demons with her. Vassago and Paimon were demons with the power at the level of a demon lord. It would not be difficult for them to send Lara to the West as quickly as possible.


    ¡°What if she¡¯s thinking about something weird? You know it too, right? She¡¯s usually very smart but it turns out she¡¯s full of loopholes!¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course, I know.¡±


    ¡°How can she bring demons to fight other demons? No matter how strong the Barbarians are, what can she do alone in a big war where the whole continent has to fight? And even Master Demian is not here now!¡±


    Konny eventually burst into tears. Sebastian hurriedly approached and soothed her but the maid with a loud voice had no intentions to stop herself from crying. She kept saying gibberish words simr to ¡®mdy was a fool and an idiot.¡¯ and, ¡®I was wrong to let Lara get along with guys like Pineapple and Samba.¡¯


    Isadora was not angry. She neither shouted nor panicked. She stood still there for a moment and thought of her daughter.


    Lara resembled Isadora. Her daughter was never a child who would bet on reckless gambling. And she did not treat her life as insignificant. If Lara jumped into reckless scenarios and posed danger, it would be something important that no one else could do, or because she had her own n.


    Lara was Isadora¡¯s daughter. She believed in her daughter.


    ¡°Sebastian, gather all the wolves in the tradingpany. Along with the fastest horses and the fastest men in Dandelion.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±


    ¡°Contact Hautean and tell them to have the knights on standby. To get to the Gorgon Mountain Range, it¡¯s fastest to go from Hautean. If the King thinks it¡¯s nonsense, make him listen to you even if you have to use So.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ Go and tell the Emperor. The war has started. I will give everything I have in this war.¡±


    It was what Thousand Gold Isadora said. For saying that she would give everything she had was worth more than an alliance of a country.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Konny.¡±


    Isadora said.


    ¡°Lara will win.¡±


    Because she¡¯s my daughter.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 152

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Though Lara had probably never thought of it, Valentine once thought that; if he had a liege, it would be Lady Lara.


    It was a noisy and rainy day back then, when Lara rescued him from the ck sorceress¡¯ basement. The humidity from the rain outside had caused the atmosphere to feel damp and humid. And though his heart was breathing painfully, Lara¡¯s calm voice had prated his ears. The hand that grabbed his cor, the inside of the carriage where the fragrant scent lingered, and the red gaze that bent subtly toward him. Valentine had never forgotten the intense encounter he experienced that day, for it had brought salvation to his life.


    It must have started from that point on when Valentine¡¯s life began to move around Lara. He was well aware that his master¡¯s long-standing abuse had made him abnormal. He also knew well that he seemed socially awkward andcking to others.


    However, Lara did not consider him useless. She did not even consider him to be a load of luggage she happened to take charge of.


    ¡°A genius alchemist. Apetent and intelligent man who will surely be the best on the continent someday.¡±


    When Lara began calling Valentine that, everything around him changed.


    As a ve to the ck sorceress, Valentine had always lived while being treated as a disease, like a rat in the gutter. Getting stoned for being dirty was an everyday experience. Sometimes, he got beaten up. Other times, he would end up being whipped by the ck sorceress after losing his sales that day. It was much worse when he was young. Having been skinny and slow to grow, he also became a ything and was fooled around with the drunk men in the back alley.


    Lara did not know that Valentine no longer lived in a world of hell from the moment he met her.


    ¡°He¡¯s a nice guy.¡±


    That was all he needed. He did not need her to tell other people to be kind or to take care of him. Just those words were enough¨Cthose few words that even Lara would forget.


    But since then, Valentine¡¯s world has changed. People cared about him and listened to him. When he cowered, people would reach out their hands first. When he stumbled, people would approach and support him. They came up to ask him what he ate, what he liked and hated, and what he needed. They began to wait in anticipation of what he would do.


    ¡®Mdy.¡¯


    It would have been nice if he could be more honest.


    ¡®I have been saved by you. When you saved me that time, it might have been on a momentary whim or just a part of the process to eradicate the ck sorceress, but since then, I have already imed to be your servant.¡¯


    His sweat flowed like rain even in the cold weather. His task had now beplicated because there were many carriages on the way to the Imperial Pce. Valentine became frustrated and urged the coachman to go faster. But he could no longer wait, he jumped off the carriage and ran with all his might.


    ¡°Huff, huff¡­ Huff!¡±


    He felt like he was going to vomit all his guts out because he was out of his breath. People looked at him strangely as he stumbled dangerously and ran. Valentine moved nonstop to the point where he wondered when he had ever run like that.


    When he reached the Imperial Pce, he was dragging his legs and was so out of breath that he almost couldn¡¯t breathe, but still, he did not copse. If Lara and Konny were there, they would have told him off for not listening to them when they suggested him to work out.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    In order to go to the Crown Prince¡¯s castle, Valentine had to pass through the entrance of the Imperial Pce. Valentine was not the type to take action in front of people so no one recognized him.


    When the soldiers saw him running while breathing heavily and in a sloppy outfit, they blocked his way by crossing their two long spears.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    ¡°This is the castle of the great Emperor. Tell us your name and purpose!¡±


    The soldiers¡¯ voices rang in his ears. Valentine barely stood on two legs, catching his breath several times. There was no need to cling and beg. He did not have to be intimidated for no reason. There was definitely no reason to be afraid.


    ¡°My name is¡­¡±


    Because I¡¯m Lady Lara¡¯s people.


    Valentine finally found out that he also had to move forward if he wanted to serve his master¨Cthe coolest person in the world.


    ¡°My name is Valentine.¡±


    His voice was shaky and irregr but Valentine proudly raised his head and said.


    ¡°I¡¯m an alchemist.¡±


    The soldiers were not well aware of how great and rare an alchemist was, or even what an alchemist even is in the first ce. However, the moment they faced Valentine¡¯s confident attitude and intense gaze, they corrected their attitude of treating him as a guttersnipe and asked politely.


    ¡°What¡¯s the purpose of your visit?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working for the saintess. I have something urgent to say to His Imperial Highness so please open the way.¡±


    The alchemist of the saintess.


    The soldiers opened their eyes wide and looked at each other. One of them rushed to call his superior. An Imperial knight appeared and asked Valentine the same question. And before long, Valentine was guided to the Crown Prince¡¯s castle.


    ¡°Wee!¡±


    Acerus¡¯ aide ran out to the front of the Crown Prince¡¯s castle and weed Valentine. The aide heard about Valentine¡¯s existence through Acerus and he knew that the young alchemist was a talent much greater than a gold mine.


    ¡°If you had contacted in advance, the knights would have gone to escort you. Did youe straight from the border? Nothing happened to the saintess, right?¡±


    The aide asked gently. He had a polite and friendly attitude but Valentine could not afford to talk to him now.


    ¡°I have to talk to His Imperial Highness in person.¡±


    ¡°¡­So, it¡¯s an urgent matter.¡±


    The aide was not offended. He just walked as fast as he could and dismissed thedies-in-waiting who were preparing to wee the guest. Then, he took Valentine straight to the Crown Prince¡¯s castle.


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness!¡±


    Acerus Elin Tarragon was sitting in the chair in his office, he raised his head. Ahead of the great man who would be the owner of this huge Empire, Valentine said with a lot of strength in his trembling voice.


    ¡°You have to go to Lady Lara.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara dismissed all the people around her and went to the West with only demons. It sounded like the saintess betrayed humans and stood on the side of demonkind.


    Rumors of the saintess actually being a witch originating from hell were circting through Dandelion¡¯s shadow and still growing in size. If news of the saintess traveling exclusively with demons got out, the aforementioned rumor would be determined as an established fact and would blur the people¡¯s eyes and ears. How could the saintess not subjugate demons and instead bring them around with her?


    However, Acerus did not suspect the saintess. After hearing only the necessary information from Valentine, he kicked the office chair uncaringly and ran to the Emperor.


    The Emperor was someone that could not be easily met unless an appointment was made in advance. It did not matter even if he was the Crown Prince. However, when the knights of the Emperor¡¯s castle saw Acerus running like a crazy bull, they made their way silently and muttered, like father, like son.


    ¡°Father!¡±


    Acerus mmed the door. The Emperor, who was forced to swallow terrible medicine by his doctor, screamed in surprise.


    ¡°Urgh! I almost choked to death! How dare the Crown Prince act like this in front of the Emperor?¡±


    ¡°I should go to the West.¡±


    ¡°Says who?¡±


    ¡°I was told that the has saintess took the demons alongside her to the West. In the process, all the civilians that might fall victim were sent to the capital. She¡¯s only apanied by the Barbarian warriors¡­¡±


    ¡°The saintess joining the demons? Is she conspiring something without us knowing?¡±


    ¡°Father!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not deaf yet.¡±


    ¡°The saintess is trying to sacrifice herself! Before the demonse over to humannd, she¡¯s trying to attack theirnd first using the demons as tools! How could you say that when you know her nature?¡±


    Acerus shouted.


    The Emperor¡¯s aides raised their heads to stop the Crown Prince¡¯s words and actions. However, the Emperor lifted his hand first to make everyone except Acerus step outside.


    The Emperor smiled and said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any ns?¡±


    ¡°I will go to the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°You punk, how dare you say that so carelessly? I¡¯m still the Emperor, and I can make you a tramp on the street instead of the Crown Prince with just one word.¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking with that old and sick body? Battlefield, my foot¡­¡±


    ¡°You brat!¡±


    The empty medicine bowl flew. Acerus did not dodge and got hit. He remembered that he got scolded even more after avoiding it a few times. It was wise to just get hit by the first bowl. It did not even hurt much anyway.


    The Emperor looked at him with sunken eyes and said.


    ¡°I won¡¯t live for long anyway.¡±


    The Emperor knew that by looking at Lara¡¯s eyes. The saintess was wise and thoughtful, unbefitting of her age, but she could not deceive the Emperor¡¯s eyes. In the first ce, something that the Emperor was the best in the world at was reading the other person¡¯s intentions through dialogue.


    Lara¡¯s words of blessing for the Emperor to live healthy for a long time became a catalyst for him to determine his splendid ending.


    ¡°If I¡¯m going to die anyway, I want to die on the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°Father!¡±


    ¡°Follow in my footsteps to protect the Tarragon Empire and guard the peace of the continent.¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    ¡°This is myst order.¡±


    The Emperor¡¯s gaze went to his well-sharpened sword. The sharp de shed. Even with his old and sick body, he still sharpened the sword every day as if holding a ritual. The Emperor was a knight,mander, and fighter.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 153

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    While the Emperor prepared for the war and while Isadora began to use the tradingpany¡¯s funds, arge Barbarian appeared outside of Eastern Lafort, covered with dirt and dust. It was Lampion.


    Lampion looked around and ran to a man in the most expensive armor, his footsteps gave an audible thump as it touched the ground. He asked the man where Demian was.


    Scared by the Barbarian¡¯s threatening gestures, attitude, and loud voice, Lafort¡¯s knights pulled out their weapons at once. Soon, they all fell to the ground. After defeating Lafort¡¯s knights without even a weapon, Lampion scratched his greasy hair and said.


    ¡°Why are you so weak?¡±


    Then, he looked at the knights¡¯ superiors who btedly came and asked the same question.


    ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry! This is an urgent matter! Where¡¯s Demian?¡±


    Lampion¡¯s words sounded like he would take a dump there if they did not bring Demian in front of him right now.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Does Master indeed have the right to be the demon lord? Did I make the right choice?


    Thought Vassago while wiping Lara¡¯s boots.


    Lara was a special human being. Having lived for more than a thousand years, this sense that Vassago had woulde every once in a while, and he believed in it more than he believed in his abilities. The feeling was so sharp and mysterious that he knew he should never ignore it. He realized that several times in a thousand years. And, now he had reached a level of almost blind faith.


    Humans called it the sixth sense. Some praised it as foresight, and depending on the job, it could be a prediction.


    Lara was special. It was right to follow her. In order to prevent the fall of hell, the saintess must be made into the demon lord. However, no matter how he looked at her, Lara did not seem to be the real saintess.


    As soon as he saw her, he could tell that Lara was a human being who reached God. For the power of God that demons hated yet craved ever so much had remained too strong in her soul.


    ¡°But it¡¯s weird¡­¡±


    Why does she look more like a demon?


    It was not because of the way she looked. Rather, Lara¡¯s appearance in Vassago¡¯s eyes was only that of an extremely ordinary human being. However, there appeared to be something ominous in her eyes.


    A trap to overpower opponents, scales to weigh, standards to value, a spell to force blind affection, an endless hunger, and a jar to draw tragedy. Demons used to express their expectations for the demon lord in that way over the years.


    The demon lord had numerous nicknames. The demons wanted to use all the wonderful words they thought of as modifiers for the demon lord. Vassago remembered himself in the past,ughing at them for being pathetic.


    ¡°I¡¯m out of my mind.¡±


    After sighing, Vassago put down Lara¡¯s boots. The leather was so shiny that he could see his face reflected on her boots. He let out a satisfied smile.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Master Vassago, the demon who used to be known as a strong candidate for the demon lord, lookin¡¯ so happy wiping the saintess¡¯ boots.¡±


    Paimon trudged up and sat opposite to Vassago. Feeling awkward about his short hair, he stroked his hair with one hand.


    ¡°If you came to pick a fight, there¡¯s a pushover parasite vampire there. Go over there.¡±


    Vassago said with a smirk. He was still maintaining that gloomy appearance of his, perhaps because he liked the body of the female ck sorcerer he upied. Paimon stared at Vassago and asked.


    ¡°Did you make a vow?¡±


    ¡°What vow?¡±


    ¡°The vow of obedience.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Vassago shook his head and replied. Then, he openly sneered at Paimon.


    ¡°You must have done it.¡±


    ¡°No way. You didn¡¯t even swear obedience but the saintess epted you? I thought you were up to something¡­ Vassago, you¡¯d better tell me right away here.¡±


    ¡°Why? Since you decided to be loyal to Master, are you worried that I might have ulterior motives?¡±


    ¡°I made the vow. I don¡¯t want to incur the wrath of God and die. So I have to be loyal until the saintess dies.¡±


    ¡°What about after she dies?¡±


    When Vassago asked, Paimon said with a smirk.


    ¡°I¡¯m not foolish enough to fall into such an obvious trap. I¡¯m being sincere right now.¡±


    ¡°So am I, you vain young demon.¡±


    Vassago moved very diligently. He put a clean pot on a bonfire and lit it with magic. Then, he put a curse on the passing rabbit to make ite his way before ughtering the rabbit cautiously as if dissecting the body. He only picked the white meat part of the rabbit and put it in the pot.


    The sizzling sound of meat cooking filled the air. After various vegetables and spices were added to it, it began to smell more decent.


    ¡°Humans are great at things like this. Is it because they live for a short time? They make every effort to make their food just a little more delicious. How did they figure out that this little grass and this humble root tastes so good?¡±


    ¡°Since when have you been so interested in cooking?¡±


    ¡°This is much more valuable than the music you¡¯re into.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just for one meal. How can a piece of meat be more valuable than art¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for me.¡±


    ¡°Lies.¡±


    ¡°There was a time when this piece of meat felt more valuable than the magic that I had studied for many years, more important than the power that had been mine since birth.¡±


    There was not an inch of falsehood in Vassago¡¯s voice. Was it because he had a human face? He seemed to be reflecting on his memories with remorse. No matter how much of a liar the demon race was known to be, what he said just now sounded true.


    While Paimon hesitated in his speechlessness, Vc returned from scouting out the area. He was in charge of recon because he was the weakest of the group.


    Vc smelled the wonderful smell spreading around the fire and walked in a hurry, delighted at the thought that Lara had already woken up. But when he saw two demons stronger than him sitting there, he crept towards the barracks where Lara was asleep.


    ¡°You, weak one. Come here.¡±


    But he could not deceive Vassago¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You have served our Master the longest, haven¡¯t you? We are out of the food we brought from the city so it¡¯s the duty of the servant to take care of the Master¡¯s meals. Come on and try this food. I¡®m not sure if it suits Master¡¯s taste.¡±


    Is it poisonous?


    Vc panicked at the thought that the food was made by Vassago. He felt like his whole body would melt due to the poison and that he would die painfully and disgustingly if he ate the food.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t hurry up and eat it, I will spice you up and roast you next.¡±


    Vassago grinned.


    Vc had no choice. Without being able to hide his distorted face, he hesitantly moved toward the fire. Suddenly, the barracks was suddenly lifted.


    Lara, who had just woken up, murmured in a hoarse voice.


    ¡°It smells good.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Master.¡±


    Vassago called Lara. While he took the food out of the pot and put it on a te, Paimon walked to the barracks with the clean boots and put them down at Lara¡¯s feet. Paimon sat on one knee so that she could wear her shoesfortably. Vc did not even have a chance to step up.


    Their movements were so natural that even Lara did not feel awkward being served.


    Vc groaned.


    ¡°The great demon lord candidates of hell¡­¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After eating, Lara nodded with satisfaction. The seasoned rabbit made by Vassago was delicious. No, it was not just delicious, it was a delicacy. And it did not lose to Lara¡¯s previous meals when she only ate delicious and good food with her mother, Isadora.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a demon to know how to do all sorts of things like that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a learned skill of mine.¡±


    ¡°From whom.¡±


    ¡°Humans, of course.¡±


    It was known that a demon devoured everything of a human. Perhaps it also included recipes.


    ¡°Hell must be a boring ce.¡±


    ¡°Not really. The boring one is not hell, but the demons.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°After a thousand years since I was born, I stopped counting my age.¡±


    After hearing Vassago, Lara nodded with a look of understanding. Even Paimon did not argue and agreed with Vassago¡¯s statement.


    ¡°From some point on, I have spent more time learning and mastering man-made instruments and music than fighting in hell.¡±


    This time, Lara¡¯s gaze reached Vc, who was sitting like a child in a corner. He grumbled in a disgruntled voice.


    ¡°Both of them have been strong since they were born. Every day was very intense and exhrating for me to survive. Geez¡­ They should all feel how thrilling it is to live an honorless parasitic life here and there for fear that someone will eat them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you ran away, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Well, no one here treats me like vermin, so¡­¡±


    Lara looked at Vc as if she just heard something new. The demons probably could not even guess it, but whenever Lara saw Vc with Prince Sidhar¡¯s face, she thought that his rtionship with her was as interesting as aedy.


    She was betrayed and killed by the man she loved. But when she came back, a demon came into the body of her enemy and became her ve.


    If Prince Sidhar was alive in Vc¡¯s consciousness, he would have ruined himself or gotten half-crazy by now. Sidhar was someone who was drunk on self-love and a desire for power; he could never bear Vc.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    Vassago, who was looking closely at Lara¡¯s gaze, spoke to her.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to hell with us?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m lying?¡±


    ¡°A human with lingering feelings always reverses their decisions at thest minute. Important people, unfulfilled dreams, long-held treasures¡­ For those reasons, they always regretted holding hands with a demon.¡±


    ¡°So, did you let them go?¡±


    ¡°No, Master.¡±


    Vassago grinned, revealing his teeth.


    ¡°I tortured, killed, and robbed them of their souls.¡±


    ¡°Then, why are you asking me that question? If I betray you, you can just do that.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that to you, Master.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°A demon¡¯s instinct is to lie down and obey when he meets a creature stronger than him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a beggar-like habit.¡±


    Lara smirked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that strong. I don¡¯t even know how to use that oh-so-great magic, and I can¡¯t even hold a sword. I received some gifts from God, but¡­ It¡¯s not enough to go to war with demons. So, despite all that, why did you, the demon Vassago, the strong candidate for the demon lord, the wise demon who has lived for a thousand years, kneel down to me?¡±


    ¡°Master.¡±


    ¡°If you want to save hell from destruction, isn¡¯t it better for you to be the demon lord yourself and make the other demons obey you?¡±


    Lara asked.


    Neither Paimon nor Vc looked at Vassago. They thought Lara had a point. Vassago had the power to do so. He was one of the strongest demons in hell, the most insidious, and even the wisest.


    Vassago smiled, showing his teeth again.


    ¡°Master, I remember eating a saintess a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Paimon shuddered. Vc was very openly wary of Vassago and moved behind Lara so that he could get Lara out at any time.


    ¡°It¡¯s a strong memory.¡±


    When news of the saintess¡¯ appearance reached hell, the demons would be madly engaged toe to the human¡¯s realm to eat the saintess. Vassago knew the reason.


    ¡°Because if you eat a saintess, you can get a glimpse of the secrets of the world. For the saintess is God¡¯s vicegerent.¡±


    ¡°So what was the secret of the world that you saw?¡±


    ¡°The demons and humans must join hands to kill God.¡±


    ¡°God?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so tired of being used as a tool for those crazy Gods, being pushed around like a puppet and waiting without doing anything even when I know destruction is right in front of me. I have determined God as my enemy, and I know that you¡¯re the only one who can make it happen.¡±


    Vassago decided to make a very demon-like choice. Kill God and eliminate the cause.


    Abraxas, he was the enemy of Vassago.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 154

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    After causing a disturbance, Lampion finally found Demian, passed out alone in an empty, shabby temple.


    Nichs, the Prince of Lafort, rushed right away after hearing that a Barbarian appeared and defeated the knights as if shooing flies away. As soon as he saw Lampion, he intuitively recognized that he was Demian¡¯srade. So, he quickly released the soldiers and asked them to find Demian.


    Lampion rushed to the temple and asked as he looked at Demian¡¯s face.


    ¡°Why is this brat passed out in the temple?¡±


    ¡°A few days ago, he suddenly disappeared as if something urgent had happened. But I didn¡¯t expect he would be here like this¡­ Can the mighty warrior of the saintess also hear God¡¯s voice?¡±


    Lafort¡¯s knights knew Demian was the mighty warrior of the saintess so they did not think that it was surprising to see him passed out in the temple.


    However, Lampion was different. He knew very well that Demian¡¯s faith in God was less than a dog¡¯s booger.


    ¡°You crazy bastard, you¡¯re quite high-maintenance.¡±


    Demian did not wake up even when Lampion shook him with his rough hands. He breathed very slowly, with his face pale like a dead man. After pping Demian¡¯s cheek, Lampion finally smacked his lips. He lifted him up and carried him on one shoulder.


    Nichs approached cautiously and said.


    ¡°I will call a doctor. I have already sent maids to his quarters. Let¡¯s get him treated¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? What if something wrong happened to Demian?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s never going to die just like this. If you kind ones have time to worry about others, just use that time to take care of your war. I will take this brat with me.¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re going to take the mighty warrior of the saintess? But he has decided to fight with us!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already a winning battle. Should we wipe your butt too? If I had known that Lafort and the East were so weak, I should have told him to push it all away.¡±


    Lampion¡¯s tone was cocky and his manner was arrogant. Each of Nichs¡¯ escort knights was angry. They grabbed the handle of their weapons, despite not being able to bear to attack him.


    After fighting with Demian¡ªthe mighty warrior of the saintess¡ªcountless times, they witnessed directly how powerful of a monster he was. Demian was like a beast born to fight. He was like the hero of the century that the God of war gave birth to through fornication with the king of demonic beasts. His feet ran through the sky and he moved with the wind in his hand like a de.


    The knights of Lafort could do nothing but chase and look up to Demian in fear as he swept past the area. They were afraid of Barbarians.


    Prince Nichs realized it a long time ago. He could not bear to scold the knights not being able to strike out at Lampion, who acted arrogantly in front of a member of the royal family.


    He might be better off leaving. The fight in the East had nowe to an end. If he could not even win in this small battle, he did not deserve to be the king of the unified East.


    An ally that was too strong should not be kept close. Even more so if he was a hero whom no one could control.


    ¡°Leave.¡±


    Nichs spoke with difficulty as if he just swallowed bitter water. His chubby face had be very thin and an awkward smile hung on it.


    ¡°I will get you a healthy horse, food, and travel goods. I will bring identification cards and enough gold coins for your travel¡¯s convenience. If you need anything else, tell me now.¡±


    Lampion did not know with what feeling Nichs gave the order to open the way. But thinking that he was a Prince whom he could talk to, he greeted him honestly with a kind heart.


    ¡°Is it Lafort?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Win.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We Barbarians will not fight with you anymore. Your enemies will only be the easy ones¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Nichs asked curiously. What Lampion had said sounded as if the Barbarians were moving away somewhere far in a group.


    ¡°We will fight the demons. We will shut down hell and build a country at the entrance.¡±


    Lampion had no reason to hide his purpose from others. So he said confidently.


    ¡°This bastard will be the King.¡±


    As the Barbarian¡¯s first monarch. Demian would soon be Demian Rhode Drake. That was the content of the conversation that Lampion, Oscar, and Domino had every night.


    If Lara needed an army, the Barbarians could fight for her. If Lara needed a shield, they could be one for her. If Lara needed a sword, they would dly bare their teeth at her enemies. Even if it was not necessarily for Lara, if the opponent was a demon, the Barbarians would always be ready to fight for their lives at any time. But their real captain andmander must be this man.


    Demian Rhode Drake¡ªthe man whom Oscar, Domino, and Lampion decided to follow for the first time.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The Empire rose. A movement of a country that had been engulfed in ceaseless war, and it was this war that was birthed since the creation of the Tarragon nation on the continent.


    The number of soldiers and their firm spirit, as well as their overwhelming confidence, seemed to indicate the Emperor¡¯s insistence that he would not forgive those who dare to aim for the continent.


    The Emperor himself took the position ofmander. The people of Tarragon were more enthusiastic than anyone else at that fact. The old Emperor always shut himself in the Imperial Pce and only gave his orders through the Crown Prince. When that Emperor was at the forefront of the Knights in red armor, the old people of Tarragon were filled with emotion, recalling the young days of the Emperor.


    The Emperor had long been on the path of a supreme ruler. The wars he started, the fights he started, and the number of people he killed; they were all countless. The people of Tarragon just lived in appreciation that thend they stepped on belonged to that Emperor.


    A yellow g hung over a red g, and another red g hung on it. The red g at the bottom meant the beginning of the war, the yellow g above it meant that the Emperor himself was in the troops, and the red g at the top meant the beginning of the great demon war to defend the continent.


    An enormous number of troops left Dandelion. At the forefront was the Emperor¡¯s carriage. People ran outside, putting aside even their harvest, and prayed for victory in the war.


    The youngsters ran out of the house with their fathers¡¯ old armors and swords and volunteered on the battlefield. It was unknown how long this war wouldst, so standby troops were called out from each city and emergency military drills had begun. All of this happened when the people knew the Emperor himself participated in the war.


    A power that made even the people of Tarragon, the people of a nation where wars had bemon, cried for victory with their hearts seething up.


    The Emperor aimed at that.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°That cunning crook.¡±


    ¡°Madam.¡±


    Sebastian reminded Isadora to be careful when she mumbled to herself. They were in Lara¡¯s abode in the Temple of Glory.


    The priests were also very busy. Most of the priests who gained healing powers after the appearance of the saintess were dispatched to the battlefield and only a few old elders and young priests remained in the temple. They hurried to fill the vacancy of those who had left and to deliver news to local temples.


    ¡°He¡¯s been preparing in advance from the moment Lara appeared. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been so quick to muster an army.¡±


    Sebastian nodded slowly at Isadora¡¯s murmurs.


    ¡°But even though he already knew that there would be a great demon war, he really was quick indeed.¡±


    ¡°I told you. He was already preparing in advance. What else would that old man¡¯s n be if noting out a hero and dying on the battlefield? Do you know what will happen when the great Emperor of Tarragon is killed in a war against demons?¡±


    Isadora¡¯s tone was very cynical. She smirked and continued.


    ¡°The continent will move into a new era.¡±


    The death of the old King who sought to save the continent.


    The Empire would struggle in sorrow. Sadness would soon be anger, and anger would be an irresistible force.


    The people would run only for revenge. And those who did not stand on the side of the Empire and fight together would be defined as enemies. The Emperor risked his life to be that driving force.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way the Crown Prince doesn¡¯t know that.¡±


    Sebastian said with a worried look. Isadora agreed with him.


    ¡°Sebastian.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±


    ¡°Every parent in the world lives with one great delusion.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°They delude themselves into thinking that they know everything about their children.¡±


    Just as a child does not understand their parent¡¯s minds, so too, will a parent not understand their child¡¯s mind. No matter if they were blood-rted or not, humans were all different. What¡¯s more, how could a parent know all the feelings of their grown-up children?


    ¡°Acerus resembles the Emperor.¡±


    Acerus climbed on the tall hill where the sanctum was located and looked at the Emperor from behind.


    ¡°Do you think the Crown Prince will do something?¡±


    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t do something, he¡¯s probably not the Emperor¡¯s son. We will have to suspect that the Emperor picked him up somewhere.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s that shortsighted¡­ But if that¡¯s what you think, Madam, then he will probably do something.¡±


    The Emperor put a very heavy burden on Acerus. After his death, Acerus was to be the monarch who would carry and lead this Empire. If Acerus recklessly rushed out to the battlefield with his weapon to fight by the Emperor¡¯s side, Tarragon would plunge into chaos in an instant.


    The Empire was such arge country. In the midst of the mixture of all kinds of powerful people and their desires, the Emperor told Acerus to stand at the center and defend the Tarragon Empire.


    ¡°If the Crown Prince secretly takes his knights to the battlefield, should he be stopped?¡±


    Sebastian asked. He looked a little fed up. It was very easy for him to manage the tradingpany funds and make a move with the enormous powerhouse he had, but he did not want to stop and admonish the sessor of someone else¡¯s country.


    Then Isadora looked back at him with a look that asked him what kind of nonsense was that.


    ¡°Do you think he can be stopped?¡±


    ¡°You may have forgotten, Madam, but you are the official delegation representative from Hautean. Hautean is also the representative Kingdom of the southwestern part of the Empire. Moreover, you¡¯re also the merchant who sent thergest amount of warring aid for the Eastern unification war.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the mother of the saintess.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. No matter how reckless the Crown Prince is, he will still listen to what you say.¡±


    Sebastian did not dislike the Emperor. He thought that the old Emperor¡¯s aim would be a great step in the history of the continent, so he wanted to take his side.


    But Isadora had apletely different idea from him.


    ¡°Sebastian.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a merchant.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I invest in the future.¡±


    Sebastian¡¯s neat eyebrows twitched. His gaze, which had reached Crown Prince Acerus, returned to Isadora. She saw the future of the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Lara¡­ My only daughter is going to hell on her own. If Acerus doesn¡¯t go all out, I won¡¯t acknowledge him as the next Emperor.¡±


    The dry wind blew. Autumn was the wind that raised the body. Soon, winter would arrive.


    Perhaps feeling Isadora and Sebastian¡¯s gaze, Acerus suddenly turned and looked their way. It was too far to see what he was thinking. But in Sebastian¡¯s eyes, Acerus looked just like the Emperor.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 155 - Lara Decided Not To Talk About Fate Anymore.

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    After a while, Konny could be heard loudly calling for Valentine from the abode. Isadora stopped looking at the Emperor¡¯s procession and said.


    ¡°Let us begin, Sebastian.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±


    Isadora had no intention of chasing the Emperor¡¯s back from the beginning. Acerus had the duty and responsibility to defend the Empire, but not Isadora. Her duty and responsibility lie with Lara, that child was Isadora¡¯s everything.


    ¡°Madam, it¡¯s done!¡±


    Konny rushed over. Valentine nodded beside Konny with a precarious look on his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s working properly.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    When Valentine first invented the long-distance magic circle, what came first was setting up the magic circle at the Eastern border ruins where Demian was. So when Paimon appeared in Dandelion, Demian was able to rush and subdue him at the right moment.


    The second location of the magic circle was Isadora¡¯s manor by the river in the capital of Hautean. Lara had set up a magic circle that could go straight home to evacuate her precious people in case of an emergency.


    ¡°Ximena, Eunice. You stay here and see how the Empire moves. The only ce where you can hear the news of the battlefield the fastest is the Imperial Pce. Be the person next to the Crown Prince and watch what he does.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I get it.¡±


    Eunice and Ximena answered hastily and rushed away to find Crown Prince Acerus after he had disappeared from the hill.


    ¡°The wolves have arrived.¡±


    Just in time, hundreds of wolves had secretly prepared and arrived behind the abode.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Isadora was the first to take a step inside. An intense light was hovering more than ever over the magic circle in the underground maze. Valentine stayed up all night to strengthen the magic circle to send the party to Hautean.


    Again, Isadora stood on top of the magic circle first. Sebastian stood close to her as though to assist her, and Konny and the wolves¡¯ captain hurried after him.


    After a long spell, a familiar ce appeared when they opened their eyes. It was the mansion by the river in Hautean.


    ¡°Lady Isadora! I have been waiting for you.¡±


    The well-grown Princess So greeted Isadora and said in an ambitious voice.


    ¡°I have called up the best knights in Hautean. I have also explored the shortest route to the mountain range. I have already dispatched an advanced party and we will hear from them soon.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The preparations to the demonic beast¡¯s mountain range, West Gorgon, wereplete.<b> Lara Decided Not To Talk About Fate Anymore.</b>


    On the way to the Gorgon Mountain Ranges, Lara decided to buy a carriage from a small city. The horse was tired of their long journey and had be noticeably thin, and she was also determined not to rely on Vassago and Paimon¡¯s magic.


    While Vassago contemted and was busy choosing which carriage to buy, Lara talked to Vc, who was sweeping his chest with one hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little restless¡­ I don¡¯t know why.¡±


    ¡°Is your heart beating irregrly? Like it hurts and feels exhrating, but then suddenly you get goosebumps out of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s love.¡±


    ¡°What a load of bull-¡±


    Paimon¡¯s fist flew into the back of his head just as those foul words came out of Vc¡¯s mouth.


    Whack!


    It hurt so much that he almost cried. After Vc red at Lara in frustration, Paimon threatened him.


    ¡°I will rip out those impudent eyes of yours this time. How dare you re at the Master? You vermin.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about your Master¡¯s standard who makes fun of this vermin?¡±


    ¡°You will have to have your limbs ripped toe to your senses.¡±


    ¡°If you rip me to death, the Crown Prince will die.¡±


    When Vc grumbled with a downhearted look, Paimon beat his own chest andined out of frustration.


    ¡°You shrewd vermin! How dare you share your heart with Master¡¯s friend? Can¡¯t you live without being a parasite?¡±


    ¡°For crying out loud! I did that because Master¡¯s friend was dying. I was just trying to save him!¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to know if that¡¯s true or not?¡±


    Paimon did not believe anything Vc said. As the two demons began to fight, Vassago, while in the middle of picking out a carriage, looked their way and clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Shut up, you noisy fellows.¡±


    ¡°Vassago!¡±


    ¡°Master, I think this carriage is good enough.¡±


    Vassago approached Lara and pointed to a carriage.


    ¡°It looks the most old-fashioned though?¡±


    ¡°We have to go through rugged terrain, so looks do not matter. But the wheels on this one are very well maintained so this one is the safest.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s too small.¡±


    ¡°The carriage is only for you, Master. What¡¯s the use of a big carriage? It will just be a burden.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only for me?¡±


    ¡°When ites to us, we can just walk or run. We can even kill or throw someone away.¡±


    Thosest words were said with Vc in mind. Everyone there understood what Vassago meant. Paimon nodded contentedly. Vc looked at them with a pleading look on his face but Lara only smiled lightly.


    After buying the carriage, they bought food and clothes to change into. Lara thought that a simple travel suit would do, but the demons were inflexible in a strange matter, they kept rmending her a fancy and beautiful dress.


    ¡°All you have to do is lie down in the carriage and sleep. These two will serve you. From now on, you must have dignity as the great demon lord candidate.¡±


    ¡°Why do I need to have that dignity here? I can have it when I go to hell.¡±


    ¡°But there must already be quite a few demons walking upon thisnd.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know where and whom we will run into. I cannot show my Master wearing shabby clothes. This has to do with my honor as well.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense is that?¡±


    When Lara refused the dress as though it was annoying, Paimon secretly took Vassago¡¯s side.


    ¡°Just wear it. Master, your appearance is already a fancy and powerful one, so something like a travel suit won¡¯t look good on you.¡±


    ¡°But still, you¡¯re telling me to climb up the mountain in this red and ck dress?¡±


    ¡°I will carry you on my back.¡±


    Paimon said, smiling.


    ¡°I can use magic to carry you. If I have to, I will kill Vc and make a stretcher out of him¡­¡±


    ¡°Why me again?¡±


    In the end, Larapromised with a gorgeous and luxurious jacket and leather pants instead of a dress. With a narrow-brimmed hat and a ck veil, she looked like the monarch of the demons. She was very curious about what Konny would have said if she had seen her new look. She might have said that Lara looked like the wings of a dragonfly from hell.


    ¡°We will set off now.¡±


    Vassago naturally sat down on the coachman¡¯s seat, and Paimon climbed onto the roof of the carriage. Vc was restless, wondering where to board, and then, hesitatingly, sat next to Vassago.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    As Vassago guaranteed, Lara was not the least bit tired. The demons assisted her with all their heart. Even Paimon, who was suspicious of Vassago at first, no longer held him in check after knowing his real purpose.


    During the day, Lara leisurely gazed at the westernndscape in the carriage. And during the night, she slept with the warm giant of fire in her arms. Even when Lara was asleep, the carriage kept moving. She had three restless demons by her side.


    One day when the Gorgon Mountain Ranges were just around the corner, Lara had fallen into a deep sleep when her eyshes suddenly trembled. It was quiet around, and though no one had woken her up, she had woken up by herself all of a sudden. Lara put down the giant of fire, fast asleep in her arms, and slowly got up.


    She was the only one in the carriage. There was no one else. The demons hardly spoke without Lara, so there were no sounds from outside.


    Lara felt strange. Her heart tightened and loosened. Her pulse beat very slowly but her heart ached for no reason. It felt like someone was pouring cold and warm water into her body at the same time. Lara swept her chest with one hand.


    ¡®Demian.¡¯


    She wondered if he was calling her. She was unsure.


    ¡®Abraxas.¡¯


    Lara bit her red lips tightly. She held the dull ne that once shone red at bygone days. Then, she whispered to the God of Fate.


    ¡®I will be the demon lord and break this terrible chain of fate.¡¯


    So that there would be no more saintesses in thisnd. So that the demon lords would no longer have to be born to kill the saintesses.


    The first saintess was destined to serve God but had fallen in love with God instead. Lara thought about why Abraxas called himself the God of Fate and waited for this moment. God only wanted someone to kill him. So that he might no longer suffer from the traces of the woman he loved.


    After thinking, Lara whispered and gave strength to the hand that was holding the ne.


    ¡°I trust you.¡±


    She hoped her feelings would reach him.


    Demian belonged to Lara. A fragment taken from God, an executor determined by God, and a being born to kill her.


    She did not care about any of that.


    Demian. My fate. You¡¯re the only one who can kill God.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 156

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    ¡°Why is this bastard so heavy?¡±


    Lampion grumbled with all his heart. He was searching for a campsite with Demian still asleep on his shoulder.


    There were traces of wild boars here and there, but that much was nothing to Lampion. He spread out a mat under arge tree nearby andid Demian on it.


    ¡°Why are you sleeping so much, you little brat. Is there¡­ really something wrong with you?¡±


    Lampion poked Demian in the face. He even rubbed Demian¡¯s side with his big fingers.


    Originally, Demian would have opened his blue eyes wide and scolded him. But somehow, let alone waking up, his heart was beating slower. As if he was falling into a deeper sleep.


    ¡°Get up now, bastard. I don¡¯t know what the saintess is up to now. We don¡¯t know why she¡¯s having suchplicated thoughts with her little head.¡±


    Lampion wanted to get Demian to Lara as soon as possible. So even if Demian had fallen into a deep sleep and could not get up, Lampion still tied him up on the back of a horse and ran without a break.


    ¡°I¡¯m going fast. I hope we can join them by the time we get to the mountain range.¡±


    Once it became nighttime, Lampion stopped the horses and began to prepare for camp-out. He hummed, if Lampion had realized earlier that Lara¡¯s party consisted of sleepless demons, he would have tried to wake Demian up and kept going, even if that meant beating him up.


    Sitting under the tree where Demian was thrown, Lampion tied the two horses and lit a small bonfire.


    ¡°Well! I¡¯m tired.¡±


    ¡®Who should be on night watch?¡¯


    Lampion was troubled for a moment. If Oscar and Domino were present at that time, they would have taken turns looking around. But Lampion was the only one awake now. He wished Demian could get up but there were still no signs of him opening his eyes.


    ¡°Well, who¡¯s going to take that ignorant fellow anyway? Let¡¯s just sleep.¡±


    Lampion thought that Demian¡¯s blue eyes sucked so much that no one would kidnap him. Of course, it might still be a little dangerous for himself because of his cute face and nice muscles. But there should be no problem then, he could just quickly run away if something like that ever happened.


    Lampionid down on the nket and closed his eyes. Then, he snored and fell into a deep sleep.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Demian.¡±


    Demian was wandering inside his subconsciousness. There were times when he felt like he was fast asleep and times when he felt like he was dead. But at some point, he realized that his mind waspletely intact.


    He could think and observe. He could imagine and recall. It was a ce where all kinds of memories flowed like waves. It was beautiful. For him, beauty was only something that Lara had, but he had to admit that this space too was beautiful.


    Various colors harmonized, they flowed into light and darkness with numerous memories swimming leisurely within them. Like a fish with a light, or like a flexible arrow. They flowed very slowly, or sometimes, they flowed too fast to be seen. And sometimes, they went against the flow.


    Demian stretched forward with what he thought was his hand. Nothing was seen or caught, but something ticklish glistened and touched his fingertips.


    It was a memory of some sort.


    A Barbarian was looking at the corpse of a big demonic beast, he looked troubled. Next to him stood a boy who seemed to be barely ten years old. In his hand was a small sword that did not reach his elbow, it had blood dripping off of it.


    What the Barbarian caught was only a plump little bird. However, while he was on a bird hunt, the boy caught a boar-type demonic beast. The Barbarian could only cough awkwardly after seeing the demonic beast.


    ¡®You can¡¯t eat this, you¡¯ve been hunting for nothing. A bird is much harder to catch than a boar. We¡¯re going to eat this bird today. I¡¯m still stronger than you.¡¯


    The quiet Barbarian was especially talkative that day.


    The boy just silently cleaned the bird as the man told him to and took the boar away.


    This was his memory. Demian nodded. He did not actually move his head, but he thought he nodded. That Barbarian was the one who picked Demian up on the battlefield, the one who raised him.


    Thinking about it again, Demian remembered such a day. It was a regrettable day for him. Because from that day on, the Barbarian had told him to keep watch equally too.


    Another memory came.


    This time, Demian felt a little thrilled. A zing gleam of light ran through the waves and reached his sight.


    p!


    He felt a pain that could make hime to his senses. With bloodshot red eyes, Lampion was pping Demian in his face. His eyes were torn and bleeding. Still, Lampion did not stop and continued to beat him. So did Oscar and Domino, who stood beside him like a totem pole. One of Oscar¡¯s hands was cut off and Domino was so badly injured that he could no longer fight. They were blocking Demian from going to war with all the strength in their bodies.


    ¡°Doing this won¡¯t bring that woman back alive! She¡¯s dead! She walked with her own feet into the ce where Prince Sidhar told her to go! That spiteful woman swallowed poison on her own and died!¡±


    Lampion cried and shouted. The Demian in that memory did not listen to hisrades at all. Even after getting beaten by Lampion, he only moved forward like a broken doll.


    ¡°Leave him alone now. He must want to die.¡±


    ¡°Domino!¡±


    ¡°We did our best.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­ This bastard is our King. A King must not abandon his people! We, the Barbarians, have sacrificed a lot for that madwoman!¡±


    ¡°Really, is it because of her? No, it¡¯s because we wanted to fight. As long as we live on this continent, war would be an inevitability, anyway. I will die fighting. You¡¯re free to run away.¡±


    Leaving behind the quarrel between Lampion and Domino, Demian left the barracks and walked to the battlefield full of blood and flesh. Then, he met Prince Sidhar, who had be the demon¡¯s servant.


    Will shee back if I kill you?


    That¡¯s what Demian seemed to have asked. His lips mouthed those words out, but he could not hear a sound.


    Who should I kill to get her back? Is it God, the world, or me?


    Then, another memory floated by the current.


    It was a very strange experience to be able to look at his own memories randomly. Demian¡¯s subconsciousness was a record.


    While looking at the memories flowing at different speeds, Demian moved his body. At first, he walked, then, after he got used to walking, he ran. Then, atst, he was able to swim freely in his subconsciousness.


    Demian thought. If this was a space where his memories were stored, then there must be memories of Abraxas too. Because they were one and the same.


    As soon as he realized that, his vision expanded. God¡¯s memory was so massive with no end in sight. The subconscious was where the existence of God was recorded. Being a mere fragment of God, it was a world that was too vast for Demian to take away.


    It was terribly spacious.


    It was horrifically far too much


    It was so overwhelming that he felt helpless, as if his very existence had disappeared.


    And thus, God was such a being. But there was no way Demian could give up. Inside that space, he began to struggle for only one person.


    ¡°I trust you.¡±


    Lara.


    He heard her voice.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Early in the morning, Lampion woke up startled by the sound of his own snoring. When he woke up, his nose was stuffed. As he slept without even pitching a tent on a cold autumn night, his throat was dry and his whole body was chilly. He wondered if he had caught a bad cold, one that was never in his dictionary.


    Still, Lampion hurried and got up without beingzy. A few sprints would make the cold better. Besides, he was on a mission to bring Demian quickly.


    ¡°Yo-ho! Eat this.¡±


    After feeding the horses that had been quietly waiting for him all night, Lampion walked over to Demian, chewing on hard jerky.


    ¡°This bastard should be okay, he doesn¡¯t catch colds, right?¡±


    Even if Demian was thrown into the snow in the middle of winter, he would still be sleeping fine. Lampion wiped his runny nose with his sleeve. Then he lifted Demian up and rested him on his shoulder.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped even if it¡¯s ufortable, bastard. You¡¯re only sleeping after all.¡±


    From Lampion¡¯s shoulder, Demian was thrown like a hay bale to the back of the horse. In order for him to not fall while the horse was running, Lampion tied him up with a rope and even covered him with a nket.


    With Demian¡¯s face covered, Lampion felt like a trafficker. If that bewitching face was revealed, Lampion was sure someone would misunderstand and chase after him.


    ¡°What kind of trouble is this! You madman, you sure have a shy unrequited love!¡±


    Lampion got on his horse and grabbed the reins. The horse that carried Demian followed behind him.


    ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    Demian clenched his fingers hard while it was sticking out of the nket. No one witnessed him, however.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 157

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    Despite leaving after the Barbarians, Lara was first to reach the Gorgon Mountain Range. However, they arrived at a ce different from the mountain range¡¯s entrance city, where Barbarians lived together.


    Vassago had taken it upon himself to assume the role of a guide. He led through and climbed the mountain range along a rough and narrow road, only stopping the carriage until after halfway up the mountain.


    The area was very quiet. After Vassago let go of the reins he was loosely holding, the horses suddenly got anxious and began to retreat. They had been running fearlessly thanks to the spell that Vassago had cast, but when the spell was released, they suddenly became restless and kept on neighing.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them?¡±


    Vc stepped out of the carriage and approached the horses carefully. He stroked their manes and pulled on the rope, but it was of no use.


    ¡°Release them so they can go. It seems they¡¯ve smelled demonic beasts.¡±


    ¡°Demonic beasts?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever dare go anywhere and introduce yourself as a demon. You¡¯re just a foolish vermin, after all¡ªa vermin that can¡¯t even tell that there are demonic beasts even when they¡¯re within a foot away.¡±


    Vc could not defy Vassago. He had to put up with him, even when he called him a foolish vermin or pathogenic parasite. When Vc released the horses with a stiff face, Paimon jumped down after having been sitting in the carriage.


    ¡°It smells.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    The two demons exchanged nces, there seemed to be something that only they knew. Unable to keep up with their conversation, Vc ended up walking on eggshells and muttered to himself.


    ¡°Lilith was the one who was good at manipting demonic beasts¡­¡±


    Then, he realized something important and said aloud.


    ¡°And I ate her up, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Because he had eaten Lilith, Vc was now able to manipte demonic beasts. He might not be as skillful as Lilith, but it was somewhat possible. Having just realized that fact, Vc blushed with shame.


    ¡°It seems that the weak ones have exchanged such a trivial trick. But you should thank the dead, for you have be as useful as my nails.¡±


    ¡°That half-breed will remember being eaten by you as the most shameful thing in her life, you idiot.¡±


    Vassago and Paimon did not forget to be hard on Vc. The three demons moved the carriage aside to stand in for the horses that had run away. If they stayed in such a prominent ce, they might encounter all sorts of demonic beasts living in the mountain.


    ¡°Are we there?¡±


    Lara was not sleeping. When Vassago opened the carriage door, she came out with the giant of fire in her arms.


    ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°This is the way to the central area of Gorgon. It¡¯s halfway up the mountain and a little far from the entrance to the mountain range where humans live. If we go straight up this road, we can see the food chain of the demonic beasts.¡±


    Lara nodded and looked around. Vassago followed her and exined.


    ¡°If you look down this cliff, you will see the human¡¯s battlefield. But rather than a battlefield¡­it would be more urate to call it the human¡¯s defense line. It was originally less one-sided, but after repeated defeats, the humans have retreated as much as to what you can see now.¡±


    As Lara looked down to where Vassago pointed his finger, she saw ck smoke rising here and there.


    When the Barbarians were in Gorgon, they were able to control the number of the demonic beasts. But because the empire used them as ves, the Barbarians had left the mountain range in a group. Adding to that, the number of demonic beasts has also experienced a sharp increase due to the demons¡¯ interference. All of this resulted in a barely maintained defense line that¡¯s even beginning to copse.


    Rather than the inside of the mountain range, it was more fitting to look at the defense line as the entrance. If even that ce copsed, it would only be a matter of time before demonic beasts appeared in human cities.


    Lara stood and looked at the battlefield full of ck smoke. When the knights were in Dandelion, they were dressed in fine armor, rode expensive warhorses, brandished glistening swords, and boasted to the cheers of the people. But now they were fighting the demonic beasts, dressed just like the herbalists and hunters. Lara could not tell which of them were the Imperial army or the hunters.


    Vc crept up and asked.


    ¡°Watching them like this, they kind of reap what they sow¡­ But are you going to just leave them here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and?¡±


    ¡°Are you not going to save them? They are Acerus¡¯ men.¡±


    ¡°If you feel sorry for them, why don¡¯t you go and help them?¡±


    Vc hesitated while finding something to refute Lara¡¯s indifferent attitude.


    ¡°Still¡­ Those people should be in the war. Didn¡¯t you intend to drive the demon worshippers to hell before the great demon war broke out? If you abandon them here, the war will be all the more difficult.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°Help them first and establish a strong defensive line. Then, you drive the demonic beast¡¯s troops inside and sacrifice them to open the gates of hell¡­¡±


    After mumbling for a while, Vc quietly read the room and looked up. Lara, Vassago, and Paimon were all looking at him. Vassago felt a sense of unfamiliarity while Paimon looked surprised. Lara seemed proud of Vc.


    ¡°So even a demon knows how to care for humans now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown up a lot.¡±


    ¡°Saintess, what are you¡­¡±


    ¡°I was just joking earlier. I know I shouldn¡¯t abandon them.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The most important thing is that the Barbarians¡¯ families are also there. Of course, I have to save them.¡±


    Lara lifted the veil covering her face to one side and smiled with the corners of her lips raised sharply. Her lips were red even though she had no makeup on. The red gazes that pierced through the veil were also horrifying.


    The winter wind blew where they stood. They could hear the sound of ice breaking from the frosty leaves. Standing aloof, Lara looked up with her long, ck veil fluttering in the cold wind.


    ¡°Listen up. I¡¯m going to be the human¡¯s public enemy from now on; The saintess who betrays God and bes the monarch of the demons. It takes a strong pivot to bring together all the scattered demon worshippers after all.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s your role, Master.¡±


    Vassago cried, filled with joy. He threw back the hood until it came down to his nose bridge. He raised his eyes and said.


    ¡°May you gain notoriety.¡±


    Paimon also stood next to Vassago and bowed.


    ¡°May you gain notoriety!¡±


    The birth of the demon lord who ascends from the human realm.


    The giant of fire in Lara¡¯s arms ignited wildly. An unbelievably hot heat could be felt from its tiny body. It was unrealistically hot, to the extent that Lara¡¯s shadow and the surroundings glowed red.


    Vc murmured as he rubbed the goosebumps on his forearms.


    ¡°We really picked a good Master.¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Apparently, authoritarianism did not exist solely in human society and could also be found in hell. As such, Vc was unanimously decided to be the first to carry out Lara¡¯s orders.


    ¡°But usually the youngest is supposed to do it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and you¡¯re the youngest here.¡±


    ¡°But in terms of timing, I¡¯m the oldest one in this realm.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re demons. The order is determined by power.¡±


    Vc¡¯s rebellion was less powerful than a burnt-out candle. Hearing Vassago making fun of Vc, Lara was genuinely curious and asked.


    ¡°Then who¡¯s the older one between Paimon and Vassago?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    Vassago pointed at himself. Paimon did not even deny him.


    ¡°That¡¯s it for the joke. I¡¯m going down now. There are three demons here¡­ so the demonic beasts have begun to get excited. It¡¯s only natural for them to lose their rationality.¡±


    Vc whispered anxiously. Following his gaze, arge group of demonic beasts with huge horns and long teeth could be seen rushing from the top of the mountain towards the Imperial army¡¯s defense line. Their eyes were red. Their sharp teeth were dripping with venomous saliva. The hungry demonic beasts were suffering from terrible hunger.


    Lara realized that they were drowning in madness.


    The demonic beasts did not initiate a hunt. Instead of driving prey away at once, they threw their life away and rushed unconditionally. The attack they made was quite uncharacteristic of beasts.


    How can I prevent those demonic beasts from destroying the defense line of the Imperial army, while at the same time making the Imperial army misunderstand that the saintess has betrayed God and be the demon lord?


    ¡°Vassago.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ¡°Go to the Imperial army¡¯s camp and tell them that the demon lord has appeared on the mountain. Scream and run away. Shout out loud: ¡®the world is about to end and God has abandoned us.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Wow, I got it.¡±


    Vassago grinned and ran down the mountain. Next was Paimon.


    ¡°Paimon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ¡°Find the most fearsome looking andrgest-built demonic beast in the Gorgon Mountain Range. Do it right away.¡±


    ¡°Demonic beast?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I will make it my mount and ride it.¡±


    Paimon moved quickly at Lara¡¯s order. He climbed the mountain so fast his feet could not be seen. In no time at all, he had disappeared from sight.


    Thest one was Vc.


    ¡°Vc, make them angry.¡±


    Lara pointed at the group of demonic beasts gathering on the mountain.


    ¡°Like crazy.¡±


    Vc nodded with a gloomy face and said.


    ¡°Somehow it feels like I¡¯m given the most ungainly task.¡±


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 158

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    The mountains wept, an ominous sign.


    Looking at the distant ridge ahead, Domino murmured and rubbed his eyebrows with the back of his sword.


    ¡°It¡¯s the cry of the demonic beasts.¡±


    Despite leaving the ruins before Lara, the Barbarians arrived at the entrance of the Gorgon mountains range a littleter than she did.


    ¡°Oscar! Something¡¯s going on in the mountain. We¡¯ll have to speed up.


    ¡°What? But the Emperor has sent his troops. If they can¡¯t push the demonic beasts out, they can at least stop them.¡±


    ¡°Look at that.¡±


    Domino pointed to the middle of the murky mountain. When Oscar narrowed his eyes and stared at that ce, he saw dust rising from the empty mountains with the sound of an earthquake.


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯reing down, run!¡±


    As many as 2,000 Barbarians began to run at full speed with Domino at the forefront.


    Their families were in Gorgon. Their wives, children, and their elderly parents hated the Empire. And so, they stayed behind in Gorgon, the rough mountain. They had heard that the number of demonic beasts had increased abnormally and became more aggressive. But they never heard that the demonic beasts were crazy enough to charge so recklessly.


    The Imperial Army probably did its best. Although they were not on good terms with the Barbarians, they were notzy enough to idle in defending the Empire¡¯s border.


    ¡°Hurry, run faster!¡±


    ¡°Where is the Imperial Army? Which is the defense line?¡±


    Thest defense lines were built deep inside the mountains range when the Barbarians defended this ce. But now, it had retreated to the entrance of the mountain range where the people¡¯s homes were visible.


    ¡°Light the beacon fire! Tell the city to evacuate the people!¡±


    ¡°The demon lord has appeared!¡±


    ¡°Shoot the oiled arrow! Demonic beasts are vulnerable to fire! Don¡¯t worry about forest fires, just shoot them first! Set fire to the woodblocks!¡±


    ¡°The demon lord has appeared!¡±


    ¡°Where is the man in charge? Let him know that the Barbarians are back! Tell all the men who still have intact limbs and know how to handle weapons toe out here!¡±


    ¡°The end is near! The demon lord wille and kill us all! God has abandoned us! Help me!¡±


    It was a mess. Oscar¡¯s voice in search of the person in charge and the cries of panic-stricken people running away kept on ovepping. As more people were panicking. The fear of death and destruction paralyzed the people¡¯s rationality, and soon, there were even signs of a group escape.


    Oscar was the first to reach the border with the defense line. The Imperial Army was in a mess, but they managed to hold the line without running away. The knights who had been ustomed to hunting demonic beasts encouraged the soldiers and dressed up as hunters, doing away with heavy metal armors.


    Oiled arrows poured down. There were fires everywhere at the entrance of the mountain ranges. It was a dry autumn, so even a small spark could cause a strong fire. The demonic beasts ran down, erratically faltering and revealing their teeth.


    A sense of relief shed across the faces of the Imperial Knights, thinking that they had seeded. And just in time, Oscar appeared before them. But as he jumped onto the fence of the defense line, the knights began shouting at him.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that? What are you doing? Don¡¯t provoke them!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that bull! If you don¡¯t capture the leader, then even more demonic beasts wille back down here! Why do you still not know that?¡±


    After hearing Oscar say those words, the soldiers looked at the knights. They had been keenly aware that Barbarians were right a hundred times when it came to the war against demonic beasts in the Gorgon Mountain Range. At a time when the soldiers could not sleep and had suffered from a winged demonic beast¡¯s attacks, the Barbarians¡¯ old women made warning tools with high-hanging clotheslines.


    As the knights followed him up on the wooden fence, Oscar called a good-sighted archer to his side and asked.


    ¡°Which way is the leader? Find where it is!¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute¡­ There, there it is! Over there and also over there!¡±


    There were three leaders. Oscar took a spear from an Imperial knight next to him, while Domino btedly fixed a heavy iron arrow to a huge bow by Oscar¡¯s side.


    Fwoosh!


    The arrow and spear flew. More demonic beasts charged all the way to the fence and aimed at Oscar and Domino, but the Imperial army rushed to defense at the risk of their lives.


    Whack!


    The sound of the demonic beast¡¯s head exploding could be heard. One was pierced at its head and the other was pierced at its neck. When the two leaders fell, the entire pack of demonic beasts was thrown into confusion.


    Howl


    Their howling covered the mountains range.


    ¡°There¡¯s still one more¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone, lift your spears and shields! Bring more wooden supports! We have to stop them from going down to the residences!¡±


    With its followers behind, thest remaining leader began to charge with drool flowing out of its mouth. Compared to the beginning, the number of demonic beasts had decreased significantly.


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    What a mess this is, and as soon as I got back too.


    Oscar swept up his sweaty hair. Behind the first two people, 2,000 Barbarians joined to defend with the Imperial Army.


    Oscar thought about the victory they had against the demonic beasts. Now that the Barbarians were back, the beast¡¯s attacks could still be stopped again even if it was on a scale asrge as it was then. Though it bothered Oscar that there were three leaders, once Lampion came back, Oscar, Lampion, and Domino could take charge of one leader each.


    And yet, Oscar still had a bad hunch. His chest was cold and he felt a tingling sensation at the back of his head.


    ¡°The demon lord has appeared!¡±


    The culprit was the cries heard among the fleeing people.


    ¡°God has abandoned this world! The end ising! We¡¯re all going to die! Hell is rising to ournds!¡±


    It did not sound like a cry of fear. Domino ran away while muttering cuss words and grabbed the nearest shouting person. The man Domino grabbed had been shouting that the end wasing, like someone being possessed.


    ¡°What are you doing? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    The man was a young soldier. After taking a good look at him, Domino noticed the man¡¯s eyes being out of focus. And he did not seem to know what he was talking about. Even while looking at Domino, he kept murmuring over and over again that the demon lord had appeared and that they were all going to die.


    ¡°Get a grip!¡±


    The soldier only came to his senses after Domino eventually pped him thrice. He flopped down and mumbled.


    ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Oscar!¡±


    Domino called Oscar to show him the soldier and said.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s in there causing confusion. This guy has been brainwashed, it¡¯s likely to be the act of a sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°Is it a ck sorcerer?¡±


    ¡°We have to find them right now.¡±


    Demonic beasts came from the top of the mountain. People were being brainwashed by ck sorcerers and screamed, causing mass hysteria. The wooden supports would soon break. With just a single attack, the Imperial Army would have to step back again. They had to make a decision.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    ¡°Hehehe.¡±


    A proud smile grew on Vassago¡¯s face as he watched the scene from afar.


    Does it make sense for there to be dirty wooden fences in thend where my Master will ascend to?


    Of course, his Master would be the demon lord and side with the humans, but it did not matter to Vassago. For his enemy was not human.


    Afterpleting his mission, Vassago moved slowly, as if taking a walk and having a leisurely hike through the mountain. It just so happened that he met Vc, who hade back out of breath. Vc had just been hurrying through the mountains, gathering three packs of demonic beasts.


    ¡°What about Paimon?¡±


    ¡°Huff! T-there¡­¡±


    Vc lifted his finger with a pale face. In the distance, deep inside the valley, there was the cry of a wild beast. It sounded like a bird of prey.


    A demonic beast appeared. It was so huge that calling it ¡®king¡¯ was not unfitting.


    The arrogant king of beasts.


    It showed off his violent presence enough to make even Vc and Vassago pay close attention.


    Vassago grew a contented smile on his face.


    ¡°As expected of my Master.¡±


    Lara came by the demonic beast. It had four tall horns and long canine teeth that protruded out of its snout and stretched down to its neck. At first nce, it looked to be a wolf, but it was as big as an elephant. Its leather was red and its fur was ck. The ground echoed every time it stomped on the ground with its heavy feet.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t¡­this too big to be her mount?¡±


    Vc whispered to himself. Paimon, who caught the demonic beast, shrugged his shoulders and greeted Vassago.


    ¡°It looks good.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°It suits the Master.¡±


    Lara wore a narrow-brimmed hat, a long and translucent veil like a scarf, and a fancy jacket that was no different than a dress.


    She climbed the back of the demonic beast like a jockey and looked down from the high position she was in. She then muttered with a bitter face.


    ¡°Should I wear a mask?¡±


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The momentum of the demonic beasts had subsided. It was thanks to the Barbarians arriving at the right time. Lara looked at the half-copsed wooden fence, ck smoke, and the fire-covered defense line from the top of the mountain.


    When the demon lord appeared, people would move the defense line farther away and would carefully prepare for war. That was Lara¡¯s purpose. To drive demon worshippers in Gorgon Mountain Range, and for the Barbarians and the Imperial army to not get close.


    ¡°May you gain notoriety!¡±


    Vassago raised his hands, revealing the whites of his eyes.


    It could not be helped. Lara lowered her ck veil and covered half her face. In order to be the public enemy of the continent, she must endure this all. To gather those cruel demon worshippers and rule them with fear, she must be someone worse than a demon.


    ¡°It¡¯s the ascension of the demon lord.¡±


    If this is my destiny, go shove it in a hole. I have decided to go against my destiny now.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 Chapter 159 - May You Gain Notoriety

    <b>Trantor: </b>Wawaa


    <b>Editor: </b>WilsonWilson


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????<b> May You Gain Notoriety</b>


    Twilight had fallen upon the mountain, and a colony of ominous ck bats soared high in the dark sky. Down below on the ground, the Imperial Army and the barbarians, being experienced hunters, were looking at a huge demonic beast. The demonic beast was looking down at them from a cliff halfway up the mountain.


    The soldiers who first spotted the beast screamed and informed their superior. The knights immediately looked for the Barbarians.


    ¡°It¡¯s the king of the demonic beasts.¡±


    Deep in the Gorgon Mountain Range, there were several demonic beasts strong enough to be called kings living in their respective territories. It was clear that the demonic beast the Barbarians were looking at was one of them. Having never before appeared outside the mountains range, even the Barbarians did not know how strong that demonic beast was.


    If the demonic beast brought its pack with it, the Barbarians could not stop it this time. And the damage to the barely holding out Imperial Army would be severe. After contemting for a moment, Oscar made a decision.


    ¡°Take back the defense line! Give up! We¡¯re retreating back to our living quarters!¡±


    ¡°Withdraw! Don¡¯t attack it!¡±


    ¡°Tell the city to repair the ramparts at once! The wooden fence cannot withstand any more attacks. We don¡¯t know when they wille down, set up traps here and get out!¡±


    The soldiers moved at once. The Barbarians¡¯ orders were like the voice of amander to them.


    ¡°Call backup! Tell them to send as many as they can!¡±


    ¡°Which city is the closest?¡±


    The Imperial Knights and the Barbarians gathered together and had a discussion. Oscar wondered what it would have been like if Demian had been there with them. He would have cut off the head of the demonic beast and held it in one hand. Then, he would descend from the mountain while grumbling that it was heavy. He wouldin that he did not know why he had to carry something that could not even be eaten as the crowning glory. Then, he would proceed to put it down in front of Lampion to show off.


    ¡°Come on, you slow-witted guy.¡±


    Oscar murmured under his breath and turned to go to hisrades. Then, the archer, who had climbed onto the wooden fence to find the leader, stared at the huge demonic beast and nkly opened his mouth.


    ¡°What are you doing? Come down!¡±


    The soldiers beckoned to him, but he did note down. Instead, the archer muttered with a pale face, as if he had witnessed something that he should not see.


    ¡°Saintess¡­?¡±


    They thought they misheard him. Oscar and all the soldiers nearby thought the archer was talking nonsense.


    ¡°That¡¯s the saintess, right? Look closely! That hair. It¡¯s the saintess!¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Are you out of your mind? Why would the saintess be here?¡±


    ¡°There is no ce in the Temple of Glory without portraits of the saintess. It¡¯s that face! Besides, I have seen her up close!¡±


    ¡°It must be someone who looks like her.¡±


    A sharp wind blew. The demonic beast, that was standing on the cliff halfway up the mountain, lowered its head and revealed its rider. Long hair fluttering under a ck veil, white face, slender figure, and fancy outfits that were improper in the mess.


    ¡®Is it the demon lord?¡¯


    The sun had gone downpletely. And the demon lord turned her back against the Barbarians, now facing the darkened sky.


    The distance between them was so far that the demon lord¡¯s face could not be seen in detail. Even the archer was confused when no one believed him, he tilted his head beforeing down from the wooden fence.


    Domino approached Oscar from behind and asked quietly so that only he could hear it.


    ¡°Did you see it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°This is crazy.¡±


    Even if she could deceive the soldiers¡¯ eyes, she could not deceive the Barbarians. They saw clearly. That was Lara.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The next day and the day after that were the same. The demon lord appeared with her huge demonic beast and watched the Imperial Army set straps all over the defense line. She did not send demonic beasts or randomly cast spells. She just stared at them.


    However, because of the chaotic energy and ominous heat emitted by the demonic beast, fear of the demon lord fell on the face of the Imperial Army. Even the rumors of destruction also yed a part, though it was unknown where the rumors had originated from. Now, people mored that the demon lord had appeared in Gorgon and would destroy the world.


    ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    A few days aftering down to the residences from the entrance of the mountain range, a few Imperial Knights appeared with their superior.


    Oscar watched his fellow Barbarians disperse in search of their families. He then turned to the Imperial Knights. The Imperial Knights regarded Oscar as a representative or a spokesperson for the Barbarians. This was because he was the only one they couldmunicatefortably with.


    ¡°We have sent a messenger to the capital asking for reinforcements¡­ But we don¡¯t know how long it will take for them to get here.¡±


    Those who had previously despised the Barbarians and treated them like ves were now treating Oscar with due respect.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in the East so we can¡¯t beg them to send more knights.¡±


    The knights were exhausted, so was the supervisor. Oscar understood them, hunting demonic beasts was different from war. Wars were fought against humans who could be reasoned with, so they were able to talk and negotiate. They could have nned a strategy or signed a ceasefire.


    But there was no such thing for demonic beasts. They simply rushed day and night to appease their unfulfilled hunger.


    ¡°I heard that the situation in the East is roughly in order. That¡¯s also why we were sent here. As for the news from Dandelion, shouldn¡¯t you be the one to inform us?.¡±


    Oscar asked the knights. Then, the middle-aged knight who appeared to be in charge spoke reluctantly.


    ¡°The birds aren¡¯t flying.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The birds haven¡¯t been flying for a while. And because the carrier pigeons cannot be used, we have to send a messenger ourselves. So we also don¡¯t know much about the capital, and even the capital doesn¡¯t know how urgent the situation here is.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with the birds?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the winged demonic beasts.¡±


    It was an understandable situation. All sorts of demonic beasts that no one had ever seen before appeared even on the ground. There was no way that the sky could be safe.


    ¡°First and foremost, we have to evacuate the people back to nearby cities. Now that the defense line has copsed, it would not be long before demonic beasts cane down here. We also have never seen such arge number before. It¡¯ll be hard to stop them without any ramparts.¡±


    The knights agreed heavily with Oscar. They asked him carefully.


    ¡°Well, but is it true¡­that the saintess has betrayed us?¡±


    Oscar could not answer.


    The rumor had already spread. The saintess had betrayed God and joined the side of the demons. She called herself the demon lord and led the world to destruction. The great demon war would begin at the hands of the saintess.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to call that woman now. Saintess? No, it¡¯s not enough just to call her a wicked woman. Demon, demon lord, the sinner who insults God¡­ But then again, even the Barbarians are abandoned. You¡¯re the saintess¡¯ friends, after all.¡±


    The knights carefully offered words of constion.


    Oscar just shut himself up. He wanted to deny them but could not figure out what to say. If he defended Lara, he would have made people misunderstand her more.


    The knights were anxious. It was even more so because it was the first time they had to retreat so helplessly. In front of them were packs of demonic beasts, destruction waiting on their back, and a demon lord on top of that. And now that they could not even properly get in touch with the capital, their frustration and fear doubled.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find out about it.¡±


    Eventually, Oscar nodded.


    He had made up his mind. He would climb the mountain and figure out the identity of the demon lord, even if he had to do it alone.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The Barbarians had retreated to the city, leaving behind the entrance of the mountain range that they have protected for a long time. Seeing the backs of the Barbarians walking away, Lara did not feel anyfort nor sce within her.


    The Barbarians witnessing Lara was a deliberate urrence. Rumors of her flew about in an instant. Now, the demon worshippers hiding in that city would be the first to approach Lara.


    In that sense, it was such a curious matter. Lara could not have used this method if it were not for the fake documents that Vassago¡¯s ck sorcerers spread out as a prophecy. Lara wondered if the one who made that prophecy had foresight.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Master.¡±


    Lara was wandering around with the giant of fire in her arms when Paimon approached and spoke to her. He went to the city first before the Barbarians did and had juste back. Behind him, Vc was back after climbing up the mountain, he was gasping for breath while carrying luggagerger than his body.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°I bought clothes, shoes, and essories that would look good on you, Master.¡±


    ¡°What useless¡­¡±


    Lara was almost sick of these demons¡¯ services. Why would she even need essories in this situation?


    But Vassago was always one step further than Paimon and Vc, while they were out shopping, Vassago burned the huge body of a demonic beast at a distance and chanted an incoherent spell. The spell was chanted in a gloomynguage, and there was a dampugh mixed in between his words. His pronunciation was not clear and sounded like a groan.


    ¡°That¡¯s annoying.¡±


    Lara hated it, she pointed at Vassago. Paimon nodded in agreement.


    ¡°He¡¯s raising undead.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You said it yourself. You wanted a method where the demonic beasts can no longer fly and for no humans to be harmed, but at the same time, you wanted the humans to still be afraid and could no longer approach us.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°A few undead will do us good. It¡¯s also a specialty of Vassago.¡±


    As soon as Paimon finished his exnation, the body of a fallen winged demonic beast staggered up and ck smoke streamed from its eyes. It even squeaked and pped its wings. It was a creepy scene. Even Vc, the demon, could do nothing about the goosebumps on his forearms.


    Only Lara looked around at the undead with an indifferent face. She asked Vassago.


    ¡°Can it fly?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It can use almost all its abilities when it was alive.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s use it to send messages.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Get in touch with the demon worshippers all over the world. Your true demon lord hase to the Gorgon Mountain Range, soe and bow your head down immediately. Since you have decided to worship demons, you ought to act like my ve.¡±


    ¡°You are right.¡±


    At that moment, a rustling sound was heard from the back of a horizontal slope on the mountainside where they were sitting. It was a very subtle sound. If Paimon, Vassago, and Vc weren¡¯t demons, they would never have noticed.


    Paimon and Vc flew at the same time and quickly found the intruder. They grabbed him by the cor and lifted him up to prevent him from running away. Then, the intruder uttered a silly voice.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I surrender.¡±


    They just caught Oscar, who had raised both hands with a bewildered look.


    ????????????????????¡ã???¡ã?????????????????????


    For any errors and issues contact me through discord:- https://discord.gg/Q3dStgu

 160 Chapter 160

    "Aren''t you going to say anything?"


    Oscar was taken prisoner, and a very strange prisoner at that. He ate meat that a demon had cooked and drank warm milk in front of the bonfire that a demon had made. He was also gifted fur that had been sheared from a beast caught by a demon. Lara asked him with a curious smile.


    "Do you believe me?"


    "Yes."


    Oscar said so without hesitation. Lara looked at him with a strange face.


    "Why? I''m a saintess who collects demons. I''ve betrayed humanity and am trying to be the demon lord. I will gather the demon worshippers on thisnd and pretend to be a King. I''m sure they will all worship me."


    "That''s why I''m asking you. What''s the reason you''re doing this?"


    "Should there be any reason? I will be thest demon lord and destroy the world."


    "Why?"


    "I won''t tell you."


    Lara grinned. Despite Oscar muttering that she was going crazy, Lara did not look that upset.


    "Well, I''m sure you have your n."


    "Don''t trust me."


    "Sure, sure."


    "Have you still not changed your mind when you said you would do anything for the woman Demian loved?"


    "Yes, because he''s my friend."


    "I love Demian, too."


    "Yes, I knew¡­ Wait, what?"


    Oscar sprang to his feet and flopped again. As he moved, the pot on the bonfire fell over and Vassago''s deprecated gaze flicked towards him. Oscar quickly put the pot back in ce and whispered to Lara.


    "Are you serious?"


    "Yes, I love him. Perhaps¡­ even more than Demian does?"


    "Why didn''t you tell him? Demian would get so happy he might drool like a madman."


    "I did."


    "What?"


    "I have told him many times. It''s just that Demian didn''t tell you."


    "That little¡­"


    Oscar trembled after hearing Demian''s betrayal. Lara sat by his side and told him that Demian deliberately kept their rtionship a secret because it was fun seeing the three Barbarians trying hard.


    "Oscar, I have a favor to ask of you."


    "That sly fox¡­ Just wait until hees here- pardon?"


    "You''ll do what I say, right?"


    "Nope."


    Lara thought she said it pretty sympathetically, though it did not work for Oscar. Oscar turned his body away from Lara with a straight face. Then he continued in a resentful voice, as if ming her.


    "I know you''re trying to ask me to do something strange. I will never be able to listen to you. If it''s something that will make Demian, or Madam Isadora, or Acerus, or Konny, or even Valentine angry, I will never listen to you."


    "Please."


    "¡­Fine, what is it?"


    "Please tell them that you went up the mountain to uncover the demon lord''s identity, that you saw the saintess creating undead out of dead demonic beasts, and that she is gathering demon worshippers."


    "Are you out of your mind?"


    "Tell them that the demons knelt at the feet of the saintess and acted immoral. Tell them that the demon lord is born. And tell them that the Gorgon mountain range should be blocked and that all the people in the neighboring cities should be evacuated."


    "Why should you do that?"


    Oscar asked with a distorted face. He could predict exactly what would happen after that as if it was drawn in his head.


    People would throw stones at Lara. They would curse her name and try to erase the saintess'' record. Furthermore, all those close to Lara would suffer. Isadora, Demian, the Barbarians, Konny, Eunice, and even Ximena. Everyone would be criticized for being part of Lara''s family and friends.


    Still, Lara remained calm.


    "Do you know why I haven''t made any excuses even when I have been used as a witch and wicked woman?"


    "No, why?"


    "If a good man does something wrong, he will be cursed ten times more than usual. But if a bad man does something worse, people will think that that''s par for the course."


    "Why does that matter?"


    "A demon lord has always been the bad guy. So even if the demon lord does something bad, people will just ept it, right? Let''s say¡­ the demon lord pretends to torment humans but suddenly ughters all the demon worshippers."


    "What?"


    "Even if the demon lord beats up the demons who ascend on thisnd for being arrogant, or wipes out the demonic beasts, or even executes the ck sorcerers¡­ People will just think that that''s how the demon lord is."


    "But even a saintess can do something like that."


    "No, saintesses aren''t able to gather them all in one ce. Rather, they will run farther away and they will try to hide deeper."


    Lara was stubborn, and Oscar could not beat her stubbornness. He knew he was being persuaded, but he could not refute anymore.<sub> </sub>


    "I beg you, Oscar. Please be my messenger."


    "Lara."


    "Prepare for the war based on the information you have taken from me. It looks easy but it''s very difficult. If people find out you''re the demon lord''s messenger, you may be caught and burned for whatever reason they could throw at you."


    "Haa¡­"


    Oscar sped his head in his big hand. He missed Demian to death at this moment.


    Of all the people he can fall in love with, why did he have to choose such a great woman?


    "I get it."


    Oscar mumbled helplessly.


    "But you still have to promise me one thing. When the war is over, we will risk our lives to fight to clear your innocence. Even if it''s something that will make us be the Empire''s enemy¡­ We will make sure to do that."


    "Thank you."


    Lara smiled but she did not nod. Oscar was in agony with his head down, not even noticing Vc gazing pitifully at him.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The demon worshippers that had scattered all over the continent began to move toward western Gorgon. They have lived in the dark all this time, trying not to reveal themselves as much as possible in the dark. Since they did not know when the demon that would lead them would appear, they thought it was their mission to secretly expand their power.


    Then one day, they heard news that the demon lord had finally ascended.


    ''Two demons, both of which were strong demon lord candidates in hell, had knelt and sworn allegiance before the new demon lord.''


    Not only did the news reach the demon worshippers, it had also reached the ck sorcerers who manipted them, and even to the demons themselves.


    "May you gain notoriety!"


    "Mother of destruction!"


    "Lead us to death!"


    The number of demon worshippers entering the mountain range also increased.


    "It hasn''t even been a few days, and yet there are already hundreds of them."


    "They''re like roaches."


    Among the gazes of the demon worshippers pouring on her, Lara noticed some to have suspicion in their eyes. A woman who was once a saintess suddenly appeared as the demon lord. The suspicious ck sorcerers struggled to grasp Lara''s true intentions.


    "I don''t care."


    Of course, Lara did not answer their questions. They sacrificed the living, dug into the hearts of the weak, and used them to the bone. The crimesmitted by the demon worshippers so far were countless. Not to mention the ck sorcerers, all the magic they used was borrowed from the demons. And the demons always wanted a greater price than they were offered, they would steal or take things away from innocent people in the name of their ''price.''


    Lara had no intention of forgiving them. Evil for a greater evil. Now it was their turn to be on the receiving end for the same things they had done wrong.


    36. Suspicious


    "Finally we''re here."


    Sebastian sighed with relief with a thin face.


    They moved almost nonstop from Hautean to western Gorgon. The wolves were said to be as good as the Barbarians when it came to long journeys, and even they breathed heavily and rubbed their tired eyes. Still, Isadora''s eyes remained glistening. Looking at the magnificent city before her, she asked.


    "What''s the name of that city?"


    "It''s Memoria. The ramparts are high and strong so the Imperial Army is using it as their base for the great demon war. I heard that there are still civilians left here, that might be because the three small cities that are being used as advanced bases are in good condition."


    "Who''s the feudal lord?"


    "Now, on behalf of the feudal lord, themander of the Imperial Army has themand of the whole city¡­"


    "Madam Isadora! Someone ising!"


    A mercenary wolf approached Isadora while she was listening to Sebastian''s exnation. Looking at where he was pointing, some familiar-looking Barbarians and a few Imperial Knights were running towards them. It was Oscar, Domino, and themander of Memoria.


    "Madam Isadora!"


    They were genuinely delighted to see Isadora appearing with the Knights of Hautean. Because a huge amount of weapons, armor, and rations were moving behind her. Whatsmore, they had arrived much earlier than Dandelion''s reinforcements.


    Isadora had enough funds to feed a whole country. She thought that Memoria should be made the strongest fortress in the world.


    "We have recently heard that the Emperor is personally taking action. But we didn''t expect you to be the first toe to us from Hautean. How did you do that?"


    Oscar asked. Isadora, who had been looking at his peaceful face, suddenly spoke.


    "Where''s Lara?"


    Oscar shut his mouth. Domino nced ufortably away from Isadora''s gaze. Surprisingly, it was themander of the Imperial Army who answered her question.


    "Your daughter has be the demon lord."


    "What?"


    "These are what the demon worshippers have been crying out about, they have gathered in the mountain range since a few days ago."


    He uttered with a heavy groan and deep regret in his voice.


    "Tomb of corpses, the mother of destruction¡­ the monarch of hell who insults God in the name of the saintess. They bow down to your daughter in the morning and evening.


    Themander confessed with a gloomy face. He said that the demon worshippers looked like they were about to pull their hearts out alive to give them to her.


    "Hmm."


    The corners of Isadora''s lips twitched. So did Konny''s lips, too.

 161 Chapter 161

    Lara''s operation worked very effectively. The demon worshippers that were scattered across the continent had moved toward western Gorgon, with their numbers reaching from the thousands to the tens of thousands.


    People were astonished by the fact that so many demon worshippers were living in hiding on the continent, they were relieved that they were gathering in one ce away from human habitation. Everyone believed that His Imperial Majesty would beat them up.


    It would take some time for the Emperor toe to Memoria all the way from Dandelion, but not many people expected this war to be prolonged anyway.


    Lampion reached the mountain range just around that time. He stopped his horse at the defense line, deep inside the Gorgon Mountain Range. The defense line was a wooden barricade fence that was used two years ago when the Barbarians were guarding Gorgon. Now, it had beenpletely destroyed, and only traces remain.


    "What? They must have been attacked. Did Ie to the wrong ce?"


    Lampion murmured. It would have been nice if he had the means to get in touch with hisrades in Gorgon, but he needed to move fast. He could not even think of taking a rest in the city. All he could think of was taking Demian to Lara.


    Because Demian was still not awake. If he were dying of injury or just had been sick, Lampion could have just treated him and been a little less anxious. But Demian''s condition was quite different from that.


    He had had a strange shine, and the smoothness and whiteness of his skin resembled that of pottery. When color returned to his skin, warmth flowed out of his cheeks and moisture returned to his red lips. Every time Demian slowly breathed out, a sweet scent leaked out of his mouth. It smelled like a mixture of peach and mint, and smelling the scent could make one feel strange. This effect applied to both humans and animals. And as the animals that smelled the scent kept gathering, Lampion kept screaming like a madman, trying to chase them away.


    There was another one, another change in Demian''s appearance. His short hair grew long overnight and had reached his waist. An air of noble mysticism hovered over his cold face, now looking like an angry man. He looked soft but sharp, warm but cold at the same time. A face that both had infinite benevolence and heartless cruelty.


    "You and your ominousness."


    Demian''s changes pushed Lampion to the verge of going crazy.


    "You son of a gun! Don''t let out such a wicked smell here!"


    How humiliated he was in the vige where he stopped by to change his horses after moving nonstop. Lampion had to run away without even properly getting his change because people misunderstood him as a pervert human trafficker after looking at Demian''s face.


    It was not just that. Whenever he tried to sit down and eat properly, animals gathered after smelling the strange scent Demian gave off. He had to make a spectacle of himself to all kinds of people. Sometimes an unknown light flowed out of Demian''s body during camping.


    "For crying out loud. You punk, when I think about all the hardships I''ve suffered from because of you¡­ Damn it!"


    Each time that happened, Lampion either ran away screaming or shuddered in the cold as he had to cover Demian''s body with his own nket to prevent the shing lights.


    "You know, dude, If I ever fall in love with a girlter, I expect you to help your bro. If you don''t, I''ll chase you down to the ends of hell and haunt you."


    After taking a look around, Lampion got on his horse and took hold of the reins again. The Imperial Army seemed to have retreated down the mountain range, so he had to move there to find hisrades.


    "Yo-ho¡­ Huh?"


    However, a terrible smell of blood flowed into Lampion''s nostrils as he was about to climb his horse. It was the peculiar smell of a demonic beast. A mixture of blood, oil, and ashes. Lampion squinted his eyes, he let go of the reins and took up his weapon. He thought that he was just unlucky to enter an area dominated by demonic beasts.


    But that was not the end of it. The demonic beasts had lost their sense of reason because of the smell Demian gave out. As the demonic beasts gathered, the nearby demon worshippers also approached.


    The blockade was getting tighter, the breathing of the demonic beasts was getting rougher, and the stench of blood was strong. Lampion clenched his weapon in one hand and bit his lips.


    "You bastards, get out of my way before I kill you all!"


    Lampion was a strong warrior, and was even considered especially strong among the Barbarians. Without Demian, he might have be the captain one day. But he could not defeat hundreds of demonic beasts and demon worshippers alone.


    "Grrrrr!"


    Drunk by the smelling out of Demian''s body, the demonic beasts rushed in, dripping with clear saliva. They had one goal; To bite Demian''s flesh.


    Lampion fought like a monster to protect Demian. Still, he could not defeat all the demonic beasts, so he pulled Demian down from the horse and carried him on his back.


    "Aarrghhh!"


    "Argh!"


    Both the demonic beasts and Lampion howled. The humans and the demonic beasts rushed in screaming while swinging their teeth and weapons at each other''s necks.


    Hot red blood flowed from Lampion''s forearm. Despite him trying to go for the kill, the demonic beasts still kept targeting Demian''s flesh, paying no heed to any risks of death. At thest moment, Lampion raised his arm to block the demonic beast''s attack. As a result, the injuries he sustained rendered his arm useless.


    "Don''t worry."


    Lampion held his weapon with his other hand and put Demian down behind him.


    "Because I''m going to die before you. I can''t let the guy my father tried so hard to save die here."


    The Barbarians were always ready for death. ''How lucky was I to still be a bachelor,'' he thought. And how heartbreaking would it be if he had a woman he loved hear about the death of her lover from someone else? It was probably the same for Lara.


    "So get up, asshole. The saintess is waiting."


    Lampion felt dizzy due to the immense loss of blood. He stumbled and fell to one knee after finishing another demonic beast. Then, he killed another demonic beast even while kneeling down. The demonic beasts and demon worshippers were now aiming for him.


    ''This wonderful smell.''


    ''What is this?''


    They werepletely instant. They wanted Demian. For them, he was a mixture of madness and joy, greed and obsession, admiration and adoration.<sub> </sub>


    ''Do you want God?''


    Atst, Demian opened his eyes.


    Time went by slowly as his cold blue eyes appeared through his ck eyshes. The shine in his eyes warded off the darkness that dominated the night like a blue moon. Demian opened his red lips and spoke softly.


    "Impudent."


    With just that one word, a formless wind scorched their blood and flesh. Then, demonic beasts and demon worshippers that had surrounded Lampion turned into a mist before disappearing. The chaotic forest, having been filled with bloodthirstiness and madness, was then filled withplete silence.


    Lampion murmured.


    "You monster."


    Demian got up without a word. Then, he ced his palm on Lampion''s injured arm. After having been destroyed and without medical aid, his arm had returned to its original state in an instant.


    "H, how?"


    "I ate God."


    I see.


    Lampion had decided not to curse Demian anymore.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Demian came down the mountain with Lampion and headed for human civilization. Afterpletely leaving the mountain range and arriving at Memoria city, they could finally meet theirrades.


    "Demian!"


    Oscar and Domino came running with a gleeful look.


    Unlike the quiet mountain range, the city was filled with voices. The military presence, the Imperial Army, the Barbarians, and even the knights from Hautean were staying in the city. Memoria has had thergest poption ever since its founding.


    And at dawn that day, the Emperor had arrived in the city, leading the knights of the Imperial Pce himself.


    It was spectacr. Tens of thousands of the Emperor''s troops passed through the gates of Memoria. Themander who came to meet the Emperor was about to shed tears. After seeing the Emperor still being as prosperous as ever, the citizens of Memoria believed that the demon worshippers would soon be overthrown.


    "Long live the Emperor!"


    "Hooray for Tarragon!"


    The Emperor climbed on his horse in armor and inspected the city in person. Heforted the soldiers'' hard work and affirmed that the war would end in a victory for humans and the Empire. Everyone thought so.


    "You must be Demian."


    The Emperor sat in his chair and looked at Demian. They were facing each other in the castle of the feudal lord of Memoria. Through Acerus'' words, the Emperor had already known what kind of warrior Demian was and how many contributions he had made to the empire. Still, it was his first time seeing his face so close.


    "You''re a lot more different¡­than what I heard. I thought you''d be more of a wild guy."


    The mighty warrior of the saintess. A war hero.


    But that saintess has be the real demon lord. What will you do now?


    The Emperor wondered about that. When Demian stood still and kept silent, the Emperor''s aides started to raise their heads to give him a word. But then, Demian asked the other way around.


    "Don''t you want to live a longer life?"


    "What?"


    "I can do that for you. Healthier than others and longevity more than now. Forever and ever in the throne."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "For I am the God you have been waiting for so long."


    "What nonsense!"


    "And from now on, I will not be your God. But I will be the saintess'' God, and only her God."


    Demian was sincere. Whether the world was destroyed or not, his only concern was Lara.


    "So I will grant yourst wish, at least, for Acerus'' sake. I will ask you again. Do you want to live long?"


    The Emperor opened his eyes wide. Thick veins popped out of his hands clutching the chair handle.

 162 Chapter 162

    ''Do I want to live?''


    If the Emperor was asked such a question, of course, he would say he wanted to live. From the day his personal old doctor stopped nagging about his health, the Emperor began to pray to God every day.


    ''Please let me live a little longer. I understand that you are in a hurry to take me away because of the many sins I havemitted, but allow me to finish this long fight properly.''


    ''O God, please don''t take me too soon.''


    Ever since the Temple of Glory became corrupted and began to overwhelm the Emperor''s authority little by little, the Emperor had never relied on God even for a moment. But after realizing that death was nearing him, he could not help but pray to God.


    He wanted to live. But this time, it was not for the revival of the Empire, it was only for Acerus, the son of whom he was proud of. And now, after inheriting his responsibilities and duties, his son had grown up well on his own, without warm embraces or parental love.


    The Emperorughed despondently. His wrinkled eyes were stained with tears. The Emperor wiped his tears off with the back of his hand and murmured with a sigh.


    "Do you know? When you get old, tearse out even if you don''t do anything. It''s very annoying."


    The Emperor decided not to ask the identity of the one in front of him. So what if it was Demian? So what if it was God?


    "Putting aside you being the Crown Prince''s friend or the mighty warrior of the saintess, how dare you disgrace me, the Emperor¡­"


    "You''re going to die soon."


    Demian said neatly. The Emperor''s aides turned restless and vented their anger, but this time, they were blocked again.


    This time, the Emperor said.


    "I will die fighting honorably."


    "Your Imperial Majesty!"


    "Thus, I will go down in history!"


    The Emperor, who prayed, prayed, and prayed to God, suddenly realized one night when he vomited ck blood with the pain that tore his heart. If God really existed in this world, he would never grant his wish. The Emperor had killed countless people and reigned at the top of the continent, but only when it was time to die did he seek God. If he were God himself, he would not even grant his own wish out of spite.


    God was omnipotent and fair, so, of course, he would be on the side of the poor and oppressed, not the Emperor.


    "There is no God in mynd. That''s what I believe in all this time. Everything I aplished was the result of my choice and effort, and so is my sin."


    So, the Emperor did not look for God again.


    "Don''t tempt me. Don''t make memit more crimes than this, saying that you will let me live longer. Don''t test humans in the name of God if you don''t intend to save them anyway."


    Demian was listening in silence to the Emperor, not even emotionally agitated. His white face was so pale that it looked bluish, and it showed no signs of warmth. Every time he breathed, the air felt heavy. The same was true for his low voice that would weigh on one''s chest, along with his eerie blue eyes.


    "I see."


    Demian nodded.


    So, there''s a God in thisnd.


    The Emperor realized. That was a scary and very high being. He was not as benevolent and beautiful as his people expected. He was closer to punishment, fear, and death than love, pity, peace, andfort.


    "Oh¡­"


    The Emperor groaned. The tremors in his hands stopped. The chest pain, which had beening stiffly every time he breathed in, had disappeared. His blurred vision brightened, and his limbs, which had only felt heavy and cumbersome, became lighter. He was as energetic as he was in his heyday.


    It was the power of God. Just as the sky seemed to brighten for a moment before the sun went down, the Emperor was granted hisst power before his death.


    "Prepare for war."


    Demian said.


    "The gates of hell will open."


    "What?"


    "God has appeared, so with their newly-gained karma, the demons will, in turn, appear with their troops. This ce will soon be the bridgehead for the great demon war."


    "Is that true?"


    The Emperor sprang to his feet. The aides pleaded for him not to work himself up for his health, but it was useless.


    The absent God had returned, and hell woulde. It was the beginning of destruction.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Because of Isadora and the Emperor''s presence, it did not take much time for Memoria city to prepare for war. And thanks to the two best people on the continent gathering to work, everything went smoothly. The city was filled with war supplies and the city walls were surrounded by severalyers of barriers. Dozens of wooden barricade fences were also built outside the gates. Even the actions of tens of thousands of people could be done in an instant


    Meanwhile, the Barbarians took on the role of a detached force within the city, after all, they had sworn to obey Demian and moved separately from the Emperor''s soldiers. However, Oscar was an exception, he faithfully carried out the duties Lara had given him and was among the knights of the Imperial Army.


    "Oh, well, I told you so! Go find the knights who were dispatched to Gorgon and ask them. I''m sure it''s the saintess. I saw her from a close distance and I don''t think I was confused."


    "But it could just be a woman who looks like the saintess. I just can''t believe it. My child has been sick for so long but it was only after the saintess came could the priest heal her. She''s like a savior to me¡­"


    "Don''t you think there''s something going on?"


    After listening to Oscar saying that the saintess had be the demon lord and would destroy the human world, several knights felt awkward and intervened in his words. Even as they watched the demon worshippers grow like cockroaches right before their eyes, they still did not believe in what Oscar said.<sub> </sub>


    "I don''t think that''s the saintess."


    "Right, who knows? Maybe the demons just found someone who looks like the saintess and put her up as their puppet."


    They were knights from the capital¡ªthose who had experienced the miracles that Lara had caused and had witnessed the restoration of the fallen temple. They did not easily believe that Lara had be the demon lord.


    Oscar felt good about that, but at the same time, he strangely hated it.


    "I mean, she was riding a demonic beast and was treating the demons as her servants¡­"


    People''s reaction was one of the two. Either hating Lara, resenting her, criticizing her, or assuming there was something going on with her. The majority reaction was the former. Still, Oscar wasforted by the fact that there were some people who believed in Lara. Of course, contrary to his feelings, his mouth was more faithful to his duties.


    "It''s because she''s the saintess that the demons must have badly wanted her on their side. I thought you all are from the Empire, do you people not even learn mythology? All the saintesses before this were eaten by demons. There''s no guarantee that won''t happen to this saintess too."


    "Is that so?"


    "To put it bluntly, the saintess may have fallen into the demon''s temptations. Perhaps she''s been promised something like eternal life, I suppose!"


    "Oh¡­"


    The knights looked at the Gorgon mountains range rising in the distance with gloomy faces.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    "It''s suspicious."


    Konny muttered.


    Valentine nodded hastily. He hid behind Konny with his quivering hands sping his cape despite being much bigger than her.


    "Very suspicious."


    Konny was on her way to Isadora''s lodging. As more and more people cursed, criticized, and pointed their fingers at Lara and her demon lord transformation, the small maid''s curses also increased. She was annoyed at the people who said whatever they wanted when they did not even know Lara well. Herdy was not someone like that.


    But suddenly, on her way to visit Isadora toin, Konny found Oscar ndering Lara among the knights of the Imperial Army.


    It was out of ce to see a Barbarian sitting together with the Imperial Knights. But it was more out of ce to see Oscar swearing at Lara. Konny quickly sank into a position where she could eavesdrop out of sight. Valentine, who was following Konny, lowered himself andid down too.


    "You think so, right?"


    "Yeah, it''s suspicious."


    "A Barbarian of all people shouldn''t be doing that¡­ This is ridiculous. Maybe he''s not Oscar, maybe he''s a ck sorcerer pretending to look like Oscar¡­ Or maybe it''s a demonic beast who ate Oscar and is wearing his skin? Valentine, you''re an alchemist. Do something about it."


    Konny, who thought of an alchemist as a jack-of-all-trades, grabbed and shook Valentine''s arm. Then, Valentine squinted his eyebrows and said.


    "I don''t think he''s a ck sorcerer. I don''t know if it''s a demonic beast¡­ But the fact that the Barbarians are suspecting mdy also isn''t right."


    "That''s what I''m saying, you idiot."


    They canceled their ns to visit Isadora and remained there. They wanted to keep an eye on Oscar. Fortunately, the whole city was moving in a hurry, so no one noticed Konny and Valentine.


    After mingling with the knights of the Imperial Army and enthusiastically spreading the story; ''the saintess had be the demon lord,'' Oscar moved to another location in the evening. He went to a break room for soldiers working on the construction of a wooden barricade fence. Unlike the knights from the capital, they had either never seen Lara up close or only knew very little of her. And so, they easily believed in the story of how the saintess had be the demon lord. Even if Oscar did not instigate it, the rumors were already widespread in the barracks.


    After hanging out with the soldiers for a drink, Oscar finally made his way to his living quarters where the Barbarians were gathered when it waste at night.


    There, Lampion was having a fistfight with Domino.


    Lampion ran wild. After traveling a long distance away carrying Demian on his back, Lampion had finallye back only to hear that the saintess had be the demon lord. ''What nonsense is that?!'' he asked. Seeing Lampion running wild, Domino tried to calm him down, but instead, he got punched in the face. After getting angry himself, Domino and Lampion fought each other.


    "Oh no, it''s not the time to step in."


    Oscar turned around and went out of the city. Konny and Valentine also sneaked out with him.


    "Konny, are you going to keep following him?"


    "This won''t do. Valentine, this is too dangerous. You go back and tell Madam Isadora about this, while I follow him. Don''t worry, I''ll be fine. My body is small so I can just hide anywhere."


    "N, no."


    "You idiot!"


    "I''m going alone. You go to Madam Isadora."


    "No. This is about mydy. If it''s not me, who will do it?"


    "But it''s also about mydy."


    They argued and red at each other. Konny thought Valentine was just a cowardly kid. Valentine thought Konny was a reckless kid.


    "You might get hurt."


    "Speak for yourself."


    The two eventually followed Oscar out of the city while tightly holding each other''s hands. They headed for the Gorgon Mountain Range, where Lara was located.

 163 Chapter 163

    Oscar walked for some time along a steep mountain path. By the time his leg muscles had stiffened and he was out of breath, he finally met up with Lara. She was on a cliff overlooking the city. After jumping off of the back of a demonic beast the size of a house, Lara asked Oscar.


    "What''s with that look on your face?"


    "What''s up with it?"


    "You look like you chewed on a bug."


    "I see¡­ a bug. Well, Demian is back."


    Oscar said with an unpleasant expression. He confessed that Lampion had brought Demian all the way from the East and that they had been secretly nning to bring him back before they left the border.


    "They came back earlier than I thought."


    "You already knew?"


    "Of course. Did you think I didn''t know?"


    "Well¡­ How did you know?"


    "The three of you kept whispering while ncing at me. And the day before we left, Lampion disappeared. He said that something urgent came up, but he didn''t tell me what happened."


    "I can''t believe it was so obvious¡­"


    Oscar ruffled his hair with one hand. Lara looked at him with a smile and asked abruptly.


    "How''s Demian doing?"


    "Are you curious about him?"


    "Of course."


    "He said he ate God."


    Lara slightly downcast her eyes. It was a habit she did when she was deep in thought.


    "That''s Demian, but that''s also not Demian at the same time."


    "What? What does that mean?"


    Oscar shouted in surprise. For his sake, Lara didn''t beat around the bush and immediately opened her mouth.


    "Demian is a fragment of Abraxas taken from his body. And he was destined from birth to punish the demon lord. So, in order to awaken Demian to his original form, I had no choice but to be the demon lord."


    "What?"


    Oscar''s legs lost strength, he could not hold out any longer and sat on a nearby rock. He broke out in a sweat despite the frigid environment. Then, he rubbed his hands against his face and asked.


    "Wait, wait, so since you''ve turned into the demon lord, Demian is now destined to kill you, the demon lord turned saintess? Is that for real?"


    "Yes."


    "You know that and you still wanted to awaken him? You became the demon lord yourself¡­for that? Is that why you lured Vassago to the ruins after sending Demian to the East? You wanted to awaken him in the meantime and make him a God?"


    "Yes."


    Lara was determined. She looked as if she had no regrets.


    Demian would have vehemently opposed her decision if he had known it. He was just that kind of guy. He might even turn his back on the world to ease Lara''s burden if she tried to sacrifice herself for someone. That was the reason she turned off the receiver. She did not answer even though she knew he was sorrowfully calling her every night.


    Every time a swarm of red lights shed on the receiver, Lara had to hold it in her arms and pledge countless times.


    Let''s not be each other''s enemies, at least in this life. I will let you forsake your destiny, just as I decided to go against mine.


    A fragment out of God.


    Abraxas spoke as if Demian were his crumbs.


    Lara did not think so. Even though he was a fragment, a God was still a God. Moreover, Abraxas was not even a perfect God nor was he emotionless. He was unstable, hurt, and heartbroken.


    Demian¡ªa mad God''s other-self.


    Lara believed that Abraxas could not have been cold and wise at the time of Demian''s creation. After the death of the first saintess, Abraxas was so distraught that he denied his own existence. Perhaps he took out the part that should not be taken out. Such as the essence of what made him a God, or the inner self that he wanted to turn away from.


    Lara believed that Demian was the heart of Abraxas.


    "We can only get rid of God when Demian awakens."


    A man could not antagonize God. A demon could not defeat God. Only God could eliminate another God. Demian was the only one who could get rid of Abraxas.


    "Then, what do you mean¡­when you said Demian is not Demian."


    Oscar muttered. Lara approached him, and with a touch of guilt, a great sadness, and a firm sense of trust, she said.


    "It means that he''s both Demian and Abraxas. His fight is not over yet. Demian will be fighting his strongest opponent since he has realized his power."


    "Saintess."


    "No one knows whether God will define me as a demon lord and defeat me, or whether Demian will defy his destiny and protect me from within God. But be that as it may, I have put everything on Demian. I trust him."


    "Why would you risk all that?"


    Lara, who had been firm so far, hesitated a little.


    "Because¡­I love him."


    Her voice flowed into Oscar''s ears, sounding sweet at first nce.


    "Because I love him so much that even death can''t separate us."


    All throughout her two lives, she always had love for one person only. Lara loved Demian. She loved him dearly, to the point of madness, even.<sub> </sub>


    "What if Abraxas eats up Demian and bes an evil God?"


    Oscar asked. It was quite possible. Lara had also thought about the possibility.


    "Then I will go to hell with him."


    "Saintess!"


    "Oscar, go back and defend thisnd with His Imperial Majesty. The demon worshippers will attack Memoria city at sunset tomorrow. The ones that will take the lead are offensive-type demonic beasts, so dig traps on the ground. The ck sorcerers will never step into the front lines so set up a separate troop and nk them."


    "I''d rather protect you here. For Demian''s sake, I will stay with you. We can just say I was captured by the ck sorcerers and became the demon lord''s servant!"


    "No."


    Lara shook her head.


    "The war must end in human victory. Go and leak the information that I have given you. As long as the number of demonic beasts is more than 2,000, the ck sorcerers will stay in hiding in the northern hill areas. The demon worshippers are not as strong as trained soldiers, but they are all in a state of madness. Don''t underestimate them."


    The demon worshippers chose the Gorgon mountains range as a rendezvous point for troops of the demon lord. They believed that the demon troops that would lead the world to destruction would ascend there. Lara wanted the Barbarians to defeat them in this war and be heroes.


    "After recklessly traversing the battlefield, the demon lord will retreat in fear of the Barbarians'' military glory. Fill the air with proudughter at the demon lord''s defeat and celebrate your victory.


    "Ha¡­ Fine."


    Oscar turned around with hunched shoulders. As he went down the mountain, he turned his head several times and looked at Lara; a slenderdy with twilight-red eyes and brown hair fluttering in the wind. The image stuck in his mind, he could not forget it.


    Despite being just one person, she looked huge like a mountain. The image of God that appeared only in old murals must have been like that in reality, as seen in books some time ago.


    A saintess or a demon lord. None of that mattered. The appearance of Lara engraved on Oscar''s eyes forebode the beginning of a certain myth.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    After sending Oscar back, Lara went to the edge of the cliff and looked down at Memoria city, now shrouded in darkness. Even though it was a deep night, there were countless torches. The glittering lights shook beautifully. It was a sleepless city, and that had made people forget that they were on a battlefield.


    "It''s alreadyte."


    "Vc?"


    "Master, as long as you''re a human, you should sleep. Only then you can look like a demon lord tomorrow night."


    "Now you even know how to worry about me."


    "I decided not to guess my fate anymore. I only wanted to enjoy myself in the human realm, but then all this happened to me¡­ Back when I started to share my life force with Acerus, I thought that I was just going to share my life with the Crown Prince, nothing more¡­"


    "Don''t die, Vc. Live a long life."


    "Are you saying that because of Acerus? Because if I die, he dies too?"


    "No, I said that because I want to hear the story of a changed demon who is now on the side of the humans. The kind of warm and touching stories that grandmothers always tell by the fire, you know?"


    "Lame¡­"


    Vc slurred his answer after hearing Lara''s joke. There was a slight bashfulness at the end of his words. Lara wondered about that and turned around.


    Vc looked at the battlefield with his cheekbones slightly blushed.


    "What''s my role tomorrow?"


    "Prince Sidhar, a prince who has been on the demon''s side since he was in Hautean. A scumbag. Unsatisfied with justmitting treason, he has betrayed the Tarragon Empire, and after being done a favor by the empire, too. He has enticed the saintess to join the demon lord troops."


    "That''s cool."


    Vc smiled, saying that it was a dramatic supporting role that he could never do again in his boring demon''s life.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara spent the night in a log cabin built with the crazybor of the demon worshippers. In the morning, she moved back to the edge of the cliff overlooking the city. She was going to prepare for the war at night with Vassago, Paimon, and Vc.


    "So you want me to start out aggressively so that I don''t look sloppy, but then let them win without harming them."


    "Yes."


    "Well, it''s going to be difficult, but I will try."


    Vassago nodded seriously. He and Paimon crouched down on the ground, they started to draw with branches and discussed their ns together. Lara had her meal with food that Vc brought.


    "Where did you get this delicious food? Are there any chefs among the demon worshippers?"


    "Huh? It was just there when I woke up. I thought Vassago put it in advance¡­"


    "It wasn''t me."


    Vassago shook his head, saying that it was not him. Vc looked at Paimon to question him, but Paimon also denied it was him.


    "Then who was it?"


    ording to Vc, on this cliff where they usually talk, there was a clean and very luxurious tray of food wrapped in cloth.


    "When I opened it, there was hot soup, bread, meat, a drink, and even dessert. I obviously thought Vassago tormented the worshippers and brought the food for you."


    "A tray of food wrapped in cloth?"


    Lara approached Vc. As he said, she saw a tray of food wrapped in cloth on a rock.


    "What is this?"


    A golden tray glistened in a cloth as red as blood. As if showing that a demon lord''s meal should be taken care of like this, it was a menu that reflected someone''s preference.

 164 Chapter 164

    How did she know?


    Lara let out augh out of admiration.


    As if she had seen it with her own eyes, a scene unfolded in her head. As diligent as a squirrel, Konny put a lot of delicious food on a golden tray and thought about which cloth to wrap it up with for the meals to look the most terrifying.


    Should she use a red or blue cloth? Valentine would have contemted with a serious face next to Konny. Perhaps he rmended red.


    Vc noticed what Lara''sugh meant, and said with his shoulders drooping.


    "What a fearless maid. Where does she think this is?"


    "Vc."


    "Yes, Master. I will protect this area."


    Vc nodded three times. He would not let demon worshippers and demonic beasts appear on the hill they were at.


    Lara ate her fill with the food that Konny brought and even gave up the leftovers to Vassago. He was curious about how delicious the food was, given how highly his Master praised it.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Meanwhile in the Imperial camp, as soon as she got back from delivering the breakfast, Konny filled her head withplicated thoughts about the lunch menu.


    "Mdy is too skinny, she''s like a skewer. What in the world has she been eating? There''s no way those stupid demons are familiar with mdy''s pte."


    Konny ran straight to Isadora''s chef. She ordered a meat dish that was good for digestion and was rich in nutrients. By eating this dish, one could gain weight in moderation, and on top of all that, it would still taste delicious even if the dish had cooled down.


    "If this is a meal for Madam Isadora, I will take care of it."


    "It''s not for Madam Isadora."


    "Then whose it is for?"


    "That''s a secret!"


    Konny''s order wasplicated. The sd should be sour rather than sweet and it should contain fruit and cheese. The drink should not be filling and should act as a pte cleanser to eat the next meal.


    The chef had no choice but to cook ording to Konny''s order. No matter how he looked at it, it looked like Madam Isadora''s meal. But Konny kept denying the chef''s usations, and so he ended up having to cook another set of the same food.


    When Isadora came down to have her lunch, the chef murmured that he was busier than usual because of Konny.


    "Konny?"


    "Yes, she came to me, and now she keeps tormenting me. I guess there''s someone else who has simr tastes with Lady Lara, I even thought she was here for a moment."


    "No way."


    Isadora murmured.


    There could be a number of people with simr tastes. But Konny was not the kind of kid to care for anyone other than Lara. The clever and loyal maid listened only to Lara, thought only of what was good for Lara, and moved only for Lara. She even joked that the reason why she cared so much for Lara was because Lara would be the only person in charge of her life.


    "Sebastian, go and get Konny."


    "Yes, Madam."


    Sebastian walked with his long legs. He caught Konny struggling to put food on a suspicious cloth on one side of the kitchen even before Isadora finished her appetizer.


    "Madam Isadora is looking for you."


    "Why? I''m busy!"


    I thought I was busted.


    Konny''s mutterings reached Sebastian''s ears. With a smirk on his face, he took Konny with him and returned to Isadora. After drinking a pte-cleanser cocktail, Isadora asked Konny.


    "Did Lara say she was starving?"


    "What? No! It''s not like that, Madam¡­ honest."


    "Did she order you to steal food because there''s no one taking care of her meals?"


    "No."


    "Then?"


    "Actually, Madam, I was passing by with Valentine when I saw Oscar¡­"


    Isadora did not even need to pry too much. Konny began to tell everything as if she had been waiting for her to ask.


    "It was so suspicious. We all know how much the Barbarians owe mdy. Oscar of all people should not be doing that!"


    "So?"


    "I followed him. If Oscar really betrayed mdy, I will take care of him quickly¡­"<sub> </sub>


    Konny''s definition of ''take care'' was to eventually tell Isadora about it. But now, it was time to reveal a much more important secret than that.


    "Mdy ordered him to do it."


    Konny delivered the conversation Oscar and Lara hadst night word by word. Lara might not have wanted it, but Konny was always ready to tell Isadora about anything when it came to Lady Lara.


    "¡­That''s what happened. They said there would be an attack at sunset today."


    "So, that''s why Oscar was with the knights of the Emperor."


    Isadora nodded.


    Oscar said that, using his experience hunting in the Gorgon mountains range, he had infiltrated and had been scouting the enemy camp. He told the knights that the demon worshippers would initiate an attack tonight, riding a herd of demonic beasts. The Emperor and Imperial troops believed him and prepared for a massive counterattack.


    "What do we do?"


    Konny asked stealthily. During her stay in Memoria city, Isadora was repeatedly told that her daughter was a demon who betrayed God and had abandoned humans. Few people openly criticized Lara in front of Isadora, but need not listen to them to know what they were whispering behind her back.


    Still, Isadora was not angry, nor did she neglect any preparations for war. She said she would bet everything she had and she did as she said. Looking at the size of the military supplies and funds that Isadora donated, the Emperor promised to do whatever Isadora wanted in the name of the Empire after the war ended in victory.


    "Madam, are you okay?"


    Konny asked again. It was a voice mixed with worry and hesitation.


    "Are there any reasons for me not to be okay?"


    "Pardon?"


    "My daughter said so herself. This war must end in human victory. Then, all I have to do is listen to what she wants."


    "But, Madam¡­ people are cursing at her!"


    "When you have something to do or a goal that you really want to achieve, you should also know how to give up some of the more trivial things. Lara knows that."


    Isadora''s faith in Lara was unshakeable, it was stronger than anyone else''s.


    "Over time, her reputation can be changed as much as she wants. But now, my daughter is saving the world from destruction."


    "Madam."


    "What I should give her is not advice, nor is it nagging¡­ Even if everyone in the world turns against her, trusting Lara until the end¡­ That''s what a parent should do."


    And if Lara believed in Demian, Isadora would believe in him too.


    "I don''t care if he''s God or whatever¡­ If he makes my daughter cry, he won''t get off scot-free."


    Of course, Isadora gritted her teeth and only said thest sentence under her breath.


    Konny ended up delivering Lara''s lunch a littlete. The chef threw his heart and soul into the food, it was made up of a grilled marinatedmb, a sour-tasting sd, fresh fruit juice with herbs, and a light slice of bread with a spread of fig jam. All of the food was arranged on a golden tray.


    But that was not the end. A fancy women''s leather armor and a cloak made with the fur of a demonic beast that came out of nowhere were also prepared.


    "Will the demon lord like it?"


    Konny asked Valentine. Then, he nodded his head, unable to smile or cry. The captain of the mercenary wolves who followed to protect Konny and Valentine while they carried the food and clothes responded simrly.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The war began on a winter day, with a frosty curtain shrouding the Gorgon Mountain Range. Although sporadic battles had already urred before, the people remembered the battle on this day as the starting point of the war.


    Darkness sank as the sun went down. Numerous torches lit up the city. Extreme tension lingered on the faces of the soldiers who were preparing for the battle. They were already anxious not knowing when the enemy would invade, but not knowing where and how many enemies there were made it even more nerve-wracking for them.


    But they were at least d they had lit a fire in advance. As the day went down, an ominous aura fell on the suddenly darkened mountainous area. A flock of more than 2,000 demonic beasts came out of the darkness.


    Dadadadada.


    No one said anything, they did not hit their war drum nor did they even ring the war bell. The soldiers licked their dry mouths and strained their eyes. It was a moment when anyone would search for God.


    A pack of demonic beasts with fireworks on their huge horns came running at once. Each one of them was as big as a carriage. Their horns were thicker than spears and were covered with a ck hide like a buffalo. If they were to run head-on, the horses, people, and even those thick walls would not be able to withstand it.


    And just like the demon worshippers, the demonic beasts were also swimming in madness. They ran forward recklessly, destroying whatever was in front of them.


    "Now!"


    The Emperor shouted from the city wall. It was a loud voice. No one could even think that he was someone who would die of illness soon.


    The Emperor wore the same armor he had worn in his heyday and carried a heavy, long sword. By his side, the elderly knights turned over their retirement to fight with the Emperor. Their white hair fluttered, and their bloodthirsty spirits burned.


    "Fire!"


    The Emperor did not say much. He did not try to encourage the soldiers with words. He only presented himself. He climbed to the highest point of the wall and said with all his body.


    ''Your Emperor is as prosperous as he always has been, and he will share the joys and sorrows of life in this battle.''

 165 Chapter 165

    The demonic beasts were madly racing toward the perimeter of the city. Iron arrows were pouring over their heads shot from bowstrings pulled to the limit, flying so hard with the sound of tearing wind.


    Wooden arrows were useless against demonic beasts, as their hides were different from that of an ordinary beast, it was difficult to pierce with wooden arrows.


    After being hit by arrows, several demonic beasts copsed after losing their bnce. And yet, the crazed demonic beasts did not stop running. They trampled over each other and ended up killing those obstructing the path. Their blood sttered and their bones shattered. The screams of the demonic beasts turned into weepings and had spread across the battlefield. Of the 2,000 or so demonic beasts, hundreds of them died just like that.


    Next was the trap. The Imperial Army was well aware that they had to listen to the Barbarians unconditionally when dealing with demonic beasts. Following Oscar''s opinion, they dug a deep hole in the wilderness in front of the defense line.


    Hundreds of demonic beasts running at the front fell into the trap and let out a wild cry. Then, the rest of them filled the pit with their own kindred bodies before running over it.


    The number of demonic beasts had been halved. Their running speed had also decreased. There were also many demonic beasts that had turned around, they ran to ces straying from the path.


    "Now!"


    The Emperor shouted.


    The g of the Empire fluttered greatly. The g bearer waved the g to the sound of the drum behind him. The sound of horse hoofs that shook the earth resonated with the drumming that heaved the heart. After waiting behind the barricade, the city troops poured out from both sides of the city at the same time.


    The Barbarians were in the lead. With Isadora''s funding the best warhorses on the continent, the troops raced like surging waves and rushed toward the bewildered demonic beasts.


    "Break through and go up to the hills"


    Oscar shouted to Lampion, who had pierced the demonic beast''s neck with arge halberd.


    "Break through! Aim for their backline!"


    The Barbarians did not n to annihte the demonic beasts. Rather, they passed through the herds of demonic beasts and targeted the demon worshippers on the enemy''s backline. The Imperial Army ran after the Barbarians immediately behind them, their well-trained soldiers did not back down even while dealing with the crazy demonic beasts. Several soldiers rushed at a single demonic beast and would somehow defeat them.


    With thumping sounds everywhere, the demonic beasts were seen toppling over or staggering without being able to control theirrge bodies.


    "The Emperor is with us!"


    "Hurray for Tarragon!"


    The knights encouraged the soldiers and rushed at the demonic beasts. Along the path that the Barbarians had made, the cavalry smashed into the battlefield.


    The demon lord was far away. Observing the battlefield from a high ce, the once-saintess demon lord appeared on a giant demonic beast. Her long cloak of fur fluttered in the wind.


    At a distance so far away from the demonic beasts and demon worshippers, no one could see her face nor hear her voice. But it was clear that the demon lord''s eyes were following the Barbarians.


    As the owners of the battlefield, the Barbarians were like warriors of God who fell on humannd. They went straight through the herds of demonic beasts and ran wild in the main camp of the demon worshippers.


    Despite their overwhelming number, the demon worshippers were unable to defeat the raging Barbarians, who had skillfully changed positions among them. And since the wounded demonic beasts could not tell allies from enemies and just ran rampant, the demon worshippers were unable to ignore the Barbarians and advance to face the Imperial Army.


    The herd of demonic beasts, the heralds to the beginning of war, had been struck close to annihtion. Unable to do this or that, the demon worshippers eventually began to retreat.


    "Out, demon lord!"


    "The Barbarians have won!"


    Unlike their fancy appearance, their exit was vain.


    37. Heartache


    After one fierce battle, Lara stood in front of the demon worshippers who were anxiously looking for her.


    "O demon lord¡­"


    The worshippers led by the ck sorcerers believed that Lara, the demon lord, would somehow help them in the war. And so, they rushed to find Lara, intending to ask her to summon the Hell Corps or to ask her to perform powerfulrge-scale magic.


    Lara jumped from the back of the giant demonic beast and said coldly.


    "You lowly lives."


    Her cold voice rang out in the bleak wind. The noisy worshippers became quiet.


    Lara ordered Vassago.


    "Disgusting. Get rid of them."


    "Yes, Master."


    Vassago smiled from ear to ear. He was satisfied that the owner of his body was a ck sorcerer who was quite notorious among the demon worshippers.


    "Who wants to go first?"


    Vassago took out a long whip. It was a whip made of the skin of a python. Every time he swung the whip, there was a ripping sound. The demon worshippers looked at Vassago, shivering.


    "How dare you make the Master angry? You shall pay back with pain and screams."


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã<sub> </sub>


    After such a vain defeat, the ck sorcerers moved steadily for the next attack. The death of the demonic beasts was nothing for them. The more blood flowed, the better.


    The ck sorcerers nned to summon the Hell Corps directly to the battlefield after enough blood had flowed, regardless if it was of allies or of enemies. Unlike the demon worshippers, some of the ck sorcerers did not acknowledge Lara as the demon lord and would always watch her from a distance away.


    With the ck sorcerers moving so fast, Oscar also became busy. Every night he climbed the mountain and heard from Lara about everything the demon lord troops had nned. While going up and down the mountain path, Oscarmented how much of a tragedy it was that he had to hide the fact that the demon lord was on the side of man.


    Konny was busy too. From food and clothes specially prepared by Isadora, to fluffy nkets and snacks that the giant of fire usually liked, the number of deliveries had increased.


    Lara felt like she had a house in the mountains. Paimon and Vassago joked that they wanted to hire Konny to work as a butler at their castle in hell.


    A few days after the war had officially begun, a man appeared in front of the log house where Lara was sleeping.


    His long ck hair fluttered in the wind. It was very cold in the winter mountains, but the man was wearing a very thin shirt. His pale face, blue eyes, and red lips stood out.


    He was Demian.


    Even though there were demon worshippers scattered around, no one noticed Demian being right in front of them. The same went for Vc. The only ones who had noticed something to be amiss were Paimon and Vassago. And despite looking around the area with sharp eyes, they still could not find Demian.


    Demian naturally walked into the house where Lara was sleeping. It was cozy and nice for a hastily constructed house, and the fragrance of trees filled the inside. Laraid a thick quilt on arge log bed and slept with the giant of fire in her arms.


    Demian stood there and looked at Lara''s face for a long time. Brown hair that looked moist as if it had been wet, skin with a sweet addictive scent, and twilight eyes hidden under eyshes that fluttered like petals. Even her breath seemed to be crazily precious. He swept Lara''s cheek with his fingertips.


    The giant of fire, thought to be asleep, opened its eyes. As soon as it found Demian, it showed its teeth like a fierce dog. But as soon as Demian gestured to it, it scattered away, leaving only a small spark.


    Demian did not want to be disturbed by anyone or anything, nor did he hesitate for even a slither of a moment when using the power of God. For him, everything in the world except Lara was just an afterimage.


    Abraxas was also like him. An uncontroble pain came to God''s face. Being both Demian and Abraxas, he still could not let go of his lost love and lived in the pain of that day. The pain had umted without flowing with grief.


    The first saintess died while Abraxas was away for a while. Not even her body could be recovered. Herst words, saying that she would wait for him, had remained in his heart. Abraxas cried as he dug up his chest with his hands.


    Even for a God, Abraxas only had one love. Nothing could rece her, not infinite power, not authority, not even the whole world¡ªeverything had lost meaning. The mad God came to hate everything that lived and breathed. He could have be an evil God and destroyed the world.


    If Lara had not kissed him in her first life, Abraxas would have nevere to his senses.


    Was that also destiny? Can a God have a predetermined fate? Abraxas remembered the moment exactly as if it had been carved with a knife. A woman leaned lightly on the cold statue and kissed his lips. Lara did it on a whim at the spur of the moment, and yet, it was a miracle for God.


    When Abraxas saw Lara with the same face as the saintess he loved, he suspected that he had returned to the past. She had the same habits, the same way of speaking, and even the same smile from time to time. She was that simr. So, Abraxas watched her closely. He has been by Lara''s side ever since that day.


    Abraxas saw Lara pretending to be the fake saintess wielding wickedness, he also saw her love for Demian and her disregard for her own feelings. He also watched when she became the sacrifice and when the world was destroyed.


    God realized it was because of him. All this was because Abraxas was crazy about love and had abandoned his duty.


    Demian was his other self. He should have expected that Demian would love Lara. After Lara''s death, Demian''s appearance was not much different from Abraxas''s after he had lost his lover.


    "I will make it right."


    God said.


    "For you¡­"


    Abraxas wanted to apologize. Maybe he wanted to be forgiven. If he were loved and forgiven by Lara, by the one who had the same face as the first saintess, then maybe, this pain just might get numb.


    Am I Abraxas or Demian? Maybe I''m pretending to be Demian to feel you. These maddening hot feelings belong to Demian, so why am I in joy? You are his lover, but why are you so desperate for me?


    I want to touch you just once, even if I have to borrow Demian''s body. I feel a cruel joy in the fact that he and I are one. Watching you decide to defy fate for Demian, I feel a disgustingly heart-warming euphoria.


    Lara, I wished that you were the reincarnation of my lover. I had hoped that your soul would be the same, and not just your face. Ifort myself, thinking that, if you love Demian, then I am the one being loved. I know, it is a shameful and wicked feeling. But it is only when I think about that when this excruciating pain gets numb. That is the only moment I can count on. And yet, you are not even mine.


    Humans are so great. How can such a painful feeling be wrapped into a beautiful thing called love? How can they heal the pain and fall in love with another after going through this kind of love? I ampletely broken, and I can never go back.


    "Lara."


    Even your name is pretty. Every time I call your name, I feel like I am singing. You make me jealous of everything you look at. Even a single breath of yours is precious, I want to keep it. Why do you look so much like her? Why are you making me feel confused?


    "''You''¡­"


    Abraxas, gently sweeping Lara''s cheek, slowly leaned toward her. His lips touched Lara''s cheek and lips. It was a kiss that sank lightly like a bird''s feather. It was a stealthy and impudent kiss, as Lara once did to him in her first life.


    God was still broken. His wound was one that would never recover. So he decided.


    "I have to die."


    The Hell Troops that would invade thend would not be so bad as God''s fellow travelpanions. The will of the world defined this war as a sure and inevitable urrence, it had to be fought anyway. Even at the cost of God''s death, he should at least be able to save the woman he loved. Whatever that woman loved, he would not take it, even if it was a stone or a single de of grass.


    So Lara, don''t worry.


    "We will protect you."


    Abraxas and Demian whispered.

 166 Chapter 166

    38. Hell Corps


    The herds of demonic beasts had nearly been wiped out after the first battle, and the remnants had inhabited the central basin of the Gorgon Mountains Range. Following their defeat, the ck sorcerers have gathered even more demonic beasts, and though therge amount they have gathered proved to be advantageous, they had another reason to summon so many of them; their unmatched destructive power when charging into their opponent.


    Whatsmore, the ck sorcerers had seeded in finding and casting a spell on the king of the demonic beasts


    The king was bigger than Lara''s wolf-type demonic beast. Until now, it had rarely moved inside his own area within the mountain basin, but the spell cast by the ck sorcerers attracted it, making it express manic anger towards the city of humans. Thousands of demonic beasts gushed out mes and rushed to the ground. They were so powerful and speedy that the hard ground was badly dug up.


    The demon worshippers had also devised various tactics to avenge their past defeat. They positioned the demonic beast king in the center of the herds in case the demonic beasts fell into enemy traps. And in order to prevent being hit by arrows, they used wooden boards and tough leather to wrap around the demonic beasts'' vital points, effectively shielding them from harm and preventing them from falling down. Thus, 10,000 demon worshippers raised their weapons to take down Memoria City.


    This time, too, a rain of iron arrows fell on the demonic beasts. The heavy iron made a loud banging sound as it fell on the demonic beasts'' heads. Next were the traps. Just like thest battle, the Imperial Army used traps to tie the demonic beast''s ankles together. However, this time, they installed them in different locations. And instead of pits dug to confine the demonic beasts, this time, the Imperial Army threw heavy metals from the wooden barricades. When thes trapped the demonic beasts, arrows with anesthetic poisons were shot at them.


    The bodies of the demonic beasts piled up on the battlefield. Memoria City was still untouched.


    "Your Imperial Majesty!"


    "No¡­ Not yet."


    The Emperor murmured. His gaze rested on the giant bull that led the pack in the center of the herd.


    A tremendous amount of heat escaped from its ming horn. There was a haze trailing after it as it ran, its body was at least twice the size of other demonic beasts, and a dark red mane grew on its back and neck, giving off a threatening aura.


    "We must catch it."


    "And we shall carry out your orders forthwith."


    Said an old knight who was by the Emperor''s side. He was a knight who had been by his side since the Emperor was a Crown Prince.


    "This is ourst allegiance to you, Your Imperial Majesty. We will dedicate the beast''s neck to you, and then go back to our hometown to farm potatoes."


    Gazing at the battlefield next to the Emperor, the elderly knight took their weapons. The Emperor could not stop them, he could not even say of their inevitable death awaiting them should they go. Though the old knight said he would retire after capturing the demonic beast, it was no different from saying that he would die with it.


    "Imperial Secretary, put this into the records."


    The Emperor said.


    "Today, the heroes of Tarragon will open the door to a great victory."


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    "It must end in human victory."


    On his way out to the outskirts of the city to take down the ck sorcerers, Oscar recalled what Lara said to him. A demon lord who wished for human victory, something like that could not even be used as a joke anywhere.


    "Where''s Demian?"


    "I don''t know."


    "Why didn''t you bring him with you?"


    "He makes me feel shitty."


    "Why?"


    "Demian doesn''t look like Demian and it''s bringing down my mood."


    Domino and Lampion chattered behind Oscar. They were talking about Demian, who disappeared after suddenly growing his hair long and performing a strange miracle.


    "Demian is just Demian. What do you mean he doesn''t look like himself?"


    Domino burst outughing. He could not talk much with Demian even after he returned so he did not understand what Lampion meant.


    "I feel even worse because he healed my arm. I''m very thankful, but I feel like there''s no point in thanking him."


    "What nonsense is that?"


    "It feels like being thankful to the sky when it''s raining."


    "What?"


    "This is all because of our two-person trip. Numbers are bad luck! I should have taken one more with me."


    Oscar went ahead and pretended to ignore Lampion''s words but was at a loss for the goosebumps on his back. Lara''s words kepting to his mind. She said that Abraxas was embedded in Demian''s body, so should he call him Demian or Abraxas?


    "Demian has always been in charge of the ck sorcerers."


    Dejected, Domino clicked his tongue.


    Just in time, he felt a rumbling of demonic beasts running towards the city. Even though they were on a mountain, the stompings of the demonic beasts felt like the vibrations of an earthquake. The Barbarians lowered their posture and put their guard up on their surroundings.


    "Oscar, are you sure it''s this way?"


    "Yes, I''m sure."


    "Why do you keep going out to reconnaissance without telling us? People said if you do something you don''t usually do, you will die¡­ I call dibs on your inheritance."


    "You son of a gun."


    "Do you even have any inheritance?"


    The Barbarians exchanged banter to relieve the tension of the battle.


    "Do we have to go and live in the Empire after the war? I was going to live in Gorgon since it''s my hometown, but I think it''s going to bepletely uninhabitable soon."


    "Are you out of your mind? You want to live with the Empire jerks? The Barbarians don''t settle down. We should go to the battlefield!"


    "Lampion, say that after you get married and have a baby. I bet you''d also want to settle down."<sub> </sub>


    "Traitors."


    Lampion was the Barbarian of the Barbarians. He used to say that he would live and die on the battlefield like his father.


    "The ce where I die should have a sword, not a tombstone. That''s what a Barbarian is. I don''t need a grave."


    "You really are something else."


    "Shush."


    Then, Oscar suddenly lowered his posture and raised his finger. The Barbarians followed suit. It was a silent change. They took an advantageous position,municating only with their eyes and mouths.


    ''Stop.''


    ''It''s them.''


    The ck sorcerers gathered halfway up the mountain. There looked to be a group of at least fifty. A thick, bloody smell lingered in the darkened mountain. Let alone beasts, they could not even hear the sound of grass bugs. A sharp wind blew like a sword through the scattered branches.


    A low groan came out of Oscar''s mouth.


    "Damn it¡­"


    There were fifty or so ck sorcerers, and they were all dead. Their whole bodies turned into rags as if they had been mutted by a sharp weapon. They were torn to death without being able to properly rebel against the executioner. The blood they shed had drenched the ground. The still lingering heat escaped from their bodies. And with just a sniff of their blood, the demonic beasts had begun to gather with their mouths watering.


    Who the hell did this? Who could kill so many ck sorcerers at once in such a cruel way?


    "Demon¡­"


    Using Domino''s muttered word as a sign, the Barbarians all clenched their weapons. The demonic beasts, which had gathered after smelling the blood, were backing away this time.


    The perpetrator must still be there.


    The blood-soaked ground cracked open, revealing a ck door. It was the gate to hell. In the deep darkness close to the abyss, the hungry demons raised their heads with the sound of boiling blood.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Simr things happened all over the Gorgon Mountains Range. The first was at the site of the ughter of the ck sorcerers, and the second was at the ce where demon worshippers held rituals with sacrifices.


    The blood-soaked altar split apart and red monsters came out of it. It was the Hell Corps. They ate the demon worshippers who bowed at them and covered themselves with their victim''s blood. Then, they came down the road and began to move toward the human city.


    Thest one was in the middle of the battlefield.


    The Emperor and his loyal knights engaged in a fierce battle with the huge king of demonic beasts. Some knights were already dead, while some were badly injured to the point of immobility. The Emperor was also dirty with dust and blood. Still, he did not back down.


    The king of the demonic beasts was a beast of enormous size and intelligence. With this in mind, the Imperial Army realized that they should not just charge recklessly. And so, they spread out and grew their distance between the beast.


    "Aim for its legs!"


    All they had to do was knock it down. Once they did so, therge beast would find it hard to keep its body together. With a long heavy sword in his hand, the Emperor rode his horse and left a long and deep wound on the demonic beast''s hind leg. A huge amount of blood gushed out from the demonic beast''s leg. The bloody smell filled the battlefield.


    Howl.


    The wounded demonic beast cried for a long time. It was a cry of anger and vengeance. Its red horn turned to the Emperor.


    "Your Imperial Majesty!"


    "Dodge!"


    The knights screamed.


    The Emperor realized that he could not dodge the beast''s attack on time.


    Despite staggering, the demonic beast only aimed at the Emperor. Drooling with foam, it rushed straight at the Emperor even while being struck by spears thrown by the knights. The ground rang, the sound of war was deafening. Its bloodthirstiness became a heavy spear heading to the Emperor''s heart. It attacked using the metal, wrapping the Emperor''s legs.


    This is where I will die.


    The Emperor recalled Acerus at that moment. He wondered if Acerus would be proud of his father.


    But just before the demonic beast''s horn pierced the Emperor''s chest, its bones were crushed. It seemed to copse from the inside.


    Howl.


    The demonic beast howled painfully. All the other demonic beasts understood their king''s cry and began to run wild in fear.


    The huge king of the demonic beasts.


    A pair of long arms jutted out from its wound, and a vicious demon stuck his head out from the body of the living demonic beast, breaking its bones and tearing its hide.


    The gates of hell were everywhere, red blood sttered all over. The beast''s wound opened wide and spat out a demon, one that had a huge size to match the demonic beast''s size. Compared to the demon, the Emperor looked like a child in front of him.


    A cold wind blew, the low-temperature of the breeze did not suit the burning battlefield.


    The demon waved his blood-soaked arms and smiled pleasantly. He swung his arm at an invisible speed and shed at everything around the chaotic battlefield, including the Emperor, who stood the closest.


    The Emperor''s head flew off, dropping to the ground.


    "Your Imperial Majesty!!!"


    An elderly knight came running with tears of blood. He was the knight who said he would go to his hometown to farm potatoes after this fight. He crawled across the ground with the Emperor''s head in his arms in disbelief, struggling and crying. His liege, hisrade, and his friend, whom he had devoted his whole life to, should not die in vain like that.


    Starting with him, all the Emperor''s knights knelt on the ground and let out a loud wail.


    The sun of Tarragon.


    The Emperor of the Empire had fallen.

 167 Chapter 167

    Time went by slowly. The Emperor died and hundreds of knights rushed to retrieve his body. After the knights let out a series of onughts on the Emperor''s killer, the demon of the Hell Corps copsed. His grinning smile persisted on his face even as he died.


    At that moment, the knights were all thinking the same thing. They must retreat. Fighting in disorder on such a vastnd was too disadvantageous for the human encampment.


    "Get inside the rampart! We have to fight inside!"


    A knight covered with demon''s blood shouted out loudly, his voice drowned out by the noisy battlefield. More demons appeared after tearing apart and being covered in the blood of the demonic beasts, their numbers were increasing.


    The average soldier could not keep up with the strength and speed of the demons. And even if they were lucky enough for their attacks to hit, it was still difficult to kill the demons because of theirrge sizes.


    A young knight ran with his teeth clenched toward the knight of the Emperor, who was in a state of disbelief on the front line. The young knight hit him with his body.


    "Get a grip! We need to get inside the rampart! Are you nning to die here?"


    It was not an action that a mere knight could do to the Emperor''s guardmander, though no one took issue with it.


    Barelying to his senses, the old knight looked back. There were no demonic beasts left, only demons ughtering humans after appearing from the demonic beasts'' stomachs.


    "Everyone¡­"


    The old knight breathed heavily and said.


    "Retreat into the rampart. Focus on defense! Go tell them! Take this and go tell them!"


    The old knight handed his sword to the young knight who hit him.


    "Why are you giving this to me?"


    "Go tell them. Retreat as far as you can to protect the soldiers. If the demons try to enter the rampart, do not try to rescue the rest. Just seal off the city."


    "What?"


    "Hurry!"


    The old knight smacked the young knight''s helmet. The young knight turned around and ran. His voice that was telling the other people to retreat and go inside grew farther and farther away.


    The old knight held hisrade''s sword in his hand in ce of his own¡ªa sword of a knight who rushed and died alongside a demon after the Emperor''s death.


    "For the Emperor!"


    The old knight raised his sword and ran forward. Countless people stood in front of demon troops with the determination to not let even a single demon in. The guardmander, hisrades, and the retired-bound knights advanced with their backs to the fortress.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Isadora was on top of the rampart. Despite Sebastian''s earnest request not toe out because of the danger, she did not falter, saying that she could do nothing unless she saw the battlefield in person.


    The Emperor died. Hot tears formed in Isadora''s eyes. Though her tears did not flow, the mercenaries protecting her could hear her rough and irregr breathing.


    "Madam, please allow us to go to the battlefield."


    The wolves said.


    "Please, Madam. We will help retrieve His Imperial Majesty''s body."


    The intensity of war had reached every corner of the vast battlefield, but the ce where the Emperor''s body was at seemed to be particrly disadvantageous. If left alone, all of the Emperor''s knights might die.


    The captain of the mercenary wolves walked forward. He was about the same age as Isadora and had been by her side since he was young.


    "Madam, just because we''re not from the Tarragon Empire doesn''t mean we''ll let the Emperor have a funeral without a body."


    "You all could die."


    "We''re not knights. We''re just going to force our way in and clear the path without fighting."


    "Is that as easy as you say?"


    "The knights of the Hautean kingdom are ready."


    The mercenary captain pointed his finger down. The elite knights of the Hautean Kingdom were in charge of defending the fortress gate, and they were taking steps to go outside with piercing eyes.


    "We will go with them. We have had experience working together when we were hunting for the ck sorcerers so you don''t have to worry."


    The captain of the mercenary wolves tapped Isadora on her shoulder.


    At that moment, Isadora listened to the voices of many people¡ªthe voices of the wolves begging to go to the battlefield knowing they might die, the Emperor''s knights calling for retreat, the Hautean knights telling the others to help the Imperial army and bringing in as many people as possible inside, and a mournful cry.


    The Emperor of Tarragon was Isadora''s friend, or rather, a badpanion would have been more appropriate. The Emperor knew Isadora''s youth, he was an adult who was both hated and respected by Isadora. She knew that he would not live long but she did not expect his death toe this early. She vaguely believed that he should have been seen off by countless people on arge bed.


    For a moment, Isadora gazed at the distant sky to hold back her tears. Then, something caught her sight. On the other side of the battlefield, a group of people was running down like bulls from the middle of the mountain.


    Aarrgghh.


    It was such an ignorant charge. They were the Barbarians. With a ringing sounding from the ground, the Barbarians jumped into the middle of the battlefield and began dealing with the demons.


    Usually, just barely dealing with a huge demon would require dozens or even hundreds of soldiers, but the Barbarians fought equally with numbers fewer than that. Lampion in particr was very fierce, he jumped here and there as though dancing with his huge halberd.


    "Nice!"


    The wolves shouted with happy faces. With the Barbarians on the battlefield, they could break through the path. With the Barbarians charged in a rampage on the other side of the battlefield, the wolves and the knights of Hautean could run out of this side. With that, they could divide the Hell Corps.


    "Sebastian."


    Isadora opened her mouth.


    "Yes, Madam."<sub> </sub>


    "Send the wolves to the battlefield. Let them clear a path with the knights of Hautean. And tell all the workers to look for Valentine."


    The wolves moved quickly at Isadora''s orders.


    The mercenary wolves were the guards of thergest tradingpany and the richest woman on the continent. They said that the reason they became mercenaries was that they did not want to be soldiers or knights bound by an individual, but in actuality, most of them were forced to be mercenaries due to their low status. Still, their abilities were as good as the knights of any other kingdom.


    The wolves ran out of the gates with the royal knights of Hautean with their mouths shut. They had only one goal. Piercing the way for the Emperor''s knights to retreat.


    "Let''s go!"


    Another strong wave of enemies increased on the chaotic battlefield. The Imperial soldiers were sent back just as they were about to copse from exhaustion. And the knights of Hautean went on the spot.


    A way out was opening.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The gates of hell had opened. A ck, sticky fog filled the deep valley of the Gorgon Mountain Range. The trees that grew on rocks, soil, and cliffs, and the valley that flowed under them were now gone. Only ck fog remains, rising from the endless abyss.


    Lara was looking at the demon worshippers that had gathered in the valley.


    At first, there were only hundreds of them, but they quickly grew to the thousands, and now, they had surpassed the tens of thousands. Describing them as just ''a lot'' was not enough. There were still many demon worshippers moving toward Gorgon so it would be difficult to estimate their total number if all of them had gathered there.


    At first, Lara was curious about the reason why they worshiped demons, and why they rejected humans andmitted sins. She assumed that they had some reason¡ªrebellion against oppression or to avoid a poor and unhappy life.


    But now she knew that reasons were not everything. There were countless people with a hard life and a broken heart. Perhaps everyone who existed in thisnd was living a hard and painful life. But that did not mean all of them became demon worshippers.


    Those demon worshippers were just viins. Lara clearly saw the faces of those who sacrificed her alive in her previous life. After Prince Sidhar became mad for power, he joined forces with those ck sorcerers and demon worshippers.


    Sacrificing a human was an unforgivable sin. Even if it was something a demon wanted, the burden of siny heavier toward the humans. A demon was a beast born that way, the same could not be said about humans. Lara shot a cold look at the demon worshippers that filled the valley.


    "Master, it''s half-open."


    Vassago returned and reported to Lara. The gates of hell were not fully opened yet. Still, despite being only half open, the atmosphere in thend was murky as if hell had arrived. The acrid smell of ash and the fishy smell of water was mixed from an unknown source.


    "What happens when the gates are fully opened?"


    "The owners of the Hell Corps wille over. Old demons that Vc could not deal with will appear and invade thisnd."


    "How strong are they?"


    "You can just think of them as dozens of demons like me."


    Vassago grinned and muttered. Lara was lost in thought for a moment and asked him again.


    "How long do you think it will take for the gates to open fully?"


    "I don''t know that. The gates opening doesn''t just mean the entrance gets bigger, it also tells us how many demons havee over to this realm."


    Paimon nodded at Vassago''s exnation. This time, Lara asked Paimon.


    "What''s the way to move from this side to there?"


    "Pardon?"


    "The Hell Corps just crawled up here from hell. If I were to go there, do I just have to fall down that valley?"


    "Perhaps¡­so?"


    Paimon also had a confused face. He was also a demon, when the gates of hell opened, he only thought of the Hell Corps'' invasion of the humannd, he never imagined a scenario in which the humans would invade hell.


    Lara was looking at him with a face questioning why he thought that was impossible.


    "Go and test it."


    "Pardon? Test what?"


    "Grab someone and throw them down. Check whether they fall to hell or not. They should not fall from the sky or get burned with sulfur. So check where and how they fall."


    "Who¡­"


    "Since they love human sacrifice so much, tell them to sacrifice themselves this time."


    Lara pointed her finger at the demon worshippers.


    Paimon excitedly went down to catch them, saying that it would work. Vassago remained next to Lara and asked, the look on his face seemed to indicate that he was enjoying the situation very much.


    "Are you going into hell? But the humans are retreating right now, aren''t they? Preventing destruction with just human power is already too much. Would that work? The demons are stronger in hell. You know that, don''t you?"


    "I know. I have thought of something ever since the day I heard that the gates of hell are going to open here¡­"


    "What is it?"


    "Those demon worshippers."


    Lara raised her fingers again and pointed to the demon worshippers who were gathered in the valley. On the day of her death in her previous life, those who scorned her as she walked toward the altar as a sacrifice, and those who wanted to offer the saintess alive to the demon, they were just like them.


    She did not know if they were worshiping a demon at that time. But she could only be sure that those people were eventually influenced by demon worshippers.


    "I want to send them all to hell."


    Since they liked demons so much, I should let the demon worshippers live among them.


    Lara murmured in a cold voice.

 168 Chapter 168

    39. A Sword was Nothing


    Before leaving Dandelion, Lara made several ns after her conversation with God.


    The first n was to awaken Demian so that he could use the power of Abraxas. She knew that God and Demian could be one in the process. Perhaps the man she loved would be part of God and disappear.


    But Lara believed in Demian. She trusted his heart more than anyone else in the world. Even in her previous life, Demian was someone who lived looking only at Lara. When she returned and met him again, his heart remained unchanged. And through this love of Lara, Demian''s heart could not be weaker than the will of God, as he had lost his saintess and gone crazy.


    Demian would win. He would trudge back as usual, lean his head on Lara''s shoulder, and let out a sigh as if that was the only moment he wanted. She believed in him. That was one of Lara''s most powerful weapons.


    The second n was to make everyone in the world aware of the existence of demon worshippers and the Hell Corps. From the Tarragon Empire, to Hautean, the Eastern Countries, and to all the other small kingdoms.


    They would have no choice but to handle the situation once they knew about it. Unless hell was burned entirely, the demon worshippers and the Hell Corps would continue to appear and appear again like mold. Thus, they would y on the minds of the weakest and grow by feeding on their anxiety and fear.


    It took a lot of sacrifices to defeat evil, but it did not take misfortune to raise evil. This tragic history could not be continued forever. Since Lara had decided to be the demon lord herself, she would use this as a turning point in the great demon war.


    Man would prevail, they would not rely on saintess nor on God but would prevail only by human power.


    Lara''s third n was to open the gates of hell, she would then take all the demon worshippers that were gathered in Gorgon and lead them to hell.


    The demon worshippers would be in the ce where their objects of worship lived, they would be satisfied and would think they were in paradise. It did not matter even if they became dogs of demons in hell or were treated like ves and exploited. Lara thought it was better. Perhaps that was the life they wanted.


    Some of the demons who crawled through the gates of hell had already ughtered demon worshippers several times. If Lara had not carried the giant of fire with her, they might have bare their teeth to her. The demons were afraid of the hellfire so they did not want toe close to Lara.


    "What are you going to do after you put them all in hell?"


    Vc, who was crouching close by, raised his head curiously and asked.


    Lara looked down at Vc''s face and noticed that he looked tired. Though it did not happen to Vassago and Paimon, Vc could not relieve the umted fatigue. He had gotten thinner, there were dark circles in his under eyes, and his hair had gotten frizzy. The image of a shining prince straight out of a fairy tale was no more in Prince Sidhar''s body.


    Lara asked him back.


    "What should I do to send them all to hell?"


    "Pardon? Well, push them all with force or¡­"


    "That many people?".


    "Or someone should step up and lead them. ''Your paradise is there. Let''s abandon the weak and insignificant human life and be a true demon-man.'' That much nonsense is probably enough¡­"


    "Right?"


    "But will it work? They''re human beings too, they have instincts, right? They''re practically dead if they go to hell¡­ Will they want to go?"


    "I was the one that asked you."


    "I thought you were just asking for the sake of the question despite already knowing everything. You''re smart after all, Master."


    "I have never been to hell. How am I supposed to know?"


    "Oh, right. You never have."


    Vc stared at Lara with his eyes wide open. Then, he muttered to himself so clearly that she could hear everything.


    "Why does the role of the demon lord look so natural to her? People might think she''s been practicing in hell for about 100 years."


    "I can hear you."


    "For some reason, I think if I ask you where hell''s best demonic beast steak restaurant is, you look like you''ll keep rmending me one after another."


    "What?"


    Lara was dumbfounded and made a smirk. Vassago nodded slightly beside her and agreed with Vc.


    "Master!"


    Paimon returned then. His whole body was soaked in blood. He just came back from catching demon worshippers at random and throwing them into hell. He looked a little excited after getting to step onto thend of his hometown while he was at it.


    "What do you think?"


    "The gate over there is narrower than over here. Not all of the gates have opened yet, so there weren''t many Hell Corpsing over. On the other side of the gate, the demons were fighting amongst themselves toe over first so I threw some of the humans away and they were very happy to catch and eat them.


    Is that why blood is spattered on him?


    Lara nodded her head in silence. Even when she looked at the blood-soaked Paimon, she did not avoid him and say that it was terrible, nor did she even frown. Lara looked like she did not feel guilty even after a few people were killed.


    Vassago and Paimon epted that side of Lara naturally. Because she was the demon lord of their choice.


    But Vc, who had stayed with Lara from Hautean and followed her, felt strange about that. Although she was a human who had clear preferences, she was still kind and emotional. But the Lara in his eyes was no more, she was now no less than the demon lord of hell.


    God must be an idiot. How could he choose this perfect demon lord as a saintess?


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    It was deep into the night. Lara walked in front of the log cabin and waited for Konny.<sub> </sub>


    The meal that should havee in the evening did not arrive. She did not know whether something happened to Konny or whether something had happened to someone else. Lara''s diligent maid tended to act like a natural disaster if herdy did not take care of her meal on time, so the fact that she did note until now meant that there was a problem.


    "Should I go?"


    The people of Memoria City knew Lara as the demon lord so she had to hide her identity to enter the city. As soon as Lara was thinking about wearing a disguise, Vc appeared through the grass.


    "Master, I brought the maid."


    "Mdy!"


    Guided by Vc, Konny ran to Lara''s side. Her round face was filled with joy. Her face was smiling but her eyes were on the verge of crying. Konny ran at full speed to Lara''s embrace.


    "Sob¡­"


    "Why are you crying?"


    "You''re a baddy. What kind of princess runs away from her maid? You knew I was going to be some kind of leech for you. You''re evil!"


    "I''m a princess?"


    "You''re a princess to me, the most disobedient princess in the world at that. Didn''t you read any fairy tales when you were young? The troublemaker princess was always in trouble and the good maid was always crying and looking for her."


    Even when she was sniffing in a stuffy voice, Konny still said everything she had to say. Lara wiped Konny''s tears with her clothes. But the more she wiped it, the more it flowed so she quickly gave up and said.


    "But princesses are always happy."


    "Of course. You''ll be happy too."


    "Is there a fairy tale where the princess-turned-demon-lord became happy?"


    Lara asked with a smile. Konny, who was crying with her face in Lara''s embrace, secretly raised her head. Then, as if she had just realized that she was in the middle of the demon''s camp, she opened her round eyes wider and asked.


    "Do you already know, mdy?"


    "About what?"


    "His Imperial Majesty has passed away."


    Konny''s voice resounded in vain in the dark forest. Vc, who took food out of the tray that Konny brought and carefully prepared the table, and even Vassago and Paimon, who sat far away and looked around, all looked up and looked at Lara and Konny.


    Lara opened her mouth with a pale face.


    "His Imperial Majesty has¡­"


    "Passed away. In the middle of the battlefield¡­ All the Imperial knights, the wolves, and the knights of Princess So ran out to recover his body. I heard that, had the Barbarians not shown up at that time, they all might be dead."


    The Emperor was dead. Lara felt as if a hot wind was leaking from her suffocated chest. She recalled the Emperor, who was exceptionally favorable to her. An old man who was proud as if he had everything in the world because his son, whom he got at his old age, had grown up to be the Crown Prince. The man, who was once the King and a tyrant, and a pir of the Tarragon Empire.


    The Emperor had a heart disease, Lara had already known he would not live long. Still, she thought he would pass away peacefully while being treated in bed like he did in her previous life.


    "So¡­ How did it go?"


    Lara''s voice trembled. Konny stroked Lara''s arm tofort her.


    "The Barbarians appeared and the situation was reversed. The damage was not small but I heard they handled it well. The anger of the Imperial army was so great that the demon troops were decapitated and burned."


    Konny did not know much about the Emperor. She only treated him as a high-ranking person who had bothered herdy. Still, she said she had a hard time crying when she saw people who were sad.


    "Madam Isadora took Valentine. I think she''s nning on creating a long-distance travel magic circle that can travel to Dandelion. Because His Imperial Majesty''s body must beid in state in the Imperial Pce. It''s winter now, at least, but we still don''t have much time¡­"


    "Konny."


    Lara took Konny''s hand.


    "Tell mother."


    "Yes? About what?"


    "I''ll contact Crown Prince Acerus."


    "How?"


    "And I''lle to her at dawn."


    Konny jerked her head up. Then, she shook Lara''s arms strongly and shouted.


    "No! People in Memoria City now call you the public enemy of the continent. No way!''


    "I will go secretly. I won''t get caught. So please tell mother not to close the window."


    Konny cried again but she nodded confidently.

 169 Chapter 169

    After Vc finished setting up the table, he got up and took Konny back to the city safely. Lara watched Konny''s back as she went away.


    Leaving behind her meal, Lara went into the log cabin. Then, she took two magic receivers out of her pocket.


    One was a beautifully crafted ne and one was an early receiver of a rugged shape. The receivers were all in pairs. Lara gave one of each pair to different people. One was Demian, and the other was Acerus.


    "Crown Prince Acerus."


    A red light hovered from the receiver. Lara did not wait very long. A deep voice came out from the other side.


    ¡¸Saintess?!¡¹


    It was Acerus.


    ¡¸I was surprised to hear your voice so suddenly, so it was worth it to carry this receiver around. But I''m so unlucky, after dad left me here alone I''m stuck at my desk every day doing paperwork.¡¹


    Acerus said with great delight. Heined there were a lot of documents with a lot of iprehensible words and asked Lara if she knew why all the emperors had a lot of smart aides around. Then, he answered his own question by saying that it was all to hide their failure in studying.


    ¡¸That is so embarrassing. You''re the only one who''s like that, Your Imperial Highness!¡¹


    ¡¸You punk! Do you want to be taken in for l¨¨se-majest¨¦? I''ll send you to the battlefield! Oh, I''m sorry. My aide doesn''t know how to shut his trap. I''m going to hit him one day.¡¹


    ¡¸I''m going to tell on you to saintess.¡¹


    ¡¸You snitch of a bastard.¡¹


    ¡¸He sleeps with that receiver thingy every night. At first, I thought he was a toddler who slept with his rattle in his¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You son of a gun!¡¹


    There was a lot ofmotion on the other side of the receiver for a while. It was the sound of Acerus beating and kicking out the aide. Lara caught her breath and waited for him to be left alone.


    ¡¸I''m sorry. It was loud, right? I always keep the receiver with me because I don''t know when you would¡­¡¹


    "Crown Prince Acerus."


    ¡¸Why is your voice so gloomy? Did something happen?¡¹


    "His Imperial Majesty has passed away."


    ¡¸¡­What?¡¹


    Acerus asked back as if he had not understood Lara''s words. Even though Lara deliberately delivered it in a clear and distinct voice so that Acerus would not have to hear the same thing over and over again.


    ¡¸What did you just say? Who died? Saintess, I can''t hear you.¡¹


    "He was killed in action in the first all-out battle against the Hell Corps in Memoria City."


    ¡¸Dead? My father?¡¹


    Acerus said absent-mindedly.


    ¡¸Say¡­ Say it again.¡¹


    "His Imperial Majesty has passed away."


    Thud.


    Acerus dropped the receiver


    Lara heard an unclear sound.


    Lara waited in silence. Though she did not wait long, for Lara, this short period of time felt like it had infinitely stretched forevermore. She could hear Acerus''s breathing getting rougher and rougher, and she could hear the sound of something hard breaking. Acerus let out an unintelligible murmur to himself. He spoke in passing, with a sigh mixed with weeping.


    ¡¸I''m sure he already knew.¡¹


    Lara knew nothing wouldfort him. She just listened and listened to what Acerus was saying.


    ¡¸Not me, but my father knew. He went to battle despite knowing he was going to die. That''s why he told me not to go¡­ He even hid his illness from me for so long. Did he think I didn''t know about that? Damn it! If I knew this would happen, I would''ve given up being the Crown Prince and followed the Barbarians¡­¡¹


    Acerus forcefully swallowed his tears. He growled like a beast, his groans, screams, and sighs mixed together. He sobbed and breathed heavily for a long time. Then, he called for Lara.


    ¡¸Saintess.¡¹


    "Go on."


    ¡¸The battle where my father passed away. Did he win it?¡¹


    "Yes."


    ¡¸Okay.¡¹


    He would stand up. That was what an Emperor was. Someone who was a symbol of a nation, not just of a person.


    Tarragon was not an ordinary country. It was thergest and strongest country on the continent. It was also a country that represented humans. The Emperor''s throne that Acerus had to bear was that heavy and cruel.


    ¡¸I heard that you became the demon lord. After this, I''m going to bring in all the troops from the empire, frontier, Eastern states, and the Northernnds and advance to Gorgon.¡¹


    "Yes, go ahead."


    ¡¸What am I supposed to do?¡¹


    "You can destroy the Hell Corps and make this war a victory for humanity. Nothing will change."<sub> </sub>


    ¡¸I understand.¡¹


    Acerus said. His voice cracked like a dry tree. Lara was still fiddling with the reddish receiver and somehow felt warmth from the cold jewel.


    A hero of mankind. A brave man who resisted the demon army to the end even in the ruined world. There was something she wanted to say to him.


    "Crown Prince Acerus, you will make a good Emperor."


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    "Because you''re a good son."


    Lara whispered.


    Acerus held his breath no longer, he gasped heavily and soon burst into tears. He cried with the receiver in his hand. Without a word, he cried for a long time.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    A sharp wind blew. The wind in the winter mountains was as cold and sharp as a knife. The metaphor ''cold enough to rip one''s cheek'' almost did not sound like a joke anymore. Even if one rubbed one''s hands diligently like a fly and wore thick clothes, the cold would not go away easily.


    Isadora waited for Lara in that cold. A snowke of wind came in from the wide-open window. Sebastian advised her to stay in the next room and that he would wait for Lara, but it went in one ear and out the other. Isadora stood upright in a demonic beast''s fur cloak, a gift from the Barbarians.


    "Urgh."


    Valentine shivered with both his arms wrapped around his skinny shoulders. The heater was set to the strongest level but it did not work at all. Konny finally stepped in and brought a thick nket. She sat next to Valentine and covered both of them together.


    Then, a human shadow popped out of the wide-open window. ck clothes, ck hair, and ck shadow. It was Vassago. He reached down and said.


    "Master, hold my hand."


    "I told you, I can''t do things like levitating."


    "It''s because I keep forgetting that you''re a human, Master."


    Vassago took Lara''s hand and put her up the window. He still moved well mid-air. Lara got off the windowsill and looked into the room. Isadora ran immediately and hugged Lara in her arms.


    "Lara!"


    "Mother, what are you doing here in this cold? You should have just let the window open and stayed somewhere else."


    "You''re saying the same thing as Sebastian."


    "Valentine is going to die like that."


    "I told the weak one not toe but he insisted on seeing you."


    "M, m, m, mdy¡­"


    As Valentine greeted Lara with a shivering chin, Konny hugged him tightly under the covers and shouted.


    "Shut up and warm your body up! What am I supposed to do if you die?"


    What should I do with these silly people?


    Lara slipped out of Isadora''s arms and spread her hands. Then, the giant of fire popped out of her arms. It was as small as a five-year-old child, and it rubbed its body against her before immediately moving to Isadora after finding her.


    "Keep this area warm."


    Lara closed the window and said.


    The giant of fire blew a long breath. Hot heat leaked from its little mouth and warmed the room in an instant. It was so warm that a clear haze appeared along with the breath of the giant of fire.


    Isadora, who was stiff, finally loosened her shoulders. Valentine, who was shivering, also slipped out of the nket and swept his flushing face with his hands. Vassago looked at them andmented.


    "I can''t believe the hellfire of extinction is being used as a warmer¡­"


    It would have been nice to enjoy the joy of reunion to the fullest, but Lara did not have much time. If someone found out that the demon lord was there, Isadora and the others would be in danger. After hearing Lara say that she had to solve her business as soon as possible and go back, Isadora asked while patting the giant of fire.


    "What in the world is going on? I heard you got in touch with the Crown Prince?"


    "Crown Prince Acerus alone won''t be enough. He will arrive here after gathering troops from all over the continent. The gates of hell are only half-open at the moment. We must protect this ce before that."


    "Is that possible?"


    "Yes, we have the hellfire of extinction."


    Lara said. Her eyes were on the giant of fire that was grunting like a puppy in Isadora''s arms. Isadora asked Lara with a suspicious look.


    "This baby?"


    Lara nodded firmly.


    "Abraxas was the one who gave me the fire, and I know what it is. It''s not a fire fairy like in those fairy tales, it''s hellfire, a fire that leads to the end of the world. And Abraxas giving it to me means it can do something."


    Lara did not know at first, she thought it was just a cute and warm fairy. However, after seeing Paimon giving in, Vassago kneeling in front of her, and the demons of the Hell Corps shivering after looking at the giant of fire, Lara realized.


    The demon of fire who wanted her in her life before her death. When the sacrifice that the humans were supposed to offer had died and disappeared, the great demon lord of fire destroyed Hautean with its anger.


    Its name was hellfire. If Demian had not torn its heart, it would have destroyed the world. Perhaps Demian had already saved the world once.

 170 Chapter 170

    Early that morning, while Lara was telling Isadora that the giant of fire would fight against the Hell Corps on humanity''s side, Demian appeared in Memoria castle, where the Emperor''s body wasid in state.


    He walked past many people, yet no one recognized him. Neither the guards, the knights, nor even the sorcerers brought in by the Emperor noticed Demian''s presence.


    The Emperor was lying in a cold stone chamber. Perhaps to prevent the body from dposing, it was very cold and dry. Demian walked slowly to the Emperor''s side. Then, he looked at the decapitated body and said in a low voice.


    "Had you said you wanted to live, you humans would have been defeated."


    That was thew of the world, it was also called cause and effect, and it was also a chain that restrained the Gods and demons.


    "And¡­ I will bear this karma."


    After saying so, Demian swept the Emperor''s neck with his palm. The ugly cut had healed and disappeared without a trace. The Emperor''s distorted and stiff face became calm, and his wound-ridden body regained its original appearance.


    The Emperor looked just like a man who slept in peace. Demian turned around. A dark and sad emotion shone on his face. It was a very short moment. And soon, he became expressionless.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The Hell Corps was armed with a formidable force, a durable vitality, and a ferocious spirit. But they did not have rules, nor did they have a sense of responsibility or duty, honor, orradeship. All they desired was destruction and carnage.


    After the Emperor''s death, the Barbarians'' appearance had divided the Hell Corps into two and had set the war situation right. The royal knights from Hautean also fought for their lives. Though they were knights of a small country, they did not cower in front of the demon troops and their threats toward humans. It was the same with the mercenary wolves. Leaving behind the past when they were disrespected for risking their lives for money, they fought fiercely with their weapons in exchange for nothing. The Imperial army, which had copsed before the Emperor''s death, rose again.


    The Imperial army that the Emperor brought to Memoria was by no meansposed of a small number. They were soldiers trained to the limit due to frequent warfare. The knights did their best to save even one more such soldier. While the knights of Hautean and mercenary wolves secured their retreat, the knights of the Tarragon Empire kept the front line of the battlefield. They were like ramparts. Even while dealing with violent monsters and demon troops, they did not back down.


    A lot of knights died, and victory was earned at the expense of their sacrifice. The Imperial army was able to preserve the maximum number of troops from the attack of the Hell Corps, but it also had to lose many honorable knights.


    The day after the Hell Corps and Imperial army shed head-on, both encampments watched each other and continued their sporadic battle. They were buying time.


    The Hell Corps waited for the gates of hell to be fully opened. All the strong demons, themander of the corps, came over.


    The Imperial army waited for Acerus. When he arrived in Memoria, he was determined to hold an informal funeral for the Emperor and march towards Gorgon with the reinforcements.


    "The three eastern countries were finally united under the name of Sias. As soon as the King of Lafort abdicated his throne to Prince Nichs, the Prince rushed to his mother''s country, Sias, and announced that he would call the three eastern countries Sias if they recognize him as the king."


    "It must have been a big blow to the King of Lafort."


    "It seems that Prince Nichs was greatly influenced by his mother. He didn''t use Lafort, he used Sias."


    "No way. He justpromised because Sias has the strongest troops. He didn''t want to fight after all."


    When Isadora spoke with a cold face, Sebastian nodded and told her the next news.


    "Even the north, which had long been at odds with the Empire, sent a fairlyrge number of troops. The death of the Emperor has shaken the continent."


    "It''s obvious even if we don''t look at that side. I''m sure Acerus said this."


    "Said what?"


    "If you don''t send as many troops as you can, I''ll attack the north after this war."


    There could have been no faster way than threats. After being devastated by the events that Lilith had caused, the north could not afford to deal with the furious Crown Prince of the Empire. Furthermore, they knew that the Barbarians had joined hands with the Tarragon Empire in the great demon war.


    The Barbarians were an existence that the north feared the most. Perhaps they epted Acerus''s request to avoid bing the Barbarians'' enemy.


    "And to top it off, the other countries in the southwest gave a helping hand. Additionally, the Temple of Glory has closed and armored priests are joining the reinforcements."


    "What about Hautean?"


    "Princess So publicly dered herself the next King of Hautean and expressed her deepest condolences for the death of the Emperor. And¡­ It seems that the royal family of Hautean is quite rich. They decided to add thergest amount of war aid on the continent."


    "The royal family has no money."


    "But I heard they''re sending a lot."


    "They must have squeezed out all the money from all the nobles, government officials, and wealthy merchants. So is a smart kid. A young princess is about to sit on the throne so there must be so many adults who look down on her. So what she must have done was empty their pockets so they can''t fight back."


    "That young princess is already thinking that far¡­"


    Sebastian felt sentimental. He recalled when So said that she admired Lara, all while blushing while feeling shy. She used to be a princess who looked good with a big ribbon.


    "A king''s child eventually bes the king. If they don''t be a king, they either be a traitor or will be forgotten. So is a child who is determined to be king since she was very young. She can''t just be a normal child."


    "How do you know all that, Madam? You weren''t interested in politics. You listened without much thought when it came to something that didn''t bring in money."


    "Lara said so."<sub> </sub>


    "Pardon?"


    "The day Lara came here, she said so to me."


    Isadora leaned her back deep in the chair and looked at the sofa where Lara had sat. The proud feeling she had for her daughter had coexisted together with her sorrowful emotions derived from her daughter''s untimely growing maturity.


    "Sometimes¡­"


    "Yes?"


    "I feel like I forgot something important."


    "Are you talking about mdy''s business?"


    Sebastian asked. He knew better than anyone else about Isadora''s guilt¡ªwhen she was so busy that she could not look after Lara''s growth.


    "Children are amazing."


    Isadora said.


    "They look like they''re so weak that they can''t do anything, but next thing you know, they''ve already grown up well alone. And soon enough, they won''t even need their parents'' help anymore."


    Isadora got up and put firewood in the firece, the thick branches burnt violently in the heater. The mes red with a crackling sound, they were as red as Lara''s and Isadora''s eyes.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara was in a forest not far from the city with the giant of fire in her arms. It was a forest leading to the mountain range, so the topography was rough and there were many uphill paths. Every time she moved, her chest would ache and she would be out of breath, but still she walked firmly in the forest without even a single groan.


    Some of the monsters of the Hell Corps were scattered in this forest. They had already got a taste of human blood and could not calm down easily. That was the reason why they kept charging into the city.


    After several sporadic battles, the Hell Corps began to take the humans seriously. At first, they used to charge recklessly, but now, they have begun to use a strategy of walking around in groups to attack and run.


    The humans that were unable to deal with the Hell Corps with only their strength or speed often vented their anger whenever the Hell Corps ran away.


    Lara decided to secretly sweep them away for the humans. She reckoned that she could deal with them if she carried a demon around.


    "How much further do I have to go? You said they were close? You said we''re almost there?"


    Lara, who had been talking without saying anything, suddenly asked. Vc replied with a shrug.


    "I told you, I will give you a piggyback ride. Vassago told me so many times not to let you step on dirt."


    "I don''t want you to piggyback me."


    "Is it because of my face?"


    "Yeah, it repulses me."


    "Aren''t you being really mean now?"


    Vc asked Lara with a hurt face. Of course, Lara did not even care at all.


    "It''s here."


    Vc bent down, pointing to an open area inside the forest. Lara also followed him into hiding. But there was no one there.


    "But this ce is quiet though?"


    "That can''t be true¡­ Until this morning, I checked that there were about 30 or 40 of them."


    Having that many Hell Corps meant that the area should not be this quiet. Lara wondered about that and sprang to her feet. If they had already gone out hunting humans, she was going to punish Vc for missing on that. However, all that remained there were traces of a fierce battle and the body of the monsters that were lying on the ground.


    "Huh?"


    Vc stepped forward, uttering his confusion. He wandered around the open area and looked at the traces. Then, he returned to Lara and told her.


    "Wreckage from a sword. Well, it seems that they were all attacked without even having a chance to counterattack. Who in hell is doing this?"


    "I''d like to know too."


    Lara murmured dejectedly.

 171 Chapter 171

    The same thing happened on the next day and even the day after that. Whenever Lara and her demons rushed to a ce where the Hell Corps had gathered, someone had alreadye and killed them all. It felt like they were ying hide and seek. For some time, the unteral fighting continued to stir the Gorgon Mountain Range.


    Then, one day, when the sky was darkened, Lara heard from Vc that about 200 monsters were about to invade the city with the demonic beasts.


    "200? Can you fight them?"


    "You keep underestimating me, I think I can deal with 200 monsters¡­probably?"


    "Can you win? Can you really win?"


    "Maybe it''s possible if the demon troops aren''t there¡­"


    Since Vc ate Lilith, what was an impossible battle for him had now seemed possible. Lara looked at Vc with incredulity throughout the journey.


    They arrived at the open space that he had been investigating in advance and hid in the bushes so as not to be caught.


    "It''s quiet."


    Lara whispered. As she said, the forest was too quiet. If there were 200 monsters gathered there, their screams and smells should be felt from far away, but only the sound of a few people mixed with the sound of the wind could be heard.


    Were they the ones who had secretly killed the hell corps that Lara had been trying to hunt and ran away? Lara sprang to her feet to inspect the open space in the forest. Her vision showed the Barbarians and the knights lying about in the middle of the open space. Some of them were familiar faces. It was Oscar, Domino, and Lampion.


    Then, there was Demian.


    ''Demian?''


    Lara stopped moving. As soon as she saw his face, she felt choked up and became speechless. As she stood far away and looked inward, Vc leaned close behind her and whispered.


    "Aren''t we supposed to hide our identity? Shall we run away? It looks like those guys came first again and struck them all¡­ We should go back now, right?"


    Lara did not answer. Vc''s eager question did not reach Lara''s ears.


    Was it Demian? Or was it Abraxas? Was Abraxas hunting the Hell Corps with the Barbarians while pretending to be Demian? Or was Demian granted Abraxas'' powers and had returned to hisrades?


    Demian was lightly dressed, he had the Hautean royal sword that So had given him some time ago on his waist. His posture was crooked, and he ruffled his disheveled hair.


    A white face, a deep gaze, a heavy and cold atmosphere¡ªeverything was of Demian.


    "Master¡­"


    Vc called out to Lara and asked her to go back, he did not want to run into the Barbarians.


    But then, Demian turned his head her way. He looked at Lara. Lara also looked at him. It was suffocating just like when she met him for the first time after going back to the past. Lara could not take her eyes off Demian. She could never read his blue eyes, yet it was the first time she felt so close to them.


    Lara looked at Demian without moving an inch, it was as if she would not even miss a single breath of his. Through his eyes and facing his soul. It was both a short and a long time.


    After witnessing Demian from afar, Lara turned silent for a while. Fortunately, the Barbarians and the knights of Tarragon were there. Otherwise, she would have run to Demian right then and there, and she would have grabbed him by the cor and kissed him.


    "Where to next?"


    "Huh? I thought we were going to attack only one group a day?"


    "But we didn''t."


    "Well, that''s because they beat us to it."


    "Those monsters knew they didn''t stand a chance fighting alone, that''s why there were 200 of them this time. But there may be another group somewhere else. Hurry, go and locate where those monsters are, search starting from near the city."


    "Now?"


    "How many there are, what kind of species they are, and what tendencies they have. How many of them are demonic beasts, how many of them are monsters, and check if the demon troops are with them or not."


    "But Paimon is better at that than me¡­"


    "Shut up and go."


    When Lara gave a cold warning, Vc hunched his shoulders and nodded.


    "I will take you to the hill before going."


    "Just go now."


    "But it''ll be danger-¡­ well, I guess it won''t."


    After saying that he kept forgetting that Lara was the demon lord, Vc disappeared after leaving a message for her to summon the giant of fire if she encountered the Hell Corps.


    Being left alone, Lara walked very slowly as if she was waiting for someone. A white breath came out of her mouth and crumbled into the air. Snow fluttered from the gray sky. Perhaps it was because she was in a mountainous area, but the snow was not piled up beautifully as she saw in Dandelion. A cold, sharp snowke scratched her cheek.<sub> </sub>


    Lara walked slower. Every step she took, she counted and walked.


    For Lara, ''waiting'' was against her nature, yet she could notete. She had already died once to love him. So unless it was to prevent the destruction of the world, there was nothing that could stop her feelings for him.


    After wandering around among the dense trees, following Lara''s footsteps were another set of footsteps¡ªones that were longer andrger, and ones that belonged to a man.


    It was Demian.


    Whenever Lara took a step, he also took a step. He stepped on the spot where Lara stepped and he walked at the same pace as her. When Lara avoided snow flurries, Demian just got hit with his whole body.


    Step by step.


    The two walked aimlessly like that. They went deep into the mountains alone, out of sight of any demons, any Barbarians, and any mountain animal. Lara never looked back as she walked ahead. She had felt the heavy presence that followed her from behind from some point on, though she did not greet him.


    The wind grew stronger and stronger. Lara''s long hair fluttered as her cape came off. In the forest full of pointed conifers, the snowkes wandered astray.


    Lara stood up under a huge cypress tree. Whenever the branches shook, the frozen snow would break into small pieces and flutter like flour.


    Arge demon soldier stood in front of her. It was big and strong, like the one that killed the Emperor. A dreadful bloodthirstiness poured out of its eyes with its hard outer skin as if it were covered in armor. As soon as it found Lara, it opened its mouth wide and pulled itself up.


    All she had to do was to summon and show the giant of fire. Lara knew about that. However, she stood still as if she were nailed to the spot and did not run away even after seeing the hungry demon soldier move.


    Instead, Demian was the one who took action. Walking behind Lara, he came forward without a sound and wielded his sword. He cut off the demon soldier''s arms and knocked it down in a sh. Then, he plunged his sword into its heart.


    There was a flood of dark red blood. Everything was covered in its blood. But Demian was fine. Even while standing in the middle of the battlefield, he returned to Lara without a drop of blood on him.


    Lara looked up. Demian was looking at her. While getting hit with the white snow, he stood close to Lara and looked down at her.


    Lara asked.


    "Since when?"


    "What?"


    "Since when did you rece Abraxas?"


    Demian just smiled. A smile resembling the snow irradiated on his face.


    "You tried to fool me?"


    "No."


    "Then?"


    "I know best that I can''t fool you."


    Only Lara could recognize the difference between Demian and Abraxas. And Lara recognized him at once with just a nce.


    "Since when? Are youpletely back to you now? What about Abraxas?"


    Lara pestered Demian. Her white, fine hand shook Demian''s arm. Demian lowered his head and leaned his forehead on Lara''s shoulder. Then, heughed with a wet sigh.


    Lara felt so far away from him, and now, she was right in front of him. She had reached him.


    "Why didn''t you run away?"


    "Because I knew you would save me."


    "And since when did you find out?"


    "From the beginning. There''s no way you wouldn''t follow me."


    Demianughed again.


    It was extremely painful to fight Abraxas. It was almost impossible not to lose himself in God''s memories¡ªsomething that was more than the stars in the sky. Demian struggled and despaired with a sense of helplessness that he could not do anything in the memory of God. He was just a mere fragment. Would he be able to stand up after eating God? Was Lara aware of all this?


    He remembered each time. The scarlet eyes flowed endlessly towards him.


    I trust you.


    A voice akin to a miracle.


    It was joy, and it was longing.

 172 Chapter 172

    One day, inside of God''s infinite memory, Abraxas asked Demian.


    <What can you do for Lara?>


    Anything.


    <Even if Lara bes the demon lord?>


    Of course.


    Demian said that he would follow Lara even to the pits of hell. He could even kill God for her, or if he had to destroy the world once again. He could do it for her.


    Then God said.


    <Then, be the¡­>


    God sounded both pleased and relieved. That was the first time Abraxas recognized Demian as a separate entity, and not as a fragment of himself. For too long have they lived far apart from each other. Though they used to be one being, they had spent years forgetting and not knowing one another.


    To define existence with consciousness was ultimately the result of a memory. After finding Demian''s memory, Abraxas showed him his own sea of memories, that of which were as vast and widespread as a gxy.


    There were so many. When Demian first entered the memory of God, the space was filled only with Abraxas'' memories and presence. But now, the space was filled with ones that belonged to those of Demian. They flowed beautifully.


    Demian approached the most sparkling memory and looked closely inside.


    Inside the memory was Lara, during her life before she died. She stood next to Prince Sidhar in a long veil, looking up at Demian. Even at that time, Demian was still going to war for her. Even though the blood from the previous fight had not dried yet, Lara told him to go out and fight again.


    "If you want, I will kill anyone for you."


    Demian said so.


    Lara let out a long sigh, even though she covered her face with a veil, Demian still could read her expression. At that time, she felt relieved. She was happy, but she was also sad at the same time.


    Demian said that he would kill Prince Sidhar and everyone who cooperated with him if she wanted. Lara was very sharp and understood what he meant, but slowly shook her head. She had already chosen that life. She could not turn it upside down as if flipping her palms.


    Instead, Lara raised her veil in front of Demian. Her thin face was awash with heavy fatigue. There was no vigor on her white-painted cheeks or pale lips. Still, her eyes were as red as ever. It was a madly beautiful twilight.


    Demian fell deeply into Lara''s eyes. Sunset, twilight, sunrise¡ªeverything was inside her eyes. Her eyes were the sun. Her eyes shone on his world and were the power to keep him alive. She had the most important thing in the world.


    Demian reached out to Lara in spite of himself, her eyes gliding along with his hand.


    Prince Sidhar, who was standing beside Lara and was acting conceited to the knights, finally noticed and grilled Lara for not wearing the veil. Lara did not rebel against the Prince and obediently wore the veil again.


    But as soon as Lara''s eyes were hidden from Demian''s view by the translucent veil, she smiled at him.


    "Thank you."


    The time they spent maintaining eye contact was short.


    "Demian."


    Lara called his name. It thrilled him. She had a sweet smile that melted his heart. Her faint voice seemed to disperse and disappear. Demian thought he was crazy at that time. He thought he might be crazy for this woman and was living a fantasy.


    Lara''s smile, voice, eye contact, everything was always directed at that ridiculous Prince, but for that moment, she gave it to Demian, and Demian alone. For that brief moment, he could live for her.


    Demian knelt down in front of Lara. If there was one true ve in this world, it would be him, in his madly-crazed state of love.


    The master of my destiny. To reach you, I can tear and climb up to the sky.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    "Demian?"


    Lara''s voice awakened Demian''s thoughts. The two stood facing each other under arge cypress tree, getting hit by the white snow pouring down whenever the wind blew. A dust of snow had clung to Lara''s long eyshes. Lara closed one of her eyes.


    Demian stroked Lara''s face with his hot hands and gave her warmth. The snow dust hanging from Lara''s eyshes quickly became water droplets and soon disappeared from his palm.


    "It tickles."


    Lara smiled. Demian looked at her smile with an expression of deep emotion.


    "Ask me again."


    "About what?"


    "Whether I have anything I want."<sub> </sub>


    Demian said. Lara quickly noticed that he was bringing up the conversation they had shared at the arena, back when she had just returned to the past and met him for the first time again.


    Lara smiled like a breeze. She was reminded of when Demian acted aloof and indifferent even when Lara proposed that she would pay on his behalf so that he would not be called a ve anymore.


    They kissed for the first time that day. And the reason why she was not angry at the sudden kiss was that she was swollen up like dandelion seeds the moment she touched him.


    "Demian, what do you want?"


    Lara asked. Demian leaned down again and put his forehead near hers. Their noses barely touched, giving a slight itchy feeling. Demian whispered, wrapping his hands around Lara''s cheeks while she tried to burst outughing.


    "Your everything."


    His deep voice, lowughter, big hand, and everything had grabbed Lara''s heart, refusing to let go. Her head was dizzy yet her whole body was overwhelmed with a rush of excitement. He had only given her a slight touch, yet she was already embarrassed and had let out an exhrating moan.


    She wanted to reach him more. She wanted to lean on his warm flesh and immerse herself in the most instinctive pleasure. Lara deliberately pretended to be arrogant to hide her feelings and asked him.


    "My everything? Aren''t you being too greedy?"


    Demian answered seriously.


    "Yeah, I''m greedy."


    He appeared in this world and lived an empty life where he wanted nothing just to meet Lara. Everything that others wanted, craved, and indulged through their lives. Lara was everything to Demian.


    Demian looked up at Lara. he brushed off her cloak to remove the snow and led her under the thick branches, their white breaths dissipating into nothingness.


    Lara thought of something and asked him.


    "Demian."


    "Yeah."


    "Do you want to live?"


    Back then, he said he was living because he was alive. This time, Demian replied.


    "If it''s by your side."


    "Then¡­ Do you want to die?"


    "If it''s for you."


    "Any ce you want to go?"


    "Wherever you are."


    Lara burst intoughter. She lightly shook the heavy weight of fate off her shoulder and smiled brightly. Herughter, chirping like a bird, flew among the pointed conifers.


    "Anything you want to eat? Anything you want to have? Anyone you want to meet? Any skill you want to learn? Anyone you want to get back at?"


    "Lara."


    "Why me? You, who used to want nothing, Demian, a perfect executioner made by God, why does it have to be me?"


    And as for me, why does it have to be you?


    Lara whispered. Herst sentence was more of a monologue so Demian did not bother to answer. Lara also did not pester for an answer. Love might be the only force that moved the world without regard to cause and effect.


    Lara said.


    "Do you know? I love you. Passionately. Madly."


    Lara sounded like the goddess of victory when she spoke in confidence.


    "Don''t mistake my love for being smaller than yours. I died once and came back. Now I know. It wasn''t to make you happy, It was to make myself happy by being with you. My love is different. It has changed. It''s not about sacrificing everything, it''s not about throwing everything away nor is it about dying."


    Nothing would change even if Demian was a fragment of God.


    "I will achieve you from the God of Fate."


    Lara''s fingertips finely trembled. She had the love she had to protect and so was determined not to be shaken even in the face of such a tragic war and so many deaths.


    What no one could invade was her very will.

 173 Chapter 173

    Reinforcements were on their way. The Crown Prince Acerus had sent a messenger asking Memoria City to hold out and that he was running to Gorgon with a huge army of reinforcements. And because of that, Memoria City returned to life after having been darkened by the death of the Emperor.


    Warm bedding and food were provided to the messenger, who had run a long way without losing time. But instead of copsing on the spot, he went to the Barbarians.


    "This is the message from His Imperial Highness. He offers his gratitude for your help to recover His Imperial Majesty''s body¡­"


    "Oh, forget it."


    The messenger was someone who closely aided Acerus as a knight. Lampion declined his obvious greeting while picking his ears. But the knight suddenly bowed down.


    "What''s wrong with you?"


    "Thank you very much. I''m not just passing along the request of the liege. We all appreciate the bravery and kindness that the Barbarians have shown. If it weren''t for you, His Imperial Majesty¡­"


    The messenger''s eyes flushed red. Still, he did not cry until the end though he spoke in a trembling voice.


    "I know we have been acting cowardly because of our jealousy towards the Barbarians'' skills. We have no excuses to say even if you curse, me, and hit us. We were shallow and dishonorable. We don''t deserve to be called knights."


    "Uh¡­ What''s gone into you? Are you out of your mind? Did you eat something wrong? Are you going to die tomorrow? Hey, go and see if he has a fever."


    Lampion jumped up and scratched his forearm. The Barbarians looked at him andughed loudly. But Oscar and Domino did notugh. Oscar, in particr, stood up and approached the messenger and said calmly.


    "We''re fighting to protect thisnd, not for the Empire."


    "I know."


    The messenger nodded his head fast and many times. Then, he told Oscar and other Barbarians who gathered there.


    "Allow us to stand shoulder to shoulder with you in future fights. We will be allies whom you can trust and leave your back to even on the battlefield of death."


    What he said was the will of all the knights of the Crown Prince Acerus.


    "We will not take a step forward if we have to step on Barbarians'' bodies. We will share our lives before honor and glory. And one day, when this war ends¡­ we will go home and tell our wives and children¡­"


    "What are you going to say?"


    Lampion asked as though he was curious. The messenger said with a faint smile.


    "We''re going to say we fought with heroes."


    He puffed out his chest. He was not as big as Lampion, but he was still quite big. Lampion, who sprang up from his seat, puffed out his chest with him.


    "They look like bear cubs bragging about their bodies."


    Domino muttered with disgust. He crept up to Lampion and pinched him on his ribs.


    "Hngh"


    Had Lampion not let out a bizarre groan, Domino would not have burst outughing. When Domino, who had been silent all along, shook his shoulders andughed, the rest of the Barbarians burst intoughter once again. The knight, who came as a messenger, left after giving his greeting with a more rxed face.


    "Wait a minute."


    But there was someone who followed him out and held on to him. It was Oscar.


    "What''s going on?"


    The knight asked. He was relieved at the thought that he could resolve his long emotional struggle with the Barbarians. Perhaps Lampion''s thoughts were not much different.


    But it was not the same for Oscar. Not once did heugh during the messenger''s visit. He listened carefully to the messenger, but he neither nodded nor did he sympathize. Oscar spoke with the face of a courteous, flexible, entric Barbarian, as he had always done.


    "I know you mean it."


    "Mean what?"


    "But know this before you go. Those few words do not eliminate the discrimination, oppression, and insults we have experienced. We''ll probably never forget it. I will hate you until I die, and these feelings and past experiences won''t go away even if you apologize like this a hundred times."


    "I know."


    The messenger looked bitter and swept down his face with one hand. He stood there and stared at Oscar for a long time. Then, he mumbled his lips as though he had mixed feelings and said.


    "But, I''m still sorry."


    "I won''t ept any more apologies. I''ll do my best when I fight, as I always do, so don''t worry and return."


    "Still, I thought you would understand us a little bit¡­"


    When the messenger muttered like that, Oscar, who was about to turn around, looked at him again. Then, he said with a smile that resembled Lara''s.


    "Why did you have to have such delusions?"


    After the messenger returned, Oscar entered back into the building. Inside was Lampion getting noisy in a pleasant voice.


    "Those bastards are finally acknowledging the greatness of the Barbarians, hahahaha! As expected, people are bound to appreciate it when you do them a favor!"


    "Then go live in Dandelion after the war."


    "Nonsense. I''ll die fighting on the battlefield like my father."


    "They called us heroes after all."


    "About that¡­ Hehehehe!"


    Lampionughed alone and Domino smiled at him. Oscar was the only one who did not smile until the end.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    That night, a man appeared in the area where the Barbarians stayed. It was Demian, who had appeared out of nowhere with white snow all over his body.


    The weather was cold, so cold, in fact, that the soldiers standing on guard had their fingertips frozen and their senses dulled. The wind from the mountains descended on the city and snowkes flew in the sharp wind. Still, Demian was not cold at all and was the only one in the city dressed lightly.


    "Where have you been? You suddenly disappeared."


    When Demian entered the building, Lampion, who wasughing and chatting with hisrades, asked. These days, they followed Demian into the woods inside the Gorgon Mountains Range to hunt for herds of hell troops.


    "Hey, I asked you, where have you been?"


    Lampion asked again. He thought that Demian seemed suspicious for suddenly disappearing without saying a word while they were resting after the hunt.


    Demian looked as if he had no intention of solving Lampion''s curiosity. He strode to where Lampion was sitting, nced over the food on the table, and picked up the biggest and most delicious-looking meat.


    "Hey! That''s mine! I couldn''t eat it because of that messenger bastard earlier so I saved it forter first! Why would you eat that?"<sub> </sub>


    "Why would you save on food? Are you a fool?"


    Demianughed and gulped down the beer that Lampion had brought.


    "You thief¡­"


    "How can a man be cheap with food?"


    Demian patted Lampion on the shoulder and turned straight to the stairs. But his long hair suddenly got on his nerves. He returned back. Then, he took a sharp dagger from Lampion''s waist and cut his hair off on the spot.


    Hisrades were taken aback and flocked around him. They brought scissors and said that they would trim his messed-up hair. But Demian could not leave his hair to the Barbarians as they did not have the word ''delicate'' in their vocabry. Eventually, he had to call Konny. But she gave him a long lecture for calling her at an ungodly hour.


    Lampion asked with his lips pressed.


    "How can a God not know how to control his hair? Since you got it longer as you please, shouldn''t you be able to shorten it as you please?"


    "I''m not gonna do that."


    "Why?"


    "Because I don''t want to."


    "Why?!"


    "Listen here, you brat. Would you feel happy if you''re able to shorten and lengthen your armpit hair as you please?"


    "Ha, you idiot. It''s nice andfortable, you know? I don''t need to shave and I can even thin out my leg hair. Isn''t that good? God, my ass. You''re the fool, not me."


    Lampion scoffed at Demian. He said that Demian was finally looking like the slow-witted guy his father had picked up on the street, and then heined that Demian sucked for all this time.


    Demian listened to Lampion withoutshing out, but suddenly, he made Lampion''s hair grow long like a lion''s mane, making him scream.


    "Both of you, sit down."


    It was a matter of course that Konny was angry. The cute maid, who even dominated the demon lord, was not discouraged even among the bear-like Barbarians and raised her sharp scissors.


    "Before I shave everything including your eyebrows and nose hair¡­"


    The two men sat in the chairs at the same time with their mouths shut. They could not cough up a word until Konny had finished her work.


    As she almost finished trimming their hair, Konny went away for a while. During her absence, Lampion said.


    "The Crown Prince''s knight came to us earlier and apologized for everything they have done."


    "I see."


    "We have to ept it, right?"


    "Why are you asking me that?"


    "Because you''re our captain."


    Lampion said as though it was a matter of course. Demian smiled and closed his eyes. He said.


    "Do as you guys please."


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The sporadic battles near the city and at the entrance of the mountain range had edged the war into a momentary state of lull.


    The Imperial army was well aware of the reason why the Barbarians had made a separate unit with the Emperor''s knights and raided and subjugated the herds of hell troops that were swarming around Gorgon.


    Dejected by the loss of the Emperor, the Imperial Army concentrated on defending the city. Meanwhile, the Barbarians went out of the rampart to hunt the hell troops down. With enemy intelligence that demon lord Lara leaked, along with Demian''s ability, the Barbarians continued their conquest without a single defeat.


    The city remained undiminished and morale was high. Although there were still countless hell troops and demon worshippers in that huge mountain range, the human city had not yet been invaded.


    The Imperial Army, the Barbarians, the Hautean Royal Knights, and merchant Isadora came to help. And as time passed and as the people watched the reinforcements from each country arriving one after another from nearby ces, they raised their hopes for victory with a passionate soul.


    "It''s Crown Prince Acerus!"


    "The Crown Prince has arrived!"


    On a day of intensely cold weather, Acerus Elin Tarragon finally arrived. A muchrger number of reinforcements appeared with him than when the Emperor first came to Memoria City.


    From the three eastern countries, the north, and even the distant neighboring countries¡ªthere was almost no country that did not send their troops to the Empire''s new owner, Acerus. If an allied country''s military strength was weak, they would send resources instead. If an allied country was unable to do both, they would manage the distribution of goods and warbor. Warhorses and weapons were everywhere.


    Acerus appeared with a heavy cloak over his shoulders and a huge war horse. The sound of the soldiers'' boots that arrived with him filled the city. The Emperor''s old knights stood at the front and greeted the Crown Prince with swollen eyes.


    "Your Imperial Highness, we beg your pardon for failing to protect His Imperial Majesty."


    They knelt down all at once. They stabbed their swords into the coarse ground and spoke in a loud voice.


    "We will fight the Hell Corps even when our limbs are torn until the end of our lives. Please allow us to avenge His Imperial Majesty before we meet our death!"


    After the arrival of the Crown Prince and the reinforcements, the heated atmosphere of the city subsided in an instant.


    Acerus looked down at them from the horse. The old knights were covered with scratches. Some people had not yet recovered from the injuries. They were so thin that they did not look good. They did not look after themselves out of anger and sorrow at the thought of losing their liege to the demon.


    Acerus got off his horse and stood before them.


    "Elders."


    Then, he sat down together, hugged their shoulders, and said.


    "Let''s go and hold a funeral for my father first."


    It was not just the knights who were thin. Little wrinkles grew on the face of Acerus, who was full of energy like a growing lion. His eyes became deeper and his gaze became sharp.


    The old knights suppressed their tears.


    "We have to say goodbye to my father."


    Acerus reached out to them, trying to smile, and said.


    "After that, let''s have a drink, eat some good food, and talk about him. We can even badmouth him. There''s no reason for you all to be like this"


    Acerus Elin Tarragon¡ªThe owner of the Empire.

 174 Chapter 174

    On the day the snow that seemed tost forever finally stopped, the Emperor''s funeral was held in a solemn atmosphere.


    With countless soldiers watching, Acerus drove wooden nails into the Emperor''s coffin. With the reveal of the Emperor''s gruesome body suddenly bing clean, rumors of it being a sign of victory or a miracle began to circte.


    Acerus did not cry. He moved the coffin with his father''s knights and ordered the Emperor''s body to be moved to the tomb of the Imperial family in Dandelion. Still, he did not cry.


    "We will advance to Gorgon after three days."


    Acerus said while looking at the Emperor being driven away in a ck carriage. The knights who stood by him told the news to each unit.


    The whole city was bustling with preparations for the battle. The role of the infantrymen was very important because there was no guarantee that the Hell Corps woulde down the mountain and fight. Acerus asked the Barbarians to spread out their hunting map. He looked at all the marks of the byways of the Gorgon Mountains Range. Then, he split the troops.


    A meeting was held all night long. Acerus nned the operation without acknowledging the passing of time and only got up from his seat when dawn broke.


    "Your Imperial Highness."


    His aide approached him, he had also stayed up all night. During their all-nighter, several people''s messages came in.


    Prince Nichs, who led arge number of troops from the three eastern countries, especially Sias, expressed his deep condolences for the Emperor''s death and vowed to fight with his life alongside the Tarragon Empire until the end of the war.


    The North had quite as much information about demons and demonic beasts as they had been used by Lilith for a long time.


    The countries of the southwest, including Hautean, mourned the death of the Emperor in their own ways and offered to help the war.


    "It''s fascinating."


    "What do you mean?"


    "They used to identify us as enemies not too long ago. They kept the Empire in check and condemned the conquest war."


    "Now that we have bigger enemies, it''s only natural to stick together."


    "So will we fight again after this war?"


    "Well¡­"


    The aide quibbled his words. Acerus smiled lightly at him and gave the documents he was holding into his arms.


    "Do you remember when I first went to war?"


    "How can I remember every single one of those times? I can''t even remember my mother''s birthday every year."


    "It ended in our victory. I was a rookie, I had no experience, my skill was terrible but I pushed myself to win."


    At that time, the Emperor scolded Acerus for rejoicing like an immature child and showing off his strength. He said.


    "A sword is nothing."


    "Pardon?"


    "So I said to him, he had ruled the Empire with his sword and power all his life, why couldn''t I do the same? At that time, my dream was to make Tarragon a unified Empire."


    "What did His Imperial Majesty say?"


    "I was beaten up."


    Acerusughed and said that now he knew how the Emperor felt back then when he thought of that time.


    "My father also eventually realized. The Empire has been nothing more than a strong, unreasonable thug."


    But from now on, things would be different. After this war, the history of the continent would be written differently.


    40. A Demon Lord Acts Like a Demon Lord and a Hero Acts Like a Hero


    "Master, it''s time."


    After the endless regional war, the morning when Acerus dered an all-out war had finallye.


    "Let''s go."


    Vassago''s voice was filled with indescribable excitement. Lara neatly organized the log house she had been staying at and came out. Vc grumbled.


    "Why are you cleaning it up when you''re not even going toe back here?"


    "People can find this ce. They would wonder if this was the demon lord''s housing, and their eyes would be zing with greed. It would truly be a sight to behold if they found leftover bread crumbs and smelly towels."


    "They''d say you''re very human."


    "Vc."


    "Okay, fine!"


    Vc went back into the house. Even though he said so, he finished cleaning with the determination that he would not leave even a single strand of demon lord Lara''s hair.


    "Today''s finally the day."


    Paimon stood side by side with Vassago. Vc, who rante, also stood by him.


    Lara tied her long hair tight in front of the three demons. Her appearance in ck leather armor, long boots, and a fancy cloak was devilish enough to prevent the demon lord enthronement ceremony from being awkward. While looking at her appearance, Lara smirked.


    "I look like a different person."


    "What? You totally look like yourself."


    "That''s not what I mean."


    Lara nced at Vc and murmured.


    "Compared to when I was a saintess."


    Lara was talking about herself as a fake saintess in her previous life. She was forced to dress like a white angel by Prince Sidhar and Marquess Bailey.


    "It looks good on you."


    Vassago said graciously. Paimon also looked proud and showed that he liked Lara''s appearance.


    Lara nodded and said.<sub> </sub>


    "There''s always something that looks good on someone."


    It was a clear day with a mild temperature. The sun rose in the cloudless sky for the first time after a long time. Spring wasing. Lara climbed on the back of a demonic beast that had bowed its head in front of her.


    "Shall we go?"


    Nervous ahead of the start of the huge battle, Lara kept rolling her fingertips. Her heart was beating fast. Her anxiety rose high and her mouth dried up.


    It''s all right. Everything will go as nned. I have been working on it for so long.


    A cold wind filled her lungs as she took a deep breath. Soon after, all of the countless thoughts in her head that continued throughout the night had disappeared, leaving only one goal.


    The demon worshippers were marching in groups throughout the valley of the mountain range, they were going to defeat the Imperial Army with the Hell Corps. Even with them spending time with the terrible demonic beasts and Hell Corps, they still did not know what was wrong. Even with them being born as humans, they still did not know why humans should not be on the side of demons. All they knew was to just walk forward, drunk with carnage and madness.


    From then on, Lara had decided not to categorize the demon worshippers as humans.


    "It''s the demon lord!"


    "The demon lord is here!"


    Demon worshippers bowed down and cheered at Lara. They firmly believed that the demon lord would make this war a victory for the Hell Corps. The demonic beasts gasped and drooled without knowing what was going on, and the Hell Corps knelt before the power of Vassago and Paimon and bowed their heads to Lara.


    The demon army, which overflowed into the wide mountain range and deep valleys, all looked at Lara. She passed through them on a huge demon beast and looked around with an arrogant face.


    "From now on¡­ I will show you what real hell is."


    Her cold voice pierced their ears like a knife.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The all-out war has begun. Now, the Allied Forces have reced the Imperial Army.


    Nervous knights led the soldiers to camp in front of the Gorgon Mountain Range. A huge drum rang the ground and made a heavy sound.


    Acerus climbed on his horse in the middle of the battlefield. Next to him was Demian riding his horse, wearing ck armor and a white cloak.


    Demian''s ck hair sparkled in the sun.


    The approaching spring was mixed with the wind. A warm air leaned out from above, pushing the cold winter atmosphere away. Demian suddenly raised his head and swept his hair in the wind with one hand.


    Lara looked down at him from the high cliff.


    Their eyes met. No matter how far they were, they could spot each other in an instant.


    Lara stood on a cliff, a ce without any sunlight. Though she could still feel the wind, she could not feel the warmth of spring.


    Lara''s long hair soared high into the sky.


    The demon lord with a pale face, red lips, ck leather armor, and fancy cloak climbed onto the back of the demonic beast and looked down at the human encampment. She looked arrogant and bored.


    Demian, who had been looking at her for a long time, tapped on Acerus'' side.


    "What?"


    "Look there."


    "Where?"


    Acerus told his aide to check the operation for thest time. He came close to where Demian was and raised his head to where he was pointing.


    "I can''t see it."


    Acerus could not really see what Demian was asking him to look at. The distance was too far and the sudden and intense sunlight made it difficult to open his eyes. Acerus blocked the sunlight from his eyes with one hand and narrowed his view toward what Demian was looking at.


    "Oh?"


    Acerus took a quick breath. He slipped his hand down and covered his mouth. Then, he whispered to Demian.


    "That''s the saintess, right?"


    "She''s not a saintess."


    "Oh, yeah. She''s the demon lord now."


    After calling Lara the demon lord, Acerus looked grim. Looking at Lara in the distance, he tried to say something, but held it in. Then, he tried to say something again but held it in again. After that, he patted Demian on the shoulder and said.


    "Let''s do well."


    "Don''t worry."


    "Don''t worry about me, either. I''ll make it."


    "I got it."


    Demian nodded with a stiff look. No matter when he fought and which battlefield he went to, he had never been nervous. But for the first time ever, Demian felt his heart beating fast. Though, this tension he felt did not feel bad to have.


    Lara''s eyes reached Demian again when he slowly breathed before the battle.


    Acerus let out a yell that he had prepared beforehand.


    "Listen here, demon lord!"


    A deration of war to the demon lord by the Allied Forces''mander, Crown Prince Acerus Elin Tarragon.


    "We will annihte  the Hell Corps today and drive you out of thisnd!"


    "Aarrgghh!"


    The Allied Forces let out a roar. They banged their weapons, beat their drums, and stomped their feet. The sound prated the mountain range and reached the demon lord.


    Lara nodded.


    "Of course."


    It was the beginning of a huge swindling scheme.

 175 Chapter 175

    The Barbarians were not stationed in the main unit. They had different jobs to do. With Lampion and Domino at the forefront, more than 2,000 Barbarians were divided into two groups. They prated into the mountains.


    They moved strictly along the path that hunters used to use. They threw off their heavy armors and put on the clothes they had worn when they were hunters in Gorgon. They hid their scent by wearing demonic beast hide and smearing ck soil on their faces.


    A few days ago, Lara visited them deep in the night and said.


    "Block the way so that demon worshippers cannot escape from the mountain ranges."


    "Gorgon is an endless mountain range. How do we stop them?"


    "Set the mountain on fire."


    A small fire would not do. It had to be a very big fire to keep them from moving. When the Barbarians asked how they could set a big fire in the snowy winter mountains, Lara immediately gave them the giant of fire and left.


    "I knew it. How could they call her the demon lord? There''s no way the saintess would do that. So she''s been fooling us all this time, hasn''t she? Haa, just wait until this war is over. I have to question everything."


    The Barbarians were a group separate from the Imperial Army, so Lara could confess to them that she was just pretending to be the demon lord on purpose. However, the Barbarians did not hide their disappointment with Lara. They kept onining because they felt it was unfair to be fooled.


    The giant of fire had grown up a lot after being fed by Lara in the mountain range. It looked at the Barbarians and blew up sparks. Valentine was the one who brought the giant. Surprised at the giant''s sparks, he tried to soothe it.


    "Please don''t burn me, okay?"


    Valentine decided to set the mountain on fire with the Barbarians. Even though climbing the mountain was already too much for him, he even had to carry the giant of fire on his back and ended up climbing on all fours. Whenever Valentine slipped, the giant of fire would grab and shake his long hair as if they were reigns.


    "Please. That''s the only part of me that Konny adores¡­"


    Despite making a fuss about it, the giant of fire did not listen to Valentine''s pleading. Whenever he fell behind in the group, the giant of fire would freak Valentine out by burning his hair little by little.


    "Oi, young wizard. Are you and Konny in that kind of rtionship?"


    Lampion had been acting as Valentine''s guard by walking next to him. Following his question, Oscar, who was walking side by side with Lampion, looked at Valentine with a pitiful face.


    Valentine''s face flushed red.


    "W, why?"


    "Konny is¡­ cute. Well, yeah, cute¡­ She''s small and cute, but, Konny and young wizard¡­"


    Now even Domino joined and teased Valentine.


    "That type of woman is the scariest in the world. She always says the right thing whenever she speaks so you can''t resist her at all. You''ll even wonder if you''re the shithead, if you''re the one in the wrong. Besides, she''s so small that, if you fight her, you''ll be the bad guy in the end."


    "W, what?"


    When Domino said so, the Barbarians lowered their voices andughed. Most of them had left their wives in Memoria City.


    Valentine said, flexing his shaky legs


    "W, we are not like that. And how many times do I have to say that I''m an alchemist, not a young wizard¡­"


    "Same thing."


    "It''s different!"


    Valentine shouted in a fit of rage. He lost his bnce and slipped on the slope. Fortunately, Lampion grabbed Valentine by the scruff of the neck with one hand. He lifted him up and put him down in front of him.


    "T, thank you."


    "This won''t do. Just get on my back."


    "But that¡­"


    "We''re pressed for time. I won''t tell Konny, so get on my back."


    Valentine was forced to move by clinging to Lampion''s back. He murmured helplessly


    "Why am I born so weak?"


    The giant of fire yawned with its round mouth open in Valentine''s arms.


    "Here it is!"


    The Barbarians that were in the lead shouted low, pointing to a valley. It was a valley frequently used by hunters because of its gentle slope and few rocks.


    "It''s been a long time since we''ve been here."


    "Hurry up. We don''t have time."


    The Barbarians, Valentine, and the giant of fire were busy. The Barbarians wandered around, and after finding a ce where the fire could catch on well, Valentine pouredrge jewels into it.


    The jewels'' shapes were rough since they were made in a hurry. Still, all the jewels Valentine threw away were painted withplicated patterns. It was only for single-use so there was no need to insist on diamonds. Valentine had been gathering a lot of cheap and easy-to-get jewelry, painting all night for the past few days.


    A few days ago, Lara asked him.


    "You can transmit sound and you can also send people away. Then, Valentine¡­ don''t you think you can also move fire?"


    I can do it.


    If it was only to move fire, he could do it. Besides, the distance was not even that far. The fire caused by the giant of fire did not need firewood or fuel. It would not even die until the giant fell asleep.


    "All right. Let''s go!"


    After finishing his work, Valentine pointed to the next destination and jumped on Lampion''s back.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    At the same time, a subtle heat flew from somewhere in the wind and tickled Lara''s ear. She wondered if it was the giant of fire. She looked up for a moment and looked into the valley inside the Gorgon Mountains.


    Where would it be by now?


    It would be impossible to set fire to just one or two ces to stop this many Hell Corps from retreating. Although Lara asked them to prevent the Hell Corps or demon worshippers from running away, she did not specifically instruct them to do what and where. That was something that the Barbarians would know better than anyone else. Isadora and Valentine would have helped them on their own, too.<sub> </sub>


    "Vassago."


    "Yes, master."


    "Go and show some magic so the demon troops don''t doubt me."


    "You mean, while not harming the humans'' side, right?"


    Vassago shrugged and smiled. He had betrayed his own kind and was fighting as a spy for the humans, yet he did not feel any guilt.


    "There are so many low-borns in hell who are bothering me as they are¡­ I''ll feel better if I use this chance to clean them all up."


    Vassago, muttering with a bloodless face like a corpse, floated in the air with his ck robe flying. The ck fog surrounding him squirmed. It was an ominous and horrifying fog.


    "Why does he find it necessary to look so messy?"


    Paimon shook his head. Vc seemed to agree with him, he was hiding behind Lara, at a distance far from Vassago.


    "I''ll show them exactly what happens when a demon ascends on thisnd."


    Vassago was strong. He had upied an entire area for a thousand years and reigned in the vastnd of hell, a ce where ughter and conflict were constantly repeated. With his power, created the most powerful magic.


    A ck fog shrouded the sky, the fog became a cloud and obscured the sun, darkening the surroundings. The demon worshippers looked up at the sky and were awestruck by Vassago as if he were their god.


    Lara whispered to Paimon.


    "What are you doing? Divert their attention."


    "Yes, master."


    Paimon lived as a ve-turned-genius musician. He assimted into the human realm and yed musical instruments. What he did best was not magic or battle, it was acting.


    "Today, here, in thend of man, the era of the great demon lord will begin!"


    Paimon''s loud voice beat the hearts of the demon worshippers like a drum.


    "Don''t think! There''s no call for thoughts! Don''t look back! The past doesn''t exist for you! Be the aid of that great step only by the demon lord''s side!"


    Way to go.


    Lara mumbled. Vc, who was hiding behind her and watching the situation, tilted his head and murmured.


    "Is he telling them to win or lose?"


    "I''m telling them to die."


    Paimon returned and said. As his incitement worked, the eyes of the Hell Corps and the demon worshippers were half-opened.


    Just in time, Vassagopleted his magic. ck snakes wriggled in the dark sky. The lightning-like snakes asionally fell to the ground, eating up Hell Corps and confusing the surroundings.


    "Drop them in the middle."


    Lara ordered.


    Vassago flew to the sky. He went down to the entrance of the mountain range where the Allied Forces and Hell Corps were keeping each other in check. After looking around, he raised his hands when he had found the right position.


    Soon, his magic began. Hundreds of snakes made of ck smoke poured out of the dark sky. It was a terrible sight. The demon worshippers cheered, while the Allied Forces were horrified. They cowered greatly.


    "Don''t be scared!"


    Acerus rushed out to the battlefield with his long sword. His loudly fluttering cloak caught the Allied Forces'' eyes.


    "We have so many heroes. Everyone here is a hero. Look around you! Who are you fighting with now?"


    "Heroes!"


    "Go! Go and teach those beasts the rules of man!"


    Demian was the first to move. He ran without a word from Acerus'' side and jumped into the middle of the battlefield. Demian went faster than any other even though he was riding the same warhorse.


    "Demian!"


    Demian wore a white cloak. Considering his personality, it was a very unbing cloak. He thought such a cloak bothered him. But on a battlefield filled with snakes made of smoke, the white cloak fluttered every time he moved and was imprinted as a legend in the Allied Forces'' eyes.


    Every time his white cloak fluttered, the ck snakes were torn to shreds. The demon''s magic could not inflict a single scratch on Demian. The magic he was up against would terrify anyone just by looking at it, yet he destroyed that magic with his bare body.


    Demian ran as a ray of light.


    A white path formed between the ck fog. It was a path Demian had passed by alone, and was also the hand in which he reached out to humans.


    You can win if you go that way.


    The Allied Forces began to move. The soldiers'' eyes sparkled. They could not back down now. The sound of weapons hitting each other and the encouragement pouring out to each other grew as if to explode.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Lara had been observing everything. Her heart was pounding hard. Watching Demian running through the battlefield, Lara managed to swallow her tears.


    Demian was once desperate to deny Lara''s death that he led the world to its destruction in the same way as he did now. At that time, he was not the demon lord, but destruction itself. Revenge, blood, ughter, and destruction were all he had left. Even grass could not survive where he passed by.


    ''Demian.''


    Now, Demian was a human hero. He was a warrior who fought for and saved the humans. He would be a legend. If someone wrote a hero epic with this war as the background, they would not be able to continue a line without including this scene.


    ''I told you.''


    Lara stroked her demonic beast''s mane. The demonic beast, which was lying down waiting for the signal, raised its huge body.


    ''I will make you a hero.''

 176 Chapter 176

    Lara looked up. Suddenly, from the midst of the Hell Corps, the figure of the demon lord rose to the sky. The notorious and wicked woman watched the battlefield on the back of a demonic beast.


    The war would end only when the demon lord was defeated. And now, she has appeared.


    "Defeat the demon lord!"


    The soldiers made amotion, the knights'' were focused on their murmurs, and the Allied Knights moved quickly after confirming Lara''s location. All of it was to determine the oue of this war.


    In between the magic that Vassago unleashed, a melee battle took ce between the Hell Corps and the Allied Forces. Before moving on, Lara said to Vc onest time.


    "Vc."


    "Yes?"


    "Go and check how wide open the gates of hell are."


    "Why me? It''s a little scary there, and I have to protect you here¡­ Just tell Vassago or Paimon to do it."


    "Just take a look. You''re good at hiding, go in stealthily."


    Lara spoke. Vc could not help but nod his head. The gates of hell were almostpletely open. It happened faster than expected, but Lara was still impatient all the same.


    Vc turned into a shadow and disappeared without a sound. He had to go to the inner parts of the Gorgon Mountains, avoid the ck sorcerers gathering in front of the gates of hell, scout the area, and then return.


    "That cowardly vermin is quite useful, at least."


    "When he gets back, I will elevate him from a vermin to a snake."


    Vassago and Paimon had already been back at Lara''s side some time ago. Lara saw the ck snakes messing up the battlefield and asked Vassago.


    "Can you make those snakes attack its allies?"


    "Of course, master."


    "Great."


    The demonic beast moved. With a wild roar and shaggy mane, the king of the demonic beast ran into the battlefield with Lara on his back. From now on, it was the demon lord''s turn to y.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The ck demon lord and white hero. They looked like they were in a ck and white painting.


    Demian gave chase to the demon lord as soon as she appeared. Running after him were those with impable skill, as they were the only ones who could keep pace. Meanwhile, the present Hell Corps and demon soldiers threw themselves to protect the demon lord.


    Acerus looked at the situation with his eyes wide open from themander''s position. There was a reason why he split the troops into small units. When magic intervened and difficulties unfolded, what was especially important was the past experiences and flexible judgments of experienced soldiers.


    "This is a nned gamble."


    After Acerus first entered Memoria City, he met with Lara in secret and said.


    "With all due respect, saintess, war is not something that can be done like that. Man is equal before death, so in extreme situations¡­"


    "That would be the case if this was any other normal war. If your opponent is the same as you¡ªa human being, then of course it''s like that. But, this time, it''s not. When you fight against destruction, forgetmon sense for a moment."


    "Then, what should I do?"


    "Remember one thing. You have to push them back into the mountains, get everything in there by all means."


    Acerus agonized. Lara was a respectable saintess, but she knew nothing about war. Was it fine to do as she said?


    Then, Demian appeared to take Lara. The two naturally held hands and disappeared into the mountains, no different from their appearance before the war broke out.


    Acerus heard about Abraxas from Lara. A long time ago, there was a god who loved humans so much that he went crazy. In order to correct the mistakes of that time, he decided to stand on the side of humans and end the war. The story sounded just like this. Demian, who loved Lara so much that he went crazy, would end this war for her.


    "Your Imperial Highness, did you call for us?"


    Acerus'' knights gathered. Instead of wearing full heavy body armor, they wore light,fortable armor. They took off their stuffy helmets and wore only minimal protection. Doing so made them look like Barbarians.


    Being called the Crown Prince''s escorts and guards, they had fought many battles with Acerus. Even though they were called narrow-minded tight-arses, they were not the ones who would run away even while facing a strong enemy. It was their honor to jump into a dangerous mission and make a contribution in the name of their liege.


    Acerus said.


    "From now on, I will be a giant bait."


    "Yes, Your Imperial Highness."


    "You all will also be bait with me."


    "Yes, Your Imperial Highness."


    "We''ll run straight to the gates of hell inside the mountain range. The Hell Corps will of coursee after me. Then, the Allied Forces will go after them."


    There was no opposition. If their liege told them to do so, they would just do it. The knights stood behind Acerus with weapons and shields firmly held in their hands.


    "Let''s not die."


    Acerus said, finally lifting the shield.


    "It''s a world worth living in to die now."


    41. No Matter What Anyone Says, You¡­


    Fearsome demon soldiers fell one after another at the hands of Demian, running rampantly to punish the demon lord. The Allied Forces witnessed his power up close and were no longer afraid of the Hell Corps. They, too, had weaknesses. They had hearts and their blood flowed. In the face of death, they were no different from humans.<sub> </sub>


    The demon lord had escaped the battlefield and was moving around as if teasing the Allied Forces. At first, they thought it was the demon lord''s scheme. Perhaps she was trying to confuse the Allied Forces like that. But as time went on, they felt something strange. What was left in the demon lord''s path were not human corpses, but the dead bodies of the Hell Corps.


    The ck snakes created by Vassago''s magic did not seem to be able to distinguish between allies and enemies during the war. So whenever the snakes attacked the Hell Corps, they just thought they were lucky. But that was not the case.


    "What? They''re hitting their allies?"


    A soldier murmured. On closer inspection, the demon lord''s magic was not actually aimed at the humans, they were aimed at the Hell Corps. The demon lord''s behavior was also very suspicious. It seemed like she was skillfully enticing them toe her way. If they ran towards her, a great victory followed the Allied Forces wherever they went.


    It was all Demian''s contributions. He only followed the demon lord. He would move when the demon lord moved and stopped when the demon lord stopped. Then, he ughtered all the demon soldiers there and led the Allied Forces to victory.


    A scouting soldier? An inducement strategy? A double agent? No one knew what to call it. As time went on, it all began to feel like a well-written script in the eyes of the seasoned soldiers and knights.


    It was then that Acerus jumped into the enemy camp.


    "His Imperial Highness¡­"


    There was no time to think. The master of the empire appeared on the battlefield. He was the hero and the representative of humans. Sizzling heat formed in the hearts of the Allied Forces, and a cold bloodthirstiness formed in the eyes of the demon worshippers.


    The bnce of power that had been narrowly maintained was broken. Though the Hell Corps was not much swayed, the demon worshippers had their eyes set only on Acerus Elin Tarragon.


    If they caught the Crown Prince, they could bring down the Empire. Acerus was a golden carp that fell into their arms. They had to catch him no matter what. They must kill him unconditionally. Even if they had to give up this battlefield, they had to dispose of the Crown Prince. Just in time, Acerus and his knights, who appeared in high spirits, fled into the mountains, driven by the mad advance of the demon worshippers.


    Go catch him. Catch and kill the Crown Prince.


    The enemy began to scatter. Most of the demon worshippers chased Acerus into the mountains, all that was left on the battlefield were the Hell Corps and the demonic beasts.


    "Now!"


    The long-awaited signal burst out. Starting from Memoria City, huge beacons of fire exploded all over the battlefield. The oiled fire burned fiercely and let out ck smoke. The same happened inside the mountain range. When the beacon was lit, mes rose from dozens of peaks and valleys as if there were a sudden forest fire. It was a merciless, hot fire. It burned everything that it touched and turned it into ashes.


    The hellfire of destruction shifted from one valley to the next peak, along the side roads of the hunters to the basin of the hillside and along the path created by the genius alchemist.


    The giant of fire rose to its feet. The demonic beasts howled in mncholy. For the first time in this war, the Hell Corps took a step backward, but there was no escape for them now.


    "All troops, advance!"


    The Allied Forces rushed to the Hell Corps all at once.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    "It''s almost fully opened. It''s only a matter of time. The ck sorcerers continued to pile up the altar like a tower and offer sacrifices."


    Vc returned and talked to Lara, it seemed like it was urgent. Lara responded to him and called in the demons.


    It was thest turn of the game now. Lara got out of the battlefield while the Hell Corps was in chaos. Vassago and Paimon opened the way for her. The demon soldiers and monsters who rushed at her, saying that the demon lord betrayed them, died helplessly at the hands of the two demons.


    "Don''t jump on master!"


    "You boneheads, this is all for setting hell right!"


    Acerus did his part dutifully. As Lara told him in advance, he ran nonstop to the ce where the gates of hell were open and lured the demon worshippers in. Even as mes broke out from behind and as he could hear the Allied Forces'' shouts, he did not look back. All he did was immerse himself in the role of bait.


    Hell opened its mouth inside the high cliffs and endlessly deep valleys.


    "What should we do now?"


    The knights asked. They looked tired but no one wanted to run away.


    "Those''re the gates to hell, huh?"


    Acerus settled on a rock overlooking the valley, he smiled in vain. The demon worshippers surrounded him and shouted. They flocked to the cliff in front of the valley and looked at Acerus. There were thousands or tens of thousands of them.


    "Let''s dedicate the Emperor of mankind to the demon lord. He will be the most valuable offering in the world!"


    "Take out the Emperor''s heart and sprinkle his blood! Gouge his eyes and cut out his tongue. Take his skin off and hang it on a pole!"


    A mad spell hovered like a scream.


    "Disgusting."


    Acerus shuddered. He was thinking about whether he should jump into the valley to send them all to hell.


    It was then that Lara appeared. She walked proudly and climbed onto the altar made by the ck sorcerers. The wind blew her long hair. There was no mercy on her pale face. With every step she took, the surroundings became quieter.


    "Saintess¡­"


    The knights muttered in spite of themselves.


    Lara was wearing ck leather armor and a long cloak. It was a demonic and intense look. However, her reflection in the eyes of the knights was reminiscent of an angel holding a dagger to punish evil.


    A saintess or a wicked woman. The one who was once a vicegerent of God but became a demon lord herself. And the offering that was chosen by the world.


    Lara held up a sharp dagger with one hand. It was a dagger prepared in advance for this time. Using a big and heavy de would prove to be difficult, so she purposely chose a small and light one. Actually, it did not matter what dagger she used. Even if she bit her tongue, swallowed poison, or burned herself, it would still be the same. This was a threat with her existence at stake.


    Lara held the dagger in her hands and put the end to her chest. Not a single hint of hesitation could be felt in her actions.


    She said.


    "Abraxas."


    The name of God, the one who deserved to appear.

 177 Chapter 177

    Lara recalled a time of the past.


    She was having a restless night, kept up by the thought that she might actually be a real saintess. The next day, she went to Hautean''s Temple of Glory with Konny. It was early in the morning. The damp and heavy atmosphere made her heart stuffy. While stepping on thend of the temple that she really did not want to step on, Lara prayed that she was not the saintess.


    Lara was so happy after returning to the past and living again. She thought that she could just correct her mistakes and not have to repeat the same tragedy again, the worlding to destruction had never crossed her mind.


    Her heart tickled every time she saw Isadora''s face. Isadora was still as busy as ever and was not good at expressing her feelings. Lara only understood her mother''s mind when she returned to the past. She did not abandon Lara. She just did not know what to do.


    She even extended her rtionship with the cute Konny, the cowardly Valentine, Eunice and Ximena, and Princess So. The number of people precious to her had increased. Before she died, Lara loathed going to bed because the fact that tomorrow existed was terrible for her. But aftering back, she would get so excited about what she would do with whom tomorrow that she would find it hard to go to sleep anyway.


    Demian. She felt sorry for herself in the past who loved him yet did not realize that fact. She loved him that much. She wanted him that much. Even before her death, Lara could not take her eyes off Demian when he left for the battlefield. And on the day of his return, she waited for him and was unable to sleep.


    The reason why Lara could not take off the veil that she started wearing at the suggestion of Marquess Bailey and Prince Sidhar was because she could not take her eyes off Demian every time she met with him. She was afraid of that brief moment together being taken away. He was the man who said he would do anything for Lara, and the same went for her.


    Numerous eyes were transfixed on the altar. There was a mixture of astonishment, admiration, madness, and concern in the people''s gazes. Lara raised her head proudly to those gazes.


    God gave her a second chance. He threw a bait she could refuse with his devilishly seductive whispers.


    Lara did not resent Abraxas. She hoped she could tell him someday how precious and wonderful her second life was. She was d that he was an all-powerful God and that she was lucky enough to be chosen out of all those people.


    When she realized that she was a real saintess in Hautean''s Temple of Glory, Lara read all of the temple''s lithographic stones that had the legend of the saintesses.


    From no. 6 to no. 22, most of the records carved on the seventeen lithographic stones were close to legends or folktales. However, among them, there were words that remained particrly vivid in Lara''s memory. The saintess was a herald representing the voice of God, but she was also a medium for calling God to thend of humans.


    A saintess was a key to calling God.


    Lara found out that she was destined to be born a demon lord, but she could not conclude that she was no longer a saintess.


    So what if she was a saintess? So what if she was a demon lord? Abraxas was a God, yet he was also called a demon. She could summon Vassago, a demon of a demon lord level at once with a few drops of blood from a small wound. Even if Abraxas was fast asleep in Demian''s body, she could call him out as much as she wanted.


    "Abraxas."


    Lara whispered.


    "This time, I will give you a second chance. Come out. Come here and correct your mistakes. That''s what God does."


    The point of the dagger touched her chest. The sharp de tore through her tender flesh and sank into it. Red blood poured out. It was painful, but Lara stood up straight to the end and said.


    "Come to me."


    If God had gone mad and abandoned his duty, she could just grab him by his hair and p him in the face to make hime to his senses. That''s what a saintess would do.


    She could hear Acerus shouting in the distance. He was begging Lara not to do that, asking her to please stop.


    Acerus tried to go to Lara, pushing his way through the ck sorcerers and demon worshippers who gathered like clouds in front of the altar. But his knights risked their lives to prevent their liege from leaving.


    The dagger went a little deeper. Hot blood flowed down Lara''s body. Her chest burned and her head turned dizzy. Lara wondered if she had stabbed her heart. Still, she could not help it. This was not a gamble, but a certainty. It was fine. She could still hold out.


    Lara stumbled little by little and lost her bnce. Her vision was blurry. The madness uttered by the demon worshippers opened the gates of hell wide. Lara stood on the altar at the edge of the cliff. Slowly, she copsed.


    The dark sky was covered with shade from the dense forest. Darkness had colored the world like a smear of ink. Then, night suddenly came to the sky above the mountain ranges. Suddenly, everything was pitch-ck, and the wind ceased to blow. The demon worshippers fell on all fours and trembled all over.


    A man jumped out of the dark sky, where there were no stars or moon.


    At first, his white hands popped out, then, his two arms followed. It was a continuously moving motion, like water flowing down a stream. After his white face appeared, his slender body came out.


    It was Abraxas.


    He caught Lara as she stumbled and fell in his arms, and said.


    <My summoner who has returned from a long way, what do you want?>


    Lara opened her eyes. There was a faint smile on her pale face.


    "Abraxas, send them all to hell."


    Do everything you have ever wanted to do. Forget the will and karma of the world and show what God is like.


    Lara''s voice reached Abraxas. The whisper of the saintess reached God.


    <Your wish wille true.>


    God said.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã<sub> </sub>


    The gates of hell opened. A sticky darkness resembling the snouts of beasts bares its teeth and gnaws off the valley.


    Rumble


    An earthquake shook the entire mountain range. The altar, being on the cliff''s edge, was the first to copse. It was where numerous sacrifices bled to death. Following the crumbling altar, the ck sorcerers around it were sucked into the gates of hell.


    A terrible scream ensued. As soon as they touched the sticky darkness that flowed from the gates of hell, they fell into it as if they were sucked into it. They struggled and screamed to no avail. The hell they summoned was equally a ce of punishment for them.


    The ck sorcerers tried to run away and sacrificed each other. Eventually, they began to kill the demon worshippers. It was a mess. Even the demon worshippers, who were drenched in madness, finally came to their senses and ran away. But it was all useless. When the gates of hell under the valley opened its mouth and began to gnaw off the cliff, hundreds of people on it fell at once.


    The sticky darkness began to split. It chased after the fleeing demon worshippers and snatched them from their ankles. The Hell Corps, which was chased by the Allied Forces, arrived just in time. The situation became worse.


    There was no ce for them to escape. All the roads had disappeared with the rising of the giant of fire and its imprable mes. The rats had already gone into the trap.


    Above the head of the wandering Hell Corps, the best Allied Forces warriors rushed with their weapons. They were the Barbarians. Demian was at the forefront.


    With his fluttering cloak reddened with the blood of the Hell Corps, Demian raced through the battlefield. His blue eyes were bloodshot.


    "Lara!"


    Demian shouted. Lara was floating on the gates of hell below the valley. Her eyes were closed, she was swaying with her body soaked in blood. Lara seemed to be unconscious, the hell underneath her opened its mouth greedily. Demian shouted, not even realizing that his lips were torn and bleeding.


    "Lara!"


    He had to go to Lara. That was the only thought in Demian''s head. He could not lose Lara so helplessly in this life too. He did not want to imagine that. In the past shown by Abraxas, Demian was so desperate that he led the world to destruction.


    But things were different this time. Demian clenched his teeth and threw away his cumbersome cloak. He took off his heavy armor and threw away his shield. Every time he swung his sword, dozens of Hell Corps copsed with their blood spattered.


    First, the Hell Corps, then, the demonic beasts, after that, the demon worshippers and ck sorcerers were shattered before his dash.


    As Demian passed, a path of blood was created in its ce. On the red and damp road, Demian threw away the sword he had been holding until the end and stood on the edge of the cliff.


    Hell was still gnawing off the valley with its mouth wide open. The earthquake was getting stronger and even the ground that Demian had stepped on seemed to be copsing soon. In the midst of the screams of the demon worshippers and the sound of the mountains copsing, Demian stood narrowly on the cliff and looked at Lara floating above hell.


    Hell wanted the demon lord. The sticky hell was reaching for Lara, whining like a child. It beckoned for her toe back to hell. It wanted her, the woman who was destined to be born a demon lord, but saved the world from destruction by bing a saintess.


    "Not her."


    Demian threw himself in. He himself dived into the ck mouth of hell. Then, just before Lara was swallowed by hell, he pulled her into his arms. And as though he would never be apart from her from then on, he carefully hugged her so he would not even miss a strand of her hair.


    With Lara in his arms, Demian''s feet reached hell. It did not matter. The world without Lara was Demian''s personal hell. Demian did not even hesitate to answer when God said he could only save either Lara or the world.


    "Lara."


    She was his everything.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Abraxas felt his presence dissipating little by little.


    It was the first time he experienced it while living for a long time as God. At first, he felt lighter, and soon, his heart softened. Instead of limbs disappearing, he felt like wings were sprouting. The long-awaited oblivion came to a ce filled with only sorrow and pain.


    Forcibly manipting the gates of hell and driving the demon worshippers and hell legions were a big deal for him too.


    Abraxas stopped the demons who were looking for opportunities toe over to thend of humans and drove the humans into hell. The ck sorcerers and demon worshippers fell bare in thend of the demons they had longed for. The world shrieked and pushed God away when the mountain range was struck by earthquakes.


    Abraxas did not stop though. This wish was what his summoner demanded with her existence at stake.


    Lara, since you have put your existence at stake, I will also put my existence at stake. Never again will the tragedy of the saintess and demon lord being born to kill each other happen. The bnce will not be broken, and destruction will note due to divine intervention. No more will the will of the world be able to intervene in human destiny.


    <If the price is the life of God, then it''s not that bad of a deal.>


    He had been waiting for this for a long time. Abraxas smiled joyfully as he looked at his scattered body.


    He would never be born a God again. He would never fall in love like that again. Because he did not want to go through such a separation again.


    My love, my lover.


    How I wish God could die and go to the afterlife as the humans say.


    "I''ll be waiting."


    How I wish you were waiting there for me.

 178 Chapter 178

    A month had passed.


    A month had passed after the war had ended and after the end of the earthquake that had raged and toppled the whole of the Gorgon Mountain Range. The Allied Forces had won a miraculous victory that day. A loud cheer had broken out. Regardless of nationality and status, people embraced each other and enjoyed the delight.


    The appearance of the hellfire and of divine intervention was adapted like a myth. Many war epics were created through different people. Acerus Elin Tarragon became the human hero. And Demian, hisrade, was called the warrior of God. The Barbarians were saviors and the Allied Forces stopped their long feud. Most of the demon-infested ck sorcerers and worshippers had fallen to hell.


    Destruction would note. It was a human victory.


    "The history of the continent will be rewritten from now on. The term ''Acerus Heroism'' may appear around Victory Day."


    The aide''s face was also full of joy. He could not hide his constant smile, which led to the scorn of old knights.


    "I can''t believe I''m the chief aide to the hero Emperor¡­ My mother would say it''s family honor, right? She opposed it so much when I first said that I was going to enter the Imperial Castle, Hahaha!"


    "Be respectful."


    "Uhh¡­ My apologies."


    "His Imperial Highness'' best friend is missing. We have told him many times that we will stay and search so he can go back to Dandelion with peace of mind, but he didn''t move."


    The old knight sighed heavily. Then, the aide rubbed his face and said,


    "It''s already been a month. Thest ce they were seen was crushedpletely with no traces left. To be honest, it''s a waste of time. I wish they''de back alive, but at this point, we''d just better prepare for their funeral¡­"


    Objectively, he was right. That was what everyone thought, too. Demian should be dead. Lara should have died, too. However, some people, including Isadora and the Crown Prince, did not believe in that theory. Acerus'' aide was about to say that they should start preparing for Demian and Lara''s funeral and picked up the pieces.


    "Oi! You bastard!"


    Eunice came from the other side of the hall. Thedies-in-waiting blocked her with their whole bodies, but to no avail. Eunice came running with her long hair scattered, she was loosely d in an outfit that looked either like a dress or pajamas.


    "Who said that? Who said she''s dead? She''s not dead! Who do you think you are talkin'' ''bout funerals, punk? You have a death wish? Do you want me to show you what a funeral for the living is like?"


    The aide stepped back with a pale face. However, Eunice, who appeared like a bolt of lightning, grabbed him by the cor with both hands and shook him back and forth.


    "Don''t kill my friend off, you arsehole¡­ Waaahh! Who''re you to say that Lara''s dead? You think you can say that just because you''re the Crown Prince''s aide?"


    "Lady Eunice¡­ Wait, wait!"


    "This is all because of Acerus, that bastard! Where''s your Crown Prince? Tell him toe out now! Even though he couldn''t even protect my friend, he''s talking shit asking me to be his consort!"


    "La,dy, please don''t say things like¡­"


    "No, it''s a no! I would never marry your Crown Prince! I will live with Lara until the day I die! Save my friend, you Empire bastards!"


    Tears flooded Eunice''s eyes. Her face, though usually always dolled up nicely, was now a mess. Her eyes were swollen and she cried so much that she had a fever. Ximena was no different. At first, Ximena chased Eunice to stop her. But then, she cried with her friend and med the aide.


    "Lara is not dead. There was no body. She can do miracles. You know that. Demian, that monster will not let Lara die. How can an aide be so dumb?"


    The aide looked at the old knight for help. But the knight had already run away.


    "Ladies, I''m really sorry. I''vemitted a mortal sin. Okay? From today, I will follow His Imperial Highness into the mountains and find traces of their whereabouts. Okay? Lady Eunice, urgh! Please let go¡­"


    Eunice was strong. There was the sound of a shirt and vest being torn at once. The aide recalled an old saying he had once heard from adults; crazy women are strong! Then he immediately thought of Acerus.


    The crazy woman and the crazy Crown Prince. This was a fate that was decided by heaven¡ªa match made in heaven.


    ''I''ll make sure these two get married.''


    Despite being scolded by Eunice and held by the cor, the aide was thinking about such a thing the whole time. He did not care about loyalty anymore, he was only thinking of returning the humiliation to the Crown Prince. Being the chief aide of the hero Emperor or family glory had already disappeared from his mind.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    At that time, Acerus was leading a search party consisting of the Barbarians, the mercenary wolves, and his knights deep in the mountain range.


    "Search thoroughly! Don''t ignore anything, not even a tree or a stone! Are the hunting dogs still not here yet?"


    "It''s going to copse!"


    The support that had been hastily made to lift the rock had copsed. Thend that was barely dug up was ruined again. The mountains swept by the earthquake were all overturned and in ruins. It was hard for an ordinary person to even walk. Acerus had been looking for Demian and Lara for a month in such a ce.


    "Your Imperial Highness, we need to rebuild the support first."<sub> </sub>


    "There''s a space under the rock, but¡­ It''s hard for the hunting dogs to smell because there''s a lot of ash."


    "What about Lady Isadora?"


    "She''s handing out mountain equipment to the Barbarians. It''s said that the Princess of Hautean got a hold of the equipment from the treasure hunters and adventurers guilds."


    What So brought was equipment that was used to climb up a cliff upside down or to cross a valley. The Barbarians intended to enter the copsed mountain range to find the two.


    It was too dangerous. Even they could have been lost. Acerus said to the knights who looked worried.


    "Take one for me too."


    "Your Imperial Highness! No! We instead¡­"


    "It''s the saintess. It''s Demian."


    There was a faint bit of moisture in Acerus'' eyes, but then it disappeared. He was not angry as he usually was and he did not fall into despair. He just spoke to the knights with a calm face.


    "Remember who they are."


    The knights bowed their heads. The atmosphere became solemn. They saw the saintess stab herself in the chest. They witnessed the situation up close. Lara had no hesitation. She appeared like a demon lord and did the work of a saintess. She stabbed herself in the heart with her own hands for those who branded her a traitor and shunned her for being a demon lord.


    That was how she called out to God. She made a miracle and saved the world. And when the darkness that engulfed the ck sorcerers, demon worshippers and hell corps lowered itself as if satisfied and disappeared into that deep ground, the dark sky was filled with radiant light.


    "At that time, we witnessed God''s back. Don''t forget whose favor it is."


    Who else dares to make such a sacrifice?


    "It''s the saintess."


    Acerus said gravely.


    "Remember it, record it, and let no one doubt it. That''s what we need to do."


    "Yes, Your Imperial Highness."


    "Go. Go get mine, too."


    The knights nodded and ran to Isadora and the Barbarians.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Time went by again and summer came by. Green life had re-emerged on the disastrous battlefield. Memoria City had regained its original peace. The Allied Forces returned to their respective countries and thest remaining Imperial Army departed for Dandelion 10 days ago.


    But Isadora and the Barbarians did not leave Memoria City. It was now the territory of the Barbarians. Acerus, who became the Emperor of Tarragon, freed all thends around Gorgon, centered on Memoria City, for those who were still waiting for Lara and Demian.


    ? The Barbarians left the mountain range and began to live in the city. They first learned how to build houses and some of them learned to farm.


    Isadora established a branch in Memoria City and took care of the tradingpany work there. Sebastian traveled back and forth between the capital of Dandelion and Hautean on her behalf. Eunice and Ximena did not leave Isadora''s side either.


    Konny cleaned Lara''s room every day. The maid, who was more diligent than a squirrel, carried a mop and a broom every day as if she could not allow a single dust to exist in her employer''s room, even though she had not returned for months.


    Valentine shut himself in hisboratory again. He stayed up all night, saying he would make a tool to track someone specifically.


    "Lara will be back."


    Isadora''s words became a habit for everyone.


    "Mdy will be back."


    "Lara will definitelye back. There are so many things we haven''t done yet!"


    "Hmph, Demian can''t be dead. He won''t die."


    "The two will suddenly appear together one day."


    Everyone said so.

 179 Chapter 179

    At night, thick fog seemed to be everywhere, but in the morning, hot sunlight poured out as if nothing had happened. It was already summer. The unusually warm sunlight raised thenguid heat.


    Red roses were in full bloom on the wall of the building that Isadora had recently purchased, giving off a strong scent. The mist turned into twinkling dew, forming on the rose petals. Isadora used her fingertips to gently stroke the petals, they looked like they were being soaked in red water.


    Suddenly, she was curious. Her heart swelled up so much that she did not even realize that the flowers had bloomed. And yet, why was her daughter still noting back?


    Lara was not dead. That was quite obvious. If she had died, there was no way Isadora could have been so fine. If Lara had died, she would have copsed and gasped for breath. She would have been broken. But what was thisfort? Where did this firm beliefe from?


    "Baby, shall we go for a walk?"


    Isadora reached out her hand.


    The giant of fire was drying theundry that Konny had hung in the yard. Seeing Isadora, it flew into her arms in excitement. After the war, the giant of fire had turned into the size of a palm. It sat down on Isadora''s shoulder and pointed with its small hand toward the mountain range.


    "Sure, let''s go there."


    Isadora always took a walk on the same trail. She would walk slowly on the gently rising hill road, towards where she could best see the Gorgon Mountains. It was the same on that day.


    The giant of fire hugged the rose that Isadora had plucked. The flower was so big and attractive that it looked like the giant of fire was barely hanging on to it. It struggled to hold the flower that was about to fall down with its short limbs. The petals rubbed against each other and let out a strong smell.


    Mother.


    Then, Isadora heard Lara''s voice from somewhere.


    Mother!


    She thought she was hearing things. Like a summer haze, she thought it was an afterimage created by her longing.


    The giant of fire burst into mes. Without knowing that the petals were crushed, it struggled all over to express joy.


    "Mother!"


    Lara and Demian wereing down the mountain path from far away. It really was Lara. She was not hearing things. She saw her daughter whom she really missed through the thick grass.


    "Lara?"


    Isadora murmured nkly.


    Her hazel-colored hair tied up high swayed gently, her white face was in full bloom, and her palm was raised toward Isadora dancing happily.


    Isadora squinted her eyes with a face saying she already expected it. She knew her daughter was alive. She was her daughter after all. She was upset that Lara did note back without saying a word even after the seasons had changed. However, for Lara toe back with a smile like that, that was enough for her.


    "Hurry up, hurry up!"


    "Get on my back."


    Lara pestered Demian. He burst intoughter and carried Lara on his back.


    Demian, who was running down the slope quickly, looked at Isadora. Isadora, who was rushing down the hill to wee them, also stopped and looked at him.


    Their distance grew nearer. The giant of fire began to groan. It wanted to go to Lara but Isadora was holding it so tightly that it could not do so.


    A green forest had sprung up on thend that had been overturned like a ruin. Lara and Demian ran on it like two deer and came to Isadora.


    "Mother!"


    Lara came down from Demian''s back and was hugged in Isadora''s embrace. No, she held Isadora in her arms.


    Lara''s body smelled strongly of grass. There was also the smell of a forest and the ground. It was the smell of flowers, sunlight, and a healthy and lovely scent. Isadora held Lara tightly and burst into tears. She touched her daughter''s face and shed her tears.


    Lara looked at Isadora and hugged her mother with a smiling face.


    "I''m sorry that I''mte."


    "It''s okay."


    "I wanted toe back early¡­ I didn''t know that so much time had passed. I''m so sorry."


    "I''m sorry."


    Demian bowed with Lara. Isadora looked into his more mature eyes and nodded.


    "It''s okay. You kept your promise."


    The promise to protect Lara. The vow to put Lara first before anything else in the world. Isadora remembered Demian''s promise to her in Hautean years ago.


    "Yes, I kept my promise."


    Demian smiled coolly.


    42. The Woman Who Dominated Hell


    The news of Lara''s return spread quickly. Before enjoying the reunion with her daughter, Isadora was worried for those who had been looking for the two for a long time, and had decided to tell the good news to them first.


    "Mdyyyyyy¡­"


    Konny stood at the door and was at a loss. Normally, she would have rushed to Lara, hugged her, poured out her tears and runny nose, and gushed out her resentment but somehow she could not even enter the room and only stamped her feet repeatedly.


    "What''s wrong, Konny?"


    Lara, who could not wait, reached out her hand asking Konny toe. Then, Konny shook her head and wept.


    "No. I''m going to watch you a little longer. It''s like a dream that you''re standing there. Did you know that I cleaned that sofa and sprayed perfume on it every day? It was your favorite perfume, and I kept cing order after order from Hautean since Memoria doesn''t have it in stock."


    "Thank you, Konny."<sub> </sub>


    "Don''t go anywhere from now on. Just stay here from morning till night. Don''t go out no matter who calls you, okay? Just eat the food I give you at home and gain weight!"


    Lara walked slowly to the door while Konny vented her anger. Then she answered, with Konny just in front of her.


    "Okay."


    "Mdy¡­ you''re really¡­ evil."


    "I got it. Just give me a hug."


    "Where did you learn to say such cheesy things?"


    Konny walked in and Lara held her in her arms. Then, as if she had waited for that time, she poured out her tears and runny nose.


    "I''m not going to wash this."


    "All right."


    "Give me a raise."


    "Sure."


    When Lara burst intoughter looking at her ruined clothes, she heard someone running down the hallway. She could tell just by the sound of the footsteps. A pair of irregr, precarious, and light footsteps.


    "Valentine?"


    "Mdy?"


    A bright smile bloomed on his normally dark face. Lara tried to hold Valentine in her arms for fairness'' sake, but Demian moved faster than her. He snatched Valentine and brought him to the room.


    "You just hug me."


    "Huh? Huuhhh?"


    "Why? Don''t you miss me?"


    Demian asked with a fearsome face. Valentine did not dare to say no and just shook his head.


    A little more timeter, the Barbarians came in. They cried with their bulky figures, weing Lara''s return. Then, they rushed to Demian, picked him up like a bundle, went outside, and hit him with their fists.


    "Die, you bastard!"


    "Now that you''re back, die, hahahaha!"


    That day, the long-distance magic receiver kept emitting a constant light. All the receivers Valentine sold to Acerus at high prices were busy at work announcing the news of Lara and Demian''s survival. Acerus, who became the Emperor, Eunice and Ximena, who returned to Hautean, and So, who had been waiting for Lara''s return, all asked the same question¡ªwhere and what had she been doing to show up sote?


    Lara''s answer was shocking.


    "I went to hell."


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    As soon as she fell into hell in Demian''s arms, Lara realized that Abraxas hadpletely left her. God''s gaze, which always cared for her high up there, was gone. God''s existence, which she felt as a soul, was no longer by her side. She wanted to say goodbye.


    ''Thank you.''


    The first thing Abraxas gave Lara was healing. Miraculous healing that could make a slight wound disappear in the blink of an eye. At first, she thought that Abraxas gave her that kind of power because Demian would go crazy and destroy the world again if she was hurt or died. She also grumbled that the power to defeat demons or the ability to heal others would have been much better.


    But after summoning Vassago, she realized. This was the power Abraxas had arranged to protect Lara at thest minute.


    At the moment she fell into hell, warm energy rushed to her heart, and the tip of the dagger that had dug deep as if it would reach her heart had escaped. The wound healed slowly from the inside. Lara stabbed her heart to call out to God, and with the healing power that God had given her, she was able to survive.


    She wanted to say thank you to Abraxas, but God had already gone far away. Forever. They would never see each other again.


    A tear trickled down from Lara''s eyes.


    "Don''t cry."


    Demian whispered.


    "I''ll be by your side."


    When she opened her eyes, Demian stood holding her. The dagger that had stabbed her in the heart was gone. The burn-like and painful wound also healed, leaving only a subtle heat.


    Lara asked.


    "Where are we?"


    Demian replied with a rxed expression.


    "I think we''re in hell."


    Surprised, Lara descended from Demian''s arms and looked around. A red sky, a ck river, and a heavy, damp atmosphere unfolded. There was a pointy castle on top of a steep and rising cliff. It was a dark and ominous castle.


    Demian sighed and said to Lara, who was flustered.


    "Look behind you."


    Lara quickly turned her head. An old gentleman in a ck tailcoat greeted her gracefully.


    "Master, wee to hell."


    It was Vassago.

 180 Chapter 180

    After Vassago returned to hell, he threw away the body of the ck sorcerer he was using when he ascended to the human realm. The old gentleman that Lara was looking at now was the original form of the demon Vassago.


    ''I heard he''s lived for a thousand years.''


    With a glossy ck suit, red fedora, and a sleek cane, he held out one hand toward Lara. And with the other hand, he pointed to his castle, which rose sharply in the distance.


    "I have my men ready to wee you, Master. Paimon will also be here soon after cleaning his castle."


    "Why?"


    "Pardon?"


    "Why should you do that?"


    Lara asked.


    She had a lot of questions. Even if she could not help falling into hell, now that Abraxas had disappeared and the gates of hell were closed, there was no reason for Vassago and Paimon to keep calling her Master and retain their loyalty to her.


    Yet he was still extremely loyal to her. Lara looked at him and pressed him for answers. Then, Vassago nced at Demian and bowed deeply to Lara.


    "Master, you''re the newly born demon lord in the vast hell. You drove God away and granted my wish. You''ve also restored order in hell. I have more than enough reason to serve you as my king."


    "I don''t want to be something like a demon lord anymore."


    "I know."


    Vassago said with a grin. He led Lara and Demian and said that he would tell the rest of the story at his castle. Surprisingly, it was Demian who pushed Lara''s back forward.


    "Let''s go."


    "Demian, this is not the time to be the demon lord. We need to find a way and get home quickly. Mother must be looking for us anxiously¡­"


    "I know. But we need the help of those demons to find a way home."


    Demian was right. Lara sighed and held his hand.


    Vassago''s castle was very far away and was high up in the sky. It would take a long time to get there by foot. But Vassago was not the kind of demon to let the demon lord walk. He held out his cane and muttered an iprehensible spell. The magical energy in his solemn voice spread out, weighing down on the damp air.


    Two giant pterosaurs flew in from afar. Their canines protruding from their long snout was overwhelming. Their wings were covered in tough leather and their heads were full of horns. The pterosaurs cried violently in the air and sat down calmly in the ce pointed to by Vassago. Then, they bowed their heads.


    "Get on, Master."


    Vassago gave the bigger and more terrifying pterosaur to Lara. He looked proud doing so.


    "I have never gotten on a pterosaur before."


    "Neither have I."


    Demian said with a smile. Lara took his hand and climbed on the back of the pterosaur.


    The pterosaur waited without budging even after Lara and Demian sat on its back. It only raised its head and spread its wings when Vassago signaled with his hand. The wind blew and their bodies floated. Lara barely swallowed the scream that was about toe out and grabbed Demian''s forearm. They moved further from the ground in an instant. It had only waved its wings three or four times, but they were already in the sky.


    Vassago''s castle was getting near. At that moment, Lara had an ominous hunch. She had a feeling that she would have to live there as the king of those demons for a while.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    "Put your head down. The king is here!"


    Who told you to ask them to put their heads down?


    "You little bugger! Whoever dares to make eye contact with the king, their eyeballs will be cut out and served on the table tonight!"


    Who told you to call them bugger?


    Who told you to eat their eyeballs?


    Every time Vassago said a word, Lara frowned as if she was going to throw up. Hundreds of demons were out to meet her. From the demon soldiers and the hell''s demonic beasts to the servants and maids working in Vassago''s castle¡ªall of them fell before her and bowed their heads to her.


    Lara had to walk through a long hallway past a pir carved with disgusting figures of demons. Throughout the walk, the eyes of the demons ncing at her were stuck to her face. Her cheeks were burning. No matter how brazen one was, one could notugh in this situation. Lara''s face grew stiffer and stiffer. And when she happened to meet a young demon, she straight away frowned. Then, the young demon gasped and smacked his forehead on the floor.


    "No, why¡­"


    When Lara reached out to the little demon and tried to raise him up, Vassago appeared like the wind and grabbed her hand. He quickly led her forward and whispered in her ear.


    "You shouldn''t be friendly. No matter how young and weak they look, you can''t forget that these guys are demons. Rebuke them not to make eye contact because they are like vermin. Despise those who are weak, tell them to not even breathe."


    "Why?"


    "Because they like to be treated like that."


    Lara could not understand. No matter what, why did she have to show that attitude on purpose? But Demian, who was following from behind, silently snickered to himself.


    The young demon who made eye contact with Lara was shaking his shoulders. He said, "As expected of the demon lord!" with his cheeks flushing.


    "Do you understand?"


    Vassago asked.


    "I don''t think this is a ce for me¡­"


    "What are you talking about? You''re already perfect as you are even if you just walk without saying a word."


    Who are you to say that?


    Lara felt offended and decided to just walk away.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Abraxas'' death brought a lot of changes in hell. The only gate that could climb to thend of man was closed shut and the distance between the two realms grew further and further, forcing the demons to live in hell waiting for another miracle to happen for a very long time henceforth.


    "A war of ranks has broken out."<sub> </sub>


    "What?"


    "We have to live on our own forever now. Ourmon goal is gone. There are no discussions,promises, or rules for us demons. And no conscience andpassion. The demon race is as simple and pure as it is strong. We obey the strong and we exploit the weak."


    "That''s why the war of rank happens?"


    "This is what real hell is."


    With a look of excitement, Vassago led Lara to the hastily prepared demon lord''s room. There was a shiny jewel chandelier and full-vision window in therge room.


    "Come this way."


    "No, I just want to go home quickly."


    "Look at this."


    Vassago pointed out the window. Even if she did not like it, she could not help but see it. The window was sorge that it was difficult to look away.


    The demons were fighting everywhere. They struck with their firsts, wielded their weapons, and bit with their teeth. The world outside the castle was chaos itself. One moment a pair of demons would pass by each other normally, the next moment they would have already fought each other because they made eye contact.


    "Isn''t this realm going to end at this point?"


    "Pardon? Why?


    "They''re all going to die."


    "No. They never get clingy once the winner is decided. Look, the losers are acting subserviently and moving back."


    The demon who lost the fight had bowed their heads to the winners and slipped away. Then, they found someone who looked weaker than them and fought again. So did the demons who won the fight. Theyughed loudly and mocked the losers. Then, they roared around looking for a stronger demon.


    Lara was anxious and asked Vassago.


    "When it bes known that I''m the demon lord¡­"


    "Challengers will flock."


    "When you say challengers¡­"


    "Demons who have been building up their skills in hell for nearly a thousand years, the demon lord candidates wille running at you."


    Lara became pale.


    The sun did not rise so she could not even tell whether it was day or night. When Vassago told her that she could eat if she was hungry and she could sleep if she was tired, Lara felt like she could see why humans described demons as beasts.


    After that, a splendid meal followed. Vassago had decided to treat Lara to only the best of hell, so he filled the table with ingredients so precious that even demons themselves did not get to see often.


    "Is the meal a problem now? I have to hurry back home, but it looks like I will have to participate in the war of rank."


    "Master."


    "I know you need a demon lord in hell, but it doesn''t have to be me. God is gone now. Any strong demon can take the throne."


    "That''s not the case."


    "Why?"


    "Because Paimon and I swore allegiance to you, Master. And as far as I know, Paimon swore his obedience¡­"


    "What''s wrong with that?"


    "It''s a swear that we must keep until you die, Master."


    Vassago cleared his throat before continuing.


    "Without defeating you¡­ We''ll never be recognized as the demon lord."


    "I''ve lost my appetite."


    Lara put down her knife and murmured with a gloomy face. There were many delicious-looking foods on the table, but none of them felt like they would taste good. Thinking that her mother would be looking for her, nothing went into her mouth. It was obvious that she would have an upset stomach even if she ate. Lara only nibbled on the sd and rinsed her mouth with a drink.


    "At least eat a little. Only then can we find a way."


    Demian gave Lara a piece of meat. It was meat that was cut into small pieces and moderately seasoned. Lara could not resist so she opened her mouth and ate the meat.


    "This one too."


    This time, Demian offered food that looked simr to a potato croquette. It smelled of savory fries and of a sour sauce. Lara forced herself to eat the food again this time.


    "Should I just feed you?"


    "No."


    "Don''t worry. I got your back."


    "Demian, aren''t you even worried? Now¡­"


    "Lara, did you forget that I''m your mighty warrior?"


    "What?"


    "I''ll beat them all."


    As if the demons fighting out of the window were nothing, Demian shrugged and said.


    "I can just beat them all up."


    I wish it was that simple.


    When Lara murmured, Demian put a piece of fish that looked like salmon in her mouth this time.

 181 Chapter 181

    After Lara finished her meal, Paimon came to Vassago''s castle. He had just finished cleaning up his own castle. Instead of his usual elegant and noble appearance, he appeared with wounds and bloodstains. With a heavy breath, he sat down.


    Lara asked him.


    "What''s wrong with you now?"


    "There were a lot of challengers."


    "Did you win?"


    "Of course. I, Paimon, will never do anything that would damage your notoriety."


    "Please just damage it¡­"


    Lara clutched her head and groaned.


    Then, another demon suddenly came to her mind. She asked urgently.


    "Where''s Vc?"


    "Oh."


    "Ahah."


    Paimon raised his head, he said that he had just realized that now. Vassago stroked his chin, looking amused.


    Vc was not seen anywhere. The weak vampire would usually hide behind Lara and beg her to save him.


    Was he there when I fell into hell? Where was he while Vassago and Paimon were dealing with the Hell Corps? I can''t remember where he was and what he did at that time for the life of me.


    Lara was about to order them to find him, thinking he might have died of a violent death while running away. But suddenly, a thunderous roar came from outside Vassago''s castle. They were her challengers.


    "Demon lord,e out and take my challenge!"


    "I heard that a new demon lord has appeared in hell. Open the door! The great demons here are challenging the king!"


    "Let''s decide who the real king is!"


    The walls copsed and magic was rampant outside. Their loud chatters andughs shook the window until the ss broke.


    Lara realized it was real hell there. She stepped on the broken ss and looked out the window. The demons appeared riding the demonic beasts of hell and were flying her way at a rapid pace.


    "How dare you challenge my master? I must pluck out your bones and make a new cane!"


    Vassago grinned from ear to ear and threw himself out of the window.


    "What a beautiful sight."


    Paimon flew to them as well, his red hair fluttering in the air.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    The gates of hell that were opened in the deep valley of the Gorgon Mountain Range were now closed. With victory in their hands, the humans returned to the city with cheers.


    Vc did not return to hell. No, it would be more fitting to say that he could not return. He was climbing the cliff with his trembling hands, hanging from a thick branch that sprouted from the edge of a cliff.


    "Why¡­did Ie to the human realm? What kind¡­of wealth and honor did I expect I would get here? I should have just stayed in hell. Even if I was ignored and beaten¡­ I should have just lived there!"


    His fingers were covered in blood as his nails had all but fallen out. The smallest loosening of his grip would lead to his fall down the valley. It was a deep and bottomless valley. He did not even know how the ground below him had copsed in the aftermath of the earthquake. No matter how powerful a demon Vc might be, he would be shattered if he fell from that height.


    "I should have just run away. Then¡­ at least I wouldn''t have to deal with this¡­ Aargghhh!"


    Vc slipped as he murmured. He managed to grab hold of a branch that had sprouted a little further below. But it did not look strong either. The branch hung narrowly on the ground that was weakened by the earthquake.


    ''Will I die like this? Is this the end of my turbulent life as a demon?''


    "Lara¡­"


    Suddenly he missed his master. If he knew this would happen, he would have been more friendly to her. At first, it was strange and disgusting for Vassago and Paimon to obey Lara. But as time went by, he changed his mind.


    Lara had the magic to attract demons. He wished he could have been more helpful to her. He was not as great a demon as Vassago, and he was not as capable of magic as Paimon, but he did try to help her with his weak power.


    If I knew I''d die in vain, I would''ve risked my life to fight for her. I ran away because I didn''t want to die, yet here I am.


    At thest moment, Vc hid on a slope a little bit away from the battlefield and was swept away by the earthquake that Abraxas had caused. But, instead of hell, he fell into a hole where the ground had cracked. As the disaster was a miracle caused by God with his life at stake, it was impossible for him, a mere vampire, to escape from the aftermath. Even after the gates of hell were closed and the humans returned to their cities, Vc had to try everything to crawl out of the deep ground.


    He transformed into a bat by squeezing hisst remaining strength. He pped his wings a few times, but returned to his original position and clung to a branch. Now, he did not even have the strength to use even simple transformation magic.


    Holding the branch, Vc''s fingers gradually had their strength drained. Below the cliff where he hung, there was a sound of the wind that resembled the cry of a beast.


    "Acerus¡­ I''m sorry."


    Vc murmured. If he died, so would Acerus. They shared a heart after all. Vc''s heart was drowned in deep guilt, a man who would be a hero of humankind and Emperor of the Empire would die because of him.


    He wondered if it would have been better for him to ignore Acerus and just go back to hell back then. He really wanted to live as a ruler among humans, so he shared his heart with Acerus. But now, even an innocent human being would be harmed because of his decision.<sub> </sub>


    Things of the past shed across his mind. He wanted toe to the human realm, so he came into the body of a prince who did not even have the right to be a sacrifice. He dug his own grave with his clumsy acting and spent only a little time doing nothing properly. It was a life full of regrets.


    ''Now that it''s like this, it really does seem like I''m a human.''


    Vc shed a dejected smile. It was not until his death that Vc acquired the human heart he had longed for.


    ¡ã??©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤??¡ã


    Vassago''s castle was broken down shortly after the war of ranks began. It was a magnificent and beautiful castle, like an old historical site, but now copsed debris rolled around here and there.


    Lara stood by the window and looked at the copsing demon castle. Then, she turned her head when she heard a rustling sound from behind. Demian was standing up and checking his outfit. He had a sword on his waist and was tightening his shoces.


    "What are you doing?"


    "What else? I should go out and fight."


    "Why?"


    "They''re going to challenge my master. How can I just stay here and go sightseeing?"


    "But they''re demons."


    Lara looked at Demian with a face asking if he really should do that. Demian was humming while tightening his shoces. Looking closely, there was a subtle pleasure on his blunt-looking face. His shoulders were slightly raised and his gait was light. Lara squinted her eyes and asked.


    "Demian."


    "Huh?"


    "Are you excited now?"


    "Nope."


    He shook his head, asking what kind of nonsense was that. However, the corners of his mouth were raised to the fullest.


    Lara had never seen him have so much fun going out fighting. Demian had always fought for others because he wasmissioned, and he had always protected others because he waspelled to do so and out of obligation. But what was happening outside the window now was purebat with no obligations.


    Moreover, the opponents were demons. This was hell, a ce where one did not have to feel guilty for inflicting violence. It was natural to kill or hurt someone. Lara rxed her shoulders and looked at Demian. Then, she pointed her finger out of the window and said.


    "Go."


    "Lara?"


    "Tell them who''s the strongest warrior in hell."


    Demian approached Lara and gave her a deep kiss on the cheek. His palm was hot. Lara sighed and slowly stroked the cheek he kissed.


    A demon appeared outside. Even on the battlefield where Vassago and Paimon fought fiercely, he found out where Lara was and flew straight to her.


    "Demon lord,e out and take my challenge!"


    Lara did not know who he was. She neither knew his name nor did she know his rank as a demon. Seeing that he just wanted to be the demon lord, she thought he must be a pretty strong demon.


    The window broke and ss shards poured down. He flew straight to Lara, who was standing close to the window. At that moment, Demian stepped forward to protect her and broke the demon''s arm. Then, he climbed on top of his body and rode him like a horse.


    The demon struggled. He screamed and casted a spell on Demian. But Demian did not get even a single scratch. The magic of the demons was nothing but an eye-catching trick on him.


    "You! Who are you?"


    "Me?"


    Demian sat on his back, holding the horn in his neck like a rein, and said.


    "Demian."


    The demon screamed and fell out of the window with Demian. Lara hurried to the window and looked down. Demian was literally crushing the demon. When he punched his chin, the demon screeched and sprawled.


    The same happened to another demon after that. Demian did not even draw his sword. He punched, kicked, and kneed them. The demons kept casting spells on him but, of course, none of it worked.


    On this day, all the demons who came into Vassago''s castle to challenge the demon lord were defeated. They miserably knelt before Lara and bowed their heads.


    They could not even step on the demon lord''s shadow. It was because the demon lord''s men were so strong. After winning the fight, Lara said to Vassago and Paimon, who returned with red blood dripping all over their bodies.


    "Disgusting."


    A deep weariness was in her cold face, on her chill voice, and on her red eyes.


    ''As expected of our demon lord!''


    ''What sheer perfection.''


    Heated gazes poured out on Lara. It was a look of infinite respect and admiration.


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