Fear grew on peopleâs faces.
âS-Stop it!â
I heard a man who was quite energetic shouting out loud. But I didnât care and spread my hands.
Bangã ¡!
Hessedâs thunder and lightning followed with a rumble and a perfect special effect.
âAt times like this, the horror atmosphere is the best.â
I opened my mouth and spoke loudly again.
âHere are those to satisfy your noble pleasures, who love to chew people alive. May they gladly receive their will through human sacrifice and return to extinction with their souls in peaceâ¦â
Hessed struck the lightning hard again.
âAaakh!â
âEuaaakh!â
People shuddered and trembled at the sound of thunder.
âChew people alive? Human sacrifice?â
âIsnât she crazy? Stop! Stop!â
âS-Saintess! Stop!â
I twitched my eyebrows and looked at them. About half an arm of those who remained were trembling, unable to come to their senses.
âWhy? You asked me to bring Raid back.â
Fear hung over peopleâs faces.
âThat, thatâ¦â
âAs expected, the Demon Kingâ¦â
It was different from the time before when he vigorously stopped me. The coachman leading my carriage had long since run away.
âHmm. You have to speak straight, right? I donât know what you mean?â
A voice broke out among the people at my words.
âPlease stop now!â
âPlease stop summoning Sir Raid! Saintess!â
âW-We made a mistake!â
I raised my eyebrows and quietly raised a hand. Hessedâs lightning was dying down.
I crossed my arms and looked at them.
âI understand that itâs hard to accept the reality, but this kind of futility is just a crime. Did you catch me and demand the restoration of Raid at the temple of Elium? While being so afraid that Raid had descended.â
Naturally, no one answered my words.
The raucous crowd was as quiet as a mouse.
âPlease think about what your anger is for. Do you want to change reality, or do you want to be like a child knowing you canât change reality?â
Painful factual violence is the best cure for a lost sheep.
[The Gods are eating corn snacks and then gulping soda.]
I started walking, and the crowd that surrounded me parted on both sides, giving way.
As I walked a little outside the crowd, I heard a voice behind me.
âSaintess!â
I stopped and stood up.
The man who seemed to be the leader shouted with a distorted face.
âThen, who should we trust in our lives now? If not him⦠Whom should we trust?â
After a while, I let out a small sigh and turned my head. Then I told him.
âI want to tell you to believe in yourself, butâ¦â
Numerous anxious eyes turned to me.
Why do humans believe in God?
It may be because they need a lighthouse for their aimless voyage, or because they need comfort and hope. Wouldnât it be a heartless word for them to believe in themselves and be alone?
âYou have eight options. If you stubbornly look at the broken road, other opportunities wonât come.â
[The God of Justice, Hetuse, agrees with you.]
Voices that seemed to give up or agree with my words burst out.
âYes. Even if you complain like this, God Raid wonât come back.â
âThere is no God Raid anymore. None! Shit!â
âTo think that he was the Demon King! Raid was the Demon King! That bastard! I didnât want to admit it!â
I left them behind and walked. The agony and choice left behind was now theirs.
After taking a few more steps, I saw the Paladins running towards me.
âSaintess!! Are you okay!!â
âSaintess!!â
It seems that they came running after hearing that the carriage I was riding in had disappeared. I also had a regret, I would have taken Dwayne with me if I had known this trouble would happen.
âAh, Iâm fine. See. Iâm alright, am I not?â
âThatâs a relief.â
Soon after, I turned around slightly at the sound of chatter.
âI-I was wrong!â
âRun away! They are the Paladins of Elium!â
The crowd quickly dissipated and several people were seen being captured by the Paladins.
âAh, Iâm tired.â
It was time to look back and let out a small sigh.
Pfft. I heard a familiar laugh and looked away to see Diego.
His dark purple eyes shone under beautiful silver hair. Soon, a low voice, as if teasing, reached my ears.
âI watched that well. Queen.â
It was difficult for me to manage my expression, but I tried to raise one corner of my lips.
ââ¦What did you come here for?â
âI have come to see the Queen.â
âDamn it, if you dare to say the word âqueenâ one more time!â
âDonât remind me of the dark history, you demon!â
At my reaction, he chuckled again.
Diego beckoned and the Paladins backed away a bit, then we started talking at close range.
âIâm surprised youâre queenly enough even without a whip.â
I didnât give any more warning and tried to grab him by the collar with Cielâs power. But then, sparks rose, and his hand grabbed my wrist. Soon, a low voice reached my ears.
âSsssh. Iâll stop teasing you.â
I violently pushed his hand away from me. Then I walked forward with my chin raised.
âAre you upset?â
âNo. I just donât want to hang out with the Demon King.â
âWould you like to hang out with me if Iâm not?â
I furrowed my eyebrows and looked back.
âShould I pray to the Gods for repentance?â
[The God of Benevolence, Oman, nods his head vigorously with his eyes wide open.]
âHaha, just kidding.â
[The God of Benevolence, Oman, adds Diego to the challenging list in addition to the existing three men.]
âYou went to see Professor Draive.â
I frowned at his words.
âDid you do a background check?â
âYes.â
I forgot what to say after hearing those words he had said so confidently.
âAh, yes.â
âIt wasnât your background check, it was Professor Draiveâs. He was a man who was very talented in necromancy.â
Hmmm, I would have been a bit embarrassed if I overreacted.
âI see. Well⦠I did meet Professor Draive briefly.â
âThe reason is?â
While staring at him naturally asking for an answer, I opened my mouth. In a way, it wouldnât be a bad thing if he knew. No, I just thought he might help.
âCamilla isnât dead.â
I sensed his suspicious glance at the unexpected news of his sister.
âThatâs why I met Professor Drave.â
Then he said right away.
âThat canât be. Unless Bellatrix pushes herself to the point of extinguishing her existence.â
âYou mean she can save her if she overdoes it?â
âI have heard about the Gods from Leto. Gods arenât necessarily omnipotent, because doing more than just authority could endanger their divinity. But he also added that he would become an omniscient God.â
Again, the conclusion wasnât different from what I thought. I can only hope that Bellatrix will be baited soon.
âMeeting like this at this timeâ¦â
I told Diego.
ââ¦?â
âCould you please cooperate?â
If Ritaâs necklace was something special and meaningful with the color of Ritaâs soul, then the energy contained in the necklace would be enough to appeal to Bellatrix for the truth.
But this was just Ritaâs thing, so I decided to use the necklace as a medium to bring it in front of Bellatrix. To do so, I need necromancy, that is, black magic.
Draive is said to have escaped the surveillance of Cassâ men and went on vacation to the countryside, but it took time to catch him, so I thought that Diego in front of me would be better. After all, he also uses black magic.
âWhat is it? How about that gaze as if youâre looking at a chicken instead of a pheasant?â
(a chicken instead of a pheasant: an expression to describe a situation where something is replaced with something else similar when the exact same thing isnât found.)
âAs expected, youâre quick-witted.â
I confided in Diego about what had happened so far.
When he heard about my trip to Salerium, he looked at me with a stunned look.
âI was just curious when I heard the report that you met Draive, but as expected, it exceeded my expectations. I have no idea what you are thinking.â
âWell, it wasnât such a scary place, so donât be surprised.â
âSo youâre asking me to cast black magic on this necklace?â
âWell⦠Thatâs right. According to the necromancy book in Draiveâs lab, the object of the dead becomes the medium. And you donât want to leave anything to be regretted about Camilla, so thereâs nothing to lose.
Diego looked at me for a long time and said incomprehensibly.
âI heard that the temple persecutes those who use black magic. Seeing it again, youâre really amazing. Well, itâs kind of amazing when you think about it now since you came to the black magic guild, Deviamon.â
âItâs not about harming people, and itâs just a temporary use of necessary skills for whatâs needed, so thereâs no need to have preconceived notions.â
I shrugged.
âThe Gods donât think much of it. Rather, humans are more stubborn.â
[The God of Art, Mond, agrees with you.]
[The God of Benevolence, Oman, agrees with you.]
[The God of Justice, Hetuse, spits alone.]
[The God of Destruction, Ciel, bites Hetuseâs butt as if to pay attention.]
âHaâ¦â
Diego looked at me for a long time with dark eyes.
âWill you cooperate with me? Or wonât you?â
I smiled and asked him.