“Tell me everything you know about Mo… I mean, my family member. Don’t miss a single word, or else…”
Laedel gripped Rosa’s arm.
Her grip was so strong it felt as if she might crush Rosa’s bones. Rosa gritted her teeth, enduring the sharp pain.
‘Are gentle members of the Demon Race like Mowan really that rare?’ The gloomy, indifferent air Laedel had previously maintained toward everything had vanished, replaced by eyes full of coldness and threat.
It was as if Rosa were nothing more than an ant that Laedel could crush at any moment.
“She lived an adventurer’s life for those three years, staying with us. We were a Hero Party, and she helped us eliminate Monsters.”
‘Actually, we also eliminated some restless members of the Demon Race who came to human countries to cause trouble.’
However, Rosa kept that part to herself.
Laedel frowned, seemingly displeased that Mowan had helped Humans.
But then she reconsidered. For Mowan to have become a legal resident of the Holy City, she must have made some contribution to the Humans.
“We went through countless hardships and dangers together, earning many achievements. It wasn’t easy for Mowan along the way; very few people recognized her or appreciated her talents, so the commissions she received weren’t much. During those three years, she lived very frugally. She would wear the same clothes for a long time and ate very little. She looked quite thin and frail.
“Then, three months ago, we arrived at the Holy City to accept the Knightly Decoration from the Church together. But she… she refused the Church’s decoration and chose to leave our Hero Party.”
Rosa lied again, distorting the actual situation slightly.
She didn’t want Laedel to know that Mowan was involved with the current Saintess.
She was only exchanging information with Laedel because she wanted to know about Mowan’s past from three years ago and understand her family background.
After all, she had shared everything about herself with Mowan, yet Mowan had never breathed a word about her own past.
“And then?”
“Then, we never saw each other again.”
“That’s it?”
“She and I were actually good friends—very, very close friends. But before she left, she told me not to look for her anymore. Um… because, she said, she… she’s part of the Demon Race.”
Rosa’s lying was not nearly as composed as Iserin’s.
Her eyes darted around, and she hesitated as she searched for the right words. Her stammering made it obvious she was hiding something.
“Who else knows she is from the Demon Race?”
“No one else. There’s no one besides me. She only told me because of our close relationship.”
Rosa’s performance was so poor that Laedel saw through her lack of honesty immediately.
However, she did believe that Rosa and Mowan were good friends.
Telling a Human one’s true identity was almost the same as handing over one’s life.
If that Human reported Mowan to the Church, it wouldn’t matter if Mowan had done nothing wrong or even achieved great things for humanity. All her contributions would be erased because of her status as a member of the Demon Race. The Church would arrest and execute her, and the Human would receive a handsome reward.
“Then when did you see Mowan? What did you talk about? Why did your family… drive Mowan away?”
“Hmph! If you want to die, keep asking.”
“Are you going to kill me? If Mowan found out, she would never forgive you.”
Laedel glared at Rosa, but the five fingers gripping Rosa’s arm gradually loosened.
Rosa breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
It seemed her gamble had paid off; she bet that this member of the Demon Race cared about Mowan and her feelings.
Otherwise, why would the other party travel all the way from the Demon Empire just to find her?
“So, what conflict did Mowan have with your family that caused you to… separate?”
Rosa used a more neutral term. Since she didn’t know the specifics, she wasn’t going to pin the blame on either side too easily.
“Did she only tell you she was a member of the Demon Race?”
“Yes. Could it be… she’s a child born of a Human and the Demon Race?”
“Heh…”
Laedel’s attitude remained cold, leaving Rosa feeling anxious and impatient.
“So what actually happened? I’ve told you everything I know. It’s not right for you to keep hiding things, is it?”
“I said, if you want to die, keep asking.”
“No wonder you can’t bring her back. Your attitude is terrible.”
‘Is my attitude terrible?’
Laedel recalled her conversation with Her Highness the Royal Princess. She had even knelt and begged the Princess to come home.
When this outsider, Rosa, poked at her internal weakness, a spark of anger suddenly ignited within her.
This ignorant Human was judging her without knowing anything, asserting that it was because of her attitude that she couldn’t bring back Her Highness the Royal Princess.
“She is the Demon King’s only daughter. Does that satisfy your damn curiosity?”
Laedel stopped pretending. A black mist rose from her body, two black horns emerged from her forehead, and her ears tapered into sharp points. Only her tail remained hidden beneath her clothes.
While Rosa stood frozen in place, shocked by the revelation, Laedel reached out and grabbed her by the throat.
“*Cough…*”
Rosa pried at Laedel’s hand with both of hers, but the other woman’s strength far exceeded her own. Her struggling hands felt like an ant trying to shake a tree.
She finally understood why Laedel had repeatedly warned her that she would die if she kept asking.
Rosa had considered countless possibilities. She had thought Mowan might be a half-blood child or that Mowan’s ideals differed from her family’s. She had imagined all sorts of reasons for their parting.
She had never imagined that Mowan’s true identity was the daughter of the Demon King.
She also finally understood why the Saintess wanted to separate her from Mowan and ensure they never met again.
“Please…”
Rosa used all her strength to let out a raspy whisper.
“Please… I can… help you… I can’t die…”
Two lines of clear tears seeped from the corners of Rosa’s eyes.
Facing the choice between life and death, she finally realized the fate she was about to meet.
She felt sorry for Iserin and sorry for her faith. She closed her eyes as a deep darkness shrouded her consciousness.
Just as she was on the verge of fading, the tight grip on her neck finally released.
—
Earlier that afternoon.
Inside the secret private room of the teahouse where Mowan and Croll often met.
“What? Sister Iserin, you’re going to sneak into the Base with us?!”
Not only was Mowan shocked, but even Croll found it unbelievable.
“Yes. Mowan, teach me the method to destroy the Boundary Gate. I will use my Disguise Magic to lead you into the Base so we can destroy the Boundary Gate inside together.”
“Lady Saintess, is that really wise? If you… were exposed as well, there would be no one left to defend Her Highness the Princess.”
“She’s right, Sister Iserin.”
“As the Saintess, should I just watch you risk your lives while I sit back and enjoy the benefits under a glamorous cloak? Should I pretend to be untainted even if something goes wrong?”
Croll tilted her head.
‘Is Sister Iserin on the wrong medication? Has she suddenly awakened?’
Although Croll didn’t know Iserin 100%, she knew her at least 50%. In her eyes, Iserin wouldn’t do anything evil, but she also wouldn’t actively seek major changes. For Iserin, stability on a grand scale was what she pursued.
If Iserin were put on trial, the country would certainly fall into turmoil. The people’s trust in the Church would be shaken, or perhaps their trust in the Royal Family would crumble.
Iserin continued speaking with righteous conviction.
“If we don’t have the courage to fight with our backs against the wall, how can we reach the shore of our ideals?”
“Since Sister Iserin put it that way, then the three of us will advance and retreat together!”
Whatever!
At this crucial moment, Croll felt she couldn’t back down or dampen the courage they had finally summoned.
Croll reached out her hand, being the first to agree to Iserin’s plan.
Next was Iserin, who placed her palm on the back of Croll’s hand.
Finally, after hesitating for a moment, Mowan pressed her hand onto Iserin’s.
She chose to believe in Iserin. She had yet to see what a Miracle looked like, but she firmly believed that Iserin would create one—and it would surely be the brightest rainbow color.