Faced with Via’s reasoning, Muli did not respond.
She even avoided the topic of whether it was reasonable to shelter the Saintess and instead directly said, “Via, have you been short on manpower lately?”
“A little, indeed. The demon troops on the front lines are engaged in battle, and I simply don’t have enough people at hand.”
Via caught a clear tone of accusation in Muli’s voice, so she straightforwardly told the truth.
“You have to understand, His Majesty the Demon King, our war against the Blood Clan is the most important right now. Humans are nothing but a bunch of ants. If we go all out, they won’t last a few days. The situation with the Blood Clan is even more difficult. Those bats aren’t as noble as our Demon King, but they’re arrogant… Their pride is even more hateful than weakness.”
When speaking of humans, the dark elf’s tone clearly carried a trace of mockery.
Her clear eyes smiled faintly as she looked at the two humans—or rather, former humans—before her, as if waiting for their agreement.
Cecilia frowned.
She didn’t argue back but stared intently at the other.
Via knew very well that although this Saintess had been betrayed by the Church, she had never abandoned her human identity.
Maybe she was heartbroken by her own kind, but regarding her race, she still didn’t want anyone to look down on it.
Yet, as a Saintess who had seen the world, Cecilia clearly understood that Muli’s intention was to provoke them, so she endured without directly responding.
Via smiled with satisfaction.
No wonder she was her favorite toy.
If the Saintess were such a naive, dull person, Via wouldn’t have bothered with her so persistently.
“The Blood Clan’s problem is indeed urgent, but Muli,” Via calmly took a small bite of the dessert in front of her, “if you really think humans are no threat now, then you’re wrong.”
“What? You want to say that the demon race fears the threat of humans? Are the years of humans’ continuous retreat and loss of lands all lies?”
“Of course not.”
Via chuckled lightly, crossing her long legs carelessly.
“But if humans are so weak to us demons, then why did the demon lords hate so much to exhume a human grave? Could it be that even the Demon King made such a fuss just for fun?”
“Are you mocking the demon race? Look at yourself now. Or maybe you still cling to your past glories?”
The dark elf’s tone darkened.
The smile on her face remained, but the cold gleam in her eyes was unmistakable.
“Of course not. I’m a demon now too; no need for your reminders. But I don’t think belittling a race like that is right. As you said, arrogance is worse than weakness, isn’t it?”
The atmosphere froze to a chilling point.
Via didn’t know why Muli had deliberately said all this.
Perhaps she had sent for Via just to deliberately provoke her?
But what a joke—who cared what she said?
She wasn’t here today specifically to meet this person.
“That’s all for today. Thank you for your time. I apologize for the poor hospitality.”
Suddenly, the dark elf laughed with the innocence of blooming flowers—bright and radiant.
***
Are Demon Lords all a bit crazy?
Cecilia’s first reaction was this.
Calling someone over unilaterally, saying a bunch of provocative things, then when criticized, making the decision to kick them out herself…
The Demon Lord’s mental state was just absurd.
Changing faces without paying the price?
Obviously, Via was already used to this kind of reaction from her.
Or rather, as a succubus long immersed in demon affairs, she was well familiar with their tricks.
So Via lightly nodded: “Thank you for the hospitality. Until next time.”
She turned and tugged Cecilia along, heading back the way they came without looking back.
The two walked down the flower-filled path, with Muli falling farther and farther behind.
Just as they were a few dozen steps from the courtyard gate, the flowers beside them seemed affected somehow, trembling slightly.
“Lady Via, these flowers—”
Before Cecilia could finish, the gorgeous blossoms suddenly opened wide mouths filled with sharp teeth.
Their originally slender stems grew thick as tree trunks in an instant, and countless two-story-tall “flowers” with bloodied maws completely blocked the way behind the two.
“…Sigh.”
Via sighed helplessly, knowing this one definitely held grudges, though she wasn’t sure exactly what grudge.
The living “flowers” lunged at Via and Cecilia.
Just as they were about to be enveloped, Via decisively slashed her palm with her nails: “Explode.”
Blood droplets flew out and began to glow midair, then a powerful shockwave blew apart the attacking flowers.
Via carefully controlled the blood’s shape to create a directional explosion, shattering nearly all the blocking plants and reopening the path ahead.
“Senior, I’ll clear the way…”
Saint’s Flame gathered in Cecilia’s hand.
Though she had lost her Saintess title, she remained untainted by corruption despite being with demons.
At the moment the flame appeared, the surrounding flowers seemed to recoil in fear.
Several flowers attacked her at strange angles.
Cecilia raised her hand, and the scorching flame instantly sliced through the plants before her.
But she knew it wouldn’t hold long—more and more flowers surged toward them, even the vines crawling along the corridor were waking up.
The garden, peaceful just moments ago, had turned into a slaughterhouse for prey.
She hurriedly turned to grab Via, but suddenly a ruthless kick landed on her waist.
The force was tremendous—stronger even than when she and Via had dueled before.
Cecilia felt a crack near her lower back.
Of course, she was thrown even further.
“Oi!”
In her vision, she could only see Via swallowed by a tangle of various plants.
Just as the gap was about to close, some vines wrapped tightly around the succubus’s limbs.
The wind howled in Cecilia’s ears.
A heavy thud followed, and she was kicked out of the dark elf’s courtyard.
From afar, towering ancient trees rose, enormous flowers and arm-thick vines swayed joyfully as if excited by their impending prey.
“…Senior?”
Only now did she realize she had just been saved by Via’s kick.
The plants closed too fast. Cecilia’s success in widening the path ahead was because most of the vines behind were held back by Via.
In the end, the succubus kicked her out—the trap was never meant for both to escape.
She slowly stood up and took a deep breath.
The fall had left her aching all over; even breathing hurt slightly.
She wiped the dirt from her face and summoned Saint’s Flame in her hand.
Let the Demon Lords fight among themselves and ensure only one survives—that was better for humans.
Moreover, with Via gone, Cecilia regained some of her combat strength, and the Church wouldn’t hunt her down so quickly.
Now she could calmly plan her next escape route—to the Elven clan, then detour eastward to Daxia, where they didn’t trust the Saint Lord, or seek refuge with some ambitious duke or king…
Her identity as a Saintess was a perfect banner for enemies of the Church. She could find ways to live better.
But… was that really the right thing to do?
No matter how this former senior, now a Demon Lord, planned to treat her, at least she had been protected.
Although sometimes the other had been a bit… a bit…
Her ears reddened slightly.
In short, she couldn’t just run away like this.
Otherwise, she knew she would regret it.
Thinking this, she stepped forward.
“You’re coming back to die?”
Via’s voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
“Huh?”
She was stunned, looking around for Via’s figure.
“I’m speaking to you through magic. I sense your magic aura is approaching again… Hurry and leave her courtyard. Once you’re out of it, anywhere in the Demon King’s Castle is safe; she won’t be able to harm you.”
“What about you?!”
“Hmm… As for me, I won’t die anyway, don’t worry.”
Via’s voice sounded a bit helpless.
“Demon Lords are forbidden from killing each other lethally. As long as I don’t allow it, she can’t kill me. Don’t worry, I… will come back…”
Perhaps because the layers of plants were blocking the magic transmission, her voice grew unclear and choppy, eventually fading away completely.