Via didn’t harbor much intent to kill these people.
The consensus between humans and demons was, even now, an action that crossed the line for most.
Especially with the Church having spent years reinforcing this notion through endless wars and propaganda.
The people before her were simply worried about their Grand Duke being dragged down by this cooperation.
She respected those who were willing to lay down their lives for those they served, using their own existence as pawns, but she couldn’t stand how little regard they had for their own lives.
Loyalty and righteousness were important, yes, but she did not believe such loyalty was truly right.
“We are honored to be valued by the Grand Duke. We can only do our best to repay him. Demon Lord, you shouldn’t have come here.”
The lead soldier’s voice was dull, muffled by his helmet, giving his words a stifled quality.
The greatsword in his hand gleamed coldly, ready to pierce the enemy’s chest at any moment.
“I’ll say it again—I have no intention of taking your lives. If you want to trap me with your so-called loyalty, then I’m sorry, but I won’t fall into your trap. I won’t kill you, but if I want to leave, you still won’t be able to stop me.”
Via was utterly confident in this.
“Or do you hope to cause your Grand Duke some other trouble, like ‘attempting to assassinate the Demon Lord’? Let me remind you all, demons are not without diplomatic measures.”
Though Via, as the Demon Lord, might not be highly regarded among demons, that didn’t mean anyone could casually plot against her.
Should this scheme be exposed, without a doubt, the demons would immediately spark another major conflict.
“…We’ll leave.”
The resentful voices accompanied the sounds of weapons being sheathed.
On the leader’s order, the soldiers silently put away their weapons and turned, disappearing into the depths of the forest.
Watching them go, Via returned to the carriage.
“Are you alright?” Cecelia asked.
“I’m fine,” Via adjusted her clothes, then snapped her fingers softly.
The coachman, who had been in a dazed state, immediately recovered.
“Let’s go. Once the Grand Duke’s side is settled, we have a lot more to do.”
***
Saint Anso City.
The first thing Via did upon returning to her manor was send a letter to the Dark Elf tribe.
This letter was specifically addressed to the Dark Elf Lord. In their brief skirmish earlier, Via had gained the upper hand thanks to a small mistake by the other party.
Now, that Dark Elf Lord was probably regretting it deeply.
“Senior, there’s something I don’t quite understand. May I ask you a question?”
“If this question isn’t necessary to solving our current problem, then don’t ask,” Via said quickly, not even looking up as she sealed the letter with her official wax seal.
“I’m very busy right now.”
“It’s somewhat related to our current problem,” Cecelia responded immediately.
“Your establishment of a cooperative project with the Grand Duke—do you have other considerations in mind?”
Their interests were indeed intertwined with Via and the Grand Duke, but Cecelia’s intuition told her Via’s reasons were far more complex than just cooperation.
“There are. But right now, I doubt you’d fully understand. After all, you don’t even properly read the books I wrote,” Via teased.
“For now, I’ll simply say this is a business matter. If you really think it’s related to other things, I can only say it’s not yet time. It’s impossible to get everyone to open their hearts just yet.”
Moonlight streamed through the window, bathing the once noble estate in its cold glow.
Since Via had taken over, she had barely changed anything—not even the wide floor-to-ceiling windows.
The pale light poured in from above, dusting everything with a thin layer of silver sand.
“Cecelia, the Church’s activities will become increasingly aggressive. After all, they now believe they hold the lifeblood of the church nations. Compared to before, they no longer bother to hide their intentions.”
“You disappoint me, Senior. These past years, the Church’s main focus has been on dealing with heretics. Their increased activity is normal. Since I was driven out, they’ve become more and more reckless.”
“Who told you not to seize their lifeblood? I truly admire you. After serving the Church for so many years, you still couldn’t grasp any reliable leverage or weak points,” Via said quietly.
“Those who reach your position and still persist in their ideals are almost nonexistent. I imagine the young Pontiff who took over once had similar qualities but was gradually worn down over time.”
“Senior, that sounds like you’re mocking me.”
“I am mocking you—and myself,” Via said, standing up and stretching.
“But at least now, I still have somewhere to take refuge. At first, I resisted becoming a demon.”
Looking at the Demon Lord before her, Cecelia suddenly felt as though there were two people inside Via—constantly debating, never truly letting go of what had happened.
“All right, get some rest. I’ll finish the rest of the work soon,” Via said, waving her hand to dismiss Cecelia.
“Then please rest early, Senior.”
Cecelia obediently left.
Listening to the fading footsteps, Via took a deep breath.
Qin’s figure appeared behind her.
“So, any findings from the surveillance on the Saintess?”
“None, Lady Via. If anything, she occasionally collects some of your belongings or gifts from you and takes them out to admire,” the loyal Qin quickly reported.
“The current Saintess seems to have completely abandoned her previous title. She just wants to pass the time by your side.”
“If that’s the case, so much the better.”
Relieved by the news, Via relaxed.
Having Qin constantly watch the other party was hardly honorable, but as a demon, Via didn’t feel the need to be entirely aboveboard.
One must always guard against others.
The Saintess had removed her clothes and changed into silk loungewear, completely relaxing on the large bed in her bedroom.
Taking a deep breath, Cecelia buried her head beneath the pillow.
The attendant who often watched her seemed to have left for the time being.
Quietly, Cecelia hugged the pillow tightly, as if pouring her feelings for someone into it.