Before exploring the area, they tried to gather the remaining demon crystals they could get from the demons. Most of the demons that Noel killed didn't have anything left, so they searched for the demons they killed.
They were already quite lucky that they got about three thousand demon crystals with variety grades.
The most important ones would be the twenty peak level crystals and more than a hundred advanced level crystals. There was no Superior Demon this time though. The Supreme Devil Organization might be planning to use it during the actual siege.
After loading everything in the carriage, they rebuilt their camp on the other side of the river to avoid the pungent blood smell.
…
The next day.
Noel and the others continued their journey to the base of the Supreme Devil Organization, only to find it nowhere to be found. That was right.
The base had been destroyed completely with the only clue being the people that fled earlier.
"What should we do?" Layla asked Noel.
Aurelia looked around. "The area has been cleared up and there are traces of footprints. This should be their base, but it has been destroyed, giving the explanation of the visual to Layla."
"We'll chase after them. There is still a possibility that they bring out more demons, so I'll have you accompany me to visit some villages."
"Don't worry. I have some free time. While I can't do anything to those humans even if they attack you, I will keep all the demons away at the very least."
"That's enough." Noel nodded in agreement.
Now that they had made a decision, the group headed to the south, specifically the village to their south. It wasn't supposed to be a big village according to the mayor.
There were only about forty people residing in this village. Their location was not far from the river, but because of the demons, the city couldn't rely on them. In fact, they thought that the people in this village had died because of the demons.
On the way, Noel couldn't help but turn to Grandell. "Say. How far will you follow my order?"
After the transformation earlier, Grandell answered without hesitation. "I will do anything for you, Sir. Even if it means sacrificing my life."
"Is that so? If I were to order you to kill a little kid?"
"That's…" Grandell tensed up. On the one hand, he knew that the lord was a kind man, who wanted to provide the best for his subjects. On the other hand, that kind of order was sickening.
Noel looked like Anna in the past, trying to kill innocent people. However, Noel knew that the Supreme Devil Organization could disguise themselves as a normal person. They might take advantage of that disguise and wait until Noel lowered his guard before killing him.
The other soldiers seemed to understand the dilemma. However, Grandell gritted his teeth as though he had steeled his resolve. "I will follow your order. Should they resent me, I will let them crush me in the afterlife."
"That's enough." Noel nodded. When he thought about Anna and this kind of scenario, Noel couldn't help but think of another thing.
In their previous lives, Anna actually killed innocent people who had saved her. Yet, there was one more hidden scenario that he had never explored before.
The only reason Anna killed those innocent people was because they saved her, right? If that was the case, it also meant Noel was the one who put her in that situation. And Noel should have gotten the Affection Medal, which allowed him to use the affection as a method to determine if that person was a spy or not.
This point actually opened up a whole new scenario in Noel's head.
'What if the me in the previous life actually chose that specific location? I might not have beenreason right in the head in my previous life, but I didn't think I would be able to harm the innocent without any reasons. In that case, would it mean that there was another reason for me to send Anna there?'
The answer to that question was rather obvious when he asked it during this expedition.
'I can't believe this, but the previous me might use Anna to kill those people. They might be spies from the Supreme Devil Organization. When I think about it, the organization has a lot of small bases, but it's hard to find them. What if they are using a village as their base and live like a normal villager?
'It's obvious that no one is going to bother them. In fact, nobles rarely visit villages a bit farther away from their city unless there is danger. In other words, as long as the organization pays the tax and never sends any distress signal, the village will be left alone. That's probably how they are always under our radar the whole time.
'In that case, the previous me might know that Anna wouldn't be harmed by the Supreme Devil Organization. Anna was a precious tool of the Royal Family and her master, Josephine, was kind of shady. There was a high chance that the organization knew they had to protect Anna.
'So, I lured Anna near that village and played a prank on her, causing her to get mad and lose her reason. When that happened, Anna would go berserk and kill the people around, meaning destroying the base of the organization.'
With Anna causing a ruckus in the organization's base, bad blood between them formed. If this scenario were true, it would mean that Anna had never killed the innocent. It was more like Noel tried his best to prevent her from going in that direction.
'This might be possible, but it's only a theory. There is a chance that it's wrong, and it's not like I can prove it. But if Anna remembers the location where she killed those innocent people… I might be able to raid more organization's bases.'
This thought was a wild idea from Noel when he assumed that the previous life Noel was as smart as the current him. With how his previous life had been leading Anna to this place, the chance of the scenario being true was quite high.
'In that case, let's prove that theory later. I don't have time to raid those bases, but I can actually mark all of them first and raid them after we defend the city from the next attack. This should be enough to mess up the Supreme Devil Organization.'
Noel reached the village with this thought.
He could see a lot of people living in this village. They were completely unscathed from the demons.
"There is a visitor?" An old lady couldn't help but squint her eyes, watching Noel and the others walk to the village.
Noel looked at the old lady while Grandell stepped forward and shouted, "The Lord of Lounstein, Earl Ardagan, is in front of you right now."
"Earl Ardagan?" The old lady raised her eyebrows. Never in her wildest dream would a noble visit this village.
Some other villagers who heard it couldn't help but walk toward the entrance as if they wanted to see the noble. They were still confused, wondering if the visitor was truly a noble or not.
The Saintess couldn't help but frown when she looked around the village. There was a weird smell permeating the air. It might not be apparent to normal people, but her heightened senses made her realize that something was indeed going on.
Noel looked at the old lady as well as the rest of the villagers. There were only a total of fifteen people, so the others might still be working at another place.
This was the time Noel gave an order that dumbstruck everyone.
"Grandell."
"Yes, Sir?!" Grandell remained calm, ready to accept the order.
However, that order was something that made him question the sanity of his own lord. After all, Noel instructed, "Off with her head."
'Resent me.' Grandell's expression turned grim as he unsheathed his sword, slicing the woman's neck.
The soldiers couldn't really watch this happen. In fact, they didn't understand why their lord became someone like this. Was the kindness he had shown this whole time a lie?
Fortunately, the answer was revealed right away when the old lady actually avoided that slash.
Grandell's speed was extremely fast, so it would be hard for a Spirit Master to avoid his slash. Yet, the old lady before them was able to dodge that sharp blade. It only meant one thing. She wasn't a normal villager. There was only one other possibility.
And Noel had seen this through the Affection Medal.
Name: Salavia
Affection: Hatred (80/100)
Description: She will definitely kill you if there is a chance.
Noel had a hard time sensing their Spiritual Energy. With the fact that she was strong enough to avoid that blade, it meant she was a Spirit Grandmaster.
A Grandmaster released so much energy that it would be hard to hide them all. Hence, the organization might have another secret medicine that allowed them to hide their strength or there might be a secret technique they knew nothing about.
They might think that wearing a mask earlier so that Noel didn't see their face and turned into a normal villager would be smart but it wasn't enough to fool Noel.
Noel saw that the other villagers had the same level of hatred, which meant they were from the same group.
The moment the old lady avoided the slash, Noel grabbed her face before she could do anything. Without hesitation, Noel released his fire, burning her entire head.
One less grandmaster was extremely welcome after all.
When people witnessed the old lady's reaction, they understood why Noel ordered the execution.
"They are the devils. Kill them all," said Noel with a cold tone.
Grandell clenched his sword tightly as he got angry at being fooled by these people. The other soldiers also unsheathed their swords and started charging.
The disguised villagers immediately backed off as soon as they knew their covers had been blown away.
Noel released his Undying Phoenix to make them disperse.
Seeing that they had no chance to regroup and defeat Noel, they immediately changed their strategy. "Run!"
Yeah. Instead of engaging Noel, they would rather preserve their lives and try it again next time.
Noel never wanted to kill all of them though.
"Grandell. Bring your soldiers and chase the people in that direction. Don't go too far because of my condition."
"Yes, my lord." Grandell instantly rallied the soldiers and began their hunt. Noel flew into the sky, providing some support to Grandell. However, he didn't do much so the Supreme Devil Organization believed that Noel was extremely injured.
It was annoying to let these people survive, but if it meant he could defeat the entire organization, he definitely could endure it.
With this, all the people from the Moon Temple were left behind. They couldn't help but look at Layla, who said, "We will wait here. Don't touch those buildings until the Earl has confirmed that no one from the Supreme Devil Organization is left in this village."
"But don't you think it's better to help people eradicate these pests? I mean, if you consider how they can form a demon army, we might get dragged into the conflict in the near future." Aurelia asked.
"I agree with you, but my answer is still no. We will maintain our neutrality here, not because I don't hate them, but because it's not the time yet."
"Not the time yet?" Aurelia's eyebrows twitched, thinking this was another weird idea of hers.
"Yeah. I'm not sure, but the Ardagan's family is one of the oldest families that survives from the creation of the four kingdoms. When he talked to me, it felt like he had always looked at the Supreme Devil Organization as a stepping stone.fatal."
"Underestimating them is going to be fatal…"
"No. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about something more terrifying that can make the Supreme Devil Organization look like a child's play."
"!!!" Aurelia's expression turned grim. As one of the oldest families, the Ardagan Family might really know something even a lot of nobles didn't know.
