Inferiority was a strong motive for hatred. The knights might have felt terribly helpless when they saw the Barbarians. No matter how hard they tried, they could never catch up with their skills.
Now having been disliked by the knights, as soon as Lara arrived at Acerus’ castle, she sat in the drawing-room and pouted her lips with a grim face.
“Hehehe.”
Lampion kept smiling at Lara, Oscar was restless because he was worried about her, and Domino looked at her with admiration on his face, albeit he did not smile as openly as Lampion did.
Demian told them.
“I told you she’s a scary woman.”
Despite their peculiar reactions, the most shocked among them was the Crown Prince Acerus. After continuously glancing at Lara, he talked to her─but only after his hiccups had stopped.
“I…I have something to tell you.”
“Yes.”
“The demon Valac… I have been working hard to become close friends with him.”
“Yes- what?”
“I think he can help us.”
Acerus looked at her with ‘give me compliments’ written all over his face. Lara asked him back.
“How?”
“He’s not yet perfect at mimicking humans. I threw some bait and he fell for it after contemplating for just one day.”
“Bait?”
“That’s right. I told him that I wished there were demons who liked humans…”
A cunning demon like Valac fell for such a simple bait?
Lara looked at Acerus with disbelief.
“All of a sudden, he started writing a script and acting on his own.”
“What acting?”
“Acting like he’s dying.”
It was an interesting story. Acerus briefly explained to Lara what had happened last night.
“He said himself that the demon would wake up if the Prince dies. He must have thought that he should at least make the Prince die first. It’s like he’s bound to the lie that he told you before, back when he wanted you to save him.”
“So, he’s plotting suicide.”
“Yes. The Prince is branded as a traitor and is even being imprisoned here. So he must have decided that no one would suspect anything even if he commits suicide.”
“Who’s watching him?”
“The best and most experienced of my knights are watching him in secret.”
At this point, Lara had no choice but to reconsider her prejudice about demons. She thought demons were all arrogant and narcissistic and that they would not be swayed by humans. But now, looking at Valac, it seemed that demons also had a human side in them.
“We can also just kill him.”
Lara said. Caught off-guard by such words coming out of a saintess’ mouth, Acerus opened his eyes wide for a moment. But as he calmed himself, he muttered, ‘as expected.’ And with a deep smile on his lips, he said to her.
“Of course that’s possible. We have the best Barbarians here.”
Acerus judged that they were capable of dealing with a demon with Demian and his comrades. It might even be possible with Demian alone. Even if Valac ignored the karma he would build and God’s intervention and released his full power, they still had the best knights of Tarragon and four Barbarians with them.
However, Acerus believed that a more efficient method had to be taken.
“But we don’t know anything about demons yet. We have to use him.”
“Crown Prince Acerus.”
“Years ago, the demon who abducted me in the north had the form of a woman. She did not even use magic or curses, and yet I could not keep up with her in regards to physical strength and speed. So I lost to her every time.”
Acerus suffered serious damage to his pride. He was a proud knight of the Empire before he was the Crown Prince. However, the demon overwhelmed Acerus with her strength and speed without even using her magic or demonic abilities.
“I don’t know her name, her power, nor her purpose.”
“And you want to pry that knowledge out of Valac?”
“Yes, I definitely want to get revenge. If Valac gives me information about her, I will advance to the north right away.”
It was an unexpected appearance for him. Acerus' lust for vengeance was bordering on obsessive behavior for the demon who had kidnapped him. Lara saw a glimpse of darkness in the Crown Prince, who had always seemed bright.
“Then, there are two beings that we are convinced of being demons. Valac thoroughly used the demon worshippers to exert his influence so he has yet to build up karma. And as for the demon in the north…”
“If she had used her power, wouldn’t God have given his blessing to you?”
Listening to Acerus, Lara slightly closed her eyes before immediately opening them right after. When she set fire to her room and escaped from the Marquess of Bailey’s manor, she recalled the fact that her body had a miraculous healing power.
“It was in summer.”
“Pardon?”
“That demon must have used her power in summer. I’m sure.”
This time, Acerus looked surprised. He said he had received reports of something strange happening in the northern battlefield at the time.
“There’s a contagious disease.”
“Contagious disease?”
“Yes. The disease infected the enemies too so I didn’t think much of it… But I guess she was pulling a trick at that time.”
That’s why God gave me healing powers back then.
Lara realized that fact.
“Did God give you a blessing? What is it?”
Acerus could not hold back his curiosity and asked. Lara looked around and found a bread knife on the table. She thought that she could show her healing powers by making a small wound with the knife.
However, Demian had been listening to their conversation without saying a word. He quickly moved and grabbed the bread knife and threw it against the wall. The small knife penetrated the wood and penetrated all the way to the handle.
“Don’t.”
Demian said. He was slightly frowning. Lara could just directly say what her power was, she did not have to hurt herself to show it. She just smiled.
“It’s a healing power.”
“Pardon?”
“Even if I get wounded, it disappears quickly. I can still die, but I can heal myself even when my sides get stabbed.”
“No way…”
“Ridiculous, right? I’m a saintess, so I should be able to heal others. I guess God must have been in a hurry to give me power.”
Lara thought the reason was that karma was not accumulated enough. But Acerus’ train of thought was different.
“I guess the God of Fate really cares about you.”
So it can also be interpreted like that.
Listening to Acerus, Lara smiled again this time.
Lara said that she would leave it to Acerus to get information from Valac. As Valac was friendly to him, it would be more difficult to let a stranger do the work.
“I will hunt the demon in the north.”
Lampion declared to his comrades. He could not understand the conversations between Lara and Acerus but he noticed that they were planning to subdue the demon hidden in the north. So he intervened as if he had been waiting for it. However, Acerus quickly refused.
“She’s mine!”
“Hmph. Finders, keepers.”
“You son…”
Acerus looked at Oscar with a face asking for help. He felt like he would blow out if he talked to Lampion. But Oscar, whom he trusted, crossed his arms as if asking why he was saying something that obvious.
“Can you win with just your knights?”
“What?”
“Don’t come back as a loser and beg to us while crying. Just leave it to us.”
“Wha- dude?”
“It’s not a sin to be weak. We will fight for you.”
Oscar grinned. He was called a chameleon because he was flexible and very social despite being a Barbarian. This was a moment that made people realize he was also a great Barbarian.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
After talking to Acerus, Lara got up to go to the Temple of Glory.
Originally, the sanctum was not open to just anyone. However, as Acerus blackmailed the priests with his power and gave Lara permission to enter, she could go to meet the God of Fate at any time.
“Thank you, Crown Prince Acerus.”
“Yes, you’re welcome. Let me know if you need anything. It is of great pleasure to be able to help you. I mean it.”
‘Why is he being so nice to me? Is it because he needs the saintess for the Great Demon War?’
With that thought in her mind, Lara said thank you again. She was about to turn around after saying her greetings but Acerus slapped his forehead as if he had forgotten something and spoke to Lara.
“Hmm, by the way, saintess.”
“Yes?”
“I have received a reply that a delegation from Hautean will be sent here. Do you have any idea who will be the representative?”
“A delegation?”
“As the King’s deputy.”
Is there even anyone suitable?
Lara had no idea. If Prince Sidhar did not turn out like that, it would be either the Prince or the Princess. But now that Sonnet has become the one and only heir to the throne, she would not be able to move rashly. If that’s the case, an influential noble would have to fill in. However, Lara knew little about the power structure within Hautean.
“I’m not sure.”
Lara tilted her head.
