As Ximena's words got longer, Eunice's face gradually turned pale.
"Really?…How bad?"
Eunice asked back in a trembling voice. She looked like she was going to run out screaming right away, so Ximena deliberately spoke casually for Eunice's sake.
"What are you worried about? He has the best doctors in the Empire, the hidden sorcerers, and even the saintess who can now use God's power to her heart's content. The most useless thing in the world is to worry about the powerful. Let's go out and finish our walk."
"Yeah, you're right."
Eunice raised herself up, trying hard to smile and nod. Ximena folded in half the extra news that Eunice was secretly holding and threw it into the trash can.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Acerus was badly injured. Lara and Demian were able to hear detailed stories from a messenger who had arrived to them first.
If Lara knew this would happen, she would have followed him. Or she would have asked God for a favor. The Emperor threatened not to lean on the Barbarians because he knew they would not settle in Tarragon, but what was the point in that if something went wrong with Acerus.
Lara had come to the Crown Prince's castle in advance even before the subjugation expedition had arrived. After hearing that Acerus' wounds were deep, Lara anxiously came to check on his condition as soon as possible. Demian followed her on her visit, but unlike Lara, Demian felt very relaxed. He entered the castle without its master, and as if it were his own house, Demian sat comfortably and ate snacks.
"Demian, when will he arrive?"
"I heard they were going to enter the capital this afternoon, he'll probably be here soon."
"He'll come here right away, right? He just came back from death's door, no matter how strict His Imperial Majesty is, he won't tell his son to report to him first, right?"
"The aides or knights will do such things."
"But aren't you worried?"
"Not at all."
Lara thought that he'd at least be a little worried, but Demian looked very relaxed. She knew he might become the demon lord, but she also knew that he was not completely heartless. So, Lara asked without holding back her curiosity.
"Why aren't you worried? Is there something to back him up?"
"Nothing much. I just believe everything will be fine since Valac is with him."
"What's with that demon?"
"Acerus is the only one here who took Valac's side. Would he just let Acerus die? Moreover, he's from an Imperial family. If Valac uses Acerus well, he can get anything."
"Valac said he was weaker than Lilith. Could he have been of any help?"
"It will be fine."
Demian, who tried all the snacks on the plate one by one, picked up the most delicious one and put it in Lara's mouth.
"If you're so worried, ask God."
"I can't do that."
Appalled, Lara shook her head. She had been avoiding the God of Fate since the last banquet.
"I will use God's power only when it's really urgent. I will check on Crown Prince Acerus' condition first."
If God wanted to, he could appear and talk to Lara or just speak to her directly with only his voice, but Lara still wanted to keep their distance as much as she could.
"And… He's too much."
Because of the natural disaster caused by Lilith, the God of Fate unexpectedly gained quite a lot of karma so he wanted to do this and that for Lara.
When God said he wanted to create the Order of Holy Knights for Lara, she thought of the Barbarians right away and said that it was not a bad idea. But when he said he would put wings on Lara's back, she was genuinely surprised and escaped from the sanctum as if she was running away.
Unlike the nervous Lara, Demian sat leisurely and waited for Acerus. Then, he heard several people's bustling footsteps.
"He's coming."
Lara sprung to her feet and opened the door herself. From the other side of the hallway, knights from the Crown Prince's castle were bringing a large stretcher.
"Saintess!"
The knights looked at Lara with earnest eyes.
"This way, come on!"
Acerus was pale. His then-healthy brown skin was so pale that it almost looked bluish. His arms that have turned skinny after going to the northern expedition, stuck out of the stretcher.
While Lara and the knights moved Acerus to the bedroom, and while the doctors and the ladies-in-waiting were busy preparing for his treatment, Demian moved silently to find Valac.
The expedition force had made a great contribution by succeeding in killing the demon, but much of the jolly atmosphere had subsided due to their commander's injury. The aides and other people in charge went to see the Emperor, and the rest dragged their tired bodies home.
Valac was walking gently into the Crown Prince's castle. Demian hid in the shadow of a distant pillar and observed him.
Valac's steps were noticeably light. In the past, it seemed that the demon was trapped in Prince Sidhar's body. But now, it was like the demon Valac had stolen Prince Sidhar's face. He was quite decent in his acting and pretending to be sad, but he could not deceive Demian's eyes.
His excited heels, the subtle corners of his mouth that went up, and his eyes that looked around.
'So he got stronger.'
Demian could feel the energy of a strong individual flowing from him. If Acerus had been that injured, he would not have been able to stop Valac. He must have eaten Lilith and become strong.
He used to be so weak that Demian would not be worried even if he was close to Acerus. But from now on, he thought he should pay attention to what he was doing here.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The Emperor announced that, after the Crown Prince had left for the northern expedition, he had now returned after defeating the demon with the subjugation forces. It was a victory for humans and the great Tarragon Empire, and The Emperor's subjects were enthusiastic. A strong and just leader was the protagonist of the story─a story that they loved the most.
Tarragon was already overwhelmed with the saintess's appearance. Now that the Crown Prince had returned as a hero, the people unanimously praised that Tarragon's future would be full of glory.
"You can't."
However, Acerus was strongly rejecting the power of God. He said with a firm will on his pale face.
Lara could not understand him. If she asked for a favor from the God of Fate, he could have returned Acerus to his normal state immediately. So she asked him to go to the sanctum with her, but he firmly rejected her suggestion.
"Then I will go alone. God will do me a favor."
"You can't."
"But why?"
Lara was frustrated. According to the doctor, Acerus suffered so many wounds that it could be said that it was a miracle he managed to return alive. When the doctor said that he had to be bedridden for at least one season's cycle to move like usual, Lara recalled the God of Fate, who wanted to grant whatever her requests were these days.
But Acerus did not listen to her.
"Saintess…"
"Keep talking."
"Lilith committed suicide."
"What?"
Lara was surprised and asked back. Demian, who was standing by the window, also approached Acerus and listened.
"All of this was Lilith's scheme. She already knew about everything—how we would ambush her place, and how God will be justified to influence this land. And… She was delighted that her plan was a perfect success."
"What does that mean?"
Demian asked. Acerus smiled bitterly at him and said in agony.
"She said that the Gods are hostile and the demons are jealous. Now that God has appeared in this land along with the saintess, the demons cannot just let it happen. And because of that, they will appear here… She said that is how demons and Gods accumulate karma and walk the path of destruction.
"She committed suicide because of that?"
"She hated both humans and demons. But what Lilith hated the most seemed to be herself, who was born of both sides."
Acerus shut his mouth for a moment to endure the pain coming up from his wound. Lost in thought, Demian did not talk for a while.
At that time, Lara muttered as if talking to herself.
"The demon of fire…"
There were some unforgettable scenes in her head. One of them was the demon of fire that appeared in Hautean. Until his heart was pulled out by Demian after Lara's death, the demon of fire was the most powerful demon on this land. He was also the demon who was the most obsessed with Lara, the saintess.
She did not know his name. If she asked the God of Fate, he would let her know, but now, there was something more important than that. Lara approached Acerus and asked.
"Is that why you refuse to be treated by God?"
"Yes."
Acerus said that the deeper the God of Fate intervenes with human matters, the more likely he would provoke demons. He also said they were already preparing for war.
"Did Valac say that too?'
"That's right."
"If he has become strong after eating Lilith, why won't he leave? Why does he stay with us all this time?"
"That…"
This time, Acerus' face was subtly distorted. He sighed and frowned to express that Valac was a pain in the neck.
"Valac seems to be bullied in hell."
"What?"
"I have a feeling that demons are no different from humans. They hate Lilith and call her a half-breed, they hate Valac for sucking other people's blood and acting like a parasite."
"That's the reason why he's staying with us?"
"If a demon stronger than Valac appears… In the end, he would need to join hands with us."
Acerus' original plan was to kill Lilith and then Valac together. However, Lilith's fighting power was stronger than expected and he lost consciousness, missing the opportunity.
"So he plans to follow us around and eat up the dead demon's blood every time we hunt for one."
Demian said. Lara nodded and agreed with him, Acerus also thought so.
"Let's just kill him now."
Demian thought there was no need to fight with a needle stuck in the back of his head and argued that it would be better to get rid of the demon now. Of course, Valac was a needle only for him but a spear for others. However, Acerus expressed opposition to Demian's opinion.
"No, he's still useful."
"How?"
"I heard there are factions among the black sorcerers and the demon worshippers. It is only natural that they serve different demons. Valac said that he will give me that information."
"What?"
"We know nothing about demons. Valac will be a spy, and he will sell out their weaknesses."
"That smart-ass demon."
Demian spat out swear words in a low voice.