Despite leaving after the Barbarians, Lara was first to reach the Gorgon Mountain Range. However, they arrived at a place different from the mountain range's entrance city, where Barbarians lived together.
Vassago had taken it upon himself to assume the role of a guide. He led through and climbed the mountain range along a rough and narrow road, only stopping the carriage until after halfway up the mountain.
The area was very quiet. After Vassago let go of the reins he was loosely holding, the horses suddenly got anxious and began to retreat. They had been running fearlessly thanks to the spell that Vassago had cast, but when the spell was released, they suddenly became restless and kept on neighing.
"What's wrong with them?"
Valac stepped out of the carriage and approached the horses carefully. He stroked their manes and pulled on the rope, but it was of no use.
"Release them so they can go. It seems they've smelled demonic beasts."
"Demonic beasts?"
"Don't you ever dare go anywhere and introduce yourself as a demon. You're just a foolish vermin, after all—a vermin that can't even tell that there are demonic beasts even when they're within a foot away."
Valac could not defy Vassago. He had to put up with him, even when he called him a foolish vermin or pathogenic parasite. When Valac released the horses with a stiff face, Paimon jumped down after having been sitting in the carriage.
"It smells."
"Right?"
The two demons exchanged glances, there seemed to be something that only they knew. Unable to keep up with their conversation, Valac ended up walking on eggshells and muttered to himself.
"Lilith was the one who was good at manipulating demonic beasts…"
Then, he realized something important and said aloud.
"And I ate her up, didn't I?"
Because he had eaten Lilith, Valac was now able to manipulate demonic beasts. He might not be as skillful as Lilith, but it was somewhat possible. Having just realized that fact, Valac blushed with shame.
"It seems that the weak ones have exchanged such a trivial trick. But you should thank the dead, for you have become as useful as my nails."
"That half-breed will remember being eaten by you as the most shameful thing in her life, you idiot."
Vassago and Paimon did not forget to be hard on Valac. The three demons moved the carriage aside to stand in for the horses that had run away. If they stayed in such a prominent place, they might encounter all sorts of demonic beasts living in the mountain.
"Are we there?"
Lara was not sleeping. When Vassago opened the carriage door, she came out with the giant of fire in her arms.
"Where are we?"
"This is the way to the central area of Gorgon. It's halfway up the mountain and a little far from the entrance to the mountain range where humans live. If we go straight up this road, we can see the food chain of the demonic beasts."
Lara nodded and looked around. Vassago followed her and explained.
"If you look down this cliff, you will see the human's battlefield. But rather than a battlefield…it would be more accurate to call it the human's defense line. It was originally less one-sided, but after repeated defeats, the humans have retreated as much as to what you can see now."
As Lara looked down to where Vassago pointed his finger, she saw black smoke rising here and there.
When the Barbarians were in Gorgon, they were able to control the number of the demonic beasts. But because the empire used them as slaves, the Barbarians had left the mountain range in a group. Adding to that, the number of demonic beasts has also experienced a sharp increase due to the demons' interference. All of this resulted in a barely maintained defense line that's even beginning to collapse.
Rather than the inside of the mountain range, it was more fitting to look at the defense line as the entrance. If even that place collapsed, it would only be a matter of time before demonic beasts appeared in human cities.
Lara stood and looked at the battlefield full of black smoke. When the knights were in Dandelion, they were dressed in fine armor, rode expensive warhorses, brandished glistening swords, and boasted to the cheers of the people. But now they were fighting the demonic beasts, dressed just like the herbalists and hunters. Lara could not tell which of them were the Imperial army or the hunters.
Valac crept up and asked.
"Watching them like this, they kind of reap what they sow… But are you going to just leave them here?"
"Yeah, and?"
"Are you not going to save them? They are Acerus' men."
"If you feel sorry for them, why don't you go and help them?"
Valac hesitated while finding something to refute Lara's indifferent attitude.
"Still… Those people should be in the war. Didn't you intend to drive the demon worshippers to hell before the great demon war broke out? If you abandon them here, the war will be all the more difficult."
"So what?"
"Help them first and establish a strong defensive line. Then, you drive the demonic beast's troops inside and sacrifice them to open the gates of hell…"
After mumbling for a while, Valac quietly read the room and looked up. Lara, Vassago, and Paimon were all looking at him. Vassago felt a sense of unfamiliarity while Paimon looked surprised. Lara seemed proud of Valac.
"So even a demon knows how to care for humans now."
"What?"
"You've grown up a lot."
"Saintess, what are you…"
"I was just joking earlier. I know I shouldn't abandon them."
"What?"
"The most important thing is that the Barbarians' families are also there. Of course, I have to save them."
Lara lifted the veil covering her face to one side and smiled with the corners of her lips raised sharply. Her lips were red even though she had no makeup on. The red gazes that pierced through the veil were also horrifying.
The winter wind blew where they stood. They could hear the sound of ice breaking from the frosty leaves. Standing aloof, Lara looked up with her long, black veil fluttering in the cold wind.
"Listen up. I'm going to be the human's public enemy from now on; The saintess who betrays God and becomes the monarch of the demons. It takes a strong pivot to bring together all the scattered demon worshippers after all."
"So that's your role, Master."
Vassago cried, filled with joy. He threw back the hood until it came down to his nose bridge. He raised his eyes and said.
"May you gain notoriety."
Paimon also stood next to Vassago and bowed.
"May you gain notoriety!"
The birth of the demon lord who ascends from the human realm.
The giant of fire in Lara's arms ignited wildly. An unbelievably hot heat could be felt from its tiny body. It was unrealistically hot, to the extent that Lara's shadow and the surroundings glowed red.
Valac murmured as he rubbed the goosebumps on his forearms.
"We really picked a good Master."
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Apparently, authoritarianism did not exist solely in human society and could also be found in hell. As such, Valac was unanimously decided to be the first to carry out Lara's orders.
"But usually the youngest is supposed to do it."
"Yeah, and you're the youngest here."
"But in terms of timing, I'm the oldest one in this realm."
"We're demons. The order is determined by power."
Valac's rebellion was less powerful than a burnt-out candle. Hearing Vassago making fun of Valac, Lara was genuinely curious and asked.
"Then who's the older one between Paimon and Vassago?"
"It's me."
Vassago pointed at himself. Paimon did not even deny him.
"That's it for the joke. I'm going down now. There are three demons here… so the demonic beasts have begun to get excited. It's only natural for them to lose their rationality."
Valac whispered anxiously. Following his gaze, a large group of demonic beasts with huge horns and long teeth could be seen rushing from the top of the mountain towards the Imperial army's defense line. Their eyes were red. Their sharp teeth were dripping with venomous saliva. The hungry demonic beasts were suffering from terrible hunger.
Lara realized that they were drowning in madness.
The demonic beasts did not initiate a hunt. Instead of driving prey away at once, they threw their life away and rushed unconditionally. The attack they made was quite uncharacteristic of beasts.
How can I prevent those demonic beasts from destroying the defense line of the Imperial army, while at the same time making the Imperial army misunderstand that the saintess has betrayed God and become the demon lord?
"Vassago."
"Yes, Master."
"Go to the Imperial army's camp and tell them that the demon lord has appeared on the mountain. Scream and run away. Shout out loud: 'the world is about to end and God has abandoned us.'"
"Wow, I got it."
Vassago grinned and ran down the mountain. Next was Paimon.
"Paimon."
"Yes, Master."
"Find the most fearsome looking and largest-built demonic beast in the Gorgon Mountain Range. Do it right away."
"Demonic beast?"
"Yes. I will make it my mount and ride it."
Paimon moved quickly at Lara's order. He climbed the mountain so fast his feet could not be seen. In no time at all, he had disappeared from sight.
The last one was Valac.
"Valac, make them angry."
Lara pointed at the group of demonic beasts gathering on the mountain.
"Like crazy."
Valac nodded with a gloomy face and said.
"Somehow it feels like I'm given the most ungainly task."