"KYAAAAAA!!"
A blood curdling scream woke up the three saintess from slumber and searching for their swords before pointing it at the intruder.
This was ill advised as the poor old housekeeper screamed even louder.
Oriane was the first to regain her bearings and realized it was the housekeeper. "H-hey Claudina! Shulia! It's the housekeeper!"
"What?" Blearily Shulia blinked open her eyes and saw indeed it was the housekeeper. "O-oh! I apologize, Mrs. Kui! I didn't know it was you! Are you alright?"
Hurried footsteps rushed into their room. "Hey you three! What was that scream?" Sylvester and the other two came rushing inside the room.
Claudina's head was also cleared up form sleep. "We are fin-"
"Agh! I apologize! I didn't mean for seeing you when you are in your undergarments!" Sullivan shrieked and quickly covered his red face with his hands. He went out and stayed there.
"What's wrong? Why did you scream bloody murder five in the morning?" Anatole rubbed his temples.
'He still wears a mask even while sleeping …' "We didn't scream. We were woken up like you too." Shulia looked at the housekeeper who has finally gathered her wits. "Mrs. Kui, why did you scream?"
The shaking housekeeper only pointed at the end of the room. Everyone looked at where she pointing. Oriane gasped.
Lit by the blush of the sun sitting there on the table were multiple dead bugs with their stomachs turned inside out. A single stake was stabbed through the heart of a headless rabbit while multiple small birds were chirping feebly with their wings broken.
Among the blood and dead animals one thing stood out to Claudina. A single black rose, note dripping with ink was speared through its thorns.
"I-I just came upstairs to replenish the coal since it got chilly lately," the housekeeper tearfully began. "When I opened the door there it was…"
While Shulia and Sylvester took her downstairs Claudina reached for the rose. She winced. A thorn pricked her finger. A single drop of blood flowed out the new wound.
"What's that?"
She glanced back. Oriane had snuck up behind her. She smiled as warm as the rising sun causing her to blush and Anatole to flinch back.
'What is the wench planning again?!'
'Claudina… So pretty…'
Claudina returned her gaze to the note. Being careful she pried the note out of the thorns. Partially wet from the morning dew and the ink itself the note had a few words written on it: THREE DAYS
"Saintess do you know who sent it?"
"No…" There was something strange with the paper. She smoothed it and lifted it to the light. The note became transparent and revealed more words: To the Saint's Apprentice
"…But this lovely gift was for me~"
Oriane glanced at the ruined table. "Lovely…?"
"Of course it is! Look carefully here on this rabbit. With a stake ripped into it, don't you think there is a meaning?"
Oriane looked at the rabbit in confusion. "I don't think I can…"
"The dear person who sent this beautiful gift wants my Baron's head. And the birds with the broken wings were meant to represent us saints. Currently we were soaring but soon we will be hunted and our wings will be crushed. As for the bugs…" she said with a sly glance. "…it's meant as a curse. 'I curse thee for the bugs in the ground to die when they gnaw through your coffin nails.' Quite a hatful curse but easy to undo at the same time."
Behind Anatole signed. He reached forward and tapped twice on the table while saying the counter curse. The bugs sizzled before a black smoke left them and went out the window.
"Um…that's quite horrible. S-should I clear the table?" Oriane asked.
"No need. I will give them to Baron as a snack."
"With the bugs?"
"Minus the bugs."
Anatole signed again. "So who did you pissed off this much that they sent this 'gift' to you?"
"No clue. Also, don't assume I piss off people. I have never done anything like that my entire life."
"…Right and clearly I must be a clown."
"Oh! Plans for career changes? I don't think you are funny enough to be hired in a circus though."
"You little sorry waste of space..."
Claudina folded the note. "But I think it is someone who knows me. And by the way Anatole there is no need for any of you to help me. This matter concerns me specifically." 'Come on now, offer to help~'
Anatole was silent. Oriane tugged at his shirt's hem. "Sir Anatole…" she pleaded. "…Someone is trying to bully Claudina. Can we not help her? She took care of so many monsters by herself back at the beach. And the rabbit demon too! They helped us so much."
'Agh! So that was what the wench was aiming for!' "It's a given. As fellow saints, if another saint is in a pinch we will naturally help."
"Really~" Claudina beamed. "You would do that for me? You are so nice~"
Oriane pounced on her. "If you ever need help I at the very least will assist you…"
Claudina wrapped her hand on her back. 'I doubt I would ever need your help but…' "I greatly appreciate it."
After both Anatole and Oriane left, Claudina took out the note again.
"I wonder who is so bold to challenge me." She sneered. "I haven't seen such bravery since General Raphael's side. I can't wait to see what stage you have prepared for me."
She crushed the rose, spitting the note with blood.
Claudina walked inside the quite, cold park. It was nearing dusk and she had been out since morning.
There were small breezes and a few people were still walking about.
She gazed up. The stars were starting to shimmer through the dusk clouds. She raised her hand before clenching it in a fist.
"This person… was certainly aware of my schedule. Three days… in three days me and Sylvester are leaving for the eastern continent while the others take a different ship to go back home. Feels more like they want to hurt me mentally, really…"
She smiled. "Well too bad for them I have no connection with them whatsoever~" With a skip on her step she continued the stroll.
"By the way I don't see those street urchins from yesterday? Whatever it has nothing to do with me though." Soon she reached the end of the park. "…I should take a shortcut. It's already gotten so late."
The shortcut involved taking a detour in the beach from the park. Keeping at the beach she would come around the other end of the island where the harbor was rather than walking all the way through the park and streets.
The sky had finally darkened but it was still lit with millions of stars blanketing the darkness.
The tide was low and she steadily walked on the shell ridden sand. As she was on her way, she noticed someone already at the beach. Claudina squinted to see who it was.
A tall shadowy figure standing upright probably staring at the sea with how they were positioned along with some other small things beside them. Yet it didn't make her lower her guard. Slowly she neared the stranger and noticed more details like their inhuman size, the hulking ram hours and their swishing tails.
'Demon…' She could sense the void aura. 'Seems like they have just arrived from the Void too.' Reaching for the Holy sword on her belt she gripped it tightly in case the demon attacked her first.
She was now a few feet away from the demon.
It could easily loom over the tall northern people. It had a draconic face with the fangs curved upwards and black scales fading into human skin. It was dressed in extravagant clothes resembling a military uniform complete with a sword and cape. Even its claws were fit in large hide gloves. There was some sort of upside down crown on its shaggy white mane while five of its tail glimmered with their stingers raised.
Imps were surrounding the demon. They were rather quite for a horde of imps. In fact they were kneeling in respect and fear. They sat in rows of semi circle behind him. They didn't move when they saw her though their pointy ears twitched up.
'Odd…they should be wrecking havoc by now…wait why haven't the other Saints sensed the Void aura yet?'
Claudina stepped on a shell causing the demon to roll its sea green eyes at her. Violent shivers spread on her spine. 'What the hell is this?!'
Glaring and trying to ignore her fear she took a step back.
'Is this the woman who sealed Baron?' A deep rumbling voice echoed in her head. The demon now fully turned to face her.
"Huh?! Are you speaking in my head?!"
'A bit…strange. Quite unrefined.'
"Excuse me?! Who are you to call me 'unrefined'?!"
'Boorish even!'
Her blood boiled. "I'll end you, you bastard if you don't take it back! Hey I am not done talking!"
'Woman, hand over Baron. Since he made a contract with you I will hand over what it is you want in exchange of Baron. Isn't that a more suitable? You won't have to part with your soul that way. So hand him ove-' White hair fell on his long snout.
The tips of his horns were slashed with the Stars' Blessing.
The imps quivered in fear while the demon unchanging in expression reached to examine the damage of his horns. '…You must be the first human to dare show such insolence in front of me.'
Claudina glared up at him. "Bold words coming from someone who pretends to wear a crown yet doesn't introduce themselves first. If you wanted to talk then please say so instead of rudely commenting on someone's appearance."
The imps shrank in place. The demon frowned before going back to sternness. 'Pardon my rudeness. I didn't mean to lash out my anger on you earlier. It was because of…' he glanced at the imps who froze in place. He signed a puff of smoke out form his nostrils.
She nodded. "I understand." She held out her skirt and curtsied. "My name is Claudina Von Crowley, Heir Apparent of the Crowley dukedom and…the 22nd Saintess of Chronos."
'…Saintess?' his rumbling voice sounded displeased yet curious. '…I see.' He put his hand on his uniform while the other held the belt where his sword was fastened to. 'I am the current demon king, Augustus ασрянber. I am here to fetch Baron back to the Void.'
'This is the Demon King?! The demon king is the one who insulted me? Ugh! It's going to harder to take him down then! No wait clam down first. The fight can come after. Let's listen to what he is saying first.'
'…Your thoughts are quite loud.'
She gave a pinned smile. 'I am sure his esteemed majesty can communicate without interrupting my thought.'
He gave her a curious look before agreeing.
"So your majesty what brings you here to the human realm? As far as I know the demon king is not permitted to enter this world least you incur the gods' anger."
'About that…' he started. 'But before I was hoping you could deal with that…' He looked over her head.
She blinked in confusion. Then her eyes widened. 'This aura...!'
Momentarily after, heavy sounds of hooves reached them. A large beast bounded out from the trees. The beast had the body and horns of a stag but the head and tail of a gryphon. Its body was covered in maroon fur while its straight angular face was covered in red scales. The mane on its back was replaced by pale yellow flames. It angrily pawed the ground with its hooves while snarling at the demon king.
'…Had I really meant any harm I would have attacked the gods by now.' Claudina ignored him. Instead she grinned at the beast sent by Lord Gaia.
The beasts of gods were a remnant part of the gods after the Great War. The excess of the gods' powers that was leftover gave birth to them. They have existed since the foundation of the Five Nations. In the beginning they were used as steeds for the saints but after various inventions, magic tool and transportation were created they became protectors of the borders of the borders and sometimes were seen as minor deities by the country folk. They were docile and protected humans and fiercely obeyed the gods and saints.
"Hey Vixie~" Claudina softly called out. The beast immediately looked at her. "Remember me? I bet you don't now but we used to fly atop the mountain ranges of Gaiarit when I visited."
The beast narrowed its purple eyes taking tentative steps at her. It sniffed her hand and cooed with recognition that she was saint.
It licked her face like a an overgrown puppy with a large purple tongue cooing and nuzzling.
Claudina giggled. "It's good to see you again Vixie! But you can't attack this demon yet." Vixie whimpered. "No Vixie no. You can stay but no attacking…" she casted a sideways look at the demon king. 'You are never getting Baron! Never!'
"…Yet!"
"Now your majesty what were you saying? You want to bring him back you say?" She giggled. "What are you his father?"
The demon king glanced at the rearing beast. 'No I have no spawn of my own. However Baron is my subject who was previously summoned by a spiteful human. I was not able to intervene before for his coordinates were jumbled all over the human realm. It was recently I found out his location and now I wish to bring back him to the Void. So I beseech you; release him from the soul contract.'
Claudina blinked. "Soul contract? Well an ownership mark is similar to a soul contract as master and servant but-" she casually started.
'WHAT?!' The loud voice reverberating in her brain.
The imps quaked almost desperate to run. Vixie snarled at them.
'A mere human dares to put an ownership mark on a demon!' The demon king was baring his teeth while smoke seeped out the corners of his gritted fangs.
"…Agh! Get out of my head!" Claudina tried to hold her head up. The pain was excruciating. It felt like her head was splitting open.
'Silence human!' He lunged for her, his hand pointed like a dagger and aimed for her heart. She noticed it too late and blood splattered out-
Baron was shielding her with a blood stained hand lodged deep in his back. Many eyes were crushed beyond recognition.
"Baron!" she shrieked. "Oh my gosh! Are you alright Baron?!" Shivering in fear that his vitals were hurt Claudina took out the Forbidden Grimoire to heal him.
The demon king looked vaguely disturbed. 'A saintess…aiding a demon? And this power is similar to mine...'
As soon as she healed him, she shot a hateful glare at him. "I wonder if I should let Vixie sic you…"
In response the beast arched in an attack stance.
The demon king shook his head and bowed deeply. The imps had their eye sockets falling out while Baron looked equally spooked. Claudina stared at him in mild surprise. "…What?"
'I apologize for what I have done. Whereas I said previously I would talk, I raised my hand at you in blind rage.' He looked up with shame in his eyes. 'This time I will solely discuss the important matters.'
Claudina was miffed before reluctantly agreeing.