Didn’t we walk this long and arduous path to open the gates of hell?
Beryl was momentarily speechless at Belled’s words.
Belled looked at her and then let out a low laugh. A mischievous smile flowed across his face.
“To be exact, we’re pretending that the gates of heaven are open.”
“...?”
Belled whispered to her, who opened her eyes wide.
“Only they who survived there will know the truth.”
He spread his hands and slowly squeezed the air.
“Just as we were branded evil by someone, the devil, this time...”
The corners of his mouth smoothly rose.
“We become angels.”
Those who convey the will of God... those who convey your will.
Beryl opened her eyes wide.
The central temple was revered as the most sacred place in the religious order.
Unless it was a big event like this opening ceremony, they would even strictly control entry and exit to the point where those who hadn’t prayed to the gods for several years wouldn’t even be allowed to set foot in.
The places that were managed so sacredly would sparkle unnaturally as if they had never been touched by human hands.
It was hard to set foot in them.
However, the underground of such places was completely different.
Deep underground in the central temple, which was said to be the most sacred, was a gruesome prison covered with the blood of countless prisoners and traces of unknown origin.
It was a space that felt out of place as if it wasn’t the same building as the temple that was shining pure white right above it.
And the people imprisoned there were extremely evil criminals, demons, or similar beings who weren’t even treated as human beings.
That’s why everyone who went to and from the central temple thought. This underground prison must be empty.
It was common to treat the underground prison as if it were an empty place, with that wish in mind. To the point where they didn’t even clean it.
Unfortunately, however, that place was now full.
And of course, there was the Duke of Orobas, who was considered the greatest evil being of the time.
“Ugh...!”
He was tied up with his hands and feet and couldn’t move.
How on earth did it end up like this?
When the Saintess first chose Vine, he felt relieved, but he also felt a little regretful.
It was clear that the Duke of Vine had taken the first step of that holy virgin.
“...Duke of Orobas.”
He had been moved more than once by the sight of the Saintess narrowing her eyes as she spoke.
Her pure white body, which could be seen through the hem of her clothes, and her pure voice.
No one could satisfy his twisted lust as well.
What would that pure white face look like when she saw him? What kind of expression would she make when she saw the sacrificial offering?
How would she react if he showed the most sacred woman, the most lowly act, the most sacred scene of the conception of life?
Such thoughts were only a small part of the numerous lowly thoughts he had toward the Saintess Beryl.
Even though being labeled as a demon family would be fatal to his reputation right away, the reason he secretly wanted Beryl to choose his family was not only because of his lower body.
If he had to tease his lower body a few times and be destroyed as a demon, he wouldn’t have even tried.
Even if he was misunderstood, who would misunderstand if he used a divine vision?
Thinking that way, he had masturbated more than once while thinking of the Saintess. Because he didn’t feel a crisis that was enough to make his own things sink.
“Tsk.”
The knight passed by Duke Orobas, who had already fallen into an ecstatic expression as if he had seen something dirty.
Duke Orobas’s face crumpled.
His neck was on the verge of falling, but was his lower body the problem right now?
“Ugh!”
She even said that she didn’t even believe that she was a Saintess until the moment she was honored as a Saintess and came to the temple.
She was just a lucky woman.
But who would want to bow their head while listening to her orders?
A woman who was useless except for performing the ritual of opening doors!
“Uh-uh!”
When he bit his gag and lashed out in anger, the paladin got angry.
“Why are you being so noisy?”
“I told you to call the higher-ups.”
The paladins guarding his cell sneered coldly.
“Now who is this useless human being who is only a sacrifice trying to tell?”
Duke Orobas’s face turned bright red at those words. It was as if he had read his thoughts about Saintess Beryl.
He felt a strange sense of foreboding, never dreaming that he had said something similar before Beryl’s return.
How much more time had passed?
The prison door of Duke Orobas, who had been unable to die and was still alive in a place where he could not eat properly and was only given water to drink, finally opened.
Kirik.
Could it be? His eyes opened wide and instead of Alinica, the knights with fierce expressions stood before him.
“It’s time.”
Could it be...!
A sense of despair, completely different from the anticipation he had felt earlier, enveloped him.
“The opening ceremony is coming soon. Bring him out.”
“Ugh!”
As expected, Duke Orobas’ face turned pale at the story he was telling.
It was something that would make him jump for joy, but it seemed that no one would listen to him.
“Ugh!”
Four or five knights restrained his struggling body.
They tightened the gag even more. As he had said, the words of someone without authority were completely useless.
“This is great.”
Some knights were babbling like that.
They were mostly those whom he had ignored with his authority as a Duke. Duke Orobas now understood the humiliating feeling that the victim remembers even if the perpetrator doesn’t.
But that didn’t change anything. He would just die more miserably.
And the same situation was happening not far away, in Duke Yubar’s prison.
“It’s all a ruse! Someone...!”
“Can’t you shut up!”
The furious knights covered his mouth.
“Ugh, that devil tricked me!”
“So you’re saying you made a deal with the devil?”
“Even just brushing the collar is ominous!”
The moment he heard those words, Duke Yubar also felt a strange sense of foreboding.
However, he didn’t have time to enjoy the feeling of foreboding right before his death.
“Ugh!”
The gag was lifted and he was about to escape the knights’ hands.
Sssssss...
He clearly saw the fog gathering beyond the knights. With his eyes wide open, he clearly saw the red fog gathering to form a person.
And next to that person was the male demon in black robes that he had seen.
“Th-those... Ugh! Ugh!”
It was no use saying that guy. But what was more frustrating was that.
Smack.
As the demon in question slowly pulled back his robe hood, a familiar face appeared.
That guy is the commander of the knights of the Duke Vine’s house!
Even though he recognized Naberus’ face belatedly, it was already too late.
“Ugh!”
Vine, Vine is the devil!
No matter how much he shouted, all that came out was an indistinct outburst.
Not me! Those guys didn’t just graze his collar, they were devils themselves!
The Saintess who was with them was even more ominous! If this continues, the gates of hell will open!
“Drag him out!”
But his words only scattered in his head. Soon, his eyes were covered and he was dragged out of the prison.
The morning of the opening ceremony.
Beryl, who was tossing and turning when it was time to wake up, felt a cool breeze touch her whole body.
Something wetter than the cool air of dawn.
“...!”
Beryl opened her eyes in surprise.
Beryl was momentarily speechless at Belled’s words.
Belled looked at her and then let out a low laugh. A mischievous smile flowed across his face.
“To be exact, we’re pretending that the gates of heaven are open.”
“...?”
Belled whispered to her, who opened her eyes wide.
“Only they who survived there will know the truth.”
He spread his hands and slowly squeezed the air.
“Just as we were branded evil by someone, the devil, this time...”
The corners of his mouth smoothly rose.
“We become angels.”
Those who convey the will of God... those who convey your will.
Beryl opened her eyes wide.
***
The central temple was revered as the most sacred place in the religious order.
Unless it was a big event like this opening ceremony, they would even strictly control entry and exit to the point where those who hadn’t prayed to the gods for several years wouldn’t even be allowed to set foot in.
The places that were managed so sacredly would sparkle unnaturally as if they had never been touched by human hands.
It was hard to set foot in them.
However, the underground of such places was completely different.
Deep underground in the central temple, which was said to be the most sacred, was a gruesome prison covered with the blood of countless prisoners and traces of unknown origin.
It was a space that felt out of place as if it wasn’t the same building as the temple that was shining pure white right above it.
And the people imprisoned there were extremely evil criminals, demons, or similar beings who weren’t even treated as human beings.
That’s why everyone who went to and from the central temple thought. This underground prison must be empty.
It was common to treat the underground prison as if it were an empty place, with that wish in mind. To the point where they didn’t even clean it.
Unfortunately, however, that place was now full.
And of course, there was the Duke of Orobas, who was considered the greatest evil being of the time.
“Ugh...!”
He was tied up with his hands and feet and couldn’t move.
How on earth did it end up like this?
When the Saintess first chose Vine, he felt relieved, but he also felt a little regretful.
It was clear that the Duke of Vine had taken the first step of that holy virgin.
“...Duke of Orobas.”
He had been moved more than once by the sight of the Saintess narrowing her eyes as she spoke.
Her pure white body, which could be seen through the hem of her clothes, and her pure voice.
No one could satisfy his twisted lust as well.
What would that pure white face look like when she saw him? What kind of expression would she make when she saw the sacrificial offering?
How would she react if he showed the most sacred woman, the most lowly act, the most sacred scene of the conception of life?
Such thoughts were only a small part of the numerous lowly thoughts he had toward the Saintess Beryl.
Even though being labeled as a demon family would be fatal to his reputation right away, the reason he secretly wanted Beryl to choose his family was not only because of his lower body.
If he had to tease his lower body a few times and be destroyed as a demon, he wouldn’t have even tried.
Even if he was misunderstood, who would misunderstand if he used a divine vision?
Thinking that way, he had masturbated more than once while thinking of the Saintess. Because he didn’t feel a crisis that was enough to make his own things sink.
“Tsk.”
The knight passed by Duke Orobas, who had already fallen into an ecstatic expression as if he had seen something dirty.
Duke Orobas’s face crumpled.
His neck was on the verge of falling, but was his lower body the problem right now?
“Ugh!”
This is so unfair!
“Ugh, ugh, ugh!”
He nodded fervently outside.
‘Please, anyone! Call at least one priest who knows me! Yes, that Alinica!’
‘Be quiet!’
The knights, unable to bear his cries, gagged him.
And even though they must have heard the name Alinica, no one called for him.
He ground his teeth.
'In the newly reorganized world, Orobas and Alinica will have new places.'
Alinica, who had promised that, didn't even show her nose.
Hadn't he spoken first?
'Anyway, when the gates of heaven open and the world is reorganized, that Saintess will sit above us simply because she is a Saintess.'
Alinica, who was most offended by this fact, made the first suggestion.
'There are countless ways to bring down the Saintess. However, the reason I am suggesting this is because Orobas is Orobas.'
Unlike the temple, wouldn't a family with power in the secular world be able to deal well with the people of the empire outside?
She said that, but in the end, she probably meant that she wanted Orobas to get a little dirty water poured on him.
However, the reason Duke Orobas held her hand despite knowing that was because the bait was too big.
'If the matter is over and the Saintess is tainted and brought down from that place, who would want a woman who no longer has power? Then...'
You will take the Saintess Beryl.
Bewitched by those words, Duke Orobas held Alinica's hand.
After that, it was smooth sailing. The priest in charge of Orobas also became someone who could communicate well, and through him, he also spent a considerable amount of money on Alinica.
However, at some point, the plan started to go wrong, and this is what happened.
'...'
Duke Orobas frowned as he thought of Beryl’s cold gaze as she looked at him.
If only she weren’t a Saintess! It’s nothing!
“...a Saintess?
“Ugh, ugh, ugh!”
He nodded fervently outside.
‘Please, anyone! Call at least one priest who knows me! Yes, that Alinica!’
‘Be quiet!’
The knights, unable to bear his cries, gagged him.
And even though they must have heard the name Alinica, no one called for him.
He ground his teeth.
'In the newly reorganized world, Orobas and Alinica will have new places.'
Alinica, who had promised that, didn't even show her nose.
Hadn't he spoken first?
'Anyway, when the gates of heaven open and the world is reorganized, that Saintess will sit above us simply because she is a Saintess.'
Alinica, who was most offended by this fact, made the first suggestion.
'There are countless ways to bring down the Saintess. However, the reason I am suggesting this is because Orobas is Orobas.'
Unlike the temple, wouldn't a family with power in the secular world be able to deal well with the people of the empire outside?
She said that, but in the end, she probably meant that she wanted Orobas to get a little dirty water poured on him.
However, the reason Duke Orobas held her hand despite knowing that was because the bait was too big.
'If the matter is over and the Saintess is tainted and brought down from that place, who would want a woman who no longer has power? Then...'
You will take the Saintess Beryl.
Bewitched by those words, Duke Orobas held Alinica's hand.
After that, it was smooth sailing. The priest in charge of Orobas also became someone who could communicate well, and through him, he also spent a considerable amount of money on Alinica.
However, at some point, the plan started to go wrong, and this is what happened.
'...'
Duke Orobas frowned as he thought of Beryl’s cold gaze as she looked at him.
If only she weren’t a Saintess! It’s nothing!
“...a Saintess?
She even said that she didn’t even believe that she was a Saintess until the moment she was honored as a Saintess and came to the temple.
She was just a lucky woman.
But who would want to bow their head while listening to her orders?
A woman who was useless except for performing the ritual of opening doors!
“Uh-uh!”
When he bit his gag and lashed out in anger, the paladin got angry.
“Why are you being so noisy?”
“I told you to call the higher-ups.”
The paladins guarding his cell sneered coldly.
“Now who is this useless human being who is only a sacrifice trying to tell?”
Duke Orobas’s face turned bright red at those words. It was as if he had read his thoughts about Saintess Beryl.
He felt a strange sense of foreboding, never dreaming that he had said something similar before Beryl’s return.
How much more time had passed?
The prison door of Duke Orobas, who had been unable to die and was still alive in a place where he could not eat properly and was only given water to drink, finally opened.
Kirik.
Could it be? His eyes opened wide and instead of Alinica, the knights with fierce expressions stood before him.
“It’s time.”
Could it be...!
A sense of despair, completely different from the anticipation he had felt earlier, enveloped him.
“The opening ceremony is coming soon. Bring him out.”
“Ugh!”
As expected, Duke Orobas’ face turned pale at the story he was telling.
It was something that would make him jump for joy, but it seemed that no one would listen to him.
“Ugh!”
Four or five knights restrained his struggling body.
They tightened the gag even more. As he had said, the words of someone without authority were completely useless.
“This is great.”
Some knights were babbling like that.
They were mostly those whom he had ignored with his authority as a Duke. Duke Orobas now understood the humiliating feeling that the victim remembers even if the perpetrator doesn’t.
But that didn’t change anything. He would just die more miserably.
And the same situation was happening not far away, in Duke Yubar’s prison.
“It’s all a ruse! Someone...!”
“Can’t you shut up!”
The furious knights covered his mouth.
“Ugh, that devil tricked me!”
“So you’re saying you made a deal with the devil?”
“Even just brushing the collar is ominous!”
The moment he heard those words, Duke Yubar also felt a strange sense of foreboding.
However, he didn’t have time to enjoy the feeling of foreboding right before his death.
“Ugh!”
The gag was lifted and he was about to escape the knights’ hands.
Sssssss...
He clearly saw the fog gathering beyond the knights. With his eyes wide open, he clearly saw the red fog gathering to form a person.
And next to that person was the male demon in black robes that he had seen.
“Th-those... Ugh! Ugh!”
It was no use saying that guy. But what was more frustrating was that.
Smack.
As the demon in question slowly pulled back his robe hood, a familiar face appeared.
That guy is the commander of the knights of the Duke Vine’s house!
Even though he recognized Naberus’ face belatedly, it was already too late.
“Ugh!”
Vine, Vine is the devil!
No matter how much he shouted, all that came out was an indistinct outburst.
Not me! Those guys didn’t just graze his collar, they were devils themselves!
The Saintess who was with them was even more ominous! If this continues, the gates of hell will open!
“Drag him out!”
But his words only scattered in his head. Soon, his eyes were covered and he was dragged out of the prison.
***
The morning of the opening ceremony.
Beryl, who was tossing and turning when it was time to wake up, felt a cool breeze touch her whole body.
Something wetter than the cool air of dawn.
“...!”
Beryl opened her eyes in surprise.
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