The change in the sky wasn’t just seen by Naberus and Hanar.
Kukung... Kukungung...!
The knights also looked up at the sky as a loud noise shook the axis of the earth as if the sky was falling.
The same was true of Duke Yubar, who was already tied up and struggling.
And the three groups, all in different situations, looked at the sky with the same expression.
“The sky...”
The sky was turning bright white.
The dark twilight energy disappeared as if time was going backwards, or too quickly. As if something other than the sun was illuminating the world, the sky turned completely white.
That sight could be seen everywhere on the continent.
And even Vine saw it.
“Day, day is coming!”
The knights’ voices were heard in confusion.
Even Belled frowned and looked outside.
He felt a huge flow of power swirling around the sky, rather than the outside becoming brighter.
It wasn’t holy power or magic. It was a pure power flowing that wasn’t biased to one side, but that seemed like it would quickly turn to one side if touched even a little.
“That.”
He frowned and wrapped Beryl’s body around him. It was to prepare for any unexpected situation.
However, Beryl, who was in the office with him, shook her head.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Of course, it was too big of a change to not worry about.
It was a wave of power so strong that even Belled’s skin tingled.
However, Beryl was able to speak confidently.
Beled looked back at her, perhaps noticing her expression.
“Do you know what that is?”
Even while he was saying that he didn’t let go of Beryl in his arms. As if he was preparing for any possible situation.
Beryl was held in his arms and buried her body in his shoulder. Then she nodded.
“It’s a phenomenon that occurs before the opening ceremony begins.”
Of course, she, who had returned, knew about this phenomenon.
“It turns white for three days, then completely black for three days, and then red for the next three days.”
It was a truly ominous sight, but there was no danger, such as lightning strikes from the sky.
Only after Beryl said that did Belled loosen his grip on her tightly.
“The opening ceremony is about ten days away.”
The moon would begin to block out the sun after that.
Belled nodded briefly at Beryl’s words.
“I should order you to calmly prepare for the ceremony.”
It didn’t matter if the temple was surprised and flustered. But this plan had to be perfect.
Beryl nodded at Belled’s words.
Sigh.
Belled kissed the bridge of her nose and pulled the rope.
“Call Ronove.”
“Yes.”
The demon outside bowed his head. He looked relieved at the calm appearance of the master couple.
And soon.
“Did you call?”
While Belled explained the sky to Ronove, Beryl closed her eyes.
When the red sky had passed, when the moon had covered the sun and the world had been immersed in darkness as if it were starting over, then it would brighten again. If we offer them on the altar and open the gate, there will be heaven.
Not the heaven that the temple talks about, but the heaven that would surely be heaven for Beryl, Belled, and the people of Vine.
The gates of hell will open.
My heaven, our heaven.
[The saintess will lead everyone to the devil.]
Beryl suddenly remembered the oracle that had been handed down to her.
Since there was a God, he would have defined wizards as devils and locked them in the gates of hell.
But I don’t know if god loves humans. Beryl thought.
If this opening ceremony was over, then god would have given the right oracle after all.
Because as a Saintess, she would really lead them to the devils.
In a completely different way than they had expected.
Beryl clenched her fists.
Under Kenar’s breath, Duke Yubar’s affairs were quickly resolved.
And Vine, who had no reason to worry about the ominous sky, was spurring on the preparations for the opening ceremony.
Except for a few areas where dealing with monsters was a hassle, most of Vine's troops who had been out had also returned.
Just when I thought I could just regroup and prepare for the opening ceremony,
“We’ve received a call from the temple.”
Ronove came with a letter.
My gaze turned to the office window. Looking outside, I saw a paladin being guided by a servant a little way from the main building of the mansion.
The situation was not good enough to impress the demons who had become adept at dealing with servants.
“There shouldn’t be any other call from the temple...”
I tilted my head and accepted the letter.
Meanwhile, Belled checked the paladin’s appearance.
“It seems like he came rather urgently.”
Did something come up?
At those words, my hands opened the letter even faster.
Then, I blinked at the contents.
“...He definitely deserves to come urgently.”
At those words, Belled’s gaze also turned to the letter.
“Saintess, how have you been?”
Belled narrowed his eyes as he read the letter, which began unusually politely.
It was because he knew that there was a reason why humans were so extravagant in their manners that they didn’t even normally show.
As expected, the content of the letter that followed was as follows.
[...So, many of the temple’s knights have left.
Not only that but due to the recent investigation into the strange phenomenon that occurred in the sky, there is a shortage of manpower to clean up the central altar.
So, if you have the capacity, could you guide them with your mercy?]
In short, he meant that he wanted to leave the cleaning up of the altar to Vine since they would get away under the pretense of investigating what happened in the sky.
After all, it happened in the sky, and even if they tried to investigate it, they wouldn’t be able to investigate it unless they flew up to the sky themselves.
I raised my eyebrows.
“This is...”
“An excuse.”
Belled said as if he had read my thoughts.
When their eyes met, Belled, who had been narrowing his eyes, brushed my hair and said.
“Now that the leader of the demons is thought to have been caught, they must have thought that the demons would gather at the altar to disrupt the opening ceremony.”
That’s why he was trying to pass on the ‘dangerous task’ to Vine.
Normally, he would have refused.
I smiled.
“This is a good opportunity for us.”
Instead of answering, Belled gently hugged me.
While wrapped in his arms, I handed Ronove another letter.
“Tell him that we will gladly send our troops.”
“Understood.”
The central altar to be organized must have been the altar used for the opening ceremony.
He had been waiting for a chance to look around the area.
“And it would be good to have separate personnel to look around there.”
Belled looked down at me. He seemed to understand what I was trying to say, but he didn’t continue speaking for me.
As if he was telling me to do whatever I wanted. As if he trusted me.
With just that look in his eyes, I could now muster up my courage.
“That place was once a place where gods used to come and go, so there might be things harmful to demons, so we should be careful and focus on those who can inspect it.”
As I spoke, Belled gently stroked my cheek with his hand.
“We’ll look at the situation and find ways to change the battle environment there to the demons’ advantage.”
Belled, who seemed lost in thought for a moment at my words, moved slightly.
“Belled?”
Instead of answering, Belled reached out and picked up a decoration on a nearby dresser.
It was a decoration made by Marbes.
“...Ah!”
I, looking at the sight, came up with the perfect plan.
“I’d like to place Marbes’ decoration there. As much as possible... something that looks sacred to the temple.”
Something like a bird.
There is a popular belief that animals with wings convey the will of the gods from the sky, and the temple also regards them as sacred.
Thanks to this, I remembered being told several times to be careful not to startle a bird that happened to land near the temple.
“Understood.”
Ronove bowed his head.
Click, thud.
It would be enjoyable because the magic flowed right after drinking the fountain of desire. But that would be short-lived, and soon she would suffer from a tremendous fever of awakening.
He didn’t want to let her fall into that pain. He didn’t want to push her into a situation where he could lose her.
So he gave up once again. He tried to give up.
“...”
Magic was gathered in his dimly opened, dark green eyes.
What would her future be like?
Will he be at her end?
He hopes her end is far enough away that he can’t see it.
The last time he saw her was when she was walking in some kind of black shoes.
Where was she going?
As he thought about that, Belled’s mind’s eye showed him the future.
Wow!
What he saw after his eyes flashed was not the feet wearing the black shoes he had seen before. It was an altar covered with a white cloth. It seemed like a battle had taken place nearby.
The humans were swinging their swords and he was standing there to protect her.
Maybe it was because of the fierce battle, but his eyes were drawn to the pillars that were precariously supporting the ceiling.
‘Kill the Saintess, no, the devil’s servant!’
‘A witch who is one with the devil!’
He saw the knight’s clear mouth shape.
If they offered the witch to the altar, he might be able to open the gates of heaven. The moment he thought he could read that thought,
“...!”
He saw magic colliding with the pillars that were precariously holding up.
At the same time, a sword flashed through the debris of the ceiling that was beginning to collapse.
The tip of the sword pierced the heart of Beryl, who was wearing a pitch-black dress.
“Beryl.”
Her end, as seen through his mind’s eye, was death.
Death by humans who were trying to open the gates of heaven with her blood.
Belled’s face hardened coldly.
Kukung... Kukungung...!
The knights also looked up at the sky as a loud noise shook the axis of the earth as if the sky was falling.
The same was true of Duke Yubar, who was already tied up and struggling.
And the three groups, all in different situations, looked at the sky with the same expression.
“The sky...”
The sky was turning bright white.
The dark twilight energy disappeared as if time was going backwards, or too quickly. As if something other than the sun was illuminating the world, the sky turned completely white.
***
That sight could be seen everywhere on the continent.
And even Vine saw it.
“Day, day is coming!”
The knights’ voices were heard in confusion.
Even Belled frowned and looked outside.
He felt a huge flow of power swirling around the sky, rather than the outside becoming brighter.
It wasn’t holy power or magic. It was a pure power flowing that wasn’t biased to one side, but that seemed like it would quickly turn to one side if touched even a little.
“That.”
He frowned and wrapped Beryl’s body around him. It was to prepare for any unexpected situation.
However, Beryl, who was in the office with him, shook her head.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Of course, it was too big of a change to not worry about.
It was a wave of power so strong that even Belled’s skin tingled.
However, Beryl was able to speak confidently.
Beled looked back at her, perhaps noticing her expression.
“Do you know what that is?”
Even while he was saying that he didn’t let go of Beryl in his arms. As if he was preparing for any possible situation.
Beryl was held in his arms and buried her body in his shoulder. Then she nodded.
“It’s a phenomenon that occurs before the opening ceremony begins.”
Of course, she, who had returned, knew about this phenomenon.
“It turns white for three days, then completely black for three days, and then red for the next three days.”
It was a truly ominous sight, but there was no danger, such as lightning strikes from the sky.
Only after Beryl said that did Belled loosen his grip on her tightly.
“The opening ceremony is about ten days away.”
The moon would begin to block out the sun after that.
Belled nodded briefly at Beryl’s words.
“I should order you to calmly prepare for the ceremony.”
It didn’t matter if the temple was surprised and flustered. But this plan had to be perfect.
Beryl nodded at Belled’s words.
Sigh.
Belled kissed the bridge of her nose and pulled the rope.
“Call Ronove.”
“Yes.”
The demon outside bowed his head. He looked relieved at the calm appearance of the master couple.
And soon.
“Did you call?”
While Belled explained the sky to Ronove, Beryl closed her eyes.
When the red sky had passed, when the moon had covered the sun and the world had been immersed in darkness as if it were starting over, then it would brighten again. If we offer them on the altar and open the gate, there will be heaven.
Not the heaven that the temple talks about, but the heaven that would surely be heaven for Beryl, Belled, and the people of Vine.
The gates of hell will open.
My heaven, our heaven.
[The saintess will lead everyone to the devil.]
Beryl suddenly remembered the oracle that had been handed down to her.
Since there was a God, he would have defined wizards as devils and locked them in the gates of hell.
But I don’t know if god loves humans. Beryl thought.
If this opening ceremony was over, then god would have given the right oracle after all.
Because as a Saintess, she would really lead them to the devils.
In a completely different way than they had expected.
Beryl clenched her fists.
***
Under Kenar’s breath, Duke Yubar’s affairs were quickly resolved.
And Vine, who had no reason to worry about the ominous sky, was spurring on the preparations for the opening ceremony.
Except for a few areas where dealing with monsters was a hassle, most of Vine's troops who had been out had also returned.
Just when I thought I could just regroup and prepare for the opening ceremony,
“We’ve received a call from the temple.”
Ronove came with a letter.
My gaze turned to the office window. Looking outside, I saw a paladin being guided by a servant a little way from the main building of the mansion.
The situation was not good enough to impress the demons who had become adept at dealing with servants.
“There shouldn’t be any other call from the temple...”
I tilted my head and accepted the letter.
Meanwhile, Belled checked the paladin’s appearance.
“It seems like he came rather urgently.”
Did something come up?
At those words, my hands opened the letter even faster.
Then, I blinked at the contents.
“...He definitely deserves to come urgently.”
At those words, Belled’s gaze also turned to the letter.
“Saintess, how have you been?”
Belled narrowed his eyes as he read the letter, which began unusually politely.
It was because he knew that there was a reason why humans were so extravagant in their manners that they didn’t even normally show.
As expected, the content of the letter that followed was as follows.
[...So, many of the temple’s knights have left.
Not only that but due to the recent investigation into the strange phenomenon that occurred in the sky, there is a shortage of manpower to clean up the central altar.
So, if you have the capacity, could you guide them with your mercy?]
In short, he meant that he wanted to leave the cleaning up of the altar to Vine since they would get away under the pretense of investigating what happened in the sky.
After all, it happened in the sky, and even if they tried to investigate it, they wouldn’t be able to investigate it unless they flew up to the sky themselves.
I raised my eyebrows.
“This is...”
“An excuse.”
Belled said as if he had read my thoughts.
When their eyes met, Belled, who had been narrowing his eyes, brushed my hair and said.
“Now that the leader of the demons is thought to have been caught, they must have thought that the demons would gather at the altar to disrupt the opening ceremony.”
That’s why he was trying to pass on the ‘dangerous task’ to Vine.
Normally, he would have refused.
I smiled.
“This is a good opportunity for us.”
Instead of answering, Belled gently hugged me.
While wrapped in his arms, I handed Ronove another letter.
“Tell him that we will gladly send our troops.”
“Understood.”
The central altar to be organized must have been the altar used for the opening ceremony.
He had been waiting for a chance to look around the area.
“And it would be good to have separate personnel to look around there.”
Belled looked down at me. He seemed to understand what I was trying to say, but he didn’t continue speaking for me.
As if he was telling me to do whatever I wanted. As if he trusted me.
With just that look in his eyes, I could now muster up my courage.
“That place was once a place where gods used to come and go, so there might be things harmful to demons, so we should be careful and focus on those who can inspect it.”
As I spoke, Belled gently stroked my cheek with his hand.
“We’ll look at the situation and find ways to change the battle environment there to the demons’ advantage.”
Belled, who seemed lost in thought for a moment at my words, moved slightly.
“Belled?”
Instead of answering, Belled reached out and picked up a decoration on a nearby dresser.
It was a decoration made by Marbes.
“...Ah!”
I, looking at the sight, came up with the perfect plan.
“I’d like to place Marbes’ decoration there. As much as possible... something that looks sacred to the temple.”
Something like a bird.
There is a popular belief that animals with wings convey the will of the gods from the sky, and the temple also regards them as sacred.
Thanks to this, I remembered being told several times to be careful not to startle a bird that happened to land near the temple.
“Understood.”
Ronove bowed his head.
Click, thud.
I got up while he carefully stepped back after receiving the order. My eyes were fixed on the pile of papers on my desk.
But.
“...Ah.”
Suddenly, dizziness came over me along with the thought that it was hard to focus my vision.
“Beryl?”
Belled noticed more than that. Before I could even think of staggering, his hands held my body tightly.
Belled’s face appeared in my somewhat blurry vision.
“This time, you really need to rest, Beryl.”
I had been working without resting right after returning from the banquet.
The demons around me didn’t need rest, so I was worried that my workflow would be interrupted while I was asleep.
Belled had repeatedly told me to sleep, but I was the one who refused.
...It seemed like everything would be okay until today.
I slowly closed my eyes with a regretful expression.
“...Then shall I close my eyes for a moment?”
Belled lifted me up as he smiled.
I gently wrapped my arms around his neck as he opened the door and headed to the bedroom.
“I’ll wake you up if something happens, so don’t worry too much and go to sleep.”
As he whispered that, he was telling a sweet lie.
If I fall asleep, you won’t let anyone come here.
If anyone tries to wake me up, you’ll look at them with sharp eyes...
But even as I thought that I couldn’t get out of the soft bed.
“...Really, right?”
“Of course.”
Even though I knew that it was a lie, I closed my eyes.
Because I knew that I wanted to be fooled. And because I knew that it was for my own good.
Soon, I fell into a warm sleep.
Belled looked down at Beryl who was sleeping.
Her face, which was soaked with fatigue, was pitiful.
When this was over, he would be able to spend a very long and sweet time with her.
Like a painting, she was lying on the pure white bed, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
He looked down at the dark green hair that naturally embroidered the bed, and then he lightly touched the hair with his fingertips.
He wants to constantly explore her.
Just like when he holds her, she is held in his arms.
So when he holds her tightly, she leans against his shoulder and closes her eyes with a comfortable expression.
When he explores her fingertips, the tip of her nose, and her back, and quietly looks at her face which is gradually getting hotter.
‘...!’
As if bursting out a suppressed breath. As if her face was flushed and she didn’t know what to do.
He wants to see her reacting to him all day long.
But Beryl was a human who needed sleep. A human who would eventually end.
“...”
Belled narrowed his eyes.
He wanted to take away her sleep and life.
Such selfish thoughts kept torturing his mind.
But there was only one way.
For her to become a demon.
No.
He knew. How painful it would be to have her body reconstructed to become a demon. It was such a painful process that some people would die during the process.
But.
“...Ah.”
Suddenly, dizziness came over me along with the thought that it was hard to focus my vision.
“Beryl?”
Belled noticed more than that. Before I could even think of staggering, his hands held my body tightly.
Belled’s face appeared in my somewhat blurry vision.
“This time, you really need to rest, Beryl.”
I had been working without resting right after returning from the banquet.
The demons around me didn’t need rest, so I was worried that my workflow would be interrupted while I was asleep.
Belled had repeatedly told me to sleep, but I was the one who refused.
...It seemed like everything would be okay until today.
I slowly closed my eyes with a regretful expression.
“...Then shall I close my eyes for a moment?”
Belled lifted me up as he smiled.
I gently wrapped my arms around his neck as he opened the door and headed to the bedroom.
“I’ll wake you up if something happens, so don’t worry too much and go to sleep.”
As he whispered that, he was telling a sweet lie.
If I fall asleep, you won’t let anyone come here.
If anyone tries to wake me up, you’ll look at them with sharp eyes...
But even as I thought that I couldn’t get out of the soft bed.
“...Really, right?”
“Of course.”
Even though I knew that it was a lie, I closed my eyes.
Because I knew that I wanted to be fooled. And because I knew that it was for my own good.
Soon, I fell into a warm sleep.
***
Belled looked down at Beryl who was sleeping.
Her face, which was soaked with fatigue, was pitiful.
When this was over, he would be able to spend a very long and sweet time with her.
Like a painting, she was lying on the pure white bed, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
He looked down at the dark green hair that naturally embroidered the bed, and then he lightly touched the hair with his fingertips.
He wants to constantly explore her.
Just like when he holds her, she is held in his arms.
So when he holds her tightly, she leans against his shoulder and closes her eyes with a comfortable expression.
When he explores her fingertips, the tip of her nose, and her back, and quietly looks at her face which is gradually getting hotter.
‘...!’
As if bursting out a suppressed breath. As if her face was flushed and she didn’t know what to do.
He wants to see her reacting to him all day long.
But Beryl was a human who needed sleep. A human who would eventually end.
“...”
Belled narrowed his eyes.
He wanted to take away her sleep and life.
Such selfish thoughts kept torturing his mind.
But there was only one way.
For her to become a demon.
No.
He knew. How painful it would be to have her body reconstructed to become a demon. It was such a painful process that some people would die during the process.
It would be enjoyable because the magic flowed right after drinking the fountain of desire. But that would be short-lived, and soon she would suffer from a tremendous fever of awakening.
He didn’t want to let her fall into that pain. He didn’t want to push her into a situation where he could lose her.
So he gave up once again. He tried to give up.
“...”
Magic was gathered in his dimly opened, dark green eyes.
What would her future be like?
Will he be at her end?
He hopes her end is far enough away that he can’t see it.
The last time he saw her was when she was walking in some kind of black shoes.
Where was she going?
As he thought about that, Belled’s mind’s eye showed him the future.
Wow!
What he saw after his eyes flashed was not the feet wearing the black shoes he had seen before. It was an altar covered with a white cloth. It seemed like a battle had taken place nearby.
The humans were swinging their swords and he was standing there to protect her.
Maybe it was because of the fierce battle, but his eyes were drawn to the pillars that were precariously supporting the ceiling.
‘Kill the Saintess, no, the devil’s servant!’
‘A witch who is one with the devil!’
He saw the knight’s clear mouth shape.
If they offered the witch to the altar, he might be able to open the gates of heaven. The moment he thought he could read that thought,
“...!”
He saw magic colliding with the pillars that were precariously holding up.
At the same time, a sword flashed through the debris of the ceiling that was beginning to collapse.
The tip of the sword pierced the heart of Beryl, who was wearing a pitch-black dress.
“Beryl.”
Her end, as seen through his mind’s eye, was death.
Death by humans who were trying to open the gates of heaven with her blood.
Belled’s face hardened coldly.
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