Chapter 228
Chapter 228
“Then let’s play!” The two demon children’s mischievous voices rang out, and their innocent laughter sent a chill down my spine. They claimed they helped me find the strange stick I stumbled upon and now wanted me to join their unsettling game.
“We helped you find the stick, so play with us!” one of them said, their eyes gleaming with eerie excitement. I couldn’t shake off the unease I felt. Their idea of “playing” didn’t seem right.
Thankfully, Eris stepped up, drawing her sword. But the demons didn’t seem bothered; instead, they seemed thrilled to involve her.
“Wow! You’re playing with us?” one of the demons exclaimed.
With newfound determination, I stood by Eris’s side. Together, we faced the enigmatic demons, ready to confront whatever darkness lurked beneath their facade.
“This is so much fun!”
A thick aura of demon power started to flow out of them. The atmosphere changed, and the stench was overwhelming. I took a step back, struggling to breathe. I thought I had grown better at handling demonic energy, but the purity of the demonized and an actual demon’s power felt different and much stronger.
The children were becoming agitated, each one eager to go first in their twisted game.
“I want to go first!” one of them insisted.
“No, no! Me first!” the other demanded.
“Eris!” I called out to my friend, seeking reassurance.
“It’s okay, Iona. I’ll protect you,” Eris replied, her voice steady with determination. She placed her hand on the sword’s decoration, and suddenly, the blade began to glow with divine power. It was a divine marble, and the shift in energy was palpable.
The children’s expressions turned stern, and they began to glare at the sword with an unsettling intensity. As their smiles vanished, an eerie feeling settled in the air, and their eyes turned a chilling shade of red.
“I don’t like that,” one of them said.
“We don’t like it,” the other echoed in an eerie unison.
“Then will you let us go?” I asked, hoping that they would release us from their game.
“Ricky told us to keep watch,” they replied, their voices taking on an almost robotic tone.
“Yes, we can’t let you go!” the other added.
With a sinking feeling, I realized that reasoning with them might not work. Their intentions seemed to be controlled by someone else, and we were caught in the midst of their sinister plans.
“Then I guess we have no choice. We’ll have to use force,” Eris declared, shifting into her attack stance. She was ready to protect us both, no matter the cost.
The children grew even more restless, and suddenly, the one with blue hair launched an attack at Eris with incredible speed, reminiscent of Recaldo’s lightning-fast strikes.
“Put that away!” He cried.
“Eris!”
***
At the same time, in the aftermath of the battle with the demonized in Vanmon, the people from Ivant were busy cleaning up the destruction caused by the fierce clash.
The battle against the three demonized had raged on throughout the day.
The soldiers and knights valiantly blocked the demonized’s movements, creating openings for Dylan and the priests to defeat them one by one.
Amidst the commotion, a soldier let out a scream of pain. “Ouch! Do it softly,” he complained as one of the priests tended to his wounds.
“You whine too much. It’s already healed,” the priest retorted, though his tone held a hint of amusement.
“Hm. The demonized are quite fierce. Everywhere aches,” the soldier grumbled, trying to bear the pain.
Soldiers were engaged in lighthearted banter with the priests throughout the battlefield while getting treated for their injuries. Despite the scolding, the priests knew the soldiers fought with all their might and were grateful for their bravery.
The priests tended to the wounded with utmost dedication, ensuring they received the best care possible.
Meanwhile, the people of Vanmon were not just bystanders but active contributors to the recovery effort. They treated the soldiers from Ivant with the utmost hospitality, providing them with ample food and sustenance after the grueling battle.
“Seems like there isn’t too much damage.”
Dylan looked around. Unlike other estates, Vanmon acted quickly, so their damage was minimal. It also helped that most of the priests were here as well.
Ravis looked around as well.
“It’s great that we took care of it. Now we can go to Magalia without anything holding us back.”
Dylan reacted a bit late as Ravis spoke like such a matter of fact. The high priests who weren’t used to fighting usually stayed at the back for support.
“… You’re thinking of going to Heneven?”
“Of course. His Majesty is strong, but he can’t handle all of them at the same time. He will definitely need support. Brother Dylan, weren’t you also thinking of going?”
“Of course.”
He answered instantly. He was mentally down due to his second failure, but it was his duty to save and protect the saintess as the first sword.
‘But why did I say something like that…’
Dylan sighed. As he was watching the Emperor running to save the saintess, he remembered Young Lady Deron, who was being held by the silver-haired demon. He asked the Emperor also to take care of Eris Deron.
The thought of Eris, who was restless after the saintess was first kidnapped, popped into his head again.
‘Hope she doesn’t do anything rash.’
At that moment, the orb in Dylan’s pocket started to shine. It was a call from the Pope. He left the tent and took it out. Ravis followed.