The meeting room of the Demon King's Castle.
The atmosphere was heavier than Lin Ling had imagined.
Ivelia sat at the head of the table, her black dress and dark red eyes as calm as ever.
Aliviel stood to her left, the usual smile missing from her face.
Baroque had his arms crossed, his expression grim.
Cecil leaned by the window, his tail barely swaying.
Phelan sat at the recording desk, several detection crystals floating beside him.
Lin Ling was seated at one side of the long table.
In front of her lay a pile of Rock Iron Ore, half-finished domain cores, and engraving tools.
Even during an emergency meeting, she wasn't allowed to stop working.
Producing magic suppression stones had become her most vital task; she heard they were just a bit away from achieving full coverage for the experimental fields.
Thus, as the meeting began, Lin Ling was listening while keeping her head down to carve magic-conducting runes.
Threads of white light seeped into the ore through her fingertips.
A faint Holy Light Stasis structure took shape within the Rock Iron Ore.
She was much more proficient now.
She no longer accidentally condensed magic into dangerous energy balls like she did at the start.
Though Baroque still stood nearby, staring at her.
It was as if the moment her hand slipped, he would rush over and snatch the stone away.
Aliviel unfurled an intelligence scroll.
“News has come back from the border.”
“The human First Prince, Keith, has already issued a mobilization order to the border army.”
“The pretext is—the demons sabotaged border negotiations and humiliated the human royalty with an unidentified person dressed in what appears to be the Holy See's Saintess attire.”
The meeting room fell silent for a moment.
Everyone's gaze landed on Lin Ling.
Lin Ling’s engraving tool stopped.
She slowly looked up.
“That unidentified person...”
“Is it me?”
No one answered.
But the silence was an answer in itself.
Lin Ling lowered her head.
“Oh.”
She continued carving the stone.
However, her movements were much slower.
Aliviel continued:
“Keith intended to start a war from the beginning.”
“He needs achievements.”
“He needs military power.”
“He needs the border nobles and the army to side with him.”
“The demons are the most suitable target.”
Cecil added in a low voice:
“Hungry, weak, and with our food supply choked off by human trade routes for a long time.”
“In their eyes, we are currently just a piece of meat waiting to be carved.”
Baroque snorted coldly.
“Then let them see if they have the teeth to bite us.”
Aliviel glanced at him.
“The problem isn't just the war.”
She turned to Lin Ling.
“Lin Ling's unexpected appearance yesterday gave Keith a very convenient excuse.”
Lin Ling’s fingers tightened slightly.
The magic rune she had just finished almost went crooked.
She immediately steadied herself.
“Just because I appeared there?”
Aliviel nodded.
“Yes.”
“You were seen being held by the Demon King at the negotiation site.”
“The human side began to doubt your identity. A human brought by the Demon King is an eye-catching existence anywhere, let alone in that kind of setting.”
“If Keith wants to incite the nobles and the Holy See, he only needs to say—the demons have captured, desecrated, or forged a Saintess.”
Lin Ling was silent.
She looked down at the ore in her hand.
White lines flowed slowly within the stone.
But her heart was sinking bit by bit.
“So...”
“I’m the one who gave them a reason to declare war?”
No one in the meeting room spoke.
Lin Ling said softly:
“If I hadn't been drinking yesterday...”
“They might not have found an excuse so quickly.”
Baroque frowned.
“Don't take the greed of those people onto yourself.”
Lin Ling looked up.
Baroque said coldly:
“Even without you, they would have found another reason.”
“Border conflicts, ore smuggling, demon attacks on merchant caravans.”
“They could spin any incident into a declaration of war.”
Cecil also let out a small laugh.
But the smile wasn't a relaxed one.
“Miss Pet, they don't need you to create a reason for them to start a war.”
“They just need a story that can convince themselves and the public.”
“You just happened to be the most dramatic version they could find.”
Lin Ling: “...”
“Thanks.”
“I don't feel comforted at all.”
Aliviel said softly:
“But it's the truth.”
“Keith was already planning for war.”
“Your appearance last night just made it easier for him to make it sound high-minded.”
Phelan added calmly:
“The primary responsibility remains with the human First Prince.”
“Lin Ling’s intoxication was merely an accidental event. The war would not have been avoided even if she hadn't been there.”
Lin Ling looked at him.
“Lord Phelan.”
“Yes?”
“For once, you actually sound like you're comforting someone.”
Phelan lowered his head to record.
——Lin Ling believes the subject possesses comforting abilities.
Lin Ling: “...”
“Retract that.”
Phelan: “Recorded.”
Lin Ling: “...”
She actually felt a little bit more relaxed.
But Aliviel's next words made the atmosphere in the meeting room heavy again.
“The more serious issue now is the Saintess of the Holy See.”
Lin Ling looked up.
“The Saintess of the Holy See?”
She remembered the name.
It had been mentioned in the intelligence from the human side before.
The true Saintess of this world.
Not a fake Saintess from another world like her.
But the one and only Saintess recognized by the Holy See, enshrined by the kingdom, and worshipped by the people.
Aliviel nodded.
“Yes, her.”
“Keith is already preparing to contact the Saintess of the Holy See privately.”
“In his personal name.”
Ivelia’s gaze turned cold.
Lin Ling frowned.
“He wants to win the Saintess over?”
“It's not that he wants to,” Aliviel said.
“It's that it is highly likely to succeed.”
Lin Ling was stunned.
“Why?”
Aliviel looked at her.
“Because of you.”
Lin Ling: “...”
She looked down at her Saintess dress.
Suddenly, she understood.
“Is it because of my Saintess outfit?”
Aliviel sighed.
“It's not just the clothes.”
“The Saintess of the Holy See places great importance on the uniqueness of the Saintess.”
“She is the Saintess recognized by both the Holy See and the kingdom in this world.”
“The title of Saintess isn't a profession to her.”
“It is an identity bestowed by the gods.”
“She cannot tolerate another person using the same title.”
“And she certainly cannot tolerate a young girl being held in the Demon King's arms, wearing clothes similar to a Saintess, appearing at a human negotiation site.”
Cecil added:
“Especially since you have long platinum hair, pale blue eyes, and that holy aura you emit.”
“You look more like the Saintess from the legends than many members of the clergy.”
Lin Ling looked down at her hair.
“Does this count as a character design conflict?”
Aliviel thought about it seriously.
“From her perspective, it counts as a provocation.”
Lin Ling: “...”
She suddenly felt her head throbbing more.
“So she's almost certain to cooperate with that Keith guy?”
Aliviel nodded.
“Correct.”
“Keith can tell her—the demons are hiding a fake Saintess.”
“One who desecrates the title of Saintess, an offender protected by the Demon King who insults the name of the Saintess.”
“As long as the Saintess of the Holy See believes you threaten her uniqueness, she will definitely side with Keith.”
Phelan said plainly:
“And once the Saintess of the Holy See takes a side, the support of the Holy Army and the clergy will become legitimate.”
“The border war will no longer be just a military operation by a royal faction.”
“It will be packaged as a holy war to crusade against the demons and reclaim the Saintess's honor.”
The meeting room went completely quiet.
Lin Ling stopped her work.
She suddenly realized something very clearly.
Being brought to the demons by Aliviel in the beginning might have actually been a lucky thing.
If she hadn't been teleported away by the demons.
If she had truly stayed in the human capital.
With her current appearance and her status as a failure determined by the Holy See, she would likely have been dragged into even more complex court and religious struggles.
Keith would use her.
The Holy See would doubt her.
That so-called Saintess of the Holy See would reject her.
She might have been locked in some pitch-black prison for an 'identity audit' before she even got to eat soft bread.
Lin Ling was silent for a while.
Then she said in a small voice:
“Thinking about it that way...”
“Lord Aliviel bringing me to the Demon King's Castle was actually rescuing me from a workplace power struggle.”
Aliviel: “...”
Lin Ling nodded solemnly.
“Thank you.”
Aliviel paused.
She had been prepared to make a few jokes.
But seeing Lin Ling’s serious expression, she eventually just gave a light smile.
“You're welcome.”
Baroque said in a deep voice:
“The worst-case scenario now is the Saintess agreeing to cooperate, and the Holy See officially entering the war for the sake of the Saintess's title.”
Phelan nodded.
“If the Saintess of the Holy See reaches an alliance with Keith, the Holy See will not hesitate.”
“The clerical units have a natural advantage against demons.”
“Combined with the border army, the pressure on us will be immense.”
The atmosphere in the meeting room grew increasingly heavy.
This was no longer a simple failure of food route negotiations.
The war was about to expand.
Ivelia finally spoke.
“Enough.”
Her voice wasn't loud, but it made everyone fall silent at once.
The Demon King sat at the head of the table, her dark red eyes calm and cold.
“The situation is clear.”
“Since the humans are prepared for war.”
“And the Saintess of the Holy See may intervene.”
“What we need is a response, not panic.”
She looked at Aliviel.
“Aliviel.”
Aliviel lowered her head.
“Yes.”
“Continue scouting Keith's contact with the Saintess of the Holy See.”
“Confirm the message delivery routes.”
“Intercept them if necessary.”
“Understood.”
Ivelia looked at Baroque.
“Baroque.”
“Yes.”
“Arrange the border defenses.”
“Strengthen the protection of the grain fields and the magic suppression stones.”
“All newly built experimental fields are to be classified as Tier 1 guard targets.”
“These are our supplies for the conflict with the humans, and the lifeblood of our survival.”
Baroque grinned.
“Leave it to me.”
Ivelia then looked at Phelan.
“Phelan.”
Phelan looked up.
“Tally the current number of magic suppression stones.”
“Adjust the layout of the defensive positions.”
“Research their suppression effects on clerical magic.”
“Understood.”
Finally, she looked at Lin Ling.
Lin Ling immediately sat up straight.
“Here!”
Ivelia looked at her.
“Lin Ling.”
“Accelerate the production of magic suppression stones... I'm counting on you.”
Lin Ling nodded.
“I'll work hard.”
Ivelia paused for a moment.
Her voice was slightly softer than before.
“But don't push yourself too hard.”
“Your safety comes first.”
Lin Ling was taken aback for a moment.
Then she whispered:
“Okay.”
She looked down at the ore in her hand.
The white light patterns seeped into it bit by bit.
She was clearly a Hero summoned by humans.
By all rights, she should be on the human side.
Yet now, she sat in the Demon King's Castle meeting room.
Listening to the demons deploy their defenses.
While personally crafting magic suppression stones that might be used to resist the human army.
If Bishop Karl saw this scene, he would probably be so angry he'd misread his prayers on the spot.
As Lin Ling thought about it, she suddenly stopped her movements.
“Wait.”
Everyone looked at her.
Lin Ling raised her head.
“I have an idea.”
Baroque frowned.
“What dangerous thing are you planning now? Do you have any idea how fragile your life is?”
“It's not something dangerous,” Lin Ling said.
“It's a tactic directed at the Saintess.”
Phelan's pen stopped.
Aliviel’s eyes flickered.
Ivelia watched her.
“Speak.”
Lin Ling placed the magic suppression stone she was holding onto the table.
“Right now, the biggest threat isn't actually that First Prince, is it?”
“It's the fact that he might win over the Saintess of the Holy See.”
“The Holy See will only take the field once the Saintess officially sides with him.”
“So the key right now is—we can't let them officially ally.”
Cecil narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Go on.”
Lin Ling raised her hand and pointed to the magic suppression stone on the table.
“Since she's called the Saintess of the Holy See, she should be a magic-type character, right?”
Phelan nodded.
“According to intelligence, yes.”
“She possesses extremely strong purification and barrier abilities, but her physical capabilities are not prominent.”
Lin Ling’s eyes brightened a bit.
“Then there's a chance.”
Baroque's frown deepened.
“What chance?”
Lin Ling took a deep breath.
Then she said seriously:
“We just have to kidnap her before they officially ally.”
The meeting room went silent.
Extremely silent.
Even Cecil's tail stopped.
Aliviel looked at Lin Ling.
“What did you say?”
Lin Ling repeated:
“Before she officially allies with Keith, kidnap that Saintess.”
Baroque was silent for two seconds.
“Do you know what you're saying?”
“I do.”
Lin Ling nodded.
“If she's gone, the human side will definitely panic. But as a top-tier figure, a major person who holds the protection of humanity, they won't dare to make her sudden disappearance public. And at that time, the Holy See will definitely be the most panicked.”
“Because right under their noses, first I, the summoned Hero, disappeared. Though I might not be very important, as a Saintess who disappeared, the Holy See will definitely choose to hide it and search privately. Because if they announce that the Saintess is missing, and the First Prince declares war on the demons at the same time, people will worry since they have no protection, which will then cause panic.”
Phelan’s gaze turned serious.
“The specific plan?”
Lin Ling pointed at the magic suppression stone.
“Since she's the type that relies on magic.”
“Then use magic suppression stones to weaken her.”
“Whether it's the clergy or the Saintess, as long as their magic is suppressed, their spells naturally won't work. Because Holy Light Stasis was originally intended to be used as a restrictive spell.”
“The suppression stones I've been producing lately are small, so the restriction is limited. I noticed at the experimental field that Niya could still use spells even when her magic was restricted. And as the Four Heavenly Kings of the demons, you all are definitely stronger than Niya.”
“If we set up the suppression stones in advance and restrict the Saintess of the Holy See...”
Aliviel finished her sentence.
“Then a warrior can suppress her up close.”
Lin Ling nodded.
“Exactly.”
“The Saintess's physical abilities aren't strong.”
“As long as her magic is suppressed, she'll be about the same as an ordinary human. Then Uncle Baroque can easily defeat her.”
Baroque snorted.
“I'd be enough on my own.”
Lin Ling said seriously:
“This operation must be covert.”
“It must be fast.”
“It must be silent.”
“And we can't let anyone know it was the demons who did it.”
Lin Ling nodded honestly.
Phelan looked at this Saintess who was truly thinking seriously about a kidnapping plan with interest and asked:
“Then who do you think is suitable for the job?”
Lin Ling looked at Aliviel.
“Lord Aliviel.”
Aliviel raised an eyebrow.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
Lin Ling said.
“Teleportation, infiltration, intelligence, disguise.”
“These are all things you're good at. After all, you're the demons' scout.”
“And Aliviel has hypnosis-type items, right?”
Aliviel smiled.
“I do.”
Lin Ling continued:
“Add some sleeping powder.”
“Even if the target has magic immunity to negative effects, as long as they're weakened by the magic suppression stone, powder-type agents might seep in. Holy Light Stasis doesn't restrict item-based effects.”
Aliviel’s gaze finally turned serious.
“It truly might be possible.”
Phelan quickly recorded below.
“Plan framework:”
“Suppress the Saintess's magic with magic suppression stones.”
“Aliviel is responsible for infiltration and the deployment of sleeping powder.”
“Warriors are responsible for close-range suppression and evacuation protection.”
“Objective: Remove Leticia from the human camp before she officially allies with Keith.”
Cecil rubbed his chin.
“If the Saintess of the Holy See suddenly disappears, the humans will fall into chaos.”
Lin Ling nodded.
“Yes.”
“As long as we don't leave a trace.”
“The Holy See will suspect the royalty.”
“The Holy See will also start blaming each other internally.”
“At least for a short time, they won't be able to launch a unified action.”
“After all, the idea of the Saintess, the demons' nemesis, being snatched from her own home by demons is pretty much unthinkable, right?”
A hint of a smile appeared in Aliviel’s eyes.
“Our Miss Saintess, she usually looks like she only knows how to get lost and look for food.”
Lin Ling said solemnly:
“One shouldn't judge a book by its cover.”
Cecil laughed:
“She's actually quite good at kidnapping and psychological analysis.”
Lin Ling: “...”
She was silent for a moment.
“That sentence sounds very bad.”
Phelan added calmly:
“Based on the factual description, it is indeed so.”
Lin Ling covered her face.
“Don't record that.”
Phelan looked down.
“Recorded.”
Lin Ling: “...”
She knew it.
Ivelia had been listening quietly.
Only now did she speak:
“The risk is very high.”
Lin Ling lowered her hands.
“I know.”
“Leticia will definitely have many guards around her.”
“The Saintess of the Holy See won't easily be left alone.”
Ivelia looked at her.
Lin Ling continued:
“But if we do nothing and wait for her to ally with Keith, the situation will only get worse.”
“Before she becomes Keith's banner of war, temporarily take her away from that side.”
She paused.
“Just like you all brought me to the Demon King's Castle back then.”
The meeting room fell silent for a moment.
Aliviel looked at Lin Ling.
Baroque also fell silent.
Ivelia’s gaze shifted slightly.
Lin Ling added in a small voice:
“Of course, it would be best to be a bit more gentle this time.”
Cecil laughed.
“Is that a suggestion from someone with experience being kidnapped?”
Lin Ling nodded seriously.
“It's very valuable reference material.”
The heavy atmosphere in the meeting room finally lightened a bit.
Ivelia looked at the magic suppression stone on the table.
After a moment, she said:
“It can be considered as a backup plan.”
Aliviel nodded.
“I'll first scout the Saintess's movements and guard configuration.”
Baroque said coldly:
“If it really comes to a fight, I'll be responsible for the backup.”
Cecil looked at Lin Ling with a smile.
“Then, Miss Pet.”
“Could you leave a magic suppression stone for us to test first?”
Lin Ling glanced at the stone she had just finished in front of her.
Faint white light runes flowed stably inside the stone.
She hesitated for a moment.
“This is the third one today.”
Phelan nodded.
“The structure is stable.”
Lin Ling pushed it to the center of the table.
“Then this one.”
Phelan picked up the stone.
“Sample for testing confirmed.”
Lin Ling stretched her arms.
“Then I'll continue?”
Ivelia looked at her slightly tired face.
“Rest first.”
Lin Ling blinked.
“But didn't we just say we needed to speed up production?”
“Yes,” Ivelia said.
“But not to the point where you work yourself to death without resting. It's your lunchtime now.”
Lin Ling froze.
She slowly looked up.
“Lunch?”
Niya reminded her in a low voice:
“Miss Saintess, it's already time for lunch.”
Lin Ling looked down at the materials on the table.
Then she looked at everyone.
And then she stood up very naturally.
“In that case.”
“I believe the meeting can temporarily enter a recess.”
Baroque snorted.
“You just proposed a plan to kidnap the Saintess of the Holy See, and now you want to go eat?”
Lin Ling’s expression was serious.
“Tactical thinking consumes a lot of brainpower.”
“Brainpower needs to be replenished.”
Cecil asked with a smile:
“And may I ask what the replenishment method is?”
Lin Ling didn't hesitate.
“Eating.”
The meeting room was silent for a moment.
Then Aliviel finally couldn't help but laugh.
Ivelia looked at Lin Ling, a very faint smile appearing in her eyes as well.
Before everyone could continue the discussion, Lin Ling had already quietly shuffled two steps toward the door.
Phelan looked up.
“Lin Ling.”
Lin Ling’s body stiffened.
“Yes.”
Phelan said calmly:
“The meeting has not been declared over yet.”
Lin Ling was silent for a moment.
Then she turned to look at Ivelia.
Her gaze was sincere.
“Demon King.”
“Miss Saintess is applying for a legal lunch break.”
Ivelia looked at her.
After a moment, she gave a slight nod.
“Approved.”
Lin Ling’s spirit instantly lifted.
“Thank you, Demon King!”
She turned and walked toward the door.
Halfway there, she looked back at the materials on the table.
“Don't touch that unfinished one, I'll come back and continue this afternoon.”
Phelan nodded.
“It has been marked.”
Only then did Lin Ling leave with peace of mind.
After the door closed, the meeting room was quiet for a moment.
Cecil looked at everyone and suddenly laughed:
“So, did we just seriously discuss a Saintess kidnapping plan proposed by Miss Saintess?”
Aliviel spread her hands.
“It sounds absurd.”
Phelan looked down at his records.
“But the logic holds up.”
Baroque snorted.
“As long as it can stop the Holy See from entering the war, it doesn't matter if it's a bit absurd.”
Ivelia didn't speak.
She just looked at the door.
Where a platinum-haired Saintess had just disappeared after proposing a startling plan and then slipping away for lunch.
After a while, Ivelia said in a low voice:
“Take good care of her.”
Everyone in the meeting room fell silent at the same time.
They all understood what that meant.
Lin Ling was no longer just a guest of the Demon King's Castle.
She wasn't just the hope for solving the food crisis.
She was actively participating in this upcoming war.
And that meant the Holy See would re-examine her.
The enemy would want to destroy her even more.
Aliviel smiled gently.
“Don't worry, Demon King.”
“We won't let anyone take Miss Saintess away.”
Outside the window, the black sky of the Demon King's Castle remained low.
In the distance, the shadows of the human war were approaching.
And at this moment, Lin Ling, who had proposed the bold 'Kidnap the Saintess' plan, was standing at the kitchen door, saying seriously to the Head Chef:
“For today's lunch, I'm applying for an extra piece of soft bread.”
Head Chef: “...”
“And the reason?”
Lin Ling puffed out her chest.
“I might have just saved the strategic future of the Demon King's Castle.”
The Head Chef was silent for a moment.
Then he silently added an extra piece of bread.
Lin Ling took the tray, her eyes instantly lighting up.
War was dangerous.
Saintesses were troublesome.
The human First Prince was annoying.
But at least this afternoon, Miss Saintess successfully got an extra piece of soft bread.
That was also a victory.
Rate on N.U.
