In the meeting room of the Demon King's Castle.
After Lin Ling left, the magic suppression stone she had just finished remained on the table.
Faint white patterns flowed slowly through the gray-black Rock Iron Ore.
It didn't look magnificent.
In fact, it looked quite plain.
If it were placed in an ordinary warehouse, it would likely be mistaken for a piece of material meant for repairing a city wall.
But at this moment, no one in the meeting room underestimated it.
Because this stone could determine the direction of the entire upcoming war.
Cecil leaned back in his chair, the tip of his tail lightly tapping the floor.
“Taking the Saintess away before the human First Prince officially makes contact with her...”
“Miss Saintess certainly comes up with the most interesting ideas.”
Aliviel rested her chin on one hand, the corners of her lips curling upward.
“Bold.”
“Direct.”
“And unexpectedly effective.”
Phelan looked down at his recording board.
“If successful, the communication between Keith and the Saintess of the Holy See will be severed.”
“The Holy See loses its clear reason to take a side.”
“Suspicions will arise within the royal family regarding Keith.”
“The Holy See itself will fall into temporary chaos due to the Saintess’s disappearance.”
He paused.
“Conclusion: This plan possesses execution value.”
Baroque crossed his arms and snorted coldly.
“Then don't delay.”
“Everything will become a hassle once that First Prince gets in touch with her.”
Cecil looked toward Ivelia.
“My Lord Demon King?”
Ivelia sat at the head of the table, her dark red eyes calmly observing the magic suppression stone.
After a moment, she spoke:
“We act tonight.”
The atmosphere in the meeting room suddenly tightened.
Aliviel smiled.
“I’ll be responsible for infiltration and hypnosis.”
Phelan pushed up his glasses.
“I’ll handle the temporary array deployment for the magic suppression stones.”
Baroque grinned, revealing snow-white teeth.
“I’ll handle carrying her back.”
Cecil swayed his tail gently.
“Then I’ll be in charge of cleaning up our tracks and misleading any pursuit.”
The Four Heavenly Kings looked at each other.
They did not hesitate further.
This was necessary to forcibly sever the humans' most dangerous alliance before the war fully broke out.
If Keith gained the Saintess’s support, the Holy Army, the clergy, and noble public opinion would all become blades in his hand.
The demons would be branded with the crime of “desecrating the Saintess.”
And Lin Ling would become the center of all their targets.
So, they had to act first.
Cecil suddenly let out a low laugh.
“Come to think of it, we owe this bold plan entirely to Miss Saintess.”
Aliviel raised an eyebrow.
“Indeed.”
Phelan recorded as he spoke.
“The surgical kidnapping plan proposed by Lin Ling possesses high strategic value.”
Baroque frowned.
“Don't make a kidnapping sound like a formal military strategy.”
Phelan said calmly:
“It already is one.”
Baroque: “...”
He couldn't argue with that.
Ivelia’s gaze lowered slightly.
She remembered how Lin Ling looked just now when she seriously proposed the “Saintess Kidnapping Plan.”
Usually, she was someone whose eyes would light up just for an extra piece of soft bread at lunch.
She would get lost in the hallways and collapse after just one sip of wine.
Yet, when it truly came time to think, she could always say things that couldn't be ignored.
That seemingly absurd Saintess from another world was using her own way to pull the Demon King's Castle out of one dead end after another.
Ivelia said in a low voice:
“Do not let her plan go to waste.”
The Four Heavenly Kings bowed their heads simultaneously.
“Yes.”
...
At the same time.
In the capital of the human empire.
Inside the White Tower behind the Holy White Cathedral, Leticia stood by the window.
Night had already fallen.
Yet the area around the White Tower was still shrouded in a faint holy light.
The pure white walls looked as if they were saturated with both moonlight and divine grace, and the silver-leaf flowers swayed quietly below the tower, their petals shimmering with tiny points of light.
This was one of the most sacred areas of the Holy See.
It was also where the Saintess, Leticia, resided.
No filth.
No clamor.
No mortal chaos.
At least, on the surface.
Leticia wore pure white holy robes, her silver-white hair flowing smoothly over her shoulders.
She looked down at a secret letter on the table.
It had been sent by First Prince Keith’s people.
The letter didn't state much explicitly.
It only vaguely mentioned—
That a young girl from another world, dressed in Saintess attire, had appeared in the hands of the demons.
Leticia’s fingertips slowly pressed down on the stationery.
The white paper let out a faint crinkle.
“A Saintess from another world?”
She repeated softly.
Her voice remained calm.
But in those clear, glass-like eyes, there was very little warmth.
She had heard the rumors long ago.
The Holy See had summoned a failed Hero from another world.
White hair.
Blue eyes.
Saintess attire.
That bishop said she had disappeared after her Hero Contract was dissolved.
And now, she had appeared by the Demon King's side.
She was even held by the Demon King at the border negotiation site.
Leticia slowly raised her head.
The holy light from the window fell on her face, making her look so sacred she seemed non-mortal.
But her gaze was as cold as thin ice.
“A summoned Saintess...”
She whispered.
“How could she ever compare to me?”
She was the one blessed by the gods of this world.
She was the only Saintess recognized by the Holy See.
She was the symbol of sacred purity in the eyes of the kingdom's people.
Every one of her prayers was recorded.
Every one of her spells was praised.
Her mere presence was proof of divine grace in the mortal realm.
Why should a failed product summoned from another world get to wear clothes similar to hers?
Why should she be called a Saintess?
Why should she be at the center of the rumors?
Leticia slowly reached out and took a Golden Holy Flower from the vase on the table.
The flower was a tribute specially cultivated by the Holy See; its petals shimmered with a faint golden luster, symbolizing divine favor.
She pinched the flower between her fingers, her voice soft and cold.
“Only I...”
“Am worthy of the gods' favor.”
Her fingers tightened.
The golden flower was crushed bit by bit in her palm.
Soft petals drifted down from between her fingers.
One piece.
Two pieces.
Three pieces.
They fell onto the pure white floor.
Like shattered divine grace.
A maid stood in the distance, her head bowed, not even daring to breathe too heavily.
In everyone's eyes, Leticia was always dignified, sacred, and transcendent.
She was like a holy icon that would never be stained by dust.
But only a few close maids knew.
What kind of narrow-minded, arrogant temperament—one that could never tolerate anyone else sharing her light—lay beneath that layer of sanctity.
Leticia let go.
The broken stem fell to the floor.
She said indifferently:
“Send a reply to His Highness Keith.”
The maid immediately knelt.
“Yes.”
Leticia looked out the window, her expression returning to its usual cold sanctity.
“Tell him.”
“I am willing to deign to meet with him.”
...
Late at night.
On the path outside the Holy White Cathedral, space distorted silently.
In the next instant, four figures appeared in the shadows.
Aliviel was the first to look up.
The White Tower stood in the distance, its entire structure pure white and covered in a permanent holy light.
The light wasn't blinding.
It could even be called gentle.
But to demons, it felt like countless tiny needles continuously piercing their skin and magic circuits.
Baroque frowned.
“Tch.”
“This really makes me uncomfortable.”
Cecil’s tail gave a light flick.
“It is where the Saintess of the Holy See lives, after all.”
“It would be strange if it made a demon feel comfortable.”
Phelan took out a magic detection crystal.
The moment the crystal was exposed to the air, dense white light spots appeared inside it.
“The Holy-attribute concentration is extremely high.”
“The range covers the entire White Tower and the cathedral's rear courtyard.”
“If we approach directly, demons will suffer continuous weakening.”
“According to the analysis, all sources of holy magic in this area point to the Saintess.”
“We only need to use the magic suppression stones to suppress the Saintess's magic, and the mission will have a very high probability of success.”
Aliviel looked at the White Tower.
“It seems the Holy See isn't stupid; they know to let the person with the strongest holy magic provide the power.”
“If not for the magic suppression stones provided by Lin Ling, this place would be a cage designed for demons.”
Baroque cracked his neck.
“In that case, we just smash our way in.”
Phelan glanced at him calmly.
“That would alert the entire city, and then the whole of Camillaya would know that demons kidnapped the Saintess of the Holy See.”
Baroque: “...”
Cecil said with a smile:
“Don't worry, today isn't your turn to shine.”
“You just need to carry her away when the time comes.”
Baroque snorted coldly.
“Stop talking nonsense.”
Aliviel took several magic suppression stones from her robe.
Faint white patterns appeared on the surface of the stones.
The Holy Light Stasis structures were operating stably within them.
Phelan took one and inspected it for a moment.
“Structure stable.”
“The suppression range is enough to cover the lower passages of the White Tower.”
Cecil raised an eyebrow slightly.
“How convenient.”
“A stone casually crafted by Miss Saintess is going to be used to kidnap another Saintess tonight.”
Aliviel looked at the magic suppression stone in her hand, a soft smile appearing on her lips.
“This wasn't exactly 'casually crafted.'”
“She nearly worked herself to exhaustion lately for these things.”
Baroque said in a deep voice:
“She’s probably asking the kitchen for a second piece of bread right about now, isn't she?”
Cecil laughed.
“Most likely.”
Phelan added seriously:
“According to the dinner supply records, Lin Ling has already applied for extra soft bread twice today.”
Baroque: “...”
Aliviel couldn't help but chuckle.
“Thinking about her silly smile in the experimental field, I suddenly don't find this White Tower so annoying anymore.”
Cecil looked at the holy light-shrouded tower in the distance.
“True.”
“The success of this plan rests entirely on Lin Ling.”
“Otherwise, we’d probably still be in the meeting room discussing how to defend against the Holy Army.”
Baroque clenched his fist.
“Then let's not let this plan fail.”
The four said no more.
Phelan buried the magic suppression stones along the edge of the path, under the bushes around the White Tower, and in a stone drainage channel.
Faint white light patterns quietly unfolded.
There were no obvious fluctuations.
No blinding light.
The Holy Light Stasis acted like an invisible film, slowly suppressing the flow of magic in the surroundings.
The holy light that permanently shrouded the White Tower flickered slightly.
It was as if a smooth-burning flame had been covered by a layer of transparent glass.
Aliviel narrowed her eyes.
“It's ready.”
She raised her hand.
Pale purple magic patterns appeared at her fingertips.
A wisp of colorless powder drifted out with the night wind.
It was her specially made sleeping powder.
Created from a mixture of magic, potions, and dream induction.
The fine dust could still seep in through contact with the air and skin.
The two Paladins in front of the tower doors had been standing perfectly straight.
After a few breaths, the eyes of one of them began to lose focus.
The other shook his head, seemingly sensing something was wrong. Just as he was about to speak, Cecil’s tail needle lightly tapped his shoulder.
“Sleep.”
The Paladin collapsed silently.
Aliviel raised her hand to catch his armor, preventing any noise.
Baroque frowned at the fallen humans.
“So much trouble.”
“Wouldn't it be easier to just knock them out?”
Aliviel glanced at him.
“The people you knock out usually require medical treatment.”
Baroque: “...”
Cecil chuckled low.
“This is called outsmarting them, Baroque.”
Baroque said coldly:
“I know.”
Phelan opened the holy-rune lock next to the tower door.
A holy-rune lock should have produced a burning effect on demons.
But under the influence of the magic suppression stone, the operation speed of the holy runes was significantly reduced.
Phelan inserted a small stone chip engraved with reverse guiding circuits into the lock's crevice.
“Click.”
The lock opened.
Cecil raised an eyebrow.
“When did you prepare that?”
Phelan said calmly:
“After Lin Ling proposed the kidnapping plan.”
“I determined that we needed a way to bypass Holy-attribute locks.”
Aliviel smiled.
“So reliable.”
The four entered the White Tower noiselessly.
It was extremely quiet inside.
Holy lamps lined the pure white corridors.
The flames were soft, but due to the influence of the magic suppression stones, the light was much dimmer than usual.
Occasionally, a patrolling nun would pass by.
Aliviel simply blew a wisp of powder, and the other person would lean against the wall and slowly slide down.
The humans had no idea that four of the demons' top combatants had entered their most sacred White Tower.
Because they never imagined that demons could move freely within such a thick holy light barrier.
Although the Holy Light Stasis would suppress all magic within its domain.
The Four Heavenly Kings themselves possessed physical strength and endurance far beyond ordinary demons.
Even with their magic suppressed, they were still not beings the tower's guards could confront head-on.
Soon, they reached the top floor of the White Tower.
Three layers of holy-rune barriers were set up in front of Leticia’s door.
Phelan knelt down to inspect them.
“Purification barrier.”
“Alarm barrier.”
“Anti-teleportation barrier.”
Cecil looked at him.
“Can you open them?”
Phelan took out the last magic suppression stone.
“I need a bit of time.”
Baroque lowered his voice.
“How long?”
“Thirty breaths.”
Baroque frowned.
“Too long.”
Aliviel smiled.
“Then please pray, Lord Baroque, that no one comes during these thirty breaths.”
Baroque snorted but still turned to guard the corridor.
Thirty breaths later.
The flow of the barriers was suppressed to its lowest point.
Phelan raised his hand and lightly tapped the door.
The three layers of holy runes dimmed simultaneously.
The door opened silently.
Inside the room, pure white curtains hung gently.
Leticia lay on the bed.
Her silver-white hair was spread across the pillow, and her sacred face looked as peaceful as a divine statue in the moonlight.
Even in sleep, she maintained a nearly perfect posture.
Her breathing was light.
Her features were serene.
Holy light swirled around her, acting as a natural protection.
Cecil took a look and whispered:
“She really is the Saintess of the Holy See.”
“Even while asleep, she carries a divine aura.”
As those words fell.
The room suddenly went quiet.
Another image flashed through all four of their minds at almost the same time.
The Demon King's Castle.
Lin Ling’s room.
Platinum-blonde hair messily spread all over the bed.
The blanket kicked halfway off.
Her entire body sprawled horizontally across the pillow.
With a suspicious trace of moisture possibly hanging from the corner of her mouth.
A sleeping posture with zero sense of sanctity.
Aliviel: “...”
Cecil: “...”
Phelan: “...”
Baroque: “...”
After a brief silence, Baroque said in a low voice:
“Don't think about it.”
“The more you think, the less she looks like a Saintess.”
Cecil lightly touched his forehead.
“True.”
Aliviel suppressed a smile.
“You're not allowed to say that in front of the Demon King.”
Phelan recorded as he looked down.
——Compared to the subject Lin Ling’s sleeping posture, the Holy See's Saintess is more in line with the traditional Saintess image.
Aliviel immediately looked at him.
“Phelan.”
Phelan calmly closed his recording board.
“Sealed.”
Aliviel: “...”
She felt that statement wasn't very believable.
Leticia seemed to sense someone in the room.
Her brow twitched slightly.
The holy light beside her instinctively brightened.
But the white patterns of the magic suppression stone spread at the same time.
The flow of holy light suddenly stalled.
Aliviel raised her hand, and the purple powder fell.
Leticia’s breathing quickly became steady again.
Phelan checked for a moment.
“Magic lockdown successful.”
“Sleep state stable.”
Baroque stepped forward.
“I’ll carry her.”
Aliviel immediately stopped him.
“No.”
Baroque frowned.
“Why?”
Cecil said with a smile:
“Because we hope she'll be willing to talk after she wakes up, rather than seeing herself being carried over your shoulder like a piece of loot as the first thing she sees.”
Baroque: “...”
Phelan nodded.
“First impressions have a significant impact on negotiations.”
Aliviel took out a black cloak with aura-isolating effects and gently covered Leticia with it.
Then, she used levitation magic to lift Leticia, letting her float in a relatively elegant posture.
“This will do.”
Baroque crossed his arms.
“A hassle.”
Cecil laughed:
“Elegance is also part of the tactics.”
Baroque didn't bother to argue.
The four did not linger.
Cecil cleaned up the scents and footprints.
Phelan reset the holy-rune locks that had been opened, making them look as if they had naturally entered a low-efficiency state.
Aliviel erased the sleeping guards' perception of any short-term abnormalities.
Baroque took the lead in clearing the way.
A short while later, a dark purple teleportation array unfolded in the shadows of the White Tower.
In the next instant, the Four Heavenly Kings and the sleeping Saintess of the Holy See disappeared into the night.
The White Tower remained shrouded in holy light.
The capital remained quiet.
The humans had no idea that their Saintess had left the White Tower.
The Demon King's Castle.
In the room next to Lin Ling’s.
Niya stood by the bed, nervously looking at the brought-back Leticia.
“Is... is this the human Saintess?”
Aliviel nodded.
“Yes.”
“We’ll leave her in your care for now.”
Niya immediately stood up straight.
“I’ll be careful!”
Phelan placed several magic suppression stones in the four corners of the room.
The faint white light patterns connected to form a low-intensity sealing array.
“Target’s magic is suppressed.”
“Holy-attribute fluctuations are stable.”
“Target’s magic is fully suppressed; she currently cannot release any magic attacks.”
Cecil leaned against the doorframe.
“Now we just wait for her to wake up, and then we’ll talk.”
Baroque frowned and stepped forward.
“Wait for what?”
“Just wake her up.”
“If she doesn't agree, let her know whose territory this is.”
He reached out as he spoke, seemingly prepared to roughly shake Leticia awake.
Phelan looked up.
“Baroque.”
Baroque stopped.
“What?”
Phelan’s expression was serious.
“Disturbing a sleeping woman will result in an extremely poor first impression.”
Baroque frowned.
“We’re still worrying about that?”
Phelan said calmly:
“Please recall your partner.”
Baroque’s movements froze.
The room went silent for a moment.
Cecil’s tail gave a slight pause.
Aliviel raised an eyebrow, wearing an expression of someone watching a good show.
Baroque’s expression gradually became complicated.
In his mind, the figure of a lion-kin beastkin woman appeared.
Tall.
Strong.
Her golden mane was as brilliant as fire.
She laughed heartily, and her fists were just as hearty.
She was his wife.
She was also one of the few people in the entire Demon King's Castle who could punch him across a room.
Once, during one of her rare afternoon naps, Baroque had woken her up directly to ask about border military affairs.
He was then punched through the air, even crashing through the wooden outer wall of the training grounds.
He then spent half a day reflecting outside the door.
During that time, he was even mocked three times by a passing Cecil.
Baroque slowly withdrew his hand.
“...You have a point.”
Phelan nodded.
“Correct judgment.”
Cecil couldn't help but burst out laughing.
“So it wasn't reason that calmed Baroque down, but his wife.”
Baroque looked at him coldly.
“Do you want to try it?”
Cecil immediately raised his hands.
“No, thanks.”
Aliviel walked to the bedside with a light laugh and glanced at the still-sleeping Leticia.
“Let her sleep.”
“We’ll start the talk once she wakes up naturally.”
Niya asked in a small voice:
“But what if she's very angry when she wakes up?”
Aliviel smiled slightly.
“Then all the more reason not to let her wake up with a grudge from being disturbed.”
Niya: “...”
That seemed to make a lot of sense.
Phelan placed the last magic suppression stone.
“Sealing array stable.”
“Target status safe.”
“No external injuries.”
“No excessive drug reaction.”
“Expected to wake naturally in a few hours.”
Baroque crossed his arms.
“So we’re just letting her sleep here?”
Cecil said with a smile:
“What else?”
“The original guest room is already occupied by Miss Pet. Did you want to put her in the same room as Miss Pet?”
The room went quiet again.
Everyone imagined that scene for a moment.
One was the proud, sacred Saintess of the Holy See who saw herself as the only one favored by the gods.
The other was the Saintess from another world who stole bread, got lost, and would dive into the Demon King's arms after one sip of Demon Red Wine.
The two of them waking up and facing each other.
Cecil was silent for a moment.
“Never mind.”
“That might be more trouble than a war.”
Aliviel nodded.
“Strongly agree.”
Niya looked at Leticia on the bed, then thought about how Lin Ling usually looked with a face full of happiness while holding soft bread.
She suddenly whispered:
“But...”
“I still think our Miss Saintess seems more like a good person.”
Cecil smiled.
“Of course.”
“Our Saintess of the Demon King's Castle might not be very sacred.”
“But at least she's very cute.”
Phelan recorded as he looked down.
——Internal evaluation of the Demon King's Castle: Lin Ling does not possess a traditional sacred temperament, but has a higher level of affinity.
Baroque looked at him.
“You’re recording that too?”
Phelan said seriously:
“Psychological comparison data before hostage negotiations.”
Baroque: “...”
Aliviel was already too tired to stop him.
She walked to the window and looked out at the still-quiet Demon King's Castle.
Tonight’s operation had been so smooth it was almost unbelievable.
The humans had not yet noticed.
The Saintess of the Holy See had been brought back.
The alliance between Keith and Leticia had been severed in advance.
But she knew very well that this was only a brief gap before the storm.
Once the humans discovered the Saintess was missing, the entire Camillaya Empire would be shaken.
The Holy See would be furious.
Keith would be suspicious.
Other factions within the royal family would take the opportunity to cause trouble.
And this plan proposed by Lin Ling would truly stir the human interior into chaos.
Aliviel let out a light breath.
“Oh, Miss Saintess...”
“The plan you casually mentioned before lunch really seems to be changing the situation.”
Niya blinked.
“What is Miss Lin Ling doing right now?”
Cecil thought about it.
“At this time?”
“If there are no other activities, she’s probably sleeping.”
Baroque snorted.
“I hope she doesn't sleepwalk into the kitchen.”
Everyone: “...”
The room fell into a subtle silence.
And Lin Ling, whom they were discussing, was indeed sleeping soundly in her own room at this moment.
She had no idea that the “Saintess Kidnapping Plan” she had proposed had been successfully executed.
Nor did she know that another true Saintess of the Holy See was currently sleeping in the room right next to hers.
She just rolled over and hugged her blanket a little tighter.
She mumbled something incoherently in her sleep:
“Soft bread... one more piece...”
The night was quiet.
The lights of the Demon King's Castle were low.
A kidnapping operation enough to plunge an entire human nation into chaos had thus been successfully completed while Lin Ling was completely unaware in her dreams.
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