"My Lord, I have failed in my duties... I beg... I beg for your punishment."
Martha lay prostrate on the ground, looking like a lowly insect.
"Martha... how many resources has our demon race spent on you? Is this how you repay His Majesty?"
The man's voice simmered with rage, while several naked human women stood respectfully beside him.
Pink patterns spiraled from their abdomens across their entire bodies, lending them an eerie, otherworldly beauty.
These were the marks of the demon race; they had not been turned into fiends, but had instead become the playthings and tools of the demons.
Standing before Martha was a demonized human, one of the Twelve Demon Generals, known to the Holy Church as the Blood-Handed Butcher, Zuka.
His skin was covered in marks that looked like charred remains, a hallmark of demonized creatures.
His uneven skin was as hard as reinforced concrete, and his face was hideously deformed, with two single horns protruding from his bald head, another characteristic of his kind.
His lower jaw jutted forward prominently, with two tusks curving outward like inverted V's.
Not only were his pupils crimson, but even the whites of his eyes were blood-red.
From his tailbone, several tentacles as thick as a grown man's forearm extended from behind his chair to the floor, coiling around the legs of the women beside him.
The sound of wet, rhythmic splashing echoed through the command tent.
"My Lord, I was wrong! Please do not kill me, I beg of you! I... I know the defensive strength of Brilliant City! I can lead the demon army into the city without a hitch!"
Martha knelt on the ground, beads of sweat the size of peas rolling off her forehead.
She no longer possessed the glory she once held in Brilliant City; all she could do now was kneel and beg for mercy.
Recalling her life, Martha's hatred focused entirely on the Saintess who had suddenly become so clever.
'I, Martha, swear that I will drag you down from your high altar and ensure you never rise again!'
"Fine. You shall lead the vanguard for tonight's raid on Brilliant City. If you fail to take it, you will learn the true meaning of regret."
"Rest assured, My Lord! Martha will give her all to capture that shameless bitch of a Saintess for you!!"
"Go. The vanguard camp is to the left of the main camp. Take this token, and do not disappoint me again."
Zuka casually tossed a command token down, curious to see what kind of surprise Martha could deliver.
As if granted a divine reprieve, Martha scrambled to pick up the token and retreated from the demon camp with hurried, small steps.
It was only after she was a hundred meters away that a spark of life returned to her dull eyes.
Just moments ago, she had nearly collapsed under the sheer pressure of Demon General Zuka.
"I... I actually survived..."
Martha muttered to herself, her eyes reflecting a mix of relief and lingering terror. Even now, her body continued to tremble.
That was the absolute pressure a high-ranking demon exerted over a subordinate.
Various strange sounds continued to echo from the demon camp, punctuated by the occasional scream or sob of a woman.
Once a creature was demonized, its primal instincts were rapidly amplified.
Unless they were high-level powerhouses capable of maintaining their rationality, ordinary low-level demonized creatures simply could not control their desires.
However, having lived in human society until recently, Martha still found this environment difficult to stomach.
But she understood that even if she were unwilling to adapt, she had no other choice.
After all, she was no longer the High Nun who controlled Brilliant City and the Kingdom of the Moon.
Glancing at the token in her hand, Martha looked toward the east, where Brilliant City lay.
"Saintess of the Moon... Heh! Let's see where you run this time. I truly hope the next thing I hear is your scream~"
...
"All demonized creatures, regardless of their race, undergo a psychological shift to some degree, and it only ever trends toward evil. That is why almost every race on the continent rejects the demon race."
Inside the speeding carriage, Lola, one of the Three-La trio, was meticulously explaining the origins of the demon race with a serious expression.
Lola's original role was that of a scribe. Having read through the library of the Holy Church in Brilliant City, she possessed a comprehensive understanding of the continent's history.
Listening to Lola's explanation, Luo Li began to form a general understanding of this world.
"The so-called demon race consists of demonized creatures. This transformation does not discriminate by race; once demonized, one becomes part of the demon race. However, to this day, no one knows their true origin."
Hearing this, Luo Li felt a bit puzzled.
"Even the Holy Kingdom doesn't know?"
"To my knowledge, Your Highness, no one knows."
Luo Li nodded. The origin of the demon race was indeed mysterious.
"I see. Lola, you don't need to say anything more."
Luo Li turned and lifted the carriage curtain to look into the distance.
Hundreds of horses with muffled hooves were moving forward. Although there was little sound, the dust they kicked up nearly hit her in the face.
She quickly dropped the curtain and turned back to look at the Three-La trio sitting across from her.
"What time is it now?"
Lola pulled out her pocket watch and checked it.
"It is half past one, Your Highness."
Luo Li nodded. Just then, the cavalry ahead suddenly came to a halt.
Following the sound of approaching hooves, Hilda's voice came from outside the carriage.
"Your Highness, the scouts have discovered traces of the demons. It is exactly as your oracle foretold; these are indeed the marks of a demon army on the move."
Hearing this news, Luo Li breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
She had been thinking that if her guess was wrong, she would have to pack her bags and leave immediately to avoid being pointed at and suffering social death every day.
Though she didn't have many skills, she could always learn to sing or dance.
Fortunately, the Goddess of Luck was still on her side.
"Very good. Have the scouts continue their search to determine the location of the main force. The knights are to rest where they are and set out in one hour."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Hilda's voice sounded somewhat different than before.
Previously, it had been filled with respect at most, but now there was a hint of fanaticism.
Was she... becoming a fan?
It felt a bit embarrassing.
The knights gathered together. Since this was a covert operation, no fires were allowed in the camp.
Yet, none of the Temple knights voiced a single complaint.
Looking at the disciplined knights, Luo Li's confidence in their victory grew.
Speaking of which, the only level 60+ powerhouse in all of Brilliant City and the Kingdom of the Moon was not here.
The Heavenly Punishment Knight, Will Kevin, was absent. Otherwise, their chances of winning would be even higher.
Luo Li couldn't help but feel curious.
What kind of person was this Heavenly Punishment Knight?
Rate on N.U.
