CHAPTER 26
. The High Priest’s Plan (2)
“What? Not in the banquet hall either?”
“Yes. Only the 14th Holy Maiden is there…”
“Sigh.”
Talos rubbed his face in frustration.
The boy had been quiet the whole way here, so Talos hadn’t bothered to use his “ability.”
Tsk. Should I intervene now? I wanted to hear a bit more from Scisipher first.
His attendant stood by nervously, fidgeting.
Then, in a barely audible voice, he spoke.
“High Priest, I believe you must hurry to the banquet hall.”
“Sigh… Is the Demon King calling me?”
“N-No, sir.”
“…Then what is it?”
“The Demon Princess… she keeps trying to talk to the 14th Holy Maiden.”
“What did you say?”
Talos ground his teeth and repeated the question.
That tiny little vermin is causing trouble?
There was no choice now but to return to the palace.
Just as he stepped forward to follow the attendant, the ring on his hand flickered faintly again.
An emergency call from Scisipher.
—T-Talos, sir! Something terrible has happened!
“What is it? I was just about to—”
—That mad dog of a knight has started gathering intel in the city!
For the first time since waking up in “Elysion,” I made a fuss.
“Banquet hall! We have to go to the banqueeet haaall!”
“P-Princess?! Please calm down—”
“BANQUEEEEET!”
Callion stared in stunned silence, and Ares burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.
But I felt no shame.
If the High Priests aren’t there, then this is my chance!
If I could talk to the fake Holy Maiden alone, maybe I could figure out what was going on.
In the end, Lethe gave in to my tantrum.
When we arrived at the banquet hall, I realized Callion had been right.
Why on earth would they leave the Holy Maiden alone in the middle of the demons?
She had a few attendants and a priest nearby, but it looked suspicious.
As I entered, the demon nobles visibly brightened at the sight of me…
But in front of them stood a black-haired girl sweating profusely.
She was still wearing the same white ceremonial robes and hair ornament I used to wear in life.
They must’ve been pointing fingers and mocking her until we got here.
That girl was bait.
They had placed an object of hatred in front of the demons to fixate their attention.
With my small stature, limited field of vision, and scarce background knowledge, I had no idea where the High Priests were hiding.
So this was the only method left to me.
I squirmed in Lethe’s arms and waved my hand toward the girl.
“Princess, what are you doing?”
“I! I want to talk to her! That unnie!”
Every single gaze in the room locked onto me.
The Princess of Tartarus showing interest in the Holy Maiden of the Halcyon Theocracy?
Of course it caught everyone’s attention—the symbols of two hostile nations meeting face-to-face.
Still struggling in Lethe’s arms, I finally gave up and shouted outright.
“Unnie! What’s your name?”
At my question, the girl, who had seemed quite mature on the first day, visibly wavered.
Her face betrayed clear embarrassment, tension, and a flicker of excitement.
“I—I am the 14th Holy Maiden of the Halcyon Theocracy, Your Highness. We met on the first day…”
“No, no, not that stuff.”
“Pardon? What do you mean…?”
“I mean your real name! I can’t keep calling you ‘Holy Maiden’ forever, you know.”
Was this girl complicit with the High Priests?
Or did she truly believe she was the 14th Holy Maiden?
I smiled brightly and pointed to myself.
“I’m Elysion Erebos. Or just Sion.”
“Ah, um… M-My name is…”
She seemed even more flustered now.
Her cheeks flushed deep red, and her black eyes shook violently.
She must’ve never been taught how to handle a situation like this.
The girl hesitated, then whispered so only I could hear.
“My name is… Armené. I don’t have a surname, Princess.”
“Armené! Nice to meet you! But why are you all alone?”
“W-Well…”
“Where are the grown-ups?”
Where were those bastards who left her here alone after setting her up as a fake?
Now the murmurs of the banquet hall were growing louder.
Not just the demons, but envoys from other nations as well.
“…Now that you mention it, aren’t there fewer High Priests than yesterday?”
“Could it be retaliation…?”
“Are they planning to spark another war?”
As the whispers escalated, I quickly lifted my head.
The Demon King was watching me and Armené quietly, resting his chin on one hand.
As if calculating something…
What is that Demon King thinking?
At that moment, Callion softly called my name.
“Sion-nim.”
Following his gaze, I saw someone approaching.
Even with my divine senses sealed, a crawling dread crept over my skin like insects.
“Glory to the great Princess of Tartarus.”
A smooth voice, sharp eyes, and silver hair—Talos, the Second High Priest.
Behind him, I saw several senior priests approaching.
Talos shot a glance at the flustered Armené.
Then he turned to me with a cutting stare.
“And what delightful conversation are you having with our new Holy Maiden?”
As I met his eyes, I expected to be paralyzed with fear.
But what surged through me was far stronger than fear.
You people… haven’t changed one bit.
They brought a child from Halcyon and left her as a spectacle in the heart of her former enemy.
All for your own benefit. Even if it meant blaspheming against the gods…!
Next to me, the fake—Armené—was trembling at the lips.
Talos looked down on her with obvious disdain.
“What were you discussing, 14th Holy Maiden?”
“T-Talos-nim. I-I was just introducing myself…”
I knew that expression all too well.
It was the fear of punishment to come.
Sigh…!
I had resisted with all I had, not wanting to be trampled under these people while I lived.
And now, right in front of me, stood a child who would go through the same pain.
So this feeling I’m having right now…
It was rage. And hatred.
Even in all the moments of injustice I had suffered, I had never felt emotions this powerful.
…And if I died because of all that, shouldn’t they at least show a shred of remorse?
These filthy bastards. You’re gonna get smacked by divine judgment someday!
I could feel my blood pressure spiking from fury.
Suddenly, the tile beneath Lethe’s feet cracked with a loud crack.
In the capital city of Tartarus, “Core,” the air was electric with excitement over the rare festival.
Phobos pretended to wipe away emotional tears.
From atop a flying dragon.
“To think that Lord Epikus would ask for my help…!”
“…”
Minte, who sat behind him on the dragon, turned away.
Reporting to Erebos and rushing out had gone smoothly enough.
Even deploying the Core Knights to search the capital was fine.
But the fastest way to scan the city… was on dragonback.
And Phobos had insisted on riding with her.
As she remembered that, Minte snapped and yelled.
“Why the hell would you bring a dragon to a birthday festival?! You’re a duke—act like it!”
“But this one’s faster than a carriage.”
“Stop doing ridiculous things!”
“Ah—Lord Epikus!”
Phobos suddenly interrupted her and pointed urgently at something.
A group of people in “Snow Country” attire from the northern lands were scattering into alleyways.
After the battle in Charon, both of them had developed a sense for this.
Even dressed like people from another kingdom, the feeling was unmistakable.
Minte grinned like a beast ready to pounce.
“Smells like Halcyon rats.”
