Chapter 1
“I’ve lost. Kill me.”
Around the woman who had collapsed, her long black hair spilling onto the ground, lay black feathers and severed horns.
“Why did you hesitate at the end?”
A man with white wings, in stark contrast to the dark colors of the demons, approached slowly.
He held a handful of the woman’s cut black hair in his hand, as if it were something precious.
The woman let out a bitter laugh. When he had chopped her horns and wings off without so much as raising an eyebrow, he hadn’t hesitated. So what was he doing now? Irritating.
“Hesitate? You’ve finally lost it? Ferdinando, not being able to tear you apart and kill you has been my lifelong regret!”
The man knelt before her on one knee.
His face, looking up at her, framed by long golden hair, was horrifyingly beautiful—but the eyes and expression held not a shred of emotion, which made her shiver.
120,000 years. The long, endless time she had spent plotting revenge against him.
And now, it had come to this…
It was enough. She didn’t need any of this anymore. She just wanted it all to end. Revenge, scheming—she wanted to stretch her legs and rest, whether in a coffin or the ground. Truly, forever.
A pure white light blossomed from the man’s hand. She had neither the strength nor the will to evade it.
Whoosh! In an instant, the light expanded and wrapped around her body.
She knew. Even if it felt warm, this was a terrifying power capable of tearing her body apart in a single instant.
Ha… this is really the end.
“I won’t have to see that bastard’s face again. Feels relieving.”
But…
In the final moment of her long life, an unfamiliar regret suddenly rose in her mind, and the woman was thoroughly startled.
She had spent bone-shattering effort to kill him, rising to a position she could confidently call among the strongest of the demons.
And yet… why now, at this moment, did she imagine herself sitting and laughing across from that bastard? Was she insane? Ah, yes—she was. As she approached death, her brain had clearly gone haywire.
Everything seemed strange at the approach of death. As she resigned herself, something felt off. Even as time passed, she felt no pain. Instead, a strange, warm sensation seeped into every cell of her body, and she opened her eyes.
“What… are you doing? Are you mocking me?”
“You could not reflect on your life because of your hatred for me. I intend to give you another chance.”
“Chance? What nonsense are you spouting?”
“A chance to regain your power and come kill me again… that is what I mean.”
Not understanding, the woman furrowed her brows, preparing to unleash a stream of curses. Then—Bang!—a sudden burst of light flashed from her wrist.
Below her wrist, red veins sprouted like lightning, weaving chaotically.
“Kuh… what is this?”
“If you perform good deeds in the human world for one year, you will regain all your power. But remember—if you use your power with malice, or do nothing at all, you will die a painful death.”
Good deeds? What kind of ridiculous nonsense was this? And more importantly—was this absurd idea really from Ferdinando’s mind?
It would have been so easy to just erase her, so why make her go through all this hardship, only to come back and try to kill him again? What the hell was the point of that?
“You insane, who do you think you are!!”
“I’ve always told you to speak more politely. And haven’t I also said that if I win, you may do as you please?”
“Shut up! Don’t treat me like a damn slave! Just kill me! That’s all I want!”
But the man ignored her harsh words entirely. He reached out and lightly grasped her chin. Being so close that their faces almost touched, she was flustered enough for her complexion to change.
“Get away. Don’t touch me, you bastard!”
“When you awaken, it will be with holy power. Look forward to the day you come to see me again.”
Then, a dazzling ivory light spread evenly through the air, rapidly enveloping her body.
“Ugh! Stop! I don’t know what this is, but stop it! Stop, you damnnnn!!”
Before she could finish cursing, her body, surrounded by white light, vanished with a scream.
Where the woman had disappeared, black feathers lay scattered. The emotionless golden eyes of the man calmly observed the severed hair still clutched in her hand.
“You will succeed, no matter what.”
And from his tightly pressed lips came a name—never spoken since he became a god—that now filled the void left by her absence.
“…Seiri.”
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
“High Priest, how long must we wait? My legs are cramping; I feel like I’m dying.”
“The prophecy has been given. She will appear soon. You must trust and wait. Can one serve with no faith?”
The garden was shrouded in a mystical atmosphere. Priests in long white robes knelt outside the artificial pond, decorated with jewels and marble.
“But we’ve been here overnight for a month. My waist hurts, my legs hurt, my eyes are stinging…”
“Even if your legs break, endure it. You cannot serve a priest while whining about a little discomfort in your eyes.”
“Uh… I just wanted to check if perhaps the prophecy might have been misinterpreted by the High Priest…”
“Oh? Are you doubting me now?”
The normally sharp eyes of the priests became dull, and the garden fell silent as if a mouse had died.
“N-No, of course not… haha…”
The High Priest, petite and cute in appearance, struck the ground a few times with his long wand—the symbol of his office—and spoke firmly:
“You must wait. Understand?”
“Y-Yes, Your Excellency!”
He was Leno Crabsley, the only High Priest of the Lucerne Empire, serving Ferdinando, the God of War.
In his mid-20s, he had risen to the High Priesthood at a young age. His adorable looks, exceptional holy power, and compassion earned him the admiration and respect of all.
“The Emperor himself is taking a great interest in this matter. Stay sharp. Now, let us repeat yesterday’s hymn…”
“High Priest! Look! Look over there!”
Just as the sermon was about to begin again, a priest shouted, pointing at the pond.
Bubbles were rising from the center of the pond, which had been calm for five weeks.
The sudden movement made the priests’ palms sweat. Leno’s wide eyes fixed fearfully on the pond.
This unusual sign could mean, according to the prophecy, the appearance of the Great Saint.
The priests had stayed here overnight praying for the Great Saint for a reason.
The Lupence Empire, having unified the continent, was rich in resources, fertile land, and talented people.
Its early rise from a minor state to a great empire was thanks to the absolute god Ferdinando, the Emperor as his proxy, and the Great Saint.
The Great Saint, simply by being closest to the god, held immense significance. Her near-miraculous abilities were a constant object of admiration and played a crucial role in uniting the people.
Over time, her status grew, and she wielded power second only to the Emperor.
Normally, the academy would select the most outstanding holy talent as the Great Saint, but this time, a divine prophecy was issued—the first in the Empire’s history. Naturally, all eyes were on who the god himself had chosen.
As everyone held their breath, something round and black surfaced from the water.
“Paha—!”
“What?!”
“Uoooh!”
“Oh… this is incredible.”
The woman’s wet black hair slicked back, droplets flying, and dozens of mouths gasped in unison.
Haa… haa…
The Saint floated only her face above the water, taking a few breaths, scanning her surroundings. Once she spotted an exit, she struggled to swim out of the pond.
As she emerged from the water, everyone inhaled sharply.
Beneath her black one-piece, rolled up to her thighs, were smooth, snow-white legs standing on their own.
Her narrow, almost bendable waist and full chest were exposed, and her catlike, provocative red eyes calmly gazed at the priests.
Transparent water dripped from her long hair, wetting the ground, and silence fell among the priests.
Sacred yet seductive, with a fatal beauty that could captivate the soul, everyone could think of only one word:
“Goddess…”
The dozen or so priests were all men. It was the first time seeing a woman’s wet clothing cling to her body like this. Like a painting come to life, none could make rational judgments.
“H-High Saint?”
Just as Leno, barely maintaining his dignity as High Priest, stepped toward her, she lost her balance, staggering like a wilted vegetable to the ground.
“What… my body… has no strength…”
“Oh no, High Saint!”
“High Saint!”
“High Saint!”
The priests rushed forward, and Leno caught her. A faint white glow surrounded her wet body like a thin protective shield. Leno knew what this light meant.
“Unbelievable holy power. I’ve never seen anything like this. Truly, she is…”
Then, her lips moved slightly.
“Ah… ra…go…”
“High Saint!?”
