Chapter 158

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Reed left the dungeon while receiving a warm send-off from Anaxia and the other demons.

Anaxia reigned supreme as the number one figure in the dungeon once more and stood on a high platform to scan the humans with arrogant eyes.

“I am Duke Anaxia Pelhemstein. Human knights, do you think you can stand against me with your paltry strength?”

As she revealed her status, the hands of the knights holding the sword trembled and the shaking tip of the blade represented their feelings.

Anaxia dug her teeth into that.

“I’ll let you live. Only the Prince and Princess will remain, the rest of you will return to the mortal world and tell the story. Anaxia Pelhemstein has kidnapped your royalty to celebrate her succession to the ducal throne, so if you want to save them, send a lot of warriors.”

After much hemming and hawing, the humans seemed to have come to a decision.

The Prince and his knights and the Princess and her handmaidens bade each other an emotional farewell.

“Go now and tell the kingdom of my danger.”

“I understand, Prince. I will come to your rescue.”

The Prince feigned solemnity but was nervous, and the knights feigned loyalty but were eager to get out of the dungeon in a hurry.

In comparison, the Princess and her handmaids seemed to have a closer relationship.

“Your Royal Highness Princess Celestide, we will stay with you.”

“You’re talking nonsense.”

“I can’t leave Your Highness alone.”

“Stop. This is not the place to waste time. Bianca, you take everyone out. It’s an order.”

“As you wish, Your Highness.”

The maid who had just answered caught Anaxia’s attention.

A noble young lady with long bluish-black hair and pretty demonic-like red eyes. Anaxia’s pupils slit vertically as she took in her appearance.

“Wait a minute, you there.”

“......”

Bianca only glanced at her without answering and that defiance made Anaxia’s heart skip a beat.

“What’s your name?”FiNd updates on n(o)/velbin(.)com

“Bianca Gillette.”

“Yes, Bianca. I kind of like you.”

“......!”

Suddenly, a full-length mirror was summoned to Anaxia’s side, and four chains stretched out from it fastening around Bianca’s wrists and ankles.

Restrained like the other demon slaves, Bianca was dragged from her feet and placed in front of Anaxia.

“Ugh......”

Anaxia forced Bianca’s head up.

“I feel like I’m seeing the Succubus Queen in her old glory. Since this Anaxia liked you, I’ll make you a good offer. Be my handmaid.”

“......”

“I will turn you into a succubus and give you eternal life. You’ll have the honor of serving me for all eternity. How would you like that?”

“I decline.”

“Oh, really?”

Chiengg!

The chains dragged Bianca’s body into the mirror and she was forced to sit in the chair inside the space. Bianca tapped the inside of the mirror seemingly saying something, but her sounds did not reach the outside world.

“You’ll change your mind if you’re stuck there for a week. I’m excited to imagine you selling your soul for a sip of water or a piece of bread.”

Anaxia admired Bianca as if she were stuffed in the full-length mirror, with a flushed face.

“This would make a nice decoration, you two, hang this somewhere I can see.”

✠

‘This is why I wanted to deal with Anaxia in advance.’

“From what you say, it seems like you understand two of them.”

I nodded, wanting to move the conversation along quickly.

“The first reason would be that the Third Prince’s succession to the throne would be unfavorable to the kingdom, and the second reason would be that the kingdom has promised a huge reward.”

“Very wise indeed, but are you sure you don’t know the third reason, which is the most important.”

“Hm, what would it be......”

“Think about it carefully.”

“Well, I don’t know... ... .”

“You have to think about it.”

The eyes of Cardinal Decal and Cardinal Vesalius narrowed. Those were definitely testing eyes.

[‘The Critic who adjusts the balance’ whispers that this is like a test of common sense for the Church to weed out heretics.]

I tensed slightly, wondering if it was real and my necklace rang.

<This time, you will encounter the Magic Army again. It’s clear that the Republic will be preparing itself to send top players this time, unlike in Hellkaion. I’m sure they think the Order of Paladins can’t lose.>

Aha! Competitive spirit!

Thank goodness Agnes is here. I rattled off a third reason like a guess.

“Now that I think about it, the ‘Chimera Researcher’ from the Republic is probably going to go, right?”

Chimera researcher, Morifis Marcelion.

As an 8th Circle Archmage, he is one of the six most powerful humans on the continent.

‘Well, since the Magic Tower Lord died at the hands of Reed, it should be said that he’s one of the five strongest.’

With that mention, Vesalius and Decal became slightly excited and spoke up.

“I guess that’s true given the circumstances. That mad wizard has been ignoring us for so long, we need to knock him off his perch.”

“Now is the time to break that wizard’s arrogance.”

“This isn’t just a simple subjugation war, it’s a crusade, and Your Eminence should defeat the boss in front of those conceited republicans. Just like you did with Hellkaion.”

“Ah, yes......”

I never thought I’d get such heartfelt support from these two Cardinals.

The Church of Elpenheim had been suffering from a chronic shortage of talent due to the decline in divine power.

It was so bad that Eleon O’Drek, who barely scratched the surface at the top level of Aura Expert just a few months ago, had been touted as the First Swordsman of the Church.

And even that tiny little hope was now dead.

In the midst of all this, now that I, The Chosen One, appeared, the church was eager to avenge the sorrow of having long been ignored.

After calming down his excitement, Decal cleared his throat and said.

“Well, anyway, it’s only fitting that you should join, since everyone will be sending their best and brightest.”

Vesalius also helped.

“That’s right. The Kingdom’s Marquis Lekandro, the Republic’s Mad Wizard, and the Principality’s Prince Hispenril will be there. We also have to match the standards.”

Here I remembered something to say.

“Oh, speaking of which, I have something to tell you about the Principality.”

“What is it, Your Eminence?”

“Prince Hispenril will not participate in the subjugation this time.”

“What? Are you saying that the Principality refused to aid the Kingdom?”

The two Cardinals widened their eyes, fearing that this would lead to diplomatic friction.

I corrected the misunderstanding.

“No, no. Since he’s the King of a nation, it didn’t seem right for him to move himself, so he decided to send his granddaughter in his instead.”

“Well, that’s.......undignified.”

“That granddaughter is me.”

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