"King of Selerphis?"
The nun looked down at the knights waiting below, then took out a mirror engraved with the Church's twin-wing emblem from her robes.
She tapped it lightly, and soon a rather stiff female voice came from within.
"This is the direct line for high-ranking clergy of the Holy Inquisition Church, Nait Empire Division. Please state your business."
"Hello, I'm Sister Pamela Olivier, the nun responsible for escorting the Angel.
I'd like to confirm whether the reinforcement list includes the King of Selerphis Kingdom."
Even as Pamela operated the alchemic device in her hand, her gaze never once left the group below.
There was a long silence from the other side before the voice responded:
"Early this morning, the Selerphis branch indeed submitted its list of participants. It includes the King of Selerphis himself and several other high-tier combatants of the kingdom."
"Then what about the presiding High Bishop of Selerphis? Why didn't he personally lead the support forces this time?"
Pamela's brows furrowed. It wasn't that she distrusted the old king, but she trusted her fellow clergy more.
"Last night, Beastman infiltrators launched a coordinated assault on the Church in Selerphis City.
High Bishop Berion Lough was gravely wounded.
Mid Bishops Lorenzo and Timothy have returned to the embrace of our Lord.
The city's other major powers were also attacked.
The reinforcement unit before you now represents every remaining high-level extraordinary in the city."
"I understand."
Pamela's expression grew solemn. The situation was even worse than she'd imagined.
She guided her puppet horse to descend slowly and landed before the old king, giving a slight bow.
"An honor to meet you again, King of Selerphis.
Thank you, Your Majesty, and all of you for coming to our aid.
We'll need your help for the rest of this journey.
The reinforcements from the Kingdom of Honesty are already on their way — as long as we can make it through this next stretch, the rest of the path will be far safer."
"Sister Pamela, no need for such courtesy.
This is the duty of all who serve the Lord of Holy Light."
The old king placed his hand to his chest and bowed deeply toward Vivian, saying solemnly:
"Our kingdom has dispatched three Sixth-Tier extraordinaries, including myself, and twelve Fifth-Tiers.
This is the full strength of Selerphis' elite.
We swear, upon the honor of the Selerphis line, to escort the Angel to safety, even if it costs our lives."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Viviane replied with a grateful bow.
"In that case," the old king continued, "please allow us to remain close as your guards."
But before Vivian could even respond—
—a sudden change erupted.
Behind the old king, a general wearing light armor drew a dagger from his waist and, to the horror of everyone present, drove the poisoned blade straight into the king's back.
"Captain Bardel! What are you doing?!"
The nearest Fifth-Tier mage from the Mage's Guild shouted in disbelief.
He couldn't comprehend why Bardel — the captain of Selerphis' Second Knight Order and one of the kingdom's strongest knights — would suddenly attack his own sovereign.
But before the mage could even finish his words, a sharp sword pierced his chest from behind.
"Who—?"
He turned his head with effort, and when he saw the face of his assailant, his expression froze in horror.
"Lord Wilbur… why—"
He never finished his sentence.
Wilbur — the President of the Knight's Guild and the third Sixth-Tier powerhouse among them — cleaved him cleanly in two with his sword.
Two Sixth-Tier leaders turning traitor at once — the implications were clear.
And indeed, just before the mage's dying eyes dimmed, he saw his remaining comrades also being stabbed in the back by those they'd trusted.
"Run!"
Pamela didn't hesitate for a second.
She yanked the reins, turned the puppet horse, and tried to flee — but she was already too late.
Several Fifth-Tier heavy cavalry had cut off her escape.
Just as she prepared to soar skyward, Bardel, the one who had slain the king, charged straight toward her.
"Hehehe… you two aren't getting away today."
"What are you people?"
Pamela's eyes darted rapidly around the battlefield, searching for any possible escape route — but to her despair, they had completely surrounded her.
Of the twelve Fifth-Tier powerhouses, eight had turned traitor.
The remaining four were already dead — struck down by their supposed allies before they could even react.
"Keheheh… I suppose there's no harm in telling you," Bardel sneered.
Before her very eyes, his body began to twist grotesquely —blood-red horns sprouting from his skull, and a pair of leathery bat wings unfurling from his back.
And the same transformation was happening to the others.
"Demons?! But the demons of Selerphis City were all purged!"
Pamela's voice trembled. She could hardly believe what she was seeing.
After all, she had been the one sent from the Empire to handle the Selerphis Demon Incident.
When she discovered that one of the Knight Commanders had fallen to demonic corruption, she'd personally tested every influential figure in the city with holy water, confirming none were tainted before she left.
And yet… how long had it been?
Now most of Selerphis' upper echelons had already fallen?
"Keheheh… You're not wrong.
When you left, Selerphis City truly was clean.
But after receiving our Lord's blessing, we saw the truth — and willingly pledged ourselves to His banner."
Bardel grinned, his sharp fangs glinting in the light.
"Only by embracing the power of the Abyss did we realize how foolish we once were.
That so-called Lord of Holy Light? Nothing but a hypocritical whore pretending to be pure.
Faith in Her is nothing more than a chain that binds the strong.
Virtue, order — all just shackles that keep us weak.
Only by embracing our true, primal selves can we become real powerhouses.
Join us, Pamela.
Offer up the Angel to our Lord, and He will reward you with power beyond imagination."
"In your dreams!"
Pamela roared in fury, tearing open a magic scroll.
A beam of pure Holy Light burst forth, blasting straight toward the nearest Fifth-Tier demon.
She didn't target the two Sixth-Tiers — she knew her own strength.
As a life-type cleric, even with scrolls, she couldn't hope to break their defenses.
So instead, she aimed for the weaker prey.
But to her shock, the demon merely lifted a round black shield from his storage ring —
—and her attack, which should've struck like divine lightning, didn't even leave a mark.
"What… what is that?"
Bardel chuckled darkly.
"Such rich corruption… If I'm not mistaken, that shield was soaked in the tainted blood of the Fallen."