A dim chandelier hung above, its faint light the only source of illumination in the darkened hall.
Nero stood surrounded by a sea of monsters, her emerald eyes lifting to meet the woman who had spoken earlier.
The woman stood by the exit, her jet-black hair cut neatly to her shoulders, a tear-shaped beauty mark resting just beneath her left eye. She wore robes and a white cloak that exuded an air of religious solemnity, as though she were a priestess devoted to some divine figure.
There was no doubt about it—
"A beauty!"
Nero's eyes sparkled, brimming with admiration.
Especially that tear-shaped beauty mark… it made her even more captivating.
"Umu… What a shame she's with the demon army, an enemy. Otherwise, I could've gotten along splendidly with such a charming beauty… I do so love getting close to pretty girls!"
With a sigh, Nero lamented her loss, a pang of regret in her heart.
Her voice wasn't exactly quiet, so naturally, the priestess heard every word.
The woman seemed momentarily stunned—being called a beauty by her opponent in the middle of battle was not something she'd anticipated.
"Well, it's not impossible, you know."
Nero raised her head, surprised, as the priestess smiled at her and said, "If you join us—join the demon army—you could be with me, couldn't you?"
Now it was Nero's turn to be taken aback.
"Umu! Your offer is indeed… tempting," Nero admitted with a thoughtful nod, before abruptly changing her tone. "But why should I be the one to join you? When it comes to charm, I'm confident I can rival anyone!"
"Don't you think it's a bit unfair to ask that of me?"
The priestess's playful smile faltered, her tone tinged with impatience.
"Enough joking around. If you really want me to join you, you'll have to prove you're strong enough first."
She smirked, her voice laced with challenge. "If you're too weak and end up dying here, then even if I wanted to join you, it'd be pointless, wouldn't it?"
"Umu… You make a valid point."
In the dimly lit hall, pairs of crimson eyes locked onto Nero, their owners—demon warriors—having cast aside their earlier fear. Each of them now burned with a singular focus: the desire to tear the radiant figure before them apart.
At the priestess's command, she raised her arm and shouted, her voice ringing out in the hall.
"Attack! Tear her to pieces!"
The oppressive tension shattered, replaced by the bloodthirsty roars of monsters unified in purpose.
"For Lady Celestina!"
So, her name is Celestina.
The thought crossed Nero's mind, though it didn't distract her from the battle at hand.
The enormous black-and-red sword in Nero's hands moved with the grace of a feather, despite being larger than she was. Blades of death wove around her as her strikes, faster than the eye could follow, formed a deadly web.
With a leap, Nero escaped the encirclement, and in the next moment, part of the monster horde shattered into pieces.
Blood splattered, chunks of flesh fell to the ground.
It was a brutal, jarring sight, yet the surrounding monsters paid no mind. Their crimson eyes remained fixed on Nero, devoid of reason, filled only with killing intent and reverence for Celestina.
"Kill her!"
"For Lady Celestina!"
"Lady Celestina, long live!"
Watching the cult-like devotion of the monsters, Nero's expression grew complicated.
"Are all religious types like this?"
Her thoughts drifted to the Axis cultists of this world. On her journey to the Demon King's castle, Nero had passed through Arcanretia, the headquarters of the Axis Church, and, unsurprisingly, had been forced to interact with those lunatics.
"...Tch."
Recalling the unpleasant memories, Nero's face twisted in distaste.
With a sweeping slash of her sword, she carved a semicircle in the air. The next moment, a wall of fire two meters high erupted, blocking the monsters' advance.
Yet, in an astonishing display, the monsters ignored the fire entirely, charging through as if it didn't exist.
Weaker creatures like goblins, skeleton soldiers, and kobolds were reduced to ashes the moment they touched the flames. Only a handful of trolls managed to break through, their bodies charred beyond recognition.
Casually swinging her sword, Nero sent a wave of energy that dispatched a heavily wounded troll. Her brow furrowed slightly.
"Umu… I'm growing tired of this."
While the fire wall covered the front, some monsters began circling around to flank Nero from other directions.
But Nero had no intention of prolonging the fight.
The monsters that managed to circumvent the flames grew more agitated upon spotting Nero, rushing at her without hesitation, weapons raised.
Her crimson dress fluttered elegantly as Nero slowly lifted her foot… and brought it down with immense force.
Boom!
The ground quaked as fissures spread in every direction.
Fragments of stone and debris flew into the air, along with the monsters. Their bodies tumbled helplessly, rendered dizzy and disoriented.
Time seemed to stretch infinitely.
Four seconds.
In just four seconds—
From the moment the ground shattered to the moment debris and monsters alike fell back to earth—Nero had slain nearly five hundred monsters.
Celestina's pupils shrank as she stared at Nero, who now stood before her, sword in hand.
Behind Nero, blood, shattered bones, and dismembered limbs painted a grotesque tableau of hell.
In the faint light of the chandelier above, the scene carried an oppressive weight, the atmosphere almost suffocating.
Though they were mere foot soldiers, Celestina couldn't suppress the chill that ran down her spine as she witnessed Nero dispatch them so effortlessly.
And now, as Nero advanced toward her, Celestina's legs gave out beneath her.
Standing before the priestess, Nero opened her mouth to speak.
"You—"
"Mercy! I surrender!"
Before Nero could finish a single word, Celestina dropped to her knees, pleading for her life.
Her posture was impeccable, a perfect display of submission.
Tears welled in her eyes as she stammered, "P-please, my lady! Brave hero, spare me! I-I… I'll join you! I… I can even guide you to the Demon King! Just don't kill me, I beg you!"
Nero blinked, momentarily caught off guard by how quickly Celestina capitulated.
"Umu! You seem to hold quite a high position in the demon army. Are you really okay with betraying the Demon King like this?"
"No problem at all! It's just a transactional relationship between us. The Demon King let me preach my faith in the demon army, and in return, I helped command his troops… If you're willing to spare me, I-I… I can show you a shortcut straight to his chamber!"
Celestina explained that the Demon King's chamber was at the very top of the castle, and reaching it directly would be a daunting task. However, she knew of a shortcut—an exclusive passage created for the officers to report to the Demon King efficiently.
Rubbing her chin thoughtfully, Nero considered the offer before nodding.
"Very well. Lead the way."
---
...
If you're reading this, then you've wandered all the way to the end. I'm impressed. Stories are like wine—meant to be savored, not rushed. So if you took your time? Thank you.
Of course, the real thanks goes to WiseTL—the one who turned tangled words into something beautiful. I just got asked to wrap things up with a ribbon. Hopefully this counts!
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Go on. Be generous. They've earned it.
Until next time—read well, rest often, and maybe come visit me at the Hostess of Fertility sometime.
– Syr ✨