Chapter 31: The Abrupt Appearance of the “Demon”

Today, Claycius wasn’t dressed in his standard pure white Holy Knight armor like last time when he met them. Instead, he wore plain clothes, with a sword hanging at his waist, and he didn’t even carry the matching Holy Shield.

What was strangest of all was that, despite being the commander of the Temple Knights in Holy Star City, he had no subordinates with him and was advancing alone, head down, through the bustling street like someone hurriedly retracing their steps to find an important item they had dropped.

“Miss Xī, do you think he accidentally dropped something important? Should we… help him out?”

Although Renée suggested this passionately, Miss White Fox pondered for a moment and just shook her head.

“It’s none of our business. After all, we’re not familiar with him. Since Claycius is specifically wearing plain clothes and hasn’t brought any subordinates, it likely means he’s dealing with personal matters. If we interfere now, we’ll only be wasting our efforts.”

“Eh… is that so?”

“Yep, let’s not worry about him. Let’s go.”

Since Vilyric had voiced that opinion, Renée, who usually looks to the Priestess for guidance, naturally had nothing more to say. The two girls turned in the exact opposite direction of where Claycius was and planned to continue with their original shopping plan.

However, they had barely taken two steps when a scream, filled with panic and fear, suddenly pierced the previously peaceful street!

“There’s a demon!!!!”

“Eh?”

“?”

The scream drew their attention, and Vilyric and Renée instinctively turned to look, discovering a massive uproar in the distance. The crowd surged like a chaotic wave, punctuated by a series of unbelievable screams.

“It’s really a demon! Run!!!”

“Help, help!!!”

“Where are the Temple Knights! Hurry and call the Temple Knights!”

The cacophony of shouts, combined with the chaotic crowd, quickly shattered the original order. People terrified by the commotion scattered in all directions, street stalls were overturned, and the flow of people in the shops and streets dashed about wildly as if they had seen something horrific.

“Miss Xī!”

In the midst of the street, Miss White Fox and the Winged Girl were naturally also caught up in this sudden chaos. As the frantic crowd surged around them, Vilyric frowned but firmly grasped Renée’s hand and quickly made her way against the tide!

“Hold on tight, don’t get lost.”

The clear and calm tone of her voice gradually soothed the initially panicked Winged Girl, who instinctively squeezed Miss White Fox’s soft hand, tucking her wings in to reduce their area, and followed closely behind Vilyric.

An invisible force seemed to wrap around the two girls, gently pushing away anyone who got too close, while the panicked people near the demon had no time to notice these details.

Soon, Vilyric and Renée found themselves at the epicenter of the chaos.

“So this is… the demon?”

To be honest, the sight before Miss White Fox surprised her a bit.

It was a girl, simply dressed, curled up in the corner of the street.

Though she hid her head in her arms, judging by her stature and some details, she didn’t seem very old—she looked like an ordinary human girl in many aspects. But for some reason, her originally black long hair was gradually turning into a dark purple hue, and strange patterns appeared on her exposed skin, while a pair of spiraling horns stretched upwards from her head, radiating an ominous aura.

Clearly, she was undergoing some sort of transformation.

Nearby, several passersby, wielding blades or holy symbols, had surrounded her, watching vigilantly but appearing hesitant to make the first move.

These were likely clergymen or goddess cult believers, who wouldn’t be an unusual sight in the Holy Empire, where faith-based magic prevailed.

But to be honest, Vilyric didn’t quite understand. Although this little girl seemed a bit off, she didn’t look like the type to go on a rampage right away as a big bad demon. What could these believers possibly be wary of?

“Miss Xī, what should we do now? Should we intervene?”

Renée cautiously inquired, but before Vilyric could respond, a firm shout suddenly rang out nearby!

“Holy Knight Claycius is here! Demon, surrender immediately!”

The youth in plain clothes pushed against the fleeing crowd and reached the epicenter of the event just a few breaths behind the two girls. He drew his blade and pointed it sharply at the girl curled up on the ground.

Upon his arrival, the few clergymen who mustered the courage to step forward were taken aback, drawn to his presence. Only one seemed particularly excited to call out to him.

“Great! It’s Commander Claycius!”

Wow, that was quick…

At the same time as Vilyric noticed him, Claycius had also recognized the Fox Girl and the Winged Girl beside her. However, it seemed the Holy Knight didn’t pay them much attention as he quickly passed by, parting the crowd with a frown while assessing the trembling girl still curled up on the ground.

“It’s… demonization. Who knows what’s the matter? What happened here earlier?”

Hmm? This guy…

If Vilyric wasn’t mistaken, Claycius should have been heading in the direction of where he was looking for something before and would have passed through this area. Why did he act like an innocent passerby just showing up?

Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly behind the mask, but the Fox Girl remained silent, merely observing the unfolding situation.

Just then, the young man, who seemed to know Claycius and wore armor similar to that of a Holy Knight, quickly approached him and whispered.

“Commander Claycius, I saw it all. This girl was standing by the street, looking around as if waiting for something. But for some reason, she suddenly collapsed. I wanted to help, but I found… she was beginning to show signs of demonization.”

His voice was low, as if trying to avoid alarming the other onlookers, but even from a distance, the keen-eared Fox Girl captured all of his words clearly.

Upon hearing this, Claycius’ expression changed several times before finally he pondered and glanced at the Holy Knight.

“How could this happen? Why did she suddenly start demonizing? You… I remember you’re Bowen Bernal from the sixth squad, right? Weren’t you supposed to be on leave today? Why are you still walking around in armor?”

The golden-haired Holy Knight immediately stood straight, thumping his chest in a knight’s salute, then announced loudly.

“Yes! I am Bowen Bernal, Courage Knight of the sixth squad from the Temple Knights of Holy Star City! Reporting to Commander Claycius, rumors about demons rampaging have recently circulated in the city. Unable to rest easy, I thought I’d take a stroll in the street to help maintain order, and who would have thought I would run into something like this? This must be the goddess’s arrangement!”

“Hmm… you’re quite thoughtful.”

Claycius nodded, then turned to the other bystanders who seemed to have just passed through the area and nodded in thanks.

“Thank you all for your help in maintaining order in Holy Star City. I am Claycius, commander of the Temple Knights. This matter… is a bit suspicious. Since I’ve arrived, it’s best that I take this demon back to the headquarters of the Knights for further handling. What do you all think?”

   

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