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Chapter 237: The Heretic and the Chess Player

Under the moonlight outside the temple, the Blonde Saint faced off silently against the Demon Lady who ruled this city.

“Saint of Bright Light, Yuna Summerfield, you, the Holy Empire’s supreme commander of the military and the leader of the holy war, what brings you to Saint Sanos City so stealthily? Are you perhaps here to learn the infiltration techniques of us succubi?”

The Demon Lady spoke with a hint of sarcasm, yet it almost sounded as if she didn’t hold an opposing stance. The blonde girl merely smiled nonchalantly, just like she always did.

“I’m just here at a timely moment to discuss further collaboration. Would you rather I seek out the Killing General in Keller City, or those wandering plagues in various places?”

“Well, I have no collaboration with Killing or Pollution. I just didn’t expect you to personally show up this time, Clisia Iron, the King of Corrosion truly knows how to utilize his daughters…”

Hearing this, Clisia raised an eyebrow and waved her hand at the girl swordsman standing respectfully behind her.

“Step back. Don’t let any creatures approach here.”

“But Master, this Saint is very strong…”

“I said, step back.”

Despite the calm demeanor and lack of anger in her voice, Qily, the girl swordsman, froze as if she’d made some grave error. Her expression turned fearful as she didn’t dare to speak again and hurriedly left.

Watching the girl hurriedly depart, Yuna chuckled lightly, her expression unchanged.

“Truly worthy of being the first daughter of the King of Corrosion. Even under such intense suppression, she can demonstrate strength akin to an exceeding level legendary succubus. Even a powerhouse like Without Edge can be tamed, what a terrifying allure~”

Clisia pursed her lips and shot a glare at the distant Saintess.

“Are you mocking me? It clearly has no effect on you… Speaking of which, I heard about the deal with Yuna Summerfield from my father, but how do you know me? We’ve never met before, have we?”

However, the Saintess only smiled and remained silent.

“Tsk… troublesome. Fine, since you came here to meet me, the representative of Corrosion, it must mean there has been significant progress with my father’s deal, right?”

The Demon Lady extended a delicate and smooth small hand, palm up.

“Now, hand it over?”

Yet, the Saintess remained motionless, simply shaking her head slightly.

“The Enchantment Pearl, I have only found half of it so far.”

“……”

Clisia’s deep purple eyes finally turned cold, a hint of hostility and murderous intent swirling within as she stood still.

“What do you mean by that?”

“What do you mean…? You should know better than I, daughter of Iron.”

The Saintess lightly touched her smooth cheek as if feigning surprise and tilted her head.

“I don’t recall the terms of our original deal including your side taking action to interfere or even seize the Enchantment Pearls that I’ve collected. So, what’s the meaning of this action?”

Yuna spread one hand, and an ancient scroll seemed to appear from thin air, gathering a soft glow that formed a palm-sized shadow resembling the succubus girl before her.

“Chloé!?”

Clisia exclaimed, and at once, murderous intent surged in her gaze, her demon wings unfurling as strange, ominous patterns began to surface in her deep purple pupils, an overwhelming aura sweeping toward the blonde girl.

However, Yuna remained unfazed, showing no hint of fear or weakness, still wearing a pure and innocent smile.

“I’ve heard that the demon population is low. Among demons, they particularly value their kin, especially those related by blood. It seems that’s true.”

“You despicable half-breed from the Light Tribe… how dare you!”

Yet Yuna retorted, not backing down in the slightest.

“That should be my line, right? Your Corruption faction sends strong ones to infiltrate my forces, attempting to seize the components of the Enchantment Pearl we’ve sought. Should that be understood as… deciding to abandon this deal, then?”

“……”

The anger on the Demon Lady’s face suddenly vanished.

She gazed at the Saintess’s flawless and calm expression and spoke softly.

“You’re not afraid… of me revealing the truth that the Saint of Bright Light colluded with the demon forces to orchestrate this war, or of simply gathering an army to encircle you here?”

Threatened thus, the Saintess’s smile remained unchanged.

“Can you even do that?”

“…… You are truly insane.”

“You flatter me~”

Despite being a persuasive demon, Clisia took a deep breath, realizing she couldn’t gain an upper hand in this conversation, and turned her attention back to the scroll in Yuna’s palm, and possibly the unfortunate succubus trapped within it.

“I must retrieve Chloé. What are your conditions? Just to clarify, this cannot replace the final trade with your father. That’s a bottom line.”

Seeing the other party finally step onto the expected negotiation track, the pure smile on the Saintess’s face deepened.

“I understand. Then, did you acquire the Judging Saint’s sword?”

Clisia blinked in surprise before frowning.

“No, the Judging Saint escaped. That woman’s strength was greater than what you’ve indicated in that intel. Even in that disadvantage, she gravely injured me and several other high-ranking demons. After escaping outside the city, she quickly vanished. Saint of Bright Light, that’s your issue.”

“I see…”

Yuna refrained from commenting and instead looked up at the sky.

“Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom!!!!!!”

Suddenly, intense explosions and fiery blasts from the distant corners of the city caught the attention of the two women in conversation.

The blonde girl smiled knowingly.

“Saint Sanos City this evening seems lively, doesn’t it?”

“Ah, some fools snuck into the outskirts of the high-ranking demons’ living area and seem to have unearthed something quite powerful. They’re likely causing this chaos in the city…”

Instinctively saying so, Clisia’s pupils shrank, and she suddenly looked at the blonde girl.

“You…”

What followed was a wave of terror.

It was a sensation Clisia had only felt from her father—the King of Corruption—one that felt like everything had been anticipated and prepared in advance, as if she was pulling strings and controlling puppets dancing on the stage…

She instinctively looked at the girl before her.

The girl’s light blue eyes remained clear and pure. If she hadn’t known her identity beforehand, as a succubus, Clisia would have felt an overwhelming urge to smear and corrupt her upon first sight.

Yet now, Clisia felt nothing but fear because she could not see through her, could not understand. Since coming to this world, it was the first time she had encountered a native being so completely unpredictable.

Her pure essence made her all the more incomprehensible.

But without a doubt, that was the enemy the succubi dreaded the most.

Her voice continued to resonate in the air.

“Your father and the other two monarchs have, to some degree, reached cooperation, yet there still seems to be a barrier between them~”

“Just like how Killing operated behind your backs, secretly causing a ruckus in the Saint Beirgen Mountains, Corruption collaborating with me, your Saint of Bright Light, is also a hidden secret. If you were to blatantly seek out the Judging Saint’s sword, even at your command, it wouldn’t escape suspicion.”

“But… with tonight’s circumstances, wouldn’t it all become much more convenient?”

After a moment of silence, Clisia raised her head to look at Yuna.

“You already know where the Judging Saint is hiding?”