The Imperial Castle was undergoing renovations and repairs to transform it into a Demon Lord''s Castle, turning the Imperial Capital into a Demon Lord''s Capital City.


    In the former emperor''s chamber, Serphiano issued instructions to the demons from the throne. Serphiano watched the demons busily at work withoutint and thought.


    (Yes. Yes. Everyone''s doing their best, aren''t they?)


    Serphiano turned his attention with reproachful eyes to Nephira, who was sitting in the corner, eximing as she folded a piece of ck parchment diligently.


    "Please keep Suzuki safe!! Please keep Suzuki safeeee!!"


    "Nephira. What in tarnation are you doing?"


    "G<em ss="chakra-text css-0">ikori</em>," Nephira red at Serphiano with tired, sunken eyes.


    "Don''t you know!? It''s 666 bats!! I am praying to the evil god for Suzuki''s safety!!"


    "Is that some kind of curse? I don''t think there''s any point in doing this weird origami nonsense. There''s no logic to how it works."


    "That''s not the case!! If you fold Six Hundred and Sixty-Six of them, my wish wille true, and Suzuki wille back! That''s why, could you not call it something like weird origami nonsense!? Heeey!?"


    "Yes, yes... <em ss="chakra-text css-0">Haah</em>."


    The situation with the abduction of Suzuki had reduced her to that state. It seemed best to leave her alone until she calmed down.


    (Besides, well, you never know if that has a distracting effect on her from her grief and panic.)


    Looking at the pile of origami that continues to pile up, Serphiano also worried about Suzuki. Naturally, Serphiano felt responsible for what happened to Suzuki. That''s why, to hide her frustration, she had been working hard on the renovation for the demon city and was busily giving instructions to the demons.


    (Uh-huh. There are a lot of issues.)


    Moreover, there were other concerns as well besides Suzuki. Following Cove Town, there were reports that the humans in the vige of Leaven had also been wiped out. They were humans who had been preserved and set aside for very and food purposes. And the same as before, the Demon Lord''s army troops stationed in Leaven had disappeared.


    (I knew it. There''s truly a rebel element in our midst…?)


    Because she was so absorbed in her thoughts, Serphiano did not notice themotion that rose around her for a while.


    "What are you doing!"


    "Stop, stop!"


    At the sound of the skeleton soldiers'' angry voices, Serphiano finally turned her three eyes toward the double-door entry doors. There, a spider-like fiend was stopped and surrounded by skeleton soldiers.


    The intruder didn''t stop walking, even when they pointed spears at him and questioned its purpose. He approached Serphiano, shedding tears of purple-colored blood from thepound eyes concentrated in the center of its face.


    Sensing danger, Grant stood in front of Serphiano. He was a mighty warrior ogre who was a match for a thousand and had been entrusted with the protection of Serphiano, the chief strategist of the Demon Lord''s army.


    "Heei! I told you to stop!"


    The spider, which had been forcibly pinned down by the skeleton soldiers, soon let out a pathetic plea, "H-Help me!"


    "Dame Serphiano. This is…?"


    Nephira, before anyone noticed, had stopped folding bats and was standing next to Serphiano.


    "It is obvious that someone or something is controlling him, isn''t it? Who? Bring bindings…"


    At that moment—


    "<em ss="chakra-text css-0">Ka</em>–<em ss="chakra-text css-0">kakakaka</em>!!"


    The spider''s voice suddenly changed to that of a different individual.


    "The Gospel! From ''<em ss="chakra-text css-0">Peony Bloom Revtion</em>'' — ''<em ss="chakra-text css-0">Radiant Deration</em>''!"


    Everyone watched the spider, which had shouted out loud, carefully and with breathless attention. The spider looked up at the ceiling andughed loudly again.


    "My name is Zhaviest, the humble herald of the Heavenly Power! In three days! When the sun rises over the Miremia in! Y-Y''all, all of you… <em ss="chakra-text css-0">fu fu fu</em>…"


    Suddenly, the spider began to convulse. At almost the same time, Nephira shouted, "Get away from him! It''s dangerous!"


    —the spider''s voice of "I''ll murder you!!" was heard.


    "<em ss="chakra-text css-0">Guwaaaaaaah</em>–!?"


    Suddenly, there came a blinding sh of light emitted from the spider''s body, and the skeleton soldiers screamed. However, their screams cease midway through. The skeleton soldiers'' skeletal bodies turned to ash in an instant.


    After the light subsided, the spider and five skeleton soldiers vanished, without a trace.


    "Wh-What dreadful holy power…!"


    Serphiano muttered unintentionally. In response to the attack, Serphiano had already erected a barrier of darkness between the suspicious intruder and the emperor''s chambers. And yet,


    (This potency…! It''s unbelievable...!)


    "Are you alright? Nephira."


    "I defended myself with my lightning aura."


    Nephira answered nonchntly. As you would expect from themander of the special attack unit force of the Demon Lord''s Army, the Thunder-Lance Charge. Serphiano then put her hand on Grant''s shoulder as he had stood in front of her to defend her.


    "Grant. Thank you for your service."


    Serphiano then noticed that Grant''s skin was slightly charred just as he replied, "Uhgah."


    (To have burnt Grant''s skin. "Heavenly Power"——— One of the two blessings granted by <em ss="chakra-text css-0">that</em> god to destroy us, the demon race, and the counterpart of the Heavenly Sword…)


    Serphiano put her hand on her chin and pondered.


    (If we only look at what just happened, it would be a mind-controlling type ability but... it is different, isn''t it? The control over the spider was probably only a part of its power. The essence of that ability is, with the power of Holy Light as a foundation, that power is then applied in various forms...?)


    Serphiano bit her lip quietly as she thought.


    (If that was the case, it would be a troublesome ability.)


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