《Days of an Envious Demoness》 Chapter 001: The Kingdom of Graverstien Sin. Most cultures recognised a form of it but to them it was some nebulous metric for which the divine judged the lowly mortals. A marker that decided who was evil and who was just. Some believe it to be even lesser than that; just a set of actions that go against the mortality which made sentient life special. To those with knowledge of the occult, true knowledge of the occult and not some random guesses made by a scam artist, knew it possessed far more than that. For context is required in order to fully grasp just what sin is. All beginning with the makeup of a soul - specifically the outer layer. A soul, in of itself, is important as the link between the mind & body while also containing the essence of the being in question. Possessing a blueprint for the physical body which also constituted the main and most delicate part of the soul. Commonly referred to as the quintessence. From that quintessence comes the spiritual energy - the energy of the soul - or simply spirit. It acts as both a barrier & resource to help protect the quintessence which is often what people mean when they talk about the soul. That is not to say that the spirit is not as important as the quintessence, though. Only through mastery of spirit can one allow their quintessence to ascend into immortality. Souls themselves can¡¯t be destroyed however they can be split as well as having them be ¡°wiped clean¡± during the process of reincarnation. It was a fate that mortals often were fearful of with many sayings such as ¡°good men die young¡± foretelling the lengths some of them would go. Ironically this is where sin comes in. Sin is actually a form of spirit and is generated through the actions of the person in question - dying their spirit using their negative karma. Some prefer it as corruption to the soul however only newborn babies could avoid generating a little sin since karma doesn¡¯t care about perspective. Actions as small stepping forward and unknowingly sending vibrations through the ground that break some worm eggs? That was enough to generate sin. For the longest time sin didn¡¯t amount to much, however. That was until the demon primarch of the primordial blood, the progenitor of all demons, overturned all worlds by engulfing them in war. A war so great that it still mars the realms with its scars. From this she found an opportunity to cut out an entire section of the heavens for herself. Creating a space around the cycle reincarnation which she tapped into to create the largest change since the Adjudicator Titan first created existence. She made the demons and the demon realm. A place where sin fell from the cycle of reincarnation where it was then converted into demonic energy or used as the universal currency by the demons. The demons themselves were best understood by a common saying; there are two ways a demon knows to solve all their problems. By striking a deal or by striking their problem. Far more chaotic than any other race but also the most orderly despite that. Few demons even possessed the ability to lie. They respected all forms of ¡°strength¡± and that included some that many look down on; such as the skill required to craft or cook. To them there was little difference between a warrior who could cleave through mountains, a scholar who knows the truths of the universe or a seamstress who can make a pretty dress that all want to buy. All of them had mastered their skills so all of them were strong. Most of their existence can be called a golden age that just got more polished as the aeons rolled by and those they could make deals with expanded. Although demons were restricted in the other realms that didn¡¯t stop them from being summoned. Even when the costs were high. After all¡­ They guaranteed quality no matter the task. Those who sinned in life could even find themselves falling into the demonic realm after they found themselves in the cycle. As such their numbers only grew. More frightening was their ability to respawn in the demon realm as long as they still possessed enough sin to pay the toll. Although some rumours stated that was merely a tax that allowed them to keep all their memories as lower tier demons never decreased in numbers despite their¡­ Less wise choices. A fact that made many wonder just how much sin their one true divine demon emperor possessed. They were the source of all demonic energy. Unfortunately that was only until 7 years ago when their mighty divine demon finally managed to convert the powers of her detestable sister for themself. Once more freeing her absolute mind to understand intricacies of their most terrifying creation after the demons themselves. The power of curses. Developing an art that turned sin into real power while making demonic energy truly unmatched in just how fearsome it could be. Allowing one to bend body, soul and mind to their whims. It was at this peak where their brother by blood took advantage of her trust in their deal - using their hunger for blood to temporarily weaken them . Ambushing her with his cowardly numbers. Leading to them vanishing without returning to that mighty empire & their most loyal vassals unable to take over. The realm was naturally more stable than others who lost their ruler but cracks appear in even the sturdiest of steel. Especially with some taking advantage of her absence. For how long they actually remained absent¡­ That was yet to be answered. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ¡°As you already know; we are proud nobles of the Graverstien family and use our summons to spread the teachings of our most fair god. He has granted us a lot which includes ridding the world of the divine demon of legend recently. Even before that he gave us¡­ The voice of heaven.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Within a carriage, bouncing uncomfortably on the stone floor, sat a little blueish silver haired girl in a beautiful dress that mixed blue with white. She looked up at a decently well built (if a bit pudgy around what should be his edges) man. Stars practically shining in her green eyes. The seven year old girl even managed to ignore the ache in her bottom. ¡°You have likely seen it a few times but its main purpose is to reveal our capabilities to both ourselves and those in our surroundings. Not letting those commoners trick their way into positions they are not fated to be in according to god''s omnipresent will. We¡¯ll get into that more later, okay?¡± That girl happily nodded but remained quiet. She obviously wasn¡¯t much of a speaker yet more than made up for that with her willingness to silently sit there hanging onto every word he said. A sight that made her father quite proud of her; the makes of a perfect noble woman no matter how one looked at it. ¡°We have several attributes recorded and the minimum you can get is -G while the highest theorised by some of our brightest priests are triple A. Some even say a +AAA may be possible. Personally I have never seen or heard anyone getting anywhere near that. ¡± ¡°But papa¡¯s summon is so strong!¡± Such praise caused the man to scratch the tip of his nose - smugness practically radiated off him as he was more than happy to take the admiration of this smart daughter of his. ¡°Well that''s only natural since I am the Duke of Strauss; a family that has been dedicated to summoning since the dawn of time. Our gift has always revolved around that. There is no way that any meagre commoners could match up to the gift of our family with my wyrm being unbeaten!¡± Spreading his hand in front of him as he decided to show off a little more in front of his daughter. ¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g Carl Strauss <| Immortal Duke of Graverstien Kingdom |> Vitality: FF [+D] Strength: GGG [CC] Defence: G+ [-C] Dexterity: F+ [E] Agility: GGG [-E] Intelligence: -F Wisdom: GGG [Regeneration: C] Straus Wyrm Summoning [¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î] Allows The User To Summon Their Own Personal Wyrm While Being Granted The Lesser-Dragon¡¯s Power Based On The Level Of Relationship Between Master & Summon. ¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g ¡°If you pay attention you can see that, under my name, I even have a personal title due to my accomplishments against the heathens.¡± ¡°Waah¡­ So that¡¯s your gift¡­ So many stars¡­¡± ¡°Even before my accomplishments we were actually a marquis family yet I was allowed to bed your mother to gain royal blood; allowing us to become a duchy.¡± Thinking of his wife brought a certain type of grin to his face that shouldn¡¯t be seen when in the same room as a child; the very reason why the girl had a lot of siblings. His thoughts lingered on the first time he had been rewarded her hand. Her arrogance didn¡¯t last very long against him but it was still there at times. Compared to her he had raised his daughters are truly good women - his future son or sons-in-law would no doubt be thankful for his hard work. Thinking about the power each represented brought a smile. He soon would be able to sell this one off for all sorts of benefits now that it¡¯s her seventh birthday. ¡°Now that you are seven you can handle unlocking the voice of heaven but first we¡¯re going to receive the blessing of a priest. This¡¯ll bring god''s attention to you and help you get the best gift possible. It¡¯s something that those inferior people would never do for their children.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s really so expensive¡­ Are you sure you want to do that?¡± Once more the duke just nodded his head with satisfaction at his parenting style. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; you¡¯ll more than make up for it in the future.¡± Turning out the window as he saw no more purpose in speaking to that daughter of his. She was a good little pawn but that was all she was - he could hardly have a proper conversation with a woman. He was a fair and good man but there was no need to play pretend. The journey proved to be a boring one so he was just thankful that he could be distracted with his plans for the future. It was hard not to be excited since even he had to admit that little girl held a lot of potential. After a few minutes he found himself relieved upon seeing the massive marble cathedral, filled with golden inlining & large colourful glass windows, that sat in the distance. It was clear that the donations to the church had been well used. Or perhaps it was due to the various businesses they invested in? Either way it didn¡¯t matter to him since he gave what amounted to pocket change for himself; they could spend that however they¡¯d like. What he was more interested in was that people were actually waiting for him at the steps. A sight that caused his chest to puff up even though it was only natural. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t keep a servant of god waiting for us!¡± Chapter 002: Sins of a Child Living a ¡°sheltered¡± life meant that the young seven year old girl was more than excited to see new places through the window of a carriage. Part of her wished to be out there, playing with the children who ran freely at the side of the road, but she knew not to be greedy. Asking for something was asking for trouble. It was a lesson that her father repeatedly made sure she knew well. When their carriage finally rolled to a stop she couldn¡¯t help feeling a little disappointed; knowing that the brief freedom she¡¯d seen was halfway done. Though that vanished as soon as she saw their destination for the trip. Sitting in awe at the beautiful building that proudly stood in front of her. She couldn¡¯t help wondering how many people it took to make something so big, how many steps were within the massive spires, where the glass came from and so on. Her golden eyes (proof of her descent from the royal family) practically shining at the sight. Not that her father paid any attention to his daughter. ¡°Finally there¡­¡± The duke clicked her tongue while mumbling about ¡°why the priest couldn¡¯t come see him¡± as the door was soon opened by the coachman. Carl Strauss didn¡¯t even so much as look at his daughter as he stormed out. Strutting towards the awaiting clergyman while adjusting his collar. Fortunately the coachman was a little better as he at least held out a hand to help the small girl down off the ledge. Although he wasn¡¯t exactly gentlemanly about it. It is often said that the servants pick up the habits of the master and one could see it in how the coachman practically dragged her down. Being used to such harsh treatment allowed her to quickly get her feet under herself. Who didn¡¯t seem to enjoy it was the holy worshipper who looked past the duke to see that scene - a frown on his face at the treatment of who was a little girl. His face appeared more wrinkled as he clearly was late middle-aged. A clean face that did nothing to hide his displeasure; something that the duke saw while assuming that the priest was looking at him. As such he finished adjusting his collar, brushing his torso, while giving a smile. ¡°Sorry for being late and taking up so much of your time for something so minor as blessing my daughter on her awakening day, sir priest.¡± Hearing the duke as he walked up; the priest quickly got his facial expression under control to show a forced cheerful smile. Laughing lightly at the duke''s comment. Showing that he didn¡¯t mind waiting for the (in)famous noble. Known across the land for his strength, war accomplishments as well as his bigotry. ¡°I certainly don¡¯t mind waiting for one as prestigious as yourself - especially when we have been blessed with weather as great as today. Suppose I couldn¡¯t offer you and the young miss something to tide you over from your journey? There is no reason to rush too and from.¡± His voice was kind and showed no malice. Although, despite his words obviously being directed towards the duke, he couldn¡¯t help having his eyes wander towards the little girl who tried to catch up. Clearly unwilling to break her ¡°noble grace¡± as she walked over. Even if her father was unwilling to slow himself down to match the pace he forced on her. That was completely being ignored by the duke who chuckled in response. Moving his hand to slap the good natured priest¡¯s shoulder whose smile only became more strained as time went on. Mercifully the awkward scene soon ended as the duke took his hand back. ¡°There is no need to waste such worry on my daughter, nevertheless, I certainly wouldn¡¯t say no to the chance of knowing one as wise as yourself a little better.¡± The poor holy man¡¯s brow twitched as the thick faced nature of the noble. Still he knew it wasn¡¯t exactly his place or power to interfere with matters as they relate to a regular noble let alone as prominent as a duke. He knew many clergy didn¡¯t care about that, though. Regardless he condemned those who muddied church & state as it could influence how faithful they were. Nothing corrupted faster than wealth & power. As such he refused to actively use his position as an archbishop to directly interfere with matters of nobles else he lost his true purpose. Bringing his hands together to offer a prayer. Trying to fortify his will and purge himself of any desires¡­ Even if he found his gaze shifting to the girl once more. Taking a deep breath as he parted his hands with a renewed passion being clearly expressed on his face via his smile & eyes. A fact that made the duke very happy. Believing his presence alone as well as kind words had greatly impacted the man in front of him. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll stop wasting daylight and bring you two into a private room where you can be comfortable as I apply my blessings onto the little miss Strauss.¡± Offering his smile towards the little girl who shyly bowed her head while performing a curtsy. ¡°Now, please, follow me.¡± Seeing a little girl''s behaviour so stiffly did make his smile dim but he refused to show such to the duke in fear of how he¡¯d take it. Guiding the two deeper inside with poise that fit his position; many lower members of the church smiled brightly while bowing to him. Many thanked him for this or that. Of course he simply waved them off as he didn¡¯t see much reason for them to thank him¡­ While also not wanting them to catch the duke''s ire. Soon enough the three of them found themselves in a lavish room that was clearly suitable for even a king to stay. The archbishop acted like a simple acolyte as he was more than happy to pour tea for a little girl who was both shocked & grateful for the action. Even making sure to put a few biscuits on her cup plate. Not above making her feel guilty if she didn¡¯t eat them if it assured she¡¯d get to enjoy them. That duke just expected acts like this so didn¡¯t seem to take careful note of the extra attention he gave. ¡°Now I suppose I should get on with the blessing.¡± ¡°Indeed, no need to waste any more of your time, you must be a very busy man!¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. He was more than happy to pray for a child who was in such a dim situation. As such he truly wasted no time in holding his hands together while interlocking his fingers - closing his eyes as he silently muttered a chant under his breath. In no time a mysterious aura exuded from him only to flow into the little girl. ¡°Quickly open your status page girl while the kind priest is wasting his time on you!¡± ¡°R-right!¡± Finally speaking up for the first time since they arrived; holding her own hands together as she wished for an ability even remotely as strong as her fathers. Her wish was earnest so the priest believed it should come true. ¡°Status!¡± That was when everything went wrong. ¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g Elizabeth Strauss <| Herald of the Origin of Sin; The Divine Demon of the Primordial Blood |> Vitality: G Strength: G Defence: -G Dexterity: G Agility: -G Intelligence: -B Wisdom: C [SIN: 0] Straus Divine Demon Summoning [??????????] Allows The User To Summon Their An Entity Who Has Been On The Doorstep Of Death After Seven Total Years. The Cost Of Summoning Is Reduced To 1.5015015% The Original. After Summoning The User Of The Skill Will Be Inflicted With A Curse Inflicting The Summoned Target. Summon: [ShE Is wAiTiNg iN HeR CoFfIn] {+} ¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g¨€¨d¨T¨g The Strauss family had long been known for their powerful summon capabilities - often marked by their ability to share the power of their summoned creature. Sometimes going as far as to share the damage taken by their summon vise versa. Yet something like that¡­ Had never been seen. One look at her stars was enough to clue Elizabeth in that something about her skill was strange; plus she found it strange that her intelligence & wisdom was so high. ¡°I-I only heard of one ever appearing at a time but¡­ H-how can such a sweet child be cursed by our merciful god with ten total death stars?¡± Looking up at the two adults revealed all she needed to know about those four sided black stars totalling an astonishing number of 10. That kind priest''s face contorted into complete displeaf and a level of confusion that made it seem like his world was crashing down. Her father¡­Looked furious. He didn¡¯t even wait for the archbishop to speak nor give any pleasantries to someone who was only slightly inferior to him in status. Standing up while grabbing Elizabeth¡¯s arm with such intensity that she thought he was going to tear it off her. ¡°W-wait!¡± It was only at the request of the highly regarded archbishop that her father stopped his rampage yet it was clear by his flaming boar-like expression that it wasn¡¯t voluntary. If not for the other man¡¯s high status it was likely he would have killed the priest himself. Though the archbishop wasn¡¯t one to tremble in fear. He quickly made his way over only to take a knee in front of the girl (even if he was trembling) one look in his eyes revealed the height of his terror. Still he tried to make the kindest smile he could but anyone could see that it was forced & obviously rushed as if he wanted to spend as little time as possible. Resting his hands on the girl''s shoulders. Even if his grip was no bigger than that of her fathers; making the girl shake with fear. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stay here with kind big brothers and sisters like me?¡± His eyes seemed so desperate that she instinctively wanted to take a step back which was enough of an answer for her father. Snorting as he began to drag his daughter away while ignoring the priest. The girl was shocked to see such a pious man literally falling over his own feet as he desperately tried to catch up. Still he wasn¡¯t fast enough on his feet to catch up to the duke who was wasting no time in dragging his bewildered daughter who was forced to hold her tears of pain back. He literally chucked her little body into the carriage without care that all the wind & some spittel all but escaped from her as her back impacted the other side. Screaming something at the driver only to jump in himself a moment later. Slamming the door closed as he glared towards the coughing girl like a stranger. ¡°Those with one star are scum of our society who are only suitable for the cheapest labour but at least they are still members of society. Trash like you don¡¯t even deserve that. No member of my family will be caught with a four point star and I¡¯d kill you myself if not for that bitch¡¯s bloodline!¡± His words came out as a growl while she could only look up to him in shock. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you are a freak among freaks yet it doesn¡¯t matter why you have so many of those disgusting death stars; you got a curse not a gift!¡± She could only silently shiver while his words seemed foreign to her - she simply couldn¡¯t understand anything in her current state. Her ex-father didn¡¯t seem to care either. Before she could say anything she was picked up by her collar like trash and thrown out of the moving carriage. Chapter 003: Life of a Curse Bearer A small cloaked figure made her way through the crooked streets that were made up of crooked lines of rickety wooden buildings that didn¡¯t even use metal nails. ¡°Metal is too precious to waste like that¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t the only one, though. ¡°Look there, it¡¯s a kid, she should sell pretty good!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point when we barely made it out of the city with our life?¡± ¡°We still have our connections; plus we barely managed to grab any of our savings before those bastard guards caught up so we need to earn some cash.¡± ¡°... Right, well, let''s just do it the safe way.¡± Two others (a man & woman) obviously noticed the little figure so looked between each other with hauntingly fowl smiles. That woman ran ahead to fall into the street to distract her. Following that was the man who attempted to sneak up behind the girl only for that girl to step on top of the woman. Not even slowing down as that woman cried out in pain - her spine crunching under the power hidden in that little body - with the man freezing up in surprise. Ignoring his sputtering partner who screamed in pain as the cloaked figure just walked away. Paying no attention to either of them. Tired green eyes, thick with bags, peered out from her hood to take in the sight around her. Her voice raspy and muffled on account of the rugged scarf thrown around her mouth. That figure moving her dainty yet clearly scarred hands to her scarf to ensure it covered her mouth then moving to her hood. Making sure that nobody could make out any identifying features even if a single investigation-type skill of tier 3 or up could easily break through her disguise. Depending on effects maybe an even lower tier skill could discover her identity. It wasn¡¯t her identity but physical features that she wanted to hide, however. Fortunately such a choice in outfit was not usual as anyone who could afford it covered themselves from head to toe. Everyone here lived without an identity or nationality. Those thrown away with nothing from their old lives with them. Everywhere one looked there were signs of crime; some nestled bloody wounds while others sorted through stolen items that they were looking to pawn off. There were also many crimes in progress. That figure spying a man who was being held at knife point for the chance to earn a few coins. A scene that no one paid any attention to - not even the girl did as she carried herself with the same experience as everyone else. If you want to live long, you don¡¯t stick your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong. Though only a few made it past 40 in the wretched conditions of the makeshift city; at least those who were stuck there. Along with crime there were countless scenes that would make a doctor shudder. With no governance there was no one to perform any kind of public service. If someone died in the middle of the street their body wouldn¡¯t be moved unless it got in the way or it had some use to someone else. This meant that disease ridden rodents & plagues were rampant among those who didn¡¯t have the constitution to resist. Although illness was rare to those with higher tier gifts. Then there were those who were unwelcome even in a city of crime. ¡°DEATH STAR!¡± That scream caused the cloaked figure to pause just like everyone else - looking just to see who that person was screaming at. Witnessing as a muscular man covered in scars dragged a woman by her hair out of one of the randomly placed houses. Both of them in various levels of undress. It was quite clear what was happening since there were still some ¡°strands¡± connecting them. That didn¡¯t stop him from chucking her onto the floor with a mixture of disgust & fear on his face. Despite his superior physique he still looked on with caution even with the obvious desire to crush her head. The organs inside being more useful than the girl herself - though there was no telling what her curse could do to him if he attacked her. ¡°I¡¯d kill you if I didn¡¯t know that you cursed bastards sometimes take your killer with you!¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re wrong, I¡¯m not cursed, you are the one whose cursed you bastard!¡± Such a gift was impossible to have, one that requires you to die, however the same couldn¡¯t be said for those who bear the cursed four point star. Their existence is marred by the cost that they take. Most gifts (if they require something to empower them) often require a simple decrease in mana that will recharge after a bit. A few rare ones require different forms of energy that require training yet even then it is something that¡¯ll regenerate with time. Those with the black death star, however, will need to sacrifice in order to activate their ability. Often the effect won¡¯t be too spectacular yet their effect is at the very least far above what a regular one star is capable of achieving. Yet that is the thing¡­ They only get one star. Forever making sure they remained as cursed individuals who stood no chance of competing against the gifted nobles who could easily have 5 or more stars. Not that the nobles saw them as a risk. Letting them scurry around in places like this; where the only law that existed was to keep to yourself. While most looked on at the woman with disgust, the cloaked figure just let out a sigh, turning away to continue on their journey. Not looking behind as they headed through the alleyways. Though it was difficult to say what counted as an alley and what counted as a street with how the placement constantly shifted. Sometimes being wide enough to fit several carriages and other times so close that only a rat could slip between. Despite that, the girl had no issues making her way through, easily navigating the winding route with such certainty that anyone following could only rush after her. Eventually she came upon two thick wooden doors that seemed to just sit on the ground. Reaching down she knocked on the door. It was a strange pattern so it was simple to guess why she did it. Sure enough - her knocking led to those two doors creaking open - a man on the other side quickly motioned for her to get inside. She didn¡¯t refute him as she headed down. The tunnel down into the ground wasn¡¯t exactly spectacular by itself but it went quite some distance underground. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. There was nothing special about it, just dirt being supported by interlocking wooden beams, but to the people in this city? This alone was enough to show the organisation responsible were powerful even if just in terms of their manpower. They even managed to use metal nails on the support! A few minutes later she finally reached the bottom of the stairs. Looking around revealed what was pretty much just a large square chamber with the same basic design as the stairs. Just a room made from compacted dirt that was being kept via countless wooden support beams which made it. Within the room itself were a bunch of fellow cloaked figures while at the centre was a structure actually made from stone. Another flight of stone steps that led up to a raised stone platform; more members stood atop with paintbrushes in their hands. Carefully they drew intricate patterns with a viscous crimson liquid. The thick scent of iron filled the entire chamber as the girl walked up. No one stopped her as she pulled down her hood to show silverish-blue hair which was all those people needed to fall onto their knees. Unwilling to even accidentally get in her way. Her green eyes studied those paintings with what could only be thought of as blood. Trekking up the large stone stairs with her tiny legs yet no one dared approach to help. Their eyes were shining as they looked upon her. ¡°She truly does bare the hair of the royal family!¡± ¡°Death princess.¡± ¡°Our only hope...¡± ¡°The one that holds potential.¡± ¡°A blessing of the accursed!¡± Countless whispers echoed throughout the chamber but she was already used to such whispers over the last seven years of life. Instead she focused on the future. Specifically she had all her attention on the blood pentagram with several more symbols inside that was painted at the end of the platform. This symbol was information she had received in her mind shortly after she first gained her ability and connected to a certain entity. After being found by the group they had tried to find what demon or spirit they were trying to summon but never managed. It was a summoning circle that hadn¡¯t been seen. They were probably the organisation most knowledgeable about summoning otherworldly entities by now since a lot of cursed stars involved something similar. ¡°Soon¡­¡± She quietly mumbled as she looked at the symbol as another woman walked up - a warm smile on her face as she looked down at the symbol as well. ¡°In a moment we¡¯ll finally both make use of our abilities for these people.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Susan.¡± Elizabeth silently turned to the other woman who was likely to die today on her birthday; both using their skills in tandem to summon whatever entity she was contracted to. It was a risky bet but neither of them would be around to worry about that. Since both of them would die. Susan¡¯s curse allows someone to avoid the required sacrifice of a summon by sacrificing herself instead. It was the only way to reasonably summon stronger entities which made her vital. She was therefore hunted down by most organisations in hope to use her to achieve their wishes. Even the church & royal family desired her for her cursed ability. In the end¡­ She didn¡¯t care. Soon enough the time arrived as Elizabeth found that her connection to that half-dead entity finally solidified as she looked towards Susan who just gave a bright smile. Once again she found herself wondering what sort of god would do this to them? Her hatred of the divine only grew. An old man stepped at the top of the stairs with his arms held out towards the crowd. ¡°Today we ascend past those merely born lucky!¡± She didn¡¯t pay much attention since it likely wouldn¡¯t matter to her. Placing her hands on the corner of the bloody circle while Susan stood in the centre with an apple held in her hands. A reverse cross had been carved onto one side of the apple. Pushing her mana into the circle to cause it to glow - her mana inhumanely plentiful which has allowed her to survive for so long. That light soon turned violet as it expanded to consume the entire circle. There was not even a scream as Susan vanished in the light. Elizabeth, herself, felt a powerful surge of energy through her blood vessels causing them to bulge out as she began to cough out blood. Falling to the floor just as the light scattered. Turning into violet petals that floated throughout the entire room with an invisible pressure falling onto all those still awake. Where Susan once was was a massive obsidian coffin covered in barbed chains & pierced with weapons of all types. The sound of stone grating erupted through the silence of the chamber. That massive stone/glass door opened just a bit. A piercing violet eye with a crimson slit peeking out from the darkness of its prison. That old man didn¡¯t even need to look behind him to know that they had succeeded - raising his hand to the sky to cheer happily. ¡°WE WILL-¡± Unable to finish, a silver spear suddenly went right through his chest before continuing on, dragging his body, to pierce the eye that peered through the gap. Chapter 004: Awakening Immediately the once joyful room stifled as they looked upon the spear that pinned both the recently summoned demon & their charismatic leader. For a few seconds he struggled. Reaching up to the spear that pierced his heart with shaking hands while blood bubbled out from his lips. Although, soon enough, his body became limp as his struggle came to an end. ¡°What do we have here~?¡± ¡°It seems our tip was spot on¡­¡± ¡°Good thing you ended that demon; who knows what could have crawled out.¡± ¡°Welp, time to end this disgusting cult.¡± ¡°Cursed bastards who don¡¯t know the grace of god should feel blessed to die to our light!¡± The sound of metal boots impacting the steps was all that echoed throughout the chamber as a group of five people in armour arrived. Three of them (the first three to speak) had full armour which had turquoise banners resting over their chests. Displaying a symbol reminiscent of two orbs in a braided circle. Those two orbs were nowhere near the same size with the smaller of the two orbiting around the larger with thorns seemingly emitting from it. Meanwhile the other two members only had the bare minimum level of armour with robes adorned with the same symbol. The metal being tinted bluish-green. While the foremost had a sultry smile with him also being the one to throw the spear; his fellow knights had a bardiche and a spiked metal club plus metal kite shield. Their last two companions were wielding a full stave and a simple wand. All of them looked down on the cult like they were trash. ¡°T-the inquisitors of the barbed moon!¡± ¡°N-no!¡± ¡°Leader!¡± Various panicked screams echoed throughout the hall yet those five individuals didn¡¯t really seem to care as those two with their weapons charged forward. One bludgeoning heads so hard that they burst like rotten fruit while the other had no issue bisecting people. Former only targeting those who got too close. It was hard to tell the gender of the two (unlike the flirtatious blonde leader they wore great helms) however the vigorous yells as she swung her mace made it clear that the guardian was a girl. Those two backliners also didn¡¯t waste time in dispensing their own holy justice - the one with the wand blasting those running away. Almost like he was trying to keep them grouped together. Every time he flicked his wand it resulted in someone dying with his magic going through any type of metal armour. Same as the tinted weapons; seemingly just phasing through any metal with only leather being able to provide protection. Not that leather was nearly enough to stop their brute force, though. *ding* *crunch* *ding* Of course - although not all the cursed people were willing to take it lying down - those knights were clearly granted fairly high ranking gifts or training to make up for it. Easily taking out every single person that tried to fight their fate. It was simply a complete massacre. ¡°You can¡¯t get away with this!¡± One brave member of the cult screamed as flame erupted from his body - activating his martyr of fire skill to boost his stats at the cost of his own health. For the first time those inquisitors found themselves unable to freely throw around their weight. Exploding out the crowd to suddenly palm strike the polearm knight. That caused the knight to hurriedly move his weapon to only just barely be able to block the attack while still being sent hurtling backwards. Letting a lot of those remaining cultists successfully back away under his protection. The mage giggling like a child as his short form stepped forward. *ding* *crunch* *ding* ¡°Oh this should be fun!¡± Once again flicking his wrist to cause a bolt of turquoise to fly through the sky towards the fire-engulfed warrior¡¯s head. Surprise evident on the mages face as the impact didn¡¯t even cause his head to rock. The flames seemingly caused the magic to just fizzle out which caused the priest to speak up. ¡°The moonlight cannot pierce through those cursed flames due to its nature but don¡¯t think for a second that your heathen powers are superior to those we possess!¡± His voice contained anger as he slammed his stave onto the floor to cause ripples of magic to fly across the floor. Suddenly the group began to turn transparent making it harder to see their actions. With that the knight charged forth however the immolated cultist still managed to sidestep most of the attacks made. A fact that seemed to slowly begin breaking through the composure of the previously uninterested inquisitor. That boredom makes way for anger that the freak wouldn¡¯t die. ¡°Should I help yo-¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡± ¡°Okay~ okay~ don¡¯t get your knickers in a twist because you¡¯re weak!¡± Putting his hands up as if trying to calm down his companion despite his words (obviously) having quite the opposite effect. Soon resulting in him taking another punch. This time causing his moonlight blessed helm to ring as he fell down on his back much to the amusement of his supposed ally. An ally who burst out laughing. *ding* *crunch* *ding* It was at that moment when everyone saw movement on the raised platform as a relatively small figure began to stir from unconsciousness. Resting her hand on her face as she sat up. Her hood doing nothing to hide her head as silver hair, glimmering blue under candle light, came to freely flow. That was a scene that caused those watching from the stairs to raise a brow as they didn¡¯t hear anything about a member of the royal family being kidnapped. Soon looking amongst each other in obvious confusion at that scene. Not caring as their ¡°friend¡± skidded across the floor due to a kick in his side. ¡°Huh, did they take a member of the royal family to complete their evil ritual?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­ Their divine power would allow them to break through that filthy casket.¡± ¡°Doubt these weaklings could manage such a herculean task, though.¡± ¡°Plus there have been no reports of issues since that Strauss girl did a good job in killing herself off by disgracing her lineage with a mere tier 3 ability.¡± ¡°Ooo~ a fake, then I can kill her?¡± Impatience was clear as he didn¡¯t even wait for his companions'' agreement as he once again threw out a magic bolt only for it to be batted away easily by her spare hand. A sight that caused all of them to be mildly surprised. Even the flaming man who had a mere few minutes couldn¡¯t help stopping. ¡°Princess¡­. You¡¯re alive?!¡± ¡°Not just alive¡­ I feel better than ever¡­¡± Elizabeth answered as she slowly tensed & untensed the hand that had just slapped the magic away. *ding* *crunch* *ding* Her hand didn¡¯t even show any signs of being injured until the magic that just fizzled out soon after coming into contact with her hand. ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand¡­ Should I not be dead after the summoning?¡± She was supposed to be inflicted by whatever curse was affecting the demoness she summoned, a price for summoning in the first place, so her living was inconceivable. Looking around made it clear that she didn¡¯t have the time to ponder it anyway. Seeing the bodies of those that took her in scattering the floor. ¡°Y-you¡­ N-need t-to esc-¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Soon that flaming figure fell down to his knees as the flames began to turn into naught but embers with nothing defining left on his charred body. ¡°About time the fucker keeled over.¡± With that the invaders decided to stop playing nice as they looked towards Elizabeth with clearly no kind of urgency to be seen. Not taking a little girl seriously. Still they couldn¡¯t help being curious about what someone with that hair colour was doing in an unfitting place like this. ¡°Care to share why you may be here, sweet cheeks~?¡± Sweeping a hand through his hair with a seductive grin on his face. ¡°To summon a demon to kill you all but that doesn¡¯t seem to have worked on account of-¡± She spoke while standing up to show off her full height (not that she had much of it) only to immediately freeze as she looked over her shoulder. Finally seeing exactly what she summoned. Yet the sight caused her blood to suddenly freeze as a lot of things became clear to her. | ¡°Hahaha so you thought if you would have the strength to defeat the church if you borrowed the power of this weak-!¡± *splat* He didn¡¯t even get to finish. Initially all of them were chuckling together at the foolishness of the girl; even the one who had been beaten up slowly got up while nursing his wounds. Laughing at the stupid brat. Although all that stopped upon hearing that disgusting sound. At that point all the inquisitors couldn¡¯t help turn their heads to their companion upon hearing that sound only for all of them to suddenly pale. Not a single one was able to speak up. Afterall¡­ None of them saw what exactly happened yet all of them saw that there was what looked like a finger sized hole in the wall. That as well as the bloody grey matter of their priest splattered across the compacted dirt. ¡°Go on. Entertain.¡± *ding* *crunch* *ding* Finally they paid attention to the background noise of the room to hear a simple small ringing of bells along with the sound of bone crunching and meat squelching. From behind Elizabeth a beautiful voice echoed through the silence. Everyone, even those running for their lives, couldn¡¯t help but focus on it. What should have been the bloody but full corpse of the cult leader was instead a mutilated cadaver that lacked its head and an entire arm. All the blood seemingly drained from it while bits of flesh & bone had clearly been pinched out. Signs of someone picking away at that fresh body with nothing but their hands. It was this that caused an imbalance that finally allowed the body of the man to fall to the ground which should have been impossible since the spear skewered through the demon. Or at least they thought it skewered the demon. Watching from the gap created by the door, out of the abyssal darkness, was a single untouched eye that felt like it was piercing through their entire being. ¡°I- h-how¡­¡± ¡°Because I am Divine Demon of the Primordial Blood while you are weak, tonto.¡± Never had his spear failed to pierce a target as he was blessed with the gift of instant momentum; allowing his momentum to reach the peak in an instant. It allowed him to use his weapon at a level that had him taking on those of a higher rank. That was also why he wasted no time. Seeing a hand reach out to grab the side of the coffin, no longer withered but instead with smooth skin that was covered in markings, he backed away. He wasn¡¯t sure what was contained inside yet he knew it was far beyond his pay grade to deal with it. And if he couldn¡¯t hurt it¡­ Instantly turning tail and abandoning the rest of his team as he used his ability to send himself flying up the stairs at a speed that they couldn¡¯t fathom. ¡°Coward.¡± ¡°He may be a coward, however at least he''s not a liar like you.¡± ¡°Today is the day that you will meet your maker, demon!¡± ¡°Vihihi~ I am the maker~.¡± Every line she said both confused & terrified them more. ¡°Stupid demoness; the divine demon is the one who made your kind and he died so you''re likely just some slutty succubus who had a lot of kids from taking superior human seed. A demon is still a demon. Let me send you on your way back to the demon realm~!¡± Lifting his wand up he charged a powerful ball of turquoise energy before pointing it towards the raised platform at which point it exploded forward. Elizabeth jumped from the stage as a beam of potent magic engulfed essentially everything. Any organic matter quickly began to decay under its might. ¡°Nn?¡± Seemingly asking if that was all that he could do as the young face of the mage was covered in sweat from prolonging the beam as much as possible. ¡°If our god can kill the real divine demon there is no wa-¡± It was then that they gave up any chance of survival. ¡°nAvY!¡± Screaming that colour with so much vitriol that they all had no choice except to freeze on the spot with most of the humans passing out on the spot. Even Elizabeth struggled to turn her head back up to the stage just in time to see that obsidian door fly off¡­ Across the room. *SPLAT* The young looking mage could only scream in terror as the door soon crushed his body against the back wall without his allies having a chance to help. At least it was quick. Although that only made it all the more terrifying for the two warriors that remained. That demon leapt out the coffin with her body engulfed in crimson flames that seemed to take the form of a blood thirsty hound. Her fingers like claws as she propelled herself through the air. That shield bearing girl finding her head slammed into the floor which resulted in her head becoming minced inside the helm. This didn¡¯t stop the demoness from lifting her helm up to throw it aside, blood & gore spewing out the fly across the room, as she grabbed the female knight¡¯s arm. Flinging the body from left to right until the sinew visibly became too stretched out. The rest of the broken body flew across the room. In the time it took for that to happen; the last knight had only barely managed to turn around to see the horrifying scene of that beast holding the mangled arm. Black flames acting as skin to cover that demoness body as she growled angrily at having lost a toy. Tilting her head back to see the last knight¡­ Who just died. Unable to handle the intensity of those burning violet eyes which resulted in his body simply shutting down as he essentially exploded into meaty chunks. No energy was exerted. Just her rage filled piercing purple eyes was enough to cause reality itself to reject the man''s existence. ¡°What did I bring into this world¡­¡± Hearing the girl''s voice caused that demoness to stop her rampage to slowly turn towards the girl for a second only to let out a yawn. Those crimson flames are fading. Revealing beautiful crimson hair that looked just like blood along with a set of horns that circled her entire scalp. Two horns in particular, at either side of her forehead, were unique in that they were larger and instead of being black were actually gold at the tip. Intense colour fading as one went down their length till phasing into a pearly white until eventually matching her skin tone by the time it reached her forehead. Even if said skin was covered in various markings that certainly sold the image of her being a demon. She was also now in the nude allowing all her markings to be fully admired. All of them. That demoness then proceeded to grab the bloody door of her coffin only to drag it back to her resting place to¡­ Continue resting? Stepping back into the casket with her leaving the door barely open once more. Not that she forgot the girl as she slowly reached her hand out where an unusually violet apple sat in her open palm. ¡°Ni?a... Deal?¡± Chapter 005: A New Demon Elizabeth could only stare with bated breath. That apple didn¡¯t inherently look any unusual if one ignored the fact it was far more purple in colour than your average fruit. Yet she couldn¡¯t look at it as if it were just a normal fruit. She sensed something truly terrifying contained with the apple that rested upon the demoness¡¯ outstretched palm. A weight that could crush entire century old establishments; those who knew what it was no doubt having endless gluttony for it. Although all that was just her gut feeling. Her actual senses allowed her to realise that what was in front of her was not grown on any tree. Rather the high intelligence & experience with weaker demons allowed her to feel that it was a construct made from the purest demonic energy she had ever felt. So dense it was given physical form. It was well documented that demons used their unique energy in all manner of unique ways so what the apple really did was impossible to guess. But she had a strong feeling that the apple contained something deeper still. In the end - only because she didn¡¯t want to keep the powerful demon waiting - she finally managed to snap out of her stupor. Still she had to take a second before she confronted that beast in feminine form. Her mind replayed the words that the demoness slovenly spitted out from within that coffin. ¡°D-deal¡­?¡± Of course she knew that demons always liked to make deals, however it was quite culturally common to do everything in your power to keep yourself away from them. Demonic bargains were regarded as being dangerous because¡­ Well she wasn¡¯t actually quite sure why she should stay away. Commonly they were seen as tricksters who whispered everything you wanted all in order to entice you into a doomed fate. But their research painted a different picture. Painting the demons as beings from a grand empire who certainly weren¡¯t saints however respected strength & their deals above all. As such she had no idea what to do; would it be smart to make a deal or to avoid it like the plague it is often depicted as being? It was an answer she couldn¡¯t answer and it seemed her procrastinating had not gone unnoticed by the terrifying entity. A low growl coming out of that bell-like voice. ¡°Grrraaa.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what I want¡­?¡± That wasn¡¯t completely a lie meant to extend her deadline - she didn¡¯t even expect to live after today so she had no interest in plotting for the future. Looking across the room revealed that everyone had collapsed by now with her being unable to understand who passed out or was just dead. Some were obvious (on account of lacking faces or having massive holes in their torso). But it was hard to tell whose blood was whose. Suddenly she heard a thud of something heavy on the wet floor making her turn to see that the apple was dropped atop the corpse of the cult leader. Or, rather, the puddle that remained after the coffin door reduced him to pulp. Seeing such a powerful item dropped into a puddle of mulch was¡­ Surprising to say the least. Her hand retreated back into the vessel that contained her untold power - leaving Elizabeth to just stare with not a small amount of fear. What if her refusing to make a deal pissed off the demoness? In hindsight it could be considered rude to summon an all powerful entity with no real plan. It didn¡¯t matter if she was slightly strong in front of someone who could not only kill several inquisitors but in the matter of a few seconds. Although there were different ranks among those of the church; she didn¡¯t feel they were weak. She had no clue if she could have won a fight against one of them let alone a squad. Certainly, they were indeed surprised by the merciless speed she sought to dismantle them, however deep down she knew that hope was fleeting. Fortunately, Damocles'' sword didn¡¯t end up falling upon her. The hand reaching back out did cause her heart to jump yet what came out from the hand was not a death sentence but a¡­ Gerbil? It was a little creature that, evidently, could be easily held in the palm of a girl so it was hard to mistake for anything else. What was (even more) unusual was the cute little robes that it wore with tiny little skulls adorning its plump neck to hold it closed instead of a traditional clasp. Within its little mitts was even a staff adorned with a larger skull. All of them clearly not being from humans but what animal eluded her. Within her mind she recalled some information nevertheless she threw them aside as that was impossible when one believes the foolish tale the god of that world spun. ¡°Answers¡­ Eepy¡­¡± That was all she said as she unceremoniously flung the little fella across the room, forcing the disowned princess to panickedly catch him, only to retreat inside. From there the coffin creaked as that obsidian door slowly closed. Blood, guts & shards of bone falling from the makeshift weapon. Elizabeth could only blink as she watched that lazy demoness escape as the sound of cute snoring occasionally broke through the structure. The door is still slightly ajar. Signalling that the terrifying existence had truly just given up and went to sleep shortly after being summoned. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Squeak!¡± The cute little creature suddenly let out an adorable squeak that captured her attention while enrapturing her greatly. ¡°What do you want, little one?¡± Lifting the creature up as she finally opened her hands to let it breathe fresh air¡­ Or as fresh as could be achieved in the blood drenched underground chamber. Raising it so that she could look into his delightfully endearing beady little eyes. ¡°Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!¡± ¡°Sorry mister but I can¡¯t understand you.¡± Shaking her head in amusement at the cute beast that appeared to be trying to communicate with her. It was even standing up on its tiny rear paws, using its stave as a support, as if pretending to be a cute little necromancer. That little guy certainly had enough skulls on its body. Having them on his shoulders and top of his head as well as all the prior mentioned places. Essentially there were very few places on him that didn¡¯t contain some skull; she couldn¡¯t understand what creatures those skulls belonged to. However they all seemed fairly similar which meant they likely were from the same race. Staring at those skulls made her suddenly think they were quite familiar in aura to the wyrm that her- that the duke of Strauss has as his summon. Perhaps from a lesser of a lesser dragon? She had never even heard of a baby dragon-kin that was small enough to have their skulls work as ornaments for a rodent. She pondered while that creature just glared at her with its arms crossing around its stave. Clicking its ickle tongue with a twitching snout. Before she could react it jumped from her hands which obviously caused dismay in the girl who thought she just assisted in his suicide. A sudden explosion of greenish reanimated demonic energy oozed out to form a terrifying cloud that she could only hurry away from. Within that energy a fairly tall humanoid quickly took shape. Waving their staff to reabsorb the remnant energy as in the place of the chubby rodent was¡­ An ikeman. ¡°Be grateful that I take this disgusting form for your benefit, girl.¡± Moving the hand which wasn¡¯t holding his stave to brush through his messy green tinted black hair as his ominously beautiful sage green eyes. The young 14 year old girl could feel heat forming on her cheeks as her hormones went into overdrive at that moment. She couldn¡¯t really be blamed. Although his robes certainly showed he had at least dipped into the darker side of magic - it just ended up giving him the atmosphere of an intellectual bad boy. His skulls didn¡¯t even seem particularly terrifying as, now that they were bigger, it could be seen they were coated in a green tinted metal. There was one metal that made her think of it. Possibly the most expensive metal that one could reasonably still get their hands on¡­ Mithril. Resting his staff against his shoulder as he moved his hand under his robe to show that he actually wore a tuxedo underneath. Readjusting his tie as he narrowed his eyes. Looking around cautiously yet without any fear - the handsome man convincing her that maybe she really was dealing with a divine demon. ¡°It would appear the influence of Mother is low here but I best put up some protections just to make sure that nothing is leaked. Hardly matters if she has influence, after all. That crazy de-scaled bitch only cares about boundaries when it¡¯s convenient for her.¡± Snorting out his perfectly shaped nose moments before wrapping his fingers around his stave to slam it into the floor. In a matter of moments green demonic energy glowed in the eyes of the stave¡¯s skull only to pour out into the floor. Already the amount of energy surpassed that of the young mage of the inquisitors. The terrifying energy of undeath naturally brings shivers to the living even if it didn¡¯t influence anyone due to his control. In a matter of seconds it became clear that he wasn¡¯t simply infusing his energy into the chamber as the energy took vast but intricate diagrams that Elizabeth couldn¡¯t even pretend to understand. She wasn¡¯t sure that the mage who died nor the priest would either. Soon every surface was covered in green circles that spun like gears in a clock; all working together to complete a task far greater than they could imagine. That young girl could only look around at the grand puzzle in wonderment even if that energy by itself caused discomfort to her. Her gaze turned toward the cause who just smirked. Soon throwing his arms out wide with a prideful look that could make even the sturdiest of hearts flutter with butterflies. ¡°Now I believe introductions are in order. I am the first of the demons, oldest servant to the absolute primordial blood, the one who offers crooked rebirth to the worthy. The prime arch-minister of the who is but a humble tool for which represents the monarch of all demons who have ever existed!¡± Bringing his stave to hit the ground. ¡°I am Necropolisic Von Asmodeus Indigo Hamster, the Archdemon- huh what''s wrong?¡± Pausing as he watched the girls eyes flutter only for her to collapse to the ground. Chapter 006: The Infinite Mother In a place far, far and still further away. Not even within the same realm as the recently summoned demoness. The world seemed truly vibrant in the figure of that divine demon¡¯s greatest frenemy. Sitting upon a throne of marble that hardly looked comfortable, elbow resting on the arm support while her hand opened to support her head, sat a woman that had obtained the peak of mature beauty. Her outfit was unique yet certainly didn¡¯t take away from her appearance. If anything it helped add to it. It was a strange cross between western pirate & eastern beauty with a colossal chest that put any mortal to complete shame. The base was a kimono that was tightened with a corset around her waist followed by a green sash that held three sheathed swords. Upon her head a tricorn hat with a large azure feather. That massive chest of hers on full display due to her robes being pulled open; letting her massive milk makers breath unimpeded. Although no one in the gigantic chamber - open except for the truly titanic marble pillars that held up a roof that was hidden behind what appeared to be a night sky - dared to look. Partly because they were still busy arguing amongst themselves. So that woman just lay in her chair almost as if sleeping. By her side was a shorter girl in turquoise tinted metal armour. She just silently stood slightly behind the throne like a loyal knightess. However, everyone there knew that the mature woman didn¡¯t need any protection as there was nothing that could kill her. The god who stood above them all. The True God. Each of the people in the room were the various gods who ruled over the strongest pantheons within the various mortal realms. All of them were the strongest of their respective collection of gods yet none of them dared to sit on a throne when in the presence of the woman. Since she was the Infinite Mother. Second in the line of venus to claim the holy title of ¡°The Mother¡±; a title that represented their position as the ruler of life itself. Despite her title she just silently listened to the other ¡°powerful¡± gods (each capable of destroying and creating universes on a whim) with a small kind smile. Truly like a mother who was just enjoying the lively nature of her family. Even if it was hard to claim this scene to just be ¡°lively¡±. ¡°Now is the perfect chance to expand!¡± ¡°And provoke the Divine Demon into destroying our realities? Fat chance!¡± ¡°Hmpf we already hold the Heavenly Demon so what is one more of that cursed bloodline.¡± ¡°Do you seek to provoke the Heavens also?¡± ¡°Why would she even care?¡± ¡°You just cursed out her bloodline; plus her love for her siblings is well known!¡± ¡°W-well it isn¡¯t as if we plan to kill them.¡± It was then that the knightness beside the great Mother couldn¡¯t help letting out a sigh that caused the plethora of arguing gods to quieten down. Looking amongst themselves if asking what could cause the decently respected Goddess of the Moonlight to sigh. The knightess soon answered. ¡°Seals that worked for the¡­ ¡°Bastard¡± may not work for his sisters and sealing away the divine demon will only cause more trouble since she is an ally. Rather than arguing about how we should take control of her empire we should be trying to find her.¡± She decided to just give her opinion yet it was clear that it was one that wasn¡¯t taken seriously by the various gods who were there. Some of the natural born gods simply nodded - having been gods since birth. However, those who ascended always tended to be more greedy, having fought for their place as gods caused them to look at things in a more materialistic way. As such they could hardly accept simply overlooking a chance to expand their power. Even if it meant dipping into the demonic realm. ¡°It¡¯s good that you are kind, princess, but you need to remember that she hasn¡¯t been seen since the great battle of the Immortal Dong Empire.¡± Shaking their head while lifting their arms in a shrug. ¡°We can hardly say that she¡¯d be al-¡± ¡°Ara~ ara~ you are underestimating that one, she is definitely alive, ohohoho~.¡± Speaking in a lighthearted manner as she dared to do what no one else in the room (not even her own adopted daughter) dared to do. She interrupted another god while even insulting him. No one wanted to make enemies with anyone else in this room due to them all being capable of causing vast damage to each other. Even if not directly. There wasn¡¯t a single person who couldn¡¯t lay waste to countless worlds before being taken out by the others¡­ Except Mother. In spite of their own pride, the one who was spoken down to only bowed their head, shivering at even daring to make the True God speak up to correct him. Those arguing with him also took no pleasure in having him in that state. They couldn''t help lowering their heads in fear. Since she was to them what they were to mortals. Unquestionable. All of them knew that a mere thought was enough for her to lay waste to all of them. ¡°Speaking of¡­ Why is the Sovereign of Storms, the Heavenly Queen, not in this meeting?¡± One of them sought to break the tension by asking an innocent question; it didn¡¯t contain any insult but mere curiosity to the lack of the one figure they knew to question Mother. She was technically part of the same pantheon but filled a different role. If the Mother was the ruler then the Heavens were the rules. They often butted heads yet only the foolish newcomers ever dared to pick a side between them - only the other had the right to question them. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°*sigh* Unfortunately Sohn-Tochter is still sleeping in the Dong Empire with her God Hunters.¡± Placing a hand on her cheek as she sighed out like a disappointed parent. A silence followed as none of them really knew what to say so soon the room devolved back into the chaotic debate over what to do. And, once again, Mother fell back into her throne as if falling into a rest. That was until she saw something in a far off realm. One far, far and then still further away. It was very brief - so brief that few even on her level would have noticed it - only appearing for a couple of seconds to a minute at most. Truly a tiny amount of time for beings like her who outlived entire universes multiple times over. But she still noticed it. Clearly it was full of sloth and lacked a lot of the other elements nevertheless it was unmistakable who all of that sin belonged to. The kind smile on her lips grew slightly wider as her eyes opened just a sliver. ¡°Found you~.¡± Her words contained far more amusement that any of those within the chamber were used to however they couldn¡¯t focus on that. As, despite all their strength, none of them could resist the weight she unleashed by just opening her eyes slightly. Blood seeping out of their pours. Those able to lift their heads even saw her body trembling causing their blood to grow cold; making them wonder in horror at what could have upset her so much. None of them were able to sense her true thoughts as she moved her other arm to rest on the currently unused chair arm. Her finger methodically tapped the high quality stone. A mixture of the finest jades & marble that held more qi & mana than entire realms had in total. She didn¡¯t bother correcting any rogue thoughts those gods were having as she instead focused on finding out all she could about the destination of her ¡°best friend¡±. ¡°Ara~ that is rather unusual!¡± It was hard for those gods to not get curious about what she was ¡°looking¡± at so one brave soul asked. ¡°What has your attention?¡± ¡°Vi has reappeared~!¡± If the gods were previously tense now (especially the ones discussing taking of the demonic realm) they felt as if they had fallen into a pit of despair. What would happen to them if the divine demon found out they were trying to take what she built? Their worries clearly not shared by their tyrannical ruler, though. ¡°Ohohoho~!¡± She was having a great time. ¡°What is so unusual about it? That demon monarch does a lot of strange things¡­¡± Their princess also wasn¡¯t paying much attention to their worries as the Luna Wyvern Goddess just tilted her head cutely to one side with her pinkish eyes softly glowing like her namesake. ¡°Oh~ I wasn¡¯t talking about anything she was getting up to - although that is also something that is rather curious in its own right. What really caught my attention is the state of the realm she is in. There is presently no pantheon despite faith being at an all time high¡­¡± Moving her hand down from her cheek to instead tap her chin. ¡°There does seem to still be one god yet they are injured¡­ They are doing a good job at helping their people prosper under condemnation so I may recruit them if Vi doesn¡¯t get to them first~.¡± Speaking with clear interest in that god. ¡°Couldn¡¯t be doing too good of a job if they¡¯re injured¡­¡± The god who had previously believed the Divine Demon to be dead mumbled in pettiness which quickly caught the attention of Mother. He didn¡¯t even get a chance to speak as his entire body vanished under her gaze. ¡°Ara~ I¡¯ve gone and done it again, got to remember my power isn¡¯t restricted here, ohohoho~!¡± A cold sweat formed down the backs of the other gods as she merely clapped her hands which caused that god to reappear. Gasping for air he didn¡¯t need as he desperately clutched at his body. Pure far etched on his face as tears fell down his cheeks. ¡°Jeez~ you only ceased to exist for a few seconds, don¡¯t be such a baby~!¡± Closing her eyes as she waved off the correct reaction of that god. ¡°I see¡­ That is a plausible answer for what has happened.¡± She murmured to herself as the other powerful figures (except her daughter) didn¡¯t even dare stand up despite the pressure vanishing as if it was never there. ¡°Part of me is tempted to punish them but watching her figure it all out will be fun~!¡± All those in the room could only blink due to the strangeness of the rather¡­ Childish comment. Her mind did not care about them, though, as she instead found herself drifting towards memories that had passed her by innocently. A smile that never faltered no matter the situation. Both her & the owner just played a simple game which brought a warm smile to Mother¡¯s lips. Chapter 007: An Unknown Bed When Elizabeth finally came to, finding herself in a soft bed with a silky canopy overhead, she momentarily found herself wondering if she was back home. If all the years of suffering were naught but a bad dream that had finally passed. Yet (ironically) the strength running through her body¡­ Proved her wrong. Turning her gaze to the side revealed that she was surrounded by what truly looked like a room made for a noble girl. Wallpaper on all the walls with a dresser filled to the brim with outfits. None of the outfits inside were exactly in fashion, however. Just glancing at them revealed a lot of them were far too focused on combat; whether due to being literal armour of varying degrees of heaviness or being enchanted past the point of return. She didn¡¯t think even her matron family could afford so much. That obviously begged the question of who could. It also made her wonder exactly where she was - her mind quickly returning to the scenes of brutal violence that had occurred. Worry started to flood her at the chance of being captured by those that belonged to the church. Seeing an unconscious girl with royal features made them spare her. Nevertheless, that would only apply for as long as they didn¡¯t know anything about her, making her escape the first thing in her mind. Pushing herself out the bed to find herself dressed in a silky nighty that had clearly been enchanted. She was sensitive enough to magic to tell it wasn¡¯t a weak enchantment either. Her thoughts cut off as she turned to where the window should be¡­ Only to find no such window. Turning her head to look all around the room showed there was actually no window of any kind in the room. All there was, was a set of ornate metallic looking double doors that she was positive would be locked tight. If panic hadn¡¯t set in before - it certainly had now. ¡°I-I need to get out of here¡­¡± | Those your terms, ni?a? | The world itself seemed to throb as the vibrancy vanished from the world. Leaving the girl to view the world as if she was looking through a fish eyed lens. Crimson violet petals began to fill the room as the scent of molten iron filled the room. At the centre of that view¡­ That sudden bell-like voice caused Elizabeth to completely freeze on the spot only to be welcomed by the visceral sight of a demoness appearing in front of her. At first it was muscles & sinew that was created from thick crimson flames. That tissue soon to be pierced by violet lightning that sparked up their back. Forming a literal spine of lightning that the demon happily showed off until it became wrapped in a deeper black flame which appeared in the form of a tuxedo. Although, where the face should be, those black flames instead formed a mask with the eyes and mouth being simply upturned crescents. Claw-like hands came up to readjust that strangely feminine demon¡¯s lapels as that masked face leaned in. Meeting eye to eye as violet flames flickered in those eyeholes. Finally finishing that demoness¡¯ manifestation as the world itself seemed to be having a panic attack while she could hear her heart beating in her ears. All feelings became numb¡­ All except the hollow feeling that comes with a prey looking up at the apex predator in front of them. | All dreams¡­ Can come true. | Her fish-eye like vision began to throb in & out as it became literally impossible to focus on anything but the monster in front of her. That as well as something she had conveniently looked over previously. On a nightstand was a single vibrantly purple ¡°apple¡± atop a cushion - as if it was some priceless treasure. She had no idea what to do as time itself seemed to be too afraid to move without direct permission from the entity who was staring at her. Those violet flames burning away any hope of fighting against her. Their clawed hand reached out to press a single digit against her forehead. | Escape not needed, tonta. | With that the sound of the door opening caught Elizabeth¡¯s attention however she couldn¡¯t find it in herself to look away from the demon. All her instincts told her to but (under the pressure of that monster) her body refused to move without permission. Although the sound of the door opening¡­ Was slow. Time truly was moving at a pace that a snail would be embarrassed about. As the door opened, the demoness finally seemed to learn the meaning of mercy, dematerialising in an equally gritty fashion as she appeared. As if the process had literally just been reversed. Finally letting the girl let out a breath she didn¡¯t even know she had kept. Collapsing to the ground without the ability to even look at the source of the steady footsteps that singeled someone walking toward her. Unable to do anything but catch up on her lost air with perspiration covering each inch of her body. ¡°Hm¡­ It seems you have slept well.¡± A familiar voice that she partly thought only could exist in a dream (or perhaps a nightmare) but his level of presence could not even compare to what she just went through. Silently just lying on the ground with her hands clutching the carpet. As if afraid she¡¯d be ripped from the mortal coil itself. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Fortunately the powerful prime arch-minister of the demons did not seem to particularly care about her completely ¡°disrespectful action¡± as he instead walked to the apple. Studying it with a tilted head before turning back to where that demoness once appeared. Narrowing his eyes with realisation. ¡°It appears you gained the interest of the primordial blood¡­ What a lucky girl you are. At first I believed you were merely a means to an end but to think she¡¯d go through the effort of using an avatar for your benefit while in her current state?¡± Shaking his head as he rested his hands behind his back. Walking back to that he stood in front of the quivering figure of the fourteen year old girl - studying her for a moment as he moved one hand to stroke his perfect chin. Green demonic energy defused from his eyes as his lips curled up. Interest in that tiny weak little girl visible on his face. ¡°You are indeed an interesting one, how about I offer you a deal, myself?¡± She finally recovered enough to turn her head up to at least be welcomed by the undoubtedly beautiful features of the demonic vice-leader. Although this also allowed her to grow serious as she knew exactly what the demon in front of her would want from her. Help in letting the divine demon, on death''s door, fully recover. Her ability to summon it proved that it was weakened and that is also why they returned to the coffin after the fight. ¡°The on true monarch of all demons is-¡± Sure enough¡­ ¡°-completely fine physically.¡± ¡­ She was completely wrong. ¡°Recovery was actually the easiest part but she essentially converted a large portion of her sin into sloth as it made the wait in the void a lot more bearable. That had the unfortunate effect of making her quite torpid at the moment. This is why it is so surprising she bothered making an avatar!¡± Throwing his arms out wide as if congratulating her but Elizabeth still couldn¡¯t comprehend that the only reason that demoness returned to the coffin¡­ Was to sleep. ¡°She was so smart that she even returned to her coffin; it had the ability to hide her presence from even the heaven¡¯s and, well, we don¡¯t need to worry about the abyss¡­¡± Somberness echoed out his tone which ended up snapping Elizabeth out from her shock. Although he didn¡¯t say anymore on that - preferring to continue on with his work. ¡°If we waited a few centuries or so she may rebalance her sin, nevertheless it would be ideal for the demon realm if we returned as soon as possible. The way to do this is actually quite easy. Like a human needing their morning expresso; we just need to give her a small boost of sin!¡± ¡°So¡­ You just want to collect sin?¡± Knowing that she couldn¡¯t get away from the demon she wanted to at least know what she was getting herself into. It wasn¡¯t as if she liked the church in the first place. If they had failed to summon these two demons then they would have likely all been killed as Elizabeth didn¡¯t know if she could fight them all. ¡°Indeed and in return I can help you absorb some of it using the gifts that the primordial blood has graciously gifted to you.¡± Nodding his head while motioning for her to follow him. Having no reason to refuse she stood up only to be forced to capture a fluffy dressing gown that was suddenly chucked at her face. It was only then that she realised she had been speaking to him, all this time, in nothing except her night garments. A blush quickly forming¡­ Until she realised he didn¡¯t care. Not even seemingly minorly interested in her as he didn¡¯t bother waiting for her to get dressed before walking out the doors. Her cheeks puffing up as she quickly threw the robe on only to follow - finding the hallway out of the bedroom to be built by perfectly identical bricks. It also was not as small a hallway as she saw many familiar faces running about. Slowly growing suspicious about where she actually was. Continuing to follow actually led to a stairway on one side while the other led into a truly massive set of metal doors that the demon pushed open with his two hands. Letting them into the giant chamber that ended in a familiar coffin. The raised platform it sat upon had been cleaned up but¡­ It was familiar. It was their hidden base. ¡°To get that sin we¡¯ll be targeting the most sinful people of all; nobles & priests!¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Pride, envy, lust, greed, wrath, gluttony and sloth? They possess all of those in spades and we can increase it even more by tapping into the wisdom of the divine demon. Of course I¡¯ll need more information before planning our steps but the church should have some cardinals.¡± A malicious smile formed on his lips. ¡°We have so much work to do, little mortal girl.¡±