Chapter 54: Is that it?

Chapter 54: Is that it?

The female paladin was armed to the teeth, and presumably high level. A second passed, the monster and the paladin staring at each other. After which the paladin surprised Sofia by dropping her sword and raising her hand.

Youre surrendering? Sofia asked with her grating voice, she had been ready to fight.

The old paladin nodded once in response.

Why?

I would rather live to see another day, she answered.

Will you lead me to Ellen then?

Do I have a choice?The debut release of this chapter happened at Ñòv€l-B1n.

So shes really here? Unless shes leading me to some trap?

No.

I still have [Regret] available so Im not too worried. Sofia gave a sign to the paladin to lead the way.

The paladin turned around, without picking up her sword or even sparing a glance for her fallen comrades. Now that she was walking, her cape swayed around, revealing that she was actually missing an arm.

Peculiar for a paladin to be missing a limb. Must date to before she joined the church.

The paladin silently led the way through the tortuous corridors of the church. They passed multiple patrols but they would all faint before anyone could even ring the alarm.

Isnt what youre doing against the principles of the Church? Sofia asked. Even though the paladin walked remarkably fast for someone her age wearing a full set of heavy plate armor, the long walk in the church was quite boring.

Not really. Should I elaborate? the paladin answered, not slowing down in the slightest. But Sofia could see her trembling.

Please do.

Im surprised a demon would even take interest in such matters, She forced a weak laugh but it didnt seem to help her calm much, The Princess isnt a believer or part of the church, at best she is a trading partner. I have no obligations toward her.

How pragmatic. And what does the church think about my kind?

To talk of the Recessed is a taboo, let alone becoming their apostle. But the Demon Lord isnt an enemy we are preoccupied with, the church has much greater purposes. The following silence compelled her to keep going, it also probably helped her take her mind out of her current circumstance, Wasting precious manpower in the pursuit of demons isnt something we do if we can avoid it. Only a few Heroes are the kind to actively pursue such goals.

Recessed? Demon king? Maybe we really need to go pay Kuli a second visit soon Im an apostle then? Apostle of sorrow?

Are demons all transformed humans? She shivered at the memory of the disgusting rotten demon she had killed in the mage tower.

They were both silent again for a while.

How did you lose your arm?

She was nothing more than a shivering mess, hiding in fetal position at the back of a closet, encircled by a softly glowing blue barrier. She was lying in a puddle of yellow liquid.

Sofia stood there dumbfounded. She had killed in battle, killed by accident, killed to save herself. But she had never killed someone that was just powerless, scared, hiding and begging for their life.

The barrier wouldnt protect the princess, a single punch would certainly be enough to not only destroy the barrier but also the closet and the whole wall behind it. But she had a hard time doing it.

Am I becoming weak willed now? She isnt even real

It took her some time to gather her spirit and get ready. She would do it quickly and cleanly. Real or not she could at least give the girl a painless death, she readied her fist and clenched her muscles.

You have murdered [Ellen Trinal - Princess lv. 6]

Again?

She hadnt done anything yet, but the princess had stopped breathing all the same.

Really?

The barrier hadnt disappeared when the girl died, it must have come from a magic item.

I scared her to death?

Well, this Ah! Whatever! She gave a light kick to the nearby wall, opening a hole large enough for her to jump out the building.

She jumped a few times and laid down on a rooftop to observe the night sky.

Thats at least one thing that looks exactly the same no matter the year She contemplated her trial and took the chance to sort her emotions. Being stuck in this demonic body was a strange thing to accept. At the start she was relieved that it was temporary, but now she kind of dreaded going back to her weak human self.

She liked her original appearance more, but it was unquestionable how strong and practical this form was. Losing the 360 sight and the tail would be the hardest things to adjust to. Losing a limb was certainly not as easy as having to adapt to a new one.

Well, Im done now, right?

She checked the system prompts.

[Trial completion : Survive the solstice (3 hours remain)]

[Additional rewards task : Avenge Aurelia (Completed)]

Sofia sighed in relief. At least she hadnt done all this for nothing. Finally done. Now I relax for three hours and get my level 100. Should end at midnight.

The city underneath was very much alive, even that late, the ripples of her actions at the palace just now reaching the populace. People were gathering outside, wondering what happened, why all the guards had suddenly been called to the palace. But Sofia couldnt care less.

Hours later, the system clock showed a remaining time of zero.

The day of the Solstice, the shortest day of the year, had come and gone, and she was alive.

Not human, but alive.