Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 5] Chapter 228

[Vol. 5] Chapter 228: The Hidden Chess Piece

Seeing Eudora blush and stammer in embarrassment at such an open display, the succubus named Cressia Eloun didn’t seem bothered.

She simply withdrew her somewhat damp tail and patted her pet slave’s shoulder. The priestess, still looking slightly reluctant to part, nodded and obediently stepped back to stand beside another girl, a warrior bearing a long sword.

“Do you see, Eudora? Pet slaves are our personal weapons and tools, and the most important thing is absolute obedience. They should never act on their own.”

“Your three pet slaves seem promising, though they lack in obedience. That one just now even dared to speak without her master’s permission… Still, since they’re yours, it’s not my place to help with their training. You’ll have to keep working on that yourself.”

Saying this, Cressia paused to think. “Though this city is under our control, there are still some unruly figures lurking around. For someone as young as you, it’s not entirely safe to be wandering about outside…”

“With all your pet slaves being female, it seems we share the same tastes. If you’re willing, how about staying with me for a while? This world is bountiful, resources are everywhere, and I hold a certain rank here. I could help you find more sustenance to help you grow quickly, and even teach you how to train your pet slaves properly and use some of your natural abilities.”

As she spoke, the succubus’s deep violet eyes sparkled with an inviting gaze. Without using any enchantment, her natural allure and genuine goodwill were likely enough to overwhelm most people, compelling them to agree.

Unfortunately for her, Violet and a certain dragon girl were unfazed, and Eudora, being a succubus herself, naturally had strong resistance to her kin’s charm. The only one slightly affected, Theresa, briefly wavered but quickly regained her clarity, remaining silent.

So, Eudora responded without hesitation.

“No, thank you for the offer, Sister Cressia, but I plan to travel around this world and explore. Besides, with my three sisters by my side, I’ll be safe enough.”

Cressia seemed momentarily surprised by the little girl’s polite refusal. She glanced at Eudora’s Lolita dress, which was clearly styled to blend with this world, then nodded thoughtfully.

“Ah, so you prefer things this way. No wonder they don’t seem very obedient…”

“Alright then, since you have your own path, I won’t press you. But if you ever need help while in this city, you’re always welcome to come to me. I live in the temple at the center of the city,” she said, gesturing toward a building’s silhouette in the distance, her smile still kind.

“Take care of yourself, Eudora. We succubi are often targeted and aren’t suited for direct combat. If you encounter danger, remember to prioritize your own life over your pet slaves. Pets can be replaced, but life only comes once. Understand?”

“Um…”

Eudora looked down, a bit shy and seemingly noncommittal. Seeing this, Cressia shook her head with a hint of resignation, then waved gracefully before leading her two beautiful pet slaves down the street, disappearing around the corner.

After the other party had fully departed, the dragon girl, who had been holding back her expressions, finally frowned in visible irritation.

“That mere insect, dared to act so insolently towards you, Master! Utterly arrogant! Master, would you like me to make her disappear completely?”

Patting the dragon girl’s shoulder to calm her down, Miss White Fox didn’t mind her slip in calling her “Master” in public. She simply shook her head dismissively, starting to walk again as she spoke.

“Alright, alright. I actually found Cressia to be rather polite, probably out of respect for Eudora and because she could sense that we’re no ordinary group.”

“Did you notice? She didn’t use any abilities on us the entire time. Although her stated reason was to respect Eudora’s choices, her restraint seemed a bit too cautious. I suspect that in the social circles of succubi, the strength of one’s pet slaves is considered part of their own status.”

With this, Miss White Fox shifted the tone of her explanation.

“Plus, she very likely suspects my true identity.”

This comment startled the others, especially the young succubus, who didn’t yet fully understand Violet.

“Huh?! Sister Cressia already saw through Sister Fox’s identity? Are we in danger now?”

“You two are really at opposite extremes…”

Miss White Fox glanced at the annoyed dragon girl and the worried young succubus, then sighed, continuing her explanation in a voice only they could hear.

“It’s probably just a suspicion, based on some associations. My outfit has a rather high level of recognizability. Anyone familiar with news about Dawn could easily make the connection.

“But as you know, Dawn is famously considered a hero against demons. I’m not entirely sure how demons see her, but a figure like that would hardly be expected to mix with demons, especially with succubi, the high-ranking demons who are most skilled at manipulating hearts.

“So, at most, Cressia probably just thinks I resemble the legendary Dawn in appearance and finds our strength noteworthy. She likely wouldn’t outright confirm it. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have left so casually.”

“Oh, I see!”

The young succubus breathed a sigh of relief, while Theresa nodded thoughtfully, as if something had just occurred to her.

“Come to think of it, that succubus… when she introduced herself, her surname…”

“Yes, she said her surname was Eloun. If she wasn’t lying, then she’s likely a direct descendant of the ‘Demon Lord of ?Corruption? Eloun.’ Probably… his daughter, or something similar.”

Miss White Fox lifted her gaze toward the towering temple at the center of the city, the former base of the goddess cult in Saint Sarnos City, a hint of irony creeping into her tone.

“It seems that in this city… that one’s position is much more than just ‘some influence,’ doesn’t it?”

…………………………….

“Found it! It’s over here!”

In a warehouse piled with countless old, broken items, a gray-haired girl named ?Dark Lotus?, who was intently searching, suddenly let out a soft voice of excitement.

Hearing her voice, the other three members of the ?Reaper’s Scythe? group quickly stopped their own searching and gathered around her, focusing on the spot on the floor where she had moved a heavy object aside.

There, carved with intricate skill, was a fox-like mark. Because the carving was shallow, filled with dust, and lacked any trace of energy fluctuations, it would have been nearly impossible to notice without deliberately looking for it.

Mr. Dead Soul brushed away the dust, examining the faint mark closely before nodding in confirmation. “Yes, it’s an exact match for the ?Guardian Fox Pendant? and the shape of Miss Dawn’s mask. This is the hidden entrance left by the Merchant Guild. Let’s get started, we have about seven minutes before the demon guards come by on patrol.”

“Got it.”

Everyone nodded, then took out brushes and fine needles, carefully clearing away the dust from the fox engraving. Working quickly, they finished cleaning out the grooves in less than half the time Mr. Dead Soul had estimated.

Then, the gray-clad swordsman carefully took a bottle of pale silver potion from his storage tool and poured it slowly over the engraving, letting it soak into the fox design. After a few seconds, a faint, ethereal doorway began to appear above them.

Once they confirmed it was functioning normally, Mr. Dead Soul let out a sigh of relief, covering the fox engraving with surrounding clutter to make it look exactly as it had before they entered.

They exchanged glances, then quickly and quietly moved on.