Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 5] Chapter 238

[Vol. 5] Chapter 238: The Heretic and the Chessmaster

Under the moonlight on the outskirts of the temple, the blonde-haired Saintess and the succubus ruling this city stood in silent confrontation.

“The Bright Light Saintess, Yuna Summerfield, the Supreme Commander of the Holy Empire’s Armed Forces, and Commander of the Holy War. What brings you to Sarnos City, slipping in so discreetly? Are you perhaps trying to learn our infiltration and subversion tactics?”

The succubus’s tone was laced with faint sarcasm, yet lacked the hostility one would expect from their opposing sides. The blonde girl simply smiled, her expression as calm as ever.

“The timing just happened to be right. I came to discuss further cooperation. If not here, should I seek out the Warlord of ?Slaughter? in Keller City, or maybe those wandering plague demons?”

“This temple has never cooperated with the ?Slaughter? or the ?Defilement?, but I didn’t expect even you would come personally this time, Cressia Eloun. The Demon Lord of Corruption really knows how to deploy His daughters…”

Hearing this, Cressia raised an eyebrow slightly and gestured to the swordswoman standing respectfully behind her.

“Step back. Ensure no creature approaches this place.”

“But, Master, this person is very…”

“I said, step back.”

Despite the calm, unemotional tone, with no hint of anger, the command made the swordswoman, named Kiri, freeze. She looked terrified, as though she had made a grave mistake, and quickly turned to leave without another word.

Watching the girl’s hurried departure, Yuna smiled lightly, her expression unchanged.

“As expected of the Demon Lord of Corruption’s first daughter. Even under such severe suppression from this world, you still wield the superb succubus power comparable to that of a Transcendent. You can even tame a powerful figure like ?Blunt Edge? to complete obedience. Truly fearsome charm~”

Cressia pursed her lips, glaring at the Saintess from a short distance.

“Are you mocking me? My charm clearly has no effect on you… Anyway, I did hear about the deal with Yuna Summerfield from my father, but how do you know me? We’ve never actually met before, have we?”

Yet the Saintess merely smiled without responding.

“Tch… troublesome. Fine then, Bright Light Saintess Yuna Summerfield, since you’re here to meet me as the representative of ?Corruption?, it must mean there’s been some breakthrough with the deal with my father, right?”

The succubus extended a soft, delicate hand, palm up.

“Hand it over?”

However, the Saintess didn’t move, only shaking her head slightly.

“The ?Bewitching Orb?, I’ve only managed to retrieve half.”

“……”

Cressia’s deep violet eyes finally turned cold, a subtle hint of hostility and killing intent gathering in their depths as she withdrew her hand.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“What does it mean…? You should understand better than I, daughter of Eloun.”

The Saintess lightly tapped her smooth, flawless cheek with a finger, tilting her head in a mock display of surprise.

“I don’t recall any part of our original deal saying you could interfere with or even seize the ?Bewitching Orb? fragments I’ve collected. So, what was with your actions?”

Yuna raised her hand, and an ancient scroll materialized within her grasp. As faint lights rose from it, they coalesced into a small, phantom figure in the shape of the succubus girl before her.

“Chloe!?”

At her exclamation, Cressia’s eyes instantly filled with killing intent. Her demon wings flared open, and strange, ominous patterns began to surface deep within her dark purple eyes. A powerful, overwhelming aura surged out, blanketing the golden-haired girl before her.

Yet, Yuna appeared unfazed, showing not the slightest hint of fear or weakness. She merely maintained her pure, serene smile.

“I’ve heard that succubi are few in number and, among demons, are the most protective of their kin, especially close blood relatives. It seems that’s quite true.”

“You insolent mixed-blood of the Lightborn tribe… How dare you!”

Yuna retorted, not backing down.

“Shouldn’t I be the one saying that? Your ?Corruption? side agreed to a deal but still sent agents to infiltrate my forces, trying to seize the ?Bewitching Orb? components I’ve found. Could this mean… you’re deciding to abandon our agreement?”

The succubus’s anger suddenly faded.

Gazing at the Saintess’ calm, unyielding expression, she spoke softly.

“Aren’t you afraid… that I’ll expose the truth that the Bright Light Saintess has been colluding with demons, conspiring to ignite this war, or that I might simply summon an army to surround and kill you here?”

Threatened so openly, the Saintess’s smile didn’t waver.

“Can you?”

“…You really are a madwoman.”

“Thank you for your compliment~”

As a succubus known for her eloquence, Cressia found herself entirely at a loss in this exchange. She took a deep breath, abandoning any intent to intimidate and instead looked once more at the scroll in Yuna’s palm, as well as the poor succubus sealed within.

“Chloe must be returned to us. What’s your condition? And understand this, she cannot be a replacement for the final terms of your deal with my father. That’s non-negotiable.”

Seeing her enemy finally stepping into the negotiation she had planned, the Saintess’s serene smile deepened further.

“I’m well aware. So, have you obtained the ?Judgment Holy Sword??”

Cressia froze briefly, then frowned.

“No, the Judgment Saintess escaped. Her strength far exceeded the intelligence you provided. Even in a disadvantaged position, she managed to severely injure me and several high-level demons before escaping the city and disappearing. That fake information! Bright Light Saintess, you did this on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Is that so….”

Yuna merely tilted her head, gazing at the sky.

Suddenly, a series of deafening explosions and towering flames erupted from a distant corner of the city, drawing both women’s attention.

The golden-haired girl smiled, hinting at something more.

“It seems tonight’s quite eventful here in Sarnos City, doesn’t it?”

“Ah, some foolish thieves sneaked into the outskirts of the high-level demons’ district and seem to have dug up something powerful. They’re now being hunted down across the city, which probably caused all this commotion. Sadly, the demons were powerless because the thieves were under someone’s protection.”

As she spoke instinctively, Cressia’s pupils narrowed as she turned sharply to the golden-haired girl in front of her.

“You…How did you know!?”

“Everything has its ?Fate?. I just choose the best one.”

A chilling sense of dread swept over Cressia.

It was the same oppressive control she had only felt from her father, the one known as the Lord of ?Corruption?. A mastery that orchestrated everything in advance, as if manipulating strings to make puppets unknowingly dance on a stage.

She instinctively looked at the girl in front of her.

The other’s light blue eyes remained clear and pure, her soft lips gentle. If she hadn’t known her identity, Cressia, as a succubus, would have felt an immediate impulse to defile and toy with this purity.

But now, Cressia felt only fear. She couldn’t see through her. Since arriving in this world, it was the first time she’d encountered a local being whose thoughts she couldn’t predict at all.

Because it’s too pure, it’s actually harder for people to understand.

And without a doubt, that made her the kind of enemy a succubus feared most.

The girl’s voice continued, drifting through the air.

“Your father and the other two Demon Lords may have a limited agreement, yet there’s still a degree of mistrust among them, isn’t there?”

“Just as ?Slaughter? secretly stirred things up in the St. Bergen Mountains behind your backs, ?Corruption? working covertly with me, the Bright Light Saintess, is also a well-kept secret. If you openly started searching for the ?Judgment Holy Sword?, suspicions would inevitably arise, even if it was under your orders.”

“But with tonight’s chaos, doesn’t that make things easier?”

Cressia heard this and could only remain silent. After a pause, Cressia looked up at her.

“You’re secretly helping the Judgment Saintess hide, are you?”