After a single night, the only taste remaining in their mouths was each other's.
Tina had already committed that feeling to memory. Every time those slender fingers traced along her leg, a wave of heat would wash over her. Her face would burn so fiercely that she couldn't bring herself to look into Sathya's eyes or meet her gaze.
When it was time to get up, Sathya climbed out of bed and gently stroked the horns of her sleeping sister beneath the covers. She got dressed and checked the time; it was just dawn.
“Sister Tina, time to wake up~”
“Mgh.”
Tina finally opened her eyes. Those slitted pupils served as a constant reminder that her sister had become an abyssal magical beast.
This was likely a completely irreversible process.
“Shall we go out? This time, I'll push you.”
Tina didn't think, simply staring at her blankly.
“Little... Ya.”
Usually, saying this meant she agreed.
Her current state made her look like she was transitioning into a powerful creature known as a dragon.
It was almost like raising a little pet.
No, Sister Tina belonged to her. How could she be a pet?
After dressing Tina and lifting her into a wheelchair, Sathya suddenly remembered something and pulled a black bracelet from a drawer.
During this time, Sathya had completely analyzed the structure of the Chaos Mask, allowing her to create more items similar to it.
Since she lacked sufficient materials, she had temporarily dismantled the Chaos Mask into two parts, fashioning them into more convenient bracelets.
There was no need to shape it into a mask to alter human perception, though such devices had no effect on magical beasts. Consequently, when she and Tina looked at each other, they saw only their true appearances in each other's eyes.
Sathya settled her into the wheelchair and pushed her out the door, arriving at the bustling streets of the town.
The town was built on a plateau, with winding paths looping between buildings to form a labyrinth of lively streets. A stream rushed down the canyon, dividing the town into eastern and western halves.
The local folk seemed relatively simple and honest.
There were few traces of magic here, but the Adventurers' Association—an organization spanning the entire world—had a presence. Though its scale wasn't massive here, its influence was widespread and its network of power intricate.
One could often see parties of adventurers walking up and down the streets.
Yet there were no beasts or monsters waiting for them to subjugate. Most of them were treasure hunters venturing into the ruins to search for treasure.
To put it in a less flattering way, these so-called adventurers were just a bunch of scavengers.
The autumn wind blew fiercely, fluttering Tina's dark-blue hair like fine silk.
She stared at the white clouds and the sun in the sky, her eyes wide as she reached out a hand, mumbling something under her breath.
“Little Ya... highest... peak...”
“What was that, Sister Tina?”
“Little Ya~”
Tina was just very happy right now.
Seeing Sathya—her closest companion, the girl she wanted to see most, the girl she never wanted to leave—and seeing these familiar sights made her want to say something to express her affection. Yet, she didn't know what to say, which only made her look silly.
Soon, the two arrived at an alley not far from the Adventurers' Association, where two young girls approached them.
One of the girls was wrapped in a black cloak. She wore gloves, but her exposed neck was as pale as a vampire's.
The other wore outdoor travel gear identical to what adventurers wore, though her cape and equipment were brand new. She paired them with a short skirt, thigh straps gently hugging her fair skin, and her long orange hair gleamed like gold under the sun.
“Velrose, Shetiel.”
“You both arrived a bit earlier than I expected... Did everything go smoothly?” Sathya asked.
“Of course.” The girl called Shetiel tilted her head. “These humans are really easy to fool, aren't they, Lord Demon King?”
She walked over to the wheelchair, flashing a smile she had recently learned from humans.
Seeing that Shetiel was still immersed in the joy of meeting the Demon King, Velrose had no choice but to explain on her behalf, “Though we succeeded, the situation is far from optimistic.”
“Oh?”
“We signed the merchant code of conduct and rented a carriage, but there are many paladins on the road ahead.”
“What are they there for?”
Velrose didn't know whether to laugh or cry. “They say it's to search for the Saintess. On top of that, news of your demise is currently being broadcast in every street and alley.”
“Did the Church not block the news for me?” Sathya was puzzled.
The Church had long treated her as the true Saintess. Even if she had actually died, they would lie to the public and claim she was still alive.
The Church needed a spiritual leader, an existence akin to a "god."
Sathya thought for a moment and said, “Well, it's fine. They won't recognize us anyway. Besides, who do you think can actually stop us?”
“True.” Velrose nodded in agreement. Humans, unprepared as they were, stood no chance against them.
“Who... are you?”
Tina looked somewhat dazed. She felt the two before her looked familiar, but she couldn't remember their names at all.
It was probably best to wait for Little Ya to explain it to her. She would definitely tell her.
As she thought this, she reached out to tug at the corner of Sathya's clothes, leaning her head against her.
Those sharp horns of hers almost tore Sathya's clothes.
Seeing this, Shetiel and Velrose could only smile helplessly. They knew the Demon King's condition was far from ideal.
Once the formation of the merchant caravan was confirmed, they could move around unnoticed in the obscure corners of this world.
More importantly, they needed their own sphere of influence rather than sitting around waiting for death.
The Church would catch up to them sooner or later.
Sathya knew who they could ally with.
For now, the most important thing was to protect Sister Tina.
Her hand instinctively rested on Tina's shoulder.
Next, Velrose and Shetiel would go to the Adventurers' Association to sign a transport contract. Their objective was to deliver the ruin relics left by adventurers to the next station, which would yield a decent reward.
In the afternoon, following their agreement, she located a tavern tucked away in an inconspicuous alley.
Stepping into a private room, she saw a man wearing a bamboo hat sitting cross-legged on the sofa. Upon seeing Sathya and the seemingly disabled girl she was pushing, he immediately stood up.
Magnar.
He was a member of the Rebel Army whom Tina had commissioned when she sent the Astral Sage away.
Originally meant to provide backup and protection for Tina's actions, he had been following her in secret.
However, during the subsequent battle against the Cardinals and the Sword God, he had been unable to intervene at all, ultimately fleeing several kilometers away just to save his own life.
By the time he returned to the battlefield, only the Saintess and Tina were left.
Sathya, of course, recognized this man.
Once, the Rebel Army had been subjugated by an army led by her. Magnar had originally planned to personally infiltrate their ranks and assassinate her, the Saintess, but he had died after failing to withstand even a few of her moves.
Afterward, the Rebel Army suffered a total defeat, and evidence of Tina's connection to them was unearthed, leading to her banishment to a very distant mountain village.
This time, she met Magnar and questioned him about everything Tina had commissioned him to do.
Simply put, the reason Sister Tina had Magnar follow her was not to join the fight, but to have him record the events concerning the Saintess.
Only that.
“I am deeply sorry about what happened to her.” Magnar stood up and bowed slightly. “Lady Rosa ordered me to protect her... I failed. As compensation, the Rebel Army will provide you with assistance.”
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