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The atmosphere froze in an instant.

“I… really despise anything low-class.”

Regardless, I brushed back my long hair.

“Low-class isn’t about your origin or bloodline. It’s about lacking grace and dignity. That’s what makes someone low-class and vulgar.”

I spoke in a calm, measured tone to Aaron, who looked like he was about to explode with anger.

“And what you’re about to do is a low-class act.”

“That’s—!”

“Shut your mouth and open your ears. I’m not done talking yet.”

“?!”

Aaron flinched at my words, laced with a faint trace of ‘wrath.’

The words of someone blinded by hatred are destined only for destruction. If he were to be crushed and disappear under that hatred alone, it might be one thing. But Aaron’s hatred seeks to drag not just himself but all of humanity into ruin, and that’s the problem.

“Whatever feelings you have toward humans, it has nothing to do with us. Don’t impose your personal vendetta on other demons by expanding your revenge.”

I know why he hates humans so much and why he wants to bring an endless winter to this world. I also know his goal of elevating the ‘Snow Princess’ to the Demon Lord. But…

That is a future that must never come to pass.

“If you dare to bring up such vulgar methods in front of me again after this moment…”

I quietly warned Aaron.

“…You’ll truly learn just how lowly you can become.”

“……”

Aaron remained silent, and our conversation ended there. He, who had been staring at me intently, soon stood up from his seat.

He didn’t spew random words of anger or curses filled with hatred.

“……What a pity.”

He simply sighed.

As I watched Aaron’s retreating figure, I fell into deep thought.

There’s no way he’ll back down like this.

With our cooperation falling through, the options he can choose from now are limited.

And if it were the original Aaron…

“Ah, my… the Count who speaks casually… isn’t that just too sexy?”

Helga pulled me out of my thoughts. Ah, pulling me out is a metaphor. Helga wouldn’t dare do something like that.

“Please, just like you did with that man earlier, speak casually to me and stomp me into the ground!”

“Stop talking nonsense. And I’ve never stomped on anyone.”

“Then… my first stomping?!”

“…Are you even listening to me?”

“There’s nothing as thrilling as being the first to dirty a pristine white sheet of paper. Hehehe… Think of me as that paper and stomp on me to your heart’s content!”

I’m starting to fear that Helga is developing some strange hobbies. Normally, I’d scold her sternly, but now isn’t the time.

“Enough joking. Get ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“We need to head to the castle right now.”

“Huh? Right now?”

“Isn’t it too early to go back?”

At my sudden command, both Helga and Blanshe expressed their doubts.

“We’re not just going back.”

“Then…?”

“If I’m right, Aaron will likely attack the castle soon.”

“What?!”

Even if Aaron failed to persuade us, he wouldn’t attack us. From his perspective, we’re still potential allies.

So, the only option he has is to fight the Imperial Army with his demons.

Fighting a 100,000-strong army without our help might seem reckless.

But he still has a ‘trump card’ that could make fighting such a force possible.

Moreover, though Aaron might not know it, most of the hastily assembled 100,000 Imperial troops are close to being raw recruits. Even with Aslan, it’s hard to guarantee they can handle a single demon properly.

So, it’s better to go as soon as possible and warn them. Aaron’s attack is imminent.

“Listen carefully.”

It’s truly bothersome, but…

What else can I do?

“From now on, you’ll have to act in a play with me.”

*

“Is there any issue with the northern wall?”

“Yes, yes! No issues today!”

It was still midday.

Bella Izakhel was patrolling the wall under repair.

Normally, Tristan, the overall commander, would do this, but he was often away scouting the movements of the monsters, so Bella, the commander of the main unit, often took his place.

Well, actually, Bella’s patrols were far more effective than Tristan’s.

With her title as the Duke’s daughter, her noble lineage, her reputation as the Empire’s top swordsman, and her mesmerizing silver hair and beauty, the soldiers all blushed and didn’t know what to do.

“Don’t worry, Princess! No matter what happens, we’ll protect you!”

“My, my!”

“Trust us! Even if the monsters come, we won’t retreat!”

With the Empire’s most admired woman personally meeting each soldier, their morale couldn’t help but soar.

“Hehe… Hearing that makes me feel reassured. But what you must protect first from the monsters are your comrades beside you. The Empire’s future and peace are entirely in your hands.”

Bella smiled as she spoke to the soldiers.

“And I will also fight to protect you all.”

“Ohh… Princess…”

Bella, taking in their moved expressions, stood on the northern wall and gazed at the distant forest.

The so-called Forest of Demons.

A dangerous place, the domain of demons and monsters, where one should not tread lightly.

“Count… Has the overall commander returned?”

“Ah, yes! Count Ruelberta just returned!”

“Is that so…”

He was so busy that it was hard to even see his face. Every time Bella went to see him, he was absent.

Ah, of course, it’s not like she wanted to see him. It’s just that there were minor things to report. As the overall commander, there was a lot to report, so it couldn’t be helped.

But to not even show his face while working? At this point, his qualifications as the overall commander should be questioned.

“Hmph. He could at least come see me once in a while… How disappointing…”

“Excuse me? What did you just say?”

“Nothing. Just talking to myself. Hm?”

At that moment, a shadow fell over Bella’s head. A cloud had obscured the sun.

“The cloud is really big…”

“Indeed.”

Bella saw the dark shadow cast by the cloud moving toward the castle. It was a perfectly natural phenomenon, but for some reason, it felt like an ominous sign.

Then it happened.

“Who, who are you?!”

At the soldier’s shout, Bella turned her head.

“Who are you? Identify yourself!”

The soldiers were pointing their spears at a… strange woman precariously standing on the watchtower.

‘How did she get up there?’

But that question was fleeting. The moment Bella saw her face, she couldn’t help but hold her breath.

Clad in a black eyemask and armor, her figure and facial contours were obscured, but no one could deny that she was beautiful.

Her eerily dark black hair fluttered in the wind. Her beauty was so captivating, like staring into an abyss.

But no one blushed at the sight of her. The aura she exuded was chillingly cold.

A wicked woman.

That was the first word that came to everyone’s mind.

“You are…”

Just as Bella was about to speak, the wicked woman opened her mouth first.

“How boring. It’s so easy to get in.”

“?!”

At her words, the soldiers, who had been staring dumbfounded, finally snapped back to reality.

“Don’t, don’t move!”

“Intruder! Everyone, draw your weapons!”

Perhaps because they were in front of the admired Bella, they immediately surrounded the mysterious woman.

“Get down from there!”

“Blah blah. So noisy…”

Despite being surrounded by soldiers on the precarious wall, the woman showed no sign of tension and instead muttered in annoyance.

Her audacity irritated the captain of the guard.

“What are you doing? Drag her down immediately!”

“Yes, yes!”

“If she resists, stab her with your spears if you have to!”

“Wait! That’s too much! First, capture her for questioning—!”

“Seize her!”

“Oooh!!”

Ignoring Bella’s objection, the soldiers all rushed at the woman.

Just as one could imagine the pitiful woman being overwhelmed by the soldiers…

The captain of the guard was horrified.

“Wh, what?!”

The soldiers who had rushed at her all collapsed like puppets with their strings cut. They hadn’t even touched her; at most, they had stepped on her shadow.

“Lowly creatures…”

On the other hand, the black-haired woman was perfectly fine.

Looking down at the fallen soldiers with disgust, as if she had seen bugs, she brushed the dust off her armor.

Seeing this, Bella could deduce one thing.

This woman… is our enemy, a demon.

Bella drew her sword.

Though she didn’t know how she did it, her opponent was strong enough to take down soldiers without lifting a finger.

If she approached carelessly…

“Y, you bitch! How dare you touch my men!”

“Wait! Don’t!”

“Die!”

The enraged captain shot an arrow he had been holding. But the next moment, Bella couldn’t believe her eyes.

“?!”

The woman’s shadow rippled and swallowed the flying arrow. Not only that, it stretched like liquid and engulfed the stunned captain.

“Wh, what the hell?!”

“Don’t kill him. It’ll get dirty.”

The captain, sucked into the shadow, was soon spat out in tatters. In that brief moment, Bella saw countless eyes flickering within the shadow.

Despite her appearance, she was a terrifying demon.

Faced with this monstrous being who toyed with humans so easily, Bella couldn’t help but be more tense than ever.

“Just who…”

“How unlucky… Of all people, I had to run into you first.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”

The wicked woman clicked her tongue and scratched her cheek awkwardly. Bella couldn’t understand her actions. No, she didn’t have the capacity to understand.

She simply voiced the question that arose in her mind.

“Who… are you?”

“I am Trinity.”

The black-haired woman introduced herself to the silver-haired princess with a smile full of ‘pride.’

“The woman who will become the Demon Lord of this world.”

 

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