The Possessed Evil Woman Wreaks Havoc - Chapter 56

When I openly frowned, Cher cautiously asked, “Isn’t Lord Belial ranked lower than you? It shouldn’t be burdensome to seek him out, right?”

“About that ranking, well…”

I swallowed a sigh inwardly. At a mere 600 years old, there was no way I could defeat Belial, who had lived for over twenty millennia, through brute force alone.

So, the method I used was…

“There was that time Belial messed with Seir’s contractor and got caught.”

Demons naturally possess a certain level of possessiveness, but the Lord of Greed, Seir, was particularly extreme.

Belial couldn’t defeat Seir in pure strength, so he was beaten to the brink of death.

And I… sought out the still-recovering Belial…

I trailed off. Cher, already piecing together the rest from my hints, clicked his tongue.

“That’s a bit underhanded…”

“It’s perfectly demonic.”

I cut him off firmly.

“Well, fair enough. Is that why you and Lord Belial don’t get along?”

I paused briefly before shaking my head. “Not really. Belial is a simple-minded fool with only one thing on his mind.”

As the Lord of Lust, his thoughts were predictable.

“He’s not one to hold grudges either.”

Even on the sensitive issue of ranking, which other lords might be prickly about, Belial was indifferent. He didn’t bother trying to reclaim his rank after losing to me.

Anyway.

The reason I didn’t want to meet Belial was something else entirely….

“…I’m afraid his stupidity might rub off on me.”

“Pardon? What did you just say?”

“Nothing. So, where is Belial?”

On second thought, Belial might not be a bad choice in this situation.

He probably wouldn’t notice that most of my powers were still sealed. Even if he did, he wouldn’t think much of it.

Finding Isabella’s soul was urgent, so I decided to seek Belial’s help.

Cher answered, “Try the Serenity Theater. I heard Lord Belial is working there as a stage actor.”

“Ugh.”

I grimaced.

When demons visit the human realm for entertainment, they usually adopt fitting backgrounds. Most pose as foreign nobles to avoid trouble. Being a commoner could lead to confrontations with some low-ranking noble, and failing to restrain their anger might expose their identity.

But a stage actor? That was a job for commoners.

And performing on stage for humans? Outrageous for someone who called himself a lord of the demon realm.

But Belial had always been shameless.

“No doubt he’s using his actor background to charm women,” I muttered.

“Hmm.”

Cher gave me a peculiar look.

“Well, you’ll find out when you meet him.”

Cher left me with a cryptic remark.

***

Cher provided directions to the theater.

Since it wasn’t far, I immediately set off with Blackie.

The path to the theater was lined with street vendors. I walked past stalls selling flowers and accessories without a second glance until a savory aroma stopped me in my tracks.

“What is this?”

“Huh? Young lady, you’ve never had chicken skewers before?”

The vendor’s question made me nod. Pieces of meat, presumably, were neatly skewered on sticks. The smell alone told me they’d taste delicious.

Humans trade goods for money. Unfortunately, I had none.

I really wanted some…

Just then, a hand appeared behind me.

“One skewer, please.”

A familiar voice. Kayden handed a coin to the vendor.

“…I want two,” I said.

Without a word, Kayden handed over another coin. Soon, I had a skewer in each hand.

Biting into one, I savored the burst of juices and perfectly balanced sauce. It was just as delicious as I’d imagined.

Finishing one skewer quickly, I tore pieces off the other and fed them to the pocket-sized Blackie.

Kayden showed no reaction to Blackie’s shrunken form, nor did he comment.

I glanced at him and asked, “How did you find me here?”

“When there was no sign of you in your room, I sent a maid to check. She confirmed you were gone.”

I frowned deeply. He must have slipped away from Gabby’s grasp.

But in this sprawling capital, how did he locate me so easily?

“How did you know I was here?”

“You are quite noticeable, Saintess.”

At his words, I glanced around and noticed for the first time that passersby were casting furtive glances at me.

True enough.

Isabella’s striking golden hair would stand out even from a distance. Tracking my location through people’s reports must have been a simple task.

“From now on, I will accompany you whenever you go out. Please carry on with your errands without worrying about me.”

Kayden said this and handed me a robe.

“If you wish to conceal your identity, I recommend wearing this.”

Though displeased, I didn’t refuse the robe he offered.

“Are you planning to follow me everywhere?”

“It is the High Priest’s order.”

Ugh.

That High Priest. Just as Gabby said, Kayden truly seems to follow him like a father.

I couldn’t think of a proper way to shake him off.

Well, not that there were no methods at all…

‘Endure it. Think about the time when Isabella returns to this body.’

I had to refrain from doing anything that might harm Isabella’s reputation.

Besides, he bought me skewers, so I decided to let it slide for now.

“Fine, you can follow me, but—”

“I won’t ask any questions.”

“And don’t go running to the High Priest to report every little thing.”

“That—”

“Tsk. No.”

“…Understood.”

As we turned a corner, a large building came into view.

‘That must be the Serenity Theater.’

Kayden and I entered the theater. It occurred to me that I had forgotten to ask Cher what alias Belial was using. He wouldn’t be using his real name, obviously.

Walking to the reception desk on the first floor, I leaned in and asked the staff member in a low voice, “Who is the most popular actor here?”

For a demon like Belial, enchanting humans would be no challenge. Naturally, he’d be the theater’s most popular actor.

“Ah, are you talking about Miss Lia?”

“Hmm? No, I’m looking for a man.”

“Then that would be Mr. Stefano.”

“I need to see him.”

At my words, the staff member looked troubled.

“I’m sorry, but we can’t just let anyone in…”

“I’m not just anyone. Will this suffice as proof?”

Kayden showed the staff the sword at his waist, adorned with the temple’s emblem. The staff member’s expression changed instantly.

“Ah! Of course, that’s fine.”

The temple’s influence in the empire was indeed formidable. Without further questions, the staff pointed us toward Stefano’s dressing room.

“Go that way. You’ll see a nameplate with the actor’s name on the door.”

‘How useful.’

My opinion of Kayden improved slightly.

Following the staff member’s direction, I walked down the corridor. Soon, I reached a long hallway with nameplates on the doors. While searching for Stefano’s nameplate, I stopped instinctively in front of one door.

[Lia Green]

That was the name on the nameplate.

Why…?

I glanced at Kayden, who was following me. His serene expression indicated he hadn’t sensed the faint energy emanating from behind the door.

Well, the energy was so suppressed that even I could barely detect it.

Without knocking, I opened the door and walked in.

“Oh my, who might you be?”

A young woman, appearing to be in her early twenties, stood with her back to me.

Despite my sudden entrance, she showed no signs of surprise. She slowly turned around.

The woman was stunningly beautiful, with an alluring figure, jet-black hair, and captivating violet eyes exuding an irresistible charm.

What stood out most was her attire, uncommon in this region.

‘It’s a style frequently seen in the Eastern Continent.’

To think I’d encounter clothing from across the sea here in the empire.

The moment our eyes met, I immediately discerned her identity.

“Ugh.”

A wave of instinctive revulsion made me frown and step back.

“Are you alright?” Kayden, seemingly concerned, asked.

“I suppose my beauty startled you, young lady. It’s not uncommon; you are not the first to react this way.”

The woman wore a sly smile as she spoke.

“Urp!”

This lunatic…

It was a sight almost too grotesque to witness.

In my centuries of life, I’d seen all manner of absurdities, but never had anything made me feel so queasy before.