The Possessed Evil Woman Wreaks Havoc - Chapter 78

The soldiers of the marquis’ household quickly arrived and took Nadia away.

“Isabella!”

The duke urgently called out to me. The moment he confirmed I was unharmed, he let out a sigh of relief.

“Don’t wander around— I’ll assign guards to you for now—”

His hands were trembling. He must have truly been worried about Isabella.

“Where is Gabriel?! How is he not by your side in this situation?!”

The duke muttered to himself before leaving to handle the situation.

A short while later, I was hiding in a corner of the hunting grounds with the guards the duke had assigned to me.

To prevent them from overhearing my conversation with Nigel, I cast a simple soundproof barrier using magic.

“The place where you said you sensed an unusual presence—when I checked, there was an interdimensional rift. Someone tore it open.”

For someone to tear open an interdimensional rift… that wasn’t just any ordinary demon.

“Monsters were pouring out from it. Well, at least the rift closed sooner than expected. That’s a small relief, I suppose.”

Hmm.

After hearing Nigel’s explanation, I fell into deep thought.

Who would do something like this in the middle realm?

“What are you going to do?” Nigel asked me urgently.

“Hmm? Are you scared? I can at least protect you.”

The Nigel I knew should have been more than capable of handling those monsters. Had he grown weaker while we were apart?

Nigel shook his head and spoke again, “No, I mean the other people! You need to save them!”

“Me? Why?”

“Because… when people are in danger, it’s only natural to help them?”

“Have you forgotten what I am?”

I looked around the hunting grounds. The imperial guards were holding back the monsters, but it was only a matter of time before the defenses collapsed.

Soon, casualties would begin to appear.

But that wasn’t my problem.

Everyone attending the hunting competition was an adult. If there had been a child among them, I might have considered helping, but… otherwise, I had no reason to.

I couldn’t understand why Nigel was so restless.

“Gabby is a Sword Master, so he’ll be fine. Well, I don’t know how many casualties there will be, but that’s none of my concern.”

“You—!”

“If you want to save them so badly, then you do it.”

“…I can’t. At least, I can’t save everyone.”

“Why not?”

“Haa. That’s a long story. Anyway, the only person here who can save them all right now is you.”

“I already told you—I won’t do it.”

“Lady Bella.”

At the familiar voice calling my name, I turned my head.

The Crown Prince was looking at me with a desperate expression, his face as pale as a sheet.

As expected of the Crown Prince, the guards had stepped aside without resistance to let him pass.

Among the chaos of the hunting competition, only the Crown Prince maintained a composed face.

Seeing his expression, I raised an eyebrow.

The Crown Prince spoke to me, “…There is something I must ask of you, Lady Bella.”

I adjusted the soundproof barrier and responded, “You have a request in this situation? I don’t even need to hear it—I refuse.”

So this was why monsters had suddenly appeared at the hunting competition.

I turned a cold gaze toward the Crown Prince.

I had momentarily forgotten, but the Crown Prince was Dantalion’s contractor.

What kind of demon would bother to unleash monsters here?

There was only one demon bored enough for such tricks—Dantalion.

With Dantalion’s power, luring monsters into the hunting grounds would have been effortless.

Furrowing my brows, I asked the Crown Prince, “What does Dantalion want?”

“…I don’t know.”

I hadn’t expected much in the first place, so I didn’t press him further.

The Crown Prince quickly tried to explain himself.

“Out of nowhere, my master ordered me to hold the hunting competition on this specific date. I wasn’t given any further explanation.”

Of all the demon lords, Dantalion was the one who hated humans the most. For him to pull such a stunt…

Regardless of his goal, the outcome for the humans here was obvious.

Death.

I swiftly scanned my surroundings.

“Ah, f*ck! Where the hell did these disgusting things come from?!”

Gabby cursed as he plunged his sword into a monster’s head.

Thanks to the aura of a Sword Master, his sword easily pierced through the creature.

Outwardly, Gabby seemed calm. But on closer inspection, his expression was stiffer than usual.

If even a Sword Master like Gabby looked that tense, then the state of the other soldiers was obvious.

‘I should grab Gabby and the Duke and get back to the estate.’

If the Duke died, Isabella’s wish might never be fulfilled.

More importantly, if Isabella returned to this body and the Duke was gone, she might be devastated.

But how could I retrieve just those two and leave?

I couldn’t let my identity be exposed, so I’d have to knock them out naturally…

My thoughts were interrupted by the Crown Prince’s voice.

“Lady Bella, please protect the people here.”

The Crown Prince persistently pleaded with me.

I sighed and said to him, “Human, it seems you’ve taken deals with demons too lightly. I will not help you.”

Regardless of my hatred for Dantalion, I had no reason to interfere with his plans.

When I firmly refused, the Crown Prince bit his lip hard.

After hesitating for a moment, he slowly spoke, “…There is a small orphanage on the outskirts of this forest. It is home to twenty children. If even a single monster escapes from here…”

The moment I heard those words, it felt like my blood was boiling in reverse.

I clenched my teeth and asked, “…Are you threatening me?”

“This is not a threat. Never. It’s just— at this moment, you’re the only person I can think of…”

“It seems I’ve been far too lenient with you.”

I frowned deeply.

Why… was I so angry? I had never trusted humans from the beginning, so there was no reason to be disappointed even if the Crown Prince made such a despicable request of me.

Facing emotions I couldn’t even define myself, I gritted my teeth and said to him, “If you’ve decided to be a dog of a demon, then you should see it through to the end. No matter how many people you have to kill—no matter how many children you have to sacrifice. Even if you must kill your own people.”

“I cannot disobey my master’s orders… but if I can at least prevent casualties…”

“This entire situation is happening because of you. Dantalion’s orders? You created the circumstances that made you obey those orders.”

“…I know.”

“And yet, you worry about the humans you’ve put in danger? It seems you still have a conscience. That conscience will eventually lead you to tragedy.”

“……”

The Crown Prince couldn’t say anything in response to my words.

I gazed at him coldly and spoke, “I will take care of the monsters. No one here will die today.”

The Crown Prince’s face lit up with hope. But before he could fully rejoice, I added, “In return, you and I are strangers from now on. Never acknowledge me again.”

With those final words, I turned away and left.

“Lady Isabella! Wait, Lady Isabella!”

The soldiers of House Dunkeld, realizing my sudden movements too late, started calling after me from behind.

I ignored their voices and kept walking forward.

Nigel, who had been listening to the entire conversation, trailed after me and asked, “…Did you really have to go that far? I mean, I’m sure that human has his own circumstances.”

“Every deal must have a price.”

“But this wasn’t a formal contract. You could’ve just done him a favor.”

“Do I look like the kind of demon who grants favors for free? Besides, I have my own principles.”

I had lowered my guard, thinking I had grown somewhat close to the Crown Prince… and yet, he dared to try and use me like this?

“Haa. Fine, whatever. So, how are you planning to deal with all these monsters? You can’t let anyone find out your true identity.”

“Through the power of prayer.”

“…Prayer?”

“Yes. After all, I am a Saintess.”

Nigel looked utterly dumbfounded.

Ignoring him, I carefully went over my plan.

With the High Priest present, I needed to be extra cautious. If I lost focus while dealing with the monsters, my so-called ‘holy power’ could be revealed as actual magic.

So first, I had to lure the monsters away.

“Do you know what monsters hate the most?”

“Uh… holy power?”

“No. Demonic power.”

And I am a demon with power.

Right now, there was no bait more tempting than me.

Since I had decided to deal with the monsters, I might as well take this opportunity to solidify Isabella’s reputation.

Her reputation as a Saintess, that is.

I closed my eyes and pretended to pray.

Of course, as a demon, I had no idea how to pray, but wasn’t prayer just a conversation with a god?

“Hey, Celestial God, wherever you are. Honestly, I disliked you more than the Demon God.”

I muttered the words I had always wanted to say to the Celestial God.

“At least the Demon God had the excuse of being insane. You were just a coward. Well, I guess you did try to fix the mess you created in the end… but still, I dislike you more than the Demon God. Prayer over.”

Especially considering the contract between the Celestial God and me…

Thinking back on it now, it was such a malicious contract that I wondered if he had known the future all along.

Praying in the middle of the hunting grounds quickly drew attention.

“The Saintess is praying for us!”

Someone shouted, and I slightly opened one eye.

Because of the dire situation, even the nobles who normally disliked Isabella were looking at me with eyes full of expectation.