Chapter 17: Demonized creature

“My Lord, I failed in my mission… Please punish me…”

Martha was sprawled on the ground, groveling like a lowly insect.

“Martha… how many resources did our Demon Tribe invest in you? And this is how you repay His Majesty?”

The man’s voice was filled with anger. Several human women stood respectfully by his side, completely naked.

Pink markings stretched from their stomachs across their bodies, giving them an eerie, seductive appearance.

These were marks of the demons. They hadn’t been turned into demonkind, but were being used as toys and tools by the

Demon Tribe.

Before Martha knelt a demonized human—one of the Twelve Demon Generals—known to the Holy Church as the

Bloodhand Butcher, Zuka.

His skin looked like it had been charred. This was one of the traits of demonized creatures.

His skin was rough, as if made of reinforced concrete. His face was hideous, and two sharp horns extended from his bald

head—another sign of demonization.

His lower jaw jutted forward with two tusks sticking out on either side. His eyes glowed red, including the whites of his

eyes.

From his lower back, thick, tentacle-like appendages—each the size of a grown man’s forearm—extended to the ground

and wrapped around the legs of the women beside him.

Strange wet sounds echoed through the demon camp.

“My Lord, I was wrong! Please don’t kill me! I… I know Glorious City’s defenses! I can help the Demon Army enter it

easily!”

Martha remained on her knees, large beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. The pride she once had in Glorious City

was gone. All she could do now was beg.

As her life flashed before her eyes, Martha’s hatred burned. She directed it all toward the Saintess who had suddenly

grown clever.

“I, Martha, swear I will drag you down from that holy pedestal—forever disgraced and never to rise again!”

“Fine. Then you’ll lead the night raid on Glorious City. If you fail, you’ll find out what true regret feels like.”

“Don’t worry, my Lord! I’ll give it everything I’ve got and deliver that shameless Saintess to you!!”

“Go. The vanguard camp is on the left. Take this command token. Don’t disappoint me again.”

Zuka casually threw the token to her, curious to see what surprise Martha might bring this time.

Martha grabbed the token off the ground, bowed as she quickly stepped back, and finally left the demon camp.

Only after she was a hundred meters away did her blank expression begin to fade.

Just moments ago, she had nearly crumbled under Zuka’s terrifying presence.

“I actually survived…”

She muttered to herself, unsure if the emotion in her eyes was relief or lingering fear. Her body was still trembling.

That was the overwhelming pressure high-ranking demons exerted on the weak.

The demon camp echoed with strange noises—now and then, the screams and cries of women pierced the air.

After being demonized, creatures’ instincts were greatly amplified. Only powerful individuals could maintain rationality.

Lower-ranked demonized beings couldn’t control their desires.

Even though Martha had lived among humans until recently, she knew she had no choice but to adapt.

After all, she was no longer the powerful High Nun who once ruled Glorious City and even the Moon Nation.

She glanced at the token in her hand, then looked east—toward Glorious City.

“Moon Saintess… heh. Let’s see where you run this time. I hope the next sound I hear… is your scream~”

“Any creature that becomes demonized—regardless of species—will suffer some form of mental corruption, always in a

negative direction. That’s why the entire continent rejects the Demon Tribe.”

Inside a speeding carriage.

The speaker was Lola, one of the “Three La” group. With her orange straight hair and serious expression, she explained

the origin of the demons with precision.

Lola used to work as a scribe. She had studied all the books in Glorious City’s Holy Library and had a deep understanding

of the continent’s history.

Listening to her, Luo Li started forming a clearer picture of this world.

“So, demons are just any creature that has been demonized. It doesn’t matter what species they originally were—once

demonized, they become part of the Demon Tribe. But to this day, no one knows where they came from.”

Luo Li furrowed her brow.

“Even the Holy Church doesn’t know?”

“To my knowledge, no, Your Highness.”

Luo Li nodded. The origin of the Demon Tribe really was shrouded in mystery.

“Alright, Lola. That’s enough for now.”

Luo Li turned her head and lifted the curtain slightly. Ahead, hundreds of horses marched silently, their hooves wrapped

in cloth to muffle the sound. Still, the dust was enough to nearly hit her face.

She quickly dropped the curtain and looked at the three girls sitting across from her.

“What time is it now?”

Lola checked her pocket watch.

“Your Highness, it’s already 1:30 AM.”

Luo Li nodded. Just then, the convoy suddenly came to a halt.

Soon after, the sound of hooves was followed by Hilda’s voice from outside the carriage.

“Your Highness, our scouts have discovered traces of the Demon Army—exactly as you predicted. The signs match a

large-scale movement.”

Hearing this, Luo Li let out a big sigh of relief.

She had worried that if her guess had been wrong, she’d have to pack up and run—before being ridiculed and shamed into

exile.

She didn’t know much, but if things went south, she figured she could always learn to sing or dance or something.

Luckily, fate was still on her side.

“Very good. Tell the scouts to keep searching for the Demon Army’s main force. The knights will rest here—we move in

one hour.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

There was something different in Hilda’s voice. It wasn’t just respect anymore—there was a hint of devotion.

Was she becoming a fangirl?

Luo Li felt a bit awkward at the thought.

The knights began to gather and rest together. Since this was a covert operation, no fires were allowed.

But none of the Sanctuary Knights complained.

Seeing how disciplined they were, Luo Li’s confidence grew.

Come to think of it, across the whole of Glorious City and the Moon Nation, there was only one person above level 60:

Sanctuary’s Judgment Knight, Will Kevin, but he wasn’t here. If he were, their chances would be even better.

Still, Luo Li couldn’t help but be curious.

Just what kind of person was that Judgment Knight?