Chapter 2: The Saintess’s Secret

“I’m not going to be some damn Evil God!! I’m supposed to be a Saintess!!!”

Xiamiya, enraged by Youka’s actions, couldn’t help but roar.

After hearing this, the golden-haired maid standing in the pool of blood before her did not show displeasure at Xiamiya’s words. Instead, she tilted her head, gazing at Xiamiya meaningfully, as if to say:

–”Are you sure you want to say that?”–

??

Hmm?

Seemingly grasping the meaning behind Youka’s gaze, Xiamiya instantly trembled.

No, this isn’t good!

She had accidentally blurted out her true thoughts.

It was over, completely over.

All at once, an ominous premonition rapidly spread through the Third Holy Princess’s heart.

This unsettling premonition was validated the very next moment.

The next moment,

Within the vast villa, the very atmosphere abruptly twisted, as a gloomy, oppressive black mist instantly enveloped everything. Chilling, suffocating voices suddenly echoed throughout the building.

–”Evil God, my Lord? How could you say such a thing?”–

–”Become a Saintess? That is an act of utter defiance.”–

–”Are you planning to betray us?”–

–”Please do not abandon us, Evil God, my Lord!”–

…

As these eerie voices appeared one after another, astonishing changes suddenly unfolded around the golden-haired maid, Youka.

The once tranquil interior and exterior of the room—the entire hall, in fact—was instantly filled with a host of inky black monsters.

The bright sunlight that had illuminated the hall abruptly lost its brilliance, transforming into an oppressive, ghostly glow.

These monsters continuously emitted terrifying growls. They varied wildly in form: some were as tall as giants, others twisted like phantoms, and some resembled various colossal beasts.

Almost without exception, their faces were utterly repulsive, swarming forth from the black mist, each radiating a suffocating aura of terror.

The monsters’ eyes glowed with crimson light, and grotesque smiles spread across their mouths. Their emergence was like a nightmare descending, causing the entire hall’s atmosphere to shift dramatically, filling the air with a heavy, oppressive sense of dread.

These creatures moved slowly and methodically, each step accompanied by a tremor in the ground, as if every footfall declared the reign of terror.

They gradually encircled Xiamiya, their ghostly gazes fixed intently on her petite form.

Behind Xiamiya,

The maids, attendants, and Holy Nation guards, confronted by this sudden and terrifying scene, utterly failed to maintain their composure. Their faces contorted with extreme panic and despair, their eyes filled with disbelief and terror.

“Your, Your Highness?! Quick, quick, run!”

They desperately wanted to whisk Xiamiya away to safety.

Alas,

Before they could even act on their intentions, these individuals—who were meant to protect and serve—one by one lost consciousness under the immense, terrifying pressure of the abyssal demons, collapsing to the ground like harvested wheat.

With no one left to obstruct them, the monsters pressed closer to Xiamiya, their crimson eyes flashing with a mix of fury and sorrow.

“Evil God, my Lord, no, you cannot become a Saintess! The master of the Starfall Palace cannot worship the Creator Goddess…”

As they growled, the monsters extended their claws, tongues, or even their heads towards Xiamiya.

Faced with this despair-inducing scene, Xiamiya took a deep breath, then unleashed a deafening roar:

“Silence!! Stop your goddamn clamor! You’re infuriating!”

Her voice, like a clap of thunder, resounded with unquestionable authority and power.

With Xiamiya’s roar, a powerful, invisible oppressive force emanated from her, spreading outwards like a tidal wave. This power permeated the entire hall, and to the terrifying monsters, it felt like divine wrath, filling them with profound fear and dread.

The monsters’ originally ferocious faces instantly contorted into expressions of terror. Their movements ceased abruptly, and a flicker of disbelief and panic flashed in their crimson eyes.

Subsequently, these once ferociously powerful monsters began to retreat in unison, their bodies trembling uncontrollably as if they had encountered a supreme predator in the wild.

In that moment, the entire hall’s atmosphere dramatically shifted. Although the oppressive aura remained, it became so quiet that a pin drop would be audible.

The terrifying, arrogant, and imposing entities that had once filled the space were now reduced to a cowering, retreating, frightened mass.

Xiamiya, meanwhile, continued to survey the group of monsters with the disdainful gaze of a superior being.

At this moment, the Holy Princess appeared to be the undisputed Lord of the Abyss.

Of course,

That was, assuming one ignored her slightly trembling legs…

Fortunately,

Overwhelmed by Xiamiya’s imposing aura, the monsters—with the exception of a certain doll-like girl—had no opportunity to notice Xiamiya’s ‘unnatural’ legs. Instead, they all nervously fixed their gaze on Xiamiya’s face.

Facing the terrifying monsters’ collective gaze, Xiamiya spoke coldly,

“Who said I was going to be a Saintess? You idiots!”

…

“You, you just said it yourself.”

A demon, cloaked in black mist and wearing a grotesque smiling mask, stammered tremulously.

The next moment,

Xiamiya glared fiercely at the terrifying monster.

“I said that for the attendants to hear, alright?! It’s all because this idiotic doll uttered the words ‘Evil God’!”

With that, Xiamiya pointed accusingly at Youka.

Youka offered no response to Xiamiya’s accusation. Instead, surrounded by the abyssal demons, she slowly lowered her head.

“How many times have I told you not to mention ‘Evil God’ when outsiders are present! You forced me to improvise a cover!”

…

“Outsiders? Those attendants and maids? Wouldn’t it be simpler to just kill them?”

A serene female voice slowly reached Xiamiya’s ears.

At this moment,

A bewitching woman with white hair and dressed in a white hoodie slowly emerged from the inky shadows, creeping step by step towards a maid, extending her hand towards the maid’s neck. Meanwhile, saliva dripped from her mouth… Clearly, she intended to kill the maid and devour her soul.

However,

Just as the bewitching woman was about to touch the maid’s neck, Xiamiya slowly turned her head, casting an icy gaze directly at her.

“Feng Xin, if you touch her, I’ll twist your head off.”

“Huh?”

At this, the sickly-looking woman instantly revealed an expression of disappointment and grievance. However, constrained by Xiamiya’s authority, she could only tremble and retreat.

Yet, as she withdrew, the woman named Feng Xin couldn’t help but direct a puzzled gaze at Xiamiya.

“Wh-why… Why protect these lowly humans…? As expected, Evil God, my Lord, you…”

As Feng Xin’s words left her lips, the other monsters also cast questioning glances at Xiamiya.

In response,

Xiamiya, without a word, rolled her eyes.

“‘As expected,’ my foot… These are people I’m cultivating; how can I let you kill them so casually? My disguised identity as a Saintess still needs them for cover.”

“Why, why disguise yourself as a Saintess, that, that lowly thing? Evil God, my Lord, should…”

“Should openly descend and slaughter all creation?”

Xiamiya glared at the hunched old man who had spoken, her eyes instantly flashing with a cold glint.

“That’s why you’ve failed so many times before… Truly idiotic. Announce to the whole world that I’m the Evil God? Let the entire world come to crusade against me? My power hasn’t fully recovered yet, and the armies of Starfall Palace can’t be summoned to this plane. To reveal my identity now? Am I looking for death? Of course, I have to use the Saintess identity as a disguise! Then I’ll bide my time and grow! Don’t you understand?”

“But, even if you don’t kill these maids… you, why didn’t you, you didn’t kill all those refugees earlier? Instead of killing them, you helped them rebuild their homes? Wh-why?”

Though trembling under Xiamiya’s gaze, the old man couldn’t help but ask the question.

Hearing this,

Xiamiya retorted impatiently:

“Why? You truly are foolish… Do you remember what I said? Our goal isn’t just to destroy this world’s civilization; we also need to bring despair to these ignorant creatures.”

“Th-this and your actions…”

“Heh heh, you can’t understand? That’s why I say you’re foolish. Think about it: when those refugees believe they’ve been saved, that they can start new lives and enjoy happiness, what would it feel like if everything they possessed was suddenly stripped away again? The hope they held in their hands, snatched away once more—that is true despair! Do you understand?”

“Ah, this…”

“My need for the Saintess identity is for the same reason… Imagine, when these people discover that the Saintess they worship and adore is actually the Evil God who will destroy the world, how will they feel? It will surely be… wonderful, wouldn’t you agree?”

As she spoke, Xiamiya licked her lips, a hint of a morbid and chilling smile gracing her face.

With these words,

Witnessing that familiar, deranged smile, the monsters, who had just harbored doubts, all fell silent.

After a brief silence,

The monsters exchanged glances, then, in unison, displayed expressions of ‘enlightenment.’

“Oh, oh, oh!! So that’s it, truly worthy of the Evil God, my Lord!”

“As expected of the great Evil God, my Lord, what a cruel thought!”

“Heh heh, I’m suddenly curious what expressions those lowly humans will make when they learn the truth, heh heh heh~”

…

For a time, praises and eerie chuckles filled the space.

However, very soon,

These laughs and praises abruptly ceased. The monsters had discovered, to their horror, that their master, the great Evil God, was scrutinizing them with a gaze that regarded them as mere trash.

Feeling the boundless pressure emanating from her rainbow-colored eyes, the monsters immediately prostrated themselves, trembling uncontrollably.

Scanning the monsters, Xiamiya sneered:

“Speaking of which, who gave you the audacity to question me?”

With that, Xiamiya took a step towards the abyssal demons.

On the other side, seemingly sensing the Evil God’s wrath and killing intent, all the monsters instinctively trembled and retreated continuously, save for the doll-like girl Youka, who remained unperturbed in her spot.

“If there’s a next time, I’ll slaughter you! Also, from now on, you are not to appear without my command!”

Xiamiya warned sternly.

“Now, get out of my sight!”

No sooner had she spoken,

The monsters, having received their master’s instructions, bowed respectfully before vanishing into the shadows. The vast villa once again returned to tranquility, and the gloomy, ghostly glow transformed back into bright sunlight.

“Hmph.”

Glancing at the doll-like girl still respectfully standing in place, and at the blood-soaked room, Xiamiya said indifferently:

“Clean this up.”

“Yes, Master.”

“…”

Without a reply, Xiamiya left the villa without looking back.

****

Soon, the Third Holy Princess returned to her chambers. After stepping into her room, dismissing the servants, drawing the curtains, and firmly closing the door, Xiamiya silently leaned against it.

Then,

The coldness and sternness vanished from the sakura-haired girl’s face, replaced by an expression of panic and terror.

Her entire body trembled uncontrollably, and like a deflating balloon, she instantly collapsed.

“Th-that scared me to death… I, I thought I was going to be exposed…”

Pressing a hand to her chest, Xiamiya, her legs weak, slumped onto the floor. Tears welled faintly in her rainbow-colored eyes.

“Those guys were, were too scary… I almost thought I was going to be killed… Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo…”

After gasping for breath for several tens of seconds, Xiamiya only barely managed to recover somewhat from the oppressive feeling.

Slowly raising her head to look at her father’s portrait on the wall, Xiamiya took a deep breath, steeling herself.

“Come on, Xiamiya, you can do it! You can definitely keep those monsters in line!”

During this time,

She needed to increase her strength as quickly as possible, and complete the assessment…

Only by truly mastering the Evil God’s power could she subdue those monsters, and properly teach that bad maid Youka a lesson!

Come on!

I can definitely do it!

For the peace of this world!!

“Goddess, please protect me!”

Facing the statue of the Goddess nearby, Xiamiya prayed devoutly.

However,

What Xiamiya didn’t know at this moment was that her prayer had been heard, word for word, by someone else.

…

Outside Xiamiya’s room,

Youka leaned against the door with an expressionless face, a hint of helplessness surfacing in her silver eyes at that moment.

“Next time… perhaps I should tell Master that the room’s soundproofing isn’t very good…”