Chapter 24: The First Price Paid

An endless forest of the Demon Realm.

A concentration of Miasma impossible for mere humans to endure. Even before reaching the center, high-level demonic beasts and Majin were visible.

The piles of demonic beast and Majin corpses seen intermittently disturbed my mind. The disgusting smell and unpleasant aura clinging to my body gave me goosebumps.

The further we went, the tighter my chest felt, but being in a Saintess’s body, I dismissed it as my imagination.

“Hek. Hek. How much further do we have to go…?”

Hearing the breathless voice from slightly behind, I turned my head back to see Diana staggering, panting, following behind.

Seeing her, I grinned smugly.

“Weakling. See, even as a Saintess, you should have been exercising.”

Diana stared at me with a dumbfounded expression.

“You’re the one who threw up earlier. Besides, you’re not even walking right now!”

“Do you think I want to be like this? This damn body won’t listen to me.”

Shrugging my shoulders and teasing Diana, she seemed to explode with anger, finally using the divine power she had saved up to rush past us.

“Tsk. What was the point of saving it then?”

Lilac, walking beside me, chided Diana who had sped ahead.

“Hohoho. Let’s go a little slower. Running while carrying Young Lady Sia wouldn’t be good. Especially since she vomited earlier.”

“Let’s do that.”

“Hehe…”

Still riding on Butler’s back, I could hear their conversation.

It was mostly about me, though…

Thanks to their consideration, my stomach wasn’t jostled, and I could travel comfortably. My stomach had been upset since entering the Demon Realm, and the Miasma in the air caused dizziness and nausea.

However, it wasn’t just me; Butler and Lilac were also walking with furrowed brows. Seems I wasn’t the strange one after all.

“The Miasma will start getting denser soon. Butler, focus more on mana circulation.”

“Understood.”

I also nodded, heightening my vigilance. Denser Miasma meant we were nearing the entrance to the central region.

Meaning there was a possibility of encountering even stronger demonic beasts and Majin.

Just as we were following Diana.

Thump.

“?”

Something touched my back.

Wondering what it was, I looked at Lilac, but it wasn’t her. And it wasn’t Butler carrying me either.

Then…?

Like a machine, my head creaked as I slowly turned around.

“Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!!!”

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!”

A giant insect had its mouth wide open.

Shlick!

Simultaneously with my scream, the insect’s body was bisected, splitting left and right, then spurted disgusting green blood and died.

“Sia!”

Hearing Lilac’s voice right beside me, I felt my momentarily stopped heart start beating again.

Grasp.

Lilac, cupping my cheeks to check my condition, quickly hardened her expression and raised the sword she had lowered.

Then followed numerous presences and sounds.
Countless presences I hadn’t felt until now emerged.

“Strange.”

“Indeed. Certainly strange. It’s unlikely we would have missed a monster approaching. Hoho.”

Putting me down on the ground, Butler drew his dagger alongside Lilac and surveyed the surroundings.

“I see.”

“Me too.”

‘What?’

Sitting still and watching them, Butler patted my head with the hand not holding the dagger and spoke.

“I’ll finish this quickly and come back. Though… it seems there won’t be much room for me to step in.”

From the moment Butler started talking to me, Lilac was already sweeping through the monsters.

She looked like a butcher mincing meat, making me forget my tension and laugh.

Even while slaughtering monsters, Lilac kept her gaze fixed on me as she fought. I worried she might get hurt like that, but it was needless worry.

Shhhhhhhlick!

The endlessly swarming monsters disappeared by half with a single slash from Lilac’s sword. For reference, all the monsters currently visible were high-level and peak-level.

Watching this, I couldn’t even fathom how high Lilac’s martial prowess was.

I knew she was strong from the start, but I didn’t know she possessed power capable of such massacre.

After about 5 minutes passed like that, the monsters vanished without a trace.

More accurately, only their corpses remained.

Tssssssss.

Lilac, covered in various types of blood, approached me, evaporating the dirty blood with mana.

Returning, Lilac knelt before me and began checking my condition.

Starting from my face, checking every nook and cranny down to my toes, Lilac’s touch made my body tremble.

Remembering the previous night, I felt a slight heat rise. Maybe I’m a pervert too, I thought.

Shaking off the stray thoughts, I looked at Lilac examining me. I wanted to check if Lilac was hurt as well.

However, contrary to my worries, far from being hurt, her breathing was even stable.

At this point, it seemed she could be called the top of this world without reservation. What kind of place is this world I transmigrated into?

[An interesting place.]

‘Let’s read the room, shall we? Huh?’

[Aren’t you being too harsh on your mother? Child?]

‘Mothers can be treated like that.’

[Sad…]

Actually, even saying this, I’m somewhat grateful to the Goddess.

Whatever the process, the result is that thanks to the Goddess, I can walk and live somewhat normally.

Though she’ll never know this gratitude.

Anyway, only after Lilac and I checked each other’s condition did Butler pick me up again. The Butler guarded me as well, preventing monsters from approaching, and he too showed no sign of fatigue.

Carrying me, we set off again.

However, Butler and Lilac proceeded cautiously, scanning the surroundings.

I focused on listening to their conversation.

“It seems this Demon Lord will be quite dangerous.”

“It doesn’t matter for me and Butler. The problem is Sia and the Saintess…”

“I will protect Lady Sia even if it means giving my heart.”

“Even so, don’t waste your life.”

“As you command.”

A conversation was ongoing, but lacking information about this place, I remained silent.

Apparently, the monsters approaching without a sound made Lilac regain the tension she had previously let go.

Lilac would survive no matter what, but Diana and I were exceptions.

What help could a Saintess’s pathetic stamina and strength be in battle? At best, I’d be a heal-bot, casting buffs or heals.

Thinking that made me feel gloomy, yet the feeling of being a supporter who could help Lilac wasn’t entirely unpleasant either.

What is this subtle feeling?

Anyway, as Lilac and Butler advanced, warily scanning the surroundings, a familiar outfit came into view in the distance.

It was Diana.

“!”

As soon as we spotted her, we approached quickly.

Diana’s condition was very poor. She lay slumped against a rock, covered in blood.

“Kuuuh.”

Painful groans escaped Diana’s lips.

Hastily getting off Butler’s back, I checked her condition.

My stamina had recovered, so as long as I didn’t overexert myself, I was fine.

“Lady Diana. Excuse me.”

Sitting in front of her, I drew upon my divine power. And chanted a divine incantation I had never used before.

The incantation itself wasn’t difficult to articulate.

Just think about what I desire.

“I beseech thee. Mother of All, Creator of the World.”

[……]

Convey my thoughts to my Lord.

“I implore thee. As your closest daughter.”

[……]

Ask for what I desire.

“Please. Grant this immature daughter’s small wish.”

[……]

And finally.

“Sacrifice.”

[…Do not do such things again from now on. This child is also my daughter, so I cannot let her die, can I?]

Just say a cool-sounding word.

I smiled wryly at the Goddess’s final words.

But the moment the last word left my mouth-

“What is this…?”

Shwaaaaaaaaaaaak!!

A vast amount of divine power erupted from my body, covering the area of the Demon Realm we were in.

Staring blankly at the sight, saliva unknowingly dripped from my mouth.

Because the ‘sky’ of divine power I created was so beautiful, and-

“Pretty.”

As Lilac said.

It descended very beautifully to the ground.

After watching the enchanting sight for a few minutes, I came to my senses and looked at Diana.

As expected.

The blood-soaked appearance was gone, and even the torn clothes were restored to their original state. I didn’t know divine power had such functions.

Anyway.

It wasn’t a mistake to display this much divine power just to heal Diana’s wounds.

Normally, divine power equivalent to Great Heal would have been sufficient, but the supreme ‘Holy Word’ I displayed was an incantation several dimensions higher than Great Heal.

How did I know?

The Goddess told me.

Tch.

Regardless, the reason for going to such lengths, even wasting power, was merely a simple greeting.

To announce that the second Saintess had appeared in the Empire.

It was an act done on my own authority, and I glanced nervously at Lilac, known for hating troublesome things.

But that’s a problem for future me to handle, not present me.

And the greeting was not just for humans but also aimed at the Demon Lord and his minions here in the Demon Realm.

Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be this spectacular either.

Thud thud.

Cling.

Lilac, hugging me from behind, asked.

“The price…?”

At that question, I smiled awkwardly and scratched my head.

Then I said with a smile.

“I’ll just sleep a little?”

“Okay… And when you wake up, you have to tell me in detail.”

“Of course! Hehe… Keuk.”

With those final words from my mouth.

Gush!

A flood of blood surged past the dam of my lips and out into the open.

Rustle.

Lilac’s arms holding me trembled slightly.

Even though she knew I wouldn’t die, her anxious appearance was pitiful, so I patted Lilac’s head.

Rumble rumble rumble.

A roar, seeming to come from within my body, transmitted to my mind.

It hurt, but it didn’t hurt.

My body hurt, but because Lilac held me tight, my mind didn’t hurt.

Divine power began to rampage within my body.

Great power comes with a great price.

Sacrifice.

The first price I paid was sacrifice.