Chapter 87: Sorry, Miss Saintess

Three days, and she still won’t eat?

Lillian looked at the tray Tifna brought. The bread on it was untouched.

“Mm… she hasn’t had a drop of water either.”

Lillian’s fingers clenched. A strange tightness in her chest. The girl was a demon. Why did she feel a pang of worry? Was she afraid that if this continued, something would happen to Milly?

Before returning to Starlight City, Oswell had mentioned how to handle Milly. Whatever they did, she had to be kept alive. If this went on, she wouldn’t last.

But her concern wasn’t just because of Oswell’s orders. It was a more instinctual pity for the poor child.

As a human Saintess, she shouldn’t feel this way about a demon.

“I’ll go check on her.”

In the end, she made that choice.

Of course, she was just going to check on her for Stacy. Even though that woman might be gone, it was still necessary to understand the person she valued.

With that thought, Lillian found an excuse. She wasn’t worried about a demon; she was just doing it for someone else.

As she headed toward Milly’s cell, she stopped and called out to Tifna.

“Has she said anything in these three days?”

“No,” Tifna’s voice was weary. “I’ve tried to talk to her.”

“I’ve tried everything. Mil… she’s like a silent statue.”

“Is that so?”

She was a prisoner, after all. A little resistance was normal. But it would only torture herself.

Watching Tifna’s tired figure walk away, Lillian knew she had been guarding Milly’s cell for the past three days.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Tifna stopped and shook her head. “It’s my duty. After all, I was the one who asked for it.”

With that, she disappeared from sight.

She needed a good rest. Before Tifna’s replacement arrived, Lillian decided to check on Milly.

The cell was in the dungeon, down a long corridor.

As she walked, Lillian paused, looking out an open window at the blue sky.

The weather was beautiful today. The warm sun made her want to stay and bask in its warmth.

But she had things to do. She couldn’t linger.

As she turned away, she caught her reflection in the glass. Her breath hitched. In the sunlight, a flash of crimson in her violet eyes.

Strange…

She blinked. It was gone. Just a trick of the light.

What was wrong with her lately? First, the constant distraction, and now, hallucinations?

After she checked on Milly, maybe she really did need a good rest. And to stop thinking about Stacy.

She continued down the corridor to the dungeon entrance.

The air grew colder and damper as she descended. The torchlight flickered on the walls, stretching her shadow long.

Milly was in the deepest cell, a place reserved for the most dangerous heretics.

The two knights at the entrance opened the gate for her.

“Your Holiness, have you come to check on the demon?”

A few days ago, Lillian had personally locked the small demon girl in the deepest cell. After that, a strange girl, appointed by the Saintess, had been guarding her.

Was the Saintess here because Tifna’s replacement was late?

They had only seen Lillian bring the bound Milly into the dungeon. They were curious about her.

“Yes, thank you.”

“No, no, it is our honor to serve you.”

Lillian entered the dungeon and walked toward the deepest cell. As she approached, she smelled blood.

At the cell door, she saw Milly lying on the floor in a strange position, as if hiding something.

Tifna had searched her before locking her up. She had found nothing. And with her powers sealed by Oswell, Milly was no different from a normal human girl.

Lillian didn’t think much of it.

“Are you hurt?”

There were red spots on the white prison clothes.

There had been no problems when Tifna left. What had she done?

Lillian hadn’t even handcuffed her, just locked her in the cell. She shouldn’t have been able to find anything to harm herself with.

Hearing her voice, Milly looked up, a cold smile on her chapped lips.

“You’re finally here, Saintess.” Her voice was raspy, a sign of her long thirst.

“Did Stacy lose to that state as well?”

The sudden question made Lillian pause. She had never expected Milly to ask that. The entity that had taken over the Pope’s body was indeed not human.

“Not entirely.”

Her voice was a whisper, almost inaudible.

She thought she heard a faint laugh, not from Milly, but from deep within her own mind.

What was happening?

Before she could investigate, Milly spoke again.

“You knew from the beginning that Eileen was Stacy in disguise, didn’t you?”

“Huh?”

Why was she bringing this up again? She had asked this in the fortress.

“Knowing she was the Fell God, yet you were so close. That’s not like a human Saintess.”

“You think I’m in league with her? She’s the Fell God, I’m a human Saintess. How could we possibly…”

“I haven’t asked anything yet. You’re too hasty, Miss Saintess~”

Tifna had said she hadn’t spoken. Had she been waiting for her? And now, she was attacking her.

What did she want?

“Well, you seem to be in good spirits. You should be able to last a few more days without food or water.”

She had confirmed her condition. The constitution of a demon was stronger than she thought.

“Leaving so soon, Miss Saintess? Don’t you want to talk more about your relationship with Stacy?”

Lillian turned to leave, but Milly’s mocking voice stopped her.

“In the days you and Stacy were visiting people in the city, you must have helped her with a lot of things.”

Her body froze.

Had Stacy told her? How did she know?

A dangerous smile on Milly’s lips. Lillian’s reaction was too strong. She had guessed right.

She didn’t know what they had done, only that they had come to Tifna’s house together and brought the Sword Saint’s remains.

The armor fragment was probably provided by Stacy. Lillian must have known, but she had played along.

So, if they were still working together, they might do something similar again.

It was a good guess. She had to test it.

Back in the fortress, she had just been testing the waters. But Lillian’s reaction had given her away.

For Milly, it was the best outcome.

With that knowledge, she could make new guesses. If she was wrong, it didn’t matter. But if she was right, like just now, the Saintess would be stunned.

“What did Stacy tell you? What do you want from me?”

“I’m not interested in you, Miss Saintess. Looking just like Stacy is enough to make me dislike you.”

“The only thing I care about is your attitude toward Stacy.”

Lillian was stunned again. Why did Milly care about her relationship with Stacy?

The next moment, Milly slowly stood up. Lillian finally saw what she had been hiding.

A strange, crimson magic circle, as if drawn in blood.

“I don’t want Tifna to take the blame. Since you like helping Stacy so much, sorry, Miss Saintess.”

“This is on Stacy’s account.”

Her blood-stained fingers drew the final stroke. In Lillian’s stunned gaze, the white-haired girl quickly rolled to the corner.

A deafening explosion rocked the dungeon.