Morgan City’s Unsettling News and a Demon’s Failed Ritual

The group had deliberately picked up their pace. Consequently, they reached the gates of Morgan City before nightfall.

As a city of mercenaries, Morgan City’s defenses weren’t overtly strict. However, each soldier possessed formidable individual combat prowess. While not every person was interrogated or searched before entry, strangers and new adventurers were meticulously registered.

“Lady Soronna, I heard the Eye of Soaroka took on the task of exploring the Velsen Forest,” the gate guard greeted Soronna. “To venture into the perilous depths of that forest, truly worthy of Lady Soronna, who bears the name of a sage!”

“Mr. Baylon, we have completed the mission,” Soronna replied courteously. “We are now heading to the mercenary guild for the handover.”

“Completed already? How impressive!” Baylon exclaimed. “And who might these two be?”

His gaze shifted to Domu and Dove. The man, clad in magnificent pure white full plate armor, gave off no discernible aura of strength, yet his physique and the obviously priceless armor suggested he was no ordinary person.

Then there was the adorable white-haired little girl, timidly hiding behind the man. Her ruby-like eyes and charming face, even partially concealed, drew an involuntary second glance from Baylon, a father himself. Despite them being companions of the Eye of Soaroka, his duty demanded that these strangers be registered.

“Hello, my name is Domu,” a magnetic, righteous voice resonated from within the pure white armor. “I am an adventurer undergoing trials. This child is Dove, whom I rescued from a demon I defeated in the Velsen Forest.”

“A… demon?” Baylon stammered, utterly astonished. From the few words spoken by the knight before him, who exuded an aura of integrity and glory, Baylon had just received utterly unexpected news.

“Lady Domu, are you saying a demon appeared in the Velsen Forest?” Baylon inquired again, as if disbelieving his own ears. “And that you defeated it?”

“Yes, Mr. Baylon, a very powerful demon was conducting some wicked ritual deep within the forest,” Domu replied, a hint of weariness in her voice, as if reliving the fierce battle. “Even now, recalling that dark aura sends shivers down my spine, let alone what this poor child endured.”

She gently stroked Dove’s small head, which was peeking out from behind her.

‘This is… an incredible display of power,’ Baylon thought. Demons remained formidable beings to humanity; even the lowest-tier ones were not to be underestimated.

It had been ages since a demon last appeared on the Klaham Continent. The magical fluctuations in the forest must have been caused by a demon summoning ritual, which typically required a demon at least approaching demigod status to preside over.

Had this pure white knight not defeated the entity, and had a more powerful demon emerged so close to Morgan City, the entire city’s might would likely have been insufficient to stop it. Baylon dared not even contemplate the horrific consequences if such an event had truly transpired.

“Therefore, Mr. Baylon, please allow us to enter the city now,” Soronna interjected. “With a demon appearing in the Velsen Forest, there are many matters to report and address.”

“Y-yes! Lady Domu, Lady Soronna, please enter the city,” Baylon stammered. He bowed his head and respectfully gestured them forward, inviting them inside.

Baylon was not foolish; for a Tier 7 mercenary guild like the Eye of Soaroka, he saw no motive for deception. Their courage in venturing into and out of the heart of the Velsen Forest filled him with nothing but admiration.

As for Lady Domu, clad in pure white armor, her demeanor and the imposing aura she exuded suggested she was a hero easily comparable to a legion commander of the Norachi Kingdom!

Domu and her companions stepped into Morgan City. On their way to the mercenary guild, Dove remained as curious as ever, peering left and right.

She had to touch everything she saw before she would move on. Soronna, with a face full of doting affection, trailed closely behind, accompanying Dove on her playful meanderings.

“Os… I can’t believe Lady Goddess’s acting has improved so quickly,” Kase whispered, covering his mouth with a hand as he leaned towards Os. “I almost believed it was real…”

“Brother Kase… that’s disrespectful to Lady Domu,” Os said, frowning slightly.

“I’m just kidding, you know,” Kase replied, winking at Os. “But Os, do you think we’ll ever have a chance?” he asked in a hushed tone, his face faintly flushed.

“A chance?” Os asked, utterly bewildered.

“Well, you see, Lady Goddess is raising young Lady Dove all by herself; it must be incredibly difficult,” Kase said, fidgeting bashfully. “Even as a deity, she must need a warm, broad chest to find solace, right? Right?”

“Brother Kase… you…” Os abruptly fell silent. He watched as Domu turned her gaze towards them, realizing Lady Domu had undoubtedly overheard Kase’s words.

‘We’re doomed, utterly doomed,’ Os thought. ‘Although Brother Kase is quite resilient, I wonder if Lady Domu will show any mercy!’

Domu, who had been focused on Dove, found herself amused by Kase and Os’s hushed conversation behind her. She turned her head, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“Actually, it’s true,” Domu’s magnetic voice reached Kase and Os.

“Lady Domu, what is true?” Os asked curiously.

“After Dove and I appeared in the Velsen Forest, we truly encountered a great demon, just as I mentioned,” Domu explained. “I couldn’t understand their language, but I vaguely heard them refer to themselves as ‘Stinkbug’ in the end. A strange name, wouldn’t you agree? I even made a comment about it at the time.”

“It was inside a large cathedral,” she continued. “Strange symbols were etched everywhere within the church, and even the demons’ faces seemed to be covered in odd, tattooed script.”

“Oh, and they all had horns on their heads!” Domu added. “They were probably… like this…”

She drew circles with her fingers at the temples of her helmet, attempting to illustrate the shape of the horns.

“Lady Domu! Where are those demons now?” Os cried out, suddenly realizing the gravity of the situation. It seemed Lady Domu’s initial divine oracle to them had not been a mere pretense, but a genuine occurrence.

“There were many people originally,” Domu stated. “But that Stinkbug ate them all.”

“Ate… ate them?” Kase gasped, his mouth agape in shock.

“Their bodies seemed to fragment, then coalesced into a blood orb,” Domu recounted. “After Mr. Stinkbug consumed it, he grew much larger. He only looked more powerful, though; in reality, he was still incredibly weak!”

Recalling her expectations at the time, Domu felt a pang of disappointment. She had believed it was a hidden cutscene, only to discover it was a direct transmigration. ‘If only I had known it was another world, I wouldn’t have let the Glutton devour Mr. Stinkbug. Now I’m stuck…’

“This is blood sacrifice magic, there’s no mistaking it…” Soronna answered gravely, tightening her grip on Dove’s hand. “It’s a spell unique to the Demon Lord Soron Nemost, recorded only in ancient histories, who appeared a thousand years ago…”

“Huh? So his name isn’t Stinkbug?” Domu asked, utterly oblivious to how wildly her priorities had diverged.

“Domu, are there any other clues besides that?” Soronna pressed.

“Hmm… besides that, there was also a red altar in the church,” Domu mused. “However, when I defeated Stink… that demon, both the church and the altar were shattered to pieces.”

Domu discreetly omitted the fact that she had actually been summoned by the demon. ‘After all, anything summoned by a demon should logically be far more sinister,’ she reasoned. ‘And I’m a lawfully good citizen, a righteous companion!’

“It appears… the Demon Lord was indeed using a spell to summon a Demon God in the heart of the Velsen Forest,” Soronna analyzed, the full implications dawning on her. “The Demon Lord was already demigod-level a thousand years ago, and for him to spend a millennium accumulating power for a summoning suggests the entity called forth would have been a truly terrifying, genuine Demon God!”

“Fortunately, Domu, who descended to this world for trials alongside the Child of God, discovered and stopped it. Otherwise, if the Demon God had truly been summoned, the consequences would have been unimaginable.”

A wave of dread washed over her, and she involuntarily tightened her grip on Dove’s hand.

“Ow…” Dove yelped, her hand squeezed too tightly.

“Ah! Ah! I’m so sorry, so sorry! [Greater Healing Spell]!”

Fumbling in a panic, Soronna unhesitatingly unleashed a powerful healing spell on Dove, pouring out her magic without a second thought. This grand recovery magic was capable of instantly healing even the most grievously wounded.

As a vast swathe of holy light descended, the surrounding pedestrians stared in utter astonishment. Soronna, however, paid them no mind.

She knelt, grasping Dove’s tiny hand, and began blowing on it repeatedly, terrified that her mistake might leave the child with some lasting after-effect.

‘Mama… Dove feels really bad…’ Dove sent a distress signal to Domu in her mind.

‘Dove, just bear with it a little longer…’ Domu thought. ‘The people of this world have such wonderfully imaginative minds; Mama has truly lost this one…’

Watching Dove, tightly embraced by Soronna and inundated with apologies, her adorable face slightly squashed by Soronna’s modestly developed chest, Domu felt grateful for the astounding creativity of this world’s inhabitants. It meant she could avoid so much trouble.

****

At that very moment, a figure emerged within the ruins of the cathedral, deep in the heart of the Velsen Forest.

“Hm-hm-hm~~~ uhm-uhm-uhm~~~ la-la-la~~~” A gender-neutral voice, impossible to discern as male or female, hummed an eerie tune. With hands clasped behind their head, they leisurely strolled through the debris.

“Oh my~~~ la-la-la! Come see, come see! Look what I found!” The neutral voice exclaimed, brimming with the delight of a child discovering a new toy. From the ruins, they picked up a piece of solidified blood chain.

“Ta-da~~~ Guess what this is! Hehehehe, there’s a prize if you guess correctly!” they chattered, as if to themselves. They spun around, holding up the blood fragment with one hand, a joyful smile on their face.

“This is~~~ proof of Lord Soron’s failure! Hahahaha!! Eehehehehe!!!” The neutral voice suddenly erupted into maniacal laughter, echoing wildly through the forest.

“Ha… ha… indeed, everything is as the King said!” The person, breathless from laughter, gasped for air. “Lord Soron~~ failed~~! Lord Soron~~ is so~~ silly~~!”

Then, in a strange yet somewhat melodious cadence, they began to sing a twisted little ditty of their own creation.

“Let me see~~ next~~~ I just need to find this cute girl~~ hehe, pinkish hair, so adorable!” The strange individual pulled a colorful photograph from their embrace. They glanced at it, then tossed it carelessly behind them.

“And~ then~ I’ll~ kill~ her~ Eehehehehehehehe!!”

In an instant, the speaking figure vanished, as if they had never been in the forest at all. Only in the center of the ruins, a photograph bearing Soronna’s likeness slowly drifted to the ground. A gentle breeze swept through, and the photo seemed to be sliced into tens of thousands of fragments by an invisible blade, scattering and disappearing with the wind.