Loyalty That Isn’t Absolute Is Absolute Disloyalty!

“You’ve worked hard.”

Looking at the somewhat disheveled Head Maid Elia before her, Vivian couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

Heaven knows how Elia survived during the two months she was away.

In the game, the Demon Lord of Evernight, Vivian, had a group of elite mini-boss units under her command called the Evernight Maids—referring to the demoness maids led by Elia.

That was truly one of the development team’s little malicious touches.

When players first encountered them, they would meet demoness maids who appeared beautiful on the surface.

They had exquisite looks, elegant manners, and sweet smiles, and would “enthusiastically” welcome intruders with impeccable etiquette.

However, once combat began and their health bars appeared, these beautiful illusions would instantly tear away, revealing their hideous and terrifying true forms.

With a horrifyingly savage demeanor, they would tear unprepared players to shreds.

It was a “newbie killer” full of wicked humor when the dungeon first opened in the mid-game.

…However, because the script had been disrupted, that maid corps, which should have bloomed with deadly charm in the shadows of the Demon Lord’s Castle, was now reduced to this single, battered survivor, Elia.

Thinking of this, Vivian couldn’t help but feel a little heartbroken, but since things had come to this, she could only start over.

“Elia, are you alright?”

“My condition is normal. No need to worry, Lady Demon Lord.”

Looking at the Head Maid before her, Vivian asked, and the black fox-girl responded with a tone of affirmation.

“Good. Are the underground storage rooms intact?”

“…I cannot be certain. It’s possible several storage points have been destroyed.”

Upon hearing Vivian’s words, Elia’s expression changed slightly, revealing a look of shame.

“This subordinate deserves death for failing to protect the Lady Demon Lord’s property…”

“…Don’t blame yourself like this. The fact that you held your ground here is the best you could have done. There’s no need to be so harsh on yourself.”

Vivian waved her hand, indicating that Elia need not worry too much.

At this moment, Luna and Asi, who had been standing quietly behind Vivian, finally stepped forward slowly and bowed respectfully to Elia.

“Lady Elia.”

Asi’s low voice carried respect.

“Lady Elia, it’s so good to see you’re still alive!”

Luna’s voice was filled with the joy of a reunion after a disaster.

“Huh? Luna and Asi—you’re alive too.”

Only then did Elia’s attention shift from Vivian to elsewhere, noticing Luna and Asi—and as Vivian’s direct Head Maid, Elia’s status and strength were naturally higher than Asi’s and Luna’s.

“It’s not just the two of them. My old forces, a full five thousand of our demon kin, have returned.”

“…”

Hearing Vivian’s words, Elia also saw the dense crowd of demon soldiers with various expressions in their eyes.

Her crimson pupils contracted slightly, and extremely complex emotions churned within them—there was surprise, confusion, but more than that, there was a cold suspicion, like scrutinizing a traitor, and… anger.

“What, you have something to say?”

Vivian keenly caught Elia’s emotional fluctuation.

She raised an eyebrow, her crimson demonic eyes holding a hint of understanding and encouragement, but her voice sounded casual and relaxed.

“Feel free to speak.”

“…With all due respect, Lady Demon Lord—loyalty that isn’t absolute is absolute disloyalty! They all abandoned your Demon Lord’s Castle! They are not worthy of trust!”

Looking at Luna and Asi, and at the five thousand demon warriors behind them, Elia said through gritted teeth, as if she were facing shameful traitors.

“When you were defeated, they chose to betray you!

They chose to submit to a new master!

They chose to eke out a meager existence!

Now that they see you have returned, they come crawling back, wagging their tails and begging for scraps!

Such turncoats, such… cowards!

How can they be trusted?!

They are not worthy to stand on the lands of Evernight!

They are not worthy to serve you again!”

Hearing Elia’s words, both Asi and Luna couldn’t help but lower their heads in shame.

Although Elia’s words were a bit too sharp, she indeed had the right to question them, and this was a topic that had been avoided all along.

Although her old forces had shown joy at Vivian’s return, they had, in contrast, all chosen to establish new allegiances and submit to new powers.

In a sense, this was indeed a betrayal.

“Elia, when I was defeated by Lucia, I already considered myself a dead person.”

Facing Elia’s somewhat aggressive gaze toward Luna and Asi, Vivian gently shook her head and spoke to her overly loyal Head Maid.

“If not for a fortunate coincidence, where the Hero Lucia was ambushed by other Demon Lords, I would still be imprisoned in her territory at this very moment, and I would never have been able to meet you all again—when even I thought I was doomed to die, with no hope of freedom in this life, how could I possibly blame them?”

There was not much joy in Vivian’s voice, only a faint trace of irony.

“Besides, if we’re being serious, it was I who was not strong enough.

It was I who was defeated by Lucia.

It was I who failed your loyalty.”

“This… Lady Demon Lord! How can you say such a thing!”

When Vivian said this, not only was Elia stunned, but Luna, Asi, and the many demons following behind were also frozen in place.

Then, they all knelt on one knee in unison.

“We pledge to follow you, Lady Demon Lord, for all eternity!

We will go through fire and water, and repay you with our lives!

Until the end of time, until death do us part!”

“…All of you, rise.”

Listening to the unified oath, which sounded like a surging tide, Vivian slowly turned around and glanced at the crowd behind her, speaking in a seemingly understated manner, “I accept your renewed allegiance.

Let what’s past be past, and never be mentioned again.”

“Yes!”

The crowd responded in unison.

Elia was also stunned for a moment, then she too knelt on one knee, bowing her head in allegiance, no longer mentioning her previous words.

And Vivian couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief in her heart.

She knew someone would bring up this issue sooner or later, and along the way, both she and her returning old forces had tacitly avoided it—but since Elia had brought it up, it was a good opportunity for her to win over their hearts again, thereby eliminating the unease, self-doubt, and resentment in her subordinates’ hearts.

This point was actually quite important.

And with this one oath of fealty, it meant they would follow her forward without hesitation.

Even if what lay ahead was a purgatory, a grave, they would fulfill their promise without reservation.

‘Elia, you did a good job, a very good job.’

Vivian looked at the black fox-girl before her, her heart filled with joy—as a start to their rebuilding, this was undoubtedly a very good beginning.

But on the surface, she still maintained a slightly cold expression, not revealing too much emotion.