The Unveiling of Truth

Sovenia was still basking in the joy of acquiring the “Veil of Desire.” Before she could fully savor the unfamiliar sense of satisfaction, a sudden chill enveloped her head.

A liquid trickled down her hair, tracing paths along her temples and cheeks. It carried a faint, salty tang, so cold that she instinctively recoiled.

Startled, she snapped her head up. Wawalde stood before her, holding a water pouch, from which he was pouring its contents—salted holy water—all over her head.

Like a priest, he murmured incantations, reciting the very Four God’s Eulogies she had taught him earlier.

The combination of salt, holy water, and the Four God’s Eulogies was a simple yet highly effective method to shatter demon disguises.

Sovenia lifted her face, demanding, “What are you doing?”

Wawalde simply gazed at her.

Droplets of water cascaded from her hair, flowed over her porcelain-white cheeks, and dripped from her chin, dampening the fabric across her chest.

As her bodice became soaked, it clung tightly to her skin, outlining a pair of small, delicate contours.

While far from the captivating allure of the Succubus Heavenly King, they revealed the youthful curves that could be cradled in a single hand.

Wawalde’s gaze lingered on her damp chest for a fleeting moment, then darted away as if burned, returning to her face.

His expression had grown stern.

His face, sharply defined in the dim light, bore a grim burn scar on one side, yet it failed to obscure the unwavering integrity in his eyes. For a moment, he resembled an ancient pope within a cathedral.

“I was merely conducting a check, Princess Sovenia,” his voice was deep and earnest. “Just as I did with the false elven princess, to ensure you are not a demon in disguise. My apologies for the offense.”

He spoke with utmost sincerity and an air of righteous conviction.

“This is… not bad.”

Sovenia had just nodded.

She felt a warm, almost viscous sensation emanate from the veil, flowing down her cheeks, gliding over her neck, spreading to her collarbones, and then further down, enveloping her chest, waist, and thighs.

The sensation was both alien and comforting, as if countless invisible hands were gently caressing her skin. Every inch of her, even the deepest, most hidden parts, was enveloped by this power, forming a thin membrane.

Supernatural charm.

The veil was absorbing desire.

Desire originating from Wawalde.

Sovenia paused.

She looked down at her drenched chest, an indescribable emotion suddenly welling up in her mind.

She knew Wawalde had just looked at her chest, knew that glance had sparked desire, and now that desire was being absorbed by the veil, transforming into a protective power for her.

This feeling of being stared at by a man, desired by a man, and fed by a man’s desire…

Her heart suddenly gave a powerful throb.

A flush of heat rose from her chest to her cheeks. She felt her ears burning, her cheeks burning, and even her neck was hot.

She recalled her past as Jimi the Cruel, the First Heavenly King of the Demon Lord’s Palace, the Elven Nightmare, the Human Butcher, the Demon Blade. How could she blush because of a man’s desire?

‘Damn it… This is all the fault of this weak female body!’

‘Still, this is its only advantage; otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to control this foolish dog.’

Wawalde seemed to realize his impropriety. He self-consciously averted his face, then turned his back to her. “Princess, it’s truly wonderful that you are not a demon in disguise.”

His back was broad. She observed his tattered full plate armor and the greatsword he carried on his shoulder, salvaged from a demon’s corpse.

‘This foolish dog will die by my hand tomorrow.’

‘By tomorrow morning at the latest, I’ll find my male body’s head. Then I’ll stab him in the back without hesitation, just as I once backstabbed the Demon Queen.’

Yet, her heart suddenly softened.

“I’m not actually a princess,” she heard herself say.

Wawalde didn’t turn around, preoccupied with adjusting his helmet. “Really?”

“Yes,” Sovenia replied, tidying her damp hair, unsure why she was divulging this information. “I’m just an ordinary elven woman. How could there be a princess in the Demon Lord’s Palace? Think about it: why would demons keep an elven princess alive? They’d only offer her as a sacrifice.”

As the words left her lips, she herself was stunned.

Why had she suddenly confessed? Perhaps the title “princess” felt too delicate, affronting her dignity as a male Heavenly King.

Or perhaps… it was a small act of mercy towards this foolish dog?

‘Mercy? How laughable.’

‘Who am I? I am the great First Heavenly King, Jimi the Cruel, the Human Butcher, the Elven Nightmare, the Demon Blade! How could I possibly show mercy to the enemy who severed my head? Absolutely impossible. This must be an illusion.’

“I understand,” Wawalde said. He donned his helmet, pulled down the visor to conceal his burn scar, and turned around. His golden eyes, visible through the helmet’s slits, met hers. “But I will still uphold my oath. To my oath, whether Miss Sovenia is a princess or not makes no difference.”

Sovenia’s heart gave another powerful throb.

This time, it beat even harder.

She felt a tightness in her chest, a constriction in her throat, and even her breathing grew difficult.

A strange emotion surged, like something lodged in her chest, making her want to cry.

She blinked, realizing her vision had blurred.

Her tear ducts were moist.

Sovenia found this quite perplexing.

She couldn’t comprehend why she was reacting this way, why a few words from this foolish dog triggered such strange physiological responses. Why were her tear ducts moist? What was lodged in her chest?

In her long, century-long demon life, she had never encountered such emotions.

‘It must be something wrong with this weak elven female body.’

‘It must be.’

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

‘Just one more day—no, less than a day—and I’ll be free of this constantly strange elven female body.’

They rested briefly in a side hall.

Wawalde produced some hardtack, while Sovenia retrieved pre-cooked dried meat from her backpack. They shared the provisions.

During their meal, they discussed the recently slain Succubus Heavenly King.

Sovenia sensed that her male body’s head was nearby, very close. She would find it within another night, at most.

As they conversed, the topic naturally turned to the Succubus Heavenly King.

“The Succubus Heavenly King cried ‘Mom’ before she died,” Sovenia said. “She was calling for the Demon Queen. The Succubus Heavenly King was one of the Demon Queen’s hundreds of daughters.”

Wawalde looked up. “The Demon Queen?”

“Yes.”

“How much longer until we can leave the Demon Lord’s Palace?”

“Soon,” Sovenia replied. “Don’t listen to that succubus’s provocations. Although this is already the central area of the Demon Lord’s Palace, not far from the Throne Room, I know a secret passage that bypasses all guards and leads directly outside.”

Wawalde asked, “Roughly how much longer?”

“One day at most,” Sovenia offered a reassuring answer. “Are you ready to depart?”

“Ready!” Wawalde set down his food. “Excellent! In one day at most, Miss Sovenia, you’ll be free, and so will I.”

‘Laughable.’ Sovenia sneered inwardly.

‘Poor, foolish dog. He still doesn’t know his life has less than a day left.’

‘The one who will be free then is me, free from this cursed, weak female body.’

‘I expect to find that head by tomorrow morning.’

‘Poor hero, you are indeed strong, but unfortunately, you are too foolish.’

‘The mere appearance of an elven female body can enchant you, making your ‘little head’ control your ‘big head,’ leaving you at my mercy.’

‘Tomorrow, you shall savor the chain of backstabs I’ve prepared for you.’

As she thought this, she instinctively reached for the side pocket of her backpack, intending to check for the poison vial.

Her hand met only air.

She then remembered that the vial of Manticore poison had already been used on the Succubus Heavenly King.

‘…Well, it doesn’t matter.’

‘Without poison, I’ll simply show you my formidable backstabbing techniques.’

‘First, feign weakness, then ambush, using [Double Strike] in conjunction with [Blazing Strike +3]. Of course, it’s best to deplete his stamina beforehand.’

Before they set off, Wawalde proactively reported his status: “I have five Holy Slashes remaining, and two opportunities for clones.”

Sovenia rose. “Then we’d best escape the Demon Lord’s Palace before the Demon Queen discovers her daughter’s death and comes for revenge.”

One after the other, they departed the side hall.

Sovenia led the way.

For the remainder of their journey, she fully displayed Jimi the Cruel’s intimate familiarity with the Demon Lord’s Palace’s terrain.

She navigated through inconspicuous shortcuts, ventilation shafts, and even abandoned servant passages, perfectly avoiding all areas where powerful demons might reside.

When they occasionally encountered isolated low-level monsters, Sovenia, with her greatly enhanced strength, could dispatch them swiftly, negating the need for Wawalde to expend his valuable Holy Slashes.

Time passed.

Sovenia estimated it was now evening.

With no windows in the Demon Lord’s Palace, she could only rely on her instincts to gauge the time.

Just then, from the depths of a distant corridor behind them, a sky-shattering wail echoed.

The sound was filled with boundless grief and fury, its terrifying demonic power causing the very stones of the Demon Lord’s Palace to groan under the strain.

Sovenia’s body instinctively trembled.

It was the Demon Queen. She recognized the voice! The Demon Queen must have discovered the place where her daughter died.

A fear originating from the depths of her soul instantly seized her.

Her body was trembling uncontrollably.

She rarely feared anyone, but unfortunately, the Demon Queen was one of the few on her list of fears, and indeed, ranked first.

She clenched her teeth, her nails digging deeply into her palms. The sharp pain brought her back to her senses somewhat.

‘No! I must hurry! I must quickly escape this weak shell. Only by regaining my own power can I achieve true security.’

Wawalde gripped his sword hilt. “What was that sound?”

“The Demon Queen!” Sovenia said, her voice colder than usual. “She’s approaching. We must hasten.”

“Hasten what?”

‘To quickly find my head, of course!’

Sovenia said, “To find the secret passage and escape the Demon Lord’s Palace. We cannot rest tonight.”

She continued to lead, quickening her pace.

Her male body’s head was just ahead; she could feel the connection growing stronger.

She had already decided: no rest. This would benefit her by continuously depleting Wawalde’s stamina, making it easier to backstab him once she found her male body’s head.

‘Perfect.’

But as she rounded a corner, she stopped dead.

The secret passage was ahead.

Or rather, where the secret passage *used* to be.

Now, only a massive, charred, vitrified hole remained.

Incineration.

The Incineration Jimi the Cruel had unleashed in the Throne Room had burned through room after room, and it had also burned through this secret passage.

‘No matter, Sovenia still has other routes.’

Just as she was about to call out to Wawalde, she noticed he stood motionless.

Sovenia called out, “Wawalde?”

Wawalde stood before the massive burnt-through hole, through which the distant ruins of the Throne Room were faintly visible.

Sovenia had a premonition. ‘Could he have discovered something?’

Theoretically, their assassination squad’s path went through here, so he might be familiar with the route.

‘But only theoretically.’

‘Isn’t he just a fool who can be charmed by my elven female body?’

Wawalde spoke, his voice somewhat low. “Here… I know the way. I know a path that leads directly out of the Demon Lord’s Palace.”

Sovenia’s heart sank. Perhaps she had underestimated her beheaded enemy.

“An illusion,” Sovenia said. “I am very familiar with the Demon Lord’s Palace.”

“Our squad’s… infiltration route into the Demon Lord’s Palace,” Wawalde said, slowly pulling out a yellowed parchment map from his breast. “We’ll take that path.”

Sovenia immediately retorted, “No. That’s Jimi the Cruel’s conspiracy. He gave you that map; you mustn’t trust it. I told you before.”

‘How is it that this thing wasn’t burned away!’

Wawalde did not respond.

He stared at the map, then lifted his head, scanning their surroundings.

His gaze swept over the corridor’s stone pillars, the wall carvings, and the scorch marks on the floor.

Sovenia’s heart seized. She instinctively puffed out her chest, attempting to display the only advantage of this weak elven female body. However, the Veil of Desire informed her that the foolish dog felt not a hint of desire.

‘The foolish dog’s gaze wasn’t even on me!’

Wawalde said, “Based on the direction of the Throne Room, this is… the East Wing of the third floor. If I follow the map… I can roughly trace our entire route. This map is accurate, and even with the Demon Lord’s Palace damaged, it still holds significant reference value.”

Sovenia retorted, “That’s a dead map; my mind is alive.”

Wawalde’s voice grew stern. “Miss Sovenia. You’re leading us deeper into the Demon Lord’s Palace, aren’t you? From where I first met you, if we had headed towards the exit, we would have already left the Demon Lord’s Palace by now.”

Sovenia repeated her defense, “You don’t understand, that map is a trap—”

Wawalde took a step forward. “Miss Sovenia, what exactly is your destination?”

Sovenia’s fingers tightened on her sword hilt.

Her brain churned furiously, searching for any plausible excuse. She stared into Wawalde’s eyes, those golden eyes burning with something she desperately wished not to see—suspicion, and hurt.

He looked like a golden retriever that had just been kicked.

‘What should I do? What should I do? My mind is blank. Is it too late to lift my skirt now? Why isn’t this foolish dog swayed by feminine charm anymore? Wasn’t he always full of base thoughts? Ah, right, I can still listen to his inner voice!’

Sovenia abruptly grabbed Wawalde’s hand, attempting to listen to his inner thoughts, searching for material to craft a perfect lie.

Trust, suspicion, anger… various chaotic inner voices echoed in her mind. She had never heard such a jumble from the foolish dog. Finally, she caught a detail that piqued her interest, and she looked up sharply:

“Bird Claw?”

“You… how do you know?”

Sovenia said, “I can smell the scent of Bird Claw on you. It came to find you again, didn’t it?”

As a righteous hero, he had once severed Bird Claw, but it had returned to him, and he had not severed it again.

Wawalde averted his gaze, saying, “Yes, I intended to sever it. But the intensity of the battle exceeded my expectations—”

“Good, then make a wish to it,” Sovenia commanded. “Say, ‘Let me find my dearest possession,’ and then wish, ‘Let me become invisible five times at will.’ After that, we part ways.”

“We can leave the Demon Lord’s Palace. I swore to rescue you.”

Sovenia said, “I am no princess. There is no hero rescuing a princess in the Demon Lord’s Palace. I also have my own goals, and I am unwilling to abandon them.”

With that, Sovenia released his hand and turned away, her face still cold. She tried to force out a few tears, but her acting skills fell short.

She strode forward, her steps resolute.

“Wait! Miss Sovenia.”

After only a few steps, the foolish dog’s voice came from behind her.

‘It worked. The foolish dog is indeed still the foolish dog; my appearance still works on him.’

Sovenia had just turned her head when Wawalde suddenly lunged, tackling her down. He wrapped his arms around her thighs, slamming her onto the stone floor, and pinned her beneath him.

Sovenia struggled fiercely, demanding, “What are you doing?!”

A pile of ropes fell beside her face, dislodging her veil.

Wawalde said, “My apologies, Miss Sovenia, but I swore to take you out of the Demon Lord’s Palace.”

‘How could this be? He still had desire for me just moments ago, how could he…?’