Even if Paths Diverge, the End is the Same (1)

“You’re going to Evian?”

“Yes. If I were Yona, I would definitely go to Evian. Her benefactor is there.”

Watching Bigrind speak with confidence, Ceres inwardly marveled.

Bigrind, who guessed without the slightest error.

At this point, even Ceres became curious.

Just what kind of priest is this Eize, for both Bigrind and Yona to be like this.

Even in this situation, Yona headed to Evian saying she had to meet Eize, and Bigrind accurately guessing that Yona would definitely do so.

It was a name that rarely appeared even during regular communications with Alebbian.

Just a person who was Yona’s guardian figure, that was about it.

That was the extent of Eize’s image to Ceres.

But it was unexpected that Yona would risk going to Evian,

and even more so that Bigrind was certain Yona would definitely do so.

“Is that person so great?”

“Rather than great…”

Bigrind paused at Ceres’s question and organized her thoughts.

Eize isn’t quite to the level of being called great.

His holy power is impressive, but not to the point of being outstanding, and if asked whether he’s an excellent priest, he’s not quite to that level either.

“I think it might be explained by saying he’s truly a clergyman himself…”

“To that extent? Even more than Yona?”

It was then.

Ludvic, who was sitting next to Bigrind, slammed his hand on the table and glared at Ceres.

“She’s an apostate. Don’t call her a clergyman. How can you say such things, Elder?”

At the hero’s sharp words, Ceres smiled awkwardly.

“…Well, that’s true. Hero, and Saint. I was being disrespectful. I’m sorry.”

“No, no. Hero, that’s rude.”

Despite Bigrind’s words, Ludvic’s hardened face remained unchanged.

Hero, Ludvic.

Although he had lived as an adventurer until now and it had been quite some time since he became a hero, he who had confidence in his power felt his powerlessness all too keenly in the recent incident.

He was toyed with like a child by Berbaria,

and wrapped in its tail, he nearly faced a great crisis.

Not only that, but the humiliation of having his life saved by the apostate Yona.

“…The unprecedented disaster that the Celestial God spoke of to the Saint and me must surely mean this. The apostate Yona not only accepted the great demon Berbaria into her body, but also concealed her identity and infiltrated the Celestine Church headquarters to attack, didn’t she?”

“Hero, I told you there must be a misunderstanding about that. Yona isn’t that kind of person! She must have had her reasons!”

“Saint. You seem to be exceptionally weak-hearted towards that apostate. But no one would say that the apostate Yona became like that due to a misunderstanding.”

The Ludvic that Bigrind knew wasn’t this devout.

But as Bigrind saw in the recent struggle with Berbaria, Ludvic finally emitted a golden radiance, which means he became able to accept and use the Celestial God’s power—

Now Ludvic is truly walking the path of a proper hero.

To such a Ludvic, Yona— the apostate Yona, is merely an enemy to be defeated, that kind of recognition.

Bigrind, who still can’t draw a clear line, was just frustrating in Ludvic’s eyes.

“…Well, you two, it’s a bit troublesome if you argue here. This is an official residence, so it wouldn’t be good if arguing sounds come out, right?”

At Ceres’s words, Ludvic also closed his mouth.

At the end of his tightly closed lips, unlike his usual self, seriousness was deeply etched.

“So you two are also going to Evian, right?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm— Well, yes. That’s fine. I was planning to continue tracking anyway… Then how about moving together with me?”

Ceres was planning to go to Evian anyway.

Yona’s group should be moving by land now, and Ceres was planning to make some excuse and head to Evian.

And in the midst of this, when the hero’s group that came also said they were going to Evian, Ceres thought that perhaps, things might progress faster.

Suppressing the laughter that was about to leak out, Ceres put on a deliberately serious expression.

“You’ll have to go by ship anyway, right? Since it’s the apostate’s group, it’s impossible for them to enter Evian openly, so it would be good if we arrive first, wait, and intercept them.”

“…What if they don’t come to Evian?”

“Well, we can trace back from Evian. This tracking isn’t just being done by us. All the Celestine Church cathedrals spread throughout this Capatian Empire are tracking. They’re bound to be caught eventually.”

Ceres smiled confidently as she spoke.

This time, she smiled sincerely.

“It’s still desolate.”

That was Yona’s impression as she entered through the gate to the demon realm.

The appearance of the demon realm, which she had visited before, was always like this.

If there was anything that had changed, it wasn’t particularly so, and the barrenness where no life could be felt.

Somehow feeling chilly, Yona rubbed her arms as she felt goosebumps rising.

It seems you find it desolate.

“If this isn’t desolate, what is?”

In response to Yona’s grumbling voice, Berbaria’s laughter spread.

Do you want to see a change?

“Well, there should be something changed to say that.”

Then, it would be good if you change first.

At those words, Yona slightly frowned.

It wasn’t that she didn’t understand the meaning of those words, which made it even more so.

“Are you saying I have to wear that?”

Yes, that’s right. Wear clothing fitting your position, don’t humans say that too?

“…Alright. Only here though.”

Although she wasn’t particularly keen on it.

She had heard it existed but had never worn it.

She had heard from Ceres that such a thing existed and learned how to wear it.

But because she wasn’t keen on it, she had never worn it.

Yona gently stroked the inside of her wrist and chanted an incantation.

If the saint of the Celestine Church chants a mantra, the saint of the demon realm chants an incantation.

That incantation, also called a prayer, is what symbolizes the demon realm.

Yona’s incantation fell softly.

The incantation chanted in a clear voice seemed to blend quite well with the atmosphere of the demon realm, but the sight of the black letters that had been embroidered all over her right arm melting away couldn’t be said to be good even as a joke.

Those melted black letters fluttered as if they had grown wings and soared.

The letters that wrapped around Yona’s entire body eventually clung to her body in abundance, and then they began to change shape.

As the incantation reached its climax— the letters continued to change shape.

Some parts became a skirt, some parts a blouse, some parts a veil.

When the changing forms finally transformed into those of clothes—

Yona’s appearance had completely changed.

“…This is really awkward.”

It suits you well, Saint. That appearance… I have been waiting for it for such a long time.

Berbaria’s voice was trembling slightly.

Emotions of being moved and glad to finally see what had been waited for for a long time, joy and happiness all mixed together.

Berbaria’s voice, full of those emotions, was trembling.

“Come to think of it, it does seem to have changed a bit.”

Looking around, Yona muttered as if talking to herself.

Yona was walking around here and there, surveying the surroundings much further than when she had visited before.

Hasn’t it improved a bit though?

Berbaria was also keeping pace with her at her side. But from Yona’s perspective, if there was something different from last time, it was certainly that the fires had decreased. So it seemed the smoke had also decreased a lot.

Even so, the feeling of desolation couldn’t be erased. The vast land spread out without any mountains, and the buildings precariously placed on it were mostly in a state of collapse, leaving only ugly skeletons without maintaining their original form. Certainly, the flames had subsided a lot, and the rising black smoke had also decreased a lot.

It’s thanks to you becoming the Saint. And also because I have submitted to you.

Berbaria’s submission.

To rescue Alec, Yona had focused on receiving that power from Berbaria for two days.

Even though she received Berbaria’s power, that power didn’t disappear.

Only the source of that power changed, from the demonic energy Berbaria originally had to Yona.

Berbaria handed over the source of its power to Yona, and thanks to that, Yona also became able to handle demonic energy.

Yona’s power is Berbaria’s power, and Berbaria’s power is Yona’s power.

In other words, Yona holds Berbaria’s leash.

The demon realm that had no god until now, the demon realm without a god to protect it— had only been becoming more desolate day by day.

Berbaria coiled around Yona as if embracing her.

Each and every one of those black and thick scales contained demonic energy fatal to living beings, but Yona felt nothing.

The ink-black scales that seemed like they should be cold unexpectedly emanated warmth.

Yona quietly leaned against those scales and waited for Berbaria’s words.

Don’t tell others that I gave you such an explanation. Especially Ceres. That woman, despite being a divine official, only chatters unnecessarily, so it’s noisy.

“…I understand.”

Good. Now— where was I… Ah, yes. So— you, the god called the False Celestial God. It’s a god that disappeared hundreds of years ago from now. We who are called demons were born from the power of that False Celestial God and finally appeared in the demon realm.

“Born from the power of the False Celestial God?”

Yes. We were born from the power of the False Celestial God divided into seven. In other words, we are like the offspring of the False Celestial God. But we are also beings that can never become gods.

As the False Celestial God was annihilated by the Celestial God, its power that also extended to the demon realm was divided into 7, and each of them became a demon archduke.

The demon archdukes who ruled the demon realm by dividing it, as they couldn’t approach the human realm protected by the Celestial God’s powerful power.

However, no matter how much we who cannot become gods rule, the land without protection only withered and twisted. A world without a god naturally becomes like that. And around that time, the divine officials, found it.

“…Who are these divine officials?”

She had been curious about this for a while.

From what was said earlier about chattering despite being a divine official, she had roughly guessed, but it was still necessary to confirm more certainly— and clearly.

Divine official, Ceres. Divine official, Alebbian. The two called the Instigator and the Observer. Those two are the divine officials. They found you, and finally, you became the Saint of this demon realm.

“Instigator, Observer…”

Yona clenched her fist tightly.

Yes, it seemed likely.

She had thought those two might have conspired, but now that she heard the names, her conviction grew even stronger.

“Everything… was according to those two’s plan… right?”

…That’s right. I’m sorry it turned out this way for you.

But surprisingly, anger didn’t well up.

She already knew to some extent, and because it was what she had already expected, it was even more so.

It is right for demons to submit to you. Just as I did. Because you are the Saint of this demon realm. The Saint of the Celestial God is called the Celestial God’s Saint because she is the Saint under the Celestial God, but you, who have no god, are the Saint representing this entire demon realm, so it would be fair to say that you are actually the representative of this demon realm.

“Is that so?”

However, other archdukes might not think so. No, the possibility is probably higher that they won’t. There will surely be some who won’t welcome going from rulers with no one to interfere to a position where they have to follow the control of a superior.

“…Let me ask one thing.”

Yona took a small breath.

“If I absorb all those demons, can I overthrow the Celestine Church? Can I completely overturn it?”

Berbaria didn’t answer immediately to those words.

Berbaria, who wriggled its long and thick body, moved its long head to carefully look at Yona’s face.

Yona’s orange eyes also stared intently at Berbaria.

Without the slightest deviation, without retreating from each other.

Gone was the appearance of Yona who used to tremble in fear and terror just at the sight of Berbaria,

now Yona faced Berbaria without the slightest sign of fear.

At the end of the long, long staring contest.

The end of that staring contest came with Berbaria speaking first.

Of course. If you absorb the power of all seven demon archdukes, it’s the same as having the power of the False Celestial God intact. No matter how strong the church’s power is, they are ultimately human. They cannot defeat the power of a god.

“Alright. That’s enough.”

I’ll do it.

I’ll do it as much as needed.

I’ll overturn the Celestine Church, and then next—

Alebbian.

Ceres.

It’s your turn.

Yona’s eyes flashed coldly.