episode_0032

“The mind follows the body.”

I don’t remember where or when I heard it, but suddenly this sentence came to mind.

Roughly speaking,

Depending on the shape of the body, a person’s nature changes… That’s what I remember the story being about.

In truth, I thought there was some logic to it.

Before possessing Beatrice’s body, back when the third leg was still attached.

There was a clear difference between not taking care of oneself and going to the gym for self-care.

However, I was now vehemently denying that statement.

No? I had to deny it.

Otherwise, accepting that both my body and mind were female!

I was truly surprised.

I never dreamed I would naturally think like a female without a second thought.

What? Feeling secure?

If you become stronger, it’s good for both you and me?

Whoever hears that would think we’re lifelong companions!

“Gyaaaaah…”

I groaned, clutching my head.

Although I usually thought in terms of stream of consciousness technique.

How does one’s circuits need to run to have such a female mindset?

Even thinking about it made me dizzy.

Despite trying to be cautious, I was gradually falling into heroine corruption, no, female corruption.

To snap out of it, I slapped myself hard on both cheeks with all my might.

Snap – !

As my cheeks stung, my mind began to return somewhat.

At that moment, Cal approached with a worried look, but I sternly rebuked him.

“Go away.”

“No, I have something else to say.”

“What is it?”

“Isn’t that thing over there okay?”

With a hint of doubt, I looked in the direction Cal was pointing, only to see the apostle of evil slowly turning into dust and disappearing.

“P-Phoneria! Give me a little more chance…! This can’t be happening… Aaaargh!!!”

Did Phoneria, instead of being stolen by evil, choose death?

A gray aura engulfed the ashen giant, who wailed in despair as the sky departed.

From my perspective, it was rather convenient to let it happen like that.

Because honestly, that thing was like a burden to me.

The apostle of evil.

Its power level was indeed remarkable.

Even though the protagonist party, who had risen to the top ranks in the world, swarmed it like crazy, it remained unscathed?

Honestly, if sacrifices could replenish, it would be worth challenging even the gods.

But.

“So, it really seems like a villain move.”

Making an apostle of evil, who seeks dimensional destruction, a minion?

If this isn’t a villain, then what is it?

In the novel I possessed, while it may be a comedy, the treatment of ‘villains’ was definitely not favorable.

Even in the original work, the northern villains were cleanly eradicated.

The western villain, the leader lying unconscious before us, had lost everything.

I don’t remember much about the central part, but I know it met quite a grim end.

As for the southern elves, it ended with losing some of their kind horses, which was a bit anticlimactic to call them villains.

Still, the treatment wasn’t good, and in reality, I definitely didn’t want to become a ‘villain.’

My goal is to live peacefully in a cozy place, not to endlessly struggle like Bedlam.

Now, looking at the ashen giant completely turning to dust and being carried away by the wind, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Is this the end of the western episode?

It seems so. The main villain has completely disintegrated, and ‘Paradise’ is so broken that it can no longer serve its purpose.

“Haah.”

This time, I sighed for a different reason.

…Honestly, my heart was so suffocated that I felt like I was going crazy.

At this rate, haven’t I completely wasted my efforts?

If it ended at a moderately broken level, I just wanted to settle down and live.

Like a disciple of evil, I had made a forced contract with the demon sealed in ‘Paradise,’ just as I did with the Apostle of Evil, intending to enjoy a slow life.

But those damn followers of evil ruined my brilliant plan.

If that was the case, I should have just ignored everything and headed north instead of coming west.

Was I clutching my forehead due to the bleak future and the impending headache?

Someone cautiously tapped my shoulder.

“Witch, I understand you have a lot on your mind.”

Turning around, I saw an imposing elf who seemed equally pensive as me.

She placed a wooden chair and table in front of me from goodness knows where and gestured for me to sit.

“Still, our work isn’t finished yet.”

…I guess not.

Realizing Chapter 1 was still ongoing, damn.

I quietly took a seat at the polite elf’s urging.

And so, once again, the insane negotiations with the elves began.

—–

A noisy ruin from the negotiation between the elf and the witch.

The Archon, Nephilim, slowly opened her eyes, unable to overcome the chaos.

Restless.

Upon waking up, she hurriedly scanned her surroundings, only to see traces of ‘Paradise’ and the disruptors who ruined her grand plans.

Nowhere to be found was the imposing apostle she had summoned.

“Sigh, it’s a failure after all.”

Exhaling heavily, she lay back on the ruins.

Everything is transient.

After planning for so long, to fall into ruin just before success drained her strength like nothing else.

…For what did I dedicate everything to the evil?

Even a hint of regret crept in, but she soon shook her head.

“No room for regrets.”

She thought with a wry smile.

The outcome may have been a disaster, but wasn’t there some joy in the process?

That’s enough. No need to regret even the moments of happiness.

The Archon, Nephilim, closed her eyes and briefly savored the lethargy.

No matter how desperately she tried to escape, she would be caught, and even if she managed to flee, with her diminished divine power, she would become a tool for debauchery for the rogues.

So she considered ending her life and departing to the side of the evil, Poneria.

“Something doesn’t feel right.”

As she brought out her sacrificial knife to press against her neck, such thoughts quickly vanished.

“Martyrdom…”

Not a bad idea, but for now, I want to enjoy this lethargy.

The Archon, intending to lull herself to sleep with distant cries as a lullaby, suddenly found herself wide awake at the soft voice beside her.

“Why does my sister mention martyrdom?”

Had he been a follower, he would have addressed her as ‘Archon.’

Given that she referred to herself as ‘sister,’ he was definitely not a follower.

In that case, he must be a hypocrite’s offspring…

Normally, she would have swiftly stabbed him with her sacrificial sword, but in her current weakened state, and with the opponent being a formidable one who could approach her unnoticed.

The Archon, Nephilim, concealed her intentions and began conversing with the owner of the voice.

“Hehe, just feeling tired. Too many things aren’t going as planned.”

“Oh, that’s a bit unfortunate! But it’ll be okay! From now on, the grace of the goddess will be with you, sister!”

“Really? Phew, that’s a relief to hear.”

“Is that so?”

‘It is.’

Nephilim chuckled softly, hiding the goosebumps on her arms.

Who wouldn’t cry when a lion roars and bares its teeth in front of them, urging them on?

Well, perhaps that witch in the distance, still shouting without understanding the situation.

The Archon positioned her sacrificial sword within easy reach to attack the owner of the voice at any moment and asked the owner of the voice.

“By the way, have you, my sister, set foot in this desolate place due to some urgent matter? It must have been quite difficult to come all the way here.”

“Hehe, indeed it was tough. Whether it was bandits or a group of heretics… they kept coming at me without getting tired, making me go through quite a bit of trouble, you know?”

…As expected, the strong are always right; it was a divine move not to draw my ceremonial sword immediately.

As the leader thought so, the owner of the voice continued with an excited tone.

“But it’s okay! We all serve the Goddess under sacred rites now! There might have been some unsightly incidents, but what does it matter? Hehehe…”

“Unsightly incidents…?”

“Hehe, my sister, you need not worry about it. It was just repentance for insulting the Goddess. Don’t worry! You haven’t done anything yet, have you?”

Chirp –

The sound of lips licking after the conversation ended.

The leader, Nephilim, felt a chill run down their spine at this.

‘Why am I feeling so uneasy?’

They were more anxious than ever before.

To exaggerate a bit, it was more terrifying than receiving a revelation from the malevolent entity, Poneria.

Feeling like being treated as mere ‘prey’ by the top predator?

She trembled, requesting to see the owner of the voice.

Gripping the ceremonial dagger tightly in her hand.

However.

“I don’t want to.”

The owner of the voice whispered softly into the leader’s ear, grasping her chest.

“If you show yourself, you might think of stabbing and piercing me with that cute little dagger, won’t you? As the leader of the heretics?”

“…!”

The leader widened her eyes and immediately swung the dagger towards the back.

But naturally, the ceremonial dagger was easily blocked by the gauntlet, and when she tried to continue the attack, facing her head-on.

“Oh my? Looks like you need to repent♡”

She could confirm that the blonde priestess against the wall was approaching her with a lustful gaze.