Ch.182182. Pride

The woman who represents the opinion of the being above the sky.

Even though the entity called God had withdrawn its power. Even though she had suffered the cruel tragedy that followed.

As if rewarding the faith she had never let go of, the pure white power began to surge according to Stella’s will.

Like the saint who was said to have resurrected after three days in the tomb long ago.

A Saintess who awakened from slumber and returned to purify this place where evil and murderous intent ran rampant.

Just as the scripture promised that on the day the saint returns, judgment would come with fire, the pure white flames that rose from Stella were ready to judge evil.

“T-this looks dangerous.”

“Eek!”

“……”

Valkyria’s wings folded in, and Feiren crouched down, hiding his nine tails within his embrace.

Even Dune was sweating as he looked up at the vast divine flames.

Even the darkest darkness must retreat when a small candle casts its light.

The appearance of Saintess Stella was like the sun peeking out a little early in the late dawn.

[Will you be alright?]

“Y-yes.”

Of course, in reality.

Stella hadn’t come back to life with a physical body like a saint from scripture.

Just as I had used Vellica’s power through her soul.

Stella was helping me in a similar way, but I was the one supplying the mana to handle the divine power.

Naturally, this would have been impossible without practice.

Just as I had practiced coordinating with Vellica, no matter how well two people’s hearts aligned, it couldn’t be done with improvised techniques.

But after Vellica, I had already finished practicing coordination with Stella as well.

If you ask how this was possible.

Somewhat unexpectedly, it was an achievement gained during the extended period when Deus Verdi had control of the body.

One might think it useless for me, essentially without divine power, to work with Stella’s soul.

But things change when I can indirectly handle divine power using the Holy Grail.

Through Stella’s experience and skill, I was drawing and using divine power through mana extended outside, without touching my body.

[Because this power is already forbidden to me as a soul.]

Even Stella would face annihilation if she touched divine power directly.

Also, divine power is such a tricky force that it can’t be handled for long.

[A moment will be enough.]

But Stella was confident in victory with just the few minutes given to her.

The white flames occupying the center of the banquet hall finally began to move.

The flames, about the size of a person, gradually expanded as they shot toward the great demons.

The great demons’ reactions were desperate, closer to flight than evasion.

They showed pathetic movements, frantically rolling on the floor or barely flapping their wings to take flight.

“Huh? Oh!”

“Wait a moment!”

In the places the great demons had avoided were the other companions who had been scuffling with them.

Especially since the pure white flames had such a wide range, none of the companions could avoid taking a direct hit, but.

“Huh?”

Findenai’s bewildered voice revealed that she had taken no damage.

Deia and Elenoa were looking around at their bodies, which were gradually healing within the flames.

Saintess Lucia, who had been sitting down, wore a shocked expression amidst the flames.

[Driving away evil.]

Stella slowly turned her head toward Lucia.

The former Saintess and the current Saintess locked eyes. To Lucia, whose lips trembled as if she had too many things to say.

Stella smiled gently and offered her teaching.

[And healing the wounded.]

“S-Stella-nim…”

[That’s who we are, right?]

What was a lethal force to great demons, dangerous to life with just a slight touch, became a blessing for humans, healing their entire bodies and invigorating them.

This is a Saintess.

A being prepared solely for humans.

Stella turned her head again to look at the great demons. Lucia gazed endlessly at her back, tears flowing.

She had always followed that back.

In difficult situations, she must have wondered what that person would have done.

A completed Saintess who had fully carried out all her burdens and stepped down from her position.

Looking at her ideal, Lucia seemed to hope that one day she too would reach that place.

Stella, having shown her brilliance once more to her junior following behind, turned again to face the great demons.

Like an autumn reed field, the divine flames had already spread across the ground at tremendous speed, preventing the great demons from stepping forward carelessly.

I realized this wasn’t simply about driving away the great demons or intentionally inflating her power for show.

It was Stella’s will to protect all humans present.

Thanks to the divine flames spreading and seething in all directions, the other companions standing as if embraced by them were safe from the threat of the great demons.

‘Impressive.’

Quick judgment in a brief moment.

Sorry to Lucia, but it seemed she would need to work diligently to catch up to Stella.

Stella not only had abundant experience fighting demons, but she also skillfully knew how to protect others while fighting them.

The great demons gritted their teeth as they looked down at the burning ground.

In Valkyria’s case, she had wings so she could escape anytime.

But Feiren and Dune were either stuck flat against the wall or hanging from a light fixture with one hand.

To escape, they would ultimately have to accept injury and jump outside the building.

“I’m running away!”

Feiren immediately broke through the wall. Having just realized the danger of divine power, he threw himself outside through the hole he had just made, thinking he should at least save his life, but.

“Stop!”

“Feiren!”

The two demons tried to dissuade him from his rash action, but it was too late.

Pure white flames poured in through the hole Feiren had made, engulfing his entire body.

“Aaaaaaaargh!”

The great demon clutched his face with both hands in the agony of his burning body. Unable to steady himself, he finally fell from the wall.

Thud.

The flames, seemingly alive, welcomed Feiren’s fall by engulfing him.

The screams didn’t last long.

The great demon who had tormented humans so cruelly and arrogantly received worship with his ten tails met an unexpectedly futile end.

It wasn’t Feiren’s problem.

This was the power of divine force.

An unprecedented power that God had given to only one person among humans.

Valkyria and Dune gulped as they looked down at Feiren, who left behind neither corpse nor soul, meeting not rest but annihilation.

The threatening heat felt from outside.

The two demons already knew that Stella’s flames had spread like a net even to the outer walls of the banquet hall.

Also, that they had become insignificant creatures fallen into the hands of a woman who followed God.

They, who had been the continent’s great top predators.

The great demons, who had soared endlessly as if there were no ceiling, realized today just how high the ceiling above their heads actually was.

Grr.

Though the shadow of defeat loomed heavily and the feeling of defeat after hundreds of years seemed quite bitter.

More than that, they seemed frustrated and resentful at being defeated without being able to offer any resistance.

As demons, born to seek struggle and pride, they must have enjoyed many privileges.

The name “great demon” was like a black card that worked anywhere and gave legitimacy to all actions, but.

Now that very thing.

Was roughly gripping the two demons’ ankles.

“Proud… Saintess.”

Hanging from the light fixture, looking down at Stella and me, Dune finally seemed to resign himself to something and asked in a low voice.

If this was to be his end.

At least, as a great demon named Pride.

He showed a desire to close his eyes while embracing his pride.

“Show me your conviction.”

A request uttered from the impulse to confirm once more that we were worthy individuals to grant him death.

Even in a desperate situation, he wanted to clearly feel the gap with his eyes and skin from this gentlemanly man who had accepted reality and death.

[Deus, would that be alright?]

If it had been the previous Stella.

If it had been her in life, she wouldn’t have given even a shred of possibility to a demon.

The past Stella I had heard about was infinitely merciful to humans, and as if to balance that, she was endlessly cold to demons.

But now.

Because she had a deformed great demon as a close friend, she acknowledged that they too had their own beliefs and ways of life.

“Yes, as you wish.”

With my permission, Stella calmly looked up at Dune and nodded.

[I accept.]

The moment those words reached Dune’s ears. His body began to thicken.

The third eye on his forehead opened wide and began to shed bloody tears, and Dune’s body, which had only had the lower half in the form of a ram, gradually began to transform into rough steel-like fur all over.

Kuooooooooo!

The great demon’s final roar echoing through the night sky. Though truly insufficient to encapsulate his long, long years.

He immediately put strength into his legs and leaped toward Stella and me, pushing off the wall.

Crash!

The wall he had been standing on collapsed from the impact of his leap, and the ceiling of the banquet hall began to tilt.

Even as the precariously balanced banquet hall collapsed, everyone’s gaze was fixed on us.

The pure white flames welcomed Dune as he flew in like a moth to flame. Just by touching them, his body was already turning to black ash, but.

The momentum of his leap still remained.

He flew through the flames that rippled and devoured him.

“I’ve seen thousands, tens of thousands of prides! The beliefs shown by those who lived on this land were so ecstatic that!”

Though both his eyes had already rotted away and he couldn’t see ahead, only the third eye on his forehead still held us squarely in its sight.

“I, Dune, Great Demon of Pride, shall respond to your performance by showing the pride of great evil here!”

As he drew closer to us, Dune’s waist turned. His intention was to swing his right fist.

One strike.

In his current state, Dune could probably shatter us completely with just one blow and take us as companions, but.

[To have enjoyed watching the desperate yet noble convictions of the Republic’s people.]

Stella delivered a meaningful farewell to the man heading toward his end.

[Wasn’t that an insult to the pride you so proclaimed?]

Dune’s right hand that he was about to swing was already gone.

“Ah.”

Looking down at his body that had already turned to ash and disappeared, Dune let out a knowing chuckle of realization at the end and closed his final eye.