episode_0057

*

Noon, the clouds have parted, and a clear blue sky brightly illuminates the entire world.

I was sitting on a bench, taking a short but fulfilling break, and slowly opened my eyes.

Even then, Lucia was still fast asleep with her head on my lap.

I lifted Lucia and laid her down on the bench, then hurried back into the Monastery.

Passing through the broken-down door, the first person I saw was Anna.

Anna was alone, cleaning the messy hallway with a large mop.

Fortunately, Anna seemed like her usual self, so absorbed in her work that she didn’t even notice me coming.

It seemed the Succubus had relinquished control and retreated into her subconscious.

Well, she was the first demon I encountered as soon as I opened my eyes last night, so I did beat her up a bit severely.

“Anna?”

“Ah! Father!”

When I called her name, Anna was startled and turned to face me.

As our eyes met, her eyes began to fill with tears.

Anna leaned the mop against the wall and ran towards me.

As if not caring about getting dirty, she splashed through the puddles of filth on the floor and embraced me.

“Ah, Father!”

“Anna… are you alright?”

“You’re the one who should be asking that!”

Anna shouted back, tears streaming down her face.

Then, she hugged my back tightly and continued in a sobbing voice.

“Do you know how worried I was? Do you know how I felt when I opened my eyes and had to see you dying with a hole in your stomach!”

“… I’m sorry.”

Anna buried her face in my chest and pounded my chest with her clenched fist.

It was a weak punch that I could withstand even in my exhausted state.

But for some reason, the small fist trembling so much felt like it was penetrating my heart deeper than any sharp blade as it struck my chest.

In that moment, unable to speak, the pain that resonated through my body like paint dissolving in water was almost unbearable.

Anna placed her fist, which had been pounding my chest, on my chest and sobbed.

“From now on… never do that again… You said you would… protect us.”

“… It was to protect you.”

“How could you leave us in this world… That’s too irresponsible…”

“But at that time, there was no other way…”

Anna hugged me tightly and screamed.

“I don’t know! I don’t know about such things, so please promise me you’ll never do that again! Promise! Please… Please don’t leave us so easily… Please.”

“…”

I quietly closed my eyes.

I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.

I was too exhausted to comfort her with lighthearted jokes as usual, and as a priest, I couldn’t make a false oath to a nun just to ease her worries, so I chose silence.

My head was filled with too many things to solve.

Anna must have noticed my hesitation, as she gradually tightened her arms around me.

It felt like she was trying to overlap our ribs.

How much time had passed?

Eventually, Anna was the one who gave up first.

“You won’t… promise.”

“… No.”

“Are you going to… leave again so carelessly? Leaving us… Leaving me?”

“It’s not like I’m doing it carelessly. I don’t want to either. But if I have to choose between my life and your lives again, I won’t hesitate. I have been, and I will continue to be.”

“Ha….”

Anna let out a miserable laugh.

Then, she shook her head and said.

“No, you can’t do that.”

“…”

“Look at me, Father.”

Anna slowly pulled away from me and carefully took a step back, moving away from me.

I quietly watched Anna.

Anna carefully raised her left arm to the side.

Huge wings suddenly sprouted from her left waist.

“… Ah,”

Anna said, tears streaming down her face.

“If you leave us to die just to save us, Father, this is what happens to us.”

“… Anna,”

“I… I became a demon to save you, Father.”

“What?”

“I made a wish to save you, Father, and in exchange, I gave my body, of my own free will.”

I felt like I had been hit in the head.

I already knew that the Succubus had taken over Anna’s body, but I thought it was only because she had been attacked by the demon that invaded the Monastery yesterday.

Like Solana being possessed by the Demon King.

But it wasn’t.

Anna had willingly given her body to a demon to save me.

Just like Lucia…

“That damn Kunat…”

“It’s not the demon’s fault. Father.”

“…”

When Anna slowly lowered her arm, the large wings disappeared back behind her.

Tears like shimmering jewels fell between her tightly closed eyes.

“It’s your fault, Father.”

“…”

“It’s all your fault that I like you… That I couldn’t bear to see the Father I liked so much die, and that I became a demon because of it.”

“… Anna,”

“It’s all Father’s fault.”

“…”

I was at a loss for words.

I didn’t take her confession lightly.

I knew very well that the affection Lucia and Anna held for me was not so light.

However, I couldn’t accept their feelings, so I had no choice but to ignore them.

They were anxious about the world ending, and I was the only man they could rely on right now.

I pretended not to notice their feelings and temptations, hoping that things would get better and they would find other men.

However, this was clearly my mistake, and the consequences were this great.

I never imagined she would give her body to a demon to save me.

“… Damn it.”

Lucia, Anna, Solana.

In the end, all three girls I had to take care of fell into the clutches of demons.

Their final destination after death was fixed as Hell.

I was unqualified as a priest, as a Father, and as their guardian.

I staggered and leaned against the wall.

My legs gave way, and I almost collapsed onto the filthy floor.

“Why… Why did you do such a foolish thing…”

“… They say you become a fool when you’re in love. Haven’t you ever heard that?”

“I…”

Anna shook her head.

“Don’t worry.”

“…”

“I won’t use your guilt to blackmail you into hugging me or anything.”

“No, I wasn’t worried about…”

I was.

To be honest, that’s exactly what I was thinking.

What grounds could I use to refuse a woman who had become a demon for me?

I was about to fall into exactly that dilemma.

Anna slowly shook her head as if she could see through my thoughts.

“I want you to love me, Father. I want you to treat me with affection, not pity.”

“… Anna,”

Anna smiled brightly with a face covered in tears and said.

“Prepare yourself. I’m completely corrupted now. I’m going to seduce you even harder than before.”

“…”

I recalled the scene from last night.

Although she had blue skin, horns growing from her hair, and wings sprouting from her back,

The face of the demon who was diligently licking between my legs while possessing an evil demonic form was definitely Anna.

The moment I saw that, I was consumed with rage and completely crushed that demon.

But, honestly, if that demon form wasn’t there.

Could I swear that I never desired that scene even once?

“… Ha, damn it.”

“And one more thing.”

“… Yes.”

Anna seemed to have calmed down, wiped away her tears, and cleared her throat.

“Solana is still unconscious and hasn’t woken up. Kunat is taking care of her, but…”

“What? Kunat?”

Anna shook her head.

“Don’t blame Kunat too much. He was shaking like crazy. He said Billy was going to kill him.”

“Everything that comes out of that bitch’s mouth, even her breathing, is a lie.”

“When I woke up this morning, I couldn’t even move. Both arms and ribs were completely broken.”

I did that.

Since I made Lucia disabled, I’ve been trying to be as careful as possible when dealing with possessed demons, but I still couldn’t help but hurt and damage them to some extent.

Besides, I was very angry last night, so there was a possibility that I didn’t hold back as much as I should have.

“If Kunat hadn’t healed her, she would probably still be lying down and groaning.”

“You were so hurt, why are you cleaning…”

“Well, I’m all better now. I can’t just leave the Monastery like this.”

In reality, the Monastery was in a terrible state of disrepair.

The hallway was in such a mess that she couldn’t handle it alone, and since such an evil aura had enveloped the Monastery, all the herbs must have become unusable.

If it were a normal person, they would have been at a loss for where to start and would have just blankly spent their time with a bewildered expression.

However, Anna silently picked up the mop and began cleaning the hallway.

The water in the large bucket next to her was already so black.

She must be the most upset herself about giving her body to a demon, but she started moving as soon as she was healed.

Once again, her diligence in protecting the Monastery was dazzling.

And I resented myself for letting even her fall into Hell.

“… I’m sorry. Really.”

“Don’t be.”

Anna approached me again.

Then, she naturally put her arms around my neck and kissed me.

I couldn’t dare to push her away.

Anna, who had finished a short kiss that lightly touched her lips to mine, smiled softly and continued to speak.

“I told you. I want you to treat me with affection, not pity.”

“…”

“Don’t you have anything to say?”

“Thank you.”

“Me too.”

Anna smiled sweetly and slowly pulled away from me.

Then, she grabbed the mop that was leaning against the wall again.

“I’ll get back to what I was doing. Father. You should hurry up and do what you were going to do too. We have to move very quickly to clean up.”

“… Yes, that’s right.”

I nodded and slowly walked past her.

Certainly, as much as there were many things to think about, there were also many things that needed to be done right away.

I needed to check on Solana’s condition, take care of Kunat, that bad bastard, and repair the damaged Monastery.

Of course, now that things have turned out this way, I’ll be advancing the plan to get out of the island, but there were still many things to fix if we wanted to live properly for even a few days.

I quickly moved my feet.

The moment I saw the Succubus’ wings folded small on her back as I passed her,

I stopped for a moment and asked Anna.

“Come to think of it.”

“Yes?”

“Anna, do you remember… what happened last night?”

“Last night… you mean?”

“… I mean when you were possessed.”

The Succubus attempted to engage me in sexual intercourse.

Although it was only oral sex, it was still a lewd act.

If I had ejaculated like that, it might have affected my Holy Power.

Ten years ago, Lucia, who was possessed by the Ebony Wolf, remembered everything she saw and experienced at that time.

If Anna also remembered what happened last night…

“No… I completely lost control of my body. Unlike Lucia… I was even prepared for that.”

“So, you don’t know what happened?”

Anna nodded and replied.

“Yes, I lost consciousness the moment I was possessed. So I was so surprised when I regained consciousness. My whole body was broken and it hurt so much.”

Anna said that and carefully stroked her arm.

It seemed she had goosebumps.

Was it because of the terrible pain she felt this morning, or because of the experience of having her body completely taken over by a demon?

I felt my heart sink at the sight.

“Sorry.”

“What for? If you think about it that way, it’s all thanks to you that I regained consciousness… Maybe I didn’t have the right to nag you, Father.”

“… Anna.”

“I’m sorry for being presumptuous.”

“No.”

I waved my hand at Anna, who was bowing her head, and sighed in relief.

“Anna, you’re right. I was thinking too hastily.”

“Then, will you promise me now, even now?”

“…”

“Hmph, you can’t?”

“… No,”

I looked straight at Anna and said.

They are going to Hell.

This was an inevitable fate.

But I couldn’t leave them behind.

Last night, I was punished by the Archangel Sandalphon, who guards the Goddess’ side.

I was punished to fight demons and serve the Goddess and the good for the rest of my life, whether alive or dead.

“I swear. I won’t leave you.”

“… R-really?”

If they go to Hell, I will follow them too.

Even in Hell, I will protect them.

“… Yes, I swear.”

“You promised. You wouldn’t lie to a nun, would you?”

“No.”

“Hehe, can I kiss you one more time? I regret doing it so lightly.”

“No.”

“Tch.”

Anna firmly grabbed the mop with a bright expression.

Then, she vigorously began to wipe the floor again.

I slowly moved towards the room where Solana and Kunat were.

From behind, Anna hummed softly and mumbled the lyrics of a song.

I couldn’t hear the lyrics, but I was relieved that she seemed to be in a better mood.

“Ahem♪ Father♩… It’s big♪”