Chapter 322: Maria's Dilemma
However, a few days ago, the devils secretly monitoring Zolgear stopped sending back messages. When Sirzechs sent people to check,
Zolgear's territory was found empty, with only ruins and numerous dead devils left behind.
Among the dead were not only the devils sent to monitor Zolgear but also other devils from his territory.
Upon investigation, it was found that all the deceased devils were those who had been dissatisfied with Zolgear or hadn't obeyed him well.
Meanwhile, Zolgear's loyal subordinates and servants had all disappeared along with him.
At this point, there was no need to search for evidence of Zolgear's collusion with the Khaos Brigade.
After consulting with the other three Great Satans, Sirzechs issued a warrant for Zolgear's arrest, confirming his status as a traitor.
While others might not understand why Zolgear suddenly defected, Sirzechs certainly knew the reason.
Due to the surveillance, Zolgear could no longer find opportunities to target Mio.
With his time running out, he knew defection was the worst choice but had no other option.
Though the Khaos Brigade had connections with Zolgear, that didn't mean they would actively shelter a traitor who had defected from the Underworld.
Old schemers like Zolgear, who acted solely for personal gain, were looked down upon by Vali and Bikou from the bottom of their hearts.
The nature of the Khaos Brigade was that of a loose terrorist organization with no strict requirements for its members.
Even if Zolgear fully joined the Khaos Brigade, he wouldn't receive much help.
On the contrary, having defected, he could only beg the Khaos Brigade to take him in or simply go into complete hiding.
Haruto believed the latter was more likely—this cowardly old man probably wouldn't actively offer himself as cannon fodder to the Khaos Brigade.
Besides Haruto and the others, the Hero Clan also knew about Zolgear's designs on Mio.
Due to Toujou Jin's connection, after Mio's identity was exposed, the Hero Clan had been paying close attention to her and Maria.
Therefore, when Sirzechs discussed with the Hero Clan and passed along the news, they also arranged for a monitor to be assigned to Mio.
Now that peace reigns across the Three Realms, no one wants an old relic like Zolgear to break through and successfully extend his lifespan.
Some within the Hero Clan even suggested simply killing Mio to cut off Zolgear's hopes.
But such proposals gained no support whatsoever.
Never mind Toujou Jin's prestige within the Hero Clan—with Mio currently under the protection of the Gremory family, could she really be killed so easily?
Others proposed bringing Mio back to the Hero Clan for imprisonment, which was even more laughable.
If Zolgear managed to succeed despite Mio being under Haruto's protection, the Hero Clan's branch here in Japan would be even less capable of stopping him.
Of course, even if the Hero Village truly had the ability to defend against Zolgear, Haruto would never agree.
Thus, the task of monitoring Mio fell to Kurumi.
Haruto felt as if everything had returned to a certain node in his memories, with minor variations being negligible.
This was good for him. If everything developed according to the original worldline, Zolgear's various schemes and actions would essentially be laid bare before him.
By this time, the Naruse sisters and Nonaka sisters had finished reading the documents.
Yuki and Kurumi showed little reaction, merely nodding slightly to indicate they understood.
Truth be told, even if Rias hadn't informed them, the Hero Clan would have notified them shortly afterward.
Compared to their calm demeanor, Mio and Maria appeared deeply troubled, especially the Succubus Loli, whose worry was evident to anyone who looked into her eyes.
"Mio, if you're scared, just cultivate with me. I guarantee you'll master all your power quickly," Haruto teased, glancing at the red-haired twin-tailed girl's ample chest.
"Bastard! Pervert! Hentai!"
After this triple outburst of indignation, Mio's face flushed slightly as she huffily turned away, refusing to acknowledge Haruto.
Having lived together for so long—and with the Succubus Loli's assistance—Haruto had already taken nearly every advantage of Mio.
Conversely, Mio and the Succubus Loli had taken all of his advantages too.
Haruto made no attempt to hide his possessiveness toward Mio. Initially, she would get angry and embarrassed by his comments, but gradually she began ignoring them.
As the saying goes, environment shapes a person.
Watching Haruto intimately engage with Rias and the other girls daily, seeing how none of them minded his complicated relationships, and having a promiscuous Succubus Loli whispering in her ear, Mio had long since stopped rejecting the idea of cultivating with Haruto.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have agreed to become his Familiar, let alone aspire to the Queen position.
It was just her tsundere nature that kept their relationship in this strangely ambiguous state until now.
The Succubus Loli, who usually loved provoking Miao, remained uncharacteristically silent. Everyone present keenly noticed her unusual behavior.
"Maria, it's okay," Mio comforted her. "That Zo... Zo... whatever his name is definitely won't get a chance to target me. Haruto and Senior Rias are both very strong."
Rias and the others assumed the Succubus Loli was worried about this matter, but only Haruto knew what truly troubled Maria.
He didn't expose it, wanting to see what choice the current Maria would make.
Redemption would be good—it would make Maria even more endearing.
But Haruto still hoped she would trust him from the very beginning.
The Succubus Loli did not disappoint Haruto. After wrestling with herself for a while, she hesitantly revealed the secret in her heart.
"I'm not worried about that."
Maria's expression turned grave. "My mother and sister were captured by Zolgear. Yesterday, I received a message from him ordering me to become a spy."
"If I refuse... he said he'll kill my mom and sister... sob..."
By the end, the Succubus Loli was on the verge of tears.
In the original timeline, her initial contact with Mio had been under Zolgear's coercion, making her a traitor from the start.
Everything—from the deaths of the Naruse couple with only Mio escaping, to the reversal of the master-servant contract—was orchestrated to allow Zolgear to enjoy the most perfect 'dish.'
Because everything ultimately benefited the protagonist, combined with various foreshadowing, her redemption was very successful and even increased her popularity.
But now, Maria's initial contact with Mio was at her mother Sheila's instruction, which led to all the subsequent changes.
When Haruto saw that Sheila and Lucia—Maria's half-sister—were not on the death list, he had vaguely suspected this possibility.
Even if Maria hadn't spoken today, he would have found an opportunity to ask her privately.
If she still refused to talk, he would trust her, but for safety's sake, he would keep a close watch on her during this period.
After all, Zolgear might not have contacted Maria yet. By specifically kidnapping Sheila and Lucia, he undoubtedly had his own agenda.
Now that Maria had confessed everything, these considerations became unnecessary.
"Maria..." Mio embraced the Succubus Loli, comforting her with her warm, soft bosom.
In the past, Maria would have eagerly nuzzled against her sister's ample chest, willing to risk being hit just to enjoy the moment, but now she was in no mood for such antics.
If anything happened to her mother and sister, she would never forgive herself.
Yet, betraying Mio was something she couldn't bring herself to do either.
Unlike the original worldline, Maria hadn't approached Mio with an agenda from the start this time.
Her bond with Mio was now no less profound than her connections with Sheila and Lucia.
"Maria, continue acting according to Zolgear's instructions."
After a moment of contemplation, Rias said, "Keep him placated for now to ensure your mother and sister's safety."
"As for Mio's safety, you needn't worry—I'll make the necessary arrangements."
Maria still trusted in Rias's capabilities. Wiping her tears, she regained her composure.
"Yes, Sister Rias, I'm counting on you."
With this incident unfolding, Haruto no longer had the mind to test Yuki further.
The urgent priority was to find a way to rescue Sheila and Lucia—not just for Maria's sake, but because Haruto himself couldn't bear to see the mother-daughter pair of succubi meet such a tragic end.
Just as Haruto and Rias were pondering how to deal with Zolgear, Toujou Basara was suddenly ambushed on his way home.
His assailant wore a silver mask and was quite skilled, but they were no match for him.
However, his control over his power still wasn't refined enough, and he failed to capture the attacker.
Memorizing the assailant's techniques and features, Toujou Basara decided to contact Mio and Haruto.