"You… you two!?"
Lucia's hazy consciousness snapped back into sharp focus in an instant. Even in her wildest dreams, she had never imagined that while she was unconscious, Kurose Akira and Ivsha would dare to do something this brazen.
"Lucia's awake?!"
Akira sensed it immediately. His expression stiffened, and he shot Ivsha a questioning look.
Wasn't the deal that no matter how much noise they made, no one would wake up?
Then how in the world had Lucia suddenly regained consciousness?!
Ivsha, however, showed no trace of panic. She merely smiled sweetly at Akira and explained in a lilting voice, "It seems I underestimated the Holy Maiden~ Next time, I'll increase the dosage~"
"???"
Lucia's composure shattered at those words.
She had assumed she'd simply gotten drunk again—but to think Ivsha had drugged her behind her back!
Her face turned icy. Golden-crimson eyes like tempered blades shot toward Akira as she demanded coldly, "Did you instruct her to do this?"
Akira felt utterly wronged. "How could I possibly do something like that? I'm a victim too!"
But Lucia wasn't so easily convinced.
In her mind, this man—blessed with an absurdly potent spiritual core—was more than capable of anything under the succubus's temptation.
"What a disgustingly vulgar hobby." Lucia glared at him, then turned sharply to leave. She was nothing like a succubus who reveled in so-called "baptisms of Holy Light."
Yet the moment she took a step, her body began to burn.
Heat surged through her limbs; an unnatural flush bloomed across her skin.
At the same time, Ivsha's sultry voice whispered beside her ear, "Holy Maiden, the celebration isn't over yet. How can you leave early?"
"You!?"
Lucia's beautiful eyes widened in fury. She hadn't expected Ivsha not only to drug everyone—but also to exploit her weakened state and bind her movements with enchantment magic!
What was this?
Did Ivsha intend to force her to stand there and watch the entire… feast?
What a joke!
But under the drug's suppressive effect, her mana was stifled. She couldn't break free from the enchantment restraining her.
"Release the spell," Lucia said, irritation threading through her voice. She had no intention of becoming an audience member to this so-called "holy war."
"I'm afraid I can't, Holy Maiden~" Ivsha straightened her slender waist slightly, a delighted smile curving her lips. "You are an essential pillar maintaining the brilliance of the Holy Light. Without you…"
Her gaze drifted meaningfully toward Akira.
"I'm afraid Mr. Kurose would be heartbroken~"
Lucia: "?"
Akira: "?"
Both of them froze at Ivsha's words.
Akira could neither laugh nor cry. Where had Ivsha come up with that logic? Was it because of the brightness of the Holy Light?
Don't make things up!
Lucia was not some indispensable component of this "holy war"!
But Lucia's feelings were far more complicated.
She hadn't expected… that in Akira's heart, her place was so important.
More important, perhaps, than the succubus herself?
Was that… true?
Her golden-red eyes shimmered with emotion. So in his heart, she mattered that much…
Yet before her fleeting self-moved sentiment could fully bloom, Ivsha's lips curved into a mysterious smile.
Her movements quickened. At the same time, [Death Coil] surged to full force, as if determined to drag Akira completely into the succubus's vortex.
"Wait—Ivsha!"
"Mr. Kurose, please focus~ I'm not full yet~" Ivsha's voice carried playful provocation, pushing deliberately at his limits.
"Hiss—!"
Under the assault of [Death Coil], how could Akira spare any attention to explaining himself to Lucia? He threw himself wholeheartedly into battle against the succubus!
"?"
The scene before her eyes instantly froze whatever fragile goodwill Lucia had just begun to feel toward him.
So that was it.
She was nothing more than seasoning in their perverse little game.
Everything—every word—had been part of their twisted amusement!
Despicable. Both of them. Despicable!
And so Lucia was forced to witness the entirety of this so-called holy war from the sidelines. What stunned her even more was that they had brazenly turned Viola's deer-back into their battlefield…
In that moment, Lucia's expression was solemn. Her skin glowed rosy. Holy water shimmered crystal-clear…
Ahem.
Inside, her heart roiled like a storm-tossed sea. As the Pope of the Holy Church, she had never once imagined she would one day stand by and watch such indecent vulgarity unfold before her eyes.
Worst of all—
She was watching with rapt attention.
Smack.
Suddenly, Ivsha caught Lucia's arm.
She turned her head slightly; dark-violet hair shimmered under the radiance of Holy Light, strands tinged with sacred brilliance.
"Holy Maiden~" Ivsha's tone carried an unusual softness. "It's your turn next."
With that, Ivsha slowly guided the Holy Light in her grasp into Lucia's hands. The warmth and intensity of it made Lucia's golden-red pupils tremble faintly.
Lucia lifted her gaze to Akira.
His eyes were locked onto her—like twin blazing flames ready to pounce at any moment.
"Su—Akira…"
Her voice trembled faintly. She wasn't sure whether it was Ivsha's enchantment magic affecting her—or the sheer intensity of his burning gaze.
She could clearly feel it.
Something about Akira right now was different from usual.
What was happening?
From Akira's perspective, he was desperately enduring Ivsha's underhanded tricks.
The cunning succubus had deliberately used magic to shackle the Holy Light, preventing it from blossoming deep within his soul.
That restraint gnawed at his sanity. His rationality slipped away bit by bit, replaced by a nameless hunger rising from the depths of his being—a desperate need for a devout redeemer to calm the turmoil consuming him.
And Lucia…
Was the perfect redeemer.
"Lucia… can you help me…?"
"Akira! Stay rational!"
"Wait—!"
"Ah—!"
(What followed was a certain Supreme Pontiff bathing in Holy Light. One hundred million words are hereby omitted…)
When Akira gradually regained consciousness, he realized he was no longer inside the guild hall.
Instead, he stood within the dreamscape created by the Mother Tree of the Elves.
"So I… blacked out?" Akira frowned at the scenery around him.
He hadn't expected to lose consciousness outright.
But what could he do? Ivsha had used such despicable little tricks on him!
Though admittedly… poor Holy Maiden.
Still—
Lucia's… really was wonderful. So gentle~
Akira rubbed the bridge of his nose with a smug little grin, mind still lingering on those exquisite memories.
"Heh heh~"
A soft cough suddenly sounded behind him, snapping his thoughts back to reality.
He turned.
Three Elven Queens sat nearby.
More precisely—two of them sat elegantly upon jade thrones, their postures dignified and serene.
The third—the Dark Elf Queen—was tightly bound in silver chains.
She stared at Akira with a gaze brimming with hostility… yet laced with something far more complicated.