Celes stayed on the scene to confront them, with Leah and Zero standing by her side to assist.
Ella took Vina somewhere else, though she didn’t say where—acting all mysterious.
Watching the figures of the tall and short girls as they left, Leah couldn’t help but let out a soft hum.
That little witch keeps claiming she suspects us, yet she’s always sneaking off with Ella.
Isn’t this just a case of the guilty party making the first accusation?
“Leah.”
“Mm?”
The Saintess snapped out of her thoughts.
“What is it, Zero?”
“Back when we were in the Royal City for that half a month, Ella stayed at your place. Did anything happen between you two?”
Leah was so startled that her big white bunny nearly jumped out of her chest.
“Nothing happened at all! Why do you ask?”
“It’s nothing, just that you two seem to have gotten close lately.”
Zero spoke softly, “You used to be rather cold toward her, but now you’re much warmer.”
Her tone was flat, with no change in expression, as if she was just making casual conversation.
Leah quietly wiped away a bit of fragrant sweat.
So it was just a random question…
That gave me a scare.
“Nothing special happened. It’s just that during our time at the Church, I helped Ella join, so she’s not considered an outsider anymore. By the way, would you like to—believe in—join the Church of Light too?”
She tried hard to make the word sound completely innocent, but in the end, she just couldn’t say it smoothly.
“No, thanks. My powers often rely on shadow, so they don’t mesh well with Light,” Zero declined politely.
It really was just a normal, everyday chat between companions.
“Then forget it. Anyway, I wonder where Ella went.”
Leah deliberately called out ahead, “Celes, do you know where they went?”
She purposely used the Sword Saint girl as a “go-between,” making it seem like she wasn’t the one closest to Ella.
This was the little wisdom of Miss Saintess.
“I don’t know.”
Celes didn’t even turn her head, her calm voice drifting over.
“But Ella will definitely find a solution.”
Leah secretly puffed out her fragrant cheeks.
What’s with that confidence?
You’re acting like you’re so close to her. Hmph.
On the other side, Ella and Vina left the market and walked for a while toward the Eastern Mountains.
“I think the Sirens might mobilize their entire force. We have to get support from the army.”
This was the composure and calm of the older generation of the Demon Race—getting straight to the point, not even mentioning any suspicion about their relationship.
“I think so too, so let’s send the signal quickly!”
Vina’s little face was flushed with excitement.
“I want to see the Demon Army and the Sirens fighting!”
Look at that—such a pure little witch, a loli who’s risen above all lowly interests, focused solely on watching the blood flow in battle.
How could she care about something as mundane as who joined the Church and who didn’t?
Ella felt that Leah had just made up an excuse last night, just to come over and kiss her.
They climbed up the familiar mountainside.
Today there was no expedition team, just the two of them.
“Vina, I’ll go to the summit to send the signal. You stay here and cover me.”
“Okay~”
The pink-haired thunder beauty began her ascent.
Down at the foot of the mountain, inside Harbor City, by the main road of the market, a Naga advanced slowly, surrounded by several Fishmen.
Celes likewise led a few Royal Guards to meet them.
“This is the last time!”
The Naga’s serpentine tail coiled on the ground as she spoke in a shrill voice.
“This is the last warning to all of you: immediately declare to the whole city that the Pearl Oyster will continue to be used and will be the only currency for all transactions. Otherwise, we will take every measure necessary to defend the dignity of our sacred relic! No delays allowed—answer me now!”
Dignity, huh?
If Ella hadn’t already uncovered the truth, I probably wouldn’t have figured out their scheme either.
Knowing the truth behind the scenes, Celes didn’t hesitate and flatly refused: “That’s absolutely impossible.”
“Fine!”
The Naga’s face twisted as she gestured behind her.
A few Fishmen behind her lifted a massive Conch Horn.
Bwooo—!
The Conch Horn sounded, its deep and unpleasant blare carrying far and wide.
Celes felt uneasy and retreated with the Royal Guards, signaling the others to be cautious.
Blowing the horn like this—are the Sirens planning to start a war?
She didn’t know what the other side intended, and waiting passively made her feel uneasy.
Maybe she should try to break the deadlock somehow, but after all, she was still a girl not yet twenty, facing such a complicated situation for the first time, and felt at a loss.
What should I do?
If only… if only Ella were here.
The sound of the Conch Horn traveled far, and all the Sirens in the city raised their heads as if they’d received some kind of command.
At the Temple of Yore, the Priests gathered together.
“Negotiations have broken down. The Naga suggests we act immediately!”
That’s what was said, but the Fish Priest first asked, “What’s their situation?”
“They” referred to the five girls from the Royal Capital of Humanity—those whom the god had identified as dangerous individuals who might disrupt the ritual.
The Barbed Priest withdrew its tendrils from the Oracle Platform and said, “The Swordswoman is in the market; she was the one negotiating just now. The Priest is behind her. The Assassin can’t be seen, but seems to be with them as well. As for the Mage, she’s on the mountainside in the east. No idea what she’s up to.”
The information was clear, but the Fish Priest was not satisfied: “What about the last one?”
That pink-haired one, the one who’s considered very beautiful by human standards, with the big chest.
After all the plots that had failed and the bloodshed under the moon, all the Priests had come to one conclusion—she was the most dangerous one.
“No idea. She was with the Mage earlier,” the Barbed Priest answered helplessly.
“But now, no one knows where she is.”
The god hasn’t set eyes on her!
“We can’t wait any longer,” said an ordinary Priest.
“We’re out of time.”
The Fish Priest knew this better than anyone.
The currency’s credibility had already collapsed, and now that negotiations had failed, it was impossible to restore it.
To maintain the status of the Pearl Oyster, there was only one way.
“Begin the operation. Send out all the Desecrators!”
Early this morning, the docks were already packed with Sirens, keeping the fishermen far away.
The two sides had already been hurling insults for quite some time.
“Damn bastards, not letting us fish. Are you trying to monopolize the market?”
“I didn’t believe it at first, but look at this—are they really planning to make us their slaves?”
“A bunch of ugly freaks, even dogs look better than you! And you want to lord it over us? Pah!”
“Glub glub glub!”
At first, the Sirens just gurgled back, who knows what they were saying—probably something nasty.
But once the Conch Horn sounded, they suddenly fell silent, not making a sound.
The silence lasted only a few minutes before a Naga emerged from the churning sea, coming ashore with a sharp, raspy voice—
“Now hear this, people of Harbor City! We, the Siren Tribe, will be taking full control of the city! Starting today, we will forcibly collect Pearl Oysters. Anyone who fails to pay enough will be executed on the spot!”
On the other side, Ella finally crested the mountain, facing toward the Demon Tribe Camp.