Chapter 151: There Must Still Be a Way

Philina’s eyes widened.

Is this Lady Olivia?!

Wait, no…

For a moment, she couldn’t believe it. 

This maid with demon horns was actually Lady Olivia.

The strongest leader among the heavenly oracle envoys, the Goddess’s mother, a powerhouse who could tear mountains apart with her bare hands—one of the evil god’s greatest enemies.

Olivia’s gentle aura was as reassuring as ever. 

Yet the demonic presence she gave off sent a dangerous signal, as if she had already willingly stepped one foot into the abyss.

“Philina?”

Olivia tilted her head with a smile, seemingly unconcerned about the changes to her body.

This reaction made Philina lower her head in despair.

It was as if everything was only natural.

Olivia’s fall was no accident. 

She had long since submitted to her daughter Gabriella and had already become a tool of the evil god.

Is there really any point in resisting anymore?

Philina couldn’t understand it.

After seeing Olivia, the flames of resistance burning in her heart were completely extinguished. 

Just a short while ago, she still held an objective view. 

But after seeing Olivia, resistance seemed impossible. 

Fighting back was out of the question.

The demonic goddess alone was enough to overwhelm all the heavenly oracle envoys. 

Adding Olivia to that…

“Philina, you don’t look too well. Let’s talk inside.”

“I-I’m… fine.”

Her thoughts returned to reality.

Olivia pulled her into the room and closed the door.

This was what she had originally planned to do—discuss the next steps with Olivia in the privacy of the bedroom.

But when the door closed with a thud, Philina’s heart jumped heavily, as if resonating with the sound.

Olivia brewed tea for her, placed it on the table, and invited her to sit on the sofa across from her.

Philina obeyed, sitting properly like a student about to be punished by her teacher.

“Let’s take our time, Philina.”

“Lady Olivia…”

Hearing Olivia’s voice, Philina gradually calmed down.

Olivia was only in the early stages of demonification—she had merely grown a tail. 

Her mental strength was far greater.

Turning such a powerful being into a demon was an extremely difficult process. 

Falling as an apostle was even harder to imagine.

Lady Olivia had only been slightly polluted by shadow. 

She still had her reason.

“What’s wrong?”

“Elsa and the others have all fallen.”

Philina said decisively:

“But we haven’t lost yet. The Flame Saint, Shining Saint, and Thunder Saint are all ready and waiting. We also have reinforcements from the neighboring countries’ armies, prepared to cross the Black Stone Mountains at any moment.”

“The demon race’s trolls can’t threaten our priest corps at all. We have over an eighty percent chance of winning the first battle. Moreover, the Shining Saint Morphis is also a heavenly oracle envoy…”

“Mm.” 

Olivia simply nodded and took a sip of tea.

“If the controlled Miss Liya or Gabriella tries to stop us… we can try to seal her and take her back. Then, as long as you confront the evil god, everything will turn out fine.”

Silence.

Olivia did not answer. 

She crossed her legs and rested one hand on her knee.

The corners of her mouth turned up, just like before.

“Abandon the offensive plan. Tell them they should retreat now.”

“Huh?”

Philina clung to a sliver of hope. 

She believed Olivia had analyzed the vast disparity in strength between the sides and hadn’t considered the possibility of Gabriella and Liya facing the other heavenly oracle envoys together. 

The evil god might force all the fallen ones to confront the humans first, making them kill each other. 

It was undoubtedly a moral gamble against the evil god.

Lady Olivia, who had abandoned the fight, must have considered the broader consequences of war and was thoughtfully looking for other ways to save Gabriella. 

But the next words Olivia spoke made Philina suck in a sharp breath of cold air.

“Pledge your loyalty to the evil god, little Philina.”

“If you, as a heavenly oracle envoy skilled in combat, become one of the demons, Her Majesty the evil god will surely be delighted.”

“Have you been controlled by the evil god too?” Philina’s voice carried an obvious tremble.

Olivia touched her chin and smiled gently, replying, “Perhaps?”

“Please don’t believe the evil god’s one-sided words! She controlled Gabriella—have you forgotten?!”

Olivia nodded. 

She didn’t look away, simply gazing gently into Philina’s eyes.

“It was Isabella who caused your death. It was Gabriella who rose up in resistance that foiled the evil god’s plan… They are the enemies of the heavenly oracle envoys, the enemies of your daughter.”

Philina tried to awaken Olivia’s conscience. 

If she had been controlled, then all was lost. 

But the other party kept silent, as if thinking, as if being controlled by someone else and considering how to cleverly refute her with logic.

Olivia was still as gentle as ever. 

Even if controlled, she remained as gentle as before.

“Rest assured. I am very clear-headed, Miss Philina.”

Philina stopped. 

She knew that anything she said next would be meaningless.

If it were Simona, she might still try to help break the evil god’s control.

But facing Olivia, she could do nothing at all.

The thing she feared most had still happened.

“Doesn’t little Philina feel that this place is much better than the old Heavenly Oracle Divine Hall?”

Philina didn’t think so. 

She had only been here a few days and only remembered that a few demon sisters had been fairly nice to her.

“The entire residential palace was created single-handedly by my precious daughter Gabriella.”

“Hm?”

“Even the rules here are Gabriella’s legacy. The maid corps, the residential palace buildings, the Eternal Night Palace, the inner city’s defenses…”

Olivia was serious. 

This was not a deception. 

Whether she was controlled or not, this was a fact she firmly believed.

“Lady Gabriella fell long ago.”

“No, little Philina. I’m just saying~ this is the final sanctuary for those who follow Gabriella, who follow the Goddess, right?”

“No one here has any hostility toward you, and there won’t be the so-called [Mission] binding you here. Shouldn’t it feel very comfortable?”

Philina sank into deep thought.

She didn’t want to hear any talk about the fallen, yet Olivia’s voice wrapped around her ears. 

For a moment, it perfectly overlapped with what Liya had said to her.

Gabriella had chosen the evil god.

Then, was there any need to persist with the mission?

If in the end the most stubborn one was herself…

Impossible. 

It was impossible.

There had to be a way… there had to be.

At some point, Olivia had appeared behind her. 

Her slender finger lightly tapped on Philina’s forehead.

“Mm…”

A wisp of coiling shadow drilled into her forehead.