Can I really just be a useless bum?
The thought of rotting away peacefully rose in Via’s heart. Listening to Sophie’s words, she suddenly felt that this kind of life didn’t seem half bad.
Her talent was trash to begin with; no matter how hard she tried there was no hope, and she wasn’t outstanding like Sophie.
Sis would take care of her forever…
No, no!
Via blinked rapidly.
She was the Demon King—how could she live off another woman?!
What kind of dignity would that be!
“Sis, um…”
Via really didn’t want to continue this topic. She kept feeling Sophie was acting strange, as if she was afraid Via might actually become strong. So she changed the subject.
“Why were you in the underground black market earlier? I was totally stunned when I saw you.”
“Oh, that,” Sophie paused. “I was accompanying the Holy Knight Order to subjugate a Transcendent magical beast. Right as we were about to kill it, the beast got infected by abyssal aura and went berserk.”
“And then?”
“Well… after that…”
Sophie didn’t know how to explain.
Tell her she had suddenly used an extraordinary sword technique to slay the Ironblade Wolf?
No matter how you put it, that sounded insane—she had never trained in swordsmanship since childhood, so how could she suddenly know it instinctively?
“Even though the berserk Ironblade Wolf was extremely dangerous, everyone worked together and turned the tide. We managed to eliminate the beast safely.”
“As long as Sis is okay.”
“Afterwards, the subjugation team escorted the Ironblade Wolf’s core to a Holy Land outpost near here for purification, to prevent the abyssal aura from spreading and endangering more people. Once we arrived, we received news from Doff City that Demonized Beings might appear, so they asked us to help,” Sophie explained.
“I see.”
Via roughly understood what had happened.
Talk about coincidence.
“Via, have you been having any strange dreams lately?” Sophie suddenly asked a weird question.
“Dreams?”
“Yeah—like dreaming of people you’ve never met before.”
“Uh…”
Via’s hair stood on end.
Of course she had dreamed—before regaining her memories, she had repeatedly dreamt of her past life as the Demon King, fighting to the death with her archenemy Selina.
But how could she possibly admit that?!
She couldn’t just tell Sophie, “Hey, I’m actually Demon King Ville,” right?
Besides a grand inquisition, she would definitely be tied to a cross and given the Holy Land’s Great Purification.
“No, Sis. I haven’t had any weird dreams lately. I’ve been sleeping really well—close my eyes at night, open them, and it’s morning.”
“Is that so…”
Sophie looked a little wistful, as if she had experienced something herself.
“Sis, don’t tell me—you’ve been dreaming?”
“Actually, I dreamt of the Silver Swo—”
Knock, knock, knock.
A sudden knock cut Sophie off.
She stood up and looked toward the door.
Some mood-killer had interrupted this precious sister time.
“Lady Sophie, you must be inside, right?” a voice called from outside. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
“Sigh…”
Sophie let out a sigh, her mood instantly dropping.
“Sis, who is it?” Via asked.
“People from the Holy Knight Order. I actually slipped away when they weren’t looking to come see you. I wanted to keep it low-key, but I ended up causing a commotion at the academy, so they must have noticed.”
Sophie was helpless.
She walked over and opened the door.
Sure enough, fully-armored Holy Knights stood ramrod straight outside. Their exaggerated double-door physiques nearly blocked the entire doorway.
“Lady Sophie, you shouldn’t have run off. There is still much work waiting for you. Many people in the underground black market have been infected by abyssal aura and urgently require purification,” the knight said.
“Isn’t Bishop Belon leading the clerics in purifying the infected right now?”
“Yes, but the clerics have their limits. We still need you,” the knight said gravely. “You are Lady Sylvia’s daughter. The bloodline you possess has an incomparably strong natural purifying effect against abyssal aura—something no one else can match.”
“I understand. Give me one minute.”
“…Very well.”
The knight glanced inside the room. When he saw Via, he frowned with obvious disdain.
After all, both were daughters of the Perfect Saintess—yet one soared in the heavens while the other groveled in the dirt.
Still, out of consideration for Sophie’s feelings, they reluctantly granted the one-minute time limit and closed the door themselves, leaving the sisters a moment alone.
“Sorry, Via. I have to go,” Sophie said dejectedly.
“I get it. Sis is busy—unlike me, with all this free time.”
Via once again felt the enormous gap between them.
Wherever Sophie went, she was the favored child of heaven, carrying everyone’s hopes on her shoulders.
Wherever Via went, she was the despised trash nobody cared about.
In the past, she would have felt inferior and secretly envied Sophie deep down.
But now it was different.
After regaining her past-life memories, she finally had the chance to change everything.
“When I can request leave next time, I’ll come find you.”
Sophie removed the golden crucifix necklace from her own neck and fastened it around Via’s.
“Sis, this is… for me?” Via asked in surprise.
“Mm, keep it for now. This crucifix will protect you,” Sophie grumbled. “Next time, you are absolutely not allowed to go to dangerous places again. You really worry me too much.”
“Okay…”
Via accepted Sophie’s kindness.
For now, it was better to keep playing the obedient little sister and avoid unnecessary suspicion.
Knock, knock, knock.
The Holy Knights knocked again as a reminder.
“Coming!”
Though clearly reluctant, Sophie hugged Via one last time before leaving.
“She’s gone…”
Via ran to the door and watched Sophie’s retreating figure gradually disappear from sight, lost in thought.
She felt an overwhelming reluctance. She still wanted to stay with Sophie a little longer.
Only Sophie was kind to her—unlike everyone else who rejected her…
“No, no—I can’t be this weak!”
The pink-haired girl shook her head hard, as if trying to fling those thoughts out of her mind.
She adjusted her mood, reclaimed the mindset of her previous life, covered her face, and laughed.
“Heh, the annoying pest is finally gone. Now my plan can begin.”