Conquering The Novel



At the same time, when Ares battled the Shadow Organization, Irethiel, and Jessica sat in the meeting room of a Hero Association building alongside high-ranking officials from the Hero Association.

Irethiel was in her human form, dressed in a crisp black pantsuit, tailored to fit her form perfectly. Her blouse was white-colored silk, tucked neatly into the waistband of her pants. The suit was simple yet elegant, with no unnecessary embellishments, and her black pumps added a touch of sophistication to her attire.

She stood before a white screen, presenting her analysis on the recently unsealed Demon Lords to a group of high-ranking individuals. She spoke with confidence and authority, her voice clear and commanding.

"As you all know, the release of the Demon Lords is a serious threat to our world. We must be prepared for their next move," she began. 

"Based on what we know, their first move will be to gather their forces. Asmodeus and Lilith have a history of animosity, but that was centuries ago. If they decide to join forces, we'll be in deep trouble."

One of the officials, Joseph, interjected with a question about Belphagor, the first Demon Lord to be unsealed. "What about Belphagor? He was the first Demon Lord to be unsealed. Don't you think he has already recovered most of his strength by now?"

Irethiel acknowledged the concern, stating, "It's true that Belphagor has been unsealed for some time now, but he's known for his deceit and trickery. He's not strong enough to pose a direct threat to us."

"However," she continued, "we must be cautious of his tactics. It's possible that he has already ensnared someone from the Hero Association in his trap and is using them to keep tabs on your movements, waiting for the right time to strike."

!?

The room fell into a tense silence as everyone tried to process Irethiel's warning about the demon lords and their potential followers within their own Association. Suspicion began to grow among the attendees as they eyed each other warily.

But then, Jessica broke the silence with a confident smile. "But don't worry, we have a way to find out the demon lord's followers among us!"

!!

The room erupted into a mix of relieved and panicked murmurs at her statement.

"...How are we going to do that, Jessica?" Tania asked, voicing the question that was on everyone's minds.

"Ah, that's a good question," Jessica replied with a mysterious smile. she suddenly picked up the phone and made a call, "Please send her in."

Everyone was confused and curious at the same time, wondering who Jessica was referring to and how she planned to uncover the demon lord worshippers among them.

Click—

Suddenly, the door to the meeting room opened, and a young woman entered. Her cream-colored hair cascaded down her back, and she was dressed in a black and gold uniform, exuding a divine aura.

But what drew everyone's attention was the cloth covering her eyes, giving her a mysterious and otherworldly appearance.

"Who is she?" someone whispered.

When she reached the front, she stood next to Jessica and Irethiel. Despite the cloth covering her eyes, her head was turned towards Irethiel the whole time, as if she could perceive her true form.

As Irethiel felt the girl's piercing gaze on her, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. It was as if the girl could see through her very being, and no secrets could be kept from her.

'Tsh Annoying,' Irethiel thought to herself, trying to hide her discomfort.

Finally, Catherine spoke, her eyes still locked on Irethiel. "...Demon," she uttered, sending shivers down Irethiel's spine.

!?

Jessica cleared her throat and hurriedly introduced the girl, "A-Ahem! This is Catherine. She is the priestess candidate for the temple that serves Constellation Athena. And Catherine, this is Idril the researcher and the scientist that I have told you about," Jessica said, pointing at Irethiel.

Catherine simply nodded in response and finally moved her attention away from Irethiel. Irethiel let out a sigh of relief as she felt the weight lifted off her shoulders.

"Hmm, Jessica. Can you explain to us how this girl will be of help to us in finding out the demon lord worshippers among us?" Tania inquired.

"...You will find out soon enough," Jessica said with a grin.

Her cryptic response only deepened the tension in the room. Meanwhile, Catherine scanned the faces of those present before extending her hand and pointing at a middle-aged man.

Silence fell over the room as everyone turned to look at the man, who was sweating profusely and stammering in confusion.

!?

"W-Why are you all looking at me?" The middle-aged man stammered, wiping sweat from his forehead.

But Catherine didn't stop there. She continued to point at other individuals, causing more and more of them to speak up in protest, insisting that they were being unfairly targeted.

"Jessica, what is the meaning of this? You cannot simply bring in a stranger and accuse us without any evidence!" one man exclaimed, slamming his hand on the table in frustration.

Slam—

"Indeed, this is preposterous. You cannot simply frame us as demon lord worshippers without proof," another person added.

Catherine remained silent, her eyes fixed on each person she had pointed to as if studying them carefully. The tension in the room was palpable as everyone waited for an explanation from Jessica.

"...You are not who you say you are," Catherine spoke calmly. "Your aura is tainted with the stench of demons."

The group's eyes widened, "W-What is this? Are you trying to insult us?" One person slammed their hand on the table again with a twisted expression. "You know how long I've served the Hero Association."

Catherine tilted her head slightly as if studying him. "Your words may be true, but your aura betrays you," she said softly.

As the group protested their innocence, Jessica suddenly began laughing. "Pfttt, Hahaha," she chuckled, clearly amused. "You really are a treasure, Catherine," she added, wiping tears from her eyes.

"D-Don't tell me you believe this girl, Jessica?" the group continued to protest.

Jessica's grin widened. "You all should look at yourselves before trying to convince me anymore," she said.

!?

Confused, the group looked at each other and suddenly noticed their skin had turned green, and demonic energy was emanating from their bodies.

"H-How...?" they all staggered, looking at each other in shock. Before they could even process what was happening, their heads were decapitated by an unknown force. 

Swash—

Their headless bodies crumpled to the ground, green blood oozing from their wounds.

Thud— 

Jessica stepped forward, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Catherine has the ability to detect demonic auras, which makes her the perfect candidate to help us root out any demon lord followers among us," she explained to the remaining members who were still in shock and trying to comprehend what had just happened.

"....."

Irethiel watched in stunned silence as Jessica dispatched the group without even lifting a finger.

'She...is strong,' Irethiel thought, her mind racing to process what had just happened.

But her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden feeling of unease in the pit of her stomach.

"A-Ares?" Panic-stricken, Irethiel muttered aloud as she felt his life was in danger.

!?

Overhearing Irethiel, Jessica turned to her and asked, "...Is everything okay?"

Without replying, Irethiel hurriedly rushed out of the meeting room, leaving everyone present baffled.

"...What's wrong with her?" Tania asked, confused.

"....."

***

Similar to Irethiel, Meira also felt that Ares' life was in danger. She stood guard outside the cave behind the Soreh Academy where Evica was undergoing her dragon heart transplantation. Meira sensed danger looming and her worries for Ares grew.

Despite her concern, she knew she couldn't leave her post and rush to Ares' side. She had to remain vigilant and protect the cave from the demon lord followers who were trying to assassinate Evica.

The demon worshippers had learned about Evica's breakthrough and were desperate to kill her before she could achieve her full potential. Meira had already disposed of several who had attempted to sneak near the cave.

"...Master, please be safe," Meira muttered anxiously, her eyes darting back and forth as she surveyed her surroundings for any sign of danger.

Suddenly, Meira's heightened senses alerted her to the sound of movement. 'These persistent bastards are here again,' she thought inwardly and immediately readied herself for battle as she noticed a large group of enemies closing in on her position.

"Shadow Clone!" She used her skill, creating two more clones of herself preparing to engage with the approaching enemies.

Clink— Clink— Clink— 

The sound of weapons clashing filled the air as Meira and the demon worshippers engaged in a fierce battle.

Despite the overwhelming odds against her, Meira remained focused on protecting Evica no matter what it takes.

***

Swoosh—

The whole cave was suddenly bathed in brilliant light as Evica completed the dragon heart transplantation.

She slowly opened her eyes, and her hair shimmered in the light, transforming from its original color to a vibrant shade of red.

!?

"...Afterlife?"

— END OF VOLUME 2 —

***

[AUTHOR'S NOTE!]

Dear readers,

I hope you have been enjoying the story thus far. I wanted to provide you with an update regarding the release schedule of future chapters. As I am currently in the midst of my exams, I am unable to commit to a specific timetable for publishing new chapters.

However, rest assured that I will release them whenever I have free time, even if it means the timing may vary from day to day. Once my exams are concluded, I will resume daily updates and establish a more consistent release schedule.

I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and kindly request your understanding during this period. Your support and patience are greatly appreciated.

In the meantime, I also wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to my new novel, "Unwilling Protagonist: Trapped In A Game As A Male Lead." If you have been enjoying this story, I believe you will find that one equally captivating.

Thank you so much for your continued support!

:)