NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 143
In the Holy Sanctuary, the Seraph who had been defeated by the Disaster of War was now living as a voluptuous mistress brought by the second young master, who had recently transitioned into the role of a new maid in the Hohenberc Family.
He was quite the playboy, having simultaneously captured a Princess and a Saintess.
It wouldn’t be strange if he suddenly brought in a breathtaking beauty, right?
The staff of the Hohenberc Family warmly welcomed Belashiel, whose background and status were ambiguous, as they believed without a doubt that she would one day become a mistress of the family.
“How’s Belashiel doing?”
“She’s diligently working on the household chores. Her cooking and cleaning are a disaster, but… she’s improving little by little.”
I wondered if the Seraph who had fallen to the mortal realm was genuinely adapting to her new life.
Curious about this, I called the head maid to ask.
It would be troublesome if any chaos broke out.
However, contrary to my concerns, the head maid gave a positive evaluation of Belashiel.
Her demeanor was very different from the hostility she had shown in their encounters before. Belashiel was naturally blending in as a member of the Hohenberc Family. I was briefly puzzled by her obedient behavior with no incidents at all.
“But sometimes, she shows strange behavior.”
“Strange behavior?”
“Perhaps due to an unstable mind… or maybe her adolescence is still plagued by the ailments of a rebellious youth, she claims to be the Seraph of the Celestial Realm. It’s truly a pity.”
“……”
The necessary nutrients for self-reflection were diverted straight to her chest, resulting in her ongoing struggle with her adolescent delusions.
Currently, Belashiel was receiving such unfortunate misunderstandings from her fellow maids.
Wearing an awkward smile at the head maid’s genuinely sympathetic expression, I shrugged my shoulders. At that, the head maid expressed her determination to help cure Belashiel’s juvenile delusions with great resolve.
“And Ariel?”
“You’re talking about the maid with beautiful black hair like obsidian?”
Could it be that, like a rolling stone, Ariel suddenly felt a sense of urgency towards the Seraph? She displayed competitiveness toward Belashiel and became the new maid of the Hohenberc Family.
Seraph maid. Vampire maid.
As expected of a family that took in a Princess and a Saintess who inherited the Disaster of Innocence, the maids were beyond imagination. If they were to mobilize the daughters and maids for war, they could turn countless nations into ashes in an instant.
“When it comes to cooking, cleaning, and even paperwork… all of them showed exceptional skill. Especially, Ariel displayed boundless loyalty to the second young master.”
“Really?”
“Sadly, she often seems like a cultist serving a heresy. It is said that she subtly encourages the family’s staff to convert, and she occasionally engages in blasphemous recruitment, promising them money and goods if they bring in new believers.”
“……”
So it means she’s like, “Do you know the way?” to a cult.
What the heck?
How could she dare to solicit a cult in the Valtarian Empire, which venerates the Earth Mother?
The staff of the Hohenberc Family evaluated Ariel as “capable and extraordinarily talented, but a madwoman who believes in a cult.” It wasn’t much different from the assessment of Belashiel, who had fallen into juvenile delusions.
Belashiel. Ariel.
Is there a curse associated with the name ending in -el?
If I were to have sons or daughters someday, I firmly promised myself not to attach -el to their names.
“Eek! To dare ask the Seraph, who is the adopted daughter of the Creator Deity and the leader of the Archangels, to wipe the table! Know your place, humans of this realm!”
“Now, now! This isn’t an everyday opportunity, abandon the false hypocrites and worship the Disaster! Calamity will always follow you in your footsteps. If you sign the list now, you’ll receive various goods!”
What a chaotic scene.
How did it end up like this?
Signs of bedlam began to appear slowly when I brought Luinong into the Hohenberc Family. The worsening situation was further accelerated by the appearance of both the Seraph and the Vampire, showcasing that there was indeed a basement beneath the floor.
*
Perhaps the owner of the Red Magic Tower tipped me off.
The Seraph, who had transitioned into a maid of the Hohenberc Family, approached.
“I’ve heard that you plan to head to the Demon Realm to subdue the Disaster of Death.”
“Indeed.”
Belashiel asked with her arms crossed.
I nodded in response.
As I answered honestly to her sudden question, bewilderment spread across Belashiel’s face. Then, she swallowed hard, seemingly deep in thought.
“The great sin of having used you, the exalted being known as the Seraph, as a mere servant, should be punishable by the utmost severity. However, since the people of the family have shown kindness, I will offer my strength generously.”
“What are you saying? Speak plainly.”
“Ugh…! I meant to say I’ll lend you my strength! I will assist in the task of subduing the Disaster of Death! Feel honored to receive the blessing of the divine Seraph!”
“You’re offering to help? I’d rather not. To be honest, I’m afraid I’ll be stabbed in the back.”
I waved my hand, rejecting her offer.
At that, Belashiel, with her face flushed red, began to shout.
“If you have nothing to do, at least sweep the yard! The fallen leaves have piled up!”
“Shut it! I am not a maid, but a Seraph! I am Belashiel, the Seraph!!”
The cry mixed with the Seraph’s frustration echoed loudly. The maids walking in the yard looked at Belashiel as if she were strange, then flinched and quickly left.
Belashiel’s face turned even redder at such blatant reactions.
“Having you as an ally would be reassuring.”
“Hmm, hmm…!”
“But I just said I’m afraid you’ll stab me in the back, right?”
“Do you think the Seraph, protector of Justice, would engage in such treacherous acts of betrayal?!”
With the pressure of the Demon of Oppression in play, the risk of being betrayed seemed low. If I suspected that Belashiel might betray me, I could activate the chains of the Demon of Oppression and command her unconditional obedience.
The Seraph.
The hero of the Celestial Realm who sealed the Disaster of Famine.
Receiving assistance from Belashiel would undoubtedly make the journey across the Demon Realm much smoother.
The reason the Seraph was willing to promise her help was to protect the believers who worship the Earth Mother. If the Disaster of Death were to fully resurrect, it would surely begin by trampling the Holy Kingdom.
“Master! You must never be fooled by the venomous tongue of that Seraph!”
“…Ariel.”
How should I take that?
While I was momentarily contemplating, there approached a Vampire brandishing a flag inscribed with “Disaster Heaven, Non-believer Hell.”
This situation was about to become even more complicated.
I thought as I watched Ariel openly display hostility toward Belashiel.
“Those who serve the false Creator Deity are all hypocrites! They surely harbor malevolent intentions behind their boobs… I mean, their heads! No doubt about it!”
“Stay out of this, dirty vile creature! If it weren’t for the Demon of Oppression keeping me in check, I would have already ended your miserable life!”
My head started to throb.
My stomach turned as well.
It felt like I was facing both the Red Dragon and the White Dragon at the same time.
No, it was much more of a headache than that.
Ludmilla and Zebeline viewed each other as arch-enemies, but due to their identities and pride, they had refrained from extreme fighting as much as possible. However, Ariel and Belashiel genuinely hated each other, revealing their killing intent.
“Enough.”
I raised my hand to speak.
Then, two muskets that had unfolded in the air aimed at the Vampire and the Seraph.
As I sent a warning with bullets and gunpowder, Ariel’s complexion turned pale. Belashiel also began to sweat coldly and bite her lip as she faced the musket.
“If you don’t want a hole in your head, shut it.”
Ariel and Belashiel had both experienced the rain of bullets several times before. Thus, they had no choice but to stiffen in panic, just by facing off against the musket, which scattered particles of disaster.
As expected, my prediction came true.
The moment Ariel saw the musket, she trembled like a young goat and threw herself onto the dirt, bumping her forehead while begging for forgiveness.
On the other hand, Belashiel turned her head away, avoiding eye contact.
“I-I’m so sorry! How could I, a mere maid, dare to…! Please forgive me!”
“…I momentarily lost my senses and became overly excited.”
Ludmilla and Zebeline were truly in love with each other, so even in jest, they wouldn’t make such senseless threats by pointing their firearms at each other.
However—
You two are different.
Ariel was a monster who led the Disciples of Disaster to ambush the Imperial City. And Belashiel was also one who incited the Holy Knights and Bishops of the Holy Kingdom to unleash the Disaster of Famine.
I decided to take both the Vampire and the Seraph with me on the journey towards the Disaster of Death. Although the power of the Magic Tower led by Ludmilla and Zebeline would be mobilized, I needed to have cards available to deal with any variables.
“Ariel.”
“No, please! To show mercy to a follower who has committed such extreme blasphemy…!”
I handed a handkerchief to the dirt-covered Vampire.
Then, Ariel reacted with great surprise as she received the handkerchief with both hands.
“Belashiel.”
“Ugh… this infidelity!”
I reached out to the still-proud Seraph.
I activated the chains of the Demon of Oppression. Soon, under the control of the restraints, Belashiel would experience the humiliation of lifting her skirt outdoors.