"Since Campiones have stepped in, everything should be fine now, right?"
Erica was still young and had never witnessed the true power of Campiones and Heretic Gods firsthand.
She even harbored the ambitious dream of challenging a Heretic God and becoming a Campione herself.
Only those who had faced those monsters directly understood just how miraculous god-slaying truly was.
Anyone without the favor of destiny would feel utter despair simply standing before a Heretic God, let alone raising a sword against one.
Even a Highest Rank knight as powerful as Paolo would involuntarily drop to his knees when confronting a Heretic God.
The sensation was on an entirely different level from facing a Campione.
Yes—Heretic Gods stood on a higher plane of existence than Campiones.
In simple terms, Campiones were still human.
Aside from the Authorities they stole and their nearly limitless magical energy, they were no different from Paolo or Erica.
Heretic Gods were something else entirely.
They defied ordinary logic.
They were beings from a completely different dimension, far above humanity.
What the uncle and niece didn't know was that, while they were reflecting on the terror and majesty of Heretic Gods, a white-haired, crimson-eyed beauty in a certain Athens hotel was gently massaging the man lying on the bed, easing his muscles and blood flow.
"How does it feel?"
"Mmm, very nice."
Damien enjoyed Testarossa's attentive care while, back in his main body, the two of them lay together, eyes closed in peaceful sleep.
Yes—Damien hadn't resisted Testarossa and had taken her for the first time.
"But won't this be too tiring for you?"
"Not at all," Testarossa smiled. "My main body is a little tired, but here I just feel at peace."
As she spoke, the girl rested her hand on her lower abdomen.
There was nothing there, of course.
Yet she could feel the full, satisfying sensation from her main body.
"Besides, I think I'm starting to understand what the Star Dragon King was thinking."
"Hm?"
Damien's expression changed. He rolled over, sat up, and looked at her seriously. "Don't joke about that, Little White."
He hadn't expected Testarossa to have such thoughts.
Damien didn't mind his women bearing him children.
But for a Primordial Demon like Testarossa, the result of pregnancy would be tragic.
A life-for-a-life exchange was almost inevitable.
Even the Star Dragon King had lost most of her power and ultimately fallen after giving birth to Milim with Lucia.
Damien himself wouldn't care—he had more than enough magicules to spare.
He could father ten children, a hundred, without suffering the same fate as the Star Dragon King.
But he was him, and Testarossa was herself.
As the mother, Little White simply could not bear that price.
"Really… I can't?"
"..."
Damien wanted to stay firm and say no.
But the pitiful look on Testarossa's face made his heart soften.
After all, any woman longed to have a child with the person she loved.
Testarossa was no exception.
"If it's a cute daughter…"
Damien didn't shut the idea down completely. At Testarossa's level, even wanting to conceive would take decades or centuries.
By then Damien figured he would have already solved the problem of leaving behind offspring.
"Really?!"
A glint of cunning flashed in Testarossa's eyes. Just hearing Damien's promise was enough to make her happy.
"Once I find a solution," Damien said, "you can have as many as you want."
"Wait—you were planning this all along."
At this point Damien could clearly see Testarossa's real intention.
"I know I was wrong, Master…"
Testarossa apologized instantly, then began acting cute and spoiled.
She was one of the coolest, most aloof Primordial Demons.
Yet in front of Damien she couldn't help showing her softer, more feminine side.
It seemed that once devils found a true home, they craved genuine emotion even more than humans did.
Knock knock.
"Lord Damien."
Diablo's voice came from outside the door.
Testarossa quickly got up and helped Damien change.
"Come in."
Damien sat on the sofa, took the red wine Testarossa handed him, and looked at Diablo kneeling on one knee. "How did the investigation go?"
"I successfully located a relic that can call down a Heretic God."
"Also, the magicians in this city are now under my control. They can perform the summoning ritual at any time."
Diablo naturally possessed powers of temptation, and after gaining Lucifer's divinity he could make people fall even more easily.
Magicians had no resistance against a Heretic God.
It was no exaggeration to say that Athens had already fallen under Diablo's complete control.
If he wished, he could turn the entire city's population into believers for the descent ritual.
"Don't harm the innocent."
Damien didn't care about the lives of people in this world.
But slaughtering innocents just for power went against his principles.
"Please rest assured," Diablo said. "I'm only borrowing their strength. Once the descent is complete, I'll restore their freedom and erase their memories of this period."
"Good."
It was still a bit over the line—doing the deed and then trying to look noble—but at least Damien kept his bottom line.
Compared to the Campiones, Heretic Gods, or even the lawless magicians of this world, he was already showing remarkable restraint.
"There's one more thing."
Diablo continued, "Last night quite a few reckless fools tried to spy on us."
"Spirit vision?"
Damien recalled the special ability that witches and shrine maidens possessed in the Campione world. "And then?"
"Most of the spirit visions didn't even qualify to look directly at us."
"But a few…" Diablo showed a eerie smile. "I gave them a lesson they won't forget."
"..."
Damien didn't care about the details. He wasn't about to have Diablo show mercy.
Once someone made a move, holding back wasn't kindness—it was foolishness.
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