Julia left, hugging the bread to her chest, a little on edge.

Before she went, the petite Nun nagged Alquett again and again. Don’t act on impulse. Don’t do anything extreme.

“As long as we stick together and explain the misunderstanding to the Bishop, everyone will know Sister Alquett was framed!”

That’s what she said on her way out.

But Alquett didn’t have the heart to listen.

She knew deep down it wouldn’t be as simple as it looked.

Julia’s words still reminded her: if she could find a way to see the Bishop…

The Bishop held high rank in the Church, and treated her like a daughter. If she spoke up, maybe everything would be solved.

But the problem was… her imprisonment here… the Bishop couldn’t possibly not know.

If she knew… why hadn’t she come to save her?

Alquett didn’t dare chase that thought. She feared snuffing out the last sliver of hope.

As long as I can see the Bishop once… everything will be fine!

Cheering herself on in silence, Alquett heard the cell door push open again. Messy footsteps followed.

“Meal time. Orders from above.”

A few guards came with baskets and plates. They shoved small loaves, a roast lamb leg, unleavened biscuits, and a silver goblet of wine through the bars.

“Eat— tch… even locked up and she eats this rich…”

They grumbled as they dumped the feast in front of her.

“The Bishop’s too soft. Treating this human-traitor bitch like this…”

Alquett listened, then looked at the food and wine. The combination felt familiar.

Did the Bishop prepare this just for me?

Does she still care about me?

Then why not just come save me?

Her hand went to her slightly sunken belly.

Her stomach was already growling. Since breaking out of a Demonkind dungeon this morning… no, since last night, she hadn’t eaten a bite. Just a few small sips of dragon blood.

For her, the best meal was blood. But human food could at least give some basic nutrition.

She stared at the extra-large, sauce-drizzled roast lamb leg, steam rising. Her throat bobbed, and she swallowed.

“Our Lord, the Holy God, we give thanks to You. Thank You for this food that strengthens the body. Grant us bread for the soul, that our spirit may grow. Let us be Your witnesses and glorify Your name. We give thanks in the Holy Name. Amen…”

She pressed her hands together, closed her eyes, and half-knelt before the meal in a sincere prayer.

“Enough, enough. What’s with the mumbo jumbo… hurry up and eat. We’ve got to clean up after.”

The guards urged, impatient.

Alquett opened her eyes, drew a long breath, and began to eat.

…

…

Lilith was walking down a street in Flameglow City.

Her little fleshy wings were tucked in as far as they would go. Her tail hid under a wide cloak, and her hood covered the hint of horns on her brow.

Dressed like a typical adventurer mage, she moved through a city full of humans, feeling a rush of complicated emotions.

Since coming to this world, she hadn’t seen this many normal humans in a long time.

The Darklord Citadel had plenty of monsters that were almost perfectly human-shaped… but most still looked and moved very differently from humans.

“Hurry up, Miss Yali, or we’ll miss the Church’s evening prayer—”

Viola’s voice floated from ahead, pulling Lilith back from her daze.

“I’m coming.”

She hurried two steps and reached Viola’s side. Viola slipped an arm through hers, a besties-holding-hands pose.

“By the way, Little Vi… didn’t you say you never wanted to get involved with Alquett again? Why’d you still come?”

Walking, Lilith leaned in and asked in a whisper.

“…I don’t really like her.”

Viola’s face tightened a little.

“But ‘don’t really like’ doesn’t mean hate. Putting aside what I said before… she’s actually kind at heart. I said those things to make her see reality, and cut ties with me.”

Viola sighed softly.

“After all, those Church folks… their xenophobia toward non-humans is notorious. And she’s in this mess because of me. If I just stayed comfy in the Demon City, I’d feel guilty.”

She smiled then, the same beautiful smile as always.

“Besides… since you, Miss Yali, think highly of her and want to recruit her, I’ve got to help. We’ll be coworkers, right~”

“I see… that makes sense—”

Lilith nodded to herself.

Before coming, she’d worried about entering a city she didn’t know. With local guide Viola, sneaking in and finding the way was trivial.

“Follow me. We’ll check the Grand Cathedral first. If Alquett came back, she’d go there before anything else. Quick, they close soon.”

“Mm-hmm—”

She’d dressed as a mage apprentice on Viola’s advice. It worked.

At dusk, Lilith drew no suspicion. No one even spared them a second glance as they slipped to a window of the Grand Cathedral.

Only two or three Nuns were cleaning the first-floor hall. Lilith frowned, but Viola tapped her and pointed upstairs.

The Church’s priest was there, talking to someone. Words like “Alquett” and “Hero” drifted through.

Viola stared at the tall, willowy figure opposite the priest and gasped.

“That looks like… the Bishop—?”

“Ah, your Bishop’s a woman?”

Lilith was even more surprised.

“Mm… I only learned it at school by accident. Lots of other bishops are men, sure, but the one over Flameglow City is a worldly, elegant woman. Most people don’t know that little secret—”

“So that’s how it is… They’re talking about Alquett… damn, it’s a bit far. I can’t hear—”

“Let me.”

Viola drew a small wand from her robe and whispered a spell.

“Spiderwalk!”

Magic light twined around the girls’ hands. At Viola’s signal, they clung to the wall and crept up under a second-floor window.

A low, hoarse conversation rumbled inside.

“Bishop, the ‘Sacrament’ you ordered has been delivered to the Hero.”

“Mm.”

An elegant, sensual, mature woman’s voice answered him.

“…Milady, I still don’t understand. Alquett clearly said—”

The priest sounded puzzled, but the reply came lazy, mature, cold, and lofty.

“Famario. I know what you’re going to ask. Remember this: she’s a Bloodline wretch. An aberration. An enemy of mankind. You don’t believe a word a monster says.”

“But…”

He paused, then went on.

“She’s acted as a Hero for years… she’s got some renown in the city. If we lock her up based on one-sided evidence, people won’t accept it… and it’ll hurt the Church’s image among the masses…”

“Hehehe…”

A laugh like every classic villainess Lilith had ever seen in old TV shows.

“Famario, you’re wrong. The one in the cell isn’t a ‘Hero’… just a Bloodline.”

“But… quite a few priests and Nuns… and some foolhardy adventurers… they already staged a joint protest outside. I had the guards calm and disperse them, but I fear…”

Worry edged his voice, but the Bishop stayed unhurried, confident, and assured.

“We of the Light Church fight for the good of all humankind. Bloodline monsters, like the Demonlord, are filth to be purged from the world.

“Creatures with such wicked natures always reveal it when pushed far enough… heh…

“Then we’ll let those rabble see what their so-called ‘Hero’ really is at her core—

“And when the time comes… I’ll send my daughter, the legendary ‘Number One,’ to finish her in public, and establish a new Hero.”

“Your daughter…? The one you’ve spent decades developing…”

“Correct. Come out. Let Famario see.”

The Bishop called a girl out from the shadows.

Lilith couldn’t help peeking, edging her head to the window.

A blonde girl stepped out. Her features, figure, and looks were an eight- or nine-tenths match for Alquett. She wore the same dress, bare feet silent on the floor. At the Bishop’s call, she walked up to the two.

Lilith stared. The girl was practically Alquett’s twin. The only difference was her face: stiff and mechanical. Her eyes were dull and lifeless. A gloomy, withdrawn air clung to her. A stark contrast to Alquett’s bright energy.

“See? Heh. This is the Hero we need.

“Strong. Beautiful. Not driven by silly emotions to act on her own. And…”

With a cold little smile, the poised, graceful Bishop crooked a finger to ‘Number One’ and made a gesture.

The girl obeyed and came to her side, face still blank. Her pale hand pinched her skirt’s hem and moved to lift it, offering herself to the Bishop’s playful gaze.

“Absolute obedience and compliance.”

“Eek—!”

Beside her, Viola clapped a hand over her mouth, stifling a low gasp. Even that tiny sound jolted the three inside.

“Who’s there?!”