“Then what do you want me to do?”

Morningstar just wanted to go home. She had no desire to get entangled with anyone in this world. But that voice had warned her—if she abandoned this girl, she would die…

“It all depends on your mood, Master. I certainly don’t care whether a Divine Maiden lives or dies. I assume you wouldn’t either?”

How could Morningstar not care? She hadn’t yet been tainted by this body’s influence—of course she cared about others’ lives.

Besides, this girl was stunningly beautiful, her fate already tragic enough. Her death would be utterly heartbreaking.

“Master, you should leave immediately. If they discover you’ve broken the seal, trouble will follow. Though… with your power, you’d surely wipe them out effortlessly, right?”

“Stop saying ‘wipe them out’ so casually! Wait… if someone comes later, could she be saved?”

The voice was gentle, yet its words sent chills down her spine. No wonder—it served the evil Dark Sorceress. If even a subordinate spoke like this, the Sorceress herself must have been far worse. No wonder the Holy Maiden despised her so deeply.

“This Holy Maiden’s role was to suppress corruption. Now that her body is tainted and useless, her only fate is to be burned by her own clan.”

*Burned?* Morningstar frowned. Did the Divine Clan really resort to burning people so easily?

“This…”

No other choice remained. Morningstar had to take the girl and get her out. She couldn’t stand by and watch her die.

“I hope she doesn’t wake up anytime soon… or she’ll definitely punch and kick me.”

She’d already seen how fierce the girl was—knife drawn at the slightest provocation. Still, leaving her here was unthinkable.

Sealed away for over a century to contain evil… dying at her own clansmen’s hands would be too cruel.

“Why can’t I recall any levitation magic?”

Morningstar scratched her head. She could cast destructive spells instinctively, but nothing gentle like floating objects in movies.

Which meant… she’d have to carry the girl.

“Men and women shouldn’t touch so freely… this feels wrong.”

Her cheeks flushed as she looked at the girl on the ground. Having lived twenty years with almost no contact with girls—

The goddess she’d admired had finally agreed to a date, yet Morningstar had never even held her hand.

Though armored, the girl’s curves were unmistakable. Her beauty surpassed Morningstar’s goddess. Getting this close felt like a betrayal.

But lives were at stake. No time for hesitation.

“Emergency protocol! Sorry, sis—I have to do this!”

Gritting her teeth, Morningstar crouched and lifted the girl. She expected weight—but the girl was feather-light.

*Is it my strength… or is she just this light?*

Holding her in a bridal carry, Morningstar felt the armor’s cold hardness, yet sensed softness beneath the plated seams. A faint, clean scent drifted from the girl.

*Hundreds of years trapped here… no bath, yet no smell? Do Divine Clan girls not sweat or… y’know… poop? Ugh! Focus!*

She scanned the cave-like space. No door. Only a volcanic-vent-shaped opening above. *Is this actually a volcano?*

“Can I even fly?” she murmured, staring upward.

“Why fly, Master? Teleport out instead. With your power, it’s effortless.”

“Teleport? Like *League of Legends*? But… I don’t know how.”

“Just follow your instincts, Master. You’re the most powerful Dark Sorceress. A spell like this needs no chant.”

“…Okay. I’ll try.”

Eyes closed, Morningstar reached inward. Since merging with this body, knowledge flowed without study—instinctive, effortless.

“Teleport… teleport… How does it work? Press D or F?” she whispered.

Black mist swirled around her, thick with power. Space warped.

As dark energy pulsed, tendrils seeped into the girl’s body. The corruption creeping up her limbs advanced slowly, the silver armor’s domain shrinking.

Seconds later, the mist swallowed them whole—and vanished.

Where they’d stood, the stone floor was cleanly carved into a semicircular crater.

After a dizzying lurch of weightlessness, Morningstar and the girl materialized high in the sky.

“Huh?”

She glanced down at the distant earth. Terror flooded her face—

“AAAAAAAH——!”

Plummeting, she twisted midair, shielding the girl with her own body.

*THUD!*

She sank into soft sand.

“Ow, my—!” She braced for pain… but felt none.

Instead, the girl stirred in her arms, eyelids fluttering open with a soft groan.

Confused, the girl took in the unfamiliar world—then froze.

Beneath her… *him*.

The demon she hated most.

Pinned against that vile body in an intimate hold—*and the demon was still clutching her?!*