The sun was about to set, and Hiana landed among the trees, far from Vorn's base.
Olivia, who had just been brought at an incredibly high speed, could only kneel down crying and cover her still bare chest. Her hair was now a mess, and her body was shivering with cold.
Hiana kicked a large tree to the ground, forcing the birds perched on that thing to fly.
Olivia flinched violently from the rumble of the large log that hit the ground. She wanted to run, but her legs felt like they had no energy to stand up.
"Aaargghhh!!!" The demon woman screamed with all her might.
A group of demons far below her level could cause such a hassle. They were very well prepared as if they had anticipated Hiana's arrival.
And the prophet is not with them.
Hiana suddenly knelt down. Her body was too weak and couldn't move as she wanted. The effects of the demons' shots were still strong on her body.
Olivia desperately held back her tears, not wanting to make Hiana angry. The demon woman's expression was terrifying, like a beast chasing prey.
Then, with slow movements, Hiana turned her head to Olivia.
The former nobleman flinched again, sensing something was not right. She hastily turned around and crept to escape.
But Hiana grabbed the woman's blonde hair.
"L-let me go!!! Don't kill me!!!" Olivia becomes hysterical. "I will obey all your orders!!!"
The screams didn't affect Hiana at all. The demon woman pulled Olivia to her feet, then forced the former noble's mouth to open. Olivia tried to escape, even hitting the demon woman's body.
Of course, it's useless.
Hiana also opened her mouth, and her eyes rolled back until only whites showed.
Something flew from the demon woman's mouth and immediately entered Olivia's. The body of the black-haired woman that Hiana used fell while Olivia staggered backward, holding her neck.
The former noble felt as if claws were tearing at her throat.
Not long after, she also fell.
Several seconds passed in silence. The two bodies were motionless.
And finally, Olivia's body convulsed like crazy, then rose on its own as if an invisible force was pulling her.
Hiana, now wearing Olivia's body, massages the nape of her neck. The pain from her battle wounds had disappeared, replaced by the pain of whip marks on her back.
Even so, she sensed that her dark energy was still low. She needed time to fully recover, apparently.
She snorted, then flew away, leaving the female body she had previously used.
Just as she came out of the trees, she saw a pair of flying wyverns. Instead of approaching those beasts ridden by two human-like figures, Hiana turned back.
"Tsk!" She didn't even understand what was going on. They were just wyvern riders. Why was her brain automatically asking her to escape?
Was she afraid they were Vorn's underlings? Could it be that she was worried that those wyvern riders would have methods that would overwhelm her again?
Hiana didn't like this situation. So far, she has only ever been overwhelmed by the prophets.
This is really an anomaly for her.
***
Ayre, Emily, Xenora, and Szur sighed almost simultaneously in their seats. They had just explained Vorn's actual state and their plan to bring the demon lord back.
"This is not good." Jude massaged his forehead while one hand gripped the edge of the round table in that meeting room. "Apart from being a supreme leader, lord Vorn is a symbol of what we believe in. This could lead to many unintended consequences."
"I can't say I'm fond of you guys keeping this secret. I'm Lord Vorn's adviser, goddammit." Karl looked at the higher-ups of the Vorn empire, including the general from the Bwister race, the other judges, and several other officials. Some of them stood because the number of chairs was not sufficient. "But I will not discuss my sentiments due to the precarious situation. I will also think of solutions."
"Even so, I'm confident we can retrieve Lord Vorn from the other dimension." Jude continued. "I've seen for myself that the individuals here can do impossible things, after all."
Karl tapped his fingers on the table. "You know what? Don't tell the people and soldiers that Lord Vorn is dead. It will only cause uneasiness."
"You're suggesting we lie again?" Garthur joined in. "The level of people's trust in us will drop if we are caught."
"Therefore, we must lie cleverly." Karl shrugged. "Say that Lord Vorn was seriously injured after fighting Hiana, and he will come back stronger. It's more acceptable to the people than a narrative of taking Lord Vorn from another world. People also won't think this is also a lie. We've been caught once, after all."
"So, we don't need another dummy?" Xenora asked.
"We still need a dummy but show it to the public once in a while. It would be a disaster if Hiana returned and said again that the dummy wasn't the real Lord Vorn." Karl responded, resting his chin on his intertwined fingers. "We should make an announcement tomorrow and pass it on immediately. It's to suppress the uneasiness and give them hope."
Xenora took a deep breath. "Then it is my duty as lord Vorn's successor. After that, we will spread this news throughout the empire."
"Let's hope this bullshit sticks." Emily leaned back in the chair.
There was silence, and Xenora spoke again. "Does anyone have anything to add? Otherwise, I'll be closing this emergency meeting."
"One more." Jude raised a hand, looking at the others in turn. "Everyone, don't let anyone know what we're talking about here, even a word. You will be severely punished. Don't take this as a threat, but just a warning. Remember, we have the right to punish even the generals."
The former religious leader's gaze fell on the four generals in front of him.
Xenora nodded. "That's a great word, Jude. Only Lord Vorn cannot be punished."
"Xenora. I have another suggestion for you." Karl slightly leaned towards the succubus. "Don't forget to apologize before giving the speech tomorrow."
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