Forced to Sell Myself to the Female Lead After Killing the Male Lead

No! Damn it! What the hell is this?!

Struggling with every ounce of strength, desperately trying to break free from the chains binding him, Romney was horrified to discover that no matter how hard he fought, the crimson chains forged from scarlet energy didn't budge in the slightest! Completely powerless, he crashed helplessly onto the ground before being dragged back into the estate by the chains like a dog.

The cultists guarding the perimeter immediately rushed forward, intending to rescue their Archbishop!

However—

The instant they charged in, the sweeping chains smashed them directly into piles of mangled flesh...

His own resistance was useless.

His subordinates' rescue was equally futile.

All Romney could do was let out agonized screams as he was forcibly dragged back...

—

"Running away, are we?"

Looking at Romney being dragged back like a dead dog, the black-haired girl tilted her head slightly and smiled with amusement.

Her voice was as clear and pleasant as a flowing stream.

Yet to Romney's ears, it became nothing less than Death's whisper, making his entire body tremble in uncontrollable terror.

Shivering violently, he slowly turned around to look at the beautiful yet terrifying black-haired girl behind him.

By now, every cultist who had rushed forward to protect him lay in pools of blood.

Yet the black-haired girl standing at the center of the slaughter remained completely unstained by a single drop of blood.

She was still flawless.

Still perfect.

And all the more terrifying because of it.

The moment their eyes met, Romney instinctively swallowed.

Blood Butterflies.

Monstrous physical strength beyond imagination.

And that Shadow of Silence Power she had just unleashed.

As unbelievable as it seemed, Romney had already reached a rough conclusion regarding the girl's identity.

'S-She... She's that new Demon King-class existence?'

Blood Butterflies...

Once he realized that, terror was joined by overwhelming disbelief.

A humanoid Demon King-class being?

He had never heard of such a thing!

More importantly...

This Demon King-class monster had actually disguised herself and blended into the Duke Family like she was playing house?!

She had even been protecting them?!

What the hell?!

Damn it...

If I'd realized who she was sooner...

How could I possibly have dared attack her?!

Romney roared inwardly.

But after feeling the bone-chilling cold radiating from the girl's crimson eyes, he no longer had the mind to dwell on such thoughts.

"L-L-Lady Blood Butterfly! I... I'm a faithful believer of Lord Demon God! I truly didn't mean to attack you just now! Please... please be magnanimous! Spare... spare my life!!"

Faced with death, Romney had long since abandoned the dignity of a Saint-Class expert.

He crawled pitifully across the ground toward the girl's feet, seemingly hoping to earn her forgiveness by kissing them.

"I've worked tirelessly for decades for the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church! For your great cause! Those fools who tried to resist the Abyss Demons! Those pigs who dared oppose Lord Demon God! I've personally killed hundreds of them! We've devoted ourselves for years to weakening every great empire's military strength! Even if I have no great merit, surely I've worked hard enough! P-Please... for the sake of all that... spare me! I really didn't mean to attack you!!"

Though he wasn't truly a believer, Romney acted incomparably devout in order to survive.

"I beg you... don't kill me!!"

Unfortunately for him...

He had no idea those words had achieved the exact opposite effect.

The black-haired girl's crimson eyes narrowed slightly.

The killing intent within them became even more intense.

Even the surrounding air grew colder.

"Spare you? Heh. When you killed Xia'er... did you ever consider sparing her?"

"H-Huh? Xia'er?! Lady Blood Butterfly, that... that was different! I did it all for Lord Demon God!"

"For Lord Demon God?"

She laughed mockingly.

"What a joke. You only did it to satisfy your own desire for slaughter. Besides..."

Her crimson gaze grew even colder.

"The people I hate the most are those who lay their hands on children."

As she spoke, the black-haired girl slowly raised one hand.

A dense glow of Shadow of Silence Power rippled gently across her palm.

"L-Lady Blood Butterfly?!"

At that moment, Romney watched in horror as the crimson chains slowly lifted his body into the air.

An overwhelming sense of dread flooded his heart.

His face twisted in panic.

"No! No! Lady Blood Butterfly! Please don't kill me! I'll be your servant! I'll do anything! Please don't kill me!!"

"Blood Butterfly?"

The black-haired girl frowned slightly, obvious displeasure entering her voice.

"I don't particularly like that title."

"But don't worry."

"I won't kill you."

"Killing someone like you would dirty my hands."

...?!!

"Y-You're... not going to kill me?!"

The instant he heard those words, overwhelming joy flooded Romney's face.

The ecstasy of surviving rushed through his entire body.

"Thank you, my lady! Thank you! From now on I'll throw myself into fire and water for you without hesitation! I swear it!!..."

"..."

The black-haired girl merely smiled calmly in response to Romney's flood of performative gratitude.

The next instant—

Just as Romney believed he had escaped Death's grasp—

The crimson chains floating around him suddenly shot toward him without warning!

?!!

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Before Romney could even react, blades suddenly emerged from the tips of dozens of chains.

They pierced straight through his limbs—

—and through dozens of the major meridians that circulated his battle aura.

The unbearable agony instantly exploded through every nerve in his body, crashing into his mind again and again.

As the chains withdrew, Romney was transformed into a blood-soaked figure.

He plummeted from midair before crashing heavily onto the ground where mud and blood had become one.

The sudden turn of events instantly erased every trace of the joy he had just felt.

Only overwhelming terror remained.

After a long bout of miserable screaming, Romney shakily raised his head and looked toward the amused black-haired girl.

"W-W-Why...?"

"Didn't... didn't you say... you wouldn't kill me?"

"I didn't kill you."

The girl's crimson eyes were filled with ridicule.

"I merely destroyed your cultivation~"

"As for whether you survive or not..."

"That depends on how strong the bond between you and your subordinates truly is~"

"B-Bond?"

"Hehe~"

Having no intention of explaining, the black-haired girl casually snapped her fingers.

Scarlet Shadow of Silence Power slowly spread around her.

The next moment—

Under Romney's horrified gaze—

The dozens of black-robed figures who should have been dead slowly stood back up.

However, the aura surrounding them was no longer merely battle aura.

It had become intertwined with that horrifying Shadow of Silence Power.

Their appearances rapidly grew more grotesque.

Their bodies swelled.

Sharp fangs and claws burst forth.

The instant he saw this scene, Romney sucked in a cold breath.

"A-Abyss Demon... transformation?!"

"No~"

The black-haired girl smiled.

"It's only a partial Abyss Demon transformation. They still retain a little bit of reason."

"Of course..."

"The urge to kill inside them is still quite strong~"

"If the bond between you is deep enough, they won't hurt you."

"But if it isn't~"

Before she even finished speaking—

The dozens of hideous monsters lunged at Romney all at once.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Accompanied by Romney's heart-rending screams—

Blood.

Entrails.

Everything burst into the air.

...

...

Thus, one of the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church's Archbishops...

Was devoured alive by his own subordinates.

"Heh..."

Watching the gruesome, blood-soaked spectacle, the black-haired girl—

our Miss Yumo—

couldn't help letting out a cold laugh.

"Figures."

"Someone who would betray his own comrades..."

"What kind of bond could he possibly have shared with his subordinates?"

With that said, Yumo turned to make arrangements for Avnora.

However—

Just then—

Romney's final weak mutterings before his last breath made Yumo stop in her tracks.

'N-Not me... W-We were only following... the Child of God's orders... W-We... she told us... to do it...'

Hearing those words—

Yumo halted midway and frowned slightly.

'The Child of God?'