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

Remaining on full alert, the Asumos Church squad finally arrived at the front door of the cabin after a long internal struggle.

Under the anxious gazes of several team members—

Kabanei slowly pushed open the door, even offering a token greeting.

"Excuse me... Is anyone here?"

Naturally...

No one answered him.

The cabin remained so silent that a pin dropping could have been heard.

Not only inside the cabin, but even the surrounding forest outside was utterly silent.

The eerie stillness sent chills down everyone's spine.

The strange atmosphere gradually filled them with unease...

And an urge to retreat.

Yet it also seemed as though some mysterious force inside the cabin kept luring them deeper within...

"T-This... Someone actually lived here?! Y-You've got to be kidding me! This is the Great Winter Forest!"

Looking at the neatly arranged furniture and the carefully decorated interior, Kabanei couldn't help crying out in shock.

This modest little cabin, filled with signs of everyday life...

Completely overturned everything the members of the Asumos Church believed.

A human dwelling...

Inside the Great Winter Forest, where countless terrifying Abyss Demons ruled?

It was simply unbelievable!

How had anyone managed to reach the Great Winter Forest?

How had they avoided being attacked by Abyss Demons?

And more importantly...

Where was the owner of this cabin now?

For a moment...

Countless questions flooded everyone's minds.

While examining the furnishings, the Third Brave, Arela, slowly walked into the living room.

Filled with confusion, she gently ran her fingers across the fur draped over the sofa.

Then...

A trace of astonishment appeared on her beautiful face.

'This is... the hide of a Snow Lion King?'

The Snow Lion King was an exceptionally powerful magical beast.

As she touched the fur, Arela could still feel the immense magical power lingering within it.

If her judgment was correct...

The owner of this cabin had to be extraordinarily powerful.

Then again...

Perhaps there was no need to judge at all.

Anyone capable of building a home in a place as terrifying as the Great Winter Forest...

Could hardly be weak.

She simply didn't know...

Who exactly lived here.

Besides...

Would barging into this person's home without permission anger them?

The thought only made Arela even more uneasy.

...

...

The search continued.

So did Arela's thoughts.

However—

Suddenly—

A warrior's shout instantly pulled her back to reality.

"Lady Brave! Come look at this!"

His voice was filled with urgency, causing Arela to frown.

She quietly followed behind Kabanei and the others as they descended into the basement.

Guided by another member of the Asumos Church...

They arrived beside an icy spring.

The moment Arela looked into the tranquil waters—

Her pupils suddenly contracted.

An overwhelming sense of dread instantly filled her eyes.

Only then did she understand why the warrior had sounded so alarmed.

At that moment...

Deep beneath the freezing spring...

Lay a gigantic crimson crystal resembling a butterfly cocoon.

And sealed inside the crystal...

Was a delicate little girl with her eyes peacefully closed.

The instant everyone clearly saw the girl's face—

Not only Arela—

But everyone present froze in astonishment.

"S-She..."

"Doesn't she look almost exactly like the girl beside Lady Mengxi?!"

That was everyone's first thought.

However...

No one dwelled on that question for very long.

Compared to another, far more terrifying reality...

Their resemblance wasn't particularly important.

What truly filled everyone with fear...

Was the overwhelming aura of Shadow of Silence Power enveloping the girl.

The terrifying aura was incomparably stronger than any Abyss Demon they had ever encountered.

Far stronger.

It wasn't even on the same level.

If their judgment was correct...

The black Shadow of Silence Power surrounding the crystal had reached the level of a Demon King.

Moreover...

If they examined it more carefully...

They would realize...

The pink-haired girl sealed inside the crystal possessed not the slightest trace of human aura.

Instead...

She radiated an Abyss Demon presence so dense it was nauseating.

Which meant...

"This..."

"This is a Demon King-class Abyss Demon?!"

Arela drew in a sharp breath before quietly voicing her conclusion.

The moment those words left her lips—

Every member of the Asumos Church who still harbored doubts immediately turned pale with terror.

The people gathered around the icy spring instinctively stumbled backward.

"A Demon King-class?!"

"Is... is it really one of those monsters?!"

"...It should be."

Arela nodded nervously.

"It still appears to be sleeping."

"Otherwise... it would've attacked us already."

"And besides..."

"...It's humanoid."

Staring at the girl sealed inside the crystal...

Every cell in Arela's body trembled.

Her mind was flooded with countless questions.

A mysterious cabin hidden deep in the forest.

A Demon King-class existence living inside it.

And a humanoid Demon King at that.

Had she once been a human who accepted the power of the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons?

And...

Why did this girl resemble Xiaomo so closely?

Wait...

She has a slave brand on her foot too?

Exactly the same as Xiaomo's?

Could this girl...

Be the real Marquis's granddaughter?

But if that's true...

Then...

Who exactly is the person currently accompanying Lady Mengxi?

In an instant, Arela's expression became extremely grave.

At the same time...

A young priestess slowly walked over beside her.

The petite blonde girl's body was already trembling uncontrollably.

After all...

They were currently sharing a room with one of the legendary monsters.

Who knew when this terrifying Demon King-class being might suddenly awaken?

Unable to suppress her fear any longer, she asked,

"Lady Arela..."

"What should we do now?"

"What should we do..."

Arela quietly repeated the words to herself, her expression becoming even more solemn.

Ever since entering the eastern region of the Great Winter Forest...

Their Communication Magic Stones had been completely blocked by some mysterious field.

They were utterly unable to contact the Asumos Church...

Or any of the other Heavenly Apostles.

In Arela's opinion...

Unable to contact anyone...

Their best course of action was to leave immediately.

Although...

She still didn't understand why she herself had been so strangely compelled to enter this place.

But now wasn't the time to dwell on it.

"Be careful."

"We're retreating."

"Before that Demon King-class existence wakes up..."

"Let's leave this place immediately."

"Y-Yes..."

The priestess nodded vigorously.

Although everyone present was shocked by the Demon King's human appearance...

None of them relaxed their guard because of it.

After all...

No matter how gentle a creature had once been...

Once it transformed into an Abyss Demon...

It became incomparably savage and bloodthirsty.

Surely...

The harmless-looking little girl before them was no exception.

They absolutely could not lower their guard because of her appearance.

"Let's go..."

After receiving Arela's order to retreat...

Everyone hurriedly prepared to leave the basement.

No one wanted to remain in the same room as such a terrifying ticking time bomb.

However...

As they were leaving...

Arela suddenly frowned.

She looked back at the red-haired man still standing motionless before the icy spring and called out softly,

"Kabanei!"

"What are you standing there for?!"

"Hurry up and leave!"

"Leave?"

To her surprise...

Kabanei merely let out a cold, contemptuous laugh.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"So why should we leave?"

"Kabanei! What are you talking about?!"

"Heh."

"A Demon King-class Abyss Demon is lying here completely defenseless..."

"And you actually want to run away?"

"Arela..."

"You're far too timid."

Crimson battle aura slowly erupted around his body.

Kabanei's presence began rising higher and higher.

Not finding the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons had indeed been disappointing.

But...

If he could kill a Demon King-class existence...

He would still gain endless glory and unimaginable wealth.

How could he possibly let such an opportunity slip away?

A Demon King-class being might be powerful.

But the one before him was obviously weakened.

And completely defenseless.

If he unleashed his strongest attack...

He would undoubtedly kill it.

Success...

Belonged to those with the courage to seize it.

"Kabanei! Don't be reckless!!"

Realizing exactly what Kabanei intended to do, Arela immediately rushed forward to stop him.

But...

It was already too late.

Kabanei had already drawn the battle axe from his back.

Violent fire-attributed Holy Aura exploded outward.

"Heaven-Splitting Berserker Axe!!"

The next instant—

Under everyone's horrified gaze—

Kabanei leaped into the air...

And fiercely launched his attack toward the crimson crystal beneath the icy spring.