Chapter 112: Family Love?

- The Place Between, Subconscia, Edge of the World - Undine's POV -

[Strange, Demons as young as this one appears to be should not already have a connection with The Place Between. Either she's older than she seems or she's uniquely powerful, whichever one it is I'll finish her here.] - Undine

It had been a millennia or more since I'd come across a Demon of any kind, my abode being situated deep within a mountain range nearly half a continent away from any prominent Demon settlement probably had a lot to do with it. Even with that however was that I was well known as being distinctly anti-Demon of any kind. Even Succubae, despite them turning from the rest of their kind, was unpleasant to associate with. It wasn't like they had turned from the impure concept that birthed them after all and with my own birth so diametrically opposed to such unclean individuals it was unavoidable that I'd avoid any contact outside of what was necessary. Dragons too, with their greed and lust for power were unpleasant to deal with long-term as well. Eliminating impurities was essentially my duty after all.

Despite this something felt, off, about this particular era's Demon Lord. Like she was different from the previous one to hold that title. It felt both more and less pleasant at the same time, its stench diluted with a more fragrant aroma similar to masking the smell of feces with roses. Whatever it was it was suspicious. And eliminating suspicious individuals was another of her duty's.

This inner world however, it was strange. Far larger in size than it had any right to be even for a fully grown Demon it somehow felt more alive as well. It's inhabitants, normally robotic and unlifelike in most of the pale imitations of creation that these inner worlds tended to be, reacted as if alive and aware of what was happening. And this... Goddess of Mercy that they spoke of... It infuriated me that this Demon Lord would dare to style herself as a God but something about both their fear and fervor struck me as more than the mindless programming of a Demon Lord with delusions of grandeur.

I'd need to see this Demon Lord's mind fully to see what it was that interested me so. Perhaps I might even keep "it" around for a few millennia as a fragment of itself if it amused me enough. Time would tell and the city that was resisting me was the only piece left before I consumed this entire place. Well, it and that strange purple maze that stymied any attempts to enter it. No matter, destroying such things would come after I finished snuffing out this arrogant Demon Lord that had dared to risk my wrath.

[Hmm? What's that?] - Undine

- Arachne Hidden Village, Riyuegu Xiamen Hot Springs Fountain - Zhizhu's POV -

This was wrong. I know that we've got rules about who we let into our village and in the past, we've even killed some of them according to some of the older Arachne. Momma had even told me about a time that a Dwarven expedition had come across one of our larger settlements. The entire group that had discovered them had been purged to the man, including the city that some of the survivors had escaped to in the melee. Even so it was wrong for us to keep doing this to outsiders.

[Listen close Girl, when you approach the pool you must lower your head to the water's edge and give prayer to the Spirit of the Water, when she accepts enter the pool and await the trial. Our Guardian will personally administer it for all to see.] - Head Priestess Lao Ji Si

[A-And this is not dangerous?] - Rose

[Our young have been participating in this ritual since before the Fall, you'll be as safe as they are. Zhan Shi? Guide her then join the rest of us.] - Head Priestess Lao Ji Si

I was not smart. I knew that. I'm too trusting and the times that trust has ended in tragedy were too high for me to count. Despite that I had been lucky to be born into the family responsible for the spiritual practices of our people. My mother, the former Head Priestess, had died and as such the one prior to that had once more took up the mantle while taking me on as an apprentice. Hearing her guide and reassure Rose as she sent one of the people "I'd" brought back I felt guilt eating at me from within. This was my fault, I'd done this. Blaming myself as I lamented on my stupidity that had once more brought tragedy, I sent my pleading gaze towards Rose as she turned towards us one more time trying to turn her back, to save her somehow.

What happened next only made it worse.

- Arachne Hidden Village, Riyuegu Xiamen Hot Springs Fountain - Annabelle's POV -

I didn't like it, these Arachne were too cagey, too secretive. The offer to allow them passage back to Calidus a ploy meant to exhaust our group more. They had no intentions to allow them to leave. The reason I had allowed my Lady Rose to participate in this "Ritual" without causing a fuss was because I trusted her to be able to handle herself. As well as to allow me full leeway to act when the true purpose behind this farce was finally revealed. Lady Rose's friends, while important, paled in comparison to the Young Miss's safety. What was important was that she was safe and away from danger and what better place than participating in some sort of Coming-of-Age Ritual where she could be away from the actual fighting.

Or at least that would have been the plan if things hadn't changed. The problem was that I was quickly becoming attached to the Young Miss's friends and, while they were still of lesser importance than my Lady Rose, they had grown on me to the point that I couldn't just abandon them offhand anymore. Unfortunately, unless it was a choice between them and the Young Miss, I would have to fight while defending them. A significant weakness which I hoped would be mirrored by my enemies.

[...] - Annabelle

Using the distracted guards focus on the steam that the Young Miss had vanished into I stealthily made my way behind the Head Priestess and her Apprentice, waiting for my moment to strike. Unfortunately, the Head Priestess, my initial target, was unreachable without exposing myself. The only reason I'd made it this far was through immense use of illusion magic and experience at hiding my presence from even those of similar levels of ability. Stealthily sneaking past the more alert guard directly around their religious leader was too much to ask for even in the best of cases and with the group no doubt planning for their double cross it made it basically impossible. Luckily that wasn't the case for the naive Apprentice, however.

[Halt Dark One! Go no further in this sacred place!] - ???

[D-Dark One?!? Me?!?] - Rose

[Yes you! Why has this era's Demon Lord dared to intrude upon my realm? Do you desire death?] - ???

Hearing an unexpected voice from within the hot springs I immediately acted, these Arachne must have positioned someone within the spring to take out Rose separately.

Quickly springing towards my target, I immediately captured the unsuspecting child before she could even react to the unexpected situation.

[Call off your man in the hot springs or I'll twist her neck until it pops.] - Annabelle

[Hiiiiii!] - Zhizhu

[You dare?!? Regardless I-] - Head Priestess Lao Ji Si

[D-Demon Lord? Wait I can explain-] - Rose

[No explanations will be accepted! Waste away in a prison of your own making!] - ???

[Rose!?!] - Annabelle

Narrowing her eyes as she finally became aware of me, I let my body double fade away since I had no use for it anymore. The shocked looks on the faces of both Rose's friends and the surrounding soldiers indicated that they'd been completely caught unawares despite the high-intensity betrayal that was most likely only a minute or so away originally.

My demand, punctuated by my grip tightening over the unprepared Arachne's neck, elicited a squeal as the poor girl likely contemplated her quickly approaching death. A slight guilt at pulling in such a young child was overshadowed by the intense need to keep my charge safe but unfortunately something distracted all of us.

Rising out of the ephemeral mist as if swimming through it a massive, slightly transparent, serpent momentarily glared at everyone on the shore before diving back into the steam as if to strike someone within it.

[As you can see it's too late. Release the girl and I might allow the rest of you to leave with your lives. Kill her and I'll make sure that the Gods speak only in hushed whispers of the tortures I'll put you through.] -Head Priestess Lao Ji Si

[My own life doesn't matter in this! CALL OFF YOUR MAN IN THE SPRING! NOW!!!] - Annabelle

[Cease your bickering mortals. This is why you fools can only amount to worshipping your betters. Trash.] - ???

[W-Who are you?!?] - Head Priestess Lao Ji Si

[Me? I, unworthy trash, am Love.] - Love

Slightly turning from our exchange to watch as the serpent dives back beneath the steam the old Arachne smirks as she turns back towards me. That smirk, starting off confident, quickly turns to anger as she promises to exact vengeance if I did not release the bargaining chip that I was quickly realizing was worth far more than I'd originally assumed. Regardless, it only meant that I had a stronger position with which to save my Lady and the only remaining step was to use it to its fullest.

Unexpectedly however the steam suddenly parted, calling all of our attention to it as a tall man in a tuxedo walked on the surface of the water as if he were floating. Rose, slightly behind and to the side of him, seemed shaken as she glanced around in confusion.