46: Desperate Milla

The night settled in. It was a long day and the battlefield finally settled. The 3 demon kings really wanted to beat up Odin and Persia for stopping their advance. They also wanted to have a harsh talk with Milla for jumping in solo. But since she killed all the heroes herself they let it slide. The fact was that Milla went in the opposite direction and they didn't want to risk direct combat with the church's secret weapon.

But even the night wasn't calm. Melina and the Pope were meeting in the woods with a person covered in black robes.

"The information you provided us was wrong. You didn't mention anything about that little girl and because of that, we lost our heroes."

The black robe took his hood off. The person that was standing in front of the Pope, the traitor that has been leaking each and every strategy used this past week was none other than Miraluka.

"It's not my fault. That child is unpredictable. You can never guess what's going on in that head of hers."

"Regardless it was a good stage for testing our power. Now I know that our weapon can stand toe to toe with any Demon King. And that means your services are no longer required."

"But… we had a deal! You promised that when you conquer this land you will appoint me ruler over all the remaining demons!"

"The thing is, we don't intend to leave any demons alive. We will purge all of you. And that includes you too."

*Snap*

The Pope snapped his fingers and Melina stepped forward.

"You bastards. I'll make you pay for deceiving me!"

------

Miraluka was covered in blood and was running through the woods. In the end she didn't manage to defeat Melina. She was heavily injured and barely managed to escape.

"Those filthy humans… to think they would take advantage of my kindness so much… and my plan of ruling this continent failed… everyone will pay!"

"It seems they did quite the number on you, Miraluka."

From within the bushes, a red haired loli with crimson eyes slowly made her way towards Miraluka.

"Eh… Milla?"

"So you're the traitor after all."

How did Milla figure out that Miraluka was the traitor? Well it wasn't that hard. When Grace and her party arrived, the spider girl Irina followed a strict order from her Mistress. She and her little spider underlings spread her strings in both camp sides. When Miraluka was moving to the human side to feed them intel on the strategy that was discussed, she triggered those strings and the baby spiders got a good look at her.

"Milla… please… you must believe me. The humans are at fault. I was deceived. The humans are the enemy!"

"You aren't wrong there."

I reached inside my shadow and picked up a glass bottle.

"You're in a pretty bad shape. If I were to give this to you, would you swear loyalty to me?"

A bottle of Phoenix Tears.

"I swear… please… save my life…"

I tossed the bottle over and without a second thought she drank it. And in the next instant she violently coughed blood.

"What's… going on? This… this isn't Phoenix Tears. It's…"

"Black Death."

"Impossible… I'm the only one who knows how… to produce it…"

"Are you really that naive? Anything you can do, I can do better."

It wasn't actually that easy. It took me and Lorina quite some time to replicate the formula. After that I simply had one of my glass bottles painted red so that it gives off the impression that it was Phoenix Tears inside. And this idiot fell for it.

"YOU BITCH! How dare… you… killing a Demon King is forbidden…"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I heard some explosions and when I went to see what it was about, I found you dead, killed by the humans."

I turned my smile into a serious face filled with hatred.

"You, who killed my family and tried to make me your puppet, are finally getting a taste of your own medicine. I hope you suffer in hell."

Eventually the Black Death fully kicked in and she fell to the ground. She was dead. I barely managed to stand on my feet. As I was about to collapse from the same bush Grace leaped to support my body.

"Are you alright, Milla-nee?"

"Grace… I think I'm gonna take a nap now… I'm so tired…"

"Yes. Leave everything to me. Sweet dreams, Milla-nee."

Milla… I kept my word. I killed the one responsible for your family's death. Wherever you are, I hope you can rest in piece now.

------

I think I slept for 3 days straight. Odin and Persia were always by my side to stabilize my body. When I woke up I felt much better. I pretty much got my strength back.

The first thing I wanted to do was to go and see Shiori. Grace took me to the room assigned to her. When I entered, Momoyo was already by her side. I got close to her and looked at Shiori who was lying on the bed. Her eyes were empty, devoid of any traces of light.

"Milla… please. You must help her. There must be a way to return her to normal."

"I'll do my best."

At first I tried talking to her but she didn't reply. I tried using Recollection to dig through her mind… and was shocked. It was scrambled. Her mind, her memories… they are a complete mess. I couldn't make heads or tails of what was in there. I tried giving her some Phoenix Tears. But it didn't work. Why? I know her brain is physically okay, but my Tears should also cure any negative status alignments too. So why? I think I made her drink 10 vials, but there was no change at all.

Wait. Could it be… it's the only explanation. Her body actually thinks that this is her natural condition. I don't know what they did to her. I was so angry. But if her body was really made to think that this is her natural state, then it explains why my Tears have no effect. Darn it! What else can I do? I lost track of time. I didn't know how much I spent with Shiori. If only I still had my earth element maybe I could have modified her body to cure her, but I sacrificed that element.

Grace eventually approached me and put her hand on my shoulder.

"Milla-nee… I'm sorry to say but fixing her might be impossible. Maybe it would be best if we put her out of her mis…"

*Slap*

I turned around and before Grace could finish I slapped her on the cheek.

"I don't want to hear that! Never say something like that again."

"I'm sorry, but if you can't fix her, then what else can be done? There's nothing left."

It hurts. My chest hurts so much. Is there really nothing I can do? Am I going to lose the one I love the most? While scratching my head, it then came to me. There might be a way.

I pulled from my shadow the purple teleportation crystal that Persia gave me.

"Grace, this thing can take me anywhere I've been before, right?"

"Yes, but where do you plan to go? Milla-nee, you barely recovered so I don't think…"

I started pouring mana into the crystal.

"Milla-nee, that's too much mana!"

"Grace, you were right about one thing. I can't do anything. But I know someone who can. Nobody is to touch her until I come back."

The crystal emitted a bright light and eventually my body faded in the light.

------

It was, an infinite darkness.

As far as the eye can see, there was only darkness.

No matter where you went, no matter how long you waited, there were no signs of light at all.

There was only a throne with a young girl sitting on it.

"Haha… Ahahaha!"

Her laughter echoed across the darkness.

"To think you actually would find your way back to me. This is too much. You're simply incredible!"

Amongst the darkness a red haired loli with crimson eyes was approaching the throne.

"Yo! It's been a while, Demon God."