Lord of Caldera

Sylas turned to his companions. "It's unfortunate that there were only ten knights. Looks like we'll have to handle the demon ourselves."

"…M-My lord, aren't all those holy knights dead right over there?" one of the knights stammered, staring at the mangled bodies in the mist.

"They're fakes. Seriously, how many times do I have to tell you not to believe everything you see?" Sylas clicked his tongue and pointed toward the gruesome corpses.

"How could a mere succubus tear people apart like that? It might kill through fear or emotional torment, but not like this."

"Then what are we looking at?" another knight asked, still skeptical.

"An illusion. The faces might be based on real people, but what you're seeing is a fabrication. If the demon's showing us this, the real ones are likely in a safe zone somewhere," Sylas explained calmly.

The demon fell silent, its mocking arrogance diminished. Sylas, having finished his explanation, turned back to the demon and began to theatrically shake with mock fear, his voice rising dramatically.

"Oh no! If the saintess and her knights are all dead, that must mean the mercenaries and skilled warriors who resisted you have also been killed! Show me their bodies, too! I'll probably break down sobbing at the sight of their perfectly described corpses!"

—You insolent little brat! I'll rip you apart! the demon roared, its fury erupting as black mist surged toward the group from all directions.

Prepared for the outburst, Sylas swung the cursed sword, slicing through the encroaching mist. In the demon's anger, it seemed to forget to prevent the chain reaction, and the entire mist ignited, illuminating the area in a fiery blaze.

"Not bad," Sylas commented, unfazed.

"Why are you provoking the demon?" Ulrich shouted in exasperation.

"Because all it does is lie," Sylas replied, shrugging. "And besides, listening to it was getting on my nerves."

"But it is a demon!" Ulrich countered.

"Exactly, so its lies don't matter. Now that we've rested a bit, let's move!" Sylas signaled to the group, and they resumed their march, the atmosphere much lighter than before. Sylas's ability to turn the demon's taunts into mere distractions had boosted everyone's morale.

Ulrich approached Sylas, still wary. "Where are we headed now?"

"To the city center. If there's a safe zone, it's likely there," Sylas responded confidently.

A safe zone near the city walls would increase the chances of escape, so the demon likely guarded those areas heavily. Naturally, people would have congregated in the central district, and the saintess and her party were probably there as well.

Sylas's prediction was accurate. As they advanced toward the center of the city, the twisted landscape gradually returned to normal, and the mist thinned. The demon's influence seemed to weaken as they progressed. Eventually, the sky brightened, and a loud, authoritative voice rang out.

"Halt! Approach any closer, and we will shoot!" Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire

At the sudden command, Sylas and the others stopped in their tracks. Despite the distance, Toby and Ray were able to identify the figures.

"They're holy knights," Ray confirmed.

"The same ones from that illusion earlier," Toby added.

"That means the saintess must still be alive," Ulrich sighed in relief. Having the saintess alive and well would be a major asset in dealing with the demon.

"Are you allies of the demon, or just illusions? State your identity!" one of the knights called out, his tone sharp.

"We are neither! I am Ulrich Corleone, heir to the Count of Corleone, and this is my brother, Sylas Corleone!" Ulrich declared.

"W-What?!" the holy knights seemed shocked. It was understandable, considering they were in a demon-infested city. Who would expect the sons of a noble family to be here?

After a moment of hesitation, one of the knights cautiously approached. "May we verify your identity?"

"Of course," Ulrich replied.

The knights produced small tokens and passed them over each member of Sylas's party, checking for any signs of demonic influence. Only after completing the inspection did they relax, visibly relieved.

"Our apologies. We've been on edge after being tormented by the demon," one knight said, bowing.

"We understand. We've had our share of struggles," Ulrich replied graciously. Their encounter with the demon had brought them to the brink of despair in mere minutes. If not for Sylas, they might have succumbed to the same fate as many others.

"We'll escort you to the saintess. Follow us," the knight said, leading the way.

As Sylas's group followed, they could hear the murmurs of people around them.

"Who are they? Were they always here?"

"I heard they arrived today from outside."

"That's impossible! How did they get past the demon?"

What started as hushed whispers quickly grew louder, and soon, they were surrounded by curious onlookers. The sheer number of people was staggering.

"There are so many of them," Ulrich commented, astonished.

"Yes, most of the city's remaining population is gathered here," the knight explained.

"Is everyone here?" Ulrich asked, surprised at how many people seemed to have survived.

"Not everyone, but we estimate around half of the city's population is here," the knight replied with a mixture of pride and sadness.

Ulrich was taken aback. If that many people were still alive, then the death toll had been lower than expected.

"The saintess immediately recognized the danger when she arrived. Thanks to her, we were able to evacuate a large portion of the remaining population," the knight continued, his tone grateful.

The saintess wasn't just any cleric; she was recognized by the Church itself. When she declared the city too dangerous, even the most hesitant people listened and evacuated.

But there were always those who refused to leave, no matter the danger.

"Unfortunately, not everyone listened. The saintess tried to convince them, but eventually, the situation escalated, and they were caught in the demon's trap."

"I see," Ulrich said, nodding. He could imagine the holy knights urging the people to leave, only for the saintess to stay behind, trying to save the stragglers. When the demon finally acted, they were all swept up in the chaos.

"How many people do you think are still in the city?" Sylas asked.

"We're not sure of the exact number, but we estimate about half the city's population is still inside," the knight replied.

"That's still a lot of people," Ulrich muttered. Given the central district's capacity, it was already overcrowded. If more people had stayed, the situation would have been much worse.

"We've arrived. This is where the saintess is staying," the knight said, leading them to a modest house. It was a decent home, likely belonging to a well-off commoner, but nothing particularly grand.

According to the knights, the house had been lent to them by a resident who had left the city. After a short wait, they were finally granted an audience with the saintess.

"Welcome, everyone. I am Lydia," the saintess said, her voice soft but tired. She smiled warmly despite her clear exhaustion.

She looked no older than her early twenties, with golden hair and pale skin. Sylas had seen her before in the vision conjured by the demon, but seeing her in person, it was clear that she was a beauty, albeit worn down by the current crisis.

Sylas's eyes gleamed as he gazed at her. He recognized her name—Lydia had been a famous figure in his past life.

So, I meet the Black Saintess Lydia here, of all places, Sylas thought to himself.