Born This Way (4)

Theo looked at her body.

"Ah."

Her body, missing limbs, was covered in scabs.

'It must be itchy.'

She hadn't been washed since he brought her.

"Wait a moment."

For the first time in a while, Theo used [Magic Cartridge] to cast the [Clean] spell.

Swoosh—

A stream of water cleaned every corner of Sara's body.

Seeing Sara's condition, Theo shook his head.

"Hmm, once is not enough."

Theo's keen aesthetic sense advised that she wasn't completely clean yet.

Sara awkwardly tilted her stiff neck.

"What do you mean? This is good enough...ugh."

"Stay still. Water's getting in your nose."

Theo repeatedly cast the [Clean] spell on Sara.

After the cleaning was finished, Theo, looking satisfied, said,

"This should do it. Feeling better now, Sara?"

Sara looked at Theo with half-closed eyes, then blew her nose filled with water.

"Thanks. But this isn't a dream, right?"

"There's a surefire way to tell."

Slap!

Theo promptly slapped Sara's cheek, making her face turn to the side.

Theo asked her calmly.

"How about now? Feel that tingling?"

"Very much so. Doesn't seem like a dream. Where are we?"

"A quiet meeting room in Elinia Academy."

Sara was quick to grasp the situation.

"So, Theo, you brought us here after we were captured by magic and treated us. Though it doesn't seem like a meeting room."

"Sharp as always."

"But who's that?"

Sara pointed to Isabella, standing behind Theo. Isabella was hard to identify, wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

Theo replied indifferently,

"First Saintess Isabella. She's the one who treated you guys."

"Never thought I'd meet the esteemed Saintess here."

Sara moved her creaky body and bowed to Isabella.

"Leader of the Practitioners, Sara. Greetings, First Saintess."

At the same time, Isabella's [Mind Reading] was activated. Sara's thoughts floated in her mind.

─Damn, she's got huge tits. Wow...is that the Saintess?

─I knew Theo had a relationship...but what exactly? They're out together at this hour, so it must be more than just business...

"..."

Isabella, holding her dizzy head, put on a professional smile.

"Hello, I'm Isabella. Glad you woke up, former leader of the Practitioners, Sara."

"How long was I out?"

"About a week. Not surprised?"

"Enough time to be replaced several times over. That's how I became leader too."

"Right. I checked separately, and the Practitioners were all replaced with new people three days ago."

Sara clenched her teeth hard.

"Son of a b*tch... It's clear they knew we'd turn out like this when they sent us in."

Then, other Practitioners began to regain consciousness.

While Isabella was treating them, Theo asked Sara,

"Got any guesses?"

"Yeah. It's obviously that bastard Langkter's scheme."

"Langkter, as in one of the Archbishops of the Order? An Archbishop isn't a low rank, but he's not high enough to issue orders to the Practitioners."

The Order's hierarchy goes: Pope, Cardinal, Head Archbishop, Archbishop, and Bishop.

Typically, the top tier refers to those of Head Archbishop rank and above.

Sara said,

"The Head Archbishop is the one who gives us orders, but Langkter, that bastard, has a lot of influence. He's the one who actually does most of the work, not the Head Archbishop."

"So, Langkter knew you guys would turn into monsters?"

"He had to know. Our transformed state was similar to Trey's before he died. After we killed Trey, who went berserk due to demonic energy, we reported it to the higher-ups. The only ones who knew were the Head Archbishop and Langkter."

"I see."

Suddenly, Sara asked Theo,

"But why save us? You know that saving us would surely make you enemies of the Order's top brass."

"There are those in the Order's top brass who worship Demons and conspire to overturn the continent. You guys are bait to weed them out."

Sara looked at Theo with horror in her eyes.

"Bait is still bait. Even you, Theo, are just a speck of dust to the Order's top brass. The moment they find out you saved us, you're dead."

"That's why I intend to become an entity they absolutely can't ignore. After you've recovered, you'll accompany me to their headquarters."

Theo planned to observe the top brass's reactions there.

'I'll be able to clearly identify who's in cahoots with [Turning White].'

Sara expressed her doubts.

"How will we enter the headquarters? Not just anyone can go in there. Even we've only been there when we were appointed as Practitioners."

Theo pointed to Isabella, who was treating the Practitioners, and said,

"With her here, entering shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"If it's the First Saintess and her entourage, they can indeed enter anytime. But why go to the headquarters?"

Theo said in a subdued voice,

"We're going to pull out the Holy Sword."

A few days later, in front of the Great Demon shrine in the Magic City.

Nearby, the bodies of paladins and priests affiliated with the Order filled the area.

David, the Guild Master of [Leading Mind], leaned back against the shrine's entrance with a relieved expression and smoked a cigarette.

Then, he said to his team members,

"Any more trouble we should worry about?"

"No, Master. We've eliminated all ties between us and those northerners. All the Order's dogs are dead too."

"How are you all feeling?"

"We're fine. Although a high concentration of demonic energy is still emanating from inside the shrine, the legendary artifacts you lent us have allowed us to resist it."

The team members looked at the artifacts they were wearing.

From accessories to main gear, all were glowing in brilliant white, all of which were property of the Order.

One of the reasons the Order is called specialists in Demon hunting is because of their Demon-specific artifacts.

David smirked with one side of his mouth, sneering.

"As expected, nothing beats the Order's stuff when it comes to dealing with Demons. Tuck them away after, just in case others see."

"Understood, Master."

The team members put the Order-made artifacts into their [Subspace Bags].

David flicked his cigarette into the air and stood up.

"Everyone, step back. An incomparable amount of demonic energy is about to pour out."

"You plan to go in there, Master?"

"Yes. I need to check if you've done your job properly. Now scram. You're in the way."

"Ah... Understood. We'll retreat immediately."

The team members turned their backs and quickly retreated from the Great Demon shrine.

As their figures disappeared from view, David grabbed the shrine's entrance door handle.

"Now, it's time to feast."

David, who also had a contract with a great Demon like Maitri, opened the door with a demonic expression.

The difference is David achieved perfect Demonization. For David, demonic energy is rather nourishing.

Step by step.

David, with blood-red horns on his forehead and large black wings sprouting from his back, entered the Great Demon shrine.

Inside Aisha's dormitory room.

Theo was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed.

He was practicing his qi and thinking simultaneously.

'Hmm... Maybe I should take the others with me.'

He had recently heard from Taylor that a house for him and Isabella to stay in had been arranged.

Originally, it was just supposed to be him and Isabella, but the situation had changed.

The Practitioners had their [Substitute Body] transplantation surgeries completed, and Fyat and Ao were there too.

'They all are immediately useful.'

Above all, Taylor managed to find a rather large mansion. It was spacious enough to accommodate everyone.

'Well, it's best to utilize every asset we have.'

He made up his mind.

Besides them, Piel, Siena, Irene, Seria, the Principal, and others... Let's pull in everyone we can use.