Those who are deceived

As the two ate with all of their might, trying to fill their empty stomachs, Riser just calmly sipped his black coffee and sometimes ate his fries, watching the two.

While they were wearing white robes, he could tell that their inner clothes were revealing, if not seductive, especially when he saw their bare, healthy thighs and alluring curves from the silhouette of their bodysuit.

As the representative of evil, he couldn't help but wish to make them fall into hell.

Still, he was sure that he wasn't the only one since watching the holy being stained into black color and letting themselves fall into the depravity was definitely the pleasure of everyone who was born as a devil.

However, there was no doubt there was one or two strange guys who didn't act that way.

Yet, wasn't it normal?

After all, like there was an evil human who acted even worse than a devil, there was also a gentle devil who was kinder than a saint.

"Now that you mention it, I haven't heard your name."

The blue-haired girl looked at Riser curiously.

The chestnut-haired girl also couldn't contain her curiosity and looked at him, waiting for his answer.

"Before you ask someone's name, you should introduce yourselves."

"..." 2x

They had to say this guy was quite peculiar, but they also knew how rude of them since they hadn't introduced themselves to him.

"My name is Irina Shidou~!"

"Xenovia Quarta. That's my name."

Telling their names, the two waited to know his name.

"Riser Phenex."

"...Riser Phenex." 2x

The two murmured his name momentarily as if trying to imprint it onto their hearts.

"I will remember it!"

"Um, I won't forget it!"

"...no, you don't need to be that serious."

Riser felt that they might as well forget his name since he was a devil. "Still, since you are an exorcist, then are you here to slay an evil being or something?"

"No, we're here to retrieve you from Excalibur."

"...." Riser.

"Xenovia, how could you tell such an important mission so carelessly?!"

Irina puffed her cheeks at Xenovia, clearly annoyed.

"Irina... how to say... I just want to talk with someone since you should know how dangerous our mission is."

Xenovia might seem careless and appear like someone who didn't use her head, charging forward like a bull, but she understood how dangerous her mission was. There was no doubt that she would die.

No, she was probably going to die in this mission since her opponent was one of the legendary figures that appeared in the Bible.

She might be the holder of the legendary Holy Sword, but even so, she didn't think her might was enough to match that legendary figure.

Moreover, she was still young.

Facing such a danger, such a burden, how could she not feel anything?

If there was a reason why she appeared aggressive in front of the devils previously, it was because she wanted to hide her weakness.

Frankly, she didn't even have time to relax, especially when her partner had been deceived, and all of their money was gone due to a fake Saint Peter painting.

However, her meeting with Riser changed everything.

While their conversation was hardly good, and he even scolded her, she felt quite relieved and like she was at home since he talked to her like a big brother.

"Xenovia..."

Irina also couldn't control her tears since, while she was all bubbly, she was also under immense pressure. Moreover, like Xenovia, she also understood how dangerous this mission was, and she didn't want to die young.

She still wanted to marry, have children, and have a family!

"You... why did you cry here?"

"You are the one who is crying!"

"No, it's you!"

"No, your eyes are all red! Look!"

"I am not crying!"

As the two continued to argue with each other, Riser wondered whether he should leave.

---

"Do you feel better?"

"Um." 2x

"Thank you for the parfait."

"Sorry for treating us once again."

"Help me to pray to the Lord, so I will become richer then."

There was no shame on Riser's face when he said those words.

Still, as expected, he didn't have a headache.

Was it due to the "Holy Resistance" or his origin?

It didn't matter, but he knew that there was no way for them to think he was a devil after he said those words.

"We will." 2x

Irina and Xenovia nodded with all of their might.

While his wish was filled with greed, the Lord was kind and would forgive anyone. Moreover, his wealth was used to donate, so they didn't mind praying for him.

Still, it was probably because they had nothing to do, so they continued to talk to each other.

Naturally, the one who talked was only Xenovia and Irina.

Meanwhile, Riser only listened to their story and gave a response to one or two.

"So, you are here under an important mission from the church to retrieve the Excalibur, the Holy Sword, which was stolen?"

"Yes." 2x

"Only you two? There are no adults around you?"

"No. There are no adults around us."

"Yes, only the two of us."

Were they so reliable that the church believed them so much?

—or were they sacrifices and being discarded?

Riser couldn't answer that question, and he also knew that he couldn't say such a thing to the two of them. Frankly, he thought of them as pitiful since, in the church's eyes, they were nothing but tools.

Naturally, if they could get out alive, they might get glory, but could they?

There was no way to answer such a question.

Moreover, he also knew that they should have noticed such a problem since even if their heads were a little slow, they weren't stupid and rather sharp in certain situations.

Yet, even with such a future before them, they didn't give up since it was their belief.

Everything was for their Lord in heaven.

Riser lightly tapped the cup, then asked, "Do you two have parents?"

"Parents?" 2x

"I do." Irina nodded.

However, Xenovia shook her head. "No, I was an orphan. The church was the one who took care of me."

"I am sorry." Riser apologized. 

"No, it's okay. It isn't something shameful or anything anyway."

Xenovia had this cool and calm expression, then looked at Riser. "What about you?"

"Well, I do. I have a family, too, so they will be sad if I am gone due to a certain ." Riser then looked at Xenovia and said, "You might be an orphan, but you should have many people who care about you, like Shidou-san, on your side, so don't give up and don't die, okay?"

Xenovia glanced at Irina, who was looking at her with a gentle smile.

The two suddenly became partners for the first time and then were together, facing various missions, then almost died.

There was no doubt among all the people around her that Irina was one of the most important ones.

"...thanks."

Hearing those words from Xenovia, Riser hesitated, but in the end, he sighed helplessly and took something out of his pocket.

"Quarta. It's for you."

"Huh?"

Xenovia was confused, but then her eyes widened as she fell into shock!

Similarly, Irina also widened her eyes!

What was given to Xenovia was a summoning flier!

In other words, Riser, the man who had helped them from the beginning to the end, was a devil!

The enemy of the church!

Riser could see that their expressions had changed, but it didn't matter.

"Let me introduce myself again. My name is Riser Phenex. I am the third son of the Lord Phenex. The patriarch of the Phenex House."

"...Phenex House." 2x

Naturally, they knew this name since it was one of the famous 72 pillars of the devil.

"When you feel you are being abandoned by your Lord, then you can summon me, and I will help you."

Then, he no longer stayed as left after he paid for their food, but then, Xenovia couldn't control her emotion and asked, "Wh-Why?"

Why did she ask this question?

Why did he wish to help her?

Why...

No, why should she even say that word to stop him?

"I just want to help those who are deceived. Then, I will leave first.

I hope that we don't meet again."

He waved his hand and then disappeared from their eyes.

While Irina was still in shock since she was still unable to believe that Riser was a devil, Xenovia was in deep thought.

'To help those who are deceived?'

Xenovia looked at the summoning flier in her hand, hesitating before she put it into her pocket.