Saintess? Not Anymore! I'd Rather be a Destroyer-Chapter 130 - 116: Talking with Ostusi

"But first I need to find Ostusi," Aurianna remarked as she pondered on how to get in contact with him.

"I can help with that," Eva offered.

"You’ve found him?" Aurianna inquired.

"Of course! Just say out loud, ’I know you’re here!’ and mention the demon’s name! I’m confident that he’ll show up," Eva stated with a thumbs up.

"I know you’re here demon General Ostusi," Aurianna stated calmly, causing a nearby tiny doll walking through her room to twitch before it looked at her and abruptly vanished.

After some time without any response to her previous two statements, Aurianna reiterated, "You refuse to appear? You are aware that I am aware of your intentions, demon General Ostusi. You aspire to release the demons enslaved in Sandeph. For this purpose, you infiltrated the castle in hopes of acquiring additional information."

The room fell into sudden silence, prompting an anxious gulp from Aurianna as she noticed thin threads poised near her neck.

"How do you know me child?" resonated a deep, masculine voice.

As Aurianna looked up, she saw a tall man with gray skin and short orange hair, featuring two lengthy side bangs, stood before Aurianna. His distinctive eyes, one orange and the other blue, illuminated his black sclera. With a muscular physique, he sported casual attire that left his chest exposed.

"Watch your words or I’ll slice that neck of yours," Ostusi threatened, his gaze cold and firm.

Aurianna chuckled softly, "I’d advise against such action, dear Mr. Ostusi. You wouldn’t want your strategy to crumble, would you?" With a touch to the thread encircling her neck, it dissipated.

"Threatening me? Quite the show of arrogance, isn’t it? I could end your life before you blink," Ostusi retorted, his gaze icy.

"Consider your words carefully and apply some common sense. Killing me would not only spark chaos in Sandeph, but it would also capture the attention of King Girsal. You’d find yourself headless before you know it. Moreover, I have faith in my guardian’s ability to shield me," Aurianna declared with a wicked grin, her gaze fixed on Ostusi.

’Where’s this guardian she’s talking about?’ Ostusi wondered, scanning the room for clues but finding none. ’I didn’t sense any presence earlier. Is she bluffing? And why do her knights seem so odd? Has no one here truly detected even a hint of my presence? They haven’t made any effort to check or confirm.’

Surveying the room once again, Ostusi gradually eased his tension. But suddenly, he was engulfed by an intense pressure he couldn’t attribute to anyone in sight. Overwhelmed, he slumped to the ground, his pupils dilating and his body trembling with fear.

’This pressure is stifling,’ he thought, ’It’s akin to standing before death!’ Ostusi’s gaze fixed on Aurianna, seated on her bed, her eyes including a golden hue.

Abruptly, a blurred, dark image of a woman materialized behind Aurianna. Nervously, Ostusi observed the indistinct, shadowy figure that appeared to be amused.

"No need for hostility, I am on your side. Vatium sent me to speak with you," Aurianna explained.

"How can I trust you?" Ostusi questioned, his uncertainty evident.

"Is this sufficient evidence?" Aurianna asked, presenting her palm. In an instant, an image of a green snake coiled around a black pole materialized on her hand, lingering briefly before vanishing.

Aurianna recalled Vatium’s advice from her departure on the orc express carriage. Helua’s magical creation, the snake tattoo, would appear on her hand temporarily. "Display this to Ostusi, and he’ll listen to your words," Vatium had instructed.

Intrigued, Aurianna couldn’t help but experiment, observing how the tattoo manifested when she focused on its presence and vanished when she willed it.

’So this is how demons mark their allies,’ she thought, a smile tugging at her lips.

Within the room, Ostusi’s anxious expression eased at the sight of the emblem on her palm. ’She possesses the demon command insignia! Why would Vatium entrust this insignia to her?’ he pondered, rising to his feet and assuming a composed posture.

With a slight bow, he offered an apology, "My earlier behavior was impolite. Caution compelled me."

"No worries, we’re simply being careful," Aurianna brushed it off, her smile turning cold. "Now, let’s return to the matter at hand. Vatium advised me to hand you this." Aurianna extended a green cube bearing the same demon insignia.

"Before you proceed with your current plan, it would be wise to talk with Vatium. Your strategy is flawed and likely to result in failure," Aurianna warned.

’Does she possess knowledge of my plan?’ Ostusi wondered, his gaze fixed on her. "How can you claim my plan is flawed, child?"

Aurianna’s light giggle rang out. "Numerous variables can contribute to the failure of your plan. While some slaves might yearn for liberation, others might reject rescue due to the dread of recapture and more severe consequences," she explained with a serious demeanor.

"Secondly, you lack the necessary teleportation resources, leaving you no choice but to flee on foot, which will undoubtedly result in a pursuit by the knights. Some slaves might lose their lives during resistance," she continued, raising a second finger to emphasize her point.

"Thirdly, you’d find yourself in a confrontation with my father, and I assure you, that’s not a favorable outcome," she concluded, adding a third finger to the count.

Ostusi’s forehead wrinkled as he absorbed her points, his smile turning cold. "I am an Arc Demon. I don’t think I need to worry about killing him. He’s a mere Arc Human," Ostusi retorted, his eyes having a dark glint.

Aurianna sighed, giving him a solemn look before shaking her head. "You underestimate King Girsal’s strength. Facing him would be your demise; his strength is exceptional."

"Did Vatium share these doubts with you? Does he genuinely question my abilities?" Ostusi’s expression furrowed.

"Let’s not indulge in foolish thoughts. Vatium’s intentions are to safeguard you," Aurianna explained.

"Are there more factors contributing to the downfall of my plan?" Ostusi inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Absolutely. Transportation is an issue, I believe. You infiltrated the High Land alone, and considering you couldn’t station individuals outside of Sandeph due to security measures, you’re isolated. How did you intend to safely transport over 2,000 demons?" Aurianna challenged, her gaze fixed on him with a glare.

Ostusi’s brow furrowed as he met Aurianna’s gaze. ’She’s making valid points,’ he realized with a touch of unease, ’I hadn’t accounted for these factors.’

"The last two issues with your plan lie in your lack of effective measures to disable the explosive collars," Aurianna declared solemnly, her finger gesturing toward her own neck.

"I’ve addressed that," Ostusi retorted.

A raised eyebrow met his claim. "And how successful has that been?" Aurianna inquired, her expression skeptical.

Ostusi’s gaze faltered, a frustrated sound escaping him. He found himself struggling to meet her gaze directly.

"See, not as effective as you’d hoped. Furthermore, not all enslaved demons reside above Sandeph," Aurianna pointed out.

"What do you mean?" Ostusi probed.

A casual tone enveloped her response. "Sandeph has an undisclosed underground city, a secretive place where enslaved demons are subjected to experimentation."

"An underground city? I’m not familiar with such knowledge. Where did you come across this information?" Ostusi inquired.

"I have my sources, and it’s not necessary for me to disclose how I obtained it," Aurianna replied with a hint of mystery.

Ostusi’s apprehension tugged at him, urging him to probe further, but the recollection of the unseen presence beside Aurianna deterred him from pursuing the matter.

"How then can I locate this underground city?" Ostusi questioned, the uncertainty evident in his voice.

"Currently, there’s no straightforward means for either of us to access it," Aurianna admitted, pausing momentarily before adding, "but..." She engaged in a telepathic exchange with Eva. "How do we access the underground city?"

Eva’s response echoed in Aurianna’s mind, brimming with pride. "All the existing magical gateways are fortified with identity confirmation spells, rendering entry nearly impossible. But, luckily, I’ve got a solution for you! Just in case you were interested, I established my own teleportation point there."

"Can we make use of it, Eva? There’s something I wish to investigate below," Aurianna inquired.

Eva regarded her skeptically before agreeing, "Considering your polite request, I don’t mind lending a hand. Stand with Ostusi in the center of the room."