One Week Before Crushing the Noob Basher - Repeldown Fortress
“That demon—wasn’t taken by the Demon King?”
“He left her behind.”
Once the cleanup was somewhat finished, the Windsor Knights gathered around the trembling Liliana, chatting idly.
“……I’ll dispose of her for now.”
Beatrice wrapped Liliana in her Light Blessing, preparing to eliminate her. But at that moment, Sisilia blocked the way.
“……Vice-Captain Sisilia?”
“I’ll tame this demon and make use of her.”
Sisilia stood firmly in front of Liliana as she said it. It wasn’t just about lust. This was an executioner who’d killed at least 200,000 in the Empire, and she hadn’t dealt with the demon of time, Freya, either.
Honestly, Beatrice couldn’t understand Sisilia at all. In the world where Beatrice had been born and raised, hell existed. And that hell was created solely by demons.
Demons were enemies. They could never be allies.
The problem was that Sisilia knew this better than anyone. She didn’t even treat demons as living beings.
“……I have no intention of defying the vice-captain’s orders. But as your adjutant, I’d like to know what you’re thinking.”
On the returning train, Beatrice finally mustered the courage to ask.
Sisilia swallowed a bite of baguette and gazed out the window.
“Things turned out different from expected.”
“……Expected?”
“The demons’ forces are stronger than I thought. Even what’s visible is troubling enough—if they’re hiding more, it’ll be a real problem.”
Sisilia, usually so playful, seemed utterly serious in that moment.
“So—I decided to borrow some power from the demons to make up the shortfall. This should balance things out.”
……Sorry, Sisilia. I don’t get it.
Beatrice wasn’t clever enough to grasp the ‘true sincerity’ Sisilia had briefly revealed. So she decided not to think about it. Sisilia would handle it herself.
But lately, doubts kept creeping in. Borrowing power from demons meant they could be useful.
……That didn’t feel right.
“Y-you human. Remember this! I’m just letting you off for now. Once my seal is released, I’ll fuck you over!”
Beatrice slumped her shoulders.
“That last part sounds a bit off.”
In the Windsor Knights’ vice-captain’s office, Liliana growled with a collar around her neck. It wasn’t much of a threat. Though a powerful demon, she couldn’t use any strength without Sisilia’s permission.
A pet demon, literally.
The issue was that she drooled and wilted in front of Sisilia, but turned into a tyrant around Beatrice.
“Tremble in fear, human! ……S-so, therefore, Lady Liliana won’t do anything.”
Liliana glanced at Beatrice’s expression and hid behind Freya.
As Beatrice raised her fist and trembled, a stack of documents appeared on her desk.
“Here.”
“Ah, th-thank you.”
Beatrice glanced at Freya, whose eyes were like pure white snow.
If Liliana was a troublemaker, Freya was the model demon. Surprisingly, this legion commander-level powerhouse was remarkably obedient.
And moreover……
“Human organizations have so many structural flaws. I’ve made some reasonable edits—check them.”
She was competent, too. As if to prove legion commanders weren’t appointed lightly, her document processing skills astonished even Edward’s adjutant.
And being a demon, she didn’t sleep. No rest needed.
Humans depleted mental energy using their brains, but demons lacked the concept entirely.
Doesn’t sleep, doesn’t rest…… Very demonic. Well, even without that, you can tell she’s a demon at a glance.
Setting aside her excessively pale skin for a human and those transparent pupils—every time Beatrice saw Freya, she couldn’t shake the thought of a ‘demon that shouldn’t exist.’
Liliana was powerful, but Freya’s presence was on another level. Even sealed and powerless, Beatrice couldn’t bring herself to treat her roughly.
How did Sisilia subdue such mighty demons?
It was a hot topic among the Windsors lately. How had Sisilia tamed beings like that? She’d just been promoted to Sword Emperor, but that realm surely wasn’t enough for legion commanders.
—The demon of time has somewhat lower direct combat prowess, Sisilia had said. But Beatrice still thought Freya looked overwhelmingly strong. More than any demon.
“Human.”
“Yes? Yep.”
“Why must these documents go to the knight order captain?”
“……Because we’re directly under Vice-Captain Sisilia…?”
“No, that’s not what I mean.”
Freya stared straight at Beatrice.
“I mean, why isn’t the human with final authority Sisilia?”
She seems genuinely clueless……
Beatrice pondered how to explain.
“Well, humans don’t decide everything by strength alone, unlike demons.”
Freya furrowed her delicate brow.
“I know that much. Humans love making petty rules and following them.”
Freya grimaced quietly.
“But the Windsor Knights should be all about strength. What I mean is—why isn’t Sisilia the final authority in the Windsor Knights? I naturally assumed she pulled all the strings.”
Beatrice blinked.
“Because the captain’s stronger……?”
Freya tilted her head.
“……What are you talking about?”
“Captain Edward is currently the strongest in the Windsor Knights. And for budgets, it’s inefficient, but unavoidable. There’s a deep, sad story behind it.”
Beatrice paused mid-sentence. Freya’s presence felt off. Like she’d heard something she shouldn’t—as if deeply displeased.
“Are you mocking me? Even with my power restricted, my eyes haven’t changed. No human stronger than Sisilia exists in the human realm.”
Freya’s white eyes fixed on Beatrice. For a moment, Beatrice felt trapped in those pupils.
No one stronger than Sisilia…?
Impossible. Sisilia had just been promoted to Sword Emperor. The Windsors joked she should’ve gotten it ages ago. But none claimed she’d reached Sword Sovereign.
Sisilia was remarkable. But from Sword Sovereign onward—the caliber was different. Even newly ascended Edward could level a city effortlessly.
A legion commander couldn’t misjudge…… right?
Doubt flickered in Beatrice’s mind. Legion commander demon. Windsor Knights captain. At best, equals?
……Honestly, Beatrice thought Freya was stronger. Even stripped of power, her gaze was unbearable for long.
Then, could it be?
Sisilia’s stronger than the captain?
Beatrice’s pupils quivered faintly. She’d never considered it, but now it made sense. Sisilia hid her strength.
If true—
Why?
“This is the house you two will share.”
After finishing her talk with the queen, Sisilia introduced Freya and Liliana to their quarters.
It was none other than Sisilia’s bedroom.
“N-nice bed. M-m-master.”
“Odd.”
Sisilia glanced at the fidgeting Liliana.
“All a puppy can say is ‘yes’ or ‘woof.’”
“W-woof!”
Liliana barked like a dog on cue. Sisilia nodded contentedly and pointed to a corner.
Two doghouses sat there. Adorably designed.
A bit wasteful for them, but I can’t keep them too far from me.
“And this is my bed. You weren’t planning to share, were you?”
Liliana paled in shock. Who was she? Second strongest among the great seven deadly sins—lust itself. Top ten in the demon world hierarchy. Demons trembled at her near the Demon King’s castle.
Yet this human expected her to eat and sleep in a doghouse? Such humiliation—
“Woof woof!”
Liliana happily accepted and curled up inside.
“Should I do that from now on too?”
Freya touched her still-awkward bob cut.
Sisilia smiled brightly.
“You can cover the toilet, so special treatment. Normal speech is fine.”
“……Okay.”
Freya seemed a bit disappointed(?).
Sisilia tugged lightly on Freya’s collar.
“Obey well, and I’ll make sure you’re fed properly.”
Freya touched her tightening collar, breath quickening slightly. She covered her reddening face and turned away.
“……Okay.”
Sisilia perched on the bed, looking at Freya.
“The three great beasts, Nameless. Know anything?”
“The one without a name?”
Sisilia nodded, and Freya explained simply.
“Not much info to share. Nameless is just a creation abandoned by the goddess.”
Entity Name: Nameless
Freya’s explanation went like this.
Nameless vehemently denied its own existence. A massive rage toward itself for being abandoned by the goddess. And seething hatred toward whoever shouldn’t have created it if they’d discard it.
The goddess didn’t tolerate the rebellion of ‘Nameless’ and erased its soul. But the body remained intact, infused with powerful grudge—it sought and killed anyone who uttered ‘its true name,’ wherever they were.
That was ‘Nameless,’ alias Mu-myeong.
“Never repeat the name I’m about to write, even in your mind. The moment you think it, even briefly, ‘he’ will come.”
Freya wrote ‘Nameless’s true name on a slip of paper and handed it over.
“You can manage that much, can’t you, otherworldly being?”
In short, ‘Nameless’ was far stronger than humans imagined. Freya called ‘him’ a demigod. Thus, attacks from lesser beings wouldn’t work. His very existence was so alien that blocking his strikes or evading death was impossible.
Invincibility frames. Instant-death moves galore. A headache. Her Majesty’s too much.
Normally, Sisilia would report this to Lydia and cancel the mission. But that would delay newbie-licking time with another task.
[Anyway, what a lame story. If you hate the goddess that much, go tell her yourself—why PK everyone who says your name?]
Bubble bubble.
Air bubbles drifted from Sisilia’s serene face. Very ugly fish around her widened their already huge eyes.
What the hell is this bitch??
This was 4,100 meters deep. The abyss.
[Noob bashers aren’t forgiven.]
Sisilia slowly raised her sword into the void. Closing her eyes briefly, pitiful fish got swept into a massive whirlpool.
Sisilia uttered his name.
[Uma-i.]
But as time passed with no appearance, Sisilia pulled out Freya’s paper with a pathetic look.
Confirming the name again, she said,
[Maui.]
Screeeeeeeeech!
A horrific shriek echoed as something enormous approached. Sisilia leisurely thrust her sword forward.
And invoked it.
Heaven-Breaking Powerless Sword—
The silent sword strike cleaved the abyss.
Nameless appeared—and vanished.