The Pussy Hides Its Power
"Syr, go! You can't let it get away!"
Thanks to Glova shoving her out of the way, Syr avoided disaster, but the sight of his condition made her swallow hard.
"V-Vice Captain... your arm...!!"
Glova, now cloaked in blue starlight in Syr's place, was no longer in any shape to fight. Everything below his elbow was gone. The arm that remained was twisted like a wrung-out rag. His thigh, face, and shoulder exposed to the light... half his body was a mangled ruin, the defensive power of his armor utterly surpassed by that destructive radiance. Just like severe burns.
"Ngh..."
Glova dropped to one knee. Syr rushed over, pressing on his shoulder to staunch the bleeding as her hands trembled. Tears spilled endlessly from her pretty eyes.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry... Vice Captain... this is all because of me!"
"...It's not your fault."
"I teased you about your level... I'm sorry...... Waaah..."
"......"
"A clueless rookie like me.... Hic... sob..."
Glova never imagined he'd find himself smiling in a situation like this. It must have been because this cute girl empathizing with his pain and crying for him was so endearing.
"White Flame Knights! Follow Syr and complete the mission. The little one's the main body!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Syr, let's move."
"But, Senior... we can't just leave the Vice Captain..."
"Didn't Glova Vice Captain just say to follow you? If we hesitate, the whole knight order gets pinned down."
"......"
Syr stared blankly at the dark passage where the blue starlight had shot out. Boni Peyuri, former vice captain of the Seongyul Knights, stepped forward.
"We'll check that way. We've got a hunch."
"...Please take care of the Vice Captain's treatment too."
"...Staunching the bleeding, at least."
Healing required light magic. The followers of the Star God couldn't wield such power, and neither could Boni Peyuri, once their vice captain. Of course, even a priestess of Ilessia who could use light magic... Boni knew it would take a saintess to get Glova back on his feet right now.
Glova's done for now. We have to resolve this ourselves.
Syr and the White Flame Knights pursued the Tentacle Monster. Boni and the Seongyul Knights hurried in the opposite direction, toward where the blue starlight had been fired.
One of the Star God's followers asked in a worried voice.
"Th-that attack just now......"
The words no one could finish hung in the air, guessed by everyone present. Who had unleashed that overwhelming light that shook the sewer pipes.
There were only a handful in the entire kingdom who could wield starlight of that magnitude.
Captain Riana. And...... Tia.
"Vice Captain Tia was once captured by a tentacle-type monster," Boni began abruptly.
"You've probably heard stories of women who commune with monsters, only to turn on them and get attacked instead."
"No way, Vice Captain Tia... with that Tentacle Monster...?"
"She might have been broken long ago."
If so, Boni Peyuri couldn't escape responsibility for this disaster. There had been countless chances to sneak in and kill Tia—while she showered, ate, slept. But she hadn't.
Lack of resolve? No... No one here had noticed the signs the captain had read.
Before the Seongyul Knights entered the sewers...... Combat broke out first in Team B with Jonah and Lyr. The vibrations and noise from Lyr shattering the first shell reached everyone. At that point, Glova split Team A, sending Syr as reinforcements while moving to find the Tentacle Monster's main body... and Tia, waiting on the surface, gave orders too.
"Boni, take the knights and support Team B."
"And you, Vice Captain?"
"I'll take another route."
"...Another route?"
It wasn't tactically odd for the strongest vice captain to move separately, but that smile earlier nagged at Boni.
"The enemy has influence throughout the sewers. Hiding the entrance right as Team A entered is proof."
The knights murmured.
"Then if we go in too..."
"We'll be trapped?"
"Don't worry. It's only until the monster's dealt with. To pierce its guard, we need an unexpected route this time."
"Then I'll go with you."
Tia shook her head.
"Boni, stick with the knights. Can't use Guardian Holy Arts in a filthy sewer, so we need sword users."
Boni shut her mouth, unable to argue further as Tia spoke smoothly.
Was it just my imagination...?
It was ridiculous in hindsight. Suspecting someone over a weird smile, like she'd kill for it. Maybe Captain Riana's paranoia was contagious...... But some things, no matter how trivial, left an unshakable unease.
Boni pulled aside the three she'd tasked with long-term surveillance.
"Tail Tia. Take action if she acts suspicious."
"Yes, ma'am."
...Boni wanted to shake off this filthy suspicion quickly. Perfect chance. She'd act decisively, even if disciplined. If Tia flew into a rage and decked her, it'd ease her mind.
Prove me wrong, Vice Captain.
Confirm the suspicion, bow, and apologize. With resolve, Boni led the rest into the sewers. Meeting Syr and confirming the enemy was a tentacle type amplified her groundless anxiety. Time to uncover its source.
Tia emerged from the darkness.
"Eek...!"
The followers tailing Boni gasped, hands over mouths.
Three corpses lay around Tia...... Boni's surveillance team, already slain.
Tia wiped a splatter of blood from her cheek and turned to Boni with a beaming smile.
"Busted, huh? Boni. Captain's orders?"
"...Yeah."
"Cold Boni making that face... Must've been a shock."
"I hoped it wasn't true. Really... I liked you."
"I like you too."
"Shut up."
Boni's shoulders trembled.
"Don't talk with the mouth that killed your comrades."
"Comrades don't suspect each other."
"Kgh...!"
The moment her years-long secret was exposed.
Tia looked up at the light pouring from the manhole, savoring a feather-light relief. Because she'd always known Boni's friendship and camaraderie were genuine......
"Glad I don't have to pretend anymore."
"Why.... Why'd you do it?"
"They were in the way of saving my husband. So I killed them."
"......"
"......"
Boni sighed. This woman was already mad...... A massive wall loomed between them.
"Almost missed the shot. That would've been bad."
"So it was you? Aiming for Vice Captain Glova..."
"Busted on that too."
Tia looked down and let out a soft sigh.
"I shot to kill."
"Not even pretending now?"
"I've met my husband. I'm going back to him. Thanks for everything."
"......Seongyul Knights! Surround her!"
Who the Seongyul Knights obeyed was now clear. Twelve knights drew holy swords, encircling Tia. A hum rose as blue starlight formed blades, emitting pale glows.
"Sorry, but that wish won't come true."
"Forgive us, Vice Captain Tia."
"Snap out of it now.... Please...!"
"We're human! We can't mate with monsters!"
In a situation where the knights could shred her beyond recognition with holy swords in a second if they committed.
Tia smiled. The smile Boni had seen.
"That's what you think. Poor things...... You've never awakened to true happiness."
"...Tia."
"I'm an apostle of love. I'll help you learn true love."
"Don't resist."
We have no choice but to kill you. Boni drew her holy sword and stood before Tia.
"You know our levels well. Everyone here is over 400."
"Boni, weren't you 700?"
"800."
"......"
"We know you're over 900, but after that Divine Bow and fighting three at once... you're worn out."
No matter how sincerely Tia believed she could be a monster's bride.
Aiming a blade at a comrade she'd shared meals with for years wasn't easy. Boni's heart felt torn.
"Please don't resist. I don't want to kill you."
Swish.
Tia slipped a hand into her clothes.
"Freeze! Don't move."
"Levels are so easy to check these days. That's why, maybe."
Tia peeled off black tape stickers from her wrists, ankles, and waist.
"You can buy handy tools like this at any general store now. Just 6 silver."
"......?"
Several knights wavered visibly. Boni was merely puzzled.
"...What's going on?"
"It's level-hiding gear, Vice Captain Boni."
"What?"
Level scanners had commercialized quickly. But if levels were easy to read, people wanted to hide them. Once levels became sensitive privacy, these hit the market.
But why reveal it now? Boni needed time to process.
In a knight order where specs equaled influence... hiding her level? While surpassing former vice captain Boni Peyuri?
Level concealment bracelets made even civilians under 20 look that way with one. If worn on all limbs...
Boni hurriedly rescanned Tia's level.
"Calling me Vice Captain? I'm former...... Already fired?"
"......"
Why had she thought she could take her if she tried? Why assume her growth stayed within expectations?
If this woman had been mad from the start...... Everything would have been abnormal.
Boni gripped her holy sword tight and shouted.
"Don't panic! Level gap doesn't matter. We outnumber her—overwhelm and subdue!"
"Impressive as always, Boni."
Tia laughed mockingly at the terrified knights.
"Always so cool-headed... Seemingly aloof but caring for those around you......"
"Appealing to emotions now...!"
"Big tits too... Pretty face. The Tentacle Monster will love you."
"Ugh.... Crazy...!"
A holy sword formed in Tia's hand. Its light outshone what everyone here combined could muster.
Then a gate opened behind her, thick, mindless tentacles poking out.
"I won't kill you. You all need to know His love too."
Demon god...!!
Boni squeezed her eyes shut.
The captain was right. This woman's a witch serving an evil demon god...!
She had to stop her, stakes of life. Couldn't let this woman...... meet the Tentacle Monster!
"Attack!"
The twelve knights charged at Tia one after another, as if pushed.