I Will Save You No Matter What!
The saying that the world can flip upside down in an instant. She had never truly believed those words before, but right now, nothing described her situation better.
High Priestess Aileen, returning home after a week-long business trip. Yet at this very moment… she felt none of her usual composure or relief at being back. Instead, she broke into a frantic sprint toward her house.
While she had been away, a sudden attack by the demon race had struck Thebes. The warehouse district that stored the city’s supplies had been reduced to complete ashes, and countless people had been slaughtered in the process.
From Aileen’s perspective—someone who had spent nothing but happy, fulfilling days here in Thebes with her beloved Torare—this news hit like a bolt from a clear blue sky. Gripped by the fear that the man she loved might have been caught up in the disaster, she shoved her way through the crowds, desperate to confirm his safety as quickly as possible.
But the moment she arrived…
The scene that met her eyes plunged Aileen into utter despair.
It was the sight of her once-cozy home, now burned to a crisp and completely destroyed. More than half the walls had been blown away, and not a single piece of furniture remained intact among the charred and shattered remains. On the floor lay what appeared to be the bloody remnants of someone’s organs and entrails.
Staring at those horrific sights, a single cruel truth rose naturally in Aileen’s mind—the very reality she had desperately tried not to imagine.
She did everything she could to deny the situation with her words, struggling desperately to cling to any shred of hope. But the more she investigated, the more that fragile hope was crushed beneath the cold, merciless weight of reality.
Her house had been thoroughly destroyed, just like every other building in the area. The gruesome remains scattered across the floor made it painfully clear that someone had been killed here. And since no one but Torare should have been inside before she returned, there was no need to guess whose body that had been.
Despite her repeated efforts, the despair only grew heavier. Aileen’s heart shattered as she collapsed on the spot, tears streaming down her face.
The heartbreaking death of the lover she had shared her heart with. Drowning in the swamp of unbearable grief it brought, Aileen lost all hope and willpower.
That was when…
“….!”
The casual conversation drifting from behind her. The moment Aileen heard it, something lit up inside her mind like a sudden spark.
Kidnapped…? Lord Torare? He’s not dead?
Logically, it was hard to believe given the overall circumstances. Still, she shot to her feet and rushed over to the people talking, her voice urgent.
The residents looked slightly flustered at being addressed by the High Priestess, but they explained the situation anyway. According to their testimony, during the fire last night, they had seen someone—whether a demon or not, they couldn’t be sure—throw Torare, the owner of the house, over their shoulder and disappear with him.
At Aileen’s desperate plea, the people dug through their memories as best they could to answer her. As she listened, a deep flush of color returned to her face, which had been filled with nothing but fearful expectation.
There’s no mistake… If what they’re saying is true, the person taken must have been Lord Torare. He’s still alive. He’s alive!
Having regained the hope she thought she had lost, Aileen felt genuine joy bloom inside her. At the same time, the despair that had filled her heart transformed into a burning determination to rescue Torare—to take back the man who had been captured by the demons.
Those filthy demon scum… I never imagined they would interfere with my love again like this. But just you wait. This Aileen will personally deliver your punishment soon enough.
The moment she made up her mind, Aileen released her holy power. She then used her abilities to detect the powerful magical energy currently near Torare—or more precisely, the one possessing immense magical power in the area.
Anyone capable of producing this much firepower is clearly no ordinary opponent. But finding someone like that won’t be difficult for me!
The powerful presence her detection net had caught was currently paused about two days’ travel north of here. Sensing the trace, Aileen’s eyes gleamed.
Perfect, I found him… At this distance, tracking him should be manageable!
Having pinpointed the enemy’s location with magic, Aileen immediately began preparing to head toward the place where the ‘demon’ was staying. She would have preferred to rush there alone as fast as possible, but with confirmed reports that the demons numbered more than just one or two, going by herself would be foolish.
Instead, she hurriedly gathered her direct subordinates and the soldiers who had been investigating the incident, forming an extermination squad as quickly as she could. Officially, it was to exact revenge on the demons responsible for this atrocity. But in Aileen’s heart, the true purpose was far more important than revenge—it was to safely rescue Torare.
*
“Ugh….Ugh…”
Torare slowly opened his eyes, his head feeling like it was about to split open. The first thing he saw was her face looking down at him—Shude’s face, clear as day.
“Mmph! Mmph! Mmph!”
Shude spoke to him in a cold voice as he regained consciousness. Torare tried desperately to speak to her, but at that moment he couldn’t utter a single word he wanted to say. A gag was tightly fastened in his mouth. Not only that—his arms and legs were bound as well. The realization of his current situation hit Torare with overwhelming clarity.
Shude spoke calmly, her voice carrying a quiet rage. She set down the magic tome she had been holding, then slowly approached Torare with magical energy gathered at her fingertips.
Shude spoke with a voice steeped in madness. Seeing her half-crazed expression, her eyes devoid of light, Torare felt the most extreme terror he had ever experienced in his life.
And then…
The next moment, Shude pressed her magic-infused finger against Torare’s most precious place. The unimaginable agony that followed made him scream wildly despite the gag in his mouth. It felt as if his manhood were being seared with a red-hot iron—excruciating, unbearable torment.
Watching him writhe in pain, Shude smiled coldly and said,
Shude wore a terrifyingly bright smile as she delivered those horrifying words. Realizing just how nightmarish his situation had become, Torare let out a despairing wail.
At that moment…
-BOOOOOOM!!!
A sudden, deafening explosion rang out. Shude clicked her tongue softly and immediately began gathering magical power throughout her body.
The very next instant, someone violently smashed through the door of the room she was in. The moment she saw the intruder’s face, Shude spoke in a freezing voice.