Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

"Damn. Color me impressed."

Eren said to Kayara as she confidently stepped out of the inspection circle of Demondeath located near its entrance.

He had to say that he was a bit skeptical when it came to entering Demondeath with a witch in tow.

But it turned out he was worrying in vain. Kayara was a witch in hiding and as such prepared for events like these. She had been acting as one of the Ishgaar's Templars for a long time without anyone noticing her origins.

The Rankers and Conjurers shared similar Paths to Power for the most part. Where Rankers focused on their Elemental Attainments to make their spells or Skills come to life, the Conjurers used summoned demons and demonic energies that they conjured from the infernal plains to manifest their powers.

As such, it was very easy for the Rankers to act as the Conjurers and vice versa using the right medium and tools. Kayara had these tools in her possession, which allowed her to be seen as a normal Ranker. She was seen as an A-Ranked Grand Knight when she was allowed entry inside Demondeath.

Of course, it also meant that the auburn-haired witch couldn't use Hex magic which was largely dependent upon her original Path as a Conjurer. She was cut off from wielding demon magic for the most part, save a few Skills from Asmodeus' Skill Tree.

And to access her previous powers to perfection, she would need to get rid of the facade that made her a Grand Knight. Incidentally, she also needed to spend a fix amount of Menaka's Runes intermittently in order to retain her access to the demonic Skill Tree.

Kayara had signed a Faustian Contract with a Lust demon but it had been forcefully slumbering deep within her. This meant that she couldn't switch between being a Grand Knight and her original status as an Arcane Sorceress on the fly.

One had to say that the demonic faction was hell bent on the order established by the Great Mother in Labh Salem. As such, it had started creating pawns like Kayara before making them enter enemy territories. These efforts had been nearly doubled ever since the demonic entities predicted that the Hvergelmir Springs was about to appear in Labh Salem.

Challenging times loomed over Labh Salem, demanding heightened security measures for Demondeath. The city administration meticulously scrutinized every individual before granting entry. As Kayara successfully navigated the security check, Eren metaphorically wiped away a sense of relief from his brow.

"Hehe. you don't need to worry about me," Kayara responded to Eren with a smile on her face. "Rather, is it always this crowded here in Demondeath?" the auburn-haired witch asked as she looked around.

"I don't think so," Eren replied as he followed Kayara's gaze. "This outpour of people is mostly due to the upcoming selection exam of the Kaaysaayan's Demon Slayer Corps. The Practitioners are coming from all across the empire to try their luck here. You were supposed to join the Corps with me. You weren't aware of this selection process?"

"Well, that was obviously a lie I crafted to get close to you, Eren. I had no plans of joining the Demon Slayers Corps," Kayara smiled bitterly as she looked at him. As much as she was confident in her abilities to not expose herself as a witch, she didn't want to take any chances.

Plus, entering such an organization was like her playing with fire. Only someone like Eren could take such risks without being worried about any potential consequences. After all, Eren didn't need to sign Faustian Contracts with demons anymore. He was someone who would make others sign them for him. There was no security measure in place that could detect someone like him prowling on the streets of Demondeath.

"I didn't think I would have to come to Demondeath at all," Kayara added while taking a deep breath. "You should have been under my control long before you even made it here according to my original plan," she replied honestly.

Eren chuckled when he heard Kayara's original plan. He had to say that the auburn-haired woman was well-prepared for her operation. Things would have been a lot different for him if he hadn't advanced his demi-god powers.

"Have you come prepared for the test? Don't you have to register yourself as a candidate first?" Kayara asked as she saw Knights, Grand Knights, and other Practitioners of Paths heading in a particular direction.

"No need to worry. I've got this," Eren retrieved the Recommendation Token from his Inventory, a gift from Archpriest Jivem in Brol. With this token, he effortlessly bypassed the queue at the city entrance, avoiding the usual inspection process. He intended to leverage the token during the selection process as well, allowing him to skip background checks and preliminary rounds.

Seeing Kayara's apprehension, Eren, strolling casually away from the city entrance, reassured her, "No need to put on a brave face. I understand the stress you have due to your origins. But I have a solution. I can extract the Lust demon within you and nullify your Faustian Contract. You can remain a Ranker for as long as you desire without any concerns," he promised, putting an end to Kayara's internal anxieties.

Curiosity tugged at Kayara, urging her to inquire about Eren's true identity and how he possessed the ability to cancel Faustian Contracts without limitations. She hesitated but ultimately decided not to pry. Hoping that Eren wouldn't view her merely as a pawn in his schemes, she resigned her hopes tied to the divine and demonic factions and embraced the prospect of aligning with this enigmatic newcomer.

A man who had his own faction. A new faction that was neither divine nor demonic but something else entirely.

The duo started exploring Demondeath together. The city's vibrancy was mirrored in the faces of its denizens – a mosaic of people belonging to different backgrounds, each contributing to the prosperity of Demondeath. Merchants peddled wares imbued with magical properties, while scholars engaged in animated discussions about the latest developments in magical theory.

Eren and Kayara, amidst the kaleidoscope of urban wonders, navigated the city with a sense of awe. The bustling streets and enchanting sights painted a vivid portrait of a city where magic wasn't merely a tool but an integral part of daily life, interwoven with the very fabric of Demondeath's existence.