Vol 2. Chapter 36: In the Name of Fasylis

“All students who have turned into Demon God Pillar familiars... are to be exterminated. Let them rest in peace.”

“They died the moment the virus broke out. Their souls were already gone, and their bodies have since been controlled by the twisted will of the Demon God Pillar—used to slaughter and torment more of our own people.”

“This is... the final dignity we can offer them.”

“A proper human funeral.” Milian lowered her head as she spoke, falling silent.

Vinny stared at the blood-red altar floating in the distant sky, expressionless, offering no response to Milian’s words.

“...Then how are we handling this?” He finally spoke after a long pause, his voice so low that even the wind could drown it out.

“The headmaster isn’t present at the Academy right now. So, the decision falls entirely to the vice headmaster.”

“The administration has decided—the vice headmaster will activate the amplification array left behind by Carillian Academy’s founder and use high-tier magic to annihilate Bronze Blood’s altar.”

“And the core of that blood altar... is those students, the ones now turned into Demon God Pillar familiars.” Milian’s meaning couldn’t have been clearer. Even as Student Council President and First Princess of the Kingdom of Camella, she couldn’t openly oppose Carillian Academy’s leadership.

Even if she felt the plan was flawed, there simply weren’t better options. Every second of delay only placed more lives at risk.

It had come to this—minimizing losses was all they could do.

As much as she hated to admit it, the emergency research results were clear. The students’ current physical signatures were no different from the Demon God Pillar’s familiars.

The real them... had died long ago. Their bodies were mere vessels, puppeted by the Demon God’s familiars.

Just like those Demon God Pillar cultists she and Milian had encountered in the past—the moment they drank the potion, they ceased to be human.

And yet... this still felt fundamentally different.

Vinny’s gaze locked onto the faint outline of the blood-red altar as it gradually solidified, saying nothing.

“Let’s go, Vinny. I’ll take you to the Academy’s shelter. I came here to find the students who didn’t make it to safety yet.”

Vinny remained silent, neither moving nor responding.

“...Vinny?” Milian hesitated for a moment, calling out to him.

“...Is this really the only way?” Vinny clenched his fists, still facing away from her.

“...Vinny, you’ve seen what happens to people who drink Bronze Blood’s potions. From the moment they ingest it, they’re no longer human. There’s no reversing that process—it’s like time itself, impossible to turn back, even for someone like you, blessed with the blood of the Saintess Angel.” Milian’s gaze lowered.

“So we’re... just giving up on them? They did nothing wrong. They’re paying the price for our negligence.” Vinny ignored her invitation to the shelter.

If he went to the shelter now, he could be like every other student—waiting for the higher-ups to handle things.

“...Vinny?” Milian could tell—his tone wasn’t his usual self.

In fact... it sounded more like—

“I don’t want to either, but all we can do now is protect the remaining students and the Academy. We can’t let the Demon God Pillar’s schemes succeed. If they do, it’ll be a disaster for all of humanity.” Milian’s voice was heavy with reluctant resignation. The records on alchemical potions were clear: once someone ingests the Demon God’s transformation formula, they’re reborn as a familiar of the Demon God Pillar—no different from if they’d been born that way. There was no coming back.

“Maybe... it’s not completely hopeless?” Vinny whispered under his breath.

“Hope...?” Milian blinked, confused at first, but as she processed his words and tone, her gemstone-like eyes sharpened.

“Vinny... don’t tell me—?”

Vinny didn’t answer, only confirming her fears.

“But if you do that... the risk of exposure is too high.” Milian couldn’t hold back.

Becoming Vanessa in public was already risky enough. If he revealed her Soul Armament and Divine Favor in front of everyone, his bloodline as a descendant of Fasylis would be exposed.

Not all the students had made it to the shelters. Many upperclassmen had stayed behind, rallying their close friends to fight against the familiars.

Some first-years had instinctively hidden in their dorms—their “home” felt like the safest place.

The shelters provided a clear view of what was happening across the Academy.

And Carillian Academy was filled with students from Church of Radiance families. If they saw Vanessa unleash Divine Favor, they’d recognize her identity immediately.

From there, things would spiral out of control.

A letter had recently arrived from the royal capital of Camella—from her own father, the king. It had been delayed due to travel logistics, but the letter warned her to be cautious around high-ranking clergy, especially those at the heart of the Church.

It confirmed Milian’s suspicions—there was something rotten within the Radiant Church.

Vanessa had warned her already: the Church’s current leadership wanted no part of a true descendant of Fasylis awakening. Her existence threatened their authority, casting them as frauds and villains.

It was likely they were behind Vinny’s tarnished reputation too.

If that proved true, the Radiant Church’s leadership would become public enemies.

Milian didn’t want to assume the worst, but she couldn’t ignore the risks to her childhood friend.

Even if they didn’t know Vinny was the descendant, knowing the heir of Fasylis was at Carillian Academy would be a nightmare.

With so many church-affiliated students acting as the Church’s eyes, nothing happening here would escape them.

If he exposed his powers publicly, the Church would know.

Vinny’s safety... Milian didn’t dare imagine the consequences.

“Vinny, even if you turn into Vanessa, even with Fasylis’s power, you can’t turn those familiars back into humans. It’s unprecedented—there’s no proof you can do it. And...”

“And I’ll be risking everything, right?” Vinny’s dark clothes fluttered as he leaned on a pillar, his eyes lifting slightly.

After a long silence, he sighed.

“Yeah... I could’ve just ignored all this, right? What a pain in the ass bloodline...”

The breeze tousled his hair—and Milian’s behind him.

A dazzling, holy light bloomed around him like petals from heaven itself. Milian instinctively shielded her eyes.

When she looked again, countless pure, soft feathers floated on the wind, brushing past her hair and shoulders.

“Vanessa...” Milian called softly to the pink-haired girl standing before her, reaching out. Beneath the ink-black sky, the girl resembled a descended angel—beautiful yet untouchable.

“Reversing the Demon God Pillar’s corruption is nearly impossible,” Vanessa pressed her palms together, her delicate lashes fluttering open.

“But as long as there’s even a sliver of hope, I have to try.”

“If I have the power to save them... and I stand by doing nothing... how am I any different from the ones who killed them?”

“How am I any different from the cultists of the Demon God Pillar?” Her voice was filled with compassion—but unwavering in its resolve.

“Vanessa...” Milian stared at the holy, immaculate girl before her.

Suddenly, she recalled a passage from a sacred text in the Radiant Church’s archives—a note left behind by a revered Pope.

Pope Alfonso Haukkai—the famed elder who served two generations of Saintesses, presided over the funeral of the previous Saintess, and raised the young Saintess himself.

He had been closer to the Saintess line than anyone.

In his final days, he penned this line:

“The descendants of the Goddess Fasylis may have their little flaws, but without question, they are true Saintesses—worthy of Fasylis’s name.”

As Milian stared at Vanessa’s back, she understood.

No matter how much Vanessa denied it, no matter how much she rejected the Saintess’s duties, some things flowed in the blood and couldn’t be changed.

Why were the Fasylis heirs eternally revered? Why were they always acknowledged as Saintesses?

Not just because they carried divine blood.

After all—if a Saintess didn’t love the people, how could she earn their love?

Each Saintess in history had their flaws—but when it came to the qualities of a Saintess, they were without equal.

From Elusa, to Selina, to the pink-haired girl before her now.

History showed—Demon Kings often fell by a Saintess’s hand, but Saintesses most commonly died fighting the Demon Race or sacrificing themselves to save others.

The heirs of Fasylis... never ran from responsibility. Never ignored a plea for help. Never bowed to the Demon God Pillar.

Even if fulfilling their duty meant sacrificing themselves.

Virtue +200

Current Virtue: 524

She had just tried to stop such a girl from doing what was right.

Milian understood now.

What was she even hesitating for? Upholding justice and helping Vanessa weren’t contradictory—they were one and the same.

She had to support her—completely.

“I understand now, Vanessa. Do what you must.” Milian nodded. “How can I help?”

If it were anyone else, Milian wouldn’t believe in success. But with Vanessa... she felt hope.

“Milian... can you buy me some time?” Vanessa turned, her voice gentle. “Also, in the Radiant Sanctum, Aesphyra is fighting a Fanatic. If there are battle instructors available, send them to help her.”

“A Fanatic? Alone?” Milian froze. She knew how terrifying Fanatics were—she’d just fought one alongside battle instructors herself.

“Don’t worry too much. Aesphyra still has the upper hand,” Vanessa smiled.

“...Understood.”

“Thank you, Milian.” Vanessa offered a soft smile as a pair of immaculate angel wings unfurled from her back.

The next moment, the girl vanished from the rooftop, launching skyward like a beam of light, soaring beneath the moon.

At the same time, the upperclassmen fighting the Demon God Pillar cultists looked up—captivated by the radiant figure ascending from the cathedral, her snow-white angel wings glowing under the moonlight.

Their eyes widened in shock.

Only as the figure swept overhead did they react.

“What... was that?”

“The Goddess! It’s the Goddess! No—the Saintess! The Goddess and the Saintess have descended!!” someone shouted, leaving everyone stunned.

“No way...”

“How not?! Pink hair, pink eyes, angel wings! What else could it be?!” A student with Church ties snapped back, brimming with fervor.

“It’s real! I saw her too! The Goddess descended!”

“Praise the Goddess!!”

“Everyone, hold on! The Radiant Goddess has come to save us!”

“Is that... Saintess Selina?!”

“But... why only one pair of wings? What’s going on?!” some still questioned.