District Three, near the control tower.
After Emilia saw the floodwaters surge into the city and then be shut off almost immediately, the tension in her heart eased somewhat. She finally let out a small sigh of relief.
However, the danger caused in that single instant had been enormous. Quite a few citizens had been swept away on the spot. Buildings had been damaged, and some people had suffered minor injuries.
"Don't look outside. Otherwise, you'll get yourself into trouble."
Behind Emilia, Number 184, the blonde girl, gave her a cold reminder, hoping she would not do anything unnecessary.
"Why?"
Emilia withdrew her gaze and asked with slight confusion.
"Master prefers brides who care only about him and obey his orders. If they don't, he punishes his wives without mercy."
Number 184 explained, her eyes dim and tinged with fear.
"But those citizens are really suffering. I want to help them."
Emilia thought for a moment before speaking without hesitation.
"Heh, you're truly kind. But a few hours ago, most of them had already gone to the shelters. They likely escaped the flood. Only a small number were swept away."
Number 184 shared her thoughts in an attempt to reassure Emilia and help her stay calm.
"I see! Thank you!"
Emilia's words of gratitude instantly caused a subtle change to flicker across Number 184's previously expressionless face.
To trust her so easily... it was simply too strange.
"You aren't worried that I'm lying to you?" she asked doubtfully.
"Not at all. If you wanted to deceive me, you would have done so already. Since you're telling me all this, you must be speaking honestly. You mean I should try my best not to anger Regulus, right?"
Emilia's expression was firm, her natural warmth shining through. With just a faint smile, she melted a portion of the ice in Number 184's heart.
"Yes. Master hopes we act like decorative vases. We must not resist. Showing a cold expression occasionally is fine, but most of the time, we remain blank."
Number 184 explained carefully, fear filling her eyes.
Regulus had once had more than two hundred wives. However, his temperament was far too unstable. Whenever he grew angry, he would simply eliminate one. As a result, only a quarter of them remained now.
Number 184 was afraid that if Emilia acted on her own impulses, she would ultimately be killed by Regulus.
Just as Emilia and the blonde girl continued talking, a magical device in the nearby district began to broadcast.
"You insects hiding in the shadows dared to ambush me. So I had no choice but to release the water and teach you a lesson. Perhaps now you'll think twice before acting rashly."
Capella paused for a few seconds, then her tone suddenly turned sharp.
"Now, I will restate my demands. In addition to the Witch's remains, you will hand over the burned Book of Wisdom, the artificially created spirit, and you will hold the wedding ceremony with the silver-haired half-elf—without interference from anyone."
"Hahaha! If anyone dares to resist, I'll castrate this entire city."
Capella spoke with utter disdain, as if she did not take the matter seriously at all.
After hearing her conditions, Emilia's face filled with astonishment. She had not expected the situation to be so directly related to herself.
"So... I'm one of the conditions?"
Emilia was briefly stunned before her expression returned to normal.
"Yes. Master chose you long ago. The other Sin Archbishops wouldn't dare reject his proposal. A broadcast like this is only natural."
Number 184 spoke as she walked to a cabinet and retrieved a white dress. The other wardrobes contained wedding gowns, but it was not yet time to wear them.
"Here. Put on the dress first. When everything is ready, you'll change into the wedding gown."
She handed the dress over. Emilia accepted it, hesitation visible in her eyes.
"Anyone who acts recklessly without a proper plan is nothing but a fool."
Seeing that Emilia seemed deep in thought, Number 184 spoke softly, as if she understood what she was considering.
"You..."
Emilia looked at the blonde girl in surprise, pointing at her but unable to continue.
"Change your clothes."
Faced with Emilia's question, the blonde girl said nothing more.
At the same time, after regrouping with Priscilla, Shendu encountered Julius. Upon learning that the city hall had been reclaimed, she hurried back immediately.
As soon as she arrived at the grand hall, she noticed that the bloodstains in the square had already been cleaned up. The building itself had suffered damage, but it remained barely intact.
Just as she reached the entrance, Shendu saw Felix treating the wounded at remarkable speed. After finishing with one group, he noticed her return.
The moment Felix saw Shendu, the heaviness on his face eased slightly. He rushed over at once.
"Hehe, Miss Shendu, you're finally back. Thank you for closing the watergates in advance. Otherwise, the trouble would have been even greater, meow."
Felix looked at her gratefully, surprise in his eyes.
"It's nothing. How is everyone else?"
Shendu asked casually, wanting to understand the current situation.
"Lady Crusch suffered minor injuries. It seems they were sustained while fighting that eight-armed hero."
Felix explained briefly. Shendu nodded slightly.
Since her arrival in this world, certain events had already changed, gradually shaping into outcomes she wished to see.
"Miss Shendu, Lady Anastasia is waiting inside. She would like to speak with you in person."
As they talked, the canine mercenary captain, Ricardo, looked at Shendu politely and spoke in a serious tone.
"Very well. Felix, continue your work."
Shendu waved her hand in farewell and walked deeper inside.
Passing through the damaged front hall, she noticed craters of varying sizes scattered across the floor, along with numerous traces of battle. The fight here had clearly been fierce.
"Welcome back, Miss Shendu. Thanks to you resolving the trouble, we were able to proceed smoothly."
Anastasia greeted her with a smile the moment they met.
"It's nothing. Have you heard the conditions proposed by the Archbishop of Lust?"
Shendu narrowed her eyes and asked with a faint smile.
"I have. That's precisely why I waited here for you—to discuss our next course of action."
A trace of anger flashed across Anastasia's cute face as she stroked the fox-fur scarf around her neck, her gaze turning serious.
"Good. Lead the way. It's time to convene the meeting."
A mysterious glint flickered in Shendu's crimson eyes.
Inside the conference room, Anastasia spread out a map displaying the entire layout of Watergate City, including the locations of numerous shelters.
The dense markings offered a small measure of relief. With so many shelters, perhaps more people had survived.
"As you can see, there are many shelters, so civilian losses are not as severe as they could have been. However, the situation remains unfavorable."
Anastasia pointed at the map, her expression growing grave.
"Furthermore, the Authority of Sirius, the Archbishop of Wrath, is gradually influencing the emotions of the city's citizens. When Lady Shendu visited the shelters earlier, she likely noticed the effects seeping in."
Julius calmly relayed everything he knew, concern evident in his eyes.
"This is troublesome indeed. Of the four Sin Archbishops currently confirmed—Wrath, Greed, Gluttony, and Lust—the Witch Cult's primary leaders have essentially assembled."
Anastasia spoke coolly, clearly worried about the present circumstances.
If only one Sin Archbishop had appeared, they could have overwhelmed them through numbers. But with four or perhaps even more enemies, their forces were stretched thin.
Even with a powerhouse like Shendu on their side, they could not overturn the situation in an instant.
"Moreover, the additional conditions proposed by the Archbishop of Lust seem specifically targeted at you, Miss Shendu, don't they?"
Suddenly, Anastasia voiced her conclusion, having clearly made her own deductions about those extra demands.
"That's right. As for the Book of Wisdom, I possess the fragments that were burned. The artificial spirit refers to Beatrice. And as for the last condition—I'm Emilia's knight, and she is my woman. So this matter is deeply connected to me."
Shendu spoke frankly, spreading her hands with a helpless expression.
Since the Witch Cult had chosen to target her specifically, then courtesy demanded reciprocity. Shendu had no intention of letting them off easily. Given the opportunity, she would completely annihilate them.
It just so happened that this trip to Watergate City was the perfect chance to lure out all the Sin Archbishops and wipe them out in one stroke.
"Then, Miss Shendu, what do you intend to do? What is your next move?"
Anastasia looked at her seriously and could not help but ask.
"Even if we agree to their conditions, do you think the Witch Cult would honor their word?" Shendu let out a soft chuckle. "The answer is no. They would still flood the city."
She had already seen through the Witch Cult's bottom line. Even if she complied, they would undoubtedly continue causing trouble.
"Exactly what I was thinking. No matter what, we cannot allow them to succeed."
Anger flared across Anastasia's face. She clearly wanted revenge.
"By the way, Anastasia, who attacked your side earlier?"
Shendu narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.
"It was Sirius, the Archbishop of Wrath—the lunatic wrapped in bandages. She attacked us almost immediately after you departed."
Anastasia's thoughts drifted back to half an hour earlier.
After watching Shendu and the others leave, she had been closely monitoring the surroundings, occasionally dispatching patrols to gather intelligence.
After waiting for some time, a breathless Kiritaka returned to the company, anxiety evident on his face.
"Lady Anastasia, this is terrible. Almost all my men are dead—including the members of the City Ten Council, except for me."
The moment he entered, Kiritaka reported the critical information.
"What? That makes no sense. Aren't they after the Witch's remains? Killing them gains them nothing."
Question marks practically appeared above Anastasia's head. She could not understand what the Witch Cult was plotting.
"Their objective is unclear. But I've heard that the Sin Archbishops of the Witch Cult don't always get along. Something like this happening wouldn't be strange."
Kiritaka analyzed calmly. That was the only clue he could grasp.
Crash!
Just as they reached the most crucial point of their discussion, a fireball suddenly smashed through the company's window. Shards of glass exploded inward in all directions.
"Lady Anastasia, retreat!"
Sensing danger, Kiritaka shouted sternly.
"Enemy attack!"
Anastasia had already stood up at the first sign of trouble. She quickly moved aside, narrowly avoiding the flying shards.
Soon after, a mysterious woman walked in slowly—her entire body wrapped in bandages, hooked claws extending from both hands. Madness burned in her eyes.
"Preparing to unite and fight against our Witch Cult? Ah, so this is love—working together in unity. Allow me to join you in that love!"
Sirius declared hysterically. Her mere presence forced Anastasia and the others to regard her as a dire threat.
"Why is she here? This is troublesome..."
Anastasia frowned, a bad premonition tightening her chest.
"Lady Anastasia, you must leave at once. We'll hold her off. Hurry to the city hall and regroup with Miss Shendu."
Seeing the powerful enemy before them, Kiritaka's face was filled with resolve, as though he had already prepared himself.
"What? If you stay behind, your chances of survival are slim. Are you truly willing?"
Anastasia could hardly believe it. She had not expected such self-sacrifice from Kiritaka.
"Milady, we'll block her as well. Please take the remaining forces and leave. Preserving our strength is the true victory."
Like Mimi, the pair of cat-eared triplets—Tivey and Hetaro—spoke firmly in unison.
"Very well. Be careful. Kiritaka-san, please return safely as soon as possible."
Helpless, Anastasia agreed. She knew she could not help in that fight and could only hope for their safety.
"Hahaha! It's been a long time since I've witnessed such a grand spectacle. Let me see it for myself."
After saying that, Kiritaka signaled his subordinates.
More than a dozen black-clad fighters stepped forward with their weapons, coordinating with the two cat-eared boys to unleash a continuous assault on Sirius.
"Ahahaha! This is love—the gift bestowed upon me by the Gospel! I shall gladly accept it!"
Sirius screamed madly as the sounds of chains and weapons clashing rang out without end.
"Take care of yourselves."
Anastasia cast them one final look before leading the remaining people away.
Coincidentally, the city hall had just been fully cleared at that time, allowing Anastasia to complete her regrouping there.
Soon after, Shendu returned as well, encountering Anastasia in the corridor.
"The situation before us is dreadful. A group of lunatics wielding powers capable of destroying the world—how infuriating."
Crusch spoke coldly, her dislike for the Witch Cult deepening further.
"No matter what, we must recover our losses at any cost. Everyone—have you prepared yourselves?"
Anastasia looked around at the gathered group, then at Shendu, whose expression remained calm, and asked once more.
"Of course. Losing one step doesn't mean we'll keep losing. We will definitely strike back."
Wilhelm responded solemnly, fury burning in his eyes.
"I agree."
Natsuki Subaru also voiced his determination.
"However, at this stage, I have received troubling information—about the shelters."
Suddenly, Anastasia's tone shifted. It was no longer as composed as before.
"The Authority of the Archbishop of Wrath, correct?"
Shendu narrowed her crimson eyes, a glint flashing within them.
"Yes. We underestimated it. According to the information relayed by Kiritaka, the emotion of wrath is influencing all of us—including me just now. I was clearly affected."
Anastasia sighed. The situation was not something an ordinary person could easily handle.
"More importantly, the Archbishop of Lust has spread panic and despair among the residents. The Archbishop of Wrath has skillfully seized that opportunity to amplify everyone's negative emotions."
Julius grew visibly angry as he spoke.
"They don't even understand cooperation among themselves, yet somehow they coordinate so seamlessly. It's truly detestable."
His frustration was evident.
"Very well. Let us summarize the dangers we are currently facing."
After finishing the intelligence report, Anastasia continued.
"First, the impossible conditions proposed by the Archbishop of Lust. Second, the despair and terror she has spread throughout the city. Third, the emotional manipulation caused by the Archbishop of Wrath's Authority. And finally, the threat of the city being submerged. Fortunately, they are stationed in separate locations, which gives us opportunities to act."
She narrowed her eyes as she listed each issue one by one. These were the three core problems they absolutely had to resolve.
"Heh. Although things are somewhat complicated, it isn't as though there is no solution. I may have a way to deal with this."
Shendu smiled without elaborating, leaving her intentions unrevealed for the moment. Nevertheless, her words caused Anastasia's eyes to brighten.
"Is that so? As long as there is a solution, that's enough."
Anastasia spoke softly. Just as she was about to continue, Shendu suddenly raised a finger to her lips and gave everyone a mysterious smile.
"Hehe. My little spy has finally sent word."
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