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Chapter – 01
Eleanor looked around. Everything was red.
In the space stained with crimson blood, there wasn’t a single living being left to look back at her. The fishy scent hit her nose, but Eleanor’s sense of smell had long since been numb. After all, this red scene was all her doing.
“…Everyone.”
Eleanor muttered. Those who could hear her words were already crushed into unrecognizable shapes on the ground.
“…All to death.”
But Eleanor repeated the words like a broken doll, with no one to hear. Her dull gaze held nothing.
Her once snow-white, soft skin was now dyed red with blood whose owner could not be identified. Her black silk-like hair was tangled and chopped, a complete mess. Her black eyes, once as shiny as obsidian, were now blood-red, like the blood of those she had killed.
Shaking, shaking. Like a stringless wooden puppet, Eleanor moved forward absentmindedly, when human voices pierced her ears.
“There! The Demon Lord is there!”
Eleanor slowly turned her head. In her eyes, the Imperial Army was visible.
At the front of the Imperial Army stood the Emperor himself. Though he may not have known, Eleanor could hear his furious voice perfectly.
“Why did the sacrifice not summon the Demon Lord?! This is not what was promised! Why?!”
“Your Majesty! Please stay calm! Even the heads of the Four Great Houses are here! It will be fine now!”
Hearing the voice beside the Emperor, Eleanor lifted her gaze slightly. Behind the Imperial banner, banners bearing the emblems of the Four Great Houses flapped.
The Red Lion was the Rotger House, masters of swordsmanship. The Yellow Bear, the Kube House, masters of martial arts. The Blue Horse, the Merey House, masters of magic.
And the Green Stag symbolized the Hildet House, masters of healing.
To Eleanor, these symbols no longer mattered.
Her brow furrowed faintly as she watched the banners flutter.
“Jules Hildet! Is there still no news from the divine messenger?”
“I-I’m sorry, Your Majesty. As soon as news comes, I will—”
“Did the prophecy not say peace would be maintained? Then why, why has the Demon Lord appeared?!”
The Emperor’s angry voice reverberated through the air. Beside him, the elderly head of the Hildet House bowed his head, unable to respond.
A pathetic farce.
So Eleanor decided to answer for them.
She lightly stomped her foot. Her frail body soared into the air.
“Th-The Demon Lord is moving!”
“Aim!”
A voice shouted. Countless weapons were suddenly pointed at Eleanor. Yet, to her, they all looked laughable. She whispered.
“You asked why the Demon Lord appeared?”
“F-Fire! Attack!”
Arrows and magic shot at Eleanor simultaneously. The Rotger and Kube Houses tried to approach her quickly.
But their attacks didn’t reach her.
At just one gesture from Eleanor, black demonic energy stretched from her fingertips, devouring every attack. Magic, arrows, even humans vanished without a trace.
Sebian Rotger and Aize Kube, realizing the situation too late, signaled to halt, but those who had disappeared could not return.
From this single clash, humans realized they could not defeat Eleanor.
A wave of despair and fear instantly seized them all.
The only thing that reached them was Eleanor’s voice. Clear and precise, despite its quiet tone.
“Because I am not the Demon Lord.”
“W-What do you mean, Demon Lord?!”
Someone asked in a panic, their mind broken by fear. Eleanor answered kindly.
“I killed the Demon Lord.”
She slowly raised her head. Her twisted lips spoke the grim words.
“And all of you… die as well.”
From Eleanor’s whispering fingertips, black energy blossomed.
“The Black Blade.”
Fortunately for humanity, the human god did not wish for humans to be destroyed.
Unfortunately for humanity, when the god captured Eleanor and placed her on the Altar of Divine Punishment, almost no humans of the Empire remained alive.
Eleanor cursed the god, lamenting that she could not kill the humans who had abandoned her.
“The Demon World was unlucky. Destroyed without sin. Meanwhile, the truly sinful world is safe, thanks to the god.”
Though she knew no one could escape the Altar of Divine Punishment, Eleanor continued to struggle, leaving her body covered in blood.
Her pitiful state, combined with her once-pure appearance, created an ironically haunting scene.
“The god is cruel and hypocritical. If you wanted to punish me, why not kill me at birth? Then your precious creations wouldn’t have died at my hands.”
Her voice was sharp, full of bitter resentment.
At that moment, an indescribable voice whispered in her ear.
“My child, why do you stray on the path of evil? Why must my messenger kill all my creations?”
“Who are you?”
“My child… do you no longer hear the god’s voice? Do you see only demons now? If so… your life will…”
“God?”
Eleanor laughed. Coldly. Her eyes froze, as if even her burning rage was trapped inside.
“The god? The one who threw me into hell without a glance? Who ignored my pleas for life and even death could not grant me rest? And yet you have the audacity to speak to me?”
“My child…”
The god’s voice tried to speak more sternly, but Eleanor shrieked like a demon.
“What punishment, what messenger! Your creations wallow in hell while you stay comfortably judging good and evil? Gods are arrogant and selfish, living only in their perfect heaven!”
“Ah…”
“I care nothing for the great god’s will! If the god’s will is merely deciding good and evil with a finger, then I have no god.”
Eleanor laughed loudly.
Ahahaha.
Her laughter echoed across the Altar of Divine Punishment, cracking and finally breaking into eerie silence.
She cut off the laughter abruptly and shouted into the void with bloodshot eyes.
“But if a true god exists, I pray you too, wallow in hell! Suffer for eons! Etch agony greater than death into your time!”
No answer came.
Eleanor knew the only path left for her was the annihilation of her soul.
The god’s light pierced her body.
Eleanor closed her eyes, ready for anything.
Eleanor Hildet was a frail girl.
The only daughter of the Hildet House, Eleanor learned at age ten, after her mother’s death, that she had a younger sister.
The head of the Hildet House, Jules Hildet, was criticized for formally bringing his secret lover and her children into the family immediately after Eleanor’s mother died.
The woman’s name was Jennifer, the daughter Tricia, the eldest son Zekiel, and the youngest son Roger.
The eldest, Zekiel Hildet, was three years older than Eleanor. He would occasionally glare at Eleanor with evident hostility. Young Eleanor could do nothing but endure it.
Tricia Hildet, the newly recognized daughter, was Eleanor’s age but two months younger. She called Eleanor “sister” and smiled. Before Eleanor could respond, Tricia boasted to the neighborhood that she was the youngest in the household. Eleanor became the eldest sister of a younger sister her own age.
The youngest, Roger Hildet, seemed indifferent to Eleanor, which still made her uncomfortable.
Yet, ten-year-old Eleanor believed she could get along with her new family.
That dream shattered in an instant.
At age ten, before Eleanor could grow accustomed to her new family, the “Special Rank Evaluation” day arrived.
To become a normal healer, one must pass the initiation test, but Hildet children, born with exceptional healing powers, were exempt.
Their strength was so great they immediately underwent the special rank evaluation.
The evaluation was absolute; results were said to determine the next head of the Hildet House.
Thus, the evaluation was crucial for Eleanor.
Yet she was not the only one evaluated that day.
“O…older brother.”
Eleanor looked up fearfully at Zekiel. Thirteen-year-old Zekiel was barely taller, but to young Eleanor, his cold demeanor made him seem like a mountain.
“This one… he’s just shy, Eleanor.”
“Mother.”
Beside Zekiel stood Jules Hildet’s new wife, Jennifer.
Eleanor liked Jennifer. Unlike cold Zekiel, uneasy Tricia, and indifferent Roger, Jennifer was the only kind person in her new family.
Jennifer always smelled sweet and was perfectly beautiful. Rumors said she had lured Jules Hildet with her looks, but Eleanor was too young to understand such gossip.
Jennifer gently stroked Eleanor’s head with a bright smile.
“Eleanor, your brother will also be evaluated today.”
“Yes.”
“You’re strong, but he might be weak.”
“…Tch.”
Zekiel frowned and tapped the floor. Eleanor looked at him in surprise. Jennifer, gently cupping Eleanor’s cheek, whispered softly.
“You have healing power, right? What does a healer do?”
“Protects people.”
“That’s right.”
Jennifer smiled subtly at Eleanor, who spoke clearly.
“Then will you protect your brother?”
“Yes! Should I use my healing magic?”
“No, he’s not hurt yet.”
Jennifer gently removed the emerald necklace from Eleanor’s neck.
“The healing you do is recorded on this necklace, right?”
“Yes. That’s why I wasn’t supposed to remove it…”
“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll put it back.”
Jennifer’s eyes sharpened momentarily as she noticed Eleanor watching, but Eleanor didn’t notice.
“It matches your brother’s.”
“Oh, yes!”
“Wearing them as a set makes you look even more like siblings, right?”
“Yes!”
Eleanor, excited for her new family, nodded energetically. Jennifer slowly placed the necklace back on Eleanor’s neck.
“Stay with your brother, hold hands too—it’ll be even better.”
“R-Really?”
“Of course, you’re his sister. Right, Zekiel?”
“…Yeah.”
Despite Zekiel’s reluctant answer, Eleanor’s face brightened. Jennifer handed another necklace to Zekiel and rose.
“Zekiel, try to smile at your sister sometimes.”
“Mother…!”
“It’s all for the good of our family. Hold hands, don’t forget my words, okay?”
“…Haa.”
Eleanor quickly grabbed Zekiel’s hand.
“Mother! I won’t forget what you said!”
She smiled sheepishly. Jennifer returned her bright smile.
“Thank you, Eleanor.”
That day, Eleanor went with Zekiel, channeling her healing power into the sacred objects placed throughout.
When Zekiel halfheartedly used his power on the first object, Eleanor worried about his evaluation repeatedly.
But that night, she realized it had all been a false performance.
