Chapter 353: Know Hell

Bringing Elizabeth to the Celestial Palace was the right call. Even without speaking, her presence made Catherine’s emotions much easier to read.

The vampire Goddess looked anxious, almost frightened by Elizabeth. Yet, as if looking at a light so bright it was both blinding and beautiful, she also seemed drawn to her.

Miwen: "I hope you don’t mind if Liz verifies your story from this point on."

Catherine’s lips twitched awkwardly as they struggled between her usual aloof expression and a forced smile.

Catherine: "L-Liz? I would... Dare not... Y-Your Majesty Elizabeth has every right..."

The reaction across the table was unanimous. Nyxie was the first, but Elizabeth and I also raised our eyebrows involuntarily.

Nyxie: "I’ll forgive the imprudence of this lesser demon, as His Majesty has also recognized this vermin as a king, but you’d be wise not to forget, Catherine... There’s only one person we Gods bow to."

Without turning her head to face her, Catherine answered Nyxie with a soft, almost inaudible ’yes’.

At the same time, Elizabeth raised her chin to stare into my eyes, silently showing her annoyance at the "lesser demon" label.

Though I guess being hugged in front of other people also contributed a little to her bad mood...

Miwen: "...You said things changed after Elizabeth conquered your world?"

While Catherine took a second to calm herself and speak, I placed Liz’s hands over the table, right under mine.

As I ran my fingertips over Liz’s open palms and intertwined our fingers, I watched Catherine’s reactions attentively.

Catherine: "Well, I... I doubt Queen Elizabeth recognizes me. I held no particularly noteworthy position in her army’s hierarchy."

Even though her eyes followed me with immaculate precision, I felt no jealousy behind Catherine’s stare. Her admiration for Elizabeth probably stemmed from something other than affection.

Miwen: "...I thought you wanted to lay low? Why did you join Liz’s army?"

Catherine raised her head and stared at me with concerned eyes every time I called Elizabeth "Liz."

Elizabeth herself barely reacted, though. She was too used to me, and I had the slight feeling that she enjoyed the proximity as my advisor.

Respect and fear for the Demon Queen seemed deeply rooted in the vampire Goddess’ heart.

Catherine: "After Queen Elizabeth conquered the world, she killed the God responsible for it..."

I was already familiar with that story, so I didn’t share Nyxie’s shock. Liz’s smug expression, however, brought a smile to my face.

Catherine: "...The Gods’ response brought a storm that cast the world in darkness. It was inescapable."

Still not allowed to say a word, Elizabeth stared at me hard with her pretty blue eyes.

Miwen: "Something wrong?"

Seeing Elizabeth nod, Catherine’s eyes melted, darting desperately in every direction.

Elizabeth: "The vampire lies, Your Majesty..."

For a brief moment, Catherine instinctively tried to shake her head, but she quickly stopped herself.

Elizabeth: "Fleeing our world wasn’t an issue until the latter years of the war, when the Gods blocked the Dungeon Gates."

Though the vampire stared into Elizabeth’s eyes with an open mouth, no words left her.

Miwen: "Oh? Seems like you had plenty of time to escape?"

I took off Liz’s military hat and placed it on the table so I could pat her head for a job well done. While the others didn’t know her enough to notice the subtle change, her expression grew more annoyed.

Of course, that only made me pat her more.

Nyxie: "...If I remember correctly, master Abdure was the one responsible for burning that world. Did you only escape it when the troops were warned to retreat?"

While Catherine took her sweet time stammering, I rubbed and pinched Elizabeth’s fingertips.

Miwen: "Your nails are a little long."

Liz glanced at her fingers, and her lips curled downward slightly.

Elizabeth: "I had more important things in mind these past few days. If my appearance bothers Your Majesty, I’ll cut them."

It had been a while since I last talked with Liz.

Ever since the incident in Ceres’ building...

Miwen: "I can’t send you back because of the Divinity, so... I’ll trim them for you tonight. I think you could also use a haircut, too..."

Not thinking much of it, I gently pulled a few longer strands to compare with the shorter ones.

For better or worse, Liz didn’t mind too much. Though having me help her with something so ordinary might’ve hurt her pride slightly, she knew I enjoyed taking care of my girls even in silly ways.

That very silliness brought a small, reserved smile to the Devil’s face.

Unassuming and innocent as it was, Liz’s smile triggered Catherine’s strongest reaction yet.

Catherine: "Stop at once!"

She rose from the chair, her voice almost as high as when Cassandra called her a Nameless.

Catherine: "I’m sorry... You asked about why I didn’t leave the world immediately, right? Well..."

Though she was quick to regain her composure and return to her seat, it was too late to pretend nothing had happened.

Her usual mask was flawless, but that only made even the tiniest imperfection look like a gigantic crack.

Catherine’s lips were curled slightly downward; she held her arms closer to her back.

It’d be hard to notice these small changes in someone else.

In her, they made for a sharp contrast.

Catherine: "As an escaped monster, I was afraid that if I entered a Dungeon again, I might not be able to leave..."

It was a logical excuse.

Nonetheless, it still felt like an excuse.

Miwen: "...Did you ever regret it? Leaving your world behind... Your friends?"

Catherine blinked a few times, and her left eye, the one focused on Elizabeth, twitched.

Catherine: "W-What do you mean? W-Why would I care..."

I didn’t need to look at Elizabeth to confirm it, but it was good to see I wasn’t the only one who caught this lie.

Unlike before, it wasn’t just a half-truth.

It felt like something she tried to convince herself of, but hadn’t yet managed.

Interesting.

One of the deepest, oldest layers of her mask was also among its most flawed.

Miwen: "I don’t know. Devotion, maybe?"

As Catherine squinted at me, I shifted Elizabeth a little so I could lean forward.

Miwen: "Maybe you didn’t want to leave your friends behind? Maybe you didn’t want to abandon your world? Hell, maybe you were afraid to leave the Dungeon in the first place?"

Catherine leaned back, but I didn’t let her escape.

Like it or not, I would have her face my eyes until I had a firm grasp on her.

Catherine: "I... I’m only devoted to myself."

I fed Liz a piece of bread, watching her accept it with quiet reluctance.

Liz was deeply ashamed, staring at me with hate in her eyes, but she never resisted.

Catherine, on the other hand, was barely hiding her fury.

Miwen: "Doesn’t seem like that to me."

Though she was nervous, Catherine wasn’t stupid.

After I plastered it over her face, she noticed that her words didn’t match her actions.

Catherine: "...Why?"

The vampire lowered her head, avoiding all eye contact.

Catherine: "Just why do you allow him to treat you this way? You’re a Devil. Perhaps the greatest to ever live... Just what kind of monster is he, that he has swallowed your pride so?"

Elizabeth pulled on my shirt to ask permission to talk.

I let the silence hang in the air for a second. I wanted to study Catherine as much as I could before I finally whispered to Elizabeth to ’go ahead’.

Elizabeth: "Though His Majesty is not the smartest, nor the most powerful, or even the most pleasant... He is the king I chose to serve."

Liz set aside the coffee and the bread, clearing a path across the table directly toward Catherine.

Elizabeth: "You misunderstand my devotion to him, as you misunderstand your own devotion to me."

Standing up from my lap, Liz pushed me back slightly.

She was shorter than Catherine and me, yet for a moment, she seemed unreasonably tall. It’d be easy to blame it on us being seated while she stood up, but...

I knew that wouldn’t explain how broad her back seemed.

Elizabeth: "Devotion is something we choose for ourselves. It is true for the maid beside you. It is true for me. And it is true for you."

Liz adjusted her cap, wearing a proud smile befitting the "Demon Queen" title she once held.

Elizabeth: "My devotion was once pure ambition. Now, that ambition has morphed into a desire to see the king His Majesty will become."

Using her [Lightning Magic], Liz made the coffee mug levitate before her mouth.

After a long sip, she closed her eyes and continued...

Elizabeth: "We live for our devotions, so your ambition cannot be just to live. Abandoning everything for survival... It is no wonder your soul seems so ancient, yet so empty."

She returned the mug to its previous spot on the table and slowly opened her eyes.

Liz’s blue eyes were so clear that Catherine’s crimson eyes failed to dim them even as the two stared directly at each other.

If anything, that bright blue reflected in Catherine’s eyes and, for a moment, the light of a living being reflected in them.

Elizabeth: "...When I told you to live with no regrets, I didn’t mean for you to bury them. You’re still immature."

Catherine’s shoulders slumped.

She shook her head once in disbelief, but Liz simply tilted hers, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world...

Catherine: "You had just passed by me on the stairs of the watchtower... How do you still remember...?"

Try as I might, I couldn’t recall that memory from Elizabeth.

Yet, I knew the answer.

Elizabeth: "I told you. I was devoted to my ambition. I never forgot those who fought to realize it. Even those who never spoke, hid their true power, and trembled in my presence-"

I pushed my chair forward, forcing Elizabeth’s knees to buckle.

As she fell back on my lap, I held her shoulder firmly.

Liz was an incredible ruler, but she was a little too impatient.

Even though Catherine had millennia to learn and never did, that didn’t mean she’d never do.

Catherine: "...As absurd as ever, Your Majesty."

A small chuckle escaped Catherine, and Liz also allowed herself to smile from the corner of her mouth.

Catherine: "You’re right that I regret abandoning everything I did. But I will never regret surviving. Happiness and success can be achieved later. Every sacrifice is worth it."

Her voice was higher than normal, but she wasn’t shouting. I wouldn’t even call her energetic.

It was more like...

She was determined.

Catherine: "As long as I have time, I can recover everything I’ve lost, and I can obtain things just as precious to replace them."

The vampire’s eyes, once a dark crimson, were now a vivid red.

She moved her hands while talking and straightened her posture.

Catherine: "Life, devotion, and ambition... They can only exist after survival. You mistook your priorities and died for it, losing everything. You were the one immature... Am I wrong, Queen Elizabeth?"

Though she searched for confirmation in Elizabeth’s eyes, she didn’t back down when they didn’t reflect it.

Elizabeth: "Perhaps. What does His Majesty think?"

Liz stared into my eyes the same way Catherine stared into hers. The only difference was that, while Catherine’s eyes were like a volcano, Liz’s were like a calm lake.

Of course, Liz already knew how I’d answer, and we both wore content smiles.

Miwen: "If we are talking about survival, you’re the winner, I’ll hand it to you. If we are talking about living, I’ve lived in these past three years more than you have your whole life."

I began massaging Elizabeth’s shoulder, and the Demon Queen relaxed, letting her head rest against my chest.

Miwen: "You want to know why Liz and Cass let me do as I please? Simple. It’s because they are happy and their current life is worth living, even though they died once to reach me."

They certainly enjoyed it differently, but at its core, it was all the same.

Miwen: "Do you enjoy yourself like Cassandra, or do you find yourself smiling softly like my Demon Queen?"

Liz rolled her eyes, but ultimately, she wore an ironic smile.

Miwen: "Is the life you sacrificed so much for worth living, Catherine?

Most importantly, to establish the alliance I wanted with Earth’s Goddess-in-charge...

Miwen: "Can I trust you to tell me the truth?"