"My part is done. Now it’s your turn," Tia said, waving as she left. Tiffany and Naf stepped in to take her pce.

  "Let’s get straight to the point. I’ve already arra. Both the Demon Tribe and the Elves will make time for this."

  The annou was explosive.

  The Elves, as a superior race, were already difficult for humans to eh. As for the Demons—they had killed tless humans during the war. Though turies had passed, some powerful individuals harbored unyielding grudges. Yet, Tiffany not only tacted both tribes but hihat those she dealt with held siderable influenough to impact their respective nations.

  For text, uhe fragmented human nations, most other races operated as singur nation-states, making them far rger and more formidable than the tus Empire.

  "o be so surprised," Naf expined. "We have some es."

  She eborated further: "Aside from me and that witch, the Stavor family also includes my older brother, the current Duke, and my twin sister… who married into the Elf Tribe."

  For some reason, Naf hesitated slightly at the end, but her Misako nor the others dwelled on it.

  "Oh, and if your talks with the Demons go well, the Emperor himself might offer assistance. Our tacts there also have ties with His Majesty, even closer than with us," Tiffany added.

  "Uood. We’re truly grateful for your help," Misako said, bowing her head in thanks. Farkonia and the others followed suit.

  "o thank us. That said, I do have a question," Tiffany said, shifting her focus to Arymm, who sat silently nearby.

  "You… are the former Saint named Yverantheia Kallianthi who was officially decred executed, correct?"

  "…So what if I am?" Arymm replied, her tone defiant, her demeanor dismissive.

  Instead of being angered by the attitude, Tiffany seemed more intrigued. Aris felt different, almost like airely new person.

  "It’s because I am someone else," Arymm expined. "That fool Aris—whether she’s asleep or otherwise—left me in charge of this body."

  "I see. A case of dual personalities, then? May I ask your iffany’s tone remained calm. As a duke of the Empire and wife to a reinated individual from another world, she had a high tolerance for the unusual.

  "Arymm. That other one doesn’t use it, so I’ve cimed it for myself."

  "Arymm? Do you like bees?" Naf interjected with an oddly whimsical question, catg Arymm off guard.

  "…"

  Awkward silence.

  "Ah, it’s just that in my previous world, there was a game spin-off where a character named Arim had a falling-out with his followers over bees. I was curious if…" Naf’s voice trailed off under Arymm’s increasingly icy stare.

  "…I may be a Saint, but was that character also one?" Arymm finally asked, breaking the tension.

  "Not at all," Naf quickly crified. "Rather than serving gods, he was a ‘Seeker of Gods’—more about sying them than worshiping. Though I preferred his old lore as a brutal ‘Demon King.’"

  "Iing," Arymm mused. The idea piqued her i, given her past as a heart demon and her growing disdain for deities.

  "Alright, that’s enough of that," Tiffany interrupted, ing an arm around Naf and effortlessly pulling her close.

  "If you’re into ‘brutal kings,’ I’ll make sure you feel oonight," she whispered mischievously into Naf’s ear.

  "Wait—no, that’s not what I meant…" Naf stammered.

  "Who said you o wait? We start now," Tiffany teased further.

  "Ugh…"

  Naf’s ck of resilience—or perhaps Tiffany’s relentless antics—left her helpless, though a small part of her secretly e.

  "Now, back to business," Tiffany said, releasing Naf aurning to her posed demeanor.

  "Si’s firmed that you—or the sciousness inhabiting you—are the former Saint, I have a question. What’s your opinion of the current Holy Light Church?"

  "They’re [sored]. [sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored]

  [sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored][sored]

  [sored][sored]

  [sored]

  [sored]

  [sored][sored][sored][sored]"

  Arymm delivered the crude remarks with a straight face. Fortunately, Farkonia anticipated this and used both hands and a soundproof barrier to shield Veridith from hearing the tirade.

  "Well, that clears up your feelings oter," Tiffany said dryly. "I suppose I didn’t eveo ask."

  Tiffany had inteo probe for lingering loyalties, given the Church’s notorious indoatiohods. However, Arymm’s eloquent disdain erased any doubts.

  The Holy Light Church was infamously hostile toward non-human races. Even human hybrids were unwele. This extreme stance was especially problemati a world where interspecies retions had long blurred such lines. Pure-blooded humans were increasingly rare due to their weaker geic traits.

  In stark trast, the tus Empire promoted unity among races, exemplified by its multi-racial Imperial Academy. This ideological divide pced the Churd the Empire at odds, with tensions nearing ht hostility. The Church had even coerced smaller human nations int an alliance against the Empire. Open war had only been avoided by the Empire’s careful diplomacy.

  "Be vigint. The Church won’t tolerate the rise of a unified force made up of those they deem threats to their doe," Tiffany warned.

  "Of course. The Church is our eoo," Misako affirmed.