Ethan's Killing Intent and the Tense Negotiation

Ethan’s killing intent was so palpable that it seemed a sword fight could break out at any moment. The tension was directed squarely at the Hero, who, as I had somewhat expected, had managed to provoke Ethan with his ambiguous words. The Hero’s attitude had been far too lukewarm from the start.

Despite having privately agreed with me that he would help make Serista the official Saintess, the Hero was now singing a different tune, leaving me feeling increasingly frustrated.

‘Could he actually be interested in me…? No way…’

I could only hope that wasn’t the case. I was already teetering on the edge of a delicate situation with Ethan, and the last thing I needed was the Hero complicating things further. From my perspective as someone who was once a unicorn, the number of men a woman could be with in her lifetime should be limited to one. The moment a woman slept with more than one man, she was no longer pure in my eyes—she became what I disdainfully referred to as "impure."

While I could accept that I had been reincarnated as Lilith, who was destined to be a "fallen woman," I had worked hard to change that fate. I had avoided the horrific destiny of being subjected to gang rape, drug abuse, or even being defiled by animals. Despite everything that had happened between Ethan and me, I still considered myself pure by my own standards because we hadn’t crossed the final line.

But now, if I ended up with the Hero too, just like the original Lilith who was saved by him in the game…

I had to prevent that at all costs. If I ended up becoming the true "Lilith the Fallen" in this world, I might very well lose all will to live and end things myself.

"I’m not done speaking yet, Lord Ethan. Please, don’t misunderstand," the Hero said calmly, trying to defuse the tension.

"I can’t imagine how there could be anything in what you just said that wouldn’t be a cause for misunderstanding. It sounded to me like you’re trying to recruit my Lilith into your party full of women who are all infatuated with you," Ethan retorted, his tone icy.

"Wait, I’ve never been infatuated with him! Don’t lump me in with them," Agnes snapped, immediately rejecting Ethan’s assumption. Meanwhile, Seraphine and Serista quietly averted their gazes, saying nothing.

Knowing more about the Hero’s relationships than I ever wanted to, I could tell he was about to push back.

"What I meant was that we need to be sure who truly fits the role of the Saintess. I never said Lilith must be the Saintess, nor did I imply she has to join my party," the Hero clarified.

"Explain it properly then. If I’m not convinced, I’ll use my sword to speak instead," Ethan warned.

"The qualifications of a Saintess are a divine gift, not something humans can just transfer around at will. What if, by trying to shift that power, we anger the goddess Aurelia, and she revokes Lilith’s status as Saintess entirely? If neither of them ends up as the Saintess, how do you plan to deal with the looming threat of the Demon King?" the Hero argued.

"Lilith wasn’t born the Saintess, so if the power is revoked, another person somewhere in the world will receive it. Maybe even that girl you’re always dragging around might receive a new revelation and become the true Saintess," Ethan countered coldly.

"If Serista were to become the Saintess, I’d be happy. I’ve always wanted her as my partner. But what if the next Saintess is some girl in a remote village with no church or worse, what if the power of the Saintess disappears entirely? What then?" the Hero pressed on.

"Does the goddess Aurelia seem so irresponsible to you that she would let the fate of the world hinge on mere whim? Do you think she would let such a crucial matter go awry out of caprice?" Ethan shot back.

"I’m an atheist from another world, so I don’t care about that. And even if there’s some divine plan, how can humans possibly understand it? What I’m saying is that if we’re going to change the fate that the goddess has set, we need to show undeniable evidence that Serista is more fit to be the Saintess," the Hero explained.

"...What?" Ethan, Agnes, and I all exclaimed simultaneously, taken aback by the Hero’s reasoning.

But two people in the room seemed to understand him—Seraphine and Serista, who probably had the strongest faith among us.

"The Hero’s argument isn’t entirely wrong, Lord Ethan," Seraphine said, breaking the silence.

"What do you mean, Princess Seraphine?" Ethan asked, clearly confused.

"If the goddess Aurelia chose Lady Lilith as the Saintess, there must be a reason for it. At the time Lilith received the Saintess’s power, she was likely more suited to the role than Serista. But it’s been over seven years since the prophecy was first given. We can’t know if, after all these years, Lilith is still the best fit, or if Serista, who has worked hard during those seven years, might now be more suitable. We won’t know unless we show the goddess herself," Seraphine explained thoughtfully.

"..."

"And traditionally, the Saintess is supposed to be the Hero’s partner. So, it’s only fair that Lady Lilith gets a chance to act as the Hero’s partner at least once. By comparing her performance to that of Serista, who has been the Hero’s partner all this time, we can determine who truly deserves the title. At the very least, if Serista proves that she hasn’t fallen short of the goddess’s expectations, there won’t be any risk of angering the goddess," Seraphine concluded.

Ethan, who had been ready to refute every word the Hero said, listened more calmly to Seraphine’s reasoning. Although he still didn’t look thrilled about the idea of me temporarily partnering with the Hero, he seemed to be considering it.

"Having Lilith... as that Hero’s partner..." Ethan muttered, clearly displeased.

"Just once, Lord Ethan. Serista has achieved so much without the title of Saintess. Even if Lilith joins the Hero for one mission, the goddess won’t disregard Serista’s years of dedication," Seraphine assured him.

"..."

"Lord Ethan?" Seraphine prompted, noticing his hesitation.

Ethan fell silent for a long moment, clearly wrestling with his thoughts. Finally, he turned to Serista, as if seeking a final piece of information before making his decision.

"Lady Serista, may I ask you one question before I decide?" Ethan asked.

"Y-Yes…?" Serista stammered, looking nervous.

"Putting aside any concerns about blasphemy or faith, have you ever truly wanted to become the real Saintess to support that Hero?" Ethan asked, his tone serious.

"I-I…," Serista hesitated, her voice trembling.

"Please, answer honestly. I need to make a fair judgment," Ethan urged her.

Serista was visibly shaking, knowing her words could influence the final decision. However, she managed to steady herself enough to speak.

"I have never…," Serista began, pausing to collect herself.

"..."

"I have never forgotten, even for a single moment, my desire to become the true Saintess," she confessed, her voice filled with emotion.

"I see," Ethan responded, nodding slightly.

"Every day, as I stood by the Hero’s side, I wished for more strength. When the Hero was injured, I thought that if only I had the true Saintess’s power, I could have prevented it. When he was in danger, I believed that if I had the Saintess’s powers, I could have saved him. I think about it constantly," she admitted.

"…"

"I know it’s blasphemous for someone who serves the gods to feel this way, but this is my true desire, Lord Ethan," Serista finished, her voice steady despite her nerves.

"I understand. Thank you, Lady Serista. Your courage has helped me make my decision," Ethan said, his expression resolute.

With Serista’s firm confession guiding his decision, Ethan turned to the rest of us and held up three fingers.

"I will allow Lilith to join your party as your partner, but there are three conditions," Ethan stated firmly.

"What are they?" the Hero asked, wary but willing to listen.

"First, the partnership will only happen once. After that, there will be no changes. If you try to argue that Lilith should join you again because Serista has already done so many times, I’ll cut out your tongue," Ethan declared.

"Fine. I only need her to join me once anyway," the Hero agreed, his tone neutral.

"Second, while she’s your partner, you will not make any physical contact with her. If you so much as try to hold her hand, I’ll cut it off," Ethan continued, his voice deadly serious.

"Under any circumstances?" the Hero asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Only if it’s necessary to save her life. Otherwise, no exceptions," Ethan clarified.

"That’s fair. I was going to ask the same thing. What’s the last condition?" the Hero inquired.

"The last condition is…," Ethan began, his eyes scanning the Hero’s party members before settling on the Hero himself.

"I will join your party during this mission. I don’t trust a harem full of women," Ethan declared.

"..."

"If you refuse, I’ll take it as a sign that you have other intentions for Lilith, and I’ll behead you right here and now," Ethan finished, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Even something as simple as temporarily joining the Hero’s party to determine the true Saintess had become incredibly complicated.

One thing was clear: this mission wasn’t going to be easy.