Today, Clatius wasn’t wearing the standard pure white Knights Templar armor like he had during their last meeting.

 

Instead, he was dressed in plain clothes with a sword at his waist, and he wasn’t carrying the accompanying holy shield of a Knights Templar.

 

What was most strange was that, despite being the commander of the Sacred Star City Knights Templar, he wasn’t accompanied by any subordinates.

 

He was alone, walking with his head down through the bustling street, looking very much like someone who had suddenly realized they had lost something important and was rushing back to find it.

 

“Miss Dawn, could it be that he accidentally dropped something valuable? Should we… go help him?”

 

Although Rene suggested this enthusiastically, Miss Fox only shook her head after a brief pause.

 

“It’s not our concern. After all, we don’t know him well. Since Clatius is wearing plain clothes and hasn’t brought any subordinates, it means he’s likely dealing with personal matters. Intervening now would only be counterproductive.”

 

“Uh… is that so?”

 

“Yes, let’s not worry about him. We should continue with our original plans.”

 

Since Violet had stated it clearly, Rene, who always followed the priestess’s lead, didn’t say anything more. The two women turned in the opposite direction from where Clatius was and continued with their original shopping plans.

 

However, just after taking a few steps, a piercing scream filled with extreme panic and fear suddenly erupted from somewhere on the otherwise peaceful street!

 

“There’s… there’s a demon!!!!”

 

“Huh?”

 

“?”

 

Drawn by the shouting, Violet and Rene instinctively turned their attention and saw that a massive uproar had erupted in the distance. The crowd surged like a tumultuous wave, accompanied by a series of incredulous cries.

 

“It’s really a demon! Run away!!!”

 

“Help, help!!!”

 

“Where is the Knight Templar! Quick, call the Knight Templar!”

 

The chaotic shouts and the panicked crowd instantly turned the previously orderly street into a mess. People fled in terror, knocking over roadside stalls and causing chaos in shops and among the crowd, which surged uncontrollably as if fleeing from something horrifying.

 

“Miss Dawn!”

 

Caught up in the street commotion, Violet and Rene were also affected by the sudden turmoil. Amid the surging crowd, Violet frowned but firmly held Rene’s hand and made her way forward against the tide.

 

“Hold on tight, don’t get separated from me.”

 

The clear and calm voice, unaffected by the panic, helped soothe Rene’s initial fear and confusion. She instinctively gripped Violet’s hand, folded her wings to reduce collisions, and closely followed Violet’s lead.

 

An unseen force seemed to have surrounded the two girls, gently pushing the crowd away from them, and amidst the panic caused by the demon’s appearance, people naturally didn’t pay attention to these details.

 

Soon, Violet led Rene to the center of the disturbance.

 

“So this is… a demon?”

 

To be honest, the scene before them surprised the fox-mask-wearing girl.

 

In the corner of the street was a girl dressed in plain clothes, curled up.

 

Although her head was hidden in her arms, judging by her physique and some details, she couldn’t be very old.

 

She appeared to be an ordinary human in many respects, but for some reason, her originally black hair was spreading into a dark purple hue, and irregular patterns of the same color were emerging on her exposed skin. Two upward-curving spiral horns were slowly extending from her head, emitting a strong and ominous aura.

 

Clearly, she was undergoing some kind of transformation.

 

Nearby, a few scattered individuals armed with weapons or holy symbols had surrounded her, watching vigilantly, but none seemed brave enough to act immediately.

 

These are probably just passing priests or devout Goddess followers with combat abilities. In the Holy Empire, where the church is central and faith-based magic is prevalent, encountering such people on the street isn’t unusual.

 

But honestly, Violet didn’t quite understand. Although the girl did look unusual, she didn’t seem like the type to be a ruthless, bloodthirsty demon. What exactly were these believers so wary of?

 

“Miss Dawn, what should we do now? Should we intervene?”

 

Before Violet could respond, a righteous shout suddenly rang out from a short distance away.

 

“Holy Knight Clatius is here! Demon, surrender at once!”

 

The young man in casual clothes, cutting through the panicked crowd, arrived at the center of the scene, only a few moments behind the two girls. With his weapon drawn, he fixed his intense gaze directly on the curled-up girl on the ground.

 

Seeing his appearance, the few brave priests standing their ground were momentarily stunned. Among them, one seemed particularly excited and shouted out in recognition.

 

“Great! It’s Holy Knight Captain Clatius!”

 

Wow, that was quick…

 

As Violet spotted them, Clatius had also noticed the fox lady and the white-winged girl at the scene.

 

However, it seemed that the Holy Knight paid little attention to them. He quickly passed by, moving people aside, and frowned as he examined the girl still curled up on the ground, trembling and silent.

 

“Is… it the demon transformation? Who knows what’s going on? What happened here earlier?”

 

Huh? This guy…

 

If Violet wasn’t mistaken, Clatius had been searching in the direction that would lead him through this area, so why did it seem like he had just arrived as if he were a passerby?

 

Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly behind the mask, but the fox lady said nothing, merely observing the situation.

 

The previously familiar young man in near-Holy Knight armor and fully armed hurried over to Clatius and whispered, “Captain Clatius, I saw everything. The girl was standing by the street, seemingly waiting for something, but then suddenly collapsed. I was about to help, but then… I saw that she was starting to show signs of demon transformation.”

 

The young Holy Knight’s voice was not loud, seemingly intended to avoid drawing the attention of the others. However, the fox lady, with her exceptional hearing, clearly caught his entire description despite standing at a slight distance.

 

Clatius’s expression changed several times upon hearing this, and he eventually just glanced at the Holy Knight thoughtfully.

 

“How could she suddenly start demonizing like this? You… I remember you’re Bowen Bernard from the sixth squad, right? The sixth squad should be on leave today. Why are you still wearing your armor and patrolling the streets?”

 

The young Holy Knight with golden short hair immediately stood at attention, pounding his chest in a knightly salute, and answered loudly.

 

“Yes! I am Bowen Bernard, a 【Courageous Knight】 from the sixth squad of the Sacred Star City’s Knight Templar! Reporting to Captain Clatius, due to recent rumors of demon attacks spreading in the city, I couldn’t rest easy. Since I had nothing else to do, I decided to patrol the streets and help maintain public order. I never expected to encounter something like this, it must be the goddess’s will!”

 

“Hmm… you’ve done well.”

 

Clatius nodded, then turned to the other Holy Knights who seemed to be merely passing by.

 

“Thank you all for helping maintain the order in Sacred Star City. I am Clatius, the commander of the Knight Templar. This matter… is rather suspicious. Since I have arrived, it would be best if I took this demon back to the Knights’ headquarters for proper handling. What do you all think?”