-No One's P.O.V-

Right now, everyone was riding at the carriage on the way to the Royal Capital until...

Rem: I can't go on any longer. Go on...without...

Rem slowly closes her eyes as her right arm starts to fall to the ground.

Shera: Rem!

Lumachina: Miss Rem!

We then zoom out as we see Rem knocked out on Shera's lap.

That is when Rem immediately got up and held her mouth as if she was ready to puke.

Shera: Outside! Outside!

(Y/N): Over the edge!

Lumachina: Is she alright?

Diablo: Well, it's nothing new.

Leafa: Having motion sickness like that during a ride is not surprising.

Horn: Still, that's some awful motion sickness.

Rem: I can't take this.

Seki: Oh? Everyone, we've arrived at the Royal Capital!

(Y/N): (That's the royal capital, huh? The Seven Wall.)

-Small Time Skip-

Upon arriving near the gate of the Royal Capital, the guard start pointing their staffs at everyone in the carriage.

Guard 1: What's your business here?!

Guard 2: A shady man with horns?

Guard 3: An elf woman with grey skin?

Guard 4: You two are not Fallen, are you?!

Diablo (Takuma): (Come on, they surrounded us?)

Leafa: (This isn't the first time it happened to us.)

(Y/N): (It would seem that the Royal Capital is heavily guarded. Plus, we've got Lumachina with us...there will be trouble if she reveals herself.)

Guard 5: Hey, you there, woman!

Lumachina: *Gasps in shock*

Guard 5: Remove your hood and reveal your face!

That's when all of you noticed that Diablo stood up as if he was ready to scare them off.

Diablo: If you're pointing a spear at me, I assume you're prepared for the consequences.

Guard 6: Wh-Why, you...

Tension begin to rise up around you all as you and Leafa were ready to back up Diablo in case anything goes wrong.

That is when a familiar voice spoke up...

???: Please wait.

All of the guards returned back to their normal standing poses as (Y/N)'s group sees a familiar face wearing a red dress.

???: Could you let those people through?

Diablo: You're...

Leafa: Well, well, well...

That familiar face turned up to be Alicia Cristela herself after the incident at Faltra with Krebskulm.

Alicia: It's been a long time. I received Rem's letter, and I've been waiting for you, everyone.

(Y/N): Hello again, old friend.

You greeted her with a gentle smile on your face.

-Short Time Skip-

Later, (Y/N) and the group arrived at an expensive Inn that was generously given by Alicia.

Horn: Amazing!

Shera: You can see the whole capital from here!

Horn: It's amazing!

Alicia: Please use this inn however you like during your stay in the royal capital.

Leafa: This is such an expensive inn...how much money did you rent?

Alicia: *Smiles* Just enough for everyone to feel comfortable. So...leave it all to me.

Leafa: A plain answer, but okay.

Alicia: If Diablo wished it, I would buy this Inn outright.

(Y/N): (Now I'm worried.)

Rem: Wh-What...did she...say?

Rem starts fainting, but Lumachina catches her before she could fall.

Diablo: Hmm...Well said. (Damn! Just how rich is Alicia?!)

Alicia: I apologize for the delayed introduction, Head Priest.

Alicia then begins to kneel down in front of Lumachina.

Alicia: I am Alicia Cristela, an Imperial Knight. It's an honor to meet you.

Lumachina: Thank you for your assistance at the gate.

Alicia: I'm glad to have been of service.

Rose: Excuse me, but...

Alicia: Hm?

Rose: What is your relationship to my master?

Rose asked as she begins to approach Alicia.

Alicia: *Stands up* And you are?

Rose: My entire being exists to serve my master.

(Y/N): (Oh boy, things are going to get out of hand if Rose knows the truth about what Alicia did in the past.)

Diablo: Rose, you don't need to pry.

Alicia: If he asked me to die...If he asked me to die, then I would die. Does that explanation suffice?

Rose: Then it would be correct to recognize you as one of my master's possessions?

Alicia: Unless he has forsaken me.

Both of them kept staring at each other for a moment until Rose backs off.

Rose: Understood. Then I shall recognize you as one of Master's possessions.

Seki: *Sigh* (Another girl that is competing with Diablo, huh? This is quite a complicated relationship...)

Alicia: *Smiles* Thank you.

Seki: My apologies for my friend's behavior.

Alicia: Ah, it's okay. Mind telling me your name?

Seki: I'm Seki, a Maid of (Y/N)'s. *Bows* Pleased to meet you, Alicia.

Alicia: *Bows back* Likewise. *Stops bowing and turns to Horn* And you must be Horn, then. I heard you recently joined Diablo's companions.

Horn: That's right! I'm horn!

-Time Skip to Sunset-

At sunset, everyone was having a lovely dinner inside the Inn...

Shera: I can't go on any longer. Farewell! Thank you...for everything...

Shera lowers her "lifeless" arm, but it turns out that she and Horn had their bellies full.

Horn: I can't eat anymore.

Shera: Me neither.

Rem: Good grief.

Lumachina: Even my healing can't help with this.

Horn: I wanted to eat a lot so I can become big and strong like you, Mister, and help out more.

(Y/N): Does eating make you go stronger? Some foods can increase calories. So please provide balance to your diet.

Shera: Okay, mom...

(Y/N): I ain't your mom, Shera.

Leafa: Hehe, oh you guys...

Rem: Grasswalkers will always look like children, even after reaching adulthood.

Horn: I know that's true, but...

Diablo: Well, just take your time and serve me faithfully.

Rose: If my master desires it, then as much as I wouldn't like it, there is a way to empower her.

Horn: Empower me?

Seki: Rose, don't tell me that you're going to use "that", are you?

Rose: *Nods* Yes.

Rose then pulls out a collar and shows it to Horn.

Rose: If you place this treasure around your neck, it will form a Master-Servant Pact with my master, and the Servant's abilities will be empowered, too.

Horn: A Master-Servant Pact? Sounds nice. A pact with him, huh?

Seki: However, there is a price for it, Horn.

Horn: Eh? What do you mean?

Rem: Hold on a minute. Doesn't the servant who forges that pact die when the master does?

A small image can be seen is where Horn and Diablo die together as they ascend toward Heaven.

Horn: I-I'll die?!

Rose: What's the problem with that? My Master possesses unparalleled powers, so becoming his servant would grant more benefit than mere words.

Horn: I'd become that powerful? But I'd die...

Leafa: Hate to tell you this Horn, but if you forge that pact, you don't have any way to go back, nor take that thing off. It's a price to pay.

Rem: Also, how will you find work or someone to marry you in the future if you have a collar around your neck?

Rem, Shera, Horn, and Leafa paused as they imagined themselves wearing wedding gowns.

Rem: *Lowers her head* What are you going to do?

Shera: Marriage? *Looks at (Y/N)*

Leafa: Hmph...*Looks at (Y/N)*

Horn: *Looks at Diablo* I...

Seki: (Their future is upon them, huh?)

Seki thought to herself with a smile on her face.

Diablo: What?

(Y/N): *Munches on a sandwich* Did I miss something? I wasn't listening.

That is when Rose starts to regret the idea and takes the collar away from Horn, which startled her.

Rose: I take it back. The idea of letting riffraff get close to my master is outrageous!

-Mini Time Skip-

Alicia: I've arranged sleeping chambers for each of you. It might be a little cramped for you, Diablo. Please forgive me.

Diablo: No, it won't be a problem. (This is practically a king's bedroom.) So it seems you've already surmised the general situation.

Alicia: Yes. Diablo, might I draw closer to you?

Diablo: Yes, I'll allow it.

Alicia: *Stands up* Pardon me.

Diablo moves to the side to give Alicia some space to sit down.

Alicia: You've come to the royal capital because of Lady Lumachina, yes?

Diablo: Y-Yes.

Alicia: The king hasn't learned that I plotted to resurrect the Demon Lord, but I was held responsible during my absence during the emergency, so I'm currently under confinement. But I believe I can prove useful to you, Diablo. Please tell me the details.

Diablo starts thinking to himself about Alicia being a virgin killer before telling all of the details of the situation.

-With (Y/N)-

Back to you, you were in your room sleeping peacefully while Seki herself was also getting some sleep on the couch.

During your sleep, you hear a couple of knocks on your door which woke you up.

(Y/N): Hm? Who is it?

???: Um...it's me, (Y/N).

It was the voice of Shera who spoke behind your door.

You got up from your bed and went to open the door to see Shera wearing her usual nightgown.

Shera: Good evening, (Y/N)...

(Y/N): Likewise, Shera. Why are you out here?

Shera: Well...it's just that I couldn't sleep...

(Y/N): Why? You have a nightmare or something?

Shera: N-No, not like that. I just couldn't put myself to sleep, that's all, hehe...

Shera says nervously until your head clicked on actually why Shera came to your room.

(Y/N): Are you...asking me to sleep with you?

Shera: Ahaha, you read my mind. Is it alright?

(Y/N): Well...you, me, and Leafa usually slept in the same bed back at the Peace of Mind inn. Therefore, you're okay sleeping with me.

Shera: *Nods* Thank you very much.

You then stepped aside to let Shera in as you closed the door behind you.

After that, you joined Shera on the bed together as the two of you covered yourselves with a large blanket.

You were looking up at the ceiling for just a few seconds until you looked over to your left and see Shera who was now fast asleep.

You were surprised by this before smiling at her sleeping face.

(Y/N): Goodnight, Shera.

You tell her as he eventually turned your body to the right side and fell asleep.

-The Next Day-

Morning came, and everyone arrived in the living room to have a meeting with Alicia because of Vishos and his schemes.

Alicia: Diablo, these are records of the Church's financial dealings for these past few years, and evidence of their various wrongdoings.

(Y/N): This is a lot. How did you get all this stuff, Alicia?

Alicia: Well, I bought off the White Masks.

Lumachina: The White Masks?

Diablo: What are those?

Lumachina: They're the believers of great faith who are permitted to enter the sanctuary. You really bought off those people?

Alicia: Unfortunately. When I told them I would buy evidence of bribery, many of the White Masks...According to these documents, Vishos and those serving under him have been using a majority of the donations from believers as their personal funds.

Rem: That's awful.

Alicia: That's not all, either. Just as Vishos has tried to kill Lumachina, he has killed many who got in their way already.

Leafa: Goodness me...

Shera: Th-that's terrible! Unforgivable, even!

Lumachina: God's...God's own servants have taken the lives of others? And yet I...I never knew about any of it.

That is when Lumachina's eyes started to get watery upon hearing all of the terrible things.

Seki: Lumachina...

Lumachina: I'm mad. I'm mad, I'm mad, I'm mad...I'm mad!

Alicia: Now do you understand? The mortal races are disgusting things. Ruin is the only path to their salvation! This world needs to purge brought about by a Demon Lord! Now bring the bloody purge-

Leafa then smacks the back of Alicia's head.

Leafa: *Loudly whispers* Alicia, your true nature is showing up!

Alicia: P-Pardon me, but *turns to Diablo*, even though we have all this evidence, the law cannot punish him. We need your power to...

(Y/N): What do you think, Diablo? You wanna reason with Vishos or storm into the cathedral?

You asked as Diablo pauses for a few moments before making his decision.

Diablo: Good grief...I guess it's come to this. Things might get a bit rough.

Horn: Our turn's finally up!

Rem: Facing the church, huh?

Horn: Yeah! We can't let them do this!

Seki: Seems you have made your decision, Diablo.

However, Lumachina slams her hands onto the desk to gain everyone's attention and said...

Lumachina: Please wait, Diablo. Would you please grant me just one more chance?

Diablo: What do you intend to do?

Lumachina: I'm going to march to the Catheral with this evidence in hand, confront Vishos, and his subordinates, and pronounce their excommunication.

(Y/N): (Huh...Lumachina's going to punish them just by going through a proper means.)

Lumachina: Diablo.

Diablo: Very well. You can give it a shot.

Leafa: Guess that means we're taking the path of talking then.

Lumachina forms a happy face upon hearing Diablo's response.

Alicia: Head Priest, this is as far as I can go with you. Please allow me to ask one last question. Do you believe the moral races are worth saving?

Lumachina: That is for God to decide. But it makes me happy when people are able to live with a sense of salvation.

Alicia: I see.

-Time Skip-

Later, (Y/N) and the group were riding on a carriage while wearing the robes.

Alicia: The church is six blocks away from the inn. These are the outfits worn by believers. If you wear them, you should be able to get close to the sanctuary without trouble. Once we cross this bridge, we'll be in the church's district.

Lumachina: While there's no roof, it's as holy a palace as the inside of the cathedral. Those who live here, and those who work here, are all ardent believers.

Eventually, everyone arrived at the cathedral and looked at the building itself.

Horn: That's the Cathedral? It's more lackluster than I expected. Mister?

Diablo: No, look up.

Everyone looked up to see the floating palace from above everyone's heads.

Horn/Rem/Shera: Ehh?!?!

Shera: That's the sanctuary?!

Horn: I-It's floating! It's floating!

Leafa: (You guys haven't seen a floating platform on our way here?)

Lumachina: Vishosh and his subordinates are up there in the sky, too. (Y/N), can you use your Mana Sensing skill?

(Y/N): I already did, and I can sense around...probably hundreds of members up there.

Lumachina: I see.

Diablo: How do we get there? (Y/N) and Leafa are the only ones who can fly up there.

Lumachina: We'll use the floating passage.

Male Believer 1: Pardon me but are you pilgrims?

Everyone looked in front and see a boy with short yellow hair.

Male Believer 1: Please, allow me to offer you some prayers.

Diablo: Sorry, but we're in a hurry.

Male Believer 1: Huh? You're turning down prayers?

Hearing the rejection caused the believers to look at Diablo with offendedfaces.

(Y/N): (What a way to upset them...)

Rem: Please forgive our rudeness. We've just traveled here from the old Demon Lord's Domain. We're just so eager, you see.

Male Believer 1: That's quite the long journey! *Turns to all of the Believers* Everyone! Let us offer prayers to these faithful believers who have visited from the old Demon Lord's Domain, and build our faith together!

Leafa: Oh boy...

Lumachina: Diablo...To the faithful, prayers are as important as breathing. Please.

Lumachina says as everyone watches all of the believers start to surround you all and pray.

Diablo (Takuma): (Well, now we're stuck...)

That is when everyone hears the sound of two doors opening in front as they all looked to see Vishos and his subordinates.

Lumachina: Vishos...

The believers were shocked upon seeing Vishos coming out of the Cathedral as all of the believers begin to step aside to make way while also praying to them.

Vishos: Welcome home. We've been waiting for you, Head Priest Lumachina.

Lumachina widens her eyes in shock upon Vishos recognizing her so easily. So, Lumachina no longer hides behind the robes and takes them off, revealing to everyone her full appearance.

Male Believer 1: Th-This woman's the Head Priest?!

All of the believers start getting on all fours upon seeing Lumachina while (Y/N) and the others took off their robes.

Lumachina: Vishos, someone tried to kill me when I went to Zircon Tower.

Vishos: That's terrible!

Vishos says with a fake shocked expression until Lumachina begins to tell him the evidence.

Lumachina: That man was the Paladin, Gewalt, and Vishos, that assassin was sent by you!

The believers were stunned to hear that as Lumachina continues to tell everything.

Lumachina: And now, in the carriage behind me, I've gathered evidence that all of you have killed many others, along with financial records of your bribery. So I hereby pronounce: Head Cardinal Vishos and those Cardinals serving under him are hereby excommunicated.

The believers were now more shocked upon hearing everything that they just heard from Lumachina and her evidence.

Diablo: Well said.

Vishos: How deplorable. It would seem the duties of Head Priest were too much for a young, growing woman who wants to play. After abandoning your duties, engaging in all manner of debauchery, and returning with such shady individuals in tow, you've created such fake evidence to attempt to cast us out?

Lumachina: What?! You would call my claims lies and falsehoods? Your wrongdoings-

Vishos: There's no way such things could happen! If those things were to happen, the church would lose all significance, and the faith built up by our believers would lose all meaning, wouldn't it?

(Y/N): That's a nice argument you got there, but why don't you back it up with a source?

Vishos: Source?

(Y/N): Yes. Provide a source so you can back up your argument with your beliefs and stuff like those.

This starts to slightly annoy Vishos.

Vishos: You...

Lumachina: My confrontation is with you, Vishos. No matter how great the cost, you must repent for the sins you've committed!

Vishos: Hmph...You're absolutely right, Head Priest- no, former Head Priest!

Lumachina: !

Vishos: You've abandoned your duties and hidden your whereabouts! Now you seek to destroy the very church itself to cover your sloth and debauchery!

All of the believers started muttering.

Lumachina: H-How could you...

Shera: Rem...Leafa...

Rem: Yeah, I don't like where this is going

Leafa: Let's keep a level head. Hey, Diablo...

Leafa calls out to Diablo, but he was only looking Lumachina and thinks to himself that if she gets emotional, she'll lose.

However...

Vishos: Lumachina Weselia! You should resign from your position as Head Priest and repent for your sin of abandoning your duty!

Vishos declares with an authoritative tone in his voice.

Lumachina: B-But...

Vishos: Now! Seize this sinner and her companions!

(Y/N): Son of a...

That is when a lot of Paladin started coming out of nowhere from each side.

Rem: Th-Th-There are so many Paladins!

Horn: Wh-Wh-What do we do?!

Vishos: My believers, this is a great act of faith. Now, seize those people!

All of the believers started reaching out to (Y/N)'s group like mindless zombies as they all start to get a hold of you.

Horn: I-I can't...I can't take this! Uwahh!!

Horn exclaims as she starts running away and cries her eyes out.

Diablo: I don't want to, but I guess I'll mow them down.

Lumachina: You mustn't.

Seki: Lumchina, you lost the debate. There must be something we can do!

Diablo: Seki's right. We're gonna have to throw hands!

Lumachina: Even so, we can't allow blood to be spilled at the cathedral!

Everyone was surprised by Lumachina's decision.

Leafa: Are you sure about this?

Lumachina: If it will save everyone else...

Diablo: Heh, you would say that. Then at least go on your own two feet! Lightning Strike!

Diablo raises his magic sword and aims a lightning bolt toward the cathedral's signature symbol.

Diablo: If you don't want to die, then make way for her!

All of the believers started backing off and muttered in panic.

Lumachina: *Turns to the boy* Thank you for the prayers you offered earlier. May God's blessing be upon all of you, as well.

That is when (Y/N)'s group started taking the floating passageway which is a large circle that could fit 20 people to head up towards the sanctuary.

...

(A/N: That's that~! Stay tuned for more!)