Chapter 19: The Arrival of the Demon

“What exactly do you want?” Claper stared at the man who had intruded on her private quarters in the dead of night, her face pale. In fact, she already knew his purpose. Ever since their encounter off the coast of Patreia, she had never felt at ease again. She had clung to a faint hope, but what was meant to happen would happen.
“Miss Claper, do you still need me to explain?” Komer leaned back leisurely in the soft chair, enjoying the warmth of this noble lady’s private room. He knew what she was thinking, but since he had dared to come, he surely had a way to make her submit. Given that she hadn’t reacted yet, there was a good chance he could make her yield peacefully. “As the pride of the Spartan Kingdom, you resort to such insane actions just because you were rejected by someone outside your circle. I can’t believe that the highly respected priestess of the Olympus Temple would do such outrageous things. Could it be that the gods worshipped at Olympus are all bloodthirsty, twisted demons?”
Komer’s merciless words made Claper’s face even paler. The events from over a decade ago resurfaced like a nightmare, piece by piece, with salt thrown on the wounds. She couldn’t imagine how she could continue living in the Southern Seas if this were exposed. The reputation of the priests at the Athens Olympus Temple would surely be ruined as well.
Claper glanced at Komer’s face. She didn’t know his true intentions, but one thing was certain: he wanted to use this secret to blackmail her, forcing her to do things she didn’t want to do. But did she still have the strength to refuse him?
Kill him? This thought had crossed Claper’s mind countless times, but she rejected it each time. His overwhelming strength made anyone who tried to attack him think twice. Moreover, his boldness in coming here must mean he had a trump card up his sleeve. Most importantly, she had no confidence in defeating him, and revealing the secret might bring even more trouble.
“What do you want?” Claper tried hard to stay calm. It wasn’t easy to regain composure after having her mindset disrupted for so long. But under the pressure of such a crisis, her thoughts were in chaos, and fear and worry made it hard for her to control her emotions.

“Miss Kleiper, I really want to know why a proud and noble priestess like you would want to do such a thing. Do you really think you can hide this from Helena for life? Don’t you feel any guilt at all? I simply can’t understand your twisted mindset—or perhaps Zelin’s influence on you is too strong?” Komer provoked her curiously, truly eager to know what kind of mindset drove such a priestess, who was revered by ordinary people, to do such a thing.

A faint blush rose on Kleiper’s cheeks, her gaze turning wild and unfocused. A haze covered her eyes, and her lips seemed distorted from extreme tension. “What do you know?! I want revenge! I want to revenge him for breaking his promises, for deceiving my feelings. He made me live in pain forever, so I’ll make sure he never finds peace either! I’ll never let him enjoy family happiness!”

“Have you thought about whether this is fair to Helena? Fair to her other relatives? If Zelin really did something to hurt you, he should bear the responsibility alone. By dragging Helena into this—for eighteen years at that—you don’t think that’s cruel and excessive? Once Helena finds out, have you considered what image you’ll have in her eyes? It might destroy her beautiful view of the world!” Komer said coldly.

Kleiper was enraged by Komer’s words. Her gaze became razor-sharp, and her innate nobility shone through. “Who are you to lecture me? Don’t think you can show off just because you have a few tricks up your sleeve. It’s not your place to give orders in the Southern Lands!”

Although Komer appeared calm and gentle on the surface, his words were icy and piercing: “Good. You have spirit and character—this is what I consider a true temple priestess. But Miss Kleiper, are you prepared to face complete disgrace? I really want to see Helena’s look of contempt and hatred toward you, and I want to see the Spartans spitting on you and cursing you. You’ve destroyed the Spartans’ dreams and defiled their sacred beliefs. To the forces of darkness, perhaps you’re more like their ally—helping the Spartans step into their embrace. Maybe you’re really their spy?”

Even the sarcastic remarks made Kleiper’s face flush red, only to turn pale again, or turn crimson from emotional agitation. The drastic changes in her emotions made her stagger; she wasn’t mentally prepared and would only unleash her inner fury in moments of extreme anger. But when Komer’s sinister words echoed in her mind, she realized she was like an insect trapped in a spider’s web—the more she struggled, the weaker she became.
“Demon! Demon! God will punish you!” Kleiper no longer had the strength to fight back; she could only gasp and curse him with endless resentment.
“Is that so? That’s your concept of God. But the Olympian gods have been defiled by you—do they still possess divine power? If it were the God in my belief, would he punish me for your heretical nonsense? How ridiculous!” Komer laughed heartily.
Komer’s merciless words finally shattered Miss Holy Lily’s psychological defenses. Facing Komer, who was stepping closer step by step, Kleiper, filled with fear and confusion, shuddered violently at the faint sinister smile on Komer’s face, only then realizing she had been pushed back to the foot of the altar of the Great Creator.
“Demon, what do you really want?!”