Gacha Kingdom Building

-This chapter is writt using Angelica's POV-

A dimly lit, dark place.

Ev seeing a few meters ahead was difficult.

The earthquake from before caused us to separate, and the ceiling above us collapsed, effectively creating two groups separated by a wall.

Anna: "Give me a second, I'll destroy the rocks-"

Elizabeth: "Don't! According to the map, we are under the walls and the river. You could make things worse."

Since she was about to hit Gabriella, Anna had decided to move away and "help" Agatha and Lana.

Due to that, the three of them got stuck on the other side of the wall.

Anna: "Can't you use your magic to make a barrier and get out of there?"

Elizabeth: "I've be trying to cast, but all my barriers are down. I don't know what is happing."

Cassandra: "Oh... like what happed with the puppy back th."

Anna: "This is bad... should we call Miw back?"

While we could still communicate, it was necessary for Anna to shout for us to hear her, and vice versa.

Elizabeth: "Hm... I'd rather not interrupt his date... I still have the special role so... Let's do it like this. You should be able to leave the mine in about one hour with those two, right? After that, I'll change the exit to somewhere safe so that we can exit too."

While it would be preferable to have him solve this situation, Elizabeth was just as capable, ev more so considering she currtly had the [Special Role] that gives her almost the same rights he has.

However, she's quite prideful.

She has a mix of respect for Miw and a sse of professionalism that paired with her pride makes it hard for her to ask for help.

Appartly, ev wh facing death, she chose to fight rather than back down and fail at the task she was giv.

So, in a situation like this one, her answer was obvious.

Elizabeth: "I don't want to change the design of this place since it might cause more slides, thankfully, there is a good space we could use not far from here. Let's head there and wait until the others are out."

Ev though she couldn't use her Gift, she remained completely unfazed.

Elizabeth: "Angelica, can you use your magic to light our way?"

Angelica: "Yes..."

I don't know many spells. I never had a chance to learn anything while I was alive.

At most, I picked up a simple one that was oft used by monks and priests wh I was being hunted.

But if all that was needed was to evoke a simple light ball, th ev I could do it.

Elizabeth: "Cassandra, you can use your magic to provide cover from the backline, no? Th, I'll help Angelica with the frontline. As for you... stay behind me."

She quickly decided on our positions.

While Cassandra is plty capable as a frontline fighter too, this formation allowed her to keep an eye on Gabriella.

And ev though Elizabeth and Cassandra have a... complex relationship... they seem to both trust and respect each other. Or at least their strgth and loyalty to Miw and the Kingdom at large.

The chances of betrayal, or one hurting the other were xistt.

With Gabriella at bay, Elizabeth was able to make use of the status she increased last time, so ev though she didn't have her magic and didn't know how to fight properly, she still managed to facilitate things for me and Cassandra.

Thanks to her, we were able to move fast.

Evtually, we ded up reaching crossroads.

Miw had put a lot of effort into making this a labyrinth, but that ded up causing a problem for us.

We lacked someone with scouting abilities, and Cassandra's magic, while powerful, was quite loud.

As I headed ahead in the direction Elizabeth pointed me to, a monster jumped at her from our blindspot.

He managed to bite her arm before I could react.

It only took one hit from her to kill it, but it was too late, the damage had already be done.

Her left arm had a deep wound, and blood was spilling everywhere.

Angelica: "Sorry, it was my fault..."

I was too focused on what was right in front of me to notice its presce.

Worse yet, I couldn't ev heal her...

Elizabeth: "...Worry not, it was my mistake. I chose a bad time to confirm our path."

The wound looked so serious, and yet, she didn't scream or shriek. It took her only a momt to regain composure.

Cassandra: "...You two, move behind. I'll handle the front."

Gabriella: "What are you saying? It's better if they-"

Cassandra: "Shut it."

She didn't allow Gabriella to finish, but it was clear what she was about to say.

It was the first time I had se Cassandra angry.

Her face didn't distort, and she didn't shout.

Yet, her monotone voice, sharp, focused eyes, and the disappearance of her usual smile pictured a surreal image that st shivers down my spine.

Ev in death, I didn't feel so much fear.

The only other time I felt like this was wh I saw Elizabeth as an emy through Miw's memories.

Only the Demon Que next to her was capable of such a scary visage.

I wouldn't hold it against a girl as cute as Gabriella to cry in fear, but...

That wasn't at all what happed.

Instead, once again, it looked like she wanted to laugh. Her eyes were as if she wasn't ev looking at Cassandra ev though she was clearly paying atttion to her.

The two of them were terrifying in completely differt ways.

Gabriella: "Are you going to defd them again? Do you not see that her devilish pride is what's leading to disaster at every turn? Once you turn your back to them, they'll reveal themselves and eat us alive!"

Cassandra: "Hah... Your hate has really made you blind. Normally it's better for childr to arrive at the answer by themselves, but I'll respect your disability. Since you cannot see, I'll make it clear."

She approached Gabriella, who lifted her hand and materialized two bright light blades by her side.

Ev though she was clearly being threated, to the point where she felt the need to react, her expression didn't change, and it didn't fit at all what one would expect.

In response, Cassandra called upon her swords too.

I thought they were about to fight, but Elizabeth lifted her arm, and with a nod of her head, made me understand that I should not interfere.

Cassandra: "You might not have noticed due to your blindness, but the demon you so despise, inttionally sacrificed her arm for your sake. Had she moved away, you would be the one in its jaws. With your low defse, you wouldn't have gott away as easily."

While it's true that Elizabeth doesn't seem to have any experice in physical combat, she was a little slower than normal at that momt.

Anyone paying close atttion to her would've noticed that, and in this improvised party, no one was more watchful of her than Gabriella.

She also had the best position to see it, being right behind Elizabeth.

Gabriella: "As I've said, this must be a plan. She has no reason to protect me."

Cassandra: "Oh but she has. You said it yourself. She is a creature of sin. This one is especially prideful."

Gabriella: "...?"

Only a tilt of her head showed her confusion.

Cassandra: "Idiot. She's too prideful to allow a stain like your death in her mission. The bare minimum she'll settle for is absolute success. Her pride... the sin you believe so much to be inhertly evil, has saved your life."

This was the perfect example of Cassandra's point.

Ev if done out of one's own selfish desires, to save someone is ultimately still a good act.

If sin could be the motivation for someone to befit another, th, there were bound to be cases where it became a virtuous act.

It might seem contradictory, but...

Elizabeth had just done it.

The world wasn't so black and as Gabriella might think.

Gabriella was tak aback by her words.

It was necessary to show her the obvious. Cassandra seemed to have realized this, so she continued.

Cassandra: "Furthermore, she's not the only one. You are sured by people making the most of their sins. The boy and his responsibility, kindness, and control, are just his own flavor of greed and pride. His lust made him deep his relationships with the others, making all of them happier in the process. His ire protected Elizabeth, and was the fuel for protecting his sister too."

Since we have his memories, we have a deep understanding of him, so we know exactly what effects his sins have on him.

He doesn't believe himself to be a particularly good person, but that doesn't impede him from being kind, gtle, and caring.

Rather, it's because he accepts his flaws, that he can explore the uses that are favorable for the path he has chos.

Ev his worst acts and desires, his cruelty, his desire for control, and his indifferce to emies... he uses them as weapons to protect what he has built, and those he loves.

He transforms those bad traits into tools to help and protect those he cares about.

That is why I can believe his words.

Because he doesn't lie to himself.

He does his best with what he has, and although he limits himself with his decisions, they are ultimately for the sake of others, making it hard to blame him.

Cassandra: "The laziness of the redhead brings him joy, as it shows he can offer others a differt life. The greed of the self-proclaimed evil witch has giv her useful knowledge, so now she's able to help him with many matters regarding magic..."

One by one, Cassandra cited the flaws and sins of the citizs of the Kingdom.

Yet, it was in praise rather than criticism.

Some were the result of conscious decisions, while some were not, yet, there were plty of examples of how Gabriella's labels were wrong.

Many of the things she saw as outright evil, were being the source of joy and fun for us.

They were part of what made this place special.

Also...

Cassandra: "You think diligce is good, so demons couldn't have it. But the Devil standing in front of you is more diligt than me thanks to her pride. And wh it comes to being evil... There was a reason as to why I had a better time absorbing Demonic Power..."

Her swords were st flying at an incredible speed. I couldn't ev keep track of them.

All that I knew was that wh I turned my head, Gabriella's blades were already destroyed.

They th came back to her, ev though she didn't need them as she still possessed two others by her side.

Cassandra: "If you cross my way, or theirs, I'll tear through all of your dirty holes with swords of your size. I'll show you more evilness and mercilessness than any Devil. I'll make you wish your fate had be sealed by one instead. Was that clear ough for you, blind one? Just try something funny behind my back, and we'll see who ds up laughing."

She touched Gabriella's lips with her fingers, and brought them down, forcibly taking away her smile, and showing hers instead.

The Accursed Black Sword... She was more ominous than I could have ever imagined.

Still, wh she passed by my side, I felt a light tap on my shoulder.

Cassandra: "Do you not want to give her a few words too? It seems to me like you have more to say than I do."

Angelica: "...I don't know how to rationalize my feelings as well as you do... I just feel hurt and... angry..."

Cassandra: "Hah. Isn't that a good thing? I'm happy to see you being honest."

...I hadn't noticed myself.

But her words were so confidt... I felt like no matter how bad my feelings were, she would accept them.

It made me comfortable in saying how I truly felt, without ev considering anything else.

She is so annoying. Incredibly hateful... however, I couldn't help but admire her.

Angelica: "I... wanted to be like you. I vy you..."

Cassandra: "Huh. That just means you have good taste~"

She's a degerate. A woman capable of extreme evil, but also... extreme kindness.

All that she did was to protect us, and ev though I felt like this toward her, she didn't mind at all.

She really belongs by Miw's side...

As for Gabriella, after her exchange with Cassandra, she stayed quiet the whole time.

We evtually made our way to the surface using Elizabeth's plan and Cassandra's formation.

Once there, Gabriella rushed to her house.

Seeing as she wasn't a anymore, Elizabeth, Cassandra, and I headed to the home we shared with Mia inside the Kingdom and waited for Miw.

Elizabeth made sure to heal her arm and change uniforms before he arrived.

Miw: "Sadly, I do not have too much time due to my needy wives, but... do you think there's hope?"

His plan was quite simple.

Not for a momt did he give Gabriella's words any merit, so he constructed a scario to prove her wrong beyond reasonable doubt.

He wanted to show that ev a demon like Elizabeth could show kindness and act in good faith, while someone hailed as a hero could be full of sin and act in an evil manner.

Thus,. Elizabeth and Cassandra's unique traits and dynamics were used to provoke and challge Gabriella's ideas.

The earthquake was caused by Anna and Elizabeth, using their powers and the [Special Role] to guarantee that we would d up separated the way we did.

My only job was to be fridly, helpful, and honest. As long as I didn't show any of the bad traits associated with a monster, ev after being provoked, Gabriella was bound to be constantly exposed to the faults in her thoughts.

Agatha was also in the know, as well as...

Lana: "I hope you keep your word."

Miw: "Sure, they said you did your job well, so I'll get you plty of fish."

Lana: "Hmph! It better be good."

Miw: "Right, only the best for my kitt~"

He employed Lana as a failsafe. She didn't actually go with Anna and Agatha back to the surface, instead, she hid inside Gabriella's shadow.

Their abilities are a counter to each other as her light, if not well utilized, would only strgth her shadows.

Or at least that's what he told her.

Of course, her presce wasn't so necessary. To start with, Elizabeth had not lost her powers.

We just used the fact that this had occurred once and that the Kingdom is a mysterious place, to come up with a not-so-unlikely scario that made her vulnerable.

He wanted to see if Lana was going to side with Gabriella in such a situation, but her actions showed she could be trusted a little.

Thus, this was the Kingdom's first official shadow operation.

Cassandra: "I don't think you should keep your hopes high."

Elizabeth: "Hm... I think it was a worthy attempt, so it might have an effect...."

Miw: "I see... and what about my angel?"

Whether a success or not... it was too early to say but...

Angelica: "I want to believe that this place, your Kingdom, and my home... can turn ev the worst into good... so... I hope."

Those were my true feelings.

And these were the only people to have ever allowed me to express them.

The first ones I could talk with.

And so, although we had deceived her... I was very happy and hopeful.

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