TW: Misogyny(?), violence, two hopelessly in love villains

 

“The Demon Lord’s army has further breached the western defenses,” the messenger grimly reported as they handed over a sealed letter. “Duke Evanston urgently requests additional troops and assistance from the Saintess.”

 

The rag-tag team crowded around the table returned the messenger’s somber expression as they peered over the broad-shouldered red-head prince in the center to read the letter. Crown Prince Damien remained quiet as he considered his options. None of them seemed particularly good but something had to be done.

 

“Alyssa, can you manage this assignment?” he asked, turning to the dark-skinned beauty next to him.

With an air of carefree confidence, Alyssa responded, “Of course, thwarting some demons is nothing to be worried about. Leave it to me.”

“Are you sure? Duke Evanston’s report suggests-”

“I’ll be fine,” Alyssa cut him off, slightly irritated. “I’m not the Saintess for nothing.”

 

A murmur of agreement spread throughout the table.

 

“Her Holiness can handle this easily. We should focus on refortifiting the fortresses,” Maxwell, their resident tank, politely commented.

“Yeah, Prince Damien. Leave this to her,” Iris the High Mage chimed in. “Fort Brexford is in threat of falling and it doesn’t seem it will last any longer.”

 

The prince was hesitant to send their trump card to the frontlines. The thought of the Temple’s greatest treasure getting hurt, possibly slain, sent shivers down his spine. Alyssa’s death could spell disaster for his nation. Daimen’s eyes darkened rapidly as his calculating brain drew up possible worst-case scenarios. Realistically, with the fabled youngest Sword Master as her personal knight, no harm would befall her with the former mercenary by her side. But was this knight even dependable? Even if she passed the Temple’s exam and pledged loyalty to the Saintess under the watchful eyes of the Goddess, her lack of a background until she joined the Guild a few years ago was a cause of concern. Daimen, of course, brought this up to Alyssa, trying to bring this discrepancy to her attention, only to be brushed off.

 

As Daimen became occupied with his wandering thoughts, his companions' gazes started to weigh heavily on him, demanding a decision and the longer he took, the more irritated they became. Alyssa’s graceful face strained to keep its serene expression the more Damien relented to let her go.

 

“If you have nothing to say,” the Saintess’s leveled voice rang out, “I’ll make preparations to head out.” Without waiting for a response, the sound of expensive fabric swishing and heels clacking alongside heavier boots belonging to her personal knight hitting the wooden floor in sync was all the rest of the party could hear from the Goddess’s chosen one. But one refused to let this be their last words to each other and chased after the fleeting figures.

 

Daimen finally caught up to Alyssa in a desolate hallway with great effort. Even after shouting  “wait!” numerous times, she didn’t even offer a grain of attention, only stopping once he evoked his title.

 

‘It wasn’t always like this,' he couldn’t help but think bitterly. Once, the two were inseparable in their academy days, yet this is how she decides to repay his goodwill. Once, she’d hang off every word he uttered, worshiped him like the prince he was, yet now she looks at him like a piece of rubbish. Once, she was at the bottom of the hierarchy, yet now she dared to bite the hand that fed her now that she was at the top.

‘No, it simply must be the stress,’ Daimen convinced himself in an effort to calm down. ‘Alyssa was always a fragile thing, the Saintess duties must be too difficult.’ With such a realization, his ugly expression smoothed out to its original breathtaking form and an understanding smile graced his features.

 

“Yes, Prince?” Alyssa courteously asked, but the respectful smile harbored other feelings beneath its surface, the longer he took to respond, the closer they got to breaching the surface.

“Alyssa, I just wanted to tell you something, privately.” Daimen finally responded with his eyes on Alyssa’s figurative shadow, the tall, muscular and frighteningly beautiful mercenary standing behind her.

“We are already doing so.”

“You know what I mean!” the prince unwittingly snapped. Regaining his bearings, he quickly added, “Just…just for five minutes…please.”

 

After a brief pause where the two women exchanged a glance, Alyssa gave a shallow nod of approval before transfixing her golden eyes on the prince.

 

“Please,” her mellow and refreshing voice stated, “make it quick.”

Internally berating her choice of words, Damien cleared his throat, preparing himself for his declaration, and started, “Alyssa, ever since I met you, I just knew you would make a wonderful empress. After this war is over, I will make you the empress and we can rule Rinehart together!”

 

Damien’s breathless panting was all that could be heard in the resplendent palace hall. When he finally dared to look at his crush’s face, he was met with a scornful gaze, one that didn’t bother hiding how disgusted it was with his actions. It wasn't like any expression he’d ever seen on Alyssa, the sweet but rather aloof woman he knew for over a decade. Damien dumbly realized that it was the first time he’d seen her golden eyes blaze unhindered with emotion.

 

“This,” Alyssa spat out viciously, “was what you wasted my time with?! A proposal amidst a war that threatens the existence of your precious kingdom?” Taking a deep breath as she unclenched her arms to revert back to her aloof image, she continued, still with a bite in her voice, “It seems I have entertained your delusions for far too long, Prince Damien. I have no love for a prince who disregards the well-being of his populace to curry favor for a position that would all value once he ascends to it. I have no love for a prince who looks to status and usefulness to determine one’s worth. I have no love for a prince who disposes of people once they fulfill their purpose. To put it simply, I have no love for scum.”

 

With that, she left the hall gracefully, even tucking a braid that had dislodged in her anger behind her ear like she just didn’t humiliate the crown prince in the process of crushing his heart.

 

The moment Alyssa opened the large intricately carved doors, her personal knight, Magnolia fell into step with her. Her short, roughly-cut honey-blond hair caught the light let in by the windows, creating an eye-catching picture of an endearing face, who was clad in all black and wielding a greatsword, smiling at Alyssa. Hazel eyes melted into the mutually loving gaze of golden ones and the two, in their own world, exchanged a thousand words without even opening their mouths.

 

—-----

 

Arranging transportation to the Western frontline was unexpectedly easy with a carriage and escort team being prepared at the moment of request. Alyssa expected some kind of retribution for her harsh words, but it seemed that the immature prince took her words to heart. Well, whatever he decided to do was of no consequence to her. There were more important things to concern herself with, like planning the fall of this blasted empire. Once inside the safety of the carriage and ensuring no prying ears and eyes were on them courtesy of Magnolia, Alyssa got to work.

 

“You’re awfully lax for someone whose army is in danger of being vanquished,” Alyssa commented, chin resting on her hands as she observed her lover and protector.

“Like they stand a chance. Besides, I have nothing to fear with you around,” the cheesy line was even accompanied with a wink. “But, someone else needs vanquishing, don’t they?”

 

The previously harmonious mood in the carriage soured rapidly as the duo’s greatest enemy was brought up. In truth, there were others who have done objectively worse things to them, but this man had managed to go above and beyond in his actions by being the catalyst that started everything. As Magnolia’s former fiance back in her Young Lady of the Duchy of Evanston days, Crown Prince Damien managed to covet the beauty of a cleric-in-training. He didn’t hesitate to push Magnolia further and further into darkness and profit from her suffering to justify his attempt at an affair no matter how much Alyssa wanted nothing to do with him. He dared to stand nobly when he broke the engagement and banished Magnolia to life he crafted to be filled with suffering for something he knew she didn’t do, all to look good for a girl who was forced to be around him.

 

Damien foolishly thought he’d become the hero that “saved” Alyssa from his wicked fiance, but little did he know, he pushed her to meet this “wretched woman,” only for her to find the love of her life. Little did he know that he became the villain who tried, and succeeded, to break the lovebirds apart. Their grievances grew and festered under the surface the longer they were apart, and like Destiny herself was laughing at them, caused Alyssa to awaken as the Saintess and Magnolia as the Demon Lord, two eternal enemies fated to slay each other in a never-ending cycle of rebirth and death.

 

But this pair was ready to defy the will of this world.

 

“I’m starting to think that a slow death is not good enough,” Alyssa leisurely commented while gazing at her nails as if she was talking about the weather.

“Darling, you wouldn’t believe this technique I’ve heard about,” Magnolia started joyfully as she stroked the loose braid that fell in front of her beloved face. “Apparently, it can inflict unimaginable and unyielding pain on one’s soul, and with the right artifact, can continue even after the body has died. Wouldn’t it be nice to have his pathetic soul, incapable of reincarnating, to look at everyday?”

“With his personality, it would be quite ugly, but I do think suffering would look nice on him,” Alyssa agreed before clapping her hands in realization. “Oh, we can have the best of both worlds! Perhaps torture him until he’s at the brink of death, then kill and trap his sould at our wedding!”

“Ugh, having him there whining would ruin the photos.”

“We can cut his tongue and take the photos with his corpse~”

“Sometimes, I forget I’m the Demon Lord here.”

 

Magnolia’s jesting comment was met with a hearty laugh and the two kissed, hands entwined, with knowledge that their plans were almost complete.

 

This time, they’ll win, together.