The night had only just begun to fall as the final traces of dusk were slowly fading. It had been a long and fruitful day. Sylia, who had just returned to her child form, was making the final preparations for the evening's events, ready to depart to a new destination.

Grenek approached her once more, his son Jezelius following closely behind him.

His objective was clear. He was to implore her pardon in front of the event's guests and shame her until she publicly welcomed Jezelius back into her good graces.

It was a tactic that had proven effective many times before. Manipulating the crowd and stoking resentment toward the Saints was part of a broader strategy to see Sylia removed for good. Look, they would say, if she is capable of doing that to him, then she would do that to you.

Grenek nearly smiled, then quickly schooled his expression.

He could not afford to reveal too much of his emotions.

A small group had already begun to gather, drawn by his loud pleas.

His tactic was already succeeding. His lips twitched, and an involuntary smile surfaced.

Sylia smiled back and calmly reminded the crowd of how Jezelius had once called her countless names, even going so far as to accuse her of cannibalism, then reporting her, repeatedly, with his family to the Authorities.

Grenek's confidence suddenly faltered.

The crowd has already begun to turn against him.

Then, Sylia recounted, once more, how Jezelius had knowingly made false accusations of grave crimes against her to have her imprisoned and abused by the Province Lord's men. She claimed Jezelius wanted her gone so that he could keep selling children to vile men who abused and drained them. Then, with an even louder voice, she added that she had punished Jezelius by castrating him after he took to raping and beating defenseless women.

Grenek trembled as he saw the expressions on the women gathered, alongside several men, who now cast Jezelius loathsome glances. His plan had backfired entirely.

How could this have happened?

He had not thought Sylia would speak so openly, especially when it could tarnish the reputation of his kin.

Sylia smiled coldly, her eyes glinting as she fixed her gaze on him.

"Well, Grenek, tell me—do you encourage the rape and abuse of helpless women? Do you also defend those who level false accusations against them, only so they might be handed over to the Province Lord's men for rape and physical abuse? I am so very glad Dio and many of his siblings were adopted by Grenar. That means that you, Grenek, share no blood with them whatsoever. They have high morals and would protect me at any cost. Quite unlike Grenek and Grenar, who have clearly fallen to the Malevolent side."

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Grenek took a few steps back, clearly shaken.

Several women have already chosen a side and now looked ready to throw stones, not only at his son, but at him as well. One has even summoned a broom, which she now brandished menacingly. He recognized her as a renowned witch of the area.

Sylia laughed softly and murmured, "That one is one of my Familiars, Grenek. She is also a Dragon and Drake's Summoner. She may very well be considering burning you at the stake before we revive you in the morning."

Then, turning her gaze to the crowd, she lifted her arms theatrically and declared, her tone sharp with feigned concern, "Oh no, what should I do? Grenek wants to defend a rapist who falsely accused me of the vilest crimes!"

Grenek trembled and met her gaze, pleading with his eyes. But it was already too late. The crowd surged. Some threw stones. Others did far worse. Even Mathias Herves' little Bunny, Mathew Two, and his companion the brown Slime joined the assault.

Grenek held out his arms to block the attacks. However, he could do very little and went on his knees, helpless.

At last, Sylia took pity on him and intervened to halt the violence unleashed upon him and his son. She ushered the crowd away, promising them free drinks and luxury food.

Sylia even went so far as to heal both Grenek and Jezelius.

Dio stood next to her, surprised by her unusual mercy. He did not dare say anything, however, and just observed the scene.

Crossing her arms, Sylia looked down at Grenek who was still kneeling at her feet.

"Do you understand now?" she asked coolly. "I believe I've already demonstrated that this sort of tactic has no effect on me. Did I not kill Jezelius' brother, who had dared to defend the perpetrators against both the victims and myself? Consider yourself fortunate I didn't do anything of the sort to you. I have important plans for you and Grenar. So, you should stop interfering in my business."

Grenek looked up at her, his expression filled with renewed fear.

Sylia sighed and continued.

"Strangely enough, you were not involved in the scheme of Jezelius and his family when they accused me of cannibalism in an effort to be rid of me. Masha was, although you refuse to admit it. What none of you seem to realize is that the men Jezelius and his family reported me to were in fact creations crafted by Mathias and I from the Souls of former scum who had once served Frieze and the Province's Sovereign Duke. Those reformed men now owe us dearly, in many ways, simply to be allowed 'life'. They are even more indebted, with their new employers, to Mathias and I, since we let them wander around these parts that fall under our jurisdiction. They know full well they will be exterminated by us in the end, so we do not pretend to be allies. We merely allow them to handle our opponents and opposition in whatever way they see fit. We turn a blind eye to their hideous conduct, for filth is best handled by filth."

Sylia continued, smiling cruelly. "They paid me handsomely to take in the women who accused me of cannibalism. They have… needs, you see. And since we use them to absorb the corruption in this Region, it is best to let them manage the corrupted in their own way. So while Jezelius encouraged his female kin to falsely accuse me, I profited from their enslavement. It was a win—for me alone."

Grenek's eyes widened in horror. Even Jezelius now trembled, gripped by both shock and terror. Sylia had been behind everything he had endured recently.

Although she had publicly pardoned him, she had been secretly unleashing those monsters upon him. All those recent months he had spent plotting against her—only to realize he had been reporting to men she had deliberately kept around, precisely to deal with people like him.

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