As the warden concluded his cryptic words, we arrived at the lowest level of the underground prison.

He halted abruptly at the entrance to the final floor.

“This is it. Walk straight down this corridor. Keep the prison key safe and return it to me once you’ve concluded your visit.”

After dismissing him, I found myself alone, staring down the pitch-black corridor that stretched endlessly before me.

They were said to be in the last cell, located in the deepest part of this level.

I stepped forward, the sound of my footsteps echoing against the oppressive silence.

For five minutes, I trudged through the darkness. Then, finally, I arrived.

“Are you in there?”

The cell beyond the iron bars was shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to see anything.

No sound. No movement. I called out again.

“Are you alive? Why aren’t you answering?”

Still no response.

An ominous unease crept into my chest. My fists clenched involuntarily.

“Did you... die―?”

“Grrr...”

From the silent void, a low, guttural growl emerged, resembling that of a beast.

It was meant as a threat, no doubt.

But to me, that faint growl evoked an entirely different feeling.

“...”

Guilt pressed heavily on my shoulders. My lips twisted into a bitter grimace.

Perhaps it was the sight of the two figures faintly visible in the darkness, huddled together protectively, as if clinging to each other for survival.

The weight of their suffering seemed palpable.

Then, among the eerie glow of their catlike eyes, one pair suddenly flashed with murderous intent.

“Hissss!”

With a ferocious snarl, one of them lunged at me.

Bang!

It was the incubus. But the iron bars held strong, stopping him in his tracks.

He clawed and thrashed, his hands striking out wildly.

‘Still feral... They haven’t regained their senses. If I want to learn about the Erased Ones, I’ll need to snap them out of this.’

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Their condition hadn’t improved since I last saw them. If anything, it had worsened.

The iron bars themselves were enchanted with a current of electricity, an anti-demon safeguard.

Burn marks were evident on the incubus’s skin, but he either didn’t feel the pain or ignored it. His sole focus was on threatening me.

“Tch.”

Clicking my tongue, I stepped back.

I couldn’t let him hurt himself further.

As I retreated, he finally ceased his aggression and withdrew to shield his sister, the succubus.

‘I can’t heal them from here. I’ll have to go inside.’

To apply the potion, I needed to get closer. But the enchanted bars complicated matters.

This was what I had prepared for. I had the key for a reason.

Decision made; I activated a skill.

[The Sanctuary of Divine Aegis has been summoned beneath your feet. All creatures within the zone are shielded by holy power.]

Duration: 2 hours.

The skill’s radiant light illuminated the dim cell.

Predictably, the demons reacted instantly.

“Hissss!”

“Grrr!”

Shielding their eyes, they retreated into the farthest corner.

Demons, especially in feral states like theirs, instinctively abhorred holy energy.

Taking advantage of their retreat, I unlocked the cell door with swift precision.

Once inside, I quickly shut it behind me.

They remained huddled in the corner, trembling from the lingering effects of my skill.

‘If I keep the sanctuary active, they’ll just cower. I’ll need to deactivate it.’

Before doing so, I retrieved an emergency-grade F-rank thermal blanket from my inventory and wrapped it tightly around my forearm.

I’d once seen trainers use similar methods to protect themselves from attack dogs.

“Good enough,” I muttered, preparing myself mentally. Then, I deactivated the skill.

“Hissss!”

The incubus charged immediately; fangs bared.

I thrust out my arm, the one wrapped in the blanket, just as he lunged.

His sharp teeth sank into the thick fabric, and he clamped down, thrashing like a wild animal.

It hurt, but it was bearable. At least he wasn’t biting flesh.

Using the distraction, I uncorked a potion and poured it over his torn wings.

‘It’s working.’

The healing was slow, but I could see the ragged edges of his wings beginning to mend.

Just as I moved to treat another wound, the succubus lunged, sinking her teeth into my unprotected arm.

“Gah!”

Pain flared as her sharp, demon-like fangs pierced through skin.

‘Damn... At least she’s holding still now.’

Despite the pain, I stayed calm, treating their injuries as they latched onto me like oversized leeches.

Finally, with their wounds sufficiently healed, I summoned a surge of holy energy.

The moment they sensed it, both demons released me and scrambled away.

Taking advantage of their retreat, I exited the cell and locked it behind me.

“Whew...”

It was done.

The incubus’s wings were almost fully healed, and the succubus looked far better than before.

Though now, I needed treatment for myself.

I cast one last glance at the two of them, still cowering like frightened animals.

“I know it seems cruel, but don’t hate me. You tried to kill me first. This was self-defense.”

Unsurprisingly, there was no response.

I sighed and turned to leave, pausing briefly to add, “When you recover, tell me what you know. We’ll figure this out together. No one needs to die—not you, and not me.”

And with that, I walked away, the weight on my shoulders heavier than when I had entered.

----------------------------------------

Back at the cathedral, chaos reigned. The rebirth of elixir production had sent shockwaves through the church, drawing nobles and commoners alike to place orders.

Despite the accolades, whispers of doubt lingered among the clergy.

“Isn’t the Pope suspicious?” one muttered.

“How did he rediscover a formula lost for over a century?”

I overheard everything. High-ranking Awakened like me had sharp ears.

Still, I let their gossip slide—for now.

“Let them talk,” I murmured to my aide, Luciana. “It’s not worth addressing baseless rumors.”

But in my heart, I made a silent vow.

‘Understanding is one thing. Forgiveness is another.’

With a subtle gesture, I rolled a glass orb toward them.

It stopped at their feet.

[The item “Condemned’s Sincere Tears” activates, compelling all within a 1-meter radius to speak only the truth.]

Soon, their whispered malice turned into candid confessions.

“Honestly, I know the Pope revived the elixir. I just went along with the gossip out of jealousy.”

“Yeah, same. He’s too perfect—makes me sick.”

Satisfied, I climbed into the waiting carriage.

Onward, to fulfill the Seventh Oracle.