Demon Prince is Resurrected

The man studied Yuto for a moment, sizing him up.

His eyes wandered over the blade in Yuto's hand, the ease with which he'd dispatched the bandits, and the calm demeanor.

'This young man is dangerous, I mustn't make him an enemy'

After a moment, he extended his hand out to Yuto.

"Finn," he introduced himself.

Still quivering slightly, the girl moved a bit closer to Finn, who placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"This is my little sister, Catherine," he said, gesturing towards the blonde.

"She's a priestess"

["Why the fuck would you tell a stranger that?"]

Yuto nodded in understanding.

A priestess being targeted by bandits was a fairly common occurrence, unfortunately.

["System, give me the status boards for these two"]

<- System ->

[ Of course ]

[- Finn Whitlock -]

Age 30

Height 5'9

Title: Defense Master

Class: Knight

Level: 150

Stats: Strength 250 / Speed 150 / Agility 60 / Defense 1,000 / Health 1,000 / Mana 100

Skills: Click to see more

["And the girl?"]

…

[- Catherine Whitlock -]

Age 19

Height 5'5

Title: Humanities Hope

Class: Priestess

Level: 250

Stats: Strength 95 / Speed 100 / Agility 120 / Defense 210 / Health 1,550 / Divine Power 30,000

Skills: Click to see more

"…"

["Holy shit, that level of divine power is high!"]

["System, how high is my divine power?"]

<- System ->

[ 15,000 ]

["Why is it so high?"]

<- System ->

[ Are you really gonna ask that? ]

["..."]

"Cough"

"Are you headed back to the church?" Yuto asked, sheathing his blade as a sign of peace.

Catherine and Finn let their guard down a little, Finn was the one who stepped forward.

"I do not mean to offend our savior but may I ask what it means to you?"

Yuto looked at the three bodies on the ground and his bloody clothes.

["Oh shit, I look like a serial killer"]

"... Be at ease Sir Finn, for I also follow the Goddess Elise"

Catherine upon hearing this stepped forward, "C-can you prove it?"

Yuto smiled gently at her, sensing her skepticism.

"Of course," he said, "but I must first ask a question of my own, Catherine"

"How does one prove their faith to the Goddess?"

Catherine seemed taken aback by this question. "W-well... devotion, prayer, acts of kindness—"

But Yuto interrupted her, his tone firm but not unkind.

"No, not just that. How does one prove they truly follow the Goddess? What is the ultimate act of devotion?"

Catherine fell silent, her expression becoming troubled.

Meanwhile, Finn looked at Yuto with a mixture of confusion and interest.

"What exactly do you have in mind?" Finn asked, stepping forward.

Yuto smiled as he stretched out his hand and began to heal all of Finn's injuries with holy magic.

Finn stiffened slightly, looking down at his wounds as the cuts and bruises began to close and fade.

Catherine gasped in surprise, her eyes wide.

In mere moments, Finn's injuries healed, leaving no trace of the earlier fight.

Finn looked down at his now-smooth skin, speechless.

"How did you-?" Finn looked from his healed body to Yuto, disbelief in his eyes.

Even Catherine seemed stunned, her hands clasped in front of her mouth.

"Holy magic," Yuto said simply, "the ultimate act of devotion to the Goddess"

["I'm talking out of my ass but there's no reason to tell the truth"]

"Is that enough for you two?"

Finn was still reeling from the sight of his once-injured body now completely healed.

It took him a moment to find his words, but they were laced with awe when he did.

"Y-Yes..."

Catherine was equally stunned, but there was something else in her expression too – hope.

She looked at Yuto with a newfound respect.

"A Holy Priest..." she whispered.

Yuto did a double-take, his smile faltering a bit.

"Wait, 'holy priest'?" he repeated, looking at Catherine, who was now looking at him with a mixture of wonder and expectation.

["I'm more of a Demon Prince than a holy Priest"]

Finn spoke up then, looking at Yuto with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

"You can heal people with holy magic... and you didn't expect to be called a Holy Priest?"

"Of course not, I'm just a believer who's on a journey"

Finn and Catherine exchanged glances, clearly still trying to assimilate the fact that the man who had saved them was also a powerful user of holy magic.

"Just a believer...?" Finn echoed, eyebrows raised in confusion.

"Well... I recently opened up my fate so…"

"Opened up your fate...?" Finn repeated, confusion deepening.

Catherine, meanwhile, was looking at Yuto with a newfound curiosity, her head tilted slightly to the side.

"So... Catherine... Did I prove myself?"

<- System ->

[ Charisma is in effect ]

Something was different about Yuto. His smile seemed so bright, so pure.

Catherine nodded her head slowly, "Mmh"

Finn, however, was still suspicious.

"You may have proven you're a holy priest, but how do we know you're not just pretending to earn our trust?"

"Finn!" Catherine scolded, her voice sharp.

"He saved us!"

Slap

Finn rubbed his head, looking sheepish, "I know, I know, but we can't be too careful-"

"Go back home and take care of our siblings!"

Finn opened his mouth to protest further but quickly closed it.

After a moment, he nodded, "Okay."

He gave Yuto a look that clearly said they'd talk later, before turning to Catherine.

"Stay safe, okay?" he said, ruffling her hair affectionately.

Catherine rolled her eyes, swatting his hand away.

"I'll be fine, Finn," she reassured, though her voice was soft.

Finn gave Yuto one last skeptical glance before he turned away and sprinted back the way they'd come, soon disappearing into the trees.

Silence fell between Yuto and Catherine.

The sounds of the forest seemed to grow louder in the absence of Finn's presence.

Finally, Yuto spoke, breaking the quiet.

"Your brother worries about you," he commented, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

Catherine let out a soft huff of laughter, more amused than annoyed.

"Finn always does," she admitted.

"It's just his way of expressing how much he cares, I guess"

She looked up at Yuto, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"You don't have siblings, do you?"

Yuto gave a soft chuckle, "A little sister, she's taking care of my mother"

A small smile formed on Catherine's lips, and she tilted her head, her long hair falling over a shoulder.

"So you understand how protective siblings can be," she mused.

Yuto chuckled, "Haha yeah"

"So why are you here alone?"

"... To find myself I guess"

Catherine seemed to ponder Yuto's words for a while, looking down at the grass.

There was a certain innocence in her gaze that seemed to speak of her inexperience with the world.

"Find yourself...?" she echoed, her voice thoughtful.

"Is that why you're traveling alone?"

"Yes"

…

"Um, Catherine…"

"Yes?"

"Not to scare you, but do you think it was wise to send your brother away for all you know I could be a stone-cold killer"

For a moment, Catherine's expression faltered, a hint of fear and doubt creeping into her eyes.

"Y-you could have hurt us a while ago, but you didn't," she pointed out, her voice steady despite her earlier flash of fear.

"..."

Catherine seemed surprised at Yuto's silence.

She studied his face for a moment, trying to read his expression.

"You... you wouldn't harm a defenseless girl would you?"

["Defenseless? Your strength stat is higher than most adults!"]

"Of course not"

"G-good"

Catherine's expression immediately softened as Yuto reassured her.

There was an awkward silence, neither knowing what to say.

Catherine spoke up again, trying to remove the awkward silence, "So... you said you're heading back to the church?"

Yuto started walking, "Yup"

Catherine nodded, following along, her footsteps light and soft against the grass.

She continued to glance at Yuto, her eyes flickering from his face to his hands.

After a few moments, she spoke up again, breaking the silence.

"Aren't Holy Priests... a rare thing these days?" she asked, her voice curious.

Yuto let out a soft chuckle, "I'm not a holy priest… just a lost soul"

"A lost soul?"

"So… you're not part of the holy order? But you can still use holy magic?"

"Yes"

"But how is that possible?" Catherine persisted, her puzzlement only growing.

"Only priests and ordained men and women of the Goddess can use holy magic..."

"So how is that even possible?"

["Because I fucked your Goddess, but I'm not gonna say that…"]

"Dunno"

Catherine gave him a skeptical look, "You sure are mysterious aren't you?"

"I get that a lot"

She chuckled softly, "Bet you do"

There was a moment of comfortable silence as they walked, the sound of their footsteps and the rustling of leaves in the breeze filling the air around them.

Catherine looked up at Yuto, her eyes studying his face.

'He wouldn't harm me, would he?'

Yuto noticed her peaking and chuckled, "What? Am I that handsome?"

Catherine's cheeks turned a deep shade of red, and she quickly looked away, embarrassed.

"What- I— No, I-I—" she stuttered out, her attempt at a denial falling flat.

"Haha"

"I-I didn't mean-" she stumbled over her words.

"Sure sure"

"Ugh, you-"

Before she could finish her sentence, a rustle in the bushes alongside the path caught her attention.

Catherine tensed, her hand hovering over the small dagger at her hip.

"Move"

"Huh?"

Seven Sins Art: Wrath

The sudden flare of black fire immediately consumed the bushes, the dry leaves, and twigs quickly turning into ash.

Catherine took a step back, her eyes wide with shock and awe.

Screams could be heard as the bandits rushed out before collapsing in front of them, being consumed by the black fire.

Catherine seemed torn between horror and awe.

The bandits continued to scream in agony before finally succumbing to the flames.

Yuto glanced over to Catherine, noticing her stunned expression, "You okay?"

She slowly tore her gaze away from the dead bandits, looking up at Yuto.

Her eyes were wide, a mix of fear, astonishment, and... something else.

It took her a few moments before she found her voice.

"I-I'm fine..." she said, the words coming out more as a shaky exhale than anything else.

Yuto knelt and offered his back, "Get on"

"Why?" She asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Ugh"

Catherine couldn't help but notice Yuto's impatience.

She hesitated for another moment, her eyes flickering from Yuto's face to her surroundings.

Finally, she relented, moving closer to him.

"Okay," she said softly, climbing onto his back, her arms wrapping around his shoulders.

Skill: Safe Dash

The world around them became a blur of greens and browns as Yuto darted through the forest at an inhuman speed, his mana holding Catherine firmly in place.

The wind rushed past them, howling in their ears as they raced through the trees.

"So… anything you want to ask me?"

"You want me to ask questions?"

"Yeah"

"I've got plenty"

"Go for it"

"How…"

"How did you burn those bandits like they were nothing?"

Yuto stopped, he knelt for Catherine to get off.

She got off quickly as Yuto cut two trees and sat on one's trunk. He pointed at the other for her to sit on.

She complied, settling down on the trunk, she folded her hands in her lap and looked at Yuto, waiting for an explanation.

"You asked why I could kill them so easily?"

"Yes"

"Well because they were bandits"

Catherine's eyebrows rose in mild annoyance at Yuto's short response.

"I know they were bandits," she said, a hint of irritation creeping into her voice.

"That doesn't explain how you burnt them to a crisp so quickly and so easily"

"Well, I used a high-ranking martial art to kill them, duh"

Catherine crossed her arms, her expression a mixture of disbelief and interest.

"What I want to know is why did you kill them?"

"Why wouldn't I kill them?"

"They might have been bandits..." Catherine protested, "But they were still living beings"

The image of those men burning flashed across her mind, bringing a shudder to her spine.

"What's your point?"

Catherine's jaw tightened, frustration beginning to replace her earlier wonderment.

"My point is," she said, her voice sharp, "you don't just burn people alive because they're bandits! It's not right!"

["Wow, she's not gonna let this go"]

"Mmh, enlighten me miss Priestess, why would I spare fuckers like that. Bandits who could have done unspeakable acts to you?"

"You... you could have just restrained them!" Catherine protested.

"You could have knocked them out, tied them up..."

She was trying to keep her voice steady, but there was a noticeable shakiness to it.

"Why would I do that?"

"It could save their lives!" Catherine exclaimed, her voice rising.

"Sure, they're bandits, but they don't deserve to die"

She was looking at Yuto with intense conviction, her eyes pleading.

"... How old are you?"

The sudden question caught Catherine off guard, and she blinked several times.

"Nineteen..." she responded, her voice a bit puzzled.

"Why does it matter?"

"Not a child, hate to burst your view of the world or whatever temple raised you, but the world isn't how you think it is"

"What does my age have to do with anything?" Catherine shot back, her eyes narrowing.

"And it's not about my view of the world, it's about doing what's right! You can't just burn people alive because they steal! It's inhumane!"

"Inhumane is what they do, and you don't know what these people are capable of"

"Bandits will rob, kill, sell, and do far worse to innocent people"

Catherine's expression hardened, "I may not understand everything about the world," she said, her voice firm.

"But I know killing is wrong. You can't just judge people and then end their lives. It's... it's..."

She was struggling to find the right words, her beliefs clashing with the reality Yuto had presented.

"..."

The silence between them was heavy, charged with the tension of their differing views.

Catherine looked down at her hands, her fingers twisted in the fabric of her dress.

The internal conflict she was feeling was painted clearly across her face, her idealistic beliefs clashing with the cold reality Yuto had presented.

Eventually, she looked up, her eyes meeting Yuto's gaze.

"You... you really believe that killing them was the only option?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with a desperate plea for understanding.

"..."

Yuto got up and knelt before Catherine, taking her hand and kissing it.

"If you truly believe that killing is wrong then I'll stop"

Catherine's eyes widened in surprise at Yuto's sudden gesture, her breath catching in her throat.

The feel of his lips on her skin sent a shiver down her spine, and for a moment, words failed her.

When she spoke, it was in a barely audible whisper. "Y-you... you'd stop?"

"Yes"

"Just like… just like that?"

["You're going to cry if I continue"]

"If you wish"

Catherine's lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out.

The weight of Yuto's words and the intensity of his gaze made her heart flutter in her chest.

She looked down at their hands, her fingers trembling slightly as she considered his offer.

After a moment of internal struggle, she looked back up at Yuto, meeting his gaze.

"I-" she began, her voice quiet. "... I do"

"Okay"

The simplicity of Yuto's agreement caught Catherine off guard again.

She'd expected more pushback, more argument, but there was a sense of sincerity in his tone that left her feeling both relieved and somewhat off-balance.

She took a deep breath, her fingers slowly closing around his hand.

"Thank you..." she whispered, her voice soft and sincere.

"For understanding"

Yuto turned around and pointed at his back, "Come on"

Catherine stared at Yuto's back for a moment, a thousand different thoughts swirling in her mind.

She swallowed her hesitations and slowly clambered onto his back again.

Her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, her breathing suddenly becoming more rapid as she pressed against him.

The feeling of Yuto's muscular back against her front sent a wave of heat through Catherine, and she took a deep breath to calm her suddenly fluttering heart.

She was acutely aware of his every movement, the feeling of his muscles moving under her touch, the faint scent of his skin so close to her face.

As he began to run, the wind rushing past them, she closed her eyes, feeling both exhilarated and strangely secure.

"Do you have any other questions you like to ask?"

"Y-yeah… I have questions"

"Who... what are you, exactly?" she finally managed to ask, her voice still a bit shaky from their previous conversation and the speed.

"You're not a normal human, that's for sure"

"Just a lost sheep"

"A lost sheep?"

"Yeah"

"Okay"

"..."

"Well, what's your story then?"

"Me?"

Catherine wasn't expecting the sudden shift in the conversation, and she hadn't anticipated being questioned in return.

"Um..." she began, her mind scrambling for an answer.

"Well, I'm... I'm a daughter of a poor merchant who was blessed with some level of divine magic"

"My magic caught the eye of the local temple's head priest, and I've been training there ever since. My job is to..."

Her voice trailed off, a look of realization and perhaps a touch of discomfort crossing her face.

"... to heal the townsfolk, mostly"

"I see"

"It's not a glamorous life..." Catherine continued, a note of defensiveness creeping into her tone.

"But it's what I've always known. Helping people, and healing those who are suffering – that's my purpose, my reason for being"

"..."

Catherine looked at Yuto, his lack of response making her feel strangely vulnerable.

She felt the need to continue, to defend her path and her purpose in life.

After all, it was all she knew how to do.

"I... I know it's not as exciting as fighting or... causing destruction," she finally said.

"But it's what I'm good at, what I was destined to do"

"Oh, I apologize if I made you seem pathetic, I just think it's a sweet thing that you heal people and don't expect anything"

"Sweet?"

The word took Catherine by surprise. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting from Yuto, but 'sweet' wasn't one of them.

She studied his face, trying to gauge his sincerity, but his expression was annoyingly unreadable.

"You..." she began, pausing to choose her words carefully, "you think so?"

There was a hint of hopefulness in her voice, a need for approval that even surprised her.

She'd gotten used to people finding her calling quaint or even boring, not 'sweet'.

Yuto's response had thrown her for a loop, and she found herself craving more.

More praise, more understanding, more... something she couldn't quite name.

"What else do you want to ask?"

Catherine was momentarily distracted by the tone of Yuto's voice, his calmness seeming to contrast with the questions that were rushing through her mind.

She took a moment to collect herself, then decided to ask one of the questions that had tugged at the back of her mind.

"Why... Why did you save me?"

"Because it was the right thing to do"

Catherine's eyebrows shot up at Yuto's response, her skepticism evident on her face.

"The... the right thing to do," she echoed.

Her experience with him so far had shown her that Yuto wasn't exactly the embodiment of moral righteousness.

"You mean, you just did it spontaneously, out of the goodness of your heart?"

She knew her disbelief was evident in her tone, but she couldn't help it.

This man, whose actions had been nothing short of brutal, was claiming that saving her was 'the right thing to do'?

"W-well there must be something else you want to ask, right?"

"Right..."

Catherine tried to shake off her skepticism, but Yuto's casual attitude was only making her more confused.

"Well..." she began, then paused.

There was a question that had nagged at her from the moment Yuto had rescued her from the bandits' grasp, but she wasn't sure if she should ask it.

Finally, curiosity won out.

"Why... Why did you look at me like you did earlier?"

"Like what?"

"Earlier, when you first saw me..."

Catherine felt her cheeks heat up at the memory.

The intensity of Yuto's gaze, the way he had seemed almost transfixed on her... it had left her feeling more than a little flustered.

"Why did you..." she struggled for words, "why did you look at me like that?"

["What is she trying to say?"]

"Give me more clues, I'm not following"

The feigned ignorance in Yuto's voice only served to exacerbate Catherine's embarrassment.

"Oh, you know exactly what I mean!" she retorted, her cheeks burning now.

"You were staring at me like... like..."

Folks, Yuto was genuinely confused as to what Catherine was asking.

A simple yet dumb moron who was focused on getting rid of the threats looked at her with confusion.

"LIKE A SNACK!"

The word slipped out before she could stop it, a desperate attempt to articulate the sudden feeling of vulnerability and desire that Yuto's intense gaze had stirred in her.

Catherine immediately clapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes widening in horror as she realized what she had just said out loud.

Yuto upon hearing the word snack, tripped on himself but made sure that she landed safely.

Catherine breathed a sigh of relief as she landed on her feet, her heart still fluttering erratically from the unexpected stop and her outburst.

She looked up at Yuto, her cheeks flushed red, her eyes avoiding his gaze.

She couldn't believe she had just blurted out that word like that.

How embarrassing.

Yuto lifted his head from the ground, "What!"

"I didn't..."

Catherine tried to backtrack, but her voice faltered.

She couldn't just take those words back, not now.

The cat was out of the bag.

She looked up at Yuto again, her expression a mix of embarrassment and defiance.

"I..." she began, her voice a whisper.

"I said you looked at me like I was a snack, okay?"

"W-what?"

"You heard me!"

The frustration and embarrassment were finally reaching a boiling point for Catherine.

Why did Yuto have to act so densely?

Every girl that ever asked themselves that knows the pain of having to deal with this fucking moron.

"You looked at me like you were a hungry wolf and I was... some defenseless little lamb!"

"Woah, hold your hoarse, when did I ever do that?"

"Earlier, when you saved me from the bandits!"

Catherine could feel her voice rising in volume, the words coming out in a rush.

"The look on your face was like you wanted to... wanted to..."

She trailed off, her cheeks burning hotter by the second.

"...?"

"Eat me!"

The word just slipped out, and Catherine clapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide with horror.

She'd said it, she had really said it.

And Yuto was just standing there, looking more perplexed than ever.

She could feel the heat in her cheeks reaching unbearable levels as she stood there, silently praying for the ground to open up and swallow her.

Yuto rubbed his forehead, "Ugh"

Yuto's hesitant response only served to amplify Catherine's embarrassment.

She could practically feel her cheeks turning bright red, the heat almost burning her face.

She took a deep breath and tried to continue, her voice a barely audible whisper.

"The look in your eyes..." she began, her voice shaking.

"It was... intense, feral even. Like you wanted..."

She couldn't finish the sentence, but she didn't need to.

They both knew what she was implying.

Now, why was Catherine acting like this?

Demonic Charm

Yuto's new passive, after his transformation, his charisma stat had turned into Demonic Charm, his best guess is that it had something to do with the situation he found himself in.

["Fuck, I thought she was like Freya except she's on a whole different level"

"Um… can I ask you a question?"

Catherine swallowed hard, trying to compose herself.

"Yeah?" she responded, her voice still a bit shaky.

"H-have you… ever been on a date at least?"

That was definitely not the question she had been expecting.

Catherine's cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red, but this time it was the color of embarrassment.

"No..." she responded quietly, her eyes fixed on the ground.

["Fuck"]

"Um… well"

"It's... It's not that strange!"

Catherine's protest sounded a bit weak even to her ears.

It was true that at the age of nineteen, she'd never even been on a date, let alone be in a relationship.

She suddenly felt painfully inexperienced and vulnerable.

Yuto noticed and walked over, patting her head, "D-don't be embarrassed"

The unexpected gentleness in Yuto's gesture caught Catherine off guard.

She didn't pull away; the touch of his hand was strangely comforting, grounding her.

"It's just..." she began, her voice soft.

"I've always been so focused on my training, on my calling... I never really had time for... for that sort of thing"

She looked up at Yuto, her eyes still a little embarrassed but also hopeful.

"I guess you've... you've dated before, right?"

"Well, I am in a relationship with three other women"

Catherine felt a pang of something akin to jealousy at Yuto's casual admission.

Three women? In a relationship together?

She tried to push those feelings aside, instead focusing on the practicalities.

"Three... at the same time?" she asked, a hint of incredulity in her voice.

"Yes, so uh, I'm probably not the one who should be your first boyfriend"

"Boyfriend..."

Catherine repeated the word, testing it out on her tongue. It sounded strange, alien to her ears.

She looked at Yuto again, her eyes lingering on his face.

There was a part of her that wished he was the one to teach her about love, to show her what it was like to be touched and desired.

"W-why not?"

"What?"

"You could be..."

Catherine's voice was soft, almost shy.

There was a part of her that yearned to experience all the things she had missed out on. The attention, the intimacy, the love...

She gripped his face gently and pulled him closer till their noses clicked.

She felt the heat of Yuto's cheeks on her palms, the flutter of his breath on her face.

Her heart was racing now, her thoughts and emotions in turmoil.

What was she doing? She barely knew this man, and yet...

"Please..." she whispered, her voice both a plea and a confession.

"Teach me"

"Woah, Catherine!"

The sound of her name on Yuto's lips sent a shiver down her spine.

"Yes..?" she whispered, her eyes still fixed on his face.

"Look think about it, like actually think about it"

Catherine could feel her common sense and rationality fighting against the rising tide of her desire and curiosity.

She took a deep breath, her hands still on Yuto's face. "I... I am thinking about it..." she said softly.

She wanted this, she really did. But there were so many doubts and uncertainties holding her back, which led to her pushing him down.

["I-am going to be eaten!"]