The Paladin in the Abyss

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The soldiers approaching the people were about five feet tall, with silver-white hair, glowing eyes, scimitars at their waists, and longbows on their backs. In appearance, they resembled the Elves, but their figures were much more robust than those of fellows like Alamir. Despite this, their movements were still nimble and graceful, like agile cheetahs, especially after they clearly saw that there was a Succubus among the newcomers.

The guards with silver hair parted like flowing water, tightly encircling the group. Lancelot noticed that the color of their pupils had changed, now red as if flames were burning within their eyes, obviously not very pleased to see a Succubus.

"Dong Quan, Lilu?" The leader of the guards opened his mouth in surprise, staring intently at Elothysia behind the two children, "Demon! How dare you..."

"No, no, no, Akash, you're mistaken, she's not an enemy..." Several people who had reverted back to human form from being Red Flame Angels and had first encountered Lancelot and his company hastily interjected, "Lilu, Dong Quan, come over here quickly..."

Lancelot exchanged glances with his companions and resignedly waited in place. Cumberland was explaining the situation with Elothysia to the town guards, while Dong Quan and Lilu supplemented as witnesses.

Initially, the Airas were conversing in the common tongue that Lancelot and his company could understand, but as the silver-haired guards asked more and more questions, the conversation shifted into another language. This language was light and elegant, melodious like singing, and was likely the language of the Heavens commonly used in higher planes.

Unfortunately, Lancelot couldn't understand it at all, and the song-like intonations made it impossible for him to gauge the direction of the conversation from the tone. Just when he was starting to get bored, Clone Well suddenly activated a telepathic link, and Lancelot was instantly able to understand what the Airas were saying.

"You can understand the language of the Heavens too?" Lancelot asked the skull in surprise, "Is this the effect of some kind of magic?"

"No, it must be a language I was once very proficient in," Clone Well denied, "Let's talk about my stuff later, boss. First, listen to their conversation."

"You say that these mortals are a group of mercenaries?" The silver-haired Aira named Akash asked with an unfriendly tone, "Those who sell their martial prowess for filthy gold?"

Lancelot immediately felt somewhat embarrassed, but there was nothing he could do; what the other party said was indeed a fact, though he believed none of the commissions he had completed so far had breached his own inner moral standards.

"That's right, but they truly rescued Lilu and Dong Quan," Cumberland defended, "I believe you can also see that they are not people of evil..."

"No, I can't see such a thing; I've only just met them!" Akash interrupted, "And what's with the Succubus?"

"She is a Holy Warrior, you and I both know what qualities one must have to become a Holy Warrior..."

"How can you be sure? Did she perform an Evilbane Slash in front of you?"

"I don't think that's necessary... but Dong Quan saw her kill a Troll with a single Evilbane Slash and healed herself with Holy Healing."

"That's just the word of some children. And are you certain their memories haven't been altered by magic?" Dong Quan's protest at the side was ignored, "My goodness, Cumberland, you haven't been charmed, have you?"

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"What nonsense are you talking about, we Airas are naturally endowed to counteract evil effects..."

"Perhaps her power is particularly strong..." The silver-haired Aira quickly drew a finger through the air and then pointed below Cumberland's feet, "Calm your mind!"

A refreshing green halo appeared under the feet of the Red Flame Angel, and Cumberland's expression in the center of the halo looked rather helpless.

"..."

"How about it, have you realized that you were just charmed?"

"In the Queen's name, Akash, why are you Bolanis so stubborn!" Cumberland shrugged his shoulders helplessly, gesturing towards the two Aira children beside him, "Look at Lilu and Dong Quan beside you, they have all come back unharmed, is there any stronger evidence than this?"

"Maybe that old hag Cang Ye let them go on purpose for some bigger conspiracy. Regardless, the Mages will thoroughly examine their bodies and minds, reading their memories, and any discrepancies will immediately be noticed..." Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire

"I have no objection to that, but until your suspicions are proven, Miss Elothysia and her mercenaries should be treated as guests..."

"She's a demon!" the silver-haired Akash's voice rose significantly, "Do you think we should allow a succubus to freely walk the streets?"

Hearing this, Lancelot's heart suddenly stirred. He turned his head to look at Elothysia, who wore an expressionless face, but his Spirit Perception revealed that the succubus's mood was actually very poor, and she was struggling to maintain a façade of indifference.

It suddenly occurred to him that the Succubus Paladin's lover was also an angel, and the two had lived together on the material plane for many years. Elothysia should be able to understand the language of the Heavens, right? In Lancelot's view, it was unfair enough that their group hadn't been treated like heroes, but to be so suspected because of their race and identity seemed even more unjust.

The discussion between the two Airas with different hair colors finally neared its conclusion, and the ultimate decision was that the succubus and her mercenaries could rest in the town but would remain under strict surveillance. The next morning, the guards blessed by Edoton would send out a team to 'escort' the group to Melanthan, where the generals would personally determine the fate of the succubus.

Cumberland then conveyed this decision to everyone, but his wording was very cautious, repeatedly emphasizing that it was because most of the town's residents had never seen a succubus before and could act irrationally.

"I understand," Elothysia spoke up in the language of the Heavens. "Thank you for the defense you made on my behalf just now. I'm glad there are people who judge me by my deeds and not by my race."

Lancelot raised his eyebrows in surprise; he thought the succubus was going to hold back her anger. It seemed that even if one's moral alignment had changed, one's temper did not follow suit.

The moment she spoke, the expressions on the two Airas were rather dramatic. Akash's face quickly turned as red as Cumberland's hair, the latter equally showing a full face of embarrassment. Their behavior just now was truly inappropriate, and compared with the Succubus Paladin's restraint, it seemed even more disrespectful.