Late at night, on the shattered streets of Clockwork City.
Clad in golden armor, Ophiel stood atop the ruins and turned to look toward the distant Grand Cathedral. She had already received word from the church: the gathering called for the seven Archbishops and Mogans had ended.
She had not attended the meeting.
But it took little thought to realize that their Divine Chosen was settling accounts with them.
There were two reasons she had been excluded. First, her position in Clockwork City made her attendance awkward. Second, it sent a clear signal: after this incident, she had earned more of the Divine Chosen's trust. No longer would she be deliberately or casually kept out of so many matters.
Overall, that was a good thing.
Because it also meant that, as one of Her Majesty the Valkyrie's Seven Divine Attendants, she had finally, if only barely, gained the acknowledgment of Her Majesty's will once more.
She drew a deep breath and glanced at the enormous arm she had severed from the Great Demon during the day.
"How is the cleanup of the creatures that escaped from the Spirit Realm going?"
"Reporting to the Archbishop! We have joined forces with the Exorcist Association and the Demon Suppression Corps to conduct a comprehensive sweep of Clockwork City, district by district. Everything is proceeding smoothly. Most of the higher-ranked monsters have already been slain."
A Cleric knelt on one knee as he reported.
"Good."
"Thank you for your efforts here."
She took another deep breath and wiped the fine sweat from her forehead.
An entire day of purging and pursuit had left even her nearly exhausted. And during the daytime battle, she had also faced the Great Demon that had failed to return to the Spirit Realm in time and become trapped in