Am I going to be controlled by the players too?

As she gripped the sword hilt tightly until it was soaked in blood, an indescribable excitement welled up inside her. Only when reason prevailed over emotion did she angrily protest to Mambo in her mind.

I have this feeling that something is lost, and I can never get it back...

would not!

I must have been corrupted by the mind of a demon!

Sylvia snorted coldly, and under her fear, a faint ripple, so faint that she herself was unwilling to admit it, was quietly spreading.

"Little Sylvia".

A gentle male voice sounded from ahead.

Sylvia looked up and saw the bishop, dressed in a white robe, standing in front of her.

The bishop was about fifty years old, with a lean face. He was a veteran Gold-rank expert who had been bestowed the name "Obsidian" by the Pope for his extensive reading. His eyes were deep black, like the faded sky before dawn, and he was gazing at her gently at that moment.

“Your Excellency.” Sylvia quickly stood up and performed a proper curtsy.

"No need for formalities, child."

Bishop Obsidian gestured for her to sit down, and then sat down on the bench opposite her, relaxing his posture. "I have a general understanding of your situation. Now, tell me in detail everything you have felt. Don't omit any details, even those that seem absurd."

Sylvia took a deep breath and began to speak—

The matter of becoming sworn brothers with Cicero and betraying Finn could not be mentioned, and even if it were, the bishop would choose not to believe it—otherwise, would he arrest the daughter of the kingdom's highest judge under the pretext of attacking a member of the council?

The Holy Kingdom has no intention of breaking ties with the Kingdom of Konoma.

Therefore, Sylvia only mentioned that the demon controlled her to deal with Cicero, and then glossed over it. However, she described in detail how she was controlled, what it felt like, and what the other party said to her.

Even the demon, before leaving, said he would "return soon".

The Obsidian Archon listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously twirling the obsidian pendant at his chest. After Sylvia finished speaking, he remained silent for a moment, his deep black eyes gazing into the void, before slowly speaking:

“It is indeed a demon, not a ghost, and it is not something that existing magic can do.” His voice was deep. “The ability you described to ‘forcibly control regardless of the host’s will’ is most similar to the authority of the two demon lords.”

The bishop paused, his gaze refocusing on Sylvia's face: "They are the 'Emperor,' the Demon of Power, and the 'Demon,' the Demon of Desire—but these two demons have long been vanquished, and you are probably aware of who possessed their blasphemous cards."

Sylvia nodded slightly.

There are 22 demon lords in total, most of whom have been defeated. The one who obtains the "Desecration Token," which symbolizes the power of demons, is a legendary rank above gold.

The Legendary Rank is named as such because they are all living legends: they experience magnificent lives, achieve great deeds that will last for generations, and finally slay the demon lord and become "heroes".

The "Emperor" card now belongs to the Elf Empire's Empress, while the owner of the "Demon" card is imprisoned inside the Theocracy's Court.

"Besides these, there are the Parasitic Demon and the Puppet Demon among the higher-ranking demons, as well as the 'Glory' Dominating Demon, one of the nine Primal Demons, who possesses similar authority... Of course, since the Primal Demon cannot descend, it should be one of the two higher-ranking demons."

"As expected... is it a high-ranking demon?"

Despite having suspected it beforehand, the confirmation from the bishop sent a chill down her spine.

The subjugation of high-ranking demons requires the cooperation of a team of gold-ranked powerhouses. Facing such beings, unless one stays by one's father's side forever, one will inevitably be targeted and severely controlled again.

"As you know, the power of demons is born from human fear. The more you fear a concept, the more likely you are to encounter that kind of demon," the bishop continued. "The Parasite and Puppet demons are extremely cunning. They have escaped the Church's encirclement and suppression many times, roaming the kingdom. They are keen to find young hosts with potential, desire, and weaknesses, help them grow, and finally take over the body."

"You helped me deal with Cicero, was it for this too?" Sylvia's voice trembled slightly.

“Yes. But the reason you are being targeted by demons is likely because of your family…” At this point, the bishop sighed deeply, “Little Sylvia, your father is the most just and impartial judge, and you are the most shining jewel of Silvershine City. Too many eyes in the darkness are watching you.”

"so what should I do?"

"Stay in the church, and I will preside over the Kingdom's blessing ceremony for you," the bishop said succinctly. "Once a week, it will ensure you are under the Kingdom's protection, preventing any evil from getting close."

"Thank you, Bishop!" Sylvia said, tears of gratitude streaming down her face.

…………

Night was falling.

The kingdom's blessing ceremony continued until sunset, and for her safety, Sylvia stayed in the guest room in the church's backyard.

The guest rooms in the church's backyard are simple and clean, with a bed, a table, a chair, and a small wardrobe. The windows face the church's towering spire.

Sylvia lay on the hard bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke herself through her pajamas, confirming again and again that her body had not been taken away by the demon again.

That should be fine.

Although the devil said he would come back before he left... it's good this way. She can continue her previous life, continue being a devout, kind, pure, and beautiful young lady, free from all danger and suffering...

Well, in the future, she will probably marry a nobleman of equal social standing, or become a judge as her father expects, wearing elaborate robes and spending an elegant but boring life in a study filled with parchment and the smell of cigars.

In comparison, the self that acted recklessly and without rules, the self that drank heavily and ate meat heartily, who fraternized with esoteric practitioners, the self that felt a slight thrill from killing—is dead.

She gazed at the hazy outline of the tower's spire in the darkness outside the window, her heart pounding loudly in the silence.

“Mr. Mambo…” she whispered into the darkness, as if afraid of being overheard, “Goodbye… no, never again.”

The night was still young, and the girl tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

…………

"Obsidian Bishop, you actually performed a Kingdom Blessing ceremony for Sylvia?"

Inside the quiet church late at night, Bishop Obsidian had just lit a candle when he heard a questioning voice behind him.

Turning his head, he saw Loo, a member of the Church's Executive Court, who was unable to carry out the mission with Leo and Finn due to a relapse of his old illness.

"The Pope's order was to kill her, yet you've wasted so many resources helping her?" Loa said indignantly. "Besides, let's set aside the fact that the captain died at the hands of a demon, Finn died by the sword, and Sylvia was the only one present. I don't believe she has nothing to do with it!"

“Perhaps it wasn’t her,” the Obsidian Bishop said calmly. “She claims to be possessed by a demon. If that’s the case, it wouldn’t be surprising if a demon controlled her to attack Finn.”

"Then we should lock her up and interrogate her even more!" Luo Ao said, puzzled.

"That's a legendary woman. You want to start a war with the kingdom?" The bishop smirked. "It would be best if the war were even fiercer, dragging the empire down with it, until the original 'war demon' is drawn out of the abyss, and all of humanity is wiped out?"

“But…Bishop! If you hand her over to me, I guarantee I can pry her out without leaving a single scratch…”

“Every action leaves a trace,” the bishop said. “You don’t need to do anything anymore. I altered the blessing when I was presiding over the ceremony for Sylvia.”

"what do you mean……"

"Didn't she claim to be targeted by a demon?" the Obsidian Bishop sneered. "So I changed the 'avoid demonic gaze' blessing to 'attract demons.' When she's targeted and possessed by a demon again, how will 'righteous Vilette' face herself then?"

"If we attack her, we will suffer the pain of losing a daughter; if we ignore her, we will gradually lose control of the 'justice' card. Either way, it will help us influence the upcoming Queen's Election."

Loo received a satisfactory answer and left excitedly.

Waiting for the church to return to silence, the Obsidian Bishop sighed softly, his gaze turning to the holy emblem hanging high within the church. Trembling, he knelt, his right hand drawing a square over his chest, and prayed devoutly:

"I come to commit sins, I come to break oaths, I come to be punished; I am willing to stain my hands with blood, to fall into the abyss, in exchange for the success of the theocratic cause—"

"All is dedicated to the God of Amber..."

…………

"Phew... I can finally relax."

Starr Silver Shadow drove smoothly along Baker Street.

Sylvia sat in the back, her face turned to the side, quietly watching the street scene slowly passing by outside the window.

To ensure her safety, she did not leave the church until the morning of the third day.

At this moment, the morning sunlight shines through the car window, casting alternating light and shadow inside the car. The buildings outside are solemn and orderly, everything is well-ordered, everything... is nothing new.

The demons will not return, and everything will return to peace.

Like a pebble sinking to the bottom of the water, the ripples subsided, and the surface of the water became smooth as a mirror again, reflecting only her own pretty but uninteresting face.

Perhaps, I have been bewitched by the devil.

Just as she was trying to sort out her tangled thoughts, a broken voice suddenly echoed deep within her mind:

"Girl...what are you afraid of?"

Sylvia froze, then instinctively said, "Mr. Mambo, you've arrived?"

However, the next moment her body stiffened, and her blood instantly turned ice-cold.

No, it wasn't him.

Mr. Mambo can only speak using her body; how could he possibly speak from the depths of his mind?

"Who?!"

She screamed suddenly, but found that her voice was so low that it barely reached the driver's ears.

Control over the body is being taken away, thoughts are becoming sluggish, the body is stiff, and movements are sluggish, as if a slowdown button has been pressed, turning into a rusty, broken clock.

"Hehehe..." the voice chuckled, "I came because of your fear of 'not wanting to be controlled'... So pure, so delicious."

“Ah, I almost forgot to introduce myself—well, in human terms, my name is ‘Puppet Demon’.”

Sylvia was startled.

The puppet, one of the high-ranking demons who roamed the kingdom, mentioned by the former Catholic priest!

Sylvia's breathing quickened. She wanted to shout at the driver in front, to pound on the car window, to make the brand-new Star Silver Shadow turn around and rush back to the Cathedral of the Builders!

But her hands felt as heavy as lead. She tried to open her mouth, but her lips only trembled slightly before the puppet demon took control and yawned, interrupting all her attempts!

"Girl, don't waste your energy." The broken voice mocked, "Do you think I enjoy chatting with you? No... that's just to cover up the process of the 'feather' slowly winding around your soul."

"By the time you realize it, you'll already be trapped!"

Deep within Sylvia's mind, the puppet demon revealed a smug smile, its fingers moving rapidly, constantly manipulating the other's "spiritual threads," wrapping them around the girl's soul again and again, watching as her soul became as heavy as lead.

Although this body, blessed by the Amber God, is difficult to control, it will soon be hers!

"Can you feel it? This wonderful, gradual process of losing yourself..." The demon's voice grew closer, as if whispering in her soul, "Ah, what a wonderful fear... No, no, I can't laugh yet, I have to hold back. In forty seconds you will die completely, thirty-five seconds, after thirty-five seconds I will declare victory!"

Sylvia's consciousness was almost fading away; every thought was like sand sinking to the bottom of the water, unable to rise again.

Thirty seconds, twenty-five seconds, ten seconds...

Am I... going to die?

Her last vestige of self-awareness flickered, and in a daze, she even remembered "Mr. Mambo." Although he had done many bad things, at least he hadn't harmed her...

Five, four, three...

Just as the demon was about to declare victory and possess this body—

A cold voice suddenly rang in the demon's ear:

"A system bug has been detected, affecting your game character. Do you wish to clean it up?"