The Extra Can't be A Hero

Chapter 280: Isadora Elune (1)

Modsey, Hyades.

Formerly the fourth most significant trading hub in the Hyades Republic, Modsey had been one of the first cities to fall into the Demon Cult's grasp—and not without reason.

Modsey was, in every sense of the word, a gentleman's paradise.

As a trade city, it drew merchants and financiers from across the Republic, many of them wealthy, weary, and eager for escape. Its naturally deep harbours welcomed massive merchant fleets, while its sprawling casino districts and pleasure quarters ensured that few visitors ever left unsatisfied—or unruined.

Long before the Demon Cult's banners appeared on its walls, Modsey had already earned its reputation as the City of Sin.

Men and women alike flocked to its brightly lit streets to indulge in fantasies they dared not entertain elsewhere. Gambling houses never closed. Romance could be bought as easily as wine. Narcotics flowed as freely as water.

Anything deemed illegal or immoral within the Republic could almost certainly be found in Modsey, if one knew where to look.

Thus, when the city declared its independence from the Hyades Republic and pledged allegiance to the Demon Empire, few were truly surprised.

Modsey did not resist corruption—it had been built upon it.

Elevated swiftly to one of the Demon Empire's primary capitals, it became a beacon for defectors, profiteers, and cultists alike. The new government, led by Gerrick Ironblood, naturally made Modsey a top priority.

Yet the city was a fortress by nature. Mountain ranges hemmed it in from the landward side, while sheer cliffs and deep ocean waters guarded its coast. To seize Modsey would require a campaign of staggering scale and cost.

And so, despite its open defiance, the city remained largely untouched—one of the few true safe havens of the fledgling Demon Empire.

It was here, in this den of indulgence and lawless freedom, that the Utopia Church chose to establish its headquarters.

Nirvana Karnam, Pope of the Utopia Church and chief architect of the demonic faith's expansion, walked slowly through the gilded halls of his newly raised sanctuary. Gold-veined marble gleamed beneath his feet, reflecting the warm glow of enchanted lights above.

All around him moved bodies—scantily clad men and women who knelt, reclined, or drifted silently at the feet of higher-ranking deacons and acolytes. Their presence was neither hidden nor considered shameful. Within the Utopia Church, indulgence was not a vice but a virtue.

The doctrine encouraged its followers to embrace their innermost desires, even if that path led them deep into sin and debauchery.

Especially if it did.

And yet, as Nirvana passed through the heart of his domain—through faith he had shaped, power he commanded, and a religion that grew by the minute—he felt nothing.

He had been granted everything the Demon Cult had promised. Absolute authority within his Church. An influence that stretched across cities. A faith that would one day swallow the world whole.

Still, it was never enough.

Ever since Amon had slipped through his fingers, Nirvana had not known a single day without that familiar, heavy sigh settling in his chest.

Amon's soul, his struggle, his nobility, and his desires… they were the brightest thing that Nirvana had ever witnessed with his own two eyes. No other fire in the world could compare, and Nirvana had been obsessed since.

Following his own doctrine, Nirvana wished to capture that flame, make it his own, and squeeze it until nothing remained.

Unfortunately, the Demon Cult didn't concur.

They were in a phase of rebuilding and slowly accumulating strength. Neither the Prophet nor the Apostles were ready for an upfront confrontation, especially with Amon and Eldorin. Particuarly Amon. His display that night in Zephys had placed a seed of doubt within the Apostle's hearts.

Could they really defeat Amon?

Could the Demon Cult and the Demon King succeed in taking over Hyades?

They couldn't tell anymore.

Additionally, Amon was still extremely young and would only continue to grow stronger. If they wished to strike, they had to do so before he was out of their reach.

Nirvana didn't understand why the Demon Cult couldn't see that. No, he was blinded by his obsession that he couldn't see it himself… Amon was already out of his reach.

But the Pope of the Utopia Church wasn't one to give in so quickly. He would do everything in his power to chase his obsession, even if it came at the expense of everything he built.

And well, the perfect opportunity was about to present itself.

"Isadora, you look well."

"... shut up."

As Nirvana withdrew to his private quarters, he found an elegant beauty sprawled across his bed.

Her once-lustrous golden hair had grown coarse and dull, as though it had gone unwashed for months, and her porcelain skin—once supple and radiant—had become pale and gaunt. Despite her title as an Apostle of the Demon Cult, she looked frail, almost brittle, as if a strong wind might shatter her.

For a fleeting moment, an irreverent thought crossed Nirvana's mind—whether he could overpower her in her current state. He dismissed it just as quickly. Nirvana shook his head, his expression darkening.

Isadora had not come all this way for a midnight tryst.

"Where have you been hiding? Lord Kieran has been looking for you."

Looking was an understatement.

Despite being forced to retreat and rebuild their strength, the Demon Cult allocated the rest of their resources to finding the missing Apostle of Lust. After all, an Apostle was one of their key assets. They couldn't lose Isadora now, not when they were severely weakened.

"Don't tell Kieran anything, if not… I'll kill you."

"How scary."

Nirvana chuckled, though he had no intentions of ratting her out anyway. From the beginning, the Demon Cult was only a means for him to achieve his goals. And now that they weren't aligned… There was no need for him to follow their mandate to the letter.

"So why are you here? Although I wouldn't mind savouring the virginity of the Apostle of Lust… I doubt you've eluded the forces of both the Hyades Republic and the Demon Cult to warm my bed."

"Hmph, remember our pact?"

"Ah, that."

Nirvana's memory turned to the night in the capital when Isadora stormed into his cathedral and killed a man who dared to lust over her flesh. And of course, he also remembered the order she demanded: "I will need you to filter half of the new followers into the Gospel of Lust."

Nirvana grabbed his forehead and let out a heavy sigh:

"You know, I did follow your order. But, after you disappeared, the Prophet himself gave me the task of consolidating the Utopia Church and converting followers to the Demon Cult. Between the Prophet's orders and yours… It's no question whose I would follow."

From the beginning, Nirvana never really liked Isadora.

She was overbearing and possessed an unbearable superiority complex. She saw humans as lesser beings and was enamoured only of Demons, particularly ones with pure bloodline.

The Apostle of Lust's desire was quite apparent, and it was disgusting to Nirvana.

She wished to mate with a Demon Prince and produce an offspring of a high bloodline. Putting aside the innumerable biological constraints, Nirvana didn't understand why she couldn't just mate with a regular human, as he couldn't imagine mating with a Demon.

But as the Pope of the Utopia Church, who preaches the doctrine of chasing one's desires, Nirvana couldn't judge.

Nevertheless, that didn't stop him from disliking her.

"I have no reason to follow your orders anymore, Apostle of Lust. Well, if you have a problem with that, go change the Prophet's mind."

"You…"

Isadora gritted her teeth and almost lashed out at Nirvana. However, she held back her fists for two reasons. One, her battle with Yue had left her weakened, and she wasn't confident in beating Nirvana, who the Prophet had strengthened. Two… she needed Nirvana desperately, whether she liked it or not.

Why?

"You can't? Oh, that's right. Because you're planning on betraying the Demon Cult, weren't you?"

"... you, how did you know?"

"Anyone with half a mind could read your intentions the moment you asked for more followers. You want more souls so that you can summon a Demon Prince yourself, am I right?"

"..."

Seeing Nirvana blatantly guess her intentions made the Apostle of Lust panic. First, it was Yue; now, it was Nirvana. Perhaps, the Prophet was already aware of her intentions, too…

As if he'd read her mind, Nirvana shook his head and reassured her: "The Prophet probably doesn't know. Kieran may have his suspicions, but since they need you, they haven't issued an order for your head."

Fortunately, the Demon Cult hadn't caught on yet… If they did, they were sure to have a more aggressive stance in finding her.

"Then, why haven't you reported me?"

"Why would I do such a bothersome thing?"

"..."

A simple statement, but it was all Isadora needed to deduce that Nirvana's allegiances had shifted. He was no longer as loyal to the Demon Cult as she'd thought, and it didn't take her long to guess what he really wanted.

"Amon Solaris… You want him, don't you?"

"Hoh? Do you have a plan for getting him?"

Nirvana's eyes finally regained light, albeit slightly. He didn't really believe Isadora had a way to reach Amon, but he was interested in a fresh perspective.

"I will summon the Demon Prince, but I'll need many souls and, more importantly, a fertile land to place his throne. And from the beginning, my Demon Prince would only accept one location."

The Demon Prince that Isadora wished to summon wasn't part of the Prophet's faction. Heck, the Demon Prince was part of an opposing faction, which was why Isadora was so secretive about this entire matter.

As for the Demon Prince she was about to summon… it didn't possess mist and space-like powers like the Demon King they served. Neither did it possess the ability to grant cumbersome gospels.

All it had was one thing… absolute power.

Governing energy, it sometimes showed itself as light… sometimes as electricity. But the most defining trait of the Demon Prince was undoubtedly the one that made it so dominant.

Fire.

"If we summon the Demon Prince in Solfea… don't you think he would weaken Amon enough for you to claim him?"