Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

The City of Demondeath.

Eren's temporary residence consisted of a simple and spacious room, devoid of distinct furnishings.

"I am being kind to you by not being kind to you," said Eren, concluding his debut in Agora.

Dismissing a simple space-element Array Formation, the void surrounding him dissipated. He then terminated the Spectral Screen feed, revealing his unmasked face.

"How did I do? Not bad for a first attempt, huh?" Eren inquired with a smile, addressing his three spectators – Reen, Roza Thaglas, and Kayara. Upon removing the mask, his voice resumed its normal tone.

"You're the best, Erni!" exclaimed Reen enthusiastically, expressing her approval through a hug. Eren's success was a source of pride for her, aspiring for him to lead his faction rather than follow another.

"My liege, the Celestial Hall is in great uproar because of you," informed Roza, bowing in respect. "They are planning to use Agora against you," she added, disclosing the plans of Eren's immortal adversaries.

"Hehehe," chuckled Eren as he affectionately patted Reen's back. "Yeah? I don't mind. That Mesh Goddess can't just keep Agora as my platform to connect with people. So I can't say I didn't see this coming," he declared, separating from Reen's embrace.

Approaching Roza, Eren lifted her from her kneeling position, grasping her arms. "Do our friends in the Celestial Hall know about your defection to me?" he queried, meeting Roza's gaze.

Roza, the incarnation of one of the 72 Ars Goetia Demons – Vapar, responded, "No, my liege. Prince of Wrath would have already targeted me… I mean Vapar and her followers if he learned she no longer supported him."

Vapar was one of Samael's subordinate demon goddesses. It was only recently that she had changed sides after interacting with Eren personally through her incarnation. Of course, the demoness didn't reveal her inclinations to her former boss knowing full well what kind of enmity he shared with Eren. Samael's dream of claiming Aleph's throne was crushed because of Eren. anyone who was associated with him was bound to attract wrathful action from the Prince of Wrath.

"Excellent," sighed Eren in relief. "Let's keep it that way. You'll be my eyes and ears in the Celestial Hall. I'd rather not extend my consciousness there more than necessary, especially after making such a debut in Agora.

The Celestial Hall provides neutral ground, safeguarding all equally. But I prefer avoiding unnecessary risks," he explained, gently caressing Roza's right cheek.

"Yes, my liege," promptly acknowledged Roza, content not only to serve Eren but also relieved to escape Prince of Wrath's dominion without detection. She had no desire to remain one of his generals.

Meanwhile, Kayara maintained a contemplative silence, rendered speechless by Eren's impassioned speech. The injustices he described, experienced firsthand by Kayara herself, had left her disillusioned with both factions.

Having been manipulated as a pawn by each, she had lost faith in their causes. Eren's words resonated deeply within her, striking a chord that reverberated through her very being.

"Do... Do you genuinely want to help people by establishing this new faction, Eren?" Kayara questioned, her eyes holding a glimmer of hope. Wanting to believe in Eren's words, she harbored a fear that he might turn out no different from individuals aligned with the existing factions.

"Hm? Didn't you catch my words, Kayara darling?" Eren materialized in front of Kayara, tenderly cupping her face with his hands as he continued.

"I aim to help those who are ready to help themselves. My support hinges on their self-belief and the extent to which they prove themselves deserving of it.

The Tools of Liberation I've presented offer freedom from their constraints, yet they also strip away the dependency on others.

The third faction I represent is a dual-edged sword. It will depend upon the person who will wield it in the future whether they harm themselves with it or cut the obstacles in their path with it. The responsibility doesn't lie in the weapon itself. It can't and it shouldn't.

I can't predict how I'll aid these individuals in the future or if my assistance will suffice to transform their lives, which will turn them into unwavering believers. After all, today marks my debut as a demigod before such a vast audience.

I won't make grandiose claims at this point. I'm still a nobody in the grand scheme of things. All I can say now is that I will try to give hope to those who seemed to have lost it by involving themselves in the matters of the established factions.

After all, the more I help my wayward followers, the more they help me in the long run," Eren conveyed calmly, locking eyes with Kayara.

"Hm? Help you? How? It's not like you asked them to worship you. You are not getting any worshippers from your speech. At least not anytime soon.

Weren't you deliberately stirring trouble on both sides? Just so that the followers from both sides start having doubts about who they are worshiping?" Kayara inquired, studying Eren with curiosity. "Is there something we missed?"

Eren smirked in response, turning to face Reen and Roza before elaborating further.

"The true motive behind my words in Agora wasn't to amass followers; rather, it was to get haters from both factions. Do you know why?" He asked, directing his playful gaze at Roza and Reen.

"Hm? Get haters, you say. I mean I could—" Roza began to respond, but Reen interjected, answering Eren's question with enthusiasm.

"Hehehe. Abominated divinity!" Reen declared, looking at Eren as if she had unraveled a significant mystery and eagerly awaited recognition.

"Abominated divinity," Eren affirmed.

"The entire narrative I presented in Agora serves as the ultimate red herring in the matters of the divine. By fostering hatred, envy, greed, and other negative emotions among their followers towards me or because of me, these two factions inadvertently empower me, consistently and unwaveringly, regardless of my location.

The beauty of this tactic is that sooner or later the Immortals will come to realize that they are empowering me through their followers but won't be able to do anything about it."

The butcher explained, the emerald brilliance in his eyes shining with a peculiar intensity.