As the leader of the demon army finished his impassioned speech, his face contorted with a mix of frustration and rage. His eyes narrowed, and he pointed an accusatory finger at Lethargia, who was still reclined on the ground, blissfully asleep.
"What kind of Warlord are you?!" he seethed, his voice dripping with irritation. "We're here to liberate the Netherworld, and you're sleeping through it?!"
Lethargia was undisturbed by the chaos around her, mumbled in her sleep, "Liberate the Netherworld . . . I just want a pillow, not a revolution . . ."
The leader was now practically shaking with anger, and shouted, "This is an outrage! Are you making fun of us?! With our army we hold you by the neck! We can end your life at any moment!"
Meanwhile, on the other end, Ren and the others watched with deadpan expressions. They now understood why Vivi and Desira had warned them that Lethargia's character was quite literally embodied by her name, sloth.
She lay in front of the demon army, seemingly ready to face a beheading, yet had the audacity to continue her peaceful slumber.
"If the Netherworld gets destroyed, she wouldn't even care. She'd probably just sleep it off," Ren muttered to Evie, who nodded in agreement.
The leader was now exasperated, and raised his arms and exclaimed, "You insolent wretch! Are you mocking the Rebellion? Do you think that we will not kill you?!"
Lethargia was now in her dreamland, and snored softly, completely oblivious to the impending confrontation.
Vivi shook her head and let out a sigh. "Well, that's Lethargia for you."
"Infuriating as always," Desira added with a pout.
Ren couldn't help but agree.
Finally, the leader reached the absolute limit of his patience, his face contorted in a volatile mix of frustration and fury. Lethargia was still blissfully asleep, and became the focal point of his building anger. Without hesitation, he lunged forward, grabbing her by the collar of her white dirt-stained dress.
"Wake up! Wake up!" he bellowed, his voice reverberating across the field. "If you don't wake up now, I will kill you in your sleep! I'm not joking!"
Lethargia slightly opened her eyes, and muttered in a state of drowsiness, "Oh, you're still here?"
The leader's veins were ready to burst from sheer anger. "Boss, just kill her!" one of the demons shouted, the sentiment echoed by the others in the unruly crowd.
"Just kill her!"
"Kill her!"
Unperturbed, Lethargia murmured in a low, nonchalant voice, "If you want to kill me, just make it quick. I want to go back to sleep."
The leader's veins pulsated on his forehead, and struggled to contain his rage. His grip on Lethargia tightened as he contemplated the drastic measures he might have to take to make the Warlord tremble in her presence.
The demon army was growing increasingly frustrated, and echoed their leader's sentiments. "Boss, she's mocking us! End her now!"
"That's right!"
"She's mocking us!"
"Kill her!"
"KILL HER!"
Lethargia, with an almost serene indifference, continued to stare at the horizon, her eyes half-closed. "What a bother . . . just kill me already and then I will be in eternal slumber . . . Teeheehee."
She almost salivated at the thought. Observing the scene, Ren and the others struggled to make sense of the situation.
"Looks like she has a few screws loose in her head," Elena commented, her brow furrowed in confusion.
Lorelai released a breath. "It makes me not want to help her. In fact, just kill her already."
"Hoi," Ren reprimanded, a hint of exasperation in his voice.
"Let's just go and help her," Evie said. Meanwhile, the leader was torn between the desire to maintain authority and the absurdity of the situation, and shouted, "Enough!"
He then faced Lethargia, his eye narrowing, "We have a rebellion to lead, and you're wasting our time! If you want to die that badly then DIE!"
The tension in the air thickened as the leader, veins pulsating on his forehead, raised his large, blood-jagged sword high above his head. His intent to end Lethargia's perceived mockery loomed over the scene, the weight of the blade promising a swift and brutal resolution.
Just as the leader began to bring down the formidable weapon, a sudden blast erupted, interrupting the impending confrontation. A surge of magical energy created a veil of smoke, obscuring the battleground and momentarily freezing the drama.
Through the dissipating haze, the demon leader staggered backward, his imposing figure momentarily shrouded in the lingering aftermath of the blast. The ominous red glow of his sword dimmed in the chaos, as he sought to regain composure amidst the unexpected interference.
Meanwhile, Lethargia was unbothered by the upheaval, and didn't even bother to evade. Instead, she casually levitated into the air, her form hovering effortlessly above the ground. As the smoke cleared, she descended gracefully, landing with a nonchalant thud. She didn't even made any effort to move and just flopped onto the dirt. Ren and the others positioned themselves between the leader and Lethargia.
The interruption had bought them a momentary reprieve.
The demon leader recovered from the blast, and cast a venomous glare in her direction, the desire for retribution still burning in his eyes. "Who are you?!" the leader of the Rebellion Army demanded, his frustration evident in his tone.
"Are you okay, Leth?" Vivi asked Lethargia, concern etched on her face.
Lethargia forced her head from the ground and stared groggily at Vivi, then at Desira. "Oh . . . isn't it Vivi and Desira . . ."
"Hey! Don't sleep mid-talking!" Desira shouted at her before turning her attention back to the Rebellion Army. "Enough of this. While I'm still asking nicely, go back from where you came, or your blood will taint this land."
"Huh?!" the leader growled, his confusion evident, while shouts and surprised murmurs circulated among his army.
"Isn't that Desira?! The Warlord of Lusts and Desires?"
"And that girl beside her is Voraxa, the Warlord of Gluttony!"
"No way!"
"What are they doing here?!"
"Didn't our Intel say that they no longer see or talk to each other?!"
"They're not supposed to be here!"
"What's going on?!"
"N-No way . . . t-three warlords . . .?"