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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: An Uninvited Guest
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“…”
I remained silent.
It was unnerving to have my lie caught, but it wasn't as if everything had been completely revealed.
Werner didn't seem certain either, which was why he was testing me like this.
*He suspects I might be a spy sent by the Holy See, pretending to read the traces of dark magic.*
And when he asked where the traces were, I pointed to the ground, a difficult place to investigate. His suspicion was growing.
*Should I play dumb for now?*
“I’m not sure what you mean…”
I tilted my head, feigning ignorance of Werner's intentions. As if I hadn't even noticed he was suspicious of me.
For now, I was the one holding the upper hand in this battle of wits.
Could Tristan and Werner possibly reach the conclusion that a daughter of House Walker was a warlock? As long as they couldn't, they would just keep circling the truth.
When I offered a sweet smile, Werner stared at me silently before turning his head toward Tristan.
“Your Highness. What will you do?”
“It’s beneath the building. Digging to get there would pose a great risk of collapse.”
He was saying it would be difficult to verify the truth of my words.
“In that case, let’s put it on hold for now…”
“Wait a moment.”
I felt a strange sensation. I wondered if I was mistaken and checked again, but it was still there.
“What is it?”
“…It’s moving.”
“Pardon?”
“The trace, it’s moving.”
When I pointed to the floor, they seemed to understand what I meant.
“Where is it moving? Is the trace disappearing?”
“No. The opposite.”
“The opposite?”
I barely managed to move my stiff lips.
“It’s getting closer to us.”
“…!”
The presence I had felt from a great distance was now right below us.
*There’s no escape.*
It was moving at an unimaginable speed. Evacuating everyone was impossible. The unidentified thing would reach us before we could.
There wasn't much time. I glanced back and forth between where Edmond and Yulia were standing and where Andrea was.
I was closer to Andrea than to the other two.
As always, my hesitation was brief, the decision made in an instant.
“Wait, my lady, where are you going—!”
I threw myself forward before Werner could grab me. Everyone stared at me with surprised eyes as I dashed out before the lesson was even over.
In that moment,
*CR-AAAAASSSHH!!*
A massive explosion roared from behind me. I felt my body being thrown into the air.
A startled Andrea shot up from his seat. I wrapped my brother in my arms and tumbled across the floor.
Shattered floorboards flew in every direction. My cheek stung; a splinter must have grazed it.
Blood trickled down.
*Don’t move.*
I suppressed the blood that was trying to rise into the air. If my concentration wavered even slightly, it would surely move like a sentient snake.
That would be a strange sight for anyone to see.
“S-Sister!”
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine, but you… What about Edmond and Yulia?!”
I could feel Andrea struggling in my arms. I held him tight and whispered.
“Stay right here. I’ll go check on them.”
“But…”
“Shh.”
I covered Andrea's mouth and pushed him under a desk.
Only then did I look around. The place was in chaos. Parents were frantically searching for their children, and quite a few people seemed to have been injured by the debris.
But there was something even more shocking.
*-Kerrrreuk!*
It had a head like a wolf's and walked on two legs like a human. Its long claws glinted menacingly.
It was about twice the size of an adult man, and a foul stench like rotting corpses emanated from it.
Not only that, but a demonic energy visible only to me swirled around its entire body. Ominous black mist drifted about.
“A demon…!”
Someone shouted its identity.
Yes, the dregs born from the remnants of a warlock's demonic energy. A creature that was alive yet not living, a monster left with only the instinct for endless slaughter.
*-Keeeeeh!!*
The demon roared, looking directly at me.
I had many questions, like why a demon would appear in a place like this, but there was no time for that.
Its red eyes glowed as it stared in my direction.
I was frozen stiff with tension, unable to move. I felt that if I made even the slightest rash move, it would pounce on me.
In that moment of taut suspense.
*Rustle!*
“Hic!”
A small noise came from not far behind me. I turned my head to see Juri backing away, her face filled with terror.
*-Kerrrreuk!*
The demon seemed to have spotted Juri too, as it let out a savage roar.
*No…!*
I immediately threw myself backward. I saw the demon charging toward us. Clutching the terrified child in my arms, I rolled sideways a couple of times.
*KRAK!*
The creature's claws struck the spot where I had just been. They looked well-suited for digging, like the claws of a mole.
A chill ran down my spine as I looked at the gouged earth.
“Hk, hh, hic…”
But the child in my arms was so frightened that I tried my best not to show any fear myself.
“Sister, over here!”
Just then, Andrea shouted from nearby. I pushed Juri in his direction.
“Juri. Are you okay?”
Andrea asked, his voice trembling. The little girl looked like she was about to burst into tears at any moment.
Still, I was somewhat relieved that they were together.
While the demon's attention was focused on me, I tried to move away from the children, but a small hand caught the edge of my sleeve.
“Sister, where are you going…?”
“I’ll be right back. Just stay here.”
“Leaving us alone?”
They seemed anxious about being left by themselves. But staying with them could be truly dangerous.
The demon had almost pulled its claws out of the ground.
“Close your eyes tight and count to one hundred, and I’ll be back. You can do that, can’t you, Andrea?”
“…Yes!”
Andrea nodded with a determined expression and closed his eyes.
*-Keeeeek!*
Just then, the demon stood up and roared. I drew out my demonic energy and wrapped it around my ankle.
A red snake slithered down through my clothes, hidden from others' eyes.
*This should buy me some time.*
*BOOM!*
Another deep crater formed in the spot I had just vacated. It was a hair's breadth.
*BANG!*
“Ugh!”
That was too close.
The demon's claws had grazed my forearm, and blood dripped from the wound. I tried to stand up, enduring the pain, but something caught.
“…!”
The hem of my dress was caught on its claw!
My dress was already a mess from rolling on the floor, but the high-quality fabric, crafted by many artisans, wouldn't tear easily, not even against the creature's sharp claws.
*Of all the things!*
I grunted and pulled at the fabric, but it was no use.
*-Kerrrr…*
The demon bared its teeth and approached me.
It revealed sharp teeth that looked ready to rip out my flesh and chew my bones. If I said it seemed to be grinning, would that just be a hallucination born of my terror?
The thing, which resembled a wolf but looked far more vicious, pushed its face right up to mine.
*Sniff, sniff.*
It flared its nostrils as if smelling me. As if it were confirming something.
*Confirming what?*
It tilted its head, looking confused, as if unsure if this was right.
*Sniff, sniff, sniff.*
The demon buried its snout in the nape of my neck and seemed to ponder for a long moment. I squeezed my eyes shut and endured it silently.
*Lick.*
“?!”
When it stuck out its long tongue and licked my cheek, my fear gave way to sheer bewilderment.
*SLASH!*
*-KEEEEEEEEK!*
Just then, a sound like something being butchered came from behind the demon. The creature writhed in pain and stood up.
“That’s enough.”
It was Tristan!
It was the first time I'd ever been so happy to see him. The path to get here through the collapsed debris must have been rough, as his body was covered in scrapes.
His usually neat hair was disheveled, but surprisingly, even that looked as perfect as a painting on him.
Tristan tossed aside the demon's tail he had just sliced off and righted his sword.
For a moment, my gaze was stolen by the blade, which seemed to hold a faint radiance. I recognized it immediately from the uncomfortable feeling it gave me.
The Sword of Samuel, said to vanquish evil.
The very sword said to be imbued with the divine power of Samuel, the legendary Holy Knight who defeated warlocks in the Holy War of the past.
*So that's how he sliced through the demon in one blow.*
His confidence in facing the demon, despite not being a Holy Knight, must have stemmed from that.
*-Kerrk…*
The demon also seemed to sense the ominous energy and flinched.
Then it whipped around and headed in another direction!
“Where do you think you’re going!”
Tristan immediately gave chase, but the demon was incredibly nimble for its size.
In any case, I was out of the demon's sight, so a sigh of relief escaped me. I was just thinking that I needed to get Andrea and Juri and escape.
“Duke Walker!”
Tristan shouted harshly.
I instinctively turned my head in that direction. And I saw the demon charging toward Edmond and Yulia.
“!”
The word "no" couldn't even leave my lips. Edmond seemed to have realized he couldn't dodge it, given its speed.
He wrapped his arms around Yulia and turned his back to the demon.
I could see Edmond holding Yulia down firmly as she struggled. All the while, the demon was rushing toward them.
The demon's sharp teeth looked as if they would crush him at any moment.
“Edmond…!”
I cried out his name without thinking.
It was the moment everyone foresaw Edmond's death.
*Leap.*
“?!”
The demon simply leaped over Edmond and Yulia and kept going
