Chapter 37
Alfredo, gauging the mood, stepped one foot back so he could fly and flee if necessary. But Laegar still had his gaze fixed on the crystal orb’s blizzard, as if searching for something.
His eyes did not move, as though trying to see even the afterimage left behind, though there would be nothing visible now that Alfredo had returned.
Carefully clearing his throat, Alfredo retreated stealthily and delivered the rest of the information.
“In a few days’ time, she will leave Watch Tower for good and relocate to the west.”
Only then did Laegar’s mouth twist as if spitting out a dry laugh. And inside his pupils, which had remained cold as gray agate, something like a spark from heated coal flickered up with a chill.
In an instant, the balcony window burst open, and violent gusts and frost began to sweep roughly into the room.
“Cawww—!”
Seeing the atmosphere, having resonated with his master’s displeasure, stir up a fierce disturbance, Alfredo shrieked and fled to the perch.
* * *
Fwit—!
Swish!
The flashing blade sliced fiercely through the air.
At that, the spotted leopard demonic beast—having leaped high to dodge the attack—bared its sharp fangs and snarled.
Its blazing crimson eyes, thoroughly provoked, burned even more brilliantly.
“Damn it!”
Having leaped onto the rocky ledge after the beast, Eredite swung her blade mercilessly once more.
“Kiyaaak!”
Regulations forbade chasing demonic beasts alone after sunset. But lately, unable to suppress the seething in her chest, she had pursued it recklessly, thinking nothing of the consequences.
The problem was that this beast, possessing considerable intelligence, was gradually luring her into treacherous terrain using the landscape.
Even knowing that if she got caught up in its scheme, she would end up in the middle of a beast colony at any moment, Eredite couldn’t stop her attacks.
‘One strike will do it.’
But the massive beast’s movements were swift and fluid.
In the end, swinging her sword wildly, Eredite leaped up a steep slope and froze for an instant.
She had ended up right in the middle of a pack of demonic beasts.
Through the undergrowth, several pairs of blazing eyes glinted, watching her, then began to approach—slowly, deliberately.
“Damn.”
Having belatedly realized she was surrounded, she tried to retreat.
But behind her was a sheer cliff, and the beasts were closing in around her in a half-circle. If she turned and jumped, they would swarm her all at once.
‘Then I’d better head to higher ground.’
After a brief silence, Eredite kicked off the ground and leaped to a nearby ridge in an instant—and the pack chased her all at once.
She let out a sword strike at the first one charging at her.
Kiyaaak—!
The beast struck head-on by the blow wrapped in silver-white mana tore away, shrieking.
But it would be impossible to fend off the second, third, and fourth, charging in succession.
She was already wounded in one arm. If this dragged on, she would certainly sustain considerable injuries all over her body.
In the end, she swung the blade horizontally, fast, to cut them down once more. The chill white mana cleaved the dark space in two.
Shhhk—!
But right after, Eredite’s eyes flew wide.
Because her blade had touched nothing.
Only her own mana, lingering like smoke in the air, shimmered in the chill wind before vanishing.
Then, before she could even grasp what was happening, something black landed lightly before her.
“……!”
Recognizing who it was, both of Eredite’s pupils trembled violently.
“…Igor…!”
The demonic beasts had already tucked their tails and vanished into the darkness of the forest in an instant. Left on the rugged cliffside were only the two of them.
Flipping back his glossy hood, Igor grinned, his white teeth flashing in the moonlight.
“Been well?”
But without a second thought, Eredite mercilessly cleaved the spot where he stood with her blade.
Having leaped far away to dodge the attack, Igor drooped his eyebrows as if hurt and grumbled.
“Ah, what the…. This stings, you know? I thought you’d be happy to see me.”
At those words, Eredite grew even more enraged, and her sword came crashing down toward Igor’s shoulder.
But once again, Igor lightly evaded her strike, his black satin cloak fluttering like scattered stars.
That airy, nimble motion shattered what remained of her reason, and her sword strikes closed in, growing more violent.
Igor dodged, hop by hop, stopping her.
“Ah, Lucy! No—Eredite! Calm down! Hold on! I’m still your lifesaver, you know!”
Before he knew it, a streak of blood was running down Igor’s cheek as he shrieked. Her blade tip had finally dealt a light wound.
Though her attack had landed for the first time, Eredite froze for a moment.
She herself didn’t know whether it was because of the words emphasizing the debt—’I saved you’—or because she hadn’t expected to actually wound him.
“Ow ow ow….”
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