Chapter 38
Chapter 38
The timing was perfect.
The lacking strength was compensated by the over-technology equipment Emily had provided.
After setting up the situation and waiting for the right moment, a single opportunity had been executed.
“Ah…”
But the strike aimed at Tillis’s forehead was blocked so effortlessly it was almost anticlimactic.
The one chance that weak Johann could use was wasted.
“That was a perfect ambush. If I had been careless, I could have been hit,” Emily said.
The strike toward her forehead was stopped by Mastema’s wings.
Like a child shielding their eyes, the wings covered Tillis’s face, and Johann’s dagger, driven with all his strength, was lodged in the wing.
“But it’s a shame. Power aside, your speed was too lacking,” Tillis said, her lips curling into a gentle smile, untouched by the attack.
It had been a threatening ambush, no doubt. Unfortunately, the gap between the two of them was far too large.
Even if the attack had landed, Tillis would not have died. She was truly a monster.
And Johann knew this…
From the start, Johann had no intention of taking down Tillis. He didn’t even expect to wound her.
He had anticipated that his attack would be blocked.
For someone as weak as Johann, aiming for her vulnerable eyes would have been smarter than aiming for the forehead. But he hadn’t because he expected it to be blocked anyway.
He aimed for her forehead so that her wings would perfectly obscure her vision for even an instant.
He had even practiced this beforehand. He knew that in similar situations, Tillis would choose defense over evasion.
This was the result of long preparation, the culmination of predicting her behavior patterns, even studying it through lessons.
“Where…?”
Tillis blinked and looked around. Neither Coran Lekias nor Johann were visible anywhere.
He had escaped.
“So, this exists…”
Even with her eyes covered, Tillis had intended not to lose sight of Johann. But why had she lost him?
It was because the dagger stuck in the wing still retained force.
Contrary to expectations, Johann had not been holding the dagger the entire time. A strange over-technology device attached to the dagger applied force automatically.
Had Johann let go from the start?
If so… it was remarkable. It meant he never expected the ambush to succeed—he had self-assuredness.
“Hahaha!”
Tillis laughed, pressing her palm to her forehead in disbelief. The skill gap was obvious, and she never imagined being outplayed like this.
But…
“Did he really think he could escape?”
Tillis turned her head. Her senses were slightly weaker compared to other superhumans, but she had countless eyes to compensate.
Yet there was something only she could feel.
“I can feel it all.”
It was the energy of a demon, rapidly moving down the mountain.
It wasn’t impossible to chase, even in her current exhausted state. But…
‘There must be an accomplice.’
Tillis already had experience sparring with Johann once and knew this speed was beyond what he could achieve.
Moreover, the dagger—definitely an X-Machina device—was different in shape from Coran Lekias’s technology.
It meant another X-Machina was involved, and chasing recklessly would be dangerous.
“Then I’ll chase at a safe distance and buy some time,” she decided.
This didn’t mean she would give up. Her most monstrous trait was her regenerative ability. Even after five minutes of rest, she could recover over half her stamina.
With this in mind, Tillis pursued Johann while maintaining distance, buying time. And unsurprisingly, she encountered obstacles along the way.
“The resistance is stronger than I thought…”
Tillis pushed through traps and mines with her bare body, pouting as she muttered. Did they really think they could stop her this way?
Even if they delayed her, escaping would be impossible. No matter how much they struggled, there would be no time to call for help.
Tillis had calculated all of that.
But as the interference annoyed her, she accelerated, closing in on Johann.
When she finally caught up…
“…?”
It wasn’t Johann she found, but a small drone floating in the air, scattering traps everywhere.
And there, tied to it, was a book. Tillis realized she had been deceived.
“This is…?”
At first, she hadn’t sensed Johann’s demonic energy. But by their second encounter, she could feel it, leading her to assume Johann had made a contract with a demon.
But no. Johann had only created the illusion that he had made a demon contract. The deception started from there.
“I can’t use this in this state,” Tillis frowned as she examined Remegheton’s tome, still uncontracted, held by the drone.
Tillis could only devour demons already under contract.
Demons were transcendent beings. Even she could not bind an uncontracted demon.
“Ah.”
Even the tome in her hand dissipated like smoke. The demon, realizing the tome was in another’s hands, reclaimed it.
“Haa…”
Tillis sighed deeply. She had been completely played, which drained her. Yet, she felt some inner satisfaction.
“Since you resisted the spirit’s temptation, Johann Dammus must be a good person.”
To evil, evil. To good, good.
By Tillis’s simple principle, Johann was classified as a righteous person.
“Well, that’s enough for today,” she said with a smile.
She stared at the drone she held.
“Oh my.”
Having been preoccupied with demons, Tillis noticed something surprising. The drone, struggling to escape from her grasp, seemed… cute.
And so, Tillis took the drone as a spoil of war.
Only after Tillis and her demons disappeared from view could I finally exhale.
“Haak…!”
I removed Emily’s optical camouflage cloak.
In truth, I hadn’t moved from the spot where I had stabbed with the dagger. The distance was too close, and I worried about being spotted. Fortunately, Emily’s technology, combined with the environment, worked in our favor.
Though it felt wasteful to use all the falsehoods we had prepared, it had allowed us to deceive Tillis successfully.
“Let’s go back.”
I helped Coran Lekias, and we returned to the escape tunnel we had sneaked out from.
Tillis wouldn’t know about the escape route, so even if she returned to search for us, she wouldn’t have enough time.
While moving through the tunnel…
“Cough! Huh….”
“Are you okay? You’re older—you should’ve been more careful.”
“Why, did you come to save me?”
Annoying. Is that really the first thing you say to the person who saved you? Then again, it makes sense for someone who was ready to die in combat.
“Ask my student if you want to know.”
“Emily…”
Emily reinforced the escape route ahead. Since the tunnel had partially collapsed, she was propping the walls temporarily.
Coran Lekias laughed at the mechanical apparatus sprouting from Emily’s back.
“Yes, you…”
Now he must realize that Emily was also an X-Machina operative. Anyone smarter than me would see she was a better researcher than him.
“Why did you save me? I wasn’t worth it.”
“…Because you’re my master.”
“Even though I couldn’t teach you anything?”
A sneer. People sometimes feel betrayal more than gratitude. Especially when physically and mentally pressed.
“…I learned a lot from you.”
Emily replied matter-of-factly.
“I learned not to snoop through someone else’s research notes.”
Considering she was an X-Machina researcher, her perspective was unusual.
“I learned that asking the reason for research can be rude.”
I had seen Coran Lekias scold Emily for her eccentricities.
“I learned how to live intertwined with people.”
Emily turned to him, calm yet resolute.
“Emily… I’m not a good person.”
“I know.”
“I was only projecting my granddaughter onto you.”
“I know that too.”
“I’m not someone worth saving at risk.”
“Perhaps.”
Coran Lekias may have had regrets, but it didn’t justify his crimes. He had thrown countless people into chaos.
“Master, why did you project your granddaughter onto me?”
“….”
“Was it because I resemble her? I heard she died helping people in the slums.”
Emily looked away, clearing the debris in front of her.
“So I did the same. I learned from the life you admired, and I simply practiced it.”
“…you…”
Coran Lekias shivered. Even if his face was hidden, his bowed posture betrayed tears.
“The way you taught me to treat family.”
But it was fine. The noise from Emily’s machines drowned it all out.
By the time we emerged from the escape tunnel, darkness had fallen.
We moved cautiously with injured companions.
“Johann, from now on, I’ll take care of you.”
“…Alright.”
The mechanical apparatus on Emily’s back transformed into a carriage large enough for a person.
I realized again that she was a high-ranking X-Machina operative. I couldn’t comprehend her full capability.
“Thank you for your help.”
“Yes, and you too.”
I gently laid Coran Lekias on the carriage and relaxed my shoulders. Only now did I feel it was truly over.
“The items you mentioned, I’ll complete and send by next week.”
“Good.”
Even the equipment we used today with Emily’s support had been incredible. After assisting her, I could only hope the results would match the effort.
“Take care on the way back.”
“You too, Johann.”
I chuckled. Who was really worrying about whom? Emily, a high-ranking X-Machina operative.
As we parted…
“Johann.”
“Huh?”
I turned at her voice.
“Thank you for today♡”
She made a heart with her fingers and smiled.
As awkwardly cute as always.
“Yeah.”
This time, it genuinely was cute.