Chapter 106: Beastkin Mage Yuliana (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 106: Beastkin Mage Yuliana (3)
Bell met Sihyeon’s gaze, feeling the touch of his hand as it caressed her back.
‘Unless you want to see me lose my mind and storm the Order, please use this new power only to protect yourselves. I’m begging you.’
At the time, hearing Sihyeon’s heartfelt plea, both Seri and Bell had intended to honor his wish.
However, the gains they had made in just a single day were far too significant to simply cast aside the possibilities they offered.
For both Seri and Bell, it was the first time in their lives that their abilities had improved so visibly in a mere half-day.
The fact that this growth wasn't a one-time fluke was more than enough to breed a massive delusion of grandeur.
Thus, having undergone countless improvements over the past day, they were almost certain they could seize victory even against an intruder who had passed through the garden and reached the front gate.
That was why Bell had lunged forward without hesitation, swinging her sword at Yuliana the moment she opened the door and stepped into the mansion.
But.
"Sister Bell. Since when did we become the type to attack each other the moment we see each other's faces?"
"……?!"
It took less than a few seconds to realize how gravely mistaken that certainty had been.
Even with her opponent right in front of her, Bell couldn't even manage to swing her sword properly.
The blade, which had stopped at an absurdly far distance, was immediately enveloped by a chilling frost radiating from Yuliana’s body before shattering into a thousand pieces with a thunderous explosion.
Grip.
"Besides, your outfit has gotten quite lewd, hasn't it? Did Oppa make you like that?"
"……."
"I’m so curious about what happened between you two. Since you belonged to the Irem Order, you should have been maintaining your abstinence… but looking at those slutty clothes, it seems like you gave your virginity to Oppa as a gift a long time ago. Am I right? Or… are you trying to get used to wearing erotic clothes in advance for your first experience with him?"
Bell, whose body had completely stiffened mid-swing, couldn't move her mouth at all, even as Yuliana gripped her chin.
It felt as if her entire body had turned into a solid block of ice.
"…Ah, right. You can't talk right now. I forgot. And here I thought you weren't answering because you were offended by such lewd talk…."
"……."
"But you know, Sister Bell. I really want to ask you this one thing. Just what kind of confidence possessed you to swing a sword at me? I made it obvious I was coming from the moment I hit the entrance so you'd know it was me…."
"……."
"Did you seriously think you could beat me with your skills? If that’s the case, I’m very sorry to say this, but…."
Yuliana’s eyes drifted toward Bell’s sword, which remained frozen in mid-air.
"An amateur attack like this wouldn't even be able to cut off my arm properly. At this level, you might have managed my wrist at best…? Of course, that’s only if your attack actually landed."
In the next instant, Bell’s paralysis broke completely, and her sword was forced violently downward.
Immediately after a loud clashing sound, Bell’s body flinched violently.
Just as Yuliana had said, it was a strike that would have landed near the wrist if it had connected properly.
However, it was blocked by a blue-tinted barrier, and only the unpleasant screech of metal grinding against metal echoed repeatedly.
"See?"
Yuliana gripped Bell’s chin even harder.
Her cheeks were pressed inward, forming deep hollows under the pressure of Yuliana's fingers.
"Agh…!"
"I’m sorry, but… you still have a long way to go before you can beat me."
As the corners of Yuliana’s mouth twitched into a small smirk, a sudden, bone-chilling frost radiated outward from her.
The sword, caught in the wake of that cold, was sent tumbling across the floor, and Bell felt a chill that seemed to freeze her to the very marrow.
"And I’ve always told you. You’re too soft-hearted; you could never cut down someone you know. Don't you remember when those kids you taught for only a week all came back dead? You locked yourself in your room and did nothing but cry for over ten days. How can someone like that try to do something so scary?"
Yuliana forced Bell’s head to turn, making her look to the side.
"Something like this should have been done by someone else. For instance, someone like the highly capable Priestess Seri, who is prepared to cut down anyone for the sake of the Irem Order."
"……Lady Yuliana."
"Yes. Seri. It’s been a long time."
Standing there was Seri, her hands filled with flames.
Perhaps because a significant amount of Seri’s divine power was mixed in, the fire was much brighter than ordinary flames.
However, her hands were pointed at the floor, not toward Yuliana.
"Everyone was worried because you showed no sign of returning and all contact was cut off after you went to meet Sihyeon Oppa…. But it looks like you’ve been getting along quite well with him, haven't you?"
"……Let Sister Bell go. I’m the one who planned all of this. Torment me instead of her."
"Hmm. Shall I?"
Yuliana smiled brightly and let go of Bell.
Tight.
"Kgh…!"
Seri’s body rose into the air.
Even from a distance, one could see the indentations around Seri’s neck as if she were being held by an invisible hand.
Yuliana walked slowly and stopped in front of Seri.
"Seri. It seems you intended to draw my attention to free Sister Bell and then try something…. But worrying about others during a fight isn't something a person who can't even protect their own body, like you, should be doing."
"Kgh-hhp?!"
"I’m giving you this advice sincerely, so take it to heart. When a weak person like you dreams such extravagant dreams, you only end up losing someone every time. If you really want to protect them, then run away together. That’s the most viable method a weakling can rely on. Of course… there’s no way Sihyeon Oppa didn't tell you this…. It’s just that you and Sister Bell didn't listen and acted on your own."
The moment Seri saw Yuliana’s right hand reach behind her back, she began to struggle violently.
It was because slender shards of ice had begun to form one by one at Yuliana’s fingertips.
There were only about five of them, a small number, but…
"It would have been better if both you and Sister Bell… had followed those words. If you had…."
Seri had once witnessed a single one of those ice shards burrow into the body of a massive demon, only to cause a colossal explosion that tore the creature to shreds.
"You wouldn't have had to go through something so terrible…."
In the next instant, the ice shards flew toward Bell all at once.
Thwack—!
The sound of flesh being torn echoed repeatedly, yet not a single scream escaped Bell’s lips.
"Don't worry, Seri. I have no intention of making you listen to her painful screams."
With a small gesture from Yuliana, Seri’s feet, which had been suspended in the air, slowly lowered until they touched the ground.
However, the moment she regained her freedom, Seri’s body, her legs having lost all strength, collapsed instantly.
"Ah…… ah……."
Sprawled on the floor, Seri nevertheless tried to crawl forward with her arms, struggling to reach Bell.
Yuliana simply looked down at her in silence.
Tears quickly welled in Seri’s eyes and began to pour down uncontrollably.
"S-Sister…. Sister…. N-No, no… please, no…."
Drip, drip, drip.
Yuliana let out a small sigh as she saw the liquid flowing from Seri’s lower body.
It seemed the girl had already realized what state Bell was in.
Yuliana’s hollow gaze shifted backward.
She could see Bell, bleeding with ice embedded in her abdomen.
If she were to release the magic currently keeping Bell’s body stiff, the ice shards would explode inside her, and she would die before anyone could do a thing.
Knowing that Bell couldn't be saved unless the embedded ice was delicately removed, Yuliana felt a bit complicated watching Seri stubbornly crawl toward her.
"Seri. I have no intention of giving you a chance."
Bending one knee to lower her posture, Yuliana grabbed Seri’s chin and tilted it upward.
"Ugh…! Let go! Let me go…!"
"……You’re still the same, Seri. I’m jealous. That you can stay by Oppa’s side without having to force yourself to change……."
The corners of Yuliana’s mouth curled up slightly.
"Now, all that’s left for me is to be hated…."
Seri bit down hard on Yuliana’s finger as it brushed her lips.
Blood began to drip from the porcelain-white finger onto the floor.
"……Ah, right. You were already hating me, weren't you, Seri?"
Yuliana chuckled.
"Sorry. I won't talk to you anymore."
After letting go of Seri’s chin, she placed her frost-covered palm against the back of the girl's neck.
Immediately after, Seri’s body trembled slightly before she slumped over, unconscious.
Letting out a small sigh, Yuliana looked down at herself.
Perhaps because she had been quite excited, her dress and stockings were torn in places, ravaged by her own intense mana.
"Oppa will be here soon…. I should have brought a change of clothes."
Shaking off the brief regret, she walked slowly away.
Sitting comfortably on the stairs, she quietly watched the front gate she had just passed through.
And then.
"……Hello, Oppa. It’s been a while."
Not long after, she looked at the two people who stepped through the door.
She had wanted to smile when they finally met, but unfortunately, she couldn't quite manage to form one.
