Chapter 54
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 54. Betrayal of Betrayal
Swaaack-
Leona's Holy Sword drew a silver trajectory.
The thick iron door was cut in a cross shape.
Thump.
Heavy iron lumps crashed to the floor.
Holy power poured into the dark and humid confinement room.
"Lucia!"
Leona jumped inside immediately.
In her head, worst-case scenarios were already rolling.
Lucia with fingernails all pulled out. Lucia with limbs broken.
Lucia with mind broken, staring into empty space with unfocused eyes.
Worst imaginations didn't stop.
But the scenery that entered vision didn't match any tragedy.
Lucia was sitting leaning against the stone wall.
Alive. Breathing.
Should be thankful for that alone but.
For some reason, she is too fine.
Hair was combed neatly, and hem of clothes far from torn, not even a speck of dust was on it.
Bloodstains? None.
Trauma? Not visible.
Even next to Lucia, a wooden tray was placed out of nowhere.
A cup of warm milk with white steam rising mura mura. And three pieces of butter cookies contained neatly.
……Snacks?
Did she have a tea party with the witch or something?
Leona's brain stopped for an instant.
"Le, Leona? When did you come?"
Lucia's reaction was extremely normal.
But Leona was not relieved.
The more fine outwardly, the higher probability inside is completely rotten and crumbled.
Leona's hand grabbed Lucia's wrist. Pulse check. Normal. Body temperature slightly low but not hypothermia level.
Spread fingers one by one. Fingernails all attached. Joints no problem either.
Palpating up along arm. No fracture trace. No bruise.
"Uh, Leona? Wait a minute."
Hand went up to nape of neck immediately. Pulse normal. Skin temperature normal.
Leona's hand didn't stop and dug into Lucia's flank.
Fingers passed pressing between ribs.
Next abdomen. Must check organ rupture. Pressed around navel press press.
"Leona, wait——"
Lucia twisted her body.
"Must check everything. Internal organ damage not visible outwardly."
"Ah! Not hurt! Really! Le, Leona! Too, ugh, don't knead too much!"
"Stay still! Dragged by witch, can't be safe!"
Leona was stubborn.
From flank to belly, hand moved relentlessly to lower chest again.
Scene groping whole body almost laying blonde Princess down on narrow and dark confinement room floor.
Holy power spewing from Holy Sword illuminated them strangely like holy lighting.
"Th, There ticklish! Aah! Really not hurt I say!"
Lucia struggled and grabbed Leona's wrist.
Lucia's body temperature touching palm was warm.
Breathing only quickened because of ticklishness, was regular.
Really.
This Princess didn't hurt a single strand of hair.
'……Really fine?'
Leona stopped hand movement only then.
"Ahem."
Leona tried to return to solemn Hero's expression again.
"Dragged by witch can't be safe. Tortured right? Definitely terrible torture……."
Lucia caught breath and adjusted disheveled collar.
Face was flushed red.
Couldn't know whether because of ticklishness or embarrassment.
"Uh…… suffered, did suffer but."
Lucia hesitated and avoided gaze.
Leona's eyes became sharp.
As expected. Was tortured.
In clever and vicious way not revealed outwardly.
"What torture on earth suffered? Deadly poison? Hallucination? Or planted bug in heart?"
Lucia twitched lips.
"……Hit by twintails."
"What?"
Leona's voice cracked like idiot.
Lucia raised both hands perhaps embarrassed after saying herself.
And started reenacting that situation with hand gestures in empty air.
"So, Eri…… this side, that side, this side. Slap, slap."
Lucia's head shook lightly left and right.
Twintail torture.
On earth in what evil magic book is such torture method written.
"……Eri. That guy? Eri did it?"
Lucia nodded. Didn't deny.
"Knew it. Pink hair. Ridiculously cute. Excessively fast adaptability. Smelled suspicious pulpul whoever saw."
It was self-loathing.
Own eyes deceived by cuteness.
Self withdrawing suspicion deceived by round and soft appearance.
Evil witch was shaking twintails right in front of nose, but past self deceived by that stroking head was cursed.
"Thorn Witch. Eris. Right, that must be that guy's real name. Worst of worst deceiving and deluding people with cute face."
"That Eri is Eris…… I know too. But."
Lucia nodded.
Didn't deny.
"……Might not be bad witch."
"Don't be deceived, Lucia. Witch is witch."
Lesson learned painfully fighting numerous cultists.
"Action looking like goodwill was always bait to dig deeper trap. Showing affection to you was just laying foundation to use you more effectively later too. Trusting cultist always repays with bigger despair. That I can guarantee."
"Know. I am not certain either. But… it’s Eri…"
Trust is poison.
Leona gripped Lucia's hand strongly.
"Let’s get out of here first."
Leona raised Lucia up.
"Black Knight is drawing agro of Knight of Cold and monsters outside. First escape outside, join Black Knight reorganize power then break in again."
Leona held Lucia's hand and raised her up.
But Lucia didn't move.
"No."
Firm voice.
Leona looked back startled flinch.
Lucia's green pupils were shining brightly even in darkness.
"No? What sound, Lucia. Right now──"
"Witch called Snow White is preparing ritual."
Lucia gripped Leona's hand reversely tight.
"Under this altar…… Demon of Snowfield is sleeping she said. Snow White trying to wake that up. If Awakening Ritual completed, Legion of Cold marches on continent she said."
Leona's eyes narrowed.
Reverse magic flow discovered entering altar. Malice of Myth Age felt from deep underground. Even warning tremble Holy Sword sent.
Lucia's words matched Leona's intuition perfectly.
"If that wakes up, Legion of Cold covers continent she said. Stealing all warmth, making people sacrifice to descend Evil God she said."
"……So?"
"Must stop."
Lucia said putting strength.
"If we equip power and come back again…… then might be late. People outside? Warriors of North? And people of Empire how?"
Leona held breath.
Girl in front of eyes felt unfamiliar.
Original Lucia would have chosen running away unconditionally in this situation.
Would have hidden, avoided, craved safety hiding behind other's back.
But since when, did this frail child come to have such firm eyes.
Whose influence.
No need to ask.
Black armor. Giant greatsword. That monster moving forward smashing all threats with overwhelming violence.
Black Knight.
Beside that pitch-black bastard, Lucia was dyed by that black color little by little.
'……Not bad.'
Girl she wanted to protect steps forward bravely like this, Hero cannot retreat.
"Got it."
Leona picked up Holy Sword again.
"You stay behind my back. I will cut all witches' necks."
Two people escaped confinement room ran towards heart of altar.
Chill becoming thicker.
Red magic circle on floor was blinking fast as if pulsating, ice crystals floated in empty air.
Central square where giant altar stone is located.
There Snow White and Eris were finishing ritual.
Paat!
Leona jumped into square swinging Holy Sword largely.
Transparent ice barrier blocking entrance shattered like glass window.
Fragments splashed everywhere making loud breaking sound.
"What!?"
Snow White drawing magic circle turned head.
Languid blood-colored pupils showed unusual interest for first time.
"Kyaak!"
Pink twintails standing next to her, Eris also jumped back startled flinch.
"Hero?"
Snow White's voice was still slow, but unpleasantness was soaked deeply.
Eris hid behind pillar rolling eyes.
"H, How knew and chased! Eris-nim erased traces perfectly clearly!"
Eris looked around checking mood and started changing subject urgently.
"Ah! I know! That Hero, definitely must have stalker temperament! Recognized since chasing behind that pitch-black bastard every day jol jol! Chased here like stalker too! Eris-nim not at fault! Stalker is scary!"
Leona ignored Eris's nonsense lightly and aimed Holy Sword tip at Snow White.
"What on earth is Knight of Cold doing, letting such one bug flow in without catching? Disappointing indeed."
Snow White clicked tongue showing annoyance.
At that complaint, Leona's eyes froze coldly.
"Your doing."
Leona's voice was low and vicious as if scraped from bottom of hell.
"Northern Grand Duke Valter Grombalt…… making him that Knight of Cold, asking if it is your doing."
Freya's tears.
That terrible appearance commanding monster legion wearing father's shell.
Culprit of all that tragedy was in front of eyes.
Snow White's red lips drew arc.
"Yeah, I fed poison apple."
No sign of trying to hide at all. Rather tone as if proud.
Blue chill swirled at fingertips.
"Strongest warrior in North. Guardian carrying Frostgard's oath. Stronger human will is, stronger result after erosion becomes. Valter Grombalt was…… top grade material."
"Return immediately."
Freya's face flashed. That expression wailing in front of father.
Snow White giggled.
"Return, cute. Existence once eroded by Abyss cannot return forever. His soul already froze and crumbled. Guardian of North, becoming vanguard destroying North. Kuku, where is more beautiful artwork than this?"
Wooooong-!
"Right. Laugh to heart's content now."
Holy Sword resonated to Leona's rage.
Hero's answer to witch was always Holy Sword.
"Now, dwarves. Playtime."
Snow White beckoned finger.
Thump-!
Silhouettes soared from darkness one by one.
Seven Yetis.
Hideous hairy monsters not matching nickname dwarf at all surrounded Leona.
"Seven or ten doesn't matter."
Holy power ignited explosively on Holy Sword.
Radiance brightened dark altar like daylight.
First Yeti spread arms and pounced.
Leona dug under it sliding. While passing between Yeti's crotch, Holy Sword drew horizontally.
Silver slash severed Yeti's both knees simultaneously.
Lower body losing upper body walked two more steps then fell.
Connected rising inertia to rotation.
Twisting body up reverse rotation slash. Cut second Yeti's thrusting fist with wrist, before black blood scattered in air Holy Sword's heat evaporated it.
Third Yeti roared from behind striking down.
Leona leaned body back dodging fist, jumped up immediately after.
Using Yeti's arm as foothold leap, vertical drop slash from over head.
Whoosh-!
Holy Sword split skull in center.
3 seconds. Three.
Remaining four rushed simultaneously.
Holy Sword spewed Aura of Radiance.
Wooooong-!
Holy Slash.
Remaining Yetis collapsed sliding obliquely.
Seven corpses on altar floor.
Leona aimed Holy Sword tip at Snow White.
"Next."
But Snow White was laughing.
Strange.
Lost seven Yetis but leisure doesn't decrease.
"Until when lying down? Dwarf protects Princess right?"
Pababak-!
Blue thorn vines stretched from under Snow White's feet stuck into seven corpses simultaneously.
Thorn vines sewed wounds attaching.
Yeti's head with split skull attached again. Ice crystals and muscle tissues tangled at cut cross-section sprouting new flesh.
Resurrection. And deformation.
Yetis standing up again had bulk one span larger than before. Muscles swelled hypertrophied, blue ice covered cut parts like armor.
Leona's brow furrowed.
"Regeneration……?"
"More you work hard, deeper my vines root in dwarves' bodies."
Bang-!
Reinforced Yeti's fist smashed floor.
Same fist as before. But power incomparable.
Floor itself caved in deeply.
Leona's body pushed back by shockwave.
Immediately two pincer attacked from left and right. Guys only rushing before now drove blocking retreat path. Learned dying once.
Leona set Holy Sword shedding one's fist.
Crunch-
Wrist tingled. Muscle easily cut before, now dense enough for sword to get stuck.
Adding to that.
Paaaaat!
Snow White swung hand. Blue thorn vine soared from floor towards Leona's ankle.
Leona leaped back cutting vine, but two branches split from cut cross-section.
From wall, from floor, from ceiling.
Frosty blue thorn vines poured from all directions.
Entire altar was Snow White's domain.
In front seven regenerating monsters. Thorn vines all around unavoidable net.
And Witch coordinating everything with one finger in center.
"Removing Hero of Holy Sword here, very good."
Leona ground teeth.
One step. Two steps.
Started pushed back gradually.
Corner of altar.
Eris's pupils rolled busily.
Whish-!
Every time silver trajectory cut darkness hairy monsters' flesh splashed.
Hero of Holy Sword.
Overwhelming martial power befitting that grand name value. Cutting Yeti's forearm, turning cutting leg, piercing heart simultaneously with landing, no inch of waste in series of movements.
But.
'Will lose.'
Eris weighed situation coolly.
Structure unable to win.
Because this space, this musty and frozen altar entirely was Witch of Frost Snow White's domain.
As long as sucking up Abyss breath Demon of Snowfield exhales directly and using, Snow White's magic power doesn't deplete.
If Yeti falls thorn vine sews. Gets up stronger every time sewn.
Even if Hero knocks down ten times Snow White just needs to beckon one finger.
Eventually side revealing bottom first is Hero side made of flesh and blood.
Super Genius Beautiful Girl's brilliant brain derived battle conclusion too easily.
Then, which side should this genius and lovely Eris-nim stick to be advantageous?
Conclusion.
'Naturally winning side!'
Eris-nim must always stand on winning side.
Eris concluding gaze headed to main hall corner.
'Good. Then let's take out insurance first.'
Just in time most certain option of this situation was crouching there.
1st Imperial Princess Lucia Von Astellia.
'If capture Sister whoever wins excuse room created. If Hero wins say was protecting, if Snow White wins say captured so couldn't run away. As expected Eris-nim genius.'
Eris dug into blind spot exquisitely out of vision.
Slide.
Pink thorn vine crawling on floor soared up.
And wrapped Lucia's both wrists tightly.
"Ah!"
Lucia screamed shortly.
Eris stuck close to Lucia's back.
Gripped vine end firmly, grabbed Lucia's slender shoulder with one hand.
"Caught."
"E……ri?"
"Hostage. Don't move."
Capture complete. Operation success.
"Lucia!"
Leona felt presence behind back and turned head.
Yetis didn't miss that gap.
Puck-!
Reinforced hairy's giant fist struck Leona's flank.
"Kuh!"
Leona's body flew through air crashing into altar stone pillar.
Stone pile collapsed rattle raising dust.
'Ugh, must hurt.'
Eris clicked tongue tsk tsk inwardly.
Even if Hero that must have broken few bones. If not for Holy Sword's hyper-regeneration battle would have ended in that one blow.
But sympathy is luxury. Because Eris-nim is evil witch.
"Good work, our youngest. Thought scared hiding behind only, did big job at best timing?"
Way to survive in Thorn Society. Must be useful. If not useful pruned.
"If holding Princess as hostage Hero is finished too. Clean finish."
As Snow White said.
Now if Eris flows slight magic power into vine Lucia's life becomes precarious.
Hero has no choice but to put down Holy Sword.
Perfect checkmate.
But.
"Eri."
"……Noisy. Don't talk sacrifice."
"Really, all was lie?"
Bound Lucia turned head looking up at Eris.
Emerald pupils.
There still no resentment towards Eris.
At that warmth Eris almost relaxed hand holding vine.
"O, Of course! This idiot Sister! Eris-nim is Thorn Witch! Born deceiving and using others is more natural than breathing villain of villains!"
Eris shouted.
Voice cracking strangely must be feeling.
"Lie."
"Wh, Wha wha wha, what nonsense!"
Cheeky attitude for prisoner bound in vines.
But Eris couldn't tighten thorn.
"When me and Freya three sat in front of furnace sharing cake."
"……N, Noisy."
"When yielded pudding, Eri rejoiced as if having whole world."
"Th, That just pudding delicious……!"
Eris avoided Lucia's gaze for no reason.
"Until that time all, all was fake?"
"……."
"When I stroked Eri. Eri really, felt nothing?"
Actually.
Eris experienced 'warm daily life' for first time since birth.
Thorn Society didn't have such thing. Hierarchy, mission, and terrible punishment for failure existed only.
But time in Frostgard was different.
Someone smiling brightly without cost, was first time in her life.
Whether that was lie or real.
Before such worry, fact that Eris was enjoying that time couldn't be denied at all.
"Eri."
Lucia called again.
Not 'Thorn Witch Eris', but 'Eri' rolling in Northern document pile.
"Eri is precious comrade to us. Cute, fun to be with, processing documents together was hundred times faster."
"That is because Eris-nim is genius natural——"
"And happy if Eri is by side."
"……."
Lucia is woman who can't lie. Woman everything reveals on expression.
So Eris knew too everything Lucia says is sincerity.
So more troublesome.
"Youngest. What dawdling?"
Snow White's cold voice intervened.
"Cut Princess's fingers one by one. Until Hero puts down sword. No. Let's appreciate Hero despairing a bit more. First tighten Princess little by little."
Snow White's gaze stuck to Eris.
Eris looked down at hand holding vine.
And looked at Lucia.
Rationality. Survival. Villain's duty. Weight of rank.
Warmth. Pudding. Honey candy. Sister's smile.
Which side heavier.
Which side Eris wants.
"Hurry let hear Princess's scream?"
Snow White's voice sharpened.
Eris's mouth opened.
"……Hate it?"
"What?"
Snow White's eyes narrowed.
Expression doubting ears wondering if heard wrong.
Eris lifted head abruptly.
Magenta pupils usually like squirrel shone like sharp wildcat.
"Said hate it! Old so ear hole froze?!"
Paaat!
Pink vine Eris was holding released Lucia's binding and soared into empty air.
Rather wrapping Lucia behind back, pink thorns stretched forward.
"Actually holding back hard, honestly Eris-nim didn't like Auntie from beginning! Always calling me youngest youngest using Eris-nim like bread shuttle!"
"A, Auntie…?"
"That disgustingly slow and greasy tone! Cheap rose perfume like old person! No friends so playing house with hairy things all day!"
Minute convulsion rose on Snow White's bloodless face.
"……Our youngest became rude…?"
"Ahaha! Scratched right? Look trembling shiver shiver!"
"Now, betraying Thorn Society?"
"Betrayal? Eris-nim was only on Eris-nim's side from beginning to end?"
Eris put hands on waist and puffed small chest majestically.
"Besides if Auntie stabbed by Hero sword here and die unsightly, vacant Rank 5 seat becomes Eris's possession!"
Girl's excuse unable to present real reason.
"Not betrayal but promotion! Legitimate usurpation! Legal step up!"
Eris couldn't bear to say soft sincerity, packaged true feeling with extremely selfish and snobbish justification.
"……."
Snow White's expression froze from chuckle, to absurdity, and finally to complete sub-zero coldness.