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Chapter 12: Messed Up and Mad

The Heart-Eater had a knack for weaving terrifying illusions, making opponents panic and scamper away in despair. Once it breached someone’s psychological defenses, it could control their minds at will—just like that lightning-hunting bird.

Looking at the girl, who seemed as docile as a lamb led to slaughter, the Heart-Eater sneered, slowly extending its tentacles toward her.

It relished watching its prey’s terror and frantic desperation. Especially those arrogant humans who had once imprisoned it!

But just then, a scorching halo burst forth from the girl, and the sudden explosion of Holy Light sent the Heart-Eater flying.

The Heart-Eater was bewildered.

There were indeed some extraordinary beings capable of breaking free from illusions using sheer will, but it couldn’t fathom why this was happening to a human girl of a lower rank.

However, even if she escaped the illusion, the fear that had been implanted wouldn’t just vanish. Even the most ferocious beast would hesitate out of fear—what could a mere human do?!

Thinking this, the Heart-Eater unleashed its tentacles and renewed its assault.

Alice picked up her sword again, her azure eyes still clouded, not completely free from the grip of the illusion.

The image of the boy fading away lingered in her mind.

Yet this fear turned into kindling, igniting her courage.

Even though she felt ordinary and weak, she didn’t want to give up.

She wanted to shine in his eyes, even if it cost her everything.

A colossal aura surged and burned like a pillar; the blonde girl transformed into a flash faster than lightning.

Her fierce sword light was sharper than before, slicing through the flailing tentacles, charging right at it.

The Heart-Eater leaped just in time to dodge the terrifying blade’s tip, but it still grazed and left a wound, making it howl in pain.

Before it could regroup, the blonde girl, like a bloodthirsty hound, attacked again, striking continuously without mercy.

Despite the Heart-Eater’s superior bloodline, it now found itself at a disadvantage, driven back repeatedly.

It wasn’t because Alice was faster; it was her fighting style that had changed.

The girl completely ignored non-lethal attacks, allowing the spear-like tentacles to leave scars on her body while pushing forward bravely through the onslaught.

The Seraph‘s Holy Light had healing capabilities, but Alice even suppressed that power and focused more energy into her blade, seeking to take down her foe as quickly as possible!

She cast aside injury and pain, with only the boy’s image and the enemy in her sights.

As long as she killed it, her master would surely look at her.

This pure thought transformed into an endless source of strength, propelling Alice forward.

The Heart-Eater wasn’t strong at its core; it relied on its tentacles to attack. Under Alice’s relentless pursuit, it narrowly avoided lethal strikes again and again, howling in terror.

In the face of this death-defying assault, the beast known for manipulating fear became the trembling prey instead.

When another slash came, the Heart-Eater finally abandoned its entanglement, wildly waving its tentacles as it fled clumsily.

But how could Alice let it go that easily?

The blonde girl lunged forward with her sword like an arrow released from a bow.

The struggling Heart-Eater also gave it its all, with all its tentacles rushing at her like a phalanx of spears.

Heavy blows rained down on her, yet a dazzling light exploded like the sun.

The pin on her chest shattered, but Alice felt no relief at having dodged death; she did not flinch, charging forward as the onslaught continued—

Even if she was injured, she had to kill it.

As long as she did, her master would—

However, that sword of hers ultimately did not swing down.

Because a familiar figure burst into her vision, wrapping her in a tight embrace, holding her close.

The tentacles rained down, each as sharp as a spear and heavy as a hammer, the meteoric barrage reducing the forest to ruins.

But the black-haired boy stood there, allowing the tentacles to strike him, as if he were an immovable pillar amidst a storm.

With dragon-scale armor for protection, why fear the wind and rain?

The little maid snapped back to reality, looking up in panic, but it was Roy who felt heartache when he saw her bloodied form.

It was just a Sequence 6 beast; if Alice wanted to run, she could easily escape. Even if she chose to play a long game, she could have lasted until he arrived.

What on earth happened to leave her in such a state?

“Master?! Are you okay…”

“Is now the time to worry about me?”

His voice was dark and frightening.

It was Alice’s first time hearing Roy speak like this.

The girl, who never hesitated even in life-or-death battles, now lowered her head in fear, silenced.

Seeing her like this, Roy couldn’t bring himself to scold or question her.

He turned his head, directing all of that pent-up frustration and anger to the lurking monster.

“Let’s talk later.”

“Is it this thing that hurt you?”

Alice weakly answered, “Mm.”

“Stay back, wait for me.”

With Roy standing in front of her, she couldn’t help but say, “No, no need for you to step in, Alice can handle it by myself…”

“Be obedient.”

Alice shivered all over, like a child caught misbehaving, obediently stepping back.

She had no idea why Roy was angry. She just vaguely felt like she had messed something up.

Roy coldly surveyed the ugly Heart-Eater.

The ground was littered with severed tentacles, and the creature bore multiple glowing sword wounds, curling up in a corner, wary and slightly shrinking back, having not launched any attacks.

What she had only seen in textbooks, a Sequence 6 monster, was being cornered by the little maid alone.

There was no doubt her growth had once again exceeded expectations; achieving this with Sequence 7 strength was something the original Alice could never have done.

Yet Roy felt no joy.

If he hadn’t arrived just in time, Alice’s final strike would have been enough to finish off the creature, but she undoubtedly would have sustained serious injuries from its attack.

No, if not for the Brilliant Pin, Alice probably wouldn’t even be able to stand now.

Roy couldn’t understand why Alice would choose to fight the monster to the death.

The one thing he did understand was that this beast had harmed Alice.

Roy drew his sword, his black eyes flickering with a golden glow, like thunder rumbling in the heavens.

He didn’t want to think about strengths and weaknesses or tactics; he just wanted to use the simplest and most brutal strength to ensure—one strike, kill.

 

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