Leticia lay on the ground, turned into a sea of blood. She had lost so much blood that her face had no color at all.
“Your Highness!”
Banessa’s hands trembled as he lifted Leticia’s shoulder. He couldn’t bring himself to check her breathing.
“Your Highness, wake up! Please, open your eyes!”
Despite his desperate calls, Leticia’s eyelids did not twitch.
“Julia!”
He yelled.
“Julia, hurry, please!”
Julia ran over in panic.
“Get a doctor, Julia!”
Julia’s face twisted fiercely. She grabbed the hilt of her sword and drew it quickly. The blade, sharpened by the sunlight, shone brightly. Then,
“Ugh!”
She barely managed to block Tenua’s sword, which was aiming to strike Banessa from behind. Tenua, emitting black energy from all over his body, grinned wickedly. The whites of his eyes had turned black, and even the veins on his cheeks were darkened.
“So the bugs have shown up?”
“Banessa! Quick, move… Ugh!”
Julia’s hands trembled as she gripped her sword, in stark contrast to Tenua’s confidence.
“The Principality’s bugs are siding with this wench? Heh, might as well have some fun for a moment.”
“Banessa!”
Banessa carried Leticia and ran. He set her down where the merchants gathered.
“Bring something to stop the bleeding! Quick!”
A merchant, who had been unable to approach Leticia because of Tenua, rushed over.
“Here you are, sir!”
Banessa quickly snatched a bottle of coagulant and sprinkled it over the gaping wound on her neck. Even after using the entire bottle, the blood kept flowing. The white powder quickly turned red. Watching it, he felt like he was losing his mind.
“I’ll take her to the doctor.”
A merchant hurriedly lifted Leticia. Banessa grabbed him.
“Send someone to His Highness immediately. He’s in the fortress. Hurry!”
“Understood!”
Banessa turned his head with bloodshot eyes. Julia was still crossing swords with Tenua. Julia looked terribly strained, while Tenua appeared as if he was just out for a picnic. Just as he said he would play with them, he was doing exactly that.
Banessa clenched his teeth, drew his sword, and rushed forward, crouching low. Only one thought filled his mind: I’m going to kill that bastard. By my own hands, for sure.
“Aah!”
Just before Banessa arrived, Tenua threw Julia.
Bang!
Julia crashed into a wall with a loud noise, curling up in pain. At the same time, Banessa’s sword clashed with Tenua’s.
“Ha, stepping on bugs is truly enjoyable.”
“Ugh!”
Banessa’s face contorted horribly. The strength was monstrous. Tenua laughed as he saw Banessa struggling.
“You bugs can’t beat me no matter how hard you try. The real master has given me strength.”
“The real master? You’re spouting nonsense.”
Banessa smirked.
“Who’s the real master? Josephina? A psychopath who frames her own innocent daughter for murder? Are you talking about her?”
“Ugh, such filthy talk for a bug.”
“Pot calling the kettle black.”
“Pot calling the kettle black? You’re comparing me to you? Your bravado is impressive.”
“Bravado, bullshit. Who’d be scared of someone like you?”
“You, are you so terrified of me that you’ve gone mad?”
“What?”
“With what confidence do you dare to speak before me?”
“Crazy. Enough with the nonsense.”
Banessa didn’t back down a word, meeting Tenua’s every retort. Tenua’s eyes narrowed.
“Your eyes, I don’t like them.”
“Of course. Did you think I’d, ugh, look kindly upon you?”
“No, that’s not it.”
The yellow pupils that had been hidden in the darkness split vertically.
“Looking into your eyes reminds me of Leticia, that woman.”
Even until she lost consciousness, Leticia did not give up. The hope contained within her was so irritating. At first, he thought it would be fun to break her, but it wasn’t. As time passed, it only became more annoying.
“Could it have been you guys? The ones who instilled hope in her.”
“…”
“The hope I spent years trying to eradicate.”
Sensing something, Banessa spoke out as if struggling.
“What have you done to Her Highness all this time!”
“Her Highness, heh.”
“Tell me now! What did you do to her!”
Watching him become enraged, Tenua’s laughter deepened. Indeed, the sight of the bugs squirming was always entertaining. He asked in a smooth voice.
“Is that girl so precious to you all? Then you might not want to hear it. After my words, you won’t be able to bear it.”
“Ugh…! Tell me, now!”
“You’re that curious? Then, by all means, I’ll tell you.”
Tenua grinned wickedly.
“The best was definitely the whip. But not just any whip—a whip embedded with glass shards was better. Just a few swings would knock her unconscious. And the expression on her face when she was revived with holy power was simply…”
He couldn’t finish his sentence. Slowly, he looked down at his chest. A white blade protruded near his heart. The smile vanished from Tenua’s face. He glared coldly at Banessa.
“For a bug, you’ve got brains.”
“Damn you…!”
Despair filled Banessa’s eyes. It was as he feared. Even with a direct stab to the heart, Tenua remained unharmed. No blood flowed from the wound.
“Julia, run!”
Julia, gritting her teeth, slashed at Tenua with her sword. Or at least, she attempted to, but failed. Holding the blade that had pierced his heart in his hand, Tenua whispered.
“Quite entertaining.”
“Die, you demon!”
“Julia!”
Banessa threw his sword and charged at Tenua. But Tenua was faster. Black energy exploded, striking Julia. She was thrown without even screaming.
“Ugh…”
Unlike before, she couldn’t get up right away. She struggled several times to rise but ultimately lost consciousness.
“Julia…!”
Banessa staggered and stopped as a terrible pain spread from his back.
“Ugh, hah.”
Banessa clenched his eyes shut.
“I purposely avoided the vital spots when I stabbed. How does it feel?”
Tenua whispered.
“Look forward to it. I’ll play with you until you’re sick of it.”
“Ha, ha.”
Leaning against the wall, Banessa gasped for air. Perhaps because he had lost too much blood, his mind was foggy. He tried to hold onto his fading consciousness, but it was futile.
‘Please.’
Even as he desperately prayed, his vision continued to darken.
‘Please, come to your senses.’
He had to live. He absolutely had to survive. Because.
‘I have to protect her.’
Even as he was dying, only one image filled his mind—the image of Leticia, covered in blood, lying on the ground.
‘Your Highness, you must be alive, right?’
He hadn’t been able to confirm her life or death earlier. And it was driving him mad.
‘She must be alive.’
She had to be.
‘If anything happens to her.’
I won’t be able to forgive myself until the day I die. Banessa clenched his eyes shut, feeling the warmth of tears.
‘I swore to protect her, so why?’
Why has it come to this?
‘Please, just one more chance.’
I would give anything for a chance, he prayed desperately. Banessa’s eyes snapped open.
He looked down with a look of despair. What he saw was Tenua’s hand, clutching the hilt of the sword. A surge of blood filled his mouth.
“It’s about time to end this, don’t you think?”
As Tenua pushed the sword deeper into his abdomen, he spoke.
“Playing with you was quite fun. You were persistent, not at all like a bug. But I’m a busy man. I need to go see the princess before it’s too late.”
Banessa, barely swallowing the blood clot, lifted his trembling gaze.
“…What?”
“It would be troublesome if the princess died. It means I no longer have time to play with you.”
“Who are you planning to meet?”
“Who else but your precious Highness.”
Tenua said mockingly as he attempted to pull out the sword. Or so he tried.
“What?”
Tenua looked down at his hand in disbelief. Banessa’s pale hand was gripping his wrist.
“You crazy fool. Have you completely lost your mind?”
“You’re not going.”
“What?”
“You absolutely can’t go. You can’t move a step from here.”
“Puhaha, you’ve really gone mad.”
“Never again, to her.”
“Stop bluffing, if you want to leave even a corpse behind, then let go of this hand…”
Tenua’s laughter stopped abruptly as he looked down at his wrist. Banessa’s fingers were digging into his wrist. For some reason, a chill went through his body.
Tenua’s expression vanished. He glanced at Banessa with just a movement of his eyes. Seeing Banessa’s face twisted in pain, Tenua briefly froze, then let out a deflated laugh.
“Of course.”
What was he worried about? The moment of tension felt ridiculous.
“Now, go.”
Saying so, he pushed the sword deeper and twisted it. Banessa’s pupils dilated. Tenua’s laughter deepened. He watched without blinking as Banessa died.
“Gurgle!”
Banessa spat out a mouthful of red blood. The strength left the hand that was gripping Tenua’s wrist. He slowly bowed his head, then convulsed as if in a seizure. Tenua chuckled and pulled out the sword. As he was turning around, rotating his freed wrist,
“…Ugh.”
A strange sound came from behind. Tenua turned around, half in disbelief, his eyes widening. Banessa was not convulsing in pain. He was laughing.
“Ha-ha, so this is it.”
“What?”
“So this was what that meant.”
Tenua’s eyes narrowed. Banessa was still shaking, head bowed.
“After all, it’s a power that can only be obtained by being prepared to die. It couldn’t possibly come from playing mere child’s games.”
“…Are you insane?”
“Would I be? Especially now.”
Banessa slowly lifted his head. Tenua flinched. His crimson eyes were filled with ecstasy.
“Now that I’ve come to know that my master is alive.”
“What?”
“That Her Highness is alive, do you think I’d go mad?”
“What nonsense are you spouting…”
“Of course, you wouldn’t understand what I’m saying even if you were to be brought back from the dead, you filthy impostor.”
Banessa smiled brightly as he extended his arm. Tenua instinctively stepped back, but Banessa was quicker.
“Where do you think you’re escaping to?”
He grabbed Tenua by the collar and yanked him forcefully towards himself. The sheer strength in Banessa’s grip filled Tenua’s face with shock. His attempts to shake off Banessa’s hand were futile.
“Ugh…!”
“This is the end for you, you bastard.”
Banessa’s smile was almost maniacal, bordering on madness. Tenua swallowed hard, a chill running down his spine.
“You won’t die as easily as before. I’ll make sure you never come back to life. I’m not like her.”
As he spoke, a bright white flame burst from the tips of the fingers holding Tenua’s collar.
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