Ch. 212 Her Holiness Declares
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 212: Her Holiness Declares
Sugar had two ways of expressing her anger.
One was the usual kind—shouting and leaping around in a frenzy. The kind she often did in front of her friends.
This was practically a form of play. I’m mad, so comfort me! Stop doing that, it’s annoying!—she’d unravel her frustrations in a noisy, lively manner. There were times when she was genuinely furious or hurt, and yes, she had even drawn a blade before, but the air never felt this suffocating.
At its core, it was something easily resolved.
But this?
This was suffocating air.
A biting, heavy chill that frosted the atmosphere like a field of icy needles.
Sugar’s gaze, colder than ever, locked straight ahead.
Quiet fury flickered in her eyes.
This was what happened when something related to her reverse scale was touched.
Tap-tap. Tap-tap.
Her foot lightly struck the ground in irritation.
Huu…
A deep exhale signaled the beginning of action.
Thud—!
She kicked off the ground, leaping forward. Tossing the lantern carelessly behind her, she pulled a staff from within her robes and charged.
She didn’t slow down as she chanted. Drawing mana, over and over, she spread it vigorously throughout her body.
“Acceleration.”
The moment the activation word left her lips, her speed skyrocketed as if she had slammed into an invisible wall. Her hair whipped back like a blade cutting through the wind.
With such an overwhelming presence, it was only a matter of time before even the disoriented Object No. B-13 noticed her.
“Huh…? Huh?!?”
The girl’s face, already worn with exhaustion from being chased, twisted in shock and confusion.
Why is Her Holiness here?
Why?!
And why is she chasing me?!
Half of those questions were answered soon enough.
“I’ll kill you.”
“KYAAAAAAAH!!”
As if sensing the girl’s bewilderment, the softly spoken reply carried on the wind was nothing short of terrifying.
Her eyes alone could kill someone.
Already being pursued, B-13 was now faced with another hunter. Just as she was about to collapse from despair, Sugar kicked off the ground with force and lunged, seizing the girl by the nape of her neck.
Right on cue, Riley’s “Flight” spell completed. The two shot upward at a right angle, leaving the geometric creatures momentarily frozen as they lost their target.
But soon, the creatures split into two groups.
One moved straight toward Riley and Trace, while the other took to the skies in pursuit of Sugar and the girl.
These ever-shifting beings of planes and lines transformed their forms, morphing their geometric shapes into wings as they chased after them.
Sugar tightened her grip on the girl’s collar and ascended further.
“Whirlwind.”
With her staff in her other hand, she unleashed the activation word. A fierce gale slammed into the creatures, disrupting their formation, threatening to tear them apart in the wind.
Using that opening, Sugar put distance between them and began chanting an explosive spell. If she could just secure enough space, it would be perfect for dealing with multiple enemies at once.
…!
But the moment she thought that, the girl in her grasp began thrashing wildly.
“Uwaaah… Uwaaah…!”
Looking down, Sugar saw that the geometric creatures had already broken through the whirlwind and were now fiercely chasing the girl’s feet. They had linked their bodies together, forming a single massive entity that resisted the wind before splitting back into individual forms to resume pursuit.
“Tch… Hey, use whatever ability you’ve got.”
“What ability?!”
“What do you mean, ‘what ability’? Are the things on your head just decorations? Put up a damn barrier or something and block them!”
“If I could do that, I would’ve done it already! I’m conserving my energy—”
“Can’t do it?”
Sugar shook the arm holding the girl’s collar, as if to remind her: This is your lifeline.
Below them, countless geometric creatures loomed.
The meaning behind “Can’t do it?” was less a question and more a command.
“I-I can’t! But, Your Holiness, if I die, it won’t be good for you either…!”
“Oh? Trying to negotiate? In this situation?”
“Yes! I’m trying to negotiate!”
“Go ahead. I’ll hear you out.”
Surprisingly, Sugar agreed easily, and B-13 felt a tiny flicker of relief as she opened her mouth.
“What I want is my safety—”
Sugar let go.
“AAAAAAAH!!! YOU SAID YOU’D LISTEN—!!!”
WHO DROPS SOMEONE IN THE MIDDLE OF A SENTENCE—?!
As the girl screamed while plummeting toward the geometric creatures, they fluttered their surfaces excitedly, as if welcoming her.
Sugar, expression unchanging, dove down and swiftly snatched her back up.
“My hand slipped. So, wanna try again? Or do you wanna try using your power now?”
Die, or use your ability?
A binary choice.
B-13 bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. (Though, with her sharp teeth, that was only natural.)
Either way, this brief encounter had taught her one thing:
This woman is insane.
There’s no reasoning with her.
There was no third option.
As the girl made her decision, a faint light began swirling around her horns—though the way it flickered weakly didn’t inspire much confidence.
“Ugh…”
A groan escaped as her entire body trembled—clearly pushing past her limits. Yet, unwilling to die, she mustered every ounce of strength left and aimed at the enemies chasing them.
The moment her eyes flashed wide—
The moment her horns flared brighter than before—
A transparent barrier formed over the geometric creatures, enveloping every airborne swarm in a vast radius.
The Gem Dragon’s Authority: The power to reject all forces.
The girl, fused with the dragon’s essence, could imperfectly replicate this miracle.
“Quick… leave… can’t hold… long…”
Gasping, B-13 slurred her words before going limp. She seemed to have lost consciousness.
Sugar glanced downward.
The living geometric shapes pounded against the barrier like a drum—an eerie sight, but it clearly wouldn’t last.
Her gaze then shifted elsewhere.
Was her childhood friend holding up? Of course he was, but still—was he okay?
“Wow.”
What she saw next resembled an art installation.
Countless pillars of ice jutted from the ground, geometric creatures frozen mid-motion within them, frost clinging to their surfaces like avant-garde sculptures.
She angled her descent and landed neatly beside their creator.
“You hurt?”
For a second, she thought he’d ask after her well-being—until he promptly smacked her head.
-Thud.
“I am now…”
Sugar rubbed her crown, eyes watering.
“Who was it that charged off without a word, huh? Eyes rolling back like a madwoman? I told you not to cause trouble!”
“This wasn’t my fault—”
Sniffle.
Where was the sweet Riley from earlier? The one whispering gentle reassurances?
Sulking, Sugar glared at the tiny girl in her grip. Her unconscious, whimpering form was infuriating.
The heretic she’d yearned to meet.
The existence she’d dreamed of conversing with.
The one who’d ruined what should’ve been a sweet, playful moment.
“Death penalty…”
Her eyes snapped open, venom dripping as her hair seemed to ripple with malice. That eerie voice, dripping with resentment, could belong to none other than a witch.
Then, as if struck by a thought, she whipped her head around.
“Wait, Riley—you’re not hurt, right?”
“…No.”
“Good…”
Her worried gaze softened with relief—before snapping back to the girl with renewed menace.
“Is this student mentally ill?”
“I’ve accepted it at this point.”
Beside them, the two men exchanged calm remarks.
**************
She wanted to stop running.
How many days—or weeks—had she been chased? With no way to track time in this place and nowhere to hide, she’d simply run, and run, and run.
Hiding to conserve scraps of energy. Using her power when caught, fleeing again, searching for an exit.
Looking back, that day was the problem. The day the black serpent swallowed her.
Exhausted from clashing with paladins near Steele, she’d been defenseless when the serpent appeared. Her only “resistance” was distorting the coordinates during the dimensional shift—
And now she was here. Trapped. Hunted.
‘I’m tired… I want to go home…’
That wretched place—if it even deserved the name “home.” A den of violence, madness, and snarling fanatics.
But it was hers. The place she had to return to.
There was so much to do. The plans must’ve crumbled in her absence.
She’d be broken when she got back.
She had to recover the remains of those who’d died for the prophecy. To deliver them to the Evil God, as promised.
‘So… I need to get up…’
Just as she resolved to move—
“Rise and shine, asshole. Fainting before Her Holiness? Bold.”
A voice like a nail through her skull jolted her eyes open.
“Huh…? Wha—?”
“Finally awake.”
Nothing made sense.
Why was this woman here? Why was she tied up?
Memories trickled back. Right—she’d been chased, met Sugar, strained her power, and collapsed.
B-13 stared silently. A rhythmic shhhk—shhhk— filled the air, like wind or… sharpening metal?
“Ah, done.”
Sugar approached, satisfaction oozing from her smile.
Then B-13 noticed the knife.
“W-Wait! What are you—?!”
No answer. Just the blade glinting closer. She thrashed against her bonds. That pretty face, blank as stone, was terrifying.
Was that the sound of a knife being honed?!
“Stop! Stay back! What do you want?! Use your words!”
“Tch! Hold still. I’m still new at this—only my second time.”
“Second time—?! What’s your goal?! If you’re torturing me, ASK FIRST!”
“Quiet! Basic interrogation rules!”
“SINCE WHEN DOES INTERROGATION START WITH STABBING?!”
“No backtalk! New cult rule, effective today!”
“AAAAAH!!!”
LegoMyEggo
0 Comments