Ch.65XX Tina (10)

# XX Tina (10)

Haona, a major general specializing in elemental magic, particularly sand manipulation, methodically pressured the hero party despite her arrogant tone.

The fluidity of sand combined with physical force made her a formidable opponent. The sand flowed like her limbs, easily countering even Esmeralda’s specialty sword techniques.

Esmeralda remained silent, watching for an opportunity while struggling to approach or maintain distance.

The fluidity of combat magic. It somewhat resembled Millia’s tentacle magic, but…

“What a dreadful magic.”

“Poor thing… You’re another demon who knows nothing of love.”

KWAAAA!

In terms of efficiency, Haona’s magic was vastly superior. Unlike Millia’s magic, which was refined into tentacle forms, Haona’s sand created flows from countless individual grains.

This meant her magic wasn’t constrained by form, and interruptions caused no problems. Compared to Millia’s tentacles, which relied on liquid viscosity to maintain magical cohesion, Haona’s sand was far more versatile.

“Hmph!”

However, this didn’t necessarily mean Haona’s magic was superior to Millia’s. Every advantage comes with disadvantages, and vice versa.

Millia’s tentacle magic allowed for more diverse attack methods than Haona’s sand manipulation. She could freely incorporate elemental magic into her viscous liquid.

Millia’s tentacle magic possessed far more versatility than Haona’s single-medium approach. She could counter sand by infusing her tentacles with appropriate magic.

The ability to simultaneously extend flames, lightning, water, ice, and various elemental essences through her tentacle strands was certainly advantageous.

CRACK!

The moment Haona’s sand touched the tentacles, it froze solid. Not just simple freezing—water flowed from the tentacle tips to freeze it completely. A truly fluid combination.

“Excellent! Your magic lacks elegance, but it’s certainly practical! But did you think you could defeat me with magical density?!”

SWISH!

The ice trapping Millia’s sand was instantly shredded. The force breaking through the ice was far stronger than the freezing grip. Since not all the sand had been sealed, Millia’s ice was inevitably shredded from both inside and out.

“Not enough. Far from enough!”

Haona pressured the hero party, waving her hands like a conductor. Esmeralda maintained a defensive stance against the wave-like sand, while Millia tried various approaches but was overwhelmed by the difference in firepower.

Behind them, Eirene protected her allies with support and barriers.

They could only maintain their position, unable to advance. Any reckless movement would leave them vulnerable.

Moreover, Haona seemed intent on wearing down the hero party, focusing on maintaining the current situation without taking unnecessary risks.

It was a battle of patience. She knew that maintaining the status quo was sufficient.

This wisdom came from her long military service—patience cultivated from handling countless menial tasks assigned by other generals.

‘This is nothing compared to 30 days of night shifts!’

The parched sand was like the demon Haona’s withered body. No demon understood sand better than she did.

“You defeated Eleven and Five with just this level of skill?! Impossible! I was right all along!”

Haona grinned, planning to interrogate Lilith upon her return. The past humiliations, the indignities she suffered for being weak—she had recorded every single one in her diary.

‘To think we’re losing to someone like this…!’

Reading Haona’s thoughts, Esmeralda bit her lip. It was frustrating to be pushed back by such a petty opponent rather than a worthy adversary.

A battle of patience. She was confident in that, but seeing the reason for her opponent’s confidence was draining. How should she put it? It felt like the fight had lost its dignity.

“Millia! Let’s change our approach! Don’t freeze it—melt it!”

Freezing the sand didn’t remove the opponent’s control since the sand’s form remained unchanged. What if they completely melted the sand instead, changing its very nature?

When Haona first appeared, she destroyed rock walls with sand rather than manipulating the walls themselves. She was limited by form.

If the individual particles became liquid and mixed together, Haona’s sand manipulation would lose precision.

“…That might make things more dangerous for us.”

But Millia, as a mage, understood what Esmeralda was suggesting. Solids and liquids are different.

If even part of the sand turned to liquid, Haona’s control would become difficult. How could she separate mixed substances in her mind?

She would inevitably have to abandon the liquefied portions and move only the remaining sand grains.

But reaching that point would be extremely difficult. The sand flowed continuously, and applying heat to one section would only spread the heat evenly throughout.

Melting sand into liquid would take considerable time. Meanwhile, the sand that hadn’t melted but merely absorbed heat would return as weapons against them.

“I’ll take that risk, just do it!”

“Okay, understood.”

Esmeralda cut off Millia’s concerns. Millia began dispersing fire-attribute magic without hesitation, showing complete trust in Esmeralda.

Esmeralda chose to interpret Millia’s attitude as trust.

‘Now it’s my turn.’

She finally drew another sword that she had kept sheathed at her waist. Her prized possession—a frost-attribute magic sword containing the essence of Glachies Magic Tower, reportedly crafted with the tower master’s direct involvement.

Using this would help her withstand the hot sand.

“Let’s try taking down a general while we’re at it.”

There wasn’t a huge gap between the hero party and Haona. Even considering their exhausted state and the absence of Tina and Lug.

‘Wait? Where’s Tina…?’

As Esmeralda steeled her resolve, she suddenly realized that Tina and Lug were nowhere to be seen.

“Hah…”

Did they run away? Esmeralda had grown accustomed to having self-centered companions.

***

Tina had fled when Major General Haona attacked.

‘Hehehe, now Lug is all mine. No one can interfere!’

She was running away with Lug hanging at her waist.

Her greed had overwhelmed any attachment to her companions.

She seemed unable to even consider that Esmeralda and the others might be in danger. Her perspective had become extremely narrow.

“Lady Tina.”

“Oh, Lug. You’re awake? You could have slept a bit longer.”

“What are you doing right now?”

“Hm? I’m running away. Don’t you like running away too?”

“Well, yes, but… It seems unlike you to abandon your companions like this.”

“What’s ‘like me’ supposed to mean?”

“I see. First, could you put me down? I think I’m going to throw up.”

“Are you trying to escape?”

“As if I could escape from you in your current state… Urgh! It’s coming… BLEEEEGH.”

“…”

Lug threw up.

Tina had no choice but to set him down and pat his back. He truly became less appealing the more she knew him, but…

Shouldn’t a true wife know how to love even these aspects?

Tina felt satisfied with her own understanding nature.

“Lady Tina, you know you’re in an unusual state, right?”

“Hm? Well… I’m not acting like myself. But is that bad? I actually think I prefer being this way.”

“Well, everyone has different perspectives. If you think this version of yourself is better, that’s fine too.”

“Oh, um…”

Tina scratched her cheek awkwardly, apparently not expecting such ready acceptance.

“But this is quite different from the Lady Tina I like.”

“I thought you liked any woman with breasts? That’s what I heard.”

“That’s incorrect. I like women with breasts who are also pretty.”

“You’re actually picky…?”

The unspoken “You, of all people?” hung in the air.

“Well, in that regard, Lady Tina’s breasts fall below the standard, but your face is quite pretty. That’s why I added you to my list of people I like.”

“Should I be grateful for that? Besides, you’re just a country-born porter—your confidence is truly remarkable.”

How should one respond to a madman who confesses to liking multiple women simultaneously rather than just one? Wait, could that be it?

Is he so confident because he knows he’s popular?

But no. Tina had no intention of sharing Lug with anyone else.

Complete privatization of a public asset.

That was why Tina was running away from the hero party.

“Anyway, I think the current Lady Tina is somewhat lacking. Your breasts were insufficient, but your face was pretty enough to pass. Now it’s becoming precarious.”

“What?”

“Lady Tina, can you see your surroundings?”

Confused by Lug’s contemptuous expression, Tina looked around.

Only then did she notice the scholars from <The Eye of Truth> scattered throughout the corridor.

“Uh…?”

“The Lady Tina I like wouldn’t have ignored a situation like this. How do you feel now?”

“…”

Her mind had been completely distracted, narrowing her vision. Or perhaps she had thought these people didn’t matter.

As this thought occurred to her, Tina’s mind grew clearer.

Lug left her alone and approached a familiar face.

A person dead with eyes open.

Someone with whom their meeting hadn’t been pleasant, someone he could hardly call a friend.

“Rest in peace, Melody.”

Though he had mocked her name for not suiting her, seeing her like this filled him with complicated emotions.

Lug closed Melody’s eyes.

“Don’t touch my body, you bastard.”

“Holy shit! You’re alive?!”

I thought you were a corpse.