Chapte 211 – Dance
In the room beyond the stone pavement, stood the man with IV carved into his mask.
It was a chapel, with rows of wooden black benches.
There were extravagantly decorated candle stands, and a large statue of the Saintess loomed up in front of the white walls.
There was a painting behind the altar to the back.
The floor was made of marble, and there was a red carpet in the center.
Near the altar, where light shone from the stained glass, I saw Mother Louise, as well as the special relic. The machine doll… Mel, was lying there.
“Noelle Springfield. You never cease to surprise me.”
Said IV.
“You call your friends for help and even summon a dragon. You even devised a method to oxidize the potion meant to destroy the mind. It is all very impressive. I had to go and get a new potion that was stored outside.”
(Oxidized the potion?)
Nina must have done that. I turned to look at her, but she shook her head. So did Ms. Evangeline.
It was possible that there was a third-party acting here.
“However, all you were able to do was buy some time. The results have already been decided. This is not a story. Life is not fair and full of hope. His heart is already gone, and the Saintess will be ours.”
IV snapped his fingers.
And then thirteen masked men appeared as if to surround us.
Their magic energy was different from the ones who caught me before.
(Their power has increased…!)
My intuition and situational awareness were sounding alarms in my head.
(But how…)
It did not take me long to realize the reason.
Everything about the way they stood there was different. There was nothing human in the way they moved.
They were dolls without free will or a human heart.
After realizing a certain possibility, my spine went cold.
“Did you use the potion…”
“Remove all possibilities that could lead to defeat. That is my method.”
Said IV.
“By destroying their hearts, they will be able to fight without getting hurt. And by taking the potion over and over, their magic and physical strength have increased. No matter how skilled you are with magic, you cannot beat them.”
The masked men moved closer.
As I bit my lip, Ms. Evangeline sighed.
“How troublesome. I did not expect to be greeted by this.”
The masked man replied calmly.
“Do not worry. We will make good use of you. Without a heart, you will become so much stronger. You will be a marvelous doll, just like them.”
“I think you are misunderstanding something.”
“Oh?”
“The thing that is troublesome is that you think you can win with just this.”
Immediately, she activated numerous magic circles.
‘Air Blaze.’
She moved her right hand.
That was all. And then one of the men in masks vanished.
The enchantments and magic barriers meant nothing.
The sight of this merciless violence sent fear into the hearts of all that watched.
As if being struck, the others began to move. However, by then she was already behind them.
‘Air Dimites.’
The man was blown away as if struck by a giant.
(Magic that releases pressurized space between the person she touches…!)
Unbelievable destructive ability.
The masked men tried to turn around, but by then, Ms. Evangeline was already gone.
Three masked men were gone as if they had never been there.
Humans might have panicked, but the dolls did not.
Without delay, they activated their magic at the target.
Numerous ice spears.
However, Ms. Evangeline did not even try to dodge them.
And the spears vanished without being able to touch her.
(She created a different space right next to her, just like a barrier…!)
I had never seen spatial transfer magic like this before.
Even though it was in the middle of a battle, I was captivated by her magic.
(Amazing…this magic…!)
I knew that I should focus on the fight.
But I could hardly contain this excitement.
I forgot everything else and just watched.
A masked man swung with a knife. And then he vanished.
Green magic circles filled the air, decorating the cathedral.
It looked like I was watching a dance.
As if there were no real enemies.
Everything happened in less than twenty seconds.
And just like that, there was not a single one left.
“You probably thought you could beat me during the tournament. Too bad. That was just an exhibition. But you never know when the empire might try to invade the forest. And so I never show all of my secrets.”
“You monster…”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
(So this is the real Ms. Evangeline…)
She was on a different level.
And there was a part of me that wanted to fight her. The idea excited me.
However, there was also a part of me that yelled for me to be on my guard.
We were not out of danger yet.
“However, I still have more dolls in storage. And I know what your weakness is. Or should I say, the weaknesses of all magicians. Without magic, all of you would just be worthless fools.”
IV then took out an hourglass from his pocket.
“If you can’t use magic, you will not be able to get out of this.”
The special relic unleashed a purple light.
I felt the magic energy leaving my body.
“Damn it. To think you had such a trick.”
Ms. Evangeline held her forehead as if it hurt.
“I told you from the beginning. You have no chance of winning.”
“It really is awful. This is now the third time that relic has been used on me. And yet you still think I’ve prepared no countermeasures?”
Ms. Evangeline shrugged her shoulders.
The man gasped as the relic vanished from his hands.
“I had a magic circle prepared in advance, in a space where the relic does not affect. And the moment I connected the two spaces, my magic activated a moment before the relic did. As you cannot store much magic energy in other spaces, there is a limit to the magic you can use. But it is enough to teleport small objects.”
The special relic was not in Ms. Evangeline’s hand.
She then smashed the hourglass against the floor.
It shattered and the white sand spread out on the carpet.
At the same time, I could feel the energy returning to me.
“It looks like you lost the advantage now.”
“…”
IV did not say anything.
And so Ms. Evangeline took a few steps towards him.
“It is you who cannot beat me. Now, it is time for you to pay for hurting my friend.”
“Indeed, you are strong. I admit it.”
“I’m glad to see some honesty in you.”
“Unfortunately, my doll is still stronger than you.”
In the next instant, a third party appeared. And I forgot how to breathe.
The hairs on my body stood up on end.
My blood turned cold.
My instincts were screaming.
This person was stronger than anyone I had ever seen.Chapte 211 – Dance
In the room beyond the stone pavement, stood the man with IV carved into his mask.
It was a chapel, with rows of wooden black benches.
There were extravagantly decorated candle stands, and a large statue of the Saintess loomed up in front of the white walls.
There was a painting behind the altar to the back.
The floor was made of marble, and there was a red carpet in the center.
Near the altar, where light shone from the stained glass, I saw Mother Louise, as well as the special relic. The machine doll… Mel, was lying there.
“Noelle Springfield. You never cease to surprise me.”
Said IV.
“You call your friends for help and even summon a dragon. You even devised a method to oxidize the potion meant to destroy the mind. It is all very impressive. I had to go and get a new potion that was stored outside.”
(Oxidized the potion?)
Nina must have done that. I turned to look at her, but she shook her head. So did Ms. Evangeline.
It was possible that there was a third-party acting here.
“However, all you were able to do was buy some time. The results have already been decided. This is not a story. Life is not fair and full of hope. His heart is already gone, and the Saintess will be ours.”
IV snapped his fingers.
And then thirteen masked men appeared as if to surround us.
Their magic energy was different from the ones who caught me before.
(Their power has increased…!)
My intuition and situational awareness were sounding alarms in my head.
(But how…)
It did not take me long to realize the reason.
Everything about the way they stood there was different. There was nothing human in the way they moved.
They were dolls without free will or a human heart.
After realizing a certain possibility, my spine went cold.
“Did you use the potion…”
“Remove all possibilities that could lead to defeat. That is my method.”
Said IV.
“By destroying their hearts, they will be able to fight without getting hurt. And by taking the potion over and over, their magic and physical strength have increased. No matter how skilled you are with magic, you cannot beat them.”
The masked men moved closer.
As I bit my lip, Ms. Evangeline sighed.
“How troublesome. I did not expect to be greeted by this.”
The masked man replied calmly.
“Do not worry. We will make good use of you. Without a heart, you will become so much stronger. You will be a marvelous doll, just like them.”
“I think you are misunderstanding something.”
“Oh?”
“The thing that is troublesome is that you think you can win with just this.”
Immediately, she activated numerous magic circles.
‘Air Blaze.’
She moved her right hand.
That was all. And then one of the men in masks vanished.
The enchantments and magic barriers meant nothing.
The sight of this merciless violence sent fear into the hearts of all that watched.
As if being struck, the others began to move. However, by then she was already behind them.
‘Air Dimites.’
The man was blown away as if struck by a giant.
(Magic that releases pressurized space between the person she touches…!)
Unbelievable destructive ability.
The masked men tried to turn around, but by then, Ms. Evangeline was already gone.
Three masked men were gone as if they had never been there.
Humans might have panicked, but the dolls did not.
Without delay, they activated their magic at the target.
Numerous ice spears.
However, Ms. Evangeline did not even try to dodge them.
And the spears vanished without being able to touch her.
(She created a different space right next to her, just like a barrier…!)
I had never seen spatial transfer magic like this before.
Even though it was in the middle of a battle, I was captivated by her magic.
(Amazing…this magic…!)
I knew that I should focus on the fight.
But I could hardly contain this excitement.
I forgot everything else and just watched.
A masked man swung with a knife. And then he vanished.
Green magic circles filled the air, decorating the cathedral.
It looked like I was watching a dance.
As if there were no real enemies.
Everything happened in less than twenty seconds.
And just like that, there was not a single one left.
“You probably thought you could beat me during the tournament. Too bad. That was just an exhibition. But you never know when the empire might try to invade the forest. And so I never show all of my secrets.”
“You monster…”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
(So this is the real Ms. Evangeline…)
She was on a different level.
And there was a part of me that wanted to fight her. The idea excited me.
However, there was also a part of me that yelled for me to be on my guard.
We were not out of danger yet.
“However, I still have more dolls in storage. And I know what your weakness is. Or should I say, the weaknesses of all magicians. Without magic, all of you would just be worthless fools.”
IV then took out an hourglass from his pocket.
“If you can’t use magic, you will not be able to get out of this.”
The special relic unleashed a purple light.
I felt the magic energy leaving my body.
“Damn it. To think you had such a trick.”
Ms. Evangeline held her forehead as if it hurt.
“I told you from the beginning. You have no chance of winning.”
“It really is awful. This is now the third time that relic has been used on me. And yet you still think I’ve prepared no countermeasures?”
Ms. Evangeline shrugged her shoulders.
The man gasped as the relic vanished from his hands.
“I had a magic circle prepared in advance, in a space where the relic does not affect. And the moment I connected the two spaces, my magic activated a moment before the relic did. As you cannot store much magic energy in other spaces, there is a limit to the magic you can use. But it is enough to teleport small objects.”
The special relic was not in Ms. Evangeline’s hand.
She then smashed the hourglass against the floor.
It shattered and the white sand spread out on the carpet.
At the same time, I could feel the energy returning to me.
“It looks like you lost the advantage now.”
“…”
IV did not say anything.
And so Ms. Evangeline took a few steps towards him.
“It is you who cannot beat me. Now, it is time for you to pay for hurting my friend.”
“Indeed, you are strong. I admit it.”
“I’m glad to see some honesty in you.”
“Unfortunately, my doll is still stronger than you.”
In the next instant, a third party appeared. And I forgot how to breathe.
The hairs on my body stood up on end.
My blood turned cold.
My instincts were screaming.
This person was stronger than anyone I had ever seen.