"..."
Elianna just remained silent after watching Verc kill the City Lord and the local barons.
She stood perfectly still there.
She knew that, as a Saintess, she was supposed to protect the leaders of the city. She was supposed to step in and defend the status quo.
But after hearing Verc’s angry words earlier— after hearing him speak about the true meaning of right and wrong and unfairness— she found her body wouldn’t move.
She just couldn’t bring herself to stop him. The weight of his words had anchored her to the spot, making her sword feel ten times heavier than it usually was.
And as she was frozen in her place, struggling with her own mind—
FWOOSH~!!!
Elianna felt a strong, sudden surge of mana that vibrated through the air. Her head immediately turned toward the source of the energy, and there, her eyes landed on Verc’s sword.
The golden blade was now covered with a thick, transparent energy. It was a reddish mana that flickered like a heat haze around the steel.
It felt ominous and heavy just looking at it, radiating a pressure that made the hair on her arms stand up.
’[Weapon Aura]?’
Elianna recognized the power Verc was using, and she was genuinely surprised.
’I thought he was a mage-type vampire...? How did he create this space and then manifest a warrior’s aura at the same time?’
Elianna asked those questions in her head, feeling more confused by the man in front of her every second.
But before she could even think of an answer for that question— S L A S H—!!!
Verc started moving again, killing off the knights under the City Lord. These were the sons of prestigious and powerful families from the capital of the kingdom, men who had been sent here to gain easy glory.
Some of them were even from the families of the empire itself.
"..."
Elianna’s face frowned a bit at the sight of them falling one by one.
’He really doesn’t care, huh...’
She thought, watching the clinical efficiency of his strikes.
But at the same time, she couldn’t help but think about how Verc was cleaning the city. He was removing the corrupt people who had spent years abusing their power and hurting the weak.
He did it so easily...
He did it by just ignoring what every other person in the world thought and by believing firmly in what he thought was right. It was a terrifying kind of freedom that she had never known.
"..."
Elianna remained silent even though a total massacre was happening right in front of her. Then, after what felt like an eternity but was only a few moments— Verc finished on his side.
He stood amongst the fallen, the reddish aura around his sword slowly fading.
"..."
He then turned to face Elianna, and opening his mouth—
"Are you not going to fight me?"
He asked that, his voice steady. He was clearly prepared for a battle with his life on the line.
Verc was already shifting his weight, getting ready to let Onyx go so the puppy could hide if the fight started.
He knew that Elianna wouldn’t harm the little guy even if she killed him.
"..."
Anyway, Elianna didn’t say anything in response to his question at first. She just remained silent, her eyes searching his face... But after a while— FWIP.
"I will."
She declared that firmly and gripped the handle of her sword tightly, the holy light around her hand flaring up.
Verc took a combat stance the moment he heard that. He was about to put Onyx on the ground to free up his left hand. But just then—
"But... I couldn’t see anything at all in this darkness."
Elianna followed up with that, her voice calm and even.
"Huh...?"
Hearing that completely confused Verc. He blinked and looked back at her again.
He could see very clearly that Elianna was looking directly back at him... Her eyes were focused right on his face.
"..."
Verc was not an idiot.
He immediately knew what was happening here.
Elianna, the Saintess of [The Radiant Church] and the ultimate hunter of evil... was intentionally letting him go. She was letting a Demonic Vampire escape.
"What exactly are you doing...?"
Verc really had to ask her that. He had a totally confused look on his face as he came to this conclusion.
He just didn’t get it. Why would she risk everything for him?
But Elianna didn’t give him any direct answer. Her face didn’t even change one bit; she kept her expression as flat as a board.
"If I could see properly right now, I would surely stop you and bring you to justice."
She declared that with her perfect poker face, still staring right at him.
"..."
Verc didn’t say anything this time. He just stared at her for a long moment, trying to read what was behind those golden eyes. Then, after a few moments— TAP.
He just started walking.
He decided to stop asking questions he didn’t want the answers to. He was going to head toward the city gate to escape.
TAP—
He passed right by Elianna, their shoulders almost brushing, and as he did—
"Next time we meet, I will have my head clear. My conviction will be stronger... And I will be able to see through this darkness."
Elianna muttered that under her breath. She didn’t turn her head to look at him as he passed.
She was telling Verc as clearly as she could that the next time they met, they would truly be enemies.
Verc stopped in his tracks after hearing that.
"You know, the fact that you’re letting me, a vampire, escape... it will ruin your reputation as a Saintess."a
He said, his back turned to her.
"My reputation as a Saintess isn’t even that good from the start. I will survive... And as you said earlier, I think too much about what others think. So this time, I’m just doing what I personally think is the correct thing to do."
Elianna stated with a straight face, her voice echoing in the void.
Verc’s words from earlier had woken something up deep inside her.
All the unfairness that she had been noticing for years but kept ignoring because of the "Gods’ words"— she realized now that it was wrong to keep doing that.
It wasn’t wrong by the Gods’ standard... But it was wrong in hers.
Verc was correct about her being able to decide for herself what was right and what was wrong.
She was a person, not just a tool for the church.
Seeing the City Lord and the others die by Verc’s hands earlier, Elianna thought that... they deserved it for what they had done.
That was why she had decided not to intervene.
But this feeling and everything else was still very new to her. Elianna was still unsure and confused about what to believe and how to act in the future.
She was still figuring out the boundaries of her new self.
"..."
Verc just glanced back at Elianna over his shoulder. By her expression, he could tell that she was in a deep state of confusion and self-reflection.
’She can figure that out for herself. She’s already a grown woman.’
He thought, turning his eyes back to the path ahead.
Then, just before he left the area—
"I hope you don’t regret the future you’re creating by letting me go now."
Verc declared that.
"I sure hope so too."
Elianna said as he started walking away again. His steps were quiet and quick, the sound of his boots fading into the dark.
But before he could fully leave the dome he had created—
"Take care of Onyx."
Verc heard that from behind him. It was a small, quiet voice with a genuine, soft tone.
Verc didn’t say anything after that.
He just kept walking and left the space he had created.
... ... ...
*****
Verc walked off a little longer to get a safe distance away from the dungeon entrance. And after that— he finally deactivated [Void Summon].
FWISH~
The dark, suffocating dome in the middle of the city disappeared without a trace.
"..."
Verc didn’t stop to look. He continued walking toward the main gate with Onyx held tightly in his arms, keeping his head down.
"What the heck happened over there? What was that dark thing earlier?"
"Did monsters come out of the dungeon? I saw the sky go black!"
"I hope that’s not the case, or else we’re all screwed— the City Lord will just force us to protect ourselves against the monsters to tire them out before he lets the knights move a muscle."
He heard those panicked conversations from the townspeople as he passed by them, but he just acted like he knew nothing about it.
He looked like just another traveler trying to leave a troubled city.
Moving on—
"..."
The large stone gate was finally in his sight. Verc felt a massive wave of relief seeing the open road ahead.
He couldn’t feel anyone following him or any hostile auras.
Though, after remembering something as he looked at the exit to the city—
"Looks like I’ll be leaving Bong to Edgar forever now."
Verc muttered that to himself, feeling a bit down.
He had been planning to retrieve the horse Hans had given him as a parting gift; he really liked that horse. But with the total mess that had just happened— he knew that he needed to leave the city right this second.
And so, resolving himself and knowing that Bong would be in good hands with Edgar anyway— TAP!
Verc continued walking without looking back at the city. His face was set in a straight, determined line.
"Huh?"
But as he got even closer to the gate... he noticed a familiar silhouette standing near the wall.
And after getting even nearer— Verc’s heart jumped.
He saw Edgar, holding the reins of a horse and looking toward the city as if he had been waiting specifically for Verc’s arrival!
And the horse with him... it was Bong!
The horse neighed as it recognized Verc’s scent.
Verc’s eyes widened with shock and joy seeing them there, and without a second of hesitation— BAM!
He kicked off the ground and dashed toward them as fast as he could.