Chapter 112: Demon Floetta (4)
“Now that the White Moon is here, we will begin the ritual.”
“Uh-huh! Got it~!”
“We’ll start with the sacrificial ritual to offer the Gnaude tribe. Once that’s complete, we’ll proceed imdiately with the Beastkin King revival ritual.”
“Yup, yup! I know~!”
“The Gnaude tribe mbers to be used as sacrifices have already been selected. Stay here quietly until they’re brought from the hideout.”
“Uh-huh! Obviously~!”
Floetta responded enthusiastically, like a child answering a teacher.
The Mountain Elder fell silent for a mont, his expression unreadable.
“…Do you truly understand what I’m saying?”
“Of course, of course! You’re telling to wait here quietly, right? I get it, I get it! Perfectly understood~!”
Floetta grinned. Her face, at a glance, inspired no confidence whatsoever.
“…Very well.”
The Mountain Elder moved slowly, his steps reluctant.
He desperately wanted to leave subordinates to monitor her, but… knowing they’d likely be killed if left with her, he realized it would be futile.
‘It’s better if I return as quickly as possible.’
With her impulsive nature and imnse power, there was no telling what trouble she might cause.
‘That… must never happen.’
Today was an incomparably critical day.
The mont when the long-cherished and fervently desired goals of both Depicio and the Gnaude tribe would be fulfilled!
‘With the revived Beastkin King, we will overthrow the Batevil Kingdom. And establish a kingdom for demi-humans alone!’
As the leader of Depicio and a son of the Gnaude tribe, it was a lifelong ambition he had to achieve.
“I’ll be back soon.”
Suddenly quickening his pace and heading upstairs, Floetta waved wildly at him with a beaming smile.
“Safe travels~!”
Once the presence of the Mountain Elder and his subordinates had completely faded, Floetta snapped her head around, her glossy crimson hair swirling in a spiral before settling over her shoulders.
“They’re gone. You can get up now.”
The White Moon, or rather Nero, who had been lying silently on the altar before the jar, opened her eyes.
“I could sense that much myself, ow.”
Still maintaining the appearance of the White Moon, Nero shook her long white hair and effortlessly sat up.
With light steps, she approached the jar and looked up at it.
“What an unnecessarily huge jar, ow. And…”
Nero poked the jar’s surface with a long finger.
The jar humd—uuoong—as if it had a consciousness, reacting to the stimulus.
“Unnecessarily ominous.”
It was clear that so secret was hidden within. The fact that Depicio had set up camp in this ‘Forgotten Stone Tower’ only reinforced that.
Recalling the Mountain Elder’s earlier remarks and piecing them together…
‘As expected, it’s related to the Beastkin King.’
In truth, the ‘Forgotten Stone Tower’ was where Skya, the Top Hunter of Black who had slain the Beastkin King’s body, had sealed his soul.
To be precise, the Beastkin King’s soul was slumbering within this massive jar.
But, as the na suggested, the stone tower and the jar had been ‘forgotten’ from the collective mory of the world.
Except by the Batevil royal family, who inherited Skya’s bloodline, and Depicio, the followers of the Beastkin King.
That was why Depicio had invaded the Batevil royal castle. Hatred for the Batevil royals played a part, of course.
But their true objective was to reach the underground chamber of the Forgotten Stone Tower, where the jar resided.
Only the ‘key,’ passed down through generations of Batevil kings, could grant access to this chamber.
Thus, when the Batevil royals fled through the underground tunnels, the Mountain Elder didn’t pursue them but headed for the Forgotten Stone Tower. He had already obtained the key, his top priority.
‘…If I ss with this carelessly, it could cause big trouble.’
Unaware of these facts, Nero made a different judgnt. Instead of destroying the jar, she chose to hold off.
‘I have no knowledge of magic. It’s better to inform Lord Elwin about this jar and seek help from that female mage by his side.’
No matter how intently Nero stared, she concluded she couldn’t decipher the advanced magic entwined with the jar.
Thus, Nero’s next course of action was clear.
‘Kill her.’
To deal with the Demon Floetta.
“So? Was I right? Doesn’t it look super fun!”
Oblivious, Floetta bounced over, her mouth stretched into a wide grin.
Nero glanced at her before smoothly changing the subject.
“How long are you gonna keep hugging that thing, ow?”
Nero nodded toward what Floetta held in her arms. The severed head of the Black Moon.
“You’re carrying it around so casually. Doesn’t it creep you out, ow?”
“Whaaat? Isn’t it kinda cute?”
“Yeah, right.”
Floetta savored the Black Moon’s pain-stricken expression, stroking his jet-black hair.
Roughly, like petting a stray dog by the roadside. Then she tilted her head curiously.
“Hm? Oh?”
She hadn’t noticed before, but the texture was surprisingly pleasant.
It wasn’t the silky smoothness that lted at the touch, but it was better than the coarse fabric sold in markets.
A sudden impulse struck Floetta. She wanted to make a beautiful flower.
‘Then I’ll make one!’
Never once had Floetta resisted her impulses.
Whooosh!
Dark crimson mana vibrated around her.
The head she held was enveloped in mana, its form dissolving. In its place, a small flower blood.
A single flower dangled at the end of a long stem. Six petals radiated outward, blooming beautifully.
Thin, elongated stans stretched skyward like eyelashes.
“That’s…?”
Nero knew the flower’s na. She might even be among the most knowledgeable about it.
Known by various nas depending on the region—stonecrop, spider lily, red amaryllis, funeral flower, ghost flower…
In LAMPAS, its most famous na was:
“The Deadman’s Flower?”
A red flower said to bloom where soone has died. To add, this wasn’t re legend but fact.
Nero had confird it herself.
“Exactly! Isn’t it pretty?”
But the Deadman’s Flower made from the Black Moon, specifically his head, was pitch-black, unlike the usual ones.
“Here, a gift!”
Floetta tucked the black Deadman’s Flower behind Nero’s ear.
“Don’t need it.”
As Nero grimaced, about to toss it away—
“A flower for you~”
Suddenly, Floetta began humming a tune, turning her back to Nero.
In that instant, Nero’s pupils contracted sharply, her focus locking onto her target.
She’s off guard. Clearly off guard.
Through years of experience as an assassin and hunter, Nero detected the telltale signs in Floetta’s movents and voice—those of soone completely at ease.
‘This is my chance.’
Nero’s golden eyes glead in the darkness. She was a hunter capable of perfectly controlling even her killing intent.
“Not a bad singer, ow. Sounds nice. Keep going, ow.”
She spoke casually while subtly wiggling her fingers.
Her fingers twisted, and sothing slid out from the middle joints.
“A beautiful~ garden full of blooming flowers~”
Long, spiral nails. Sharp and pointed, they were perfect as lethal weapons.
While Nero, like other assassins, was skilled with daggers or knives, she didn’t carry such blades.
Clang—
She had her own weapons, born with her.
“If you and I could be together~”
Nero moved. Silently, without a trace of presence, she swiftly closed in on Floetta. Floetta didn’t notice Nero approaching from behind.
Her long nails aid for Floetta’s pale neck.
But then…!
“How happy we would be~!”
Floetta’s neck twisted at an unnatural angle, facing Nero directly.
And CRASH—!
The sound of sothing shattering rang out, and simultaneously—
“AAAAHH!”
Excruciating pain surged through Nero’s entire body. Despite her mastery of torture training, the agony—like her body was being split and torn apart—drew an unfiltered scream.
Nero hurriedly checked her body, but there were no severe injuries or bleeding.
‘Since when!?’
An illusion? Or a dream during a mont of lost consciousness?
Yet the piercing pain remained vivid.
“People are so strange. Just because soone’s speech or behavior is a bit awkward… doesn’t an they’re lacking in intelligence.”
Floetta crouched beside Nero, observing her.
“They’re surprisingly easily fooled by outward appearances. You thought so too, didn’t you, kitty? That I…”
Floetta tapped her head, laughing seductively.
“…seem like a crazy woman. That I look dim, so it’d be easy to kill when I let my guard down.”
“You… you deliberately lured into letting my guard down?”
“Hm, no! That wasn’t my intention! I was sincere the whole ti. I just like being this way~! It’s not exactly wrong either.”
Drawing out spider-like tentacles from her back, Floetta grinned.
“I am crazy! Have been since before I ca to this world!”
The rustling spider tentacles enveloped the fallen Nero.
“I really like you, kitty, but… to et my Master, I need your help!”
“…Master?”
Floetta smiled enchantingly.
‘Who the hell is this Master that needs my help?’
No.
‘What kind of power does this woman have that she could subdue a high-ranking hunter like without even noticing…!?’
Everything was a mystery, but Floetta, who could answer, silently extended her hand.
Nero’s vision darkened.
“Don’t worry, kitty. I’m not going to kill you. It’ll just… hurt a little?”
“Urgh! Grrk—!”
“Bear with it!”
Pain surged again. Like her body was being torn to pieces, each fragnt of flesh stripped away.
Still, no blood ca from her body.
‘Ah.’
Only then did Nero realize. This wasn’t physical pain.
‘My soul.’
Whooosh!
The black Deadman’s Flower tucked behind Nero’s ear emitted a dark glow.
---
anwhile, on Elwin’s airship.
“One of us absolutely has to stay on the airship.”
“Huh? Why’s that?”
Gale asked, puzzled.
“If Depicio mbers capable of flight attack the airship, we’d be in trouble.”
“Fair point. His Highness is here, after all.”
“We need soone who can provide at least minimal defense. Since Sister Jana is pregnant, she shouldn’t move around too much.”
Elwin clapped his hands twice to draw attention.
“So! Let’s decide who’ll stay here.”
“Candidate number one, Gale Garav!”
At that mont, Gale’s eyes sparkled fiercely. Raising his hand high, he declared with a solemn face,
“—! I nominate myself! This old man’s got full confidence in being the stay-at-ho guard! It’s my calling!”
And as Gale pitched himself, putting on a show for the younger crew to stay on the airship—
“Whoa?”
Suddenly, a strange light enveloped him.
“…Gale?”
“Huh?”
“What’s that?”
He vanished without a trace.
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