"I'm a-alive?" The maid, along with the other servants and knights, dropped to the ground. Strangely, a faint white light was covering them. Their eyes held a mixture of emotions.
Confusion.
Relief.
Awe.
Fear.
The whole mansion of Baron Gredon was now in shambles due to the intense explosion. However, all of the people inside survived.
"Is this your doing?" Above the rabbles of the destruction, Clarence stood. His long black cape flowed in the air. His gaze was fixated on the grinning woman in front of him.
"And what if I did?" Ether grinned. Her two hands were in her pockets. "Are you going to praise how awesome I am?"
"Just what are you?" Clarence glared. Though he had fought the demon king before… The demon king's strength was strong enough for the five heroes and the saintess to combine forces to defeat that one monster.
But right now… This unknown woman appeared out of nowhere with tremendous magic that could easily save the lives of people like this.
And it seemed she was far more potent than the demon king… Even if she used magic, he couldn't feel any dark energy coming from her. That means she was not from the demon clan hiding in a human shell. She was not like she was hiding her strength either. She was even arrogant and proud of her power.
But if she was powerful… Why is she revealing herself right now? Particularly in this remote place.
"I could see you have many questions for an awesome person like me?" Ether grinned.
The way she spoke with arrogance strangely annoyed Clarence. She was far different from the sweet and strange person that Clarence knew…
Clarence glared at Ether when he remembered unwanted memories because of her.
"Don't look at me like that; we have plenty of time to talk later, Milord." Ether turned away from him. That was when from the rubble, something huge came out. A huge violet-scaled hand emerged.
Then the ground started shaking violently once again… The rubbles continued to shake until a head of a hideous monster finally emerged.
"Growl!!!" A terrifying roar of a monster echoed through the lands.
Ether grinned, seeing the monster in front of her. "All of you, if you don't want to die, get out of here!"
All the servants heard a voice ring inside their heads.
Once again, Clarence's eyes widened. 'This voice. It is definitely that woman!' His gaze went to Ether, who was facing her back from him. 'Telepathy to numerous people!"
"Go!" Ether's voice echoed once again in everyone's mind.
As if a trigger, all the servants and maids started running away.
"Milord!" While the knights of Clarene formed a formation behind them.
The monster continued to let out horrid screams. Clarence raised his sword along with his men.
"Milord, do you need my help to fight that child?"
Clarence looked at Ether with confusion. He thought she would help them since she made all those servants disappear and called that monster a child? Just then, Clarence realized something.
'Child?' His gaze went to the enormous monster that looked like a vast purple bear that was the size of a thirty-story building. 'Don't tell me that is the little girl before?'
'But still… it was nothing more of a monster now. If I didn't bring it down, it would hurt more people.'
Clarence didn't answer Ether's question and walked ahead. "Don't get in my way." He said as he charged forward.
Ether stepped aside as Clarence and his knight dashed to the monster.
{Ether, are you not going to help him?] Ruth's voice resounded inside Ether's head. {And why are you keep provoking him?}
"I'll step when he is in danger." Ether said as she continued to observe. "Don't worry. As long as I am here, none of them will die. But that magic, Ether. I thought the demon king of this world was already defeated. Why is that disgusting kind of dark magic loitering around?'
{That…} Ruth seemed to hesitate. {The demon king's followers. Many of them still survive the war.}
"I see…" Ether said as she looked at the monster that Clarence was fighting.
He was indeed the second male lead of this world. He was able to evade the monster's every move. And she observed right now he was even able to hurt the beast. Including his knights… It only showed that they were professional enough already by exterminating the monster.
However, there was one that Ether was seeing with the second male lead's action. 'Is it because I said, what is the real identity of that monster?'
"Tch…" Ether clicked her tongue. "If you are hesitating like that, you become boring to watch."
With that said, Clarence, who strangely heard her remarks, came to a momentarily halt.
"Milord!" The knight's frightened face turned into awe when the massive right hand of the monster, which was supposed to hit him… stopped midair.
Then all of a sudden, it exploded. Its blood and flesh splashed everywhere. However, before it could hit Clarence, a gush of wind swept the blood and flesh away from him. His eyes widened at the fast turn of events.
Followed by it was the loud and agonizing scream of the monster. "If you are hesitating because I just told you that this monster is that child before… that is really lame."
"This child has long been death…." Ether flew above the monster. "You, of all people, should be aware of that, and I even give you a chance to put her to eternal rest."
Clarence's eyes narrowed as he glanced at Ether. More like glare…
The monster started squirming with pain as Ether raised her right hand.
"Please! Please don't kill my daughter!!!" They all turned to the Baron who came running from somewhere. However, before he could even approach the monster, he felt like his get body was paralyzed.
"Things like this, Milord." Ether's gaze never left Clarence. "For a man who uses forbidden dark magic by sucking the life force of those of the living to revive those who have died already, no matter what his reason is…."
"No, I beg of you!!! Not my daughter!" The baron's desperate wails resounded. He tried to move, but no matter what, he couldn't escape at all.
to steal someone's life that is already short should perish." A sinister smile escaped Ether's lips. In an instant, the monster turned into nothing but ashes.
"No!!!" This time the baron was finally able to move. He ran like a madman to the ashes that were raining down the destruction.
"I love to kill him as well." Ether's cold voice resounded. "However, I know there are laws to follow in this land. I'll leave him in your hands, and I hope you make a better judgment this time."
The monster's ashes fell to Clarence's cheek as he looked at Ether's cold purple eyes, which were looking down on him. Strangely, he felt a melancholic look at the mysterious girl. As if, even if he tried to reach for her, he would never be able to reach her.
A mysterious woman with frightening unknown power. But it was not sinister compared to the demon king's terrifying power. It was more like something else he couldn't put into words…
But before he could even speak… "We'll see each other again soon," Ether disappeared above them again.