"Once again I apologize!"
"Hahaha! Little lady I assure it's quite alright," the old gentleman laughed after escorting Shulia to Sylvester. "Then I hope to see you again." He lifted his top hat a bit and left.
"You stepped on his feet didn't you?" Sylvester said looking straight ahead.
"Can it brat!"
"Um. Excuse me!" Someone loudly said.
They both turned. The ginger haired girl Sylvester was dancing with earlier was standing. Shulia could see she had astounding green eyes. 'But Claudina's eyes are more impressive. It's like molten gold under the sun.'
"Lady Grey I thought I escorted you back to your friends." Sylvester said.
She crossed her hands and lifted her head domineeringly. "Well I want to dance with you again. And I told you to call me Marilyn."
"I apologize but I am going to leave before the third dance."
"Then tell me when I can see you again."
"I am afraid I do not know. I am here in the northern kingdom for a reason."
"NO! Then dance with me again!" she demanded stamping her foot. "You must!"
Shulia looked at the annoying situation unfold in front of her. Sylvester tried to pacify her but she wasn't listening. The few times Shulia tried to interject she was quickly shut down.
It was taking sheer will power for Shulia not to knock this girl down. If she did she would risk the mission. She tried to find the other saints but no one was in sight.
She could only watch this shit show unfold in front of her.
Sullivan poked Claudina's arm. She turned. "What?"
He merely pointed at the situation in front.
She raised her brows in alarm. "I should go and diffuse that. If you will excuse me."
She got up and made her way to them.
By the time she was near the girl was more or less screaming. A small number of people had already encircled them.
She slid next to Sylvester. "Dear, what's taking you so long?" She clung on to his arm. "I am getting tired of waiting~ Let's go already~" She smiled up at him all flirtatious.
She then pouted. "Else I am going to get angry and go home by myself." She bopped her fist on his nose.
Sylvester looked relieved that one could easily mistake as genuine affection. He took her hand that was creasing his face and put it on his chest. "Just a minute my love…"
'The hell is this sickening situation?!' Shulia gagged.
"W-what is going on here?"
Claudina turned to Marilyn. "Whatever do you mean? I am talking with my beau. If anything what are you doing here?" She turned to him with a lazy smile. "Say who is she? Are you trying to make me jealous?"
"A girl I danced with."
She went back to the girl. "There you have it. So could you leave now?"
"NO! Lord Sylvester promised to have the next dance with me!"
'Is this girl dense? Usually you would leave right away.' "Did you now dearest?"
He shook his head.
"See he is saying no. So can you leave us be?"
Still clinging on to his arm they started to leave when Marilyn shouted.
"Do you even know how my father is?" she shrieked.
"No I don't and frankly I don't care." She smiled. "But why are you bringing up your father in matters that is, in my opinion, a childish fight. Do you expect him to figure out everything for you? Are you incapable of accumulating your own power that you must continue to weep at your father's feet to solve all your problems?"
"But that can't be helped now can it?" She scoffed.
"Your brain cells must have died from how much you talk."
"What did you say?!"
Claudina let go of Sylvester's arm. "Lady Grey was it? If you get so enraged just by a simple fight might I suggest you take a waltz around the red light district. Since that is the only place where you would find such wretched behavior. Fighting over a man who already is engaged..." She shook her head in disappointment. "The Halieas kingdom takes infidelity very seriously. If you wish to keep your already failing reputation from falling further down grace I suggest you keep your mouth shut. This is a party thrown in the honor for foreign delegations. A sovereign's dignity lies in the hands of the decorum of the nobility."
Marilyn looked down in shame..
"Now if you'll excuse us." With that she swept Sylvester and Shulia from the dance floor.
"If you hadn't arrived that time, I was this close on hitting her," Shulia said. She snickered. "But that girl's face was hilarious to look at after you insulted her."
"Thankfully you didn't hit her by the time I reached you. Else it would've been a catastrophe."
She groaned. "I can't wait for this mission to end!"
Claudina didn't say anything. Rather her eyes were darting in all directions.
'So far I can't see the crazy bastard. I didn't pretend to be so sickeningly sweet with Sylvester just for nothing so where the hell is he? With how extreme the love potion's effect was he's bound to get crazier.'
She reached Sullivan. "Now please don't go to dance with any random strangers for now. Some of them are more insane then they let on."
"We didn't know," Sylvester said.
"Well now you know and Shulia the gent you were dancing with…"
"Yeah? What 'bout him?" Shulia lightly blushed. She had already reserved the last dance for him.
"Never meet him after this night. He's involved in human trafficking. My father exposed his crimes the first time he was here after taking the duke's seat."
"W-wha?" Now she looked heart broken.
"Oh my! What did Li-Li got herself into~"
"I will punt you off this kingdom if you don't shut your trap oldie."
"Kyaa! Miss Fairy save me!" He got up and hid behind Claudina. "Li-Li wants to hurt me!"
"Are you Claudina Spade?"
She spun back to find two royal guards. She nodded her head in acknowledgment. "Indeed I am."
"You will have to come with us. His Highness the Crown Prince requests your presence."
"…Very well." She casted a look behind to the three saints as she followed the guards from behind. She signaled something with her hands. To come get her after the party was over.
Sylvester gave a thumb up to show they understood the message.
They were walking out of the hall when she recalled something. 'I forgot to give them their swords back!'
She turned around but by now it was too late. They had already crossed the threshold and had opened a side exit for the ballroom.
She blinked. '…I am sure they can manage. They can use magic too.'
The dark hallways echoed with their footsteps.
Although the guards were leading her in front that didn't stop them from sneaking glances at her. She ignored them by looking emotionless.
"We are here," one of them said. In front of them was a large oak door with a brass handle.
Without knocking they opened the door to a well furnished room with a bed and fireplace. The grabbed her, pushed her inside and locked the door from the outside. She heard footsteps walking away.
"Would it kill you to be gentle to a lady's body?" she angrily commented rubbing her sore knees from when she was thrown in.
She stood up in huff. "Now then let's cheek this room for my escape but first…"
She bought both her hands together. "O' Holy Heavens! Grant sight in the dark for those you wish to see the light!"
A grey mist flooded the room going into every nook and cranny. 'Alright no traps...' She swiped her finger in a slashing motion and the mist dispersed.
Confident that there were no traps or magic tools in the room she went to the door and jangled it. It was indeed locked. She checked to see if there was key hole. There was not. "Picking the lock is out of the question then…"
Going over to the curtains she lifted them. A stretch of translucent windows obscured her from the outside world. She jangled the window handles. Locked from the outside with no key hole.
She pondered what to do it with her chin resting on her hand.
An idea came to her. "I wonder…"
She lifted her free hand and tapped right under the window handle. She released man from her fingers and to the metal. 'Magic can only work when you envision the image with your mana. Then I will imagine a key hole with my mana so my magic can manipulate the metal to form it.'
Minutes ticked by.
Claudina was having trouble breathing. 'I made a mistake! The magic needed to manipulate metal is way more than I thought. Why did I think I could use metal element magic when I my main element is fire!'
But she couldn't stop.
Once mana starts to convert into magic for something, the magic would continue to drain mana until the work is completed.
She could only wait until either the metal has melded into a key hole or until even her Holy mana leaves her body. But by then she would most likely die.
Finally mana stopped leaving her body. She slumped down, breathing heavily. "…That…took…more than…it should…"
After she regained her composure she reached for her hair. Pulling out a hairpin she twisted it and bent it open. She inserted the hairpin in the newly formed key hole. She rolled it around and tugged at the mechanisms. At last it clicked!
Stealthily Claudina opened the window. "My escape route has been established. All I have to do now is wait," she whispered to herself.
A cold breeze blew inside the room. She shivered and left the window open just a breath. She dropped the curtains to avoid suspicion.
Voices behind the door.
She flinched. Slowly she turned around. She had to look every bit of the terrified girl right now.
But something was off…The voices didn't…sound human.
Low groans and scratching on the door. A throaty giggle and fingers being dragged on a chalkboard followed something wet being thrown on the floor. Suddenly the door handle jangled wildly. Manic laughter and someone pounded on the door.
She frowned. 'A demon sneaked in the party? Why didn't we notice it before? Let's determine the level first…'
She went over and touched the door. Immediately the noises stopped. 'Hmm…a King grade demon?
"A Saint!" the demon howled. "A saiNt riGHt behiND tHis DOOr! HehEHe! TOdaY I'lL fEaSt On a SaINt aNd rIse Up iN THe raNKs!"
The demon banged on the door. "hEy yOu sHItty sAinT! CoMe ouTSidE aNd eRAdicaTe mE! ThAt's whAT yoUR kINd dOEs eveRy tiMe you sEE us riGHt? I DaRe YOu tO kiLl Me! I wiLl eVEn lEt yOU hAVe thE fiRSt mOve! So gET tHe fUCk ouT!"
"How crass! No thank you. I would only lower my standards fighting a demon that has no idea how a door works."
Claudina whispered "σπечwert!" under her breath. Her Stars' Blessing materialized. 'Surprisingly this one can talk in full sentences…'
"In any case you didn't know I am locked from the outside. Something I am sure even classless, brainless, retarded demon is a able to comprehend. Oh wait you are worse than that! You can't comprehend it at all now can you?"
Dead silence. Then…
"YOU BITCH!!! I"LL KILL YOU!!! HOW DARE YOU INSULT THE GREAT BARON?!?! I"LL FUCKING END YOU!!!"
"Pft! Baron? You dare to call yourself a noble with a vulgar tone which only lowlifes use." She put a barrier in front of her.
She grabbed her skirt and ripped it with her sword. Shredding and tearing it until the now limp ragged skirt now was scandalously short, showing off lean and smooth thighs. She reached underneath and undid the laces of the corset and threw them off. Quickly tying her hair up with the ripped pieces of cloth she once again held her sword.
"GET OUT HERE!!! I"LL KILL YOU!!!"
"Sure. When you know how to work out a door I will gladly come out."
"AARRGGHHH!!!"
Within a flash the door exploded. Claudina was shielded from the debris by the barrier. When the smoke cleared she saw the demon.
A giant anthropomorphic rabbit stood at the shattered doorway. It had rabbit like ears, small tail, and long claws. Its long arms dragged on the crushed floor boards. There was barely any neck with how large it's head was compared to it's lithe body. On its white fur were millions of black eyes encircled by a ring of red with three red irises in each eye. Instead of its nose and mouth there were only eyes. Even to the pad of its foot were the same black eyes.
"WHEre aEe yOU sAInt~ I OPeneD tHe DOor, coME oUt~" It was capable of speech without its mouth.
"Even with that many eyes you are blind," Claudina taunted.
All of the eyes darted to her. It unleashed a war cry. "STOP HIDING BEHIND DOORS AND FIGHT ME!!!"
"You…This is a barrier not a door." She groaned. "It's like I am talking to a child."
"I'll BreAK iT aNd eAT yoU!"
"You are a King grade demon aren't you?"
The demon looked pleased with how it's eyes moved. "So yOu knOW HoW grEAt Of A deMOn I aM? Of coURse I aM THE greAT BAron. SurELy You aLso waNNa knOW How I GOt my naMe? WelL WHen I was STill a hUMan I-"
"I don't care about how you got it. And frankly what sort of King grade demon has a name called Baron? That's stupid since a baron is the lowest ranking. But you are stupid so you must think being called baron is good."
"…I'm gONna kILL yoU." With that the demon ran and started to bang on the barrier with his full body surprising Claudina.
She tsked. The next time he slammed his body she stabbed his with her sword.
"MY EYE HUURTS!!"
She retrieved it and stabbed him again. She did it multiple times blinding some of his eyes.
The demon groaned rolling in the floor.
She started at him in contempt. "For a demon that can speak you are quite dumb."
"I aM NOt DUMB!! IT HURTSSS!!! UAGGHH!"
He got up black blood dripping from his punctured eyes. "I'll kILl yoU!"
The eyes were his mouth should be gathered to become one giant eye. Then the eye parted in the middle opening up with sharp teeth and purple gums. Flickers of flames formed a large fireball in his newly opened mouth.
"I'LL ROAST YOU ALIVE!!"
The demon released the fireball by throwing it at the barrier.
The barrier couldn't hold it and shattered into shimmer.
"Hehehe~ NOw I ca- huh? WHerE diD YOu gO?" The demon looked at the empty space where Claudina was supposed to be. "DId you dIE w- AGHHHHH!!!" he shrieked in pain.
Loudly stomping he saw Claudina had came behind him and slashed the eyes in his back. "HOW?! WHEN?!"
She sneered. "As the top student at the Academy, turning myself invisible for a moment comes as natural as breathing."
The demons groaned and swiped at her with his claws. She dodged but the jagged hem got caught on the demon's grasp. "HA! NOW I'll get yo-OUCH!" She cut off his claws making him releases her.
"HEEY! YOu arEn't PLAYING fair!" Clutching at his bleeding hand he yelled, "YoU shoULd LeT mE AttACk toO!"
"This isn't a game."
"HEY! ArE You EVen A SainT? ARen'T yoU a HiGher graDe demon? ThE sAINts I Ate beFoRe WherE So weAK."
'He ate the others? No their Holy magic is showing they are still alive. And judging by how weak it is I almost think it was reared by someone who sheltered it too much. Let's try asking...' "Do you even know how many saints there are?"
"YeAh! 50! ANd I ATe 20 Of theM! ScARed RigHT?"
'Yup it was raised by a retard of person. No wonder it's so retarded.' "There are actually five Saints. Those you have eaten were normal people with a dormant Holy magic." 'Because it was raised so preciously it is unable to reach it's potential.'
"ArE YoU CaLLing mE a LiaR?!"
"You are a demon so yes." She threw a lightning bolt at his feet.
"OCUH! I HATE YOU!!!"
He leapt up and furiously started to slash at her with his claws. She rebutted his attacks with her sword. "HoW ARe yoU sO StRonG?!" He tried to pin her down using both of his claws but she with held his strength with her sword.
"I am the saintess of the second strongest god. This much is expected of me." She bought her other hand and put it directly in front of the demon's face. "HUh?" She blew his body away making him slam into the opposite wall.
"If you answer my question I will let you live."
The demon groaned. "Who sent you? Someone who calls themselves a herbalist while introducing? Are you following the Arbitrary Abstraction a cult that previously called them the Vessels of Ri'sh?"
"I doN't fOLLow huMAnS! I eAt theM!" He roared. He attacked her again with his fireball. Claudina narrowly missed it but she burnt the few lose hair on her nape.
"I know you eat humans. It's common knowledge. Hence why some people consider monsters and demons the SAME!" She dodged an attack aimed for her face. She struck his legs.
"AGHH! tHat HURT!"
"Good. I wanted it to hurt."
"Uwhaa!! I'Ll KIlL yOu!"
"You say you will kill me but so far I am the only one dishing out attacks after attacks." She scoffed as she slashed one of his many eyes. "You sound like a child throwing a tantrum. Well you are a demon so I am sure the best you can do is crying out like a baby." 'I am guessing he doesn't want to reveal who is his owner. Let's end this. Well it's owner must have drilled it in it's head to never reveal the name instead of training it like they ought to do. Had it been me I would have trained it be more strong...'
'Or maybe it's just retarded.'
Something burnt. She sniffed it again.
It was different from the charred room.
It smelt like burning wood and flesh…
…and it was coming from outside.