The girl took a few steps back, fear evident in her eyes, but what scared her more than his words was the calmness with which he confessed to his crimes. Finally, she gathered her courage to sense his strength before anger overtook her.
"How can someone as weak as you, at level four of body Realm, dare to claim killing thousands? Are you mocking me?"
But the young man didn't pay attention to her words, his focus fixed on trying to retrieve his memories. "Hartley Alex, no, there's a mistake. Alex is the name of that old man. I don't have an original name."
Ignoring the girl, the young man's actions fueled her anger, leading her to burst out, "Why are you ignoring me and not answering? Or are you planning your next massacre, Mr. Fourth Level Executioner?"
Unfazed by her rage, Alex covered his ear with his finger, afraid her screams might damage his eardrum. "What does level have to do with killing? It's just about courage. Regardless, that's not our concern. Come on, give me five hundred silver and let me go."
"Give you five hundred what... Listen, you swindler, I won't give you anything."
"Swindler, you're the one who summoned me, so take responsibility. Or are you planning to leave me to live like a beggar without shelter or money?"
The girl reconsidered her calculations, thinking that from the start, she didn't need to attempt summoning the Sacred Guardian. The idea was fundamentally impossible. Back then, she thought attempting it wouldn't lead to any harm. And indeed, in some way, instead of the Sacred Guardian, this young man appeared out of nowhere. This means that the magic worked, in one way or another. The question remained: who is this person claiming to be a murderer, even sparing not his own family from his atrocities?
"Alright, you're right. You're my responsibility. I brought you, and I'll take you back. Just tell me exactly who you are and where you were before I summoned you."
Alex smiled and answered, "My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I can answer you. I'm Alex, Harley Alex, and I was in the Black Wall Castle on Ancestral Island, about forty years from now."
"Fine, Mr. Alex, I'll cover the costs of your journey to the island..." The girl froze and fell silent for a moment before shouting, "Island? Forty years? The future? This is impossible! At first, you claimed to be a cold-hearted killer, and now you say you're from the future. Deceiver, who are you trying to fool?"
Alex raised his hair, revealing blue eyes, and gave her a cold stare. With steady steps, he advanced towards her, and the atmosphere around him changed. Suddenly, the air became heavy, and she felt cold sweat on her forehead.
The girl's body froze completely. Despite his apparent weakness, his aura was unusual, causing her to reconsider and think to herself, 'This intention to kill isn't from an ordinary person. Could he really be a mad murderer?'
The young man's face came close to hers, and he slightly tilted his mouth, forming a creepy smile. "Why are you afraid? Ha ha ha. Are you starting to believe me?"
Anger covered her beautiful face once again, and she tightened her grip, although she did want to hit him. The murderous intent she sensed from him earlier made her reconsider, attempting to resolve the situation through discussion. After a moment of thought, she said, "Time travel is impossible."
"Really!! You say that while you tried to summon a fictional character from the world of eternity," he sarcastically replied, then added, "Everything I've told you is the truth. If you don't believe me, take another look at your magical circle. It's of the Time and Dimensions category."
The girl jumped towards the book, flipping its pages, searching for the validity of his claims. After reading a few pages, she froze in place. Her mind struggled to comprehend everything that had happened and what this boy was trying to say, but it was all in vain. Smoke started to rise from her head, seemingly about to explode. Eventually, overwhelmed and tearful, she burst out, "I wanted to stop the war, and instead, I brought a murderer from the future. I've brought disaster to the kingdom."
Seeing the frightened girl and her teary eyes, Alex was affected. He sighed and gently held her shoulders, trying to calm her. "Calm down a bit. There's no need to be so sad. Due to the summoning process, my memory has gotten a bit fuzzy. But I can assure you, I'm not the crazy murderer. In fact, I was fighting against him before you brought me to your time. Moreover, I remembered a piece of news that will delight you—the war will stop, and there will be a ceasefire."
The girl felt relieved, and at least heard some joyful news. However, she still remained skeptical about it, especially after the ominous aura he had emitted before. She asked him, "And what about the aura of death surrounding you?"
He replied thoughtlessly, "Old habits are hard to get rid of quickly, especially after everyone I've killed."
The girl's face turned red with anger, and she stuttered, "K-k-kil... killer? You're a killer? I believed you were a good person and trusted your words about fighting against the murderer."
"And what did you expect me to be, a fisherman? You need a killer to eliminate the last one. Besides, we're still talking about something that hasn't happened yet, all in the distant future. So stop evading and take responsibility for summoning me," Alex extended his hand, asking for money.
Reluctantly, the girl emptied her pockets, as she couldn't find any other solution. "All I have is three hundred silver coins."
"That's fine, I'll take it. You owe me two hundred."
The young man left the cottage, waving goodbye without even looking back. He said, "Any time I would return to, would likely end with my death except for this time. You saved my life, so thank you."
Meanwhile, the penniless girl pondered where to go after losing all her money. However, she noticed that the talisman, which was in the center of the magic circle, had disappeared. She muttered to herself, "Scoundrel! I saved his life, and in return, he deceives me and steals my money. He even took the talisman with him."
The girl's face turned red with anger. She realized that he was the one who should have paid for his rescue. But in the end, she managed to control herself and began thinking about where he might try to escape to. After all, in a few months, the entrance exam for her institute would take place, and he would undoubtedly have to return for that participation.