Chapter 115
William immediately understood what Raphaella meant.
“So we can’t let that woman see it?”
“Exactly. Don’t let her see it at all. Make sure to cover the thread on your wrist with your sleeve.”
“Understood. As long as my right hand is free, I can use my sword, so it’s fine. I’ll never take my left hand out of my pocket.”
“Hmmm~? But I might need both hands in a fight.”
“You can cast magic just fine with one hand. Aren’t you a genius?”
“Of course I can! Almost no one can do it with one hand, but I can! That’s right!”
At first, Leo answered confidently and boldly, but as the conversation went on, his voice gradually softened.
“Um… I can do it… but honestly… the power might drop if I only use one hand…”
“That’s fine.”
“Fine? You called me a trump card. Isn’t it a problem if I’m weak?”
Even at this worried question, a smirk lifted Raphaella’s lips.
“You’re still a trump card. As long as it’s on your wrist.”
“This?”
“Yes. That artifact erases your existence, doesn’t it?”
“How did you know that? Seriously, you’re like a ghost.”
Leo jingled the ruby bracelet on his wrist. Embedded in the gems were intricate magic circles etched in gold. Every time he moved his wrist, the golden letters sparkled in the sunlight.
It was the same item they had used to secretly observe the coastline in Sester at Raphaella’s request.
Raphaella’s gaze on the bracelet was steady and confident, as if it were her own possession.
“It’ll work with one hand, right?”
“It’s the masterpiece of my life—of course it will.”
“How long can it last?”
“The record is one hour~! But in my current condition, about 30 minutes.”
“Not the maximum—give me an average. Tell me a safe, reliable estimate.”
“Th-then twenty minutes. If I hadn’t struggled on the monster yesterday and had come an easier way, I could’ve reached the maximum.”
“Alright, alright.”
“I’m serious! For an hour, I become someone who doesn’t exist in this world!”
“Mm-hmm, got it.”
“I really mean it. Ella-Ella, please respond properly. When you stare at me blankly like that, I feel like a liar bragging about something…”
“Yes, yes~ Genius, I believe you! I totally believe you. One hour? You can handle that easily~ Amazing! …Alright?”
“Wow, you’re really cruel. Too much.”
“Humph! Anyway. I’ll give the signal, then activate it.”
“Hmph. Got it.”
Leo grumbled but obediently held the doll tightly and put it in his pocket. William’s hand was already in his pocket as well.
The three of them approached the edge of the forest, where the trees turned black. One step further, and they would be inside the Forest of Loss.
Raphaella looked alternately at William and Leo.
“Ready? We’re going in.”
“Yes.”
“Mm.”
All three stepped onto the blackened ground. At that exact moment…
Zzziiing—
A high-pitched ringing pierced their ears, and everyone clutched their heads.
“Ugh.”
“What is that?”
“It’s definitely here. The land sealed by the gods—the domain of Blehel.”
Raphaella’s eyes hardened with determination. Seeing this, Leo and William tightened their lips in resolve as well.
However…
After trudging through the muddy swamps for over two hours, their determination began to fade, replaced by fatigue and irritation.
“Where the hell is this bastard hiding?”
Raphaella flopped onto a black tree stump and cursed loudly.
She had expected Blehel to appear and attack as soon as they entered the Forest of Loss, thinking that the grudge must have accumulated over time.
But he didn’t appear.
“Strange. There’s no way he’d sit still like this.”
“Maybe he doesn’t know we’ve entered yet.”
“No way. The forest is black because Blehel’s energy has spread here. If bugs were crawling in your clothes, would you not notice? That’s the metaphor.”
“Even as a metaphor, that’s disgusting… ugh! I feel like bugs got in my clothes too. William, check my back.”
William, lifting Leo’s collar to glance inside roughly while shivering, replied coldly:
“There’s nothing there.”
“Really? It just feels itchy.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“Come on, check properly.”
William frowned and reluctantly lifted the clothing again—and something caught his eye.
“Hmm?”
Between Leo’s back and his clothes, where there had been nothing before, a strand of hair appeared.
A long, black strand of hair.
“Raphaella-sama!”
At the moment William shouted in surprise, the black tree stump Raphaella had been sitting on transformed into hair, wrapping tightly around her legs. Simultaneously, Leo was lifted into the air, as if pulled by an invisible force.
William, leaving Leo behind, ran to Raphaella. His right hand already gripping his sword.
Raphaella laughed as she struck the black hair that coiled like a snake around her legs and torso with her spirit staff, stopping it.
“Finally, you show up.”
The ground around the three rippled like thick liquid, sending out ever-widening waves.
William cut the hair from Raphaella’s feet, and the two climbed onto nearby rocks to avoid the waves of mud.
“Blehel. I didn’t think petty tricks were your style.”
Raphaella shouted mockingly, and at that moment, a shadow wriggled behind the struggling Leo in midair—Blehel appeared, black, long hair swirling like a living entity.
Blehel hovered in the air, looking down at Raphaella, laughing like a madwoman.
“Hahaha! My goodness. Raphaella, you really became human, huh?”
“Long time no see. I can’t say I’m glad to see you, though.”
“You, who trapped me in this backwater, never thought this day would come, huh? How amusing.”
“You’re still as disgusting as ever. Staying this consistently nasty without improvement must be hard. Impressive.”
Raphaella slowly nodded, clapped sarcastically, and Blehel snickered sharply in return.
“Your tongue’s still alive, huh. I almost wish someone had cut it off for me. I heard rumors, but seeing you, such a pathetic human, makes me want to do it myself.”
“Rumors?”
Raphaella flinched for a moment, her playful demeanor slipping.
“Who told you that?”
“Well… Raphaella, I’m not the only one who wants to kill you.”
“Of course there are many enemies. I’ve beaten everyone up; obviously, they’d hold grudges.”
“Still, curious, right? Try guessing who it is.”
“What if I guess? What should be at stake to make it fun?”
“Hmm… how about saving this one?”
Blehel pointed at Leo, wrapped head to toe in black hair like a cocoon. Then, running her finger down his face, she licked her lips.
“Poor thing. Too good a face to kill. Why’d you follow that brat?”
“Oh, you recognize my beauty. The black lady’s eyes are working, huh.”
“Hahaha. You’ve got quite the mouth yourself.”
Then Blehel tilted her head, noticing a strange magical aura intertwined with Leo’s face.
“Oh? What spell did you put on your face? What a waste.”
“Miss. Can’t you see I’m being very obedient? So don’t touch this. Keep arguing with Raphaella. I won’t run.”
“What will you do if I touch you? You won’t run because you can’t.”
“No. I could have avoided being caught in the first place. I let it happen. Seriously.”
“You talk nonsense, just like her.”
Blehel snapped sharply, raising her black claws, and mercilessly scraped off the magic circle covering Leo’s face.
“Don’t!”
Leo shouted, pale and rigid. One of the gems on his necklace glowed, but Blehel’s hand was faster.
Crackle—
The magic shattered. Leo lowered his head. He had tried to cover his face with his wavy blonde hair, but Blehel’s hand mercilessly grabbed his chin.
“Quite a resilient spell. Seems like this handsome guy’s skills are decent too… so why’d he bother with a mask?”
The harder Leo resisted, the more Blehel’s claws dug into the flesh around his jaw, eventually lifting his face fully.
