### Chapter 32: Thank You for Your Hospitality
“YAHHH—!!”
Betty was so scared she turned into a statue, standing frozen in place, eyes shut tight as she screamed at the top of her lungs. Meanwhile, a giant lizard was lunging straight at her. The little girl was so focused on her cries that she had no idea disaster was about to strike. In a split second, I swung my right hand and shot a wisp of dead smoke towards the creature.
“Betty, duck!”
WHOOSH—
The smoke flew out like a twisted snake, and with her eyes still closed, Betty instinctively covered her head and crouched down at the sound of my voice. The giant lizard was mid-air, and the next moment, a dark mist rushed in, enveloping it completely. The eroding force spread fast, and the lizard struggled before crashing to the ground, no longer a fearsome beast but reduced to a puff of ash with a sizzling sound. A second wisp of pale blue smoke shot up and swiftly disappeared into my chest.
“Ah ha…”
That’s the feel…
So comfy!
An exhilarating rush surged from my spine to my brain, causing my body to tremble violently. At that moment, I didn’t think about anything else. As more lizards closed in, my instincts kicked in, and I released even more dead smoke. The black mist quickly engulfed my vision, and the giant lizards let out pitiful screeches, completely consumed by the chaotic power.
I want more…
Come on, bring it on…
In the swirling dead smoke, I closed my eyes and slowly opened my arms. Dozens of turquoise wisps spiraled upward, their radiant light almost overwhelming the flickering candle flame. With a series of whooshing sounds, the wisps all dove into my chest, transforming into a torrent of warm energy, melting into my body.
Power…
It’s coming…
Deep in my abdomen, something seemed to awaken amidst the rising heat.
“Haah—”
I sighed deeply, gathering up all the swirling dead smoke back into my body. As my eyes gradually opened, a fleeting splash of blue light flickered in my pupils. The next moment, a pale, icy mist burst from my mouth.
It’s been a while… my Power of Order.
“Big Sister, watch out—”
Betty had somehow managed to open her eyes and was now sitting on the ground not far away, pointing in terror at something behind me. At that moment, I heard the sound of wind whipping through the cave as something suddenly lunged at me from the back.
Now that takes guts!
BANG—!
With a muffled thud, the sandstone beneath my feet exploded, dirt flying everywhere. The girl—nowhere to be seen. A colossal giant lizard, about five meters long and even more ferocious, swiped its claw down, leaving deep gashes in the ground. But it was already too late; the girl reappeared right above the lizard’s head, glowing with ice blue radiance as she pressed down hard on it.
BOOM—
The ground burst apart again, dust clouds obscuring my view. In Betty’s widened pupils, she saw the petite girl vanish like a ghost and then reappear on top of the giant lizard, applying pressure with an incredible strength that pinned the beast to the ground without any resistance.
The frightening force cracked the sandy earth beneath her, and her flowing black hair danced in the wind. What had looked like an indestructible shell on the lizard shattered, splattering red and white guts everywhere, only to be swiftly covered in a thick mist of white, freezing it all with the sound of nerve-racking “crack, crack.”
A chilling wind swirled around, brushing against Betty’s face, leaving a thin frost on her hair and eyebrows. She couldn’t help but shiver but was too stunned to move, just staring blankly.
After a moment, as the dust began to settle, the girl stood tall. The giant lizard beneath her was now a half-frozen sculpture, no longer struggling.
“Betty.”
“…Ah, yes!”
“Close your eyes.”
“Oh, okay!”
The little girl was completely bewildered. She had no idea what had just happened; where the lizards had come from or where they had disappeared to. The whole thing had been so fast—from her panicked scream to crouching down for protection, she had barely registered it all.
And when she opened her eyes again, it seemed like it was all coming to an end.
Betty’s brain couldn’t keep up with such a quick turnaround. Instinctively, she followed Big Sister’s order and closed her eyes again, her tongue frozen in fear, only able to count in her head.
One, two, three, four…
She could only hear the fierce wind, like a vortex swirling in the cave, sand and dirt pounding against her. Anxiety tightened in her chest as she curled up, hugging her legs. After counting to ten, the wind suddenly stopped, and she sensed the surrounding quieting down. With great caution, she opened one eye.
She saw Big Sister, that black-haired, demon-like girl, standing not far from her, right in the middle of the cave, looking up.
The cold wind gradually settled around her, beautiful ice crystals swirling like playful spirits, shimmering like stars in the candlelight as they floated higher.
“Ah…”
Betty heard the girl sigh contentedly, as if drifting into a dream.
“Thank you for your hospitality…”
The glimmer in her blue pupils faded away.
Betty stood up, brushing the dust off her clothes, her face still in a daze, the remnants of her fear and astonishment written all over her. It took her a few seconds to process that those lizards were, well… most definitely dead.
Not a bone left to speak of… all gobbled up…
Big Sister really is a terrifying demon… just like Miss Ailna said, she could even eat gods…
But…
“Betty.”
“Eep!”
The sudden call from the girl startled Betty so much she jumped back two steps. She was still scared but didn’t dare show it openly, forcing a stiff smile. “B-big Sister, killing so many lizards… so, so amazing! Thank you for saving me…”
The girl approached, her soft hair flowing, her eyes half-closed, her delicate face flushed like a doll. The starlit glow in her eyes reflected the flickering flames around.
She looked genuinely pleased, a smile spreading across her face, blooming like fireworks as she observed Betty’s expression: “Pff—”
“What sort of expression is that? You look silly.”
She playfully poked Betty’s forehead, which had smudges of dirt on it, with a flick of her finger.
“Don’t dawdle; hold your lantern tight, we’re leaving.”
With that, she turned and walked away, her hair whipping around, a few strands brushing against Betty’s nose. The little girl caught a faint floral scent she didn’t recognize but found it refreshing and longed to smell it again.
“Oh…”
Little Betty placed a hand on her forehead, mumbling in daze. After a moment of staring blankly at the girl’s retreating figure swallowed by darkness, she glanced down at the lantern in her hand, and suddenly realized what was happening. She hurriedly skipped after her.
She could even eat gods…
But…
Are all these terrifying demons in this world as beautiful and ethereal as her…
Big Sister…
She’s just so beautiful, incredibly beautiful!
