### Chapter 130: Light and Dark (27)
He wanted to run, but his legs refused to budge.
Anxiety and fear mixed like a storm in his mind. Duke Lex’s nerves, which had been taut from the moment, now felt even tighter, his body shaking uncontrollably—strangely enough, he didn’t even fully understand what he was afraid of.
The scene before him was downright stunning; a terrifying monster had just been slain by a seemingly delicate young girl, reduced to ashes that floated not far from Duke Lex. Mysterious black smoke swiftly dissipated across the street, while countless pale blue wisps of light danced and spiraled like specters operating on pure instinct in the daytime.
And amidst all these strange happenings stood the girl who’d dispatched the monster, seemingly at peace.
Her doll-like face was now smudged with bl**d, revealing a look of surprise and confusion that quickly got obscured by swirling ashes and gossamer black mist. Her bright eyes peeked through the haze, locking onto his.
She recognized him.
In that instant, Duke Lex’s brain kicked into overdrive.
In the brief span of less than a second, as the girl’s expression slowly unveiled itself, he quickly assessed the situation—he remembered her identity; she was the Pope Knight! Though he had no clue what that monster actually was, one thing was clear: it was dead now. It was obvious that the girl, being the Pope Knight, had come out on top here.
All things considered, this was a good outcome.
So—
“…Huh?”
Out of nowhere, the girl sounded slightly confused from a distance.
Duke Lex’s heart skipped a beat. He saw her tilt her head slightly, a small smile creeping onto her face, blooming like a flower on her tiny, doll-like visage.
That smile made Duke Lex’s throat involuntarily twitch.
There was nothing to fear…
She’s just a little girl. Even if she held terrifying powers, she was merely a sixteen-year-old, and besides, she had the Pope Knight title.
The Pope Knight wouldn’t—and couldn’t—do anything to him. Not only that, but she even had a duty to protect him.
Everything was fine.
Fine, fine, fine…
Duke Lex kept reassuring himself that encountering the Pope Knight in such a moment was actually good. He was safe now and could ask her for protection. And this girl, with her strong sense of justice, would likely listen if he pleaded, telling her it wasn’t his doing and blaming it all on his mad son. She’d surely believe him and agree to help.
He was almost ready to do just that.
But for some reason, that hair-raising feeling still lingered in his heart, that fear that made his scalp tingle and legs feel weak, kept festering and rendered him voiceless.
Something’s off…
“Hey…”
Just then, the girl waved at him.
Her small hand waved, her toes lightly bouncing as she exuded a mix of childish innocence and sweetness undeniable. But Duke Lex, watching her, felt an inexplicable… strangeness.
Something wasn’t right…
That ominous sense made Duke Lex feel a chill run down his spine and his scalp prickled. He struggled to control his trembling body, his mouth slightly opening, hesitating for half a second without knowing how to respond.
Obviously, the girl didn’t expect a reply.
“It’s you, right?”
She lowered her raised hand, casually asked in a soft voice that was as refreshing as a clear spring.
That demeanor, that tone was entirely friendly… her smile was even a bit mischievous, just like any innocent child of her age.
But this little girl was making Duke Lex’s heart race uncontrollably. He was so frightened he could hardly put on a composed expression.
Moments later, the girl let out a laugh, clear as a bell.
“Haha!”
Her laughter carried a hint of mischief.
As the dust and black mist hung in the air dissipated, only countless wisps remained floating above. The girl stepped forward, her figure clad in a black dress armor fully revealed.
In the next instant, her petite form vanished.
What…
Boom!
Almost simultaneously, the street where she had been standing erupted in an explosion, debris flying three to four meters high. The howling wind knocked Duke Lex backwards, his cheek stinging as he instinctively closed his eyes. Amidst the turbulence, he caught the scent of bl**d mingled with a faint whiff of lilacs.
Then he opened his eyes.
Right before him was the girl’s face, mere inches away.
In a blink, she had gone from over ten meters away to standing just half a meter in front of him, her little head tilted slightly up, her lively eyes sparkling with mischief, gazing directly at him.
Then, she parted her lips and said, “Long time no see~”
Like some old friend’s benign greeting.
Duke Lex froze for half a second, then his brain finally processed this, triggering his instinctive scream.
“Ah!”
d*mn it, run!
A powerful sense of crisis and survival instinct nudged Duke Lex to make the most logical decision instantly. But before his body could react, the girl’s hands shot up and clapped hard onto his shoulders, fingers digging in—at that moment, Duke Lex felt as though giant claws were pinning him down, rendering him completely immobile. The girl’s cold, hard armor-like fingers plunged into his flesh like blades, the pain forcing him to stifle another scream.
He grit his teeth and held it in.
“What are you doing here?”
The girl asked playfully, her face lighting up like a blossoming flower. Duke Lex stared at her smile, suddenly feeling cold all over, his breath caught in his throat, as if his heart had skipped a beat.
“I… you… who are you…”
d*mn it…
His tongue felt so stiff he could barely choke out words.
All those cunning strategies he had once wielded, capable of making others dance to his tune, by now had slipped his mind completely. Fear dulled him, rendering him incapable of deciphering what the girl might be up to, yet staring into her sparkling eyes, he felt a sudden urge to kneel and beg for mercy.
Then he noticed her expression shifting to ice cold, her eyes radiating murderous intent.
Duke Lex’s heart plummeted.
She wants me dead…
But then, she tilted her head, furrowing her brows. Her previously icy demeanor quickly morphed into confusion. Her small mouth moved as if struggling with incoherent thoughts. After a moment… she broke into a wide grin, her lips curling extravagantly, revealing her pearly white teeth and two slightly protruding little fangs, with a strange glint flashing across.
Buzz—
Duke Lex felt as if his head would explode.
The girl’s smile carried a chill darker than the depths of winter snow and madness more profound than that of soldiers’ despair.
“Let’s play a game, okay?”
Her words echoed hazy in Duke Lex’s ears.
He suddenly recalled the first time he had seen her, at a banquet filled with laughter, wearing a beautiful mermaid gown and her lovely dark eyes twinkling with a light so bright it was almost blinding.
At that moment, Duke Lex had even thought that this pure and powerful little girl, the little princess held in Skarlij’s palm, once matters settled, could be a perfect match for some of the excellent youths from his family. If she could fall for one of them, that would truly be a stroke of luck.
Yet now, her eyes remained dark, sparkling like jewels, but the clarity that once shone had vanished, replaced only by endless darkness… and d*ath.
He saw d*ath lurking in those eyes.
d*mn it…
What has she been through…
“Hey~ I’m talking to you!”
Startled by her slightly irritated tone, Duke Lex jolted back to reality.
The girl’s expression turned displeased, her pout aimed directly at him.
“Uh, yeah… sure…” Duke Lex hastily replied, trying to make his smile less stiff, “Miss Peilo, you see, I’m a friend of your father’s. We had a drink of snow wine together…”
d*mn it.
When did he become so bad at talking…
“Hmm!”
The girl hummed enthusiastically, nodding seriously.
Duke Lex stared at her exquisite little face, momentarily lost in thought.
If only they were in a normal situation, without monsters disintegrating and wisps floating around, without her gripping his shoulders so tightly, Duke Lex would have showered her with the sweetest praises, lavishly complimenting her cuteness.
Of course, he still wanted to shower the little girl with praises, hoping it would take her mind off things and perhaps make her loosen her grip. But given the current circumstances, the words stuck in his throat and refused to come out.
Then he saw her smile return.
“So, wanna play?”
…Play?
Play what… that random nonsense…
Duke Lex’s lips quivered, disoriented by the girl’s suggestion.
Confused, unaware, and completely in the dark about her intentions. Everything felt uncertain.
The unknown was the most frightening thing of all.
Yet he didn’t dare remain silent, following along with the girl, “What… what shall we play?”
“Hmm…”
The girl tilted her head, contemplating, before stating, “Hide and Seek.”
“…What?” Duke Lex could hardly believe his ears; he thought he had misheard.
“Hide and Seek.”
But the girl promptly repeated herself, now he understood clearly.
…Hide and Seek?
At a time like this?
Her nonsensical suggestion bewildered him.
What is happening… is this girl for real… childish and silly… why would she want to play that… it’s downright absurd… insane…
Of course, he didn’t dare express those thoughts aloud, forcing a growingly stiff smile, “Uh… it’s just that… I’m a bit… busy right now, could you…”
Could you what?
Ah, d*mn it! Just let me escape from this crazy girl…
“You see… it’s too messy here to play, right? Let’s get out of here first?”
Why were those deranged Iron Guards nowhere to be seen at a time like this…
Anyone, please come quickly…
“No way.”
The girl resolutely shook her head. She released her grip on one shoulder, but before Duke Lex could even breathe a sigh of relief, the other shoulder was grabbed even tighter.
“Ugh—”
He gasped in pain, feeling as if his bones might snap, only to see her wiggling a finger right in front of his face.
She giggled joyfully, “I know you’re trying to run away, right? But if you win, I promise I’ll let you out of the city safely.”
“……”
Duke Lex nearly wanted to curse.
Does this little girl think he doesn’t know what Hide and Seek is?
If he really won, it meant she wouldn’t find him at all. How could she escort someone out when she couldn’t even find him… Hold on…
Hide and Seek…
Duke Lex’s eyes lit up.
“Okay, let’s play that.”
Hide and Seek—that’s the game!
This silly little kid’s ridiculous game was perfect for him to escape and find a hiding spot!
