Chapter 135: Light and Dark (32)
“Did I let you go?”
Dense, ink-black mist swirled and surged down the street like a rushing river, forming a four-meter-high tornado that swept up dirt and debris, immediately enclosing the old man’s position.
“Don’t! Aaaah—”
Within the pitch-black tornado came frantic calls of fear.
“Shut up!”
I frowned and turned around, impatient.
“I haven’t killed you yet… why are you yelling? It’s annoying!”
“Miss Peilo, you are a revered Pope Knight! You can’t k*ll me, you just can’t! Please! Let’s talk, I want to talk to you!”
So noisy…
I just surrounded him with Dead Smoke to keep him from running around.
“I hate disobedient people…”
Feeling a bit irritated, I tossed my hair a bit and glanced at Iliush, smiling, “Just wait a moment, okay?”
Then I walked over to the trapped old man amidst the Dead Smoke.
“…Sister, are you going to eat him?”
The little girl asked softly behind me.
I didn’t turn around, waving my hand dismissively.
“I’m picky.”
Standing in front of the black tornado, I waved my arm lightly, parting the swirling smoke like a curtain to reveal the old man’s figure.
He looked terrified, sitting in the center of the black mist, frozen in fright.
“D-don’t… Peilo… Miss… I have something to tell you… it’s very important…”
I ignored his timid pleas and crouched beside him, taking a keen interest in inspecting him from head to toe.
The old man seemed to want to back away but was afraid of touching the Dead Smoke. His bloodless old face was a mix of disbelief and horror, his trembling eyes fixed on me as if I were some terrifying monster.
Tsk, scared like that… where’s your dignity as a duke?
Could it be because he recognized the black mist?
The rag wrapped around his severed arm was already soaked in bl**d, crimson liquid threatening to drip off the fabric… but judging by his expression, he must be too numb from the pain to feel it.
Honestly, if left like this, he’d probably d*e soon, right? After all, given the current situation, finding a doctor was likely an uphill battle—he might not even make it out of the city alive.
“You’ve lost.”
I smiled at him.
Seeing this, he forced an extremely unappealing smile in return.
“Y-yes… I lost… heh heh… but Miss Peilo, I have important information about those cough cough… those heretics…”
Hmm?
“The Gate of Truth?”
“Exactly, it’s them… I know—”
Before he could finish, I interrupted him.
“Do you know where their base is?”
The old man paused slightly: “I…”
“What’s the bl**d Pearl used for?”
“That is…”
“Who is Ailna?”
“……”
Alright, looks like he doesn’t know any of that.
“Three questions, three blanks… why shout so loud?”
The old man was getting a little anxious, his emotions flaring up: “No, I know! Cough cough! Miss Peilo, I know—”
You know squat.
With a loud slap, I struck him across the face.
“I really hate it when people lie to me… look into my eyes and say it again. What do you know?”
“W-what… I know…”
That slap was heavy; he looked dazed for a moment before regaining his senses.
“I mean cough cough, I know other things…”
“I’m not interested in other things.”
I pouted, standing up to look down at him, “And don’t try to use the Pope Knight’s stuff on me. I’ve been pretty annoyed lately… got it?”
“Let me live… cough cough! It’s worth more to you…”
The old man’s face grew gloomy, his murky eyes having long lost their sparkle. Perhaps due to bl**d loss and the slap I gave him, he was starting to lose coherence, his body wobbling, his head slowly drooping.
“Let me live… please…”
“Don’t worry; I won’t k*ll you.”
The twisting Dead Smoke gradually dispersed. I waved my hand lightly, absorbing the black mist completely into my body.
The old man had collapsed on the ground, his eyes tightly shut, his chest weakly rising and falling.
“I’ll keep you alive; I want you to meet Victoria. How to deal with you will be up to her; I won’t interfere… but by then, know what to say and what not to say, old man, you’re smart enough to figure that out, right?”
“……”
The old man had already passed out.
Tap-tap, tap-tap…
Suddenly, from the end of the street on the right, the sound of thundering hooves raced towards us; someone was rushing this way.
I frowned and turned my gaze towards the sound. Before I could see who it was, I heard a sharp cry from afar.
“Stop! What are you doing—”
Whoosh—
A dazzling golden light flashed before my eyes, zooming past me in close proximity, smashing an adjacent brick wall with a thud, fine dust drifting toward me as I raised a hand to cover my nose.
So bothersome…
Hiss—
With the roar of a beast, a pristine figure appeared and stopped not far from me. She quickly dismounted and, looking serious, was about to walk over here when she suddenly saw Iliush standing in the middle of the street, her expression froze and her steps halted.
“The church over there is safe. Silvya, you… you all…”
The sight before her seemed to shock the Saint. Her aqua-blue eyes darted between me and Iliush, gradually growing wary.
Interesting reaction…
“What’s wrong? Keep talking,” I tilted my head, a smirk dancing on my lips, “Margaret, are you… scared?”
“I’m not…”
“What are you scared of? Scared of me…” I turned to face her, pointing at the still silent Iliush, “or are you scared of her?”
Hearing my words, the color drained from the Saint’s face.
“What… do you want to say?”
She looked tense, her eyes no longer the soft gaze from before, now filled with defense.
I quickly raised both hands, flashing her a sweet smile, “Ah, don’t misunderstand, don’t misunderstand! I’m just saying… are you scared we might k*ll this old guy? Margaret, what are you thinking!”
Margaret took a deep breath.
“Don’t k*ll him… I know who that is, and I know you want revenge on him… you cut off his hand, right? That matter—”
“Hey hey, stop slandering people! Did you see me cut off his hand?”
“It wasn’t you?”
“What do you think?”
“…I’m not in the mood for your jokes. Hand him over to me… you look a bit tired; go take a good nap.”
The Saint pretended to be relaxed, but she didn’t dare to take a step. While speaking, her hands subconsciously reached for her neck.
There, hangs something strange that could hypnotize my mind.
“Don’t move.”
Seeing her little movements, I wiped the smile off my face.
“Margaret, do you want to see the destruction of the Royal City?”
“Silvya…”
“I said, don’t move!”
I suddenly raised my right hand, palm aimed at Margaret’s face.
“If you move even a little, not only will I k*ll this old guy, but I’ll also k*ll everyone in front of my eyes.”
“Do you believe it?”
She froze.
Then slowly, she lowered her hands that were crossing her chest. Her expression turned cold, as if faced with a great enemy.
“Silvya, do you… still remember who you are?”
I blinked, “What do you think?”
“……”
The Saint fell silent.
“What, do you think I’ve had my will eroded by the Abyss?”
“……”
Just as I thought…
Looking at her silent demeanor, I chuckled and shook my head.
Forget it, no need to explain.
“I won’t hand the person over to you. Margaret, you can go back to the church. Victoria is still lying there; I need you to make sure she’s okay. Once she wakes up, you can take her to Mansion No. 3—”
“Prove it to me.”
Margaret suddenly interrupted my words.
She seemed to have dropped all her defenses in an instant, lowering her head to straighten her wrinkled dress, then lifting her head to smooth down a few strands of hair by her ears, her eyes no longer holding hostility, smiling at me.
“Silvya, if you are still you… if you are still the righteous and kind Pope Knight I know, then prove it to me… at least, please don’t speak to me with that attitude anymore; it makes me very sad… okay?”
“Please…”
Her tone was very soft.
In her bright, watery eyes, traces of sorrow rippled like waves.
