Shailyn suddenly threw her body to embrace him and fell to the floor.

Raviel, who inadvertently embraced the small body that came into his arms, was flustered.

‘Am I going crazy?’

Both he, who suddenly embraced Shailyn, and Shailyn, who suddenly wrapped her arms around him and rolled together.

But soon he realized what Shailyn had meant by saying it was dangerous.

“Grrr—”

Theo, who he thought was dead, staggered up and smashed the wall where they had been standing.

If they had stayed still, that attack would have struck Raviel’s body hard.

‘She saved me.’

To think that while he had tried to strangle her to kill her, Shailyn had actually saved him……

“I really can’t stop you.”

Raviel’s will also broke completely.

He who repelled the charging Theo again with black power sighed and grabbed Shailyn’s arm.

“Listen carefully. Theo changed like that because he was tainted by demonic power.”

“What……?”

“It’s something that often happens to apprentice priests. Forcibly corrupting them to turn them into demon followers.”

At the unexpected explanation, Shailyn opened her eyes wide and blinked.

So it wasn’t a zombie but a demon.

On one hand, she had questions about Raviel’s dark holy power, which had felt similar to the smoke that rose from Theo’s body.

‘Could it be……’

Looking into her rippling blue eyes, Raviel smiled bitterly.

“But most can’t endure it and break down like that. They become a state that can no longer be called human and go on a major rampage. So run away quickly. My condition isn’t very good either.”

The backlash was considerable because he had forcibly drawn out power he shouldn’t use without preparation.

Feeling strength rapidly draining from his body, Raviel squeezed out his last strength to speak.

“This time you really have to run away alone, leaving me behind……”

His body collapsed like a deflated balloon as he barely finished speaking.

“Head Priest?! Get a hold of yourself, Head Priest!”

Shailyn, who had been shaking the shoulders of the unconscious man, gritted her teeth.

“D*mn it, even if it wasn’t a mission, how could I leave you alone and go……!”

Having no choice, she laid Raviel down beside her and picked up a sword that was far away.

It was one of the slave trader gang’s weapons.

The sword she held for the first time in her life was heavier than the club, but Shailyn gripped it firmly and stood before Theo once again.

To protect Raviel and to protect herself.

Theo, who had been knocked down by the black power a moment ago, staggered up again and let out a horrible cry.

“Kraah!”

“Hiyaa!”

She used her relatively agile advantage to penetrate Theo’s openings.

It was similar to when she sparred with Linus.

Thud.

The sword aimed for Theo’s heart and struck accurately.

The problem was that Theo grabbed the sword with his hands, preventing it from piercing his heart completely.

Crack.

‘D*mn it, even the sword is cracking……’

Before the sword broke, Shailyn desperately tried to stab his heart somehow.

But she lacked absolute strength. The sword was heavy, and Theo’s grip was strong.

‘It’s going to break like this! Please……!’

It was the moment when Shailyn, who had squeezed her eyes shut, pushed the sword in with all her strength.

A large, solid body embraced her from behind and gripped the sword together, adding strength.

Thud—

The two forces combined, and the sword pierced through Theo’s hand and penetrated his heart.

“Krrrr……”

The dark blue boy’s body stiffened and collapsed to the floor.

And a familiar voice resonated low in Shailyn’s ear.

“Well done. You properly remembered what I taught you.”

“……!”

Shailyn, who turned her head and confirmed the person, felt great relief.

“Carl……!”

“Fortunately, I don’t seem to be too late.”

Carl, who examined his master from head to toe with his eyes, let out a small breath.

He had been so anxious the entire way.

He had sworn that if she was harmed even slightly, he would never let the people involved go.

Shailyn, whose tension was relieved by the appearance of a reliable ally, swayed and leaned her body against Carl.

“What’s wrong, does it hurt somewhere? Are you injured?”

“No…… I’m relieved to see you. You really don’t know how much I wanted to see you.”

Actually, from the moment Shailyn learned she had been dragged away by slave traders, she had unconsciously thought of him.

She was worried because he had come without being able to say anything, and instinctively sought him out because it was a dangerous situation.

Of course, outwardly she didn’t show it and diligently sought ways to survive on her own.

“Meow.”

“…… You came too, Goldie.”

Shailyn, who embraced the cat that jumped down from Carl’s shoulder, let out a long sigh and said.

“Let’s get out of here quickly first. Even though he seems dead for now, we don’t know when he might get up and go on a rampage……”

“He already seems to be doing that.”

Carl cut off her words and gestured with his chin toward Theo, who was swelling up irregularly.

It was clearly the appearance of someone about to go on a rampage.

“This is crazy.”

Shailyn, who couldn’t hold back and cursed, took care of Raviel who was lying on the floor.

“We have to take the head priest and run away quickly!”

“Wait, I’ll carry him.”

Carl, who slung Raviel over his shoulder, gave the departure signal.

Shailyn hugged Goldie tightly, and the two people began running simultaneously.

“Do you know the way out?!”

“Yeah, I just have to go out the way I came in, right?”

“That’s right!”

Bang! Crash!

Then came a series of explosive sounds from behind them.

The ground and walls shook as if an earthquake had struck.

Rumble.

The building gradually collapsed from the rampaging Theo’s power.

The ground cracked and small stones fell from the ceiling.

“Ugh! Hurry, master!”

“You be careful too, Carl!”

The two people desperately ran looking for an exit. Another explosion occurred and a loud collapse was heard.

Crash!

The ceiling and walls collapsed, blocking their path.

“D*mn it, back again……!”

But the situation behind was similar.

There was no more way to retreat. Carl, who realized they were trapped in the collapsing building debris, reached out and embraced Shailyn.

Crack, crackle.

The ceiling directly above their heads cracked and soon collapsed.

At that moment, a strange light flowed out from within Shailyn’s embrace.

***

Meanwhile, the knights of the ducal house of Diart, who arrived a step later than Carl, first subdued the slave trader gang that was on the ground.

They also coincidentally witnessed and rescued the people who had escaped through the right path.

And they were about to set out after capturing the leader-like figure and learning Shailyn’s location.

Rumble.

The inn building began shaking madly and breaking apart.

“Everyone get outside!”

“Hurry and take cover!”

Dain and Benjamin first led the knights out of the inn.

Then they thought of Shailyn who would be underground, and their faces turned pale.

“Father, Shailyn……!”

“We must hurry in and rescue Shailyn!”

But the building didn’t allow them to re-enter.

Before Dain and Benjamin’s eyes, the illegal slave auction house disguised as an inn collapsed miserably.

There wasn’t even time to do anything.

The two people stood blankly and looked at the collapsed building.

Dain couldn’t even open his mouth, and Benjamin blankly recited the names of his dead sister and wife.

Dain, who staggered forward and fell to his knees with a thud, blamed himself.

“It’s my fault. If only I had gone with Carl when he went……”

If he had moved immediately instead of gathering knights to prepare, he might have rescued her before the building collapsed.

“Shailyn!”

It was when Dain resentfully called his cousin’s name and struck the ground.

Boom!

Something shot up explosively from under the building debris.

Dust and powder scattered, and smoke hung thickly around the area for a moment.

Black forms appeared, wriggling beyond that smoke.

“Ugh, I almost died.”

The person who appeared frowning and waving his hands was none other than—

“Carl, are you okay? Is the head priest safe too? And……”

“Shailyn?!”

It was Shailyn, who had become disheveled as if she had rolled around on the dirt ground.

Dain and Benjamin ran to her hurriedly with faces that couldn’t believe it.

Shailyn also opened surprised eyes seeing the two people.

“No, how are you two here……”

“Shailyn, you’re safe! I was worried thinking something went wrong when you were crushed by the building!”

Dain, holding both her arms, had reddened eyes as if he were about to choke up.

Shailyn was dumbfounded. Dain, who looked like he might burst into tears at any moment, was baffling enough—but even more unbelievable was Benjamin behind him, already wiping away tears.

“Um…… did you perhaps come to rescue me?”

“Of course! Our family was kidnapped!”

Benjamin, who approached beside Dain who answered loudly, placed his hand on Shailyn’s shoulder.