Chapter 51: Wine and women have made me so haggard.

Near cart, Leanna sword slash.

Wood splintered. Teresa caught safe, chains off.

Free. Stunned.

“Leanna, Pera… how?”

“Liar sneak—chase clear!”

Pera first, eyes red. Near—fist urge punish.

Weak Teresa—withdrew.

Behind: squad. Surround. Babble “blame”—care thick.

But…

“How find?”

Pera head high—victory peacock.

“Hmph—underestimate Lady Celis. Guessed leave—marked!”

Mark?

Heart stir. Right hand. Back.

Gold sun warm glow—silent hug.

[Decision no pressure. Oracle—Knights—home forever.]

Celis gentle echo. Heart gripped. Sour warm surge. Eyes red.

Knew: Celis never abandon, bind.

Saw struggle— no chain safe. Gentle mark guard.

Not order—retreat. Not cage—harbor.

Mother blur…

Mother: child go—tears quiet, pack, lamp home.

Thought lone end—lamp waited.

“Damn—who?!”

Yuri ground rise. Sharp broke warm.

Glare Leanna—displeased.

Leanna fearless. Step.

“You? Why take Teresa?!”

“Who? Preston—fetch. Kids—die roll! Annoy!”

Cane ground. Wave flies. To Teresa—regrab.

Pera block.

“No take!”

Serious Pera—Yuri frown. Serious.

Eye.

“Rose Knights? Heh—few stop me?”

“Why not?”

“…Preston dormant long. <20 brats challenge. No talk.”

Back. Breath. Divine surge. Storm body.

“Come—uncle teach divine terror!”

Words fall. Head up—fist.

Leanna sword neck. Retreat scare.

Late—slash skin shallow.

Touch neck. Blood palm. Heart pound. Death flash—back sweat.

LV30, thin divine boost.

Years no fight—skill rust. Vice rot.

Divine: ~20.

Leanna: 16 surface—near 20. Team higher.

Yuri no match.

Shock wound—Pera gut punch. Fly far. Blood trail.

Girls stunned.

Teresa divine fortress terror.

Yuri divine—full force.

Result… unexpected?

Paper tiger?

Ground rise. Belly hold. Ferocious.

“Crazies… dare divine kin!”

“…You divine kin?”

“Not? Heh—not. Someone is!”

Pera taunt—mad.

Hate mock god.

“Blasphemers—die!”

Finger blood wipe. Palm rune.

Teresa pupils. Shout:

“Summon! RUN!”

“Run? Lord Merik—run?!”

Laugh. Blood rune pulse. Space, magic freeze.

Abyss wake. Gray figure form.

Freeze instant—escape lost.

Gray: breath hard.

Teresa pale.

Merik: name. Preston head. Sole demigod.

Demigod: >90. Peak.

Divine: beyond.

“Yuri—summon why?”

Kneel.

“Lord—target Teresa here. Blocked.”

“Block? Preston act—blocked?”

Head turn. Pressure bend girls—near kneel.

Teresa teeth. Step.

“I go—spare them!”