Chapter 71: You can’t tell me about this even if you kill yourself!

In the thick blood mist, a faint light flickered in Cynthia’s blurred vision.As it grew brighter, several figures came into view.
“I…na…?”
The first she saw was Ina, her face etched with worry.”Why… are you here…?”
Ina’s sudden appearance at this critical moment had saved her life, but Cynthia felt a pang of shame.To be seen by Ina in such a pitiful state after a sneak attack…‘I’ve always projected confidence, handling everything with ease, but now…’
Ina had kept her word about providing support, but Cynthia hadn’t expected it to happen like this.‘Wait… how is Ina moving freely in this blood mist?’
Cynthia strained to focus on the approaching figures.Besides Ina, Prim and Rustia were there, trailing behind…But who was the gray figure in the middle?
A strong sense of familiarity washed over her.As the figure drew closer, Cynthia’s expression shifted from confusion to something akin to dread.She hadn’t even shown this fear when ambushed.
“Li…Lilith?!”
Memories from days ago in Bazerol flooded back.The clothes she and Ina wore had been sent by this gray-haired Lilith.
“What a mess, Lady Cynthia.”
Lilith approached calmly, kneeling beside her.She produced a bottle of red liquid from her cloak, uncorked it, and poured it over Cynthia’s severed arms.”If your mother knew you were in this state, she’d be heartbroken.”
As the liquid seeped in, the searing pain in Cynthia’s arms faded, replaced by a soothing coolness.It couldn’t regrow her arms, but it stopped the bleeding, keeping her from passing out.
The dizziness clouding her mind began to clear, and Cynthia regained enough clarity to study Lilith.Her gaze landed on the glowing ruby necklace around Lilith’s neck, and it clicked.That necklace’s magic clearly came from someone else.
It was a magical artifact given to Lilith by Cynthia’s mother, Alicia.Alicia’s power was protecting them in this blood mist.
Cynthia knew her mother was immensely powerful, though she rarely showed it.‘Even her personal maid has caught me seventy-seven times… No, seventy-eight with this.’But the true extent of Alicia’s power? Even Cynthia couldn’t gauge it.
“Cynthia-chan! How did you get hurt so badly?!”
Cynthia realized Ina had misunderstood, but she didn’t know how to explain.Being ambushed was already a stain on her record.An attack by someone of equal skill might be excusable, but a crazed, superficially powerful madman succeeding?If this got out, she’d be a laughingstock for life.
Especially to her mother.‘Sad? That old woman? She’d mock me relentlessly!’With the blood clan’s lifespan, she’d be teased for centuries, maybe millennia.No way she’d let anyone know, even if it killed her.
As Cynthia scrambled for an excuse, Lilith, now standing, cut in.”Pardon the interruption, but our enemies aren’t waiting.”
“Roar…”
Another roar echoed from the blood mist, and red lights flashed within it.Rustia, ever vigilant, reacted first.”Everyone, be careful!!”
Her staff glowed blue, a stark contrast to the blood mist.She could feel casting magic here drained more power than outside, but she gritted her teeth and summoned several ice walls.
Thick ice barriers rose like shields, protecting them from the sudden red light assault.The lights were blood spikes, like those Cynthia had faced, but these were less powerful despite their numbers.Rustia’s ice walls held them at bay.
“Hoo… food… more… hungry…”
Before Cynthia could warn Ina about the monster’s danger, Prim’s trembling voice interrupted.”This voice… could it be…?”
Cynthia turned to see Prim staring at the monster, her eyes wide with disbelief.”Are you… King Kallia?!”