Chapter 72: Arc Antagonist turned Fodder…?

BOOM!

BOOM!

“Huh…?”

The two spells exploded at the Owl’s location, enough to cripple, but not sufficient to kill. There was no fun in taking down prey that quickly.

If you were to have any fun, it was better to extend the chase.

“You seem interesting.”

Evelina descended first with teleportation, appearing in front of the still cowering Julius and Lillian, both still completely dominated by the illusion magic.

It was the perfect time to intervene while the two of them were still out of the picture.

“L-Lady…” The Owl’s voice hitched, shocked, surprised… but more surprisingly.

E-Excited…?”

“Lady D’Arclight!”

The owl shouted in excitement, immediately kneeling on one knee as he bowed his head in reverence.

“Do you know him?”

I was the next to descend, simply jumping off the rooftop and landing next to Evelina, but this wasn’t something I expected to happen at all.

The novel never stated that the Owl would be a huge fan of her.

“No.”

The Owl’s head immediately snapped upward the moment he heard my voice. It was frantic, jittery even, his earlier bravado and confidence completely gone the moment we arrived.

“L-Lady D’Arclight… who is that with you…?” The figure said with mania, staring daggers at me through his mask, his killing intent even higher than when he fought both Julius and Lillian.

“Must be just another one of my fanboys…” Evelina snickered, brushing a lock of her hair.

“I’m just no mere fan, my lady!” He crawled on all fours as he approached close enough to graze Evelina’s shoes, his posture exaggerated as if he was staring at a goddess.

“I’ve studied you for so long! Mastered dark magic just for you, just in the hope of becoming one of your family’s assassins.”

The Owl laughed, an obsessive hint creeping onto his tone.

Guess I wasn’t the only one who obsessively loved Evelina…

She looked at the Owl’s pathetic display for a brief moment before leaning close into my ear and whispering. She already had something fun in mind.

“Take him with us, I know a way he could be of use in tormenting the two…”

It was time to see her sadistic nature fully displayed.

“If you say so.”

[Profaned Step]

“W-Wait… what!?”

The Owl stood up quickly the moment he saw the floor start to melt, the concrete of the alley beginning to turn into violet sludge that started to devour him whole.

“Quiet down,” Evelina ordered.

“O-Of course…”

He replied obediently like a dog. It didn’t even take him a second to answer.

I could learn a thing or two from this guy…

FWOOSH!

“H-Huh…?”

Julius’s state of mind suddenly returned to normal, confused at him and Lillian being unharmed, but he didn’t want to waste more time on questions.

[Light Sword]

He turned around quickly to where he knew the Owl last stood.

But nothing, not even a faint trace of his, just the metal balls on the floor, the only sign he was even there in the first place.

“He’s gone…?”

“W-What happened?” Lillian also recovered, stumbling against a wall as she struggled to stand straight.

The illusion magic hit her even harder; she wasn’t a light attuned mage after all, she didn’t have a natural resistance to dark magic as Julius did.

“Are you okay!?”

“I-I’m fine… just… dizzy is all.”

“No, let’s go somewhere safe first. We’ll continue the investigation after you’re okay.”

Julius carried Lillian, immediately leaving the alley as the two of them headed somewhere safer, but in truth, it was just a few blocks away.

Well… it was safer than they were previously were at least.

*** Nearby Building’s Rooftop

“Seems they’ve moved on.”

I observed from the top, seeing them retreat for now, turning back to see the Owl finally getting over his reverence.

Now standing straight, his rapier still in hand, while also observing where Julius and Lillian chose to temporarily hide, likely to take note of it once this strange meeting was done.

“I-I apologize for the shameful display… I just couldn’t help myself after such an entrance like that.” The Owl cleared his throat, chuckling awkwardly.

If he weren’t a psychopathic murderer, I think he’d be an outstanding citizen, in my opinion.

“You’re lucky I’m in a good mood tonight, if I wasn’t, you’d have lost your arms by now…”

Evelina said in disgust, talking about the moment he had grazed her shoes without permission.

’How insolent…’

The Owl’s hand twitched when he heard the threat, but to his credit, he seemed to hide his terror.

“I-It’ll never happen again, my lady…”

“What did you want to do with him?”

I placed my hands in my pockets, resting my head over Evelina’s shoulder as I waited for her fun idea.

“You…!” The Owl suddenly lunged quickly, his rapier aimed to stab me through my eye sockets.

“How dare you casually approach Lady D’Arclight!”

CRACK!

I grabbed his rapier just before it reached my face, didn’t even need to move away from her shoulder to do it.

Even behind his mask, I could just see the shock and sheer rage he had on his face. Does this jealous prick really think he has a chance?

But more importantly… did he really try to attack!? despite me being so close to Evelina’s face!?

A third-rate whelp like him could have struck Evelina’s beauty instead.

[Profaned Step]

I appeared behind him, grabbing his head from behind as I slammed his face down into the roof, using dark magic to muffle the sounds of his mask breaking due to the impact.

“Never, ever, do that again, okay…?”

The Owl couldn’t even reply, his face covered in blood; it seemed like I may have been a bit too hard on him…

Actually, no, I didn’t, but… I did need him alive for Evelina’s plan.

[Major Healing]

“That should do it for now…” I chuckled, still holding his head from the back as I lifted it to check his condition.

“You’re able to cast an advanced light healing spell?”

Evelina crossed her arms, intrigued. She knew I had double attunement the moment I used divine power.

But it was another thing casting an advanced light spell while primarily a dark mage.

“Yeah, I practiced while you were gone.”

Our conversation was surprisingly casual, as if I almost didn’t just killed a man by slamming his face onto the roof’s surface.

Good thing it was the dead of night… couldn’t have a stray vehicle with its headlights on driving around the streets and have it see everything.

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