Chapter 178: ambush

Seeing the enemy comply, a trace of mockery flashed through Rosalia’s eyes. With the lofty tone of a noble looking down from above, she said coldly, “I said use your mouth to suck, not lick, my lady.”

“Don’t push it too far… cough.” Hannah flew into a rage. Just as her divine power surged, a metallic sweetness rose in her throat.

Hannah clenched her teeth, forcing the blood back down. After a moment of silence, she parted her lips, preparing to lean in toward her chest.

“Hmph. How laughable.” Rosalia let out a disdainful chuckle, elegantly lifting her skirt. “A dignified Divine Chosen, reduced to something like livestock. I feel ashamed for you.”

“Second-tier Divine Technique—Bone-Eroding Vermin!”

In the next instant, the parasites hidden within Hannah’s body were activated, bursting out all at once.

This bizarre ability meant that once struck by Rosalia, one would unknowingly become infected with these vermin.

“Pssh—!”

“What is this?!”

Pain erupted across her entire body. The grotesque parasites ravaged her flesh wildly. One of them seized the moment her mouth was open and leapt straight inside.

“Heh. That’s the price for opposing my lord, you shrew.”

Rosalia gave an elegant bow.

As a temporary support-type ability, Bone-Eroding Vermin dealt little damage—but its humiliation factor was immense.

“Damn you—you’ll pay for this! Do you have any idea how much effort it took me to seize this body?!”

The halo beneath her feet trembled. The vermin infesting her body were all shattered in an instant. Enraged, Hannah charged straight at Rosalia.

The two clashed again. The air erupted with explosive booms as neither side held back, fighting with reckless abandon.

On the other side, the army of Nightfall Domain had been defending Mountain Ape Castle for quite some time.

Though the gray mist provided some cover, the number of red monsters was overwhelming. Fearless of death, they surged into the mist, besieging the castle.

Soldiers gathered at every entrance, using spears and crossbows to desperately repel the assault.

Everyone knew that if they didn’t fight with everything they had now, they’d soon be returning to the goddess’s embrace.

“Watch out! A monster broke in through the window!”

A soldier from Mountain Ape Territory shouted. A crimson figure suddenly crashed through the window. Its twisted body straightened unnaturally, as if being lifted by invisible hands, letting out a bizarre, eerie laugh that startled everyone.

Each soldier was already tied to their own defensive post, and for a moment, no one could spare the effort to intercept it. Seizing the opportunity, the monster’s tentacles lashed out.

“Devil!”

The soldier panicked and turned to flee—but the red monster leapt forward, slamming him down with precision. Its grotesque head latched onto the soldier’s neck.

“Gurgle… gurgle…”

The sound of it drinking blood made everyone’s scalp crawl.

“Where the hell did this thing come from.”

Phield snorted coldly, flashing forward. The Iris Longsword sliced through the air, cleaving the red monster in two. Immediately after, the creature’s body ignited on its own.

The power of holy light was unbearable to such abominations.

After dealing with the monster, Phield looked at the soldier—already beyond saving. His eyes were wide open, frozen in terror.

“So terrifying… so terrifying…”

Baron Mountain Ape huddled in a corner, trembling.

“Don’t just sit there. Help us load the crossbows.” Phield frowned. This entire mess was his doing, and he still had the nerve to shake in fear. “If the monsters break in, none of us are getting out alive.”

“Y-Yes, yes.”

Baron Mountain Ape hurriedly responded, lowering his head as he moved to a wooden crate, pulling out bolts and loading them into the crossbows.

Also working tirelessly was the maid, Meg.

After abandoning the outer defenses, she had retreated into the castle with the army. Her face remained calm, her hands steady as she quickly slotted bolts into the crossbows and cranked them back.

“Um… aren’t you afraid?”

Curled into a ball, Gogris asked timidly.

“Me?” Meg was a little surprised. This new little maid was actually speaking to her—before this, she had only ever talked to Phield. Without pausing her movements, Meg replied calmly, “Of course I am.”

“Then why…”

“Because I want to share the burden of those I care about—even if it’s just a little, whatever I can manage.” Meg glanced at Gogris and smiled. “You and I probably come from similar backgrounds. When I was little, my mother ran away with a cobbler. My father drank heavily and beat me whenever he pleased. I went to the church, hoping they would take me in.”

“But unfortunately, only those from wealthy families could become nuns.”

“In this world, people like us are born carrying misfortune.”

“But because of that, when you meet someone who protects you, you should give everything you can in return.”

Gogris fell silent.

“I…”

Just as she was about to say something, Gogris suddenly noticed Baron Mountain Ape quietly raising his left hand.

He held a concealed launcher, already primed, aiming straight at Phield—his eyes filled with madness.

First-tier Artifact: Whisperer’s Kiss (when not in use, it remains invisible; once activated, it silently fires a poisoned bolt)

Phield was busy defending against monsters lunging through the windows.

The soldier who had been secretly watching the baron had also been distracted by the monsters.

“No!”

Without a moment to think, Gogris lunged forward. With a simple, unrefined headbutt, she slammed straight into Baron Mountain Ape’s face.

“Gah!”

The baron felt a sharp pain in his nose as blood sprayed out. The hidden bolt fired with a whoosh, grazing past Phield’s ear and embedding itself deep into the stone wall. Dark green poison spread across the surface, causing it to hiss and smoke.

“Holy shit! What was that?!”

Startled, Phield turned his head, only to see Gogris already grappling with Baron Mountain Ape, while the maid Sparrow smashed the baron’s head repeatedly with her crossbow.

“Grr—!”

Gogris bit down hard on the baron’s left arm. He cried out and swung his fist wildly, trying to kill the maid who had ruined his plan.

But to his shock—his blows did nothing.

Gogris lacked the awareness of a Divine Chosen, but she possessed the physique of one. Baron Mountain Ape’s punches were weak and powerless.

Using the simplest, most brutal method, Gogris refused to let go, biting down so hard it seemed she might tear his entire arm off.

“Aaaah! Let go of me, you damned wretch!”

The baron screamed in agony—then suddenly, his vision darkened.

“You old bastard. I’ve been walking on thin ice my whole life, and I almost got done in by you.” Phield’s eyes burned with fury. “You really deserve an award for best actor.”

All along, Baron Mountain Ape had seemed cowardly.

His wife had been taken by monsters. His children were captured. His territory was collapsing, and his life hung by a thread—yet this man was still rotten to the core. Out of nowhere, he had tried to shoot him.

Phield had even arranged for someone to keep an eye on him, just to be safe—yet the man still found an opportunity. Fortunately, the two little maids had come through.

He had nearly lost his life over that artifact.

Phield let out a cold laugh and kicked the baron to the ground. “So your whole family’s rotten to the core, huh?”

“My lord—I deserve death.”

The soldier assigned to watch the baron dropped to the ground in terror, drenched in cold sweat after seeing his lord nearly assassinated.

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