The whirlwind of accidents sometimes clouds rational judgment.
That’s how Usher was now.
There was a mastermind behind the end of his childhood, and he saw that person plotting another scheme right before his eyes.
It was an enemy. An enemy who had destroyed his life.
The flood of negative emotions seemed to crush his chest, and all he could think of was grabbing that woman and killing her immediately.
It was in such a moment that Bersia embraced him.
“Still not ready?”
For a moment, Usher couldn’t regain his composure due to the passing incident.
The curse was so strong that, the moment he was trapped in Bersia’s arms, a tingling sensation spread through his veins and his breathing became ragged.
As fireworks exploded in his mind, the moment her breath touched his neck, his lower abdomen was tightly squeezed.
Even though Bersia immediately released the hug, Usher could not forget the lingering sensation.
His eyes were half-lidded. His breath was still heavy, and for no reason, saliva gathered in his mouth.
He quickly realized he was not in a normal state.
He wasn’t sure if this was the right way, but Usher realized just how emotional he had been moments ago.
“Sa-Saintess…!”
“Sorry. It seemed like you couldn’t hear me.”
Her response, playful and sly, made Usher’s cheeks flush slightly.
A characteristic sharp gaze appeared in her eyes.
Bersia chuckled and then ruffled Usher’s hair.
When Usher flinched, she immediately pulled her hand away.
“Ah, sorry. Anyway, let’s talk now. Do you understand what we need to do from here?”
“…Yes.”
Usher steadied his breath and nodded.
When he lifted his head again, his gaze was clear.
It felt like his narrowed vision had returned.
Usher began to move his lips and explained to her about the witch named Tehra.
After hearing his story, Bersia frowned.
“So, the mastermind behind creating artificial witches…”
“I think we need to find out exactly how they did it, and why they started this.”
Normally, there would be no questions, and it would be an immediate execution.
Witchcraft was a wicked language that deceived people.
However, one thing bothered him.
“Did they really think we are just beasts, after killing so many of us like that?”
That line irked him. It almost sounded like this was just part of a larger plan.
“If possible, I think capturing them alive is the better option. We feel like we are missing something.”
“That does seem odd. If they just wanted to survive, they could’ve lived as queens here, but instead, they created artificial witches and stirred up the order.”
Bersia agreed with Usher’s opinion.
For now, the plan was to track them. Usher wanted to find a clue from their conversation.
“They said ‘queen.’ There was jealousy from Anton and the greed of the sandstorm before they got here.”
In other words, the conclusion was that the king and the lion’s troops had teamed up with the witches and became the villains.
But what would change now that they knew?
If you ask, many things would change.
“The royal palace is a discarded piece. The sandstorm is probably more deeply connected to the witches.”
“Definitely, the king was too thin to be the main piece, right?”
“He made things difficult by causing chaos in the palace. Externally, he used sandworms to attack the city. The one place that’s quiet now is…!”
“The sandstorm’s main base.”
Usher nodded.
He stood up and headed towards the northern gate of the royal city.
The main base of the sandstorm was in the northern center of Baern.
If they had to go, it was probably that way.
It was time to leave.
As Usher was standing, he glanced at Bersia.
He owed her a debt he could never repay.
If it hadn’t been for her, he would have emotionally stirred up trouble everywhere and missed the right moment.
Before leaving, he spoke.
“Thank you.”
But still, there were things to be cautious about.
“…But, the physical contact was too much. I’ll make sure to hold you accountable for this!”
“I’m confident I can take responsibility with my body. I studied hard.”
“Books are a treasury of knowledge. You, sir, are using methods I never imagined…”
“Ah, enough!”
Usher shouted as goosebumps rose on his skin.
Bersia smiled brightly.
After a brief exchange of glances, the two of them continued running northward, saying no more.
The streets were filled with screams.
The people were in chaos, bumping into each other or falling, while the mercenaries tried to protect themselves with swords, looking around frantically.
A sandstorm was raging. The vibrations didn’t stop.
The ruins of the broken castle walls rolled, crushing buildings to the ground.
In such a street, there were a girl and a man walking against the flow of people running away.
“Good grief… In my life, I never thought I’d see desert worms listening to human speech.”
“Technically, they aren’t human. Witches or heretics can’t be counted as humans.”
“Hm, you’re right about that.”
Halia stroked her chin.
Beside her, Diego wasn’t wearing his usual armor but was carrying dozens of long spears on his back, standing tall.
They were walking while chatting.
Halia stopped walking near the sandworm-infested castle walls and grinned.
Then she pursed her lips.
It was quite amusing, what they had there.
“If they had run away, their lives would’ve been spared, but why did they come before me to make this choice?”
“Halia, your monstrous deeds end here.”
Among the rubble of buildings and above the sandworm’s head, heretics appeared.
The one who spoke was a man with a gloomy demeanor, wearing black priest robes. The black eye patch around his eyes was striking.
From Halia’s experience, such individuals among the heretics were the most dangerous.
“You are the one who made the ‘deal.’”
They were the ones who offered something to the heretic god and received power in return.
Judging from what was visible, it seemed that this man was the one who brought the sandworm here.
“The time of revelation has come. Our lord bestows grace upon those who believe in the false doctrine…”
“Shut up.”
Swoooosh!
Halia interrupted his speech by swinging the hammer she had driven into the ground.
The earth sank, and the dust scattered like shrapnel, sweeping across the front.
Boom!
The man, along with the heretics guarding him and the sandworm at the front, collapsed, riddled with holes.
Yet, the voice didn’t stop.
“Futile.”
From another direction, another heretic spoke in the voice of the recently deceased man.
Halia squinted her eyes.
‘It’s a collective consciousness.’
It was one of the main forces of the heretics.
Those who had their souls connected like that couldn’t die until the last one was captured.
Indeed, they were a troublesome foe.
“Even if you capture all of us, it is futile. No, you won’t even be able to stop us. The revelation has already been fulfilled…”
Halia flicked her ear at their incessant rambling.
They might be confident in what they had prepared.
Upon further thought, it was clear that the witch, whose head she had nearly taken off, was different from any she had encountered before.
But did that mean she should be afraid of it?
Was there a reason to be on guard and anxious about it?
Thinking of it made her sigh.
A smirk appeared on Halia’s face as she raised her head.
“The premise is already flawed.”
‘…?’
“The order has no reason to fear you. There’s no need to worry about that revelation. Do you know why?”
Crack!
The hammer once again slammed into the ground.
Halia clenched her fist tightly.
Her battle stance, and the fighting spirit emanating from her entire body, flared up.
“There’s no beast that fears the tricks of insects. And…”
Creak!
Halia’s muscles swelled, letting out a scream.
“…What’s here is the most ferocious beast of the order.”
She wasn’t referring to herself.
The other group she had entrusted with tracking the witch was the same.
In fact, if you were to consider the main force, they were closer to the main force.
Was it because Bersia was there?
Because where she was, divine favor had arrived?
That was wrong.
As a saint who hears the voice of God, it wasn’t for her to say, but Halia couldn’t be someone who relied on such a flimsy method.
For her, crushing crises wasn’t about uncertain miracles, but about confirmed military power.
What Halia believed in was none other than Usher Therbion, the killing machine who had embedded all of the order’s visions into him.
“You made a mistake. You should have been cautious about him.”
“Who is this ‘him’ you’re talking about?”
Had they just now realized who the man who came with them to this city was?
The hostility of the heretics could be felt as if it were physically touching her.
It was a pleasant and enjoyable thing.
‘As expected.’
Would it be faster for her to clean up this place, or would it be faster for Usher to strangle the life out of every heretic breathing in the tower?
Competition was a healthy source of energy.
Halia loved competition.
“Let’s do as we’ve always done!”
“Diego!”
“Yes.”
At that moment, Halia made her move.
Kkkiiiiikk!
The space was immediately torn apart.