She lifted her slender hand, pressing gently forward.
An invisible ripple of soul power spread from her as the center, silently radiating out and instantly filling the entire space.
All the crimson figures that had burst from the Blood Cocoon, preparing to slaughter, froze in place as if someone had hit a pause button.
“What’s going on? Was that you?” Sophia glanced warily at the unmoving enemies, unable to hold back her question.
“No,” Selim drifted forward, reaching out her finger and gently brushing a blood-stained lock of hair behind Sophia’s ear. “It’s thanks to you, my dear Sophia. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to pinpoint that special fluctuation so clearly.”
The Skinless Monster let out a furious roar at the frozen Blood Shadows around it, like a landlord berating lazy slaves.
“No need to hurry…” Selim’s fingertips gracefully pointed at the roaring creature, the corners of her lips curving upward. “They’ll obey. Just… not your orders—mine.”
The moment she finished speaking, the crimson figures began to move again, surging like a tide toward their former master.
In an instant, more than a dozen Skinless Monsters were swarmed and torn apart by the frenzied Blood Shadows.
The tables turned in a flash; the Mask Man became the one being worn down.
“Sophia, could you help me decapitate that annoying Mask Man over there? I have a new idea I want to try.”
Selim sensed she could manipulate the Mask Man as well, but she hadn’t obtained his Soul Identification Code yet.
Since that was the case, why not give it a try?
“As you wish.” Sophia seized a gap as one of the monsters attacked, and swung her sword.
The monster’s head flew high into the air.
At the moment its soul disintegrated, Selim keenly sensed that unique fluctuation in its terrified soul.
“Got you~” Feeling the fear in the Mask Man’s soul, the smile on Selim’s face deepened, like a child who’d just received a new toy.
Whether they were the crimson figures or the Skinless Monsters, all lined up obediently before Selim and her group.
“All right, problem solved.” Selim landed lightly in front of Sophia and Bart. “Now, they only know how to obey my will.”
“Really?” Bart was half-convinced. Gritting his teeth, he ran up to a Skinless Monster.
He gave it a hard test kick, and the monster immediately let out a threatening roar, making him jump back in fright.
Seeing that it only roared and didn’t attack, Bart’s courage swelled again.
“Heh~ Trying to scare your Grandpa Bart?” He grinned, pretending to untie his waistband. “Wait and taste Grandpa’s holy water!”
“Bart~” Selim’s icy voice drifted over from behind.
“If you dare pull that thing out in front of me,” Selim said coldly, “I’ll have Sophia chop it off, or let your ‘friend’ here treat it as a High-end Dessert.”
“Hah… Just joking, just joking.” Bart laughed nervously, quickly tightening his belt to safeguard his little brother.
As the monsters’ current master, Selim hesitated over whether to deal with them.
If she didn’t have Bart and Sophia clean them up, she’d have her own personal army.
But if she let the monsters stay, Sophia and Bart definitely wouldn’t approve—even if they didn’t say it, there’d always be a knot in their hearts.
A bunch of disappointing cannon fodder monsters—how could they ever compare to her dear Sophia’s likes and dislikes?
After thinking it over, she spoke. “Who wants to take care of these guys?”
“Me! Me, let me chop them up!” Bart drew his dagger, eager to start slaughtering the monsters.
“Stop!” A sudden shout rang out! A figure, looking about seventy or eighty percent similar to the Mask Man in build, rushed out from the shadows.
“You bastard, you dare show yourself again? Die!” Bart was already looking left and right for a way to cut him down.
“It’s a misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding!” The newcomer ripped off his mask, revealing a plain-looking middle-aged face, and called out anxiously.
“Misunderstanding? What kind of misunderstanding could there possibly be between us? Heretic!” Sophia took a step forward, shielding Selim completely behind her, sword pointed at the man, ready for any possible scheme.
“It was my dereliction of duty, failing to realize that Saintess Selim had descended. What’s even more unforgivable is that I dared to raise my hand against the Saintess. That is true treason!”
The middle-aged man dropped to his knees with a thud, kowtowing heavily.
“I beg Saintess Selim to forgive my offense. Please, you must witness the great undertaking we are pursuing with your own eyes!”
“Nonsense! How could Lady Selim ever stoop to your level? Coward, die!” Bart was completely enraged by the man’s words and was about to charge.
“Bart, stand down.” Selim’s voice was not loud, but it carried a tone that brooked no argument.
She quickly shot Bart a warning look, then turned to the kneeling man, her face displaying just the right mix of confusion and curiosity.
“A great undertaking? I’m curious. Does this have anything to do with a being named Sharn that often appears in my dreams?”
The middle-aged man’s eyes burned with even more fervor upon hearing this.
“That’s right, Saintess Selim! You truly are the envoy sent by the Godlord Faction!”
He stood up excitedly, put on the simple mask again, and turned without hesitation toward the depths of the cave.
“Please, follow me.”
He turned and continued deeper into the cave.
“Let’s follow and see what he’s up to.” Selim signaled.
“Miss Selim, don’t tell me you’re actually…” Bart couldn’t help blurting out, while Sophia’s gaze at Selim also flickered with an unmistakable trace of scrutiny.
Seeing the suspicion from both of them, Selim felt weary, but she had no choice but to find a way to soothe them.
She lowered her eyes slightly, bit her lip gently, and crystal tears slid down her cheeks without warning, her voice full of grievance: “You… actually suspect me… I just wanted to save people, that’s all.”
“Bart, apologize!” Sophia was the first to turn, standing on Selim’s side.
Bart realized that he had, yet again, hurt someone by being reckless—especially Selim. He was tongue-tied, his face flushing red as he stammered, “S-sorry, Lady Selim, I shouldn’t have doubted you.”
“It’s all right, I understand your concern, Mr. Bart.” Selim wiped the corner of her eye, her voice still choked as she turned a plaintive gaze toward Sophia.
“I just… I’m just a little sad that you, too, would doubt me, Sophia.” That look was as if she’d been betrayed by the person she trusted most.
“I… I didn’t!” Sophia denied instinctively, though her voice weakened guiltily.
“Unless you treat me to a High-end Dessert, I won’t forgive you.”
Selim smoothly handed Sophia an olive branch.
Hearing it was only dessert, Sophia immediately blurted out, “Fine, fine, I’ll treat you.”
Yet she didn’t realize that, rather than worrying about her wallet, she was now unconsciously more concerned with Selim’s feelings.
“I’ll remember that, then.” Selim spread her arms toward Sophia. “I’m really tired now. I want you to carry me up.”
“Such a child…” Sophia muttered, but she crouched down without any refusal, gently lifting Selim onto her back.
“Let’s go. I want to see what that guy’s really up to.” Selim wrapped her arms around Sophia’s neck, pointing in the direction where the middle-aged man had disappeared.
“Oh, right, I almost forgot about these little pets.” At Selim’s thought, the Skinless Monsters behind them followed as well.
“Why are you bringing them along?” Sophia didn’t like being around the monsters.
“What if there are traps ahead? Isn’t it perfect to have these cannon fodder test the way?” Selim leaned close to Sophia’s ear, blowing softly. “Or would you have me let my dear Sophia take the risk?”
“Whatever.” Hearing Selim was thinking of her safety, Sophia felt a warmth in her heart and no longer cared about the monsters up ahead.