Chapter 248 - Run, my little sister

The king had been in a state of worry lately. Everything was too quiet—in fact, it was too peaceful despite the chaos inside his mind. Alexander Octavius Ein Feuerkrieger IX felt at peace just a moment ago. But tranquility didn't last long—because apparently, the forsaken attacks tonight. Who would have expected the forsaken to be such a hasty person? That was what the circle was talking about just several minutes ago, before he left to fend off the fire giant wreaking havoc into the royal city.

The king felt bad leaving Faustina behind, but this was something that she couldn't handle, even if they were telling him about her great mana. And the king couldn't possibly bring her to battle. She had to stay at the castle where it's safe. He commanded the captain of the Knighthood of the Firehawk to guard her. Sir Roth Adelard was an impeccable knight who would be competent enough to protect Faustina.

But even so… the king felt anxious. Was it the thought that in this night he made progress—he made a discovery, not only upon himself but also to Faustina. It was as if he had just confessed something that he had been concealing for a while. It was a raw emotion. It depicted all what he had thought he bottle up for years. And in that certain moment, the king realized he had been truthful.

For the first time since the first king trained him to conceal his emotions.

And feeling vulnerable wasn't that bad… until this happened. Until the attack of a certain warlock general.

The king arrived into the royal city with the sword of Feuersturm in hand. He held the crystal blade; its intricate patters tells the story of the kingdom that rose from a storm of fire. He stared at the fire monster; it was like a moving mountain personified—with arms, legs, a face, but its skin was akin to a molten lava core.

"A fire monster that was supposed to be extinct since the great war…" The king exclaimed. "Only one person could possibly do this."

There was no other way such creature can be summoned. It couldn't be just a regular warlock. It would have to be someone closer to the power of the forsaken. Jonathan Unsterblich was a prodigy in magic and in the dark arts. It wouldn't be surprising if he exceeded all his titles and could now summon a beast that was considered long gone for almost a thousand years.

"King… Alexander…" The monster spoke with such deep and arid voice. Its breath fire and smoke, smoldering the atmosphere, breaking through the cold. The king stared at the vicinity. The royal city was close to complete destruction. The monster was slow, but it was a giant. Just one step and everything around his path would be led to ruin.

"King Alexander Octavius…" The monster exclaimed. "King Alexander…"

It looked down, seeing Noah, the ninth king.

Suddenly, the monster's face grew more horrid and the flames emanating from the cracks around his body burst into lava. The lava then streamed down to the cobbled ground, straight towards the king. He managed to evade the red, burning hot liquid, but that doesn't mean there wasn't on fire everywhere.

However, he the user of the Opus, was ready to take down any fire monster. The king had already studied the contents of Opus, and one of them was a spell meant to exterminate these supposedly extinct beasts.

"Come at me," the king exclaimed. "I will not let you get through. I, Alexander Octavius Ein Feuerkrieger IX, shall defend this country, as my ancestor did."

The king raised the sword of Feuersturm.

"Come!"

**

Jonathan Unsterblich had just escaped from Greed. He decided he would go to the castle. And so he destroyed almost half of the building. Jonathan expected this, and so he immediately ran to find Faustina.

Her safety comes first.

After all, Faustina was his only purpose. He wanted to keep her safe. And so, coincidentally, he was able to catch a glimpse of her being dragged by who seemed like the king's knight. They were both looking like they barely escaped. Faustina was on the verge of collapsing.

'Faustina…'

Jonathan didn't hear Nathaniel into the back of his mind. So he was serious about giving him the benefit of having to use the body as he pleases.

'Just call me if you've decided to merge your soul with mine.'

"That isn't going to happen." Jonathan clenched his fist as he proceeded to follow Faustina. "I will not let him in this body again…!"

**

Faustina found herself in a crooked place. Everything that happened was now a blur as consecutive explosions occurred in the entirety of the castle. She saw captain Roth's face. His head was bleeding.

"Please be safe. Don't leave this place." He said before closing the small door. "That's all we ask of you, M'lady."

And with that, he left her into the small room which appeared to be a small and cramped storage. Faustina clenched her fist. Unlike Magierstadt, Faustina couldn't summon her staff with just a command. That unique system is to be found only in Magierstadt alone.

Right now she was just a girl with no medium of magic. Before she could even get her staff, the castle was ambushed. 

It was a good thing she explored the castle. She knows which part of the castle she was now… and just a few sprint away she could get into her room and get her staff. 

However…

'Please be safe. Don't leave this place.' That's what captain Roth said to her. She bit her lips, hearing the explosions from everywhere—from the royal city, and from the castle itself. Faustina clenched her fist.

Was she this useless?

But what can she do now? 

What can Faustina do when she's this powerless?

"Noah…"

'You are the one to sustain my life.' The king's gentle smile flashed in his face. 'You are my Faustina.'

Faustina bit her lips and took a deep breath.

Without any hesitation she pushed the door, and went out of the cramped room.

"I'm sorry, Captain." Faustina murmured as she ran to the hallway that was burning with scorching flames. 

--

Faustina barely reached the place she was going for. But still, she managed to do it.

She coughed from the smoke of the smoldering flames from the burning castle. She could barely see anything from the smoke, but she was certain where she had put her staff. Faustina then sauntered to that place, but then—

"Are you looking for this?"

Faustina blinked.

"Huh?"

Coming towards her, holding the staff, was rather an unexpected person.

"Lilianne…?" Faustina's voice was a bit strained, as there was almost no air in her room. Suddenly the flames grew brighter and stronger.

"W-we have to go!" Faustina said, realizing it was indeed Lilianne. She then ran towards her and proceeded to grab her hand—and as she did so…

She felt a strange gush of electricity as she made contact with her skin. It was as if her body was repelling the touch. Faustina's eyes found Lilianne's.

They were now red.

"You…"

Lilianne smiled at her. She gave her a look that she never did before, and then crossed her arms to her bosom.

"This child's body is nice, but it's way too skinny for my liking." Lilianne said.

Child? Body?

"Oh, allow me to introduce myself." Lilianne exclaimed.

"My name is L.u.s.t," she exclaimed. "Little sister."

Faustina blinked as 'L.u.s.t' then flicked her hand. Suddenly the flames smoldered and grew even more fiery and strong. Faustina covered her nose to block the smoke.

L.u.s.t… how?

"I've put on some of my crystal to this child's food, and now when my vessel got destroyed I was able to fully occupy her body." She laughed. "The priestess wasn't even able to see it because her soul absorbed the crystal so freely."

Faustina's eyes widened.

Then that means… "W-where… where is Lilianne!?"

"Are you concerned over the girl who was trying to get rid of you? Well, I guess father wasn't exaggerating when he said you're dumb. Can't believe we're of the same blood."

Faustina felt more confused than ever.

What is she saying?

Same blood? There was no way they're related!

"Well she's all frisky and blond, but in real life I have a black hair and red eyes, just like you." L.u.s.t smirked through Lilianne's face. "Those are the characteristics of a warlock."

Faustina coughed continually.

"Here," L.u.s.t then threw Faustina's staff towards her.

Faustina caught the staff to her hand.

"How about we have a sister to sister bond?" L.u.s.t asked with a sweet smile. "Why don't we start with some hide and seek?"

Faustina blinked as L.u.s.t had the fire burn strong, making the ceiling give up and fall burning.

"On the count of three, I permit you to run." She said with a wide smile on her face. "One."

"Two."

Faustina gulped as l.u.s.t then clenched her fist, making the entire room catch fire.

"THREE!"

L.u.s.t laughed maniacally with Lilianne's voice.

"Run, my little sister, run!!!"