<Chapter 6>
Although she had a human form, Elshunaine was a spirit. She possessed physical abilities superior to that of ordinary humans.
Whoosh—!
Ugh…!
Quickly jerking her head back, Elshunaine narrowly dodged the tentacle-like arm that lunged at her. She immediately ducked to avoid the sharp teeth that followed.
“K-Killian!”
Elshunaine cried out, her face pale.
Though her abilities were above human, they were still only above human—not above demons.
The demon, with the face of a snake, turned to Killian at her shout. But seeing that Killian remained unmoved, he sneered.
“Heh heh. Guess that hit hurt more than expected, huh? The mighty Guardian frozen in fear! Hahaha!”
Despite the demon’s taunts, Killian stood expressionless. Why wasn’t he doing anything? A demon had appeared—shouldn’t he take it down right away?
Elshunaine’s face turned stricken with worry.
The demon taunted again.
“Contrary to rumors, you’re pathetically weak. But I guess without the holy sword, there’s no reason to be scared anymore!”
Killian completely ignored the demon. Though he showed no sign of fear, the demon was clearly deluded.
Smirking, the demon turned his gaze back to Elshunaine.
“I recognized you when I entered the mansion. The Elshunaine. I had my doubts since you disappeared, but here you are.”
“Ha, ha… So, you know me?”
“How could I not? Heh. Where are my manners? I’m Helena, a second-rank high demon.”
Second-rank! Elshunaine’s eyes widened.
Wait a second. In the original story, it was only a third-rank demon…
Helena cackled and stepped closer to Elshunaine.
Elshunaine looked toward Killian with pleading eyes, but he simply stared at her as though waiting for something.
Ah…
Her blue eyes trembled as she realized what he was waiting for.
He wants to see if I’ll use Killian’s power. That’s why he’s not doing anything even though a demon is here.
Normally, Elshunaine could handle a second-rank demon even without using the power stored in the vessel.
That is—if she used Killian’s power. The two of them were still bound by a contract.
How troublesome.
He’s testing whether I really lost my memory…
Elshunaine’s face scrunched in frustration.
To borrow the contractor’s power, she would have to recite the “true name” spoken during their contract—but having lost her memory, she couldn’t remember it.
Nor could she use the vessel’s power. Its recovery rate was extremely slow, and using it now would mean her complete annihilation.
Besides, Killian already knew she had drained the vessel’s power entirely.
“I can’t pass up this golden opportunity!”
Helena lunged at her with a bizarre cry. Elshunaine barely dodged the long arm flying toward her.
“Eek! Killian, I thought we were friends?!”
She couldn’t recite the true name. That would expose the lie about her lost memory.
Who knows what Killian might do to her to retrieve Arwen if he found out?
Ugh…
Elshunaine shuddered.
Killian stared at her with lifeless eyes. That cold-hearted bastard! A friend of twelve years was in danger, and he just stood there!
“Ack!”
Whoosh!
Helena’s long arm swooped over Elshunaine’s head in a wide arc. Her floating hair was sliced clean off and fluttered down.
Her face turned even paler. The demon was channeling magic energy through her entire body while swinging!
Elshunaine continued to retreat, dodging the demon’s attacks. The strikes were more predictable than she expected.
Then she realized why—she felt a wall press against her back.
She’s been herding me backward on purpose.
The demon chuckled.
“Without the holy sword, the Guardian is no threat. You’re no match for the great Helena!”
“Urgh!”
Helena seemed intent on subduing rather than killing her. Her long arm grabbed Elshunaine by the neck.
She struggled, but the grip wouldn’t budge.
“I’ll restrain you first. Then I’ll slowly let him be consumed by demonic energy. Hahaha!”
“K-Killian…!”
Her vision blurred. She couldn’t even swallow as spit dribbled down her chin.
Killian, you bastard—if you’re going to save me, do it already!
She was sure he wouldn’t let her be taken by the demon. He still needed her, since Arwen was his hostage.
That’s why she’d held out this long without invoking the true name.
But still… you’re taking too long…
Just as her fading consciousness began to go dark—
A low voice reached her ears.
“You’re not using the true name… You really have forgotten, haven’t you?”
I told you I forgot!
I told you so many times!
She glared at Killian with hazy eyes, her insides boiling with anger.
Technically, she was the one lying… But still! Wasn’t she doing all this for him? Elshunaine felt like crying.
“What? Your turn is—huh?”
Slice.
A thin line appeared across Helena’s neck. Slowly, her head and body began to separate.
It was an unreal sight.
Purple blood sprayed like a fountain, and Elshunaine rolled to the side to avoid it.
“Cough! Ack!”
Helena probably didn’t even understand how she died.
Even Elshunaine, who had enhanced senses, hadn’t noticed when Killian unsheathed his sword.
She glanced at the sword still resting quietly at his waist, as if it had never been drawn, and coughed repeatedly. Her throat ached.
“Where did you get the elixir?”
“Uh… the elixir? That was elixir? It was just in the cabin, so I took it. Cough cough.”
Ugh. Right after she watered the anemone with it, the demon had revealed herself—probably having sensed its power.
She had yanked the flower out and checked the vase’s water to confirm.
Originally, the demon was supposed to enter the office and—without understanding what happened—have her disguise unravel instantly!
“I just thought the flowers would grow better…”
Elshunaine glanced up at Killian with a nervous, fearful expression.
She’d practiced it all day back at the cabin, so now it came off quite naturally.
“Someone who’s lost her memory… had elixir prepared?”
“Ah, well, you see…”
Her eyes darted around as she scrambled for words.
“Maybe, uh, I prepared it before I lost my memory?”
“Before you lost your memory?”
“Yeah.”
“And how do you know you prepared it?”
Oh no.
“There was… a letter?”
“A letter. Written to you. By the old you.”
“…”
A drop of sweat rolled down her face.
“So, you’re saying the previous you knew you were going to lose your memory?”
“Uh…?”
Killian’s gaze chilled as he looked down at her.
“You erased your own memory, didn’t you.”
Ha ha…
Is that what this sounds like now?
* * *
Killian’s misunderstanding about her seemed to be growing like a mountain.
Sitting face to face with him, the demon’s corpse behind them, Elshunaine kept sweating nervously.
“S-So, uh, why haven’t the knights come in?”
She just wanted to escape the suffocating silence. Though she already knew the answer, she feigned ignorance.
Sitting upright, Killian answered coldly.
“This office is protected by a holy barrier.”
“Ah…”
“It’s one that can be activated without divine power. No matter what noise happens in here, it can’t be heard outside.”
“…”
Why did that sound more like, “No matter how much you scream, no one will hear you”?
More sweat.
Even without divine power? What did that mean? But her confusion disappeared at his next words.
“Why didn’t you just say you erased your memory?”
There was a big difference between losing one’s memory and erasing it.
“Uh… I didn’t know until you said it. The letter didn’t mention it. Um. I really don’t remember anything.”
Feigning ignorance was her only hope. She poured her soul into the act.
Erased my memory, huh.
It sounded like she’d done it intentionally—so that even if Killian found her, she wouldn’t reveal anything.
And that something would be Arwen’s whereabouts.
Feeling like an even worse spirit, Elshunaine was deeply saddened.
That’s when Killian muttered something unintelligible.
“…Was it so unbearable you had to erase it?”
Huh? What was?
She tilted her head and looked at him, but Killian clammed up like a shell. Then he changed the subject.
“The bag you brought… it was magically sealed so only you could open it. Pretty impressive stuff inside, huh? Things that could let someone escape no matter what. Like that elixir.”
Elshunaine blinked and forced an awkward smile.
She had kidnapped the woman he loved and erased—no, wiped—her own memory. What could she even say?
She knew nothing. Nothing at all.
“So I guess… I found you before you could disappear completely.”
Killian’s voice turned low, slow, and somehow chilling.
His red eyes shifted to her wrists and ankles.
“If your memory returns… then you’ll—”
And then, just then—
a familiar face burst into the office.
“Milord!”
