Chapter 54: A Plot Within a Plot (Part I)

"Ah, Aurora! My dear Aurora! Your most loyal knight has come to save you!"

A heavy wave of exasperation washed over me. Seeing Alastor standing there full of life, my lips twitched several times, yet tears unexpectedly slid down my face.

"Eh? Aurora, are you crying for me?" Alastor wore an exaggerated expression of moved emotion and lunged forward to embrace me.

Samael coldly raised a hand, blocking Alastor and declaring ownership: "She is mine."

Alastor frowned and glared at him. "Aurora is mine."

"Care to try dying one more time?" Samael arched an eyebrow.

Alastor wrinkled his nose, bent down to slip past Samael's arm, and lunged toward me with an air of infinite grievance. "Aurora, he's bullying me..."

I raised a hand to my forehead, caught between laughter and tears.

Deep inside, a tightly wound string suddenly snapped loose.

"Um... weren't you dead?" I held back the enthusiastic guy with one hand as he tried to pounce on me, my brow furrowed.

"Waaa, how could I bear to leave you all alone in this terrifying and lonely human world? I made a vow to stay by your side forever..." Alastor looked at me with a soulful, poetic expression.

"..." I remained silent.

"Just as Lord Samael was about to kill Alastor in his rage, I received news through the spirits of the human realm that Your Majesty was imprisoned, and that many exorcists had infiltrated the Demon Realm. Therefore..." Orlando, the little spirit, flew in at some point to explain.

"Therefore, we decided that rescuing Your Majesty was the top priority." The towering Little Mountain stood stooped in the doorway, looking down at me with a grin.

"It was a plot within a plot," Usan, who carried a bow and arrows, chuckled. "That was a satisfying slaughter. I've never killed so many exorcists at once."

I lowered my head, remaining quiet.

Was the reason it took so long because they were attacking the Inquisition?

Then the Inquisition... has it been annihilated?

"Where is Albus?" I looked left and right but found no sign of the jade-like man.

"He's gone..." Alastor finally turned serious.

I instinctively pressed a hand to my chest, fearing that the former Queen would go on a rampage again. Strangely, she was remarkably quiet. Snowy's tail brushed back and forth in my arms, tickling me. Only then did I notice that it had somehow grown a tail. Although it was short like a rabbit's, I was certain it hadn't been there before.

"The people from the Inquisition..." I hesitated, weighing my words before asking.

"Vulnerable as glass," Samael sneered coldly.

I felt doubtful. Setting aside Cass, who was the Grand Priest, the elders of the Inquisition were all troublesome opponents. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been locked up by them so pathetically.

"Didn't you run into—" Just as I was about to ask, the area outside the door suddenly became chaotic.

"Retreat, quickly! We're surrounded!" The cold-faced Lyga rushed in, looking uncharacteristically anxious.

As expected...

A dozen white-robed elders appeared silently like ghosts once again.

"Haha, you really did come to save her!" Hino Wuma, holding her long whip, leaped out followed by a large group of Holy Cross exorcists. "You monsters, every last one of you—surrender now!"

Using me as bait?! I gnashed my teeth in anger.

"Surrender?" Samael actually started to laugh. Along with that brimming smile, a dark current of air drifted through the cramped space, carrying a murderous chill.

He truly was Boss-level; his movements were extraordinary the moment he acted.

I shivered. This guy was far more terrifying when he smiled than when he didn't.

It was the ultimate duel between Light and Dark magic.

Little Mountain immediately rushed to my side to shield me, but the space was too small and he was too large to perform at his normal level, leaving him sweating with frustration.

Orlando, being tiny, was naturally much more agile. With a simple wave of his small hands, a swath of exorcists collapsed. I watched, dumbfounded. Recalling how I used to hold him in my arms, I couldn't help but shrink my neck slightly. Truly, you can't judge a person by their appearance, nor the sea by its depth.

Those who had come to the human realm for this rescue mission were all leaders of various demon tribes; none of them were pushovers. Samael, fighting the ten elders alone, was particularly magnificent.

Seeing that there was nothing for me to do, I sat off to the side holding Snowy, shamelessly watching them fight a heated battle.

"Want some potato chips?" Alastor sat down cross-legged too, producing a bag of chips from nowhere.

I took the chips, tore open the bag, and stuffed one into my mouth. "How does an old vampire like you know about this kind of snack?"

"Tch, I surf the web too! Even as a vampire, one has to keep up with the times." Alastor looked at me with a pained expression. "You can't just lack ambition!"

I rolled my eyes at him and fed a chip to Snowy.

Snowy held it with its tiny paws, took a "crunchy" bite, and chewed with its eyes squinted.

Alastor leaned against me with a grin. "Thirsty? Here, a cola!" As he spoke, he took a bottle of cola from who-knows-where, popped the cap, and offered it to me attentively.

I took it, had a sip, and let out a satisfied sigh.

"Why aren't you out there? They're all fighting."

"Eh? I have to provide close protection for Aurora! Close protection! Protecting Aurora is my duty!" Alastor looked at me with a face full of sincerity.

"Fight! Go! Whip him!" I jumped up, gesturing wildly and shouting.

Alastor chuckled.

"Hey..."

"Hmm?" Alastor turned his head to look at me.

"The fact that you're okay..." I looked down and crushed the cola can with my foot, a small smile spreading across my face. "It's really good."

For a long moment, Alastor didn't make a sound.

I looked at him in confusion, only to see him resting his chin on his hands in a "cute" pose, his deep blue eyes sparkling as he blinked at me, looking profoundly moved.

I shuddered; a wave of chills ran through me.

"I told you, I will stay with you forever. I'll be by your side so that you won't be left with nothing but loneliness in eternal life." A cool, slender finger lightly brushed my cheek. Alastor leaned in close and whispered softly.

For a vampire, nothing is more terrifying than the loneliness of immortality.

I stared blankly into those deep blue eyes.

"Is it touching? Feel like crying? Do you want me to lend you my broad, safe shoulder to lean on?" Blinking his watery eyes, Alastor assumed the air of a sentimental romantic.

Caught between laughter and tears, I kicked him away.

"Aurora!" Hino Wuma, seeing how leisurely we were being, swung her whip over in a rage.

Alastor spun around, holding me to dodge the strike. He tilted his head and smiled at her. "Little beauty, mind your whip. Don't go hurting my Majesty."

"Odious!" Hino Wuma was thoroughly incensed by his frivolous tone. She lashed out again. As the new Director of the Inquisition, her whip carried a white glow and came with fierce momentum.

Alastor simply swept me up in a bridal carry, jumping around to avoid the lashes.

"Hey, is running away all you can do?" I decided to look down on him.

Alastor threw a flirtatious wink at Hino Wuma. "I don't hit women."

I reached up and flicked his forehead. "You're being sexist!"

Alastor winced and set me down, clutching his forehead. "This is called chivalry."

"Hmph, times have changed. You think this is still the age of ladies from hundreds of years ago? Even if you don't fight her, it's not like she'll like you. In fact, she hates you quite a bit. Look..." I pointed at Hino Wuma, whose face was turning pale with rage.

"Really?" Alastor blinked his blue eyes with infinite innocence and casually tossed a fireball. "In that case, I shall humbly obey."

Boom, boom, boom!

A total free-for-all!

Holding Snowy, I stood in a safe spot, watching the battle with a smile.