Chapter 49: Level Up

“Hmm? What?”

Colin wondered if he was hallucinating. He thought he heard someone calling for help again.

But when he looked around, all he saw were mutilated corpses—no living person in sight.

“Could it be that I misheard?”

Since he didn’t hear any more cries for help, Colin decided to put the matter aside for now. He needed to check on the beastman first.

Colin approached the beastman and noticed that she was no longer frozen in place like before.

This time, she looked at Colin, and under his slightly surprised gaze, she slowly knelt before him.

“Thank you for saving a beastman slave like me. Now, I am your property. Whatever you ask me to do, I will obey, Master.”

“Huh?”

Colin was completely stunned by her reply. He hadn’t expected her first words to be like that, leaving him at a loss for how to respond.

Lola had already made up her mind. During the time that had passed, she had come to terms with her situation. Freedom? That was a dream. It was better to be a slave—at least if the master was decent, she could live a good life.

And Colin, her savior, seemed like a good choice. If she could become his slave, she wouldn’t have to face these horrors anymore.

Lola’s heart had been shattered by the recent events. All she wanted now was a place to heal, even if that meant betraying her original will.

Just as Lola buried her true feelings deep inside, Colin spoke, and she listened intently. Silently, she prayed that this knight-like human in front of her would accept her.

“You don’t have to say things like ‘master’ anymore. I won’t be your master, and you’re not my property.”

Upon hearing this, Lola immediately lowered her head in disappointment. But Colin’s next words forced her to raise her head again.

“But if you truly have nowhere else to go, my estate needs one more servant. I can hire you to work there. As for the salary, we can discuss that once we get back. How does that sound?”

Lola couldn’t believe her ears. She hadn’t expected this human to say such a thing. It was like her sealed heart had been opened again. She no longer needed to betray her true self!

But… aren’t humans supposed to be like those ‘Rook Hooks’, mercenaries, or guards? To think there was a human like this… If only everyone had met him earlier.

Thinking of the companions she fled with, Lola felt a pang of sadness.

But she quickly composed herself, looking at Colin seriously and speaking each word clearly: “Is what you say true?”

“Of course. I swear it by the name of the Knights of the Holy Light!”

Hearing Colin’s answer, Lola smiled genuinely. Tears soon spilled down her cheeks, blending into an expression that was both laughing and crying.

“I… accept! Please let me, Lola, become a servant in your estate!”

After saying this, Lola seemed to exhaust all her strength and fainted.

Colin caught her swiftly, but looking at her condition, he knew it was no good to leave her here.

With a sigh, Colin lifted Lola in his arms, preparing to take her to Liamy.

“Heh, heh… ha…”

Gavasa ran all the way to the edge of the forest. Just as it was about to step back into the woods, it suddenly dropped to its knees.

Tsk! Was it because of that holy knight’s slash? I’ve only run for a little while, and I’m already about to collapse. If only I hadn’t been greedy for that magic item…

Gavasa deeply regretted its decision. If it hadn’t given in to greed for a moment, it might have run far away by now, completely out of the holy knight’s pursuit range. It wouldn’t have ended up like this.

Supporting itself on its hands, Gavasa rested for a moment. As it was about to get up and keep running, it suddenly realized something and rolled to the side with force.

At the spot where it had just knelt, several shadowy chains emerged from the ground. But since Gavasa had already moved away, the chains missed their target and returned underground.

“I didn’t expect your injuries to be this severe, but your perception still seems fine.”

A voice sounded, and Liamy appeared from behind a tree.

As soon as she appeared, she finished off the shadow blades in her hand and walked toward Gavasa as if on a casual stroll.

Seeing her, Gavasa’s face turned as pale as death.

It understood its current predicament. It was just like the ‘Rook Hook’ that had been surrounded and beaten by little goblins before—completely out of options, only waiting for death.

No, I can’t die! I don’t want to die!

Gavasa staggered to its feet. Though its body was battered and torn, it still had some magical power left—a sliver of hope! It just needed the assassin to make a mistake!

Liamy appeared completely unguarded now, apparently confident that Gavasa had lost the ability to resist, and was leisurely approaching.

As Liamy drew closer, Gavasa’s remaining hand carefully traced a magic circle on the ground without attracting her notice.

I’ll gamble all my remaining magic on this circle!

The closer Liamy came, the more tense Gavasa’s heart and right hand became.

Now! Liamy was at the perfect distance.

Gavasa swiftly revealed its hidden right hand. A small magic circle appeared in its palm and instantly activated, shooting a purple beam toward Liamy.

But when the beam hit her, Liamy’s body turned into a pool of shadows.

At that moment, Liamy suddenly materialized behind Gavasa. As soon as she appeared, she raised her shadow blade and stabbed at Gavasa.

Good! She revealed her weakness!

Just as Liamy was about to pierce Gavasa’s neck, the magic circle Gavasa had drawn on the ground lit up. A black-purple beam descended from the sky, striking Liamy.

However, to Gavasa’s shock, Liamy instantly dissolved into a pool of shadows again. Its all-in magical attack had missed completely.

What?! This was fake too? Could it be that the first one was…

Gavasa didn’t have time to think further. One shadow blade pierced its neck, and another stabbed its heart.

Watching the Liamy it thought was fake at first reform her body and deliver a fatal blow, Gavasa wanted to say something but no sound came out. Its thoughts slipped into darkness, no longer stirring.

Liamy smiled cunningly, hearing the expected sound of level-up from the void, as she looked down at the motionless, utterly dead Gavasa.