Chapter 116: Time Slowdown

Earrings?

Necklaces?

Peripheral products?

It was the first time she had seen such ugly accessories.

“No thank you, I don’t need it.”

Cassia smiled politely and waved her hand in refusal.

She didn’t want to accept things given by a stranger she had just met.

“What…? What did you say?”

Henson was shocked, more shocked than if he had come home at Evening to find an alien sleeping in his bed.

“You really don’t want it?”

“Uh, thank you for sharing your story, Mr. Henson, but I really don’t need it.”

“That’s not right. The Lord clearly said ‘the blue-haired one at the station is our companion.’ It has to be you; that obsession also meets the criteria… Where did I go wrong…”

Henson’s face twisted in pain from self-reproach.

“Mr. Henson?”

Buzz—

She felt her Ring Chart vibrate.

Hill?

Cassia opened it to look:

Have you decided where to go for fun yet, or should I be the one to decide?

If it’s too expensive, I’m not going

Siloque!

Cassia’s expression instantly brightened.

Her melancholy mood dissipated by more than half.

He didn’t forget his Family Pact with me.

Cassia immediately replied with an Ailulu jumping emoji.

The corners of her mouth curved into a beautiful arc, and she almost wanted to jump while clutching her Mobile Phone.

“Mr. Henson, you should do your best. I believe you will find a new partner! I have something to do, so I’ll be going now!”

Siloque’s message was the primary reason, followed by Cassia spotting Hill wandering outside the park gates, currently buying ice cream.

Just as Cassia stood up, a reaction came from her brainwaves.

[Cassia, it stinks…]

Hertanid had suddenly woken up.

[Is it… is it that smelly? Although I’ve been running all day, it shouldn’t be enough to wake you up from the stench…]

[It’s not from thy body, it’s from the one next to thee.]

Next to her?

There was only this college student named Henson talking to himself.

I didn’t smell anything on him either, but Hertanid said he stinks…

The last person with this smell was Cliff, and Siloque said he had been chosen by the Evil Demon Society.

The Evil Demon Society?

Realizing this, Cassia summoned the full form of the Wraithblade.

It was never wrong to reveal a Weapon first.

The moment she gripped the hilt—

So heavy!

No, it was very slow.

Cassia felt as if steel bars were embedded in every bone of her body, every joint rusted and stiff.

Her body’s movements were extremely slow.

What did he do?

Even though her whole person moved in slow motion as if a video were playing at 0.25x speed, Cassia still struggled to take a stance against Henson.

“Don’t, don’t, don’t! Don’t be like that! Why pull out such a dangerous thing?”

Henson looked very panicked.

Cassia was about to step back to open the distance and observe her opponent—

“This is—! Uh!”

If her whole body was moving at a reduced speed earlier, it was now at a super-super reduced speed, and the degree of deceleration was still gradually increasing.

She could feel herself moving, but the range was so small it was as if her entire self had stopped in time.

Time… stop?

The smell…!

Cassia’s heart went cold.

That strange scent of tea mixed with cola.

She remembered it.

She had smelled it before when her Mother, Vitoris, took her and her Brother to visit the laboratory.

After her Brother inhaled it, he struck exaggerated poses in slow motion to play a character Game with her, pretending to use the Dark Witch Mesco’s time-type ultimate move to pause time.

The S33 Binding Tool.

Compared to the R34 Siloque used before, this was a one-time use Sacred Tool, a colorless gas.

After a living creature inhaled it, their body would completely slow down within 3 minutes.

However, production had been banned many years ago.

Cassia rolled her eyes and, in a corner under the iron bench, discovered a can-shaped object.

She only regretted that she wasn’t wearing a gas mask.

This gas had to be inhaled in large quantities to take effect.

One was right in her Ring Chart, but no one would wander around the streets wearing a gas mask…

“You’re too despicable! To strike when a girl’s emotions are vulnerable, are you even human!”

Cassia shouted to stall for time while her mind raced for a way to escape danger.

“I’m sorry, I’m very weak.”

Henson’s tone carried genuine apology.

“The Sacred Tool was already set up when you came here lost in thought earlier.”

“Mr. Henson, you as expected are, from the Evil Demon Society?”

Cassia questioned coldly, the deceleration starting to prevent her from speaking normally.

Rather than cold, it was more like she was imitating a comedian.

Speaking of which, why was Henson fine?

The effect of the S33 did not distinguish between friend or foe; whoever inhaled it would be slowed.

Explorers only used it after carefully checking the wind direction.

At such a close distance, Henson must have inhaled it too, yet he seemed completely unaffected.

Could it be he had rhinitis?

Or did he not need to breathe?

A Talent, or a Sacred Tool?

The timid Henson heard the words “Evil Demon Society,” and while his expression instantly became murderous, he corrected her:

“It is the Holy Hive Society. But, how did you know?”

Such bad luck.

How did she run into them again.

And choosing a time when her mood was low.

How disgusting.

Cassia showed an expression of loathing and contempt.

Being able to do things that harm others with a straight face—that was the Evil Demon Society.

Cassia had no heart for complaining; the next step was to quickly confirm her surroundings.

Among the flowing tourists, some were coming this way, but the fastest they could reach her was at least 2 minutes.

Should she shout?

It definitely wouldn’t work.

It would only speed up innocent, curious tourists flocking over.

By the time she shouted—they understood—and came to help, the time spent on that series of processes would be more than enough for Henson to choose to flee or attack.

“Ah—”

Moreover, Cassia felt her vocal cords starting to slow down; she couldn’t even speak anymore.

She simply began to hold her breath.

She reduced the amount of inhalation and activated her Talent [Friction] to speed up the discharge of sweat to dilute the effect.

How much time was left?

From the moment she noticed it taking effect until now, about 43 seconds had passed.

Within 2 minutes, she either had to call the Tuners for help, escape, or… defeat the opponent.

Cassia’s eyes became sharp.

Henson, who had gained a massive advantage, did not approach Cassia.

Instead, he slid backward until the distance between the two was 10 meters.

“So be it. Rest assured, I only want to give you the Blessing of Izabilis. This is power that belongs to you. You. Must. Accept.”

He pulled pieces of clothing from his chest and placed them on the iron bench; there should be some kind of storage Sacred Tool inside.

“??”

Cassia didn’t understand what he was doing until she looked closer—

A cinched-waist skirt, a suit jacket, a qipao, formal wear, a pink T-shirt, a dress, many, many more.

Judging from the colors and styles, they all had one common characteristic—women’s clothing.

She couldn’t help but feel a chill down her spine.

The Evil Demon Society really doesn’t have any normal people.

Is this guy a cross-dressing pervert?!

“Please do not look at me with those eyes.”

Henson adjusted his glasses and spoke seriously.

He tossed a small black branch of an unknown color in his hand.

After gripping it, he pulled his fist back, striking the pose of a baseball pitcher.

“For safety’s sake… I am not good at fighting, and I don’t have much Magic. If you didn’t resist, I originally didn’t intend to do this.”

Henson took off his glasses and put them in his pocket, his face full of helplessness.

“Next, I will throw this with maximum strength. The impact might be too great and could leave a hole in your body. But the Lord will grant you a Cleansing Ritual, so you will be fine. These are replacement clothes, clothes my sister didn’t want. I won’t let you be naked in the street; it would be too embarrassing for a girl.”

Henson rubbed his nose very bashfully, his face turning red.