“Lord, what do you think?”
“You say I should find a better man. Who would that be? Do you think you can compare to Feide? Or is it that Walter, who you said would teach me a lesson, can compare to Feide?”
Liyakade paused deliberately at this point, her tone growing even colder.
“Or is it that perverted, filthy-minded Vidar?”
Rex’s heart suddenly jolted.
He didn’t know why Liyakade had suddenly mentioned Vidar, and with such emphasis.
It made Rex uneasy, as if Liyakade knew who the real mastermind was.
“Lord, I don’t know Vidar, nor do I understand him. As for me or Lord Walter, naturally we are not worthy of you…”
“Enough.”
Liyakade seemed already impatient.
She waved her hand dismissively, mocking Rex with disdain.
“All of you combined can’t compare to Feide even a little. Especially you—you’re not even worth one of Feide’s toenails.”
She paused for a moment, then spoke again, this time making her stance clear.
“Besides, even if Feide isn’t a noble or an outstanding person, I would still love him. All you schemers should just save your efforts. Stop wasting your time. I’m letting you off because I’m kind-hearted. Now get back and inform your master.”
Rex’s words had no substance or amusement; they only made Liyakade marvel at the diversity of humans.
So now she decided to let Rex go.
But of course, Liyakade wouldn’t really let Rex off.
She just said that.
She could sense that Rex’s men had already hidden nearby, ready to strike at any moment.
Even if she let Rex go, he would surely attack her again.
If Rex really left, it would surprise Liyakade.
But she still wouldn’t let these people off.
She would use even greater power to crush these ants, not letting a single one escape.
“Lord, you’re refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit.”
Rex slowly pushed himself up from the ground, his tone changing.
All traces of flattery were gone, replaced by a smug, treacherous air.
“Huh? Are you talking about me?”
Liyakade raised an eyebrow in confusion, pointing at herself.
She hadn’t expected Rex to change his face so quickly.
His men had only just set up the ambush, and he was already celebrating.
He was more fickle than turning pages.
Didn’t Rex consider that his tricks might not work?
“Do you understand the situation? All your men have been subdued by me. Even you, their leader, are pinned down on the ground. Do you… have any other tricks?”
“Heh, you really think my men have all been dealt with? It’s too late to beg for mercy now! Attack!”
Rex’s expression twisted.
At his command, purple smoke spread from all directions in the forest.
In an instant, only purple mist remained in sight, even the view was blocked by the dense purple haze.
Liyakade looked up at an angle to her side.
The moment she saw the purple smoke, her expression slightly changed.
She quickly channeled the magic power within her, and wind elements rose around her.
“Hahaha, it’s useless! Even if you’re a wind-element magic user, it’s useless!”
Seeing Liyakade try to command the wind elements for her own use, Rex burst into laughter.
Just as the cyan wind elements encircled Liyakade, several strange gusts of wind blew in, forming a bizarre turbulence.
Liyakade’s pupils contracted, her eyes full of disbelief.
The wind elements she had summoned were easily dissolved by the strange turbulence.
At the same time, the purple smoke, carried by the turbulence, swept over Liyakade’s entire body.
In her panic, Liyakade was engulfed.
“W-What is this?”
Liyakade’s expression shifted from confusion and surprise to panic.
She clearly didn’t understand why her wind elements couldn’t gather, nor what this purple smoke was.
“I was wondering why your speed was so strangely fast. So you were using wind elements to boost yourself.”
“Don’t you understand why you can’t control the wind elements? Many of us Dark Guards are wind-element users. We’ve practiced a combined magic. You’ve basically fallen into our magic array. As long as you’re inside this array, you can’t manipulate wind elements. Even if your level is much higher than ours, you can’t do it!”
“Even if you weren’t a wind-element magic user, it wouldn’t matter. Under the influence of this turbulence, no matter how you defend, these purple smoke will enter your body through your mouth and nose!”
“Hmph! What of it? I don’t rely solely on magic to fight!”
Liyakade snorted angrily.
She instantly burst forward with incredible speed, charging straight at Rex.
At the same time, her small fist shot forward, aimed at Rex’s face.
But this time, Rex didn’t get sent flying with blood like before.
Instead, he caught Liyakade’s fist with one hand.
“W-What? How is that possible?”
“Tsk… What terrifying strength.”
Rex, who had blocked Liyakade’s punch, couldn’t help but be amazed.
Even though Liyakade had already inhaled so much purple smoke, her fist still contained such formidable power.
In that state, she had almost shaken him.
“Just who are you? Hmph, but it doesn’t matter who you are now.”
As he spoke, Rex gently pushed forward along Liyakade’s fist, sending her stumbling backward, her footing unsteady.
“Little beauty, don’t you feel a bit unsteady, weak all over?”
“You… What have you done to me?”
Liyakade’s face now showed a trace of alarm.
She also felt that her body had gone limp, without any strength.
At the same time, more purple smoke entered her body through her mouth and nose.
As she unconsciously breathed, Liyakade caught a familiar scent.
“This smell… You guys put poison in the caravan’s water!”
“That’s right, little beauty. You finally noticed?”
Rex revealed a lecherous grin, stepping closer to Liyakade.
Having detected the toxin, Liyakade hurriedly covered her mouth and nose.
But it was too late.
She had already inhaled a large amount, and the poison had spread throughout her body.
Now she was like a lamb to the slaughter.
“It’s no use.”
Seeing Liyakade panicking and trying to block her mouth and nose, Rex laughed even more openly.
“You already inhaled these smoke a long time ago. It’s useless even if you cover your mouth and nose now. Actually, no, even if you had covered them from the start, it wouldn’t have helped. The turbulence in this magic array sends the purple smoke into your body.”
“You…”
Indeed, as Rex said, even though Liyakade covered her mouth and nose, she still felt her steps faltering and her breathing becoming difficult.
If she continued to cover her mouth, she might suffocate from lack of oxygen.
But if she uncovered, she would keep inhaling the smoke.
“Why… You also inhaled this smoke. Why are you fine?”
“Heh, do you think we’d be stupid enough to let our own magic array attack us? We’ve long developed a special magic that can block these smoke, and it’s not limited to any element.”
“Cough cough… No, don’t! What do you want?”
Seeing Rex strolling casually through the smoke, Liyakade finally understood that everything they said was true.
Now only terror remained in her heart.
“What do we want? We already told you at the beginning. Just a little lesson. Oh, of course, the physical kind of lesson, hahaha.”
Seeing that Liyakade was completely poisoned, Rex snapped his fingers.
The remaining Dark Guards leaped out from hiding.
“Little sister, you sure are a slut. Our boss just said ‘a lesson,’ but you immediately thought of it in a physical sense. You must be really eager for a lesson, huh? Uncle will give you a proper lesson.”
A masked shadow rubbed his hands together, following behind Rex, spouting obscenities at Liyakade.
“Tch, this bitch was so strong, she almost broke my leg. We’ll make her pay soon.”
Another shadow spat, clearly pissed off at Liyakade.
“Heh, stop talking. We need to take this little beauty to Lord Vidar first.”
Rex’s underlings chattered behind him, discussing how they would toy with Liyakade later.
But Rex raised his hand gently to stop their gossip.
“Vi… Vidar… He’s your real master?”
Liyakade could no longer move her legs.
She slumped to the ground, her voice weak as she asked Rex.
“That’s right. I don’t think I told you before. The one who ordered us to capture you wasn’t Walter, but Lord Vidar. We are Lord Vidar’s Dark Guards. How could we betray the one we truly serve? You believed everything I said. So naive. But then again, naive in mind, but your body has long been impure, right? Hahaha.”
“Ugh…”
“Dumb? Isn’t it because you’re just too stupid, little beauty? But from now on, you won’t need a brain. Just enjoy what comes next.”
“Speaking of which… You almost broke my arm earlier.”
Rex rolled up his sleeve, showing the deep bruise left by Liyakade’s punch.
“Little beauty, you’ve hurt me like this. Shouldn’t you give me some compensation? Or maybe heal me? How about letting my hand go inside your body for a little massage? That should work, right?”
“No… Don’t!”
Hearing that, Liyakade’s face changed dramatically.
He meant to shove his entire fist into her body!
“Don’t be scared. You’ll feel good soon.”
Rex leered as he closed in on Liyakade.
He wouldn’t let his men take turns with her—after all, she was to be delivered to Vidar.
If she were ruined now, Vidar would notice.
But if only Rex himself enjoyed her, he could still cover it up.
“Many women before were terrified when they heard this, but in the end, they all climaxed. Little beauty, you want to experience it too, right?”
“…You mean you’ve done this to several women before?”
“That’s right, little beauty.”
Rex was completely immersed in the joy of victory, not noticing the change in Liyakade’s tone.
Her voice was no longer breathless as before.
“Enjoy it…”
“Die!”
A crimson flash cut across Rex’s waist, and blood spurted instantly.
“Ah! You…”
“Scum!”