Chapter 52: You’re Nowhere Near Their Level

“Stop!”

Field looked at the scene before her, her heart twisting in pain.

She shouted anxiously at Irina Zi, wishing she could rush up and kill Irina Zi right then and there, but even if she charged forward, she would still face Liakade, who was being used as a meat shield.

Irina Zi drew her dagger.

Blood flowed continuously from the wound, and Liakade gritted her teeth through the pain, sweat as large as beans dripping down her forehead.

“It’s okay… Princess Field, you should go back first. I’ll be fine.”

Liakade gasped, feeling heat spreading from her wound.

She resisted the urge to scream, afraid that her cries would agitate Field further and make her completely lose her composure, so she forced a weak smile at Field.

“I’ve changed my mind. If you dare to leave, Field, I’ll kill her right now.”

“Huu…”

Field took a deep breath, telling herself not to panic, not to lose her cool.

If Irina Zi wanted her to stay, fine.

At least she could ensure Liakade’s safety.

“Alright, I’ll stay here. But why are you doing all this?”

“I’ve said it so many times already, Field, did you not hear a word? I love you!”

Irina Zi roared at Field, angrily blaming her for not understanding her feelings.

“I get it… You want to be with me, is that it?”

“Yes. You finally understand? You finally feel my heart?”

Hearing Field’s words, Irina Zi thought Field had finally come to her senses.

“Fine. I’ll be with you.”

Field nodded, then said, “Release the contract and let Liakade go. Then I’ll be with you.”

“Liakade again, Liakade again!”

The faint joy that had risen in Irina Zi’s heart was extinguished again by Field’s next words.

“If it’s only because of her that you’re willing to be with me, I don’t accept it at all! You’re only saying it because of her! If I let her go, you’ll definitely go back on your word!”

With that, Irina Zi stabbed Liakade’s arm again.

“Hey!”

Field shouted at Irina Zi in a hurry.

“I already said I’d be with you, what more do you want?”

“What’s so good about this bitch anyway?”

“I’m the daughter of the Chancellor, and she’s just a Curse Child with that glaring, ominous white hair. Even before she became my slave, her background was just a minor Border Noble, and now she’s even fallen to being a slave.”

“In terms of looks and reputation, she’s not even close to me, and now her body isn’t even pure. Why do you insist on going against me for a woman like this?”

“So what if she’s a Curse Child? So what if she has no background? So what if she’s a slave or a commoner? To me, she and Alice are a thousand times better than a hypocrite like you!”

Seeing that Irina Zi was no longer planning to release her, and was even preparing to kill Liakade right here, Field no longer intended to back down.

She prepared to defeat Irina Zi in battle and break the contract, even if it meant Liakade would get a little hurt.

Afterwards, she could only pray that Alice would be able to heal Liakade.

Irina Zi froze for a few seconds at Field’s words.

Field seized the moment to move closer to Irina Zi.

“You dare say I’m inferior to this bitch!”

Irina Zi snapped back to her senses, immediately trying to press the dagger to Liakade’s neck.

In the previous fight, she’d used too much strength and magic, so a direct clash with Field wasn’t possible.

But during Irina Zi’s brief hesitation, Field’s attack was already prepared.

She didn’t aim directly at Irina Zi—Irina Zi would just use Liakade as a shield.

Instead, she targeted the floor beneath their feet.

A fireball exploded beside Irina Zi.

Overwhelmed by the shockwave, Irina Zi instinctively let go of Liakade.

Unable to use magic, Liakade was sent flying by the impact, but Field didn’t rush to check on the injured Liakade.

Instead, she charged straight at Irina Zi.

Even if Irina Zi tried to pull Liakade over, any attempt to escape or whatever would fail due to the contract’s restriction.

So the contract had to be destroyed first!

“Restrain her! Liakade!”

At that moment, Irina Zi screamed, releasing Liakade’s Magic Suppression.

Despite looking down on Liakade, at a critical moment she still had to rely on her to resolve the crisis.

“Thud——”

A massive wind pressure slammed down instantly.

Field felt as if a heavy stone was pressing her to the ground, unable to move, forced to her knees.

Her outstretched hand was so close to the contract—yet so far.

“I didn’t want to fight you. It’s all your fault… you forced me!”

Irina Zi glared at Field with resentment.

“I gave you so many chances and you never cherished them! I won’t go easy on you anymore!”

“Chances? Who needs your chances?”

Field spat out the words through clenched teeth.

“Ah——”

In the next second, the pressure on Field grew heavier, the floor caving in beneath her from the force.

Field couldn’t help but cough up blood, feeling like her bones were about to shatter.

“No… this isn’t how it should be…”

Wounded, Liakade tried to withdraw her magic, but Irina Zi’s command forced her to increase her output.

Bound by the contract, she couldn’t stop, and could only watch helplessly as her attack struck Field.

“Stop.”

At Irina Zi’s order, Liakade finally managed to retract her magic.

Irina Zi crouched down, meeting Field’s eyes.

Though Field was weak, the disgust in her gaze was clear.

Irina Zi didn’t care; she gently lifted Field’s chin.

“Heh. Looking closely, this expression is rather cute too. Even if I can’t have your heart, I can have your body, can’t I?”

As Irina Zi’s lips moved closer to Field’s, Liakade’s heart filled with endless regret.

It’s all because of me.

If only I hadn’t come up with these stupid ideas.

If only I hadn’t involved them in my affairs.

If only I hadn’t told them the truth from the start…

It’s all my fault…

[Don’t blame yourself. It’s obviously this crazy woman’s fault.]

At that moment, the bewitching voice from her dreams appeared again—it was Korim.

Liakade’s world slowed to a near standstill.

[I have a way for you to change everything.]

“Is it to make me accept your power again?”

Liakade thought.

Truly worthy of being of the Demon Race—only appearing in dangerous moments, tempting humans to sell their souls for one last lifeline.

[No. It’s to make you accept your own power.]

“Heh. My own power?”

Liakade didn’t believe Korim’s words.

She must be trying to deceive her.

Something terrible would definitely happen after accepting it…

But even if there was a price, so what?

As long as she could save Field, Liakade was willing to accept any cost.

[There’s no price. If there is one, perhaps it’s losing the purity of being human.]

“Heh.”

Liakade laughed soundlessly.

She’d already become a Demon Race in the original work, so what if she transformed again?

It was just following the wheel of history onward.

The wind in the corridor suddenly grew chaotic.

The windows shattered one by one in the raging storm.

Irina Zi paused and turned to Liakade, seeing her head bowed, unsure what she was doing.

“What are you doing?! Stop it!”

“Huu——”

All the candelabras in the corridor were extinguished in an instant.

The wind stopped.

Silence returned.

In the darkness, only a pair of crimson eyes stared at Irina Zi.