Chapter 110: A Hostile Confrontation

I had been deep in meditation, diligently recovering my magic power. Had my concentration been just a fraction deeper, such an abrupt disturbance might well have shattered my mind.

Imeline, mid-sentence, abruptly paused. Her gaze had fallen upon Julie, who was now striding directly towards their group.

Julie approached Lucia and her companions with an air of purpose, flanked by a retinue of her own. This was her squad, a formidable group not only numerous but also perfectly balanced in its composition.

Julie herself was a Guardian Nun, and her squad boasted a total of four Nuns, three Mages, and three Knights. While not all of them had reached the third tier, their sheer numbers and diverse skill sets ensured their collective might was in no way inferior to Lucia’s own team.

They converged swiftly, encircling the sofa where Lucia and her friends were seated, effectively trapping them.

“Hey, what’s with this aggressive encirclement? What exactly do you people want?”

Seeing the hostile intent of the approaching group, Imeline’s relaxed demeanor—which she’d shared moments ago with Lucia and Attestor—vanished instantly. A look of undisguised displeasure now settled upon her face as she glared at Julie.

“Oh? Imeline, have you already forgotten the agreement Lucia and I made earlier?”

Julie’s tone shifted abruptly then, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Or perhaps… you intend to renege on it? Lucia did sign a contract, after all.”

“Who said anything about reneging?”

At this, Imeline’s brow furrowed even deeper in irritation.

“Must you always impute malicious intentions to others? When have we ever uttered a single word about going back on our word?”

With that, Imeline swept her gaze across the throng of professionals who had them completely hemmed in. Then, she turned back, her eyes narrowing into a fierce glare at Julie.

“And you, what is the meaning of bringing this entire entourage to surround us at the return point? Can you not see that Thor is injured and still incredibly weak?”

Imeline found Julie’s actions utterly baffling. If she merely wished to claim her share of points, why not come alone? To ambush them with a crowd, especially after their harrowing escape and while everyone was still profoundly weakened, seemed incredibly impolite.

“Hmph.”

Julie, however, merely scoffed, displaying not an ounce of remorse or self-awareness regarding her conduct.

“What concern is your injury of mine? Is it not simply because you were too incompetent to even defeat a paltry Specter?”

With a sneer, Julie then cast a dismissive glance at Lucia and Attestor, who were both staring back from the sofa. Her voice, laced with derision, continued its taunt.

“Heh, Thor, I warned you long ago not to team up with a Beheading Nun like Lucia. She possesses neither support nor healing abilities, caring only for her own glory. That’s why she abandoned healing to become a Beheading Nun.”

“Do you understand now? When you’re wounded, what aid can a Beheading Nun offer? She can only stand by and watch you bleed.”

As Julie’s taunts continued, Lucia’s expression grew increasingly grim.

In truth, she had never actively sought to become a Beheading Nun; it was the Pope himself who had mandated her path.

Previously, Lucia hadn’t given it much thought, even believing that this specialization would allow her to better combat Fantasy Creatures, eradicating them single-handedly.

Yet, during this recent battle, witnessing Attestor’s injury and Imeline’s magic utterly depleted, Lucia was overcome by a profound sense of helplessness.

If only she had been a Guardian Nun, she could have shielded Attestor with a Divine Barrier before the magical assault struck. She could have provided protective blessings to Imeline, reducing her expenditure of both magic and mental energy during spellcasting.

If she had been a Healing Nun, she could have instantly mended Attestor’s wounds with a healing spell. She could have replenished Imeline’s exhausted magic and mental reserves with a clarity spell.

Indeed, had Lovelenica not arrived precisely when she did, bearing a Holy Healing Scroll, their predicament might have proven truly dire.

Julie’s words, on this occasion, had undeniably struck a chord with Lucia, stirring a flicker of doubt within her.

Moreover, Julie seemed utterly oblivious to the subtle shift in Lucia’s expression. Even if she had noticed, it was unlikely she would have ceased her relentless barrage of mockery.

“After the coming-of-age ceremony, our monster hunting squad will be finalized. If you’re wise, you’ll join me now. Teaming with a Beheading Nun like her will, sooner or later…”

“Silence.”

“What? I was merely considering your best interests…”

“I said, silence!”

Attestor’s gaze, chillingly sharp, coupled with the icy command in her voice, stunned everyone present into silence.

Every single one of Julie’s words had been a deliberate slight against Lucia. Attestor had reached her breaking point long ago, and now, to hear Julie feign concern while continuing her disparaging remarks, was simply intolerable.

Attestor had keenly observed the subtle shift in Lucia’s expression. Listening to Julie’s relentless taunts, Attestor felt a fiery rage ignite within her.

“Are you not here to claim your points? Why spew so much useless chatter? Or does everyone from the Crimson Family prove themselves to be silver-tongued wastes, just like you?”

“Attestor!”

Seeing her supposed goodwill so thoroughly unappreciated, Julie instantly bristled with indignation. The air around them grew thick with palpable tension, like gunpowder poised to ignite at any moment.

“What are you all doing, gathered here like this?”

Just as the tension between the two factions reached a boiling point, a voice, imbued with a hint of authority, resonated from behind them. The newcomer was none other than Lovelenica, another member of the Crimson Family.

“Instead of seizing this opportunity to rest, why are you all congregated here?”

Everyone turned in unison to behold the new arrival. Upon recognizing Lovelenica, a subtle, involuntary tremor passed through Julie’s eyes.

“Lovelenica,” Imeline interjected, her voice still laced with sarcasm, “your family’s third young lady is stirring up trouble again. Aren’t you going to rein her in?”

Imeline’s words, though addressed to Lovelenica, were undeniably aimed squarely at Julie.

It was a known fact that while both women belonged to the Crimson Family, and Lovelenica held the position of an elder, she was merely from a collateral branch. Julie, on the other hand, was a direct descendant. Thus, despite her seniority, Lovelenica technically held no authority over Julie. However, their previous heated exchange, where Lovelenica had openly cursed at Julie, unequivocally demonstrated that Lovelenica harbored no fear of her.

This dynamic clearly defied the typical relationship between direct and collateral lines within a noble family. Imeline suspected a secret lay at its heart, and while its nature remained obscure, she resolved to exploit this anomaly for the present.

As expected, Imeline’s words instantly ignited Julie’s fury. She erupted, unleashing a torrent of vitriol upon everyone present.

“You! Imeline, is your brain filled with water?! I am a direct descendant of this family! How could an outsider like her possibly presume to control me?!”

“Oh?”

Only upon hearing Imeline’s pointed remark and Julie’s enraged outburst did Lovelenica finally grasp that Julie had led her people to corner Lucia and her companions.

“I wondered what the commotion was about,” Lovelenica declared, her voice sharp. “Turns out it’s just a stray dog from the roadside. A good dog doesn’t block the path, so get out of the way!”

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