Chapter 44: A Dangerous Alliance and a Calculated Escape

“You?!”

Eileen Calibot lunged forward, intending to stop her.

Unfortunately, she was a step too late.

The orb released a surge of black mist.

This mist enveloped the entire castle, while the screams of ghosts tore through the sky, parting the dark clouds.

Moonlight once again bathed the golden castle, casting an eerie glow upon it.

“You knew perfectly well she came here to help with me!” Eileen Calibot retorted.

“I’m merely helping you,” Falute said, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Becoming a necromancer’s servant is hardly a good thing.”

Necromantic sorcery blanketed the entire castle.

“This way, they’ll believe a necromancer did it. Then, the only necromancer to appear in this world will be hunted down by every S-rank Dragon Slayer in the vicinity.”

Eileen Calibot knew all too well that even a B-rank like Setia would struggle to handle such a situation, let alone an S-rank.

“Tch.” Eileen Calibot could no longer afford to hesitate. She spun around, intending to rush back.

“Thud!”

A golden holy sword plunged into the ground directly in front of Eileen Calibot.

Falute then stepped onto the hilt of the sword, looking at Eileen Calibot. “And you, as the necromancer’s maid, will naturally be implicated. Come with me, little maid; I’ll protect you.”

“Get up!” Eileen Calibot snapped, her patience wearing thin. She had no time for games right now.

“Since you can’t speak properly, then.” Falute dismounted from the sword, gently gripping its hilt. “Miss Liana mentioned that you’re also part of this commission, and you defeated Izawa all by yourself, didn’t you?”

Eileen Calibot tightened her grip on Durandal.

In the next second, Falute lunged directly at Eileen Calibot.

The golden holy sword clashed against Durandal, emitting a piercing shriek.

However, the instant their weapons met, Eileen Calibot sensed something amiss.

Yet, before Eileen Calibot could even voice her suspicions, Falute spoke first.

“Damocles Sword Style? Who taught you that? Why have I never seen you before?” Falute inquired.

Using the exact same techniques as Eileen Calibot, Falute cornered her. The two fought like reflections in a mirror, neither able to gain an advantage.

‘This is a technique of the Imperial nobility. How does she know it?’

‘Could she truly not be Faltis Calibot…’

“This is far from enough, you know. If you don’t hurry, that necromancer will be in grave danger.”

“Hmph.”

Eileen Calibot shook off the strange thoughts swirling in her mind, forcing herself to calm down.

A wisp of white mist escaped Eileen Calibot’s lips, and Durandal’s closed eye slowly opened, emitting an eerie red glow.

“Clink!”

Drops of blood falling through the air transformed into tiny ice shards, clattering to the ground.

“Ancient Damocles Sword Style! Dance of the Pale Moon!”

It was the same technique again, but this time, the golden holy sword remained impaled in the ground.

Falute, still gripping its hilt, mused, “Truly, a weapon as useless as its owner.”

Falute casually tossed the sword aside. “This time, I’ll concede your victory.”

“Move,” Eileen Calibot commanded, pointing at her.

“What if I don’t?”

A flash of sword light, and a streak of blood appeared on Falute’s face.

‘It’s time to break away from my old, indecisive self.’ “That was merely a warning.”

“Alright, alright.” Falute raised her hands above her head and stepped back. “Don’t be so fierce, Miss Maid. You’re much cuter when you smile.”

Falute leaped out the window. A green magic circle flashed, and a gust of wind carried her high into the air. She gripped a paraglider in her hands. “I look forward to our next meeting, Miss Maid.”

Eileen Calibot sheathed Durandal and departed from the golden holy temple.

However, as Eileen Calibot left, she witnessed the Grim Reaper, scythe in hand, cleaving the entire golden holy temple in two.

Eileen Calibot had no mind for such things now; she rushed back to the tavern.

The tavern lights were still burning, and a crowd had gathered at the entrance, watching the commotion, seemingly drawn by the events at the golden holy temple.

“Tch!” Eileen Calibot muttered, eyeing the crowd. She couldn’t expose herself to them now. She leaped onto the rooftop and entered Liana’s window.

“Liana!” Eileen Calibot exclaimed, looking at her.

Liana, too, stood by the window, observing everything that had transpired. She parted her lips, appearing somewhat surprised.

She turned to face Eileen Calibot, but before she could speak, Eileen Calibot’s barrage of questions began.

“Why? If Lady Faltis sent me, I could have handled this. Why let someone else interfere?”

Liana was momentarily speechless, struggling to articulate her hidden difficulties. She could only offer an awkward smile. “Wasn’t it because you seemed rather ordinary? Just a little extra insurance, you know? At least the mission was completed, wasn’t it?”

She hadn’t anticipated such a grand spectacle. It seemed personal emotions had played a significant role.

“Forget it. I’m too lazy to discuss this further with you. If any more accidents occur, I won’t get involved.” Eileen Calibot declared, preparing to leave. The priority was to get Setia out of here.

“Don’t be in such a hurry to leave,” Liana said.

“Not leave? Should I wait for them to come and take Setia away?”

“Relax. As long as you don’t admit Setia is a necromancer, who would know? No one saw Setia’s face, and only we—and Falute—know her name. We’d already arranged a scapegoat before you returned,” Liana explained.

Eileen Calibot looked into the distance. Indeed, the Grim Reaper’s silhouette was slowly drifting away.

This brought a slight measure of relief to Eileen Calibot. However, while Setia was safe, she herself, as a necromancer’s servant, would surely be apprehended and interrogated.

To her surprise, Liana had even resolved the issue of her own identity.

“No one wants to deal with a necromancer, so we’ll handle the questioning for you. The excuse—no, the reason—has already been decided. Now, you just need to get some sleep, then wake up tomorrow and stroll around town,” Liana stated.

“Is that so?” Eileen Calibot looked at Liana with a hint of skepticism.

“Don’t worry, you can trust our methods. However, from now on, you two will have to refer to each other as sisters,” Liana added.

“Alright.” Eileen Calibot no longer dwelled on it. More than anything, she was worried about Setia’s safety.

She went up to her room on the second floor.

Setia was currently gazing at the distant golden holy temple, her eyes filled with concern.

“Setia?”

Eileen Calibot softly called her name.

Setia, in a single stride, rushed into Eileen Calibot’s embrace.