Vol.4 Chapter235 A Dance with a Paladin.

Vol.4 Ch.235 A Dance with a Paladin.

Hilda's breath caught in her throat, and she felt the color drain from her cheeks as Sir Darius suddenly appeared before her.

"S-Sir Darius," she stammered, disbelief etched across her features. The paladin stood tall, a striking figure, clutching a radiant beaded necklace that glimmered in the dim light—a mirror image of her own—and its luminous beads pointed unwaveringly in her direction.

'Huh? What’s happening? My bracelet is radiating light! Did the Prophet gift me this to keep tabs on me?' Hilda pondered, a mix of intrigue and unease surging through her.

Darius had an angry expression, "You left the lobby without permission, Princess... You're lucky that we aren't in our homeland. Otherwise, you would be severely punished," Darius hissed.

"Y-Yes, Sir, but I—"

"Shut up and come here," Darius barked, his voice cutting through the air like a knife.

Hilda fell silent and quickly stood up for the bench, her gaze fixed firmly on the ground. She then made her way to her bodyguard, her steps quick and tentative.

From her position, Rya observed the scene unfold. She could see the tumult of fear and shame swirling in the princess’s eyes, but her attention was drawn more to the imposing figure of the paladin standing nearby.

'Yeah... Different man but has the same bullshit attitude. Just as bad as I remembered... I don't know if I can hold myself back from killing these assholes. I wish it was that prick Claudius, but this Paladin will do... But what should I do about this princess? Rah! Leave her alone. She's a victim of these assholes,' Rya thought. Rya felt a seething hatred churning within her, yet she managed to maintain an icy composure as she rose gracefully from the bench.

Darius shot her a disdainful glance, his eyes narrowing at the sight of her revealing dress. In his homeland, such attire would not go unpunished.

“Tsk! These Fiafyrian women really ought to know their place when it comes to approaching our Princess,” he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. “Come, Princess Hilda. It's time we meet your husband.”

Rya felt a surge of anger rise within her as the paladin casually said that Hilda was going to meet her fiancé. 'How dare he!'

Hilda turned to Rya, her expression a mix of hesitation and resolve. "Yes, Sir," she replied, casting a quick glance back at Rya. "Goodbye..."

Rya barely noticed Hilda's sorrowful response as she stood rooted in place, her heart racing. She watched them turn to leave, but she couldn't let the paladin walk away without a word. No, not after that. Taking a deep breath, she readied herself to confront him.

"Excuse me? But are you a paladin from the Divine Three?" Rya called out.

Sir Darius halted abruptly; irritation etched across his features. He spun around, his expression darkening further.

"Why do you wish to know, wench," Darius replied curtly, giving her a nasty look.

Hilda's concern deepened. She could sense the tension rising, and she feared that Darius might unleash something reckless in his fury.

"Well... I've encountered your type before," Rya said, her tone sharp as a blade. "I didn't want to assume you were like him, but the way you treat both your Princess and me leaves little doubt."

Darius tossed his head back in a sneer, annoyance boiling beneath the surface. "I don’t have time to chat with a sheltered wench like you," he spat, prepared to turn away.

But Rya’s voice slid in like silk, "Have you ever met Sir Claudius?" she asked, her tone laced with an enticing allure.

Instantly, Darius’s irritation faded, replaced by a flicker of curiosity mingled with caution. Sir Claudius was a man of legendary renown within the holy order, revered for his righteousness during the purging of the unfaithful. Yet, he had vanished on a crusade against the Dark Elves, and whispers of his deeds had faded into myth as he and his paladins hadn't finished their mission. How could this insufferable girl possibly know him?

"Yes... He is the strongest of the order," Darius stated proudly. "If you have met him, then you are very fortunate."

"Oh, yes, I was VERY fortunate to meet him... Where is he now?" Rya asked, wanting to know what that bastard was up to.

"I don't have the time nor the patience for this... Come, Princess," Darius growled and started walking off.

"Is that because you are a coward or because you have something to hide, Paladin?" Rya's voice cut through the air, sharp and challenging.

Sir Darius, not one to back down easily, felt his temper flare as he turned to face her once more. But as he did, an unsettling realization washed over him. Her skin was a deep, rich brown, smooth and unblemished, radiating an almost ethereal quality. His gaze was drawn to her striking platinum-white hair, a stark contrast that only added to her allure. In that moment, unease settled in his chest. He couldn't shake the feeling that this woman was not someone to be trifled with.

'That can't be natural,' he thought, 'And there's something...off about her.'

“Oh? I have your attention now, do I?” Rya said, her voice smooth, a playful glint dancing in her azure eyes. “Well then, tell me, what has Sir Claudius been up to since the last time I saw him? It must be over a month ago."

"He's on a mission from the Divine Ones... He's wiping the planet clean of those who follow the dark ones," Darius boasted as his unease continued to grow, "He's a powerful warrior and is the pride of the Order."

Rya raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. “Oh really? So he's still out there hunting the dark elves, is he? He must not be as remarkable as you claim if he hasn't returned yet...”

The atmosphere crackled with tension as Darius locked his gaze with Rya's mesmerizing azure eyes. The white knights around them were caught in a whirlwind of confusion, unsure of what was about to unfold. Darius, unyielding, slowly lifted his hand toward the hilt of his sword, a silent declaration that sent shivers through the air. Meanwhile, Hilda's heart raced, and her worry for Rya's safety grew, sensing the storm brewing in the space between them.

“Sir Darius? We should really leave her be—”

“Princess... Run... Now!” Darius hissed, his voice low and urgent as he unsheathed his sword.

Panic surged through Hilda as she sensed the tension crackling in the air. The fierce determination in Darius's eyes warned her that a storm was brewing. The white knights followed their captain’s lead, swords drawn and ready for anything.

Rya stood firm, a dangerous glint in her narrowed eyes as she summoned her mana, a swirling energy gathering around her.

“What’s happening?!” Hilda gasped, her heart racing at the uncertainty of it all.

“Run, now!” Darius shouted, his fierce gaze fixated on the enigmatic woman before them. A heavy air of danger hung between them, crackling with tension.

“I’ve always wondered what I’d do if I encountered another paladin like Sir Claudius,” Rya replied, her voice laced with a dark amusement. “Seeing you brings him to mind... You know, he slaughtered countless under the banner of your foolish gods. I was different back then—naive, perhaps. But I’ve grown stronger, and I refuse to make the same mistakes. It seems I’ll finally get a chance to test my skills against one of your kind,” she added, her smirk deepening.

Hilda felt her stomach drop. The warm-hearted companion she once knew was gone, replaced by a figure who exuded danger and a palpable thirst for blood.

'What’s happening? I can’t make sense of this!' Hilda’s mind raced, confusion washing over her.

With deliberate slowness, Rya pulled back the black shawl that had veiled her head. Her long, silvery hair spilled out, revealing pointed ears that marked her as something otherworldly.

Hilda's breath caught in her throat, her face draining of color. “You... you’re a dark elf?” she stammered, disbelief flooding her senses.

"Yes... I am a dark elf, and I'm a survivor of one of your massacres. I think I'll have a bit of fun with that Paladin and his two knights," Rya stated.

"Like hell, you will! Get her!" Darius ordered as the three of them charged in her direction.

Rya had a grudge against the Paladin and his ilk ever since they almost killed her, and she would have been if it wasn't for Hiro sacrificing himself by using a teleportation spell that drained all his mana and turned him into dust. So she didn't have to hold back anymore. She didn't have any reason to show them mercy as her Azure eyes lit up from her mana, and she used her Darkly Earth magic to create a spike that pierced the Paladin through the chest, halting his charge.

The white knights stopped in their tracks when they saw the tip of a rock-hard spike punctured through the paladin's armor and then poked out of his back. Their eyes went wide with terror, and the air was thick with the metallic tang of blood. Rya made sure that he would die a slow death as she turned her attention to the knights.

"Sir?!"

"What the—"

Rya didn't even move a muscle as she cast a fireball in the direction of the knight closest to the paladin and engulfed the poor bastard in flames.

"Ahhh!" the knight screamed as his white armor melted and turned him into a pile of ash.

The other knight witnessed the deaths of his two comrades and needed to avenge them quickly. As he was about to strike Rya, she summoned a small typhoon that lifted him off the surface, and then she controlled the wind to slam him into the ground.

"Ahhh! You bitch!"

Darius felt a surge of adrenaline as those words struck him. His eyes ignited with determination as he dashed toward her, his voice resolute, "My faith is unshakeable! Your feeble tricks are no match for my resolve, Demon!"

A slow smile spread across her lips, a sinister gleam in her eyes. Her hands moved rapidly, her fingers dancing in the air, weaving her spell. The space around her shimmered her mana flaring, its energy filling the atmosphere.

"Demon? That's rich coming from the likes of you, who would kill innocent people just because they are a different race," Rya retorted before hitting the paladin with her fireballs and wind blades.

*BAM! BAM! BAM!*

"Gah!" Darius was sent flying as the three elemental attacks hit him. His body smacked against the palace wall, leaving an indent in it. His body was smoking as he coughed up a few teeth.

"You're just as pathetic as your god is," Rya spat as she channeled her mana to her palm and created a blue fireball.

Darius could feel the flames burning through his clothes and eating away at his flesh. His skin bubbled and blistered, melting into his armor.

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up!" Darius unleashed a primal scream as a surge of divine energy coursed through him. He felt the miraculous wave of healing wash over his body; wounds closed, bruises faded, and the battered pieces of his armor reformed with a radiant gleam. In an awe-inspiring moment, his sword soared back into his grasp just as the blue flames flickered and finally extinguished. The air crackled with renewed vigor, igniting a fierce determination within him.

"This ends here, monster," Darius stated as the divine light grew brighter and the particles danced around him.

'Okay... Enough toying around with this prick... I need to see how I can sever his link to the Gods... Maybe I should cut off his arms and legs first,' Rya thought as her eyes glowed bright blue.

Darius was covered in a golden glow, a surge of divine power surging through his veins, strengthening him once more. He was using so much energy that the plants around him started to wither, and the grass turned brown.

When Rya saw the plants dying, it made her pissed as she could feel the plants' pain as if it were her own.

"So, your holy magic also kills the land... Why am I not surprised?" Rya asked rhetorically as her mana flared throughout her body, a raging inferno ready to explode.

Darius could see the dark elf's aura pulsing, her mana flaring with a fury, unlike anything he had ever witnessed before. There was something otherworldly about it, almost primal as if she were tapping into some ancient source of energy. It was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

Darius let out a roar as he ran toward her. "Prepare to die, you Dark Elf SCUM!"

Rya's eyes glowed even brighter, and her mana flared. She was about to strike him with some more earth magic, but then her ears started to twitch. Out of nowhere, Rya stopped channeling her mana, and her fierce face morphed into one that looked frightened. She slowly started walking backward from the Paladin as if his Divinity was too much for her to bear—giving Darius a sense of victory.

"So you finally understand you're no match for me," Darius roared as he raised his sword, which was glowing a blinding golden light.

"No! No, please stop!" Rya begged in a panic. The once powerful and intimidating dark elf now cowered before him, tears welling in her eyes and her voice trembling.

Darius ignored her pleas and lunged at her.

"This is the end! HIYAH—"

"YOU!!!" Roared the voice of Quinus as the Crown Prince saw the paladin bearing down on Rya. His golden eyes glowed furiously as his hair went on end.

Before Darius had a chance to react, the Crown Prince materialized before him in an instant, his movements almost ethereal. With a swift, fluid motion, he sheathed his gleaming sword, the sound of metal sliding against leather echoing softly in the tense air, as if he had finished a battle that never even began.

Darius tried to stop himself from running into the Prince, but his legs wouldn't listen as time seemed to slow down. It wasn't long before he noticed that he was falling towards the ground. That wasn't a big deal as long as his arms would break his fall, but then his arms weren't listening either. He swore he felt his shoulders moving his arms forward. as if to catch himself, but his arms never came into view as the ground was coming closer.

'W-What's happening to me? My body isn't responding to me?' Darius wondered as his face was about to crash into the dirt, and when his nose smashed into the ground, it was as if time had sped up, and Darius fell to the ground with a thud, his face flat on the grass. His arms and legs were cleaved off at the joints, and his guts were hanging out. He didn't feel any pain, and then a second later, his pain receptors finally started working, and his body felt like it was on fire.

*SLASH!*

*SLASH!*

*CRACK!*

*THUD!*

*SPLAT!*

Darius didn't know what happened as his body parts flew off his body and onto the ground. All that was left intact was his head and upper torso. He didn't feel the impact of the severed parts as his eyes stared blankly into the distance. He had a hard time understanding why his body parts were on the ground.

'What the hell happened to me?' Darius wondered, his thoughts racing, the shock of what had transpired rendering him immobile.

"Are you okay, my love?" the Crown Prince asked, his tone softening as he held Rya in his arms and fixed his gaze upon her face.

"I... I'm fine," Rya replied, her voice shaky, her body trembling slightly. She was putting on an act as the other nobles were coming to the palace garden. She couldn't let them see her as the fearsome dark elf; they needed to believe she was a weak, pitiful creature, a helpless victim of a ruthless paladin.

"I was so scared..." Rya said in a pitiful tone as Duval showed up with the nobles and knights.

The Prime Minister's face turned pale as he saw Quinus taking down the paladin and hugging the very woman he was trying to prevent from entering the palace. All his plans to keep the Holy Alliance from finding out that a Dark Elf was in the palace were foiled, as all the nobles and knights had seen the entire fight between Quinus and Darius.

Duval's heart sank as his stomach twisted into knots. He knew this was a catastrophe of epic proportions, one that would surely have dire consequences for all of them.

"Your Highness! Please stop! Don't kill him," Duval pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion, "This is a grave misunderstanding!"

Quinus gave Duval a death glare that the Prime Minister had never seen before, "Misunderstanding? A misunderstanding is when you go to a bar and order a glass of wine and instead get a glass of whiskey. This is a far cry from a misunderstanding." He said before turning his attention to the fallen paladin, "I have half a mind to kill you here and now," Quinus declared, his eyes ablaze with fury, his voice cold and menacing.

Duval didn't know if he could stop Quinus from killing the paladin, and a part of him knew it didn't matter as the inevitable was about to happen when Terenthiel and Zane arrived in the garden and saw their fellow paladin being dismembered.

"What's the meaning of this!?" Terenthiel roared at Quinus, his voice filled with outrage and his eyes blazing with indignation.

Prince Zane and the rest of the Fiafyrian nobles had come running when they heard the commotion. They all watched in awe and some in horror as the Crown Prince hacked and slashed at the paladin's body. Rya saw this as a moment to lay the blame on the Holy Alliance as a possible way to sow doubt in the minds of the Major Nobles who were siding with Terenthiel and the Divine Three.

"Oh, Quin! The moment he discovered my race, his men descended upon me like wolves. It was a nightmare! I barely managed to fend off the two knights, but the paladin—he vowed to eradicate me simply for existing. I can't express how grateful I am that you showed up when you did," Rya’s voice quivered, her eyes shimmering with tears that seemed heartbreakingly real. Yet, deep inside, she marveled at how skillfully she could conjure such emotion.

'Damn? I didn't know I could turn on the waterworks like that! Maybe I could be an actor someday.'

Hilda emerged from her hiding place, her heart pounding as she witnessed the true, terrifying power of the Dark Elf, Rya. The fight had been sparked by Rya herself, and now she was spinning a façade of innocence that sent shivers down Hilda’s spine. Memories flooded back of her half-sister, who had weaved similar webs of deceit to manipulate their father, always managing to warp the truth and cast Hilda as the villain.

Rya's cunning reminded Hilda all too much of those painful days. The Dark Elf's true aim was clear: she wanted to steal the heart of the Handsome Brave Prince, Quinus, whom she was orchestrated to wed. In that moment, Hilda's fears of a loveless marriage evaporated, only to be replaced by a fiery determination.

As she watched Quinus rush to Rya’s side, concern etched across his handsome features, a pang of jealousy tugged at Hilda's heart. How easily he fell for Rya’s charm, completely unaware of the master manipulator's wicked schemes unfolding before him. A surge of resolve coursed through Hilda—she would not allow Rya to ensnare him in darkness. It was time for her to step into the light and protect Quinus from the very threat that sought to twist his noble heart into a pawn for evil. If only she knew that Rya did love him.

Hilda clenched her fists, 'No! She is just like my evil sister... And the prince is too kind-hearted to notice... I need to save him from her, or humanity will perish because of her. This harlot won't win his heart... Not when the Divine Three have sent me... But how?'

Quinus hugged Rya tightly, "You're okay now, Rya... I won't let anyone hurt you. I will protect you."

Rya had a slight devious smile on her face that made Hilda want to vomit. 'If only Quinus knew that woman he was holding was a bloodthirsty monster. She's not the person he thinks she is. She's a lying witch!'

Hilda felt a surge of anger bubbling within her as she watched the deceitful woman flaunt her arrogance. The temptation to march over and deliver a sharp slap was nearly irresistible, yet she knew all too well the consequences of such an impulsive act. This Dark Elf wielded a power so formidable that even the Divine Ones' Paladins, revered for their strength, would quiver in fear. Engaging her directly would be a reckless path, one that could very well lead to Hilda’s untimely demise. Instead, she resolved to channel her cleverness, outsmarting the Dark Elf rather than confronting her head-on. She would need every ounce of cunning at her disposal to free her Crown Prince from this evil woman's clutches.

Rya was blissfully unaware of Hilda's internal struggle as she focused on the Paladin. She hugged Quinus back while peeking around him to see if Darius was going to die or if his divinity was going to save him again. She was thankful that she heard Quinus' and everyone else's footsteps before she took down this Paladin. As that would have given Duval his evidence, he needed to paint her as a monster and have her thrown into a dungeon or something worse. She could easily escape a normal dungeon, but she didn't want to find out if they had specialized dungeons for holding mages.

'Few!... That was a close one... Can't have these nobles looking at me in fear... Or it will make both our lives harder... Hold on?... You got to be kidding me.'

Rya saw a third yellow particle descending from the heavens and landing on Darius' torso as he slowly wormed his way over to his severed arms. His arms reattached themselves like magnets snapping together, and then the rest of his body did the same. But it was far more disgusting to watch as it was like watching a pile of worms wiggling all over each other. It didn't take long before the severed parts were fully attached to Darius' torso, and the wound was completely healed.

'This motherfucker is like Deadpool... Except he isn't witty or funny... I will find a way to stop these weird particles from healing him... I just need some alone time with him when things settle down,' Rya thought, a plan already forming in her mind as a larger crowd of people came into the garden.