Chapter 53
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Chapter 53: Hope of Escape Is Just Ahead
After Lolth left, the three remaining people in the tavern exchanged astonished looks.
Tipsy Uncle Maider pushed himself up from the table, scratching his head in disbelief. “Did me and Ann just get invited to drink by a demon race?”
“And also… encouraged,” Ann added, his voice tinged with confusion.
Maider turned to the landlady, his expression growing serious. “What does this demon race mean? Isn’t she sent by her boss to test us?”
The landlady shrugged, her tone indifferent. “Who else can you ask if not me? I just run a tavern. You better go to the tower of the demon race yourself if you want answers.”
“Stop kidding around. You must have figured something out,” Maider said helplessly, his brow furrowed.
The landlady smirked and crossed her arms. “Well, I figured out that you almost got yourself and Ann killed just now.”
Maider stiffened. “What? Why?”
“Because that demon race wasn’t sent by anyone,” the landlady replied coolly. “She should be the boss of this demon race.”
“Huh? Just an elite-level demon race?” Maider blurted out, his voice laced with disbelief.
Ann nodded in agreement. “And a succubus at that. I could take her down myself.”
The landlady’s disdainful smile deepened as she looked at the two men. “You two clueless fools deserve to be looked down upon like stray dogs here. Just because you think she’s an elite-level succubus, does that make her one?”
Her voice sharpened as she continued, “There are nearly forty different spells to conceal true power and magical abilities openly available in Cloud City alone! Did it not cross your minds that she hasn’t cast a single spell from start to finish? That succubus never even bothered about you two trash. She didn’t see you as a threat—not even for a moment!”
Ann and Maider exchanged uneasy glances. After the landlady’s harsh scolding, both men wanted to argue back, but when they opened their mouths, no words came out.
“Alright, alright,” Maider eventually sighed, sounding deflated. “So… what does it mean for this demon race lord—this Grand Lord—to come to Hillenbrand and head straight to the tavern?”
“She said a bunch of strange things,” Ann added, his expression still skeptical.
“I told you, I don’t know,” the landlady replied, shaking her head. Her tone was calm but firm. “But I do have a few guesses.”
She glanced outside the tavern. Hillenbrand Town remained peaceful and quiet, as if untouched by the strange encounter.
“This town is too special,” the landlady said thoughtfully. “Maybe she was sent by that sorcerer to guard this place or to find something. This afternoon, she was setting up magic formations to seal the area. Having people like us around? I’d wager that was within her expectations.”
She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. “So, I showed weakness to her. It was a way to signal that we don’t intend to confront the Abyssal Demon directly.”
“That’s just your plan,” Maider muttered, his voice barely audible.
“If you’re so willing to sacrifice yourself, I won’t stop you,” the landlady retorted sharply, narrowing her eyes at him. Then her tone softened slightly, taking on a more curious edge. “But her response was quite interesting. It seems she intends to recruit the two of you.”
“I won’t accept,” Ann said firmly before Maider could react. His rejection was absolute, his expression one of steely resolve. “Even now, I will not accept gifts from the demon race.”
The landlady smiled faintly, tilting her head. “Don’t be so absolute in your words,” she said, her voice carrying a faint air of amusement. “The Abyss and the demon race are more interesting than you think… just like that succubus.”
After saying this, the landlady reached out her hand gracefully, and from seemingly thin air, she produced a wine glass filled with deep crimson wine. She took a slow sip, her expression unreadable.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Tina and Isabella had escaped from the torture tower under the cover of night. Moving swiftly, they followed the escape route Isabella had carefully planned. Their path led them through the southern forests, where the dense woods and the chaotic aura of magical creatures would serve to disrupt Lolth’s keen detection abilities. It was the best chance they had.
By now, they had reached the edge of the southern forest. Though the journey was fraught with tension, their progress had been surprisingly smooth.
Isabella, still shackled with anti-magic restraints, relied on her training and the formidable physical strength of a Grand Knight to press forward. In just ten minutes, they had made it to the forest’s boundary.
“We’re at the edge now,” Isabella whispered, her voice cautious but steady. “We need to be careful not to alert any Elite Level magical beasts.”
While Isabella could handle magical beasts below the Elite Level without the use of her skills, anything stronger posed a serious risk. If they encountered an Elite Level magical beast, Tina would have to intervene. But if Tina used her powers, it would undoubtedly expose her to Lolth’s detection.
The succubus’s sense of perception was notoriously sharp.
To avoid detection, Tina refrained from activating her Magic Perception, forcing them to rely solely on their eyes and ears to spot danger—a risky but unavoidable choice.
Fortunately, Isabella’s rigorous training from her youth proved invaluable. Her sharp instincts and keen senses guided them through the treacherous terrain, ensuring they didn’t wander aimlessly.
With a careful blend of skill and a stroke of luck, they ventured deeper into the southern forest. The air around them was thick, saturated with the mingled scents of damp earth and the faint traces of magical energy. Yet, to their relief, there was still no sign of Lolth pursuing them.
For now, it seemed they had managed to escape undetected.
The light of victory in their escape felt tantalizingly close. Even Tina, who had been fraught with nerves and dread moments before, found a flicker of hope reigniting in her heart.
Perhaps, against all odds, they might truly make it out alive.