Chapter 54

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Chapter 54: The Complete Fall of Tina

However, as Isabella and Tina ventured deeper into the woods, a nagging unease began to creep over them despite their earlier excitement.

“Strange…” Isabella muttered, her brow furrowed in thought. “When I sensed this place during the day, there were quite a few magical creatures active. But now… why are there no magical beasts here at all?”

The lack of encounters with magical beasts, which had initially seemed like good fortune, began to feel unnerving. Based on her experience, there were clear traces of magical beast activity in the forest earlier. But now, it was as though they had vanished.

No signs. No sounds. Nothing.

Although escaping unscathed was a relief, this eerie silence was too unnatural for Isabella to ignore. She couldn’t shake the growing suspicion that their path had been cleared for reasons beyond mere luck.

“Tina,” Isabella said cautiously, her voice low. “Use your Magic Essence Perception and check where the magical beasts have gone.”

Tina nodded in agreement. “Sure.”

Closing her eyes, the Elf Princess carefully released her magic, allowing her senses to extend outward to detect the presence of magic and residual magical essence. A few moments later, she sensed sporadic activity not far ahead, roughly a few tens of meters away.

“Ah, there are a few ahead,” Tina said, opening her eyes. “It looks like we just missed them.”

Isabella let out a soft sigh of relief. Tina’s discovery eased her nerves slightly, and both women felt a little more confident moving forward.

“In that case, let’s continue,” Isabella said, her tone more resolute.

They pressed on, their steps cautious but determined. Isabella’s heightened alertness kept her prepared for any low-level monsters they might encounter. Her goal was clear—dispatch any threats quickly and quietly to avoid drawing Lolth’s attention with the noise of battle.

So far, it seemed the succubus was still unaware of their escape. The lack of pursuit suggested that her acting had successfully fooled Lolth.

For now, the plan was working perfectly. But Isabella couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that the silence of the forest concealed more than just the absence of magical creatures.

The distance to the torture tower was now considerable, and even the town lay far behind them. If they could just leave the southern mountains and forests, their escape would be nearly assured. With Tina’s help, their chances of outrunning pursuit were strong.

Hillenbrand Town sat not far from the southern edge of Dragonspine Mountain. By heading towards the mountain’s base, they could eventually reach the central defense line of the Holy Alliance. Isabella’s Northman Knight Order had returned to that very area.

The western front, despite its struggles, didn’t appear to have been fully subdued by the Demon Army yet. If Isabella had managed to navigate near the Demon King’s Castle before, she believed she could do so again. Perhaps they might even encounter remnants of the western front guards who had not yet retreated and join forces with them.

Once they returned to the Holy Alliance, the information they carried—and the rare plants and animals they had managed to gather—would surely redeem their honor after the disgrace of being captured.

As Isabella silently planned their next steps, she moved forward with careful resolve. Beside her, Tina was also deep in thought, contemplating how she might return to her people’s territory after escaping the succubus. Her thoughts lingered on how to finally rid herself and her kin of the corrupting control that had plagued their souls.

Neither of them noticed the faint shift in the forest’s aura.

Unbeknownst to them, a hidden, dormant magic circle in the ground beneath their feet and within the trees around them had quietly activated as they passed.

Indeed, just ahead, about ten meters away, magical creatures were active. If Tina had dared to use her Magic Perception continuously—despite the risk of Lolth discovering them—she might have sensed something alarming.

Many of the magical creatures in the vicinity, just as they neared a specific spot in front of Isabella and Tina, were suddenly teleporting a significant distance backward.

This strange phenomenon, tied directly to a hidden magic circle, went completely unnoticed by the two women. The quiet forest, charged with an eerie stillness, seemed to be observing their every step.

In truth, an invisible barrier in the mountain forest was blocking magical creatures from approaching Hillenbrand Town. This was the real reason behind the absence of magical beasts. Earlier that afternoon, Lolth’s chain of automated Space Magic Arrays had begun to function flawlessly, ensuring that nothing crossed her carefully laid defenses.

Unaware of this, Isabella and Tina pressed forward, their magic essence exposed despite their cautious movements. This exposure had not gone unnoticed—part of the magic circle’s energy had already detected their presence.

Though Isabella wore anti-magic restraints, the shackles only suppressed her ability to cast spells; they didn’t drain her inherent magical power. This detail was enough for Lolth’s magic to latch onto them.

The moment the circle activated, its first effect struck hard—a Psychological Shockwave, crafted by Lolth herself, surged through the air.

Boom!

Without warning, an immense force slammed into their minds and souls, freezing them in place. Both women felt an overwhelming impact, as if their consciousness had been ripped from them, leaving them momentarily paralyzed and unaware of their surroundings.

Before they could react, the second phase of the Space Magic Array took effect. The short-range teleportation mechanism locked onto their disoriented forms and whisked them away in an instant.

Within seconds, they were transported back to the very edge of the southern woods—the place where their escape had begun.

Ten minutes later, Isabella and Tina slowly regained their senses.

“Strange…” Tina murmured, her voice shaky as she blinked, trying to clear the fog in her mind. “What just happened?”

Isabella rubbed her temple, her expression dark with confusion and frustration. The realization that they had been forcibly transported back was beginning to sink in, and she clenched her fists. Whatever had stopped their progress, it wasn’t chance—it was Lolth’s meticulous planning.

Tina, unburdened by the anti-magic shackles and the Curse of Weakness, recovered slightly faster than Isabella. As her consciousness returned, she blinked in disorientation, the surroundings slowly coming into focus.

A moment of confusion passed before recognition dawned. She was back at a place she had passed not long ago—before the southern forests.

Turning back, her gaze settled on Hillenbrand Town, now visible in the distance. In the northeast corner, under the glittering starry sky, the ominous spire of the torture tower loomed, its presence as menacing as ever.

A cold realization crept over Tina. It felt as though her very soul had taken a wrong turn. She surveyed her surroundings—nothing but the silent forest and Isabella, still recovering nearby. There was no sign of Lolth.

“Did I walk back here while unconscious?” Tina murmured, her voice soft and bitter as she stared at the black spire piercing the night sky.

Her lips curled into a faint, wry smile, her thoughts swirling with self-doubt. ‘Indeed, can I still resist? Or is this just another false impression she’s planted in me?’

The oppressive weight of despair settled over her as she pondered the cruel logic. ‘What was I hoping for? Redemption? Clearly, I’ve already fallen so deeply into despair… yet I still sought hope?’

Tina laughed bitterly under her breath. Of course Lolth had anticipated all of this. The succubus’s confidence wasn’t baseless—she didn’t need to monitor her prey anymore. Tina’s own fractured resolve was enough to keep her bound.

In the end, Tina lowered her gaze, the bitter truth taking root in her heart. “The current me can no longer go back,” she whispered to the night, her words barely audible but heavy with resignation.

‘Going back to the elves’ territory, asking Sister Froer to cleanse my soul… it’s just wishful thinking,’ she thought bitterly. ‘The only way I can reunite with my past friends and family now is probably to pray that the Demon Army captures them all.’

Crazy thoughts flickered through Tina’s mind once more, but they no longer scared her. After all, she had already fallen apart.

By nature, she was transforming—turning into an evil, negative captive of the demon race, her spirit and mind broken, holding only submission and reverence for that succubus. No… for Master Lolth.

She turned her gaze to Isabella, who seemed to have fully regained consciousness. Isabella reached up to cover her head and shook it gently, her movements slow and uncertain.

“What happened?” Isabella asked, her voice steady despite the faint tremor underlying it.

Isabella’s expression remained icy, but Tina caught a glimpse of panic in her eyes—a fleeting vulnerability that sent a strange thrill through her.

“Such nice eyes…” Tina muttered, her voice soft and almost tender. Then, her tone shifted, becoming dark and mocking. “You standing here also shows that your soul has already fallen!”

A twisted smile spread across Tina’s face. “Isabella, poor knight, you are just like me~”

No longer suppressing the crazy, negative thoughts swirling in her mind, Tina’s bitter smile gave way to genuine joy. Her face lit up with an almost childlike glee as her fractured soul embraced the abyss she had once feared.