Chapter 55

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Chapter 55: I, Isabella, Will Never Fall!

With the last thread of hope shattered and the impact of the “Psychological Shockwave” still reverberating through her soul and mind, it became the final straw for the once-pampered princess, Tina Leinster Newmoon.

She had already come to believe, deep down, that she was irredeemably fallen. Added to her guilt over the collapse of the Western Front and the exile of the people of Moon Rising Mountains, Tina had begun to give up on herself long before Isabella’s arrival.

‘It was the succubus that led me to fall,’ she thought desperately. That single belief was Tina Leinster’s only fragile thread of redemption.

But then Isabella arrived, bringing with her an impossible dream.

“You can redeem yourself,” Isabella had said.

A new choice seemed to lie before her—a chance to escape, to make amends, to do something good. The possibility of this tempting alternative had pulled Tina out of her spiral of self-pity, giving her a fleeting sense of purpose.

‘Maybe I am not completely lost,’ she had told herself. With this fragile hope, Tina began to plan an escape, clinging to the thought of breaking free and redefining her soul.

However, when the hope of escape crumbled again, the weight of yet another shattered dream plunged Tina into an even darker abyss.

‘It is impossible to resist that succubus. I couldn’t, Isabella couldn’t either. No one could escape from here!’

These thoughts consumed her, gnawing at her soul like a relentless parasite. To prevent herself from completely breaking down, Tina made a choice—she “fell.”

‘Now, I can only be fallen!’

Her thoughts turned inward, spiraling deeper into despair. ‘All of this, including myself and Isabella, is under the control of Master Lolth! Perhaps the idea of Isabella wanting to escape is also part of Master Lolth’s plan. Perhaps Master Lolth wants this knight to completely fall, just like me!’

Her mind churned as she questioned everything. ‘But when did I start to fall? Was it during the first act of feigned submission and loyalty? After pretending so many times, perhaps those gestures became real. At least, Master Lolth definitely has a way to turn “false oaths” into realities, stamping them into the soul.’

A bitter smile flickered across her lips. ‘So, persuading Isabella to pretend to submit at the beginning… was that also part of Master Lolth’s plan? Oh, how sad! How perfect!’

Tina’s expression twisted, a mix of sorrow and something disturbingly close to joy.

‘It’s really great!’

Although she looked at Isabella, standing there with an unreadable expression, Tina didn’t say anything for a long moment. Her mind churned with dark thoughts, and yet, her silence spoke volumes.

But as Isabella gazed at the twisted smile on the beautiful elf’s face, and saw the undisguised malice and a hint of pity in those gem-like, clear green eyes, she sensed something was terribly amiss with Tina.

“What have you done to me, you traitor?!”

Isabella’s initial reaction was one of shock and anger—naturally, she believed that the elf captive, who had already removed her anti-magic shackles, had somehow used magic on her.

“You have truly fallen, haven’t you?” Isabella’s voice grew colder, sharper, but the icy tone and biting words no longer seemed to have an effect on Tina.

The Elf Princess, once pure and perhaps a bit fragile, simply looked at Isabella and softly chuckled.

“Ha ha ha,” a crisp, pleasant laugh rang out in the forest at dawn. The sound was still gentle and melodious, but the tone carried a strange edge, almost as if it belonged to a completely different person. “I have indeed fallen completely~ my body and mind belong to Master Lolth long ago—but, poor Isabella, I haven’t done anything to you!”

Isabella’s anger flared as she grabbed the collar of her maid outfit, her eyes cold with fury.

“You sly trickster!”

However, Tina wasn’t intimidated in the slightest. She gently placed her hand on Isabella’s wrist, her smile unwavering.

“Oh dear…” Tina’s voice was soft, almost sweet, but laced with an unsettling sharpness. “This outfit was a gift from Master Lolth to me, and you’re wrinkling it.”

As she spoke, a surge of magical energy built within her. With a calm yet ominous tone, she cast her spell.

“Dispel Spell.”

From her fingertips erupted a massive burst of magic, white light exploding outward like twinkling stars. The dazzling energy slammed into Isabella, knocking her to the ground with enough force to leave her momentarily stunned.

Even with anti-magic shackles and the Curse of Weakness suppressing her abilities, Isabella was a Grand Knight of legend-level strength—a formidable warrior under normal circumstances. Yet, against Tina Leinster, the Moon Elf Princess and an exceptionally talented Epic High Level spellcaster, she stood little chance in her weakened state.

The simple Dispel Spell had been more than enough to overwhelm her.

Tina stood over the fallen knight, her gem-like green eyes sparkling with a brightness that belied the malice behind her smile.

“You seem a bit lost… just like I used to be!” she said with a light, almost teasing tone.

“But it’s okay, I won’t stop you if you want to leave,” Tina continued, tossing her magic bag at Isabella’s feet. Inside were precious seeds and young animals. “Miss Isabella, go ahead and try. You’ll soon realize I haven’t done anything—it’s your own soul that brought you back here.”

Without waiting for a reply, Tina turned and began walking toward the ominous silhouette of the torture tower in the distance. Her movements were graceful, deliberate, as though she had already accepted her place in the darkness.

“I will wait for you in the torture tower,” she called back, her tone carrying a hint of dread. “I have to go back now. If Master Lolth finds out I left without permission, who knows how I will be punished!”

Her voice faltered briefly, a touch of fear seeping into her words. Yet, her figure remained poised and elegant as she disappeared into the distance, leaving Isabella alone.

Still on the ground, Isabella winced as the pain in her chest from the Dispel Spell throbbed. She looked at the magic bag Tina had thrown at her, then at the elf’s retreating form, her fists clenching with rage and frustration.

“It seems this elf has completely lost it…” Isabella muttered under her breath, her voice filled with disdain and anger. “That succubus is truly despicable…”

Her teeth ground together as she resolved to fight on, even as despair threatened to claw at her resolve.

Isabella no longer hated Tina. Before seeing her like this, she had believed the elf betrayed the western line out of weakness or cowardice.

But now, it was clear—Tina had been utterly manipulated by that succubus.

Tina’s behavior and words from just moments ago lingered in Isabella’s mind, sowing seeds of doubt. Was there some truth in what Tina had said? Yet Isabella refused to accept the possibility that she herself had “fallen.”

With the unyielding will of a knight and the fortitude instilled by years of rigorous training, Isabella steeled herself. She would not give in so easily.

‘Tina may have gone astray,’ Isabella thought firmly, ‘but I will not. I can still escape!’

Even with anti-magic restraints locking her powers, the Curse of Weakness sapping her strength, and the disorienting tampering of her soul, Isabella refused to be defeated. She didn’t fully understand what had been done to her, but she knew one thing for certain: she would not allow it to consume her.

“I must escape,” she muttered under her breath, her resolve sharpening like steel. “Someone needs to warn the Holy Alliance of the demon race’s plot and the dreadful intentions of that succubus!”

Her voice grew stronger, resonating with conviction. “I will make that succubus pay the rightful price for her pride, chaos, and wickedness!”

Isabella stood taller, her fiery determination burning away the seeds of doubt Tina had planted. “I, Isabella Anno Ruiterberd Zu Schwarzwald, will not let inferior spells corrode my will. I will not let the evil succubus corrupt my soul. I will not bring shame upon Ryman or the Schwarzwald family because of me!”

With those words ringing in her mind, she picked up the magic bag filled with seeds and young creatures. Her grip tightened around it, a tangible symbol of her resolve.

Once more, she turned toward the southern mountains, walking alone with unwavering determination.