A Stubborn Woman

I'd seen terrifying monsters before.

While traveling as a merchant, I'd hidden and waited for massive monsters to pass. I'd watched from a distance as monsters attacked Kassad's walls.

In my days with Azu and the others, I'd encountered extraordinarily powerful monsters and even a Fire Dragon.

Compared to all of them, the woman who called herself Ent was in a league of her own.

An apostle of a god. Something neither monster nor spirit, a special existence entirely.

"Let's go."

"Yes."

I grabbed Orleans's shoulder and retreated.

Staying here would only get in the way or get us caught in the crossfire.

All I could do now was watch from afar.

"How kind of you."

"I just like to torment men slowly, so they're last."

She smiled as she answered.

The magical power of the woman who'd introduced herself as Ent, Apostle of Oscar, was still growing.

Alexia's mana, which already far exceeded any ordinary mage, was nothing compared to this. The difference between heaven and earth.

"Don't think of her as human. Think of her as a storm or an avalanche."

"Seems like it. She could probably take on an entire nation by herself."

Elza and Alexia readied their weapons.

They kept their eyes fixed on her, not missing a single movement.

"… That three-eyed skeleton gave off the same feeling."

"That one was an apostle too. Though it had been reduced to bones and couldn't use magic anymore."

"Can we win?"

"We have to. The moment we set foot in this floor, I doubt she intends to let anyone escape."

"My, you figured that out."

Ent smiled bewitchingly.

She reached into the valley of her cleavage, and her hand sank in.

Then she drew a staff from within her body.

It was sinister-looking.

The tip was shaped like a purple skull, wrapped in something like vines.

A fitting appearance for the Rose Witch.

"Those who couldn't even reach here are of no interest to me. But now that you've taken one step inside, I will not let you go."

Ent pointed her staff forward.

Licking her lips, she surveyed Azu and the others like prey.

"Still, this is interesting. I sense the breath of a Fire Elemental and a Water Elemental. A bit of an Earth Elemental's involvement too. And the one with the hero's weapon… Apostle Justitia? Still alive… no, wait. Inherited? You had her inherit it?"

Her expression changed as she looked at Azu's face.

She seemed to be thinking about something.

Finn wasn't one to let such an opening pass.

She moved instantly, getting behind Ent.

She brought both short blades toward the woman's neck from either side, intending to skewer her.

The speed was such that no one else seemed to notice.

Yet the blades never reached Ent's white skin.

"Tch."

"Naughty girl. I was thinking."

Vines had wrapped around both of Finn's hands at some point.

Her hands, strong as they were, couldn't budge an inch.

"I don't want to hear that from a woman who licks her lips in front of her prey. You're underestimating us way too much."

"This is called composure, little girl. What shall I do with you?"

Finn said it with the corner of her mouth raised, but Ent paid her no mind.

Ent's left hand traced along Finn's right cheek.

"Young, healthy skin. It would make a lovely hide if I peeled it off."

"Don't be jealous, grandma."

Finn opened her mouth and bit down on Ent's left index finger.

But she spat it out immediately.

"Done already?"

"You toxic hag!"

Finn had swallowed many poisons as part of her training.

Because of that, she could tell instantly if something was poisonous just by getting it in her mouth.

Ent's finger had been more potent than any poison Finn knew, so she'd spat it out at once.

She spat out her saliva.

"You lack discipline."

Ent extended her left hand toward Finn's eyes.

The vines' grip was so strong that Finn couldn't seem to move.

So Alexia, who'd been behind Ent, closed the distance with her battle-axe raised.

Her crimson battle-axe cut through the air as she swung down.

"Oops."

Ent dodged the battle-axe, but it struck the vines binding Finn instead.

The axe stopped on impact, but Alexia kept pushing, and it slowly bit through until the vines snapped.

Freed from the restraints, Finn struggled to remove the loosened vines.

"You okay?"

"More or less. I don't know if she's an apostle or whatever, but I don't think her reaction was fast enough. It might be some kind of automatic defense."

"So even if we create an opening, it's useless? I thought hitting a vital spot might work since she's humanoid, but I guess it won't be that easy."

"Also, assume that woman is poisonous all over. Blood probably included."

"That's really annoying."

The two regrouped and shared what they'd learned in that brief exchange.

"You cut my vines. Maybe this will be fun after all. Isn't that right, Elza?"

"… I can't say. This is the first time we've spoken."

Addressed by Ent, Elza replied without her usual smile.

Her tone was flat.

Anyone who knew her normally would think she was a different person.

"Pretending to be human, but don't think you can fool my eyes. I don't know what you're planning, but I'm surprised you haven't given up. Going so far as to have a human inherit Justitia…"

"It's not over yet."

"Then defeat me. The Sun God's power is returning, so if you can't manage this much, there's nothing to discuss."

"That's the plan. Apostle of Oscar. Rose Witch Ent Weihenstephan."

Ent spread both arms wide.

Massive roses burst through the thick quartz floor and sprouted everywhere.

As if they had eyes, they turned toward the nearby humans and lunged.

That included where Yohane and Orleans stood.