r18novel Page 112
Page 112
However, his smile quickly came to an abrupt end, because... several breaths had passed, and Saint Karina was still not dead.
She didn't even show any signs of poisoning.
"What's going on? Why?!"
"God said, 'Fourth, provide protection.'"
Within a radius of approximately three meters from Saint Karina's body surface, the venom cannot penetrate.
The Jade Pot Demon was far away, and the amount of venom was so great that it was not noticed at first.
"Purification."
As Saint Karina continued to speak, even the venomous areas that had fallen to the ground and formed low-lying pools of liquid were purified by the power of holiness, changing from black to colorless and transparent, and finally becoming water that had no harmful effect.
202. The Two Esthers
"Hmm... indeed, all the teapots are ugly."
Saint Karina deliberately put on a friendly smile, but what she said was still the most infuriating.
"You! You brat!"
His attacks all failed, so he decided to use his real skills.
This is its complete form. The jade pot is the final form after it molts inside the pot and emerges from it, with webbed hands and a snake-like lower body.
For a man who considers himself and his teapot as works of art, he is also exceptionally satisfied and proud of his own body.
"My teapot! What's so ugly about it? What's wrong with it? It's clearly because you don't appreciate it!"
"Look at my body, it's the embodiment of beauty, a creation of God! So perfect!"
He twisted his body from side to side. Emerging from the pot, he was covered in scales harder than diamonds, yet his body was incredibly flexible, and he possessed the "God's Hand," capable of turning anything he touched into a fish.
"Blood Demon Art: Array Kill Fish Scales!"
"Go to hell! You incapable humans of appreciation!"
He lunged at Saint Karina, his fish tail so long it could completely envelop the area Saint Karina was protecting, and then he strangled her like a python.
The principle behind this technique lies in a powerful physique. By leaping repeatedly at extremely high speeds and using smooth scales to make one's trajectory unpredictable, one can launch attacks on the opponent while maintaining momentum.
"Hahahaha! Now you're going to die!"
However, his wild laughter only lasted for two or three seconds before it abruptly stopped.
Because many blood-red lines appeared on his body, his limbs and fish tail were cut into countless pieces, and his head was separated from his body.
...was he killed?
Before his body turned into a grayish ash and dissipated, the Jade Pot Demon heard one last thing: that even going to hell wouldn't bring him peace.
"It's so ugly, so outdated!"
Saint Karina's kind words, carrying a fragrance, entered his ears.
……
Saint Karina continued exploring inside, and for a child of that size, the easiest places to hide were the wardrobe or under the bed.
Sure enough, upon entering, Saint Karina saw the young Esther behind a wardrobe.
This young girl possesses beauty that surpasses that of adults at such a young age, and her heterochromatic eyes are an added bonus to her beauty.
"Estelle, don't be afraid, I'm here."
Hearing the familiar voice, Esther, who had been hiding and crying in a low voice, trembled and turned her head to look.
"Waaaah... Is it... Sister Saint Karina? Waaaah..."
That was a very cute little girl's face, with tears streaming down her face.
Even before Esther had fully blossomed, she already possessed the beginnings of her current beauty. Long golden hair with a light red ombre at the ends, crimson on the left and gold on the right, and heterochromatic eyes.
"It's me... I'm sorry I'm late..."
Seeing this place, which resembled a prison, Saint Karina could imagine what kind of life Esther had led after her disappearance.
The Jade Pot Demon is the man who guards Esther.
The other cells that haven't been entered yet probably belong to other children who have been captured.
Children are the weak in this world. Adults, or demons, are the powerful who can restrict the freedom of others.
The distorted rules are like Esther's morbid inner world as she grew up.
"thump--"
Esther recognized Saint Karina because Saint Karina was the one who took care of her at the orphanage.
As for her memories, she has probably temporarily lost her memories of her later years, and she also has no memory of meeting Saint Karina again after she was resurrected. Her memories are stuck in her childhood, so it is very reasonable for her to rush over and hug Saint Karina.
However, because of her height, when Esther was held, her face was buried in her waist, and her breath was all over the fabric around her waist and the skin beneath the fabric, which was warm and had the milky scent of a little girl.
“Sister Saint Karina, I’m so scared… After being attacked and kidnapped, I’ve been locked in this room, forced to learn this and that, do this and that, and have my blood drawn frequently to check my faith in God. But I worship the Eternal Goddess, how can I worship another goddess?”
Other goddesses... needless to say, Saint Karina knew they were goddesses of order.
There is competition between churches. In the competition for promising young talents, the methods used are not always honorable.
“Everyone in the church has disappeared. I’ve been waiting for you, Sister Saint Karina… because you told me that no matter what happens, I should stay calm and that you would find me…”
Esther blinked her big eyes, and her voice was a little nasal, probably because she had been crying for a long time.
However, even with a slight nasal tone, that adorable baby voice was enough to melt Saint Karina's heart.
"Waaah... I don't know what to do. I can only wait and wait, and I have to pretend to be hardworking, sensible, and talented so as not to upset these strangers."
"Because if I can't do it, I'll get scolded or beaten. They won't hurt me, they'll just hit my palms, but it hurts a lot."
Originally, Saint Karina hated Esther because of Esther's behavior; in her eyes, Esther was an ingrate.
Now, seeing Esther's adorable yet pitiful appearance, her heart gradually softened.
"I'm sorry... I'm late."
Saint Karina bent down and gave Esther a tight hug.
She has the power to control herself and won't hurt or frighten Esther, but she can't control her emotions.
“Why do you say that? Sister Saint Karina, I was just complaining, I didn’t mean to blame you. And… well. You’re here now, aren’t you? Esther is so happy.”
As expected of an orphanage child, she had the ability to read people's expressions at such a young age, and she quickly noticed Saint Karina's emotional changes.
Esther didn't want to see Saint Karina so downcast and filled with self-blame. She gently patted Saint Karina's back, a simple thing she could do, but it made Saint Karina's body stiffen and tremble slightly.
"No...it's nothing."
She opened her mouth as if to say something, but swallowed back the words of denial that had just left her lips.
In reality, she was completely late...
Saint Karina made a little girl who believed in her wait for her for over five hundred years, but instead of being rescued, she brought her bad news.
She finally understood why Esther had changed so much. Putting herself in her shoes, she realized that she would also find it difficult not to change, wanting to use extreme measures to control her, telling herself that it was for protection, emphasizing that only by doing so could they maintain their relationship and ensure that the other person, who had flown far away, would never leave.
It's really easy to trap birds; all you have to do is break their wings and make a sturdy cage.
Esther did not want to cause Saint Karina physical harm, so she chose to imprison her and restrict her freedom.
Because the one who was once protected has become a more powerful force. Naturally, the other party will also use its own methods to control her.
"Anyway, hold my hand first. I'll take you away from here, okay?"
"do not want!"
Upon hearing Saint Karina's words, Esther was not pleased; instead, she ran backward.
She looked like she would retreat back into that closet if she stepped back even slightly.
"Why not?"
"Because... um, there are scary ghosts outside... I'm afraid to go out."
Esther glanced at the closed door and stammered.
"You mean ghosts and monsters? Don't be afraid, I've defeated all of them."
"really?"
Esther's eyes darted around, as if she couldn't quite believe it.
"Of course it's true. Why would I lie to you about this?"
"Okay. I believe you, Sister Saint Karina, will protect me."
Given her past reliability and the trust she had built, Saint Karina easily persuaded the little girl.
She is innocent and adorable now, completely different from the grown-up girl who experienced tragedy.
"Let's go then. I'll carry you on my back. Just hold on tight to my neck. I'll take you to a safe place."
Saint Karina can choose to hug or carry on her back, but she must keep her hands free when facing the possibility of other ghosts appearing.
The little girl's legs should be clamped tightly around her waist; finding the exit is what she needs to do now.
"Sister Saint Karina, be careful."
After saying that, the little guy stopped talking.
She was probably worried about distracting Saint Karina. This place wasn't safe; in young Esther's eyes, it was probably like a den of demons, full of dangerous, terrifying, and unfamiliar things.
The journey out was not smooth, as Saint Karina soon encountered a second ghost.
This time it's a female ghost, with long black hair, and her appearance is unknown. Because this female ghost's hair is so long, it has already covered her face.
Her limbs were very white, a deathly pale white devoid of any blood, and looked as if she had been hit by a dump truck or fallen from a tall building, her limbs twisted and crawling grotesquely on the ground.
The sharp fingernails scratched the ground, creating an unpleasant noise that pierced eardrums, and the movements were unusually fast.
"Whoosh-"
With a whooshing sound, long, black fingernails appeared in front of Esther in an instant, startling her into a cute "Ah!"
However, she was worried that her shouts would cause Santa Karina even more trouble, so she immediately stopped and covered her mouth after making the sound.
"Falling Cherry Blossom Slash".
Saint Karina unleashed her sword technique, a pink sword tracing a path through the air. Then, the ghost's head severed from her neck, her body lost control, and she crashed to the ground with a thud.
"It's alright, Esther."
Saint Karina dealt with the female ghost swiftly and skillfully, even with remarkable ease.
She still had the time and energy to comfort Esther:
"If you're scared, you can cover your eyes. Don't look."
"No, I want to see. Sister Saint Karina, I'm not afraid."
The little girl's reaction was a bit intense.
She was unwilling to reap the benefits without taking the relatively safe approach.
"Although I can't help you much, Sister Saint Karina, at least I can keep watch. And with my extra pair of eyes, I might be able to see things that you haven't seen. In times of danger, I might be useful and can warn you."
"Alright, whatever you like."
Seeing the little girl's resistance, Saint Karina did not force her to comply.
That room was a starting point, so Saint Karina, based on her guess, searched for the exit in the opposite direction. But with Esther, this humanoid monster-attracting machine, the same path always seemed to be teeming with monsters.
However, those ghosts weren't strong. Strength is relative to a child's size; Saint Karina was an adult, and a strong one at that, so she didn't feel much pressure.
Protecting Esther poses no danger to her.
After killing at least a dozen ghosts, on the opposite path, Saint Karina finally saw a similar room. This time it was much larger than the previous room, changing from a two-room room to a three-room room.
As soon as she stepped inside, she saw a ghost lunge at her. However, just as she was about to strike with her sword in the same manner, she noticed that an even smaller dark figure was following behind the ghost.
"Shh-"
The small, dark figure, holding a kitchen knife, dealt with the dark figure that lunged at Saint Karina.
"Sister Saint Karina, you've arrived."