HNCSHG 38

Chapter 38

Twinkle.
Evelyn’s eyes snapped open. Her vision was blurry, so she blinked repeatedly while lying down.
Only after her surroundings came into focus did she realize she was in the middle of the first-floor lobby.
Rubbing her aching neck, she got to her feet.
“…What’s happening all of a sudden?”
She couldn’t grasp the situation. Just before she passed out, someone had tried to kill her.
“Are the question marks because this is a demon I haven’t met yet?”
If not, could it be the same person who had disrupted space before?

Just then, a system window appeared in front of the confused Evelyn.

[You have been afflicted by ????’s claw.]
[10 minutes remain until Halloway finds you.]
[Survive until then.]

“Survive…? Why all of a sudden…?”
This clearly assumes that I might die, Evelyn thought, a shiver running through her whole body. Her pale face grew even paler.

Reflexively, she groped the floor for her weapon.
Where’s my morning star…?
Seeing her hands empty, Evelyn anxiously scanned her surroundings.

Just then, a rolling sound approached, and a mace struck her foot.
“My morning star!”
Fearing what might happen, she hastily grabbed the weapon.

“That one weapon won’t change your death,” a confident, high-pitched female voice echoed through the lobby.
It wasn’t Moran or Cinsia. This voice was higher and sharper.

Reactively, Evelyn gripped the mace tighter, goosebumps crawling up her neck.
If it’s a woman other than Cinsia or Moran, there’s no way I wouldn’t recognize her.

She tried to stand and escape, but the echoing footsteps in the lobby surrounded her.
Clack, clack.
The steady sound of heels accompanied by heavier steps.
They had always come together.
Thud, thud.
Their footsteps grew closer, but the two were still unseen in the dark lobby—like Suriel and Dilaf, they didn’t appear separately.

Two figures flashed through Evelyn’s mind.
Guessing who they were, she decided to run rather than wait.

Sounds surrounded her from every direction, but she didn’t stop.
They could only come from one direction, after all.
I’m not confident with luck, but…

At that moment, as if sensing her thoughts, the heavy footsteps behind her quickened.
Thump, thump-thump-thump!
They’re trying to catch me!

Clenching her teeth, she forced her fear-frozen body to move. Evelyn’s long hair whipped through the air.
She stretched her legs and arms as far as possible to run faster.

If she escaped, there was a risk of losing the path to Halloway.
But staying in the same place for 10 minutes to wait was impossible.
For them, it would only take ten seconds to kill a person.
I have to hide somehow!
If they were indeed the two she suspected… she was dead.

Blood formed between her bitten lips.
“Exteron.”

A chilling soprano voice accompanied a massive presence from behind.
A large, black shadow already enveloped the fleeing Evelyn.

Huff, huff.
The demon exhaled roughly through a muzzle.
A large hand immediately gripped Evelyn’s thin arm.
“Ugh!”
The demon showed no intention of loosening its grip, enough to risk breaking her arm.

Through the tangled hair, dark black eyes and a large muzzle were visible.
The height was similar to Halloway’s adult form, but the bulk was even greater.

[‘Demon of Sorrow’ Exteron has appeared.]
[Do not evoke sympathy before him.]
[You will be punished immediately if you do.]

And, naturally, another demon appeared alongside him.
“Hold tight, Exteron.”
“Mm.”

A woman calmly appeared behind the massive Exteron.

[‘Demon of Hatred’ Selir has appeared.]
[Do as you wish. You may also do nothing.]
[Whatever you do, you will die.]

Like a system warning. No matter what a human did or didn’t do, encountering Selir meant certain death.
Among these demons, she had the highest confirmed kill count.

Her red lips pressed into a straight line, Selir silently cut into Evelyn’s stomach and raked it with her nails.
Extreme pain made a scream escape involuntarily.
“Aagh!”
“For just one human… pathetic!”

Selir’s gray eyes were filled with contempt and hatred.
The crimson malice exuding from her was far stronger and more intense than what Evelyn had seen from Suriel.
Seeing a human, Selir lost all restraint and kicked Evelyn in the stomach.
“Ugh!”

Pain radiated through her body, making it impossible to breathe.
Selir looked down coldly at the writhing Evelyn.
“Weak human.”
“…”

Exteron didn’t intervene, standing firmly behind her.

Evelyn spat blood once, trembling all over.
Even the optimist Evelyn was internally overwhelmed by fear, though she masked it outwardly.
Her body was consumed by fear, barely able to move.

Still, she clenched her teeth and forced herself to rise, staggering.
Her fragile legs wobbled like a newborn deer.
Despite her sweat-soaked face, she weakly smiled at Selir.
I’ll die here no matter what I do. I won’t go quietly just because it’s unfair.

Her dying gaze shone intensely.
Exteron couldn’t look away from her violet eyes.
A mysterious, beautiful gaze remained untarnished even as death approached.

Exteron’s lips moved slightly, then closed.
Evelyn gripped her mace tightly.
“Good, being strong is just perfect.”
“What?”
“Being strong…”

She aimed the mace precisely at Selir.
“Good, you crazy bastard!”
She threw it with all her strength.

[Attack temporarily increased due to anger!]
[The strengthened mace flies toward Selir!]
[Time to immobilize Selir’s leg: 15 seconds.]

Even though brief, those 15 seconds were precious to Evelyn.
They’re not the kind to laugh at me babbling nonsense.

Damn demons… trying to make me laugh?

Clang! The mace hit Selir’s ankle. She ground her teeth and stepped on it, crushing it like paper.
“Pathetic trick… Exteron!”
“Mm.”

Evelyn’s resolve remained firm.
Clutching her injured stomach, sweating, she ran.

Thump, thump, thump.
Exteron’s heavy footsteps followed.
“Did he shove an iron spike in his foot?”
Unknowingly, she shouted, and the system window appeared.

[Exteron is sulking.]

Seeing him stop and slump, Evelyn instinctively apologized.
“Sorry.”
“….”
Exteron turned his head away, sulking.
“Sulking?”
“….”
“Yeah.”

No choice. She had to keep running.

Seeing Evelyn sprint away, Exteron hesitated slightly.

[Exteron is staring blankly at your fleeing figure.]
Why?

[Considering slicing your back in half.]

Wait a minute!
Evelyn kept running but looked toward Exteron.
He was slowly drawing a massive sword from his back.

“Stop!”

Exteron flinched reflexively and froze, and Selir calmly walked over and smacked his arm.
“Stop what?!”
“….”
“Don’t scold him. He can stop if he wants!”

Seeing Evelyn chatter while running, Selir was baffled.
Pale lips, blood dripping, barely standing—yet only her mouth seemed fine.
“You brat? You calling Exteron a brat?! You gave birth to him?!”
“No!”
“…!”

Selir, angered by Evelyn’s audacity, took Exteron’s sword easily with one hand.
“I’m not merciful like the others,” she said.
“Yes, we can clearly see that.”

Selir twisted her lips at Evelyn’s sharp retorts.
“Aren’t you afraid of death?”
“I am.”

Terrified. Hoping desperately to survive.

[Selir wonders if you have no pride.]

What good is pride now?
Evelyn laughed bitterly.
“No more games.”

Selir ran at her, giving no time to prepare.
Exteron grabbed the fleeing Evelyn with one hand, sending a sharp pain through her hips.
“You… too much…”
Looking up at him with teary eyes, Exteron hesitated, guilt filling him.

Evelyn seized the moment to escape, and Selir furiously shouted at Exteron.
“Exteron! She’s human! How long will you care about every little reaction, you worthless fool!”

Selir kicked off the wall in her high heels and sprinted.
She quickly blocked Evelyn’s path.
She was right behind me…
Hesitating, she stepped back slightly, but Exteron blocked the rear.

Selir looked down at Evelyn, her gray eyes full of deep-seated disgust.
“From now on, I’ll kill every single one of you.”
Evelyn staggered and whispered with effort.
“…Am I the first target?”

Selir raised her massive sword, bringing it down diagonally across Evelyn’s torso, who couldn’t escape due to Exteron holding her.
Blood sprayed down her shoulder and chest.

Red system warnings flashed urgently.

[Danger!!]
[Attacked with lethal intent by Selir!]
[Death is approaching!]

“Ugh…”
Exteron stepped back, and Evelyn collapsed.
The pain from her shoulder down was excruciating. She couldn’t even scream.

“This is easy.”
Selir wiped Evelyn’s blood from her face.
Evelyn writhed on the floor, vomiting blood—a pitiful sight.
Selir raised the sword high with both hands.
A drop of blood fell from the tip onto Evelyn’s cheek.

Warm blood continued to flow from her lips.
The blood soaked into Selir’s shoes.
Evelyn’s sparkling eyes began to dim.
Her gaze fell on the sword aimed at her neck.
…I’m going to die like this.

No hope of survival came to mind.
I can’t believe I’ll die this way…

Alarms blared, warnings filled the screen, but
There’s no way to survive…

Through her blurred vision, she saw Selir’s twisted, gleeful grin.
“Goodbye.”
Selir’s hands drove the sword down.

Crash!

Evelyn’s eyes went completely dark.