The lizardman’s eyes glowed fiercely. It was targeting Ayla……!

“No! Ayla! Don’t come this way!”

Diana shouted at Ayla, who was approaching the swamp unaware.

Whoosh! The moment Ayla and Diana’s eyes met, the lizardman’s head turned towards Diana.

Saaak.

As it slowly turned, traces of the terrible carnage that had already occurred were splattered around its mouth.

It drooled, salivating.

Thump. Thump.

Face to face with the creature’s torn reptilian pupils, Diana’s body froze like a trapped herbivore.

But Diana tried to regain her senses.

If she hesitated here, she would surely be taking an express train to the afterlife.

Just as Diana was about to barely move her stiffened foot one step back, it happened.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

The lizardman raised its sharp claws and began running towards Diana.

Looking around, she saw a fallen tree behind her.

With all her might, she slid underneath it and saw a hole dug by a small animal.

As she crawled in and tried to hide her body as deep as possible, suddenly all the light around her was blocked and a damp sensation enveloped her.

As she clasped her hands together in a suffocating and fearful state, two round circular lights flickered at the blocked entrance.

W-What is it?

As Diana narrowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness, the light shone brightly as if about to swallow her whole.

And the moment her eyes became accustomed to the darkness, Diana screamed in shock.

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

The round lights were none other than the lizardman’s eyeballs……! When Diana screamed, it became even more excited and exhaled damp breaths.

She curled up her body even more, but a long, wet tongue was already wriggling at her feet.

‘G-Gross!’

As Diana recoiled in horror, pressing her body back as far as possible, the soil behind her was crawling with small insects.

At her feet was the disgusting tongue about to touch her at any moment, and behind her back was a field of bugs.

Diana frantically felt around the ground in panic.

‘Something that can be used as a weapon! Anything?’

The situation was already hopeless on all sides.

At that moment, suddenly a leaf popped out of her bosom and danced on her skirt.

‘W-What! What’s going on!’

As she nervously brushed off the leaf in a development unsuited to the urgent situation, the leaf, as usual, climbed up her body with indomitable will.

“What am I supposed to do with this!”

As Diana whimpered angrily, it stood up straight and pointed at the monster’s mouth.

“……What are you doing! Do you want to be eaten or something!”

Yes! As if the leaf was the answer, it folded its body frantically.

‘Could it be……?’

With the thought that she had nothing to lose, Diana placed the leaf on the thick tongue, and the lizardman seized the opportunity, wrapping its tongue around her wrist in one swift motion.

“Let go……”

Diana was startled and tried to pull away, but the sticky tongue had already ensnared her.

With her right arm caught, she was dragged out, her delicate flesh tearing against the rocky ground, bleeding profusely.

She twisted her small body this way and that in an attempt to resist somehow, but it was intent on swallowing her whole in one gulp with its huge maw wide open.

Hahaha It was the final moment as her body tilted into the monster’s mouth.

Dangling helplessly, Diana cried out in desperation.

“P-Please…… Please, someone help me!”

Just as she was making her last struggle with her eyes tightly shut, suddenly the lizardman let out an irritated scream and twisted its body.

Kiooaaaak!

When she opened her eyes and looked, a disgustingly large swarm of insects was attacking around the lizardman’s face.

Uh… uh!

Diana, who had been dangling from its tongue, swayed like she was on an amusement park ride before finally tumbling to the ground.

Shocked to see the creature staggering towards the swamp, Diana looked around and saw Ayla chanting a spell while sweating profusely.

‘That’s right……! Ayla is an elf, so she can communicate with plants and animals.’

She clearly intended to lure it into the swamp to self-destruct.

The swamp was just ahead, but suddenly the lizardman let out a terrible screech and extended its tongue.

Slurrrp.

With a loud sound of sucking in air, the surrounding butterflies and bees were all pulled into its mouth at once……!

How could this be!

The enraged creature now seemed to have lost all reason.

As the excited lizardman charged with its claws raised, its target was no longer Diana……!

“No!”

She was startled and tried to run to Ayla, but it was too fast to stop.

Surprised by the sudden attack, Ayla couldn’t even think of fleeing and crouched down at that moment.

A wolf flew in like a bullet from somewhere and roughly bit the lizardman’s neck.

‘Raoul……?’

He attacked persistently as if he would tear it apart right then and there, and the lizardman, having already had its nape bitten once, seemed unable to regain its senses.

After the young wolf launched a few more fierce attacks, the lizardman began to stumble backwards.

But somehow, it looked dazed, as if intoxicated by something.

As Raoul bared his teeth sharply and growled, scratching at its throat, the lizardman frothed at the mouth and fell backwards.

‘W-What happened?’

At that moment, Diana suddenly remembered the leaf that had been stuck to the lizardman’s tongue.

‘It was a poisonous herb……!’

After it fell, the creature continued to convulse before finally going still. Only then did Raoul change back to his human form and look back.

“What are you doing here!”

“Raoul!”

Ayla, who had been watching Raoul’s exploits from behind, threw her arms around the brave rescuer’s neck.

“Why did you come so late. I was so scared……”

Ayla buried her face in Raoul’s neck and shed tears of relief.

Trembling all over and sobbing as if she had been very frightened, she looked so vulnerable that it made one want to embrace her right away.

Diana was about to join them but stopped when she saw the scene.

Somehow, it felt like she shouldn’t interrupt the protagonists’ emotional reunion.

Standing there blankly for a moment watching the two, she suddenly felt awkward about her own presence.

Despite all the blood-curdling action, under the moonlight the two looked like drama protagonists filming an ending cut, while Diana felt like a staff member accidentally caught in the frame.

As she unconsciously took a step back, the sound of rustling leaves underfoot seemed especially loud.

“Diana!”

Only then noticing her presence, Raoul pushed Ayla aside and ran to Diana.

“What on earth happened……! I was so shocked to smell your blood from far away, are you hurt?”

It was when Raoul tried to grab her shoulder. Diana noticeably flinched and avoided his eyes.

“I’m fine……”

Normally, it would have been the most welcome face in the world, but somehow it was difficult to meet his eyes now.

“What’s wrong? You’re bleeding….. Let me take a look……”

“……It’s okay. I’m fine, so let’s escape first……”

As Raoul examined Diana with worried eyes, a blue light was descending behind him.

‘Gasp!’

Diana looked up at the sky in surprise. The moon in the sky had already disappeared and the light of dawn was faintly illuminating the forest……!

The three of them started running straight away, without even breathing.

The wounds from rolling on the ground stung terribly, but right now there was an ‘Ayla’ that took priority over their battered bodies.

As they surveyed the situation near the slave camp, fortunately there were no significant surveillance personnel deployed.

“We can get out now.”

When Diana said this looking at Ayla, her eyes became moist.

“……Thank you both for helping me this much.”

Ayla bit her lip hard, trying to hold back tears.

“It’s nothing….. Live freely when you get out.”

Diana answered with an awkward smile, but Raoul was particularly quiet.

“Can’t you both come with me?”

Ayla asked, glancing at Raoul.
Diana explained instead, anxious that the sun might rise.

“I’m a person who lives here, and Raoul…… Raoul can’t leave because of the curse. But, someday when the curse is broken, we’ll surely meet again outside.”

As Diana comforted Ayla, Raoul still said nothing.
Before parting, Ayla hugged Diana and Raoul one last time.

“We’ll be able to meet again soon, right……?”

A faint trace of tears could be felt in her clear, distinct voice.
After saying goodbye to Diana, as Ayla approached Raoul, Diana lowered her gaze and pretended to be distracted. Somehow it seemed like a situation she shouldn’t interfere in.

“That’s enough, hurry and go.”

When Raoul answered indifferently, Ayla shyly grabbed the hem of his clothes and murmured.

“I was able to endure until now because you were here….. This is a farewell gift.”

Chu.

It was a ticklish and clear sound of lips. When Diana looked in surprise, Raoul was roughly rubbing his cheek with a startled look.

“What on earth are you doing……!”

Ayla smiled brightly and waved goodbye.

“Then, see you again.”

The innocent angel disappeared suddenly, leaving a huge silence between the two people.

“Diana……! No. I didn’t like it, she forced it on me!”

“……Mm-hmm. I know. You don’t have to explain to me.”

Diana began to walk ahead, turning her back on Raoul for the first time.
Her whole body that had been bruised and broken hurt, but more than that, her mind was blank as if someone had hit her on the head.

She just wanted to go in and lie down. She just wanted to wash up quickly, lie down, and be comforted in Angela’s warm embrace.

Raoul followed beside Diana with a flustered face, then suddenly turned pale and his voice trembled.

“Diana…… It’s all my fault. Please don’t cry……”

Huh? What was he saying? Startled, Diana flinched and brushed her cheek.
Something wet was flowing down her cheek.