As the light disappeared, and Alicia cautiously opened her eyes, the sorcerer was already gone, vanished.

Hastily scanning the surroundings, there was no one in the room but herself.

“The demon?”

Immediately, Alicia approached the window and checked the situation outside. Seeing Allen, it seemed Eric’s Second Order of Knights had arrived and was clearing out the demons.

“Would it be okay if I lent a hand?”

Without hesitation, Alicia rushed out of the room.

As soon as she ran outside the annex, she picked up a fallen knight’s sword. It was lighter than Eric’s previous sword, making it more manageable.

“Well then, shall we give it a try?”

To facilitate movement, Alicia cut the hem of her dress with the sword.

After a brief deep breath, Alicia charged towards the demons.

Alicia leaped next to the fallen knight under attack by the demon, slashing long from the face.

Suffering and writhing in pain, she thrust the sword into the demon’s mouth, delivering a blow. Afterward, she withdrew the sword, avoiding the falling demon.

“Sister-in-law?”

“Allen. If you feel like stopping me…”

“No, not at all. Right now, demon extermination takes precedence. I’d appreciate your help.”

Allen grinned.

Since he had been training with Alicia, he knew her abilities well, and he found her more reliable than most knights.

“But it would be troublesome if you get injured. Then, my name will be added to the list of casualties.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Effort won’t be enough. Please don’t get hurt.”

“Got it.”

Allen and Alicia exchanged a smile filled with trust and went in their respective directions.

Approaching cautiously, Eric confronted the sorcerer with the red ring.

“Where were you?”

“I got hurt too, unexpectedly. I got careless.”

“What?”

“First, take care of that one. I’ll deal with my matters and be back.”

“Hurry. It seems like I won’t be able to hold on.”

“Got it.”

As soon as the man who had been with Alicia tried to move, Eric, holding his side, stood up.

Brushing off the dust from his head, he grabbed the sword. The subordinate mage, seeing this, made a startled expression.

“It was dangerous this time.”

Muttering, Eric adjusted his grip on the sword and assumed a stance.

He was fortunate to have twisted his body momentarily; if he had taken a direct hit, he would have at least fainted.

The sorcerer with the red ring smirked, whistled, and marveled.

“Interesting. Resilient. Good reflexes and agility. I like it, as expected.”

“I don’t want someone like you to like me.”

“Oh, well. I guess that’s how it is. It’s okay. I’ll have a day when I like it.”

At his words, Eric frowned deeply.

“Your expression is the same as that young lady’s now, huh?”

“What?”

With a bad feeling, Eric, tightening his grip on the sword, took a step forward.

When he did, Eric’s subordinate mage, as if guarding the man, reached out his arm.

“Going to miss it?”

“Oh, that persistence, very nice. But right now, I can’t play with you.”

“What do you mean?”

“One favor, please.”

At the unexpected request, one of Eric’s eyebrows raised.

“The young lady. Your fiancée.”

As soon as Alicia was mentioned, Eric’s face turned grim.

However, the man clapped his hands as if he liked it.

“Yeah, that’s it. Very good.”

“What?”

“Take good care of her. For my sake.”

“What are you talking about?”

“She belongs to me.”

With that statement, this time, lightning struck from the ceiling.

Thanks to that, Eric’s body bounced significantly, tumbling to the ground.

“Don’t waste your energy. It’s not even in my hands yet.”

“I understand. I’ll be right back.”

“Yes. I’ll keep an eye on that kid.”

“Don’t kill him. Didn’t you hear what I said earlier?”

“Yes, yes.”
Reluctantly leaving behind the sorcerer who responded, the man in the black robe disappeared further into the museum.

“Ugh.”

The impact was stronger than before, and Eric’s head felt numb, the sound seeming distant.

Shaking his head to regain focus, Eric struggled to get up.

“Aren’t you dead yet?”

Staring at the sarcastic sorcerer, Eric raised his upper body.

“You didn’t seem strong enough to die.”

“…If I were to tell you, it seems the one above doesn’t wish for you to die.”

“?”

“This place will collapse soon, so if you want to live, leave.”

At that moment, explosive sounds started coming from where the man in the black robe had disappeared.

Startled, Eric turned his head towards the source of the noise.

Amidst the sounds and rising dust from inside, it became evident that something was collapsing.

“Do you hear it? If you don’t leave now, you’ll be crushed to death.”

The sorcerer, too, turned away after uttering those words.

“Darn it.”

Eric, supporting himself on the sword, also stood up and began to move.

Barely escaping outside, when the sound of the museum collapsing reached Eric, he jumped into the lake.

Submerging himself in the lake and emerging, Eric found that the museum had already collapsed.

“Ha.”

In disbelief, Eric watched the ruins of the collapsed museum, then started swimming towards the side of the grassy field.