The witch’s overwhelming presence filled with murderous intent was tremendous.

Diana staggered and stepped back under the pressure that weighed down on her body.

“If that magic formation had succeeded, my mana could have been completely restored.”

With a blood-curdling voice, the sound of shattering glass rang out, and one of the magic formations disappeared.

“No matter how many times I try, once the magic is distorted, it clashes and bounces off!”

The sound of shattering glass continued over and over again. However, she couldn’t see the sight.

The witch savagely grabbed her shoulders right in front of her eyes.

The face of a beauty whose age was indiscernible alternated back and forth with the wrinkled face of an old woman.

“Of all things, you had to mess with time!”

Diana’s face turned pale as Vensiro pounced on her as if she wanted to strangle her to death right then and there.

“Wait…”

Not only the physical force squeezing her shoulders but also the surrounding air became thin. She started to feel faint from the lack of air.

No… I can’t die again like this. Not so futilely again.

‘Tell me again.’

Rodrick.

‘Let’s live together.’

Yes, this time I’m not alone. This time, with you.

‘Yes, let’s live together.’

In this life, I will live with you. I’ll make it happen.

The desire to live gave her strength.

Light swirled in her fading pink eyes.

Diana bit the inside of her cheek hard to regain her senses and shouted, blood dripping from her mouth.

“I don’t know! Why I died and came back to life! I didn’t turn back time!”

Damn it, don’t take your anger out on me!

At her desperate cry, the hand grasping her loosened its grip.

“You died?”

“Haah. Cough. Cough.”

Diana grabbed her throat, gasping for the air that had finally returned. That was close. I really thought I was going to die again.

“Why? No, you didn’t die normally, did you?”

Diana looked at Vensiro with bloodshot eyes. The witch looked extremely unstable.

What is a normal death? Dying of old age at the end of one’s lifespan? If so, her situation could only be described as unusual.

“I, ahem. I thought I was sick. Because I was bedridden, fighting the illness, and then I died.”

“…”

The crimson eyes that had been shaking back and forth between her fingers that gripped her face now looked at Diana.

“You. Have a magic formation on your body.”

She only notices it now. Her mana must not have fully returned. The king of witches, indeed.

“Haha, hahahaha.”

The white-haired beauty laughing like a madwoman was even grotesque.

“Haa. Child.”

Vensiro had laughed so much that tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. At the end of her laughter that had finally stopped, a chilling voice took its place.

“Shall we take a closer look at your back?”

Rodrick, this granny is really scary. Diana inwardly made a crying face while keeping her expression coldly stiff. In times like these, you have to be bold. Yep.

“Before that, apologize first.”

“What?”

“Not only did you bring me here without any explanation, but I almost died twice now.”

Under her haughty eyes, pink pupils stared straight at Vensiro. Vensiro couldn’t help but weaken under those eyes.

“And if I refuse?”

However, for some reason, she didn’t want to obediently do as Diana said. She herself didn’t understand what her motive was.

“Yes, then. It was not nice to meet you,”

She just wanted to see how this baby would act.

“Let’s never see each other again. Farewell.”

Vensiro blankly watched Diana walking away, an unexpected action.

“Ha.”

Vensiro grabbed the staff that had been standing in midair for a moment and used magic, making the ground tremble with a thud.

“Child. Outside is the Dark Forest. It’s crawling with monsters, you know?”

“Yes, I’m well aware. Because I’ve experienced it.”

“And you’re going to go out there empty-handed?”

“Yes, as long as I have a tree branch, I can fight.”

Diana stopped walking and glared at Vensiro.

“Why do you keep following me? And stop extending the hallway!”

Vensiro was intentionally extending the length of the corridor. Nevertheless, Diana walked forward, looking straight ahead with determination.

“I’m a witch. I’ve mastered all magic, you know? I could even break the magic on your back.”

Vensiro tried to persuade her, but Diana didn’t budge.

“Ah, yes. Go ahead. I have nothing more to say.”

Surely, she must be suffering because of that magic formation, yet Diana was resolute.

Watching Diana’s back moving away from her again, Vensiro smiled instead of sighing.

“Interesting.”

Vensiro, who had been forced awake by the reversal of time, had been determined to find the one responsible and hold them accountable.

As the staff struck the floor once more, a tidal wave began to rise from the tip of the staff.

Large waves surged on the relentlessly rushing seawater. The waves swept Diana away.

This time, without forgetting, a protective magic was cast as well. Diana rose to the surface of the waves.

“You want an apology?”

The pink eyes just blinked silently.

“A witch’s apology is expensive. A witch never bows her head, you see.”

So she would give something commensurate in return. Vensiro raised the waves and quickly proceeded down the corridor with Diana.

As she traversed the massive corridor that had suddenly turned into a water park, Diana swallowed a sigh.

Curse or whatever on her back. She really intended to leave the witch’s nest.

Watching Vensiro gleefully laughing as she cut through the water, Diana rubbed her throbbing temples.

Can a person really be this powerless in the face of magic?

Please, just send me home.

Thud thud thud thud- The heavy sound of horse hooves tore through the forest.

Huge warhorses were galloping relentlessly, forging a path where there was none. At the forefront was Rodrick’s black horse.

His hair blew back in the wind at the high speed, revealing his straight forehead.

His sharp eyes under strong features turned to Daren, who was riding a step behind.

“Go ahead.”

“Yes.”

Daren, with Noel in front of him, quickly took the lead of the elite knights and spurred forward.

With those words to go ahead, a hand in black leather gloves drew a sword.

Skreeeek- The sharp steel wire made an unpleasant noise as it clashed against the sword.

Stepping on the branches above his head, Helly spread transparent wires around Rodrick, weaving them together.

Helly’s main lethal weapon took the form of wires.

The tautly stretched wires had tremendous cutting power. They could even slice light falling leaves and sturdy trees in half.

Tsk. Rodrick clicked his tongue, standing up from the saddle as if dismounting, and swung his sword to blow away the obstacles trying to tie the horse’s legs.

As the wires that had been tightly connected between the trees were cut, the black horse quickly ran through the fluttering wires.

Even though the wires had lost their tension, they still managed to draw blood as they grazed the horse’s skin.

Despite its skin being scratched, the black horse faithfully carried out its master’s orders and ran straight ahead.

While cutting the wires trying to descend again, he let go of the reins and leaped off the galloping horse.

Immediately sensing Helly’s location, he cut down an entire tree.

With a thud, the tree fell, and he felled another tree in succession. He didn’t give Helly a chance to set foot on the trees.

Assassins usually conceal themselves and move stealthily. However, an assassin enraged from head to toe had no time to consider such rules.

“Rodrick Schwartz!”

A rare emotion was intensely expressed between the half-covered bangs.

Murderous intent. The only thought was to kill the man in front of his eyes.

“Someone who can’t even protect the lady’s safety.”

A throwing knife attached to the end of the wire flew precisely toward Rodrick’s neck.

“What a loser on the battlefield!”

Rodrick didn’t deflect the knife; instead, he grabbed it with his black-gloved hand and pulled Helly toward him.

Overpowered, Helly couldn’t even let go of his weapon and was dragged along, getting hit by the fist Rodrick swung.

“Kuh-huk. Damn it.”

No matter how many times he tried to kill him, all he got in return were fists. He began to discipline his subordinate with a barrage of punches.

Phew- He changed into black leather gloves and lit a paralyzing grass.

“Still, you’re a close aide to Debir Beatus. Seeing as you didn’t lose consciousness.”

Just because Diana wasn’t there, his madness began to rampage like a beast that had lost its leash-holding master.

As if reacting to the murderous intent emanating from his opponent, the bulging veins on his temples twitched.

‘I said I wanted to keep Helly by my side for a while.’

‘Why.’

‘Because I need him?’

Because Diana said she needed him, he didn’t kill him. If it weren’t for that, he would have dealt with him as soon as he blocked his path, no, before they even departed.

He was unconsciously attaching Diana as the reason for everything.

Helly, staggering and wiping his busted lips, gritted his teeth.

The difference was overwhelming. It was impossible to even engage in a contest of strength. Helly, who prided himself on his toughness, felt like he would lose consciousness from a single punch.

If this man had been serious, he would have died without even lasting a few exchanges. Damn it.

“My master won’t let this slide.”

Through the smoke of the paralyzing grass, his eyebrow rose crookedly.

“If the lady gets hurt, it will lead to a declaration of war against the North.”

Beatus declaring war on Schwartz. He couldn’t help but chuckle. A fight between the Central and the North. It would be quite a spectacle even if a war broke out like that.

However, Diana would not want that. She loves her family.

“That won’t happen. Because I will take Diana to the capital.”

“…”

“If, by chance, something dangerous happens to Diana, I will kill him and erase everything related to it.”

The blue eyes flickered with a terrible madness.

Even chasing after death.

Lady. I think you’ve gotten involved with a strange guy. Helly frowned and turned around.

“I’ll report it for now. If you don’t bring her back quickly, I don’t know what will happen. When the master gets angry, it’s truly terrifying.”

Helly vanished from in front of him in an instant.

With his head growing heavy and fatigue weighing down on his body, he pressed his brow tightly and whistled sharply to call his black horse.

‘Rodrick.’

Diana, smiling brightly at him, is dazzlingly beautiful. He closed his eyes, envisioning Diana’s image in front of him.

Whenever he felt like he was about to unleash slaughter, Diana’s absence became more pronounced.

Rodrick quietly opened his eyes at the sound of the horse approaching.

The illusion disappeared, and left alone, he picked up his heart that was about to fall into the abyss and put it back in place.

“Yes, let’s go.”

The black horse brought its face close to Rodrick, who was standing still. It meant to hurry and go.

Mounting the horse, he kicked its belly with the stirrups and started galloping again. He quickly set the direction and rode without rest.

Based on Noel’s words that the witch resides in the Dark Forest, he was heading there without a plan.

He could only hope to find her safely before he went completely insane.