The Castle’s Fury

This was a massive, dark-themed ancient castle.

Grand wooden doors, crimson carpets, and an endless corridor stretched before them.

Golden candelabras hung suspended from the ceiling, while rows of silver-white knight armor stood guard on either side. Swords and warhammers were piled indiscriminately, making it clear this was a vast collection of weaponry.

As with most castles, a colossal reception hall awaited at the end of the corridor.

A solitary throne dominated the center, flanked by two long tables. The thought of a hall filled with guests, all turning their gaze upon you simultaneously, was enough to evoke a profound sense of oppression.

‘Damn it.’

Surveying the intensely martial decor, Cardo felt an overwhelming wave of dejection.

‘Sevilya’s mindscape was a delicate little garden, and Claire’s was a grand, imposing castle. So why was Seraphina’s spiritual space utterly blank?’

‘I lived in that empty void for over a decade… do you even know what those years were like for me?! If only I could live in a castle like this… I’d even be willing to lick Iqiyah’s ice cream!’

Just as Cardo was lost in admiration of the ancient castle’s interior—

“Who are you?” A cold voice instantly jolted Cardo’s consciousness back to reality.

Following the sound, Cardo saw a warrior clad in silver armor seated on the steps of the towering throne.

“Sevilya?”

At first glance, the silver armor startled Cardo, but reason swiftly took hold. This was Claire’s mental space, meaning the one seated on the throne had to be its mistress.

Claire, helmetless, held a massive whetstone between her legs. In her hands, she gripped a silver-white sword, tirelessly grinding it with a continuous, sharp rasping sound.

“I am—”

“Eh? Is that Seraphina? Come here, quick, quick~”

Cardo was about to introduce herself, but to her surprise, Claire had mistaken her for Seraphina.

Dropping her sword with a clang, Claire clanked towards Cardo and engulfed her in a bear hug.

“Mmm-hmm-hmm~ Seraphina~ Seraphina~ My favorite Seraphina~”

It seemed she was completely unaware of being in a mental world.

“Ahaha, ahaha, ahaha, Claire~ My favorite Claire~”

Seeing Claire’s usual enthusiasm, Cardo quickly adapted, responding with equal fervor.

‘Since she thinks I’m Seraphina, I might as well go with the flow and get closer, which will give me an advantage when I need to suppress her later…’

“Seraphina… you’re so cheerful today~ I’m so happy…”

Burying her head in Cardo’s chest, Claire rubbed against her excitedly, like a koala clinging to a camphor tree.

“Ah, really?”

Cardo scratched her head, feeling a slight unease. “Haven’t I always been this way? Hahaha…”

“Mmm… sniff~”

Unlike her usual interactions with Seraphina, Claire didn’t reply to Cardo. Instead, she buried her head and inhaled deeply—

“Seraphina, your body smells so good~ But it seems a little different from before…”

“Uh… haha, maybe I’m just sweating~”

“Seraphina, your body is so big~ But I remember you being a little shorter than me…”

“Hmm… perhaps the food at the manor was too good, and I grew taller.”

“Seraphina, your chest is so soft~ But I don’t remember it being this big…”

“This… well, I’m still growing, you know~ Development is perfectly normal.”

“Mmm… that’s right, that’s right~”

Lifting her head from Cardo’s chest, Claire gazed into Cardo’s crimson eyes.

“Seraphina, you really have always been this way… absolutely true.”

What sent a chill down Cardo’s spine was that those emerald eyes, once as clear as a tranquil lake, now held a terrifying depth, like a bottomless abyss.

“Uh… really?”

Sweating profusely, Cardo instinctively averted her gaze.

“Yes, exactly, not a single detail amiss…”

Closing her eyes, Claire nodded gently, her neck slowly sinking, in a manner as elegant as her usual demeanor.

Then, with a resounding clang—

Claire suddenly lifted her head, her round green eyes wide, and cackled wildly.

“Even this white hair is exactly the same~”

“Aaaah, what the hell are you talking about!!!”

Startled by Claire’s yandere-like expression, Cardo frantically thrashed her body, struggling wildly like a fish flopping on land.

“Hmph, where did this blood kin come from? How dare you impersonate Seraphina!”

But unfortunately, perhaps because she was in Claire’s home turf, no matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t shake Claire off.

“Petty tricks! How dare you show off your meager skills! You didn’t even bother to change your hair color, do you take me for a blind fool?!”

‘Tsk, damn it, was I seen through from the very beginning?’

“W-well, look, my body is bigger than Seraphina’s, and Claire is smaller than Seraphina. Isn’t that better than Seraphina? You… why don’t you just pretend I’m Seraphina, and we can make do…”

“Hmph!” Claire’s eyes widened, like an enraged Vajra. “Audacious blood kin! Do you not know that Seraphina is my savior? How dare you, you foul rat, attempt to twist and corrupt the bond between us?!”

“Blood kin are just blood kin, ignorant of the vastness of heaven and earth, yet still standing there, completely disregarding me!!!”

“Prepare to catch the demon!!!”

‘What kind of ancient meme is this, seriously?!’

Clutching Cardo’s body, Claire violently shook herself. Losing her balance, Cardo instantly toppled, pinned beneath Claire.

“Hmph, you damned rat.”

Reaching behind her, the silver sword flew swiftly into Claire’s grasp.

Straddling Cardo, Claire raised the silver sword high with both hands, aiming it directly at the blood kin’s heart—

“Pay the price for your insolence!!!”

“Tsk! Human! Don’t push your luck too far!”

Just as the silver sword was about to pierce her body—

In that critical moment, Cardo struggled fiercely, managing to pull one hand free from beneath Claire.

The next second, a colossal golden hammer materialized instantly.

“What?”

Seeing a giant hammer suddenly appear beside her, Claire was startled and quickly tried to dismount.

But it was too late. The next instant, a golden streak flashed across the air, and Claire was sent flying by a heavy blow from the hammer.

“Phew… that was close. I almost lost my life.”

Clasping her chest, Cardo’s head still buzzed from merely witnessing the silver radiance, even though the sword hadn’t truly fallen.

‘Seraphina, you scoundrel… you already have Iqiyah, so why are you still flirting around everywhere?’

‘And you’ve provoked a female rakshasa… Didn’t they say her profession was a scout? Her strength is clearly even greater than that warrior in your previous team!’

“Blood kin… your strength is remarkable, and your speed and reactions are first-rate…”

Lying on the ground, Claire straightened her legs and tensed her body, rising from the earth in a distinctly inhuman manner.

“Since my last injury, I haven’t picked up a blade again…”

Picking up the silver sword from the ground, Claire arched her back, transforming into a Spinosaurus-like posture.

“So, I must thank you… for being willing to join me in this long-awaited final dance with your life, before you die.”

Gripping the hilt with both hands, Claire then split her hands apart the next second, and the silver sword instantly divided into two, as if fragmenting.

Concurrently… the reception hall’s windows suddenly burst open with a “whoosh,” allowing countless icy, eerie gusts of wind to pour in, causing the armors on either side to clang.

In this hall, which now felt like a chamber of wandering souls, Claire advanced slowly, her steps an elegant cat-walk, bathed in moonlight.

The two swords in her hands crossed, forming a cross that emitted a fierce, chilling glow under the moonlight.

This was a death warrant for the blood kin.

“Come…” Adopting a battle stance, Claire grinned.

“Make sure you give me a good time!”