The illusory hand reached inside of her chest. Through the grey world, he could use his hand very surgically, with all of her organs zoomed in and visible to him. He carefully directed the hand to her heart. Attached to it like pulsing Plato was a veiny organ that resembled fleshy sludge, gripping firmly to the pulsing heart. If she moved, he could mistakenly kill her.
With the index finger hovering over the parasite, he directed his mana down the length of the hand—which traveled through walls. He found it fascinating that, using the hand, he could indirectly infuse his mana into objects. He had half-expected it not to travel down the hand because of the obstacles it was phasing through.
Becoming tangible using his will, he imagined just the tip of the index finger becoming physical. For a moment, he poked the parasite, infusing a subtle amount of mana into it—then immediately disengaging the hand.
Now focusing on the mana, his forehead began to sweat. To do this without killing the woman would be very difficult. If he used his gravity magic haphazardly, he could smash or yank organs. It would have been smarter of him to practice beforehand—but if he waited too long, the mana would dissipate.
Crap... think. How could he safely do this?
Breathing in deeply, an idea came to his mind.
The young woman began to slowly stand. With steady steps, she began to move. Looking down at her chest, she felt a fizzling sensation on her heart.
Under her breath, she muttered with lifeless eyes, "Am I going to have a heart attack? Maybe it would be better to die…"
She stopped and looked at the open ceiling. She couldn't understand why—why she had never believed in anyone or anything. But looking up, she whispered:
"Please… save me."
A sudden and inexplicable pop was felt in her chest. She couldn't explain why, but after it, she felt like her blood was flowing more smoothly—like she could breathe clearly, as if she'd had a stuffy nose without even knowing it… and now it had cleared up.
She didn't realize the discomfort she had been in until she could breathe properly. And with this sudden clarity, a surge of energy ran through her body.
Picking up her pace, the peach-haired woman—whose name was a number—more cheerfully went toward the kitchen, where more young women were preparing food.
As time kept on flowing, the echoing of resonant pops resounded throughout the mansion, followed by more and more energetic women.
Rei, who was still holding Toyota, watched his face in silence. She could feel the emotions in the mansion brightening. She had no idea what he was doing—but whatever it was, it was working.
She could only wonder what power was destroying the parasitic hearts. As far as she knew, he had received the divine protection of Dragon's Favor—which immediately disappeared, as if it had dissolved. Then he had healed her mother through some type of bloodline ability. He had Yin or shadow magic, which was rare. However, he didn't need to chant.
And now… some kind of enhanced perception?
How many hidden abilities did her lord have?
She refrained from asking, due to fear that he might be guarded—but her curiosity only intensified.
Toyota had to take his time, as some of the targets were in the process of moving. Every time he destroyed one heart, it would disappear—then reappear with a new host.
Regulus truly had an annoying ability.
The idea to destroy the parasite without harming the wives was a simple concept, but it wasn't immediate. What he did was move the mana to the dead center of the parasite. Then, with very little force, he would suction and repulse the molecules—making a type of acid that disintegrated the heart slowly from the inside.
If he wanted to be an assassin, he would be perfect. Never getting caught.
But the sheer amount of times he needed to repeat this process was driving him crazy. While his instant mana regeneration was constantly supplying him with mana, he did feel mental exhaustion sapping his energy.
He didn't want Rei to be holding him in this position all day.
Wait… was it even day?
With the blindfold on, he couldn't tell.
After minutes—or hours—he finally had one left. His perfect memory kept track of all the faces he had eradicated the hearts from, and this white-haired girl was the only one left.
Regulus kept no servants. Only wives. Probably because he trusted their fear in him was absolute.
She looked younger than the other women by a wide margin—maybe 14 or 15.
Hmm... I guess he likes them young.
The girl was most likely new, as she had tears in her eyes. If Regulus saw that, he would slap her—or yell at her—since he couldn't stand his wives showing any emotion.
Well… she's lucky, I guess. She gets to be free a bit earlier than the others.
Finally, tensing in Rei's arms, he sat up.
"I've finished. There's only one left."
At this, he heard a sharp rush of wind—before the ground was in view.
Rei set him down, steadying him.
"Why can't you just destroy all of the hearts and wait for him to come back?"
"Well… there's a few reasons. While he thinks he's the strongest and will take on even you with his ability, if he thinks he's vulnerable, he'll abandon this place—or even worse, contact the Witch Cult and change their plans. The second reason is, he'll later appear after Crusch's White Whale subjugation, with another Sin Archbishop. If we take him out now, that other Archbishop might not have the confidence to show up."
After saying this, another thought ran through his mind.
What if Regulus captured a new wife after we kidnap the white-haired girl? Wouldn't another heart manifest?
Well, if it really came to it, then they could just do a checkup here right before they executed the plan.
Rei was thoughtful for a moment before bowing her head.
"I see. I don't understand how you came by this knowledge… but I trust you."
He felt his mind lift more positively.
"Thank you. Since it's over, can I check out Flanders… maybe see some ground dragons?"
In Rei's eyes, Toyota looked like an excited kid wanting to explore. However, the time she had left to teach him was growing shorter and shorter after his four-day rest.
"Alright," she said, "only for a little bit though."
Grabbing him, she pushed him over her shoulder in a different position—like a sack of grain.
"Why am I just luggage?"
Landing once again, his grey world adjusted to the surroundings. Everywhere he looked were ground dragons. Seeing his expression, Rei answered:
"This is the Ground Dragon Kingdom. This city was built entirely around their existence."
He watched as the ground dragons opened and closed canals, raising and lowering drawbridges by running on large wheels.
Rei then muttered distastefully, "However… while this is one of the Five Great Cities, it has quite a few shady things."
"Like what?"
"Like gambling dens, red-light districts, loan sharks… as well as multiple pickpockets."
"Hmm… sounds fun."
Walking down the canal that branched out through the city, Rei followed just behind him. Toyota's excitement swelled as he continued on. Multiple people gave him strange looks—was it because he was wearing a blindfold?
Turning around sharply, a genuine smile spread across his face as he excitedly shouted to Rei, "What do you want to do?"
Her face was momentarily taken aback. "What do I want to do?" she echoed, trying to understand why she was being asked.
"Yeah! Surely there's something you've never tried—or something you want to do again."
Smiling brightly, as if she'd just been gifted a million dollars, she suddenly grabbed his wrist and excitedly dragged him toward a tall building that looked suspiciously like a casino.
"Let's go gambling!"
The casino's interior buzzed with chatter, the clink of coins, and the soft shuffling of cards. Everything shimmered under golden chandeliers—a stark contrast to the medieval architecture outside. Ground dragons were even painted onto the ceiling.
Wow, do they worship them here? Toyota wondered.
He followed Rei closely, taking in the ambient sound. His perception picked up everything—conversations, shifting weights, the telltale clink of hidden weapons. A lot of people were armed. His caution spiked.
Rei, meanwhile, was glowing.
He wasn't sure if it was the lighting, her Divine Protection activating, or just her natural excitement—but she practically skipped to a table in the corner where a small crowd had already gathered.
"What game is this?" Toyota asked, tilting his head slightly. The blindfold covered his eyes but couldn't hide the curiosity in his voice.
"Dragon's Bones," Rei said with a grin. "It's ninety-eight percent luck for the average person… and maybe a little more if you've got the skill."
She took a seat, tossing in a few coins to join the round. As she did, she handed him a satchel practically filled to the brim with coins.
The game involved tossing small carved dragon bones—each marked with glowing runes—onto a silk mat. The patterns they landed in were interpreted, with certain combinations yielding major wins or losses.
The dealer looked at Rei. "First time?"
"Yes." She smiled and rolled the bones.
They clattered and clicked across the mat… then stopped.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
The bones had landed in a perfect triskelion formation—something that statistically shouldn't be possible. Even the dealer leaned in to double-check. Then he frowned, puzzled, and reached under the table for a reference chart.
"That's… too lucky," he muttered, narrowing his eyes.
"Lucky?" Toyota echoed, amusement in his tone as he stepped closer. Yeah, there's no way that's just luck.
"So, how much did I win?" Rei asked, beaming.
The dealer cleared his throat. "House rules say the pot is multiplied by thirty if someone gets that roll. That's… one hundred and twenty holy coins."
At this, the dealer began to sweat, glancing around nervously at a group of men in black masks watching from the sidelines.
Whispering to Rei, Toyota asked, "Is that a lot?"
Hearing his words, Rei's expression briefly hardened before softening again. "It's quite a lot. You could buy a large house with that. When we get back, I need to teach you common sense."
The audience stirred, murmurs of disbelief spreading like a wave.
Toyota crossed his arms, sighing, then leaned forward. "Let me guess. Divine Protection of Gambling?"
Rei winked as she began scooping the coins toward herself. Whispering, she replied, "Divine Protection of Probable Outcomes. Not guaranteed wins, just… higher odds."
Toyota's face went completely deadpan. "You're going to bankrupt this casino, aren't you?"
Realizing what he said, Rei froze. Her cheer deflated slightly. "Guess I should stop…"
"Why not just try a new game?" he said, gently pulling her by the wrist toward a roulette table.
To the audience, it was a truly bizarre sight—watching a blindfolded man confidently lead someone through the casino. But the result: Rei doubled her winnings immediately to 240 holy coins.
That's when two men in black masks sauntered toward them, clearly trying to look intimidating.
"We're going to have to ask you to hand over your money and leave," one of them said smoothly. "Make a scene, and we'll throw you and your blind boyfriend out—with a few broken bones for good measure."
At that, Toyota felt a terrifying chill at his back. He didn't even have to look to guess where it was coming from.
"Rei," he said calmly, "let's dial it back a bit. Stay calm, We don't want people announcing we're here, right?"
Her face, which had moments ago held a tight smile and eyes dancing with bloodlust, softened when she turned to him.
"You're right."
Then, turning back to the masked men, she wore a chilling smile. "Let's take this outside."
"…Well, I tried," Toyota muttered under his breath, almost pitying them.
The men, who had originally approached with confident swagger, now froze. An instinctual danger sense was screaming in their heads.
"Actually," one stammered, "if you just keep the money and don't make a scene, we can… let this slide."
Under the mask, his pupils were visibly shaking.
The second man quickly added, "Y-Yeah, we wouldn't be cruel enough to beat up a woman, of course!"
With that, they turned to walk away—but their bodies were so tense that their attempt at a casual exit turned into a fast, nervous wobble.
Rei took a step to follow after them but stopped when she noticed Toyota's expression. With a face full of realization, she looked guilty.
"You haven't even tried a game yet. I'm sorry." Her head dipped low in shame.
He grinned. "It's fine. Watching the crowd's dumbfounded expressions was fun."
"It's time we return," Rei added.
Toyota's face paled at her words.
45 minutes of torture.
Leaving the casino, his perception picked up something strange—through a wall. A little girl, practically a child, wearing a hood. Blue hair. A snake curled up the sleeve of her robe, riding atop a chimera demon beast.
And behind her… a tall woman. Dressed in a revealing black dress with an openly exposed chest and haunting violet eyes. Her footsteps made no sound.
Elsa Granhiert—the Bowel Hunter.
The one who had killed him in his first two loops.
And beside her… Meili, the possum girl.
These two? Why are they here?
His body began to involuntarily shiver. The fear in him was real—palpable. Rei noticed immediately, looking at him with concern.
"What's wrong?" she asked, voice gentle but alert.
Should he tell her?
He didn't want to. He didn't want to go anywhere near that woman. She had traumatized him. Just remembering it made his knees want to buckle. Her looking down at him as his insides spilled out, sadistic glee in her eyes.
Suddenly, Elsa, as if she smelled something in the air, turned her head—and looked in his exact direction.
At a breakneck pace, making no sound, she scaled the vertical wall of the casino, moving like a spider.
An ideal assassin.
She stopped on the roof, crouched low. Looking up in fear, Toyota if his blindfold was off,, he would have been staring directly at her.
She gave a smile that would send shivers down any person's spine. Then, in a seductive tone, still perched on the wall, she leaned forward.
"You can sense me."
Rei, who was looking back and forth between Toyota and the direction he was facing, looked confused.
"What is it?"
Elsa casually looked down the wall—then dropped.
There was no sound when she landed.
What is happening?
His words dried up in his throat. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't look away.
She stepped closer slowly, eyes narrowing in amusement.
"Hmm… are you actually blind?" Elsa asked in a coquettish tone.
Her voice was smooth—uncomfortably so—like a knife wrapped in silk.
"Why do you fear me so much?" she added, her head tilting ever so slightly.
That's when the unseen hand lashed out.
It lunged toward her like a striking viper—fast, fluid, and full of killing intent.
Her eyes widened, reacting just in time to dodge to the side with a swift, silent step.
What is that creature?
Her lips curled downward into a genuine frown.
Rei, finally catching on, grabbed Toyota by the shoulders and shook him lightly.
"What's wrong?"
That's when he realized it.
She's a soul.
Dead. That woman is already dead.
How did she die?
Well, whatever the case—I have no intention of talking to her.
His body, which had been frozen in fear, suddenly relaxed.
The realization brought with it a strange calm.
She can't touch me.
"Nothing. Let's go."
Rei blinked, unconvinced, but nodded slowly.
"Okay…" she said, clearly still concerned.
Grabbing him again, she activated her speed—and in the blink of an eye, they shot into the air, a blur of motion tearing down the street and skyward.
The unseen hand, still snapping at Elsa, was inadvertently pulled along by Rei's movement—ripping the pressure away from her in an instant.
Elsa stared upward, watching as the blindfolded boy shrank into the distance—smaller and smaller until he was nothing but a dot on the horizon.
For the first time, her demeanor cracked.
The smile vanished. The playful tone disappeared.
And what was left… was human.
"Wait…"
Her voice cracked. Just once.
Then, like something snapped inside her, she turned and sprinted.
Straight toward the disappearing dot.
(AN: Well, here's Elsa, I think I will do a brief time skip to the royal selection, cause this pace feels slow. I'm thinking about creating another fic about Reinhard template in the MCU, would you read it?
I've set an official release schedule: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Although when I get bored, I add extra.
Bonus chapters will drop on Saturdays if my demands are met. 🔫
Trade deal:
You give me 70 power stones, and I give you a bonus chapter.
Sounds fair, right?)