Chapter 214: Before you stands Isolde Verraine.
"Then why the hell did you call it a Moonlit Serpent!?"
"Do you not know what creative freedom is?"
The woman snorted.
Then, not allowing the man to say anything—
"And now, filthy, unfortunate challenger, accept your graceful exit from my magnificent stage."
She announced. Naomi saw a flash of light fill the corridor, then there was silence.
The fight was over.
Naomi remained silent for a short moment, then she heard footsteps coming closer. Since she did not want anyone to find her, she started moving away, but when she noticed that the footsteps were still coming closer and closer, she started running at full speed.
But just as she thought she might get away, a card covered in silver symbols flew past her face, then it released glowing threads that wrapped around her wrists and waist and lifted her from the floor.
"Let me go!"
Naomi struggled.
That’s when she heard the voice.
"You puppet of darkness, you dare hide in the shadows and observe me?"
"P-Puppet of darkness?"
Naomi stuttered. She turned her head as much as the threads allowed and her eyes fell on a young woman with long dark hair falling over one shoulder, several cards floating around her, along with thin metal nails and glowing threads.
Naomi also noticed a black cat sitting on her shoulder, three stuffed animals hanging from her belt, and a vial of... wine in her hand?
Wine?
Naomi blinked.
For a moment, she did think it was a potion because it definitely looked like a potion bottle, but seeing the woman’s flushed face, Naomi was very sure it was alcohol.
*Picture*
"Acting ignorant now, are we?"
The woman grinned, her eyes shining brightly.
"Fine move, unfortunate that you stand beside m—"
She kept speaking until suddenly, she paused and noticed something.
Something... odd.
"You are... a human."
She frowned, noticing how she couldn’t sense even the slightest trace of supernatural energy around Naomi. She also noticed how the woman had no charms, weapons, or any sort of protective Armour on her.
She was...
"...an ordinary human?"
Naomi continued struggling against the threads.
The woman walked towards her with a confused frown, the glowing nails around her lowering themselves, as if she were trying to make Naomi feel safe. Though she still didn’t release the threads holding her.
"How did you get in here?"
She asked with a curious look on her face.
"I don’t know."
Naomi shook her head.
"You don’t know?"
"I was inside a shrine, and then I woke up here."
"You were already inside?"
The woman’s eyes brightened.
"Already inside...?"
Naomi had no idea what ’already’ meant.
The woman, on the other hand, only looked at her with clearer and clearer interest.
"Do you know what this place is?"
She asked.
"I heard it’s a Trial."
"So you don’t know anything else."
"What else is there to know?"
Naomi asked curiously, the woman, however, just smiled brightly. Then her eyes fell on the glowing Waymark on Naomi’s arm and her smile widened even more.
"You already found one."
Naomi’s expression changed.
Even a fool could tell the Waymarks were important here and... they could be taken away...
This was not good.
"I can give it to you if you let me go."
She did the best thing she could think of at that moment and offered a deal.
The woman looked at her for a moment, then at her glowing Waymark, then back at her again and—
"No."
She shook her head.
"I have decided."
"...what?"
Naomi asked nervously.
"Decided what?"
"Rejoice, human."
The woman’s eyes shone very brightly.
"For I have decided to keep you."
"You have decided to... keep me?"
Naomi blinked.
She had no idea what those words meant, however, when she saw those stuffed toys attached to her belt, she had a sickening thought.
The woman noticed Naomi looking at her stuffed toys and covered them very quickly, as if she were protecting them from her.
"Stop ogling them, they are mine."
"...what?"
Naomi blinked.
Seeing the woman’s smile, she could already imagine her saying, ’They are mine, and soon, you will be too.’
But—
"I bring them for morale."
"...huh?"
Then suddenly, the woman waved her hand. The glowing threads around Naomi lowered and then released her before disappearing. Naomi stared at the sight in utter confusion. The woman, on the other hand, took a drink from her flask, then placed one hand on her chest and raised her chin.
"Before you stands Isolde Verraine."
The cards behind her spread out dramatically.
"Granddaughter of Matriarch Maelis Verraine, heir to the Blackthorn Circle, Archmage of Annihilation, bringer of Chaos, bearer of the Greatest Sin, desired by billions, Enchanter of the Realm, Mistress of the Seven—"
Slap
The black cat slapped her cheek with one paw.
Isolde paused.
The cards around her lowered a little, she looked at the cat and nodded.
"Yes, yes, I was getting there."
She then cleared her throat and—
"And this is Lord Whiskers."
The cat stared at Naomi, waiting to be praised.
Isolde herself was no different, Naomi could practically see her looking forward to the attention she was going to receive.
Naomi stared at the two of them, she had hundreds of things to say but the most important one was...
"You named your cat Lord Whiskers?"
"He earned the title."
The cat looked away proudly, he was even grinning a little.
Naomi blinked at that.
Did the cat... understand what was being said?
Honestly, that wouldn’t surprise her. The person she felt closest to had demon blood in his veins and she was currently inside an Ancient Spirit’s Trial, a cat understanding the human tongue wouldn’t surprise her one bit.
Isolde, on the other hand, misunderstood her silence.
"Fret not, human. As I said, I do not desire the mark you have painfully gathered."
"That sounds... very suspicious."
Naomi didn’t know what else to say.
"Why must you find it suspicious?"
"Because everyone inside the Trial needs a Waymark...?"
"I don’t."
Isolde shrugged.
"...and why is that?"
Naomi asked curiously and Isolde—
"Because I know I cannot win."
She answered honestly.
"You don’t think you can?"
Naomi looked at her in surprise.
"Witches need preparation."
Isolde pointed around her.
"I do not know this land, I have no ritual circles, no prepared traps, no connection to the maze, and I only brought what I could carry."
She shook the flask in her hand.
"Which is mostly important supplies."
"I am fairly certain that is alcohol."
"Exactly."