Struggling as a Villain

[Day-02]

Around two in the night, Lilia could be seen currently combing her hair and thinking about her master. Since time travels at a strange pace in the Endless Hold, he must have been there for quite a few days already.

She glanced at Allen and found the blond guy currently playing with puzzles while sitting on the ground. It looked like he was having fun, and there was no sign of fatigue on his face.

Lilia has already put a few droplets of recovery potions in his food and has prepared several vials of them just in case.

Allen only ate enough food to stop his stomach from growling but did not fill it completely.

Lilia was relieved to see Allen being so diligent about this.

"Do you want me to bring more board games for you?" Lilia asked as she tied her hair in a ponytail.

Allen shook his head without letting his eyes wander away from the puzzle as he said, "This will keep me busy for tonight. Thank you for bringing me this."

Lilia smiled, "This much is nothing in exchange for what you are doing for us."

Allen's lips quirked in a soft smile as he continued to play the game.

However, soon, his puzzle pieces begin to shake--displacing them from their original spot and making Allen frown.

He turned toward Lilia and found her already on her way outside, as she commanded, "Don't leave this room, whatever happens."

"Yes!" Allen instantly replied and sprang to his feet. Directing his eyes on the bed, he focuses on his spell so he doesn't accidentally break the dome.

Lilia felt her barrier being challenged, which was set around the runic barrier in which the mansion always remains surrounded.

There was someone...no, more than one person attacking the barrier.

Rushing toward the front terrace, she looked towards the front of the mansion...only to find her eyes stretching wide.

More than a hundred white robe-wearing entities crowded before the mansion, and some of them were launching elemental attacks to take down the barrier.

'They are...from the church?!' Lilia couldn't believe that these people, who always remained so humble and respectful toward the Duchess, were now showing rebellion at such a crucial period.

Enhancing her voice, she called out,

"Do you realize the consequences of your actions?!" Her loud voice reverberated through the crowd and many of them raised their faces in her direction.

One of them, with the golden pattern stitched to his robe, stepped forward and responded in a snarl, "This is the divine punishment for accepting the evil! Scarlette Bellarine has been corrupted and now, it is our, the children of the benevolent one's, duty to eradicate the evil."

They raised their hands, from which the symbol of Light--the sign of life, shone brightly.

Lilia gritted her teeth. This was going too far. But who would have informed them? The Headmaster?

'Possibly yes....but still this was too sudden....' The Headmaster left just a few hours ago to help her master reach the Endless Hold. And even if he had informed the church after that, then how was he able to accumulate these many church workers here?

No, this was not an instantaneous thing...they were informed beforehand and gathered here on the words of someone whom they cannot defy.

"A deity?" Lilia mumbled under her breath, as a very strong feeling of dread crept up her spine.

"Surrender and your death will be merciful!" The leader of the group shouted as they, once again, began to attack the barrier, this time with greater force.

The whole mansion began to shake, making Lilia grit her teeth. Her barrier wouldn't hold for long, and the inner barrier wasn't very strong either. No one dared to attack the Duchess until now, that's why there haven't been many requirements for establishing a high-grade barrier just like the one around the Emperor's chamber.

And now, when she is so vulnerable, and her son is also not here, these people are now showing their true colours.

'This is bad...if words come out, the other rulers from different nations might arrive here as well...' Lilia needed to do something about these people. She needed to bring a deterrent into play so no one else could think of turning their weapons against the Duchess.

Grabbing her dagger, she took several deep breaths. She has no other choice but to fight these people with her all.

However, just before she could jump out and challenge the crowd, which had elevated to nearly five hundred, a dark portal appeared above the church members, making them stop using their spells and look up.

The air grew thick and heavy with the oppressive weight of dark energy. Low-ranking members of the church, unable to withstand its overwhelming force, gasped for breath. Their faces twisted in fear and agony as they fell to their knees, clutching their throats, the pressure building with every passing second.

Suddenly something massive plummeted from the swirling portal above. It struck the earth with a deafening thud, sending a shockwave that rippled through the ground. Cobweb formed around the entity's feet as he took a breath of fresh air.

The seven-foot-tall man had long flowing black hair and deep crimson eyes. He wore a three-piece black suit and currently has a very pleased expression on his charismatic face.

"Ahh~the air around this place....is so warm. I might get addicted to it." His voice was like a silent arrow, sending a shiver down the spines of many individuals around.

"Who are you?!" The Pope shouted at the man; demanding an answer. However, little did the others expect that those were the last words the Pope could have spoken before his body exploded from within, blood and innards splattering around.

The others who saw this found the adrenaline from them exhausting at an astonishing pace and their faces adapting the same shade of a sheet.

Many of them puked and fell down to their knees witnessing the gruesome sight.

The man grinned as he lowered his finger and turned towards the mansion.

With his gaze locked with Lilia's he loudly said, "Don't worry, my lady, I have got this sorted."

Lilia had no idea who this man was or what his intentions were, but if he was helping clean the mess, then like hell, she was going to stop him.

----------**---------

Richard was back in his cell--huffing and sweating like a dog in heat. He spent the longest duration in his subconscious until now. He was there, struggling against an undefeatable enemy.

However, unlike the previous times, he wasn't killed by the monkey king in an instant when he had the opportunity; rather, Richard was kept there--getting beaten and thrashed, which he was getting taught.

There can't be any better teachers than those who have fought Gods and survived. Monkey King is a Battle God who has fought several wars, and the experience he carries in those arms is something he shared with Richard.

And also, showed him how the legendary Bo Staff could be utilized to its fullest.

Richard has been scratching the surface while the Ruyi Bang held such strong and intense power that he nearly felt that he didn't deserve the mythical weapon.

However, he didn't have a choice. There was no other assistance for him other than Ruyi Bang, and it's not about whether he deserved it or not since Richard was well set on utilizing whatever help he could get to achieve what he came here.

'I have learned a lot...' Sitting down on the bed, Richard found his breathing finally returning to normal. He drank a few mouthfuls of water and looked at himself in the mirror.

Although he didn't have his hair anymore, he still looked good enough to be regarded as a model back on Earth.

[Ding!]

[Suggestion arrived!]

[Sun WuKong: Become one with your weapon and allow them to become a part of you. Only then, would you be able to truly utilize Ruyi Bang.]

Richard heaved a sigh. He has heard this before as well, but he still doesn't understand what it meant to become one with one's weapon.

Does he need to hear what it said? No, there is nothing comprehensible that comes from that vibration. Then what? Does he need to meditate while keeping Ruyi Bang near him? Exposing that staff in the open can be dangerous for now.

Haah, this was tiring and confusing.

He had a few hours before the battle so he decided to give his body some rest.

For some reason, he has been feeling a little too anxious since this morning when he heard that today is the weekly inspection. He wasn't this worried about it until yesterday....but now, he was....don't know why feeling this weird sensation kept tormenting him.

Clutching his chest, he looked at nothing constant. He didn't want to think about it but somehow he had a feeling that something big was about to happen...something that can harm his family in some way.

'I hope this is nothing but my overthinking...'

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A/N:- We are reaching there. Thanks for reading.