Blood scattered like rain.

Fragments of the hunting party leader, gruesomely chewed up, fell everywhere in the backyard, but even those were completely devoured by the tentacles.

In the midst of the horrific scene, the surviving human hunters were seized by convulsive terror.

AAAAAAH!

Bang, bang. Hesabels crossbow pinned the remaining ones heads to the ground. Soon after, the tentacles having finished their feast of Predation, disappeared back under the hues from beyond.

This is troublesome.

Affected by the Dark Eucharist, all nearby human hunters were lost in terror, completely petrified. However, Isaac realized that the cleanup was not perfect. The last miracle invoked by the hunting party leader was a Red Prayer that transformed his body into a mist of blood.

Despite becoming a mist, whether still under the influence of the Dark Eucharist or not, he panicked and stirred the skies above Rougeberg before vanishing.

Isaac, clicking his tongue, quickly pulled out a human hunter whose head was buried in the ground. The hunter had an arrow piercing one eye, but since the other was intact, it didnt matter.

Where did your leader go?

There was no need to wait for an answer.

Isaacs eyes filled with a deep violet hue. Thin tentacles burst through his eyelids and swiftly burrowed into the human hunters eyes.

Soon, Isaac had extracted their operational tactics, emergency actions, and their original plans in meticulous detail.

And he clicked his tongue again.

Headed to the tower?

They already knew where Isolde was hiding.

***

Whirring, crunching, thud.

The blood-mist form of the hunting party leader, having frantically wandered, soon lost the power of the miracle and reverted to his original form.

He fell onto the roof and rolled down into the dirt of the courtyard, slamming his head into the ground. His mind seemed to clear a bit then.

He felt an unprecedented fear when swallowed by the Grasp of the Abyss, due to the effects of the Dark Eucharist, but he never wanted to experience that again. Tears were streaming down his face tears he had never shed since becoming a human hunter.

I cant face that monster again.

He gasped for breath, walking aimlessly forward.

Where did it all go wrong?

His wrist, cut to invoke the red prayer, had not regenerated. It was a sacrifice to the Red Chalice, after all. Though he could restore his form, being heavily drained of blood by the giant tentacles, he wasnt completely healed.

He had lost his wrist and his subordinates.

And the angel he was supposed to serve, the Prophet of the Red Flesh.

If only we had stuck to the original plan

The original plan was to ambush Isolde in the tower. But when a banquet was announced, they thought it would be an easier place to kidnap her from. Little did they know the opposition was bait and that they were dealing with a monster.

First, Ive escaped to regroup

While looking for an escape route, the hunting party leader suddenly noticed something massive ahead.

It was the very tower they had planned to attack.

Staggering towards the tower as if hypnotized, he then realized the banquet was a trap to lure them out! He had foolishly taken the bait.

So, does that mean Isolde Brant, or rather, the Prophet of the Red Flesh, is still here?

He staggered to the towers entrance and smelled something familiar.

A sweet scent.

It was both the lingering scent of the Doctrine of Thirsty Love and that of the Red Flesh.

The hunting party leader felt like he had grabbed a lifeline.

Even though his team was wiped out and he was severely injured, if he could rescue the Prophet of the Red Flesh, or even obtain a part of her flesh, he could recover immediately. His only chance to survive was this.

He tried to open the tower door, but of course, it was locked.

Frustrated, he banged on the door until he regained his senses.

He had to hurry. He gritted his teeth and pushed his severed wrist into the keyhole.

His dripping blood solidified inside the keyhole, unlocking it. Although he had to use more of his scarce blood, he was relieved to see the door open. Now, all he had to do was go inside and take Isolde hostage

Thats when he noticed someone standing in front of the door.

A person in a tattered white armor, faintly glowing sword in hand.

He couldnt fail to recognize someone who was high on the assassins list of the Dawn Army.

The hunting party leader muttered dumbfoundedly.

The Paladin?

Bang. The Paladin kicked him in the chest.

Already exhausted, the hunting party leader tumbled down the stairs with a series of thuds. Managing to get back on his feet amidst grunts and groans, he looked up the stairs with trembling eyes.

Why was the Paladin, reportedly drowned in the North Sea, here of all places?

This was the Paladin who had annihilated human hunters in Ariet Valley, banished the Prophet of Red Flesh, and defeated the Drowned King.

Facing him in any state was daunting, let alone when he was right before his eyes.

Thud. Just then, the Paladin began descending the stairs.

Ha, hah.

The hunting party leader couldnt tell where the truth ended and the lies began, nor could he remember when he had fallen into this swamp-like trap. Before the approaching Paladin, he felt a terror of the incomprehensible world.

Huh, huhaha, hahaha

Suddenly, he caught a strange scent.

The same scent he had smelled before even entering the tower.

The scent of Red Flesh.

The divine power of the angel he worshiped seemed to emanate from the Paladin. In his nearly deranged state, he saw this scent as his only salvation.

An irresistible temptation overtook him.

My angel!

He crazily smashed his head into the ground, muttering.

My angel, I blaspheme!

***

When Isaac arrived at the tower, he was speechless at the scene before him.

The hunting party leader was either unconscious or had fainted with a pool of blood under his head, and Isolde, wearing Isaacs armor, looked down at him with a puzzled expression.

Why did you come outside?

Well, the door was open, and it seemed better to be out here in case a fight broke out

Isolde, fumbling with her arms, seemed bothered by the heavy armor.

Despite the armor being enchanted with miracles for agility and strength enhancement, it was still cumbersome for Isolde who was used to wearing comfortable leather clothes.

The armor she wore had been lent to her by Isaac when he decided to attend the banquet, thinking it might make others think twice before attacking her if they recognized it.

The Paladins armor was designed to adjust to the wearers body, so Isolde could wear it without any discomfort.

However, Isaac felt a different kind of burden because, in essence, the armor was like his own shell. Inside, tentacles intertwined to enhance strength and durability, and due to their shared sensations, he could distinctly feel Isoldes body outline.

But this also meant he wasnt overly worried when he thought the hunting party leader might go after Isolde. He trusted the armors durability and could monitor any activity around it in real time.

Isolde was not an easy target to kidnap.

She was competent in her own right and could summon the furnace beast to buy time if necessary. She could also call upon skilled knights if she wished.

But it seemed that the situation didnt require that much effort. Whether it was carelessness or confusion, the outcome would probably have been the same even if the hunting party leader had been in better condition.

This man kept saying things like I blaspheme my angel. Could it be because of the Red Flesh?

Hmm, it seems so. Well need to look into it.

Isaac had a foolproof method of interrogation that could be used even if the subject was dead.

The hunting party leader likely knew a lot.

Well then, Ill leave the interrogation to you. But

Isolde looked at Isaac up and down with a peculiar expression.

you look surprisingly good in that.

Although Isaacs dress was disheveled from the fight and stained with blood, it wasnt ruined. He naturally suited the outfit quite well.

Isaac wasnt sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult but decided to return the remark.

You too.

Thank you.

Thus, the two, having swapped their outfits, spent a long time searching for the right words, their gazes drifting through the air.

***

When Ilya woke up, he realized his hands were tied behind his back.

Noticing him awaken, Isaac, dressed in the same outfit and stunningly beautiful, turned around. His face was now completely different from when Ilya first saw him.

It was an expression devoid of any emotion.

Wait, what is this

Ilya started to protest but froze upon seeing not just Isaac but also Dietrich in the backyard. He took a deep breath and greeted Dietrich again.

Your Grace, if theres been a misunderstanding

Misunderstanding? You arranged for my daughter to be alone where Wallachia human hunters were hiding. Im curious what misunderstanding there could be. If it werent for this friend, who knows what might have happened.

Ilya gritted his teeth.

Everything seemed to incriminate him.

I was trying to protect her! I didnt know about human hunters either Wait, what happened to those human hunters? Interrogate them. I dont know anything!

They all ran away, Isaac replied.

It seemed they decided to flee since they couldnt overpower a noblewoman, and catching human hunters in the middle of the night is difficult.

Of course, it would be hard.

Except for the hunting party leader, the rest were already part of the backyards soil or had been deliciously consumed by the tentacles.

Ilya looked defeated.

But he recognized Isaacs voice.

The Paladin? Are you Sir Isaac Issacrea?

Dietrich responded before Isaac could.

He stepped forward and kicked Ilya in the face, scattering the Eastern Inquisitions formidable teeth across the backyard.

Do you think youre in a position to ask questions!

Watching Ilya bleed, Isaac felt a twinge of regret.

Ilya had indeed tried to protect Isaac, and from delving into the hunting party leaders mind, Isaac knew that Ilya was genuinely uninvolved with the human hunters.

But now, it was necessary to press Ilya firmly to the ground.

Ilya clenched his eyes shut and pressed his forehead to the ground.

Im sorry I never intended to put the lady in danger. I just wanted to quietly pass on a message.

A message to be passed quietly?

About the Doctrine of Thirsty Love.

You mean the thing about Isolde eating the Red Flesh? Thats been resolved already.