Rise of the Lustful Evil Monarch (Re)

Third Person's POV

Recognition lit up in Virelle's scarlet eyes, and she subtly gestured him over while Lucy's blue eyes softened in visible relief.

But it was Velcy who reacted first.

Without hesitation, she stood and rushed toward him.

Her boots clicked softly on the wooden floor as she closed the distance and flung herself into his arms.

He caught her easily and wrapped his arms around her slender frame as she buried her face in his chest.

He smiled as his arms tightened around her protectively while the tension in his shoulders melted, if only slightly.

But before he could say anything, a sneering voice drifted from behind him—thin and slippery, like oil in water.

"Who's that ugly girl, Brother Falco…?"

The tone was mocking and juvenile, yet laced with something uncomfortably venomous.

Another voice responded shortly after, this one was deeper and steadier, but also one that was clearly annoyed.

"How should I know, Erik? And quit causing trouble. You will get us into a mess again."

Ethan's expression didn't change, but he heard the voices clearly and understood that they were talking about none other than Velcy, who was now in her scarred state.

He gently moved Velcy to the side and turned slightly, as he chose not to react for now, as he wanted to see exactly who had spoken before he decided how to handle them.

He shifted to one side, and finally, the figures came into view.

A group of five individuals in dark robes entered the inn and walked with a casual arrogance.

Their hoods hung low over their faces and only revealed the edges of their chins, but one feature made their identity unmistakable.

From beneath each hood on their heads rose two sleek, curved black horns, identical in shape, length, and tilt.

Clearly, they hailed from the same bloodline or elite demon clan, as their presentation and the shape of their horns were uniform and matching.

As they passed him, one of them, likely the same Erik who had spoken earlier, turned his head and smirked.

His lips curled into a wretched smile as he raised his hood slightly and revealed a smug, youthful face.

Then, pointing directly at Ethan, he sneered,

"That's a good dog…"

The words hung in the air like rot on a stagnant breeze, but Ethan didn't respond.

To the casual observer, he remained indifferent as his eyes barely flickered, but for those who truly knew him, like Virelle and Velcy, they knew that it was an unmistakable shift.

His pupils didn't burn in anger, but they froze with coldness as the crimson in his eyes turned glassy, like ice beneath the surface of a still pond just before it cracked.

Then, a voice cut through the tension.

It was a sharp gasp, and it was clearly from a female among the robed group.

"Wait! Isn't that the girl Erik pushed off the spinal ropes yesterday?"

Her voice was filled with shocked recognition, and she pointed straight at Lucy.

Lucy's entire posture changed at her words.

Her spine straightened, and her blue eyes darkened into something cold and sharp while her hands clenched at her sides, and her ample chest rose and fell with seething restraint.

Victor and Lucien exchanged glances, totally baffled as they didn't know what was happening and what they were talking about, but they could feel that something exciting was about to happen.

Seeing Ethan being humiliated, Lucien jeered secretly while looking forward to how he would react, though Victor and the black-haired woman looked up in confusion.

Lucien was eagerly looking forward to Ethan lowering his head and Virelle looking down on him after understanding his true cowardly nature, though his dream was only meant to remain unfulfilled.

Erik, however, only chuckled lowly as his eyes glinted with the same cruel amusement as before.

"Then I guess I will have to kill that lowlife again like how I pushed that boy down the rope that day," he said, his voice dripping with disdain.

And then he moved.

In a blur, Erik lunged toward Lucy with frightening speed while stretching his hand in a claw shape.

Winds swept in his wake, rustled the curtains, and knocked a few empty mugs from nearby tables.

His fingers reached out, not just with violence, but with a perverted greed, as his eyes locked on Lucy's chest with a vile sneer playing on his lips.

But Lucy reacted just in time.

With a swift motion, a small and sharp dagger appeared in her hand, its blade catching the tavern light.

But it was clear she was on the defensive and would not be fast enough to dodge him.

Seeing his action, none of Erik's companions moved to stop or support him as they were used to his antics and activities.

They stood by and silently watched while being either uncaring or in full agreement.

Virelle's fists clenched, and her scarlet eyes flashed like wildfire as she had endured enough of their filth since they walked in.

And yet, she didn't move, because she didn't need to, as just when Erik's hand was about to land on the demon girl's head, a sound tore through the inn.

It was strange, like metal scraping across stone, while being mixed with the rustling of dry leaves.

It rose in an instant and then finished with a tight snap as a black chain burst through the air and pierced Erik's right chest with a sickening squelch.

As the onlookers watched in horror, the barbed link punched clean through and erupted out of his back while its vicious, hooked end locked tight into his body.

In an instant, the jeering grin on Erik's face died.

His body started to spasm, and a strangled scream caught in his throat.

Blackish-red blood erupted from his mouth and splattered forward like a spray of poisoned ink.

The stream of blood shot straight for Lucy, but Virelle pulled her away in the nick of time as the corrupted blood struck the table behind them and started sizzling.