Chapter 182 - Christine in Danger
Christine shouted towards Douglas, who grabbed her wrist and ran aimlessly.
"Let me go! Why are you doing this?"
"It's dangerous! Quick, this way!"
At Douglas's urgent shout, Christine was momentarily confused in her mind.
'Wasn't he trying to betray me?'
When someone who doesn't speak much suddenly takes unusual actions, it tends to seem suspicious. Although Christine thought Douglas was conspiring with some organization against her, it turned out to be a misunderstanding.
'He was actually trying to save me.'
Just by seeing how they were getting away from the approaching crowd, she could tell.
"Follow me quickly! They'll catch us if we keep going like this!"
"Ah, understood."
Christine, even drawing strength from where she had none, followed Douglas as he led her.
With no time to look back, she simply ran forward.
She wanted to ask what was going on, but there was no opportunity to do so. She was busy getting as far away from the unknown crowd as possible.
Had about ten minutes passed?
Finally, Douglas stopped.
"Phew, it looks like we're far enough. It'll be hard for them to follow us."
"Y-yeah."
Christine, too out of breath to respond, leaned on her knees, breathing heavily.
Although she had somehow gained some peace of mind, she decided to look around.
'Where are we?'
The place where the two of them were catching their breath seemed to be an unfamiliar forest.
They had no idea which direction they had come from, as they had run without thinking.
"I used environmental scanning; it seems we've successfully thrown them off. Well, Christine."
"Douglas, do you know who those people were?"
After a brief silence, Douglas nodded.
"Yes. They are a group called the 'Church of Despair'."
"Church of Despair?"
"A sect born from the ideology of plunging the world into despair. It's a large organization with over 200 players who joined this new religion in the United States, where the negative perception of the world is strong. The leader is a sorcerer nicknamed John Delgado."
Christine was surprised to hear the explanation.
"How do you know so much about it?"
"Well..."
Douglas, who was hesitant, finally revealed it.
"The Church of Despair approached me to join them."
"Eh? Really?"
"Yes. One of the new recruits I received a few months ago, do you remember someone named Berber?"
"Berber, right? Sure, I know him. I even greeted him today."
"That person is a high-ranking member of the Church of Despair. He originally infiltrated as a spy to watch over you."
"Really?"
Christine couldn't help but be surprised to learn this truth.
'Berber was... a spy for the Church of Despair?'
She had never heard of the Church of Despair, let alone imagined they would have a spy.
Suddenly, Christine looked at the paladin in front of her with suspicion.
Could she trust the paladin in front of her, even if the information came from him?
Did he accept the offer from the Church of Despair?
Douglas noticed the change in Christine's gaze and, as if to reassure her, smiled.
"Don't worry. I accepted the offer only to pretend. I pretended to accept to get information about who would dare to target the saint."
"Ah... They're targeting me from that side? Why?"
"I haven't yet figured out why I'm a target. What's certain is that they tried to kill Miss Christine today. Just by mobilizing 200 followers, it should be obvious, right?"
"Well, then all those people are trying to kill me..."
"It's probably to eliminate subordinate followers rather than Miss Christine herself. They're probably fiercely fighting right now."
The words made Christine regain her composure.
"We have to go back."
"What?"
"They said, my comrades are in danger. If I intervene, I might be able to save them."
"It's not possible. It's too dangerous. Just the number of enemies is double."
"But..."
"If Miss Christine takes action, she might change the situation. But, do you think they won't know?"
"..."
"The enemies aren't stupid. They will surely target Miss Christine as soon as they find her. Acting now is too risky."
"I have control over them. So somehow..."
"What good is control against a high-level opponent? Besides, you can only use it ten times, how do you plan to face 200 people?"
"..."
"The best option for Miss Christine to survive is to wait here safely and observe the situation. Do you think I brought you here just to escape with Miss Christine? If I act, it will only follow the enemy's plan."
"Sigh..."
With such reasonable words, Christine couldn't continue to insist.
'Why are they targeting me? What did I do wrong...?'
Despite thinking, she had never done anything annoying.
'Relationship with the religion called despair? Have I had any contact with them?'
'Is the leader a necromancer? Was there such a profession?'
She hadn't seen anyone rise in rank in this area until now.
'I don't know the reason, but at least I know there are people who want to kill me.'
Everything was happening according to the prophet's words.
'Then, the person who will save me from danger is...'
Christine stared at Douglas intently.
The paladin who among the companions was known as the holy knight.
He was the prince on a white horse from the prophecy who would save her.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
"Ah, no. Thank you."
With that, she could trust him.
Thanks to you, I can escape danger.
"Thank you. Who else could protect Miss Christine besides me? Haha."
"I sincerely thank you once again. Thanks to you, I have saved my life."
"I just did what was expected. Anyway, is your wrist okay? Did I squeeze it too hard...?"
"I was trying to get out of that situation quickly. I'm fine."
"Still, let me see. It's not good to have ugly marks on a pretty wrist, right?"
Douglas took Christine's hand and examined her wrist.
As he touched her hand, Christine's forehead wrinkled slightly.
'What is he doing in this situation?'
No, it could be seen that he was trying to steer the conversation in that direction.
"Done? I'm fine."
Christine withdrew her wrist to ward off any strange atmosphere.
"……."
"……."
At that moment, an awkward silence fell between the two.
Originally, Christine had no interest in men.
No matter how much he had saved her life, there was no reason to develop emotional interest.
"Thank you for saving me, Sir Paladin."
"Sir Paladin..."
Douglas's atmosphere was strange.
"Why are you suddenly calling me by my profession instead of my nickname?"
"Eh? Well, that's..."
"Are you setting boundaries? Do you not tolerate me, even though I saved your life?"
"..."
"Don't you want this to evolve into something more than just friends?"
As Douglas spoke, he pushed Christine.
"Kyah!"
Given the difference in strength, she couldn't help but fall.
She couldn't prevent him from mounting her like a beast.
"What are you doing?"
"What the hell, now that things are like this, I've decided to stop acting like this."
"What are you talking about?"
It was a slap to help her regain her senses, but Christine was so surprised that she couldn't make sense of it for a moment.
"Hey, bitch. Even though I betrayed the Church of Despair and even saved my life, are you building an iron wall? Huh? Is that why you hate me so much? Oh?"
The tone completely changed, and the once gentle expression now turned malicious.
Douglas, who used to be the paladin of a noble lady, now spoke as lowly as a criminal.
"I asked."
Smack!
"You don't answer, huh? Does your pride hurt? Huh?"
Amidst such a surreal situation, Christine couldn't help but cry out in astonishment.
He just looked at her with a venomous gaze.
"Heh, can this girl also put on that expression?"
Douglas, laughing mockingly, showed a greedy look.
"I like it better this way. Shouldn't there be a bit of resistance to make it more exciting? Keke."
"What are you saying?"
Instead of responding, Douglas used a skill.
Shalalalak—
The paladin's skill, "Divine Restraint".
Golden chains emerged from the void and bound Christine's legs and arms.
In that situation, she couldn't do anything but lie there.
"Untie me, please."
"It's not a plea or an order... Let's see how long your miserable pride lasts."
Douglas, with a malicious laugh, brought his face closer to Christine's.
"Why, why are you doing this? we're family."
"Keke, family."
Douglas, laughing disdainfully, lifted his head.
"Is that a joke? Do you really think those who follow you are family?"
"..."
"We stick together out of convenience. If we move our pieces together, there's a high chance of survival. You're the same. Surely you have runes that give you experience when you help people, right? That's why you provide healing for free. Isn't it?"
"You knew."
"Of course. Unless you're a fool, you wouldn't notice. That's how you leveled up without a single attack skill. Everyone notices it, unless you're a fool. Instead, family? How can those who don't share a drop of blood be family?"
"But... we've overcome rounds together. We've overcome difficult situations together."
"Yes, but people are colder than you think. Even if we've shared life and death together, if there's no benefit, they're ready to stab you in the back, just like me."
Douglas, who smiled ironically, brought his face closer to Christine's neck.
Though she was trembling, Douglas enjoyed that reaction.
"Haha, it smells good."
"D-don't say that."
"Why not? Do you know how much I've been waiting for this moment? It's been hard for me to keep quiet by your side all this time."
"...."
I never imagined that Douglas, the holy paladin, would have such dirty thoughts.
Seeing Douglas scan her body with malicious eyes, Christine's face became desperate.
Although she had tried to persuade him somehow, it seemed that no words would work in this situation.
She felt that instincts were overpowering her mind more than reason.
"Haha, good. Stay still. I'll soon make you experience paradise..."
It was then that Douglas's head suddenly turned.
He had detected the movement of a third party on the detection radar.
"Who is it? Who the hell..."
Douglas, who got up to kill the intruder, fell silent immediately.
His expression stiffened, and his skin prickled.
"Ah, ah..."
The leader of Despair, the sect leader, was right in front of him.
"You were here, you damn mouse."
The necromancer John Delgado approached with a terrifying look.
'Ah, damn it, this is a complete mess.'
Though cursing in his mind, Douglas advanced cautiously.
He was determined to slit the leader's throat in a slip-up.
"Is the church leader here? Haha."
"What are you doing here? I'm sure I ordered you to bring the saint."
"Oh, that's... well..."
Douglas didn't get a chance to respond.
Snap!
Suddenly, an undead appeared behind him, grabbing Douglas's head.
"There's no need for you to respond. The consequence for disobeying my orders is only death."
Thud!
Douglas, whose neck turned 360 degrees, collapsed to the ground.
At the same time, the golden chains were released, and Christine was freed, but she couldn't move precipitously.
Another undead, resembling a skeleton, was pressing a knife against Christine's neck.
'What's going on? I didn't even feel any signal on the detection radar.'
Could Christine imagine her thoughts?
John Delgado murmured insinuatingly.
"My subordinates don't have a real entity. Therefore, they cannot be detected even by presence perception."
"Yes, then you're the necromancer John Delgado..."
"It seems that horny traitor spoke of me on the way."
John Delgado was a thin-framed American.
A typical wizard with a robe and a wand.
At first glance, he seemed weak, but the atmosphere of the beings summoned by him was nothing ordinary.
Each of my summons gives the impression of being at the player's level."
Wasn't Douglas easily killed by him?
"I don't care if you know my identity. You will die by my hands, Saint Christine."
"Why me...?"
"You can think about that slowly in heaven."
He snapped his fingers, and the undead raised their swords as if it were an order.
"To die like this? Like in the prophecy...?"
At that moment, Christine's eyes turned white; she wasn't hallucinating.
It's so scary!
As if the gesture were an order, a white and blue lightning struck the undead from behind, making them disappear.
Faced with the sudden death of his summons, John Delgado frowned and turned his head.
Christine also lifted her head in the direction from where the electric current came.
And she saw.
Who was the prince riding on a white horse who would truly save her.
"That person... could it be?"
A man with a large scythe was approaching.
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