Seraphina remained bewildered by Nil's sudden change. Moments ago, she seemed to agree with everything—what had transformed her?
Why was she hesitating about something as trivial as killing? Or did she still harbor fear regarding the royal family?
As these thoughts raced through her mind, before she could voice another word, she felt it—something powerful striking her back.
BOOM
"You should have known your place," Aeren spoke coldly as she flew forward, unable to even sense any magical energy from him.
Seraphina felt confused by her inability to detect Aeren's power as she crashed into the wall. The structure was incredibly sturdy and didn't sustain even a scratch from her body's impact.
After hitting the wall, she turned toward Nil's direction. "What's happening?" she gasped, bewildered by the situation as blood spilled from her mouth. "Ugh... cough..."
What's occurring? Who did this? As these thoughts consumed her, she lifted her head to identify her attacker.
The moment she raised her gaze—
BAM
A fist connected with her face before she could comprehend what was transpiring. She found herself nearly on the ground.
"You were supposed to introduce yourself without resistance, but you chose to show defiance instead. You imbecile." Aeren's words reached Seraphina's ears, and realization struck her like lightning.
However, she could do nothing as Aeren's relentless assault continued without pause. He delivered punches from every angle—left, right, each blow connecting as blood began flowing freely from her wounds.
As he beat her with an eerily calm expression while observing her bloodied form, his composure suddenly cracked into a twisted smile. "I haven't felt this exhilaration in years! Hahahahaha! This is incredibly entertaining—beating someone to a pulp with bare fists... hahahaha!" His tranquil demeanor shattered completely upon witnessing her bloody state, finding perverse satisfaction in her suffering.
What's happening? Why isn't my magic working? He's shattering all my defensive barriers. How can I stop him? He's a complete psychopath. I should call for assistance.
Seraphina attempted to turn her head but couldn't manage it due to Aeren's continuous battering. "Everyone's already gone," he sensed her intention to seek help from her subordinates and explained with disturbing enthusiasm. "They screamed for your aid! Hahaha! I severed all their limbs before executing them. HAHAHAHA! They wailed like, 'LADYYYY... HEELLPPPP!' I allowed them to scream because it provided such profound amusement... hahahaha... just like now..."
I must escape or he'll kill me. There's nothing I can do against him. My consciousness is fading. Think... before I lose awareness... ah... that's right...
Despite the brutal beating, she never once cried out or showed pain. Her mind continued operating calmly even in this dire situation.
"I'll... kill you... bastard. Just... you... wait," Seraphina looked at him with glacial eyes and issued her warning in a frigid voice. She glanced at Nil, who remained motionless, simply observing the scene. We will meet again, my dear Nil, she thought while studying her.
In the next instant, she vanished from her position.
BAM
Aeren's fist demolished the floor where she had been, creating a hole that revealed the ground level below. He could see people downstairs who were startled by the opening, though such occurrences were commonplace enough for adventurers that they quickly ignored the disturbance.
"She teleported away, did she? We'll encounter each other again." Aeren examined the hole, observed the people below, then turned toward Nil. He surveyed the carnage throughout the hall—bodies scattered everywhere, severed heads strewn about, limbs thrown like fallen branches. The scene resembled a garbage dump more than an adventurer's guild.
As Aeren took in all the corpses littering the hall, he addressed Nil. "Clean this up—it reeks." He covered his nose, then noticed the filthy blood coating his entire body, which smelled even worse than the bodies on the ground.
"Clean me as well," he added, looking at Nil. She stared at him with an expressionless face before walking away from both the room and him.
She said nothing and left him behind. Aeren watched her retreating figure with surprised eyes but didn't pursue her, understanding that she also needed space to process everything.
"She could have at least cleaned me first," Aeren muttered to himself as Morkel entered the room.
Morkel witnessed the scene—shocked by the bodies, severed heads, and dismembered limbs scattered everywhere—but he didn't scream or react in ways that might worsen the situation.
What the hell is happening to me? I'm terrified but can't even call for help, or I'll die before I know it. They told me this was just a small meeting, and now this! Why did I join this guild? I should have lived peacefully alone in some village corner. Please don't kill me...
Morkel's fear prevented him from wanting to look at the perpetrator directly, and he silently pleaded not to be killed by chance. When he heard a voice, shivers ran down his spine.
"You arrived at the perfect time, Morkel." He began lifting his head slowly, not wanting to see him but having no choice—he might die the next moment if he didn't look. Finally, he saw Aeren covered in blood from head to toe, which is how he appeared to Morkel. Relief washed over him upon seeing Aeren's bloodied state. "Clean all these bodies and prepare a room for me. I need to wash myself."
Aeren gave clear instructions, and Morkel replied, "The next room is empty—you can clean yourself there, my lord."
"Very well," Aeren responded and began walking away. As he exited the room, Morkel was left alone with all the corpses, limbs, severed heads, and scattered eyeballs.
"Ugh... cough..." He started retching as he looked around more closely. He had been controlling his nausea—perhaps fear had prevented him from realizing the true horror and helped him maintain composure, but as soon as Aeren departed, Morkel began vomiting violently.
"I once came close to death but somehow survived—or rather, he let me go. I'm fortunate, aren't I? Lucky amidst despair... hah."
As he surveyed the room again, he couldn't believe anyone could do such things to their own people, but he lacked the courage to share his observations with others.
"Should I clean this alone or ask for assistance? I also need to report to the guild master."
As he began examining all the bodies, he didn't have the nerve to request help from others. How am I supposed to clean this alone anyway? Let me forget it—I'll go directly to the guild master. I'm not handling human disposal.
As Morkel contemplated this while observing all the corpses, he couldn't comprehend how so many people had died. How many killers would it take to eliminate this many people, or had they all fought amongst themselves until only one survivor—the Lord—remained?
That's why the guild master told me to serve them well and do my best for them. Now I finally understand—she knew they possessed strength that could benefit both the guild and herself. And perhaps me too; they did promise to grant me new magic. Should I ask them now? As his eyes swept over all the bodies, he shook his head and reconsidered. Maybe later.
Morkel shook his head again and smiled awkwardly, uncertain whether asking would even be appropriate for someone like him.
He scratched his head and turned toward the door. "Perhaps I should think more carefully before acting." He looked back one final time and finally left the hell he had witnessed.
In that room, only bodies remained like discarded refuse—without recognition or value. People who might have been loved enough for others to die for them, individuals others might have wanted to meet and form relationships with—now they were nothing more than trash that even the weakest and most repulsive wouldn't want to see, abandoned and forgotten.
Don't you all find this amusing? Silence seemed to laugh and converse with itself as it observed the scene.