The battle was about to erupt, the air thick with tension. However, at this critical moment, a neutral voice suddenly broke the silence.
"That was a close call, I almost had to fulfill the contract."
"Subaru... right, little girl? Thank you very much just now."
A small white cat, floating in the air, appeared beside Emilia and thanked Natsuki Subaru.
"Oh... no problem. Wait, a cat is talking?"
"How rude! I'm a Spirit, and a Great Spirit at that. But seeing as you just helped Lia, I'll let it slide."
Carlisle heard the voice, turned his head, and asked, "A Great Spirit? Could you be Puck, the one Lord Roswaal spoke of?"
Puck nodded, a hint of pride in its voice. "That's right, little man. Do you need my help?"
Carlisle shook his head. "No, thank you. Please allow me to handle this alone. I entrust the safety of the others to you, Great Spirit."
Puck smiled slightly, with a hint of approval in its tone: "Not bad, little man, quite responsible. I'll leave it to you then. I'll protect them."
Suddenly! Elsa's figure flickered, instantly closing in on Carlisle's back. Her movements were so fast they were almost imperceptible, her curved dagger swiftly slashing down towards Carlisle's back.
"Clang--!"
Carlisle's body shifted slightly, easily evading the fatal blow. His longsword, following the momentum, swung out and collided fiercely with Elsa's curved dagger.
Elsa's lips still held that faint smile; she wasn't disheartened by her failed sneak attack. She then chose not to confront Carlisle directly, but retreated swiftly, her body as agile as a cat, moving erratically around the room.
Her movements were dazzlingly fast, as if she were a phantom flitting between walls, ceiling, and floor. With each flicker, the curved dagger in her hand attacked Carlisle from unexpected angles, its blade slicing through the air with a sharp whistle.
Carlisle remained as steady as a mountain. The longsword in his hand danced like a spirit snake, precisely blocking every one of Elsa's attacks. The clash of blade against dagger was incessant, and sparks continuously flickered in the dim room.
"Haha! So strong, so wonderful, I want to see, I want to see, your intestines!"
Elsa's voice carried a morbid excitement, as if she was reveling in the thrill of this life-and-death struggle. Her figure darted swiftly around the room, the curved dagger in her hand posing a deadly threat with every attack.
Carlisle didn't respond to Elsa's provocation, but quickly adjusted his breathing and softly chanted the magic incantation: "El Huma."
As his words fell, the temperature in the air plummeted. Several massive ice cones, crystal clear and emitting a biting chill, appeared behind Carlisle. Immediately after, the ice cones violently shattered, transforming into countless tiny ice needles that shot towards Elsa like a torrential downpour.
Her figure flickered rapidly, darting through the room, trying to avoid the ice needles that came like a storm. However, the sheer number of ice needles was too great, and the covered area too dense; no matter how fast Elsa was, she couldn't completely evade this all-encompassing attack.
"Puff--puff--puff--"
The sound of ice needles piercing flesh rang out continuously, and Elsa's body was impaled by countless ice shards. Her movements abruptly froze, her once fluid evasion momentarily halted by the intense pain.
But in that instant, Carlisle swiftly advanced, his sword raised high, its blade glinting with a cold, sharp light in the dimness.
Just as he swung his sword, Carlisle's gentle voice suddenly echoed in the minds of Felt and Natsuki Subaru, who were watching from the side: "Subaru, Felt, close your eyes."
The voice went directly into their consciousness, as if Carlisle was whispering right next to their ears. Subaru and Felt were momentarily stunned, but quickly reacted, closing their eyes without hesitation.
The sound of a blade cutting through flesh echoed in the room, low and clear. Elsa's movements abruptly froze, her brow furrowed slightly, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes.
"What's happening? Why can't I feel my lower body?" Elsa thought, puzzled. Her gaze slowly moved downwards, looking at her own body, only to find her vision gradually tilting.
"So that's it, I've been cut in half," her voice carried a hint of sudden realization, her tone as if discussing an ordinary matter.
Elsa's body collapsed limply, blood gushing from her wound, staining the ground. A puzzled expression remained on her face; until her last moment, she couldn't understand why she had been defeated so swiftly.
"Subaru, Felt, don't open your eyes yet."
"Old Man Rom, could I trouble you to find a cloth?"
Old Man Rom paused, then nodded, a complex look in his eyes: "To... win so quickly? Against that 'The Bowel Hunter'..." His voice held disbelief, but he quickly regained his composure.
Puck said admiringly, "What an impressive young man. That Roswaal really did find a formidable knight."
Old Man Rom looked at the bloody scene and immediately understood Carlisle's intention. He quickly turned, found a large enough gray cloth from a corner of the room, enough to completely cover Elsa's body. He walked over to Elsa, gently draped the cloth over her, obscuring the gruesome sight.
"Alright, you can open your eyes now."
The two girls slowly opened their tightly shut eyes. Subaru's gaze fell on the center of the room, noticing the gray cloth on the ground, faintly seeping with bloodstains. Her pupils constricted slightly, and she immediately understood what had happened. Her voice trembled slightly: "It's... it's over?"
Felt also saw the cloth, her face slightly pale. Her eyes held a mix of shock and complexity, and she murmured softly, "This guy... he actually won?"
"How gentle, little man, but why didn't you remind my precious daughter? Lia was quite frightened just now."
Carlisle bowed his head slightly. "My sincerest apologies, Great Spirit. But as a Royal Selection Candidate, Lady Emilia needs to learn to adapt to such scenes."
"No need to apologize, I wasn't condemning you... it's just, as her father, I still hope she can be spared some fright."
Emilia stood nearby, her face slightly pale. Hearing their conversation, she spoke with a trembling voice, but still feigning composure.
"I... I'm fine, Puck. Carlisle is right, I want to become King! I can't always rely on others."
Subaru noticed the cat's self-appellation and asked, puzzled, "Father?"
"That's right, little girl, I am Lia's father."
Subaru paused, her gaze darting between Puck and Emilia, her mind filled with surprise and confusion: "A cat... no, can a Spirit be a father? Wait, Carlisle said Emilia is a half-elf, so could it be..."
Before her thoughts were fully clear, Carlisle's voice suddenly broke her train of thought: "Are you alright, Subaru?" Carlisle's tone was concerned, his gaze fixed on Natsuki Subaru.
Carlisle had intended to step forward and comfort the girl, but suddenly noticed Elsa's blood on himself. His movements subtly stiffened, then he took a step back, his voice apologetic: "Apologies, I'm a bit... unclean."
Subaru saw Carlisle's cautious demeanor. After spending some time with him, she understood his personality: even though he had saved her, he would apologize for "being late," a type of character that took all responsibility upon himself. A sudden pang of sympathy struck her. She shook her head vigorously, saying with a firm and understanding tone.
"It's alright, Carlisle! I understand this logic - you were protecting us. If you hadn't killed her, we would have been the ones to die. I will never be afraid of you!"
...
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