Banished Villainess – Under Observation!

The ambiance of the surrounding took a sudden turn. Momo, who couldn’t hide her irritation to the succeeding irregularities anymore, now looked assured of her victory. In comparison, Chloe trembled and her face turned completely pale.

‘W-What’s the matter… Chloe? What does ‘Salvation of Darkness’ means?’

‘Brother, get the knights to the carriage immediately! Then make Byakuya retreat, hurry!’

Not even answering Leddorio’s question, Chloe turned her attention towards Darck and raised her voice. The young duke heir who had been speechless the entire time, thoughl bewildered, followed his sister’s words and had all the knights transfer towards the carriage’s direction.

Momo didn’t pay any attention to the flurried movements of the knights but instead, merely danced around, and nonchalantly sang..

— One – The redness of blood

‘Guagh! What’s with this repulsive voice?’

‘It stirs up… my head!!’

The knights who couldn’t reach the carriage crouched down holding their heads. Although Prince Leddorio and the others didn’t suffer as much as them, they still stopped their ears with their hands, looking perturbed.

— Two – Like head split opened

At the sound of a splash, Kisara’s aqua wall bursted. Although they didn’t expect it to work against Momo in the first place, it meant that her miasma now was able to overpower the wall’s purifying capability that previously was able to keep the monsters of the advanced dungeon at bay.

‘Just what on earth is happening?… Besides, this song… is this ‘The Sacred Maiden’s Count?”

‘No, Momo wouldn’t be able to sing it now that she had turned into a witch. This one is said to be the “The Fallen Maiden’s Count” and…’

—The witch dances with the devils

‘There’s no time! Kisara, put up a protective magic barrier!’

‘But lady, this can’t be cast all at once, you know!?’

Or so complains the mage but she still followed Chloe’s instructions and casts protective barriers one after another. Thinking that it would take too long, even Leddorio, who already read the plan inside the small pouch, couldn’t help but interject.

‘Oi, Chloe! This would be over if you just put up a sacred barrier yourself, there’s no need to go to such tedious…’

‘I can’t, highness. The Momo now can easily tear my barrier apart.’

—The golden power overflows

Right at the moment of Chloe’s rebuttal, a tremendous shockwave roared throughout the surrounding with Momo as its epicenter. Leddorio and the others didn’t take any significant damage thanks to the monstrously big shield that Sam held up to protect them, but due to the assault of the black hairs and the monster carcasses that were flown away, they couldn’t say the same for others.

‘Are you alright, everyone–!?’

With eyes only half-opened, Leddorio tried to make certain of the situation on Chloe’s side, but she saw the lady thrown against the wall, about to be pierced by Momo’s hairs.’

‘Look ou–(No, I can’t make it!!)’

The prince was about to climb over Sam’s body and the towering shield but Lucky stopped him. Chloe wanted to evade the oncoming attack but the pain in her body had sealed her movements away. Not even the hands of Shin, who was the closest to her, could reach the lady.

At that moment where time felt close to moving still, the one who was able to protect Chloe by thrusting her away from the attacks’ direction was the adventurer who obtained the blessing of a neighboring country’s protector, Lock, also known as Count Glinda.

The blades of hair pierced through his stomach.

‘Gu.haa..’

‘Locke–!!’

Chloe’s scream resounded. Melamphus came to his side quickly and tore away the hairs that looked alive on their own. Locke’s silky rainbow-colored hair turned back into its original ruffled state with a slight poof. The attack earlier hit him in the face as well, which shattered the white mask.

Within the gaps of his hand that held his stomach, miasma and blood began to spilled out making the young man fall on his knees.

‘That’s one…’

The witch muttered gleefully as if she was merrily counting the quest requirements that she fulfilled.