Viktor found Erica deep in the forest.
She was unconscious amidst the weeds, her body wrapped in a thin layer of a magic barrier. Her pulse and breathing were extremely weak.
If not for that barrier, Erica's life might have ended in that battle.
Even now, she was still hanging by a thread.
"Too dangerous."
Viktor spoke flatly.
Whether it was the time with the volcano or just now during the demon invasion, Erica had acted like someone who'd never faced danger before, reckless and impulsive, never thinking about the consequences.
If Viktor hadn't broken the magic formation beforehand, Erica would have been swallowed whole by Yerm.
'The Duke's way of educating her is quite problematic.'
Erica always wanted to prove herself. She desperately wanted others to see her in a new light, especially her father.
But...
Viktor turned his gaze aside to the other woman lying nearby, a purple-haired woman covered in wounds, far more seriously injured than Erica.
A faint magical glow shimmered across her body, layers of enchantments keeping her alive for now.
But beneath her bruised and battered skin, torn muscles hinted at a deeper level of trauma. Her injuries were even worse than Erica's.
'At least she's not as cold-blooded as her father.'
If it hadn't been for Erica, that woman would have died in the demon's hands.
Viktor stared at her quietly. Her clothing was completely torn, revealing the grim, gruesome wounds beneath. Though the bleeding had stopped, the sight was still chilling to the bone.
'Because of Erica's appearance... did she change the thread of fate?'
In the prologue of the game, there had been a background story about a demon invasion.
And in the middle of Chapter One, Gwen would tell the player about the cause of her eldest sister's death.
Kefra Delin, killed by the subordinates of the Greed Demon boss, Yerm.
This was a character that players never got to meet, not even with an illustration in the game, a true NPC existing outside the main story.
Now, before him lay a woman unconscious on the ground, whose face bore a striking resemblance to Gwen's.
There was no doubt, this was Kefra.
"She's a Demon Hunter," Vega commented from the side.
"Then it makes sense."
Viktor nodded. He understood what being a Demon Hunter meant.
In the game, Demon Hunter was a special profession. Players could unlock it by completing a class-change quest after talking to an NPC with pure Demon Hunter bloodline.
In his previous life, Viktor had helped many players grind that quest, so he knew this class very well.
Demon Hunters had an obsessive hatred toward demons. Once they discovered one, they would pursue it to the ends of the earth until it was slain,
or until they were slain by it.
If that obsession were expressed in game stats, Demon Hunters would deal an extra 50% damage against demon-type enemies.
And since demons were magical beings, Demon Hunters also dealt 10% more damage to mages.
Mages, being fragile and having low resistance, naturally hated Demon Hunters.
But Demon Hunters had their drawbacks.
Unlike knights, who could enhance themselves with mana, Demon Hunters were truly "mana-less" warriors.
"Good thing we came early," Viktor said, crouching to examine Kefra's condition.
Vega nodded in agreement.
"Indeed. If we'd been any later..."
"Her injuries would be completely healed by now."
Viktor didn't look impressed. He flipped his palm, and a crimson potion appeared in his hand.
"You sure know how to make others owe you favors," Vega said mockingly, watching as Viktor poured the potion into Kefra's mouth and made sure she swallowed it.
Then he took out another bottle and fed it to the unconscious Erica.
After that, he clapped his hands and said, "I'm not a real cleric, so I can't heal them completely."
That sentence left Vega speechless.
Viktor was pretending again.
So it played along and asked, "I just don't understand, how exactly did you do that?"
The way both women's life signs instantly stabilized said everything about the potion's effects.
If Vega had Viktor's eyes, it would've seen the invisible "health bars" above their heads shoot upward by a huge chunk after drinking the potions.
For players, as long as there was still one drop of blood left, they weren't considered near death.
And yet, Viktor, an NPC template, could not only use player items but also give them to other NPCs.
That was his unique ability.
No other player could use their own items on NPCs like this.
"Now then, let's wait a bit," Viktor said as he leaned back.
A chair formed from the ground beneath him, supporting his weight perfectly.
He casually summoned a magic book from his hand and began studying.
About ten minutes later, Kefra opened her eyes first.
A wave of exhaustion swept through her body, making it hard to even move. The pain of her injuries made her all too aware of her frail state.
Defeat filled her heart, bringing with it the fleeting thought of ending her own life.
She never expected that after fighting the demon, she would somehow still be alive.
"You should thank Duke Levi. He raised a good daughter."
The sound of pages turning stopped. Viktor closed the book and fixed his dark eyes on Kefra.
Hearing his voice, Kefra froze and forced herself up with difficulty.
The man sitting before her, dressed in a black coat with a one-eyed crow perched on him, radiated an air of mystery, utterly composed and elegant.
Her blurry vision didn't immediately recognize who he was.
But she couldn't help wondering, 'A chair? In a place like this?'
Before she could think too much, his words made her turn her head painfully toward the other side.
Erica du Croy.
Though Kefra had lost her rationality while fighting the demon, her memories remained intact.
And the lingering magic around her told her everything she needed to know about what happened.
That demon's attack, the inky flood that stained the ground, had been absolutely lethal.
Kefra's experience told her so.
Which meant Erica, while still conscious, had used her magic to save both their lives.
Kefra felt hollow inside.
If not for Erica, she would have died to that demon.
She hadn't realized just how powerful the demon was, or how weak she herself had been.
"Her shoulder was pierced clean through, yet she still managed to save both of you," Viktor said. "Truly impressive."
His words struck her like another heavy blow.
Kefra's face filled with guilt.
"That… that demon…" she whispered.
"You're no match for it," Viktor replied calmly. "To be honest, unless His Majesty the Emperor himself took the field, no one could beat it in a direct fight."
Kefra furrowed her brows deeply.
She couldn't understand it.
As a Demon Hunter, she had never even heard of such a powerful creature.
It was as if that demon didn't belong to this world.
She had sensed it and, with confidence, pursued it,
but it had never even seen her as a threat.
Her arrogance had nearly cost her life.
"But we've already cleaned up the aftermath," Viktor said as he rose.
The chair beneath him dissolved into nothing.
He walked up to Kefra, flicked his coat, and two crimson potions dropped in front of her.
"Next time you act recklessly, think it through."
"Even for a Demon Hunter, being ruled by instinct doesn't always end well."
"And remember to take your medicine, Miss Kefra."
Viktor turned and walked away, coat sweeping behind him.
Kefra stared blankly at the man before her. As her senses cleared, she suddenly recognized him.
"Viktor… it's you?"
He didn't look back.
"Don't forget to bring Erica back with you," he said quietly. "I don't want the Duke misunderstanding me again."
A gust of black wind swept past, leaves swirling up to block her view.
When they settled, Viktor was gone.
Only a single black raven feather remained on the ground, proof that he'd been there.
It drifted down in front of Kefra. She caught it, her heart heavy and conflicted.
On the feather, neat handwriting read, [Four recovery potions, 8,000 Gio. Remember to pay.]
Holding back exhaustion, she picked up one of the red potions lying on the ground.
Its color was as vivid as fresh blood, completely different from any healing potion she'd ever seen.
After a moment's hesitation, she uncorked it and drank.
A green glow shimmered across her body, and half her wounds healed instantly.
Strength returned to her limbs.
"I can stand again," she murmured. "What a miraculous potion."
She glanced at the remaining bottle. If she drank it too, she could recover even more.
But there was no need for battle now.
She saved it for Erica instead, holding the girl close and gently pouring the potion into her mouth.
———
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The main gate of House du Croy shook from the pounding.
Duke Levi rushed out almost immediately.
Standing at the doorway, he saw Erica and Kefra supporting each other as they approached the house.
Covered in dirt, Erica looked up at her father with a bright, proud smile.
"Father! Sister Kefra and I held the demon back for a long time!"
"Wasn't I amazing?"
Even though her body was weak, her eyes still shone with anticipation as she spoke.
"I'm not a burden anymore!"
"…"
The Duke was silent.
The air grew heavy.
Erica shrank her neck and lowered her head, suddenly unsure and afraid.
Then, a moment later, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her. Warm and solid, just like when she was a child.
Her father's trembling voice whispered beside her ear, "Erica."
"You will always be your father's pride."
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