450: Reward
Beatrice did not reply to the Queen’s questions. Despite the outward pleasantness that the queen projected, Beatrice could not even imagine an answer that would please the mother of the two Princesses that were just beaten within an inch of their life.
More than that, the Queen showed up on an active battlefield as she would at a ball. No armor, no weapons, no guards or armies, just a single beastkin, smaller than either of the princesses that Beatrice fought. And despite Noel’s astonishing speed, Beatrice could not believe that the Queen relied solely on her catkin for protection.
“No answer?” Merillia frowned. “Our Hero sure is shy. Please understand, that my curiosity was genuine as to what went through all of your heads when you barged into my home, unannounced, uninvited, and attempted to kill my children.”
Merillia looked at all the uninvited guests, making eye contact with them one by one. Chris swallowed hard under the Queen’s piercing gaze. Carl instantly averted his eyes. Liam and Jeremy faired no better. The three eunuchs clumped closer together, subconsciously hoping for safety in numbers.
“I suppose you are waiting for your reward?” Merillia turned her attention back to Beatrice. “After all, my loving husband did promise you my daughter’s hand for killing some demonlings. And I’ve heard you killed quite a few. A feat that pales in comparison to what you did here.
“Unfortunately, I do not have Mary quite at hand to gift to you. Though rumors spread that you already partook in your ‘reward’. Perhaps that is the reason for your silence? Did you not enjoy my daughter’s company? Was that the reason you discarded her after using her body however you saw fit? Do you not know how many would die to be in your position and have a chance with my passionate daughter? How many have died?”
No one so much as moved a muscle until Noel looked back at his Queen and disappeared from sight, only to reappear right back beside her.
A Blink? Beatrice drew comparisons to her Skill. If so, his version allowed him to travel further and did not appear to be limited by any length of cooldown above a couple of seconds.
Noel looked at Merillia and said, “My Queen—”
*Cough*
A feeble cough interrupted Noel. Both he and Merillia looked to the source, as did Beatrice. The succubus somehow knew who the cough belonged to before she even laid eyes on the waking girl.
“Oh my,” Merillia smiled and opened up her fan again as she eyed Olivia with hunger.
“Ah… Aahhh-cough-cough!” Olivia moaned and coughed, twisting and turning with increasing intensity through a feverish dream.
“How heartless of you!” Merillia scolded Beatrice’s party with a laugh and walked toward Olivia. “Leaving the poor thing in her condition all on her own! Can you not feel the pain she’s in!? Are you deaf to the cries of her soul?”
The Queen walked faster toward Olivia who threw off her cloak in her feverish thrashing while her moans grew louder.
“Or are you so cruel that you would purposefully deny her what she wants?” Merillia asked as she stood over Olivia and eyed her like a meal.
“Don’t touch her!” Beatrice shouted and unleashed her [Sharp Claws (+2)].
“Oh!?” Merillia instantly turned her head and torso toward Beatrice and raised her arm toward the succubus. That very instant Beatrice felt a crushing force push down on her body from all sides. As if some giant hand grabbed her body and then pulled her toward Merillia, Beatrice flew through the air and was before the queen but a second later, hovering just above her in the air, unable to move a single limb.
“Would you prefer I touch you instead?” Merillia asked.
The Queen’s arm was still raised toward Beatrice, but her hand was completely concealed by the impractically long sleeve of her gown that still reached to the floor. Still, Beatrice somehow felt that it was from beneath that dress, the source of the force that took hold of her.
“Let go of her, demon!” Chris demanded and fired several fireballs straight at the Queen and ran right behind them while firing up his blazing fists.