The Court of the Corpse Eaters (Continued)

"And what is your role in this?"

Dukale asked the question again, his voice calm and languid.

Maria remained unmoved by these inquiries.

She really couldn't be bothered to say anything more to the other person.

As the other person drew closer, the foul, repulsive odor became increasingly pronounced.

Just as Maria never took pride in being born in Cainhurst, as her other companions did.

Her aversion to blood clearly surpassed anything else.

"Although Banshees appear peaceful and stable, they are actually one of the most identity-conscious races."

Even the Blood Demon wouldn't care about such trivial details as clothing.

"But the Banshees will care... In the Banshees's rules, some ornaments can only be worn by people of a certain rank..."

Dukale spoke slowly, his eyes brazenly scanning Maria before him.

Although the clothes are all black and seem unremarkable at first glance, a closer look reveals some unusual embellishments.

This made Dukale realize that the woman in front of him might not be a simple person.

But he also had some doubts.

Maria doesn't look like a Banshees... judging solely from her appearance, she actually leans more towards a Blood Demon.

However, her demeanor does fit the stereotypical image of Banshees.

Mysterious, calm, peaceful.

"You can't just wear Banshees's clothes... Who are you?"

Dukale issued another inquiry.

But this time was different from before; his voice rose slightly, carrying a hint of pressure.

The surrounding tentacles wriggled faster, and the stench of blood spread rapidly.

In a quiet environment, the different breathing sounds begin to increase in frequency.

The atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive with each passing death of the mummified corpses.

Everyone felt uneasy.

Dukale was willing to give the Banshees, who was also a member of the Royal Court, some face, but that didn't mean he could ignore her after several unsuccessful inquiries.

He needs Maria's answer now.

Their condescending attitude is clearly evident!

To his surprise, Maria still did not respond even after he had issued a threat.

Conversely, Theresa stood up decisively at this moment and stood in front of Maria.

"I'm sorry, sir, she just..."

"This is not a place for you to speak..."

Although Theresa was a highly respected leader among the people, in Dukale's eyes, she was just an ordinary person.

He didn't even bother to glance at his opponent, casually waving his crimson sword to send him flying.

He was talking to Maria.

Seeing this, Theresis's eyes instantly turned fierce... Although his expression didn't change, his hand was already on the Blades!

Can...

"Smack..."

Maria reached out and simply and easily grasped Dukale's wrist.

Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, Maria almost forcefully pried his hands open.

Your pretentiousness disgusts me.

Maria spoke softly, reaching out to shield the girl behind her.

She met their gaze and calmly rebuked them, her sharp words leaving everyone stunned and terrified.

They had never seen anyone dare to confront Dukale head-on!

For a moment, everyone was speculating about how Dukale would deal with Maria...

Many people even expressed pessimism about Maria's impulsiveness.

But Dukale only paused for a moment in surprise before laughing.

"You exude an arrogance from your very core..."

He was keenly aware of Maria's proud nature; although she concealed it well, her indifference towards others was something she couldn't fake.

He could clearly see the hidden firelight on the other side.

This made him not angry at Maria's actions, but rather quite appreciative.

He glanced at Maria a few more times, and after confirming that she was neither Blood Demon nor Banshees, he narrowed his eyes slightly.

"But is such rudeness towards a ruler of a Royal Court something you've been taught?"

Dukale spoke slowly and deliberately, his composed demeanor making people uneasy.

Maria, however, showed no fear whatsoever, simply staring back defiantly at her opponent.

"Perhaps you should tone down your arrogant attitude and remember to use the word 'please' when asking someone for a favor."

"..."

Dukale shut up.

He looked at the woman in front of him, his eyes slightly lowered.

To be honest, Maria's performance really exceeded his expectations.

He looked at the clothes on Maria's body and assumed that she was a Sarkaz who had come from somewhere and had picked up the clothes of the Banshees to wear.

But judging from the fact that Maria was able to withstand his attack, this guy is probably no ordinary person.

Although Dukale is arrogant, he also has a sufficiently rational view of his own abilities.

Although it was just a casual strike, it wasn't something everyone could easily catch.

Only a select few powerful individuals within the Royal Court could achieve this.

But the problem is... he had never heard anything about Maria before.

This led to his misjudgment.

However, he himself didn't care about this... On the contrary, he was actually quite curious about Maria in front of him.

Of course, it was just out of curiosity...

Seeing that Maria showed no sign of letting go, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Maria remained calm, but the hostility in her eyes was far from simple.

Dukale slowly took aim.

"It seems the Banshees didn't raise you very well. Your ignorance and arrogance amuse and annoy me... That's all."

As Dukale spoke, he abruptly pulled his hand back!

The Originium Arts erupted instantly, eliciting gasps from everyone around.

He planned to drain all the blood from Maria's arm, crippling her hand, in order to maintain his terrifying authority.

The Originium Arts, filled with the stench of blood, unleashed a powerful red light as they were activated.

Everyone stared wide-eyed in horror at the scene before them.

But...

"A ridiculous trick."

Under Dukale's gaze, Maria spoke calmly.

Dukale's pupils contracted slightly when he saw the other person's intact arm.

What happened?

Fine?

That...

"Forehead..."

Suddenly, Dukale's body stiffened slightly.

He stared in disbelief at his right hand... right where his shoulder was, a bloody wound was visible.

The bone clung thinly to the lacerated wound.

The burning, stinging sensation traveled to his brain almost instantly.

But he didn't scream or shout; he just silently endured the excruciating pain, looked up, and gazed at Maria, who stood calmly before him.

In her hand, an arm lay carelessly tossed to the ground.

The dull thud of the landing was clearly audible!

"You and your race disgust me..."

Maria spoke, looking down at the Blood Demon before her.

Her eyes remained calm as always, but within her grey pupils emanated an arrogance that seemed to transcend all else.

Maria rarely showed this attitude toward other living beings.

But the fact is, the mere existence of the Blood Demon Light made her feel nauseous.

They look so alike...

Cainhurst and Blood Demon were so similar... that Maria even began to wonder if, before her, there had been another Cainhurst who came into this world and passed on her bloodline.

All of this seemed like a ridiculous joke that annoyed her.

Dukale initially thought it was just a reckless Banshees trying to play the hero.

But he had no idea what kind of person was standing in front of him!

The so-called Blood Demon and Blood Originium Arts were utterly laughable in Maria's eyes.

In fact, Maria didn't even need to activate her authority; she could completely overwhelm her simply by relying on her physical abilities!

Reality speaks for itself!

Everyone stared in disbelief.

They stared at each other, their eyes filled with terror.

No...

This...

What happened?!

After several breaths of silence, the people present slowly came to their senses.

Looking at Dukale's pale face and then at Maria's calm expression beside him, they suddenly realized something.

Dukale may be brutal and powerful... but in the end, he's just a Sarkaz.

In an era where even a demon king can be killed, how could a bloodline lord possibly be invincible?

They were all intimidated by Dukale's past brutality.

This overlooks the fact that he too can be defeated... and that there are many people who surpass Dukale...

For a moment, everyone's expressions varied.

Maria, however, simply stared calmly at Dukale, who was repairing his body with his tentacles.

Do you want to continue?