Damn it!
Just as he was about to use the Gladys Spell to connect to the ring’s inner space, Sherry panicked and blurted out something without thinking:
“W-wait! The Witch’s ring has a special spell on it! If you break it, the power of fate will bind you and me together forever!”
“……”
“……”
“…That’s amazing?”
“…Yeah!”
“I’ll give it a try.”
“No! Please, big brother!”
“Now that you mention it, I’m even more curious.” Carlisle chuckled as he inspected her ring, utterly unmoved by the girl’s desperate cries. “You’re awfully worked up. There must be a lot of secrets in there, huh?”
“N-not that many secrets.”
Red spell-light covered the ring. Sherry wriggled like a worm and carefully inched away from him. Her heart raced, and her nerves sharpened her senses. She could smell the dust on the ground and clearly see Carlisle’s furrowed brow.
If she could break free of the ropes and run now, she might still have a chance!
She twisted her wrists behind her back as hard as she could, trying to slip free of the rough, hempen ropes. For some reason, though, it felt like the knots were only getting tighter.
“Don’t bother trying to escape. These are my spells. You can struggle all you want, but you won’t get away without my permission.” Carlisle noticed her little movements, but didn’t stop her. He simply watched in silence, a hint of mockery on his face.
“But, big brother, the ropes are really hurting my hands.”
“Then how about I cut them off for you? That way, they won’t hurt anymore.”
“…Big brother, you’re so mean to me.” Sherry’s eyes darted as she thought of something. “Big Brother Carlisle, have you forgotten all the adventures we had together? After spending so many days side by side, can you really bring yourself to bully a helpless girl like me?”
After hiring Carlisle, they’d set out from a small town together, crossed rivers and passed through forests, helping each other and fighting their way through every obstacle before finally reaching Ayideen. Surely, Sherry thought, they’d built at least a little affection between them.
If she appealed to that tiny bit of affection—and to a strong man’s instinct to protect a helpless girl—maybe she could talk Carlisle into untying her.
“I can’t bring myself to do that.”
Just as she’d expected, Carlisle shook his head!
Sherry’s heart leapt, and excitement began to rise!
Once he untied her, she could simply return what she’d taken. Then she and Carlisle could go their separate ways, owing each other nothing!
“But you’re the exception.”
Carlisle pointed at her nose with a finger roughened by calluses. His five words shattered Sherry’s beautiful dream. Only then did she realize that, aside from hatred, there probably wasn’t any affection between them at all.
“How could a despicable Witch like you be a helpless girl? And if you hadn’t brought that up, I might’ve let it go. Now I’m getting mad.” Carlisle’s presence grew dangerous. He set down the ring, stood, and slowly approached Sherry.
As if she sensed what was coming, the girl shrank back in alarm, shouting, “Ah! What are you going to do?! Don’t touch me! Help!!”
“Go ahead and scream. You could shout yourself hoarse, and no one would come save you!”
In Sherry’s eyes, the boy’s expression became a demon’s cruel grin. Beneath the pale green light, his shadow on the stone wall seemed to sprout the long horns of a demon.
Carlisle grabbed the arm of the girl who kept backing away, then lifted her off the ground as easily as a balloon doll.
Carlisle sat down on the ground and placed the girl across his thighs.
“What are you doing?! Don’t be so petty!” Sherry kicked and struggled with all her strength, trying to get away from the boy.
But to a Knight of the Round Table, her struggles were like a kitten squirming in his arms. They did nothing but make him look even more like a criminal.
To quiet the girl in his arms, Carlisle curled his lips into a smirk and brought his hand down in a hard slap!
Smack—!!
The sharp crack echoed through the hollow, and the girl’s struggling stopped at once.
A vivid red handprint appeared where the blow had landed.
What caught Carlisle’s attention most was just how humiliating the whole scene was for Sherry.
Her alluring black outfit only made the contrast with her innocent appearance seem more absurd.
But Sherry was the opposite: an angelic appearance with a devilish heart.
Carlisle hadn’t meant to humiliate the girl out of desire. He was only getting even. Who knew how much psychological torment he’d suffered while wandering around Ayideen in nothing but his underwear!
Even someone as thick-skinned as him had his limits!
Besides, his heart belonged to Liya. That gentle, kind girl would always be his one true love. He wasn’t interested in other girls.
His hand rose, then fell.
Smack—
“Ah! Enough! That’s enough, Carlisle!”
Smack—
“I get it, okay?! I was wrong!”
Smack—
“Ah! Big brother, I’m sorry! Sherry won’t do it again…”
Smack—
“I can’t take it anymore, big brother…”
In the cramped hollow, the girl’s pleas and the repeated smacks rose and fell together. Her pink hair swayed gently with each blow.
After who knew how long, Carlisle finally stopped and let the girl off his lap.
But Sherry didn’t do as he said. She chose to lie there motionless across his legs.
She couldn’t help it. Her right leg felt numb, as if it had stopped existing, and her backside stung fiercely. Even the slightest movement made her cry out in pain.
How was she supposed to get up like this?!
Carlisle didn’t care. When he saw the girl trying to stay on his lap, he grabbed her by the arms and pushed her away, sliding Sherry off his legs.
“Hss!!”
Her sore backside hit the ground, and an unbearable sting shot straight to her brain. Tears welled up uncontrollably in the corners of her eyes.
Damn Carlisle! One day, she’d make him pay for every bit of humiliation he’d put her through today!!
He’d dared to hit her today. She didn’t even want to imagine what he might do next time!!
Bastard!!
“Does it hurt?”
“It hurts so much, big brother. You could’ve been gentler…” She looked at Carlisle with red, vulnerable eyes, like a startled little rabbit.
The more defiant she acted, the harder she got hit. When she was at a disadvantage, she had to look as pitiful as possible.
People had hearts, after all. She refused to believe Carlisle could bring himself to hit her a second time after doing it once!
“Good. If it didn’t hurt, I’d have to give you a few more smacks.”
“…Big brother, you’re so mean.”
“Not as mean as you.”
“Do you enjoy arguing with me?”
“I enjoy getting under your skin.”
“You’re such a child.”
“Oh?” Carlisle raised his left hand from his thigh again, watching the girl with an almost-smile.
A sudden ache flared in Sherry’s backside, and she quickly changed her tune:
“Big brother, big brother! I-I mean I’m the childish one. A mature man like you has even made me fall for you, so how could you ever do something as childish as arguing with me?”
