Chapter 92

‘Maybe there’s still a chance…’

Better to try something than to do nothing and meet a pointless end. Taking a long, steadying breath, she masked her fear as best she could and spoke carefully.

“Can you understand what I’m saying?”

[ Screee, scree. Kikik. ]

The Lizardman’s tongue flicked out, and it let out a bizarre, gleeful laugh, as though it found the situation endlessly amusing.

Ugh, disgusting.

Desperate not to be struck down on the spot, she tried to catch the monster’s interest.

“Would you like to play hide-and-seek with me?”

[ Hi■■ and seek? ]

The Lizardman twisted its head at a ninety-degree angle, fixing her with its slit-pupiled gaze.

The monster’s unnaturally swiveling eyes seemed almost to read her every thought. The forest was thick with a dreadful, suffocating energy, and fear wrapped itself around Evelyn like a shroud, so tangible she could barely breathe. Clenching her trembling hands into fists, she forced a shaky smile.

“I’ll be it! While I count to ten, you go hide!”

Her plan was simple: once the Lizardman was out of sight, she’d make a break for the edge of the woods. To her relief, the creature seemed delighted by the idea, bouncing in place with excitement.

[ Good, f◇n. I’ll go hi◆e. ]

“Alright, I’ll start counting now.”

The moment the words left her lips, the Lizardman vanished from sight.

‘It… worked.’

Relief washed over Evelyn that she at least was out of the monster’s immediate reach, but she couldn’t waste another second. Hurriedly, she reached into her inner pocket for the teleportation scroll. If she tore it now, surely it would take her somewhere safe.

But the paper, now damp and tough as leather, refused to rip no matter how hard she tried.

“This can’t be. Don’t tell me…”

Even as she whispered her disbelief, she realized the awful truth that she’d fallen right into the monster’s trap. From the very start, the Lizardman must have targeted her, setting a barrier so she could never escape.

As even that last flicker of hope was shattered, her face went pale. A wave of despair crashed over her, and with icy hands, she swept the hair from her face, trying to steady herself against the darkness closing in. If she couldn’t escape the barrier, all she could do was hide and pray for the search party to find her. 

Forcing her trembling legs to move, she slipped away, searching for a place to stay out of the monster’s sight.

‘I’ll hide over there for now.’

She crouched down between the thickets, cupping her hands over her mouth to stifle any sound. Her heart pounded so violently that even the faintest whisper of wind made her flinch.

‘Please. Please just pass by.’

Huddled in a ball, Evelyn shivered, desperately hoping the monster wouldn’t discover her. But it seemed fate wasn’t on her side.

Thud—

A familiar tremor shook the ground, rumbling dangerously close.

Had it already come this far?

She bit the inside of her cheek as panic set in. Suddenly, the Lizardman’s razor-sharp claws tore through the bushes. Its wide, mocking grin curled as its eyes found her.

[ Found y■u. Play wi□h me. ]

“Kyaaaak—!”

A scream tore from Evelyn’s lips as she bolted forward in a blind panic.

However, luck wasn’t with her as a hidden stone caught her foot, sending her sprawling to the ground. She landed hard, clutching her twisted ankle as her lashes quivered in fear. Swallowing back a whimper of pain, she watched as the Lizardman crept closer, tongue flickering.

“D-Don’t come any closer!”

Even in the face of her desperate screams, the monster only clutched its belly and laughed, as if the whole ordeal were nothing but a game. Realizing there was nothing more she could do, she felt her vision cloud over, her eyes dull with despair. On the very threshold of death, she squeezed her eyes shut, half resigned to her fate.

Crrrack—

A fissure split the barrier the Lizardman had cast. As a familiar pulse of magic drifted in from somewhere beyond, Evelyn, still trembling, slowly opened her eyes.

‘Axion…?’

A moment later, a man stepped through the fractured barrier and fixed his gaze on her.

“Evelyn, you…”