The Heroine's Little Sister

Chapter 76 : C̶O̶N̶T̶R̶O̶L̶

There are cracks in the ceilings and the walls of the room. The children have long run out of the room in hope of saving their lives from the fight that is happening.

Both Errissa and the Cardinal are oddly even, though he is in worse condition than her.

'Does this mean I am really weak when it comes to fighting scenes??' Errissa thought in frustration as she constructed another barrier around her before trying to twist the mana inside the cardinal's body.

It was a good thing that she still can control her mana inside his body, despite their distance.

Blood dripped from the cardinal's lips as his face twisted in pain. He can feel Errissa's mana gradually making its way towards his core, and once she reaches it, the fight will be over. That is why he is trying to kill her before she can achieve it, yet every attack he does is all for naught because of the barrier she created.

'Viona surely taught her well. Too well... that it's too irritating.'

He does not know how someone frail like her can easily make him suffer. He has survived countless dangers and conflicts that almost blew his cover. None of them bested him, and then came this little girl who was once called a villainess only to best him.

His patience is running thin. He wants to end this fruitless fight quickly and regain back the energy he has lost.

Time is running out... the more he continues to run out of energy the more his seal is starting to break. His true nature is starting to show, and soon, he will be out of control. And when that happens... everything will be ruined.

"If... If you're done, playing around, make sure to end me fast. If not, things will get out of control," he advised her as he took a deep breath.

A shiver ran down Errissa's spine the moment her eyes meet the intense gaze of the cardinal. She can feel it... a deep rumbling coming from deep within the cardinal's chest.

Before she can respond to him, something shatters in the air. A burst of energy seems to be coming from the cardinal as his eyes widen in surprise. Clearly, he was not expecting this.

"Impossible! I still have enough mana within me to handle this!" he exclaims in panic as he shifts his gaze to Errissa.

"What are you talking about?" Errissa answered in confusion as she observes the conflicted emotions passing in his eyes.

This is the first time since they started fighting that she witnessed him revealing this kind of emotion.

"..." he did not answer her, as he is focusing on deciding what to do with the current situation.

He can feel it. The cursed blood runs through his veins as scales start appearing once again on his skin. His body is shifting once again and this time, he is not in control... Someone else is controlling his transformation, and he dislikes it.

After a while of silence between them, he spoke as he came to a conclusion on how to conclude this. It might not be the end that he desires, but right now all he wants is to be free of this control.

"Little girl, I will warn you just this once. Before I can fully transform, end me. Destroy my core or this building will collapse and this Temple will burn to the ground," he spoke in a grave tone that made Errissa flinch.

She does not understand why is he suddenly yielding himself like this. But she can observe it in his eyes. Deep within the coldness of his green hooded eyes is fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of not being in control.

There is something else surrounding him. Hovering right above his head is a thick white fog in a shape of a cloud.

*Bathump! Bathump!*

Upon noting this, the corner of Errissa's lips twitches... Practically turning into a broad smile. Her heart starts thumping excitedly as a memory briefly flashes inside her mind.

'The Fog is acting up. She is surveying this scene. That wretched woman is finally awake!'

As her focus naturally shifts on the fog, Hezekiah, on the other hand, unconsciously starts recalling the memories he made inside the Temple. And all the moments he spent with Haviona.

Now that he can feel his end is coming, he can't help but be a little sentimental.

'Haviona... my dear little flower.'

Despite everything he is, he truly did care for Haviona. Thus, if this is the only chance that he will secure her survival before he fully loses control then he will gladly do it.

"Ha! Well, I wasn't expecting you to suddenly submit yourself like this after such a fight! But, it's the most welcome outcome I could have ever thought. Do not worry, Cardinal. I will do it as swiftly and painlessly as possible. And after that, you will pay for all your crimes!" Errissa exclaims as she walks toward the Cardinal who is currently kneeling while his body is gradually transforming.

Slowing the transformation is taking a toll on his energy, thus the reason why he allows himself to kneel. If it was any other day, he would never let anyone see him kneeling in such a pathetic way.

A deep rumble began to echo almost a similar sound to thunder as if to protest, as his transformation start speeding up. But the cardinal continues to hold on to his humane form, as he tries to fight his transformation.

"I would not want this kind of end for me. Yet here we are..." he mumbles as Errissa places both her hands on his chest, right where his core is.

As her mana began pouring on his body, the ground began shaking as thin white thread appeared out of nowhere as it began attaching itself to both of them. Every time they move an inch. The thread tightens itself around their limbs as if trying to warn them.

'This is a warning. A way to tell us, that she will not let us do as we please.'

"What the...?" his words were cut off as electric shock coming from the strings paralyzes him, when he tried to remove the threads.

Errissa still for a moment though the shocks have no effect on her... at least not anymore. After all the things she has been through right after waking up with no memories. She did everything she can to improve her body, and with the help of her mana and the teachings of the Saintess... It helps her a great deal.

A sly smile appeared on her lips as she lifts her left hand, despite the strings tightening around her arm to force her to stop moving.

"It seems, someone is interfering with our bout. Someone with a lot of time in their hands."

Hezekiah stares at her with a raised eyebrow as he grits his teeth from the pain he is feeling. His transformation is speeding up once again as his arm has already been covered with scales and his fingers turn into a dragon's sharp claws.

He can feel his tail slowly growing right above his behind as his back is itching from the wings that are gradually forming. This is the first time in a while that he has managed to reach this kind of transformation. And he hates how he reaches it not by his own will, but by the will of someone else.

With a flick of her finger, a flash of light engulfed her body. Once it's gone, all the strings that once attached to her body all been cut into pieces.

"You no longer have any control over me. Not now... or ever in the future. I will no longer allow you to interfere with my life!"

She can feel her mana bubbling inside of her. Her eyes shone with newfound determination as she turns her attention to the Cardinal. Placing her hands back to his chest, she focuses all her attention on releasing as much mana as she can into his body.

In a short time, the edge of his body starts glowing as slowly the light becomes brighter and brighter as his screams muffle the sound of the deep rumbling.

The blinding light extends on Errissa as both of them got swallowed by it and even the whole room they are in.