Patunasankus curiously examined Elaphia.
Just by looking at her, it was clear she was seriously injured. Not only was she covered in dirt, but her once exquisite attire was now tattered, barely hanging on her body like a rag.
Patunasankus remembered how Elaphia had looked before the ferocious beast had carried her away.
She had seen pain and guilt in the young woman's eyes. It was precisely this expression of guilt and remorse that had aroused Patunasankus's curiosity.
If Elaphia had shown a triumphant look of successful scheming, Patunasankus would now be scrutinizing her, contemplating exactly how well-done to make her.
At this moment, Elaphia, looking at the princess, was at a loss for words.
After all, she had just recently sold the princess to the ferocious beast right to her face, just like all her past actions, once again betraying someone's trust.
Elaphia had thought that this parting with the princess would be final, but who would have thought that just as she had managed to escape the hero, she'd be targeted by the ferocious beast. Being weaker, she had been defeated.
As luck would have it, she was now reunited with the princess here.
The other appeared completely unharmed, lively and active, while she had been beaten up by the ferocious beast and thrown in here, covered in injuries.
Now the ferocious beast was lurking nearby, and she couldn't escape. She could only be trapped here with the princess.
This time she was truly caught.
Elaphia's only lifeline she could think of now was the hero whom she had already abandoned.
What a mess...
Patunasankus took two steps forward, her petite figure standing in front of Elaphia, looking up with eyes full of curiosity.
Elaphia, thinking of her actions, simply closed her eyes, adopting an attitude of resignation.
She especially couldn't bear to look directly into the princess's eyes again.
Those eyes as blue as the sky, without a trace of shadow.
A strong sense of guilt arose spontaneously.
"Please punish me," Elaphia said. "I deserve it."
"Punish you?"
Patunasankus tilted her head slightly, thinking this person was strange, asking for punishment before she had even said anything, when she herself had already been beaten up by the ferocious beast.
Might she subconsciously be a masochist?
Patunasankus's mind involuntarily flashed through a multitude of torture instruments hidden in the depths of the evil dragon's lair.
This person would definitely love it there.
But those instruments had all been swept away by the princess in the name of 'harmonizing the lair' not long after Latifa's arrival. Latifa had also expressly forbidden Patunasankus from using such methods without her authorization.
In this way, the few punishments the evil dragon had left at her disposal were only...
After a moment of silence, Patunasankus reached forward and pinched Elaphia's soft cheek. Her skin, as white as fresh snow, was even paler than usual.
"...?"
Elaphia was stunned, momentarily unsure of what the princess was doing.
Then she watched as the princess applied slight pressure to her cheek, casually tugging it a couple of times, before finally letting go after a while.
"There, are you satisfied now?" Patunasankus said, clapping her hands.
"No, that's not what I meant..."
"Nothing else, take it or leave it," Patunasankus immediately refused, as if sensing something. She looked outside. "You have a lot of explaining to do, but that will have to wait until later."
At this moment, mist began to spread throughout the mansion. The central open-air bath had somehow been filled with murky water, bubbling up with a gurgling sound, as if preparing for something.
The ferocious beast, which had beaten Elaphia badly, was rummaging through tattered bath towels, jumping excitedly by the bath, its body filthy.
Its twisted, strange movements made it clear that it was extremely excited. It occasionally poured some odd concoctions into the bath, and soon the water turned an eerie green.
Absolutely no one would willingly immerse themselves in this bath.
A strange roar came from outside; the ferocious beast seemed to have completed its preparations.
It dragged its feet, slowly advancing on the ground. Patunasankus soon saw its silhouette in front of the cage.
The ferocious beast stood motionless, its gaze fixed on Patunasankus. Its bloody maw opened and closed, revealing rows of sharp white teeth that could undoubtedly crush an ordinary person with ease.
Its fur began to sway, each step forward accompanied by a grating noise, approaching Patunasankus with difficulty and slowness, but definitely advancing.
At this moment, Elaphia felt some inner turmoil.
Even though this ferocious beast's target was clearly not her.
But when she saw the ferocious beast slowly and determinedly crawling toward the princess, she still felt uneasy, as if...
She was worried, caring about something beautiful, unable to bear witnessing its disappearance.
A strange impulse brewed in Elaphia's heart.
Patunasankus, seeing the ferocious beast crawling straight toward her, immediately realized it was coming to bathe with her.
The evil dragon had no such intention.
She thought about simply roasting it.
Patunasankus instinctively took a breath, dragon fire surging in her lungs, as if it could erupt at any moment.
Then she thought of the witness Elaphia beside her.
She pondered briefly.
She thought, why not just roast them both and be done with it?
"...La...La..."
Suddenly, Patunasankus vaguely heard the ferocious beast roaring something.
She noticed that the ferocious beast's gaze was constantly fixed on her, never diverting for a moment.
The ferocious beast looked at Patunasankus, its crimson eyes reflecting the silhouette of a girl, the name of a girl with dandelion-colored hair.
"...La...ti...fa...aaaaaahhh..."
Evelyn, facing the evil dragon, unclearly called out that girl's name.
This name, as if enchanted, made the evil dragon stop in her tracks.