"Aaaaaa..."

*Crack!~*

The sound of bones breaking could be heard along with the suppressed cry of the pained voice of a woman!

Davis looked at the sight in front of him with wide eyes.

Nora Alstreim knelt on the floor as her head hung powerlessly while arms and legs were chained to the wall behind. The originally white robe she wore was soaked with her crimson blood, and her blonde hair strands were scattered on the floor by her side.

She had her lips slightly torn, a few of her teeth lost, her sharp nose shattered, and her eyes were crimson red. Her left cheek had sunk inwards, and her whole face seemed to be badly disfigured that it was bleeding, but the blood on her face already seemed to be somewhat dried, obviously from the abuse that she had been subjected to from the person in front of her.

Claire held on to Nora Alstreim's blonde hair with one of her hand, with the other clenched into fists, ready to plunge again as it was already colored in crimson blood. However, the moment the door behind them opened, she swiveled her head and saw that her son stepped into the room, his expression appearing stumped as if he possessed no words to her current actions.

Her expression turned into a grimace before she wryly smiled, "I told you not to enter."

Davis looked dumbfounded at the scene. Nora Alstreim's face was absolutely wrecked that she had difficulty opening one of her eyes while her other eye was completely closed as it seemed to be heavily bruised and swollen.

She seemed to be gasping in pain.

However, that wasn't what made him dumbfounded as he has expected such a scene to take place, but...

'Why is she crying?'

Looking at his mother's moist and red eyes as well as her tearful face, he felt dumbfounded.

Judging by what he saw, Nora Alstreim couldn't have injured his mother in any way other than with words.

"Go outside, Davis."

Davis just shook his head. How could he leave after knowing the truth?

Nevertheless, if he told the truth at this point...

Davis raised his hand and placed it over his forehead, feeling stupid.

"It-it's... It's... n-not me..."

Nora Alstreim muttered tiredly.

"You're still not going to accept your wrongs!?" Claire's turned around as her face flushed with an enraged expression, but it appeared to be that she was also hurt by her repetitive answers.

"I... have d-done... nothing w-wrong...."

"Liar! You are nothing more than a two-faced liar! If I had that parting gift you delivered me in the secret entrance through Immeth Alstreim, it would be so much easier to prove that you are a two-faced liar!"

Nora Alstreim possessed an indifferent expression on her bloodied and battered face. Originally, she had raged as she was dragged away by her hair, but she was quickly put into place as the chains limited her movements on top of the two inscription seals that were placed on her.

Then came the interrogation, which she answered that it wasn't her all the time. It was when she discovered and came to accept that the other party was really Claire in their conversation to her shock that she said that it should be a misunderstanding, trying to make her understand when Claire suddenly started to rain down fists upon her in an enraged manner.

However, she wasn't even angered but glimpsed at Claire, who shed tears as she beat her down for some inexplicable reason. It wasn't as if she was the one who was being tortured but Claire.

But now, she heavily frowned at hearing those words again....

"It was true that I had Immeth make things difficult for you, but it was so that you could have a push and grow alongside with me so that I can also benefit from your growth by being motivated."

"Our relationship was one of rivalry, but wasn't it also one of mutual trust...?"

"It was one of mutual trust indeed, but you broke that..." Claire's body shook.

"You!" Nora Alstreim's expression trembled while she looked pained, "Make no m-mistake, I sent no parting gift to you! How m-many times do I have to say this!?"

"Let me go... If you want to know the truth as you say, then I must interrogate I-Immeth as to what had happened..."

"Hehe..." Claire mockingly laughed, "So that you can escape?"

"But don't worry, she will also soon be here with you, facing the same fate along with you..."

Nora Alstreim finally couldn't help be angered, "You! What is with you!? You come out of nowhere, and just when I thought you could be real, you b-blame that I was the one who tried to backstab and k-kill you!?"

"You are crazy!!!" Nora Alstreim screamed and flailed as she tried to stand up, but her sealed cultivation and the restrictive chains wouldn't let her.

Claire took a deep breath as she stared at Nora Alstreim. Her entire body was shaking, but it seemed to be not from anger but hesitation.

Davis looked at them argue and couldn't help but look at each other in the eyes.

After coming this far, considering Nora Alstreim's pride and his mother's actions, he felt that there was no way that both could live under the same sky. However, was it truly the case?

He only hesitated for a single moment before he moved towards them and reached out his hand.

Nora Alstreim instantly noticed that Alchemist Davis was heading towards her, his stretched out palm beginning to surge with essence energy.

*Crackle!~*

Black arcs of lightning erupted, and rather than the sound of thousands of birds chirping at the same time, it was grizzly and struck fear into the heart as its aura alone remained terrifying.

"You... Don't come n-near me!" Nora Alstreim panicked as she shrunk back to the wall, her back experiencing a cold sensation that made her shiver from the fear of death.

Davis didn't stop and kept walking. Within a few steps, he arrived before her as his power multiplied manifold, crackling as if it were going to cause extinction at the slightest touch!

Nora Alstreim's eyes were wide as it could possibly be in her injury. Her skin experienced a crawling feeling, and her eyes were terrified as it kept trembling from fear. Her purple pupils reflected the arcs of black lightning that rapidly encircled above her face, making her aware that her head was going to be fried, resulting in her death.

'Am I going to... die?' Nora Alstreim became still at sight.

Since her soul sea was already restricted, death was the only outcome she could imagine.

She wanted to live her life! She still wanted to love and experience the world with her fated one, but she was wrongfully blamed and tortured as if she was an evildoer; she truly felt that the heavens had abandoned her.

Numerous images flashed past her eyes, her family, and even another figure who saved her from her own suicidal attack. She closed her eyes and felt reluctant, as well as regret.

However, no matter how she waited, she didn't feel anything painful or strange.

'I am... dead?' Nora Alstreim imagined that it was a painless death, but when she opened her eyes, her pupils registered a person blocking the doom that was upon her!