Chapter 585: Layla VS Elizabeth

Elizabeth strode through the animated streets, her academy uniform still perfectly in place. Every step she took echoed audibly, sending a wave of tension through the crowd. People instinctively moved aside, as if an unseen force compelled them to clear her path.

Even if she wasn’t trying, the bloodlust rolling off her was enough to make anyone’s skin crawl.

What the hell was she doing here?

"Honey, do you know her?" Layla’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts as she turned toward Elizabeth.

Shit.

There were certain people I really didn’t want Layla to meet yet—Elizabeth and Alvara were at the top of that list for obvious reasons.

"N–No idea," I blurted out quickly, forcing a casual chuckle. "Some random woman. Let’s just enjoy our date, okay?" I tightened my grip on Layla’s arm, attempting to steer her away before things got messy.

"Hm?" Layla blinked but, to my relief, her lips curled into a sweet smile. "Okay!" She chirped, turning with me to leave.

But then—

"I knew it."

Elizabeth’s voice rang out from behind. "I could smell your blood from miles away, Darling."

I froze.

Layla did too.

I tugged at her arm, but she didn’t budge. Slowly, she turned around, her sweet smile gone.

"Honey."

"Y–Yeah?" I swallowed.

"Did she just call you… ’Darling’?" Layla asked, her gaze locking onto Elizabeth, who was now approaching with a knowing smile.

"Darling? My name is Edward," I said quickly, feigning ignorance. But Layla wasn’t an idiot. She narrowed her eyes slightly, piecing things together.

"A vampire," she muttered, more to herself than to me. "And one who seems close to you."

Elizabeth chuckled, her crimson eyes gleaming. "You must be Layla Adriana Tarmias"

Layla stepped forward, placing herself directly in Elizabeth’s path. "And you must be Elizabeth Tepes."

Elizabeth cast a glance my way before returning her attention to Layla. "Who are you exactly?" She asked, tilting her head. "Why do you seem so… familiar with him?"

Was she really asking that right now?

"What a stupid question." Layla lifted her chin, looking down at Elizabeth. "Honey is my boyfriend, fiancé, and husband."

Elizabeth barely reacted, offering only a small shrug. "Hm, good for you." Then, her smile widened as she looked at me. "But, Darling, I need you. It’s been a while, don’t you think?"

I already knew what she wanted.

"Elizabeth, I told you—"

Before I could finish, she disappeared from sight, reappearing right in front of me, her hand reaching for my shirt—no doubt intending to snatch me away like before.

But this time, she never got the chance.

Layla’s hand shot out, gripping Elizabeth’s wrist in an instant.

Silence fell between us.

Elizabeth slowly turned her head, her crimson eyes meeting Layla’s dark pink eyes.

"I’m on my first date with Honey," Layla said coldly, her eyes locked onto Elizabeth. "So don’t bother us."

Elizabeth tilted her head before letting out a laugh. "A date?" She smirked. "That’s cute." Then, her gaze flickered to me. "You can have your little date after I’ve had my way with Darling. If he isn’t too exhausted by then, you can continue your date."

Her hand reached for my shirt again.

-BOOM!

I barely had time to react before Elizabeth vanished from my sight, sent hurtling backward at blinding speed. The impact was so sudden, so forceful, that she crashed through the air like a bullet, skidding across the ground before finally stopping herself several dozen meters away.

When she lifted her gaze, her crimson eyes widened in surprise.

Layla stood exactly where she had been, but now, her entire body pulsed with a dark pink aura, tendrils of mana licking at the air around her. A heartbeat later, a thin crimson gash appeared on Elizabeth’s cheek, and something even more shocking followed—an ominous curse mark slithered across her face like a brand.

Layla’s expression was dark as she took a step forward. "Who do you think you are?" She asked, her earlier amusement wiped away. Her voice was low, cold. Dangerous. "Honey isn’t your plaything. He’s not your blood bank."

Elizabeth’s pupils dilated, her vertical slits becoming more pronounced. She licked the blood trickling down her cheek, her lips curling as raw mana burst out from her body like a storm.

The pressure was enough to send a ripple of fear through the bystanders. And then—

Panic.

The people nearby didn’t hesitate—they ran. Every single one of them fled, sensing the battle that was about to unfold.

I grasped Layla’s arm, trying to calm the situation. "Layla, don’t."

She didn’t even look at me.

"How long, Honey?" She asked.

"What?"

"How long are you going to let yourself be controlled by her desires?" Layla’s voice was calm, but there was an underlying edge to it.

"Layla…"

"I don’t like it," she muttered, finally turning to glance at me. Her eyes held an emotion I couldn’t quite place—something deeper than mere jealousy. "I don’t like how she treats you as if you exist for her alone. Like you belong to her."

The pink energy around her didn’t rage like Elizabeth’s mana—it was quiet, still. Yet somehow, it felt more terrifying.

"I won’t allow anyone to disrespect you, Honey. Even if it’s one of your women."

Elizabeth chuckled, wiping the blood from her cheek. "Oh?" She raised an eyebrow, her amusement returning. "That’s interesting."

Then, with a flicker of movement, she was gone appearing in front of Layla swinging her hand.

A fiery wall of crimson flames erupted between them, roaring to life in an instant, a shield between Layla and Elizabeth’s outstretched hand. But Elizabeth didn’t stop.

She didn’t even hesitate.

Ignoring the searing heat, she thrust her arm through the flames, the fire scorching her skin—but she didn’t care.

She kept reaching and grasped Layla’s arm she had raised to intercept attack.

Elizabeth smirked, her crimson eyes glinting with amusement as she hurled Layla through the air. The force of the throw sent Layla hurtling backward at terrifying speed—yet, with remarkable agility, she twisted mid-air, somersaulting gracefully before landing without so much as a scratch.

Elizabeth let out a disappointed chuckle, her lips curling into a smirk. "This is the woman you’re so proud of, Darling? I expected more. Quite a letdown, really," she mocked.

"Don’t provoke her..." I muttered, grimacing.

Elizabeth was making things worse.

Layla, for the most part, was a composed and level-headed person. But she was also proud—extremely proud. And nothing infuriated her more than being looked down on, even more when I was around.

-BOOM!

Before Elizabeth could fully turn her head back, a hand clamped around her face with powerful force. Layla’s grip was rude and strong, and in the next instant, she slammed Elizabeth straight into the storefront of a nearby building. The impact was brutal, the wall cracking apart as debris rained down in a cloud of dust.

Layla stepped forward, her presence dominating the space beside me. Her entire body was engulfed in flames, burning a deep, violent red—but there was something else. A faint aura of dark pink flickered at the edges of the fire.

Her piercing gaze remained locked onto Elizabeth, who was now emerging from the wreckage, visibly irritated. Layla, however, paid no mind to the destruction she had caused. Instead, she turned to me, her eyes cold.

"Honey. Do you really love this woman?"

I hesitated.

Elizabeth brushed off the dust from her dress as she readied herself for another attack.

I sighed. "...It’s complicated."

"I’ll take that as a no, then."

"W–Wait!"

In the blink of an eye, she vanished.

A scorching trail of fire followed in her wake as she propelled herself forward, faster than before. The air trembled from the sheer heat radiating from her body.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and, without hesitation, extended her hand. A massive blood-red magic circle materialized behind her, pulsating with crimson mana. She wasn’t holding back.

A slender rapier shimmered into existence in her grip, its gleaming blade pointed directly at Layla.

Layla, unfazed, raised a single hand. A massive red curse circle formed above her palm. The air grew oppressive. Dark energy rippled outward, causing the very sky to tremble.

Then, with a single downward motion of her hand, the curse took effect.

The heavens above split apart.

A gaping hole tore through the serene blue sky, swirling violently like a vortex of nightmares. From its depths, something emerged.

A monstrous, horned serpent’s head slithered through the rift, its eyes gleaming with malevolent hunger.

The presence of the beast sent an unnatural chill down my spine. It wasn’t just me—everyone could feel it.

This curse spell…

It was nearly identical to the curses Layla had used in the Villainess Route.

This was dangerous.

Elizabeth’s gaze darkened, as if realizing the true extent behind that attack. Without hesitation, she swung her rapier high, and another massive mana circle—this one nearly five meters in diameter—appeared above her. Thick, crimson blood gushed out of the formation, swirling chaotically before shaping itself into a portal of blood.

The liquid pulsed, twisting and coiling like living vines. Then the blood congealed into a massive sphere, rapidly growing larger and denser.

Their auras clashed.

Layla’s cursed flames and Elizabeth’s crimson blood battled for dominance, distorting the very air itself.

[<I advise you to stop them immediately, Edward.>]

Cleenah’s voice snapped me out of my stupor. My heart pounded as I surged forward, pushing Samara’s ability to its absolute limit. Speed alone wasn’t enough—I needed to reach them before their attacks clashed.

But I was too late.

-BOOOOOOM!

The monstrous serpent, born from Layla’s curse, collided violently with Elizabeth’s crimson vortex of blood. The force of the impact sent devastating shockwaves rippling outward, crackling with raw mana.

The onlookers—those foolish enough to remain despite the overwhelming danger—were instantly overwhelmed. Many lost consciousness on the spot, their bodies thrown back like ragdolls, helpless against the raging storm of mana.

Neither attack gave way, their forces locked in a brutal struggle. The clash was so evenly matched that the energy had nowhere to go but up—tearing a jagged rift through the very sky above us.

Amidst the chaos, Elizabeth cackled.

"Ahahahaha! Since Alvara, I haven’t felt this excited!" Elizabeth’s voice was wild with exhilaration, her smirk stretching wide across her face. With a sharp thrust of her rapier, she unleashed another powerful surge of mana, sending a fresh tide of blood-red energy crashing against Layla’s flames.

Layla slid back slightly from the force, but her expression remained composed. She adjusted her stance, raising her free hand as a slow, knowing smile curved on her lips.

"I’ve heard whispers," she said, her gaze locking onto Elizabeth. "They call you the Witch of Valachia, don’t they?"

Her fingers flexed, the cursed energy around her shifting suddenly.

"Then allow me to show you what the Witch Goddess taught me."

And with that, she spoke the words erasing her smile.

"Blood Curse."