Villainess X Villain: They are obsessed with each other!

Chapter 222 -: 221 He is a heretic!

Count Kalan watched the entire situation calmly from the side of the underground chamber.

Crypian Thorne had finally "collapsed" midway through the descent earlier, clutching his head weakly while insisting he needed to return to the Thorne Estate immediately for treatment.

And now, the transportation gate before them hummed softly with blue mana as everyone waited for the coordinates to finish synchronizing.

"Haaah..."

Count Kalan quietly released a long breath through his nose, only now realizing he had unconsciously been holding it for quite some time.

’Though...the Saint asked me to keep an eye on the First Prince...’ His gaze slowly shifted toward Sebastian’s back, ’but there truly does not seem to be anything suspicious about him.’

The Saint had personally instructed him to join the First Prince’s faction long ago.

Yet no matter how long Kalan observed him, Sebastian appeared entirely normal.

The prince discussed matters regarding the empire, noble disputes, taxation, food distribution, welfare programs for commoners...

Nothing more, there was no hidden ambition, no secret movements, no signs of treason.

Count Kalan frowned slightly. ’I truly do not think there is anyth...’

"Clink."

The sudden metallic sound from the transportation gate abruptly interrupted his thoughts.

Blue light pulsed brightly across the underground chamber.

"You may enter now, Lord Crypian." Sebastian’s calm voice echoed throughout the room, drawing Kalan’s attention back toward the portal.

Crypian slowly lowered his head weakly.

"Again... thank you for understanding my predicament and allowing me to use this transportation gate."

"Of course," Sebastian replied with a faint smile. "Now go quickly and take the medicine fi..."

Suddenly, a voice exploded directly inside Count Kalan’s mind.

[Count Kalan.] The world around him instantly drowned into silence.

Sebastian’s voice vanished. The humming of the transportation gate disappeared.

Only that voice remained....sacred and absolute.

[You must stop Crypian Thorne.] Count Kalan’s entire body froze. [He is a heretic.]

His pupils contracted violently. [He insulted the Holy Scriptures and blasphemed against the Goddess.]

The voice grew sharper with every word.

[He is attempting to escape.] A terrifying pressure suddenly descended upon Count Kalan’s heart.

[Stop him immediately.]

The voice vanished. Everything flooded back into existence all at once. But Count Kalan no longer heard any of it clearly.

Because his mind had already descended into complete fury. The Saint’s voice. There was absolutely no possibility of mistake.

And Crypian...had insulted the Goddess? The same divine being the Saint devoted his entire existence toward?

The same Goddess for whom Uriel had gouged out his own eyes before the entire empire?

Veins bulged faintly across Count Kalan’s neck. His breathing turned heavy. Bloodshot fury rapidly filled his eyes as his gaze locked onto Crypian’s back.

At this moment, Crypian had already stepped into the transportation gate halfway.

Blue light swallowed part of his body while the portal rippled violently around him.

"DIE!!!" Count Kalan’s roar exploded throughout the underground chamber like thunder.

"You devil worshipper!!"

In a single motion, he pulled the dagger from his waist and lunged forward violently.

"Pshhk!!"

The blade pierced straight through Crypian’s chest. However....Count Kalan’s expression changed instantly.

There was no resistance.....none at all. The sensation traveling through his hand felt completely wrong.

It did not feel like flesh, did not feel like organs either.

The dagger slid through Crypian’s body far too smoothly, almost as though he had stabbed directly into flowing water.

"W-What...?"

Shock flashed across Count Kalan’s face.

But his hesitation lasted less than a second. Immediately, he stretched his free hand forward and grabbed Crypian’s collar violently.

And this time....There was resistance....a real body....Count Kalan’s eyes widened.

Then, with a furious roar, he yanked backward with all his strength.

"GET OUT HERE!!"

******

[Invincibility: Remaining Time — 47 Seconds]

(Grants the host one complete minute of invincibility against life-threatening and malicious attacks capable of causing severe injury or preventing retaliation.)

The translucent words appeared directly before Crypian’s eyes the instant his body was violently yanked backward out of the transportation gate.

Boom!

His back slammed hard against the cold stone floor. Pain still spread throughout his body from the impact, but before he could even fully breathe....

The first thing he saw was Count Kalan’s face.

Twisted with anger, his eyes were bloodshot. Completely consumed by murderous rage.

The count was already raising the dagger again.

"DIE!!"

The blade plunged downward straight toward Crypian’s throat with enough force to split it open completely.

Yet Crypian did not panic...not even slightly. Because he had anticipated this exact possibility from the very beginning.

That was why he activated moments before stepping into the transportation gate.

After all, the moment before teleportation was when he would be most vulnerable.

KSHHK!

The dagger pierced directly through Crypian’s throat...Or rather..through it.

The blade passed cleanly across his neck without resistance, almost like slicing through an illusion.

Count Kalan’s pupils shrank violently. The expression on his face instantly distorted with shock.

Crypian did not waste that opening. The moment Kalan froze, Crypian’s hand shot toward the dagger exposed along the count’s waistband.

Clang.

He pulled it free instantly, then moved like lightning.

He was fast, far faster than Count Kalan expected from someone supposedly half-dead moments earlier.

Crypian thrust the dagger upward toward the count’s throat.

However, his body position was terrible.

Pinned beneath Kalan’s weight, he could not properly reach the neck.

So in a split second, he changed targets..the shoulder.

KCHHHK!

A sickening tearing sound echoed throughout the underground chamber as the blade buried deeply into Count Kalan’s shoulder.

"GRAAAHH—!!"

A miserable groan escaped the count’s mouth. Blood splattered across Crypian’s sleeve.

Before Kalan could react further...

Boom!

Crypian’s leg slammed violently into the count’s stomach.

The impact sent Count Kalan flying backward several meters across the stone floor before crashing heavily against the ground.

For a moment...the entire underground chamber fell silent.

Prince Sebastian and Duke Rayene stood frozen near the transportation gate. Neither of them could fully comprehend what had just happened.

Everything occurred too quickly. One moment Crypian had been stabbed through the chest.

The next moment Count Kalan’s dagger somehow passed through his throat harmlessly before Crypian counterattacked instantly.

It had all happened within mere seconds.

Barely enough time for a few blinks. Their minds simply could not process it.

Meanwhile, Crypian had already pushed himself back onto his feet.

Blood stained the front of his clothes from the earlier stab wound, yet his movements remained completely unhindered as he turned and rushed toward the transportation gate once more.

"CAPTURE HIM!!"

Count Kalan’s desperate roar suddenly exploded throughout the chamber.

The count clutched his bleeding shoulder while glaring at Crypian with furious bloodshot eyes.

"HE IS A HERETIC!!"

"STOP HIM!!"