Yet, at that very instant, Hormit, who had been lying on the ground with his eyes tightly shut, abruptly regained consciousness and narrowly evaded the blow by a hair's breadth.

  This scion of the nobility, who had led a life of privilege for the better part of his existence, for the first time experienced the profound terror of death brushing past him.

  This involuntary reaction caused a fetid liquid to seep from his nether regions.

  "Pernas! What are you attempting to do?!" Hormit demanded, his voice resounding with several tremors.

  The blond - haired young lady, initially flustered by the sudden awakening of her captor, felt an inexplicable sense of gratification upon witnessing the look of fear on the face of the man she perceived as a demon.

  This significantly alleviated the psychological dread she harbored towards the individual before her.

  "He didn't lose consciousness? Nevertheless, it's of no consequence, Miss Pernas. Persevere, and I'm confident you'll land a strike," Glen encouraged through the illusory Magical - Guide Telephone.

  From the male voice that reached him, he discerned that the man no longer posed a threat to the blond - haired young lady. Moreover, given the weakness of his voice, there was no concern of attracting anyone from the outside.

  Evidently, Glen's encouragement proved effective, as Pernas once again hoisted the flower pot.

  "No! No! Desist, Pernas. I love you so deeply! You cannot treat me thus! I beseech you!"

  The man on the ground pleaded piteously, his voice filled with desperation.

  This display truly gave the blond - haired young lady pause, and a sense of compassion welled up within her.

  Just as her resolve wavered, Glen's voice interjected in a timely manner: "Do not succumb to pity, my dear lady. Those are but crocodile tears. You are unaware of the countless heinous deeds such an individual has perpetrated. They hold human life in utter contempt. On occasion, they simply abduct comely commoner women to their abodes, and after having their way with them, they dispose of them as if it were a routine matter. Should you spare him now, it would be tantamount to consigning numerous others to their deaths. You would not wish to do such a thing, would you?"

  "No! He lies! Pernas, you must not believe him! I have never engaged in such abhorrent acts!" Hormit vehemently protested.

  "Never? Then how do you explain the presence of this exquisite lady here?"

  "I..." Hormit was momentarily at a loss for a retort.

  "Silenced, are you?" Glen scoffed. "Miss Pernas, proceed. I am cognizant that this is a harsh task for a young maiden such as yourself, but life often necessitates experiencing certain things for the first time."

  The blond - haired young lady's hands, clutching the flower pot, trembled, and she remained reluctant to strike.

  However, Glen added further fuel to the fire. "Dear child, your kind - heartedness is commendable. I hold those of benevolent nature in high regard. But now, consider those you hold dear, such as your mother. I surmise that this scoundrel, who had the means to abduct you here undetected, could very well do the same to your mother, could he not? Envision the scene: your once - noble and dignified mother, bound and tormented by this wretch, used as a means to extort you. How tragic that would be. This is a likely consequence should you spare this individual."

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  "Cease speaking!" the blond - haired young lady exclaimed, and without hesitation, she raised the flower pot and brought it crashing down upon the weakened man on the ground!

  "No! Do not trust him!" Hormit, too feeble to evade, managed only to utter these words before the flower pot struck his visage, eliciting a muted groan.

  The flower pot shattered, and the soil within spilled forth, completely obscuring the features of the noble young master.

  Pernas slumped to the ground, her gaze somewhat vacant, her mind filled with unreadable thoughts.

  Suddenly, Hormit on the ground coughed twice. Astonishingly, he was still alive.

  "He is not dead..." the blond - haired young lady remarked, her tone somewhat wooden.

  Before Glen could respond, she continued, "I shall fetch another flower pot."

  "There is no need," Glen said, detecting the unusual tone in her voice.

  He was aware that the young girl, in her first attempt at taking a life, was teetering on the brink of a mental breakdown. Thus, he sought to console her. "Pernas, you have taken that momentous step, and you have acquitted yourself admirably. You have vanquished the one who once oppressed you. He has received his just deserts. You know that what you have done is right. There is no need for unease; rather, you should feel a sense of pride. Henceforth, no one shall be able to oppress you."

  "No one shall be able to oppress me..." Pernas murmured, and then more distinctly, "Yes, no one!"

  Glen was somewhat taken aback by her rapid acceptance, yet this was for the best.

  He inquired, "How are you feeling at present?"

  "I feel much improved. What ought I to do now?" The blond - haired young lady's voice was calmer and more composed than ever before, as if she had matured significantly.

  "The time remaining for our communication is scarce, so you must now commit every word I say to memory. Pay no heed to the individual on the ground; his fate is sealed. First, you must procure a bag or something of similar utility, something capable of holding sustenance and certain essential items for wilderness survival. You must not depart through the front entrance, as you are likely to encounter guards posted outside. Therefore, scale the wall in the backyard and make your escape. I presume the edifice you are in is expansive, and a wall is surely present. I shall instruct you in an expedient method of scaling it..."

  Glen rattled off a series of instructions in rapid succession. Lila, who stood nearby, was left utterly astonished.

  Ever since Glen had induced Pernas to commit the act of taking a life, Lila had perceived the man before her as more malevolent than a demon. Yet, paradoxically, he was engaged in a noble endeavor.

  Regardless of her initial impressions, she now recognized that the man before her was far more capable than she had hitherto realized. He was surely a person of great consequence.

  However, upon reflection on their initial acquaintance, she recalled that he had never treated her or their other companions as inferiors. Instead, they had interacted harmoniously.

  Perhaps his acting skills were masterful, or perhaps Lila instinctively resisted believing otherwise.

  Nonetheless, Lila held a deep affection for this Mr. Glen, whether it was for his witty and amiable disposition or the enchanting fairy tales he had crafted.

  When the Magical - Guide Telephone in Glen's hand automatically disconnected due to depletion of its energy source, he turned and beheld the deeply complex expression in Lila's eyes.

  After a moment's thought, he addressed the young girl, "Consider it as the harsh realities of the adult world. Nevertheless, I remain the same person you have come to know."

  The young girl seemed to rouse from a reverie. She promptly waved her hands and shook her head, saying, "No! No! Mr. Glen, you misunderstand. I harbor no fear of you. It is merely that I am somewhat..."

  She struggled to articulate her feelings.

  Glen smiled and said, "I understand. At present, our concern should remain with the noble lady. She is not yet out of danger."

  Upon mention of her friend, Lila immediately inquired with trepidation, "She is not yet safe?"

  Glen shook his head. "She should be able to extricate herself from the dwelling or castle that held her captive, yet what lies ahead remains uncertain."

  ...

  As Glen had foretold, Pernas had successfully scaled the wall at the rear of Hormit's secluded residence and made her escape. However, she had no inkling of what awaited her.

  When the strange communication device vanished, she was truly overcome with panic, despite her earlier pretense of calm.

  I will make my escape! she silently encouraged herself.