Bro, I'm not an Undead!

Elita's shock from the last attack that finished the tall undead Knight had finally died and now she gazed at the duo curiously.

She couldn't tell what the relationship between Skullius and Red Rage was as she was currently watching a comedic scenario where Skullius was barking intensely at Red Rage, raving on and on about how he was reckless and about the fact that he got such insane moves at his disposal so suddenly.

The Paladin Champion finally interjected with a slight smile, posing a question.

"Excuse me... what relationship do you have with this man?" she asked Red Rage which further enraged Skullius who wanted to be seen as the senior authority.

As Red Rage was about to reply in a deep and firm voice, Skullius interfered.

"You should be asking me that question. This brat is barely a two days old and is now acting wise because he can fly!"

Elita's brow rose.

"Who is he to you?"

"He's my... subordinate," Skullius answered with a grin.

"Please pay no attention to this sockethole, valiant female. I am merely a friend who travels with him and chooses to tolerate his self-destructive behaviour," Red Rage said with a polite tone to his manly voice.

"Oh... how honourable," said Elita with a bright smile which somehow made Skullius angrier. This felt vaguely familiar!

'Self-destructive? Bro, language!'

Skullius gnashed his teeth as he began to wonder if he should ask the guidance on whether or not he could unsummon Red Rage.

Of course it was just a passing thought.

Elita had wanted to check out this Knight in front of her with mana but that would be rude as it would be essentially be invading the privacy of her saviour so openly.

Therefore, she opted for the safer method.

Using her guidance field!

As she looked at the Pelvis Boar-Man who was floating a meter above ground while still being decked in the incomplete [Pelvis Boar-Man Majestic Attire], a status appeared.

...!

'What in the world...'

What she saw was far from what she expected to see.

Unlike with Skullius where some details were hidden from her and she was oblivious to the fact, she could see Red Rage's class and race as well as other details that didn't seem... natural.

Elita squinted her eyes as she looked at Red Rage.

'Red Rage?' she thought. That wasn't so Knightly or even a name for that matter. Apostle Trait? Pelvis Boar-Man?

Was this Knight some kind of beast man?

Her curiosity grew for Red Rage all the more.

Skullius noticed this and he immediately realised what was happening.

This was not good.

If she discovered that Red Rage was a skeleton underneath...

"So... how about letting us go since we pretty much saved your life," said Skullius as he pulled on Red Rage who refused to budge.

Elita mulled over what she had just seen, making sure to digest it properly.

'This Knight appeared out of nowhere and seems to have a relation to this... Skullius. They are both odd but I wouldn't say they have any feel for undeath. This is the first time I've seen anyone with such strange traits in the three nations.'

Elita's gaze fell upon Red Rage again.

Once more she had the urge to scan Red Rage with her mana to see what he looked like but... it was improper.

It defied her honour as a Knight and a lady.

Indeed, her life had been saved and while she truly hadn't intended let Skullius go before, she was considering it.

The two really seemed to be aligned after all.

"So you truly are the oblivious wanderer who just so happens to be recognised by the Voice of Worlds?" she asked Skullius with a serious tone.

Skullius also wore a hard and serious expression as he answered.

"Yes... I am, for crying out loud."

Elita looked at the aftermath of her fight and couldn't help but sigh.

It would have been much worse.

"Very well... I owe you my life. My honour as a Knight... as a Champion, won't allow me to be harsh to you. Since you're still under suspicion of being aligned with the Green Neolists, you need to leave immediately. I'll cover for the rest," Elita said.

Skullius felt a wave of relief. This was the outcome he hoped for.

The Paladin Champion took out a spatial storage ring, inserted mana into and withdraw a map.

She handed it Skullius who readily took it.

"Since you're pretty much ignorant of everything, take this. I advise you to go to one of the major cities and lay low there. I doubt any of the Knights would travel such vast distances just to find you," she said. "This map will show lead you there."

Skullius unfurled the rolled up map and took a look at it with a big smile.

'Hehe... all's well that ends well...' Skullius thought.

Elita was about to address Red Rage when...

VWOOOSH!

A heavy presence suddenly set on Elita as she immediately knelt involuntarily, overpowered by the sheer force!

"AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGHH!"

The Paladin Champion screamed at the top of her lungs as she clutched her head, her voice resounding everywhere in the distance.

Her eyes reddened while blood trickled from them, staining her cheeks!

Thick veins bobbed on her face while getting a dark shade that eclipsed even her dark complexion!

Elita curled into a ball on the ground and threw up blood as an excruciating pain that felt like she was being shredded washed over her body!

She couldn't even think as all she could do was scream from the pain!

What was happening?!

Why all of a sudden...?

Had she been betrayed?!

She turned to look at Skullius and Red Rage with her shivering head and blurry vision only to find the Discount Human wearing a incredibly shocked expression as he was also bewildered!

'What's happ-"

The answer came before Skullius could finish his question as he realised... that he was the cause.

Red Rage rushed over to Elita but Skullius wore a serious face as he grabbed the Apostle by the shoulder.

The Apostle wanted to resist but the seriousness in his master's voice made him heed.

"Let's go. There's nothing we can do. Staying will not benefit us or her," Skullius said.

The curse that demanded him to walk alone had finally acted.

UNCoddled.

The moment that Elita had finally made a decision that helped Skullius, the curse set in, punishing her for it just as the Grinning Jester Fox had explained.

Skullius wasn't exactly sentimental but watching Elita violently crawl, twist, curl and scream while blood gushed out of her orifices didn't quite sit well with him.

In his very soul, the piece that remained at least, he knew this was wrong but nothing could be done.

Red Rage spared Elita one last glance before shuttling to Skullius, carrying him and bulleting in the direction that led out of the city.

The sound of clanking armour as other Knights approached had been the final piece that let Red Rage ultimately leave his concerns with Elita as his race conformed him.

Elita's mind was in disarray as many events played out in her mind in this moment.

She was really was going to die.

She saw flashing images of everything she had done instead of the bits that she had seen last time...

This was it.

It seemed like it.

Just like that.

The ground suddenly rumbled as if responding to her screams, a gust of dust wind revolving around Elita as she squirmed.

The dust hurriedly entered her nostrils, penetrating her body as it brought with it a faint golden brown light.

Continuous wisps poured into Elita and with time, her body stopped convulsing, her body on the ground becoming still.

Upon the bloody ground, the image of the Paladin Champion as she breathed steadily while her eyes remained closed, caused a much desired sigh of relief to be heard from the land beneath.