Transmigrated as the Villainess Princess - Chapter 65

Chapter 65: Lost in Each Other

Behind them, the ground erupted. A sharp thorn, glistening with dark, pulsating energy, buried itself where she had been standing moments before.

The earth around it sizzled and cracked, the demonic energy eating away at the soil like acid. Richard tightened his grip on her hand as he glanced back. “Move faster.”

They darted between the trees, the air thick with tension. The oppressive weight of a sinister aura loomed behind them, growing heavier with each passing second.

A guttural growl echoed through the forest, low and menacing, vibrating in their chests. The sound sent a chill down Ahcehera’s spine.

Then they saw it. Was that hiding earlier?

The creature emerged from the shadows, towering and grotesque. Its horns curled wickedly, jagged and sharp like shards of obsidian.

Thorns jutted from its grotesque body, oozing with a thick, black substance that dripped onto the ground, hissing on contact.

Its tail lashed from side to side, smashing into nearby trees and sending splinters flying.

The demonic energy radiating from it was suffocating, a palpable force that distorted the air around it.

The monster’s glowing red eyes locked onto them, its lipless mouth curling into a sinister grin that revealed rows of jagged teeth.

“Great,” Ahcehera muttered under her breath, her hand slipping to her side where her light energy sword would normally be. It’s time for another fight!

But she had left her weapon in Cresencia for an upgrade, and she cursed herself for her oversight. Damn it!

The creature roared, its voice splitting the air like a thunderclap, and charged. “Run or fight?” Ahcehera asked, her tone clipped as she assessed their chances.

Richard stepped forward, summoning Jimexi in a flash of violet light. The mecha materialized with a deafening roar, its presence commanding. “Fight,” he said simply, his voice steady.

How did his mecha transform? It doesn’t matter. Ahcehera didn’t hesitate. She called forth Syverian, the sleek, silver mecha descending from the sky in a blaze of radiant energy.

She jumped into the cockpit, the controls lighting up in response to her touch. The two mechas stood side by side, their glowing energy illuminating the monster as it closed in.

Richard’s voice crackled through their communication link. “We take it down together. I’ll distract it, you go for the core.”

Ahcehera nodded, her grip tightening on the controls. “Let’s end this quickly.”

The monster lunged, its claws slashing through the air, but Richard and Ahcehera were ready.

Jimexi moved with blinding speed, intercepting the attack with its energy shield. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the area, but Richard held firm.

Ahcehera seized the opportunity, guiding Syverian around the creature’s flank. Her mecha’s energy blade ignited, casting a brilliant light through the darkened forest.

She struck at its exposed side, her blade slicing through the thorns with precision. How can it be so weak?

The monster howled in fury, whipping its tail toward her, but Richard intercepted it with Jimexi’s blade, cutting it off mid-swing.

Their coordination was flawless, their movements synchronized as if they shared the same mind.

Each attack chipped away at the creature’s defenses, the demonic energy surrounding it beginning to waver.

“Now!” Richard shouted.

Ahcehera unleashed a surge of radiant light from Syverian, the beam piercing through the creature’s chest.

The demonic aura shattered like glass, the monster’s body convulsing before it collapsed into a heap of ash and broken thorns.

The forest fell silent once more, the oppressive energy dissipating into nothingness.

Ahcehera powered down Syverian, stepping out of the cockpit and into the cool night air. Richard followed, his gaze lingering on the pile of ash that remained of the creature.

“Any idea what that was?” Ahcehera asked, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.

Richard shook his head, his expression grim. “No. But something tells me it’s not the last one we’ll see.”

Ahcehera sighed, crossing her arms as she looked toward the darkened horizon. “Figures.”

Without another word, they turned back toward the academy.

As they walked through the forest, the soft crunch of leaves beneath their boots was the only sound breaking the silence.

The moonlight filtered through the dense canopy above, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

Ahcehera glanced at Richard, her expression softening as the memory of his earlier action replayed in her mind. He helped me, then saved me.

“Richard,” she began, her voice cutting through the silence between them.

He turned his head slightly, his eyes meeting hers in the pale light.

“Thank you,” she said simply. “For earlier. You didn’t have to do that, but… I’m glad you did.”

Richard’s steps slowed, and for a moment, he looked taken aback by her words. A faint smile, barely perceptible, tugged at the corner of his lips, but it faded as quickly as it appeared.

“It was nothing,” he replied, his tone quiet but firm. “I wasn’t going to let you face that alone.”

As they walked on, Ahcehera nodded, her lips forming a thin line. Yet tonight, there was something unexplained in the air between them that made it feel more cumbersome.

Suddenly, Richard stopped. Ahcehera, noticing his abrupt halt, turned back to face him. “What’s wrong?”

He didn’t respond immediately. His dark eyes searched hers as if weighing the words he wanted to say against the silence.

The forest seemed to hold its breath around them, the night growing still with every passing second.

“Your Highness,” he finally said, his voice low but steady. “I…”

But whatever he wanted to say, he stopped himself. His jaw tightened, and his gaze shifted away as if retreating from a battle he couldn’t win.

“Good night,” he said instead, the words clipped and distant.

Ahcehera blinked, surprised by the sudden shift, but she didn’t press him. There was something in his tone, a weight she couldn’t quite decipher.

She nodded, though her chest tightened with unspoken questions.

“Good night, Richard,” she replied softly.

Without another word, they turned away from each other, each heading in opposite directions.

As Ahcehera walked back toward the academy, the night’s events played on a loop in her mind.

The intensity of the battle, Richard’s uncharacteristic urgency, the moment their eyes met, it all left her restless, her thoughts an unrelenting storm.

Richard, too, found no solace as he made his way back to his quarters. His steps were measured, but his mind raced.

He replayed the fleeting moment he had stopped, the words he had wanted to say lingering on the tip of his tongue.

But they remained unsaid.

And so, the two of them lay awake that night, staring at separate ceilings, both lost in thoughts of what could have been and what might still be.