Chapter 222: Girls in Training!
While Vergil was having his fun…
"Repeat what you just said." Morgana ordered, crossing her arms as she stared at the small girl sitting on the bench. Alice swung her feet carelessly, a slight smile playing on her lips.
"You're pathetic." The response came with a sharp naturality, as if it were nothing more than an obvious fact.
Morgana narrowed her eyes, feeling an irritation grow within her. She had put effort into catching Vergil's attention, wearing a tight top that accentuated her curves and leggings that hugged her figure provocatively. But there was that little brat, throwing sharp words without even hesitating.
"Pathetic?" Morgana repeated, her voice filled with disbelief. "Do you even know what that word means, little girl?"
Alice, instead of being intimidated, raised a finger in the air, adopting a thoughtful expression.
"According to a common dictionary—or Google, if you prefer—'pathetic' is something that evokes strong emotion, usually a mix of pity, sadness, or tragedy. It can also be used to describe someone who tries too hard but fails miserably." She concluded with a mischievous smile.
Morgana felt the corner of her eye twitch.
"Oh, really?" Her tone indicated that she was starting to lose her patience.
"Yes," Alice continued, unfazed. "You're pathetic if you think the Older Brother is going to care about that sinful body of yours just because you're showing off like that." Her voice carried a bitter edge, revealing her own irritation.
Morgana gritted her teeth, glaring at the little girl with a fiery look.
Alice, however, only tilted her head, as if she were genuinely confused.
"Or is it that you want him to look?" She narrowed her eyes, analyzing Morgana. "Because if that's the case, maybe the problem isn't me calling you pathetic... but the fact that you know I'm right."
Morgana felt a shiver of anger and frustration.
And to make things worse, there was Alice, smiling as if she had already won this argument. That little brat was having fun at her expense, and Morgana knew it.
Taking a deep breath to keep her composure, she decided to change the subject.
"Have you learned what I taught you?" Her voice carried a challenging tone, trying to regain some authority in the conversation.
Alice tilted her head slightly, as if considering the question for a moment.
"Considering how talented you are as a mage, I expected more from your explanations..." She began, a teasing glint in her eyes. "But despite your instructions being vague and, many times, questionable—yes. I've learned to use almost all the spells you taught me."
She paused briefly, crossing her arms.
"Or at least, I tried."
The corner of Morgana's eye twitched again.
"You're just begging to get smacked, aren't you, brat?" Morgana growled, clenching her fists while Alice simply laughed, satisfied with the reaction she had managed to get out of her.
The little witch swung her feet in the air, her mischievous smile growing even wider.
"Oh, but you wouldn't even be able to catch me anyway," Alice taunted, winking at Morgana with pure insolence.
That was the last straw.
Morgana stood up in an instant, lunging at the little girl with incredible speed. Her body was a burst of motion, ready to grab her—but just as her fingers were about to touch Alice, the girl simply vanished.
"What?!"
Before Morgana could even process what had happened, she heard a sound behind her.
Spinning around quickly, there was Alice, sitting casually in the same spot as before, swinging her legs as if nothing had happened. Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire
"You really need to train more, Morgana," Alice remarked with an amused look. "Seriously, it's way too easy to mess with you."
The corner of Morgana's eye twitched again.
"...This little brat is asking for it."
"Oh, sorry," Alice replied, her voice dripping with fake innocence. "I just don't like sluts getting too close to my Older Brother."
The air around her seemed to distort slightly, and for a brief moment, her eyes glowed an intense red—the same glow characteristic of Vergil.
Morgana felt a shiver run down her spine.
'This girl… What the hell did you create, Vergil?'
Alice might have seemed like an irritating and sassy little girl, but there was something deeply unsettling about her.
As far as Morgana knew, Alice was just an ordinary witch, a human who had somehow ended up in the Underworld. But the time she had spent there had been long enough to corrupt her, twisting her very essence until she became something beyond comprehension.
And then, Vergil found her.
He used his own energy to reshape her, molding her existence and transforming her into the first demonic witch.
Morgana swallowed hard.
Alice wasn't just a spoiled child—she was something else.
"Stop looking at me like I'm some kind of experiment."
Alice's irritated voice snapped Morgana out of her thoughts, pulling her back to reality.
The little witch crossed her arms, her sharp gaze filled with expectation.
"Older Brother asked you to teach me, so do a better job!" She demanded, stomping her foot impatiently.
Morgana raised an eyebrow, still trying to process everything.
'This little brat really thinks she can give me orders?'
Taking a deep breath, she crossed her arms and shot Alice a defiant look.
"If you want to learn, then stop acting like a know-it-all and pay attention."
Alice only smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Great. As long as you're not pathetic again."
Morgana felt her patience snap all over again.
"...This little brat is going to kill me someday."
[Baal Territory]
The training grounds were illuminated by the blazing flames surrounding Katharina, flickering around her body like a living aura. Opposite her, Ada held her sword firmly, her sharp and calculating eyes analyzing every movement of her opponent.
The two had decided to train that afternoon, both eager to sharpen their skills. Their powers were equivalent, but their styles were vastly different. Katharina wielded overwhelming strength, her flames intensifying each strike, making them devastating. Ada, on the other hand, relied on her impeccable precision and refined technique to find openings in her opponent's attacks.
The first to move was Katharina. Her body shot forward like a spear, engulfed in blazing fire. Ada reacted instantly, sliding to the side with an elegant motion, dodging the attack at the last second. The tip of Katharina's sword sliced through the air, leaving a burning trail in its wake.
Wasting no time, Ada pivoted on her heels and counterattacked. Her blade cut through the air with impressive speed, aiming straight for Katharina's flank. However, before the strike could land, Katharina raised her arm and conjured a fire barrier, dispersing the attack with a burst of heat.
"Nice try," Katharina said with a wild grin. "But you'll need more than that!"
Ada narrowed her eyes, her face remaining calm and unreadable. Instead of responding, she advanced once more. Her sword became a blur, executing precise and meticulously calculated strikes. Katharina struggled to keep up with the speed of the attacks, forced onto the defensive.
In an instant, Ada launched herself at Katharina with a vertical slash. The flame-wielding swordswoman crossed her arms, gathering fire in her palms before unleashing a wave of flames to push her back. Ada leaped away at the last second, dodging the attack by a razor-thin margin. The searing heat passed just inches from her body, making her cloak billow.
"You're on the defensive, Katharina," Ada remarked with a faintly teasing tone.
"I'm just getting warmed up," Katharina laughed, flipping her hair back. Her eyes gleamed with challenge.
Suddenly, the flames surrounding Katharina surged violently. The ground beneath her feet cracked from the intense heat. Then, in the blink of an eye, she propelled herself forward with an explosion of energy.
Ada had only a split second to react before Katharina's sword came crashing down with brutal force.
Raising her own blade in a flawless defense, Ada blocked the strike, but the impact was so powerful that her feet skidded backward, carving a trail in the earth. The sheer physical force behind Katharina's attack was overwhelming, and Ada felt a tingling sensation in her arms. But she did not waver.
With a swift movement, Ada twisted her blade, using the momentum to deflect Katharina's strike to the side, creating a brief opening. Seizing the opportunity, she delivered a precise counterattack, her sword gleaming as it raced toward Katharina's neck.
But before the strike could land, Katharina grinned widely and, with a roar, unleashed a fiery explosion that engulfed her entire body, forcing Ada back once more.
As the dust and flames settled, Katharina was revealed—breathing heavily, yet with a wild spark in her eyes. Ada, on the other hand, remained composed, her blade still pointed at her opponent.
"You're improving," Katharina admitted, rolling her shoulders.
"And you're getting more predictable," Ada countered with a small smile.
Katharina's eyes narrowed.
"Oh yeah? Then how about this?!"
Without warning, Katharina leaped into the air, spinning as she concentrated her flames on her sword. In a split second, she descended with a devastating strike, her blade engulfed in fire. Ada reacted instantly, spinning her body to evade the impact. The ground where the strike landed exploded in flames, and rocks flew in all directions.
But Ada had already moved. With a swift turn, she appeared behind Katharina, pressing the tip of her sword to her neck, a gleam of victory in her eyes.
Katharina froze, feeling the cold blade press against her heated skin.
"Looks like I won this round," Ada murmured.
There was a moment of silence before Katharina let out a low laugh.
"Heh... maybe this time," she said, pulling away and spinning her blade before resting it on her shoulder. "But don't think I'll go easy next time."
Ada smiled wryly, lowering her weapon.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from you."