The Villainess is my fiance: But she is gentle towards me-Chapter 238 -: A shocking change.

Duke Sant’s eyes wavered.

For a brief second his vision blurred, as if the world had tilted.

His hands shook.

He had not felt a single thing... not a hint of danger... not even a whisper.

Not until the spear was already inside him.

The cold metal had pierced through his back, broken through his ribs, and pushed out from the front of his chest like a cruel nail.

Hot blood slowly slid down the long spear tip.

It dripped... one drop after another... onto the snow below.

The white ground turned red.

"How... is this pos—"

"Ugh!!"

A painful groan escaped his mouth as the spear suddenly twisted.

The metal inside his body turned.

Pain exploded through his chest like a burning fire. His muscles tightened and his back arched slightly.

For a moment his fingers trembled harder.

"Hehe..."

A low chuckle echoed from behind him. It was light. Almost playful.

But it carried a cruel edge.

"We were waiting for you to use your Intuition," the voice said slowly.

The voice was clear.

A woman.

"Did you really think we would come here to face you... the great Duke Sant... who stands at the peak of Grandmaster... only one step away from Ascended..."

Her tone became mocking.

"...while we are only at the mid stage of Grandmaster?"

Duke Sant’s eyes narrowed slightly. His breathing was heavy for a moment.

But only for a moment. His mind began to calm again.

Years of battle experience forced his thoughts into order.

’A woman?’

He slowly pushed away the pain as he thought. The voice behind him was clearly a woman.

It was not that strange creature’s voice.

That creature’s voice sounded like a man and a woman speaking together.

This one was different.

Smooth. Clear. Alive.

"Don’t waste time, sister."

Another voice suddenly spoke. This one was deeper.

Male.

"Finish him off."

Duke Sant’s eyes sharpened.

’Sister?’

’So there were two of them.’

Without wasting another second he pulled his body forward.

"Uggh!!"

A painful groan burst out as the spear slid out of his chest.

The metal scraped against bone and flesh as it left his body.

The moment the spear tip came out—Blood exploded from the wound.

It burst out like a small fountain from the right side of his chest.

Warm. Thick. Bright red.

Duke Sant did not even turn around. He immediately pushed his feet against the ground.

BOOM!

The snow exploded under him. His body shot forward like a cannonball.

He moved fast. Very fast. He created distance in a blink.

Behind him, laughter rang out.

"Hahaha!"

"Where will you run, Duke?"

But the voices did not chase him. They stayed where they were.

Floating calmly in the air.

"We have been waiting for today for a long time," the woman continued loudly.

Her voice echoed across the snowy battlefield.

"We held back many times." Her tone carried pride.

"Even when your grandson beat us badly inside Count Harencross territory..."

She laughed lightly.

"We did not use our intuition."

"We did not even use our main ability."

Her brother’s calm voice followed.

"And when we faced your son-in-law..."

He paused slightly.

"...we did not fight seriously either."

A small silence followed. Then the woman chuckled again.

"This is what we call the element of surprise."

Their voices echoed behind Duke Sant. But he had already created a large distance.

He finally stopped. His boots dug into the snow.

His breathing was still heavy. Blood was still pouring from his chest.

Without wasting time he placed his hand over the wound. He gathered his mana.

The mana inside his body moved quickly toward his right chest. Warm light slowly covered the wound.

The blood flow began to slow.

The flesh around the wound tightened slightly.

It was not fully healed.

But the bleeding stopped.

Duke Sant slowly let out a breath.

"...Two."

His voice was low. He had felt them when he escaped.

Two presences. Two powerful ones.

"And both of them..."

His eyes narrowed as he felt their aura again.

"...late stage Grandmaster."

The cold wind blew across the snow. For a moment Duke Sant stayed silent.

His expression turned serious.

"It seems this battle will be harder than any fight I have faced before."

Since he picked up a sword... he had fought many enemies.

Powerful ones. Cunning ones.

But he had never felt such pressure from a single situation.

The danger in the air was thick. Heavy. Like a storm about to break.

"Tsk..."

Duke Sant clicked his tongue quietly.

"It seems... I have grown arrogant."

He lowered his gaze slightly.

"If I had treated that creature as an equal enemy..."

His jaw tightened.

"...this would not have happened."

He had lowered his guard. Just for a moment. That moment had nearly killed him. "Haa..."

He slowly breathed out. One long breath.

Then another. His mind became calm again.

Cold.

Focused. Only battle remained now. Finally, Duke Sant raised his head.

He slowly turned around.

His sharp eyes looked into the distance where the voices had come from.

Two figures floated in the air above the snow.

Side by side.

They looked... identical.

One was a very beautiful girl.

Her long black hair flowed behind her in the cold wind.

Her face was bright and lively.

Her lips carried a playful smile.

She held a long spear and rested it casually on her shoulder.

She looked relaxed. Almost like she was enjoying the moment.

She kept talking even now. Her voice cheerful and teasing.

Next to her stood a man.

His face looked exactly the same as the girl. Same eyes. Same nose. Same sharp jaw.

It was like looking at a mirror image. But his expression was calm.

Quiet.

Cold.

There was something else different. His left arm was missing.

The sleeve of his clothing hung empty beside his body.

Only his right hand remained. And in that hand he held a spear.

He said nothing.

He simply stared at Duke Sant with quiet eyes. Watching. Waiting.

Duke Sant looked at the two of them carefully.

His brows slowly pulled together.

"...So this creature..."

His voice was low. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"...was not a monster after all."

Duke Sant tightened his grip on his sword.

The magma around the blade had faded now.

Only a faint red glow remained along the edge. Steam still drifted from the melted snow around him, rising slowly into the cold air.

But his face had changed.

The pain in his chest was still there. The wound throbbed with every heartbeat. Blood had soaked part of his clothes.

Yet his expression was calm.

Very calm.

His sharp eyes stayed fixed on the two figures floating in the distance.

"What are you?" Duke Sant asked.

His voice was low and steady.

The girl tilted her head slightly when she heard the question. A playful smile appeared on her lips.

The spear resting on her shoulder slowly spun in her fingers.

"Well..." she said lightly.

"I suppose you have already guessed."

She pushed the spear forward and began spinning it in a smooth circle beside her body.

"We are siblings."

She grinned.

"For some reason... we must share a single body most of the time."

The spear whirled faster in her hand, cutting the air with soft whoosh sounds.

"When we stay in that single body... our strength is suppressed."

She shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"Very annoying, honestly."

Her bright eyes glanced at her brother for a moment. "But when we separate like this..."

A proud smile spread across her face.

"...our true strength returns."

Her brother stayed silent beside her. His face remained calm.

His single arm held the spear firmly, the sharp tip pointing slightly downward.

Duke Sant watched them quietly. His eyes moved slowly between the two.

The girl noticed his gaze and chuckled.

"Now you must be wondering something."

She leaned forward slightly in the air.

"Why are we telling you all this?"

Her eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Right?"

She suddenly laughed.

"Hahaha!"

The sound echoed across the battlefield.

"It is simple."

She pointed her spear toward Duke Sant.

"Because today you are going to die."

Her smile widened.

"So I thought... why not tell you our little secret before you die?"

She shrugged casually.

"Seems fair, no?"

Then she suddenly glanced at her brother again.

"Bro, look at his face."

She covered her mouth, trying to hold back laughter.

But she failed.

"Hahaha!"

She bent forward slightly while laughing, holding her stomach.

"It looks like he wants to eat us alive!"

Her laughter continued echoing across the frozen battlefield. But Duke Sant did not react.

Not even a little. His eyes stayed cold.

Sharp. Quiet.

He slowly lifted his sword.

The faint red glow along the blade grew brighter again.

The snow beneath his feet began to melt once more. Steam curled around his body.

He spoke in a calm voice.

"If you came here to talk..."

His grip on the sword tightened.

"...then you came to the wrong battlefield."

The air around him grew hotter. The snow hissed as it melted.

"And if you came here to kill me..."

His eyes sharpened like blades.

"...then stop laughing."

A slow breath escaped his mouth.

"Come."