Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Thinking hard, Adele returned to her senses and surveyed the alley where she was. This place was filthy and smelly. If she continued treading down this path, she would find a slum where crime abounds.

I think I’m already too far in. As she turned around to leave, she saw a three-way street. Among them, three vile-looking men walked out of the alley on the left, giggling.

“…I touched her chest and grabbed it hard! Haha!”

“Lucky bastard! Should’ve done it sooner—Eh? What’s with that woman over there?”

Their wicked gazes zeroed rapidly onto her voluptuous figure.

Adele moved hastily, but they still quickly caught up to her. They came closer and blocked her path. One man flashed an evil grin.

“Oi, little missus. Never seen you around here before.”

“Move.” Adele didn’t know these things well, but she knew how to deal with them. She just had to draw the line resolutely and act as if they would have to worry about their lives if they touch her.

But they simply laughed and mocked her, licking their lips upon seeing her delicate and tender skin.

“Hehe, little missus has such a smooth skin.” Then their lascivious gazes watched her up and down.

Adele took one step back and glared.

The other man cackled in delight, “Look at her being shy, you reckon she’s a virgin?”

“I told you to move.” Adele’s words fell on deaf ears as they deliberately ignored it. One of them pulled out the necklace that was hidden beneath her clothes.

The emerald shone and was quite eye-catching within this dark, grimy area.

“Eh? Check this out, this doesn’t look like an ordinary stone.”

“Let go, that is my property!”

Adele tried to hit the man’s hand, but her hand was caught.

He rubbed his filthy palms against her skin, “Look at this beautiful hand. Hehe, why don’t come with me tonight? I promise I’ll treat you well.”

“Take your grubby paws off of me!”

The man grinned and licked his cracked lips with his tongue. At the unmistakable harassment, Adele shook off his hand and decisively pulled out a small gun from her bag.

Although its power was weak, it was easy to operate. Many people already carried things similar to this for self-defense since long ago. As she had learned before, she held it with both hands and pointed the gun at the men.

“Oh? Are you going to shoot us?”

The men were surprised to see the gun, however, they reacted indifferently.

Sometimes there were women with guns like this for self-defense. But they couldn’t pull the trigger due to fear and panic, or they didn’t know how to shoot properly.

“You don’t even know how to shoot! Why don’t you just beg to us to spare your life.”

Adele elevated her hands and said in a harsh tone. “You are the ones who should beg. Do you really think I don’t dare to go back to the castle and report you? You shall pay the price for touching the duke’s wife.”

Adele’s words shook the men. Was she a noble? I thought she was just an employee of a boutique who lost her way. One of the terrified men broke out in cold sweat.

“Ah, then try shooting us! Y-you don’t even know how to shoot!”

Incited by his goading remark, Adele pointed at the man’s face and pulled the trigger.

Whoosh!

The wall right next to his face was punctured and emitted a loud noise. Their eyes widened, they didn’t expect Adele to actually shoot. The men glowered at the unexpected progression of events.

Adele spat out in an unyielding voice. “Do not test me. Or the next hole would be on your despicable bodies.”

“Sh*t! Quick, take her gun away!”

The two men started running at her. Adele, who thought they would back off, was startled and stepped back in surprise. But one of the men reached her and his hand suddenly grabbed her thin wrist.

He raised his hand to hit her.

Adele instinctively closed her eyes and tilted her head away. She had her gun in a death grip to keep it from being taken away from her.

Being beaten wouldn’t hurt that much, right?

Right?

But when she heard something ripping, she opened her eyes.

There, she saw Philip standing with his back to her.

“Milady, are you alright?”

“Philip?”

Relieved, she let a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

Philip sighed as he dealt a brutal kick to the man who had already been cut with his sword. The man hastily got up and stepped back, his arms bleeding profusely.

At the emergence of the knight, they murmured and their courage dwindled. They didn’t have the guts to fight him.

Adele was surprised and looked up at Philip who was standing in front of her.

“How did you get here?”

“I was escorting you under the orders of the commander.”

“Escort? But I have not seen you—”

“I’m sorry for being late, milady. I was about to come out earlier, but uh… you pulled out your gun.” He shrugged. Philip was about to say that the commander had ordered to escort her ‘in secret’ but decided otherwise.

The ruffians interrupted and spoke smugly, “You may be a knight, but you alone wouldn’t be able to win against us.”

Behind them, other men were running with wooden weapons and steel poles in hand. Their numbers grew, but Philip just cracked his neck nonchalantly and laughed.

“You’re lucky it’s only me. At least, I know how to spare your pathetic lives. If you’ve met with the commander—”

“Milady!”