Book 5: Chapter 7

Book 5: Chapter 7

Twisted Event Second Part

W-what, what is that little girl!? Take the princess back quickly!!

Viscount Savoie forgot to even add respectful suffix when mentioning a royalty seeing me forcefully taking Elena back. He gave an order to the knights of the company.

The same method wouldnt work the second time. I had taken Elena back, but it was exceedingly impossible to escape from this place while bringing two non-combatants.

Furthermore, I judged that a bunch that claimed to grieve for the country and yet kidnapped Elena who was trying to settle the conflict within the country for their own need wouldnt learn their lesson and just repeat what they did even if they were left alive.

Ill kill them here. Only Elena Ill keep alive, even if I have to risk my everything.

Aria

Y-you-

Shut up. Youll bite your tongue.

I shut up Elena and Nathanital who wanted to say something and faced the knights who came charging to here by the viscounts order. I used my muscle strength that was strengthened by Iron Rose in full to dash while still carrying Elena and Nathanital.

HAAAA!

I jumped over the spear tip that a knight thrust at me and stepped on it. Then without pause I ran over the spears handle and kicked the knight flying while he was hesitating to let go of his weapon.

You bastard-, how dare you!

Youll pay-!

The knights swarmed me from the surrounding. I used the knight whose face I kicked as stepping stool and jumped. My right leg kicked the flat of an approaching blade and deflected it while my left leg snapped the neck of a knight. The kick that was backed by the weight of three people pushed me for another jump and I crushed the neck of the remaining knight with a kick.

Shes a rank 4 so dont underestimate her just because shes a scout-! Shes using a strange technique-!

The company commander Ludger gave instruction to his subordinate knights and the flustered knights regained their calm.

Shield to the front-! Fire arrows at her-! Its fine even if the arrow hit as long it doesnt kill-

They had completely stopped keeping up appearance now, although from the start the premise of their plan was to take away Elenas free will with drug. No, perhaps that too was because they had resolved themselves to die if they failed. Seeing the knights moving into action from Ludgers instruction, Elena who originally should be protected by them with their honor and life on the line tightly grabbed my sleeve.

AriaI wouldnt mind even if you abandoned me you know?

Elena who was under my arm stared closely at me whose hair was dyed with ashen iron color while muttering something like that.

I wouldnt be at Elenas side from the start if Im going to do something like that.

Elena was prepared for even death rather than becoming a puppet of the noble faction and be used to cause discord. I too stared back closely at her who was like that.

Struggle against your fate Elena. Even if it result in your death, keep fighting it until the last moment.

Youre so strict. But, youre fine like that.

Vitality returned in Elenas eyes. As I thought, that kind of face really suited her.

Shoot!

Several knights were approaching with shields raised before their body. Arrows were fired from behind them. Most likely they had predicted that I would [protect Elena even if I had to use myself as shield].

Hiih!

Nathanital whose collar was in my grasp covered his face with his ahnds and screamed. I saw magic particles of wind to the hand of Elena who was under my arm and I stepped forward without putting her down.

Air Curtain

Elenas sorcery activated and the whirling air flow diverted the coming arrows. I already rushed forward at that time and kicked away the shield of the knight right in front of me. The line of the knights crumbled and I leaped inside while breaking a knights neck with a spinning kick, and crushed the throat of a fallen knight with a stomp.

My movement speed was slower than usual because I was carrying two people, but it didnt mean that my reflex speed and kicking speed also lowered.

.

Aria (Alicia) Race : Human Rank 4

Magic Power : 234/300Stamina : 221/250

Overall Combat Strength : 1152 (During Special Body Strengthening : 2182)

Battle Skill : Iron Rose/Limit 234 Second

.

Less than four minutes remaining until the time limit. Two minutes would be my limit if I fought full strength by also using magic.

Anyone other than archer is to carry shield! Stop her movement first-!

Ludger gave another instruction. Even the knights who were carrying spear threw away heir weapon and readied their one-handed sword and the spare round shield that was tied on their back.

I would be in disadvantage if I got surrounded here seeing that I couldnt move with my original speed.

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

It was at that timing that Nero who should have left leaped from the side of the knight company and easily tore apart the knights who were completely focused toward me.

Nero!

Uaaaaaaaah!

I called out at Nero while tossing the screaming Nathanital. Nero made an annoyed look, even so it caught him with its whisker before it began trampling over the knights without even putting him on its back.

The pelt of mystical beast Coeurl had resistance against slash and thrust attack. If it was Nero then it should be able to fight against rank 2 and 3 even while protecting Nathanital.

Water Ball!!

In that moment, Elena fired water ball that washed away the archers who were aiming at Nero along with Nathanital.

The archers who realized that pointed their bows toward us. At this range there was a chance that the arrows would hit us even if we had the winds protection. I put more strength into my right arm that was carrying Elena to protect her.

She who was a royalty wouldnt kill her own people. In exchange I would kill her enemy.

So that Elena would never get hurt again.

Shoot-!

The archers fired their arrows simultaneously. I kicked up so the hem of my skirt batted down the arrows that slipped through the wind curtain, while my left hand pulled out the throwing knives on my thing and threw them on the throat or forehead of several archers.

My speed increased after getting rid of one persons weight. Three archers crumpled down. I rushed to their midst before their bodies could hit the ground and produced cutting type and scythe type pendulums from my left hands Storage while I twirled in the middle of the archers. The archers at the surrounding were torn apart while Elena and I looked like we were doing waltz with a ground that was dyed with blood as our stage.

.

Aria (Alicia) Race : Human Rank 4

Magic Power : 175/300Stamina : 189/250

Overall Combat Strength : 1152 (During Special Body Strengthening : 2182)

Battle Skill : Iron Rose/Limit 175 Second

.

W-what the hell-, is that girl-! And that beast-!?

Someone screamed those words. I glanced to the side and saw Viscount Savoie who had lost most of his bodyguards losing the strength in his waist and fell on his butt. He seemed to notice my gaze and began to yell something with a fearful expression.

Y-you dont know what kind of trouble you will get if you kill me-! Skilled asassins are already heading to the crown princes location even as we speak-! Im the only one who can stop

*Doshu!*

A one handed sword flew and deeply planted itself into the throat of Viscount Savoie who started to yell something disquieting. The viscount couldnt grasp what had happened to himself and his mouth kept flapping up and down soundlessly while blood bubbled out from there. Light was fading from his eyes.

This spineless traitor

I turned toward the direction where the sword came from. Ludger who threw that sword looked at Viscount Savoie who he called a traitor and spat.

Ludgeryou

Elena let out a mutter seeing that. Ludger who had lost most of his subordinates let out a tired smile that looked self-depreciating.

Your highness. It looks like you have obtained a good bodyguard. We thought that we were thinking of our country and the will to save it but, it looks like not all of us are like that

I understand. Lets leave the investigation about that matter to the supreme commander Margrave Dandall. More importantly his highness the crown prince is also in danger right now. I wish to quickly send a message and reinforcement but

There was no time right now. Elena cut off the knights words and started giving order. Then she turned her gaze toward me.

Aria and Viro. Members of Rainbow Sword, I ask you two to go reinforce his highness the crown prince. I wont ask you to rescue his highness. But I ask you two to please at least secure his highness and keep him safe until the reinforcement from the palace arrive.

There are also other young masters and students with his highness. What about them?

Viro got down from his horse and threw a difficult question at Elena. But, that was the important part. Depending on the answer, it would decide not only the requests difficulty but also Elenas own character. This was a test in its own way. I stared fixedly at Elena while waiting for her to answer.

If the two of you can at the very least keep his highness safe, I will take responsibility for the loss of anyone else and regard them as a necessary sacrifice. That is my request to the two of you.

Roger that.

Viro moved away and started making preparation to move after Elena gave that answer. Meanwhile Nathanital who heard Elenas answer widened his eyes in shock and started pressing her.

Your highness-, something like that is simply not right at all-!

Those words are my resolve as a royalty. Thats what it means to serve the country. Even my own life is not exempted from that. The aides of his highness should also understand that risk.

Elenas beautifully shaped eyebrows twisted slightly and she sighed while explaining that. Even so Nathanital couldnt accept it and pressed her even further.

Still-!

Dont get any closer to Elena-sama than that.

I grabbed Nathanitals hand that was reaching toward Elena.

Even though he was a baron of the robe, if a middle ranked noble like him would keep trying to make a direct appeal to the princess even without any permission, I would have to take Elenas safety into consideration and restrained him. That was part of the reason why I stopped him and applied a bit of pressure on him. Then Nathanital gritted his teeth and glared at me.

I wont accept you! All lives in this world are gods

UOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

The moment everyones attention was on Nathanital, one of the second knight orders knight pushed away the royal guard knight who was going to tie him up and ran.

Stop him-!

Not all of the survivors were loyal to the royal family. Naturally people who were agreeing with Ludgers will were mixed in with them. He turned a knife that he was hiding toward Elena, in order to slow down the reinforcement to save the crown prince even if he had to injure the princess for that.

Even if they failed to recruit Elena into the noble faction, it would still be their victory as long as the crown prince was removed.

But, Nathanital who was frozen in shock was on his way.

Get out of my way you brattt!!

Hiiih!?

Nathanital screamed from the bloodshot eyes and killing intent that were directed at him. He would be killed if he didnt get out of the way. The moment the knight thrust his knife forward, I grabbed Nathanitals collar and pulled him back while switching place with him. I turned my body aside to dodge the knife while stabbing my black dagger from below the knights jaw until it reached his brain.

Hih

The knifes tip stopped right in front of Nathanitals eyes. I pulled out the dagger and blood spurted out from the knight. It poured on Nathanitals face as his waist lost strength and he sat on the ground. I looked down coldly on him.

Do as you like. But, they too are taking action by risking their life. To live is to fight. Dont you speak of that life using the words of someone else like god.

Nathanital was trembling while staring at the dead knight with an ashen face.

I glanced at the knights of the second knight order who had gotten quiet for some reason, then I returned to Elenas side and called out to Viro who was preparing to depart as reinforcement.

Viro, our task is to protect her highness the prince. You protect her. Ill go to reinforce his highness the crown prince.

Oi oi, youre planning to go alone?

Viro looked exasperated from my words. Certainly it would be better to have Viro with his abundant experience coming together as reinforcement for the crown prince.

But, just like I said, Elenas situation was still far removed from being safe. It would be pointless if we saved the crown prince but she got harmed in the process.

If Im alone then I can use the mountain path, which will shorten the distance and time needed compared to riding horse. After all Im faster than Viro.

Thats a big talk to your honorable teacher, you cheeky disciple. Okay got it. Take this with you.

Viro laughed with his teeth bared. He then tossed the potion that he prepared to bring to me.

Mana recovery potion? I also have this though?

Yours are just medium grade that you made yourself right? This one is high grade quality that cost 8 silver coins. It seems that you cant use that technique of yours while the potion is in effect but, you can use it somehow during travel right?

Mana recovery potion recovered the consumer manas gradually. Using it made Iron Rose harder to control, so I couldnt use the potion in the middle of battle.

Viro had tried to test if he was able to learn my new Battle Skill, Iron Rose or not, but he was unable to learn it because he couldnt see magic particle. Even so he had researched the skills trait on his own during his attempt.

I gratefully accepted the considerate gift of my scout teacher. There Elena approached me and wiped the blood on my cheek with her handkerchief.

Im sorry for sending you into danger alone. But, I believe in you Aria.

Leave it to me.

I nodded at Elena. Then in order to move easier, I tore my skirt that had become littered with hole from sweeping arrows away. It created a long slit at the right side.

I kicked with my leg that was wrapped with thin and transparent tights to check my ease movement, but the knights averted their gaze for some reason when I did that.

Please order several more uniforms as spare.

Alright.

Elena smiled at my demand as though she was looking at a troubling little sister.

Then, Im going.

Elena nodded wordlessly at my words. Viro saw me off with a thumb up.

I drank the mana recovery potion in one gulp, then I sprinted into the forest with normal body strengthening for the time being until my decreased mana recovered.

The crown princes location was at the grass plain along the sea where the second knight order was carrying out their exercises. But, although I didnt know the identity of these assassins, I didnt think that they would attack at a location where there would be a lot of knights.

If they were going to attack then it would be somewhere in the middle on the road heading to that location. I could calculate the location to some degree based on the carriages moving distance and the routes along the way, but the assassins should also be able to do the same. That was why I directly headed toward the location where I thought it would be the easiest to attack if it was me.

But, it would take four hours to arrive there even with my legs. It was uncertain whether I would make it in time before the crown prince passed that point with my speed.

I was moving inside the pathless forest by jumping from tree to tree, and from rock to rock. Then before I realized it there was a black beast running in parallel beside me.

Nero

Gaa

Nero moved its whip-like whisker freely like a tentacle to point on its back.

Youll let me get on your back?

<right>

I grabbed the whisker it stretched at me and jumped on its back. Then Nero sprinted faster than I could if I ran on my own. Even so I felt it was slower than if I used Iron Rose. I poured my mana into Neros whisker that I was holding like a rein.

GAAA!

Endure it.

It should be possible on paper. Nero expressed its dissatisfaction when my mana poured into it, but I lightly stroke its neck to calm it down. I poured mana into Nero like when I poured mana into my pendulum while matching the flow of mana of Neros body strengthening. I let out a small mutter the moment it matched.

Iron Rose

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!

Nero roared from the rampaging mana that poured into it. My hair was dyed with ashen iron color. I pulled on its whisker to direct it away from crashing on a tree.

Nero was gradually getting used to the mana while I was doing that. It seemed to be pleased that its physical ability got doubled and sped up even more inside the forest.

Now, lets go.

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

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