Book 5: Chapter 9

Book 5: Chapter 9

Settlement of Fated Connection

*Bam!*

Whats the meaning of this-!

Clara was listening to a report inside Dandalls mansion that was located within the sorcery academy. She hit the table in front of her maids Hilda and the others.

Clara too was aware that there was attack to the crown princes group in the field trip this time.

But, although she knew it, Clara who was a reincarnator only knew it as an otome game event. The event shouldnt be anything like a scheme to assassinate the crown prince.

In the event, what the second knight order did was like a petition toward the royal family. But how did the assassin guild also got involved and things devolved into an assassination attempt?

The maids shrunk back with an awkward look from how grave Clara looked. Then Hilda who was like the leader among them opened her mouth.

M-my apologies, Clara-sama. It looks like that woman was contacting the assassin guild under extreme secrecy

That womanyou mean Tabatha-



She heard that Hilda and Bibi who were wounded survivors of the assassin guild got their injury from a fight against that pink haired girl. They said that it was a miracle that they managed to live and escape alive.

In that situation, Tabatha who was the woman that the girls relied on and tried to sacrifice them in order to save herself also managed to survive even though as the end result her whole body got burnt injury.

Hilda and Bibi also had burnt injury, but Carla gave them treatment without any care about the cost, so their burn had been erased almost completely. But, Tabatha who had serious burn all over her body was still far away from complete recovery. Because of her appearance that was like that, she volunteered to work behind the scene.

In fact she was doing great work. And it would be difficult for Hilda and others who were still young to contact those people and negotiate with them.

I should, personally ascertain her characteristic a bit more thoroughly.

This isnt Clara-samas fault-! If only we as her former comrades were more vigilant

Hilda and Bibi had gotten betrayed by Tabatha once, but they were unable to cut off relationship with her, partly because Bibi who was the youngest of them was attached to Tabatha. But as expected, even Bibi seemed unable to tolerate it anymore with what happened this time. She was looking down while biting her lips.

Claras Gift, Foresight also wasnt perfect. In the end it was an ability that predicted the future based on the information that she knew. Clara was able to make more accurate prediction thanks to her game knowledge, but this time it was that knowledge that ended up making her slipped.

The events were already deviating from the content of the original game. Tabatha voluntarily working behind the scene also became a disaster because it limited her chance to come into contact with Clara.

We cant keep allowing her to do whatever she want like this. Do you all understand?

Yes.

Yes.

Hilda who didnt have good impression of Tabatha, along with Doris and Haiji who didnt have any close relationship with her nodded at Claras words. Even Bibi was properly accepting Claras words this time.

Butwhat are we going to do? There is no guarantee that we will be able to win against Tabatha. In addition there is also that man

That mando you mean Grave?

Grave was living under the roof of the organization that Clara wished to contact. He was a man with dangerous ideology. That was exactly why she was wondering if she could use him to harm the heroine who would degrade the country, but in this situation she couldnt predict how he would move.

Clara performed Foresight using the current information. And then after several minutes of calculation, she derived a single choice.

Leak the information of those people to Elena-samas faction.

Clara-sama, thats

Tabatha scattered bait in the form of the crown princes assassination just to take revenge to that girl. She even guided the noble faction to draw in the assassin guild and that girl.

Kidnapping, intimidation, assassination, switching the target, every irregularity that went different from expectation was the work of Tabatha who went made with grudge.

When Clara made prediction using that information, it seemed that organization was targeting the princess and not the crown prince, but the possibility that Grave still wanted Ervan to die was high.

If Clara leaked this information, everything she had done until now would become in vain and the aforementioned organization would turn into her enemy. But right now Clara herself also wasnt calm. She was unable to forgive the people who was targeting the life of her beloved Ervan.

Were going to erase them by pointing the Ash Crowned Princess their way.

***

The outdoor field trip that should be held this time by the sorcery academy was interrupted by the scheme of the noble faction that was in opposition against the royal family faction. Plans to kidnap Princess Elena and assassinate the crown prince Ervan were carried out simultaneously. At the end both plans ended up as failed attempt and the incident had been concluded on the surface.

Of course the new students field trip to observe a knight orders exercises was cancelled. The students werent told about the reason of the cancellation.

The students inside the academy were also divided between the royal family faction and the noble faction. There was a worry that if the truth was known, it might become a cause for conflict between students. There was also thinking that the foreign countries mustnt learn about the discord within the country.

Claydale Kingdom was the biggest country at the southern part of the continent, however it was gradually starting to lose its strength due to the internal situation.

Currently a judiciary negotiation was being carried out with the captured knights of the noble faction. A purge of the noble faction from the knight order that was involved with the incident this time was being carried out under the command of supreme knight commander Dandall.

At the same time with that, the royal family was crushing the members of noble faction with rank of viscount and lower that were involved with the incident this time, while also hastening the investigation to the high ranked nobles in the noble faction who cut off those low ranked members like lizards tail.

One of those nobles was hiding the enemy of the adventurerAria of Rainbow Sword who thwarted the noble factions plan this time. The location was in a castle of that noble.

.

You were reckless again. It was something that I requested so I apologize for that but, leave the investigation of that man to me. You should treat yourself with a bit more care.

Inside the princesss mansion within the academy, its owner Elena was lecturing the girl who was her bodyguard. Aria who was sitting on the same table with her responded with a small nod.

(Does she really understand?)

Elena was thinking like that while glaring lightly at Aria.

Normally Aria who was Elenas bodyguard slash maid would never sit on the same table with her. But, it seemed that she had really overworked herself in the battle this time. Her legs still werent fully healed even after using Cure.

Based from a healers examination, apparently her nerves got affected by mana. It would recover better by taking a rest for several days rather than forcefully treating it with medicine, so Aria was ordered to take a break to recuperate.

Right now Aria was a young lady of a baronet house although only temporarily, but she who came from commoner background had the tendency to make light of her own life. Others would take from her if she didnt take from them first. Such thinking might have seeped deeply into her that she was strict to herself and gave not a shred of mercy toward her enemy.

Elena herself was also saved only because Aria was like that, so a part of her could sympathize but, sometimes her heart would feel pained while she was looking at Aria who was risking her life in battle every time.

We cannot become friends.

Elena used that wording before.



I have decided.

Elena caught her breath and suddenly asked that question. Aria quietly stepped away from her as though to show her determination.

The incident of assassination attempt against the crown prince and kidnapping attempt against the princess that was caused by the noble faction. The viscount house and baron house that were the key culprits of this incident had been crushed, but in the end they were nothing more than the sacrificial pawns of the high ranked noble.

Elena too had tried to draw out information from the people that Aria captured through plea bargaining, but then important information landed on their lap from an unexpected place.

The source was unknown. Even so Elena and Aria didnt think that the information that was passed to them through multiple proxies was false.

Kendras House. An influential noble house with marquis rank that was one of the top authorities in politic and also economy even in the kingdom from their grasp of the right over Condo Mine that was located along the northwest border. Even though that noble house had gotten into conflict with other country over the mining right of the mine and successfully took over the possession of it, they hadnt gotten royal family blood infused into their house for a while, so the houses influence over the kingdom was insubstantial.

That was why they joined the noble faction, but then it came to light that a traitor of the black ops who was known to possess a dangerous ideology, [Grave] was staying there.

Furthermore he was together with some people who were hostile against the kingdom. It was information with unknown source but, the black ops had investigated its veracity with the lives of their agents as the price and ascertained that the noble house there was almost certainly guilty.

With Grave there, a large scale movement from the black ops would get detected and there was a risk that the evidences would get disposed of. I couldnt imagine that with his personality he would back up the noble faction until that far, but in order to crush the uncertain factors, it was decided that Rainbow Sword would go ahead once more to eliminate him.

But that will be too slow. If Dalton and Feld make a move, they will stand out and Grave will vanish. But if I go alone, he will definitely choose to fight me.

ThatsI understand that, but still

Elena.

Elena couldnt stop worrying for Aria even then. So Aria called her name not as a bodyguard addressing the princess but as a kindred soul. Elena stared straight into Arias jade green eyes.

Believe in me.

I understand. But, come back before the dance event. Promise me.

***

I made a new [promise] with Elena and early at the morning I quietly left the mansion wearing not my uniform but my adventurer equipments after so long.

When we first fought, I was even less than insect compared to Grave. Even when we fought the second time, Grave retreated at the end but I didnt actually win by my own strength.

I had gotten stronger than that time but, Grave too surely wouldnt stay the same like that time. Most likely this battle would become the deathliest fight that I ever experienced until now. But this time I would settle this for sure. After all defeating Grave was one of my goals.

This wasnt just a problem for Elena.

I swore to kill Grave no matter what. This was my battle.

.

Aria (Alicia) Race : Human Rank 4

Magic Power : 136/300Stamina : 98/250

Strength : 10 (14)Endurance : 10 (14)Agility : 17 (24) 2 UPDexterity : 9

Short Sword Skill Level 4Martial Art Level 4

Throwing Level 4Archery Level 2Defense Level 4String Control Level 4

Light Magic Level 3Darkness Magic Level 4Non-Elemental Magic Level 4

Daily Life MagicMagic Power Control Level 4Pressure Level 4

Stealth Level 4Night Vision Level 2Search Level 4

Poison Resistance Level 3Abnormal Status Resistance Level 1

Simple Appraisal

Overall Combat Strength : 1339 (With Body Strengthening : 1576) 43 UP

.

It would take three weeks for a one way trip from this academy to the territory of Marquis Kendras using horse carriage. I didnt want to spend too much time for this so I could fulfill my promise with Elena.

But right now I had an idea of how to shorten the time needed for travel.

Nero.

I muttered toward the forest. Then the magic particles of the forest suddenly thickened and the mythical beast Coeurl appeared as though it was oozing out from the darkness. It moved like wind to approach my side and softly licked my cheek.

The mythical beast Coeurl, Nero seemed to have decided to be at my side. Right now it was using the academys forest as its dwelling. There was also rumor spreading through the academy about its rare sighting, but if Nero was wanting to be on my side then I also had no reason to reject it.

Nero, its a fight.

Gururuu

Nero read my thought using electricity and learned about my will and the enemy. It growled as though it was laughing.

If Nero allowed me to ride on its back, I would be able to save a lot of time for travel. The biggest cause of that was the difference if our moving speed, but other than there was also the fact that other monster wouldnt come picking a fight with the mythical beast Coeurl.

I stroke Neros fur and just when I was about to ask it to ride on its back, Neros whip-like whisker sparked in alert. Instantly I also threw the knife that was fastened on my thigh to behind me.

I didnt ask who was there. It was their fault for standing behind me regardless whether they were enemy or ally.

Gaah!

Nero swung its whisker like whip. I grabbed it and it threw me behind.

The knife that I threw had gotten deflected by something like sorcery.



Fire Arrow flew at me in that moment. I too knocked it off with Shield, then I clicked my heel to produce a blade and kicked at the enemy lurking in the darkness. In respond that fellow lightly leaped while dodging my kick.

Why are you here?

When I asked that question, she erased her killing intent instantly and smiled bashfully while her ample black hair fluttered. Her eyes were still surrounded by dark circles and her complexion looked sickly as usual.

I came