CH 257

Ian’s action was met with screams from the people gathered there.

「Th-, thank you, Leone!」

「I’m just glad I made it in time! Stand back please, it’s not safe!」

Leone moved forward and stood between Luwin and Ian as she retracted the length of her blade.

「It’s dangerous, everyone! Get as far as you can!」

She called out to the mob as well, most of them followed her words and moved away, frightened by Ian’s initiative. While some of them were courageous enough to try to stop Ian and even criticized him.

「Oi, you! There’s no need to resort to violence right away! We can still talk it out!」

「Hmph!」

Ian scoffed with cruelty in his breath before he stretched his arm blade. It was long enough to reach the young man who had criticized him.

「You’re noisy, please shut your yapping.」

As he swung his right arm, the blade swooped down on the man to cut through his body. With Ian’s left arm bracing against her sword, Leone couldn’t react quickly enough.

「U……?! UWAAaahh?!」

「Watch out!」

It was Pullum who shouted. She leaped in front of the young man, defending him against Ian. Ian’s blade cleaved a deep cut, not to the young man, but to Pullum’s back. Pullum fell to the ground on the spot, the back of her cloth soaked with red.

「Lady Pullum!?」

「Pullum! Ian, how could you?! Do you even know what you’re doing?!」

With all her might, Leone slammed the flat of her greatsword against Ian’s body.

「Kgh……?!!」

Ian was thrown far back. Leone then rushed to Pullum whilst there was still the chance.

「Pullum! Are you okay?!」

「I-, I’m sorry, b-because of me……!」

The young man looked upset, and yet Pullum gave him a smile, albeit waning.

「……Are you all right? I’m fine, get away from here, okay?」

「Y-, yeah! I’m really sorry…! If only I didn’t…!」

「You’re reckless, Lady Pullum! The wound is deep, we can’t be careless!」

「Stop the bleeding, Mr. Luwin! Rafinha will be here soon, so just hold on until then!」

Liselotte was on her way to summon Lahti back to inform him about the commotion. Inglis and Rafinha should be coming back with him. Pullum’s wounds seemed to be deep, but if Rafinha was here, she should be able to come to rescue with the power of her healing Gift!

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「Understood, leave it to me! As for you…!」

「Yes, I will stop Ian……no, I will have to kill him!」

Leone gripped her greatsword with all her strength as she took a stance to the direction Ian was blown to. Ian picked himself up, but had yet to bring himself to his feet, as he was holding his head with both of his hands. As if he was suffering from something.

「P-, please do so, Miss Leone! I never wanted this! I didn’t want to hurt Pullum! U-uuughhhh!」

Leone had never met this character personally, but she had heard his name many times. He was a major military leader in the Highland. It was said that he had been killed by Black Mask of the Ironblood Chain Brigade, but he was also at the center of Highland’s ploy involving Alucard. The involvement of Tiffany the Hyrule Menace, too, was because she was just a replacement for Abel.

「Wh-, what do you mean?! Are you saying that it’s Abel’s fault that you kidnapped Pullum and disappeared!?」

「It was Lord Abel’s consciousness that awakened in me! He kidnapped Pullum so we would head to Lekrea! In the meantime, he finalized his preparations!」

「Preparations?! Preparations for what?!」

「I-, it’s… U-, AaAaaaghh!」

「Ian!」

With a snap, Ian’s movement stopped completely. He stopped struggling then stood up.

「Not telling! Why don’t you imagine it yourself?!」

A tube-like shaft protruded from the palm Ian held out to Leone, from which shining bullets of light shot out. Not just one or two, but a rapid stream of them.

「—!?」

Did that mean that Ian’s consciousness had been hijacked again? Either way, Leone had to intercept it. If she dodged it, Pullum and Luwin would get hit.

「HYAAaaahhh!」

Leone used her sword to smash up the flying bullets one after another. Every time a bullet touched her sword, it would explode, sending a shock to her arm, but it was bearable. If she could survive this, she could get an opening and counterattack! However, just when she thought she had it in the bag…

「How about two?!」

Ian thrust his other hand out as well. From it, another muzzle appeared.

The number of light bullets doubled at once, turning the stream into a barrage that swarmed Leone.

「……!」

She could speed up her swordplay, but she was getting overwhelmed! She wouldn’t be able to defend if this continued. If her guard was broken even just once, there was no way to recover. Leone would be pushed back all at once, and that would be fatal to Pullum behind her.

I won’t let that happen!