“W-What is that little girl!? Quickly, take back the Princess!”
Viscount Savoir, having forgotten even to use honorifics for the Princess after I forcefully took Elena and the others back, issued orders to the knights of the company.
Even if I managed to retrieve Elena, it would be impossible to escape with two non-combatants in tow.
More than that, I judged that those who lamented the state of the country while trying to quell internal strife, and who would involve Elena in their schemes, would only repeat the same thing if left alive.
I’ll kill them here. While I still have the strength.
“Aria…”
“Y-You are…”
“Be quiet. Bite your tongue.”
Silencing Elena and Nasanitaru, who seemed about to say something, I turned to face the knights who charged at me on the Viscount’s orders. Using the strength enhanced by 【Iron Rose】 to its fullest, I leaped forward while carrying Elena and Nasanitaru.
“Hah!”
“Uooooooo!”
I stepped on the tip of a spear thrust out by a knight as if leaping over it, and as I ran up the spear, I kicked the face of the knight, who hesitated to let go of his weapon, with such speed that it caved in.
“You bastard!”
“I won’t forgive you!”
As knights swarmed in from all around, I used the knight whose face I had kicked in as a springboard, kicking away the flat of an approaching sword with my right leg, snapping the neck of another knight with a kick from my left foot, and then, with a kick carrying the weight of three people, I leaped onto the remaining knight, crushing his neck.
“Don’t underestimate a Rank 4, even if they’re just a scout! She uses strange techniques!”
Company Commander Ludger issued instructions to his subordinate knights, and the agitated knights regained their composure.
“Shields forward! Fire arrows! It doesn’t matter if you hit them a little!”
Even though their premise was to rob Elena of her will with drugs, they couldn’t afford to be picky anymore. Or perhaps it was because they were prepared to die if they failed. Seeing the knights move at Ludger’s command, Elena, who they were supposed to protect with pride and their lives, gripped my sleeve tightly.
“Aria… You could have abandoned me, you know?”
Elena muttered, staring at my ash-grey hair up close.
“If I were going to do that, I wouldn’t have stayed by Elena’s side in the first place.”
I stared back at Elena’s face, who had been prepared to die rather than become a puppet of the Aristocratic Faction and cause discord.
“Resist fate, Elena. Even if you die as a result, don’t give up until the very last moment.”
“…You’re strict, aren’t you? But that’s fine.”
Vitality returned to Elena’s eyes. Indeed, that kind of face suited her better.
“Fire!”
Arrows were fired from behind several knights who were approaching with their shields raised. They had probably anticipated that I would “shield Elena even with my own body.”
“Hiii!”
Nasanitaru, who was being held by the scruff of his neck by me, screamed, covering his head with both hands. I “saw” Mana Particles gathering in Elena’s hand, which was holding my right arm, and stepped forward without retreating.
“――【Air Curtain】――!”
Elena’s Magic activated, and swirling air currents deflected the approaching arrows. At that moment, I had already leaped forward, kicking away the shield of the knight directly in front of me with great force, and as I plunged into the ranks of the disrupted knights, I snapped a knight’s neck with a spinning kick, and crushed the throat of a fallen knight.
My movement speed was slower than usual because I was carrying two people, but my reaction speed and kicking speed hadn’t decreased.
【Aria (Alicia)】【Race: Human Female】【Rank 4】
【Mana Capacity: 234/300】【HP: 221/250】
【Overall Combat Strength: 1152 (During Special Body Enhancement: 2182)】
【Combat Art: Iron Rose /Limit 234 Second】
Less than 4 minutes of limit time remaining… In an all-out battle using Magic, 2 minutes would be the limit.
“Everyone except the archers, raise your shields! Stop her movements first!”
Ludger issued instructions again, and the knights who had been holding spears dropped their weapons, took out the spare round shields and one-handed swords that were strapped to their backs.
If I were surrounded here, my inability to move at my original speed would put me at a disadvantage. But I wasn’t fighting alone.
『Gaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!』
At that moment, Nero, who was supposed to have disappeared, leaped out from the side of the knight company, and the knights who had been focusing their attention on me were easily torn apart.
“Nero!”
“Uwaaaaaaaah!”
As I called out to Nero, I threw Nasanitaru, who was screaming, and Nero, while looking annoyed, caught him with his antennae and began to trample the knights.
Nero, a Mystic Beast Kuaal with fur resistant to slashing and piercing attacks, could fight while protecting Nasanitaru even against Rank 2 or 3 attacks.
“――【Water Ball】――!!”
At that moment, Elena unleashed a mass of water that swept away the archers who had been aiming at Nero along with Nasanitaru.
Noticing this, the archers turned their bows towards us. At this distance, even with a Wind Barrier, there was a possibility that we would be pierced without being able to deflect the arrows completely, and I put strength into my right arm, which was holding Elena, as if to protect her.
As royalty, she wouldn’t kill her subjects. In exchange, I would kill her enemies.
So that Elena would never be hurt again.
“Fire!”
Arrows were fired all at once from the archers. I knocked down the arrows that had passed through the Wind Barrier by entangling them with the hem of my skirt, which I had kicked up, and threw the knives I had drawn from my thigh with my left hand into the throats and between the eyebrows of several archers.
If the weight of one person decreased, my speed would increase. Before the three archers collapsed, I plunged into their midst, releasing the 【Slashing Style】 and 【Blade Scythe Style】 Pendulums from the 【Shadow Storage】 in my left hand, spinning around in their center, and, as if Elena and I were dancing a waltz, using the blood-stained earth as our “stage,” we tore apart the surrounding archers.
【Aria (Alicia)】【Race: Human Female】【Rank 4】
【Mana Capacity: 175/300】【HP: 189/250】
【Overall Combat Strength: 1152 (During Special Body Enhancement: 2182)】
【Combat Art: Iron Rose /Limit 175 Second】
“W-What, what are these guys!? This beast!?”
Hearing such a scream-like voice, I glanced sideways and saw Viscount Savoir, who had lost most of his guards, collapse to the ground, his legs giving way. Perhaps sensing my gaze, the Viscount began to shout something with a frightened expression.
“I-If you kill me, it will be a disaster! Highly skilled Assassins have already been sent to the Crown Prince! I’m the only one who can stop them–”
Thud!!
A one-handed sword deeply pierced the throat of Viscount Savoir, who had begun to shout ominous things, and as he spat out bubbles of blood as if he were talking without understanding the situation, the light faded from the Viscount’s eyes.
“A traitor without resolve…”
Turning to look in the direction from which the sword had flown, Ludger, who had thrown the sword, spat at Viscount Savoir, whom he called a traitor.
“Ludger… you”
Hearing Elena mutter, Ludger, who had lost most of his subordinates, gave a self-deprecating, tired smile.
“Princess (Your Highness). You have obtained a good bodyguard. We thought we had the country’s best interests at heart, but it seems that not everyone shared the same thoughts…”
“Surrender, Ludger. What do you mean by targeting my brother? If you change your mind and cooperate…”
“That is not possible.”
Ludger flatly refused Elena’s leniency, and quietly shaking his head, he took a replacement sword from a dead subordinate and pointed it not at Elena, but at me.
“I have no intention of changing for the sake of my fallen comrades. Even if I were spared the death penalty by Your Highness’s leniency, I would repeat the same thing as long as I lived. You understand, don’t you?”
“Elena. Fall back to Nero’s side. He won’t attack anyone except my enemies.”
“Aria…”
Changing my hair color back from ash-grey to a pinkish gold, I released 【Iron Rose】 and slowly stepped forward.
“Hair dyed ash-grey… I see, so you’re the Ash-Covered Princess. No wonder ordinary knights couldn’t defeat you.”
“I’ve never called myself that.”
“I’ll take that as an affirmation. I challenge you to a duel. But whether you accept is up to you. You can even bring that beast with you.”
I felt from his expression that he was seeking the end as a knight.
“It’s a waste of time. Let’s begin.”
Seeing me say that briefly and take up a Black Dagger and a Black Knife in both hands, Ludger, with a slight upturn of the corner of his mouth, held his subordinate’s sword in both hands without a shield.
Considering my remaining Mana, I felt it was dangerous to keep using the [Iron Rose] to its limit, even with Mana Recovery Potions. Besides, if I easily use finishing moves against enemies of the same rank, I won’t be able to fight truly strong opponents.
I’m not strong enough to be proud yet. This battle will be nourishment to make me stronger.
” “……” ”
Ludger and I, both armed, shifted our positions counterclockwise, moving to the opposite side of our dominant hands.
[Ludger] [Race: Human Male] [Estimated Rank 4]
[Mana Capacity: 134/160] [HP: 285/320]
[Overall Combat Strength: 747 (During Body Enhancement: 921)]
Rank 4, on the same level as Viro and Sera. Even if his combat strength is slightly lower than mine, he should have incomparable experience in direct combat against humans.
Ludger is more wary of me than the difference in combat strength suggests because he saw me use the [Iron Rose]. I don’t intend to use it, but it seems I can use it as a “feint” even without using it.
Clang!!
Gradually closing the distance, I used my Black Dagger to block Ludger’s sword, which entered my range before I did, creating embers.
At that moment, Ludger launched a side kick with his left leg. Judging that my posture was bad for cutting through light armor with a knife, I didn’t collide my right leg with his kick, but rather entangled them, lifting my body and sweeping Ludger’s right leg with my left.
“What!”
He probably never encountered an opponent who fought like this in knight training or even in personal combat. We both fell simultaneously, and Ludger instinctively put his left hand on the ground to support himself.
The reason he didn’t let go of his weapon is probably because he is a “knight.”
I released my knife and Dagger, landed on all fours like a cat in an instant, and at the same time, kicked the ground with both legs, straddling him and firing a small Crossbow from my [Shadow Storage] into Ludger’s face, piercing the space between his eyebrows as he widened his eyes in astonishment.
You had the advantage in a one-on-one fight. However, you, as a knight, were too fixated on that.
Through the fight with you, I will become a little stronger again.
[Aria (Alicia)] [Race: Human Female] [Rank 4]
[Mana Capacity: 153/300] [HP: 171/250]
[Strength: 10 (14)] [Durability: 10 (14)]
[Agility: 15 (22)] [Dexterity: 9] 1Up
[Dagger Arts Lv.4] [Martial Arts Lv.4] [Throwing Lv.4]
[Archery Lv.2] [Defense Lv.4] [Thread Manipulation Lv.4]
[Light Magic Lv.3] [Dark Magic Lv.4] [Non-Attribute Magic Lv.4]
[Utility Magic x6] [Mana Control Lv.4] [Intimidation Lv.4]
[Stealth Lv.4] [Night Vision Lv.2] [Detection Lv.4]
[Poison Resistance Lv.3] [Abnormality Resistance Lv.1]
[Simple Appraisal]
[Overall Combat Strength: 1296 (During Body Enhancement: 1620)] 144Up
As I stood up after finishing off Ludger, I heard a reproachful voice from that boy who had been freed from Nero.
“How… how can you think so little of a person’s life!”
How will Aria respond to Nasanitaru’s statement?
What will happen to her relationship with the Otome Game’s target, whom she has unknowingly become involved with?
Next time, Aria will move to rescue the Crown Prince.