Chapter 75
That Thing
It was only talk.
Riyan was already on one knee, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword.
Prince Eselion had already drawn his blade, but Riyan’s eyes showed not a trace of concern—only a burning desire to clash swords as soon as possible.
“I wonder what sort of men you really are.”
Eselion read the glint in Riyan’s eyes and sneered coldly.
A knight of the Imperial Guard shouldn’t be so eager for personal glory. That mocking tone carried the implication that Riyan was a man of no breeding.
Riyan grinned back at him, as if to mirror him.
“Contrary to what you might think, I’m perfectly aware of my duties. But right now, well, there’s no real danger, is there?”
“They say blood never lies…”
The meaning was clear—he was just like his twin sister, the other Shadow Knight.
“Take it as a compliment. The Empire’s been too peaceful for too long. All the knights are itching for some action.”
Riyan’s grip on his hilt tightened as if he might draw his sword any second. Eselion gave a slight nod, as if to say, Go on, draw it then.
At that moment, Rasillia intervened at just the right time.
“Don’t either of you think this fight is unnecessary?”
“Pii?”
Pipi tilted its head as if wondering why she was stopping them. Rasillia gave the little creature a stern look.
“I’d rather not see a foreign prince injured while sparring with an Imperial knight. The reverse would be just as troublesome.”
Riyan made an absurd remark.
“Oh, don’t worry, Your Majesty! I’ll make sure not to hurt him!”
Eselion was just as bad.
“There’s no chance I’d be hurt by an Imperial knight, Lady Rasillia.”
“Piii.”
Pipi chirped, egging them on, saying how fun it would be. Rasillia tugged gently on Pipi’s tail feathers to silence it.
“With both of you acting like this, how could there not be an accident? Stop this nonsense and get back to your duties.”
“Well, about that… I’ve already done my duties, you see? I just finished thoroughly checking every corner of the Duke’s estate, inside and out—”
But Riyan should never have said that.
Whoosh! Crash!
Before he could finish, something came flying in through the window, shattering the glass. Its target was Rasillia.
“Lady Rasillia!”
“Your Majesty!”
“Piiiit!”
Pipi spat out a tiny spark, but it was too small. Riyan drew his sword and leapt forward—but the distance was too great.
Eselion raised his blade. He was just as far from Rasillia as Riyan was.
The difference was this—Eselion’s sword began to radiate a deep, violet aura.
Fwoosh!
Before the thing from outside could reach Rasillia, that purple energy intercepted it, scattering it into nothingness.
Hissss…
What had once been something dissolved into ashen smoke.
“Don’t tell me… sword aura?”
Riyan muttered, his face stiff with shock. Eselion only shot him a sidelong glance and moved toward Rasillia without a word.
“Are you unharmed, Lady Rasillia?”
“I’m fine. But what on earth just happened?”
The answer came from outside the broken window.
Tap, thud!
A shadow of a man leapt in through the shattered window.
Riyan finally regained his senses and raised his sword.
“Who goes there?”
“Piii!”
But it wasn’t an enemy. No enemy would kneel politely after revealing his face.
Eselion didn’t move from Rasillia’s side, only signaled Riyan with his eyes.
“He’s with me.”
Kneeling on one knee, the man—Eselion’s escort—spoke quickly.
“There’s no time for greetings, Your Highness. We need your power.”
“What? What’s going on?”
“Was it you who dealt with what just flew in here?”
“Yes. What was that thing?”
“We couldn’t see clearly either. It was—”
At that moment—
Crash! Smash! Crash! Smash!
More windows shattered as more things came flying in.
“Stay back, Lady Rasillia!”
“Piiiit!”
Eselion wrapped an arm around Rasillia protectively as violet energy crackled along his blade.
Riyan rolled forward like lightning, slashing his sword, while the escort took position behind Eselion to form a defensive line. Pipi fluttered wildly, spitting tiny flames.
“Pipi! It’s too dangerous!”
Rasillia reached out toward the little creature.
Kyaaaawk!
One of the intruders let out a grotesque screech as it lunged for Pipi, jaws gaping.
“Piiiit!”
“Pipi! No!”
Pipi opened its beak wide with all its strength.
Piiii!
What came out wasn’t ordinary fire—it was a clear, pure heat, like something between flame, water, and wind.
That heat engulfed the attacker, staggering it, and in that moment Riyan leapt off the escort’s back, slicing the hovering creature clean in half.
Slash!
Eselion’s violet aura then finished the job, reducing it to black smoke.
“Piii?”
Pipi blinked, as if surprised at how well they’d worked together.
“There are more incoming!”
Crash! Smash!
Kyaaaawk!
Judging from the sounds, they were living things—but none like anything they’d ever seen.
If anything, they resembled deep, endless darkness itself. They were so black they didn’t even cast shadows, as if their very bodies swallowed light.
They were hard to see—more a sense of dark movement than a clear shape.
Only when they came close could one make out the details—glowing red eyes, grotesquely twisted wings, and jagged, fang-like protrusions.
Kyaaaawk!
“They seem to be after Her Majesty,” Riyan muttered, measuring the distance with his blade.
Now that his eyes were adjusting, he could tell—they were circling Rasillia, their erratic paths forming a loose ring around her.
“Me?”
“Yes,” Riyan confirmed. Eselion nodded.
“I see it too.”
Hiss…
Eselion angled his blade protectively, violet energy rippling across it.
“Can’t we hit them from a distance?” Riyan asked, eyes never leaving the enemy.
“…Not when there are multiple targets. I can’t aim properly.”
“Oh… so one at a time?”
“Yes.”
Riyan grinned suddenly.
“I’m guessing there are other limits too. Care to share?”
“A knight of the Empire wouldn’t ask an enemy to reveal his weaknesses.”
“Ah, I see how that sounds. Sorry—that’s not what I meant. I just thought if I knew how your power works, we could fight more efficiently.”
“One at a time. And no preemptive strikes.”
“You mean it only works as a counterattack? …Ah, no, not exactly—they went after Her Majesty, not you.”
“And I need time to focus.”
“How much time?”
“Hard to say. It’s all instinct.”
“Hmm… then I’ll assume one at a time.”
Riyan traced a circle in the air with his blade.
“You there—Sir, from Dellarta. Can you throw me? From here, toward that side. I can cut four in one go that way. The remaining two… or maybe three? Anyway, can I leave them to you?”
Eselion twisted his lips.
“Four for you, three for us?”
“I figured you could handle that much.”
“Just take out two. I’ll deal with the rest.”
“You said only one at a time. Don’t overdo it.”
The escort spoke quietly.
“I’ll back you up, Your Highness. That’ll cut down the delay.”
Eselion snapped at him.
“Keep your mouth shut, Tion. I forbid it. Just use your sword.”
Riyan shrugged.
“Judging by your words, it sounds like all of you can use that power. Just not as well as His Highness.”
Tion clicked his tongue softly.
“Never thought we’d spill all our secrets to an Imperial knight…”
“Well, the situation calls for it. Let’s just do this.”
With that, Riyan leapt onto Tion’s bent knee. Tion gripped his waist and hurled him upward with a swift motion.
In midair, Riyan flipped and swung his sword.
Slash!
Kyaaaawk!
True to his word, he cleaved four of them.
Kyaaaawk!
Sensing danger, the remaining ones lunged for Rasillia.
“They’re coming, Your Highness!”
“I see them.”
“Piiiit!”
Even Pipi joined in, glaring fiercely ahead.
But then—those four split in two, adding to the chaos.
“They… they split?!”
Tion stared upward in disbelief.
“Damn it!”
Riyan hit the ground running, sword in hand.
Kyaaaawk!
“Piiiit!”
Pipi spat flames with all its might.
What began as a tiny spark grew larger and larger as Pipi flapped its wings with desperate strength. That clear, fluid, wind-like fire swelled until it engulfed Pipi’s whole body.
Rasillia screamed.
“Pipi!”
“Piiiit!”
The bird was no longer a bird—it was pure fire itself. Riyan let out a shout of awe.
“Glorious phoenix! That’s magnificent!”
Whoosh! Slash!
Riyan’s sword, aided by the flames, shredded the immobilized creatures. Tion carved a path beside him.
“Don’t let them touch you!”
Now Eselion’s violet aura surged, wrapping around the severed pieces and consuming them.
Hissssss…
Black smoke rose.
“Wait! Hold on a second!”
For some reason, Riyan reached toward the violet energy. Eselion’s face darkened and he roared:
“Pull back! Don’t touch it!”
Unlock soon!~