Chapter 113
Anna’s hand trembled as she gripped the dagger. The ornamental trees in the white peony garden shook violently as she took a step closer, and the air around her suddenly grew cold.
The surroundings were shrouded in darkness, making it feel as though a line of figures draped in black cloaks were standing there. Anna’s shoulders shivered instinctively at the feeling that someone was watching her from between the branches. Leaves fell all around, swept by the unnaturally cold wind, sending chills down her spine. Could it really be a dark mage who had snuck in during the title conferment ceremony?
“Master, do you think you could carry Miss Aria and run?”
Anna swallowed dryly and spoke to Wilhelm.
“I’ll signal you—please carry her and run as soon as I do.”
“Then… what about you, Anna?”
“I’m fine. I’ll buy some time.”
In truth, she wasn’t fine. If the strange scene she had just witnessed was indeed the work of a dark mage, and if the notoriously cruel and ruthless dark mage she’d only ever heard about was really hiding among those trees, there was no way she could handle it with just a dagger. Yet retreating wasn’t an option either.
Anna took a shaky breath. Please let this be a mistake, she thought, tightening her grip on the dagger.
[You want to learn swordsmanship?]
[Yes! Please, teach me! I beg you!]
Anna had a secret: she had started learning swordsmanship. The reason was simple—she wanted to protect Charlotte and Aria. Every time Charlotte and Aria had been in danger, Anna had felt powerless. So she had asked Ash, who was staying at the annex of Blanche’s estate, to teach her the basics of holding and wielding a sword. It had been less than a month, and she still had many rough edges.
Can I really protect Master and Aria?
Sweat beaded on her hands. If her opponent was really a dark mage, a monster, or an assassin, she would surely lose without even clashing swords. She might not even be able to buy time. Anna took a deep, steadying breath.
At that moment, the movement of the trees suddenly stopped. Then, a rustling sound came repeatedly, growing closer. Anna began stepping cautiously in the direction of the sound. As soon as she felt a presence directly in front of her, she tightened her grip on the dagger and swung with all her strength.
The sound of the blade cutting through the air echoed.
“!”
But in an instant, her wrist was grabbed. Anna, unable to resist, had her dagger taken from her in a single motion and felt the world spin. It wasn’t the immense pressure or pain coursing through her wrist—it was that her body had been lifted off the ground. Then came a thud! Pain shot along her shoulder blades.
“Argh!”
Thrown to the ground, Anna couldn’t hold back a groan of pain. At the same time, she heard a thump near her ear. Turning her gaze to the side, she saw her dagger embedded in the ground.
Shivering, Anna saw a man of much larger build than most people looking down at her with eyes full of intent. Frozen with pain, she still shouted loudly.
“Master! Run…!”
“What? Not a dark mage.”
What? Anna focused on the voice ringing in her ears.
“Not a dark mage”? Could he be talking about me?
Anna felt something strange. She had swung her sword because she thought her opponent was a dark mage—but he had said something similar. It was late at night, the surroundings cloaked in darkness, and she couldn’t make out the face of the one holding her down. On top of that, being thrown to the ground left her head spinning.
“Anna-unnie!”
“!”
“Unnie! Unnie!”
Seeing Anna overpowered, Aria’s tears welled up instantly, and she began to cry.
“Waaah!”
“A-Aria?”
The man, startled, lifted his upper body slightly. Aria, tears streaming down, cried out.
“Sir Morley! Don’t! Don’t hurt Anna-unnie!”
“Aria, don’t get close!”
Wilhelm grabbed Aria tightly as she tried to run to Anna. Aria’s cheeks were soaked with tears. The one who had overpowered Anna with incredible strength was none other than Marc. He had mistaken Anna’s sudden swing for an attack by a stranger or a dark mage, just like during the monster-hunting operation.
Wilhelm shouted while holding Aria.
“Step back! Who are you pointing the sword at?!”
Though Aria called him “Sir Morley,” Wilhelm hadn’t heard. Like Aria, he too was young and terrified. His legs wouldn’t move to run while holding Aria, and he couldn’t leave Anna behind.
His older brother was training at the knight academy, a talented student about to graduate top of his class. Wilhelm would follow when he reached the proper age. He had trained and sparred with his brother often, so he understood—Anna had been overpowered not simply because of skill, but because her opponent was overwhelmingly strong.
For Wilhelm, the strongest knight was Belzard. Yet the man who appeared from the darkness was incomparable, and even from a distance, Wilhelm could sense the metallic tang of blood. Fear gripped him. He wanted to run. Yet the thought of protecting Aria was stronger. Wilhelm shouted again.
“Aria’s maid—or rather, her sister! Move! Can’t you hear me?!”
Tears welled in Wilhelm’s eyes.
If I were stronger! Or if I at least had a sword…!
Was the only way to escape really to take Aria and run? But leaving Anna behind could result in disaster. All he could do was shout. Fortunately, it worked. Marc hesitated, startled by Wilhelm’s terrified posture and Aria’s cries, and even more by being called Aria’s sister.
“Wait, her sister? What on earth is happening…?”
“…Huh.”
Anna muttered something faintly. Breathing heavily, she glared at Marc through her hair. Her entire body ached and her head spun, but hearing Aria’s cries and Wilhelm’s fearful shouts snapped her mind back into focus. At that moment, Ash’s words flashed through her mind.
[You’re very strong.]
[Me?]
[Honestly, you have little talent for swordsmanship.]
[Then is there any point in learning?]
[But your raw strength compensates several times over for a normal adult male. Why not learn combat techniques along with swordplay? Try learning from Pedron or Edmon. I’ll tell you the vital points of the human body—remember them well.]
Though Anna wielded the sword awkwardly, she had considerable talent for combat. She barely moved her seemingly broken wrist.
“Move…!”
She swiftly grabbed Marc by the collar. Distracted by Wilhelm and Aria, Marc didn’t resist. Anna gritted her teeth.
“Didn’t you hear me say MOVE?!”
In truth, she had no time to consciously recall the vital points Ash had told her about. She swung her fists with all her might, and one landed squarely on Marc’s face.
The Molly family maid hurried along. She was headed toward Marc’s sister, Gracia, who was chatting animatedly with young ladies. Gracia had the widest social network and thus the fastest access to the latest gossip.
Hearing her maid Marie whispering in her ear, Gracia covered her mouth with a fan, smiling mischievously. She gave a vague explanation to the young ladies and left the grand hall.
“Really?”
“Yes, and the palace physicians are examining the situation now.”
Gracia ensured no one was nearby before laughing loudly.
“Wow, damn Marc… or rather, my brother! It’s surprising enough that he’s involved with a woman, but that the woman slapped his face?”
“Miss, please watch your words. Count Molly would be upset.”
Mary spoke calmly, but Gracia’s smile didn’t fade.
“Who slapped my brother?”
“I didn’t hear clearly, but it seems it was a maid of a noble attending the ceremony.”
“No matter the reason, this sounds fun. Let’s go watch.”
Having stood surrounded by people for too long, her feet ached. Perhaps the heel of her shoe had come loose—it started as a slight pain, but spread gradually.
Having been accustomed to low-heeled shoes at Nostr, she couldn’t adjust immediately to these highly decorated heels. Still, she smiled faintly without showing any discomfort.
“Marquis Arbelche’s heroic deeds are truly…”
“If you have the opportunity, please visit our family as well…”
Charlotte conversed with the nobles as Theodore’s partner. She wasn’t enjoying the moment for herself, but for Theodore. He needed to integrate into noble society, and she wanted him to interact with as many people as possible at the title conferment ceremony to gauge them.
But pretending to be fine was becoming difficult. As soon as the overly flattering couple left, Charlotte faltered. Had Theodore not held her arm, she might have collapsed.
“Ah…”
“Charlotte, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, it’s nothing.”
Theodore’s gaze fell to Charlotte’s ankle.
“Is it your shoes?”
She wanted to say no, but the pain prevented her. Theodore looked around seriously, seeking a physician.
“I’ll call the palace doctor.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“You’re staggering, what’s fine about that?”
“I’m really okay. I just haven’t attended a banquet this long in a while.”
Though Theodore wanted to summon a palace physician immediately, Charlotte’s insistence moved them to the VIP section. Seating her on the sofa, he drew the curtains carefully and tied them shut to block any intrusion.
“Charlotte.”
“Hm?”
Seeing her frown, Theodore frowned too, then knelt before her.
“Let me see your ankle.”
