TFVWMMF 22

CHAPTER 22

CLANG!

A sharp metallic sound rang out as blades clashed. Surprisingly, the boy was parrying every single attack.

Though he had been on the defensive, he skillfully turned the tide of the battle.

Soon, only two assassins remained.

Or so he thought.

“…!”

Another assassin suddenly appeared behind Lennox, aiming for his neck.

Realizing the hidden assassin’s presence a moment too late, Lennox tried to evade.

But the prolonged fight had left him with several minor injuries, and his movements had slowed.

[Mel, at this rate that boy might die.]

The wind spirit, Sylph, looked at the boy with concern. And indeed, the boy’s life seemed to be in danger.

‘Alright! Let’s help him!’

At Melin’s response, the wind spirit instantly moved behind the assassins.

[Wind.]

Suddenly, a strong gust blew from nowhere.

“Ugh!”

Thud!

With a dull impact sound, the assassins dropped like flies, collapsing and losing consciousness.

Lennox stared at the scene grimly. Then, sensing someone hiding behind the wall, he gripped his sword and said coolly:

“I know you’re hiding back there.”

His tone was too cold and menacing for a child. Melin froze.

“If you don’t come out, I’ll consider you an enemy.”

‘Eek! S-Scary!’

Melin screamed silently inside.

Meanwhile, Lennox cautiously approached the wall.

Then, he saw a child, and his eyebrows rose.

“…A kid?”

He couldn’t believe the one who had helped him was a girl even younger than him.

“Hmph! You don’t look much older than me either!”

Melin puffed up her cheeks, annoyed at being called a kid.

Lennox stared at her intently and frowned.

“Don’t meddle in other people’s business.”

“B-But if I hadn’t helped—”

“Did I ask for your help?”

His sharp retort froze Melin in place. No one had ever spoken to her so harshly before.

She had grown used to the kind tone of spirits, and this was a real shock.

“Sniff…”

[You okay, Mel?]

Seeing her about to cry, Sylph gently patted her shoulder to comfort her.

“Tell me honestly. Why did you help me?”

Lennox still looked at her coldly, full of suspicion.

“You looked like you were in danger—”

“You’re no different to me.”

He bit his lip. His mood was at rock bottom.

He had only come out to look at swords.

For a brief moment, he had enjoyed a peaceful outing. But when the assassins attacked, reality came crashing back.

He realized it again—people still wanted him gone.

It was a dreadful feeling.

“That’s not true!”

Melin shouted, puffing up indignantly.

“I really helped you because you looked like you were in danger!”

“…”

Lennox fell silent at her words.

Then—

“Melin, young lady!”

“Little mistress!”

Hearing voices nearby, Melin flinched and quickly hid behind Lennox. From her reaction, he immediately realized something.

“…You’re Melin?”

“N-No, I’m not!”

“…Then why are you hiding?”

“…Because I’m playing hide and seek.”

It was an obvious lie, and Lennox’s expression softened slightly. In his experience, people who lied so poorly were never a real threat.

‘A noble?’

It dawned on him how rude he’d been.

He hadn’t been with the Skylar family for long and had already grown too careless.

‘Stupid bastard.’

Cursing himself, Lennox bit his lip.

He knew how cruel nobles could be to someone who was disrespectful to them.

Even young nobles weren’t exceptions. In fact, they could be worse, unconcerned with saving face.

‘Still… her face… seems familiar.’

He looked at her closely, feeling strong déjà vu.

Suddenly, Istasha Lowen’s voice echoed in his mind:

“But she had a nice face. Her violet eyes, like violets, were especially pretty.”

‘Violet eyes?’

Then this girl could be Melin Jacqueline?

Now that he looked closely, the age matched too.

“Whew… Are they gone?”

Peeking out, Melin sighed in relief. Then she looked at Lennox and frowned.

“Grr… This is when you’re supposed to say ‘thank you,’ you know!”

“Your sister… would that be Clemence Jacqueline?”

“H-How do you know? You know my sister?”

Melin’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You said you weren’t Melin Jacqueline.”

“Gasp.”

So sloppy. Lennox immediately concluded who she was.

A sheltered noble girl.

…And a bit of an airhead.

“But do you really know my sister?”

Melin asked again, eyes sparkling.

“…A little.”

“Have you met her? Seen her face?”

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

‘If Rose and Clemence Jacqueline are the same person…’

Lennox swallowed his thoughts and nodded.

“My sister’s pretty, right?”

Lennox paused at her question.

Then he nodded.

“…Yeah.”

‘She must be.’

He didn’t say the rest.

Truth be told, he didn’t know much about Rose’s appearance.

Fiery red hair, golden eyes glimpsed through a mask, dazzling like the sun.

The rest had been hidden.

‘I’m curious.’

He wondered what her real face looked like.

What Lennox didn’t realize was this—his wariness had disappeared the moment he found out this girl was Melin Jacqueline.

“Oh! What’s your name?”

“…Ren.”

“Ren? Easy to remember!”

With poor memory, Melin liked that his name was short.

“Call me Mel! Wanna be friends?”

She grinned and held out her hand.

“…”

Lennox didn’t take her hand, just stared at it.

He didn’t really want to be friends. That word felt fake and insincere to him.

But there was one reason he didn’t immediately say no—if he got close to her, maybe he’d learn more about Clemence.

‘If Rose and Clemence are the same person, I’ll find out what scheme is behind that sponsorship contract.’

It wasn’t out of personal emotion.

Having decided that, Lennox took her hand.

“Sure, let’s be friends.”

“Yay! My first human friend!”

“Human… friend?”

That phrasing was odd.

It sounded like her previous friends weren’t human.

Lennox realized again how strange Melin Jacqueline was.

“How did you help me earlier?”

“Hmm, my friend helped!”

“Who’s your friend?”

“That’s a secret!”

…Something’s definitely off with her.

Lennox looked her over. Melin smiled brightly.

“My sister told me to keep it a secret!”

“…Alright.”

Lennox didn’t press further. After all, he was hiding his real name too.

They were in the same boat.

“Are you close with my sister?”

“…Not really. You?”

“Me neither… But I want to be.”

‘So do I.’

Lennox thought absentmindedly.

“How can I get close to her?”

“…You’re her sister. Doesn’t that already mean you’re close?”

“But she doesn’t like me.”

Melin slumped against the wall, looking dejected. Her sky-blue dress got dirty, but she didn’t seem to care.

“She always looks like she’ll leave me someday…”

Her expression turned gloomy again.

“What do you think, Ren?”

Recalling the recent trial, Lennox muttered:

“…I don’t think that’ll happen.”

“Really?”

Her violet eyes lit up with hope—but only briefly.

“I want to be close to her… sniff.”

She swung between joy and sadness so quickly that Lennox finally concluded—Melin was a weird girl.

“What’s she like?”

He seized the chance to gather info about Clemence Jacqueline.

“Me? I’m totally cute!”

“Not you, your sister.”

“Hmm, my sister… She’s really cool!”

Melin gave a proud thumbs-up.

“Like a hero from a fairytale! The kind who slays evil dragons!”

Lennox couldn’t help but chuckle.

Fairytale heroes were usually muscular men with swords.

But thinking of Clemence’s exploits, maybe… she wasn’t entirely wrong.