episode_0045

“Where on earth is this….”

Emil’s expression showed his confusion.

A crowded gambling den he had entered.

It was clearly an illegal place at a glance.

The faces reflected in the red light were addicted to dopamine and pleasure, with a strong scent of herbs and alcohol wafting through the air.

“…! Cyan, look over there…!”

In the meantime, Emil seemed to have spotted something and pointed ahead.

It was the group from the Black Magic Sect that he had seen earlier.

Carrying a seemingly unconscious Rosaria in one hand, they were running down the street.

“Let’s chase them!”

“Yes!”

As we attempted to follow and pursue him,

“Wait! Please lend me just one coin… I’ll definitely repay double next year, I swear…!”

“……!”

A man grabbed my ankle, hindering me.

A distorted face.

Breathing irregularly as if under the influence of drugs.

With stubble scattered across his face, it resembled that of a homeless person.

‘What is this place…!’

I reached out and brushed away his hand.

There was no time for this.

The Black Magic Sect, still carrying Rosaria, was getting further away.

Emil, who had already run ahead, was also quite distant by now.

“Wait! Please… please lend me some coins-!!”

Though the man who had grabbed my ankle reached out to me as he fell down,

I suppressed my conflicting emotions and simply followed Emil.

Continuing to pursue the member of the Black Magic Sect carrying Rosaria along with Emil.

At times, the lack of light made it dark, and the path narrowed.

Nevertheless, we persisted in our pursuit.

Rosaria was within sight.

…The gap was closing gradually.

He couldn’t outrun us, strengthened by magic as the Black Magic Sect couldn’t use magic themselves.

When we were almost catching up,

A damp feeling crept in, and I realized the scenery had transformed into an underground waterway.

Narrow paths clung to both walls, with water flowing in the middle as a canal.

Visibility remained poor, shrouded in darkness.

“That kidnapper…!”

-Swish!

Emil finally swung his sword at the man within reach.

Emil’s sword drew a semicircle, hitting the man’s back.

“Ugh…!”

Torn flesh, he writhed in pain, blood seeping out as he collapsed to the ground.

Rosaria, who had fainted, also fell to the ground.

Emil finished off the groaning man, and I rushed to secure Rosaria first.

“Princess!”

“……”

I assessed her condition.

‘Is she slightly injured?’

Despite looking disheveled in the same clothes, thankfully, she seemed physically unharmed.

The issue was internal injuries.

Since she was unconscious and we had successfully rescued her, it was best to leave this place quickly.

…If we lingered, other groups might show up at any moment.

Just as I was about to call for Emil,

“Emil…!”

-Step. Step.

Quiet footsteps echoed from behind the wall.

My words were interrupted by the sudden sound of footsteps.

Emil’s steps towards me, after dealing with the Black Magic Sect member, also paused due to this interruption.

‘Another leftover…?!’

We didn’t let our guard down.

In such a secretive underground passage, especially at dawn,

We couldn’t assume that someone passing by was innocent.

The footsteps grew closer to us.

The space behind the wall was near Emil.

Soon, the owner of the footsteps revealed themselves.

And….

“Hello?”

“……?”

As she greeted us cheerfully upon meeting us,

Emil, who didn’t understand the situation, looked at her strangely.

Clad in a black robe from head to toe.

Possibly a woman or someone with an ambiguous figure.

With a long sword at her waist, she appeared to be a swordsman.

Emil asked her, standing there,

“…Who are you.”

“……”

I, too, focused my gaze on the mysterious woman in the robe, sweating coldly.

An inexplicable atmosphere hung in the air.

Hidden beneath her robe, her face quietly broke into a smile.

And then.

Slowly raising her arm, she pointed at something with her finger.

What she pointed at was the corpse of a Black Magic Sect member that Emil had just slain.

Continuing to speak, still not losing her smile.

“Comrade.”

“……!”

Upon hearing those words, Emil, who had been crouching down, quickly rose and kicked the ground with his foot.

Then, he fiercely rushed towards her.

-Clang!

Emil’s sword clashed with the sword of the figure in the black robe.

Two strong forces intersected, causing sparks to fly due to the friction.

“……!”

I widened my eyes at the sight.

‘With one hand…?’

Emil swung his sword with a killing intent.

Blocking it with just one hand was the mysterious figure in the black robe.

How many people could block a magical sword strike from someone using pure physical strength with just one hand?

I could sense that she was no ordinary opponent.

“W-What…!”

“You’re quite impatient, my friend.”

Emil was pushed back by the force, looking flustered.

Naturally, he had two hands while his opponent had only one.

Emil quickly stepped back, trying to retreat.

But that was when it happened.

“……!”

“Picking a fight and then trying to run away.”

-Poof!

“Ha!”

“Emil-!”

The figure in the black robe swiftly closed in and stabbed Emil’s shoulder joint.

Emil tried to twist his body momentarily to avoid the sword, but the black-robed figure was faster.

Even though Emil had enhanced his body with magic.

‘Just like before, is this some kind of dark magic beyond what I know…?’

I couldn’t sense any magical response from the black robe figure.

It didn’t make sense that they could match Emil’s speed with just their own physical abilities.

If that’s the case, should I consider them a type of dark mage…?

It’s unlikely that a high-level power capable of concealing its presence would be involved.

In that case, perhaps…

“Sienna…! Take the princess and go first!”

Emil grabbed my shoulder and shouted with a strained voice.

What should I do…?

Even now, the black-robed figure effortlessly parried Emil’s heavy sword strikes.

Maintaining a composed expression.

I could tell. This person is beyond our league.

…They might be on a different level than us right now.

Rosaria and even Emil and I could be in danger if we continued like this.

Cold sweat ran down my forehead.

‘Should I use the Mana Sword now…?!’

Lucy said it consumes a massive amount of mana when used.

I didn’t know how much exactly, but if not now, then when?

As I reached for the Mana Sword at my waist.

“Sienna-!!”

Emil spoke with a determined voice.

As he deflected the black-robed figure’s sword, sustaining injuries.

“Take the princess… and go-!!”

“……”

Slightly trembling yet clear eyes.

Lips tightly sealed but with a steep determination.

…Emil was prepared.

Prepared to protect his master even if it meant burning his own body.

I couldn’t turn away from such knightly resolve.

“I’ll catch up soon!”

Her sword gleamed brightly.

Like when she broke through a sturdy iron gate, with an angelic white aura.

…It was time to make a decision.

“-Understood! I will wait here!”

I lifted Rosaria, who had fainted, and ran straight in the opposite direction.

At this moment, this was the best course of action.

We could only hope for Emil’s safe return.

I kept running while carrying Rosaria.

Drawing upon every bit of magical energy, I ran frantically until I reached my limit, about thirty minutes later.

Breathless, I leaned against the wall after gently placing the princess on the ground.

“Pant, pant….”

-Thud. Thud.

Once again, footsteps echoed.

A chill ran down my spine.

Soft footsteps.

It was hard to determine if they belonged to Emil.

“What a pointless endeavor.”

As expected, it was the voice of the black-robed figure.

Her sword was stained with flowing blood.

In that brief moment…?

“What did you do to Emil?”

“Can’t you tell from the current situation?”

“….”

There’s nothing I can do now.

…I drew my sword from my waist.

I may not be able to match them with my skills alone.

But Rosaria is behind me.

Emil has also fallen, and escape is impossible.

Then… I had no choice but to confront them.

“Oh, planning to fight?”

“Naturally.”

“Leave the princess and I’ll spare you.”

“I refuse.”

Just stand by and watch a girl being kidnapped in front of me?

I don’t know if I’m a just person.

But I couldn’t just stand by and watch someone being kidnapped in front of me.

Like how I watched my younger sister leave before possession.

If I let this happen again, I would feel guilty afterwards.

At least for now, it was time to draw my sword.

I assumed my stance.

And then the black-robed figure spoke to me.

“Don’t regret it.”

“Fleeing now and leaving her behind will be something you regret.”

It’s too late now.

I can only hope that Emil is alive.

“Oh really? Then I’ll have to kill you.”

She lunged at me as I assumed my stance.

-Clang!

“Ugh!”

“…Missed?”

If my reaction had been even slightly delayed, her agile sword strike could have hit my head on the ground.

How could she be so fast without using magic?

Or did she really not use magic?

-Clang!

As our swords clashed, she said to me.

“How can you wield such strength without using magic?”

“Well, maybe I am using magic?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I don’t feel like telling you anymore.”

She eventually deflected my sword.

And then, unlike before, she began to assume a different stance.

It seemed like she was preparing to cast a spell.

Was she impatient and didn’t want to drag out the fight any longer?

But something was off.

I’ve never faced an opponent this strong before.

It felt strangely familiar, though I couldn’t place why.

…Maybe it’s just my imagination.

-Swish!

Soon, the black-robed figure spun and swung her sword at me.

Probably a basic sword technique of the assassin class.

-Clang!

In an instant, a swift series of strikes came at me.

I managed to block everything within my reach.

“You’re going to block this too…?”

While I managed to block most of the strikes, one grazed me, cutting my flesh.

But in the moment I blocked her swords.

“….!”

Amidst the chaotic situation, I finally understood where this discomfort was coming from.

A voice that sounded familiar from somewhere.

A swordsmanship skill so proficient that it could toy with 3rd-tier Sword Experts, creating exceptional variables by using not just one but multiple techniques in succession.

There was only one person I knew who could execute this skill to such a high level.

…I didn’t know why she was here.

But my suspicions were confirmed by the exchange of sword blows we just had.

I quietly prepared myself.

“…Trying to kill a student, that’s grounds for revoking your teaching license.”

“….!”

She flinched.

After a moment of silence, she burst into a light laughter.

“Heh…”

Without lowering my guard, I aimed my sword at her.

And then she spoke to me.

“Why hide such swordsmanship skill at the academy?”

As she spoke, she pushed back her robe hood, revealing the face she had been concealing.

Slightly yellow skin and black eyes.

Even black short hair.

The face I had anticipated was revealed.

She was…

Laura, the swordsmanship department professor at Ariel Academy.