Chapter 25
Translator: RoblagEditor: H . K . Glenstid
It’s within one of the second-floor rooms that a certain Count Malta was lost in thought . Due to the damages, the Bordeaux mansion suffered from the magic beasts, the man was forced to reside in this miserable place . Not only were the main clientele of this inn adventurers, merchants, and travellers; the damn place was a pig’s den in terms of standard .
His current residence has only one bed, one table and a couple of chairs . There are no ornaments, no decorative furniture; not even a simple bed stand . Not to mention the excessive creaking from the damn floors from just walking! A hell hole like this wasn’t appropriate for someone of Malta’s prestige .
Count Malta roars, griping the table in front of him and flipping it over . Empty bottles smash against the wooden floor . He turns to point at Charlotte who is still sitting in her chair .
“Why is Helvetica still alive?” he yells . His hands are shaking with fury, his cheeks steaming with heat . “You had one job! Just one! And that was to make sure the skank was dead!”
Charlotte growls . She crosses her arms defensively . “Don’t you start yelling at me! How was I supposed to know there were adventurers at the mansion?!”
“Y-You damn—”
Byaku calmly watches the argument between the two from across the room . Leaning against a wall, he yawns, slipping a hand into his pocket .
“Shut up Malta,” the boy says, his tone bored and emotionless . “Or do you plan to yell your plan to the whole world?”
“H-How dare you!” Malta fumed . He storms across the room and pokes his finger at the boy . “Do not forget your place boy! You both work for me! I demand that you both show some respect!”
“‘Do not forget my place’ was it?” Byaku asks curiously, placing his hand on the Count’s shoulder . The boy’s cold and calculating crimson eyes pierce into Malta’s . “Is that how nobles talk to their business partners?”
Malta freezes for what felt like an eternity . A cold shiver goes down his spine . Growling, he ignores the sensation, smacking Byaku’s hand away . He was after all dealing with a child .
“Bah! What’s the use of being allied with Solomon? Each and every one of you is useless!”
At his words, Charlotte’s face grew stormy . It takes all her will to sit still and remain silent . Count Malta starts to pace back and forth .
“Sasha is incompetent when it comes to politics . Selen is smart and has potential, but right now she is too naive . Neither of them can replace Helvetica . She just needed to die…”
It would have been so simple . The city in disarray, overrun and on the brink of being destroyed . Malta would save everyone and be welcomed as a hero . With poor Helvetica unfortunately killed by the magic beasts, the city would look to him for guidance . After that, he would benevolently give some power to his allies, and finally, the Bordeaux territory would be his . And if it was necessary .
Selen and Sasha could be taken care off afterward .
Getting rid of political enemies was the norm among the nobles of the Capital . If someone with power used the pretext of wanting to imprison or censor another person…well, accidents were bound to happen .
But all his efforts were in vain . The nobles who support Malta cannot make their moves if Helvetica remains in power . Worst-case scenario, after the news gets out of her survival there’s a possibility that his allies will turn on him, and ally with the Bordeaux household .
Count Malta curses aloud .
“Damn it all! This can’t be happening! Not to me! You’re incompetent, the lot of you!”
Byaku raises a questioning eyebrow . “We advised you to wait patiently . Without those S Rank adventurers, our plan would have been successful . So may I ask, who is incompetent again?”
The Count’s face turns so red that it looks like it’s going to explode . He struggles to catch his breath, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water . Growling, the Count takes a bottle of wine by the door and chugs it down . Drops of the red liquid escape from the corner of his lips and trails down his neck .
The fact that they have no choice but to cooperate with such a despicable man makes Byaku furious .
“It’s not over yet,” Charlotte says, everyone turning to face her . They stare at her like she grew another head, to which the girl just sighs . “It’ll all work out if we kill Helvetica, won’t it?”
Malta pauses . He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand .
“That is…true . ”
He puts the bottle down, a grin slowly coming to life on his face .
“Wouldn’t it be such a shame if Lady Helvetica is attacked again tonight,” His eyes gleam . A mad grin threatens to split his face .
Byaku looks at Malta with a cold expression . The boy was disgusted by the absolute greed of the man . Much less his lack of ability to know when he is at fault . The boy lets Malta to his mad ramblings, leaving the room quietly . Charlotte follows suit .
Outside, the inn is lively and noisy . The adventurers celebrate in the tavern on the first floor .
“I’ll tell yah what . Those harmless looking girls? They truly live to their reputation as S-Rank alright!”
A chorus of cheers and agreements soar through the air . “Damn right they are! So drink while you can lads…oh, and ladies, can’t forget about them now can—Oi! Stop throwing forks at me! I’m doing a speech here!”
“Get off the stage yah drunken idiot!”
A chorus of laughs erupt .
Charlotte looks downtrodden as she listened from the shadow of the stairs . “…They should be talking about Solomon’s miracle . ”
Byaku halts . He turns around to look at the girl . “It’s useless to worry about that . These people have their own miracles and doctrines . ”
“You mean the Vienna Doctrine? Hmm…That’s stupid . ”
Charlotte grinds her teeth in annoyance . She remembers Helvetica’s face clearly, despite only having a short glance . Who could forget the attention she commanded when she appeared?
“I . Hate . All of them . ” the girl growls . Charlotte looks to Byaku, her eyes reflecting her will . “We need to create a scene . I’ll leave killing Helvetica to you, Byaku . ”
Byaku closes his eyes without saying anything .
The scene is almost unbearable . The carcasses of the undead, the strong odor of rottenness, and the fact that the corpses were originally human do not help much when cleaning the mansion .
However, the servants and guards of Bordeaux were resilient and good people .
They cleaned up the remains of the undead, gathered the bodies of the fallen guards in a suitable place and dedicate some prayers to them . They do all this in silence, in the span of one night .
By now it was very late into the night .
Helvetica and a few others are discussing some issues in another room .
Angeline is fast asleep . The moment her body hits the bed the room is filled with snores .
Anessa and Miriam brought a couple of chairs to the room to watch over their companion’s rest . But the late-night and the tiring events of the day soon catch up to the girls, as they soon found themselves in the land of dreams .
Belgriff managed to recuperate in the same room . He lets out a sigh of relief . His whole body is sore, his joints creaking and muscles practically screaming at him to rest . Although it was an inevitable situation, he might have pushed himself just a bit too hard .
If he decided to lay down in bed, he’s sure his body will refuse to get back up . That’s why he’s also afraid to fall asleep . He’s afraid that if he does, he won’t wake up again .
Belgriff instead opts to sit by the window, looking out into the peaceful night . The moon was beautiful in the sky, a gentle smile graces the old adventurer’s lips .
Then someone knocks on the door . The spell breaks for Belgriff, as his head snaps to the bedroom door . “Come in . ”
The door opens, and Ashcroft pokes his head in . “Ah…sorry to disturb you Mr . Belgriff . ”
He quickly shuffles in, closing the door quietly . Ashcroft looks at the girls asleep in bed .
“How’s Angeline’s condition…?”
“She’s just asleep . She’ll recover completely after a good night’s rest . ”
“I’m glad to hear that…you all fought to keep the Bordeaux territory safe . I can’t thank you enough . ”
“You’re giving us too much credit . The town adventurers also fought well . ”
“No Mr . Belgriff, you don’t understand . If you hadn’t returned to the mansion . Lady Helvetica, Lady Selen, everyone…we would all have…”
Ashcroft is unable to say it . The thought alone scares him . Belgriff realises this and places a gentle hand on his shoulders . “It’s alright . I was glad to help . ”
“R-Right,” Ashcroft nods . He pulls out a small bottle and offers it to Belgriff . “This…This is my way of saying thank you . ”
“Huh?”
“This is an elixir from the Elves . There isn’t much, but it works very well on fatigue and wounds . It’s even better than the healing potions from the Capital . ”
Elven elixirs weren’t only just a rare sight everywhere . The price was almost unimaginable . Only a few high-ranking adventurers and nobles even know of its existence, let alone have seen one .
Ashcroft had saved this elixir for a time of great crisis .
Knowing the weight that the item carried, Belgriff shakes his head, clamping Ashcroft’s hand closed .
“Something like this is too costly…my wounds will heal with a little rest . Please save it for an emergency . ”
“I can’t . I would like you to have it . I don’t think it’s enough to thank you for everything you have done . But it’s the most sincere way I can thank you . ”
Belgriff stops and thinks . This item was too much for him, let alone as just a thank you gift . But with Ashcroft being so sincere, it would be spitting him in the face if he didn’t accept his gift .
“Is that so…” says Belgriff as he scratches his cheek . “Thank you, Sir Ashcroft . I’ll be honoured to accept your gift . ”
Ashcroft’s expression relaxes, and he lets out the breath he hadn’t realised he was holding . He had feared that the old adventurer would refuse his gift . A smile of relief appears on the butler’s face . Then he bows his head low and leaves the room .
The room is quiet . Anessa and Miriam are completely asleep in bed . Angeline continues to snore loudly .
Belgriff grabs the bottle and looks at the liquid it contains . It looks pretty thick and with the bottle being blue, it was quite difficult to see it’s colour . He opens the lid and smells the contents . The old adventurer expected the liquid to have a strong medicine like smell, but is relieved to actually find it refreshing and somewhat nostalgic . Its aroma was like the pleasant smell of the forest, and just by the smell, Belgriff already feels his fatigue dying away .
At that moment, Angeline begins to murmur in her sleep . Curious, Belgriff approaches the bed . Angeline tosses and turns, her face distorts…like she was in pain .
Belgriff slowly reaches out his hand and rests it at Angeline’s forehead .
No fever .
Like a spell, Angeline’s expression relaxes upon his touch . Belgriff looks at the elixir in his hand .
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“This is a precious thing…but… . ”
Belgriff shakes his head . Gently he tilts the bottle and lets a drop of the elixir fall into Angeline’s mouth .
Her eyebrows furrow, and a moan escapes . Belgriff wonders if the elixir has a bitter taste, but the effect is immediate . His daughter’s complexion improves visibly and her expression relaxes completely . She soon buries herself in the quilts, like a cocoon .
‘The effect is incredible . Thank you Sir Ashcroft,’ Belgriff smiles, playfully ruffling Angeline’s hair .
“…I don’t want to be bedridden either . ”
Belgriff drops an elixir drop on the back of his hand . The liquid is amber in color and its viscosity is similar to honey, but it is smoother than that . The old adventurer carries the back of his hand to his mouth and licks the drop . Contrary to what he imagined, the taste is insipid . But the delicate scent of grass reaches his nose .
He immediately feels the pain and heaviness of his body disappear . It’s as if the elixir travels through his body with each beat of his heart . The heat returns to his hands and feet which until that moment have been very cold .
A relieved sigh escapes the retired adventurer’s lips . “Ahhh…that feels great…”
Belgriff places the bottle on the table, and leans completely on the chair and closes his eyes . It is as if the tiredness had waited for this moment . However, in a corner of his mind, there is something that has not yet calmed down . In this state of semi-consciousness, Belgriff slips into the world of dreams .
It’s incredibly comfortable .
Sasha moves through the house without a sound . She throws on her brown cloak and secures her beloved sword tightly by her waist . The explicit orders from her sister were still clear and focussed in her head .
Keep an eye on Count Malta .
The Count is said to be on the second floor of a common inn . There is no way that man will deign to participate in the night watch .
Sasha has no intention of forgiving the rapacious man . He who hates the Bordeaux Family and despises the common folk .
She double checks that her scabbard was tight, and lets out a tired sigh . Her fingers hover around the hilt of her sword .
‘I know I shouldn’t kill him . But I could probably get away with breaking an arm or two…or maybe three, right?’, Sasha thinks to herself . She pauses and tilts her head . “Wait… He doesn’t have three arms!”
She snorts and giggles quietly to herself . Remembering she was alone, she blushes and clears her throat before leaving the room .
The Bordeaux mansion is a short distance from the city . The house itself is a building worthy of a nobleman, but its surroundings look like the land of hardworking farmers .
With a lamp in one hand, Sasha arrives at the barn on the outskirts of the garden . She makes her way to her horse, gently patting it . It nudges its head into hers and Sasha giggles . It doesn’t take her long to slip the saddle on, securing it tightly .
“Hyah,” she gallops the horse into the night, lighting her way with her lantern .
Above Sasha, a cloud looms, slowly covering the moon and stars . Sasha rides quickly, getting a sinking feeling in her stomach that something was wrong . It was halfway on her journey she crosses paths with two people .
Sasha reigns in her horse immediately . “Halt!”
With her lantern out, Sasha shines it on the two people, illuminating them .
“My name is Sasha Bordeaux . State your…oh! Pardon me . You are the one who vanquished those dark creatures earlier, aren’t you?”
Charlotte courtesies, letting out an adorable smile . “It’s an honor to be remembered by someone like you, my Lady . ”
Sasha smiles and waves it off . “There is no way I can forget the person who has helped us so much . If I may ask, what are you doing here so late?”
“I thought I should visit Lady Helvetica . I overheard that the mansion was going to be attacked, and that worried me quite a bit . I hurried to come even though it was so late,” Charlotte says innocently .
Sasha pauses . She peers at the girl’s companion, a boy roughly the same age as Charlotte . He was mostly hidden with his cloak, but he kept his head low and out of the light .
“I see,” Sasha states . “Well, there seems to be a mistake . I just left the mansion and can assure you that no attack will come tonight, Miss…Charlotte, wasn’t it?”
“Yup . ”
“Miss Charlotte . So I’m sorry to have wasted your night like this, but you may return to town now . I’m just on my way there myself and can accompany you if you wish . ”
“I’m sorry Lady Sasha, I cannot do that,” Charlotte shakes her head . “There is still the possibility of an attack, so I must see Lady Helvetica . ”
Sasha’s eyes narrow . It’s true that she’s the one who killed the magic beasts, but it’s a little unusual that she so happened to be working for Count Malta . Sasha slips off her horse without breaking her friendly attitude .
“It’s a welcomed offer . However, our people are still very busy, and we haven’t finished cleaning the mansion . We are not in a position to be welcoming new guests . ”
“Don’t worry . I’m a traveler so I don’t mind a little dirt . ”
Sasha pauses . “I’m sorry, but the prestige of our Family is also at stake… Besides, it’s not long before dawn and it’s been a very long and tiring night for everybody . I hope you understand . ”
Smiling, Sasha’s fingers subconsciously slip to her sword hilt .
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Perhaps this girl was even more dangerous than Count Malta . The girl’s attitude and words are delicate and elegant . But it was far too buttery .
Sasha may not be as intelligent or educated as Selen and Helvetica, but she has the intuition she has cultivated for years as an adventurer . She has seen her own share of fools that believe a few flowery words could get them anything they want .
“Actually Miss Charlotte,” Sasha says, pulling out her sword . “I apologise, but I would like for both you and your companion to come with—”
But the moment Sasha draws her sword, a cold chill runs down her spine .
Sasha’s instincts scream at her to move . She rolls to the side just as a loud explosion is heard . The ground where the swordswoman was only a second ago was shattered and torn .
Sasha’s horse panics, turns around and flees at full speed .
“Byaku!” shouts Charlotte . “That wasn’t part of the plan!”
“She wasn’t falling for it,” Byaku says simply, lowering his finger . “I’ll kill her quickly . Just keep out of it and we’ll be on our way in no time . ”
The hood on his head is thrown back and the boy’s raven black hair is out in the open for the world to see . The boy’s gaze falls on Sasha, his intimidating red eyes hold her still .
“I ask that you stand down or I’ll be forced to retaliate!”
She sees Byaku points his finger at her, and she dives away once more . The place where she was once again shattered . She skids a couple of feet, gracefully rolling to her feet .
“Damn it . Have it your way . ”
This wasn’t a favourable situation for Sasha . She has seen Charlotte’s power, and now she can’t even see this boy’s magic . That only left one option to possibly tip the scales…
Sasha throws the lantern in her hand . Byaku’s simply raises his hand and an invisible force bats it aside . The object shatters on the ground, and the surroundings immediately turn to darkness .
A foggy breath escapes from Sasha’s lips, her chest rising and falling in overdrive . Her heart pounds when she scans her dark surroundings . The swordswoman closes her eyes, taking calming deep breaths . She surrenders herself to her other senses, trusting it to guide her after years of honing and experience .
At first, she can only hear the wind caressing the trees, the absolute dead silence of the night . But then she hears it . Two sets of footsteps barely making a sound against the ground; one extremely nervous and shuffling, the other striding with confidence .
Sasha feels the intense magical aura approaching . She breaks into a cold sweat, quietly regripping her hold on her sword . She licks her lip and waits patiently . Her first strike cannot be rushed . It’ll decide her next strike, the one after, and so on, ultimately deciding the fight .
She raises her sword as the presence moves closer . Her body itches to lash out .
‘Now!’
She kicks off the ground, lunging forward with a deadly strike . Her sword flies true, but at the last moment, something repels her attack . Despite not being able to see it, Sasha knows it is a Magic Bullet . The deflection had caused a ripple-like mirage; the telltale signs of the spell .
Her eyes narrow, just starting to finally adjust to the night . Sasha swings her sword once more, once again feeling it being parried . She continues forward relentlessly, keeping her opponent on the defense . She can’t have the boy go on the offensive without knowing what his capabilities are . She can’t afford to be distracted for even a second, or she will die .
The next time Sasha is blocked by the boy, she is sent reeling backward from the force . Falling to her knees, she crouches to catch her breath . She keeps her head down, sword loosely gripped for the boy to see .
To Byaku, her guard was down .
‘Just another step…closer . ’
Sasha grins triumphantly, grabbing a handful of dirt and throwing it into the boy’s face, blinding him . Byaku mutters an inaudible curse .
Sasha takes this opportunity to bursts forward . With all her strength, she’ll finish this fight in one clean strike .
‘I got you now!’, Sasha thinks triumphantly .
But the sword stops in the air before it reaches Byaku’s body . A golden geometric pattern erupts to life, shielding the boy protectively .
Sasha’s eyes widen .
“Wha—”
“You think I’ll fall to a petty trick like that?” Byaku growls .
Suddenly, Sasha is flung to the side like a ragdoll . The unexpected blow is so strong that it sends Sasha careening into the air . She crashes heavily into the ground, skidding a few metres .
“Argh!!” she cries out in pain, a solid crack sounding .
A sharp pain screams from her left arm . Sasha peers at it, seeing it bent in an unnatural direction . It refuses to move . Groaning, she carefully rolls onto her back . She hears the footsteps stroll towards her .
‘I have to get up!’ she screams silently .
Although her mind understands what she has to do, her body does not respond .
Byaku appears above her and stomps his foot into Sasha’s right arm . The young woman screams . In the darkness, Sasha can feel the boy points his finger towards her head .
‘Is this really the end?’ Sasha thinks, grinding her teeth . ‘What an unfortunate mess I made…I’ve failed you master…I’m sorry my dear Selen…Helvetica . ’
“Goodbye, Lady Sasha . ”
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Sasha closes her eyes…and a barrage of Magic Bullets erupt from the darkness .
Byaku’s eyes widen as he raises both his hands to disperse and deflect the oncoming attack .
Sasha takes this opportunity to roll to her feet and dash away . Seeing her trying to flee, Byaku launches a magical attack in Sasha’s direction, but she barely manages to duck, shattering the treeline behind her .
Another flurry of magical bullets causes Byaku to curse and focus on defending once more .
“Lady Sasha!”
Sasha sees Ashcroft and Elmore come running along with a group of soldiers with lanterns in their hands .
“Ash…Elmore, why are you—” she suddenly feels her legs give way, and for Ashcroft to catch her gently in his arms .
“Your horse returned to the mansion without you . I figured something was afoot,” the butler quickly explains . He turns to the soldiers . “You three! Take Lady Sasha back to the mansion as fast as possible, she needs medical attention!”
Watching his injured mistress made Ashcroft feeling a deep boiling anger rise from within . Never before had he seen Sasha in such a state . A stormy gaze turns to stare down Byaku, who is emotionlessly matching his stare .
“You…Don’t think you’ll get away with this!” Ashcroft kicks off from the ground, charging forward .
Byaku steps back from the strike, but panics as the blade comes back at faster speeds . The boy growls .
“Your presence is unwanted, butler . ”
The boy flays his hands forward . Ashcroft doesn’t know what struck him, but he feels a heavy blow to his gut sending him sliding backward . He manages to keep upright, but a cough of blood slips out from his lips . Surprised, he continues to cough into his sleeve, his ribs groaning .
“Definitely a broken rib or two,” Ashcroft curses . “Careful Guild Master, he’s more dangerous than he looks . ”
“I see…but how peculiar . I’ve never seen this kind of magic before…” Elmore says with a puzzled expression .
Seeing the old Guild Master lost in thought, Byaku charges . Elmore quickly points a finger at him and sends a flurry of Magic Bullets, but the golden translucent geometric pattern appears once more .
Byaku leaps into the air, raising his fist upon Elmore . “If all you’re going to do is cheap tricks old man, you can just die!”
The Guild Master raises a questioning eyebrow . “Old age may be catching up to me…but I am far more than cheap . ”
Elmore raises his hand into the sky, instantly an intricate blue pattern comes to life . Byaku’s fist collides with it, and an exploding shockwave erupts, shaking the earth . The barrier remains strong .
Byaku leaps back . But Elmore doesn’t give him time to rest, he sends another volley of magic bullets . The boy bats them aside and charges forward again . The old Guild Master raises both his hands towards the sky, a ball of blue magic coming to life within his fingertips .
He casts it at the charging boy causing a massive explosion . Everyone is thrown back by the force, the surrounding trees shake from its power . The ground tears, throwing dust clouds into the air .
Satisfied with his work, Elmore turns around . “Alright, it’s been a long night . Let’s get Lady Sasha ba—”
“Elmore!” Ashcroft yells .
The Guild Master spins around quickly and instantly creates the blue defensive spell, barely blocking Byaku’s fist once more . Another shock wave erupts from the sheer force of the blow, but once again the spell remains strong .
A maniacal gleam is in the boy’s eyes . But what’s more, his normal black hair has turned an ashen white .
“Young man,” Elmore states . “I advise you to stand down . ”
Byaku ignores the Guild Master’s warning and continues to attack relentlessly . Punch after punch, each increasing with strength and power .
Everyone watches as Elmore is soon forced to take a step back . Then another . The old Guild Master breaks into a cold sweat as he is forced to his knees, his barrier cracking .
With one final punch, the defensive spell shatters . Elmore is struck and sent flying, careening into Ashcroft, sending both men flying back . They both collapse, no longer moving .
Sasha, Ashcroft, and Elmore are all well known for their skills and unmatched prowess throughout the Bordeaux territory . It’s for this reason that the soldiers begin to panic when they see the three of them defeated by a single enemy .
Byaku turns his maniacal glee to the soldiers . His red eyes reflect a madden flame .
“And so the fodder remains . I can’t have you escaping from me now can I?” the boy says casually strolling towards the soldiers . He suddenly falters slightly, shaking his head, trying to maintain his normal emotionless expression . “No…I-I can’t…I mustn’t…let it…come out …ANYMORE!”
With a yell, his hair slowly starts to turn back to its original black colour . The crazed smile has disappeared and he goes back to his cold emotionless expression . Byaku’s cold blood-red eyes however still continue to haunt the soldiers .
The soldiers are rightfully scared . But they still raise their weapons with the intention of defending Sasha, ready to put their lives on the line for her .
“You idiots! Don’t stand there! Run!” Sasha yells with the last of her strength .
She can only watch in helplessness as Byaku extends his finger at her . The landscape distorts like a mirage and a huge mass of magical energy—much larger than any from before—hurls towards her .
Sasha lowers her gaze, resigned and frightened . However, the impact never comes . Terrified, Sasha raises her gaze slowly and in front of her, she sees…
A familiar sword .
Angeline had arrived .