CHAPTER 54………….
Clang, clash!
Crash, smash!
Furniture broke apart, curtains tore, vases shattered.
The mansion had long since turned into a battlefield.
After Aslan and Luisa escaped, I too drew my sword and fought.
I had inherited Minerva’s swordsmanship, and since I had trained consistently during my years in the imperial palace, I could fight nearly as well as she had.
“Mistress! Behind you!”
“…!”
At Jane’s shout, I narrowly dodged, and Jack’s axe came down on the enemy’s skull.
“Take this!”
Thud. Blood spurted like a fountain from the man’s head as he collapsed.
“Haah, haah…”
How many minutes had it been now?
Every one of my servants could wield a sword, and more than half were skilled knights.
But with Luisa gone—one of our strongest—and the enemies matching my knights in strength, their numbers weren’t diminishing quickly.
I tightened my grip on the sword and counted the remaining foes.
Fourteen left…
We hadn’t even felled half, while more than half of my people were already downed by poison.
And yet I remained unscathed—thanks only to my servants shielding me.
Only Jane, Jack, and Gray can still fight properly now…
Could the three of them handle fourteen?
…We must, whether we can or not.
I gritted my teeth.
This was no time for weakness.
I couldn’t leave Aslan behind.
Perhaps impressed that we held out so long, the enemy leader’s face twisted with displeasure.
“Stubborn lot.”
“If you know that, why not stop now, pay for damages, and leave?”
The broken things weren’t worth much in money, but every one of them held memories with Aslan.
Replacing them would be no easy task.
…Though that only matters if I live long enough to do so.
Cold sweat trickled down my back at the thought of death so near.
The leader smirked, sensing my bluff, and asked,
“Do you know who we are?”
“You’re filth who live off money earned by killing others.”
Did he think I mistook them for common bandits?
I scoffed.
Amused, he bared his teeth and his eyes glinted.
“We are the ones who’ll kill you and deliver proof to our client.”
Even as he spoke, he suddenly appeared before me.
Before I could process it, his blade was already swinging.
Clang! My body moved on instinct, barely deflecting his strike, but my slender arms could not withstand the brute strength of a muscle-bound man.
My sword flew from my hands, and I was hurled across the room.
“Ugh!”
Slamming into the wall, pain shot through my back.
“Your Highness! Are you—ugh!”
“Khak!”
My servants tried to rush to me, but numbers prevailed—they were slammed down by the assassins.
My situation could not have been worse.
“Hhhk…!”
As I pushed on the floor to rise, searing pain tore through my arms.
Both were numb, immovable—likely fractured.
Damn it, it hurts so much…
Even Minerva had never suffered such an injury. Tears welled up.
Just as in the dream, the leader approached my crumpled body.
“So, this is how it ends. Why waste so much time?”
“Your Highness! Run!”
“Damn it, get away from her!”
My people thrashed against their captors, but we all knew the truth.
There was only one thing left to happen here.
The assassin’s cold blade touched my throat.
“Farewell.”
I clenched my fist.
So this was it. No wonder my dream had been so ominous.
What about Aslan?
She must not end up like Leona.
I had tried to change the story’s flow—so why had it come to this?
“Your Highness, no!”
“Princess!”
My servants’ desperate cries filled my ears as I closed my eyes, bracing for the pain.
Swish! The air split, the sound of death whispering at my ear.
Thud, roll. Something hit the ground and rolled.
But I felt no pain.
Had I died too quickly to notice?
No—that couldn’t be.
My arms and spine still screamed in agony.
And yet… I hadn’t felt my throat cut. My head still sat on my shoulders.
I opened my eyes slowly.
And saw first: the headless corpse of the enemy leader.
My mouth fell open.
What…?
The severed head on the floor wasn’t mine—it was his.
And my servants hadn’t done it.
They were still pinned by other enemies, eyes wide in the same shock as mine.
Their gazes were fixed on the man standing behind the fallen leader.
Who…?
Because of my low vantage and the man’s massive frame, I hadn’t seen who struck.
But the body soon toppled with a heavy thud.
And revealed—
“My lady, are you unharmed?”
Mint-colored hair, tousled as if blown by wind.
A face of relief, just in time.
Blue eyes locked on me.
“Lord Mente…?”
It was Id who had slain him.
Why was Id here?
What about Aslan? Had she escaped safely?
I looked up at him, confused.
Seeing me battered, his expression twisted briefly, but then he said the words I longed for most:
“Aslan is safe, my lady. Luisa is being treated.”
“Ah…”
Relief swept over me. My eyes burned hot.
Only then did it sink in—I was alive.
Aslan and Luisa too.
The story had changed.
As tears streamed down, the remaining assassins finally realized what had happened.
“B-Boss! You bastard, how dare you kill him!”
“Coward, striking from behind!”
Really? You twenty swarm me alone, and I’m the coward?
My tears dried in disbelief.
Id, too, seemed unimpressed. He stood before me, shielding me, and shook the blood from his blade.
“You seem unable to move. I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Wait, no—ugh…!”
I tried to rise and stop him, but the stabbing pain dropped me again.
These men were no ordinary fighters.
My imperial knights lay broken—that was proof enough.
Surely Id, a man who rarely wielded a sword, couldn’t stand against them—
“Kill him—!”
Slash!
It happened in an instant.
The enemy’s words became his last.
Impossible…
His swordplay was art. We all—my servants, the enemies, even I—were entranced.
The silence broke with a shout.
“He’s no ordinary man! Everyone, together!”
Even those restraining my servants rushed in.
But that was their mistake.
“Argh!”
“Ghk!”
In that fleeting gap, my people struck their captors’ jaws and chests mercilessly.
Jane was the first to reach me.
“Are you all right?”
“Somehow…”
“We’ll handle it. Please, stay still.”
With just Id’s arrival, the tide turned.
Leaderless, the assassins were far easier to handle.
“Ugh…!”
“Khuhk…!”
Death screams echoed.
The fourteen were whittled down until only a handful remained.
Even as I watched, I could hardly believe it.
What had seemed hopeless moments ago now felt like victory.
But—when Id cut down the leader, that was strange too.
The assassin chief had been keenly sensitive to threats. None of us could ever sneak behind him.
Yet Id had approached unnoticed by both him and his men, severing his neck in an instant.
When I first met him, I thought he was no ordinary noble.
But Id was stronger than I imagined—perhaps even as strong as Minerva herself.
For a rural noble, his wealth was suspicious. Now, to be stronger than most knights…
Even if he had been granted title while I was confined, how could I not have known of such a man?
Just who is he really…?
