Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Assault 2 (1)
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Shadows of people flickered beyond the window. They were stealthily and silently cutting out the glass panes.
It wasn't just one person. Shadows appeared at every window of the bedroom.
Screech—
Soon, the glass panes detached from the frames.
"—!"
Rose bit her lip to stifle any sound. Watching someone sneak into the bedroom made her heart pound like mad.
And Dane was hiding right next to that very window. Sweat pooled in her palms, leaving them slick.
Swish.
Someone silently removed the glass and slipped through the window. An assassin, face masked.
The moment he landed soundlessly on the floor,
Bam!
Dane smashed his fist into the assassin's solar plexus.
'Why does a punch make an explosion sound?'
Even in this dire situation, Rose couldn't help but wonder.
"Guh..."
The assassin, caught off guard by the sudden attack, was flung straight out the window. He flailed his arms with a dazed "whoa," vanishing from sight.
Thud!
Soon after, the heavy sound of something massive hitting the ground outside echoed.
As if that were the signal,
Crash!
Shatter!
The assassins smashed through the windows and stormed into the bedroom. No longer bothering with stealth now that they'd been spotted.
"Die!"
"Dane Schmichael!"
Killing intent filled voices reverberated through the room.
And at the same time,
Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!
Bells rang out clamorously. Not the usual pull, but a clear emergency alarm.
Bang!
No sooner had the bells tolled than the bedroom door flew open.
"Your Excellency!"
Fully armed guards burst in. What followed was utter chaos.
"Target him only!"
The assassins doggedly charged at Dane.
"Block them!"
"Over here!"
The guards bellowed, intercepting the assassins.
Clang!
Scraaape!
Everyone tangled in a brutal melee. Blades clashed, limbs were severed, blood sprayed.
"...!"
The gruesome scene she'd never witnessed before made her vision swim. The moment blood fountained up, nausea surged.
"Urk."
Rose trembled, clamping her mouth shut. Even amid it all, her eyes tracked only Dane.
Thud-thud!
Dane's movements were astonishing.
She couldn't believe that massive man could move like the wind. He was so agile, he seemed weightless.
"Gah..."
Already, several assassins lay felled by his sword.
His strikes were mercilessly precise and ruthlessly swift. Maximizing efficiency with minimal motion. Like a combat machine born solely to kill.
Though in truth, these assassins were the professionals at killing others.
'How many people has he...'
Did you reach that realm by cutting down countless lives? Rose thought, watching Dane fight as if transcending something.
Thwack!
Dane, having just sliced an assassin, kicked the collapsing body aside. Then he approached the bed.
Spotting him, Rose reflexively asked,
"Y-Your Excellency. Are you alrigh—"
"Cover your ears."
"Pardon?"
Dane extended his blood-smeared hand and gripped the bed curtain.
"Plug your ears and get under the covers."
"......"
"Don't come out until I say."
"Your Excellency!"
He said no more, yanking the cord that tied the curtain.
Whoosh!
Through the gap as the curtain unfurled, Dane vanished.
The last thing Rose saw was another assassin lunging at him.
Clang!
The ensuing clash of metal told her Dane had engaged the assassin.
"Ngh, Schmichael!"
Fierce combat raged right beside the bed.
'Wh-what do I do? What should I do?'
Rose's hands and feet shook uncontrollably, cold sweat pouring down her body. She couldn't even approach the curtain, frozen in place.
Thud!
Suddenly, something crashed onto the curtain above the bed.
"—!"
As Rose seized with horrific fear,
Hummm—
A blue barrier formed in the air. Thanks to it, no body tumbled onto the bed.
'Th-this is.'
Rose crawled over and touched the membrane.
It shimmered with clear blue light, possessing undeniable physical force.
This barrier kept anything from entering the bed.
'A defensive magic tool!'
One of the combat magic tools developed by the unparalleled genius Anersen Linde.
Before he created it, all combat tools focused on offense. To maximize efficiency with minimal mana.
But with vast amounts of mana, one could form an immensely powerful shield.
Just like now.
'My god. How much mana did he pour into this?'
A swirling wall of mana enveloped the entire bed.
To breach it required even more mana or dismantling its design formula.
An impregnable fortress no mere assassin could penetrate.
'Huh? This mana... somehow.'
It felt familiar. Intensely blue, almost white—potent mana.
'No way.'
A shiver ran through her as realization struck.
'Was that what he was doing at the bed head earlier?'
It didn't take long to realize this mana was Dane's. Or that he'd infused it into this tool.
'Ah...'
Dane was clearly outside the bed, yet it felt like he was right there with her.
Thud!
Bodies occasionally thudded atop the curtain, but the mana shield perfectly blocked everything.
No killing intent, no weapon, no human could invade this bed.
"Argh!"
"Guh!"
Outside, horrific sounds continued.
Screams and shouts, clashing swords, flesh slicing, bodies piercing.
Listening made her mind haze over. The cacophony hurt her ears.
She understood now why Dane had told her to plug her ears.
Rustle.
As instructed, Rose pulled the covers over her head,
Squeeze.
and clamped her hands over her ears. Under the thick blanket, the tormenting noises faded.
Humans instinctively want to see dangers coming. But Rose did the opposite, shutting her eyes.
'I'm safe here.'
Because Dane was protecting her. He wouldn't allow any attack through.
'This is the best I can do.'
Stepping out would just make her a target. Dane knew that, which was why he'd shut her in here.
Right now, helping Dane meant staying hidden and quiet, out of the assassins' sight.
"Hoo..."
Rose tried to breathe evenly. She counted silently inside, waiting.
Until the distant clamor died down. Until someone called her.
How much time passed?
Whoosh!
Someone yanked off the covers over Rose.
"—!"
She jolted up in shock, and there
"Madam."
stood Dane, drenched head to toe in blood.
"Ah."
Rose gazed at Dane and sighed.
Dane always wore deep red robes in the bedroom. She'd once thought such passionate colors didn't suit him.
Now she perfectly understood why. The blood-soaked red robe was just a shade deeper than before.
"......"
Frozen in place, Rose
"Madam?"
only moved after Dane called again, as if a spell had broken.
"Y-Your, Y-Your Excellency."
She could barely move her lips. Even that faltered, making her stutter.
Assassin corpses littered the floor. Shattered furniture, bloodstained floors and walls.
And there stood Dane before it all, unscathed, face coldly impassive.
For a moment, he looked like the Grim Reaper. A flawless, alien being who harvested countless lives without a flicker of emotion.
That's why Rose couldn't move.
"Are you alright?"
But the moment he asked.
Amid his usual impassive voice, she sensed gentleness. Concern for her.
"Sniff."
Tears welled up unbidden.
'He's always doing this...'
Her resolve wavered.
She'd sworn never to love him again. But it was so hard. She felt foolish, pathetic.
"Are you... crying?"
"Hic, sniff."
Rose just sniffled in response.
"Oh dear."
Dane raked a hand through his hair in apparent distress and approached. Even as the bloodied robe sleeve neared, Rose couldn't budge.
"Pardon me."
Soon, Dane scooped her up in both arms. Looking down at her, he murmured,
"You cry too much, Madam."
"I-I-I."
"Wipe those tears and speak."
Dane, holding Rose, stepped down to the floor. Rubbing her eyes, she glanced sideways and,
'Eek!'
gasped in surprise.
"......"
Numerous guards stared piercingly at her. Shock and astonishment etched on their faces.
Suddenly spotting something above Rose, they
"Ahem."
"Cough."
quickly averted their eyes, pretending nothing happened.
"Do you all have so much free time?"
Dane's icy voice descended from above Rose's head.
"Time to slack off, even."
"No, sir!"
"We'll get right to it!"
The flustered guards scrambled into action. Shattered furniture and utensils were carted out in moments, assassin corpses dragged away.
Servants poured in to help. Most cleared furniture silently, as if accustomed to such scenes.
Among them, Sonya trembled and staggered visibly.