Chapter 65
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Queen's Inauguration Ceremony (5)
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Those clad in black robes that concealed their faces and figures began to surround Roin, Bernica, and Mion.
Roin realized at a glance that these were followers of Ratio.
Of all the damn luck.
And their target was right in front of him.
Meanwhile.
Bernica showed great confusion at the suddenly unfolding situation.
In contrast, Mion sprang into action the moment it began.
She grabbed Bernicas hand tightly.
Pull yourself together and follow me, Lady Bernica!
After all, Mion had only one job here.
No matter what happened, she had to protect Bernica from any threat.
She didnt need to worry about anything else.
Thanks to Mion, Bernica regained a bit of her composure.
With a stiff expression, she nodded and decided to follow behind Mion.
Mion aimed for the right side, where the encirclement seemed the loosest relative to where they stood.
Ratios followers drew their weapons to keep Bernica and Mion from escaping.
At that moment, Mion reached for her waist.
She pulled out two small, slender potion bottles.
One explosion potion and one smoke potion, which she hurled at the Ratio followers in front of her.
Boom!
The explosion potion detonated first with a small blast.
The shockwave then set off the remaining smoke potion.
Ssssss!
Smoke spread rapidly in all directions, hissing like escaping wind.
It quickly obscured everyones vision.
Dont let her get away, no matter what!
Grab her somehow!
But despite their shouts, Ratios followers floundered in confusion.
Seizing the chaos, Mion drove her left knee into the solar plexus of one Ratio follower.
The sudden strike sent him tumbling forward with a strangled cry.
Lady Bernica, head inside first!
O-Okay!
As instructed, Bernica sprinted toward the alleyway with all her strength.
In the meantime, Mion decided to buy time.
One of Ratios followers must have used a wind spell, as the smoke cleared quickly.
Mions position was now revealed.
There she is!
Quick, catch the princess!
But Mion had no intention of letting them pass easily.
She drew her rapier once more.
From here on, not a single one of you gets through.
Generating an aura blade, she revealed her fierce battle intent.
She sliced down the charging Ratio followers one by one.
However, more enemies than the ones shed faced initially poured in from all sides.
No matter how skilled her swordsmanship, it was hard to handle such numbers.
On top of that,
I have to protect Lady Bernica!
With someone to guard, Mion was completely overwhelmed.
While she dealt with the Ratio followers, others used magic to leap far into the alleyway.
Damn it!
She tried to head toward where Bernica had fled.
But this time, Ratio followers blocked her path.
You said you wouldnt let a single one through.
What happened to that spirit?
.
Ratios bunch leered with sleazy grins.
However, there was one more person they hadnt accounted for.
The boy who dropped from the sky, Roin.
No time. Get lost.
Roin generated an aura blade even larger than Mions and swung it widely.
The Ratio followers blocking Mions path were all swept away by the aura blade.
Only when blood sprayed did the onlookers around realize this wasnt a play but a real incident.
Screams echoed from all directions.
The crowd that had surrounded them now scrambled to flee.
Roin shook the blood from his sword and turned to Mion.
What are you doing? Arent you going after the princess?
You just who.
Not only had he effortlessly dodged her attacks, but hed also created a more powerful aura blade than hers.
Mion had prided herself as one of the top knights.
But that pride shattered before the boy in front of her.
No, even setting that aside, there were too many suspicious things.
Mion quietly raised her rapier.
The tip pointed straight at Roin.
Who are you? Answer me. Are you with them?
If I were, I wouldnt have wrecked them like this.
.
It was a fair point.
Even if Ratios followers were insane, they wouldnt attack their own.
This standoff wasnt good for either side.
Though it chafed, she had no choice.
Mion sheathed her sword and dashed after Bernica.
The moment Mion vanished, Roin pulled out his portable communicator.
Helond. Things got complicated.
It looked like theyd have to revise the plan again.
Huff, huff, huff.
Bernicas breath rose to her throat.
Shed trained consistently in horseback riding and other exercises.
But in a crisis, none of it mattered.
She even held a junior knight qualification.
Yet she couldnt even think of drawing a sword against enemies.
The situation had escalated so abruptly that her brain couldnt keep up.
In the end, Bernica had to give up running.
Dry heaves came over her at the same time.
Her father had been assassinated in a similar incident.
The trauma resurfacing made her dizzy.
Thud.
She collapsed to the ground.
Seizing the moment she stopped, five pursuing Ratio followers closed in on Bernica.
To think she walked out of the palace on her own.
Makes our job a lot easier.
Their weapons glinted once under the moonlight.
On the eve of the queens inauguration, she faced a deadly crisis.
In it, Bernica realized her own fragility, unable to even resist.
No, dont give up!
Bernica drew the dagger she carried for self-defense.
But to Ratios followers, her resistance seemed merely cute.
We dont know when that Royal Guard shows up again, so finish it quick.
Yes, understood.
At the leader-like mans order, the followers raised their weapons.
A Ratio follower lifted his longsword high to take Bernicas life.
But it was his head that rolled across the ground, severed cleanly.
Not too late.
A man who approached so swiftly they hadnt sensed himHelondunfolded his folding fleuret and stood before them.
Lord Helond!
Long time no see, Your Highness.
Bernica knew Helond as well.
Ratios followers panicked at his sudden appearance.
What are you idiots doing? Kill the princess now!
B-But!
Helond stood there, eyes blazing fiercely.
How could they take Bernicas life past him?
It was impossible for them.
A thoroughly unfavorable standoff.
Then, another variable emerged.
Fall.
With those curt words, rocks began dropping from above.
Meteor spell?
No, it was different.
Helond deployed his aura and launched dozens of sword beams upward.
The rocks shattered into pieces and scattered around.
But that wasnt the end.
Float.
The fragmented rocks floated into the air.
Fire.
Like magic missiles, the stones flew straight at Helond and Bernica.
As Helond clenched his left fist, a small magic circle glowed on the back of his gauntlet.
Simultaneously, a wind barrier formed around them, deflecting all the incoming stones.
The ricocheting stones pierced the innocent Ratio followers.
Watching them die screaming, Helond clicked his tongue.
Arent those your comrades?
Helond spoke grimly toward someone still hidden.
Then,
The space rippled suddenly.
A figure emerged gradually from the spatial rift.
The man with his eyes covered in black bandages curled his lips slyly.
Guys who cant even handle one simple task arent comrades.
.
The man slowly raised his hand toward Helond.
But in that instant, he shifted the direction of his raised hand.
Turning his body back, he shouted curtly as before.
Defense.
A small barrier formed centered on him.
Thud!
Mions rapier, aimed at him from behind, was blocked by the barrier.
The mans expression hardened.
Useless fools.
He vented his frustration at the followers who couldnt even handle Mion.
Meanwhile.
Her attack deflected by the mans magic, Mion quickly regained her stance.
Realizing the situation had turned against him, the man snapped his fingers.
Teleport.
The space rippled once more, and the man vanished completely.
Mion checked on Bernicas safety before regretting losing the enemy.
Lady Bernica, are you alright?
Lord Helond protected me, so yes.
Lord Helond?
Only then did Mion recognize Helonds face.
Helond gave Mion a faint smile.
Long time no see, Mion.
Lord Helond!
Mion hurriedly saluted him.
Helond waved it off, stopping her.
Enough. Its been ages since I left the Royal Guard. No need for salutes.
Helond was her seniorand more like a father to her.
He was one of the previous Royal Guard captains.
And the master who had taken her in and taught her swordsmanship.
I never imagined Id meet you here, Lord Helond. I thought youd be at the party.
Things changed. More importantly, we dont know when those guys will come back, so escort Her Highness to the palace quickly.
Yes, Lord Helond. And just in case
Mion asked him cautiously.
Theres a strange boy. You should be wary of him.
Still unsure of the boys identity, it was all she could say.
Helond swallowed a wry smile.
Once Bernica and Mion were completely out of sight.
Roin finally revealed himself.
Bernicas.
Mion should have gotten her safely to the palace. More importantly, Lord Roin. Did you see him?
Roin nodded very slowly.
You mean the guy with the bandages over his eyes?
Hed seen him, but only as he was already vanishing.
Yes. I think hes the one youve been looking for, Lord Roin.
Roin spoke as if he knew as well.
A mage who wielded word magic.
If its him, he should know restraint magic too.
Hed finally confirmed the mans presence for the first time.