The Second Knight Charges at Ian
The second knight lunged at Ian. His thrust was blocked, forcing him to hesitate. But Ian's strength was weaker than the knight's. Locked blade-to-blade, Ian gritted his teeth and staggered back.
"Urgh!"
But it was only for a moment. Ian's foot slammed into the knight's knee. The knight's body shook violently, his grip loosening on his sword. Ian seized the opening and drove his blade into the knight's throat.
Watching the second knight collapse without a scream, she murmured,
"...You're fighting well."
Ian was fighting exceptionally well. She'd never imagined he'd dispatch two knights so quickly. Without even tapping into his berserker power, he was overwhelming the count's knights through skill alone.
"...?"
She turned her head upon seeing Ian facing off against the third knight. By then, more knights had crept up silently behind her. The count hadn't sent just three. Two had circled around to her rear.
The count must have held the Servo clan in high regard. Still, sending five knights to capture her and Ian? He clearly intended to kill her outright.
It didn't matter. She had no intention of letting any of the count's knights leave alive anyway.
With a calm expression, she drew her sword.
The two knights approaching her were already tense, having witnessed their comrades struggle against Ian.
"If you want to survive and go home, you'll have to come at me with killing intent."
She even smiled as she warned them kindly. Their faces twisted, as if they'd been insulted.
One knight had charged Ian at a time, but both came at her simultaneously, swords raised. That was exactly what she wanted. It would end faster.
She gripped her sword with both hands and summoned her Dragon's Mana. Since awakening the dragon's power, she'd naturally become a Sword User able to sense mana, capable of wielding strength rivaling an advanced knight in bursts.
Hummm.
Dark crimson mana enveloped her blade at her command.
"Urgh!"
"Gasp!"
Slicing through their swords was easier than chopping firewood. Ordinary iron blades were no match for her sword cloaked in Dragon's Mana, severing effortlessly. Even the mere clash had shattered them.
She flashed a grin at the knights crumpled on the ground.
She had to crush them with overwhelming force. The Tentamen—the trial for heirs—had been demanded by Lupus Count. She needed to prove her dominance by slaughtering the knights he'd sent.
If she'd brought a knight captain or advanced knight, dispatching these men would have been trivial. But that would have raised doubts about her talent. Winning easily with an elite escort? In this situation, with Ian at her side, wiping them out would flatten the count's nose and leave no one questioning her power.
Tentamen results were shared with all kin. They'd have no choice but to acknowledge her as the next duke—their lord.
"Sorry, but you'll have to die here."
She said it nonchalantly, raising her sword again. What she was about to do was blatant murder.
Truth be told, she'd wondered if she could actually kill someone. Even if they were hulking men coming for her first, could she summon true killing intent?
It had been needless worry. The moment she gripped her sword, something inside her turned ice-cold.
"Damn it! This isn't what we were told!"
One knight tossed his broken sword and drew a dagger from his belt, roaring as he charged. She didn't even need to handle him. Ian, having finished the last knight, slashed the man's shoulder as he rushed her.
"Arghhh!"
She gazed down at the knight collapsing before her with cold eyes. Strangely, she felt nothing. Amid the blood mist and the man's agonized writhing from her stab wound, her expression didn't flicker.
"What? Did the count say tormenting one fragile lady would wrap this up easily?"
"Uh, urgh."
Blood streamed from his shoulder as the knight looked up at her with terrified eyes.
The count probably hadn't ordered them to kill her. Even in a trial, murdering the precious daughter of a ducal house was unthinkable. But for Ian, the order had been to kill. If she failed as heir, the guardian had no reason to live. And he'd assumed seeing that would crush her vain hopes.
"You got it wrong. I'm not some fragile lady."
With Ian's sword at his throat, the knight couldn't move, staring at her in frozen terror. Overwhelmed by her killing intent, he couldn't even groan.
"I'm the one who will become the master of Carpoem."
"Gasp...!"
She plunged her blade into his heart. The groan he made before dying, the tremors of his body—all transmitted through her sword. This was the sensation of killing a man, one she'd never forget.
Her first murder since coming here.
Her sword hand trembled faintly. But she shook it off and withdrew the blade. The knight's body slumped slowly.
"Eek!"
The last remaining knight had lost an arm along with his sword when she'd deflected it with Dragon's Mana. He was crawling away on his remaining arm, legs useless from shock.
Her mana burst had been more destructive than expected—her first time unleashing it fully. Still, he was a knight. With both legs intact, he should at least run.
Pity soured her mood; she had no desire to chase him.
"Ian, finish him."
"Yes."
She looked away as Ian approached the last of the count's knights. The plan had worked—they'd killed them all—but she felt no refreshment. Only the realization that she'd kill many more to survive from here on.
And then, thunderous applause rang in her ears as she stood dazed.
Clap clap clap!
"Truly impressive."
"Who are you?"
She whipped her head toward the voice. A neatly dressed gentleman emerged slowly from the shadows.
Ater Marquis. The man with ominous scarlet eyes smiled at her.
"Splendid, Lady Abigail. To wield mana at such a young age."
"...Marquis Ater."
She asked in a composed voice as he approached, his shoes clicking.
"What brings you here, Marquis?"
"Haha."
As she feigned ignorance, his eyes sharpened. He spoke with a relaxed expression.
"When you invited me so obviously, how could I pretend not to notice?"
"Invited? Weren't you just eavesdropping on your own?"
"You should call it an invitation. You knew I was listening."
"Heh."
They exchanged meaningful smiles. No need for pretense now. They'd known each other's true nature from the start.
"Why try to kill the duke?"
"Because he interferes with my plans."
"What plans?"
"Do I have to spell it out?"
As they bantered, she realized Ater Marquis had drawn quite close. Ian blocked his path warily, but the marquis continued undeterred.
"I'm surprised. I thought you'd be bedridden by now, too weak to move. Yet here you are, perfectly fine."
"What do you gain from the duke's death? Eyeing the north?"
"Of course, the northern jewel mines are tempting... but no need to discuss that with you. After all..."
His orange eyes gleamed brighter.
"...you're going to die here. Lady Abigail."
"Ian!"
Boom!
Ian was hurled by the marquis's magic, slamming into the ground. It happened too fast to react. Few mages could cast like that. She'd excused the ones she'd met as outliers, but she hadn't expected Ater Marquis to be a monster too.
"You've derailed so many of my plans, Lady Abigail."
"Urgh."
"Heh, sorry. But if I don't kill you here, it'll only get worse."
Ater Marquis smiled sweetly as he strangled her. He glanced around the corpse-strewn clearing.
"Perfect spot, isn't it? You'll be killed by those knights, milady."
"Hng, urk."
"So tragic. I'll make it quick."
His grip tightened. She couldn't break free from his unexpectedly iron strength, gasping for air. He meant to kill her for real.
Her vision went white.
"Gasp!"
Her body floated. The marquis's face vanished from inches away, replaced by the ground rushing up. She gulped air desperately.
"How did you...!"
"You okay?"
Ignoring the stunned marquis, she glared fiercely at Benjamin, who asked casually.
"You're late!"
"Sorry, but you begged me to use you as bait, remember?"
"Haa."
Rubbing her throbbing neck, she stood. Benjamin, in his pristine white robes, pointed at the marquis.
"It's you, you traitor bastard."
"Urgh."
"You're headed for the Rune Prison now, you scum."
The Rune Prison deep in the Magic Tower's basement held criminal mages. Inscribed with ancient runes that sealed mana, it was ideal for containing them. Only the Magic Tower Master could judge a mage.
"Kuh, why can't I teleport...!"
"Trying to run? As if. You idiot?"
Benjamin sneered, raising his hand. His barrier must have been disrupting the marquis's magic.
She decided to watch leisurely now. Countless rays of light poured from Benjamin's hand.
"Arghhh!"
The current Magic Tower Master, dubbed the Mage of Light. Benjamin wielded blinding radiance even in pitch darkness at will.
Struck directly by his spells, the marquis quickly fell apart.
"Wait, don't kill him."
"Don't worry. I'm going easy."
"...Where?"
She stared incredulously at the bloodied marquis. But Benjamin insisted he was holding back. Only getting the same treatment would shut him up.
Sighing, she approached the marquis slowly.
"Kuh, you tricked me, Benjamin Wall!"
"I just did what she told me."
As the marquis spat blood and accused him, Benjamin shrugged, pointing at her. Suddenly the mastermind, she chuckled with a shrug of her own.
"Marquis Ater, don't blame others for your own stupidity."