novelzi Volume 3 - Ch 35
Volume 3 - Ch 35
Lute, 12 years old.
The sun has set; it is now the domain of the night.
A few hours ago, the castle fell silent as if the boisterous fun times were a lie.
Chrisse-Ojousama appears to be anxious as she looks out the window.
The visage from not too long ago of the girl who was afraid of going outside was nowhere to be seen.
Be at ease, Ojou-sama. Since the Master is personally going, our side losing is simply unimaginable.
Merc-san gently pats Ojou-samas shoulders.
Ojou-sama smiles in agreement.
Ojou-sama, Merc-san, please be silent.
I call out the the two who were encouraging each other.
The first floor is strangely noisy.
Flustered voices, wild footsteps, and the like can be heard.
Merc-san tenses up and holds Ojou-sama close to protect her.
There is knocking on the door.
It is rough.
It is rough to the level that if the head butler, Merry-san, was here, he would have angrily reprimanded whoever it was.
..Ojou-sama, Merc-san, just to be safe, please step back.
As I give out instructions, the two obediently obeys.
And I, just in case, pick up a letter opener.
I slowly reach for the doorknob and open the door.
There is one maid in the hallway.
She peeks inside the room with an impatient expression.
I, is Ojou-sama here? There is an urgent report that I have to convey!
Report? What is it?
At present, Merry-san has returned, and the Master and Madam are
!? Ojou-sama, Merc-san! Take cover!
Kyaaaaa!
The scream of the maid who was in the middle of reporting.
I immediately turn around and throw the paper-knife towards the window!
Right on cue, a man breaks through the 2nd floor windows glass and lands in the room. At the same time, the paper-knife sticks into the enemys arm.
He had jumped up to the second floor from the courtyard by raising his physical ability with body strengthening magic. Having sensed signs of magic being used outside, I was able to promptly react.
Guh !
The man looks to be in his early twenties.
He has an appearance similar to those of the human race, but since his canines were unusually long, perhaps he is a vampire like Ojou-samas family.
He pulls out the paper-knife and starts healing.
Glow in my hand, O soothing light. Be the glimmer that healeth me. Heal!
Hes probably one of the novices scraped up by Masters older brothers and their allies.
Even though the battle isnt over, he was paying an undue amount of attention to healing his wounds. It would appear that hes not accustomed to battle.
The result: he shows a huge opening.
I wasnt trained to be so naive as to overlook such an opening.
Just as Gigi-san had taught me, I quickly move in on the magician.
The male magician panics and swings the paper-knife he pulled out from his arm sideways as a diversion.
Compared to Master, it really wasnt fast or powerful at all.
I duck, easily evading, and throw a reinforced blow at his abdomen.
Go ho!
The man is coughing out saliva, falling over in agony.
Still I show no mercy and throw a palm heel strike at his jaw, throwing him out of the window he came in from.
Having been thrown out the window, the man hit the ground and stop moving.
His hands and feet are convulsing, so he probably wasnt dead
He had merely fainted.
The enemy was a mage, but due to his lack of combat experience, I was able to fight him off.
But why was such a person in the castle?
I, is Ojou-sama safe, baa~!?
Merry-san!
!?
While I was confirming that the male mage I had thrown out had fainted, the head butler Merry-san tumbles into the room, his body full of injuries.
He was supposed to have gone to battle with Master and the rest.
Yet, why did he come back to the castle in such a tattered state?
A bad premonition is swelling in my heart.
But the bad news Merry-san brought with him surpasses even my wildest imaginations.
Ojou-sama, there is something I must report. In the recent battle, due to the betrayal of our head guard, Gigi, Master was defeated baa~.
!?
All the servants gathered in the dining hall nods to Merc-sans words as if to say my thoughts exactly.
Merry-san further adds on.
Please leave the matter of the Master and Madam to us. We will save them even if it costs us our lives. Until then, please be safe, Ojou-sama. Now then, Lute, quickly take Ojou-sama to the hidden passage baa~.
Yes. Ojou-sama, your hand please.
Though Ojou-sama still left traces of tears, she took my hand and walked toward the staircase leading to the hidden passage.
For the last time, she took one look back.
Lute, I leave Ojou-sama to you.
Merry-san left behind those final words and closed the entrance.
A sound echoed as the hidden passage was concealed once more.
All light disappeared.
I concentrated magical power on my eyes and enhanced my night vision.
Leading Ojou-sama by the hand, I descended the stairs.
The hidden passage was an underground excavated tunnel.
Its height was such that a 160cm tall person would be able to touch its ceiling by reaching upwards.
As for its width, its about as wide as 2 persons armspan.
It was probably made using magic
Owing to it not being used at all, the passage was very dusty.
Ojou-sama, excuse me.
I carried the still crying Ojou-sama and began to walk.
Ojou-sama buried her face on my neck and continued crying.
Warm teardrops wet my skin.
To save magical power, I didnt use any on my arms or legs, and walked with my own power.
it has probably been about 1 hour. The exit came into view.
Similar to the entrance, a staircase extended with an iron door covering it on its end.
In order to continue carrying Ojou-sama, I concentrated magical power on one arm as I opened the door slowly and while remaining vigilant.
Is this a shed?
Just like in the castle, the door was made under a hearth.
Still staying vigilant, I examined the surroundings.
The room is dark and shows no signs of life.
There were walls made of logs, some materials left in the corner, and some crude wooden desks, chairs and the like.
We entered the room and I let Ojou-sama sit on a chair.
I am going to go check the situation outside for a bit, so please wait here for just a moment, Ojou-sama.
Without saying anything, Ojou-sama did as she was told and let go of my hand.
I opened the door and went outside to check our surroundings.
We were in a forest.
Looking behind me, I saw that we were in a log cabin; it seems to be a rest stop.
The area surrounding the cabin was fairly open.
I opened a map in my mind.
Thinking of possible locations, theres none other than the forest behind the castle.
To confirm it, I climbed up a nearby tree.
Needless to say, I enhanced my physical ability using body strengthening.
I enhanced my vision to my limits while I was atop the tree.
I could barely make out the situation in the castle.
Smoke went up like beacons around the castle.
The maids and other servants were running in all directions carrying something that looked like a person wrapped in sheets.
Following that, some men from the main familys side gave chase on horned horses.
Since they dont know which is the real Ojou-sama, theyll be running around until they capture all the servants.
The servants were running on foot with all their might to shake off any pursuit, all just to buy us some time to escape.
Someone who seemed to be Merc-san raised her hands toward a man.
They
I subconsciously grinded my teeth in vexation.
However, what I have to do now is not to go and help them.
Also so as to not waste everyones determination, I will take Ojou-sama to a safe location as quickly as possible.
I promptly descended the tree and returned to the cabin.
Ojou-sama was sitting on a chair while holding her knees, covering her face.
Ojou-sama, this place is still a danger zone. Lets move locations at once.
Ojou-sama didnt show any reaction.
I simply said Excuse me and carried her again.
Inside the dark forest, relying only on starlight, I began walking towards a town.
Looking back toward the castle, smoke continued rising even now.
Ojou-samas and my escape continued.
(^)