Allen dispatched the first attacker in an instant—and with that one strike, he could already tell:
This was just a run-of-the-mill beginner swordsman.
How weak?
Weak enough that even Eris had already reached the same level.
And that earlier volley of arrows? Also full of problems—wild, disorganized, like a half-hearted prank. As for the one that happened to shoot through the window, Allen had sensed it clearly.
It was pure coincidence.
The arrow had been loosed in a high arc, likely by someone lacking any real archery skill. Not even remotely comparable to someone like Laws. It had simply gotten "lucky" with the wind and rain at the right moment, finding its way in through the window.
And since its velocity was low, Allen's Saint-level [Perception Flow] could crush it in his palm with ease.
Even if no one had moved just now, that arrow wouldn't have hit a soul. The only reason anything happened at all was because Eris had suddenly woken up and leaned into its path.
A perfectly 'plausible' kidnapping plan.
After all, outside of Roa, with only a few attendants present—when else would be a better time to strike?
If Philip's steward had any tactical sense at all, this would be the ideal moment to act.
A noble from Roa's ruling house traveling in a convoy of four carriages—anyone in the city could've seen them depart.
Who'd dare suspect him?
And clearly, Philip wasn't the target. Kidnapping or killing him wouldn't serve any purpose.
Then who?
The target—was the red-haired girl inside the [Earth Fortress].
But then—
Why was Philip so calm?
Don't tell me Philip knew from the beginning that his steward had problems?! There was a hidden thread in the original plot! Damn it—even if these kidnappers are weak, are you not worried you might lose control of the situation?! Where's Ghislaine right now? Still waiting somewhere off to the side like in the original storyline, only stepping in at the last second with her[Longsword of Light] to save the day?
No way Ghislaine would ever agree to something this reckless!
…Wait. With that muscle-brained head of hers, she probably didn't even grasp the full plan. Most likely, Philip gave her some vague instruction—something like "Let the kids grow through experience. Step in when you sense real danger."
But a Sword King who's mastered the[Longsword of Light]—her threshold for "danger" is probably the moment you're already halfway to dead!!
The novel never made this subplot explicit—damn first-person narration! I knew Philip and Sauros couldn't possibly be as two-dimensional as they were written. These two have been swimming in the currents of power for years—how could they be so shallow during a major event like this?!
Allen had already pieced it together during that brief mental overdrive. Everything fell into place now—and with a bitter jolt, he stared through the rain at Philip's face.
The carriage across from his had quietly widened the distance at some point. Philip sat inside, frowning slightly at Allen, expression seemingly conflicted—but the approval in his eyes was plain as day.
At least so far, aside from that harmless stray arrow, everything was unfolding exactly as he'd anticipated.
And of course Philip had accounted for the arrow itself. What he hadn't expected was both Allen and Eris moving at that exact moment. According to the plan, even if those amateur kidnappers fired into the carriage from the treeline, the worst that would happen was an arrow sticking harmlessly into the floor.
Along the way, he'd repeatedly encouraged everyone to get some rest.
He just hadn't counted on that long-eared girl beside Allen showing zero signs of drowsiness.
An unexpected wrinkle.
But no matter. With Allen's Saint-tier swordsmanship, even a barrage of arrows wouldn't land a scratch.
That—was Philip's calculus.
And just then—
Through the curtain of rain, as their eyes met, wisps of smoke shimmered into Allen's field of vision.
What he saw made his previously furious expression freeze.
[Task Evaluation — "Combat Ability": Completed]
[Whether it was your extreme use of Perception Flow to handle the arrow, or your invisible-blade execution under the Rock Domain—your strike speed was so fast it left no afterimage.]
[This was all seen by Philip. And it confirmed what he suspected]:
[You possess extraordinary talent.]
[He has the eye to recognize such talent. After all, the one who normally wields a blade at his side is none other than Ghislaine—the only Sword King within the Sword God Style, ranked fourth in power.]
[Reward: Participation Score +5]
[Instant Task Activated — "Philip's Intent & the Layers Behind It"]
[You understood the contradiction instantly.]
[The "kidnapping incident" from the original plot was secretly inserted into your combat assessment—catching you completely off guard!]
[Why did this fake kidnapping proceed so smoothly in the original storyline—right under the nose of Roa's city lord?]
[Because everything had been orchestrated from the start.]
[Philip knew his steward, Thomas, was disloyal. And he knew that a steward of a noble house had to have powerful backers.]
[What Philip lacked—was a justifiable excuse to root out that "thorn."]
[Rudeus' arrival—and the idea of staging a fake kidnapping—gave him that chance.]
[In the original story, this event allowed him to achieve three goals at once]:
Throw Rudeus into a high-pressure situation to test his capabilities.
Deepen the bond between the magic prodigy and Eris, securing Rudeus as a tutor and offering him a stage within the Boreas household—paving the way for future recruitment.
Remove a steward loyal to Darius.
[A triple win.]
[This—is a seasoned political strategist.]
[And now, due to the butterfly effect, the candidate being tested is no longer Rudeus.]
[It's you.]
[After all, with a blood-related son of rare talent—how could you possibly be less worthy than Rudeus Greyrat?]
[There's no way Philip would let this opportunity pass.]
[As long as Ghislaine is stationed nearby, whether you can handle it or not, the outcome is guaranteed.]
[But the question is]—
[Is Ghislaine really stationed nearby?]
[Are tonight's threats limited to a few weak kidnappers that Philip accounted for?]
[Task Objective: Locate Ghislaine. Aid her in resolving the unexpected variable you introduced.]
[But first—]
[Ensure your own survival.]
[Task Begins.]
[Reward: Participation Score +10]
Allen's stunned gaze sharpened.
A group of attackers was already charging toward him.
He swiped the system display aside and raised his eyes.
Draw blade.
Cut.
Twenty flawless, lightning-speed slashes sliced through the carriage window. The frame and lattice fell away—neatly sliced apart.
Just like the attackers charging toward him.
Heads rolled.
Blood splattered across the rain-drenched forest floor.
And just then—behind him—the cat-eared maid let out a cry of alarm.
Allen didn't even need to look.
Another kidnapper had already crawled in through the rear window—cloaked in a rain-drenched hood.
[Perception Flow] had picked him up long ago.
The [Longsword of Silence]...
Was already ready to strike.