Why would Esdeath attack her?
Leone didn't even know what had happened, but she still struggled to get up.
That look again!
The contemptuous look in Esdeath's eyes was exactly the same as before.
"Why..."
"Why? Because I hate you~"
"Is it because of Lancer?"
Leone first reaction was Lancer, but she didn't expect the other party to start laughing.
"Maybe a little? Although he's still a bit off from my 'type', since he's a bit too old, he's still one of the people who's closest to my ideal type so far. But it's really surprising~ you're still thinking about these things at a time like this."
Walking among the pieces of the cabinet, Esdeath grabbed Leone by the collar and lifted her up, and then fiercely brought their faces closer.
"You know what? You're the person I hate the most~"
"Do you know? The reason I agreed to teach you martial arts at first wasn't just because of that man. I originally thought you could be 'like me', but unfortunately, I was wrong. You're just a little girl who trembles in a room. You don't even dare to say 'I want' for your own things. You're just begging for others' 'charity'. And even after you get what you want, you don't even have the thought of going a step further. How boring!"
Esdeath's answer was completely unexpected for Leone. In her eyes, Esdeath had always looked down on her. She thought the other party looked down on her background and her current status, but she never expected it to be because of this?
Looking at the wide-eyed Leone, a hint of disgust flashed in Esdeath's eyes.
"Useless. Let me get the last bit of use out of you."
"What are you... going to do..."
The pain in her abdomen made Leone speak in a stuttering manner, but she still had her eyes wide open, as if she had heard something bad from the other party's words.
"What am I going to do? It's very simple. I'm waiting for a good 'fight' with that man. His condescending attitude really annoys me! And you are the best 'bait'. I think he'll be willing to go all out then, right? This is the only use you have!"
The other party wanted to capture her?
The other party's purpose for capturing her was to deal with 'master'?
What can I do? I... I can't do anything!
No! I don't want to!!
...
Looking at Leone who was gradually lowering her head, Esdeath also pouted. She didn't expect the other party to give up so easily. While she was bored, she also couldn't help but 'mock herself'.
'She doesn't even dare to resist. What can a person who just goes with the flow do?'
Esdeath, who was about to grab Leone and leave, suddenly found that she couldn't pull the other person up with the force she was using?
When she tried to use more force, she suddenly took a step back. The 'instinct' she had gained from hunting danger beasts and countless slaughters was telling her that Leone was very dangerous just now.
And at this moment, Leone, who had been looking down, suddenly looked up!
Esdeath only saw a pair of golden beast-like eyes and then saw a figure flash by...
"I don't want to!!"
"Bang!!"
Accompanied by Leone roar, a huge crack appeared on the ground at Esdeath's feet, and she herself had taken several steps back.
"Even if I die! I won't be your hostage to threaten 'master'!"
With Leone roar, she attacked again. This time, her speed was even faster than before! But Esdeath dodged her attack again with a chop on her arm.
Although Leone speed and strength had become several times greater after growing her 'beast claws', Esdeath, as Leone 'teacher' of martial arts, still managed to dodge her attacks with her experience, albeit very narrowly.
'Technique' is very important, but physical fitness is the foundation of all combat. Just like now, even if Esdeath could guess Leone attack route based on her experience, she still couldn't completely dodge it. Sometimes, she even had to take a hit to block the attacks she couldn't avoid.
On the other side, Leone was attacking Esdeath like a madwoman, and the originally neat and clean villa was in a mess from their attacks. At this time, she didn't even know what she was doing. At first, she knew that she needed to 'defeat Esdeath', but at this time, she only knew how to attack endlessly! How to destroy endlessly! It was as if only this could vent the anger in her heart.
Esdeath at this time looked a bit disheveled from Leone frantic attacks, but she herself didn't care at all. She even had a strange smile on her face.
This is great! Is this the power of an Imperial Arms! To turn an 'ordinary person' who wasn't even qualified to spar with her into what she is now! It's absolutely wonderful!!
But while she was ecstatic, her eyes were still locked on Leone, because she wanted to get that 'Imperial Arms' and first had to deal with the other person.
If they were to clash head-on, even if she won, her situation probably wouldn't be good. Although she had already dealt with the 'eyes' in the vicinity, it was not surprising that those people would find out soon, right? At that time, it would probably be a lot of trouble to leave this city.
"You've been calling him 'master' all this time. Do you dare to call him by his name?"
This very abrupt question suddenly appeared on the battlefield, and Leone frantic attacks suddenly intensified by two levels. But Esdeath smiled, because she knew that the other person had been hit by the trick.
"Do you think that man really likes you? He only 'pities' you! He pities a lonely little girl, that's all!"
With Esdeath's words, Leone actions became heavier and heavier, and the expression on her face became more and more frantic...
"Bang!!"
With a loud bang, the living room door was kicked away, and Esdeath herself did a backflip in mid-air and landed steadily on the ground. The panting sounds coming from the shadows of the room were as if some kind of monster was breathing...
"I know..."
"What?"
Esdeath, who had expected Leone to chase her out, was even stunned when she heard Leone panting voice.
"I know! I know his eyes don't have me in them! I know he pities me! I know! I know all of it! But what can I do?! I'm just a slave he bought! I don't know why I fell in love with him! But I did! What can I do about it!!"
As if she was venting, Leone kept 'confessing'.
Even Esdeath, who was a bystander, could see it. How could Leone, who was the 'protagonist', not see it? She just didn't want to say it.
Although she didn't know what 'love' was, she only felt care from Lancer. Besides that, there was nothing else. She even thought that Lancer eventual decision to agree to her was just because he didn't want her to be sad. That's right, she had long known that Lancer was doing it 'for her'.
So she kept telling herself, 'this is enough', but unfortunately, no matter how much she told herself that, a lie wouldn't become the truth. Everything was like a bubble that would burst with a poke, just like now.
That's right, her love was humble! It was so helpless, but what could she do?
Didn't she wish she could meet the man of her dreams at a ball in a formal gown? But she was just a low-class thief before. The only time she would ever appear at a ball was to sneak in and steal things!
Didn't she wish she could be proposed to by the man she loved in a garden? But she was just a slave! A maid, and the man in her eyes didn't even have her in them!
But facing Esdeath, who was like a wounded beast, her eyes filled with hysteria, she was very calm and even shook her head.
"You're wrong."
"What?!"
"I said you're wrong! Whether it's love! Wealth! Power! Or everything I want, I will use all my strength to seize it! Because only the things you seize with your own hands belong to you! What others give you will always be an illusion!"
The two of them were almost the same age, and their circumstances, although different, were not too far apart.
Their parents had died when they were young, and they both tried their best to survive in their own ways. The only difference was their 'starting point'.
Esdeath, who grew up being trained by her father, was skilled in hunting danger beasts and had no fear of fighting. On the other hand, Leone didn't even know where her future was at first. Even when she became a thief in the end, she was just 'going with the flow.' She couldn't do anything else but that.
The two of them's views on life were completely different, and when faced with the same thing, they got completely opposite answers. So————————
"I really hate you!"
The disgust on Esdeath's face was undisguised. She hated Leone, but it wasn't just limited to her. She hated all people who just accepted their fate! She hated all people who chose to 'bow their heads'!
"I hate you too!"
In the past, Leone didn't even dare to say much when she faced Esdeath. But now that she had gained 'power,' she also had some courage!
She hated the other person! She hated that the other person could sit at the dining table and talk to Lancer without any restraint while she could only stand quietly on the side and try her best to lower her presence! She hated the other person!
The aura around the two of them became stronger and stronger, and the smile on Esdeath's face became more and more unrestrained. This was not only because she was excited to fight a strong enemy, but also because Leone expression at this time made her very satisfied!
When hunting, defeating a lion is always more exciting than defeating a wild bull!
"Bang!!"
With a fierce slap on the table, Budo face was grim as he stared fiercely at the person in front of him.
"Say that again!"
At this time, the forehead of the messenger who was in charge of reporting was covered in cold sweat, and his back was completely drenched, but he didn't dare to disobey the other person's command.
"All 6 of the guards responsible for protecting General Lancer house were killed. The lady named Leone... her status is unknown."
"Hoo..."
Although Budo had become a lot more low-key now, that didn't mean he was no longer capable. In fact, he was even more dangerous now that he had his fangs hidden. He had heard what his subordinate said before, but the reason he asked again was that this news was simply too unbelievable.
"Who did it? No, if you knew who did it, you would have already captured them. Tell me, who are your suspects?"
Budo words were not out of arrogance but 'fact'. As far as he knew, besides that 'teleportation Imperial Arms' whose status was unknown, no one could escape the Imperial Guards' pursuit. At this time, the Imperial Guards were equipped with several Imperial Arms users, including a special Imperial Arms for tracking. Once a target was locked on, it was impossible to escape!
"There are two suspects right now. One is Gozuki, one of the personal guards of the rebel leader Honest, and his assassination squad. The second suspect is Esdeath, the champion of the martial arts tournament from before."
Budo was very clear about the information on 'Gozuki', as the other party was a known dangerous person, but Esdeath was another matter.
"Why her? I remember she once refused the army's recruitment. A person with that kind of personality would never be willing to be someone's subordinate..."
Budo reason told him that the possibility was very small, but he knew that sometimes, he couldn't be bound by this 'feeling'.
"I want to know who Esdeath has been in contact with recently!"
"Please leave it to us!"
The Imperial Guards were in control of the entire Imperial Capital, so they could gather information very quickly. But in reality, it was already of little use. The people had already disappeared. Now it was just a matter of locking the stable door after the horse had bolted. He was afraid it would affect Lancer...
You know, Budo was planning to train Lancer to be his second-in-command. As for why he wasn't the heir? It was simple: the empire's army could only be in the hands of his family!
In his opinion, Lancer had many strengths.
He was strong enough, and although he wasn't suitable to be a commander, his fearless spirit on the battlefield was very suitable for being a 'vanguard'.
Although they had only worked together a few times, Lancer figure during his charge had left a very deep impression on him.
'I hope he doesn't get sidetracked by that woman...'
The only thing Budo could do now was to make up for it, but besides that, he had no other choice. The only thing he could do now was to hope that Lancer could be 'calm', but...
"What a trouble..."
Budo blockade was theoretically impossible for even an Imperial Arms user to easily escape, but who would have thought that something like this would happen? After all, if it were Gozuki, the guards they had wouldn't be enough. Or rather, once he made a move, besides a few people who could stop him, no one else could. But as an important chess piece that Honest had embedded in the Imperial Capital, once he acted, it meant that he would lose the meaning of being a hidden piece. As for Esdeath... she was not even considered a 'suspect'. In Budo initial plan, she was supposed to be one of the 'guards'... 'Damn it! What the hell is going on?' Budo was starting to feel that the situation was a bit out of control...
At the same time, on the other side, Esdeath was already sitting in a carriage leaving the Imperial Capital, and next to her was 'Gozuki', who Budo had suspected earlier.
"Mr. Honest is really looking forward to your arrival."
"Mhm..."
"You... don't seem to be in high spirits?"
"Yeah, I thought I'd have a good time, but I didn't expect..."
Looking at Leone, who was sleeping next to her, Esdeath's expression was very complex. She had originally thought she would get a good fight, but in the end, Leone suddenly deactivated her Imperial Arms and fainted. At first, she was very confused, but when she heard the other person's stomach growling, she finally knew the answer. It turned out that she had used up all her stamina...