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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Assassination Attempt (2)
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"What? They're not all that impressive."
"Y-Yeah..."
No, that's because you two are way beyond student level.
Eliya thought that as she looked around. The armed thugs sprawled on the floor were only letting out groans.
Judging by their skills, they were clearly veterans who'd lived by the sword for years, yet it didn't make sense that academy students had subdued them.
'Of course, there's someone here who's on a whole other level...'
She gave a wry smile and glanced to the side. There, a single person had taken down twice as many foes as the others combined and was quietly sheathing his sword.
The other students, who had handled the assassins with ease, now looked at him with a mix of fear and awe.
It was a perfectly fitting reaction toward someone who'd subdued this many without even drawing his blade.
The continent's foremost swordsmanship house. Among them, the duchess hailed as the greatest talent in history.
The swordplay she displayed was a realm of mastery that even she, with all her battle-hardened experience, couldn't help but admire.
'How many people on the continent could even imitate that?'
Tristan-style Swordsmanship was known as an advanced technique where even imitation marked one as a genius. Master it properly, and it unleashed devastating power regardless of the weapon—shattering common sense entirely.
Word even had it that you could kill with nothing but a stick.
"...?"
As those thoughts crossed her mind, Eliya's eyes suddenly caught something.
Elnor's hand, trembling faintly.
It looked like she was desperately holding something back.
From the perspective of a seasoned swordswoman.
It was as if she was frustrated at not being able to kill her opponents.
Her whole body seemed to scream that she wanted to draw her sword right now and slaughter something.
"..."
A chill ran down Eliya's spine as goosebumps prickled her skin, and she fell silent for a moment. Noticing her gaze, Elnor quickly hid her hand behind her back and spoke.
"...Looks like they're all subdued."
It was clearly a signal not to mention what she'd just seen, and Eliya decided to go along with it for now.
Poking at her in this state might really make her snap.
"Yes. We can just hand these guys over to the academy guards—"
Eliya's words cut off abruptly.
She'd spotted a blue gem flashing on one of the groaning assassins' bodies.
A close-range communication magic tool. She'd seen it a few times during beast subjugations.
Meaning there was someone else in this building besides these guys—someone to receive this 'signal.'
"—or not."
With a wry smile, she approached one of the assassins.
"Hey, are there any more dispatched personnel besides the ones here?"
"..."
As the assassin silently glared at her, Eliya smirked inwardly.
Yeah, no way they'd answer that easily—
—!
Before the thought finished.
With a crack, the assassin's arm snapped.
"...!"
Watching him scream silently gave a good idea of his pain.
Eliya stared in bewilderment and turned to the side. Elnor was exhaling through her nose as she hooked her sword scabbard back onto her belt.
"If you don't talk, I'll break your neck next."
"..."
"Hm. No, that wasn't quite right."
Elnor's words drew an incredulous look from Eliya, who couldn't help but chuckle.
Yeah. Even so, blurting out something that brutal out of nowhere was a bit...
"If no one talks, I'll snap everyone's necks."
"..."
A heavy silence descended.
She said it so matter-of-factly, as if stating a simple truth, but it conveyed to everyone the absolute certainty that she'd do it.
Just look at how one of them stammered out a response in place of the broken-armed assassin.
Elnor nodded expressionlessly after hearing the tense words.
"Right. Hasmed of the Crescent Moon. An assassin who kills and steals appearances."
Hearing that, Elnor, who had been silently listening, paused a moment before speaking.
"Is that assassin here with you right now?"
"What?"
"Answer the question. Is he in this building with you?"
"...I can't tell you that ri—"
The assassin cut off mid-sneer.
Anyone would, realizing their arm had been sliced off by the sword.
It was Elnor's work, drawing her blade in an instant.
"A-Argh—!"
As the assassin sprayed blood and screamed in delayed agony, Elnor grabbed his collar without bothering to wipe the blood from her face.
Her red eyes gleamed ferociously in the dim surroundings.
"Is that assassin here?"
"A-Aaaah—!"
"I'll cut off the other one if you don't answer."
"H-He's here! He came with us!"
At those words, Elnor slammed the screaming assassin to the floor.
Then, leaving the stunned students behind, she bolted off.
"Wait! What the hell are you doing?!"
Breaking an arm and 'threatening' was one thing, but drawing her real sword and severing a limb was entirely different.
Elnor's demeanor had changed completely the moment she heard Hasmed's name.
Eliya chased after her hurriedly. Elnor sighed as she answered.
"I needed answers fast. He'll live. There's first-aid gear nearby."
"..."
Even so, who just does something like that casually?
"What the hell was that for...!"
"They kill and steal appearances. So who's the easiest target in this building right now?"
Eliya's words caught in her throat.
Come to think of it, there was one.
The person who'd insisted it was 'necessary' and separated from the group alone.
"...You don't mean..."
Eliya said stiffly.
"Did that person use themselves as bait to lure the strongest one over there?"
Logically, it was pure speculation.
They couldn't have known an assassin like that was coming, and even if they did, there was no reason to risk their life on something so dangerous—
—I kinda like that person, you know.
"..."
—If that was the case, maybe.
This assassination attempt clearly targeted the Tristan Duchess.
And seeing Elnor clamp her mouth shut without denying it confirmed she agreed.
"We should go check."
"Why go that far? What's your deal with them...?"
"...I said we're nothing."
Elnor replied.
"At least as far as I know."
But unlike before.
This time, her voice lacked conviction.
●
Truth be told, Elpante Academy could hardly be called a normal educational institution no matter how you sliced it.
It was common knowledge even among outsiders that it was littered with things no regular school would have.
Being an ancient, mysterious place, the academy was rife with all sorts of 'anomalies.'
Hidden secret rooms, ghosts appearing at certain times, specific buildings said to house legendary familiars...
And Hasmed was well-versed in all of them.
He'd memorized thousands just from what he'd heard, and that was long ago.
After all, he was a pro assassin with a solid reputation in the underworld. Slacking on this much prep wouldn't even qualify him for it.
So.
When he saw the translucent blue 'barrier' blocking his flung hidden weapon, he couldn't help but be shocked.
'Guardian's Soul...!'
A defensive barrier meant to prevent intrusion. It drastically reduced the power of any weapon swung within its range.
It popped up randomly in certain buildings, but the timing and location were unpredictable.
So why the hell was it here?
As he thought that, the student in front of him picked up a stick and approached.
'Foolish!'
Hasmed scoffed and dropped his hidden weapon to the floor.
Even with a weapon-nullifying barrier, a well-trained assassin's body was a weapon itself. And Hasmed was among the elite.
What could a stick do? Especially wielded by some weakling who'd clearly never trained in combat?
That's what he thought.
Until the first strike landed.
—!
—!!
A storm of blows in an instant.
Hasmed, struck in vital points across his body before he could blink, let out an involuntary scream.
But the mental shock outweighed the physical pain.
'I can't even track the trajectory...!'
There weren't many sword techniques on the continent that even an accomplished assassin like him couldn't decipher.
Especially one wielded with a non-blade that packed this much power!
'Tristan-style Swordsmanship!'
How had he failed to read the skill of someone who could use this?
'...!'
A realization flashed through his mind like lightning.
If his guess was right about this guy.
'I shouldn't have touched him from the start...!'
That was the last thought as he collapsed helplessly.
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[You have successfully executed a sword form!]
[Trait: Tristan-style Swordsmanship proficiency has increased.]
"..."
What is this?
Why is it so strong?
He stared at the fallen Hasmed in confusion.
Honestly, even with Tristan-style Swordsmanship, his proficiency was only basic, so he hadn't expected much. He never thought a few swings would drop someone like Hasmed.
This guy was a mid-boss level threat during the Main Quest progress, right?
An assassin whose name carried weight in the underworld.
'...If I max it out, how strong will it get?'
He'd assumed the final boss's swordsmanship would be powerful, but not this much.
His plan was just to stall for time and then run for help.
"...Ha. I see. A lure from the start."
So when the guy on the ground spouted that, he couldn't help but be flustered.
What's he talking about?
"I don't know how, but you knew the Guardian's Soul would activate here. That's why you chose a stick as your weapon."
Game system, obviously.
'Weapon use' was impossible in 'save points' present in every building. That's why he'd lured this guy here.
"And to pull that off, you hid your strength to draw me in. That's why you split from the group on purpose. To separate me from the Tristan Duchess."
"..."
No, not really.
He'd planned to stall a bit and then flee begging for rescue.
[Skill: Fatal Charm has activated!]
[Your elaborate plan fills the villain with awe!]
[A reward has been added to the Gift tab!]
"..."
What elaborate plan.
Stalling moderately then running away crying for help is 'elaborate'?
Has all subtlety died?
"What are you? A secret asset raised by the Tristan Ducal House? Or an agent from the Imperial Central Intelligence?"
"..."
Just a baron's son who raised cows and farmed.
"No intention to answer, huh. Fine. Kill him."
"...I don't want to kill."
"You won't kill? Why not?"
My words must've shocked him, as Hasmed's eyes widened in question.
Because I don't particularly want to murder anyone.
'Besides...'
This guy's a key member of the 'Wanderers' crime syndicate, central to Chapter 3 in the scenario.
Mess with him carelessly, and who knows how it'd affect the Main Quest—not to mention inevitable retaliation from the Wanderers.
But.
'Can't say that straight.'
So he brainstormed an excuse.
What'd be the best option...
Ah, right.
"Spread the word. Don't approach the Tristan Duchess. Even an assassin like you nearly died trying."
No idea who hired him, but pulling this during an academy event screamed unhinged.
High chance they'd try again even after failure.
And that would.
Keep stacking Elnor's 'corruption' meter.
Increasing the odds of unleashing the Gray Devil.
So, block those attempts at the source.
Hasmed had a name in assassin circles. If he spread the word, others might hesitate on such commissions.
"..."
Hasmed's expression turned strange at my words.
"What if I don't keep that promise? I could just go back and target the Tristan Duchess again."
He won't, actually.
Considering the 'Wanderers' in the original work, definitely not. They weren't the type to betray someone who spared their life.
Honor-bound weirdos for criminals.
But let's probe a bit.
"Try it, then."
He smirked as he continued.
"I'll be guarding her then too."
"...Is the Tristan Duchess that precious to you?"
"Yeah, something like that."
Too lazy to explain in detail, so he brushed it off.
No clue why, but he felt awe toward me, so this should suffice...
[Skill: Fatal Charm has activated!]
[Skill activation efficiency is extremely high!]
[Villain affinity greatly increases!]
[Villain affinity greatly increases!]
[Villain affinity skyrockets!]
[Villain affinity...]
"..."
What the—.
The screens flooding his vision post-statement made cold sweat pour.
Uh.
No way.
"..."
He glanced back. At the corridor's end, Elnor stood with wide eyes.
She'd clearly heard everything.
"..."
"..."
Big trouble.
No idea why, but that's the feeling.
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