Chapter 9 – The Girl Who Arrived From the Sky
The battlefield was silent.
Smoke still lingered in the air.
Audrey lay weakened in Selene's arms after surviving the assassination assault.
His body was heavily injured.
His system was unstable.
And the council's betrayal had been exposed.
But danger was not finished yet.
---
An Unexpected Presence
Suddenly —
A powerful magical pressure descended from above.
The air distorted.
The ground cracked under invisible force.
Selene immediately raised a barrier.
"Another attack?!"
Light pierced through the dark sky like a falling star.
A figure descended gracefully through the illuminated glow.
She landed between Audrey and the remaining threats.
The impact alone forced the masked assassins to retreat several steps.
The newcomers stared in shock.
"Who… is she?"
---
The Strongest Arrival
The girl stood tall with confident posture.
She wore battle armor reinforced with ancient runes.
Long crimson hair flowed behind her like flames.
Her eyes scanned the battlefield calmly — assessing threats instantly.
Then she spoke.
"You touched someone under my protection."
Her voice was cold.
Powerful.
Unquestionable.
The assassins hesitated.
One whispered:
"She wasn't in the intelligence reports…"
The leader gritted his teeth.
"Kill her too!"
Three assassins charged simultaneously.
The crimson-haired girl didn't move.
Until the last second.
Then —
She vanished.
---
Overwhelming Power
In less than a heartbeat:
Two enemies were knocked unconscious.
The third was sent crashing through multiple stone pillars by a single kick enhanced with explosive mana.
She reappeared standing calmly.
Dust cleared.
All attackers were defeated.
The battlefield trembled from residual energy.
Selene stared in disbelief.
"Such speed… such control…"
The mysterious girl turned slowly toward Audrey.
She knelt beside him.
Blood stained his clothes.
Her expression softened slightly — a rare change.
"You pushed yourself too far."
Audrey looked at her faintly.
"…Who are you?"
She placed her hand on his chest.
Golden healing energy surged through her palm.
His fractured bones began repairing.
His system stabilized.
"My name is Aria."
"I come from your birthplace."
His eyes widened slightly.
"My village?"
She nodded.
"It was attacked."
---
The Jealous Girl Appears
Selene observed silently.
She noticed something important.
Aria was not looking at the battlefield.
She was looking at Audrey.
With concern.
With recognition.
With something deeper.
Suddenly —
Another group of figures approached from the distance.
It was a messenger from Audrey's homeland.
They were wounded.
Breathing heavily.
One collapsed to the ground.
"Bandits… invaded the village…"
"They demanded tribute…"
"When refused… they burned everything."
Audrey's eyes slowly darkened.
"Casualties?"
The messenger hesitated.
"Many injured…"
"Some missing…"
Silence fell.
Aria stood up slowly.
"I already handled part of the attacking force."
"But the main group escaped."
She turned toward Audrey.
"I tracked them."
"They are heading toward the northern ruins."
Selene immediately understood.
This wasn't coincidence.
It was strategy.
The enemies attacked his weak point.
His origin.
---
Jealousy Begins to Root
Selene watched Aria carefully.
This woman was stronger.
More direct.
And she had history with Audrey.
Selene felt a strange emotion tighten inside her chest.
Not hatred.
Not anger.
But competition.
Aria noticed Selene's gaze.
She returned it calmly.
"You care for him."
Selene replied firmly.
"Yes."
Aria nodded.
"So do I."
The tension between them was silent but obvious.
Neither backed down.
Audrey, still recovering, noticed the atmosphere.
He sighed.
"Can we focus on saving my village first?"
Both women answered at the same time:
"Yes."
Then they looked at each other again.
Competition activated.
---
Decision
Aria turned toward the horizon.
"I will lead the counterattack."
Selene stepped forward.
"I will coordinate reinforcements."
Audrey slowly stood despite his injuries.
"Then we move now."
His eyes hardened.
"Those bandits made a mistake."
"They attacked something connected to me."
"And I don't forgive attacks twice."
The golden glow around him returned — weaker than before, but determined.
For the first time…
His enemies had crossed from political manipulation into personal destruction.
And now…
He would respond with retaliation.
---
End of Chapter 9