Chapter 71: The Assassin’s True Identity

"Get away from me!"

Lydia drove her rapier into his chest. Blood spurted from the wound as the assassin staggered backward.

Unlike humans, the assassin’s blood was black and thick. Almost syrupy, even.

Was he an Otherworlder?

But Lydia didn’t have any time to think about it for now. She only needed to buy herself a few seconds to escape.

Quick.

The man staggered backward with a furious curse and shouting something in a language she couldn’t understand.

Lydia gritted her teeth to endure the pain from her shoulder as she fled deeper inside the Restricted Area.

The missing prince was at Belfort University? But who was he? Lydia didn’t even have a clue about him.

Even in her previous life, Lydia had never met Luanna’s missing Crown Prince in person. She had no idea who he was or why this assassin believed she could lead him to his target.

Is this man insane? Why would he think I know anything about the prince?

Lydia barely ducked behind a dead tree when another arrow whizzed past her cheek.

Whatever his background, one thing was clear: this assassin wanted her dead, and Lydia wasn’t powerful enough to fight him.

There was something strange about him. Especially his bloodshot snake-like eyes.

That assassin certainly wasn’t an Adelsteiner. His clothes style seemed unfamiliar, and the language he had just spoken wasn’t one Lydia recognized.

Could he have come from a neighboring kingdom? Perhaps he had disguised himself as a VIP from another country.

That possibility made Lydia even more uneasy.

If the assassin had entered the grounds under a false identity, he might have planned this attack long before the competition began.

Another arrow whizzed past her face.

Lydia’s eyes widened as the arrow missed her cheek by barely an inch.

"Don’t move!" the man barked. "Or I won’t miss the next one!"

This is the end. Guess I’m doomed...

Just as the assassin began advancing toward her, a deafening screech tore through the forest.

SLAM!!

A gigantic falcon swooped down from above and crashed into the man with tremendous force.

Its powerful talons pinned him flat on his back beneath them, driving him into the dirt before he could react.

"What the—?!"

The assassin struggled beneath the enormous bird, desperately trying to free himself.

The falcon pressed him firmly against the ground, pinning his arms before he could reach for his scimitar.

"Don’t move."

Sylvain pressed his sword to the man’s neck. The assassin knew better than to test his luck.

"State your purpose, assassin." Sylvain’s voice was firm. "You dared to attack a member of House Valendorf on Imperial hunting grounds. You will answer for this."

The assassin hissed at Sylvain but he stayed silent. Even when Sylvain dug his sword deeper on the assassin’s neck.

"Don’t mistake my patience for kindness. If you refuse to answer, I’ll have you arrested and questioned by the Imperial Authority."

When the gigantic falcon saw Lydia, he quickly shifted back into his human form—Gilbert Valendorf, the former Duke of House Valendorf.

"Lydia, your shoulder!"

The Duke dashed toward Lydia and quickly examined her.

"We need to get you to healers. Fast." He took a handkerchief and cleaned the blood on her face. "This is bad. Why are you alone? Where’s your Sentinels?"

"I’m okay, Father."

Gilbert’s brows drew together. His eyes remained fixed on her wound.

"Father..."

His expression softened for a moment, but his brows soon drew together again.

Then Lydia noticed the subtle change in his expression whenever she called him Father. Was he actually hoping she’d call him Papa instead?

I never knew Father wanted me to be this clingy with him. Is this what happens when you have a daughter?

What enlightenment!!

Oh, this is useful. I can use this to my advantage!

A mischievous thought crossed Lydia’s mind. If calling him Papa would make him happy, why shouldn’t she?

It wasn’t as though she would lose anything by indulging him a little. Besides, having her father’s affection could only be beneficial to her!

"Papa...."

The word slipped from her lips before she could reconsider it.

Gilbert went completely still, then slowly his face lit up as bright as a Christmas tree.

"Lydia..."

The happiness in his voice was so unmistakable that Lydia almost burst out laughing.

Almost.

Oh, my goodness. He really likes it!

Lydia lowered her eyes, pretending to be shy as she savored the warmth of his reaction. If a single word could make her father this happy, she had no reason not to use it.

She could be a good daughter and get more affection at the same time. What a wonderful deal!

Behind them, Sylvain nearly choked on his breath with disbelief.

His gaze darted between Lydia and Gilbert.

Their usually stern father was practically beaming over one little word, while Lydia had suddenly become the picture of a bashful daughter.

Sylvain couldn’t believe his eyes.

What had gotten into his sister?!

He quickly recovered and turned his attention back to the assassin.

"Don’t even think about escaping."

Sylvain yanked the man’s arm and forced him into a more secure position before binding his hands with his Resonance.

"Lydia!"

Zachary and Ephraim arrived at almost the same time. They had clearly been searching for her, and the moment they saw her, their eyes went straight to her injuries.

Ephraim’s expression darkened when he watched the blood on Lydia’s face and wounded shoulder.

He quickly cleaned the blood with his handkerchief and handed a medicine from his bracelet to Lydia.

Ephraim’s gaze darted from the wounded horse and the suspicious man.

"What happened here?" Ephraim demanded.

Before anyone could answer, Zachary growled and lunged at the assassin. His black panther ears and tail were lashed as dark Resonance began crackling around his body.

"That bastard..."

The assassin barely had time to look up.

Zachary seized him from behind and struck the back of his neck with a sharp, forceful chop.

The man immediately went limp and collapsed to the ground with a loud thud.

"Zachary!" Lydia gasped. "What are you doing?!"

Everyone stared at Zachary. Even Ephraim’s eyes narrowed at the sudden display of aggression.

Lydia had seen Zachary angry before, but this was different. He looked ready to tear the assassin apart with his bare hands.

"Zachary?" Lydia called cautiously.

He didn’t even bother to answer Lydia. Instead, Zachary struck the mask on the assassin’s face and let it dissipate into green dust.

Ephraim’s expression hardened at the mention of Luanna. Gilbert and Sylvain exchanged a brief glance at the information.

The missing Crown Prince had already been a matter of concern, but learning that someone connected to Luanna’s government had attacked Lydia made the situation far more serious.

Zachary’s voice grew colder.

"He might look like a human, but he isn’t."

As the unconscious man’s head rolled to the side, more green dust slipped away from him.

When the last trace of dust faded away, the man’s face was covered in sleek green scales.

Something about it reminded Lydia of a snake that shed its skin.

Before she could ask what it meant, the man’s body began to change.

His human legs twisted and merged, his skin transforming as scales spread across his lower body.

Within moments, the assassin’s leg had become a long, powerful snake tail.

The sight left Lydia speechless.

The creature’s upper body still resembled a human, but everything below his waist had become unmistakably serpent like.

"An Otherworlder," Zachary announced. "A naga. This man is from House Belgard," he said at last. "He’s the son of a Prime Minister from Luanna. The one who was after their own Crown Prince’s life."