Chapter 26: Protection

-Clank!

A dark figure was running towards the princess, one in a clock that some of the knights present recognized instantly.

That was the robe that they should have been wearing if they weren’t in a disguise.

"Hey!"

The figure was dashing towards the princess, knives out, almost attacking the lady.

But, the knight that the princess was showing around reacted instantly.

"Who’s that?!"

-Clank!

The princess shouted as soon as the figure and their guest started sparring.

Sparks were flying about. There were hundreds of people present, most knights of the royal family, and yet, none of them reacted outright.

Except a maid that saw the commotion and ran towards the princess to pull her away from the knives, the knights kept watching.

"What?"

"Get her!!!"

The actual knights were mesmerised by their flowing fight. But the Elision spies hidden within them saw something else.

Her swordsmanship.

Not the cloaked figure that they should be stopping right now, but the woman with the thin sword and her movements.

They had seen these movements. They weren’t perfect, they weren’t exactly the same but they had seen these movements.

Their previous master was killed by someone who used these exact movements. Someone who came into their house, walked into their master’s house, and just killed him.

It’s bad, it’s dark, it’s a story that each member of Elision present there at that time wanted to forget. But they could not.

The flow of the sword, the path that this sword took, the way her body moved, there was a strange attraction to it. There was a strange eerie emptiness to it.

They couldn’t just watch this.

For three years they had been looking for the killer of their master and for three years they had not found even a trace of that person, that beast.

But right now, in the most unexpected place, they had found the traces of someone who must be connected to that killer.

They did not understand why someone of their own would act like this, but they had figured out who this was and if he died, things would be worse.

So, they ran.

"What is going on?!"

They ran towards the fighting assassin and the veteran knight.

There were many while the opponents were few.

Daggers out, their bodies covered in a dark dusty cloak, and their eyes staring daggers at the opponents, it took them two minutes to subdue their own and capture the person who was supposed to be a royal guest.

"Wait! You can’t do that! Wait!"

They knew what they were doing right now was wrong. As a professional organization, they must not act so rashly.

The opponent was the royal family, but the stakes were too high.

"Guards! Knight! What the heck are you doing?!"

The princess didn’t just stand there and watch them take the best knight she had ever seen, she instantly activated her Aura as her body was covered in a new light.

"Scatter!!!"

But the Elision was a professional organization.

They had their powers as well and they knew how to use them better than a pampered princess.

-Swish!

They managed to scatter away with their captive, but the cost was three of their own.

It was a pity but the captive was far bigger than the losses.

"What are you doing?! I know you’re watching! Get them! I want their heads!!"

She was screaming at a simple painting which was a surveillance device. She knew the most dangerous person in the castle was watching them right now.

The assassin lot was nothing for him. But he wasn’t moving. That bastard had more important things to focus on right now.

"I’m the fourth princess of the Mayn dynasty! I am the rightful heir to the throne and I WILL make you regret this! GET ME MY KNIGHT!"

She knew nothing about the lady. She had only seen her for a few minutes and yet, she knew it deep in her heart that if there was a knight who could make her the next ruler, it would be her.

She was strong.

Oh her grace she just witnessed... Wildness of battlefield? Animal instincts honed by killing? No.

She was water.

Flowing, life breathing, cold and hot, vast and beautiful, ugly and the one who carried death to the afterlife... she was the Moon dancer.

The mythical goddess the princess had heard stories about. The dancer, the death, the first ever snow.

The princess wanted her far more than any mage in this world, any miracle drug in this world. She wanted her more than she wanted the throne itself because she knew having her by her side would mean something more than merely this kingdom.

She cannot have those fucking sons of bitches in dark cloaks take her just like that.

"I COMMAND YOU, HOUSEHOLD GUARDIAN!"

The red mage had no choice anymore.

Even if by a princess, a royal command was issued to him.

{ "You will have her... Princess." }

It meant he’d have to leave his important post now.

So, this also meant their golden opportunity was here.