(Third Person POV)
Vine was the first to move. She drew her sword from her waist and positioned it sideways along her body.
Without wasting a second, she gathered strength in her legs, then released it in an explosive burst, dashing toward the group of assassins.
"She's so fast!"
Vine's speed was so overwhelming that the assassins froze in shock.
But they weren't about to stand idle. The first two assassins charged toward her, each gripping a razor-sharp sword.
Before they could take a third step, Vine was already standing right in front of them.
"Wha—"
The first assassin couldn't even finish his words before Vine's sword sliced through him horizontally, cutting his body cleanly in two.
Stunned by the sudden death of his comrade, the second assassin panicked and swung his sword wildly at Vine, aiming to decapitate her.
Without moving from her spot, Vine bent her knees to avoid the strike. Then, with a swift upward motion, she brought her sword around and severed the man's arm.
"Huh?"
Thud
The sound of the severed arm hitting the ground seemed to snap the assassin back to reality.
"Ahhhh! M-my arm! It hurts! It hurts!!"
Clutching his bleeding stump, he staggered backward in agony. Vine calmly stepped forward and drove her blade straight into his skull—right through the center of his brain.
Pulling her sword free, she rested it on her shoulder and said,
"So? Who's next? Let's finish this quickly. I don't want my lady waiting too long."
The remaining assassins stood frozen. Vine's speed and precision were so terrifying they could barely follow her movements.
"D-don't be scared! There's only two of them! We still have seven! There's no way we'll lose!"
One assassin, wearing a slightly different robe with open sleeves and a mask covering only his mouth, shouted to rally his men.
"Oh? Are you the leader?"
"Kill her!"
Ignoring Vine's question, the man barked an order.
Three assassins immediately rushed her. Vine dashed forward to meet the first, and their swords clashed. The assassin's strength was no match for Vine's monstrous power.
With a single push, she forced his blade aside and cut him diagonally from shoulder to hip, splitting him in two.
The other two attacked from both sides, slashing at her simultaneously.
"Too slow."
With those words, Vine lifted her leg to the side and kicked one of them in the groin.
"Guaghhh!"
The man dropped his sword and doubled over in pain. Vine spun instantly, thrusting her sword straight into his skull, killing him on the spot.
The third assassin—his arms still mid-swing—didn't have time to react before Vine pulled her sword out and turned toward him. With a look of disgust, she plunged the blade into his head as well, ending his life in an instant.
"Oi, Vine! Didn't we agree you'd take four and I'd take five?!"
"Hah? You saw them attack me first! How is that my fault?"
Astrid scowled, clearly annoyed that Vine had killed more than they'd agreed.
Good grief… Couldn't they stop arguing about small things in the middle of a fight like this?
"Enough. Hey, you guys—are you going to attack me or not?"
Realizing that five of his men had been slaughtered by just one of the two enemies, the leader's confidence faltered.
"O-oi, all of you! Attack them both!"
"Boss…"
It was a hopeless order. His real plan was obvious—stall them long enough for him to escape.
Bang! Bang!
Two loud gunshots rang out. Two assassins fell to the ground, each with a hole in their forehead.
"In that case, I'll take care of the rest."
With only three assassins left, Astrid decided to end things quickly. She aimed her rifle and shot down the remaining two—leaving only the leader alive.
Bang! Bang!
"Eek!"
"Too easy."
Panicked that his escape plan had failed, the leader tried to flee—
Bang!
"Arghhh!"
A bullet tore through his leg, sending him crashing to the ground.
Astrid approached him while Vine went back to the carriage to report to Selena that the danger was over.
"Vine, are you alright?"
"Yes, my lady. I'm perfectly fine."
Selena, still concerned, walked over and gently touched Vine's cheek. The sudden closeness brought a faint blush to Vine's face.
Meanwhile, Astrid stood with her rifle pointed directly at the leader's head.
"Astrid, are you alright?"
"My lady, there's nothing to worry about. I'm fine."
Satisfied, Selena turned her gaze on the wounded assassin.
"Let's get straight to the point. Who are you? What's your objective? You're obviously hired killers, so—who sent you?"
Her voice was calm but carried a deadly weight.
The man stayed silent, trembling but determined not to reveal anything.
"You bastard…"
Vine stepped forward, yanked the man's hair, and pressed her sword against his neck hard enough to draw blood. Her face twisted with fury, veins bulging on her forehead.
"WHEN MY LADY ASKS YOU A QUESTION, YOU ANSWER, IDIOT! THAT'S CALLED MANNERS! DO YOU WANT TO DIE?!"
She pressed the blade deeper, ready to slice his neck open—until Selena's voice cut through her rage.
"Vine. Enough."
"As you wish."
Instantly, Vine's murderous expression vanished as if it had never been there.
"If he refuses to talk, then I'll use my skill—
Selena's
"Look into my eyes."
The leader met Selena's gaze. His pupils dilated, and a dreamy smile formed on his face.
"Wow… you're so beautiful."
"Thank you. May I ask you something?"
"Of course. If it's you, I'll answer anything."
His tone was warm and friendly, as if speaking to a lifelong friend—completely unaware he was being controlled.
"Who are you? What's your objective? And who sent you?"
"Ah, that. We're an assassin organization called Black Fang. We take jobs like murder and other dirty work."
"And?"
"Our mission was to kill Duchess Selena Everthore. But before killing you, we planned to have some… fun with your body first. Hahaha."
The moment those words left his mouth, Selena's three companions nearly snapped. Astrid's finger tightened on the trigger, Vine drew her sword, and Seraphina pulled out a hidden dagger.
Before they could lose control, Selena raised her hand, silently ordering them to stand down.
"Who sent you?"
"The one who sent us was—"
But before he could finish, his eyes widened, and he began coughing violently.
"Cough! Cough! Cough!"
The coughing grew worse, blood spilling from his mouth. Selena instinctively stepped back.
In seconds, the man vomited a massive amount of blood—far too much for a human body to contain—then collapsed to the ground.
Astrid knelt to check.
"He's dead."
---
Give this novel support to keep it updated!