Chapter 44

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“As you command.”

No one stood in the way of Russell as he descended, drawing the Kutana, the Glory of Mercy, from the scabbard at his waist.

Carlos, who had been protecting him, sheathed his sword without hesitation, while Louise busied herself with pulling back the knights, following the Emperor’s command.

Even when faced with dozens of assassins attempting to take his life, Russell felt no fear. He was convinced that he could kill them faster than they could kill him.

Russell had the power to back up that arrogant confidence. This was proven the moment he swung his Kutana through the air.

The blunt blade cleaved through the air, leaving a silver trail in its wake. The dazzlingly beautiful swordsmanship swept through the assassins with ferocious speed. Crimson blood gushed forth at the end of the silvery arc.

The assassins, who had given them such a hard time, were swiftly reduced in number. Russell showed no mercy, and in the end, he took down dozens of assassins without a single drop of blood staining his sword.

Only then did the knights, who had been ordered to stand down, enter the hall to clean up the remaining threats.

Listening to the nobles cheering his name, Russell sheathed the Kutana.

The assassins who had aimed for the Emperor were killed or incapacitated by the Kutana’s strikes. Meanwhile, the assassins attacking Aneta and Tereza were turned into porcupines by the arrows fired from the Glory of Penetration, which Tereza had quickly reclaimed.

Tereza, with unmatched precision and strength, nocked another arrow and let it fly. Unlike Aneta, who could only use her basic abilities, Tereza skillfully aimed and struck down the assassins.

“Argh!”

With Tereza’s power, accuracy, and experience, the arrows turned the assassins into porcupines. Impaled by the arrows, they coughed up blood and collapsed.

It had happened in the blink of an eye, without even a chance for them to scream.

After the assault was quelled, the sight of the banquet hall was devastating.

A demolished wall, blood-soaked floors, and assassins in deplorable conditions. Aneta couldn’t help but grimace at the scene.

The added stench of blood caused by Russell’s manifestation of his powers, made her feel nauseous.

Covering her mouth and turning her head, she saw Carlos, in the form of a black eagle, landing beside her just in time.

As soon as the situation was under control, Carlos reverted to his human form and asked urgently.

“Aneta, what’s wrong? Are you hurt anywhere?” His voice was full of urgency.

“Don’t worry, I’m not hurt. It’s just the smell of blood that’s making me feel a bit nauseous.”

Aneta replied, making a conscious effort to breathe through her nose as little as possible.

“Then let’s go outside together.”

“No, I’ll go by myself. You need to stay here and help with the cleanup.” She knew the outside had been cleared a while ago, so there was no need for concern.

“His Majesty asked me to take you to the office. He seems to have something to discuss with you.”

“But, Carlos…”

Aneta quietly called his name, trying to persuade him, but Tereza, who had been listening to the conversation, stepped in to support Carlos.

“I’m here, what are you worried about, go on. You don’t look well.”

“Even you, Tereza…”

No matter how pale she looked, it couldn’t be worse than the exhaustion and strain on those who had directly fought with the assassins. Despite thinking this, Aneta changed her attitude willingly.

“All right. I’ll do as you both say.”

She no longer had the energy for unnecessary arguments, and she knew Carlos and Tereza felt the same. She couldn’t add to their exhaustion by being stubborn over nothing.

“Then while you’re at it, could you take care of the prisoners we’ve captured over there? They’ve only sustained minor injuries compared to the other assassins, so they should be waking up soon.”

“When did you manage to capture a prisoner? That’s impressive.”

“We need to have at least one prisoner to expedite the interrogation process.”

Aneta looked at the assassin lying on the ground, bleeding from the back of his head, and the others still creating pools of blood.

Seeing the gruesome scene, her expression involuntarily darkened.

“It seems like a good call to have captured them.”

It seems like they’ll never wake up. Instead of voicing that thought, Aneta conveyed the words she most wanted to say to Tereza that day.

“Thank you for everything today, and I’m sorry for the trouble, Tereza.”

“Forget the apology, I’ll just take the ‘thank you’.”

“Okay, then I’ll see you again soon.”

As Aneta concluded the conversation, Carlos promptly bent down and extended his arm.

Tereza seemed to have noticed what Carlos was about to do and let out a playful whistle. As Carlos’ arm slipped under her knees, unsettling her balance, Aneta instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck in surprise to keep from losing her balance.

“Let’s go this way so you don’t hurt your bare feet.”

Aneta began to open her mouth to scold Carlos but quickly swallowed her words with a sigh. Once again, she conceded.

“Very well then, Mr. Opportunist.”

Though many eyes were watching, she didn’t mind. She let herself relax into Carlos’ arms, who was holding her securely as if she were a sacred object.

She did not attempt to escape.

“Opportunist? I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t pretend. You’re doing this because you’re confident I won’t refuse you now, aren’t you?”

Looking back, he had always been this way. Carlos would act infinitely obedient, as if Aneta’s words were the gospel truth, but then seize the opportunity like this.

No matter how small the gap, he persistently wedged his way in, it was futile to resist. Just as she sighed with resignation, a familiar face blocked their path.

“Aneta, you should take your shoes with you.”

Serce held out her familiar shoes. They were the ones she had tossed aside before grabbing the quiver.

“Oh, thank you.”

Aneta reached out and took the shoes from Sercé. Seeing the scratched surface, she figured Isabel would dispose of them as soon as they returned to the estate.

But until then, these were the only shoes she had, so Aneta carefully tucked them into her embrace.

Even after Aneta had retrieved her shoes, she did not attempt to extricate herself from Carlos’ embrace, much to the surprise of both Carlos and Sercé.

Sercé, who had inadvertently blocked Aneta’s path, hoping she would break free of Carlos’ embrace, now felt unsettled by the rapid deepening of the two’s relationship, which made the stagnation of the past seem like an illusion.

Sercé’s gaze fell on the arms wrapped around Aneta, then lifted to meet Carlos’ gaze, hiding his pained inner thoughts.

“I was worried about you. I’m glad you’re not hurt.”

“You too. Get some rest.”

“All right.”

Sercé’s response came as he passed by, their eyes meeting briefly.

Serce averted his gaze first, unlike when they had met earlier in the banquet, and Carlos saw the fleeting expression on his face.

The dark, wounded face held emotions that were all too familiar.

Anxiety and unease. The same emotions he’d felt when Aneta’s heart seemed so distant. He saw it in Serce, but he was not low enough to feel the same sense of triumph over him.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, Aneta.”

But that was all. Carlos felt neither sympathy nor kinship towards Serce.

He continued on his way.

As he stepped out of the hall, he could see the bustling backs of people hurrying to leave the palace.

Part of him wished he could follow in their footsteps and take Aneta back to the palace, but he knew better.

Even if they were a faction against the Emperor, he couldn’t disobey orders as someone who had sworn loyalty to him.

Carlos looked down at Aneta, who was quietly nestled in his arms. While the cool air brushed their skin, the place where they touched was filled with warmth.

“Surprisingly, you’re clinging to me quite well. I thought you would ask me to put you down as soon as you found your shoes.”

Carlos did not hesitate to voice the question he had held inside.

“Since you’re willingly going through the trouble, why should I bother? I don’t even have the strength to lift a finger, so this is convenient.”

Aneta, leaning helplessly against him, lifted her eyes to stare at him.

“Like you, I’m not one to turn down an opportunity when it comes my way.”

“Yes. I do. I doubt and doubt and doubt until I’m sure.”

“Who wouldn’t do the same?”

As Aneta shrugged as if stating an obvious fact, a smile spread across Carlos’s face.

“Even now, I only let you do this because I have nothing to lose, so don’t drop me. You took this upon yourself, so make sure to carry me safely to the end no matter how hard it is.”

“Don’t worry, that won’t happen. Even if my arms fall off, I won’t let go of you.”

“I won’t say it’s effortless like a feather, since such clichéd comments aren’t to your taste,” Carlos added without hesitation.

“Exactly. You know me too well.”

“I told you, I’m going to try to win your love. This is just one of those efforts.”

A chill breeze blew through the air with another casual answer. The world was silent under the veil of night as if the earlier commotion had been a lie.

Taking advantage of the comfortable silence, Aneta grasped the pendant of her presumably enchanted necklace and gently stroked it.

Naturally, her mind went back to the time when she had used the power of the two glories to pierce through the assassins.

She felt no remorse. Aneta had no intention of feeling guilty about the lives she had taken with her hand – those who had threatened her life, her friend’s life, and her lord’s life.

Had she not responded, they would have been killed or wounded.

Furthermore, she did not know for certain whether those struck by her arrows had died. Thinking that being hit by an arrow did not automatically mean death, her mind was put more at ease.

While Aneta was lost in thought, Carlos’s steps brought them to the Emperor’s palace. The chamberlain, without questioning Carlos’s presence, guided them to the office.

For them, this was a natural part of their daily routine after exchanging greetings.

The chamberlain only cast a careful glance at Aneta’s condition, and that attentive gaze was withdrawn once he concluded that she was unharmed.

“Shall I prepare some tea?”

At the polite inquiry, Carlos looked down at Aneta, still nestled in his arms. She shook her head, signaling a negative response.

“Then I shall take my leave. Please call me if you need anything.”

Bowing respectfully, the chamberlain left the office.

Only after confirming the door was closed did Aneta speak to Carlos.

“You can put me down now.”

“All right.”

Carlos carefully set her down, and as she leaned back against the couch as he helped her to sit, she looked up at him in surprise.

“How unusual for you to comply so easily.”

“To be honest, I was going to keep holding on as long as I could, but you looked tired. I thought I’d behave a little better today.”

“That’s a nice thought.”

Carlos softly took the shoes from Aneta’s hands, following Tereza’s manner.

He didn’t hesitate to lower himself at her feet, placing one knee on the ground.

“Then, love me as much as I was thoughtful.”