Chapter 34, Fierce Battle, And Then…

Translator: Lizz

The relentless attacks were slowing down, and Calogero’s magic was holding on, though just barely.

However, he could only cast a few more Barrier before his strength ran out.

Watching Gina anxiously, Calogero had no idea what to do.

Why had she appeared here? Why had she come to his aid?

-No, with all the commotion earlier, Gina had likely entrusted Sylvia to Edward and come to check on the situation. Upon finding Calogero under attack, she must have decided to intervene, or so he reasoned.

“Gina! Forget about me! Please, protect Lady Sylvia!”

“I can’t just do that!”

Gina argued with Calogero while fighting a fierce battle with the assassins.

In terms of skill, they were nearly equal, though Gina had a slight advantage. However, what set them apart was not just determination but the ‘courage to take a life’, something Gina lacked compared to the assassins.

She had fought mock battles against Edward and hunted monsters, but this was her first real combat against other people.

Edward had warned her seriously, ‘Never hesitate. If you do, Lady Sylvia will be harmed.’ She had steeled herself for battle, but taking a life required something beyond mere resolve.

One of the assassins noticed her efforts to incapacitate rather than kill.

Suddenly, he leaped in front of Gina, taunting her with empty hands.

“Come on, little lady. Try killing me.”

“!?”

As Gina swung her short sword, she hesitated for just a moment.

That moment proved fatal.

A concealed weapon struck her back.

“Tch!”

Gina twisted her body at the last second, narrowly avoiding a critical wound, but the man taunting her immediately unleashed fire magic.

“Gina!”

Calogero cast his own spell, but he was just a fraction too late, and Gina was hit by the flames.

As her consciousness blurred, she recalled Edward’s serious words: ‘If anything happens to you, Lady Sylvia – and of course, I – will grieve. To prevent that, cut down anything that stands in your way.’ She also remembered Sylvia’s expressionless face as she effortlessly slew monsters, and the words she had spoken to Gina in that moment: ‘I won’t forgive anyone who hurts my people.’

– I thought I was prepared, but I wasn’t. If I die here, Lady Sylvia and Sir Edward will grieve –

Gina planted her feet firmly, opened her eyes wide, and blocked the assassin’s next strike with the short sword in her left hand.

With her right hand, she slashed the throat of the fire magician who had been grinning smugly.

The man, still smirking, didn’t immediately realize he had been cut. As blood gushed from his wound, he tried to form the word ‘Why?’ but collapsed onto his back before he could speak.

Spinning gracefully, Gina took down another enemy.

But then, the last remaining assassin hurled a concealed weapon at her leg.

It struck her thigh, causing her to lose balance and fall.

The assassin rushed forward, ready to deliver the finishing blow.

“Gina!”

Calogero attempted to cast a Barrier – but his magic had run dry.

With his energy depleted, he collapsed.

“-You’ve wasted enough of my time!”

Just as the assassin raised his weapon to strike Gina.

“-Wind, cut through everything!”

Sensing the killing intent, the assassin twisted his body.

At that moment, razor-sharp wind magic, Wind Cutter, lashed out. Though the assassin had dodged, multiple deep cuts still tore through him. Had he failed to evade, he would have been sliced to pieces.

As Gina collapsed, she caught sight of Edward: his entire body drenched in blood, radiating an overwhelming aura of menace as he charged at the remaining assassin.

In an instant, the assassin who had been about to kill Gina realized he was at a disadvantage.

He could feel Edward’s sheer, unmatched strength.

The blood covering Edward was likely from his slain comrades – realizing this, the assassin sprang to his feet, ignoring both the fallen Gina and Calogero. He sprinted straight for the side exit, slipping through and slamming the door shut behind him. Quickly, he jammed a concealed weapon into the handle, ensuring it wouldn’t open easily, then ran as fast as he could.

“Damn it! This isn’t worth it! No one told me there’d be a monster like that! The whole team is wiped out!”

Cursing under his breath, he fled toward the neighboring country, contemplating his next move.

Calogero watched in a daze as Edward desperately called out to Gina, helping her to her feet.

He had misjudged him.

It might have been an act, but… that blood was likely from the enemies he had slain.

And that killing intent, so overwhelming that even the assassin, whose target was Calogero, had chosen to flee rather than fight. Edward was truly terrifying.

Suddenly, Edward shot a sharp glare at Calogero.

“Hey! You’re a priest, aren’t you!? If you can use holy magic, cast [Heal] on Gina! She got hurt saving you!”

Edward’s shout made Calogero respond in a hoarse voice.

“I… I want to… but… my magic… is depleted…”

Edward clicked his tongue in frustration and lifted Gina into his arms.

“You can wait. Gina comes first. …Though honestly, I’d love to just leave you behind!”

With that, he carried Gina into the castle.