kscans

Chapter 252 - Weakling, Weakling

Once the party began, everyone started eating, drinking, and chatting with those nearby. A large crowd gathered around the King, and they continued their cheerful conversation.

After a while, a man ascended the dais. It was Lydia-chan’s father.

"Your Highness, my sincerest congratulations on this occasion." Lydia-chan’s father knelt before Arc and offered his felicitations.

"I thank you. Together with Lydia, I hope to make this country a better place. I have high expectations of you."

"Yes, Your Highness. I am truly honored." With that, Lydia-chan’s father stood and returned to his spot. Then, the next man came up to the dais and offered his congratulations to Arc. One by one, they came forward to say a word or two of praise.

"Um, Eleanor-sama, are you drinking too much?" Mia asked with concern as she brought a second bottle to pour into my glass.

"This is a gesture of celebration. Besides, if that man over there tries anything with Arc, I can slice him in two before he even moves."

As I said this, the man currently kneeling before Arc looked at me with a startled expression.

"Ernest, pay this person no mind."

"Yes, Your Highness." After offering his congratulations to Arc, Ernest-san descended from the dais.

"Damn witch, please just be quiet."

"Yes, yes…"

I continued my guard duty for Arc, drinking wine as he received congratulations. But nothing happened. The guests simply offered brief felicitations and quickly left the dais. After all the guests had spoken, the alcohol seemed to be taking effect, and the venue grew lively with chatter.

"That’s the end of it. Now we just have to stand here."

"How boring."

"I told you so."

It really was boring. After that, no one else came up to the dais. Only Mia went back and forth, bringing more wine. I had no clock, so I didn’t know how much time had passed, but gradually the food and wine began to run out. The people who had been surrounding the King returned to their tables, one by one. When the last man, Lydia-chan’s father, gave the King a deep bow and returned to his place, the King ascended the dais and looked out at the guests. The noisy crowd fell silent and turned their attention to him.

In the next instant, I sensed a presence.

"Na-na-ka-saaan, you need to watch your back too."

As I spoke, everyone looked at me, and even the King turned around.

"Huh? Huh? Oh…"

I grabbed the invisible Nanapon from behind me and switched places with her. Then, drawing my sword from my hood, I stepped forward and swung down. A sharp gin sound rang out as metal struck metal, and a faint spark flew.

"Oh? To block my sword… that’s impressive…"

"Kuh…" A muffled male voice came from the empty space in front of me.

"An intruder?" the King shouted, and a stir went through the hall. The doors burst open, and several armed soldiers rushed in. Incidentally, when I sensed the presence vanish, I looked over and saw that Arc and Lydia-chan were already gone.

They sure run fast…

As I was marveling at that, the sensation at the tip of my sword disappeared. He must have backed away.

"Eleanor-san, to your left."

"I know." My Presence Detection skill is extremely useful.

With that same skill, I could tell the soldiers were about to come up onto the dais.

"Stay back," I ordered, and the soldiers froze.

"Eleanor." The King called my name.

"You’ll be in the way. They’re no match for him."

For him to block a swing I meant to kill with was quite something. Especially with this exceptionally sharp sword that cost a million yen…

"Eleanor, I leave it to you." Yoshino-san, her charges having disappeared, went over to the King’s side. At that moment, the assassin moved.

"Where do you think you’re going?" I called out to stop the invisible assassin as he tried to inch his way backward.

"Who are you? I’ve never seen your face before."

I didn’t want to hear that from someone who was invisible.

"Fufu, to not know of the Golden Witch… Well, I suppose I am unknown in these parts."

"Witch…"

"I’ll be kind and give you a warning. Drop your weapon and surrender." As I said that, the air filled with killing intent.

"You’re all the same… Can’t you even tell how outmatched you are?"

Just like last time, these guys who turn invisible are no good.

"Don’t underestimate me…!"

The man took the bait and lunged forward. I stepped in as well and raised my sword. Then, I lightly hopped to the side and brought my sword down.

"Guuh!" A man’s voice cried out as fresh blood splattered. An arm, still clutching a sword, fell to the floor with a thud.

"Eek!"

Along with Nanapon’s pathetic scream, the invisible man started running toward a hidden door.

"You fool…" I picked up the sword with the severed arm still attached and threw it toward the hidden door.

"Gah!"

Just as I intended, the sword hit the man’s leg, and he seemed to have tripped.

"As if you could get away." I walked slowly toward the man.

"Kuh! Guh…!"

Hm?

I heard the man’s muffled voice, and then his body appeared, lying on the floor. He wasn’t moving at all and didn’t seem to be alive.

I went to the man and crouched down.

"He’s dead."

The man’s eyes were wide open, and he wasn’t moving a muscle. I checked for a pulse but felt nothing. He was definitely not alive.

"Guards."

"Yes, sir."

At the King’s command, the soldiers approached. I stood up and returned to my original position. Feeling tired, I sat down in Arc’s now-empty chair. I could see Yoshino-san whispering something in the King’s ear.

"Everyone, it appears we had an intruder. It is a shame to have our celebration spoiled, but I am glad you are all safe. We will end the party here for today."

After the King’s announcement, the guests exchanged looks but began to file out of the room. A soldier approached the King.

"We believe it was poison…"

So it was suicide, just as I thought.

"I see. I’ll leave the rest to you."

The King gave instructions to the soldiers and maids, then came over to me with Yoshino-san.

"Nanaka-san, drink an invisibility potion."

"Yes." Just as the King approached, Nanapon reappeared.

"Good work. To think he would come from behind."

"I figured he’d come from there. It was the longest distance, after all."

With guards present, a frontal approach would have been too conspicuous and difficult.

"I was worried when you were chugging all that wine, but it seems you were doing your job."

"I was hoping to bait him into a frontal attack by acting off-guard, but he came from behind as expected. His sword skills were decent, and the fact that he used an invisibility potion means whoever hired him is wealthy."

Arc had told me that invisibility potions were rare.

"That is not a problem. I have a good idea who the mastermind is."

"You do?"

"Yoshino told me."

Was that what she whispered earlier?

"Did you figure something out?" I asked Yoshino-san.

"The moment Arc and Lydia teleported, I was watching the guests. One man in particular made a frustrated face the instant the assassin’s arm was cut off by you. The others were all looking away from the shocking sight."

"I see."

Yoshino-san has Perfect Memory, so there was no doubt she was right.

"We’ll handle the rest. Thank you for your hard work today."

"Well then, I suppose I’ll be heading home……… huh? How am I supposed to get back?"

Arc was gone. And the King can’t teleport to my house.

"For now, I will send you to a guest room in the mansion. Please wait there. I believe Arc will return eventually."

The underground place… I should have told Arc to teleport there instead of my house…