I Was Sent to an All-Female Frontline Unit to Get Rid of Some of the Trouble, but the Most Beautiful Girls Who Are Rumored to Hate Men Love Me So Much That I Have a Hard Time at Night - Chapter 76: Assassination Plan Failure (3)

Chapter 76: Assassination Plan Failure (3)

“What… what happened…?”

Narcissus murmured while looking at the fallen subordinates who screamed in agony.

It was a momentary event.

And in that moment, Narcissus seemed unable to comprehend the situation, now standing alone.

But I couldn’t feel concerned for Narcissus at that moment.

More importantly…

“Narcissus, this is the sword of Sephia, whom you insulted. No, Sephia’s sword is hundreds of times greater than mine, so what you insulted is something hundreds of times beyond my current sword.”

“Sword… why do you wield a sword…? There’s no record of you handling a sword… no, it can’t be…”

“Yes. I learned the sword from Sephia after joining the frontline unit… and of course, it’s the Chevalier-style swordsmanship.”

“Chevalier-style, you say…? Don’t joke with me!”

Narcissus, who had been speechless, fueled words with anger and continued.

“A commoner like you, trained under a noble’s style, is unforgivable! That’s absolutely…!”

While speaking, Narcissus cast magic at me.

But, perhaps nearing physical and mental limits, the magic’s power and speed were feeble compared to the spells cast at the magic tournament, so I accurately deflected them with my sword.

Then, Elena placed her hand on my left shoulder.

“That’s enough, Finn… there’s no need to talk further with someone like this—I’ll end it.”

Elena raised her other hand toward Narcissus.

She channeled magical power into that hand.

Seeing this, Narcissus spoke with a shaken expression.

“Wait! Even if you’d take my subordinates’ lives, do you intend to take mine too!? I’m born of a duke’s family, promised an absolute position in the Luvankrum Empire’s military! To think you’d really—”

“I already said, didn’t I? This is self-defense… Besides, you tried to take Finn’s life, yet you thought your own would be spared?”

“Ugh…!”

Fear seeped into Narcissus’s face.

With physical and mental strength at their limits, facing Elena’s magic, such an expression was understandable.

And just as Elena prepared to cast her spell—

“Justifiable… that’s right! Wait! Elena Endyheart! And the others too! You’re all making a huge mistake!!”

“Mistake? If it’s a lie to beg for your life—”

“It’s not a lie! If you take my life here, you’ll absolutely regret it!!”

With his life on the line, Narcissus’s expression and tone carried desperate intensity.

It was as if he could no longer afford to care about appearances.

Then, Norn stepped forward.

“Hmm. To say we’d absolutely regret killing a beast who tried to take Finn’s life, unable to even hear his words… that’s quite an interesting claim. What’s the story behind that?”

As Norn asked, Elena dissipated the magical power in her hand and lowered it from Narcissus.

Then, Narcissus opened his mouth.

“To begin with, even though he’s a mere commoner and trainee, do you think I’d decide to assassinate an ally like him on my own judgment?”

“You’re the kind of person who’d hold a grudge over losing due to your own lack of skill, so I think it’s entirely possible you’d come to that conclusion.”

“Gu…!”

Narcissus briefly grimaced at Elena’s words.

But, given the life-or-death situation, he suppressed his anger and continued.

“I don’t know how much of the message you received, but didn’t the receptionist tell you I ordered you all to come here regardless of the match’s outcome?”

“That… I heard,” I answered, recalling.

Indeed, the receptionist said, “Regardless of the match’s outcome, after it ends, come to the arena’s basement to discuss military matters.”

“Then this makes it simple. Assassinating him here was decided beforehand, regardless of the match’s outcome.”

In other words, the grudge Narcissus held against me was merely emotional.

The decision to assassinate me had been made long before that emotion arose.

“But before fighting him, I personally had no reason to assassinate him… So, why did I decide to do it?”

Before continuing, he added:

“Do you know why he, even temporarily, was assigned to the frontline unit, the strongest in the Luvankrum Empire’s military?”

“Because Finn is exceptional, isn’t he?” Elena replied.

“That’s the official story, but the reality is different… The higher-ups who decided to send him to the frontline didn’t believe he’d survive the intense battles there.”

“Didn’t believe he’d survive…? But then, why send Finn to the frontline?”

Something I had kept to myself for so long.

Something I avoided sharing because it would only darken the mood.

As Elena asked the question that held the answer, Narcissus, whose face had been grim, raised the corners of his mouth for the first time in a while and said:

“To dispose of him.”

“…What?”

Elena let out a confused voice filled with dark, cold anger.

“What did that guy just say…?”

“Teraward-kun…”

“Dispose…?”

The others also voiced their confusion.

While recalling my superior’s words, I listened to Narcissus, who began speaking again.

“Despite being a commoner, his excellence is a nuisance to us nobles… Of course, excellence means strength in battle, but when weighing his existence in terms of benefits versus drawbacks, the higher-ups judged the drawbacks greater. And I agree.”

“Finn’s existence… a drawback…?”

“If I’ve said this much, you should understand why I was trying to assassinate him, right?”

With an exaggerated gesture, Narcissus declared forcefully:

“Because his assassination was ordered by the Luvankrum Empire’s military higher-ups! They desire his death! So, as soldiers, you should now know what to do! Yes… Finn Teraward, a mere commoner and trainee, must be assassinated immediately—”

“Shut up already.”

“What…?”

Elena, speaking in a cold tone, raised her hand toward Narcissus again.

She channeled magical power into that hand.

Perhaps not expecting Elena’s action, Narcissus’s face paled.

“Idiot…! You’d go against me, who’s acting under the higher-ups’ orders—”

“I already disliked the higher-ups, but if they saw Finn as a drawback and planned to assassinate him, that’s the last straw. To think they made Finn suffer so much for such a pathetic reason… I’ll never forgive them.”

“Eek…!”

Narcissus let out a terrified cry at Elena’s words, her hollow eyes revealing killing intent.

“Everyone… this is okay, right?”

As Elena asked, everyone nodded with cold eyes and expressions.

“Yes, Elena-senpai.”

“No need to even ask.”

“I’ll burn him to ashes…”

Hearing their responses, Elena glanced at Sephia and Norn.

Sephia, with cold eyes and expression, spoke:

“Of course, I have no issue… Rather, those who tried to do such things to Finn should face appropriate retribution.”

Nodding at Sephia’s words, Norn, with hollow eyes but upturned lips, spoke:

“Appropriate, huh? What would be good… No matter what retribution we give to those who tried to take Finn’s life, it feels like it wouldn’t be enough, so I’m kinda stumped.”

Having confirmed their intentions, Elena finally turned her gaze to me beside her.

Her eyes were incredibly warm.

“This action might make us enemies of the Luvankrum Empire’s military… What do you think, Finn?”

What I want to do now…

That’s already decided.

“There was never a place for me in the Luvankrum Empire’s military to begin with… More than that, I want to be with all of you, not the military. So, even if it means leaving the military, I don’t mind… Rather, what about you, Elena and the others—”

“We feel the same as you, Finn. We want to be with you forever… So.”

Blinking once and turning toward Narcissus, Elena’s eyes turned hollow.

“That’s why—I’ll never forgive anyone who tries to take Finn’s life.”

“Eek…! Eeeeek…!”

Letting out an unprecedented scream of terror, Narcissus hurriedly stood.

He turned his back to us and rushed toward the door.

But—

“Inferno, the Purgatory Blaze.”

Before Narcissus could touch the door, a massive flame of magical power erupted from Elena’s hand—

“Arghhhhhhhhhhh!!”

When the smoke and dust from the flames cleared, Narcissus, whose voice had echoed through the space, had vanished without a trace.

◆◇◆

At the Luvankrum Empire’s military headquarters, in the meeting room, the higher-ups were eagerly awaiting Narcissus’s report, chatting cheerfully since some time had passed since the expert match ended.

Amid this, a purple-haired woman sat quietly in her seat until—

“Excuse me!!”

A person, presumably Narcissus’s messenger, entered the meeting room.

Deandre, in high spirits, spoke up.

“Oh, you’re here! Did Narcissus carry out the plan as intended?”

“Well, that’s…”

The messenger hesitated briefly but then spoke with a heavy expression.

“Lord Narcissus was defeated by Finn Teraward in the expert match… and likely failed to assassinate Finn Teraward as well.”

“What…!?”

The moment those words were spoken, the previously cheerful meeting room fell silent, and Deandre and the others were left stunned by the unexpected turn of events.