Chapter 39: The Old Man Gets Attacked

My head, already swimming in confusion, couldn’t keep up with Fel’s completely unexpected words.

What in the world… is Fel talking about?

KRA-SHAAAAM!!

My question was drowned out by a deafening crash.

The dining room’s large, luxurious stained-glass window was shattered to pieces by an impact from outside.

And from the broken window frame, black shadows slipped one after another into the room without a sound.

Their numbers… are there ten or more of them?

All of them had their faces deeply covered by hoods, their entire bodies clad in jet-black attire.

Their strange appearance was as if darkness itself had taken human form.

And in their hands, they each gripped a sharp sword—short, but lethally sharp—that dully reflected the moonlight.

The air changed in an instant.

An unmistakable killing intent and the stench of death—a complete reversal of the sweet, dangerous atmosphere from moments ago—filled the room.

“Hk…!”

Emma-san and Mira-san reacted in a flash.

Emma-san grabbed my arm and reflexively pushed me behind her for protection.

Mira-san quickly stood beside her, fixing the intruders with a sharp glare.

The passionate expressions they had aimed at me moments before were gone, replaced by looks of cold vigilance.

Despite their attire of glamorous dresses and delicate, restrictive-looking heels, their stances and their gazes were purely those of battle-hardened warriors.

There wasn’t the slightest opening to be found.

“That black attire… could it be… the Holy Church’s special heretical operations unit… the ‘Shadow Needles’…”

Emma-san muttered in a low voice.

Her voice was laced with clear hostility and a hint of irritation.

“Why are they in a remote town like this…? Honestly… what a pain this has become… Taking on this many will be a pain, even for me. And at the moment, this is the only weapon I have on me…”

As Emma-san said this, she nonchalantly slipped a slender hand into the deep slit of her dress.

The fabric parted, boldly revealing a smooth, alluring thigh that was not normally visible.

Wrapped around it was a black lace garter belt.

And from it, with a practiced hand, she drew a single hidden dagger.

The blade, glinting in the moonlight, gave off a cold light that contrasted with her beauty.

“As expected of you, Mother. You’re well-prepared… I, too, have made preparations!”

Mira-san nodded beside her and, just like Emma-san, drew a dagger of what appeared to be a matching design from inside her dress’s skirt—most likely from her thigh as well—and held it in a reverse grip.

In that moment, she was no longer the lovely guild receptionist, but a ferocious predator facing its prey.

Then, the two of them glanced over at me,

“Besides… Mother… Mikami-san is here with us. If it comes to it… Mikami-san will do as he always does…”

“Mira… this is my estate, and Shuzo-san is our guest. It is proper etiquette for us, the masters of the house, to deal with this kind of rabble.”

“You’re right… of course. We can’t keep relying on Mikami-san forever… Still, that’s Mikami-san for you… To not even flinch in a situation like this…”

“Yes… that’s right. A gentleman really ought to be that composed…”

…they said, or something to that effect.

As for me…

I could only stand there, mouth agape, completely stunned by the surreal scene unfolding before my eyes.

One moment I thought Emma-san was about to kiss me, the next, the window shatters and a bunch of assassin-types barge in, and now Emma-san and Mira-san are striking a pose with daggers they pulled from their sexy outfits…

What in the world is going on…?

My brain had completely frozen, unable to process the situation.

The air in the dining room was chilled and taut, like a stretched string.

The soft light of the chandelier illuminated the polished silverware and lavish dishes, but contrary to the splendor, the room was filled with a bloodthirsty atmosphere.

Emma-san and Mira-san stood before me. A beautiful dress paired with a dagger was an incredible mismatch, but their stances were flawless.

Opposing them were the men in black who had entered through the window.

I couldn’t see the expressions beneath their hoods, but from their movements and killing intent, I could tell they were uncommonly skilled.

As for me, I’m completely out of the loop.

Hiding behind Emma-san, all I could do was stare dumbfounded at the extraordinary situation before me.

Even for an F-rank adventurer, isn’t this a little too pathetic…?

I’m a man, too. Shouldn’t I at least show some backbone and try to protect Emma-san and Mira-san…?

Then again… they’d probably just see it as me getting in the way…

Just then, it was Emma-san who broke the silence.

In a voice that was cold, yet never losing its noble grace, she addressed the group in black.

“My, my… what have we here? The Holy Church’s faithful hounds, all the way out in this remote town. Whatever could be the occasion? And to force your way into my estate through a window without permission, no less. Such dreadful manners.”

Her words were polite, but her voice dripped with clear contempt.

“…I shouldn’t think it possible, but is the Saint-sama… is Alicia-sama aware of this outrage?”

Her last words were a clear provocation.

The men in black were silent for a moment, but then one who appeared to be their leader spoke from beneath his hood, his voice muffled and full of hatred.

“…Don’t play dumb. You vixen of House Cattleas.”

House Cattleas… he means Emma-san.

But these guys are supposedly from the Holy Church…

Why would they suddenly break into Emma-san’s estate…?

The man in black continued.

“Had you simply holed yourself up in this remote town like a rat, we would have overlooked you. But it is another matter entirely if you harbor such an audacious ambition as to beguile the Saint-sama, using her name to claim the crown for yourself. We, the ‘Shadow Needles,’ will nip that wicked ambition in the bud, right here and now.”

“Me, using Alicia-sama to claim the crown?”

Hearing this, Emma-san’s shoulders shook as she let out a derisive chuckle.

Her perfect composure, even in a dress, seemed to further irritate her opponent.

“Hmph… What an absurd delusion. The Holy Church has quite the rich imagination, doesn’t it? Or perhaps one of the old men in the capital, ever-absorbed in their power struggles, whispered something into the Church’s ear…”

“Nonsense!”

The man’s voice was tinged with uncontrollable rage.

“The Saint-sama’s sudden ‘madness’… Her leaving the capital alone to visit that common fool of a man occurred only after she made contact with you! You must have whispered some wicked idea into her ear!”

The gazes of all the men turned to me at once.

Their eyes were filled with clear hatred.

I’m getting more and more confused.

It’s true that Alicia-san came to visit me, but for that to be treated as ‘madness’ and for Emma-san to be blamed for it…

Well… I guess you could call it a waste of the beloved Saint-sama’s precious time to visit an F-rank adventurer like me, even if we are acquaintances…

But still… even so, Emma-san has nothing to do with this, right?

No… Alicia-san did say she met with Emma-san before coming to the guild.

Emma-san must have complained then about how I was still clinging to the town’s guild.

And so the ever-dutiful Alicia-san went out of her way to come see me… is that it?

In any case, it’s not something to make such a big deal about.

And what’s more, bursting in with drawn blades is just insane.

While I was fuming over this outrage, Fel, sitting next to me, muttered something in a low, amused voice.

“Hmm, that Saint seems quite fixated on my Master. Humans are such foolish, amusing creatures. Truly, truly fascinating.”

Her golden eyes shone with curiosity, as if she were watching a play instead of the tense scene unfolding before her.

Seriously… how can she be so carefree in a situation like this?

The men in black are glaring at me, and it feels like they could attack at any second…

She’s got a lot of nerve for a kid…

Or maybe because she’s an orphan who grew up on the rough streets, she’s just used to this kind of thing?

Meanwhile, Emma-san and Mira-san were on guard, glaring at the men in black.

A tense, crackling atmosphere hung in the air; a battle could break out at any moment.

The men’s claims are completely baseless, but it looks like I’m the cause of all this.

If that’s the case… then I have a responsibility to persuade them.

I took a deep breath and said,

“Um… it seems like there’s been some kind of misunderstanding. I have nothing to do with Alicia-san… I mean, with the Saint-sama—”

Just then, Fel, who was next to me, let out a bored yawn and muttered cheerfully,

“Hmm… these ones seem to have a bit more backbone than yesterday’s rabble… but in the end, they are merely human. Very well. Master, watch this. I shall clean them up for you.”

“W-Wait, Fel! Hold on!”