Pick Me Up!

I spoke to Priasis, who was tense, with a determined expression.

“Stay here. When I give you the signal, run outside.”

“Even if you get hurt?”

“Even if I die.”

“……Understood.”

Priasis slowly moved with me through the alley connected to the main road.

Just before entering, she looked at me and whispered softly.

“This might be our last time together.”

“It could be.”

If Jenna, dressed as the princess, was spotted, the forces of the entire city would converge. With me absent and Aaron injured as well, the party might get wiped out before Aaron’s death.

I moved forward, muffling my footsteps.

As I approached the city gate, a strange sensation swept over me, as if my body’s senses were disappearing.

[Skill Awakened!]

[‘Han (★★)’ has acquired ‘Stealth’!]

‘…’

It was a skill useful for reducing the likelihood of being detected by monsters, a skill that thieves or rogues might learn.

I seemed to be able to learn it because I hadn’t yet undergone job advancement. The outline of my body hidden in the shadows became even fainter. I approached the gate, close enough to distinguish their faces. Priasis was hidden in the alley, only her head peeking out as she looked in my direction.

The enemy count: 22.

I didn’t know how many would stay after the baiting.

In the worst case, I might have to fight all the enemies here.

I silently moved forward, dagger in hand.

About 20 minutes later, the unexpected happened.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Crash!

From a distant corner of the city, along with explosive sounds, a massive whirlwind of flames erupted. The flickering blaze temporarily illuminated the city. I hurriedly hid behind a nearby trash bin.

A dazed soldier widened his eyes.

“What’s that?!”

Soon, crimson flames surged into the sky with a roaring sound. The flames colored the dark sky with their fiery hues, resembling a fireworks display.

‘Looks like she safely joined them.’

However, this was Eolka’s doing.

The direction of the fire was upward. There was no reason to shoot flames into the sky. It was a show to attract attention. And it was a signal to me.

A little later, soldiers rushed from the other side of the main road.

A soldier approached the commander of the waiting troops at the gate and whispered something.

Presumably, the commander asked, “Have you found her?”

“Yes, she’s in a white dress with a golden crown. Just like the intelligence described. However, there’s chaos among the escort troops… it seems reinforcements are needed.”

The commander nodded and began giving orders to the soldiers behind him.

Soon, soldiers marched out of the gate, each holding a torch. I counted the number of soldiers leaving behind the trash bin.

“Two, three, four, ten, fifteen, eighteen.”

Out of 22, 18 were gone.

Only four soldiers remained at the gate. It was better than expected.

The only regret was that the knight I had been watching hadn’t left. Clad in black armor, the knight stood at the entrance like a statue.

“As quickly as possible.”

I drew my sword slightly from its sheath.

All torches were gathering at a certain point. Screams and shouts echoed from nearby places. There were hundreds of soldiers gathered there. There was little room for error.

Priasis in the alley met my gaze.

She whispered to me as if encouraging me.

“Let’s do it.”

I stood up.

And in an instant, I emerged from the shadows. A soldier who had been holding onto a torch noticed me.

Swoosh!

The gleam of the sword flashed, and the soldier’s neck jerked. Blood spurted from the decapitated body.

The soldier next to him quickly grabbed his waist.

“What…?”

The sword, which had cleanly cut through one neck, sliced through the second one easily.

The sensation of bones being severed sharply reached my wrist. The last remaining soldier on the other side of the torch fire met my gaze as he observed the flames rising to the sky.

I smirked and threw the dagger from my belt.

The soldier clutched the dagger stuck in his throat, disbelief in his eyes, then collapsed.

It took just two seconds to kill three soldiers.

Only one knight remained.

I tightened my grip on the sword.

Although I couldn’t see his face behind the visor, I could tell he wasn’t shaken. He remained motionless as if frozen in place.

I spun the blood-stained sword in a circle.

“Step aside. Then I won’t kill you.”

“……”

The knight silently drew the sword hanging at his back.

Though more like a hunk of iron than a weapon, the massive sword moved with incredible fluidity.

‘Seems words won’t work.’

I didn’t think they would anyway.

I took a short breath. The knight was clad in sturdy full plate mail. With my current abilities, I couldn’t penetrate the armor entirely. I had to target the joints in the steel plates.

‘Not much of an opening.’

At a glance, it seemed the knight was standing still, but he was in a stance where he could deflect an attack at any moment. He was a step, or no, at least two steps above the temple’s knights in skill.

The knight didn’t make the first move.

In this game of cat and mouse, I was the impatient one.

I positioned the sword horizontally and thrust. My target was the joint where the elbow’s steel plate connected. If I exert enough force, I might pierce the armor.

Clang!

The knight deflected the thrust with his greatsword. I moved to the side and aimed for his left. The knight blocked it again, this time above. Then I aimed low. Blocked.

“……”

I gathered all my strength and swung down.

The knight held the greatsword with both hands to block. Blue sparks flew from the clash of our blades.

‘This guy…’

I stepped back three paces.

The knight spread his greatsword. Cold eyes behind the visor were fixed on me.

‘He won’t attack.’

I intentionally created openings between attacks, but he didn’t counter.

He remained at the entrance, unyielding and focused on defense and guarding.

The reason was clear.

I bit my lip.

‘He knows that even if he just buys time, he wins.’

By now, Aaron’s party and the soldiers were probably engaged in a fierce battle.

We couldn’t hold out for long. If things continued this way, it would be a wipeout. Not just a wipeout, but when the expedition force returned, both Priasis and I would die.

I spoke in a low voice.

“Step out of the gate.”

“……Argh.”

A scraping sound, like iron on iron, emanated from between the visor.

If I cleared a path, I might be able to get Priasis through while holding the knight back.

But the knight didn’t budge. He was still standing at the entrance.

“Then die.”

[‘Han (★★)’ has entered a frenzy state!]

——————— –

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