On our way home, I stopped by the market to buy some ornaments. I suggested to the party that we should celebrate Elird’s place at the tournament. I suggested buying the ornaments while the girls, with Takana being their escort, buy ingredients for foods and other things.

At the distance, sunset loomed. As lampposts grew brighter, people slowly went to back to their houses as the end of the day came near. People lighted their lamps in their houses and establishments. Little by little, stalls were being dismantled and put in boxes to be of use tomorrow.

Because of that, the market was less crowded. I was able to buy the ornaments I needed with comfort and ease.

Now, I just have to go home.

Carrying two bags full of decorations, I walked through the almost empty street. The festivity had died down and like the empty street, a devoid feeling took shape in my heart as I remembered the warm and fun interactions we had at the festival.

Although, it was a sad ending. I hope I can perform well at the tournament. If only there was no crowd at all.

The tournament for the Champion bracket would start the day after tomorrow. But there was a problem. I wasn’t good with being the center of attention. I often had stage fright. It would be fine if there were only few strangers but hundreds of eyes staring at you? No. Just no. I didn’t even want to think of it.

As I was thinking of how to I will get over my fear, I momentarily saw a reflection of light in the dark. I ignored it and thought of it as mere works of my surroundings but then…

Seconds later, a throwing knife buried itself deep in my left shoulder, near my heart.

I groaned in pain as they caught me off guard but I had no time for that. I had to start running if I want to live. While running, I quickly pulled out the knife. I felt the intense pain as I strongly bite my teeth. After that, I ripped my sleeve to make a spontaneous cloth and put it over the wound.

Another assailant threw a dagger at me but I managed to block it with the bag I carried. I threw away the bag and hid in a corner of an establishment.

Are they thieves? Or are they assassins? Based on their actions, I’d say they’re assassins, they even have many daggers to throw at me. But why would they target me?

Usually, Assassins targeted high-profile people. People with money, fame and power. Did I have any of those? No, I was a nobody. Why would someone want to kill a nobody?

As I rested on the wall, from above, the enemy jumped down. They aimed their dagger at me. I stood up and quickly dodged the attack. I made a run for it but one of the assassin blocked my way.

Now, both of them were on my way. One from the front and one from the behind.

I should have brought my weapon. I cursed myself for being too lax. If I wanted to get out of here alive, I had two bring down these two.

Observing them, the enemy wore all-black clothes. Even their head was covered with a mask. It seemed they were also both men. They both had daggers as their primary choice of weapon and they must have hidden tools. In a battlefield, an Assassin was the most equipped.

The silver lining in all of these was there were only two assassins. But it would still be hard. I had a time limit on me. I was bleeding a lot. And the wound didn’t help, either.

I should use Shakna’s power now…If I die, she dies, too. The problem was not dealing with these two but afterwards. What if they had reinforcements? Using my trump card too early might turn out to be a fatal mistake. Right now, there were far too many unknown factors to be able to conceive a solid plan.

It’s not like I don’t know any hand-to-hand combat… Marsha had taught me some hand-to-hand combat. Though, having a weapon was definitely the best when fighting someone, the hands could also be used for that purpose. Assassins must be able to carry out their killings with everything they had in their body, and that included the hand itself.

The Assassin in front of me leapt at me with the intent to kill as he pointed his dagger at me. I dodged it and punched him in the face with my right hand. I then kicked him away to face the Assassin behind me.

But before I could, the Assassin threw daggers at my back. Facing his friend, I was unable to dodge them. I felt the excruciating pain as multiple knives pierced the soft flesh of my back.

They were playing with me, at this point. They both knew I couldn’t take them both if one of them maintained their distance. As I was thinking of using Shakna’s power, another surprise presented itself. Whether this surprise was a good thing or not was another surprise.

“Oh my,” Suddenly, from the top of the establishment, a silhouette appeared. The silhouette's feminine voice drew all of our attention. “Are you having a wondrous afternoon, Terrin?”

That’s…

I didn’t know what should be my reaction. But I took a trick from Takana and Elird.

When in despair, smile. My smile sucked, though. I laughed pathetically at the fact that I couldn’t even smile properly.

“I was having a wondrous day…If it weren’t for these two…” I said grimacing. “How about you…? What does…a noble like you doing in this dark alley, huh, Elis?”

The silhouette jumped down from the roof of an establishment as the silhouette came into view, revealing Elis from the Crista family. After she easily landed, she put her fan below her eyes, concealing half of her face.

She slowly walked towards me. I said slowly because that was what it looked like. Nobody was able to act. Her feet took one step and the next thing I knew, she moved near to my back. I twisted my body a bit to face her but not too much that I wouldn't see the assassins.

“That’s rather painful, isn’t it?” She touched and slightly pushed the knife in.

It was absolutely painful. “Y-Yes, it is…So, please, don’t touch it carelessly…”

“That makes me want to touch it more, you know?” She passionately said as I saw her body shivered and she let out what sounded like a blissful moan.

Okay, there’s definitely something wrong with this woman.

Our short interaction when the quiet assassins started to speak. “Who are you, lady?”

“Hm? Aren’t you an impolite man?” Elis tone of voice changed towards one of the assassin. It seemed she was…furious.

Is she angry because they tried to kill me? I brushed off the delusions forming in my mind. There was just no way she’d be angry for my sake. It wouldn’t make any sense.

“I suppose you can take care of the other one, right?”

“Not really…I don’t even think I can move myself…” I was surprised I wasn’t even dead yet.

She shrugged and smiled. “I guess, the more the merrier.”

So, she is here to help me…but what was she doing here in the first place? Wait, can she even fight?

“Well, I’m going to enjoy playing with you two,”

Her fan suddenly folded and protruded a metal stick from the top and bottom. The transformation looked so fast and clean I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. The fan had turned into a beautiful metal staff.

The assassin dashed towards Elird with ease. He wasn’t afraid even though Elis produced a metal staff from practically nowhere.

“Prae, Femel, Haris, Sou. Fauna Entrapment.”

The assassin thrusted her sword towards her but stopped just as his sword stopped practically an inch away from her chest. Seemingly, he didn’t stop but was forced to. The assassin looked towards his feet to find a thick plant strongly wrapped around it. He tried his best to pull it but the thick plant wouldn't even budge.

A mage…

“Prae, Femel, Sou. Fauna Cocoon.” The thick plant quickly wrapped his entire body in plants and soon turned into a cocoon. The cocoon moved violently as the man inside thrashed around.

The ranged assassin tried to help his friend by throwing a dagger to her but Elis easily dodged it. She eyed the last assassin, and in fear, the ranged assassin tried to flee, throwing smoke bombs to an already dark alley.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

Smoke fought with the air as it quickly filled the dark alley. In a matter of seconds, the ranged assassin couldn’t be seen yet Elis casually walked towards the center of the smoke with no worries on her face.

“Prae, Femel, Sou. Fauna Cocoon.” Just as quickly as it spread, the smoke vanished, revealing another cocoon thrashing on the ground.

“How did you catch him…?”

“I already caught both of them when I chanted my first magic. It wasn’t only for the guy in front of me.” She nonchalantly said. Her metal staff contracted and soon turned into the enchanting fan. How does that even work?

And with that, I was saved and thankfully didn’t have to use Shakna’s power. Or am I really safe now? She casually walked to me as I tried my best to keep my focus and my guard up.

“Well, that was fun,” Elis held her hands in delight. “Han, Hon, please do take care of the bodies. Sefi, do help me carry him to the nearest temple. I wouldn’t want my fellow competitor dying here. It’s simply a bad publicity for the Tournament.” Two men in suit who looked almost exactly the same and a tall, stern-looking woman appeared beside Elis.

“As you wish, my lady.” They said in unison.

So, she’s part of the Tournament? I still don’t have an answer why she was here tonight, though. Crap, I can’t think straight anymore… I believed I had lost too much blood. I barely had the strength to stand.

As the stern-looking woman, Sefi, started to carry me, a familiar voice shouted in the distance.

“Terrin!”

Suddenly, sparks flew in front my eyes. The dull clanging of both swords rang loudly to my ears.

A misunderstanding ensued.

Merry had transformed into her beast form and immediately attacked Sefi. Along with Kihana, it seemed they were here to help me. And not knowing these people were here to help me, Merry tried to save me.

What was surprising was the fact Sefi held out against Merry’s beast form. Sefi used one hand to block the attack while Merry used both of her hands, putting a lot of her strength in that one attack. Just like the Borins, the Cristas had their own absurdly strong, peculiar guards and servants.

“Merry, don’t attack them…They’re the ones who saved me…” I said weakly.

“It’s true. Our lady Elis has saved your friend from his death.” Sefi said in a frigid monotone.

For a moment, they both looked in each other’s eyes. The momentous glare broke as Merry conceded and sheathed her sword.

“Kihana, come here quickly!”

Kihana came and put her hands over my wounds. “May Shaina's sacred mercies envelop you…Heal!” She repeated until all my wounds were healed.

Well, that was certainly a close one…

Merry carried me in her back. “Please forgive me for rushing into a dangerous conclusion. Thank you very much for saving Terrin, Lady Elis.” Merry and Kihana expressed their gratitude by bowing.

“No need to thank me at all,” Elis femininely put her hands behind her back as she smiled. It was a cute gesture but what she said next made the gesture too… questionable. “I would have left him to die if only one of the assailants knew who I was...”

Damn, so I’m alive because one of them didn’t know who she is? Nobles are crazy.

“We shall be on our way, Terrin,” Elis turned around. “Don’t worry, we’ll meet again soon…” Her voice slowly disappeared in the dark.

I rested on the back of Merry. The scent of her was like a lullaby to my nose and I felt drowsy. Having someone you could fully trust relaxed my body, and with that, my eyes slowly closed itself.