Chapter 29: Assassination

The arrow, poised to strike, shot toward Selina.

By the time she reacted, it was too late.

The arrow aimed directly at her heart, and the archer’s skill was absolutely top-tier.

There was no room to dodge.

Her third-order magic power was completely useless.

Could this really be where she ended?

The situation unfolded in an instant, leaving no time to think.

Even the figure lurking in the shadows thought the same.

An uncontrollable nausea overcame her, and she turned to vomit her dinner.

And yet.

In the darkness, a brilliant flash of flame tore across the sky.

“Watch out!!!”

It was fire.

A blade made of fire.

That light illuminated the night, and in that moment, her figure seemed truly towering.

The flame blade drew a beautiful arc in midair, as if slicing through the night itself.

The dazzling figure was unforgettable.

That single slash was etched into Selina’s memory.

Melrose appeared out of nowhere, wielding a longsword forged from flames.

Like a divine warrior descending from the heavens, she knocked the arrow down.

Compared to this blaze, the distant lights of the sleepless city seemed to dim.

Her gaze was stern.

She was clearly serious.

The flames lighting up the night also revealed the figure of the archer.

She glanced behind her, as if hesitating whether to give chase.

But after seeing Selina’s expression, she didn’t hesitate a second.

Gripping the flame blade, she charged forward.

“Don’t think you can run!!!”

The fire on her blade illuminated the surrounding terrain.

In one swift step, Melrose reached the archer’s side.

She brought the sword down.

The opponent instinctively blocked with the bow.

As the clang of metal echoed in Melrose’s ears, the flames on the blade let her see the enemy’s face.

“A puppet???”

In the moment of her surprise, the puppet headbutted her square in the forehead.

As she lost focus, the puppet dropped the bow and tried to flee.

But that move only enraged Melrose.

She took a deep breath, then exhaled heavily.

Steam rose from the corners of her mouth from the heat.

She assumed a stance to draw her blade, muttering under her breath.

“Flame Blade—Slash.”

As the words fell, her figure vanished.

Because it was nighttime, Selina saw it all clearly.

A streak of flowing fire bloomed in the sky, like a golden flower in full blossom.

The blade light wrapped in flames was exceptionally beautiful, slicing the puppet into pieces in a stunning display.

The fragments caught fire and burned away in midair.

Finally, Melrose landed with a very cool finish.

“Are you okay? What was that thing?”

Selina asked anxiously.

“I’m fine. That was a puppet, controlled by a puppeteer. High-level work. The puppeteer is probably nearby. Let’s find them now.”

Melrose looked around, her gaze sweeping every corner, sword in hand.

An assassination right under her nose?

Don’t they want to live?

Selina swallowed.

She was stronger than Selina had imagined.

Even though she looked young, she was already at the sixth order.

Even more impressive than Sela back then…

Selina hadn’t noticed before, but when Melrose used her magic, her eyes glowed slightly red.

In a corner not far away.

Even though she had just tried to assassinate someone, seeing Selina unharmed actually made her breathe a sigh of relief.

That flash of flame in the sky was especially conspicuous.

It must have alerted the city guard.

She had to leave quickly.

But there was no chance to escape right now.

Melrose was scouring every inch of the area like a hawk.

The flame blade in her hand was no joke.

Fortunately, Aili had prepared a backup plan.

A small puppet activated at the predetermined spot and ran wildly in the opposite direction.

Sensing the movement, Melrose immediately dashed in that direction.

Once a certain distance was opened, Aili stood up and trudged a few steps.

Her legs had gone numb from squatting too long!

Stumbling, she rolled out of the bushes in the green belt.

Then, using the fastest speed of her life, she staggered into a run.

Selina suddenly looked back and saw a small black figure flash by.

She wanted to give chase, but she had to consider whether she could win.

She didn’t even have a weapon in her hands.

At that moment, Aili noticed Selina watching her.

Aili chose to ignore her.

She skirted around Selina and sprinted toward the predetermined escape route.

As she ran, she turned her head to see if Selina was following.

But Selina just stood there, as if hesitating about something.

Aili couldn’t care less.

The city guard would be here any minute.

She couldn’t get caught.

A few minutes later, Melrose came back dragging a small puppet.

“Sorry, the puppeteer got away.”

Her expression didn’t change, and her tone was flat, but her eyes showed a hint of disappointment.

“The city guard is here. Let’s explain to them first.”

Selina pointed at a squad of order knights approaching.

The heavy sound of their footsteps was the prelude to their arrival.

Melrose’s influence was greater than Selina had expected.

After a few brief words, the order knights withdrew.

Guess that won’t be tomorrow’s headline news, she thought.

The two of them returned to the house in silence.

“Do you have any enemies lately?”

Selina shook her head.

“Puppeteers are a type of mage. A very niche branch. Only a very few noble families have mastered it.”

Melrose shared what she knew.

“Given your abilities, you have no connection to mages—hardly any point of overlap. I think that puppeteer was acting on someone’s orders.”

Selina was silent.

She sat at the dining table, looking out the window.

“Do you… know something?”

“No, I don’t. I just think that when the Empire and the Church both try to recruit me, someone’s bound to take offense and want to nip me in the bud. That seems normal to me.”

“Whether out of jealousy or interests, it’s not strange. Who knows? Maybe that person is a rabid fan of the Saintess.”

Melrose looked at Selina.

Seeing her distant expression, she found it odd.

Selina was the one who had been assassinated, yet she wasn’t as worried as Melrose.

Melrose sighed inwardly and said, “That puppeteer should be at the fifth order. With me protecting you, you’ll be safe.”

Just as Hajime was feeling anxious, Selina suddenly smiled.

“Then I’ll trouble you.”

‘So that little one is fifth order, huh.’

‘This time, I had no way to defend myself.’

‘I really need to raise my magic rank and learn skills quickly. Otherwise, I won’t survive in the Imperial Capital.’

Selina looked out the window.

No one knew what she was thinking.

“Sleep with me tonight.”

“Huh? Sure—wait, what did you just say???”

Selina froze, staring at Hajime in disbelief.

‘So that’s her angle!!!’

Selina felt like Melrose’s lips were barely holding back a smile.

Then, without another word, Melrose hoisted Selina onto her shoulder and headed for the bathroom.

“The bathwater’s ready anyway. We might as well wash together.”

What a joke!

Hajime!

Put me down!!!

I’ll wash myself!!!!

What do you do when a third-order meets an overbearing sixth-order?

This wasn’t some washed-up Goblin King.

This was a sixth-order powerhouse with speed, strength, and technique.

No matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t resist that absolute gap in power.

Selina gave up.

She lay limp on the bed like a dead fish.

Answer: Deal with it.