Charlotte looked at the girl who had suddenly appeared before him, his expression unchanged, not even a hint of surprise on his face.
Bella, on the other hand, seemed a bit taken aback. “Ah, did you already know I would come to take your life?”
Charlotte was perfectly calm, as always. “I originally thought the invitation would come tomorrow. I didn’t expect Miss Bella to be so impatient, wanting to see me tonight.”
“That’s right. Father gave me an absolute order—there’s no way you can show up at the Emperor’s Banquet. These few days are our last chance to make a move.”
Bella spoke as if she were discussing the weather, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the hilt of her sword.
She had a Sacred Relic that could completely hide her presence, as well as the strength of a Fourth-Rank Swordsman.
Tonight, this courtyard would be Charlotte’s burial ground—this confidence gave a careless smile to her eyes.
“Marquis Charlotte, honestly, I do like you quite a bit. How about… before you go, we have a little romance? Oh, and it’s just you—I only feel this way for you, you’re special.”
She spun, showing off her pure white gown.
As the skirt fluttered, the bright hilt of her sword on her fair back stood out sharply. “Do you like it? I changed into it just for you.”
Charlotte felt no ripple in his heart, just a bit speechless.
Are all girls like this? Always making up melodramatic stage plays in their heads—A Great Magus falling for an Apprentice, a Noble in love with a Servant, children of Mortal Enemies developing feelings for each other…
And now, the person trying to kill him wants to start a romance? Assessment: perverted drama queen, just adding more to her own performance.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you scared stiff?” Bella covered her lips with a light laugh.
“Or are you thinking about how to escape? Let me tell you, no one can save you tonight. Or maybe you’re thinking about Floleen, hoping she’ll run away?”
She continued to dissect Charlotte’s “thoughts,” but there was nothing of the sort in his mind.
“Oh my, so deeply devoted.” Bella feigned regret.
“With a beautiful girl like me right in front of you, and you’re still thinking about another woman. But it’s fine, I’ll reunite you both soon.”
Before she finished speaking, her long purple sword sang from its sheath, its cold blade wrapped in fierce battle aura, slashing straight for Charlotte’s face!
Charlotte only leaned to the side, letting the sword edge brush past his shoulder.
The shockwave of sharp battle aura sliced through the carefully pruned flowers in the courtyard, leaves and branches flying, dirt spraying everywhere.
He took the opportunity to raise his knee, landing a precise kick to the side of the sword blade.
The force sent a jolt up Bella’s arm, almost making her lose her grip on the sword.
“If you want to kill me, at least aim properly.” Charlotte’s tone carried a trace of mockery.
“A Fourth-Rank Swordsman, and you can’t even hold your sword steady?”
“About to die, and still talking like that? Do you really think you can escape after a Magus like you has been forced into close quarters by me?!”
She lunged again, her sword tip swirling in tricky patterns, striking for Charlotte’s throat, heart, and other vital points.
A pale blue glow suddenly burst beneath Charlotte’s feet. Three Magic Circles instantly formed, cold air spreading outward from him as the center.
Bella had just stepped forward when her ankle was frozen by creeping ice crystals, her movement pausing for a split second.
She was shocked—how could a Third-Rank Magus cast spells so quickly?
But after all, she was a Fourth-Rank Swordsman.
Battle aura exploded from her, a pale golden light shattering the ice at her ankle.
At the same time, her body sped up, darting at Charlotte like an arrow, her right fist wrapped in battle aura, landing solidly on his chest!
Battle aura burst from her, smashing apart the ice that was about to entangle her, then she dashed at Charlotte at incredible speed, her punch landing squarely on him.
With a muffled “thump,” Charlotte was knocked away like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the flowerbed, crushing a swath of flowers, soil and petals clinging to his robe.
“Hehehe, all bluff.” Bella walked closer, looking down at him from above.
“Don’t die so soon. I’m not done playing yet—I haven’t let you feel despair~”
That punch had been seventy percent of her strength, enough to shatter a normal person’s ribs.
At this moment, Charlotte should have been in agony, unable to move.
But Charlotte stood up as if nothing had happened.
“Your battle aura really is impressive… What level are you? Let me guess, Fourth Rank… not quite at the peak… I just fought someone at the Fourth-Rank peak yesterday. This level of strength just tickles, you know?”
“What?” Bella’s eye twitched. The man before her stood unharmed, as if her attack hadn’t landed at all. But clearly…
“Who told you that a Magus is helpless when caught in close quarters?” Charlotte flexed his wrist, his knuckles letting out soft cracks.
The magic within him followed a special path, gathering in his limbs and bones, transforming into a power that rivaled battle aura in strengthening the body—this was a unique technique he’d learned at Kalishi Academy, from his most special Tutor.
Bella clearly had only half-baked intelligence on him, never expecting that he could simulate battle aura with magic, and that his level was in no way below hers.
“Impressive, but I told you—tonight, you will die without a doubt.”
A fierce glint flashed in Bella’s eyes as she pulled her veil back on, her form suddenly transforming into thick mist, her presence vanishing completely.
Only her drifting voice echoed in the courtyard, “An invisible assassin—what will you do now?”
Charlotte frowned slightly, his tone calm: “Is this all you’ve got?”
No one answered.
Charlotte’s only reply was sword strikes aimed straight at his vital points.
The sharp whistle of the sword slicing through the air came from every direction.
To others, this invisible, traceless attack would be impossible to avoid.
But in Charlotte’s eyes, the mist wrapping Bella was as obvious as a firefly in the dark—she was swinging her sword in that revealing dress, skirt flying, her posture totally undignified.
Charlotte felt a little speechless: “She’s not thinking about her image at all, is she? Wearing a pure white dress and a veil, is she here for a wedding…”
Bella’s sword swung with shocking speed. Purple sword light rained down like a storm, but each time Charlotte narrowly dodged.
Her suspicion grew: “Impossible! How can he see me? This is a Sacred Relic—how can it be failing?!”
After so many failed attacks, Bella grew thoroughly enraged. Her battle aura surged into her sword.
At the same time, she began chanting, and the blue light of a Wind Spell wrapped around her blade, the sword edge extending half a foot with wind.
With a crisp shout, she swung her sword in a horizontal slash, battle aura and wind blade merging into a several-meter-long azure strike, howling toward Charlotte with a piercing roar!
The ground split open with a deep gash, flowerbeds along the path were cut clean in two, petals and earth flying everywhere.
But Charlotte, as if he’d predicted the strike, rolled aside to dodge. Three pale blue Magic Circles unfolded in layers before him.
With a soft hum, the Magic Circles burst forth a shield of ice crystals, just in time to block the remaining wind blades, completely neutralizing them.
“Are you done yet?” Charlotte didn’t attack, simply stared at Bella.
With her thin clothes, a bit of spring scenery showed.
He held to the principle that if it looked good, he’d take a few more glances—after all, he might not have another chance.
“You can see me?”
“What else?”
Bella’s eyelids twitched. The man before her fought on par with her, maybe even better.
But… he was just an eighteen-year-old young Marquis, a Third-Rank Magus, a pampered Noble. How could he…
“Did the Aetherlan Divine Church send you?” Charlotte suddenly asked, but Bella didn’t react at all.
“No comment! Even if you can see me, so what? You’ll still…” In a flash, Bella’s sword pressed in close to Charlotte.
Charlotte was ready. With a swift motion, he drew his dagger and parried her sword with perfect accuracy.
With a crisp “clang,” sparks flew from the metal collision.
At the same time, Bella’s other foot lashed out, her battle aura-imbued heel targeting Charlotte’s knee.
From her inner thigh, she drew a three-inch dagger, aiming to stab his chest—her trump card in close combat!
But just as the dagger was about to touch Charlotte’s chest, at that moment, a massive silver Magic Circle unfurled behind him.
More than a dozen Chains of Mist shot out, wrapping Bella’s limbs like vipers!
With a series of sharp clicks, the chains tightened, locking Bella firmly in mid-air.
Her battle aura exploded within her, golden light hammering the chains again and again, but she could only make them tremble slightly, unable to break free.
The dagger, caught by the pull of the chains, was fixed in place, unable to move forward even a fraction.
“Ah—!” Bella let out an unwilling scream, struggling with all her strength, her face flushing red from exertion.
“You…”
“Who… who are you really?” She raised her eyes with difficulty to look at Charlotte.
How could a Third-Rank Magus possess such vast magic power to sustain such a powerful binding spell?
Seeing those misty chains, a terrifying thought crept into her mind, chilling her to the core. “Are you… a Faithful of the Evil God?!”
When Bella said this, Charlotte understood—Bella definitely had ties to the Aetherlan Divine Church.
In Charlotte’s emerald eyes, endless killing intent flashed.
Looking down at the girl bound before him, he grabbed her throat in one swift motion.
Bella’s face immediately turned purple-red, her breath completely cut off, a pained “ugh-ugh” sound coming from her throat, physiological tears welling at the corners of her eyes.
The arrogance and confidence from before had vanished, leaving only the terror of impending death.
She kicked frantically, hands clutching at Charlotte’s wrist, struggling to pry away the hand that gripped her life.
“Pl… please…” With the last of her strength, she squeezed out two words, her eyes full of pleading.
Seeing her about to suffocate, Charlotte slowly relaxed his grip on her throat.
Bella collapsed against the chains, gasping desperately, her chest heaving, tears and sweat streaming down her face in utter misery.