Two days later.
The peace they had felt over the past two days was slowly beginning to fade. No matter how secure their hideout was, as long as they were still within Duke William's territory, their presence would eventually be discovered.
That evening, the sky glowed a reddish-orange as the sound of galloping horses and clinking armor echoed in the distance. From behind the window of the old house, Rose and Bella stood, watching the cobbled street now filled with fully armed soldiers. Rows of troops marched forward in disciplined formations. At the front line, a gallant knight clad in golden armor rode a majestic black horse. The fading sunlight reflected off his polished plating, making him appear all the more intimidating.
Rose let out a quiet snort, her face etched with long-held irritation. Beside her, Bella crossed her arms, calm but alert.
Meanwhile, Exafanos sat leaning against a wooden pillar, one leg crossed over the other, his half-lidded eyes lazily observing the scene unfolding before him. There was no tension or worry in his expression—as if the approaching army wasn't a threat at all.
The golden-armored knight dismounted. With respectful yet firm composure, he spoke in a loud, clear voice.
"Young Lady, please come back with us. It's for your own good."
Rose immediately snapped back, her voice tinged with frustration, "Leave me alone! Don't ever come here again!"
Still calm, the knight replied, "Miss, I ask you once more—return with us. This is a direct order from Duke William… your father. We do not wish to resort to violence, but if you continue to refuse, we will be forced to take you by force."
Upon hearing that, Rose clenched her fists, her jaw tightening. "I'm not going back. No matter what you say, my answer is still no!"
The knight's expression remained stoic, but he stepped forward. His right hand gripped the hilt of the longsword at his waist. With a smooth motion, he drew it—its blade gleaming sharply under the sunset.
Rose took a step back. She knew exactly who she was facing. That man was one of the ten most talented Sword Masters under Duke William's command. Meanwhile, she... she was only a mid-tier magician. If it came to a direct fight, her chances were close to none.
But her pride wouldn't let her back down.
With a swift movement, Rose began chanting. A fireball formed in her palm, quickly growing in size before she hurled it at the knight.
A small explosion followed—but the knight simply swung his sword once, slicing through the flame and dispersing it effortlessly. He hadn't even budged from where he stood.
Seeing that, Bella stepped forward. Her footsteps calm, but the magical aura around her began to stir.
"Enough. Don't be too harsh with my student," Bella said. She raised her hand, and in an instant, a high-level spell was activated—no chant needed.
Dozens of fireballs materialized out of thin air, flying toward the knight from all directions. But he was no ordinary man. He leapt into the air with astonishing agility, his body spinning mid-air, dodging each explosion with impressive acrobatics. The fireballs only hit the ground, leaving scorch marks behind.
He landed lightly, then raised his sword high. His aura surged, generating a vortex of sharp wind around him. With a powerful swing, he launched an attack toward Bella and Rose.
Bella instantly conjured a magical barrier. A flash of light formed a transparent wall that deflected the blow. A thunderous impact rang out as the sword clashed with the barrier.
But Bella wasn't done yet. She cast another spell. From the ground and air, massive shards of ice erupted, enveloping the knight and freezing him solid in a blink.
Still, that wasn't enough to stop him.
Moments later, cracks formed along the ice. A terrifying sword aura burst forth, shattering the ice into fragments.
Bella stared seriously, then snapped her fingers. Suddenly, pink petals began falling from the sky, dancing through the air before touching the knight's body one by one.
BOOM!
An explosion rang out. The knight was blown back several steps, gasping for breath. Now kneeling, one hand supporting his body, his sword trembling.
Yet instead of backing down, he glared at Bella.
"Lady Bella… If you continue interfering like this, I will report you to Duke William. You may be dismissed from your post at the Dracosta Academy."
Bella narrowed her eyes. "Go ahead. I'm not afraid. I've been at that academy long before Duke William was even a noble. The headmaster treats me like his own daughter."
The knight grew more agitated. With a roar, he charged and swung his blade at Bella, forcing her to retreat a few steps.
On the other side, Exafanos was still calmly seated. He watched everything unfold with unreadable eyes. Then he slowly stood up, brushing the dust from his shoulder.
Without a word, without any dramatic gesture, Exafanos activated his concept—"Erase."
In an instant, the golden-armored knight froze. His eyes widened, his body trembled. In one long, silent second... his power vanished. The aura around him disappeared. His muscles weakened. The sword slipped from his grasp.
He collapsed, shaking. He looked at Exafanos as if he had just witnessed something beyond the comprehension of this world.
"What… what did you do to me?" he muttered in fear.
Exafanos sighed. "I didn't kill you. But your power… is gone."
Silence. No one dared move.
Bella and Rose stared at Exafanos, eyes wide. Not out of shock—but from a growing dread deep within their hearts. The man who had always seemed aloof and laid-back… was hiding a power they couldn't even begin to understand.
.
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To Be Continued