Reasons to Protect the Witch's Son

“Quietly, move behind me.”

Elaine grabbed her sword, looking over the shoulder of the maid who was still standing in front of her. There were people lined up from end to end in the hallway. She could feel their presence, and the faint presence of life inside the nearby rooms.

‘Assassins.’

Even though they were trained in stealth, they couldn’t escape her notice. She was on guard and had extended her senses. Stepping in front of the maid, she slowly drew her sword, but the surroundings were still quiet. In the midst of that silence, the lamp that the maid was holding extinguished.

In an instant, the hallway was shrouded in darkness. At the same time, all the rooms to the doors opened at once.

“…!”

Elaine immediately swung her sword.

Clang!

Something flew out from the darkness and bounced off of her sword with a sharp sound.

“Don’t leave my side!”

Elaine shouted at the maid behind her as she swatted away the flying daggers. The maid turned pale and shook. Meanwhile, the assassins poured out into the hallway and rushed at her.

The hallway was very dark, however, she cut down all of the assassins who had rushed at her without any hesitation as she was still accurately deflecting the daggers. Her vision was even better than the assassins, who were accustomed to the darkness due to their profession.

“Aaah!”

Behind Elaine, the maid screamed and fell to the ground, probably frightened by all of the blood pouring out from the assassins. The lamp that she had been holding, rolled onto the floor. One of the assassins, responded by lunging at the maid. Elaine cut down another assassin and kicked the lamp that had fallen onto the floor. The lamp hit the assassin squarely on the face and they fell to the floor.

The hallway was not a suitable place for an all-out battle. It was too narrow to avoid the rain of daggers while also fending off the assassins. However, even of that was true, none of the numerous blades had been able to touch her. Not even brushing against her clothes.

She effortlessly avoided them all with slight movements of her body. She was faster than the flying daggers.

At that time, mixed in with the attacks of the other assassins, she could sense a sword approaching that contained mana. Elaine turned her head to avoid the attack aimed at her neck and frowned.

‘A master?’

Upon closer inspection, there were three assassins whose movements appeared to be those of masters. The person who had just attacked her had stepped back from behind her, as if to distance himself from her.

The assassins were most likely looking for Ash. Those who moved in groups like this, had a high probability of receiving orders from someone else. In other words, there was someone behind this attack.

However, masters were not that common, even throughout the continent. He was a valuable person who would be treated well no matter which territory he went to. Whoever sent these people was not ordinary if they were able to send a master as an assassin.

‘A person that is targeting Ash?’

Elaine’s eyes became cold.

Meanwhile, the assassins were perplexed by the woman’s skills, which were stronger than expected. Wasn’t she a rookie that had just joined the Order? Still, it wasn’t easy to become a Knight of Philres.

However, it should have been difficult for even a Knight of Philres to take on three masters alone. Moreover, there was someone she was protecting. By all accounts, the assassins should have been in an advantageous situation. The three masters who were among the assassins stepped forward, then raised their swords toward Elaine.

Even now, they still did not understand. The person who was thought to be a novice, was someone who had power beyond their imagination.

In the next moment, the three masters rushed Elaine all at once. Once they came forward, the two on the side kicked off from the hallway floor and jumped at her from the air.

Elaine swung her sword, without moving from her spot. At that moment there was explosive mana swirling around her sword. Three swords with mana collided with her sword. The assassins’ swords exploded one by one, then fell from their grips. They stumbled back awkwardly.

The three master assassins looked at her in disbelief.

But it was only natural. Elaine who was loved by mana, was the strongest and had the purest mana. She even would dare to go as far as to say, she was not an opponent that humans could compete with.

She was too overwhelming. Definitely no rookie. Only then did the assassins realize that something was wrong, but by this time, it was already too late.

Elaine smiled.

“Don’t worry. I’ll let at least one of you live.”