Chapter 28
I woke up suddenly.
And quietly sat up in bed.
“….”
When I glanced sideways, Swoon was asleep with his eyes neatly closed.
Watching his face for a moment, I whispered in satisfaction.
“Phew… don’t worry and sleep well, Swoon. I’ll handle everything.”
Soon, assassins sent by the Duchess would appear and attack Swoon.
Their goal was to either injure him so he couldn’t attend the coming Winter Coming-of-Age Ceremony—or kill him outright.
My goal was to eliminate them before they ever reached Swoon.
But this important operation had one obstacle.
“There’s no detailed information about this incident in the original story.”
In other words, I had no idea who the assassins were or how exactly they would attack Swoon.
The only thing I knew was that they were already disguised and infiltrated into the annex, and that they would strike when the midnight bell rang.
That was the only clue.
“Alright. Then I’ll search the annex thoroughly and identify any unfamiliar maids or servants. If anything looks suspicious, I’ll take them down first.”
After that, I would find Genebia—who, according to the original, would be wandering somewhere in the annex—and stage the fateful reunion event with Swoon!
“Heh… perfect plan.”
At least in theory.
Admiring my own planning skills and execution ability, I checked Swoon’s sleeping face one last time.
His silvery hair, cast over a sharp nose bridge, and his neatly lowered eyelashes shimmered faintly in the moonlight, as if seeing me off.
“Yep, yep. I’ll be right back, Swoon.”
Pulling my sleep-hood down like a hero, I declared boldly:
“Alright, let’s go!”
“Go where?”
“…!?”
Startled by the sudden voice, I turned my head.
Swoon was looking at me—with his eyes open.
“Ah… ah? Haha, you weren’t asleep, Swoon?”
I laughed awkwardly.
Swoon slowly sat up.
“I was planning to be.”
“….”
“But unlike usual, you were tossing and turning too much and constantly checking whether I was asleep. It was suspicious.”
“C-coughing? I snore? I don’t think so…”
“So, what is it this time?”
“Huh? What?”
I put on my best “nothing is happening, I don’t know what you mean” expression and blinked rapidly.
Because I had absolutely no intention of letting him follow me tonight.
Swoon said calmly:
“You said something like, ‘Let’s search the annex thoroughly and eliminate suspicious servants. If anything looks odd, take them down first.’”
“…Huh.”
He had apparently heard my entire monologue earlier.
Seeing me freeze, Swoon got up from bed, walked to the wardrobe, put on a dark stealth cloak, and grabbed his sword.
I hurriedly flew in front of him.
“No, no, Swoon! You don’t need to come! I can handle it alone!”
“Anything that happens in this annex is my responsibility, not yours.”
He walked toward the door.
“Damn it…”
“Stop, Swoon!”
I blocked his way.
“Let’s think about this again! Shouldn’t one of us stay behind just in case something happens here—like assassins attacking or causing chaos? Not that I’m saying assassins will actually come!”
“Assassins, huh.”
Swoon repeated my words and opened the door.
I panicked and landed on his shoulder, tugging at his cheek.
“Go back, Swoon! I don’t want you getting hurt over something pointless!”
Swoon replied calmly:
“This kind of thing happens occasionally. Nothing to fear.”
“…What?”
“I already expected that unwanted guests might arrive around this time. That woman wouldn’t just let me attend the ceremony and take my place in the ducal family without interference.”
“…!”
Even though Swoon had seemed calm, he had already sensed the storm approaching.
I realized I could no longer convince him.
“Fine. Got it, Swoon.”
I quickly changed plans.
“Then let’s find the assassins first and take them down.”
Preemptive strike it was.
I told Swoon everything I could without triggering any “spoiler warning” from the system.
“I have a clue about tonight’s assassins.”
“What is it?”
“They’re probably disguised and already inside the annex.”
Swoon looked thoughtful.
So I continued:
“They’re not regular servants.”
“Right.”
“And not the guards either.”
“Correct.”
Swoon walked through the dim corridor.
“In normal assassinations, they’d bribe servants. But for something risky, they usually use disposable outsiders.”
I nodded.
“Exactly.”
We continued through the annex.
The night corridors were quiet. Occasionally, familiar servants passed by and bowed in shock at seeing Swoon walking around in the middle of the night.
We ignored them.
Eventually, we reached a garden connected to an outdoor corridor.
“Hmm? I’ve never been here.”
Swoon suddenly stopped.
He was looking at something.
Following his gaze, I saw three suspicious figures moving among the snowy trees.
“…Huh?”
One was trimming branches.
One was chopping a stump with an axe.
One was casually shoveling snow.
Clearly suspicious.
Swoon approached them.
“You’re working hard at night.”
A mocking tone.
The trio froze.
After a moment, their leader smiled.
“As expected, you noticed.”
“Did you really think you were subtle?”
The leader’s expression hardened.
Swoon drew his sword.
“Let’s end this quickly.”
“Die!”
The leader attacked first.
He threw garden shears, then drew his sword.
Swoon dodged and clashed blades.
CLANG!
A second attacker swung an axe. Swoon leaned back just in time.
“…Not amateurs.”
Swoon muttered.
I raised my hand.
“Alright, my turn!”
But—
“Die, Swoon!”
Another attacker came from behind.
Swoon blocked instantly.
CLANG!
“Eek!”
I barely held onto his shoulder.
Too fast!
The fight escalated.
CLANG! CLANG!
While I struggled to intervene, all three joined in.
Cowardly ganging up!
“<Something-I-can’t-block-due-to-otaku-power>!”
I fired my skill in a panic.
A heart-shaped energy shot out and hit one attacker square in the forehead.
BONK.
He collapsed instantly.
“W-what?!”
The remaining two hesitated.
At that moment, the leader shouted:
“Stop hesitating!”
“Something’s wrong!”
“Don’t talk, attack!”
They used black orbs.
I fired back:
“Take this! <Unstoppable Fandom Heart>!”
Hearts collided with the black orbs mid-air and exploded.
BOOM! POP!
“What?!”
The leader panicked.
Swoon stepped forward:
“Lin, hold on.”
His aura surged.
In a blink, he closed the distance.
SLASH.
The leader fell.
“…It’s over?”
Swoon checked the bodies.
“These aren’t from the North.”
“…So they’re hired from elsewhere.”
Then I noticed something.
A fourth presence.
“…!”
A hidden assassin.
He threw a black orb at Swoon.
“Swoon, look out!”
I jumped in.
I couldn’t use my skill.
I took the hit head-on.
BOOM!
Pain exploded through my body.
“Lin!”
I collapsed.
Swoon caught me, face tightening.
“Lin… why would you do something so reckless…”
“Sw…oon…”
“I’ll get help!”
He ran.
“Garen! Someone!”
Then—
“Hey? Sir knight?”
A familiar voice.
Swoon turned.
Genebia stood there.
“…You?”
“Genebia.”
I forced myself up.
“Genebia! Help me!”
“Lin?!”
Swoon shouted:
“Heal her! Now!”
Genebia screamed at my condition.
“What happened?!”
“Do it now!”
“Put her down first!”
I fainted amid their arguing.
