Assassination War (3)
The albino stroked his beard.
"Hmm. Kuan is a hard sword to handle. In that sense, Siina's presence matters. For the sake of maintaining combat strength, it's best to protect her as much as possible, but…"
Rupist said, "Other nations are reading our thoughts too, right?"
"Exactly. The country that captures Siina can sidestep Kuan's blade. Especially Uolin. They'll throw themselves in desperately—like a chill at the nape of the neck. If we get dragged into that, we could end up with nothing: no sword, no rice." It was a matter of deployment.
"Abandoning her would be the easiest play. But everyone's watching. Shall we hear Yahweh's opinion at this point?"
Shirone answered, "I will protect the teacher."
It was the correct stance, but Rupist cocked his head.
"Is that possible? If you protect Siina, someone else will die. Trying to protect everyone and ending up with casualties is unavoidable. It's the Law's judgement. And if you favor someone, you're no longer Yahweh, are you?"
You can't let your heart harbor favoritism.
"Don't misunderstand. Saying I'll protect the teacher means I'll protect everyone. I'm not going to play the game Habitz set. I'll break the board."
"You're saying you'll attack the system. If that's true, you won't have contradictions in your heart, but—"
That only made it harder.
"Is there any way? We've argued this before, but impractical ideals don't help." Gevin said.
If you could become strong enough to protect the whole world, people would beg you to hear every story.
'I couldn't,' he had thought. He'd even cried in frustration.
Ultima was still distant, of course, but now he had one card.
"It can be done. After all, at least seven million people will support him."
Small conference room.
"I'll suspend the session for a short break. Everyone, enjoy a good lunch and we'll reconvene this afternoon."
Sirano, head of the International Tribunal, rose coldly.
'How dare they reject my resignation without my permission? What do they take me for?'
"Sirano."
Socrates smiled slyly. "How about it? If you're free, shall we have some tea?"
"Get lost, you pig. Do you know who caused this mess? You were the one who rejected my resignation!"
"There's no procedural problem. You submitted your resignation while I rejected yours—nothing more."
"I'll kill you someday."
"Ha! Hearing you say that brings back memories of my youth. How about a night as hot as those again…?"
As Socrates noticed Sirano's fist fly, he squeezed his eyes shut.
When the blow didn't land, he opened them slowly to find Sirano sneering at him.
"You fool. You still remember things from twenty years ago? That's pathetic. And the important thing is, back then I wasn't even straight."
"Well… it was still fun, wasn't it?"
"Hohoho!"
Sirano covered his mouth laughing, dug a pair of tweezers from his cosmetics pouch, and tossed them.
"Catch. A gift."
"A gift?"
"You've seemed lonely lately. This might help. Enjoy it by yourself."
Even after Sirano turned away, Socrates stared at the tweezers for a long time. His hands trembled.
'How pathetic. Annoying.'
Sighing, Sirano left the small conference room and spotted a familiar face.
'Armin of Guang'an.'
He'd heard the Ivory Tower resident now acted as the brain of the Corona Kingdom.
'What is he doing here? There's no VIP to speak of.'
The talented people of each nation would be focused on protecting their kings or attacking other kings.
"Siina."
Armin approached Siina as she emerged with the teachers of the Tormia School of Magic.
"Brother."
Siina was noticeably flustered, and Sirano's expression brightened.
'Oh my—so that's it?'
Armin said, "Can we talk for a moment?"
"About what?"
With the teachers giving them space, Siina glanced down the corridor over his shoulder.
Armin's wife—whether feigned or not—Keira, leaned against the wall with her arms folded.
'What is this? Putting someone in an awkward spot.'
Armin was still a good brother, but having three people meet like this felt uncomfortable.
"What's wrong?"
"Go into exile in Corona. Right now."
"What?"
Siina was stunned.
"Why? What's happened?"
Armin had come from Corona's think tank with simulation results for this assassination war.
"You know what's starting. Blade fights have begun. Tormia won't go all out for you."
Since the system was driven by Habitz, precise prediction was hard, but one thing was certain: "Your life is in danger." Siina understood.
"So you want me to abandon my country and run?"
"All combat power is being funneled around VIPs. Right now you're just a teacher. Come to Corona."
When Armin grabbed her wrist, Siina shook him off.
"Don't treat me like a child. I can protect my own body. And you're the one who told me to become a teacher."
"How will you protect her? Do you know who's targeting you? If it's not Stop magic—"
"Stop it."
She couldn't meet Keira's eyes.
"What's wrong with you? Someone precious to you is over there, isn't there? I have someone I love now, too."
That guy is the problem, idiot. He's too strong.
"Kuan can't come. A royal edict must have been issued already. Breaking national law to come protect you—"
"What's going on?"
Sirano, who'd been listening with interest, turned in surprise.
'Oh my?'
A one-armed swordsman limping on one leg approached—Parka Kuan.
"Mr. Kuan."
Armin hadn't expected him either, but the most shocked person was Siina.
"How are you here?"
Kuan, glancing around as if the attention felt odd, said calmly, "I figured the meeting would be over. I came to have lunch with you… are you busy?"
Kuan was a sword hard to handle.
"Ah, no. I'm just a little surprised. I thought you might be busy."
"I have a few orders, but nothing urgent. And I promised, so I must keep that promise."
The promise to stay by her side.
Siina, stunned for a moment, soon regained her smile and took Kuan's arm.
"Let's go eat."
She looked at Armin. "Brother, go back. Don't worry about this place. The temple's situation isn't good either—take care of yourself. You've gotten so thin."
Only then did Armin relent.
"All right, got it."
The man with the bandaged eye glanced at Kuan but didn't say to look after her.
'Presumptuous.' As Armin turned away, Keira pushed off the wall and shook her head.
"Now that you've calmed down? Then—"
A breeze cut through the corridor.
Everyone turned toward it, but there was nothing.
'The other side!'
Twenty figures in owl masks and black cloaks had already filled the hall.
"—Fungjang."
It felt like what was coming had arrived, but it still seemed too soon.
The lead of the squad said, "Olifer Siina. As of this time, we will assume custody of your guard. Come with us peacefully."
When Kuan moved to draw his sword, the leader extended a hand.
"Don't misunderstand. We don't intend to fight. We are here to protect that woman."
"Protect? From whom? Siina is a subject of the Tormia Kingdom."
"For example—"
The leader pointed forward.
"Like that?"
As everyone's gaze followed, some ten bombs sailed through the air.
"Yah-hoo!"
A gang of chicken-head masked men flicked out long tongues and hurled explosives.
Sirano blocked the entrance to the small conference room and shouted, "Get down!"
Explosions followed.
'Ugh! Those bastards…'
Most present could move, but there were temple staff with no combat ability.
'Open terrorism?'
When the smoke cleared, Socrates' massive back was blocking the way. His trembling bulk stilled, and he turned with a smile.
"Are you all right?"
"Move! I can't see!"
Pushing past the bulk, she headed through the shattered wall where the core people had slipped out.
"Good heavens."
A chaotic brawl had erupted.
"They're not trained. They hired mercenaries to hide their origins. Which nation—?"
Each member's style and skill differed, but from a distance she could see one thing.
'They're only targeting that woman.'
Kuan, holding Siina at his waist, used external gravity to dodge the rain of blades.
'He can't hold out long.'
Even if the Chicken Heads could be handled, the Fungjang's coordinated assault put severe pressure on Kuan.
The biggest problem was… Siina.
A one-armed man can't fight while protecting someone.
"Kuan."
Just as he slipped through the encirclement in an unexpected line, Armin arrived.
"Leave Siina to me."
"Now's not the time to be stubborn. In that state you can't draw your sword. I'll protect her no matter what."
Armin of Stop magic.
"Please."
Because Kuan knew what risk Armin was taking, Siina couldn't refuse.
"Be careful."
Once she stepped away, Kuan finally gripped his sword.
"You lot…"
Fungjang, Chicken Heads—trying to take Siina as if she'd been handed over.
"Do you think I'm a joke?"
As the world rocked left and right, everyone's vision swam around Kuan.
A Chicken Head screamed.
"W-what is this… ugh!"
Before they could even grasp his level, a dozen throats were cleanly cut.
'No need for gnats.'
Kuan's gaze, rushing like a gale, fixed on the Fungjang hovering in the air.
"How chilling."
Even as the world trembled, the Fungjang leader showed no flinch.
'Hmph. How long can you afford to be so casual…'
Just as Kuan leapt, a different kind of killing intent surged in from both sides.
'What is this?'
Kashan's guards—short-range, mid-range, long-range—charged in from varying distances.
"Ugh!"
Kuan hastily activated external gravity and vanished into their blind spot.
"…Earthbound spirits."
A powerful binding force seized his ankle.
He crashed to the ground with a thud as a silver spear-blade shot at him like a hawk's beak.
"Urrr!" Using muscle vibrations to shatter the gravity, Kuan spun and swung his blade.
The fighting stopped. All eyes turned to find Kuan and Kido facing each other, swords leveled.
Sirano's eyes widened. "The captain of Kashan's guards?"
Fungjang, the guards, and even the guard captain.
"Sent every available force? For that one woman?"
"She's not just a woman." Socrates stepped forward. "They sent them to stop that swordsman."
Kuan said, "Fall back. Your mission has failed. You will not take Siina."
"Is that so?"
Kido glanced skyward.
Beyond the clouds, eighty more Fungjangs were flying down to join the squad already here, forming a single force.
Shock swept through the crowd.
"One hundred?"
The Fungjangs at full strength.
The squad lead shifted smoothly, and the Fungjang leader Yulla removed her owl mask.
"Kuan."
She leveled her sword at the ground. "This will be your defeat once again."