Chapter 49: The Scoundrel Of The Hero Family (2)
Clang-
Inside the mansions training grounds.
The sound of swords clashing echoed.
Swords met with force, fell, then sparked again, producing a chilling resonance.
The owners of these flashing blades were two young girls, not yet fully grown.
Many would say they were too young to be wielding real swords, especially in a duel.
However, the story changed if these children knew how to harness mana and have self-defense skills.
Brother has been acting strange lately!
Siriel parried the onslaught of strikes and exclaimed this. Lucia and Siriel started dueling with real swords after learning self-defense techniques.
Siriel was good at swinging her sword and could also engage in relatively advanced duels. She could dodge and block as long as her opponent didnt aim for vital points.
It seems you now have the luxury of talking. Ill raise it up a notch.
Of course, this was under the assumption that Lucia was holding back. Lucia smirked and increased her attack speed.
Every swing of her sword began to produce a terrifyingly sharp sound.
Thud-
Thud- ThudThud-
Siriel tried to parry the continuous strikes, but Lucia twisted her force perpendicularly to Siriels intended direction of deflection.
Ugh.
Grunt-
Siriel poured energy into her grip to prevent losing her sword. But this became the cause of her downfall.
The ground under Siriels feet sank due to the heavy blow from above. While her body could withstand the attack, the ground she stood on wasnt as sturdy.
Siriel staggered.
Hold on, exert more force.
Zing!
Lucia, seizing the opportunity, struck Siriels sword upwards. Siriels eyes widened, preparing for the follow-up attack. She concentrated her mana. Retrieving her displaced sword would be slower than this.
Boom-!
A rapid strike targeted the girls torso. It wasnt the sound of something striking human skin. Siriel, having lost her grip on the sword, was sent flying backward.
She rolled on the ground, dust flying up, and coughed out the dirt that got into her mouth.
Ah! I lost again!
Siriel cried out without even brushing off her messy silver hair, which expressed her frustration.
Despite the many duels she had with Lucia, Siriel had never managed to land a single significant blow on her sparring partner.
Whoosh-
Lucia swung her sword, driving away the dust. Compared to the dirt-covered and sweaty Siriel, Lucia looked relatively clean. Resting her sword on her shoulder, Lucia brushed off the dirt from Siriels clothes and began to speak.
Why do you let your mind wander? I told you to stay focused until the duel is over.
Stung by her friends sharp words, Siriel puffed up her cheeks in annoyance.
Lucia, youre really merciless during these times. The moment I get a breather, you strike down immediately.
Wiping her mouth with her sleeve, Siriel got up with a spring in her step. The sound of the earlier blow suggested she might have hurt her abdomen, but she looked unaffected.
Picking up her sword, Siriel leaned on it like a walking stick.
So, what do you think?
About what?
About brother. You live with him, dont you? Hes been acting strange lately.
Hmm I havent noticed any difference.
Lucia furrowed her brows and thought deeply. Siriel was saying that Shiron had been acting strangely recently But nothing particularly unusual came to mind.
Shiron always had his meals with Lucia without fail.
If I had to pinpoint, maybe a month ago.
The day Shiron was judged to have no talent for martial arts.
However, Shiron did not feel particularly desperate or envious of Lucia.
If he had cared more, he would have
Then, a memory came to mind. The sight of herself tearing up like a child in front of Shiron . Thinking of it now made Lucias ears redden in embarrassment.
Should I mention this?
Huh? Did you remember something?
No, nothing!
Lucia shook her head vigorously, trying to cool down her flushed face. It was still hard to talk about it due to her pride.
But, why? Shiron has always been the same, hasnt he?
No, recently, there are weird rumors starting about him.
Siriel spoke while wiping her face with a towel.
What rumors?
I overheard some maids whispering recently that Shiron has been treating the people in the mansion terribly.
How?
I dont know the specifics. I scolded them before the story could go further. I gave them a good smack on their behinds.
What did you say?
Lucia flinched for a moment.
Siriel, who always seemed absent-minded, was now angry. Seeing this side of her for the first time since meeting her, Lucia was quite taken aback.
You hit them?
Yes, how dare they speak ill of their master? If they have something to say, they should say it somewhere they cant be heard.
If they look down upon him because he lives in a separate building, they should be corrected.
Lucia nodded in agreement. Normally, she would have been annoyed at Siriel, a noblewoman, for bullying her subordinates. But knowing they spoke ill of Shiron, she couldnt help but feel upset.
Those kids need some discipline.
Right? I knew youd understand.
Siriel splashed her face with water from a basin. Even though the cool water wet her face, her heated anger didnt cool down.
I should tell Mother later.
The Police Department was the empires central administrative agency responsible for maintaining law and order.
However, the Special Task Force was different.
While the Police Department generally dealt with the empires public safety tasks, the Special Task Force required high standards, living up to its grand name.
One of their basic requirements included a sturdy physique under the age of 30 and the ability to wield a sword. This easily hinted at their elite status.
Their missions were as grand as their skills. From covert assassinations, escort duties, combat in narrow and dark buildings, to even handling hostage situations
Each mission was stylish and impressive. This was the main reason why Berta applied to the Special Task Force.
However, the reality was very different.
Even if they were a special force, they were still servants following the royal family, and their orders were absolute.
Ugh
Berta let out a deep sigh. The office atmosphere seemed to drop, but nobody pointed out her lament. This was because the news that she was privately meeting with the 3rd Prince had spread.
Berta gathered the spread-out documents on her desk and put them in a document bag. The documents she was ordered to investigate by the prince were a collection of the footprints of an old family lineage.
Holding her cherished weapon and document bag, Berta stood up.
Im going out for some fieldwork.
Okay, come back soon. You can clock out whenever youre done, dont worry.
Senior, stay strong!
Her direct superior, who would usually scold her, and the assistant sitting next to her only sent her uneasy glances.
Berta quickly left the building. The warm sunlight illuminated her downcast face.
How did I end up like this?
Berta continued to walk ponderously.
Did I apply here for this?
Originally, she had applied to the Special Task Force to experience thrilling and stylish combat.
However, the current situation wasnt an exhilarating battle but a thrilling tightrope walk between two mischievous kids.
On her last mission, she would face demons who lurked around the Dawn Castle, and now, as if they had been liberated, she had been locked up in the library every day, organizing ancient documents about the Prient family.
Im glad they pay a lot.
Today was the third Thursday of the month, payday.
Considering the hazard pay and travel expenses from dispatch to foreign lands, plus the incentives separately given by the royal palace If it werent for those, perhaps Berta might have immediately resigned and fled somewhere.
Berta went to the bank, trying to muster up some energy. There was no need to worry about being denied entry for carrying weapons.
The patrol police, recognizing her security uniform, saluted her. She shrugged her shoulders without realizing it, and a faint smile appeared on Bertas lips.
Basking in the satisfaction, Berta took a queue ticket from the counter.
No. 77. Maybe its because its payday? Im lucky.
And so, she sat on the bench, waiting in the queue.
Whoom
A magical barrier engulfed the entire bank, and suddenly, menacing-looking figures swarmed in.
Everybody down!
There! Get down now!
Aaaaah!
It was a bank robbery.
So much for being lucky
Approximately ten in number? Six with swords, three with staffs, and one with a magic tome.
Argh!
As soon as they took control of the bank, they killed the patrol police Berta had just greeted. Everyone, terrified, laid down. Berta was impressed by their skill.
They arent amateurs.
The robbers, who had quickly taken two hostages, pointed their knives at Berta, who was still standing and shouted.
Hey, you! Drop the weapon!
Can I take all ten of them down without any casualties?
As Berta pondered this while touching her non-reflective sword
Thud-
Ugh!
Arent you guys watching properly?
Slap-
What the?
Slap-
There was a commotion at the entrance, where the robbers were preventing anyone from escaping.
Do you guys know who I am? Huh? Im just trying to enter a bank. Why are you blocking the way and making a fuss?
Young master! It seems these fools dont recognize you! We should teach them a lesson!
You! Bow your heads now!
But, why are people entering the bank with weapons? Its rather intense.
A cheeky kid, along with two women, came in, slapping the robbers who had come earlier.
In any case, if you act impudently, youll get slapped.
A bad luck day? Or, perhaps it might be a lucky day after all. A more terrifying young master than the robbers had appeared.
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