Without any warning, the torchère shatters.

――It’s an attack

I heard the sound of breaking glass just before, so it seems like we were attacked from outside the window.

The assassin that Arata-kun predicted?

The fact that they targeted the light as a priority means they are probably trying to kill Prince Glen in this darkness.

 

Rose: “Your Highness‼”

Prince Glen: “Kyah”

 

I drag Prince Glen out of the bed.

It’s a bit rough, but I hope they’ll forgive me as it’s for their own safety.

Right after, a flash is born beyond the window glass.

Fire magic――Fireball?

Ideally, I would like to coolly slash the incoming magic with a sword, but I don’t have that skill level.

Prince Glen’s safety is the priority.

I take out the Salamander Robe, which has a high resistance rate against fire attacks, from my inventory and drape it over Prince Glen.

Immediately after, multiple fireballs are shot from outside the window, and the room is enveloped in flames.

 

Rose: “Are you alright?”

Prince Glen: “What about you, Rose-san! Your burns are terrible!”

 

Burns?

Come to think of it, various parts of my body are stinging.

I should have taken out the robe beforehand.

I made a mistake.

 

Rose: “Let’s go outside for now. Please hold on.”

 

Anyway, it’s dangerous to stay in the room like this.

Without waiting for Prince Glen’s reply, I lift her with one arm and jump out of the broken window.

As if waiting for that moment, the assassins attack.

There are two of them.

Both are equipped with daggers and are using some abilities.

It seems one is targeting me and the other is targeting Prince Glen.

First, I’ll deal with the one targeting me.

I activate the ability 『Twin Stab 』 of the 【Rapier Technique】 skill, and with the first strike, I stab the arm of the assassin holding the dagger to cancel the attack.

With the second strike, I pierce his chest and incapacitate him.

As for the one targeting Prince Glen… I won’t make it with a sword.

Judging so, I activate the ability 『Kick Strike』 of the 【Martial Arts】 skill.

The side kick I unleashed buries into the assassin’s abdomen, blowing him beyond the hedge.

Many abilities of the same skill type require cooldown time.

But by interposing 【Martial Arts】 and magic skills, I can eliminate the gaps.

It’s a trick I learned from Arata-kun.

Probably, these two are not the ones who shot the magic at the beginning.

There is at least one more assassin――

 

Assassin: “――”

Rose: “Uguh⁉”

 

I feel pain in my flank.

Looking there, the assassin I defeated initially had thrust a knife.

I immediately slash the assassin down and pull out the knife.

 

――It’s hot

 

It feels like I’m being touched with heated iron.

Unable to bear the pain, I involuntarily kneel.

 

Prince Glen: “Rose-san!”

Rose: “This much… is fine.”

 

That’s a lie.

It’s not fine.

It hurts.

The pain is so strong that I feel nauseous.

But still, I bluff.

Mainly, to not worry Prince Glen.

This nausea might be due to poison.

The knife was probably poisoned.

But even before that, my body has been strange since before the attack.

Was poison incense burned in that room?

No, if so, it should have affected Prince Glen too.

We ate the same food.

When exactly was I poisoned?

Anyway, I have to escape.

If not, Prince Glen will be in danger.

The assassin is still nearby.

I know that.

But I can’t move my body.

Gradually, I begin to no be able to put strength into my hand holding the sword.

 

Prince Glen: “! Rose-san‼”

Rose: “……Eh?”

 

――Light

A light that makes me feel as if it is broad daylight lights up.

The source of the light is several spears of flame floating in the air.

They intend to kill us with the magic holding the maximum firepower.

Using such flashy magic, I can roughly figure out the assassin’s position.

The annoying thing is that they are releasing magic from a distance, anticipating that I might be able to move.

If we get hit by that, neither Prince Glen nor I will be safe.

But I can’t move.

Probably due to the spreading of the poison, even kneeling is painful.

――Ah, this is no good

And then, my view is filled with spears of flame――

 

＊＊＊

 

Alfred: “……You’re persistent.”

 

Alfred grumbles.

His voice is filled with unhidden irritation.

 

Arata: “It’s just that Alfred-san is clumsy.”

Alfred: “Nonsense…”

 

While enjoying trivial talk, I dodge the dagger flying out from the darkness.

However, the threads deployed around me have hindered my movement, and the blade has grazed me several times.

Before I know it, there are several lacerations on my body, and my clothes are blood-stained.

 

――Skill【Magic Thread】

 

A special skill specialized in support, such as movement or debuff.

Although the attack power is low, it is highly versatile, useful in battles against people or small to medium-sized monsters.

Especially, the trap type ability, which can be learned at skill level 8 called 『Dream Catcher』, immobilizes the subject who touches the preset thread for a few seconds.

The restraint time varies with magic defense and the weight of the target, but it will immobilize for at least about 0.5 seconds.

Being restrained cancels abilities, and even a momentary stop makes one a target for magic or distant weapons, making it quite troublesome.

However, in this world, the meaning of skills has changed significantly.

Unlike the game where no matter how much they raised their stats, they had to fit within the framework of a human, in this world, the height of the stats is equal to the height of physical ability.

Reflexes, attack, movement, their speed is incomparable to before.

A moment that would be deadly even in a game becomes terrifyingly fatal in this world.

Taking that into account, that initial attack was dangerous.

If I had noticed even a little late while still caught in the restraint of 『Dream Catcher』, I would surely have been cut in two by now.

That one strike took nearly half of my HP.

I should admit that I was careless.

The combination technique with the 【Telekinesis】 skill is quite something.

Like the 【Magic Thread】 skill, this support-specialized skill was not even considered for controlling a sword.

Unlike the game where a certain amount of light could be set even in dim places, this world has zero brightness correction.

The matte black dagger wielded by Alfred easily blends into the darkness of the underground passage.

To capture the sound of cutting air and the slight outline of the dagger, one’s nerves must always be stretched.

Still, PVP with someone with a certain amount of experience is enjoyable.

The Knight’s Commander, Theo-san.

Grandmaster Vergil-san.

And Alfred, skilled in assassination.

In a short time, just crossing swords, a lot can be learned.

 

Alfred: “Tch, you’re too active for a dead man walking”

 

Alfred had a bitter face.

However, immediately after, as if he thought of something, a degrading smile appears on his face.

 

Alfred: “It’s about time, isn’t it?”

Arata: “What is?”

Alfred: “Your disciple. I have sent a few skilled shadows for the assassination of the prince. And――”

Arata: “Are there more?”

Alfred: “It would be good if the Third Knight’s Order makes it in time.”

 

The Third Knight’s Order.

If I remember right, it should have been the knight’s order responsible for maintaining the security of the royal capital.

This development is pretty much as expected.

It is natural to assume that 『Fenrir』 was openly controlling the slum without fear because they had connections within the knight’s order.

Likely, they plan to fabricate evidence linking Rose-san and 『Fenrir』 and settle the whole matter.

At this rate, there might be insiders even in the Imperial Guard, the First Knight’s Order.

 

Arata: “Is that so?”

Alfred: “Aren’t you worried?”

Arata: “Worried? About what?”

 

There is not a speck of need to worry.

None at all.

It’s been a short relationship, but I’ve been able to learn a little about Rose-san.

I am convinced that she will surely protect Prince Glen.

Certainly, there are ‘those’ parts about her, but she, with her strength of character that is greater than most, will reveal her hidden strength to repel any adversity.

After all, she’s the person who fought hand-to-hand with a slime, whose pre-action movements are difficult to read, for 10 minutes because she wasn’t used to the avatar movement.

And――

 

Arata: “There is no need to worry about the Third Knight’s Order either.”

Alfred: “Oh, do you have some basis for that?”

Arata: “Because I have sent a trustworthy ally.”