But Cloud blocked both swords at once with his longsword, then pulled out the dagger hidden in his handle and stabbed the knight charging from behind in the stomach.
The dagger he swung with his left hand instantly struck down several knights.
“Damn.”
Alexia, who was watching her subordinates fall down injured, quietly let out harsh words. Before she knew it, the smell of blood began to vibrate.
No matter how numerous they were, the knights were no match for Cloud, even though they were all excellent knights belonging to the Imperial Guard.
All they could do was tie up Cloud's feet for a little while.
“...It seems like my only opponent here is you, Lord Dexen.”
Cloud opened his mouth ominously, his face covered in blood. That was right. Alexia swung her sword, which was much heavier than a normal sword, at Cloud.
Phew. The sound of the heavy blade cutting through the air was ominous.
‘...As expected, she is an amazing woman.’
Although he managed to block her sword with great difficulty, this time it was a bit too much for Cloud. It was not the right time to indulge in reminiscence, but he couldn't help but recall the words of his brother, who worked with her.
Bayfold, who had sparred with her many times, always said, 'Alexia Dexen's sword has a power that cannot be put into words.' He had praised it many times.
It wasn't that he had ridiculed her for being a woman, but Cloud hesitated as the sword swung with more force than any he had ever faced before.
But that only lasted for a moment.
If Alexia had strength, Cloud had agility.
After enduring a few of her heavy attacks, he started to see a pattern, and instead of blocking her sword, he chose to quickly move his body to dodge.
It was while he was dodging Alexia's sword here and there.
One of the knights who still had the will to fight clenched his teeth and charged at Cloud with his sword drawn. Cloud quickly blocked his attack with the dagger in his left hand, but Alexia was not one to miss this opportunity.
In an instant, Alexia's sword swooped down on Cloud.
He quickly turned his body to avoid the attack, but unfortunately, he was unable to completely dodge it, and Alexia's sword cut a large vertical line across Cloud's right eye.
"...shit."
He couldn't die here like this.
He had a family to protect. His brother's family, but since there was no more Bayfold in this world to protect the mother and daughter, he had to survive and protect them.
He used a secret method he had hidden in the soles of his shoes.
As Cloud roughly slammed the heel of his shoe against the ground, a loud explosion was heard and a burst of light appeared. It was a flash grenade made of magic.
Alexia, who had been unable to come to her senses for a while due to the sudden explosion of sound and light, came to her senses only to find that Cloud had already disappeared.
“Follow the blood trail!!”
Those who were not seriously injured hurriedly chased after the trail of blood that Cloud had left, but by the time they reached the back alley outside the building, even that trail had stopped and disappeared.
"...shit!!!"
Alexia was furious. So many people were hurt, but nothing was gained. It was a mistake to underestimate Cloud.
“Collect the wounded. Quickly!”
The healers Alexia had left on standby quickly began casting healing magic on the injured.
Fortunately, since they were accompanying the only Prince of the empire, there were many excellent healers. If they were still breathing, it would be possible to revive them.
'No, it's not like I gained anything at all.'
There was one definite piece of information shr gained from this incident.
The eldest son of the late emperor, Byron Lionel Vito Peles, who had committed treason and disappeared, had returned.
“...Laura, what’s wrong?”
Aila asked cautiously as she ate the stew Laura had brought her.
It had already been several weeks since she had been locked in her hotel room and kept quiet.
No, actually, she put Laura to sleep once in the middle of the trip and sneaked out of the room, but she only came back with a few blank pieces of paper and a writing instrument from the lobby on the first floor of the inn.
In any case, Winfred's journey to be appointed Crown Prince was coming to an end. In just a few days, she would once again be wandering around some unknown mountain or fortress.
But the atmosphere was strange these days. Laura and Capella were just standing next to her, silent and worried.
Even Laura, who was always busy finding fault with Aila whenever she got the chance, had no energy these past few days. She didn't even say the nonsense she usually said to her.
"...No."
Laura, who had said only that, bit her lips again. Her eyes, filled with worry, were filled with tears.
There was definitely something going on, and it wasn't usually anything major. Since neither Laura nor Capella opened their mouths, she had no way of knowing, and it was frustrating.
Aila sighed and took another large spoonful of stew. There was no way she could force her mouth to open.
It seemed like the time was approaching to start using sleeping pills again, which she hadn't used for a while.
That night, Capella, who had been by her side all evening, left the room for a moment to switch places with Laura.
Aila quickly called out the box Winfred had given her and took out the sleeping pills she had hidden, and waited for Laura to come to the room.
He didn't forget to drop a drop of sleeping pill into the water bottle in the room.
'There really isn't much left now.'
Since she hadn't made that many to begin with, she was almost out of sleeping pills.
Actually, it didn't matter because once she left this city, there was nothing more to do.
And a moment later, Laura entered the room with a dark expression.
“...Go to sleep quickly, young lady.”
Laura, who had been watching her bed, spoke in a gloomy voice. It was somehow difficult to start a conversation.
"Yes."
It was when Aila, who had no choice but to lay her head on the pillow and pretend to be asleep,
“Sob, sob.”
Laura started to cry. She was trying to keep her voice from getting out, as if trying not to make a sound.
‘...What on earth is going on?’
Aila couldn't help but feel confused. What on earth was going on?
After shedding tears for a long time, Laura felt thirsty and drank water from the bottle containing sleeping pills.
And then, shortly after, she fell into a deep sleep.
‘...I’m worried.’
What is going on, that poisonous Laura is crying so sadly?
Aila left the room secretly and headed to Byron's room without making any noise.
She thinks she'll be able to find out what's happening the fastest.
And just as she had expected, Byron's anxious voice came from his room.
“What about Cloud? Any news?”
Cloud? Then, realizing that it had been several days since she had seen Cloud, Aila cautiously opened the door. One of Byron's subordinates, whom she occasionally saw, was bowing his head with an embarrassed expression.
“Yes, my lord.”
“It’s already been several days... He hasn’t been caught, has he?”
“Yes. I don’t think so. They also seemed to be looking for Sir Cloud. From what I heard, it seemed like Sir Cloud was injured. I wonder if that’s wrong...”
At his report, Byron bit his lips impatiently with his only hand.
Aila, who was looking at the sight, just opened her eyes wide, not knowing what on earth was going on.
'Cloud hasn't come back for several days? What's going on?'
“...Mobilize everyone possible to find Cloud. If he’s dead, bring him his body.”
Byron spoke in a dark voice, and he nodded and began to approach the door, saying he would follow the order.
'Oh, I have to get out of here quickly.'
Aila hurried out of the doorway. She wanted to get more information, but there was no way to do so.
Aila returned to her room, took out the paper and writing utensils she had hidden away, and sat down at the table to sort out the situation.
'Cloud's job was to kill Winfred.'
If he had gone on a mission and not returned for several days, there was only one possible scenario: he had run into the royal guard protecting Winfred.
Cloud was a cautious man. He was also quite a strong knight.
When he was teaching her, he only used a dagger, but she once saw him swing two swords of different lengths at the same time. The awe she felt at that time was so great that she still remembers it as if it were yesterday, even though she is living her second life.
Although Aila thought she was one step ahead of Cloud, her abilities were limited to hiding and infiltration.
Even that was one level lower than hers, and with his skill level, there was no way he would hide outside the building and get caught.
But if that kind of Cloud was enough to hurt a person, then something big had definitely happened.
'Did you infiltrate the building? Then, is Winfred safe?'
If Cloud got anxious and tried to sneak into the building and harm Winfred after being told to stay in a safe place and not wander around alone, then...
Her first thought was whether Winfred was okay.
'Oh, of course. There's no way they would neglect the protection of their one and only Prince like that.'
Clearly, this had never happened in her previous life. If so, then this must have happened because of something that Aila changed when she returned to the past.
'...Could it be because I gave information to Winfred? If so... it could be a trap.'
A trap was set with the intention of catching Cloud.
It was a possibility.
'By the way, what happens to me if Cloud doesn't come back?'
The dagger he swung with his left hand instantly struck down several knights.
“Damn.”
Alexia, who was watching her subordinates fall down injured, quietly let out harsh words. Before she knew it, the smell of blood began to vibrate.
No matter how numerous they were, the knights were no match for Cloud, even though they were all excellent knights belonging to the Imperial Guard.
All they could do was tie up Cloud's feet for a little while.
“...It seems like my only opponent here is you, Lord Dexen.”
Cloud opened his mouth ominously, his face covered in blood. That was right. Alexia swung her sword, which was much heavier than a normal sword, at Cloud.
Phew. The sound of the heavy blade cutting through the air was ominous.
‘...As expected, she is an amazing woman.’
Although he managed to block her sword with great difficulty, this time it was a bit too much for Cloud. It was not the right time to indulge in reminiscence, but he couldn't help but recall the words of his brother, who worked with her.
Bayfold, who had sparred with her many times, always said, 'Alexia Dexen's sword has a power that cannot be put into words.' He had praised it many times.
It wasn't that he had ridiculed her for being a woman, but Cloud hesitated as the sword swung with more force than any he had ever faced before.
But that only lasted for a moment.
If Alexia had strength, Cloud had agility.
After enduring a few of her heavy attacks, he started to see a pattern, and instead of blocking her sword, he chose to quickly move his body to dodge.
It was while he was dodging Alexia's sword here and there.
One of the knights who still had the will to fight clenched his teeth and charged at Cloud with his sword drawn. Cloud quickly blocked his attack with the dagger in his left hand, but Alexia was not one to miss this opportunity.
In an instant, Alexia's sword swooped down on Cloud.
He quickly turned his body to avoid the attack, but unfortunately, he was unable to completely dodge it, and Alexia's sword cut a large vertical line across Cloud's right eye.
"...shit."
He couldn't die here like this.
He had a family to protect. His brother's family, but since there was no more Bayfold in this world to protect the mother and daughter, he had to survive and protect them.
He used a secret method he had hidden in the soles of his shoes.
As Cloud roughly slammed the heel of his shoe against the ground, a loud explosion was heard and a burst of light appeared. It was a flash grenade made of magic.
Alexia, who had been unable to come to her senses for a while due to the sudden explosion of sound and light, came to her senses only to find that Cloud had already disappeared.
“Follow the blood trail!!”
Those who were not seriously injured hurriedly chased after the trail of blood that Cloud had left, but by the time they reached the back alley outside the building, even that trail had stopped and disappeared.
"...shit!!!"
Alexia was furious. So many people were hurt, but nothing was gained. It was a mistake to underestimate Cloud.
“Collect the wounded. Quickly!”
The healers Alexia had left on standby quickly began casting healing magic on the injured.
Fortunately, since they were accompanying the only Prince of the empire, there were many excellent healers. If they were still breathing, it would be possible to revive them.
'No, it's not like I gained anything at all.'
There was one definite piece of information shr gained from this incident.
The eldest son of the late emperor, Byron Lionel Vito Peles, who had committed treason and disappeared, had returned.
***
“...Laura, what’s wrong?”
Aila asked cautiously as she ate the stew Laura had brought her.
It had already been several weeks since she had been locked in her hotel room and kept quiet.
No, actually, she put Laura to sleep once in the middle of the trip and sneaked out of the room, but she only came back with a few blank pieces of paper and a writing instrument from the lobby on the first floor of the inn.
In any case, Winfred's journey to be appointed Crown Prince was coming to an end. In just a few days, she would once again be wandering around some unknown mountain or fortress.
But the atmosphere was strange these days. Laura and Capella were just standing next to her, silent and worried.
Even Laura, who was always busy finding fault with Aila whenever she got the chance, had no energy these past few days. She didn't even say the nonsense she usually said to her.
"...No."
Laura, who had said only that, bit her lips again. Her eyes, filled with worry, were filled with tears.
There was definitely something going on, and it wasn't usually anything major. Since neither Laura nor Capella opened their mouths, she had no way of knowing, and it was frustrating.
Aila sighed and took another large spoonful of stew. There was no way she could force her mouth to open.
It seemed like the time was approaching to start using sleeping pills again, which she hadn't used for a while.
That night, Capella, who had been by her side all evening, left the room for a moment to switch places with Laura.
Aila quickly called out the box Winfred had given her and took out the sleeping pills she had hidden, and waited for Laura to come to the room.
He didn't forget to drop a drop of sleeping pill into the water bottle in the room.
'There really isn't much left now.'
Since she hadn't made that many to begin with, she was almost out of sleeping pills.
Actually, it didn't matter because once she left this city, there was nothing more to do.
And a moment later, Laura entered the room with a dark expression.
“...Go to sleep quickly, young lady.”
Laura, who had been watching her bed, spoke in a gloomy voice. It was somehow difficult to start a conversation.
"Yes."
It was when Aila, who had no choice but to lay her head on the pillow and pretend to be asleep,
“Sob, sob.”
Laura started to cry. She was trying to keep her voice from getting out, as if trying not to make a sound.
‘...What on earth is going on?’
Aila couldn't help but feel confused. What on earth was going on?
After shedding tears for a long time, Laura felt thirsty and drank water from the bottle containing sleeping pills.
And then, shortly after, she fell into a deep sleep.
‘...I’m worried.’
What is going on, that poisonous Laura is crying so sadly?
Aila left the room secretly and headed to Byron's room without making any noise.
She thinks she'll be able to find out what's happening the fastest.
And just as she had expected, Byron's anxious voice came from his room.
“What about Cloud? Any news?”
Cloud? Then, realizing that it had been several days since she had seen Cloud, Aila cautiously opened the door. One of Byron's subordinates, whom she occasionally saw, was bowing his head with an embarrassed expression.
“Yes, my lord.”
“It’s already been several days... He hasn’t been caught, has he?”
“Yes. I don’t think so. They also seemed to be looking for Sir Cloud. From what I heard, it seemed like Sir Cloud was injured. I wonder if that’s wrong...”
At his report, Byron bit his lips impatiently with his only hand.
Aila, who was looking at the sight, just opened her eyes wide, not knowing what on earth was going on.
'Cloud hasn't come back for several days? What's going on?'
“...Mobilize everyone possible to find Cloud. If he’s dead, bring him his body.”
Byron spoke in a dark voice, and he nodded and began to approach the door, saying he would follow the order.
'Oh, I have to get out of here quickly.'
Aila hurried out of the doorway. She wanted to get more information, but there was no way to do so.
Aila returned to her room, took out the paper and writing utensils she had hidden away, and sat down at the table to sort out the situation.
'Cloud's job was to kill Winfred.'
If he had gone on a mission and not returned for several days, there was only one possible scenario: he had run into the royal guard protecting Winfred.
Cloud was a cautious man. He was also quite a strong knight.
When he was teaching her, he only used a dagger, but she once saw him swing two swords of different lengths at the same time. The awe she felt at that time was so great that she still remembers it as if it were yesterday, even though she is living her second life.
Although Aila thought she was one step ahead of Cloud, her abilities were limited to hiding and infiltration.
Even that was one level lower than hers, and with his skill level, there was no way he would hide outside the building and get caught.
But if that kind of Cloud was enough to hurt a person, then something big had definitely happened.
'Did you infiltrate the building? Then, is Winfred safe?'
If Cloud got anxious and tried to sneak into the building and harm Winfred after being told to stay in a safe place and not wander around alone, then...
Her first thought was whether Winfred was okay.
'Oh, of course. There's no way they would neglect the protection of their one and only Prince like that.'
Clearly, this had never happened in her previous life. If so, then this must have happened because of something that Aila changed when she returned to the past.
'...Could it be because I gave information to Winfred? If so... it could be a trap.'
A trap was set with the intention of catching Cloud.
It was a possibility.
'By the way, what happens to me if Cloud doesn't come back?'
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