Chapter 7. A Mysterious Man
1974 Words
The rain continued to pour heavily.
Pitter-patter.
The carriage moved slowly along the muddy road, its wheels struggling against the soaked ground.
The journey was taking much longer than expected.
Selene sat quietly inside the carriage, watching the rain fall through the window.
Hours passed.
The sky gradually darkened.
Night had already fallen.
One of the knights riding alongside the carriage looked toward the dark forest ahead.
He frowned.
“Your Highness.”
Selene looked toward him through the carriage window.
“Yes?”
The knight glanced at the road ahead.
“It is already night, and the rain has slowed us down considerably.”
He hesitated.
“We should probably stop here for the night.”
Another knight nodded.
“The forest ahead will be dangerous to travel through in the dark. We can set up camp here and continue our journey once the weather clears.”
Selene looked out at the forest.
The trees stood tall and dark beneath the night sky.
She sighed.
“Fine.”
The knights immediately began preparing the area.
The carriage came to a stop.
For tonight…
they would be staying in the forest.
The rain continued for some time.
But eventually—
Pitter…
Pitter…
The sound slowly faded.
The rain had stopped.
The knights immediately began setting up camp.
They gathered dry wood and started a fire near the center of the campsite.
Crackle.
Crackle.
The warm glow of the flames illuminated the surrounding trees.
Selene remained inside her tent, sitting quietly.
She had no intention of leaving.
At least, not yet.
“Your Highness!”
A knight's voice came from outside.
“Dinner is ready!”
Selene lifted her head.
Dinner?
She slowly stepped out of the tent.
The knights had gathered around the campfire.
One of them handed her a piece of meat and a stick.
“Here, Your Highness.”
Selene stared at the meat.
Then at the fire.
Without saying anything, she sat down beside the flames.
She placed the meat on the stick and held it over the fire.
Crackle.
The flames danced beneath it.
Selene slowly rotated the stick.
She watched the meat roast.
For a moment, the forest was strangely peaceful.
The warm fire.
The cool night air.
The faint scent of roasted meat.
Selene leaned slightly closer to the fire.
“…Not bad.”
She continued roasting her meat while the knights quietly settled around the campsite.
But Selene's mind soon drifted elsewhere.
What weapon should I bring tomorrow for the mission?
She slowly rotated the stick in her hand.
No…
I'll probably have to examine that guild master first.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
I can just summon it.
She paused.
Wait.
Should I put poison?
Her expression became thoughtful.
What poison?
She continued staring at the fire, completely lost in her thoughts.
Meanwhile—
The meat had begun to burn.
The flames slowly climbed higher.
Fwoosh.
They reached the end of the stick.
Then—
Her hand.
“Your Highness!”
Lisa suddenly shouted.
Selene didn't react.
“YOUR HIGHNESS!”
The flames continued spreading along the stick.
They reached her fingers.
Selene finally blinked.
“Oh.”
Lisa's eyes widened.
“OH?!”
Selene calmly pulled the stick away from the fire.
She stared at the blackened meat.
Then at her hand.
“…It's burnt.”
Lisa stared at her in disbelief.
“Of course it's burnt!”
Selene blinked.
“…Oh.”
Lisa covered her face with one hand.
How is she so calm?
Selene looked at her hand.
Then she snapped her fingers.
Snap.
A small amount of water suddenly appeared in the air.
It circled around Selene's arm before immediately rushing toward her hand.
Whoosh!
The flames were extinguished instantly.
Hiss.
A small cloud of steam rose from her fingers.
The knights were watching with wide eyes
Selene moved her hand slightly.
No serious injury.
She looked back at the fire.
The roasted meat was completely blackened.
“…It's burnt.”
Lisa's eye twitched.
“I KNOW!”
Selene stared at her.
“…Oh.”
Lisa sighed deeply.
My master…
---
Night had fallen over the forest.
The camp had become completely quiet.
The knights were asleep around the dying campfire, while the others rested inside their tents.
Everyone was asleep.
Everyone except Selene.
She sat quietly inside her tent.
Her eyes were open.
Then—
Rustle.
A faint noise suddenly came from outside.
Selene's ears twitched.
Her eyes immediately sharpened.
She turned her head toward the entrance of the tent.
Rustle…
There it was again.
Something was moving outside.
Selene slowly looked toward Lisa.
Lisa was already awake.
Their eyes met.
Neither of them spoke.
Selene raised one finger to her lips.
Stay quiet.
Lisa nodded.
Selene then snapped her fingers.
Snap.
A faint glow surrounded her body.
The clothes she had been wearing disappeared, replaced by her black assassin uniform.
She put on the hood to covered her head, hiding most of her face.
Selene looked toward Lisa and made a small hand signal.
Stay here.
Then she quietly whispered,
“Stay here. I'll blow the whistle if I need you.”
Lisa nodded.
“Yes, Master.”
Selene turned toward the entrance of the tent.
She snapped her fingers once more
And in the blink of an eye—
Whoosh.
She disappeared.
Selene teleported outside the tent.
The forest was silent.
Too silent.
She slowly looked around.
Her eyes narrowed beneath her hood.
Someone's here.
Selene leaped onto a nearby tree branch.
She crouched silently, her hood covering most of her face.
From above, she scanned the campsite.
The sleeping knights.
The tents.
The dying campfire.
Everything seemed normal.
“Oh?”
Selene suddenly flinched.
A whisper came from behind her.
“…”
She turned around.
Too late.
CLANG!
A dagger collided with hers.
Sparks flew between the blades.
Selene's eyes widened slightly.
Someone had managed to get close enough to attack her without making a sound.
She immediately pushed against the attack.
Then—
Whoosh!
Selene leaped backward.
She landed lightly on the ground.
Her dagger remained firmly in her hand.
She slowly looked around.
No one was there.
Her eyes narrowed.
Then—
A shadow slowly approached her.
Selene's eyes flickered.
“Oh?”
She watched the shadow move across the ground.
Shadow skill?
Interesting.
Selene tightened her grip on her dagger.
She moved her blade.
Then—
CLANG!
Their daggers collided again.
A man's figure appeared in front of her.
Selene immediately attacked.
He blocked.
She struck again.
He dodged.
Their blades continued to collide.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The fight continued.
Their movements were too fast.
To anyone watching from afar, it would have been impossible to tell whether they were even human.
Selene ducked beneath his blade and countered with her dagger.
He twisted his body and avoided it.
She stepped forward.
He stepped back.
Then—
CLANG!
CLANG!
Selene's dagger was knocked from her hand.
It fell to the ground.
Before she could react, the man's dagger was already against her neck.
Selene froze.
Then…
she smirked.
Snap.
A tiny needle appeared between her fingers.
It shot toward the man's forehead.
His eyes narrowed.
He saw it.
Just before the needle could hit—
he caught it between two fingers.
Selene's eyes flickered.
He caught it?
But that moment of distraction was all she needed.
Selene stepped forward.
BAM!
Her elbow struck him.
The man's dagger flew from his hand.
His body was sent flying backward.
BAM!
He crashed into a nearby tree.
Selene immediately moved toward him.
She stopped in front of the tree.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
“I knew it…”
She whispered.
She already knew he would disappear.
And just as she expected—
the man was gone.
Selene turned around, preparing to return to her tent.
But then—
she stopped.
Her eyes shifted toward the campsite.
One of the knights was standing outside his tent.
He wasn't looking at the other sleeping knights.
He was looking directly toward her.
Selene's expression changed.
The smile disappeared.
Her eyes darkened.
He saw it.
He had seen everything.
The fight.
Her movements.
Her magic.
Her assassin uniform.
Everything.
Selene stared at him from the darkness.
The knight remained still.
Neither of them spoke.
Then—
Snap.
Selene snapped her fingers.
Her figure disappeared from where she stood.
The knight's eyes widened
"...!"
To be continued....
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