Elisvaria surveyed her surroundings the moment she stepped out of the carriage's private chamber. The cold air struck her face immediately. Earlier, she had felt the violent shaking caused by the horses' panic. Their shrill cries and frantic stomping had thrown her body off balance inside the narrow compartment.
She steadied her breathing, ensuring her footing was firm once more.
I should stop wearing gowns when traveling long distances. They are nothing but a burden in emergencies like this. Changing clothes inside that cramped space alone wasted time and energy.
She glanced briefly at the combat attire now fitted to her body. Much lighter. Far more flexible. Appropriate for battle.
At least that is settled. It feels significantly better to move without layers of fabric restricting every motion.
Yet her thoughts did not settle.
Why have I been so concerned about my appearance lately? I even chose a gown I rarely wear.
She exhaled quietly.
Forget it.
Her gaze swept across the area surrounding the carriage.
Something was off.
Vaelor was nowhere in sight.
Her brows drew together slightly as she turned to Nyra, who stood a short distance away.
"Where is Vaelor?"
"Lady Duke, he went to confront the mage who attacked the carriage's position earlier."
"I see."
The reply was brief, yet Nyra could not conceal the worry on her face. The tension in her expression was unmistakable. Elisvaria noticed the shift immediately.
"There is no need for excessive concern. Vaelor is not far beneath me in terms of realm or combat capability. Unless someone at the Master level is assisting that mage, he will not struggle to eliminate him."
"Yes, Lady Duke."
Nyra lowered her head slightly, though the unease in her eyes had not completely faded.
Elisvaria then shifted her attention toward the healing mage positioned near the convoy. She walked closer.
A knight in armor lay weakly on the ground. Moments ago, his abdomen had been pierced by an attack that nearly took his life. Now the wound had fully closed without leaving a scar. His skin was whole again, though dried blood still stained his body, clothing, and the surface of his iron armor.
Despite his physical recovery, the knight's face was pale. His breathing was steady, but the exhaustion from severe blood loss was evident.
He would need time to truly recover.
Elisvaria stood near him.
"How is your injury?"
The knight attempted to lift himself slightly, though his body remained heavy.
"My Lord, I am fine now. The wound has closed. I can move again and am ready to fight."
A faint chuckle escaped her.
"I appreciate your courage and determination. However, you will be far more useful fully recovered than forcing yourself to stand only to collapse again."
The knight fell silent for a moment. His pride as a soldier was clearly stirred. In the end, he nodded.
"I understand, My Lord."
Elisvaria then turned to the young mage standing beside him. With a smooth motion, she tossed a silver bracelet engraved with intricate patterns.
The mage caught it quickly.
"Use that to protect the carriage. Bring this knight to shelter inside the main compartment with the coachman."
"Understood."
The mage gripped the bracelet firmly, fully aware of its value and purpose.
Before turning away completely, Elisvaria recalled something.
"Ah, do not forget Sir Harris behind the carriage. I do not want him dying pointlessly because an enemy attacks while he is meditating."
The mage straightened at once.
"I will see to it, My Lord."
After confirming everything was in order, Elisvaria turned and walked toward the knights forming the defensive line. Her steps were steady and deliberate.
After several strides, she halted.
She tilted her head slightly toward Sasuke, who stood at her side.
"Do you wish to fight, Sasuke?"
Her tone was softer than usual. Not as firm as when issuing commands. Not as rigid as the noble etiquette she normally maintained.
Sasuke did not answer immediately.
Ever since she woke up from her afternoon nap leaning on him, the way she spoke became more relaxed. More informal. More intimate.
Am I bothered by that?
He considered it briefly.
Honestly, I do not care how someone addresses me. Whether formal or casual, it changes nothing.
Sasuke answered in a flat tone, devoid of emotion. His gaze remained fixed ahead, as if the question did not deserve extended consideration.
"Do you want me to kill them all?"
Elisvaria did not respond immediately. Her eyes shifted toward the mass of enemies ahead, then returned to the man beside her.
"How quickly can you do it?"
"Less than one minute."
The reply came without hesitation.
Elisvaria paused briefly. The statement sounded impossible, even by the standards of elite knights. To eliminate all of them in under a minute was not mere confidence. It was an absolute declaration.
She shook her head lightly.
"Forget it. Just watch the surroundings and eliminate any hidden assassins who might ambush me when I advance."
"As you wish."
The response was casual, without emphasis, as though whatever decision the Duke made would not alter anything from his perspective.
Elisvaria turned away. She gave Nyra a faint smile, not entirely gentle, yet firm enough to convey trust.
"Select several knights and accompany me to the front line."
"Understood, Lady Duke!"
Nyra moved at once. She signaled to several nearby knights, and they quickly regrouped to form additional escort protection.
Elisvaria, Nyra, and the selected knights advanced steadily toward the front, approaching the defensive formation that had already been established. The soldiers' condition remained relatively stable. Their faces showed fatigue, yet the line held firm. No one retreated.
The high quality armor they wore had performed its function well. Vital areas were protected from lethal slashes and thrusts. Even so, dark red stains now marked the silver surfaces of their armor. Enemy and ally blood had mixed with dust and scattered snow clinging to the metal's crevices.
Ahead of them, dozens of remaining bandits stood with thickening killing intent. Their gazes were no longer wild as at the beginning of the assault. Now they were focused. Disciplined.
Behind them stood a dozen figures radiating far stronger aura. The pressure they released was not concealed. This was the group that had earlier caused Leon and Harris to sense unusual tension.
They were not bait.
They were the next wave.
Not far from the battlefield, behind bushes heavily coated in snow that formed low mounds, several assassins disguised as bandits lay in silent wait. Their bodies remained low, breathing steady, aura suppressed to the bare minimum to avoid detection.
This group was prepared to move at any moment. They waited for only one thing.
A command.
At their center stood a middle aged man with completely white long hair. His posture was upright and calm. The aura within his body was so dense that even his companions felt pressure simply standing near him.
He did not need to shout.
"You all, prepare yourselves."
"Understood."
The response came in unison, low and controlled. No one moved recklessly. Their focus returned to the front line, waiting for the moment when the knights' defense began to fracture.
Elsewhere in the forest, another group of assassins observed the situation from a secure distance. Their position was well concealed, their vantage point broad enough to monitor every movement around the Duke.
A black haired adult man stood as their leader. Two swords were strapped across his back in a cross formation. The aura he controlled was not flashy, yet stable and concentrated.
Alongside three companions, they shared the same intention.
Wait for an opening.
A man beside him spoke quietly.
"This will be somewhat troublesome, but at least the Northern Thunder Sword and the Young Thunder Sword have been drawn away from that woman's side."
The black haired man nodded once.
"You are right. That is a significant advantage for us."
Without those two figures near the Duke, the pressure on them decreased considerably.
"When do we move?"
"Wait until the Northern Ice Sword Goddess begins to show signs of fatigue. Based on the information we received, that woman is extremely powerful and possesses remarkable stamina."
"I understand."
Another man responded, though his attention had been fixed on a different figure since earlier.
The man dressed in black robes adorned with golden patterns standing beside the Ice Sword Goddess.
His eyes narrowed.
"What about that man? He appears to be a new protector. We received no information that she had taken a new knight as her guard."
The air around them grew heavier.
The black haired man merely shrugged lightly, as if the situation before them was not something worth prolonged debate.
He fully understood his friends' concerns. Even the smallest variable could trigger total destruction. In an operation like this, a lack of information was tantamount to walking blindly toward death. If the new knight standing beside the woman truly possessed power equal to that of the Young Thunder Sword, then the outcome of this battle would be unpredictable.
One of them began to show doubt. It was natural. Every unfamiliar figure introduced possibilities beyond the initial calculation.
"Was this mission impossible from the start? Too many assassins have already fallen to that woman's sword and her escort knights. Now another unknown man appears at her side."
His voice was low, yet enough to stir unease.
"Hey, do not start turning pessimistic."
The black haired man cut him off before the mood worsened.
"Forget worries that have not happened. Focus on observing the situation. The Frostwyn swordsman is no longer at her side. That is a gap we can exploit."
"You are right, Gunnar."
One of them nodded in agreement toward the man named Gunnar.
Gunnar swept his gaze across them firmly.
"Prepare yourselves. Move as soon as the next command is given."
"Understood!"
The response came in unison, low yet ready. They refocused on the battlefield, maintaining safe distance while tracking every movement carefully.
On the other side of the battlefield, after briefly inspecting her troops' condition, Elisvaria stepped forward. Her stride was steady, and she stopped precisely five steps behind the knight formation.
The knights standing before her looked at their Duke with burning eyes. Their bodies were tense, prepared to charge at any moment. They resembled beasts restrained by chains, awaiting release.
Unfortunately, only a select few chosen by Nyra were permitted to advance alongside her. The rest were ordered to guard the carriage perimeter. Even so, the Duke's strict instruction to cut down anyone who approached was enough to ignite their spirit.
Among them, Pukki appeared the most restless. His gaze still carried a trace of madness not yet satisfied.
A knight beside him nudged lightly.
"Pukki, leave a few body parts for us. Do not lose control again and wipe them all out by yourself."
Several knights chuckled.
Pukki showed a thin grin.
"Who knows. Maybe I will only leave the lower halves for you."
Laughter burst out louder.
"In that case, keep them for your personal collection."
"Kekeke!"
"Silence!"
Nyra's firm voice cut through the banter instantly. The laughter died at once. The knights' expressions tightened.
Nyra disliked humor like that. In her view, men's tastes could be utterly disgusting. More than that, she refused to let their focus scatter while enemies stood directly before them.
I truly need to ask Lady Duke to discipline them later.
Seeing the seriousness on Nyra's face, several knights swallowed. They knew she never forgot misconduct. Some of them had already experienced the consequences of irritating her.
On the other side, Leon remained silent. He had not participated in the crude exchange at all. Faint blue energy began seeping from his skin, flowing like thin vibrating mist. His aura had been sharpening continuously, ready to be unleashed at any moment.
After the atmosphere stabilized, Nyra stepped closer to the Duke.
"Lady Duke, everything is prepared."
"Good."
Elisvaria then turned her head toward Sasuke, who stood beside her. Her gaze softened, in contrast to the firmness she had displayed moments earlier.
"Do not interfere unless I am truly in danger. Remain on guard here."
Sasuke continued looking forward. For him, crushing the bandits ahead was not a difficult task. He did not even understand why this woman insisted on stepping forward herself and prolonging the situation.
Elisvaria continued.
"I do not know what you are thinking. But I became strong through battle. I want to continue moving forward and not rely on others forever. Since meeting you, my principles have begun to waver. For some reason, I feel too comfortable letting you resolve everything. I do not want to become a burden to you in the future."
Sasuke remained silent.
The words sounded unusual to his ears. There was meaning within them he did not fully grasp, or perhaps chose not to. Yet Elisvaria's determination to grow stronger through combat reminded him of a certain clan from the shinobi world, where strength was forged through conflict and sacrifice.
Beside them, Nyra's eyes widened.
Why does Lady Duke's statement sound almost like a personal confession?
Her thoughts halted when Elisvaria spoke again.
"Is my request too much, Sasuke?"
Sasuke glanced at her briefly.
"Do as you wish, Duke."
Elisvaria's lips pressed slightly before she shifted her gaze toward the bandits, who were now tightening their grip on swords and spears.
I should have expected that answer. Still, it is irritating. I chose those words carefully, hoping for something more than a flat permission. This man is truly insensitive.
She dismissed the thought immediately. She took two steps forward. Her breath flowed slowly through her slightly parted lips.
The sword in her hand rose, its tip pointing straight at the enemy.
Her voice rang out clearly and firmly.
"Advance."