Chapter 78

Stuart huddled, his voice trembling as he spoke.

"That voice, the intruder from back then...!? Why do you know my name...?"

"..."

Noah's wariness grew even more intense than when the golem appeared.

"I'll handle this. You should teleport—"

"No. I'm staying."

The moment Claudia spoke, Stuart's shoulders twitched.

"! That, that beautiful voice..."

"..."

As Noah furrowed his brow, Stuart suddenly looked up. Noah was hiding Claudia behind him, so she should have been invisible to Stuart. However, Stuart seemed to have noticed Claudia's feet.

"Those feet...!! The slender ankles, the pale skin. No mistake, you are..."

"..."

Noah readied his sword again and charged forward. In the dim light of the lantern, Stuart's excited face was clearly visible. Stuart's well-defined face was filled with joy.

"...My holy maiden, Lady Adelheid...!!"

"..."

The sword swung by Noah struck the stone wall near Stuart.

"Ah!"

The wall shattered with a loud noise, and Stuart flinched. Noah had deliberately missed to intimidate him and now pointed the tip of his sword at Stuart.

"Don't look at my master with those creepy eyes."

"You... You broke into the garden, infiltrated this tower, and repeatedly tried to tear me and Lady Adelheid apart...!"

Stuart muttered, biting his thumbnail with a look of disgust. Claudia greeted the sleeping girl, then sat down on the edge of the bed and called out to Noah.

"‘Leonhardt.’ Capture him without hurting him."

"Is such leniency necessary?"

"Good boys listen to their master's commands. Understand?"

She spoke soothingly, and Noah replied in a low voice.

"...As you command, Lady Adelheid."

"Get out of the way!!"

Stuart raised his hands toward Noah.

"‘Steel, protect me’!"

A short, sharp sound was heard, and a wall of light appeared in front of Stuart. Seeing the high density of magic, Claudia was impressed.

(Short incantation, yet a sturdy barrier.)

The precision reminded her of her former disciple, Siegwald. Noah's sword was deflected by the barrier, crackling with lightning as he squinted.

"Haha, it didn't hit!! Bounced off my barrier, serves you right...!"

"..."

Noah jumped back, straightening his stance, and fell silent as if thinking. Stuart sighed in relief, seeing through Noah's hesitation. He then looked at Claudia.

"Lady Adelheid!! Please forgive my rudeness for being in your presence. ...No, it's presumptuous of me to even ask for forgiveness. It's a sin to even hope for your punishment...!!"

Stuart raised his voice excitedly, and Noah glared at him quietly.

"...Don't speak to her."

"I know better than anyone that I don't have the right...!! But, ah, since I've been abandoned by fortune, I'll never have such an opportunity again. Even if she hates me, I can't let this chance slip...!!"

Then, Stuart raised his hands toward Claudia and Noah.

"‘Steel, block’...!!"

"!!"

Noah gasped, and at that moment, a barrier of light appeared in front of Claudia.

"Oh."

The barrier separated Noah and Claudia. Claudia, still sitting on the bed, extended her legs and touched the barrier with her toes, feeling a hard sensation.

It seemed Claudia was trapped inside the barrier.

"..."

Noah, realizing this, narrowed his eyes while still gripping his sword. Stuart, pressing his chest, seemed to savor his happiness as he spoke.

"Now, no one can interfere. Finally, I can observe your beauty up close..."

Stuart took a step forward, whispering as if praying to a deity.

"Please wait. I'll be by your side through teleportation..."

"No..."

Claudia placed her index finger on her lips and tilted her head in a childlike gesture.

"You've done something terrible, Stuart."

"My name...!!"

Stuart gripped the front of his clothes.

"And you're addressing me by my first name...! Thank you. It's an honor beyond my worth, but I want to hear more of your voice..."

Just as Stuart was about to step forward,

"Huh?"

Noah, with dilated pupils, took a step forward with his sword.

Stuart must have sensed the ominous magic contained in the sword. His face turned pale with fear at the sight of something unknown.

"The reason this child couldn't break your barrier earlier is that I commanded him not to hurt you, and he was trying to obey."

"W-What...? This presence, this atmosphere. I'm not afraid, this barrier is perfect. It's said to be the masterpiece of our royal family's magic, yet..."

Noah stopped in front of Stuart, who was muttering to himself.

"......Come out."

Noah, with the eyes of a predator, whispered in a low voice.

It didn't matter about the skilled sword techniques he learned from Karlheinz or the delicate magic control taught by Claudia.

A simple, overwhelming destructive power was poured into Noah's sword in large quantities.

"You must not show this child even a hint of the possibility of harming me."

"Ah..."

Noah, without any hesitation, raised his sword toward the barrier.

"—My servant is turning into a bad boy."

"Aaaah!!"

In the next moment, Stuart's barrier shattered with a sound like thick glass breaking into pieces.