Chapter 38

Several explosions turned the church into a sea of fire. With an even louder explosion that made one want to cover their ears, the ceiling began to collapse.

"Divine Light Domain!"

I hastily activated a dome-shaped barrier of light to protect the people inside the church from the approaching flames and debris.

This mercilessness. It's becoming increasingly unsettling to think about the identity of the culprit who caused all this.

"Hurry, evacuate outside!"

The perpetrator who caused the explosions is definitely outside, but we can't stay here any longer. Therefore, I told the people inside to evacuate.

After confirming that everyone had left the church, I dissolved the barrier. The church then collapsed completely. What a disaster. Could this be the work of the mastermind to destroy evidence?

"Lord Lea! Quickly, take the king and escape! Ugh—! What a heavy sword...!"

As I checked the surroundings while staying by the king's side, I heard Johan's loud voice. It seems he is engaged in combat with the intruders, and the opponent is quite skilled. He is evenly matched with Johan, who is also a large, muscular man wearing a silk hat and a tuxedo.

"Oh, Alfred! What is this? Could it be that Alfred—"

The captain of the king's guard, Alfred, and the other guards were lying on the ground, bleeding. They need immediate treatment while Johan holds off the intruders...

"Lord Lea! Ignore us and escape quickly! There's another one!"

"―What!?"

The moment I heard "another one," it felt like a gust of wind had blown through. How could someone move here from such a distance in an instant...?

A small man with clown-like makeup suddenly appeared in front of the king and us.

"Hehehe, the foolish Elshaid royal party has arrived! Hehehehehe!"

"―What!?"

"Ugh...!"

"Kyaa...!"

"Ng...!"

In an instant, everyone except me and the king was cut down and fell to the ground, splattered with blood. The man, wielding two short daggers in each hand, laughed maniacally. This assassin, with his appearance and dual-wielding short daggers, could only be—

"You are Garcia Mictinger, the brother of Elnoaga Mictinger, who was recently captured..."

The Mictinger brothers are infamous assassins from the neighboring kingdom of Delcott. Elnoaga is the quietest of the three, while his two older brothers are so brutal that the neighboring kingdom has almost given up on capturing them and left them to roam free.

So, the man in the silk hat who is fighting Johan must be Elnoaga's other brother, Nash Mictinger.

Now, only Johan and I can move properly. It seems wise to ensure the king's safety first before trying to capture them.

"Johan, hand over the Elshaid king to us. If you do, we won't take your lives. Our job is only to take the king's life."

"That's impossible! Void Rain—!"

"Another invisible slash...! Ugh...!"

While exchanging blows with Johan, Nash naturally resisted the demand to hand over the king. He managed to destabilize Johan with his invisible sword technique.

I thought I could use this opportunity to create some distance with the king—

But—

"Chance!"

"Johan! Behind you!"

"―What!?"

The moment I focused on the king and Johan on Nash, Garcia, Elnoaga's other brother, moved behind Johan.

"Hehehehe, got you!"

"Ughaaa—!"

Garcia stabbed Johan from behind with his two daggers, and Johan fell, clutching his abdomen. He was caught off guard, and my magic couldn't activate in time. This is my regrettable mistake...

"Now, the only one left who can move is—"

"Hehehehe, just a woman!"

The two highly skilled assassins, whom the kingdom of Delcott has almost given up on capturing, turned their killing intent towards me and the king. The intensity of their killing intent was so overwhelming that I could be killed just by being in their presence.

"Easy!"

"I'll take your life!"

"Divine Wind—!"

"―What!?"

Thinking they had let their guard down after defeating Johan and seeing only a woman left to protect the king, I released a powerful gust of wind as they lunged. They were blown back by the wind but quickly stood up, unfazed.

Indeed, their physical abilities are far superior to other assassins.

"Hmm, you're quite good. I was careless, but this is quite—"

"So, you're the one who took out Elnoaga, huh~"

Given the situation, it seems I have no choice but to protect the king while incapacitating these two.