Chapter 28
Uwaah—! Why did even Liluo recognize me at a glance? Looking at her innocent little eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to lie to her. I gave a weak smile and decided to confess. “That’s right, I am the Saintess. How did you recognize me right away, little Liluo?”
“I just knew.”
Her little mouth chattered away.
“When you first arrived, I felt like you were Saintess-jiejie, but I didn’t dare to be sure. Because the Head Maid said, ‘How could the Saintess possibly wear a magic academy student uniform?’ But now that you’ve changed into a formal dress, I’m even more certain you’re Saintess-jiejie!” fix
So that’s how it was. No wonder I was recognized so easily after changing my clothes. These people saw me walking around in a school uniform and thought I looked like the Saintess, but they didn’t dare to believe it. They subliminally thought, How could the Saintess possibly wear a school uniform? And so they just dismissed it.
I smiled at Liluo and said, “Since you’ve found me out, you must help your big sister keep this a secret, okay?”
I never felt this way in the past, but now that I know I’m actually a boy, calling myself “big sister” is rather shameful…
“Liluo will~”
Liluo blinked her red eyes, staring at me.
“Saintess-jiejie is so pretty. Why does it feel like your blood wouldn’t be very tasty?”
Such innocent, unfiltered words.
“Because my blood is Holy Light. So it wouldn’t taste good to you, Liluo.”
Hmph. I’m deliberately not going to say it’s because I’m a boy, and that’s why my blood wouldn’t be “tasty” to Liluo.
After the unicorn… I’m being despised by a vampire.
Watching Liluo nod, as if she half-understood, I was struck by the thought: Kids really are cute~
“Happy birthday, Liluo.”
I looked over at the sound of the voice. A girl with long pink hair, wearing a black formal dress, was walking toward us, holding a wine glass.
Is she someone Liluo knows?
However, Liluo cautiously grabbed my sleeve and whispered, “Jiejie, I don’t know her.”
I stood up from my seat and crouched down to Liluo. “Then, will Liluo come with jiejie to find someone, okay?”
I grabbed Liluo’s small hand and turned to leave… only to run right into someone, accidentally knocking the wine glass from their hand. Red wine spilled all over their clothes.
“S-Sorry!”
I quickly apologized. I looked—it was a boy with black hair and black clothes.
“Ah, it’s fine.” He was wiping the wine stain from his clothes. In that instant, I saw the flash of a sword hidden under his clothes.
Carrying a weapon…?
Could he be—
I took half a step back, trying to discreetly lead Liluo away. The other person looked at me… and his eyes revealed a flash of killing intent.
He suddenly drew the sword from under his clothes and thrust it at Liluo! How could he be so decisive, even against a child!?
I was just about to pull Liluo behind me when, in the nick of time, Lian Qi inserted herself, reaching out and grabbing the high-speed thrusting blade. The opponent was shocked. He tried to pull the sword back but found it clamped tight by Lian Qi’s grip! Thank goodness her hand was wreathed in blue magic, or she would definitely be bleeding.
“Lian Qi!?”
She arrived at just the right time!
“Glad I made it,” Lian Qi said coldly, staring at the black-haired boy. A high-energy reaction began to build on the sword blade she held!
“One of ‘Scarlet Flame’ Filess’s subordinates, right? What did you do to my companion?”
How would Lian Qi and I know? She’s probably in a jail cell, as she should be.
BOOM—!
The explosion forcefully separated us from the opponent. The loud noise also interrupted the peaceful, festive banquet. The guests, thinking there was a fire, all ran for the exit. The scene descended into chaos!
As I protected Liluo behind me, I waved the smoke away. I looked—the black-haired boy and the pink-haired, long-haired girl were in a standoff with us.
The black-haired boy stared coldly at me and Lian Qi with deep eyes. He seemed more like a killer than the girl from last time who kept spouting “justice.”
“How did you know our assassination plan? Could it be… there’s a traitor among us?”
Filess-jie had planted one of her subordinates as a spy in the rebel camp, which is how she knew their assassination list. Of course, we had nothing to say to them—
“No comment,” Lian Qi said coldly.
The pink-haired girl raised a finger and pointed at Liluo, who was hiding behind me.
“You don’t even know she’s a vampire, do you? Is someone like that worth you risking your lives to protect? I can see you’re pretty strong. Why don’t you join us and help overthrow this corrupt kingdom?”
Lian Qi frowned. “Did you walk onto the wrong set? What part of this kingdom is ‘corrupt’?”
“Wrong set? What does that mean?” I stared at Lian Qi, blankly. She’s speaking in words I don’t understand again!
“Don’t waste words on them.”
The black-haired boy stopped his companion from continuing.
“They’ve already been brainwashed by the Kingdom.”
“I think you’re the ones brainwashed by the rebels!” I was so angry I could burst. Have I become the villain now?
“In any case—execute justice. Eliminate the target. Avoid engaging them if possible.”
“Got it,” the pink-haired girl nodded.
Both of them simultaneously burst forth with astonishing blue magic!
They’re both fourth-tier mages?
The same level as Bishop Rodrigo’s Holy Knight confidant. The people in the “Seven-Leaf Tree” organization really are monsters.
“Fei’er.”
Lian Qi cracked her knuckles, her own blue magic erupting.
“Mhm?”
“I… still… would rather be the one protecting you.”
“Eh? Why are you suddenly saying something like that?” I scratched my cheek and gave a weak laugh. It’s so embarrassing. Lian Qi is a girl, so why was I momentarily… struck by how cool she was? I looked at Lian Qi’s back… eh, wait— “Can you fight in that formal dress? Also, won’t your wig fall off?”
Lian Qi glanced back at me, her expression a mix of annoyance and helplessness.
“You just had to say that? You completely ruined the atmosphere.”
“He’s drawn his sword!” I pointed, reminding her.
“I know, I know. I’m leaving Liluo to you.”
The black-haired boy and Lian Qi charged each other at the same time, clashing in the very center of the hall!
The opponent has a sword… Although Lian Qi is an Enchantment-school mage who can strengthen her body with magic, I’m still a little worried about her.
Speaking of which, we don’t even know what school of magic these two are. Isn’t it too reckless to just charge in like this?
I inadvertently glanced at the pink-haired girl, who was showing a smug smile. Crap!
“D-Don’t tell me we’ve fallen into some kind of trap?”
“It’s too late to realize it now! Inherent Magic—‘Shadow Swap’!”
The pink-haired girl activated her magic.
I don’t know what happened, but in the blink of an eye, I found myself standing where Lian Qi had been, and that black-haired boy had swapped with my position…
“Crap.”
If that’s the case, isn’t Liluo right behind him???
“Executing justice.” The black-haired boy smiled coldly and swung his sword at Liluo—!
No, he’s too far! Even if I run to Liluo now, I won’t make it in time!
CLANG!
His sword, chopping down at Liluo, was blocked by a golden chain.
A long chain had appeared out of thin air, stretching between him and Liluo. One end of the chain was connected to the wall… and the other was connected to Qifeng’s wrist.
“M-Made… it!” Qifeng smiled weakly.