The Daughter of Evil - Volume 4 - Chapter 3.24

chapter 3, section 2-a heartbeat in the rain; scene 4
Praefacio of Blue, page 174-178

✥ Kyle Marlon ~The Country of Marlon, “The Castle of Hedgehog/Courtyard”~

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The courtyard had become a well, filling up with the rain that was pouring from above.

When we arrived there, Ney was already gone. Two possibilities came to mind. She had either headed further inside the castle already, or else–

She had gone to ascend the "Heartbeat Clocktower” that was taking its position in the center of the courtyard.

“Let’s split into two groups,” Germaine suggested before the tower. We would split into two units, with Germaine’s unit heading further into the castle, and mine into the tower.

“Got it. In that case Germaine, your group should be made up of more people. The interior of the clocktower is thin. Even if I take several people with me in succession, it wouldn’t do much good.”

“Roger. Well then, may the battle go in your favor.”

“Indeed, you too …Hahaha.”

I suddenly felt a little strange, and started laughing on the spot. Germaine made a puzzled expression at the sight of me.

“What’s so funny?”

“Ha ha…Nah, it’s nothing important. I just remembered that we had some similar circumstances to this five years ago.”

“Ah…During the revolution.” Seemed Germaine understood. “In that case that’s not a great sign.”

“Why’s that?”

“If things go like they did last time, then after this I’ll get stuck with a particularly strong enemy.”

Did she mean Gast Venom? He was a man that had wielded almost inhuman swordsmanship skills, though I’d only confronted him once. But I couldn’t imagine there were any other swordsmen of his caliber around.

However, Germaine’s reading of the situation wasn’t necessarily wrong.

“–!? Look out, Germaine.”

“Got it.”

Before I knew it, we were surrounded. These men–or rather, these women–had quietly appeared before us, not making any noise.

“The Special Maneuvers Task Force…!”

The masked unit that Ney served in, who specialized in secret information and intrigue. But their vital leader wasn’t there.

“I’m guessing you’re here to keep us contained. However–” Germaine readied her sword.     “We’re proper soldiers, and an elite selection at that. I can’t imagine you have much of a chance of success.”

The Special Maneuvers Task Force didn’t look to be particularly uneasy at that.

Four of the women in their group walked closer to us. All of them were young, and unlike the other members they weren’t wearing masks.

The four of them spoke up systematically in turn.

“Keep you contained? No. You will die here, Germaine Avadonia.”

“We are a team that excels in assassination even among our Special Maneuvers Task Force.”

“What’s more, we four have learned an equal measure of the assassin arts–”

“–As the former member of the Three Heroes, Mariam Phatipe.”

The four of them pulled out their respective weapons. All of them had a peculiar shape that I had never seen the like of before.

“You’ve all got concealed weapons, huh? …So the worst situation has come to pass after all. Though, even if you know as much as Mariam on assassination, that doesn’t mean that you’re just as strong as her.” Germaine turned to me, and said, “You go ahead into the tower.”

“What are you saying? We should fight togeth–”

“I have no wish to invite the scorn of the Marlon people by having you die. And these lot with us are just soldiers. If their leader is captured in that tower, they’ll likely put away their weapons. You have a better chance of surviving.”

Germaine was not the kind of woman to tackle a hopeless fight for my sake. It was out of her own judgment from calmly analyzing the situation.

In that case, I would obediently follow her command.

I turned, and shouted to the Marlon soldiers there with us, “Seton! Walpole! You two come with me! The rest of you, fight the Special Maneuvers Task Force! Listen, don’t get killed!”

With the four assassin women acting as vanguard, the Special Maneuvers Task Force was slowly closing the distance between us.

“Special Maneuvers Task Force Vice Captain Matski!”

“Ditto, Karna.”

“Ditto, Rim.”

“Ditto, Non.”

“Come–You have breathed your last!”

Right as they launched themselves at Germaine, I slid into the tower.