Chapter 58
“No, absolutely not. If something has to break, it should be something else, not you.”
While this brief, enigmatic exchange that others wouldn’t understand took place, tension filled the faces of the mercenaries who were about to erupt.
-Click.
A metallic sound rang out from one of the foreign mercenaries’ weapons, and they began to slowly form a formation, exchanging glances.
Though they didn’t know who this man was who had appeared ‘alone’ behind them without a sound or presence, one thing was certain:
He was on a completely different level from the fool acting up in front of them – he was incredibly strong.
The foreign mercenaries tensed their shoulders for a moment and gripped their weapons tightly.
But Einar, who had made them so tense, didn’t spare them even a glance.
He simply walked calmly amidst the suffocating tension and silence, as if a knife fight could break out at any moment.
-Thud, thud thud.
In the alley, silent as a grave, only Einar’s footsteps echoed.
He didn’t even bother to avoid the foreign mercenaries.
He was walking straight through the middle of their group towards Riina, with utter confidence.
And the foreign mercenaries, though rolling their eyes, stepped aside one by one as if by agreement to let him pass.
Finally, Einar reached Riina, pushing past even Lione, and took her hand with a smile bright as the sun.
“I’ve finally found you, my rain.”
Einar lightly kissed the back of her pale, soft hand and smiled, his eyes crinkling, and a faint smile spread across Riina’s eyes as well.
And Becky, suddenly pushed back, covered her mouth with both hands.
Goodness gracious! It’s His Highness the Second Prince again!
How much time had passed since Einar arrived right in front of Riina?
The foreign mercenaries, who had let Einar pass as if entranced, blinked their eyes before seemingly coming to their senses and frowning fiercely.
-Shing!
“Who do you think you are…!”
The one at the front of their group shouted, drawing his sword imposingly, but before he could finish, Einar cut him off.
“The one who’s going to crack all your heads.”
He naturally hid Riina behind his back while tapping his sword hilt.
Unlike the mercenaries who were extremely tense, lowering their upper bodies and puffing themselves up, Einar had merely drawn his sword.
“Well, you won’t come one by one. Since you’ve formed a formation, you’ll all come at once, right?”
Einar’s attitude as he casually jerked his chin towards the mercenaries was light enough to float away.
But there wasn’t a trace of worry on Riina’s face as she looked up at Einar’s sturdy back.
She knew better than anyone else here.
That Einar wouldn’t get so much as a hair hurt, and that the heads of those mercenaries would all be cracked.
That’s why she lightly stopped the fool trying to do something by Einar’s side.
“I…”
“Stay back, Young Master.”
She didn’t bother adding “because you’re in the way,” but anyone could understand.
She then signaled with her eyes for the guards not to step forward either.
Whether they stepped in or not, the result wouldn’t change, but if they were related to ‘her’, that is, to ‘misfortune’, they might not receive the protection of Einar’s ‘luck’.
Unlike Lione, the guards didn’t look like they had much to say and immediately followed her order.
They too, though not as much as Riina, had faith that Einar would resolve this situation.
Unlike Lione, the guards had seen up close how Einar had cut the throat of that huge beast in one stroke at the hunting competition.
Just as Lione was about to open his mouth again.
“Kill all the men!”
The shout of the mercenary at the front of the group rang out, and several of the mercenaries in formation stomped the ground.
“Die!”
The mercenary who had thrown out the cliché provocation was certain that his sharp axe blade would split that arrogant bastard’s face.
But life is unpredictable.
-Clang!
Though he had clearly swung his weapon as trained in formation, the mercenary’s axe, suddenly hit by a small stone that flew in from somewhere, lost direction and headed towards his own comrade.
“Ugh! What are you doing!”
“No, I didn’t mean to…”
And the next moment.
-Crack!
“Urk!”
The hilt of Einar’s sword stuck into the back of the mercenary’s head.
The first mercenary collapsed to the ground with his skull cracked, and then his partner fell to the ground with a dumbfounded expression, his forehead smashed.
Einar, having taken down two mercenaries in an instant, didn’t stop but shot out like an arrow.
“Aaaagh!”
“What! Why!”
“What are you doing! Ack!”
It was enough to make ghosts wail.
The mercenaries pointed weapons at each other, suddenly fell face-first, or collapsed with their heads cracked by Einar’s sword.
One by one, and then another.
Just as Einar had said, amazingly, the mercenaries’ heads were cracked one by one, rendering them incapacitated.
“Ha… hah.”
Lione let out an unconscious sigh.
The question of how this was even possible, and the situation where this seemingly impossible event was happening repeatedly.
And it wasn’t just Lione whose soul was captivated by the ghostly spectacle unfolding before his eyes.
“Huh…? No, what?”
Becky, who had puffed out her chest even more proudly since Einar’s appearance, also gaped, and the guards were the same.
The only one who remained calm, or rather indifferent, while witnessing the miraculous scene Einar was creating was Riina.
Of course, the mercenaries directly experiencing this bizarre miracle were even more unable to come to their senses, as if possessed by midday ghosts.
As people who made their living by killing with swords, their skills were incomparable to the riffraff of back alleys.
And yet, this one person.
Though he had seemed strong enough to make all the mercenaries tense, this one person was cracking all their heads just as he had predicted.
Eventually, all the mercenaries retreated with at least one part of their heads – front, back, left, or right – cracked.
“Y-You’ll pay for… Urk!”
As a third-rate villain tried to leave a third-rate villainous parting shot, his head was cracked by a pebble Einar casually threw, and he was dragged away.
Einar then smiled at Lione, who was standing frozen with wide eyes.
“You’re still here?”
It was sudden, but it couldn’t have been a more blatant dismissal.
Lione hesitated as he was about to bow politely in response.
Einar’s mouth was smiling, but his eyes weren’t smiling at all.
Following the last time, he had once again somehow gotten involved in such an incident with Lady Bolshevik, so it was clear that he had fallen out of favor with the Second Prince, who obviously cared for the Lady.
This is troublesome.
Rationally thinking, it was certainly an awkward situation.
Wasn’t the Second Prince the strongest candidate to become Crown Prince through his engagement to the Bolshevik family?
If such a person viewed him unfavorably, it would bring shame to his family.
But somehow, Lione didn’t dislike this situation.
It really wasn’t bad at all.
Lady Bolshevik and the Second Prince, neither paying him any attention.
Being with these two people who treated him as if he didn’t exist, how surprisingly comfortable it felt…
This was his true feeling, though he’d clearly be treated as insane if he said it out loud.
But it would be truly troublesome if he was hated any more than this.
Lione bowed politely, very politely.
“I’ll take my leave first.”
As soon as he disappeared into the alley entrance, Einar issued another dismissal.
“Everyone, go. We have something to discuss alone.”
But Becky and the guards didn’t withdraw obediently like Lione.
They only looked at Riina longingly.
Riina narrowed her eyes as she surveyed Becky and the guards, their eyes shining brightly.
Their gazes were clearly seeking her permission, but…
“Why does everyone want to leave so badly?”
“No, it’s absolutely not that we want to step aside so you two can have a cozy time together.”
As Becky spoke her mind with a beaming smile and brazen attitude, the guards nodded along.
It was excessively impertinent and rude for a mere servant to speak this way about the Bolshevik heir and the Second Prince.
But…
‘When I ask you something, speak only the truth. If not, then lie so perfectly that I can’t detect it.’
Riina had ordered those around her thus, and Becky and the guards were simply following that order faithfully.
There are certainly times when one should observe etiquette and propriety, but isn’t honesty the best policy, at least for now?
Einar burst out laughing at Becky’s refreshingly cheeky answer, while Riina put her hand to her forehead.
She distinctly remembered that Becky before the regression wasn’t this kind of person.
Somehow she had swiftly secured her position as Riina’s closest aide…
“All of you, go.”
With Riina’s permission, tinged with a faint sigh, Becky and the guards disappeared after Lione.
Finally, Riina spoke to Einar, who was rubbing his side as if it hurt from laughing too much.
“How did you come here?”
Just like at the tea party last time, he had appeared suddenly at a completely unexpected moment.
He is the Second Prince. Of royal blood. A member of the imperial family.
Naturally, he would have countless things he must do, so he couldn’t possibly be present wherever she was, as if he had dropped from the sky or sprung from the ground.
Moreover, it couldn’t be a coincidence brought about by Riina’s misfortune acting up mischievously because she kept repeating that she didn’t want to meet him, like with Lione.
Facing Riina full of questions, Einar smiled and answered.
“I moved because I wanted to see you.”
