Beneath the shadows was the chill of breath.
“Zero, from now on, I want you to put away your weakness, hide where you’re best at, and fight in your own way.”
That was the last thing Celes said to her before they left.
So, from the very beginning, Zero had been here.
She watched as Celes drew lines on the ground with her sword, saw Leah step forward, and Vina arrive riding the wind.
Her eyes felt a little damp, like a drop of dew in the shadows.
Celes saw that the experts from the Magic Court were wavering, and once again tried to reason: “We don’t want to start a war, Mr. Maken. Perhaps there’s still room to negotiate.”
Her probing was met with a shake of the head.
“There’s nothing to discuss, Miss Celes.”
Maken’s square face was as stony as ever.
“Miss Zero suddenly attacked and deliberately killed a high noble. There is no trust left between the Kingdom and the Special Squad. There is only one possible outcome today.”
Celes’s heart immediately sank.
Only one choice left.
She gripped the Knight Sword in her hand tighter, the blade humming ever so slightly.
In the crowd, the Saintess raised her staff high, her crown shining even brighter.
The Little Witch’s twin tails floated up, a red glow of overflowing magic radiating from her.
From the shadows in the corner, a figure split away.
Opposing them were thousands of Imperial Guards and tens of thousands of soldiers surrounding the camp, all drawing their blades.
Swish! Clang! Bang!
It was completely out of sync, chaotic and messy, but that only made it clearer just how great the difference in strength was between the two sides.
The Prince was growing impatient, and at his urging, Maken finally stepped forward:
“Since you are all prepared, then there can only be one result today…”
“Hmm~ I don’t think so~”
A melodious, singing girl’s voice, accompanied by light footsteps, entered from the small gap Vina had just blown open.
The shadow in the corner trembled a few times.
“Ella!”
Celes called out to her, “Don’t come in, it’s dangerous here!”
Ella gave her a reassuring look, her gaze sweeping over the others.
Mm-hmm, everyone’s here… Eh, even Leah came?
A little surprised, but she didn’t show it. She kept walking in as she spoke in her sing-song voice:
“I think this gentleman was right just now. Zero killed someone the moment she made a move, that really is frightening. The nobles living in the Capital must feel terrified, like sleeping in a house with a broken window at night, the cold wind whistling in, and someone could break in at any time. Who could sleep in peace like that?”
The guard beside her seemed lost, as if he didn’t see her at all, making no response.
Only after she passed did he belatedly raise his weapon and move to surround her.
Ella walked to the center of the encirclement, near the camp’s main gate, and spoke in the gentlest voice:
“But I hope all of you can put up with living in this broken house for now, or else… I’ll just tear the roof off.”
Celes held her breath, Leah leaned back slightly, and even Vina was momentarily speechless.
The obedient girl from their memories had become utterly unfamiliar today.
Unconsciously, Zero had shifted to a new spot, hiding in a shadow with a better view, watching the girl’s stunning profile, her heart seeming to stop for a moment.
She’s so bad, but she’s beautifully bad.
Maken’s face was still stony: “Unknown woman claiming to be Ella, said to have been brought out from the Demon King’s Castle. Just who are you, and what are your intentions?”
“My identity doesn’t matter. I just came back from Wesley’s place, that’s all.”
“And what of it?”
Ella put away her smile and raised the parchment scroll in her hand, her voice turning compassionate:
“Silent Sanctuary, Shuishui Village, codename Skinny Monkey, and his twelve subordinates, over three years brought in four children, killed the parents—Maria, John, George, Ann… eight people in total.Silent Sanctuary, Shiban Town, codename Dragonfly, and twenty subordinates, secretly manipulated the town mayoral struggle, assassinated the previous mayor’s eldest son, propped up a Puppet as the new mayor. Silent Sanctuary, Ling Mountain Village, codename…”
At last, Maken’s expression changed, like a crack splitting open in solid rock.
“This is just one handwritten copy. I’ve already given several others, including the originals, to the Church’s contacts.” Ella spoke lightly, as if it were nothing, “If we don’t make it out alive today, my people will have the Church copy and distribute them throughout the Kingdom. What will happen then? Will it spark the Fire of the Stars? Perhaps.”
“You think you can threaten me with this?”
Maken’s face had already turned quite ugly.
The soldiers around didn’t know what was going on, but seeing the Commander’s face, their hearts began to waver.
Maken noticed this, and dared not delay any longer. He raised his sword in command: “First Legion, prepare to attack!”
At his command, the soldiers in front lifted their weapons and began to close in toward the center.
Ella shrugged her fragrant little shoulders and turned to look at them: “And you all, if you want to fight, go ahead. But remember—”
A few mages sniffed, exchanging glances, confusion in their eyes.
Without any wind element transmission, how was her voice reaching everyone’s ears, so that all could hear her clearly?
And it sounded a little… cold.
“Remember, we will fight you to the death. And while we fight, I will keep talking, revealing all the scandals and secrets of the High Officials, all the things you don’t dare to hear. The people we killed—those in power want to keep today’s events secret, so you’ll get no compensation, your names will never be remembered, and your families will only hear that you disappeared.”
“And those who survive to the end—when you return, what awaits you will be prison. To keep secret what you hear from me, they’ll lock you up and interrogate you endlessly. Maybe some of you will spend all your family’s wealth, beg and plead for connections to get out, only to spend your whole life under surveillance and house arrest. Well? Want to fight?”
The first row of soldiers halted, gazes behind their helmets filled with confusion.
They looked at each other, but found no answer.
Anxiety spread through the army, more and more people stopped, their weapons growing unbearably heavy, their boots seeming glued to the ground.
“Nonsense and lies!”
The Prince’s neck bulged with anger.
“Don’t listen to her! Charge! Whoever slays the witch will be promoted three ranks!”
The uncertain mages forgot to boost his voice with wind magic, so it didn’t carry far.
The few soldiers who heard looked at the unmoving main force, then at the silent Commander, and could only pretend not to have heard.
“You can try, or—”
Ella pulled a hair tie from her pocket, tied up the parchment scroll neatly, then looked at the square-faced man, “Would you rather make a deal with me?”
At the height of summer, under the noonday sun, Maken actually felt a chill down his back.