“Drop that damn disguise, Ainola.”
Anderson was fuming.
He’d been agonizing over everything, only to realize it was all just Ainola’s game of playing with people’s hearts.
To put it bluntly, Anderson was genuinely pissed now.
If he didn’t beat that brat Ainola’s ass black and blue, he’d take her damn name.
“Ara~”
In response to Anderson’s words, Eleanor just giggled happily, then said, “Didn’t you kind of like me like this?”
As she spoke, Eleanor even twirled around, looking incredibly cute and playful, a stark contrast to her earlier innocent demeanor.
And this was Ainola’s true face.
She was always like this, especially getting a thrill from seeing Anderson’s seething expression.
“Or do you prefer me like this?”
After saying that, Eleanor canceled her disguise and transformed back into Ainola’s appearance.
Seeing Anderson’s face so dark it could drip water, Ainola gently lifted the hem of her skirt and performed a perfect maid’s curtsy.
Elegant, proper, and looking every bit the lady.
But because her body had shrunk, her Additional Armor fell to the ground, making the scene a bit awkward.
Even Anderson, still scowling, couldn’t help but clear his throat and say,
“Maybe you should pick that up first?”
But just as Anderson was distracted, Ainola grabbed the fallen Additional Armor and hurled it straight at his face.
“It’s yours! Catch!”
Seeing the thing flying toward him and recalling his previous lesson, Anderson reached out and caught it.
A soft, slightly warm touch, very pleasant to hold, with a faint milky scent.
Before Anderson could say anything, the item suddenly burst with a bang, engulfing him in a thick, blinding smoke.
“Whoa~ You actually caught it? Touching a girl’s personal stuff without permission is asking for trouble.”
Ainola’s voice sounded right in Anderson’s ear, then she swept past him like a gentle breeze, leaving a faint fragrance behind.
“Don’t think you can run!”
Anderson reacted fast.
He reached out, almost grabbing Ainola, but he was just a step too slow.
He didn’t catch her, but he seemed to have snagged a string from her clothing.
So he yanked, trying to pull her back.
But the string came undone smoothly.
“Hey, hey, hey?!”
From within the smoke came Ainola’s startled cry.
Anderson looked at his palm, where a warm blue-and-white piece of cloth lay quietly.
Without a doubt, it was a very flat Front Armor Protector.
“Pervert! You?! You did that on purpose, didn’t you? I am not letting this go! You just wait!”
Enraged, Ainola ran off, and Anderson’s mouth twitched as he stuffed the Front Armor Protector into his pocket.
It really wasn’t intentional.
He just randomly grabbed in the smoke and ended up with this thing.
He felt pretty wronged too.
“Don’t run!”
Without time to think further, Anderson immediately gave chase.
***
“Damn Anderson! Damn pervert!”
After running far away, Ainola, her face flushed with embarrassment, clutched her chest and pulled out a bandage to temporarily wrap herself up.
It was a necessary move, otherwise it would hurt when she ran.
“You should be grateful you were wearing a laced Front Armor Protector, or else you’d have been caught when you pulled that stunt.”
Spark was also pretty exasperated with Ainola’s personality.
She could have just run straight away, but she had to keep dancing on the edge of death.
“Now hurry up and run, or you won’t be able to later.”
Sensing the environment of the Shrine, Spark pointed to the right passage.
“This way. Fewer people here.”
“Okay.”
Ainola shook her head, shaking off the blush.
Now wasn’t the time to throw a tantrum out of humiliation.
She really did need to leave quickly.
Soon, a large number of Temple Knights arrived at the spot, saying,
“The assassin isn’t here!”
“Keep chasing! She must be hiding somewhere!”
Going against the flow of people, Ainola moved through the darkness.
But hiding like this wasn’t a permanent solution.
If she couldn’t escape this place, she’d be a turtle in a jar, doomed eventually.
However, Ainola had learned the location of an escape route from a Priest named Greens.
And Spark had already found the entrance to this Secret Passage.
“This way.”
With the little Sprite leading, Ainola quickly located the entrance to the Secret Passage.
“Ugh… so many cobwebs.”
Ainola fanned the air, trying to get rid of the pungent dust smell.
Following the passage forward, she suddenly heard footsteps.
She immediately hid in the shadows to observe.
“Boss, can this really get into the Shrine?”
“Less talking. Quiet.”
Three Azure Gold Assassins crept forward cautiously.
Without a doubt, their target was the Eye of Wite inside the Shrine, but unfortunately, they were too late.
When they got close to Ainola’s position, a flash of inspiration struck the girl, and she came up with a great idea.
She took out a sticky, gum-like object and stuck it onto one of the assassins’ clothes.
Of course, it wasn’t gum—it was a micro flashbang.
Once that thing went off, someone would naturally cover her retreat, and she wouldn’t have to worry about Anderson catching up.
Ainola watched the three assassins move forward, like brave soldiers never to return.
“Free scapegoats, no reason not to use them.”
Ainola felt not a shred of sympathy.
In fact, after she left the Secret Passage, she even welded the door shut.
“When those assassins try to escape and find the door locked, they’re definitely going to curse their mothers.”
“Amen~”
Ainola clasped her hands together in prayer and said, “Deity above, I thank them for their selfless sacrifice.”
After saying that, she reinforced the door with a Magic Formation.
Once she confirmed it absolutely couldn’t be opened, she made her getaway.
On the other side, Anderson and his group finally found the Secret Passage.
“Looks like Red Sparrow escaped from here! Chase!”
A whole unit—over thirty Judgment Knights and a large number of Temple Knights—charged into the Secret Passage in force.
Anderson led the way.
But before they had gone far, a deafening roar came from above.
“BOOM!!”
Everyone looked up.
Three assassins were hiding on the ceiling, their faces blank, not yet realizing what had happened.
“Red Sparrow’s accomplices? Get them!”
And so, the group of Temple Knights, who had been played for fools by Ainola and had no outlet for their fury, roared and charged forward.
“What the hell! Where did that bomb come from? And who the hell is Red Sparrow? Listen to us first—we’re not her accomplices!”
The three assassins, seeing the dire situation, turned and ran.
But they hadn’t gone far when they found the entrance they’d come in through had been locked tight from the outside.
The door wouldn’t budge.
Then they could only watch in despair as the horde of ravenous Temple Knights behind them barreled forward like a stampede.
“Ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo!!”
With the sound of clashing and dust flying, the three poor Azure Gold-level assassins were pinned to the ground by the mass of men.