Chapter 30

Zenia pulled out all her shields, tucked three into her pocket, and held one tightly.

Through the hole, now large enough for a head to pass through, a spider shot its silk.

“No!”

She tore the scroll, and a blue hemisphere enveloped her and Kun. But as soon as it blocked the attack, it vanished into thin air.

Without a moment to breathe, another spider spat out its silk. She blocked it by tearing another scroll, but she knew she couldn’t last like this.

*I should have stayed hidden… but it’s too late. I have to get out of the carriage now!*

Just then, sixteen legs squeezed through the hole, and black shapes dropped into the carriage one after another.

The spiders were inside.

“Hold on tight!”

Zenia leaped out of the carriage, holding Kun.

The moment her feet hit the ground, she threw her whole body into shoving the carriage door shut and locking it.

“Sister!”

In that instant, a spider charged violently at the door.

*Thud! Thud!* The lock was half-broken in a single blow.

Zenia ran frantically, clutching Kun.

But no matter how thin he was, Kun was still a ten-year-old boy.

She hadn’t been running for long, but ragged breaths already escaped her lips.

“Hah, hah…!”

She was running in a daze, with no sense of direction, when her foot caught on something hard.

“Ah!”

Zenia tumbled to the ground, still holding Kun.

Her back, which had slammed into the ground to protect Kun, throbbed with unspeakable pain.

“Ugh… gasp!”

As Zenia scrambled to her feet, she froze in shock and fell back down.

Right in front of her was a corpse, dried out like a piece of wood. It seemed that was what she had tripped over.

Fighting back nausea, Zenia held Kun’s head firmly.

“Kun, don’t look!”

“Okay…”

Kun, answering softly, clung to her and pointed behind them.

“S-Sister… over there…”

It was two spiders.

She thought she had lost them, but they must have been following her stealthily.

*It’s too late to run.*

The moment I turn my back, they’ll attack.

Zenia pushed Kun behind her and pressed one of the two remaining shield scrolls into his hand.

“This will protect you once. You have to tear it right as it attacks. Then run immediately. Got it?”

“Why, why are you saying that? What about you?”

“I have a weapon the Princess gave me. I can block them with that. But if you’re here, I’ll be worried and might make a mistake. You understand, right?”

“You want me… to go alone?”

“We were supposed to meet the Princess at the carriage, but we’ve come too far. She must be looking for us by now, so you go and get her.”

“Okay! I’m a good runner! I’ll go get her right away!”

“…My little brother, you’re all grown up.”

Zenia squeezed Kun’s hand once, then let go.

“When I give the signal, you run as fast as you can! Until I say you can stop! Okay?”

“Okay!”

Leaving Kun’s reply behind her, Zenia turned around. With trembling hands, she gripped both sides of the scroll.

Just then, a nearby spider’s mandibles spread wide, as if tearing apart.

In that instant, she ripped her last remaining scroll in one motion.

“Kun! Run!”

*Pat, pat, pat.*

As the sound of Kun’s footsteps faded, a bluish semicircle enveloped her.

Immediately after, the silk shot from the spider’s mouth hit the shield and bounced off.

The timing had been perfect.

If she had torn the scroll a moment later, the silk would have wrapped around her body.

Seeing their attack blocked, the spiders scurried back.

They had already learned from the grand plaza that a target capable of blocking an attack also had the power to counterattack.

Now that Zenia had blocked their attacks several times, they finally recognized her as a dangerous being.

The spiders’ movements became cautious. They seemed to be probing to see what kind of power Zenia possessed.

But it was only a matter of time before they discovered the truth.

Soon, they would realize that Zenia was merely helpless prey.

Their probing complete, the spiders began to creep forward again.

They weren’t rushing, perhaps preparing for a potential counterattack, but their earlier caution had vanished.

*That’s enough. I’ve bought all the time I can.*

While they’re sucking the fluids from my body, Kun will be able to get farther away.

*I hope he doesn’t fall.*

Zenia closed her eyes and sank to the ground.

It was then.

A small but strong hand grabbed her arm and pulled her up.

Just like it had before.

“Your knees are already scraped, so why do you keep kneeling?”

Astell?

For a moment, Zenia thought it was a hallucination, and her dazed eyes widened.

“…P-Princess…? Princess!”

“You scraped your knees kneeling before me last time.”

“…Ah, you knew?”

“How could I not? Stop with the foolish talk and stand up straight. Don’t fall again.”

“Yes! Yes! I’m standing straight!”

“Then move.”

As soon as Zenia moved aside, Astell extended her arm.

A white thread flew through the air and wrapped itself tightly around the flat of Arondight’s blade.

The spider struggled, pulling on the thread with all its might.

“Nice try.”

Astell flicked her sword upward as if setting a fishing hook, and the spider was yanked toward her like a fish on a line.

She sliced the airborne spider in half and then chased down the fleeing one, piercing it through the back.

The monsters that had been so terrifying didn’t even last a minute against Astell.

“Princess! Are you alright?”

“Let’s check if there are any more!”

The Hunters who arrived next began to search the area thoroughly.

Zenia, anxiously looking around, spotted Kun in Johan’s arms and started running.

“Kun!”

“Sister!”

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m fine… but your leg is bleeding. And your arm… You got hurt when you fell, didn’t you?”

“I’m perfectly fine. It’s nothing a little spit can’t fix. It doesn’t even hurt.”

“I will heal you.”

As Johan stepped forward with a warm smile at the heartwarming scene between the siblings, a new message appeared.

[System: Level assessment complete.]

[Rankings will now be displayed.]

1st: Astell Ruthius (Multi / SSS)

2nd: Kaiel (Black Mage / SA)

3rd: Maga Fen Akron (White Mage / AA)

4th: Johan Scha Nute (Paladin / AS)

5th: Lin Ju (Archer / AA)

Seeing a name with the surname Akron, it seemed the level assessments were happening there simultaneously.

The important thing was that someone from the Taikan Empire had taken first place.

The Hunters’ gazes all turned to Astell.

To be honest, it was a result they had somewhat expected.

After all, everyone had been overwhelmed by the sight of Astell defeating the boss.

In fact, it would have been stranger if she hadn’t been first.

But no one had expected her to be a Multi-rank.

*Strange.*

A deep question surfaced on Kaiel’s face.

Classes could not overlap.

A swordsman could not use magic, and conversely, a mage could not wield a sword.

The only exception was the Paladin.

That was the law of this world.

But a Multi-rank would mean possessing two or more abilities.

*That’s impossible.*

Kaiel chose his words carefully.

“Princess, congratulations on taking first place.”

“Right.”

Astell’s reply was disappointingly bland.

She showed no sign of joy. She was as impassive as someone merely confirming a result they already knew.

“If you don’t mind my asking, what does ‘Multi-rank’ mean?”

“It means I can use both a sword and magic.”

“…That’s impossible. It goes against the laws of nature.”

“But I can do it, can’t I? As for why, I don’t know either. It’s only been a few days since I became like this.”

Of course, Astell knew from her past life’s experience.

That she could simply purchase an ultimate skill from the shop.

The reason she had been able to use magic and her sword simultaneously just moments ago was also thanks to an ultimate skill.

Of course, it also required an abundant reserve of mana to begin with.

But Kaiel wasn’t wrong.

It was nearly impossible for a swordsman to possess mana.

Furthermore, even if one was lucky enough to have mana and obtain a good ultimate skill, that wasn’t all.

One more thing was needed. A proper weapon.

Even Astell would have found it difficult to manifest magic without Arondight.

It was only possible with a divine weapon like Arondight, which could draw out mana and convert it into magical attacks without dominating its wielder’s mind.

This was precisely why Astell had been so desperate to find Arondight.

“I see…”

Kaiel accepted her explanation for now and stepped back.

*Then again… this is a world where monsters tear through the fabric of space.*

So it’s plausible that someone who defies the laws of nature could appear.

Like an SSS-rank, Multi-rank Hunter.

Frankly, he couldn’t even begin to fathom the extent of Astell’s power.

But one thing was certain.

It was an insane set of abilities, befitting the Mad Princess.