Chapter 58

Duke Ruthius and I snapped our gazes away from each other and glared at the assailants.

None of them were carrying weapons, suggesting their true goal was abduction.

‘They might’ve had a chance if they brought weapons… The poor fools.’

The assailants exchanged glances and surrounded Duke Ruthius and me.

Their movements were practiced, as if they had coordinated countless times before.

‘Just some run-of-the-mill fixers?’

I didn’t know who they were, but they seemed aware that I was a Hunter and Duke Ruthius was once a Sword Master.

That must be why fifteen of them showed up. They might have even prepared sleeping drugs or something similar.

Under normal circumstances, it was a job destined for success.

‘If I weren’t the number one ranked Hunter, that is.’

These poor bastards seemed to have no idea.

If they had known, they never would have taken the job in the first place. In a way, I had the Emperor’s gag order to thank for that.

‘Are they not connected to the upper echelons? They seem completely clueless…’

Or perhaps they were deceived as well.

If so, the one who hired them was a truly cunning individual.

To assign a job while intentionally concealing the target’s personal details…

‘I’ll just catch them and ask. Find out who that cunning bastard is.’

I casually approached them.

“Princess! Come quietly before you get hurt! There are fifteen of us!”

“Are you proud of ganging up on one person?”

Most people think of Taekwondo as a martial art for one-on-one combat, but it was actually designed to fight multiple opponents.

That’s why its kicking techniques are so particularly well-developed.

I slowly rolled my neck and settled into a light stance.

Then, without warning, I spun and delivered a side kick.

My heel slammed into the solar plexus of the first man to approach.

“Gack!”

He spewed stomach bile and tumbled backward.

The other assailants stared blankly as he rolled away like a fallen leaf.

They were so startled they had stopped their attack.

I smirked and continued my assault.

“What in the! Astell! Your dress is showing everything!”

At Duke Ruthius’s shout, I lowered the foot I had raised for a front kick and spun around completely.

Using the momentum from the spin, I drove my elbow into another man’s nose.

“Kugh!”

His nose broke instantly, and he collapsed, clutching his face. Dark red blood streamed from between his fingers.

The assailants, who had been hesitating, unable to grasp the situation, finally seemed to come to their senses.

Their demeanor turned sharp and deadly.

They pressed in on Duke Ruthius and me, tightening their circle.

“Boys, handle her gently!”

“Yes!”

I ducked, easily dodging a fist that whistled through the air.

For someone spouting lines worthy of a back-alley thug, his movements were quite impressive.

I immediately extended my right leg and swept it in a circle.

The men whose ankles I kicked went down hard, like they’d slipped on a patch of ice.

“It’s so easy I almost feel bad. This is a great warm-up, though. Can you guys come back every day?”

I snatched a wrist reaching for my face and spun like a dancer.

As I twisted the thick arm behind his back, the assailant cried out in pain.

“Aaaargh! My arm! This crazy bitch broke my arm!”

“I haven’t broken it yet.”

While holding the man’s wrist firmly, I landed a roundhouse kick on the face of one of the two men approaching.

The other I grabbed by the collar and headbutted.

Beside me, Duke Ruthius, having just thrown another man to the ground, clicked his tongue at me.

“What was that? So undignified.”

“Duke, how many have you taken down? I’m at five—ha! Make that six.”

“…Four.”

“Oh my, the duke who maintains his dignity in any situation has only managed four?”

“…I take a while to warm up.”

“The fight will be over before you’re done warming up. Don’t forget, the winner gets a wish!”

“You think you’ve already won. A battle isn’t over until it’s over…”

Duke Ruthius suddenly stopped talking.

“Are you out of breath from just that little bit of talking? Why don’t you just rest now?”

As I taunted him while taking down another man, I felt a chilling killing intent from behind. An ambush?

“Well, that’s what you’d expect from cowards.”

Just as I was about to casually turn, Duke Ruthius shouted,

“Astell!”

“Huh?”

I turned my head at the sudden weight on me.

Duke Ruthius was shielding my back with his entire body.

“Duke…?”

In my unstable stance, it was as if I were carrying a man over six feet tall on my back. I lost my balance and crumpled to the ground.

“Ugh, you’re heavy. Did you trip over your own feet? I told you to just sit still!”

“…”

“I know it’s embarrassing, but could you move? There are still guys left… huh?”

It was strange. The assailants had stopped attacking and were just standing there.

I couldn’t see their expressions because of their masks, but I could sense their terror.

“D-damn it! Which bastard… We’re retreating!”

At someone’s command, the men took off running.

Stunned, I shouted after them.

“Hey! Where are you going!”

They’re just leaving? What the hell?

I couldn’t understand what was happening.

Puzzled, I tapped the shoulder of Duke Ruthius, who was still slumped over me.

“Duke, they’re all gone. No one’s watching now, so you can get up.”

“…Ugh…”

Duke Ruthius didn’t answer. He just grimaced and groaned.

Only then did I realize something was seriously wrong, and I shook his back.

“Duke, what’s wrong? Are you hurt… Huh? Why is your back so wet?”

Thinking it was sweat, I checked my palm and my breath hitched.

My hand was completely red.

“W-why is this…?”

Of all things, Duke Ruthius was wearing a black suit, so I couldn’t tell where the blood was coming from.

I frantically checked his back and saw a long gash. The memory of the killing intent from behind me just moments ago overlapped with it.

‘He… blocked it himself? But why?’

They had intended to capture us alive, but things hadn’t gone according to their plan.

Even though they had brought fifteen able-bodied men, our skills were far superior.

Panicked, they had drawn their weapons instead of abandoning the job.

To complete the mission, even if it meant injuring us.

I wouldn’t have fallen for an ambush, but the problem was Duke Ruthius.

Startled, he had pulled me into his arms without a moment’s hesitation. Worried that I, the number one ranked Hunter, would get hurt.

‘He should have just protected himself… Worried I’d get hit by a measly ambush? I could have handled it just fine on my own!’

I bit my lip.

“Huu…”

Duke Ruthius let out a sharp breath. His forehead was slick with a cold sweat.

He was holding on through sheer willpower.

“Are… you unhurt…?”

“Why did you do that? Did I ask for your protection? Did you think I’d be moved by this now?”

“I… did it… for myself. If my ally… gets hurt, it would be… huu, inconvenient… for me.”

“Just be quiet!”

I ripped off a piece of my dress and pressed it against Duke Ruthius’s back.

The yellow fabric was instantly soaked crimson.

‘This is bad. The bleeding is too heavy.’

It would have been better if the dagger was still lodged in him.

It must have nicked a major blood vessel when it was pulled out.

I frantically opened the Shop.

“Healing item, healing item… Ah!”

The one item you couldn’t get from the Shop was a potion.

So potions could only be obtained through donations from the Constellations or with the help of a healing-rank Hunter.

“Constellations, you’re there, right? I know you’re watching. Please help me!”

<Viewers: 138>

There were no new messages in the chat, but the viewer count had increased.

There was a time I suspected that number was an error, but not anymore.

The Constellations had to be with me. No, they had to be.

“I need a potion. If you donate a top-grade potion, I’ll do whatever you want, a reaction, anything. Right now!”

The message window remained silent.

‘The window could be bugged, too.’

Just in case, I opened my inventory several times, but there were no donated potions.

‘Are donations really blocked?’

My heart sank, and my vision swam.

‘I was counting on donations…’

I wanted to call for help, but for some reason, there were no passersby.

‘Should I carry him…’

I considered it, then shook my head.

Carrying someone with a back injury is insane. The aftereffects could include total paralysis.

‘What do I do… What do I do…’

I squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them. A bead of sweat rolled from my brow and fell.

“Constellations, please relay a message to any Hunter nearby. Tell them to come here immediately! I don’t need any other class! It has to be a priest or mage class! It’s urgent, so hurry! Please, hurry!”

<Viewers: 109>

The viewer count dropped by twenty-nine all at once.