Chapter 4

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 4

Chapter Title: Rescued by the Marquis

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“……”

She stared at him with teary eyes, but in the end, Antoni assigned no fewer than twenty Imperial Knights to escort Agatha on her way back.

They were childhood friends, cousins who had both been pawns in the emperor's marriage schemes, the only blood relatives she could bicker with and hang out alongside without reservation.

As Antoni saw Agatha all the way to her carriage, he said,

"I'll let you know when the reply comes, Lady Agatha."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness the Crown Prince. I'll take my leave now."

After their final parting with proper courtesy, Agatha returned to her mansion under the guard of those twenty Imperial Knights.

That night.

A message from the Crown Prince arrived remarkably swiftly, delivered alongside an unexpected night visitor.

Upon reading the final line, Agatha turned her gaze to the window.

Ching, ching, jeng—

The night sky was veiled by a small, caterpillar-shaped cloud obscuring the crescent moon.

Below, Imperial Knights were slashing down intruders who poured over the walls beyond the estate.

It might have seemed leisurely, but even beside Agatha as she read the letter in the study, two Imperial Knights under the Crown Prince—including the Vice-Commander—stood ready on high alert.

A moment later.

Knock knock—

"Vice-Commander. It's Windel."

"Come in."

The Imperial Knight entered the study and snapped a salute.

"Thirty-five intruders. All eliminated."

"Good work."

As the Vice-Commander, Baron Vasily, praised the knight,

Agatha beckoned her nearby steward, Allen.

"Have warm bathwater and prepared night snacks sent to the knights. Oil for sword maintenance too."

"Understood, miss."

"We appreciate your kindness, Lady."

"It's nothing. Just what's proper."

After exchanging light bows with the grateful Vice-Commander, Agatha drew out stationery right there.

She tucked in a single sprig of purple statice, sealed it, and passed the letter to steward Allen.

"Send this with that black horse His Highness admired last time."

"Yes, miss."

And so, in the still-early late spring,

a hunt hosted by the Crown Prince was held at the imperial hunting grounds.

On the day of the hunt.

Agatha rose at dawn to match the morning start time. Since she'd be riding, a pre-ride massage was essential.

After a warm bath, a array of hunting outfits awaited her.

"Miss, what will you wear today?"

"The weather's perfect. A light color will suit you beautifully."

With her close maids, Agatha selected a blue shirt, a dark navy jacket embroidered with gold thread, white pants, and leather boots.

"Tie your hair?"

"No. Just curl the ends lightly."

Her sunlit golden hair cascaded gracefully to her waist, with makeup so subtle it barely showed.

Transparent white skin, long lashes casting shadows. Violet eyes beneath, elegant as her signature purple statice.

Straight nose, plump red lips.

Along her slender jawline, a deer-like neck and graceful curves—it was Agatha Noblesse, who drew effortless acclaim for her beauty even in a social world brimming with stunners.

"You're stunning, miss."

"Thanks."

Knock knock—

A maid entered to report that departure preparations were complete. Finally slipping on a bolo tie and white gloves, Agatha stepped out of the study.

"Baron Vasily."

"You've emerged, Lady Noblesse."

After a light greeting with the Imperial Knights' Vice-Commander inspecting the procession before the mansion, Agatha eyed her mount for the day.

Head steward Allen, having double-checked the saddle and stirrups, handed over the reins.

"All clear."

"Good work. I'll be off."

The glossy brown horse, compact yet sturdy—a proper warhorse breed—was ideal for riding and hunting.

As Agatha mounted with a hop, the Imperial Knights and servants boarded their horses and carriages in sequence, preparations complete.

"Shall we?"

"Depart!"

High-raised imperial and Noblesse banners fluttered. Agatha traversed the city under Imperial Knight escort.

Today's destination: a closer imperial hunting ground forest, roughly an hour from the capital.

Passing the city gates, after a brief chat with the inspecting knights, the returning Imperial Knight reported.

"His Highness the Crown Prince left the city early. Marquis Aratus hasn't yet."

"I see."

The Crown Prince must have raced to the hunting grounds, thrilled by the horse she'd sent ahead.

Perhaps using "grounds inspection" as cover for some early hunting.

"Good work, sir."

"Not at all."

As traffic thinned, the procession—Agatha, knights, servants—gained speed through their carriages and mounts.

Just as they crested a few hills thick with trees and grass.

Ping—

A faint, tiny noise rang out. Imperial Knights reacted in unison, swords flashing to bat away darts aimed straight at Agatha.

"Ambush!"

"Formation! Protect the lady!"

"Lady, grip tight! We break through now!"

At the center of the instantly formed guard array, Agatha clenched the reins hard.

If few foes, they'd dispatch them. But after the first strike failed, the assassins who revealed themselves numbered far too many.

From the grass, treetops, fore and aft paths.

Over a hundred rained arrows as they swarmed.

"Charge!"

At Vice-Commander Baron Vasily's roar, horses and carriages surged. The instant Agatha and knights cleaved pouring arrows to pierce the net—

"Now! Loose!"

Thud—

Hiihiiing—!

Stakes erupted from the ground, barricading the procession. Unbraked Imperial Knights' horses impaled outright; arrows poured on the halted Agatha.

"Kyaa...!"

"Lady!"

Agatha's tumble happened in a blink. She barely twisted her torso to dodge arrows but rolled hard across the dirt.

The body-pierced horse toppled belatedly.

Scraping free just shy of being crushed, Agatha tremblingly swept blood-matted hair aside. Her vision swam red—somewhere struck in the fall.

Horrified cries erupted from knights everywhere.

"Blood...!"

"Lady! You alright?!"

Agatha nodded calmly, yanking a sword from the saddle. Assassins, spotting the target down, rushed the formation with blades and axes.

"I'm fine—don't mind me, eyes forward!"

"Kill! Just the target!"

Grating steel and pounding feet echoed everywhere. Her torn scalp throbbed, but Agatha coldly sized up the field first.

'Servants can't budge.'

The assassins ignored carriages for now, but anyone bolting out would draw blades.

Five or six foes per knight.

Worse, the killers went all-out for Agatha, shielded at center, over the knights themselves.

Ducking stray darts now and then, Agatha weighed odds of the Crown Prince at the grounds noticing.

Knights and attackers bellowed around her.

"Hold! Hold out—His Highness will spot it and come!"

"Screw the knights! One woman's our goal!"

Patrol knights might stumble on it, relay word.

But the assassins had timed for patrol lulls.

Agatha realized her kin had orchestrated this on purpose.

Daring the imperial grounds, steeling for the emperor's fury.

'...Can I make it out alive?'

Creak—

In the brutal scrum,

a faint bowstring taut snapped her ears. Her glance locked on an assassin nocking dead on her.

Skin split, bow curved, string maxed—

Thud—

Her hunter died first. Tracing the arrow's diagonal plunge into him, she whipped her head that way.

Thud thud thud—

Atop the high hill.

A cavalry host churned dust, quaking the midday ground.

The lead rider gripped a longbow one-handed, ripping throats of her would-be archers.

Standards bore a crest: eagle soaring the skies.

The sudden allies split despair and hope between assassins and knights.

"Ah, Aratus Knights!"

Thud, thud, thwack—

Each loosed string snuffed another assassin from the swarming black tide.

Beneath his deep hood.

Agatha's eyes met the man's lightning gaze. Too distant for words, yet his low timbre stabbed her eardrums.

"Brace for impact."

Large, iron-gripped hand seized reins.

The man, Enoch Aratus, thundered down the slope—smashing, trampling the assassin horde.