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🕑 Added 2025-08-02 19:46:15 +0000 UTCEP.31 Mysterious Enemy
How much time has passed?
Inside the cave, I lost all sense of time, and after having nonstop sex like crazy, I can’t even guess anymore.
All I can surmise is that I’ve slept with Sylvia dozens of times.
It was like being a beast that just wakes up and has sex, but it was a blissful time.
But now, it’s about time to leave.
Rescue isn’t coming, and we can’t stay here forever.
“Sylvia, I don’t think we can wait for rescue any longer.”
“Then…”
“There’s a chance the cave could collapse, but I’ll clear the entrance myself.”
At this point, it felt a bit awkward to admit I’d stayed on purpose, so I mixed in a convenient lie.
“Will it be alright?”
Sylvia looked a little worried.
Her lovely expression gave me a twinge of guilt, but I couldn’t take back what I’d said.
“If I’m careful, there shouldn’t be any problem.”
I slowly lifted and moved the rocks blocking the cave entrance.
For an ordinary person, these would be impossible to lift, but with my body enhanced by mana, it was a piece of cake.
Thud, thud-
Rocks piled up inside the cave.
I thought it would take about half a day, but it felt like it was taking longer.
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“It’s fine, just wait a bit.”
Before I knew it, Sylvia was standing on her own two feet for the first time in a while.
According to the guidebook, it takes at least 14 hours for the paralysis to wear off after stopping the mushrooms, so it had been at least half a day.
“Ah… it’s light!”
My efforts paid off as faint light seeped through the pile of rocks.
Finally, I threw aside the largest boulder, and bright light poured into the cave.
Having gotten used to the darkness, Sylvia squinted and shielded her eyes from the light.
It wasn’t blazing like midday, but it seemed as bright as about 3 p.m.
My eyes stung a bit too, but with mana strengthening my eyes, it was bearable.
But what greeted me after finally coming outside was a piercing, ear-splitting sound.
Screeeeeee-!
My body moved on instinct before I could even see what it was.
I quickly drew my sword and swung it toward the direction of the sound.
Clang-!
A huge impact made my sword and arm tingle.
It felt like I’d deflected a cannonball.
But the thing that flew at me was, surprisingly, an arrow.
“Who’s there?!”
Silence.
A moment later, instead of an answer, another arrow came flying.
Screeee-
This time, I swung my sword more calmly to deflect it.
But as soon as my sword touched it, the arrow exploded.
Bang-!
Shards of the sharp arrow cut my skin, and at the same time, poison seeped into my body through the wounds.
A poison-laced arrow.
No matter how you look at it, this wasn’t a normal attack.
It was a clear attempt to kill, with murderous intent.
“Seriously…”
It’s highly unlikely that I’m the target.
Only Selena knows I’m here.
That means these assassins are after Sylvia.
There are countless reasons to target a princess, from grand ones like usurping the throne, rebellion, or political dissatisfaction, to petty ones.
“Damn it.”
I used mana to detoxify the poison invading my body.
I’ve gotten so used to detoxifying, it doesn’t even faze me anymore.
Most poisons aren’t a threat to me now.
Focusing on the direction the arrow came from, I spotted a figure in a black mask hiding in the bushes, preparing another shot.
“Stay right there.”
I focused mana in my legs and shot forward explosively toward the enemy.
Step by step, the distance closed in an instant.
Screeee-
I barely dodged the arrow the enemy shot.
“You’re dead now.”
Just as I was about to skewer the masked figure, I heard the ominous sound of rustling in the bushes.
My survival instincts screamed a warning, sending chills down my spine.
I quickly pulled back my sword and rolled on the ground.
Swoosh-
A sharp blade sliced through the air.
But it wasn’t the arrow I’d been watching for.
I lost a bit of dignity, but I was glad I rolled.
“Ptooey-”
I spat out dirt from my mouth and got ready again.
Turns out there were two enemies, not one.
Hiding completely in the bushes, waiting for the perfect moment, the second enemy held a sharp sword.
That slicing sound must have been the sword meant to pierce my neck.
If I hadn’t listened to my instincts, I would have died instantly.
“Two against one is a bit much, don’t you think?”
The two stayed silent, just watching my movements.
They were clearly professional assassins.
And a well-matched pair at that.
A skilled swordsman and an archer.
The archer tries to assassinate, and if that fails and the enemy closes in, the swordsman covers.
Plus, their weapons are laced with poison.
Most fighters wouldn’t stand a chance.
The archer nocked another arrow while the swordsman blocked my approach.
Screeee-
I barely dodged an arrow aimed at my forehead.
Clang-!
While the swordsman blocked me, the archer looked for an opening-a vicious tactic.
I had to break through at once, or I’d be worn down and killed.
“You probably won’t say who your boss is, so I’ll just kill you.”
I pulled my sword back as if to thrust.
The swordsman tensed, thinking I’d attack.
Just wait-I’ll show you something good.
Without even looking, the two seemed to signal each other. As soon as the archer was ready, the swordsman charged.
“Die.”
I threw my sword straight like a wasp’s sting.
“…!”
For the first time, the two showed real expressions.
No one throws their own sword in the middle of a fight-it’s like discarding your weapon.
The sword, packed with strength and mana, was barely deflected by the swordsman, but it created an opening.
I boldly exploited that gap and punched him in the torso.
Thud-!
“Guh-!”
I could feel it through my hand-either his heart or internal organs must have burst.
The archer regained composure quickly, but it was too late.
Now I had a good shield.
Screeee-
Using the dying swordsman’s body as a shield, I blocked the arrow.
His muscles were thicker than I expected-a good shield.
Realizing his attack had failed, the archer tried to flee, but being an archer, he was slower than the swordsman, and I caught him after just a few steps.
“Guh…”
Even though I didn’t attack, he bled out and died.
Did he take poison to avoid being captured?
“Thorough.”
It makes sense to be this prepared when targeting a princess.
But if they were this thorough, it means they were serious about the job.
“Ah… what a headache.”
These guys were probably left behind just in case Sylvia survived the cave.
That means their boss likely has even stronger subordinates.
“What’s going on?”
Sylvia, who had been watching from inside the cave, came over and looked shocked at the bodies.
“Looks like they were assassins after you, Princess.”
“That can’t be…”
“Maybe another royal took advantage of the chaos?”
If a king or heir is seriously injured or goes missing, it’s a huge opportunity for other factions.
But Sylvia looked like she couldn’t believe it.
“I’m the only one with a claim to the throne right now.”
So, is someone trying to start a revolution?
Usually there are warning signs: unrest, famine, or growing public dissatisfaction.
Revolutions don’t just happen out of nowhere.
Besides, the Lumis Kingdom is actually a pretty stable and prosperous country.
“Could it be the same type as that merchant who led the rebellion before?”
“There were no traces then, either.”
No traces.
That could mean no one is involved, or it could be evidence of a very troublesome enemy.
I’m not the sharpest, but a few things suddenly clicked in my mind.
A mere merchant leading a rebellion? I didn’t think much of it at the time, but now it seems unlikely.
And then there’s the ogre incident.
Right after stopping the rebellion, the princess was attacked.
It’s too much of a coincidence.
Once is chance, twice is fate.
Maybe it was the intensity of the battle, or maybe nerves, but sweat was running down my forehead.
If-
If, by some chance, all those ogres were deliberately led to the princess…
“Tsk…”
That’s not something a normal person could do.
That’s why I thought Sylvia was just unlucky.
But if it was all someone’s scheme, then the enemy is definitely formidable.
And the fact that I killed these assassins will reach their ears soon.
They’ll definitely send someone to take care of loose ends.
“I don’t think this rough welcome is over yet.”
My suspicion had already turned to certainty.
The two corpses on the ground were powerful evidence.
Who could be behind something like this?
A room filled with lavish decorations.
It should have been empty since its owner, Sylvia, was with Yujin.
But now, a woman identical to Sylvia was receiving a report from a man.
“I’m sorry. It seems the princess is still alive.”
The woman looked surprised for a moment, then her expression turned intrigued.
“I didn’t expect her to survive in there. Didn’t we leave some loyal subordinates behind just in case?”
“I’m sorry. It seems they were all taken out, too.”
The fake Sylvia laughed as if amused.
“Heh… so they were beaten, huh…”
She knew how skilled those two were.
They were far beyond what a princess could handle.
The silent disappearance of knights at their hands proved it.
“My apologies.”
“It’s fine. Not everything in the world goes according to plan.”
She spoke leisurely, playing with jewels at a luxurious vanity that would seem extravagant to most people.
“Still, thanks to you, I get to play the princess. The kingdom is sloppier than I thought.”
“Everyone’s gotten complacent from too much peace.”
“So, a powerful nation with strong military, but internally weak from peace? That’s so human-it’s amusing.”
The fake Sylvia picked up a large, beautiful ruby and looked at the man in the mirror.
“Didn’t you say before that you wanted Sylvia? I think I refused you then, right?”
“Maybe this time…?”
The man looked at her with hopeful eyes.
“I don’t think so. Keeping her alive would cause too many problems. But I’ll let you have your pick from the nobles later.”
He looked disappointed, but didn’t dare protest.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
The ruby rolling in her hand turned into a squishy red liquid.
“What should we do about the princess?”
“She’s probably not alone. Any intel?”
“It seems she’s with a knight named Yujin from Roern.”
“Yujin, huh…”
She already knew the name.
The knight who crushed the merchant’s attempted rebellion not long ago.
“To think I’d hear that name again.”
She tilted her hand and let the liquefied ruby drip onto the floor.
“Get rid of them both.”
