Chapter 10: As Powerful as She is

In truth, the territories granted by the Empire to its nobles, especially those of high rank such as dukes and marquesses, are as vast and prosperous as kingdoms.

However, the Emperor did not allow any so-called kingdoms within the Empire. Each Emperor possessed an immense desire for control, just like the Empire itself, which had no name—it was simply the Empire. It carried the greatest ambition of the Feastflame Imperial Family, aiming to dominate the entire world. It did not need any name, just like the continent is just the continent, and the world is just the world. The Empire was destined to become a common term in the future, without any unnecessary annotations.

To return to the topic, precisely because of this, although Scarletfrost was just a "fief",  but among the "savage border lands" of the North, it was still considered quite fertile. Moreover, due to its unique characteristics, many northern nobles and merchants had rooted themselves here. So, even though it had only been about half a day since the death of the Scarletfrost Earl, many people who were anxious about the future have had to pay a high price for teleportation to Earl Hardstone's manor.

—Why the rush? Of course, it was because everyone was afraid of death, and those who were not afraid were still hanging at the gate of Lord Hydra's mansion.

Moreover, even if you were afraid of death, you might still end up hanging there.

So, when Anselm stepped into the main hall, the men and women dressed so extravagantly that Sitana's eyes hurt swarmed towards him like bees. And she, very honestly as she had said before, had no idea how to do bodyguard duty, just standing like a wooden stake by Anselm's side, watching them approach.

Those who could come here, regardless of their power and foresight, naturally knew the unspoken rules of "high society" socializing. Although Hydra's notorious reputation made the initial scene a bit unsightly, with everyone acting like prostitutes in a brothel, the rules forged by thousands of years of social evolution quickly restored order.

The first to approach Anselm were naturally the nobles second only to the Scarletfrost Earl in the territory. The nobles who usually commanded the wind and rain in Scarletfrost or their own small territories were now so humble that even Sitana shivered and moved away, rubbing her arms.

Anselm, stroking his snake-head cane, slightly raised the corners of his mouth. To others, it was just a friendly smile. He began to chat with the surrounding nobles, his tone relaxed and approachable, and even while talking to four or five people at the same time, no one felt left out.

Miss white-haired bodyguard was very conflicted at this moment. Anselm's command prevented her from straying too far, but the stench of these nobles made her nose somewhat ache.

Rotten, sour, pungent, and a foul smell that Sitana couldn't quite identify. Some were strong, some were weak, but each one carried these odors to some extent.

Watching Anselm laugh and chat amidst these rotten people, Sitana crossed her arms and tried to get to the side, sneering.

Although this sissy didn't have any unpleasant smells, could someone who mixed so well with these people be any good?

...Wait a minute.

The girl's fingers tapped her arm like playing the piano, her sharp canine teeth gleaming brightly.

What a golden chance! To Lena... no, not just her, to expose this jerk's true colors to everyone! Ha! Just watch me soak up every word you say and spill the beans later!

"Regarding the matter of the Scarletfrost Earl, I also express my regret, and the rest of the Scarletfrost family will be treated well, I assure you." —Regret? See, he's just as bad as that bastard!

"Her Majesty has temporarily appointed me as the acting lord, and there will be many subsequent policies that will require your cooperation." —Isn't this just mingling with the nobles! He's definitely up to no good! He killed the Scarletfrost Earl to take his place!

"The specific content? Well... it's not that I can't disclose it, but let's have a brief meeting after the banquet to discuss it in detail, how about that?"

Then there was a bunch of meaningless trash talk in Sitana's view, about how the wine from this place or that place was, how someone's painting was this and that, who got some strange and rare thing... Although these words were meaningless, in Sitana's view, they could definitely confirm one thing:

—This so-called Hydra was no different from other nobles! He still looked down on commoners, didn't care about how they live, and only had eyes for his own nobility and prominence. It was just that other nobles never pretended in front of commoners, while he did.

Thinking of this, Sitana became happy. She finally had a reason to refuse to follow this jerk. Lena was the most fair and reasonable, and if she knew the true face of this Hydra, she wouldn't let her continue working here.

The girl glanced at the young noble who was dominating the banquet. He accepted everyone's flattery without showing any pride, and every person he talked to seemed to feel delightful and relaxed from the bottom of their hearts. He navigated the complex network of people, interpreting everyone's thoughts and feelings as easily as turning the pages of a book. Whether in appearance, speech, behavior, or demeanor, even Sitana, who was extremely disgusted with Anselm and had almost zero aesthetic sense, had to admit that this jerk was indeed quite... capable.

But the more she thought about it, the more irritated and unhappy Sitana became, the more she disliked Anselm.

Time trickled by, the upper-class attendees of the banquet indulged in sweet and delectable food and drink, appreciating beautiful women singing and dancing under the flickering light of magic crystals, as if no one was unhappy, as if every fearful person had now dispelled the gloomy clouds in their hearts.

Standing beside Anselm, Sitana felt out of place in this joyful atmosphere. She anxiously awaited the approach of her preys and enemies—if those bastards didn't come, wouldn't she have suffered all this for nothing?

But the hostility she sensed still maintained a... eh, safe distance from Anselm?

A bunch of cowards!

The closest person radiating hostility was in the crowd thirteen meters behind Sitana. If it weren't for Anselm's "command" not to leave his side, Sitana would have already rushed over to break that bastard's arm and take him down.

In this seemingly endless ordeal, the banquet finally... ended.

Sitana looked at Earl Hardstone, who was announcing the end of the banquet on the stage, with utterly disbelief.

That's it? Just like that? She was forced to spend so much time in the same room with a bunch of horse shit nobles and money-grubbing lackeys, and nothing happened?

A successful conclusion, with both the guests and the hosts thoroughly enjoy themselves, except for the barefoot girl in brown hunter's clothes, who seemed out of place in this world, grinding her teeth with a fierce and barbaric look that made every noble and merchant who said goodbye to Anselm sweat.

"Alright, esteemed nobles, with the glory of the Empire coursing through your noble veins."

At this moment, Anselm also stood up, smiling at the circle of nobles with the most influence in Scarletfrost:

"Our next conversation will determine the future of Scarletfrost for the years to come. As governance is not my forte, I encourage you all to speak candidly and offer your invaluable counsel."

"You jest, Lord Hydra," Earl Hardstone was the first to speak, "Everyone knows that the territory under Hydra's rule is paradise on earth. How could we have the qualifications to guide you? We should be asking for your guidance."

The other nobles echoed in agreement, and in this harmonious atmosphere, Anselm followed Earl Hardstone to the prepared meeting room.

Glancing at the motionless bodyguard, Anselm tapped the ground with his cane: "Sitana, it's time to go."

"Ah... ah? Go? Then hurry up!"

"I am referring to the next phase. Follow me, have you forgotten my command?"

"……"

The nobles observed the stunningly beautiful snow-haired girl with subtle or direct gazes—the ridiculous banquet, the inexplicable additional tasks, and now these depraved gazes examining her as if she were an object, all of which made Sitana unable to contain the rage surging in her heart. She stared fiercely at Anselm's back, saying word by word:

"You better hope someone shows up to kill you, Hydra."

This statement directly scared the other nobles, and even Earl Hardstone, who had witnessed the strange relationship between Anselm and Sitana, froze his brain for a second or two.

After the shock came anger. In the eyes of the nobles, the flawless Lord Hydra was the representative of their noble blood. Someone immediately shouted at Sitana:

"Lowly servant, who gave you the audacity to speak disrespectfully to Lord Hydra! Kneel down and slap your own face!"

Sitana's mouth twitched unnaturally, and a fierce, uncanny, beastly growl squeezed out from between her bared teeth.

She could not forget the humiliation—being dominated, abused, and submitted to the other's will, her sister begging her to apologize in the most humble manner.

The words "slap your own face" were a trigger that could instantly enrage Sitana to the point of losing her sanity.

And Anselm had already placed his snake-head cane in front of Sitana, the message clear.

—You cannot cross this line.

"Hy...dra—"

"Viscount of Snowfield."

Before Sitana's low growl, filled with hatred, could finish, Anselm had already smiled and addressed the viscount who had stepped forward.

The viscount responded excitedly, "Yes, Lord Hydra! May I ask—"

"What gave you the courage to overstep?"

Anselm kindly interrupted him.

Earl Hardstone shook his head slightly, looking at the young viscount with pity.

The viscount's expression stiffened, followed by immense fear and panic: "No, I didn't mean to..."

"Is it my kindness, or your foolishness?"

Anselm approached the viscount, gazing gently at the young man who had spoken up for him.

In that moment, the viscount's nobility and prominence vanished, or rather... were destroyed.

Destroyed by the even younger Hydra with his soft words.

"Kneel down."

He said this in a forgiving and merciful tone, placing his cane on the viscount's shoulder.

"Slap your own face."

The young noble, his face and lips drained of color, knelt down as if burdened by a heavy load, and with a trembling hand, he slapped himself hard.

"When the viscount recognize his own mistake, he can stop—and you, Sitana."

Anselm slightly turned his head, glanced at Sitana, whose rage had slightly subsided, still maintained his approachable and elegant smile:

"Prepare to accept punishment when we return."

"……Tch."

After reprimanding the two unruly youngsters, Anselm acted as if nothing had happened, and looked at Earl Hardstone: "Please lead the way, Earl Hardstone."

Earl Hardstone immediately caught on and opened up a conversation about wine and art, and the nobles of the Empire, once again, happily discussed the luxurious matters unrelated to the mortal world, moving away.

Sitana watched Anselm, who had not shown any dissatisfaction from beginning to end, chatting happily with the nobles, and then a strong sense of disgust arose within her.

How can someone be such a damn hypocrite? Doesn't he get sick lookin' at his own fake face? Does he really think what he did was fair? A couple of words ain't gonna make me feel grateful, you know?

An unnamed fury burned in Sitana's viscera. In her eyes, everything Anselm did was so repulsive, just like her inexplicable deep hatred for Anselm.

The raging young wolf tried to restrain her claws and teeth, suppressing the urge to clobber all the nobles who talked rubbish, and silently followed Anselm to the door of a conference room.

"I've specially reserved a bottle of Red Ice Python blood wine, and I hope Lord Hydra can evaluate it."

With such a smile, Earl Hardstone gestured for the servants to open the door: "You must try the specialty of the Scarletfrost—"

In the middle of his words, as the door was pushed open, a sound of an explosion that no one could hear rang out in the snowy night outside the manor.

BOOM!

Earl Hardstone, standing beside Anselm, was hurled against the partially opened door as if mauled by a fearsome beast. In the blink of an eye, the graceful snow-like figure entered the edge of Anselm's vision.

The next moment, an abrupt and piercing scraping sound, along with a barely audible sound of flesh tearing, echoed in the corridor in front of the conference room's door.

—The sharp triangular arrowhead stopped an inch in front of Anselm's nose, slowly ceasing to spin.

And before him, a delicate and small white hand stretched out from the side below, hanging there, with crimson liquid slowly flowing from the back and palm of the hand, and the owner of this beautiful hand also slowly straightened up from the sprinting posture.

The ear-piercing scraping sound just now... was actually Sitana using her palm bones to firmly clamp the arrow that was about to pierce Anselm's head!

"Hm... hm-hm-hm-hm..."

Before the screams rang out, the girl's joyful laughter had already echoed in the corridor.

The two servants who opened the door were stunned for a moment, then rushed straight towards the unmoving Anselm, drawing daggers from their sleeves, aiming for the throat and the heart!

—Unfortunately, this was just their fantasy.

Because before they could even take a step, and before the daggers in their sleeves could fall into their hands, Sitana had already pulled out the entire arrow along the direction it was shot, and with a throw, the arrow shattered the air along the splattering blood, instantly breaking one person's knee!  

Before the man's anguished scream could even begin, the young wolf, baring its claws, howled with ecstatic joy as it ducked down, raised its palm to strike the assassin's chin, and with her fingers clenched, as if she were grasping his entire head, lifted him up, and then smashed him down—

With a thunderous crash!

Amidst the heavy hum that made hearts tremble, another arrow came piercing through the air with no time to spare. Yet, Sitana, who was half-crouching, seemed to foresee it, twisting her resilient and supple body, and with her long and powerful legs, she ferociously kicked upwards, creating a "whoosh" sound of splitting air!

Her snow-white and tender instep struck the arrowhead like a blade, the spinning sharp arrowhead cruelly digging into Sitana's flesh, but it was also kicked away by her foot, which acted as a blade, and was firmly embedded in the wall of the corridor.

"You should've let me take out those bastards outside first," Sitana complained with dissatisfaction as she stood up, “You're nothin' but a trouble-maker, young master."

Anselm, as if unaware that he had been on the brink of death three times, smiled and said, "So, has this already become a predicament that our Miss Sitana finds herself unable to resolve?"

"Who the hell do you think you're underestimating!"

These words instantly made Sitana's hair bristle. Her bare foot, which had a chunk of flesh gouged out, stomped heavily on the ground. With no sign of pain on the girl's face, she tore off a piece of cloth from her sleeve, wrapped her foot skillfully, and stared coldly at Anselm, "Even ten more archers wouldn't make a difference. The prey I've hunted is hundreds, even thousands of times more than them!"

"Hmm... I don't think continuing to use your hands and feet to intercept arrows is a good choice," Anselm commented.

"It's all because you're just standing there like a dumbass getting shot!" 

Sitana raged, roughly pulling Anselm away from the door, and then took out two daggers from the chest of the disguised servant-assassin at the door, tossing them in her hand.

"I don't know about these... but I guess they'll work to knock arrows aside."

With a powerful kick, she opened the heavy double doors, and with a casual raise of the dagger in her hand, she effortlessly deflected another incoming arrow in a way that seemed almost inconceivable.

"Finally, you pieces of trash have shown up."

Standing in front of Anselm, the girl licked the gash on her palm, and the blood on her teeth matched the savage and violent aura that swept around her, striking fear into people's hearts!

"Come."

The young wolf, filled with joy, bared her fangs.

"Try to kill him before my very eyes."

⏴ Previous chapter 丨Main丨 Next chapter ⏵

🔮Discord