I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 39

‘Just as I expected.’

Edgar gazed at his opponent, who stood there at a distance, confirming that his hypothesis was indeed correct.

The magical aura that should undoubtedly emanate from a skilled individual was barely detectable in this man.

He was likely of a similar constitution as Edgar himself, or perhaps he was forcibly suppressing his power with some kind of magic.

It seemed more probable that it was the former.

This also explained how he had been able to breach the barrier and invade Ariel’s chambers.

Though he had anticipated someone of his ilk might be present, he never truly considered that someone would attempt it.

If he hadn’t felt a sense of unease when they’d crossed paths in town, it could have turned into a major incident.

“!”

*Ching.*

As Edgar deflected a dagger that flew from the darkness, he readied himself once more.

Even with the spacious room, in this constrained space, he was at a disadvantage with his weapon’s range.

Moreover, he had no choice but to stay close to Ariel, who was being held hostage, circling her to ensure her safety while monitoring his opponent’s movements.

In various ways, the situation was unfavorable, and while he could inflict some scratches, he deeply regretted not landing a decisive blow.

‘This is dangerous.’

However, the man facing Edgar was also in a tough spot.

If he could just create a small opening, he could seize the opportunity, but despite his youthful appearance, he was handling the situation with remarkable cunning.

He stalked back and forth near the balcony and the bed, blocking any escape the man could make through the window while keeping his hostage situation in check.

‘If I rush in recklessly, I’ll end up on the losing side. What should I do?’

If he were to take a gamble in this situation, he could throw open the door and create chaos, escaping in the confusion.

But that would only be feasible if his opponent was somewhat easy to handle.

The man likely anticipated that if he turned his back for even a moment, the boy would stab him in the back without a shred of hesitation.

Yet creating a ruckus in the room would only summon reinforcements.

‘All I have is a single dagger tucked away in my sleeve. This is bleak.’

But it wasn’t like there was no way out.

His opponent aimed to abduct the Robeheim family’s young lady, but he was still unaware of whether Edgar’s goal was assassination or capture.

That’s why he was being super cautious to avoid getting too close to Ariel.

In that case, what Edgar needed to leverage was this small gap in information.

This could create an opportunity for him.

“…”

“!?”

As the man cautiously reached into his clothing, Edgar lunged without giving him a moment’s respite.

Unlike him, who only held a single sword, the opponent could very well possess more hidden weapons.

If he carelessly allowed him to draw another weapon, Edgar had no idea how the situation could unfold.

*Clang!*

Like a technique called a draw in swordsmanship, Edgar arrived in front of the man just as he stepped forward.

The man barely managed to block it with his beloved dagger, but with one hand tied, he was lacking strength.

Watching the tremor in his wrist, Edgar coldly smirked and thrust his sword directly at the man’s right eye.

*Shwick!*

“Guh!”

Though he managed to twist his head to evade, blood began to spill from where the sword had grazed him.

‘Damn it.’

At this rate, it felt less like he was facing an assassin and more like he was battling a swordsman.

It was said that the higher-level swordsmen wouldn’t even give mages time to cast spells, and this boy’s fighting style was strikingly similar.

‘But now’s exactly the right moment.’

Though he found himself backed against the wall, the distance between the boy and the bed had widened perfectly.

Was it a sign of divine providence? It seemed the gods were indeed smiling upon him.

As he gripped the dagger hidden in his left hand, a sly smile crept onto the man’s face.

What he was aiming for was a decoration mounted on the ceiling above Ariel’s bed.

At a glance, it didn’t appear to be simple glass, and its sharp edges meant that if it fell, it wouldn’t be just a flesh wound.

If the man threw the dagger to make it drop, the boy would undoubtedly throw himself in the way to protect Ariel.

If that happened, he could take that moment to strike from behind.

There were only two choices.

Ignore the threat of injury to the lady and focus on attacking him, or disregard his attack and try to escape with the lady.

But in the man’s mind, there was no way the boy would choose the first option.

He would certainly attempt to escape with the lady and then resume the fight after getting her to safety.

Perhaps it was possible if there was a considerable gap in skill, but in a battle of this level, even a small opening would only serve as prey for an assassin.

*Step. Step.*

‘Now!’

As the boy gradually closed the distance, the man, who had been waiting for his moment, hurled the dagger at the cord hanging from the decoration.

*Whoosh.*

“……!”

As the projectile sliced through the still air, Edgar finally realized what his adversary was targeting.

The moment Edgar turned his back and dashed towards the bed, the man quickly closed the distance, aiming for Edgar’s back.

The decoration loomed just in front of the boy’s back and beside the lady’s head.

At this point, escaping with the lady would have been impossible.

Realizing this, the man wore a confident smile of victory and lunged with his dagger.

*Crack!*

“Ugh!?”

However, what greeted him was Edgar’s powerful grip.

Immediately after, a massive decoration crashed down on Edgar.

Even if one were deeply asleep, they wouldn’t fail to wake up to such a loud sound.

Ariel’s eyelids fluttered open, her crimson eyes sparking to life, and her expression turned to one of shock at the sight unfolding before her.

“E-Edgar?”

“…Sorry, did I wake you?”

Blood dripped from the man whose neck Edgar had gripped tightly, splattering onto Ariel’s face.

‘I was hoping to end this quietly if possible.’

After all that training, was he still lacking real combat experience?

Realizing in the end that his opponent’s aim was not to assassinate Ariel but to capture her was monumental.

Had it not been for that, such a counterattack would have been impossible.

“You lunatic…”

The man was equally astonished.

Who would have thought he could withstand such impact and then counterattack?

More importantly, the blow to his body was staggering, making it hard to focus, yet the grip around his neck only tightened.

‘Shit, I can’t let him kill me now.’

Edgar felt equally anxious.

Even if it meant sacrificing a limb, he had to keep him alive for questioning.

What drove him to commit such an act? Who was behind it?

With so much still unknown, killing him hastily would yield no benefits. Moreover,

‘Even if I’ve made up my mind, carrying it out is still tough.’

Despite fighting with the intention to kill, Edgar was still just a boy who had never taken a life.

Even if his opponent was an assassin, taking someone’s life coldly is no easy task.

This just goes to show how heavy the act of killing for the first time really is.

“Ariel, do you have any rope or something to bind him?”

“Uh, yeah! Just give me a moment…!”

With the man’s neck still in his grip, Edgar slowly moved toward the wardrobe.

Since all the spells he had used had rolled onto the floor, there was no immediate danger left.

Using the rope Ariel brought him, he tied the man’s wrists and secured him to the wardrobe.

At this point, even the strongest of individuals would struggle to break free.

*Thud.*

Perhaps due to blood loss, Edgar’s consciousness began to fade as he slumped down onto the floor after securing the man.

He needed to explain everything to Ariel, but as his body grew heavier, even his lips felt difficult to move.

For now, he had to ask her to summon others.

After all, it wasn’t like he could sweep this matter under the rug just to hand the man over.

‘Well, at least that’s over.’

As relief washed over him, Edgar’s consciousness began to slip away.

“…Ed!”

Ariel’s eyes widened with surprise, and for some reason, she called out his name in a hurry.

Just as his vision started to fade away, a small explosion erupted from behind him, right before Edgar’s new model could touch the floor.

*Boom!*

Startled by the sound, Edgar turned around late, and there stood the enemy he had just bound.

In his right hand was a small, thin dagger—how had he hidden it in his sleeve or somewhere?

*He must have sliced through the rope to set himself free.*

But what truly mattered to Edgar wasn’t that.

The man’s head had been completely severed, leaving behind what could barely be recognized as a mashed-up corpse.

The only relatively intact part, the lower neck, fell limply, collapsing onto the cold floor.

“Ariel, you…”

In this room, there was only one person capable of such an act.

Edgar called out his childhood friend’s name in shock.

Regardless of how much of an enemy he may be, to think a fourteen-year-old girl would kill without hesitation.

Yet in Ariel’s eyes, there was no fear of murder, nor dread, nor astonishment; her demeanor remained untouched.

“Oh, it’s fine. You didn’t get hurt, did you?”

“I’m okay. But more importantly, what about that guy?”

“I just killed him before he could ambush you. It seems he wanted to capture you, though.”

What Edgar wanted to ask wasn’t that kind of question.

Ariel must have been a stranger to taking a life.

So how was it that she maintained such a calm demeanor?

Even Edgar took a considerable amount of resolve to contemplate killing someone he recognized as an enemy.

“Are you okay? That must have been your first time killing someone.”

“Someone trying to kill you doesn’t count as a human. They’re just a bug. Do I feel any guilt for exterminating a bug?”

Saying it so casually, Ariel immediately cast a healing spell on Edgar.

Although it wouldn’t be sufficient for more significant injuries due to her still-limited skill level, it should at least tend to his immediate wounds.

Then, standing up, Ariel pulled him onto her lap.

‘Blood ties really mean something.’

Edgar finally realized as he met her crimson gaze.

No matter how much she outwardly resembled an innocent girl, within her flowed the blood of a cold ruler capable of mercilessly eliminating anyone who stood in her way.

Yet thanks to her frigid judgment, he managed to preserve his life.

Although he had come to help her, it ultimately ended up being the opposite, and now he felt grateful that she was safe.

Shortly after, the sounds of two massive crashes echoed from the ongoing battle, signaling the arrival of people.

While one problem had been resolved, Edgar sighed ruefully as he considered the mounting issues ahead. It seemed he was quite exhausted today.