Eric hesitated for a moment before swinging his sword at Kib.
“Whoa, wait a moment!”
Kib narrowly avoided the blade, raising his hands to halt Eric.
“I just helped your commander, you know? I’d be disappointed if you killed me just like that.”
“Your sudden appearance in this situation is also as suspicious as a monster, isn’t it?”
“Ah, yes, that’s true. Uh!”
Kib’s shirt was sliced by Eric’s sword, hanging in tatters.
He thought he had dodged it by a paperthin margin but gripped his sliced shirt and grumbled.
“Wow, this is my favorite shirt.”
“No need to regret it. It won’t matter when you’re dead.”
“Ah, right. Then could you at least hear my introduction before killing me? It’d be sad to die here unknown.”
“······.”
“I’m Kib, part of the Zero Knights. Need help?”
Eric stared at the cheerful Kib.
Not surprised nor curious about meeting someone from the rumored Zero Knights, Eric’s expressionless face seemed to confuse Kib more.
Awkwardly smiling, Kib scratched his head.
“Ah, unexpected indifference? I’ve never encountered this before.”
“······.”
Eric furrowed his brow.
Already short on time, and now this stranger jumps out playing friendly; it irritated him.
Moreover, how could he know if this person really belonged to the Zero Knights?
“Should I just kill him. Or—”
As Eric pondered, Kib continued talking.
“By the way, the 2nd Knights won’t be coming. I intercepted their command. The ones here are—”
Before Kib could finish, a blast resounded from behind.
As Eric looked towards the sound, Kib shrugged and smirked.
“It’s just me, the Zero Knights’ exclusive mage, and Commander Russell.”
While Eric glared at Kib, a raging mage approached.
“All the monsters are gone.”
Noah spoke in a monotone voice, but his gaze toward Eric had a tinge of curiosity.
“I’m Noah of the Zero Knights.”
“······.”
No response from Eric made Noah glance at Kib questioningly.
Silence filled the air among the three.
“I did say I was part of the Zero Knights but,”
Eric’s voice cut through the silence, coldly.
“Any proof?”
“Ah—”
Kib and Noah exchanged glances.
Eric also needed to verify their identities.
The plaza’s security officer who brought the letter couldn’t even remember delivering it.
If they were up against a mage who could control actions and memory, they couldn’t trust them just on their words.
Seeing their hesitation, Eric drew his sword.
The atmosphere changed instantly, Kib stepped back, and Noah quickly rolled up his robe’s sleeve.
A blue symbol appeared on his wrist.
Though Eric didn’t know what the Zero Knights’ symbol looked like, he recognized the common dagger mark used by all the Empire’s knights.
“This is the symbol granted to Zero Knights.”
“Hey, hey, that’s confidential—”
“Better than dying.”
“Hmm.”
Kib also revealed the same symbol on his shoulder.
Finally, Eric sheathed his sword.
“I am Eric Russel Gloster.”
Naming himself, he issued commands to the two.
“I’ll take the front; Kib, you take the rear. Noah, provide support from the side. Move diagonally. Follow me.”
“Yes.”
Automatically obeying, Kib and Noah moved as directed.
Realizing they had naturally followed Eric’s orders, they exchanged startled glances.
(This is a time divider.)
“The mage must have considerable power to summon these kinds of monsters.”
Noah, the mage, exhaled deeply, his face wrinkled in a frown.
The limit of magical power was becoming increasingly apparent, but an even greater issue was the heavy air in the space itself, causing rapid energy depletion.
Eric and Kibe felt it too.
‘Perhaps I should send these guys back first. Staying like this could be dangerous.’
Still, Eric had no intention of retreating until he found Alicia.
Although this was the domain of the Zero Knights, had their commanding area not been intercepted, one could have expected the arrival of Allen and others.
“Return to your positions immediately.”
“Huh?”
Eric ordered dispassionately.
“Never mind remaining demons, there might be some on the way back. Save your remaining energy for then.”
“What are you talking about? You want us to retreat now?”
“Why did you intercept another knight squad’s orders?”
“Ugh.”
As Kibe flinched, Eric sighed.
“It was an abuse of authority, but we did receive help. So don’t intervene anymore and leave. I’ll share any information we obtain later.”
“That’s not the issue[Dash].”
“Do you have no intention of going back, Captain?”
“There are things I need to confirm. I was the only one invited from the beginning. Maybe that’s causing even more interference.”
Kibe and Noah looked at each other.
Suddenly a demon lunged from the side.
Eric pushed Noah away in the blink of an eye, but he felt an impact.
“Ugh.”
“Captain?”
Eric blocked the lunging demon with his sword but was pushed back several steps.
Suddenly, a nauseating feeling arose, and Kibe, Noah, and the demon disappeared from his sight.
“What?”
Eric lowered his sword and looked around.
It was the same space where everyone had been moments before, but now it was empty.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
_____
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