Save the Sunfish Princess! — Chapter 4

The Knight of Ruin, Noxius Lazaren.

THOUGH HE WAS BORN AS THE ILLEGITIMATE SON OF A PROMINENT NOBLE FAMILY,

HE'S FAR MORE NOTORIOUS FOR HIS TERRIFYING SWORDSMANSHIP AND BRUTALITY.

WHEN THE LORD WHO HIRED HIM TRIED TO END A WAR,

THEN WHERE IS A MONSTER LIKE ME SUPPOSED TO GO?

HE KILLED HIM WITH THOSE WORDS. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT STORY.

IN SHORT, HE'S MY SWORN ENEMY AND ONE OF MY TOUGHEST OPPONENTS.

AND...

ONE OF THE SHARPEST BLADES IN THIS WORLD.

SO, WHAT'S YOUR ANSWER?

WHY ARE YOU SO INSISTENT?

OF COURSE IT'S A YES.

WHOEVER LOSES CONSCIOUSNESS, ADMITS DEFEAT,

OR BLEEDS FIRST LOSES.

IF THIS WERE TEN YEARS FROM NOW,

HE'D CUT ME DOWN IN A SINGLE STRIKE.

BUT NOXIUS HAS ONLY JUST BEEN KNIGHTED. HE'S STILL A ROOKIE,

WHILE I, BAMBIETTA RAINFALL, WAS ALREADY...

A SEASONED MERCENARY BY THIS POINT.

WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE TWO...?

I CAN'T EVEN FOLLOW THEIR MOVEMENTS...!

...!!!

?!

LADY, WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

BEAT ME AND I'LL TELL YOU.

WHAT WAS THAT?! THAT'S CHEATING!

HOW COULD YOU PULL SUCH A DIRTY TRICK?!

YEAH, YEAH. KEEP SHOUTING ALL YOU WANT.

THE NOISE WILL KEEP HIM FROM FINDING MY POSITION.

HE BLOCKED IT?

I WAS ALMOST CERTAIN

YOU'D TRY TO ATTACK FROM BEHIND.

WHERE DID YOU PULL THAT POWDER FROM?

FROM MY BOOT, RIGHT BEFORE THE DUEL STARTED.

CRAP, I ANSWERED WITHOUT THINKING!

THERE YOU ARE.

IF I'D REACTED EVEN A MOMENT LATER, I'D BE DEAD.

WAIT, WHAT HAPPENS IF I DIE INSTEAD OF NENYA?

WOULDN'T THAT MEAN GAME OVER?

DID I TAKE THE BAIT TOO EAGERLY?

...NO.

IF I CAN REEL HIM IN, HE'LL BE THE CATCH OF A LIFETIME!

JUDGING BY THE SOUND, IT'S A SWORD.

WHAT A CLUMSY TRICK. I'M DISAPPOINTED.

YOU'RE TOO FAR AWAY.

I'VE WON.

?!

UGH!

I'M BLEEDING.

I LOST.

I... I'M ALIVE.

Huh...? What are you doing

YOU CAN SEE IT CLEARLY NOW, RIGHT?

THEN SIGN IT, SLAVE.

WHOSE HOUSE IS THIS?

AND YOU STILL HAVEN’T TOLD ME YOUR NAME.

SHH.

SLAVES DON’T ASK THEIR MASTERS POINTLESS QUESTIONS.

YOUR JOB IS TO PROTECT ME AND THE YOUNG LADY WHO LIVES HERE.

BUT DON’T WORRY.

YOU'LL BE FREE ONCE WE GET TO HOUSE PADORIN'S CASTLE.

FOR NOW, HIDE SOMEWHERE.

I DON'T WANT HER TO BE SCARED WHEN SHE SEES YOU.

...WHO ARE YOU?

MY NAME IS BAMBIETTA RAINFALL, MISS.

I CAME BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING I NEED TO TELL YOU.

PARDON?

WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?

I'M AN ILLEGITIMATE DAUGHTER OF HOUSE PADORIN?!

THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! I'M JUST A COMMONER WHO'S LIVED HERE WITH MY GRANDFATHER ALL MY LIFE!

AND EVEN IF IT IS TRUE, I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE RUTEL.

THIS IS MY HOMETOWN.

AND I'M TELLING YOU, MISS, THIS HOMETOWN OF YOURS IS ABOUT TO BE WIPED OFF THE MAP!

HOW ON EARTH AM I SUPPOSED TO EXPLAIN THAT TO HER?

WHAT? WHY IS THAT THING SUDDENLY SHAKING?

DON'T TELL ME...?

NO...!

NOT AFTER EVERYTHING I WENT THROUGH TO GET THIS FAR!

HELLO, LADY.

THANK YOU.

THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD SAY, RIGHT?

...TH-THANK YOU.

HMM...

UMM...

SO, WHERE...

WHERE DID YOU SAY I SHOULD GO?