"Eldest Young Master!?"
A soldier burst through the thick forest shrubbery, his expression filled with concern. His sharp eyes scanned the area, immediately locking onto the destruction surrounding them.
"What was that large explosion earlier!? And who are these two!??"
His battle-hardened gaze fell upon the two beautiful girls standing in the clearing. As nearly a dozen other soldiers emerged from the foliage, they too directed wary stares at the unfamiliar young women.
They had clearly heard what was said.
Knox, ever the opportunist, wasted no time. With an exaggerated display of fear, he scurried away from the intimidating women and darted behind one of the soldiers. He pointed at Yennefer and Sammy, ensuring his hand trembled for extra effect.
Nailed it!
But it wasn't enough.
To truly sell his performance, he needed to go one step further.
"T-There," he whimpered, forcing a quiver into his voice. "They've been bullying me… See the pointy sword and the crater...? They want to kill me! Boohoo!"
Knox was well aware of the reputation he had within the Falazar Family.
A mentally impaired cripple.
That was the common belief circulating among the household members and the world at large.
'Play the victim card! Play, play, play it till it runs out of uses!'
"You actually have the gall to strike out at our Eldest Young Master!?" the first soldier roared, his Peak Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation surging outward, suffocating the air around them. "Are you actively seeking death!?" His glare was fierce as he pointed his sword at the women. "Tell me! Tell me who you two are! To die by my blade, I must know your names!"
Knox's inner thoughts screamed in frustration.
'No, you buffoon! Don't do that! Kill the crazy b*tch first!!'
This was the one thing he had failed to account for.
"I am Yennefer, and this is Sammy," Yennefer stated coolly. "We are both daughters to the line of succession in the Berkshire Household."
Context!
Damn it! Why did that idiotic soldier have to ask questions and provide context!??
The soldiers turned their heads toward their Eldest Young Master, their previously fierce expressions shifting into blank stares.
It was obvious—Knox would be receiving no assistance today.
"So it's just a lover's spat," the first soldier muttered with an amused look.
The rest of the soldiers nodded in agreement, their hostility instantly evaporating. They began casually turning around to leave.
"What do you guys want for dinner? I was thinking the noodle joint on Sleeping Dragon Street."
"Sounds good to me."
"Same here."
'No, you f*cking bastards!' Knox roared internally. 'To betray and abandon your Eldest Young Master like this—just what sort of backstabbing soldiers are you!??'
A slow, menacing voice broke his inner rant.
"So we've been bullying you, huh?"
There it was—the voice of the Devil.
Knox's body tensed. His instincts screamed at him.
"Get away from me, crazy woman!" he shouted, snatching up a random stick from the ground before making a mad dash in the opposite direction.
With his enhanced agility, he moved like a phantasmal banshee, his speed leaving afterimages in his wake.
Within seconds, he had already fled thousands of meters, putting a massive distance between himself and Yennefer.
The forest, while considered small by this world's standards, would still be seen as massive compared to anything on Earth.
Confident in his escape, Knox let out a relieved sigh.
"She can't possibly catch up to me now!"
He jinxed it.
SHING!
A blinding sword arc carved through the forest.
Trees were cleaved in half in a fan-shaped pattern, the destruction extending for nearly an entire mile. A thunderous series of crashes echoed through the land as countless trees toppled over, their upper halves severed cleanly.
Knox skidded to a stop, his face pale as he patted his head just to make sure it was still attached.
"T... This crazy hoe," he muttered under his breath.
"You survived that one as well?"
A feminine voice carried through the air.
Knox looked up to see Yennefer floating effortlessly, her presence both ethereal and menacing. Her grace and elegance stood in stark contrast to the deadly killing intent that radiated from her.
She slowly advanced toward him.
"Although you don't seem to be the crippled trash that everyone makes you out to be," she mused, her eyes gleaming with intrigue. "Let's see just how long your luck can hold up."
"No! F*ck you, bitc—"
Before Knox could complete his well-mannered and perfectly reasonable response, another barrage of sword arcs was unleashed.
SHING! SHING! SHING!
This time, multiple arcs of light cut through the air, their trajectories chaotic and unpredictable.
Knox's eyes bulged.
"Give me a break!" he bellowed, sprinting in the opposite direction.
Despite his incredible speed, the sword arcs were rapidly gaining on him. He quickly realized that running wasn't going to cut it.
A thought suddenly crossed his mind, forcing him to momentarily pause.
"I also wonder what I'll be having for dinner tonight," he mused aloud, his tone nonchalant. "What do you think sounds better? Turkey or chicken?"
Yennefer: "...."
A moment of silence passed.
Knox's lips curled into a mischievous smirk.
"Yeah, you're right," he remarked, his voice dropping into a sultry tone. "I think I'll have you for dinner tonight instead."
His gaze lecherously roamed up and down Yennefer's well-developed figure.
For the slightest moment, her composed expression wavered.
That brief lapse in judgment was all he needed.
The smirk vanished.
His playful demeanor dropped in an instant.
*Fwoooop—!*
With a sudden burst of speed, Knox shot forward. He moved so fast that small gusts of wind erupted in his wake.
The sword arcs—still in mid-flight—barely missed him.
A few strands of his hair were severed, but he didn't care.
His focus was solely on closing the distance.
With his legs pushing to their limits, he sprinted up a nearby tree, using it as a launching point to reach the floating Yennefer.
Her brows furrowed in disbelief.
"???"
'Is this idiot insane?' she thought. 'I wasn't really trying to kill him, but with that reckless move, he could've gotten his head lobbed off…!'
Her thoughts were in turmoil as she prepared to deflect his advance.
However, with a soft exhale, Yennefer gathered her Innate Energy.
A distortion rippled through the air.
Suddenly—
Everything stopped.
The leaves that had been falling from the trees slowed—so much so that it appeared they had frozen in time.
A faint hum reverberated through the air.
This was her Innate Barrier.