The next day…
G6 sat behind her desk, the book Earl had given her lying open in her hands—his payment for intruding on her training session. Though her eyes were fixed on the pages, her mind was miles away. She had, once again, skipped her morning training.
Hmm… Ever since I woke up in this body, everything has been a mess. A far cry from the life I used to know. This is utterly exhausting.
Just to spend a few hours outside this gilded cage, I need to execute a perfect alibi.
Her thoughts were a turbulent sea, a constant effort to maintain a calm facade despite the infuriating reality: she was a prisoner disguised as a high profile noble.
But no one can stop me. I'll do this my way.
With a sigh, she closed the book—which she hadn't actually read—and stood up abruptly. The sudden movement made Tina and Lilia, who were sitting quietly at their own desks in the corner, snap to attention.
"Lady Reise?" Lilia called out, confused by her sudden movement.
"What time is it?" G6 asked, crossing her arms.
"It is nearly a quarter to eleven—" Tina began, but was cut off as G6 slammed her hands on the desk, making both maids jump.
"Where the hell is Edmund? It's almost time to leave," G6 said, her tone sharp with impatience.
"Why such a rush, my lady? Do you love the Utility Magic Department that much?" Tina pressed, a hint of suspicion in her voice.
"Mind your own business, Tina," G6 retorted, turning her back to them to stare out the window overlooking the capital.
"Did you know the entire Bastion is in a rush because of the upcoming knight recruitment?" Tina reminded her, undeterred. "The paperwork from Sanctum and Omnia has been postponed, replaced by posters and leaflets to be distributed throughout the kingdom."
"That's why I trained you for three days, isn't it?" G6 replied without turning around.
"Stop whining and do your job. I'm paying you extra anyway."
"You mean the Collegium is paying me. I am merely taking over your duties," Tina corrected, her tone polite but firm.
"I didn't come to the Collegium to stick my face in mountains of paperwork."
"You must take responsibility for what you asked for, my lady."
Finally, G6 turned to face her, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Stop getting on my nerves, Tina. I'm already on edge."
Her sharp glare made Lilia gently grasp Tina's hand—a silent plea for her to stop provoking their already-frustrated mistress.
"Forgive me for annoying you, my lady," Tina said, finally realizing that her nagging would not help matters and might only provoke a storm.
Just then, the door opened to reveal Edmund.
"Lady Reise, would you like to have lunch before we—" Edmund began.
"No," G6 interrupted immediately. "Let's go. Tina, Lilia, I've already informed Brenda that you will join her in the cafeteria. Take your meals with her."
"Thank you for your kindness, Lady Reise!" Lilia said warmly.
"Please ensure you actually go to the Utility Department," Tina added, her tone still laced with concern.
G6 responded with nothing more than an annoyed wave of her hand. She hitched up the hem of her gown and hurried out of the room without a backward glance.
"Please ensure her work here is handled well in her absence. We would not wish to draw the Queen's attention," Edmund said to the maids with a polite nod before following his mistress.
"Lady Reise was worried we would be left out if she wasn't here to accompany us," Lilia mused once they were alone.
Tina simply looked at Lilia and smiled. Their mistress might be harsh, cold, and often intimidating, but the fact remained: behind her pragmatic exterior, she was still looking out for them.
As the two servants began to miss their already-busy mistress, G6 was rushing down the hall to escape the Bastion.
On the other side of the hallway, Earl and Keith were on their way to Prince Dio's office.
"Reise! I wasn't able to have breakfast with you this morning! Or dinner last night because Earl made me do so much work!" Keith whined as he spotted her.
"How are you, Reise? You've missed two morning sessions," Earl noted.
When they drew close, G6 simply brushed past them without a word or glance, her pace never slowing. The two men were left standing there, stunned by the blatant disregard.
"Did she not hear us?" Keith asked, puzzled.
"I am certain my voice was loud enough to carry," Earl stated, his tone dry.
"Please forgive Lady Reise; she is merely in a great hurry," Edmund explained, pausing to offer a quick, apologetic bow before rushing after his mistress, who was already descending the grand staircase.
Keith pouted. "I miss playing with Reise."
Earl merely gave him a sharp look and continued walking.
As they reached the door to Dio's office, it opened, and the Prince himself emerged.
"Where are you going?" Keith asked.
"To Reise's office," Dio answered, gesturing directly across from his own.
"Get inside. She's long gone," Earl said, ushering both Keith and Dio out of his path and into the office.
"Yeah, it's your fault," Keith added, shrugging as he followed them in.
Dio's brows furrowed in irritation as he turned to face them. "What is with this unmannerly attitude? Have you forgotten who I am?" he demanded, watching as the two made themselves comfortable on his sofa.
"You're the Prince," Earl said flatly.
"And my cousin," Keith added.
Dio closed his office door, his plan to see G now impossible. "Did she already leave?" he asked.
"Yes. In quite a hurry," Earl confirmed.
"She didn't even bother to answer me," Keith said, pouting again.
"And it's your fault," he added.
"How is it my fault?" Dio asked, walking back to his desk.
"The Queen must be the one who truly instructed her to take up Utility Magic. You know… to become a more suitable wife for you," Earl stated plainly.
"I was told she chose it herself," Dio countered.
"Why would someone like her ever take an interest in something meant solely to benefit you?" Earl shot back. "It is abundantly clear how much she defies you."
"Well, Reise maybe cannot admit it was Her Majesty's order, so she claims it as her own will," Keith chimed in. "If you think back to the dinner we had, it's obvious someone like her would never willingly stay in Utility."
"Why do you both keep insisting that Reise no longer has any interest in me?" Dio said, his annoyance finally surfacing.
"We know it hurts, but you must accept it," Keith teased, delighting in pressing the issue.
"If you feel frustrated by the idea that your fiancée does not like you," Earl said, his voice cold and factual, "then perhaps you now understand how she felt all this time."
His words left Dio utterly speechless, and a heavy silence fell over the room.
The truth hung in the air, stark and unavoidable. Had the tables truly turned? Was Prince Dio, who had once been pursued, now the one chasing after the woman he had so carelessly ignored? The irony was a bitter pill to swallow, and for the first time, Dio was left to confront the consequences of his own indifference.
_____
While the three men speculated, convinced of their entirely wrong conclusions, G6 and Edmund were already well on their way to the Adventurers' Guild.
They had employed the same method to sneak out: G6, totally concealed behind Edmund's, was reunited with her waiting horse just beyond the palace gates. Now, they stood once more within the bustling guild hall.
G6 leaned against the wall beside the task board, arms crossed, her impatience a near-physical force radiating from behind her dark sunglasses. Edmund was the one diligently scanning the postings.
"Hmm… there is nothing suitable nearby," Edmund mused, growing increasingly uneasy under his mistress's sharp, silent scrutiny.
"Eddie!" a voice called out. Liam was making his way over from the reception desk. "What are you looking for?" he asked, his eyes flicking curiously toward the silent, striking figure of G6.
"A task not too far from the capital. Perhaps one that is only an hour's ride away," Edmund explained.
"Perfect! Here," Liam said, procuring a fresh poster from a stack behind the counter. "This one just came in. A small goblin nuisance in Oak Village."
"Oh, this is just forty-five minutes away by carriage," Edmund noted, reading the details.
"Well, it's a bit odd for adventurers to take a carriage, isn't it?" Liam remarked, stating the obvious fact Edmund had momentarily forgotten in his haste. "Don't you fellows usually walk or hitch a ride?"
"Of course! We were merely thinking of hitching a ride with a merchant. My niece is still recovering from her injuries, the ride is easier on her," Edmund said smoothly, covering his slip of the tongue.
"Well, it's yours if you want it. It's actually odd to see goblins so close to the capital. Probably best an A-rank team checks it out," Liam agreed amiably.
"Thank you for this, Liam."
"It's nothing. I held it back, knowing you two would likely return today. Good luck!" Liam said with a smile before returning to his post.
G6 remained utterly unbothered in her position. Edmund handed her the poster.
"Shall we take it?" he asked quietly.
"Let's go," G6 stated flatly, handing the paper back without another glance.
They left the guild and slipped into a quiet alley not far away where their horses were tethered.
"I'll lead the way," Edmund said, mounting his steed. G6 followed suit.
Both wore their long coats, this time less for disguise and more for protection against the sun. As they approached the capital's main gate, they were stopped by the stationed knights for a routine check.
"Adventurers?" one knight asked. Edmund nodded, presenting their guild cards.
"Alright. Be careful out there," the knight warned, his tone turning grim. "That serial killer is still at large. The daily gazette just reported another victim this morning."
Serial killer? Is that the one Tina and Edmund mentioned before? G6's thoughts were clinical, filing the information away as potential data.
"Understood. Thank you for the concern, Sir," Edmund replied with a polite nod.
The other knight gestured, signaling the all-clear for them to proceed.
As their horses broke into a run, the vast greenery outside the capital walls unfolded before them. It was a breathtakingly beautiful sight. The strong, warm breeze caught G6's hood, pulling it back and whipping through her hair.
She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the wind rush past her. This—this was what freedom felt like. It wasn't the destination that excited her, but the journey itself. The knowledge that beyond fancy villas and gilded cages lay a world she could navigate on her own terms. The powerful animal beneath her was no longer just a horse; it was her partner, her engine, her key to claiming the liberty she had been dying for ever since she woke up in this opulent prison. Every hoofbeat on the dirt road was a rhythm of defiance, a step farther from the suffocating palace and closer to the untamed wild she understood far better than any courtly intrigue.
___
Their horses ran at a swift canter, covering ground at a impressive pace. What should have been a forty-five minute journey was cut to a mere thirty, the powerful animals carrying them swiftly to the outskirts of Oak Village.
They reined in their mounts at the center of the quiet town and dismounted.
"G6, let us find the village chief," Edmund suggested.
G6 gave a single, curt nod, and together they guided their horses through the unnervingly empty streets.
"Stop right there!" a man's voice commanded from behind them.
G6 and Edmund froze, their training keeping them perfectly still.
"Now, turn around. Slowly."
They turned as commanded, their movements deliberate and non-threatening.
"Take off your hoods."
They complied, pulling back their hoods to reveal their faces to a group of wary villagers armed with an assortment of farming tools and makeshift weapons.
"We are A-Rank adventurers from the capital's guild," Edmund stated calmly, his tone meant to de-escalate.
"Oh! You were sent by the guild?" the man said, his posture relaxing. He gestured for the others to lower their weapons. "Forgive our hostility. We mistook you for bandits because of the long coats. It is also rare to see adventurers arrive on horseback. I am Johan, the chief of this village."
"I am Eddie, and this is my partner, G6," Edmund said, introducing them.
G6 wordlessly removed her coat, folded it with efficient precision, and secured it in her saddlebag.
"Bandits? This town is not far from the capital's protection," G6 noted, her modern sensibility finding the concept of such brazen lawlessness so close to the seat of power illogical.
"It often happens when the knights are sent to expeditions," Chief Johan explained with a weary sigh.
"But as far as I know, such raids typically occur five villages out, not the first," Edmund pressed, also storing his coat away.
"You are correct, Sir Eddie. But the bandits have grown bold. The fourth village was reportedly attacked just recently, though they only stole goods and supplies."
"Hmm… that is bizarre," Edmund conceded.
"What is more bizarre is the goblins appearing here now," Johan continued, his worry evident. "We are the first town outside the capital; this has never happened. Our hunters are being kept from the forest by the creatures. We cannot make our living."
"We'll investigate it on our way," G6 stated, already leading her horse toward a shaded tree to tether it. Her tone was that of a professional accepting a mission parameter, not a hero offering solace. "Please ensure our horses are watered after they've had a moment to cool down."
"Of course. Please, both of you, take care. The goblins are… unusually aggressive," Johan warned.
"We will handle it," Edmund assured him.
After securing their mounts, G6 and Edmund turned and headed toward the dark line of the forest. The quiet tension of the village was replaced by the ominous silence of the woods, a silence that felt less like peace and more like a predator holding its breath.
They moved through the forest with a silence born of professional habit, their footsteps near-soundless on the soft earth. It was G6 who finally broke the quiet, her voice a low, analytical murmur.
"The palace's security seems inefficient," she stated, her eyes continuously scanning the treeline for threats. "If bandits can ravage towns the moment the knights look away, the system is flawed."
"It is a matter of logistics and privilege," Edmund replied, his own gaze sweeping their surroundings. "Every town has a designated teleportation circle, powered by the natural mana of the surroundings. But activating them requires a significant charge and a mage stationed at the palace to receive the signal."
"Is that so?" G6 said bluntly, her tone suggesting she found the system needlessly complicated.
"More often, a single group of knights is dispatched. As they are all nobles, their combat affinities are usually powerful enough to drive the bandits away."
"Combat affinities," G6 repeated, filing the term away. "What are the common ones?"
"Well, there is Electrokinesis for lightning, Transmutation for alchemy, and Floramancy for plant manipulation," Edmund listed.
"Floramancy?" G6 interrupted. "Vines? Thorns?"
"Precisely. It is a highly versatile affinity for both attack and defense—creating barriers of thorns, entangling foes with vines. And of course, Sensory magic, which is crucial for scouts and trackers. Most of these affinities are major occupations within the Collegium. Sensory and Electrokinesis users are most commonly found in the Bastion, serving as knights." He paused, his voice lowering slightly. "True Geomancy—the deep manipulation of earth and stone, or Earth Magic—is, of course, the exclusive domain of one of the Three Pillars. What common nobles practice is Floramancy, a derivative branch focused on flora. But these are just the common ones belonging to the Upper Houses. There are many more affinities in the world."
G6 processed this, correlating it to modern military specializations. So, Electrokinesis is artillery. Transmutation is support and logistics. Floramancy is area denial and crowd control. Sensory is recon. A classic fireteam structure. They just call it magic. And the really big guns—the "earthquakes and landslides" peps—are kept under one roof. Controlled.
"So the response time is slow because they wait for a specific 'affinity group' to be available?" she deduced, a hint of criticism in her voice. "Inefficient. A standard rapid-response unit should be cross-trained for versatility."
Edmund glanced at her, a faint smile touching his lips. "A refreshingly pragmatic perspective, G6. But here, one's magic is often tied to their bloodline and status. Flexibility is not… highly valued among the nobility."
"It's a weakness," she stated coldly. "A system that prioritizes pride over practicality is vulnerable. These bandits seem to have already identified that vulnerability."
"An astute observation," Edmund conceded, his expression turning graver. "And one that is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. It suggests a level of organization and intelligence we have not previously attributed to common highwaymen."
"So, there's a snake in the palace?" G6 stated bluntly, cutting to the heart of the matter.
"The possibility remains open. Many nobles are dissatisfied with their allotted domains," Edmund conceded, his voice low. "However, I am certain the Three Pillars are not involved. Their responsibilities are external affairs, intelligence, and the military—the very foundations of the kingdom. If treachery is indeed afoot, it would more likely originate from one of the three courts: High, Mid, or Low."
The implication hung in the air between them, a threat far more insidious than any goblin.
G6 released a short, mocking laugh. "Who would've thought? Even your courtrooms have a class system."
Before Edmund could formulate a response, a faint rustle echoed from the dense thicket ahead—a sound too deliberate, too placed, to be the wind.
Their eyes met. The theoretical discussion was over. The mission had begun.
"Dimensional Vault," Edmund whispered, touching his earring. A soft glow emanated from it as he accessed his stored arsenal.
G6 merely touched her own earring and pulled out her twin swords—the custom blades she had ordered him to acquire. They gleamed with a cold, deadly light in the forest shade.
Then, instead of advancing on the ground, they took to the trees.
Edmund leaped onto the lower branches, his movements enhanced by the speed sub-skill of his Physical Enhancement magic, landing with practiced silence.
G6 simply ascended, her form lifting effortlessly into the canopy using her Reaper's Ascent technique.
<< Perfect Assassin Form: Activated >>
< Perception. Zoom >
Her vision sharpened, the world narrowing into a series of data points as she scanned for the source of the sound. But as she focused, a deeper, more fundamental wrongness made itself known. She felt… nothing.
She flew ahead, cutting through the air to land on a branch directly in Edmund's path, forcing him to a sudden halt.
"What is wrong, my lady?" he asked, his voice a hushed whisper.
"I've been meaning to say this, but I wasn't sure until now," she began, her voice low and tense. "There's no mana here."
Her words made Edmund's brow furrow in disbelief. "That is impossible. We are standing in the heart of a forest. Life is mana."
"That's why I didn't jump to conclusions. But I am sure now. This forest is dead," G6 stated, her grey eyes scanning the seemingly vibrant greenery with new suspicion. "You remember our talk before on our way to the Queen's quarter... that I can feel the mana from external flowing inside my body in a tingling sensation way. I often feel that everywhere we go, and it gets stronger every time we're in the palace gardens. Here, surrounded by all this, I should be buzzing with it. Yet, I feel… nothing. It's silent."
Edmund's face grew pale as the horrifying implication settled in. "I recall our talk. If that is so," His gaze swept over the silent woods. "If your body feels no sensation… then this forest… something is profoundly wrong."
"Let's move swiftly. And keep to the high ground," G6 commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument. She pushed off from the branch, ascending back into the canopy.
Edmund followed, his movements a silent, rapid blur as he hopped from tree to tree, a shadow using his speed to navigate the dead world below.
As they scouted from above, another rustling sound came from below. This time, G6's sharp eyes pinpointed the source: small, green-skinned creatures moving through the undergrowth.
So these are goblins… They're smaller than I imagined. About Lilia's height? Pathetic.
"Eddie. There," she whispered, the words carried directly to his ear by the Whisper of the Gale, a family magic designed for covert communication.
G6 turned, and Edmund followed her lead. They both halted atop a thick branch, looking down at the horde.
"Those are the goblins?" G6 asked, her voice flat.
"Yes," Edmund confirmed, his tone grim. "The notice was sent after three days of confirming their presence. But this… this is a horde. This is not the small nuisance we were led to expect."
"There are approximately two hundred of them," G6 stated, her eyes glowing with a faint, oblong white light as her perception skill calculated the numbers.
"Can you manage that without overusing a subskill?" Edmund asked, a note of concern in his voice. "Sustaining such precise perception is draining."
"I could do this with my eyes closed," G6 retorted, a flicker of arrogance in her tone.
<< Perfect Assassin Form: Deactivated >>
The glow faded from her eyes.
"Let's proceed," Edmund said.
"Lady Reise, please be cautious. We cannot allow you to be compromised here," he reminded her, thinking of the political nightmare her injury would cause.
"To succeed in a mission, you only worry about the target," G6 countered, her voice cold. "Everything else is a distraction."
She descended first, dropping from the tree with the silent, controlled grace of her Reaper's Ascent. Edmund followed.
What happened next was not a battle. It was an extermination.
There were no chanted spells, no shouted warnings, no declarations of war. There was only a flash of movement and the swift, brutal economy of a predator culling its prey.
The moment her boots touched the forest floor, G6 became a blur. She didn't run; she flowed, a phantom carried on a personalized gust of wind that propelled her into the heart of the goblin group. In the blink of an eye, a dozen green heads toppled from their shoulders, hitting the mossy soil with soft, simultaneous thuds. There was no fanfare—only the brief, sharp whisper of wind and the clean severing of flesh and bone.
Edmund could only stare, momentarily frozen. This was not the work of an average adventurer—more of a pampered noble. This was the artistry of a born killer. A bloodthirsty predator had been unleashed.
She eliminated over ten in a split second… using wind merely for mobility. The killing technique… that is hers alone. She executes with terrifying finality. Edmund's thoughts.
Shaking off his shock, Edmund joined the fray, his own movements a masterful display of speed and precision, stabbing and slicing through the confused creatures. Blood soon slicked the forest floor.
The goblins descended into chaos. Those at the back nocked arrows, firing wildly at the shimmering figure in their midst. G6 didn't even bother to fully dodge; she simply tilted her body at impossible angles, arrows whistling harmlessly past her. She would descend to just the right height, a dancer in a macabre ballet, her twin blades becoming a whirlwind of silver that left headless corpses in her wake.
This is fun, she mused, a genuine, chilling smile spreading across her face.
This was not Lady Reise. This was Akira Gemstone. G6. The Reaper.
The warm spray of blood against her skin was not a stain; it was a catalyst. It energized her, sharpened her focus, and filled her with a profound sense of purpose she had missed dearly. Each life she ended was a note in a familiar, beloved symphony of death. She couldn't stop the euphoric smile—this was her element, her reason for being.
"G6! ON YOUR REAR!" Edmund yelled, himself busy cutting down the panicked goblins.
Without even looking, G6 launched herself into a graceful backflip, soaring over the creatures lunging for her. As she hung in the air for a split second, she gathered the wind around her, compressing it into a visible, shimmering arc.
Wind Blade, she thought, her smile widening into something sharp and cruel.
She unleashed the spell not as a noble would, with control and restraint, but with near-full, devastating power. The compressed blade of air shot forward, not just decapitating the goblins behind her, but tearing through the entire row, cleaving them in two and painting the ancient trees with a grotesque tapestry of gore. She landed softly, watching the helpless monsters not just lose their lives, but their very forms, a sight that filled her with deep, twisted satisfaction. This was not a fight for survival; it was a slaughter, and she was its willing, joyful architect.
"Seven minutes," Edmund stated, pulling his blade from the last goblin.
"Too short for fun, considering the travel time," G6 replied coldly, her voice devoid of any remorse.
Edmund tracked the path of her work. Every kill was efficient, a quick and precise severance. All died instant deaths, he thought, scanning the field of headless corpses. It was less a battle and more a systematic dismantling.
His gaze then fell upon G6, who now leaned casually against the large tree they had perched in earlier. The contrast was jarring. Her posture was relaxed, yet the blood splattered across her face and hands spoke of unimaginable violence.
It is so obvious now. You are no ordinary noble. You are a weapon. A force with strength equal to—or greater than—an entire one platoon of knights. So why does this sight only deepen my loyalty? The contradiction confused him, yet the feeling was undeniable.
He pushed the thought aside and retrieved a canteen of water and a clean towel from his Dimensional Vault. He approached her not as her partner "Eddie," but as Edmund, her butler.
"Here, Lady Reise," he said, offering them to her.
"Appreciated. Thanks," G6 said. She took the canteen and, for the first time, drank from it without the cautious sniff that had always preceded it—a small, silent testament to the trust he had earned.
"I will gather the evidence to confirm the task's completion," Edmund stated.
"How?" G6 asked, wiping the blood from her hands with methodical efficiency.
"By their ears," he replied, pulling out a set of cloth bags.
"Why not take their heads? It's more definitive," she suggested, her tone implying it would also be more entertaining.
"We cannot. It is considered too gruesome for the guild receptionists," Edmund explained, already moving to methodically slice the right ear from each goblin corpse.
G6 only watched him work, a faint smirk on her lips.
This is great. I don't have the ring that helps with fatigue, but I feel no ache, no tiredness. I've truly improved in this body. The realization was a thrill. This vessel wasn't a cage; it was being honed into the perfect instrument.
As Edmund worked, the silence of the dead forest pressed in around them, a stark contrast to the brief, violent cacophony that had just ended. The mission was a success, but it had unveiled a far more dangerous truth. A predator was now loose in this world, her thirst for freedom matched only by her appetite for chaos. And back in the gilded halls of the palace, a different kind of predator likely waited—a snake in the grass, whose treachery had allowed these monsters to creep so close to home. The battle in the forest was over, but the real game, G6 knew, was just beginning.
— To be continued… —