Noelle Rion simply sighed as she made her way back, but all types of thoughts had been going through her head as of this moment.
Yet she simply sighed, incapable of understand her Young Master’s intention or what he was planning to do.
’Why does he always have to get himself in trouble...?’
She had been alongside him ever since he was five years old. Yet even back then, Noct de Arcadia had been a shy, introverted kid who stuck to his mother like glue.
But looking at him now, there was a thought that kept gnawing at Noelle’s head...it was like he was an entirely different person.
His expressions were different. His mannerisms, strange turns of phrase, and even the way he sometimes looked at people he was supposed to have known entire life—as though he were meeting them for the first time.
’No. I’m crossing the line. My job is to serve him. Nothing less—’
’...And nothing more.’
With the curtain of darkness provided by the blacked-out sky, Noelle felt like she was in her element.
It had been a while since she was so active. Two years ago, when Noct’s condition had taken a turn for the worse, she was practically permanently by his side.
After all, with the news being spread, many opposing factions would take that chance to assassinate him for good. And a few attempts were made.
Though none came to fruition. She even traced the attacker back down to their hideout before wiping them all in a single night.
The feeling of hopping in between rooftops, wind blowing against her face, was what made her reminisce after all.
Noelle hadn’t even realized that she had arrived at Baron Altaire’s estate. Yet just like Noct suspected, the attack had already begun.
Everyone was busy with dealing with whatever crazed outbreak that happened, or was hiding inside of their own homes to care about what was going on with the Baron.
The front door was completely open, and a few from Altaire’s garrison had already managed to break in. From the looks of it, they were fighting against some mercenaries that the Baron hired, but mostly to no avail.
’At least the Baron knew he’d be targeted next...’
Noelle managed to spot two guards just beside the gatehouse. They were approaching a lone mercenary, who looked like he was already out for the count.
"Wait, please!" the man yelled, clenching at the wound by his side. "I—I’m just a mercenary, I know nothing!"
The guard responded coldly, bringing his blade down. "No witnesses, those were the only orders."
But Noelle responded faster than they could. With a single flick of her finger, the shadows next to them stretched.
"O darkness, take an edge and pierce."
?Alter Shade: Dolce? — [Daggers of Darkness]
SHLK—!
Blood spurted from the necks. Their bodies caught up a few seconds later, falling to the floor in a heap.
A moment later, Noelle leaped from the rooftop and pinned down the injured mercenary to stop him from escaping. But from the darkness, the man couldn’t even see where she was.
"How many attackers?"
The mercenary flinched, unable to determine where the voice came from. "Seven—maybe eight. The rest are still fighting outside!"
"Where’s the Baron?"
"In his study, the second floor!"
But just as she glanced at one of the upper windows, it suddenly flashed orange for a few seconds before...
BOOM—!
The glass shattered outward as flames erupted from inside the building. Noelle disappeared before the fragments reached the ground, managing to drag the injured man with her.
’Shit...I might already be too late.’
She dashed across the courtyard in several steps, allowing energy to run freely through her body. Her heartbeat accelerated and the world around her seemed to slow.
That was the defining difference between a martial-based class and a magic-based one. A martial-based class has more experience handling life-energy called aura, while something like a mage was more adept at handling mana, often called energy from beyond.
Well, with the exception of classes like Cleric or Paladin that use holy power granted from the Goddess Aion.
However, these energies are not exclusive to one class or another. Simply that they are more adept and have an easier time. But for someone like Noelle, her affinity to Shadow Magic was simply so high, that the boundary did not matter.
’Ahh, Young Master probably wants me to hide my identity.’
She reached into the small bag always kept under her maid dress, finding only the wolf carnival mask they had worn before.
"Really? Well, this will have to do..."
BANG—!
Both mansion doors flew open, ripped from their hinges and crashed into the entrance hall. There were seven guards positioned there, but they had no time to react.
One was struck by the door and crushed underneath it, causing the remaining six to finally realize what was going on. They raised their weapons, but Noelle had already disappeared into the shadows.
"W—who is it? Shit...we’re under attack!"
"Form a circle!"
They moved back-to-back, blades pointed toward every possible direction. It was the correct response to an enemy capable of hiding within the shadows.
Against most, it might have worked. But they had grossly underestimated her skill.
Candles that were barely keeping the room lit suddenly went out, plunging the hall into complete darkness.
"L—Light them!" one soldier yelled a command nervously. "We need light—now!"
Reluctantly, another reached for the magic lantern attached to his waist. But before his fingers could touch it, something cold wrapped around his wrist.
FWIP—!
He was pulled into the darkness.
"Wait—!"
His cry ended abruptly.
The others spun toward the sound, but all they found was his sword clattering against the marble floor.
"Shit...just swing at something!"
The guards began swinging blindly, hoping to hit this figure hiding in the shadows. But Noelle simply leaned beneath their blades, already muttering a spell under her breath.
?Alter Shade: Nagel.? — [Nails of Darkness]
Black spikes erupted from under the four of the guards, piercing their boots and pinning them to the floor.
They dropped their weapons and desperately clawed at the nails. Yet no matter how violently they struggled, their feet refused to move.
Noelle had waited precisely for that moment. The four of them were conveniently in a line, so there was only one thing left to do.
SHLK—!
The last one, who looked like the leader, had already fallen backward. There was a puddle of yellow liquid under him, though he appeared too terrified to notice. He simply looked upon Noelle’s figure in terror, trembling as he held a crossbow aimed in her direction.
"D—don’t do this..."
"You’ve killed innocents, yet ask for mercy now?"
FWIP—!
In a last-ditch effort, the man shot his crossbow. The bolt flew directly toward her chest, but Noelle simply caught it with one hand.
"Tch..."
She turned the bolt around. "Once a scum, always a scum."
With a flick of her wrist, Noelle threw the bolt back at him with so much speed that it punctured right through the man’s head, killing him instantly.
Taking a towel to wipe the blood off her hands before discarding it on the floor. She then turned to count the bodies.
"Seven inside..." Noelle muttered. "According to that mercenary, there might still be one left."
But just as she placed her foot on the first step of the grand staircase, a terrified scream echoed from the second floor.
"HELP—!"
It was the Baron.