아린 had played the role of an adopted daughter way too well. Chapter 109. There were several times she let out a chuckle while reading the novel <Shade of Bellatu>.

When the exaggerated expressions like “heavenly kill” or “all-consuming wrath” would come up, even she, who usually didn’t laugh, couldn’t help but smirk at the character named ‘Sheilan of the Grass Sword.’

Later, the author posted an explanation on their blog.

[In the beginning, Sheilan seems incredibly powerful, but in reality, he’s a comedic character.]

[Please view the humor as humor.]

But A-rin didn’t believe those words.

‘True readers’ eyes cannot be fooled.’

Sheilan of the Grass Sword was an assassin character from the Eastern Continent.

He always appeared wearing black clothing and a mask, and his most striking characteristic was playing the pan flute upon his arrival.

‘That was probably a setting meant to make him look cool.’

A-rin was sure of it.

Most likely, the author had created the character after a few drinks at 3 AM.

Later, when readers teased him persistently, he made excuses saying, ‘Actually, he was a comedic character,’ and the kind readers pretended to accept it.

A-rin was one of those readers.

Flute—

The sound of a pan flute could be heard.

Born with the dawn’s sensibility was Sheilan of the Grass Sword.

He was said to always bring an ominous wind whenever he appeared with the sound of the pan flute.

‘Wait. What kind of assassin plays a pan flute when making an entrance?’

For someone who should sneak up, ambush, and skedaddle away.

A-rin loved <Shade of Bellatu>, but she could not tolerate the setting of Sheilan.

‘That aside… since it’s the beginning, he should come out as an incredibly strong character, right?’

The setup was quite funny, but his skills couldn’t possibly be ridiculous.

He was originally meant to be a powerful assassin, and of course, he couldn’t be weak.

‘Did he come for the Blue Diamond?’

Viola pondered for a moment.

If Tundra fought, could he defeat Sheilan?

‘I don’t know… Huh?’

Viola suddenly felt a hint of self-deprecation wash over her.

A shiver ran down her spine.

‘No, no matter how comedic he is. But here’s a skilled assassin showing up, and I’m sitting here casually thinking about it.’

Five years had passed since she had reincarnated.

Was she now at a level where an assassin didn’t bother her much anymore?

On one hand, A-rin felt relieved; on the other, she felt a bit sad.

‘So I’m becoming accustomed to things like this…’

It wasn’t the appearance of an assassin that scared her, but what type of high-level monologue he might deliver that worried her.

Sigh.

She swallowed her breath.

Anyway, Sheilan announced his arrival with the sound of the pan flute, and he would attack soon.

‘Though Tundra has gotten incredibly strong, I doubt he can win.’

Still, she didn’t feel particularly scared.

Zeno and Ersa were with her.

As long as they had a reason to move, that was all that mattered.

“Zeno.”

“Yes, Princess.”

“You said if a significant moment came, you would reattach my fingers?”

Zeno smiled gently.

“Yes.”

“I intend to give you meaning.”

“What kind of meaning?”

“Protect me.”

Hela, sitting far away by the water, suddenly lifted her head.

‘Did I hear that wrong?’

Of all people, Viola was saying such things.

She had just single-handedly wiped out the fools who dared attack Bellatu, and now she was asking to be protected.

‘This isn’t like Viola.’

Yet even so, it wasn’t cowardly or pathetic.

Hela closely observed Zeno’s reaction.

Typically, butlers who would hear such words from Bellatu would be disappointed.

“Of course.”

Zeno grinned.

“Because Butler Zeno vowed to be a good adult for Viola.

How can I protect you?”

“I ordered Tundra to stop the man-eating fish. Do you know why?”

“Yes. Because you don’t want to be interrupted while bathing.”

Viola nodded.

She made eye contact with Zeno.

Still, those unreadable eyes were present.

In truth, she was scared of Sheilan.

Though falling into a comedic character, he was set up as an assassin, which meant you should fight him instead.

That meaning was packaged like so.

“That’s right. I don’t want to be interrupted while bathing.”

“I’ll eliminate everything that interferes.”

Zeno produced his fingers from the dimensional space.

He had long been equipped with a magic book with a reattachment spell, and as he ripped the book, bright light burst forth, enveloping Zeno’s hand.

Zeno’s fingers returned as if they’d never been harmed.

Viola asked.

“What about weapons?”

“I don’t want to interrupt your bath, so I opted not to use weapons. Clashing metal makes noise.”

When metal clashes with metal, it creates a loud sound.

But when metal clashes with a palm, there’s hardly any sound.

Zeno gazed far into the distance at a large tree.

“Could you not disturb my precious Princess’s time?”

Zeno’s voice wasn’t loud at all.

Still, it was clearly conveyed to Sheilan who hid up in the tree.

It was a voice transmission technique using magic to carry the sound far.

Sheilan conveyed his voice in the same manner.

“The Grass Sword will pierce the mountains and rivers.”

Viola accidentally let out a chuckle.

The noble Sheilan, born with the dawn’s sensibility, always uttered strange words before an attack.

In the novel’s context, those words were referred to as ‘incantations,’ and they were necessary for the flow of mana to smoothen and accomplish the desired movements.

When viewed in the novel, it was funny, but seeing it in person made it even funnier.

Ersa, who was watching, lightly laughed, and Hela asked.

“Ersa, why are you laughing?”

“What the assassin just recited is an incantation. It is mainly used by martial artists from the Eastern Continent, which helps to smoothen the flow of mana and refine the energy into a specific form.”

“And?”

“Looking at it now, it seems a quite powerful martial artist has appeared as an assassin. The energy generated in response to the incantation is impressive. Do you see the grass swaying?”

“I see.”

“Each blade of that grass can be considered a sharp-cutting sword.”

“And?”

“Princess Viola must be feeling the violent murderous intent emanating from that energy. Since she was born with the Killing Star, it will come to her much more intensely than it does to me or Butler Zeno.”

Yet even so, Viola laughed.

That laughter was genuine, indicating that the sharp killing intent from the assassin posed no threat to her.

“Though Princess Viola asked for protection…”

Hela also glanced at Viola.

“Honestly, from the looks of it, she doesn’t seem to need protection at all.”

“Yeah. So she didn’t seem cowardly at all. Princess Viola is quite a mysterious person.”

Hela unnecessarily squared her shoulders.

Even though it wasn’t a compliment directed at her, she felt inexplicably better.

“She’s my little sister.”

*

Zeno smiled brightly and flicked his finger.

As always, Zeno wore white gloves, and to Sheilan, it felt as though a white blade was swiftly passing before his eyes.

Sheilan sensed it.

‘A strong opponent!’

He had heard rumors that Bellatu’s butlers were powerful, but he’d never expected them to be this strong.

His pride surged up.

‘I will definitely succeed in my first mission.’

The mission was to kill all of Bellatu’s 4th and 6th princesses.

If that was impossible, he had to kill the 6th princess.

This was the first mission that Sheilan, who had made his way into the Central Continent, had taken on.

He had heard this from his employer.

“Bellatu tends to overestimate themselves and doesn’t employ escort knights. They will be very suitable targets for assassination. The only ones you should be wary of are the butlers.”

Indeed, the butlers were outstanding.

However, Sheilan did not think he would lose.

Armed with the ‘Grass Sword’ he had honed his entire life, killing Bellatu’s young princesses and their butlers would be a piece of cake.

At that moment, Zeno smiled brightly.

“There are not one, but two butlers.”

And the other butler just so happened to be the Sword Demon.

Ersa’s sword traced a sharp trajectory, slicing through the air.

Ersa’s movements were smooth and flexible.

Sheilan was momentarily taken aback.

‘Yikes. That was close.’

He had heard that Bellatu was full of prideful people and that they did not coordinate during battles, but that information seemed entirely wrong.

“I heard you all do not coordinate your attacks.”

“Well, that’s when we’re fighting a duel. Right now, we need to safeguard my precious princess’s bath time.”

Zeno and Ersa pressured Sheilan as if they were two people who had coordinated their techniques over a long time.

From afar, Viola’s legs trembled uncontrollably.

‘These crazy individuals.’

They weren’t even visible to the eye.

Between the trees.

From tree to ground,

Then from ground to the treetops.

They were flying about at an unbelievable speed, dueling, but without a sound.

‘Anyways, they’re monsters.’

I need to rinse off this blood.

Feeling scared, I avoided looking over there.

Zeno swung his arm once more.

As Sheilan ducked to dodge, Ersa’s sword burrowed into his side.

‘What the hell! Why are their attacks this precise?!’

What kind of butlers are these!?

Is the Central Continent a place filled with such monsters?

He had no idea.

Zeno and Ersa were so strong that they competed with each other to see who would be the strongest among Bellatu’s butlers.

“Ugh!”

Sheilan fell, foam bubbling from his mouth.

Zeno smiled brightly.

“Tundra, that was a good attack.”

And Sheilan was unaware.

That Tundra was the strongest protagonist in <Shade of Bellatu>.

Though he was young, Tundra was indeed Tundra.

Zeno retrieved thin strings from the spatial space, tying Sheilan’s wrists and ankles before dragging him along like a sack.

No matter how strong of an assassin you were, you couldn’t withstand three vs. one.

Zeno hid for a moment in the bushes.

‘The princess’s bath isn’t over yet, so let’s wait a bit longer.’

Tundra agreed actively, causing Ersa to unwittingly hide in the bushes as well.

Eventually, as Viola finished rinsing off all her blood and emerged by the water’s edge, Zeno appeared dragging Sheilan along.

“Princess, how should we deal with this one?”

Just as a principle dictates slaying all bandits when combating them, killing an assassin is also the standard.

Yet Zeno was curious.

How would the pure Bellatu’s 6th princess handle this assassin?

‘What decision will the princess make?’

I’m ready to accept any of the princess’s commands.

And Tundra felt the same way.

“I will tear the neck and strangle him if you command me, my Lord.”

Viola nonchalantly uttered words that would make anyone gasp.

Please, don’t say such lines with such a serious face.

Viola swallowed her tears and opened her mouth.

 

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