-Clang!
A sharp sound rang out as swords clashed. Surprisingly, the boy managed to block every single attack.
Although initially on the defensive, the boy skillfully took control of the situation.
Eventually, only two assassins remained.
No—he thought there were only two.
“…!”
Another assassin appeared behind Lennox, aiming for his neck.
Realizing the hidden assassin’s presence a moment too late, Lennox tried to evade.
But his movements had dulled from the many small wounds he’d accumulated in the prolonged fight.
[Mel, that boy might die at this rate.]
Sylph looked worriedly at the boy. Just as she said, the boy’s life seemed to be in danger.
‘Alright! Let’s help him!’
At Melin’s response, the wind spirit quietly moved behind the assassins.
[Wind.]
In that moment, a strong gust of wind blew from nowhere.
“Urgh!”
Thud—!
With a heavy thump, the assassins collapsed and fainted.
Lennox stared coldly at the scene. Then, sensing someone behind the wall, he adjusted his grip on his sword and muttered chillingly,
“I know you’re hiding back there.”
The atmosphere was too intense for someone his age, and Melin stiffened instantly.
“If you don’t come out now, I’ll consider you an enemy.”
‘Eek! S-Scary!’
Melin silently screamed.
Meanwhile, Lennox approached the wall with heightened caution.
Then he spotted a child, raising an eyebrow.
“…A kid?”
He couldn’t believe someone even younger than him had helped him.
“Hmph! You don’t look much older than me either!”
Pouting at being called a “kid,” Melin puffed up her cheeks.
Lennox frowned at her exaggerated reaction.
“Don’t meddle in other people’s business.”
“B-But if I hadn’t helped—”
“Did I ask you to save me?”
Lennox’s sharp tone made Melin freeze. No one had ever spoken to her that coldly before.
She, who had grown up surrounded by kind spirits, was visibly shaken.
“Ugh…”
[Are you okay, Mel?]
Sylph gently patted her shoulder to comfort her.
“Tell me honestly. Why did you help me?”
Lennox still looked at her with suspicion.
“You looked like you were in danger—”
“To me, you’re just as suspicious.”
Lennox bit his lip. He was in the worst mood.
All he wanted was to come see a sword.
He had briefly felt a little happiness on this rare peaceful outing, but that was shattered by the attack.
And once again, he was reminded—this world still wanted him dead.
Truly… it was a sickening feeling.
“No!”
Melin, who had been sulking, suddenly shouted.
“I really thought you were in danger and wanted to help you!”
“…”
Lennox fell silent at that.
Just then—
“Lady Melin!”
“Young Miss!”
Hearing the shouts nearby, Melin flinched and quickly hid behind Lennox. Seeing this, Lennox realized something.
“…Don’t tell me you’re Melin?”
“N-No, I’m not!”
“…Then why are you hiding?”
“…Because I’m playing hide-and-seek.”
The blatant lie made Lennox’s expression soften a little. In his experience, people who lied that obviously were rarely a threat.
‘A noble?’
Only then did Lennox realize how rude he’d been and his face stiffened.
How long had he even been with the Skylar family?
He had let his guard down.
‘Stupid idiot.’
Cursing himself, Lennox bit his lip again.
He knew just how cruel nobles could be to those who disrespected them—even young ones. In fact, younger nobles could be more vicious because they didn’t care about appearances.
‘But her face… it feels familiar.’
While observing her features, Lennox felt a strong sense of déjà vu.
Suddenly, Istasha Rowen’s voice echoed in his mind:
‘She had a pretty face—especially those violet, violet eyes like violets.’
‘Violet eyes?’
Then, could this girl really be Melin Jacqueline?
Now that he looked, her age matched up too.
“Phew… Are they gone?”
Melin peeked out and let out a sigh of relief. Then she turned to Lennox and glared slightly.
“…Hmph! You’re supposed to say thank you first in times like this!”
“If you’re her sister, you must be Clemence Jacqueline?”
“H-How did you know? Do you know my sister?”
Melin’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You said you weren’t Melin Jacqueline.”
“Oops.”
She was clearly terrible at lying. Lennox immediately confirmed it—this was Melin Jacqueline.
A greenhouse flower. A noble lady.
…And kind of an airhead.
“But really, you know my sister?”
Melin asked again, eyes sparkling.
“…A little.”
“How? Have you met her? Have you seen her face?”
Her eyes sparkled even more.
‘If Rose and Clemence Jacqueline are the same person…’
Lennox swallowed the thought and nodded.
“My sister’s pretty, right?”
Lennox hesitated at the question.
Then slowly nodded.
“…Yeah.”
I figured.
He didn’t say the rest aloud.
In truth, he didn’t know much about Rose’s face.
Fiery red hair, and golden eyes that shone like the sun beneath her mask—that was all he could remember.
Everything else had been hidden.
‘I wonder what she really looks like.’
He was curious.
Unknowingly, the moment he realized this girl was Melin Jacqueline, all his earlier suspicion had faded.
“Oh right, what’s your name?”
“…Ren.”
“Ren? That’s easy to remember!”
With poor memory, Melin was delighted by the short name.
“Just call me Mel! Wanna be friends?”
Melin beamed and extended her hand.
“…”
Lennox didn’t take her hand—just stared at it.
He didn’t really want to be friends. To him, friendships were hypocritical and fake.
But there was one reason he didn’t refuse outright.
Maybe if he got close to this little sister, he could learn more about Clemence.
‘…If Rose really is Clemence, I need to figure out what her angle is in getting tangled with my sponsorship contract.’
It wasn’t because of personal feelings.
Having decided that, Lennox nodded and took her hand.
“Okay, let’s be friends.”
“Yay! My first human friend!”
“…Human… friend?”
That wording was odd.
It sounded like all her past friends weren’t human.
Lennox realized there were quite a few suspicious things about Melin Jacqueline.
“How did you help me earlier?”
“Uh, my friend helped!”
“Who’s that friend?”
“Secret!”
…Yeah, she’s definitely weird.
Lennox scanned her again.
Melin just smiled brightly.
“My sister told me to keep it a secret!”
“…I see.”
Lennox didn’t press further. He was hiding his real name too, after all.
They were even.
“Are you close with your sister?”
“…Not really. What about you?”
“Me neither… But I want to be.”
Me too, Lennox thought absentmindedly.
“How do I get close to her?”
“…You’re sisters. Aren’t you already close?”
“But my sister doesn’t like me.”
Melin sat down by the wall with a gloomy face. Her sky-blue dress got dirty, but she didn’t seem to care.
“My sister… I feel like she’ll leave me anytime.”
Her face grew even more downcast.
“What do you think, Ren?”
Recalling the recent trial, Lennox muttered,
“…I don’t think she will.”
“Really?”
Melin’s violet eyes sparkled with hope—but it faded quickly.
“I want to be close with her… Hmph.”
Joy and sorrow came and went so quickly. Watching her emotional swings, Lennox mentally labeled her as a strange girl and asked,
“What’s her personality like?”
He saw a chance to get more info on Clemence Jacqueline.
“Me? I’m totally cute!”
“Not you. Your sister.”
“Hmm, my sister… She’s super cool!”
Melin raised her thumb proudly.
“Like a hero from a fairy tale! A warrior who defeats evil dragons!”
Lennox let out a faint laugh.
A warrior from a fairy tale was usually some muscular guy with a sword.
But thinking of her exploits that people whispered about… maybe that wasn’t so far off.
