Mariella's black pupils were cold as she reversed her grip on the ice blade. Her knees bent ever so slightly—like a leopard ready to spring at any moment.
She never expected that her careless mistake would actually make her run into someone who had uncovered Domina's identity.
She absolutely could not allow him to leave alive with that information!
The moment that thought flashed through her mind—
Mariella lunged toward Yuuki, her speed explosive.
But in the next instant—
Her body froze mid-charge, locking stiff in place. Cold sweat instantly beaded across her forehead.
Ahead of her—
Yuuki had removed the black bracelet on his wrist—the one he used to suppress and mask his mana.
Without it, the full force of his Three-Realm–class mana burst forth and crashed toward her.
The overwhelming pressure rolled in like tidal waves, each higher and heavier than the last. Mariella's entire body trembled as she broke into a cold sweat. It felt like an invisible mountain was crushing down on her.
I'll die here!
Her pupils widened.
Why was there someone this strong in a place like this?
Assassin's rule:
When faced with an enemy far beyond your level—run.
That is always the correct choice.
Mariella twisted her body sharply, preparing to retreat in the opposite direction.
"Plant Magic — Thorned Whip."
A calm voice sounded behind her, followed by a sudden crack through the air.
Swish!
A green whip lashed out, moving like a serpent as it darted toward her.
Just now, when he dodged her ice blade—he'd used water magic, hadn't he?
And now he was wielding plant magic?
A dual-magic user?
A flicker of shock crossed Mariella's face.
So fast!
Hearing the sharp sound closing in from behind, Mariella gritted her teeth and swung her ice blade back to intercept.
But the moment the soft-looking whip struck the blade—
it shattered it instantly.
Fragments of ice sprayed past her eyes.
In that moment, she finally understood the difference in their power.
So this is the end…
A shadow of despair crossed her gaze—along with a strange sense of release.
Whip!
The Thorned Whip wrapped around her waist, dragging her straight toward Yuuki.
"So quick to give up? I thought you'd at least struggle a little longer."
Yuuki looked down at the kneeling, bound Mariella, his tone calm.
Mariella kept her head down, expression blank. Her voice was flat as she replied:
"The gap in strength is too wide. Resistance would be meaningless."
Yuuki chuckled lightly.
"Is that so? Yet as a member of the Diamond Kingdom's assassination unit, you discovered your target but chose not to report it. You hid that information intentionally.
That doesn't sound like someone who gives up easily."
His words struck Mariella like thunder.
Her head snapped up, eyes filled with fear and disbelief as she stared at the mysterious powerhouse before her.
If he had only uncovered Domina's identity, that might be chalked up to coincidence…
But if he could also uncover her identity—her membership in the assassination unit—then this man was far from ordinary.
Diamond Kingdom?
The thought flashed through her mind—but she quickly rejected it.
Someone this strong, if they were from the Diamond Kingdom, would hold a high position.
And considering that she herself was already a traitor…
If he truly belonged to the Diamond Kingdom, her head would already be rolling on the floor.
And—
If he knew she was part of the assassination unit… did he also know about the unit currently hiding in the royal capital?
Yet until now, none of those hidden cells had been discovered by Clover Kingdom's Magic Knights.
So was he also not from the Clover Kingdom?
Mariella's mind was a chaos of unanswered questions.
"Because of disagreements with the upper ranks, Fanzell Kruger was stripped of his post as commander. Afterward, he became a teacher and trained about a hundred students."
Yuuki spoke in that same calm tone.
"But after Fanzell fled the Diamond Kingdom, those one hundred students were hunted down, one after another.
And now… the only survivor is you—
Mariella."
He raised his hand slightly.
The Thorned Whip unraveled, dissolving into drifting green motes of light.
Mariella felt her body abruptly lighten.
But she made no move to run—she no longer had the will to try.
She stood shakily to her feet.
Her expressionless mask had vanished; her voice trembled slightly as she whispered:
"Who… are you?"
"You concealed Domina's whereabouts not only to repay Fanzell's kindness," Yuuki said softly,
"but also to take revenge—on behalf of your fallen comrades—against the assassination unit."
"But relying on your strength alone, accomplishing that is impossible.
I can help you achieve that revenge."
Mariella stared at him, eyes trembling.
"You understand the consequences of helping me, don't you?"
"Offending the Diamond Kingdom?" Yuuki's voice remained indifferent. "I don't care."
Mariella's hands tightened into fists without her noticing.
"What do I need to give in return?"
"Become my comrade."
Yuuki's eyes glimmered with a light smile as he spoke.
Comrade?
That word felt foreign to her—something from a long-forgotten past.
After everything she'd been through, she no longer knew what the word meant.
She didn't even know what it meant to trust someone anymore.
…Perhaps there was still one exception.
Her former teacher, Fanzell Kruger.
"Someone as powerful as you… why would you need a weak comrade like me?"
A faint, bitter smile tugged at her lips—mocking herself as much as his words.
"Strength can be changed," Yuuki answered with a small shake of his head.
"But to go through so much, and still keep a heart that remains pure…
That's not something just anyone can manage."
Mariella's dark eyes trembled.
She could feel the sincerity in his voice.
Besides—there was nothing she had that he could possibly covet.
"…Compared to the word 'comrade,' I believe a hierarchical relationship is more realistic. More stable."
"…My lord."
Suppressing the strange warmth rising in her chest, Mariella sank to one knee and placed her right hand over her heart in a gesture of allegiance.
Yuuki raised an eyebrow at the sight.
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