I Became the Butler of the Seventh Princess, Who’s Regressing Into a Child - Episode 48

Episode 48

……The soldiers weren’t particularly strong. They might have underestimated me. But either way, I managed to fend off the first wave. 

However, the building was still bustling with noise; more enemies would arrive any moment. I closed the door, pushed a nearby shelf against it, and barricaded the entrance. That should buy us a little time.

Then I threw open the window and looked outside.

“We’re escaping from here.”

“……Are you sure it’s safe?”

“Yeah. Just follow my lead.”

I quickly cast the [Levitation]—”浮遊” (fuyuu) spell. It was more of a controlled glide, allowing us to descend slowly from a high place. Using the spell on all of us, I led everyone out the window, and we gently floated down to the ground.

As we approached our initial entry point, soldiers were already stationed there. They were on high alert.

…Four of them. 

Taking them out wouldn’t be difficult, but the aftermath was the real issue.

“Rinyan, take Lian and head back to the mansion right away.”

“…W-what about you, Rondo?”

“I’ll create a diversion and draw their attention, then make my escape.”

Escaping together would be risky with this level of alertness. So I leapt forward, activating [Acceleration], and closed in on one of the soldiers.

“You…!”

“The intruder, the woman…! Gah?!”

I gave the soldier that spoke a solid punch, knocking him out instantly. With the soldiers neutralized, I turned to Rinyan and Lian.

“Rinyan, go ahead. I’ll catch up soon.”

“…..Got it. Lian, let’s go.”

“Okay… Big sis, thank you.”

Lian gave me a polite bow.

…..Yes, she’s a polite kid, BUT SHE’S CLEARLY MISTAKEN MY GENDER.

For now, I’d have to buy time until they reached a safe distance. Considering Lian’s frail state, they wouldn’t be moving quickly. So I needed to keep up the distraction. 

I watched Rinyan cradling Lian and disappearing into the darkness before I returned to the grounds.

“…There they are!”

The soldiers spotted me and raised the alarm.

……Perfect. I had their full attention now.

About ten soldiers closed in, swords drawn. 

……These soldiers weren’t to blame for the situation, so I didn’t want to kill them. My goal was simply to knock them out.

I took a deep breath, channeled mana throughout my body, and activated [Acceleration]. In an instant, I closed the distance and struck one soldier in the gut with my fist.

“Urgh…!”

The soldier groaned and collapsed, unconscious. I dodged the incoming swords, hitting each soldier in non-lethal areas.

Though they were skilled swordsmen, they couldn’t keep up with my speed.

“Out of my way,” 

I muttered, thrusting the hilt of my sword upward at one soldier’s chin and driving my knee into another’s stomach. One by one, the soldiers fell.

As their movements slowed, I kept calm. And gradually, a sense of unease grew among the soldiers.

“Damn it! Who is this guy?!”

“This woman… she’s absurdly strong!”

With all the soldiers subdued, I exhaled in relief. Then, from afar, I heard the sound of heavy footsteps.

A single swordsman emerged from behind the soldiers. He was noticeably larger than me, radiating an aura of strength. His stride alone made it clear he had substantial combat experience. Keeping my guard up, I raised my sword.

The man grabbed the shoulder of a nearby soldier and shoved him aside. His demeanor was rough, and he eyed me with a disgusting grin, licking his lips.

“Well, well, quite the fine woman, aren’t ya? Can’t wait to hear you scream.”

Who are you calling a woman, you idiot?

I thought to myself, but this reaction meant my disguise was successful. Staying calm, I took a steady breath and faced him.

He swung his sword down with a powerful strike, which I dodged easily. I closed in to land a punch to his gut. He staggered backward, momentarily off balance.

Not missing the chance, I struck his shoulder with my sword hilt, knocking him down in one go.

…….Pathetic.

No, I guess Klaus-san was just that strong. This level of opponent was nothing in comparison.

“Guh…! D-damn…!” 

The large man grimaced, his face contorted in frustration as he let out a furious scream.

“I…won’t lose…to some woman!!” 

Unable to hide his frustration, he slammed his fist into the ground and activated some kind of skill. Power, something akin to raw magic, surged from his body. He rushed toward me. He was fast—likely using a skill that boosted his stats.

I dodged his sword and fist strikes as he charged forward.

“Ha! You think just running around will get you anywhere?!”

…Just then, with a loud shout, he swung at me again. And I parried his attack with my sword, deflecting his force upward. Seizing the opening, I aimed a swift kick straight to his groin.

“Aaagh?!”

The big guy let out a wild scream, his face contorted in pain. He then collapsed unconscious, frothing slightly. I hadn’t crushed anything, but he wouldn’t be moving anytime soon. Seeing this, the remaining soldiers shrank back. They were inching away even while surrounding me.

…….It seemed like I’d bought enough time.

I moved one hand and cast a spell: [Smoke Bomb]—”煙玉” (kemuridama). A triple-cast of [Smoke Bomb] filled the area, covering everything in thick smoke.

“Don’t let her escape!” 

I could hear the soldiers shouting as I used [Presence Detection]—”索敵” (sakuteki) to quickly escape from the area where there were no soldiers.

I hurried to where we’d hidden the horse, grabbed the reins, and mounted up. I casted [Acceleration] on the horse and dashed forward, cutting through the night.

After riding for a while, I spotted Rinyan and Lian up ahead in the darkness.

“Are you alright, Rinyan, Lian?!”

Rinyan looked back, startled. She then exhaled in relief when she saw me.

“Yes…we’re okay.”

“Good. Lian, are you holding up?”

Rinyan held Lian securely, and though Lian looked drowsy, she smiled gently at me.

“Yes, I’m alright. Thank you, Big Sis”

……..Rinyan hadn’t cleared up the misunderstanding, it seemed.

“……..I’m a guy, you know?”

Lian blinked in surprise, while Rinyan broke into a small smile.

“Uh…what do you mean…?”

Lian tilted her head, looking confused. …It didn’t seem like now was the time to clarify things. Once we returned to the mansion, I’d explain my true—

…But how? There was no way I could just *show* her. If I tried that, Rinyan would probably kick me across the room. I began thinking seriously about how to explain myself when we got back.

—

After Rondo and the others successfully completed the rescue, Vanz was seething with rage.

He had just learned that the facility where he kept the orphaned hostages under his control had been attacked by someone. And now Lian was missing. It didn’t take Vanz long to realize who was behind it all.

“Damn you…damn you, Luciana!!”

He slammed his fist down on his desk, his face twisted in fury. He had thought he’d completely outmaneuvered Luciana, and his pride stung even more for it.

“You’ll pay the price for crossing me…and you’ll regret it! Gushinus!”

“Yes, what is it?”

At Van’s call, a figure appeared—it was Gushinus, the academy’s most skilled assassin.

“Go kill Luciana.”

“…Understood. May I capture her and have some fun with her before I’m done?”

“…Yes, that’s fine. Actually, that might be even more enjoyable. Bring her in alive, Gushinus.”

“As you wish.”

Vanz’s lips curled into a grin, already imagining Luciana’s face twisted in terror.

“You’ll regret the day you angered me.”