The guard was shocked. The level of confidence she displayed was unbelievable! It was like she was unafraid of death! For a mere princess to display such confidence, how could he not be shocked? However, his sword never stopped. In his last moment of clarity, he switched to the dull side of his sword. Even if Elizabeth were hit by it, she would not die. He wanted to kill her originally, but he regained his cool. That way, he could avoid punishment from his superiors! It was not Lord Wenmord, the Second Shadow. Lord Wenmord was too high on the totem pole to care about this simple figure. Rather, his superiors were Captain Julian and Vice-captain Julie! Just thinking about their bloodlust and cruel personalities was enough to freeze his blood.
However, what Elizabeth did next was more shocking… At the last instant, Elizabeth raised her free hand and tried to grab his sword! He knew that when he switched to his sword's dull blade, she did not notice. That meant, in her eyes, she was facing a full-powered blow of a real blade! A sword was a killing tool! With a single slash, limbs could be severed, and lives could be reaped. There was a famous saying that with a sword, one could clear the skies, flatten mountains, and split the seas! Of course, these were romantic idealisms of a heavenly strength no one reached. Nevertheless, that sword was enough to easily slice through Elizabeth's hand and arm, crippling her permanently!
For Elizabeth to do what she did, it was pure suicide! He wondered, Did she expect I would hold back on her? That must be the case!
Unfortunately, the truth would be hard for him to accept. Elizabeth was really that resolute! It was not like she had no fear. In fact, she feared dying as much as the next person. But that fear was overshadowed by her regret, regret in failing to save her family! She would not step back one bit! Furthermore, she calculated her timing precisely. Before her opponent's sword could reach quarter-stroke, Elizabeth grabbed the hilt! His strike was forcefully negated! Before he could react, she kneed him straight in the groin. The pain immediately made him curse wildly! That was a man's lifeblood! For a princess to attack him so ruthlessly, was she really a princess anymore?
Elizabeth ignored his wailings and kicked him with a powerful side strike. She channeled nearly all her energy into the strike! It landed directly on his open wound, causing his pain to elevate to the next level. It sent him spiraling to the side and smashing into the wall like a ragdoll. His strings were cut as he fell lifelessly to the ground! Elizabeth was stunned to see she killed him, but after a closer look, she realized he had fallen unconscious. That was no surprise. The injuries he accumulated were no laughing matter!
In terms of purely physical foundation, he was around the level of a Fundamental Realm Expert, akin to a High Knight of the Realm! To have the qualifications to guard the Lannisail's hidden floor, he could not be weak. Of course, comparing to those assassins in the Second Hand, he fell short. Normally, this person would be enough to deal with five Elizabeths! Although Elizabeth snuck an attack with Stone Shard early on, this was no fair battle. It could be said to be part of her strength!
The other guard was baffled. After being pierced by Elizabeth's first Stone Shard, around thirty seconds passed since his partner fought her. In that time, he saw how she gradually regained the initiative! Although her skills were rough and amateur, she had astonishing potential for growth. Most importantly, she had the confidence and drive of an apex warrior! That last exchange was enough to say it all. Who would be crazy enough to try and catch a sword blade with their bare hands? She was no simple princess at all! Yet, he could think no more. He was about to join the fight when Elizabeth used her new Stone Shard to finish him off. Both guards were defeated!
Elizabeth staggered as her vision turned black and she fainted. The mental strain on her could be said to be two or three times larger than the guards. After all, she was using a sword and casting a spell simultaneously! In this world, that was practically a suicidal strategy. Akin to reading two books simultaneously, it required dividing attention perfectly into two. It was not something anyone could achieve! However, in a sense, it could be compared to double casting, could it not? Combining martial arts and magical spells! Who would have thought it was plausible? Indeed, she stumbled on a never thought of concept! Of course… that was merely the scope of this human world!
Sometime later, Elizabeth opened her eyes and flinched. However, she noticed the pain had subsided and her headache receded. Two girls were tending to her wounds quietly and professionally. It was obvious that they were trained in this. Another group of children were sitting in a circle, murmuring under their breath. The oldest were holding swords and watching the door vigilantly. As Elizabeth looked around, she realized that the two guard corpses were hauled in at some point. From the outside, everything appeared normal. The children were smart, and they unlocked their own restraints with the keys after Elizabeth fainted. This led to the current situation.
"Oh, Her Highness is awake!" one of the girls shouted in her quietest voice.
Everyone glanced over with surprise and glee. Their initial wariness was washed away when Elizabeth fought against the two guards. Although it was short, lasting less than a few minutes, it sent waves into their hearts and minds. Elizabeth was willing to fight for them! For once, in a very long time, they saw hope. Their lifeless eyes glowed. They earnestly believed that they could be rescued!
Seeing the crowding children surround her, Elizabeth felt satisfied. She asked, "How long have I been unconscious for?"
"Less than ten minutes," someone said.
"I see…" Elizabeth patted the heads of the two girls who treated her wounds. "Thank you."
After hearing everyone's explanation, she narrowed her eyes. "This is the Lannisail Household? To think that…"
Images of Lord Archibon and Lord Wenmord flashed through her mind. Lord Wenmord was one of the smartest men in the Alzar Kingdom, heralded as the symbol of knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom. To think that this wise patriarch decided to scheme against the Royal Family was shocking! Moreover, he was the Whispering Shadow's Second Shadow! The Grand Nobility had too unique of a status. Without proper evidence, the kingdom was prohibited from investigating too closely. It was truly a case of a snake hiding in plain sight! Elizabeth realized why the Lannisail Household decided to mysteriously support the Grand Nobility's party. It was to force her out!
The Lannisail Household… A dark expression emerged on her face. Do they think they can do what they want without repercussion? I don't care if you're a Grand Nobility Household! You have gone too far! She took a deep breath and thought. Since I'm still in Algard, should I sit still or try escaping?
She had no doubt that her grandmother, Queen Bethnal, would soon rescue her. She was not being arrogant, but she knew how high her own status was. The Royal Family would invest every bit of power into finding her. The Lannisail Household and the Whispering Shadow could not keep things secret for very long! Hence, Elizabeth hesitated. But soon, she shook her head. Lord Wenmord was no stupid man. For him to do this, he must have his own reasons. Elizabeth did not feel safe facing such a person. The smartest choice was to escape before he caught on to her!