—"Nothing happened?"She looked up.
The arrow was split into two and fell on the ground.
It wasn't her, neither was it Sir Lucas. Black fur cloak and black noble clothes.
"Lord Sebastian!?"She exclaimed with surprise but was taken aback by the murderous aura she felt from him.
" Lord-"
"Stand back!" He interrupted her and threw a dagger directed at the tree in the west.
To their shock, an enemy archer in cloak fell down from the tree on the forest floor.
"Take them in custody. The useless shall be killed on the hunting grounds in front of the nation."
Nine quietly left the area to his dead sister. Kneeling down he wiped the dirt off her pale cheek. Jack approached him hesitantly but was stopped by her.
He lifted her in his arms and slowly walked to where Sloane and Sebastian stood.
"My Lord, my lady.If I may request you to grant me a favor."
"Don't say anything more." She cut in.
"..."
"She will be buried in the necropolis of the legends."
"..."
"You heard her. We won't let a hero die a worthless death."Lucas said.
"Her death isn't worthless. She was against the nation's biggest adversary." Sebastian reassured to which Sloane and Lucas were greatly astonished.
He wasn't the type to speak or give words of reassurance just to anyone.
"My Lords. We've captured all of them." said a man who was wearing the uniform of the headquarters of Atlantan Knightage.
"I want complete reports of this place within this week sharp," Sebastian ordered in a stern voice.
"As you command."
He vanished in thin air.
-"How do they even vanish like that? It can't be magic. Magic doesn't exist-"
"Or does it?" She felt the amber locket around her neck.
"My Lady. Let's head back. People are waiting for the winners of the event."
Sloane felt guilty upon hearing the word 'winners'.She was not a winner neither was she a hero.
She was unable to protect someone important to her once again.
"I wish you wouldn't call that my lord." Sloane and Sebastian were the last ones to leave the area.
It was evening as they reached the hunting grounds exhausted and worn out. Jack and the assassin abruptly stopped in midway.
"What's wrong?" Sloane asked finding herself in the same condition.
"Why are they staring at us?"
The other teams stood in front of them without a word for a few minutes. They were rather fewer than before they departed to the forest. This was the confirmation that more than half of them were imposters in disguise.
They burst into a great round of applause showering them with their blessings.
But they remained unchanged by this happy
atmosphere.
The soldiers calmed them down. It was tough for them to take care of a huge crowd that surrounded them.
They were immediately disciplined by the 'war beasts.'
As Sebastian and Azriel emitted aura enough to shake their cores if their eyes met theirs.
"This country will never learn." He let out a sigh.
"Lord Sebastian." Sloane interrupted him.
Nine stood silently holding Twelve beside her. His gaze was only on her.
"I understand."
He guided the grieving boy to the medics tent along with the rest of them.
Sloane saw her father who looked at her with mixed emotions.
She was the same. She hesitated to go to him a bit at the same time she sought his attention.
He stood near her. But none said anything to the other.
"I'm sorry for disappointing you father. I didn't reach your expectations."She bowed lowly.
"..."
—"He must be mad at me. He isn't responding at all."
She looked up and saw him raising his hand to which she tightly, closed her eyes.
-"He'll hit me for sure!"
Pat*
"Huh?" She reopened her eyes with surprise.
"You did a great job out there. My teachings paid off well." He gently smiled.
"Thank you father," Sloane replied in astonishment.
"Had you not sent that secret letter, who would've thought about an enemy raiding on our children. And I assume there is an assassin who barely made it alive to my tent. Is he your comrade?"
"Huh!?The number two!" He was here the whole time?"Sloane asked shocked.
"He was the one who brought Lord Valentino's attention to this case."
"Father where is he?"
"The wounded are in the medics tent. Go find him there. Until then, we will take care of the rest. Get yourself treated."
She nodded delightfully.
"I'll come back for dinner."
Without wasting time she headed towards the tent where her teammates were being treated. He watched his daughter hurrying across the crowded area.
She hurried into the tent finding them sitting quietly staring at the archer girl.
Sloane's heart ached to see them in grief.
The girl's abdomen was ripped open by the treacherous blow she received from the axe of the traitor.
She quietly sat down with them. Jack's wounds were being treated and so was the assassin.
Nine refused to get treated but was persuaded by them to get himself, treated or Twelve won't like it.
-" If Twelve were alive, she would've nagged him to get himself treated."
After the treatment, he was left alone.
"Milady is it alright to leave him alone?" Jack asked worried.
"Let him spend their last moments together.
Tomorrow morning she'll be buried as an honorable hero of the nation. And those despicable creatures shall face the wrath of the Saintess."
"I hope her soul reaches the heavens. Whilst her body rests in peace."
They left the tent heading towards theirs. People surrounded them asking questions but all they did was to silently reach their destination.
-"The world remains cruel no matter how many times you live."Her mind repeated these words.