Suddenly the sound of someone's scream could be heard in the air. At the same time, I immediately turned my head to look at Sofia. I could see Sofia's figure in Cain's arms and a servant whose mouth and nape bleeding out. Before anyone came into their sense and could react, Cain quickly shoved Sofia to me with all his might. Once again I could hear another loud scream and I immediately spread open my arms to catch Sofia. Without having any time to spare a glance at Sofia's pale scared face, I hid her behind my back then lifted my sword up and be vigilant. It's an unexpected situation, but first of all…
'Wasn't that bastard on the Countess' side?'
I thought in my mind while staring at Cain Silac who withdrew to my side while threatening any person who wanted to get closer, with his bloody sword. He could possibly had his own motive by saving Sofia, but the problem is that bastard Cain seemed to have some sort of understanding about my ability more than the Countess. If that wasn't the case, he wouldn't shoved a grown up woman that wasn't light in weight to a frail looking noble lady. Moreover, our distance was quite far, if the receiver was just an ordinary noble lady, then both the receiver and the person that was being pushed away could have been injured.
In other words, that bastard Cain knew me quite well, and it's likely possible he has some sort of connection with Special Task Squad. Come to think of it, Ortzen once said he had already planted a spy inside the Count household, was it him?!
"Sir Silac! You–!"
The Countess who was shocked by the sudden change of situation, finally came to her sense and shouted. One of the two mask men came forward and stood in front of the Countess whose twisted face looked like an ugly hag. Both the mask man and Cain have already drawn their swords. If Cain is on my side, then it's worth to try a one-on-one battle with the other masked man. Now the problem is, there're still many employees of the Count mansion here. Luckily, all the guards and servants were all still bewildered and just watched how the situation unfold before their eyes. Most of them looked terrified because there was already a dead servant who died suddenly. They felt helpless because their opponent was a knight from Imperial Knight Squad, not a weak frail noble lady.
"Are you betraying me now?!"
The Countess casted away her delicate tone and fiercely questioned. Cain took some steps back to where I stood, then answered with a calm voice.
"To answer your question, right from the start, I've already betrayed you."
This bastard is truly a shamless bastard. The Countess couldn't hold in her anger anymore until I could hear the sound of her gnashing teeth. Besides anger, at the same time there's also anxiousness over her face.
"B-but, it won't be easy for you to escape with two burdens."
I'm not a burden. But, the fact is there to see that it won't be an easy task to escape while also bringing Sofia along. Sofia would be easily get caught if she was to be chased by the male servants here even though she has already run with all her might. However, out of my expectation, Cain replied calmly.
"If I don't send out any sign within 30 minutes after Miss Epheria came inside the mansion, the Special Task Squad will force their way in. Now it's only a few minutes left."
"T-that's–!"
The Countess bit her lower lip while I clicked my tongue. Ortzen, you snake! He had calculated it before and made a thorough preparation! He must have deliberately kept his plan a secret from me because he wanted me to abandon Sofia and escape by myself. Even if he didn't tell me anything, I'll still make my escape, so why did this bastard Cain reveal himself by getting rid of his hard-to-earn disguise? Anyway, this whole situation benefited me, but of course it's the other way round for the Countess. With a trembling body, she viciously glared as if she would tear Cain apart.
"Catch Silla now! No, kill her!"
Her scream that sounds like a shriek made the servants and guards confused and they just looked back and forth at me and the Countess. Daren, the captain of the guards, finally voiced out his disagreement to the Countess.
"No matter what, she is still the lady of this house… Even if the Special Task Squad is about to force their way in, your order is too outrageous."
"You heard it yourself that she wants to sell out this Count family!"
"Even so… it should be proceeded through the law."
After he murmured something, the captain of the guards stepped back. Although all the employees mistreated Silla, they all knew that I'm the only legitimate descendants of Count Epheria. Hence, they would refuse any order other than hold me captive. Furthermore, it's not an easy task for ordinary people to kill a frail looking woman although they're ordered to do so.
In the end, no one came forward because they were puzzled by the Countess' odd attitude. Good, if they keep their stance as it is, I just have to deal with those two masks men. I just have to buy some time until the Special Task Squad arrives, it is as easy as eating a cold porridge. When I was getting ready to fight, the Countess tightly clasped her hands together with a pale face.
"No, don't… S-Silla, I was wrong!"
…, why is she doing that all of a sudden? The Countess got rid of all her hatred and anger, then started to begging me with her body trembling all over like she's in fear because of some other reasons I have no idea of.
"I'll do whatever you want, alright? Please come out–"
Right at that very moment, a sword stabbed across her chest from behind.
Blood flowed out from her wide-opened mouth. The sword that pierced through her chest, did some twists to make sure her internal organs got destroyed before being pulled out from the body. Based on what he did, it's obvious that her lungs would have been greatly torn apart. Not to mention that her ribs must have been broken too. The Countess could only made some 'kheuk' 'kheuk' sounds without even being able to scream properly before her body finally collapsed to the front. The owner of the sword was none other than the other masked man who was standing behind the Countess. Before the Countess' body reached the ground, I immediately jumped forward and yelled at Cain.
"Catch them!"
The Countess was already silenced. And thus, we could only get to know about the mastermind behind this accident if we could catch those bastards masked men. Without delaying any further, they instantly ran away and Cain followed immediately after them. But unfortunately, those masked men were hard to be caught because there were already some gap between them. So instead of joining Cain to pursue them, I examined the Countess' wounds. The blood on the ground started to dry and it also stained my hands and the hem of my dress.
"…, it's as expected, huh?"
Her heart is still beating but she will die soon due to suffocation because her lungs is broken. The High Priest probably can revive her damaged organs, but unfortunately I'm a holy knight. I can heal my own wounds but I can't heal others. I also can't get any information by asking her in this state and the only good thing I can do right now is helping her to meet her death faster, but…
'I don't have such kindness.'
I'm indeed a clergy but I'm not a saint. Even if it's almost time for her to die, I don't have such a compassionate thought to forgive her. I could be perceived as a cold-hearted person, but I don't feel sorry or pity towards the Countess who has to go through suffocation before she could finally die. Talking about the reason to feel pity towards someone, I feel like (original) Silla is much more pitiful when she didn't even know why her life was so miserable and died young without knowing any reason behind it. There's no need to feel any compassion towards this woman.
In the end, the Countess eventually had her last breath after suffering for quite long time.
"M-miss… the Countess…"
The guards captain Daren spoke in a trembling voice when I got up from the ground after confirming that the Countess has died. I looked back at him and gave a short reply.
"Dead."
"T-that…"
"Don't just foolishly stand there, quickly follow Sir Cain Silac! Didn't you see it clearly in front of you that those bastard masked men are the killer? Do your job as a guard captain!"
"Ah, yes!"
Daren hurriedly took his men and ran to the direction where Cain had disappeared. They didn't have any use but became a bother by staying here. The remaining servants were murmuring by themselves without knowing what to do. Given that they saw before their eyes how their master suddenly died, their reactions were justified. Anyway, what should I do now, should I wait for the Special Task Squad or search for the Count's whereabouts? But of course, before that…
"Sofia, are you okay?"
Sofia who was slumping on the ground while still in a daze, reflexively nodded her head.
"Yeah, yes… I'm fine. Uh, the Madam… really…"
"She's dead. It was a fatal wound and I had no way to save her."
"I-I see…"
Sofia's face complexion didn't look good even though she previously swore at the Countess as a 'witch' behind her back. You just can't feel happy when someone you know has died even if that person is your enemy. Right then, I heard the sounds of horses' hooves. The Special Task Squad arrived on time within the estimated time of arrival. I stood in front of the Countess' corpse and looked at the oncoming herd of horses. There're some new faces I haven't met before.
The first person to get off from the horse was Captain Jullius. He went straight to me and pulled me in to his embrace. Huh?
"Ira!"
Why did he suddenly call for Ira? At the call of Captain Jullius, Ira got off from the horse. That lady is a head chef, why is she here?
"Are you injured?"
Ira asked me while opening her big sling bag. I shook my head while being embraced by Captain Jullius.
"No, this is the Countess–"
"Just pretend as if you're injured, okay?"
I'm not hurt though. Ira took a bandage from inside her bag and skillfully wrapped my arm. It's as if she has done that more than just once or twice before.
"Aren't you the head chef?"
"I'm also a pharmacist. I have a medical license too. Afterall, there're many similarities between cooking and pharmaceuticals, right?"