"Well, sister, I've taken down six already, and you?" Vivien stretched, planting her spear into the ground.
"I've got ten. Good thing I brought arrows with blunt tips. Those knights' helmets crumple like pots under a strong hit," replied Miriam.
"Yes, Krito said it's for protection against magic. Of course, if there were a breach, lightning or flames could get inside. But stunning them is much easier," Vivien added.
"Just remember, we're not killing anyone; they haven't harmed ours either."
"True, but if we don't finish off the first ones soon, they'll start regaining their senses."
Two arrows whizzed past the spearwoman's face. It was the first time an Imperial soldier had achieved such a feat.
"Warriors of Verania, surrender, and we guarantee your safety!" A bright female voice echoed from the central square.
Two warriors in black armor were approaching the cafeteria where the twins were fighting. The distance between them was substantial, yet the owner of the melodious voice wielded two crossbows and managed to shoot with unparalleled accuracy.
"Mi, do you prefer the spear or the crossbow?"
"As you well know," Miriam shot two arrows at the guard and leaped into the cafeteria, leaving her longbow behind, only keeping a short one.
"Always seeking challenging fights," Vivien remarked, positioning herself in front of a guard with her spear. "Looks like you and I will have to fight."
"Huh? YES!! I-I-I accept your challenge, valiant warrior!" The guard's deep bass voice couldn't have fit his appearance better.
"You seem timid for a guard. But never mind!" Vivien lunged into battle with a satisfied smile, relishing the joy of combat once more.
"Thirty-eight, thirty-nine, forty," Rumy counted as she effortlessly dispatched one Imperial after another with her bare hands, thanks to her superhuman strength. "Just as I thought, the biggest crowd was at our guild. Good thing I came here myself."
The golem surveyed the building; the explosion had shattered the entrance door and windows, but surprisingly, there was no fire, and the interior remained mostly untouched. Nevertheless, the house leaned even more crookedly now.
"Well, a couple of days ago, Krito asked if I mind demolishing it. Now, I'm not sure if I should hold onto this shack."
As the teacher examined the tilted walls, a small shadow sneaked up on her from behind.
"Don't let your guard down on the battlefield," said a small figure in a cloak, plunging a concealed dagger into the teacher's chest. "The order was not to kill academy students, but clearly, you don't belong in that category. Forgive me, but it's nothing personal."
"Hmm," Rumy murmured, facing the assailant calmly after turning around. "Katars, hidden blades, indeed a convenient weapon. But I've dealt with such before."
"What is this?" The assassin only just noticed that his blade, after striking something soft, had lodged into a sturdy wall. "Who are you?"
Feel free to let me know if you'd like any further adjustments or specific preferences for the translation!
The cloaked guard leaped back from Rumy and stared at where his blade had struck. There wasn't a drop of blood on her clothes, only a faint metallic glint peeking from beneath her dress.
"How rude!" The girl frowned disapprovingly. "I happen to be the most charming golem in the world! Madam Rumy!"
With a proud stance, the golem struck her chest with a fist, emitting a muffled metallic sound.
"Darn it, I thought this would be an easy victory."
"Oh well, don't worry. We all make mistakes, but don't fret; I won't kill you. You'll serve as a bargaining tool for me."
"Forget it! I'd rather kill myself than betray the Empire," the guard said in anger, unsheathing his weapons – two concealed blades with triangular handles, which also served as brass knuckles. "And even if I can't finish you, my comrades will help."
"No need to rush; your comrades have found other things to occupy them. So, attack without hesitation," Rumy replied calmly, skillfully evading the attacks and blocking strikes with her bare hands.
"Who are you, anyway? I don't remember any security systems like you in the Academy."
"Me? Oh, I'm just a teacher here."
"Pff..." Laughter emanated from under the cloak. "Hahahaha. My comrades will mock me if I lose to a mere teacher! Even if I die, don't think you'll win!"
The assassin rushed at Rumy with renewed vigor, delivering precise circular attacks, performing acrobatic feats, and striking with hands and feet simultaneously. His fighting style resembled a dance with swords – graceful and deadly. He aimed for her legs, arms, and head, hoping to immobilize the golem with precise strikes.
"Oh, how ill-considered. You should have realized by now that hitting vital points is futile against a golem like me. I won't die from that, but if you were to sever my head, that would be a different story. It'll take quite some time to repair," Rumy calmly engaged in dialogue, deftly deflecting every attack, her long dress hardly impeding her movements.
"And that's why you're fighting me without weapons? You think I'm weak?" the guard charged at Rumy, presenting both blades before him.
"No, no, it's just that your style is better suited for hand-to-hand combat," Rumy slipped her hands between the guard's wrists and spread his arms wide, evading his strikes: "You see, when you know the secret, everything appears quite simple."
"Got you!" Instead of leaping away from the golem once again, the guard moved closer and clasped his hands behind her back. "I'll impale both of us, and you won't be able to escape. Then my comrades will capture you easily."
The assassin aimed the blades at Rumy's back.
"Oh no, I don't like double suicides at all," the teacher swiftly pushed the assassin away with an open palm and immediately delivered a powerful kick to his chin. The guard was sent flying through the air, and in mid-air, Rumy caught up to him with a single leap, smashing him into the ground with her elbow.
"Remarkable. You could have defeated me with the first strike, so why?" the guard asked, now unconscious.
"Well, you see, I'm a teacher. If you don't recognize your weaknesses, what was the point of this entire fight? But sacrificing oneself due to something as foolish as pride isn't worth it!" Rumy chuckled contentedly as the guard lost consciousness.
The cafeteria doors swung open, and Miriam rushed in, armed with her short bow. She ran to the opposite side of the room and positioned herself facing the door. Soon, a guardswoman in black armor and dual crossbows entered without a trace of worry.
"So, you came after all?"
"Well, well, after such a brazen statement, did you doubt it? And how did you figure it out?"
"You shot two arrows at my sister, both at the same distance from her head. That was more than a warning shot!" Miriam tossed two steel arrows with thin wires attached to them onto the floor. "I thought you were under orders not to kill anyone?"
"Just like Sinner, I prefer to eliminate problems at the root. Besides, accidents can happen. And you, my dear, shot back two arrows that cut my wires and landed in the ground next to me, at the same distance as my arrows were to your sister."
"Well, my only talent lies in accurate shooting, which helps me earn a living bit by bit."
"With such skills, you could hold a high position in the Empire. Would you like to join my service?"
"You wanted to kill my sister, and now you're inviting me to serve you? You change your mind pretty quickly."
"Oh, well, I'm simply captivated by your abilities. And, under this lighting, you look quite charming. Ooh la la," a lustful female laugh emerged from the guard's helmet.
"Eh?!" Miriam blushed from head to toe. "Y-y-you're one of those?!"
"Nooo, I'm into all kinds, hehe. I have both servants and men, hehehe," the guard continued to giggle, examining the archer with her gaze.
"AAAH!!! DON'T LOOK AT ME!! I'm getting goosebumps all over! I'll beat you, and you'll back off with your advances!"
"Hehe, okay, but if I win, I can do whatever I want with you."
"Darn it, you perverted guard!" Miriam gritted her teeth and released an arrow straight at the arbalist's helmet.
"Well, it won't be that easy," the guard turned her head to the side, and the arrow struck the door behind her. But following the first arrow, two more flew toward the area where the guard could've dodged.
"Not bad, but not enough!" The guard raised her hand and deflected the arrow with her armored gauntlet.
"I anticipated that you would likely evade the first arrow and released two more after it. I desire you more and more!"
"Eww, what a creep! If you want something so badly, then fight for it!"
"Alright, then it's my turn!" The guard aimed her weapons at Miriam and fired. Two arrows shot forward initially, but they were followed by a hailstorm of twenty arrows that rained down on the archer.
"What the hell!" Just in time, Miriam leaped to the ground and rolled under a table. The arrows penetrated the floor and the wall, neatly following the outline of the girl's figure.
"I really wanted to pin you to the wall in an elegant pose. And then a hot night would have awaited us," the guard said with a grin.
"S-s-shut up, you pervert!! I'm not like that! And how can your crossbow shoot so many arrows at once?!"
"Oh, this? All thanks to little Trini. She made me these self-loading crossbows – quite handy. Now reloading takes no time at all, and my accuracy remains unchanged."
"That's so unfair! Fight me like a proper archer!"
"Fair or unfair, I'm also a guardian of the Empire, so I can't lose to a mere student from some foreign academy!" The guard's voice turned incredibly serious.
"Well, to hell with you then! I'll beat you regardless!"
Miriam leaped out from under the table and ran clockwise along the cafeteria wall, releasing four arrows at her opponent as she went.
"Well, if you want a marksmanship competition, I'll give it to you!" The guardswoman also ran along the cafeteria wall, dodging the arrows. However, one still hit her in the side, leaving a deep crack in her armor.
"Your armor isn't as strong as it seems! Except for the helmet, the rest is made of lightweight material."
"What can I do? The Emperor insisted on these anti-magic armors. Although I did ask for lighter material to maintain mobility, and this is the result."
"Well, then I'll keep shooting at you until there's nothing left of that armor," Miriam rubbed her leg slightly; one of the arrows had grazed her, though not too deeply.