After their exhilarating duel, Seraphina, still full of energy, turned to Alastor with a mischievous grin. "Since Cedric and I are done, how about we make it a three-way battle?" she suggested, excitement glinting in her eyes.
Cedric immediately waved his hands frantically. "No, no, no! Are you insane? We're already exhausted, and Alastor is still recovering!" he protested, stepping in between them. "We just fought like mad, and you want us to die now?"
Alastor chuckled, siding with Cedric. "I have to agree. You two should rest before you collapse." He gave Seraphina a pointed look. "You're the only one here with unlimited energy. Let's save the fights for another day."
Seraphina pouted, crossing her arms in disappointment. "Fine… but only because you both look like you'll fall over if I so much as sneeze on you."
With that settled, the three retired to Alastor's room for some well-earned rest. Later in the afternoon, the estate was peaceful. Cedric was in the bathroom taking a shower, while Seraphina had gone off to grab some snacks, leaving Alastor alone in the room. He was lying on his bed, flipping through an old book, his eyes scanning the words absently. The atmosphere was quiet and serene.
Then, a strange sensation prickled at his spine.
A flicker of movement in the corner of his vision made him tense. Before he could react, a sharp dagger came flying toward him. Instinct kicked in, and he rolled off the bed, but not before the blade grazed his arm, slicing through his sleeve and drawing blood.
Gritting his teeth at the sudden pain, Alastor quickly scanned the dimly lit room. A shadowy figure stood near the window, clad in black from head to toe, their face obscured by a mask. The assassin had struck again.
Alastor's heart pounded, but his body reacted with calm precision. "Tch. Again? Do these people ever give up?" he muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing at his attacker. He braced himself to counter, but a sharp groan of pain escaped him as the wound on his arm throbbed.
Unfortunately for the assassin, the sound did not go unnoticed.
The bathroom door burst open with a loud crash. "What the hell was that?!" Cedric's voice rang out, full of alarm.
And there he was—soaking wet, completely naked, and very, very angry.
The assassin barely had time to react before Cedric, in all his unclothed glory, charged forward. "You dare attack my friend while I'm washing my damn hair?!" he roared, launching himself at the masked intruder.
The sight was so absurd that Alastor, despite the situation, nearly choked on a laugh. The assassin hesitated for a split second—perhaps in shock at the unexpected naked opponent—but that was all the time Cedric needed. His fists, still burning with remnants of his fiery mana, slammed forward in a powerful punch.
The assassin barely dodged, flipping back toward the window. Seeing that the fight had turned against them, they made a swift escape, vanishing into the twilight just as quickly as they had appeared.
Cedric stood there, panting, his fists still clenched, eyes scanning for any further threats. Alastor, meanwhile, was gripping his injured arm, his expression caught between amusement and pain. "Cedric…" he wheezed, shaking his head. "Put on some damn clothes."
Seraphina, holding a plate of snacks, walked in at that exact moment. She blinked at the scene—the ransacked room, the open window, Alastor's bleeding arm, and, most importantly, Cedric standing buck-naked in the middle of it all.
She raised an eyebrow. "...Did I miss something?"
Cedric, completely unbothered, pointed furiously at Alastor. "HE GOT ATTACKED AGAIN! AND I FOUGHT NAKED!"
Seraphina slowly placed the plate down. "Uh-huh… And you didn't think to grab a towel first?"
Cedric crossed his arms, still very much unclothed. "There was no time! Alastor was in danger! My nudity is irrelevant!"
Seraphina sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is why I should've fought him instead of you."
Alastor just laughed, despite the sting in his arm. At least his life was never boring.