Whenever I moved in close, the bandits' heads dropped from their shoulders before they even realized what happened. Blood sprayed in every direction, painting the air with red. One by one, they fell—most never even saw me coming. Some died without realizing their heads had already been severed.
By the time the last bandit hit the ground, the forest fell silent. It had all happened so fast that the remaining knights and the maids were frozen their place, too stunned to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
I ignored their stares. With a flick of my wrists, I swung both blades to cast off the filthy blood, then dismissed them into dark mist that dissolved into the air.
My gaze shifted to Princess Clarice. She had been stunned moments ago, but now her wide eyes were locked onto me. Her body trembled, her breath shaky.
She was probably terrified, not just of what had happened, but of me as well, after witnessing what I did. I scanned the area to make sure everyone was safe before turning back toward the forest.
But just as I was about to leave, she called out to me.
"E… Excuse me… Sir in the black mask."
Her voice trembled. It was the same voice I would hear years later when we met for the first time, gentle and soothing. But now, it was laced with fear and confusion. It felt like the worst possible moment for us to meet again.
I stopped and slowly turned to face her.
Four of the remaining knights rushed to shield the princess. Some of them were wounded, but their determination was clear. Behind her, the five maids gathered to check on her well-being. But even in that moment, Princess Clarice didn't seem worried for herself, she was worried for them.
She was so kind and divine.
After briefly checking on her subordinates, Princess Clarice quickly turned her gaze back to me and called out to the knights.
"It's alright… that man saved us."
The moment they heard her voice, the knights visibly relaxed, slowly lowering their weapons. A sense of relief washed over them, and the heavy tension in the air began to ease.
I stood at a distance, quietly watching them.
"Princess, don't!"
"Please, stay back!"
The maids cried out the moment Princess Clarice began walking toward me. Despite their pleas, she looked calm—almost content—as she slowly approached. The five maids followed hesitantly behind her, and the remaining knights moved cautiously as well, keeping their distance but staying close to protect her.
When she reached me, she quickly bowed her head. The maids and knights were stunned by the sight.
"Princess, please—you don't have to!"
"Yes, Your Highness, this isn't proper!"
Their voices trembled with disbelief. I understood their reactions. As a princess of the kingdom, lowering your head to someone of lower status, even a savior was unthinkable. It went against the image of royalty. If anyone from the nobility saw this, it could spark backlash. Yet, here she was, humbling herself before me.
"Thank you for saving us, Sir Black Mask," she said softly.
Her voice was gentle, yet I could still sense the fear behind it. She kept her head bowed, waiting quietly for my response.
Behind her, the maids and knights followed suit. One by one, they lowered their heads and bowed deeply toward me. Their bodies trembled slightly, not just from fear, but from the overwhelming relief of surviving.
I took a step forward.
"Please… raise your heads. I didn't save you for gratitude."
Princess Clarice slowly looked up first, her blue eyes still wide but softer now. The maids and knights followed her lead, raising their heads respectfully.
"I see… but you did save our lives," she said warmly. "Would you mind telling us your name? We would gladly reward you for what you've done. And… if it's not too much trouble, would you accompany us to Lindow? It would ease our minds to have you with us."
She spoke casually, without hesitation, as if trusting me despite having only just met. Her calmness was surprising.
"Princess, please reconsider…"
A soft voice interrupted. It came from a young maid with short brown hair and delicate features—her face both pretty and concerned. She spoke with a familiarity that suggested she and the princess were close.
"It's alright, Lily," Princess Clarice replied gently. "If he meant to harm us, he would've done so already."
What she said was true, I wasn't a bad person. Still, I hesitated. Should I tell her who I really was?
It felt safer to keep my identity and power hidden, at least for now.
Coincidentally, Lindow was also my destination. It was the largest town in Westfield, and the duke's estate was located just outside it. Traveling with her could be useful, especially if we were headed in the same direction.
But that raised another question—why was Princess Clarice going to Lindow?
I straightened my back and spoke gently.
"I'm also on my way to Lindow."
Her eyes widened with surprise, and she clasped her hands together in relief.
"Then… it would truly put my heart at ease if you could travel with us," she said softly.
The remaining knights quickly buried their fallen comrades, while the maids assisted in tending to their injuries. Once the burial was done, Princess Clarice stepped forward and knelt beside the graves, offering a silent prayer. Her posture was gentle and graceful.
I stood nearby, watching the scene unfold. Then a familiar voice snapped at me, laced with irritation.
It was Lily.
She crossed her arms and frowned before speaking sharply.
"I don't know who you are, but you did save us. Still, you should at least remove your mask in front of the Crown Princess, hmm?"
She turned her head away with a slight huff and walked back toward the princess. Crown Princess? Her words struck me like lightning.
I froze. What did she just say?
I had never heard this before. In the future, I was sure Rosabella was the Crown Princess. Did something change ? Or is it something that I didn't know ?
Without thinking, I stepped forward and gently grabbed Lily by the shoulders.
"Ah—! Kya!" she yelped, startled.
"Is she really the Crown Princess?"
Lily's body tensed, her eyes wide in surprise. Realizing how sudden and intense I was, I immediately let go and took a step back.
"I'm sorry," I said quietly.
But then, something changed in her expression.
Her eyes grew cold, sharp like a blade. The kindness in her face vanished, replaced by the chilling aura of someone who had seen blood.
"Why do you want to know? As a Shadow, you shouldn't question the client,"
She said coldly.
That word, 'Shadow' sent a chill down my spine. It was an alias used within Twilight, an underground organization of elite assassins who wielded dark magic with high training skilled. I had encountered them once during a joint investigation into the demon realm. They wore black robes, concealed their identities, and moved like phantoms in the dark.
Among themselves, they referred to one another as "Shadow."
She must have mistaken me for one of them, because of the black robe, the mask, and the way I conjured my blades using dark magic. My power may have been different, but it closely resembled theirs.
"I can't believe they didn't trust my abilities and sent someone else to assist me," she said with clear displeasure, resting her hand on her hip.
Then she leaned in closer, pointing a finger at me.
"Even without you, I would have protected the princess on my own!"
Her voice was sharp.
Before I could try to explain myself, a soft voice called out, accompanied by a gentle wave.
"Lily, Mr. Black Mask… let's continue on to our destination,"
Princess Clarice said with a calm smile.
Lily's expression instantly shifted in a way that caught me off guard. She reverted to the sweet, pretty maid persona like flipping a switch.
"Y-Yes, Princess! We're coming!" she replied cheerfully.
But just before turning away, she shot me a cold glare.
"Don't you dare ruin my task," she muttered under her breath.
Then, with a bright and innocent smile plastered back onto her face, she turned and followed after the princess.
I let out a small sigh. Somehow, I felt like I had just picked up another problem.