Just Tired

Steel wire technique.

This was perhaps the third time she had encountered someone who used it.

For surprise attacks against humans, it was probably the strongest weapon.

Human skin is fragile.

With a surprise attack, even the strongest opponent could be killed before they could protect themselves with magical power.

The wires were so thin they were barely visible without light, had no air resistance, and made sounds too faint for ordinary people to hear.

A master could take off a head with just a twitch of their fingers.

Finn had once tried to learn it herself, but it didn't suit her and she gave up.

However, she didn't regret that decision.

The first steel wire user she encountered was a veteran man.

This was back when the man who had raised her was still alive, and they were working together.

She had nearly been sliced to pieces.

She thought she could defeat him alone now, but at the time she remembered being completely helpless.

The man killed that opponent but was injured protecting her, and that led to his retirement from the business.

In a way, she owed her life to him.

The second was Gloria, the close aide to Emperor Kelves.

Before becoming Emperor Kelves's exclusive aide, she had been a renowned expert in the Kingdom, but since no one who faced her survived, her fighting style had remained unknown for a long time.

That she used steel wire technique to save them during the rescue was actually quite exceptional.

She was genuinely amazed by the skill displayed then.

The steel wires were honed sharp enough to cut skin with a mere touch, yet not a single scratch had been left on their skin.

A person with terrifying skill.

If she ever had to fight Gloria, she probably wouldn't survive.

At best, she might manage to leave a mark.

The best approach was not to become enemies.

Fortunately, Yohane and Emperor Kelves seemed unlikely to become enemies in terms of either interests or convictions.

If push came to shove, she could even abandon the Kingdom and go to the Empire.

And now, standing before her, was the third.

The blind noble boy, Polint.

Creepy, perverted, and utterly abnormal.

However, his skill was definitely the lowest among the three.

If it were the other two, the wires would have been faster, and her head would have fallen the moment her bangs were cut.

If he was thinking of tormenting her, that was just naivety.

Perfect timing. This was a good opportunity to overcome the steel wire technique she once couldn't handle at all.

"This is the first time I've met someone who knows about this. Everyone else died without even noticing, which was boring."

"It's the epitome of first-sight kills, after all. Normally, no one expects invisible steel wires to suddenly come flying at them."

They conversed in the pitch-dark room.

Speaking revealed her location, but the opponent didn't rely on sight and could detect the slightest movement anyway.

If so, it was better to join the conversation and pinpoint his position too.

While slowly moving, she deflected the incoming steel wires with her short sword.

Polint was indeed still immature.

When he moved the steel wires, his body tensed slightly, and the floor creaked for just an instant.

She only needed to determine direction from where that sound came from and guard her vitals.

That said, steel wire technique could equip all fingers with up to ten wires in operation.

If he attacked in waves, regardless of such measures, Finn's body would be reduced to a gruesome state.

But even though the wires were thin and had no air resistance, the strain was high.

At Polint's age, his muscles couldn't handle operating all of them.

This was why Finn had given up on steel wire technique.

She didn't know how many monsters he had killed to gain power, but his first strike had revealed his limits.

The weakness of an immature steel wire user was that their attacks were few, and because they could kill with a single blow, they inevitably aimed for vital spots.

The more immature, the more constrained their thinking.

If it were a short sword, instead of aiming for an instant kill, she could simply make them bleed little by little.

As she deflected the steel wires again and again, his aim gradually became sloppier.

Weapons were very eloquent.

They conveyed the opponent's emotional state all too clearly.

He had probably never struggled against a strong opponent before.

He had basked in the sense of omnipotence typical of children, and his nature had rotted.

His disarming appearance had also helped him believe he was the strongest.

That belief was now crumbling.

Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and she could faintly see his movements.

If she could see his movements, she could read his preparatory motions.

She could handle sloppy aim while yawning.

"Didn't you learn how to structure a fight, boy? Just swinging wires around won't bring your opponent down."

"Shut up!"

The composed smile was long gone.

What remained was anxiety and confusion.

How like a clown, she thought.

The steel wires were swung with brute force.

He had thrown away all restraint and mobilized all his fingers.

But it was clear he couldn't control them properly; more wires flew off in all directions destroying the room than came toward Finn.

Finn pulled out a homemade flare from her pocket and threw it into the middle of the room.

For an instant, the flare illuminated the room, revealing the steel wires and Polint.

That was enough.

She leaped from where she stood and closed in at once.

The steel wires losing control tried to block her, but unfocused wires held no fear.

She evaded by a hair's breadth and arrived before him in an instant.

"Good for you. Plenty of people are waiting for you in hell."

The moment Polint tried to say something, she slashed his throat with her short sword.

Blood sprayed out like a fountain, staining the room.

All humans bleed red, she suddenly thought.

Polint was still breathing, his mouth opening and closing.

Air was escaping from his throat and he couldn't speak.

Even a last word before death would be too good for him.

The job was done. For now, those targeting the princess were gone.

But there was not a shred of accomplishment. She was just tired.

"Now, what should I do about this…"

Achieving the objective was fine, but leaving things as they were would be a problem.

She also needed to leave no traces so as not to cause trouble for Yohane.

Just as she was thinking of burning the place down, she caught a faint smell of soot.

Apparently, Polint's steel wires had flailed wildly and caused lamp oil to leak and catch fire.

Self-inflicted.

She searched for any information before the fire spread.

She didn't find much of use, but she did find one thing: a rosary.

It was a design she'd never seen before. Would Elza know if she asked?

She kicked out a window and went outside.

The mansion was completely engulfed in flames, and people had started gathering.

She hid herself in the night to avoid being seen.