The Genius Son-in-law of the Swordmaster Household—Blessed by Authority Chapter 84

Deserted Island Survival (3)

― Rustle! Rustle! Rustle-rustle!

"Hehehe..."

"Kukuku..."

The sinister laughter of Hector's gang as they slowly approached.

The clubs and sharp stones in their hands gleamed ominously in the shade.

"Ugh...!"

Sophia gritted her teeth, clutching the purple herb tightly in her hand.

She hurriedly looked around, but found no gap through which she could escape.

"Oh? You even brought an elixir. Sophia."

Hector licked his lips as he eyed the purple herb.

Greed blazed in both his eyes.

"Hand that over, for starters."

The elixir was worth points.

He planned to beat Sophia to a pulp soon, but it would be a problem if the elixir got damaged.

"No way!"

Of course, there was no way Sophia would hand over the purple herb willingly.

Glaring fiercely, she tucked the herb into her bosom.

"This is for Young Master Ian!"

"...?"

― Crack!

At the mention of that annoying gray-head, Hector's brow contorted violently.

"You'd better start acting a little smarter, Sophia. I'm giving you a chance here. If you listen well, maybe we'll just let you go?"

Of course, this was a lie.

Even if Sophia got down on her knees and begged for her life, Hector had no intention of letting her go.

'I've been waiting for this moment for so long. I'm going to end things once and for all today.'

It wasn't that he held any personal grudge against Sophia.

But to her close friend, Ian, he owed a debt.

During the entrance examination, Ian had disgraced Hector miserably in front of everyone.

Because of that bastard, everything Hector had prepared for that day went up in smoke, his grades were ruined, and, back home, he became the laughingstock of his brother and father.

He was determined to repay that debt right here.

He wanted to make sure that Ian would never dare stand up to him again, would fear Hector and offer up everything of his own accord.

He would show Ian—plainly—just what he was capable of.

'First, let's secure Sophia.'

He planned to use her as a hostage and threaten Ian.

Surrender quietly and obey our demands, or else I break Sophia's fingers one by one.

From months of observing Ian and Sophia, Hector knew that the two cared for each other deeply, so Ian would have no choice but to yield to Hector's demands.

'And if Ian surrenders? Then it's over. All I have to do is enjoy it.'

If Ian surrendered, Hector was going to tie him to a tree and torture him.

Fingers, teeth, forearms, legs, eyes—which could leave permanent damage—and even the mana circuit.

He would break, tear, stab, and crush.

After making a complete mess of Ian—

He planned to ruin Sophia in front of Ian's very eyes.

Utterly shattering both his body and mind so that he'd never even dream of resisting again.

'And the finale. At the very end...'

He will force Ian to draw out his aura, making him fail the test.

Any student who used aura in this test would lose a whopping 5,000 points from their individual score.

5,000 points was practically a guaranteed fail at the Sword Dragon Hall.

This was the perfect opportunity for Hector to get his revenge for the entrance exam, disgrace that detestable gray-haired bastard, and even expel him from the Sword Dragon Hall.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to release all his pent-up grievances at once.

'Bribing the instructors went smoothly, too.'

The instructors supervising this area would turn a blind eye to Hector's torture.

He had used the influence of the Goldhound family to bribe them as well.

He had already instructed them not to intervene under any circumstances, no matter what happened here.

'Ian Greysel... I don't care if you're favored by the Heavenly Sword Lord or if you're a genius who overwhelms Yuria—I couldn't care less about that.'

Anyone who opposed him was simply an enemy to be utterly crushed.

And the Goldhound family's way was to seize any chance to bite down and finish off their enemies without hesitation.

"I said, hand it over already! Can't you see your situation?"

"Piss off! This belongs to Young Master Ian!"

"..."

Hector closed his mouth, his expression ice-cold.

Sophia only glared back at him with eyes full of hostility.

It looked like this woman had no intention at all of handing over the elixir.

'Even a lowly commoner dares...! To look down on me...?'

A vein bulged from Hector's temple.

"Fine... then try your best not to break it."

Hector gestured.

"Get her."

"Haha!"

"Finally!"

The instant Hector's order rang out, one of his thugs rushed Sophia.

"Die!"

― Swish!

A club flew toward the back of Sophia's head.

"Gasp!"

Sophia barely managed to dodge by ducking her head.

The club swept past her hair with a gust of wind, missing her by a hair's breadth.

"Get lost!"

Sophia twisted her waist, driving an elbow into the thug's exposed side.

"Urgh!"

Having taken a solid hit to the ribs, the thug gasped for breath and staggered.

Sophia didn't miss the opening and followed up with a punch.

Recalling the martial techniques she'd learned from Ian.

A focused blow with her core strength, striking the opponent's chin.

― Whack!

"Gwah!"

With a resounding blow, the thug's head snapped to the side.

― Stagger! Stagger!

― Plop!

After stumbling a few steps, the thug collapsed onto the dirt.

"Whew!"

Sophia let out a short breath and shook off her fist.

It was her first time using that technique in real combat, but it landed far more accurately than expected.

It was the first real payoff from all the training she'd done with Ian.

"W-What...?"

"Timothy went down in one hit...!"

Just moments ago, Hector's gang had been flaunting their bravado, but now their faces froze in shock.

Seeing one of their own fall so easily, they suddenly recoiled in fright, instinctively shrinking back.

'Looks like these guys really underestimated me.'

From their expressions, they hadn't expected Sophia to be able to take down one of them so easily.

'I haven't been wasting my time either.'

Ever since joining the Sword Dragon Hall, Sophia had been getting extra lessons from Ian every single day.

With personalized instruction from the top-tier instructor Ian, Sophia had rapidly and efficiently improved, already surpassing beginner-level in most techniques, and she'd always been stronger than her peers to begin with.

'If the rest of them are about the same as him, maybe I can handle two at once...'

But the real problem was the numbers.

'There are too many.'

A total of 12.

After taking one down, 11 remained.

'No matter how I look at it, escaping is the smartest plan right now.'

But still, she saw no way out.

"Y-You bitch! Why are you all just standing there!?"

At that moment, the number two of Hector's gang, Jacob, barked sharply.

"Everyone rush at her together! Don't give her a chance to resist! Just smash her!"

"Yeah! Yeah!"

"Go for the head!"

"Just beat her anywhere!"

Hector's gang charged from all directions at once.

"Kh...!"

Sophia clenched her fists and took a guard stance, grinding her teeth.

'I'm screwed!'

This was a situation that couldn't be overcome by willpower or endurance alone.

But even so—

'I'll at least take three of them with me!'

She couldn't just surrender to this rabble trying to steal the purple herb meant for Young Master Ian.

Just as she resolved herself and swung her fist at her assailants—

"Stoppppp—!!!"

A booming, dignified voice thundered from above, in the trees.

"Ugh!?"

"What the—!?"

The voice was so loud everyone's bodies froze for a moment.

Everyone unconsciously looked up at the trees.

― Rustle! Rustle!

"Hmph! You insolent fools! Do you know who you're trying to mess with?!"

Brilliant golden hair fluttered in the wind. Eyes full of overwhelming force.

The fifth child and third daughter of the Heavenly Sword Lord.

Charlotte Hisperion.

Arms crossed loftily, she looked down on Hector's gang.

"Ugh...!"

"W-What the...!"

Hector's gang looked up at Charlotte, their faces ashen.

To discover that not only did Sophia possess unexpected skill, but now even a direct descendant of the Heavenly Sword Lord was showing up.

― Rustle! Rustle!

"You riff-raff! If any of you move another step, I'll kill you!"

Charlotte radiated a presence worthy of a direct descendant of the Heavenly Sword Lord—brimming with authority.

With her arms folded proudly, she appeared like the very master of the forest.

"Ugh...!"

Intimidated, Hector's minions hesitated, not knowing what to do.

"L-Lady Charlotte!"

Sophia called out, her voice laced with relief.

"Sophia! You can relax now!"

Charlotte jumped down from the tree.

She landed right in front of Sophia.

Standing protectively in front of Sophia, she declared,

"How dare you touch my friend? And with several men against a woman?! Have you no shame?!"

"M-Milady...!"

"Haa... Lady Charlotte."

Hector stepped forward, rubbing his forehead.

"I didn't expect you to get involved."

His voice was steeped in mockery.

"I heard you've been doing servile tasks at Ian's estate. Haha. Seems you're really cut out for it, even playing bodyguard for commoners."

"... Are you trying to insult me?"

"Pardon?"

Hector's mocking sneer deepened.

"Of course. It's rather pathetic to see, you know. Have you forgotten your station as a direct descendant? Looks like you've pledged yourself to Ian? You're practically his knight! Quite fitting, Dame Charlotte."

"Kh...! You bastard!!"

"There's no reason for you all to be nervous,"

Hector addressed his gang.

"This woman was kicked out of the annex anyway. All we have to do is teach her a lesson and drive her away."

"You bastard...!"

A chill swept across Charlotte's eyes.

"Then show me what you've got!"

― Zing!

In an instant, Charlotte charged Hector.

"...!"

As expected of a direct Hisperion line with Heavenly Blood coursing through her veins, her speed was sharp and fast.

The speed unleashed from those superhuman muscles was like an arrow.

"Gh...!?"

Hector hurriedly swung his club, but Charlotte was already within his guard.

― Thud!

Charlotte's fist landed deep in Hector's abdomen.

"Guh!"

Hector bent over with a gasp.

It didn't feel like a punch but like he'd been stabbed with an awl.

Without pausing, Charlotte kneed him in the chin.

― Crack!

"Guk!"

Hector's head snapped back.

The world spun as if struck by a hammer.

Hector staggered—

― Thump!

—and landed on his backside.

Blood dripped from the corner of Hector's lips.

"Kh, khh...! You bitch...!"

"What, that's all you've got?"

Charlotte covered her mouth, laughing coldly.

"Where did all that bravado from earlier go? Isn't this disgraceful for the Goldhound family? Puhuhu!"

"Y-You...!"

Hector glared at her murderously, struggling to his feet.

But Charlotte was already moving on to her next attack.

― Swish!

She grabbed Hector by the collar, twisted, and smashed him to the ground.

― Thud!

"Argh!"

Hector crashed into the dirt. His cronies recoiled in shock.

"W-What...!"

"Even young master Hector went down that easily...?!"

Sophia stared at Charlotte, eyes wide with disbelief.

'Miss Lottie is this strong!?'

It was the first time Sophia saw Charlotte like this—so overwhelmingly dominant.

Back at Lunabreeze, she'd never had the chance to witness Charlotte's full strength.

Even during the occasional practice at Sword Dragon Hall, Charlotte had never gone all out.

The moment Charlotte got riled up by Hector's provocation, Sophia had tried to jump in as well, but seeing Charlotte's display, she felt she'd only get in the way.

"Keep strutting, Hector. Hm? Go on, let's see more."

Charlotte looked down at Hector and raised her fist again.

Just as she was about to finish Hector off with a final blow—

"You bitch—!!!"

― Fwoooosh!!

Golden light exploded from Hector's body.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Lottie redeemed herself a bit...

She might have instinctively known that she has to protect Sophia if she want to get on Ian's good graces..

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】