Midnight. The moon shone mildly on the dark sky. But it did little to light up the Wyvian forest. The moonlight can hardly penetrate through the dense and hard leaves of the countless trees of the forest.

Wyvian forest was quite big; the second largest in the entire continent to be precise. Only the Northern wilderness defeated it in terms of size and ‘wildness’. It was shared among three nations- Nemphis, Darkshore and the Empire.

Its name came from the legends. It is said that this forest was once the habitat of Wyverns- the legendary draconian creatures. None knows if it’s the truth or not. But none could argue against the fact that this forest, which was situated at the Southeast of the Kingdom of Nemphis, was really important to the nation and a perfect spot for a jungle stroll.

Just outside the outskirts of the forest, a huge outpost was set up with tents and pavilions. There were quite the few senior instructors and many assistant instructors, busy with their own works, or just dallying around- gossiping.

“Why the hell does she even need a jungle stroll?” Instructor Tirov, the old man who was the instructor of Sirius Blue, asked. “That lass hunted a level 4 Institute student in the Fleeting Lands!” His old creased forehead creased even further.

“I know. But rules are rules.” Abegail sighed. “Even elder sis Emilia had to take part back then.”

“Fuck these rules.” The white haired old man started. “That lass is a gem. And out of all the fucking places, they had to select Wyvian forest.”

“Even I don’t know what the tower masters are thinking.” Abegail dejectedly shook her head. “We can only put our trust in Instructor Hastings.”

The old man turned towards the wilderness to the East.

A man in his late twenties was moving through the forest, jumping from one thick branch to another. Despite not having wind attribute or being an assassin, he was skilled enough to not make a single sound while he moved.

Unbeknownst to all other students participating in the stroll, he was ‘stalking’ one of the participants.

‘I must protect her. I must protect her.’ He was chanting constantly in his mind. She was ‘his’ maid after all.

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and dropped to the ground.

*Whoosh*

No sooner had he jumped from the branch a small dagger darted through where he was just at.

He stabilised himself and got ready for battle. A black silhouette appeared out of the darkness just before him.

“Gree-“

The instructor charged at the newcomer, not giving him any time.

“Tsk.” The black robed, black masked ambusher could only click his tongue as he dodged.

Both of them locked themselves in a battle.

A few dozen meters away from the battle.

Isabella was lying on a thick branch of a big tree, her eyes closed. At a branch nearby, another black robed person came out of nowhere and stood on it.

Isabella had her eyes still closed as she chilled on the leafy branch.

“Isabella Hunt.” A masculine voice entered her ears. She slowly opened her eyes and turned towards the newcomer. She kept lying on the protruded wood, not bothering to sit or stand up.

“I came on behalf of his highness, the crown prince.” The black robed man gently bowed.

Isabella stayed silent, still staring at the covered man with nonchalance in her eyes.

“I bring the future king’s off-“

“Young master’s orders?” For the first time, words left her mouth. But her eyes had the same nonchalance as before.

“Young master?” The man squinted beneath his mask.

“Yes, there is only future king- my young master.” Isabella’s eyes betrayed pride while a proud smile formed on her face.

“Insolence!” He retorted. “Only my liege, the crown prince, is worthy to be the next king of Nemphis.”

Isabella scowled, her lips started trembling from the anger. But she composed herself with a sigh. Her reply- silence.

The man went on. “His highness has declared that she is ready to take you as his fiancée and make you the next queen of this blessed nation.” The man closely looked at her body language, her expressions.

But her reaction, lack of any reaction to be precise, surprised him. Any noble, let alone commoner, would jump with joy and almost lose consciousness if they were to be declared as the next queen of a tier 3 nation. But the average looking commoner stayed indifferent to such a proposal? How?

“Is this it?” She asked. “Is that a better position than being young master’s maid?”

“YOU!”

Comparing the queen of the great kingdom of Nemphis to a maid? That was treason!

“I will give you one final chance to answer- Do. You. Accept. His. Highness’s. Proposal? Yes. Or. No?”

“Nope.” She closed her eyes again.

“YOU!” Her answer did not infuriate him. It was the casual and carefree tone of her answer that did. She did not even bother to think for a second before replying to this enormous offer.

“Good. Good. Good. It’s a shame that the kingdom is going to lose this decade’s tier 5. But oh well, how many geniuses were nipped before they could bud? Not everyone can be the ‘Witch’ to the East and the ‘Brute’ to the West.” He took out his short swords from his sheaths and got ready to charge into her.

*Swish*

*Sphhhlt!*

But before he could take a single step forward, he looked down to where just felt a stinging sensation, a dagger came out of nowhere and pierced into his chest. His eyes widened at the sight of the hilt of a dagger lingering upon his chest. He could barely breathe as he turned back to the lying girl.

He could only see the girl lowering down her raised arm. When did she move? She was an assassin, but he was higher level than her. How come he did not sense any sort of intent from her? And what was with that attack? How could the attack be this sharp and… why was there a corrosion effect?

These were the questions he asked himself as his vision grew blurry and fell down to the solid ground.

“Aaaaaah!”

The disappearance of his magical signature caused a momentary lapse in focus of his partner. But this momentary loss of concentration proved fatal since instructor Hastings thrusted his sword through the ambusher’s heart.

The instructor did not waste anytime and rushed to the spot where Isabella was at.

Isabella, who sensed the movements of instructor Hastings, abruptly opened her eyes. “Shit! I forgot.”

She rolled over to her side and fell down on the ground with a thump. She began to roll on the ground left and right, screaming.

“Aaaaaaah!”

Her shrill screams almost pierced through the heart of the approaching instructor.

“Nonononononono…” He sped up, and soon- he reached his destination.

He did not give a damn about the lying corpse on the ground and rushed towards the ‘rolling’ Isabella.

His clenched heart finally started to beat regularly again as he sighed. Isabella was rolling left and right- to and fro, screaming her lungs out, but her face- was emotionless.

‘At least learn to act.’ He smiled wryly.

Now that she was ‘safe’, he finally looked at the corpse. He approached it and knelt down beside it. He grabbed the mask and pulled it.

But the moment he did, fire set ablaze on the corpse’s face. And in no time, the strong flame spread throughout its body and devoured it hole.

He could only sigh; this trick was not new at all.

He looked back at Isabella who had yet to stop rolling and shrieking, a wry smile again formed on his face.

‘Please stop.’