BLOODY LOVE'S
Episode 227's
Almost all Argent workers were needed by Marco, so Jose could only give Maria one guard. Even so, Pete was still one of the strongest. The man was not as big as Gerald or Hans, but his loyalty was the same as theirs. With the bells of the town hall chiming in, strange rolls of clouds waiting to the east, and now dozens of mercenaries sword-clad around him, he was not at all daunted. His master asked him to protect Maria Garnet until she reached the South and that is what she would do. It made no difference even if the one in the way was one person or a hundred demons. He won't run away.
Pete broke up the first line to attack him with one big slash. Gosh, too big, he thought, draining energy. But the first attack is decisive. He has to show dominance, so Pete doesn't regret it.
There were more paid people emerging from behind the alley. They are not all from Bjork. Pete doesn't know a single one. Those people carried short swords like him as well as long spears.
While slashing and banging the opponent's head on the head of his other assailant, Pete circulated his gaze, thankful he didn't see any arrows or firearms. Both weapons would be troublesome
For the first ten minutes, Pete was still confident he could fulfill his duties. But in the second half he began to get overwhelmed. His stamina drained quickly and his breathing began to run out. The opponent does not seem to decrease. Pete knew that to win, he simply ran towards the leader of these men, at the reddish-haired woman wearing black wool far back there. He could reach there if he ran as hard as he could without thinking of an attack, but that would put the carriage he was protecting in danger. No one can help him. Sais the train is dead. His body lay still with a dagger stuck in his chest.
All right, I'm risking everything!
Metal clanging kedas. Pete fended off the sword aimed at his neck, threw the weapon far back and slit the master of the sword. His eyes moved quickly looking for gaps in each stalk. If he sacrificed himself, he believed he could run faster and kill the woman or at least force the troops to retreat.
Not a few Argent workers were submissive to Marco for being indebted, but Pete followed the man purely for liking him. He gets a place to sleep, good food, good pay, fun friends, and tasks that often stimulate adrenaline. For Pete it's all pretty good stuff to trade for his life. Pete prefers a short, meaningful life to a long, boring life. He would rather die while doing his duty than die helplessly from pain in bed. He's such a simple guy. That's why he will risk it all this time in one action.
Pete took a deep breath, making a determination. He has cleared the distance. There are no enemies around the train. Pete was just about to run away when he heard the familiar clack sound. His heart stopped beating. His head was stung by the heat of tension. He turned his sword a little, using it to grip the back.
As he feared, the door of the train was open. Maria stepped down from there in complete tranquility as if she had just decided to stop to enjoy the beauty of the city.
"Miss, get back in the car!" Pete did not look. His blood-soaked sword was thrust forward, towards the approaching mercenaries. He was a little annoyed because his plan was interrupted. "Don't bother me!"
Maria glanced at him coldly through the tails of her eyes, leaving Pete somehow overwhelmed with horror as if he had just acted presumptuously at Marco. Unknowingly, the man whispered an apology.
"Flora Spencer, pull your men. This bloodshed is unnecessary!" Maria exclaims. The girl walked with impeccably graceful steps past the sword-wielding assassins, not turning her head in the slightest as if not looking at them. His blue eyes looked straight ahead, towards Flora who was fixated on the spot in shock.
The one thing Flora wanted was to survive. Class differences in Bjork may not be too pronounced because of the dominance of Marco Argent who seemed to overcome all the nobles and make his own rules. The bouncers are even more respected by the community than noble children. But outside of Bjork, in Albion in general, status affects everything. No matter how honorable and successful Flora was, she still had to bow down when talking to the poor lord or lady who did not know the custom to save her head.
Safety. That was why he was chasing after Jose Argent, a descendant of nobility whom he thought was a spoiled brat. Just show a little excess fat on the hips or chest, men will definitely lose their sanity. The trick failed to ensnare Jose, but luckily it worked for Arthur Spencer. Flora managed to secure her status. He thought his life would be happy and he would be prized without worrying about anything, but he was wrong. Arthur plays with fire and the man loses.
The news of his death hit Flora so hard that she was confused all morning. He didn't expect Argent to be that close. He did not know where they had gone wrong and what they should have improved, but there was no time for contemplation. He must survive. The key to his safety was now in front of him, right in front of him, approaching with naive volunteerism— was too naive to make him suspicious. Flora moved a finger, making her mercenaries swiftly move around snuggling Pete as well as the two maids in the carriage.
Maria did not turn her head in the slightest, making Flora frown. Is he still Garnet or is he someone else?
"You know what we're dealing with, right?" Maria asked with her distinctive sweet voice like the ringing of bells. "Do you think it's the right time to kill each other?"
"Of course I know, honey." Flora grimaces. It was still the haughty and naive Mary. "Calm down, I don't want to kill you. As long as you cooperate, I'll treat you well." The girl must have thought words would make her change her mind. Or the girl just stall for time until help comes along. "You think I don't know that we're being chased by demons?"
Maria raised her eyebrows. "So you know? Sir William is our opponent now! We have to take cover first, any quarrel we can take care of once this is over!"
Flora rolled her eyeballs and pursed her lips in a scornful style. "I knew that Sir William wanted to revive his girlfriend using your body. To do that, a golden talisman that was a re-mix of King Solomon's ring was needed. When the shadow of the eclipse will fall to Bjork, the ceremony can be done. Just like King Solomon, the talisman owner will be able to open a portal to heaven, making a pact with the Creator. I know everything, honey!"
"I knew that the necklace was already in his hands." Flora cuts, moves forward to pick up Maria. His lips formed a fox-like grin. "But you're here." He grabbed Maria's wrist, enjoying the sound of the girl's startled squeal. The girl's arm was twisted cruelly. "I can trade you for her necklace during an eclipse and make a pact with God" she whispered lowly.
"Aw ... hurts!"
"You think I don't know anything, honey? You know nothing, Garnet. Argent killed my husband" Flora continued to growl. He shook Mary's arm until the girl screamed. "If you're useless, this pretty neck of yours must've been slit all along!"
Maria tries to break free, but the girl's energy is as strong as a baby cat's. Flora laughed mockingly and tightened the gyrations. "I didn't grow up in a flower garden like you, Garnet. Now you realize your blue blood can't help?"
Maria gritted her teeth, looking at him with a frozen fury. Flora knew she had won. With Maria in his hands, not even Argent would possibly dare to carelessly move. He turned his gaze, looked towards his mercenaries to signal his retreat. But before he could speak, something cold stuck under his jaw. It was cold metal, but not a sword.
There was a faint little clicking sound. Then she saw Mary smiling at him. Before Flora could be fully aware of what was happening, Maria turned back her arms with shocking force and in the same second pulled them tight until their bodies hit each other. The girl's lips stuck to her ears, whispering quickly, "I know Jacob killed your husband, I know you didn't grow up in a flower garden like me, and I'm not your darling!"
One point of sweat rolling on the temples of Flora. He jerked himself to retreat, but it was too late. His ears heard the sound of a firecracker explosion. Fireworks appeared grandly in front of his two eyes. The red fireworks.
Then everything went dark.
The best time to counterattack is when the opponent thinks he has us.
Mary remembers Marco's teachings. His eyes stared pushyly at Flora's body which paled rapidly. The process of death turned out to be faster than he thought.
Maria was stunned for a moment. He thought shooting someone else would make him feel guilty or perhaps satisfied. But after doing so, what he felt were not those two things. It just feels empty. The smell of gunpowder filled the air around him and his wrist ached from the jolt of gunfire.
Everything must have equal reciprocity. But what is equality? How's the unit measure? Is one king's life the equivalent of eight pawns and seven aristocrats? Or can one life remain in exchange for only one life without caring who the owner is? Is a ton of wheat equivalent to a ton of cotton because it is equal to a ton?
Maria found that answer now, while staring at Flora's lifeless body. The law of transmutation is indiscriminate. One human life can only be exchanged for one life, but opening the exchange gate obviously costs money, it takes rewards. That is why Sir William had to shed so much blood. The blood of those missing is the cost of locking up Bjork. And the whole Bjork will be used as a charge to activate the magic cluster to open the portal to another world. At that time, one life will be replaced by one life. His life with Arabella.
Maria inhaled a lot of oxygen, then turned towards the mercenaries who were looking at her dumbfounded. Their swords were still unsheathed, but the tip had already descended to the ground.
"The one who paid you is dead!" Mary cried out loudly. The end of his sentence broke trembling, but instead made a dramatic effect. He lifted a finger into the sky east of Bjork. "See that! Look at it carefully and save yourself! Go all in before it's too late! Go!"
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