Broken Story: Reborn as a Villainess Author-Chapter 32: Fatal Death [ii]

[Seven Years ago, NightsHollow Island...]

Baron Shen sat in his office, a girl leaning on his lap as he ran his hand through her body causing her to giggle.

A man entered the office, not bothering to knock. He wore a black hood, his face was barely visible even with the sunlight shining down on him.

"Baron, we found an island off the coast of Portwood." He said.

The Baron turned slightly, his playful expression ceasing. He pushed the girl off his lap. "Leave us..."

She scrambled out quickly, picking up her clothes and shutting the door behind her.

"An island you say... Do people live there?" The Baron responded.

"Yes sir, a lot of people take refuge on it."

The Baron wore a smile. "That’s great then... kill them all and take whatever valuable loot they have... we need it to establish our guild."

The hooded man attempted to speak then paused. "All of them sir? T-There are children..."

"So?!" The Baron shunned him. "I don’t care if there are fucking dragons dwelling on that island... I don’t pay you to give a damn! Kill them all!" He shouted loudly.

Across from him, another man sat nonchalantly on a cushion. The hooded man did not notice his presence until now.

"Calm down... Shen." His voice carried weight and power.

Shen fell silent immediately, he dared not speak when "That Man" spoke.

The man took a drag from his smoke, then blew it out into the air, watching as the smoke curled upward, filling the room with a bitter scent. "Urg..." he said after a while. "I can’t decide what to do when kids are involved."

He dropped flat on the cushion with his hat covering his eyes. Then he waved his hand dismissively toward the hooded man. "Do anything of your own accord... Aron." Then he drifted off into a deep slumber.

Upon his words, Aron disappeared into the darkness, he already knew what "That Man" meant.

.

.

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[Present time...]

Blood dripped from Baron Shen’s severed hand. It pooled down his cloth as he stumbled backwards, clutching the wound.

"Argh!" He groaned, raising his head. "Sylvester!"

At the mention of this name, a figure appeared from the shadows. A tall man dressed in a butler uniform knelt in front of the Baron, immediately tending to the wound with a clean cloth he pulled from his pocket.

Nieves just stood still, watching as the butler did what he was instructed to do. Her blade was pointed downward, blood dripped from its edge. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

The butler worked quickly, wrapping the Baron’s hand with precision. The white cloth turned red almost instantly.

He stood up after he finished tending to the wound, turning to face Nieves.

"K-Kill her!" Baron Shen ordered, jabbing his finger toward Nieves. "Kill that bitch!"

"As you wish my lord." The butler loosened his cuffs a bit and rolled his sleeves.

With no warning, he lunged at Nieves, his speed was incomprehensible. In an instant, he appeared in front of Nieves, his hand going for her throat.

However, Nieves did not flinch, she dodged with half a movement, tilting her head just enough to avoid the attack.

The butler’s hand grazed the air where her neck had been. He fought like an assassin, going only for the fatal areas.

She continued the motion to retaliate.

Slice!

The butler barely dodged, the blade scraped his cheek, leaving a thin wound. Blood dripped onto his fine suit.

’She’s good...’ He thought. "Haha, it appears I must be serious with you..." He brought out a staff from beneath his coat, gripping it with both hands, then he twisted the handle.

It unscrewed smoothly, revealing a thin sword.

Nieves didn’t seem fazed by this transformation. Instead, she threw herself forward, launching a series of blows.

Clang Clang!

The butler blocked each one seamlessly, almost effortlessly. Their blades clashed in quick succession, sparks flew with each impact.

The fight with the butler was Nieves’s concern. She launched enough attacks to divert his position from guarding the Baron, then broke away and charged at the Baron himself.

"Sylvester!" Baron Shen’s voice carried fear as he began running the other way.

"Clever girl..." The butler blurred out from his position and reappeared in front of her, blocking her path.

"Tsk." Nieves hopped back, her feet sliding against the gravel.

Throughout the fight, she hadn’t used any magic yet, leading the butler to think she was mocking his strength which made him not use his either. In truth, Nieves had never used magic before, she didn’t know how to... but she had learned something similar from Chiara during their training sessions.

Arcana Energy.

Unlike mages who use it like the flow of water, knights compress it into physical form, sheathing their blades in it. Using it for long range and short ranged attacks.

Nieves closed her eyes. She wrapped her hand around the hilt of her blade, gripping it tightly.

A form of mana began to resonate deep within her core. It was white in color... deeming it as Light affinity.

It responded to her call, her entire blade was shielded and covered in Light Arcana energy.

The butler was impressed, but this was nothing he couldn’t do. He raised his thin blade and did the same thing, cloaking it in dark Arcana Energy.

Swish!

They launched a series of attacks, their blades clashed continuously, creating impact waves.

Trees shattered from aftershock, fountains cracked and exploded, spraying water in every direction.

Everything that stood in the way of the battle was destroyed.

The impacts were too grand for anyone not to notice.

And yet, no one inside the villa came out to check.

The butler found it strange, with all this noise, all this destruction, why hadn’t anyone rushed out from the ballroom?

Clang! Clang!

Nieves pushed him further into the open field, the ground beneath them cracked with each clash. It was painted in the colors of white and black, residue from their Arcana Energies.

Baron Shen hid near the broken fountain, watching nervously. He chuckled, trying to mask his fear as he cheered his butler on. "Sylvester, hurry up and finish her..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a tap came from behind.

He turned to see Acheron wearing a playful smile.

"Hello there, baron... I have been looking all over for you..." She glanced at his severed arm. "Oh my! What happened?"

The Baron could not tell her the truth, that he was cut by a mere girl. No, no, that would tarnish his reputation. Although, she already knew as she was even the one who put up the spell, cloaking whatever they do, blocking people from the outside from seeing or hearing a thing.

"Em... a fall, that’s all." He said quickly, forcing a smile.

Boom!

A loud sound came from behind the sculpted hedges, the ground shook slightly.

Acheron tried to see what was happening, leaning to the side.

The Baron grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Em... it’s nothing, my lady."

"But I heard..."

"I know..." He turned and began walking toward the building, pulling her gently along. "It was my butler tying up loose ends... think nothing of it." He glanced back at her with a smile. "Let’s go have that quiet time inside, Robababa!"

Acheron smiled faintly.

She whispered in a low tone, her lips barely moved. "By the root and stone, land and sea... trade thy place with me."

Clap!

Acheron clapped her hands once, in an instant, positions swapped.

Nieves was mid-air clashing swords with the butler, suddenly found herself standing beside Baron Shen.

Acheron on the other hand, had appeared mid air, directly in front of Sylvester’s descending blade.