SUPREME AWAKANED SENSE-Chapter 59: Memories: he asked me to kill you(18)

They quickly headed towards the imperial palace's private quarters. Tilda kept glancing over her shoulder, fearing the assassin's return.

Once they arrived at her personal chambers, Tilda turned to Tiffa. "Tiffa, I think someone is trying to kill me," she told her. "Since we arrived here, I've felt like I'm constantly being watched. At first, I thought it was just palace security, but now, I'm starting to doubt it."

Tiffa looked at her, her face grave. "I think you're right, Tilda. I've noticed strange things too, but I thought it was the effect of the shadows and the Emperor."

"The Emperor's Shadows?"

"Yes. In Kyralia, the rumor is that the Emperor has a secret unit of assassins."

Tilda's eyes widened, fixed on Tiffa. "Assassins?" she whispered, her heart pounding wildly. "Why would the Emperor have assassins?"

Tiffa shrugged, her gaze sweeping the room.

"I don't know, but I've heard they are very powerful and extremely discreet. They are supposedly capable of killing anyone, anywhere, anytime."

A shiver ran down Tilda's spine. She knew she was in danger, but she hadn't realized the magnitude of the threat. She turned to the window, her gaze fixed on the shadows in the room.

"Could the Emperor be trying to eliminate me? But why?" she wondered.

"Nox will know if I'm in danger," she murmured, her heart overflowing with relief. "He will come help us if the situation escalates."

Tiffa nodded, her eyes fixed on the window. "Yes, he will help us. But we must be careful. The Emperor's Shadows are everywhere," she said, displeased that Tilda put so much faith in Nox, a stranger.

Tilda nodded, her gaze still fixed on the window. She knew she had to be ready for anything to survive. She quickly grabbed a blue orb in the room—commonly called the communication orb—then turned to Tiffa, her eyes determined.

"Let's go," she whispered. "We'll go out to find Johan and the other Guardians of Erian. They must be with Nox," she thought.

Just as they were about to step through the door, a shadow reappeared in the room. Standing before them was the assassin who had tried to kill Tilda a little earlier. Without losing a second, he launched a new attack.

Tiffa, faster than Tilda, moved first. She lunged at the assassin, her slim, agile body moving with surprising speed. She intercepted the dagger with her arm, deflecting it just in time away from Tilda.

Tiffa and Tilda moved into a fighting stance, their eyes fixed on the assassin. He looked at them with a smile, his dagger raised.

Tiffa attacked first, her agile body moving quickly. She struck the assassin with a roundhouse kick, but he easily dodged it.

Tilda took advantage to attack, using vine-like plants and brambles to catch him. The assassin dodged, but Tilda continued to intensify her assault.

Tiffa charged again, her fist flying toward the assassin's head. He narrowly dodged it, but Tilda seized the opportunity to strike his flank with the vines, which undulated unnaturally like a snake and hardened according to their manipulator's will.

The assassin winced in pain, but he didn't slow down. He lunged at Tilda, his dagger aimed at her heart.

Tiffa reacted instantly, throwing herself in front of Tilda. She intercepted the dagger, deflecting it just in time. Then, she immediately concentrated mana in her fists before raining blows upon the assassin like a pugilist. The cracking of his bones could be heard.

Tilda took advantage to immobilize the assassin with her vines. The man cried out in pain, his dagger slipping from his hands. He wanted to flee to hide in the shadow, but he could no longer move. Worse, he felt like the vines immobilizing him were absorbing his life energy, making him weaker with each passing second.

Tiffa struck him with a kick that landed on his face, deforming it. Tilda turned to him, her eyes dark, filled with murderous intent.

"Who sent you?" Tilda demanded, her tone cold and determined.

The assassin smiled, his gaze fixed on Tilda. "You'll never know," he whispered before falling silent.

"Oh, really? You think so? You must have a rather high pain tolerance, that's why you feel confident, right?" Tilda asked him with a smile. "Hmm, let's see how long you'll last..."

"Tiffa, let's start. We're going to get the truth out of him," she said, looking at her.

Just as they were about to torture him, another individual surged into the room.

"I didn't know you were so cruel, Princess," he said calmly. "Just kill him. I have the information you're looking for."

Tiffa and Tilda turned to him, surprised. They hadn't heard him enter. Upon seeing him, it was obvious that he was stronger than the previous assassin.

"Don't panic. I am here to help you, at Nox's request."

Tilda and Tiffa turned to the man, their gazes suspicious. Who was he? And how could he have entered the room without them hearing him?

The man approached them, his gaze calm and confident. He was tall and muscular, with eyes that seemed to see right through them.

"Who are you?" Tilda asked, her tone cold.

"My name is Lyra," the man replied. "I'm a friend of Nox. He asked me to come help you."

Tiffa and Tilda exchanged a look, uncertain of what they should do.

"How can we be sure you're really a friend?" Tiffa asked, her gaze fixed on Lyra.

Lyra smiled, his gaze friendly. "Nox gave me a password. He said you would know it."

Tilda and Tiffa looked at each other, then Tilda nodded. "Say it."

Lyra smiled again. "The password is: 'SOS, help me'."

Tilda looked at the man, her gaze relieved. That was the password Nox had given her after their first date. Pleasant memories came back to her mind.

"Very well," Tilda said. "You can help us. But if you betray our trust, you will pay the price."

Lyra nodded, his gaze serious. "I understand. You wanted to know who wanted you dead, didn't you? It's simple: it's your main family. You are something of a thorn in the side of the Emperor of Erian. I am here to help you."

Tilda was shocked by what she had just heard, but she remained calm and composed.

"So, my own family wants to eliminate me."

"Yes, that's right. In the family, only your parents are unaware of their plan," Lyra continued.

Tilda's mood shifted. She was angry. Her father, her mother, and she, all were devoted to the Empire, yet they had scheduled their deaths. The uncle she remembered was so kind. How could he have ordered such a thing?

"I see," she finally replied.

"You surely have other questions, like why they want you gone, but I won't be able to answer them. Nox will answer you when he is here," he said.

"What are we going to do now?" Tiffa asked, still perturbed by all the information she had just received.

"Nothing," Lyra replied. "I told you. I'm here at Nox's request to help you. Do you know what he asked me to do?"

"No," Tilda replied, a little perplexed.

"Well, he asked me to kill you."

...

Jack, who had been left behind as Nox was taken away, already knew the fate that awaited him.

"They're either going to liquidate me or ask me to testify against Nox. What should I do?" he wondered. "Yes, Johan shouldn't have left yet, right?"

Without thinking further, he quickly turned back towards the room where Johan and the other guardians were supposed to be, but he was intercepted by two individuals who had appeared out of nowhere.

"Where are you going, Jack?" one of the individuals asked, his tone threatening.

Jack, though surprised by the men, hesitated to attack them. He wanted to act fragile to make them drop their guard.

"I... I was going to get something," Jack stammered, trying to find an excuse.

The two individuals looked at each other, then one of them smiled. "Ah, that's very interesting. That works out well, let us accompany you."

"Who are you?" Jack asked.

"Guardians. We were sent by Captain Sirius to escort you," they answered in unison.

"Escort?"

A shiver ran down Jack's spine. He knew something was wrong.

"Damn, why did Nox abandon me here?" he swore under his breath. "Should I attack them?"

Jack silently cursed Nox. He had to be fast. These two Guardians, who claimed to be escorting him, clearly had hostile intentions.

"Captain Sirius, right?" Jack asked with a contrite look, scratching his neck. "I need to go to the latrines first, I have an urgent need. You know, the stress..."

One of the Guardians sneered. "That's an old story, friend. You're coming with us, and you're going now!"

Jack sighed, his posture instantly changing. The false look of panic vanished, replaced by cold determination.

"Too bad," Jack said, his eyes focusing. "I would have preferred not to soil the palace floors."

The Guardians sensed the change in atmosphere. The first, the burliest one, drew his sword.

"You're not going anywhere, spy!"

Jack didn't wait. He was surrounded, but he was also the fastest man in his unit. He struck the ground with a force that was not physical, but magical, causing a concentrated shockwave that only affected the first Guardian. The man was thrown against the wall with a dull thud and collapsed, unconscious.

The second Guardian recoiled in surprise, but it was already too late. Jack was behind him in a flash.

"You were looking for the escort, weren't you?" Jack whispered in his ear.