Arknightcraft Modpack
Chapter 493: The Royal Guard — Just Passing By
Just as Steven had anticipated, a bit of trouble really did crop up on Alina's side.
First, the Infected patrol squads—who had nearly lost their trail—suddenly closed in again, forcing the entire Infected group to hastily relocate.
Then came the movements of the regular army, which directly tied down Patriot's Shieldguards and Yelena's Yeti Squadron, leaving them with no room to spare.
As for what ultimately drove Alina to make the irrational decision to separate from the Infected group at such a critical moment… that could be traced back to a peculiar group that had appeared within the camp.
A group of people whose bodies were covered in scales like those of reptiles.
More precisely, the real reason lay in the fact that they had somehow kidnapped two students from Alina's class—children who had always been especially diligent in their studies. With just a little coercion and temptation, Alina obediently followed them away from the guerrilla-protected camp, led instead toward a secluded spot they had prepared in advance.
As for the blonde girl who had appeared by Alina's side at some point without anyone noticing, they simply took her along as well. After all, she was just a young girl, how troublesome could she possibly be?
As long as they didn't provoke Patriot, that monster of a man, then with the trump cards the Black Snake had arranged beforehand, this situation was well within their ability to handle.
"Could you release the two children first?" Alina finally spoke once they had nearly completely left the Infected camp behind. "If you're only after me, there's no need to involve them, is there?"
She paused, then added carefully, "Just let the unrelated person beside me escort them back. If I go with you alone, wouldn't that make things more convenient for you as well?"
She wasn't just trying to bargain for the safety of the children being held hostage, Alina also didn't want to drag Margaret into this mess.
Even though Margaret had said that protecting her was part of her duty, Alina still tried her best to think of those around her under circumstances like these.
The unfortunate Elafia girl couldn't understand when she had ever attracted the attention of such bizarre people. But one thing she knew for certain—if she continued following them like this, the odds were overwhelmingly against her survival.
The men covered in eerie black serpent scales glanced back, confirming that they had completely left the range of the Infected camp and that no one was pursuing them. Only then did they let out a cold laugh and calmly pronounce the end awaiting the girls.
"…Do you really think you still have the right to negotiate with us?" one of the men sneered coldly. "Their fate was sealed the moment they were taken. And as for you, there's no longer any chance of escape."
As members of the Black Snake's Serpent Scales, their orders were simple—
Lure Alina out of the camp.
And then, in the most brutal way possible, deliver a fatal blow.
Preferably one that ensured she would only truly die… when the time was right.
As for the others who had been dragged into this mess—those people were nothing more than expendables in their eyes. From the very beginning, the Serpent Scales had never intended to let any bystanders live.
They hoisted up the two unconscious children without hesitation. Now that the children had lost all practical value, their final use was painfully clear—to crush Alina's will.
After all, when it came to breaking someone, physical pain paled in comparison to mental torment.
And for a girl like Alina, someone who treasured the people around her more than anything else, killing innocent lives right in front of her eyes was one of the most devastating blows imaginable.
Unfortunately for them, before the Serpent Scales could drag their blades across the children's throats, an overwhelming chill seized their bodies.
Out of nowhere, clusters of ice crystals bloomed into existence, instantly freezing the two would-be executioners solid. Control over their bodies—and even their body heat—vanished in an instant, leaving behind only endless darkness.
On the snowfield before them, a rabbit-eared girl in a white coat slowly stepped forward.
Frost gathered around her, and merely meeting her gaze felt as though one's eyes might freeze over on the spot.
"Damn it, wasn't she supposed to be tied down on the front lines, dealing with the Infected patrols?" one of the remaining Serpent Scales cursed.
Of course they recognized the girl who had suddenly appeared.
The Princess of the Snowfields—her reputation was only slightly less fearsome than Patriot's. And yet, her presence here was completely outside their plans.
"My apologies," Yelena said coolly, her voice as cold and piercing as the ice at her side. "Someone specifically asked me to keep an eye on her. If that happens to interfere with your plans, then I sincerely apologize."
Despite the polite wording, her tone left no room for refusal.
She raised a slender finger and pointed directly at Alina, making her intentions unmistakably clear.
"Could you return her to me?"
Steven had personally emphasized that Alina was someone to watch over. Yelena had naturally taken that request to heart. The moment the unrest began, she had deliberately kept part of her attention on Alina—and, just as expected, she caught sight of these people attempting to harm her.
As for handling the Infected patrols, with her dad present—and supported by the Shieldguards and her Yeti Squadron—freeing herself from the front lines was hardly difficult.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible," one of the Serpent Scales replied coldly. "And besides, we did account for this possibility of someone like you interfering…"
This turn of events was unexpected, but not entirely outside Black Snake's calculations. With the old serpent's cunning mind, there was no way he would rely on only a single layer of preparation.
They completely ignored their companions who had already become ice statues, and spared no concern for the two unconscious children. Instead, they turned toward the snowfield behind them.
One of them pulled out a strange whistle and blew into it.
Without hesitation, they regrouped around Alina, positioning her as their most crucial hostage.
Moments later, a terrifying pressure rolled in from the depths of the snowfield behind them.
Black snow began to fall, staining the sky itself.
Yelena was all too familiar with this sight.
And precisely because of that, her brows knitted tightly as she looked toward the three black-clad figures gradually emerging from the snowstorm.
The Emperor's Blades appeared like silent wraiths. Even without making a single move, their mere presence was enough to quiet everyone present and draw all eyes toward them.
In an instant, the entire snowfield fell silent—save for the hoarse, mechanical breathing leaking from their respirators.
"…It is time to fulfill the agreement with our master, honored Royal Guards," one of the Serpent Scales finally broke the silence, addressing the three directly.
Yelena frowned deeply as she stared at them. Three Emperor's Blades was a lineup that even her father would consider troublesome. Facing them alone meant only one outcome: defeat.
And yet, she had promised Steven.
If she abandoned Alina here, she knew she would never be able to face him again.
So even as she steeled herself, Yelena remained where she stood, watching the three figures with unwavering vigilance.
At this point, all she could hope for was that her father would sense their presence—or for Steven to arrive in time. Otherwise, against three Emperor's Blades, she truly had no idea how she could win.
What happened next, however, completely exceeded everyone's expectations.
At first, when the Royal Guards heard the Serpent Scales' request, they did glance toward Yelena and the others. They were well aware of her identity—and since she stood on the opposing side, eliminating her in advance would hardly be an inconvenience for the Empire.
But the moment they noticed Alina, who was still being restrained by the Serpent Scales, the three Royal Guards fell into silence.
Even the constant hiss of their respirators paused.
After exchanging brief glances with one another, they nodded, and right in front of everyone's stunned eyes, turned around and walked away, their figures once more swallowed by the howling, freezing wind.
They had arrived without a sound. And they left just as inexplicably.
Whether it was Yelena—who had been prepared to buy time until reinforcements arrived—or the Serpent Scales who had summoned them as part of a deal, all of them were plunged into deep confusion by this baffling turn of events.
Why did they just leave without saying a word?
Did they think this was some casual errand? The people standing here were enemies of the entire Ursus Empire, Yelena herself was a top-priority terrorist. How could they possibly just let her go?
For a moment, the Serpent Scales even began to wonder if they had somehow summoned fake Emperor's Blades.
This absurd scene left them utterly unable to comprehend what was happening.
But soon enough, Yelena was the first to recover.
"…So," she said slowly, eyes sharp as ice, "does that mean we can continue now?"
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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