Those words were like a bucket of ice water poured over the soldiers' heads, instantly extinguishing their hesitation.
They exchanged glances, and each saw the same fear reflected in the other's eyes—compared to the legendary Superd race, Ghislaine's wrath was clearly far more unbearable.
"...That's right! Tighten the circle! Restrict her movement! Spears at the ready! Use the spears to pin her down!"
March 7th felt a stir of excitement. Taking advantage of her shrunken size, she lightly tapped her toes against the weeds, moving as swiftly and silently as a ghost toward the source of the noise.
With a nimble leap, she landed steadily on a branch of an old scholar tree. Using the dense foliage as cover, she poked her head out to peer ahead.
Scanning through the layers of greenery, the scene before her came into clear focus.
Dozens of soldiers clad in Greyrat family armor, wielding longswords and spears, were slowly contracting a tight perimeter. Their breastplates glinted with a cold, metallic light under the sun, every step heavy with a sense of oppression.
At the very center of the encirclement, a slender figure was crouched on the ground, clutching her head. Her emerald-green hair, like fresh spring vines, cascaded over her shoulders, making her small, pale face look even more fragile.
Her crimson eyes were filled with cowardice; like a startled fawn, she stared in terror at the encroaching soldiers, her body trembling uncontrollably.
"No... it's not true... I'm not a Superd..."
The girl's voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, thick with a sob. She tried to explain herself with extreme caution, her tone radiating helplessness.
But her weak defense was instantly swallowed by the noisy shouting. Even if some soldiers heard her, they didn't care.
The news of Eris's disappearance weighed on everyone like a massive boulder. Now, stumbling upon a green-haired figure outside the city was the only breakthrough they could grasp—regardless of whether she was truly the culprit, capturing her to report back was better than facing Ghislaine's fury empty-handed.
"This look... Could it be Sylphie?"
March 7th's eyes suddenly lit up. She leaned in closer to take a better look.
The girl's features were unmistakably Sylphiette's, but compared to the snow-white hair from March 7th's memories, this girl's hair was vibrant green. It seemed she hadn't yet experienced the incident that would exhaust her mana.
But looking at her age, she seems more like her grown-up self. In that case, shouldn't her hair be white? Oh, wait... In the original story, her hair color changed because of mana depletion. It looks like she probably hasn't even become a mage yet.
Thinking of this, a sly smile curved the corners of March 7th's mouth, her eyes dancing with excitement. Hehe, looks like this young lady gets to play the hero again! And I can even add a new member to the Main Body's harem while I'm at it. Talk about killing two birds with one stone! Smart as me, March 7th—I'm simply amazing!
Before her thoughts had even finished, she used her size advantage to leap from the branch like an arrow from a bow. She darted through the gaps between the soldiers with fluid grace, charging straight into the center of the encirclement.
In the next second, her body instantly returned to its original size. She blocked the path to Sylphie, hands on her hips, tilting her head up as she glared at the surrounding soldiers. Her voice was crisp and laced with a touch of arrogance. "Hmph! What kind of skill is it for a bunch of grown men to surround one little girl? You guys are out of luck today because you ran into me!"
The soldiers were stunned by the sudden turn of events and came to a halt, their eyes landing on March 7th.
The captain frowned, looking her up and down before barking unpleasantly, "Where did this meddling brat come from? Do you have any idea that the person behind you is a Superd?"
"Exactly!" another soldier chimed in, tightening his grip on his spear and pointing it at March 7th. "She's the culprit who kidnapped Lady Eris! I suggest you be smart and mind your own business. Otherwise, we'll haul you in too, and don't blame us for being rough!"
Hearing this, March 7th's face immediately contorted into an expression of exaggerated shock, her eyes widening into circles. "Whoa! A Superd!"
Seeing this, the captain assumed she was scared. His tone grew more arrogant. "Well? If you know enough to be afraid, then—"
"What on earth is that? Never heard of it!"
March 7th scratched her head, looking completely blank. Her voice was filled with genuine confusion.
"..."
The soldiers' expressions froze. The scene fell into a bizarre silence.
The captain's face turned from green to white; he almost couldn't contain his rage. If you've never heard of it, why did you yell so loudly? Are you playing with us?!
Not just the captain, but the other soldiers were also bewildered. The terrifying reputation of the Superd race was household knowledge across the continent. Even children knew they were the monsters used to scare kids into behaving. How could anyone have never heard of them? Was this brat playing dumb on purpose?
While the soldiers were lost in their suspicion, March 7th had already turned around to look at Sylphie, who was still crouching on the ground.
She softened her tone, her eyes turning much gentler as she asked quietly, "I don't know what a 'Superd' is, but it seems they want to catch you because of it. So, are you really one of those Superds?"
Sylphie looked up, glancing timidly at March 7th. Her eyes were full of both gratitude and unease. She shook her head frantically, her voice still weak but firm. "I... I'm not... I'm just... just an orphan..."
"Did you hear that?!" March 7th immediately spun back around, standing with her hands on her hips as she shouted at the soldiers with total conviction. "She said it herself—she isn't! You guys clearly have the wrong person and you're just making trouble for no reason!"
"She says she isn't, so she isn't?" The captain snapped out of it, his face darkening. His eyes remained fixed on Sylphie's green hair. "With such conspicuous green hair, what other race could it be besides the Superd? Stop talking nonsense!"
"I'll say it one more time: mind your own business!" another soldier said deeply. "If you don't move, we won't be polite anymore!"
They had already wasted too much time. If they didn't catch someone soon, they wouldn't be able to report back. They had no patience left for this squabble.
March 7th's temper flared as well. She tilted her chin up, her tone stubborn. "Hmph! If you won't be polite, then don't! Do you think I'm afraid of you? I'm seeing this through today!"
"No... you can't..."
Seeing the situation escalate, Sylphie scrambled to her feet. Though her legs were still shaking, she gathered the courage to step in front of March 7th, spreading her slender arms to shield her.
Her silhouette was thin but determined, her crimson eyes filled with resolve. "It has nothing to do with her... just take me away... anyway... I've always been alone... if I die... maybe I'll get to see my mother and father again..."
Her voice was thick with despair, as if she were talking to the soldiers and herself at the same time.
Having been an orphan since childhood, she was used to being ostracized and misunderstood. Now, being branded as a member of the infamous Superd race had completely sapped her of the strength to struggle.
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