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The guards were pale, worried for the man while trying to take down Popotwise.
Somehow, they were attacking their allies and protecting the enemy.
That finally made sense when Mira looked at the assassin, and she had to run up to the guards to explain the situation.

“All of you, you’ve got this wrong, the owl isn’t the enemy, she’s my summon!”

She addressed the guards there. They were all part of the same unit, wearing identical badges, and one of them, older than the rest and carrying a silver arm band, turned to reply.

“Ohh, you’re Lady Alma’s guest.”

Everyone in the palace knew about Mira by now, seeing her like a guest of honor, so he was respectful when addressing her, even if he kept his combat stance.

“Yes yes, but look over there, the enemy is that man pretending to be a guard!”

Mira redirected his attention to the assassin, who at some point had changed into the same armor as the other guards.
In other words, those who did not know the situation could only see Popotwise attacking one of their fellow guards.
The assassin had likely wanted to use that disguise to sneak out undetected from the palace, showing just how shrewd his plan was.

“Wait, are you sure about that?!”

Hearing that, the guards looked at the intruder.
In response, he raised his voice exclaiming, “Why are you standing there?! Don’t listen to her! Just help me already!”
The guards looked at each other, unsure of what to do, until finally Noin arrived there as well.

“I see, so he decided to disguise himself as one of us. Either way, he’s still here so that’s good.”

While the man constantly tried to get away, Popotwise managed to keep him there. Noin could see that, together with the continuing explosions.
At the same time, his words dispelled any doubt the guards had, knowing instantly that the enemy was not Popotwise but the other man.

Nirvana’s Twelve Apostles were highly trusted, which Mira appreciated, while also condemning the guards for doubting someone as cute as her Popot like that.
But she tried to not let it show, simply gloating, “Of course, my Popot is the best after all.”

“So an Apostle got here too, I guess it won’t be that easy.”

Deciding it was finally time to start fighting back, the assassin took off his helmet and threw it at Popotwise.

“Careful with that!”

It had looked like an act out of annoyance, but there was plenty of momentum in that throw, as it loudly cut through the air before becoming stuck on the walls surrounding the training grounds.

Those walls had been built to withstand a good amount of damage, but the helmet was still firmly lodged into it, which would be impressive enough for a javelin.
If Popotwise was just slightly less agile in the air, she would have been struck and taken out by it alone.

That, and the fact that he had gotten to Jorg’s cell, showed just how skilled that assassin was.
The guards also became nervous, fearing being struck by such attacks. Only two people there seemed unmoved by that attack.

“You know, it’ll be far less painful if you just surrender.”

Stepping forward, Noin announced that, while letting Popotwise stand back a bit. Seeing that paladin, with a huge shield and a spear, instantly calmed the other guards, making them feel safe.
They knew no harm would come to them as long as they remained behind Noin.

“Not like you can get away now that both of us are here.”

Mira also jumped forward, puffing her chest as she declared that.

“Mira, it’s safer if you stay behind…!”

Now the guards had something else to worry about. Compared to Noin, Mira just looked like a small frail girl, who carelessly walked past Noin. Their leader could not stop himself from raising his voice, already imagining her being struck.

And surely enough, the assassin also had the same idea, taking off his gauntlet and throwing it. But instead of the squelch of bones shattering, a violent metallic clang rang out.

Mira had used partial summoning, stacking two tower shields in front of her to block the thrown gauntlet. She had used two just to be safe, but just one turned out to be enough.

Once the shields vanished, the gauntlet dropped to the ground, mangled beyond recognition.

“Don’t worry about me. Just stand back and watch.”

The guards were bewildered, unsure of what had happened, and Mira just smirked as she told them not to worry.

“O-Okay, if you say so.”

Mira spoke with such confidence that the leader of the guards just agreed instinctively, his eyes still open wide in shock.
Even he had been scared when the assassin attacked, but Mira casually blocked it, without even as much as a twitch as she stood with Noin.
Seeing them like that, he realized that somehow she seemed right at home next to one of the Twelve Apostles.

“I must be seeing things.”

The guard leader shook his head, realizing how ridiculous that sounded. It did not matter if Mira was a famous adventurer, the Twelve Apostles stood a step ahead of everyone else in Nirvana. Being part of the army himself, he knew Noin’s strength better than most too.

Matching that kind of strength was no easy feat, and the mere suggestion that some stranger was in the same realm as Noin felt like a foolish thought.
And yet his instincts refused to think otherwise, as he could not argue with Mira anymore.
All he could do was wonder just who this girl really was, watching her from a distance together with his men.