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The situation in the room had devolved into a chaotic melee between the guards and the people dressed as guards and I couldn’t tell where to focus my attention.
On top of that, I had to stay wary of snipers from the windows, so standing still here was dangerous.
Either way, the assassins’ targets were probably Aylia and Shatina.
Especially if they managed to kill Shatina, it would be extremely convenient for the Senate.

The Senate’s initial objective was likely something like this:
First, assassinate the Governor of Zaria, who had been drawing close to the Demon Lord’s Army.
Then pin the disgrace of the murder on me.
Have the governor’s daughter, Shatina, swear revenge against the Demon Lord’s Army.
The Zaria forces would then attack Lüenheit.
However, this plan failed because Shatina realized the truth.

So the Senate switched to Plan B.
Exterminate the bloodline of the Governor of Zaria and blame all of it on me.
Dispatch a new governor of their choosing to Zaria and seize full authority.
The reorganized Zaria forces would attack Lüenheit.
If anything, this outcome would please the Senate even more.
They truly think of nothing but despicable schemes.

This world has neither news nor the internet. When an incident occurs, only uncertain rumors spread.
The Senate holds strong authority over the cities of Miraldia and has the power to control information. Framing the Demon Lord’s Army would be a trivial matter for them.
The only countermeasure available to me would be to bring the Governor’s family over to the Demon Lord’s Army’s side.
If Shatina proves my innocence, dishonorable rumors will not cling to the Demon Lord’s Army.
That is why I must protect both Aylia and Shatina at all costs.

In that case, I don’t have the leeway to help the loyal Zaria guards fighting in this room.
I’m really bad at making this particular judgement, but it seems I have no choice except to decide whose lives to prioritize.
Sorry. I’d have to ask the rest of you to survive this on your own.

“Lady Aylia, Shatina, we’re getting out of here. Grab onto me.”

Aylia immediately clung to me, but Shatina hesitated.

“But Father’s… and the guards…”

Leaving behind her father’s corpse and the loyal, dependable guards would be painful for a girl her age.
But I don’t have time to help Shatina sort out her feelings.

“What would happen to Zaria if you perished? You’ll only bring grief to those who love you and misfortune to your people.”
“Ugh…”

Shatina bit her lip.
But her hesitation lasted only a moment.
She lifted her face and fixed me with a strong gaze.

“Sir Veit, I ask you. Please take me somewhere safe!”
“Good. That’s the bearing of a governor.”

I lifted her in my arms and ran toward the window.

In the instant before leaping out, I saw one guard who appeared to be an ally cut down. His abdomen was stained bright red with blood as he collapsed to the floor.
Forgive me for failing to protect you.
But I will absolutely protect your lord.
And with Aylia and Shatina in my arms, I leapt out the window.

“Hyah!?”

Shatina let out a small scream.
This was the fourth floor. Falling from this height wouldn’t guarantee our survival.
Aylia didn’t cry out, but she clung tightly to me.
Clearing the alley three meters below, I jumped into the window of the neighboring building. It was a room in a private residence.
My greatest concern had been being sniped mid-jump, but it seems the werewolf unit fought hard.

However, it appeared the assassins immediately noticed our escape.
Pressing my ear to the wall, I heard multiple sets of footsteps rushing up the stairs.
As a precaution, I told Shatina:

“From now on, I will treat everyone we encounter as an enemy and attack anyone carrying a weapon. If they’re allies, tell me immediately.”
“O-Okay.”

Still clutching her chest, face bright red, Shatina nodded repeatedly.

While I was saying that, two men kicked down the door and burst in. Each held a short dagger coated with poison.
Shatina said nothing. Enemies.
The men completely ignored me and split up, attacking Shatina and Aylia.
Apparently they had given up on defeating me from the start.
If you kill me, I do die, you know…

“Impudent wretches!”

Aylia drew her saber and engaged the enemy.
She had once tried to fight a werewolf in one-on-one combat, so mere human assassins didn’t rattle her.
Shatina drew her dagger as well, but she wasn’t as accustomed to deadly situations as Aylia.
Aylia was trying to shield Shatina.
Even so, Aylia is an amateur swordswoman. Against professional assassins, she’s at a disadvantage.

I immediately annihilated the enemies.
I pierced one assassin’s chest with my claws and kicked another into the wall. His spine shattered along with the wall, and he spat blood before dying.
They weren’t much of a threat with how lightly equipped they were. With short daggers, they were within my claw range—easy opponents for me.
The real issue is that I must protect Aylia and Shatina all the time.

Confirming that poison had been applied to the fallen daggers, I told the two of them:

“I’ll cast a detoxification spell on you beforehand. Let me touch slightly above your right flank.”
“Understood.”

Aylia nodded at once and brushed aside the hem of her jacket.
Through her shirt, I touched her side and released the spell, imagining warm magical power flowing into her liver.
For a while, this would grant Aylia high resistance to poison.

“Shatina, you too.”

She flinched and looked up at me.

“Y-You’re going to touch me?”
“On the right flank, there’s an organ that protects the body from poison. Sending magical power directly there increases the effect.”
“I… I see. Understood. Just a moment.”

For some reason, Shatina took a deep breath after hearing my explanation.
Then she squeezed her eyes shut and grabbed the hem of her clothes.

“Hya!”

With sudden resolve, Shatina exposed her bare skin.
Well, lifting the jacket would have been enough.

Slightly soothed by the shy girl’s reaction, I placed my hand on her side and cast the spell.

“Alright, that’s enough.”
“O…okay.”

Shatina looked dazed for a moment, then shook her head and stood up.

“L-Let’s go! I’ll guide us!”
“Right, I’m counting on you. I have the werewolf unit waiting outside the city. If we can get out to the south, that would be ideal, but if not, we’ll detour.”
“Understood, leave it to me!”

She suddenly got energetic.

Guided by Shatina, we began running through the labyrinthine city.
Zaria has a lower maze that exists for defense and an upper maze that exists for daily life. Several balconies are connected into aerial corridors, and there are passageways linking adjacent buildings.
The upper maze is the result of residents repeatedly expanding and remodeling their homes, so in some ways it’s even more complicated than the lower level.

“Um, through the Plum Roof… then up the Red Mouse Stairs… no, midway to Rusted Hatchet Street…”

Shatina seemed fairly confused as well.
By Zaria’s law, it’s forbidden to write markers or names on streets and stairways, so I can’t distinguish anything at all.

The assassins appeared to have noticed our movement as well. The distant howls of Hammarn and the others signaled that “the enemy has fled.”
The group of assassins was probably persistently tailing us. They seem familiar with the terrain, skillfully cutting ahead of us.
I cautiously probed for surrounding sounds and, whenever I sensed something suspicious, informed Shatina so she could change our route.
But even so, attackers kept appearing one after another.

While we were walking along an exterior passage, a volley of arrows flew from the roof of the adjacent building.
I knocked all the arrows down, but they were aimed solely at Aylia and Shatina.
Kicking off the wall, I leapt up and dealt with the archers on the rooftop. Four vile killers crashed to the ground below, scattering blood.
That makes twenty-three… no, around twenty-four. I’ve killed too many to keep count.
Just how many assassins are lurking in this city?