A single gunshot sound and a wailing of a man in pain reverberated in front of a certain bakeshop on a shopping district.

They all gasp in surprise.

The people involve on the situation all had the same expression of shock. “What was that just now?” Clarisse who was beside Shin cupped her ears from the loud noise of the gun. Even the owner of the bakeshop retreated to his counter and also the bystanders started running away from the commotion. Multiple curious stares were directed at them

“””What did you do you brat?!”””

“Well, the flow of his words suggested that talking is useless and might drag on so I just cut to the chase.”

The guards that who held their gasp just now were directing their spears towards the perpetratorwho only shrugged his shoulders.

Noticing that she was no longer being held, Yuffa seized this chance and ran towards her master.

“Hey wait! Catch her!”

“Take one more step and you’re next.”

One of the guards tried to grab Yuffa back but stopped after he saw that the unknown silver weapon is now pointed at him.

Tch! what’s with that weapon? I never saw something like that before. He thought as he clicked this tongue.

They can only watch the girl run away in vexation. Instincts tell them that the boy in front of them isn’t to be taken lightly. It was only natural to hesitate facing the unknown enemy before them who held a weapon which they have never seen before.

“Shin-sama!...”

“O-oh .. “

Without so much as a care to the hostile atmosphere, Yuffa jumped and hugged her master as tears flowed down her cheeks feeling happy deep inside her heart. Shin never expected her actions that caused him to nearly fall down in his butt as he catch the sobbing Yuffa.

She was a head taller and older than Shin that to the people watching them, it looks like an older sister hugging her little brother.

Maybe because this was the result of the traumatic experience she had with those bandits before that despite her, being older than him, she is vulnerable to such situations.

“*sobs* Thank you for… *sobs*… coming for me, Shin-sama…”

“You were taking your time and I’m starting to get worried, you know?”

“I’m so sorry. *sobs*… I was about to go out of the bakery and head home when that person started talking to me. He said he is a noble and wants to take me to his home. Even though I rejected him, he still continues to persuade me..”

“I see..”

“He went to grab my hands and I unconsciously flayed it forcefully. It made him angry and he called her guards. They started to drag me… but then you came. I was very happy *sobs*..”

“Is that so. Good thing I made it in time”

“… Thank you very much Shin-sama”

“You’re welcome. It’s my responsibility to protect you girls so I won’t let anyone hurt you, I promise.”

“Shin-sama…”

Yuffa looked at her master’s earnest smile causing her to hug him even more as she buried her face in Shin’s shoulder. Shin can only smile wryly feeling the soft bulges pressing against him.

He wanted to break free but the position he was in, he could only push her touching her chest or her waist. Afraid that she might get angry, he can only pat her back gently.

Amidst the cheesy atmosphere, a shadow past by the standing soldiers and approaching the two with considerable speed..

“Sh-shin!!”

Clarisse who was watching Shin and Yuffa noticed the incoming man thrusting his weapon towards them and shouted.

In her mind it was already too late. No matter how good Shin is, he cannot avoid the incoming ambush attack that is already in front of him with the situation that his in at the moment. Currently, Yuffa was still hugging him so he cannot make a big movement or evade.

She closed her eyes to the inevitable. He cannot make it.

*gakin!*

Instead of sound coming from a torn flesh, what reverberated was the sound of clashing metal.

She opened her eyes to confirm what happened. She gasps in disbelief as her eyes widened.

What she saw was Shin with the same posture he had, he was still being hugged but his left arm was on Yuffa’s back parrying the assailant’s rapier with a dark red gauntlet resembling a dragons’ head that extended up to his shoulders. Not to mention that, that frontal attack didn’t even budge Shin’s arm even a little.

All the while, Yuffa who had been paralyzed due to the sudden attack just now was running towards Clarisse as Shin instructed.

The assailant puts more power to her thrust yet the gauntlet had an incredible defensive power. No matter how hard she pushes his rapier, it just wouldn’t budge or more like it started pushing her weapon.

She momentarily has an impressed face together with disbelief but judging that this might become stalemate; she retreated with a hop, put out some distance and pointed her rapier back at Shin.

Her figure stands out the most in the vicinity. Her white armor shines whenever the rays of the morning sun gazed it. Adding to her charm, her long blonde hair that have ringlets at the end of her hair sways even in every small actions. She had spotless white skin that would make you hesitate to even touch it. Lastly, in contrast to her beautiful face was her piercing stare towards Shin.

Though it depends on perspective, she is in par to Yuffa in terms of beauty.

To sum it up, she’s like a rose, a figure of both beauty and danger.

“Oooh! .. Captain Emilia De Ravenborn!! Thank god you’re here! Now kill that boy!!”

The noble who was cowering behind the guard the entire time shouted in joy after the unexpected back up. His distorted face in fear now replaced with a smug look, looking at Shin like saying ‘How’s that?!’.

But for some reason the girl in rapier clicked her tongue in annoyance that didn’t suit her beautiful face. She only looks at the gaudy noble in disgust and explained,

“I was just taking my morning walk when I noticed the commotion. If I wasn’t a relative or even a soldier, I wouldn’t even bother saving someone like you. But as a Knight, it is my duty like it or not.”

“W-what is with that tone!? You’re insolent as ever! If it wasn’t for my recommendation, you wouldn’t be a part of the military!”

“Huh? What are you saying, old man? Sure it’s your recommendation but it was my skill that put me here. Even without it, I’m confident to be accepted so don’t forget that. Or would you like me to carve that in your head with my rapier?”

“Hiiiiii--!”

Hearing those words from the old man made Emilia looked at him like he was looking at a piece of trash. The receiving end of that glare cowered in fear.

Watching their exchange, Shin scratched the back of his head not knowing what to do.

“Umm, can we go now?”

“Wait, why did you attack a soldier?”

“You should ask that old man right there. He should learn to accept no for an answer.”

Shin nudged his head towards the noble old man. Hearing his vague words, Emilia looks at the subject in question but he turned away his face.

Looking like the old man wants to feign ignorance; Shin explained everything to Emilia as she nods in every detail she heard.

“You never change disgusting old man” right after Shin explained everything, Emilia heaved a long sigh and muttered those words in resignation. Apparently she knew the hobby of the old man so rather than being shock, her reaction was like saying ‘not again’.

“I’m very sorry for his action and mine as well. I thought you were a bad guy after attacking one of the soldiers. Also this disgusting uncle of mine has a thing for beautiful girls like everybody else. The only difference is that he has lots of money and whatever action he does to a commoner is excused for he is a noble.”

“It’s okay. But for a kingdom that is named after a saint, what an unfair law, I can even say it’s rotten.”

“Don’t misunderstand. The kingdom’s law is just together with its ruler. It’s just that, most people in position are corrupt bastards. Like that trash old man over there”

“What’d you say?!”

“…. You got a problem, baldy?”

The old man violently retorted but cowered afterwards when he was asked in a very cold tone. The cold chill ran towards his entire body that he again seek refuge behind a soldier while covering his receding hairline.

“Hey, hey. Isn’t that man a noble? Is it okay for you to say those things?”

“Does it matter? It’s the truth after all. If they have problems with it, they’re free to face my blade.”

“How scary. Quite confident, I’d say.”

“Speaking of confident, what you did to stop my attack was the same. What in the world was that weapon?”

“Oh that? It’s a magical gauntlet, to put it simply, one of my arsenal weapons.”

“Arsenal? You, you wield different kind of weapons?”

“That’s right.”

“Now that I think about it, you also wielded that weird stave just a while ago. But wouldn’t that put you a small room for improvement?”

“Not the slightest. In fact I can use them all quite well”

“Interesting.”

Emilia looked at Shin in interest from head to toe. Not knowing the meaning of her stare, he can only smile at her.

Looking at their casual exchange, Yuffa who have been watching them from a distance started to panic for some reason. Even Yuffa herself didn’t understand why she became worried all of a sudden. Clarisse noticed her expression and asked what is wrong but she only smile shyly saying that it’s nothing.

“I am Emilia De Ravenborn by the way. Nice to meet you”

“Nice to meet you too. I am Taiyoun Shin”

“Ta.. taiyoun? Sh-shin? What a weird name.”

“I don’t mind it though.”

“More importantly, you caught my attention from what you said minutes ago… I want to test that ‘quite well’ that you said, so what do you say?”

“What, you mean like a duel?”

“Yes. Fair and square”

“Hmm.. it’s okay and all but are you sure you want to leave him like that?”

Emilia, Yuffa, Clarisse, the old noble and the guards looked at the place that Shin has pointed.

About few meters away from the guards, there was a man facing flat on the pavement while foam was coming out from his mouth as he held his severed hands. Shin is the reason why he ended up that way. Instead of feeling angry, he felt pity for the man.

“”””Ah””””

With all the happening that occurred, apparently, he was neglected and set aside. Not that he was important in the first place.