Chapter 22: Chapter 21: Surprise attack
"Quite bold huh? Attacking a royal family in broad daylight"-Scarlett
I let out a small chuckle as I slightly stretch back my arm with a joyful smile on my face.
I'm enjoying this
The person who attacked me wore a black cloak and a mask, a smiling white mask. But the person removes her mask in a blink of an eye. if an ordinary person saw it, they wouldn't even see her movement.
The reason why the person is a "her" is that she's Scarlett, not me, but the person I met a few days ago.
"What can I say? We're the same but you can't even greet me?"-Scar
She laughs at my word, puts her sword back to her waist, and smiles.
"Your Highness! are you okay?!"-Knights
The sap snaps back to reality and immediately rushes toward me as well as Diana.
"I'm okay"-Scarlett
I raise my hand to stop the knights from coming forward, turning my head toward them and smiling at them.
"Princess! what are you doing Lady Scarlett?!"-Diana
Diana went towards me and raise her arm as if to protect me, she then yelled at Scar in disbelief.
Her action moved me but I can protect myself.
"Darling, don't worry we're just having fun"-Scar
The old hag just smiles at the angry Diana and called her "Darling" as she reassures her.
Although it was true, I'm having fun but she still pisses me off.
"Ugh, old hag, don't call to someone like that, you have a wife"-Scarlett
I rolled my eyes and held Diana's wrist, gently pulling her to my side as I told her off.
"Come on Scarlett, don't be like that"-Scar
Scar smiled at me gently as she spread her hands, looking innocent.
"But it still doesn't mean that you have to suddenly attack a person Lady Scar, let alone a royal family"-Diana
It seems that Diana snaps back from being confused by our conversation and scolds Scar, looking at her with a stern look on her face.
'Ah, so that's why people assume that she's a witch or called the wicked princess'
"Yes, yes"-Scar
Letty nodded her head as she agreed to Diana's word, looking innocently.
After our conversation, the knights snapped back to reality. It seems that they were shocked to see someone who's look the same as mine but much older.
They stare at Scar's face for a long time, although they saw that my face and hers are the same that to the point, they thought that Scar is a hidden child of the royal family but when they saw her green eyes, their assumption disappeared.
"Anyway, Lady Diana have you found Kyle?"-Scarlett
I turn my head to the side to look at Diana and ask her a question, acting as if nothing happened.
"No, Princess, but I have asked the other children they said that Kyle was with them since the beginning but they said that she suddenly disappeared just a minute before we enter"-Diana
Diana answered my question without forgetting any minor and major details about what she learned.
"Kyle? Does she look like a 14-year-old kid?"-Scar
Scar asks, eavesdropping on our conversation.
"Yeah, do you know her? Old hag"-Scarlett
I ask her a question this time, staring at her pretty face.
'I would call her face pretty because we're the same, like a twin but not really'
I thought to myself.
"Yeah, and stop calling me old hag, anyway, I saw her running away from the woods earlier"-Scar
Scar answered my question nonchalantly while yawning and picking her ear.
"Hmm, maybe she ran away because she's scared"-Scarlett
I commented on Scar's answer as I fold my arms to my chest. Thinking about the reason why she runs away.
'I don't understand why I can't know that kid's thoughts or her'
When I thought of the word "Her" I look at Scar. Narrowing my eyes before closing it and opening it again, as if I didn't narrow my eyes on Scar.
"I guess I have to search on her and Lady Diana will be assessing all of the problems left here, that's okay, right?"-Scarlett
I place my finger on my chin as I spoke. Then turn my gaze toward Diana and ask her if it's okay.
"Yeah, it's okay Princess"-Diana
Diana nodded and agreed to my proposal with a smile on her face.
Before I said something to Diana, I turned my head toward Scar and saw her staring at Diana with an adored look on her face, her green eyes soften as she looks at Diana.
"Good! Then, I'm going to start now with her"-Scarlett
I slightly nodded and respond to her with a cheerful smile before grabbing Letty's cloak and dragging her to the forest.
When we were far away from Diana and the knights, I let go of her cloak and then glared at her.
"Go look at your wife!"-Scarlett
I yelled to her with a frown on my face and click my tongue before walking away, finding Kyle in the forest.
-Diana's POV-
Staring at the Princess and Lady Scar's back disappearing, the smile on my face also disappeared as I turn my back.
'It's strange calling Lady Scar Scarlett since Princess's name is also Scarlett, I guess I'll call her Lady Acer from now on'
I ponder to myself with a slightly tilted head but I didn't let my face show any emotion, just a stern look to let the knights know to follow my order and also to not disappoint the Princess.
"Hamilton, right? If you tell me who is your master, I can lessen your punishment"-Diana
I look down at his pale face of Hamilton and give him a choice as I state what he will receive.
"Ha! A wicked Princess like you doing something well? As if I'll believe your word you spawn of Satan!"-Hamilton
When Hamilton heard my word, he looks up at me with an ugly look on his face and began insulting me.
'It's okay Diana, he's going to die anyway' I persuaded myself, trying to calm and ignore his insults while taking it all in.
From the corner of my eye, I saw some knights freeze when they heard Hamilton's insults toward me.
Although I was touched and happy when they gave me their trust earlier even though it was just a small drop of trust, it was enough for me to be satisfied.
But it seems to be going too fast? Although I want their trust if it's too fast then I have to be vigilant or I might hope for something that will only hurt me.
It hurts that you have your hopes up, only have it to die over and over again but you have to act nothing so no one can see what you feel.
So, nobody could judge you.
Lost in thought, I heard Hamilton let out a chuckle that turn into a giggle as if he remembered something pleasant.
But I couldn't help but narrowed my eyes when I heard his unpleasant giggle that could pierce my ears causing me to be deaf.
Might as well listen to someone who can't sing that listen to his unpleasant giggle.
'Can you even call that a giggle?'
"Finally, that Happy go bratty Princess left"-Hamilton
After giggling, Hamilton said this to all of us, as if he wasn't scared of Princess Scarlett just a while ago.
Just as I was about to speak to him for insulting Princess Scarlett, he spoke again.
"Surely without her, you can't protect your spoiled wicked self, right?!!"-Hamilton
Hamilton spoke calmly then suddenly scream; his eyes glared as he looks at me.
I didn't answer him because I felt that something is wrong coming from his words.
I stayed vigilant for a couple of seconds after he finish screaming, holding his grip on Bruno.
A couple of seconds has pass but nothing happened. But it doesn't mean something won't happen.
Although my intuition is not as strong as Princess Scarlett's, it keeps telling me to be on guard.
[Swish] [Clang]
'As I thought, a surprise attack!'
I thought to myself as I block the sword that is going to hit me. Luckily the 1 week of training with Princess came in handy that I can withstand this attack thanks to Princess Scarlett attacking me with a heavy blow and letting me block it.
"Tsk"-Attacker
I heard the attacker who's wearing a dark brown hood on their head and a black outfit click their tongue as they took a step back, giving a distance from the both of us.
[Bam]
Knights A and B came just in time. In the corner of my eyes, I saw something flash and headed toward the children.
"Knights A protect the children! Knights B assist Knights C"-Diana
I ordered the group of knights with a calm expression on my face. Then going back to focus on the assassin in my front.
As soon as I order the knights, a group of assassins started appearing and attacking us.
"What took them so long?!"-Assassin
I heard the assassin mutter. Maybe it was blocked by their mask that I'm having a hard time identifying their identity, their clothes also didn't help me identify their gender.
After the assassins finish muttering to themselves, they look at me and charge toward me.
I prepare myself and block it. I was pushing back a little but still, keep holding to the handle.
'Although I'm getting accustomed to Princess Scarlett's strength it's been more than a week since we've spar'
I thought to myself, feeling the strength of my opponent.
We've stayed like this for a moment. When I felt that the assassin let down his guard which is a big mistake, I slightly tilted the blade to the side. Causing the assassin who's letting out all their strength to stumble and fall to the ground.
Before my body and their body hit, I took a step to the side, completely avoiding the assassin. I didn't waste my time and step on their back with my left foot while placing the point of Bruno on the assassin's neck.
'I'm scared…but I can't let it show…'
[Haa]
I let out a sigh of relief when I defeated the assassin. I could still feel my heart beating furiously with sweat dripping to my cheeks.
[Badump][Badump]
"I thought I was going to die at that time…"-Diana
I mutter to myself as I place my right hand to my chest to feel my beating heart, clenching the grip of the rapier as I coldly look down on the assassin who keeps struggling.
I glance at the knights and saw them arresting the alive assassins while some of them took care of the dead assassins.
"Are you all okay?"-Diana
I ask to them in concern when I saw some of the knights are full of blood. Many assassins died at the hands of the knights.
"…Yes! We're fine, how about you Lady Diana?"-Knights
It seems that the knights were taken aback by my question that it took them a moment to respond.
Some of the knights started walking toward me causing me to startle.
'I could see blood on their uniform and swords…it's still dripping on the tip of the sword'
I thought to myself, shoving the uncomfortable feeling inside me.
"Let me tie him up, Lady Diana"-Knight
One of the knights said to me while holding a rope in her bloody hand.
"…Thank you"-Diana
I thank the female knight and let go of the assassin as soon as she kneels.
I took a step back to let her do the tying. From this distance, I could smell the stench of blood coming from the knights.
'The stench…'
I thought to myself, clenching the handle of the rapier.
"Lady Diana, do you want me to take off the assassin's mask?"-Knight
The female knight asks me as she holds the assassin by the neck, a sword pointing at their neck.
"I want you to take off the mask"-Diana
I nodded my head as I instruct the female knight, looking at the assassins with a cold look on my face.
"Yes, Lady Diana"-Knight
The female knight nodded with a shallow smile on her face. Taking off the assassin's mask but what we saw shocked us.
"A child…"-Diana
I couldn't help but mutter when seeing the assassin's face turned out to be a child, a girl child.
"Don't touch me!! Let go of me!"-Assassin
The child was startled when the knight took off her mask and keep shouting, struggling, and waggling her hands.
Now without the mask blocking her voice, I could finally tell that she was a child. It was just that I was too nervous and scared earlier that I didn't notice her height.
"Why does a child like you doing here?"-Knight
The male knight couldn't help but ask the child, looking at her in disbelief.
The child looks like 12 years old. Too young for all of this. Too young to see the cruel reality of the world. They're supposed to be having fun at this age…what happened?
"Lady Diana! Commander! All of the assassins are children!"-Knight
One of the knights from the other side shouted, informing us with a piece of horrifying news, well a piece of horrifying news for me but it seems that the knights are all used to this.
Hearing the news, my mind immediately thought of the orphanage and this operation.
'Slavery...!!'
My eyes widen. I knew the reason why all of the assassins sent here are all children.
"Could it be, from the orphanage?"-Diana
I spoke, looking at the child with a calm look on my face.
I saw the child's expression turn from anger to shock then to she started crying.
'It's not hard comprehending the situation of all of the orphan children
"I…I don't want this…please…help me…I'm sorry, I'm sorry"-Assassin
The child started crying as she keeps apologizing, she stops struggling and cover her face with her hands.
[Klang]
The sword in her hand fell, and she let go of her sword to cover her face.
'…Don't cry, it's not your fault'
I thought to myself, wanting to say this to the child but don't dare to say it to the child.
{Lady Diana}
At that moment, I heard Princess Scarlett calling my name.
I looked around and didn't see Princess Scarlett.
Although I was disappointed that Princess hasn't come back yet but hearing her call my name...gave me the courage to say what I really what to say to the child.
"Don't cry, it's not your fault"-Diana
I took a step forward and wipe the child's tear, kneeling, and said what I wanted to say with a shallow smile on my face.
It's not your fault,
So, don't cry.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Silv3rRos3
Silv3rRos3 Author’s note:
Heey!! Finally, Diana’s pov! And hey! The last message is for you if you’re in a tough situation just think that there’s always someone there for you willing to let you lean on their shoulder
Anyway! Thank you very much for reading this chapter and have a nice day!
Person ….
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone