Dumped After My Engagement: Becoming a Military Noblewoman

Chapter 95

"I never thought you'd manage to buy this much time in that situation."

"......Tch."

My hair is yanked roughly, forcing my face up. As pain shoots behind my ear, I glare at Nils, but when I meet his dark, unfathomable eyes, I can't help but swallow hard.

"Hmph...... You've still got the spirit to glare, huh? I guess that's to be expected from that monster's granddaughter."

I've lost my dagger, my dominant hand is injured, and I have no way to turn this around. I've bought some time, but not enough to wait for help to arrive.

"If it weren't for this hair and those eye colors, I'd seriously doubt whether you're really a noble's daughter."

When your life is in someone else's hands, don't provoke them, but don't let them look down on you either. Think hard about the best way to act.

"How about I cut off this hair and send it to Ransheen Fortress?"

Even if the enemy provokes you, don't become reckless—stay calm. When giving information, mix a little lie with the truth. These are things Colonel Nick repeatedly told me while teaching first aid at the fortress. Rear support like military doctors and medics are often targeted by enemies, so when captured, they prioritize their lives over resistance.

I should be grateful to Colonel Nick, who kept saying this knowledge was necessary for someone like me, who isn't in the military and won't stand on a battlefield, bringing it up at every opportunity.

"You're not fazed, huh."

"......"

"Are all military nobles like this, or are you just special?"

"......"

"It's boring if you stay silent."

Perhaps growing tired of my lack of response, Nils, who had been observing me from up close, lifts his face, casts a glance behind me, and says, "Well then."

"What about you two? Want to abandon this pitiful daughter you've been captured with and run away together?"

From the start, Nils's targets have been Sil and Severi. Since he came here himself to take their lives, achieving that goal must be his top priority. As for me, I have value as Fildé Rotish's granddaughter, so my life isn't in immediate danger. Therefore, the right choice for them would be to abandon me and escape, but......

"I'll come to you, so let her go."

"Is this girl more important to you than yourself or Deck?"

"......"

"You're going to be captured anyway, so there's no need to let her go."

"Soon, an instructor from the military school will arrive here."

"You're free to hope, but."

"It's not just hope or bravado. By the time you realize it, it'll already be too late."

Nils, frowning at Sil's seemingly confident attitude, grabs Doan's chest with his free hand and lets out a low growl.

"Doan...... Didn't you say you made sure the instructors couldn't come?"

"Guh, I put drugs in their drinking water...... The instructors on fire watch won't wake up. It's just a bluff."

"I believe you said they operate in squads. Is this everyone?"

"Tch...... There was one more."

"I see. Then what Silvio said might not be a lie."

Releasing Doan's chest, Nils turns to Sil with a cold smirk and says, "So?"

"Shouldn't you achieve your goal before the instructor gets here?"

"You've become quite the soft-hearted person since the last time we met. But I'm getting tired of playing along with you."

Still held by my hair, I'm turned toward Sil. I mouth "Run" to Sil and Severi, whose faces are pale as they bite their lips, but they shake their heads slightly.

"Drop the dagger and walk over here."

"Let her go first."

"Why?"

With a scoff, Nils yanks my hair up again with force, lifting my upper body into the air. As pain tears through my scalp and I groan, Sil and Severi's faces twist in anguish.

"Nils, brother!"

"If you care about her so much, you shouldn't have dragged her into this."

"This isn't what we agreed on......!"

"Even if you shout like that, when did I ever agree to your proposal? Given the current situation, do you really think you're in a position to give me orders?"

"......Tch."

"Hurry up, or this pretty hair will be torn off."

"Damn bastard!"

"Your foul language hasn't changed, I see. Doan, go get him."

Glancing at Doan heading toward Sil, who wears a pained expression, I subtly lower my left hand to my thigh. While feeling nauseated watching Nils enjoy the sight of his blood-related brother suffering, I grasp the item I was aiming for and clutch my tied-up hair with my injured dominant hand.

"Severi...... Protect Sil!"

Shouting that, I cut my hair with the prototype dagger in my left hand and immediately stand up.

"You...... Gah......!"

I strike Nils's face with the hilt of the dagger as he holds my cut hair and stares wide-eyed, then I bolt. Before Doan, who had been reaching for Sil, can turn around, I plunge the dagger into his shoulder.

"Wha......!?"

"Sil, pick it up!"

I kick Doan, who is crouching and clutching his shoulder, in the back, snatch the longsword he was holding, and toss it in front of Sil. Dawn must be near, as the surroundings are getting brighter. Even if we flee into the forest now, we'll be caught immediately. Moving around recklessly might make it harder for the instructors to find us, so we have no choice but to fight back here and wait for help.

"Celes...... Your hair......"

"Hair grows back. Right now, focus only on surviving!"

I scold Sil, who picks up the sword and holds it, while Severi, wielding two daggers, furrows his brow.

"Can you handle two?"

"The more, the better when it comes to numbers."

"......I think we're already at a disadvantage with arm and blade length."

Two daggers and one longsword. Plus the prototype dagger entrusted to me by Renato. It's far from reassuring, but we have to buy time with these until Finn returns.

"If we fight flashily here, the instructors who come to help should notice us. Shout from your gut."

"I could use another longsword, though."

Severi, looking at an injured knight while speaking, probably intends to take a sword from him. However, Doan and the injured knight are by Nils's side, and the largest knight has drawn his sword.

"Confident you can break through and steal a sword?"

"Nope."

"I can't either. My right hand is useless."

"Is it broken......?"

"Probably."

Sil, who had been silently listening to my conversation with Severi, lets out a sharp gasp but waves his hand, saying, "It still moves."

There's pain even with slight movement, but now isn't the time to complain about a sore hand. Nils, covering his face with one hand and groaning, and the burly knight have no intention of letting us go alive.

"Here they come."

"I'll take the front. Severi, cover Sil...... Sil, give me the sword."

"But, Celes, your hand—"

"There's no way you can swing a sword with hands trembling like that. Just hand it over. I'm the most mobile among us."

"Celes......!"

I snatch the sword from Sil and, in return, press the prototype dagger to his chest.

I signal Severi with my eyes to move Sil to a spot away from both me and Nils's group, then ready my sword against the knight approaching us.

"......Guh, ugh."

I block the sword swinging down as if to crush me, gritting my teeth and putting strength into my right hand, which screams in pain.

Slower and lighter than Grandfather's sword. A more predictable trajectory than Uncle's. Back then, I never imagined the training I did at the fortress would come in handy in a place like this.

"Tch, ha......!"

My arm goes numb, the sword tip I failed to dodge grazes my cheek, and the pain in my right hand makes me dizzy.

Jumping back to create distance and catch my breath, I catch a glimpse of Severi and Sil fighting Doan, who is bleeding from his shoulder, out of the corner of my eye, inadvertently shifting my focus from the knight in front of me.

"Stop scurrying around and give up already!"

Failing to block the forcefully swung sword, I tumble to the ground. Above my head, the sword tip glints in the sunlight. As I stare at the slowly descending blade, preparing for the end, I hear Sil's anguished voice calling my name.

"This is the end...... Tch."

Without closing my eyes, I watch as the sword tip passes right beside me and pierces the ground.

The knight releases the sword and collapses sideways. A sharp blade, like a knife, is embedded in his neck. Stunned and unable to comprehend, I find myself embraced from behind.

"You're such an idiot. This is what happens when you come in such light gear."

A mocking voice sounds near my ear, and I slowly lift my face.

"......Dan?"

"Sorry for the wait. You did well. Good job, good job."

"Why is Dan here?"

"It's not just me. Look over there!"

At the spot Dan points to, Rick stands in front of Sil and the others as if to protect them.

"What have you done to my students?"

Instructor Tseri is there, holding a sword to Nils's neck.