Freya staggered backward, striving to distance herself from the pursuing Olysis, though his trained speed was nearly equal to hers.

The long sword before her swung and slashed relentlessly, each strike narrowly missing her, grazing the air mere inches from her body.

The sensation of being perpetually on the brink of death pushed her to the edge of her sanity, her mind gradually blanking out.

'I don’t want to die... I don’t want to die...' The thought echoed endlessly in her mind.

“Too slow! Too slow! Too slow!” Olysis taunted amidst his ceaseless slashes, envisioning the girl's demise at his hands.

His sword cleaved through the air once more, this time aiming directly at Freya's face.

Gritting her teeth, Freya twisted her body abruptly, the sharp blade narrowly missing her but slicing a long gash in her hunting attire, exposing the skin beneath.

Feeling the cold air against her exposed skin, Freya broke out in a cold sweat, touching her chest where the sword had nearly struck.

The sword's momentum carried it into a wooden panel beside her.

The threat of death was so close she could almost smell the strange scent of the blade’s protective oil.

However, that strike also shattered her chaotic thoughts.

Escape… there was no way she could outrun him…

Thus… if escape was futile, her only option to avoid death was… to fight back!

As fear slowly gave way to rationality, the threat of death fueled her mind with a tangible urgency.

"Die!!" she shouted, seemingly to bolster her own courage.

The threat awakened every ounce of her potential; in an instant, the wooden sword at her waist vanished and reappeared in her right hand, thrusting forcefully forward!

'Lunge!'

A month of relentless training had honed her agility to rival that of the baron, and the life-threatening situation pushed her capabilities to their peak.

‘Clang!’

The sound of wood meeting iron echoed through the corridor.

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Olysis, caught off guard by her swift counterattack, barely managed to block her strike with a horizontal sweep of his sword.

The sensation of the wooden sword connecting with his blade stunned him. He hadn’t expected the fleeing girl to suddenly fight back, nor had he anticipated her sword to move with such speed.

This unexpected defiance only intensified his desire to kill Freya.

"Die!!!"

With a powerful swing, he knocked her wooden sword aside, then slashed horizontally.

Freya’s azure eyes watched the approaching sword, but instead of fear, she felt a strange exhilaration.

"Double… lunge!"

Tilting her body, she evaded the slash with a large, sweeping motion. Her wooden sword, leveraging the deflecting force, slid downwards and then upward, aiming for Olysis's vulnerable throat.

‘Clang!’

The horizontal slash was awkwardly redirected to block the thrusting wooden sword.

"Damn it!"

Olysis snarled at the incoming strike. He hadn't anticipated that the girl would possess superior swordsmanship, using techniques to force him into a defensive position while minimizing her own exposure.

Her proficient swordsmanship seemed out of place for someone who had been fleeing moments before.

“Was she pretending all along?!”

Freya’s fierce counterattack slowly cooled his anger, cold sweat trickling down his back as he began contemplating the repercussions of his impulsive actions.

“Argh!”

He hurled his sword forcefully, forcing Freya to retreat.

Without waiting to see the outcome, Olysis turned to his four guards, his eyes steely.

"Go!"

The guards, experienced as they were, instantly followed his command, fleeing towards the castle gates.

‘Thud!’

The sword lodged halfway into the wall, while half of Freya's wooden sword lay shattered on the ground...

Seizing the moment, the group disappeared down the corridor.

From Olysis’s sudden outburst to Freya’s retaliation, only a few minutes had passed.

Ignoring the fleeing figures, Freya stood still, examining the broken sword in her hand with a slight frown. The danger of that final strike was no less than her earlier helplessness.

Yet, even as the sword flew towards her, her mind remained remarkably clear, her body instinctively performing the optimal defensive move…

And amidst the threat, she felt a thrill, like walking a tightrope.

"Is this really me…?"

She stared at the smooth break of the wooden sword, a mix of emotions washing over her—part joy, part melancholy.

This complex feeling, however, made her frown ease and a resolute determination solidify in her azure eyes.

As Freya pondered her newfound understanding, a shadowy figure swiftly passed by the end of the corridor, a gust of wind lifting her golden hair.

“…So fast.”

The sudden appearance left Freya stunned, only catching a fleeting glimpse before it vanished.

“Was that… Father?”

“Damn that wretched woman!” Running frantically, Olysis shoved a maid out of his way with the strength of a seasoned warrior, sending her sprawling before she could react.

The five of them barreled through the castle, bewildering the staff who could only retreat in confusion.

“Master, once we return to our territory, everything will be resolved,” one of the guards called out.

The severity of the situation had far surpassed expectations; their immediate priority was to leave Green Castle before...

“Yes! If need be, I’ll force Father to expedite his plan… Andre, Green, and that woman… cursed be!” Olysis’s eyes gleamed with a cold intent, knowing his plans could only unfold back in his domain.

As they ran, the castle gates loomed ahead, and the sight of white horses brought a glimmer of hope to their eyes.

“Kerlra! Prepare the horses!!” one of the guards shouted to the stable boy outside.

“...Do you think you can leave after harming my daughter?”

A low, furious growl echoed, laden with suppressed rage.