Counter (1)

"Tanya, this is far too cruel…" Erina looked away from the scene, unable to cast her gaze upon the makeshift gallows.

"What do you think they will do to our classmates? Grown men taking children as hostages… think about that and tell me what their punishment should be. Nothing less than death is acceptable." Tanya answered with a cold expression. Her palms were more than ready to push another hostage and make an example of them.

"So, Mr Commander, instruct yourself men to release the students and teachers. Do not try anything otherwise night will come early for poor little Sir Eron." Tanya grinned with an aura of absolute control.

"Men! Let the hostages go, open the gates and do not follow."

The knights did as the commander told them and herded the students and teacher away through the front gates of the academy and did not follow.

"We have completed your request! Now hold up your end of the bargain and release our men!" The commander shouted from the grass, his face troubled and wary of his opponent.

"Say… Mr Commander is quite fond of killing children." Tanya place her chin on her palms, tilting her head ever so slightly.

"Why should I honour promises made with scum?"

Tanya placed the palm on Eron's back and pushed him forward with little effort.

"MMMM!!"

CRACK

Eron fell down with heavy weight pulling him faster and faster until the rope on his neck stopped and his body jerked up and down with a vicious cracking noise occurring from his neck.

In such a way, Eron became a corpse.

"YOU!! HOW DARE YOU!!" The commander shouted with a cold sweat dripping down from his chin. His son had just died before his very eyes with not so much as a shred of dignity. The promise he had made was revoked by such a cruel opposition, and now he only had himself to blame for accepting this mission.

"MEN!! ATTACK!!"

Tanya did not waste anymore time and pushed the rest of the hostages down from the balcony, producing a cracking sound like no other.

"Let this be a warning, those that come here, will suffer a fate worse than these knights." Tanya did not give two f**ks that the commander ordered an attack. Now since her classmates were no longer hostages, she could be free to act as she pleases.

The structure of the building was near unbreakable for the likes of a second ascension combatant, so the only way in was the door and the balcony.

Meanwhile, the group of freed students and teachers rejoiced and began planning their next move.

"Yuri, thank goodness Tanya managed to help secure our escape. Those knights were truly about to kill all of us…" Erina shivered as she remembered the event.

"Tanya could have escaped, but she did all of that to save our lives." Serena spoke up.

"Thanks to her, the heir to the Golde crown will live another day. She has my utmost gratitude." Selena continued.

All of the students began chatting amongst themselves about Tanya's deeds.

"All of you are only talking about what Tanya did, not what you will do. If you care about what Tanya has done for us, THEN THINK OF A WAY TO REPAY HER." Yuri's expression became murderous as she faced down the people.

"What can we do? We only have a few teachers left at the second ascension, how can we help Tanya? We must escape and not let her sacrifice be in vain!" A fourth year student shouted with vigor.

"Shameless." Yuri glared at the student with a deathly expression, wishing to end him right there.

"I do agree that we must try to help Tanya, but we cannot send students in to fight. And sending our teachers will leave us defenceless." Serena explained, trying to empathise with Yuri. However, Yuri seemed unmoved by what she perceived as a lack of gratitude.

"I apologise, but we must escape. My role as heir to the throne makes it paramount that nothing should happen to me, otherwise the kingdom will destabilise." Serena reasoned.

"That is far too rude. Are you saying that because a crown will be on your head that you are the sole reason we have to escape?! The nobility is what drives this country and governs the commoners! If you abandon Tanya Vermillion, then you abandon this kingdom's nobility." Diana started furiously, unable to bear Serena's words.

"This is what is good for the kingdom!"

"Actually, you have no right to be making any decisions, princess. As the highest ranking noble of this group, I will be deciding our next move." Suddenly, Rosellia came into view of everyone.

"Countess Rosellia Florian, I insist that you make the decision to escape." Serena would not stop. She genuinely believed that the key to the kingdom's stability laid in her hands.

"And abandon my future wife? Princess, you are not yet the queen. Do not go and make decisions that you are not qualified to make. Don't you realise the act of abandoning Tanya would severely cripple your relationship with the Vermillion Dukedom as well as your parents? You are far too naive."

"It would also be a slap in my face if I am coerced by you to abandon my own fiancé, so how can I accept it? From a personal perspective, I may not have known Tanya Vermillion for long, but from a political perspective, abandonment is a huge sign of failure. Perhaps you are trying to drag my name through the mud?" Rosellia was almost as crafty with her words as Tanya. She would not let this topic go, especially if it involved a sensitive topic like her engagement.

She may have not expected a marriage with Tanya, but she is a staunch believer in the rules of nobility. She believed that no matter what, she had a duty towards her future partner.

Suddenly, Yuri's opinion of Rosellia shifted from that of slight animosity to one of complete respect.