Chapter 6: A Swift Execution

In a flash of steel, Hange's sword sliced through the air, its blade biting deep into the stranger's chest. The stranger's eyes widened in shock, its smile freezing on its face as it stumbled backwards, clutching at the wound. The faint light in its palm flickered and died, plunging the area into darkness once more. The sound of the stranger's body hitting the ground was like a punctuation mark, a stark finality that seemed to echo through the air. Hange's arm around my waist remained firm, his grip unyielding as he pulled me closer. "Nobody dares touch the Empress," he declared, his voice low and deadly, his eyes still fixed on the stranger's lifeless body. The words seemed to hang in the air, a warning to any who would dare challenge him. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I gazed up at Hange, his face set in a stern expression. His chest heaved with exertion, his sword still trembling with the force of the blow. I had never seen him like this before, so fierce and unyielding. As the reality of the situation sank in, I felt a mix of emotions swirling inside me. Fear, gratitude, and awe all warred for dominance, leaving me breathless and shaken. Hange's swift and decisive action had saved me from an unknown fate, but it had also left me with a sense of unease. The darkness seemed to press in around us, the silence oppressive and heavy. Hange's eyes scanned the surrounding area, his gaze lingering on the shadows as if searching for any signs of further danger. Satisfied that we were alone, he turned to me, his expression softening. "Are you alright, my Empress?" he asked, his voice low and gentle, a stark contrast to the deadly tone he had used moments before. I nodded, still trying to process what had just happened. Hange's arm around my waist tightened, his hand brushing against the wound on the stranger's chest. "We need to get out of here," he said, his voice firm and decisive. "We can't stay in one place for too long. It wasn't a normal assassin." I nodded, my heart still racing with fear. Hange's grip on my waist remained firm as he led me away from the scene, the darkness swallowing us whole.