A dangerous gleam flickered in Giles's eyes as he silently approached Melanie.
Suddenly, the newly appointed Hound drew the longsword at his waist and launched a brazen sneak attack on Melanie.
With his breathing and stance already adjusted, the newly appointed Hound unleashed strength and speed far beyond his usual limits. But... his sword missed.
As though Melanie had seen through everything from the start, she shifted her feet slightly just before the blade struck.
The newly appointed Hound's longsword slid past Melanie's body.
Melanie's own longsword, meanwhile, came to rest against his neck.
Woooo!
The wails of the dead rose from the longsword, making the newly appointed Hound's expression change several times before he obligingly raised both hands.
"Just as I thought..."
Squelch!
Melanie tried to say something.
But before she could get the words out, a longsword pierced her chest.
Melanie first lowered her head to look at the bloodstained sword tip, then turned to look at the Hound who had ambushed her.
He was a man in black robes with an aged face.
"Etgeran?"
Surprise crossed Melanie's face, as though she could not believe he would attack her.
"That's right. Etgeran, the oldest and fiercest of the Hounds!"
"Of course, there are far more than two of us!"
The newly appointed Hound had barely finished speaking.
Two more Hounds launched lethal attacks on the people beside them, then quickly moved toward the aged Hound.
The three soon formed a defensive formation, guarding against a counterattack from the remaining Hounds.
At the same time, the newly appointed Hound lunged at Melanie.
Giles knew perfectly well that his most urgent task was to snatch the device from Melanie's hand. Otherwise, the Sacred Heritage Society's knights would be wiped out.
Giles seized the device from Melanie's hand with ease.
But