Morning arrived once more, casting its golden light over the walled region belonging to the redheaded upstart lord. The land itself still somewhat bore scars from a deathly bout, but... they had all been patched and cleared—evidence of the denizens' efforts to restore what had been lost.
But... soon, this healed ground might have to suffer once again.
On the northernmost part of the walled region, two figures stood face to face, mere meters apart.
Martha, the knight of Lady Anastasia, and...
Sebas, the butler of Lady Anastasia... and also a (former) S-Rank Adventurer.
Martha had donned her knight armor that gleamed under the sunlight, her sword already drawn and held in a firm grip.
Her stance was solid, her breathing controlled, but... the pounding of her heart betrayed her anticipation.
Every muscle in her body was braced—ready, her eyes sharp and unwavering as they locked onto the man before her.
On the other side, though...
