Chapter 27

Watching Elsa carefully, Petra tried to pry away from her grip but was firmly pulled back.

"Don't." Itsuki said softly. "Please don't hurt her. She's just a kid."

Elsa didn't seem to care as she stared at Itsuki, watching every move he made.

"My employer mentioned you were asleep and wouldn't wake up." Elsa stated.

Itsuki looked to Rem as she slowly drew her morningstar.

"I will say this only once: leave the Roswaal Mansion now or die!" Rem growled.

Elsa simply licked her lips as she pressed the tip of her blade against Petra's neck.

Itsuki grit his teeth as he began looking around the kitchen. He needed a plan and fast.

"Who are you?!" Rem growled.

"Elsa Granhiert." The woman replied.

"She's a hired assassin." Itsuki informed Rem and Frederica. "She specializes in gutting her victims, earning her the title 'Bowel Hunter'."

Elsa smiled.

"I'm happy to see you remember so much about me."

"She has a second blade on her. Not only that, but it took Reinhardt for us to even stop her last time."

"Do not worry. Our dance won't be cut short this time." Elsa said.

Itsuki, looking to the knife holder on the counter to his left, grabbed one of the blades as a weapon.

"Shall we proceed?" Elsa asked. "I'm growing rather impatient."

Itsuki glared at the woman.

Holding his right hand out to her, Itsuki quickly cast fire magic, careful not to hurt Petra.

"Goa!"

Forced to move her blade away from Petra to deflect the fireball, Rem used the opening to slam her morningstar at Elsa. Jumping back to avoid the attack, Itsuki rushed over to Petra, grabbing her and picking her up.

"Go!" Rem shouted at the pair.

Holding Petra, Itsuki dashed out of the back exit of the kitchen, sprinting through the mansion. Itsuki didn't dare stop, pushing harder legs harder as the sounds of fighting exploded behind them.

Not even stopping for breath, the two made it rather far before bursting into one of the rooms. With it empty, Petra let fell to her knees as she caught her breath.

"Why... why is she attacking us..?!"

"She was hired." Itsuki replied as he began searching the room for a weapon for Petra.

"Who would-?"

"Roswaal hired her." Itsuki told the girl as he continued to search for a weapon. "I'll explain everything later. I just hope Elsa isn't too much for Rem and Frederica to handle."

Hearing a loud bang, followed by a crash, Itsuki looked out the window of the room to see Rem thrown out of the building and into the courtyard. Rolling across the ground, Rem quickly got to her feet, morningstar in hand and demon horn out.

Blood trickled down her face, flowing over her right eye as Elsa emerged from the hole in the side of the building, looking rather beaten herself. Her clothing was torn, gashes lining her arms and legs.

In an instant, Elsa rushed Rem and the two engaged in combat once more. However, Frederica was nowhere to be seen.

"This isn't good..." Itsuki growled. "Damnit!" He slammed his fist into the windowsill.

"Ki-ki?" Petra said softly.

Itsuki looked the girl in her eyes, seeing the sheer amount of terror in her gaze.

"Right." He began looking around the room. "Let's get you out of here first."

Slowly approaching the door, Itsuki opened it and peered out into the hall.

Seeing a massive mabeast slowly approach the room they were in, Itsuki quickly retreated and shut the door, but it was too late, the beast had already spotted him.

Hearing the claws of the beast scrape closer and closer, Itsuki grabbed Petra and rushed over to the window. Seeing it was jammed, Itsuki grabbed the chair by the desk and used it to smash the glass. Using the chair to make sure as many shards were gone as possible, the massive mabeast bust down the door.

Petra let out a frightened scream as the creature forced its way into the room.

Quick to act, and with no care for how much it would damage him, Itsuki wrapped his arms around Petra and jumped backwards out the window. Landing on the ground, Itsuki coughed as the wind was knocked out of his lungs, using himself to break Petra's fall.

Taking a few moments to catch his breath while Petra slowly got up, she looked to the courtyard, letting out a terrified scream as she covered her mouth.

Slowly rolling over and pushing himself up, Itsuki saw the reason why Petra screamed.

There, lying near the grass by the courtyard, was Rem's motionless body.

"Rem?" Itsuki said, forgetting the pain in his chest as he pushed himself to his feet. "Rem!"

Sprinting over to her, Itsuki fell to his knees as he checked her over.

"She's dead, I'll have you know."

Hearing that voice, Itsuki grit his teeth as he looked over to see Elsa approach, her weapon dripping blood.

"Please do try and put up a fight." Elsa said. "I wasn't satisfied with her or that other maid. But you look like a fun plaything."

Itsuki looked down at Rem. With her lifeless gaze pointed at the skies, Itsuki closed her eyelids as Elsa stopped, placing a hand on her hip.

Staring at Rem, Itsuki slowly moved back onto his knees.

"Make it quick." Itsuki told her.

Elsa raised an eyebrow at this.

"I'm not here for you." Elsa told him.

Glancing back at her, Itsuki saw Elsa look to Petra.

Beginning to approach the girl, Petra stood completely still, petrified with fear.

Itsuki quickly got to his feet and ran over to stand between Elsa and Petra. Raising his fists, Elsa chuckled as she twirled her knife.

"You want her, you gotta to through me!" Itsuki growled.

There was a long pause of silence.

"Okay."

Elsa dashed forward, disappearing into a blurred image as she moved passed Itsuki and behind Petra. Holding her blade, pointed into Petra's back, Itsuki turned around to face the pair.

Itsuki moved to help, but instead fell to his knees as he coughed up blood. Placing a hand to his stomach, Itsuki felt the warm, sticky sensation of blood drench his palm.

Pain screamed throughout his body as he fell onto his side, too scared to look and see the damage that was done to himself. Instead, with one eye closed and a pain filled expression on his face, Itsuki stared at Elsa. After a moment, Elsa thrust her knife through Petra's back, moving the blade downwards as Petra's eyes rolled back into her head and closed.

Letting her body go, Petra hitting the ground was the last thing Itsuki saw before his own eyes closed.

End of chapter 27