Read The villainess daughter :: Do you dare?

They arrived at the training grounds, the guards stopped her at the entrance. "Halt, reveal yourself."

Nyx charged forward, his powerful hooves pounding the ground dangerously close to the guards.

"Nyx, yield!"

Neri commanded firmly. The stallion halted abruptly, nostrils flaring but obedient.

The guards’ eyes widened as they recognized her voice.

Bowing deeply. "Forgive us, Master. We did not recognize you."

She waved them off, "You were just doing your job."

As she entered, Koa came running and hugged her.

"Good to see you again, come on, he's waiting."

He looked back and spotted Nyx. "He kept his word."

She stopped him, "What do you mean?"

"The gentleman who helped me find you told me he'd reunite you and Nyx."

"Why would he do that?"

Koa shrugged. "He asked if you had any belongings, and I told him about Nyx. When he asked me what reward I wanted for helping him, I told him I wanted him to bring Nyx to you."

She was about to ask what the man looked like, but she was interrupted.

Her teacher came running out and hugged her, "If it isn't my one and only student."

She rolled her eyes "More like a slave but whatever. I don't have much time so make this quick."

Her teacher acted hurt, "Oh my, how heartless you've become. It truly breaks my heart."

She scoffed, "I'll show you what the true meaning of heartless is if you don't make this quick. Get. To. The. point."

Her teacher finally got serious, "I'll be retiring completely from leading the guild in the next 5 years."

"Weren't you already retired? I have been handling everything either way." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

Suddenly, a screech came overhead, "Cyr? Why is he here? I didn't call for him."

Cyr is Koa's bird, but Neri liked borrowing him occasionally.

The large falcon landed on her shoulder, Luckily, she had her shoulder strap on.

"It's Enya, there's been a problem."

She called for Nyx, "If you need anything, just send Cyr."

She said as she mounted.

Her teacher groaned and complained, "This isn't fair, we barely even talked. Oh, Nyssa wait."

She turned her head. "Speak."

"We have a new request. House of Ikar wants someone to protect their son."

Ikar? Suddenly, she remembered Lucien was an Ikar.

She turned to face them, "Request Info?"

"Lucien Ikar, Kidnap/Assassin threat, 24/7 vigilance requested. You are my best choice-"

She stopped him, "You are well aware I am not in the position to guard 24/7."

Her teacher sat on the ground. "I am truly happy you found your family, but the guild needs you."

A flash pierced her mind—faces shouting, hurried footsteps, the cold iron of chains, a scream muffled in the dark. Then nothing.

She clenched her fists, then sighed, "Stand up, I will assign Killian to this task.

Also, regarding the guild, give me two years, and I'll accept full leadership."

Her teacher's eyes brightened. "Have you accepted your role?"

She nodded,

Her teacher clapped, "Wonderful! It seems I can retire early."

"I've been leading it either way," she grumbled.

"What was that, dear? I didn't quite catch what you said?"

She rolled her eyes. "Nothing, I'll get going now."

Cyr flew and landed on Koa as she turned to leave, Nyx stomped as he was ready to run.

"Tell Killian to give me the details. Till next time." She put her hood back on and lifted her mask to her nose.

She missed this, riding full speed with Nyx. They approached their destination when suddenly a carriage got in the way. She stood on Nyx's back and jumped onto the building's roof.

She kept running, she jumped to the next building, and saw the window she had escaped through on the other side. Luckily Nyx had already caught up, she jumped from his back into the window.

"Ahhh, an assassin!" an employee yelled.

She had gotten careless.

Keir and Alen came running into the backroom, and she made a low-pitched whistle signaling for Nyx to hide.

She jumped out the window, She took out a pill Koa had made, drank it, and became tall like an adult, her voice became different as well.

Luckily, her teacher made these clothes to adjust to her needs.

She went up a few crates and jumped to the roof, she looked back and saw Keir and Alen following.

Well, this was a chance to test their limits; she allowed her aura to flow around her.

***

Keir heard a lady scream in the back, he told Lucien and Nathan to stay with Neri as he and Alen went to check it out.

A person had just jumped out of the window as they arrived.

He didn't sense any aura.

They were skilled, only Swordmasters could hide their auras.

Keir and Alen reached the back of the building just as a figure leapt out of the window.

Keir’s heart hammered. The figure moved with unnatural speed, a shadow cloaked in a hood and mask, its presence suffocating even before the fight began.

Keir and Alen burst onto the rooftop, adrenaline surging. The assassin stood silently, the faintest glimmer of a silver dagger catching the sunlight. No aura pulsed from them—an eerie stillness.

Suddenly, an overwhelming aura came from the person.

"K-keir, this person isn't normal, we don't stand a chance."

He clenched his fists. Alen was right.

This person was powerful, but he had to get a glimpse of their face.

If he let them go, an unknown person would be on the loose.

Perhaps they were after his sister, Neri, could be in danger again.

He whispered to Alen, "What if this person was after Neri? We can't just let them go. Wait here, as soon as you see their face, run."

Keir took a cautious step forward.

Suddenly, the assassin flipped gracefully over him, landing behind with a whisper of movement.

Before Keir could react, a blade flashed—a dagger hurled by Alen was caught effortlessly midair, spun, and returned like a deadly boomerang.

“Alen, watch out!” Keir shouted, but the dagger grazed only the edge of Alen’s belt, slicing the leather.

In a heartbeat, the assassin was in front of Alen, a flash of movement tripping him to the ground.

The world spun as Alen hit the rooftop hard, the breath knocked out of him.

Before he could recover, rough ropes bit into his wrists and ankles, binding him tightly. Keir tried to attack, but the assassin was a phantom—every strike dodged with chilling precision.

A distorted voice cut through the tension, mechanical and cold with a hint of amusement: “I admire your courage… or perhaps your foolishness. You knew you’d lose, yet you fought anyway. Why?”

Keir’s voice was fierce, desperate: “To protect my family. Why are you after our sister?”

Laughter, dark and echoing, spilled from beneath the mask. “Your sister? I’m only here to deliver a message to Lord Ikar. Someone will arrive at their mansion within two days.”

The assassin dropped Alen’s dagger near him and took a step toward the rooftop’s edge.

“You fought well,” the voice softened mockingly. “You have great potential. Until we meet again.”

With a theatrical flourish, the assassin gave a mocking salute, voice dripping with amusement.

“Well, that was entertaining. Don’t keep me waiting too long for round two.”

Then, with a carefree smirk visible even beneath the mask, they tumbled down the side of the building, landing silently as if gravity were merely a suggestion.

Keir sprinted to the edge, peering into the darkness below. No trace remained.

His breath came fast. This was no ordinary foe—it was a master.

That person must have been the leader of a guild, he had never met someone so powerful. Their speed was unmatched, they could've even just used their aura to suffocate him, but they decided to test him instead.