A Lion's Burning Passion! Leone X Male Reader

Ch. 15

A carriage escorted by armed guards crosses through a snow-covered village in the outskirts of the capital. It's buildings are falling apart and the people are starving with sunken eyes and hollowed cheeks.

"Another village in such bad shape..." Comments the elderly man riding inside the carriage. This man is Chouri, the former Minister of Agarath. "And Agarath claims to be an Empire of the people."

"It is because of your concern for those people, father, that we're returning to the den of snakes in the capital. I think it's very honorable." A young girl in a military uniform sits next to him, resting a lance the size of her body on her shoulder.

"Thank you, Supia. To think, I was considering retiring earlier this year. But to see the nation I love fall apart like this..." A mist of hot air escapes Chouri's lips. "To it get this bad. I'm going to give that replacement of mine a piece of my mind! I swear, Honest was always more concerned with the benefits of power while neglecting his responsibilities."

"I promise to protect you, father!" Supia brought her lance to her lap and admired the exquisite blade.

"Oh, you've grown into such a fine woman, Supia." Chouri's serious look broke into that of a doting father. "Your only shortcoming is that you're too daring for any man to want for a bride."

"That's neither here nor there!"

"I know your mother worries. Every suitor she's invited over has run off in a cold sweat. There was even that one poor boy whose arm you broke..."

"I'm not that intimidating. I just know my way around a lance. If I found the right man, I could settle down just fine... probably. And besides, that guy kept trying to touch my boobs! That's like a free excuse to break at least something of his!" Chouri regretted bringing up such a sensitive issue seeing his daughter trail off and begin to mutter to herself.

The two of them shook as the carriage came to a sudden stop. Standing ahead of their company were three figures.

"More bandits?!" Chaouri shouted. "There's only so much disorder I can tolerate!"

"I'll scatter them like I did with the last groups that tried to rob us! Stay sharp men!" Supia shouted as she left the carriage and joined the armed escort.

The three of men wore the same uniform, black buttoned coats with white shirts underneath and black pants. A tall man with gray hair worn in a ponytail, with blue eyes and a mustache stood at the center. Next to him was a large muscular man with long, spiky blond hair. In addition to the uniform, he wore a horned headdress. The third was a young man of small build with blond hair and golden eyes. While he wore the same uniform as the other two, with the exception of wearing shorts instead of pants. He also had horn-like accessories in his hair and a demon-like tail.

"Daidara." The gray haired man looked over to his muscular teammate.

"On it!" Dairada revealed a double-bladed broad ax from his back and met the soldiers.

In just a few swings he had cut through most of them. Slicing their bodies clean in half. Thanks to her quick reflexes, Supia was able to jump back in time to escape a fatal blow. Unfortunately, her lance was cut in half and Daiara's blade still managed to reach her stomach, giving her a wound that dropped her to her knees.

"H-he's too strong..." Supia held her wound and reached for her broken lance.

She looked over her shoulder, expecting to see the rearguard of the company rush to her aid, but they had all started running away, retreating to the village.