Susan knew that even though her brother could handle a sword, there was no way he would be able to beat Ivan, who was more skilled and experienced than him.
When Susan noticed her brother was beginning to struggle with the fight and was only defending, with Ivan not giving him any space to recover and fight back, she also picked up a sword, which she held up with two hands because of how heavy it was.
She wasn't sure what to do until Ivan knocked Williams to the ground and was about to strike him when she used her sword to stop his midair.
Her hands were shaking together with the sword as it was too heavy for her, especially when Ivan continued to push it down.
"Why are you just standing there when you should be helping?" Luciana yelled at Lance desperately, rousing him out of his thoughts as she pointed at them for him to do something. Immediately, he hurried over to Williams and helped him out of there while looking at Susan with concern as he wondered what to do. Meanwhile, Williams was pushing him away since he didn't want to leave Susan alone with Ivan because he seemed to have gone crazy.
"I will never forgive you for hurting Williams," Susan said in a bitter tone, but Ivan only smirked at her.
Ivan was annoyed, bitter, and angry. And it was making him blind. He was blinded by rage at this point.
There was no way he was going to leave Susan alone after she had repeatedly gotten in his way.
He withdrew his sword, and hers fell, freeing her hands from the heavy metal. As she looked down at her palms, which were a bright red now, Ivan grabbed her by the throat, taking her by surprise.
She looked at him in shock as he began to strangle her with one hand while still holding on to his sword with his other hand.
Everyone panicked, and just as Luciana, Lance, Williams, and even Harvey left the other group to attend to that issue, Ivan felt a sharp kick on his side, which made him let go of her as he fell to the floor.
Susan was about to fall to the floor when the person who had saved her caught her in his arms just before she was about to hit the floor, and he glared at her.
Ivan looked at them. Once again, it was the stupid guard he hated so much. Alvin.
Alvin's glare moved from Susan to Ivan before he looked back at Susan, who was gasping for air. He was kneeling with her in his arms, and from the look on his face, he had no idea what he was supposed to do.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?" Lance yelled at Ivan as he hurried to where Susan was to take her away from there. While Luciana stood there, frozen on the spot as she looked at Susan, who was still trying to breathe, and Williams was now attending to her.
With the distraction and all their back to Ivan as Alvin focused on helping Susan recover, Ivan didn't waste time anymore as he took the opportunity to slash at Alvin's back with his sword, blood spilling immediately.
Time seemed to pause after that happened, and even the villagers, who were hiding on different sides to watch, had their hands covering their mouths.
For some reason, it didn't matter if a hundred soldiers were slain. But the big guy was different. Besides, he had just saved the lady!
Susan stared wide-eyed at Alvin, who was just staring ahead blankly. Even Alvin seemed to be in disbelief.
When was the last time someone successfully used a sword on him? Just how distracted had he been during the fight?
Lance and Williams took Susan from Alvin's arms and pulled her away while she yelled at them to let her be, tears flowing down her cheeks.
Just as Ivan wanted to deliver another blow before Alvin would recover, poisonous pheromones filled the air and affected every single one of them as Harold kept his gaze solely on Ivan.
Knowing how his pheromone was poisonous even to his people, he suppressed it and drew out his sword instead, while Alvin also stood up and wielded his sword, ignoring the deep cut on his back.
Not only blinded with rage but also stupid enough to ignore Harold's presence and attack Alvin, Ivan charged at Alvin, but before he could get close enough to him, Harold appeared in front of him with speed like they had never seen before and knocked off his sword, also knocking him to the ground just like Alvin had done earlier, but while Alvin had done it mildly since Ivan was a prince, Harold's was aggressive.
"Har–," Alicia whispered in a frightened tone, scared that he might get hurt, while Paulina held Alicia's hand firmly, more out of fear than support.
As soon as Harold left the room, despite his warning for her to remain inside, she followed him out. Seeing the blood everywhere made her want to throw up.
This was all her fault.
She already looked pale and lightheaded merely from watching them fight. She didn't want anyone else to be hurt because of her.
"Go and stand beside the princess," Harold ordered Alvin, while he held Ivan's angry gaze.
Alvin looked hesitant, but this time, Harold turned to look at him, and then his eyes also found Alicia's, and he could see the fear in them. She didn't want anyone to be hurt. She was going to blame herself. He could read her.
Alvin bowed to him, and as soon as he stepped back while trying to hide his pain, a crying Susan approached him.
"I... am so sorry. It's all my fault." She said as she tried to touch him, but she withdrew her hand and looked at her brother, crying desperately, "Do something about his wound!"