The Adventures of an Overpowered Knight in Another World Chapter 637- A Shadow Lurking Near Eleanor (4)

"What is this I'm seeing?"

Right there, positioned against the wall of his mansion, was a figure attempting to scale it.

The peculiar nature of the scene stemmed from the individual's utter lack of stealth or finesse; rather, they resembled a bewildered lizard struggling to climb a slick surface.

Slipping, scratching, and clinging with desperation, at one point the man nearly face-planted the ground after losing his footing.

Reinhardt observed this spectacle for a solid five seconds.

"Is this for real?"

Miraculously, the man managed to secure a grip on a windowsill. He then awkwardly hauled himself up, trying to remain unseen by the maids who were moving about inside.

After glancing left and right, he began inching, incredibly slowly, towards the window.

"Could they be a thief?"

It was a natural assumption that anyone trying to infiltrate a residence would be perceived as a thief.

However, the very reason Reinhardt questioned his own deduction was the man's amateurish approach, which was so lacking it was almost comical.

Yet, regardless of their skill level, the sheer audacity of someone attempting to enter his mansion...

Reinhardt massaged his temples, not with anger, but with sheer incredulity.

Someone was trying to break into his mansion. Like this. In broad daylight. Employing... whatever that peculiar method was.

Reinhardt let out a sigh.

"Very well."

A soft, golden radiance coalesced behind him, manifesting into a magnificent pair of golden wings. With the [Wings of Seraphim] skill activated, he ascended into the air.

As the intruder latched onto the mansion wall, his face brightened with the realization that entry through the window was mere inches away.

Unbeknownst to him, however, a shadow materialized directly behind him at that precise moment.

"I... I did it?!"

Before any celebration could occur, a firm, vice-like grip seized him from behind.

Like a stray kitten being plucked from its predicament, a hand grasped the back of his collar.

"Hey... Who in the blazes are you?"

Reinhardt's composed voice reached his ear.

The man stiffened. Then...

"AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"

A scream, as if his very soul had been ripped free, erupted from him.

"Let me go! Let me go!!"

He thrashed so violently that his garments tore, sending him plummeting directly to the ground below.

THUD.

Reinhardt's eye twitched as he regarded the tattered fabric in his hand and the pathetic figure sprawled on the ground.

"That looked painful."

The man had endured a severe impact, a truly hard fall. Reinhardt even registered the sickening crack of bones; the intruder had undoubtedly sustained multiple fractures.

The resounding crash echoed throughout the estate, and within moments, the sound of hurried footsteps announced the arrival of maids and servants, who quickly formed a bewildered circle.

"What happened?!"

"Why was that noise so loud?!"

"Lord Reinhardt?!"

"And who is that man?!"

Reinhardt, having already deactivated his ability, stood calmly near the injured man and provided an explanation.

"I discovered him scaling the wall."

For a fleeting second, astonishment registered on everyone's faces. They glanced from the twitching, broken man on the ground to the imposing wall.

"Climbing?"

"The wall?"

Setting aside the considerable height of the wall, the sheer audacity of a man attempting to infiltrate the Viscount's manor was almost unbelievable.

"For what reason?" a maid inquired, her question deceptively simple.

"An excellent question." Reinhardt looked down at the unconscious, disheveled, and utterly miserable intruder. "That is something only he can answer."

Without further preamble, Reinhardt stooped, seized the man by his collar once more, and lifted him effortlessly, like a sack of grain.

Smack. Smack.

Two stinging slaps were delivered to the man's cheek.

"Wake up."

Then again.

"I said, wake up."

Slowly, the man stirred, emitting a groan as consciousness returned.

"Ugh..."

"Who are you? And more importantly, what was your objective in attempting to break into my manor?"

Upon seeing Reinhardt, the man clenched his jaw. Despite the pain causing his body to spasm, he remained silent. Not a single word, only a look of pure animosity.

"Hm? Why is there a crowd here?"

Before Reinhardt could press his interrogation, a familiar voice chimed in from behind.

As if bringing a refreshing breeze, Eleanor made her appearance.

She surveyed the assembled group with mild curiosity, then her gaze settled on Reinhardt, and finally, her eyes landed on the crumpled, insignificant figure on the ground.

The instant her gaze met his, all color drained from her face, and her body became rigid. It was as if she had encountered a specter.

The man, seemingly drawn by her voice, turned towards her. At that precise moment, his mouth contorted into a chilling grin.

"I... have found you... Eleanor."

Then, abruptly, his voice boomed, calling her name.

"Eleanor!!"

The servants flinched, their eyes flicking between the man and Eleanor, a mixture of confusion and curiosity evident.

Who is this person?

Why is he calling out her name?

A myriad of questions swirled in their minds.

Reinhardt, however, asked nothing. Instead, he silently noted Eleanor’s reaction.

Her fear was not superficial; it ran deep, primal, as if a long-buried trauma had been violently unearthed.

As Reinhardt wrestled with these thoughts, the man's agonizing cries intensified, his voice hoarse and chilling.

"I've finally tracked you down..."

"You have no idea how much I've longed for you..."

"My heart soared when I spotted you at the theatre..."

"That very day... I realized. I absolutely had to come here. Our destinies are intertwined. We were always meant to be."

His gaze zeroed in on Eleanor, igniting with a feverish, all-consuming obsession.

Upon hearing his pronouncements, the hushed murmurs among the assembled servants escalated.

"Do they... share a connection?"

"He's speaking to her with such... profound familiarity..."

"Could he possibly be someone from her forgotten past?"

The man paid no heed to the growing unease, the evident suffering, or the very reality surrounding him. He struggled to regain his footing and, with a pronounced limp, started making his way towards Eleanor.

"Inform them... Reveal to them who I am. Declare that we are meant for each other. Accompany me. Let us return. Back to the home we once shared."

His voice swelled in volume. Eleanor instinctively recoiled, taking a step backward.

"Stay away... please, stay away..."

Her words were barely a whisper, her entire frame shuddering uncontrollably. Her breaths became shallow and ragged, her eyes gradually losing focus as terror relentlessly consumed her mind from within.

Observing this profound distress, Reinhardt's expression turned grim.

Enough was enough.

Before the man could take another faltering step...

THUD.