I'm a Immortal Tavernkeeper, But My S-Rank Daughter Doesn't Know That!

"Wait!" Victor exclaimed, drawing the attention of everyone present, especially the masked invaders.

The leader of the invaders, wearing his skull mask, slowly turned towards Victor. The expression hidden behind the mask was unfathomable, but the tension in the air made it clear that he didn’t appreciate being interrupted.

"What did you say?" The leader’s voice was icy, a thread of menace in every word.

Victor took a deep breath, struggling to stay calm. "I told you to wait. If you’re here seeking justice, then killing this man won’t solve anything. It will only make you equal to the oppressors you despise."

The intruder approaching the nobleman hesitated, looking at the leader as if waiting for orders. The room was silent, the guests holding their breath, waiting for the leader’s answer.

"Do you want to take his place?" The leader asked, his voice laden with sarcasm. "Do you want to be the example of our justice?"

Victor shook his head, taking a step forward. "I’m not here to take anyone’s place. But if you want to be heard, if you want your cause to be respected, then you can’t resort to senseless violence. That will only make you look like terrorists, not vigilantes."

The leader of the invaders laughed, a dry, bitter sound that reverberated through the hall. "And what do you suggest, brave one? That we get down on our knees and beg for favor? That we beg for mercy from those who exploit us?"

Victor stood firm, his gaze determined. "No. I suggest that you show that you are better than those you condemn. Show wisdom and justice, not cruelty. Then you’ll have the chance to really change something, to make a real difference."

Some of the invaders muttered among themselves, visibly divided.

The leader silenced them with an abrupt gesture, fixing Victor with a penetrating gaze. "You talk as if you understand our pain, but I doubt you know what it means to suffer as we do."

Victor took another step forward, feeling the weight of the leader’s words. "Maybe I don’t fully understand, but I know that violence only breeds more violence. You have an opportunity here. You can show that you are better, that your cause is just. And if you manage to do that, you’ll have far more strength than any sword or spell can offer."

The leader was silent for a moment, contemplating Victor’s words. Finally, he raised a hand, signaling for his men to fall back.

"We are the Guardians of the Night," he said, his voice gaining strength. "We are here to fight against oppression and inequality, to ensure that the rich and powerful can no longer exploit workers without consequences."

Luisa stood up. "So, Guardians of the Night, let’s find a solution that doesn’t involve any more violence. If you really want justice, prove that you are different from the oppressors you condemn."

The hall fell silent as everyone waited for the leader’s response. He stared at Victor, evaluating his words. Finally, he lowered his sword and bowed his head.

"That’s your problem... You always think you’re in charge. Not today, though." He then looked at the guards in the left corner and gave an order.

Victor felt a chill run down his spine as he heard the order from the leader of the invaders. The atmosphere, which was already charged with tension, became even more oppressive. The guards, until then paralyzed by fear and uncertainty, moved hesitantly, their expressions reflecting the gravity of the situation.

The leader of the invaders, with his skull mask, looked more menacing than ever. He stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Victor, as if to challenge any attempt at resistance.

"We’re not here to hold an assembly," he said implacably. "We’re here to send a message. A message to this kingdom that oppression will no longer be tolerated. And that message will be written in the blood of the nobles."

The invaders, armed and ready, began to move towards the nobles, who were huddled in the corner of the room. Some of the guests screamed, trying to get away, while others fell to their knees, begging for their lives.

"Please don’t do this!" Victor shouted, trying to interpose himself between the invaders and the nobles. "There is another way. There’s always another way!"

But his words were ignored. The leader of the invaders raised his hand again, and his men advanced without hesitation. Blades flashed in the torchlight, and the first nobleman fell, his chest pierced by a sword. Blood gushed out, dyeing the floor a deep red.

The hall turned into chaos.

The sound of screams, the clang of weapons and the metallic smell of blood filled the air.

Victor felt helpless, his mind spinning as he tried to find a way to stop the massacre.

Luisa, who had been watching in silence until then, couldn’t contain herself any longer.

"As Victor said, violence will only bring more violence. You are condemning yourselves to the same fate as those you condemn." He stood up and opened his arms, at which point the walls were surrounded by barriers and then by thorns, which pierced the invaders standing near the walls.

One of the invaders turned to her, his blade dirty with blood. "Witch, you bastard! You don’t understand our pain!"

She stepped forward, glaring at the invader with fierce determination. "I understand more than you know. But that’s not the answer. It never has been and it never will be."

So she stretched her hand forward and a sphere of lilac energy began to form in her hand.

The invaders’ eyes widened, some hesitating to advance while others backed away slightly, aware of the power emanating from her. The leader of the invaders, however, did not seem intimidated.

With a snap of his fingers, time around Luisa and the others stopped. The flames of the torches froze in mid-air, the drops of blood hung motionless, and the sound of screams was replaced by absolute silence. The world seemed to be suspended in a macabre and vivid painting, where horror was eternally crystallized.

The leader of the invaders, his skull mask inexpressive, walked slowly towards Luisa. In his hand, a black dagger glinted menacingly. Every step he took resounded in the oppressive silence, an almost metallic sound that seemed to echo through the eternity of frozen time.

Victor, trapped in the static of time, could see everything, but could not move. His eyes followed the leader of the invaders, a mixture of despair and impotence dominating his face. He wanted to scream, he wanted to stand between the invader and Luisa, but his body was immobile, like a living statue trapped in the impending tragedy.

Luisa, on the other hand, seemed to be the only one who could move slightly, but she couldn’t use magic. Her eyes followed the advance of the leader of the invaders, her heart beating wildly with the realization of the imminent danger. She tried to move her fingers, tried to dispel the energy sphere, but time seemed to be compressed around her, allowing her only minimal movements.

The leader of the invaders finally stopped in front of her. His skull mask reflected the lilac light of the sphere, creating a frightening contrast. He raised his dagger, the black blade glinting with silent malice. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"You talk about justice, about not using violence," he whispered, his voice an icy whisper that cut through the silence. "But sometimes, the only language oppressors understand is that of force."

Luisa, feeling the weight of the dagger about to descend on her, fought against the temporal paralysis.

"The violence you spread only perpetuates the cycle. If you really want change, you have to be better than them."

The leader of the invaders hesitated for a moment, his invisible eyes behind his mask seeming to consider Luisa’s words. But then, with a decisive movement, he raised the dagger higher, ready to strike the killing blow. Suddenly, an intense glow emanated from the sphere of energy in Luisa’s hand. The lilac light became almost blinding, pulsing with renewed strength. The leader of the invaders stepped back slightly, his hand trembling as he held the dagger.

The light enveloped Luisa, forming a protective barrier around her. With a tremendous effort, she managed to move her free hand, touching the wrist of the leader of the invaders. Energy flowed through her, transferring to him. The invader screamed, his body shaking as the lilac energy enveloped him, forcing him to drop the dagger which fell to the ground with a metallic clang.

"What are you doing?" he shouted, his voice tinged with pain and surprise.

Luisa took a deep breath. "I’m showing you that you’re not..."

"Just kidding." He said and the energy disappeared. "I just wanted to give you a bit of hope, so I let your magic flow. It’s bad, isn’t it? To have your only hope crushed. This power to freeze everything is very useful when you can choose what freezes and what doesn’t."

Luisa started to take a few steps back, frightened. She had never heard of a magic that could freeze time. The whole thing was absurd on every level, mainly because it went against the basic fundamentals of most magic. There was no magic that could tamper with time, no, that was far more advanced than any mortal could manage.