Chapter 249
Chapter 249: Betrayal?
Translator: Tseirp
Looking at the captured His Highness and entourage, I thought to myself that flags exist in this world too (TL: Flags as in death flag etc where a person jinxes something by talking about it) . As I absentmindedly thought about such things, I asked to verify the situation .
“Is there a representative around? If there is, could you tell me how His Highness Albert got captured?”
But nobody stepped up as the representative . His Highness Albert started talking instead .
“These people are slaves . That’s why it is impossible for them to do anything outside of their orders . Please help me . ”
Ha? A slave can’t perform any action outside their orders? But I feel like Lionel and the others can do all kinds of actions … I looked towards Lionel and the others .
When that happened, they averted their gazes and it looked like they were stifling their laughter .
I see . I gave Lionel and the others loose instructions so they could act freely . The outcome came out all right so there’s no problem but …
That’s when I realized something .
“Your Highness, Melfina-san and Mr . Bazak aren’t with you?”
His Highness averted his face .
“It’s a charade . Luciel-sama, His Highness was probably meant to delay us . Furthermore, even those people who attacked us also seem to not know what to do . ”
Lionel affirmed that His Highness was placed there to stall us . And just like he said, when the attackers who surrendered earlier first saw His Highness Albert, they had a look of confusion on their faces showing that they didn’t know what they should do .
The current situation would be a little strange if they were under the command of the fake Lionel but as long as Lionel was around, they might be waiting for his instructions .
I took a magical power potion out from my magic bag and drank it as I organized my thoughts and asked further questions .
“Your Highness Albert, I have two questions . When were you captured? And where are Melfina-san and Mr . Bazak?”
I cast Dispel with magic circle chant so even if His Highness was turned into a slave, that slave contract would have been removed .
Once he was removed from slavery, he should be able to say whatever he wanted to say .
I thought to myself as His Highness opened his mouth .
“There’s no way I can put into words how we were attacked by Bazak on the way to the Empire after bidding you guys farewell at the labyrinth — Eh? Why am I able to say it?”
“It’s because I dispelled your slave contract so you should be able to talk now . Now, please go into detail . ”
“O, okay . But just like I said just now, Bazak released a spell at us on our way to the Empire’s territory . And at almost the same time, we were surrounded by slave soldiers . ”
It seems like our information was leaked . Leaving that aside, Mr . Bazak betrayed us …?
“Lionel, is Mr . Bazak the type to betray people?”
“No, he should be a man who will fight to the end even if there is an overwhelming difference in strength . ”
“I see, Your Highness, do you know anything else?”
“I have no idea . After all, Mr . Bazak truly put in his all for our cause . I can’t think of any reason why he would betray us . ”
His Highness said that with his head down and his knees hit the ground .
Mr . Bazak probably functioned as a staff officer for His Highness Albert .
If that’s the case, during the previous time when the Resistance was attacked … !?
Rather than a flash of inspiration, it was more like utter delusion but I thought of a hypothesis .
“The fact that Lionel slashed Mr . Bazak, is it well known?”
“Yeah . It is?”
“One more question then, do you think the Mr . Bazak we met is the real Mr . Bazak?”
” … Did you realize something?”
Lionel stared at me and asked .
I could tell that everyone else was also listening .
“It’s a little delusional but is it possible that Mr . Bazak was a fake?”
” … I don’t really get the meaning behind your words?”
Lionel showed a puzzled expression as he returned his line of sight to His Highness .
Well, that’s to be expected .
I thought to myself as I elaborated on the hypothesis .
“When the Resistance was attacked in the Imperial Capital, Your Highness and your party were captured once right?”
“Yes, I mentioned it before . ”
“At that time, Mr . Bazak was acting as a detached force, right? I was thinking along the lines that perhaps he was replaced when you all were captured . ”
” … That’s why you think the person we met is a fraud?”
“Yes . If not, another reason might be that he was acting for a separate goal since the time he joined His Highness as a companion . ”
“I can’t say that is impossible …”
Lionel wasn’t convinced after all as he seemed a little baffled .
But I knew that reasoning was not our style .
That’s why I made a decision .
“Well, for now, we can neither trust nor depend on His Highness or Mr . Bazak and their group . So let’s just stop thinking about all kinds of things and just simply move forward . ”
“Fu~ that might be a good choice . ”
Normally it would be fine if we had a staff officer but I didn’t have such a follower so there’s no helping it . (TL: Staff officer referring to personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units)
That’s why it was best we proceeded in a way we were most suited for .
Lionel and the others smiled lightly and agreed .
After getting their confirmation, I started chanting right away .
【By the hand of holy healing, by the breath of Mother Earth, against the existences that have fallen to demonization, against those unholy existences, swallow everything with a wave of purification . Purification Wave】
A wave of energy burst forth with me as the center … but there wasn’t a single person who looked like they were suffering .
I expected that too .
If everything was already revealed, they wouldn’t have placed any demons in the midst .
“Very well, there are no issues . Our original plan was to have a speech here but now there’s no point in doing it anymore . Let’s head to the castle first . ”
“Like I’ll let you do that . ”
The same time I heard the voice, multiple Fire Lances, Ice Lances and Wind Cutters flew at me from behind His Highness .
But there was no need for me to evade them . Since Lionel swept all the attacks away with his Flaming Greatsword .
“Tch, as expected, you can’t be taken down that easily . ”
He wanted to put him down with just that? No, probably not .
I don’t believe that he considered Lionel to be that weak to be defeated with just that .
Well, if it was meant for me then I could understand it a little …
But I didn’t expect him to appear this early .
“Ooo, so it’s Mr . Bazak’s fake . Where’s the real Mr . Bazak?”
That’s right . The Mr . Bazak who betrayed us appeared .
I thought that many more enemies would appear but he was the only one who showed up .
“There’s no such thing as a fake . I am the current Bazak . ”
I guessed that it might already be too late since he said ‘current’ but he probably has a plan after directly showing his intent like this .
“That can’t be . Even though it was in the past, the Sorcerer who Lionel had to resolve himself to fight would not do something so half-baked . ”
“What a thing to say after I went out of my way to protect you from the thrown dagger with my body . ”
“It’s true, I’m thankful for that . I’m grateful that I didn’t have to waste any movements to dodge it . ”
A mere dagger couldn’t have penetrated my Holy Dragon Armor but if he had planned that all from the beginning, his mind is truly fearsome .
I dove straight into the main topic .
“Are you Cloud-san?”
“Fu~ There’s no way I’m Cloud-sama . That esteemed person will be the one to rule over the Empire in the future . ”
He revealed information on Cloud with slight reverence .
“Leave it at that, Raizak . ”
“Hmph, you’re finally awake huh, Melvia . ”
“Yeah, I didn’t expect her to be a lady with such strong will but this body is mine now . ”
Melfina-san with jet black wings appeared and said .
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