Sasaki and Peeps - Volume 5 - Chapter 5

<Invasion>

Peeps and I soon departed from the Sasaki barony to pay a visit to the Geschwür garrison. Peeps teleported us as usual, but instead of going straight in, we started from a short distance away and used flight magic to approach from high in the air. We wanted to get a look at things from afar to see what was happening.

“There are a lot of carts parked around the garrison, considering its size.”

“Yes. I can see a great many people within its walls as well.”

Along the river, right in the middle of the grassy plains, stood a fortress. It was about as big as the one in Baron Sasaki’s domain. Around it were big walls, and inside, I could spot people moving about. We could also see a lot of carts lined up outside the walls, evidently unable to fit in.

And here and there, throughout the fortress, flew Herzian flags.

“I see a bunch of flags all over. Do you think they’re real?”

“We’d have to go down and see for ourselves to know for sure.”

“Yeah, I figured.”

If the letter and the flags were fake, we’d end up trapped like rats. I didn’t like danger, so I’d prefer to avoid such a situation. But since I’d already agreed to go along, I simply nodded. I’d just have to trust that everything would work out as long as I stayed with Peeps.

We used our flight magic to descend toward the ground and headed for a spot a little ways from what looked like the front gates.

Those at the fortress spotted our approach immediately. Several mounted knights burst out of the garrison, galloping toward our destination. Personally, I wanted to fly right back up. But when I checked with Peeps, he gave me a small nod indicating that things would be fine.

Without much choice, I continued down as planned. When my feet touched the ground, the men from the fortress immediately stopped their horses.

A moment later, the knight at the front addressed me in a respectful tone. “Excuse my rudeness, sir, but would you happen to be Baron Sasaki?”

“You knew it was me?” I asked, surprised.

“Prince Lewis awaits you. Please come with us, sir.”

I hadn’t thought they’d be able to identify me so high in the air. I was astonished. How had they figured out it was us? What’s more, I’d been expecting them to draw their swords as soon as we met, and part of me was a little disappointed.

“I understand,” I told them. “I’d appreciate it if you could guide me to him.”

“Right this way, sir.”

This could still have been a trap. I’m with Peeps, though, so that won’t be an issue, I told myself, deciding to go along with the knight’s instructions.

Raising myself a few dozen centimeters off the ground with flight magic, I followed after the horses. On the way, one of the animals defecated, surprising me. The resulting mess struck its swinging tail, splashing outward. I barely managed to avoid it as I followed them.

I was shown into the Geschwür garrison, as planned. Prince Lewis’s forces appeared to have taken control of the whole fortress, and no one tried to block our way. As we’d seen from the sky, the building had Herzian flags flying everywhere, and the soldiers going about inside were well disciplined. Nearly all of them appeared to be from the kingdom. It was starting to seem like Prince Lewis’s attack on the Ohgen Empire really had been a great success.

Ultimately, we were brought to what looked like the office of the person in charge. The one we were after was sitting at the desk at the back of the room. Several relatively well-adorned knights stood near the prince, guarding him. After motioning for us to enter, the knights who had led us here moved just outside the door and stood at attention.

Whatever the case, I supposed a proper greeting was in order. “Allow me to congratulate you on your conquest of the Geschwür garrison, Your Royal Highness.”

“Thank you for coming, Baron Sasaki. You’re the first to congratulate me, actually.”

“I apologize for showing up without prior notice, sir.”

“I don’t mind. In fact, the earlier the better with these things. I hadn’t thought one of Adonis’s nobles would be here before any of my own. Perhaps I could have chosen better, hmm? I may as well ask—would you like to use this chance to come over to my side?”

“Your words are more than I deserve, sir. But I must humbly decline your considerate offer.”

“Ah, and when I am inviting you so passionately, too. How unreliable you are.”

“I can see you joining forces with Prince Adonis and leading the kingdom together, sir.”

“……”

The reason they’d known it was me up in the sky became clear as soon as we saw the prince—he had a pair of binoculars in hand, definitely one of the items I’d sold to the otherworld in the past. I could see outside through the large window behind the desk. He must have spotted us from here, then confirmed who we were using the binoculars. I was certain the window faced the part of the sky we’d teleported into.

“Excuse my rudeness, sir, but may I ask where you acquired those?”

“I bought them from a local merchant in Count Müller’s lands.”

“If it’s not too much to ask, I’d like to know the name of the person who sold it to you.”

“You were the one who brought these goods here, yes, Baron Sasaki?”

“That is correct, sir.”

“My brother made quite the lucky find, it seems,” said the prince, his smile deepening as he stroked the binoculars. His eyes were narrowed into an awfully striking smirk. Anyone watching would have guessed he was thinking about something decidedly evil. “You’ve come here to verify the truth of the letter I sent the count, have you not?”

“Yes, sir. I’ve come to assess the situation as well as to congratulate you.”

“Go ahead. You can look around all you like. We threw the captured Imperials into the dungeon. In exchange, Baron, I’d like your help hastening provisions here from the count’s lands. I seem to recall his storehouses being quite full.”

“…Understood, sir.”

The more words I traded with Prince Lewis, the more severe the expressions of the well-dressed knights beside him became. They probably hated that a lowly baron such as myself, and a supporter of Prince Adonis, was speaking to the man at all. Back in Herz, they probably held a higher position than I did.

“What is my brother up to, by the way?” the prince asked.

“His Royal Highness is currently at the fortress in the Rectan Plains, praying for your safety, sir.”

“Really? I hadn’t expected him to stick around.”

“Now that you’ve won this unprecedented victory, will you not march back to the royal capital in triumph?”

“Why would I? If I don’t take this opportunity to press the attack, will it ever come again?”

That surprised me. Prince Lewis was grasping for even more. He was taking an extremely aggressive stance compared to his conservative-leaning kingdom. Was he too young to consider backing down from a fight? Or did he have a good reason to be confident of further victories? I couldn’t be sure. In the past, he’d done things like trying to make Lady Elsa his chief concubine or firing magic at a dragon. Unfortunately, the man had something of a flair for the dramatic.

“Have you eaten yet, Baron?” he asked.

“I have, sir.”

“Ah, a shame. I was wondering if the two of us could have a meal together.”

It’s a really good thing I had a late dinner at Ms. Futarishizuka’s, I thought. Otherwise, my stomach would have growled during this conversation. And why’s he inviting me to eat anyway? “I couldn’t, sir. Those charged with your safety must surely be on edge at my presence. Once I’ve completed my assigned task, I hope to return to the Rectan Plains fortress, by your leave.”

“I suppose you may do as you wish.”

“Thank you for your understanding, sir.”

“Also, when you go back, tell my brother to wait in the capital for good news.”

“I will tell him, sir.”

That was the end of my meeting with Prince Lewis. After that, with a knight as my guide, I took a look around the facility. Just as Prince Adonis and Count Müller had reported, the Geschwür garrison was under the complete control of Herzian soldiers. The highest-ranking captive in the dungeon was the base commander, along with several of his aides.

I was told that those low-ranking soldiers deemed to have no worth as captives had been dealt with appropriately. Around the time I arrived, I’d seen Herzian soldiers disposing of bodies—that must have been them. They also said, however, that many had fled the front line. Naturally, the Herzian soldiers hadn’t emerged unscathed. I could see the wounded all around.

I spent the better part of half a day observing. The garrison, a mere frontline base, was much smaller than the town of Baytrium. I didn’t see any civilians, either. I was able to finish my inspection before sunset.

My conclusion was unchanged since my arrival: Prince Lewis’s forces had indeed taken Geschwür.

After my rounds at the garrison, Peeps and I returned to Baytrium, specifically to our room at the posh inn. We’d used flight magic to take off from Geschwür, then, once we were outside the range visible with binoculars, Peeps teleported us into the room’s living space.

“What should we do now, Peeps?” I asked the bird.

“Hmm…”

It was time for a strategy meeting to discuss developments surrounding Prince Lewis. And this time, even the Lord Starsage seemed troubled. He moved his little head around worriedly where he sat on the perching tree—he was so cute.

“It seems to me that Lewis is in direct contact with the Empire in some form.”

“I can’t deny the possibility, but there’s just no proof.”

If Peeps was right, then as soon as Prince Lewis ascended the throne, Herz would become an Imperial puppet state. Though no troops would be sent into the kingdom, it would be slowly absorbed into the Empire until its name and bloodlines were lost to time. This made perfect sense considering their inability to defeat the dragons at the border.

“I’m sorry to ask even more of you, but could we disguise ourselves and infiltrate the Empire once again?”

“I don’t mind at all. But where are we going this time?”

“There is only one option for Lewis’s next target—the town we visited before.”

“Speaking geographically, you mean?”

“Yes, exactly. Without taking that town, he will have no way forward. If he were to try to detour around it, he’d be caught in a pincer attack between it and his next target. And Lewis’s troops as they are now would be unable to withstand it.”

“I see.”

I’d met a key figure of the Ohgen Empire in that town—General Troy. His presence, along with that of Margrave Bertrand, seemed to suggest some movement within the Empire.

“Whatever we do, I’d like to work in some way for Prince Adonis to show off.”

“Indeed, that would be ideal.”

That way, even if Prince Lewis ultimately ascended the throne, Adonis could retain a high position in the court. Basically, I wanted to give the younger brother a piece of what the elder brother was cooking. Fortunately, the former hadn’t shown that much desire to take the throne. There was probably room for negotiation. The only question left was whether we could produce the necessary results.

“Should we go right away?”

“Would you mind?”

“No, I’m ready.”

“Then let us prepare at once.”

“Prepare” in this case meant “use transformation magic.” Like before, the spell changed both of us: I became a ubiquitous local, dropping the suit and tie; and Peeps became an incredibly adorable golden retriever. A quick once-over told me we basically looked the same as before.

When I felt the big dog’s presence next to my leg, my motivation shot up. Sorry, Peeps. A moment later, the teleportation spell took effect, and we left the town of Baytrium.

It only took a moment. The two of us entered the Empire the same way we had before, and we secured a base of operations in the same lodgings. Naively, I thought that if I was lucky, I might run into the general or the margrave again. Peeps and my plan to compare different inns would have to wait.

After eating dinner, we went to sleep without accomplishing anything in particular. We would go into town and check it out the next day.

I had assumed that news of Prince Lewis’s conquest of Geschwür had reached the ears of the townspeople here, so the first thing I did was try to gather information. If we were going to infiltrate a military facility, we’d need a good foothold first.

We left the inn and walked around town, pretending to sightsee. Peeps was with me the whole time, of course; the way his paws plodded along the road was divine, the wagging of his tail simply adorable. What made me even happier was how he had to touch me every once in a while to maintain the transformation spell.

Those around us seemed to agree, and several people called out to me as we went.

“Oh!” said one woman. “He’s so cute! What’s his name?”

“Pe—er, Pythagoras.”

“Woof!”

“Well, aren’t you energetic, Pythagoras!”

“Woof! Woof!”

“May I pet him?”

“Woof! Woof! Woof!”

“Go right ahead.”

Thank you, I thought. I really appreciate you putting your all into those cute doggy moves. And sorry for giving you a different name without asking. I was grateful, but I was also having fun.

The people of the town were all living in peace. None of them had even heard that Herz had attacked, much less that they had taken Geschwür. In fact, as we walked around that day, we didn’t hear a single thing about Herz at all. We’d listened in at several restaurants, but nobody was talking about the news. We did, however, hear various opinions on the Empire’s previous failed attempt to dispatch troops to the kingdom. The citizens didn’t seem to think very much of it; I should have guessed as much.

In the meantime, the sun set, and night came. The two of us returned to our lodgings to eat dinner. But as we were walking down the hallway to our guest room, something happened: We heard several people making a racket around the corner.

This inn was rather expensive and aimed at noble clientele. Considering the possibility I might get mixed up in something annoying again, I stopped and drew up against the wall. Peeps followed suit next to me.

A moment later, a large group of people rounded the corner. Most of them appeared to be armed knights, led by a man in fancy clothes who looked like a noble. He was probably in his midforties, with a stern, scary face. He stood about a head taller than my post-transformation self.

I recognized him right away.

“Damn that general!” he grumbled. “Where did he disappear to?”

“Excuse my rudeness for asking, my lord,” said a knight, “but have you checked the military facility?”

“Of course I have, you dolt. These are my lands.”

“Perhaps we should send people to other inns in town, my lord.”

“Yes. And search the surrounding areas, too.”

“Understood, sir.”

Words flew this way and that as they walked down the hallway toward us. Eventually, when the noble saw us, he muttered, “Oh? Is that you, my elf-loving comrade?”

Apparently, the margrave remembered me, though not exactly in a way I appreciated. “It’s good to see you again, my lord.”

Knowing the man’s rank made me even more tense. This wasn’t someone a tenderfoot merchant was supposed to be saying hello to. The knights around him looked at me sternly. I sensed they were one step away from drawing their swords. Under their gazes, I greeted the man with a deep bow.

Eventually, after I raised my head again, the margrave spoke to me in the same tone as before. “There’s something I wanted to ask you.”

“What is it, sir?”

“Have you seen General Troy? He was with me the last time we met. The one with the gorgeous elfin aide—that should jog your memory, eh? In fact, even her whereabouts would be helpful.”

“Unfortunately, sir, I haven’t seen either of them since that day.”

“I see…”

“Excuse me for asking, sir, but has something happened?”

“No, nothing you need to worry about. My apologies for stopping you.”

Despite his impressive title, the man was the sort to speak frankly around others. He seemed to be in a hurry, and he quickly left down the stairs. His knights followed suit, clattering after him. The two of us remained in the hallway, watching them go. Only when we couldn’t hear him or his party anymore did we return to our room.

“That was indeed Margrave Bertrand.”

“I guess I met the real one after all.”

“Yes. Of that there can be no doubt. Though he looks several years older than I remember him.”

Peeps brought up the topic as soon as we passed through the door, and we continued talking while we moved into the living room. “I assume he was panicked because he knew about Geschwür.”

“It seems likely he and General Troy did not agree on the matter.”

“Are the margrave and the general on bad terms?”

“The margrave has a general distaste for anyone from the central Empire, not just the general.”

“Then maybe he was left out of the strategy meetings.”

“That is certainly a possibility.”

We arrived in the living room and stood next to the sofas. My mind had shifted from dinner mode into work mode.

“That means Prince Lewis’s informant is probably either General Troy himself or someone related to him, right? I doubt we’ll find him, considering the margrave was searching high and low with no luck.”

“Now that I think about it, he might well be at the garrison.”

“Should we go back and check it again?”

“Perhaps…”

Peeps and I continued exchanging opinions, not arriving at any specific conclusion.

Meanwhile, we noticed a flash of light in the dark outside the window, like a powerful strobe light.

A moment later, we heard an explosion.

“Huh…?”

“That would seem to be offensive magic.”

The stately dog reflexively ran over to the window and looked outside. The way he put up his front paws on the frame to see was the most adorable thing I could imagine.

I followed suit, walking up next to him and looking outside. When I did, I noticed a carriage had been overturned right in front of our inn. We stared down at it from our room on the third floor.

Its roof had been torn away, its wheels and wood broken apart. Fire began to rise from what was left of it. The horse that had been pulling it had fallen limp onto the road. It was like someone had planted a bomb in the cart.

“Would that happen to be Margrave Bertrand’s carriage?”

“It’s definitely gaudy enough—at least, it was.”

Several fallen knights were scattered about. The majority of those still conscious were injured, and even I could see how much pain they were in. The road was relatively busy, and several passersby could be seen running away.

I looked around in the chaos for the margrave, but couldn’t spot him from our room.

“Do you mind putting off dinner?” I asked Peeps. “I want to go check on things outside.”

“In that case, I shall come with you.”

“There’s no need, I’m just going to take a quick look. And I know it was my own request, but judging by how tense things are down there, you being in that form might draw some unwanted attention.”

“I understand. But remain vigilant.”

“Thanks, Peeps. I will.”

Perhaps it was insensitive of me, considering the circumstances, but I thought I might be able to snag some of the information we were after.

And so this rubbernecker burst out of his guest suite and dashed down to the exploded carriage. While people had mostly withdrawn from the area, I could see some watching from a short distance away. I looked back up at the inn I’d just left; faces were peeking out of the windows, wondering what in the world had just happened.

I ran over to the wreckage and checked inside. When I did, I saw someone moving. They were caught between the cart seat and an armored knight, who was covering them as if to protect them. The knight was already dead, likely killed by the explosion. But whoever he was protecting seemed to be alive; I could make out limbs twitching through the gaps. A portion of their extremities had been blown off, but the person was still alive.

I quickly cast a healing spell, funneling all the mana I could into it. Eventually, I began to see a change. The person’s limbs, which had merely been spasming before, suddenly moved as if by conscious effort, pushing away the body lying on top of them. That gave me a look at the person’s face—and it was familiar. Though he was covered in blood, it was definitely Margrave Bertrand.

“Are you all right, my lord?” I asked.

“My elf-loving comrade, was that healing magic yours…?”

“If it still hurts anywhere, please allow me to heal you again, sir.”

“I’m fine. Could you spare that effort on my knights instead?”

“Yes, sir.”

The margrave crawled out of the collapsed carriage onto the road and rose to his feet. As he had said, it seemed he was no longer in critical condition. While he had a lot of dirt on him, I didn’t see any wounds beneath it.

“This one’s quick efforts saved me, eh?” he said with a sad expression, looking at the dead knight. If he’d been with the margrave in the carriage, they must have been somewhat close.

The back of the knight’s armor had melted—he’d clearly been exposed to very high temperatures. Though it was flattened now, I could tell the armor had once looked splendid. His helmet, as well as the sword at his waist, were of very high quality.

“Excuse my asking, sir, but what was that explosion?” I said.

“Oh, yes. It was a spell, fired at us from outside,” he explained.

As we spoke, I took a step toward the fallen knights. Just then, soldiers on horseback came galloping up; they’d probably caught wind of the explosion. They gathered by the carriage, dismounting and running over once they’d spotted us.

“…Margrave Bertrand, you’re safe!”

“Imperial soldiers? Good timing. Help me clean up this place.”

“No! You must remove yourself from that man at once, my lord!”

“What? Why?”

“Because he is the very one who tried to kill you, Margrave!”

He was referring directly to me—and nobody else. In my initial disbelief, I checked behind me, but nobody was there.

The margrave looked just as surprised as I was. His eyes darted between the two of us.

“…What is the meaning of this?” he demanded.

“Arrest that man!” shouted the head soldier to the others.

They moved immediately, dashing toward me without giving me any time to protest. Then they pinned me down on the road, pushing my head into the stone. My arms were seized from either side, and I was grabbed at the waist, effectively preventing my escape. Instantly, I looked up and locked eyes with Peeps, who was staring out the window at me. I tried to tell him with my gaze not to worry, though I wasn’t sure if he understood.

“Wait,” said the margrave, confused. “That man saved my life. Why are you—?”

“It’s too dangerous to remain here,” interrupted the soldier loudly. “Please, come with us, sir.”

In the meantime, the other soldiers rolled me up, then clipped a metallic band around my neck. Was this the same item Prince Lewis had used on me? A slave collar?

“Wait!” the margrave shouted. “Are you General Troy’s—?”

But before he could finish, his body swayed, and a moment later, he passed out and crumpled to the ground. One of the nearby soldiers just barely caught him on the way down.

“Margrave Bertrand is tired. Bring him to the estate at once.”

I wasn’t sure, but I suspected this was sleeping magic. Peeps had introduced it to me once before, and we’d used it on Ms. Futarishizuka when we brought her to this world and she wouldn’t calm down.

Ignoring the rest of the fallen knights, the soldiers began to withdraw. Several knights drew their swords, meaning to defend the margrave, but they, too, fell to the ground without opposition a moment later. I guessed they’d been put to sleep with magic as well.

I never once heard an incantation. The leader of these soldiers must be a very skilled magic user.

In the end, the margrave was tragically dragged away. Then the soldiers loaded me onto one of the horses and took me as well.

The soldiers led us to an underground prison facility near the middle of town. My cell had three walls made of stone, with the other side blocked off by iron bars. The room was about six square meters, and I was the only one in it.

Though they’d unrolled me after putting me in the cell, they locked my wrists in chains. The slave collar was still around my neck, though once I was left alone I verified it wasn’t actually working.

If I used magic, I could easily break out. The problem was how long the transformation spell would last. Now that I wasn’t near Peeps, I ran the risk of my identity being revealed.

But as I was wondering about this, I sensed someone outside the cell. I’d never mistake that silky golden fur.

“Are you all right?”

“Peeps! I’m surprised you knew where I was.”

“I tailed the soldiers who took you.”

“They didn’t see you, right?”

“There are many spells one may use to deceive the eyes of others. Unlike your world, this one does not have mechanisms like infrared or ultrasound with which to detect the unseen. Even an average caster can hide themselves without much trouble.”

“So basically, you’ve got a spell that makes you invisible to everyone else?”

“Yes, that’s right,” he said.

There was a change in the dog’s appearance, and he began to disappear and reappear like an LED clicking on and off. I should have expected as much from the Starsage. Eventually, he slipped through the bars and into the cell and put his front paw on my knee—I was sitting cross-legged. Frankly, I was moved. I was over the moon. It really made me realize how starved I was for this kind of interaction.

“There. Your transformation shouldn’t wear off for a while yet.”

“Thank you. I was just beginning to worry about that.”

Peeps had turned this crisis into an opportunity—I could use my position as a prisoner to get information on the Empire’s affairs. Modern Japan had surveillance cameras everywhere, but the guards weren’t even paying attention to this cell. Even if Peeps was with me, he could simply disappear whenever he needed to.

He could even go on an invisible spy mission through the prison. We wouldn’t be able to stay for very long considering we were up against a time limit, but we’d probably get way more out of searching this place than just going through town using our inn room as a base. And I was very curious about what they were doing with the margrave, as well as why they’d arrested me.

“What shall we do now?”

“I’d like to get a good handle on this prison, first.”

“I see. Then I shall accompany you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I am. You’ve been doing the same for us. And you let yourself be captured for this very reason, yes? Because you doubted we would gain much information of import from simply looking around town.”

“Yeah. Sorry for deciding all that on my own, by the way.”

“You think in very different ways than I do. But that is why it always feels fresh and novel to me.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“Perhaps.”

The Lord Starsage was so adorable when he got all coy at climactic moments like this. Thank you for always watching over me, Peeps.

With his support, I could freely remove the collar and shackles burdening me and move about the place without anyone seeing.

And so this prisoner decided to have a little staycation in my cell. I’d be eating stinky food for a while—I already missed our luxurious accommodations at the inn. Still, I couldn’t get greedy—not when Count Müller and Prince Adonis were waiting for my report. At worst, I’d have a chance to meet someone important during my trial or execution.

Contrary to our expectations, however, several days passed without anything happening.

“It has been much longer since anyone has come than I would have imagined.”

“Yeah. And it’s starting to get a little too boring for my liking.”

According to Peeps’s explorations outside the cell, we were currently being held in an Imperial military facility. In addition, the fall of the Geschwür garrison had become a topic of conversation among some of the soldiers.

But Peeps hadn’t been able to gain any information beyond that.

Unfortunately, it seemed General Troy was not present in the facility, either.

“I have to say, you smell rather bad.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Want to sneak away for a while and wash yourself?”

“No, if we did that, they’d definitely get suspicious.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

A guard visited at the same times every day to check up on me, give me food, and take back the tray. But aside from that, nobody ever came to see me.

We didn’t have infinite time, so if it looked like we wouldn’t be able to get any more information, then I was inclined to go ahead and break out of here. With Peeps’s help, I wouldn’t even have to bust out of the cell itself; we could escape via teleportation.

Another option—albeit a risky one—was to use transformation magic to disguise ourselves as Imperial soldiers and gain information that way.

Around the time I started considering the idea, we heard loud footsteps echoing through the hall. They got closer and closer until they stopped right in front of my cell.

“My comrade! I apologize for how long it took me to get here.”

“Margrave Bertrand? What are you doing in a place like this, my lord?”

“What else? I’m saving you, of course.”

“I… I don’t know what to say, sir.”

“I had planned to come here a little earlier, but I faced some obstacles on the way. I’m embarrassed to admit it took a great amount of time to ensure my own safety, despite the fact that we are in my domain.”

We had just received a very unexpected visitor.

The margrave took out a key, then put it in the cell lock and turned it. With a ker-clack, a section of the iron bars swung inward. At this point, I clearly couldn’t stay in the cell, so at the man’s urging, I exited into the passage.

He then removed my shackles, as well as the slave collar around my neck. The keys he used for each looked official, meaning he’d probably talked down the organization responsible before coming here. I was extremely curious about why we’d been taken away.

“If I may, sir, why do all of this for me?” I asked.

“You saved my life,” he said simply. “So I’m saving yours.”

“I’m honored beyond words to receive such magnanimity, sir.”

“There’s no need to stand on ceremony every time I say something. In any case, let’s get you out of here.”

“Yes, sir.”

Peeps was staying out of sight, but I was sure he was trailing behind us.

I followed the margrave toward the underground prison’s exit. The guard on duty didn’t pounce on me; my savior must have explained things to everyone here already. After a few moments, we left the rows of iron bars behind, coming out into a hall measuring about fifteen square meters. At the other side of it, there was a staircase leading aboveground.

On either side of the stairs stood knights who looked like they belonged to the margrave. I thought I remembered a few of them from when we’d met him at the inn. A soldier at a guard post over to one side of the hall was watching them with a nervous eye.

At the margrave’s appearance, the knights walked toward us. One of them began to speak.

“Margrave Bertrand, welcome ba—”

But just then, every one of the knights fell over, unconscious. They’d swayed as if struck right in the jaw, then collapsed to the ground with a series of thuds. They were out cold—they hadn’t even had time to scream. This seemed awfully similar to what had happened during the explosion incident a few days ago, when the margrave was kidnapped.

Their metal armor slammed into the stone floor, causing a thundering clatter to echo through the prison; with everything made of the same hard material, the sound bounced around unhindered. A moment later, I heard something similar happen at my side.

I turned to look, only to see the soldier at his guard post had lost consciousness as well.

“……”

The margrave and I stopped walking immediately.

After a second, we heard the click of boots on the floor. A person descended from the middle of the staircase, a blind spot for us. They were fully robed, their hood pulled low over their face.

Upon seeing them, the margrave roared, “Who the hell are you?!”

I took a step in front of him with my barrier spell on standby, meaning to protect him. I was sure the Starsage was right next to me doing the same. That knowledge made it somewhat easier to cope with how scared I was to be in the line of fire.

“It’s wonderful how dutiful you are, but don’t you think you should be more concerned about yourself?”

“Are you one of General Troy’s underlings?!”

“Perhaps, perhaps not.”

A young woman’s voice came from beneath the hood. I could sense a hint of derision in her tone. Actually, I was pretty sure I’d heard her voice before.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” I said, “but would you happen to be General Troy’s aide?”

“Oh? I’m surprised you noticed.”

At that, she took down her hood, revealing her conspicuous blond hair and pointed ears. As for her features, she was just as gorgeous as before—and that went for the rest of her feminine figure, too, visible despite the robe. I couldn’t tell her true age, but she looked to be a young woman around twenty.

In contrast to her previous docile expression, she now wore a smug, condescending grin.

“Elf! Did General Troy command you to do this?” asked the margrave. “Or was it my younger brother?”

“Both, actually,” she replied. “The central Empire doesn’t much care for you.”

“Then this man has nothing to do with it,” he insisted. “At least let him go.”

“Unfortunately, we need him to be the criminal here. My hands are tied.”

I got the distinct feeling I’d been caught up in a squabble between Margrave Bertrand and General Troy. The pieces clicked into place—the margrave had taken so long to get me out of prison because the general had been keeping tabs on him and had chosen this day to set things in motion.

Considering the noble’s precarious position, I guessed his brother had requested the general’s help in order to take over his sibling’s title. What’s more, the elf apparently had a great deal of knowledge about Imperial affairs. I found myself wanting to ask her all my questions.

“My comrade, I apologize. I seem to have dragged you into this.”

“No, sir. Thinking back, I was the one who spoke to you first.”

“So much for these knights—they were supposed to be well trained in magic. We appear to be out of options.”

The margrave was in shock, completely resigned to his fate. The instant disabling of all his knights must have really gotten to him.

So instead, I took over and attempted to prolong the conversation as much as possible. “Excuse me, ma’am, but may I have a word?”

“Oh? Yes, what is it?” she replied in her characteristic elongated, leisurely tones.

“Why was someone such as myself chosen for this, er, role?”

“It could have been anybody. In fact, we were planning to use one of his knights at first.”

“Oh, I see.” That was a simpler reason than I’d been expecting. Essentially, it came down to rotten luck.

But considering Peeps’s and my objective, this wasn’t all bad. I continued questioning her, with the intention of bringing as much information as I could back to Count Müller and Prince Adonis. To the elf, it would simply look like I was weak and cornered, trying to delay my death as long as possible.

“But are you sure it was wise to bother with someone like me?” I asked.

“Whatever might you mean by that?”

“I’ve heard rumors among the soldiers that the border has been busy lately.”

“Well, I hardly think you need to worry about something like that. If you wanted to buy time, you might have picked a more tasteful topic—especially after you were so desperate to save me back at the inn.”

“That’s exactly why I’m deathly curious about your relationship with the general.”

She gave a low giggle. “We’re business partners. He’s not my type.”

“I see.”

“Now, then. Shall we bring this to an end?”

She directed a sweet, gentle smile at me. The moment I saw it, I felt my heart skip a beat.

Oh no. What do I do? For some reason, she’d started to seem very charming.

“You will kill Margrave Bertrand yourself,” said the elf. “I know you can use magic.”

I’d expected the elf to do it, then place the blame firmly at my feet. But she’d come right out and asked me to murder the guy. Normally, I would have refused—but her suggestion seemed especially alluring.

This wasn’t good. I really wanted to kill the margrave now. My head was full of the elf—she was all I could think of. I followed her instructions and took a step forward.

“Step back.”

And then I heard Peeps’s voice interject.

I couldn’t ignore an order from the Starsage. I wasn’t really sure why, but I figured it would be fine to take a little step back, right? The elf still dominated my mind, but the adorable Java sparrow had managed to wriggle into a tiny sliver of it.

A moment later, the stately dog appeared before us. He wasted no time; a magic circle appeared in front of his nose, and his spell fired.

“Ah…!”

A beam of light, glittering in a rainbow of colors, hurtled toward the elf. She raised her arms to block it. Magic appeared—a barrier—which caught the spell, and all the ones fired in rapid succession after it. I heard a sort of cracking noise as the onslaught continued, but she didn’t seem the least bit affected.

The assault lasted only a few seconds. Once the elf realized Peeps was finished, she said, “I thought there was something in here. But why is it so cute?”

The golden retriever had a luscious coat and the gentlest eyes. And the woman had understood the full extent of his adorableness with but a single glance—her eye for beauty was excellent, indeed. At the same time, I was shocked. She knew he was here all along?

According to Peeps, such a feat would have been impossible for any ordinary magician. That meant she was extraordinary—and I was all the more convinced by how she’d withstood his attack magic.

At the same time, the overwhelming lust I’d felt toward her disappeared. That had been the Charm spell just now, hadn’t it? I remembered the one-sided feelings that had welled up within me that time with Prince Lewis. Two incidents, now—and they’d made it abundantly clear how dangerous a spell it was.

“……”

Oh, I thought. Peeps’s tail is slapping against the floor. That was the signal we’d agreed on—the one that meant Use all the attack magic you have, no questions asked.

I was hesitant, but this instruction was coming from the Starsage, so I obeyed it without argument. Naturally, I chose the laser spell—the one ranked above the advanced category. Peeps and I had agreed on that beforehand, too.

With healing magic so widespread in the otherworld, she probably wouldn’t die even if she lost a leg or two. Using that as my mental justification, I chanted the spell from memory and aimed one hand at the elf. Narrowing the output as much as I possibly could, I pointed my palm below her shins and released the spell. Just like before, she used a barrier spell to try to block it.

In the end, my magic pierced her defenses and struck her directly. The spell lasted a matter of moments. The flash of light lanced toward her, and everything below the elf’s knees disintegrated.

As the light faded, the rest of her body fell to the ground.

“Aaaggghhh!”

After a short delay, I heard her scream.

Blood spurted from her wounds and covered the stone flooring in scarlet. It looked agonizing, and I almost averted my eyes. The knowledge that I’d caused this put a really awful taste in my mouth, too. But I kept my gaze on her, knowing I still couldn’t let my guard down.

But then there was a change in her body: It suddenly gave off an intense, unsettling flash of light, like an incandescent bulb receiving a nonstandard voltage. I instantly closed my eyes, unable to look directly at her.

Her body shone for a few seconds. When I sensed the light fading through my eyelids, I opened my eyes again.

When I did, I saw the elf there, just like before. She seemed to have used healing magic—everything from her knees down, on both sides, had grown back after having disappeared. The hem of her robe was still gone, and the splattered bloodstains remained. But you could now see her fair white feet.

The more startling change, however, was what had happened to the rest of her body. For some reason, she’d shrunk. Just a moment ago, she’d been about the same height as me. Now, she was as short as Ms. Futarishizuka. The rest of her body had changed as well. Her large breasts had been clear even with her robe on, but now it was like they’d vanished entirely. Her facial features, too, appeared quite a bit younger than they had before. She was still pretty, but in a much more childlike way.

“W-wait, I recognize you!” the margrave exclaimed upon seeing her new form. “You’re one of the great war criminals—Maisie, the high elf!”

His eyes seemed to glitter as he looked at her.

I’d heard the term “great war criminal” before. It had been during Peeps’s and my visit to the border after hearing Count Müller had died in battle. Right after Peeps obliterated the Ohgen Empire’s forces, someone with purple skin had attacked him, and he’d given that figure the same title. According to him, there were seven of them—and they were all extremely powerful.

“Ah. So she’s been altering her appearance via magic,” said Peeps as though all the pieces had suddenly fit together in his mind.

Apparently, she’d been disguising herself with transformation magic the same way we had. It wasn’t as extreme a change, of course. After seeing a Java sparrow turn into a golden retriever, this metamorphosis was a little lacking in thrill—boring, even. At least I’d had my skin and hair colors changed.

“You disguised your body well, but now I see. No wonder I felt as though I remembered your face.”

“Ugh…” The elf got off the floor and rose to her feet as we watched.

Though my spell had made her robe shorter, it now reached all the way down to her feet. The waist and sleeves had become baggy; if she put down her arms, you probably wouldn’t be able to see her hands. Her shoes had disintegrated as well, so she was barefoot.

She turned to face us, speaking leisurely. “It’s a very advanced spell, you know? Even altering one’s build is a monumental task.”

Despite the physical differences, her tone was the same. Now that’s one tough little girl, I thought. Maybe her real age is totally different from her appearance, like with Ms. Futarishizuka.

“Miss Maisie,” I said, “excuse my rudeness, but is that your true form?”

“Be silent, you. High elves take a long time to mature. Centuries, in fact.”

“I’ve heard that sometimes they don’t mature as humans do at all.”

“Yes, well! There are individual differences, okay?! Don’t try to paint us all with the same brush.”

“……”

The immediacy of her objection betrayed a shadow of her true self. Apparently, she was much older than she looked—and she seemed to have a complex about it, too.

“In any case, who are you two, and where in the world are you from?” she asked us.

“My name is Pe—Pythagoras.”

“…I’ve never heard of you.”

The stately dog had chosen to keep the fake name I’d given him during our walk. Had he taken a liking to it?

As I watched him from behind, I noticed something—his fluffy tail once again started smacking against the floor. A second shot? In this situation? The Starsage was a total fiend. It did seem in character, however, for him to suggest such a thing. I couldn’t bring myself to object, so I lifted my arm once more.

“Tch…”

As I began to chant the spell, the elf moved, lunging backward across the floor. Then a magic circle appeared at her feet.

“Two against one? How rude! I’ll be taking my leave.”

The circle had a familiar design—was that teleportation magic?

I only had a moment to think about it. As I’d expected, she immediately vanished. She hadn’t eschewed the incantation altogether, but she’d shortened it quite a bit. Teleportation was one of those crazy spells above the advanced level. The fact that she’d abbreviated a chant like that implied she was quite a skilled magician.

“It looks like we’ve driven her off.”

There was a lot I wanted to ask Peeps, but we were right in front of Margrave Bertrand, so I had to watch what I said. We needed to get him somewhere safe first—then Peeps and I could have a little private time elsewhere.

Our encounter with the elf had given us a lot of useful information.

“How…how did you drive off a great war criminal alone…?”

“My lord, are you hurt anywhere?”

“Comrade—just who are you?”

I could make out caution in the man’s face as he watched us. He was probably suspicious, considering we’d been sitting quietly in a prison cell for the last few days. I wasn’t sure how much further I could push the lie about being a Lungian merchant.

But for now, I had to stick to my guns. “Please let us get you somewhere safe, sir,” I told him.

“Will you not answer my question?”

“I promise you, sir, that I mean you no harm.”

“…All right.”

He agreed surprisingly easily. It felt like I was abusing my power to get my way, and I didn’t like how it felt.

Now that we’d escaped the prison, we headed for the margrave’s villa in the town of Erbrechen. Fortunately, it was only about an hour away by foot. It would have taken just a few minutes with flight magic.

There, we parted ways with the margrave. He wanted to welcome me into his home, but I politely refused, and we left town. Now that we knew the identity of that elf, we had plenty to look into.

After bidding farewell to the margrave, we vacated our lodgings in Erbrechen and headed back to the garrison using teleportation magic. We arrived on a grassy plain a little ways away from the site.

From there, we could see the garrison in the distance. We dispelled our transformations, and after changing back into my suit, I buried the otherworld clothes I’d been using. I felt bad for wasting them, but it was better than walking around with evidence of my transformation.

“So, Peeps,” I said. “About the general’s elfin aide…”

“The woman? What about her?”

“Is Charm a common spell here?”

“The spell itself isn’t so unique. Many are able to use it. But I know what you’re thinking, and I agree —she might well have been the magician working with Lewis before.”

“Personally, I’m also suspicious of that ultra-talented magician manipulating the golems. The one who helped build the fortress.”

“The possibility is certainly there.”

The development of Baron Sasaki’s lands had been going awfully smoothly. If someone so crucial to that success had been an acquaintance of Prince Lewis with ties to the Ohgen Empire, everything would make sense. After all, they’d soon be seizing the place and using it for their own ends.

Having pumped so much capital into it, I must have seemed like a total sucker. I wondered if that was why the prince had made up a reason to come observe the site firsthand.

“What kind of people are these great war criminals anyway?” I wondered aloud.

“Society treats them as powerful nuisances,” explained Peeps. “They work individually, wielding their excessive might in public. To the people, they are akin to natural disasters. They’ve caused a lot of trouble in the world in the past; this is only the latest instance.”

“That’s definitely the impression I got from that purple-skinned person you fought before. And that would explain why everyone was so willing to accept the huge hole in the plains and all the vanished soldiers.”

Now I understood the basis for their ostentatious title of “great war criminal.” They must have caused a whole lot of problems in the past.

“Each of them operates under their own set of creeds and motivations. Some brandish their powers indiscriminately, while others work for more noble causes. Still, I hadn’t expected that elf to be working so high up in the Empire.”

“Wasn’t that purple-skinned person with the Imperial soldiers, too?”

“That one was, in many senses, a haphazard sort. I wasn’t surprised.”

According to the explanation Count Müller had given me, there were seven great war criminals in all. We now knew two of them were working for the Empire. “You just told me how society views these war criminals. Does that mean you see them differently, Peeps?”

“You’re very sharp about the strangest things.”

“Am I?”

“I have my own thoughts on the matter, but I’m not certain of anything.”

“Then I guess I’ll refrain from asking.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s surprising how many things the phrase ‘Ignorance is bliss’ can apply to.”

“You’re not wrong.”

Right now, I had to focus on Prince Lewis deploying troops against the Ohgen Empire. The first thing on our list was to find out the nature of his relationship with the enemy. The count’s and Prince Adonis’s future actions would change significantly depending on our findings, and as someone in Prince Adonis’s corner, this was very much my business.

“Shall we go see Lewis?”

“Yes, let’s.”

With the bird on my shoulder’s agreement, we headed for the garrison, using teleportation magic to warp right onto the grounds.

The first thing we noticed was how few soldiers were about. Compared to our last visit, the population had taken a nosedive. Most of the people we saw were wounded soldiers, and the rest were noncombat personnel—such as merchants and young-looking women who were probably prostitutes.

“It would seem Lewis has already departed.”

“He told me he wouldn’t be marching back to Herz in triumph, though.”

“Then there is only one place he could be headed.”

The sparrow’s gaze seemed to pass through the outer wall of the garrison, toward the Ohgen Empire. Apparently, the prince and his army had already set out.

In which case, we couldn’t afford to waste time. “Peeps, can you get us back to the count?”

“I was thinking the same thing.”

At this rate, Prince Lewis would be a shoo-in for the throne. Whatever we decided to do from here, we’d need the help of his competitor—Prince Adonis.

With great haste, we left the garrison and headed to Baron Sasaki’s domain.

Once at our destination, we first paid a visit to Mr. French. I asked after the location of the golem user and requested a meeting with them. That was how we discovered they were missing. Checking with all the relevant parties, it came to light that they had been absent from the site for the past few days.

I was now pretty convinced the elf had been the amazing golem handler all along—which meant she was almost certainly working with Prince Lewis.

“Sorry, sir,” said Mr. French, looking guilty. Maybe my eagerness had intimidated him. “If I see them, I’ll make sure to say something.”

“Don’t worry about it. I actually have a replacement in mind.”

As I made various excuses to him, we began to walk toward the fortress.

Before we parted, he informed me that Count Müller and Prince Adonis were inside, and I made my way over. As I was asking the knight at the front gate their exact whereabouts, they came out to meet me in person.

At their prompting, we then moved to the fortress’s reception room. As soon as we’d exchanged greetings, we took our seats on the sofas. Count Müller and I settled on one side, with Prince Adonis across from us. Peeps was on the low table.

I explained the many suspicious circumstances to them, though it was all merely speculation at this point: that Prince Lewis’s helper had been General Troy’s aide, and that she’d been involved in the fortress’s construction as well.

“I see,” mused the prince. “Then there is a high probability my brother is working with the Empire…”

“You have my condolences, sir.”

Prince Adonis nodded to me with a pained expression. He’d probably anticipated this but had tried his best not to think about it.

I certainly understood the feeling. The older I got, the more my triglyceride and cholesterol levels at medical checkups and examinations started to bother me. I tried not to think about them, preferring to keep eating things like ramen and chicken karaage.

“I’m sorry to deliver yet more bad news, sir,” I continued, “but Prince Lewis has already departed from the Geschwür garrison. If his own words are to be believed, he plans to continue his invasion. I expect he will attack the town of Erbrechen next—and that he’ll have similar results.”

“But in that case, Sasaki, won’t fighting near the town be inevitable?” said the count in response to my rapid-fire reports. This must all have been pretty shocking news to him. If I wasn’t with the Starsage, he may not have even believed me.

“Margrave Bertrand, the one in charge of Erbrechen, is on bad terms with General Troy, who the central Empire has ordered to lead the troops,” I explained. “I’ve also heard rumors about the margrave’s strained relationship with his younger brother. I would think this situation is beneficial for them as well.”

“I can’t believe you obtained so much information…,” said Count Müller, deeply impressed.

“You’ve done very well in your investigation—both of you,” added the prince.

It was easy to imagine what would happen next. Prince Lewis’s troops would clash with Margrave Bertrand’s soldiers. The margrave would struggle valiantly but ultimately die in battle, with his brother succeeding his position. Prince Lewis would nominally occupy Erbrechen, and Troy would “reluctantly” allow it.

If Prince Lewis betrayed them and used Herzian troops to take Erbrechen in earnest, the Empire had the elfin great war criminal on their side—she could easily turn the tide. And the prince, having worked with her, would understand how incredible she was.

When I thought about it like that, their plans seemed very thorough.

At the same time, I was curious about the elf’s place in everything. She was one of the most important pieces of the plan. She was a truly hard worker, considering she’d falsified her identity everywhere she went and carried out several jobs at once. I felt a little bad for her, even though she was with the Empire. For a moment, I thought of a certain colleague with an energetic smile and an obsession with overtime pay.

“What shall we do, Adonis?” asked Peeps after we finished delivering our report and silence filled the room. The count and I had both hesitated to ask this of the prince, but the bird did so without a second thought. He’s so reliable, I thought.

“……”

Prince Adonis, however, was now in a difficult position. He remained silent and bowed his head, clearly upset.

As Lewis’s competitor, he was the only one who could make this decision. That was why the Starsage had asked him. The prince understood, doubtless the very reason he was so troubled.

“Sir, how about we take a short rest?” suggested Count Müller thoughtfully.

But our leader boldly lifted his head and said, “If my elder brother is straying from the correct path, then it is my duty as his younger brother to put him right.”

The melancholy was totally gone from his expression, replaced by a sharp determination. The prince was already handsome, but this look made him appear even more radiant. He was the ultimate pretty boy—and he certainly had my stamp of approval as a genuine prince. Even as another man, I felt a sense of reverence gazing upon his noble visage.

In his youthful countenance—he was now in his midteens—I sensed a tough spirit, yearning to take flight as an adult. When I was his age, what sort of problems had I faced? What sort of expressions had I made? When I considered this, I couldn’t help but respect him.

I looked at the prince again and felt it keenly—this was a man trying to carry the weight of a nation.

“Count Müller,” Adonis continued, “I’d like to pursue my brother immediately, if possible.”

“I understand completely, sir. I will prepare the troops at once,” replied the count with a nod before hurrying out of the reception room.

As I watched him go, I suddenly remembered something. At the Geschwür garrison, Prince Lewis had given me a message to pass on to Prince Adonis. Now that I reconsidered its contents—a request for his brother to wait in the royal capital for good news—it struck me that he might have feared the younger prince’s interference.

Faced with the decision of whether to tell him, I decided to keep it to myself for now. Instead, I followed the count’s lead and volunteered my own assistance.

“Sir, if there is anything I can help with, please, don’t hesitate.”

“In for a pound,” agreed Peeps. “If it is within my power, you need only say the word.”

“You two just got back from the Ohgen Empire, correct? I’d like you to rest up while the count is making his preparations. If you’re up for it, I want you to accompany me to Erbrechen.”

“Understood, sir.”

“Then I shall serve as your guide.”

Prince Adonis’s intentions were clear, and our plans had been set.

And so the battle over who would accede to the royal throne of Herz was finally reaching its climax.

Soon, Prince Adonis, along with the rest of our group, set off from my barony toward Erbrechen.

On the way, we stopped at Geschwür. As previously confirmed, the place held no trace of Prince Lewis or any soldiers under his command. The scene awaiting us was the same as the last time we’d visited—one of inactivity and few people. Our forces were overwhelming in comparison, so despite the hostility between our factions, no disputes broke out, and everyone stayed the night at the garrison. We set off for Erbrechen again the following day.

A few days later, our destination was finally within sight.

“We’ve gotten quite close,” remarked the prince. “But I see no signs of movement.”

“I cannot imagine that the Ohgen Empire’s forces would allow us this close to the town,” added the count.

“Then we should assume that my brother has indeed allied himself with the Empire and taken command of the area.”

“Either way, our opponents must believe beyond a doubt that they hold the advantage over our troops.”

Prince Adonis and Count Müller were exchanging words on horseback. It was truly a sight to behold—the former rode atop an immaculate white horse, just like a fairy-tale prince.

I, meanwhile, was walking alongside them. The illustrious Baron Sasaki, you see, did not know how to ride. Before leaving the fortress, they had recommended a grand-looking steed to me. Getting on and off presented no issue, considering I could use flight magic. But no sooner had I begun the challenge of actually riding, than the aggravated horse flung me right off its back. I’d given up on the idea after that. It was just too big an obstacle for a modern man with no riding experience. Ever since, I’d been sitting in a carriage or using flight magic.

I made up my mind—after this whole mess was behind us, I’d set aside some time to practice horseback riding. Magic practice was important, but it seemed I had plenty of other things to learn as well.

“Whatever we do, I must first speak with my brother,” said the prince.

“Understood, sir. Let us press on.”

At Prince Adonis’s instruction, we set off once again, heading toward the town. Behind us were his and the count’s combined forces, walking in ranks. I hadn’t actually counted, but from what I’d heard, they numbered several thousand. However, even that was apparently less than the troops Prince Lewis had under his command.

In the worst-case scenario, this mysterious otherworlder and his distinguished Java sparrow would have to join the fray. I’d discussed our backup plan with Peeps beforehand.

Eventually, Adonis’s forces arrived at the town’s entrance. There we found Prince Lewis himself—he was right at the front gates, on his horse, protected by several knights. He must have come out after learning of our approach. Many other soldiers were standing guard near the entrance, all of them flying the Herzian flag.

It hadn’t been long since Prince Lewis deployed his soldiers; we were all shocked at how quickly they’d occupied the town. While we could see damage to the outer walls near the entrance as well as other signs of battle, there was no evidence a large number of soldiers had participated.

There hadn’t been any along the way, either. If the fighting had involved thousands or tens of thousands of soldiers, the dead would have been all over. Their absence meant that the two armies couldn’t have clashed head-on.

“Adonis!” exclaimed the other prince. “I never expected you to come here.”

“There is something I very much need to ask you, my brother.”

“Something that demanded you travel into enemy territory?”

“Yes.”

Prince Adonis’s expression was tense as he faced his elder brother. Prince Lewis, on the other hand, replied with his usual composure. Even from atop his horse, his entire body gave off an aura of cynicism—or perhaps he was simply radiating the magnificence of a true ruler.

After a few moments, Prince Lewis turned to face me. “Baron, did you pass on my message to my brother?”

“Prince Adonis’s feelings for his family are sincere, sir,” I replied.

“As are mine,” he countered, putting on a show of looking troubled. “That is why I would have preferred my precious brother stay somewhere safe for now.”

His precious brother spoke next, following up on my reply. “Is it true?” he asked. “Have you really captured this settlement in such a short time?”

“Does it please you to bear witness to your brother’s brilliant exploits?”

“If it is true, I would be more than pleased. I would be the first to place the crown upon your head.”

“If you told me that my victories led you to panic, and you were here to steal what I have gained, I would find it easier to believe you.”

“I assure you, not a hair on my head wishes for such a thing.”

I’m terribly sorry, Your Highnesses. Baron Sasaki was thinking just that. He even discussed it with the Starsage.

“I will be straight with you,” said Prince Adonis. “Is it true you have taken the Ohgen Empire’s side?”

“What? Such a deplorable rumor. Who was it that whispered such lies into your ears?” replied Prince Lewis, his gaze returning to me. He definitely knows, I thought.

“We saw no signs of any battle with Imperial troops on the way here, sir,” I pointed out.

“Nor did you at the Geschwür garrison. The Empire’s previous losses were too great even for a powerful nation, and they couldn’t afford to replenish their troops on the border. It was after acquiring this information that I decided to mobilize our troops.”

“Did you meet no resistance from Margrave Bertrand’s personal forces?” the other prince followed up.

“Oh? You’ve done your research, haven’t you?” His elder brother looked at him, seeming impressed. Then, for a third time, he looked over to me. “I don’t suppose the good baron here put that idea into your head as well, hmm?”

I sucked in a breath. I was beginning to worry I was straining their sibling relationship even further. Was there a calmer, more peaceful way I could have conveyed the information? But that might well have put Herz’s future in danger.

Prince Lewis, having turned back to face his brother, launched into an explanation. “We did skirmish with those holed up in town. But the enemy was likely informed by lookouts that your forces had departed from the garrison for Erbrechen as well. The soldiers were mostly gone by the time we arrived. In that sense, half the victory should go to you, Adonis.”

“Are you sure you want to admit all that?” asked the younger prince.

“Well, of course! We’re brothers, are we not? Linked by blood. I want you to take word of these historical achievements back to our father without further delay. I have more tasks ahead of me—I must make these lands the foundation of a new domain for the Kingdom of Herz.”

“……”

There were no contradictions in what Prince Lewis was saying. Prince Adonis seemed to have lost much of his momentum as well. Knowing what I did of our faction’s understanding, sensible leader, I realized that should he return to the capital, it would mean certain defeat in the battle for the throne. Prince Lewis’s ascension would become inevitable. Five years would never be enough to surpass what Lewis had just achieved.

“I believe our conversation is at an end,” said the older prince.

“W-wait!” exclaimed Adonis.

“Get back to the capital, Adonis. There is no place for you here.”

“Are you saying there is a place for me at the capital?!”

“Yes, I am.”

Without leaving any room for argument, Prince Lewis gave his horse’s reins a tug. The horse deftly turned around and made its way into town—the kind of scene you came across pretty often in movies. But for someone who had been thrown off his horse after only a few steps, it was almost surreal. How did he get his horse to do that? I wondered. I was dying to find out.

The knights nearby followed suit, turning to go with Prince Lewis. Only the rank-and-file soldiers remained to keep an eye on us. They would probably stay on high alert until we left town.

Eventually, once Prince Lewis was completely out of sight, Adonis spoke. “Count, Baron, I am sorry. I’d like to withdraw our forces.”

“Are you certain, sir?” asked the count without a moment’s delay. Peeps and I watched them in silence.

“I am terribly sorry for compelling you two to indulge my selfish request.”

“Sir, there is nowhere else we’d rather be,” replied the count. “But will this decision dispel your doubts?”

“I’d like to get away from here first, in any case. Count, would you mind making preparations to withdraw?”

“At once, sir.” The count wasn’t about to object to a direct order from his leader.

The Starsage quietly watched their exchange. As an outsider, I didn’t think it was my place to butt in, either.

Our forces had been waiting in ranks ever since we arrived, so it was a simple matter to have them perform an about-face and set back off in the other direction. Listening closely, I could make out a few complaints among the soldiers. Everyone had come here fully prepared for something to happen.

A full day had passed since Prince Adonis’s forces began their withdrawal from Erbrechen. Not a single soldier had entered the town, and now they were heading straight back to the Geschwür garrison along the same route. Unlike the outward journey, which had seen the soldiers worked up and ready for battle, the return trip was quiet, and weapons were sheathed. The ranks advanced over the plains in solemnity.

All except for their leader, Prince Adonis.

“Are you sure this is wise, sir?” I asked.

“Baron Sasaki, I apologize again for always putting you through such trouble.”

“No, sir, I don’t mind at all. It’s just…”

“I simply must hear my brother’s true intentions from his own lips.”

“Yes, sir.”

Currently, Peeps, Prince Adonis, and I were all in Erbrechen. Count Müller had taken over the forces for their homeward march toward the garrison. The prince, meanwhile, had slipped away, and at his insistence, we’d turned back toward the town occupied by his brother.

We had explained away his absence by claiming that he had collapsed after so many trips back and forth—and was now confined to his carriage. The count was the only other person who knew the truth. As it happened, we’d planned a little undercover infiltration, one that would’ve been impossible without the ability to teleport.

The count had naturally been fully against this course of action. But we managed to secure his approval by assuring him that the Starsage would accompany us.

To Prince Lewis, it would appear that we had all meekly returned to the capital.

“Sir, I’d like to use this inn as our base of operations for the time being.”

“I understand.”

This time, with the prince accompanying us, we couldn’t simply walk in through the front gates. Instead, we made use of Peeps’s teleportation magic to sneak in. Peeps and I slipped in first. Using the transformation spell, we made a reservation at the inn we’d be making our base of operations. After that, we warped the prince directly into our room.

The inn we’d chosen was average, neither expensive nor cheap. After getting settled, we procured a set of clothes and other necessities in town to use for the prince’s disguise. Then we spent the rest of the day perfecting his disguise and preparing for our mission.

The following day, we made our move.

“Our first course of action must be to ascertain Lewis’s location.”

“I bet he’s in the facility where we were held last time.”

“That seems likely.”

“Baron Sasaki, Lord Starsage, you were…being held somewhere?”

“Pay it no mind, sir. More importantly, we need to get you familiar with the town’s layout.”

“Ah yes. Thank you.”

We departed from our lodgings and took a look around Erbrechen. Unlike last time, we stayed in our true forms, save for our initial entrance into town. Peeps and I aside, Prince Adonis was unlikely to be able to withstand the spell. Instead, we wore robes and hoods to keep ourselves hidden.

In the end, though, we weren’t able to locate Prince Lewis. The main reason was the omnipresence of Herzian soldiers on the streets. The security around military facilities was especially tight; naturally, we’d never be able to get close in our suspicious-looking robes. Shelving our search for the prince, we took the opportunity to observe the town under Herzian control.

Citizens of the Empire still lived here as before. It appeared that they didn’t know what was going on, either; they all looked terrified of the Herzian soldiers. I spotted a lot of stores and restaurants that had temporarily closed up shop. The streets were emptier, too.

That afternoon, as we ate lunch, we heard quite a few people voicing their unease at the Imperial forces’ withdrawal. As far as we could glean, there had been no plundering of the townspeople. Still, it seemed nobody from above had notified them about what would happen to the town. And with that, our second day came to a close.

On the third day, we decided to entrust the search for Prince Lewis entirely to Peeps. He’d made the suggestion himself. As a Java sparrow, he was able to fly around and conduct the investigation much more efficiently and safely.

“I’ll be on my way, then.”

“Sorry for asking so much of you, Peeps.”

“It is nothing. This was my own idea, after all.”

“Lord Starsage, I apologize for bringing you along on such a selfish mission.”

“This is yet another of your duties as a prince. Have more confidence, Adonis.”

The sparrow took off from the window of our room, leaving the prince and me behind to await his return.

I hadn’t often been alone with Prince Adonis. Peeps had always been the one to figure out topics of conversation, and without him, I suspected things would be a little awkward as we passed the time until lunch. Once Peeps returned, we would spend the afternoon reformulating our plans.

But all that quickly fell apart; it didn’t take Peeps more than a few minutes to return to the room.

“Peeps? Did you forget something?” I asked.

“Herzian and Imperial troops are clashing near the town’s entrance.”

“What?!” I exclaimed, shocked at this sudden announcement. Prince Adonis, who was right next to me, looked visibly disturbed as well.

“If you both agree, I’d like to go there and take a look for myself.”

“Then I’ll come along with you, Peeps.”

“Take me as well—”

“Sir, I’m sorry, but would you mind waiting here instead?”

“Why, Baron? If Herzian soldiers are there, my brother must be with them. If I don’t seize this opportunity, when will it come again? Isn’t this why you brought me here?”

“The Ohgen Empire has an extremely powerful magician with them, sir—one of the great war criminals. If combat has already begun, that magician is very likely part of the battle. Even for the Starsage and me, the situation could easily prove difficult.”

“Is…is that true?”

“We fought her when we last infiltrated Erbrechen.”

“I had no idea…”

“Would you allow us to scout out the area first, sir?”

Previously, when Peeps had taken on the purple-skinned person, their battle had lasted for some time. If the elf was just as skilled, it would be very difficult to fight her while protecting the prince. For his safety, we had to avoid such a situation.

“Will you allow it, Adonis?”

“…All right. I will.” The prince nodded reluctantly. The term great war criminal seemed to pack quite a punch in the otherworld.

“Then let us be off.”

“Right.”

At Peeps’s urging, we kicked off the windowsill and flew up and out of the building. Using flight magic, we rose high into the air. From there we could see that, just as the bird had said, a great number of soldiers had gathered near one area of the town’s surrounding walls—at the gates facing into the Empire.

We put some distance between us and the commotion, then lowered our altitude. Weaving through the buildings, we moved toward the center of the conflict. On the way, we passed spells and arrows hurtling through the air, as well as soldiers duking it out with their swords. We dealt with all of them using barrier magic as we flew.

Eventually, we arrived at a large stone-paved square just inside the gates. There, we saw two figures facing each other, surrounded by troops from both armies.

It was Prince Lewis and General Troy.

“Have you gone mad, Prince Lewis?” demanded the general. “I do not recall this being a part of the plan.”

“Of course you don’t,” said the prince. “I never told anyone about it.”

“You think you can get away with betraying the Empire like this?”

“Betray? What are you talking about? I am the prince of an enemy nation, remember?”

“There’s still time. Withdraw your troops at once.”

We watched them from the rooftop of a high building facing the square. The two groups were staring one another down, with their respective leaders in the middle. A little farther out, you could see fighting already starting. But most of the Imperial soldiers were outside the walls, watching what was happening inside.

“Peeps, how skilled is Prince Lewis in swordplay and magic?”

“He is a capable magic user, but his physical abilities aren’t that high.”

Then he was just as feeble as he appeared. I felt bad thinking it, but he looked even weaker than Prince Adonis.

“What if I said I didn’t want to?” replied Lewis.

“Then I will be forced to dispose of you for betraying the Empire,” the general repeated.

“Do you have the ability to do so, General Troy?”

“I should remind you that I earned my current position with my own blood, sweat, and tears.”

“Oh?”

“Are you sure that body of yours will even last until the end of the fight?”

As we watched, General Troy readied his longsword in both hands and began to charge. Prince Lewis remained standing upright and thrust one hand in front of him. The general’s blade came down, aimed at the prince’s neck.

However, something unseen sprang from the prince’s hand and blocked the strike. Apparently, he could use barrier magic. Now I knew why the Starsage said he was a capable magician.

The general swung several more times, with the prince easily deflecting each strike. This went on for a short while until, suddenly, a crimson glow appeared around the general’s longsword.

He struck again—and this time he shattered the prince’s barrier.

Lewis jumped back in panic as the sword grazed his cheek.

“Peeps—,” I began, turning toward the bird, unable to continue watching.

But just then, a voice rang out across the battlefield.

“Allow me to assist you, Brother!”

Someone burst through a group of Herzian soldiers—it was Prince Adonis. Evidently, he’d come running from the inn, unable to hold back.

He was covered from head to toe in a robe, but his hood was off, revealing his face. His silver hair—the same color as Lewis’s—gave him away, even from a distance. He gripped a sword in his hand, its tip pointed straight at General Troy.

The general let out a grunt as he blocked the newcomer’s downswing.

Not a moment later, Prince Lewis’s arm moved. “General Troy, you have lost.”

“W-wait. Prince Lewis, if you do this, you’ll—”

A lightning spell emerged from the prince’s hand.

With a shrill crackle, the general went still. Eventually, his sword fell from his hands, and he collapsed. After a few moments, it was clear he wasn’t getting back up. As soon as he fell, his allies began to cast healing magic, but it changed nothing.

Seeing this, Prince Lewis turned back to his forces and declared, “We have slain the Empire’s great General Troy! We are victorious!”

At that, the Herzian soldiers began to clap and cheer in excitement. The Imperial troops, in contrast, began a slow retreat away from their reinvigorated enemies.

Prince Adonis sheathed his sword, then ran over to Prince Lewis. “Brother! Were you not allied with the Ohgen Empire?”

“Adonis, return to the capital right away.”

“H-how can you ask that of me now?” exclaimed Adonis.

“I do not have much time left,” Lewis said firmly.

Taken aback by the power in his brother’s words, Adonis fell silent.

A moment later, something happened to the elder prince. His body began to change.

“Agh…”

His back seemed to pulsate, and then his clothes ripped open as a strange mass of flesh burst out. It was gruesome, and it reminded me of Abaddon’s combat form inside the isolated spaces.

“Brother! That… Isn’t that a putrefying curse?!”

“Adonis, listen well to what I’m about to say.”

Lewis had always looked at others with derision. But now, as he spoke to Adonis, his face was dead serious.

“The enemy has infiltrated deep within our nation,” he said. “Go back to the capital now and tell Father of my betrayal and defeat here. Then assume the royal crown immediately—and rid our kingdom of the evil and corruption lurking in its shadows.”

“But you haven’t betrayed our kingdom at all!”

“Quiet. Let me speak!”

Adonis sucked in a breath.

There was an uncharacteristic desperation to the way Prince Lewis spoke. It was the first time I’d ever heard him talk like this.

“The nobles who support me are too far gone. You may cut them all out if you wish.”

“I could never! This is insane, Brother!”

“There are many among your own supporters who I suspect. But you may trust Baron Sasaki and Count Müller. And come to think of it, a certain oddball switched from my faction to yours soon after father’s decree. I believe he may be trustworthy, too. But with all the others—be wary.”

“……”

Peeps and I watched from the rooftop as the princes exchanged words in the center of the square. As we looked on, the Starsage said, “That is the same spell I cast on that girl back in your world.”

That girl? I thought. Oh, he means Ms. Futarishizuka. Peeps had engraved a curse on the back of her hand. If she ever became hostile toward us, he had said her body would warp into a horrid lump of flesh, and she would lose everything but her ability to think. This was very different from Abaddon’s fleshy form, in which he could fly, jump, speak, and move around with all the aggression he wished. The spell was both more grotesque and more unbearable than I had imagined, and now that I’d seen it, I couldn’t help turning to Peeps.

“Peeps, uh…”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “Only the caster can stop the progression of the curse once triggered.”

“……”

The bird looked down as he spoke, sadder than I’d ever seen him. Birds’ faces weren’t very expressive, so objectively, he didn’t look any different. But he moved around much less than a normal Java sparrow would, so even casual motions or changes to the angle of his head expressed multitudes.

“I-is this why you shut yourself away in the eastern tower for so long?” asked Prince Adonis.

“Never mind that. I only did what I could.”

“But that means I’ve misunderstood you this whole time…!”

I’d heard Prince Lewis had been shunned as a child. Perhaps the reason for that, too, was his relationship with the Ohgen Empire. He was biding his time, pretending to be incompetent so that the Empire couldn’t take advantage of him. And then he’d wound up in this competition for the throne with his brother… It all made sense, watching and listening to Lewis now.

How smart was this man?

He’d been fighting the Ohgen Empire all alone since he was a child.

“Adonis, now it’s your turn to do what you can.”

“Don’t give up! Please! I haven’t spent nearly enough time by your side!” pleaded Adonis, looking like he was about to burst into tears.

In contrast, Lewis’s voice was matter-of-fact as he continued. “And beware the Republic of Lunge.”

“Why…?”

“And one more thing: I’ve always found the term great war criminal rather suspi—ah, aghhh…”

The curse plaguing Prince Lewis’s body was spreading by the moment, even as he spoke. It had started on his back, then made its way around to his sides, and now it was affecting his arms and legs, too. His clothes tore and split, revealing the skin swelling within.

It was awful. Inhuman.

As the seconds passed, it began to rot away those parts of his body still unaffected, stealing away his human form.

Many of the soldiers—from both nations—looked terrified.

“Brother! Y-you’ll be fine. You are still beautiful!”

“You always have been terrible at flattery, Adonis.”

“Ah…”

“You’ll need to do better if you’re to be our next king.”

“I… I’ll do my best. I’ll devote everything to it! So please, Brother, I… I…!”

“Ah… I feel the end coming on.”

“Please! Don’t talk like that!”

“Adonis, I entrust our homeland to you… My…beloved brother…”

The metamorphosis destroying Prince Lewis’s body finally enveloped his head. His handsome features tore apart, swelling into another bulging mass of flesh. Not even a millimeter remained of his former self. His allies had been using healing spells over and over since the change had begun taking effect—but no amount of magic could return the prince to normal.

In his final moments, I thought I saw him smile—an artless, simple smile.

“Brotheeeerrrrrrrrrr!”

Prince Adonis’s cry rang out through the stilled battlefield.