Chapter 4: Meanwhile...
Just as Rio left the village with Christina and Flora, First Prince Duran of the Paladia Kingdom bid his farewell to Rio and stopped by the village before his return to the castle. The villagers watched him enter their village fearfully, but he didn’t even spare them a glance as he headed straight for the path that led to the main road. In his hand was Lucius’s sword that he’d gotten from Rio.
“Why, if it isn’t Prince Duran.”
Just as he was about to leave the village, someone appeared in Duran’s way. It was Reiss, the Proxia Empire’s ambassador.
“Oh? And when did you get here?” Duran replied with a grin.
“Moments ago. Just as Lucius was killed, in fact. Good grief, what a sly scheme,” Reiss lamented with a sigh as he protested.
Duran gave a dramatic shrug of his shoulders and feigned ignorance. “Hmm? I do not recall scheming anything.”
“You ignored my request in favor of Lucius’s, did you not?”
“I was merely told by Lucius that the plan had changed. There was no way for me to tell which request was the real one, so I believed the person who came to me directly.”
“Why did you give me a false location, then? It is a matter of fact that you deceived me regarding Haruto Amakawa and Lucius’s location. I ended up searching around an unrelated area because of you.”
After Lucius had used the teleport crystal to Paladia, Aishia pursued Reiss. Once he had barely made his getaway, he flew to Paladia and visited Duran. But when he asked about Rio and Lucius’s whereabouts, he was told Rio had been sent elsewhere and Lucius had gone after him.
“Bwa ha ha! That’s because the situation changed after I spoke to you. I don’t know how and why it changed, but Haruto reappeared before me once you left. Then Lucius reappeared as well. After that, I followed Lucius’s orders and lured Haruto to this village. But who would’ve expected Lucius to outwit a man like you? You sure seem panicked about it,” Duran lied smoothly, claiming his innocence with confidence.
“Indeed, I was utterly deceived this time...and went through quite the ordeal as a result. Well, what’s done is done. With Lucius dead, there’s no way of finding out the truth, and I don’t intend to punish you either.” Reiss sighed and backed away reluctantly.
“That aside, I’m impressed you made it here. How did you know this was the place?” Duran asked out of curiosity.
“There’s nothing to be impressed about considering I didn’t make it in time. I pretty much arrived just as the finishing blow was being dealt. As for how, well—it’s a secret,” Reiss said. He then looked at the sword in Duran’s hand.
Duran noticed Reiss’s gaze and tried to wrap up the conversation quickly. “Hmm. I suppose it doesn’t matter. So, what business do you have with me? I’d like to get back to the capital soon.”
“Now, don’t be hasty. I have a favor to ask of you—could you return that sword to me?”
“‘Return’? That’s strange. When Lucius was killed, Haruto became this sword’s owner, correct? And I received this from him because he said he didn’t need it. You’re telling me to return a sword that rightfully belongs to me?”
“That sword originally belonged to me—I let Lucius borrow it. I’m its true owner.”
“Do you have proof of that?” Duran chuckled with a grin.
“Of course, I won’t ask you to return it for free. I will offer several enchanted swords from our country in exchange.” It was an extraordinary offer.
“Oho, so you say this sword has the worth of several enchanted swords? I expected it to be exceptional based on the spell embedded within, but...” Duran didn’t bite right away.
“I won’t deny it, but that sword is a particularly evil blade with a past.”
“Are you saying it’s cursed?”
“I’m not certain, but that sword has a mind of its own. It savors the blood of the living and swallows the souls of those it kills. It’s said that it ultimately eats the soul of its owner too,” Reiss said with a creepy grin.
“A sword that eats its owner... You think I’ll be eaten?” Duran laughed heartily, then looked down at Lucius’s sword. The blade was completely enshrouded in darkness, reflecting no light at all.
“Well, that’s if you’re able to bring out the power of that sword in the first place. It’s rather particular about its owner. The sword won’t approve of you unless you’re a deviant like Lucius; someone who gives in to his negative emotions and enjoys killing others. If someone unsuited for the sword uses it, they’ll merely be swinging a sharp sword with a black blade.”
“Interesting. Let’s test that out,” Duran sneered, sending magic essence into Lucius’s sword. This was the way of testing aptitude for most enchanted swords in the world. If the wielder was found to be suitable for the blade, they would sense it right away.
“Hmph. No good, huh?” Duran huffed, unamused.
“Well? Do you feel like returning it now?” Reiss grinned.
“Fine, an exchange it is,” Duran agreed, clicking his tongue. “Bring the enchanted swords of your choice—I’ll hold on to this until then.” He was stubbornly thinking about having his knights test their aptitude for the sword.
“Understood. I shall return to the Proxia Empire on a later date and pick out several swords before sending a messenger to your castle. I have some minor business to attend to after this, so it won’t be immediate—but no longer than two or three weeks.” Reiss bowed his head with a fake-looking smile.
Duran narrowed his eyes. “Minor business, you say... Is it related to Haruto?”
“How sharp of you.” Reiss’s mouth warped with a chuckle, not bothering to hide anything.
“Isn’t it obvious? You asked me to cooperate in luring Haruto in the first place. Now that Lucius made the first move and failed, it’s only natural to assume your goal has yet to be achieved.”
In which case one would assume Reiss’s next target would be Haruto himself.
“I didn’t just fail at achieving my goal—it’s no longer possible to achieve at all now that Lucius is dead. My plan was to arrange a duel between Lucius and the boy, you see,” Reiss answered somberly.
“If so, I don’t see the reason why Lucius would act against you, since it seemed to me that he desired a duel with Haruto as well...” Why hadn’t the two cooperated with each other? Duran hadn’t heard anything regarding that from Lucius, so he cocked his head dubiously.
“I don’t understand either. Our goals and interests were perfectly aligned, yet for some reason Lucius couldn’t trust me as a partner. This is why humans are such...”
Mystifying creatures. Reiss sighed as though to say that.
“You certainly are the shadiest man I’ve ever met—enough to feel apprehension at the thought of entrusting my back to you in a war. I can relate to Lucius there,” Duran laughed heartily.
“I try to act as rationally as possible in order to be trusted, though.”
“Too rational. You should learn to be emotional when necessary.”
“Emotions, you say... Sounds difficult. Well then, I suppose I should leave now.” Reiss sneered, then made to leave the area. He was heading for the battlefield where Haruto had fought Lucius.
“Wait,” Duran called out.
“Yes?”
“I know you have your own mysteries, but you can’t win against Haruto.”
“I am aware. I nearly died when I fought him, after all.” Reiss nodded plainly at Duran’s blunt words.
“Why are you going after him? I watched his fight with Lucius, and it’s clear that you’ll be walking into your own death. I don’t care if you anger him and cause trouble for the Proxia Empire, but he’s also an honorary knight of Galarc, no? At worst, he could show up on the battlefield if Galarc and Proxia go to war. Paladia is allied with Proxia, so I’ll be at risk of facing him—and I don’t intend on fighting a lost battle, you know?” Duran emphasized with a sharp tone, putting some heat behind his words.
“I can follow that train of thought, but what do you want me to do about it?”
“I’m telling you to turn back if you’re going to provoke him needlessly. If Proxia’s ambassador shows up in a situation where the Beltrum princesses were abducted, then Proxia’s involvement in the incident will be assumed. The suspicion towards Paladia will also heighten.”
They were already toeing the edge of the gray zone in their current state, but if Reiss pulled something now, they’d be completely standing in the red zone.
Reiss gave a rare chuckle of amusement. “Ha ha ha! Harsh, but fair. Rest assured, I don’t plan on launching a surprise attack on him or anything. It wouldn’t have been an issue if Lucius had outwitted me and won, but the situation has changed now that he’s been defeated,” he replied seriously to Duran’s concerns about Rio.
“What do you intend on doing in the direction you’re heading, then?”
“They’re all important figures, you see—Princess Christina and Princess Flora included. I’m going to observe their next move from afar. But I won’t make a move on them while they’re still in the Paladia Kingdom. I do value my life somewhat,” Reiss said with a shrug, passing by Duran and walking away.
It’s none of my business if he drops dead somewhere... But he’s been acting more suspiciously ever since the heroes were summoned. Hmm.
Duran glared sharply at Reiss’s back and sensed that something unknown was about to occur.
Meanwhile, in the forest on the outskirts of Rodania, Celia was visiting the stone house with Aishia. The encounter with Reiss in Rodania, pursuing him with Aishia, and being retrieved by Orphia midway to hide in the stone house had all happened the day before yesterday.
Once Aishia defeated Reiss and returned to the stone house, Celia immediately left to check on the situation in Rodania. There she learned that Christina and Flora were missing and spent the entirety of yesterday in Rodania watching over the situation for any developments before sneaking out to the stone house today. Welcomed by Miharu, Latifa, Sara, Orphia, and Alma, she sat down on the sofa in the living room with Aishia.
“Thank you for the other day, everyone. I wanted to come visit yesterday, but a dire situation has cropped up in the Restoration.” Celia looked around at everyone as she thanked them, then sighed worriedly.
“What happened?” Sara asked.
“Princess Christina and Princess Flora have gone missing.”
“Huh...?” Everyone present was shocked.
“They apparently disappeared on their way back from the Galarc Kingdom. The enchanted ship they were on was attacked and many on board were killed,” Celia explained with a frown.
“They still haven’t been found yet, right? Do you have any leads...?” Orphia asked.
“They haven’t. There are no leads either. Their bodyguard, Vanessa, miraculously survived, but she lost so much blood that she’s still unconscious even now...”
“Vanessa...”
“Will she be all right...?”
Orphia and Alma worried.
“She’ll be fine... I think. Her wounds have been closed with healing magic, her breathing is stable, and she doesn’t have a fever or anything,” Celia explained.
“If there’s anything we can do to help out with the search for Christina...” Sara offered with a worried face. Sara, Orphia, and Alma had traveled together with Christina and Vanessa from Cleia to Rodania, so they weren’t strangers.
“Thank you,” Celia said happily, then immediately switched to a stern expression. “But you should stay and strengthen our defenses here. Aishia defeated Reiss, but the fact Princess Christina and Princess Flora were attacked is unsettling. You shouldn’t leave while Rio isn’t here.”
“I understand...” Sara nodded quietly.
“The timing is a little strange, though. Christina and Flora’s disappearance outside Rodania coincided with Reiss’s appearance inside Rodania... I imagine the two incidents are related,” Alma said thoughtfully.
“You think so too? We never found out Reiss’s goal in infiltrating the building either...” Even without evidence, the suspicion surrounding Reiss was there. Celia bit down on her lip listlessly.
Miharu hesitantly raised her hand. “Is it possible that you were his target?”
“Hmm... I don’t think so. He tried to flee as soon as we ran into him. And he actually fled too... I think it’d be more natural to assume he had business in the central office,” Celia answered. The fact Reiss’s first action had been to drop everything and run made her think she wasn’t the target.
“Did you tell the people of the Restoration that Reiss had snuck into the building?” Orphia asked.
“Yes. I informed them that a man resembling the Proxia Empire’s ambassador had snuck into the building and fled as soon as I saw him. No one else was there to witness it, so I hid Aishia’s presence, but...”
“What did the people of the Restoration say?” Alma asked.
“They pretty much had the same opinion as me—that he had snuck into the central office in order to steal something from the Restoration. They also said they’re considering the possibility of the airship attack being the work of the Proxia Empire or a collaborative effort between Reiss and Duke Arbor’s faction. Though they couldn’t see any reason why the ambassador himself would do something like this... They’ll be looking into it further alongside the search for the princesses.” When Celia finished speaking, she sighed heavily.
“Celia? You don’t look too good. Are you all right?” Latifa asked, staring at Celia’s face.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Celia nodded with a gentle smile to reassure her, but it was still clear she was pushing herself.
Latifa turned her thoughts to Rio worriedly. “I hope Onii-chan comes home soon...”
Around noon of the same day, in the Rubia Kingdom bordering the southwest of Paladia, one boy slept on in the royal castle.
“...”
Beside the bed where Kikuchi Renji slept, First Princess Sylvie sat in a chair and gazed out the window. Just then, someone knocked on the door to the room.
“Enter,” Sylvie called towards the door.
The door was ajar to begin with, but it opened slowly at Sylvie’s voice. A female knight stood in the doorway—it was Elena, the commander of Sylvie’s personal guard.
Sylvie took one glance at Elena’s face. “Elena. What is it?”
“Your meal is ready. I came to show you to the dining hall.”
“No thanks. I have no appetite.”
Elena’s brows furrowed in worry for Sylvie. “You’ve already skipped breakfast today, and you barely ate anything last night.”
“I can’t help it if I don’t have an appetite,” Sylvie replied tiredly.
“In that case, please go outside and move around. There’s no appetite to be gained staying inside this room all day.”
“No. Renji might wake up while I’m gone.”
“Princess Sylvie, please leave the nursing to the servants. Why do you have to trouble yourself over a man like this...?” There was a tone of disapproval in Elena’s voice.
“You’re speaking out of line. Renji is a hero,” Sylvie said with a bitter smile.
“I still cannot believe that this man is a hero... His reckless actions placed Your Highnesses in so much danger,” Elena complained with a stern look.
It was three days ago that Renji had tailed Sylvie and Reiss, crashing her reunion with Estelle. There, Renji lost to Lucius and had his limbs cut off in what was a crushing defeat.
Renji had probably intervened thinking he was helping Sylvie by saving Estelle, but the situation wasn’t that simple. A small kingdom like Rubia couldn’t oppose a large nation like the Proxia Empire. It would be one thing to retrieve Estelle secretly, but rescuing the hostage in front of Reiss was equivalent to declaring war on the Proxia Empire.
In other words, Renji’s actions had been far too thoughtless. Because of his actions, Sylvie had been forced to make a choice—whether to oppose Proxia, or join sides with Proxia.
But Sylvie was unable to deny Proxia. She thrust aside Renji and left him to fight Lucius alone.
If I had chosen to fight alongside him and save Estelle...
Would the result have differed? Could Renji have avoided being defeated? These were the only thoughts that had filled her mind for the past three days.
“We would have eventually had to make a choice between siding with Galarc or crossing sides to Proxia. The fact our kingdom has changed sides is still unknown too—it’s merely an agreement between Reiss and me, so there’s still a chance of saving Estelle.” Sylvie’s mouth was twisted bitterly as she spoke.
“What if Reiss makes further demands next time, though? This man has also become part of the Proxia Empire. He made a pact with Reiss himself. If we are to face the Proxia Empire in the future, then this man...”
...May end up becoming your enemy. Are you sure? These were the words in Elena’s throat, but she swallowed them down with a sour look.
“Well, there’s no telling what will happen.” It almost sounded like there was resignation in Sylvie’s words, making Elena glare at Renji on the bed.
“...”
Elena hadn’t liked Renji from the beginning. Her first impression of him was the worst. He looked like a child on the outside, but on the inside he was an arrogant adventurer like any other. His manner of speaking had been impolite from the first time he met Sylvie and Estelle, but she could admit he had the strength to back up his attitude.
“Come to think of it, you mentioned a meal. I have no appetite, but could you bring some soup?” Sylvie seemed to notice Elena’s scowling and sighed as she changed the subject. She had just made up a reason for Elena to temporarily leave the room.
“Mm...” Renji suddenly groaned, his body trembling.
“Renji?”
Renji opened his eyes faintly at Sylvie’s voice. “Mmgh.”
“You’re finally awake,” Sylvie said and beamed.
“Syl...vie...? Guh...!” Renji snapped out of his daze as he recalled the events before he had passed out and shot up in bed. At the same time, he summoned his Divine Arms in his dominant hand and clutched it tightly.
“H-Hey! Renji! Calm down! Stop!” Sylvie said in a panic.
“Where...?” Renji asked, looking around the room nervously.
“A guest room of the Rubia Castle. Can you put away your weapon...the Divine Arms?” Sylvie said with a sigh.
“...” Renji silently made his halberd disappear.
Sylvie shrugged in exasperation. “If you can move that much, your body’s probably fine. The limbs that were severed have been restored perfectly.”
Meanwhile, Elena was watching Renji with a look of discontent.
“What happened...?” Renji asked in wonder, examining the presence of his cleanly reattached limbs.
“‘What happened,’ you say...?!” Elena immediately snapped in rage.
“Quiet, Elena. I didn’t give you permission to speak.”
Elena reluctantly heeded Sylvie’s warning. “My apologies...”
“Do you remember what happened before you lost consciousness?” Sylvie asked first.
Renji nodded with a frown. “Yeah...”
“Your limbs were cut off, and you lost to Lucius. The shock of the blood loss left you unconscious for three days, but now you’re awake.” Sylvie summarized the events in a frank and concise manner.
“How were my limbs reattached?” Renji asked in confusion.
“It was apparently the work of the Divine Arms. An ability activated to keep you alive, but I don’t know the details as to how that happened either.”
“I see...”
“Any other questions?”
“Where are they now...?” Renji asked nervously. He was referring to Reiss and Lucius.
“They returned to the Proxia Empire. Do you remember your pact with Reiss before your battle?”
“...” Renji fell silent with an awfully uncomfortable look. He remembered.
“You’ve become a subordinate of Proxia... No, of Reiss. You can stay in this castle until he comes for you, but once he comes you must follow his orders,” Sylvie stated flatly.
“...” Renji frowned.
“Don’t tell me you intend on going back on your word.”
“Is it worth keeping a promise with people like them?” Renji replied to Sylvie, ashamed.
“I heard you often picked fights with the adventurers who looked down on you,” Sylvie said, abruptly changing the topic.
Two sides presented something important to them, and the victor obtained both—those were the basics of a duel. Royalty and nobility didn’t perform them thoughtlessly, but they were a frequent occurrence amongst hasty adventurers. Renji defeated anyone who picked a fight with him through duels, taking his opponents’ fortunes as a warning to others. That was how rumors of Renji spread, which greatly reduced the number of ruffians who looked down on him.
“Yeah...?” Renji nodded, slightly confused. He couldn’t figure out why duels were being mentioned.
“Have you ever let anyone you defeated go against their word?”
At Sylvie’s question, he finally understood her point. “No.”
Renji recalled how he stripped everyone he defeated of their fortunes mercilessly and awkwardly averted his eyes from Sylvie.
“In other words, you’ll make anyone weaker than you obey, but you’ll break your word against someone stronger? You’re running away?” Sylvie stared at Renji with a look of disdain.
“Uh...” Unable to make eye contact, Renji flinched.
“Pathetic. I liked your rebellious spirit towards the injustices of the world, but it seems like I misjudged you. You’re just a coward who can only act big before the weak—an outcast of society. You’re nothing but a lawless brat.”
“...” Her mocking tone made Renji clench his teeth, eyes still cast downwards.
“What’s wrong? Nothing to say for yourself? Wasn’t it your motto not to forgive those who look down on you? Who was it who spoke to a princess on an equal level the first time he met her?”
“...” With his head still bowed, Renji clenched his fists.
“I’m looking down on you right now, you realize? Same with Elena over there. She scoffs whenever she looks at you,” Sylvie said, looking at Elena. Elena purposefully scoffed so that Renji could hear, finding satisfaction in doing so.
Renji finally snapped. “Why are you saying this?”
“Why, you ask? After all the trouble you’ve caused me, you think I don’t have the right to voice my complaints?”
Despite being sullen, Renji raised his voice to make his point. “I-I was just trying to save Estelle. If you’re saying I ran away, then you’re a coward who couldn’t save Estelle too.”
Sylvie gave an undaunted reply, acknowledging her own cowardice. “Yes, that’s right. But I don’t intend to run from Reiss like you. I have to bear the burden of not just Estelle, but the entire kingdom. There’s no way I can run.”
“I-I tried to save her. But you sided with Reiss...” Renji implicitly placed the blame on Sylvie—that it was all because she did nothing.
Sylvie grit her teeth, harshening her tone as she scolded him. “The situation’s taken a troublesome turn because of your reckless savagery. Reiss is backed by a large nation called the Proxia Empire. If I had opposed him there, they would eventually confront our kingdom. Are you telling our small kingdom to face a major nation? Or would you fight the Proxia Empire alongside us? You, a man who would run away from your promise with Reiss, wouldn’t run from a war with his empire?”
“I-I... I didn’t know he was backed by the Proxia Empire.”
“I called you a savage because you meddled in my business without knowing anything. Reiss and Lucius mentioned it before the duel—you’ve grown arrogant in thinking that everything can be solved with your strength, haven’t you?”
“...” He couldn’t deny it. He wanted to argue for himself, but he couldn’t find the words. The one defense he had on the tip of his tongue was that it was an overstatement, but it was so pathetic that he swallowed it back down.
“Coward. Where did the self-righteous man I know go? I guess the attitude was just a facade and this is your true self, huh?” Sylvie sighed in heavy disappointment.
“I...!” Renji raised his head to object, but when he noticed Sylvie staring back at him he quickly looked down again.
“So pathetic... Enough. Leave this castle—no, leave the kingdom. You’re an eyesore,” Sylvie spat coldly.
Elena was shocked. “P-Princess Sylvie?! What about your agreement with Reiss? You can’t leave this man to his own devices.”
Sylvie waved her hand in irritation. “I don’t care. He’s such an eyesore. I’ll come up with an explanation for Reiss and Lucius later.”
“...” Renji didn’t stand. He was still sitting up in the bed, clenching the sheets in both fists as he worked through his inner conflict.
“What? Get out already. Or are you asking to be cut down here?” Sylvie jeered.
“I... I’m...” Renji murmured.
Sylvie looked at him warily. “What?”
“I’m sorry... You’re right. I have no excuse,” Renji said at an audible volume.
“So what?” Sylvie asked in a detached tone.
“Please allow me to assist in Estelle’s rescue. You want to save her too, right? I’ll do anything I can to help. I’ll atone for my failure after she’s rescued.” Renji’s reply took on a rather meek attitude. It was a look that actually fit the age of the boy Sylvie first met.
After a dazed pause, Sylvie burst out laughing. “Ha! Ha ha ha! So you have the capacity to make a face like that?”
“Don’t make fun of me; I’m being serious,” Renji said, biting down on his lip.
“Sorry,” Sylvie said with a wry smile, then changed her tone to a gentle one. “But your assistance is unnecessary. I appreciate the sentiment, but you really should leave.”
“Wh-Why...?” Renji asked, confused.
“You wield tremendous power, but you’re fatally lacking something. I’ve always found that strange, but that was also the part of you I was drawn to. And yet, the answer was surprisingly simple. For better or for worse, you’re still a child. I realized that today. That’s why I can’t allow you to get involved,” Sylvie warned.
“That’s not true! I’m seventeen!” Renji yelled.
While it wasn’t the case in Japan, seventeen-year-olds were formally treated as adults in this world. Sylvie herself was eighteen, which was why Renji based his argument around his age.
“The way you bring up your age only makes you more childish.”
“Y-You’re wrong! Don’t treat me like a kid!”
“I’m not. You force others to take responsibility while lacking any sense of responsibility yourself. That’s what makes you a child.”
“That’s not...!”
“You’re trying to break your promise with Reiss right this moment.”
“That’s... I...” Renji stumbled for something to say in protest.
“Listen, Renji. This is a warning. You’re just a child bestowed with an incredible power through no effort of your own—it’s all the work of the Divine Arms. That’s why you’re all mixed up,” Sylvie stated bluntly. “You live within society while shirking all social obligations. You only participate in society when it benefits you—when it doesn’t, you exert your power to bend things your way. That’s how you’ve been living all this time, but you’ve finally encountered someone that won’t work on. Did you think you could live like that forever?” she said angrily to intimidate him.
“...” Renji gulped silently.
“There are people stronger than you—you’ve already lost to one of them. Just because you’re strong as an individual doesn’t mean you can underestimate the power of the masses. I’m going to teach you that lesson right now.”
“...Huh?” Renji looked confused, wondering how she would do that.
“For your grave crimes against the kingdom, I declare you an enemy of Rubia as of today. You may no longer live in this kingdom from here on out.”
“Wha...” Renji fell speechless at the sudden declaration.
“However, I will atone for my share of the blame. This is my final act of kindness—I shall allow you to flee. So leave this castle now,” Sylvie declared.
“...” Renji remained frozen on the bed.
“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you leaving?” Sylvie asked unhappily.
Renji finally raised his voice. “W-Wait a moment, please! I can’t do that, Sylvie!”
“Why not?” Sylvie asked with a fed up expression.
“I’ve realized it thanks to your words—if I flee now, I’ll regret it forever! I’ll no longer be myself! That’s what I feel! I have to defeat Lucius in order to move forward with my life!”
Sylvie’s expression wavered for a brief moment during Renji’s desperate pleas, but she quickly gathered herself and shook her head. “That’s your own personal business. It has nothing to do with us.”
“B-But you need my power, right?! That’s right... My power will be beneficial for this kingdom. Because I’m a hero,” Renji said without a care for how it made him sound.
“It’s not your power, but the power of the Divine Arms... That petty pride of yours is what I’m calling childish.”
“Then I’ll become an adult! I won’t screw up next time! Please believe me!” Renji protested stubbornly.
“Don’t assume there’ll always be a next time. And believe you? Do you really think I can believe in the way you are now?” Sylvie said, giving Renji a cold dose of reality by pointing out his arrogance.
“Uhm...” Renji gulped.
“That’s all I have to say. Get out. And never step foot into this capital—no, this kingdom again. The next time I see your face in our lands, I will cut you down without mercy. So be prepared,” Sylvie threatened.
Renji was at a loss for words. “Are you serious...?” he asked, trembling.
“Yes, I am. So leave.” Sylvie nodded without hesitation, pointing at the open door.
“I... I won’t,” Renji declared. His eyes were bloodshot and his breathing harsh.
“What?”
“I won’t leave this place,” Renji repeated clearly.
“Renji, you...” Sylvie said, clearly displeased.
“If I stay in the kingdom after leaving this castle I’ll be cut down, right? Then I won’t leave. You won’t cut me down if I don’t leave, right?”
“You think your shoddy logic will work on me?!” Sylvie shot to her feet with a fierce look, reaching for her sword resting nearby.
“P-Princess Sylvie.” Elena quickly grabbed Sylvie’s arm and blocked her with her own body.
“Let go, Elena!”
“I-I will not!”
Sylvie and Elena argued back and forth, while Renji spoke up beside them.
“I’m not leaving this castle,” Renji declared sullenly.
“You child... Are you saying you’ll become Reiss’s subordinate, then?!” Sylvie yelled.
“If that’s taking responsibility as an adult, then yes,” Renji replied with a frown.
“Ngh... Do what you want! Release me, Elena!” Sylvie grimaced bitterly and gave in out of frustration. She sheathed her sword and shoved aside Elena’s clinging grip before marching out of the room.
“P-Please wait a moment, Princess Sylvie!” Elena said and hurried after her.
In an uninhabited area of the Paladia Kingdom, just after Rio left the outskirts of the village where he killed Lucius and invited Christina and Flora into his stone house...
There was someone observing from above. Reiss. He had shadowed Rio as he carried Christina and Flora away from the village where he had dueled Lucius to the death.
If he’s brought out his house, then he won’t be traveling again today. Princess Flora seemed rather exhausted, so he must be prioritizing her recovery, Reiss surmised to himself from where he looked down on the house.
That aside, how shall I act next? With the option to coordinate with Lucius gone, I have no choice but to give up on dealing with Haruto. The risks of making a move outweigh the risks of leaving him be, but letting him return without any resistance at all...
It felt humiliating. The mess that Lucius made had left Reiss in a very troubling situation.
What would happen if he allowed Rio and the princesses to return like this? What kind of information would reach the Restoration and Galarc, and how would they react? Reiss considered the possibilities.
There’s no hiding the fact it was Lucius who abducted Beltrum’s royal princesses. It’s also common knowledge that Lucius had connections with the ambassador of the Proxia Empire—with me. Considering the fact that I was spotted in Rodania just before the royal siblings went missing, then...
The abduction of Christina and Flora would most likely be deemed the work of the Proxia Empire. If he was unlucky enough, his connections to the Duke Arbor faction could be raised as well.
While there’s nothing that can be done about Galarc and the Restoration’s increased wariness towards Proxia, the risk and return will be far too unbalanced if things go on at this rate. The only thing that was gained in all this is my faked death, and I don’t even know if that spirit was fooled...
During the battle at Rodania’s outskirts, Reiss had made it look like Aishia cornered and defeated him. He had actually summoned a monster to be killed in his place, helping him escape successfully.
I cannot appear before Haruto right now. If me faking my death actually went as planned, then his attention will be directed away from me. It would be a waste to discard that advantage here. Which means I’ll have to send the squad members to make up for the failures of their commander. They can think of it as a way to get revenge for him.
There were only two problems with that—the first being what kind of situation he wanted to create with them.
However, Princess Sylvie should come to terms with her situation soon, and I’ve obtained a new pawn to replace the old one, so perhaps I can make a scapegoat out of him instead.
Reiss immediately came up with a good plan and grinned wickedly.
The remaining problem is where to make them face each other, but they should be heading for either Rodania or Galarc. Whichever way they go, they’ll have to pass through the Rubia Kingdom. The window of opportunity will be extremely limited if he flies with the two princesses, but I’ll endeavor to arrange something.
Since it was an ironclad law to only travel during daylight, he’d spend his daytime hours tracking Rio. If he needed to give orders and move personnel, he’d do that after Rio had stopped moving to rest.
I guess I’ll head over to Arein and the others after marking this location.
With that decided, Reiss descended to the ground.
Roughly ten or so minutes later, Reiss used a single-use teleportation crystal to relocate immediately. He reappeared elsewhere in the Paladia Kingdom, in a deserted village just a few dozen kilometers away from where Rio had set up his stone house.
“Now...” With no hesitation in his steps, Reiss marched forward. He stopped before a run-down house that would’ve belonged to the past village chief and knocked on the door in a particular rhythm. Soon after he did, the door to the house flew open. It seemed like the occupant was feeling rather hasty.
“Why, Mister Reiss...”
Sure enough, the one who opened the door was Arein, Lucius’s subordinate. Lucci and Ven stood immediately behind him.
“The three of you look well,” Reiss said with an unreadable smile.
“Umm... The captain isn’t with you?” Arein asked, examining Reiss’s expression before looking around for anyone accompanying him. As his question implied, he was wondering about Lucius’s whereabouts.
This deserted village was originally meant to be the meetup point after the plan was completed, but Reiss already visited two days ago after he escaped from Aishia. He had been seeking information from Arein and the others. However, he hadn’t been aware that Christina and Flora had been abducted at the time—he only found out when he arrived at the battlefield—and had no choice but to prioritize his meeting with Duran.
Consequently, Arein’s side hid in the village for two days, believing Lucius would return victorious.
“He was killed,” Reiss stated simply.
“...”
The faces of the three men stiffened—their expressions were of disbelief, clearly in denial of the truth. Reiss repeated himself once more, leaving no room for doubt.
“I said, Lucius is dead. He fought his fated enemy and, regrettably, lost,” he said with a heavy sigh.
“What kind of a joke is that? The captain was killed? Don’t make me laugh.” Lucci laughed dryly, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“It’s not a joke,” Reiss said with a straight face.
“That’s impossible!” Lucci yelled. The walls of the house were made of dampened wood, yet his voice echoed loudly.
“There’s no need to yell,” Arein muttered with an annoyed look.
“Shut up! It’s the captain we’re talking about, okay?! And he’s supposed to be dead?! No, it has to be a joke. The captain wouldn’t kick the bucket so easily!” Lucci stubbornly refused to accept the truth.
“...”
Arein and Ven both fell silent, clenching their teeth.
“It’s a lie. It has to be,” Lucci muttered. His body was trembling slightly.
“Like I said before, two days ago, Lucius suddenly acted on his own. You claimed you had no idea where he went, but you actually knew all along, didn’t you?” Reiss suddenly asked, looking around at the three men.
“...”
Lucci was still shaking with his eyes fixed on the floor, but Arein and Ven exchanged a secretive look with each other.
“There’s no point in hiding it. I already know that Princess Christina and Princess Flora were abducted as hostages to be used against the boy. Considering the situation, you three are the only people who could have cooperated with him. I have no intention of blaming you. I just want to confirm the truth,” Reiss explained tiredly, implicitly urging them to come clean already.
Arein and Ven gave in with a guilty look. “Well, yeah. We prioritized the captain’s orders.”
“The three of you were originally his subordinates, after all. It makes sense. However, things may have ended differently if you had cooperated with me instead of him—I’d like you to keep that thought in mind.”
Reiss implicitly suggested that Lucius wouldn’t have died if they had obeyed his orders.
“Guh...”
Arein and Ven averted their eyes awkwardly. They had believed in Lucius’s clear victory. They had followed his orders under that belief, but the reality waiting for them was cruel.
“There was a beauty in the way that he was always victorious. He may have used cowardly tricks, but he was strong precisely because he didn’t hesitate to use those tricks. But the defeated are worthless. That was his belief, and he followed that belief to rise to the peak of all mercenaries. Now that he has lost, he’s become nothing more than a coward. He wasn’t strong because he was cowardly, but a coward because he was weak. That’s all there is to it, I suppose,” Reiss lamented in a dramatic tone.
“That’s not true!” Lucci suddenly yelled, eyes widening with rage.
“What isn’t?”
“The captain isn’t weak. He wasn’t a coward because he was weak...” Lucci’s voice trembled.
“Can you prove that?” Reiss asked.
There was no way of proving it—it was an instance of the devil’s proof.
“We’ll win. The captain’s Heavenly Lions will never lose. We haven’t lost to that boy as a mercenary squad yet—so we’ll win. We can prove the captain’s strength that way.” Lucci breathed heavily through his nose. Then, a slow clap echoed around them—it was the sound of Reiss clapping.
“Wonderful. In that case, may I place a request with the members of the Heavenly Lions before me? My request won’t be for you to win against the boy, but it will include combat against him. Does that sound interesting to you?”
Arein and Ven exchanged frowns. Rio was the one who killed Lucius—he had also crossed swords with Arein’s group before, and they were fully aware of the gap in their abilities. They weren’t intimidated, but they knew they couldn’t accept the request so easily.
“Are we not allowed to dispose of him, Mister Reiss?” Lucci asked with a glare.
“You’re free to eliminate him, of course. My request will be completed the moment you engage him in combat, but you’re most welcome to go further.”
“Then we’ll accept that request.”
“Hey, Lucci. You haven’t even heard the terms yet...” Ven scolded with a sigh.
“What? It’s a fight for revenge over what happened to the captain. Are you chickening out?” Lucci said, completely raring to go.
“Fool. Did you forget how easily we were brushed aside before? This is the bastard that killed the captain. I just don’t want to underestimate him,” Ven scoffed in disgust.
“There’s one thing I want to confirm first,” Arein said to Reiss, ruffling his own hair. “It sounds like you’re asking for this as a separate request from our tasks for the Proxia Empire. Is that right?”
The men were officially mercenaries of the Heavenly Lions, but during times of peace, they were paid to use their abilities as covert agents for Reiss.
“Yes. This is a fight to avenge Lucius, after all. You will be rewarded appropriately based on your results. I don’t mind entrusting you with the enchanted sword I had lent him either. It’s somewhat of a memento for you, no?” Reiss looked around at them and chuckled.
“We can’t say no to that,” Lucci said with an aggressive smile, looking at Arein and Ven.
“Let’s listen to the details first.” Arein sighed, deciding to give in.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login