I settled into Philius’s tent with Tenitia, and it wasn’t long before Lady Sorelazie and Marcus, the two mechanical knights, came down.
“What… what is going on?”
As soon as Marcus saw Tenitia’s mechanical armor, tears flowed from one of his eyes while the artificial eye made from holy water mixed with salt on the other side shed artificial tears as he began repairs.
Lady Sorelazie healed Philius just enough so that Yulia could not fight.
Tenitia, having changed into the platinum armor she had packed separately, looked at Philius and asked me, “Your Highness. I won’t bother to say anything about the disgraceful hostage situation that hardly befits a knight.”
“It seems you’ve already said something about it, but thank you.”
“He is already of age, possesses enough authority over his knights, and seems to have a strong sense of responsibility.”
“Indeed. The knights followed his orders without hesitation.”
Philius sat blankly in one corner of the tent, wearing magic tool handcuffs.
The mechanical knight watched him, while the attendants and servants who originally served him continued to do so.
“Then why couldn’t he just let go of a lover?”
“Milady, don’t underestimate that.”
“They say that in the Church of Radiance, it’s the strongest power. Frankly, I don’t really understand. Is it because my ambition for success and my desire for honor are too strong?”
After a moment of contemplation, I answered, “I don’t fully understand it either.”
My feelings for Jayrilis are not typical carnal desires between a man and a woman, after all.
“However, it’s shortsighted and cruel, filled with an abundance of selfishness and doubt, flaring up like a spark on straw only to extinguish just as quickly.”
“Hmm.”
“Etiquette is nonexistent, and if that’s the case, it can make even the strangest events seem justifiable in its arrogance.”
“Indeed, it’s completely bandit-like. Hm. It may seem strong in that sense.”
“And many people lose everything to not lose that one thing. So, when a king falls for that, the country is tilted, and high nobles always separate marriage from it. True, it may not be a great example, but do you remember how I was when Your Majesty entered the magical realms?”
Lady Tenitia seemed to reflect for a moment, then nodded.
“You even thought of abandoning the capital.”
“It doesn’t come when you want it and doesn’t stay away when you don’t want it. When it is around, it seems you can do anything for it—”
I shot a sneer at Philius, whose brave face was completely vacant.
“Only after it leaves do you realize how fatal and immense it truly was.”
“It doesn’t seem fitting for Your Highness.”
I chuckled playfully and nodded.
“That’s why I dedicate such deep loyalty to Your Majesty. She will never become a hostage, I assure you.”
Lady Tenitia nodded and reported to me.
“The Crown Prince’s administrative officers are outside. Would you like to meet them?”
“I can’t stay here forever. Let them in right away.”
I sat in the spot initially occupied by Philius, waiting for his administrative officers.
The tent door soon opened, and an administrator along with a knight who appeared to be Philius’s lieutenant entered.
The administrator seemed disconnected from swords, and the knight had an impression closer to Lady Tenitia or Sir Barbatos than to Lysena.
I caught a glimpse of several dozen knights and over a hundred swordsmen from Doroysen surrounding the tent.
I tried not to indulge in a smug victory and sat properly across from the elderly administrator.
“It is a pleasure to meet you like this.”
At my bright greeting, the administrator and knight’s faces twisted momentarily before returning to their original expressions.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“…”
The administrator forced a greeting while the knight remained silent.
I smiled broadly and said, “So, what brings you to see me?”
In truth, if the knights and swordsmen outside charged in, no matter how strong I was, I would undoubtedly die.
Of course, I could manage a dozen or so as companions, but I had no intention of dying a second time.
Thus, I had no choice but to act as though I were not the slightest bit intimidated.
Fortunately, it seemed to have worked well, as the administrator spoke in a voice that strained to suppress boiling anger.
“I believe you can foresee the diplomatic consequences of this situation. You don’t think that His Majesty, the Sword King Ensis of Doroysen, will remain quiet, do you?”
I acted like a child poking a balloon with a needle.
“He’ll have to come out for prestige’s sake. However, if Ensis comes out, would not Her Majesty Jayrilis also step in?”
“His Majesty Ensis is nearby, while Empress Jayrilis is all the way in Solletarass.”
Enjoying the tension that felt like it was about to burst, I needled my opponent with jabs of amusement.
“Empress Jayrilis might ride the lightning to the heavens, and in the capital, the aerial ship Nibelungen is present. If you don’t want to see the Kingdom of Doroysen become the Duchy of Doroysen, you’d best choose your words wisely.”
“Ensis is a Sword Master. No matter how brave the duke or the knights may be, it would be wise to cherish their lives.”
I said nothing and smiled coldly.
“Indeed. If that happens, he will certainly come.”
In an instant, the administrator and the knight’s faces stiffened, and Philius raised his head.
“Duke. Are you saying you aimed for Father from the very start?!”
Ensis von Doroysen.
The king of the Doroysen Kingdom and the longest-serving Sword Master in history.
Called the Sword King and Knight King, a war hero who repelled the invasion of the Solletarass Empire.
And now, a monster slowly rotting away, afflicted by corruption.
Before my return, he had completely succumbed to corruption and had become a terrifying infiltrator, even corrupting the knights of the kingdom and plunging the entire nation into chaos.
With a powerful figure as a swordsman acting as an infiltrator, his influence was immense, and the neighboring small nations soon fell into turmoil.
It was already likely that Matheos had crossed the line that could not be undone.
Of course, there was no reason to tell them this.
Even being a sword user could withstand considerable mental waves.
Let alone who would believe that a Sword Master had succumbed to corruption?
“Did you really think I would tolerate a Sword Master in another country besides the Empire?”
I reclined with crossed legs, arrogantly lifting my chin.
The administrator had a bewildered expression, and the knight was lowering his sword hilt.
“That’s enough.”
Lady Tenitia grabbed the shoulder of the lieutenant knight.
Philius glared at me.
“Do you think you can defeat Father?!”
I didn’t even turn to him and wordlessly removed my gauntlets and rolled up my sleeves.
My spirit-formed hands were translucent up to the elbow, and bright dark-red scales dotted the translucent flesh.
“!”
The administrator, the lieutenant knight, and Philius gasped in unison.
“I can’t say that I will win, but I’m willing to give it a try.”
It was a lie.
I felt a deep pang of conscience.
I put my gauntlets back on and muttered monotonously.
“Thinking about it, it’s funny. I’m fighting against those who invaded to take my land, yet I feel like I’m the villain here?”
Lady Tenitia and Lady Sorelazie exchanged glances.
“Are you really saying that?”
“Are you seriously saying that?”
I replied with a glance of my own.
“Just keep quiet while I set the mood.”
“Marcus. Help Yulia. We’re going to send a letter to Silentalouon from the city where the correspondence is. Ensis is going to move. Don’t worry about the Crown Prince now. With that lady here, nothing can go wrong.”
Marcus bowed respectfully, and I stood up with a satisfied expression.
The administrator and the lieutenant knight trembled, and I sneered at them.
“Shall we head out?”
The sun was setting, and even though there was a hostage here, I couldn’t remain awkwardly in the middle of enemy territory.
Now that it was confirmed Ensis would come, all I had to do was convey the situation accurately to Jayrilis.
I had no intention of fighting a Sword Master with this decrepit body of mine.
Philius stood up and shouted.
“No! There are monsters and infiltrators roaming outside!”
There were bright red veins around his eyes.
“If you just stay still, not a finger will be laid on your lover. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“It only feels that way at night.”
“Lady Sorelazie didn’t feel it either, what are you talking about?”
“The flow of mana in this area has always been unnatural!”
“Then let’s go together. Let’s just see what’s out there.”
I pulled him along with my group as we exited the tent.
“…!”
The knights and swordsmen surrounding us whispered amongst themselves.
I calmly weaved through them and headed toward the encampment’s outskirts.
Peeeeeep—
Lady Tenitia blew a whistle to summon the wyvern.
“It’s taking a little longer.”
“It seems like it’s hunting something.”
However, even after the sun had completely set, the wyvern did not return.
Valenciaunos looked up at the night sky and said, “Marcus. Are there any monsters or fierce beasts in this area that can fight a wyvern?”
Marcus shook his head, and Valenciaunos asked again, “A wyvern is a high-level beast. In this barren land, there might only be mountain goats wandering around.”
“Then is there a real chance of infiltrators or monsters?”
After a moment of contemplation, Marcus replied, “Corruption ultimately needs people. As you saw on the way here, the cities that once stood are now in ruins. I still don’t sense any aura of monsters.”
Peeeeeep—
Valenciaunos blew the whistle once more and said, “Then let’s wait a bit longer.”
Philius nearly started to convulse at those words.
“Then let Yulia and me, no. Just Yulia go inside. Do you think I brought this many soldiers to conquer a land with no one in it?”
“Your words are too brief.”
“Just let Yulia go inside, no. Please let her in, no. Please!”
“Be quiet.”
Valenciaunos displayed an exceedingly rogue-like response while calmly observing the forest.
‘Given how things are escalating, there is a chance of something present. It could be a ghost or a race-type infiltrator. …A bluish light?’
From the darkness, bluish lights began to appear one by one.
They seemed to be descending from the abandoned mine.
The swordsmen and soldiers of the encampment hurriedly rushed around.
“Over there!”
“Prepare the ballista!”
“Earlier, the Bandit Duke burned everything down!”
“Then prepare the Abalrest heavy crossbow! We need to take it down from a distance.”
As if accustomed to not being ambushed, their movements were swift, even after having faced a significant battle during the day.
Tenitia looked at Valenciaunos and said, “Your Highness.”
“Speak.”
“It has become clear that there is something that must not be here, so I think we should offer help regardless of the events that have transpired. After all, we are all still part of humanity, aren’t we?”
Valenciaunos let out a deep sigh as though the ground were collapsing beneath him.
“Marcus.”
“Yes?”
“Keep a close watch on Yulia and the Crown Prince.”
The next moment, his pupils elongated vertically.
Whoosh!
In the previously clear air, fierce flames began to blaze.
“Fire!”
Squeeeak! Squeeeak! Squeeeak!
The heavy crossbow Abalrest inscribed with magic circuits split the air.
Crack!
The giant bolts struck the silhouettes, causing them to shatter and roll to the ground.
“There are too many of them!”
“The firepower is insufficient.”
“We need ballistae!”
At that moment, the night sky was filled with tremendous spears of fire.
Squeeeeeak!
The fiery spears pierced the bluishly glowing silhouettes, exploding and creating fire waves with a radius of several dozen meters.
“I don’t know what it is, but it wouldn’t hurt to kill it first and check later.”
The white-haired boy duke, with golden eyes, stepped forward with a confident smile amidst the darkness.
The officer shook his head in astonishment at the power.
“Your Grace, they do not burn!”
“What?”
“They’re made of something like crystal! They are immune to flames!”
“Get down! Everyone below the level of a sword user, cover your ears!”
The bluishly glowing silhouettes emerged from the forest.
“Kyaaaah!”
An extraordinarily sharp mental wave echoed, and the soldiers threw themselves to the ground.
Valenciaunos, Sorelazie, and Tenitia could finally see them clearly.
With thin bodies, glowing blue eyes and mouths, and large teal crystals growing from various wounds.
They looked like undead beings caught between zombies and mummies, embedded with immense blue crystals.
Valenciaunos frowned and ignited the flames once more.
Fwoosh!
While parts of their flesh surely burned away, the crystalline parts merely glowed hot and did not melt or burn.
At that moment, Lady Sorelazie recalled a rare potion she had seen in the Ivory Tower.
“Psychic influence, flame resistance, pale turquoise light.”
“Val!”
“Do you know something? Is it in the records?”
“If we refine those crystal shards, they can make an incredibly expensive potion! They aren’t very strong against shocks, so Milady Tenitia, take your sword and go collect them!”
“Those?”
