Chapter 10
On the straight highway in the middle of the large forest, the carriage was powerfully advancing forward.
Compared to ordinary horses, the wleipnir horses that were pulling this carriage were superior in strength, speed and endurance. They were pulling a large coach, but still, as long as they kept up this speed, the swift horses that were carrying the royal guard’s knights would likely not be able to catch up.
Within the vehicle, Kyle and his three friends as well as the princess and her maid Ninos were sitting on opposite sides.
As one would expect from a coach of the royal family, even though it was going this fast, there was surprisingly barely any vibration and noise inside.
【”First of all, I would like to thank you once again. If not for you, I would have already left this world by now.”】
Princess Milena deeply bowed her head.
Ninos, the maid who was next to her, seemed to be dissatisfied about her master bowing to others, but since she had also been saved, she lowered her head similarly.
Kyle and the others had already introduced themselves and explained the situation.
Well, actually, all they had said was their names, and the fact that they had only stumbled upon the princess by pure coincidence.
【”Yesterday…. You said that the one who planned this attack was the commander of the royal guard’s second knight corps?”】
【”Indeed. And the person backing him is Prince Carenas, my older, half-brother.”】
【”…I see, so it was Prince Carenas?”】
Said Kyle with a bitter tone of voice.
He had already expected that when the princess had brought up Zentos’ name earlier, but upon actually hearing it from her, he had a hard time completely believing it.
【”In short, this is one of those internal squabbles for the right of inheritance to the throne?”】
Asked Lize from the side.
【”Yes, exactly.”】
【”Wow….”】
Lize found herself at a loss from the straightforward answer.
【”About Zentos… was this really orchestrated by him? Are you sure of what you’re saying?”】
Kyle asked. His manner of speaking could very well be considered to be rude.
However, the princess did not mind, even though Ninos, who was sitting by her side, had a bad expression on her face.
【”Yes, after all, I heard it directly from my brother. After Zentos made us drink the drugs and our consciousnesses started fading away, my brother proudly gave a minutely detailed explanation about the whole matter.”】
First, the princess heard that a village nearby had been attacked by a hydra, therefore, she wanted to go there for a consolation visit, but the knights of the royal guard opposed her wish since the risks of being attacked by monsters on the way was too big. However, Princess Milena did not give up, and accompanied by a few of the town’s guards, she secretly departed before dawn. Although the royal guard’s knights hurriedly chased after her upon noticing that she had left, her group had unfortunately already been attacked by monsters, and the princess had died as well… a simple accident, that was what the prince wanted the matter to seem like.
This accident was precisely the version that Kyle knew of, but that turned out to have been planned by Carenas. Kyle was shocked, wondering just how incompetent the prince had to be in order to actually reveal himself on purpose.
【”In other words, he tried to fool the nation by using the fact that your highness sometimes changes her schedule.”】
“Like you did when coming to Archen for example” The moment Lize said that, Seran, who had been lost in his thoughts on the way, spoke up.
【”Oh, I remember now. I knew I’d seen this child somewhere. Aren’t you that little girl who tried to give flowers to the princess in Archen?”】
He said, while pointing at Ninos with a shocked face.
【”Oh, you were able to notice that? I believed she gave a completely different impression with her disguise.”】
“You have good eyes”, added the princess, while feeling a little surprised.
【”I noticed because she’s a cute girl, and when I saw her in Archen, I was thinking that she would sure become a beautiful woman in the future.”】
Seran showed Ninos a big smile, but she drew back her body with a slightly disgusted facial expression.
【”So, that means… she did that on purpose?”】
Gently comforting a little girl after she fell down was a simple action, but it was likely to give a favorable impression to others.
And since this whole interaction had been prepared in advance, that meant that the princess’ visit to Archen’s orphan institution had not been due to a sudden change in her schedule but had actually been planned from the very beginning.
【”A plain interaction with the nation’s people like that one is perfect for a publicity stunt. But in the Sanes village’s case, there would not have been much merit to me going there directly. It would have sufficed to send them gifts from the royal family and to casually spread the word about that.”】
The princess laughed elegantly while covering her mouth. An old proverb crossed Kyle’s mind, “The one thing the devils share with angels is their smile”.
【”Did she really just openly call it a publicity stunt?”】
【”I feel like I’m learning more and more than I’m supposed to know about what happens behind the government scenes…”】
『Well, it’s important for politicians to be popular with the people below them. 』
【”…human politics sure has many sides to it.”】
Seran and the others, including Sildonia in her sword form, started speaking in whispers.
Of course, they were in the same carriage as Princess Milena, so she could still hear them, but she did not mind that and continued to explain.
【”I knew that my brother had these kinds of ambitions. But I neglected the matter because I assessed that he would not be capable enough to put them into practice.”】
【”Hmm… would you say he has ‘difficulties’ of some sort?”】
【”Yes, frankly speaking, he’s incompetent. It’s fair to say that he is a good-for-nothing who cannot fulfill his obligations as a member of the royal family.”】
Said Princess Milena while disregarding Kyle’s considerate attempt at being careful with his words.
【”However, everything changed the moment he managed to ally himself with Zentos, who is very competent and popular.”】
【”But, was that worthless… I mean, was prince Carenas really able to get commander Zentos and the knights under him to join his side?”】
The princess shook her head from side to side in response to Kyle’s question.
【”No, Zentos is likely the only one actually following him, along with, at most, a mere small part of the second knight corps.”】
【”So all the other knights following him are just obeying their commander’s orders?”】
Said Seran in astonishment.
【”Yes, I do not know if they have doubts about this matter or not, but for knights, as long as they’re ordered to do something, it’s plenty enough for them to go through with it.”】
【”Can’t they think for themselves a little…”】
Although Seran complained to her, the princess’ sole reaction was to answer him.
【”No army can hold if the soldiers start acting and thinking for themselves as individuals. They are faithfully following their commander’s orders, which is the right behavior for the royal guard’s knights. It would have been absolutely impossible for them to be appointed as knights of the royal guard if they gave priority to their personal thoughts and feelings rather than to their superiors’ orders.”】
【”However, will they really be okay with this? We are talking about the assassination of their own country’s princess after all….”】
The princess responded to Kyle’s question with a clear nod.
【”They will. If the commander tells them that this is a secret order from my father, the king, then they’ll have no other choice than to obey.”】
“The princess is suspected of the grave crime of betraying the country, but given her unanimous popularity with the people, this information would bring about a massive pandemonium within the nation. So we’ve received a secret order to deal with her and to cover her death as an accident caused by monsters.” All Zentos had to do was probably only to give an explanation along those lines
If those knights were told by their commander that this was a secret order that he received directly from the king, then they certainly would have no other choice than to abide, no matter what their inner thoughts really were.
【”…So, anyone chosen to become a commander of the royal guard’s knights would be all the more loyal and would never be driven by their own self-interests. Given that he’s the commander of the second knight corps, this should have applied to Zentos Ordiy as well, however…”】
Princess Milena shook her head. It seemed like, even now, she was still not able to accept this.
【”To begin with, Zentos became a military attaché under my brother’s direct control in order to observe him and prevent him from doing anything foolish. And I personally had no suspicions about Zentos at all, so the moment he became my brother’s ally, I had already lost. I fatally misread the situation.”】
Princess Milena heaved a deep sigh.
【”Of course, that does not mean I had any intention to drop my vigilance, and I always tried not to let any openings in my guard for others to take advantage of. Every time I left the royal capital, I would be escorted by the fifth knight corps. Moreover, Killen, the fifth corps’ commander, is a relative from my mother’s side and she’s also a military attaché whom I can trust and who’s directly under my orders. However, due to their good-looking appearances, the corps’ members are often pulled into ceremonies.”】
After saying that, the princess lightly put her hand over her right eye and brow, as if she was having a headache.
But she still looked like she had come out of a fine painting, even in that state of pain.
【”This time, the fifth corps was called back to the capital because of the sudden visits of some state guests, and so, Zentos’ second knight corps took the role of escorting me in their instead. But that was no issue since, after Killen, the person I trusted most was Zentos… Now that I think about it, I should have been suspicious about the fact that my brother came along with them even though he had no business in Archen.”】
Kyle shared the exact same feeling of bitterness as Princess Milena.
An assassination over the succession of the throne:although this would be the most simple reason as to why the princess was targeted, Kyle did not doubt that this was a possibility.
But this was completely unexpected to him since he trusted the former spy who had told him about the details of this matter, and because, above all, he had personally met with Prince Carenas and Zentos in his previous life and knew their personalities.
Kyle’s impression of them was the same as the princess’, especially the part about Zentos being extremely trustworthy.
Kyle believed that Zentos would not be able to fake his behavior like that, and that he would not allow himself to do it even if he could.
(…)
After sighing deeply in his mind, Kyle put his feelings in order and started talking.
【”I see, I understand the gist of the situation. The problem now is, what are we going to do about what’s coming?”】
【”At this point… I guess there is no way they’re going to just give up.”】
Seran said, to which Kyle answered with “Of course they won’t”.
【”Since they failed to use the monsters to assassinate her, they’ll probably think of other ways to do that. They’re going to come up with something like ‘the princess was abducted by a mysterious group of people, but when those kidnappers were exterminated, she had already been killed’.”】
【”Yes, I also think so. Perhaps, ‘officially’, the second knight corps are currently pursuing my kidnappers in order to rescue me.”】
Princess Milena agreed with Kyle.
【”Kidnappers? But who would that be in their made up sto… Wait, don’t tell me it’s…”】
Seran pointed his finger at himself with a bitter facial expression, and Kyle gave a big nod in response.
【”So what then? Are we going to become, out of nowhere, some kind of villains who kidnapped a princess?”】
【”Yes, and we’ll also be framed as the brutal murders who slaughtered those town guards.”】
After saying that, Kyle suddenly looked at the princess.
【”I understand what you were doing. The reason you explained the situation to us in details was to prevent us from escaping.”】
【”Yes.”】
The princess gave a clear answer while keeping her composure intact.
【”It would be impossible for Aluka, Ninos, and I to keep escaping by ourselves up until when the fifth corps arrives tomorrow. If I may be frank with you, Kyle-sama, I can only rely on you and your friends right now.”】
The reason the princess had explained in details this matter that could be said to be a big scandal for the royal family was so that Kyle and the others would have an accurate understanding of the current situation.
There was no reason for prince Carenas’ side to keep Kyle and his friends alive, rather, they would consider that they have to kill them no matter what in order to keep their mouths shut.
Even if the group were to abandon the princess and escape from here, the prince’s people would likely figure out from the circumstances that the hydra was defeated by outsiders, and they would likely try to get those outsiders’ information from the princess before killing her.
It was easy to imagine what would happen after that; if the princess ended up leaking information about Kyle and the others, her assassination would be pinned on them, and they would end up being put on the country’s most wanted list and chased after.
In order to avoid that, Kyle and his friends would have to silence the princess right here and to escape after, but they would not be able to do such a thing.
In short, in order to survive, the group would have to bring the princess back to the royal capital safely so as to prove their innocence.
【”All of us are already on the same boat. Therefore, let us do our best to survive together.”】
Perhaps because she had seen through the conflict that was occurring within Kyle, the princess showed a smile that would enchant even demons.
Apparently, she not only had a sharp mind, but she was also stubborn and had a tough mentality.
【”Well, from the start, abandoning you and your people was not really an option for me….”】
Said Kyle while trying to convince himself that those inelegant traits of hers would make her quite reliable in a situation like this one, and while feeling a little ashamed for having such rude thoughts.
【”Oh? What do you mean?”】
The princess slightly tilted her head.
【”I’m afraid that the coachman and servant from earlier were likely two royal guard knights in disguise. I kept them alive with the intention of interrogating them later on…. but I forgot to bring them here.”】
The Zentos matter had simply been that much of a shock to Kyle. However, because of this, the prince’s side would now get a detailed description of Kyle’s appearance, at the very least.
【”well, that’s all the more reason why you cannot abandon us here, isn’t it?”】
Said the princess with a delighted tone while matching her hands together, but Kyle only answered with a dry laugh.
【”Of course, if we’re able to safely return to the royal capital, then I promise to grant you a reward. If you wish to become a knight, then…”】
【”No, I do not want higher status nor money. If possible, I’d like you to grant me some prestige.”】
【”…That’s quite a peculiar wish.”】
The day gradually slipped into the evening, and the group’s carriage was smoothly advancing forward.
If no problems occurred, then they would soon arrive at the Sanes village, which was unfortunate.
【”When that happens, we’ll be like trapped rats.”】
Kyle groaned while looking at a map.
The highway that the group was currently riding on only went on as far as the Sanes village, after that point, it would become impossible to use the carriage.
The enemies likely would not miss that opportunity in their assassination attempt.
【”To summarize our situation: First, we have one advantage, which is that rescue will come as long as we earn enough time.”】
The rescue that the princess was referring to was the royal guard’s fifth knight corps, which was scheduled to arrive the next day, between the morning and noon.
【”If I’m not in Archen by the time they arrive, Killen and her group will immediately come towards here to search for me. Therefore, assuming that they will come to the Sanes village, I suppose we will meet with them around tomorrow evening.”】
【”What if they’re given false information in Archen about our location?”】
【”I don’t think that’s possible. In these circumstances, lying would be akin to admitting one’s suspiciousness, and my brother’s side cannot do that if they consider what’s to come in the future. In the first place, I was supposed to be dead at this point in time.”】
“By now, their plans have already been disturbed.” Added the princess.
【”Once the fifth corps comes, our side and my brother’s side will be on equal standings, so they will be in trouble if a commotion were to start.”】
【”And that’s why the prince’s side is also in a hurry….”】
In short, if the group could hold on until, at the latest, the next day’s evening, then they would be saved.
So, the question now was: how exactly were they going to earn time until then?
【”Why don’t we just keep escaping until we reach the Sanes village and then just barricade ourselves there?”】
Suggested Seran, but Kyle refused.
【”I’d rather we don’t. They’ll probably kill the whole village to silence them.”】
【”Huh? Seriously?”】
【”Yeah, at this point, they won’t mind doing this much. A single village would only have around one hundred or two hundred villagers, so they probably won’t be concerned about silencing them all. After that, they can pin those crimes on monsters or on the brutal kidnappers who took the princess.”】
【”What with all the plotting and silencing? These guys are so damn high-handed.”】
Complained Seran.
【”How about running away inside the forest instead?”】
Proposed Urza, who was knowledgeable about the forest.
The forest was like the elves’ own garden. Escaping there would probably be possible with Urza’s cooperation.
However, going through the forest would naturally mean leaving the carriage.
And no matter how one looked at it, princess Milena, whose safety was the number one priority, would not be able run from place to place within the forest.
【”My apologies, but my strength is only average at best. I will surely hold you back if we run away in the forest.”】
Adding to that, going there was very dangerous as there were many monsters living inside the forest and they were particularly active in the dark of the night.
【”And if something happens there, we’ll end up using fire to fight.”】
【”Fire? …It would certainly be bad if we start a fire inside.”】
Urza frowned. Such a turn of events would be unbearable for elves since the forest was their home.
【”I guess we’ll pick that suggestion if we run out of time or something.”】(Kyle)
【”So, are they still chasing us?”】(Urza)
Urza sighed.
Abandoning the coach at this time would be quite a blow to the group.
Of course, it was convenient for moving, but besides that, its size and weight combined together with the sleipnirs’ speed could produce a great destructive power. And above all, since it was custom made for the royal family, it was considerably solid, and the vehicle itself could serve as a shield to protect the princess.
The odds were clearly not in the group’s favor, but they did have this one advantage over the enemy.
『The knights did not change their direction, they are still pursing us and coming towards here. Their numbers haven’t changed either, there should be about 80 of them.』
Reported Sildonia. Her hawk-shaped second body was continuing to observe the knights from the sky, which was a great help since it allowed the group to stay aware of the enemy’s movements.
【”This Intelligence Sword is quite convenient.”】
Said the princess with a tone of admiration.
An intelligence sword, as its name implied, was a sword that possessed intellect; it was a type of magical life-form.
In some extremely rare cases, they could be found in ruins that were left in ancient times, and Kyle had explained to the princess that Sildonia was a sword that had been found in one of said ancient ruins and which happened to excel in monitoring things and people.
After thinking for a while, Kyle made up his mind and spoke up.
【”Although there will be some risks involved, I think we should return.”】
【”Return? Where? Surely you’re not thinking of going back to Archen, are you?”】
Asked princess Milena.
【”Even though this might not be the case in a single village, there are thousands of people in Archen, and I don’t think it would be possible to silence them all.”】
【”Certainly, if we’re able to go back to Archen, then we will have places to hide and our pursuers won’t be able to simply do as they please, but…”】
【”Besides, that way, you will be able to meet up with the fifth corps earlier, Milena-sama. At worst, you’ll meet them tomorrow around noon, and at best, your safety will be guaranteed by tomorrow morning.”】
【”However, for that, it will naturally be necessary to get past the knights who are pursuing us. Do you have any good methods to do so?”】
It seemed like Milena had yet to be able to agree with Kyle’s explanation. Because this highway was a straight road, and if the group turned back, they would certainly end up colliding with the knights who were coming after them.
【”No, it won’t be necessary to get past them, nor to deceive them. We will take them from the front.”】
【”….I am sorry, what did you say? Hmm… There are 80 of those knights coming after us, isn’t that right?”】
The princess’ facial expression looked like she was asking “just what in the world are you blabbering about?”, but she was also confused at the same time because Kyle seemed to be completely serious.
Naturally, Kyle had fully considered all of the limited options at hand, and he had deemed that this was the best choice to raise the group’s chances of survival.
And, above all, something fortunate had happened, which had led Kyle to that decision.
【”You’re certain that Zentos isn’t with them?”】
Kyle asked Sildonia.
『Mhm, you mean the fellow who was walking by the side of the princess the other day, right? I’ve confirmed over and over again that he’s not there, I have no doubt about this.』
【”I see…. That’s very good news.”】
Zentos, who was the commander of the pursuing knights, was no with them.
Kyle did not know the reason for that, but in any case, that was convenient for him.
【”Then our chances of success are high enough. All was have to do now is to find a place that seems good enough to set up an ambush.”】
With these words, he took out a magic stone and some magic medicine from one of the bags that he and his companions had been carrying on their shoulders earlier.
【”Oh dear.”】
As she saw the large amount of magic stones, a surprised expression appeared on the princess’ face, as one would expect.
There was only a single pile of magic stones, but that alone was already a considerable amount.
【”Milena-sama, take some magic medicine, just to stay safe. If by any chance you happen to get injured, please drink it immediately.”】
The princess was familiar with what Kyle had given her, it was a top-ranked magic medicine which could even heal a deadly wound as long as the person taking it was still alive. Naturally, its price was proportionate to its effectiveness, but it could be said to be worth as much as one’s own life.
Although the people of the royal family would always keep some magic medicine on them for emergencies, the princess did not have any on her right now because, apparently, it had been taken from her when she was still asleep.
【”…….”】
The princess took a second look at Kyle and his companions.
Until now, she hadn’t had the time to think too deeply about this, but those people had defeated two knights of the royal guard and a gigantic hydra.
Besides, based on the talk they had, it seemed like the hydra had been killed in a one-on-one fight.
Fruthermore, no matter how she thought about it, having such a large amount of magic medicine and magic stones seemed unlikely for some run-of-the-mill adventurers who just happened to pass by.
【”You… Just who are you?”】
Kyle answered the princess’ question with a shrug of his shoulders.
【”Who we are? Well, we’re just some passersby who aspire to become heroes.”】
◇◇◇
【”What’s the meaning of this?! Why is this happening?!”】
In one of the rooms of the inn where the princess had been staying before, there was an irritated man pacing back and forth while yelling at a knight who was standing in front of him.
That plump man who was wearing refined clothes was Carenas, the prince of the Jirgus country.
And the one standing in front of him was Zentos, the commander of the royal guards’ second knight corps, who was famous as being the country’s greatest knight.
Placed on a table in that room, there was a card with ancient magic letters written on it. Such cards would come as a pair that two people could use to communicate with each other even when there was great distance between them.
Those cards could be used for no more than a few times a day, and it was only possible to talk for a few dozen seconds each of those times, but they were precious and extremely convenient magic tools from the era of the ancient magic kingdom.
Through this tool, the prince had received a report from the second corps’ vice commander who was chasing after princess Milena.
【”There is no need to worry. We will be able to deal with the princess soon.”】
Said Zentos while deeply bowing his head.
【”Then, why are you still here?! Go take care of that woman yourself immediately!”】
【”There is no problem since I’ve instructed the vice commander in advance about what he should do in case of a failure. Besides, your highness, in the first place, had you stayed in the royal capital and left everything to me, I would have been able to command the troops directly.”】
【”I, I naturally have to personally ascertain that this matter is properly dealt with! It’s my duty to lead that impertinent woman to her death!”】
【”However, in doing so, you’re exposing yourself to danger, your highness. Therefore, it is impossible for me to leave your side at moment. The fifth corps will come back soon, and I believe that you are aware of commander Killen’s stern personality, and of her loyalty to the princess.”】
【”Uh……”】
Prince Carenas found himself at a loss for words.
【”The fifth corps is supposed to arrive by tomorrow, but if they come back earlier than scheduled, then commander Killen will certainly pressure your highness. In that situation, will you be able to handle her by yourself?”】
【”W-well, I….”】
Karenas knew that that woman might even thrust her sword at royalty.
And the only one who could handle and suppress her was Zentos.
【”Damn it!”】
Theprince was becoming more and more irritated and kicked a chair that was near him.
Killing princess Milena in the royal capital would have been too conspicuous, but whenever she was outside of there, Killen’s fifth corps would always stick to her. However, since they were currently separated from her, there was a long-awaited opportunity to assassinate the princess.
And now that the prince’s side had taken action, failure was no longer an option.
【”Moreover, this is also to prepare in case there will be suspicions about princess Milena’s death. At that time, we’ll be able to push the full responsibility of this on the vice commander and the knights under him, so I believe it will be more convenient for us not to be present at the location of the princess’ death.”】
【”O-oh, indeed! That is very important! In reality, I had already thought of this. I was just wondering if you would notice it or not.”】
Although the prince instantly turned back on his previous statement, there was one there to point that out.
【”There is no way that the princess will be able to escape. She’s surrounded by a large forest, her carriage can only be used on the highway, and she won’t be able to run inside the forest with her dress. Adding to that, we’ve already closed the highway so that there won’t be any more disturbances, therefore, no one will be able to go there from Archen. If any disturbances come from the Sanes village, then our troops will simply silence as many people as necessary. Therefore, be relieved, your highness.”】
Explained Zentos indifferently, with an emotionless tone of voice.
【”But in the unlikely event that… and by unlikely, I mean there is one chance on ten thousand for this to happen, but, if the princess returns to Archen, then at that time, I had better be on standby here.”】
【”Surely, you don’t mean that she’ll be able to break through the knight troops, right?”】
【”Yes, that is what I mean. As I said, the possibility of that happening is low, but it is her best chance to survive.”】
Although the report that Zentos had received was not detailed, it seemed like the people who had rescued the princess and her maids had also defeated two knights and killed a massive hydra.
They were likely adventurers that the princess happened to meet by chance, and they were probably very competent people.
If they were really outstanding, then they were surely going to consider the option of coming back to Archen.
【”And when that time comes, I will personally kill all of them… So, the princess’ chances of being saved are very slim, normally, it should be completely impossible for her to survive, unless the heavens themselves are on her side.”】
Following Zento’s words, Carenas finally calmed down; he stopped pacing around, and sat down on a chair.
【”Look, since you’re following my personal plan, I will not tolerate any failures from you! Do not let me down again!”】
【”Please leave this to me, I will surely meet your expectations”】
Zentos knelt on one knee and bowed his head down before Carenas.
At that moment, Carenas could not tell what kind of expression there was on the commander’s face.
◇◇◇
The day had already grown dark on the highway, and Kyle, who was sitting on the coachman’s seat, talked to the people who were inside the carriage.
There were four of them in total: the princess, her two maids, and Lize.
【”Milena-sama, please lower your body just in case, and prepare for an impact. Lize, I’m leaving her to you.”】
【”You can count on me.”】
Lize answered energetically.
『They’ll be here soon.』
Reported Sildonia, who was still keeping watch on the knight from the sky and was estimating the time of their arrival.
【”I see, then…’Brave’!”】
This was a mind-control spell which could give courage to recruits and adventurers who were still not used to fighting.
Now that Kyle had used the spell on the spleinirs, they probably would not get agitated no matter what would happen after this.
【”Are you ready over there, too?”】
Said Kyle while aiming his voice towards the the top of the carriage.
【”Yeah, leave this to us!”】
【”We are all good.”】
Replied Seran and Urza, who had attached themselves to the roof of the carriage so as not to fall even if it were to shake or sway.
Having confirmed that, Kyle lightly flicked the reins in his hands.
With loud neighs, the sleipnirs started galloping towards the town of Archen.
Chapter 10
On the straight highway in the middle of the large forest, the carriage was powerfully advancing forward.
Compared to ordinary horses, the wleipnir horses that were pulling this carriage were superior in strength, speed and endurance. They were pulling a large coach, but still, as long as they kept up this speed, the swift horses that were carrying the royal guard’s knights would likely not be able to catch up.
Within the vehicle, Kyle and his three friends as well as the princess and her maid Ninos were sitting on opposite sides.
As one would expect from a coach of the royal family, even though it was going this fast, there was surprisingly barely any vibration and noise inside.
【”First of all, I would like to thank you once again. If not for you, I would have already left this world by now.”】
Princess Milena deeply bowed her head.
Ninos, the maid who was next to her, seemed to be dissatisfied about her master bowing to others, but since she had also been saved, she lowered her head similarly.
Kyle and the others had already introduced themselves and explained the situation.
Well, actually, all they had said was their names, and the fact that they had only stumbled upon the princess by pure coincidence.
【”Yesterday…. You said that the one who planned this attack was the commander of the royal guard’s second knight corps?”】
【”Indeed. And the person backing him is Prince Carenas, my older, half-brother.”】
【”…I see, so it was Prince Carenas?”】
Said Kyle with a bitter tone of voice.
He had already expected that when the princess had brought up Zentos’ name earlier, but upon actually hearing it from her, he had a hard time completely believing it.
【”In short, this is one of those internal squabbles for the right of inheritance to the throne?”】
Asked Lize from the side.
【”Yes, exactly.”】
【”Wow….”】
Lize found herself at a loss from the straightforward answer.
【”About Zentos… was this really orchestrated by him? Are you sure of what you’re saying?”】
Kyle asked. His manner of speaking could very well be considered to be rude.
However, the princess did not mind, even though Ninos, who was sitting by her side, had a bad expression on her face.
【”Yes, after all, I heard it directly from my brother. After Zentos made us drink the drugs and our consciousnesses started fading away, my brother proudly gave a minutely detailed explanation about the whole matter.”】
First, the princess heard that a village nearby had been attacked by a hydra, therefore, she wanted to go there for a consolation visit, but the knights of the royal guard opposed her wish since the risks of being attacked by monsters on the way was too big. However, Princess Milena did not give up, and accompanied by a few of the town’s guards, she secretly departed before dawn. Although the royal guard’s knights hurriedly chased after her upon noticing that she had left, her group had unfortunately already been attacked by monsters, and the princess had died as well… a simple accident, that was what the prince wanted the matter to seem like.
This accident was precisely the version that Kyle knew of, but that turned out to have been planned by Carenas. Kyle was shocked, wondering just how incompetent the prince had to be in order to actually reveal himself on purpose.
【”In other words, he tried to fool the nation by using the fact that your highness sometimes changes her schedule.”】
“Like you did when coming to Archen for example” The moment Lize said that, Seran, who had been lost in his thoughts on the way, spoke up.
【”Oh, I remember now. I knew I’d seen this child somewhere. Aren’t you that little girl who tried to give flowers to the princess in Archen?”】
He said, while pointing at Ninos with a shocked face.
【”Oh, you were able to notice that? I believed she gave a completely different impression with her disguise.”】
“You have good eyes”, added the princess, while feeling a little surprised.
【”I noticed because she’s a cute girl, and when I saw her in Archen, I was thinking that she would sure become a beautiful woman in the future.”】
Seran showed Ninos a big smile, but she drew back her body with a slightly disgusted facial expression.
【”So, that means… she did that on purpose?”】
Gently comforting a little girl after she fell down was a simple action, but it was likely to give a favorable impression to others.
And since this whole interaction had been prepared in advance, that meant that the princess’ visit to Archen’s orphan institution had not been due to a sudden change in her schedule but had actually been planned from the very beginning.
【”A plain interaction with the nation’s people like that one is perfect for a publicity stunt. But in the Sanes village’s case, there would not have been much merit to me going there directly. It would have sufficed to send them gifts from the royal family and to casually spread the word about that.”】
The princess laughed elegantly while covering her mouth. An old proverb crossed Kyle’s mind, “The one thing the devils share with angels is their smile”.
【”Did she really just openly call it a publicity stunt?”】
【”I feel like I’m learning more and more than I’m supposed to know about what happens behind the government scenes…”】
『Well, it’s important for politicians to be popular with the people below them. 』
【”…human politics sure has many sides to it.”】
Seran and the others, including Sildonia in her sword form, started speaking in whispers.
Of course, they were in the same carriage as Princess Milena, so she could still hear them, but she did not mind that and continued to explain.
【”I knew that my brother had these kinds of ambitions. But I neglected the matter because I assessed that he would not be capable enough to put them into practice.”】
【”Hmm… would you say he has ‘difficulties’ of some sort?”】
【”Yes, frankly speaking, he’s incompetent. It’s fair to say that he is a good-for-nothing who cannot fulfill his obligations as a member of the royal family.”】
Said Princess Milena while disregarding Kyle’s considerate attempt at being careful with his words.
【”However, everything changed the moment he managed to ally himself with Zentos, who is very competent and popular.”】
【”But, was that worthless… I mean, was prince Carenas really able to get commander Zentos and the knights under him to join his side?”】
The princess shook her head from side to side in response to Kyle’s question.
【”No, Zentos is likely the only one actually following him, along with, at most, a mere small part of the second knight corps.”】
【”So all the other knights following him are just obeying their commander’s orders?”】
Said Seran in astonishment.
【”Yes, I do not know if they have doubts about this matter or not, but for knights, as long as they’re ordered to do something, it’s plenty enough for them to go through with it.”】
【”Can’t they think for themselves a little…”】
Although Seran complained to her, the princess’ sole reaction was to answer him.
【”No army can hold if the soldiers start acting and thinking for themselves as individuals. They are faithfully following their commander’s orders, which is the right behavior for the royal guard’s knights. It would have been absolutely impossible for them to be appointed as knights of the royal guard if they gave priority to their personal thoughts and feelings rather than to their superiors’ orders.”】
【”However, will they really be okay with this? We are talking about the assassination of their own country’s princess after all….”】
The princess responded to Kyle’s question with a clear nod.
【”They will. If the commander tells them that this is a secret order from my father, the king, then they’ll have no other choice than to obey.”】
“The princess is suspected of the grave crime of betraying the country, but given her unanimous popularity with the people, this information would bring about a massive pandemonium within the nation. So we’ve received a secret order to deal with her and to cover her death as an accident caused by monsters.” All Zentos had to do was probably only to give an explanation along those lines
If those knights were told by their commander that this was a secret order that he received directly from the king, then they certainly would have no other choice than to abide, no matter what their inner thoughts really were.
【”…So, anyone chosen to become a commander of the royal guard’s knights would be all the more loyal and would never be driven by their own self-interests. Given that he’s the commander of the second knight corps, this should have applied to Zentos Ordiy as well, however…”】
Princess Milena shook her head. It seemed like, even now, she was still not able to accept this.
【”To begin with, Zentos became a military attaché under my brother’s direct control in order to observe him and prevent him from doing anything foolish. And I personally had no suspicions about Zentos at all, so the moment he became my brother’s ally, I had already lost. I fatally misread the situation.”】
Princess Milena heaved a deep sigh.
【”Of course, that does not mean I had any intention to drop my vigilance, and I always tried not to let any openings in my guard for others to take advantage of. Every time I left the royal capital, I would be escorted by the fifth knight corps. Moreover, Killen, the fifth corps’ commander, is a relative from my mother’s side and she’s also a military attaché whom I can trust and who’s directly under my orders. However, due to their good-looking appearances, the corps’ members are often pulled into ceremonies.”】
After saying that, the princess lightly put her hand over her right eye and brow, as if she was having a headache.
But she still looked like she had come out of a fine painting, even in that state of pain.
【”This time, the fifth corps was called back to the capital because of the sudden visits of some state guests, and so, Zentos’ second knight corps took the role of escorting me in their instead. But that was no issue since, after Killen, the person I trusted most was Zentos… Now that I think about it, I should have been suspicious about the fact that my brother came along with them even though he had no business in Archen.”】
Kyle shared the exact same feeling of bitterness as Princess Milena.
An assassination over the succession of the throne:although this would be the most simple reason as to why the princess was targeted, Kyle did not doubt that this was a possibility.
But this was completely unexpected to him since he trusted the former spy who had told him about the details of this matter, and because, above all, he had personally met with Prince Carenas and Zentos in his previous life and knew their personalities.
Kyle’s impression of them was the same as the princess’, especially the part about Zentos being extremely trustworthy.
Kyle believed that Zentos would not be able to fake his behavior like that, and that he would not allow himself to do it even if he could.
(…)
After sighing deeply in his mind, Kyle put his feelings in order and started talking.
【”I see, I understand the gist of the situation. The problem now is, what are we going to do about what’s coming?”】
【”At this point… I guess there is no way they’re going to just give up.”】
Seran said, to which Kyle answered with “Of course they won’t”.
【”Since they failed to use the monsters to assassinate her, they’ll probably think of other ways to do that. They’re going to come up with something like ‘the princess was abducted by a mysterious group of people, but when those kidnappers were exterminated, she had already been killed’.”】
【”Yes, I also think so. Perhaps, ‘officially’, the second knight corps are currently pursuing my kidnappers in order to rescue me.”】
Princess Milena agreed with Kyle.
【”Kidnappers? But who would that be in their made up sto… Wait, don’t tell me it’s…”】
Seran pointed his finger at himself with a bitter facial expression, and Kyle gave a big nod in response.
【”So what then? Are we going to become, out of nowhere, some kind of villains who kidnapped a princess?”】
【”Yes, and we’ll also be framed as the brutal murders who slaughtered those town guards.”】
After saying that, Kyle suddenly looked at the princess.
【”I understand what you were doing. The reason you explained the situation to us in details was to prevent us from escaping.”】
【”Yes.”】
The princess gave a clear answer while keeping her composure intact.
【”It would be impossible for Aluka, Ninos, and I to keep escaping by ourselves up until when the fifth corps arrives tomorrow. If I may be frank with you, Kyle-sama, I can only rely on you and your friends right now.”】
The reason the princess had explained in details this matter that could be said to be a big scandal for the royal family was so that Kyle and the others would have an accurate understanding of the current situation.
There was no reason for prince Carenas’ side to keep Kyle and his friends alive, rather, they would consider that they have to kill them no matter what in order to keep their mouths shut.
Even if the group were to abandon the princess and escape from here, the prince’s people would likely figure out from the circumstances that the hydra was defeated by outsiders, and they would likely try to get those outsiders’ information from the princess before killing her.
It was easy to imagine what would happen after that; if the princess ended up leaking information about Kyle and the others, her assassination would be pinned on them, and they would end up being put on the country’s most wanted list and chased after.
In order to avoid that, Kyle and his friends would have to silence the princess right here and to escape after, but they would not be able to do such a thing.
In short, in order to survive, the group would have to bring the princess back to the royal capital safely so as to prove their innocence.
【”All of us are already on the same boat. Therefore, let us do our best to survive together.”】
Perhaps because she had seen through the conflict that was occurring within Kyle, the princess showed a smile that would enchant even demons.
Apparently, she not only had a sharp mind, but she was also stubborn and had a tough mentality.
【”Well, from the start, abandoning you and your people was not really an option for me….”】
Said Kyle while trying to convince himself that those inelegant traits of hers would make her quite reliable in a situation like this one, and while feeling a little ashamed for having such rude thoughts.
【”Oh? What do you mean?”】
The princess slightly tilted her head.
【”I’m afraid that the coachman and servant from earlier were likely two royal guard knights in disguise. I kept them alive with the intention of interrogating them later on…. but I forgot to bring them here.”】
The Zentos matter had simply been that much of a shock to Kyle. However, because of this, the prince’s side would now get a detailed description of Kyle’s appearance, at the very least.
【”well, that’s all the more reason why you cannot abandon us here, isn’t it?”】
Said the princess with a delighted tone while matching her hands together, but Kyle only answered with a dry laugh.
【”Of course, if we’re able to safely return to the royal capital, then I promise to grant you a reward. If you wish to become a knight, then…”】
【”No, I do not want higher status nor money. If possible, I’d like you to grant me some prestige.”】
【”…That’s quite a peculiar wish.”】
The day gradually slipped into the evening, and the group’s carriage was smoothly advancing forward.
If no problems occurred, then they would soon arrive at the Sanes village, which was unfortunate.
【”When that happens, we’ll be like trapped rats.”】
Kyle groaned while looking at a map.
The highway that the group was currently riding on only went on as far as the Sanes village, after that point, it would become impossible to use the carriage.
The enemies likely would not miss that opportunity in their assassination attempt.
【”To summarize our situation: First, we have one advantage, which is that rescue will come as long as we earn enough time.”】
The rescue that the princess was referring to was the royal guard’s fifth knight corps, which was scheduled to arrive the next day, between the morning and noon.
【”If I’m not in Archen by the time they arrive, Killen and her group will immediately come towards here to search for me. Therefore, assuming that they will come to the Sanes village, I suppose we will meet with them around tomorrow evening.”】
【”What if they’re given false information in Archen about our location?”】
【”I don’t think that’s possible. In these circumstances, lying would be akin to admitting one’s suspiciousness, and my brother’s side cannot do that if they consider what’s to come in the future. In the first place, I was supposed to be dead at this point in time.”】
“By now, their plans have already been disturbed.” Added the princess.
【”Once the fifth corps comes, our side and my brother’s side will be on equal standings, so they will be in trouble if a commotion were to start.”】
【”And that’s why the prince’s side is also in a hurry….”】
In short, if the group could hold on until, at the latest, the next day’s evening, then they would be saved.
So, the question now was: how exactly were they going to earn time until then?
【”Why don’t we just keep escaping until we reach the Sanes village and then just barricade ourselves there?”】
Suggested Seran, but Kyle refused.
【”I’d rather we don’t. They’ll probably kill the whole village to silence them.”】
【”Huh? Seriously?”】
【”Yeah, at this point, they won’t mind doing this much. A single village would only have around one hundred or two hundred villagers, so they probably won’t be concerned about silencing them all. After that, they can pin those crimes on monsters or on the brutal kidnappers who took the princess.”】
【”What with all the plotting and silencing? These guys are so damn high-handed.”】
Complained Seran.
【”How about running away inside the forest instead?”】
Proposed Urza, who was knowledgeable about the forest.
The forest was like the elves’ own garden. Escaping there would probably be possible with Urza’s cooperation.
However, going through the forest would naturally mean leaving the carriage.
And no matter how one looked at it, princess Milena, whose safety was the number one priority, would not be able run from place to place within the forest.
【”My apologies, but my strength is only average at best. I will surely hold you back if we run away in the forest.”】
Adding to that, going there was very dangerous as there were many monsters living inside the forest and they were particularly active in the dark of the night.
【”And if something happens there, we’ll end up using fire to fight.”】
【”Fire? …It would certainly be bad if we start a fire inside.”】
Urza frowned. Such a turn of events would be unbearable for elves since the forest was their home.
【”I guess we’ll pick that suggestion if we run out of time or something.”】(Kyle)
【”So, are they still chasing us?”】(Urza)
Urza sighed.
Abandoning the coach at this time would be quite a blow to the group.
Of course, it was convenient for moving, but besides that, its size and weight combined together with the sleipnirs’ speed could produce a great destructive power. And above all, since it was custom made for the royal family, it was considerably solid, and the vehicle itself could serve as a shield to protect the princess.
The odds were clearly not in the group’s favor, but they did have this one advantage over the enemy.
『The knights did not change their direction, they are still pursing us and coming towards here. Their numbers haven’t changed either, there should be about 80 of them.』
Reported Sildonia. Her hawk-shaped second body was continuing to observe the knights from the sky, which was a great help since it allowed the group to stay aware of the enemy’s movements.
【”This Intelligence Sword is quite convenient.”】
Said the princess with a tone of admiration.
An intelligence sword, as its name implied, was a sword that possessed intellect; it was a type of magical life-form.
In some extremely rare cases, they could be found in ruins that were left in ancient times, and Kyle had explained to the princess that Sildonia was a sword that had been found in one of said ancient ruins and which happened to excel in monitoring things and people.
After thinking for a while, Kyle made up his mind and spoke up.
【”Although there will be some risks involved, I think we should return.”】
【”Return? Where? Surely you’re not thinking of going back to Archen, are you?”】
Asked princess Milena.
【”Even though this might not be the case in a single village, there are thousands of people in Archen, and I don’t think it would be possible to silence them all.”】
【”Certainly, if we’re able to go back to Archen, then we will have places to hide and our pursuers won’t be able to simply do as they please, but…”】
【”Besides, that way, you will be able to meet up with the fifth corps earlier, Milena-sama. At worst, you’ll meet them tomorrow around noon, and at best, your safety will be guaranteed by tomorrow morning.”】
【”However, for that, it will naturally be necessary to get past the knights who are pursuing us. Do you have any good methods to do so?”】
It seemed like Milena had yet to be able to agree with Kyle’s explanation. Because this highway was a straight road, and if the group turned back, they would certainly end up colliding with the knights who were coming after them.
【”No, it won’t be necessary to get past them, nor to deceive them. We will take them from the front.”】
【”….I am sorry, what did you say? Hmm… There are 80 of those knights coming after us, isn’t that right?”】
The princess’ facial expression looked like she was asking “just what in the world are you blabbering about?”, but she was also confused at the same time because Kyle seemed to be completely serious.
Naturally, Kyle had fully considered all of the limited options at hand, and he had deemed that this was the best choice to raise the group’s chances of survival.
And, above all, something fortunate had happened, which had led Kyle to that decision.
【”You’re certain that Zentos isn’t with them?”】
Kyle asked Sildonia.
『Mhm, you mean the fellow who was walking by the side of the princess the other day, right? I’ve confirmed over and over again that he’s not there, I have no doubt about this.』
【”I see…. That’s very good news.”】
Zentos, who was the commander of the pursuing knights, was no with them.
Kyle did not know the reason for that, but in any case, that was convenient for him.
【”Then our chances of success are high enough. All was have to do now is to find a place that seems good enough to set up an ambush.”】
With these words, he took out a magic stone and some magic medicine from one of the bags that he and his companions had been carrying on their shoulders earlier.
【”Oh dear.”】
As she saw the large amount of magic stones, a surprised expression appeared on the princess’ face, as one would expect.
There was only a single pile of magic stones, but that alone was already a considerable amount.
【”Milena-sama, take some magic medicine, just to stay safe. If by any chance you happen to get injured, please drink it immediately.”】
The princess was familiar with what Kyle had given her, it was a top-ranked magic medicine which could even heal a deadly wound as long as the person taking it was still alive. Naturally, its price was proportionate to its effectiveness, but it could be said to be worth as much as one’s own life.
Although the people of the royal family would always keep some magic medicine on them for emergencies, the princess did not have any on her right now because, apparently, it had been taken from her when she was still asleep.
【”…….”】
The princess took a second look at Kyle and his companions.
Until now, she hadn’t had the time to think too deeply about this, but those people had defeated two knights of the royal guard and a gigantic hydra.
Besides, based on the talk they had, it seemed like the hydra had been killed in a one-on-one fight.
Fruthermore, no matter how she thought about it, having such a large amount of magic medicine and magic stones seemed unlikely for some run-of-the-mill adventurers who just happened to pass by.
【”You… Just who are you?”】
Kyle answered the princess’ question with a shrug of his shoulders.
【”Who we are? Well, we’re just some passersby who aspire to become heroes.”】
◇◇◇
【”What’s the meaning of this?! Why is this happening?!”】
In one of the rooms of the inn where the princess had been staying before, there was an irritated man pacing back and forth while yelling at a knight who was standing in front of him.
That plump man who was wearing refined clothes was Carenas, the prince of the Jirgus country.
And the one standing in front of him was Zentos, the commander of the royal guards’ second knight corps, who was famous as being the country’s greatest knight.
Placed on a table in that room, there was a card with ancient magic letters written on it. Such cards would come as a pair that two people could use to communicate with each other even when there was great distance between them.
Those cards could be used for no more than a few times a day, and it was only possible to talk for a few dozen seconds each of those times, but they were precious and extremely convenient magic tools from the era of the ancient magic kingdom.
Through this tool, the prince had received a report from the second corps’ vice commander who was chasing after princess Milena.
【”There is no need to worry. We will be able to deal with the princess soon.”】
Said Zentos while deeply bowing his head.
【”Then, why are you still here?! Go take care of that woman yourself immediately!”】
【”There is no problem since I’ve instructed the vice commander in advance about what he should do in case of a failure. Besides, your highness, in the first place, had you stayed in the royal capital and left everything to me, I would have been able to command the troops directly.”】
【”I, I naturally have to personally ascertain that this matter is properly dealt with! It’s my duty to lead that impertinent woman to her death!”】
【”However, in doing so, you’re exposing yourself to danger, your highness. Therefore, it is impossible for me to leave your side at moment. The fifth corps will come back soon, and I believe that you are aware of commander Killen’s stern personality, and of her loyalty to the princess.”】
【”Uh……”】
Prince Carenas found himself at a loss for words.
【”The fifth corps is supposed to arrive by tomorrow, but if they come back earlier than scheduled, then commander Killen will certainly pressure your highness. In that situation, will you be able to handle her by yourself?”】
【”W-well, I….”】
Karenas knew that that woman might even thrust her sword at royalty.
And the only one who could handle and suppress her was Zentos.
【”Damn it!”】
Theprince was becoming more and more irritated and kicked a chair that was near him.
Killing princess Milena in the royal capital would have been too conspicuous, but whenever she was outside of there, Killen’s fifth corps would always stick to her. However, since they were currently separated from her, there was a long-awaited opportunity to assassinate the princess.
And now that the prince’s side had taken action, failure was no longer an option.
【”Moreover, this is also to prepare in case there will be suspicions about princess Milena’s death. At that time, we’ll be able to push the full responsibility of this on the vice commander and the knights under him, so I believe it will be more convenient for us not to be present at the location of the princess’ death.”】
【”O-oh, indeed! That is very important! In reality, I had already thought of this. I was just wondering if you would notice it or not.”】
Although the prince instantly turned back on his previous statement, there was one there to point that out.
【”There is no way that the princess will be able to escape. She’s surrounded by a large forest, her carriage can only be used on the highway, and she won’t be able to run inside the forest with her dress. Adding to that, we’ve already closed the highway so that there won’t be any more disturbances, therefore, no one will be able to go there from Archen. If any disturbances come from the Sanes village, then our troops will simply silence as many people as necessary. Therefore, be relieved, your highness.”】
Explained Zentos indifferently, with an emotionless tone of voice.
【”But in the unlikely event that… and by unlikely, I mean there is one chance on ten thousand for this to happen, but, if the princess returns to Archen, then at that time, I had better be on standby here.”】
【”Surely, you don’t mean that she’ll be able to break through the knight troops, right?”】
【”Yes, that is what I mean. As I said, the possibility of that happening is low, but it is her best chance to survive.”】
Although the report that Zentos had received was not detailed, it seemed like the people who had rescued the princess and her maids had also defeated two knights and killed a massive hydra.
They were likely adventurers that the princess happened to meet by chance, and they were probably very competent people.
If they were really outstanding, then they were surely going to consider the option of coming back to Archen.
【”And when that time comes, I will personally kill all of them… So, the princess’ chances of being saved are very slim, normally, it should be completely impossible for her to survive, unless the heavens themselves are on her side.”】
Following Zento’s words, Carenas finally calmed down; he stopped pacing around, and sat down on a chair.
【”Look, since you’re following my personal plan, I will not tolerate any failures from you! Do not let me down again!”】
【”Please leave this to me, I will surely meet your expectations”】
Zentos knelt on one knee and bowed his head down before Carenas.
At that moment, Carenas could not tell what kind of expression there was on the commander’s face.
◇◇◇
The day had already grown dark on the highway, and Kyle, who was sitting on the coachman’s seat, talked to the people who were inside the carriage.
There were four of them in total: the princess, her two maids, and Lize.
【”Milena-sama, please lower your body just in case, and prepare for an impact. Lize, I’m leaving her to you.”】
【”You can count on me.”】
Lize answered energetically.
『They’ll be here soon.』
Reported Sildonia, who was still keeping watch on the knight from the sky and was estimating the time of their arrival.
【”I see, then…’Brave’!”】
This was a mind-control spell which could give courage to recruits and adventurers who were still not used to fighting.
Now that Kyle had used the spell on the spleinirs, they probably would not get agitated no matter what would happen after this.
【”Are you ready over there, too?”】
Said Kyle while aiming his voice towards the the top of the carriage.
【”Yeah, leave this to us!”】
【”We are all good.”】
Replied Seran and Urza, who had attached themselves to the roof of the carriage so as not to fall even if it were to shake or sway.
Having confirmed that, Kyle lightly flicked the reins in his hands.
With loud neighs, the sleipnirs started galloping towards the town of Archen.
