Chapter 3: Fang of the Avenger
Several months had passed since Renji’s arrival. He never returned to Rhea’s village in the Vilkis Kingdom after that incident, instead acting as an adventurer in the Rubia Kingdom.
For the record, the adventurer’s guild was an international organization established and entrusted by each nation. The original purpose of its establishment was to force a part of the kingdom’s unmanageable defense onto those socially unfit for proper jobs, so that the kingdom could manage them indirectly and effectively utilize them as a labor force.
Of course, it was pretty much an international organization in name only. The organization headquarters existed in form, but there was no base equipped with said function, and management was conducted practically independently by the branches in the capital of each kingdom. This was because the officials of each kingdom were dispatched to supervise the operations of the branch, so they couldn’t cross kingdom borders.
Furthermore, in order to become an adventurer, registration at the headquarters or branch was required, each having its own merits and demerits. For example, belonging to a branch restricted the activities under the jurisdiction of other branches (in this respect, belonging to the headquarters gave one the freedom to act in every branch, but the support from regional branches was weaker).
Renji belonged to a regional branch of the Rubia Kingdom. At first, his impudent personality on top of his small stature and young appearance caused the other adventurers around him to treat him disparagingly and aggressively.
However, he turned the tables on every adventurer that picked a fight with him regardless of their rank, completing very difficult subjugation requests all by himself until, eventually, everyone left him alone out of fear.
Instead, he gained fame as the fastest rising rookie in history, obtaining nicknames like “Aloof” from his solo activities or “Ice Emperor” from his powerful ice enchanted sword (the generic name for weapons with ancient sorcery in them).
His name even spread to the royal castle, reaching the ear of the Princess Knight, first princess Sylvie Rubia. She personally invited Renji to the castle to judge his abilities, sparring with him before scouting him as a personal knight.
“I have no intention of working underneath anyone. Royalty and nobility are especially out of the question.”
Renji brazenly refused Sylvie’s offer to become a knight, but the impudence in his answer showed his lack of understanding of the world. This caught Sylvie’s favor, so they formed a friendship instead of a master and servant relationship.
“Hey, it’s Aloof.”
Simply by appearing at the adventurer’s guild in the Rubia Kingdom capital, the adventurers in the lobby stirred noisily. There were some gazes of strong envy and hatred among them.
“Hmph.” Yet Renji marched through those gazes with a cool smile as he headed to the counter. He didn’t dislike being looked at with envy. It didn’t feel bad being called Aloof and Ice Emperor—he had been behaving exactly as such, after all.
Having forgotten about the events of the village—no, in order to avoid remembering the events that had occurred in the village—Renji continued to enjoy his new life as an adventurer to the fullest.
That was what Renji’s other-world life had been like before everything changed. It was the day after Rio had his fierce battle with Nidoll in the Proxia Castle—two days before Christina and Flora disappeared from the enchanted airship. The first princess, Sylvie Rubia, was visiting the expensive inn room that Renji had rented in stealth.
“Long time no see, Renji.” Sylvie sat down on the sofa across from Renji and smiled.
“You sure about this? Even if you came secretly, you’re still visiting an inn like this,” Renji asked with a chuckle.
“You sure have guts calling the highest quality inn in this kingdom ‘an inn like this.’”
“It’s still not a place a princess can visit so casually, right?”
“Did you not want me to come?”
“Nothing of the sort. I just can’t give you a proper reception.”
“Oh? I’m surprised you understand the concept of welcoming your guests,” Sylvie said cheerfully.
“Who do you think I am? Well, whatever. I haven’t seen your face lately, so I just so happened to be wondering what you’ve been up to as well.” Renji sighed tiredly as he asked about Sylvie’s recent developments.
“Not long ago, there was a banquet in the Galarc Kingdom where the heroes of each nation had gathered. I was away from the capital for a while because I had been invited as the representative of this kingdom. Then there were various things to deal with once I returned, too,” Sylvie answered, her tiredness showing faintly on her face.
“You met the heroes of each nation...?” Renji asked.
“Yeah. I talked to them a little,” Sylvie replied while watching Renji’s face.
“What were they like?”
The rumors that heroes had been summoned across the Strahl region had also reached the Rubia Kingdom, which Renji was already aware of. He had yet to confide in anyone about his status as a hero, but he seemed to be interested in the other heroes.
“...They were boys and girls the same age as you and me,” Sylvie answered simply after a slight pause.
“I see... That aside, has Estelle been well?”
Renji seemed to feel awkward about hiding his own hero status, so he didn’t ask any further questions about them. Instead, he changed the topic to Sylvie’s little sister, the second princess Estelle. The last time he was invited to the castle, Renji had spent some time interacting with Estelle. In contrast to Sylvie, a gallant lady known as the Princess Knight, her younger sister was a modest and mild-mannered girl. It was because of this that they were often said to have polar opposite personalities for siblings.
“...Estelle is recuperating right now.” A shadow fell over Sylvie’s face as she spoke.
It’s a confidential matter of the kingdom. I can’t tell him she was taken hostage as a tool for diplomacy, was what Sylvie was thinking.
“Is she sick?”
“Well, something along those lines.”
“If you need any medicinal herbs, I can go get them.”
“No, it’s okay. She should recover with time, so don’t worry about it. She’ll definitely be able to see you again someday. When that day comes, let’s bring her to this inn,” Sylvie said with a smile to smooth over Renji’s concerns.
“I see...” For a moment, Renji’s eyes were captivated by Sylvie’s smiling face, but he soon chuckled and said, “But Estelle’s a princess. It’d be better for me to go to the castle.”
“Hey... What do you mean she’s a princess? What about me? I’m a princess too!” Sylvie blinked, then objected with a dissatisfied face.
“Yeah, you’re the Princess Knight.”
“Stop that. I don’t like that name.”
“Hey, you were the one who introduced yourself as the Princess Knight when we first met. We even sparred after that, remember?”
“I figured introducing myself that way would lead to a match more naturally.”
The friendly atmosphere over their chat was unthinkable for a first princess and a mere adventurer. Time flew by while they chatted pleasantly.
“It really is nice talking to you like this; there’s no need to be so stiff about it. It’s calming,” Sylvie muttered.
“What’s with you all of a sudden?”
“Nothing. I’ve just had to keep my nerves steeled a lot recently. I was just thinking how it was worth visiting you, as I’ve been feeling pretty burned out.”
“Have you been working too much? It isn’t my place to say this as an adventurer living leisurely, but working too hard is a problem. You should take some time to relax in moderation too,” Renji advised.
At that moment, the door of the room was knocked on before opening.
“Princess Sylvie, do you have a moment to spare?”
The one who entered was the female knight under Sylvie’s command, Elena Broman. She had been standing on guard outside the room while Sylvie and Renji chatted.
“...I instructed you to wait outside the room until I left, did I not?” Sylvie asked in a scolding tone.
“Yes, but—Jean Bernard is requesting your audience.”
Elena hesitatingly uttered the name of the visitor. Jean Bernard was the alias of the Proxia Empire ambassador, Reiss, when he was acting in the Rubia Kingdom.
“My audience? Fine. I’ll return to the castle immediately. Sorry, Renji, let’s leave it at this for today—”
Sylvie was wrapping up her chat with Renji with a grimace when Elena interrupted her to stop her. “Princess. Regarding that... Jean Bernard has actually come here...”
“Here? Ngh, how did he know...?” Sylvie’s expression grew even more bitter.
Does he know about Renji? He’s a famous adventurer, so it wouldn’t be odd if he did... What does he want? All kinds of possibilities came to mind.
Renji saw the look on Sylvie’s face and tilted his head in suspicion. Just then, the aforementioned Jean Bernard—otherwise known as Reiss—appeared beside Elena before the door.
“Pardon my sudden intrusion.” Reiss placed a hand against his chest and bowed his head respectfully at Sylvie and Renji.
I haven’t seen this face before... Haven’t heard his name before, either. Isn’t it rude for a mere retainer to visit a princess undercover without any warning? Renji thought such things as he watched Reiss carefully.
“...What do you want?” Sylvie asked in a displeased tone.
“I heard that you were here, so I came to visit. Before I state my business, may I first give Sir Renji the Aloof my greetings?” Reiss stared at Renji with a cheerful grin that bordered on creepy.
“Well, I don’t mind. But you’re taking up my private time right now. Your business better be important.” Renji leaned back on the sofa, crossing his legs as he spoke menacingly.
“Yes, it most likely is. Then, if I may give a short greeting: I am Jean Bernard, an unworthy Rubian noble of the lowest rank.”
“I’ve never heard of your name or family.” Renji had no interest in the nobility of the Rubia Kingdom, so that was a given. A normal noble would have felt offended by Renji’s words at this point, but—
“Indeed, as we are on the very bottom rung of the social ladder. It is a great honor to meet the renowned Aloof one.” Reiss avoided the topic with a truly pleasant smile.
“...” Renji watched Reiss with narrowed eyes.
What a creepy dude. The grim look on Sylvie’s face is bothering me, too.
He tried to look out for any changes in expression, but it was like the man was wearing a mask. There was something strange about him.
“Hey. What is the meaning of this, Bernard?” Sylvie interrupted in an aggravated tone.
“I had something to discuss with Your Highness regarding the adorable, adorable Princess Estelle. Isn’t it time you went to see her?”
“...What do you mean?”
“I mean exactly what I just said...” Reiss cocked his head calmly.
“...I can see her?”
“Yes. That was our previous agreement, was it not? That you would eventually see her again. However, I am rather busy myself and would be inconvenienced if anything strange got in the way, so if you want to see her, now would be the best time.”
“...Fine.” After hesitating for a long moment, Sylvie nodded.
“What’s going on, Sylvie? Wasn’t Estelle recuperating?” Renji asked dubiously.
“I’m going to where she’s resting. Sorry, but I’ll be leaving for today. I’ll visit you again some time, Renji.” Sylvie put on an air of composure with a fleeting smile and stood up.
“Right, that’s fine...” Renji stared at Sylvie, not entirely convinced. However, she was already halfway out the door before he could do anything about it.
“Lead the way then, Bernard,” she said to Reiss.
“As you wish, Your Highness.”
Reiss pasted a grin on his face and turned to head out of the room and down the corridor. Sylvie followed him out. Just before Reiss left, he gave Renji a look. He flashed a suggestively suspicious smile before vanishing outside the door.
The way Sylvie was acting... Is something strange happening? That man is definitely suspicious...
Renji’s instincts felt heightened. Reiss’s suspicious grin flashed in his mind, giving him an uneasy feeling as he looked out the window at the inn entrance below. Reiss and Sylvie were both boarding a horse carriage. There was something menacing about the two of them.
Weird. Should I follow them and investigate?
With that decided, Renji quickly prepared his belongings and stepped out of the inn.
Meanwhile, inside the carriage Sylvie and Elena were riding on...
There was no telling how long it had been since they set off. A suffocating silence continued inside the carriage.
“Hey, Reiss. Who is this man?” Sylvie asked for the identity of the third party sitting diagonally across from her in the cramped carriage. The man’s left eye was hidden behind a jet-black eyepatch, his left arm wrapped in bandages with some kind of spell formula written on them. There was an alarming aura of bloodlust emanating from him.
“He’s my guard, as it would be unnerving for someone as powerless as me to travel alone. His name is Lucius. He’s in a bit of an irritated mood at the moment, so don’t try anything strange. I cannot guarantee your life if you do,” Reiss answered with a refreshed look, shrugging his shoulders.
“Lucius?”
“Oh, do you know of him?”
“If it’s the commander of the Heavenly Lions, then I’ve heard of the name. However, I don’t recall doing anything that would warrant this amount of bloodlust directed at me. It makes me want to cut him down before I’m attacked first,” Sylvie said, glaring intensely at Lucius.
“Ha!” Lucius suddenly let out a burst of delighted laughter.
“What?” Sylvie furrowed her brows.
“This bloodlust isn’t directed at you, y’know? The bastard I’m dying to kill is somewhere else. In fact, I’d like nothing more than to go and kill him right this moment,” Lucius said with vacant, dark eyes.
“Hey, Reiss. Is this man deranged or something?” Sylvie narrowed her eyes in suspicion and questioned Reiss. But Reiss merely gave a light shrug without answering.
“Say, Princess.”
“...” Lucius had addressed her, but Sylvie adamantly ignored him.
“Imagine this. Your sister—Estelle, was it? A woman that beautiful was taken hostage. Do you really think she’s still safe right now?”
“Y-You!” Sylvie reacted fiercely when her little sister’s safety was brought up, a vein standing out on her forehead.
“Heh.” Lucius sneered.
“Was that statement just now a declaration that you don’t treat hostages as hostages? If so, this ends here,” Sylvie reached for the sheath at her waist.
“Hey now, do you plan on drawing that thing in such a tight space?” Contrary to his words, the smirk on Lucius’s face was eager for her to do just that.
“Do you think I am incapable of cutting through you and the iron plate of this carriage at the same time?” Sylvie snapped.
A tense atmosphere filled the carriage. Beside Sylvie, Elena also switched to prepare for battle with a grim expression. She was braced to act if something happened.
Lucius reclined back arrogantly, continuing to provoke them with his gaze. At this rate, one would expect a fight to break out at any moment, but Reiss intervened with a fed-up expression. “Stop that. We are acting formally on behalf of our nation. We’re not the same as your average bandit or mercenary, so we wouldn’t do anything to harm the hostage we obtained. Princess Estelle is completely unharmed,” Reiss said to Sylvie.
“Acting formally for your nation? You mean the nation that rose from mercenaries?” Sylvie was seething with anger, frowning as she refuted him.
“How strange. It’s because you consider us a formal nation that you’ve agreed to this secret alliance, no?”
“Shameless words for one who took Estelle as hostage before forcing negotiations...”
“That’s another strange statement. Hostages have been used in cross-national negotiations since ancient times, no? Even for internal politics, it wasn’t rare for lords to seek hostages from their retainers as an assurance of obedience...” Reiss tilted his head curiously.
“Don’t think a nation that takes hostages will be truly trusted in an alliance.”
“I shall keep it in mind. However, a pact is a pact. We will endeavor in matters other than the hostage in order to form a trustworthy relationship. Therefore, your side should also bear in mind not to ruin a relationship of mutual trust. Well, a few complaints here and there can be overlooked,” Reiss replied calmly to the glare Sylvie sent him.
“...”
Sylvie snorted softly and refrained from speaking further. Though reluctant, that was a silent sign of agreement to Reiss’s words. Several minutes later, the carriage came to a stop.
“Shall we leave the carriage now?” Reiss suggested. Sylvie and Elena got down first, with Reiss and Lucius following them.
So we’ve been brought out of the capital after all, huh?
In order to check on Estelle’s safety, before boarding the carriage, she had agreed to the condition that the destination wouldn’t be revealed until arrival. The window had been closed while they’d traveled, so she didn’t know what route they had taken either, but she had a faint suspicion that they were heading outside the capital. The capital of the Rubia Kingdom was Sylvie’s territory, and Reiss wasn’t senile enough to let her reunite with Estelle in such a place.
Sure enough, their current location was along the road stretching from the capital, far enough for the tallest royal castle in the capital to be seen in the distance.
“I don’t see Estelle.” Sylvie looked around. There was no sign of anyone on the road besides them, and they were surrounded by uninhabited grass plains on either side of the road. It seemed the grass lacked nutrition, as the color was poor and the length short. There were boulders large enough to hide a person scattered about the place.
“Please, come this way.” Reiss gestured with his hand and invited her off the road. Leaving the carriage and driver on the road, he led the way forward.
“Princess Sylvie, I shall be behind you.”
“Right.”
Sylvie first followed Reiss, with Elena walking behind her. Further behind her was Lucius, and the four of them proceeded in a single line. Sylvie warily watched Reiss before her, while Elena warily watched Lucius in the rear as they walked.
“You informed your other subordinates that you would be heading out with me when we departed from the inn, so there’s no need to be so wary. As long as you don’t try anything yourself, that is.” Reiss chuckled as he spoke to the two walking behind him.
“I don’t intend on doing anything as long as I can confirm Estelle’s safety. However, I hope you’re ready for the worst if I find Estelle has been harmed.”
“In that case, neither of us have anything to worry about. Please stop here,” Reiss said, pointing to a large boulder ahead him. Three hooded men and a girl appeared from behind that boulder. It seemed she was wearing a magic-sealing collar, but there was no sign of any injuries. She had a sad look in her eyes, seeing her older sister a hundred meters before her.
“Estelle!” Sylvie reflexively burst into a run. However—
“Ah ah, please do not get any closer than this.” Reiss stood in her way.
“Ngh...”
“As promised, you’ve confirmed her safety. It’s about time we turned back,” Reiss said ruthlessly, his expression cool. Sylvie sent a murderous glare towards him.
“What?! I’ve only seen her face! And from this far!”
“But you’ve seen her, no? You’ve achieved the goal of confirming her safety.”
“As if I can be sure she’s unharmed with just a look. At least let me speak to her,” Sylvie pleaded desperately.
“We would be accepting a rather high risk if I allowed that... But fine. One of the reasons why this meeting was arranged was to make sure your stress didn’t prompt you to act out of line,” Reiss said, placing his hand by his mouth in a thinking manner.
“Then...”
“However, there is one condition you must accept. If you accept that condition, I will allow you to have an uninterrupted conversation for several seconds.”
“Let’s hear it.” Even if it was only for a few short moments, the thought of being able to converse with Estelle was enticing enough for Sylvie to at least listen to the condition.
“Your Highness must hand that enchanted sword over to your guard knight.”
“...Is that all?” Sylvie asked in surprise. She expected a more demanding condition from Reiss at such an opportune moment.
The enchanted sword Sylvie used was also a national treasure of an ancient artifact. She wouldn’t have let Reiss or Lucius hold it, and even in comparison to those untrustworthy alliance partners, she could just barely entrust it to her close aide Elena.
“Yes. For someone as powerful as the Princess Knight, I would have preferred to place magic-sealing shackles on you, but I shall put my trust in you. Think of this as an act of deepening our trust in each other,” Reiss requested in an oddly serious tone for once.
“Fine... Elena, please hold on to this for a short moment.” Sylvie detached the sheath at her waist and handed it to Elena.
“I shall handle it with the greatest care.” Elena knelt and accepted the enchanted sword reverently.
“Go ahead, then,” Reiss prompted.
Sylvie walked towards Estelle. Estelle herself had been temporarily freed and began moving towards Sylvie timidly. The closer the two of them got to each other, the faster their feet moved.
“Are you unharmed, Estelle?”
“Yes. I’m so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused, Sylvie.”
The two of them linked their hands and exchanged words of reunion. Sylvie was smiling in joy from seeing her little sister safe, but Estelle’s expression was gloomy due to the fact that her own existence was now an inconvenience to her sister and her kingdom.
“Don’t let it bother you—you’re not at fault here. Don’t be rash and do anything odd.” Sylvie gripped Estelle’s hand tightly.
“Okay...” Estelle nodded with a flash of an admirable smile.
“Have they done anything strange to you?”
“Nothing in particular. I’ve been placed in confinement, but my living conditions aren’t that different to staying in the castle.”
“I see... Is there anything else troubling you?”
“Nothing. I’m sure you’re far worse off than I am. If the necessity arises, please discard me.”
“Such a necessity will never arise. Never,” Sylvie stated, her expression strained.
“Thank you...” Estelle placed her hands on her chest and bowed her head with a fleeting smile.
“Time’s up.” Reiss approached Sylvie from behind, accompanied by Elena and Lucius.
“All right.” Sylvie turned with a sigh and approached Elena, who stood beside Reiss.
“Take this, Your Highness.”
“Right.”
Elena kneeled on the ground, returning the enchanted sword to Sylvie. While doing so, she got a good look at Estelle’s unharmed figure and let out a small sigh of relief.
“Now, Princess Estelle. Please return to those men,” Reiss said, looking at the three hooded men by the boulder.
“Okay.” Estelle nodded. She separated herself from Sylvie and the others and started walking back.
Then, from a boulder located diagonally beside Estelle and the men, a figure leaped out at superhuman speed. The figure dashed to cut into the space between Estelle and her captors, and there was a silhouette of a halberd-like weapon in their hand. The mysterious figure raised their long weapon easily in a single hand, blocking the way of the men and slamming the weapon down into the ground.
“Wha...?!”
A giant wall of ice appeared between Estelle and the hooded men. It was several meters tall and had appeared right before Estelle, making her shrink in on herself. Sylvie and Elena looked shocked. But on the other hand...
Hehe. Like the rumors said, he seems to be a boy of decisive character. Thanks to that, I’ve been saved the trouble of pointing out where he was hiding myself.
Reiss grinned eerily as he watched the back of the figure standing before Estelle.
A mysterious figure suddenly stood between the three hooded men and Estelle, forming an ice wall to divide them.
“R-Renji?!”
The hero who could control the divine arms Cocytus: Kikuchi Renji.
“Oh? What is the meaning of this, Princess Sylvie?” Reiss twisted his mouth with a chuckle and immediately questioned Sylvie beside him.
“N-No, this is...” Sylvie was in a panic, thinking he had followed them from the inn, when—
“I should be saying that.” Renji carried his halberd against his shoulder as he approached. Then, he stood as though to protect Estelle from Reiss and the others.
“Renji...” Estelle blinked and stared at him.
“Why, if it isn’t Sir Renji the Aloof. We just met earlier. Then, I shall ask you instead: what is the meaning of this?” Reiss asked with a fearless smile.
“Did you not hear me? I should be the one asking that. Sylvie said Estelle was recuperating. Why is she being treated as though she’s your hostage? Let’s hear what you have to say about that.”
Renji frowned, glaring back at Reiss.
“Why, that would be because she is a hostage,” Reiss acknowledged without a hint of guilt.
“Oh? So you’re not even gonna make any excuses? You have some nerve.”
“That’s because I have no need to make any excuses in the first place. You’re the one who’s interrupting us with no awareness of what’s going on, trying to take control as though you own the situation. Aren’t you the one with some nerve here?”
“My understanding of the situation is fine. No matter how I look at it, you’re using Estelle as a hostage to control Sylvie. That’s what you acknowledged yourself,” Renji scowled as he argued back.
“Indeed. You’ve happened across a scene of hostage diplomacy.”
“What trash... Sylvie, Elena, come over here. Estelle is secure now, so there’s no reason to obey them anymore.” Renji glared at Reiss with contempt in his gaze.
“Are you sure about that?” Reiss chuckled smugly.
“I’m not asking you.”
“I see. But did you think we would overlook that passively?” Reiss asked.
The three hooded men appeared from both sides of the ice wall Renji had created; they had their swords drawn and held at the ready.
I made the wall with the intention of trapping them inside, but I guess they evaded at the last moment, huh? It seems they’re fairly agile. That aside, why do Sylvie and Elena look so scared? Renji observed those around him quickly. “If you don’t want to make an enemy of me, the one they call Aloof and the Ice Emperor, you should retreat. I don’t know who you are or where you’re from, but you don’t want to die in a place like this, do you?” he said to Reiss, who stood in his line of fire.
“What a cheap provocation.”
“I don’t recall provoking anyone.”
“I see. A natural airhead, are you?”
“Fine, it seems you want to make an enemy of me...” To intimidate Reiss, Renji made a show of looking at his halberd and holding it ready.
“I see, I see. It seems you’re even more egoistic than the rumors make of you. Reckless, hasty, and arrogant. The type of personality unsuitable for negotiating, yet you seem to have a fair talent for it.” Without any particular sign of shrinking back, Reiss applauded Renji with an unconcerned look.
“Are you looking down on me?”
“I’m praising you. The way you flash your tremendous might to one-sidedly have your way is exactly that of a major nation dealing with a minor nation. The courage you have in forcing things to go your way is truly splendid.”
“He’s just an idiot with no knowledge of how the world works, you mean?” Lucius interrupted with a mocking laugh.
“Sounds like that man wants to die first.”
Renji lifted his halberd up with one hand, pointing the tip at Lucius.
“Hey, Reiss. Can I kill this impudent brat?” Lucius asked.
Reiss chuckled. “Has your interest finally been piqued?”
“...Did you just call me a brat?” Renji frowned in displeasure. There were less people who looked down on him by calling him short or bratty nowadays, but that kind of thing had happened regularly back when he first became an adventurer. Thus, for Renji, scornful words like “brat” were taboo. He had taught everyone who had looked down on him like that a painful lesson, without exception.
“I have no idea who you think you are, but no matter how I look at it, you’re a brat. Especially the part where you overestimate yourself just because you’ve gained a little face as an adventurer.” Lucius sneered at Renji with contempt.
“I’ve taught all the people who’ve looked down on my appearance a lesson. You may end up in the same boat.”
“So you were looked down on for both your appearance and your attitude. How scary. Sorry about that, little egoistical one.”
“You just keep talking...” Renji was seething with enough anger to attack at any moment, glaring at Lucius with dangerous eyes.
“W-Wait, Renji. Don’t be rash,” Sylvie called out to him in a hurry.
“...What are you saying, Sylvie? These people took Estelle hostage so you couldn’t oppose them, right?” Renji asked in confusion.
“That’s...” Sylvie fell silent with a conflicted expression.
It’s true that this situation may seem favorable. However, the Rubia Kingdom as it is now doesn’t have enough power to oppose the Proxia Empire. If I go with the flow of things and take Renji’s side, the Proxia Empire may earnestly begin to invade us as retaliation. If that happens, our kingdom will fall in a matter of months. If the fact I assisted the Proxia Empire at the last banquet circulates, we could be isolated from the nations around us. It would be different if the rescue was done in secret, but this situation is...
It was possible she was overthinking it, but what if this situation was a trap by Reiss? Her attention had been completely focused on her reunion with Estelle, but when she looked back upon it now, she had plenty of reason to fear that the conversation in the inn was made to entice Renji into following them.
If so, this situation could have been set up by Reiss in order to ascertain Sylvie’s true intentions. That was the natural assumption to make. Despite still being shaken by this situation, Sylvie desperately racked her brain.
“What’s wrong? Please say something, Sylvie,” Renji called out, slightly anxious.
“Hehe. It seems our relationship is already strong enough to withstand something as simple as transferring the hostage,” Reiss answered on Sylvie’s behalf.
“What...?” Renji frowned. He could already imagine that it was because they were threatening her with another reason.
“Renji. I appreciate the sentiment behind you acting for my sake, but this is our kingdom’s problem. It’s not something that can be solved by me returning to the kingdom at this point.”
Estelle, who had been silent beside Renji until now, finally made up her mind and spoke up. Her expression and words were both gentle, but at the same time had a hint of resignation.
“See? This is why I called you reckless, hasty, and arrogant. You’ve stepped into a matter that can’t be solved with your power,” Reiss sneered.
“I said it too. That you’re an idiot who doesn’t understand the way the world works,” Lucius taunted Renji with a hearty laugh.
“...” Renji stood where he was, trembling with fury. After making such a dramatic declaration of his intent to rescue her, the hostage herself had refused to be saved. It must have been a comical sight indeed.
“...Don’t look down on me,” Renji muttered after a moment.
“Ah?” Lucius replied without any interest left.
“Do you really think my power can’t solve this?” Renji asked Reiss and Lucius with a glint of anger that had nowhere to go in his eye.
“Bwahaha, you really are a brat after all. Why don’t you switch from an adventurer to a trainee clown?” Lucius said while holding back his laughter.
“I’ll say this one more time: don’t look down on me.”
“What if I do?”
“You have two options: rub your head against the ground and apologize to me through the blood running down your forehead, swearing to keep away from Sylvie and Estelle, or be killed by me right here. Well? You decide.”
“I believe there are many more options available than that, though.”
“Oh?”
The tension between Lucius and Renji was like treading on ice.
“H-Hey. Stop, Renji! Don’t do anything foolish!” Sylvie tried to stop him in a hurry, but—
“Sorry, but this isn’t your problem anymore. It’s my problem now. I can’t forgive anyone who looks down on me. I have to settle this in my adventurer way—especially against Mr. Eyepatch over there. Are you ready?”
Being looked down upon was defeat. That was what being an adventurer was about, which was why he refused to listen any longer. His head was filled with nothing but rage towards Lucius and Reiss now.
“Well, I never intended on letting you go home quietly now that you’ve witnessed this scene anyway. Which means...” Reiss made a show of looking at Lucius, who was accompanying him as a guard. Lucius gave a light shrug before placing his hand on the pommel of the sword sheathed at his waist.
“Please wait, Reiss! I’ll talk things out with Renji myself.” Sylvie tried to settle things peacefully.
“...Do you think I’ll lose to these guys, Sylvie?” Renji asked bitterly.
“I know plenty well that you’re an undefeated adventurer here. However, even if you do kill them, it would be a problem for us as well. Please understand,” Sylvie pleaded.
“That’s amazing. Undefeated at home, huh?”
“Please don’t provoke Renji!” Sylvie scolded Lucius for his mocking.
“You say that, but he’s already raring to go.”
“Yeah, I don’t follow anyone’s orders,” Renji declared with energy.
“Ngh...” Sylvie fretted.
“Hmm. It seems that Princess Sylvie has a fairly high opinion of Aloof’s abilities. Which makes this the perfect opportunity for us to demonstrate our abilities as cooperative partners. And so, if I may make a suggestion—how about a bet?” Reiss said as though he had just come up with an idea.
“A bet?” Sylvie frowned, wondering what he was going on about in a situation like this.
“It shouldn’t be a bad deal for you, Princess Sylvie. We’ll have a one-on-one duel between my guard Lucius and Aloof over there, and the loser has to accept the victor’s conditions. Let’s see... if the Aloof one wins, I promise to release Princess Estelle unconditionally. I will overlook his intervention here.”
“Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden...?” Sylvie asked with a wary look.
“Why, you ask? Because I highly value the fact you didn’t betray us when the Aloof one first intervened. As proof that it’s greatly contributed to our trusting relationship, I just wanted to prepare something befitting.”
“In that case, I shall do the fighting—”
“No, it’s going to be me.” Renji spoke over Sylvie’s objections to the duel.
“Renji...”
“Like I said, this is my fight now. I have no intention of backing down after being made a fool of to this extent.”
“Then it’s decided.” Reiss smiled pleasantly.
“I have no objections to the bet, but the fight is mine. I want an additional condition.”
“As you wish.” Reiss agreed easily to Renji adding a condition. Sylvie’s face twisted bitterly.
“Hmph. But before I state my condition, let me hear your condition on the off chance that Mr. Eyepatch wins,” Renji said.
“I have only one request if Lucius wins: that from then onwards, you will become my subordinate and follow my orders. For example, if I tell you to fight someone I designate,” Reiss explained.
“...Fine. In return, if Mr. Eyepatch loses to me, you’re going to give me all your money and become my slaves.”
“Hehehe, very well. Then it’s decided. If you have anything you want to say before the duel, go ahead. You may temporarily keep Princess Estelle over with you as well.” It was clear the contents of Renji’s conditions were harsher than Reiss’s, but Reiss agreed readily with a fearless smile. Then, he started walking out of earshot of Sylvie’s conversation and towards Lucius.
“...Hey, Reiss,” Lucius said to Reiss’s back in a displeased tone.
“Oh? Are you doubting your ability to win?”
“That’s not it.”
“Rest assured. Even if you win, I wouldn’t do anything like use the Aloof one to pour water over your thirst for revenge. I’ll be disappointed if you lose, so I intend on giving you extensive backup,” Reiss added with a shrug, sensing that Lucius was dissatisfied.
“I’m saying I don’t need that backup.”
Perhaps it was because they were talking about Rio now, but Lucius’s atmosphere had completely changed. His voice took on an ice-cold tone with not a drop of warmth whatsoever.
“Oh? But that eye and arm of yours are products of my most dedicated form of backup, no? Are you saying you’ll carry out your revenge without using them?”
“...Silence.” Lucius exuded even more anger at Reiss’s carefree attitude.
“Good grief. What a whimsical person indeed. However, you need to find the location of the boy, no? I’d appreciate it if you trusted me a little more.”
“I know you well. You have no problem lying to people’s faces—betraying people easily after gaining their trust.”
“How harsh.”
“But I don’t care what kind of man you are outside of my business with that bastard. So hurry up and tell me his location.”
“I’ve told you many times already, his location is under investigation. I haven’t been able to grasp his trail after he delivered the Beltrum Kingdom’s first princess to the Restoration. He’s the type of person to wander all over the place, after all,” Reiss said with a sigh.
“In that case, I don’t have any reason to cooperate with you,” Lucius said, implying that he was free to act independently.
“I have a plan. And my methods should be to your liking. I believe it should be far more efficient than searching on your own. It would be one matter if you accompanied me, but if you don’t accompany me then I’ll have to exclude you when I make my move, no?”
“Is that a declaration of war?”
“I’m hurt. I even prepared this fight for you as a prelude to your fight with your beloved one. You’ve been recuperating recently, so your battle senses have dulled a little, have they not?”
“...I’m losing interest in this.”
It was true that Lucius’s skills had dulled after his long recuperation period. That, and he did think crushing Renji would act as a good distraction. However, when he thought about how this development was entirely planned by Reiss, his interest was immediately dampened.
“Now, don’t say that. Please use this battle to test the abilities of that eye and arm. If you lose, we’ll become his slaves, you know,” Reiss chuckled.
“Are you saying I’ll lose?”
“Not at all. As long as he hasn’t awakened as a hero, there isn’t even the slightest chance of you losing to him.”
“Hmph. Time to finish this quickly, then. Seems like they’re ready too.” Lucius stopped in his tracks and turned as he spoke. Renji had also finished saying what he needed to say to Sylvie and the others and was watching Lucius and Reiss with a sharp gaze.
“Shall we begin, then?” Reiss and Lucius approached Renji once more.
Renji and Lucius glared at each other as they stood on a wild grass field littered with boulders. Beside them were Reiss and Sylvie, and another few dozen meters in the distance were Estelle, Elena, and the three hooded men.
“Now, for some simple rules. A victory will be decided by making your opponent surrender or rendering them unable to fight any further. Killing is technically against the rules, but there isn’t really a penalty for doing so. Any objections?” Reiss explained briefly.
“Oh? My abilities aren’t suited for knocking enemies unconscious, but you’re saying it’s fine if I end up killing him? How convenient.” Renji smirked, his mood brightening at the opportunity to finally silence the man before him. He didn’t doubt his own ability to win at all, which strangely calmed his anger and elevated his spirits. He was undoubtedly in his best condition.
“I don’t mind if you come at me with the intention to kill me. Use that halberd’s power however you wish. Don’t hold back,” Lucius responded boldly.
“That was my intention from the start... After all your boasting, you’d better survive the first hit. I’ve grown so bored of finishing off all my enemies in one shot,” Renji lamented, sighing dramatically.
“Sure. Look forward to it.” Lucius drew the black sword at his waist with his left hand as he spoke. Then, he removed his eyepatch. Underneath was an eyeball the color of all-engulfing darkness. There was no distinction between the pupil, iris, or conjunctiva. It was as though he had pitch-black darkness in place of a left eye.
Left-handed, huh... His left arm covered in bandages also seems strangely showy... Is he afflicted by an other-world version of eighth-grader syndrome? Not to mention that black sword...and what’s with that creepy black eye? Can he even see with that?
Renji looked at Lucius in disgust.
“Hey, why are you standing still? Got cold feet?” Lucius asked with a sneer.
“No, I was looking at your left eye and arm, and that sword. They all seem oddly showy, so it’d be a real laugh if they were just for looks,” Renji chuckled mockingly.
“Cut the chit-chat there. The moment this pebble I throw hits the ground, the match will begin. Now, both of you take your places. We shall stand back as well,” Reiss said, walking over to where Estelle was with Sylvie. Once he was twenty or so meters away, he threw a rock roughly the size of his palm. The rock flew in a parabolic line, landing between Renji and Lucius. The moment it landed, Renji closed the ten meters of distance to Lucius in the blink of an eye, swinging his halberd downwards with great force.
Lucius reacted to that speed by moving backwards by a minimal distance. The blade of the ax missed Lucius’s face by a hair’s breadth.
“Hmm, so you can react properly to this speed,” Renji said as though he was impressed. “But now it’s time for you to die.” Instantly, the area ten meters before him froze over, creating a block of ice several meters tall that swallowed Lucius.
“Hmph. Looks like you were all talk after all...” Renji mumbled, venting his pent-up rage. He poured magic essence into his Divine Arms to strengthen his physical body and swung his halberd at the ice block with all his might. “Haaah!”
It was a spirited brandish. The impact caused a tremendous shattering sound, the halberd taking out a chunk of the ice without coming to a halt, sending ice powder blowing everywhere.
Renji closed his eyes and smirked, bringing his halberd up to rest on his right shoulder.
“It’s over. After all that blabbing I had to listen to, you were no different from the average punk in the adventurer’s guild... What a disappointment. It would’ve been more interesting to actually have you apologize as my slave,” he said as though assured of his victory. However—
“Indeed. Who would have imagined such a dull fool.”
The voice of someone who shouldn’t have been there could be heard. He should’ve been dead.
“Wh-What...?” Renji whipped around.
Thud. The sound of something hitting the floor.
In the next moment, Renji felt like his left side had lightened in an odd way. He turned around to see Lucius standing with his black sword in his hand.
“You’re such a disappointment, I’ve completely lost interest. This can’t even be called a warm-up to my match with that bastard,” Lucius said with a bored look.
Renji looked at Lucius with an incredulous face. Then he turned his gaze to the ground where the sound had come from. There was an arm on the ground wearing clothing that looked very familiar. What could this mean?
“...An arm? Wait... My left arm?”
Renji was extremely confused as he looked at where his left arm should have been. However, there was nothing there past his shoulder. Instead, a tremendous amount of red liquid was gushing out, flowing onto the ground.
“RENJI!”
One beat later, the scream of a familiar girl’s voice could be heard in the distance. Renji looked up to see Sylvie pale as a sheet, Reiss and the three hooded men obstructing her from running over to him.
“Hey.” Lucius grabbed Renji by the neck with his right hand, easily lifting his small body into the air.
“Gah...” Renji groaned in pain. Struggling for breath, he finally registered the reality of what was happening.
“What are you zoning out for over just one arm? Huh?”
“Gngh... Ugh...”
Lucius tightened his hold, making Renji’s face twist in pain. Losing his strength, the halberd in his hand fell to the ground with a dull thud.
“Are you frustrated? You must be. I get it. I also see that bastard’s face whenever I look at this left arm of mine. That’s why I won’t settle with just taking the bastard’s left arm. I won’t settle with gouging out his left eye. I won’t accept it if he dies with just that. That’s why I’ll take everything from him, right before his eyes. I’ll kill him half to death and drag him around, then drag around everyone precious to him and make him watch.” Lucius ranted about his grudge with bloodshot eyes, furiously agitated.
“Uhh... Ah... Ugh...” Renji’s consciousness was fading, the light in his eyes weakening by the moment.
“Seeing your face just now reminded me of the bastard again. That’s why I used you as a dry run of the real thing—so don’t think I’ll let you pass out this easily. Hey, you listening? What are you passing out for?!” Lucius yelled at Renji harshly, then threw his body into the hole gouged into the block of ice. The weakened ice crumbled and rained down on Renji from above.
“...”
There was utter silence for a few seconds, but after a moment, Renji’s halberd vanished from where it lay on the ground.
“Screw...you...!” Renji leaped out of the ice. His halberd was clenched in his right hand as he attacked Lucius, losing himself in his anger.
“Hmph.” Even though there was still space between them, Lucius swung the sword in his left hand. Renji then lost his balance and crashed to the ground.
“Guh?!” Renji tried to scramble to his feet, but he lost his balance and fell forward. He tried to stand up again, but fell once more.
It was as though he couldn’t get his footing at all. Renji’s feet had been severed at the knees.
“Take a look at your feet,” Lucius sneered.
Renji looked towards his lower body. “Wh-When did...?! Gah!”
Immediately after that, Lucius stood before him and kicked his face with all his might. Renji’s body flew several meters up into the air.
“Hey! This better not be all you’ve got!” Lucius cut beneath Renji and launched a sharp upwards kick at his falling body.
“Gngh...!” Renji’s body flew into the air once more. He could see Lucius’s figure getting farther away below him, but before he knew it, Lucius had disappeared. Or so he thought—
“Where are you looking?”
Lucius’s voice came from above his head, followed by a strong impact against his back. Lucius had landed an ax kick with all his might.
“Wha...?!”
Renji’s body accelerated downwards. He crashed into the ground, unable to brace himself for the impact. His halberd fell from his right hand once again. As his body rebounded back upwards from the impact, Lucius appeared before him.
“Yo,” he said cheerfully, grabbing Renji by the neck with his right hand. Then he tightened his grip.
“Aah...”
At that moment, fear filled Renji’s eyes for the very first time. As though to back that up, Cocytus vanished from where it lay on the ground. Lucius didn’t fail to notice that, either.
“Seems like you picked a fight against the wrong person, huh?” he said, throwing Renji’s body to the ground.
“Ugh... Urgh... I-I surren... Gah?!”
Lying with his face downwards, Renji used his right hand to desperately crawl away from Lucius as he tried to say he surrendered.
However, Lucius stomped on Renji’s back before he could.
“Hmm? Did you say something?”
“I-I surr—aaah...!”
The weight on his back increased, making Renji scream. Just then, several bolts of light came flying straight towards Lucius from his front side. Each bolt was aimed accurately to pierce through Lucius’s body.
The bolts of light originated from Sylvie, who stood in a posture as though she had just drawn and thrust her rapier-shaped enchanted sword.
“Huh?” Lucius swung the sword in his left hand. Immediately, darkness swelled and swallowed up the bolts of light. Sylvie started charging towards Lucius, thrusting into empty space from several meters away. Each thrust released several bolts of light from the end of her rapier, every bolt aimed to snipe at Lucius’s torso with precision.
“Ha!” Lucius sneered, dealing with Sylvie’s bolts head-on. He swung his sword lightly, releasing a darkness that swallowed the light beams. Despite that, Sylvie continued firing the light from her enchanted sword. Then, once the distance between them had reduced to roughly ten meters—
“Here, let me return them,” Lucius said, pointing his sword at Sylvie.
“Huh?!”
The same attack that Sylvie had fired came flying at her from every direction. Her speed dropped from her continuous charge. She tried to change directions quickly, but the light flew at where she was trying to evade towards. When she tried to find another escape route, she realized for the first time that the bolts were coming from every direction. Because of that, Sylvie’s reaction was delayed.
“Ngh...”
She tried to evade the light bolts in order to minimize the damage as much as possible. However, before Sylvie knew it, she was standing away from the siege of light bolts.
“Wha...?”
Just how did she move instantaneously? Sylvie was speechless. Then, Reiss stepped beside her.
“Your jokes have gone too far. Are you trying to kill Princess Sylvie?” Reiss asked Lucius in a fed-up tone.
“Don’t get in the way. You let that woman pass you on purpose,” Lucius pointed out with a snort.
“That’s because you were hurting him a little too much. Well, the match will count as Renji the Aloof’s defeat due to Princess Sylvie’s intervention anyway,” Reiss said, looking down at Renji on the ground.
“Ah... Aah...” Renji was barely conscious, groaning with his eyes open slightly.
“R-Renji! Ngh...” Sylvie snapped back to her senses and ran up to Renji. His physical body had been strengthened during the fight, but it was hard to imagine he could maintain that while unconscious.
The damage to his body and the amount of blood lost appeared to be so severe, there seemed to be no way for him to survive. Sylvie shook at the tragic state of Renji’s body and glared at Lucius.
“Hey, it was a consensual match. I don’t think I deserve to be glared at for that. He never said he surrendered either, y’know?”
It wasn’t that Renji didn’t say it, but that he couldn’t. Lucius looked down at Renji and chuckled smugly.
“The match was settled the moment you cut his arm and legs off! You were fully intending on killing him!”
“That goes for the both of us, though. He tried to kill me with no hesitation from the very first blow.”
“Guh...”
Indeed, since Renji had tried to finish the match in the first blow by killing Lucius, Sylvie couldn’t argue any further.
“The two of you can leave your argument at that. He won’t die like this—or rather, I won’t let him die like this.” Reiss had picked up Renji’s severed limbs while the two of them argued harshly.
“He won’t die...?” Sylvie looked at the severed limbs in anger.
“Yes. Because he’s a hero.”
“Wha...” Sylvie was shocked into speechlessness by Reiss’s words.
Why...does he know...? Renji’s mind thought in a daze. However, with that question as a final thought, his consciousness faded.
“Falling unconscious from this... It’s proof of how he’s still unawakened as a hero, I suppose. It seems he’s still inexperienced,” Reiss said, holding the severed limbs to their original positions. Renji’s limbs began visibly reattaching themselves as though they were being drawn together.
“Wh...?!” Sylvie swallowed her breath in shock.
“See? He won’t die.” Reiss smiled as though he knew everything from the start. Well, he’s still unawakened as a hero, so his recovery speed is rather slow... And as a human, he’s still bound by his human emotions.
“Wh-What is the meaning of this?! What?! Reiss! You knew Renji was a hero from the beginning, didn’t you?!” Sylvie ranted in confusion.
“You were somewhat aware of the Aloof’s identity yourself, no? And it was because you saw the heroes at the banquet in the Galarc Kingdom too, I’d wager?”
“...What do you intend on doing with Renji?” Sylvie asked with a disgusted look. Seeing how calm Reiss was helped her regain her composure a little.
“As agreed, he’ll become my subordinate.”
“You’ll make a hero your subordinate?”
“Do you find that disrespectful? Just so you know, I value him for his latent combat potential rather than his political use. We can never have enough superior fighters, after all,” Reiss replied to Sylvie’s frown with a creepy smile.
“...” Sylvie fell silent.
“You don’t have to be so wary—I won’t turn his power towards you. As long as we are allied, that is.” In other words, it would be a different story if they were enemies.
“Now, shall we go? Princess Estelle will continue her stay with us, but as a sign of our trust, you may look after your friend for the time being. Please explain his position to him clearly.” Leaving behind those words, Reiss walked away. Lucius, who had completely lost interest in Renji, followed him.
Renji’s severed limbs had been reattached and the bleeding had stopped.
Renji...
Sylvie picked up the unconscious young man with a miserable expression and followed behind Reiss and the others.
That night, Lucius and Reiss returned to Proxia Castle with Second Princess Estelle. Renji, who was still unconscious, was taken to the royal castle by Princess Sylvie.
Lucius locked himself in his room and sat by the window to glare at a few documents. These were reports regarding Rio which Reiss had handed to him to read while he went to speak with Nidoll. Lucius reread the reports over and over again to search for information he could use.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Reiss had settled his matters with Nidoll and arrived at Lucius’s room. He came to a stop as soon as he entered the room and spotted Lucius seated by the window.
“Someone in the castle used a teleport crystal,” Lucius said without taking his eyes off the reports. A short time ago he had detected the scattered ode and mana characteristic of space sorcery.
“Impressive. Arein, Lucci, and Ven just left for a job. I had them head to Rodania in the Beltrum Kingdom.”
Lucius lifted his head for the first time and glared at Reiss sharply. “What are you scheming now?”
“It seems you still don’t trust me. There was no scheming—I sent the three of them to search for the location of your fated partner, the Black Knight. I’ve handed you the reports with all the information concerning him, sending off my subordinates using precious teleport crystals that cannot be mass-produced just to gather information. It’s about time you trusted me a little.”
“That depends on what you say next. You said you’d set up the stage for me to fight that Rio bastard alone if I went with you to the Rubia Kingdom, right?”
“Indeed, I have no intention of breaking that promise.” Reiss nodded without hesitation.
“But you interfered with the end of my fight with that brat today.” Lucius recalled the moment when Princess Sylvie had intervened.
“The one who interfered was Princess Sylvie and not myself.”
“Don’t dodge the point. You would have been able to stop that woman.”
“I do not deny that. However, I did inform you before we entered that kingdom that I would intervene if you went too far. I allowed Princess Sylvie to act because your careless actions could have cornered the hero to the point of awakening.”
“...What do you intend on doing during my fight with Rio, then? Even if you prepare a stage for me to fight the bastard, will you interfere while I’m in the middle of fighting him?” Even if Reiss himself didn’t interfere in the fight, he could easily allow someone else to do so like he had done with Sylvie. Lucius was wary of that.
“As I said before, I will prepare a stage for you where no one can interfere at all.”
“But you believe I’ll lose if I have a rematch with him.” That was what Lucius was most displeased with. It was also the basis of his suspicion that Reiss would interfere.
“...I admit, I believe you’re at a disadvantage. However, as long as he is human, he should have as many openings as you need. I believe I stated this—if you assist me in my business at the Rubia Kingdom, I will explain my entire plan to you. I mentioned it before you fought Renji as well, but I’m sure it’ll be to your liking.”
“Then let’s hear it.”
“Of course.”
“But first, I want to confirm something.”
“Whatever you wish,” Reiss nodded with a shrug.
“You already know Rio’s location, don’t you?” Lucius asked, getting straight to the point.
“No, I’m afraid I don’t know his precise location... He’s able to fly about the sky freely, as you know. He also moves at an extraordinary speed,” Reiss said without batting an eye, his explanation the same as it had always been.
“So you don’t know the bastard’s location, but you say you can set the stage for a battle for me. If you end up saying anything wrong, I’ll be acting by myself. I won’t go along with your stalling any longer,” Lucius said threateningly.
“I understand. However, I’d like you to listen to my explanation of why this time spent waiting isn’t a waste. If you can understand my reasoning, I hope you will be willing to wait until the right moment arrives. If you’re insistent on rushing towards your death, then I will cancel the arrangements myself.” Reiss sounded oddly serious for once.
The two of them stared at each other.
“...Fine,” Lucius nodded without breaking eye contact.
“Then, for my explanation: as insurance for the worst-case scenario, I’m thinking of kidnapping the people close to the Black Knight. Once I’ve secured that insurance, I can promise not to lay a finger on your fight with him,” Reiss explained.
“I see. They might know where Rio is too. It’s not a bad idea.” Of course, Lucius had also considered obtaining a hostage.
“However, it’s easier said than done. There is one problem with this plan.”
“No doubt.” Lucius’s reply was immediate. He knew Reiss wasn’t foolish enough to pass on an opportunity with guaranteed success. In this regard, he trusted him completely.
“I’ve identified several candidates that could be secured as hostages and located them. As you may have seen in the documents on the Black Knight, the candidates are either powerful themselves, or have powerful people around them... It’s been a challenge to find an easy mark to grab. If I slip up, I’ll be making an enemy out of him in the future, so the only time I can act is when I’m certain of my success. That is why I’d like your cooperation in securing the hostages,” Reiss said with a dramatic sigh.
“...Who’s the target?”
“The first candidate is Celia Claire. As you know, she was his former teacher at the Beltrum Academy back when he was attending. She’s currently affiliated with the Restoration in Rodania. That being said, I cannot imagine the Black Knight would leave her completely defenseless, so there’s a high possibility his contract spirit is acting as her guard... Even then, she would probably be the best target.”
“For what reason? Doesn’t his contract spirit have a fair amount of hidden strength?”
“The reason is plain and simple—helpless women make the best hostages, no? And no matter how strong that humanoid spirit is, there’s a limit to what can be handled alone. There are plenty of ways to deal with a spirit burdened by a hindrance.”
“...I see.” Though faint, Lucius showed a pleased smile for the first time at that.
“His contract spirit is menacing, but as long as nothing else gets in the way, the two of us should be able to get it done; we should be able to kidnap Celia. She would also make a good political bargaining chip in the future,” Reiss said with a twisted grin.
“Ha, you’re one greedy bastard yourself,” Lucius sneered, seeing through him.
“If I didn’t gain something as well, you wouldn’t believe me anyway,” Reiss said, understanding Lucius well.
“Well, yeah...”
“How about it? I’ll apologize for putting on airs over such a straightforward means, but I believe hostages are a method you also enjoy using. As long as there’s a hostage, there will be no need to fear my interference. It’s not a bad idea—in fact, I believe it’s a most reasonable suggestion...”
“...Fine. We’ll take a hostage.” Though he had a hint of displeasure on his face, Lucius nodded.
“Excellent.” The corners of Reiss’s mouth lifted upwards.
“Hmph. When do you plan on going through with this?” Lucius snorted and asked.
“It’s short notice, but in two days’ time. That’s why I sent Arein and the others off in advance. They are to spend one day gathering information about Celia Claire, and if the situation looks favorable, then we’ll go ahead with the plan.”
“Sounds like everything’s been planned from start to finish. Exactly how you want it.” Lucius’s frown spoke of his discontent towards that.
“You’re overestimating me there. I’ve had consecutive miscalculations in regards to the Black Knight, after all. Why, a new miscalculation occurred right when we were absent from the castle...” Reiss lamented.
“I heard an intruder snuck into the castle last night. And that they fought that Nidoll and escaped,” Lucius suddenly said.
“...Oh? You’re aware of it already. Nidoll said he placed a gag order on the topic, so I was thinking of informing you as a sign of our collaboration.” Reiss’s eyes widened in apparent surprise.
“Don’t play the fool. You predicted Rio would come to this castle too, didn’t you? Even though you said you didn’t know his location just now...” Lucius questioned him with emphasis on his words.
“The former was a miscalculation. He probably took into account my position as the Proxia Empire ambassador and snuck here suspecting my connection to you,” Reiss stated with an indifferent expression.
Lucius knew that Reiss was in regular contact with the imperial capital. He probably received word that Rio had invaded the castle before deciding to return at this point in time.
“...Then what about the latter?”
Figuring he would just be lied to anyway, Lucius didn’t pry any further into the former. He wasn’t satisfied, but it was a better idea to remain silent about that here.
“I didn’t lie to you. At present, I do not know of his precise location. However, thanks to Nidoll’s quick-wittedness on the spur of the moment, I do have an idea of his destination.”
“Where is it?” Lucius questioned immediately with hatred burning in his eyes.
“You don’t have to glare at me with those terrifying eyes—I won’t hide anything at this point. He’s heading for Prince Duran in the Paladia Kingdom, since Nidoll received information that you were working there just recently.”
“Paladia, huh... Not bad. Finally some luck on our side.” Lucius smiled faintly at the lead he finally received on Rio’s whereabouts.
“And so, I’ll be heading to the Paladia Kingdom now to prepare Prince Duran for contact with him. I’ll have Prince Duran guide him towards a specified location, so you should stay here and conserve your energy. I will return soon. If you disappear without notice in the future, I will consider our collaborative partnership terminated, so don’t try anything strange,” Reiss emphasized. He probably had no intention of telling Lucius where specifically in Paladia they would hold their fight, as a matter of insurance.
“Hmph.” Lucius snorted in discontent at being ordered to wait.
“Hastiness will invite mistakes. I’m sure you’re feeling impatient knowing he’s heading for Paladia, but securing the hostages comes first. We need to confirm Celia Claire’s situation in Rodania and the presence of the humanoid spirit, so wait one more day. I would have preferred to spend several days observing her, so I’ve brought things forward for your sake already,” Reiss said with a sigh, sensing Lucius’s displeasure.
“Get out of my sight and go where you should be going,” Lucius spat with venom. He waved his hand as though he were shooing away an irritating bug.
“Understood.” Reiss gave a troubled shrug and turned around, leaving through the door.
“Arrogant bastard... You don’t know anything,” Lucius muttered to himself in the empty room, standing up to open the door leading to his bedroom. He then called out to the three men waiting inside. “Hey. Arein, Lucci, Ven.”
The three people Reiss thought he had sent to Rodania were here. They were technically Lucius’s subordinates in the Heavenly Lions, but were presently being lent to Reiss as agents of the Proxia Empire.
“I was so anxious Reiss would notice. That was bad for my heart,” Arein said with a strained smile, exuding a cold sweat.
“Not even Reiss would realize the coordinates of the teleport crystals you used led to my room. Using them from his stock was the right move,” Lucius chuckled. Since a magic artifact was required to set the destination coordinates on teleport crystals, crystals and artifacts needed to come in a set.
On top of that, there were also magic artifacts that created barriers preventing the detection of ode and mana fluctuation from teleportation. Lucius used such an artifact to invite Arein and the others to his room without Reiss’s notice.
“But our remaining stock is really low now. Reiss has been carefully managing the teleport crystals and coordinate artifacts,” said Ven.
“Tell me how many you have left, including the ones we pilfered,” Lucius ordered, taking a Strahl region map from his shelf and spreading it open on his bed.
“One teleport crystal Reiss gave us to go to Rodania just now. One that leads to the Galarc Kingdom’s capital. One to a forest in the east of Beltrum where we hid to gather information. Then there’s seven sets of free teleport crystals we’ve pocketed from our missions until now.” Ven took out small pouches of teleport crystals from his breast pocket, placing each on the map at the destination point labeled on the pouches. He left the seven pouches with the free destination crystals on top of the imperial capital where they currently were.
“...I have two teleport crystals to where I was hiding in the Paladia Kingdom, and one to the royal capital there.”
Lucius took out two pouches of teleport crystals and placed them on the map as well.
“Will you get the jump on Reiss with this, Captain?” Lucci asked.
“I’m considering it. As long as we can secure a different hostage to Reiss in the next day, anything works. The problem is whether there are any women with hostage potential left that he hasn’t set his eyes on...” Lucius said, looking down at the documents regarding Rio. The papers had Rio’s past and human relationships recorded on it, detailing how the former orphan from the slums had obtained new people precious to him and was living happily. It was truly a report that infuriated him the more he read, but that was precisely why he examined it carefully from cover to cover.
The people who were deeply related to Rio were noted down with their names and details, but apart from Celia, none of their locations were known. The next most acquainted people with him were also listed, but their locations were either out of reach of the crystals or too securely guarded within a castle.
Should we grab the hero in the Galarc Castle? But with Reiss’s eyes on me, I can’t leave.
The ones who would actually be doing the abducting were Arein and the others. They were all excellent fighters personally trained by Lucius himself, but there was no guarantee they could successfully sneak into a castle and face a hero on par with Renji at the very least. If they failed, they could risk getting captured themselves.
“...Maybe we could just grab the Beltrum sisters?” Lucius muttered, looking through the documents again. The report noted the relationship between Rio and the royal sisters—that Rio attended the Beltrum Royal Academy years ago, how he was treated there, and so on...
I don’t know about the older one, but the younger one already proved to have hostage value when we fought at Amande.
Lucius looked at the text about Rio and the royal sisters while recalling the Amande battle with a sneer.
Back then, Rio had definitely tried to protect Flora. In other words, even if Rio had an unpleasant past with them, they could still be used as hostages.
Thanks to this left eye, I can move short distances easier than before, but I still can’t underestimate that bastard’s mobility in closing distances at instant speeds. I’ll need to pin him down with hostages to seal his movement. It’ll be fine as long as he has a burden on his side. I’ll show him what it’s like to obtain the power to protect others without being able to use it. That’ll infuriate him.
He was an avenger, yet he surrounded himself with people precious to him. He tried to protect irrelevant strangers. What reason did he have to do that?
Was a human seeking revenge really trying to keep a high sense of ethics at the same time? If someone carrying such impurities really came to kill him, Lucius would laugh. Then, he would be truly pissed off.
That was pure deceit. It was hypocrisy—the work of a fool. Sacrificing yourself to protect the weak was unthinkable. It shouldn’t happen.
There was nothing to gain by keeping up that behavior. There would only be things to lose. Someone born in the slums choosing the path of revenge should know that well, yet Rio was trying to keep up his appearance. That was something extremely displeasing. Revolting, even.
Rio’s face—Rio’s eyes when he appeared at Amande for revenge were unforgettable, even now. That attitude that suppressed hatred in order to remain rational...
You and I are birds of the same feather.
That was why he would expose that filthy character of Rio’s and make him taste despair. On top of that, he’d drag Rio’s half-dead body before his precious people, and steal them from him.
That would be Lucius’s retaliation towards Rio. He’d take hostages in order to trap Rio, but he wouldn’t let anyone else get in the way.
I’ll take a hostage. But I never said I’d do so in collaboration with you, Reiss. I told you that bastard was my prey. I’ll take a hostage out of my own will, but no one said I’d use the hostage you prepared.
There was no beast that hunted prey placed fully prepared before them. At the very least, Lucius wouldn’t accept that. It was a different matter when he moved of his own will, but he couldn’t stand being used by others. The only reason why he had moved according to Reiss’s orders until now was to find Rio’s location.
After that, Lucius spent some time staring at the documents with a serious face. Arein and the others watched on silently.
Once he had organized his thoughts, Lucius opened his mouth and said, “Reiss is heading to Duran in the Paladia Kingdom right now. I can’t move from this castle. In order to get the jump on him, you’ll have to move for me.”
“As you wish,” the three of them nodded with wide grins.
“First, the hostage candidates are the royal sisters of Beltrum. You’ll send them to my hideout in the Paladia Forest. Not even Reiss knows of that precise location—it’ll be perfect for outsmarting him,” Lucius chuckled with contempt. “Ven, you warp to Rodania immediately after this and sniff out where the siblings are by tomorrow evening. Take a free teleport crystal and set the coordinates before returning.”
“Roger that.” Ven picked up the pouch with the crystal that led to Rodania, and one of the free destination crystal pouches.
“So what should Arein and I do?” Lucci asked with an excited grin.
“Once you’ve confirmed Reiss’s return, Lucci will go to the Paladia capital. Buy enough supplies so that the princesses don’t drop dead, then teleport to the woods and stock up the cabin. Make your way back here by tomorrow evening.”
“Got it.”
“Arein, you’ll go with Lucci to the Paladia capital. However, you’ll be moving separately once you get there. Get in touch with the first prince Duran as my messenger—tell him to act like he’s following Reiss’s instructions while actually following mine. Duran will be the messenger that lures the bastard to the forest. Return by tomorrow evening.”
“Understood.”
Lucius fired off his orders one after another. Lucci and Arein each picked up the respective teleport crystals they needed.
“Once you’ve finished up your business, you’ll all go to Rodania together. In order to look like you were following Reiss’s orders, that is. We’ll play whatever follows that by ear, but in two days’ time, I’ll find a moment to dump Reiss and go to Paladia. Before that happens, you guys have to kidnap the princesses and return to Rodania without Reiss’s notice.”
“We just leave the royal sisters in the woods after kidnapping them?” Lucci asked.
“Yes. If I assigned one of you as a guard, Reiss would notice your absence and suspect our movements. With our lack of personnel, I’ll have to be the one to retrieve the princesses after I outsmart him. If Reiss tries to shake you down for answers, pretend you don’t know anything and make it work in my favor. You might even get to see his expression look panicked, you know?”
Lucius wouldn’t be able to see that face. However, just imagining it was enough to send the corners of his mouth upwards cheerily.
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