Skeleton Knight in Another World Vol. 4

by Ennki Hakari

  Everything I’d experienced since arriving here came rushing forward at once. I could feel the raw weight of all the people I’d killed, and all the feelings I’d repressed, crushing my heart.

  “Aaaaaaaaaaaugh!”

  I screamed over and over, although it did nothing to calm the storm.

  My body shook uncontrollably, as if I were freezing, in spite of the fact that I stood in the middle of a hot spring. The pain coursing through my head became so overwhelming that I forgot everything else. I found myself at the edge of the bath, where I smashed my fist into the stone again and again until it cracked. The sudden pain and distress were so intense that I started splashing wildly, choking on the water that made it into my mouth, and fearing that I would drown. Somehow, I managed to haul myself out.

  “Kyi! Kyiiiiii!” Ponta, no doubt alarmed at my sudden change, came racing after me.

  I looked at Ponta’s soft, fluffy tail, and then down at myself.

  That’s when I caught sight of…it, hanging between my legs. It had to be at least one and a half times larger than what I’d had in the real world. For some reason, that stuck out to me.

  I heard footsteps, followed by a familiar voice.

  “Arc, are you oka—hey, who are you?!”

  “Kyikyiiii!”

  The voice in the distance belonged to Ariane.

  I tried to speak, but no words came. Instead, I let out a long, wailing groan, like a zombie that had crawled out of a graveyard.

  Something licked my cheek vigorously, providing much-needed warmth to my frigid body. I could feel myself slipping away as I lost consciousness.

  My world was consumed by darkness, and I felt nothing.

  ***

  Houvan was located in the Rhoden Kingdom, surrounded by the Telnassos Mountains to the west and Anetto Mountains to the east. The city was relatively prosperous, thanks to its role as a trading hub between the Rhoden Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Limbult to the southeast.

  This domain’s previous lord, Count Fulish du Houvan, had been executed by his own people in response to his constant tax hikes and tyrannical use of force. The uprising threw the town into chaos for a time, although that was quelled when the first prince dispatched the Royal Army to put an end to the bloodshed. Shortly after, the prince himself traveled to Houvan to ensure the people’s safety and install a new government. He moved into what had been Count du Houvan’s estate and handled the administration from there.

  The castle was still in disrepair due to wanton destruction of the Count’s estate during the uprising, so the prince currently lived in a secondary building. His quarters were shabby compared to the grand lifestyle he’d grown accustomed to in the royal palace.

  Sekt Rondahl Karlon Rhoden Sahdiay, first prince of the Rhoden Kingdom, sat at his desk, skimming a ream of reports. He brushed his light brown hair out of his eyes and furrowed his brow as he read.

  After suppressing the Houvan uprising, he’d kept busy with a never-ending stream of administrative duties. Through them all, however, his mind remained fixed on a single burning question, the cause of the weariness etched on his handsome face.

  There was a knock at the door.

  Sekt didn’t bother lifting his eyes from the documents. “You may enter.”

  A muscular man dressed in a well-fitting military uniform, not unlike the uniform Sekt himself wore, opened the door and slipped in.

  He bowed his head. “I apologize for the disturbance.”

  Cetrion du Olsterio had brown hair and a brown mustache to match. He was a man of few words, which only added to his stern demeanor. Cetrion was one of the lieutenant generals sent along with the Royal Army to quell the Houvan uprising. He was also one of Sekt’s staunchest supporters, working to ensure that the prince would ascend to the throne.

  “I just received word from Lord Tiocera. Despite previous reports that Princess Yuriarna was killed, we’re now hearing that her forces were seen in Tiocera.”

  Lieutenant General Cetrion spoke in a clear, almost casual, manner. However, as soon as he stopped speaking, Prince Sekt threw his papers onto the desk and glared at the older man.

  “So, she really did survive.” Sekt’s voice was forced, the wrinkles in his brow deepening.

  This was exactly what he’d feared.

  Princess Yuriarna was the previous queen’s daughter, and the other possible successor to the Rhoden Kingdom. She was supposed to have been killed by Prince Dakares—at least, that was Sekt’s plan when he framed Dakares and had him assassinated.

  Originally, Yuriarna had been his only target. However, it quickly became clear that Dakares planned to assassinate Sekt, which was how they’d found themselves here. Unfortunately, the group that Sekt sent to assassinate Yuriarna was attacked by monsters shortly afterward, and forced to flee. Sekt sent a second group to retrieve Yuriarna’s body, but they’d been unable to find the corpse, her carriage, or several of her guards.

  Kaecks Coraio du Brutios, son of Duke Brutios of the seven dukes, had been entrusted with the assassination. He confirmed Yuriarna’s death with his own eyes, but Lieutenant General Cetrion’s report said otherwise.

  “I wanted to get rid of Yuriarna by pinning the blame on that buffoon Dakares, but instead, I advanced her standing. This is the worst and least likely of outcomes…yet it happened.”

  Sekt let out a self-deprecating laugh that turned into a heavy sigh.

  He’d been given an heirloom necklace that his sister wore every day as proof that she was murdered. The fact that he had the necklace in his possession meant that, at least for a time, she’d been unconscious during the attack. Given the ferocity of the monsters that appeared shortly afterward, it seemed highly unlikely that Yuriarna could have escaped death’s clutches.

  Even if she somehow got past the monsters, it should have been impossible for her to reach human civilization so quickly with the injuries she’d sustained. Yet according to the report, Yuriarna was alive and well—with no apparent injuries—and had just appeared in Tiocera, in the Rhoden Kingdom.

  The whole situation was difficult to fathom.

  “What shall we do, Prince Sekt?” Cetrion broke the silence, and Sekt’s train of thought.

  The prince took several deep breaths to steady himself. Although he was the one who sent Kaecks to attack Yuriarna, he hadn’t caused her any harm directly. It was possible that she was unaware of Sekt’s involvement. However, if she figured out that he was behind it, he’d have no choice but to try and assassinate her again, no matter the risk.

  Sekt looked up. Cetrion was watching him intently.

  “We can’t afford to let our guard down. Can we have Yuriarna taken care of while she’s still in Tiocera?” There was an edge to Sekt’s words.

  Cetrion shook his head. “Unfortunately, Yuriarna is accompanied not only by thirty of her own guards, but another two hundred men flying the Grand Duchy’s flag.”

  “Dammit! Yuriarna’s sister is butting in, too?”

  Sekt chewed his lip. Yuriarna’s sister had married Duke Ticient, ruler of the Grand Duchy of Limbult. The sisters were even closer now than when they’d lived together. “Furthermore, I’ve heard reports that around thirty elven soldiers are accompanying Princess Yuriarna.”

  “What?! Elven soldiers?” Sekt’s face contorted in utter disbelief.

  The elves lived in the Great Canada Forest, which stretched along the Rhoden Kingdom’s eastern border. Their population was relatively small compared to the humans, but they lived long lives. Elven soldiers spent their time refining their fighting skills, particularly skills related to magic and swordsmanship. If thirty such soldiers protected Yuriarna, Sekt would need a sizable force to break through to her, which would draw considerable attention. A quick and simple assassination was out of the question.

  Unless…

  Sekt knitted his brow and crossed his arms. “Why are elves protecting Yuriarna?”

  It was an obvious question. The Rhoden Kingdom had once been at wa
r with the elves. Even today, relations were tense at best. Not only that, but the elves also escaped human oppression by hiding deep within the forest, refusing to trade with anyone but the Grand Duchy. It was practically unheard of to see elves in human domains.

  Sekt couldn’t be sure why the elves would go out of their way to enter the Rhoden Kingdom and protect Yuriarna, but deep inside, he sensed that it wasn’t a good thing.

  He looked back up at Cetrion, the hint of a grin tugging the corners of his lips. “Well, we’ve come this far. It’s not like we can just sit on our laurels and do nothing.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Meaning we should go greet my sister with open arms, and congratulate her on escaping Dakares’s assassination plot.”

  Sekt pounded his fist on his knee and looked out the window, a sly smile twisting his face.

  ***

  Two days later, Princess Yuriarna Merol Melissa Rhoden Olav and her forces entered Houvan, which was now safely under the control of Prince Sekt. She met her brother at an ancillary building in what had once been Lord Houvan’s castle. Her long, blond hair curled at the tips, accenting her snow-white skin. Her warm brown eyes were currently fixed on Prince Sekt, who stood across from her.

  Yuriarna plucked up the edges of her skirt and offered a low curtsy. Her movements were those of a refined royal family member, hardly what one might expect of the average sixteen-year-old. Sekt’s eyebrows rose at the fluidity of her motion, surprised that she showed no sign of injury.

  Yuriarna addressed him in a clear, curt tone. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, dear brother.”

  She was flanked by two men. One was Rendol du Frivtran, a young man with delicately combed brown hair and an angular chin. As the son of Lieutenant General Carlton, one of the seven dukes and commander of the Third Royal Army, Rendol had been entrusted with protecting Princess Yuriarna on her journey to Limbult. Rendol, who should have been the first to leap in front of Yuriarna when the assassins struck, also didn’t have a single injury on his body. In fact, it didn’t even look as though he’d been in a fight.

  At his side stood a large, brutish man, about two meters tall. A cloak marked with strange symbols covered his muscular body. The man had amethyst-colored skin, elongated ears, and short-cropped white hair. What appeared to be an old scar ran down the side of his face, giving him an intimidating appearance.

  In the interest of security, everyone had surrendered their weapons. Judging by the way this man carried himself, however, his bare hands would be more than enough to take out all the humans around him.

  Sekt tried to ignore the chill creeping up his spine, covering his discomfort with a warm smile. “Yuriarna, how great to see you! I was overjoyed to hear that you’re alive and well. The look on Father’s face was tragic when he heard the news of your death.”

  Yuriarna offered a gentle smile in return. “I thought I was done for when we were attacked. But, somehow, God smiled upon us and allowed us to get away unscathed.”

  “I was beyond surprised when I heard that Dakares was behind that vicious plot.” Sekt frowned deeply, letting out a heavy sigh.

  Yuriarna watched her brother quietly before responding. “I heard you were also hurt. Are you all right?”

  “My arm was injured, but it’s nothing serious. I thought I wouldn’t stand a chance in a duel against Dakares, but apparently, it was God’s will for me to survive as well.” Sekt’s tone was light, joking.

  Yuriarna’s eyebrows rose slightly. “During the announcement you made in the capital, about the uprising being Dakares’s doing, you also said that I died. Why?” Her determined gaze bored into her brother, her low voice taking on strange power.

  However, Sekt simply snorted, a look of anguish on his face as he let out another sigh. “Dakares had that heirloom necklace you received from your mother—the one you never take off. I assumed that meant you were no longer with us.”

  “But no one had seen my body?”

  “No. The remains of a number of your guards, and a large group of bandits, were found at the spot where we believed you were attacked. You were nowhere to be found. However, there were signs of animals scavenging in the area.”

  Monsters ran rampant through the woods, and it was common enough for them to drag corpses back to their lairs. Many people had disappeared in such a way, and being royalty made no difference to a monster.

  “But my carriage wasn’t found either. Correct?” Yuriarna continued her line of questioning.

  Sekt only frowned. “That’s also true. I thought that you might still be alive. But at that time, we had no information on your whereabouts, and no reports that you were safe. Add to that the fact that the cowards here in Houvan staged their uprising right when the royal family was at its lowest… Well, I had to make rather hurried decisions to remind the people of our family’s power. If I’d suggested you were alive, I’d have run the risk of your supporters stalling on sending troops to Houvan. That would not only have prolonged the uprising, but also placed a vital trade route in limbo. Power loathes a vacuum. Don’t you agree?”

  Yuriarna nodded, her face tense. “I suppose I would have done the same in your position.”

  Sekt appeared satisfied with that response, and brought his hands together, a wide smile on his face. “I’m so glad to hear that. Now, I have a question for you. How is it that all these Grand Duchy soldiers, as well as this dark elf, accompanied you?”

  Yuriarna cleared her throat. “My sister Seriarna provided the soldiers from Limbult to ensure my safe return to the capital. The dark elf here is Sir Fangas Flan Maple, a high elder from the Great Canada Forest.”

  Sekt regarded the muscle-bound elf. A high elder was quite an important figure. For him to show his face in the Grand Duchy was one thing, but this was the first time a dark elf had appeared publicly in the Rhoden Kingdom for many long years.

  Sekt’s voice was barely above a whisper. “You can’t possibly mean…a trade agreement?”

  Yuriarna nodded. “High Elder Fangas is accompanying me to the capital so that we can discuss opening trade between our nations.”

  Until that time, the Grand Duchy had been the only human nation that traded with the elves. Since the humans prized magical items for both their quality and utility, Limbult had amassed a sizable fortune merely by serving as an intermediary between the elves and other humans.

  If the Rhoden Kingdom also became a trade partner, that would destroy Limbult’s monopoly and severely cut into their profits. The fact that Yuriarna was under Limbult’s protection suggested that those details had already been worked out, however.

  “What will be subject to trade?”

  “First, we will make arrangements for cultivation rune stones.”

  Sekt swallowed hard. He tried to cover his sudden sense of dread with a cheerful response. “That will do wonders to help develop our country.”

  Cultivation rune stones had the power to increase a parcel of land’s harvest if crushed and spread on the soil. However, only the elves knew the method for manufacturing them. Despite the humans’ best efforts to reproduce cultivation rune stones, they’d come up empty-handed so far.

  With all the monsters roaming the land, the ability to increase food production in the already-cramped human domains could quite literally change a country’s fate. If the people got their hands on cultivation rune stones without going through the Grand Duchy, nobles throughout the Rhoden Kingdom would almost certainly swear allegiance to Yuriarna, all but assuring her the throne.

  Sekt’s shoulders slumped, his mind mulling this over.

  Yuriarna looked at him quizzically.

  “So, I assume you won’t be here long?” Sekt asked, putting on another cheerful smile. “You must be in a hurry to get to the capital.”

  “We’ll spend the evening here and depart for the capital at first light tomorrow morning.”

  “I see, I see. In that case, I’ll make arrangements for you to stay in another empty b
uilding so that you can rest.”

  A glimmer of suspicion flickered across Yuriarna’s face, but she quickly composed herself. She thanked Sekt and left the room.

  As soon as she was out of sight, Cetrion stepped from the shadows behind the prince. He spoke in a low voice. “What do you think?”

  Sekt dropped heavily into his chair, placing his hands palms-up on the armrests and slouching. “If we let these trade conversations happen, I’m guessing at least eight percent of the nobles will support her succession.”

  “And?”

  Sekt shook his head. “We’ll have to concede this round to her. If I did anything to Yuriarna at this point, the whole trade discussion would go up in smoke. We need her plan to succeed, not only for the country’s sake, but for the royal family’s sake as well. I do find it a bit ironic, though, that we’ve become reliant on a species that barely reproduces in order to secure a sufficient food supply.” An inscrutable smile spread across Sekt’s face. “Besides, I already control Tiocera and Houvan, two major stopping points for trade with Limbult. I’m not exactly leaving everything on the table for my dear sister. I’ll need to speak with Lord Tiocera, to make sure he doesn’t get any funny ideas.”

  Cetrion nodded.

  “Knowing Yuriarna, she’ll almost certainly use the cultivation rune stones on barren land, which will undoubtedly sow discord among those with fertile land. Yuriarna is likely aware of that, but there are only so many rune stones to go around. It shouldn’t be difficult for me to win over the nobility who feel neglected. Support may sway toward her temporarily, but the pendulum will assuredly come swinging back.” The prince’s smile grew even more ominous. “No need to worry. Haste makes waste, as Dakares learned. I plan on leaving the crown to my own son, and that starts with choosing the proper allies.”

  Sekt closed his eyes, his smile stretching ever wider.

  Intermission:

  Ariane and Chiyome’s