If that really happened, if the opponent were merely Goblin or Orc foot soldiers, she was still confident that she would be able to take the heads of one or two hundred before retreating. But if there were Ogre crossbow archers or Dark Sorcery squads within the enemy, things wouldn’t be so easy.
Although it was said that Integrity Knights possessed the strength of a thousand in one, it was as described: that was only one. If the Knight was confronted with a focused range attack from afar where neither his swordsmanship nor his techniques were able to match, he would definitely suffer injuries. Even if they were light injuries, if they built up over time, they would eventually reach the upper limit of his Life. That was the greatest weakness of the Human Empire’s defense that Knight Commander Bercouli has worried about for years.
With the stickler for gathering power, Administrator, now dead, the large amount of defense weapons buried in the Cathedral were already distributed among the hurriedly assembled guard team. But their remaining time was too little. At least, if they had 10,000 soldiers, and a year of preparation—
With a soft sigh, Alice pushed away these meaningless thoughts and motioned for Amayori to land.
The plain at the center of the guard team camp had a large clearing. Seeing a huge tent beside it, Alice knew that the clearing could only be a landing field for dragons.
Flying down and landing in an arc, Amayori struck the grass with her talons, turned towards the tent, and gave a high “kuruuu” call.
Quickly, a slightly lower call responded. That was probably her brother-dragon, Takiguri. As soon as the dragon came to a stop, Alice held Kirito, jumped down onto the grass, and helped Amayori unload the heavy load on her feet. Afterwards, Amayori shot excitedly towards the tent, and rubbed heads with her brother, who had extended his head out of the tent.
Alice couldn’t help but smile. However, she instantly noticed footsteps approaching from behind, and frantically tightened her face. She adjusted her plain skirt and tucked her wind-blown hair behind her back.
Before she could turn around, a familiar, easygoing voice rang across the landing field.
“Sensei! Mentor Alice-sama!! I knew you would come!”
The one sliding over with pattering footsteps was Integrity Knight Eldrie Synthesis Thirty-One, whom Alice had parted with ten days ago. Although they were in a long-term camp, his pattan-colored long curls and silver-white armor were as spotless as always.
“… You seem spirited.”
At Alice’s cold words, Eldrie’s long eyelashes that trembled in great surprise, and the corner of his lips that seemed as though they had something to say — froze completely.
Of course, he had noticed the black-haired youth that Alice held with her left hand.
Straining the left part of his face, throwing back his head, the young Knight put on a look of disbelief and said:
“You brought him… huh. Why.”
Alice threw out her chest in defiance and replied:
“Of course. Because I have sworn to protect him.”
“Bu, but… If there is battle, we Integrity Knights will need to be at the very front line. What’s going to happen when we cross swords with the enemy? You can’t possibly fight while carrying him on your back.”
“If I need to, I will do so.”
As though she were hiding from Eldrie’s sight, Alice leaned slightly as she held Kirito’s frail body, which was unable to stand on its own. But, somehow, the soldiers and lower Integrity Knights on break had all gathered around the landing field. They watched Alice with gleaming eyes, and Kirito with surprised expressions.
To drown out the wave-like hubbub, Eldrie retorted sharply.
“You can’t, my mentor! Please forgive my directness, but if you carry this useless load to battle, not only will our strength be halved, but you yourself will fall into danger; this is definitely not okay! In the coming battle, Alice-sama will…”
He interrupted himself, and suddenly pointed at the surrounding swordsmen with an ornate silver armguard.
“…be responsible as their leader in battle! How can you not give this your all?!”
He had a point. Although he wasn’t wrong, Alice couldn’t just reply with that. To herself, which one — protecting the world, protecting Kirito; both were equally important. Alice clenched her teeth as she thought of a way to explain this.
At the same time, she was surprised at Eldrie’s tone and attitude.
There was a certain change from the Integrity Knight Eldrie that had underwent Alice’s tutoring in swordsmanship. Then, he had worshipped Alice, and had listened to her no matter what she told him to do.
This was also definite. The people in the world had their right eyes sealed by the mysterious «Outside Gods», absolutely not defying laws or authority. To Alice’s knowledge, the only ones who have successfully broken the seal are herself, and the deceased Blue Rose Swordsman Eugeo. Even Administrator and Cardinal, said to have Authority of Gods, were unable to defy that seal.
In other words, Eldrie was supposed to be still under the control of that seal. But now — he wasn’t directly disobeying Alice’s words, but he should still obey her if she forcefully commanded him. But he was definitely not in a state of [blind loyalty] like before. He could think for himself, and convey his own thoughts.
The reasons for this change are Kirito and Eugeo.
Although he had only come into brief contact with the two biggest traitors in the world, they had deeply moved Eldrie’s soul.
As Alice recalled, even her sister Selka living in Rulid, occasionally revealed dissatisfaction with the formal regulations on the village and resilient figures of authority. Also — the two female students who walked out of the crowd when Alice had taken Kirito and Eugeo from Centoria Training Academy. As normal citizens, and young girls, to actually talk by their own will to an Integrity Knight was in itself impossible.
Finally — even Alice herself had been affected.
Before she crossed swords with Kirito and fell out of the Cathedral, she held not a sliver of doubt against the structure of the world, the rule of the Church, and the godliness of the Highest Minister.
But, in the time that she had to join forces with him to repel danger, accept a truce, and climb up the outer wall, Kirito’s voice, sword, and pitch-black eyes strongly moved Alice — eventually breaking the Seal of the Right Eye…
Yes, Kirito is the sledgehammer that swings towards this world full of lies. The one who expended the strength of his own limited body and soul, to move the world, shake, and eventually shatter the ancient nail calling itself the Axiom Church, that was driven into the center of the world. But, as price to pay, he sacrificed his friend Eugeo and guide Cardinal, and lost his own heart…
Alice tightly hugged the twig-like body that she supported with her left hand. Then, she looked directly at Eldrie.
She wanted to say it. You are who you are today because of this person’s struggle. But, he definitely would not understand it. As far as the Integrity Knights were concerned, Kirito will always be a hateful traitor.
Towards Alice who stood there silently, Eldrie wore an expression that looked like he was resisting heavy pain, and just as he was about to continue.
At this time, the wall of people around them, as though parted by the hand of a giant, was suddenly cut open.
“Hey, there’s no need to be so angry, Eldrie.”
The young Knight snapped his legs together with a flourish and straightened his back. Alice slowly turned her head around as well.
Light gray clothes full of eastern territory style worn softly and gathered in front. A dark blue sash tied slightly low. A rough longsword stuck simply on his left waist. However, strange wooden shoes hung off of his feet.
This was a casual attire far less effective than that of those worn by the surrounding Knights and soldiers. But, the gravity that effused from the completely trained, gigantic body, was heavier than any armor.
Sweeping his ice-blue hair tha
t was trimmed very short, and of a similar color to his clothes, the owner of the voice chuckled, covering his mouth.
“Oh, little girl. You’re more spirited than I imagined; that reassures me. Has your face gotten plumper?”
“… Mentor-sama. It has been a long time.”
Alice held back tears as she squeezed a trembling voice out, forced a shallow smile, and saluted to the world’s oldest, strongest swordsman — Integrity Knight Bercouli Synthesis One.
In the six years of Alice’s life as an Integrity Knight, she had only opened up to one person, revered him as her master, and respected him as she would her father. At the same time, she was sure that in this world, only he — apart from Kirito — was the one person whom she could not win against.
Therefore, she absolutely could not weep in front of him.
If Bercouli said that they could not keep Kirito here, she could only obey. Of course, the Alice now couldn’t be forced by even Bercouli’s orders. But, if she disobeyed in front of everyone else, it would disturb the order of the Knights and guards. In this situation in which they had but five days until the decisive battle, she absolutely could not harm Bercouli’s leadership authority in any way.
As though he had seen completely seen through Alice’s inner hesitation, Bercouli slowly walked over, the corners of his mouth maintaining a soft smile.
Gazing into Alice’s eyes, he nodded forcefully.
Then, the Knight Commander glanced behind him at Eldrie, who looked about to say something, suppressing him, and turned to look at Kirito, in Alice’s arms.
Bercouli tightened his mouth. A light like bluish-white flames accumulated into those sharp eyes.
Bercouli inhaled a deep breath. Then, Alice felt the air around her swiftly becoming cold.
“…Mentor-sama…”
Alice squeezed out a strained voice.
Bercouli was building up his fighting intent. He was preparing to release the «Incarnate Technique» only inheritable by Integrity Knights… A secret technique more powerful than the «Incarnate Wrist» that could move objects with the power of one’s heart.
Imbuing his concentrated will into a sword, and releasing it. That invisible blade could sometimes parry the tangible blade of an enemy. The Armament Full Control Art of the Knight Commander’s Divine Instrument, the «Time Piercing Sword» that could cut even the future, was a technique that first came into existence based on Bercouli’s crushing willpower.
In other words — did Bercouli plan to slice Kirito?
If he did as he said and sliced this problem clean away with a sword, then that would be the one thing that Alice could not accept. If it came to that, Alice must draw her own sword to protect Kirito.
Suppressed by the Knight Commander’s extremely crushing fighting intent, no matter whether it was the surrounding soldiers, or Eldrie, or even the dragons under the tent, everyone sank into a deep silence. In the air compressed so tightly to the point of suffocation, Alice commanded her right hand fingers to move with all her might.
But, just as Alice touched her beloved sword’s hilt, the corners of Bercouli’s mouth twitched, and a thought-like sound came.
—It’s okay, little girl.
“……?!”
In that instant when Alice held her breath.
Bercouli’s body was completely still, but his two eyes flashed a shocking light.
At the same time, in Alice’s arms, Kirito’s body jerked violently.
PIN!!! With a rough noise, the space between Bercouli and Kirito reverberated with a silver flash.
—This is?!
Alice gasped in shock, but Bercouli smiled jovially as though his fighting intent just now was a fantasy.
“M…Mentor-sama…?”
Turning towards the numbly mumbling Alice, the oldest swordsman scratched his wide chin, the same as when they had practiced together before:
“Little girl, did you see that just now?”
“Yes… Yes, I did. Even though it was just an instant… It appeared to be the flash of a sword clash…?”
“Yeah. I released the small blade of an incomplete Slash of Incarnation at that young man. If it had struck, it would probably have sliced a bit of skin off of his face.”
“If it… struck? Then that means…”
“Indeed, he stopped it. That young man used his own «Incarnation».”
Alice couldn’t help but steal a glance at Kirito’s face that her left arm supported.
But, her expectations were shattered. In the slightly open black pupils, there was only empty darkness. No expression whatsoever, as always.
—But his body did tremble just now.
Alice felt Kirito’s hair with her right hand, and looked at Bercouli. The Knight Commander shook his head slowly, and said assuredly:
“It seems like that young man’s heart is really not here… But, he’s most certainly not dead. Listen, the one the young man wanted to protect just now was not himself, but you, little girl. So, there will be a day when he will come back. I think so. Around when you really get into danger, little girl.”
Alice could only blink back her tears more forcefully than before.
—Yes, he will definitely come back.
—Because Kirito… Kirito is the strongest swordsman in the world. He swung two swords and even killed that half-god person.
—Was it for me…? I can’t say that. If he comes back for the many people living in this world…
Alice could not resist anymore; she lowered her head, hugging Kirito tightly and buried her head into his shoulder. The didactic voice of the Knight Commander passed over her head:
“So, Eldrie. Don’t say it so selfishly like that, he’s just a youngster, so take care of him.”
“But…. But…”
The most astute Integrity Knight Eldrie described his opinions to Bercouli with even more admirable spirit.
“It would be okay if he had the least bit of strength, but in this state… Besides, even if he recovered, what can the sword of a student do…?”
“Hey, hey.”
With a calm smile, Bercouli’s words were as sharp as knives.
“Have you forgotten? This boy’s partner has won against even me. He’s beaten Integrity Knight Bercouli Synthesis One.”
Instantly, the entire grassy field was silent again.
“That kid called Eugeo… He’s strong, stronger than you can believe. I even Released Recollections of my Time Piercing Sword. I still lost. Like you, Deusolbert, and like Fanatio.”
Now, Eldrie was at a loss for words. Of course, a swordsman winning one-on-one against Bercouli, no matter among the Integrity Knights, or in the Dark Territory on the other side of that door, shouldn’t exist — everyone strongly believed this in the Axiom Church.
But, in a certain meaning, wasn’t this a dangerous way of thinking?
Knight Commander Bercouli was able to lead the assembled guard with the authority of the strongest one. But, he made known the existence of a swordsman Eugeo whom he had been defeated by — and even acknowledged that Eugeo and Kirito were on the same side, then…
As Alice was thinking, just as she was about to raise her head.
SAO 15 - Alicization Invading Page 24