Invaders of the Rokujouma!? Volume 8.5

by Takehaya

  The population of Fornorn was over a hundred thousand. Compared to analogous historical cities on Earth, it was quite large. Before the invention of the steam engine, there was an effective limit to how large a city could grow. All things considered, a population of over a hundred thousand in this age was more than enough to qualify Fornorn as a metropolis.

  And because it was such a large city, the military presence there was equally large. Since it was the capital, they could easily expect ten thousand soldiers to be waiting for them. If the coup d’etat army mobilized all its forces, it could even be several times that. But since the coup d’etat army was also busy suppressing riots and maintaining the borders, Alaia and the others weren’t expecting that kind of turnout. Even then, however, ten thousand men was quite a sizeable force.

  “Still... this is strange.”

  “That’s true. Why haven’t they deployed?”

  “Who knows? Let’s just hope they don’t go for a scorched earth strategy...”

  The Reborn Forthorthian Army had moved to surround the city limits of Fornorn. They were eight thousand strong, but with reinforcements on the way, they would soon number closer to ten thousand. But despite their approach, the coup d’etat army showed no sign of intercepting them. In fact, they hardly seemed to care. The capital was being marched on and they hadn’t even taken up defensive positions.

  “Princess Alaia doesn’t want that kind of battle.”

  “How rude. I don’t either, you know.”

  “Sorry, Clan.”

  “Just how long is it going to take for you to acknowledge me as a princess?”

  “I said I was sorry.”

  What Koutarou and Clan feared the most was that the coup d’etat army had actually deployed their troops inside the city. If the city turned into a battlefield, there would be serious collateral damage and likely civilian casualties. They couldn’t risk reducing the capital to ashes, even if it was to catch the masterminds behind the coup d’etat. That would be doing more harm than good.

  “More importantly, if that’s their goal, we need to find a way to launch an assault directly on the palace.”

  “More importantly... Jeez... Repairs on the Cradle will be finished soon. If we use that, it might be possible.”

  “All right. Gather some more intel for us, Clan. Concentrate on the area around the barracks.”

  “I understand. I’ll have something more in-depth for you before the reconnaissance team returns.”

  Koutarou and the others were taking the utmost care in making their move on Fornorn. Considering what would happen after the war, it wasn’t enough just to suppress the coup d’etat. That was one of the tricky parts of a civil war. If they fought in a way or did anything that might upset the citizenry and lead to further riots or uprisings, the civil war would never really be over. Both Forthorthe and Earth were full of examples of civil wars that had come to such poor, drawn-out endings.

  “Your Excellency! You must hear this!”

  The young man who served as Koutarou’s adjutant suddenly jumped into Koutarou and Clan’s tent. Normally he would never do something like that. He was a polite man and always announced his presence, so his entrance alone told Koutarou that something serious had happened.

  “Calm down, man. What is it?”

  Koutarou switched to his Blue Knight persona and immediately asked the adjutant what had happened. He could tell that it was something important, but he knew he wouldn’t get anything useful out of his adjutant while he was panicking. In order to settle him down, Koutarou spoke to him in a calm voice.

  “W-Well, the coup d’etat army has surrendered!”

  “What?!”

  “Wh-What did you say?!”

  However, upon hearing his report, Koutarou and Clan lost their cool too.

  The reason the coup d’etat army had surrendered was because the masterminds, Maxfern and Grevanas, had gone missing in action. Allegedly they vanished a few days ago and hadn’t been seen since. The alchemists and court magicians had disappeared as well, taking only their proteges with them. Not only were they gone, but they had left the coup d’etat army without any specific orders. Like a child who had grown tired of a toy, Maxfern seemed to have simply tossed them aside.

  “...And since we don’t want to go to battle either, we are now surrendering.”

  “I understand, but it’s rather hard to believe...”

  Though the coup d’etat army messenger had spelled everything out for Koutarou, he was absolutely baffled. He understood what the messenger was saying, but it was hard for him to take at face value.

  “I can understand why you feel that way, but it is the truth.”

  The coup d’etat army messenger seemed to be equally perplexed by it all. The situation had thrown them for a loop too, and he did his best to explain that to Koutarou.

  “Your Excellency, I sent a scouting party to confirm. What this man says is all true. Maxfern and Grevanas were nowhere to be found in the palace, and the alchemists’ atelier and the wizards’ tower were completely empty as well.”

  The adjutant corroborated the messenger’s story.

  “Hmm... I see. I suppose that leaves both sides at a loss.”

  “I am glad you understand.”

  Even though it was nearly unthinkable, it was the truth. Maxfern and Grevanas had abandoned the coup d’etat army and vanished from Fornorn.

  “Clan.”

  Now that he had a grasp of the situation, Koutarou beckoned Clan over. Once she was close enough, he leaned in so he could whisper to her.

  “What’s going on? There was nothing like this in the play.”

  “I don’t know either. According to history, the Blue Knight should have fought against Maxfern and Grevanas...”

  In both Theia’s manuscript and Forthorthe’s records, the Blue Knight did battle with Maxfern and Grevanas. Though the exact details of their fight varied from historical account to historical account, there was no question that they did indeed fight.

  Despite that, Maxfern and Grevanas were nowhere to be found even though the Blue Knight had made it to the capital to face them. Theia’s manuscript was largely historically accurate, and according to it, the decisive battle took place in Fornorn. That’s why Koutarou and Clan had believed that they would be walking into a fight. It only seemed natural with how the war had been proceeding. All in all, this was about the last thing anyone had expected.

  “If history is different from the script, what do we do now?”

  “This doesn’t feel right, but Alaia has to ascend the throne. That’s the endgame, so let’s just work towards that.”

  “All right, let’s start with that.”

  After his private talk with Clan, Koutarou turned back to the messenger.

  “We will accept your surrender. Prepare to receive us right away.”

  “Th-Thank you very much, Your Excellency!”

  Hearing Koutarou’s answer, the messenger’s expression brightened up. He was also stumped by the current situation. It was so strange that he’d known coming in to this that there was a chance that Koutarou wouldn’t believe him. If he suspected it was a trap, he very well may have been killed on the spot, so he was truly relieved that Koutarou had come around. With this, the war would be over and he could safely return to his family. It was an emotional moment for him, and that intense emotion expressed itself in the tears streaming down his cheeks.

  “Jeez...”

  Koutarou let out a small sigh and lowered his shoulders. Seeing that, Clan furrowed her brow.

  “It’s still too early to relax, Veltlion.”

  “Well, I know, but... it’s better if the war comes to an end.”

  “That’s true. It’s not like I don’t understand how you feel.”

  Koutarou was relieved. No matter how many battles he went through, he had no love for war. If the fighting was truly over now, he was glad of it. Though it bothered him that history had changed, he was still ultimately relieved. The
same was true for Clan. Though she’d scolded Koutarou for relaxing, she too felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.

  However, all their relief was premature.

  “Veltlion, it’s terrible!”

  With the end of the war in sight, the atmosphere in the tent was light, if not relaxed. That changed immediately when Flair jumped in, the blood visibly drained from her face.

  “Princess Alaia and Princess Charl have been kidnapped by Maxfern!”

  Those words would raise the curtain on the final battle.

  While Koutarou and the others were distracted at the capital, Maxfern had ambushed Alaia’s forces that were positioned in the rear. With the entirety of the coup d’etat army left in Fornorn, nobody had expected a surprise attack from the rear like this.

  Maxfern had used a flock of strange, winged monsters to attack. They were creatures summoned by Grevanas and his court magicians, and they descended on Alaia’s camp on command. The unexpected aerial ambush sent the soldiers into a panic and the Reborn Forthorthian Army was scattered. Alaia and Charl were kidnapped, and Mary and Fauna were taken with them since they were all in the same tent together.

  After that, Maxfern left the Reborn Forthorthian Army an odd message. It stated that Koutarou should come to Sariachal Castle without his army.

  “So, what kind of place is this Sariachal Castle?”

  While riding on horseback, Koutarou called out to Lidith. The name “Sariachal” hadn’t appeared in Theia’s manuscript, so Koutarou was unfamiliar with it.

  “Sariachal is northwest of Fornorn. It’s an old castle that the Maxfern family used to manage. It fell out of use around the time Fornorn was being built, so it should be abandoned now.”

  Lidith answered Koutarou’s question while skillfully handling her horse. She seemed to have natural skill at many things, and she was certainly a far better rider than Koutarou was. She had no trouble keeping up a conversation at a full gallop as she rode beside him.

  “This is without a doubt a trap, Veltlion.”

  Clan, however, was riding together with Flair since she could only make a horse walk at best. She was in such bad shape that it took almost everything she had just to hold on to Flair and not fall off, but even in that condition, she was primarily worried for Koutarou.

  “They’re going to kill Alaia-san and the others either way. They probably just want to get rid of you before that.”

  To Maxfern and Grevanas who had started the coup d’etat, Alaia and Charl were just a nuisance. To them, getting rid of the princesses would be the most efficient way for their coup to succeed. So Alaia and Charl would be killed eventually, regardless of if Koutarou showed up or not.

  But Koutarou was in more immediate danger than Alaia and Charl were. If Alaia and Charl were to die, Koutarou, as the army commander, could lead his troops in a battle to avenge their fallen princesses, which could be devastating for the coup d’etat. It was even possible that the Reborn Forthorthian Army would gain momentum that way rather than lose it.

  And Maxfern wanted to avoid that. The ideal scenario for him right now seemed to be capturing Koutarou, Alaia, and Charl and keeping whatever happened to them quiet. He could kill them if he wanted, but as long as he made the citizens believe they were still alive, he wouldn’t have to deal with any sort of backlash.

  “I won’t let them do that! No matter what happens, I will save the princesses! Even if it costs me my life!”

  Flair’s expression filled with rage and she spurred her horse. Her fury ran deep. She was always intense, and that was now directed at Maxfern, the evil man who had taken her highly esteemed princess hostage.

  “Please calm down, Lady Pardomshiha. If I let you die, Princess Alaia will scold me.”

  “But Veltlion, there’s no point in being careful if Princess Alaia and Princess Charl perish!”

  Flair couldn’t get there fast enough. The unthinkable had happened. The situation was so extreme that there wasn’t an ounce of composure left in this normally dignified girl.

  “Please slow your horse a little, Lady Pardomshiha. At this rate, your horse will collapse before we get there.”

  “Ugh, s-sorry...”

  Flair blushed a little as she heeded Koutarou’s advice and slowed down some. If she taxed her horse too much, she would never make it to her destination. Similarly, if she pushed herself too hard, she wouldn’t be able to accomplish what she wanted. Realizing she’d gotten too worked up, Flair admonished herself.

  “Still, what are we going to do, Blue Knight?”

  Caris, who was flying along with them on her staff, pulled up next to Koutarou. In her case, she was better at using her magic than she was at riding a horse. She even flew backwards so she could face Koutarou as they talked.

  “If we keep going like this, we’ll walk right into their trap. And there’s just five of us, so there’s a limit to what we can do.”

  In total, their team was only five strong: Koutarou, Lidith, Flair, Clan, and Caris. It hardly seemed like enough for a royal rescue operation. And knowing that they were heading into a trap, it wasn’t just Caris that was worried.

  “Well, I guess we can’t get too hung up on pretense... Clan.”

  “What’s with that face?”

  Clan’s stomach sank when she saw the serious look on Koutarou’s face. At a time like this, it could only be a prelude to something reckless.

  “You didn’t come up some stupid plan again, did you?”

  “I might have. Clan, we can’t be picky in this situation. We’ll need to use all our resources to save Princess Alaia and the others.”

  “...Are you sure?”

  Clan indicated the other girls with a quick glance. “All their resources” included the Cradle and the equipment it carried, but resorting to that would be the same as admitting to Flair and the others who they really were. It was on a completely different level from being seen flying or using some advanced weaponry. There was a high chance they’d be changing the future of Forthorthe if they exposed the people of this age to that level of technology.

  “Yeah. The end is nigh, and it’s just like Caris said. There’s a limit to what we can do with just the five of us.”

  “...I understand.”

  Clan nodded her head. Though there was a risk, Clan believed that Koutarou was right. They could trust Flair and the others, and it was true that they didn’t have enough people. It was better to risk exposing their identities than losing Alaia and Charl.

  “And prepare that thing too. We might need it.”

  “Th-That too?! I’m still in the process of adjusting it and―”

  “Like I said, we can’t get too hung up on pretense.”

  Koutarou smiled as he spoke. It was a wicked grin he normally only flashed when telling Clan a dark joke, but something felt different about it this time. Seeing it, something suddenly hit Clan.

  “Veltlion, is there any chance you’re unbelievably angry?”

  It looked like Koutarou was behaving calmly to Clan, but there was a palpable rage behind that smile. Maxfern and Grevanas had touched something that they shouldn’t have.

  “No, I’m perfectly calm,” Koutarou replied as he touched the insignia on his chest.

  “Right, calm... Okay, jeez... This might not end well...”

  Based on Koutarou’s gesture, Clan was certain that he was angry. He was only acting calm so that he wouldn’t alarm the people around him. But the fact that she was starting to see cracks in his acting—which had been perfect all the while they’d been here—Clan considered proof that he was livid like she’d never seen him before.

  I guess I never really had a chance of winning against such a nonsensical man...

  Thinking about it, she realized Koutarou must have been the same way when she had fought him. And now understanding exactly why she’d lost, Clan could sense that the battle they were riding towards was going to be fierce.

  After being taken to the old castle of Sariachal, Alaia and the others w
ere confined in its dungeon for a time. After a few hours, they were then taken to the castle garden. It was a rather desolate place. Positioned between the gate and the castle, there was once an abundance of plants and statues there to welcome visitors. The castle was long abandoned, however, and there was no longer anyone to maintain the garden. The plants were withered, the sculptures worn and cracked. The fountain, no longer working, was full of dirt. The huge, dilapidated garden, over a hundred meters across, was a dismal place indeed.

  Alaia and the others were brought out to the garden and bound to wooden stakes driven into the ground. They were tied up tightly enough that they could barely move, much less try to escape. As things were, it was growing harder and harder to stay positive. The situation was especially taxing on the young Charl.

  “What’s going to happen now...?”

  Charl let out a fraught sigh and furrowed her brow. Seeing that, Fauna and Mary smiled and tried to cheer her up.

  “We’ll be fine! There’s no way we’d lose to villains like them!”

  “That’s right! Layous-sama will definitely come save us!”

  Talking to each other and trying to cheer each other up was really all the girls could do now that they were unable to move.

  “I know! I know that! But...”

  “Charl... You’re scared that Layous-sama will come, aren’t you?”

  Alaia was painfully aware of how Charl felt. She too knew that Koutarou would come to rescue them, and that was exactly the problem.

  “Sister, Blue Knight is an idiot, so he’ll definitely come! He’ll be killed trying to save us!”

  “Charl...”

  Koutarou would have his hands tied with Alaia and the others as hostages. He’d be in danger because of them, and most likely killed. There didn’t seem to be any way around it, and the thought terrified the two princesses.

  “It will be fine, Charl. Layous-sama will definitely win. Our Blue Knight won’t die that easily.”

  Alaia continued to try to comfort Charl. As much as she wanted to believe her own words, she too was sure that Koutarou would come and that he’d then let himself be killed without putting up a fight. Alaia knew just what kind of person Koutarou was. That’s why she loved him. But she just couldn’t bring herself to tell her trembling little sister the truth.