by Ryota Hori
“What... Your Grace! What are you saying?!”
“I said I see no reason to refuse, Durnest. Celia surely has a reason to come here bearing such a request.”
While Durnest argued vehemently, Lionel spoke with a strikingly calm tone.
“However, Celia, first you must present your reason. Why does a palace thaumaturgist require the soldiers? As Durnest asked, does Gaius know of your actions?”
That was a question which anyone without knowledge of the situation would be right to ask. Celia restrained the sorrow bubbling up in her heart to answer the Emperor’s question.
“My apologies, Your Grace. The truth is, Grandfather... excuse me, Gaius Valkland has been assassinated by someone.”
Her words echoed loudly through the audience chamber, and silence dominated, everyone seemingly forgetting to breathe for a moment. Her declaration left Lionel and Durnest beyond words. After all, Gaius was the greatest thaumaturgist in the empire, who stood at Durnest’s side in running O’ltormea’s internal, diplomatic and military affairs.
“I-It cannot be. Sir Gaius is... dead?”
“Impossible. It is impossible! Celia!”
Words of denial came from both of them in unison. The two of them could not believe her, for they knew of Gaius’s strength. Or perhaps their combined will was refusing to accept that their comrade, with whom they had shared their joys and sorrows since youth, and who had supported their empire, was dead.
“I’m sad to say it is true, Your Grace... Gaius Valkland was assassinated.”
Silence once again fell over the room, and Lionel was the first to break it.
“Why? Why was Gaius killed? Who could have... What happened?”
Celia could hear a low, heavy sound. Lionel was restraining his wrath, gripping the armrest of his throne tightly.
“There is much we do not know for certain yet. We do not have proof, nor witnesses. But we do know there is someone who could very well be the culprit, based on the circumstances.”
“Who is it?”
The armrest screeched.
“Sir Gaius was scheduled to perform a summoning today. Since all the soldiers brought to guard the rite were also slain, it is safe to assume that the killer was the otherworlder he summoned.”
“I-Impossible. I cannot believe it...” Durnest, who had remained silent for a long time, finally managed to speak.
They had summoned countless otherworlders before, and there had never been any problems until now.
“We’ve also discerned there is a high probability he is posing as one of the castle’s soldiers. I realize how forward this is, but for the time being I had the captain of the Imperial Guard, Sir Rolfe, and third-seat palace thaumaturgist Orlando prepare their units to give chase. We’re ready to begin pursuit as soon as you grant permission, Your Grace.”
After hearing that much, Lionel was quick to give his decision.
“You have my permission! Writing a decree will take time, so take this sword as proof of my life and order!”
Having said this, the Emperor unsheathed the sword at his waist and threw it to Celia. This was the moment the Emperor himself recognized this situation as a state of emergency of the highest caliber.
“Celia. Gaius was my trusted confidant, a friend across decades, a teacher to me... And a pillar supporting my country.”
Lionel’s voice echoed at her back as she made her way out of the audience chamber.
“Yes, my Lord.” She could only nod at his words.
Of course, unlike Celia, there was no blood relation between Gaius and the Emperor, but his words made it clear that there was a bond that transcended familial closeness between them.
Even the Emperor, who stands at the top of this country, laments his passing...
Those honest, guileless words made Celia understand just how important her grandfather truly was.
“To think Gaius was assassinated... This is a declaration of war against the empire of O’ltormea itself. Find the culprit who did this and apprehend him, and if he cannot be restrained, you may end his life!”
Celia lowered her head deeply before the Emperor in respect and gratitude, then left the room. Lionel heaved a heavy sigh, and spoke to the curtain behind the throne.
“Shardina. Did you hear everything?”
“Yes, Father.”
The voice that answered Lionel’s call was that of a woman in her early twenties. She had golden, wavy hair that was tied together at its top and reached down to her waist. She was tall, but had a well-proportioned form. Most of all, she was a striking woman with the same blue eyes as the Emperor.
“I’ve only just received a report from my subordinates, as well. There’s no mistaking that Sir Gaius is dead. A fire broke out in the infirmary at the same time, and a single soldier went missing as it happened. Lady Celia seems to be under the impression that the missing soldier in question is the otherworlder.”
“I see... And what do you think, Shardina?”
“I believe her assertion about the culprit’s identity is correct. If nothing else, I do not believe this is an assassination by one of the neighboring countries. However...”
“However, what?” Lionel’s gaze bore into Shardina as she spoke in an elusive manner.
“I think her chances of apprehending the culprit are decidedly low.” Shardina answered the question timidly.
“What?!” Durnest exclaimed in surprise. “Lady Shardina, are you claiming it’s impossible for Lady Celia?!”
The Emperor himself had approved this order, but Shardina claimed it would be near impossible to apprehend the culprit.
“Sir Durnest, my claim does not stem from a lack of belief in Lady Celia’s abilities.” Shardina shook her head without flinching away from Durnest’s red face. “Even if I myself were to take command, I believe the chances would be slim. In fact, I doubt anyone would succeed.”
“Why?!” Durnest shouted, despite knowing how disrespectful it may have seemed.
“We do not know the face or age of the otherworlder, so how are we to capture him?”
“What? What do you mean?” Lionel raised his voice in surprise.
Celia hadn’t taken into account that they did not know the killer’s face. Without showing a hint of discomposure at her father’s backwards glance, Shardina continued her explanation plainly.
“All the soldiers that were present in the summoning chamber under Sir Gaius’s command were slain. When he was taken to the infirmary, he was under the guise of a soldier and did not remove his helmet, so no one confirmed his face. The soldiers who took him to the infirmary and the doctor present were likewise slain. As a result, no one knows what this man looks like. All we know is that he’s a well-built young man.”
O’ltormea’s capital city was a great city of unrivaled size in the western continent, as one would expect of a powerful empire. If the only description they had to go on was ‘a well-built young man,’ it would be hard to narrow that down to just one man in this sprawling city.
On top of that, forcing a blockade on such a large city was quite difficult. If the neighboring countries learned that a single man slew a high ranking court thaumaturgist, it would leave a lasting scar on the nation’s dignity.
“How dreadful...” Lionel groaned before the reality his beloved daughter had pointed out. “Then, how is Celia to track down the culprit?”
“It is a gamble, Your Grace. The fact the otherworlder is disguised as a soldier is good for us. We must interrogate any soldiers trying to switch out of uniform near the castle, or hurriedly trying to leave. Even if it is impossible, we may yet obtain some information. It is because Lady Celia understood this that she was in such a hurry.”
Shardina’s words made Lionel sink into his thoughts. Then, he spoke again in a low voice.
“I see. So there is a chance?”
“Yes. However...”
“Good! As long as we know that much. Shardina! You too are to take command of the knights and join
the search.”
Shardina was unable to hide her annoyance at Lionel’s words. For all he was concerned, so long as the probability wasn’t zero, that was enough.
“Y-Your Grace?” Durnest’s face filled with suspense. “Is removing Princess Shardina from your presence wise?”
Shardina was charged with being the last line of defense to protect the Emperor. She had never, not once, been relieved of this duty. Durnest’s concerns, then, were justified. The Empire of O’ltormea became as grand as it was because it had brought its neighbors to submission by constant pressure and absorbed them as vassals. As such, there were still sparks of discord smoldering, both domestically and abroad. An assassin could make an attempt on the Emperor’s life at any time.
“I said cease your obstinance, Durnest!” Lionel, however, cut down his concerns without mercy.
He then turned his gaze back to Shardina, and exclaimed loudly:
“Shardina Eisenheit, first princess of the Empire of O’ltormea and captain of the Succubus Knights! Regroup with Celia and proceed with the search for the culprit!”
His sharp gaze stabbed into her. Lionel’s eyes flickered with unwavering resolve, which could also be understood from the fact he called his daughter by her full name.
“As you wish, Father. I will do so to the best of my ability, however poor it may be.”
Sensing her father the Emperor’s will, Shardina lowered her head and left the audience chamber quietly.
That was the moment the Empire of O’ltormea acknowledged Ryoma Mikoshiba as its enemy.
At last, only the two of them remained in the audience chamber. After a long silence, Lionel spoke to Durnest, who stood at his side, with a tired voice.
“Things have become quite dire, Durnest.”
“Aye, Your Grace. We must resolve this situation before the surrounding countries learn of it.”
“Mm. And this happens just as we’ve gained control of the center of the continent, and are on the cusp of conquering the east.”
“Yes... It is regrettable. To think something like this would happen to Sir Gaius...”
Lionel shook his head slowly. Moreso than the setback of his path to conquest, the loss of his years-long vassal weighed on his heart heavily.
“We’ve no choice. Durnest, we must quickly elect a new court thaumaturgist. Summon the ministers.”
“As you wish. Will it be Lady Celia?” Durnest’s voice was thick with anxiety.
She had more than enough talent, and her loyalty and pedigree were without fault, but her lack of experience was overwhelming.
“Not much can be done about her youth... Except hope that what’s to come will help her mature.”
“Understood. I will go attend to the preparations at once, then.”
Durnest retreated, leaving Lionel alone on his throne.
“You fool, Gaius... Just when my domination is at hand...”
A single tear fell onto the red carpet. It contained all the emotions the man known as Lionel held for the one who had fought long through ruthless battles by his side.
Let us rewind time a bit. The injured soldier taken from the summoning chamber was, of course, Ryoma Mikoshiba. His gamble had paid off.
Of course, he was somewhat confident in his chances. Ryoma assumed that when the people who broke down the door were faced with the floor drenched in blood and the four corpses lying there, they would not be able to make calm calls of judgment. And he was right. Indeed, the soldiers who broke into the room were shaken by the gruesome sight.
Ryoma’s greatest concern was the possibility that they would remove his helmet and see his face, because if they were to do that, the soldiers would surely grow suspicious. After all, not one of them would recognize him. And even if he were fortunate enough to escape this place, having his face known would make his escape that much more difficult.
As a result, the man and woman who broke into the room having called each other by name was a godsend. Ryoma’s calling that man by his name, Rolfe, lessened his suspicions, and led him to ordering to have Ryoma sent to the infirmary. That simple act of being called by his name deceived Rolfe into thinking the soldier before him was an ally, and he never dared to even think this was all part of Ryoma’s ploy.
“Guh... Gaah... Guah...” Ryoma, lying on the stretcher, pretended to cough.
“Hey! Stay with us! We’ll get you to the infirmary soon!”
“Yes, just keep it together a little longer! You hear me?! Stay conscious and don’t you dare faint on us! You’ll die!”
The soldiers carrying the stretcher talked on and on, trying to give Ryoma morale. They honestly and truly believed the man on the stretcher was an injured comrade on the verge of death.
Ryoma continued feigning his agony. He’d never really thought of being an actor, but desperate men with their back against the wall are capable of doing things they are usually incapable of doing. And right now, Ryoma was giving a truly Oscar-worthy performance as he pretended to be injured.
“Right, we made it!” A soldier called out and banged on the wooden door. “Doctor! This is urgent, please open the door!”
After a few moments, the door opened from the inside in a vigorous manner.
“Hey, Alan, they said it’s urgent!” An old man shouted into the room while gripping the knob.
The stench of alcohol reached Ryoma’s nose.
“I can hear them just fine without your shouting, Father! You two, place him on the bed there, quickly.”
A young man in his late twenties promptly instructed them, as the old man left the infirmary, regarding him with a backwards glance.
“You too, Fath— Huh, Father? Where did he go?”
“The Head Physician’s gone. Probably means to go drinking again.” One of the soldiers said in an exasperated voice, watching the young man look around in confusion.
“Again? Whatever will I do with him...”
This was probably an ordinary occurrence. The young man wore a bitter smile.
“Come now, there’s nothing to worry about.” The soldiers exchanged glances upon seeing his expression. “The assistant head physician’s skill is just as sound as his teacher’s, ain’t it?”
“No doubt about that. If anything, his hands don’t start shaking when he sobers up, so he might even be better.”
Saying that, one of the soldiers tapped Ryoma’s helmet.
“Anyway, let’s check the patient... Hmm? This looks pretty bad.” Looking at Ryoma, the young man furrowed his brows.
His entire body was drenched in red, he reeked of the rusted, metallic scent of blood and was panting heavily. From the young doctor’s perspective, he looked severely injured.
“For now, let’s inspect his wounds. If you wouldn’t mind, could you take off the patient’s armor and helmet?”
At the young man’s request, the soldiers drew closer to the bed.
That place would soon become their grave.
One of the soldiers suddenly collapsed on the spot, and red liquid spurted out of his neck vigorously. As he sat up, Ryoma lunged his sword forward, cutting the soldier across the neck. And as he hopped out of the bed, he pounced on the other soldier who stood there in shock. He had no way of avoiding an attack by the soldier he thought was writhing in agony just a moment ago. The soldier had no understanding of what was going on, and Ryoma’s sword slashed his throat without mercy.
“Wha...! What are you...?!” The young doctor shouted in surprise, and turned around towards the door, running away desperately.
He knew full well he wasn’t suited for fighting, so his immediate course of action was to take off and run. But that was the worst possible conclusion for Ryoma.
Dammit, if I let him get away, he’ll call for reinforcements!
Ryoma swiftly removed the scabbard from his waist and tossed it towards the young man’s feet. This wasn’t done as an attack, but to get his feet to trip for a moment and block his path of escape. And his attempt was successful. For
tunately for Ryoma, the scabbard hit the young man against the hip, making him lose balance just before he made it out.
Not letting the chance pass him by, Ryoma ran over to the collapsed doctor, and as he put his weight against his back, wrapped his thick hands around the young man’s neck. The young man was thin, and his body weighed several kilograms less than Ryoma’s. Despite this, he struggled wildly, feeling the danger to his life, but his futile scrambling only made Ryoma tighten the grip on his throat.
“L-Let go... Wh-Who are you...” The young man squeezed out the words painfully as his neck was being constricted.
“Sorry, pal. I’ve got some things I need you to tell me.”
Ryoma spoke brightly, but his vice grip on the young doctor’s neck never slackened in the slightest. He could strangle the life out of him or snap his neck with little to no effort. With Ryoma literally holding his life in his hands, the young man was left with no choice.
“What do you want to hear?” The young man’s voice was hoarse, due to the grip around his throat.
Still, his intent was clear enough. Ryoma spoke with the softest voice possible. He knew well enough that depending on the situation, speaking softly could be far more intimidating than shouting.
“Not much, I’m just looking to get out of this castle. Think you could point me in the right direction?”
Ryoma’s voice was perfectly casual, like he was asking for directions in the street. But that in itself made the young man more frightened.
“Who are you? Why did you kill them? Weren’t they your friends?”
From the young doctor’s perspective, that would be the natural conclusion. Only a few dozen seconds ago, the man before him was a gravely wounded patient. Ryoma, however, didn’t have the time to answer his questions.
“Yeah, sorry. I don’t like this any more than you, but you’re gonna have to answer my questions, and quick.” Ryoma whispered softly into his ears and tightened his grip.
“Gauh... Gugah...” The young man’s face gradually turned red.