122
Chapter 122
"Do you finally realize? You will learn firsthand what it means to make an enemy of the Empire! Mwahaha!"
The Prince of the Empire laughed like that right in front of me.
It was almost certain that the information had been passed on to the Imperial Family.
"It won't be long before His Majesty pays us a visit."
Those words were likely true.
Even though it was rare for the Emperor to move personally, he wouldn't hold back his power for such a major event.
All of the Empire's forces would probably assemble and charge at us. A battle much harder than before would follow.
However, I quickly gathered my wits.
Since the damage was already done, it was only right to prepare countermeasures instead of wasting time panicking.
'Running away is...'
Impossible, after all.
Aria had not fully recovered yet, and the Clergy had consumed a massive amount of Divine Power to heal her.
Lucy and Rien.
The other Elves were in the same boat, completely exhausted.
I was so exhausted that standing up was a miracle in itself. Escaping was impossible in this state.
...Checkmate.
We were completely cornered. If the Emperor of the Empire were to show up like that guy said, we wouldn't stand a chance.
But I couldn't just give up.
I gritted my teeth.
I called everyone together, explained the situation, and got them into formation. We built a defensive line to respond to the enemy no matter when or where they attacked.
And before long, a massive sound echoed.
It was painfully obvious that someone was heading this way. Each and every one of our faces turned pale.
A mad laugh.
As if mocking the fate that awaited us, the First Prince declared with a sickening smile on his face.
"Behold. This is your end."
At that exact moment, a colossal army appeared.
An enemy force numbering easily in the hundreds.
They were marching straight toward us.
However... none of us panicked or gasped in horror at the sight.
Well, it made sense if you thought about it.
'Aren't those just skeletons?'
What was approaching us wasn't the Elite Force led by the Emperor of the Empire, but merely low-tier monsters from the Demonic Realm.
I swung my sword half-heartedly.
My Mana, Divine Power, and the energy of the World Tree were all completely depleted.
It was just an ordinary horizontal slash containing absolutely nothing.
Yet, that alone was enough to make the ground quake.
A single line drawn across the world.
Following that line, every enemy before my eyes was severed in two.
Hundreds of skeletons were dealt with just like that.
And so, the ambush was resolved in the simplest manner possible.
We all looked at one person as if we had silently agreed on it.
A confident, dramatic pose.
The man stood there with both arms spread wide, smiling.
"......It seems they're running a bit late. They must be making thorough preparations for the rescue, so that's only natural."
The First Prince said so with conviction.
And so, a day passed.
Goblins did swarm in, but there were no other threats beyond that.
"They'll come soon. Surely if we just wait a little longer...."
A week passed.
Contrary to the First Prince's bold claims, no one came looking for this place.
Even the monsters in the surrounding area had been wiped out, so there were no more attacks either.
"......."
The First Prince looked at me, sweating profusely.
It seemed this guy had some sense after all, having finally realized how the situation was turning.
I looked at the First Prince and smiled gently.
And then... I turned to Rien and the people of the Holy See and spoke.
"It seems this wicked and irreverent soul needs some 'education.' Would you care to lend a hand?"
What answer would come to my question was painfully obvious.
The people of the Holy See whose eyes had returned to normal, and just Lucy.
Plus the Elves who had spent the past few days building fortifications and standing watch.
People with faces twisted like demons surrounded the restrained First Prince.
"N-now, wait a moment......."
But it goes without saying.
No one was willing to listen to what he had to say.
*****
"How dare you spew lies before the Saint!!"
Cardinal Dominic, foaming at the mouth, slammed his mace down on the First Prince's groin like a madman.
A sensation that any man would inevitably sympathize with.
Seeing him completely unfazed by such things, I could truly experience once more what it meant to be a Fanatic.
But the First Prince was crazy in his own right.
"It's not a lie! I've never once uttered a falsehood!! I definitely sent the letter, so why on earth....... Argh!"
Even as his groin was being pulverized hundreds of times by the mace in real time, he still kept up his act.
The sheer indignation on his face whenever he insisted he hadn't lied was so genuine that it was hard to believe it was an act.
As if he never tired of it, the First Prince—who had been insisting on his innocence—looked at me and....
As if possessed by a detective from a mystery drama, he opened his mouth with a look of sheer horror, as though he had just uncovered some earth-shattering secret.
"Did you know everything from the start?"
An utterly bizarre question.
I didn't know how to answer, and frankly, I didn't want to, so I remained silent.
It was just a bit funny seeing him scream like a little girl in the middle of talking, so I simply smiled.
But the man broke into a cold sweat as he stared at my silent, smiling face.
Even if he saw Cthulhu, he probably wouldn't look that terrified. He was overreacting almost as much as Ms. Rubia.
"B-but that Mechanical Bird can only be handled by the Royals. Which means you've planted a spy in the Imperial Family...."
He stopped mid-sentence, shouting that it was impossible, that there was no way such a thing could happen.
But his expression and tone told a different story.
He was absolutely convinced that I had turned a member of the Imperial Family into a spy.
I couldn't help but be a little surprised.
I suppose this is what they call a fluke of blind luck.
I had never imagined I'd have a member of the Imperial Family as a spy; I thought it was impossible too.
But now, I'm actually about to get one.
Once the conditioning of this persistent fellow is complete, he'll end up just like Balzac.
Between the Holy See, who are experts in this field, and Lucy's help, he's holding on, but it won't last long.
Soon, just as he predicted, he will sneak back into the Imperial Family and serve as our mole.
It was practically a self-fulfilling prophecy.
"Black Fang! You people are just...!"
Gritting his teeth and shouting, he let out another scream of agony.
I watched him for a moment and then continued on my way.
Hundreds of Elves.
The High Command of the Holy See, whose loyalty had been confirmed.
Aria, whom I'll have to leave with the Holy See for about a month for treatment, but who is now a comrade.
And the girl who had already appeared by my side. I could see everything I had gained and recovered.
Only then could I smile, knowing that things had wrapped up well once again.
The facts I'd learned.
There were still problems to prepare for, but for now, let's celebrate the success.
I had finished everything I needed to do.
It was time to go back to the home I missed.
*****
Rubia paced back and forth restlessly.
Honestly, since she struggled even with knee push-ups, it was odd that she was worrying about that man, and she knew it.
Still, worry is worry.
She couldn't imagine the Leader losing, but it was bothering her that he hadn't returned for so long.
Should I try to contact him?
But it's the Demonic Realm, so communications won't work.
No, maybe he's already left the Demonic Realm by now.
But what if sending a message just gets in the way? I remember struggling before because a call came in right in the middle of a standoff with the enemy.
All these different thoughts put my brain in Overload.
Rubia was deep in thought for a long while.
The sound of footsteps echoed.
A commotion could be heard through the window.
There was only one conclusion to be drawn from this situation.
Forgetting entirely that she was wearing a bear onesie, Rubia kicked the door open and dashed out.
Her abysmal athletic ability.
Because of that, she wore herself out halfway through and had to stop to catch her breath, letting out pained gasps and pants.
Even so, she managed to arrive just in time.
...An overwhelming army spread out before her eyes.
Hundreds of Elves, beings you'd be lucky to see once or twice in a lifetime, were gathered there. Her mind shook for a moment.
But then again, just how much time had she spent with the Leader?
Humans are creatures of growth. Her once fragile mentality had grown incredibly tough through her long period of training.
Because of that, she was able to greet them with elegance and beauty, her crimson hair fluttering in the wind.
"Welcome back. No major problems, I hope?"
However, there was something strange.
She saw a woman she didn't recognize. Well... it wasn't a huge deal, but it still bugged her a bit.
Rubia immediately asked who this person was. The answer she got from the Leader was....
"She was a comrade of the Former Hero whose existence was erased. She was known as the Weapon Master, and she could probably take on three Sword Masters with ease."
It was a completely unrealistic answer.
The Leader definitely wouldn't joke around in a situation like this, yet he was saying something so absurd.
But then something even more absurd happened.
"W-wait, who are those people...."
"They're from the Holy See. They'll be staying here for a while to help with Aria's treatment."
The Holy See had arrived.
The High Command of the Holy See, the very organization we, Black Fang, had crushed, was gathered here.
...And it seemed they were here to help us.
She couldn't understand what was going on at all. It felt like her head was about to explode.
In the midst of all that, her eyes landed on a man. She saw something she definitely shouldn't have seen.
Brilliant golden hair that shone like the sun.
Deep blue eyes. In other words, the symbols of the Imperial Family.
Her arms trembled violently.
Unable to form words, she could only stammer and point a shaking finger at the man.
Yet, in stark contrast to her reaction.
The Leader spoke with his usual calm expression and a smile.
He said he had captured the First Prince of the Empire.
...Rubia's mind reached its absolute limit right then and there.