Chapter 25

Translator: True Detective

Chapter 25. Gourmet

The entire square flashed.

Light and Darkness.

A scene where two incompatible attributes fight tooth and nail to devour each other.

Spectators screamed and ran away, merchants threw away their goods and ran, and someone's dog barked madly.

The shockwave generated from that collision was worthy of being called a disaster.

Lucia Von Astellia was crouching behind the Black Knight's back.

Safe.

It was ironic.

That the back of this man who kidnapped, confined, threatened, and is raising her, is rather the safest place.

Kwaaang-!

Sword strikes danced wildly.

Once. Twice. Three times. Ten times. Twenty times.

Ceaseless combat.

However.

The Black Knight didn't move a single step. He was blocking everything from the spot.

'……Don't tell me, to protect me?'

No. No way.

There is no way that man is such a considerate being.

Surely there must be another reason.

For example, it’s annoying to move.

Or he is looking down on the opponent.

Surely it must be such a reason.

"Return Lucia!!"

At that moment, a silver flash seen beyond the hem of the Black Knight's cloak.

"……Huh?"

She knows.

That shining sword. That silver hair. That eyes full of justice, Lucia knows.

"Le, Leo……!?"

Leona.

Lucia's precious friend.

Memories of childhood, swinging wooden sticks covered in dirt in the Imperial Palace garden, flashed by like a revolving lantern.

That afternoon when she approached with half curiosity and half sympathy and reached out her hand when everyone feared the silver-haired girl.

'Leona, Leona! I am here! I am safe!'

Touching reunion.

Tearful embrace.

'Where have you been all this time?''I was worried.''Let's never part again.'

Such a scene should have unfolded.

But.

"Quite good."

That moment of touching reunion was shattered by a single word from the Black Knight's mouth.

"Looks quite appetizing."

……

……?

……???

Lucia doubted her own ears.

Appetizing? Who on earth!?

Of course, Lucia knows.

The truth hidden under that silver hair. The secret wrapped tightly with compression bandages under that armor.

Even the continent's best powerhouses saw Leona and failed to notice the fact that she is a woman.

The only exception is Lucia herself, a friend since childhood.

Then surely in the Black Knight's eyes too, Leona would look like a 'man'.

Right?

"Good."

The helmet's red glint flashed.

"Collection will increase. I'll display you next to Lucia. Because value ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠goes up if collected as a set."

……Right???

Grind.

The sound of teeth grinding was heard from the opposite side.

Leona's face was flushed red.

"This… This crazy bastard…!"

It is natural.

Lucia was like that too.

Rare are people who can maintain composure in front of a monster treating them as an 'appetizing collection'.

Wooooong─!!

The Holy Sword howled. Particles of light began to run wild. Divine power was expanding with momentum to blow away the entire square.

'Dangerous.'

Like this, one of the two will die.

"Le, Leo… Leon! Wait! Stop!"

Lucia's body moved faster than thought.

Popped out from behind the Black Knight's back, blocking between the two.

"You must not fight! Please!"

Screamed with a pale complexion, arms spread wide.

The Holy Sword that was striking down stopped right in mid-air.

"……Lucia!"

Leona's eyes widened.

"Are you safe!? Are you hurt anywhere!?"

But she swallowed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠those words.

"Ye, Yeah. For now…"

Fortunately, Lucia had quite good complexion and gained some weight thanks to the Black Knight's rearing.

For now, she is fine. Physically.

"Let’s go to the castle for now! We shouldn't fight here!"

Look around.

Already the square is half ruined, and onlookers are gathering like clouds.

If they continue fighting in this situation?

And above all, the reality that handling all of that becomes Lucia's job!

Piles of documents flashed through Lucia's mind.

"……I will withdraw for now."

Leona bit her lip, then slowly withdrew her sword.

But her gaze still glared sharply towards the Black Knight.

And the Black Knight also hung the greatsword behind his back.

"Good."

Low laughter leaked from inside the helmet.

"I will enjoy slowly."

……Enjoy?

What?

Who?

How?

Lucia's brain entered emergency state again.

Let's organize the information.

First, the Black Knight is a pervert who wants to collect women and violate them.

This is a fact Lucia knows well too.

But… surely Leona would look like a man to the Black Knight?

Even the Empire's Three Swords and Magic Tower Master were deceived by the Holy Sword's blessing.

No matter how strong the Black Knight is, the probability that he pierced through the authority given by the Goddess is low.

"B, Black Knight nim!"

She shouted desperately.

"Leon is a man!"

Silence.

"A man, I say! A robust male! A manly man!"

Lucia emphasized.

"Not a woman! So… So…"

'So please lose interest. Please.'

Sorry to Leona, but right now getting her out of the Black Knight's clutches was more urgent than protecting her gender identity.

The Black Knight's helmet turned slowly.

Red glint scanned Leona once, then headed to Lucia again.

"So what about it?"

"……Eh?"

"Isn't it fine as long as the taste is good?"

……

Lucia's thinking stopped again.

Boom.

Invisible lightning struck above Lucia's head.

It was so.

This man, this monster, was an existence that lightly transcended Lucia's shallow common sense.

Gender is not an obstacle at all in front of this man's desire.

This man is real.

A real sadistic demon.

Regardless of gender.

Regardless of age.

Probably regardless of species too.

True egalitarian!

Omnivorous monster not picky about opponents!

"Hi, Hiiiek……!"

Lucia grabbed Leona's arm tighter.

"Lu, Lucia? What’s wrong? Your face turned white."

Leona asked with a worried voice.

'What’s wrong? What’s wrong!?'

Couldn't explain.

Even if explained, she wouldn't believe.

'You are in danger right now! That man is aiming for you!'

How can she say such words.

"N, Nothing. Let’s go to the castle for now. Hm? Quickly."

Lucia dragged Leona and moved steps.

From behind, the Black Knight's heavy footsteps followed.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

'You must not become like me.'

She has already become a target.

Cannot run away. Cannot escape.

However.

It is enough for herself alone to tremble in fear every night.

She will protect at least her precious friend from that man's clutches somehow.

Even if that means her own sacrifice.

……

'……No, sacrifice is a bit much!'

Within a line not overdoing it, within a possible range, she will protect.

Lucia resolved moderately.

Frostgard Main Castle Office.

The Black Knight disappeared somewhere.

Whether he avoided the seat, or judged there is no need to monitor since the entire city is his territory anyway.

'Arrogant.'

Leona ground her teeth.

But right now, something more important than anger towards the Black Knight was in front of her eyes.

"Leona……"

Lucia opened her mouth.

"You came."

Hero of the Holy Sword Leon.

No, at least in this moment, she was just 'Leona'.

Putting down the title of Hero, the weight of the Holy Sword, and the Goddess's blessing entirely.

Just one person who ran a thousand li to find a precious friend.

"Of course. You are in danger, how can I stay still."

Voice trembled.

Embarrassing.

Lucia's eyes reddened.

"Thank you."

At that moment.

'Lucia is alive. Safe.'

Relief surged.

Leona examined Lucia carefully.

Whether there are injuries. Whether there are traces of abuse. Whether she eats properly.

'Prettier?'

It was strange.

Flesh rose on her cheeks. Blood circulated. Hair was glossy.

Said she was kidnapped?

Said she was confined?

Said she was being ravaged every night?

Why does a person in such a terrible situation have such good complexion?

Lucia in Leona's imagination was pale, gaunt, crouching in a corner with shadows under her eyes.

On the other hand, reality's Lucia?

Rather looked healthier than Imperial Palace days.

"What on earth happened? You were kidnapped by that guy called Black Knight, right?"

Lucia's expression became strange.

"That is…… should I call it kidnapping…? At first it definitely was, but now how should I put it. Of course even now seems like a prisoner but…??"

Leona's brow furrowed.

Where is the middle ground in kidnapping.

If kidnapped, kidnapped; if not, not.

"Just a bit…… He is just a Black Knight."

Lucia's explanation fell deeper into a maze.

"Completely Black Knight, but also not completely Black Knight. Speaks like a Black Knight but actions aren't Black Knight… So the outside is Black Knight but……"

Leona's brain overloaded.

"Wait."

Raised hand.

"What is a Black Knight?"

Lucia thought for a moment.

"……Collection of all perverted elements? So like a sadistic demon?"

"Lucia."

Leona grabbed both of Lucia's shoulders.

Looked straight into her eyes.

"Did that man harm you?"

"Didn't harm me."

Lucia answered.

"……Not yet."

"Not yet?"

'Not yet', she says.

Doesn't that mean he can harm anytime.

"What was that earlier?"

Leona tried a different approach.

Give up on abstract questions.

First, specific fact check.

Scene at the square came to mind.

"Looting merchants. Merchants were prostrate on the floor begging for their lives."

"Not looting!"

Merchants trembled handing over various goods.

And the black armored monster standing in front exuding intimidation.

It was a typical looting scene enough to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠be in a textbook.

"That was… renegotiation!"

"Renegotiation? Merchants crying and begging for lives is renegotiation? Taking jewels and silk is?"

"Didn't take it! Received fair price!"

Lucia flared up.

'Huh?'

The Lucia Leona knew wasn't the type to flare up like this.

Checking moods, matching others, yielding.

That was Lucia.

But now?

Lucia's eyes changed.

Instead of the gibbering appearance, cold administrator's reason settled in.

"Southern merchants were ripping off Northerners! Because warriors don't bargain! They were beating down prices of Northern specialties to half, no, less than one-third of market price! Taking unfair margins in the middle, and evading taxes!"

Heat carried in Lucia's voice.

"I searched all the ledgers and found evidence. This is punitive damages. Fair recovery process for exploitation all this time!"

Leona looked around the office.

Neatly organized documents. Tags classified by color. Ledgers arranged by date.

'This is a confined person's room?'

Incongruity.

Not a prisoner's room.

It was a manager's room.

No, more precisely speaking.

'It is a workaholic's room.'

Document piles. Pen and ink. Ledger and stamp.

"Mm-hm. Black Knight was just an escort. Just stood there. Merchants were scared on their own. Since I am not a barbaric Princess accompanying violence to negotiation seats."

"Lucia."

Leona asked.

"You, what are you doing here?"

"Work."

Lucia answered calmly.

"Wait, wait."

Leona raised her hand.

"Snow removal operation?"

"Yeah. Clearing snow."

"Why?"

"Because if roads are blocked, supplies don't come."

"No, not that."

Leona shook her head.

"Why are you doing such work."

Lucia avoids gaze again.

How many times just today.

"Lucia."

Leona took a step closer.

"You are being threatened, right?"

"……."

"If you don't work, he kills you, something like that right?"

Tremble tremble.

"Th, That is…… Complicated……"

Complicated.

What keeps being complicated.

"Because I have to lay golden eggs for the shipping time to be far away…"

Voice became smaller.

"Understood for now. For now, I will believe your words."

Lucia's eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Instead."

Leona spoke.

"I will stay here too."

"……Eh?"

"By your side."

Lucia was flustered.

"Leona, that is……"

"You need an escort."

Leona cut her off.

"Real escort."

Person who can really protect you.

Meaning conveyed without speaking.

Lucia's expression became complicated.

Seemed happy. Seemed worried.

Seemed like wanting to say something.

"Thanks. Leona."

Lucia smiled.

So brightly.

"I am glad you came."

Leona thought her breath stopped.

'……Ah.'

Right.

This was it.

Ran ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a thousand li to see this smile.

Pierced through blizzards, crossed mountain ranges, cut demonic beasts to come here.

All for this one smile.

'Good that I came.'

Leona forced her expression stiff.

Hero must be resolute.

Shouldn't show shaking appearance.

But couldn't help corners of mouth going up on their own.

'As expected, Lucia is not lying.'

That can be certain.

Watched since childhood.

Lucia cannot lie. Everything shows on her face.

'But she isn't telling everything either.'

Definitely there is something she can't say.

Because threatened by Black Knight?

Or.

Appearance crouching behind Black Knight's back. Eyes desperately defending Black Knight. Voice saying 'Didn't harm me'.

'Don't tell me, brainwashing?'

Heard there is something called Stockholm Syndrome.

Phenomenon where kidnapped victim develops affection for perpetrator.

'Either way dangerous.'

The fact that Lucia is in a dangerous situation hasn't changed.

Even if not right now, as long as she is next to that monster, she can become dangerous anytime.

'But can't take her right now.'

Recalling the battle earlier, odds are fifty-fifty.

No, honestly speaking 4 to 6… no, 3 to 7?

Hero's pride didn't allow more than that.

Black Knight is strong.

Hate to admit, but have to admit.

Current Leona cannot win.

If escape attempt fails while overdoing it, Lucia might get hurt too.

Then conclusion was simple.

Stay by Lucia's side and monitor Black Knight.

'I protect Lucia. Somehow.'

Leona resolved firmly.