67. Setting Out on a Journey
67. Setting Out on a Journey
An envoy from the Imperial Army arrived. They proposed a negotiation, and we agreed to meet at a midpoint between the two camps right after sunrise tomorrow.
In the middle of the battlefield.
A location where the troops of both sides were visible to the naked eye.
The problem was who to send.
"Can't I just go and slice them all up?"
Freya said nonchalantly, tapping the hilt of her twin swords.
"We just need to grab Count Conrad and turn him into a hostage. He probably won't have many guards anyway."
"...My daughter."
Valter the penguin murmured lowly.
"Harming a negotiation envoy is a universal taboo. It would be the same as giving the Empire a justification to claim 'The North assassinated the negotiation envoy' across the entire realm."
"But they're the ones who invaded us as they pleased—"
Chalsak.
A wing accurately struck the back of Freya's head.
"Ouch!"
"Use your head a little."
"Ow, ow, ow!! I get it already!!"
Chalsak, chalsak.
Having finished the discipline, the penguin turned toward Lucia.
"I will go."
Right, in this situation, there was no better choice than Lucia.
If I went out, it wouldn't be a conversation; it would obviously turn into a declaration of war or a criminal notice.
My eloquence stats contribute absolutely nothing to human peace.
The next day.
We headed to the negotiation site.
The castle gates opened, and footsteps followed over the snow.
Lucia, followed by me, Leona, and Freya.
And the penguin waddling along.
There was movement from the Imperial Army's side as well.
Count Conrad approached, flanked by his knight order.
We and they stopped in the middle of the snowy field.
The wind swept between the two camps.
Lucia's platinum blonde hair fluttered. Her green eyes looked directly at the Imperial Army filling the plains.
Her shoulders were trembling slightly.
Facing an army of thousands is a terrifying thing for anyone.
Even more so for a fragile girl who had always lived with bated breath.
But Lucia took one more step forward.
"People of the Empire!"
Where did that fragile girl go, the one who used to foam at the mouth and faint just from hearing the sound of a wolf?
As a result of fighting piles of documents while facing the biting winds of the North, supplementing protein with monster meat, and enduring my whispers of love, she had somehow come to possess the mental strength to stand tall even before an army of thousands.
"I am the First Princess of the Astellia Empire, Lucia Von Astellia!"
Sulleong, sulleong.
The ranks of the Imperial Army stirred.
It was only natural.
Their justification was 'Rescuing the pitiful Princess who was kidnapped and being violated by the Black Knight'.
But that pitiful Princess was standing there with a very healthy and glowing complexion.
It's all thanks to my health foods.
"Oh, Your Highness! Your Highness's jade-like voice that we have waited for so long! Do you know how much the Imperial Family worries for Your Highness's safety! Evil Black Knight, release the Princess from your demonic clutches at once!"
Count Conrad's response was heard. A booming voice.
What a blatant lie.
It's an open secret that even the frogs of the Empire would know—that a rebellion occurred in the Imperial Palace, the 2nd Prince slaughtered his siblings, and sent assassins to kill Lucia.
Worry?
Yeah, they were probably worried about when they could finally kill her.
Lucia's lips twisted.
"I was not kidnapped by anyone. I reached the North by my own will, and as an ally of the North, I fought together against the monsters and the calamity."
Lucia reached out her arm and pointed to the warriors of Frostgard, Freya, Leona, and me.
"The true enemies of the Empire are not the Northerners living in this barren land. Those who stained the Imperial Palace with blood and imprisoned Abamama, the vipers coiled in the heart of the Empire, are the true enemies we must point our swords at!"
Perfect.
An eloquent speech that exquisitely mixed the dignity of a warrior learned in the North and the grace of royalty acquired in the Imperial Palace.
Sulleong, sulleong—
The agitation of the Imperial soldiers grew noticeably.
"The Princess... looks way too fine?"
"Didn't they say she was kidnapped and being violated every day?"
"Her skin is glowing, and she looks much healthier than before...?"
The atmosphere was shifting.
"Everyone, lower your weapons! and lend your strength to save the Empire!"
A classic royal development where the Imperial soldiers would drop their weapons, gather under the Princess's banner, and finally, the North and the Empire would join hands to move toward the true enemy.
It was the peaceful resolution everyone hoped for.
However.
"Ah...! How tragic this is!"
Conrad Von Eisenhardt.
"Look at that poor Princess! To think her soul has succumbed to the Black Knight's brainwashing, making her forget that she is a being who needs to be saved!"
Count Conrad covered his face with both hands and wailed.
"Is the evil Black Knight's brainwashing truly that deep! To think it has even gnawed away at Your Highness's noble spirit! My heart is torn with grief to see Your Highness unable to escape the brainwashing!"
......What?
"But it is alright, Your Highness! I, Conrad, and all of us will surely rescue you! In the name of great love, we will rescue you from the Black Knight's demonic clutches! We will break the curse binding your body and return you to the embrace of true love!"
At Conrad's shout, the eyes of the wavering Imperial soldiers changed.
"That's right! The Princess has been brainwashed!"
"Let's rescue the pitiful Princess!"
"Rescue the Princess from the clutches of evil!"
Are these bastards seriously out of their minds? What, did they get hit with mass hypnosis or something?
In the end, the conversation ended without any gain.
The two camps retreated to their respective positions.
"Sir Knight... it seems my words didn't get through at all......"
Lucia looked back at me with a gloomy face.
'It is alright, Lucia. Your words surely reached their hearts. Just having the courage to stand in front is enough to make me proud.'
"Don't worry about it."
Oh! Finally!
[Persuasion Roll Failed]
"You were useless to begin with."
"I-I'm sorry! I stepped forward presumptuously! I'll just go shrivel up in a corner!"
No, that's not what I meant!
'You don't have to worry about anything. I will handle the rest. Just watch from the place closest to me, where I can protect you.'
"Yeah. Because you look best groveling beneath me."
"......Hieek!"
Eventually, the battle resumed.
Uooooooo—!
The Imperial soldiers all prepared to charge with their eyes sparkling like immature adolescent boys.
Their ranks were denser and their speed faster than yesterday.
"It can't be helped."
It's time for a physical conversation.
I jumped down from the husky sled and walked out into the middle of the plain.
Ttu-ung, ttu-ung.
I drew the Abyssal Sword.
The two-meter-long sword materialized in the air. Black aura slowly pulsed along the blade.
And then, I plunged the sword into the ground.
Kugugung—
The snowy field vibrated.
Abyssal Aura.
Release.
"I'll show you how light your so-called justice is."
Darkness spread out from my body.
The snow within a radius of several dozen meters was stained black.
And then.
[Intimidation Roll... Critical Success!]
"Uwaaaaaah!"
"Hi, hieek......! It-It's a monster!"
"M-My legs...... won't move......!"
The vanguard collapsed.
The charge formation scattered in an instant.
Some dropped their spears, some had their knees buckle and slumped in place.
Some vomited inside their helmets.
"Get lost. You vermin."
Kwang!
Kuaaaaaang──!!!
A roar that tore through the atmosphere.
A pitch-black curtain covered the plains.
"Save me! Please save me!"
"It's a monster! That thing is a monster!"
"I don't want to die. I don't want to die, I don't want to die──"
In the end, what rules over reason is instinct.
Where did the adolescent boys who were shouting about love just a few seconds ago go?
All that remained in their place were pitiful humans crawling on the ground, pissing themselves in the fear of death.
"I must offer victory to her......!"
Conrad, pale with terror, muttered in a trembling voice.
"Y-Yes! If I die here, I cannot offer victory! It's a strategic retreat! For her sake, we must preserve our lives! Retreat! Retreat!!"
To package running away in fear as a 'strategic retreat to offer victory'.
His ability for mental victory was certainly of the highest level in the Empire.
Watching the Imperial Army recede like the tide, I rested the Abyssal Sword on my shoulder.
The snow that had been stained black turned white again.
"To think they'd run away so easily, what a joke of a cause."
The main castle's conference room immediately after the Imperial Army retreated.
In the air that was somehow strangely out of sync, Leona was the first to speak.
"They were more like a cult than an army. They didn't fear death and raised their morale with that bizarre justification of 'for her sake'."
"Indeed."
Valter, in the form of a penguin, shook his head.
"Conrad was originally a sensible, extremely rational opponent. He wasn't someone who would charge so recklessly or retreat for such nonsensical reasons."
In that brief moment of silence where everyone was at a loss.
Seulgeum-seulgeum.
A very cautious movement was detected from somewhere.
It was Eris.
Before anyone knew it, she was stealthily slipping toward the exit.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Leona snatched one of her pink twin-tails.
"Kyaaaaak!! Ow!! You violent Hero! Let go! Eris-nim's twin-tails are a treasure of the continent! If you touch them recklessly, it'll turn into an international dispute!"
"Shut up. You know something, don't you?"
Leona's gaze pierced Eris sharply.
"I-I don't know! How would I know! I'm Rank 6! I'm just a complete low-level field worker in the Thorn Society!"
"Rank 6 is plenty enough to be an executive."
"......No, well, atmosphere-wise, I was a low-level. Tons of old farts above me, juniors pushing up from below...... Do you even know the sorrow of a middle manager!?"
Eris shifted her gaze here and there. Naturally, no one believed Eris's excuses.
"High-level techniques like brainwashing or mental manipulation are outside my department! I'm just an innocent and lovely girl who weaves vines and shoots thorns!"
"Then who is in charge of that brainwashing?"
"......Do you want to know?"
Eris suddenly held out her palm toward Leona.
"Information comes with a price. This is classified internal information of the Thorn Society. As a Hero, you know best how valuable that is, right? So, at least ten puddings......"
"Speak."
Kku-uk—
Leona pulled the twin-tail once more.
"Ayayayaya!! Fine!! I'll talk!! I'll talk!!"
Eris glared at Leona while trembling.
"......Rank 2. The Red Queen."
Eris's voice became strangely low.
"The Witch of Love."
"The Witch of Love?"
"Yeah. Exactly as it sounds. A femme fatale who makes every male fall in love with her. A specialist in charm. Her real name is......"
Eris hesitated for a moment, then finally spat it out.
"Isabella Von Astellia."
......
In an instant, Lucia went blank.
Isabella Von Astellia.
The Empress of the Empire. The 2nd Prince's mother. Lucia's stepmother.
The woman who hid her contempt for her behind a smile and breathed out poison while pretending to be kind.
The day of the rebellion, the day the Emperor was imprisoned.
The back of her stepmother as she turned away without any expression.
That woman was a witch.
It was like something out of a fairy tale.
A Princess who defeats an evil stepmother and saves the Empire.
"......The situation can be summarized into two things."
Valter the penguin broke the silence and pointed out the realistic problems.
"First, a guerrilla tactic to strike the heart of the Empire with a small elite force. With the Black Knight's martial power, it wouldn't be impossible."
However, in that process, they would have to cut down all the brainwashed citizens to reach the throne.
Lucia bit her lower lip.
What use is a crown obtained by killing the people?
Sitting on a throne stained with blood, whom would she rule?
"Second, continue to hold out here in the North."
However, as long as Lucia remained in Frostgard, the Empire would continue to send armies.
The reason the Thorn Society targeted Lucia wasn't because of a justification like the right of succession.
That was just the surface. The truth was because Lucia was the sacrifice needed for the resurrection of the Evil God.
In other words, as long as Lucia was alive, they would not stop.
Eventually, the North would be stained with blood.
Two paths.
Neither could be a complete solution.
"Then we just have to choose the third path."
The Black Knight spoke easily, as always.
Everyone's eyes focused on him.
"The charm used by the Witch of Love is ultimately a type of mental magic. To block that, we need an expert."
The Black Knight added in a confident tone.
Where on earth does this man get such information?
"The being most proficient in mental magic on the continent. We go find the Elven Queen of the Western Great Forest."
"Elves......?"
Leona fell into thought.
"Certainly. I've read it in the old records of the Church. Mental magic is so heterogeneous in its system that it's said to have come from the Elves."
There was a possibility.
If they could break the brainwashing with the help of the Elves, they could save the people without shedding blood.
"I will go. To the West. I will go to meet the Elven Queen."
"Then, we'll have to form a party."
The Black Knight said calmly.
"Me, Lucia, and Leona. The three of us are enough......."
"Wait."
Leona interrupted.
Her finger pointed at the pink lifeform that was still grumbling while stroking its own twin-tail.
"Take that thing too."
"Huh? Me? Why me?!"
Eris jumped in surprise and backed away.
"We can't leave a witch unattended without supervision. We don't know what she might plot again."
"What a disappointing thing to say! I'm completely reformed! You can't trust the model citizen Eris-nim?!"
"A model citizen doesn't try to escape at every opportunity."
"That wasn't an escape, it was a strategic repositioning!"
"I can't leave you in a place where my watchful eyes can't reach. There's no telling what you'll do."
At Leona's firm dismissal, Eris shut her mouth tight.
In the end, the party was confirmed to be four people.
A few days later.
The four people stood before the castle gate, finished with their preparations to leave.
And Valter, Freya, and Brynjolf came out to see them off.
"If you leave, the Empire will watch for a while. The Great Forest is a place where the Empire's influence doesn't reach even more than the North. But time is not infinite. I hope you find a way."
Lucia gazed at Valter.
He's a waddling penguin.
Maybe that's why this farewell didn't feel entirely sad.
Lucia didn't even make a cliché vow like 'I will definitely return'.
She just silently, but deeply, bowed her head to express her gratitude.
Meanwhile, Freya stood squarely in front of the Black Knight and looked up at him.
"Hey, you black guy."
Her eyes burned with fighting spirit.
"When you come back, I'll smash that armor of yours with my twin swords."
At her provocation, the Black Knight lightly shrugged his shoulders.
Freya turned around and this time approached Eris.
"Here, take this."
What Freya thrust forward was a thick bundle of jerky.
"Jerky? You're giving this to me?"
"Protect Eonni well. If you have any other thoughts, I'll chew you up like this jerky."
"Hmph! Who's protecting whom! I'm a fragile witch who's busy enough just looking after my own body!"
Eris grumbled with her mouth, but she quickly took the jerky Freya handed her and tucked it into her clothes.
Lucia stopped her steps for a moment and looked back at the castle gate.
Memories of when she first reached the North flashed by.
At that time, her legs had given out from fear, and she had entered the castle gate almost hiding behind the Black Knight's back.
A girl for whom everything was unfamiliar and terrifying.
But now it was different.
She was standing firmly on the solid earth with her own two feet.
"I wish you luck, little Boss-nim."
Brynjolf bent his massive frame and bowed deeply toward Lucia.
The warrior clad in bear skin, who had first stood in Lucia's way emitting an intimidating aura, was now blessing her path.
"......Thank you, Brynjolf."
No sooner had Lucia's greeting ended than Eris's shrill voice poured cold water on the moment.
"Aaaah! Isn't this really too much?! Why are you making a small and precious beautiful girl like me carry the luggage! This is labor exploitation!"
Eris huffed while carrying a backpack as big as her own torso.
"You have to carry luggage so you won't have idle thoughts."
Leona chided Eris while pushing her back.
Then, the Black Knight strode over to Lucia's side.
"Keep in mind that wherever you go, you are in the palm of my hand."
As expected, a spine-chilling, villainous declaration was outputted.
But since when was it?
That this man's terrible words were no longer scary.
Of course, objectively speaking, it was still a terrifying threat.
It's just that a corner of her head must have definitely broken down.
"Yes. I understand, Sir Knight."
And so, the Black Knight's party began their journey toward the Western Great Forest.