Jack Must Not Be Absent (2)
Before the audience with the Hero Party began, the Emperor summoned Lord Protector Zero for a private word.
"Tell me, Zero. What is your assessment of this expedition's results?"
"It must be judged a failure. They avoided total annihilation, but the only real achievement was defeating Dawson. In the end they inflicted no damage whatsoever on any of the Four Heavenly Kings, so the expected results simply do not exist. That said… the grounds for disbanding the party or imposing severe punishment on its members still feel rather thin. Especially when one recalls how the previous Hero Party was wiped out on the Demon Continent—there are quite a few people who believe simply returning without casualties deserves some credit."
"Then… if I were to use this affair as a pretext to purge the Sarubia family…?"
"There will be pushback. The justification is still weak. Even so, we could at least apply pressure."
"Understood. Very well. We shall proceed that way. Let us apply the pressure."
With that conversation behind them, the Emperor summoned the Hero Party. He turned to the Hero, whose arm was thickly wrapped in bandages.
"Valiant Hero Teo. You appear to be missing an arm… what happened?"
"I lost it. One could say the enemy took it from me."
"How dreadful… a grievous wound. Will it not be difficult for you to fight again?"
"No!"
Teo raised his voice.
"I am perfectly fine! I merely let my guard down this time! Next time… next time I will most certainly win. I will grow even stronger!"
"There is public opinion circulating that you are unfit to be the Hero."
"Failing to defeat a Heavenly King this time was my own failing. However… I understand that the selection and dissolution of a Hero Party falls under the Goddess's authority. So long as Lady Hestia, the Saintess, does not dismiss me, I will continue to believe myself the Hero and fight as one."
"Indeed, Hestia has not dissolved your party. Still, many questions remain. This time I shall ask Sylvia."
"Y-yes… Your Majesty."
"According to the reports, you yourself engaged a Heavenly King in single combat, and the two of you left the castle together without a decisive outcome. Can you explain how that came about? Whether it was you or the Heavenly King, one of you should have died, should you not? Why are both of you unharmed? What exactly did the two of you do alone?"
"W-we…"
Sylvia chose her words with extreme care, determined not to slip.
"That is… how shall I put it… we fought a desperate battle. It was nearly an even match. But… Sharon… postponed the contest by one month. She said we would fight again in a month."
"Why? Why make such a choice? I find it utterly incomprehensible."
"That is…"
She could not reveal everything here. Doing so would be to expose her own weakness. Sylvia chose silence.
"…………….."
A heavy quiet settled over the hall—an oppressive silence that made everyone restless. Lord Protector Zero could no longer hold his tongue.
"Lady Sarubia. Are you aware that you stand in the presence of His Imperial Majesty? Do you intend to insult the Emperor?"
"Ah—no. That was never my intention."
"There is another suspicious point. A certain video arrived from the Demon Continent ahead of your return. It bears a curse that prevents viewing for one full month. Coincidentally, the rematch you arranged with Sharon is also set for one month from now. Is this mere chance… or do you, Lady Sarubia, already know what is recorded in that video?"
"That… I cannot say."
"We could bring in a confessor and extract the answer by force!"
"Please refrain. I am, after all, the heir to a count's house and a knight of the Hero Party. I will not tolerate such treatment."
"Grr…"
When Sylvia invoked her authority, the Lord Protector took a step back. It was then that the Emperor intervened.
"Indeed. You are a count and a member of the Hero Party. For now. However… allow me one word of advice."
"Please speak, Your Majesty."
"I am well aware that you are concealing something. I would like to compel you to speak… yet I doubt you would permit such methods. Therefore I shall set a condition of my own. You said you will fight the Heavenly King again in one month, did you not? If at that time you fail to produce results that satisfy us, I will use every ounce of my power to strip you—no, your entire house—of the countship and remove you from the Hero Party. Do you understand? I need not spell out what becomes of you then, do I?"
"Your Majesty! That is far too—!"
"Why the protest? You need only fight again in a month, correct? Or is there some reason you cannot? If there are circumstances, speak them. I shall listen personally."
"…………"
There was no way she could speak.
How could she possibly admit that without Jack at her side she was a cripple who could not even fight properly? That would be suicide. Sylvia merely hung her head and fell mute.
"Hmm… In any case, we can all agree that a one-month grace period is necessary. As Emperor I decree the following: for one month you shall have time to reorganize. And no matter what, one month from now you will depart once more for the Demon Continent and return with tangible results. Fail, and severe punishment awaits. Even if I must persuade Hestia myself, I will see you disbanded or subjected to an equivalent penalty."
There was nothing to say but that they would obey. In the end the Hero Party left the imperial palace having secured a second chance. Yet they were no fools. Teo in particular wore an expression of deep dissatisfaction. A man who almost never lost his temper now spoke with clear irritation—shortly after they had exited the palace grounds.
"Something's off. There's something I don't know, right? Sylvia?"
"You're asking me?"
"You're hiding something, aren't you? No—all of you are hiding something. Sylvia… tell me. We're comrades. If you won't speak the truth, I can't help you."
"W-what are you talking about? There's nothing to hide."
"Are you going to keep this up? My eyes aren't knotholes. What's on that video the Emperor received? Why did Sharon give you a second chance? You know, don't you? There's something you haven't told us. Right?"
"Th-there's nothing like that."
Sylvia averted her gaze, but Scarlet cut in and began to spill the secret.
"This won't do, Sylvia. We've come too far for secrecy to mean anything."
"Scarlet! Don't say unnecessary things!"
"No, I have to speak. Listen carefully, Teo. The truth is, Sylvia is an enormous coward."
"What? Sylvia, a coward? Impossible."
"It's true. Originally Sylvia is a total chicken who can't perform at all in real combat."
"Then how has she fought alongside us all this time? That doesn't make sense."
"Thanks to Jack."
"Jack?"
"Jack has a skill called After-school Tea Time. Because of it, Sylvia was able to keep her composure. Now that Jack is gone, she can't bring out her true strength."
"Scarlet! Who do you think you are, blabbing however you like!"
"Calm down, Sylvia. This is no time to keep secrets. We're all in serious trouble. We need to share information and think of a solution."
"Kh…"
Faced with Scarlet's unassailable logic, Sylvia could say nothing. Teo spoke.
"So that was it. Now it makes sense. You couldn't fight properly even in front of Sharon."
"Y-yeah…"
With things having come this far, Sylvia decided to come clean.
"Exactly that. Sharon realized I couldn't display my full power and gave me time to prepare and come back."
"But I've got another question."
"What is it, Teo?"
"What's on the video?"
"…………."
Sylvia absolutely refused to answer that one. As the silence stretched, Teo changed the subject.
"If you don't want to say, fine. Anyway, the problem's simple now. If Jack comes back, everything's solved, right? Let's all go together and ask him to return."
"All of us?"
Christine objected, looking thoroughly displeased.
"I don't think so. Honestly, I don't feel the slightest inconvenience without Jack. Why do I have to go too…? This is Sylvia's problem. Tell Sylvia to go."
"Christine."
"I'm right, Teo. There's no need to turn Sylvia's personal issue into a group problem, is there? Right, Sylvia? You take responsibility and bring Jack back. Go kneel, beg on your hands and knees—do whatever it takes. You're not planning to get the rest of us killed because of you, are you?"
"That's not it, Christine. In truth… the one in the tightest corner is Sylvia herself. Right now, without Jack she isn't merely unable to fight—she's facing the destruction of her house, expulsion from the party, and nowhere left to go. At this point… one could say Jack holds Sylvia's very lifeline. Hmm…? Right? You need to go bring Jack back, Sylvia."
When Teo calmly laid out the situation, Sylvia could not even reply.
His words were correct.
No matter how she looked at it, Sylvia's fate now rested entirely in Jack's hands.