Chapter 64
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Alteria (6)
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Clop clop clop!
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the back gate of the Bunnyard mansion swung open, and a carriage sped away at a brisk pace.
One of the men waiting in the shadows by the mansion wall caught sight of it and turned his head slightly.
"They're off. Heading toward Riverside."
"Riverside, huh... Since they came by ship to the docks, the Waykard crossing is the most likely bet."
Earl Ilrain murmured softly, stroking his chin before continuing.
"I'll leave a marker. Sir Pearson, Sir Shavon—bring the Sword Eagle Corps to Riverside for now. The rest of you, come with me."
"You're going personally, Your Excellency?"
The knights who had accompanied him turned to him with undisguised surprise.
"He's an envoy from Duke Soria. We must observe the bare minimum of courtesy. Besides, if we leave it to the city guard, things could get messy."
"Yes, Your Excellency!"
The knights responded crisply and spurred their horses.
Thud thud thud!
'I'll find out your intentions, my friend.'
Earl Ilrain's eyes gleamed coldly as he galloped down the street bathed in the deep glow of sunset, pursuing the Bunnyard carriage.
Shing.
As the oiled cloth slid along the blade, a chilling black gleam flowed across the dark steel.
When a clean cloth carefully wiped the sword once more, the gleam seemed to sink into the metal and vanish.
Blake, having polished his sword, drew the Demon-Sealing Blade close to his face for inspection.
He turned it this way and that, lantern light reflecting off the blade in flashes of brilliance.
"Hm?"
Blake, who had been examining it impassively, narrowed his eyes and looked up.
"What's that?"
Lindelmann's bored expression brightened. He had been watching Blake repeat the same task for the third time.
Stuck in this inn room all day without proper conversation, even a small change felt welcome.
"Someone's coming. Not two—three of them."
"What?!"
Unlike the startled Lindelmann, Blake sheathed his sword and stared impassively at the door.
"One's heavier than me, the other two lighter. Doesn't seem like a threat."
Rubens spoke after seeing the magic stone on his staff blink red twice.
The magic trap he'd set on the inn stairs would turn the stone red if someone heavier than Rubens climbed them.
"Phew, that's a relief. But if they're lighter than you, kids or... maybe women?"
Lindelmann's face lit up again.
"Seems that way. But Sir Zaroph, you look pleased. Your expression suddenly brightened."
Rubens tilted his head.
Lindelmann coughed awkwardly.
"What? Ahem! What's with my face? I was just bored out of my mind..."
Knock knock!
"Sir Blake, you have visitors. The innkeeper's with them too."
One of the three was indeed a servant boy, as Rubens had said.
"Visitors? At this hour?"
Lindelmann tilted his head.
But Blake, as if already suspecting something, replied calmly.
"Come in."
Creeeak!
The door opened, and the servant boy entered with innkeeper Fisher. Following them was one more person.
As the hooded figure pushed back her hood, surprise and delight flashed in Rubens' and Lindelmann's eyes at the face revealed in the lamplight.
"Miss Annrose!"
"Lady Bunnyard—no, how on earth did you find this place?"
"I asked around at the docks, and someone recognized me. Lucky break. But this is bad. We can't stay here."
Annrose skipped greetings and fixed Blake with urgent eyes.
"What's happened?"
Unlike the puzzled pair, Blake's face was as composed as ever.
"Earl Ilrain, commander of the Capital Defense Force, is coming for you with knights and soldiers."
"What? What do you mean?"
Lindelmann tilted his head.
She hesitated briefly, biting her lip before answering.
"I thought Earl Ilrain would support Prince Henrik... so I wrote him about you."
"I see. But isn't Earl Ilrain a longtime friend of Prince Henrik? Why would that be a problem?"
Like Annrose earlier that day, Lindelmann believed Earl Ilrain would be Prince Henrik's greatest ally if he sought the throne.
"No. I thought so too, but I was wrong."
"...!"
"They're friends, yes, but Earl Ilrain's loyalty is solely to His Imperial Majesty the Emperor. He said if anything disrupted the capital, he'd act as commander of the Capital Defense Force. He personally told me he's not Duke Soria's man."
"Whaaat?"
Lindelmann's jaw dropped.
Innkeeper Fisher's face grew grave as well.
Soon, every gaze in the room turned to one person.
Blake, who had been quietly pondering, finally spoke.
"You mean Alfred Ilrain?"
"Yes. But how do you...?"
Annrose nodded, puzzled.
Earl Ilrain was well-known among Alteria's nobility, but Blake's tone suggested personal acquaintance.
"I see."
Blake nodded silently, ignoring her question.
In his mind rose the image of a curt, stubborn knight renowned as a spear master from Prince Henrik's days as legion commander.
"Blake, do you know Earl Ilrain?"
Lindelmann asked casually, but Blake remained thoughtful and didn't reply for a while.
Suddenly, Blake stood from his chair.
Ignoring the curious stares, he strode to the window and parted the curtain slightly.
"As expected."
His eyes gazing outside gleamed coldly.
"As expected? What do you mean?"
Instead of answering, he jerked his chin toward the window.
"Gasp!"
Rushing to the window, Lindelmann and Fisher blanched at the sight outside.
Soldiers who looked over fifty at a glance were gathering torches in hand, swarming the alleys around the inn.
"Capital Defense Force!"
"Th-that's the Sword Eagle Corps!"
Lindelmann and Fisher muttered in unison upon seeing the soldiers' gear in the torchlight.
Alteria had two military organizations.
The city guard handling public order, and the Capital Defense Force.
Of the two, the city guard—patrolling in groups of a dozen with spears on their backs—were at least familiar to the citizens.
But not the Capital Defense Force.
They were the empire's elite central troops.
Residing in fortress-like training grounds near the capital, they underwent rigorous drills in spearwork, shield and sword, and formation tactics, making them vastly superior.
Even when major or minor incidents occurred in the capital, the city guard handled them; the Defense Force intervened only on the Emperor's orders.
Thus, ordinary folk rarely saw them.
Yet here they were.
The Sword Eagle Corps, no less—an elite unit of about a hundred selected from their swiftest, most skilled in spear and sword.
"Imperial regular army."
Blake said nonchalantly.
Lindelmann and Fisher, meanwhile, were at a loss.
"N-not just any imperial army! Can't you see the emblem on their plate armor? That's the Sword Eagle Corps, the absolute elite under the commander himself!"
"Sir Blake, what do we do?"
Blake scanned the Sword Eagle Corps encircling the alleys and inn with cold eyes, then turned to Fisher.
"When does the ship depart?"
"At dawn. They're loading cargo now, but someone was coming here. We know the dock, so we can head straight there."
"Then we go now."
"Through them?"
Blake replied indifferently to Fisher's incredulous stare.
"Any issue?"
"Well..."
Even in the crisis, Fisher hesitated, gauging the mood.
Plowing through that many soldiers was one thing, but they were imperial regulars. A misstep could brand them traitors.
Not just those present—the fallout could hit Rendalt Trading Company, or even the Azure River Alliance.
"Whatever Alfred Ilrain's thinking, it's suspicion without proof. If we don't get caught, no charges stick. And if we do... I'll take full responsibility."
Blake spoke as if reading Fisher's mind.
"Mm."
Fisher nodded heavily, quickly sorting his thoughts.
Blake was right.
He was no ordinary man, but an envoy of Prince Henrik, a strong contender for the throne.
Accusing the prince's envoy of treason on mere suspicion was impossible.
It would more likely backfire as an insult to the prince.
And his promise to bear responsibility alone meant...
'He's staking his life on it.'
Fisher made up his mind.
From the moment they came via Rody's introduction, riding the griffin was all or nothing.
Bailing midway was suicide.
The Azure River Alliance elders wouldn't want that either.
"Understood. We'll use the disguised exit."
Blake glanced at Fisher and turned.
"Sir Zaroph, wizard—prepare."
The two, now accustomed to such crises, sprang into action.
"Ruby, grab the bags."
"Already packed. Ready to go."
They finished packing in moments and awaited Blake's word.
"Destination: Rendalt Trading Company's ship. You two go first; I'll cover the rear. If combat breaks out, stick together no matter what. Exploit any gap and escape. I'll handle myself. Plan holds until we reach the ship."
"Let's move!"
At Fisher's call, Blake led, the pair following.
As they reached the door, Rubens suddenly remembered something.
"Wait, what about Miss Annrose?"
Blake and Lindelmann turned to her.
Under their gazes, Annrose bit her plump lower lip.
"Don't worry about me. This is all my fault. I'm just... sorry to you all."
Lindelmann and Rubens' expressions grew complicated.
But Blake shook his head.
"No need to be sorry. It would've happened anyway, woman or not."
"What do you mean?"
"Just is. Bottom line, you didn't cause this, so don't fret. But if you really feel bad, there's a way you can help. Will you?"
A rare offer from Blake.
Annrose nodded without hesitation.
"Anything. Just say it."
Bam!
The door nearly shattered as soldiers burst in.
Their helmets bore an eagle emblem at the center, mirrored on the left breastplate—sharp-eyed men moving with ruthless precision.
After swiftly searching the empty room, the soldiers reported to Knight Sapir.
"No one's here. But the fireplace is still warm—they left recently."
"There's another exit. Search."
"Yes, sir!"
As the soldiers scattered down the halls with resounding affirmations...
"Kyaaah!"
A shrill scream pierced from the far end of the corridor.
(To be continued)