249. The Song of Roland
249. The Song of Roland
***
Serin went into her room and collapsed into a deep sleep, and afterward she dreamed of something tied to a certain past.
......
Black Ark, the middle part of the main story.
—The Song of a Knight.
That episode was like a key episode even within the long main story, and no matter what path any user chose as they progressed through the story, it was a choice everyone eventually passed through once.
Even if that choice had no compulsory force, any user playing Black Ark could not help but pass through the choice called The Song of a Knight.
No, to be precise, they needed to pass through it.
Because it was the best choice for forming a connection with Roland, the most influential knight among the Knights of Charlemagne.
Considering the relationships with Charlemagne's various knights that you inevitably became entangled with in the mid-to-late story whether you liked it or not, it was the choice that let you make the most allies with the least effort.
And naturally, Serin, who counted as a veteran player in the game Black Ark, was no exception.
There was no reason anywhere to leave an easy path right in front of her and deliberately choose a hard one.
......
"Rin, does this place also hold some meaning?"
Cecilia, the imperial princess who had spent two years traveling through various regions and firmly solidifying her standing, asked in a gentle voice, and Rin nodded.
"It has meaning."
Even at Rin's curt answer, Cecilia reacted as though she had heard an ordinary reply and took no issue with the attitude.
'What could there be in this place as well...?'
She merely turned over various thoughts inwardly, but Cecilia did not bother to ask in detail.
Because Rin was not the sort of person who answered just because those around her asked, unless she herself chose to speak.
Cecilia, who occupied an exalted position, simply accepted Rin's attitude with composure.
The space Cecilia now looked upon was an exceedingly barren one.
It was a place they had reached after leaving the originally designated road, a wasteland wrapped in strangely thick darkness.
Dead grasses and trees, dried out without a trace of moisture and at the end of their lifespans, and the gloomy, blackish earth evoked eeriness and desolation even though it was only early evening.
"..."
As the princess silently looked around, the Imperial Knight Order escorting her and various other figures also began to keep watch over the surroundings.
The party all cast sidelong glances at the white-haired woman who had suddenly made them leave their route, harboring all sorts of questions, but because Princess Cecilia had told them not to interfere, none of them voiced their doubts loudly.
"Rin, are you not aware? We must move on as quickly as possible right now."
Aselin, commander of the Imperial Knight Order, who ordinarily disliked Rin, could not hold back and snapped coldly, but Rin showed no particular reaction.
Instead, Cecilia, who was beside her, simply gave Aselin a silent look with unfriendly eyes.
"...Ahem."
As Aselin, embarrassed by the princess's gaze, bowed his head and finally averted his eyes, Rin let out a small smile.
"Sir Aselin. Do not worry. It will be over soon."
After answering, she stared fixedly at the darkness-shrouded wasteland.
'Everything is proceeding exactly according to plan.'
She had already moved according to plan for years, and there had been almost no deviation in those movements.
When she had first joined the princess's party, she had wondered whether she could do well—but now, two years later, that doubt had changed into certainty that she would succeed, and her belief in her endlessly growing abilities had even changed her fundamental nature.
If she had once silently offered advice only to the princess or expressed her opinions sparingly, the current her now voiced her opinions without hesitation and was even altering the princess's party's route according to her own will.
There was a clear difference between the passive her and the her who now proactively led the party, and before long her presence had grown immensely within the princess's party.
From the imperial princess, who trusted her utterly, to the imperial knights, the Magic Tower wizards, and the A-rank mercenaries who had confirmed her outstanding skill—none of them could treat her lightly.
Just as the party was tensely watching the darkness-shrouded wasteland,
————!
suddenly a white burst of light erupted from the center of the wasteland.
The moment the party's gazes naturally turned toward the sudden burst of light, they were met with an unbelievable sight.
Fwoooosh! Shrieeeek! Screeeech!
Horrible sounds, like the screams of countless demonic beasts too numerous to count, clamored all at once,
and along with them, indistinct shapes like pitch-black mist filled the wasteland.
As though it had been there from the beginning, the mist clung thickly to the place.
Dozens, hundreds of demonic beasts were letting out bizarre shrieks, and within them, a single knight radiating brilliant light was fighting desperately.
The knight's appearance seemed like something out of legend, yet it felt strangely real.
"An ambush!?"
"Where did this massive number of demonic beasts suddenly come from?"
"What the hell!? What's going on?"
"An illusion?"
Most of the party was startled by the sudden situation, and the wizards were suspecting illusion magic, wondering if the sight was a phantasm.
Cecilia gave her gaze first to none other than Rin.
The mysterious woman with silver hair shining in the darkness was calmly observing the astonishing situation.
As though she had predicted this very scene.
Cecilia could not understand it, and Rin herself did not explain.
'I cannot fathom her at all.'
Two years had already passed since they began spending time together.
And yet Rin never revealed her true feelings.
Her outstanding skill and her foresight, as if she could see the future, had already been proven countless times, and although Cecilia was determined to make Rin her own person, she felt she could not find even a single clue about her.
Aselin, seeing the knight in danger within the wasteland, spoke urgently.
"Your Highness! We must aid that knight as quickly as possible."
Even if surrounded by dozens or hundreds of demonic beasts, the party's current strength should be more than enough to handle it. Aselin's eyes gleamed as he looked at Cecilia.
Cecilia instead looked not at Aselin but at Rin and spoke.
"Rin. Since you guided us here directly, did you not also foresee this situation?"
"That is correct."
"Then, naturally, you must have thought of a response as well?"
At Cecilia's successive questions, Rin nodded.
"However, it is not yet time. We must wait until the situation progresses a little further before approaching."
"What in the world... are you saying!? Can you not see the knight in danger!?"
As Aselin shouted as though scolding her, calling it nonsense, Rin gave him a blank look.
Her coldly gleaming blue eyes took in Aselin's figure.
"Sir, you should think of the Imperial Knight Order's duty."
Rin's words—telling him to think of his original duty of protecting the princess—made Aselin's face flush hotly as he was about to speak.
"I assume everyone has heard Rin's words. I shall respect Rin's opinion."
Cecilia spoke first, coldly.
"Yes."
"...As you command."
Though many in the party were doubtful, they all acquiesced to the princess's words.
In the distant space, the sight of a knight continuously radiating light and fighting against demonic beasts looked dangerous. But their mission was not to be here to save that knight.
The Grandelia Empire, Princess Cecilia, first in the line of imperial succession.
They had all gathered to support her and fulfill her will.
"Your Highness...!"
But Aselin was gazing at the princess with pleading eyes, as if he truly could not understand.
Why, when they had the strength, would they not save that knight in distress?
To Aselin, who had learned chivalry to the marrow of his bones and lived his life faithfully as a knight, the current situation was incomprehensible.
"Sir Aselin. You need to calm your heart."
As Cecilia cut him off in a cold voice and turned away from Aselin's gaze, Aselin simply stared at her with a devastated expression.
'How could Her Highness, who was so kind and benevolent... make such a judgment?'
For a moment Aselin's head turned blankly, and his gaze went to the silver-haired woman existing right beside the princess.
A figure who had solidified her standing through countless exploits over the past two years, and who had undeniably established herself as Her Highness's closest confidant.
But that existence now felt utterly loathsome to him.
Because of that woman, Her Highness's character was changing far too greatly.
The warmth of Her Highness, who had always benevolently and kindly embraced all people, had vanished, and she was transforming into a woman of iron blood.
Even upon seeing someone's killing intent, even upon seeing any injustice, even now upon seeing a knight in distress...
Her Highness would not make the judgment herself.
She merely sought the opinion of the woman named Rin at her side and desired her actions and results.
Clink.
Aselin twitched, moving his hand toward his sword's hilt while casting a desolate gaze.
In the end, he turned his head and looked at the knight in distress.
——!
With bursts of light erupting continuously, the skill of the lone knight struggling against countless demonic beasts was visibly extraordinary at a glance.
With just a little help, or even merely lending strength from beside him, the knight could surely escape that crisis more easily.
Even though a tremendous desire to save that knight alone surged within him... in the end, he could not bring himself to act.
The weight of the position of Imperial Knight Order commander was not light at all.
Even now, daring to voice his opinion to Her Highness and hoping to influence her judgment was already no different from a grave offense.
Though he gradually realized his own actions were crossing the line, he simply could not help himself.
The image of Her Highness he had once admired and wished to protect no longer existed.
Because she had already changed far too much.
Aselin, who years ago had supported Princess Cecilia and been the first to follow her, was now even feeling a small sense of doubt.
"..."
As Aselin endlessly watched the knight in distress, his hand twitching,
"Are you that worried about that knight?"
Rin's lips moved as though she were curious about Aselin's behavior.
"When you see someone in distress, is that not... an utterly natural feeling! Even though we could help, even though we have more than enough strength... how can you turn away from this situation? Right now, Rin, I loathe the existence that is you."
Even at Aselin's attitude, which no longer tried to hide the hostility filling his face, Serin remained composed.
Facing that gaze full of hostility—a gaze that would have killed her dozens of times over if looks alone could kill—she was thinking a single thought.
'It's because he's a fellow knight, I suppose.'
No matter how much he outwardly displayed hostility and seemed to threaten her now,
she was certain that Aselin would not stab her in the back or draw his sword directly.
Because the knight named Aselin was 'that kind of existence.'
Among the knights in Black Ark, he was a named character, desired to be more righteous than anyone, and could not endure injustice.
So much so that the word "upright" could be said to exist for Aselin.
But despite that personality, he was an existence who accepted everything if it came from Princess Cecilia.
From roughly observing him over the past two years, she did not think his convictions would be broken by mere killing intent toward herself.
'He's also an existence most like the personality I know.'
Occasionally there were existences who exceeded the personalities or behaviors she knew, contrary to her expectations, but over the past two years, Aselin had been an existence who upheld the memories she knew.
A knight who, befitting the name "knight," always tried to embody the spirit of chivalry.
And so now, without knowing his place, he was bringing up saving "Roland," who had nothing to do with him.
"But if it is that knight, you need not worry so much."
"What do you mean there is no need to worry! If we simply lend that knight our strength even now, we could save him without any harm..."
As Aselin continued speaking fervently toward Rin, Rin suddenly cut him off coldly.
"There is no need."
Immediately after Rin's words ended.
—————!!!!
A massive burst of light, as if it would illuminate the world, erupted from the knight surrounded by countless demonic beasts.
—Knowing that endless pain walks beside one, the will to overcome it can grow all the more steadfast, and knowing that no matter how one wanders through abyss-like pitch darkness, at its end one can meet a great light......
And the knight's composed voice resounded loudly through the space.
The Song of Roland.
In this episode where that legend began, outside help was never needed in the first place.