We Are Going Back (1)
We Are Going Back (1)
It was the day the Academy students from the Kingdom were due to return.
In the basement of an inn in the Duchy's capital, people had gathered for a meeting.
There were far fewer people here than before.
No mercenaries were in sight, and no knights were present either.
Instead, those present were the collaborators, the people who had arrived disguised as merchants, the Empire's special envoy, and the Organization's leader in the Duchy.
"Everything we need to prepare is finished, right?"
Emilio, the Organization's leader and head of an old merchant guild, asked the operative in charge of communications.
"Yes. We received word that the knights and mercenaries have also arrived at the planned location and completed all preparations."
Even after hearing that things were proceeding according to plan, Emilio and the others looked no less troubled.
"Sigh. This operation was a bigger mess than expected."
"That's because we rushed into it without enough preparation."
The special envoy vented his frustration over the Organization's orders.
Because negotiations with the Grand Prince had broken down, the envoy had to return to the Empire empty-handed.
He had even twisted the negotiations at his own discretion to help the Organization, but since they had come to nothing, there was a good chance he would face disciplinary action upon returning to his homeland.
As a special envoy, he couldn't help resenting the Organization for ruining the negotiations.
On the Organization's behalf, Guild Leader Emilio offered the envoy what could only be called an excuse.
"There's that, but too many things went wrong along the way. Some people died crossing the border, and the Shopping District Operation was a total mess, too."
Now that she'd mentioned it, she realized that even if they hadn't rushed the operation, more than one or two things had gone wrong.
On top of that, there was an even more absurd problem.
"Is there still no news of Bernard... no, Vid?"
"Yes. We confirmed that he was released from the detention center, but we haven't heard from him since, and we can't pinpoint his location. There were reports of someone seeing him walking down the street with another person, but those are unconfirmed rumors..."
At the words of the operative managing the collaborators, everyone's expressions darkened.
"I heard he was a free spirit who loved a fight, but also that he always carried out his assigned duties properly..."
At Emilio's words, an operative who knew Vid somewhat offered his opinion.
"Personally, I don't think he deserted voluntarily. I think something happened to him."
"Are you saying someone took him out?"
It made no sense that he would leave in the middle of an operation, but it was just as hard to believe that someone had defeated him.
"Then that's even more worrying. If someone is deliberately sabotaging our work..."
If these problems were just a series of coincidences, they would at least be manageable.
But if someone was deliberately interfering, it would be difficult for the final task they were preparing to succeed.
"Even so, we have no choice. We were ordered to proceed by any means necessary..."
"Sigh..."
A low sigh escaped not only Emilio, but most of the others as well.
It was all because of the orders handed down from above.
They had been ordered to bring the Grand Archduchess in as quickly as possible, by any means necessary.
Because of that order, they hadn't had time to formulate a proper plan, nor had they been able to prepare adequately.
They had been confident they would succeed at first, but after one failure after another, it was hard to remain so.
"I'm not questioning the knights' skills, but will we be all right without Vid? No, even discussing it is pointless. It's something we have to do whether Vid is here or not..."
Guild Leader Emilio had started to speak hesitantly, but she shook her head before finishing her sentence.
"Yes. We can't simply let the Grand Archduchess leave to study abroad in the Kingdom."
Because of what the Grand Prince had said when he broke off the negotiations, they had to carry out their final plan.
Although the number of knights had dwindled more than expected and Vid was missing, they still had to stop the Grand Archduchess from leaving.
"Since we'll be crossing into the Empire as soon as the operation is over, let's suspend our meetings for the time being, starting today."
Everyone agreed with Emilio. In particular, the operative in charge of the collaborators nodded enthusiastically at her suggestion.
"Yes, that would be for the best. We've stirred up too much trouble lately. Even those who assist us have been very worried, saying the atmosphere isn't good."
They had pulled more than a few reckless stunts.
They had turned a blind eye as knights scaled the city walls, released mercenaries, and resorted to various underhanded methods to get the knights out of the capital.
Once this operation was over, many of their helpers would have to keep a low profile for a while.
"Then, everyone, make sure to clean up after yourselves thoroughly, and carry out your respective duties well until we meet again."
Just as they were wrapping up the meeting and preparing to disperse—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound of someone pounding on a door echoed from above, through the ceiling. It was no ordinary knock.
Someone was pounding so hard that the door sounded as if it would shatter.
Then a voice rang out.
"The door is locked! Smash it!"
Boom!
Immediately, the sound of the door splintering echoed through the building.
"This building is surrounded! Everyone, come out with your hands up! Anyone who resists will be shot dead on the spot!"
The door shattered, followed by a voice infused with mana.
"Is it the guard?"
At Emilio's question, the operatives shook their heads.
"If it were the guard, there's no way we wouldn't have known!"
"More importantly, you must escape immediately."
They hurriedly pushed against one side of the basement wall to open a secret passage, but someone burst out of the passage first.
It was the operative who had been guarding the secret passage near the exit.
"The exit is blocked! Knights have surrounded us!"
When he said that, everyone was at a loss.
"The exit is blocked too? How did they know?"
"What do we do? Should we fight?"
"Let's break through the exit!"
"Who among us is even a proper combatant? They said there are knights! If we fight, we'll be wiped out!"
Amid the clamor, Emilio shouted.
"Quiet!"
Fortunately, despite the chaos, everyone obeyed Emilio's command.
The basement fell silent at once.
"Find the basement entrance! If you can't find it, smash everything that looks suspicious!"
The sounds of destruction continued to echo from above, of course, but—
"Let's surrender. From what we heard, it's knights, not guards, who have arrived. If knights have come, they're targeting us directly."
"We still have many strings to pull. Everyone should be able to get released safely."
Everyone nodded at Emilio's words. They had panicked at first, but just as she said, there were still many people in the Duchy who cooperated with the Organization and the Empire.
If they called on those people to use their influence, they would surely be released safely.
"But why didn't we know they were raiding us? We should have had contacts in the knights' order, too."
At Emilio's question, everyone shook their heads.
"I don't know either. There was no contact at all."
"There was nothing unusual in the administration either..."
"Then where on earth did they come from..."
As everyone wondered, an explosion resounded nearby.
Boom!
"Found it! Here's the entrance!"
Along with the explosion, a thick cloud of dust spread, and a voice laced with mana echoed from within it.
"You managed to hide well in a place like this."
Then they heard the voice of the man who had ordered them to smash the door.
"We all surrender."
At Emilio's words, everyone in the basement raised both hands.
As if he had heard her, the man's voice rang out again.
"Cease attack. Blow away the dust here."
"Yes, sir."
A strong gust blew in from the shattered basement door, sweeping the dust away at once.
As the haze cleared, the people with their hands raised saw the knights descending into the basement.
"The Royal Knights. Specifically, the knights brought by the Grand Prince himself. If that's the case, there was no way for us to know. They really did prepare thoroughly."
The operative in charge of the collaborators whispered from behind Emilio.
At his words, Emilio's eyebrows twitched. The situation was worse than she had thought.
It seemed unlikely they would be released easily.
"I am a special envoy of the Empire. Do not lay a hand on me."
Meanwhile, the special envoy was throwing a tantrum.
He was deliberately acting angry for the sake of the others, but the knights paid him little mind.
"Is this everyone?"
"Yes, this is all of them."
At the knight's words, Emilio flashed her trademark smile.
But the knight didn't even look at her.
"Just as expected. The others must have gone outside the capital, right?"
"Pardon?"
The knight's next words startled Emilio.
Could they have known everything before they came?
If they knew everything, why had they waited until only her group was left?
But she heard nothing more before she was escorted away and locked up.
And contrary to their expectations, she and her companions ended up imprisoned for a very long time.
While Emilio and the operatives were being arrested, the Academy students and I were leaving the capital in carriages.
The carriage procession was longer and more luxurious than it had been before I died.
Back then, it had been merely a send-off. This time, the Grand Archduchess was going to study abroad in the Kingdom.
Thanks to that, I also got to see the Crown Prince of the Duchy, who had come out to see his younger sister off.
'I wonder if Simon is a bit more handsome.'
In terms of looks, Simon, the heir to the Duke's estate, seemed better-looking, but the Crown Prince of the Duchy was already married.
'Does that mean Simon, who is only engaged, is a step behind... No, is it actually better that Simon isn't married?'
Confusing thoughts about marriage crossed my mind, but this heir, who was slightly older than Simon, possessed the same inherited ability as the two princes.
<Mana Resonance>
Because the Crown Prince of the Duchy and the Grand Prince possessed this ability, the Grand Prince still couldn't give up on the Kingdom.
It was an ability the Grand Archduchess, who was leaving for the Royal Academy, did not have. Fortunately, that meant there would likely be fewer disputes at the Academy.
If so, it was highly likely that the Grand Archduchess had inherited her ability from her mother, the Queen.
I heard the Queen was a noble of the Empire.
The Grand Archduchess's ability must originally have been the ability of an imperial noble family.
Had those bastards who pulled those stunts tried to take the Grand Archduchess, the last one remaining, because the ability users left in the Empire had died?
Since I couldn't know the exact reason, it was still only speculation, but I doubted it was much different from my guess.
Besides the Crown Prince, several nobles exchanged farewells with the Grand Archduchess.
The Grand Prince didn't make an appearance, which disappointed Senior Havier, but it seemed better for everyone's peace of mind that the Grand Prince didn't show up.
After spending several days meeting various people and attending events, the Grand Archduchess boarded a carriage with us and headed toward the Carlos Kingdom.
The number of knights accompanying the carriages had actually decreased compared to before.
That was because they weren't a send-off party; these were the knights who would escort the Grand Archduchess all the way to the Kingdom.
I was sitting next to the coachman in front of the carriage carrying the Princess and the Grand Archduchess.
Before I died, I couldn't sit there because the Viscount objected, but this time the Viscount, who had grown to dislike me less, readily gave his permission.
I listened to the women's voices coming from inside the carriage as I looked around.
Nothing unusual was in sight.
The scenery outside the capital was the same, and the knights—as well as Senior Havier, who rode his horse close to the carriage—were just as they had been before.
The knights at the front led the party, and people bowed their heads as they watched the long line of carriages pass.
As the procession continued along the road, it eventually entered a quiet, leisurely stretch.
I tilted my head in confusion.
This wasn't the main highway we'd taken when we came to the Duchy.
But it wasn't an unfamiliar road either.
'My god, they still haven't given up?'
The road we were traveling on now was exactly the same one we had turned onto before I died.