57. Pistil (6)
57. Pistil (6)
Elise reverently received the princess's hair tie with both hands.
One might wonder what significance a mere hair tie could possibly hold, but to Elise at this moment, it was more precious than her own life.
Elise caught the princess's scent.
It might seem a bit perverted, but her sense of smell, which surpassed that of ordinary people, could detect the scent of the princess's hair from the hair tie.
It was as if the princess were right beside her.
"......Ah."
Only then did Elise realize something.
There was no time for this.
Even now, the princess must be waiting desperately for them to rescue her, pleading for help.
If she were to simply wallow in sorrow and flounder about, then there would be no meaning to her existence in this world.
She had already broken her promise, made multiple times, to protect the princess even at the cost of her own life.
Elise gave the order.
"......All members of the 2nd Imperial Knight Order, return to the imperial palace."
####
Just before returning to the imperial palace, Elise made one request to Ebram, the representative of the beastfolk.
It was a plea to hide the Divine Sword that the princess had used, if at all possible.
Surely, the day would come when the princess would once again raise this sword high.
Although no one but the princess could likely draw the sword anyway, it was still the famously renowned Divine Sword, and she didn't want it to attract the attention of treasure hunters.
Since Ebram's feelings toward Jaina weren't entirely hostile, he readily agreed to the request.
".................."
"......Is there something else you wish to ask?"
Ebram inquired of the Knight Captain, who was looking at him with a subtly piercing gaze.
The response he received in return was quite embarrassing.
"......You must also take to your grave the secret of having lusted after the princess's body."
"Th-that, no. How did you...?"
Was it a woman's intuition?
Or had he given himself away somehow?
Ebram didn't know how she had found out, but since he was already caught, there was no excuse he could make.
"......My apologies. I should have restrained myself."
Honestly, even though the princess had tempted him first, it was still his fault for being unable to control himself and pouncing on her.
Moreover, the age difference was over twenty years; even if they were both adults, the fact remained that he had slept with a woman almost young enough to be his daughter.
Of course, Elise did not rebuke Ebram further.
What was done was done, and scolding him now would be meaningless.
"Then, we shall take our leave. Please do not forget that the offer of negotiation the princess mentioned still stands."
With those final words, Elise and the remaining members spurred their horses, gripped the reins tightly, and departed.
"......Hoo."
Even after they left, Ebram was lost in thought.
To be precise, that princess kept appearing in his mind.
It was as if he was standing at a crossroads.
When he made the deal with Lilith, he had agreed without a moment's hesitation.
So why did his heart keep leaning the other way?
Ebram had to think about the future of his own people, the beastfolk.
But even so, he couldn't ignore Jaina.
Somehow, he had a feeling he wouldn't be able to sleep soundly for the next few days.
####
"Elise Evernoir, Captain of the 2nd Imperial Knight Order. You are hereby dismissed from your position as Captain."
"......I shall obey the command."
When the 2nd Knight Order returned to the imperial palace and relayed all the facts under strict secrecy.
Elise ultimately had no choice but to shoulder all the responsibility and step down.
Naturally, those who knew the facts looked upon her with eyes filled with hatred and disappointment.
Especially the hateful expression on Dorothy's face, who had been closest to her, was something she could never forget.
Of course, there was also someone who reacted unexpectedly.
That was His Majesty the Emperor.
He showed her no hatred, no disappointment, no emotion whatsoever.
He simply accepted the facts impassively and began formulating the next countermeasures.
But Elise saw it.
When she reported that the princess had been kidnapped, his eyebrows furrowed so subtly that no one else would have noticed.
"Then, I shall take my leave."
Elise returned her Knight Captain badge.
As she exited the audience chamber, several knights hurriedly chased after her.
"......Captain! Are you really leaving just like this?"
".................."
It was the knight who had often cast blatant glances at her and the princess.
Of course, since he followed orders well and had never caused trouble within the order, he wasn't a knight she disliked.
It was just that his overt glances sometimes landed on her chest and buttocks.
"Yes. I am no longer the Captain."
As Elise stated definitively, the knights' faces grew cold.
There was no other meaning to it.
They simply hadn't expected the farewell to happen in this manner.
"......Is there no chance you'll come back?"
The muscular knight, the one who had a younger sister, asked.
"If we look at it that way, aren't we at fault too? If we all shared the disciplinary action together...!"
But a leader must bear the corresponding responsibility.
This incident wasn't something that could be resolved by the knights sharing the disciplinary action.
Under normal circumstances, failing to protect the princess would have warranted the entire order being purged or imprisoned for life as criminals, and that still wouldn't be enough.
However, since the kidnapping implied the princess was likely still alive and the situation wasn't entirely hopeless, His Majesty had merely shown her consideration.
Even if they had failed their mission, it remained true that each member of the 2nd Knight Order was a significant talent.
"You were all excellent knights and my subordinates. Perhaps one day, if the opportunity arises, we will meet again. Until then, I wish you all the best of luck. Farewell."
"C-Captain!"
Elise turned her back on them without hesitation.
The knights called out to her from behind, but Elise left without looking back.
"......What do we do now?"
The female knight who had always faithfully followed the Captain asked.
"......Well, a new Captain will come, I suppose."
Someone answered.
After all, they were knights whose skills had been recognized by the Empire.
They wouldn't just be discarded carelessly.
But among them, Walter, whose tanned skin was nearly black and who had been thinking of Elise until just moments ago, hardened his expression.
"Ah, fuck......"
The other knights thought he was cursing out of denial about the current state of the order, but.
The reality was different.
In the end, he hadn't gotten to fuck either of them.
At first, he had tried to somehow bring down the stone-faced Captain, who seemed to know nothing of sex, and turn her into his bitch.
But while he was gradually building favor and planning his move, he saw the princess, who had entered the order ignorant of the world, and decided to fuck her like a dog first.
But in the end, he had tried to catch two rabbits and ended up catching neither.
He had already fucked every female knight in the order except those two.
The female knight who had just asked 'what do we do now' was already a sex partner who would lift her skirt and remove her panties if he asked.
Frankly, the reason he had stayed here, risking his life until now, was entirely because of that Captain bitch and the princess bitch.
He had endured all this hardship just to fuck those bitches.
And now both of them were gone.
Was there any reason to stay here now?
Well, honestly, it was nice to be able to freely fuck the somewhat pretty women in villages attacked by goblins or orcs during expeditions.
But if the new Captain wasn't that flexible, he seriously felt like quitting, even if it meant dishonor.
"Ah, this is bullshit."
Walter scratched his head irritably and left his spot.
Naturally, his footsteps were headed toward a brothel.
####
A considerable distance from the knights.
And outside the imperial palace, in a remote area close to the slums, Elise stopped walking.
There was no particular reason for coming here.
No 'particular' reason, that is. Elise unfolded a small piece of paper she held in her hand.
Before entering the slums, between a shabby green-roofed building and one on the verge of collapse.
This was the location specified in the orders she had received.
"..................You may show yourself now."
Elise spoke into the unnervingly deserted area.
Anyone passing by would have thought she was talking to herself, but simultaneously, a response came from behind her.
"Quite brave for a delicate woman to come here alone."
"...?!"
-Swish!
At the voice coming from directly behind her, a shiver and alarm ran through Elise's entire body, and she swiftly swung her sword, but there was no one there.
No, it was more accurate to say he had already moved behind her once again.
"Your reflexes aren't bad."
"......Who are you?"
Elise asked, turning around.
There stood a man shrouded entirely in black cloth, though it was impossible to tell how long he had been there.
Looking at the man, Elise could find not even the slightest opening.
He was like a massive wall.
No, perhaps it was more fitting to say he was an untouchable shadow.
"Captain of the Imperial 2nd Knight Order, and eldest daughter of House Evernoir. Ah, I suppose 'former' Captain now. You must have taken quite some pride in being the youngest Captain, but that ended at the age of 25. Was it because you met the wrong princess, after all?"
The moment the man spoke those words.
-Shiiik. Chaeng!
"Ouch."
Despite seeing no opening, Elise swung her sword at him.
Her face was quite contorted.
"How dare you speak of the princess with that filthy mouth."
For the first time in a long while, Elise had become truly enraged.