episode_0145

The interrogation center was quite far from where we were staying. It was natural. Even if they were important prisoners who should be treated ‘gently’, they were still enemies. They might escape and try to assassinate important figures in the palace.

Although the facility itself is no different from a normal room, its purpose is in fact a prison.

At the top of a tall tower within the Imperial Castle. The interrogation room was located there.

Of course, there were a lot of security guards around it—

“This is… … .”

Just when they got close to the tower, the surrounding area was so dire that Claire and Alice stopped in their tracks.

Knights who should have been called the elite of the Imperial Castle were lying here and there. Some of them seemed to have lost their breath. There were red blood and blackened traces of burns here and there on the desolate dirt floor.

It seemed that not only the knights but also the soldiers resisted, for there were all kinds of debris, guns cut in half, and grenades that had not been used rolling around on the floor.

The sound of a siren piercing into your ears.

New soldiers were being added to replace the fallen soldiers. The sound of people walking around haphazardly overlapped the sound of sirens, and shouts could be heard here and there.

Although there were artillery surrounding the tower, they were unable to fire indiscriminately.

“Princess… … !”

A knight came running towards us.

◦What’s going on in %◦?”

“Lucas has rebelled.”

When I asked that question, having been running straight over and not being able to hear the full situation, the reporter immediately assumed a still posture and reported in a stiff voice.

“Inside the tower?”

“Yes. It seems like they are targeting the prisoners of the law. And… … .”

The knight glanced at me and Alice for a moment,

“His Majesty the Emperor and the Sword Master are inside.”

“… … Father himself… … .”

“Sorry!”

As Alice muttered with a complicated expression, the knight shouted.

“We should have stopped it… … !”

“No.”

I answered the article straight away. I wouldn’t have had time to stop him anyway. It would have passed me by like the wind before I could say anything.

And the reason the Emperor went there… …was not simply to stop Lucas.

It’ll be fun, I’m sure.

I gritted my teeth and loaded the gun.

“Your Highness, wait a minute… … !”

The knight tried to stop me by saying something, but I was already running.

There were already a considerable number of knights stationed inside the tower. The Gryphon Knights, directly under the imperial family and known as the best in the empire.

The spiral staircase leading up to the large tower was packed with knights, and although we know in theory Lucas can slaughter them all, I wondered, ‘Is that physically possible?’

And on top of that… …

“Wait a minute, Sylvia.”

Alice grabbed my arm as I was putting my foot on the stairs. Instead of trying to stop me, she held on tightly as if she was not letting me go.

“It’s dangerous.”

‘Do you know what’s going on?’ I was grateful that he said that before I even suspected anything. But.

“You know best what Lucas is like.”

“And, Your Highness, you know that I am the one who has been hit the most by that sword.”

A hurt look flashed across Alice’s face at my words, but she didn’t let go of her grip on my arm.

“… … Lucas, I have something to tell you.”

“Is that so important? More important than life?”

Of course, it is not more important than life.

But I had faith.

Even if he’s Lucas, he won’t be able to face the Emperor and the Sword Master at the same time without any problems. In the original work, he was described as having surpassed the Sword Master’s skills by this point, but that doesn’t mean he has overwhelming skills.

In a duel with the Swordmaster, Lucas is cut in the chest. It’s not a life-threatening wound, but deep enough to leave a scar.

So, if there is an emperor who is not yet in his prime, Lucas has no chance of winning.

And the Emperor will not end the fight ‘with Lucas alive’.

If I wanted to hear something, this might be my last chance.

“This is a story you absolutely must hear.”

I said with force in my eyes.

What is my identity? How on earth did I end up here?

Lucas was the only person who could at least give an answer to that question, at least of those I can think of right now.

“So, can you let me go?”

“… … .”

At my words, Alice let go of my arm. I felt a little sad seeing her hand fall limply, but I looked straight at Alice and said.

“Absolutely, you won’t get seriously hurt or anything. The princess, please wait here. And Claire, Leo too.”

All three of them looked completely unconvinced by what I said, but I immediately looked at the knight next to me and spoke.

“Would you please watch to make sure that three people don’t come up?”

“Ha, but the princess—”

“Do I look like I’m going to die?”

“… … .”

At my words, the knight became dumbfounded. He couldn’t just ignore the words of a man who had single-handedly swept away so many armies on the battlefield.

“Sylvia!”

“… … .”

I heard someone shouting from behind me, but I immediately turned around and started up the stairs.

*

But things didn’t go as I expected.

The Emperor and the Sword Saint. Since they were the top swordsmen in this world, it wasn’t all that surprising that they didn’t fall to Lucas.

but-

“Oh, my little brother is finally here.”

As soon as I opened the door and went in, I smelled blood. I was proud of myself for not flinching for a moment.

“Ugh, ugh… … .”

“I was already starting to miss you. After all, you were the only one who could perfectly avoid my swordsmanship.”

There was a crunching sound.

“Ugh!”

The groans of a person who has bitten a tooth.

It was the sound of Verratti being stabbed by Lucas’ sword. It seemed like a cut to the stomach, but it didn’t seem fatal. At least no intestines were sticking out or anything.

As the knife stuck in his thigh was pulled out, a few drops of blood spurted out.

The interrogation room was already a mess. The furniture that should have been there was already shattered beyond recognition, and blood was splattered all over the walls.

That blood wasn’t just Verratti’s.

“I’m so proud that my son has grown up this much.”

When the Emperor said that to Lucas, Lucas laughed in disbelief. Judging by the blood dripping from his forehead, it seemed that the Emperor had also been cut by Lucas.

… … The Emperor, to Lucas.

“Well, to be honest, wouldn’t it be a waste of equipment?”

Lucas looked indifferent.

“… … Have you been to the court?”

“That’s right. You recognized it right away?”

In the hand of Lucas, who was speaking like that, was a sword used by a knight of the law. It was an artifact created in ancient times, when humans relied more on magic than the laws of physics.

In addition, the clothes he was wearing were also robes. He had a small bag hanging on his side, as if he had been on a long journey. He had shortened the straps so that they would not interfere with swinging the sword, and he had tightly fitted it to his body, making it look like the simplified uniform of a soldier of this era.

It’s unlikely that Lucas suddenly converted. It’s much more likely that he took it away because he thought it would be useful.

Most robes look similar, so I’m not sure exactly what they’ll do. Vitality? Recovery? Defense? … … Anyway, just wearing them will be of great help.

“Sylvia, he’s not a guy you can deal with.”

The blacksmith, who looked more wounded than the emperor, said so.

“… … .”

Of course, I didn’t listen to the blacksmith’s words. Even if I ran away from here, Lucas would follow right away.

It was a misjudgment.

If Lucas was going to suddenly pop out like this, I should have assumed he was well prepared.

“Well, if things were normal, I wouldn’t have thought of pushing forward with equipment like this.”

Lucas said as he swung his sword. With just one swipe, all the blood on the sword was gone, leaving the sword perfectly clean.

“I guess I need to be prepared to deal with ‘you’. And—”

Lucas said, smiling and looking into a corner of the room.

“—There are also saboteurs.”

I followed that gaze and turned my eyes, but then I froze.

There was a masked woman there, with a large wound from a sword. She wasn’t fallen, but was leaning against the wall, panting.

how……?

“Are you curious?”

I turned my head again at Lucas’ words.

“You’re not going to tell me?”

And then Lucas’ face came up in an instant.

“Tsk… … !”

The reason I was able to pick up the gun right away was because I was able to move my body the way I had learned over and over again.

But luck only lasts one time.

Lucas’ sword swung, and my gun was cut off.

“Ah—”

“… … .”

When I was shocked to see the gun torn in half, Lucas’s smiling expression became expressionless.

And that expression was truly terrifying.

“That’s right. Those who cheat.”

Lucas said with a sigh in his voice.

“If that gets blocked, you won’t be able to do anything.”

As if it were a death sentence.